Subtle crush

After the news of the break in it seemed to alarm all students, and everywhere you looked all you could see were students whispering beneath their breaths about their theory on who it might have been and, exactly what they wanted. While all students kept a clear and conscience look out for any Slytherin members acting suspicious (which was very difficult because they always had that mocking sneer fixed on their faces) Harry found himself watching out for Phoenix.

'I'm telling you there is something suspicious about her!' argued Harry all the way to Transfiguration.

'Why? It's not like she's in slytherin,' uttered Ron, gazing at Hermione who was having difficulty getting out the fur ball all over her palm. 'That cat of yours has no shame!' mumbled Ron.

'Can we focus here,' insisted Harry. Hermione nodded sympathetically.

'Honestly Harry look at the good side of people,' said Ron.

'Ron you don't agree with Harry 'cause you like her,' stated Hermione.

Ron blushed and protested. 'The first time you told me about her, I said there was something fishy but you didn't listen,' alleged Hermione.

'Yea' what do you want a medal for it?' asked Ron. Hermione narrowed her eyes and ignored his comment. Transfiguration put their minds at ease and concentrating to turn the piece of feather into a dove wasn't exactly easy. The day went by quicker than Harry expected it to and he found himself sitting on the comfortable sofa in the Gryffindor common room. Ginny sat on Dean's Lap while they giggled amongst themselves. Hermione crouched by the corner reading through a book. Ron and Phoenix were no where to be seen. Neville stroked his toad after being frightened to death by Hermione's cat.

The bright light darted towards the room and Harry rubbed his sore eyes. Dreading not to be woken up. 'Wake up, we have to eat and go to Potion and you know how Snape gets when we don't turn up for his lesson.' came Ron's familiar voice. Harry's eyes felt groggily as he forced them to become familiar to the bright light. He jolted up from his warm bed wishing he could just stay in bed for a little longer.

Students rushed frantically towards the hall for breakfast. Loud laughter's echoed across the corridor. Nearly headless Nick lingered around greeting his fellow Gryffindor students. bump a boy collided into Phoenix. Before phoenix could help herself she cursed 'Merde!' The boy straightened up, Cho Chang giggled at his presence and her friends followed in queue. 'Could you walk with your eyes open please,' said phoenix scornfully. The badge on his robe indicated he was in Ravenclaw. He had blonde hair and smoky blue eyes. His face locked angelic and the pale skin was just a finishing touch.

Phoenix shook her head and walked towards the hall. As she entered the hall she was greeted by the soft smell of food. Her mouth trickled as the scrumptious smell rushed up her noise, she inhaled and walked towards the table. She stretched her arm and grabbed the pancake and buttered it with honey and lemon. She gulped the sweet taste with sour orange juice. Her taste bud rejected the orange juice so instead she drank water. Few of the people that were on the table stared at phoenix wondering why on earth she was drinking water when there were varieties of drink scattered across the table. She rubbed her lips clean using the white cloth that lay before her. As she stood up she saw Ron and Harry rushing into the hall, they seemed to be cutting it late, thought Phoenix. She was about to leave the hall when it occurred to her that she didn't know where potion was seeing as it was only her second day in the school. She sat back again and tried to hide herself behind the mounts of food.

'Weren't you just about to leave?' asked Neville. Phoenix giggled nervously.

'Yes, but I don't know where potion is,' she whispered trying not to catch other people's attention. 'I'll show you,' offered Neville. Phoenix smiled at him warmly and followed him.

'Hi Phoenix,' greeted Ron.

'Hi Ron,' said Phoenix, the million dollar smile on. Her white teeth seemed to glow and was almost blinding. She waited for Harry to greet her but when he didn't she uttered 'Hi Harry,' and walked as swiftly as her feet could carry her out of the hall. Harry turned around and saw Phoenix's jet black hair shimmer. He ignored the guilty feeling at the pit of his stomach and carried on eating his food. Ron stared at Harry astounded. 'Why did you blank her?' asked Ron.

'I don't know what you mean,' mumbled Harry, pieces of cereals till in his mouth.

'You know what I mean,' alleged Ron.

'I'm trying to eat here' muddled Harry, pieces of food flying out of his mouth. Ron frowned. Harry felt Ron's eyes fixed upon him. He gobbled down his food and followed it up with orange juice and turned around to face Ron. 'It's kind of hard to try and eat when you keep staring at me,' snapped Harry. His eyes glowed with anger. They finished eating their breakfast silently. You could have easily have cut the tension between them with a knife. Harry stood up to leave the hall and Ron followed.

Phoenix lingered behind Neville trying not to lose him through the crowd of people that all wanted to attend their lesson. She finally reached the dungeon. 'So why did you start Hogwarts this year? Did you get expelled from your previous school? Did you leave your previous school?' He mumbled trying to get the entire questions out with one breath. Phoenix chuckled; Neville stared at the floor trying to cover up his scarlet cheeks. 'My grandma decided it was about time I attended school,' said Phoenix simply. Neville looked up and nodded. After seconds later he said 'So you've never been school,'

'I have been to a muggle school,' she explained.

'Oh,' was all he said; he didn't even seem taken back by her comment. Phoenix stared at him; Neville felling embarrassed turned around and said 'Are you half muggle?'

'No,' she replied. He frowned skeptically but didn't say anything. Hermione walked swiftly, her cloak swaying roughly from side to side. 'Have you seen Harry and Ron?' she spat at Neville, he shook his head. Hermione's warm breath gushed into the air while her nostrils flared. It was obvious she was annoyed with them.

Abruptly Harry and Ron sprinted towards where they all stood and it was about time as Professor Snape came out from the dungeon. His beady eyes were fixed upon Harry and you could feel the hatred between them that loitered. 'Phoenix,' said professor Snape showing no feelings. Phoenix gazed at him and watched as he made his way back to the dungeon. The Slytherin followed his footsteps as though the ground in which he walked upon was sacred. Harry brushed past Phoenix as though there was nobody there but air. Phoenix clenched her teeth trying her best not to pound on him, she felt sickened to find how arrogant and ignorant he was. She brushed the thought aside and entered the dungeon.

The smell of haze liquor greeted her. She studied the dungeon and found that she was quite drawn to the room. Jars of gray juice shattered around the room. Something caught Phoenix's eyes. At the far corner where it seemed isolated. There stood a bench was of a darkly polished old mahogany covered with a crimson cloth, the wall behind was once a soft fawn colour that now became haze russet. Out of the deep surrounding shades stood high, and glared ashen a bowl looking like a pale throne. The rest of the furniture merged in with the wall. Phoenix pulled her gaze away from the bench and took a seat at the back of the room. The room felt humid and the thick gust of fluid lingered around the room like a bad odor.

'We'll be trying to make invisibility potion,' said Snape dryly glaring at Harry. Draco's lip curled mischievously as he turned around to face Harry, a soft giggle escaped from his lips. Snape stretched to say what they would need but Phoenix drifted away, she closed her eyes. She felt as though her spirit has some how gotten up and left her body; she shook her head gently and brushed the thought away. She opened her eyes and what she saw next made her gasp, placing her icy hand across her lips. She stared at the room and herself, a limp body laid, head on the table. She turned around and it was as though no one could see this abnormality apart from her. Snape walked towards Phoenix's limp body and stood before her, glaring. After seconds of standing Phoenix did not move 'Phoenix if you wish to sleep, go!' he spat bitterly. The white haze that was phoenix spirit rushed back to her limp body and Phoenix jolted up, eyes wide open with fear and confusion. Snape stared at her showing no remorse. She already knew how to make an invisible potion. 'No sir I'm fine,' Said Phoenix ignoring sniggers coming from all the Slytherins. 'So can anyone tell me why an invisibility potion can be highly danger if you do not use the exact amount of ingredient?' asked Snape. Hermione's hand went flying up.

'Anyone?' asked Snape ignoring Hermione's frantic hand in the air.

'I know,' uttered Hermione impatiently.

'Can anyone answer such a simple question?' questioned Snape dryly. No one bothered to raise their hand. 'Perhaps Harry you could delight us with your knowledge,' supposed Snape. His lips coiled into a sneer. 'The consequence,' whispered Hermione, leaning towards Harry. 'Hermione surely if I wanted you to answer I would have asked you!' declared Snape deprecatingly. '10 points off Gryffindor!' he continued. He grinned satisfied with himself.

They rushed around the room, picking all the needed ingredients. Within second clear smoky substance lay at the pit of Phoenix's bowl, she stared at it contented. She looked around at the chaotic chamber. Ron and Harry's had green gooey sprouting out from each side. While Hermione's seemed almost perfect apart from the heavy odor that was escaping from the bowl. Snape gazed at Hermione's bowl 'For some one who seems to be a know-it-all you lack accuracy,' uttered Snape, his voice icy. Hermione and Snape's eyes met and Hermione found herself lost in his pit black eyes.

Suddenly Snape stood beside Phoenix and stared at the bowl. 'Mhm.' was all the professor said. Phoenix was almost sure he was pleased but guessed he just wasn't the type to go around being nice to a Gryffindor student. 'Phoenix help Weasley and Potter,' said Professor Snape, wryly. Phoenix nodded and went to where Harry and Ron were doing there potion. Phoenix picked up her wand and was about to say the scouring charm but Professor Snape voiced 'Help them the hard way.' His eyes flashed with content. Phoenix obeyed and started to clear the ingredients first. 'I wish he could get his own taste of medicine,' mumbled Ron, Phoenix grinned. Harry stopped the green fluid from over flowing by casting a spell, Snape was about to oppose to that but finally let his guard down. After Phoenix helped them tidy up she lingered back to her seat. Ron followed Phoenix and said

'How was your first potion lesson?'

'It could have been better,' she said.

'Harry isn't his self today,' said Ron trying to gloss Harry's bad mood with a pathetic excuse.

Phoenix sighed 'Well, what are you doing at lunch?'

'Nothing.' he stated.

Unexpectedly a jar of leeches shattered onto the floor. 'Hermione!' snapped Snape. '20 points for being clumsy and see me afterwards for your detention,' he continued. Hermione groaned and looked at Draco who found the scene hilarious. The potion lesson came to an end.

'Do you mind if you come to the library, I need to research my name,' whispered Phoenix so that only Ron could hear what she was saying, she flashed her white sparkling teeth and winked at him. He nodded without hesitation. She looked at his lean body as he made his way back to Harry, Hermione and Neville. His ginger hair had a bronze glow to it and glistened. Harry, Ron and Phoenix walked out of the dungeon while Hermione remained behind.

Hermione walked slowly towards the professor's desk. 'It's always good to see that some students never learn from their mistakes,' Snape sneered. 'I'm sure I can find work for you,' he continued. Hermione gulped her saliva and fiddled with her fingers. Snape passed up and down trying to find something nasty that needed cleaning. Hermione gazed at his greasy black hair and his body swayed from side to side. Hermione felt hypnotized. Snape turn around a mischievous grin glued to his face. 'Clean the cabinets and don't break anything or you might regret it,' He said. Hermione could have sworn he smiled for a split second but she brushed the absurd idea out of her mind.

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