CHAPTER TWO
A Strange New Feeling
Harry noticed that Ron was staring at Elizabeth all through potions; unfortunately Harry wasn't the only one. " Mr. Weasley" Snape said with a faint smile on his face " how much Wolfs bane do you add to a Aurora Kontrialias potion?" " What? Um, two pinches" Ron said anything and hoped it was right. He wasn't paying any attention in class; he had spent the whole time looking at Liz. "Wrong Weasley!" Snape smiled a cold evil smile " You don't add any" he explained, " Because if you add Wolfs bane to the potion it'll blow up! Five points from Gryffindor! Now Weasley if you don't wish to loose anymore points for your house I suggest you stop gawking at Miss. Hallowell and pay attention! " Yes Professor" Ron replied while blushing horribly hoping Elizabeth hadn't heard that last remark. Ron slouched low in his chair so that Elizabeth wouldn't notice him. "A point from Gryffindor, for slouching in your chair Weasley" Snaped added then continued to say " alright everyone pair up and work on the potion"
Harry and Ron stood at their cauldron. " God he's in a vial mood today" Ron Said quietly " sometimes I'd like to take my wand and…." " Stick it in his eye or something" Harry finished Ron's sentence. " Shhhh!" Hermione hissed at them " he could hear you and take more points off" " fine" they said together and started working on the potion.
Before the bell had rung Snape had managed to take twenty points more from Gryffindor. Fifteen because Neville over heated his cauldron and his potion spit all over his desk, then five more because Hermione and Elizabeth's potion was too perfect.
They had just only walked about 20 paces from Snapes Classroom, which is in the dungeons, when Liz exclaimed " that Snape, has got to be the biggest git I've ever met" "well I think it's a tie between Snape and Lockhart" Harry stated. " Of course Hermione doesn't agree, do you? You thought Lockhart was cute, didn't you?" Ron said in a teasing sort of voice. Hermione mumbled something and then said, " I have to go" and ran in the opposite direction.
" What class do we have next?" Liz asked. " Lunch" said Ron with a smile " my favorite" Harry said, louder than he intended to, and then continued what he was going to say in a quieter voice " but we've still got twenty minutes till then we should head back to the common room" " good idea'" said Fred Weasley appearing from out of no where. "Where did you to come from?" Harry calmly asked, he was used to seeing people pop out of nowhere by now. ' Oh we're just running from flinch and his cat" George said with a mischievous smile on his face. 'What did you do this time?' Ron inquired. "Oh we just blew up the toilet moaning myrtle was sitting on" Fred answered " nothing to serious," George added. Elizabeth looked rather shocked at the idea of blowing up a toilet when someone was sitting on it, even if myrtle was already dead. Fred obviously misread her facial expression and whispered to George " I knew she would be impressed". " Well it was smashing to talk to you but we really must be off' said George. "Yes we must. So mush mischief to cause so little time to do it in!" and with those words they turned the corner and disappeared. Probably into another hidden passage way Harry thought.
Harry, Ron, and Elizabeth all went to their dormitories. Harry wanted to polish his Firebolt, Ron wanted to keep him company, and Elizabeth wanted to get a head start on her homework. Harry thought that Elizabeth was a bit like Hermione when it came to schoolwork.
Once they were up in their dormitory Ron made sure that there was no one else there except for Harry and himself. " Harry if I tell you something, you promise not to tell anyone?" he asked, "Sure Ron, I promise" Harry said ' well I think I kind of like Liz" Ron was turning a bit read in the face. "God Ron, like that wasn't obvious you only spent all of potions staring at her," said a smiling Harry. " She is very pretty, isn't she?" asked Ron. "Yeah I guess" Harry said as he opened his trunk and got out his Firebolt, Still as beautiful as ever he thought. Harry couldn't wait for Quidditch to begin again; he didn't have one chance the whole summer to ride his broom because the Durselys had kept it locked up all summer long. Then he said' hey Ron hand me the polish over there. Ron?" too late Ron had already been sucked head first into the world of love and was oblivious to the world around him.
Harry was polishing his broom when he looked up at the clock, which read, " You're going to be late". "Ron we've got five minutes till lunch" he exclaimed. Ron finally came out of his trance, ' right lunch better get going or we'll be late" he said. " Well it's good to know you still eat," said Harry.
When they got to the great hall they were shocked by what they saw. Draco or rather Malfoy was talking to Hermione, in a normal human conversation. Just then Elizabeth walked in ' hey guys! What are we looking at?" she asked " that" Harry said and pointed at Hermione. "So, What's the big deal? And stop pointing at them didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to point?' Liz said in a mother like tone, which reminded Harry of Mrs.Wealey just a little bit. " Yeah my mum did" said Ron who was looking a bit ashamed " what's the big deal you ask, I'll tell you what the big deal is" Harry said raising his voice a bit " it's just that Malfoy is our enemy and I can't for the life of me figure out why Hermione is talking to him" " oh ok Harry, but really there's no need to raise your voice" Liz said not really caring.
Malfoy saw them approaching and decided to make a run for it. He bid Hermione good day and walked off singing " Pop goes the Weasley" looking back now and then to throw Ron an evil smile.
"What was that all about?' Harry asked as he sat down in the seat next to Hermione. " Oh he was just telling me that Snape shouldn't have taken 5 points from us just because the potion was too perfect" she said this like it was no big deal. " See I told you it was nothing to make a fuss about," Liz said as she reached for a baked potato. " Doesn't sound like the Malfoy I know, maybe he's sick or something" Harry commented. "Who knows in this school anything is possible' Ron added as he reached for the apple cider.
Just then Cho Chang walked by. Harry got that feeling in his stomach, the same one he got last year when he played against Ravenclaw, Cho was the Seeker for that team. She's really pretty Harry thought then he thought oh no, don't turn into Ron. Snap out of it old boy. "Pass the ham please Harry' Hermione said for the fifth time. " what? Um, sure" Harry said as he passed the ham. " What class do we have next?' Ron asked. Hermione was about to answer the question when Errol and a speed, small owl came flying in. they were carrying two red envelopes. " Oh no" Fred and George said together and then they snatched up the two howlers and ran out of the great hall into the hallway. The whole room shook with the sound of Mrs. Weasleys angry voice twenty times magnified.
"What was that?" Elizabeth asked when the screaming finally stopped. " That" said Ron " was a howler" "oh, I hope I never get one" Liz remarked. " I doubt you will, your parents are muggles aren't they?" Hermione asked. " Er.. Kind of" she answered. " What do you mean kind of?" Harry asked. " I'll explain it later" she replied. There was a short uncomfortable silence. "So what class do we have next?" Ron asked breaking the silence. " Transfiguration" Hermione answered flatly. " Oh great another class with Slytherin, I can't wait" Ron remarked with a sarcastic tone.
Once they were in Transfiguration Professor McGonnagall told everyone to try and levitate the feather that was on their desk and to turn the match into a needle. She wanted everyone to brush up on his or her basics. " Now Miss Granger, will you show Hallowell how to do these tasks?"
"Of course professor" Hermione replied
" Now Elizabeth what you do is…" Hermione began in her teacher voice. To late Elizabeth had already begun on her own. She had closed eyes tight then opened them again; they had turned a bright emerald green (a bit like Harry's). She stared at the match taped it ever so lightly with her wand and with a small poof the match had turned into a solid gold needle. " Wow" Hermione said with an amazed look on her face. " What? Did I do it wrong?" Liz asked. " No it's better than fine it's great," Hermione said quietly. McGonagall was still looking at Elizabeth. By the look in her eyes she was studding Elizabeth very carefully. " Alright people we have got ten minutes left till the bell rings but I'm letting you off early. Have a good day everyone " McGonagall suddenly announced. Everyone was a bit stunned but left after a few moments. " Miss. Hallowell please stay behind I would like to talk to you for a few moments. "Yes professor" Liz said in a slightly scared voice.
" Dumbeldore was right about you" McGonagall said when everyone had finally left the classroom. " How so professor?" " When he said you had a great potential, he was right. There is a lot of magical energy inside you" McGonagall calmly said " oh" was all Liz could say because she couldn't think of anything better. " I do hope you use your powers for good and not for evil" McGonagall continued " well you can go catch up with your friends now, what class do you have next?" " I've got Runes Studies with Hermoine" Liz replied. "Very well you should get going" McGonagall said. " Alright see you tomorrow professor" Liz said as she got up and collected her things. " Have a nice day Miss. Hallowell" Professor McGonagall said as Liz exited the room.
During this period Ron and Harry had Deviation while Hermione and Elizabeth had Study of Ancient Runes.
In Deviation they were starting Palm Reading. " Ok all I see is a long line with another long line. Where's my book?" said Ron " here look in mine, I think that long one is my life line" Harry said " oh, OK well I can tell you're going to have a long life" Ron said not really having any idea what he was talking about. " Ok cool" Harry said absentmindedly not really caring.
" So who do you think is going to be captain of the Quidditch team this year?" Ron asked, " I don't know but we also need a new keeper. Say why don't you try out?" Harry asked, " You know I think I will" Ron said with a grin on his face. Just then Professor Trelawney walked or what looked more like floated over. " Ronald what have you seen in Potters palm?" she asked " he's going to have a long life" Ron said bluntly remembering the Professors prediction last year saying Harry was going to die. " Alright" Trelawney said as she walked over to where Patti Pravatili and Lavender Brown where sitting.
Once Trelawney was out of earshot Harry decided to ask Ron a very personal question, "Ron, how did you know that you like Elizabeth?" " I don't know Harry I just kind of get this feeling in my stomach ever time she's near or when I think about her. Why do you ask?" Ron replied. Just then the passing bell rang. It was time to go to the last class of the day Care For magical Creatures. " I'll tell you when we have more privacy" Harry said as they climbed down out of the trap door in the floor.