It's actually nice to wake up at a reasonable hour every once and a while. Sarah muses as she stretches. No one in her room's up, but her watch says five till six. In comparison to the past month that's waiting till lunch.
She rises silently and pulls her robe on before heading to the common room.
"She's not dead!" She smiles indulgently as Rosier and his sister act shocked. Coffee is grabbed and sweetened and she listens in while the fifth-years finish their Charms homework.
"Don't eradicate the table, Jules! My notes are on it."
She's not sure what to expect when she enters the Potions classroom, so the usual aesthetic of the classroom is a bit comforting. Snape isn't there yet, which means the first move is on him. Thank God. More students start to trickle in, as she sits in the back corner.
"Potter!" Emmeline is waving at her from a table in the middle. "Come on!" Ah, the mysteries still abound. However, this is one about a twelve-year-old. It can't be nearly as complicated as all the others. She shakes her head.
Emmeline shrugs it off, and Ginny sits heavily making the chair squeak. When she looks at Sarah her eyes hold back laughter.
"How was detention?"
"Long," Ginny nods, "Me and Harry are going to talk in the courtyard."
"Is this a talk I can join?" Sarah weighs the idea and decides on a half measure.
"Later, I want to see what Harry thinks." Ginny doesn't look happy, but can't argue as Snape enters.
"Put up all books and notes." The few hopeful students groan and shuffle their papers into their bags. He doesn't look her way once as he walks to the front of the classroom. "Everyone will use their own cauldron. For your test, you will brew a Sleeping Draught. It must last an hour to pass. Begin."
…
"He was their friend, Sarah!" She nods as if this isn't the fourth time he said it. The first time had been in the courtyard and she'd had to pull him away from the curious looks. The lake makes his voice echo farther out, but most people are inside because of the cold. It's the best she'll get for now.
"He betrayed them!"
"I know he's awful."
"I hope he finds me!"
"Harry!"
"I do! I want to kill him!"
"And how are you going to do that?"
"Diffindo," He answers promptly. "Right to the heart."
"The throat would be better," She mumbles before recalling herself to the situation. "Think, Harry. This is why they didn't want to tell you in the first place." He shakes his head, "If you get yourself killed looking for Sirius Black I will never forgive you!"
He kicks a rock out onto the lake. "I want him dead too. If he was here, I wouldn't even think about spells. I'd shove my wand in his eye." That makes him laugh darkly. "We can't be stupid about this." They're close to the forest now, she gives the trees a quick look for Reaper.
"Malfoy knows,"
"What?"
"Yeah, he asked me why I wasn't going after him."
"Why Malfoy?"
"Ok, I guess I'll talk to him."
"No!" Harry stares at her as if she'd just suggested sticking her hand in the garbage disposal.
"What? Are you going to do it?"
"We don't need Malfoy! And YOU definitely aren't talking to him."
"Aren't I?" She asks quietly,
"No." They stare each other down, neither willing to back off. "Especially after last year."
"I'm not an idiot, Harry. I can handle this."
"Like you handled the diary?" She looks away, then shakes her head.
"I've been waiting for you to say that. We both know that's what you think."
"Sarah," He breaks off, that hurts worse. No excuse he can even lie about. She's weak, and Harry knows it.
"Whatever, I'll see you later,"
"Wait, I, it came out wrong."
"No it didn't, and you're not wrong. I messed up. Now I've got to deal with it." He touches her shoulder but she shakes him off.
…
Dirt, Sarah is not one to cringe away from dirt. You have to get dirty when you play baseball. When Reaper jumps up his paws always get mud and God knows what else on her shoulders.
No, she doesn't have a problem with dirt, but there's something about digging into wet mulch and feeling the moisture and muck in between your fingernails. It's just gross. Lupin hums into his teacup as she pulls weeds from the flowerbed.
She can easily conjecture why Snape wouldn't want to see her again after yesterday. He hadn't even looked up as she turned in her Sleeping Draught. But why he would let Lupin take over her detentions has consumed her thoughts ever since he first greeted her from Greenhouse Two.
It's well known that Snape doesn't like Lupin, and considering the boggart, you'd have to assume the feelings are mutual.
There's one explanation, but she doesn't like it. Snape had said she could get more information from him if she doesn't screw it up. He must be trying to trick her again. Must be,
She's still unsure of whether she'd been cheated last night. Again Snape proved himself more useful than anyone else. Still, she'd given as good as he did, and she doesn't understand why her home life is so damn important to him.
"That's not a weed," Sarah stops herself in time to save the bulb.
"Sorry." Smiling at Lupin, she goes back to pulling up the green vines.
"Something on your mind?"
"Oh, lots of things."
"Saturday must've been hard." She nods and pulls up an especially tough vine. It snaps before she can get it free.
"Fuck,"
"Rose!" She looks up at him, "You shouldn't speak like that."
"Sorry," She clears any defensive irritation and makes her voice a summer breeze. "No one's ever called me Rose before," Lupin jerks in the corner of her eye, she keeps digging for that weed. "I've never seen myself as a rose. It's just a stupid flower."
"A slip of the tongue." His voice is jerky, almost angry. Sarah stays silent and looks away as if hurt. There's a sigh, and he sits beside her leaning against a shelf. "I'm sorry,"
"It's fine," The weed pulls free at last and she throws it aside.
"The truth is, that's what James always called you." She nods still not looking at him, "I think it suits you,"
"Because of my hair?" He laughs as she dramatically tosses her ponytail.
"James said from the beginning if they had a girl they'd call her Rose. Keep up the family tradition on Lily's side."
"Interesting." She says conversationally, "So where did Sarah come from?"
"I never got the chance to ask." He answers sadly, one of the flowers hisses at her, she smacks it with the trowel.
"A great mystery, then?" The flower strikes at her hand as she reaches for a thin leaf. "Sonofa-"
"Surely the Dursleys didn't teach you such foul language."
"No," She snatches the leaf and pulls up a stringy root. By some miracle, it doesn't break. "Would anyone else know why they changed their mind?" He shakes his head.
"Not that I can think of," She caught his eye as he said it, and knows it's a lie.
"That's too bad," She sits up and sets her hands on her thighs. "You and my dad must've been really close."
"Oh, I suppose so." He's on edge, she turns so they're facing each other.
"Was it you?" She hadn't meant for it to come out like that, she'd wanted to be succinct, in control. Not to screw it up, "That they sent me with, I mean,"
"Damn, damn,"
"I know I wasn't there when He attacked, so I figured it must've been one of their friends. I thought, with the way you talked about them, that, it might be...you." His eyes are soft when he shakes his head,
"No, it wasn't with me." He opens and closes his mouth a couple times. "My father got sick right before your parents went into hiding. I had to take care of him."
"Oh, I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to-"
"It's fine, he passed a long time ago." She purses her lips and nods, guilt isn't going to work anymore. He had a legitimate excuse, so the only thing she can appeal to is her father's memory.
"You shouldn't worry about where you were, Rose." She looks up, he's pressing his hands together meeting just below his chin. "I think you have enough on your plate just now,"
"Do you know where I was?"
"I know you want answers, and I'm asking you to let them go for a while." It's moments like these that you really start to hate your age.
"Ok, Professor."
...
"She added asphodel?" Merlin asks as Snape stares at the potion.
"She did,"
"And...it didn't explode?"
"No, it did not,"
"How-"
"Quite simple really, she took out the catalyst." Merlin presses a hand to his forehead, "No wormwood, but more valerian." He has the stupid urge to laugh, "And it works,"
"She's a natural, then?"
"Lucky," Snape answers at once, "This is exactly how I get injuries in my classroom."
"I thought you encouraged ingenuity," He glares at the portrait.
"She doesn't know all the rules yet, next time might not be successful." Merlin shrugs,
"I don't think she's done experimenting," Unsure of the grade to put on this, he moves it aside for Slinkhard's potion. "You probably want to keep a closer eye on her after this,"
"Is that your subtle way of asking how her detention went?" He slaps a barely passing grade on it and moves on,
"Well?"
"You were correct," Merlin scowls, "I've thought about it all night, and can't say anything's come to me,"
"So,"
"So," The next potion is Weasley's, A good copy of the one he taught them.
"You are not going to tell him?"
"Not yet,"
"What are you going to do in the meantime?"
"Lupin will be of use, I've wondered if pushing them together will make him see exactly what's going on." There's a derisive noise behind him, "Not knowing is one thing, but I have a feeling the werewolf will be protective."
"It's a start, I guess. What about the boy?"
"He's not so cautious, from what I hear, they're already becoming the best of friends," He says sardonically
"So, we wait,"
"Yes, wait and watch,"
"As per usual," Merlin sighs,
...
He patrols the hallway slowly, his head lost in the scent Penelope had left behind. Every fiber of him feels alive, electric. When he runs into Filch, he puffs his chest out. The old man only grunts in response to his greeting. That's not unusual, but Percy still gives him the proper respect.
Not many people understand his admiration for authority figures, even one's who aren't agreeable. They worked for their title, just like he's going to work. Once he's out of Hogwarts they'll see how real adults treat each other. He's the example, the role model. Despite what his brothers say, he's going to get far in the world. They just don't know what he's capable of yet.
The difference between him and his father is his willingness to do anything to make it. Dad may have something against kissing up to his superiors, but Percy has no such reservations. He will be the biggest brown noser if it means he can bring glory back to their family. If it can make a good home for...
A dreamy smile recurs as he imagines having Penelope on his arm while he runs for Minister of Magic.
"Out late again, Mr. Weasley?" He lights his wand, searching for the voice.
"Headmaster? I didn't mean to wake you,"
"I'm a bit of a night owl," Black answers from his frame, "What keeps you up so often?"
"It's my responsibility to patrol, sir,"
"Don't you have Prefects to delegate to?" Percy frowns, "Give you more time to stay with that pretty girl of yours."
"They patrol," He answers, trying to figure out why Phineas Black is talking to him in the first place.
"Not four nights a week,"
"Yes, well, I'm Head Boy now. I have to-"
"Study for your NEWTs," He jerks,
"I can handle it," Black laughs and Percy feels his face flush.
"There's something you should learn before leaving Hogwarts, Mr. Weasley. Work smarter, not harder," His pride is ruffled, but he keeps his composure. After all, this is a Headmaster.
"Yes, sir,"
"Hmm," Black mutters, "Perhaps you're not quite worth my time."
"Is there something you need, sir?" He asks stiffly, Black smiles into the light.
"There is one small thing,"
January is a really long time, and I'm sorry. I have no excuse, just got caught in another world for a long time. You can blame my Uncle's PS3.
I do not own Harry Potter.
Thank you so much for reading!