"Bloody Snape...bloody potions assignments..." There I sat in the Gryffindor common room on the first night of the new year at Hogwarts mumbling to myself, upset that Snape had already gave us our first essay. Hermione aand Ron were sitting with me trying to get their work done as well, except well for Ron and I.
"For crying out loud it's like that man thinks we're all Hermione!" Ron then chucked the crumpled piece of parchment we were tossing back and forth straight at me which I caught quickly in my hands. A reflex I've had since being a chaser. Hermione, who had heard Ron's comment just continued to go on with her work and settled with rolling her eyes.
"No offense Hermione, but Ron is right. Quidditch starts soon and it'll be even more difficult to get all of his essays and homework out of the way." I then tossed the crumpled piece of parchment right into the fire blazing in front of us, replied with sparks spurting in the air.
"No, it's alright..." Hermione bit her lip and began moving her quill back and forth between her thumb and forefinger. Then she went back to furiously writing on her parchment. She was in her 'Hermione won't focus on anything at all except schoolwork' mode.
I reached beside me and grabbed my book bag removing my quill, parchment, and potions book. I guess I should get started before it's too late. Ron looked disappointed that our parchment toss game was over because that meant he should get to work too. I chuckled umder my breath then I dipped my quill into the inkwell and began my essay on how to make a counter potion for Draught Of Peace. Then I started thinking about Harry and his detention with Umbridge. He should've been back by now, but I mean it's Harry, there's nothing to worry about. Once Umbridge entered my mind, my writing became more furious and more difficult to read.
My thoughts of Umbridge became more violent and as if right on Queue, Harry entered the common room placing himself beside me on the sofa. His emerald eyes were distant and had the hatred flame, but this time it was a blazing fire,"Harry?" He looked up from his gaze at the fire towards me,"Are you alright?" Well obviously he wasn't, but what else do I say?
He nodded his head causing his messy hair to flop onto his forehead,"I'm fine." His jaw tensed and I knew just as well that he was not "fine."
"Don't lie to me Harry." I looked at him with as much determination as I could muster.
"It's nothing. You don't need to worry about me, Dani." I noticed him take a quick glance at his left hand, and I looked down to see it a bright pink before he covered it with his sleeve.
Hermione and Ron both noticed Harry and I's conversation,"Bloody hell Harry! What did the she- devil do to you?" I grabbed his hand and placed it in mine looking at what was cut into his skin. When I ran my fingertips across what said "I must not tell lies" he shuddered as the skin I touched was still raw.
"Bloody hell, Harry. The woman's torturing you... If the parents knew about this..." Ron was just as shocked as I was, well it wasn't a surprise that Umbridge would do something like that, but... Nevermind.
"I haven't got any of those, have I, Ron?" Harry snapped back.
"But, Harry, you've got to report this." Hermione was trying to stress the importance of this to Harry, but we all knew he wouldn't budge with how stubborn he is. I couldn't help but to agree with him though.
"Hermione I'm not giving Umbridge the satisfaction she wants!" Harry continued to argue back.
"Dumbledore needs to know! No teacher should ever punish a student in such a way!" Hermiones failure to convince Harry was just useless.
"As much as I hate Umbridge too, I have to agree with Harry." I looked back down at Harry's hand which was still in mine, staring at the words carved into the back of his hand. Let's hope I don't get detention anytime soon,"Well if I was in your spot Harry, I'd feel the same way. That woman is not going to ruin our year by telling us that we're all going bonkers because she's too cowardly to admit he's back!"
They all turned silent and I knew that they were all silently agreeing with me,"Here... let me clean up your hand," Ron and Hermione went back to there work, because none of us knew what else to say about this, while I pulled out my wand and placed it above the cuts in Harry's hand and whispered a spell I found useful with cuts and bruises,"Tergeo."
Harry winced when the skin started healing itself, but was silent after a few more seconds. I then let go of his hand and went back to my potions essay,"Thanks, Dani."
"No problem, but I have a feeling I'll be having to use that spell often in the future." I gave him a teasing smile in which he returned because we both know detention was just a thing Harry had to except.
The evening went by and Fred and George had brought out their merchandise and were testing their Fainting Fancies on the first years. Hermione had already finished all her work and was now lounging in one of the arm chairs knitting hats (the magical way) for who knows what, while Ron, Harry, and I put all we had each already written and stole each others ideas to put on our pieces of parchment.
"Are you three really going to combine all of your work that you've done and try to finish it that pathetic way?" Hermione looked down on us with pity as we sat on the floor trading our parchment.
"Yes! We are, but might I ask what the bloody hell are you making!?" Ron looked at Hermione who had now had a look of pride written on her face.
"It's for The elves Ronald!" Again, Hermione's love for elves would end in another argument between her and Ron.
"You're still at that?" Ron shouldn't have said that.
"Humph!" Hermione then stormed off in the direction of the two red-headed twins and I could hear her telling them that she didn't approve of their tricking first years and that she would tell Mrs. Weasley if they didn't stop. She really does like her prefect badge...
So the next few minutes went on with Ron defending his brothers and Hermione storming off up to the dormitories, leaving a befuddled Ron, a thoughtful Harry, and a frustrated me. I finally finished my Potions assignment and borrowed Collin Creevey's daily prophet to see what they were saying about Fudge and the ministry now.
On the front page the headline was: THE BOY WHO LIES?
It was followed by a long story of how Harry supposedly lied at the Triwizard Tournament when Cedric died and how he claimed Voldemort was back,"This is pathetic!"
"What's pathetic?" Ron and Harry now both finished their work and were playing Wizard Chess.
"Fudge, the Ministry, Umbride, should I continue my list?" I tossed the paper at them and they stared at it with the same disgust as I.
"Cowards they are. They're too afraid to admit that things aren't the way they were anymore." Harry then tossed the Prophet into the fire, releasing sparks into the air.
"Umm, Harry... That was Collin's..." What would I tell him about his Waste of news?
"Sorry..."
"No worries. He told me he already read the whole thing anyways." I then let out a long yawn and stretched my arms above my head.
"Someone's sleepy." The deep voice caused me to look to my side and see Dean Thomas. Dean was also a friend I had made in my years at Hogwarts, but he was more of someone I would have to talk about Quidditch with and when The trio and Ginny weren't with me at the moment (which is never).
"Hello, there Dean." I turned myself to face him, but came face to face where his stomach should be. That's when I realized just how tall dean really was and I had to tilt my head back just to see his towering figure properly.
"Hey Dean." Ron and Harry both said in unison from the floor.
"I just wanted to apologize Harry, you know... For Seamus. I should've said something." The argument between Seamus and Harry caused a stir in the common room last night.
Harry sat there quietly for a moment until he said,"well, he's not the only one who thinks I'm a lunatic."
Dean stood there and nodded his head curtly, then cleared his throat and looked towards me,"So, um Dani... I'll guess I'll see you later then?" He had his hands in his pockets slowly rocking back and forth on his heels. He looked nervous, yet awkward. What was he thinking?
"Uh yeah, see you later then." I gave him a small smile as he turned around and went up to the boys dormitories.
I turned back around deciding I should annoy Ron while he decided to make his next move against Harry, but only to see the two of them staring at me with a sly smile,"What are you pixies looking at?"
"We're just amused." Ron silently chuckled under his breath.
"Why?" I was utterly confused.
"Did you see the way Dean acted around you? Did you make him a love potion or something?" Harry was now laughing and so was Ron as I just sat there completely bewildered.
"What?! No! What are you talkin-"
Ron cut me off and began mocking Dean by puffing out his chest and put on his best deep voice,"So Dani, I'll see you later then? Oh Dani, I love ignoring Harry and Ron when you're in the room!"
Ron then began batting his eyes and did the highest voice he could to mock my voice,"Oh Dean your so tall and handsome!" Ron's voice cracked as he continued a girly high voice,"Are you a Dementor? Because you just took my breath away!" Wow... That's a first... By the way... That pick up line ne'er works. Haha! Ron would know.
"I do not talk like that, and let alone I don't act like that!" The two Continued to laugh and they were now rolling on the floor. I crossed my arms across my chest, frustrated because I didn't understand why they were over exaggerating so much!
"Ha ha ha! He treated us like a bogey flavored bean!" That's when I stood up and walked towards both of them. This time I wouldn't use magic on them... Oh I would use something much worse... I had to use the muggle way. I first went over to Ron and I began pounding my fist into his arm,"What the- Ow ow!" They both continued to laugh, so I the began pounding my fist into Harry's arm.
Their laughing both slowly died off, but they let an occasional snort slip. I gave them a wicked smile and went back to punching their arms harder than before. Finally they stopped laughing and were now wincing and cradling their poor arms,"Bloody hell Dani! Where'd that come from?!" Harry look at me in amazement of my ability to hurt them.
"Now, are you two going to apologize to me?" I looked at them sternly placing my hands on my hips.
"Sorry..." They both put their heads down and quietly regarded me.
"Good. Now If you don't mind I'll be heading off now." I turned on my heel and began walking in the direction of the girls dormitories. As soon as I reached the stairs I could hear the two snickering at me. I turned around and gave them a death glare in which they replied with silence. Boys... I'll never understand them.
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The Great Hall was filling up, with students who were drinking their pumpkin juice and eating their toast before another day of classes started. Another day with the witch (and I'm not talking about the magical kind).
I walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat myself across from Ginny and Hermione, right next to Harry and Ron. I grabbed a piece of toast and looked up to see Hermione looking at me curiously,"Hermione?"
She then looked beside me where Harry just was, but now was a big space. I looked a little further and then saw that Harry and Ron had purposely scooted themselves away from me,"Am I contagious with a disease, or do you two still believe in cooties?" They then shook their heads,"Then what's your problem?"
"Well... How do we say this..." Harry looked into his pumpkin juice.
"You scare us." Wow. Ron knows how to be straightforward.
"Thank you Ron for being so sensitive, I appreciate it!" My voice dripped with sarcasm and then I started laughing at Hermione and Ginny's faces because then I remembered what had happened the night before.
"Dani, what did you do?" Ginny looked at me with a "oh not again" look.
This made me laugh even harder and caused the Slytherins to give me glares. Finally I calmed down and Ginny and I talked about Thomas Davies,"Ginny how many times will I have to tell you? Thomas is a ladies man."
"Yes, hundreds, but I still don't believe he would play girls like you say he does." She was blinded by his dark curly locks and bright blue eyes. I did a mental face-palm and noted that I would have to find evidence for my argument.
"Just promise me you won't start snogging him anytime soon?" Ginny has always been the sister I never had, and I took pride in being there to keep her away from players like Thomas.
"I can't make any promises..." She had that smirk playing on her freckled face.
"Ginny!" That's not cool! Don't trick a girl like that!
"Alright, alright. I promise I won't snog Thomas Davies until I have the approval of my best friend, Danielle Hankshaw." Ginny said this as if she were taking an oath and had her right hand raised while her left was over mine.
"Promise not to snog who?" Ron was in the midst of chewing a bite out of his apple and was looking at us knowing we were discussing something he wouldn't like.
"Oh... No one..." Ginny picked up her book bag and started towards the corridors to get to her first class, or just to avoid her over-protective brother.
"Ginny! Ginny, who have you been snogging!?" Ginny finally made it out of the Great Hall, with Ron running after her leaving me, Harry, and Hermione laughing at him.
"When's Ron going to learn that Ginny doesn't want him to know who shes snogged?"The three of us began walking towards our Transfiguration class.
"Probably never." we all laughed at my statement and it was the perfect start to a hopefully better day.
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The Day was sunny and my good mood was one that couldn't be broken, and I planned to keep it that way. At lunch I sat with Ginny by the Black Lake and did some work so her and I could have our annual invisible ink war tonight against Fred and George. It was a game of every man for himself in which every time Fred and George decide it's okay to make a truce, but this time they're going down.
After lunch I headed towards Charms class, which I considered a class to catch up with friends I haven't seen in a while. Since Professor Flitwick always seems to be focusing on a student who just can't seem to produce the spell that was taught. I was one of the last people to arrive in the classroom and found my seat empty waiting for me next to Neville.
Great, we have charms with the Slytherins this year,"Good afternoon students, today we will be practicing a charm that allows you to hide a secret within someone. You all learned this charm yesterday, and you will be practicing this with your partner." Flitwick then went around the room to watch our progress.
I turned myself to face Neville,"So, how exactly are we supposed to practice this charm, with our partner?"
I grabbed my wand and twirled it between my fingers,"Um, maybe we're supposed to tell one another something and then cast it." Neville was beginning to break through his shell over the past years.
"Makes good enough sense, I'll go first," I closed my eyes thinking of a minor detail of my past that I could use to tell Neville. I've got it,"Alright, on my eleventh birthday my mother gave me this horrid dress and I told her I loved it." I waited a moment and Neville nodded at me. I pointed my wand and I said the incantation,"Fidelius."
"Did it work?" Neville looked at me nervously.
"Well, try repeating what I just told you." When he opened his mouth to say what I told him, nothing came out.
"I think it worked!" Neville smiled and I returned it.
"Okay now it's your turn." I looked up at Neville whom suddenly became pale and nervous looking,"Neville? Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm- I'm fine," he nodded his head and continued with what he was to tell me,"Fourteen years ago... A death eater by the name of Bellatrix Lestrange..." His voice was quiet when he spoke so I had to lean in closer to hear him,"She, she um... Tortured my parents to insanity with the Cruciatus Curse..." I couldn't speak. I didn't know how to react. I knew Neville was completely serious by the look on his face. Why would he tell me something so personal? This was just Charms, did he feel he had to tell me something deep? All I wanted to do was comfort him, but I knew I couldn't. I never knew about his parents, I just figured he lived with his grandmother because... Well I just figured he lived with his grandmother. When he said the incantation it scared me,"Fidelius." I didn't even try to repeat what he had told me. Even though it would now be impossible for me to say it, it wouldn't be right to even try.
I just sat there not knowing what to say in the silence. Neville then spoke up and his voice now had some reassurance,"You know, you're one of the only people that know about that now..."
"I-I- I'm so sorry..." I was speechless. Yes Neville was my friend, but he wasn't like Ginny, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were.
"It's alright... I trust you..."
"Ey Hankshaw!" I whipped my head around to see where the obnoxious sneer came from, to find Crabbe, Goyle, and Malfoy. Ew, gross. Even the sight of them makes me mentally vomit.
"What do you want blondie?" I enjoyed calling him that, it always made him angry. It was even better when Crabbe and Goyle couldn't help but to laugh as well, but were soon silenced by Draco's glares.
"You better watch it Hankshaw, soon you and Potter will both be put in Azkaban because you've both gone bonkers over this You-Know-Who coming back!" Was he really serious? How original! And I thought he actually had a smidge of potential to be the king of insults, but he lost that title just about a moment ago.
"Yeah you'd know he's come back, wouldn't you Draco? Seeing that your father is a follower of his and all. Next you'll have the mark on your right arm. It's permanent you know." His face was one of humiliation and disgust. I then turned back around towards Neville and smiled to myself for my clever words. I was brilliant! Ouch! Something hit the back of my head! I turned back around to see Crabbe and Goyle snickering at me. What prats!
"Oh and Hankshaw, keep your Mudblood Self out of my business!" I swallowed and took a deep breath.
Neville turned around with a furious look on his face,"You know what Malfoy?"
"What? Going to go cry to your Mummy? You know Longbottom, where is your mum anyways?" That's it! If they knew what really happened! I slammed my fists on the desk and stood up.
I looked around the room to see professor Flitwick wasn't in sight, so I got up and planned to beat the boggarts out of them. As I was walking toward the three Crabbe pointed at the crumpled ball of parchment on the floor, the one that hit my head. I picked it up and held it in my hand towards them,"You know what this is?" I pointed my wand towards the ball.
They both looked at me as if I'd gone mad,"It's a ball of parchment!" Then they started laughing and Malfoy decided to join.
"Are you bloody mad?!" Draco and the other Slytherins were all now laughing. They do realize a lion could claw a snake any day right?
"No... Incendio!" I pointed my wand at the crumpled ball and the top of it burst into flames. Malfoy's face dropped and his eyes widened.
"Dani! Stop it!" I looked across the room where the voice was coming from and there Hermione was nodding her head at me (and Harry and Ron with horrified looks on their faces, probably remembering last night). She had on that stern look, the one that reminded me of Mrs. Weasley. It was that face that told me consequences were going to result out of this, meaning detention. The top half of the ball was consumed in a bright flurry of flames. I looked back towards Neville who seemed just as shocked as Malfoy. I looked back up at Hermione and took a deep breath.
I pointed my wand back at the ball of flames,"Aguamenti." A small jet of water came from my wand and extinguished the ball of flames into a dark dust that now lay on the floor. I gave Draco a wicked smile and slowly went back to my seat, each step causing me the pain of not being able to singe at least one part of his stupid, arrogant, pureblood body! Oh the horrible torturous things I could come up with...
Neville gave me a small smile, in which I returned halfheartedly. Professor Flitwick then walked by my desk and noticed the ashes on the floor. He walked passed them but looked at all of us curiously. Oh look! There goes my 'good' day flying right past me! Well I have the ink wars to look forward to. Ha... Maybe I could use a ball of flames on Fred and George...