"Oh not you!" Harry groaned.
"Doesn't know what he's saying, don't worry Harry I'll fix you right up!" Lockhart exclaimed
"NO! I'll just leave it like this, thanks..."
Olivia stood next to Wood, everyone looked at her when they heard the familiar clicking sound of a camera. But it was Colin Creevey, instead that was snapping photo after photo.
"Colin I don't want a photo of this" Harry said loudly
"Colin knock it off, he's injured!" Olivia told the boy who she regularly seen developing film in the studio.
"Lie back Harry it's a simple charm I've done it countless times-" Lockhart said
"Why can't I just got to the hospital wing?" Harry asked
"He really should Professor," said Wood who was trying not to smile too hard considering they won, even though his seeker was injured. "Great capture Harry, one of your best yet-"
"Wood, I'm sure you can give him praise later, come on Harry I'll take you to the hospital wing." Olivia told the boy.
But Harry was looking passed her, to where Fred and George was wrestling the Bludger into a box. It was still putting up a fight. Olivia directed her attention to where the boy was looking, and before she could do anything she heard Lockhart say,
"Stand back," rolling up his sleeves
"No- don't-" Harry protested but a Lockhart had already casted a charm.
Harry's arm was a noodle. Like a deflated balloon it laid limp next to his body.
"Ah yes that can happen sometimes but the bones aren't broken anymore and that is the point. Harry you can just toddle up the the hospital wing- Mr Weasley and Miss Granger would you escort him? To Madam Pomfrey, she'll tidy that up a bit." Lockhart tried to say in a confident voice.
Olivia was enraged by the stupidity of this man. After Fred and George wrestled the Bludger they had to haul Olivia from the field. Lockhart walked away whistling like he had done nothing.
Olivia was Hanging from George's shoulder, while he carried her in the other direction. "And he's suppose to be our teacher! What a joke! Ha! Oh I will be telling Snape about this!" Olivia huffed and puffed.
"Ollie calm down, Harry will be fine, Madam Pomfrey will fix him up." Fred told the girl.
Calming down some, "Yeah you're right. I just wish we could get a DADA teacher that actually knew what they are doing." She told her friends, George sat her down on her feet.
"Yeah but we can't have you ending up in detention." George told her
She looped her arms through the twins', and they started walking.
"I'm proud of you boys, you two might be a bunch of hell-raisers, but you're still fine young men, who take care of your girl." She said
"We'll always take care of our girl, besides who would we copy our homework from if you was in detention!" Fred said, Olivia shouldered into him, making him laugh.
The next morning everyone had heard. Colin Creevey. Petrified.
The news shocked the school, sending everyone into a panic. First years traveled in tight knit groups. Ginny Weasley was distraught about the news, she had sat next to Colin in Charms class. The twins tried their best to cheer her up.
Fred and George covered themselves in fur and boils in hopes of lifting their sisters spirit. They also tried jumping out at her from behind statues. Eventually Percy decided he was going to write to their mum to tell her Ginny was having nightmares. Olivia felt sorry for the girl. She too, befriended Colin. When Colin first came to Hogwarts, with his camera out he snapped pictures of everything so he could send them home to his dad.
Olivia told Colin one evening when she seen him taking pictures, if he developed the film in a potion his pictures would move. Now often, she would run into the boy in the dark room. She chatted with him time to time. Her heart hurt for Colin, a overly excited boy who just wanted to capture everything about his new magical world. Olivia understood that more than anyone.
Soon after the news about Colin, students were scared for themselves. A trading frenzy broke out, hidden from the teachers, student we're getting their hands on talismans, amulets, and other protective devices that would keep them safe.
A week or two before Christmas break, the school posted that the second years could join in a Dueling Club set up but Lockhart, and was assisted by Snape. On the afternoon of the meeting, Fred, George, and Olivia snuck into the Great Hall to watch. They sat in the corner were one of the bench seats was pushed against the wall to make room for the dueling stage.
Lockhart walked in with Snape, he announced that he was going to demonstrate how to disarm someone. Quickly into the demonstration Snape disarmed Lockhart who fell to his feet. Olivia and the twins tried to conceal their laughs.
"Oh yes well done. It was very obvious what you were going to do, and I wanted the students to see what would happen once you disarmed me. Of course I could have stopped you easily." Lockhart stated while getting back on his feet.
"How about we partner up, Professor Snape, help me." Lockhart said walking around grouping students into pairs. Snape had grouped Harry and Malfoy together.
"Oh this won't end well." Olivia mumbled
On a count of three, the room broke out dueling. Instead of disarming, clearly the students done more than that by the looks of it. Lockhart called for everyone to stop.
"I believe I should show you all how to deflect a disarming spell." Lockhart said who quickly decided against dueling Snape again. "Let's have Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley-" Lockhart started
"Bad idea Professor Lockhart, Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending whats left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox, how about Malfoy and Potter?" Snape said with a twisted smile.
Olivia didn't have a good feeling about this.
Lockhart agreed and ushered Harry over to teach him how to deflect but end up dropping his wand, while Snape whispered to Malfoy.
The two students faced each other, on the count of three, Malfoy yelled Serpensortia! At the end of his wand came out a black snake. Harry stood there in shock. "Don't move Potter, I'll get rid of it..." Snape started towards the snake.
"Allow me" Lockhart cut him off and raised his wand to the animal. Causing the snake to fly ten feet into the air in front of the Justin Finch-Fletchley boy. The snake moved to strike but Harry's voice cut through the chatter.
The voice was more of a hist. But the snake retreated. Everyone stared at the jet black hair boy. Snape got rid of the snake and everyone watched as the hufflepuff boy left. Soon Ron and Hermione dragged Harry out of the great hall too.
"I believe that will be it for today, everyone, let's remember what we learned and head back to your common rooms." Lockhart dismissed the group.
Olivia and the twins stood to blend into the crowd but was stopped by a pull on her collar. Olivia waved the twins to go on without her. Turning around she saw Snape.
"Hey! How's it going? Seen what you did back there, nice job! Thought I'd stop in for a peek, I'll be heading on my way..." Olivia rambled on and tried to leave but Snape raised a hand to stop her.
"Olivia, you shouldn't be hanging around the castle. In the evenings you should be in your common room. Where it's safe." Snape snapped at her.
"What do you mean where it's safe?" She asked softly
Huffing a breath of air, "I mean, I know you've heard about Colin Creevey. And it wouldn't be wise for a muggleborn like yourself to just to stroll through the castle in the evenings. It's just..." Snape started and blew, "it's just that I want you to stay safe. Make sure your wand is on at all times, and that you try your best not to walk around by yourself even if it's with those Weasleys twins. They may be rule breakers but at least I know they'll protect you."
"I can protect myself, and I promise I'll stay safe. But I'll make sure I'm not alone and stuff." Reassured her guardian and patted him on the shoulder.
"The headmaster also wanted me to ask you if you could look at Colins camera and see if anything can be recovered. Or if the camera can be restored."
"Yeah, sure I'll have a look at it, anything to help out!" She told him, and he sent her on her way, out of the Great Hall.
The next day there was a double attack. Justin Finch Fletchley and Nearly headless Nick, had been found in the corridor petrified with Harry at the scene. Everyone believed this was more reason to believe that Harry was the Heir of Slytherin.
Olivia knew it wasn't true because she had seen how distraught the boy had gotten. Fred and George took the opportunity to cheer him up.
The twins would walk in front of Harry and escort him around. Shouting things like "make way for the heir of Slytherin seriously evil wizard coming through..."
Percy didn't find it funny and told the twins, "it is not a laughing matter!"
Fred told him, "oh get out of the Percy Harry's in a hurry."
"Yeah he's off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with his fanged servant," George chortling
Whenever the twins would ask Harry who his next victim would be or pretend to ward Harry off with a large clove of garlic, Ginny would streak and run away, saying Oh don't!
Finally Christmas break arrived, Olivia and the Weasleys were once again spending it together at school. This year for Christmas, Olivia decided to hand knit a Slytherin colored scarf for Snape for his gift.
In the evening on Christmas, before the feast she headed to his office. She knocked on the door and walked in.
"Happy Christmas!" She said loudly, to Snape who was sitting behind his desk. "I brought you your gift." She laid the wrapped box on the desk and pushed it towards him.
He picked it up and peeled away the wrapping, and opened it to find the green and silver knitted scarf. He pulled it out and felt of soft yarn.
"I hope you like it, I made it myself. I must have sent Mrs.Weasleys a dozen owls, she helped me make it, and gave me step by step instructions." She smiled at the man.
"It's nice," looking at the scarf that had a couple loose stitches, he told the girl in his best convincing voice.
"I thought you could wear it to the quidditch games instead of your black one, to support your house."
He pulled open a drawer and placed the box inside and pulled out a wrapped box instead. Snape was never one to give gifts. The couple years before he'd gotten the girl a quill and last year he got her a bottle of ink. But this year he picked up something different. He handed over the box to the ginger.
She quietly unwrapped the box and opened it up to find a yellow leather bounded sketch book and graphite inside. She smiled at the gift and looked up at him, "I love it! It's perfect, I can't wait to use it!" She cheered, and rushed around the desk and gave him a hug.
He awkwardly patted her back and pulled away. "I thought you could use one so you don't draw all over my Daily Prophet in the mornings in the summer." He stated, as though the gift was more for his convenience than her.
"Oh don't act like when I'm not looking you don't sketch in thought bubbles for my doodles!" She accused him with a laugh
Looking down to the desk and picking up a inventory sheet to pretend he was bored of the conversation, "I have no idea what you're talking about" he told her frankly.
She laughed and headed to leave, before the door shut, Olivia could have swore she seen a hint of a smirk on Severus Snapes face.
Term resumed and it was well in to February. No more attacks had occur and Lockhart seemed to think it was because of him. He had said so to Mcgongall one day, also insisting that the school needed a morale boost and he was going to give it to them.
On the 14th of the month the school arrived in the Great hall decorated with pink flowers covering the walls and heart shaped confetti falling from the ceiling.
Olivia took her seat next to Jo. "What in the world is this all about?" She asked her friend who was trying to shield her porridge from the confetti.
"Lockhart" groaned Jo
Looking at the head table she noticed the Professor dressed in pink robes that matched the flowers. The rest of the staff had stone faces, clearly annoyed. He waved for everyone's attention.
"Happy Valentine's Day!" Lockhart shouted, "and may I thank the 46 people who so far have sent me cards! Yes, I have taken the liberty of arranging this little surprise for you all and it doesn't end there!" He clapped his hands and in came dozens of dwarfs dressed in golden wings carrying harps.
Olivia sat with her mouth open, she couldn't possibly understand how this teacher's mind could function when all he thought about was himself and these ridiculous ideas.
"My friendly card-carrying Cupid's! They will be roving around the school today delivering your valentines but it doesn't stop there! I'm sure my colleagues will want to enter into the spirit of the occasion! Why not ask Professor Snape to show you how to whip up a Love Potion! Or Professor Flitwick, knows more about Entrancing Enchantments than any wizard I've ever met, the sly dog!" Lockhart expressed.
Olivia could see from her seat that Snape looked as though the first person to ask him for a love potion would be forced fed poison. Olivia tried to conceal her sneakering, which Snape caught and glared at her just causing her to laugh even harder. Poor Flitwick buried his face into his hands.
"Oh I better not get a valentine from anyone today." Olivia told her friends.
Cedric that was seat across from the girls, "oh don't act like you wouldn't love one" he teased, laughing hard when Olivia pretended to fake gag.
Later that evening Olivia saw Harry running away from one of the dwarfs, before she could see if the dwarf caught him, she felt someone tap her knee. Looking down she saw another dwarf, holding two pieces of red parchment.
"You Olivia Evans?" Asked the dwarf
"Yeah that's me, listen if you're gonna sing to me, let's just skip it-" Olivia started
"No song, you just got cards, here, take 'em I got to deliver 15 more already."
Olivia took the cards, and the dwarf ran off. When she opened the first one it exploded with confetti. On the inside it said
Our dearest Ollie, your humbled and handsome best friends wanted to wish you a Happy Valentine's Day!
With love,
Your boys- Fred & George
Olivia laughed to herself, and smiled at the card. She had some thoughtful friends. Olivia shook her head and opened the other card,
To the girl who goes out of her way to show kindness to everyone even when they don't deserve it.
No name was signed on the card. Olivia looked around to see if anyone was watching her but she didn't see anyone. Confused, she put the cards into her bag and went on to class.