Author's Note: Thanks to all who reviewed, you made my day! I love hearing from all of you, and I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions on the story. As for Alicia's hair, I had always believed Kaite to be the brunette and Alicia to be the blonde. That's what I'm going to go with, so, I hope you guys don't mind. This is where the book verse comes into play, and I've made an efforts to change the wording a bit, so it's not a lazy rip off of JKR's stuff. Here's the third chapter, Cheers!
Disclaimer: It's all JKR's, the lucky dame!
You're So Tactless
Chapter 3: I Love Rock and Roll, But Not Rocky Beginnings
As we all squeezed into one carriage, (due to our fierce loyalty, and laziness) I felt strangely self-conscious. Me, Oliver and the twins were squashed on one side, while Alicia, Lee, and Angelina were seated comfortably on the other side. I was sitting on top of the boys, with my rear in Oliver's lap, my knees at George's lap, and my feet resting comfortably in Fred's lap.
The ride passed comfortably, until Fred donned a devious smile. Something was up. He looked at me, and then at my feet. He wouldn't dare, would he?
Yeah, he would.
"WEASLEYS!!" I screamed, wriggling and squirming like mad to get out of the Twin's grip.
I almost elbowed Oliver in the ribs quite a few times, until he finally got either so annoyed or so exasperated, that he yanked me away from the Twins, completely into his lap. He face looked oddly strained, and his breathing was a tad shallow. An evil grin passed between Lee and the Twins. Too confused and exhausted from my skirmish, I just sat back in Oliver's lap, and talked with everyone.
As the ride neared its end, and we all shifted a bit to watch the castle loom into view, I noticed that Oliver's breathing was still shallow.
"The sight of the castle leaves me breathless every time too." I told him, grinning a bit.
He stared blankly at me, and continued to breath shallowly, and even let out something close to a whimper when I shifted again, to address Alicia.
"Ready for a grueling bout with prep for O.W.L.'s?" I asked.
"Shouldn't be too hard, I mean, we've pulled through so far." Alicia said.
"Yeah, but these are important. It'll set the standards for what courses we take next." Angelina said earnestly.
We giggled a bit at her impression of Percy Weasley. Fred and George looked hurt.
"What's the matter?" Lee asked.
"We're deeply troubled and wounded. Angie here got to pick on Perce before we did!" Fred said sorrowfully.
"Suck it up boys, you'll have plenty of time to lock him in Moaning Myrtle's stall and the like when classes start." Angelina said sarcastically.
George's eyes widened in boy-like innocence. "Gee Angie, I don't know what you mean." Then a nasty smirk replaced his fake innocence. "But now that you mention it, that sounds like a good idea. Thanks Angelina!"
The ride came to a halt, and we all (quite literally) fell out. I looked up at the great oak doors and smiled. Hogwarts was like my second home. I ran up the steps with Alicia and burst into the Great Hall just moments later. We sighed at the glorious ceiling, the dark, rolling grayness of the sky was illuminated by the thousands of floating candles, casting a silver glow over the room. We sat down next to some seconds years and looked up at the staff table. The Sorting Hat, patched and frayed, was slumped on the familiar stool, looking completely worn out.
"What's Hagrid doing up there?" Alicia hissed.
"I dunno. Who's that guy-" I paused, looking between the unfamiliar man and Professor Snape, "- and why is Snape glowering at him so loathingly?"
"That's Lupin." Lee explained as he sat down on my other side. "Like George said, back in the compartment, he's probably the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Even if Dumbledore is kind, I don't think he'd hire Hagrid to fill the position."
"Also, you know what Snape's like. He's been after the Dark Arts position for ages. He's probably cracked by now." Angelina added dismissively.
"Right," I said, as I watched the Twins and Angelina sit down in front of me, while Oliver sat on the other side of the Twins, chatting animatedly with Percy.
I wonder what's got him so fired up? He usually doesn't talk to Percy....and Percy looks bored....oh wait, I thought, that means it can only be.....
"- So we've got a great lineup this year, that Cup is definitely in the bag-" I heard Oliver said eagerly.
Quidditch. I finished mentally.
"Where's McGonagall?" I heard Ron Weasley ask aloud.
"She's avoiding you bro," Fred said.
"Why?" Ron snapped.
"Because she's ashamed that she spilled your biggest secret to Professor Snape." George continued.
"Which is?" Ron asked jerkily.
"That you are passionately in love with Moaning Myrtle, Eloise Midgen, AND Hermione Granger." they finished together.
Ron sputtered in outrage. "Wh-what?" he yelped.
"Don't worry Ronnikins. We're joking about Myrtle and Midgen." Fred said bracingly.
Ron let out a sigh of relief.
"But we weren't joking about Hermione." George said evilly.
Ron, unable to do anything but let his ears go violently red and shoot his brothers multiple death glares, was forced to flame mercilessly as Snape stalked into prominence, looking extremely put out at having to sort the first years.
Most of the kids jumped and a few screamed when the Sorting Hat began it's song. I snickered along with Lee and Alicia.
"Atwood, Amelia!" Snape barked, glaring murderously at all the tittering first years.
There was complete silence.
"Hmm, oh, what a decision." the Sorting Hat muttered. "Better be, HUFFLEPUFF!"
The respective tables cheered as each trembling eleven-year-old tottered off the stool after their first encounter with a talking Hat, some looking smug, some looking relieved, some looking unfazed, and some looking as if they were scarred for life.
McGonagall strode importantly up to her seat at the staff table, and a murmur ran around the Hall. I watched Harry and Hermione try and make their way to our table as discreetly as possible.
Ron leaned over to Harry, and asked him something in a low voice, and Harry's whispered response was cut off by Dumbledore. My attention snapped to the benign old man addressing the school. The murmur stopped, and a blanket of calm covered the room. You couldn't help but forget all your troubles when you were in the presence of the greatest wizard of the age ( in my opinion, as well as many others ), crooked nose and all.
Dumbledore boomed his welcoming words, and explain that Dementors would be milling around Hogwarts, to ensure our safety.
He paused, and for the first time in my life, a frown creased lines on his face, and he looked -much to my own shock- cross.
He went on, adding that we weren't to mess with the Dementors, and that we'd be under strict guidelines. We weren't to leave the school without permission, and weren't supposed to give the Dementors reasons to harm us.
Fine with me, I thought as I shuddered, remembering the unpleasant encounter on the train.
He applied to the Head Boy and Girl ( and at this, Percy puffed up like a male bird- you know how they do that when they're trying to look significant? His impression is so uncanny.. ) to keep us out of trouble. I let my mind wander a bit, by humming one of my favorite rock tunes in my head.
"Blah, blah, blah," Lee muttered, rolling his eyes at Percy, who caught his action and sent him a very sour look.
"On the lighter side," he said beaming, "I am pleased to introduce two new teachers to our ranks this year."
We all looked at each other, anticipating his introductions.
"First," he said, "Professor Lupin, who has kindly agreed to fulfil the Defense Against the Dark Arts position."
The applause was lukewarm, and Lupin smiled nonetheless. The Gryffindor table clapped the loudest, with an : "I knew it!" roared by George Weasley.
"Our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued, "Well, frankly I'm sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn has retired, so the man to fill his position as the Care of Magical Creatures professor in addition to his game keeping duties is none other than Rubeus Hagrid!"
Again, the Gryffindor table exploded into earsplitting applause, and I could've sworn I heard Ron say : "We should've known, who else would have assigned us a biting book?" as he pounded on the table.
I frowned and looked down at my hand where teeth marks had etched their way all around my wrist. Stupid biting book, I thought.
I was too overwhelmed ( though not quite so much as Hagrid ) with happiness that I soon forgot my bite marks. I whistled and cheered for Hagrid until I was hoarse.
Dumbledore pleaded for silence, and smiled benevolently at us all. "That's everything of importance! Let the feast begin!"
My stomach rumbled, and I sighed in relief as food appeared before me, promising to satiate me.I helped myself to a bit of everything, even the odd looking haggis, which was a special treat. Oliver feasted upon nothing else but the suspicious looking haggis. Even Lee tried some.
"Hey this is great! What's in this stuff Oliver?" Lee inquired, stuffing his face with haggis.
"Don't you know?" Oliver said incredulously, "It's a sheep's stomach stuffed with vegetables!"
He beamed as if it were sane. Lee grimaced as if it was insane.
Then he bolted for the boy's room, looking pretty green around the gills.
"What?" Oliver said, watching Lee sprint away.
"Nothing, Oliver." I grinned, even though I was slightly disturbed about the contents of haggis too.
All too soon, the feast ended, and I trudged up the stairs with Angelina and Alicia. Lee rejoined the Twins as they marched behind us, complaining loudly that he'd never be able to eat again. We burst into mad fits of giggles, and even Lee had the good humor to join in.
We milled around restlessly outside of the Fat Lady's portrait, waiting for someone to show up with the password.
"Coming through!" Percy called from the back of the crowd.
I did a half turned, and was shoved rather rudely into Oliver's unsuspecting arms as Percy brushed by roughly, trying to get to the front.
"The password is Fortuna Major!" he said exasperatedly, as if everyone should have known it.
Oliver looked at Percy with what was unmistakably a vicious glare, that first I'd seen directed at anyone outside of Quidditch.
He fixed a tighter grip around me, and pulled me up to his level awkwardly. He finally let me stand on my own after a joking comment from one of the Weasley's.
"Are you okay?" he asked tentatively.
"Yeah, I'm fine." I replied, climbing through the portrait hole with Oliver right behind me.
As I emerged, I mused to myself, pondering ym own disturbed thoughts.
It's already turning out to be a rocky year, first the Dementors, and now Percy and Oliver...what next?
End Chapter