A/N: Everything you do recognize is JKR's. Everything you don't is mine. Especially Alexander.
The Second Realm
Chapter Two: Fights and Complications
The three boys crept into the girls' dormitory with grins on their faces. At least, Draco and Julian were smiling roguishly. Alexander was looking around nervously. The girls' dormitory was very neat and tidy, and one or two of the beds had a pink bedspread. Sissies, Draco thought in disgust as he surveyed the girls' room. He hated pink.
"Draco, what are we doing here?" Alexander asked. "This is pointless."
"No, it's not pointless," Draco replied. "Have you played any pranks at all, Alexander?"
"Oh I see. Yes, I've played quite a few pranks," Alexander said excitedly.
"I have the perfect prank to pull on the girls," Julian stated quickly. "It's a Muggle camp prank that is often done in movies. We need some honey, and some whipped cream."
"Someone will have to go back to the dining hall then," Draco said methodically.
"I'll do that. I'm used to nicking things out of kitchens," Julian replied, smiling so that he looked very impish.
"Right. We will stay here and make their room untidy," Draco stated.
"So hurry back, Julian, you don't want to miss the fun," Alexander said cheerfully.
"I wouldn't want to miss this for the world," Julian answered, and bolted through the door. Draco watched him run for a moment, then turned back to look at Alexander.
"Let's get started," Draco said simply. The two boys wrinkled the bedspreads, and threw some of the girls' laundry on the floor. They cluttered the room only a little bit before Julian came back, his arms full with honey and several cans of whipped cream.
"I see you've been busy," Julian said, snickering. "I have the honey and whipped cream."
"What do we do with them?" Draco asked, taking a can of whipped cream from Julian.
"We can put the honey in their beds, and the whipped cream on the inside of their clothes," Julian remarked.
"Perfect," Draco said softly, rubbing his hands together. The boys got to work, lining the insides of the girls' clothing with whipped cream, and smearing honey inside the bedcovers. Satisfied with their work, they stood up and wiped off the whipped cream from their hands. Alexander gasped.
"The girls are coming!" Alexander explained, and Julian went into a panic.
"C'mon, let's get out of here!" Julian said, and so they hurried out of the room. Draco could see a group of girls walking towards the dormitory, so there was hardly any time to hide. Draco and Julian hid behind a bush that was near the girls' dorm. Alexander was left standing, and tried to hide, but the girls had spotted him.
"Hi there," a girl with curly blonde hair said flirtatiously.
"Um, hi," said Alexander. He tried to back away slowly and politely, but the girls formed a circle around him. He was trapped.
"I'm Tiffany. Who are you?" the girl asked, smiling. The other girls giggled. Alexander tried not to let the panic show on his face, but it was hard not to be panicked when six girls, laden in makeup, were giggling madly around him.
"Alexander," Alexander replied weakly as the girls came closer and closer to him.
"That's a very nice name, Alexander," Tiffany said, leaning on one hip as if to seduce him with her womanly figure. It had no affect on him, but Tiffany thought that her seducing had worked.
"Er, thanks. I was just leaving, so if you will excuse me," Alexander said boldly, having found his courage.
"Oh, no, stay!" another girl with short brown hair pleaded. Alexander smiled politely at her, making her go weak in her knees.
"No, sorry, I have to go," Alexander insisted, pushing through two girls so he could leave the suffocating circle of girls. Immediately he felt sharp nails in his arms, and a hand on each of his shoulder. "What the-" Alexander gasped.
"Alexie, you must stay with us. We mean no harm," Tiffany said, stepping directly in front of him and breathing in his face. Alexander looked wearily at her, and then struggled weakly to get out of the girls' tight grip, but it was no use. They had hooked him. Draco felt a surge of protectiveness for Alexander. I would hate to be trapped like that, Draco thought. I should do something. Standing up, he came out from behind the bush, attracting no attention as every girl was busy looking lustily at Alexander. Draco pulled out his wand and meandered closer to the group of girls and Alexander.
"Oh, you rogue. You handsome hunk of man, you," a girl with orange hair and startlingly blue lipstick said, giggling. Tiffany was closing in on Alexander seductively, and Draco had a nasty feeling that she was going to try to kiss him. Raising his wand hand, Draco got ready for action.
"Petrificus Totalus," whispered Draco, and a beam of crimson light shot out of his wand, hitting Tiffany in the back. Her hands, which had been extended, snapped to her sides, her legs also snapped together, and she fell to the ground. All the other girls screamed. Alexander looked relived, and breathed a sigh.
"Someone's put a curse on Tiffany!" the girl with orange hair screamed. Draco stifled a laugh. Of course, simpleton, Draco thought.
"Furnunculous," Draco said, louder than before. This time, the curse hit the girl with the short brown hair who had pleaded for Alexander to stay. The girl whimpered and put her hands to her face to ease the pain. Then she gasped as she felt large, red, ugly boils form underneath her fingers.
"I've got boils!" the girl screamed and the girls gasped simultaneously.
"Serpensortia," muttered Draco, chuckling softly. The girls still could not see him because they were too busy focusing on themselves. A sleek black snake slipped out of his wand, slithering towards the gibbering girls. Draco had said the same spell in his second year when he was duelling the "one and only" Harry Potter. Draco hated Harry, and Harry loathed Draco equally. Harry had refused to become Draco's ally on their first train ride, and Draco, burning with embarrassment and shock, thought afterwards that Harry Potter was a self-confident, ignorant, rude person. As it turned out, Harry had the one gift Draco wanted to possess. Harry was a Parselmouth and shouted at the snake Draco had conjured in snake language. Draco was positive that all Harry's fame had gone to his head.
"SNAKE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" the girl with orange hair screamed. The girls screamed, and rushed into their dormitory, leaving Alexander with the snake. Alexander saw the snake coming, and panicked slightly. He watched the snake nervously, following its every move. Then, suddenly, the snake exploded, causing a huge fire for two seconds. As quickly as it had come, the fire vanished, removing any trace of the snake Draco had summoned. Julian came out from his hiding place, gaping at the slightly burnt ground. Draco looked numbly at the ground, then raised his eyes to Alexander. Alexander's eyes had widened, and he was breathing in short gasps.
"Draco, you were excellent, shooting spells at everyone," Julian exclaimed in disbelief.
"Thanks," Draco answered quietly, but he was still looking at Alexander.
"Alexander, how did you do that?" Julian asked, walking to Alexander. "You just stared at the snake, and he exploded! I can't believe it," he added, shaking his head in wonder.
"Neither can I," Alexander replied, in a voice barely higher than a whisper. "I didn't know I could do that."
"You didn't?" Julian wondered incredulously. "That's strange…I wonder what else you can do."
"I don't think I want to do any more weird stuff," Alexander said quietly, looking the most serious Draco had ever seen him be.
"Why ever not?" Julian asked, puzzled.
"Didn't you see what I did to that snake? I killed it, Julian," Alexander said, his voice shaky. "If I do anything more, more things will be hurt or killed." Alexander's gaze dropped to the ground. Draco was positive Alexander was going to cry.
"Of course you do not have to practice exploding things," Draco said. "If you hate it so, you don't have to do it." He looked at Julian sternly. Julian's face showed shame and embarrassment.
"Sorry, Alexander. I did not mean to offend you," Julian apologised. Alexander smiled weakly.
"It's all right, really," Alexander replied. Girls screamed from within their dormitory, indicating that they found the honey and whipped cream in their beds.
"Run!" Julian called, and the boys ran off, leaving Tiffany on the ground, blinking frantically.
Draco, Julian, and Alexander stopped running by a tree, grinning. The sun was shining brightly from its place in the sky, but Draco could tell it was getting later in the day. Soon, a stern-looking lady with her hair in a bun, and wrinkle lines in her forehead approached the boys. Draco was strongly reminded of Professor McGonagall back in Hogwarts.
"Earlingston! What have you done now?" the woman asked.
"What do you mean, Mrs. Crayabb? I haven't done anything," Julian replied, trying to appear innocent.
"Don't speak to me like that, young man," Mrs. Crayabb hissed. "I have an acute ESP."
"Pardon me, Mrs. Crayabb," Draco said in his silkiest voice.
"Eh, yes?" Mrs. Crayabb said, whipping her head around to look at Draco. "Who are you?"
"Draco Malfoy, madam. We have just been walking around until you graced us with your illustrious presence," Draco said, bowing politely and gracefully. Julian and Alexander stared at him. Mrs. Crayabb looked shocked, or flattered, Draco could not tell.
"Well, Mr. Malfoy, I understand completely," Mrs. Crayabb replied, her harsh tone less defiant. "However, you must go to the field because we are doing some camp activities. If you will excuse me, I will go to the girls' dormitory to inform them of this announcement." With a sweep of her dress, Mrs. Crayabb strolled away. When she was gone, Julian and Alexander burst into peals of laughter.
"You actually said to that devil-woman, 'you graced us with your illustrious presence?'" Julian asked, laughing so hard he was having trouble breathing. "How dense can you get?"
"If I had not cut in, you would have been yelled at," Draco snarled. "I do believe you owe me one, Julian." Julian became silent.
"That woman scares me," Alexander said, shaking his head.
"She hates me, I know that," Julian stated. "But she loves you, Draco," he added, smirking at Draco. Draco frowned, and sighed exasperatedly.
"I'm sure she does. We'll be announcing our engagement any day now," Draco said sarcastically. Julian and Alexander snickered.
"As much as I hate to admit it, we have to go to the field," Julian sighed. "The counselors get really aggravated if we don't do the camp activities."
"Right, we'd better go," Alexander said, and no one disagreed with him.
At the field, the campers were sitting on the grass, while the counselors stood, looking pompous and important. Draco sat with his friends in the last row of campers. Counsellor Bowers cleared his throat, making heads turn in his direction.
"I am proud to announce that we are going to do our annual camp activities," Bowers said, and some people groaned. "This activities are meant to be fun and educational. You will be separated into groups, where you will each do a different activity. Then, when you are done with that activity, the groups will rotate so each group will do a new activity. The first activity-" He stopped when Mrs. Crayabb marched up to him and whispered something in his ear.
"Mrs. Crayabb has kindly informed me of a rule I have not mentioned," Bowers said. "Obey your instructor, and if I find any of you misbehaving, I will be forced to punish you."
"As I was saying, the activities are arts and crafts, hiking, archery, Botany, charms to use in the wilderness, and cooking. I will now assign the groups," Bowers said firmly. "Group 1, which does hiking first: Matthew Binder, Susan Carson, Spencer Delanston, Eleanor Frither," Bowers said, and continued to say the names of the first group.
"We're not in the first group, thank goodness," Julian whispered to Draco.
"That would be horrible, going hiking. Hiking is for pathetic campers that want to cut through the wilderness and eat dirt. Not my idea of having fun," Draco whispered back. Bowers then announced the second group, who would be carving, and the third group who would be doing archery.
"The fourth group will be heading towards the northern part of the forest to practise charms to use in the wilderness," Bowers yelled. "Lila Berth, Edric Conline, Julian Earlingston, Abigail Greening, Vatican Holmes, Cassandra Lerrigren …Draco Malfoy…Alexander Thespian, Katie Woolington."
"Yes!" Julian shouted. Draco's heart felt considerably lighter as he knew that he had some people to whom he could talk. Counsellor Ilidine, who was the head of the fourth group, looked at the group assembling before him. Ilidine snapped his fingers and walked off, the group trudging behind him.
"All right you group! I want to hear a marching song as we move into the forest! Now," barked Ilidine and the group morbidly started singing.
"One two three four, who do we hate more? Five six seven eight, Ilidine is who we hate!" Julian sang softly so only Alexander and Draco could hear it. Alexander and Draco chuckled. Draco decided to make up a song to Britain's national anthem.
"I do hate hi-i-king, I despise hike-ing, oh yes I do. We are going to the woods, to get our rightly goods, oh yes we are," Draco sang in a whisper. Julian snickered and Alexander had to stifle a laugh.
"Here we are! Now I shall teach you some charms," Ilidine bellowed. "First you need to start by making a fire. In the wilderness, fire keeps you warm and provides light."
"Doesn't fire do that outside of the wilderness too?" Julian asked. Counsellor Ilidine frowned.
"Yes, but that isn't the point. Be quiet," Ilidine ordered, and resumed to his speech. Draco noticed that the fire charm was simple, because the person merely had to take out his wand and say "Incendio." Draco took out his wand and twirled it around nonchalantly.
"I could do this in my second year," Julian whispered to Alexander.
"We might be starting with the basic charms first. I'm sure it will become harder," Alexander replied.
"It had better be harder," Julian grumbled. Time passed, and the group performed harder charms. Draco had a moderately hard time trying to do the Insula charm, which was supposed to conjure a tent, a Muggle invention. Draco gritted his teeth in frustration and gripped his wand tighter. Julian was having trouble doing the Aboratia charm, which was supposed to chop wood with a wave of his wand.
"Salamis," Vatican Holmes, a black haired boy with brown eyes and a mean disposition snarled. The charms hit Julian in the chest, making him double over and wheeze.
"Holmes," Julian coughed. "You git." Vatican Holmes only snickered.
"Lost your cockiness now, eh, Earlingston? Too bad you don't have enough money to buy decent robes," Holmes said. Julian glared at Holmes. Draco suddenly felt his heart beat faster and harder. Holmes was acting like an annoying bully. I will show him, Draco thought.
"Shut up, Holmes. You are just insulting them because you want to feel superior," Draco spat, unknowingly describing himself. Holmes looked shocked, and stared at Draco instead of Julian.
"Well, well. What do we have here?" Holmes sneered. "A prissy little rich boy. How lovely." Draco's cheeks tinged pink and his temper flared.
"You are not much better yourself, you slimy thief," Draco retorted. "I know about your family, and they're nothing more than slaves of the Dark Lord-"
"Shut up," Holmes snarled. "That's not true." Draco noticed that Holmes's face twitched, and he glared at Draco. Ah ha, Draco thought, I have hit home.
"Oh, that's not true, is it?" Draco drawled. "Shall I call for your father then? Holmes! Can you polish my shoes? If you don't mind, maybe you could iron my shirts, they are wrinkled-" Draco stopped abruptly as Holmes punched him in the stomach, making him double over. Gasping for breath, Draco stood up, his gray eyes like ice.
"You impertinent buffoon," Holmes hissed.
"I didn't know you could use such fancy vocabulary, Holmes," Draco said, still wheezing. "I think I'll get you a dictionary for Christmas." Holmes growled, and lunged angrily at Draco, who quickly stepped to the side. Draco put up his fists defensively, and, without warning, punched Holmes on his right shoulder. This action promptly led the two into a fierce fistfight. Julian and Alexander watched in amazement as Draco tried to beat Holmes into a pulp, but Holmes was easily creaming him. A girl, whom Draco later learned was Katie Woolington, shrieked for Counselor Ilidine to come. Ilidine rushed over and stared at the fracas.
"What is going on here?" Ilidine asked Katie.
"Vatican hit Julian with a charm, and the blond haired boy defended Julian until Vatican hit the blond haired boy, so he had to fight back," Katie replied breathlessly. Ilidine pondered her words, but not for very long as Draco and Vatican kept hitting each other.
"BOYS! STOP NOW BEFORE I BASH IN BOTH YOUR BLOODY HEADS!" Ilidine shouted. Draco and Holmes stopped their arms in mid-punch. Draco had a bloody nose and his arms had several bruises, while Holmes had a black eye and a cut on his cheek.
"Sir- I was just- I mean," Holmes stammered.
"YOU BROKE THE RULES! NO FIGHTING IN CLASS!" Ilidine roared, and Holmes winced slightly. Draco lowered his arm and got to his feet gracefully.
"Sir, if you allow me to explain," Draco said unctuously. "He was saying rather indecent words to me, and then he hit me, with no respect for high class, mind you, and--"
"Quiet, Mister Malfoy, is it?" Ilidine asked, and Draco nodded. "Well, Mister Malfoy, I understand that Mister Holmes has been unjust to you, and I know that he damaged your precious skin, but I am sure he was fighting in self-defense." Ilidine paused to let his words sink in.
"Sir, I honestly think that he should be punished as he has no manners whatsoever. He is dreadfully uncouth, and should be rightfully locked away," Draco stated, but Ilidine silenced him by holding up his hand.
"I want to hear no more, Malfoy!" Ilidine yelled. "If you happen to disgrace us with your illegal behaviour, then I cannot help but punish you. You shall have a detention. See Madame Hopkins."
"But sir-" Draco interjected.
"Malfoy, I'm warning you. Keep your mouth shut," Ilidine snarled, and walked away. Draco's temper flared, and he swore loudly. Fortunately for him, neither Ilidine nor Katie Woolington heard him. Alexander and Julian came to his side, both in awe.
"I can't believe you hit Holmes," Julian said. "He's nasty, awfully. He loathes me as much as I loathe him." That sounds familiar, Draco thought. Potter and I both hate each other vehemently.
"It's better if you stay away from him," Alexander mused. "That way, you won't have to hit each other, and you won't get in trouble."
"But if he does come near, I'll smash his ignorant head," Draco grumbled.
"Yeah, anything to get through his thick skull," Julian said, snickering. Katie Woolington interrupted their conversation by shouting, "Wait!" and running towards them. Draco stared at her running. Katie had light hazel eyes and brown curls of hair that bounced as she ran, and she seemed to be running in slow motion. It must be my eyes, Draco thought. Katie stopped running, breathing loudly, her eyes gleaming.
"I just wanted to say that- that I'm- I'm s-s-sorry," Katie stammered.
"Sorry? Whatever for? You didn't do anything," Julian replied nastily.
"I'm sorry that you got insulted by Vatican," Katie managed to say. "And I'm sorry you're bleeding and hurting, …er, what's your name?" She pointed to Draco.
"Draco Malfoy, and he's Alexander Thespian. What's yours?" Draco asked.
"Katie Woolington," Katie said softly. Draco swept into a manly bow, which made Katie blush dark crimson and curtsy shakily to Draco. Julian looked disgusted at this formal exchange of gestures, but Alexander watched with wide eyes.
"Now that we've been introduced, what do we do?" Julian asked exasperatedly, running a hand through his hair. "We have done all the charms that he assigned us," he added.
"There's only half an hour left of this class," Alexander commented. Julian thrust his fist in the air happily, and Draco sighed. Katie was not as red as she was before, but seemed to have gained energy and spirit.
"Why don't we sit down and talk then?" Katie asked excitedly.
"But that's what girls always want to do," Julian groaned. "Talk, talk, talk!"
"Come on, Julian, it is not that bad," Katie replied. "After all, boys have to talk sometime too," she added practically. Alexander and Draco sank to the ground, and Katie followed suit. Julian sighed, and sat down as well.
"Well, we sat down," Alexander remarked.
"Not so bad, is it?" Katie said, looking at Julian. Julian shook his head.
"I guess not," Julian replied. Just then Draco noticed how very close he and Katie were and he edged away slightly.
"Do you like this camp so far?" Katie asked, looking at Draco and Alexander.
"Yes, it's very interesting," Alexander replied.
"It's most likely to become worse," Draco added. Katie smiled, and that was the end of their conversation for a few minutes.
"So, what are your birthdays?" Katie wondered, trying to make conversation.
"October ninth," Alexander said.
"April fourteenth," Julian added.
"February twenty-fifth," muttered Draco.
"Mine's July eighth, which is coming up soon," Katie remarked.
"How nice," Alexander said thoughtfully, staring into space. The four adolescents sat in silence until Counselor Ilidine came over and told them that they had better be moving or he would send them to the punishment zone. They joined the group and walked to the camp silently. Draco found out that they would be going to arts and crafts. Oh no, Draco thought sadly, but there was nothing he could do to change the activity. He cursed under his breath as they walked toward the camp workshop, and continually stared at the ground. He hated, in fact loathed, arts and crafts. Making things and Draco did not mix. Counselor Ilidine walked proudly through the workshop's doorway.
"In here, you can make bracelets, clay sculptures, paintings, and wooden things for the carpenters at heart," Ilidine said. "If you do not clean your own mess, you shall be punished. Now get to work." The campers eagerly rushed towards the tools and pieces of paper. Draco immediately sat down at a table in the corner, looking at his peers in disgust as they chose what they wanted to do. Julian joined his table a few minutes later with two quills and sheets of paper.
"Here Draco, you can draw if you want. I brought some extras," Julian said, handing Draco a quill and two sheets of paper.
"Thanks," Draco muttered, and held the quill in his hand, thinking of what to draw. The first thing that came to his mind was Katie, but he pushed that idea away hastily. He could not think of anything else to draw, however, so he started to draw a face. Draco stopped drawing for a moment as he raised his head involuntarily to scrutinize Katie so he could draw her exact features. She was at a table with two other girls, stringing beads onto a piece of thread as she talked rapidly. Draco continued to draw, glancing at Katie every two minutes or so. Julian kept drawing and so he did not speak, but Alexander never came to their table. After three-quarters of an hour, Draco sat back, satisfied with his work. Julian lifted his head for a moment to stare curiously at Draco and his drawing.
"Who's that? Your girlfriend?" Julian asked inquisitively. Draco covered his drawing hastily.
"No one," Draco muttered. Julian's eyes widened.
"You actually drew Katie's portrait?" Julian inquired incredulously.
"Of course not," Draco mumbled, his face turning red. Julian's mouth fell open.
"I can't believe it. I think you like her," Julian mumbled.
"Do not," Draco retorted.
"Do too!"
"Do not!"
"Do too!"
"I really do not," Draco mumbled, and Julian sighed and shook his head. Just then, Alexander came over to their table with a huge grin plastered on his face.
"You have to see what I've made," he said excitedly, and ushered them to the table where he had been working. A clay sculpture stood there, glistening in the light. Julian gasped. It was almost a replica of Katie's head and shoulders.
"Oh great, you too?" Julian asked, sighing exasperatedly.
"What d'you mean?" Alexander replied. "I've made this for her birthday. You heard her, it's coming up soon."
"Draco's made a picture of her," Julian stated. "He fancies her, as well."
"That is not true," Draco retorted. Julian ran back to the table and grabbed Draco's drawing solemnly.
"Then what's this? Don't tell me you don't have some feelings for her," Julian said. Draco shook his head defensively. Alexander's eyes widened.
"It looks exactly like Katie," Alexander gasped.
"So does yours," Draco commented. Alexander took the drawing and inspected closely. Then he smiled.
"This'll be perfect for her," Alexander said. "What did you make, Julian?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Julian asked.
"What did you make for Katie?" Alexander amended. Julian looked shocked.
"Why would I make anything for her?" Julian spluttered. Draco smirked, chuckling.
"Perhaps you did. Shall I take a look at your drawing?" Draco asked, and before Julian could stop him, he walked over to their original table and grabbed Julian's paper. Carefully sketched on the paper was a picture of Katie walking in the forest, with an aura shining around her head. Draco's heart leapt. Julian fancied Katie as well! What a marvelous love quadrilateral this is turning out to be, Draco thought, amused.
"Well? What is it?" Alexander asked. Draco turned the paper around, and Julian looked the other way, blushing a deep red. Alexander was taken aback.
"Looks like our Julian has a closet affection for a certain someone," Draco remarked. Julian closed his mouth stubbornly and refused to answer.
"I never would have guessed," Alexander said. "C'mon, let's put our presents in a box so that we can hide Katie's presents until her birthday comes." The three boys quickly went into the storage room and grabbed a box big enough to hide the bust Alexander made and the two drawings. Closing the box, Alexander stood up straight and brushed his hands together.
"That's done. I'm sure she'll like them," Alexander commented. Draco and Julian merely nodded, being too embarrassed to say anything more. Time passed as if on wings, and when the class was over, Alexander picked the box up quickly as they headed for the door. The campers had free time before dinner, so Draco, Julian, and Alexander sauntered back to their cabin. No one was inside, so they had the whole room to themselves. Julian settled down on his bunk with the book "Tricks for the Young at Heart," Alexander busied himself writing in his notebook, and Draco sat on his bed composing a letter to his father.
Dear Father,
I am having a reasonably fair time at camp doing the camp activities and such. I apologize for my rude behavior a while back; I was not myself. I have made two friends, Alexander Thespian and Julian Earlingston. They are decent, and as far as I know, they are not Dark wizards. The food at this camp is despicable, having a lower standard of food than I am used to. This camp reeks of untidiness and filth. Father, I bid you farewell until I write again. Give Mother my greeting.
Your son,
Draco
"Hey, Draco!" Julian exclaimed, bringing Draco back into the real world.
"What?" Draco snapped nastily.
"Can I add a bit to your letter?" Julian asked.
"How did you know it was a letter?" Draco wondered.
"I figured as such," Julian muttered.
"Right…I suppose you can, but it's to my father," Draco began.
"Ah, I see," Julian said, and he took the quill from Draco and scribbled a note on the bottom.
PS. Hello Mister Malfoy, this is Julian Earlingston, Draco's friend. I was wondering if possibly I was able to come and visit your son, Draco, after camp. If it is possible, I thank you. I will not be much trouble, I promise you. -Julian Earlingston
"I'm sure that won't ever happen," Draco said glumly. "My father's not one for being easy going and courteous."
"I'm sure he'll allow me to come over," Julian replied. "And if he doesn't, I'll come to pick you up and you can visit my house." Draco was shocked at the very idea, but then again, it seemed so exhilarating, and so impossible that Draco was intrigued.
"Of course. That would be interesting," Draco said nicely.
"Yeah, and we'll kidnap Alexander too," Julian added loudly. Alexander looked up from his notebook/diary.
"What? Yes, yes, of course," Alexander replied absentmindedly. Draco and Julian laughed. Julian got up from his bed and peered at the diary in Alexander's lap. Alexander did not realize that Julian was reading over his shoulder. Julian walked back to his bed and sat on it again, snickering at what he would read. Draco gracefully slid off his bed and sat on Julian's.
"What was he writing?" Draco whispered.
"Just how much fun he had today," Julian whispered back. "It was interesting. Honestly," he added. Draco nodded solemnly, reached up to take the letter to his father, and folded it neatly in quarters.
"I must deliver this letter to my father," Draco announced. "Where do I do that?"
"The mail box is in the Great Hall. Here, I'll go with you," Julian suggested, and Draco had no choice but to accept. The two boys strolled out of the cabin and walked towards the Great Hall. Julian showed Draco a mailbox that was near the entrance. Draco grinned and slid the letter through the slot.
"That was simple, if I do say so myself," said Draco.
"I know, so you can send your letters anytime you want," Julian commented as they stepped outside. After an hour or so, Julian and Draco joined Alexander, and they went to the section of the forest where they were supposed to study Botany. Counselor Ilidine was there, scowling at everyone. He gave Draco a particularly mean sneer as he walked by. Draco now hated Ilidine, and he was sure that Ilidine despised him as well.
"Botany is very difficult to master because there are many difficult types of flowers, and they have very complicated Latin names," Ilidine began. Julian snickered.
"Yeah, for him," Julian whispered to Draco. Draco chuckled as well, which made Ilidine stare at him for a moment before he continued.
"As I was saying, we shall first study the flower Ochna Serrulata, which originates from the flower Ochna, or bird's eye bush. Ochna is usually five to ten petal saucer-shaped flowers. After its petals fall, the flower opens to produce purplish black, spherical, one-seeded berries. It requires a lot of watering and sunlight, and can only grow its best in moist ground," Ilidine explained. "Many of you pick the berries of the bird's eye bush to be ground and put in potions. The berries are used for Shining, Growing, or Thickening Potions." Draco felt his eyes close but struggled to keep them open. As if he cared about for what potions the berries could be used. Just then, Katie raised her hand.
"Counsellor Ilidine, I've found a plant that needs your attention. What is that?" Katie asked, pointing to a leafy green plant which had spiky leaves.
"Oh, that's merely a Venuitian plant," Ilidine chuckled. "Fairly interesting." Ilidine continued giving his speech, waving his arms dramatically. "And over here is the Pleiospilos, or known as living granite, and is very fancy. The petals of its flower-"
"AAH!" a girl screamed. Ilidine turned his head to look around, but saw nothing because Katie was lying on the ground, with a plant entwined around her kneecap. Blood was trickling from the place where the plant had bitten her. Suddenly, more vines crept up her leg, soon covering her lower half. Alexander rushed to her side and tried in vain to pull the plant off Katie; Julian was stomping on the plant; screams could be heard from Katie and the rest of the class stared timidly. Alexander looked at the plant frantically, his brow furrowed in worry. The plant then burst into flame, causing them all to gasp and the vines to fall off Katie's legs. Katie stood up hastily as the fire incinerated the last of the Venuitian plant and disappeared as quickly as it had come. Draco looked at Alexander in shock. He had done it again. Julian's face showed the utmost envy as Katie gazed at Alexander with adoring eyes.
"How did you do that?" Katie asked wonderingly. "Never mind that, you saved me. How can I thank you?"
"It's nothing really," Alexander answered softly. Katie smiled for a second, tears forming in her eyes, and hugged him while sobbing into his shoulder. Alexander was shocked, but he patted Katie's back comfortingly. Julian scoffed and immediately became engrossed staring at moss on a rock. Draco snickered softly, knowing that Julian was jealous whether he knew it or not. Counselor Ilidine ran up to them, a little too late.
"What happened here?" Ilidine asked quickly.
"A plant was attacking Katie, sir," Alexander said. "But everything's all right now." To everyone's surprise, Ilidine chuckled.
"Nonsense! Plants don't usually attack someone, and if they do, it's because that person is strange or abnormal," Ilidine explained. Alexander removed himself from Katie, looking like he had been applying too much rouge on his face.
"Shut up," Alexander growled. Counselor Ilidine was taken aback.
"What did you say to me, little boy?" Ilidine asked, horrified.
"I SAID SHUT UP! YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT! IN FACT, YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A POMPOUS GIT!" Alexander roared, and unconsciously took Katie's hand. Katie looked just as furious as Alexander. Ilidine's face was now a dark red, and sparks could be seen darting from his eyes.
"POMPOUS GIT? STUPID, STUPID BOY! SILENCE YOURSELF! YOU'RE ALREADY GOING TO THE PUNISHMENT CABIN!" Ilidine screeched, and suddenly punched Alexander in the chest. Alexander groaned and fell to the ground, which made Katie slap Ilidine on the cheek. Ilidine pushed her away disdainfully, and Julian reached into his pocket for his wand. Draco ran in front of Ilidine and slugged him on the jaw. Ilidine gasped, and Draco felt the urge to hit him more, so he did. Chaos ensued, with Julian and Draco punching Ilidine and dodging his blows, Katie tending to Alexander, and everyone screaming.
"Petrificus Totalus," Draco heard Julian mutter, and a silvery green beam of light burst from his wand, heading for Ilidine, but Vatican Holmes was hit instead. He lay there on the ground, blinking angrily, while Ilidine was fighting a losing battle against Draco and Julian. Alexander got to his feet at last, but he did not look at Julian and Draco throwing punches, nor did he look at Ilidine's furious face. Alexander just looked into Katie's hazel eyes.
"What the hell is going on here?" a man bellowed, and everyone fell silent. Counsellor Bowers stood amidst the frantic students with his hands on his hips. Julian and Draco turned around and slowly lowered their hands, pretending to look innocent. Ilidine stood up, gasping for breath, saw Bowers and swore softly.
"Robert Bowers, let me explain what has happened," Ilidine said quickly. "This young man," he pointed at Alexander, "has insulted me, and so I had to discipline in the best possible way by sending him to the Punishment cabin."
"Is that true, lad?" Bowers inquired, glaring at Alexander. Alexander was about to nod when Julian cleared his throat.
"Sir, that's not true. Ilidine hit Alexander on purpose as soon as Alexander did something that he hated," Julian explained. Bowers' face contorted in fury, and he whipped his head toward Ilidine.
"You hit a camper? How stupid can you get?" Bowers raged, making speckles of spit dribble down his chin. "Ilidine, you are excused from camp activities for the rest of the week. May that be a lesson to you."
"Robert, he called me a pompous git," Ilidine stated while his face turned paler. "And those two attacked me." He pointed at Julian and Draco menacingly. Draco sneered at Ilidine while Bowers was not looking. Then Bowers stared at Julian and Draco, showing no mercy.
"Hitting a counselor is a very serious crime, and you must be punished accordingly," Bowers remarked. "Punishment cabin. Now." Julian hung his head, and Draco's mouth fell open, but they had no choice other than to walk to a little, brown, wooden cabin on a nearby hill. The rest of the group snickered as Julian and Draco walked away from them. Alexander started to run after his friends, but Bowers stopped him. Julian sighed, and Draco knew that the worst was yet to come.
