*
In another part of the school, the Emmortal twins were getting ready for the day. They were alone in their bathroom, having won first dibs in a game of Exploding Snap the night before. Reggie was blow-drying her hair, simply by pointing at it and Lynne was drying the water from her face without the use of a towel when one of the other girls knocked on the door. Reggie stilled the air and Lynne sent dancing water droplets back to the sink. A moment later they strolled out of the bathroom, completely ready for the day. The other girls hurried for the bathroom as the twins picked up their bags. Lynne bit her lip. "Reggie, I don't think we should do that again for a while. I think Suzanne is getting suspicious. We should either lose some games or, stop playing them all together."
Reggie sighed. "I suppose you're right. But it's such good precision practice." She twisted a lock of hair around her finger.
"Reggie…" Lynne warned.
"Oh, all right. No more private bathroom practice sessions for us," Reggie replied. "So do we lose the games or decline to play?"
"That's up for debate," Lynne said with a grin. They and their kits headed for the Raven's Nest.
Monica was sitting in one of the blue armchairs, staring out the window. "Morning girls," she said with a glance in their direction.
"What are you looking at?" Reggie asked.
"I was watching Snuffles and Starlight. They just went into the Forbidden Forest." Monica said, still staring out the window.
"What?! Why would they do something like that?" Lynne exclaimed, rushing over.
"I don't know. I just watched them do it," Monica said with a grin at the younger girl.
"But it's daylight. If someone sees a big black Grim and a black cat sauntering off together, they might get suspicious. Why is he taking a cat into the forest?" Reggie wondered.
"Again, I don't know. Are you two going to wait for you brother, or do you want to come with me? I've got to meet Draco and then go to breakfast."
"We should probably wait for Daniel. Draco isn't known for his fondness of first years," Lynne said.
"If someone sees him acting chummy with us…" Reggie added.
"You're right. The suspicion factor once again," Monica sighed. "I forget sometimes what Draco must have been like before I met him. I guess I'll see you at breakfast then." She patted Ikarus and Anondir then headed for the door. "Oops, forgot my scarf. I don't want to go back upstairs for it… I really want to avoid Cho." Monica muttered.
"Just get one of the spares from the closet there by the door," Lynne suggested. She and Reggie headed for the couch to sit and wait.
"Good idea," Monica said. "Thanks." She opened the closet door and stared inside. After a stunned moment, she grabbed a scarf and shut the door again.
"Did you find one?" Reggie asked. She was dangling her scarf for Ikarus to swat at.
"Um…. Yes I did… You know, I think you two should come with me to breakfast. Draco can find his own way to the Great Hall," Monica said. She looked over at the girls. Her violet eyes were sparkling with humor. "Well are you coming?" Shrugging, the twins followed her out the door.
A few moments later, Phantom jumped out from behind a curtain and Segan climbed out from under a chair. Both kits, whirring with dannikit laughter, went to the closet door and scratched at it. It opened slowly. A slightly rumpled Daniel stepped out. He reached back in and helped a rosy-cheeked Ana into the Common Room. Daniel cleared his throat, but Ana spoke first. "Perhaps… hiding in the coat closet wasn't such a good idea after all."
"I panicked," he replied. His blue eyes twinkled at her. "As I recall, so did you. When you heard Monica on the stairs your eyes got huge. It was very cute."
"Well, we had no idea who was coming down the stairs at the time. It would have been difficult to explain the fact that we were sleeping on the couch." Ana said. She started to smooth her hair.
"We were talking last night and you fell asleep on my arm. I didn't want to wake you up, so I fell asleep too." Daniel said. He grinned. "That probably would have worked."
"Well you definitely took advantage of the situation," Ana said, looking at him. One corner of her mouth went up in a half-smile.
"I had a beautiful girl trapped in a dark closet with me. What should I have done?" he asked. She just looked at him, that half-smile still on her face. He smiled at her. "When you look at me like that your eyes look like chocolate." Her cheeks went rosy again.
"It's too early in the day for chocolate. I'll meet you back here in ten minutes to go down to breakfast," Ana said briskly.
"Okay," Daniel said. Ana started up the stairs. "Just so you know, I like chocolate any time day or night." Daniel called after her.
*
Draco was tired. He'd been wracking his brain for half the night about the theft of the Phoenix book. The same thing he'd been doing for a month. Unfortunately, none of the Memories that he'd fallen into in the presence of others that could interpret had been about that night. He knew that Hermione was looking for a remedy in her Book, even though she hadn't told him. He was grateful, especially since she wasn't exactly supposed to be helping him.
"What is it Goyle?" he snapped at the muttering lummox.
"Ravenclaw," he said simply.
"What about her?" Malfoy asked, frowning at the two hulks in front of him.
"She's from another house," Crabbe said.
"Wow, Crabbe. A full sentence. I amazed. Of course I know that you idiot," Malfoy sneered.
"American," Goyle added.
"So bloody what?" Malfoy asked.
Crabbe gulped. "Father," he grunted.
Malfoy narrowed his eyes at them. "You imbeciles. Now I'm going to speak slowly, so I can be sure that you understand." He waited until they nodded. "If either of you ever presume to advise me about my girl, or my father again, you will be completely ostracized." They looked at one another, confused. Malfoy growled low in his throat. "I'll never speak to you again," he hissed.
The two great lumps looked positively stricken. Malfoy smiled snidely. "Now if you two down get out of my way and to the Great Hall, I'm going to hex you into next," They were gone. For two such large boys, they could move quickly when provoked.
Alone in the Snake Pit, Draco sighed. He hated this double life of his. Almost as much as he hated the fact that until a month ago, it hadn't been one.
*
Back in the Gryffindor Common Room, the Quidditch team was setting up their practice times. They would have the pitch that afternoon, directly after the Slytherin team. The practices were not closed because of Rose's slow but sure mingling of the houses, so they could observe the other team without penalty. However this was also true for the other teams as well, so any special moves had to be discussed and practiced during specially scheduled sessions. That's what they were doing now. Everyone was trying to get the sessions set up when they had the freest time. Angelina, the newly elected Captain was nearly ready to scream and they all knew it. They quieted down as an awed group of first years walked past. One young boy was so dazzled by the nearness of the team that when he realized he was standing next to Harry Potter, he had to be lead away by one of the others in the group. Both of them ended up running into a wall because they were so busy gawking. With a laugh, Ginny helped them both up and ushered them all out the door.
"Can we hurry it up already?" Ron asked. "I'm starving."
Angelina scowled. "Since you are our newest member and a relative of two members, I'm going to pretend you didn't say that."
"Please don't pretend that Angelina," George complained. "We're all starving."
"Well, Fred, this is very difficult. I have four members that are unable to practice on Sundays because of a class, we've all got Dueling Club at various times throughout the week, we have to schedule around the other teams as well and Slytherin keeps grabbing our times. We have our first match in less than a month. Ravenclaw plays Slytherin this weekend. I don't know about any of you, but I want that cup this year. Wood owls me once a week to ask how we're doing. He wants us to win it almost as much now as he did when he was Captain. When do you suggest we practice?" Angelina asked sharply.
"How about this afternoon after Dueling Club?" Harry suggested. "I don't have anything else. We can discuss some more sessions then. Right now, if we don't hurry, we'll miss breakfast."
"Does that work for everyone?" Alicia asked. They all nodded. She turned to Angelina. "There we go. We're all set."
Angelina sighed. "Maybe we should have made Harry captain."
Harry blanched. "No thank you," he said, shaking his head vehemently. "You're doing a fine job."
"A fine job," Fred said, putting his arm around her shoulders. "Now, let's go eat." They headed out the door. Harry looked back at the tapestry door twice before he shut the portrait behind them.
*
Neville was going to be late to Potions. He'd somehow managed to get tangled in the drapes around his bed after the others had gone down. He'd just managed to get free and now he didn't have time for breakfast if he wanted to get to Potions. Snape was going to be particularly nasty if he was tardy. Having a coherent class session after that awfulness was impossible for him. He was certain to blow something up during the practical portion. He hurriedly fastened his robes as he descended the stairs. Oh who was he kidding? It was nearly guaranteed that he would blow something up in there, regardless.
His stomach growled loudly followed by a dannikit trill. It wasn't Andra because she was in her box. It came from the bottom of the stairs. Erian was sitting there staring up at him. Neville paused. If the kit was there, then his companion couldn't be far away. He continued down the stairs, checking his hair in the gold frame of a portrait as he passed. The distorted view didn't help much.
Ginny appeared as he reached the last step. "Good morning Neville," she said cheerily.
"G- Good morning Ginny," Neville managed.
"I didn't see you at breakfast, so I came up to check and see if you had decided to skip classes for the day," she explained, grinning at the thought of Neville skipping class.
He looked horror-struck yet momentarily hopeful at the thought. "No. Potions this morning. I'm running late."
"We can't have you going to that particular class starving. That would make it worse. I brought you something." Ginny said. She held out a pale pink hanky-wrapped bundle.
"Errr... thanks," he mumbled, the thought of her knowing of his incompetence making his cheeks flush.
"You are very welcome. I'll see you later Neville. Have a good day," Ginny said smiling at him. Before he could respond, she kissed his cheek and hurried back through the portrait.
"You too Ginny," Neville whispered long after she was gone. Andra trilled happily in her box. Neville stared at the bundle in his hand. Unwrapping it he discovered two pancakes with strawberry jam spread between them. Andra trilled louder this time. Neville ate the pancakes quickly, but carefully folded the pink hanky and tucked it into his pocket. He glanced up at the clock in the Common Room then. "I'm late!" he yelled dashing for the portrait. Andra muttered something at him from in her box. It was probably a good thing he couldn't understand it.
*
Professor Snape was late. As far as Ron knew, it had never happened before. He glanced at Neville's empty chair. Merlin help him if he got here after a tardy Snape. Draco was frowning at his former bodyguards. They were practically quaking in their seats. Ron smirked. He couldn't help it. He might not like Malfoy, but the guy definitely had a difficult time ahead of him. Of course that didn't excuse what he had done to Fianna… but he was willing to let that slide as long as the Slytherin didn't have a relapse of conscience. Neville crept into the room silently.
"Hurry up Nev," Ron whispered. Neville threw him a startled and slightly guilty look.
"I didn't… I," Neville started.
"What are you talking about Neville?" Harry asked.
"Uh… nothing. I thought I was going to be late. That's all." Neville said with a final wary glance at Ron. Ron frowned in confusion.
"You are late Longbottom," Draco said coldly as the Slytherins snickered.
Then the missing Professor Snape swept into the room. Without a single glance at the students, he ordered them to open their books to page 213 in their textbooks and copy down the recipe for Silent Night. The tense situation faded as the scratching of quills filled the air. After a few moments of this, Rhia arrived. She silently took her seat across the aisle from Draco, and prepared to copy the recipe with the others.
"Miss Jameson," Snape's voice cracked through the air at her.
"Yes Professor?" Rhia responded.
"I would love to hear your excuse for your tardiness," Snape said.
"I don't have one Professor," Rhia said, her voice calm.
"Mr. Weasley," Snape said with icy fury. "Since you seem to have completed the assignment, perhaps you could tell the class what the most vital ingredient for a Silent Night potion is."
Ron blinked at him for a moment. He knew something was off about what had just happened, but he couldn't say what. "It's Belladonna Professor," he said.
Snape smiled creepily. "Mr. Malfoy, tell Mr. Weasley why he just lost 10 points for his house."
"Belladonna is the main ingredient Professor," Draco said, "but the dried root of Deadly Nightshade is the most vital."
"Thank you Malfoy, 10 points to Slytherin."
The class continued in that vein, the usual, with one exception. Snape completely ignored Rhia. He just didn't acknowledge her. Which was strange, since he had tried to find fault with her American magic training since the very first class she had attended? Ron saw him look directly at her only once. He was praising something Draco had done and had looked over at her. He got the strangest look on his face. An odd mixture of fear, loathing and hope, intertwined with hatred. Ron looked at Harry to see if he had caught it too. Harry was watching Rhia, but he was managing to do it in such a way that he managed to take his notes as well. Ron smiled to himself. Probably from a month of practice. He returned to the task at hand. Preparing to brew a Silent Night.