Chapter 7 – Ancient Runes Assignment
October had come in full swing, bringing cold air and plenty of homework with it. It became a custom at lunch to get a head start on homework due the next day (which Liz was pleased to see). She went along with it, too, if only for the sake of having some free time in the evenings. One particular day, a couple of weeks into October, she sat with Rachel and Michael, listening to Rachel's Wizard's Wireless, working on homework for Muggle Studies and Ancient Runes. Suddenly Michael threw down his quill and sat back in his seat, staring at his assignment moodily.
"What is it?" Rachel asked.
"It's Muggle Studies," he said.
"What about it?" asked Liz.
He turned to face her. "It's boring and a waste of time! How could someone ever come up with a stupider class? What's the point? I think I'm going to die of boredom here!"
"Why not just quit Muggle Studies and switch to something else?" Liz suggested. 'You could do Ancient Runes, or Arithmancy, or even Divination."
He looked at her, and then Liz thought she saw him glance backwards. But then he was staring her full in the face. "No. I mean, I don't think so. I mean, you hate Professor Stickler, don't you?"
"I don't hate him," Liz retorted. Michael gave her a skeptical look. "I just dislike him with a passion. There's a difference."
"And Arithmancy sounds too hard. Magic numbers or something. And Divination? Jessica likes it. That's a very good reason not to do it. So I guess I'm stuck with Muggles Studies."
"It may be boring, Michael," said Rachel, "but it's not that bad."
The Wizarding Wireless crackled into the spot of prominent attention. All three of them looked at it, as if expecting to see some sort of television program with it. However, all they heard was a sharp, clear voice issuing from the magic radio, saying, "Apologies or the interruption, but we have breaking news. The wizarding world's most noted and experienced Ancient Runes expert, Philip Meyers, has been reported missing. He disappeared last night from his home in Bristol while reportedly working on a new section of the Ancient Runes found recently in a cave near the rest. Suspected is the Dragon, a man who was attempted to take over Hogwarts twice in the last three years and supposedly came again last year. Stay tuned for updates on this breaking story. And now we continue with your regularly scheduled broadcast."
Liz, Rachel, and Michael all looked up, the same fearful expression on each of their faces. "The Dragon?" Rachel repeated. "How could he just stroll in and kidnap an Ancient Runes expert?"
"And why an Ancient Runes expert?" asked Michael, switching off Rachel's Wizarding Wireless.
"This is strange," said Liz.
They thought about this for a second, and then they all turned back to their homework with very somber expressions.
Liz was late for class. Her magically enhanced alarm clock hadn't gone off, she couldn't find her robes, and the Great Hall had been closed when she got there, so she hadn't eaten since dinner last night. And to top it all off, her first class of the day was Ancient Runes. Professor Stickler would take points from Gryffindor because of her tardiness for sure. Her stomach rumbling, she practically threw herself through his classroom door.
"So nice of you to join us, Miss Potter," said Professor Stickler, sitting coolly at his desk. "You know my rule about tardiness. Ten minutes late, therefore ten points from Gryffindor. Please take a seat."
Liz sat, not wishing to cause any more problems. Considering the circumstances, she had done pretty well. Only ten minutes late. If Professor Stickler had known everything she had gone through…but he probably wouldn't have cared anyway.
"Today," Professor Stickler said, "I will be assigning a project. A partner project." He kept one eye on Liz, as if convinced that she would produce more signs of rule breaking. "And I am in a very good mood today, so I have decided to let you choose your own partners. One more thing, before you cause a racket," he added. "We have a new student, who has decided to switch into our class from Arithmancy." He beamed, obviously pleased. "You may come in now, Miss Chen."
No, Liz thought. It can't be.
"Class, say hello to Winnie Chen."
Liz sank into her chair. This was horrible. To her right, David was grinning like a maniac, and Winnie was smiling back. She took the seat directly in front of Liz, smiling smugly but never looking at her. Professor Stickler was beaming at his new students, who had shown him great loyalty by dropping Arithmancy. "All right, now you may choose your partner."
Liz looked at Winnie, who didn't move. If she wasn't going to ask David, then Liz was. She stood and headed toward his seat. He was coming towards her too. "David, I—" And he blew right past her.
Shocked, Liz turned to hear him saying, "Winnie, would you like to be my partner?"
"Sure," said Winnie, grinning wickedly at Liz. Liz felt like crying, but that would only make Winnie make fun of her more. So she went back to her seat, biting her lip.
"Do want to partner with me?" said Amy Donofrio.
"Sure," Liz sighed. There was no one else to do it with anyway.
Professor Stickler gave them the assignment, and Liz thought briefly about the Defense Against the Dark Arts essay that she still hadn't started. She'd have to close her heart so she could read about her father. They spent the rest of the class assigning duties for each partner's half of the project. Then the bell rang, and Liz hurried out to meet Rachel and Michael for Care of Magical Creatures.
"How was Muggle Studies?" she asked them dully.
"Boring, as usual," said Michael.
"Well, now I know for certain you can switch classes," Liz told him. "Guess who switched from Arithmancy into Ancient Runes today."
"Not Winnie Chen," Rachel said immediately and doubtfully. "She wouldn't."
"And yet she did." Liz sighed. "I thought I'd have one class with David and without Winnie, but no. What did I do to deserve this?"
They reached Hagrid's cabin, where most of the class had already gathered, including Winnie. She tossed her hair and gave an evil winning look to Liz. Liz looked away, trying to concentrate on Hagrid's door, willing her power to set Winnie's hair on fire as it had done to Michael's.
Their task for this class period was to feed a Kneazle. Liz was usually very good at Care of Magical Creatures, but today she wasn't ten minutes into the class before the Kneazle dug its claws into her arm, and Chris had to take her into Hagrid's cabin for a bandage.
"You seem to be a bit…preoccupied," said Chris. "Anything going on? Is something wrong?"
"Nothing," Liz said, maybe a little too quickly. They both fell silent while Liz struggled to get the bandage on her right arm using her left hand. Finally Chris took it from her and applied it. Almost immediately, it bled though, so Chris went in the back to get another, better one. Liz followed him.
"Do you really want me to tell you?" she asked finally.
"You don't have to if you don't want to," he answered, fumbling with materials from Hagrid's medicine cabinet.
"But would you actually listen and care?" Liz asked. "Because you asked about it."
"Fine." He sat down at the table. "Tell me."
"Shouldn't I go back to class?" she said.
Chris looked out the window. "Looks like Hagrid's trying to help Patsy Casarez with her kneazle. He'll be outside for a while. Tell me."
So Liz spilled her guts, and told him everything from her encounters with David and Winnie on the train to Winnie's sudden unexpected appearance in Ancient Runes earlier that day. "And he went and asked her, and she knows I like him and that's why she's going after him." She was almost in tears by this time, but she didn't want Chris to see her cry either, so she stared determinedly at the ceiling. Chris stood up and said, "I really don't know what to say. But David is really doing the wrong thing completely. Winnie is a horrible person, and you're not."
Liz sighed and swallowed her tears. "Thanks, Chris. I better get back to class. Rachel and Michael will have noticed by now."
"Wait, Liz. Don't you want your bandage?" Chris said.
"Oh. Right." She let him put it on her arm, and this time it didn't bleed through. "Thanks," she said. "Come on, class is probably over by now."
They headed outside, where Patsy's kneazle had refused to detach from her head. She was running around, wildly smashing most of Hagrid's garden. He was chasing her, yelling for her to calm down so he could pry it off, but she wasn't listening. Liz was able to slip back out unnoticed.
"Where were you for so long?" Michael said.
"Inside," said Liz evasively. "The first bandage bled through so we had to get another one."
Michael nodded and accepted this. Hagrid dismissed the class very soon after, but he forced Patsy to stay so he could get the Kneazle off of her. Chris waved goodbye and helped Hagrid hold Patsy down until the catlike creature finally came off.