A/N: Okay! It's time to start posting double time! I have to get story 3 of the Nightshade series up! Gah... so little time and there's still 6 Chapters to go in this story (story 2)! Why do I always forget about this Sandy Roads :Pulls hair: Well, anyways, I just hope you're enjoying it. I might post Chapter 10 today as well!
Disclaimer: This will be my last one cause I'm sick of having to admit that J.K.Rowling is the real genius behind this great series... (no self confidence)
Chapter 9
"More classes... more trouble"
Belladona was walking along the corridors to yet another dreadful potions class. She enjoyed the subject enough but it was who taught it that always seemed to make her less enthusiastic. Although Bella was very bright, professor Snape seemed to always pick on her when it came to practical lessons. He thought her "Quidditch arm" made her less precise and sloppy. He wasn't completely wrong... but there was no reason to be nasty about it. This was also the best occasion for the students in her year to pick on her because in Snape's class they knew she'd always get in trouble somehow. They knew better then to do it in classes like Dark Arts and Care of Magical Creatures for she was nearly praised by the teachers but during Charms and Potions they had more opportunities. Bella sat quietly in her chair and pulled out her things. She made sure not to look around and concentrate on reading the chapters that she didn't have the chance to read because of Quidditch practices. It was then that it started.
"Well – well, if it isn't princess Nightshade? Don't tell me you didn't read this week's chapters? Snape will be upset!" said a girl with curly brown hair in a mocking tone.
"I'd think she'd had asked one of her 7th year friends to do it or maybe paid someone to, I mean she has the money... like the way she runs around with her expensive racing broom... Really Belladona, a Nimbus 1700? I mean, they only came out on the market last month! Why did you have one before everyone else?" said another with ginger hair in an ironic tone.
"It must be daddy's gift... you know, early Birthday present? You know the Nightshades could buy the ministry of magic if they wanted!" replied the other snobbishly.
They were truly trying Bella's patience. Professor Snape had just entered the room and laid down his things. With a quick scan around the room began to set up for class.
"Or maybe it's her boyfriend's present?"
"Boyfriend? Who?"
"You wouldn't believe it but it's one of the Weasley boys!"
"NO? He must be looking to get rich off her cause we know he could NEVER go out with a Nightshade! We all know that that family only marries for money and she's too expensive for a normal guy to date... And the Weasleys –"
"THAT"S ENOUGH!" shouted Bella. "IF YOU DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE RIGHT NOW I'LL SHOW YOU!"
"Miss Nightshade!" yelled Snape angrily.
"Oh Professor! You heard that didn't you?" said one of the girls.
"Yes! She was planning on beating us up like that Gryffindor boy!" said the other in a very fake quivering voice.
"Honestly! Harassing people in your own house! You have detention Miss Nightshade!"
"WHAT?"
"You heard me!" said Snape and with a flick of his wand conjured a detention slip.
He quickly put his signature on it and wrote Belladona's name. Bella was still in complete shock as the dark teacher handed the girl the parchment. The other girls snickered. From the very beginning of her time at Hogwarts the girls in her year never seemed to like her. It was something she really couldn't understand. However, it was very different with the boys.
"Will someone bring Miss Nightshade to Professor Flitwck's office?" added Snape coldly as about 10 male hands rose into the air.
The girls scowled in anger. Snape chose a boy to guide Bella and they both left the cold dungeon. Bella was still totally stunned at the way she was shunted out of there. Didn't he notice those girls teasing her left and right? Didn't he really notice anyone else in that class except her? The only thing that made her different from them was the fact that she played Quidditch. Her grades weren't amazing except in two subjects and she was definitely not going to be chosen as prefect. What was it about her that made him hate her?
"Don't worry about it Bella," said the boy.
"Oh Jeff, it just really gets me mad! You're rich too, why don't they pick on you too? Oh... Sorry... I mean... What did I do?"
"Bella, sometimes you just don't notice things," he said with a bit of a laugh.
"Like what?" she asked innocently.
"Never mind..." he smiled. "Hey! I finished a song,"
"Really? Which one?"
"Cyclone. Trent, Josh and I just have to finish arranging the music to it during the summer holidays,"
"That's great! I know you've been having trouble with that one,
"Yeah... Do you-um... Do you want to hear the chorus?"
"Of course!" she said happily,
"Ok." he said blushing.
"The world is turning round-and-round,
And slowly fading within sound,
Yet all this dizziness I feel-is-for-you...
Spine tingling; bores me to the bone
As I'm spinning in this cyclone
This haze has not erased my feelings for you
I do adore you,"
He sang quietly as he slowly lifted his eyes to Bella's face.
Bella was quite impressed. His voice had change quite dramatically since last year and it was more apparent when he sang. She clapped her hands happily.
"That was great! I can't wait until you put music to it. You'll be sure to see me stop by your house to hear it," she said.
Jeff's face had reddened a little more.
"Well you know you have always been welcome. You know my dad will be happy,"
"Humph! If only our parents realized that all friendships aren't about business deals –" she started until Jeff cut her off.
"And I'll be happy too," he said as he gazed into her eyes.
Bella paused for a moment until she realized that they were at Flitwick's office. Jeff noticed her looking at the door and slowly looked away. He backed off and waved goodbye as he left her at the door. "That was quite strange wasn't it?" thought Bella as she knocked on the door.
Before he knew it, it was March and Bill was still recovering from the usual overbearing Valentine's Day. He had gotten another dozen love letters! Usually he would have gone and compared his load to Hank's, which was normally just a big, but he still wasn't sure what to say to him. He knew that Hank had been more involved with Sandra then Bill had ever been and also knew that his feelings were returned. So why was he being such a baby? He lost. He knew he did and there was no use in denying it. Bill sat alone in a chair in the Great Hall. It seemed that the perfect Weasley had decided to skip class today and decided to sit in emptiness. His grades were doing very well and he was still very popular but he never took the time to really appreciate those blessings. His mind-set was always precise and he needed to target things to feel like he had objective. What left now? Just that mystery girl... She was his target. The mere thought of it made him strangely excited. If being with Sandra was out of the question, then what about this new girl? Maybe she'd be the one to make him forget her. Maybe she'd be the one that was meant to take him away to a place where he could actually just generally be happy. Bill smiled. "Old boy, when did you ever become such a romantic? Honestly..." he said to himself.
The period was over and the Great Hall began to fill again. Soon Hank and Winter came walking in from Muggle Studies class. Winter was smiling very brightly as Hank winked at her. "What a flirt" Bill thought. "Like Sandra isn't enough," It was then that Hank bravely walked over to him and took a seat.
"Hello... Forgive me yet?" he simply said.
"I don't now. How much are you willing to pay me?" said Bill half-joking.
Bella walked in quietly and had to pass the Gryffindor table to get to hers when she heard something that had her totally baffled.
"Oh, come on Bill... You know Sandra's just fickle," began Winter as Hank just stared back insulted. "Maybe this mystery girl is the one," she said in a particularly nice tone.
Bella froze. "What did she say?" she told herself. Bella couldn't believe it. Winter had always pressured Bella on leaving Bill alone yet here she was encouraging Bill to take a chance with her. "She definitely is different with everyone else then with me," she thought as she saw the Slytherin smile. Suddenly, Bella saw that yellow cat eye stare her way. Surprised the Bella took her seat as Winter winked. That girl really could see everything with that eye.
Percy came in moping. It seemed that his grades weren't as pleasing as Bill's for he seemed too embarrassed to walk over to the Gryffindor table. He made his way right to Bella and sighed. Bella was wondering where he had gone wrong in his studies until she remembered about Percy's Rune Reading class.
"Why did I take that class? I have enough with Divination and Arithmancy,"
"Divinations! Why on earth did you take such a stupid class?" said Bella at once.
Percy looked at her half dead and said that he thought it might be useful. Bella just sighed.
"Anyways," she said calming down, "Would you like me to introduce you to my friend now? You're in trouble if you really want to pass that class," she said.
"Oh, alright! I guess if it's for the best…" sighed Percy.
"Alright, then we can all walk together on our way to the next class. She should be coming in any minute now for lunch. What class do you have next?"
"Divinations actually," said Percy with a grimace.
Bella looked completely horrified. There was a particular reason why she hated Divinations and it began with the letter "T". "T for troublesome... or troll... or trash..." she thought evilly. Percy felt odd being at the Ravenclaw table for so long. Seeing everyone look in his general direction, he wondered when this friend of Bella's would show until he gazed into a pair of eyes he never saw before. The connection was rapid and almost instantly the girl tore her stare away and sat at the end of the table.
"Penelope! Just the person I wanted to see," said Bella with a grin as she waved to the girl.
Percy turned his head. Was she Bella's friend? The girl looked shyly at Percy then gave Belladona a beautiful smile. Percy didn't know it but his cheeks were completely pink. Bella told Penelope about Percy not being very skilled in Rune reading and asked her if she'd be willing to tutor him. Penelope giggled and said: "I can give it shot, that is if Percy doesn't mind," Of course he didn't mind, not at all! Bella saw how flushed Percy looked and smiled.
"She's in your year you know; it's a pity that you don't have that class together. But I believe you have Arithmancy right?" asked Bella trying to mediate between them.
"Oh yes but Percy always sits at the front of the class and I sit in the back," she then timidly said "I don't think he's ever even noticed me before,"
Indeed, there was no way he would have forgotten such a pretty face. Percy actually spent the entire time at the Ravenclaw table as he now started talking raptly with Penelope. Bella simply smiled and ate her soup and in attempts to help what happening along, she asked Percy if he didn't mind exchanging place with her so she could talk to another Ravenclaw. It was obviously a huge lie for the moment Bella sat, the girl that was in her year, turned her back to her. However, even this didn't stop Bella from playing cupid as Penelope often blushed and giggled as she spoke to Percy. Bella felt very happy about herself indeed. As she dug into her soup she didn't see that a pair of honey brown eyes was staring in her direction... Well, perhaps not right in her direction but close to it.
"Hey, is that Percy?" said Bill as he stared.
Fred and George, who were now comfortably sat at the table, simply shrugged and looked about as they saw Bella looking down into her soup and Percy chattering wildly with the other Ravenclaw girl partly out of excitement and partly out of nervousness. Hank and Winter had long ago left and it seemed that Bill and him were friends again.
"Happy isn't he? But that's not the girl I saw him with before... No! Don't tell me that he broke up with her and is going out with this one!" said Bill shocked.
"Hah, scared that you're not to the top girl magnet in the family anymore Bill?" said Fred with a smirk.
"What? No! It's just that... well... That other girl was really cute too. I mean, at least the little bit-" he stopped. Who was he fooling? He barely saw anything.
It was soon time to head class and Penelope got up first and told the other two that she just needed to get her school books. They followed her out and after leaving the great hall, Percy turned about and enthusiastically called her before she was completely out of sight.
"Ok Penny!" he waved at her.
"Well, well! That worked out well! You're even calling her Penny!" said Bella smiling.
"What do you mean?" he said confused.
Bella put her arm around Percy's shoulder and brought his head closer to hers. Bill was going to talk to Percy about Penelope until he saw something that made him decide otherwise. From behind he saw Percy's head next to a head of black hair and a slim arm around his shoulder. Bill just froze. There was no way! Was Percy dating two girls at the same time? Bill just turned around and decided to get things ready for his class. He still couldn't believe what he saw.
"Silly boy! You like her!" whispered Bella with a wink.
"What?" said Percy tearing himself away.
"Yup! The pink tint, the flustered face… I can tell," she said. "That tingly feeling is the same thing that I feel every time I see... well... you know..." she said quietly.
"This feeling, this funny, tingly feeling…" Percy thought. He then looked at Bella and had another odd sensation. However, it wasn't the same as what he felt when Penelope was around. He couldn't explain it but he knew they were two completely different things. This feeling of admiration for Bella was different. Sure he sometimes felt pink in the cheeks when she showed him kindness but it was never as awkward as those few moments with Penelope. Percy had quickly and naturally gotten comfortable with Bella but as Penny re-joined the party, his stomach was still dancing.
Penelope returned and they all quickly went towards the North wing. After a few minutes or so Penelope turned at a corridor as Bella decided to lead Percy all the way to the Divinations classroom. Bella's face contorted, as she smelled the overbearing odor of Lilac and Jasmine. She loved the smell normally but it was so powerful now that it seeped through the closed trap door. Bella gave a sarcastic look.
"Now really, why do you hate this class so much?" asked Percy, his curiosity getting the best of him.
"Do you really want to know?" she said with a half smile.
"Why shouldn't I?"
"Well then, let me go with you to class. If my guess is right I'll be thrown out of there in about 5 minutes… I think that's long enough for you to see my point," she said as the trap door opened and a silver ladder fell to their feet.
Percy looked concerned but agreed all the same as they entered Divinations.
They were the first students to enter the hazy classroom. The heavy smell of incense made Bella sneeze and it seemed to have provoked a response.
"Hello dears… I predicted you'd be the first to enter…" said a misty voice from within the darkness.
Bella lifted an eyebrow. "Did you predict that I'd be here?" she said with a small smile forming on her lips.
Like thunder and as fast as lightning the Divinations teacher, Professor Trelawney, came into view and adjusted her glass as she gazed at Bella. The Ravenclaw crossed her arms and her smile grew. The glittering teacher looked completely horrified and slowly backed away. It looked like she was trying to process what was in front of her or at least make sure that the incense wasn't diluting her sense of reality.
"Nightshade! What are YOU doing in my class!" she yelled angrily.
"Just coming to visit. After all… we ARE family somewhere down the line," she said as Percy gave a disgusted look.
"Ha! Like I could ever admit to actually being related to YOUR sort! The Nightshades are all just a bunch of fame hogging, backstabbing thieves!" she continued.
Percy had never heard Trelawney speak in any other way then in her misty voice and was quite surprised to see her loose her temper over Bella.
"Thieves? We never 'took' anything," said Bella calmly. "We like to call it a gift. Tell me, are you afraid that I'd embarrass you again?" the smile still remained as she said this and Percy could tell that Bella was somewhat enjoying this.
"WHAT? Why you little -"
"Listen, it's not my fault that I wanted to correct you in our first class together. I really thought I'd find it interesting to see the way your family does it… that is until I realized that you can't do it at your will to begin with,"
"How DARE you! I can! The moment I saw you enter my classroom I knew you'd be trouble! And then when I read your name… The urge to throw you out was too great,"
"How about a little contest then? Tell me what will happen in the next 10 minutes," she sneered ignoring her last words.
"What? Well…"
"I know! I'll go first," said Bella as Percy looked at her confused.
Bella put two fingers on her temples and began to murmur something under her breath. There was a pale glow that surrounded her for a few moments as she concentrated. She later, opened her eyes and smirked.
"Right! The first two people to come in will be a boy and a girl. The girl has blonde hair in two braids and is wearing pink ribbons to tie them up. The boy has dark brown hair, blue eyes and dimples. The girl will have forgotten her class book and will ask the boy if he doesn't mind sharing with her. He'll agree and they'll sit in the third table from the left. As soon as you start class someone will break a green porcelain cup," she finished.
"Ha! Someone? Why don't you tell me WHO will break it?" said Trelawney smirking.
"Ah… Well… You'll know whom," she smiled.
Percy was in awe as he suddenly heard two people talking in the background and there came the boy and girl out from the trap door. They fit Bella's description exactly and his eyes widened even more when he heard the girl say that she had forgotten the class book. Everything was playing into Bella's scene and the teacher seemed quite upset.
"You! For NOT being in your proper class during class time… you... you… Have Detention!"
"What? But you're not even my teacher! How-"
"I don't care!" she said as she conjured a detention slip.
"No! Come on!" she sighed as Trelawney shoved the slip to her.
"Didn't predict THAT did you?" she said victorious.
"I DID!" Bella retorted. "But did you really think I'd tell you and give you ideas!"
"Quiet. Now OUT!"
"But-"
"OUT! OUT!" she ordered furiously as the two students, who had sat in the third table from the left, gasped.
Bella waved goodbye to Percy and slowly went down the ladder. It seemed like she was getting one detention after the other. "I should start a collection," she mumbled to herself as she heard a cup shatter. "Sorry!" said Percy and Bella couldn't help but laugh.
A/N: Okay Goldpen... now here we go again contesting ages... I just have to say that you've given me "according to J.K.Rowling's site" the exact same ages as I had calculated with the exception of Bill's (one year more then I had figured for Bill) ... Now, I'm basing my calculations on Bill's statement in Book 4 that he had not been in Hogwarts for 5 years... but hey, who says that he didn't go back to school a year after he graduated? I have no idea but just know that these calculations were made in 2002! This story is PRE-BOOK 5 people and though I'd love for it to be cannon I don't want to break my series of 3 stories in light of new events. It's sad... but it's true. There are lots of things that should change in this series because of the fact that: 1 - Bill has been given a colder more callus character by Rowling, 2 - He's involved with Fleur, so on and so forth... However, changing the personality of the main character for the last 3 stories means changing the entire story and I've already messed up by not having the series done before book 5. I have to get this all up before book 6 comes out too! Story 3 (The Greatest Honor) is already totally ruined cause of book 5 but I like the concept either way and I'm still planning on putting it up. Just, keep up with me on this okay?
