Chapter 7
He yanked his hand out of my grasp. “Do you not see how sparkling this office is?” He shot his hands up and wiggled his fingers. I raised an eyebrow. “I can see how beaten up you look.”
“Yes, yes dear, but beauty is pain, shouldn’t I get a reward for this endeavor? Perhaps a-” he wiggles his eyebrows, “A little kiss maybe?”
I roll my eyes and kiss the top of his hand lightly. “There, all better. You still look like a mess though.”
He laughs and hops off the table, “You’re correct of course, but shalln’t we get to breakfast?”
I nodded, “Yes, of course.” I started out the room.
“Wait!” he said. “How did you turn me back?”
I pulled out the slip of paper and showed him the necklace. “Mind if I take a look?” he asked. With my permission, he read over the sheet. “What’s this on the back?” he asked.
I frowned, “I didn’t know there was anything on the back.”
He reads aloud, “There’s a gift for you in the top drawer.” Almost giddy, he holds out a hand. “Shall we?”
He doesn’t wait for an answer, racing back to the front room to the desk, out of breath, he yanks open the compartment and pulls out a long box tied with a similar ribbon fastening the slip of paper.
“Would you like to do the honors, darling?” he asked. I nodded nervously and took the box from his hands. Pulling the silky ribbon loose, and lifting the top of the box, I gasped when I saw the contents.
“Neat.” Hatter said, “A wand.”
I cursed under my breath, “This means I have to participate in class,” I mutter, “We’re dueling today.”
The grin was wiped from his face, “Bloody hell,” he says, “Have you ever tried casting spells yet?”
I shake my head and pull the wand out of the box. The wood is polished and beautiful but it feels so alien in my hand, so unnatural. Trying to remember one of the spells we learned in class I wave it, “Lumos.”
Nothing happens. Hatter frowns, “Perhaps it is defective.” Snatching it from my hand, he calls out, “Lumos!” Immediately, the tip glows brightly with an unearthly light.
We meet eyes. We both know what this means.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
“It’s fine,” Hatter assured me as we strode down the hall to the cafeteria, “There have been plenty of squibs to graduate Hogwarts.”
I nod, feeling sick to my stomach. “I don’t know if I can bring myself to eat after this.” Hatter wraps an arm around me, “I get that, but if it's true your class will be dueling, it's better if you eat beforehand. To build up your energy.”
I nod slowly.
It’ll be fine.
It’ll be fine.
It’ll be fine.
We enter the Great Hall and make our way to the Ravenclaw table. I sit across from Luna and a pretty Asian girl.
Luna is wearing her odd glasses again and waves at me and Hatter, “This is Cho,” she says, “Cho, this is Hatter and our new peer.”
Cho nods to us, and turns to Luna to ask, “Do you know where Alexis is?”
Luna shakes her head no, “There’s no telling of her location.”
Just turning my attention from Luna back to Hatter for a split second I am horrified at the amount of food he already has piled on his plate. “What?” he asks, his mouth full as I stare at him. “I’m hungry.”
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Potions was the only class I excelled in. I found the instructions very clear, and Professor Slughorn entertained that quality. He had put Hatter to work, and I wasn’t sure if it helped whenever we made eye contact, Hatter would wink.
“Now!” Slughorn exclaimed, “Who remembers the formula to make this compote?” He holds up a vial of the substance we had been learning to make all week. The formula wasn’t particularly complex, but it was more difficult than most. Faster than I can raise my hand, a girl in Slytherin’s hand shoots up.
She tosses her long brown ponytail and recites the formula.
Slughorn shakes his head, “Apologies Miss Parkinson, but that is incorrect, you’ve been doing well in this class, I expect more.” Pansy Parkinson’s face flushes red.
“Anyone else?” Slughorn spins in a circle before his gaze lands on me. “I trust you know the formula, Y/N?”
Ignoring the lump in my throat, I nod and tell him the recipe.
His eyes brighten, “Correct! Why, you’ve been studying here for a shorter amount of time, but you already learn faster than some of our other students!”
I wish he hadn’t said that because Pansy Parkinson glares at me. Petty anger lighting her eyes.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
I am so tired by the time I finally start Defense Against the Dark Arts, Hatter, on the other hand, seems to be in high heaven, skipping down the hallway beside me. He clearly thrives off of social interaction, while I do not. All day, I’ve been introducing him to Professors and students, and frankly, it’s draining my battery.
“What’s this next Professor like?” he asks, his head still bobbing up and down in the air.
I don't get the chance to respond because someone shoves me hard. I don't see who it is, just a ponytail of long hair and a green flash of a patch on a robe.
I collide with Hatter, spilling my papers everywhere. His arms immediately wrap around me protectively, breaking my fall, cushioning me with his own body.
The flow of people in the hallway continues on, paying us no mind. He lets me go, like someone letting go of an injured animal.
I let out a sigh and gather my papers. “Who was that?” he asked, helping me gather my supplies. I blow out a breath, “I’m not completely sure, but my bet is it’s that girl from potions that got the question wrong.”
He wrinkles his nose “Bloody git.”
When we finally arrive to the class, Professor Snape is already talking to the class, prepping them for dueling.
When Hatter and I come through the door, the whole class snickers. “Sorry I’m late,” I say. Professor Snape looks unimpressed. “Five points from Ravenclaw,” he says.
Beside me, Hatter has no sense of shame. “I’m supposed to be your wench today,” he tells Snape with a straight face. All the students manage muffled laughs. Snape’s face goes through levels of confusion before finally saying, “Please sit to the side, and you-” he turns to me, “Go to your seat so I can finish explaining.”
I sit down in my seat. My stomach is turning. My hands are so sweaty, clutching my wand with a death grip, I fear I may snap it, though that may not be a bad thing. Noticing movement from the corner of my eye, I see Pansy Parkinson whispering to a blonde boy. She catches my gaze and smirks. I stick out my tongue.
“Who would like to volunteer?” Snape asks. The room is silent, did he actually think people would want to go first? But someone does volunteer, it’s Pansy.
“And for a partner,” she said sweetly, “I would like to duel our newer peer.”
Snape nods and gestures with his hand for me to rise. I do. My legs are shaking. Hatter is shooting me supportive smiles from the front of the class.
“You.” Snape says to Hatter, “Moderate this next round so I can catch up on some work.” Hatter nods.
I face Pansy, she is grinning wickedly. God, she’s so petty. “Wands up,” Snape calls. I raise my arm. My hand is so sweaty, I wonder how stupid I would look if it just slipped out of my hand.
“Begin!”
Immediately, Pansy flicks her wand, “Incendio!” I gasp. I know what this spell is, its fire. The spell is coming at me so fast I know even if I could do magic, my reflexes would be too slow. I attempt to shield myself from it. But it never comes.
One breath.
Two breath.
I lower my arms to stare at her. She’s just as confused as I am, maybe even more. Everyone is staring too, they’re all whispering.
“How did she block that?”
“Did she cast a shield?”
My ears burn as the whispering grows to a dull roar in my ears. “Continue,” says Snape. Pansy strides forward with such speed, I’m startled and begin to stumble backwards.
“Don’t be a coward,” she sneers, and raises her wand.
“You damn teacher’s pet, you don’t belong here.”
All the other comments before hadn’t bothered me, but ‘teacher’s pet,’ and ‘don’t belong here’’ boiled my blood. I had been given that nickname through my whole education, despite the fact that the teachers usually despised me just as much as the students did. Belonging to something was the thing I wanted most.
I lunged forward, getting all up in her personal space. I saw panic flash in her eyes. “Don’t call me that.” I snarl.
And I whip her across the face with my wand.
~to be continued~