"Hi, I'm Caleb." A brown spiky haired Ravenclaw boy said.
He stood in front of Abby and I puffing out his chest. He held out his hand for either of us to shake. I raised an eyebrow at the formal gesture. Five seconds later it was clear he had no intention of shaking our hands he used it has an excuse to flex his muscles.
Abby's eyes bored into him for what felt like an era. She finally ended the one-sided staring contest by giving him a toothy grin and two thumbs up.
"Great," she said drawn out and slow.
My stomach gave a rumble. Merlin, I was hungry. I licked my lips at the thought of breakfast in the Great Hall just beyond Caleb. I tried to step around him giving him a friendly smile as I did so but he blocked me easily.
"What?" I said dropping my friendly expression.
"I'm Caleb from the year above. I'm head beater on the Ravenclaw team but you probably already know that. I'm quite the player."
"Head?" Abby repeated.
"Okay, interesting life story but I'm starving so maybe you can tell it later," I said trying to escape only to be blocked again.
Caleb frowned, "Didn't Jane tell you I was coming? She said you-"
"Drop me a beat, Rose!"
"Not again," I said holding in laughter. I knew the fun that was to come. I started to beatbox, at least I hope that's what it sounded like. Abby crouched on the ground.
"Move bitch, get out the way, get out the way bitch, get out the way!" Abby started rapping rising steadily from her crouched position and clicking her fingers. Caleb instantly backed away looking afraid and confused. "Don't jump bitch, moovee!" Abby finished jumping around Caleb and aiming a pretend push at him.
"Word!" I finished crossing my arms. I slumped beside Abby.
"Rose," Abby stage whispered. "Please don't do that. I feel embarrassed for your lack of street cred."
Caleb had run away, his eyes averted and his cheeks red.
"I'll argue with you later. Give me food. Word!" I said heading into the hall.
"That was a sample! The actual album will be available everywhere on Valentine's day," Abby called out behind me bowing graciously to no one. "I am Abi-gurl!"
"And I am starving Rose," I said sliding into my usual place on the bench.
Following my usual routine, I looked straight up at Scorpius across the hall. He was half asleep in the middle of Albus' gang. I caught his eye and gave him a smile. He sat up straighter and returned it with his own sly grin. Then it was food time. I filled my plate up with toast and… just about everything else on display.
Abby jabbed her fork into a sausage and whined, "What have we ever done to Jane to warrant all of this suffering? I don't want any male attention unless it's Kenny and his galleons. Speaking of which…"
Abby gestured to Kenny who was carrying a pile of books under his chin. The pile was dangerously slanting to the side. Abby and I waved at him and at the same time Eric stuck out his leg.
"For merlin's sake!" I exclaimed seeing where this was going.
The Eric group sniggered in anticipation.
"Kenny! Where's my wand?" I said as Kenny obliviously moved towards us. I pulled at my robes trying to find my wand.
Abby jumped up and grabbed a book from my bulging open bag.
"I'm sorry, beautiful."
"What?"
"The book, Rose!" Abby said cradling my book before stretching her arm back as far as she could. "Ready," she shut one eye. "Aim," she pulled her arm back so far that I thought it would come popping out of it's joint. "Fire,"
On 'fire' Abby threw the book as hard as she could. It went flying over the table almost colliding with a morning owl and landed (pointed edges first) on Eric's kneecap.
Eric let out a howl of pain that filled the entire hall. What a satisfying sound! Eric's leg immediately withdrew itself from Kenny's path and he curled up into a ball on the bench rocking back and forth. Jane tried to hug him but was swatted violently away by the crippled Eric. She glared at us, her hands on her hips, but she was just a blur in my eyes. I was bent over crying in laughter.
"That's why I should be on the quidditch team!" Abby said winking at the Ravenclaw quidditch captain at the end of the table.
"Thanks," Kenny said safe, sound, and grinning. "You sure taught him."
"Someone had to. Karma was working too slow," Abby said still manically grinning at the captain.
"I hope the teachers didn't see that," Kenny said looking up at the half filled staff table. Professor Flitwick was the only professor watching us. He was shaking his head at us between sips of his morning pumpkin juice.
Professor Flitwick was the only professor watching us. He was shaking his head at us between sips of his morning pumpkin juice.
"I served justice and protected a fellow housemate."
"Injuring another in the process," I said still laughing, searching for my wand again. "I'd be more worried about his revenge."
Kenny shuddered, "I once corrected him on his spelling of Dumbledore. He spelt it D-u-m-b-l-e-d-o-o-r. Longford, in revenge, sent my owl with a letter to China. I didn't see Bubbles for two months."
"That's outrageous," I shook my head. "Ha! Found it." I said triumphantly pulling my wand from deep within the pocket of my robe. It was hidden under a mountain of sweet wrappers.
"Bit late now," Abby said. "How could someone do that to Bubbles? He's the kindest owl I know."
"Eric has a lack of sympathy," Kenny said grudgingly. "Bubbles is still recovering."
"Poor little guy." I murmured.
"What's first?" Abby asked. "Transfig?"
"Yes-"
"Hey!" Eric limped towards us, his face contorted in anger. I tried not to laugh. He had my book in his hand. "Hey, LOSERS!"
"Losers? What is this? 2005?" Abby raised an eyebrow.
Kenny retreated behind his pile of books burying his head in his arms.
"You two think you're so much smarter than me-"
"Because we are," Abby said unfazed taking a bite of her toast.
I reached for my wand feeling something big coming.
"Need this?" he said waving my book in his hand. "Here you go."
He suddenly threw it back at our group as violently as he could. It reminded me of a toddler throwing a temper tantrum.
I whipped my wand into motion. "Impedimenta!"
Abby let out a squeak. The book instantly slowed in its tracks. It flew through the air harmlessly in slow motion. The whole hall turned to look at us. Eric groaned in embarrassment. He raised his own wand at me and a chorus of 'ohhhs' erupted from the hall.
Professor Flitwick moved faster than I had ever seen him move.
"Weasley, Longford, stop!" his squeaky voice rang out. "Wands down."
Neither of us wanted to be the first to put down our wand.
Eric panicked shifting on and off his sore leg.
"Reducto." He jabbed his wand towards the book sloppily.
The book burst into a dark blue firework, raining particles all over the Ravenclaw table and spoiling breakfast.
"I HAD NOTES IN THERE!" I cried out in fury.
"50 points from Ravenclaw!" Flitwick said cover in a thick layer of dust from the book explosion. "Wands down. Now! Or another 50 will be taken!"
I lowered my wand to my side while Eric stormed away as fast as he could limp. Professor Flitwick chased after him.
"To class all of you!" Professor Flitwick scolded the rest of the Ravenclaw table. "Mr Longford, get back here."
"Reducto. Really?" I muttered at my ruined breakfast.
"We better get to class before you get in trouble too, Rose," Kenny said dusting himself off and grabbing his pile of books again.
"Throwing a book at us? Does he have any originality or style? Throwing books was so three minutes ago." Abby huffed. "If it wasn't for you, Rose, I would have a Harry Potter scar on my face right now. Bastard."
"Poor book." I sighed trying to shake the remains out of my hair. "My mom's going to kill me. That one was expensive and not to mention the irreplaceable notes that I spent hours doing." I picked up my wand again. "Reparo."
Nothing.
"Let it go, Rose, I'll take Longford's eye out next time," Abby said. "We'll have a funeral for it in Transfig. Wells won't mind."
"Fine," I said faint-heartedly trying one last time. "Reparo." Before joining the rest of the Ravenclaws leaving the hall.
"What a prick." A voice said lowly beside me at the doors of the Great Hall.
I turned and grinned. I was more than happy to see Scorpius even if he was doing his best to look like he was completely ignoring me.
"He's worse than regular pricks. He killed my book." I whined.
"Tragic, he should be expelled for that."
"Merlin, yes, he killed a part of me."
"I almost reductoed him myself when I saw him going for you."
"Why didn't you? That would've been interesting," I muttered back.
"I figured you could handle it."
"You figured right."
"Hiya, Scorpius." Abby turned around giving him a wave.
"Hi," he replied warily.
"Kenny knows as well now." she said giving Kenny a poke in between the shoulder blades.
"Ouch." Kenny's book pile wobbled.
"Isn't that cool?" Abby grinned.
I laughed nervously under Scorpius' stare and shrugged.
"Don't worry about it," I said brushing my hand innocently against his. "It's under control. Abby's lips are sealed."
Abby nodded and mimed a zipping motion across her pressed lips.
"I'm not going to respond to that," Scorpius said. Before he could say anything else a short Slytherin with square glasses jumped in front of him.
"Albus wants to know why you're still talking to the Ravenclaws." He piped up with determination.
"What?" Scorpius said confused. "Since when are you an owl, Wallis?"
I only had to look to the left and there was Albus in the midst of his group forcing their way through the crowd. Albus caught my eye and pulled a face at me. I stuck my tongue out at him in response.
Wallis snorted and stood up even straighter, so straight that I thought his back was going to give out under the pressure.
"He asked me as a friend, Scorpius."
"He doesn't have friends and he doesn't like you."
"Friends like these?" Wallis gesturing to Abby, Kenny and me. "Are these yours?"
Scorpius scowled at Wallis making him look even shorter, "Potter knows that I'm doing a project. I am discussing the project."
"Why can't you do it with Slytherins? Ravenclaws are-"
"We're still here," I frowned.
Wallis nearly jumped out of his skin at my icy tone.
"Right you are." Wallis' face filled with colour. "I'll tell Albus but he won't like it."
"Brilliant," Scorpius said dryly.
Abby let out a cackle turning to Wallis. "What is Albus? A mob boss? Slytherins these days."
Wallis scowled in confusion before saying, "Muggle." And leaving, before anyone could snap back at him.
Abby, not one bit hurt, called after him, "Weirdo wizard."
"What a swot," Kenny said shaking his head.
"Yeah, I'm sorry about him. He doesn't understand reality and is madly in love with Albus. A terrifying combination."
"Ew," I cringed at the thought of Albus being romantically involved with anyone.
"I'll see you in Divination," he said to me reaching up to brush my hair then thinking better of it and dropping his hand. "You've got stuff everywhere."
I winced patting down my hair, "Yeah, I can feel it."
"Are you two going to be any longer? We're going to be late to class." Kenny warned.
"Bye, Scorpius," I said.
"Bye, Rosie. Nice throw, by the way, Abby,"
"I know!" Abby said proudly. "I would give my pinky finger to relive that."
"Hey, what about my spell casting?" I inputted.
"C'mon, Rosie, Abby threw a heavy book across the Great Hall," he said walking away in the opposite direction. Albus and his gang of goons were several feet ahead.
"I am the incredible Hulk!" Abby exclaimed stomping around Kenny who looked like he was about to die of embarrassment. "Hear me roar! HULK SMASH!"
Scorpius laughed, "What in Merlin's name?"
"Muggle reference," I said shaking my head and taking a step back from Abby's theatrics.
Abby feeds off Kenny's embarrassment. She wrapped her arms around his chest and she attempted to pick up poor defenceless Kenny. Kenny squealed and his books scattered down the Grand Staircase crashing into people's ankles.
Scorpius and I were bent over double in laughter.
"Abby!" Kenny shrieked. Abby, using all her strength and energy, was able to lift Kenny an inch off the floor.
By now, everyone else outside the Great Hall had stopped in their tracks to laugh along with Scorpius and me at Abby's super strength.
