Toujours Pur | Euphemia Black

Chapter 6 | The Transfiguration Professor

"You have two minutes," Heather told Euphemia and Minerva, tossing her hair back and spinning back round to face Mary and Walburga, evidently talking about the two girls.

I'll have as long as I want, dimwits Euphemia thought furiously to herself and it must've shown on her face as Minnie chuckled.

"Now, what did you want?" Mia asked her, coming off a little harsher than she intended and automatically apologised. "Well, some of the other kids and I are going to explore the castle later and I was wondering if you wanted to come."

Euphemia was taken aback by the offer, having not expected to be asked to hang around with Gryffindors, as she assumed that the majority of Minnie's new friends would dislike her because of her green robes and the fact that she was a Black and a Slytherin.

She risked an apprehensive look at Walburga, who narrowed her eyes back and suddenly Euphemia had made up her mind.

"Yeah, count me in," she smiled and Minerva gave her a hug before informing her to meet them in the Entrance Hall after her last lesson.

"Wait, aren't you in Transfiguration with me now?" Mia grabbed onto Minnie's sleeve, not really wanting her friend to leave her with the monstrous beings that were Walburga and her cronies and Minerva's face brightened and nodded, agreeing to walk with her to the classroom.

The Transfiguration classroom was across the Middle Courtyard and so, without telling Walburga, Euphemia quickly hurried off that way with Minerva, though she could hear Heather's furious shouts from behind her.

The Entrance Hall was now packed with students exiting from the Great Hall, readying themselves for the first lesson of the first day.

Two seventh years were making out in a small passage off the Entrance Hall and smaller students such as themselves scurried about, anxiously looking for classrooms.

Older students shoved past the younger ones, though some kind Hufflepuffs were directing Pomona Sprout to the Potions classroom, as Minerva and Euphemia overheard as they passed her, Minnie waving at the small girl before they hurried out of the main doors and out into the rainy courtyard.

Students were flocking around here as well, the different colours of all the houses blending into one, as the courtyard became a mass of students all clad in their black robes.

Shouts of friends trying to keep up with their companions filled the air as the rain pelted down from the grey skies above them, causing puddles to form all over the flagstones.

Minnie almost slipped in one of these puddles but the boy that Euphemia recognised as Florean Fortescue, the boy who had hung out with Charlus on the train, caught her with a laugh and she sent him a grateful look.

"Slippy here, ain't it?" Florean chuckled as he brushed his wet hair out of his face, "I'd give anything to be able to perform a rain proof charm like that guy," he pointed at an older Ravenclaw student who had his wand upwards, forming an Impervius umbrella.

Mia nodded in agreement, though she did always like rain - she thought it was pretty and dewy grass looked lovely in the morning light, as she had figured when she peeked out of the windows that very morning.

"Where are you two off to, anyway?" Florean asked cheerily, pulling the girls over to one side so that they didn't delay anyone in the busy courtyard.

Euphemia kept quiet, not sure whether he was addressing her as well, she didn't know whether he shared Charlus' beliefs about her, though he did have a friendly glint in his eye which was comforting.

"Transfiguration," Minnie answered, "I'm looking forward to it." Florean nodded, informing them that he was going to Potions and that he would see them later, which confused Euphemia as she thought he didn't like her.