Here We Go Around Again
Chapter 9
The first week went by smoothly, with Isabel acing every class; she was particularly fond of Wednesday's class on Healing Potions, where she'd answered all of Snape's questions and brewed an impeccable Pepper up potion that Snape hadn't been able to criticize.
She still laughed everytime she recalled Anya Malfoy's face at her success and how, intent on outdoing her, she'd tried her own Pepper up potion-to which she'd apparently forgotten to add the spice, the most important ingredient of all-and that earned her the next three days in the Hospital Wing with a severe case of cold plus thirty points from her house for spilling the rest of the potion on the professor, who suffered her same fate. Students from the other houses still clapped and whistled at her when she passed, for ridding them of having to put up with Snape for the rest of the week, and it never failed to make her angry.
Harry's and Hermione's classes were a lot of fun, especially since her father had announced that they would be teaching some lessons together; Isabel also liked Care of Magical Creatures because it meant she got to see Hagrid, and Professor McGonnagall had become another role model in her eyes. She disliked History of Magic as much as her father did, and had even managed to fall asleep right in the middle of Binn's lecture but, unlike Harry, she could afford it because, thanks to Hermione, she knew the fifth and sixth fairy civil war by heart.
Isabel enjoyed her classes a lot, and the time she spent with her friends even more; Nicholas, Robin and Catherine were all very lively and active, and ironically enough, Isabel's more subdued character seemed to blend in quite well. And at last, there was someone to help Nick play peacemaker between the two troublemakers.
The Golden Boy, as Isabel had taken to calling him, had kept his promise.
On Saturday morning after breakfast, Nicholas dragged her down to the Quidditch pitch, clad on his team's uniform.
-There you go.,-he said, handing a blushing Isabel one of the school brooms; it was an old model of Firebolt, but it was in perfect conditions.,-Do you have a broom of your own?
Isabel sighed resignedly.
-I used to but... it blew up...
Nick blinked.
-It blew up?
The girl grimaced in reminiscing.
-Last month. I was playing a one-to-one with Robin, he started using magic, I retaliated and got the better off him, he got mad, shot a blast to distract me, hit the tail of my broomstick and it blew up.
Nick raised an eyebrow.
-And you?,-he asked.
Isabel waved her hand dismissively.
-Oh, I was fine. Dad and uncle Ron were watching, and they stopped me from falling; nearly throttled Robin, though, and now he owes me a broomstick.
The boy sniggered.
-Reckless redhead. Reminds me of my sister, minus the red head.
Isabel smiled.
-Yeah...
The two of them kicked off the ground, soaring high above the stands and racing around the pitch for a few minutes. Isabel was in her element; she shared with Harry his love for flying and was, like him, a natural flier. She'd lost count of the times she'd scared her poor mother off her wits as she watched her match all the boys' feints and juggling.
She flipped once on the air and then dove into a feint, only to raise back up in a spiral with a laugh as the wind hit her face, waving her long brown tresses behind her.
Nicholas was, to say the least, very impressed; in all his life, he'd only known of one person with such skill, and that was the Boy-Who-Lived himself.
Hovering gently to one side, he smiled fondly at her enthusiasm; then, sticking his hand in the pocket of his robe, he pulled something out.
-Hey, Izzy!,.-he called up to the girl, who was now flying lazily around a few feet above and away from him.,-Check this out for me!
Grinning madly, the boy flung what he was holding up to Isabel, but 'misjudged' the force of his throw; the object did a small arc, and then dropped fastly towards the ground.
The young Potter deftly pulled the handle of her broom down, urging the trusty Firebolt in an almost vertical dive, and Nicholas watched in awe as she swirled out of it a few feet before hitting the grass.
-Wow...,-he whispered, following her ascending figure with his eyes.
When she finally made to his side, he noticed she was looking at the small blue-glass marble he'd thrown with a surprised expression on her face; she was flushed, but didn't look at all worn out.
Isabel raised an eyebrow at him, holding the tiny ball between her forefinger and thumb.
-And you threw this at me why?
She flung the marble at him, and he caught it promptly with his hand, putting it back in his pocket and flashing her a smile.
-That was amazing, Izzy, where did you learn to fly like that?,-he asked in admiration, making her blush even brighter and drop her eyes modestly to her lap.
-Dad taught me?,-she said shyly.
Nicholas chuckled.
-Of course... when I told Robin last night that we were going flying, he said I was in for a surprise, but... whoa, Izzy, I never expected you to fly this well!
Isabel was smiling happily at the compliment-it meant a lot to her. Raising her gaze at him, she gave him a brilliant smile.
-Thank you, Nick...
The boy was shaking his head at her, and was suddenly struck by an idea.
-I want you to be my Seeker.
Isabel nearly let go of her broom.
-WHAT?!
Nicholas grinned at her reaction, eyes twinkling.
-Samuel Taylor, Bess' brother and Gryffindor's Seeker graduated last year, and I was looking for a replacement-but I think I've just found her.
Isabel gave him an incredulous look.
-You're nuts.,-she stated, and the boy shrugged.
-I know.
***
-You're what?!,-exclaimed Hermione later that day, after Isabel had finished telling them about the latest news.
Harry strode across the room with a huge grin on his face and threw his arms around his daughter, hugging her tightly and lifting her off the floor.
-That's my girl!,-he said proudly, kissing her on the forehead.
Isabel giggled as she was then passed to Ron, who looked ecstatic at the prospect of having her on the Quidditch Team.
-Congratulations, Izzy!,-he said, placing her back on her feet.
She turned back to face her mother with a playful smile; Hermione had her hands on her cheeks, looking terrified, and was probably imagining the hundreds of horrible possible deaths, from dropping down from the sky to being hit by a bolt of lightening.
-Oh, come on, mom!,-she said, jumping to hug her with a grin.,-Nothing's going to happen to me, I'll be fine!
Hermione sent a reproachful look at her husband and best friend, who looked innocently away.
-Yeah,-she accused sullenly, glaring at the two of them.,-that's what Harry and Ron always said, and I don't think anyone in the history of Hogwarts has visited the Hospital Wing as much as those have.
Isabel glanced back at the two men, and then back at her mother, shrugging.
-Yeah, but I have more sense than they have.
Harry and Ron both began spluttering.
-Hey! Which side are you on?!
Mother and daughter giggled, and Hermione gave Isabel a resigned-but proud-smile.
-I guess so... congratulations, honey...
Isabel flashed her a brilliant smile.
-Thanks, mom!
Harry stepped forward, placing an arm around her shoulders.
-Here,-he said, handing her a roll of parchment.,-I forgot to give it to you before, but...
The fourteen-year-old took the parchment and unfolded it; it was very old, very old, and was completely blank. She raised an eyebrow at him.
-Dad? Is this one of uncle Fred and George's pranks?
Her father laughed.
-Oh, I knew you'd react like that! I did too.,-his eyes twinkled.,-No, it's not a prank, but a very useful possession of mine. Here,-he touched the parchment with his wand,-I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.
Isabel gasped as a detailed map of the Hogwarts ground and castle magically drew itself on the parchment. She looked up at Harry.
-Dad, what is this?
-The Marauder's Map...,-Harry said, smiling.,-it belonged to my father, and now it belongs to you.,-he pointed at it.,-It shows every secret passage in the castle, so I hope you use it with sense. To wipe it off you just have to tap it again and say "Mischief managed!", and it'll go blank.
-Why are you giving me this?,-she asked, deeply touched by her parents' trust.
Hermione smiled.
-Because we trust you, of course, and we know you'll use with responsability, unlike some people I know.,-she said, looking playfully at her husband.,-Now, for your special training with Dumbledore and ourselves, use this to get to the secret room behind Agrippa's statue on the third floor; hopefully, it'll lead you there without running into trouble... you can tell your friends if you want to, but nobody else's supposed to know about this, dear, so you'd better use your father's cloak when you go, okay? Be there next Monday at nine...
Isabel gulped, but nodded her assent.
She was really worried about this 'special training' outcome.
A/N: Yay! Lots of reviews this time!
yaya, I seriously doubt I'll ever be as famous as J.K. Rowling, but thanks. ***grins*** I'm glad you like my story.
Danielle of Airls, thanks for the review, it made me smile a lot. =) About the quotation marks thing, I'm surprised that so many people are mentioning this to me… I don't like using them and I figured that, since there are so many books that use that model, and since my teachers at college have never complained about it, that it was okay for me to use it here too. ***shrugs*** I guess I could start using them if everyone prefers them… I hope you have a nice vacation, (mine have been just long and BORING, which is why I update so much) and that you'll review again when you get back.
hpnerd, well, I'm still just introducing the plot, so of course it's still happy and sweet and perfect, but don't worry, because it won't stay that way for long. ***smiles***
dramaqueen214, yay! Yours is another review that made me smile!!! It makes me so happy that you guys like this story because, as Muirnin knows, I wasn't too sure about posting this story, so thanks a lot!
Mariah, thanks for reading my story, and I hope you liked this chapter as well!
Exotria, thanks for reviewing; I didn't use the Firebolt because, well, it's been nearly twenty years since Harry got it, and it probably won't be as good as the new models, but thanks for the 'Starlight' tip; you got ahead of me, I was going to ask for help for a new broomstick model…
Kat6528, I hadn't used the Marauder's Map because I believed that after GoF Harry never got it back; apparently, and according to what spoilers I've read, (I haven't read OotP yet), he mysteriously gets it back in the 5th book, so I thought it was okay to use it now.
About what I wanted to ask you, Muirnin, and PhoenixGirl1234567, well, it's not too terrible or anything, and if it's only if you can and want, mind you, but I would like to ask the three of you for help writing this fanfiction… I seem to have some trouble with my narrative, sometimes, seeing as I'm not a native English speaker, as you know…. I was wondering if you could help with some ideas and stuff, especially with the next chapter, but it's okay if you can't. =)