Okay so I added another chapter that I forgot so if you haven't read the chapter "Surprise Birthday Present" please do.
"Can anyone tell me the properties of Veritaserum?" Professor Gullin asked, glancing around the classroom. Both Rose and Sal's hands flew into the air. They smiled at each other tentatively, motioning for other to speak. Finally, Rose answered.
I dozed off somewhere between kneezle whiskers and mandrake leaves as Rose went on listing ingredients. It had been two weeks since Sal arrived, two weeks since the death eater eater escaped. Life seemed to continue on as normal. Harry and Hermione had come to visit us the day after my birthday to make sure we were alright.
"Attie, if you feel anything is off, send for us immediately." Hermione told me as we hugged.
In DADA, we were learning about less theoretical magic and more practical magic in case there is an attack. At dinner, I could see the teachers look around carefully, inspecting the castle for anything out of place.
"What are you thinking about?" Amanda whispered to me.
"Nothing much." I whispered back. "Mostly I'm trying not to think."
"I meant to ask you," She said, "What happened at lunch yesterday?"
"Albus thought it would be hilarious to put something in my drink while I wasn't looking. I simply repaid the favor with a particularly nasty charm."
"What did he put in your drink?"
"I'm not sure. Some thing with frog mucus extract I believe, seeing as how I broke out in green patchy rashes." I rolled up my sleeve. "I was able to get most of it off, but there's still a bit left on this arm and my stomach."
"That look horrible." Amanda gasped. She studied it. "What are the black spots?"
"What?" I looked down and in my daydreams, some of my dark mark began to show. "Oh probably just another component of the rash."
"You should probably go to the hospital wing."
"Don't be silly, I have just the thing to fix it. Or I will once I ask Gullin if I could borrow some things from the store cupboard." The bell rang a few minutes later. "I'll catch up with you after next class."
"Professor, I wondered if I might borrow some gillyweed and mandrake root if you have any." He was looking around at some of the students desks, picking up random things they had left behind.
"What on earth do you need those things for?" He asked wandering back to his desk.
"Well, I have a rash."
"You should go see Madam Pomfrey." He said.
"I would but she's still going to need to make a paste to put on it. It's from frog mucus extract so I thought gillyweed and some mandrake mix with a bit of dittany would do. No point in going to the Hospital Wing if I can fix myself."
"Very well then. Do you need any help?"
"No thank you, I'll just get the supplies and then stay here and make it. I'll come back after class and stay for lunch if you don't mind."
"Long as you clean up."
"Yes, Professor."
I headed down to Hagrid's hut for Care of Magical Creatures. All seven of us gathered in the pumpkin grove next to his house. Buckbeak wasn't around, although I could still see some of the others looking for him.
It was a relatively uneventful class. Hagrid didn't have anything new to show us, so we learned about some dragons.
After class was over, Hagrid pulled me aside.
"I've just been talkin' with Charlie Weasley an' he asked me if I had any students who would be in'erested in workin' with 'im over the summer."
Before he could get another word in I shouted, "Of course I would. I can't believe he didn't tell me at Christmas! And I could work with dragons? Tell him that I absolutely want to come. Or I could tell him myself! I'll go send a letter to him." I started to run away as Hagrid swallowed everything I said. He sputtered to say something but I was already gone.
The first person I ran into was Hugo.
I grabbed him by the collar and shook him a little. "Guess what?"
"You want to kill me so you're trying to break my neck?"
I sniffed and released his collar. "No, I'm going to spend the summer with Charlie!"
"Uncle Charlie?"
"Of course, who else?" I gushed. I hoped I would get to hold a baby dragon!
"That should be exciting." Hugo smiled.
"You look so unimpressed, but his is a dream come true. I would have to deal with Albus and I can study dragons!"
"What about Rose? You two usually spend the summer together."
"I have no doubt Rosie will have other company to keep her busy." I laughed.
Hugo gave me a look. "Are you talking about the new boy."
"His name is Sal and they spend a lot of time together. I think he would do something if Rosie wasn't so shy."
"You can't encourage her! She's not allowed to date until she's twenty-five." Hugo said, sounding just like a brother.
"Did you learn that from James?"
"Well, Justin is Head Boy, you can't expect James to approve."
"Rose will probably be Head Girl and Scorpius will probably be Head Boy next year. James needs to get over himself."
"Scorpius doesn't like Sam either."
"Sal." I corrected. "Anyway, I just wanted to tell everyone my news. I'm going to go find someone else to harp on." We parted ways.
I couldn't find anyone else before I had to go back down to the dungeons to make the potion to clear up my skin. I put my hair up as I was walking into the potions room and got a smock and gloves.
The ingredients were laid out on one of the tables along with a cauldron. Once I had prepared the brew, I had to let it sit for 12 hours. I left to go find Rose and Amanda. Some of my excitement had dimmed, as in I was no longer bouncing off the walls, but I was still grinning madly.
I found Amanda in the Great Hall with Freddie, sitting at the Slytherin table. I didn't see Rose at the Gryffindor table, only Albus and a few of his friends.
"Guess what?"
Amanda looked at me. "What?"
"I'm going to work with Charlie Weasley over the summer!"
"Why?" Freddie asked.
"Because he asked and I love dragons. I hope I get to work with baby dragons, they are so cute, and what if I see a Hungarian Horntail!" I squealed. Some people looked at me with funny looks.
"Um, run?" Amanda suggested.
"Dragons are amazing creatures." I told her. "You aunt and uncle rode one." I said to Freddie.
"That was in a time when they were probably going to die anyways."
"Freddie!" Amanda slapped the backside of his head.
"Well, there was an all-powerful dark wizard after them! They're chances were not good."
Amanda rolled her eyes. "You're as bad as James."
"I resent that!" Freddie said indignantly. "I am nothing like that obnoxious, arrogant git."
"No, not alike at all."
"I'm going to go tell everyone else." I said, leaving them to their banter.
I ended up just going back to my room. Jinx was waiting for me on my bed. She purred softly after I scratched behind her ears. It had been a difficult decision choosing a name for her but I eventually decided Jinx suited her playful nature.
The Slytherin common room and dorms had been empty when I arrived so I sat and did some reading. Eventually I went back to the common room and found a couple in the fourth year snogging.
I should have grabbed something for the kitchen but by the time I made my way downstairs the bell rang for class. Well, at least I would see Rose and Scorpius so I could tell them about this summer. I was a bit worried about Rose's reaction seeing as we hadn't spent a summer apart since we met.
"Where were you at lunch?" She asked as we sat down. Amanda sat next to Scorpius and Potter sat with some of his Gryffindor friends.
"I had to do something for potions." I told her. "But anyways, I've got a summer job."
"What?" She raised an eyebrow. I envied her ability to do the cool one-eyebrow thing. "Where?"
"With your Uncle Charlie." I whispered as class began. "It's over the summer. I have to owl Ginny and Harry to make sure it's alright with them, but I can't see why it wouldn't be."
"They might not want you gone for a summer with everything that's happening."
"I can take care of myself and any death eaters that come my way." I said shortly. "Besides, I the main reason they would come after me is because I live with Harry Potter. It might be good for me to get away for a while."
"What am I to do?"
"Scorpius and Amanda will still be around."
"Amanda lives in Scotland."
"She can floo over. And Scorpius will be around." I felt like she was purposely ignoring him.
"He'll be too busy with Jenny."
"I thought I was the one who hated Jenny?"
"She's been getting Scorpius to avoid me and he's just letting it happen. We haven't really spoken in a week." Rose looked down at her hands and I saw Scorpius glance at her while Amanda was talking.
"You were studying together yesterday." I pointed out.
"We barely said two words while we were together. And then Jenny came and I was forced to leave."
"Why did you have to leave?" I hissed.
"Because they started snogging. She practically climbed into his lap." Rose sneered. "I wasn't just going to stay and watch them."
"I would have. If they were going to start snogging in the middle of our study session, I would have stared them down until they felt forced to leave." I growled. Amanda gave me a look from across the classroom.
"We can't all be as obnoxious as you."
"They were the ones snogging in the middle of the library and I'm obnoxious?" I scoffed.
"Ms. Williams, is there something you would like to share with the rest of us?" Professor Bones asked.
The class turned to look at me and Rose blushed.
"Yes, I was wondering if the class would think it appropriate for a person to interrupt a study session between friends so that she could snog with one of them in the middle of the library. Furthermore, not even have the decency to go find a broom closet." I said looking directly at Bones and glancing at Scorpius who was glaring at me.
"Ms. Williams, I would ask you to leave your personal problems outside of my classroom." Professor Bones glared at me. "Unless you want a detention?"
"I don't think I should get a detention. You invited me to share something with the class so I did. I hardly think I should be punished for your resolution in your invitation. Or rather lack of resolution." Rose gasped at my harsh words.
"Detention. Tonight at eight o'clock. Twenty points from Slytherin. And I shall be speaking with the headmistress. Meet me at her office tonight." Bones said and resumed teaching. Scorpius was shaking his head and Albus was trying not to laugh.
"Why did you do that?" Rose growled quietly at me.
"Because he deserved it."
"But Bones didn't deserve your wrath!"
"My wrath?" I laughed silently. "She shouldn't have asked if she couldn't handle the answer." Rose fumed silently. "Sometimes I think you're too pure for me."
"Or is it that I'm not risky enough for you."
"Either." I settled, not wanting to start a fight. "Although I have a feeling I'm going to regret it."
"Scorpius looks furious."
"Well, I hardly care about his feelings, seeing as he has no regard for your's or mine." I stated stubbornly.
"Maybe I'm blowing the whole thing out of proportion." Rose bit her lip nervously.
"Oh no, I've finally got you to come to the dark side, you can't go back to the jedi now."
Rose looked at me and giggled. "You're such a muggle nerd."
"Still, you've finally admitted that your feelings are not always light and pleasant, you cannot go back now."
"Fine."
We finished the rest of class and as we were walking out Scorpius caught up with us.
"I'll see you at dinner." Rose muttered and walked away. Scorpius looked after her looking like he wanted to say something.
"What was the point of that?" Scorpius berated me. "Other than getting a detention."
"To point out what an arse you're being!"
"I have a girlfriend. That doesn't make me an arse." He argued.
"No but ignoring your friends does. And she's horrible to all of us."
"You're intimidating!"
"Me?" I gasped.
"All of you!"
"So it's our fault?"
"Mates, maybe not in the middle of the corridor," Albus suggested and pulled us into an empty classroom.
"Al, tell Attie and Rose that I'm sorry if they feel like I've been ignoring them." Scorpius said.
"Tell Scorpius that he can say sorry to our faces."
"Don't you think you're overreacting a little?" Albus said to me.
I sputtered. "Overreacting?! No, we're not."
"Are you jealous?" Albus smirked.
"What? Me? Jealous of Jackie?"
"Jenny."
"Whatever. I can't believe you're going to let a girl ruin our friendship." I growled at Scorpius.
"I'm not trying to ruin our friendship! It's you and Rose who are letting this get in the way. Look, it's not serious with Jenny, but I like having a girlfriend and I think you guys should get used to not being the only women in my life." Scorpius said firmly.
"Do you hear how arrogant you sound?"
"Do you hear how jealous you sound?"
"You're family!" I screamed. "I don't like you like that!" Scorpius scoffed and walked out.
Albus looked like he was trying not to grin.
"So you approve?"
He shrugged. "I think every bloke needs to have that one fling. I wouldn't spend hours hanging out with her, but she's cute and wants to snog. When you're a seventeen year old boy that's all you care."
"So you would ditch your friends because of girl?"
"He's not ditching you or Rose. He's just not spending every waking hour tending to your needs like he used to." Albus leaned back against a desk, brushing his hair aside. "But you shouldn't take your frustration on poor old Bones." I followed his lead and sat on a desk.
"I know, but-"
"Now you have detention."
"Yes, but at least Scorpius will be thinking about Rose."
"Rose?"
"Yes. She was the one frustrated and I guess I fed off of that." I sighed.
"But do you have a right to do anything? You run off with Justin all the time."
"I actually like Justin, I'm not just using him for a snog." I pointed out.
"He's Head Boy and you just proved that you do not like authority." Albus rolled his eyes.
"I don't like Scorpius." I muttered.
"And you just had to punish Professor Bones for that."
"Maybe."
"I have to get to Muggle Studies." Albus stood up. "What class do you have?"
"Nothing, I'm free for the rest of the day."
"Except for detention." He grinned and ducked out the door as I threw a book at him.
"Stupid Albus Potter." I grumbled.
I found Justin a little while later. "I heard you got a detention." He said immediately.
"It wouldn't be my first one." I muttered.
"I thought we could go for a walk later but I guess that's not happening." He threw his arm around my shoulder. I loved how we fit perfectly together.
"Well, that wouldn't have happened anyways." He raised an eyebrow. "Slytherin has Quidditch practice on Mondays and Thursdays." I reminded him.
"Right. From six to nine."
"Yea."
"Three hours of quidditch practice?"
"Games can go for hours so we have to be in shape."
"I can't imagine sitting on a broom for three hours."
"Which is why you don't play Quidditch." I laughed and he squeezed me close to his side. "I guess I should tell Scorpius that I have to leave practice early for my detention." I said my mood dropping at the mention of Scorpius.
"When is your next game?"
"In two weeks against Ravenclaw." Did he really not know the Quidditch schedule? I thought Head Boy had to be privy to everything happening in the school.
"Isn't that when the Valentine's Day Hogsmeade trip is?"
"Probably." I shrugged. "We'll go into Hogsmeade, come back around lunch for the game and then go back for dinner."
"Assuming that we're going together."
"Of course we are." I looked at him and he smiled down at me.
We talked for another hour until it was dinner time.
Scorpius was at the table with Amanda and Freddie.
"I'll have to leave practice early." I told him as I sat down.
"I know." He said around a mouthful of food. "I remember."
"I can't believe you said that to Bones." Amanda said.
"You all are such goodie goodies." I glared at her.
Freddie coughed. "Except for you." I told him.
"It's fine. I just hope you can understand." Scorpius said. He was trying to use reverse psychology on me.
"I'm less upset than I saw before." I held my chin up, not looking at him. "But I still think you should apologize to Rose. Not for having a girlfriend, but for interrupting a study session to snog with her."
Scorpius opened his mouth but then closed it.
"You could have at least found a closet. It's rude to snog someone in front of another person." I added. Scorpius sighed.
"I'll apologize, alright?" He conceded and proceeded to stand up. He went over to the Gryffindor table where Rose and Albus were sitting.
"James is coming over." Freddie grinned wolfishly.
A second later he sat down next to me and Amanda. Amanda elbowed him as he squeezed between us and made her knock over some food.
"Sorry." James said unapologetically.
"Right." She hissed.
"Why is your hair red?" James asked.
"I had a… disagreement with Scorpius." I told him.
"And now she has a detention." Amanda said.
James looked at me. "What?" I snapped. He held up his hands and leaned back against Amanda. She shoved him off of her.
The banter continued throughout dinner until it was time for Quidditch practice. Scorpius was less upset with me after talking with Rose at dinner. Quidditch practice was grueling as usual and I was happy that I got to leave early, even if it was for a detention.
Ten minutes before eight I was standing in front of the Headmistresses office waiting for someone to let me in. A few minutes later Bones came down and gave me a disapproving look. She nodded to me and I walked up the stairs around the eagle statue.
McGonagall was waiting behind another door. I had been in the Headmistress's office several times before and it was how I remembered. The portraits of past Headmasters hanging on the wall, a short staircase to the side of her desk.
"Ms. Williams." She said stiffly.
"Professor."
"Professor Bones tells me that you were rude and indignant towards her in class."
"I didn't mean for it to be directed at her. I was angry with a friend and sort of took it out on her." I explained. McGonagall sighed softly.
"I trust you understand why you were given a detention."
"Yes, professor."
"Is there something you would like to talk about?" She asked, staring at me with a hard look.
"What do you mean?"
"Are you lashing out because of the recent attacks?"
"By the death eaters?" I clarified. "No… I just," I wasn't sure why I was so angry over something so small.
"Sometimes we must come terms with the past before we can appreciate the present and look to the future." She said wisely.
"I think I'll be okay."
She looked doubtful but said nothing more on the subject. "You will be serving your detention helping Madam Pince shelve books in the library." I nodded in a detached way.
And that's how I spend the rest of my night. I was amazed at how many people checked out books from the library. I never new people other than Rose and Scorpius actually went to the library. James and I always joked about it being a lifeless place that would steal your soul… like Azkaban.
"You are free Ms. Williams." Madam Pince told me four hours later when the clock struck midnight. I headed back to the Slytherin common room half dead.
"Codswallop." I muttered to the wall and I was let in. I collapsed onto my bed when I got to the sixth year girls dormitory. I noticed that Cerise's bed was empty, but didn't think on it any longer.