Chapter 4: Back in D-hall

"Miss Potter, you haven't listened to a word I've said this entire class. I suggest that you find your head before tomorrow's test."

Wow, Professor Delacour was good! I had lasted longer today than usual but I hadn't made it much past 'good afternoon class' before zoning out.

"Sorry Professor," I replied trying to smile politely.

"Don't let it happen again," Professor Delacour sighed but she was smiling.

"If you were anyone else then she would have blown a gasket," Lauran commented as we walked out of the class after the bell rang.

"What's that test on tomorrow?" I asked guiltily, okay you caught me, I wasn't guilty at all.

"It's on turning a teacup into a box and back," Spencer informed me, "Mine still looks round, doesn't it?" He held out a box that resembled a melted teacup.

"Not at all," I replied sarcastically, "You want some help with that?"

"Mr. Wood clearly needs some help, but you will not be the one to help him. You, Miss Potter, will be serving Detention tonight from 5:00 till, well, till you finish your task I suppose," Professor Sever gave me a nasty grin before walking off.

"Wait, Professor!" I called, but it was too late, he was long gone, "Why do I have Detention?"

"I don't know, but we you had better get going, it's already 4:50," Lauran remarked, turning away from Celeste and Colby who were engaging in some PDA.

"Oh, snap!" I sputtered hiking up my robes and sprinting down the hallway towards the Entrance Hall.

"Oh look, it's my Detention buddy, Miss Riley Potter! What are you in for? I heard the Gryffindor Quidditch team trashed the Slytherin locker rooms. Way to go!" Olivia Johnson greeted me enthusiastically.

"When was this rumored to have taken place?" I asked curiously.

"I didn't think it was your style. They say you did it sometime last night, I suspect that's why you have Detention, since your team Captain and everything." Olivia shrugged.

"Hmm," I replied thoughtfully, "Who would trash the Slytherin locker room?"

"Almost any non-Slytherin in the school," Olivia replied honestly.

"You're right there," I laughed.

"Well, I'm sure you all know why you are here," Professor Sever said in a monotone voice, "Yes, Miss Potter?"

"I put my hand down, "Sorry to contradict you sir, but why the Hell am I here?"

"Miss Potter, you will serve an extra Detention for your cheek. I will take you all up into the North Tower, yes that is the one that hasn't been used since the death of Professor Dumbledore, and you will clean the whole tower, top to bottom. That is I will take everyone except Miss Potter, who will be going with Professor Longbottom and cleaning the Slyterin locker room, by hand."

My jaw dropped and I watched dumbly as the entire Detention class filed off to get cleaning.

"Miss Potter, if you'll come with me," Professor Longbottom turned and led the way down to the Quidditch Pitch and into the Slytherin locker room. It was absolutely disgusting in there.

"Eww, what's that?" I asked, not really wanting to know the answer.

"I'm afraid that I do not know, nor would I much like to find out," Professor Longbottom informed me quietly.

"Professor we didn't-"

"I know, Miss Potter. This locker room has not been cleaned as long as I have been Headmaster at this school. You are not here because of that, no you are far from being in trouble.

"Miss Potter, I want to start your training. You and I both know the Prophesy concerning you and your sister, Lily. We also both know that she did not, in fact, get kidnapped by Moresby. You, and a few other extremely talented students, are to be trained in order to capture your sister.

"You will not meet these students just yet but you do know every single one of them. Your first task is simple; clean this locker room up, there appears to be something living in the trash piles. Good luck." Professor Longbottom turned and left the room.

I waved my wand once and surveyed my work. The locker Room was sparkling clean. Thankfully anything that had been living in the room had been disposed of along with the hordes of trash piled in the corners. I left the Slytherin locker room and went into the Gryffindor locker room on the other side of the Pitch. It was nice and tidy. I surveyed the room and noticed an envelope on my desk in the Captain's office. Curious, I unlocked the door, and opened the envelope. It read:

Congrats, Miss Potter, on successfully completing your first task. You will meet with another student on Wednesday in the Library's section on Vampires. This student will be wearing an orange wristband and have further instructions on what to do. Good luck, Professor Neville Longbottom

P.S. please wear enclosed wristband from now on. Thank you!

I pulled out an orange wristband and slipped in over my hand. It fit perfectly. I left my office, locked the door and walked up to the school for dinner. I slid into a seat next to Logan and Spencer.

"I thought you had Detention," Lauran commented.

"Nope, Professor Sever was wrong," I replied honestly, "Hey tell the rest of the team we've got practice tonight, will you?"

Lauran got up and started to pass the word around to the various Quidditch team members. I ate my dinner praying that Spencer wouldn't notice the orange wristband.

"When did you get that?" Spencer asked the inevitable.

"Hermione sent it in the mail; ancient French wizards believed the color orange would ward off zombies or something like that," I lied without missing a beat. Hermione was always sending me crazy things like that.

"That's interesting," Spencer replied with a tone very much suggesting that he felt otherwise. I thanked God that he had lost interest.

"Yeah, it is, isn't it?" Logan commented looking at me wonderingly.


AN/ So there's Chapter 4 YAY! Okay have fun reviewing! Oh and in case you were wondering cause you didn't know, PDA stands for Public Displays of Affection.

Love From,

MotherCrumpet