Tick tock tick tock tick tock. I sighed as the drumming of the clock lulled my bored mind into a state of even greater boredom. Three days into the summer and I was already bored out of my mind. As much as I didn't want to admit it, I missed school, even classes.
"The first student to perform the summoning charm will get an extra bonus point on the exam," Flitwick squeaked.
"Accio cushion," the students chanted, but only one cushion moved. Instantly one flew across the room, soaring above the heads of the angry Slytherins and to the Gryffindors, caught by me. I smirked at the angry faces as Flitwick took down my name for the point.
Smirking, I thought of other parts of school I enjoyed.
"Whatcha up to, Weasley?" I cooed, leaning over the back of his chair and reading over what he had written for an essay.
"Val," he replied, leaning his head back to look up at me. "Can you help me? I need to finish this before next period."
Chuckling, I asked, "Fred, what were you doing all of yesterday?"
"Working," he said sheepishly. "Now help me."
"Fine," I sighed, sitting down next to him. In ten minutes, he had a good enough essay to pass. "And there you go, Fred," I said, scanning over the essay one last time. "There is your decent essay."
"What would I do without you, Valerie," Fred replied, beginning to pack up his stuff.
"Fail," I teased, chuckling.
"You wound me," Fred said sarcastically, hand to his heart.
"Oh, baby, don't act so hurt," I mocked playfully. "You know I love you."
"Tease," he chuckled.
"It's part of my charm," I countered with a smirk. A look from Fred sent me into a fit of laughter as I grabbed my bag.
"You're crazy, woman," Fred chuckled. "Let's go."
"If you insist," I replied coyly.
My finger rang over a ring on my pointer, a gift from Fred last Christmas, but it wasn't all fun and games.
"Move it, you filthy little mudblood!" a voice shouted, causing my blood to boil. Angelina and I both shared an irritated look as we rounded the corner and spotted Marcus Flint and others standing over a terrified first year Hufflepuff.
"Back up, Flint," I snapped sharply.
"Stay out of it, Black," Flint snapped. He moved forward towards the kid, but I instantly moved, shoving him back.
Glancing at the first year, I ordered, "Get out of here, kid." He scrambled off, leaving me and Angelina facing Flint and three other Slytherins.
"Shouldn't have done that," Flint snapped.
"You shouldn't have been born," I retorted dryly, "but it seems what should and shouldn't be isn't in our favor." He lunged forward, but I instantly raised my wand to his throat, my eyes blazing. Soon, spells went back and forth, but just as the fight became intense, a shield spell suddenly went up between us. Flint was knocked back, but I simply lowered my wand, turning to see who had cast it.
Angelina stood awkwardly behind Professor McGonagall who looked on angrily. "Nothing, I repeat nothing excuses dueling in the halls!" When none of us said anything, she ordered, "Fifty points from Slytherin. Twenty points from Gryffindor. Miss Black, follow me." After leading me to her office, she faced me, her lips in a hard line. "Well?" she snapped. "Explain yourself!"
"He was tormenting a poor kid!" I defended angrily. "It was four against one! What was I supposed to do?!"
"Report the incident to a teacher!" McGonagall retorted. "You or one of the other students could have been seriously injured!"
"But we weren't!"
"You very well might have been!" she retorted, a mixture of anger and fear in her voice. I remained silent. Sitting down shakily, McGonagall fumed, "So like your father. I saw that same fire inside of you in him and look where it landed him!"
"Don't talk about my father!" I shouted, my eyes burning with tears my pride wouldn't allow to fall.
Her eyes growing sympathetic, she said, "I know it's been hard for you without your parents, but I simply can't allow you to go through your schooling like this anymore."
My jaw and fists clenched, I asked, "May I leave?"
"I suppose," she sighed. Instantly I turned and left.
Okay, so maybe I don't miss that bit, but there was fun too.
"George, run!" I cried, running down the halls with a wide smile, Fred and Lee behind me. The four of us ran from the prank we had just pulled and into one of our secret passageways. I stifled a laugh as angry shouts moved past us. Silently we exchanged high-fives of triumph.
"Valerie, I'm home!" Remus called. "I brought your favorite."
"Hey," I greeted, stepping into the kitchen and beginning to get out the food he had brought. "How was your day?"
"I got fired again," he admitted with a sigh.
"I'm sorry," I sighed. Huffing, I scoffed, "It's so stupid."
"No, they're right," Remus said. "I'm dangerous."
"Remus, stop," I retorted, glaring at him. "You know how to protect everyone when you turn. You haven't hurt anyone in decades. If you didn't know what you were doing, sure dangerous, whatever, but you do. They have no right to just cast you aside for something you can't control and know how to deal with. It's stupid!"
"I appreciate your righteous indignation, but I'm used to it," Remus replied. "Let's eat." With a sigh, I let go of the subject and sat down at the table to eat. "What did you do today?"
"The usual," I replied. "I went out into the woods and played Quidditch, did some reading, finished my potions holiday work."
"What all do you have left?"
"Charms, History of Magic, Transfiguration, DADA," I rattled off. "Herbology. I'll get it all done."