Chapter 3: The Day from Hell (A/N: a.k.a. the chapter that NEVER ends.)
Race woke up surprisingly early the next day. She looked out of her window onto the castle surroundings and again was amazed at the beauty that the castle and grounds held. From her window, she could see the lake towards the horizon, framed with a variety of trees. She watched the sun rise a little higher into the sky until she decided to get ready.
She grabbed her towel and some grooming supplies before heading for the bathroom. She was back fifteen minutes later clean and pressed and unlike her sister, ready to start the day. Liz was still asleep when she arrived back to her dorm. When she glanced at her watch, she saw that they had thirty minutes to get down to breakfast, so she threw a pillow at her saying, "Rise and shine, sleeping beauty, and get ready for our first day of classes."
"Must I?" she grumbled, voice thick with sleep.
"Yes you must, and if you don't, I'll do what you did to me on the train yesterday and tell Mr. Potter how you are 'deeply in love with him.'"
At this, her sister sat bolt upright. "You wouldn't!" She exclaimed.
"Wanna bet? If you're late, the secret is out." Race teased.
"Arg, you would!"
"Right on. So I suggest you get ready, yeah?"
"Yeah!" and she bolted out of the open door with her towel and shower objects.
Race didn't know what books to bring, but she heard people talking about how after breakfast on the first day they would give you time to go run and get your books before heading to your first class. So instead of even bringing her book bag down, she just left it on her bed with all of her new books and quills and headed down to the common room.
She had just sat down when her sister entered through the portrait hole, hair wet and in locks with her towel draped over her arm. She gave Race a mock glare when she saw Harry sitting close by her, before she went to put her stuff upstairs. She caught up with Race while she was heading for breakfast.
"You didn't tell him right?" asked a frantic Liz
"Tell who what?" asked Race, pretending not to understand the question.
"Harry!" exclaimed an exasperated Liz, "You didn't tell him I like him right?"
"Well."
"Amy Lin Landorn! If you did-!"
"Ok, ok, no I didn't tell him, and don't use my middle name like that, alright? Mom does it when she's about to kill me."
"And I would've killed you too, had you said anything."
"Oh, so it's alright for you to exclaim that I like Draco but I can't say anything about Harry?" Race wasn't mad but Liz shouldn't be threatening her, especially if she told Draco how Race felt about him the last night.
"It's different with him though, because he likes you?"
"Ok Miss Cleo, and how do you know this?" asked Race in a mix of sarcasm and surprise.
"Uh, duh! When I said that you didn't want him to leave, you weren't the only one who went bright red. And last night when he was LITERALLY holding you."
"Point." Said Race, grinning.
"Point and game you mean."
"Yeah, yeah, ok, ok, I acknowledge defeat."
"Good." Said Liz obviously satisfied.
By now the two girls were at the doors to the dining hall. "Hey, Liz?"
"Hmm?"
"How are we going to find all of our classes?"
"I don't know; follow all of the other Gryffs around?"
"Well that's ok for the classes that we have with them, what about our electives? I mean I'm taking advanced potions muggle studies so that should be all right, they are in the same room as regular but what about you? You're still taking that stupid subject Divination, is that going to be with Gryffs too?"
"Probably. You know, to keep the houses together."
"Yeah, you're probably right. I wonder what elective Draco choose?"
"Probably whatever his head of house teaches. Most people are better in the subject that their head teaches."
"Yeah. So then it's most likely potions right?"
"Yeah."
"Woohoo!!" she exclaimed with a grin.
The two walked into the Great Hall and sat down besides the other Gryffindors whose names Race didn't' have a chance of remembering. Race took some eggs and a piece of toast she had started buttering, when Draco walked in. She smiled and waved to him, but he only gave her a halfhearted smile and wave back.
"What's up with him?" Liz asked curiously.
"I don't know, but he looked disappointed last night after I was sorted."
"Oh, then he was probably hoping that you would get sorted into the same house as him."
"Right." She agreed.
Their timetables were passed down to them. "Cool, potions first."
"Did you just say 'cool' and 'potions' in the same sentence?" asked Ron in disgust.
"Yeah, why? It's my easiest subject. I even have advanced potions."
"Then may whatever God you believe in have pity on your soul."
Race looked at Harry. "What's he talking about?"
"The potions master," answered Harry. "He positively hates Gryffindors."
"Oh, well that's no good." Race stated, starting to worry about how she was going to do in her first and favorite class.
"No it's not, and he completely favors the Slytherins. He takes points from us, and gives points to them. It isn't a happy class."
The boys returned their attention to their breakfast, while Race pushed hers away. 'Well this is going to be a fun day. Two periods of potions, no doubt both with the Slytherins. And if what Ron and Harry are saying holds true, yes, a fun day indeed.'
Race excused herself and went up to her dorm to get her books that she'd need for class and hurried back downstairs. Most people were just finishing breakfast when she got back so instead of waiting alone for them all to come back she found her way to the potions room, sat down on the floor by the door and cracked open her book.
She was reading when the Slytherin house showed up. She only glanced up before returning to her book to read about the various potions.
"Hey look, it's that new girl. Liz right? Why don't you look at me when I'm talking to you?"
Race shut her book with a snap and stood up. She was easily three inches taller than the girl was. "First of all," she snapped, "I'm not Liz. To you, my name is Race, got it? And second, don't expect me to give a git like you the time of day when you talk to me like that."
The girl looked stunned that she had just been told off.
"Point and game Race." Her sister interjected, grinning.
"Thank you Liz m'dear. By the way," she said turning to the girl who still had the stunned look on her face, "that is Liz." She pointed behind her with her thumb.
"Great, two of you. When will the ugliness stop?"
"I'm wounded!" Said Race, covering her heart dramatically
"What's going on here?" Their potion's master had just arrived. He was a tall, greasy haired man, who looked like he had just gotten a whiff of something rather foul smelling.
"She hit me!" exclaimed the girl.
"Shut your face Pansy, you know that's a lie." Draco had just stepped forward in front of the teacher and in between the two girls. "Professor, she's just mad because Race here," he said indicating towards Race, "just told her off."
Pansy made a sound of indignation.
"Race?" said the professor thoughtfully, "we don't have a 'Race.' We have an Elizabeth and an Amy, but not a Race."
"Sir, it's my nickname. I introduce myself as Race because I usually don't respond to Amy. Sir." Said race being very upfront about talking to her teacher.
"I see. Well, 'Race,'" he started, his lip curling, "five points from Gryffindor for starting fights. I will not tolerate that kind of action happening in my class."
"But I didn't start it!" exclaimed Race at the unjust treatment from this Professor.
"Another five points for arguing with me. Now all of you get in, take a seat, and start copying the recipe from the board.
Race had opened her mouth to argue some more but her sister elbowed her in the back, "cool it," she whispered so the professor wouldn't hear. "Harry and Ron were right. Don't worry, we all know what happened, so don't sweat it. Ok?"
"Yeah alright," muttered Race. As she took her seat she decided that she was going to do everything perfect so that Snape wouldn't be able to take more points off of her.
"I'm not even going to go over the potion. I want to see what you remember and what you don't. I'm sure there will be many of you," he looked at Race, "who don't succeed in making this, or any other potion properly, but I shall give you a chance none the less. Start."
As Race went to her cauldron and started taking out and preparing ingredients, Snape walked around the class already criticizing students for the 'poor work' they were doing. When he walked around to Race, she pretended that he wasn't there.
"I've only agreed to teach you advanced potions because you received an outstanding on your O.W.L's, but believe me, I can transfer you out at any second. So I hope your previous teacher wasn't exaggerating in the least when she told me how great you are." And then, he walked away. Race just stared after him for a moment before pushing him out of her mind and returning to her work.
Soon the class was almost up and the Professor's voice rang through the class. "You should all be finished by now. I want you to take your potions off of the heat while I come around and check them." Race did as she was told carefully, but not idly and she waited for him to come around and check hers.
When he arrived at her cauldron, she watched his face which looked surprised. He almost seemed disappointed that he couldn't find anything wrong with her potion. He didn't say anything before walking off to the next cauldron.
Race couldn't help letting out a sigh of relief as she packed up her bag five minutes later. It really was a bad start to the day, and she wasn't exactly looking forward to advanced potions later on. She knew that she was good at it, and she knew that by tuning out all of the noises and talking, she could even relax while making a potion. It would be hard to ignore that vulture breathing down her neck, though, which would be the only thing that could distract her from her potion.
The bell rang and she headed for the door, anxious to get out of the smelly dungeon room and to her next class which was Herbology. Race didn't even wait up for her sister. She was so anxious to get away from Snape that she ran headlong into none other than Draco Malfoy.
"In a hurry?" asked Draco.
"Sorry," apologized Race, "I just want to get away from here for as long as I can until Advanced Potions."
"You're taking Advanced Potions? Me too. And don't worry about Pansy, she barely passed her potions O.W.L last year, so she won't be in that class. Actually, now that I think about it, there is only one other person in the class. Just some random Hufflepuff. So don't sweat it. Snape really isn't such a bad guy."
"Really? Are you sure about that one?"
"Ok, so he can be a git, but I'm sure when there are less Slytherins around he'll be much fairer."
"I hope so."
"Hey, and if all else fails, I'll be there!"
"Oh geeze, don't flatter yourself." She teased.
"I think you said it best before, 'I'm wounded!'" Draco mocked.
"Oh, no you're not." She said folding her arms and smirking
"How can you be so sure?" He asked slyly, a smile forming at the corner of his lips.
"Because I'm head over heals for you." She grinned at the stunned look on his face and turned and started for the green houses.
She arrived at the houses after most of the Gryffindors. "Hey," said her sister, "what kept you? I mean you left before me, but I got here first."
"I was talking to Draco."
"What about?" Liz pried like only a good friend, and in this case sister could.
"Well, he was telling me not to worry about Snape and how the advanced class would be better, and if all else failed, he'd be there. So I go, 'don't flatter yourself', and he quoted me by saying 'I'm wounded', so I say 'oh no your not.' He's like, 'how would you know', and then right? I go, 'because I'm head over heals for you!' Ha-ha! I just took one look at his stunned face and left. That really brightens your mood, telling a guy you like him. You should try it sometime." Just as she said that Harry walked in, "how about now?" Race suggested with a grin.
"Oh no! Not gonna happen, don't even think about it."
"Worth a shock," mumbled Race.
"Settle down class, settle down. Today we are going into Green House two. Nothing special really, just fertilizing the plants. Easy first class, so let's go, get on your gloves and grab a bag of my favorite dragon manure and pair up, two to a table. And get to work."
"Race come on, work with me."
"Yeah," said a distracted Race.
"What's wrong?"
"I don't know where I put my gloves." She said, searching frantically through her bag. Fertilizing plants with her bare hands wasn't her idea of a good time.
"Oh, well dump out your bag and look."
"Yeah," said Race while tipping out the contents of her bag. "No, I don't believe it! I forgot them in our dorm! Do you think Professor Sprout will let me run and get them?"
"I don't know, but it's totally worth asking."
"Yeah it is." Race said with hope as she walked towards the professor. "Err, Professor, I um, forgot my gloves in my dorm. Do you think maybe I could go run and get them?"
The teacher gave the girl a reproving look. "Miss Landorn, I expect you to be prepared for my class."
"I know Professor," said Race by means of apology, "I'm sorry. It won't happen again. So can I go get them?"
"Hurry up. If your plants aren't done by the end of class you will come after your final class today to finish them."
"Yes ma'am." Said Race before hurrying off towards the castle.
Once in the Entrance Hall, Race sped up her step. She took the stairs two at a time and then quickened her step even more, until she had reached the top. As she was hurrying along she ran headlong into another person, her potions teacher!
"Sorry Professor," Race mumbled. 'This is not a good day!' she thought.
"Miss Landorn, please watch where you are going." Snape snapped in an impatient tone.
"Yes Sir. I'm just in a hurry."
"What could be so important that you don't even care to watch where you were going?"
"You see, I'm in Herbology and we are fertilizing plants, and Professor Sprout's favorite manure is dragon, and I forgot my gloves! So now I need to hurry to get them. Because if I don't fertilize all of them before the end of class I need to go right after my last class until they are all done!"
"Miss Landorn, I believe I'm losing brain cells listening to your play by play account as to why you nearly plowed over me."
"Sorry Sir, but you asked."
"Whatever, Landorn," replied the professor in a weary voice, "go, just- go."
"Yes Sir." Said Race, before she continued to run towards the Gryffindor common room. She got there, ran up to her dorm, again taking the steps two at a time, grabbed her Dragon-hide gloves from her bed and hurried back down double time to the greenhouses. This time, not knocking into random teachers.
"Ah, I see you're back Miss Landorn. Please hurry up and finish your plants with your sister. We have twenty minutes left in class and you two can easily finish and do a neat job at the same time. Come on, hurry up."
"Yes ma'am." Said Race, before returning to help her sister.
"Not having a good day are you?"
"Now, that's not true." Race said with mock surprise at the accusation. "I'm having a horrible day!"
Liz laughed and then returned to her work. Fifteen minutes later Professor Sprout came around to make sure all of the students did a good job on their plants. "Good job girls," she said after inspecting Race and Liz's plants. "You get an A for the day."
"Thank you professor." Said the girls in unison.
"Oh, Amy dear, please stay after class for a moment."
But Race wasn't listening. She wasn't used to responding to Amy, so she didn't hear the request.
On the way out Liz said, "I'll wait for you outside alright?"
"What do you mean 'wait for me?'?" Race inquired.
"Well the professor told 'Amy' to wait after class."
"Oh, alright, but you can go onto lunch, just save me a seat alright?"
"If you say so," said her sister who turned around and walked off.
Race watched her sister go before approaching the professor's desk. "Yes ma'am?" she asked.
"Yes, Amy-" she began,
"Please, call me Race ma'am. I don't really respond to Amy, it'd just be easier if you did."
"Alright, Race. I'm not sure what you have learned in your past years, so I would like you to take this assignment and complete it tonight. I gave one to your sister as well. I wish that you complete it from memory, to see what you know. There are many advanced things on there, some that I don't expect you to know, but I'd like you to try without help of any kind none the less. Alright?"
"Yes ma'am. I'll do that."
"Alright, now hurry along so you aren't late for lunch."
"Yes ma'am. Thank you. Goodbye." Race then hurried to catch up with her sister.
"So this should be the best period of the day right?"
"Well from the way your day is going, I'm going to have to go with sleep is going to be the best period of the day. Nothing-with the exception of a nightmare-can go wrong there."
"You got that right."
Race grabbed a chicken sandwich and started chewing politely while taking out her potion book.
"I can't believe you are still going to take time to read that after you met that vulture."
Race shrugged. "I don't know. It's still my easiest subject. That man won't ruin it for me."
"Frankly, I don't understand how you tolerate him."
"There is really nothing to it. I just tune him out." Race stated, shrugging.
"How can you possibly tune that man out?" asked Harry who was just joining the conversation.
"Easy," said Race, "I just pretend he isn't there." She now returned her attention to Liz, "Remember Professor Thomas at Salem? He was even worse than Snape. Really," said Race now looking at Harry, "Snape is like an angel compared to our old teacher."
"Then I'm happy I've never met him." Said Harry through a mouthful of chicken.
"Let's see," said Race taking out her timetable. "We've got transfiguration next and then History of Magic and then dinner then, arg," she groaned, "then I've got Advanced Potions with Snape."
"Professor Thomas looking a bit good right now isn't he?" taunted Liz.
"It's a toss up really, they both suck." Everyone laughed then returned to his or her food or talking to his or her other friends about their morning classes.
"That language isn't very lady like, now is it?" Hissed a voice in her ear.
Race jumped at the voice. For a second, she thought that it was Professor Snape and that he had heard her. Coming back to her senses Race heard the voice laugh, and she relaxed. It was just Draco.
She turned around and smiled. "Hi Draco. How ya doing?"
"I'm fine. You wouldn't believe what happened today though." He said.
"What happened?" asked Race.
"Well you see, this girl ran into me, literally and told me that she basically liked me."
Race, not catching on, was shocked at this. 'Who was it?' she thought. 'And why is he telling me this after I told him this morning that I liked him?' "Who was it," she asked quite seriously, still not catching on.
He looked pointedly at her for a second before smirking and saying, "think about it." And then he walked away.
Race turned to her sister who was looking at her laughing. "What?" she asked bewildered.
"My Gods if you were any slower you'd be going backwards! He was talking about YOU, you dork!"
"What?"
But her sister just kept laughing at her.
Then realization hit Race, and hard. "OH MY GOD!" shouted Race.
At this her sister fell off her chair laughing so hard. Race however turned bright red and slammed her head on the table.
Her sister was still laughing as they made their way to Transfiguration twenty minutes later. "Alright!" exclaimed Race. She was getting a little bit irritated by her sisters' endless laughter. "I get the point; I'm pretty dumb some times."
Her sister, however, continued laughing until Professor McGonagall entered the room and immediately started handing out books and teaching them the spell to transfigure its appearance.
The class went by pretty smoothly without many incidents. "So," asked Liz while they were leaving class, "Is this your favorite class of the day?"
"Yeah, nothing went wrong. Now we have basically a nap time period and then I return to he-"
"Hey guys."
Race and Liz turned around looking for the voice, "Oh hey Harry, Ron."
"What's up guys?"
"Nothing really. How's your day going so far, Race?" Asked Harry.
"Don't ask."
Well tell me about it later ok?"
"A-alright." Replied Race in a hesitant voice.
"Come on Ron, I forgot my history book in the common room. Come with me to get it real quick?"
"Yeah ok."
The two boys hurried off as to not be late for class. Race turned to her sister and asked, "What was that all about?"
Her sister wasn't there though, instead she was a few steps ahead of her and even from the back, and Race could see the flush creeping up into her cheeks.
"Hey Liz!" she called trying to catch up.
"Don't even, Amy."
That stopped Race. 'What's going on?' She pondered to herself. She was still trying to figure out the whole situation when she sat down in her next class. She took decent notes without really paying attention to the teacher. The whole thing was really disturbing Race. And it didn't help that Harry kept looking at her, trying to catch her eye, and Liz was glaring at her every time she saw Harry doing this.
Race was extremely thankful for the end of this class. She was going to try talking to Liz again, but the girl was already out of the class and down the corridor when Race was finished packing her bag.
"Hey Race," said Harry.
'Good Lord does this boy ever go away?' "Heya Harry," said Race cheerfully. "I can't really talk, I've got to get to Snape's class or I'm going to be, like, dead by dinner. So I'll talk to you then alright?"
He looked a little disappointed that she couldn't chat but said in a fake happy voice, "Alright. I'll save you a seat at dinner then?"
"Yeah sure," replied Race just trying to get rid of him now. "I'll see you then." And she was off. Partly to put as much distance in between him and her, and also because she really didn't want Snape to give her a detention for being late. Because she was pretty sure that the excuse of 'Oh sorry Professor, Harry Potter was just flirting with me in the hall. So of course you can understand why I'm late.' Wouldn't go over too well with him.
Race arrived in class before everyone else, even the teacher. She put her bag down in the same seat that she had sat in at the beginning of the day. She sat down in the seat which was situated at the front of the class and waited for the others to show up.
She heard movement behind her and turned around. She recognized the boy from her Herbology class, but she didn't know his name. She gave the boy a small smile and said, "Hey, I'm Race."
The boy returned the smile, "I'm Ernie." He said in a small voice.
The boy looked nervous to be in the room. 'Must be because of Snape,' she mused.
There was a minute of silence and then in walked Draco. "Figure it out yet?" he asked with a smirk as he went to sit down next to her.
"Yes," she said starting to laugh again. "I had had a very long day already when you last talked to me."
"It was only lunch time!" he said.
"Point?" she said, "you saw me after the first class, and I was pretty much a wreck, even then."
"Yeah maybe, not that I minded however." He said with a knowing grin on his face.
At this Race turned red.
"Head over heels huh?"
Race turned even redder but was saved from answering by Professor Snape coming in and closing the door with a snap. "Thank Gods," mumble Race.
"I'll talk to you after class alright?" Draco whispered.
"Do I have a choice?" she asked.
"Not really," he stated with a grin.
"You three," interrupted Snape's voice, "are the only three to have received an Outstanding on your O.W.L's. You should be proud of yourselves. But I must warn you that I will not tolerate nonsense and failure in this class. This class is elite and if I find that you are not up to code I will remove you without any remorse. Now," he turned to the board and started writing down ingredients and a recipe. "Who can tell me what this potion is?"
Race read the board: Powdered root of asphodel Black beetle eyes Shredded boomslang skin Ginger roots Leech juice Armadillo bile
"Anyone?" asked the professor.
Race reread the board before raising her hand.
"Yes, Race?" he asked.
"That is the Knowledge Potion; it is used to extract knowledge from a person. Kind of like a truth potion, but you don't need to ask questions, you just state the topic that you want the person's knowledge of. Unspeakables use this when dealing with break-ins, dealing with their mysteries and...Yeah." Race trailed off into silence. Everyone was watching her. "What?" she asked looking around the room.
"Well, I really didn't expect anyone to know that," said Professor Snape in amazement. "The book that that potion is in is very advanced, always in the restricted section."
"Oh, well." Said Race not really wanting to explain how she knew it. 'It's only in next year's text book,' she thought to herself. "I just read ahead in the text over the summer."
"We got our books the day before school started Race." Said Draco, "How fast could you possibly have read it?"
"Well actually," started Race, "it's in next year's book, I read them both. Because I knew nearly everything for this class so I just decided to move on to next year's material."
"Oh, well, than I guess five points to Gryffindor." Said the professor, as if not daring to believe that he had actually GIVEN points to someone that wasn't in his own house. "Alright, now that we know that," said the professor returning to his senses. "And we know what it does; I would like you all to create it. At the end of class today we shall be testing them. Now begin."
Race didn't pay attention to how much time was passing in class, or even the positive comments she was receiving from the teacher. Everything was going well until Ernie asked the teacher a question.
"Sir, can you tell me if the heat is right?"
The professor strode over to the boy and looked down on him, "This is an advanced class, Ernie. You should be able to tell the difference between high heat and low heat." As the professor advanced on the boy, the boy himself moved backwards towards the cauldron."
"I-I'm sorry S-Sir, I j-just thought that maybe you would help m-me," he stuttered while still backing up until he hit his cauldron.
"Of course you would. I never understood how you ever possibly got an Outstanding on your exam last year."
Ernie didn't even seem to notice that he had hit his cauldron and there was no more room for him to back up to, he stumbled and tipped his cauldron away from him. As the contents spilled onto the floor, Race stood up on her stool, and Draco followed suit.
The two looked at each other and grinned. True, Race felt badly for Ernie, but she got this vibe from him and just found him to be annoying. Snape was berating Ernie and giving him detentions, and ousting him from the advanced potions class.
The professor spun around and snapped, "Take a flask and fill it with your potion, cork it and place it on my desk and then get out of my sight." At the sound of movement behind him he hissed, "Not you Ernie, you are to stay and clean up this mess."
Race and Draco did exactly as their teacher told them to, and hurried out of class without looking back.
Once in the Great Hall, Race looked at her watch, "Whoa, Draco look, we've still got twenty minutes until dinner. What do you want to do?"
"I don't know. Do you want to go for a walk around the lake?"
"Sure." Said Race. And they walked out the through the double doors and started across the lawn.
Draco was elated that the girl had said yes to the walk with him, as he wasn't used to anyone being attracted to him because of his name. He was also scared that once she found out what his name meant, and what hanging out with him meant, that she wouldn't want anything to do with him.
"I've got to be honest with you," he started.
"There really was another girl who told you today that she likes you?"
He forced a small laugh before continuing, "No, that was only you," he said quite truthfully. "You see, there are a lot of people who don't like me- because of my family. We aren't really the, err, nicest people around. I'm pretty bad myself, as you will probably see in the coming months," he added in a small voice.
"But you see I don't really want to be that way. I've just been taught to be that way. My family is a big bunch of pure blood freaks, my father tortures muggles. And I agree with him, not the way that he does it," he added quickly as he watched the girl's eyes grow wide, "but I agree with it. I think we should wipe out muggle influence in the wearing world, I think its crap, and not much could possibly change my mind."
Draco watched the girl wrap her arms around herself. He was waiting for some kind of response, but he didn't get one at first. She just kept walking with her hair fanning out behind her.
She stopped suddenly and turned to him. "To tell you the truth," she said slowly, "that wasn't the revelation I was expecting. I said I like you before I knew this detail about your life."
At this Draco groaned inside, 'I knew I shouldn't have told her!'
But Race continued to speak, "I really believe that, deep down you are a good person. And I like you still. So I guess I'll have to deal with it." She paused for a second and he thought she was finished and he almost said something when she continued. "I'll have to put up with it then, right? I mean, I'm hoping you like me too." she trailed off, inviting him to answer the unasked question.
"Yes, I do." He stated easily.
"Then," she said, "We are in this together. Yeah?"
"Yeah." He wanted to kiss her; he wasted to jump and scream with joy; he wanted to do anything to show the world-or at least this girl, how thankful he was that this girl was actually giving him a chance. He settled for giving her a hug. And was pleased to see the flush and grin that crept up onto her face.
They walked around part of the lake and then started heading back to the Great Hall for dinner. They walked in together and received a mix of surprised and disgusted looks from the students who saw them.
"And the rumors begin." Said Draco, with a nervous look at the girl next to him, whose hand he was holding, "You can still back out now, you know."
She gave Draco's hand a small squeeze. "We're in this together remember? I'm not giving you up. Sorry buddy, but you are stuck with me."
Draco squeezed her hand back and said, "Not a chance."
They smiled at each other and each went to their separate ways to their own tables.
"What's with the Gryff chick?" asked one and only true friend in the school, Blaise Zabini.
Draco couldn't help but grin. "I'm not sure, but I'm hoping for more."
Blaise looked at his friend and gave him a small, "Let's just hope your father doesn't find out about this."
"That man," said Draco, his voice dripping with disgust, "can't do anything. He wouldn't even care as I'm already as well as disowned by him. And if for some reason he does have a problem with it, who cares?"
Race sat down next to Harry, who as he had said, had saved a seat for her. "What's going on with Malfoy?" asked Harry.
"Um, nothing really, yet, we just kind of have a thing for each other. That's all."
"Oh," said Harry, with that disappointed look back on his face.
"Where's my sister?"
"She was here for a minute, grabbed something to eat and then she left. She seemed kind of upset."
"Great." Said Race, already becoming depressed again. "I'm going to go and find her. See you later Harry."
"Alright, I'll talk to you back in the common room, alright?"
"Yeah, whatever." Said Harry as Race stood up and hurried to the common room.
Five minutes later Race found her sister close to tears in front of the common room fire. "Hey Liz," said Race in a small voice.
No answer.
"Um, what's up?"
No answer.
"Come on, Liz, tell me what's up."
"It's Harry, he doesn't like me."
"Says who?"
"Oh come on Amy! Don't be so dense! It's so obvious that he likes you!"
"No he doesn't, he's just trying to be a good friend to someone who is new."
"A good friend? Ok well if you are going to take that approach, then he should be acting like a 'good friend' to me too right?"
Her sister's voice kept raising as people started filling into the common room.
"Liz, chill out."
"DON'T tell me to chill out Amy! You don't get it! You have Malfoy all over you and now you are trying to get Harry too! I think that's crap! Stop playing two boys and pick one!" At the end of her speech she was yelling.
"Liz," said Race calmly. Her anger was rising, but she didn't want to add to the situation. "I don't like Harry alright? Can you understand that? I- Don't-Like-Harry! And you of all people should know that! I like Draco, and I haven't flirted even a little bit with him!"
"Oh come on Amy, that's crap! You do like him! You do everything he wants, how can you possibly say that you don't flirt with him???"
"Liz! Get over it! I don't like him! Accept it!"
"Don't lie to me Amy Lin. I know you do!"
"I don't know what you are on about, but get it into your head! I don't like him! You are acting like such a git!"
"Fine, if I'm acting like a 'git' then I'll just leave, alright?"
"Fine!" Race called at her sister's retreating back.
Race waited until she heard the distant slam of the dormitory door before she chanced a look at all of the bystanders. She saw Harry's face laden with disappointment, but she didn't really care. 'It's his fault that all of this happened!' she thought angrily to herself.
Not wanting to face anyone she left the room and headed towards the library. She still had two hours until curfew. 'I'll just do my Herbology paper and then I'll go back. By then she should be asleep.' She thought.
An hour and a half-later Race headed back to the common room. Most everybody was in their dorms by this time, and even though Race couldn't tell whether or not her sister was sleeping, but she was silent enough for Race not to ask otherwise.
Race woke up surprisingly early the next day. She looked out of her window onto the castle surroundings and again was amazed at the beauty that the castle and grounds held. From her window, she could see the lake towards the horizon, framed with a variety of trees. She watched the sun rise a little higher into the sky until she decided to get ready.
She grabbed her towel and some grooming supplies before heading for the bathroom. She was back fifteen minutes later clean and pressed and unlike her sister, ready to start the day. Liz was still asleep when she arrived back to her dorm. When she glanced at her watch, she saw that they had thirty minutes to get down to breakfast, so she threw a pillow at her saying, "Rise and shine, sleeping beauty, and get ready for our first day of classes."
"Must I?" she grumbled, voice thick with sleep.
"Yes you must, and if you don't, I'll do what you did to me on the train yesterday and tell Mr. Potter how you are 'deeply in love with him.'"
At this, her sister sat bolt upright. "You wouldn't!" She exclaimed.
"Wanna bet? If you're late, the secret is out." Race teased.
"Arg, you would!"
"Right on. So I suggest you get ready, yeah?"
"Yeah!" and she bolted out of the open door with her towel and shower objects.
Race didn't know what books to bring, but she heard people talking about how after breakfast on the first day they would give you time to go run and get your books before heading to your first class. So instead of even bringing her book bag down, she just left it on her bed with all of her new books and quills and headed down to the common room.
She had just sat down when her sister entered through the portrait hole, hair wet and in locks with her towel draped over her arm. She gave Race a mock glare when she saw Harry sitting close by her, before she went to put her stuff upstairs. She caught up with Race while she was heading for breakfast.
"You didn't tell him right?" asked a frantic Liz
"Tell who what?" asked Race, pretending not to understand the question.
"Harry!" exclaimed an exasperated Liz, "You didn't tell him I like him right?"
"Well."
"Amy Lin Landorn! If you did-!"
"Ok, ok, no I didn't tell him, and don't use my middle name like that, alright? Mom does it when she's about to kill me."
"And I would've killed you too, had you said anything."
"Oh, so it's alright for you to exclaim that I like Draco but I can't say anything about Harry?" Race wasn't mad but Liz shouldn't be threatening her, especially if she told Draco how Race felt about him the last night.
"It's different with him though, because he likes you?"
"Ok Miss Cleo, and how do you know this?" asked Race in a mix of sarcasm and surprise.
"Uh, duh! When I said that you didn't want him to leave, you weren't the only one who went bright red. And last night when he was LITERALLY holding you."
"Point." Said Race, grinning.
"Point and game you mean."
"Yeah, yeah, ok, ok, I acknowledge defeat."
"Good." Said Liz obviously satisfied.
By now the two girls were at the doors to the dining hall. "Hey, Liz?"
"Hmm?"
"How are we going to find all of our classes?"
"I don't know; follow all of the other Gryffs around?"
"Well that's ok for the classes that we have with them, what about our electives? I mean I'm taking advanced potions muggle studies so that should be all right, they are in the same room as regular but what about you? You're still taking that stupid subject Divination, is that going to be with Gryffs too?"
"Probably. You know, to keep the houses together."
"Yeah, you're probably right. I wonder what elective Draco choose?"
"Probably whatever his head of house teaches. Most people are better in the subject that their head teaches."
"Yeah. So then it's most likely potions right?"
"Yeah."
"Woohoo!!" she exclaimed with a grin.
The two walked into the Great Hall and sat down besides the other Gryffindors whose names Race didn't' have a chance of remembering. Race took some eggs and a piece of toast she had started buttering, when Draco walked in. She smiled and waved to him, but he only gave her a halfhearted smile and wave back.
"What's up with him?" Liz asked curiously.
"I don't know, but he looked disappointed last night after I was sorted."
"Oh, then he was probably hoping that you would get sorted into the same house as him."
"Right." She agreed.
Their timetables were passed down to them. "Cool, potions first."
"Did you just say 'cool' and 'potions' in the same sentence?" asked Ron in disgust.
"Yeah, why? It's my easiest subject. I even have advanced potions."
"Then may whatever God you believe in have pity on your soul."
Race looked at Harry. "What's he talking about?"
"The potions master," answered Harry. "He positively hates Gryffindors."
"Oh, well that's no good." Race stated, starting to worry about how she was going to do in her first and favorite class.
"No it's not, and he completely favors the Slytherins. He takes points from us, and gives points to them. It isn't a happy class."
The boys returned their attention to their breakfast, while Race pushed hers away. 'Well this is going to be a fun day. Two periods of potions, no doubt both with the Slytherins. And if what Ron and Harry are saying holds true, yes, a fun day indeed.'
Race excused herself and went up to her dorm to get her books that she'd need for class and hurried back downstairs. Most people were just finishing breakfast when she got back so instead of waiting alone for them all to come back she found her way to the potions room, sat down on the floor by the door and cracked open her book.
She was reading when the Slytherin house showed up. She only glanced up before returning to her book to read about the various potions.
"Hey look, it's that new girl. Liz right? Why don't you look at me when I'm talking to you?"
Race shut her book with a snap and stood up. She was easily three inches taller than the girl was. "First of all," she snapped, "I'm not Liz. To you, my name is Race, got it? And second, don't expect me to give a git like you the time of day when you talk to me like that."
The girl looked stunned that she had just been told off.
"Point and game Race." Her sister interjected, grinning.
"Thank you Liz m'dear. By the way," she said turning to the girl who still had the stunned look on her face, "that is Liz." She pointed behind her with her thumb.
"Great, two of you. When will the ugliness stop?"
"I'm wounded!" Said Race, covering her heart dramatically
"What's going on here?" Their potion's master had just arrived. He was a tall, greasy haired man, who looked like he had just gotten a whiff of something rather foul smelling.
"She hit me!" exclaimed the girl.
"Shut your face Pansy, you know that's a lie." Draco had just stepped forward in front of the teacher and in between the two girls. "Professor, she's just mad because Race here," he said indicating towards Race, "just told her off."
Pansy made a sound of indignation.
"Race?" said the professor thoughtfully, "we don't have a 'Race.' We have an Elizabeth and an Amy, but not a Race."
"Sir, it's my nickname. I introduce myself as Race because I usually don't respond to Amy. Sir." Said race being very upfront about talking to her teacher.
"I see. Well, 'Race,'" he started, his lip curling, "five points from Gryffindor for starting fights. I will not tolerate that kind of action happening in my class."
"But I didn't start it!" exclaimed Race at the unjust treatment from this Professor.
"Another five points for arguing with me. Now all of you get in, take a seat, and start copying the recipe from the board.
Race had opened her mouth to argue some more but her sister elbowed her in the back, "cool it," she whispered so the professor wouldn't hear. "Harry and Ron were right. Don't worry, we all know what happened, so don't sweat it. Ok?"
"Yeah alright," muttered Race. As she took her seat she decided that she was going to do everything perfect so that Snape wouldn't be able to take more points off of her.
"I'm not even going to go over the potion. I want to see what you remember and what you don't. I'm sure there will be many of you," he looked at Race, "who don't succeed in making this, or any other potion properly, but I shall give you a chance none the less. Start."
As Race went to her cauldron and started taking out and preparing ingredients, Snape walked around the class already criticizing students for the 'poor work' they were doing. When he walked around to Race, she pretended that he wasn't there.
"I've only agreed to teach you advanced potions because you received an outstanding on your O.W.L's, but believe me, I can transfer you out at any second. So I hope your previous teacher wasn't exaggerating in the least when she told me how great you are." And then, he walked away. Race just stared after him for a moment before pushing him out of her mind and returning to her work.
Soon the class was almost up and the Professor's voice rang through the class. "You should all be finished by now. I want you to take your potions off of the heat while I come around and check them." Race did as she was told carefully, but not idly and she waited for him to come around and check hers.
When he arrived at her cauldron, she watched his face which looked surprised. He almost seemed disappointed that he couldn't find anything wrong with her potion. He didn't say anything before walking off to the next cauldron.
Race couldn't help letting out a sigh of relief as she packed up her bag five minutes later. It really was a bad start to the day, and she wasn't exactly looking forward to advanced potions later on. She knew that she was good at it, and she knew that by tuning out all of the noises and talking, she could even relax while making a potion. It would be hard to ignore that vulture breathing down her neck, though, which would be the only thing that could distract her from her potion.
The bell rang and she headed for the door, anxious to get out of the smelly dungeon room and to her next class which was Herbology. Race didn't even wait up for her sister. She was so anxious to get away from Snape that she ran headlong into none other than Draco Malfoy.
"In a hurry?" asked Draco.
"Sorry," apologized Race, "I just want to get away from here for as long as I can until Advanced Potions."
"You're taking Advanced Potions? Me too. And don't worry about Pansy, she barely passed her potions O.W.L last year, so she won't be in that class. Actually, now that I think about it, there is only one other person in the class. Just some random Hufflepuff. So don't sweat it. Snape really isn't such a bad guy."
"Really? Are you sure about that one?"
"Ok, so he can be a git, but I'm sure when there are less Slytherins around he'll be much fairer."
"I hope so."
"Hey, and if all else fails, I'll be there!"
"Oh geeze, don't flatter yourself." She teased.
"I think you said it best before, 'I'm wounded!'" Draco mocked.
"Oh, no you're not." She said folding her arms and smirking
"How can you be so sure?" He asked slyly, a smile forming at the corner of his lips.
"Because I'm head over heals for you." She grinned at the stunned look on his face and turned and started for the green houses.
She arrived at the houses after most of the Gryffindors. "Hey," said her sister, "what kept you? I mean you left before me, but I got here first."
"I was talking to Draco."
"What about?" Liz pried like only a good friend, and in this case sister could.
"Well, he was telling me not to worry about Snape and how the advanced class would be better, and if all else failed, he'd be there. So I go, 'don't flatter yourself', and he quoted me by saying 'I'm wounded', so I say 'oh no your not.' He's like, 'how would you know', and then right? I go, 'because I'm head over heals for you!' Ha-ha! I just took one look at his stunned face and left. That really brightens your mood, telling a guy you like him. You should try it sometime." Just as she said that Harry walked in, "how about now?" Race suggested with a grin.
"Oh no! Not gonna happen, don't even think about it."
"Worth a shock," mumbled Race.
"Settle down class, settle down. Today we are going into Green House two. Nothing special really, just fertilizing the plants. Easy first class, so let's go, get on your gloves and grab a bag of my favorite dragon manure and pair up, two to a table. And get to work."
"Race come on, work with me."
"Yeah," said a distracted Race.
"What's wrong?"
"I don't know where I put my gloves." She said, searching frantically through her bag. Fertilizing plants with her bare hands wasn't her idea of a good time.
"Oh, well dump out your bag and look."
"Yeah," said Race while tipping out the contents of her bag. "No, I don't believe it! I forgot them in our dorm! Do you think Professor Sprout will let me run and get them?"
"I don't know, but it's totally worth asking."
"Yeah it is." Race said with hope as she walked towards the professor. "Err, Professor, I um, forgot my gloves in my dorm. Do you think maybe I could go run and get them?"
The teacher gave the girl a reproving look. "Miss Landorn, I expect you to be prepared for my class."
"I know Professor," said Race by means of apology, "I'm sorry. It won't happen again. So can I go get them?"
"Hurry up. If your plants aren't done by the end of class you will come after your final class today to finish them."
"Yes ma'am." Said Race before hurrying off towards the castle.
Once in the Entrance Hall, Race sped up her step. She took the stairs two at a time and then quickened her step even more, until she had reached the top. As she was hurrying along she ran headlong into another person, her potions teacher!
"Sorry Professor," Race mumbled. 'This is not a good day!' she thought.
"Miss Landorn, please watch where you are going." Snape snapped in an impatient tone.
"Yes Sir. I'm just in a hurry."
"What could be so important that you don't even care to watch where you were going?"
"You see, I'm in Herbology and we are fertilizing plants, and Professor Sprout's favorite manure is dragon, and I forgot my gloves! So now I need to hurry to get them. Because if I don't fertilize all of them before the end of class I need to go right after my last class until they are all done!"
"Miss Landorn, I believe I'm losing brain cells listening to your play by play account as to why you nearly plowed over me."
"Sorry Sir, but you asked."
"Whatever, Landorn," replied the professor in a weary voice, "go, just- go."
"Yes Sir." Said Race, before she continued to run towards the Gryffindor common room. She got there, ran up to her dorm, again taking the steps two at a time, grabbed her Dragon-hide gloves from her bed and hurried back down double time to the greenhouses. This time, not knocking into random teachers.
"Ah, I see you're back Miss Landorn. Please hurry up and finish your plants with your sister. We have twenty minutes left in class and you two can easily finish and do a neat job at the same time. Come on, hurry up."
"Yes ma'am." Said Race, before returning to help her sister.
"Not having a good day are you?"
"Now, that's not true." Race said with mock surprise at the accusation. "I'm having a horrible day!"
Liz laughed and then returned to her work. Fifteen minutes later Professor Sprout came around to make sure all of the students did a good job on their plants. "Good job girls," she said after inspecting Race and Liz's plants. "You get an A for the day."
"Thank you professor." Said the girls in unison.
"Oh, Amy dear, please stay after class for a moment."
But Race wasn't listening. She wasn't used to responding to Amy, so she didn't hear the request.
On the way out Liz said, "I'll wait for you outside alright?"
"What do you mean 'wait for me?'?" Race inquired.
"Well the professor told 'Amy' to wait after class."
"Oh, alright, but you can go onto lunch, just save me a seat alright?"
"If you say so," said her sister who turned around and walked off.
Race watched her sister go before approaching the professor's desk. "Yes ma'am?" she asked.
"Yes, Amy-" she began,
"Please, call me Race ma'am. I don't really respond to Amy, it'd just be easier if you did."
"Alright, Race. I'm not sure what you have learned in your past years, so I would like you to take this assignment and complete it tonight. I gave one to your sister as well. I wish that you complete it from memory, to see what you know. There are many advanced things on there, some that I don't expect you to know, but I'd like you to try without help of any kind none the less. Alright?"
"Yes ma'am. I'll do that."
"Alright, now hurry along so you aren't late for lunch."
"Yes ma'am. Thank you. Goodbye." Race then hurried to catch up with her sister.
"So this should be the best period of the day right?"
"Well from the way your day is going, I'm going to have to go with sleep is going to be the best period of the day. Nothing-with the exception of a nightmare-can go wrong there."
"You got that right."
Race grabbed a chicken sandwich and started chewing politely while taking out her potion book.
"I can't believe you are still going to take time to read that after you met that vulture."
Race shrugged. "I don't know. It's still my easiest subject. That man won't ruin it for me."
"Frankly, I don't understand how you tolerate him."
"There is really nothing to it. I just tune him out." Race stated, shrugging.
"How can you possibly tune that man out?" asked Harry who was just joining the conversation.
"Easy," said Race, "I just pretend he isn't there." She now returned her attention to Liz, "Remember Professor Thomas at Salem? He was even worse than Snape. Really," said Race now looking at Harry, "Snape is like an angel compared to our old teacher."
"Then I'm happy I've never met him." Said Harry through a mouthful of chicken.
"Let's see," said Race taking out her timetable. "We've got transfiguration next and then History of Magic and then dinner then, arg," she groaned, "then I've got Advanced Potions with Snape."
"Professor Thomas looking a bit good right now isn't he?" taunted Liz.
"It's a toss up really, they both suck." Everyone laughed then returned to his or her food or talking to his or her other friends about their morning classes.
"That language isn't very lady like, now is it?" Hissed a voice in her ear.
Race jumped at the voice. For a second, she thought that it was Professor Snape and that he had heard her. Coming back to her senses Race heard the voice laugh, and she relaxed. It was just Draco.
She turned around and smiled. "Hi Draco. How ya doing?"
"I'm fine. You wouldn't believe what happened today though." He said.
"What happened?" asked Race.
"Well you see, this girl ran into me, literally and told me that she basically liked me."
Race, not catching on, was shocked at this. 'Who was it?' she thought. 'And why is he telling me this after I told him this morning that I liked him?' "Who was it," she asked quite seriously, still not catching on.
He looked pointedly at her for a second before smirking and saying, "think about it." And then he walked away.
Race turned to her sister who was looking at her laughing. "What?" she asked bewildered.
"My Gods if you were any slower you'd be going backwards! He was talking about YOU, you dork!"
"What?"
But her sister just kept laughing at her.
Then realization hit Race, and hard. "OH MY GOD!" shouted Race.
At this her sister fell off her chair laughing so hard. Race however turned bright red and slammed her head on the table.
Her sister was still laughing as they made their way to Transfiguration twenty minutes later. "Alright!" exclaimed Race. She was getting a little bit irritated by her sisters' endless laughter. "I get the point; I'm pretty dumb some times."
Her sister, however, continued laughing until Professor McGonagall entered the room and immediately started handing out books and teaching them the spell to transfigure its appearance.
The class went by pretty smoothly without many incidents. "So," asked Liz while they were leaving class, "Is this your favorite class of the day?"
"Yeah, nothing went wrong. Now we have basically a nap time period and then I return to he-"
"Hey guys."
Race and Liz turned around looking for the voice, "Oh hey Harry, Ron."
"What's up guys?"
"Nothing really. How's your day going so far, Race?" Asked Harry.
"Don't ask."
Well tell me about it later ok?"
"A-alright." Replied Race in a hesitant voice.
"Come on Ron, I forgot my history book in the common room. Come with me to get it real quick?"
"Yeah ok."
The two boys hurried off as to not be late for class. Race turned to her sister and asked, "What was that all about?"
Her sister wasn't there though, instead she was a few steps ahead of her and even from the back, and Race could see the flush creeping up into her cheeks.
"Hey Liz!" she called trying to catch up.
"Don't even, Amy."
That stopped Race. 'What's going on?' She pondered to herself. She was still trying to figure out the whole situation when she sat down in her next class. She took decent notes without really paying attention to the teacher. The whole thing was really disturbing Race. And it didn't help that Harry kept looking at her, trying to catch her eye, and Liz was glaring at her every time she saw Harry doing this.
Race was extremely thankful for the end of this class. She was going to try talking to Liz again, but the girl was already out of the class and down the corridor when Race was finished packing her bag.
"Hey Race," said Harry.
'Good Lord does this boy ever go away?' "Heya Harry," said Race cheerfully. "I can't really talk, I've got to get to Snape's class or I'm going to be, like, dead by dinner. So I'll talk to you then alright?"
He looked a little disappointed that she couldn't chat but said in a fake happy voice, "Alright. I'll save you a seat at dinner then?"
"Yeah sure," replied Race just trying to get rid of him now. "I'll see you then." And she was off. Partly to put as much distance in between him and her, and also because she really didn't want Snape to give her a detention for being late. Because she was pretty sure that the excuse of 'Oh sorry Professor, Harry Potter was just flirting with me in the hall. So of course you can understand why I'm late.' Wouldn't go over too well with him.
Race arrived in class before everyone else, even the teacher. She put her bag down in the same seat that she had sat in at the beginning of the day. She sat down in the seat which was situated at the front of the class and waited for the others to show up.
She heard movement behind her and turned around. She recognized the boy from her Herbology class, but she didn't know his name. She gave the boy a small smile and said, "Hey, I'm Race."
The boy returned the smile, "I'm Ernie." He said in a small voice.
The boy looked nervous to be in the room. 'Must be because of Snape,' she mused.
There was a minute of silence and then in walked Draco. "Figure it out yet?" he asked with a smirk as he went to sit down next to her.
"Yes," she said starting to laugh again. "I had had a very long day already when you last talked to me."
"It was only lunch time!" he said.
"Point?" she said, "you saw me after the first class, and I was pretty much a wreck, even then."
"Yeah maybe, not that I minded however." He said with a knowing grin on his face.
At this Race turned red.
"Head over heels huh?"
Race turned even redder but was saved from answering by Professor Snape coming in and closing the door with a snap. "Thank Gods," mumble Race.
"I'll talk to you after class alright?" Draco whispered.
"Do I have a choice?" she asked.
"Not really," he stated with a grin.
"You three," interrupted Snape's voice, "are the only three to have received an Outstanding on your O.W.L's. You should be proud of yourselves. But I must warn you that I will not tolerate nonsense and failure in this class. This class is elite and if I find that you are not up to code I will remove you without any remorse. Now," he turned to the board and started writing down ingredients and a recipe. "Who can tell me what this potion is?"
Race read the board: Powdered root of asphodel Black beetle eyes Shredded boomslang skin Ginger roots Leech juice Armadillo bile
"Anyone?" asked the professor.
Race reread the board before raising her hand.
"Yes, Race?" he asked.
"That is the Knowledge Potion; it is used to extract knowledge from a person. Kind of like a truth potion, but you don't need to ask questions, you just state the topic that you want the person's knowledge of. Unspeakables use this when dealing with break-ins, dealing with their mysteries and...Yeah." Race trailed off into silence. Everyone was watching her. "What?" she asked looking around the room.
"Well, I really didn't expect anyone to know that," said Professor Snape in amazement. "The book that that potion is in is very advanced, always in the restricted section."
"Oh, well." Said Race not really wanting to explain how she knew it. 'It's only in next year's text book,' she thought to herself. "I just read ahead in the text over the summer."
"We got our books the day before school started Race." Said Draco, "How fast could you possibly have read it?"
"Well actually," started Race, "it's in next year's book, I read them both. Because I knew nearly everything for this class so I just decided to move on to next year's material."
"Oh, well, than I guess five points to Gryffindor." Said the professor, as if not daring to believe that he had actually GIVEN points to someone that wasn't in his own house. "Alright, now that we know that," said the professor returning to his senses. "And we know what it does; I would like you all to create it. At the end of class today we shall be testing them. Now begin."
Race didn't pay attention to how much time was passing in class, or even the positive comments she was receiving from the teacher. Everything was going well until Ernie asked the teacher a question.
"Sir, can you tell me if the heat is right?"
The professor strode over to the boy and looked down on him, "This is an advanced class, Ernie. You should be able to tell the difference between high heat and low heat." As the professor advanced on the boy, the boy himself moved backwards towards the cauldron."
"I-I'm sorry S-Sir, I j-just thought that maybe you would help m-me," he stuttered while still backing up until he hit his cauldron.
"Of course you would. I never understood how you ever possibly got an Outstanding on your exam last year."
Ernie didn't even seem to notice that he had hit his cauldron and there was no more room for him to back up to, he stumbled and tipped his cauldron away from him. As the contents spilled onto the floor, Race stood up on her stool, and Draco followed suit.
The two looked at each other and grinned. True, Race felt badly for Ernie, but she got this vibe from him and just found him to be annoying. Snape was berating Ernie and giving him detentions, and ousting him from the advanced potions class.
The professor spun around and snapped, "Take a flask and fill it with your potion, cork it and place it on my desk and then get out of my sight." At the sound of movement behind him he hissed, "Not you Ernie, you are to stay and clean up this mess."
Race and Draco did exactly as their teacher told them to, and hurried out of class without looking back.
Once in the Great Hall, Race looked at her watch, "Whoa, Draco look, we've still got twenty minutes until dinner. What do you want to do?"
"I don't know. Do you want to go for a walk around the lake?"
"Sure." Said Race. And they walked out the through the double doors and started across the lawn.
Draco was elated that the girl had said yes to the walk with him, as he wasn't used to anyone being attracted to him because of his name. He was also scared that once she found out what his name meant, and what hanging out with him meant, that she wouldn't want anything to do with him.
"I've got to be honest with you," he started.
"There really was another girl who told you today that she likes you?"
He forced a small laugh before continuing, "No, that was only you," he said quite truthfully. "You see, there are a lot of people who don't like me- because of my family. We aren't really the, err, nicest people around. I'm pretty bad myself, as you will probably see in the coming months," he added in a small voice.
"But you see I don't really want to be that way. I've just been taught to be that way. My family is a big bunch of pure blood freaks, my father tortures muggles. And I agree with him, not the way that he does it," he added quickly as he watched the girl's eyes grow wide, "but I agree with it. I think we should wipe out muggle influence in the wearing world, I think its crap, and not much could possibly change my mind."
Draco watched the girl wrap her arms around herself. He was waiting for some kind of response, but he didn't get one at first. She just kept walking with her hair fanning out behind her.
She stopped suddenly and turned to him. "To tell you the truth," she said slowly, "that wasn't the revelation I was expecting. I said I like you before I knew this detail about your life."
At this Draco groaned inside, 'I knew I shouldn't have told her!'
But Race continued to speak, "I really believe that, deep down you are a good person. And I like you still. So I guess I'll have to deal with it." She paused for a second and he thought she was finished and he almost said something when she continued. "I'll have to put up with it then, right? I mean, I'm hoping you like me too." she trailed off, inviting him to answer the unasked question.
"Yes, I do." He stated easily.
"Then," she said, "We are in this together. Yeah?"
"Yeah." He wanted to kiss her; he wasted to jump and scream with joy; he wanted to do anything to show the world-or at least this girl, how thankful he was that this girl was actually giving him a chance. He settled for giving her a hug. And was pleased to see the flush and grin that crept up onto her face.
They walked around part of the lake and then started heading back to the Great Hall for dinner. They walked in together and received a mix of surprised and disgusted looks from the students who saw them.
"And the rumors begin." Said Draco, with a nervous look at the girl next to him, whose hand he was holding, "You can still back out now, you know."
She gave Draco's hand a small squeeze. "We're in this together remember? I'm not giving you up. Sorry buddy, but you are stuck with me."
Draco squeezed her hand back and said, "Not a chance."
They smiled at each other and each went to their separate ways to their own tables.
"What's with the Gryff chick?" asked one and only true friend in the school, Blaise Zabini.
Draco couldn't help but grin. "I'm not sure, but I'm hoping for more."
Blaise looked at his friend and gave him a small, "Let's just hope your father doesn't find out about this."
"That man," said Draco, his voice dripping with disgust, "can't do anything. He wouldn't even care as I'm already as well as disowned by him. And if for some reason he does have a problem with it, who cares?"
Race sat down next to Harry, who as he had said, had saved a seat for her. "What's going on with Malfoy?" asked Harry.
"Um, nothing really, yet, we just kind of have a thing for each other. That's all."
"Oh," said Harry, with that disappointed look back on his face.
"Where's my sister?"
"She was here for a minute, grabbed something to eat and then she left. She seemed kind of upset."
"Great." Said Race, already becoming depressed again. "I'm going to go and find her. See you later Harry."
"Alright, I'll talk to you back in the common room, alright?"
"Yeah, whatever." Said Harry as Race stood up and hurried to the common room.
Five minutes later Race found her sister close to tears in front of the common room fire. "Hey Liz," said Race in a small voice.
No answer.
"Um, what's up?"
No answer.
"Come on, Liz, tell me what's up."
"It's Harry, he doesn't like me."
"Says who?"
"Oh come on Amy! Don't be so dense! It's so obvious that he likes you!"
"No he doesn't, he's just trying to be a good friend to someone who is new."
"A good friend? Ok well if you are going to take that approach, then he should be acting like a 'good friend' to me too right?"
Her sister's voice kept raising as people started filling into the common room.
"Liz, chill out."
"DON'T tell me to chill out Amy! You don't get it! You have Malfoy all over you and now you are trying to get Harry too! I think that's crap! Stop playing two boys and pick one!" At the end of her speech she was yelling.
"Liz," said Race calmly. Her anger was rising, but she didn't want to add to the situation. "I don't like Harry alright? Can you understand that? I- Don't-Like-Harry! And you of all people should know that! I like Draco, and I haven't flirted even a little bit with him!"
"Oh come on Amy, that's crap! You do like him! You do everything he wants, how can you possibly say that you don't flirt with him???"
"Liz! Get over it! I don't like him! Accept it!"
"Don't lie to me Amy Lin. I know you do!"
"I don't know what you are on about, but get it into your head! I don't like him! You are acting like such a git!"
"Fine, if I'm acting like a 'git' then I'll just leave, alright?"
"Fine!" Race called at her sister's retreating back.
Race waited until she heard the distant slam of the dormitory door before she chanced a look at all of the bystanders. She saw Harry's face laden with disappointment, but she didn't really care. 'It's his fault that all of this happened!' she thought angrily to herself.
Not wanting to face anyone she left the room and headed towards the library. She still had two hours until curfew. 'I'll just do my Herbology paper and then I'll go back. By then she should be asleep.' She thought.
An hour and a half-later Race headed back to the common room. Most everybody was in their dorms by this time, and even though Race couldn't tell whether or not her sister was sleeping, but she was silent enough for Race not to ask otherwise.