Chapter 5- Scorpious
I opened my eyes slowly, giving them time to adjust to the green light shining in from the lake above. I lie still for a moment listening to the sounds from my fellow dorm mates, as usual, it sounds like I'm the first one up. Poking my head out from behind the curtains that surround my bed slowly and cautiously, I scrutinize the room around me, checking for any traps or tricks set up by Albus in revenge for my scaring the daylights out of him yesterday. Seeing nothing, I cast a quick spell just to be safe and step out onto the floor, grabbing my toiletries, heading for the bathroom. I bathe quickly taking extra care of my hair, something that Teddy and Albus are constantly berating me for. They just don't understand how important the Malfoy blond hair is to not just me but all Malfoys, every malfoy in recorded history has had the same white-blonde hair, and it's become part of the signature "Malfoy look". I towel off quickly so that I can be out of the bathroom before the next person needs usage of it. A flash of turquoise in the mirror causes me a moment's pause as I leave the bathroom. Curious I glance around the room to see what caused the flash of color in the mirror, but the walls are their usual emerald green and nothing stands out. Cautiously I move into the frame of the mirror and what I see causes the blood in my bones to simultaneously chill and boil at the same time as the world goes red around me.
"ALBUS!" I scream bloody murder as I storm back into the dormitory, "WHAT DID YOU DO?" The whole room is awake and staring at my now bright turquoise hair. Albus is sitting on the edge of his bed, curtains drawn back and looking like it is causing him great pain to contain his laughter. I just want to hit him. Failing to find the humor in the situation, I grab my wand from its place on my bedside table and point it strait at Albus while the rest of the room is still trying to process what is going on. "Change. It. Back. Now." I growl out at him sending him a glare that could melt the black lake in the middle of winter.
"Sorry Bro, it's one of Uncle George's new inventions, I can't." He tells me with a wary look, trying to judge my next move. I let out a very improper roar as I launch myself at him ready to beat a remedy out of him. Before my fists can connect with any part of Albus, I feel two strong holds on my arms from either side as two of my fellow house members grab a hold of me before I can really cause harm to my best friend. I couldn't care less who has a hold of me while I struggle half-heartedly to get out of their grip.
I feel a shift on my left side as whomever as a hold of me moves to address the twit in front of us. "Seriously though, when's this gonna wear off? I cannot handle this for more than a day!" The voice next to me growls and I immediately recognize the voice of Luther Zabini.
At Zabini's words Albus looks down and reaches around to rub the back of his neck. "weeeell… I don't actually know," he looks up and gives me a weary smile which I don't in any way return. This just keeps getting better and better, if I don't get straight answers soon, Im going to throw his broom straight into the Whomping Willow.
I forget all my father's teaching on staying calm and not letting the enemy see your emotions as I franticly fight against Zabini and the other student restraining me whom I don't really care enough to figure out who it is."You don't actually know? What do you mean you know!"
I feel the hands tighten slightly on my arms as Nicholas Bowen always the voice of reason tries to calm me before I do something we will all regret. "Come now Scorpious, deep breaths. We don't want to have to get Malone up here do we?" I give him a curt nod of agreement, none of us want that to happen least of all Albus and I, there's no way we'd make it out of here with our dignity in tact if Malone got involved. Not that I have much dignity left after this little stunt. I silently fume as I turn to face Albus and wait for an answer to my previous question.
Albus seems to take a breath and collect himself before he addresses me. Not that I blame him much my temper really can be quite brutal if you happen to be on the receiving end of my wrath, something that my friends consciously avoid at all costs. He takes another breath and attempts to explain himself "I'm sorry Scorp, but it's one of Uncle George's new inventions. I have no clue when it's gonna wear off. It's still in its testing stages really."
I work hard to keep the anger at bay and not explode at him, I may not have my wand but Merlin knows that won't stop me if I get angry enough. I channel my 'inner Teddy' and prepare to lecture him. "So you decided to test it out on me? Did you even think before you acted? Beyond being totally uncalled for and completely out of line, it was just reckless! For all you know that thing could have given me three heads! You know we always test new products out on the Gryffindor's or Filch. What would possess you to try it out on a fellow Slytherin is beyond me let alone to even think about messing with my hair? My Hair! Are you really so daft?" I take a calming breath and shrug out of the arms still holding on to me loosely. Thinking about my hair I make my way over to the mirror that stands in between Bowen's and my beds. I let out a small whimper9 as I reach my hand up to run through my hair. I cannot believe that of all the pranks in the world he chose this one! Of all things to mess with me chose my hair! My beautiful Malfoy blonde hair, the pride and joy of all Malfoy men and now it's gone for who knows how long.
The rest of the room has fallen quiet as they all watch me carefully, out of my peripheral vision I see Albus come into view of the mirror, "Dude! Are you gonna cry?" I turn to look at him the fire returning to my eyes instantly.
"SHUT UP ALBUS! Look what you did to me! I'm HIDEOUS!" I yell out to him as my hands pull at my once white blonde locks of hair. "You have to change it back! Write to Uncle George, or something! Just change it back! If I have to stay like this for too long so help me Merlin I will throw your broom in to the Whomping Willow!" I threaten him with the same threat that plagued my thoughts earlier.
I can see Albus take on his usual up to no good smirk and I know I am going to hate what he says before it even leaves his mouth. "Tell that to- Teddy…" He trails off as I shoot him a gruesome glare. I was right, I didn't like it. I shoot him one last icy glare and turn towards my trunk to begin getting ready for the day. He will be on his guard for quite a while, but if I have anything to say about it, it won't matter. I smirk as I pull out my vest, shirt, tie, trousers, and trainers and get dressed in steely silence with the rest of the room following my lead. I take a breath; fix my hair in its usual style without really looking at it, and turn to face where Albus is standing sullenly by the steps going down stairs. We head down to the common room and as soon as we emerge from the hall connecting the dorms to the common room an eerie silence settles over the whole room as the openly gape at me.
I send numerous glares at random people as we pass by on our way out of the enchanted wall that conceals our common room from unwanted guests.
The walk to the Great Hall is made in steely silence with me still fuming, and Albus resembling a reprimanded dog. As we approach the Great Hall I steel myself for what is going to be the single most humiliating moment in my life. We walk through the open door and, as expected, all conversation stops as furious whispers break out among my fellow students. The hall is even more packed than it usually is because we are later than usual due to the altercation caused by the Nitwit's little "joke". We make our way over to where Teddy is sitting with a stunned look on his face. "If you don't pick your jaw up off the floor spiders might crawl in," I mumble in frustration as we take our seats and conversation slowly starts to pick up again. "Oi!" I yell to the few Slytherins still staring. "Why don't you take a picture? It'll last longer! Plus, it won't curse you into next week for staring rudely!" I smirk in their general direction as they all hastily return to their breakfasts. I'm really channeling my inner Malfoy today, I'll have to try this more often!
I'm just beginning to think more deeply on the matter when Teddy finally manages to come out of his stunned stupor. "Whoa! What happened to your hair? I mean I know I rock the look daily but really S, I think I like your blonde boy look better." He knows perfectly well that I wouldn't do this to myself but that's Teddy for you, always the 'innocent' instigator.
My glower had little to no effect on him as I try to wipe the smile right off his cheeky little face. Of course not, I think, He grew up with Molly Weasley as a second grandmother. There's nothing more menacing than that glare. "Why don't you ask the prat over there?" I say as I point across from me at Albus who is making a point of avoiding my gaze. "I'm sure he would love to tell the story." I say as I see my little brother enter the hall and head towards the Hufflepuff table. Just when I thought this day couldn't get any worse. I still haven't told my father that his second son had been sorted into Hufflepuff. I muse over exactly what I'm going to say to him while Albus explains exactly how he managed to die my hair this ridiculous shade of blue.
He finishes his story and Teddy lets out a chuckle. "In his shampoo bottle? That's brilliant!" He beams at Albus as he changes his hair from its usual shade of turquoise (the same shade my hair is currently stuck in) to my usual shade of white blonde. "Well, it's not my usual color but I guess for today it will work. Don't want people mistaking us for the same person, do we now?" He says with another chuckle at my expense. I open my mouth to retort in a way that my Aunt Ducky would have my head for back home, when Kayleigh plops down next to me with a sigh.
"Hey Guys!" She greets us with a confused expression not quite sure what the other two are going on about. She looks at me to see if I know what's so funny, and her eyes widen in surprise. "Whoa, is it appearance switching day? Can I be Albus?" She asks as she switches her gaze between me and Teddy. I get up with a huff as Teddy finally controls his laughter enough to get out a halfhearted chastise of Albus for his use of untested products.
I grumble my way to Ruins, using as many secret passageways as possible in my attempt to avoid unwanted attention. I'm almost to the classroom when I run head on into some heading the opposite direction sending papers flying everywhere as the idiot I walked into drops everything in their hands. "Geez, watch where you're going why don't ya?" I grumble out as I stoop to help the person pick up their things.
"I'm so sorry!" Says a female voice that I'd recognize anywhere, "It was totally my fault! I was too busy looking over these papers Finnegan gave me and I wasn't watching where I was going at all!"
I freeze and look up into the beautiful brown eyes of Rose Weasley, "It's not a big deal. I'm sorry for yelling at you. It's been kind of a rough morning." I lamely run my hand through my mutated hair at my lame attempt at an apology.
She allows a small smile to lighten up her features, "I can tell." She chuckles and takes the rest of her papers from my arms. "Well, thanks for helping me these. I guess I'll see you after lunch then."
It takes me a moment to realize that it's Tuesday so I have all my classes the second half of the day with the Gryffindor's. "What? Oh yeah … um Herbology." I can feel my face warming up as I hand her the last of her papers and hike my bag further up my shoulder. "Well, I'll see you then I guess." I say as a make a dash for the Ruins classroom. I can't be positive but I swear I hear her return my farewell. Teddy and Albus are already seated at our usual spot when I walk into the classroom, they must have taken the normal rout but unlike me they hadn't run straight into one of the prettiest girls of their year and made complete fools out of themselves either.
"Hey there Ted… I mean Scorp!" Albus says with a badly disguised smile. I choose to ignore his comment and instead attempt try to hide the blush I'm sure is still on my cheeks. Unfortunately for me they knew me better than that. "Hey, I know that look! Somebody saw a certain red headed third year girl again." Albus says with a huge grin on his face and a prod in the ribs for Teddy.
"Actually, I talked to her if you really must know." I say rather smugly as they both stare at me open mouthed not quite sure what to say to that. Luckily they don't have time to come up with a witty come back because Professor Jaskel walks in and we all settle down to take notes or in Albus's case, pretend to listen to the lecture and copy my notes later. The rest of class passes by in a blur of ruins and ignoring all of Albus's attempts to speak to me. Class ends and we make our way through the ever congested and busy corridors of Hogwarts to Defense Against the Dark Arts. As I near at the classroom, trailing slightly behind Albus and Teddy, I can see Professor Richter talking to a student, a first year by the looks of him, I recognize the white blonde hair instantly.
We arrive just as the Professor and Corv finish up their conversation, "You better run along now Corvus, don't want to be late for Potions. Malone won't be too happy with me if that happens." The professor says as he turns to walk into the class himself.
"Yeah Corv, wouldn't want to give Malone a reason to despise all of the Malfoy children." I say with a small smile.
Corv's face breaks in to a cheek splitting smile. "Scorp," He exclaims as he tackles me into a hug. I hadn't realized how much I missed that smile and those hugs until this moment. I just wish I could hold on to him forever and protect him from all the harsh words and stares he's been receiving ever since the sorting the other day.
"Run along now." I advise him. "Professor Richter's right, it wouldn't do to be late."
He pulls out of the hug and gives me another smile. "It's OK. Malone likes me better than you anyway, she said 'Teaching me is like a breath of fresh air'" He lets out a chuckle as he attempts to mimic Malone.
"Eh, she just hates me because I barely pay attention but manage to brew perfectly every time." I explain with a shrug of my shoulders. "Now go, before we are both late." He heads off and I turn and head into the classroom even more torn than I was before. I settle down in class and barely pay attention to the lesson as my mind wanders in fifty different directions trying to decide exactly what I want to say to my father in my letter. Knowing Corvus, he's probably already owled father and told him all about it in his over excited eleven year old way.
Before I know it, Defense is over and the time has come for lunch in the Great Hall. I really don't feel like having to face everyone all over again plus I still have to figure out what I'm going to say to my father. "Hey guys, I think I'm just gonna go to the Library until Herbology. You guys go ahead and go to the Great Hall though." I say as I start to head in the direction of the Library.
"Are you sure man?" Teddy asks. His eyes giving away his hidden concern the same look is mimicked on Albus's face. We may be jokesters but we have our serious moments too.
"We could go with you." Albus pipes up hesitantly with a glace over his shoulder to where Teddy and some of his Hufflepuff friends. "It's not that big a deal. Lunch isn't that important."
He's not as stupid as he looks, that Albus Potter. "No guys, it's fine. I just have a few things to get done before next period, that's all. Plus I haven't owled Aunt Ducky yet, she's going to have my head on a platter if I don't do write soon. You don't have to bore yourselves to death while I do work. Just go eat. I'll catch up with you after lunch." I try to be as nonchalant as possible but I know they see right through me.
"Alright then, I guess I'll see you tonight then. Our normal place as usual. Come on Albus let's get food. I'm starving!" Teddy grabs Albus by the elbow and steers him into the Great Hall before he has a chance to protest.
I make my way to the Library and sit in the same spot in back that the guys and I have been sitting in since we first started scheming two years ago. I'm just finishing up my letter to my aunt when I hear voice from the stacks next to me. "Did you see Malfoy's hair today?" Asks a voice I easily recognize as one of the Slytherins in the year above me. "I can't believe Potter messed with him like that. I don't know whether he's incredibly brilliant or unbelievably stupid!"
"I know right? I can't wait to see what Scorpius does to him." Says a second voice that I deduce must be another Slytherin although I don't immediately recognize it like I do the first one. "I still can't believe that little brother of his is in Puff though." He lets out a chortle that is mimicked by his partner.
"Yeah," He chokes out from behind his laughter. "No wonder he's been in a foul mood lately I would be too. He's got a Poofer Puff for a brother." He says making his companion laugh even harder as they move down the row of books and out of my ear shot which is all the best because had they stayed any longer they would have regretted it immensely. The nerve of some people! I think to myself, I can't stand to hear people talk about Corvus like that. I don't know how he stands the fact that people keep calling him that vial word. To think, my brother, a poofer. A gay Malfoy. I mean I have no issue with gay people but that's just not my brother, just not part of being a Malfoy.
My inner musings are interrupted by a gentle hand on my arm; I hadn't realized I was using so much force in putting my books back in my bag. I look up into the same set of beautiful brown eyes from earlier today. "You shouldn't let them get to you." Rose says as she picks up my last book from the table and gently places it in my bag. "Are you leaving?" She blurts out her face turning red, "I mean, we still have a while until Herbology and I was wondering if maybe…" She pauses and takes a deep breath seeming to collect herself before continuing, "If maybe I could sit with you. But I mean if you're leaving then never mind I'll just find someplace else to sit. But you looked upset so I thought I'd come over and see-"
"I'd like that" I blurt out before I realize what I'm even saying. I can't believe it! Not only did I finally have an almost conversation with her this morning now she wants to sit with me. She probably just feels sorry for me. Or she's trying to make up for her stupid cousin dyeing my hair turquoise.
Rose sets her bag down and looks across the table at me a slight pick still coloring her cheeks. "So, what brings you to the Library today? I noticed you weren't in the Great Hall." She looks down as her face and neck again flush with a red almost bright enough to rival her hair. "I mean, not that I was like being creepy and looking for you or anything! It's just that you're usually with my loud mouth cousin." She trails off and her ears join the rest of her face in turning red. "I mean! Geez I must sound like such a creep right now! I should probably just stop talking, before you start to think I'm some creepy stalker or something." She laughs nervously and looks anywhere but at me.
I chuckle lightly and, feeling particularly bold, reach across the table to lightly touch her hand brining her gaze back to me. "I don't. I mean, I don't think you're a stalker. It's hard not to notice us. We don't exactly blend in do we?" I ask trying to ease the tension a bit. It works because her face loses some of its resemblance to a ripened strawberry, as her brown eyes meet my icy blue ones.
"No I guess not." She admits with a small smile that makes my heart do acrobatics in my chest. "I practically enjoyed your little start of the year celebration at the feat the other day." She says her smile growing as she thinks back on the welcome feast. I allow her a smile in return and it's my turn to become an unflattering shade of red.
"Yeah well that cousin of yours kind of turned against me there. Caught me by surprise honesty, the fireworks were supposed to be for the end of the sorting." I admit while trying desperately to bring my resemblance to a tomato down a bit.
She rewards me with anther smile and I'm fairly certain she can hear my heart leaping from my chest from her position across the table. "Well I thought it was bloody brilliant! Did you see the look on James' face? I thought he was going to die from 'humiliation'!" She lets out a bold laugh and quickly covers her mouths least the cranky librarian hear her. She looks down at the parchment still sitting in front of me. "So what are you working on? You can't honestly tell me you're skipping lunch to do homework?"
I look down at the long forgotten parchment half completed, "No, I was just writing to my father. I just can't seem to find the right words to explain all the madness going on here. Besides knowing my brother he's already beaten me to the punch and told father about not being in Slytherin." I look away embarrassed that I just shared that with her.
"You want my opinion?" She asks looking slightly nervous but still managing to look confidant. I give her a small nod to tell her to go on finding that I really do want someone to help me figure out exactly what to do. "Just get it out. Don't beat around the bush, just say it. So many of life little problems could be resolved if people would just say what they mean you know? I think you just need to say 'Corvus is a Hufflepuff. I know it's strange I mean I really know, I've lived through it, Albus is part of the Potter/Weasley clan after all." She looks at me with knowing eyes, "Just say it. Right now. Come on, I bet you haven't even said it out loud yet. You know the first step to healing is to come to grasps with the situation." She says teasing me a bit in the hopes of lightening up the situation a bit.
I know she's right, I haven't quite excepted the fact that my brother's different. "OK then, my brother is a Hufflepuff. You happy now Doctor Weasley? I said it." I rush out teasing her back a bit.
"You see? That wasn't so hard was it?" She says with a smile.
"No. I guess it wasn't." I admit, "I guess I just thought that if I didn't say it out loud then maybe it wasn't really real, not that that even makes sense since I see him every single day strutting around proudly in those stupid robes." I force myself to keep looking at her and not let her know how embarrassed I am that I just admitted that out loud. I never thought in a million years that I would ever even talk to Rose Weasley, let alone start spilling my guts to her in the library. I've been working up the nerve to talk to her since first year and here I am one the first day she's ever even acknowledged my existence blurting out whatever comes to my mind. I just never thought it would be this easy to talk to her, I still can't believe I'm even talking to her honestly. This is Rose Weasley for Merlin sakes!
Rose breaks me out of my silent musings by clasping my hands in hers. "Trust me, I know. Albus and I may not be as close as you and Corvus, but trust me it rocked the boat plenty when he wasn't put in Gryffindor." I nod remembering the moment clearly, my mind still not completely at ease. Rose fixes me with a knowing look, "Can I say something else?" She continues without waiting for a response, "Ignore them. All those naysayers and bullies, just forget about them. Corvus is, and trust me I've seen his friends in action you don't have to worry about not being able to protect him from across the castle." At my curious expression she let out a light laugh as she stands and gathers up her bag with me following her lead to head to Herbology. "A couple of older students were picking on him and some of the other first year Hufflepuffs the other day and man did that little Caprice let him have it. I mean she really ripped into him! I don't think I've ever seen an upperclassmen so stunned and frightened at the same time!" She starts laughing so hard it's contagious and I find myself laughing along with her drawing the attention of nearby students as we walk to the greenhouses.
"You mean that tiny little girl that was sorted a little after Corvus? The one with the bow in her hair and the purple trainers?" I ask laughing even harder at the mental picture as she nods in response.
"Yup, that's her!" She says finally managing to subdue her laughter. "I'll tell you, for such a little thing, she sure is a little spitfire! And Merlin does she have a temper on her! Quite scary actually, I'm making sure to stay on her good side." She says with another smile as I hold her door to the greenhouse open for her. I return her smile, feeling better than I had this morning, as I let the door close behind us and walk to where Albus has already staked out spots for us next to one of the tables that has been set up for observation. I notice, sullenly, that Rose's friends are standing at the opposite end of the table from us.
"Hey there Scorp! We missed you at lunch today, still turquoise I see." Albus says usually chipper and I know exactly what he's going to say next. "But I see you weren't as lonely as we thought you were now were you?" He says with a nudge in the ribs and wink for me.
My face colors again, "Shove off." I retort, "And one, yes my hair is still tis ungodly shade of blue thanks to you and two, don't call me Scorp!" Albus looks like he has more to say but it's going to have to wait as he is once again cut off by a professor starting class. I make a mental note to thank Rose next time I see her for getting me out of two harassments from my friends today. I sneak a peek at her and she catches my eye before winking at me as if she knows exactly what I'm thinking. I smile and steadfastly ignore Albus who looks like he's ready to burst at this most recent development between his cousin and his best friend but I choose instead to turn my attention back to Professor Longbottom and his lecture on Gillyweed. I take notes while sneaking glances at Rose and ignoring all of Albus's attempts at getting my attention. Too soon, the lesson ends and we make our way out to the lawn for Care of Magical Creatures with Professor Lovegood. (Technically she's Professor Longbottom too, but she insists that it's too confusing since her husband is our Herbology professor so we call her by her unmarried name instead Lovegood.) As we walk up to where professor Lovegood is waiting for us, she gives me an odd look. Well, even odder than her normal looks. "Mr. Malfoy, I like what you have done with your hair." She says in her ever airy tone of voice. "It's quite better than your usual shade of blonde. Yes, blonde is boring isn't it? I wish Nev would let me do something like that to my hair." She says airily.
I hold in my skating remark and skeptical look choosing instead to jab Albus, who is trying desperately to hold in his laughter next to me, a hard jab in the ribs causing him to yelp in pain and shoot me a look that I quickly return tenfold. "Well, I didn't exactly do it without help." I admit with a pointed look at Albus, "Or willingly for that matter." I mutter out as an afterthought.
"Yes, well that's nice." The Professor replies dreamily reply as she glides back up to the front of our group to begin her lecture. I feel Albus slide closer to me and I steel myself for the talk I know is coming.
"So. You finally talked to her then? Like an honest to goodness conversation?" I know he's been holding in this question since I let the bomb drop during Defense.
"Yes, Albus, we had a real conversation. One with words and everything, it was amazing really! I'm not used to having such conversations I forgot they even existed; I mean hanging around with you all the time and all." I mock him for all he's worth knowing that the fewer details I give; the more it's going to drive him insane.
"Well, details S! What about? I mean come on man! You've wanted to talk to her since first year and you finally did it, and from the looks of it not once but twice! This is monumental dude!" I don't think I've ever seen Albus grin bigger than he is right now; it's quite comical how excited he is right now actually.
I chuckle quietly as not to disrupt Professor Lovegood, and carefully reply without giving away too much. The conversation just seems so private and the moment too perfect to tell someone else all the other details which is just crazy since I share everything with Albus and Teddy.
"Nothing much the first time, I mean we literally ran head first into each other on my way to Defense. I just helped her pick up her books and she thanked me and we went on our separate ways. It's nothing to wet your trousers over man." I take the opportunity to mock him, he's just making it way too easy right now.
"Wait, then what held you up? You got there way after Teddy and me, if you just bumped into her it shouldn't have taken you that long. Unless there's something you're not telling." He whispers, I swear he's a bigger gossip than most girls in our year.
I shake my head at his need for details and give him the answer before he bursts. "Nah, I ran into Corvus outside the classroom on my way in. I stopped to catch up with him quick I haven't seen the little guy in forever." I can see him opening his mouth to ask about what happened before Herbology so I butt in before he has a chance. "Before you ask, she found me in the library during lunch. She basically stopped me from cursing some of our fellow housemates into next semester for talking badly on Corvus, and we got talking. She just kind of listen you know?" I look over at Albus and I really don't like the look the grin he's got on his face.
"I know you've gone soft. That's what I know!" He barks out a laugh and most of the class turns and looks at him including myself while Professor Lovegood just keeps going and the class turns and starts to pay attention again.
"Would you shut it?" I yell at him in a hushed whisper. Before he can retort and cause a ruckus, Professor Lovegood dismisses us and as a collective group of Slytherins and Gryffindors we head to the Astronomy tower for what I'm sure will be the longest class of the day.
All throughout class I keep chancing glances at Rose out of the corner of my eye. She's actually sitting closer to me then she has all afternoon, and every once in a while I catch her looking at me too. I contemplate silently what her reasons for looking at me are; did she hear Albus during our last class? Lets be honest, he's not the quietest bloke, or does se suspect that we were talking about her? Between sneaking glances at the object of my crush, my silent musings, avoiding most of Albus's prying questions, and attempting to take some sort of notes on class principles, the period flies by rather quickly, contrary to my original thoughts.
After class, Albus and I head down to the kitchens to grab a bite before we meet Teddy at the Room of Requirement. I close the door behind me to find the room exactly how we left it a little over two months ago. Bookshelves lined the walls only half full because the contents were scattered all over the floor, tables, chairs, and in other random places about the room some still open to where we left them in June; papers likewise scattered on various worktables and benches and some had fallen to the floor as we moved from place to place, either completed projects or rejected ones. I walk over to the mini potions lab workstation where, like the rest of the room everything is like I left it months ago various books and scribbled out notes lying all around. All in all it looked like a giant whirl wind of some sort had struck the room and yet we knew where every little thing, no matter how insignificant, was placed, our own little sanctuary of organized chaos. Albus sets to work clearing off our favorite 'thinking chairs' as Teddy sets three butterbeers he had gotten from the kitchen down on the table in the center I pull quills, ink, and parchment from my bag, it's an old routine and it feels good to be doing it again.
We all sit and I open my mouth to explain the amazing idea that's been bouncing around in my head since last night, but Albus beats me to the punch. He gives me a mischievous grin and before I can stop him he's turned to teddy, "So, guess who finally talked to Rose today? TWICE!"
Teddy turns to look at me shocked. "No way man! When?"
Before I have the chance to answer Albus once again cuts me off. "He ran her over in the hallway." Teddy shoots me a look that I ignore in favor of glaring Albus down just daring him to continue my story. As usual, he completely ignores me and continues anyway. "And then, wait for it- in the LIBRARY! That's where she went after she left the Great Hall!" I swear if looks could kill Al would be far beneath the potions labs by now.
Teddy looks from Albus to me as if to confirm the story, when I nod he leans back in his seat and gives me a satisfied nod of the head. "Now we know why she kept giving us weird looks at lunch today. She missed you!" He says the last bit in a mockingly whiney way.
"Yeah! And she even mentioned not seeing him at lunch!" Albus says more excited about this then he should be. There's just one little problem with his statement…
"I didn't tell you that!" I holler at him completely baffled at how he would know such a thing. "You two weren't under that bloody cloak were you?"
Both Albus and Teddy roar with laughter, "No, you're right. You didn't tell me before, but you did just now!" I really want to smack that stupid smile of his face. I slump down in my chair, arms across my chest as I pout out the rest of their taunting which lasts another good seven minutes (I make sure to watch the clock just to be sure).
When their laughter and rude comments finally dies down, I sit up in my chair and place my chin in my hand- a common position when I'm scheming. They immediately recognize my body positioning and lean in towards me excited about what I have to say. "I have an idea." I start; I can see Albus basically jumping up and down in his seat. My plans are always devious and almost always the ones that aggravate the most people, what can I say, I have a knack for getting under peoples skin. "Two words, Common Rooms." I smirk as the gears in both their heads start turning, I can see that they are almost caught up to me and then it hits, both boys smiling just as fiendishly as I'm sure I myself am.
"The only question is, who are our lucky victims going to be?" Teddy asks with a quirk of the eyebrows, "Gryffindor?"
My smile gets impossibly bigger as I reply. "All of them. Every single student locked out. Including us."
I can see Albus nearly bursting at the seams with excitement. "It's the perfect prank! There's no way they can actually pin it on us! I mean come one, it's going to take serious skill, there's no way they are going to be able to prove that we have the power necessary to do the spell work. And with everyone locked out, there's no favoritism to give us away!"
"If we do it right then yes, it's brilliant. But the question is, how?" Teddy gives me a look of wonder clearly he knows I've thought this through, I always think my plans through, especially this one.
"You're right Albus, it's going to take some serious spell power, but I have a plan." I smile like that purple cat in the strange movie with the blonde girl falling down a hole that Albus and Teddy made me watch last summer at his Aunt's house while his uncle was away. As the other two plot a bit around me, I throw in technicalities and scheme for Albus's demise for the next day. Tomorrow's going to be a wonderful day.