Chapter Seven: Weasley Versus Washington, Part 1
September 12, 2011
A week later, after the events of September 6, it was time for the first-ever flying lesson for the First Years of all four houses. Chatting excitedly with one another, the first years all made their way out to the grounds for their lesson with Madame Hooch. Athena was keeping silent, however. Something told her (Maybe it was the ominous black clouds in the distance?) that something would go wrong today, but she couldn't place her finger on it. Meanwhile, Flora and Hermione were talking happily next to her. They were both excited about flying. (Hermione had been nervous at first, until Athena and Flora calmed her down.)
Once the class began, Madam Hooch told everyone to place their right hands over their brooms and say "Up." They did so, and she showed them how to mount it. The flying instructor told them that they could experiment in the air, so long as they were careful, and that she was going inside to ask Professor McGonagall a question about something.
When Madam Hooch left, the class started to fly around on their brooms. Everything went fine until Ron started insulting Anthony about his muggleborn parentage. Anthony, however, ignored these insults and just continued to lazily fly and made faces at Ron. Flora, Athena, and Hermione laughed louder with every face that Anthony made. Soon, time literally seemed to slow down. They saw a wand being pulled out of a sleeve, a spell being uttered, and a flash of light headed toward their friend.
"STUPEFY!" Bellowed the blustering red-head.
When the jet of red light hit Anthony, his eyes widened as he began to fall, seemingly in slow motion. Athena tried to act quickly before her blonde friend fell off his broom, but it was too late.
Anthony could feel the wind rushing around his face as he fell to the ground, and could feel himself accelerating faster and faster. He closed his eyes and braced himself for impact. But the impact did not come.
Once he opened his eyes, he felt strong-muscled, pale arms holding him steady. He looked up into the face of one Draco Malfoy, and gasped. The whole class stared.
"Why, Malfoy? I thought you hated muggleborns like me."
"That was my father speaking all those times I have hurt someone of your type of birth, not me. Recently, I have learned that one needs to have a mind of their own, and that has opened my eyes to the world around me. Me getting sorted into Gryffindor helped with that. I am not my father's clone. Please forgive me for all I have done to you." Malfoy told them. Athena flew down, Hermione and Flora in tow.
"Everything is forgiven, Malfoy. Just continue to be nice in the future." Athena turned to address the class. "Now, I'm sure some of you know that I do not easily give my forgiveness, so when I forgive someone, that means that I really trust them, and you should too. I can see clearly that Draco here has changed, for I was the one who set him on the path of change. I also implore you to forgive him, however many times he has wronged you."
Silence greeted Athena when she finished her little speech, and then the class began applauding her. Amidst the applause, Madam Hooch slipped unnoticed through the crowd and smiled at the Potter girl defending the Malfoy heir. Things were changing, she could tell. But before they could change, she decided to deal with young Ronald for causing Anthony to fall off his broom, even though Anthony was not injured.
"WEASLEY! Detention with Mr. Filch for forcing a fellow student to fall off his broomstick! Oh, and thirty-five points from Gryffindor! Professors Flitwick and McGonagall will not be happy with you!" Bellowed Madam Hooch.
The Great Hall, Hogwarts School
It was lunchtime, and Athena Washington was happily munching away on her lunch, chatting with her friends about The Incident in flying class. Draco was now included with that group of friends, because he had saved one of their own from injury. One might berate her for forgiving someone so easily, but George definitely thought it would be a good idea to forgive him. And George, she listened to.
At the present time, while they were eating, her friends were engaged in a rousing round of the American game called Uno. The current card in the center was a blue six, so Athena threw down a green six, changing the game. Anthony stuck his tongue out at her, the scare from earlier in the morning forgotten. Now, he was as hyper as ever.
Meanwhile, at the staff table, a game of a different sort was going on. Dumbledore was engaged in a figurative match of chess, with himself as the white king and his students as pawns. But one pawn had escaped. Athena Potter. How had he gone so wrong?
Our current favorite Ravenclaws turned to their lunches, the game of Uno forgotten. While they were eating and conversing, a certain red-head at the Slytherin table was fuming. How dare that Goldstein kid get him a detention? Goldstein was a mudblood for god's sake! Who cared if he got hurt? He would make those Ravenclaw bookworms pay for humiliating him in front of everyone! Blinded by rage, Ronald Weasley stomped over to the Ravenclaw table, and walked in front of the spot where Athena bloody Potter, who was supposed to become his best friend and possibly future wife, starting to shout his big fat mouth off in anger. Athena lazily ignored him, continuing to talk to her friends.
"POTTER! I CHALLENGE YOU TO A WIZARDS DUEL!" Growled Ron. Everyone in the Great Hall looked up in interest at this.
"Oh really, when?" Inquired Athena, twirling her wand between her fingers. Ron leaned forward.
"Tonight. Midnight, in the trophy room. That's always unlocked." He told her. Athena shook her head, and glanced over at the staff table. Flitwick winked at her, and she winked back.
"Oi! Professor Flitwick, can you please come over here for a minute?" Athena shouted. Flitwick nodded, and made his way over to her part of the table.
"What is it you need, Miss Washington?" Asked Flitwick, curiosity getting the best of him. He was a Ravenclaw, after all.
"Well, you see, Ronald over here just challenged me to a Wizards Duel, but he set it for tonight at midnight in the trophy room. I know a scheme to get me in trouble when I see one, and this is most certainly one. I propose we move the duel to tomorrow at lunch. What would you say to being the referee, Professor?"
Flitwick grinned. "I would love to, Miss Washington. Who is your second?"
"Flora is my second, Professor. That is, if she wants to be."
"Okay then. Ronald, who is your second?"
"I don't need one." He said pompously. "I'm too good for that. But if I must have one, then it will be Fred. Oi Fred!"
Fred looked over from the Gryffindor table and smirked. "No, I won't be your second. Looks like you are on your own, Ickle Ronniekins."
"Damn." Cursed Ron. "Well, Professor, I have no need of a second. Tomorrow at lunchtime?" He double checked.
"Tomorrow at lunchtime." Confirmed Athena. Flitwick grinned a Cheshire Cat smile and went up to the staff table in order to tell the Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress the news. Dumbledore groaned inwardly as he heard the news. Goddamn it all! He thought to himself. My plans are not working at all!
END OF CHAPTER
Author's Note: I know Athena and co. should not have forgiven Malfoy so easily, but it was a device necessary for the plot. All questions from reviews will be answered in future chapters.
