Ft. Lily Potter
Lily's POV
Ron and I hurriedly walk along the corridor to our first class of the year; DADA. "He was sweating?" I asked.
He nodded. "He kept gripping his hands like it was hurting him and he pushed the bed covers off and--"
"Ron!" He immediately stopped babbling. "Was it just a nightmare? Or a une of his 'dreams'?"
"I think it was one of his 'dreams'." He nodded, holding the door open for me as we walked in.
"Late? Is this going to be a routine thing with you, Miss Potter and Mr Weasley?"
Everyone turned to look at us. "Well, we weren't hooking up behind the gargoyle, if that's what you're insinuating?"
There were a few chuckles from the class, earning a disapproving look from Toad, which I ignored and took my usual seat beside Em. She sent me a small smile, glancing over her shoulder. "Draco looks a bit put out by that comment." She whispered.
"Does he?" I shrugged off her comment, listening into the girly voice of the professor.
Umbridge turned, in her fluffy pink cardigan and pink woollen dress, towards the blackboard, waving her wand and words appeared. "Ordinary Wizarding Level examinations or O.W.L.s. Study hard and you will be rewarded, fail to do so, and the consequences may be severe."
The books on the table behind her rose into the air, one sitting in front of us. She gave that little giggle and Em and I shifted uncomfortably. "Your previous instruction in this subject has been disturbingly uneven. But you'll be pleased to know that from now on you will be following a carefully structured, Ministry-approved course of defensive magic. Yes?" Hermione had her hand up.
"There's nothing in here about using defensive spells?" She asked. I flicked through the worn book which was illustrated and all. This was for five-year-olds!
"Using spells?" Umbridge laughed. "Well, I can't imagine why you would need to use spells in my classroom."
"Err, I can think of une reason." I looked at her like that bloody big black bow on her head were a fly. "Actually I can think of a few, but maybe because we're witches and wizards. We're magical, you know?"
Umbridge gave me a grim smile. "But you'll be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way."
"What's the point in that. We won't be using defensive spells in a 'secure, risk-free' environment." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Draco stare at me incredulously, and automatically tensed.
"Students will raise their hands in my class."
I lazily flung my hand into the air, then ceremoniously put it down again. "I've raised my hand, now I can talk like I'm in fucking first year."
Harry gaped at me from across the aisle, in fact, a few people were watching me like I had two heads. I mean, it's not like I swear a lot and never at a teacher, but it...kinda felt good. "Watch your language, Miss Potter! Detention."
"Lily!" Emma hissed beside me, her eyes wide and anxious.
"There's really no use Toad." I tried out my new nickname. "I've never turned up for a single detention since the day I got here."
Umbridge stood in front of the class opening and closing her mouth continuously, unsure of what to say. She broke out into a smile and said softly. "It is the view of the Ministry that theoretical knowledge will be sufficient to get you through your examinations which, after all, is what school is all about. Does that answer your question, Miss Potter?"
My eyebrows furrowed. "No, not really, it just tells me that our country is being run by a bunch of nutters."
"And how's theory supposed to prepare us for what's out there?" Harry spoke up. I glanced at him and he evenly met my grateful gaze. Was he backing me up?
"There is nothing out there dear." I tried not to roll my eyes and massaged my temples. "Who do you imagine wants to attack children, such as yourself?"
"Err, I don't know maybe Lord Voldemort."
Everyone broke out into whispers and Umbridge opened and closed her mouth again. Toad? She looked more like a fish? "You walked right into that To-Professor. He's wanted to kill us since the day we defeated him, even the Ministry can't deny that." I grinned smugly at her.
"Now, let me make this quite plain." Umbridge walked forward. "You have been told that a certain dark wizard–"
"Lord Voldemort." I cut in, meeting Umbridge's glower. "But continue."
"–That a certain dark wizard is at large once again. "This is a lie." Her face was inches from mine, but I refused to move back, even if it meant choking on her overly sweet flowery perfume.
"It's not a lie!" Harry jumped up to his feet, yelling at her. "We saw him! We fought him!"
"Detention, Mr Potter!" She announced.
"So according to you, Cedric Diggory dropped dead of his own accord." He ignored her.
"Cedric Diggory's death was a tragic accident."
"It was murder! Voldemort killed him!"
I abruptly stood, scaring Emma, just as Umbridge yelled. "Enough!" But I didn't move, letting the stout woman's glare fall upon me.
"You. Are. A. Disgrace." There was so much venom in my voice it caused Umbridge to take a step back and she flinched. "Look what the Ministry's come to! You stand there and you disgrace an innocent boy's death! You filthy woman! I did not get up in front of the whole school and ball my eyes out, for some 'tragic accident'."
Everyone's eyes were on the professor, who looked like she was going to scream, but instead, she said quite calmly, "Come here, Mr Potter."
Walking up to the desk she had retreated behind, she handed Harry a pink scroll of parchment. "Mr Potter, you will take this to Professor McGonagall, Miss Potter you will go with him."
I picked up my satchel, stuffed my quill back in and stormed out of the classroom behind my brother, leaving Em, Ron and Hermione to blink at each other in amazement. The walk to McGonagall's office seemed to sober us up though, we were actually being sent to our godmother. How disappointed would she be? Harry knocked and I could see an explanation forming in his head to save our skins from the head of our house.
The door opened and the pinched-face woman looked down at us, allowing us to enter while taking the scroll Harry handed to her. We stood submissively in front of her desk, as her eyes swept from side-to-side over the neat cursive handwriting. She looked up over the piece of parchment. "Is this true, Potters? Did you shout at Professor Umbridge?"
We nodded. "Yes, professor."
"Did you call her a liar?"
"Yes, professor." We nodded again.
"Did you tell her Voldemort is back?"
Harry and I glanced at each other in panic. "Yes, professor."
"Have a biscuit, Potters."
"Have a what?" Harry started, while I grinned at her, taking two Ginger Newts and handing one to my brother.
"You two need to be careful, misbehaving in Umbridge's class is something I highly suggest not doing, you know who she's reporting to, as hard as it is to tolerate her."
Harry sighed. "But we told the truth."
She shook her head. "It doesn't matter anymore, things have changed. You've got to keep your heads down and tempers under control. Now, you both have detention every night this week, which I, unfortunately, cannot get you out of." She eyed me. "Not that you're both going to attend anyway."
I smirked and she let us out of the classroom. The other three were waiting for us, obviously walking out of class. Em wrapped an arm round my shoulders, leading me off down the corridor towards the Hall, the others following. People swarmed around us on their way to lunch or their next classes, a lot of them breaking out into whispers and giving us death glares
Fred and George sat in the middle of the Gryffindor table, away from everyone else and saved us seats. George moved his jumper and case off the seat beside him and Em comfortably sat down, the two exchanging smiles.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I sat in the common room, the Weasley twins plonking down either side of me. "Anything you'd like from the Skiving Snackbox, Miss Lily?"
I scoffed. "Thanks but no thanks, if I want to get out of class I'll just not show up. If you really want to have some fun, I suggest giving some to Umbridge." I watched their eyes meet, lighting up with a brilliant idea and the two were off the couch in an instant, replaced by the Fantastic Four.
"How could Dumbledore let this happen?!" Hermione asked flustered. "To let that woman from the Ministry into Hogwarts?! And in our O.W.L year, too!"
Hiding my jeer at Hermione for being worried about O.W.L.s at a time like this, Emmaline piped up. "Perhaps the Ministry would have retaliated rather fiercely if Professor Dumbledore didn't employ that horrid woman."
I reached over and high-fived her for her very accurate comment on Toad. "It would probably be easier if some people had more faith in their headmaster."
I spoke loud enough so that a passing Dean and Seamus could hear me and Seamus passed me a dirty before walking up to their dormitory. "It's not as though we've had great DADA professors, it's like there is an actual jinx on the job." Ron added.
Harry nudged me gently and quietly said, "I didn't see you at dinner?"
I shrugged. "No, you didn't because I wasn't there."
Emma hurriedly turned to Harry. "Hey, what's wrong with your hand?"
Harry placed his right hand over his left, showing her perfectly pale skin. "Nothing."
I reached over and snatched up his left hand, red-raw with a fresh wound of 'I will not tell lies' cut across the back of it. "Merlin's beard, you've got to tell Dumbledore."
"No." Harry shook his head. "Dumbledores got enough on his plate right now. Anyway, I don't want to give Umbridge the satisfaction."
"Bloody hell Harry, the woman's torturing you." Ron stated. "If the parents knew about this-"
"Yeah well, I haven't got any of those have I, Ron?!" I resisted the urge to slap my brother across the face and stormed across the room, retreating to the dormitory.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Harry's POV
The twins hadn't been wrong when they warned us the workload of fifth years increases significantly due to O.W.L.s, Hermione, of course, had already finished the two scroll paper on giant wars for Professor Binns and the potions essay on moonstone properties, and of course Lily hadn't done the first but aced the second. The Transfiguration lesson we'd worked on vanishing spells it had taken her at least five goes before she aced it, making Hermione grouchy because it took her ten. Emma wasn't too far behind, natural talent I guess. Wish I could get some of that.
We now stood under a dark grey clouded sky, in front of a trestle table covered in twigs, a few feet from Hagrid's Hut. Professor Grubbly Plank stood on the other side facing us all. "Alrighty good afternoon everyone."
"Good afternoon." We all chorused.
"Now, can anyone tell me what these things are?"
"Twigs?" Blaise Zabini answered casually like it was the most obvious thing in the world. The Slytherins all chuckled, that is, until Lily spoke.
"They're Bowtruckles, tree guardians."
"Yes, Miss Potter. Five points to Gryffindor." I glanced at Blaise to see all their eyes on their lost friend, everyone's eyes apart from Draco's. The professor sprinkled brown-rice looking things over the table, causing the Bowtruckles to jump up and start fighting for them. "These are woodlice, Bowtruckles clearly go crazy for them, as well as fairy eggs. Being tree guardians, they tend to live in wand-wood trees, and if you ever need something from a tree one lives in, it's wise to take a hand-full of woodlice with you to distract them. They might not look dangerous, but when provoked they use their long, sharp fingers to gauge out eyeballs."
"Charming." Ron muttered.
"Now, I want a full sketch with–Miss Potter please don't–!"
The professor stopped herself almost admiring the way Lily held a tiny hand out and a curious Bowtruckle that had been standing at the edge of the table leapt into her palm. She brought it up to eye-height, a safe distance away and the two assessed one another. The twig starts dancing, showing off its long fingers, making my sister genuinely smile. Tickling it with a single finger, it let out a tiny laugh, causing the class to chuckle and finally she brought it in to snuggle up to her cheek, which she giggled at. I glanced over at Draco who's stare was fixated on Lil, grey eyes shining with concern. Oh boy, what a long year it's going to be.
"Right well, no one else is to pick up one up, please." The professor cleared her throat, everyone's gazes, except you-know-who's, leaving Lily. "I want a full sketch with labelled body parts by the end of the lesson. Like I said, please no touching them."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I sat on the side of my bed, quill in hand ready to be used and placed it on the parchment. "Dear Sirius,
How are you?
It's starting to get colder here, winter is definitely on the way. In spite of being back at Hogwarts, I feel more alone than ever. Lily has gone completely mental and has gotten in more trouble this semester than in her two years of being here. I think she's still upset, I've noticed that the entire school population, even the teachers heard about the breakup and most of the male population has taken notice (unfortunately).
I'm really worried about her and for once I'm left feeling lost and desperate not knowing how to help her.
I know you of all people will understand being alone."
I signed off on the letter and sent Hedwig on her way. Thani looked on sadly, Lily hadn't come with me to see her. I petted her and handed her a treat. "I know, but she's feeling a bit vulnerable right now. She'll come round though." Thani hooted and then closed her eyes, snuggling into herself.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Lily's POV
I found myself sitting in one of the greenhouses, having stolen the little Bowtruckle that bonded with me in Care of Magical Creatures class the other day and I had brought him here to hide out during the times I couldn't be with him. I'd officially named him Jimmy, yeah I know it's silly after my dad, but. Today Marie had come with me, nudging Jimmy curiously with her snout. He was consciously careful not to poke her harshly with his fingers, but the two decided they liked each other and got along well.
"How was your day Jimmy?" He clasped onto my finger and I gently lifted him up and down. "Mmmh? Good?"
"How was your day, Lily?" I jumped at the impossibly soft voice of Luna Lovegood standing in the doorway. She smiled slightly at my wide eyes and heaving chest. "Sorry didn't mean to scare you."
I narrowed my eyes playfully. "Well, that smug smile on your face says otherwise."
She put her hands up in mock surrender. "Okay, you caught me. Mind if I join?"
I shook my head, patting the space next to me. She skipped over, gracefully slipping into a cross-legged position that had me baffled before I looked up into her silvery eyes, making me look away as she looked at me. It's ridiculous really, her eyes are nothing like Draco's stormy ones, but boy does she remind me of him.
I tickled Jimmy gently with my index finger, him letting out his little giggle, while Marie landed on Luna's shoulder and sniffed at her. "Oh Marie, get off."
"No, it's quite alright, I've never met a Pygmy breed before." Marie took that as a chance to show off her ability to change her colour and size. "She's very talented."
"Thank you." I smiled but didn't meet her unblinking gaze.
"What's his name?"
"Jimmy, he's a Bowtruckle I kinda stole from class the other day."
"I heard."
For the first time since meeting her, I looked into her eyes, more because I was more surprised than anything. I promise, I wasn't trying to be rude but something jolted in my stomach every time and I'm not sure whether I liked it or not. "You heard?"
Her thick multiple braids of blonde bobbed up and down. "Everyone in the class was apparently buzzing about it, I found out from the Patil twins. Said it was the cutest thing they'd ever seen...and that it's also the first time they'd seen you smile all year."
I looked away from her piercing look but felt like she could look right through me. "Yeah well, I found a new friend, why wouldn't I be happy?"
Luna placed a tentative hand on my forearm. "You could have found another if you want?"
Studying her sincere expression I realised she was being serious. "Why? Everyone in the school is hating my brother and I."
"Well, unlike those idiots whose opinions you shouldn't think twice about, my father and I fully support you both."
"Well, thank you Luna, and thank your father too." I was taken aback.
"That's okay." She got up, heading for the door.
"Hey um, Luna?" She stopped to look back at me. "Can you not tell anyone?" I gestured to Jimmy, who was balancing along my leg.
She grinned. "I won't."
"And, um, could we possibly do this again sometime?"
A huge grin spread across her flawless face. "Sure."
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Sorry about all the swapping and changing.
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