(***A.N. I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling does. I do own my own OC Characters in this story. Please do not copy this story and claim it as your own.***)
Chapter 2:
"Wake up, Mina." a feminine voiced hissed, shaking my shoulders roughly, and oozing-giddiness.
Dimly-aware of this person's magic aura of books-mixed-with-ink, I attempted to ignore whoever it was that dared to interrupt my sleep.
"Come on, get up. It's our 1st-day." the voice prodded, groaning in irritation when she realized I wasn't getting up, and flinging the covers off me.
"WHAT THE FUCK!" I screeched, bolting upright in my bed, wide-awake, darting my eyes around the room in a daze, blinking sleeping out of my eyes, my eyes landing on Hermione (who had my covers in her hands and grinning-triumphantly at the end of my bed with her school-clothes already on), and narrowing my eyes at her, "What time is it, Hermione?"
"6:00am." Hermione declared, jumping on the balls of her feet in excitement, and radiating-sunshine so early in the morning.
"6:00AM?!" I repeated, my voice-shrilled, glaring-harmlessly at the girl, flopping back onto my bed, and trying to fall back to sleep, "We still have an hour before we have to be down in the Great Hall. Go away and let me sleep."
"I'm just so excited for our 1st-day." Hermione confessed, her cheeks tinted a light-pink, dropping my cover onto the floor, padding over to my bed, sitting down on the edge of my bed, and bouncing-ecstatically, "I couldn't sleep all night and you seemed like the only pleasant girl out of all our dormmates that wouldn't bite my head off for waking them up so early."
I never could fall back to sleep once I've been woken up. I thought, sitting up, smiling at her, and chuckling-softly at her, "Wait for me downstairs. After I get changed, we'll walk down to breakfast together."
Hermione squealed-joyfully, which earned her grumbles from Parvati and Lavender, barreling into me and giving me a bone-crushing hug. Amusement-flickered into my eyes as I watched my new friend bounce-merrily out of the dorm.
Something tells me I'm gonna be glad to have become friends with her. I thought, making my bed, brushing my hair and teeth, tugging my hair into a pony-tail, pulling my school-clothes on, slipping on my flat-shoes, straightening my tie, shrugging on my school-robe, snatching my school-bag off the peg, padding into the common-room, smiling as I spotted Hermione, and walking down the corridors with her beside me, "Let's go."
An Hour Later
"What's she doing here?" Ron whined, walking into the Great Hall with Harry right beside him, hiking towards me, spotting Hermione sitting beside me, scowling, and settling on the bench next to Harry.
"She's my friend, Ronald." I emphasized, narrowing my eyes at him, forking some eggs into my mouth, smacking him upside the head, and giving him a stern-glare, "You'll be nice to her, otherwise you can seat somewhere else."
"Ow." Ron grimaced, rubbing the back of his head with his hand, pouting-childishly, scooping some eggs onto his plate, and huffing in defeat, "Alright, jeez."
"Miss Potter, Miss Granger, Mr. Potter, and Mr. Weasley." the lady from the sorting-ceremony greeted, handing us our schedule for today, nodding-curtly to us, and passing the other students' their schedules, "Your schedules."
"Charms, Transfiguration, Defense against the Dark Arts, History of Magic, and Herbology?" Harry read, glancing up at me, scrunching his eyebrows together in bewilderment, and eating a bite out of toast, "Are these real classes?"
"Of course they are." Hermione stated-factually, drinking some pumpkin-juice, her tone voicing actual interest in the classes, standing up, grabbing her bag, snatching my wrist, and tugging me towards Charms-class, "Personally, from what I read from our course books, I find Transfiguration the most fascinating. Let's go Mina or we'll be late to Charms on our 1st day."
"B-B-BUT M-MY FOOD!" I pouted, scrambling to grab my bag, putting my hand out towards my food, throwing a pleading-look at Harry and Ron, and glaring-mockingly at them as they sniggered at my expense.
(***********************************************************************************)
Unfortunately, our Charms class is with the Slytherins. Which means having to spend an hour with the major Arsehole himself, Draco Malfoy.
"Good morning, everybody." a short wizard greeted, darting his eyes over us, standing on top of a gigantic-pile of books, and beaming at us, "I'm Professor Flitwick. I'm your Charms teacher. We'll be going through a lot of spells throughout the course of the school-year. We'll be starting with the Unlocking Charm. Can anybody tell me the actual name for this charm? Miss Granger?"
"Alohomora." Hermione answered, sitting beside me in class, and shooting her hand up immediately.
"Very good. 5 points to Gryffindor." Flitwick praised, smiling at her, and giving us instructions, "Everybody take out your wands. I want you all to practice unlocking the boxes sitting in front of you."
"Stupid Mudblood-Slag." Malfoy spat, talking loudly enough for Hermione to hear but not Flitwick, smirking when he caught me glaring at him, turning to Crabbe and Goyle, and chortling-loudly, "Is Flitwick Potter's relative? They're both the same height."
"Tarantallegra." I muttered-faintly, noticing Hermione had sat-stiffly in her chair upon hearing Malfoy, jerking her head towards me, widening her eyes in shock upon hearing me, smirking-triumphantly as Malfoy started dancing around the room, and roaring in laughter with the rest of the class.
"MR. MALFOY! SIT DOWN!" Professor Flitwick ordered, attempting to gain control of the class.
"I-I-I CAN'T!" Malfoy stammered, his face pale, and doing the Jig around the classroom, "MY FEET WON'T LISTEN!"
"Oh dear," Flitwick sighed, knowing what happened, turning to Crabbe, and continuing our lesson after they left, "Mr. Crabbe, kindly escort Mr. Malfoy to the Hospital Wing. Alright everybody, try the Unlocking Spell on your boxes."
A few seconds later, Seamus Finnigan had accidently blown up his box.
After Charms Class
"You have got to teach me that spell, Min." Harry grinned, walking alongside me after Charms class, heading to Defense Against the Dark Arts class, and laughter-shone in his eyes.
"You're my hero." Ron praised, grinning-brightly, walking beside Harry, and fist-bumping me.
"Don't encourage her. She shouldn't have done that." Hermione chided, clutching her books to her chest, throwing Ron and Harry a disproving-glare, walking alongside me, and pursing her lips, "Now it gives Malfoy one more reason to despise her."
"Who cares?" Harry dispelled, snapping his head towards Hermione, and giving her a pointed-look, "That Plonker deserved it and you know it."
"That doesn't mean she should stoop to his level." Hermione countered, walking past me, smiling-faintly, and whispering under her breath to me as she went past, "Thanks."
"POTTER!" Malfoy's annoying voice clamored, storming towards us, his face an enraged-red, and glaring-darkly at me.
"Go on ahead. I'll meet you guys in class." I assured, nodding for Harry and Ron to go on ahead, spinning on my heel to face Malfoy, smirking-mockingly, and raising my eyebrows up at him, "You hollered?"
"YOU USED THE DANCING-FEET-HEX ON ME!" Draco accused, halting in front of me, poking me in the chest, and glaring-maliciously at me.
"Is that what that was?" I feigned-innocence, tapping my finger against my chin, and shrugging-tauntingly, "I thought it was the Unlocking Charm."
"DON'T PLAY DAFT YOU FAT-CO-" Draco spat, glaring-daggers at me, and poking me in the chest again.
"I'll be really careful who your hurling insults at if I were you, Malfoy." I warned, narrowing my eyes at him, pulling out my wand, batting his finger off my chest with my wand, backing him against the wall, and glaring at him, "Put your hands on me again, Sniving-Prick, and I'll make that Dancing-Feet-Hex look like child's play compared to what I'm capable of."
"MINA!" a familiar male's voice waved, hiking towards me, smiling-brightly, swinging an arm around my shoulder, spinning us around towards my Defense Against the Dark Arts class, and sliding his arm off my shoulder when we were far enough away from Malfoy, "You're so lucky I found you instead of one of the professors."
"Thanks, Cedric." I thanked, smiling-gratefully at him, walking alongside him, and jokingly-narrowing my eyes at him, "Malfoy makes me so angry. What were you doing down this corridor anyways? Doesn't 3rd-years have Potions right now?"
"My dad says the same thing." Cedric chuckled, walking beside me, giving me a fake-stern look, and amusement flashed into his eyes, "I happen to have a free period this hour. I figured I'd see if I could catch my 1st-year friend before she went to class. Imagine my surprise when I found her dueling in the corridor."
"We weren't dueling. Besides, he started it." I defended, pouting-childishly, crossing my arms against my chest, and sticking my tongue out at him.
"The 4-year-old-child-comback. Nice." Cedric praised-sarcastically, rolling his eyes, nodding his head-mockingly, halting in front of a door, and turning to face me, "I never got the chance to congratulate you on getting into Gryffindor. They gained a gifted witch."
"My mind may be the age of an adult-female-witch, but my heart remains a child." I bantered, grinning, glancing at him, and biting my lip, "You really think so?"
"I know so. You'll make an extraordinaire-lion." Cedric assured, ruffling my hair, knocking on the door, smirking as I playfully-glared at him, and walking away as I entered the classroom, "Sorry Professor Quirrell. I needed Mina's help with an assignment. I lost track of time."
"I-I-It's q-q-quite a-a-alright, M-M-Mr. D-D-Diggory." Professor Quirrell stammered, pausing in his lecture as the door opened, smiling-tightly at Cedric, and continuing his lecture once I sat in my seat beside Dean Thomas, "A-A-As I-I-I w-w-was s-s-saying, i-i-in t-t-this c-c-class w-w-we w-w-will b-b-be s-s-studying d-d-defensive s-s-spells f-f-from a-a-a t-t-theoretical p-p-point."
Wait, we're not learning how to defend ourselves? Isn't the whole point of Defense Against the Dark Arts to learn how to fight back? I thought, furrowing my eyebrows together in puzzlement, sitting down beside Dean since all the other seats were taken, pulling out my quill and parchment, and narrowing my eyes at Quirrell, There's something…off about Professor Quirrell. Witches and Wizards have 1 magic trace, but for some reason Quirrell has 2. I vaguely felt it back at the Sorting Ceremony, but there were too many new magic auras to pin-point exactly where it was coming from. Guess that answers that.
After Defense Against the Dark Arts Class
"Did your brothers ever mention anything about Professor Quirrell to you, Ron?" I inquired, sitting down beside Harry at lunch, glancing over at Ron, and furrowing my eyebrows together in thought.
"He was the Muggle-studies Professor until this year. Fred and George only took that class cause of the easy marks. Percy mentioned Quirrell has a fascination with the Dark Arts. Supposedly, every summer he explores Ancient Ruins. Only this year when he got back his stuttering was worse and he started wearing that turban." Ron recalled, sitting next to Harry, eating his lunch, and glancing over at me, "Why do you ask, Mina?"
"It's hard to explain." I claimed, biting my lip, scrunching my eyebrows together in thought, and turning my head to them, "You two didn't feel anything off about him?"
"You mean like evil-intentions?" Harry translated, lifting a calculating-eyebrow up at me, pushing his glasses back-up onto his nose, and creasing his eyebrows in regard, "A bit odd maybe, but he didn't radiate malice to me. What makes you think there's anything off about him anyways?"
"I can't explain it… Maybe it's nothing." I stated, frowning, finishing eating my lunch, grabbing my bag off the table, and walking off to Transfiguration class with Hermione, "I'll see you guys in class."
"I'm Professor McGonagall, I'll be your Transfiguration professor." McGonagall spoke-crisply, turning her attention to us, her gaze roaming over all of us, transforming herself into a cat before turning herself back, turning towards the blackboard, and tapping it with her hand, "First and foremost, I except each and every one of you to take this class seriously. Those that do might find their efforts may lead them to succeed in casting the most challenging and dangerous Transfiguration spell in the future. By which I mean the Animagus Spell. For those who do not will find themselves thrown out of my class and never be allowed back in. Take out your quills and parchment. Copy this equation down."
50 minutes went by and Harry and Ron still haven't shown up yet. Professor McGonagall had transformed herself back into a cat. She was sitting on her desk, watching all of us.
"Where do you think Harry and Ron are?" I whispered, writing the notes down, darting my eyes over to her, and worry-flickered into my eyes, "I'm worried."
"They probably got lost." Hermione whispered-back, writing down the notes, and giving me a assuring-smile.
At that exact moment the door opened revealing Harry and Ron. They quickly shuffled into the classroom looking out of breath.
"Can you imagine the look on McGonagall's face if we were late?" Ron wheezed, standing next to Harry, placing his hands on his knees, and catching his breath.
Hermione and I both bit our lips to keep from laughing.
"I imagine it would look something like this, Mr. Weasley." McGonagall deadpanned, jumping off the table, transforming back into her human-form, standing in front of them, her arms crossed against her chest, and raising an eyebrow at them, "Would either of you care to explain why the both of you are late to my class?"
"That was bloody-brilliant." Ron remarked, staring at McGonagall in awe, and wincing when Harry nudged him in the ribs.
"We got lost, Professor." Harry explained, looking sheepishly at her, jamming his elbow into Ron's ribs, and swallowing down a lump in his throat.
"Perhaps if I were to transfigure Mr. Weasley or yourself into a pocket-watch, then maybe one of you would be on time. Or would a map be sufficient?" McGonagall sarcastically-claimed, her lips curling up into a half-smirk for a second before retaining her stern-expression, and nodding her head towards the desks, "I trust you don't need either to find your seats."
Harry and Ron both shuffled towards their seats.
After Transfiguration Class
"McGonagall is strict." Ron grumbled, treading next to Harry, and a distressed-expression on his face.
"Definitely not someone you want to piss-off that's for sure." Harry agreed, trekking along beside me, and nodding his head in agreement.
"True, but I think she genuinely cares for us." I observed, smiling-happily, walking beside Harry, and making our way to the Greenhouse, "Personally, she's my favorite Professor so far."
"Tell that to the mountain of homework she gave us." Ron complained, scrunching his nose up in distaste, and a look of agitation crossed his face.
"EVERYBODY PRESENT?!" Professor Sprout welcomed, standing behind small-boxes filled with a tiny-greyish-plant, and beaming at us, "Alright then. My name's Professor Sprout and I'm your Herbology Professor. Today, we'll be talking about Datura Stramonium. Who knows what it's more commonly known as?"
"Devil's Snare." Neville spoke-timidly, standing beside me, glancing-nervously down at his feet, and his face bright-red when he realized everyone was staring at him.
"Correct, Mr. Longbottom. 10 points to Gryffindor." Sprout cajoled, clapping her hands together, and giving us instructions, "Devil's Snare wraps around it's victim. Basically, it strangles you. One thing you ought to know is it hates sunlight. There are some extremely-dangerous plants that dislikes sunlight. I want you to practice the Lumos Solem Spell. Everybody partner up and grab a box to practice."
Of course Harry and Ron immediately partnered up, while Hermione partnered up with Parvati.
"Neville, want to be my partner?" I suggested, noticing we were the only ones standing around without partners, stepping over to him, and offering him a friendly-smile.
"Why would you want to partner with a screwup like me?" Neville sputtered, widening his eyes in shock, and staring at me in disbelief, "You always hang out with Harry and Ron."
"I can have other friends beside Harry and Ron too." I informed, smiling at him, nodding my head for him to follow me, and lifting up a box.
"That's…not what I meant." Neville stammered, stumbling after me, and standing beside me, "I meant you 3 are so awesome at this magic stuff…while I just screw up everything."
"I'll have you know Ron made his needle puff out Fart-Gas instead of making it shiny in Transfiguration Class earlier today." I retold, grinning over at him, setting the plant down on the ground, and taking out my wand.
Neville had muffled his snigger when I told him that. Clearly, it had improved his mood to know he wasn't the only one to mess things up. He glanced over at me and gave me a grin back.
"You happen to be the best at Herbology." I observed, coming over to him, smiling-sympathy at him, and speaking-softly, "And my aunt told me about your parents. Harry and I know what it's like to get pitying-glances. Plus, I thought you might want a friend. What do you say?"
"I'd like that." Neville nodded, swallowing, and giving me a faint-smile, "I don't really like talking about it."
"I don't expect you to if you don't want to. I meant what I said about wanting to be your friend." I explained, resting my hand on his shoulder-briefly, and facing the plant, "For the record, I think your parents are extremely-brave for fighting for what they believe in. Especially, when there's pressure from society to do something completely different."
"Thanks." Neville spoke-faintly, a light-red-hue dusted his cheeks, glancing at the ground, and facing the plant.
After Herbology Class
"Why did you partner up with Neville?" Ron probed, walking on my right-side, and staring-curiously at me.
"I'm only allowed to have you 3 as my friends?" I countered, quirking my eyebrows up at him, and narrowing my eyes at him.
"That's not what he meant." Harry quickly-justified, walking on my left-side, and choosing his words carefully, "It's just Neville is…a bit of a dullard. That's all."
"For your information, that Dullard happens to be the best in Herbology in our class." I defended, scowling at them, and narrowing my eyes at them, "Not to mention his parents were injured in the 1st-war. I thought he could use a friend that sympathizes with him."
"Did he say what happened?" Ron inquired, raising an eyebrow at me.
"I didn't ask, cause unlike you I have more tact." I snapped, straightening my shoulders, glaring-daggers at him, carrying my books, storming into our next class, slipping into the desk beside Hermione, slamming my books down onto the desk, and ignoring Harry and Ron.
"I'm Professor Binns. I'm your History of Magic Professor," Binns droned, glancing at us with bored-eyes, facing the chalkboard, and scratching notes onto the board with white-chalk, "Take out your quills and parchment. Write these notes down."
Instead of writing down notes like I was supposed to, I started scribbling a letter to my Aunt. I cleverly-ignored the displeased-looks Hermione was shooting at me. Can she really blame me? The lesson was about the background of the self-stirring cauldrons. It was completely and utterly dull.
(***********************************************************************************)
The rest of the week flew by and before we knew it, it was already Friday. I was sitting in the Great Hall for breakfast with Ron, Harry, and Hermione, eating my eggs and finishing my letter to give to my Aunt.
"What are you writing?" Harry questioned, peering over my shoulder, swallowing down a bite of toast, and attempting to get a better look at what I was writing.
"A letter to her Aunt." Hermione interrupted, sitting down beside me, reading a book, and obviously eavesdropping on our conversation, "She was writing it in History of Magic on Monday instead of writing down the notes Professor Binns wrote up on the blackboard."
"Can you blame me?" I justified, looking up at her, chewing down a piece of bagel, and going back to writing the letter, "That lesson was utterly-uninteresting. I mean, self-stirring cauldrons? It's a drab subject, Hermione."
She threw me a unimpressed-glare before sticking her nose back into the book she was reading.
"What do you got there, Harry?" I observed, tying a ribbon around the letter, noticing Harry intently-reading a newspaper, and leaning over his shoulder to see what he was reading, "I don't think I recall you ever reading anything before?"
"Funny." Harry intoned-dryly, giving me dead-panned eyes, glancing over the newspaper at me, and reading out-loud to us, "Someone broke into Vault 713 at Gringotts. Strange. It was the same day Hagrid took me there. He picked something up from the same vault that day. Claimed it was Top-Secret Hogwarts business."
"What do you reckon it was?" Ron questioned, a trail of porridge dripped down his chin, wiping it with a napkin I just handed to him, and glancing-curiously at us.
"It's not any of our business." Hermione snipped, speaking behind her book, and once again listening into our conversation.
At that exact moment, an explosion echoed against the Great Hall. Everybody heads turned towards a soot-faced Seamus. Apparently, he was attempting to turn his water into wine. This last week, everybody learned that Seamus has a slight-issue with causing things to explode. Then a flock of owls flew into the Great Hall carrying packages to their owners.
"Give this to my Aunt for me, will you?" I smiled, petting Midnight as he landed in front of me, giving him a piece of toast, tying the letter to his leg, stroking his wing before he took off, noticing Harry's snow-owl he's been bragging about landing in front of me, and stroking her wing, "Thanks Midnight. Is this Hedwig? She's gorgeous."
"She is." Harry agreed-proudly, petting Hedwig, giving her a piece of his toast as well, and beaming with pride as he stroked her, "Hagrid got her for me. The 3 of us should make plans to visit him soon."
"The 3 of us?" Ron repeated, widening his eyes in disbelief, and stammered-slightly, "You mean you want me to come too?"
"You're our friend. Why wouldn't you come?" I stated-factually, spotting Neville opening up a package, glancing over at him from where he was sitting across from me, and tilting my slightly-sideways as I saw him holding a clear-ball, "Is that a Remembrall?"
"Yeah, my Gran knows I forget things." Neville explained, smiling-happily, holding it in his hands, trailing-off when the ball turned red, and scrunching his eyebrows together in thought, "It turns red when you…forgotten something. Only I can't remember what I forgot."
"It's ok Neville. It happens to us all" I assured-encouragingly, grabbing my bag as the 3 of us headed to Potions, stepping beside Ron, smacking him upside the head, and shooting him a disapproving glare, "Will you stop being such an prat?"
"What?" Ron defended, walking beside Harry, and snickering-faintly, "It's funny. Only something like that happens to Neville."
"It's not actually." I intoned-icily, briskly-marching into the classroom, pursing my lips, and sitting down in my seat.
I was so annoyed at Ron, that I sat with Parvati in potions instead of them.
"There shall be no foolish wand-waving or silly-incantations in my class." Snape spoke-emotionlessly, striding into the room, banging the door opened, flicking his wand, shutting the blinds, and roaming his eyes over us, "As such I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion-making. However for those select few who possess the predisposition, I can teach you how to bewitch the mind, ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death."
I glanced over to see Harry writing down notes. Apparently, Snape spotted this too because he instantly stood in front of Harry. In order to get Harry's attention, I crumbled a piece of parchment into a ball and chucked it at the back of his head.
"Then again, maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts in possession of abilities so formidable that you feel confident enough to Not. Pay. Attention." Snape continued, spotting Harry writing instead of listening to him, crouching to be eye-level with Harry, resting his arms against the desk, and staring at Harry, "Mr. Potter, one of our new celebrities. Tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
This isn't gonna end well. I thought, grimacing when Harry shook his head at Snape, and watching them.
"You don't know?" Snape clarified, quirking an eyebrow at him, lifting the corner of his lips up into a half-smirk, and staring at Harry, "Let's try this again. Where, Mr. Potter, would you look if I asked you to bring me a bezoar?"
"I…don't know, Sir." Harry muttered, his face a soft-red-hue, and staring back at Snape.
"What's the difference between monkswood and wolfbane?" Snape badgered, and still keeping eye-contact with Harry.
"I don't know Sir." Harry mumbled, his face-growing bright-red, and glaring at Snape.
"Clearly fame isn't everything." Snape smirked, finally acknowledging Hermione's hand, scowling at her, and darting his eyes over to me when I spoke up, "PUT YOUR HAND DOWN, YOU STUPID, SILLY GIRL!"
"It seems kind of cruel to pick on someone for not knowing certain things. Especially, when this is our 1st-Potions lesson." I spoke-up, gripping the edge of the desk with my hands, and glaring at Snape, "Clearly Hermione knows. Why don't you try asking her?"
"Detention, Miss…Potter. 6pm tonight. In my office. " Snape barked, narrowing his eyes at me, turning his attention back to Harry, and twisting his head around when he noticed nobody was writing anything down, "For your information, Mr. Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of the Living dead. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and will save you from most poisons. As for monkswood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Why aren't you all writing that down?"
I felt this uncontrollable-rage bubbling up to the surface as Snape kept badgering Harry. I wasn't even aware that I had unintentionally lost control of my magic for that brief time until it was too late. Glass-jars sitting up on the shelf had shattered into tiny-shards as they smashed against the floor. Everyone was darting their eyes around the classroom trying to figure out what happened. Everyone except Snape. He was staring-directly at me. A brief shimmer of astonishment flickered into his eyes before turning away from me.
"SILENCE!" Snape hollered, gaining control of his class, flicking his wand at the broken-jars, cleaning them up, and giving us instructions, "You'll be working with a partner on a simple potion to cure boils. Your partners will be the person you are sitting next to. Get to work."
"You want to get the Nettles, Snake Fangs, Horned Slugs, and the Porcupine Quills, while I heat the water?" I asked, breathing-heavily, staring transfixed at the spot where the jars had been laying, shaking myself out of my daze, turning to Parvati, and smiling.
"Sure." Parvati replied, nodding her head, smiling back at me, standing up, and glancing at me with quizzical-eyes, "How many ounces of dried-Nettles was it again?"
"0.7 oz." I answered, setting the cauldron on the burner, pouring the correct amount of water into it, and waiting for it to start boiling.
After about an hour of working-seamlessly together, Parvati and I managed to create a semi-decent Boil Cure. Looking to my left, I noticed Seamus and Neville just finishing their potion. Only problem was, Seamus was ignoring Neville pleas. Instead of placing each quill into the cauldron separately, he shoved all 3 porcupine quills into their cauldron at the same time. Knowing what was about to happen, I bolted over to them. Grabbing their cauldron-cover, I quickly slammed it on top of their cauldron. Instantaneously, the potion began to bubble-over onto the sides of the cauldron, which was were my palms were resting.
"IDOIT BOY! THE DIRECTIONS SPECIFICALLY CALL FOR YOU TO ADD THE PORCUPINE QUILLS INTO YOUR CAULDRON ONE AT A TIME! IF MISS POTTER HADN'T REACTED THE WAY SHE DID, YOU WOULD'VE BLOWN UP MY CLASSROOM!" Snape hissed, appearing beside me, grabbing my wrists, inspecting my burns, pursing his lips together, and sending Neville and Seamus a scowl, "Let me take a look. ONE OF YOU DUNDERHEADS TAKE MISS POTTER TO THE HOSPITAL WING!"
Harry instantly began standing up.
"NOT YOU, POTTER!" Snape shouted, spotting Harry getting up out of his seat, roaming his eyes around the classroom, landing on Malfoy, and snapping at him, "Mr. Malfoy. Kindly, escort Miss Potter to Madam Pomfrey's."
"The burns aren't that bad, Sir…" I began, swallowing, getting cut-off by Snape, my shoulders-slouching in defeat, and sending a assuring-smile Harry and Ron's way.
"That wasn't a suggestion, Miss Potter. You will go to the hospital wing with Mr. Malfoy." Snape declared, narrowing his eyes at me, and turning back to the class once Malfoy and I left the classroom, "GET BACK TO WORK!"
"I can't believe I have to waste my time with likes of you." Malfoy sneered, crossing his arms against his chest, scrunching his nose up in disgust as he eyed-me, keeping his distance from me as we trekked towards the medical wing, and narrowing his eyes as he studied me, "Why did you do that? I mean, why would you help Longbottom and Finnigan when they'll just screw-up anyways?"
"I'm not thrilled either." I scowled, glaring at him, keeping my eyes straight-ahead, and darting my eyes at him, "If I hadn't done that, they would've gotten hurt."
"Better them than you." Malfoy claimed, widening his eyes as he realized how that sounded, a red-hue dusted his cheeks, and clearing his throat, "I meant, why would anyone put themselves in harm's way when they know the person they're trying to save is just gonna get hurt anyways? It seems a lot of hassle for nothing."
"You wouldn't understand, Malfoy." I claimed, smirking-slightly, entering the medical-wing, and a fierce-protectiveness gleamed into my eyes, "It's what you do for the ones you care about. You do whatever it takes to protect them. Even if that means sacrificing yourself in order for them to live."
"Oh dear." Pomfrey tutted, interrupting our conversation, grabbing my wrists, giving my injury a once-over, and clicking her tongue, "What the devil happened?"
"I burnt myself." I explained, watching as she rubbed salve onto my palms before wrapping bandages loosely over the burns, and instantly-feeling relief.
"I can see that." Pomfrey noted-crisply, tying the bandages, landing her gaze on Malfoy (who has been leaning against the wall with his eyes trained on me), handing me the jar of salve, and smiling-warmly at me, "You can leave Mr. Malfoy. Burns of this degree are easy to fix. Put this salve on it every 3 hours. You better get down to the Great Hall. Dinner will be served soon."
"Thank you." I thanked, stuffing the jar into my bag, watching as Malfoy left, my footsteps echoing down the corridor, hiking to the library, pulling the beautiful-doors open, and skimming the rows of books, I have time before dinner. I think I'll go down to the library and do research about people having 2 magic-auras.
I skimmed the rows of books, seeing if their titles could lead me to what I needed. Spotting a book called Magic Auras and Their uses in Divination, I lifted it out of the spot. Riffling through it as my eyes scanned over the pages.
Certain Wizards and Witches are able to sense other's auras... I thought-read, my eyes roaming over the words, slamming it shut, shoving it back onto the shelf, stalking back to the Great Hall, and sliding next to Harry, I already know that. Maybe Harry's right and I'm just being paranoid.
"You weren't in the hospital wing." Harry grilled, looking at me in concern, and filling his plate up with food, "Where did you go?"
"I went to the library to do research on what's bugging me about Quirrell." I disclosed, placing food onto my plate, and sighing in frustration, "No luck though."
"I could've told you that." Ron butted-in, spooning soup into his mouth, and giving me an I-told-you-so look, "Like we said, there's nothing alarming about Professor Quirrell. He just odd."
"WE'RE NOT WORTHY!" Fred and George mocked, coming up to us, falling to their knees, and bowing in front of me.
"You two are ridiculous." I laughed-softly, smacking them upside their heads, rolling my eyes, and my face bright-red from all the stares coming from the other houses, "Now stand up."
"We never congratulated you on pranking Malfoy on your first-day." George clarified, standing up, smirking, gesturing for Harry to scoot over, sliding into the seat beside me, and slinking an arm around my shoulder.
"We also heard you got detention from Snape already." Fred praised, gesturing for Ron to scoot over, sliding into the spot beside me, slipping an arm around my shoulder, and smirking, "Not too shabby."
"Don't enable her." Hermione scolded, giving them a reproachful-glare, glancing over her books at us, and shooting me a pointed-look, "Speaking of detention, you should get going."
"Later guys." I sighed, shrugging out of their hold, grabbing my bag, standing up, hiking towards Snape's office, and putting my hand up into a wave.
I headed down the steps to the dungeon to face my doom...I mean, detention. Standing in front of Snape's office, I knocked before entering after hearing his drawl from inside the room.
"Sit." Snape ordered, sitting on a chair behind his desk, grading paperwork, setting his quill down after a few seconds, resting his chin on top of his hands, and raising a perfectly-arched eyebrow at me, "Do you know why you are here, Miss Potter?"
"Because I talked back to you?" I guessed, sitting down across from him, and shifting-uncomfortably in my chair.
"Not quite. It's due to what happened in the classroom earlier today." Snape corrected, standing up, stepping out from his desk, resting against the desk, and training his eyes on me, "Dumbledore has agreed to have me teach you to control your magic, so what happened earlier today doesn't happen again."
He went to Dumbledore because I shattered some jars? That doesn't make sense. I thought, scrunching my eyebrows together in confusion, and narrowing my eyes at him, Something tells me there's more to it than that. I highly doubt he's gonna tell me though.
I began "reading" Snape's magic aura. It had potion-fumes-mixed-with-running-creek-water. If I really try to focus, I can occasionally "feel" the emotions wavering off the individual. Truthfully, I'm not really good at it yet. What I felt coming off of Snape was...confusing. It felt like heart-break and bitterness.
"You have to control your emotions." Snape continued, crossing his arms against his chest, and his lips twitching, "When you start feeling angered, I want you to picture Mr. Finnigan' cauldron as it starts to explode. Before it does, picture putting a lid on it."
Did he just make…a joke? I thought, snapping my head towards him, widening my eyes in surprise, and snorted-softly, "Basically, my emotions are the pressure rising from the heat of the cauldron."
"There may be hope for you afterall, Miss Potter." Snape smirked, a flicker of warmth shone in his eyes before disappearing just as quickly, shoving off against his desk, and standing in front of me, "Every Friday at 6pm you are to report here. And you will not mention the lessons I am teaching you to anyone. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Sir." I agreed, scrunching my eyebrows together in confusion, and getting out my wand when Snape starting throwing hexes at me.
(***********************************************************************************)
That was brutal. What was Snape doing? Training me for a fucking war? I thought, grimacing, rubbing my shoulder, heading towards the Gryffindor Common Room, speaking the password, entering the room, and smiling as I saw Hermione, Ron, and Harry sitting in the comfy-red-chairs, "You guys didn't have to stay up."
"Of course we did." Ron, "We wouldn't be doing our brotherly-duty of protecting our little-sis if we didn't."
"How bad was it?" Harry, "He didn't hurt you did he?"
"I have detention every Friday with him for the rest of the year." I, "Snape isn't evil, Harry. He's just heartbroken and bitter."
"Bitter I'd believe, but heartbroken? No way." Ron,
"Snape gave you detention for the rest of year for talking back to him?" Hermione, "That's odd. Why would it be such a severe punishment? I mean, I get once, but the rest of the year?"
2 Weeks Later
"Everyone stand beside your broomsticks." Madam Hooch instructed, her eyes darting over all of us, and smiling-faintly, "Stick out your right hand over your broom and say up."
Choruses from us rang out across the lawn as we spoke the word. Harry, Malfoy, and I were the only ones that had managed to get the brooms to fly into our hands on the 1st-try. Hermione's just flopped around on the ground. Ron's broom had lifted the back-end of itself up and smacked him entertainingly in the nose. Harry and I shared a shit-eating grin as we tried to muffle our laughs.
"Sod off, you Knobheads." Ron cursed-good naturally, holding his hand to his nose, and laughing along with us,
"I want all of you to mount your brooms, kick off from the ground slightly, and come straight back down." Hooch directed, lifting her whistle to her mouth, and widening her eyes when Neville started taking off before she blew the whistle, "On my whistle, 3…2…"
Before Madam Hooch could say 1, Neville had already taken off.
"MR. LONGBOTTOM! GET DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT!" Hooch ordered, watching Neville, and stammering in shock when she realized he didn't mean to take off before she blew the whistle, "M-M-MR. LONGBOTTOM!"
"HELP!" Neville shouted, his face pale, and looking scared as he gripped his broom tightly.
His broom kept flying higher and higher. Neville looked scared out of his mind. Everyone was staring at the scene. Madam Hooch tried using a spell on his broom, but he wasn't staying still long enough for her to cast it. He flew past a statue of a man and his cloak got caught on the spear. I could see the fabric of his cloak beginning to rip. Seconds later, Neville fell and landing-harshly onto the ground. A loud snapping noise was heard before Neville's face turned white. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I sprinted over to him along with a bunch of the other students.
"EVERYONE OUT OF THE WAY!" Madam Hooch commanded, charging through the crowd, bending down to help Neville, and gently-lifting his arm up, "Let's take a look."
"Ow-ow-ow-ow." Neville whimpered, sniffling, being lifted off the ground, and holding his arm with his hand.
"Oh, oh, oh, oh dear. Broken wrist." Madam Hooch tsked, shaking her head, resting an arm on his shoulder, ushering him towards the Medical-Wing, and sending us a firm-glare before she left, "EVERYONE'S TO KEEP THEIR FEET FIRMLY ON THE GROUND WHILE I TAKE MR. LONGBOTTOM TO THE HOSPITAL WING! IF I SEE ONE BROOM IN THE AIR, THE ONE RIDING IT WILL FIND THEMSELVES OUT OF HOGWARTS FASTER THAN THEY CAN SAY QUIDDITCH!"
"Did you see his face?" Malfoy snickered, picking up Neville's dropped Remembrall, tossing it into the air, catching it in his hand, and smirking, "Maybe if the fat-lump had given this a squeeze, he'd remember to fall on his fat-ass."
"Shut up you Mingebag." I cursed, stepping forward, facing Malfoy, glaring at him, and extending my hand out towards him, "That isn't yours. Give it here."
Everyone had stopped talking in order to watch the spectacle.
"What are you gonna do about it?" Malfoy sneered, eyeing me in distain, and leaning against his broom.
"She said give it back, Malfoy." Harry repeated, stepping forward, standing next to me, and glaring-daggers at him, "Now give it here."
"I'd rather leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find. I know. The roof." Malfoy denied, mounting his broom, floating in the air, and quirking an eyebrow down at Harry in challenge, "What's the matter Potter? Bit beyond your reach?"
Harry and I both nodded at each other. Grabbing our brooms, getting in position to sit on our broomsticks, and beginning to take off after Malfoy.
"HARRY! MINA! NO! YOU HEARD WHAT MADAM HOOCH SAID! BESIDES, NEITHER OF YOU CAN FLY!" Hermione reprimanded, springing towards us, crossing her arms against her chest, blocking our way, and huffing in irritation as we brushed past her, "What idiots."
We ignored her. Kicking our feet against the ground and taking off high into the air. Hovering in front of Malfoy with glares on our faces.
"Not so tough without your bodyguards are you, Malfoy?" I taunted, flying in front of him, and smirking, "GIVE IT HERE MALFOY BEFORE WE KNOCK YOU OFF YOUR BROOM!"
"Go ahead and try, if you can." Malfoy baited, shrugging his shoulders-carelessly, swinging his arm back, and tossing the ball far-away, "HAVE IT YOUR WAY THEN! CATCH!"
While Harry zoomed after Neville's Remembrall, I took off after Malfoy. He looked shocked that I could keep up with him. Trying to shake me, he sped up. Zipping around the school's stone-statues and glancing back to see if I was still on his tail. Narrowing his eyes as he spotted me right behind him. We flew past a bunch of windows before heading towards the Whomping-Willow. He was too busy glancing backwards at me to notice one of the branches coming at him. I streaked past him, dipping over the branch and grabbing his wrist. Swinging him over onto my broomstick at the last second his broom collided with the Whomping Willow. Dipping under another branch that was moving towards us, I swerved to the right before the branch could hit us. Unfortunately the branch nicked the back of the broom, which sent us hurling into the direction where everyone else was. We slammed into the ground before rolling to a stop in front of our whole class.
"MINA!" Harry's voice shouted, running over to us, lifting me off the ground, and inspecting me for injuries, "Are you alright?"
"WHAT THE HELL, POTTER?!" Malfoy sneered, getting up, barreling towards me, and shoving me by my shoulders, "I DIDN'T NEED YOUR HELP!"
"I SAVED YOUR UNGRATEFULL ARSE!" I snapped-back, getting up only to be shoved by Malfoy, glaring-icily at him, shoving him back, and narrowing my eyes at him, "IF IT WASN'T FOR ME, YOU WOULD'VE ENDED UP BEING TENDERIZED-WHOMPING-WILLOW-MEAT!"
"HARRY POTTER! MINA POTTER!" McGonagall's stern-voice barked, cutting off Malfoy's reply, storming towards us, and jerking her head to come with her, "FOLLOW ME!"
We're fucked. Harry and I both glanced at each other, biting our lips, and trailing after her.
Following her into the school and down a set of stairs before halting in front of a door.
"Excuse me, Professor Quirrell. Could I borrow Wood for a moment?" McGonagall interrupted, knocking on the door, and scanning the class for a specific person.
Harry and I gave each other confused looks.
"Y-Y-Yes, of course." Quirrell stammered, holding an iguana in his hands, and nodding his head at her.
A burly 5th-year boy stood up from his seat once his name was called. Walking towards us with a puzzled-expression on his face.
"Follow me you 3." McGonagall commanded, walking into an empty-classroom, yelling at Peeves, and slamming the door shut behind him, "PEEVES GET OUT!"
Peeves was writing curse-words on the blackboard. He scowled at her before throwing the chalk at her. Then floating out of the room in a huff.
"Mr. Woods, I assume you know Harry and his sister Mina." McGonagall introduced, nodding her head towards each of us, and smiling-triumphantly at Oliver, "I have found you a Seeker and a Chaser. Harry will be our Seeker, while Mina will be our Chaser."
"Are you serious, Professor?" Wood questioned, staring at her as if she had 3-heads, and widening his eyes in disbelief.
"You know I don't joke, Mr. Woods." McGonagall quipped, her eyes twinkling, and smirking-happily, "Especially if it means I can wipe that smug-smirk off Severus's face when Gryffindor finally wins the Quidditch House Cup this year."
"He does have the build for a Seeker, but…" Oliver Woods observed, inspecting Harry and I, putting his finger to his chin, and eyeing us in scrutiny, "Are you sure she's strong enough to be a Chaser?"
"She lifted Draco Malfoy onto the back of her broom like it was nothing. She and Mr. Malfoy were flying well above 50 miles-an-hour. Yet she was able to keep pace with Mr. Malfoy." McGonagall praised, retelling the events, and a smug-aura seeping out of her, "And Potter here caught his classmate's Remembrall after a 50 foot dive without so much as a scratch. I haven't seen anyone play that well since Charlie Weasley."
"Was that your 1st-time on a broomstick?" Oliver grilled, widening his eyes, and looking impressed.
We both nodded.
"We'll have to get started on their training." Oliver mused-thoughtfully, turning to McGonagall, and giddiness-oozing off him, "Of course, they'll be needing decent broomsticks too."
"I'll take care of it." McGonagall nodded, turning to us, and giving us a stern-look, "Mr. Potter, head back to class. Miss Potter, go to the Infirmary to get those scratches taken care of."
Harry and I ogled Professor McGonagall in disbelief. We both had the impression she was strict. Yet, here she was, bending the rules so her house could win a tournament.
"What? I have my moments." McGonagall smirked, noticing us leering at her in shock, quirking her eyebrow at us, and shooing us away, "Now off the both of you go before I change my mind of giving the 2 of you detention."
We didn't have to be told twice. Grinning as we hiked it to our respectful places.
TO BE CONTINUED…