Albus woke up to the sound of rain pattering on the tower windows and he flipped over to see the clock on the side-table. It was six in the morning and Albus paused for a minute to think why he was up this early. He tried going back to sleep, but it was no use. Albus could never go back to sleep once he had woken up. He decided he'd go down to the common room to see if anyone else was up, and put on his slippers. It was then that he noticed that the bed next to his was empty; Kenneth was out of bed. Albus found this very strange. Kenneth was one of the deepest sleepers he knew, and he wouldn't get out of bed if he could help it. Albus made his way downstairs to the common room, only to find it empty. He had heard from James that the house elves clean the castle by night, and he was impressed. He had never seen the Gryffindor common room this tidy before. The cushions were in place and the various pieces of litter that had been on the floor the night before were gone. The wizard's chess set that Hugo had been playing with the night before was on one of the tables; the pieces magically back to their original condition. Kenneth wasn't here, and Albus was very curious as to where his best friend had gone. Kenneth didn't usually go off wandering the castle alone, Albus was usually with him. He felt worried for his best friend, and couldn't help but think Kenneth was hiding something from him. Albus decided he'd engage himself in a game of wizard's chess and sat in front of the chessboard. The pieces immediately came to life and started brandishing their swords and snarling at pieces of the other team. The black king said in a wheezy voice, 'you choose the wrong side son, the white side always loses!' This was followed by an outcry by the white pieces and the pawns looked ready to kill.
As Albus ordered his pieces around the board, his mind wasn't in the game. He absentmindedly sent one of his pawns straight to his death, earning furtive looks from the white pieces. After a few minutes, the portrait hole opened, and Kenneth stepped in. He was drenched, and shivering very badly. He was carrying his broomstick over his shoulder.
'A…Al.' he said feebly as he collapsed in front of the fire, mud splattering everywhere around the spotless common room.
'You've been flying? This early in the morning?' Albus asked.
'Yes.' Kenneth answered curtly, feeling the warmth of the fire on his face. 'I've just been trying out the new moves Louis introduced yesterday.'
'Ken, what's wrong? You haven't been yourself; you didn't talk much on the train yesterday, and now, you've been out flying alone in the rain at six in the morning. What's wrong?'
Kenneth didn't answer him immediately. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the warmth the fire provided, but he knew Albus was persistent. He didn't think it well to test his patience.
'I'm really sorry Al. I've just, not been myself lately. It gets worse when I'm around her. It's just, well, I don't know.'
Albus forgave his friend for his incoherence. He walked towards Kenneth and sat next to him by the fire. 'When you say her, you mean, Rose?'
Slowly, but surely, Kenneth nodded.
'You like her?' He nodded again. 'And she likes you?' Kenneth stared intently at the fire, and in the smallest voice, he said, 'No.' Albus was confused. 'But how do you know she doesn't? You didn't tell her, did you?'
Kenneth shook his head. 'I wrote to her over the summer. And well, she sort of confessed to me that she liked someone else. I never got the chance to tell her how I felt. It was like a daily correspondence, I really liked writing to her, and judging by her replies, she liked writing to me too. She said she really felt like she could tell me things she couldn't tell anyone else.' Albus shifted uncomfortably. He wasn't upset that Rose and Kenneth had been writing to each other without telling him, but rather, he had a feeling he knew who Rose liked, although he had always believed it to be his imagination when he saw her looking at him.
'Who does she like?' it was more of a whisper. Albus thought he heard it when the word formed in Kenneth's mind.
'Scorpius.' Kenneth looked away, his eyes singeing from the now unbearable heat of the fire. 'But Al,' he continued in a small voice, 'she can never know you found out, or that I told you; she'll hate me forever.'
Albus nodded, his mind racing. Rose knew no one would ever approve of Scorpius; the Potters and Weasleys could never get along with the Malfoys, no matter how hard they tried. Yet, he had noticed her behaviour around Scorpius. All the glances she gave him during lessons had meant something. This explained why Hugo was complaining over the summer that Rose didn't spend as much time with him anymore, and preferred to remain in her bedroom, with the door closed. Aunt Hermione had dismissed this as the typical behaviour of a teenage girl. As much as Albus wanted to assure his best friend that Scorpius and Rose could never get together, he couldn't. He knew Rose was just as determined as her mother. He patted Kenneth awkwardly on the back.
'I'm sorry man.' He said softly. Kenneth managed a weak smile up at Albus. His best friend was clearly torn between supporting him and his cousin.
'It's not your fault Albus, and it's not Rose's either. It's mine. I've just been stupid enough to think that I was ever good enough for her-'
'But, you are!' Albus cut in. He felt sorry for Kenneth.
'Thanks Al. I knew I could always count on you.' Kenneth grinned up at Albus, and for the first time in two days, Albus saw the spark return to Kenneth's eyes.
'Now, let's go get changed. It's nearly seven and I can hear people moving. I don't think they'll be happy if they find out you splattered mud all over the common room.' They walked upstairs to the dormitory, where they both showered and changed into their school robes, before heading out to the great hall for breakfast. It was only around seven fifteen, so the great hall was relatively empty and quiet. But most of the teachers were already eating, some whizzing through the Daily Prophet, and others just staring bleary eyed at their cereal. Albus and Kenneth sat down at the Gryffindor table and Albus helped himself to some fresh buttery croissants. Kenneth opened up the Daily Prophet lying next to the pumpkin juice jug. Slowly, students came down for breakfast, some looking excited on the first day of lessons, whilst some looked like they never wanted to leave their beds back in their dormitories. Albus looked up from his breakfast and saw Rose walk towards him and Kenneth.
'You guys are up early.' She said cheerfully as she sat down beside Albus. 'Anything interesting on the Prophet?' she gestured to Kenneth.
'Oh, erm, no, not really.' He said as he passed her the paper. Albus could tell he was trying to act as normal as he could. Rose smiled at Kenneth as she glanced through the paper, and disappeared for a moment behind it.
'Hey, Vic's in here.' She squealed and opened the paper to the fifth page and showed them Victoire posing for a 'Malkina' advertisement.
'Hey, let me see that.' Came a voice from behind, and they saw Rio standing there, grinning broadly at the paper. Albus stifled a laugh and Rose passed Rio the paper, giggling. He walked off as Rose stood up to leave. 'See you guys later.' She said as she left for the Ravenclaw table. Albus and Kenneth exchanged looks, but neither said anything as the table around them started to fill up.
Further along the table, James was rolling his eyes at Rio.
'Stop drooling man.' He said as Rio stared intently at Victoire's moving figure in the Malkina advert. Rio shrugged him off and continued staring as Rhea sat herself next to him. 'Morning.' She greeted the both of them and dragged some toast towards her.
'I hope our timetables don't stink too badly. Rox told me she nearly fainted when she received hers last year.' James yawned and stretched his arms, earning some interested looks from girls around him. Rhea laughed. 'You stretch your arms just so you can show off your muscles.' She said.
'Yeah, sort of. But don't pretend you don't enjoy it.' James joked back. Rhea rolled her eyes at him. James looked slightly crestfallen. Rio cleared his throat and they looked up to see Professor Longbottom walking down the table, handing out timetables.
'Here you are. It's pretty packed, considering you're fifth year. But you guys should manage, right?' he smiled and handed the three of them their timetables. Rio was the first one to gasp. 'This is madness.' He said, 'We've only got three free periods a week, and seeing as how all the evenings that are free are taken up by quidditch.' He looked down dolefully at his half-eaten cereal and pushed it away. 'I think I've lost my appetite.'
Rhea and James laughed. 'Well at least we're in all our classes together, seeing as we take the same subjects.' James tried to cheer his best friend up. Rio looked slightly happier as he glanced through his timetable again.
'Hey Rhea.' They turned to look at Justin Thomas, the other Gryffindor prefect smiling at them. 'I was just wondering how you'd like to settle the prefects duties. I think we've got pretty varied timetables.' He handed Rhea his timetable and she glanced through it. 'Oh, how about you take Monday and Thursday evenings, and I'll take Tuesday and Wednesday. We only have to do two days a week each, right?' Rhea handed him back his timetable. Justin nodded. 'That sounds great. Well I'll see you guys around then.' He said as he walked off to sit with his friends slightly further down the table. Rhea glanced at the time. 'I think we better start heading down to the greenhouses. Herbology starts in five minutes.' James finished up his last croissant in two mouthfuls and they stood up to leave the hall.
They were amongst the first to reach the greenhouses and the weather was still damp, with angry thunderclouds looming above them. The fifth years huddled together in a small dry patch outside greenhouse three as they waited for Professor Longbottom to arrive.
'Get in, get in.' he said as he flicked his wand and the greenhouse door opened. As they entered, the howling wind and rumbling thunder was silenced, and the thick smell of fertilizer overpowered their noses. The fifth years settled down and Professor Longbottom passed around pots of a long spindly plant, which swayed even though there was no wind.
'Okay fifth years, this year is of utmost importance to every young witch or wizard. Your OWLs will be upon you sooner than you realise, so you should start revising as soon as you can. Many key professions in the wizarding world require knowledge in Herbology. If you are considering a job as a healer you will find that you will need to know your plants in order to come up with antidotes and cures. Aurors are expected to be able to have the basic knowledge to tell one dangerous plant from the other. ' There was murmur of interest from around the class and Professor Longbottom smiled. 'Today we will be extracting sap from the Jinpuner Bernomgalis. Its sap is known to have many medicinal properties. Can any one of you tell me which essential potion this sap is used in?' Karina Rogers from Ravenclaw instantly raised her hand. 'Yes Miss Rogers?' Professor Longbottom gestured to her.
'Skelegrow.' She answered.
'Very good, ten points to Ravenclaw. Indeed, the Jinpuner Bernomgalis, despite it's frail, spindly appearance has a very strong stem that cannot be broken easily. Hence, the sap is believed to strengthen and mend bones. We will be extracting the sap using syringes, which each of you have been supplied with. Please put on your gloves, undiluted sap can cause rashes to those with sensitive skin. Oh and please be patient, the plant will try to resist the incoming needle, so you'll have to approach it slowly. Get to work.' Professor Longbottom took to walking around the class as each of them put on their gloves and armed themselves with the syringe.
James plant swayed much more than the others and no matter how slowly he approached the stem with the syringe, it would sway away from it. He began to get a little impatient and clicked his tongue. Rhea, who had already collected a vial full of sap, smiled at him and said, 'Here, let me try.' She took the syringe from him and approached the plant slowly. It made to move away, but just as it quivered, Rhea stopped her hand. When the plant stood firm again, Rhea moved her hand inch by inch, and inserted the needle into the stem. She filled the syringe with sap and gave it to James, who was watching the whole process with a frown.
'That plant is biased.' He said as he emptied the sap into the empty vial in front of him.
When the bell rang, Professor Longbottom set them a foot long essay on the properties of Jinpuner sap, and the fifth years looked groggy as they made their way back to the castle, huddled together, fighting against the strong wind.
'A foot long essay? But it's only the first period of the first day! This stinks!' Rio complained as he followed James and Rhea into the warm entrance hall. Rhea smiled sympathetically at him and James referred to his timetable. 'We've got potions next, let's go.' The Ravenclaws moved off towards the second floor for transfiguration while the Gryffindors made their way down to the dungeons for potions. The Slytherins were already waiting outside the classroom when they arrived. Francesca Parkinson laughed as Rhea, James and Rio approached. 'What did you do to your hair Walker?' Rhea smoothened out her blond hair, which had been flustered by the wind and stared back at Francesca. 'I wouldn't bother commenting on others if I had a mop for hair like you did.' James retorted angrily back at Francesca. 'Back off Potter.' Francesco, Francesca's twin brother stared menacingly at James. Before James could retort back, the dungeon door opened and a group of fourth year Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors stepped out.
'Hey James, Rhea, Rio!' Albus and Kenneth greeted as they walked out. James noticed that Kenneth looked a lot happier since they last met on the train. 'Hey guys!' the three fifth years greeted them back. Professor Bevanda, the potions master shuffled the remaining fourth years out. He had a friendly face, a round tummy and spoke with a strong Italian accent. He was wearing robes of blood red and smiled at the fifth years as they entered the classroom.
'Ah, it is good to see you all back here again. Now as we all know, this year is of extreme importance.' Professor Bevanda spent about ten minutes talking about the importance of potion making and some of the possible careers good potion makers excel in. He then set them the task of brewing the Draught of Peace, which he said comes out most often in the OWLs. Rhea found this a truly daunting task; she had never excelled in potions. 'Here, let me help you,' Rio helped Rhea powder her moonstone. Potions was Rio's best subject, probably owing to the fact that Professor Bevanda rarely set them homework. James smiled at his two best friends. It would be lovely if they'd go out with each other. They looked absolutely wonderful together and he knew they both made up for each other's flaws. His dad had told him all about his uncle Ron and aunt Hermione when they were in school, and he felt that Rhea and Rio were heading in the same direction, although they both remained blatantly clueless.
The fifth years continued working on their potions for another hour, and the dungeon classroom was filled with a light silver mist that made the atmosphere calming. Most of the students had managed to achieve a light silver vapour emerging from their cauldrons. The only ones who were having trouble were Rhea, whose cauldron was emitting bright gold sparks and Francesco, whose potion had coagulated and stuck to the bottom of his cauldron. Professor Bevanda walked over to Rhea and gave her a pitying smile. 'I think you stirred your potion one extra time counter-clockwise Miss Walker. Not to worry, it's a mistake anyone could easily make. Just ensure you read the instructions more carefully next time.' He walked over to the front and addressed the class. 'Okay everyone; we have about ten minutes left. Please fill up the vials in front of you with your potion, label it with your name and leave it on the teacher's desk in front, after which you can leave. Please note that you will have to submit twelve inches of parchment on the uses of moonstone, by Thursday. ' At the collective groan that issued at this news, he smiled. 'I know it's going to be a tough year, but you've got to get pass this to secure your future.' He walked back to his desk and pulled a fresh stack of essays to start marking.
As the fifth years walked out of the dungeon and into the cool corridor lit by torches, Rio and James each put an arm around Rhea, who looked disheartened.
'I'm a complete troll at potions.' She muttered.
'No, you're not. You just forgot to read one line properly, anyone could have done that.' Rio smiled at her and gave her a little squeeze. She looked grateful for his confidence in her. James smiled to himself as they walked up the staircase and into the great hall for lunch.
'I wonder what's for lunch, I'm starving!' Rio said as he slipped into the bench next to Rosina Spinnet. The plates and goblets immediately filled with roast potatoes, beef stew, spaghetti and pumpkin juice. Rio dug in, only pausing to take a drag of pumpkin juice. Rosina looked at Rio with a mixture of aw and disgust.
'You continue eating like that and your broom won't be able to lift you anymore.' She joked. Rio responded with a grunt and continued chomping his way through his potatoes. 'Speaking of brooms, Louis mentioned he wanted a meeting later at five in the common room. He says he needs to talk to the team about practise schedules.' Rosina told James and Rio.
'Hey James!' Lily Potter sat herself next to her brother and Hugo sat himself next to Rio while their friends, Miranda Raines, Jules Fawning and Jessica Liew sat around them. 'Lils!' James felt like he hadn't seen his baby sister in forever and gave her a one-armed hug. 'I haven't seen you since we left the platform yesterday. How has your day been?'
'Oh it's been alright. We've had Transfiguration and Herbology so far. Professor Longbottom taught us how to replant mandrakes.' She said as she pulled a plate towards her and ladled herself some stew.
'Hugo, what's up with you? You're not as chirpy as you usually are.' James looked over at his cousin with concern. Hugo looked up from his plate. 'It's Rose!' he said, with a pause. 'She doesn't even talk to me anymore. She hasn't spoken to me properly since summer.'
'Do you know why?' James asked, concern over his cousins growing.
'Well,' Hugo looked a little embarrassed. 'She hasn't been speaking to me properly since dad and I made fun of Slytherins over dinner once during summer. She sort of hushed up and dad says she's even been distant to him.' Hugo swallowed a piece of potato. 'Mum reckons we deserve it for being rude to people who don't deserve it. Mum's always taking her side.'
James smiled at his cousin, but he was deep in thought. Maybe this wasn't just about being rude to people. He turned to look at Rose at the Ravenclaw table. She was piling food into her plate. He turned back, and was confused. Or perhaps he was just thinking too much.
'Hey James, Hugo! Hey Lils!' Albus stopped to ruffle Lily's hair before walking along to sit further down the table with some fellow fourth years.
Albus slid himself between Dianna and Kenneth. The fourth years around them were discussing the dates of the next Hogsmeade visit. Only mildly interested in the conversation, Albus piled some potatoes and spaghetti on his plate, and his eyes fell on Rose, who was sitting two tables away with her usual group of friends. She seemed to be playing with her food. She looked up and turned towards the entrance, she seemed to be looking for someone to enter. He didn't have to guess when he turned to look at the entrance. He saw Scorpius Malfoy, walking in with his usual gang of friends, but was it his imagination, or he looked a little, withered. His blond hair was sleekly pulled back as it usually was, but his usual smug look was gone. He actually looked a little woebegone. He followed his friends to the Slytherin table and sat down. Albus knew Rose was following Scorpius's actions just as intently as he was. Scorpius pulled an empty plate towards him and took a sip of pumpkin juice. He then stared at the plate and stood up. His friends looked up at him, apparently surprised by his actions. He mumbled something to them and Albus saw him distinctly look in the direction of Rose as he made his way out of the hall. Albus turned to Rose, whose eyes had flown back to her plate now, and she was frowning. After a few minutes, Rose excused herself from her friends and made her way out of the hall alone; her plate of food barely touched.
'Al? Al? Why aren't you eating?' Dianna asked as she pointed at Albus's plate. He had barely eaten one potato. 'Oh, erm.' He said as he stuffed a small potato into his mouth. Beside him, Kenneth had gone oddly quiet. Albus realised that he hadn't been the only who had been watching Scorpius and Rose.
After lunch, the fifth years left for Defence Against the Dark Arts, while the fourth years left for Transfiguration. The Gryffindors and Ravenclaws marched into the open classroom to find Professor Weatherborn standing at the front of the classroom. Professor Weatherborn was a strict witch, who didn't accept nonsense in her class. She was the head of Ravenclaw house and the only two people who dared to drive her up the wall were Fred and Roxanne. His father had often told Albus that Professor Weatherborn was much too like her predecessor who had taught him.
Professor Weatherborn started the class by handing out mice to each of the students. Some of the girls squealed and she got fired up instantly. 'Well, if you're too scared to get near a pathetic little mouse Miss Ignatio, you are free to leave.' The class was silenced at once.
'Okay. Today we shall be doing some complicated transfiguration. As fourth years, this would be the first time you have done mammal transfiguration. This will be more difficult than the invertebrates you have transfigured previously. You will be attempting to transfigure your mice into goblets. However, since it is your first attempt, I do not expect anyone to succeed. The person who is furthest along at the end of class however, will be awarded with ten points for your house. You can find the method on page fifteen of your books. Please begin.'
It was tedious work. Albus's mice kept trying to scuttle off and escape, so he had to keep it pinned down with one hand while referring to his book. He held his Birch wand with his right hand and flicked it right while muttering the incantation. The mouse stared at him with its beady eyes, but hadn't changed one bit. Beside him, Kenneth was having no better luck. He had pinned his mouse down the same way as Albus and was fiercely brandishing his wand at it. Blue sparks shot out of his wand and hit the mouse on its tail, which turned a violent shade of purple. Albus and Kenneth laughed and Professor Weatherborn shot them a nasty look before turning to examine a pair of Ravenclaws.
Two benches in front of them, Rose had somehow changed her mouse into a hairy goblet with a tail. At the end of the lesson, neither of Albus or Kenneth's mice were goblets, although Albus's one was bald with shiny silver skin, and Kenneth's one had turned gold. Rose's mouse however, had successfully become a goblet, and Professor Weatherborn demonstrated how perfect it was by pouring herself some pumpkin juice and drinking it out of the goblet. Rose earned ten points for Ravenclaw and the fourth years streamed out of the classroom.
'Well, at least she didn't set us any homework.' Kenneth exhaled as they made their way back to the common room.
'Yeah.' Albus looked out the castle windows. The sky was overcast, and the grounds were soaked, although it had stopped raining. The wind was picking up and the black lake seemed to have flooded a little over its banks. There was no one outside on the grounds; everyone seemed to be taking refuge inside the warm, bright castle.
Back at the common room, most of the younger students were back. Their classes ended earlier than the older ones. Albus and Kenneth sat down to play a game of Wizards Chess as the fifth years entered the common room, looking extremely sour.
'We've got homework from every class we had today! This is ridiculous.' Rio swore loudly as he kicked aside a chair. Rhea and James had given up trying to console him. They were pretty stressed out by the amount of work they had to do too. 'There's no way I'm starting straight away.' Rio said as he sank into the couch by the fire. James sat down next to him and pulled out some blank parchment and ink. 'Don't tell me you're already starting?' Rio asked.
'No, I'm not. I promised my mum I'd write to her and tell her how everyone's doing on the first day back. She's particularly concerned about Lily, since she's so young and all.' James dipped his quill into ink and began writing to his mother. Rhea got out the same book she had been reading on the train, flipped to the marked page and disappeared behind it. Rio closed his eyes and felt himself slowly nod off. The portrait hole opened and Lily and Hugo stepped in. Hugo looked distraught and Lily was consoling him with one arm around his shoulders. James walked over to them, concern etched all over his face.
'Hey Hugo, what's the matter?' he asked.
Hugo didn't answer but stared at the floor. He wasn't crying, but he looked like he would any second. Lily answered James.
'It's Rose. She sort of screamed at him when he went over to say hello.'
James didn't understand. Rose and Hugo had always been loving siblings. Hugo looked up and James saw tears build up in his blue eyes. James pulled Hugo into a hug.
'She's probably just stressed out or something.' James consoled him.
'Who's stressed out? What happened?' Fred and Roxanne had entered the common room and were looking over at James and Hugo.
'Hugo my man, what's up?' Fred reached over a patted Hugo's shoulder. This time Hugo answered the question.
'Rose's being horrible to me. I went over after class to say sorry, hoping she'd talk to me properly, and she shouted at me to go away. She said she didn't want to talk to me, and stormed off into her common room.' Tears were falling in earnest from Hugo's big blue eyes and Fred tilted his head to one side, staring at his cousin.
'Aw Hugo, James is right, she's probably just stressed out.' Roxanne coaxed Hugo and pulled him into a hug. Fred looked at James and they shared a concerned look, both eager to find out and solve whatever problems were facing their cousin.
'Well, I think we need to cheer our little cousin up a little, what do you say Rox?' Fred turned to his sister, who let Hugo go and looked up. Two identical grins spread across their faces.
'Hey Hugo, how would you like to see some fireworks?' Roxanne asked Hugo as Fred pulled out a small red box from his bag.
'We've been working on our dad's designs. We got this from the spare stock.' Fred explained to James as he tapped the box once with his wand.
The box started rattling and Fred let go of it. It remained floating in the air, the rattling getting stronger and stronger.
'I think we better stand back,' Fred said and the cousins stepped back from the red box, which emitted sparks from the rim. 'Three, two, one.'
The red box burst open and out came a huge three-headed dog, composed entirely out of fire and sparks. It bared its three sets of teeth at the cousins and sprang out of the box, running around the room in the air. Behind it, trailed hundreds of fireworks, of all shapes and sizes. Catherine wheels, which grew in size and changed colour with every revolution, giant, spinning sparkles that chased after people as they hid for cover under chairs and tables. It was a magnificent sight. Once the three-headed dog had completed one round around the circular common room, it vanished and music started playing from the very heart of the fireworks. They heard the latest songs by Donavan Tremlett and Dominique Weasley and everyone was laughing and cheering. Fred and Roxanne stood in the centre of the common room, bowing to the applause that now sounded in earnest. The music faded off after a while, and Hugo was thoroughly cheered up. He beamed up at his cousins. Albus was thoroughly amused by his cousins' antics and he went over to Fred.
'That was amazing! What did you guys do to spruce up Uncle's George's fireworks?' he asked.
'Now, now little cousin, we're not going to give the secret away. Rox and I are planning to show this to dad. We only made two sets and we tried out one today. I must say they're more than satisfactory. Dad is going to be thrilled when we show him. Not sure about mum though.' Fred grimaced.
'Where'd you get the giant three-headed dog idea from Rox?' Hugo asked Roxanne and she smiled. 'Your dad, Hugo. The other day he told us about his adventures when he was in his first year at Hogwarts, and he mentioned some three-headed dog called Fluffy. We just thought it'd be cool to add it in, you know?' Roxanne bent down to face Hugo. 'You feeling better champ?' Hugo smiled at her. He could always count on his cousins to cheer him up when he felt down.