"Hey, did you figure it out?" James questioned, plopping next to me in the Great Hall the next morning. His hair was everywhere, his tie was crooked, his sweater vest was stuffed into his back pocket and his robes were flung over his arm. I sighed and set down the toast I was nibbling on before carefully adjusting his tie.
"Yeah, I think you need to put in five less lacewing flies after you pickle them separately for at least a full night. That should balance everything out," I replied, as James grinned and grabbed a piece of toast off my plate.
"You are brilliant!" He exclaimed, stuffing his toast in his mouth and depositing his robe over the bench. He straddled the bench and shot an apprehensive look towards the Ravenclaw table where Albus and Rose were nestled.
"Are you alright? You were pretty shocked when he got sorted into Ravenclaw last night," I questioned through a mouthful of porridge. I gave a small wave to Kent who was trudging into the hall, still half asleep. His uniform was in disarray and his jumper was on backwards. He wasn't exactly a morning person. I poured him a cup of coffee as he settled into the bench and turned back to James. I couldn't tell what he thought of my question because his face was obstructed by the vest he was pulling over his head. When it popped out of the opening, his face was unreadable. I looked earnestly at him as he shrugged.
"I don't know. I mean I know he's a bright kid and all but I expected him to be in Gryffindor with me. He's the first Potter in generations to get sorted into another house," James announced, pulling the platter of sausages to him. He grabbed a griddle cake, drizzled it with syrup and wrapped his sausage with it.
"He has all your cousins in Ravenclaw. Louis, Dom and all. And that's appalling," I grimaced.
"It's delicious," he remarked, opening his mouth while it was full. I shot him a disgusted look.
"Time tables Gryffindors!" Professor Longbottom announced, coming to our table and passing them down.
"Kent, your jumper is on backwards," Professor remarked, handing me my schedule. I examined it and smiled.
"We have Care of Magical Creatures first thing! We get to see Hagrid!" I announced as Kent grunted and struggled to get his jumper the right way.
"Brilliant! I wanted him to look at Midnight. He's been acting weird since he came back from your house a couple weeks ago," James announced while gulping orange juice. I began plaiting my long hair, pulling the plait over my shoulder and securing it with a tap of my wand. Kent was finishing off his coffee and rubbing his eyes with the heel of his hand.
"Do we have it with the Slytherins this year?" he questioned, stifling a yawn.
"No…the Ravenclaws, so we have it with Louis," James remarked, looking at his time-table.
"Sweet! I hear we play them first this season. But we have to re-try out because Ryan Wood became captain this year. I wonder if he will be as harsh as his older brother was two years ago," Kent announced, giving the tall boy a wave as the loud gong announced the end of breakfast. I grabbed my bag and hoisted it over my shoulder and swinging my plait down my back.
"Try-outs are Saturday chums! I want to start a whole week earlier then usual," Ryan announced and he pushed past us with Fred.
"See you then!" James declared, practically bouncing. He, Victorie and Kent were Chasers; Fred was the only returning beater so they will trial for that; Ryan was Keeper; and we need to find a new seeker all together. I was just the school commentator because brooms were one of the few things I wasn't very good at.
We exited the Great Hall and walked out of the huge main doors into the bright sunshine. People were already milling about in different directions to head to class. I took a deep breath of fresh air. I was completely ready to get started with my school year. I slid a little bit as we made our way down the hill towards Hagrid's hut, but James grabbed my elbow steadying me.
"This is why trainers are better," he laughed, pointing to my knee high black boots. I blushed.
"But I like these," I remarked, bending over to brush some grass off of one shoe.
Hagrid was standing at the rough wooden table against the back of his cabin and was chopping up large pieces of raw meat. He waved at us as we approached. I smiled at the large man. We've become very close with him because of James and try to have tea with him a couple times a week.
"Have a nice Summer Holiday?" He questioned as James, Kent and I went over to talk to him. Kent let his elbows rest on the table. He cocked his head to the side and wrinkled his nose.
"This for the lesson Hagrid?" James questioned from the ground where he was playing with Beast, Hagrid's new boarhound puppy. Fang had passed away this past summer and Hagrid was so distraught James' dad got him a new one.
"Righ'. I have to ge' you all ready fer yer O.W.L.S" he announced, brushing the big piles of meat into the paper bag. He turned around and looked at me, his brow furrowing for a second.
"You look different, Kaylie," he remarked. I looked down at myself.
"She's made her uniform all girly," James laughed, pointing to my skirt which I shortened a tad over the summer.
"What's wrong with it? What is with you two criticizing me lately? You've been on my case since we've got on the train," I announced, my voice rising slightly.
"I think she looks nice," Louis declared, coming over and slinging an arm around my shoulder. Hagrid's eyes crinkled.
"Kaylie always looks nice, you two leave her alone," he commanded, clicking his tongue. Beast barked and followed him as Hagrid called the class to order. The group of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw fifth years gathered into a group.
"Righ', this is a big year fer all of you. O.W.L.S year. You'll have a practical exam and a written, but this time it will be with moderators and not me," Hagrid explained. Beast nudged his nose against the bag of meat. Hagrid nudged him away.
"Fer yer first lesson, we'll be goin' a bit ways into the forest here," he explained, jerking a head to the Forbidden Forest. A few of the girls gasped. Please, the forest is nothing. We followed Hagrid along the perimeter and then a little ways into the forest where a paddock stood. Oh, Thestrals, duh. I looked at the skeletal creatures, who stared back at me with milky white eyes. Hagrid asked the obvious question.
"Who can see them?"
Kent and I raised our hand along with one Ravenclaw girl. James looked at us and bit his lip. I felt myself start to shake. Kent took my hand and gave it a small squeeze. Hagrid noticed Kent and I and gave us a small nod.
"Right, you can only see Thestrals if you've seen death, so I'm glad most of you can't see them. Can anyone tell me why they're special?" Hagrid announced. I felt my arm start to itch. I wanted to raise my hand, but it felt like lead.
"They have a fantastic sense of direction. They know where anything is," Louis announced from the back.
"Good, good. Five points to Ravenclaw. Anything else?"
My words were stuck in the throat. I could feel Kent's hand shaking in mine. The fact that we could see Thestrals was the difficult part of all this. I know all the answers, but I don't want to answer. I felt another hand slip in mine. I looked down and followed the arm up. James was smiling at me. I let go of Kent's hand and raised my hand.
"You have the largest trained herd in Europe. It's what pulls the carriages to the castle at the start of term. Once trained, they are immensely loyal. Quite brilliant creatures really," I announced, my voice shaking. Kent was tugging at the bottom of his sweater and blinking furiously.
"Right. Ten points to Gryffindor," Hagrid replied.
"Now, why don't we feed them and I'll show you how to, uh, care for them," Hagrid declared, beckoning the crowd forward. He passed out chunks of meat to feed to the horse-like creatures and came over to us.
"Right. I'm sorry, I should've warned yeh that we were seeing Thestrals today," Hagrid said gently. I needed to sit down. James straightened his shoulders and led me to a log off to the side, once he made sure I was sitting, he gently prodded Kent in the back so he was doing the same. I rest my head on my twins' shoulder and closed my eyes.
"Do you guys want to talk about it?" James questioned on my other side. I could feel Kent shaking his head.
"Why don't you three take break early?" Hagrid suggested.
"What homework do we have?" I questioned, finally opening my eyes. Hagrid laughed.
"A foot on History of Thestrals," he replied with a smirk. James stood up and hoisted me to my feet. I offered Kent my hand. He looked me in the eyes and smiled. I yanked him up and allowed him to hug me. When we broke apart, Kent coughed and turned to the side, roughly wiping his face with his hand. James was tactfully looking towards the thestrals.
"Right, we have about a half hour before History of Magic. Shall we go to the lake?" James questioned finally. I nodded and followed their retreating figures. What a way to start off term.
ӿӿJamesӿӿ
I looked at Kent and Kaylie. They were staring across the lake in a stupor. I have to do something to snap them out of it. I bit my lip and looked at Kaylie's profile. In the time that I've known her, I've never seen her cry about this. Not once. Kent, well I never actually seen him cry, but he has. Kaylie is a different breed of human, I swear.
"You know Dad is still looking," I stated quietly. Kaylie and Kent's heads snapped over in my direction.
"But it's been three years…." Kaylie whispered.
"You think that will stop my dad? No, he's not going to stop until they catch him," I replied. Kent shot me a small smile and picked up a rock from the edge of the lake. He flicked it across the inky surface with a twitch of his wrist.
"It's weird to think it's been that long. Seems like yesterday we had a family of four, not three," he answered.
"Dad will catch him. He always catches the bad guy. I mean, he defeated the most evil wizard that ever lived," I declared, hopping up and offering Kaylie a hand. She smiled at me and took it, allowing me to hoist her to her feet.
"Thanks James," she smiled. I shrugged and scuffed up the back of my hair.
"It's my dad, not me," I replied. I looked over Kaylie's shoulder.
"Hey, there's my brother!" I declared, jogging towards Greenhouse Three. Albus was standing with his fellow Ravenclaw first years, flanked by a smoldering red head and a boy with white blonde hair.
"Hey Al, how was your first class?" Kaylie questioned at my shoulder, panting slightly.
"It was alright. We had potions with the Hufflepuffs," he replied with a small grimace.
"Professor Vector practically growled when she saw Al," Rose giggled.
"Yeah, she thought he'd be like you," the other boy laughed, slicking a hand over his hair.
"You're a Malfoy, right?" I questioned with a small frown.
"Yup, Scorpius," he answered with a shy smile. I furrowed my brow and motioned to Rose and Albus to follow me.
"What is it James?" Al sighed.
"Are you sure he's a right sort? You've heard Uncle Ron talk about the Malfoy's," I whispered. Kaylie and Rose snorted.
"What?"
"James that is unbelievably prejudice. He's in Ravenclaw for Merlin's sake," Kay sighed as Kent snickered.
"I'm just saying that we're all raised by our parents and his Dad is supposedly an ogre," I snorted.
"James, I think we can tell the right sort from the wrong sort," Rose snapped, grabbing Albus' elbow and dragging him back to the group.
"I was just looking out for you, you twat!" I shouted after them. Kent slung an arm around my shoulder.
"Just give it up, James. Al's a smart kid, otherwise he wouldn't be in Ravenclaw," Kent explained, starting to walk us back towards the castle.
"We both know you're such a caring older brother and all." Kaylie put in with a slight giggle.
"You two are taking the micky out of me, aren't you?" I grumbled, looking at my two best friends shiftily. Kaylie giggled again and shifted her bag higher on her shoulder.
"Of course not, why would I do that?" she teased. I stuck my tongue out at her and put all my weight on the heavy front doors, sliding them open enough for us to step into the front hall. We made our way down the hall to the queue of students milling outside of Professor Binns classroom.
"Where'd you go during Care of Magical Creatures you three?" Connor questioned, playing with a vomiting hackysack from WWW.
"Hagrid had us go get something from his hut," I explained quickly. Kaylie and Kent shot me a thankful look.
"Ah. It was bloody bizarre. There we were holding out pieces of meat and they were being eaten in thin air," he continued, kicking the hackysack in between his feet. The classroom door swung open by itself. The class filed in, taking respective seats towards the back of the room. We managed to get a table to ourselves in the back corner. Kaylie was already taking out a sheaf of parchment, multiple quills, a quill sharpener and two bottles of ink. She carefully arranged it around herself in a meticulous order.
"Kaylie, can I take this quill?" I whispered, reaching for one of her extras. She smacked my hand with an indignant squeak.
"That's my second backup!" she hissed as I smirked at her.
"Kaylie, you don't need three backups," Kent coughed from her other side.
"Yes, I do! I've had it like this since first year! One incase I drop one. One incase I accidentally over sharpen. One for the red ink to do titles and underlines then two backups for that one….oh shut up you two." she snapped. Kent and I began to shake in silent laughter. Teasing Kaylie for her OCD was one of our favorite pastimes. Professor Binns had begun lecturing about Goblin Rebellions or something without any form of introduction or hello. The classroom was already stifling hot. I loosened my tie and removed my robes so I could roll up the sleeves of my school shirt.
"James, you're making it crooked," Kaylie sighed, brandishing the end of her quill at my tie.
"It's bloody hot in here," I whispered back, edging away so she couldn't fix it for me. She huffed and began to copiously take notes. I reached over and grabbed a fresh sheet of parchment from her spare pile, ignoring the glare, and started to sketch out an idea I had for a new prank. Kent leaned back in his chair so he could look at it behind Kaylie.
"What is it?" he whispered.
"Trick quill. Give it to someone and it spells everything wrong," I explained, reaching across Kaylie to hand it to him.
"Would you like to trade spots with me?" She hissed, pushing my arm away.
"No, I'm good here. Kent needs to see your notes too," I snorted, leaning back and wiggling my eyebrows at Kent. He gave his sister a triumphant look. She let out a small snort and continued to copy down Professor Binns words. Connor was tossing his hackysack to Trevor Thomas across the room. Elizabeth was torn between liking it and attempting to take notes. The rest of my class was in a complete stupor, heads buried in arms or looking listlessly out the window. Kaylie was completely engrossed in the lesson, her head bowed duteously over her notes.
"Kay," I hissed, poking her in the side. She glared at me briefly before going back to writing.
"Kay," I tried again. She paused to switch quills and ignored my persistent pokes.
"What is it James," she snapped. The classes head swiveled in her direction. She started to blush and bowed her head against the looks.
"I was just going to tell you that I think you're worse than my Aunt Hermione was when she was in school," I whispered, taking a hanky out of my pocket and quietly wetting it down with my wand.
"Gee thanks James, I don't know what I'd do without your compliments. I frankly don't think I'd make it through the day," she replied deadpanned. I handed her the hanky and she stared at me blankly, her quill poised over her paper.
"What's that for?"
"You've got ink on your nose," I laughed, pointing to the smudge on the bridge of her nose. She blushed and took the hanky from me, quickly scrubbing her face as the bell rang.
"Kaylie! Catch!" Trevor shouted, throwing the orange hackysack at her face as we made our way through the throng of students to lunch. She looked up sharply as the object came hurtling at her face. She yelped and covered her face with her arms. Reflexively my hand jutted out in front of her, catching the ball in my palm. The object screamed on impact, causing a gaggle of Slytherin girls to look at me in alarm.
"I just saved your life," I remarked proudly. "That's twice today."
Kaylie shot me a weary look as Kent let out a bark of laughter.
"I'll let you borrow my history notes for that essay due tomorrow, then we can call it even." She snorted. Trevor ran over to us and placed a hand on Kaylie's shoulder.
"Sorry about the VomitSack Kay, thought you'd catch it," he smiled, taking the seat I was going to sit in next to Kaylie at our house table. I stopped short and furrowed my brow. Kent shook his head and moved over so I could sit between him and Connor.
"What's that all about?" Kent questioned, pulling a platter of chips over to us.
"It could be the fact that Kaylie transformed into a total Veela over the holiday," Conner laughed, piling gravy onto his mashed potatoes. Kent and I stared at him.
"What? It's true. Trev and I were discussing it last night. I don't know what it is. The shorter skirts, the way she walks, but she's become quite the hot commodity. I heard a couple of Louis' friends discussing it too. She's quite the discussion of the school," he answered, scooting back from our gazes.
"That's my sister," Kent grumbled, pushing his plate away from himself. I looked around him at Kaylie. She was chatting easily with Trevor and Lizzy. Laughing at something one of them said. Connor was right. Her hair was shinier, her clothes more fitted. Who knew that this is what Kaylie was hiding?
"What are you glaring at?" Kent whispered, following my gaze. His eyebrows shot up when he noticed what I was staring at.
"James!" he declared.
"What? I'm curious about what's so funny," I replied with a small cough. Something wasn't right about Kay getting all this attention. Something wasn't right at all.
ӿӿKentӿӿ
Now that Connor mentioned it, I began noticing all the attention Kaylie was getting throughout the day. It wasn't just guys from our house or even our year. There was that seventh year Hufflepuff, that none of us have ever spoken to, who offered to help with her books on her way to Ancient Runes. James and I just gaped, causing a traffic jam of people that were following us to Divination. She blushed but declined his offer, giving us a small wave goodbye and promising to save us a seat in Potions.
"I don't like this," James grumbled as we climbed the stairs to the North Tower.
"Don't like what?" I questioned, hoisting my bag higher on my shoulder.
"All of this with Kaylie. It's just so….random…I don't know," James replied, balancing the VomitSack on the back of his hand.
"Right? I don't even know what brought this on, she just got up to get ready for September 1st and was completely a girl," I snorted. Lizzy Longbottom caught up with us, panting slightly.
"Hey guys, I thought I was going to be late. I was talking to dad," she gasped, clutching a stitch in her side. James and I exchanged looks.
"What are you all worked up about? I noticed you arguing about something," she asked after she fully caught her breath. This was actually quite a challenge considering we were climbing the tight spiral staircase that leads to the classroom door.
"Nothing really. We were just talking about Kaylie," I explained. Lizzy grinned and tightened one of her pigtails.
"Doesn't she look lovely? I don't think she's going to have any trouble getting a date to the Victory Ball this year, don't you? I'm completely jealous. Maybe she'll give me a makeover so someone will ask me," Lizzy sighed. I didn't even think of the Victory Ball. It was an annual dance that was thrown every year on the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts. But why would Kaylie care about that.
"She did all this so she could get a date?" James exclaimed, stopping dead in his tracks. "But the three of us always skip it. It's never been that big of a deal."
"Maybe she wanted to go this time," Lizzy shrugged before climbing the silver ladder to the classroom. James shot me a confused look.
"Don't look at me! She doesn't talk to me about this stuff," I hissed, following Lizzy up the ladder. We took a seat in our usual squashed beanbags in the back corner.
"You're her twin, you should know about this stuff," James whispered as Professor Trelawney glided her way into the room.
"Do you talk to Lily, or Rose, or Dom or any of your other girl cousins about stuff like that?" I snorted. James cocked his head to the side thoughtfully.
"I see your point." He concluded. Professor Trelawney placed a crystal ball on our table and gave us a stern look.
"Broaden your minds my dears! See beyond the mundane! Record your observations of your partner's future," she declared in a misty voice. James and I sat on either side of the crystal and glared at our distorted reflections.
"I just don't get what brought it on," James announced finally, "Somehow I don't think that Kaylie would stoop to the point of putting the dance to her top priority."
"Why don't you ask Vic? She spent a lot of time with her over the summer," I suggested after a short period of silence. James sighed and picked at the fringe of the pillow he was sitting on.
"Do we care that much? I mean if we get her angry enough she won't help us with our homework," he concluded with an impish smile. I nodded thoughtfully. He had a valid point.
"That, my friend, is a smart move. We should probably just keep an eye on the situation, but not do anything to get Kaylie particularly angry at us," I replied, offering him my hand. James gave it a quick shake and peered into the glass bulb.
"What exactly are we supposed to be looking for?" He whispered, tapping the ball with his finger tip. I scrunched my eyes and glared hard at the surface.
"I honestly have no idea, mate," I sighed. James stifled a laugh and peered intently into the crystal.
"Well I see a fat gob. I wonder if that means you'll make a loud mouth declaration!" He announced in a mystical voice. I leaned back and rammed a shoe into his shin.
"Oi! That hurt!" James hissed, laughter hidden behind every word.
"If any of us have a fat gob, it's you." I laughed. James shrugged and pulled his bag into his lap. It was even more of a mess now that school started because amongst his comic books and snacks he had his books and quills.
James began pulling clumps of papers out of his bag. There were sketches and lists mixed in amongst his summer homework. Finally he found a used piece of paper with what looked like one of our old jokes recipies on it. He shoveled everything back into his bag and attempted to flatten the paper on the small table.
"What are you doing?" I hissed, looking around the crystal at him. He began to crease and fold the paper, waving a hand at me.
"I'm making a dragon," he explained when I began to nudge him with my shoe. I laughed.
"Why?"
"Because I'm getting nothing out of this bloody ball," he giggled. He finally finished folding a little dragon. James brandished his wand and lightly tapped the two wings.
"Locomotor Wings," he muttered, sending the dragon's wings flapping. He did a sweep with his wand and flicked it, sending the dragon into the air. Connor and Trevor were watching us at this point, attempting to stifle their laughter. James pointed it to their table, floating the dragon with its tiny flapping wings at Connor and Trevor. Trevor took out his wand and performed Wingardium Leviosa so he could float it around. I took out my wand and shot a careful look at Professor Trelawney. She was bent over the table that held Becca Rounds and Sarah Dawson.
"Incendio," I whispered, twisting my wrist a bit so the fire didn't overtake the paper, but make a small jet fly out of the nostril of the dragon. Trevor cheered silently and directed the dragon so it flew over Rory Harolds and Lizzie's table. James pointed his wand at it causing it to sweep low over Rory's hair while I made it breathe more fire. Rory shrieked and chucked a paper ball at me.
"Mr. Potter! I don't suppose you'd like to tell the class what you viewed during your crystal gazing?" Professor Trelawney snapped, her mystical demeanor gone. The dragon dropped on top of Rory's head and she shrieked again as Lizzie brushed it to the floor. James shot me a panicked look and I mimed choking myself.
"I—uh—saw that Kent's going to lose his voice?" James mumbled. I smacked myself on the forehead and pretended to pass out.
"No! That he's going to get hit in the head with one of these balls?"
I covered my face with my hands and tried not to groan out loud.
"Everyone will turn in a complete profile of crystal gazing at the next class," Professor Trelawney announced, flicking her wand at the trap door which fell open when a bang. The class groaned as they shoved their books in their bags and prepared to meet Kaylie at potions. While only half of us were taking Care of Magical Creatures, Kaylie was the only fifth year that decided to take Ancient Runes so she studies it with the Hufflepuff fifth years.
I swept up the dragon as we made our way to the trap door. I began to hover it with my wand as we walked down the steps.
"Kent, that was a clever trick. How did you make it not set completely on fire?" Becca questioned, her arm threaded through Sarah's.
"You just twist your wrist so you can concentrate the fire to one spot. Kay taught it to me," I shrugged. James took the dragon from me again. Sweeping it over Rory and making the paper cut through her long wavy hair. She swatted at it, giggling and shrieking at James. I shot him a questioning look. He shrugged and gave me an impish grin. What is the world coming to? Kaylie is dressing up for boys, and suddenly, within one class period James is flirting with Rory Harolds who he always claimed was a ditz no matter how much I claim otherwise. I thought he knew I kinda had a thing for Rory?
"Kent, hello?" Becca giggled, waving a hand in front of my face.
"Sorry, what?" I questioned, clearing my throat.
"I asked if you would teach me sometime?" She repeated, looking at me through her eyelashes. I stared at her face. She had short, blunt hair, almost as black as James and a button nose sprayed with freckles. I never really noticed her alone because she and Sarah were always attached at the hip. I gave one last look at Rory who was giggling at something James said to her.
"Yeah, sure Becca, I can show you after dinner if you'd like," I answered earnestly. Becca beamed at me and swatted Sarah who had collapsed into a fit of giggles.
"Yeah, that'd be brilliant Kent!" she sighed, pulling Sarah slightly ahead as we hit the entry hall. I grabbed the sleeve of James' robe and yanked him away, shooting Rory an apologetic look. She shrugged and skipped over to Lizzie who was examining us with a critical eye.
"I think I just asked Becca on a study date…" a whispered. James accidently sent the dragon into the wall. He blinked at me.
"Where'd that come from? I didn't know you fancied her," he stated, goggling me.
"I didn't know you fancied Rory," I shot back.
"I don't…" James stated, looking at his trainers.
"You were flirting with her," I remarked, brushing my hair out of my eyes.
"Kent, you know I wouldn't go for her…you still like her don't you? Best mates don't do that."
I looked at my best friend, who was looking sincerely at me with big brown eyes. He shot a small look at Rory behind him and then looked back at me.
"Nah, I got over that. I think I fancy Becca now," I remarked, giving James a clap on the shoulder. James grinned at me before jogging back and picking up the slightly smooshed dragon. He began to straighten the dragon out to its old form. I looked at Sarah and Becca who were sashaying into the potions dungeon. Becca shot me a cute smile over her shoulder. Yeah, I fancy Becca now.
ӿӿKaylieӿӿ
I was the first one into the Potions room, as always. I chose a table in the back, took the middle seat, and began to unpack my potion supplies. I took a rag and wiped down the table before setting my cauldron in the middle. My potions kit above it. My two knives beneath the kit. Then my note taking supplies on the right. I smoothed out my braid, noticing the end start to curl. Looks like the Sleekeazy I applied this morning is wearing off, thank Merlin I bound it into a braid. I smoothed out my skirt and kicked my heels against the rung on my stool.
My head felt like it was filled with lacewing flies. My new "makeover" was working and Victorie was ecstatic.
"I heard that the Hufflepuff Quiddich Captain offered to walk you to class," she remarked as I was making my way to potions.
"Yeah, but that's no big deal…" I replied.
"No big deal? Oh mon amie, the castle is a buzz. You are the talk of the town. All the boys are wondering where you came from and if you're spoken for," Vic giggled, throwing her hair over her shoulder and walking to the staircase that led to Transfiguration.
Everyone's talking about me? I wanted to shout after her and figure out what exactly they were saying. And who were saying it? Was Luke talking about me? That's all I really cared about.
"Kaylie!" James shouted. I looked up. The room had filled without me even noticing it.
"Good, you're in the middle. Professor Vector is probably going to give us a wicked difficult potion first thing," he announced, sliding into the seat next to me. Kent took my other side, looking more contemplative than usual. I raised my eyebrows at him. He shrugged and played with a little paper dragon he was holding.
"What's with Kent?" I whispered, leaning over to James.
"He's probably nervous about his study date with Becca tonight," James shrugged, reaching in front of me to clap Kent on the shoulder.
"You have a study date with Becca? As in Becca Rounds? Didn't you say last year that the only relationship she would ever have was with Sarah?" I whispered, nudging Kent with my elbow.
"You will attempt a Draught of Peace. The ingredients and instructions are on the board. There will be no need for talking," Professor Vector barked, flicking her wand at the board which wrote the instructions and ingredients in elegant script. I began to unpack my ingredients and lined them up behind my cauldron in the order I would use them. I pulled a sheet of paper forward to copy down the recipe and looked at Kent. I let out a huff of air and grabbed a ragged sheet of paper from his pile.
What about Rory? What happened with that?
Kent looked at what I wrote, shot a look around the room and pulled it close.
Got over it during summer hols. Just drop it, okay? Now how small do you cut this hellebore?
"You shred it, and then stew it into syrup," I whispered, finishing the recipe and opening Asiatic Anti-Venoms for emergency sakes against hellebore. Put on my dragon hide gloves and began to roll the leaves into a tight cylinder. I began to carefully shred the leaves into perfect pieces. I took this opportunity to look up at Kent through my lashes. He had watched what I did and was copying my movements. I finished my shredding and picked up the leaves with my knife before depositing them in my potion. I was actually really confident about this one because I practiced it over summer. I added the little bit of water and lit a fire under my cauldron with a prod of my wand.
"How was Ancient Runes, Kay?" James asked quietly as I began to grind my moonstone into powder. I looked up at him in shock. Since when does he care about how my class goes?
"It was fine…" I replied, looking into my cauldron. I stuck the glass rod in and pulled it out. The syrup just coated it. I ladled it out into a vial and began to compose the base of the potion.
"Any more Hufflepuffs ask to hold your books?" he snorted. I flicked my braid over my shoulder and straightened up.
"Not since Michael Phillips, no," I answered coolly.
"I bet he's just trying to get tactics behind the team," James laughed. I put down my knife and stared at him. Kent groaned behind my back.
"Excuse me?"
"You know…since you're so close with the three chasers," James continued, emptying his powdered moonstone into his cauldron. It hissed and let out a large puff of blue smoke.
"So boys can't like me?"
"I never said that…it's just weird that seventh years are asking. I'm sure Trevor actually likes you," he remarked, sitting back and letting his potion stew. He took out the VomitSack from his pocket and began to toss it from hand to hand.
"What? You are such a bloody arse James. Seventh years can ask to hold my books without some ulterior motive," I snapped. Kent was banging his head on the clean part of the table.
"Okay! They can!" He exclaimed as I smacked him on the shoulder with my text book. He fumbled the ball in his hands and it fell to the stone floor. With an almighty burp noise orange goo exploded over the three of us. When some of it landed in James' cauldron a geyser of blue potion exploded to the ceiling.
"POTTER! SCOTT….and SCOTT! McGonagall, NOW!" Professor Vector exploded. The three of us swiveled to look at her. She was covered head to toe in orange goo. I guess she was walking by our table. This must be some sort of record, sent to the Headmasters office before dinner on the first day. I shot James a mutinous look as I squeezed out my braid and wiped the goop from my eyes. I am going to kill him.