Untold Ties // Harry Potter Universe

Quills and Quarrels // Chapter 2

"Come on Niki! You need a proper breakfast for the first day of classes! We have to be perfect for our O.W.L.s" Hermione shouted from the bathroom.

"Just tell the professors I'm sick," Nicole whined from underneath her covers.

"I swear you'd think someone had died the way you are acting," Hermione said, launching a pillow at Nicole's bed.

"Someone has died! My friendship with Magnolia is over!" Nicole complained, finally climbing out of bed.

"Oh please. You are just having a normal spat. Ron and Harry did the same thing last year."

"Really? You think she will talk to me today?" Nicole said, perking up.

"Well you'll have to get up to find out," Hermione huffed, pulling Nicole towards the bathroom, "Now come on before all the muffins get eaten."

Nicole sluggishly agreed pulling her hair back into a ponytail and slipping into her Gryffindor robes. Hermione greeted her outside the bathroom with a relieved smile, and pushed her towards the door. The pair made their way down to the Great Hall to catch the last couple minutes of breakfast.

Nicole couldn't focus much on eating as her attention was pulled to the Hufflepuff table where her friend sat. Magnolia looked up from her plate for a small moment and Nicole saw her chance to wave, but before she could Magnolia's eyes darted back down.

"I just wish I knew what I did wrong," Nicole groaned.

"Goodluck figuring it out, " Ron jokes, "You women are impossible to figure out."

"Real classy Ronald," Hermione jeered, "Maybe you'll have a chance to talk to her in class today."

"I don't know what her class schedule looks like though." Nicole huffled dejectedly.

"Well it'll be a surprise then," Hermione added, trying to cheer her up.

"Yeah I guess. Anyway I'm gonna head over to Potions early."

"Wait, why?" Harry asked with a mouth full of food.

"Ask me no questions and I'll tell no lies," Nicole smirked.

"That's our line!" Fred yelped for the other side of the table.

"It has a nice ring to it doesn't it," Nicole added walking away from the table.

**Potions**

Nicole snuck down into the dungeons and carefully opened the door to the potions classroom. After surveying the room she tip-toed in towards Snape's locked ingredient closet. "Alohomora" . Nicole quietly clicked the door open and scooped up a vial of dew and death's-head hawk moth chrysalis.

"What do you think you are doing!" Harry whispered.

"Jesus you scared me!" Nicole yelped, " I am just grabbing stuff for that Animagus potion I'm working on for Mags."

"What if Snape caught you!"

"He didn't. So shh and let's grab a seat before everyone else comes down here." Nicole said in a hushed voice shoving Harry towards an empty table.

As planned the two sat at their table while the Gryffindors and Slytherins filed into the classroom oblivious to Nicole's thievery.

"Before we begin today's lesson, "said Snape, making his way to the front of the classroom, glaring at the students, "I think it appropriate to remind you next June you will be sitting in an important examination. During which you will prove how much you have learned about the composition and use of magical potions. Moronic though some of this class undoubtedly are, I expect you to scrape an Acceptable in the test to face my displeasure."