The Weighing of the Wands
Monday morning, the Gryffindor and Slytherin fourth years headed from Hagrid's cabin to the Great Lake. Hagrid and Sirius figured that it only made sense to use the Hogwarts grounds for at least one challenge, so Siria needed to be familiar with the Great Lake and the Forbidden Forest. "Go on in." Hagrid told them. The students looked around at each other in complete disbelief. There was was frost on the ground.
Siria squeezed her eyes shut and reminded herself that Madam Pomfrey could cure the cold with a single potion. She sat on the edge of the Lake and began rolling up her robes. Hermione and Ron followed suit. "I can't believe this," Ron grumbled through the corner of his mouth.
"Madam Pomfrey can cure almost anything," Hermione whispered back.
Other Gryffindor students started the same process and the Slytherin students started after Daphne Greengrass stepped in. Her face was flat as stepped into the chilling waters. "What?" She asked them. "Worried you'll drown in the shallows?" Daphne smirked to Pansy Parkinson and her friends.
Knee deep in the chilling Lake, Siria snuck her wand out and pointed it at the water below her. She wove her wand in spiral and whispered "Calor Aquae!" A rush of warmth shot into the water and rippled out. Hermione elbowed Siria, who smirked in reply. "What?" She whispered.
"One of these days, you're going to get in trouble." Hermione hissed.
"Come off it Hermione." Ron shrugged and loosened up. "I finally don't feel like the lake'll give me frostbite."
Hagrid reviewed Grindylows, the water demons; merfolk, which chose to label themselves as Beasts to avoid the association with vampires; the giant squid, though all the students knew about that; and the variety of fish that lived in the Great Lake, some of which grew comfortable enough with the students to swim around them.
Near the end of the lesson, as students were climbing out, Siria gasped. Something long and slimy wrapped around her leg. She grabbed onto the back of Ron's robes. He pulled on Siria's arms while she pulled at the vine with one hand and used her other to hold onto Ron. "Neville!" Hermione called and waved. Neville, who had gotten his socks and shoes back on, leapt into the water and rushed to Siria. "Oh, no! Don't pull it, tickle it," Neville told her. Ron and Siria exchanged a look of "What?"
"Tickle?" They asked, but the slimy, almost clear vines had loosened their grip in a wave of bubbles.
"It's just, Cachinnant Algarum." Neville explained, "Giggle Kelp." He added. The vines waved back and forth, sending out bubbles, before poking over the surface of the water. It looked like someone had made a ball of clear spaghetti, smelt like rotten fish, and seemed to be purring bubbles as Neville continued to tickle it. "After Professor Moody gave me that book on Mediterranean plants, Professor Sprout opened her personally collection to me." Neville told them.
The Giggle Kelp followed Neville to the edge of the Lake, where they helped each other out. Siria used the steaming spell, Aer Calidus, to dry Neville's clothes. They finished drying and dressing just as class finished. Siria reached to put her wand away when something knocked hard into her shoulder and she fell back into the chilling water. Draco Malfoy scoffed. "With skills like that, how do you expect to last ten minutes in the Tournament, Potter?" He asked. "Shame you didn't make better friends." Malfoy raised his head.
Beneath the water, Siria clutched her wand. Spells rushed through her mind in what felt like the fanning of pages. "Flipendo!" She barked with her wand directed at Malfoy. He flew backward and tumbled over. Siria rose to her feet and as Ron helped her up from the Lake, Hermione and Neville stepped between them, Crabbe, Goyle, and Malfoy. "Densaugeo!" Malfoy cried. "Protego!" the four Gryffindors cast their Shield Charms. It landed just off center from Neville's and struck Hermione.
"ENOUGH!" Hagrid roared beneath Siria's "Stupefy!" Her spell hit Crabbe who stepped in the way while no doubt trying to step away. Crabbe froze mid-step and fell to the ground. Siria glared over the tip of her wand, at Malfoy, who returned the stare, but their duel was done. Hagrid lifted Crabbe up and escorted Hermione to the Hospital Wing. "When my father hears…" Malfoy cursed.
"Grow up!" Siria shouted at him. "Can't do anything without daddy dearest, can you?" Ron tugged on Siria's arm. She turned to glare at him, but saw the same look of anger and frustration on his face. "Fine."
Divination was even more awful than usual though. Whenever Professor Trelawney walked past Siria, she would dramatically suppress a shuddering sob and she had past Siria three times during their lesson. The entire time, Neville, Ron, and Siria asked the others variations of "how do you think Hermione is?" They hurried to the Hospital Wing to check on Hermione, who had already been released. "Shame Crabbe was a quick fix too" Ron muttered.
Hermione wasn't in the Gryffindor common room, her dorm room, or the library. Ron looked to Siria then at Neville, who was clearly worried. Silently, Ron was asking if they should show Neville the Room of Requirement. Siria nodded and they headed to the Room. Ron paced, thinking of what Hermione would ask for. "Almost can't believe you didn't just tell me." Siria told the miserable man in the painting. He tsked at her. "Can't you leave to other paintings?"
"What's the point? They all just laugh." The man told her. Ron called over his shoulder and Siria waved good-bye to the portrait.
"Your teeth!" Siria gasped at Hermione and leaned in until her nose was almost was almost touching Hermione. Hermione held her even, smooth teeth in a smile as Siria admired them. "How did Madam Pomfrey do it?" Siria asked.
"Shrinking Charm," Hermione loosened the tension in her smile as she laughed. Neville looked around the Room and, on the cushions of the bookshelf beside him, a small stack of other books appeared.
"Welcome to the Team Keep Siria Alive," Ron joked as he took a seat.
"Neville's been on the Team," Hermione tsked.
"To the Headquarters then."
"Ouch!" Ron's voice groaned in the seemingly empty Room of Requirement. There wasn't a shadow to be found on the green lit room. "Sorry!" Neville's voice replied, followed by a small thud. "Hermione!" Siria's voice, obviously irritated, called out.
"Revilio!" Hermione's voice repeated through the room. First she appeared, as if from under the Invisibility Cloak. Then Siria, Neville, and finally Ron. Neville got to his feet before lending Siria a hand, which was only fair as he had been the one to knock her down.
"Remind me why we can't—" Siria started, but clenched her jaw closed at the stern expression on Hermione's face. Hermione crossed her arms, but kept her wand in her hand. "You know Revilio, I don't see why you don't just learn the Invisibility Spell." Hermione told Siria.
"What if we permanently invisible ourselves?" Ron asked. Neville nodded in eager agreement.
"I can hardly make the dummy invisible and you want me to make myself invisible?" Siria asked.
"You might need it." Hermione said.
"She MIGHT need a lot of things." Ron retorted, as he took a seat at the round table.
The door to the Room of Requirement opened, footsteps sounded, then the door closed and Warrington, Travers, and Travers's friend Maddy Selwyn appeared. "Still cool," Maddy told Warrington and Travers. Maddy had deep olive skin and long dark brown hair that waved at its ends. Siria drew her eyes away from Maddy's plump thighs to Travers's face.
"Why don't you have to say it?" Siria asked as she continued to pull the books Sirius had brought her earlier that evening out of her bag.
"You're joking?" Travers rolled her bright, brown eyes. Even if they didn't make Siria's heart skip anymore, Siria couldn't help staring at the way the green of the room's lights called out the green undertones of Travers's eyes. "We're working on silent casting today then— can't have you announcing to the world what you're doing." The smell of Travers's strawberry bubblegum started to drift through the room. Siria placed her hand over her heart, but it wasn't racing like it used to. She was starting to think she might finally be over Travers.
While Siria worked on trying to cast silently, Warrington practiced his Shield Charm against Hermione and Maddy. Neville and Ron took turns using the practice dummy as Travers did her homework. To Siria it felt like when they first started their study group, in the second year. She loved how large the group had gotten, especially with the added people for the Hogwarts Herald, but missed the intimacy of a small group and being able to participate in everything.
"DUCK!" Warrington called. Siria instinctively whipped around, drew a line across herself and shouted "PROTEGO!" The blast of red light shot back toward Warrington, who was able to direct it to the ground. Neville, who had been on the other side of Siria, seemed frozen. "Well, seems like a good place to call it a night." Maddy suggested. The others nodded and Siria went to pack her books.
"What's this?" Maddy asked and swept one of the books off the table. Siria's face flushed. She reached for the book, but retracted her hand back before extending it to ask.
"Not anything," Siria choked.
"Coming Out?" Maddy read the cover aloud with a question. Hermione gasped and covered up her reaction with excitement.
"You were able to get a copy!" She called and reached out to accept the book from Maddy. "My parents have been looking everywhere for it! Could I borrow Hedwig to tell them I got it?" Hermione asked. Maddy handed the book to Hermione, who smiled her newly lined up smile.
"Muggle thing then?" Maddy asked.
"Yup!" Hermione and Siria immediately agreed.
"Hmmm." Maddy eyed them suspiciously, but stopped when Travers and Warrington disappeared from sight. "See you, Potter-Black, Granger," Maddy nodded and tapped her head with the tip of her wand, turning herself invisible.
Friday's Double Potions ended early for Siria, when Colin Creevey came to collect her. Siria slid Warrington's notes to Neville and raised her hand to her lips and mouthed "Sorry" to Hermione, Neville, and Ron (B4, 301). With her gone, Snape was almost certainly going to test Neville's antidote out. She hoped that, with Warrington's notes and Hermione beside him, Neville would do fine.
Colin was even more excited than usual to see Siria. After he nearly fell going up the stairs, Siria offered him her hand, "Please!" She insisted. Colin led her to the classroom and stood in the hallway, holding her hand. Siria pressed her lips together, "Colin?"
"Yeah, Siria?" He asked.
"My hand." She pointed.
"Oh, right!" Colin laughed and let go of Siria's hand. "Good luck!" She nodded in reply.
[Book: B4, 302-303 the other champions are already there, with a photographer, Bagman tells Siria she's here for the wand weighing, which is to make sure their wands are fully operational. Rita Skeeter is here for the Daily Prophet and wants to have a private word with Siria to "add a bit of color" & Bagman agrees, if Siria has no objection. Siria tries to protest, but Rita walks over her and grabs her arm]
Two, thick, cold hands grabbed onto Siria's shoulders and jerked her back. She felt like she was just pulled into a wall. Rita Skeeter's scarlet-taloned fingers were still deep into Siria's arm, but Cassius Warrington had a better grip on more of Siria. He stood a good foot taller than Rita Skeeter and tilted his chin up, to look further down on her.
"Potter-Black, did you want to go?" Warrington asked in a firm, cold voice that was directed to Rita Skeeter in a way that told them both he knew she didn't want to. Siria shook her head and jerked her arm to wrench it out of Rita's grasp.
"I've already done a private interview." Siria glared over her glasses at Rita, who pretended not to hear. Hermione had warned Siria that Rita Skeeter was a gossip. Ever since they got permission to have the Hogwarts Herald, Hermione had been ordering the Daily Prophet and three Muggle newspapers. She still thought Rita Skeeter was the worst.
Rita pushed her jeweled spectacles up and glared narrowly at Siria with a tight smile, "Now, now. Don't be like that. Us girls have to stick together." Rita told her. Warrington kept his grip on Siria's shoulders.
"Us students have to stick together too." Siria told Rita. "Besides, I did an exclusive interview for another paper." Siria added. She clenched her fist until her nails were firmly in her palm.
"And which paper would that be?" Rita asked as her smile widened. A slow, steady twitch appeared in the right corner of her mouth.
"An honest one." Warrington told Rita.
"I hadn't realized Houses were to close nowadays." Rita jaw tightened as she tapped her fingers along her crocodile clutch. "How sweet."
[Book: B4, 306 Dumbledore arrives & Siria learns that Rita has called him "an obsolete dingbat" with old fashion ideas. Mr. Ollivander inspects the wands & Siria learns Fleur is a quarter Veela. All of the wands are in good condition. Dumbledore tries to excuse them, but Bagman wants them to take photos, which take a long time. Rita insists on separate shots of all the champions.]
"But that isn't really practical," Siria protested. "Newspaper space is far too valuable for you to include even half the photos you've taken and individual ones, besides," Siria gestured to Fleur, "Fleur is so beautiful, people would simply stop at her photo and wouldn't even read the article."
"Oh, 'e ez too sweet!" Fleur told Siria. "Zen, we could do ze ladies an' ze gentlemen." Siria nodded. She didn't trust Rita alone, but trusted herself to flatter Fleur enough to avoid being left alone.
The moment photos were done, Warrington swept Siria under his arm and practically marched her out the door. "You okay, P.B.?" He asked when they were halfway down the hall. Siria nodded.
"Thanks to you! I thought Rita Skeeter was going to eat me alive." Siria confessed.
"Watch out for her, okay?" He instructed as he let go. "Still practicing tonight?"
"Of course! I've been practicing with Lumos and I get it every couple of tries." Part of Siria felt funny for being proud to get one out of five silent spells cast correctly, but at least she was kind of getting it.
"Keep up the good work," Warrington patted her on the back.
They walked into the Great Hall together and the sea of Slytherin students flashed their buttons to "Siria Pooper". Siria clicked her tongue, but walked as normally as she could to the Gryffindor table on the opposite side of the Great Hall. Neville was alive and well, despite having his antidote tested. "I've got the notes in the dorm. I didn't want to spill anything on them." Neville told Siria.
"It's cool. Thanks for taking care of them." She told him as Hermione dumped vegetables onto Siria's plate. Siria looked up at Hermione "Why?"
"Do you want to get taller or not?" Hermione asked.
"Dunno if I believe all that 'eat your veggies' rubbish" Ron confessed as he layered another helping of brisket over his uneaten vegetables.
"Yeah!" Siria agreed. "Ron's taller than Fred and George, but he hardly eats any."
"But carrots are good for your eyes." Neville told them while he took another bite of cooked carrots and corn.
"That's just a lie." Siria told him. She'd eaten more than her fair share of carrots and couldn't read the board without her glasses.
"Siria," Lavender giggled from a few people down. "Did you do something to Malfoy today?" They turned to look at the Slytherin table, where Malfoy was staring at Siria as if he could burn a hole through her head. He glared fiercer at her when she looked. "What do I do?" Siria asked from the corner of her mouth.
"Glare until he looks away!" Ron told her.
"No! Just look away," Hermione argued.
"Look away" Neville agreed with Hermione.
"Don't!" Lavender agreed with Ron.
"Glare him down" Parvati insisted.
"My eyes are watering" Siria strained to keep them open and glaring back at the cold silver eyes that were glaring at her.
Hermione sighed and reached across Siria's line of sight. Lavender, Parvati, Ron, and Siria looked to Hermione. "Why?" they asked. Hermione added another scoop of vegetables to Siria's plate and sat down as if nothing happened. Siria groaned at the additional carrots, but ate them in silent surrender.