Chapter Forty-Three: The Beginning of Fifth Year
Forks and knives clanked against plates as students cheerfully consumed the beginning of term feast. The first years had already been sorted and sat uncomfortably in their rags among the older students. Like the year before, there had been an underwhelming amount of new Palmyitors. Maelioric had even joked about stealing all of the students once the sorting had finished, but received only a few nervous chuckles and sharp words from Palmyitor.
Lottie sat proudly among the other fifth years. She joked loudly with Andrea about the underclassmen and recounted her younger days with a touch of superiority. Now that she was officially older than half of the school, she had earned that right. Andrea didn’t partake, but she did laugh heartily at all of Lottie’s comments. The only person who did not seem to be enjoying the feast was Hermione.
She sat at the staff table, glumly poking at her meal. Ever since the affair at Beauxbatons, nobody had caught a single smile on the professor’s warm face. Neville had done his best to continually raise her spirits, but it all seemed to be in vain. Hermione would just frown more with each attempt. The worst, at least in Lottie’s opinion, was the look she had adopted”it was the same glance she had used when she had first found out that Lottie was distantly related to Harry”a look of longing and loss. She must have only used it around Lottie, though, because whenever Lottie asked Andrea, she would have little idea what she was talking about. “She’s just sad,” Andrea repeated.
The news of Beauxbatons’s attack had spread quickly through the castle. A sense of mutual panic had risen with the same speed. Nobody seemed to trust anybody anymore. Lottie rarely went down a corridor without looking over her shoulder at least once.
The noise level in the Great Hall died down as the three heads stood up to address the students. “Due to recent events,” Clynalmoy said, “we have a new staff member this term. I would like to introduce you all to Professor Iron, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.”
Professor Iron stood up and smiled serenely at the students. She was young, with a cascade of raven-black hair and chocolate eyes that seemed to warm up as she smiled. She was fairly tall, though not as tall as Palmyitor, and had wide features that seemed to embrace them all. She wore an elegant, but conservative robe and had a single hair clip for jewelry. Lottie guessed that she had almost as much personality as her flat and polished boots. The students applauded politely.
“And on,” Palmyitor interrupted the students applause, “to some more serious business.” Clynalmoy put a hand on her shoulder and muttered something in Palmyitor’s ear. Insult flickered in Palmyitor’s eyes for an instant. “Well,” she said. “It seems that Professor Maelioric is more fit to tell you about our more serious business.”
Maelioric smiled at Palmyitor who only glared back and shot an extra glare at Clynalmoy for good measure. “Thank you, Naesa,” he said. “Yes.” He turned to the rest of the Hall and smiled. His eyes lit up as he surveyed his students. “As you all may know, a recent ally of ours in France”another school”was recently attacked. Its leaders and its students were brutally murdered. Several of our friends were killed. I do not,” he said more loudly as panic began to creep through the Hall, “say this to scare you. Fighting a war takes as much courage as one can muster, and we do not ask for any more. I tell you this to warn you. Look around at your fellow students. Think of all of the strength we have”all of the sacrifices we all have made to end He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named’s reign. Now think that it could all be lost in an instant. One student’s betrayal could cause the destruction of everything you love. So we beg you”if you see anything suspicious, please tell us. If you cannot trust your classmates completely, you might as well be in a room full of Death eaters. We need to open our eyes and see what is around us. These are dark times. One word can cause the death of thousands. Let that not happen to us.”
Silence overtook the Hall. Lottie imagined Bill, Fleur, Malfoy, François”all dead because of one traitor. She looked around. One person could do that here”one person could kill Palmyitor, Maelioric, Clynalmoy, Hermione, Andrea”and her.
Maelioric broke the silence again. “We thank you for listening,” he said. “Now, prefects, take your first years to the common rooms. A warm fire should cheer us all up.”
Lottie tapped her foot loudly in Transfiguration the next day, while Professor Desley lectured about who knew what. He was a big man with a large, rounded belly that jiggled while he spoke. Smile lines were permanently etched onto his face, products of both his age and his good nature. His bald head sometimes caught the light and created an almost unbearable glare. His light blue eyes were friendly, and often squinted halfway shut from a smile. Despite her lack of interest in the subject, Lottie had to admit that Desley was a good human being.
“I’m sure most of you have heard about”or read about”Animagi,” he guffawed. From the back of the room, a snicker began. “And while only few possess the power to achieve the transformation”” The snickers grew louder. Desley raised his volume to trump it. “Few possess the power, but it is helpful to all to understand the common features of a”is something the matter, Mr. Scrivener?”
Lottie spun around to shoot a glare at Colm. By this year, nearly all of her classes were exclusive to Palmyitors. Unfortunately, Transfiguration was not one of them.
“We’re wasting our time,” Colm said. “Nobody in here is good enough to transform.”
“I would not be so sure, Mr. Scrivener,” Desley said, his jolly belly no longer jiggling with laughter. “Just because you are not gifted enough, as you well know from your marks, that does not mean that nobody else is.”
The Palmyitors’ laughter filled the room. Even Andrea chuckled nervously as she peeked to stare at Colm’s ever-reddening face behind them. Colm leapt to his feet, slamming his fist against the table as he did so. The room fell silent as the class waited for his impending rebuttal.
“Well”you’re”you’re,” he stuttered, desperately, glancing at his fellow Maeliorics for help. “You’re a useless piece of scum.” He swung his bag around his shoulder dramatically and stormed out of the classroom.
A minute pause followed until the entire class burst into laughter. “Oh dear,” Desley chortled. “Seems the lad can’t take a joke. All right, then”I don’t suppose we’ll get any more work done after that fiasco. Class dismissed.”
The students got to their feet, still chuckling about Colm’s lackluster exit. “Oh, Woolbright?” Desley called over the laughter. “Can you stay behind a minute? You won’t be late for your next class”you have my word.”
Andrea’s face fell. “What did I do?” she whispered to Lottie.
“Don’t worry so much,” Lottie said, dropping her books into her bag carelessly. “I’ll meet you outside.”
Lottie sat on the bottom stair across from the Transfiguration doorway. As her classmates’ jovial laughter faded away, she sighed and rested her head against the marble banister. Colm Scrivener, it seemed, was set in his ways to be a lying, selfish idiot for the rest of his life. Grimly, Lottie wondered if he would ever his change his ways, or if he would just get killed first. The latter, she decided, was almost inevitable.
There was a loud sniff. Lottie glanced around and, unsurprisingly, spotted Colm sitting at the other side of the corridor against the windowpane. He was staring right at her.
“What?” he said, getting to his feet.
“What?” Lottie repeated. “Is there a problem?”
“Why’d you come out here, Rowe? Just to laugh at me?”
“What?” Lottie glanced around, bewildered. “Oh because you made an ass of yourself in class?” She snickered cruelly. “Well it was pretty funny, but no.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
“Honestly, Scrivener, why do you think I spend so much time judging you? I’m sitting out here because Desley asked Andrea to stay behind.”
“Oh.” Colm smirked. “So you’re here to support your idiot friend who needs extra classes?”
“Andrea isn’t an idiot.” Lottie rose to her feet and pulled out her wand. “You’re the idiot”picking fights with everyone for no good reason.”
Colm opened his mouth to argue, but at that moment the door to the classroom opened. Andrea stepped out into the corridor with her jaw limp from shock.
“Well.” Colm glanced at Andrea and rolled his eyes. “Good luck with your remedial classes, Woolbright.” He spun around and left without another word.
Andrea watched him go with a frown. “What did you tell him?” she finally asked when he was out of earshot.
“Nothing,” Lottie snapped through gritted teeth. “I didn’t tell him anything.”
Andrea didn’t say a thing, focusing instead on the spot that Colm had just left with a slightly dejected look.
“What?” Lottie asked with more aggression than she had anticipated. “Is there a problem? Do you have detention or something?” Andrea shook her head. “What then?”
“I”I’m not supposed to say.”
“What?” Lottie rolled her eyes. “You can’t be serious, Andrea. You have to tell me.”
“But Profesor Desley said that it’s dangerous. After the whole Dewitt situation”and don’t forget the traitors from second year.”
“What? You’re saying I’m a Death Eater?”
“Not you,” Andrea said desperately. “I”I just can’t tell anyone.”
“Seriously, Andrea.” Lottie began storming up the steps, careful to hit each one with a greater volume. “You know things about me that are way more important”things that could get me killed. I’m trusting you with my life and you can’t even tell me one little thing?”
Andrea rushed up the stairs; her footsteps were so light that it seemed more like she was flying. “I”I just”we’re going to be late for Defense Against the Dark Arts,” she sighed.
“Oh, yeah, that’s important,” said Lottie as they began walking toward the next classroom. “So you know what to do when I try to kill you, right? Since I’m obviously a Death Eater in disguise?”
Andrea glared darkly back. As they entered the class, they found the new teacher, Professor Iron, standing before them. “Hello class,” she said demurely. Her black hair was pulled back today into a professional looking ponytail. “I am Professor Iron and I’m here to be your new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Now, I know you’ve had some problems with teachers before, but let me assure you that I am here to stay.”
Inoffensive was how Lottie would describe her; she was so boring that it was sickening.
“Now, since you are fifth years, we will be moving into some advanced topics.” She tapped her wand twice on the blackboard, revealing a series of complicated diagrams. “Today, we will introduce one of the most important areas of magic today”the Patronus. Now, I’m sure a lot of you have seen a Patronus, correct?” The class nodded. “Unfortunately, producing one is much more problematic than all of those advanced wizards make it seem.
“In order to produce a corporeal Patronus, the caster must use happy thoughts and project them. These projections will take the form of an animal, which guards from Dementors, and more importantly in these times, serves as a messenger.”
Professor Iron put them into pairs. Much to her chagrin, Lottie was paired with Andrea, who was gazing determinately at the chalkboard to avoid eye contact. “Now, take turns explaining a happy memory,” said Iron. “It must be particularly potent. The feeling you get is similar to the joy you must feel when conjuring that Patronus.”
“Do you want to go first, or shall I?” Andrea asked diplomatically.
“Hm.” Lottie tapped her chin, with her eyes narrowed at Andrea. “I’d say my happiest memory would be when my best friend decided I wasn’t worthy””
“”Lottie””
“That I wasn’t worthy,” Lottie repeated, her voice swelling in volume, “of knowing an insignificant secret, when””
“Oh really?” Andrea’s voice was shrill. “That’s funny because my best memory is when my best friend acted like an immature brat and had a tantrum””
“Is something the problem, ladies?” Iron asked politely from behind their desks.
Lottie swiveled in her chair, her finger already extended into a point to blame Andrea. “Sorry, Professor,” Andrea said quickly. “We were just acting out a really funny time.”
“All right, then, just be sure to keep your volume down.”
Lottie and Andrea turned to face each other again. “That was immature,” Lottie said calmly.
“You started it.”
“Well you won’t tell me””
“Okay,” Andrea said. “If I promise to tell you, will you let it go? It’s not that I don’t trust you. It’s them.” She tilted her head pointedly toward the rest of the class.
Lottie sniffed. “I suppose.”
“Fine.” Andrea pushed her glasses up her nose in a business like way. “Now tell me your happiest memory.”
Once class let out, Lottie bee lined for their dormitory, dragging Andrea along behind her. Lottie sat on her bed and raised her eyebrows expectantly. Andrea lingered by the door, checking to make sure the hallway was clear. “Well?” Lottie said.
“Seriously, Lottie, you have to promise not to tell anybody,” Andrea said as she settled onto her own bed.
“Honestly, Andrea, who do you think would be that interested? I’m kidding,” Lottie added after receiving a sharp glare. “I’m sure it’s really important.”
“Well, erm”okay. So, you know how I’m sort of good at Transfiguration?” Andrea said.
“That’s an understatement, but yeah.”
“And Desley is a really nice professor and everything””
“Let’s get to the point here.”
“He-well”he said that I have to start special tutoring next week.”
Even Lottie’s hair seemed to wilt with disappointment. “That’s it?” she asked. “Honestly, I know you get embarrassed when you’re bad at things, but””
“No, that’s not it, actually.” Andrea cleared her throat. “These aren’t remedial lessons, Lottie. They’re Animagus lessons.”
“Oh.” At first, Lottie wasn’t sure what to think. Andrea had always been good at Transfiguration, but Lottie never thought she was that good. Now she got to become an Animagus”something so rare that Alsemore had never produced one. Lottie swallowed the jealousy that was bubbling inside of her like boiling water.
“Lottie?” Andrea asked. “Aren’t you”well”aren’t you excited for me?”
Lottie pushed her face into a grin. “Of course I am! I just forgot what an Animagus is for a second.”
“Well you won’t forget anymore.” Andrea got to her feet and looked around the room as if for the first time. “It sure does explain a lot, doesn’t it? This is probably why I’m in this house. Even if I am sort of”well”bad at Occlumency””
“Miserable,” Lottie said.
“Oh thanks. Okay, I’ll admit that I’m not so good at Occlumency, but this makes sense. I can spy like this.”
“Yes you can.”
“Wow.” Andrea fell back onto her bed and landed lightly on her pillow. “I wish I could tell everyone else. Just so they know I deserve to be here just as much as them.”
“Seriously, Andrea, you’re already the best in our year. I don’t think anyone doubts that you should be here.”
“I suppose so. I wonder what animal I’ll turn into,” Andrea went on.
“Maybe a goat,” Lottie said, picking a piece of dirt out from under her fingernail.
“A goat?” Andrea sat up and frowned at Lottie. “You can’t be serious. I was thinking maybe a cat””
“No.”
“”or a rabbit””
“What if you turned out to be a hippo?” Lottie asked, tapping her chin as though deep in thought. “That wouldn’t be very useful for spying, would it?”
“Well good thing I won’t be a hippo,” Andrea said through gritted teeth. “Seriously, Lottie, what’s wrong with you?”
“”Or you could be a mosquito. That would be really good for spying”even though you would run the risk of getting squished.”
“Lottie””
“Hey, guys!” Julianne’s nose peaked around the door. She came into the dorm, followed by Sophie. “Is this a bad time?”
“Nope.” Lottie sat back in her bed and stared moodily at the canvas of her four-poster. She folded her arms and heaved a sigh.
“Pretty funny today, eh?” Sophie said, perched on the edge of her bed.
“What?” asked Andrea.
“Edgar”in Defense Against the Dark Arts. He had to tell Professor Iron his favorite memory”you know”because there is an odd number of people in the class.”
“Yeah?” Andrea asked.
“And you know what he said?” Sophie continued.
“This is my favorite part,” interjected Julianne.
“He said, ‘My best memory is right now when you walked in”Merlin!’” Sophie erupted in laughter.
Slack jawed, Andrea asked, “Did he get in trouble?”
“Of course he did,” Sophie said. “A week of detention for objectifying a professor.” Julianne joined in Sophie’s laughter. The pair leaned against each other for support; each was laughing so hard that they would collapse without the other.
“Boys,” sighed Andrea before giggling as well.
Soon the entire room was filled with high, girlish giggles. Only Lottie sat, gloomy and bitter, ignoring the joy around her. Her face stuck in a resolute pout of jealousy, she sat on her bed and watched the melancholy clouds meander by.
Halfway to Infinity by Eponine
Chapter Notes: Thanks a million to coolh5000 for her help with this chapter!
This chapter is dedicated to my awesome roommates.