Chapter 9: Wicked Witch of the West

It was in a strange mood that Lucy walked back up to the castle. She looked down at the flower in her hand, confused. What was she meant to do with it? What did it mean? What was her cousin's little fifth year friend doing, giving her a flower? They'd never even spoken.

Not wanting to just throw it to the ground, she slipped it into the pocket of her robes. She forgot about it almost immediately when she caught a glance of the time upon her watch and realised just how little time she had to grab her stuff and get to her next class.

By the time she'd managed to locate the relevant books from within the mess that their dormitory had already become, she was well and truly running late. If she hadn't been so frazzled (or awful at Charms) she may have attempted a summoning charm on her belongings. As it was she'd done it the time-consuming Muggle way and was left running through the almost empty corridors in order to make it to Transfiguration, not on time, but as close as she could get.

She was nearly there, having only one more corner to turn before she would've made it, when something hit her square in the back of the head.

She cried out in surprise and pain and spun around to see –to no real surprise- Peeves, the poltergeist, laughing down at her with an arm full of ink pellets.

Before Lucy could react further Peeves threw another ink pellet at her. She held her hands out in front of her, trying to hit them away and protect her body from the attack as he continued to pelt her with the pellets. When one smacked her right in the face, splattering ink all over her, she snapped. Angrily she reached down, scooped up the thrown pellets and one by one flung them at the mischievous spirit. Each and every one of them hit right on target.

This didn't seem to have any real effect on Peeves who just laughed wickedly and zoomed towards her. Swooping down, he grabbed her bag, pulled it off her arm and flung it up into the air, causing the books it contained to rain down like lethal confetti. Before Lucy could even register what had just happened Peeves was gone, fleeing down the corridor and around the corner. The echo of the rude song he'd been singing was left echoing against the walls.

"Do you play Quidditch?" asked a voice from her right.

Not expecting it, Lucy jumped about a mile in the air. She spun around to see Matthew Davies, the handsome Captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, watching her with an almost impressed expression on his face.

"What?" she asked blankly.

"You've got really good aim," he clarified. "You should Chase."

"Are you sure you'd want that?" she asked, holding up her black and yellow tie so he could see it clearly. "I'm the enemy."

He grimaced. "No," he said. "Maybe you should stick to the stands."

Lucy, who'd never even considered trying out for her house team, nodded in agreement. "Maybe I should."

They stood there awkwardly for a few moments. Lucy, all too aware that she probably looked ridiculous, being covered in ink as she was, plus knowing that he'd probably just witnessed her fit of rage, found it more than significantly awkward.

Thankfully he spoke up eventually. "I suppose you need some help?" he asked. His tone was somewhat reluctant, Lucy couldn't help but notice sourly, but he started collecting her books for her.

"I guess," was all she replied, bending down to help him. (Was this really happening again, she couldn't help but wonder.)

She looked up after shoving the last of the books closest to her into her bag. Davies seemed to be staring down at her Transfiguration book, transfixed. Upon noticing her looking at him he looked back up and met his eyes with hers. He was smiling now. It was a friendly, open. Lucy was surprised at the change, but not at all upset. This was much definitely an improvement.

"Weasley, eh?" he asked, nodding towards the book in his hand.

Lucy looked at it and sure enough there was her name, written in large rounded letters with a heart drawn at the end. She nodded and smiled back. He had a very nice smile. "Yeah," she said. "Lucy."

"Hi Lucy," he said, holding out his hand for her to shake. "I'm Matthew."

I know, is what she wanted to say but she held it in. "Nice to meet you, Matthew," she said, shaking his hand somewhat awkwardly. A crimson blush tainted her cheeks and she ducked her head so her hair fell in front of her face and hoped he didn't notice.

He held her hand for what was probably a few moments too long. Lucy found herself blurting out, "I'd better go to class, I'm really late. Sorry." She let go of his hand and jumped to her feet, but didn't run straight away.

He also stood up. "Wait," he said. "You can't go looking like that. Stay still."

Lucy definitely wasn't moving. She stayed motionless as Matthew tapped his wand to her shoulder. "Scourgify."

The ink disappeared from her clothes and skin in an instant. She smiled up at Matthew appreciatively. "Thanks so much," she said, before, for some stupid reason that she had no idea of (she swore sometimes that her brain had no control over her mouth), adding flirtily, "Whatever can I do to repay you?"

Maybe there'd been some sort of hint in her voice and it was absolutely crazy and it didn't make sense for she was just Lucy, but he smiled. "You could go to Hogsmede with me?"

Lucy almost couldn't breathe. No one had ever asked her out before, let alone Matthew freaking Davies. "I could," she said with a sly smile. She had no idea where that came from. Clearly it proved her theory that her brain and mouth were unconnected as her brain was too blank and spinning too fast to come up out with something like that. Or anything really.

"Will you?" he asked.

"I will," she answered.

"Good," he said. "You'd better get to class. You don't want to be late."

"Aren't we in the same class?" Lucy asked.

Matthew looked surprised, but then covered himself. "Oh, of course," he said. "But I'm not going today."

She quirked an eyebrow in surprise. Matthew Davies, skiving off? Impossible!

"Oh no," he said, seeing her face. "I'm not going today. I've got a prefect thing." There was a pause and then he added. "I'd never be running this late to class."

Well, Lucy was running that late. "Okay," she said curtly, wondering if that had been a jab at her.

Matthew didn't seem to notice anything unusual though and simply smiled at her again. "I'll see you later, okay?"

She merely nodded.


Scorpius had been helping Al out with his game plans, as promised, but after about the tenth time that he checked his watch, Al turned to him. "Are you going somewhere?" he asked.

Once more, Scorpius glanced at the time. "I am now," he answered, clambering to his feet and learning over to check his hair in the mirror. "I have a hot date."

Al looked at him, disbelieving. "A play date?" he asked.

Scorpius pulled a face. "Admittedly, it is a study date."

"You're ditching me to study?" he crossed his arms over his chest. "What am I meant to do now?"

"Pay a visit to the Wicked Witch of the West?" Scorpius suggested.

"I do hope you're not referring to my girlfriend."

"You caught me!" called Scorpius, disappearing through the door before Al could react.


Louis regretted agreeing to meet Scorpius to work on their assignment almost the minute he'd done so. The idea of being alone with the Slytherin setting his nerves on edge. But Scorpius was strangely nothing but friendly and charming and Louis did not find it reassuring.

They grabbed a pile of books on magical creatures and set about trying to find one to base their assignment on. Each creature Scorpius suggested got more and more ridiculous while Louis tried to find one they could actually use. After all they had to look after the thing for a month and no, they could not do it on a basilisk.

With each creature Louis pointed out in a book, Scorpius leaned far too close to him to check it out and Louis just could not concentrate. Scorpius must have been trying to get to him and Louis refused to admit that it may have been working. Still, however, he couldn't help glancing up nervously to see if anyone was noticing this odd behaviour.

Someone had indeed noticed. Will Taylor was watching the two of them, eyes slitted suspiciously. Upon seeing Louis looking at him Will shot Louis a filthy glare, slammed his books shut and moved away, making his way over to a table of Hufflepuff girls.

Scorpius didn't fail to notice and glanced between them. "What was that?"

Louis rolled his eyes. "Don't even ask."

"Is there something going on between you two?"

He almost laughed at this. "Yes," he answered sarcastically. "That's why he's shooting me bitter death glares." He broke off, eyes flicking sideways to Scorpius and then away again. "Why would you even ask that?" he questioned, trying to stray his tone from the realms of defensiveness.

Scorpius's gaze was heavy upon Louis when he spoke next, and Louis shifted uncomfortable under the scrutiny. "I know you're gay," said Scorpius, simply.

Louis felt his stomach drop. "I am not," he replied, tone scathing although he wondered why he even bothered denying it anymore. His stupid skin blushed bright red, betraying him, and he felt as though he was going to be sick.

"Of course, you are," answered Scorpius.

"What makes you say that?"

"Don't you have a pet cat?"

Whatever Louis had been expecting Scorpius to say it had not been that. "What's Pebbles got to do with this?" he asked, tone halfway between confused and offended.

"Its name is Pebbles?" Scorpius repeated with a laugh. "Why doesn't everyone know?!"

Louis hissed under his breath. "Will you shut up?"

Scorpius grinned triumphantly. "Oh, so you're not denying it anymore?"

"I am not talking about this with you," said Louis, leaning closer to the book in order to appear to be studying it intently, shifting slightly so to block Scorpius from his vision and turn his back to him. He stared at the text, unblinking, but it just blurred before his eyes and he determined little meaning.

"Maybe you won't, but I'm sure the rest of the library will be more obliging. HEY EVERYONE-"

He was silenced by Louis clamping his hand over his mouth. With his free hand Louis raised his wand threateningly. "Shut up, or I'll shut you up," he warned. Then paused. "Forever. Understand?"

Louis didn't give Scorpius a chance to respond, he just dropped his hand.

Scorpius was speaking again the next second. "I think the 'forever' was implied," he said. "You probably didn't need to add it."

Louis scowled. "It was for dramatic effect."

"Nicely done."

"Thank you."

After about a minute's silence Louis spoke up, voice quiet, not looking up from the book. "How did you know?"

"I know everything," replied Scorpius, matter-of-factly.

Louis glanced up, fixing him with a stare. "You are so annoying."

Scorpius winked. "It's one of my many charms."

Louis ignored this. "You can't tell anyone," he said seriously, then crossed his arms over his chest. "You don't have any evidence."

"Who says I was going to tell anyone?"

"Why wouldn't you?" said Louis harshly, thinking of the night before at the Burrow.

Scorpius's face was serious. "I wouldn't do that," he said.

"I don't believe you," said Louis through narrowed eyes. "What are you even- Why are you being like this?" He shook his head. "Just- just- just leave me alone." His tone turned morose. "Please."

Angrily he shoved his things into his bag, swung it over his shoulder and stormed out, refusing to spare Scorpius a second glance.

He passed Will on his way to the door. The Gryffindor, predictably, was watching him. He shifted closer to the girl next to him (was that Lucy?) when he noticed Louis's eyes upon him. Louis, in a bad enough mood already, shot him a scowl, before slipping through the door and slamming it shut behind him.


Jez Zabini was not at all happy, sitting at the Slytherin table at breakfast on the second day of classes. She'd tried multiple times to get her boyfriend's attention but every single time she received nothing more than a one word answer in reply.

That was what she got, she'd been told repetitively by her best friend (and part time enemy), Blair Parkinson, for dating a Quidditch obsessed freak like Al Potter. That morning he was too focused upon scribbling notes on his stupid game plans to any attention to her, no matter how much she loosened her tie, or inched closer to him on the bench.

She could see that Scorpius Malfoy had noticed, though. Her no doubt embarrassingly pathetic attempts for attention didn't go unmissed by his sharp eyes. The very same eyes that were dancing with amusement as he grinned at her from his place on the other side of Al. She scowled at him and flicked her long dark hair over her shoulder angrily as she turned away from the two boys.

She now sat facing Blair, who was looking at her sharply. "You can't let him get away with that, Jez," she said. "You're his girlfriend. You should always come first!"

"I know that," Jez replied, gritting her teeth at the reminder that that wasn't true.

"Well, what are you going to do about it?"

Jez's eyes scanned the Hall searchingly, glinting with determination. Upon spotting something, or rather someone, she grinned wickedly. "I have an idea," she said.

She grabbed hold of Blair's hand, ignoring her squeaks of protest, and dragged her towards the table next to their own. She shot a last look at Al, who was finally looking at her, his expression that of confusion, before slipping into a seat at the Ravenclaw table next to the one person who was most likely to get a negative reaction from Al.

Louis looked at them in bewilderment as they started chatting to him, fast paced and with more laughs and eyelash fluttering than necessary, ignoring the fact that he was contributing no more in this 'conversation' than the Headmaster was.

Jez's spur of the moment plan to evoke Al's jealousy seemed to be successful, for he spent the rest of the meal glaring at them angrily and once it was over, came over to them, looped his arm through Jez's and personally escorted her to potions himself. She grinned in triumph.


Louis arrived at their Potions class to discover that Rorie had saved him a seat next to her. She smiled and waved him over and he made his way towards her, but not before glancing almost involuntarily over towards the back of the room where the Slytherins were sitting. He had to do something about that.

They worked together that lesson, Rorie and Louis, to create the day's potion. He watched her as she leant in to light the fire under the cauldron they shared. She got the fire started and her face was lit softly by the glow of the flames and her red-brown hair fell into her honey coloured eyes and he wished that he could like her –really like- her. How much simpler it would be, how happy he could be. She was pretty and friendly and she kept up an amusing chatter which found him smiling and even laughing in response, but he just couldn't feel anything, not really.

He thought that she was definitely the kind of girl he'd like to be friends with, but her body language suggested that she wanted a lot more, as her smiles came too frequently and her cheeks blushed too red, too often, and he just knew it wasn't going to be possible.

He grew quieter as the lesson went on, for with each second he spent in her company the worse he felt for leading her on. He'd just made up his mind to call if off completely when something changed his mind.

It was just at the end of the lesson when their professor announced that they'd been given the chance to have their fun, work with whoever they wanted, but from next lesson on they'd be working with a partner randomly chosen for them.

Louis was pretty calm, both Scorpius and Al, the two people he did not want to be paired with were called out nearly straight away by the professor, who pulled their names out on slips from an empty cauldron, and given a partner each. He barely even reacted upon hearing he was partnered with Jessamine Zabini, not knowing who she was, until he saw the annoying Slytherin girl from breakfast that morning grinning at him a bit too enthusiastically and he realised that –oh great- he'd been partnered with Al's girlfriend.

Al was glaring at him in a way that suggested that he was mentally trying to Avada him and Louis just knew that he could hardly break up (were they even going out? He wasn't even sure.) with Rorie now, not if he valued his life. Newly single and working closely with Al's girlfriend? He'd just be setting himself up to face Al's wrath. After all, what was it that Rose had so stupidly said? That she thought that Jez had liked Louis? Yep, that was not going to help his case.

Louis dropped his head onto his arms, blocking out the classroom and wishing he could just leave. Leave the classroom, leave the castle, leave the country. Since when did he get himself tangled up into all this teenage drama? To be honest, he just wanted to sleep.

As tired as always, he actually almost dozed off right then and there but a voice caught his attention. "Piss off, Zabini," it said almost viscously.

He raised his head slowly to see Rorie glowering towards the door and the dark hair of Jez Zabini disappearing through it. He had completely missed whatever had just gone down, for which he probably should have been glad. He smiled at Rorie appreciatively and she grinned back. If she could scare of Slytherins, he couldn't help but think, maybe he should keep her around…