Chapter Eight
Disclaimer on opening note
The first task of the Tri-wizard tournament was coming quickly. The Champions had had their wands weighed at the earlier and a story done in the Daily Prophet, which was passed around to everyone. The some of the Hogwarts students, Mostly the Slytherins, had made buttons promoting Cedric, and dissing Harry. Ruby ignored it all. It had nothing to do with her. Hermione and Harry were off some where practicing something for the tournament, Ron wasn't talking to Harry, Ginny, Fred, George, and Ruby just watched as the carnage ensued.
All the students gathered into the stands where, just outside, they could see four dragons. The Champions task was to get past the dragon and steal a golden egg. All where successful in there own way. Harry used the summoning charm to get his broom and fly past the dragon. Probably the easiest solution to the probably, and in Ruby's opinion, the best. In the end, Harry was tied with Krum for first place.
"Great job, Harry. Really excellent. Better then any quidditch match," Ruby said.
"Thanks," Harry smiled. They were waiting in the common room for Fred and George to get back with some food. Lee asked Harry to open the egg which had some sort of riddle he had to figure out. When he opened it, it gave off loud, discordant screeching. Ruby immediately out her hands over her ears until Harry shut it.
"Good luck with that," Ruby said skeptically as she went to bed.
The next weeks were classes as usual, except for one tiny wrench in the situation, the Yule Ball was coming up. A big ball for all fourth years and up. She had to hear Harry and Ron whine about who they were going to ask and blah, blah, blah. Hermione had been asked by the quidditch boy, Krum, she obviously didn't have a problem with him any more. Ruby tried to keep focused on her work, but secretly wished someone would ask her to the dance.
One evening, since it was close to the end of term, Ruby was helping Snape clean out some really nasty cauldrons and cupboards. Even here, all they could talk about was the dance.
"I mean really," Ruby rambled, "I'm getting really sick of Harry getting handed everything, and then it 'oh I can't get a date'. Boo freakin' who." Snape let out a laugh, causing Ruby to jump. "What?"
"Nothing," he said regaining his composure. "That's just, well, what I think some of the time."
"Well, it wasn't obvious," Ruby said sarcastically. "But be careful for your emotions not to come out as pure hatred."
"That is difficult sometimes."
"Did you go to school with his parents?" Snape became very quiet. "I'll take that as a yes. Were they mean to you or something?'
"What makes you think that?"
"Well, it's hard, sometimes, to distinguish between a person and there offspring. We immediately assume that they are exactly a like. This can go either way, true or false."
"You seem too wise for your age."
Ruby laughed, "I get that a lot." She walked over to where he was working to put away a small bowl. "Bobby always says, you're an adult stuck in a child's body."
"I'd have to agree." Snape had his sleeves rolled up, as he worked, when something on his arm caught Ruby's eye. She took a slightly longer look, but quickly turned to make sure he did not notice.
"Is there anything else I need to do," she asked suddenly. Snape looked at her oddly. She was usually the one begging to stay longer. "I just forgot I had something due tomorrow, and completely put it off."
"You may leave. Good night, Miss Kennedy."
"Good night, Professor." Ruby quickly headed for a Moaning Murtle's bathroom, since it was the closest. She could hear the young ghost weeping in a stall, she hadn't noticed Ruby. She turned on the faucet and splashed the cold water on her face. She hadn't seen things: Snape had the dark mark on his arm. He was a deatheater.
Disclaimer on opening note
The first task of the Tri-wizard tournament was coming quickly. The Champions had had their wands weighed at the earlier and a story done in the Daily Prophet, which was passed around to everyone. The some of the Hogwarts students, Mostly the Slytherins, had made buttons promoting Cedric, and dissing Harry. Ruby ignored it all. It had nothing to do with her. Hermione and Harry were off some where practicing something for the tournament, Ron wasn't talking to Harry, Ginny, Fred, George, and Ruby just watched as the carnage ensued.
All the students gathered into the stands where, just outside, they could see four dragons. The Champions task was to get past the dragon and steal a golden egg. All where successful in there own way. Harry used the summoning charm to get his broom and fly past the dragon. Probably the easiest solution to the probably, and in Ruby's opinion, the best. In the end, Harry was tied with Krum for first place.
"Great job, Harry. Really excellent. Better then any quidditch match," Ruby said.
"Thanks," Harry smiled. They were waiting in the common room for Fred and George to get back with some food. Lee asked Harry to open the egg which had some sort of riddle he had to figure out. When he opened it, it gave off loud, discordant screeching. Ruby immediately out her hands over her ears until Harry shut it.
"Good luck with that," Ruby said skeptically as she went to bed.
The next weeks were classes as usual, except for one tiny wrench in the situation, the Yule Ball was coming up. A big ball for all fourth years and up. She had to hear Harry and Ron whine about who they were going to ask and blah, blah, blah. Hermione had been asked by the quidditch boy, Krum, she obviously didn't have a problem with him any more. Ruby tried to keep focused on her work, but secretly wished someone would ask her to the dance.
One evening, since it was close to the end of term, Ruby was helping Snape clean out some really nasty cauldrons and cupboards. Even here, all they could talk about was the dance.
"I mean really," Ruby rambled, "I'm getting really sick of Harry getting handed everything, and then it 'oh I can't get a date'. Boo freakin' who." Snape let out a laugh, causing Ruby to jump. "What?"
"Nothing," he said regaining his composure. "That's just, well, what I think some of the time."
"Well, it wasn't obvious," Ruby said sarcastically. "But be careful for your emotions not to come out as pure hatred."
"That is difficult sometimes."
"Did you go to school with his parents?" Snape became very quiet. "I'll take that as a yes. Were they mean to you or something?'
"What makes you think that?"
"Well, it's hard, sometimes, to distinguish between a person and there offspring. We immediately assume that they are exactly a like. This can go either way, true or false."
"You seem too wise for your age."
Ruby laughed, "I get that a lot." She walked over to where he was working to put away a small bowl. "Bobby always says, you're an adult stuck in a child's body."
"I'd have to agree." Snape had his sleeves rolled up, as he worked, when something on his arm caught Ruby's eye. She took a slightly longer look, but quickly turned to make sure he did not notice.
"Is there anything else I need to do," she asked suddenly. Snape looked at her oddly. She was usually the one begging to stay longer. "I just forgot I had something due tomorrow, and completely put it off."
"You may leave. Good night, Miss Kennedy."
"Good night, Professor." Ruby quickly headed for a Moaning Murtle's bathroom, since it was the closest. She could hear the young ghost weeping in a stall, she hadn't noticed Ruby. She turned on the faucet and splashed the cold water on her face. She hadn't seen things: Snape had the dark mark on his arm. He was a deatheater.