[A/N: So I've had this sitting around on my computer for a while now, but I haven't been able to put it up because my dad went and switched out my monitor and I couldn't figure out how to turn it on :( Seriously! That button is the master ninja!]
[A little review of the characters presented thus far, in order of introduction...
-Allison Wood: main character. Long wavy brown hair, hazel eyes. Seventh year Ravenclaw.
-James Potter: male lead. Tall and broad-shouldered, with messy black hair and amber eyes. Refuses to wear his glasses properly. Sixth year Gryffindor.
-Fred Weasley: a cousin of James'. Tall and gangly, and a spread of freckles and light brown hair despite his dark skin. Sixth year Gryffindor.
-Elizabeth Clay: a dorm-mate and best friend of Allison's. Tall and willowy blonde, grey eyes. Seventh year Ravenclaw.
-Amber Ross: a dorm-mate and friend of Allison's. Small, pixie-like blonde, bright blue eyes. Seventh year Ravenclaw.
-Elisabeth Scharkey: a dorm-mate and friend of Allison's. Expressive, bad-tempered girl of Asian descent. Seventh year Ravenclaw.
-Holly Williams: a dorm-mate of Allison's. Thin, sharp-featured blonde, green eyes. Seventh year Ravenclaw.
-Scarlett O'Riley: a dorm-mate of Allison's. Prefect. Ruddy-faced dirty blonde. Seventh year Ravenclaw.
-Antony Marwick: a house-mate of Allison's. Head Boy. Seventh year Ravenclaw.
-Molly Weasley: a cousin of James and Fred's. Head Girl. Seventh year Gryffindor.
-Roxanne Weasley: a cousin of James and Molly's, sister to Fred. First year Gryffindor.
-Rose Weasley: a cousin of James, Fred, Molly, and Roxanne's. Fifth year Ravenclaw.
-Luke/Lewis/Louis Weasley: a cousin of James, Fred, Molly, Roxanne, and Rose's. Fifth year Ravenclaw.
-Hugh/Harvey/Tarquin/Hugo Weasley: a cousin of James, Fred, Molly, and Roxanne's, brother to Rose. Third year Gryffindor.
-Minerva McGonagall: Headmistress.
-Mr. Ruppenthal: Caretaker.
-Matt Edwards: an attractive house-mate of Allison's. Seventh year Ravenclaw.
... Okay so maybe not so little :D]
Scoundrel Chapter Two
Someone, or something was prodding me hard in the shoulder. "Allison…"
"The fuck…" I groaned, flipping onto my other side in an effort to evade the prodding.
I could hear light breathing by my ear, the warm air gently tickling the hairs on my neck. "Allison… sweetheart… GET THE FUCK UP!"
"Merlin's stale pumpkin wafers!" I yelled, shooting straight up. I groped around for my wand and waved it blindly in the air.
"Honey that's a very dangerous quill you're tossing about," said Amber, crossing her arms and tapping her foot impatiently. She handed me a pair of glasses. "Now get out of bed before I Avada Kedavra that insufferable creature of yours!"
"His name is Doonkles!" I told her indignantly, taking the glasses and shoving them on. I blinked as my blurry vision suddenly cleared. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a small, dark animal swing from the royal blue curtains of my four-poster bed onto my shoulder. The furry thing resembled a miniature monkey about the size of my head, but whiskers sprouted from his muzzle and his ears were long curved like a wild cat's. Dark green stripes crisscrossed through his otherwise gray fur. As Amber scolded me, the creature opened his mouth and hissed, revealing long, sharp fangs.
"I don't care what his name is! What I do care is that for the five years you've had him, you still haven't found out what it is, exactly!"
"I'm at Hogwarts," I said suddenly.
"Yes, dear, so go use that famous library of ours to-,"
"I'M AT HOGWARTS!" I screamed, jumping out of bed and performing some kind of wild jig on the cold wood floor. After several long seconds of impromptu interpretive dance, I stopped cold, panting. "That must've been the best sleep I've ever had," I mused.
"You say that every year," Elli commented, walking in through the door. A toothbrush still hung from her mouth, and a damp towel was slung over one shoulder. Her wet hair hung around her face like blond vines.
"How are you such a morning person," I asked her. I couldn't even get up by myself.
"How do you still claim to not be one after that, I ask you," said Amber, rolling her eyes. "Now come on, class starts in an hour and I assume you want some sustenance."
One hour… sixty minutes… 3600 seconds!
"Right," I decided. "Shower time." I walked quickly around the numerous beds, some messy and some made in pristine fashion, dodged the large metal heater in the middle of the room, and ducked into the common baths. There were three showers and two toilets, but I knew that earlier in the morning there had been a vicious, bloody scramble to get in first; Ravenclaw had seven seventh year girls, all ferociously determined. Another reason why I might as well wait the storm out.
I used the bathroom mirror to put in the miniature lenses that I used instead of glasses (Muggles call them contacts—pure genius) into my eyes. Then, after a quick and very hasty soap 'n' rinse, I danced back into the dormitory and opened the trunk that I'd found at the base of my bed last night after the feast. I dug around for a bit and managed to produce a reasonably clean set of robes, a rather wrinkled shirt, a gray pleated skirt, a very comfy looking sweater…
…And only one shoe.
"Where," I half-yelled to no one in particular, "is my other shoe!" I threw on the collared shirt (no one would see the wrinkles if I just kept my sweater on) and zipped up the skirt. "I mean, who-," I found an already knotted tie and tossed it under my collar- "packs an odd shoe without its other half!" I pulled the sweater over my head.
I rummaged some more in my trunk, but to no end. Finally in my frustration, I whipped out my wand and jabbed it at the lone shoe. "Geminio!" Instantly an identical shoe, albeit slightly smoking, lay next to the original. I tugged the shoes on and smoothed down my sweater.
Turning to the mirror hung on the back of the dormitory door, I saw my still wet dangling locks and frowned. "Exaresco," I said. My hair immediately began to steam as the condensation left it. I leaned in closer to check the makeup I'd applied in the bathroom. "Hm," I said, wiping away a smudge of mascara. I used to condone makeup completely, but in the past year or so I'd begun to feel a little… bland compared to all the other girls. And who says bookworms can't care about their looks?
"Allison!" called Amber from downstairs. "You have twenty-five minutes for breakfast! And then we still have to come back after we get our schedules!"
"Yes, Mum!" I yelled back. I dragged a brush through my now-dry hair rapidly, and after some thought, drew it up in a hasty ponytail. I grabbed the robes from my bed before throwing open the dormitory door and dashing down into the common room.
Breakfast was a chaotic event, first-years running all over the place with their new friends and everyone else trying to eat, get their schedules, and make it to their common rooms and back in time for the first class.
"Ah, Wood," said Professor Rousch, catching me at a bad time with a piece of toast dangling from my mouth.
I coughed and gently set the toast down. "Yes, Professor?"
"For some reason, this was not delivered with your letter this summer. Congratulations." The shiny object he offered me… it wasn't…
"Oh my God," said Scharkey, coming up behind me. "Allison, you're Quidditch Captain?"
I couldn't answer her; my mouth was too busy opening and closing silently like a fish's.
"She graciously accepts," Elli told Rousch, taking the badge from him. "Thank you, Professor."
"Ah, well…" he said doubtfully, still looking at my expression. "Your, ah, schedule, as well, Miss Wood…"
"Thanks," Elli said sweetly, taking that as well. She waited until he had made it an acceptable distance away before turning to me and squealing, "You're Quidditch Captain!"
"Quidditch…" I said hoarsely.
"Yes, dear," she answered nervously. "Quidditch, the noble sport you love so much? The Ravenclaw team whose star Keeper you've been for the past four years?"
"Fucking Quidditch Captain," I whispered slowly, relishing the words in my mouth. Slowly, as if through water, I took the badge from Elli's hand and pinned it to my robes. "I'm the fucking Quidditch Captain! Holy shit!"
"Miss Wood! Language, if you would!" snapped a passing McGonagall.
"Oh, I wood indeed," I said, a wicked grin spreading across my face. "HA! YOU TAKE THAT, STEPHEN STROUPE!" I screamed down the table, leaning over so far that my robes were on the edge of being soaked in pumpkin juice. A blonde boy ten seats down jerked and spun around in his seat. "FEAST YOUR EYES ON THIS SHIELD OF GLORY!"
He rolled his eyes and tossed his hair. "Well, of course. Everyone knows that I was the first choice for Captain, but I thought I'd give you something."
"WHY YOU!" I shouted. I made to leap onto the table so I could march right down it and pummel that sorry face of his.
"MISS WOOD!" McGonagall shouted. She fixed me with an ice-cold glare as I slowly shrunk back down into my seat. "I understand your enthusiasm, but you don't want to get a detention the first day back do you?"
Silently I shook my head.
"Very good then," she said finally.
"Where is Nick Riggins," I said excitedly, looking frantically around the Great Hall. "I can't believe he hasn't been over here yet to show off his-,"
"Allison-," Scharkey began.
"Riggins!" I yelled, finally spotting the pompous prat, sitting all alone at the end of the Gryffindor table. I headed his way, gesturing madly. "Riggins, you won't believe it—oh."
He looked up morosely, his glum expression only partially hidden from the mass of brown locks covering his face. His robes were plain and bare.
"Oh, Nick," I whispered, sliding into the seat across from him. "How…?"
"I always knew I wasn't cut out for Captain," he started, looking back down at his hands clasped in front of his on the wood surface of the table. "But I still… it still stung."
"It's not Banks, is it?" I asked, horrified, naming another seventh year on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. The Gryffindor Seeker, Lena Banks was good, and she knew it—and often felt the need to inform others of this.
"No, its-,"
"Nick! Hey, Nick, I really need to talk to—holy shit!" The new voice rose several octaves as the owner of which spotted me.
"You stole the words right out of my mouth," I said drily, turning to face the oncoming messy-haired terror. "The fuck do you want? I'm trying to talk to Riggins here."
James leaned protectively around Nick. "Whatever you want with my mate Nick… you're gonna have to go through me first."
Nick twisted around in his seat. "James-,"
"Shh, shh. I got your back. Ain't no way this crazy lady is gonna have her way with you. Once she's got you, she won't let go."
I stiffened. "Why don't you go out and buy some respect for strangers," I said coldly. "Don't pretend like you know me, Potter, when we only just met yesterday." I eyed the shiny Captain's badge I'd just noticed on his chest. "And while you're out, stop by the bookstore and pick up a copy of Tact for Trolls."
I stood up with a huff and marched from the Great Hall.
As I was leaving, I heard James say, "Hey, did you know her or something? Sorry if I interrupted something…"
I stormed up the cool stone stairs to the Ravenclaw Tower. "What is broken upon mention?" the cool voice of the knocker asked.
"Silence," I snapped. The door pushed open and I rushed inside. "Fuck," I moaned quietly as I looked at my watch. I had ten minutes to get to—I checked my timetable—Defense Against the Dark Arts. Double Defense Against the Dark Arts.
I took the steps to my dorm two at a time. Upon reaching my bed, I snatched my bag from the floor and stuffed in Confronting the Faceless, a couple of quills, a roll of parchment and a half-empty bottle of ink, then dashed back down to the common room and out the entrance.
"Where'd you run off to?" asked Elli as I slipped into the seat next to her just as the bell rang.
"Went over to chat with Riggins," I muttered under my breath as Professor Rausch walked into the classroom. "He's not Quidditch Captain."
"What?" she hissed in surprise, half-turning. "Who-?"
"Tell you later," I said out of the corner of my mouth as the teacher gave me an appraising look.
"Welcome back, everyone," the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor began. He'd taken a piece of chalk and was now drawing thin, shaky lines on the blackboard at the front of the room. "Please take out your quills and some parchment. We'll begin with a nice, easy review essay on the proper handling and uses of the phooka…"
"Merlin, you overachieving bastard," I told myself as I dragged myself out of Greenhouse 3. I winced when I stepped with my left leg; a Fanged Geranium had escaped the student working next to me and decided that an Allison sounded pretty tasty. "Why do I even take any classes? It's not like they're gonna do any good."
"Because you don't know what you're going to do with your life," Elli answered for me, falling into step beside me.
"Why are you down here?" I half-snarled. "You dropped Herbology after famously declaring that green things made your hair stand on end."
"Just came from a free period," she said. "Actually, I was looking for Scharkey… Joey Brunswick asked me to give her this." She held up a folded bit of parchment and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
"It's just the first day back!" I cried, outraged. "SCHARKEY!" I called, turning towards the greenhouse. I continued to walk backwards. "STOP BEING SO ATTRACTIVE!"
"CAN'T HELP IT, SORRY!" a muted voice said from inside.
I laughed. "OR MAYBE EVERYONE JUST HAS AN ASIAN FETI—oof!" I collided hard with something and fell towards the floor, only to be caught by a pair of soft, warm, muscled arms.
"It's true, Asians have this unique quality about them," James Potter mused aloud, smirking down at me. "But there's a special place in my heart for brunettes."
I slapped his arms away. "Please, spare me your arrogant quips." Straightening my robes, I bent to pick my bag up off the floor.
"Admit it, my presence thaws your cold, frozen chest." He crossed his arms, still wearing that insufferable smirk.
"That would be lying," I told him. "Now shove off, before I curse all your DHT-converters."
He gaped at me. "My—what?"
I gave him a strange look. "Dihydrotestosterone? Your hair follicles will shrink if there's too much."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"You'll go bald," Elli told him. She turned to me. "I'll meet you at dinner?"
"Oh, I won't be long," I said, startled. "I just need to get this kid off my back."
"I'm not a kid," James muttered.
"Whatever." I rolled my eyes. "Let's go, Elli."
"Wait!" cried James suddenly. "I—I need to talk to you."
I turned to look at his face. His eyes were wide and sincere. I nodded at Elli to leave. "This better be good," I said curtly.
"Listen," he began. He drew a hand from his pocket and started tapping it on his leg in a rapid-fire rhythm. "I—I'm sorry. For what I said to you at breakfast."
I raised an eyebrow, surprised.
"It's just—I just do that when…"
"Do what, exactly?" I asked.
He blushed. The red spread all the way to his ears. "Act stupid, I mean. I can't help but be stupid around pretty girls I don't know."
In my shock, I must've made a strange noise, because all of a sudden his blush intensified and his fingers started going at a dangerous pace. "I mean-! 'Cuz you're pr-pretty pretty, and I only just met you, and I just want you to like me, and now I'm telling you stuff you probably don't need to know, and-,"
"Stop." I held up a hand. This conversation was not gonna go there. "Apology accepted."
"Oh, good," James said, looking relieved. He put his hands backs in his pockets. "So, uh… I'll see you around, then?"
"Yeah," I answered slowly. "Yeah. Around." Abruptly I spun on my heel and speedwalked all the way to the Great Hall.
"Your face is red," Scarlett informed me, her own as red as ever, as I plopped down in the seat across from her.
"It's hot in here," I muttered, grabbing the mashed potatoes.
[A/N: I apologize for the lack of plot. Honestly, I'm still figuring out where I'm going with this… I have scenes planned out in my head, but no actual structure to any of them. I'll try harder though!]
