Lily Potter and the Shadows' Misfortune

Chapter Eleven

"What a day," Lily said with a dreamy smile and a light sigh as she and her friends strolled up the stairs of the Potion Dungeon. "It's so good to be back."

"Speak for yourself," Hugo said, his eyes squinty as he held up a bag, which looked like it could tear at the seams in an instant. "This is heavier than it was at the end of last year. This is ridiculous."

"It's not that bad," Rudolph said with a shrug. "At least we're back at Hogwarts. Trust me, it beats rural, Muggle Ireland. We can use magic here, and I don't have to sit around with two old people all day. I love my grandparents dearly, but hearing the same stories over and over again gets old after a while."

"True," Eli said, in agreement with Rudolph before smirking. "Though I was lucky enough to have a few Transfiguration lessons with-"

"We know," Lily interrupted with a huff, crossing her arms. "Don't rub it in any further, Eli. It stings that you got personal Transfiguration lessons with Headmistress McGonagall. My heart aches with jealousy."

"Good," Eli said, elbowing Lily gently on the side and smirking even brighter.

Lily laughed and shook her head, ready to come back from their digression, "Now, do you blokes think Nora and Cassie will be at dinner tonight? I can't believe we missed them twice already today."

"Well, if someone hadn't been late to breakfast this morning, then that someone-"

"Shut it, Hugo," Lily said, narrowing her eyes and recrossing her arms. "I know missing them this morning was my fault."

Because of her hanging back to talk to Cecily and her Quidditch discussion turned challenge with Eli and James, Lily and Eli had arrived to breakfast after Nora and Cassie had already left and had barely had any time to eat an apple before leaving for their first class.

"Blame her all you want for missing them this morning, but skipping lunch was definitely your fault, Hugo," Eli said, a cheeky grin on his face.

"It's not my fault that I left my Charms book in my trunk," he said, his voice strained and breathless. "It was my pure hatred of the subject that forced me to leave it there. I had no control over that."

Lily rolled her eyes as her stomach growled. After a double Herbology hour right before lunch, Hugo had discovered his missing book and dragged the rest of the group along to the common room to retrieve it, causing them all to miss their lunch.

"Never thought I'd see Hugo Weasley miss a meal," Rudolph said, chuckling.

"You're getting to sarcastic for my liking, Rudy," Hugo said with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

Lily, Eli, and Rudolph halted dead in their tracks as the boisterous Hugo continued down the hall as if he hadn't said anything out of the ordinary.

"Did he just call you-"

"I think he did, Eli," Rudolph said, nodding with a look of suspicious disgust on his face that Lily was sure matched hers.

"What?" Lily looked up, seeing Hugo standing down the hallway with his hands on his hips. "Are you three coming or what? I don't want to miss dinner, so let's put a little pep in your steps, and go. Lil, Eli, Rudy, let's go."

"We're in shock, Hugo," Eli said, not moving.

"Over what?" he said, his voice sounding like a displeased toddler. "Come on. Let's go."

"You just called Rudolph Rudy, Hugo," Lily said, feeling her confusion seeping into her words. "Since when have we-"

"New sarcastic personality, new name to match it," Hugo said, shrugging with a smirk before it faltered. "Honestly, I didn't even know that I called him that, but I like it, and thus, I knight you Sir Rudy Nickelson. Catchy nickname? I think yes."