The first weeks of classes flew by, the tryouts for Quidditch were held the second Wednesday after school had started and Colin, Jack Weasley and Grace's brother and sister, Aaron and Becca, had made the team. Rena had the team up well before dawn each day for practice in a fashion that would have made even Oliver Wood proud. The first game between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff was scheduled for the first weekend in November and Rena wasn't about to let her team think it would be an easy year.
Along with Quidditch Colin and Rena met after dinner in the library to go over Potions work that had been assigned, and while they weren't becoming friends per se they were learning more about each other. One of the things they found out was their total dislike for Divination, which was taught by another of their parents' schoolmates, Lavender Brown-Thomas. They had both heard stories from their parents about Madame Trelawney and while Madame Brown-Thomas was an improvement she was still as Colin put it, "Full of tosh". As Colin began to understand more about potions they began to do other homework, especially Divination work, coming up with horrible deaths for each other.
On one such night they were going over Potions when Colin decided to ask about something that had been bugging him for a while; "Rena why does your dad hate you so much?"
Rena looked up from her textbook, "What?"
"Why does your dad hate you so much? He is harsher on you than he is on me. Why?" Colin looked her straight in the eye.
"My father doesn't hate me. He just doesn't want to seem as if he is favoring me over the rest of you."
"Rena you get points off for sneezing. I don't know about you but I think he isn't just trying not to favor you." Colin pointed out.
Rena started to gather up her books. "Okay so my father is a bit harsh to me but Colin he still loves me, he just has a hard time showing it in public." She stood up suddenly. "You don't know what you are talking about Colin, maybe we should take a couple days off. See you in the common room or class Colin."
She got up and walked out of the library leaving a speechless Colin staring after her. He went back to his homework leaving only when Madam Pince told him to. He made the trek back to the common room slowly, stopping in the hallway to lean against the wall and have a think.
"Mr. Potter, one would hope that you aren't planning on staying here too long. Since this is out of bounds." Colin looked up to see Professor Malfoy glaring at him.
"No sir I was just going on my way." Colin gritted his teeth as he strove to keep his face emotionless.
"Well 5 points from Gryffindor for being out of bounds and another 5 for cutting up. See that you are in your room earlier Mr. Potter."
"Yes sir." Colin watched as Malfoy went on his way then continued up the stairs.
"Good evening dearie you look a bit down in the mouth." The Fat Lady asked as Colin came to a stop in front of her portrait.
"Nothing that is too pressing. Bouncing Ferret." The portrait hole opened and Colin stepped through and into the common room.
"Hey Colin were you been?" Beth Weasley called to him as he came into view.
Colin walked over and sat down at the table she, Don and Joe were working with a sigh. "I was in the library studying, left to come back and Malfoy saw me in the hall and deducted 10 points."
"Nasty git." Don mumbled as he slammed his books closed. "You would think taking points from us in Potions would be enough, I guess it isn't."
"What is his problem anyway? He acts like we are lower than scum then expects more from us than any of the other classes." Joe added his two cents in.
"No kidding. Well it's not like we can do anything about it. I bet he would take points off even if we were totally perfect, for being perfect." Colin grumbled. "Anyway I had a rough night I am heading up early. You all have a great night." He got up and headed up to the door room.
Beth, Don and Joe huddled into talk after he left. "So Joe what do you think is going on? Rena came in here looking like she was about ready to hex one of us. And now Colin is acting all fed up."
"I have no clue, but Grace is up talking to Rena now. Maybe she'll tell us something."
"Tell you guys what?" The group at the table's heads swung around to see Grace standing near the stairs. Joe motioned her over to sit with them.
"Well we were just talking about what was going on with Rena and Colin. You were up talking to Rena do you have any clue?"
"Not really she said that she and Colin met up in the library and he said something to her, but nothing else. So have you finished up your Divination work?" Grace asked switching the topic.
"Yeah we all helped each other, we all have all 8 inches we needed, you?" Beth answered for them all.
"All finished up, Rena helped me figure out the last of the tea leaf stuff. I can't believe we have so much work for such a pointless class."
"True, but it could be worse. Malfoy could have given us the 18 inch essay he threatened us with yesterday." Don pointed out.
"That is true, lucky us, it was only 10 inches." Joe replied then looked as his watch, "Well it is late, I guess we should get going to bed."
Beth and Don gathered up their books and left first, Joe and Grace hung back.
"Is Rena really okay?"
"Yeah she won't say what is going on but when I asked she said 'Colin' pretty vehemently. I would guess he has something to do with it."
"He came in pretty ticked, said it was about Professor Malfoy." Joe gave Grace a quick kiss, "Maybe they'll be more open to talk tomorrow, see you tomorrow."
Grace waved to him as she went up the stairs, Joe going the other way.
Along with Quidditch Colin and Rena met after dinner in the library to go over Potions work that had been assigned, and while they weren't becoming friends per se they were learning more about each other. One of the things they found out was their total dislike for Divination, which was taught by another of their parents' schoolmates, Lavender Brown-Thomas. They had both heard stories from their parents about Madame Trelawney and while Madame Brown-Thomas was an improvement she was still as Colin put it, "Full of tosh". As Colin began to understand more about potions they began to do other homework, especially Divination work, coming up with horrible deaths for each other.
On one such night they were going over Potions when Colin decided to ask about something that had been bugging him for a while; "Rena why does your dad hate you so much?"
Rena looked up from her textbook, "What?"
"Why does your dad hate you so much? He is harsher on you than he is on me. Why?" Colin looked her straight in the eye.
"My father doesn't hate me. He just doesn't want to seem as if he is favoring me over the rest of you."
"Rena you get points off for sneezing. I don't know about you but I think he isn't just trying not to favor you." Colin pointed out.
Rena started to gather up her books. "Okay so my father is a bit harsh to me but Colin he still loves me, he just has a hard time showing it in public." She stood up suddenly. "You don't know what you are talking about Colin, maybe we should take a couple days off. See you in the common room or class Colin."
She got up and walked out of the library leaving a speechless Colin staring after her. He went back to his homework leaving only when Madam Pince told him to. He made the trek back to the common room slowly, stopping in the hallway to lean against the wall and have a think.
"Mr. Potter, one would hope that you aren't planning on staying here too long. Since this is out of bounds." Colin looked up to see Professor Malfoy glaring at him.
"No sir I was just going on my way." Colin gritted his teeth as he strove to keep his face emotionless.
"Well 5 points from Gryffindor for being out of bounds and another 5 for cutting up. See that you are in your room earlier Mr. Potter."
"Yes sir." Colin watched as Malfoy went on his way then continued up the stairs.
"Good evening dearie you look a bit down in the mouth." The Fat Lady asked as Colin came to a stop in front of her portrait.
"Nothing that is too pressing. Bouncing Ferret." The portrait hole opened and Colin stepped through and into the common room.
"Hey Colin were you been?" Beth Weasley called to him as he came into view.
Colin walked over and sat down at the table she, Don and Joe were working with a sigh. "I was in the library studying, left to come back and Malfoy saw me in the hall and deducted 10 points."
"Nasty git." Don mumbled as he slammed his books closed. "You would think taking points from us in Potions would be enough, I guess it isn't."
"What is his problem anyway? He acts like we are lower than scum then expects more from us than any of the other classes." Joe added his two cents in.
"No kidding. Well it's not like we can do anything about it. I bet he would take points off even if we were totally perfect, for being perfect." Colin grumbled. "Anyway I had a rough night I am heading up early. You all have a great night." He got up and headed up to the door room.
Beth, Don and Joe huddled into talk after he left. "So Joe what do you think is going on? Rena came in here looking like she was about ready to hex one of us. And now Colin is acting all fed up."
"I have no clue, but Grace is up talking to Rena now. Maybe she'll tell us something."
"Tell you guys what?" The group at the table's heads swung around to see Grace standing near the stairs. Joe motioned her over to sit with them.
"Well we were just talking about what was going on with Rena and Colin. You were up talking to Rena do you have any clue?"
"Not really she said that she and Colin met up in the library and he said something to her, but nothing else. So have you finished up your Divination work?" Grace asked switching the topic.
"Yeah we all helped each other, we all have all 8 inches we needed, you?" Beth answered for them all.
"All finished up, Rena helped me figure out the last of the tea leaf stuff. I can't believe we have so much work for such a pointless class."
"True, but it could be worse. Malfoy could have given us the 18 inch essay he threatened us with yesterday." Don pointed out.
"That is true, lucky us, it was only 10 inches." Joe replied then looked as his watch, "Well it is late, I guess we should get going to bed."
Beth and Don gathered up their books and left first, Joe and Grace hung back.
"Is Rena really okay?"
"Yeah she won't say what is going on but when I asked she said 'Colin' pretty vehemently. I would guess he has something to do with it."
"He came in pretty ticked, said it was about Professor Malfoy." Joe gave Grace a quick kiss, "Maybe they'll be more open to talk tomorrow, see you tomorrow."
Grace waved to him as she went up the stairs, Joe going the other way.