The next two days went pretty normal. Lucien learned the Wand-Extinguishing Charm, Nox and played with both the wand lighting and the wand extinguishing charms until he was in Flying class for the first day. He learned how to mount a broom in class. He could not help but notice most of the time in Flying Class, Merula was looking at him. When he catches her looking at him she quickly turns her head the other way. It was strange enough that they had that awkward moment together but she was acting weird. Could she still be thinking about the thing he said to her about her eyes? Who knows he never got a chance to talk to her. Not like she would let him anyway.

The second day he walked out of his dormitory as the Ravenclaw Prefect Chester approached him with a disappointed look. "Please tell me you did not lose Ravenclaw another twenty House Points, Lucien," he asked, hoping it was not true.

"I'll find a way to get our House Points back," Lucien replied as he noticed his expression changing to a frown.

"You had better. Everyone in Ravenclaw is suffering for your poor decisions. You're ruining any chance we have of winning the House Cup."

"And what can I do to make it better?" Lucien asked as he was starting to get irritated by his own Prefect.

"Go to class. Focus on your schoolwork. Do everything in your power to earn more House points. And I know this is very difficult for you, but please, stay out of trouble," Chester answered as his frown faded. Lucien on the other hand he just had enough of this.

"Well maybe you should stop slacking and start helping, it's getting annoying that I'm the only one who has been doing all the work! And trouble always finds me whenever I try not to get into one!" He snapped as he noticed Chester's eyes widened in shock. Quickly taking a deep breath he calms down. "I'm sorry, I'm just really stressed at the moment. I didn't mean to snap at you..."

"It's alright, Lucien. I understand what you are going through, and you're right," Chester's response caught Lucien off guard. "You have been putting out more of the work than all of us. But I want you to at least do better than try alright? You have Potions Class and Charms Class today. Just get to your classes on time, and earn some House Points."

Hearing this from his prefect, it did not really help him at all. Lucien just shakes his head and grabs his stuff before leaving for Charms and Potions class.

As he enters Charms Class Flitwick calls to Lucien. "Mr Crow will you come here for a moment? Curious, Lucien approaches the Charms professor. "You are excused from today's lesson, Mr Crow." Flitwick said as he had a stoic expression.

"Excused? Why?" Lucien asked as he was confused.

"Today's spell is the Knockback Jinx. It is sometimes used in duelling, and can be incredibly painful to its victims," Flitwick answered as Lucien remembers it was the same EXACT spell that Merula used on him before and during his duel. "Given your history, I think it's best to not teach you another duelling spell at this time."

Lucien wanted to protest but with his rotten luck at the moment he knew the Charms teacher was right, letting out a sigh he nodded. "You're right, Professor. I can't manage to stay out of trouble no matter how hard I try. I'm just trying to focus on my studies," he said as he looks at the Professor who nodded in return.

"Your humility and self-awareness lead me to believe that you may have learned from your mistake, Mr Crow. Please take your seat," Flitwick responded as Lucien walked and sat down at his seat like he was asked as Flitwick began his lecture.

"Today we will be learning the Knockback Jinx- An excellent spell for pushing things out of the way!" Flitwick announced. "Let's begin…" Everyone immediately started to take notes. "To properly cast Flipendo, you perform your wand movements perfectly. Nevertheless, casting this spell is dangerous. I have prepared a lecture on proper safety." Everyone continues taking notes as Flitwick explains the safeties of Flipendo before asking a question. "Now, I have a question for you. Let's see if you know the answer...What kind of spell is Flipendo?" Immediately Luicen raised his hand. "Ah, Mr Crow!"

"The kind of spell is a jinx, Professor." Lucien answers and despite being excused from the lesson. Flitwick had a smile on his face.

"Correct!" Flitwick said as he continued with his lesson. "The angle of your Flipendo jinx is adjustable. Come look."

A few students including Lucien got up and gathered around the Charms Professor as he demonstrated the different angles before Flitwick tells them to go back to their seats so he can demonstrate on how to perform the stance to cast the spell.

"You must stand addressing your target properly when casting Flipendo." Flitwick said as he got in the stance. "Who thinks they can demonstrate this stance? Flitwick points to Lucien. "Lucien Crow! Come join me in the aisle, please?"

Lucien nodded and walked down to the aisle to demonstrate the stance. Once he demonstrated the stance Flitwick smiles again. "Very good, Mr Crow!" he said as Lucien took a seat as Flitwick told them to review the spell before casting the spell.

Once Lucien was done he got up to cast the spell on the test dummy. "It's time to cast Flipendo. Here it goes!" He muttered to himself. "Flipendo!" he casted the spell onto the dummy which knocked it back. Amazed, he went back to his seat as everyone else casted the spell one at a time.

After minutes of watching the rest of the class cast Flipendo, Professor Flitwick went back to a stoic expression. "Good work everyone! Be careful when casting this spell, or you could be the one who gets knocked back!" he announces before dismissing class.

"Nice work, Lucien!" Rowan said with a smile. "Someday, they'll write a book about your expertise in Charms, and I will read that book so many times, the pages will disintegrate. In the meantime, Flipendo will help us escape the locked room if we have to."

"And it will help us defend ourselves if there is anything dangerous inside," Lucien responded as he had that determined look in his eyes. "We just need to keep working on our plan..."

Heading to Potions Class, Lucien was filled with dread and awkwardness, because he had to deal with Snape since he gave him an unfair punishment. And he still could not get over that moment he had with Merula. That might go for the same with Merula as well. Seems he will only find out once he arrives in the potions class.

Arriving at the Potions class, Lucien sighs and hesitantly walks over to Snape who notices him walking up to him. "What is it now, Crow?" Snape asked in his usual monotone.

"I just wanted to apologise again for duelling on school grounds, Professor Snape," he answered as he looked up at him, noticing his expression was still the same.

"The only thing I care less about than you, is your apology, Crow. Sit down," Snape retorts as he is unphased by his apology as Lucien goes to his seat.

"So much for trying…" He muttered to himself as he noticed Merula looking at him for a split second before turning her attention towards Snape. Seems like he was right, Merula was still not over what happened last night.

Merula suddenly turns around to look at him. "Have you told anyone about what Snape and Filch said in the corridor?" She asked him, her violet eyes filled with curiosity.

Does it really matter if he tells her the truth or not? For some reason it would not really make a difference anyway. "Yes, I told Rowan," Lucien answered honestly, which Merula's eyes widened with surprise.

"You are such an idiot..! Did you also tell him about the-" Merula cuts herself off as her widened eyes were now in fear while she slightly blushes. "Y-You know..!" Lucien blushed as well as the moment instantly popped in his mind as he immediately shook his head.

"N-No, I told him about the vaults but NOT that part." Lucien answered, as Merula sighed in relief as both of their blushes faded.

"Good, thankfully your little friend is useless, and won't ruin my chances of getting inside that room," she said as her surprised expression fades.

"And why are you after the Cursed Vaults?" He asked, now curious about Merula's reason.

"It's none of your business," she answered with a slightly serious expression.

"It IS my business because my brother was searching for the Cursed Vaults," he retorted, he was starting to get irritated with Merula since she was being really difficult.

"And he failed because you come from a family of failures." she replied as her signature wicked smile came across her face. "Now shut up, and pretend to study before Snape hears us talking about the vaults."

Lucien could feel one of his hands cracking into a fist as he shifted his attention to Snape beginning his lecture before his voice was replaced with a sudden beep inside his ears.

"Today we will create a potent Herbicide. Do not let one drop find its way to the Greenhouses. Watch closely." Snape said before slightly pulling up his sleeves.

"Snyde." Lucien addressed as Merula was about to get up.

"Shh! I said shut up and pretend to study," she whispered as her attention was focused on Snape.

"Call my family failures again and I'll send your remains to Azkaban as a gift to your parents." His cold tone made Merula turn around with anger in her eyes.

"Maybe I'll just finish you right n-" Merula then cuts herself off again as she sees Lucien was smiling. It was the same dark and sinister smile he gave her back in the Courtyard. The anger in her eyes quickly changed into eyes of fear once again. She quickly turns her head forward and joins the other students in taking notes that Snape was still doing his lecture without a word.

Lucien blinked as his smile faded before he became confused and scared about what just happened and joined the students in taking notes while rubbing his head. 'What was that just now?! Why did I say something like that?!' He thought as he listened to Snape's lecture.

"One mistake brewing Herbicide Potion could have lasting consequences. Stay focused!" Snape said as the students focused on their notes for a while before going back to their seats as Snape announced the next part of the lesson. "For today's lesson, you will need to crush Lionfish Spines with a mortar and pestle. Get to work."

After minutes of gathering the spines, Lucien walks up to the table. "Everything is ready. Now to crush these Lionfish Spines." He mutters to himself as he starts to crush the spines.

As he finishes he walks back to his own table and awaits Snape's next instructions. "Add your ingredients along with the Flobberworm Mucus like seeds in the soil. But...Don't touch the soil." Snape instructed as carefully grabbed his ingredients.

"I just need to add ingredients to my Herbicide Potion." Lucien mutters to himself once again as he gently adds the ingredients into the potion as his cauldron bubbles up from the ingredients mixing into the potion.

"Even a task so simple as stirring a cauldron requires perfect technique." Snape said as he instructed the next task. "I will observe your attempt." Snape started walking around the entire classroom observing every student stirring their potions.

Lucien stirs his cauldron, he is hoping he is doing it right. He looks around and notices Snape is not correcting him on his potion. Either Snape wants him to fail or he is actually doing it right.

As he finishes stirring the potion, Snape announces one more instruction as he continues to walk around his classroom. "Finish your potions quickly. I will not tolerate laziness."

Lucien stares at his potion with excitement in his eyes. He feels like his Herbicide Potion is going to be the best and he just has to finish it. With a flick of his wand he casts it on his potion and it is finished. He glances at Merula who was stirring her potion as she was focused on making her potion perfect. Every time he sees her, she was the only thing he could think about at the moment ever since the duel between them and what happened last night. What was it about her that made him so curious about her? And her eyes, he could not stop looking at them. Like he was looking into the night sky from them. But from the looks of them something seems to be bothering her lately. What was it that her eyes were hiding? Was it the unannounced threat he said to her that is making her bothered? He would ask her but he remains quiet. If he tried talking to her she would probably get angry at him. He really wished things were different between them. He then noticed she stopped stirring the potion at least five times.

She had satisfaction in her eyes as she looked at her potion. Something did not seem right to him as he looked at his notes and from what it said it was supposed to be stirred seven times. Without thinking he turns his attention towards her. "You should stir it two more times," Lucien quietly and calmly suggested as he wanted to help correct her mistake without thinking about the consequences. Snape clearly stated to do it seven times, he does not know what will happen if the potion was only stirred five times and he did not want to find out.

"Excuse me?" Merula asked as she turned her attention to him with an aggressive expression which made him gulp a little.

"Professor Snape said to stir the potion seven times, clockwise. You only stirred it five times," he said as he feels like he probably will regret his decision.

"You don't know what you're talking about," she replied. The look of hatred building in her eyes made him feel uneasy. Lucien felt like there was something wrong with her and she was upset about something. What was it?!

Lucien noticed Snape was approaching the table almost sending chills down his spine. "Shockingly, in this solitary instance, Crow is correct," Snape commented. "Even a reckless, incompetent fool like you can become a middling wizard by following instructions, Crow. Ten points to Ravenclaw."

"Thank you, Professor Snape," Lucien replied with a smile as this was the first time Snape praised him for something. He was also happy that he got back half the points that he lost.

"Dismissed." Snape said as he walked away. Lucien noticed a surprised look in his eyes as when he noticed the flaw in Merula's potion. It was refreshing to Lucien, honestly.

Lucien's eyes glanced at Merula this time, she was still there, staring at him. Her eyes were still full of deep hatred, but he could also sense a bit of fear and confusion hiding in her eyes as well. She looked like she wanted to say something. Like every single thing she was thinking and feeling at the moment. He was confused yet scared at the same time. Hesitantly he begins to say something. "What is-'' And before he could finish his sentence, she grabbed her things and stormed out of the classroom without saying anything. He blinked as he sat in the room dumbstruck for a moment, before he grabbed his things and headed out of the classroom.