Status: In the process of writing
Endlessly
03
The next morning Nicole got out of bed before the others were awake and grabbed a fresh pair of clothes and her robes. She changed into them quickly before exiting the room and going to sit in the common room. It was slightly chilly in the dungeon common room. The place was filled with a green light solely from the lake. Everyone else was still sleeping or just getting up.
Nicole chose to sit down in her usual black leather chair, off to the side of the common room. In her hands was the book she had regrettably put down last night. She began reading it, engrossed in the words on the page. As more and more students began to wake up, Nicole put down the book and stuffed it into the bag she had with her.
Quickly she exited the room and made her way to breakfast. She had definitely been too nervous with Draco sitting right next to her to properly eat something. So she was planning on eating plenty this morning. As she made her way to the breakfast hall, only a handful of students were actually there.
She sat down at the Slytherin table, being the only one there. She sighed in contentment at having the solitude. Glancing up at the ceiling she saw that it was a miserable rain-cloud gray. She frowned at the sight, disappointed that it hadn’t been good weather. She would have loved to go out on the grounds.
Nicole placed the food onto her plate carefully, not wanting to indulge but needing to make sure she’d have enough to get through the day. The students began coming down for the day as Nicole was halfway through her meal. Professor Snape strode over to her and handed over her schedule silently.
Nicole grasped it and quickly read what her schedule was today. She clenched her fist at the workload she would have to endure. How she was going to do everything, she had no idea. She only knew that she had to. She glanced up warily at Professor Snape who stood watching her. “Thank you,” she said in a quiet and timid voice. The man had always put her on edge, even more so now.
Nicole quickly finished her breakfast as the rest of the people trailed in. The place was now buzzing with the morning chit-chat. Nicole set down her silverware and got up, ready to exit the room. She had to gather all her books and supplies for the day and she didn’t want to be late to Arithmancy. She made it to the doors when she looked up and saw Harry getting ready to enter.
“Hello, Harry,” she said smiling.
“Oh, hello, Nicole,” said Harry sounding surprised. Ron and Hermione both stopped as Harry did, giving each other curious looks.
“How are you feeling today?” asked Nicole sweetly.
“Just fine, thanks,” he said a bit curtly.
“Okay,” Nicole said, backing off and sounding a bit wounded. “Well, I hope you enjoy the day.” With that she continued out of the Great Hall and towards the Slytherin dungeons. The trio watched her leave still a bit confused as to why a Slytherin would talk to them so openly.
Nicole chose to sit down in her usual black leather chair, off to the side of the common room. In her hands was the book she had regrettably put down last night. She began reading it, engrossed in the words on the page. As more and more students began to wake up, Nicole put down the book and stuffed it into the bag she had with her.
Quickly she exited the room and made her way to breakfast. She had definitely been too nervous with Draco sitting right next to her to properly eat something. So she was planning on eating plenty this morning. As she made her way to the breakfast hall, only a handful of students were actually there.
She sat down at the Slytherin table, being the only one there. She sighed in contentment at having the solitude. Glancing up at the ceiling she saw that it was a miserable rain-cloud gray. She frowned at the sight, disappointed that it hadn’t been good weather. She would have loved to go out on the grounds.
Nicole placed the food onto her plate carefully, not wanting to indulge but needing to make sure she’d have enough to get through the day. The students began coming down for the day as Nicole was halfway through her meal. Professor Snape strode over to her and handed over her schedule silently.
Nicole grasped it and quickly read what her schedule was today. She clenched her fist at the workload she would have to endure. How she was going to do everything, she had no idea. She only knew that she had to. She glanced up warily at Professor Snape who stood watching her. “Thank you,” she said in a quiet and timid voice. The man had always put her on edge, even more so now.
Nicole quickly finished her breakfast as the rest of the people trailed in. The place was now buzzing with the morning chit-chat. Nicole set down her silverware and got up, ready to exit the room. She had to gather all her books and supplies for the day and she didn’t want to be late to Arithmancy. She made it to the doors when she looked up and saw Harry getting ready to enter.
“Hello, Harry,” she said smiling.
“Oh, hello, Nicole,” said Harry sounding surprised. Ron and Hermione both stopped as Harry did, giving each other curious looks.
“How are you feeling today?” asked Nicole sweetly.
“Just fine, thanks,” he said a bit curtly.
“Okay,” Nicole said, backing off and sounding a bit wounded. “Well, I hope you enjoy the day.” With that she continued out of the Great Hall and towards the Slytherin dungeons. The trio watched her leave still a bit confused as to why a Slytherin would talk to them so openly.
After Arithmancy Nicole had double potions. Nicole traveled down to the dungeons that she had grown used to. They used to creep her out as there were plenty of shadowy areas but now she just ignored them.
Nicole walked to the dungeon classroom and joined the people lining up outside the door. She waited patiently and quietly while the others around her talked quietly. Looking around she spotted Harry, Ron, and Hermione coming towards her. Harry looked deep in thought while the other two argued with each other.
Nicole walked over and stood beside Harry who seemed oblivious to her appearance. As did Ron and Hermione, engrossed in each other. Nicole opened her mouth to say something but the dungeon door creaking open suppressed any sound Nicole would have made. Instead everyone began to file into the classroom where Nicole took her usual seat next to Daphne Greengrass who sat beside Tracey Davis.
“Settle down,” said Snape coldly, shutting the door behind him. The moment the class had heard the door close, quiet had fallen and all fidgeting stopped. Snape’s mere presence was usually enough to ensure a class’s silence.
“Before we begin today’s lesson,” said Snape, sweeping over to his desk and staring around at them all, “I think it appropriate to remind you that next June you will be sitting in an important examination, during which you will prove how much you have learned about the composition and use of magical potions. Moronic though some of this class undoubtedly are, I expect you to scrape an ‘acceptable’ in your O.W.L., or suffer my…displeasure.” His gaze lingered this time upon Neville, who gulped.
“After this year, of course, many of you will cease studying with me,” Snape went on. “I take only the very best into my N.E.W.T. Potions class, which means that some of us will certainly be saying good-bye.” His eyes rested on Harry and his lip curled. “But we have another year to go before that happy moment of farewell,” said Snape softly, “so whether you are intending to attempt N.E.W.T. or not, I advise all of you to concentrate your efforts upon maintaining the high-pass level I have come to expect from my O.W.L. students.
“Today we will be mixing a potion that often comes up at Ordinary Wizarding Level: the Draught of Peace, a potion to calm anxiety and soothe agitation. Be warned: If you are too heavy-handed with the ingredients you will put the drinker into a heavy and sometimes irreversible sleep, so you will need to pay close attention to what you are doing.”
Nicole felt herself straighten up knowing that Snape’s speech was coming to an end. “The ingredients and method” — Snape flicked his wand — “are on the blackboard” — (they appeared there) — “you will find everything you need” — he flicked his wand again — “in the store cupboard” — (the door of the said cupboard sprang open) — “You have an hour and a half…Start.”
Nicole found the potion to be quite difficult. The ingredients had to be added to the cauldron in precisely the right order and quantities; the mixture had to be stirred exactly the right number of times, firstly in clockwise, then in counterclockwise directions; the heat of the flames on which it was simmering had to be lowered to exactly the right level for a specific number of minutes before the final ingredient was added. During this time Nicole put her hair up in a messy bun to keep it out of her way.
“Hey, Kendrell,” Daphne whispered beside her. Nicole looked over surprised. Usually the two just sat in silence as if Nicole wasn’t even there. It was her and Tracey that would be whispering back and forth. “How do I add this?” She held up a bit of powdered porcupine quills.
“You need to just add a pinch. I’d recommend this much.” Nicole sectioned off a small bit of the powder for Daphne to grab.
“Thanks, Kendrell,” she said before adding the ingredients. The mixture gave a satisfactory hiss before Nicole turned back to her own cauldron.
“A light silver vapor should now be rising from your potion,” called Snape, with ten minutes left to go. “Potter what’s this supposed to be?” Snape asked from the back of the room. Nicole, along with the rest of the Slytherins, looked up. The others were more eager as they loved hearing Snape taunt Harry.
“The Draught of Peace,” said Harry tensely.
“Tell me, Potter,” said Snape softly, “can you read?” Draco Malfoy laughed.
“Yes, I can,” said Harry agitated.
“Read the third line of the instructions for me, Potter.”
“Add powdered moonstone, stir three times counterclockwise, allow to simmer for seven minutes, then add two drops of syrup of hellebore.”
“Did you do everything on the third line, Potter?”
“No,” said Harry very quietly.
“I beg your pardon?”
“No,” said Harry, more loudly. “I forgot the hellebore…”
“I know you did, Potter, which means that this mess is utterly worthless. Evanesco.” The contents of Harry’s potion vanished. As the time ended, Nicole turned the heat off of her potion.
“Those of you who have managed to read the instructions, fill one flagon with a sample of your potion, label it clearly with your name, and bring it up to my desk for testing,” said Snape. “Homework: twelve inches of parchment on the properties of moonstone and its uses in potion-making, to be handed in on Thursday.”
Nicole quickly filled her flagon and brought it up to Snape’s desk. Setting it down on his desk she went back to her cauldron and cleared away the contents with a simple Evanesco. Suddenly there was the sound of shattering glass and then the flare of light from fire. Everyone turned to stop and stare as Goyle yelled in surprise at the flames licking at his robes.
Snape doused the flames soundlessly and, after a moment where no one moved or made a sound, everything resumed as before. With the books in her bag and her wand tucked away safely, Nicole waited for the bell to ring.
Finally after an eternity of watching everyone else gather their belongings and start to whisper quietly with one another, the bell rang. Nicole watched as Harry was the first one out of the dungeon. As the other students filed in front of her, Nicole had no hope of catching him.
Along with the rest of Hogwarts, Nicole went down to the Great Hall for lunch. There she chose a small portion of food and began to eat it while looking over her notes from her first class. She looked around the Hall and spotted Harry eating with Hermione and Ron. Suddenly he stood up looking angry and marched out of the room. Hermione and Ron were left looking at each other with mirrored faces of shock.
Nicole quickly took one last bite of her food before getting up and quickly following after Harry. The sound of his footsteps could be heard as well as the shouts of Sir Cadogan. She finally caught up with him as he reached the steps of the North Tower. “Harry!” she called causing him to turn around.
“What do you want?” he asked harshly.
“I wanted to make sure you were okay. You looked upset when you left.” Nicole’s voice was quiet and soft almost like she was talking to a startled animal.
“Well… You saw what happened with Snape.” The bitterness and hatred flashed across his face. “My potion wasn’t even the worst but I had to get a zero.”
“That’s what’s bothering you? If your grades are concerning you, I could help you.” Nicole shrugged at the end of her offer.
“Why would you do that?” Harry asked suspiciously. “We’re not even friends.” A wounded look crossed Nicole’s face and Harry had a thought of taking back what he said.
“Well, we could be. The Sorting Hat did say that the Houses should unite.” Nicole spoke softly, afraid of being rejected. “Plus, I don’t really talk to many other people. They’re all against me.” Nicole looked at Harry almost pleadingly with her blue eyes that looked like the sky on a clear day.
“I know the feeling,” said Harry glumly. “I guess I’ll take you up on your offer.” Nicole could still see the hesitance in him and knew it would be awhile before he would truly be comfortable around her.
“Alright. Just, um, let me know whenever you want to meet up, I guess.” Nicole shifted her bag awkwardly.
“Okay,” Harry agreed.
“I’ve got to get going to my next class. I’ll see you around.” Nicole waved awkwardly before turning around and going to History of Magic.
Nicole walked to the dungeon classroom and joined the people lining up outside the door. She waited patiently and quietly while the others around her talked quietly. Looking around she spotted Harry, Ron, and Hermione coming towards her. Harry looked deep in thought while the other two argued with each other.
Nicole walked over and stood beside Harry who seemed oblivious to her appearance. As did Ron and Hermione, engrossed in each other. Nicole opened her mouth to say something but the dungeon door creaking open suppressed any sound Nicole would have made. Instead everyone began to file into the classroom where Nicole took her usual seat next to Daphne Greengrass who sat beside Tracey Davis.
“Settle down,” said Snape coldly, shutting the door behind him. The moment the class had heard the door close, quiet had fallen and all fidgeting stopped. Snape’s mere presence was usually enough to ensure a class’s silence.
“Before we begin today’s lesson,” said Snape, sweeping over to his desk and staring around at them all, “I think it appropriate to remind you that next June you will be sitting in an important examination, during which you will prove how much you have learned about the composition and use of magical potions. Moronic though some of this class undoubtedly are, I expect you to scrape an ‘acceptable’ in your O.W.L., or suffer my…displeasure.” His gaze lingered this time upon Neville, who gulped.
“After this year, of course, many of you will cease studying with me,” Snape went on. “I take only the very best into my N.E.W.T. Potions class, which means that some of us will certainly be saying good-bye.” His eyes rested on Harry and his lip curled. “But we have another year to go before that happy moment of farewell,” said Snape softly, “so whether you are intending to attempt N.E.W.T. or not, I advise all of you to concentrate your efforts upon maintaining the high-pass level I have come to expect from my O.W.L. students.
“Today we will be mixing a potion that often comes up at Ordinary Wizarding Level: the Draught of Peace, a potion to calm anxiety and soothe agitation. Be warned: If you are too heavy-handed with the ingredients you will put the drinker into a heavy and sometimes irreversible sleep, so you will need to pay close attention to what you are doing.”
Nicole felt herself straighten up knowing that Snape’s speech was coming to an end. “The ingredients and method” — Snape flicked his wand — “are on the blackboard” — (they appeared there) — “you will find everything you need” — he flicked his wand again — “in the store cupboard” — (the door of the said cupboard sprang open) — “You have an hour and a half…Start.”
Nicole found the potion to be quite difficult. The ingredients had to be added to the cauldron in precisely the right order and quantities; the mixture had to be stirred exactly the right number of times, firstly in clockwise, then in counterclockwise directions; the heat of the flames on which it was simmering had to be lowered to exactly the right level for a specific number of minutes before the final ingredient was added. During this time Nicole put her hair up in a messy bun to keep it out of her way.
“Hey, Kendrell,” Daphne whispered beside her. Nicole looked over surprised. Usually the two just sat in silence as if Nicole wasn’t even there. It was her and Tracey that would be whispering back and forth. “How do I add this?” She held up a bit of powdered porcupine quills.
“You need to just add a pinch. I’d recommend this much.” Nicole sectioned off a small bit of the powder for Daphne to grab.
“Thanks, Kendrell,” she said before adding the ingredients. The mixture gave a satisfactory hiss before Nicole turned back to her own cauldron.
“A light silver vapor should now be rising from your potion,” called Snape, with ten minutes left to go. “Potter what’s this supposed to be?” Snape asked from the back of the room. Nicole, along with the rest of the Slytherins, looked up. The others were more eager as they loved hearing Snape taunt Harry.
“The Draught of Peace,” said Harry tensely.
“Tell me, Potter,” said Snape softly, “can you read?” Draco Malfoy laughed.
“Yes, I can,” said Harry agitated.
“Read the third line of the instructions for me, Potter.”
“Add powdered moonstone, stir three times counterclockwise, allow to simmer for seven minutes, then add two drops of syrup of hellebore.”
“Did you do everything on the third line, Potter?”
“No,” said Harry very quietly.
“I beg your pardon?”
“No,” said Harry, more loudly. “I forgot the hellebore…”
“I know you did, Potter, which means that this mess is utterly worthless. Evanesco.” The contents of Harry’s potion vanished. As the time ended, Nicole turned the heat off of her potion.
“Those of you who have managed to read the instructions, fill one flagon with a sample of your potion, label it clearly with your name, and bring it up to my desk for testing,” said Snape. “Homework: twelve inches of parchment on the properties of moonstone and its uses in potion-making, to be handed in on Thursday.”
Nicole quickly filled her flagon and brought it up to Snape’s desk. Setting it down on his desk she went back to her cauldron and cleared away the contents with a simple Evanesco. Suddenly there was the sound of shattering glass and then the flare of light from fire. Everyone turned to stop and stare as Goyle yelled in surprise at the flames licking at his robes.
Snape doused the flames soundlessly and, after a moment where no one moved or made a sound, everything resumed as before. With the books in her bag and her wand tucked away safely, Nicole waited for the bell to ring.
Finally after an eternity of watching everyone else gather their belongings and start to whisper quietly with one another, the bell rang. Nicole watched as Harry was the first one out of the dungeon. As the other students filed in front of her, Nicole had no hope of catching him.
Along with the rest of Hogwarts, Nicole went down to the Great Hall for lunch. There she chose a small portion of food and began to eat it while looking over her notes from her first class. She looked around the Hall and spotted Harry eating with Hermione and Ron. Suddenly he stood up looking angry and marched out of the room. Hermione and Ron were left looking at each other with mirrored faces of shock.
Nicole quickly took one last bite of her food before getting up and quickly following after Harry. The sound of his footsteps could be heard as well as the shouts of Sir Cadogan. She finally caught up with him as he reached the steps of the North Tower. “Harry!” she called causing him to turn around.
“What do you want?” he asked harshly.
“I wanted to make sure you were okay. You looked upset when you left.” Nicole’s voice was quiet and soft almost like she was talking to a startled animal.
“Well… You saw what happened with Snape.” The bitterness and hatred flashed across his face. “My potion wasn’t even the worst but I had to get a zero.”
“That’s what’s bothering you? If your grades are concerning you, I could help you.” Nicole shrugged at the end of her offer.
“Why would you do that?” Harry asked suspiciously. “We’re not even friends.” A wounded look crossed Nicole’s face and Harry had a thought of taking back what he said.
“Well, we could be. The Sorting Hat did say that the Houses should unite.” Nicole spoke softly, afraid of being rejected. “Plus, I don’t really talk to many other people. They’re all against me.” Nicole looked at Harry almost pleadingly with her blue eyes that looked like the sky on a clear day.
“I know the feeling,” said Harry glumly. “I guess I’ll take you up on your offer.” Nicole could still see the hesitance in him and knew it would be awhile before he would truly be comfortable around her.
“Alright. Just, um, let me know whenever you want to meet up, I guess.” Nicole shifted her bag awkwardly.
“Okay,” Harry agreed.
“I’ve got to get going to my next class. I’ll see you around.” Nicole waved awkwardly before turning around and going to History of Magic.
By the time it was dinner, everyone heard about what happened between Professor Umbridge and Harry. Nicole expected to sit and eat dinner in peace but was surprised when someone sat down next to her. Looking over she was shocked to see it was Malfoy and flabbergasted that he was actually alone. “Stop staring at me like I have five heads,” he said bitterly.
Quickly Nicole turned her head away and began to eat her food again. She flipped through the pages of her textbook as she ate, reading about the properties of moonstone. She began to relax as she drowned out the surrounding noise from the Hall. “Do you really have nothing better to do?” Malfoy asked with a sneer.
“Don’t you?” she said scathingly without glancing at him although she became tenser in her seat. He said nothing else and Nicole took the last bite of her meal. Putting the book in her bag she stood up and began to leave the Great Hall. As she did she saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione leaving in front of her.
Nicole thought about starting up a conversation with them but they looked to be discussing something private. Nicole didn’t want to push her luck with them and instead let them get ahead of her before she headed down to the Slytherin Common Room.
Quickly Nicole turned her head away and began to eat her food again. She flipped through the pages of her textbook as she ate, reading about the properties of moonstone. She began to relax as she drowned out the surrounding noise from the Hall. “Do you really have nothing better to do?” Malfoy asked with a sneer.
“Don’t you?” she said scathingly without glancing at him although she became tenser in her seat. He said nothing else and Nicole took the last bite of her meal. Putting the book in her bag she stood up and began to leave the Great Hall. As she did she saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione leaving in front of her.
Nicole thought about starting up a conversation with them but they looked to be discussing something private. Nicole didn’t want to push her luck with them and instead let them get ahead of her before she headed down to the Slytherin Common Room.
The next day was just as leaden and rainy as the previous one. Nicole had double Transfiguration followed by double Charms. After that it was the lunch hour in which Nicole took a few bites of food. When she was finished she began to set off towards Hagrid’s cabin where Care of Magical Creatures would take place.
She was the first to arrive and offered Professor Grubbly-Plank a friendly smile which was returned. Nicole then turned and scanned the forbidden forest, wondering if she’d see anything although she doubted it. Even during the day, past the first few trees, the forest was surrounded my darkness.
Hearing voices Nicole turned and saw a few more people arriving. They were mostly girls from other Houses that didn’t even bother to look at her. Five minutes later as Professor Grubbly-Plank picked up the bucket of brown, rice-looking objects, the remainder of her class strode up. It consisted of Ron, Hermione, and Harry in one group. There was also Malfoy, Parkinson, Crabbe, and Goyle in another.
Malfoy’s followers were laughing at something and Nicole realized once they kept sending glances towards Harry it was about him. Harry himself looked cross that they were laughing and she bet he knew it was about himself. Usually someone is able to tell those things.
Meeting Malfoy’s eyes she stood next to Harry, her chin high and defiant. Malfoy’s eyes narrowed and he scowled as Nicole turned to pay attention to the lesson that began to start. “Everyone here?” barked Professor Grubbly-Plank. “Let’s crack on then — who can tell me what these things are called?”
She indicated to the creatures in front of her. Hermione’s hand instantly shot into the air. Nicole glanced over at her before looking away bored. Pansy Parkinson gave a shriek of laughter that turned almost at once into a scream, as the creatures leapt into the air. They were tiny pixieish creatures made of wood, each with knobbly brown arms and legs, two twiglike fingers at the end of each hand, and a funny, flat, barklike face in which a pair of beetle-brown eyes glittered. “Oooooh!” said Parvati and Lavender excitedly. They stared at the creatures with wide and intrigued eyes.
“Kindly keep your voices down, girls!” said Professor Grubbly-Plank sharply, scattering a handful of what looked like brown rice among the creatures, who immediately fell upon the food. “So — anyone know the names of these creatures? Miss Granger?”
“Bowtruckles,” said Hermione. “They’re tree-guardians, usually live in wand-trees.”
“Five points for Gryffindor,” said Professor Grubbly-Plank. “Yes, these are bowtruckles and, as Miss Granger rightly says, they generally live in trees whose wood is of wand quality. Anybody know what they eat?”
“Wood lice,” said Nicole with disdain, glancing at the wriggling brown rice.
“But fairy eggs if they can get them,” put in Hermione with a glance at Nicole. Nicole was sure she caught something between jealously and surprise.
“Five points for both of you,” said Proffesor Grubbly-Plank. “So whenever you need leaves or wood from a tree in which a bowtruckle lodges, it is wise to have a gift of wood lice ready to distract or placate it. They may not look dangerous, but if angered they will gouge out human eyes with their fingers, which, as you can see, are very sharp and not at all desirable near the eyeballs. So if you’d like to gather closer, take a few wood lice and a bowtruckle — I have enough here for one between three — you can study them more closely. I want a sketch from each of you with all body parts labeled by the end of the lesson.”
Nicole was stuck in a group that consisted of Pansy and a Gryffindor. She and the Gryffindor immediately set to work on the drawing the creature. Pansy sloppily drew hers as she constantly sent glances over towards Malfoy’s group. “Yes,” came Malfoy’s clear drawl from the group nearest them, “Father was talking to the Minister just a couple days ago, you know, and it sounds as though the Ministry’s really determined to crack down on substandard teaching in this place. So even if that overgrown moron does show up again, he’ll probably be sent packing straight away.”
Nicole sent an exasperated look at Malfoy. He could be quite childish sometimes in her mind. Not to mention rude and inconsiderate. Nicole ignored the group’s laughter and went back to labeling her drawing. Not even bothering to conceal herself, Pansy copied off of Nicole’s paper. Irritated Nicole slammed her pencil down when she was done. She hated when people took credit for her work without asking.
When the bell echoed distantly over the grounds everyone lined up to hand in their bowtruckle picture. Quickly Nicole changed a couple of her answers before going and handing in her own picture. Grabbing her bag from the table she was surprised when the Gryffindor fell into step beside her. “Hopefully that’ll teach her a lesson,” she said.
“What do you mean?” Nicole asked curiously.
“Well at first I thought you weren’t doing it right. But then I looked over and saw Pansy blatantly copying you. I figured you must know what you’re doing. It’s great to know all Slytherins aren’t impolite morons,” she said.
“Uh, thanks,” Nicole said awkwardly. She shifted her bag more securely on her shoulder.
“That was great,” the girl said with a smile. “I’ll see you next class.” With that she ran ahead, catching up with a few other girls that had just come out of another class.
She was the first to arrive and offered Professor Grubbly-Plank a friendly smile which was returned. Nicole then turned and scanned the forbidden forest, wondering if she’d see anything although she doubted it. Even during the day, past the first few trees, the forest was surrounded my darkness.
Hearing voices Nicole turned and saw a few more people arriving. They were mostly girls from other Houses that didn’t even bother to look at her. Five minutes later as Professor Grubbly-Plank picked up the bucket of brown, rice-looking objects, the remainder of her class strode up. It consisted of Ron, Hermione, and Harry in one group. There was also Malfoy, Parkinson, Crabbe, and Goyle in another.
Malfoy’s followers were laughing at something and Nicole realized once they kept sending glances towards Harry it was about him. Harry himself looked cross that they were laughing and she bet he knew it was about himself. Usually someone is able to tell those things.
Meeting Malfoy’s eyes she stood next to Harry, her chin high and defiant. Malfoy’s eyes narrowed and he scowled as Nicole turned to pay attention to the lesson that began to start. “Everyone here?” barked Professor Grubbly-Plank. “Let’s crack on then — who can tell me what these things are called?”
She indicated to the creatures in front of her. Hermione’s hand instantly shot into the air. Nicole glanced over at her before looking away bored. Pansy Parkinson gave a shriek of laughter that turned almost at once into a scream, as the creatures leapt into the air. They were tiny pixieish creatures made of wood, each with knobbly brown arms and legs, two twiglike fingers at the end of each hand, and a funny, flat, barklike face in which a pair of beetle-brown eyes glittered. “Oooooh!” said Parvati and Lavender excitedly. They stared at the creatures with wide and intrigued eyes.
“Kindly keep your voices down, girls!” said Professor Grubbly-Plank sharply, scattering a handful of what looked like brown rice among the creatures, who immediately fell upon the food. “So — anyone know the names of these creatures? Miss Granger?”
“Bowtruckles,” said Hermione. “They’re tree-guardians, usually live in wand-trees.”
“Five points for Gryffindor,” said Professor Grubbly-Plank. “Yes, these are bowtruckles and, as Miss Granger rightly says, they generally live in trees whose wood is of wand quality. Anybody know what they eat?”
“Wood lice,” said Nicole with disdain, glancing at the wriggling brown rice.
“But fairy eggs if they can get them,” put in Hermione with a glance at Nicole. Nicole was sure she caught something between jealously and surprise.
“Five points for both of you,” said Proffesor Grubbly-Plank. “So whenever you need leaves or wood from a tree in which a bowtruckle lodges, it is wise to have a gift of wood lice ready to distract or placate it. They may not look dangerous, but if angered they will gouge out human eyes with their fingers, which, as you can see, are very sharp and not at all desirable near the eyeballs. So if you’d like to gather closer, take a few wood lice and a bowtruckle — I have enough here for one between three — you can study them more closely. I want a sketch from each of you with all body parts labeled by the end of the lesson.”
Nicole was stuck in a group that consisted of Pansy and a Gryffindor. She and the Gryffindor immediately set to work on the drawing the creature. Pansy sloppily drew hers as she constantly sent glances over towards Malfoy’s group. “Yes,” came Malfoy’s clear drawl from the group nearest them, “Father was talking to the Minister just a couple days ago, you know, and it sounds as though the Ministry’s really determined to crack down on substandard teaching in this place. So even if that overgrown moron does show up again, he’ll probably be sent packing straight away.”
Nicole sent an exasperated look at Malfoy. He could be quite childish sometimes in her mind. Not to mention rude and inconsiderate. Nicole ignored the group’s laughter and went back to labeling her drawing. Not even bothering to conceal herself, Pansy copied off of Nicole’s paper. Irritated Nicole slammed her pencil down when she was done. She hated when people took credit for her work without asking.
When the bell echoed distantly over the grounds everyone lined up to hand in their bowtruckle picture. Quickly Nicole changed a couple of her answers before going and handing in her own picture. Grabbing her bag from the table she was surprised when the Gryffindor fell into step beside her. “Hopefully that’ll teach her a lesson,” she said.
“What do you mean?” Nicole asked curiously.
“Well at first I thought you weren’t doing it right. But then I looked over and saw Pansy blatantly copying you. I figured you must know what you’re doing. It’s great to know all Slytherins aren’t impolite morons,” she said.
“Uh, thanks,” Nicole said awkwardly. She shifted her bag more securely on her shoulder.
“That was great,” the girl said with a smile. “I’ll see you next class.” With that she ran ahead, catching up with a few other girls that had just come out of another class.
♠ ♠ ♠
Again nothing monumental. Bear with me, please