Isn't it always when things are going so well when
something completely bad has to come along and foul things up?
I was doing well in all of my classes, Potions included. I was also having fun for once. It was nice to cut loose and laugh out loud. I knew why I had this sudden change in spirits, but I denied it. No, Snape could not be the reason why I feel so lighthearted now, I told myself. But in fact, he was. Telling him about my mother's death had lifted a great weight off my shoulders. Not to mention my newfound expertise in Potions. I was improving each day and was soon catching up to the best in the class.
"Franco, I wish you would stop looking at me like that," I grumbled after another good day in Potions.
"What did happen in those detentions?"
"Nothing! He had me clean things and that. Stop being such a git."
"It's just funny, that's all."
"Oh, yes, really funny."
"Not like funny ha-ha, funny queer..."
"Maybe Snape's just in a good mood because he's made progress on developing a new sneer or something." Franco snorted, but I immediately felt guilty for making fun of him. I did have to change the subject somehow, though. I didn't know how much more badgering I could take from Franco.
What had happened with the diary and Professor Snape was private, and besides, Franco could possibly know what it was like to have no Mother and a horrible Father. Franco's parents were muggles, and they were extremely kind and pleasant.
I quickly pushed the negative thoughts out of my head.
"Hogsmeade this weekend!" Franco said happily the next morning at breakfast. "Do you want me to bring back the usual?"
"Yeah, and extra Fizzing Whizbees too. I love those things," I said as we sat down at the Ravenclaw table.
"I wish your dad would let you go."
"Yeah," I sighed. "Me too, but it's okay. I'm perfectly--" I stopped in mid-sentence as the wooshing of the owl post filled the great hall.
A large brown owl swooped down and dropped a small ivory envelope onto my empty plate.
"I never get mail," I said, picking up the letter and tearing it open. "It's from my aunt Agnes, how odd..."
"What's wrong?" Franco asked as I slowly set the letter back down on the table.
"It's my father," I said slowly. "He's gone and gotten himself killed."
Franco stared at me with his mouth hanging open, not knowing what to say.
"Excuse me," I said and got up from the table. I briefly glanced up at the staff table as I walked across the great hall to the door. Snape was watching me, his eyes following my steps. I simply stared back, my face as emotionless and hard as I could make it, and did not turn away until I was out the door.
I was doing well in all of my classes, Potions included. I was also having fun for once. It was nice to cut loose and laugh out loud. I knew why I had this sudden change in spirits, but I denied it. No, Snape could not be the reason why I feel so lighthearted now, I told myself. But in fact, he was. Telling him about my mother's death had lifted a great weight off my shoulders. Not to mention my newfound expertise in Potions. I was improving each day and was soon catching up to the best in the class.
"Franco, I wish you would stop looking at me like that," I grumbled after another good day in Potions.
"What did happen in those detentions?"
"Nothing! He had me clean things and that. Stop being such a git."
"It's just funny, that's all."
"Oh, yes, really funny."
"Not like funny ha-ha, funny queer..."
"Maybe Snape's just in a good mood because he's made progress on developing a new sneer or something." Franco snorted, but I immediately felt guilty for making fun of him. I did have to change the subject somehow, though. I didn't know how much more badgering I could take from Franco.
What had happened with the diary and Professor Snape was private, and besides, Franco could possibly know what it was like to have no Mother and a horrible Father. Franco's parents were muggles, and they were extremely kind and pleasant.
I quickly pushed the negative thoughts out of my head.
"Hogsmeade this weekend!" Franco said happily the next morning at breakfast. "Do you want me to bring back the usual?"
"Yeah, and extra Fizzing Whizbees too. I love those things," I said as we sat down at the Ravenclaw table.
"I wish your dad would let you go."
"Yeah," I sighed. "Me too, but it's okay. I'm perfectly--" I stopped in mid-sentence as the wooshing of the owl post filled the great hall.
A large brown owl swooped down and dropped a small ivory envelope onto my empty plate.
"I never get mail," I said, picking up the letter and tearing it open. "It's from my aunt Agnes, how odd..."
"What's wrong?" Franco asked as I slowly set the letter back down on the table.
"It's my father," I said slowly. "He's gone and gotten himself killed."
Franco stared at me with his mouth hanging open, not knowing what to say.
"Excuse me," I said and got up from the table. I briefly glanced up at the staff table as I walked across the great hall to the door. Snape was watching me, his eyes following my steps. I simply stared back, my face as emotionless and hard as I could make it, and did not turn away until I was out the door.
