Chapter 4: Professor Snivvy
"We have potions next so you can just follow me and we'll get there in time. We have it with the Slytherins though, I don't know who you had classes with before."
April winced at the Slytherin name. "Yeah. We had it with Slytherins before too. This should be fun, are they as horrible as they were for us?"
Remus grinned. "Most likely. Who was your potion teacher before?"
"Professor Snape," July answered with a hint of disgust in her voice. "Never did like that class all that much. What's wrong?" Remus had started laughing uncontrollably when July told him who the professor was.
"Snivvy is a professor! That's great, wait until I tell the others." He led them down into the dungeons and stopped at the first doorway. "We go to school with Snape right now, he's the greasy slimy one that sits in the front row every class. Snape… A professor!" He continued laughing right into the class.
April was grinning slyly now. She liked hearing that a lot. "So, you go to school with Severus Snape. This should be fun. Slimy git gave me detention for just being in class in second year." She walked into the classroom and noticed that this wasn't any different than what she was used to. The Gryffindors were seated on one side of the class, and the Slytherins on another.
July walked to the middle of the room where there was a table open for two. "April over here." People were staring at them and it made July uneasy, but she knew April loved being the center of attention and would've felt better if April was sitting there next to her.
April though wanted to make a lasting impression on her new potions teacher, Professor Slughorn. She walked up to the front of the class, knowing people were staring at her back wondering who the new girl was. They'll know soon enough, she thought and continued to the professor. She handed the professor the note. "April Merriwether Professor and may I introduce my twin sister July Merriwether," She motioned behind her to July who went scarlet when everyone turned to stare at her.
Professor Slughorn read the note and looked down his nose at April, then over to July. "I won't waste my time or yours welcoming you home so please take your seat Miss Merriwether so I may continue my class." When April beamed and moved to sit next to her sister the professor stopped her. "Not there Miss Merriwether. I think it would be best for you to sit with someone you don't know. Mr. Roberts move your seat in the vacant one next to the other Miss Merriwether. You," he pointed to April. "May sit in Mr. Roberts seat. Hurry now we don't have all day do we?"
April made a face and went to sit in the now empty seat. At least she was sitting with Gryffindors still. She sat back in her chair, and listened to the professor talk. She didn't take notes because she didn't have any parchment or a quill to write with.
"Hey I have an extra quill and some parchment if you need it." April looked over from the board into the face of Brian Connelly. He had brown hair that brushed his shirt collar and a very cute face that April took note of. He handed her some of the stuff.
"Thanks, I don't have anything with me today."
"Don't worry about it, Brian Connelly." He shot her a quick smile when Professor Sinestra told him to stop talking.
April smiled back. "April Merriwether." She slid the quill and parchment over to her.
"Don't worry about Slughorn, the worst he'll ever do is yell at you." He shrugged indifferently. April laughed which earned her a glare from the Professor after mentioning that by the end of the week she would get a detention out of the teacher.
"I won't worry, trust me. I'm used to detentions so I'm good at letting teacher's yells go right over my head. But seeing as it's my first day I think I'll stay on his good side for this one class."
Brian grinned. "Not possible but good luck trying." He took a quick look around the room and nudged April. "Want to know who everyone is so you fit in a bit better?"
April smiled. "Sure that would probably help."
"Ok well in the row behind us there's Lily Evans and Melinda Forester, both Gryffindors. Now James Potter supposedly has dibs on Lily but she'd never go out with him. What's funny?" He noticed she was laughing lightly.
"Nothing, sorry. That's just so ironic."
Brian grinned and didn't press, taking it as an inside joke. "Okay well Melinda's really nice and you'll probably get along with her all right but she's very girly girl if you know what I mean."
"She'd get along with July better than me though, I'm definitely a quidditch player."
"That's cool, so am I. I'm a beater on the team, back to that after though. Ok now behind Lily and Melinda is your sister and Devin Roberts. Devin's a good kid but he can't get a little loud at times and may get your sister in trouble, but like I said, she won't get detention in this class."
"July's usually a goody-goody but she likes getting into trouble every once and awhile too so they'll probably get along fine."
"It's always helpful to get along with your potions partner." He looked behind him again. "Okay over there across from your sister's table is James Potter and Sirius Black. James is the Gryffindor quidditch team Captain, and a chaser. Sirius plays as a beater along with me. They're both the big troubles makers in school. Their best friends with Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew who are sitting at the table in front of theirs."
April nodded, looking behind her quickly too before smiling to Brian. "I've met them already. They call themselves the Marauders right? They're a bit annoying though," she added thoughtfully. "Anyway, who's next?"
Brian laughed lightly and continued. "Well across from us are Kevin Michaels and Brianna Knight. I think you'd get along rather well with her. She's the Keeper on the team so she likes sports too. In front of them are Ashley Johnson and Cady MacKade. They're a bit snobbier than everyone else so you may have a problem being the new girls."
April snorted. "I can deal fine with snobby girls. On occasion, I can be one myself. And July takes care of herself well enough, she's good at sticking up for herself." She smiled and gestured to the two in front of her. "And who're they?"
"That's Ryan Stone and Heather Wyndam. They're dating so they sit together like that in every class. Ryan's not really anything special just your average kid. Same with Heather, but they're both cool and easy to get along with." He finished by sitting back in his chair and grinning to April. "That's it for sixth year Gryffindors. Think you can remember everyone?"
"Just as easy as I can talk like I am now," April scoffed and the two laughed, going back to their notes. April looked back once and waved a little to July who seemed to be doing well on her own. She was currently laughing at James who was trying to get Lily to pay attention to him.
Sirius was glaring the entire class though. When April and Brian laughed together again he jammed James in the ribs.
"Bloody Christ Padfoot what was that for?"
"Look at them," Sirius stated and nodded in the direction of the two. "Laughing like they're best friends. She doesn't even know him!"
"Well she is sitting next to him and therefore they would be talking wouldn't they?"
"Yes."
"Then drop it Sirius, the girl's got to meet new people right?"
"Yes but why does she have to meet that new people?" He knew he was acting stupid but the sight of them sickened him. When the Professor signaled the end of the class, Sirius stood up along with everyone else and got his things together. Remus got him into a conversation on something and suddenly Sirius was roaring with laughter and clutching his stomach.
"Don't mess around with me like that Moony!" Students who still hadn't left the room were simply staring at him. The ones who had stopped in the hallway and peeked back into the room to see what was so funny.
April hadn't left the classroom yet and blinked when Sirius burst out into laughter. Brian, who was still there too, shook his head but had a small grin on his face. "Never will understand that lot. Come on its lunchtime. You can sit with us if you want." He smiled when April accepted the invitation and he cupped her elbow in his hand, guiding her out and engaging her in a conversation on Britain's Quidditch standings the 1970s. So far, it didn't seem much different.
In the Great Hall, July was talking with Melinda Forester. She was getting along with her fine and so far everyone else seemed nice too.
"It's been awhile huh July?" Melinda said grinning a bit while she picked out some food for lunch. "We were friends in our first year. I can remember being so sad when you and April just disappeared. It's great to have you back though."
July smiled. "Thanks, the only problem is neither of us remember anything from that first year here. It's pretty strange, like someone use a memory charm on us and gave us a new life."
"Yes that is pretty strange, but you're holding up okay right? We have Herbology next, but don't ask me what we're doing. All I know is that the second years messed up the mandrake transplants yesterday afternoon so we might have to fix it. We have all of our classes with Slytherin just so you know."
July frowned. "I hated that lesson, I didn't see the point in giving the little brat plants more screaming room. As for having every class with the Slytherins that's not what I'm used to. We usually had Herbology with the Hufflepuffs." Melinda shrugged at that and July dug into her breakfast just as the Marauders entered the Great Hall.
James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter all walked into the Great Hall together. James sat down next to July; Sirius next to him. Remus sat down across from James and Peter next to him. It was how they sat at lunch everyday of the week and weekend. James smirked at the two girls. "How're you holding up July? I know it's hard coming back from the future and all."
Remus grinned. "Leave her be James." He looked at July. "Ignore him, he was born with a brain defect that doesn't allow him to show any manners."
"No need to reassure me, I can see that fine for myself," July laughed lightly. "Oh there's April, about time she's never usually this late for lunch."
April had just walked into the Great Hall laughing with Brian and a couple of his friends. The group sat down a couple seats from where July and the Marauders were. April took a seat next to Brian and started shoveling food on her plate.
July grinned. "That's just like April. Be late for lunch and make up for it by piling more food than she'd normally eat onto her plate."
James was staring at April open-mouthed. "How can she eat that much and stay so small?"
"High metabolism, and being half Veela neither of us can get overly heavy without dying first." She laughed when James gave her a jealous look. "Luck of the genes, nothing I can do about it."
Remus grinned to James. "Now he'll be looking to ask April what her real secret is because he's too stuck up to admit to not being able to match her overly high metabolism."
Sirius wasn't laughing or smiling though. His eyes were all for April and Brian, who at that exact moment, was reaching over April with a fork to grab one of her watermelon pieces from her fruit bowl. It made his skin crawl to know he couldn't do anything about it without causing a lot of gossip in the school. He decided he'd wait until later to talk with her and warn her about people like Brian Connelly in Hogwarts. After all, it would only be the nice thing to do.
Herbology was probably the most boring subject Hogwarts had to offer in many opinions. But of course, many students took it because it wasn't that hard. Once they got into their fifth year at Hogwarts, they could keep or drop certain subjects. July had kept the class because she didn't mind learning about different magical plants and what they could do. April had kept the class as a schedule-filler.
Sirius caught her at the greenhouse entrance, just as he had planned. "Hey April, how's it going?"
April raised an eyebrow. "I don't think I really want to talk to you quite yet. Do you always just pop up when you're not wanted?"
Sirius didn't take offense to it as many would, instead, he laughed. "Just like my presence was unwanted when you were falling fifty feet in the air from a broom?" He raised an eyebrow when she glared at him. "Yes that's right, no thanks necessary and save the applause."
"What do you want Sirius?" She couldn't help but grin a little. He was completely unbelievable.
He knew what he wanted to do but he wasn't about to share that. "Why, I want to be your Herbology partner." He said it so cheerfully April laughed.
"Sorry but I can't. July's usually my partner and I wouldn't want to let her down."
Sirius shook his finger at her. "Oh but I do believe Remus has partnered up with her. Right over there, see?" He inwardly thanked Remus for doing the unspoken favor. "Yep, and it looks like everyone else is already partnered up, so I guess we're stuck together."
"Fine, but I'm still mad at you."
"Whatever you say vixen." He walked over to a table and stared at her while she walked over and sat next to him.
"What now?" April asked exasperated. This was going to be a long class.
Sirius shrugged. "Nothing, just wondering how you're making out so far."
"It's been fine, why wouldn't it be? I'm good at getting along with people, no need for you to worry yourself. Everyone's been really nice."
"Like Brian Connelly?" Sirius asked, keeping the sound of his voice uninterested.
April smiled. "Yes Brian. He's been very helpful with everything so far. He's introduced me to everyone and hasn't badgered me about what's been going on the past couple years."
"Except for the fact that he's been flirting with you all day," Sirius scoffed. April raised an eyebrow and leaned against the worktable.
"He has, has he? Well I don't think so, he was just being friendly."
"Yeah, friendly. He takes your hand-"
"Elbow! And why were you watching?"
"Whatever, he takes your elbow and leads you from class, while pretending to be interested in whatever you two were talking about while he squirms his way into life and in the end, gets what he wants! He's been like since first year, but then you were smarter."
April crossed her arms over her chest. "First of all, I'm really getting sick of you butting into my business! I'm sick of you period actually." She was getting angry now. He was making her sound like some idiot who couldn't control her own life. Well how wrong he was. "And what in bloody hell do you mean, I was smarter before?"
Sirius shrugged. "I mean, in first year when Brian tried to make a move on you, you dumped your cereal bowl over his head and stalked off without saying a word to anyone."
"So because I don't dump cereal on people's heads I'm dumber than I was before? That makes a lot of sense."
"No. Before you knew how to handle yourself when a guy was hitting on you and now you don't even know the difference."
"Well maybe that's because for the past two years I had been perfectly content with Shane! But that's over now isn't it?"
"So we're back on the Shane subject now? Okay well, let's do it this way April. Brian is just another Shane and you'd be doing yourself no favor by going out with him."
"What are you talking about? I never even mentioned going out with Brian, I said he was being nice to me! I wouldn't go out with him, because I don't even know him. And you're a jerk if you think I'd go out with the first guy that talks to me."
Sirius couldn't help but smirk. "That would be me Vix."
"Oh go to hell." She looked back to their work and class droned on.
July on the other hand was having a pleasant class with Remus as her partner. They worked well together and talked about July's life at Hogwarts before she had come back. The two also laughed over the intense argument between Sirius and April. They didn't need to hear them to know they were fighting; their glares told the whole story.
"How long do you think before those two get together?" Remus asked with a small grin on his face.
July laughed. "I give it a week, but it could be a bit longer."
"Yeah about that, if Sirius doesn't annoy the bloody hell out of her first. She'll go out with him just to shut him up."
"Or, it could be longer if April knocks him out and he's in the hospital wing for the whole week."
"Yes, I think you may be right July. You haven't been here a full day yet but I can already tell that you very well be right."
"Of course I'm right. I live with her don't I?"
"Yes," Remus smiled. "But I live with Sirius during the school year, so I could be right too."
July frowned. "I'm right."
"Whatever you say," He replied, and the two went back to their studies.
The invisible bells signaled the end of Herbology class and April rushed out ahead of everyone. She didn't want that Sirius kid coming out and talking to her anymore.
"Hey Vix, how's it going. Great Herbology class today huh?"
April rolled her eyes heavenward. "If you say so." She continued on her way, brushing past Sirius and onto the grounds. Supposedly, she had a free block this period; or that's what Remus had told her. She found herself walking towards the edge of the Forbidden Forest, she didn't know why though. She wasn't afraid of the woods, just made a note to stay away from them. She always had for as long as she could, but could never pinpoint a reason.
The next thing April knew, she was lying on the ground. Sirius was kneeling next to her, in the process of pulling her into his lap, when she woke. He seemed awkward, as if he didn't really know what he was doing. He was speaking, but there was a ringing in her ears that prevented her from hearing him correctly.
She opened her eyes slowly, the ringing dying down. She felt a pounding headache starting and she groaned softly. "What happened?"
Sirius almost jumped. One minute he was being a smart-ass, following her, and the next minute she'd stopped walking. He'd stopped also, sensing something wasn't right. Then very abruptly she'd paled and fainted. Now less than two minutes later she was awake again. His own reaction almost shocked him, as if he really cared. He'd run over and had tried to wake her up, told her to wake up. He'd told her she'd be okay. It was weird; she'd only been here for a day after all. Now he was aggravated with himself.
"Sirius?" April asked. The ringing had stopped and her vision was cleared as quickly as it had come. "Hey, what's the matter?"
"Nothing, just don't move." He looked up and noticed Remus and July running over. James who he'd last seen blocking Lily's exit from class, was behind them. "Your sister's coming so just don't move and wait a minute."
July had been at the greenhouse door when she'd seen April fall a short distance away. She'd seen Sirius run the few steps there'd been between them and kneel down next to her sister. July had panicked and taken off at a run, leaving behind Remus, who she'd been talking to. He'd followed her after yelling for James to come too. She reached her sister's side and looked her over with alarmed eyes.
"What happened, Apes? You just fell, I saw from the greenhouse…" Her twin's frightened tone almost made April grin. July seemed more worried than she about her blackout.
"I don't know… I was walking towards the forest and the next thing I knew I was laying on the ground." She shivered involuntarily when she glanced at the forest. Now she knew why she never went near there: she fainted!
"Well, we should probably bring you to the Hospital Wing," Remus put in. But he looked disturbed by the idea. He winced when James glowered at him.
April was shaking her head before he finished his sentence. "No, I'm fine. Really. No Madam Pomfrey, I'm all set with that. I feel okay now… I'm not dizzy anymore… I really don't even know why I blacked out in the first place. I'm just going to go inside now."
As April started off, July tagged along and walked beside her. "Hey, what happened back there?"
"I wasn't lying Jules," April replied dryly. "I really don't know what happened."
"Oh. Well I figured since you, I mean we, don't really know anyone here you wouldn't tell other people." She shrugged. "When did you black out?"
"When I was about fifty or so feet from the edge of the forest I guess. I've never fainted before! And it came out of nowhere," she made wide gestures with her hands. People were staring as the twins walked into the school's entrance hall. The vast vestibule was the main entrance and different doors led to the staircases or Great Hall, the trophy room or the headmaster's office. The twin's chose the Great Hall as their destination and started in there.
James's gaze followed the twins over and into the school. He turned to Remus and Sirius and shrugged. "Bit odd, eh? What's got you, Padfoot?" James asked Sirius, looking at him dubiously.
Sirius was still frowning into space. Why not a girl he already knew? Why the one who just happened to show up out of nowhere? "Nothing. Let's get something to eat before Transfiguration." With that, he started towards the school, James and Remus exchanging questioning looks before following him.