This chapter is even longer than the last one! Sorry, everyone.
I also apologize for the lack of posting; life has been insanely busy. I am also taking a little bit of a different plot route. Don't worry, it's a lot like my original plan, so I won't have to change TOO much. I just won't have too much idea of where I'm going with this until Deathly Hallows comes out. So thanks for your patience and I appreciate the reviews!
Disclaimer: I don't own HP, and I don't own Emma, believe it or not (look up Book 4). And I don't own Wayne Hopkins; I actually think he also belongs to J.K. Rowling….
Chapter 5
First Week at School
Early the next morning, Lilly woke up quite suddenly. For a moment, she wondered for a moment why she woke up like this. After all, she didn't have an alarm or anything.
Well, she thought, I guess I had better get up.
As she sluggishly pushed herself up from the bed, she saw a pillow on top of her covers. Looking around, she saw Rebecca awake and half dressed. One look at her devilish grin told Lilly that Rebecca had thrown the pillow at her in order to wake her up.
"Didn't wake you up too early, did I?" Rebecca asked, still smiling.
"Nope." Lilly threw the pillow back at Rebecca. "What time is it?"
"Seven-thirty. I think our first class is at nine-o-clock. These idiots," Rebecca rolled her eyes and pointed at their still sleeping roommates, "are probably going to wake up at eight-thirty or so. Maybe later. But I couldn't let that happen to you."
"Gee, thanks, mate." Lilly rolled her eyes in return, pulled her uniform on, went to the bathroom to brush her teeth and readjusted her ponytails. She had left them in when she went to bed, and now her hair was a mess. She fixed her hair and tied red and yellow striped ribbons over the ponytail holders. Rebecca, who was just putting her hair into a fancy sort of braid tied with purple ribbon, stared at Lilly as she walked out of the bathroom.
"How can you sleep with those ponytails in?"
"It's not easy." Lilly headed for the door, and stared back incredulously at the three sleeping roommates. She stepped over the threshold and waited for Rebecca, who stepped out and slammed the door very loudly. Both girls hurried downstairs.
"Merlin's beard, we probably woke them all up!" Lilly stared at Rebecca with a rather scandalized. expression on her face.
"Yeah, right, they slept through our endless chattering, didn't they?" Rebecca shot back.
"How can you be such a morning person?" Lilly asked disbelievingly as they turned a corner.
"I'm not. I only function when I wake up myself. Anybody else wakes me up..." Rebecca trailed off and grinned devilishly, "It's not pretty."
'So if you get up at crack of dawn by yourself you're fine, but if I were to shake you to wake you up..."
"It'd be the last time you'd be able to do so." Rebecca grinned in a devilish sort of way.
"I can imagine," muttered Lilly, opening the doors to the Great Hall. There weren't many students since it was so early. Both girls picked bangers, toast, and eggs and started eating.
"Hey, when do we get our schedules?" Lilly asked after taking a bite out of her toast. "I want to see what the rest of the week looks like."
"I don't know, but I've got them anyway." Rebecca said through a mouthful of sausage.
"What?!"
"Yeah. Here you go." Rebecca swallowed her food and handed a schedule over to the astonished Lilly. Rebecca just looked at Lilly and said, "Don't ask how I got them. All that matters is that I have them. Why else would I get up this early?"
"Good point." Lilly looked at the schedule; just looking at it made her excited. Today was Transfiguration and Potions, Tuesday was Herbology and Charms, Wednesday was History of Magic, Transfiguration and Astronomy, Thursday was Defense Against the Dark Arts and Herbology, and Friday was Charms.
"I can't wait!" Lilly squealed.
"You need to get a life." Rebecca replied, shaking her head slightly. "C'mon, let's go find the boys."
"Okay." But just as Lilly got up, an owl flew through the window and place a note in front of Lilly. Puzzled, she picked it up and read it:
You cannot hide.
Lilly swiftly crumbled the note, stuffed it in a pocket in her robes and make a mental note to throw it in the Gryffindor fireplace later. She was sure it was nothing, but her stomach had an uneasy feeling….
"Probably a Slytherin prat playing a joke." Rebecca said when Lilly shared her thoughts. "Remind me to kill one of them later."
Lilly smiled weakly. "I will."
See? It's just a Slytherin. Completely stupid, Lilly told herself. She followed Rebecca out of the Great Hall, up a flight of stairs and halted uneasily when Rebecca stopped. Lilly looked around and said, "Okay, Rebecca-where do we go?"
"Er…." Rebecca looked around. "I don't know. Wait here, I'll go find out."
Rebecca left and Lilly sunk down to the floor, waiting. Minute after minute passed with no sign of Rebecca anywhere. Finally, when it was only five minutes to nine, Lilly pulled out her Healing Book and wand. She was quite fond of her wand: ebony and phoenix feather, seven inches. It was quite attractive and gave Lilly a glowing-type feeling.
Trying to shake her nerves about possibly being late, Lilly focused on her book. Just looking at the incantations made her long to try them out.
Well, why not try it out? An usually reckless little voice spoke in her ear. Normally Lilly would push a voice like that to the back of her brain. But not this time.
Tentatively looking around to make sure no one was watching, she set down her book and wand and quickly scanned her hands; she found a tiny scratch on the ring finger of her right hand.
She picked up her wand with her left hand (despite the fact that this was her non-dominant hand), cleared her throat and whispered the incantation.
To her incredible amazement, the scratch started to shrink and before Lilly could even blink, the scratch was completely gone.
Lilly stared at her now healed finger. In her wildest imagination, she would never have guessed this. Lilly had never made sparks admit from her wand before, yet she had just cast a spell correctly on her first try. Not just any spell, but a Healing spell. Lilly couldn't believe it.
"How did you do that?" Lilly jerked her head up to see Rebecca looking at her with incredulity.
"I-er-ah-I'm not sure." Lilly squeaked out meekly.
"Anyway, I figured out how to get to Transfiguration. We have to hurry, though-we have two minutes before class starts!"
Lilly wasted no time. She jammed everything into her bag at record speed, and followed at Rebecca's heels. After turning a couple corners, they flew into the Transfiguration classroom, miraculously, on time. The classroom was pretty full, but Rebecca spotted a couple of seats that weren't too far from each other. To their surprise, Richard was already there, as well as Kevin, though he was sleeping on his desk. The girls were sure they would be even more lost than they were
"When did you lot get here?" Rebecca asked, surprised, as she slid into an empty seat three desks away from Richard.
"Five minutes ago; we asked Hermione Granger the instant she was alone. We didn't want to ask her in front of…." Richard didn't finish the sentence.
"Why didn't we do that?" Rebecca muttered, her voice having a harsh edge to it. Lilly merely shrugged in response as Professor McGonagall walked into the room.
HP
"Hey, Kevin? Kevin? Helloooo! Earth calling Kevin!"
It was a few days after the four friends survived their first lessons, and Kevin, Lilly and Richard were in the Great Hall. Kevin had abandoned his meal (a first for him) to work on another Stink bomb-Filibuster Firework contraption. The other two were trying to see if they could break his concentration, but so far, it wasn't working. All of a sudden, a bang from the door announced Rebecca's presence and she marched over to the Gryffindor table.
"Stupid Slytherin idiots." Rebecca slammed her book bag down by her feet. "I can't believe how full of themselves they are. No wait, I can't believe it! The first years are especially annoying. Eleven year olds are so immature."
"Rebecca? You are eleven. We're all eleven." Lilly reminded the fuming girl.
"And that Draco Malfoy is horrible! His whole snot-nosed pureblood demeanor, his prefect-ness…." Rebecca paused for a moment to growl. "Luckily, he wasn't smiling after that welt he got on his wrist." She smiled and gulped down some pumpkin juice.
"Wait…." Richard looked up from his sandwich and stared at Rebecca as if she was losing it. "You didn't jinx him, did you?"
"No. Do you think I'm an idiot? I only tried to."
"Rebecca!"
"Hey, he didn't see me. Though he did see me when I called him a selfish, rotten, jerky snoot, so he might have figured out that it was me-"
"Rebecca, please don't tell me you told him that!" Lilly interrupted.
"Of course I did. Now don't tell me that I was wrong. I'm glad I yelled at him and I'd do it again in a minute no matter how many detentions he gives me. And stop messing with that thing, you lump!" Rebecca suddenly turned on Kevin and smacked him in the face.
"W-what?"
"C'mon, we need to go!" Rebecca crawled under the table, came up on Kevin's side and started dragging Kevin by the scruff of his neck.
"Rebecca, don't you want to eat?" Richard gestured toward Rebecca's empty plate as he and Lilly followed the other two.
"No, I'm not hungry. Slytherins ruin my appetite." Rebecca stomped toward the door, bringing a protesting Kevin with her.
Lilly sighed and ran to catch up with her friends. But in doing so, she ran smacked dab into a fifth-year boy.
"Hey-watch it, you first year!"
"Sorry, didn't see you." Lilly squeaked. She looked a bit more carefully; the boy was tall, had wavy, light brown hair, and three freckles on his right cheek. He also looked slightly menacing.
"Whatever." The boy sauntered off in a huff, leaving Lilly alone in the entrance hall.
"Who is that?" she muttered to herself.
"Oh, that person? He's Wayne Hopkins." Lilly looked up and saw a girl right in front of her. She looked about a year older than Lilly was and she had light brown hair that fell past her shoulders.
"He's actually pretty nice once you get to know him, he just doesn't know how to act around first years."
"Brilliant. That makes me feel so much better."
"Don't feel bad. It'll get better. I'm Emma, by the way. Emma Dobbs."
"Lillianna." Lilly muttered to her feet. Ever since she was five and she found out who shared her name (sort of), she had always been paranoid about what she calls herself.
"Wicked. It's nice to meet you. Listen, I need to go, but I'll see you later." And she hurried off.
Lilly stood there for a moment, and then ran at top speed up a flight of stairs, almost running into Neville Longbottom. Amazingly, she didn't have any trouble finding Rebecca, Richard and Kevin. Then again, Kevin's yells made it easier.
"What took you so long?" Rebecca remarked as Lilly skidded to a halt, nearing falling into a nearby suit of armor.
"Rude boy." Lilly gasped.
"Ah. Boys are yicky." Rebecca made a face. "Except for you, Richard. You're actually pretty cool, even if you are a little boring at times."
"Thanks. At least, I think I appreiciate the...er, 'compliment'." Richard said skeptically.
"Hey!" Kevin demanded, looking at Rebecca in a challenging way. "What about me?"
"You are yicky, so shut up."
"That wasn't nice," Kevin mumbled, but Rebecca pulled out her schedule and ignored him.
"All right, what class do we have again?" Lilly asked, now that she had caught her breath.
"Defense Against the Dark Arts. Should be interesting, huh?"
"Oh yeah, sure." Richard said sarcastically. "After what I've heard about it, I'm really looked forward it. Well, we better go." The four of them walked towards the Defense classroom, Rebecca leading the way. Miraculously, Rebecca was able to lead the others to the room without getting lost.
"Are you lot thinking what I'm thinking?" Rebecca asked as they stood near the doorway.
"Whatever it is, no." Lilly replied.
"You know how Harry Potter yelled at Umbridge, said he saw You-Know-Who come back and fought him?"
"Yes…." Lilly said tensely. The story was all around the school, but it was often an uncomfortable subject amongst the four of them; Rebecca admired, even applauded Harry for sticking to his guns and talking back at Umbridge, Richard was now more convinced that Harry was mad, Lilly was torn between the two, and Kevin just thought it was cool that Harry got in trouble.
"Well, I think someday we should give Umbridge even more hell than Harry gave her."
"That's a little harsh, isn't it?" Lilly asked nervously.
"No." Rebecca said simply.
The four fell silent as all the first years walked into the classroom where Professor Umbridge was sitting. Well, most of the first years walked in, anyway. Kevin's walk was more of a military march, complete with phony saluting to Umbridge as he took his seat, causing a few people to giggle apprehensively.
"You have to admit, that was pretty excellent," Rebecca murmured cheerfully to Lilly as the two girls found desks next to each other. Lilly nodded edgily. Fortunately, if Umbridge noticed anything, she didn't show it. At least, not at the moment.
"Good morning, class!"
"Good morning, Professor Umbridge!" Almost everyone had been forewarned in some way that Umbridge expected polite greetings. Of course, Kevin and Rebecca's greeting was more sarcastic, but both blended in well with everyone else.
"Oh, very good! Yes, you are certainly much better than my previous classes. Horrible, they were. Had no respect for me and did not know how to behave. Those half-breed teachers have messed with their minds. But of course you little first years are so good."
"What was that?" Once again, Rebecca was mad at being addressed like a five-year-old. She quickly shot Umbridge a burning look. "Oh, I'll show you how good we are..."
"Leave it." Lilly muttered as Umbridge started explaining her course aims.
"Will the five people who took their wands out please put them back?" Umbridge continued with her sweetly voice. Kevin and four other students put their wands back in their bags.
"You will kindly turn to 'Chapter one: Basics for Beginners'. There will be no need to talk."
Umbridge sank back in her chair, her toad-like smile across her face becoming quite irritating. There was a rustle of turning pages as all the first years turned to the appropriate chapter. After that, there was complete silence.
For about five minutes, that is. Then finally, Kevin blurted out "Boooooooorrrrrriiinnng!!!!"
Everyone in the room held their breath, wondering what will happen. Lilly smacked her forehead, embarassed once again by her brother. Umbridge, still smiling, walked over to his desk.
"I'm sorry dear, what did you say? Is everything all right?"
"I said 'Boooooooorrr-"
"I did not ask you to repeat it, Mr.…."
"Graham, lady."
"Mr. Graham. What I meant was that I was wondering what exactly you said and if everything was all right. And you will refer to me as 'Professor Umbridge', not 'lady'," Umbridge said sweetly, but in a sickening way.
"He said that this class is boring. Okay? No, everything is not all right, you fat toad, and in case you were wondering, your whole class sucks."
If the room was silent before, it was nothing compared to how silent it was after Rebecca spoke. She was glaring at Umbridge with so much venom that Lilly was amazed Umbridge didn't simply disappear into thin air.
Umbridge walked slowly from Kevin's desk straight to Rebecca's desk, her footsteps echoing in the silent room.
"And your name is, my dear?"
"Rebecca Fisher."
"Miss Fisher, I must say that you have the worst attitude of any one of my students. You could probably give that hot-headed Harry Potter a run for his Galleons."
"Good!" Rebecca stood up from her desk, her face only inches from Umbridge. "While we're on the subject, you have got to ease up on Harry."
"It is not within your power to decide who gets 'eased up'."
"I don't care! Harry's gone through enough without you and every other idiot in the wizarding world ragging on him!"
"Miss Fisher, watch that tone!"
"I will watch that tone whenever I feel like it!"
"You will not talk to me like that! I am your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and I am from the Ministry of Magc! Mr. Potter needs to be stopped!"
"I will talk to you like that! Harry needs to be stopped from what? Telling the truth? You have to believe me, toad, he's not lying-I know when people are lying! You don't deserve the title of 'Professor'! Or to work in the Ministry of Magic! And as for what you teach…. Are you sure it's Defense Against the Dark Arts? Are you sure you're not planning on making it for the Dark Arts?"
Rebecca's last remark hit way below the belt. Kevin stood up in his desk and started clapping like crazy. Everybody else, on the other hand, just stared at Rebecca, some with admiration, others with astonishment. Lilly had closed her eyes and grimaced. Richard held his book in front of his face and murmured "I can't watch."
Umbridge was completely rigid with fury. Finally, she blinked slowly and said in a deadly whisper, "Detention, Miss Fisher. And twenty points from Gryffindor. The same goes for the idiot boy who applauded your inexcusable insults."
"Oh, you haven't heard inexcusable yet." Rebecca said quietly, with a wild look in her violet eyes. "I've only just began. I don't care what you do to me, just leave Harry and anyone else who stands up to you alone."
With that final word, she spun on her heel and stalked off. One of the deadest silences ever in existence followed her exit. Umbridge stared at the door, and then decided to act as if nothing had happened.
"Please continue reading "Chapter One". There will be no need to talk."
"That was bloody brilliant, wasn't it?" Kevin asked Richard a bit too loud.
"Hem, hem."
"Sorry, lady."
"Mr. Graham, another ten points from Gryffindor. And ten points from the boy sitting next to you."
"What? I didn't do anything!" mouthed Richard.
Umbridge started to go back to her desk, but seemed to think better of it. She instead walked over to Lilly's desk, causing the girl to jump and sit straighter in her seat.
"What's your name, my dear?"
"Lillianna Graham."
"Well, Miss Graham, you seem like a very well behaved girl, unlike your brother and that obnoxious girl."
"Thank you, ma'am." Lilly whispered, her eyes staring at her lap.
You idiot, she insulted your friend and brother! She thought to herself. Say something!
"Perhaps you can redeem this sorry class. Tell me, do you think that Miss Fisher deserves a whole month of detention and suspension for being completely out of line?"
Lilly was quiet for a moment. Her mind had a fierce battle on whether she should speak her mind or not. Finally, she raised her head, look at Umbridge straight in the eye, and said "No, ma'am. I agree with Rebecca one hundred percent."
Umbridge blinked in surprise, but soon recovered. "Five points from Gryffindor. I was wrong about you, Miss Graham."
With that, Umbridge walked back to her desk. Lilly, still stinging on the inside from her encounter with Umbridge, glanced at her watch. Even with all the outbursts, there was still an hour left in the class.
Lilly put her head on her desk in frustration. This was going to be a long day.
HP
Later that night, Lilly walked from the library over to Gryffindor tower. This was one of the few times since Hogwarts started that she was completely alone. Richard was still in the library studying (which made Kevin think he's insane), Kevin was going to try to put a Stinkbomb in Snape's office (which made Lilly think he's insane), and none of them had seen Rebecca since she stormed out of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Miraculously, only the first and second years had talked about Rebecca's shouting match; it hadn't spread around school yet. But Lilly was sure it will...
"Mimblous Mimbletonia," Lilly said absent-mindedly. The portrait swung open and she climbed in.
Lilly decided to go upstairs; after a long week, she was completely beat. She really needed to get to bed. Exhausted, she idly looked into the fire.
Lilly quickly took a double take. Maybe her already tired mind that was playing tricks on her, maybe she needed glasses, but she could've sworn that she saw a man's head in the fire. But that couldn't have happened….
She didn't even want to think about it. Lilly climbed up the stairs and immediately climbed into bed. Only a few seconds later, though, the door slammed open. Rebecca was back from her detention and she was in a towering mood.
"Can you believe that old bat? Do you see what she did to me?"
Rebecca held out her hand. In the dim light, Lilly saw that Rebecca's hand was bleeding. She could make out words "I must not shout in class".
"And the way she talked to me! Dropping hints and insults that were supposed to be so subtle and-well-"
Rebecca made a noise similar to an angry cat. Lilly didn't say a word, but just listened to Rebecca's endless ranting as she wrapped a bandage around Rebecca's bleeding hand. As soon as she finished bandaging, Lilly yawned and interrupted Rebecca, "I'm sorry Umbridge made you angry. Really, I am. But I'm really tired right now; can we please save this for tomorrow?"
"Okay, sure. I'll never get to sleep otherwise." Rebecca threw herself into bed without bothering to put on her pajamas. "But once tomorrow hits, the complaints will never stop. I will go on about this for months, years! I am going to make Umbridge's life miserable if it's the last thing I do!"
Okay, this was really long-I'm sorry. I also apologize if I made any mistakes.
Well, I do rule on ONE thing: I posted this chapter on 07/07/07! Woohoo!
Please review! If you survived this pointless chapter.
Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention this last chapter: If you want to flame... I THINK I'm prepared. Maybe. Ish.