DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but Astrophel
A/N : Alright, so I tried to edit a few stuff from the prev chapter after I posted it up. But it wont work. So I had no choice but to leave it there. I'd like to thank those who reviewed. Alelia- my first review ever. Yes, I'm quite psyched! Haha. And Eos-Hime, I wrote this chapter long ago, but coincidentally, there was a Potions scene! So enjoy.. and do review!
I woke up next morning feeling as if I had a hangover or something. Didn't feel great at all. I grumbled and went straight for the showers.
Thirty minutes after, I got dressed in my school robes but decided to wear it in a way it looked more.. stylish. I walked downstairs and made my way to the Great Hall. This time, people looked at me as I walked by, and suddenly I was stopped by a familiar girl.
"Hey Astrophel, congrats on getting in Gryffindor! Although you would've done well in Ravenclaw with us." Cho beamed. "Yeah." I said as I walked away. I could swear Cho's jaw dropped and students—mostly girls, were whispering heavily as if I couldn't hear them: 'Wow, that girl is so cool!' 'I would never have just walked away from Cho like that!' 'She is the most hottest girl in school right now.' Some pervy guy added.
I sat down next to Alicia and there was no one beside me, perfect. I took a slice of toast, which was being served with eggs and sausages.
Fred, George and Lee suddenly joined us and Fred was sitting infront of me. I acted as how I would normally act, pretending as if no one was there. Not that I care, it's just that that is who I am.
"Goodmorning." Fred addressed. "Morning." I said as I started to take out the yolk of the egg—hate egg yolk! "Mind if I had that?" Fred asked pointing to the yolk but before I could say no, he grabbed it. "Didn't say you could have some." I added. "It's pretty obvious you didn't want it, right? Pushing it aside." He said as he ate the yolk with his sausages. "Could've saved the yolk for last." I said. "Sorry. But if you want it, you'd have to convince me to become bulimic and you'd have to eat my vomit." He said taking another bite of his sausage. I rolled my eyes.
"Fred, where are your manners?" Angelina warned him but George and Lee just laughed. "Manners? Fred Weasley never has and never will have manners. How long have you known me?!" he asked faking a shock-like face. "All males don't have manners. All they do is fuck up." I said satisfied with myself. Everyone glared at me. "What? Don't you guys swear?" I asked.
"Mum cursed that word when we would go back to the Burrow." George said. "Interesting." I said as I finished my breakfast and headed to my first class, Potions with some teacher called Professor Snape.
I arrived in the dungeon-classroom downstairs. It looked old, dusty and it smelled like different types of potions. I looked around for a table to sit. One table has four cauldrons with a Bunsen burner burning under it. I looked for a place to sit, but I couldn't find one. Well not an empty one, that is.
"Why don't you join us Astrophel?" Katie offered moving her bags off the extra spot. I put down my bag on the floor and sat down on my chair facing my cauldron.
Suddenly, a man in black robes, black greasy hair that looked like he hadn't washed his hair for a while came in the room. I'm surprised his nose didn't block his eyesight.
"We are going to brew Confidence today. Open up page 284 now." He said in his evil-lazy-like tone. I opened up my brand new potions book to page 284. "Nasty isn't he?" Alicia asked as I grinned.
"Yes, Miss Spinnet? Would you like to share what you have said to Miss Perkins?" he asked coldly. "No sir." She quickly replied. "Good, then off you all go and get the ingredients you need and you have an hour." He said as he sat back down on his chair making remarks on a few rolls of parchment.
"Confidence. Scorpion's venom, spider's tongue, rat liver." I started rummaging through the ingredients. "What's the key ingredient?" I asked Katie. "Squid ink." She said as she went to take a jar of squid ink. "Well that's not right." I said remembering I brewed the same potion at Beauxbatons. "Well, Snape says we could make changes to the ingredients. But never the key ingredient." She said again. "Yeah, but I've done this potion before. Never turned out great with squid ink." I said but they just shrugged it off thinking I'm losing my head. Whatever. I'm not going to fail miserably in this class on the first day of school.
I poked around the ingredient cabinet. There were loads of disgusting things sorted out in alphabetical order. I took out the rest of the ingredients and finally I went finding for the real key ingredient—Mosquito's hearts. I found them, packed carefully. I scooped some up and put them in an empty jar.
After I brewed my potion, it turned cloudy-grey, just like the book described it to look like. The three girls looked at me in envy. "How'd you do it?" Angelina asked. "Like I told you guys, Squid ink is not the key ingredient. Not the best, atleast." I said as I turned back to my potion and stirring it clockwise. "Did they teach you that in Beauxbatons?" she continued. "No." I lied. Not wanting to share my advantage. "I just read a lot."
"Alright everyone, pass up your samples now." Professor Snape announced as everyone took a scoopful of their potion and put it in a mini jar, put a stopper on it, labeled my name and type of potion and passed it up to Snape. "You may leave." Professor Snape said as everyone cleaned up and left.
I had a thirty-minute break in between Potions and Charms. So I decided to sit by the lake and read my book. Sadly, that was interrupted. Suddenly, a good looking guy with brown hair, pale skin and brown eyes came towards me with his guy friends waiting and looking.
"Hey Astrophel." He started slowly. I looked up, boy was he quite a catch. I just smiled in return. "I'm Cedric Diggory, you were in my Potion's class?" he asked as I just nodded. "So.. are you going to Hogsmeade this weekend?" he asked grinning his beautiful smile.
"Er. Yeah, I heard about it. Have been wanting to explore for a bit." I said. "Oh great! I can help you around. It's easier with a tour guide." He said. "Yeah. I guess I could spend some time with you." I said casually as he smiled happily and waved goodbye and went back to his friends who were all congratulating him. Apparently he's Mr. Popular around here. I looked back, as I felt a few eyes glaring at me, it was Cho and her posse gasping and making concerned faces.
I walked towards them with my sling bag and books. "Yes? Were you talking about me?" I asked them with my arms crossed and my book in the middle. "Why would anyone talk about you?" One of the girls spat. "Gee, I don't know." I answered sarcastically. "She wasn't talking about you, she was talking about Cedric!" Marietta said rolling her eyes. "Marietta!" Cho warned. "Now why don't you leave poor Cedric alone and who he asks out, yeah?" I said as I walked away.
Not long did someone else approach me. What now? It appeared to be Fred.. or George.
"Which one are you?" I asked casually. "Fred. I'm the taller one." He said. "Well its hard to say since I cant compare cause you both aren't here." I stated the obvious. "I never thought of that." He said.
"So what did Cedric want with you?" he asked, his tone changed. "Just asked me out to Hogsmeade this weekend."
"And you said..?"
"Yes."
"But you can't go out with him!" he exploded.
"I don't see why not." I answered looking at him with concern.
"He's a pig. He's only dating you cause you're the prettiest here." He muttered.
"So? He's not that bad looking." I joked as I smiled.
"But you can't." he said.
"Again. Why not?"
"Because George and I asked you out yesterday night! Not as a date or anything. Just to show you around." He said with anxiety. "I don't recall such thing."
"Whatever it is, we asked you out, you said yes. And you pinky sweared!" he said sticking out his pinky. "I'll go out with you the following weekend, yeah?" I offered. "Fine." He muttered.
"What time is it?" I asked Fred, since I didn't wear a watch. Think its annoying. "Oh snap, we're late for Charms! Five minutes to get there!" he said as he started speed-walking and I followed him with my books. I was sluggish, too slow since I had brought five thick text books and quill and ink, I left my bag upstairs at the Common Room. I swore under my breath and Fred turned around.
"Geez woman, I'd thought you were able to walk!" he complained. "It's hard carrying five text books; each weighing atleast a kilogram!" I tried to catch up. He sighed and walk towards me and grabbed my books easily off me.
I started walking with him as he carried my books. Didn't have an expression of fatigue on his muscled arms. "Aren't they heavy?" I asked curiously. "I'm a man with toned arms. What can I say?" he grinned as I blushed.
We slowed down and looked around us. Clearly lost. "Where are we?" I asked him looking around. "This whole place looks the same." I said again now tired of walking. "This way." Fred said and grabbed my arm.
We walked for a minute and we entered the classroom. "Ah, yes. Mr Weasley, Miss Perkins. Late I see. No good, no good. Ten points from Gryffindor. Take a seat." A tiny teacher, Professor Flitwick addressed us.
I looked around, everyone was seating in pairs. George was sitting with Lee and Fred looked around, looking for a spot too. Katie and Angelina were sitting together. Alicia with a Hufflepuff girl.
"Looks like everyone's got a partner but you both. Go to the back of the class and there will be two empty seats." He said as Fred and I took our seats.
"Alright everyone. This will be your partner for the whole year. Partner for your O.W.L's too. So make sure your partner is as good as you or you will struggle. Anyway, today we will be practicing the Jelly-Leg Hex. You may start practicing. And for extra credit, write a ten inch parchment essay on the advantages of the Cheering Charm." He said as everyone got up and started muttering spells.
I flicked my wand lazily as Fred's legs started turning to jelly. "Very good Miss Perkins! That's the fastest I've ever taught someone! Twenty points to Gryffindor!" he said as I just smiled. "How on Earth did you do that in a second.. Non-verbally?!" Fred asked astonished. "Beauxbatons' academic studies are way ahead of Hogwarts'. I learned that charm when I was in second year." I informed him.
Fred tried to Jelly-Leg Hex me but all he did so far was making my toes shorter. "Really. It's just a Jelly-Leg Hex." I said unimpressed. "Easy for you to say. Bet you didn't have it the first time you had a go." He said smirking. "Second." I smiled proudly. "Whatever." He said as he attempted to try again.
"You're saying the incantation too fast. Slow down and concentrate. Imagine me with jelly legs." I said as I swished my wand and his legs turned to jelly again. "Alright." Fred said, his legs turning back to normal. He looked tense and flicked his wand.
My legs were feeling hot and slimy. It turned to jelly a few seconds later. "Congrats." I told him unenthusiastically. "Wow, thanks!" he said as he smiled proudly.
A/N : Yes, short chapter. I'll try and do something about that. Thanks again and review!