"Elizabeth!" Draco whined for the fifteenth time this afternoon. I was leaving the library after getting an idea on what to do for my Runes homework, Professor Bathsheda Babbling made everyone write an essay on a certain rune, what it's meaning was, how it can help, and where it can be seen today.
Neville and I sat in the library for hours trying to figure out what rune we wanted to use and whenever we decided we liked a certain one it was, there wasn't much on the subject. I wasn't entirely sure how to write a paper on just one rune, and how it could help the magical world around us, but that's probably because I didn't understand it like Professor Babbling.
In the end I wrote about wealth, I only got the idea after I saw Draco walk in. Neville was still wondering what to write about so I suggested 'chalice' there were a few runes dedicated to it. In no time at all we started working, Malfoy joined our table muttering a hello, I suppose he was expecting me to respond to him. I didn't just so you know.
I did however notice Neville stiffen beside me. Any happy thought sprawling through his skull was gone the moment he saw Draco. Why was Draco even here? He didn't like Neville. What was going through his head. I glance up at Neville, what was going to happen now?
"So…Runes homework?" Neville was just as confused as I was. Quickly the both of us started gathering our books. Using my better judgement, I ignored Draco and face Neville as if he wasn't there.
"I have a little bit on your Rune in my book, want to finish this in the common room later tonight after dinner?" He nodded shaking slightly.
"Y-Yeah, if that's o-okay with you." I gave Neville a small smile.
"Of course, that's fine with me." Checking my watch, I knew I was going to be late. Professor Snape doesn't like anyone late.
"I'll meet up with you later, does your book have anything to do on my rune?" He nodded flipping through the pages, his hands shaking slightly. Draco was getting angrier and more agitated at being ignored the longer he sat there. His right leg started to shake and the grip on his quill was almost breaking at the stem.
"A-a little, we can look over it more later…" he gathered his things and ran to the front of the library to check out his books. I let out a sigh of annoyance, glancing at Draco before gathering my stuff and head to check out my books as well.
"Elizabeth come on you can't keep ignoring me." Draco pestered as we walked, well I walked away he just stalked after my retreating form.
After a while I just couldn't take it anymore.
"What?! What is so important that you have to bother me when I was trying to study?" He paused staring down at me unsure of what to say. He kept opening his mouth and closing it like a fish that I just rolled my eyes and walked away.
"I miss you is all…" I heard him mutter to himself.
"You miss me?! That's it?!" I snapped spinning around again glaring up at him. Damn this height difference.
"What gives you the right to do this to Hagrid! He is a good man and has been through so much, you might as well have ruined everything he's worked for!" I hissed.
"I…"
"Hagrid is my friend! He may seem like someone worthless or pathetic to you but to me he is much more. He is an amazing man who can see a beauty in things that others cant. He is a smart, caring, and wonderful man who would do almost anything to help any of the students here at Hogwarts."
He didn't speak during my outburst, just looked ashamed. He let out a sigh running his fingers through his hair looking away.
"Look, the school sent home a letter to my mother telling her what happened and she blew it all out of proportion. I know Hagrid isn't a bad guy but I have to do what my dad says…" he explained softly.
I gave him a hard stare waiting for him to continue.
"You know how my dad feels about Hogwarts. You know how my dad can be. I have to do as he says or things…" He paused for a moment. "It just isn't good to disobey him. I'd never do anything to hurt you Lizzy, you know that. You know how much I care about you." He stated looking directly at me now.
His gaze locked on mine as I searched for any sort of lies. I didn't find any but that doesn't mean I've forgiven him.
"Just hope nothing happens to Hagrid or I swear to god I will hex you into next year and make you wish you've never met me." I warn, my glare set as I spin on my heel to get to the dungeon. I was late that was for sure.
"Hey Lizzy!" I couldn't stop walking but I did call out a 'what' over my shoulder.
"I really am sorry!" glancing back I nodded knowing he really was.
Making it to the dungeon in a matter of minutes, I quickly walk the halls giving a few nods to the students I passed. "Why's she down here?" A first year Slytherin student asked a fourth year.
"Elizabeth Potter always helps Professor Snape around this time. You get used to seeing her down here." The fourth year said with a shrug. I smile at least not all Slytherin's were bad.
Finally making it to the Potions classroom I found Professor Snape wasn't alone. Chester Black was waiting on one of the stools staring at the floor waiting for something.
"Elizabeth." Chester's straw blond head shot up with a look of shock. His chocolate brown eyes locked onto my green ones and a small smile graced his lips.
"Your late." Professor Snape's voice was not pleased.
"Sorry Professor, it won't happen again." He looked me over before nodding looking over some paperwork as he spoke.
"I must meet with Professor Dumbledore, make sure he completes the tasks on the list. Your job is to make sure he does them and not to help." I was shocked. I had to watch over Chester and not clean? He trusts me to take his place that much.
"Think you can do the task?" I smile brightly up at my favorite professor.
"Yes sir!" he nodded glaring over at Chester.
"I shall return in two hours' time, it better be done by then." I nodded and watched him leave before facing Chester who was staring at me.
"What did you do?" Chester let out a sigh of annoyance, I could already guess it. Fred and George's pranks.
"Took the blame for the twins." I couldn't help chuckling at him. He was a good friend. Walking over to the list of chores I checked them over.
"Well, you have to do what I usually do and a few more. It's really not that much." He nodded and let out a small sigh before looking over the classroom.
"Where is everything?" I point over at the closet closest to the door.
"I would help but Professor Snape was pretty clear that this is your job." He shrugged already getting to work. I worked on my Transfiguration homework, checking on Chester every now and then to make sure he was okay. He finished just as Professor Snape returned.
He made a tsk noise, scrunching his nose in disgust. "I clearly stated to scrub the desks free of grime." Chester forced himself not to make a face.
"Get out of my sight." He growled Chester walked away before Professor Snape could deal out a worse punishment than before.
"I wouldn't expect a son of him to do a job correctly." I made a face. What did Sirius Black do to Professor Snape? Wait…I think I know.
"Did you get your homework finished?" Professor Snape asked looking over at the open book and parchment paper out.
"Almost, the point of the paper is to write your own experiences this Butterfly charm. I'm not sure how I'm going to conjure up butterflies out of nothing but the book says it's mostly concentrating and after you've done it you'll be able to conjure them as often as you want."
Professor Snape nodded looking over the half-written parchment paper. "What are you capable of doing now?"
I held my wand in my right hand, concentrating on a pretty butterfly, I could feel the magic around me, swirling around in light waves then there was a small poof and nothing. Opening my eyes I saw the closest I got to a butterfly turn into a black poof.
I felt my shoulder slump in annoyance. "Not again." I moan annoyed.
"Close, you are getting there but you need more emotion. Try thinking of something that makes you happy? Don't put logic into it." Professor Snape suggested, taking a seat at his desk looking over the book as he spoke.
More emotion? Huh what was a good memory. "Do you think you have one?" I nodded concentrating again. I could feel the magic pool around me, soft waves swirling around my body. Unfortunately, the same thing happened. There as a black poof of smoke.
"What were you thinking?" Professor Snape frowned looking down at me. He had no horrible tone like he would with the others, but a worried tone.
"When I got my Hogwarts letter." He nodded thinking something over. "Well alright, why don't you head back to your common room and finish your homework? I'm sure you'll be able to get it down before your next class." I nodded gathering my supplies and giving a smile at my favorite teacher.
"See you at dinner!" I called before walking out.
I felt so bad that I couldn't get that spell down. It was so annoying. I practiced so hard on it. "Hey Lizzy." I jumped. Chester was waiting for me outside the classroom.
"Ches you scared the crap out of me!" Why did I just say Ches? Eh it's a nice name I guess.
"Ches huh? Didn't think I'd get a nickname from you." I blushed a bright red. "I've gotten one from my mom, the twins, the whole school, but not you. At least your name for me is cute. Fred and George just call me scarecrow."
I didn't know what to say. "What about the school?" I whispered biting my bottom lip.
"Eh, well that's um…that's different." I frown shifting my books in my arms to the side. "Chester…Do you need me to beat them up?" He laughed, a smile on his lips.
"No, it's just this whole Sirius Black thing has really gotten the whole school worked up. I'm being called a traitor and my whole dorm won't trust me to even be in the same room as them. I'm sure you know what I mean, what with last year."
I nodded pulling us to a stop, sitting in one of the large window frames.
"The students here are always waiting for the next big thing of gossip."
We were silent for a while, I wasn't sure what to do. We've actually never been alone together for this long.
"Want to go on a walk?"
Go on a walk? Looking up I saw his desperate stare. I couldn't say no, not to a look like that.
"Yeah, let's go." He nodded taking my hand in his and walking us out of the castle. The weather outside was bright and warm, barely a cloud in the sky. It was one these rare days that almost everyone was outside and enjoying the warmth.
We passed them as soon as we could. Chester wanted nothing more than to escape their cruel stares. "Let's head over to the forest, no one will be around there." I suggested taking the lead closer the forbidden forest.
We stopped a few feet from the trees and took a seat in the shade, as I predicted no one was around. It was the perfect spot to sit and relax, to get away from everything. Chester seemed more at peace with the seclusion.
"I sometimes hate this school…" he muttered aloud. "They're always so judgmental."
I nodded in agreement. "I know…" He met my gaze. "Don't get me wrong, I love magic, I always have. It's just…Everyone here sees me as a threat now." He let out another sigh.
"I don't understand why though, they've known me for five years. Why would they think I'm going to betray them now?" Reaching over I held his hand. He needed to vent. "Have they been bothering you a lot?"
He nodded. "All year so far." I let out a small gasp.
"At first I was alright with it. I didn't think anything bad was going to happen but…" he stopped mid-sentence. A frown on his handsome face.
"But?" I urged him on. We might not have had alone time before but he was my friend.
He held his head not wanting to say much more about it. It must have been bad.
"This has been happening all year?" he nodded. "Are you kidding me?!" I was getting mad. Looking him over I saw through the glamor. He was hiding his wounds with magic. "Why haven't you gone to the hospital wing?"
"What's the point? I'd only be back there the next day." I glare at the ground. Clenching my fists. This can't be happening.
"Who's doing this to you?" I asked glaring at the students peering our way.
Chester was quiet, he wouldn't answer no matter how much I pestered him about it. "We need to tell Professor Dumbledore. He can stop this more than I can. He can help." He shook his head.
"No he won't…Professor Dumbledore is doing all he can to protect the students. He already has more important matters to deal with than one student being bullied." Chester said looking away.
"One student who's getting hurt by his fellow students isn't something to look over lightly. You are more than just a student Chester. You are a human being and you don't deserve this. To hell with the students. If it makes you safe then I'll do what I can to make it happen."
Chester gave a half smile reaching over and taking my hand in his. Our fingers interlocked and I just wanted to help. I needed to help him.
"I know you mean well but it's okay. The best thing you could do for me is just be my friend." He said softly, he was trying to be brave.
He wasn't that smart for a Ravenclaw if he thought I wasn't going to put up a fight.
"Hey, I know that look. I've seen it before you yell at Fred or George. It's okay. Thank you for just letting me rant. I know we aren't as close of friends." My anger diminished for a while. I bump my shoulder with his.
"No problem. I'm here for ya." He smiled leaning over and placing a kiss on my cheek. "You're the best Liz."
"I know it's just one of the many things people love about me." That got him to laugh. We should get ready for dinner, standing up I offered him my hand. His large hand grasped my own and I used most of my strength to pull him to his feet.
"Let's head to dinner. Some good food will make you feel better?" He shrugged standing rather close to my side.
"I feel better already."
"Well good!" The two of us walked closer to the castle and straight to the Great Hall. We were only a little bit early as we took our seats. A second year sat next to Chester and smiled up at him. I watched happily as they began to converse.
"Hey I didn't see you come in after you finished with Snape." Ron said, announcing his arrival. Behind him was Harry and Hermione. But they were in the middle of a conversation. Of what I don't know.
"Ignore them, they've been like that for hours." Ron said with a shrug. Sitting down beside me. I shrugged knowing he was probably right. "So where have you been?"
I told him everything that happened since I was last seen with Neville. Ron didn't interrupt but I did notice his expression darken slightly.
"So Chester, Fred and George's friend, is being bullied for being even related to Black?" I nodded letting out a sigh, I wish I could help him.
"That's not right, if you're going to hurt someone do it because they deserve it not because they have anything to do with Sirius Black." Well I wouldn't put it like that but at least Ron felt the same way. "We gotta do something." He said grasping my hand in his.
"I know but he won't let me tell Professor Dumbledore…" I said with a pout.
Ron thought for a moment or two. The food magically appeared when he spoke again. "You might not be able to tell Dumbledore but what if we told McGonagall? Technically you wouldn't be breaking your word to Chester. He didn't say anything about McGonagall telling Professor Dumbledore. Plus you know how she would put an end to anything bad against a student."
That was brilliant! How couldn't I have thought of that?! It was so plainly simple!
"Ron you're a genius!" I exclaimed. His hand squeezed mine as he looked away.
He was still holding my hand. Should I take it back? I wonder what's going on through that skull of his. Why is he looking at me like that?
I laughed at Ron and saw the confusion on his face. "I'm gonna need my hand back to get food silly." Ron's face reddened ten times as he let go and looked away holding his hand in his lap nervously.
He's weird. Oh well! At least we got a plan to somehow help Chester at least a little bit.
That's it for this one. Sorry if it's not any good I wanted to have Chester as a main character but was having a bit of trouble thinking it up, oh well! Please leave a review I do love getting them!