Dragons
It had been a months since Celia’s dispute with Draco in the corridors , a month to settle in , and she felt as though it was going well . If she ignored the frustration of not being able to find anything in that huge book about how she could be related to any wizarding family yet . October had just begun and while the leaves were falling from the trees ready to die for the winter , the friendship she had made with Hermione , Ron Weasley and Harry Potter was becoming more and more alive each day .
“ Ron’s not happy with me at the moment .” Harry said gruffly after breakfast .
“ I thought as much ,” Hermione replied ,” He was eating with Seamus this morning .”
“ Did anything happen last night ?” Celia asked Harry as she , him and Hermione were walking to their first lesson on a Wednesday morning . Potions .
“ Well after my name got pulled from the goblet . I went into the chamber with all the other champions and they teachers started interrogating me and said that because there’s a binding magical -“
“ -Contract you have to participate in the tournament .” Hermione finished ,” Yes we know that part Harry Celia means about you and Ronald .”
Harry put his head in his hands “ Oh shit yeah that’s obviously what you meant . Sorry I didn’t sleep well last night .”
Celia put her hand on his shoulder ,” You don’t have to tell us if you don’t want to Harry .”
His eyes widened like saucers at the hand on his shoulder , Celia quickly removing it in case it made him uncomfortable ,” Sorry “
“ It’s okay ,” he smiled at her , and Celia felt as though Harry was saying it was just the mention of Ron that bothered him and that the hand hadn’t in the slightest .
“ It’s not okay ,”Hermione said “ Ron is your best friend so tell us what happened “
Celia had gained a feeling over the last month that Hermione didn’t just like drama in books and literature , but secretly in real life too .
“ He basically said he didn’t believe my name was just put in there by accident , and that if I was going to just enter by myself it was selfish to not tell him how I did it too . “
“I mean I’m not really great with these things ,” Celia said , though as time had been going on she’d began to become a lot better at being around people her own age ,” But I think Ron is probably jealous of all the attention you get .”
Harry spat some of the coffee he’d taken in a cup from breakfast out ,” He can very well have it if he wants . He’s not the one who’s had to defeat Voldem-“
“- don’t say his name !” Hermione hissed ,” Besides we should get to potions before we are late .”
The three of them hurried into the lower dungeons of the school , the only light as they descended down the ancient staircases being from even older oil lamps tinted a deep green . Slytherin territory .
She turned the corner and bumped into someone’s chest , she glanced up to see it was Mattheo . Harry and Hermione walked into the potions class .
“ Hey Celia ,” he said welcomingly . Mattheo had still treated her the same for making Gryffindor , and Celia had realised he was the most popular boy in their year . He was friends with everyone , friendly with everyone ,” How are you doing ?”
“ I’m okay , though you already know what’s been happening over there .” She lowered her voice and nodded her head over to Draco and Pansy . Kissing .
“ I don’t blame you for falling out with him , he just thinks he can’t be friends with anyone not in slytherin, or Parkinson’s tongue by the looks of it .Remember all the house stuff is his parents views though really .”
“ He could’ve changed .” Celia replied .
Mattheo lowered his voice , his dark hair tinged even darker in the emerald candlelight,” Draco has , let’s just say , a lot of bad influences . Look at Pansy for example , he’d never be doing that if he was going out with you instead .”
Celia was glad for the candlelight , her cheeks were burning . She still hasn’t got used to being anxious about things some people say ,” What makes you say that ?”
“ I just think if he got his senses together he would be way better with you instead . “
“I-“
She could hear Snape beginning to call names in the register for the potions lesson .
“ We better go ,” he whispered rapidly while taking her arm gently and running to the fourth year potions door ,” Meet me at the astronomy tower tonight at eleven . And by the way , mention me to Granger . Her and Weasley look like they’ve fell out and I’ve fancied her for ages .”
Celia choked her surprised laughter back as the door swung open and they both took their assigned seats .
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The potions lesson had been brilliant to Celia . While the rest of the class had been looking at sleeping elixirs , Celia and Hermione had been studying how to make the perfect recipe for a potion named “ living death “ .
“It’s so strange how it all links ,” Hermione said as they packed up their things towards the end of the lesson ,” We’ve been looking at living death together in here then the killing curse in charms . It feels like something bad is goin-“
“Celia .” Severus Snape drawled from his desk as students were filing out of the room ,” I need to speak with you .”
Enzo looked up from the novel he was reading as he left the classroom to raise his eyebrows at Celia , pulling a huge fake frown like a clown at her . Mattheo and Lorenzo had been the most welcoming towards her since her argument with Draco , it seemed now that the twins had decided on taking Pansy’s side and the other boys had their own things going on .
She laughed at him as quietly as she could before walking over to Snape’s desk with her bag . Though she had learnt over the years that Snape had never been the most extroverted teacher she had been tutored by over her childhood years , he was certainly one of the best , and the reason Celia thought she had even made it so far in her journey with potions to begin with .
“Dragons .” Was all he began with .
Celia heart hammered with excitement at the mere word . Snape knew it was her dream to work with the creatures , why she had worked so hard as a child even with sparring - she wanted physical strength to be able to tame one someday .
“ Yes ? .” Was all she asked , she knew Snape was always to the point , he would give her an answer .
“The first task , do not tell Mr Potter , he will find out himself Celia so you have nothing to be troubled by .”
“Why are you telling me this ? “ She searched Snape’s onyx black eyes .
“You are possibly the most intelligent student I have ever taught , I thought you deserved to know .”
She smiled , her grin stretching wider and wider and wid-
“- don’t do that in my classroom .” he clucked ,” you are dismissed .”
“ Thank you Sever-“
“ Celia you are dismissed .” Snape went back to marking some papers on his desk .
Celia walked from the classroom , as she turned to close the door she peered through the small window and thought she could just about glimpse a tiny smile on Snape’s face .