𝙊𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨
Zoia's finally back at the train to her second home. She's currently sitting with Monica, Susan, Hannah and her pink pygmy puff, Berry, on her shoulder. They're telling each other what they did during the summer.
"So you kissed Anthony Ricket?!" Hannah gasped. "T-that's unexpectedly expected."
"What do you mean?" Zoia frowned.
"Expected because I've seen you both getting cozier before we left school, unexpected because you've been on the team since third year and you've never properly talked to him until fifth year," Hannah explained.
"Anthony's hot, get with him Zoia," said Susan.
"Him and Cedric are. . ." then Hannah made a chef's kiss move.
There's a murmur of agreement afterwards.
"I miss Cedric," Zoia sighed.
"But you're captain though!" said Monica.
"You're captain?!" Hannah and Susan gasped.
"Yep," Zoia popped the P.
"Congratulations Zoia!" Hannah and Susan beamed and attacked her with a hug.
"I expected it, we all expected it! Cedric even called it!" said Hannah.
"I have to look for a seeker now," she huffed. "It's hard, because Cedric was really good."
"Why don't you seek and find a new chaser? It's easier to find a new chaser than seeker isn't it? Besides I saw you last year, you were great! With a little bit of practice you can be even better!" Monica suggested.
"I like chasing — seeking sucks. I mean it's exhilarating to be honest, the push of adrenaline, when seeking. But I still like chasing much better," Zoia explained.
"I heard Zacharias Smith wanted to try out as a seeker this year," said Susan.
"He's not bad to be honest, I've seen him," Hannah added.
"We'll see," said Zoia.
The rest of the ride went by peacefully as she spent most of the time sleeping and eating.
｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆
Professor Sprout handed Zoia's schedule during breakfast. Zoia decided to continue taking every class, except divination, care of magical creatures and muggle studies since she only wanted to focus on her core subjects.
"The good old sixth year, the calm before the storm," said Anthony next to Zoia as he looked at Zoia's schedule with her.
"There's going to be a lot of assignments this year though isn't it?" asked Zoia.
"Yes," he answered. "Still, I think it's still better than N.E.W.T.s. year."
"Any year is better than N.E.W.T.s. year," Zoia huffed. "I don't even want to think about next year."
"Anyway, when are you going to hold a tryout for seeker?" he asked.
"Not sure, I'll probably announce it later," she answered. Then she felt her stomach flip remembering that she's the captain now. What if she sucks? What if she's not as good as people say she is?
"I'm sure you'll do well," said Anthony as he saw the worry look on her face. "Trust me Zoi, no one's better than you at this job."
"But what if I don't find any decent seeker?" she worried.
"Then you be the seeker and hold a tryout for the chaser. Everyone knows finding a decent chaser is easier," Anthony replied. "Trust me, you got this."
After breakfast, Zoia went to the DADA classroom with Monica after bidding Anthony goodbye. When she entered, she could feel Snape's energy right away.
She remembered last night Dumbledore announced that Snape will teach defense against the dark arts and a new professor (Professor Slughorn), will teach potions. She still could picture the disappointment on people's faces when they found out Snape is the new DADA teacher.
"You will now divide," Snape went on, "into pairs. One partner will attempt to jinx the other without speaking. The other will attempt to repel the jinx in equal silence. Carry on."
Although Snape did not know it, Harry had taught at least half the class (everyone who had been a member of the D.A.) how to perform a Shield Charm the previous year. None of them had ever cast the charm without speaking, however. A reasonable amount of cheating ensued; many people were merely whispering the incantation instead of saying it aloud.
Zoia paired up with Monica like the usual. She succeeded once and failed the rest of the time, however Monica hasn't succeeded even once which made her groan.
"Pathetic, Weasley," said Snape, after a while. "Here — let me show you —"
He turned his wand on Harry so fast that Harry reacted instinctively; all thought of nonverbal spells forgotten, he yelled, "Protego!" His Shield Charm was so strong Snape was knocked off-balance and hit a desk. The whole class had looked around and now watched as Snape righted himself, scowling.
"Do you remember me telling you we are practicing nonverbal spells, Potter?"
"Yes," said Harry stiffly.
"Yes, sir."
"There's no need to call me 'sir,' Professor."
Zoia felt a smirk starting to form on her lips at the sight, even Monica was impressed. Monica parted her lips at Zoia and she mouthed 'I know' to her best friend.
Harry caught Zoia staring at him and smirked at her while raising his eyebrows at the same time.
"Detention, Saturday night, my office," said Snape. "I do not take cheek from anyone, Potter . . . not even 'the Chosen One.' "
Harry didn't care he just got detention because at least he just impressed Zoia. Seeing her proud look is worth it. Maybe this year won't be a bad year after all.
"Okay now I understand why you were obsessed with him," Monica whispered to her as they walked out of their DADA classroom.
Zoia just proudly nodded.
"Wouldn't be surprised if you start fancying him again after seeing that," said Monica.
"I don't, but that doesn't mean it's not hot, that was incredibly hot," Zoia replied bluntly.
What Zoia's most excited about is potions class with Professor Slughorn. Her parents said he taught Hogwarts for years. He used to have this club filled with students he thought was worthy enough to be in, some parts of Zoia wanted to be part of it.
Zoia sat with Monica until the trio came to their table.
"Can we sit here?" asked Hermione.
"Sure," both Monica and Zoia answered.
Harry instantly made his way to sit next to Zoia which made Hermione shake her head while Ron chuckled.
"Hey Zo," he greeted her.
"Hi," she greeted him back.
The dungeon was, most unusually, already full of vapors and odd smells. Zoia could smell chocolate chip cookies, the leathery smell of a quaffle and a scent that she thought she might have smelled during summer and earlier during breakfast.
On the other hand, Harry smelled treacle tart, the woody smell of a broomstick handle and something lavender he remembered he smelled during Christmas last year.
Coincidentally, Zoia suddenly ran her hair through her fingers which caused Harry to get a smell of her hair. It smells exactly the same with the scent that's coming out of the potion in the cauldron. He assumed he got it all mixed up since he's sitting next to Zoia.
"I've prepared a few potions for you to have a look at, just out of interest, you know. These are the kind of thing you ought to be able to make after completing your N.E.W.T.s. You ought to have heard of 'em, even if you haven't made 'em yet. Anyone tell me what this one is?"
Hermione's well-practiced hand hit the air before anybody else's; Slughornu pointed at her.
"It's Veritaserum, a colorless, odorless potion that forces the drinker to tell the truth," said Hermione.
"Very good, very good!" said Slughorn happily. "Now," he continued, pointing at the cauldron nearest the Ravenclaw table, "this one here is pretty well known. . . . Featured in a few Ministry leaflets lately too . . . Who can — ?"
"It's Polyjuice Potion, sir," said Zoia this time.
"Excellent, excellent! Now, this one here . . . yes, my dear?" said Slughorn, now looking slightly bemused, as Hermione and Zoia's hand punched the air again.
"It's Amortentia!" said the both of them together.
"It is indeed. It seems almost foolish to ask," said Slughorn, who was looking mightily impressed, "but I assume you both know what it does?"
"It's the most powerful love potion in the world!" said Zoia.
"Quite right! You recognized it, I suppose, by its distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen?"
"And the steam rising in characteristic spirals," said Hermione enthusiastically, "and it's supposed to smell differently to each of us, according to what attracts us, and I can smell freshly mown grass and new parchment and —"
But she turned slightly pink and did not complete the sentence.
"May I ask both of your names, my dear?" said Slughorn to Hermione and Zoia.
"Hermione Granger, sir."
"Zoia Robinson."
"Granger? Granger? Can you possibly be related to Hector Dagworth-Granger, who founded the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers?"
"No, I don't think so, sir. I'm Muggle-born, you see."
"And you Robinson, is your father Jay Robinson by any chance?"
"Yes indeed," Zoia smiled proudly.
"I taught him, smart boy he is," Slughorn beamed.
"Oho! 'One of my best friends is Muggle-born, and she's the best in our year!' I'm assuming this is the very friend of whom you spoke, Harry?"
"Yes, sir," said Harry.
"And this must be the girl you were talking about I assume?" asked Slughorn, raising his eyebrows to Harry, talking about Zoia.
"Er- yes sir," Harry rubbed his neck as his cheeks turned into a shade of pink.
"Well, well, take twenty well-earned points for Gryffindor and Hufflepuff , Miss Granger, Miss Robinson," said Slughorn genially.
Hermione turned to Harry with a radiant expression and whispered, "Did you really tell him I'm the best in the year? Oh, Harry!"
"Well, what's so impressive about that?" whispered Ron, who for some reason looked annoyed. "You are the best in the year — I'd've told him so if he'd asked me!"
"And what did you tell him about me Harry?" Zoia asked him.
"Nothing, just that you're really good at potions and you taught me everything," Harry answered, intentionally leaving the part where he called Zoia the pretty girl in his year to Slughorn.
By the end of the day, Zoia and Harry managed to get felix felicis and decided to share it. Zoia was bewildered that Harry managed to successfully brew a potion without any help, until she realized the notes on his book.
"Guess you don't need my help anymore, Potter," Zoia teased him as they all left the dungeon.
This made his heart drop, he just realized if he's good at potions now, he can't make an excuse to hang out with her anymore.
"Oh you know, this book might be wrong someday," he nervously chuckled.
"I highly doubt that, it seems like it knows everything perfectly. Just be careful alright?" she said. "Well I have to go, see you around."
Harry looked at her retreating figure and let out a huge sigh while smiling to himself. Hermione hit Harry's head with a paper to snap him out of his daydream which made Ron chuckle.
"After you're done drooling over Zoia, you cheated Harry!" said Hermione furiously.
The rest of their walk is filled with Harry being lectured by Hermione for cheating and Ron being on Harry's side.
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[ ✎ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ's ɴᴏᴛᴇ ♡! ]
Both Zoia and Harry are oblivious 😭
I think HBP will have less chapters but it'll be longer chapters (:
WELL, ILY AND HAVE A GOOD DAY!!! <3