The Last Marauders: Year Two

“Where’s Hermione?” Ryan immediately went to the Gryffindor table the first morning after the holidays, ignoring her customary greeting in absence of one of her friends. “She didn’t get attacked during break did she?”
“No, she didn’t.” Ron replied. “She’s just-” He looked at Harry. “-sick?”
“Really?” Ryan cocked an eyebrow and also looked at Harry. “Come on. Who am I going to tell?”
“We ended up using the potion and she accidentally grabbed a cat hair from Bulstrode’s robes.” Harry whispered. “She’s in the hospital wing waiting until it goes away.”
“And? What did you find out?”
“It’s not Malfoy-”
“Obviously.”
Harry continued, ignoring her. “But the chamber opened fifty years ago. And someone died.”
“Can I go see her?”
“I’m sure she won’t mind if it’s you.” Ron said, his mouth full of toast.
“Right.” Ryan wrinkled her nose. “Ron, honestly, didn’t your mum ever teach you to swallow your food first?”
Her first Potions class back, Snape assigned them a foot-long essay on the importance of following instructions to the letter and to brew two Wiggenweld Potions, one right and one wrong. With essays for nearly every subject, plus her additional research into the potion needed for the animagus charm to work, the month of January passed without much incident. The attacks ceased for some reason, although a lot of the Hufflepuffs still avoided Harry like the plague (Ryan had taken to jinxing them in the halls-like causing Macmillan’s pants to fall down on his way to class).
One day, near the end of the month, she, Elijah, and Oscar were studying in the library, all working on Professor Flitwick’s charms essay over a general counter-spell and its’ uses. “Hey.” Harry joined them, sitting down by Ryan. “Homework?”
“Shouldn’t you be studying?” Elijah asked, not looking up.
“I got bored. Left Ron with Hermione since they were arguing about the assignment.” He placed an old leather bound journal on the table. “Someone threw this in the toilet in the girls’ bathroom, right through Myrtle’s head.”
Ryan pushed her parchment aside, looking at it. “It’s blank. How odd.” She flipped through it again, stopping at the first page. “T.M. Riddle.”
“Riddle?” Elijah finally looked up. “My grandfather’s last name is Riddle. Or was, actually. Tom Marblo or something like that.”
“Do you want it?” Harry asked. “It’s probably his.”
Elijah shook his head, but then nodded. “Actually, yeah. I don’t really have much of anything of his.”
“Fair enough.” Harry handed it to his friend. “Any chance I can copy your essay, Ry?”
“Oh, alright. But change it up a little. Flitwick’s better at catching cheats than anyone in this school.”
Harry grinned at her. “You’re the absolute best. I’ll give it back before class.”
Ryan felt her face start turning red. “If you don’t, I’ll turn your hair as green as your eyes.”
Harry just laughed. “See you lot around.”
When February rolled around, Hermione was released from the hospital wing and was back to doing homework in the library with Ryan and the others. On Valentine’s Day, as Ryan was getting dressed, she transfigured her hair into a pale pink. “Hey, Daph, can you braid my hair for me?”
“Sure.” Daphne quickly helped her roommate with her hair. “Can you recolor mine too?”
Ryan pointed her wand at Daphne’s honey blonde hair and it became a warmer pink to complement the girl’s looks. Daphne moved to the mirror, pulling it up into a ponytail, and Ryan conjured two ribbons of each girl’s hair color, handing the paler one to Daphne and tying the other one at the base of her braid. The two girls grinned, taking a quick photo with Daphne’s camera before heading to the Great Hall. When they opened the door, Ryan and Daphne were overcome with giggles. Covering the walls were giant, bright pink flowers accompanied by heart-shaped confetti falling from the ceiling. At the teachers’ table, Lockhart’s robes matched the flowers and his grin was blinding. Professors McGonagall and Snape, however, looked entirely annoyed. Ryan scowled slightly, plopping down by Malfoy and their fellow second-year Blaise Zabini. “Nice hair.” Blaise said, grinning.
“Thanks. Want yours pink too?”
“No, but it’s cool.”
“Happy Valentine’s Day!” Lockhart shouted. “And may I thank the forty-six people who have so far sent me cards! Yes, I have taken the liberty of arranging this little surprise for you all — and it doesn’t end here!”
Lockhart clapped his hands and through the doors to the entrance hall marched a dozen surly-looking dwarfs. Not just any dwarfs, however. Lockhart had them all wearing golden wings and carrying harps.
“I can’t believe almost fifty people sent him cards.” Ryan made a face. “Ew.”
Lockhart beamed at the students, continuing. “My friendly, card-carrying cupids! They will be
roving around the school today delivering your valentines! And the fun doesn’t stop here! I’m sure my colleagues will want to enter into the spirit of the occasion! Why not ask Professor Snape to show you how to whip up a Love Potion! And while you’re at it, Professor Flitwick knows more about Entrancing Enchantments than any wizard I’ve ever met, the sly old dog!”
Flitwick’s face turned bright red and he hid his face in his hands. The scowl on Snape’s face deepened even more, and if looks could kill, Lockhart wouldn’t have had a chance. Malfoy leaned over. “10 Galleons if you ask him how to make one.” He taunted.
“Deal.”
In Potions later that day, as Ryan was finishing up her assignment, she promptly held her hand in the air. “What?” Snape asked coldly.
“Professor Snape, I was wondering if we could brew a love potion for our next assignment.” Ryan said, trying to keep the laughter bubbling up out of her voice.
Snape’s cold, dark eyes narrowed. “Twenty points from Slytherin, you insolent little-” He stopped. “Get. Out.”
She ducked her head, grabbed her bag, and ran out of the dungeon classroom. A few minutes later, Malfoy caught up with her, almost wheezing as he tried to catch his breath from laughing so hard. “If you thought he hated you before, Merlin, Black, you might want to skip the rest of potions classes for a few years.”
“He’ll get over it soon.”
“I’ll ask Mum to send me the money.” He took a breath. “Oh, man, that was gold.”
“Are you out of your mind?” Harry hissed, coming up to her. “He already doesn’t like you!”
“What? I was just curious. I want to make a love potion.” Ryan bristled. “Don’t get mad at me.”
“You’re an idiot.” He walked off with Ron, who gave her two thumbs up as he passed, and Hermione, who looked severely disappointed in her.
Passing Elijah in the corridor later, one of the goblins had caught up to him, holding him by his torn bag. “Elijah Holmes, oh so sweet, A 12-year-old heart that skips a beat. Your smile's contagious, it's plain to see, You're a young charmer, full of glee!”
His face was entirely red and Ryan ran up to him after the goblin took off in search of his next victim. “Reparo.” She pointed her wand at his bag, mending the rip.
“Bloody hell.” He sighed. “Everything’s soaked in ink.”
“Not everything.” Ryan was helping him clean up, vanishing the spilled black liquid off of books. “Look.” She handed him his grandfather’s diary.
“How odd.”
“Did you get one too?” Harry puffed, stopping on the other side. His face was also red.
“Yeah.” Elijah frowned. “This diary was in my bag when the ink spilled. Nothing got on it.” He passed it back to Harry. “You wanna check it out for me? I have to rewrite both essays for Charms and Transfiguration.”
“Sure. I’ll give it back to you later.”
“Thanks, mate.” Elijah finished getting everything off the floor. “Thanks, Ry.”
“You’re welcome.”