CHAPTER NUMBER FIVE:
— good things take time
( a little bit of luck )
I AWOKE EARLY the following morning, and as I began to slowly open my eyes, it came to my knowledge that Lisa was nowhere to be seen. She wasn't located in her bed, nor anywhere around our dorm.
I got up, and exited carelessly, my eyes were still shuttering open and closed due to tiredness. Suddenly, I saw Lisa's and Miles' head, arise from the sofa in the main area of the common room. My heart skipped a beat once I'd seen them. I instantly jumped back.
"Happy birthday Emmalina!" Lisa cheered happily. "Guess what? Me and Miles got you a present, come look!" She gestured me to come down to the man area of the common room.
"We hope you like what we got you!" Miles added hopefully. "There's also a few that were already here before we arrived." I smiled down at the two of them and scurried down to the centre of the common room, trying to contain my excitement to prevent waking up other sleeping students.
I looked towards the sofa, and around six to seven presents were impeccably wrapped in all different styles of wrapping paper. I began opening a few of them.
"That's the one we got you!" Lisa said, pointing to the present I was currently holding in the palms of my hand. "We really do hope you like it." She smiled hopefully.
"Well go on then, open it!" Miles exclaimed. I nodded quickly whilst doing as he had said. I began roughly tearing of all the wrapping paper, eager to see what was hidden inside, and to my surprise, the two had gotten me a beautiful golden charm, which was identical to the Ravenclaw badge.
The animal used in the crest is an eagle which represents intelligence and wisdom; it 'soars where others cannot climb.' I couldn't help but let a huge smile cross my face, as I pulled the both of them in for a group hug. "How did you manage to get this in such a short amount of time?" We unlinked.
"Miles took me down to Hogsmeade, you want to see it 'Lina, it's amazing!" We had to sneak down with the third years since us first years and second years aren't aloud to go down there." She explained, catching her breath afterwards.
"I don't know what to say, thank you both so much for this!" I said, unable to wipe the cheesy smile off my face.
"You are more than welcome." Miles smiled warmly. "Don't forget to open that one over there." He pointed over to the final present beside him. I nodded my head and grabbed it carefully, as I wasn't too sure of the item inside; I didn't want to grab it so carelessly.
This present however was rather different to the rest. It was wrapped rather untidily and crumpled, almost as if there was a piece of clothing hidden inside. I teared the wrapping paper away, only to reveal what seemed to be an old cardigan. It was blue, and had buttons sowed in all the way down the middle. It was rather thin, and had frills located at the bottom.
"Who is this from?"
"Not sure, it just came with this small note, no name was mentioned." Miles handed me a small note, and I read it aloud.
'Your mother gave this to me before she died, it is time it was returned to you, use it well.'
"Use it well? What's that supposed to mean?" Lisa asked curiously, taking a closer glance at the note. "Hmm." She added under her breath.
"Maybe it has been engraved with some sort of magic!" Miles said hopefully. "And if it has been, I wonder how you would go about using it." He began to think in more depth.
"Try it on, 'Lina; something could happen!" Lisa said, encouraging me to do so. I nodded as I stood up, with the cardigan in my hand, and brushed it over my shoulders, shoving my arms into the sleeves.
"Well, do you feel anything abnormal?" Miles asked, still hoping to find a splash of magic hidden in the cardigan.
"I feel...great actually!" I paused for a moment. "I feel like all of today's classes are going to go really well, like — really well!" Miles looked towards me, knowingly, and after a few minutes, finally spoke out.
"This cardigan." Miles explained. He raised from the sofa and took it gently of my shoulders. "It's impregnated with liquid luck!" He began to examine it closely.
"What's liquid luck?" I asked curiously. As I couldn't hazard I guess as to why my emotions had suddenly changed.
"Felix Felicis, also called 'Liquid Luck', is a magical potion that makes the drinker lucky for a period of time, during which everything they attempt will be successful. It turns an ordinary day into an extraordinary one." Miles explained.
"It is meant to be used sparingly, however, as it causes giddiness, recklessness, and dangerous overconfidence if taken in excess. It is very difficult to make, disastrous if made wrong, and requires six months to stew before it is ready to be consumed."
"That sounds kind of, odd." I answered.
"This is rather exciting!" Said Lisa cheerily.
"I guess we should start getting ready; classes will be starting soon." Miles and Lisa nodded, as we began walking up the spiral staircase towards the dorms, Since the boys dorms were located on the other side of the common room, we had split of from Miles as he had to go in a different direction.
* * *
Before class had started, I neatly placed the cardigan into one of my drawers. It was discretely hiding under all my other items of clothing, just in case anyone decided to go snooping. Transfiguration was due to begin any moment now; we were all anticipating Professor McGonagall's arrival, and speaking of the devil, she walked right on in and up to the front of the class.
"Welcome to your first transfiguration lesson. For those who don't already know, my name is Professor McGonagall, and I will be taking you for all your transfiguration classes." She spoke out;
She paused for a moment before continuing to speak. "Now in today's lesson, we will be starting of with 'transfiguration for beginners.' So please turn to page twenty three when you have received your book and begin reading the first two sections."
Then all of a sudden, textbooks that were neatly placed onto McGonagall's desk, began hovering in the air. They then started to slam down onto our tables violently, making some students jump. Lisa and I stayed put however.
Once I had received one of the many floating textbooks, I began flicking the pages until I reached 'twenty three.' Until I felt something lightly hit me on the back of the head, which grabbed my attention almost instantly.
I turned round, and to no surprise whatsoever; Malfoy and one of his two sidekicks were evilly smirking and laughing hideously; I groaned.
"What?" I spat with attitude. Malfoy grinned, pleased that he had managed to grab another reaction out of me. It's not as if I were going to ignore him.
"I told you yesterday Crow, you haven't heard the last of me." He smirked again, raising an eyebrow. I decided to play along with his game whilst McGonagall was preoccupied.
"Oh yes, what do you plan on doing this time besides getting interrupted?" I asked, with a cheeky grin plastered onto my face.
"Sarcasm won't get you anywhere Crow." He moved closer to my desk. Lisa was beginning to look rather uncomfortable, so she turned around whilst mid listening. "So I suggest you quieten down." Him and Goyle began to grin evilly; not expecting another reply.
"And why should I listen to a mindless Slytherin such as yourself?" I rolled my eyes intentionally as Malfoy seemed to become angered over my insult.
"Ahem." I turned round to see that Professor McGonagall was eyeing my desk. Malfoy smirked under his breath as I turned around to face the front of the classroom; rolling my eyes while doing so.
I couldn't stand the sight of Malfoy, nor his pesky minions. I knew that in time, he'd get what was coming to him.
And that day couldn't come any sooner.