Dursley's Dilemma (Sequel to Dursley's Daughter)

3. Not A Chance

"Everything the same, then, Essie?"

In his haste to compare schedules, Sawyer leaned across the Hufflepuff breakfast table and grabbed ahold of one corner of the parchment in my hand. As he pulled it from my hands, though, his elbow bumped into his glass of juice, which threatened to tip. Eliciting a small scream, Sawyer twisted his right arm over his left to try to catch it. But he was still holding my schedule in his fist.

Hugo's eggs ended up swamped in pumpkin juice, and my parchment was ripped right in half, one piece in my hand, one in Sawyer's.

"Oh, Sawyer!" I cried, more teasingly than annoyed. "Not again! I think you managed this same thing last year."

"Probably," he grumbled, staring down at the carnage he had created.

I plucked the other piece of my schedule from his hand and laid the two halves neatly side by side, fishing my wand out of my robes to fix them with a simple charm.

Hugo said nothing. He lifted his soupy eggs, slid Sawyer's plate in front of him, and dumped his in front of Sawyer. He speared a sausage and, staring Sawyer in the eyes, ate it.

"I guess I deserve that," said Sawyer. Cassie and Claudette couldn't stop giggling.

"You bet you did," said Hugo.

My schedule repaired, I looked it over properly. "If you had been patient and let me answer your question, this all could have been avoided," I said. "We have everything the same, of course, except for Ancient Runes."

He caught my pointed look and rubbed at his neck. "Don't worry about that class, Esther. After what we did to them last year, I doubt Sullivan and that are going to try anything...funny."

"As long as you're sure," I said.

"Thanks for worrying."

"That's my job."

"Should we go over to the Ravenclaw table to compare with Holly?"

A hand clamped down on my shoulder. "No need!"

I think I must've jumped out of my skin, but managed to avoid knocking over my own glass of juice. After taking a moment to recover, hand on my chest, I said, "Morning, Holls."

Her hair was piled on top of her head in a fluffy sphere. She took my newly repaired schedule from my hand and glanced it over. "We have Defense Against the Dark Arts together on Wednesday afternoons, and Herbology on Thursdays," she said.

"Lookout Professor Venables," said Claudette, smirking. "That's a triple threat if there ever was one."

"Quadruple," corrected Holly. "We've got Rose, too." To Sawyer and I, she said, "I've memorized Scorpius's schedule already. You've got Potions with him on Monday."

"Thanks," I said. "Finished, Sawyer?"

He watched Hugo finish the last of his toast and nodded.

Sawyer and I rose from our seats. As Holly and I walked together towards the door, Sawyer did so on the opposite side of the long Hufflepuff table.

"Have you memorized Albus's schedule yet?" I asked her.

Holly crossed her arms in an attempt to look annoyed, but I knew she was secretly pleased. "Not yet," she said. She glanced around furtively. "I'm going to have to be discreet about it."

Sawyer rejoined us. "You? Discreet?" he asked incredulously. "About what?"

Holly shrugged.

"Oh, come on," said Sawyer. "You're seriously not going to tell me?"