Chapter Twenty-Four

Potions felt long that day as they attempted to brew the strengthening solution. Slughorn watching with his beady eyes. Tom Riddle doing it with ease as always as these potions were mere child's play to such a talented young wizard such as himself. He passed his exams with flying colours as expected, even Dumbledore had to admit his transfiguration skills were outstanding. In those long lonely hours at the orphanage, Tom would read all his textbooks again and again as he left no room for distraction. Slughorn looking over his potion and rewarding Slytherin ten points which made his friends smile as they gave him a small nudge of congratulation. Lucy giving a small look of astonishment at his perfectly brewed potion. She then looked down upon her own meagre attempt.

"Ah!" Myrtle suddenly shouted as her potion was brewed exactly right.

Making Slughorn wander over to see it. He didn't seem to quite believe his eyes but he was happy to see her finally showing her Ravenclaw qualities. He gave Ravenclaw ten points as well. Lucy looking at her as if to say 'Told you he weren't petty'. Myrtle too happy to care as she thanked him.

"I don't understand what I'm doing wrong" Lucy spoke as she looked down again at her own potion.

"You lack the right skills, Lucy. Sorry to say but you do" Myrtle insisted in a smug tone of voice.

"Something is wrong with this book"

"That's right...blame the textbook. Me and Tom used the textbook and we were perfect"

Lucy just rolled her eyes. Myrtle isn't humble and is an awful winner. The girl began stirring the cauldron again in the right direction. During this though and as more students began to get the potion right or at least were trying to. One student was barely trying as Slughorn walked towards the desk of Eileen Prince. One of his best pupils in her first-year. He looked beyond disappointed as he saw her stirring it half-heartedly and and with little interest.

"Prince...You're not even trying" Slughorn told her, making students look over to her desk.

"Sorry, Sir" Eileen quietly answered.

"I don't want sorry, Prince. I want effort"

"Well I can't give it!" Eileen snapped to the shock of many.

This reaction just made Slughorn huff. He leaned in closer to her and gave her a late-night detention. She barely reacted as she watched him lean back and return to his desk. Tom barely giving the girl a glance as he just said something in a hushed tone to Avery. Her fellow Slytherins were just happy she didn't loose them any house points, they only cared about her when she affected the whole house.

...

The pupils were dismissed from potions. As they made their way over to the charms classroom. Lucy spotting Ruth, Victoria and Poppy. They were walking outside for their first care of magical creatures lesson. They briefly gave Lucy a wave while holding their fantastic beasts book. Lucy couldn't wait to choose that as one of her lessons next year. She soon found herself being stopped by Argus as he stood in front of her looking even worse than earlier. He was covered in sugar and Lucy had no doubt who was to blame.

"Apparently magical poltergeists don't just like to walk on sugar" Argus spoke.

Lucy putting her hand over her mouth to stop him seeing her smile. Though laughter soon came out of both of their mouths as a couple of students came down the hallway covered in sugar themselves. Peeves had took to sprinkling sugar on passing students as Argus introduced him to more muggle stereotypes from his book. Making him come to the conclusion it was doing more harm than good.

"Oh Argus. I don't know what to say" Lucy managed to say with a grin on her face.

"Say nothing, alright? I'm going for a nap while Oakleigh's out" Argus told her.

He gave her the smallest pat on the shoulder before departing. Lucy walking to the charms classroom in an amused state of mind. As she entered, Randolph Burke welcoming her back. She was just one of two who gained the highest grade in his charms class as she and Tom Riddle both got outstanding. Eileen Prince wasn't too far from it though. Not like this girl was trying anymore as she looked bored before the lesson even began. Burke writing 'Skurge Charm' on the blackboard.

...

The next couple of days were quite normal. Though Lucy was always checking the 'Muggle War News' newspapers for further developments. She was currently walking outside in her winter cloak to feel the fresh air as her black hair blew in the wind. She briefly saw a boy say some sort of spell which resulted in a girl falling into the great lake. The boy was quite small, no doubt a first-year. Lucy watched as he laughed as he looked into the great lake. Lucy paused for a moment as it didn't seem to register what she just witnessed. She watched as this boy's joy soon turned into panic as he shouted...

"Can't you swim?!"

This question made Lucy rush over quickly as the Slytherin first-year looked at her. Victor Crabbe pointed towards the water as Eileen Prince was struggling to stay afloat. She didn't need to say no, it was obvious she couldn't swim. Lucy paused before removing her cloak, shoes and wand. Jumping into the water as she swam towards a shell-shocked Eileen. She grabbed onto the girl's arm as she dragged her to the edge with all the energy she had. The cold water had shocked her, hence why Eileen barely reacted.

"Is she alright?" Victor asked as Lucy managed to get her back to shallow water.

"No she isn't! You stupid boy!" Lucy shouted back; losing her cool.

The boy looked scared as he knew he would get into trouble. Though he didn't mean to put her in danger. He just thought she would get a bit wet and swim herself out on her own accord. Lucy shouted at him to get the matron, the child quickly ran away to do so. Lucy placing her Hufflepuff robe over a shivering Eileen as she waited. Eileen was still in shock from the sudden cold water as she could barely talk or look up. The matron was seen rushing over with a guilty looking Victor Crabbe. The groundskeeper Ogg was walking behind them as he walked over to the scene in shock.

"Oh. Pick her up, Ogg. The girl needs to be taken inside for warmth" the matron instructed.

The matron was an elderly witch called Wendy. Lucy getting out of the way as Ogg picked up a still silent Eileen. The girl barely looked all there as she was carried in, still wrapped in Lucy's Hufflepuff robes. Lucy putting her shoes and winter cloak over her wet clothes, placing her wand back in her pocket. Wendy had grabbed Crabbe on the way back. He was more or less dragged by his arm towards the castle. Lucy was told to come with them. Ogg carried the girl into the hospital wing and placed her carefully onto the bed.

"There you go, petal" Ogg grunted as he made sure Eileen was comfortable.

"She's in deep shock. The 'Great Lake' is no place to dip into during the winter months. Nor is it any place to push a fellow student into...whether it's for fun or not" Wendy began to lecture.

Crabbe looked ashamed as he could barely look anyone in the eye. Lucy was given back her robe. A schoolboy prank gone wrong is what it was deemed as. Wendy bent back down to Eileen as she said a spell which resulted in the girl's clothing become dry as hot air was blown towards her. It soon became clear that the shock was still there as she silently looked around the room. Eileen barely recalled what went on in the seconds before she was cast into water.

"Well done, Lucy. You thought quickly. You may go now, I'll make sure your 'Head of House' is aware of what you did" Wendy assured her.

"Yes mam...thank you" Lucy replied.

Walking back out the hospital wing and into the hallway. She was still a bit shocked herself.

...

TBC