Author's note: This series follows the books but will include details from the movie series for drama. Please note that the major events of the story remain true to the series and will be summarized into small sections to help progress to the story's love interest. I do not want to be claimed for plagiarizing but the original story line is needed to explain the changes in character development.
M rating for sexual content anticipated in year 4.
Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Harry Potter series. Thank you to J.K. Rowling to bringing us the wonderful Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
The Doting Rival
Chapter 2
This first week of classes was nearing its end. Malfoy had missed the last couple days. Milking the attention, of course. Adelyn rolled her eyes at the thought. She had been irritated that his reaction caused so much distress for Hagrid. She probably would have been very entertained by Hagrid's drunkenness had it been under different circumstances.
But Care for Magical Creatures was not the only class Adelyn was worrying about. She wasn't truly sure what to make of Divination. Professor Trelawney had nothing but terrible omens to share in Adelyn's tea leaves. Ron and Hermione were on complete opposite spectrums of belief with regards to it, and they obviously knew more about magic than she did. Ron was a firm believer in everything she said. Hermione, on the other hand, was about ready to drop the class. It would probably serve her well anyhow as they were hardly seeing much of her. She is taking far too many classes. Adelyn recalled seeing her schedule the other morning over breakfast. FAR too many.
A feeling of dread started setting in as Adelyn set off to her next class: Potions. It was her least favorite class, not just because the worst professor was teaching it, but also because she wasn't really that good at it, honestly. She had to put in a lot of effort to pass Potions each year. And today was a double session. Just what she needed. . . extra time with Professor Snape.
Today's lesson was on Shrinking Solution. Adelyn was a bit relieved. Professor Snape had assigned summer work for the students to write an essay on the history and primary use of the potion. It was a subtle potion used primarily for the transport of livestock. Quite genius, really. One could simply place an entire herd in their pocket and purchase a single train ticket. Adelyn was actually prepared for the lesson, for once.
Halfway through the lesson, Malfoy arrived. His right arm was bandaged and in a sling. He was obviously enjoying the attention, putting on a grimace as Pansy Parkinson inquired about his pain. Adelyn saw him wink behind her back to Crabbe and Goyle.
Ugh! What a sod. Adelyn scoffed. Ron had looked up at her expression. She nodded in Malfoy's direction. He rolled his eyes in reply.
"Everyone, settle down now," Professor Snape commanded casually. "Mr. Malfoy, take a seat."
Malfoy set up at the end of the table Adelyn and Ron was stationed at. "Professor? I'll need help chopping my daisy roots, because of my arm."
"Potter, cut up Malfoy's roots," Snape commanded. He barely looked up before calling on her.
"There's nothing wrong with your arm, Malfoy," Adelyn seethed as she slid down to the other side of the table. "You're not fooling EVERYone." She gathered up the roots and started chopping them. She had already prepared all of her ingredients, so hopefully it wouldn't take long on a second set. She didn't want this to negatively affect her own potion.
"Well, I'm not the one cutting up my own ingredients, am I?" Malfoy replied. He acted so proud of the result of his deception.
"And I'm not the one who doesn't know how to handle a hippogriff," Adelyn quickly shot back. Before Malfoy could reply, she was finished chopping and back to her end of the table. She caught a glance at him and noticed his scoff became a cunning smirk. What is he about to do?
"Sir?" Malfoy raised his good arm to grab Snape's attention. "I'll also need the shrivelfig skinned."
"Potter. Skin his shrivelfig as well." Snape waved his hand in their direction and continued wondering around the room checking the progress of the other students.
Adelyn returned to Malfoy's cauldron and began the skinning. Malfoy leaned over her shoulder and whispered, "And I'm not the one on Snape's bad side."
Suddenly, Malfoy got distracted by a scent. It wasn't typical to the Potions classroom, usually that of preserved specimens and dirt from the various ingredients contained within. It was subtle, but lingering. What is that? He inhaled slowly to better ascertain what it was. It reminded him of the smell after a morning rain in his mother's garden, when the fragrance from the roses are more subdued, and the earth is quite aromatic.
"Malfoy! You can back away." Adelyn's words snapped him back to reality. She was slightly leaning away from him. He blinked rapidly for a few seconds as he recalled where he was . . . practically on her neck!
"I, uh, was just making sure you were doing it right. Don't want you sabotaging my marks," Malfoy replied trying to play it off. Was that smell coming from her?
"I wouldn't risk my own work by doing that. . ." She looked at him questioningly. She tossed the processed shrivelfig towards him and returned to her own cauldron.
"What do I have to do to make you understand, Longbottom?" Snape's cold, raised voice caught everyone's attention. "The potion is to be green, not orange. Shall we test it on your toad to teach you how to properly prepare it? And no, Miss Granger, you may not assist him." Hermione had barely opened her mouth to speak before Snape cut her off.
Neville was always a wreck in Potions. Who could blame him? Snape was intimidating to most students. Snape shook his head in irritation and continued on to the next table.
"Hey, Adelyn," said Seamus Finnigan, leaning over to borrow her hand juicer, "have you heard? The Daily Prophet this morning says Sirius Black's been sighted."
"Where?" said Adelyn and Ron simultaneously. They were keeping close tabs on anything about the man. Malfoy looked up and started listening in.
"Not too far from here. A muggle phoned in on the hot line. He was gone by the time the Ministry of Magic showed up," said Seamus.
Adelyn turned back to her table to notice Malfoy watching closely. "What, Malfoy? Need your leeches juiced now?"
But he kept his eyes on Adelyn and leaned across the table. "Thinking of trying to catch Black on your own, Potter? Always with the hero complex."
"So, what if I was?" She wasn't being serious, of course. Not really.
"I mean, if it were me," Malfoy continued quietly, "I'd have done something ages ago. Would be out there looking for him."
"What are you talking about?" Adelyn replied with irritation.
Malfoy chuckled slightly. "Maybe you don't want to risk your neck again with the dementors. But if it were me, I'd want revenge myself."
"What are you talking about!?" Adelyn's irritation clearly turned to anger.
At that same moment, Snape called out for everyone to put down their tools. Class was nearing its end and he was about to start scoring everyone's work. Ron and Adelyn took their ladles to the basin for washing.
"What did he mean?" Adelyn whispered to Ron. "Why would I want revenge on Black? He hasn't done anything to me."
"Don't listen to him," Ron answered. "He's making it up to get under your skin."
"Everyone gather 'round," called Snape. "We shall test Longbottom's potion. If he has done it correctly, his toad will shrink down to the size of a tadpole. If not, it shall be poisoned." He trickled a few drops of Neville's now green potion into Trevor's mouth.
Everyone listened intently for Trevor to gulp down the potion. Suddenly – pop! Snape had a small tadpole flopping around in his hands. All the fellow Gryffindors applauded Neville's success. Snape withdrew a small vial from his pocket and proceeded to pour it over Trevor and he quickly returned to his fully grown form.
"Five points from Gryffindor," Snape said, causing the cheering to cease. "I am not a fool, Miss Granger. This was Neville's potion to complete, not yours. Class dismissed."
Hermione meandered over to Ron and Adelyn. "Why didn't you deny Snape's accusation?" Ron asked.
"Because I didn't want to cause us to lose more points," she replied. "Besides, I have more important things to worry about." She was currently struggling to cram her Potions book into her already overflowing bag.
The trio were making their way up the staircase to the entrance hall for lunch. "Hermione, why are you carrying so much around with you? We only have one other class today." Ron turned back when he heard no reply. "Where'd she go?"
Adelyn turned and followed his line of sight. "She was right behind us, wasn't she?" As they turned back around reaching to entrance hall, Adelyn spotted her. "There she is."
Hermione was panting. "I am parched! Hurry up, guys. I'm ready for lunch."
"Wait," Ron said inquisitively, "how'd you do that? Weren't you just behind us? Now, you're ahead of us?"
"Don't be silly, Ronald. How could I be in two places at once?" Hermione turned and sauntered off to the great hall.
"Do you think she's hiding something?" Ron asked Adelyn.
"Who knows what she's doing. Barely seen her so far this year," Adelyn replied. "Come on. I need some food before our next class."