Not Potter and the Stupid Stone
Chapter 4
Laura
"Ugh, I'm sorry, Draco." I said, apologetically.
"Why would I care about what she said?" Draco sneered, "Mistreatment is what all blood traitors deserve. Speaking of," He said, suddenly realizing who he was talking to, "I should get away from you." He said, quickly turning and leaving the room.
Are you kidding me? Is everyone at this school out of their mind?
I decided to just forget the whole interaction and go to study hall, which was in the library. When I arrived, I took a seat next to Noel, who took no time in attacking me.
"Come to your senses?"
"On what?" I asked, sighing
"Fraternizing with that Malfoy boy." She rolled her eyes, "he's a load of trouble, quite frankly."
"And" I questioned, curious why she was talking to me, "why is that? We're not even friends; why would you care what I do?"
"The whole family's cruel, and honestly, I do not believe in nature verses nurture." She replied, "it's in his blood."
"And what makes your blood so different?" I continued, "the three of us all are Pureblooded, although, according to what you said this morning, I'm not worthy."
She scoffed, "guess you are not falling asleep then. Because I have no pity to give."
"I don't need to sleep, and besides, you were the one catching Z's all last class."
"Was not!" She protested, looking around the class, to make sure no one had heard, before poking her wand at me, "one more word." She threatened.
"Now who has bad blood?" I replied, coolly, aiming to do as much damage with my words as possible. I just didn't realize how well it would work, since, as soon as the words had escaped my lips, her face, as well as her wand, fell.
"You're right," she bit back, "we're not friends." And despite the combative quality of her voice, I couldn't help but think there was something sad behind the statement.
Just then a thin, vulture-like women stepped out from behind the large library desk.
"Attention class," she called. "This is one of the largest study halls we have here at Hogwarts with students from first, second, third, fourth, and fifth year, so I expect complete order." She paused here for a moment to clear her throat, "For you younger students, my name is Madame Prince, and I am the librarian here at Hogwarts. In study Hall you will be expected to work on written homework, all spell practice is strictly prohibited. You have access to the entire library, except, of course, the restricted section. I will know if you attempt to leave the library and I will give you detention if you choose to do so." After this speech, she sat down at her desk. Despite the fact that was reading a book, I was still under the impression that she had always at least one eye on us
Noel stiffly shoved her arm between our papers, to act as a sort of wall, and set her eyes decidedly on her parchment. How had I managed to misjudge so many people in one day?
Noel
I made sure that I had my stuff ready, so that when the bell rang, I could just leave. And leave I did, bobbing and weaving through students, not even paying attention to where I was going, just trying to make sure no one was following me.
I had just paused to catch my breath when, who should happen to drop a quill but Malfoy. I watched from a distance, while the passageway emptied and Malfoy scurried about the floor, trying to find the quill, which has lodged itself in a suit of armor. I stepped toward the suit, plucking the quill out of it. I held it, proudly, in the air.
"Looking for something, Malfoy?"
He turned, "give it to me, traitor."
"I do not think I will," I replied, "at least not until you apologize."
"You know I am only treating you the way I am supposed to, I can see it in your eyes."
"I am the first-born daughter of the Avery bloodline, no matter my sorting I, deserve to be treated as such."
He snatched his quill back, "I'm sure that's what mummy wrote in her letter," he paused waiting for a response and when none came, he continued, "They did send a letter, didn't they?"
"Yes," I replied stiffly.
He furrowed his brow in confusion, "They supported you, wait no. You didn't read it yet."
"Well... I... I mean..." I thought back to the emerald green envelope that I had found sitting on my bed when I had gone up there to get my potions book after lunch.
"You didn't! You know I'm right and you're too scared to read their letter." He laughed, giddy with his discovery. "Where is it, eh Avery, where'd you hide it."
"I did not hide anything," I insisted, "It is simply in my bag."
"Is it really." He remarked before making a dive for my satchel. "Sure you won't mind if I take a look then."
I grabbed tightly to the bag with both hands, not daring to reach for my wand, which was situated in the side pocket. He too held on, knowing it would be the first to let go to win this battle.
"Noel?" a voice called out from behind us. Draco whipped around to see who it was, and I took advantage of his moment of weakness to aim a solid kick at his shin. He released my bag upon impact of the kick, allowing me to grab my wand.
"Idestpropagio!" I aimed the spell at his chest, where it could most easily spread throughout his body. When the spell hit, he squealed a little before kneeling over in pain, clutching his chest on the ground.
I then turned around to see who it was who had called my name. Standing there, stiff as boards, were Ron and Harry. "Well?" I said, bidding them to move.
"That was," Harry began.
"Bloody brilliant!" Ron finished. "Could you teach us that sometime."
Harry stared at Draco, in pain on the floor before agreeing, "I would love to see that happen to Dudley. What spell did you use?"
As Harry and Ron were questioning me, another figure slunk out from the corridor behind them. Professor Snape, I recognized him from my brother's descriptions, a large hooked nose, long, greasy hair, and pitch-black robes. I could not get in trouble for using magic in the halls.
"What are you talking about," I laughed, nervously, "I just kicked him." The penalty for fighting in the halls is much less harsh than that of using magic.
Ron shook his head, "Why do you have to be so rude all the time, we saw you hex the git."
"Yeah," Draco moaned, the spell finally wearing off.
It was then that Snape chase to announce his presence to everyone else.
His voice took on a slow drawing manor, "What is this I hear of Magic in the halls."
"It was terrible professor," Draco moaned, "I was just trying to get my quill back."
"You were trying to steal her bag!" Harry injected.
"Silence Potter," Snape snapped before turning to me, "Ms. Avery, how disappointing, especially after your brother has been such a model student. Although I suppose your sorting made it clear how different you two are. How very shameful." He shook his head sadly despite the fact that a small smile was playing on his lips, "twenty points from Gryffindor for dueling in the hallway. Come along Draco" And with that he swished away.
Malfoy stopped to sneer at me before following Snape, "My father will hear about this," he proclaimed.
Harry shook his head, "Sorry about that, you could have gotten away if we hadn't held you up."
I looked at Harry a bit oddly before making up my mind, it was becoming more and more evident that I was no longer welcome in the "pureblood circle", plus it's not like Harry and Ron were muggle-borns. "It's fine," I sighed, "Malfoy probably would have snitched on me anyhow." I was going to leave my statement there before I remembered something. "Oh, and Ron? I'm sorry for what I said about your family," as I said it, I could hear Draco's screechy voice in my ear, "no one deserves to be called a blood traitor.
He looked at me a minute before smiling, "You're not as bad as I thought, want to sit with us at lunch?"
Maybe being in Gryffindor wasn't so bad after all, "yes," I replied, "Race you there?"
Laura
Over Hermione's shoulder, I watched Noel look at me before moving off down the table with Ron and Harry.
"I'm surprised Noel's talking to them, she seemed more than a little stuck up last night." Hermione commented, leafing through a small pocket-sized book.
"She's the worst." I said, stiffly.
Still studying, she replied, "I thought she didn't mind talking to you."
"Well she's been rude to me all day. First snapping at me in the morning, then this ridiculous fight after she fell asleep. I tried so hard to be nice to her. I can't believe Harry and Ron are giving her a chance. All the blood purists at this school make me sick." I snapped.
Hermione put down her book, nodding in agreement, "You should have herd Malfoy talking on the train. He made remarks about Ron's family that were even worse than the ones Noel made. Stuff like them, 'having more children than they could afford.' And then he said something to Harry along the lines of, 'some wizarding families are better than others.'" She sighed, "it's obvious he was trying to make Harry think Ron was unworthy of friendship, or something along those lines. Everything he said seems truly disgusting, if you ask me."
"He was worse than Noel?" I questioned, "The things Noel said were some of the rudest remarks I've ever heard in my life. To say someone's not worthy of blood status... Well it's downright Death Eater propaganda!"
"Death Eater?" Hermione questioned.
I slapped my head, "Oh, right! You're a muggle born. Well, you know of He-who-must-not-be-named, right?" She nodded her head in confirmation, "Well Death Eaters is the name he gave his followers."
"Oh, I thought it would be something more complicated than that. Although I'm quite surprised that fact isn't in A Most Relevant Magical History of the Modern Ages." She looked towards her book as she said the title, "Or perhaps I missed it. Do you mind? I'm going to go back to my reading."
"I don't mind," I sighed before peering curiously at the cover of her book, which just so happened to be, Most Relevant Magical History of the Modern Ages.
Noel
As Harry, Ron, and I approached Gryffindor table, panting from our race there, I hesitated for a moment. If I sat down with them now, I would be admitting that I truly was a Gryffindor. I looked up for a moment and caught Javier's eye from across the hall. Our conversation from this morning ran through my mind, "And don't come crying back to me for help." I guess I need to find someone to help me now, heaven knows Pansy was too blood centered, and Bell and Daphne were much too closely tied to Pansy. These idiot boys could be my only chance.
I sat down.
"I guess we've found out who the school bully is," Harry said, a bit glumly, staring down at his food. He really appeared to be a bit distracted, maybe thinking about someone else he's met whose like Malfoy.
"Why did it have to be him, though? If the school bully was a Ravenclaw, I'd be much happier, but of course it's a slippery snake." Ron grunted in agreement.
"Oh, I don't know if we could really call him a bully." I commented.
Ron smirked, "Seeing as you are the most experienced bully here, I guess I'll take your word for it."
I let his insult roll off me before continuing, I guess it was going to take more than one apology for me to be completely forgiven, "I just think a bully should be much more intimidating, Draco was helpless until Snape came along and you herd what he said at the end, "My father will hear about this!"
"You're right," Harry replied looking a bit more cheerful, "I bet he's not bad at all alone. Too bad he usually has those two goons."
"Who?" I questioned.
"Crabbe and Goyle," Ron responded, rolling his eyes, "Weird they weren't with him earlier."
"I bet they were too excited for lunch to stay behind and help his royal majesty," Harry quirked, causing us all to laugh. It felt good to laugh. Mother considered laughing unladylike. I think breaking mother's rules might just be a good decision, after all.
The rest of lunch continued at an exciting pace, with Ron and I explaining different thing and how they worked in the wizarding world. Ron's explanations were often accompanied by some ridiculously funny story, the result of one of his many chaotic siblings, that would leave us all curled over in laughter.It was during one of these laughing spouts that I spotted Laura down the table looking quite glum,I really should apologize to her.
I was moving to get up from the table when Harry exclaimed, "Hey what's going on?"
I turned around to see the food fanishing from the tables, I guess lunch is over.
"Come on," Ron moaning, staring forlornly at the pile of chips that was now half-vanished from his plate.
"I guess lunch is over," I mumbled turning around only to discover Laura already missing from the great hall. Did she run out or something?
"What now?" Ron questioned, still clearly distressed over his missing chips.
"Now we go back to the common room, it's our free period," I could speak to Laura in Study Hall.
We spent the free period getting woefully demolished by Ron who was, apparently, a chess genius.
When the bell rang, I nearly ran down to the library to search for Laura. However, I didn't get very far before Madame Prince told me off for being disruptive and ordered me to take a seat and stay there for the rest of the period.
As the bell rang, I caught a glimpse of Laura whisking out of the library, but was not quick enough to catch up with them. So, Harry, Ron, and I trooped down to the potion's classroom somewhat unwillingly, not looking forward to seeing Snape again. As we opened the door, however, we were met by laughter. Little to our surprise, it was Malfoy at the front of the classroom, right under the professor's nose, entertaining a large group of Slytherins.
"Are you kidding me?" I whined
Ron groaned, "Fred and George warned me about this, Snape always favors the Slytherins."
"Of course, he does," Harry sighed before leading the others to a desk towards the back of the room.
Moments later, Laura and Hermione walked in, discussing the comparisons of muggle objects and magic. How had they gotten here after us?
"This is going to be a nightmare." Harry said.
"I can see what you mean," Ron agreed as we looked around the classroom.
Suddenly, we realized that everyone else was silent and the greasy potions master was looming over us.
"I guess some people just think they're above the rest of the class." He paused, examining who it was he was talking to. His eyes lit up with a menacing glint, as he sneered, "Mr. Potter, our new celebrity. How honored we all are to be in your presence."
He then proceeded to peg Harry with a series of questions that could have tripped up any first year, except perhaps Hermione, who seemed to be doing a sort of ethnic dance, poking and waving her hand in the air. He concluded his interview with Harry and greedily eyed the rest of the class, looking for his next victim.
"Five points from Gryffindor. Fame clearly isn't everything, now is it, Potter." He glared. "Now for the rest of you, there will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion-making. However, for those select few… Who possess, the predisposition… I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death. That is if you're not as big a bunch of dunderheads, as I usually get."
He smiled at the end. Pleased with the perfect execution of his speech.
"I know you will fail, but perhaps it will be fun to see you struggle to make a simple cure for boils." He smirked as he flicked his wand, making the recipe appear on the board.
The rest of the class was complete torment, Snape insisted on blaming everything on Harry. Even when Neville melted a cauldron, it was somehow Harry's fault. And through the whole thing, the Slytherins were laughing heartily, egged on by their leader, none other than the infamous Malfoy. He spent the whole class making faces behind his hand and whispering nasty comments mimicking Snape about how, "fame isn't everything".
As soon as the class was over, I moved to comfort Harry. "My brother once told me that Snape chooses someone in each class to bully, someone he thinks will be an easy target. Too bad for him, you're not."
Harry smiled a bit sheepishly as Ron clapped him on the back, and confirmed, "That's right you're not."
