Chapter Seven
Following lunch, Amelia stood outside on the Quidditch pitch. Slytherin has Amelia, Finn, Matilda Malfoy, Bailey, and Teagan. From Gryffindor, it would be Lily Luna, Casey Stone, Thomas Rhineheart, Felix Byrd, and Donna Boyd.
"Hey, Snape!" Casey Stone marched toward the Slytherin group with an air of confidence and determination as if he had something to prove. He held his head high, his eyes blazing with pride and defiance. He challenged the Slytherin group to a fight.
"What do you want?" Amelia barks and her nostrils flared with irritation.
"I heard your mother took a fall. Lost her balance, eh?" Casey was mocking and laughing at the situation, implying that the fall was due to clumsiness rather than being an accident. Amelia's face turned red. If anyone knows Amelia, she has her father's temper. Her jaw tightened and her fists balled up at her side as she took a step towards Casey, her voice low and controlled.
"Ain't it nice to inquire about my mother? Knowing you have the hots for her." The Slytherins laughed. Disgusted by her remarks, he stepped forward, closer to Amelia.
"You wish, but your mudblood of a mother ain't shit. My father said she should've been killed at Malfoy Manor when Lestrange had a chance." His father had been a Death Eater and was at the Manor when the trio were captured and brought there during the second war. He was trying to threaten Amelia by implying her mother would have been killed if they had the opportunity. It was a way of trying to assert his power and superiority over her. By using the term "mudblood", he was trying to devalue Amelia's mother, showing her that he thought her mother was beneath him due to her lack of magical capabilities. He was also trying to instill fear in Amelia with the implication that her mother could have been killed if the Death Eaters had their way. It was a tactic of intimidation meant to demonstrate his power.
"For a Gryffindor, you sure sound like a bloody death eater Stone." Teagan stepped forward, coming between Amelia and Casey. Her wand pointed towards him. Casey mounted the broom and floated up. "I'd suggest you watch your words," Teagan warned, her voice stern, "if you don't want to find yourself on the receiving end of a spell." She threatened.
"I am not a Death Eater." He explained with a smirk. 'The fucking hat put me in the wrong damn house.' Casey thought to himself.
"Don't push your luck, Casey." Donna warned him, her voice urgent, "Or you'll get more than you bargained for." Amelia grabbed her broom and mounted it as well.
"Don't! Madam Diggory won't be happy!" Finn warned.
Suddenly, just as she's lifted her feet, Madam Diggory barges onto the field. Madam Diggory, whose expression is stern and unrelenting, stops everyone in their tracks.
"You better have a compelling excuse for why two first-year students are already encumbered without instruction." A loud voice roared. Madam Diggory was surprised and angered by the fact that two students tried to mount the brooms without her permission or guidance. Her tone of voice and body language showed her irritation and disbelief. Students turned around, a woman, with anger spewing all over her face, glared at them. Amelia dismounted immediately.
"My apologies Madam." Amelia apologized profusely.
"Stone disrespected Deputy Headmistress Snape," Bailey confessed. Madam Diggory's eyebrows quirked. Madam Diggory's face showed a hint of surprise as her eyebrows rose slightly.
"How so?" Madam Diggory asked. Bailey explained what happened.
"It is unacceptable behavior. Mr. Stone, you will lose 20 points for Gryffindor and detention with me this Friday." Madam Diggory stated sternly, her expression revealing her disapproval. Casey nodded shyly before backing away to rejoin his group.
"This is not drama class. You are all old enough to know better than to start fights. Now, as you line up, step to the left of your broomstick with your left-hand hovering over the broom, the first command will be 'Up.'" There was a pause before Delphi rolled her eyes.
"Well, what are you waiting for?"
"Up!" The class said in unison. Amelia's broom went immediately into her hand.
"Wow!" She had seen her dad fly several times over the years. He refereed some of the games when she was younger. Mum wouldn't let dad teach her how to fly because she was 'too young.' No matter how many promises he'd made to her that he wouldn't let her fall. Mum wouldn't budge.
"Up!" Casey's broom also went up immediately into his hand. He smirked as he glared at Amelia.
"Up!" Finn demanded.
"With feeling!" Madam Diggory commanded.
"Up!" He shouted again. But it wacked him in the face. Amelia, Teagan and Bailey laughed in response.
"Stop, its not funny!"
"Now, once you've got hold of your broom, I want you to mount it. And grip it tight, you don't want to slide off the end. [the class mounts on their broomsticks] When I blow my whistle, I want each of you to kick off from the ground, hard. Keep your broom steady, hover for a moment, then lean forward slightly and touch back down. On my whistle. 3, 2..." She blows the whistle. However, Finn's broomstick somehow lifts him off the ground. Finn immediately lifts off. Finn had never flown before and feared what would happen. He had no idea what to expect and was overwhelmed by the sensation of suddenly lifting off the ground.
"Oh!"
"Mr. Longbottom."
"Finn, what are you doing? Matilda asked. A bunch of students shout in concern: "Finn!" as his broom is acting strangely. He is hovering a few feet above the ground, and it seems like he is struggling to control it. The students are afraid that he might crash and be injured.
"Ahh!" Finn screamed as the broom took off.
"We aren't supposed to take off yet!" Bailey shouts.
"Mr. Longbottom!" Madam Diggory exclaimed with a tinge of frustration; her brows furrowed in disbelief. It was only the second day of her new job, and someone is already to obtain an injury. As she mulled over the unfortunate incident, a sense of annoyance crept over her as she couldn't help but think that she might lose her job before the week was over.
"Down! Down!" Finn demanded but to no avail.
"Finn!" Amelia cried.
"HELP!" Finn immediately skyrocketed toward the clouds. He flies uncontrollably in the air and hits a wall, conking along it and then swooping off. All the while, he is screaming. He begins to zoom back towards the group of students. Diggory quickly holds out her wand to stop him.
"Mr. Longbottom!" Madam Diggory shouted again. However, the students quickly stand back as she dives out of the way, allowing Finn to fly right through. Finn goes through the scatter and up a tower.
"Like father like son." Casey said to himself.
"Ahhhh! Whoa! Ahhh!" Finn zooms past a statue of a man with a sharp spear. His cloak catches on it. He is flipped off the broom and hangs there.
"Oh. Ah... help!" He wavers, then the cloak rips through the spear, and he falls. But his cloak catches on a torch, making Finn slip off from his cloak a second later and fell to the ground.
"Ow!"
"Move! Out of the way!" Madam Diggory called out as she made her way to Finn.
"Is he alright?" Amelia asked.
"Looks like it's sprained. Class is dismissed. Use this time wisely children." Madam Diggory commanded. Taking the injured boy to the infirmary. 'I hate this job.' She said to herself. As the student and teacher walked away the remaining class chatted.
"I hope Finn's going to be okay." Teagan expressed.
"He's going to be fine." Bailey assured her.
"One thing is for sure. Same thing happened to Unc—er—Professor Longbottom." Amelia somewhat laughed at the memory of when mum told her the story of their first flying lesson.
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On the 7th Floor
Alex was feeling stressed after dinner and needed to unwind from the past few days' events. Despite the excitement of having another sibling, he was also anxious about his mother's well-being. During a conversation with her the previous night, he noticed his father's fearful expression. This left him feeling uneasy and out of the loop. He made it his mission to uncover what was going on. However, he understood that he may have to wait for the right moment to learn the truth.
He was surprised to see the doors to the come-and-go room suddenly appear before him. Letting out a sigh, he walked inside and was greeted by a nostalgic decor reminiscent of his grandparents' home. The room boasted a cozy brick fireplace with a crackling fire, a blue sofa and loveseat, and a matching blue rug. To the left of the fireplace, there was a 2004 Model M Steinway grand piano eagerly awaiting to be played.
Alex sits in front of the piano, his hands slowly hovering above the black and white keys. He starts playing Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata Nightmare. He begins to play softly at first. The song then accelerates, and his fingers slide gracefully over the keys. Putting all his energy and tension into this piece, as if it were a dance. When he was finished with the piece, he sighed. He thought he was alone, however the room notified him of a guest outside the door. Standing up, he walked over to open the door. He smiled at the familiar face.
"Rosie, what brings you here?" He asked Rosie Weasley, the daughter of George and Angelina Weasley, 4th year Hufflepuff.
"I heard you playing Alex. I was meeting with Professor Flitwick when I heard the piano. I knew it was you." Rosie looked up at him. Alex smiled and motioned for her to come in.
"I can always use the company." The red hair-blue eyed girl grinned and almost skipped, following him into the room of requirement.
"How was your first few days, Alex?" Rosie asked as she took a seat beside him. Alex reclaimed his spot on the piano bench.
"It's been interesting. If you haven't heard, mum had an accidental fall, but she's going to be okay." Alex didn't really go into detail. He came here to relax, not to get stressed again.
"I'm sorry to hear. You were playing Beethoven, yes?" Rosie inquired. Noticing his facial expression on the topic. If Deputy Headmistress was okay, she wouldn't pry. Thankful for the change of subject, he nodded.
"It was, you have good taste in music. What other music do you like?"
"I like a lot of American music; do you know Billy Joel?" She questioned.
"Of course, I do. Any particular song?"
"New York State of Mind?" She asked. As he started to play, he began to sing:
"Some folks like to get away…Take a holiday from the neighborhood." He started.
"Hop a flight to Miami Beach or to Hollywood—yeaaahh" Rosie came in.
"But I'm takin' a Greyhound on the Hudson River Line…."
"I'm in a New York state of Mind." As they sang together, their energy matched the song. Alex almost felt like he was Billy Joel himself.
"I'm just taking a Greyhound on the Hudson River line…"
"Cause I'm in a New York State of mind…." Alex and Rosie sang that last part together and sounded beautiful. Rosie ended with a "yeah yeah."
"If that isn't soulful, I don't know what is." Alex smiled down at Rosie. Rosie's heart pounded in her chest. She always liked him. Even when they were younger, she had a stronger connection with him than anyone. 'It's just a crush…it'll go away. Eventually.' Rosie thought to herself. Alex looked down at his wristwatch.
"Oh goodness, its getting late Rosie. We better head back to our common room before curfew." Alex warned. Rosie nods in agreement. The two of them stood up and walked out of the Room of Requirement.
HGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSS
After dinner, Hermione and Severus are alone in their bed chambers. Hermione is lying on the bed, propped up on pillows, her eyes closed as she listens to Severus reading from his book. Severus sits in a chair beside her, his voice low and soothing as he reads. Every now and then, Hermione opens her eyes and smiles at him, and he smiles back before continuing. They enjoy this quiet time together, talking, sharing stories, and reading. It is a time to connect and relax, away from their daily lives. They find solace in each other's company and appreciate this special time together. Moments like these are invaluable, and they cherish them. They understand that these moments of peace and togetherness are fleeting, so they savor them, taking in the warmth and comfort that comes from sharing a moment of stillness with one another.
"How are you feeling?" Severus asked as he stopped at the end of the chapter. They recognize that these moments don't come around often in life, so they make an effort to appreciate them and the people who created them. They understand that when life is chaotic, these moments of stillness and connection are what help to keep us grounded and remind us of what's important. So, they take the time to really be present and enjoy the moment with one another.
"I feel okay. I was wondering if you would be willing to walk with me in the rose garden?" Hermione asked.
"Are you feeling sentimental?" Severus smiles at her. The request is like a breath of fresh air, calming and invigorating all at the same time. Much like the way a rose garden can bring solace to a weary soul. Hermione had been feeling a bit nostalgic lately, and the beauty of the rose garden always made her feel a bit more in touch with her emotions. She was hoping that a stroll with Severus in the garden would help her to clear her head and process her feelings.
"I enjoy reminiscing about the night you proposed in that rose garden my love. It's our special place." For instance, whenever Severus wanted to surprise her with a romantic gesture, he would whisk her away to the rose garden to recreate the special moment they shared there.
"Of course, my darling." Taking her hand into his, he led her to the rose garden. He knew that the rose garden was special for both of them, as it was the place where he had asked her to spend the rest of her life with him. The rose garden was a place of comfort and familiarity, and it was a reminder of how far they had come as a couple. Whenever Severus wanted to show her how much she meant to him, he would take her back to the rose garden to evoke the same feelings of love and connection. As they reached the rose garden, they could feel the presence of their past together. Severus embraced her tight, and they said nothing, but their love and commitment to each other was clearly seen in their eyes. They stayed there for a moment, in complete bliss.
A/N: Review, review review! They help fuel me! There isn't a whole lot of Severus and Hermione in this chapter, as I wanted to help expand the relationships between the younger generation and help you understand their personalities.
In case you are interested, here are the links of the songs that Alex played. Billy Joel "New York State of Mind" and "Moonlight Sonata Nightmare."
watch?v=yNXw2EAswdo
watch?v=zZgB5rRhs-k
Moving along….