LXXVII. BITTERNESS IN MY TONGUE
21:12 ─❁────────── 21:79
◁ Ⅱ ▷
❝Just 'cause I'm polite
I will always have to fight to get into rooms❞
༻───────────────༺
"LOOK, ROMILDA VANE IS DEFFINITELY planning something!"
The first day of school ended the moment dinner was over. Students returned to their common rooms; the Gryffindor lot idle around in Gryffindor Tower, surrounded by those they call friends. Lucia and Ginny had just changed from their school attire and was now heading down, but Ginny was going on a tangent.
"Where did you assume this?" said Lucia ponderingly, fingers traced trailingly along the railing of the stairs.
"I-I... Well, is that really important?!" Ginny exclaimed in a defensive manner.
"Of course," An empty look crossed Lucia's face, "I don't want you to accuse people wrongly..." She turned her gaze away from Ginny and trailed toward the girl she saw in the train, she was younger than her and possessed large, dark eyes, curly black hair, and a prominent chin.
Lucia inwardly clicked her tongue, feeling a sense of vexation from within her. However, she repressed the dangerous irritation and turned her gaze back to Ginny.
"She stopped by our compartment yesterday, you know?"
Ginny was gobsmacked. "Really?! What happened?!"
"Nothing really," Lucia shrugged her shoulders and continuing down the steps. "She merely wanted Harry's attention unfortunately and indirectly called Luna, Neville, and I losers. Nothing out of the ordinary,"
"The nerve!" exclaimed Ginny. "I can't believe her. Why I oughta —"
"Save it for someone worthier, will you?" said Lucia.
"But —" Ginny stopped herself at once; she almost unintentionally said that Romilda Vane was worthy of her displeasure, which she did not like.
"What are you going to do about her then?" she asked, curious as they looked at Romilda Vane. Ginny wondered ponderingly; would Lucia even do anything?
Then, a belligerent expression crossed her face, causing Ginny to flinch slightly, before she returned to the soft smile that was there before. It oddly reminded the redhead of back when a few years ago... to think she would see that expression again was simply haunting.
Ginny decided not to think much of it.
"Nothing, of course. Like she's worth my time," Lucia told her, a long pause was evident as she said: "Not yet anyway,"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing that you should worry about, Ginny," she smiled warmly at the younger girl, patting her head.
Before Ginny even got a word in, Lucia had already directed her attention elsewhere, to the trio that was seemingly talking — well, arguing, perhaps, to themselves.
"I s'pose you think I cheated?" he finished, aggravated by her expression.
Ginny glanced at Lucia for answers in which she merely heaved out a small sigh. "Harry got better in Potions suddenly because of a book Slughorn gave him. But it's just a normal textbook. Even Ron got it. Though, Harry's one had little scribbles in it."
The redhead instantly frowned as she began to recall her first year in Hogwarts. It was terrible and if it weren't for Harry and Ron saving her from Riddle's grasp a little sooner, she would've been six feet under by now, possibly devoured by that enormous snake too.
"Well, it wasn't exactly your own work, was it?" They heard Hermione said stiffly.
"He only followed different instructions to ours," said Ron. "Could've been a catastrophe, couldn't it? But he took a risk and it paid off." He heaved a sigh. "Slughorn could've handed me that book, but no, I get the one no one's ever written on. Puked on, by the look of page fifty-two, but —"
"Hang on," Interjected Ginny, dragging Lucia by the wrist toward the trio. "Did I hear right? You've been taking orders from something someone wrote in a book, Harry?"
"It's nothing," he said reassuringly, lowering his voice. "It's not like, you know, Riddle's diary. It's just an old textbook someone's scribbled on."
"But you're doing what it says?"
"I just tried a few of the tips written in the margins, honestly, Ginny, there's nothing funny —"
"Ginny's got a point," said Hermione, perking up at once. "We ought to check that there's nothing odd about it. I mean, all these funny instructions, who knows?"
"You know," spoke Ron, as Lucia stood beside him. The two watched the scene unfold in front of them. "I'm kind of glad that I'm not their target all the time anymore."
Lucia breathed out a dry chuckle as she watched Harry trying to dodge both Hermione and Ginny all at once.
"Yeah..." she said. "It makes things less exhausting for us,"
"I know right!" Ron said. "Merlin, you've no idea how rough Ginny is — she once broke my arm just because I didn't want to hand her over a book."
"When was that?" she furrowed her eyes, never hearing this story before.
"Oh, well," Ron rubbed his nape sheepishly, "during the summer before you guys came..."
Lucia snorted.
"But in my defence," Lucia quirked a brow, waiting for his excuse, "she was being annoying."
"Oh, I know that feeling all too well," sighed Lucia reminiscently, a sad smile made its way to her lips as she recalled Hugo.
Ron, noticing this, thought that it was best to make her forget about it by pointing how funny Harry look while he was jumping from chair to chair just to get away from Hermione and Ginny's grasp.
"You know, Harry thought there's no way that having siblings will cause you to have so much grey hairs from the stress until —"
"Until you brought him home with you," said Lucia, a smile creeping to her lips. "I know,"
They stood in silence, enjoying the sight before them.
"Should we stop them?" Lucia asked.
Ron crossed his arms together, grinning. "Nah,"
"OW!" Harry yelled, as Ginny finally tackled him to the ground harshly.
Ron and Lucia winced. "Ooh, that's got to hurt,"
"You've no idea," said Ron, grimacing.
"Hey!" said Harry indignantly. Hermione pulled his copy of Advanced Potion-Making from his hand and raised her wand.
"Specialis Revelio!" she said, rapping it smartly on the front cover.
Nothing happened. The book simply lay there.
"Finished?" said Harry irritably, pushing himself back up to his feet after Ginny have gotten off of him, "Or d'you want to wait and see if it does a few backflips?"
"It seems all right," said Hermione, still staring at the book suspiciously. "I mean, it really does seem to be... just a textbook."
"Good. Then I'll have it back," said Harry, snatching it off from Hermione. But before he was able to grasp the book in his hand, Ginny had abruptly taken the book and threw it Lucia, who immediately caught it by reflex.
She blinked in confusion, taking in the sight of the textbook before she glanced at others. "What's this rubbish for?"
"Exactly," said Harry, moving toward. "What's she going to do with that rubb —"
"Shut up, four-eyes," Ginny said to Harry before she snapped her eyes back to Lucia, "You know exactly what to do."
"I... do?" Lucia was confused.
"You do," said Ginny adamantly.
She looked at Ron, then at Ginny, then at Hermione and finally at Harry, who stared in incredulity. She huffed.
"I really don't understand you Weasleys and thinking that I have some special powers," she mumbled. Nonetheless, she stared deeply down at the textbook, channeling whatever powers they think she have.
"You've got to be kidding me" said Harry, annoyed.
Lucia halted from her daze, making her way behind Ginny as Harry made to grab the book from her. From her observation, there weren't exactly any suspicious things on the covers...
"Stay there, Harry. When it comes to freaky things, Lucia knows best," said Ginny seriously.
"Again, I'm just a witch like you, Hermione and everyone," said Lucia, rolling her eyes. "I don't have any other magic unlike you two keep thinking I do," she said to the two Weasley as she searched through the whole book, page by page.
She may not have any special magical abilities, but she was, however, observant whenever she wanted to be.
"Uh-huh," said Ginny, unconvinced. "None of us can talk to —"
But before Ginny could finish, the book was instantly thrown back at Harry.
Lucia didn't want to see the abrasive look he had on his face towards her. It'll shatter her like what had happened to Hermione. She was somewhat sensitive these days and it was peculiar of how she could find instant comfort with the Weasley siblings. Sure, she could with Harry, but right now, he did look a bit annoyed with her.
"Who's the Half-Blood Prince?"
"What?"
"I said, Who's the Half-Blood Prince? Do... any of you know who they are?" Lucia walked up to Harry and pointed at the little scribble on the back of the book cover. The others came closer to them to see what it was that she was pointing at. "Read that,"
And Harry did:
This book is the property of the
Half-Blood Prince
༻❁༺
It was odd, Lucia thought. As of now, Harry was practically the best student in Potion class instead of either Malfoy or Hermione or even her.
He had been following the instruction of the Half-Blood Prince — whoever the hell they're anyway. Slughorn have been incredibly irritating to handle, for all he could do was boast about Harry's 'remarkable' potion abilties, which had gotten to the nerves of many, though Harry didn't mind the rest of the week's Potions lesson, neither Ron nor Hermione was delighted by this. Harry, being a good friend, offered to share his book but Ron couldn't decipher the scripts and Hermione didn't want anything to do with it, talking about how she would follow the "official" instructions.
Harry was greatly relief that both himself and Lucia was all better from the malice from the day they were introduced to the Half-Blood Prince, and Lucia, though a bit annoyed, she didn't mind Harry following the previous owner's instructions. That is, if he was careful anyway, since there were a lot of unknown words detected as spells etched on the parchment. The last thing she wanted was for Harry to unknowingly summon another demon or worse, killing someone.
It was also best not to be so fond of the book as she feared it may cause some problems within the circle like it already had with Hermione.
She did think it was wrong per se, but knowing how stubborn Harry was, it's better to keep subtle comments about the book from further offending him. Harry also offered her the book, but she declined as she herself had corrected many of the instructions in her own textbook already.
Harry wondered vaguely who the Half-Blood Prince had been. Although the amount of homework they'd been given prevented him from reading the whole copy of his Advanced Potion-Making, he skimmed through it sufficiently to see that there was barely a page on which the Prince hadn't made additional notes, not all of them concerned with potion-making.
"Or herself," said Hermione irritably, overhearing Harry pointing some of these out to Lucia and Ron in the common room on Saturday evening. "It might have been a girl. I think the handwriting looks more like a girl's than a boy's."
"The Half-Blood Prince, he was called," Harry said. "How many girls have been Princes?"
Lucia and Ron could only watch this from the sidelines; both were honestly tired of these arguments and all they wanted was to finish their homework. Lucia was certain that instead of the yearly quarrel between Hermione and Ron, this year would be a quarrel between Hermione and Harry.
Which meant even more aggressive bickering.
Hermione seemed to have no answer to this. She merely scowled and twitched her essay on The Principles of Rematerialization away from Ron, who was trying to read it upside down.
Harry looked at his watch and hurriedly put the old copy of Advanced Potion-Making back into his bag. "It's five to eight, I'd better go, I'll be late for Dumbledore."
"Ooooh!" gasped Hermione, looking up at once. "Good luck! We'll wait up, we want to hear what he teaches you!"
"Good luck, Harry" smiled Lucia softly at him, making his stomach flutter the hundredth time today.
"Hope it goes okay," said Ron, and the three of them watched Harry leave through the portrait hole.
Once Harry was gone, Lucia gathered her belongings together. Both Hermione and Ron looked at her, puzzled.
"What are you doing?" asked Hermione.
But she didn't answer. It was just her merely being petty, yes, but she also had other problems to attend to like having to figure out how to handle hippogriffs in a more caring way...
Ron eyed Hermione, as to remind her what she said to the girl a few days back; it was regarding that she shouldn't opened her mouth at her and knowing Lucia, it truly stuck by her for as long as it could. Either it could be a week, months or even years.
"Er... where are you going, Lu?" questioned Ron awkwardly, having to be the line of conversation between the two girls.
Hermione didn't think it was that serious... that was until Lucia had acually replied to Ron.
"I have to figure out how to help a hippogriff give birth," said Lucia simply, yet with an airy manner.
Before either could respond, Lucia had already raced up the girls' staircase.
"What was that?" Ron turned to Hermione.
Hermione sighed. "I... I don't know..."
As Hermione predicted, the sixth years' free periods were not the hours of blissful relaxation Ron had anticipated, but times in which to attempt to keep up with the vast amount of homework they were being set. Not only were they studying as though they had exams every day, but the lessons themselves had become more demanding than ever.
With the combination of Lucia's lack of attention span and lack of brains, she barely understood anything of what Professor McGonagall said to them these days; even Hermione had had to ask her to repeat instructions once or twice. It had gotten as bad to the point that Lucia had broke out sobbing while doing a theory practice that Professor McGonagall had handed to them.
Potions was, of course, still one of her rather merciful subjects to date. But it seemed that she now had some competition that she didn't seriously bear in mind before, as for once, it was not Malfoy nor was it Hermione. It was Harry; Potions turns out to be one of his best subjects, increasing Hermione's resentment toward him as he kept on following the order of the Half-Blood Prince.
What a stupid name.
Nonverbal spells were now expected, not only in Defense Against the Dark Arts, but in Charms and Transfiguration too. Lucia found it quite amusing to see every time she was to look around for her peers, she would always see them purple in the face and straining as though they'd overdosed on U-No-Poo, no matter the House they were in, they were all the same state.
Sure, she knew the difficulty of the whole nonverbal spells and how they were all struggling to make it work, but hey, sometimes you must laugh through the pain right?
It was a relief to get outside into the greenhouses; they were dealing with more dangerous plants than ever in Herbology, but at least they were still allowed to swear loudly if the Venomous Tentacula seized them unexpectedly from behind. Care for Magical Creatures, however, was the easiest of all subjects. Hagrid was exceptionally kind — more so due to the little amount of participants for the subject for N.E.W.Ts. — about five or so people.
Lucia was very much thankful that she had decided to keep on with the subject as she was able to rest for a few minutes after class with Hagrid and Fang.
"Are you ever going to talk to them, Hagrid?" she asked, as she sat for tea in the morning in Hagrid's hut. Hagrid placed a plate of treacle tart on the table with a grunt. "Thank you,"
He was sour toward the trio since they chose to not resume with his subject, and he thought that they were starting to dislike him, but Lucia assured him countlessly that wasn't the case. Needless to say, the bitterness never fades, which he constantly showed through ignoring their every greeting.
It was almost amusing to Lucia when the trio gape as to when her greetings were answered.
"I would, but they don't," said Hagrid, sitting down across from her, eyes downcast. "'ear there's gonna be a trial fer' Quidditch? Yer' not going?"
Lucia pursed her lips, knowing that Hagrid was deliberately changed the topic to avoid talking about Harry, Ron, and Hermione. She sighed, nonetheless answered, "I'll be watching instead."
"Not going ter' try?"
"No," Lucia shook her head. "Last year was enough for me, but I'm up for replacement if something happens with one of the players of course — also, I already signed up for commentating. Smith and I will be the one to commentate, but when Smith is playing, Luna Lovegood would be in place."
"That's somethin ey've never expected from yer,'" said Hagrid, surprised.
She fiddled with the cuff of her sleeves bashfully, "I-I thought I should try something new this year... Maybe something that can make me practice with getting my confidence up? A friend of mind recommended it to me,"
"Well, better than flying yer' reckon?" said Hagrid.
"Nah," Lucia shook her head smilingly, "Flying's really fun, but it does hurt sometimes... but you know, Hagrid, I also want to try just those things that people from the Muggle films does. Like, cheering for their boyfriend and all, so why not be commentator right?"
Hagrid chuckled. "I forget that yer' and Harry..."
"We're not exactly official yet," Lucia said, which caused Hagrid to be stunned by her word.
"No!"
"Yes... I was thinking that if he isn't going to do it, then I'll be the one to do it,"
"That lad..." Hagrid shook his head.
"It's nothing that I can't handle!" said Lucia beamingly. "It does get fairly boring for the guy in the relationship to initiate it, and I'm pretty impatient, so I have no problem with being the one that initiates the question,"
Hagrid smiled.
"But you know, Hagrid, I'll probably torment him in the nicest way possible as payback. Reckon I turn cheering into making fun of him when he does his captainy work..." Lucia trailed, a mischievous simper made its way to her lips.
"Blimey," sighed Hagrid. "Capt'in... feels just like yesterday when he was this wee," Hagrid sniffled, wiped the stray tears with his large apron.
"Oh, don't be like that, Hagrid," Lucia rubbed his arms comfortingly as Hagrid began to tell her the story of how he first met Harry. From when he was just a year-old, to when he was eleven.
It was a tearful journey for Hagrid, watching Harry grow up so effortlessly and happy — well, as happy as the Chosen One and the person to kill the Dark Lord would be of course. Amid the story telling, Lucia couldn't help but shed a couple of tears as well. Not because of Harry, but because of how Hagrid was telling her. Harry was so important to Hagrid, and she wasn't even sure that Harry knew that just yet...
After having finish with breakfast with Hagrid, Lucia went back up to the castle, passing the Great Hall and up the marble staircase to Gryffindor Tower. She wanted to be properly dressed for the cold, whilst also looking fabulous at the same time.
She ran along the corridors, clutching her scarf when she bumped into Astoria Greengrass.
"Going to Gryffindor Quidditch trial, I reckon?" Astoria grinned. She was grown up from the second-year Lucia knew off. She was now fifteen, and Lucia couldn't help but feel her heart swell at this.
Look how far she come, and she still have so many years to go...
"Gotta support the lover," said Lucia, now walking with Astoria out of the castle and down to the Quidditch field.
"I still don't understand how that happened," said Astoria with a small laugh. "I mean, I did see that happening, but when you wrote to me about it, I almost couldn't believe it! You guys never once showed it!"
"Ah, well, it was unintentionally a secret for awhile," said Lucia, wrapping an arm around Astoria's shoulder. "
"It's like my Mum and Dad just got married," sighed Astoria.
"Okay, now you're being weird," giggled Lucia, before it faded into a small frown. "Any changes with Daphne?"
"Still an outright git," she huffed. "Honestly, you would think we would get closer since I'm growing up, but noooo,"
"Hang in there, love. She'll come around," assured Lucia.
"I just want my older sister back," mumbled Astoria, crossing her arms over her chest.
Lucia's eyes softened, rubbing her back. "It's a matter of time,"
"I guess..."
As they finally arrived at the Quidditch pitch, Lucia caught sight of a large group. From what she could tell, it seemed that half of Gryffindor House seemed to have turned up, from first years who were nervously clutching a selection of the dreadful old school brooms, to seventh years who towered over the rest, looking coolly intimidating.
It was a contrast from last year, which she was sure either Angelina Johnson or Oliver Wood would curse at because this was not how it was for them when they needed members.
Lucia scoffed out a laugh, "Where was this excitement last year?"
"It's probably Potter's doing," sniggered Astoria. "Oops, looks like the devil finally notice's us."
Lucia followed her gaze and indeed, Harry did saw them as he sent them both a warm grin, before approaching them.
"Glad you came to watch," said Harry, grinning down at Lucia. He then turned to Astoria, "Hey,"
"Hullo, Harry," Astoria beamed, clutching onto Lucia's arms.
"Did you grow over the summer?" he quirked a brow at the younger girl.
"Oh yes," Astoria nodded vigorously, excited that someone finally noticed her growth. "Grew a few centimeters in height!"
"Still not as tall us though," Lucia said in a singsong tone that made the Greengrass roll her eyes.
"Oh whatever," she scoffed.
"I'm surprise," said Lucia to Harry, who looked at him in confusion. "This year... people really want to get into the team."
"Yeah, well, Hermione reckon it's because the whole 'Chosen One' thing," said Harry, sighing.
"Told you," said Astoria.
Lucia rolled her eyes.
"I'm just hoping they could actually play." He glanced at her hopingly, "Are you sure you don't want to tryout?"
"We've already been through this, Harry," Lucia said, "I'll only play if I am needed — like, if you somehow got into an accident or got into detention with Snape or something, then I'll think about it."
"Well, there goes the good ones," Harry mumbled, making Lucia to flick his forehead.
"Rude. There's still Ron, Ginny, and Katie," said Lucia, patting his cheeks.
"I guess..."
Lucia opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, a wiry-haired boy both Harry and Lucia recognised immediately from the Hogwarts Express interjected into the conversation, diverting the topic they were having at hand.
"We met on the train, in old Sluggy's compartment," he said confidently, stepping out of the crowd to shake Harry's hand. "Cormac McLaggen, Keeper."
"You didn't try out last year, did you?" asked Harry, taking note of the breadth of McLaggen and thinking that he would probably block all three goal hoops without even moving.
"I was in the hospital wing when they held the trials," said McLaggen, with something of a swagger. "Ate a pound of doxy eggs for a bet."
Lucia snorted. What an idiot.
Oh, how she regretted even making a sound, for McLaggen turn his attention to her. A wide smirk making its way to his lips. Astoria, noticing this, glared at the older boy as he stared at Lucia, eyes moving up and down her body.
Lucia shifted uncomfortably, hugging her arms together over her chest.
"You're Lucia," he said cockily to her. Lucia winced internally, before she smiled as politely as she could without exposing her tense state.
"I prefer DiFiore,"
"How about you go and wait over there, McLaggen," It wasn't a question, but an order. Harry's gaze hardened at the wiry-haired boy, not liking the way he was staring at his best friend with such disrespectful gaze.
Harry pointed over to the edge of the pitch, close to where Hermione was sitting. He thought he saw a flicker of annoyance pass over McLaggen's face and wondered whether McLaggen expected preferential treatment because they were both "old Sluggy's" favorites. McLaggen strutted his way there, not before winking at Lucia.
"Ugh, what a creep!" Astoria cried, disgusted.
Lucia didn't say anything, eyes falling to the grass. However, her attention was teared back to Harry, who smiled at her comfortingly that made her feel at least safe.
"The trial is about to start, so stay close to Hermione please?" he said pleadingly. He didn't want her to be anywhere near McLaggen...
"You don't have to tell me twice," said Lucia quietly. She pecked a kiss on his cheek, "Good luck!"
With a final wave at Harry, both Lucia and Astoria made their way up to where Hermione was sitting whilst the trial began.
Harry decided to start with a basic test, asking all applicants for the team to divide into groups of ten and fly once around the pitch. This was a good decision: The first ten was made up of first years and it could not have been plainer that they had hardly ever flown before. Only one boy managed to remain airborne for more than a few seconds, and he was so surprised he promptly crashed into one of the goalposts.
"I saw what happened with McLaggen," said Hermione, tearing her eyes away from the flying figures.
"Don't remind me," Lucia replied, as she plaited Astoria's hair, who was sitting in between Lucia's legs on the ground. "But I'm sure he'll get over himself next month. That's always how it works,"
"I'm not sure what kind of world you live in, Lucia, but I'm not sure about that..." spoke Hermione weakly.
The second group was comprised of ten of the silliest girls Lucia had ever seen, who, when Harry blew his whistle, merely fell about giggling and clutching one another. Romilda Vane was amongst them. When he told them to leave the pitch, they did so quite cheerfully and went to sit in the stands to heckle everyone else.
"That's Potter's fanclub!" Astoria pointed at the lot of them. "Most of them are in my year, unfortunately,"
"Do you know them?" Hermione asked the younger girl curiously.
"Not personally, only heard some stuff," said Astoria.
"Like?" Lucia quirked.
"Like how they playfully thought of slipping a love potion or something," said Astoria.
At that, Lucia's gaze suddenly hardened as her eyes wandered from the group of giggling girls, then to Harry who was examining the players sternly, brows knitted in utter concentration. Then Ginny's words began echoing her mind: "...Romilda Vane is definitely planning something..."
Well, fuck. She may need to be a bit more careful now...
Noticing her lingering eyes, Harry wheeled his head around and sent her a mischievous wink, breaking her away from her thought quickly. While a faint pinkish tint was on her cheeks, she merely casted him a thumbs up.
"I really don't understand how love potions aren't illegal yet..." said Lucia through gritted teeth as she smiled, putting up a mask for Harry.
The third group had a pileup halfway around the pitch. Most of the fourth group had come without broomsticks. The fifth group were Hufflepuffs.
"If there's anyone else here who's not from Gryffindor," roared Harry, who was starting to get seriously annoyed, "leave now, please!"
There was a pause, then a couple of little Ravenclaws went sprinting off the pitch, snorting with laughter.
After two hours, many complaints, and several tantrums, one involving a crashed Comet Two Sixty and several broken teeth, Harry had found himself three Chasers: Katie Bell, returned to the team after an excellent trial; a new find called Demelza Robins, who was particularly good at dodging Bludgers; and Ginny Weasley, who had outflown all the competition and scored seventeen goals to boot.
"Beat them up, Ginny!" Lucia's voice bellowed through the cheers. Ginny responded by flying by them, going with the wind.
"My hair!" Lavender brown cried from behind them, sitting with Parvati Patil.
Lucia wheeled around, smiling sheepishly at her friends. "Sorry," she waved her wand and Lavender's hair was made better.
Pleased though he was with his choices, Harry had also shouted himself hoarse at the many complainers and was now enduring a similar battle with the rejected Beaters.
"That's my final decision and if you don't get out of the way for the Keepers I'll hex you," he bellowed.
Neither of his chosen Beaters had the old brilliance of Fred and George, but he was still reasonably pleased with them: Jimmy Peakes, a short but broad-chested third-year boy who had managed to raise a lump the size of an egg on the back of Harry's head with a ferociously hit Bludger, and Ritchie Coote, who looked weedy but aimed well. They now joined the spectators in the stands to watch the selection of their last team member.
Harry had deliberately left the trial of the Keepers until last, hoping for an emptier stadium and less pressure on all concerned. Unfortunately, however, all the rejected players and several people who had come down to watch after a lengthy breakfast had joined the crowd by now, so that it was larger than ever. As each Keeper flew up to the goal hoops, the crowd roared and jeered in equal measure. Harry glanced over at Ron, who had always had a problem with nerves; Harry had hoped that winning their final match last term might have cured it, but apparently not: Ron was a delicate shade of green.
None of the first five applicants saved more than two goals apiece. To Lucia, and noticeably Harry and Hermione's great disappointment, Cormac McLaggen saved four penalties out of five. On the last one, however, he shot off in completely the wrong direction; the crowd laughed and booed and McLaggen returned to the ground grinding his teeth.
Odd.
Ron looked ready to pass out as he mounted his Cleansweep Eleven. "Good luck!" cried a voice from the stands. But it was not Hermione, but it was Lavender Brown. Lucia quirked a brow, intrigued by this.
Apparently, Lavender had the hots for Ro — wow.
Harry would have quite liked to have hidden his face in his hands, as she did a moment later, but thought that as the captain he ought to show slightly more grit, and so turned to watch Ron do his trial. Yet he need not have worried: Ron saved one, two, three, four, five penalties in a row. Delighted, and resisting joining in the cheers of the crowd with difficulty, Harry turned to McLaggen to tell him that, most unfortunately, Ron had beaten him, only to find McLaggen's red face inches from his own. He stepped back hastily.
"His sister didn't really try," said McLaggen menacingly. There was a vein pulsing in his temple like the one Harry had often admired in Uncle Vernon's. "She gave him an easy save."
"Rubbish," said Harry coldly. "That was the one he nearly missed."
McLaggen took a step nearer Harry, who stood his ground this time. Before he could speak, a loud voice came approaching them with haste. "— back off!"
Lucia came diving in between the two and crossed her arms, gazing sternly at McLaggen, much to Harry's surprised. Soon enough, Astoria came panting at him, saying that she couldn't stop Lucia. Harry didn't blame her though, for whenever it come to Ginny or Astoria, Lucia was like a protective mother.
"Move another step and you'll earn yourself a free black eye," she threatened, though Harry wasn't sure if McLaggen would heed her words. Especially since Lucia resemble much of a baby hedgehog whenever she tries her hardest to look mad.
McLaggen stepped a foot forth but was stopped by a hand. Ginny had came swooping by, glaring at him. "Try anything on her and you'll wish you never even came for the trial," she snarled.
With Ginny, he seemed to be more wary as he took a step back. Nonetheless, he looked passed Lucia's shoulders to Harry, who was trying his best to hide a smug grin. "Give me another go."
"No," said Harry adamantly, now pulling Lucia behind him instead as he came face to face with McLaggen. "You've had your go. You saved four. Ron saved five. Ron's Keeper, he won it fair and square. Get out of my way."
He thought for a moment that McLaggen might punch him, but he contented himself with an ugly grimace and stormed away, growling what sounded like threats to thin air.
"You know," started Lucia once McLaggen was gone. "I could've handled him on my own," she said to Ginny and Harry.
"Yes, well, I also could've handled him on my own first," said Harry with a faint smile. "And I also don't want you to end up in detention for getting into a fight during the first week of school. That would be 'uncharacteristic' of you,"
"You're not wrong..."
The two locked eyes with one another, the temptation Lucia had when Harry was being his Captainy-self reanimated from within her. Damn hormones, she thought as she bit her lip. Stupid hormones. Why does he have to be so —
"Ugh," Ginny scrunched her nose, breaking the couple from their colourful thoughts. "Disgusting. Love."
"Shut up, Ginny," they both said simultaneously, tearing their eyes away from one another and when they turned around, they found Harry's team beaming at him. Somehow it reminded Lucia of a litter of puppies, and Harry so happens to be the dad.
"Well done," he croaked, the nervousness from before seeping into his skin once again. "You flew really well —"
"You did brilliantly, Ron!"
This time it really was Hermione running toward them from the stands; Lucia saw Lavender walking off the pitch, arm in arm with Parvati, a rather grumpy expression on her face. Ron looked extremely pleased with himself and even taller than usual as he grinned at the team and at Hermione.
After Lucia bade Astoria good-bye, she turned to Harry, tugging his sleeves distractedly. "Did you notice Lavender?"
Harry opened his mouth to speak, but Lucia could just hear some sarcastic comment coming and she quickly clamped a hand over his mouth to stop him from talking.
"Let me rephrase that: Did you see how Lavender reacted to Ron?" she asked.
"Oh yeah," Harry's voice muffled as he nodded, "She's been like that since breakfast this morning."
"D'you think she fancies him?" Lucia gushed.
"I reckon," said Harry, but a small frown made its way to his lips.
"Okay, what is it now?"
"I was actually hoping for Hermione and Ron to... you know..."
"Does Hermione... like... fancies Ron?" Lucia gasped quietly.
"I thought that was obvious?"
"You guys are no good at sharing gossips, honestly," Lucia shook her head. "This is why I rely on Lavender, Parvati, and Astoria more when it comes to gossip."
"Cry a river about it then," snorted Harry.
Lucia scoffed. "You're such a prat,"
"I know," he grinned.
After fixing the time of their first full practice for the following Thursday, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Lucia bade goodbye to the rest of the team and headed off toward Hagrid's. A watery sun was trying to break through the clouds now and it had stopped drizzling at last. Harry felt extremely hungry; he hoped there would be something to eat at Hagrid's.
"I thought I was going to miss that fourth penalty," Ron was saying happily. "Tricky shot from Demelza, did you see, had a bit of spin on it —"
"Yes, yes, you were magnificent," said Hermione, looking amused.
"I was better than that McLaggen anyway," said Ron in a highly satisfied voice. "Did you see him lumbering off in the wrong direction on his fifth? Looked like he'd been Confunded..."
Hermione turned a very deep shade of pink at these words. Ron noticed nothing; he was too busy describing each of his other penalties in loving detail.
The great gray hippogriff, Buckbeak, was tethered in front of Hagrid's cabin. He clicked his razor-sharp beak at their approach and turned his huge head toward them.
Lucia fastened in motion out of pure excitement. She didn't get to greet the hippogriff this morning, since it was still sound asleep. The three noticed her making her way toward the said hippogriff and out of caution, Harry, fast in his feet, ended up beside Lucia, wanting to seize her before she badly injured herself. Sure, she was great with magical creatures and animals, but that didn't mean that she would get out unscathed when she's with them.
But Harry couldn't quite reach her, for she was faster and had reached Buckbeak before any of them did. Fortunately, she had the knowledge from her third year and bowed first. The hippogriff answered graciously with a bow and approaching the girl. She smoothed out his feathers with the out-stretched hand of hers.
"How've you been, baby?" she cooed like a mother to her child.
Ron stared, deadpanning. He then reminded himself repeatedly, "She can't talk to magical creatures and animals... She can't talk to magical creatures and animals..." under his breath.
"Oh dear," said Hermione nervously. "He's still a bit scary, isn't he?"
"Come off it, you've ridden him, haven't you?" said Ron, snapping out of his recitation.
"Careful around him, he's still accustoming himself around here," said Lucia quietly.
Harry then joined the girl, stepping forward and bowed low to the hippogriff without breaking eye contact or blinking. After a few seconds, Buckbeak sank into a bow too towards Harry.
"How are you?" Harry asked him in a low voice, moving forward to stroke the feathery head. "Missing him? But you're okay here with Hagrid, aren't you?"
"Oi!" said a loud voice.
Hagrid had come striding around the corner of his cabin wearing a large flowery apron and carrying a sack of potatoes. Fang, was at his heels. Fang gave a booming bark and bounded forward.
"Get away from him! He'll have yer fingers — oh. It's yeh lot." he stared blankly at the trio until his eyes caught with Lucia. "How was the trial?"
"Brilliant!" Lucia beamed at him, "Have any treacle tart left?"
"'Course!" he beamed back. Hagrid stood and looked at them all for a split second, then turned and strode into his cabin, slamming the door behind him.
"Oh dear!" said Hermione, looking stricken.
"I-I... I thought... the treacle tart..." downcast Lucia. Harry rubbed her back before looking back at the door.
"Don't worry about it," said Harry grimly. He walked over to the door and knocked loudly. "Hagrid! Open up, we want to talk to you!"
There was no sound from within.
"If you don't open the door, we'll blast it open!" Harry said, pulling out his wand.
"Harry!" said Hermione, sounding shocked. "You can't possibly —"
"Yeah, I can!" said Harry. "Stand back —"
Before he could say anything, the door flew open. Hagrid stood there, glowering down on them, but mostly Harry. However, Lucia was too entranced by the smell of treacle tart to even noticed the expression.
"I'm a teacher!" he roared at Harry. "A teacher, Potter! How dare yeh threaten ter break down my door!"
"I'm sorry, sir," said Harry, emphasising the last word.
Hagrid looked stunned. "Since when have yeh called me 'sir'?"
"Since when have you called me 'Potter'?" he retorts.
"Oh, very clever," growled Hagrid. "Very amusin'. That's me outsmarted, innit? All righ', come in then, yeh ungrateful little..."
Lucia was the first to enter, following by Harry as he walked in nonchalantly whilst Hermione and Ron scurried after him, a little frightened.
"Well?" said Hagrid grumpily, as the four sat down around his enormous wooden table, Fang laying his head immediately upon Harry's knee and drooling all over his robes. "What's this? Feelin' sorry for me? Reckon I'm lonely or summat?"
"No," said Harry at once. "We wanted to see you."
"We've missed you!" said Hermione tremulously.
"Where's the treacle tart, Hagrid?" frowned Lucia. The three turned to the ebony-haired girl with a deadpanning expression; "What? he promised me..."
"Here yeh' go," Hagrid slid the plate of treacle tart to the girl. She beamed and thanked him before grabbing forkful of tart, consuming it into her mouth deliciously. "Missed me, have yeh?" snorted Hagrid. "Yeah. Righ'."
He stomped around, brewing up tea, muttering all the while. Finally, he slammed down three bucket-sized mugs of mahogany-brown tea in front of them and a plate of his rock cakes. Harry was hungry enough even for Hagrid's cooking and took one at once.
"Hagrid," said Hermione timidly, when he joined them at the table and started peeling his potatoes with a brutality. "we really wanted to carry on with Care of Magical Creatures, you know."
Hagrid gave another great snort.
"We did!" said Hermione. "But none of us could fit it into our schedules!"
"Yeah. Righ'," said Hagrid again. "Lucia could."
With a mouthful of the dessert, Lucia shook her head, "Don't bring me into this,"
Suddenly, there was a weird sound of squelching. The four looked around; Hermione let out a shriek, Ron leaped around the table away. Lucia's mouth opened, letting the already chewed dessert out of her mouth and onto the plate, disgusted. A large barrel was standing in the corner that they had only just noticed. It was full of what looked like foot-long maggots, slimy, white, and writhing.
"What are they, Hagrid?" asked Harry, putting down his rock cake all the same.
"Jus' giant grubs," said Hagrid.
"And they grow into...?" said Ron, looking apprehensive.
"They won' grow inter nuthin'," said Hagrid croakily. "I got 'em ter feed ter Aragog."
Without warning, he burst into tears. Lucia had expected this to happen. There was not an after-class pass by of when Hagrid didn't burst into tears.
"Hagrid!" cried Hermione, leaping up, an arm around his shaking shoulders. "What is it?"
"It's... him..." gulped Hagrid, his beetle-black eyes streaming as he mopped his face with his apron. But Hagrid couldn't finish he sentence.
Lucia stared at the half-giant emphatically, "It's Aragog, you know? His spider friend? Hagrid think he's dying and is not getting better. Hagrid doesn't know what to do,"
Hagrid nodded, "I don' know what I'll do if he... if he... We've bin tergether so long..."
Hermione patted Hagrid's shoulder, looking at a complete loss for anything to say. Harry was sympathetic of the situation, while Lucia only shrugged and continued to eat the treacle tart after having to throw away the already puked one.
"Is there — is there anything we can do?" Hermione asked, ignoring Ron's frantic grimaces and head-shakings.
"I don' think there is, Hermione," choked Hagrid, attempting to stem the flood of his tears. "See, the rest o' the tribe... Aragog's family... they're gettin' a bit funny now he's ill... bit restive..."
"Yeah, I think we saw a bit of that side of them," said Ron in an undertone.
"...I don' reckon it'd be safe fer anyone but me ter go near the colony at the mo'," Hagrid finished, blowing his nose hard on his apron and looking up. "But thanks fer offerin', Hermione... It means a lot..."
The three of them began to talk untruthfully about Professor Grubbly-Plank, much to Lucia's amusement. They were trying their hardest not to slip out any compliments and talk about how a dreadful teacher she was. By the time it was near dusk, Hagrid had bid them a quite cheerful goodbye before they head back up to the castle.
"I'm starving," said Harry, "And I've got that detention with Snape tonight, I haven't got much time for dinner..."
"I'll sneak in some food for you, if you want?" said Lucia chirpily.
"That'll be great, thank you," he said graciously.
As they reached into the Castle, they spotted McLaggen entering the Great Hall. Ron merely guffawed gloatingly and strode off into the Hall after him, but Harry caught Hermione's arm and held her back.
"What?" said Hermione defensively.
"If you ask me," said Harry quietly, "McLaggen looks like he was Confunded this morning. And he was standing right in front of where you were sitting."
Hermione blushed.
"Come off it, Hermione," Lucia grinned knowingly. "We know..."
"No way..." her voice muffled due to the hand that covered her mouth. Harry nodded mischievously.
"Oh, all right then, I did it," she whispered. "But you should have heard the way he was talking about Ron and Ginny! Anyway, he's got a nasty temper, you saw how he reacted when he didn't get in — you wouldn't have wanted someone like that on the team."
"No," said Harry. "No, I suppose that's true. But wasn't that dishonest, Hermione? I mean, you're a prefect, aren't you?"
"Is this a sign? Who knew Ron could get the girls," teased Lucia. "Guys probably, but girls?"
"You two be quiet," she snapped, as the couple merely smirked.
"What are you three doing?" demanded Ron, reappearing in the doorway.
"Nothing," said Harry and Hermione together, and they hurried themselves behind Lucia and Ron. The smell of supper filled their nostrils, causing their stomach to rumble greatly, but they had barely taken three steps toward the Gryffindor table when Professor Slughorn appeared in front of them, blocking their path.
"Harry, Harry, just the man I was hoping to see!" he boomed genially, twiddling the ends of his walrus mustache, and puffing out his enormous belly. "I was hoping to catch you before dinner! What do you say to a spot of supper tonight in my rooms instead? We're having a little party, just a few rising stars, I've got McLaggen coming and Zabini, and your lovely partner, Lucia —"
"I'm going?" Lucia blinked, completely confused by this.
However, Slughorn just went without further explanation. "— and the charming Melinda Bobbin — I don't know whether you know her? Her family owns a large chain of apothecaries — and, of course, I hope very much that Miss Granger will favor me by coming too."
Slughorn made Hermione a little bow as he finished speaking. It was as though Ron was not present; Slughorn did not so much as look at him.
"I can't come, Professor," said Harry at once. "I've got a detention with Professor Snape."
"Oh dear!" said Slughorn, his face falling comically. "Dear, dear, I was counting on you, Harry! Well, now, I'll just have to have a word with Severus and explain the situation. I'm sure I'll be able to persuade him to postpone your detention. Yes, I'll see you three later!"
"He's got no chance of persuading Snape," said Harry, the moment Slughorn was out of earshot. "This detention's already been postponed once; Snape did it for Dumbledore, but he won't do it for anyone else."
"I don't know..." drew Lucia, as she watched Slughorn approaching Snape. "He seems pretty persuasive..."
"What persuasion? That's complete rubbish!" snarled Ron.
"Still..." Lucia blinked blankly. "Hold on — when the hell did, I agree on going to this dinner?!"
"Oh, I wish you could come, we don't want to go on my own!" said Hermione anxiously; Harry knew that she was thinking about McLaggen.
"I doubt you'll two be alone, Ginny'll probably be invited," snapped Ron, who did not seem to have taken kindly to being ignored by Slughorn.
Harry's shoulders slumped from its tensed state, knowing for a fact that Ginny would not let anything happen to Lucia and would definitely scratch McLaggen's eyes out if he tries something on her. In Ginny he trusts, for they both have something in common: Their love for the sweet, dark-haired girl.
After dinner they made their way back to Gryffindor Tower. The common room was very crowded, as most people had finished dinner by now, but they managed to find a free table and sat down; Ron, who had been in a bad mood ever since the encounter with Slughorn, folded his arms and frowned at the ceiling. Hermione reached out for a copy of the Evening Prophet, which somebody had left abandoned on a chair.
"Anything new?" said Harry as he played with Lucia's hair, who calmed under his touch as she coloured her sketch of a dress; Fleur had offered her the job to not only be a bridesmaid, but as well as designing the bridesmaids' gowns.
"Not really..." Hermione had opened the newspaper and was scanning the inside pages. "Oh, look, your dad's in here, Ron — he's all right!" she added quickly, for Ron had looked around in alarm. "It just says he's been to visit the Malfoys' house. 'This second search of the Death Eater's residence does not seem to have yielded any results. Arthur Weasley of the Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects said that his team had been acting upon a confidential tip-off.'"
"Yeah, mine!" said Harry. "I told him at King's Cross about Malfoy and that thing he was trying to get Borgin to fix! Well, if it's not at their house, he must have brought whatever it is to Hogwarts with him —"
"But how can he have done, Harry?" said Hermione, putting down the newspaper with a surprised look. "We were all searched when we arrived, weren't we?"
"Oh yeah," Lucia nodded. "Even after years, Professor Filtwick still asked for my name. 'Your name please, Miss DiFiore,'" she mimicked the tiny professor's voice before chuckling.
"I wasn't!" said Harry, taken aback.
"Oh no, of course you weren't, I forgot you were late... Well, Filch ran over all of us with Secrecy Sensors when we got into the entrance hall. Any Dark object would have been found; I know for a fact Crabbe had a shrunken head confiscated. So, you see, Malfoy can't have brought in anything dangerous!"
"Also, I watched him getting searched," pointed Lucia. "He didn't bring anything... well, not anything that could be deemed suspicious anyway,"
"Someone's sent it to him by owl, then," he said. "His mother or someone."
"All the owls are being checked too," said Hermione. "Filch told us so when he was jabbing those Secrecy Sensors everywhere he could reach."
Really stumped this time, Harry found nothing else to say. There didn't seem to be any way Malfoy could have brought a dangerous or Dark object into the school. He looked hopefully at Ron, who was sitting with his arms folded, staring over at Lavender Brown.
"Can you think of any way Malfoy — ?"
"Oh, drop it, Harry," said Ron.
"Listen, it's not my fault Slughorn invited Hermione, Lucia, and me to his stupid party, neither of us wanted to go, you know!" said Harry, firing up.
"Yeah, Ron, I didn't even know I was invited until he said so," said Lucia quietly, thinking that would help his grumpiness.
"Well, as I'm not invited to any parties," said Ron, getting to his feet again, "I think I'll go to bed."
He stomped off toward the door to the boys' dormitories, leaving Harry, Lucia, and Hermione staring after him.
"Harry?" said the new Chaser, Demelza Robins, appearing suddenly at his shoulder. "I've got a message for you."
"From Professor Slughorn?" asked Harry, sitting up hopefully.
"No... from Professor Snape," said Demelza. Lucia watched as Harry's eyes dimmed greatly. "He says you're to come to his office at half past eight tonight to do your detention — er — no matter how many party invitations you've received. And he wanted you to know you'll be sorting out rotten flobberworms from good ones, to use in Potions and — and he says there's no need to bring protective gloves."
"Right," said Harry grimly. "Thanks a lot, Demelza."
After bidding Harry good-luck and goodbye as he went forth with his demise, Hermione went up, resigning for the night. Lucia puffed out a breath, watching as Harry exited out of the common room through the portrait before she turned her gaze at the ceiling.
"This year isn't going to be smooth, is it?"
Figures.