Digging out Phoenicis
Chapter Four – Herbology
Disclaimer: I own nothing except for original characters.
Summary: Jessica Bolts is in her sixth year at wizarding school when she is suddenly transferred to Hogwarts at the request of Dumbledore. Her life will be completely different as she meets new people and possibley finds love.
Five minutes later Harry, Ron, Hermione and Jessica were making their way down the front steps of the castle and towards the school green houses. Jessica saw Phoenicis walking with the same group of boys that she had seen him with earlier, heading towards the green houses. She smiled to herself and continued walking.
"So what have you been studying in Herbology?" asked Jessica.
"We have just started learning about Puffer Pods." Said Ron looking crestfallen, "Last week one of the pods erupted on my hand causing boils. It was horrible."
Jessica laughed. "Weren't you wearing your dragon skin gloves Ron?"
"I was, but they belonged to my older brother Charlie, and are covered in holes. When the pod erupted the puss just oozed through the holes."
"Oh no." said Jessica looking shocked.
Phoenicis and his mates were just entering green house three, when Harry, Ron, Hermione and Jessica reached it. Phoenicis saw them and held the door open. Harry, Ron and Hermione walked straight through. Jessica walked through, muttered a quick "Thank you" and continued over to the tray of dirt behind the others. Professor Sprout was standing at the front of the green house classroom. She waved her arms in the air to get the attention of her class. Jessica saw Phoenicis who was standing at a tray behind hers look up at Professor Sprout.
"Good morning class, today we will be continuing our work on the Puffer Pods. We still need to collect more of the puss for Madam Pomforey. Three people per tray please."
"Oh," Jessica knew that Harry, Ron and Hermione would want to work together as a group.
"Here you work with Ron and Harry and I will work with another group." Offered Hermione.
"No no its fine, you three work together, it will do me good to meet more people."
"If you're sure." Said Harry
"Yes it's fine." Said Jessica. Walking around the greenhouse she saw that many of the students had already formed groups and had started working on their Puffer Pods.
"Can't you find a group dearie?" Professor Sprout asked as she checked on the working students.
"No." said Jessica; a voice spoke behind her…"She can work with me Professor." Jessica turned to see Phoenicis looking at them from his tray.
"Excellent," said Professor Sprout "Miss Bolts this is Mr Diggory one of my leading students. He will tell you what to do." Jessica smiled at Diggory and walked over to the tray.
"Hi I'm Phoenicis Diggory."
"Jessica Bolts."
"Oh, you're the new girl are you?"
"Yeah."
"I heard Padma Patil talking this morning about a new student, but I wasn't sure if she was just saying that so she could talk to my friends." He said with a smile.
"Oh ok," said Jessica laughing, "No it's true, I was transferred here from my other school. So what is it that we are doing with these Puffer Pods?"
"Madam Pomfery, that's our school nurse, dilutes the puss that we gather and uses it as a treatment for acne. It is quite simple, you just squeeze the boils that are on the plant and then catch the puss in the vials.
Getting her dragon hide gloves out of her bag and putting them on, her and Phoenicis turned to their Puffer Pod and began working.
Ten minutes before the lesson finished Professor Sprout, who had been walking around checking on the students, asked the students to bring up the vials that they had filled. Hermione, Ron and Harry had eight vials of the petrol smelling puff, while Jessica and Phoenicis had a total of twelve vials.
"Well done Phoenicis and Jessica, I'm delighted at the amount of puss that you have both collected; take 10 points each for your houses."
Grinning, Phoenicis gave Jessica a high-five. "Nice work."
"You too." Replied Jessica, also smiling.
The bell sounded from up at the castle. The class started to file out of the greenhouse with Jessica and Phoenicis being the last people to leave.
Walking side-by-side the two walked slowly up the slopping grounds towards the castle. "I'm glad you moved here," he said looking sideways at her.
"Why is that?" she asked looking at him.
"Because now I have a little competition in Herbology," he said laughing.
"A little competition?" Jessica said shoving him in the side.
Stumbling a few paces and laughing Phoenicis shoved Jessica back causing her to fall over.
"Oh I'm sorry… are you alright?" he said looking down at Jessica who was flat on her back.
"Yes… I'm fine," she replied laughing, "Well don't just stand there, aren't you going to help me up?"
"Oh here." he said offering her his hand.
Standing up Jessica picked up her bag and the two of them continued up the hill after their classmates.
Hermione was standing on the stairs just outside the oak front doors waiting for Jessica. She smiled to her self as she watched the figure of Jessica fall on her back as Phoenicis shoved her.
Jessica saw Hermione on the stairs as she and Phoenicis reached the castle, "Hey, I have to go my friends are waiting for me."
"Oh…ok well I guess I will see you later then." He smiled at her as she hurried forward up the stair s to meet Hermione.
Jessica and Hermione walked along the Gryffindor table looking for Harry and Ron who had entered before them. Spotting Ron's red hair, Hermione directed Jessica over to them. Ron had already started on the roast chicken that they were having for lunch. Harry had obviously waited for them because the food on his plate was untouched. Hermione and Jessica sat down opposite the boys and started to fill their plates with food.
"Hey ni'ce oork in Hewolgie" Ron said as he piled more food into his mouth.
"I'm sorry I have no idea what you said after hey." Said Jessica laughing hard.
Swallowing his food Ron repeated the sentence, "I said, nice work in Herbology."
"Oh, well thank you, I've never done the subject of Herbology before. At my old school the green houses were closed down years before I went there."
Jessica noticed that Harry had still not touched his food. "Harry, are you alright?"
"What? Oh yeah I'm fine." He said looking at her.
"You haven't touched your food and it looks like you have something on your mind." Jessica said looking into his green eyes.
"No I'm fine really." And with that he stared eating.
A few minutes later Hermione leaded over and whispered into Jessica's ear, "So I see you met Phoenicis."
"Yes I did, I mean what a coincidence, we were only talking about him and then I get partnered with him." Said Jessica smiling.
"I think he likes you." Whispered Hermione,
"Hermione! Why would he like me, we only just met."
"Well ever since his brother was killed, he has become more shy, more dedicated to his studies. And when it comes to girls, well I have never seen him with any girl ever! I think he is a bit shy."
"He didn't seem shy in class."
"See that's what I'm talking about! He likes you!" at this stage her voice had raised from a whisper to almost a yell.
"Who likes her?" Said Ron startled,
"What, oh" Hermione had realised what she had done, "Nobody Ron."
"No who? You said that somebody likes Jessica,"
"Hermione," Harry had joined the conversation now, Jessica felt her checks burn with embarrassment, "You realise that Jessica has only been here a day, just because she beat you in Herbology today does not give yo the right to yell at her."
Hermione turned on Harry and began talking to him in a you-don't-know-what-you're-talking-about voice. It was here that Jessica tuned out and continued eating her lunch. She glanced over at the Hufflepuff table and looked up and down the table until she saw him. He was sitting on her left with the same group of male friends that she had seen him with at breakfast.
One of the guys whispered in his ear and he looked up from his lunch and laughed. It was here that their eyes connected, Jessica's eyed were fixated on his eyes, he waved at her and she returned it with a smile. The guy that had whispered in Phoenicis' ear followed his friend's gaze and saw Jessica. Quickly she looked away, after a few moments she glanced back to see the friend taunt Phoenicis, who just smiled and looked at his empty plate. Jessica realised that Hermione had finished arguing with Harry, and had now moved onto Ron,
"Oh Ronald, do you really have to eat so much food at once, it isn't going anywhere, take your time."
"Why, it isn't bothering anyone but you." He complained back. The bell signalled for the beginning of afternoon lessons, Hermione stormed off; apparently Ron's eating habits just rubbed her the wrong way. Ron had also hurried off leaving Jessica alone with Harry.
"I'm sorry about Hermione and Ron arguing." He said apologetically as they rose from their seats.
"That is totally ok, I understand."
"Well we have potions next
"Oh good, who is the professor?"
"Professor Slughorn," said Harry
"Is he a good professor?"
"I don't really know, he is new this year and we have only had a couple of lessons with him. I actually wasn't going to continue with Potions this year."
"Why not?"
"Well I only got an Exceeds Expectations in my OWLS and with Professor Snap that wasn't high enough, but now that Professor Slughorn is teaching Potions I am allowed to continue it. Ron was the same."
"Well that is good to hear, so what do you want to do when you graduate from Hogwarts?"
"I really want to be an Aura," said Harry "I thought that I might not be able to because of Potions, but now it seems possible again."
They had reached the Entrance Hall and Jessica headed towards the Marble Staircase. Grabbing her hand, "Not that way, we are headed for the dungeons." Jessica looked around at him then down at their hands. Realising what he had done he quickly let her hand go. There was a very awkward silence, but Jessica broke it after a few moments when she said, "So we are down in the dungeons fore Potions?"
"Oh yes, damn we are going to be late, quick follow me!" and with that they headed at a run down the stairs on their right.