[A/N. Sorry the chapter is a bit shorter than usual, but I didn't have time
to write a huge one today and I wanted to get this up since I have also
updated all my other stories. I was trying to think of some of the things
they learn- spell wise that is- in their second year, but I couldn't really
remember any. Maybe there wasn't a lot of that in the second HP book? I
might just have to make some things up if I can't remember just to fill the
lesson side of the story since after all, they are at a school!]
Chapter Seven: A strange conversation.
When Jenny and I arrived back in the common room after sending our owls there was a crowd gathered in the room and when Johnson spotted us he called out "Three cheers for our new keeper and seeker!" I felt my face turn red at the exuberant cheers, and glancing at Jenny saw that her face was equally red.
"Want a sweet?" Greg offered his cousin, holding out a small, red sweet.
Jenny shrugged and took it. "But I can't celebrate- I've got some study to do. We're starting basic animal transfiguration this week and it's pretty hard! I hope you actually study this year since you're taking your OWLS." She said, as she popped it in her mouth. She sucked on it for a moment and then a strange look crossed her face, but it was too late. She was already beginning to turn a nice bright pink.
"GREG!" Francine yelled, and she grabbed Jenny by the arm and the two hurried up to the dormitories.
Martin was impressed. "What was that?" He asked Greg eagerly, but Greg refused to give his secrets away in front of all these people. I noticed that Georgia was sitting by the fire engrossed in her transfiguration text and not joining in the party. Part of me was tempted to ask Greg if she was all right, especially after our conversation that morning, but I decided not to. It wasn't any use worrying Greg over some stupid joke. Instead I figured I was better off enjoying the party for the time being.
*****
The next morning Jenny was back to her normal colour except for a slight pink tinge on her skin. She was, however, furious with Greg. "He can't help himself." She complained to us as we walked down to school. "No bloody wonder everyone said Uncle George and Uncle Fred were pains."
Martin grinned at her. "You have to admit it was pretty funny." He said.
That was the wrong thing to say to her at that time. She clutched her books against her chest and said stiffly, "I do NOT think it was at all funny thank you very much." And she flounced ahead of us.
"Sam, wait a second. I've just got to do up my shoe." Martin called, and I stopped and waited as he did it up and then we went after the others towards the Great Hall. A voice coming from one of the classrooms stopped us in our tracks though.
"You think I'm wrong Michael?" Snape asked coldly.
Martin clutched at my arm and we both moved closer to the classroom in order to hear what was going on.
"Of course not Severus." Our charms teacher assured Snape. "It's just that I think it could be a little risky, that's all."
"Risky." Snape scoffed. "Sometimes we've got to take risks in life Michael, and I'm sure you know all about that."
I frowned, there was some kind of hidden meaning in Snape's words then, and they were loaded with innuendo that I had no idea of.
"Relax Severus," Michael said calmly. "I'm not going to change my mind. And stop looking so bloody gloomy- you could do with a cheering charm, maybe I should have my third years make one for you?"
Snape made a sound which sounded like a grunt, and then said "We best get to breakfast before we're missed and we arouse suspicions. But don't forget you promised Michael and I don't look kindly on people who break their promises- especially something as important at this!"
Martin and I looked at each other and then hurried away turning the corner just as Snape and Michael came out of the room. We didn't speak until we were far enough away to speak without fear of being overheard.
"What on earth was all that about?" Martin asked me.
I shook my head. "I don't know, but Snape sounded as if he were forcing Michael into doing something he wasn't exactly keen on doing." I suggested.
Martin frowned. "This is getting stranger and stranger."
A sudden thought popped into my head which made me grin. Martin demanded to know what was so funny. "It's just that at this time last year we were trying to work out who Merlin was, and this time we're trying to work out what's going on with the charms teachers fake name!"
Martin grinned too. "Best not tell Jenny or we'll be back in the library before we can say Snape's an ugly slimy git!"
"SNAPE'S AN UGLY SLIMY GIT!"
Martin and I both jumped and then turned to see a ghost wearing a strange hat and loudly coloured bow-tie grinning down at us.
"Peeves!" I snapped. "If you're trying to get us into trouble we're not doing anything wrong."
Peeves was the school's poltergeist and there was nothing he liked more than annoying the students. My Dad told me that he'd been the same when they were at school here, and I was still annoyed with him from the time he'd got us dragged before the Ghosts Council in a trial last year.
"Making fun of the teachers is naughty." Peeves offered, turning a somersault in mid air.
"Not really." I said with a shrug. "I don't believe there is any rule against it."
"What are you all doing here? You should be having breakfast you should. Don't like it when children are creeping around the corridors I don't." Croaked another voice. Mr. Filch, the new caretaker, was glaring at us angrily.
"Sorry, we're on our way there now." Martin said, not bothering to tell him that we were hardly creeping around anywhere, and Mr. Filch relaxed.
"See you get there now then." He said, and then he glared at Peeves. "I know it was you who caused that mess in the trophy room Peeves, and one of these days I am going to catch you and punish you I am."
Peeves cackled and floated off, and Martin and I made our way to the Great Hall where breakfast was indeed already in progress. Jenny shot us a dirty look as we took our seats.
"You'd think we were late for lessons or something." Martin muttered to me, nodding in Jenny's direction.
I shrugged and got stuck into my bacon and eggs instead of responding. Even though Martin and I'd been joking about not telling Jenny what we'd just overheard I knew that in the next break we'd have to tell her and see whether or not she had any ideas. After all, as much as I hated to admit it, her brains could come in useful sometimes.
Chapter Seven: A strange conversation.
When Jenny and I arrived back in the common room after sending our owls there was a crowd gathered in the room and when Johnson spotted us he called out "Three cheers for our new keeper and seeker!" I felt my face turn red at the exuberant cheers, and glancing at Jenny saw that her face was equally red.
"Want a sweet?" Greg offered his cousin, holding out a small, red sweet.
Jenny shrugged and took it. "But I can't celebrate- I've got some study to do. We're starting basic animal transfiguration this week and it's pretty hard! I hope you actually study this year since you're taking your OWLS." She said, as she popped it in her mouth. She sucked on it for a moment and then a strange look crossed her face, but it was too late. She was already beginning to turn a nice bright pink.
"GREG!" Francine yelled, and she grabbed Jenny by the arm and the two hurried up to the dormitories.
Martin was impressed. "What was that?" He asked Greg eagerly, but Greg refused to give his secrets away in front of all these people. I noticed that Georgia was sitting by the fire engrossed in her transfiguration text and not joining in the party. Part of me was tempted to ask Greg if she was all right, especially after our conversation that morning, but I decided not to. It wasn't any use worrying Greg over some stupid joke. Instead I figured I was better off enjoying the party for the time being.
*****
The next morning Jenny was back to her normal colour except for a slight pink tinge on her skin. She was, however, furious with Greg. "He can't help himself." She complained to us as we walked down to school. "No bloody wonder everyone said Uncle George and Uncle Fred were pains."
Martin grinned at her. "You have to admit it was pretty funny." He said.
That was the wrong thing to say to her at that time. She clutched her books against her chest and said stiffly, "I do NOT think it was at all funny thank you very much." And she flounced ahead of us.
"Sam, wait a second. I've just got to do up my shoe." Martin called, and I stopped and waited as he did it up and then we went after the others towards the Great Hall. A voice coming from one of the classrooms stopped us in our tracks though.
"You think I'm wrong Michael?" Snape asked coldly.
Martin clutched at my arm and we both moved closer to the classroom in order to hear what was going on.
"Of course not Severus." Our charms teacher assured Snape. "It's just that I think it could be a little risky, that's all."
"Risky." Snape scoffed. "Sometimes we've got to take risks in life Michael, and I'm sure you know all about that."
I frowned, there was some kind of hidden meaning in Snape's words then, and they were loaded with innuendo that I had no idea of.
"Relax Severus," Michael said calmly. "I'm not going to change my mind. And stop looking so bloody gloomy- you could do with a cheering charm, maybe I should have my third years make one for you?"
Snape made a sound which sounded like a grunt, and then said "We best get to breakfast before we're missed and we arouse suspicions. But don't forget you promised Michael and I don't look kindly on people who break their promises- especially something as important at this!"
Martin and I looked at each other and then hurried away turning the corner just as Snape and Michael came out of the room. We didn't speak until we were far enough away to speak without fear of being overheard.
"What on earth was all that about?" Martin asked me.
I shook my head. "I don't know, but Snape sounded as if he were forcing Michael into doing something he wasn't exactly keen on doing." I suggested.
Martin frowned. "This is getting stranger and stranger."
A sudden thought popped into my head which made me grin. Martin demanded to know what was so funny. "It's just that at this time last year we were trying to work out who Merlin was, and this time we're trying to work out what's going on with the charms teachers fake name!"
Martin grinned too. "Best not tell Jenny or we'll be back in the library before we can say Snape's an ugly slimy git!"
"SNAPE'S AN UGLY SLIMY GIT!"
Martin and I both jumped and then turned to see a ghost wearing a strange hat and loudly coloured bow-tie grinning down at us.
"Peeves!" I snapped. "If you're trying to get us into trouble we're not doing anything wrong."
Peeves was the school's poltergeist and there was nothing he liked more than annoying the students. My Dad told me that he'd been the same when they were at school here, and I was still annoyed with him from the time he'd got us dragged before the Ghosts Council in a trial last year.
"Making fun of the teachers is naughty." Peeves offered, turning a somersault in mid air.
"Not really." I said with a shrug. "I don't believe there is any rule against it."
"What are you all doing here? You should be having breakfast you should. Don't like it when children are creeping around the corridors I don't." Croaked another voice. Mr. Filch, the new caretaker, was glaring at us angrily.
"Sorry, we're on our way there now." Martin said, not bothering to tell him that we were hardly creeping around anywhere, and Mr. Filch relaxed.
"See you get there now then." He said, and then he glared at Peeves. "I know it was you who caused that mess in the trophy room Peeves, and one of these days I am going to catch you and punish you I am."
Peeves cackled and floated off, and Martin and I made our way to the Great Hall where breakfast was indeed already in progress. Jenny shot us a dirty look as we took our seats.
"You'd think we were late for lessons or something." Martin muttered to me, nodding in Jenny's direction.
I shrugged and got stuck into my bacon and eggs instead of responding. Even though Martin and I'd been joking about not telling Jenny what we'd just overheard I knew that in the next break we'd have to tell her and see whether or not she had any ideas. After all, as much as I hated to admit it, her brains could come in useful sometimes.
