Chapter Nine

Lessons seemed to drag on for the next couple of days as students were keen for the Christmas break. Potions was rather difficult again for Lucy and Myrtle (and they didn't have Eileen's help this time). The two girls were currently trying to make 'Forgetfulness Potion' currently along with the rest of the class. Their books were opened on the desk besides the cauldrons. Slughorn peering over Eileen and Tom's cauldrons as always, his two favourite students in this class. Though Malfoy, Nott and Avery were a close third, fourth and fifth. Abraxas cleared his throat as his potion turned orange, meaning it was complete.

"Well done, boy. Twenty points to Slytherin!" Slughorn announced with a grin. Looking at his cauldron suddenly.

This just made Myrtle scoff as she was even more determined to do it now. As she muttered something about being a Ravenclaw. Lucy was taking her time and was highly focused on doing everything the instructions said precisely. She could hear some angry and rushed sounding rustling besides her. As Myrtle was trying to speed up the progress. Though during her suddenness, the potion began to bubble and it wouldn't stop as it seeped over the cauldron's top and dripped onto the floor.

"No!" Myrtle shouted out of nowhere; watching as her potion spilled onto the ground drip by drip.

Slughorn wandering over to see what she had done. As he got out his wand to clear it up. Some of the Slytherin students smirking as they could see the mess she had made. Lucy was now hunched up with her shoes on the chair to avoid them getting soggy.

"I thought Ravenclaws were suppose to be smart" Abraxas spoke softly.

"Well you try living in the muggle world for eleven years and then try and make these complicated potions!" Myrtle snapped at him.

"They have instructions, do they not?" Avery asked in a false innocent sounding tone.

"It's a shame they don't have instructions to shut your mouths forever!" Myrtle then hissed.

Lucy putting her head down to avoid getting involved. Slughorn just watching this in slight amusement before hushing them. He looked towards Myrtle and said something which made her even more irate...

"Ten points to be taken from Ravenclaw" Slughorn announced suddenly.

"How dare you! Always defending your favourites. They spoke to me first, Sir! You heard them!" Myrtle yelled.

This however made Slughorn change his expression. Myrtle cowered slightly and she suddenly regretted her outburst. He looked angry, it wasn't natural for him to look angry. He walked back towards the tables and leaned in further so he was on eye to eye contact with Myrtle. He took ten more points from Ravenclaw and issued her a late-night detention for that night. He returned to his desk and sat down, slightly bothered about being called out for having favourites.

...

A small crowd of first-year and second-year students were gathered in the courtyard during the afternoon break. The wizarding game 'Gobstones' was seen being played on the ground. A popular game among wizarding children, the muggle-borns were being taught how to play it by their peers currently. Albus Dumbledore was seen sitting down on one of the courtyard's panels. Those there had put their name down for the 'Gobstones Hogwarts Team'. Eileen Prince putting her name down was a slight surprise for those there. Though she was very good they would soon learn and it would be difficult to beat her. Lucy and Myrtle were stood nearby, wondering whether they should try it or not. Olive Hornby's sudden appearance made the girl shake her head. She wasn't going to come to a club where she was, not ever; so she excused herself to avoid being in her company. There was a few older students as well but not many as most students past second-year would stop playing in favour of quidditch.

"I wish I could play" Argus spoke as he appeared besides Lucy with a mop and bucket.

"Can't you?" Lucy asked him with a sigh.

"No. I tried to play it at home with my brother but he stopped playing with me because it didn't really work. So we ended up just playing some muggle game called marbles"

"Oh...Myrtle doesn't want to play either because of Olive. I don't see there's much point if none of my friends are joining"

"Don't not join on my account. Besides, I couldn't join even if I could play it because I'm not a student. Go on, you're the only first-year Hufflepuff this year...Charity Burbage would be very happy if you did"

"How do you know?"

"Because...I'm allowed in the staff room, aren't I?"

"Oh yes. Well as she's my head of house, I suppose I better do it" Lucy finally relented.

Walking towards the 'Gobstone Hogwarts Team' and put her name down in it. She looked at some of the other names on there, Eileen Prince, Olive Hornby and Orford Umbridge were among the many names on there. She put her name down at last, maybe it would be fun she thought. There was some tittering laughter behind her as Albus Dumbledore suddenly sat across from Eileen Prince and began to play himself as if he was a child again. Lucy turning around to watch as the two of them began to play together. The Slytherin students sat down to watch with smiles, they all seemed much more relaxed when they didn't have Tom Riddle whispering in their ear. He of cause wanted no part of such "trivialities" and wouldn't join in any of these sorts of things at the school.

"Come on Lucy...Let's see what you can do" a fifth-year Ravenclaw boy spoke behind Lucy, urging her to play with him.

A lot of the older students were here to urge the younger students to play. At least that's what they told their peers. In reality, they hadn't lost the enjoyment of the game and were happy to carry on by choice. Lucy sat down across from him nervously as she suddenly realized she doesn't know how to play. It was a bit like marbles according to Argus so she had to work on that. Charity Burbage herself was seen as she stood besides Argus.

"You told her then?" Charity asked him with a smile.

"Yes. I told her to join because you would be happy to see it, Professor"

"Oh good...Thank you Argus, you're a true gem. I think Lucy needs a bit of encouragement. I have to keep an eye on her...she's too nice for her own good"

"Yes she is" Argus meekly agreed.

Charity was the grandmother of the future 'Miss Charity Burbage' of the same name who would follow in her grandmother's footsteps and teach muggle studies in the decades to come. This Mrs Charity Burbage was a young woman in her twenties who had mousy brown hair, she managed to get it on the curriculum by saying it would lessen muggle-baiting and thus lessen work for the ministry (the last part made them pass it).

...

It was the final weekend before the trips back home. Students had to put their names down if they were staying at Hogwarts during Christmas. Some of those who lived in orphanages like Tom Riddle put their names down. There was quite a few seventh-year students who wanted to stay so they could cram in last-minute studies (also the fact they knew they couldn't do this again). The only other students who stayed were those who came from abusive homes or very poor homes (and thus stayed so their parents wouldn't have an extra mouth to feed). The odd student remained behind if their parents were abroad or busy. Overall however, only a dozen or so would remain as always. Lucy was very excited to see her muggle family again, it's been months. She waved Argus over as she sat in the great hall, having her evening meal. He walked over when he saw her and sat besides her, taking the chance to eat some of the feast himself. The Hufflepuff students looking on in slight disgust.

"Are you and your brother going home?" Lucy asked him, ignoring the stares she and Argus were getting.

"Yes. We are going home, Archibald is looking forward to bragging to father about his quidditch achievements"

"What achievements, Argus? He only got past me because your father brought him a Comet 180. Archibald's broomstick would be the one bragging if it could talk" a Hufflepuff fourth-year boy interrupted.

"Keep telling yourself that...My brother is brilliant" Argus argued.

Making some of the students smirk. Nobody would quite call him that. Archibald himself was staring over from the Ravenclaw table as he overheard his name being spoken. This slight argument caused another "person" to intervene. Peeves floated over to the Hufflepuff table...

"Ooh...are you Hufflepuffs accepting squibs at your table now? What a Hufflepuff thing to do" Peeves said, hovering over the table.

"No we are not" Ruth Fisk replied in annoyance.

"Your Slytherin father would be ashamed, Fisk...Very ashamed" Peeves continued in his usual mocking voice.

"Go away, Peeves. Go and annoy the Bloody Baron...Once my father hears what you have been say-"

"Can't hear you! Can't hear you!" Peeves shouted; suddenly disappearing into the wall.

Ruth shaking her head as she still had her eyes fixated where Peeves once was. Argus looked frozen to the spot, he disliked Peeves so much. He would always mock him on his night patrols, mentioning how his squib status whenever he could. He could almost hear him again.

"What a silly little squibby boy...Trying to be like his big wizard brother but is only left with the mops and buckets"

The worse was when he saw him trying to fly his mop like a broomstick. Peeves had a little song about the "squib who tried to fly a mop" which he would sing every couple of nights. Argus took one last bit of the feast before leaving the table as he could sense him being unwelcome. Lucy telling him she would see him later but she got no response.

"Silly squib" that same fourth-year boy from before was heard muttering under his breath.

...

TBC