Lumos (Ravenclaw Pride: Book One)

Chapter 15: Weird Feelings

-Lucy Phoenix-

"I will give you all ten minutes to practice before I test each of you. I have some business to attend to," Professor McGonagall announced. She glanced at Lucy, Meghan, and Peter with a knowing look (Peeves...) before exiting dramatically.

Lucy had been slightly more attentive in classes that day, though her mind still wandered into the shadowy, sick thoughts of Draco Mal — no. She wasn't even going to think about it.

Lucy's wand suddenly gave an angry burst of crimson, and the match she was supposed to be Transfiguring exploded into a hundred tiny fragments.

Peter kindly repaired Lucy's match before Professor McGonagall could return and went back to his quill, which now he was attempting to change into a nail.

Lucy glanced sideways at Meghan, who was very close to changing her match into a feather herself—the match had soft, snow-white barbs coming from the sides.

Returning to her own match, Lucy screwed up her face in concentration, rereading the text in the book as she flicked her wand at the thin wood splinter on her desk. She then jerked her wand and her match shuddered. Slowly, thin jet black feathers began sprouting along the sides.

Just then, Professor McGonagall opened the doors and walked in. "That Peeves," she mumbled angrily to herself. "One day I will get him. One day he will be sorry."

Professor McGonagall sat down at her large desk and called everyone up one by one to test them. The first person who was called up was Hannah Abbott. After her was Tamsin Applebee, then Melvin Catterick, after him was Cho Chang, and more people were following. Then Professor McGonagall called out, "Peter Lovegood." 

Peter stood up, and Meghan whispered, "good luck." 

 He grinned and walked up to her desk. Peter came back almost instantly with a sleek black feather with thin gold stripes. He winked at Meghan as he sat back down. Meghan was called up only two people later and returned with a pleased smile and a pearl-white feather. 

Soon after, Professor McGonagall called out, "Lucy Phoenix," and looked directly at her. Lucy felt knots in her stomach as she stood up. Both Peter and Meghan wished good luck with concerned looks on their faces. Lucy walked to the desk and felt the knots in her stomach tighten.

"Alright Miss Phoenix, please turn this match into a feather. You will be graded on the accuracy and technique."

Lucy cleared her throat and closed her eyes.

How did it go?? Ohhhh...ummm...ummm... OH YEAH!!!

She looked down at the match and gave a flick of her wand. The match successfully turned into a light blue feather with smooth sides. Professor McGonagall looked down at the feather and nodded with satisfaction. She then took the feather with her frail hands, dipped it in ink, and started to write on parchment that had many other writings on it. All of them said the same word: cat. She wrote the same word on the parchment with Lucy's feather. Professor McGonagall gave Lucy the feather back with a faint smile. Lucy pivoted around and walked back to her seat with a smile. Meghan and Peter both gave Lucy a thumbs up.

The rest of the whole period was just some more people taking their tests. Some returned with a frown and a cross between a match and a feather, others came back with the same smile and delicate feather as Lucy had. 

Professor McGonagall eventually dismissed class and the students flooded out. Everyone proceeded to the Great Hall for their free period. Lucy, Meghan, and Peter sat down in their usual seats at their long table along with the other students. Meghan and Peter began conferring to each other about their results of the Transfiguration test. Lucy wasn't paying attention to the conversation. She instead stared longingly at the seat where Draco usually sat. He wasn't there. She sat there for a while watching dust swirl in the sunlight shining on the empty spot. She heard someone call her name but it was faint and distant. Suddenly, she snapped out of her stupor and looked around.

"Right, Luce?" Meghan asked impatiently.

"Wha-What's going on?" Lucy replied.

"Meghan and I were having a debate on the whole history of House separation," Peter said smoothly. "Spoiler alert: It was Salazar Slytherin's fault."

"I see what you're implying, but it can't possibly all his fault. What do you think Lucy?" asked a very irritated Meghan.

"I mean- I guess- I don't-"

"Oh, forget it," Meghan sighed.

Before long, the free period was over and the students rushed to get to their next class. As the three of them walked out the doors to Great Hall, someone walked quickly past and bumped into the three Ravenclaws. The main recipient was Lucy, who was knocked to the floor. Peter and Meghan were pulled away down the corridor in the thick stream of students. 

The culprit doubled back quickly and hoisted Lucy off the floor. It was none other than... Draco.

"I'm s-sorry Lucy, I was just trying to rush to Potions." Draco seemed very interested in the marble stairs left of Lucy's head.

"That's okay," Lucy squeaked out. It had been nearly four days since they last spoke. "I was going to Potions too."

"Oh. Right. Okay. Well, we best hurry then."

Draco led the way to the dungeons and kept an unusual amount of distance from Lucy when they walked. Lucy was excited that they finally talked, but she had a weird feeling that everything wasn't going to be like how it was before. They walked down the spiraling steps and finally reached the door to Potion class. No one was there, in neither the corridor and the classroom. Lucy walked towards the wall, gave one last longing look at Draco, and she turned away from him. She had an odd sensation that he was staring at her. A few moments later, the rest of the first-year Slytherins and Ravenclaws descending the stairs and stood outside the doors. Draco was nowhere to be seen as if he suddenly vanished out of the hallway. Lucy saw Meghan and Peter and met up with them.

"LUCY WHERE WERE YOU!!" Meghan shouted over the noise.

"Uhhh... I lost you guys and came down here." 

Liar.

The door suddenly swung open behind them. The students all rushed into the room and took their seats. Instantly, Professor Snape came in with his black cloak billowing behind. He suddenly pivoted around to face the students, his beady eyes glaring at every person in turn. Lucy suppressed a shiver as his eyes moved over her. He took out his wand and flicked it towards the board, not moving his eyes from the students. The words Dreamless Sleep Draught appeared in white chalk. Then the ingredients appeared below it.

"Well, aren't you all planning on taking notes?" Snape bellowed.

Everyone rushed to get parchment and started to scribble down what Snape had written. The class dragged on for another two hours until the bell rang, signaling everyone to get out of the room.