Author's Notes: Thank you very much for the reviews. Here is Chapter 13!
Adele Bradford: Newt bought her a muggle fairytale for her birthday, about a tall dark prince and a redhead princess. In my mind, I was picturing the Little Mermaid, haha.
Horrible Holly: I agree. Newt is the man. He's my favorite to write! There will be plenty more of him in the future.
PassionatelyFeline: I love getting your reviews, they're so thorough! Check the bottom of the chapter for all the astrological information. The astrology thing is just a sort of base for each character, and as the character grows, they will grow into a much more complex person. As for the Scamanders, I've been tossing this idea back and forth for a bit that would bring the adults more into the story, revolving around Scamanders, and certainly fill Lily's third year. It's not exactly canon, but it's not pure fandom either. J.K. Rowling said in an interview once that she purposefully stated something early on, and then by the end of the series, she wasn't as sure about the issue as she was before, so she tried to leave things open-ended in the Epilogue. She, of course, tied these loose ends up eventually, but I may use that loophole in this story. Sorry to be vague, but I don't want to give too much away, although I'm sure a smart reader out there could figure that out.
Chapter 13: Another Dinner
True to his word, Clint Jackson had the Quidditch list posted the next evening. Lily had stopped to ask Professor McGonagall a question about Transfiguration after dinner (now that Lily was dating Lorcan, her Transfiguration marks were steadily increasing). When she entered the common room there was a small crowd, including Rose and Hugo, around the bulletin board. Lily's eyes widened. Dropping her school bag where she was, ignoring Lorcan sitting at their usually table with Lysander and Emily, she ran to the board. Her short height allowed her to push her way to the front easily. Lorcan laughed and stood up to go collect her belongings. Lily chewed her lips nervously as she read the list.
Gryffindor Quidditch Team
Clint Jackson, Captain, Chaser
Race Ashby, Chaser
James Potter, Chaser
Everett Winchcombe, Beater
Rose Weasley, Beater
Albus Potter, Keeper
Lily Potter, Seeker
Lily squealed, jumping up and down in excitement before clapping a hand over her mouth, surprised such a sound came from her. She slid her hand away and grinned.
"You've got to be joking!" Luke exclaimed. He scowled at Lily and approached her opening his mouth to speak before James, who walked up behind her, scoffed.
"Give it a rest, Plympton," he said coolly. "She caught the snitch, not you. She won fair and square,"
Luke stood there, mouth flapping like a fish, before clenching his jaw shut, turning, and walking away.
"Thank Merlin you made the team, Lils. Plympton was such a pain to work with. But hey! Now all three Potters are on the team! Mum and Dad will be so proud. Gryffindor is going to be unstoppable!"
"Shhh!" Rose whispered, pressing a finger to her lips. She was sitting on the arm of the nearest armchair in which Hugo was slumped over, looking defeated. Rose herself looked furious.
Lily's heart sank. In her excitement for making the team, she had forgotten that neither her cousin nor Olivia had made the team.
"Oh, Hugo, I'm sorry!" She cried. Hugo made no acknowledgement of even hearing Lily. James sighed.
"Cheer up, kid. You only didn't get on the team because Winchcombe is a seventh year. He's bigger and he has more experience. It's his third year on the team,
"And it's because I'm lousy," Hugh mumbled. Rose shot him a look.
"You are not lousy, you just lack confidence," she snapped.
"Try out for Beater again next year. Winchcombe will be gone, and you were the best of the lot that tried out," James patted him on the shoulder and walked away to sit with Race. "Oi! Race! Looks like you're stuck with me for another year,"
"I'm just gonna do some homework," Hugo sighed and walked solemnly to where the twins and Emily sat. Lily looked at Rose, who shrugged.
"He'll be okay," she said, before leaving as well to sit with the other third year girls. Lily wasn't sure, but she too left and joined her friends.
Hugo had his book on the table in front of him, slumped forward with his elbows on the table, his head in his hands. Lysander sat on the floor, cross-legged, his back against the couch on the other side of Hugo, practicing the Locomotor charm for class. Lorcan was on the other end of the couch, smiling at Lily as she sat in the armchair with her bag in it across from him. Lily turned to Emily in the armchair next to her.
"Em, where's Olivia?"
As if answering her question, the portrait swung open and in crawled Olivia. She was winded and out of breathe, her cheeks red, as if she had run here. She looked around the common room and upon spotting them, starting walking over.
"Quidditch list is up," Lysander called loudly. Olivia stopped, her eyes widening and her jaw dropping. She looked over at the board before running over to read it.
"Why did you tell her?" Emily hissed, turning to Lysander. He shrugged.
"She was going to find out eventually,"
There was a slam. The first years jumped and turned to see the portrait door slammed shut and Olivia gone from the common room.
"Oh, Merlin," Emily cursed under her breathe. "I better go and—"
"No, you stay," Hugo said, lifting his head. "I'll go find her. I don't think I could get any homework done anyway," He stood, packed his bag, and left the room with all the first year's eyes, and Rose's, on him.
"Wow," Lily breathed. "That was strange,"
Lysander shrugged and went back to practicing charms. Lily looked at Lorcan, who shrugged too, before both went back to their homework. Emily continued to read as well, but she was biting her lip and looking at the portrait door often.
Lily became engrossed in her potions essay and lost track of time. She had reached a difficult section in the book, and was reading it to try and understand is better when a tiny paper bird landed and perched on the top of her potions book. Startled, Lily reached a hand out to it and it hopped into her hand and promptly unfolded itself. Glancing around, Lily saw Emily staring off into the opposite corner, nibbling on the end of her quill, evidently in deep thought, whereas Lysander was bent over his paper, writing furiously. Lorcan was still reading, but a grin was slowly giving him away.
Grinning herself, Lily flattened the note inside her book, and read.
'Just wanted to say congratulations. You are incredibly talented. Now I have a reason to go see the Quidditch games and actually enjoy them.
Lorcan'
Lily looked up and met Lorcan's eager eyes. He pointed his wand a the note again and whispered, "Effingo,"
To Lily's amazement, the note refolded itself and the bird flew up to perch on the edge of her book again.
"Did you say something?" Lysander asked, looking up from his paper and to his brother. Lorcan flushed and Lily quickly snatched the bird. She could feel it flapping its wing in her cupped hands.
"Uh, no," he stumbled. "I mean, yes, yes, I did. I said it's late. I'm heading to bed,"
Lily blinked, her eyes suddenly tired. "Wow, is it really that late? I better head to bed, too," She started packing up her stuff alongside Lorcan and Lysander, stealthily hiding her bird away.
"I wonder where Olivia and Hugo are…" Emily murmured, still staring in the distance. "It's past curfew,"
Lily felt dumbstruck as she realized Emily's words were true.
"I'm sure they're fine," Lorcan said soothingly. "It's late. You should get to bed,"
Emily yawned but shook her head. "I'll just read another chapter,"
The twins shrugged. "Suit yourself,"
Lysander waved lazily at the girls before heading up the stairs to the boys' dormitory. Lorcan bid Emily goodnight before walking Lily to her staircase.
"It's not far," she laughed. "I can walk myself,"
"Yeah," he agreed with a smile. "But then I couldn't have done this,"
He leaned forward and kissed her goodnight. As he pulled back, Lily flushed and she blinked, dazed.
"Sweet dreams," he whispered.
"You too," She replied. He stepped back and went to the boys' staircase. Albus had apparently been sitting in the armchair at the bottom of the girls' staircase. When their eyes met, Albus raised his eyebrows. Lily's ears turned red and she took off, running up the staircase and to her room. Grace and Natalie were already asleep, so Lily crept towards her bed by the window. She carefully extracted the note-bird from her bad and placed him on her nightstand. Pulling a piece of paper and her wand out, she concentrated hard on the object she wanted, hoping she was doing it right. She placed the paper on her nightstand and whispered what Lorcan had said.
"Effingo,"
The paper quickly twisted and folded into a miniature birdcage, just big enough to hold a paper bird. She prodded her note-bird with her wand, and it hopped inside the cage. Closing the door tenderly, Lily crawled into bed and pulled her curtains shut with a smile. Rolling over, Lily was asleep within minutes. She didn't hear Emily come in almost an hour later, or Olivia hours after that.
---
As the Fat Lady's portrait closed behind him, Hugo wasn't sure where to look for Olivia first. Hell, he wasn't even sure why he offered to look for her in the first place. He blamed her for not making the team, anyway. The girl who consistently mocked him, teased him, tortured him. The girl who, moments before leaving for tryouts, threatened to hit him back twice as hard if he hit her at tryouts. Maybe she had just been joking, but he certainly didn't find her funny. His father had told him to never hit a girl… (Rosie didn't count; she acted like a guy, anyway). He had had the perfect opportunity to beat the Bludger at Olivia, preventing her from scoring. He hesitated for a fraction of a second, his father's words and Olivia's floating in his ear, and by the time he swung, it was too late, and Olivia had scored, and Clint was frowning in his direction…
Scowling as he wandered the halls, he had just about given up on finding Olivia when he saw a dark ponytail whip around the corner.
"Hey!" He called, speeding up. "Olivia, is that you?"
As he rounded the corner, he nearly ran right into Olivia. She was standing there, arms crossed over her chest, her eyes red and narrowed.
"What do you want?" She spat at him, her voice thick.
"Nothing, I—are you crying?" Hugo said, scared. He didn't know what to do if a girl cried. All the girls in his life had never been criers. Olivia's face softened for a moment, before the hard look came back.
"No, I'm not!"
"I think you are," He said, pointing to her glistening cheeks. She smacked his hand away.
"I am not!" She insisted, balling her hands into fists at her side, and stomping her foot. "I don't even care that I didn't make the stupid team,"
"Who even said anything about Quidditch?" Hugo smirked while Olivia glared at him. "Besides, you didn't think it was so stupid yesterday,"
"Well," she huffed, her nose in the air. "I was clearly misinformed.
Hugo snorted. Olivia dropped her tense pose.
"What?"
He continued to snicker.
"What are you laughing at?" She demanded.
Hugo's chuckles turn into full out laughing. "You're just—you're clearly upset and you're so—hic—vehemently denying it," He calmed himself to just a very large grin. "It's just very silly,"
"Don't laugh at me!" she cried and Hugo laughed again. Eve as she pouted, her mouth twitched, betraying her.
"You're gonna laugh,"
"No, I'm not,"
"Yes, you are. I can see you're hiding it," He teased her, touching the corner of her mouth. Olivia smiled and rolled her eyes away, smacking his hand away much more gently this time.
"Fine, whatever," Olivia said, giggling.
Hugo grinned at her. Olivia smiled reluctantly back at him.
"Come on, tubby. I'm hungry. Let's get something to eat," Hugo frowned at the nickname but followed her anyway.
"You know it's almost curfew, right?" Hugo panted as he tried to match Olivia's long strides.
"So?" She glanced back at him with a smirk and a mischievous look. "What's life without a little adventure?
As they reached the Great Hall, Olivia turned to Hugo. "Where do you think the kitchen is?"
"You don't know? Where have you been taking us then?" Hugo asked loudly, exasperated. She shushed him and shrugged. Hugo sighed.
"Luckily, I've been there before," He said, stomping down the stairs leading towards the kitchens.
"You have? With who?"
"Lysander," They approached the picture of the fruit. Hugo reached a hand up to tickle the pear and Olivia gasped as it turned into a handle. Hugo swung the door open and bowed, ushering Olivia in.
"After you, milady," Olivia entered and looked around with awe.
"How may I help miss and sir?" The nearest house elf squeaked. Olivia turned to Hugo.
"What should I get? I want to drown my sorrows,"
"How about a giant sundae to share?" He suggested. Olivia's eyes lit up.
"Oooh, with bananas and fudge?"
"And cherries?"
"Lots of cherries," she corrected. The house elves bustled off to prepare their treat, and Olivia added to Hugo, solemnly, "I love maraschino cherries,"
The two sat at the Gryffindor table, Olivia nearly bouncing with excitement. Hugo grinned as the towering sundae was placed in between them.
"Thanks," he added as an afterthought, ice cream already stuffed in his mouth, just because he knew his mother would have reprimanded him if he didn't.
"So how did you and the little freak find your way here, anyway?" Olivia asked, plucking a cherry from the sundae and popping it in her mouth. Hugo gulped at the action, and it took him a moment to answer.
"Don't call him a freak," he said. Olivia raised her eyebrows but kept her mouth shut. "We came here once after detention. How he found it, I have no idea. He said he could just feel the energy. I usually don't question what Lysander says," Hugo trailed off, looking thoughtful.
"Wait, what?" Olivia sputtered. "You guys got detention? For what?"
Hugo's ears turned red and he shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I actually had detention for a week. I didn't want Rose to know,"
"What did you guys do?" She breathed, decidedly impressed.
"You know when Lily and Lorcan were being awkward, so I spent a lot of time with the twins?" Olivia nodded. "Didn't you ever wonder where we were at night?"
Olivia scratched her head. "You know, now that you say it, you guys were never around after classes…"
"That's because we spent most of our nights in the Forbidden Forest," Olivia nearly choked on her ice cream. Hugo thumped her on the back.
"In the forest? Are you crazy?" Hugo smiled sheepishly.
"Lysander wanted to explore, and Lorcan never tells him no. But Lorcan usually made sure we back in the castle before midnight,"
"Midnight? You snuck into the forest after curfew?" Hugo nodded. Olivia, on the other hand, shook her head. "What did you guys even do in there?"
"Just hung out, really," He shrugged. "We found this giant ditch once, and it was all covered in spider webs, and giant decayed acromantula bodies," He shuddered. "That was pretty scary. We collected rocks once, and just skipped them across the lake. I remember I had the coolest looking stone. It was red and glimmering, and it had a giant crack down the center. And one time, we found a this old dead blue car, and it had trees growing through it and all around it. It looked pretty cool, too,"
Olivia laughed. "You guys are such… boys,"
"It was a lot of fun, until we got caught. Lorcan wasn't with us. There was a Transfiguration quiz the next morning and he wanted to study, so he stayed in the Library. But as Lysander and I were walking through the forest, we got attacked,"
"Oh, my god!" Olivia gasped. Hugo grinned, enjoying the attention of his story.
"By what?"
"Centaurs. You know, the half-horse, half-human people. They apparently aren't too fond of wizards still,"
"How did you get away?" She asked, her eyes wide and focused on him.
"Hagrid," He sighed. "He had been taking care of a sick animal, and heard our voices. He was pretty miffed with us, especially me since he knows my parents really well. He brought the two of us straight to Professor McGonagall. We had a weeks worth of detention, and she wrote to my parents,"
"That sucks," Olivia concluded, scooping the last bit of ice cream into her mouth. Hugo nodded, playing with his spoon. The two sat in silence for a moment. Olivia sighed.
"This ice cream was good but… I'd rather I was on the team," she said in a small voice. Hugo nodded.
"Same,"
"I don't mean to sound like a bad friend, because I am happy for her, but I really don't want to hear Lily come back from practices and talk all about them," Olivia frowned, the words rushing out. "I know she doesn't mean anything by it,"
Hugo snorted. "Lily never means anything, but she still always does it. She's been like that her whole life. She doesn't realize other people don't have as great a life as she does,"
"Okay," Olivia snorted. "Like your life is so hard, being the son of the people who saved the world, being rich and famous. My best friends are rich and famous. I'm a nobody, even in my own family! I have three little sisters that get everything!"
"I'm not rich and famous, my family is!" Hugo shouted suddenly, glaring and Olivia was taken back. "My parents did all these great things, and my cousins are all so perfect. Rose is the better Quidditch player, Albus is smarter, James is funnier, and Lily is sweeter. I'm expected to be somebody, but what am I supposed to be?"
Hugo suddenly closed his mouth, his jaw clenched, as if the words had forced their way out of him. Olivia sat there in a stunned silence.
"I'm… I'm sorry," she stammered. "I didn't even think—"
"That's right, you don't think," he said coolly. Olivia glared at him, her eyes filling with tears. Hugo shook his head and sighed.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap on you," he said. Olivia sniffed.
"That's okay," She muttered. Hugo tossed his spoon into the empty ice cream bowl.
"So much for drowning our sorrows," He muttered. Olivia laughed bitterly.
"We can try again another night," She stood up. "Come on, it's past curfew,"
Hugo stood and looked across the table at Olivia. The two shared a tentative smile. Perhaps the two could get along after all.
As the two left the kitchen and crept along the halls, Olivia turned to Hugo.
"If you get me caught out after curfew, I'll kill you, tubby," she scowled. Hugo sighed.
Or not.
Author's Note: There is Chapter 13! We get to see a little bit more of those we haven't previously. Please review.
ASTROLOGY INFORMATION:
PassionatelyFeline asked for me to go over the astrology traits that I mentioned last chapter. These definitions are only a base for the character, and they, just like everyone else, don't fit each mold perfectly.
James, born June 11th, 2004: Gemini. Gemini is ruled by Mercury, the planet of childhood and youth. James is very much a child. Typical Gemini traits: fun, cheerful, extroverted, lack application, flighty, charismatic, intelligence. They are apt to fighting, can be manipulative. If things go wrong for Gemini, they get sullen, peevish, and tend to sulk, just like a child. Likes: talking, novelty and the unusual, variety in life, multiple projects at once, reading. Dislikes: feeling tied down, learning such as school, being in a rut, mental inaction, being alone.
Albus, born April 25th, 2005: Taurus. Typical Taurus traits included solidity, practicality, extreme determination and strength of will, stable, balanced, conservatively good, law-abiding, lover of peace, steadfast. However, they can be unoriginal, rigid, and argumentative and brooding once provoked. They are faithful and generous friend, but don't make friends easily. Likes: stability, being attracted, things natural, time to ponder, comfort and pleasure. Dislikes: Disruption, being pushed too hard, synthetic things, being rushed, being indoors.
Lily, born March 22, 2006: Pisces/Aries. Typical traits of a Pisces: imaginative, sensitive, compassionate, kind, selfless and unworldly, intuitive, sympathetic, idealistic, secretive, vague, escapist, spiritually. Likes: Solitude to dream in, mystery, the ridiculous, getting "lost". Dislikes: the obvious, being criticized, know-it-alls, pedantry. The big difference in Lily is that she is born on the cusp of Aries. Lily embodies an Aries personality, and is much more subtly, but definitely still, a Pisces. Aries are courageous leaders, adventurous and energetic, enthusiastic and confident, dynamic and quick-witted, selfish and quick tempered, impulsive and impatient, foolhardy and daredevil. Likes: Action, coming in first, challenges, championing causes, spontaneity. Dislikes: waiting around, admitting failure, no opposition, tyranny, other people's advice.
Rose, born August 31, 2005: Virgo. Typical traits: Modest and shy, meticulous and reliable, practical and diligent, observant and shrewd, precise, cleanly and hygienic, patient and practical, intelligent and analytical, fussy and a worrier, overcritical and harsh, perfectionist. It's also the only zodiac sign to be represented by a woman, sometimes a somewhat older smarter woman, but rather pedantic and spinsterish. They can be closed off emotionally, and have a hard time making relationships. Likes: health, lists, hygiene, order, wholesomeness. Dislikes: Hazards to health, anything sordid, sloppiness, squalor, being uncertain.
Hugo, born January 1, 2006: Capricorn. Typical traits: Practical and prudent, ambitious and disciplined, patient and careful, humorous and reserved, pessimistic and fatalistic, miserly and grudging, somewhat self-centered, prone to mood swings. Likes: reliability, professionalism, foundation, purpose. Dislikes: Wild schemes, fantasies, ignominy, ridicule. As you can see, Hugo is rule very much by the "darker" qualities of Capricorn, and he doesn't quite fit into the definition of his zodiac sign, and after reading this last scene, you can see that it was done purposefully, to add to Hugo being "different", or in his mind, a nobody, because he's doesn't feel as if he fits in in his family.
Scorpius, born October 31, 2003 (meaning he is almost twelve by the time he starts Hogwarts): Scorpio. Typical traits: Determined and forceful, intelligent and proud, intuitive, powerful and passionate, extreme and emotional, exciting and magnetic, jealous and resentful, compulsive and obsessive, secretive and obstinate. They are the most intense, profound and powerful of the zodiac. They often appear self-controlled and calm, even if inside, they are not. In their every day behavior, they give the appearance of being withdrawn. They have a great self-discipline for they recognize qualities in themselves that make them different, and can be used for great good or great evil. If hurt, they can be destructive. He's also born on Halloween, a special day all about disguises. Likes: truth, hidden causes, being involved, being persuasive. Dislikes: being taken advantage of, shallow relationships, demeaning jobs, flattery.
I haven't given any other characters enough attention yet to decide on their birthdays and zodiac signs. However, the twins are born on February 29, a leap year, making them not only Pisces, but very unique. : )