Splashes in Spring
Chapter 18
There was a buzz of excitement in the air the Friday before spring break. The Ravenclaw dining table hummed much like a busy beehive. Seated near the end of the table, Angelina tossed her curly black locks over her shoulder in impatience, searching the sky above for any hint of feathers. Like everyone else in the Great Hall, she too was excited; but it had nothing to do with the dwindling number of classes or an approaching pleasant outing. No, today was the day that Angelina’s months of scheming finally came to fruition.
“Stop that,” Emma Hope chastised, reaching across the table to knock Angelina’s hand away from her mouth (where she had been nibbling surreptitiously on her thumb). “Here. Have a piece of toast.”
“How can you eat?” Angelina groaned nervously.
“Breakfast is”” Emma began, but Angelina interrupted.
“No. Not that. It’s…” Angelina gestured vaguely around, before leaning in and lowering her voice. “Aren’t you afraid it’ll go wrong?”
Emma laughed. Sitting back, she smiled at the dark-haired girl across the table. “Relax. The owls will arrive any minute.
And sure enough, just as she spoke the sky overhead was blotted out by the mass of birds sweeping into the Great Hall.
Angelina let the piece of toast slip from her fingers and searched the sky for the nondescript school owls, which she, Severus, and Emma had chosen earlier that morning to deliver two important packages. But her search was fruitless”she might as well have been looking for a five-pointed snowflake in a blizzard”so instead, she turned her eyes to the table a little ways down the Hall, where four first year Gryffindor boys sat.
At that moment, Potter”demonstrating his clearly “superior” reflexes and “athletic” prowess”was catching in his mouth anything (edible) that anyone threw at him. Across the table from him, Pettigrew was laughing in delight while Sirius Black tossed a kipper in an arch over the table and into Potter’s mouth. Even the sandy-haired boy, Lupin, was smiling shyly in amusement.
Black threw another kipper. However, this time it wasn’t Potter who caught it, but a tawny owl that was swooping down to settle in front of the boys. The group broke into fits of laughter.
“Looks like you’ve been replaced by an owl, old mate,” Black smirked as he reached for more eggs and bacon.
“Who’s the owl for?” Lupin asked and stretched out a hand to detach the parcel it carried right as another owl swooped down. “Here, James, it’s for you.”
“Probably chocolates from Mum; she always makes me an Easter basket,” Potter explained as he popped a grape in his mouth and extended his arms to take the package.
“This one’s for you, Sirius,” Lupin said handing the second parcel over to the boy in front of him. Sirius simply shrugged and continued on with his breakfast.
“Aren’t you curious what you got?” Picking up the package, Pettigrew rattled it by his ear. “What do you reckon it is?” Pettigrew queered, passing the package back to Lupin, who shook it too.
“Probably just a dirty tissue from Kreacher,” Black said derisively as he continued eating his breakfast, completely ignoring the package.
“I don’t think so,” Lupin said, frowning. “Sounds like it could be something good.”
“Maybe my mum sent you something too,” Potter encouraged, looking up from where he was undoing the twine around his own parcel.
Cheering slightly at this prospect, Black lifted his eyes from the eggs on his plate and noted, “Well, it’s an awfully big box for just a tissue. Might as well have a look; I can always chuck it in the bin if it’s something nasty. Give it here, Remus. We can all share it if it turns out it’s not from Kreacher.”
“Oh, you don’t have to, Sirius,” Lupin began, handing the brown paper box across the table to his friend.
“Don’t be daft, I want to. James will share his as well. Isn’t that right, James?” Yet whether or not Potter was willing to share his treats was never determined, for at that moment Potter’s box exploded with a bang.
A group of people suddenly materialized around Potter, obscuring him from Angelina’s view, but she could hear the jibes and jokes they made about Potter’s appearance even from where she sat across the Hall. The comments were unkind, even cruel, but they contained a certain amount of truth, enough so as to be amusing (to anyone but the intended target). When one member of the bullying crowd began a particularly clever impersonation of Potter, Remus Lupin threw himself at them. But the crowd disappeared the instant he lunged forward to defend his friend, shifting into a glowing orb instead.
Swearing loudly, Sirius Black launched himself across the table, knocking over pumpkin juice and sending kippers flying. Grabbing the box, he slammed it down over the silver sphere before it had time to shift its focus to him.
Slow clapping could be heard from the teachers’ table, and all heads turned to see Professor Dumbledore standing serenely, his blue eyes sparkling behind half moon glasses. Smiling down at the sea of students in black robes, he said, “What an exciting spectacle so early in the morning. Twenty points to Gryffindor for superb handling of a very tricky boggart. Nothing like a little excitement to start the holidays off with a bang.
“It would appear that some of the contents of Easter baskets are a tad more exciting now than they were back in my day. Boggarts! How ever is an old man such as myself to keep up with the trends?” He sighed, a twinkle in his light blue eyes.
The hall erupted with laughter.
“But I remind you all that you do still have a day of classes left until the holiday begins.”
And with that reminder, the students headed to class, buzzing about what a good joke that had been and wasn’t Potter’s boggart funny. Everyone had found the joke a good laugh.
Everyone except James Potter. His face was still red from the humiliating spectacle. Rabid, he spun his head around, searching the Slytherin table until he located the longhaired, greasy boy that was his prime suspect. Severus Snape was smiling viciously, and when his eyes locked with Potter’s, he saluted his opponent mockingly before spinning on his heel and heading for class.
Potter narrowed his eyes furiously. It had been him, Severus Snape, who had shown his secret to the world. And James Potter vowed he would not rest until he too had revealed the slimy Slytherin’s most painful secret.
The prank would go down in Hogwarts history. Even weeks after the incident people were relaying, in whispers, the comments the boggart had made about James Potter. Everyone was agreed that the comments had been mean, but that did not mean they did not get a secret delight in the re-telling. In fact many of the phrases the boggart had uttered became secret inside jokes between friends, and for a long while after that now legendary Friday it was in vogue to send one’s nemesis a boggart (and even years afterwards, the occasional boggart would appear along side someone’s morning pumpkin juice). The prank had been a bigger hit than Angelina could have hoped, even though Black had figured out what was going on before opening his box.
The victory was made even sweeter by the fact that Filch had been unable to come up with a suspect. Not that he was trying particularly hard, Angelina thought. Black and Potter were his greatest plague, and she couldn’t help but feel he was secretly glad they had received “their just desserts,” as she had heard him muttering to his cat, Mrs. Norris.
So despite Potter’s continuous railing that it “was that Severus Snape” who had done it, not one of the three masterminds behind the plot was assigned a single detention. And so Angelina savored her spring break.
It was Thursday, almost a week after the prank, when Emma came and dragged Angelina out of the library.
“It’s spring break!” Emma cried in jubilation, earning a reproving look from Madame Pince as she dragged Angelina out into the corridor. “We should be outside enjoying the sunshine. Not studying away.”
Angelina gave her a disgruntled look. “Some Ravenclaw you are,” she grumbled, but let her friend drag her down to the grounds anyway.
“Let’s walk around the lake,” Emma suggested once they had left the confines of the castle and stepped into the sunlight outside. It was a pleasant day, with all the trees and flowers just beginning to burst into bloom.
Angelina cast Emma a sidelong glance. “Why…?”
“It’s such a lovely day,” was all the response she got as Emma ran skipping off into the sun. Angelina, feeling distinctly undignified, cast a furtive glance around before running to catch up with her friend.
“Surprise!” Emma cried as they rounded a curve and entered a cove of trees on the lakeside.
A large checkered picnic blanket, piled with presents and a beautifully iced cake, stretched out on the grassy hill.
“Happy birthday,” Emma said, throwing an arm around Angelina and squeezing her shoulders.
“How? Why?” Angelina spluttered, stunned.
“Well, I am your friend. Although I can’t take all the credit. FuFu was tremendously helpful; I think she kind of likes you. And Severus actually suggested it. Actually, I’m not sure why he’s not already down here. He was suppose to meet us down here…well, he should be down soon.”
Angelina didn’t know what to say.
“Come on. Let’s see what you got. And I want some cake.”
With that the girls settled down to eat cake and open Angelina’s presents.
Rabasten had sent her a basket of potions and lotions, one of which claimed to keep the bath it was poured into warm forever. Rodolphus had given her a Mischief Master deluxe set of supplies from Zonko’s. Her father, or more likely Twinkle (her house elf), had sent her a basket with an assortment of delicacies (including her favorite dark chocolate from France), a new set of summer robes, and a chess set with the Ravenclaw house colors.
“And last but not least,” Emma said smiling, and handed Angelina a small package. Unwrapping it, Angelina found two leaflets of parchment, two bottles of emerald green ink, and two new feather quills.
“Thanks. I needed some new quills,” Angelina forced out. It wasn’t that she didn’t need quills or parchment, or even that she wouldn’t happily use them. It was just…she had been hoping for something a little more personal…at least from Emma.
Smiling mischievously, Emma”pulling one of the pieces of parchment towards her and grabbing one of the quills and ink”proceeded to scribble a line.
“What”” Angelina began, but stopped as she glanced down at the second piece of parchment laying before her.
They are not just ordinary quills, the glistening indigo ink read.
“Oh, cool,” Emma said, leaning over Angelina’s shoulder and peering at the sheet. “The ink changes color when it transfers.”
Understanding dawned on Angelina’s face.
“We can use them to communicate over long distances, like over the summer, as neither of us has our own personal owl.”
“That’s brilliant, Emma! I wonder how they work. Maybe…”
Angelina was in the process of examining her new presents when there came a small noise from the edge of the clearing.
“Eh-hem.”
Emma and Angelina looked up.
“Oh, hello, Lily.” Emma smiled, rising to her feet. “How are you doing?”
“Fine, fine. Sev sent me to apologize for not being able to make it. Apparently Filch caught him out of bed last night, lying in wait for Remus, apparently.” Here the redhead rolled her eyes in exasperation. “He got detention all this afternoon…although he said he’d try to be down later. He sent me to give this to you.”
She held out a small wrapped present to Angelina.
“Happy birthday, by the way.”
Lily was just turning on her heel to leave when Emma shouted. “You could stay if you’d like.”
Lily turned around, her eyes on Angelina. Emma shot Angelina a look as if to say “well, don’t be rude.”
“Yeah,” Angelina said weakly. “We’ve got plenty of cake. If you like.”
Nodding curtly, Lily approached and sat down. The girls had just begun eating their cake when a large water balloon fell on of Emma’s head. Another one followed close behind, drenching Angelina. With quick reflexes, Lily ducked and rolled away down the hill, the third water balloon missing and soaring over her head.
“Retreat!” Emma yelled. “Take cover.”
She and Lily fled to the cover of a rock and tree positioned right on the edge of the lake and conveniently located for a defensive. Crawling low to the ground, Angelina frantically grasped for the present Rodolphus had given her.
A large blue balloon the size of a watermelon soared over Angelina’s lowered body, barely missing her. Scrambling to her feet and clutching the box to her chest, she too darted for the cover of the tree and rock, dodging and weaving as she went.
The fire ceased when Angelina reached the safety of the tree. Peering out, she saw the four Gryffindor boys (Potter, Pettigrew, Black, and Lupin) huddled in a grove of trees, heads together, clearly plotting their next move.
“Here,” Angelina gasped, producing the wooden crate of magical booby traps. “There might be something in here.”
The three girls rummaged through it, looking for anything that might come in handy.
“Here,” Lily said triumphantly, pulling several tan balloons out of the box. “They’re part of the dung bomb kit, but I think they’ll hold water.”
“Great,” Angelina encouraged. “Go fill them up with lake water if you can.”
Angelina and Emma continued to rummage through the crate, but everything else that might have been of use in this situation took time to assemble. More time than they had.
“We could throw this bottle at them,” Angelina admitted reluctantly, holding up a tiny glass container with a cork stopper. “In such high potency, and such concentration, it would send up a mist. Might even blind them for a few seconds…”
“Don’t waste it,” Lily responded as she came back carrying six balloons that she had filled as best she could with water from the lake, trying to force the water in with the occasional flick from her wand. “It’s only water. It’s not like we’re witches from the Wizard of Oz.”
Emma laughed, crying, “I’m melting! I’m melting!” and waving her arms. Both girls giggled.
Angelina felt distinctly left out as she cast Emma and Lily a bewildered glance. Turning her attention back to matters she understood, Angelina peered out from behind the rock. The boys were no longer clustered together in planning mode.
“They’re on the move,” Angelina warned.
“Positions,” Lily giggled, passing two water balloons each to the other girls.
“Ready. Aim. Fire!” Emma called, and with that she boldly stood and aimed. Her balloon hit Black squarely in the face. Grinning manically, he and Potter approached. But where have Pettigrew and Lupin gone? Angelina mused, turning around.
“Watch out!” she screamed in warning to Lily, as Angelina herself was hit in the side by a balloon Potter had thrown. But her warning came too late.
Lily, whose full attention was on the advancing pair, accurately aimed two swift lobs at Potter (both of which hit their intended target square in the face); however, while absorbed in her task, she had failed to notice Pettigrew, who pounced on her from the side. Lupin ran to join him, and they carried the redhead kicking and screaming towards the lake.
Concentrating with all her might Angelina lobbed her water balloon at Remus Lupin’s head. She missed, and the thing splashed all over her ally’s stomach instead. Wincing, she shouted an apology to Lily as she turned to her remaining partner. Angelina had been thinking to offer Emma her last remaining balloon, as Angelina was clearly not skilled in the realm of hand-eye coordination; however, she turned her head to find that Potter had grabbed her friend and was hauling, with a great deal of difficulty, the blond Ravenclaw in the direction of the lake. Taking careful aim, Angelina reached back and prepared to toss the last water balloon, hoping that luck would be on her side.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” a voice called from behind her.
“No?” she asked, not turning to look at Black, but keeping her eyes locked on Potter. She wished Emma would hold still for a moment so that she could get a decent shot.
“No.”
“Too bad you’re not me then,” Angelina retorted, and fired her balloon. It didn’t quite hit Potter, but it didn’t hit Emma either, which she supposed was a start.
“Nice shot,” Black said sardonically as he stepped forward, menacing over the petite Ravenclaw. “You should try out for the Ravenclaw team, you might actually be an improvement over what they’ve currently got,” he mocked, reaching out to grab her.
Not waiting for him to catch her, Angelina darted away, but instead of heading back towards the castle, she headed directly towards the lake. Black grabbed a handful of her black robes, but she twisted forward and broke free, continuing her mad dash towards the edge of the lake.
As she neared, Lupin turned towards her, aiding Black’s pursuit. Potter”with the added assistance of Pettigrew”was still struggling to toss Emma in the lake where Lily was just emerging, drenched from the water, a maniacal gleam in her emerald eyes. Meanwhile, a foot from the water’s edge, Black finally caught hold of Angelina. Lupin assisted him in trying to restrain her but in a powerful burst of strength, Angelina leaped forward into the depths of the lake, pulling the two boys (caught off guard at this tactic) right along with her.
It was only a few feet deep where Angelina, Lupin, and Black fell into the water, but they all emerged completely soaked. Spluttering, Angelina had only surfaced for a moment when Lupin playfully shoved her under again. Emma, who was still in the water, came to Angelina’s rescue and dunked Lupin in return. However, it was still early enough in the year that the water carried a hefty bite, and the water was so chilly that none of them were inclined to linger for long. After a bit more splashing and dunking, the dripping quartet made their way up the bank and towards the three people standing on the hill, waiting for them.
“Nice one, Angel…ina,” Potter added hastily, seeing the look on Angelina’s face at the nickname.
“Yeah, you gave the brutes what they deserved,” a sopping Lily agreed.
“Sorry about hitting you with the water balloon,” Angelina apologized sheepishly as the whole group made their way up to the cove of trees to lie in the sun. After the swim in the lake, the warm spring sunshine felt good on Angelina’s back.
“Yeah,” Lily began dryly, “that balloon sure made a difference.” She gestured sardonically at her drenched and dripping robes.
“Anyone want cake?” Emma chimed happily, completely unperturbed by having been dumped in a lake.
Angelina looked at her in astonishment. “Yeah, sure, invite our attackers to have cake. Like the three little pixies and the big bad troll.”
Emma cast Angelina a cheery smile. “They just need a little sweetness is all.”
Angelina rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless, and she flopped down on the picnic blanket. Her robes were already drying from the sun and she had completely dunked Black and Lupin, after all.
Emma served the cake and soon all were happily talking as if the water fight had never happened. Smiling in contentment, Angelina shut her eyes and lay back, enjoying the sun.
“Happy birthday,” came a low murmur in her ear. Turning on her side, Angelina cracked one eye open to squint at Sirius Black, who lay propped up on his elbow smiling down at her. She “humphed” and rolled away again, ignoring him.
“I brought you a birthday present.”
“What? Bubotuber pus?”
Black chuckled. “No. I think you’ll like it even more than bubotuber pus. If you can believe that.”
“Hum. I doubt it. Very useful it is. Healing properties and whatnot.” But Angelina turned over and opened her eyes.
“Well?” she said after a minute of Black staring at her. “Aren’t you going to give it to me? Or are you going to make me beg?”
“Well…” Black began, a smile twitching at the corner of his mouth. “That does sound interesting.”
Angelina hit him on the shoulder with surprising strength, and growled, “How ‘bout this: You give it to me now, and I won’t make you beg for mercy.”
Laughing arrogantly, Black reached into his robe pocket and withdrew a small package. “Now, it’s your fault it’s wet.”
“Yeah,” Angelina drawled sardonically. “Because I was the one trying to throw me in the lake.”
“Oh, close your mouth, my little howling harpy,” he said, affectionately tweaking Angelina on the nose. Blushing Angelina glanced down at the damp box in her hand.
“Well, go ahead and open it.”
Fingers trembling, Angelina began opening the wrappings.
“I’m cold,” she snapped when she saw Black’s lips twitching. He nodded solemnly, but couldn’t quite suppress the twinkle in his eyes.
“If you hadn’t tried to throw me in the lake…” she grumbled as she pulled the lid off the box. She fell silent as she looked inside. “It’s jewelry.”
“I thought you said you like jewelry.”
“When did I ever say that?”
Black didn’t answer. “Just try the damn bracelet on,” he bit out, taking the bracelet from her and clasping it about her wrist. “Here’s its charm.”
He dropped the charm into Angelina’s open palm. It was a beautiful miniature raven.
“I thought it could represent this past year. You know, going to Hogwarts. Being sorted into Ravenclaw. Everything.
“Andromeda suggested it. All my cousins got one their first year at school. And you add a charm to signify each year. I don’t know…” He paused uncertainly. “It’s stupid. You hate it. I know you’re not happy to be in Ravenclaw. I should have got something else””
“Shut up already. I like it. Really. Knock it off or I’ll Silencio you,” she threatened.
Black simply smiled down at her as Angelina glowered menacingly back, daring him to make it a big deal. He didn’t. Instead, he simply reached over and fastened the charm on to her bracelet. He beamed at her.
“Thanks,” Angelina whispered, feeling slightly awkward. Wanting to change the subject she asked, “What does the charm do?”
Black laughed. “Now you’ll just have to find that out for yourself. A boy’s got to keep some mystery surrounding him.”
He winked.
The peace between Angelina and Black was broken before it really even started, for at that moment Severus Snape burst into the clearing. Upon spotting Severus, Potter, who moments before had been eating cake and joking happily, jumped to his feet, his wand drawn.
“You filthy, greasy, cowardly hypocrite!” Potter yelled, his voice shaking with rage.
Black, too, rose to his feet and subtly raised his wand.
“Oh, yes,” Severus sneered, his face contorting cruelly. “You’re such a brave, noble hero. What, attacking two against one? Four against one? That is courageous. My skills do so outshine yours.”
His Gryffindor pride hurt, James brandished his wand and shot a jinx at Severus, who languidly blocked it.
“See. You can’t even touch me without the help of your little friends.”
The atmosphere in the clearing was tense.
Black stepped forward, edging towards Potter in case the Slytherin tried to pull anything dirty. In response to this move, Angelina rose as well, moving toward the boys with a threatening poise.
“Don’t you dare think of ganging up on him, Sirius Black,” she growled. “Some brave Gryffindors you lot are.”
“Don’t talk about what you don’t understand,” Potter spat, his voice cold.
“Don’t understand?” Angelina hissed, her eyes narrowing. Black cast his friend an exasperated look. If he had wanted to set the fierce raven-haired girl off, he had certainly done it now. “What do you foolish little boys think you ‘understand?’”
Potter’s eyes flashed and looked at Severus with a maniacal gleam in his eyes. “You want me to tell her Snape? Want me to tell your precious pure-blood friend your precious little secret? Like you showed the whole Great Hall mine?”
He looked at Severus and saw the flash of fear flicker across his face.
“What is he talking about Sev?” Angelina whispered, turning her gaze to the distraught young man. His face was silhouetted against the sky. It was getting on towards evening now, and the glowing red sun blazed behind him, making the clearing burn red with its fiery glare.
“Yes, what is it, Sev?” Potter mocked. “Why don’t you share with the class? You’re usually so eager to show how much you know. So why don’t you be a good know-it-all and tell your dear pure-blood friend what you are? I’m sure she won’t mind. Won’t think your trash. Filth. Scum of the earth.”
“Stop that!” Lily cried, as she too jumped to her feet from behind Potter. However, the boy paid her no heed.
“I’m sure your housemates would love to know. Why don’t we tell them? Why””
But at that moment, with a guttural cry, a spell shot out of Severus’s wand with such force that it knocked Potter to the ground. He collapsed his face covered in blood, the dark sticky liquid coating his robes Emma, Lupin, and Pettigrew hurried forward to help him. Lily stood motionless, staring in horror at the boy across the clearing from her.
“Don’t talk about things that are none of your business, Potter,” Severus snarled.
Black, enraged, turned on Severus; but Angelina interceded, stepping between them.
“Get out of the way, Angelina,” Black growled. “Don’t make me curse you. I will.”
“Don’t think I won’t block it, Black. Now stop harassing poor Severus.”
“Poor Severus,” Black spat in outrage. “Oh, yes. He’s a perfect saint. Hasn’t ever deceived you, Angelina. You know what James was about to tell you before your ‘poor Severus’ cursed him? No?”
Angelina’s eyes blazed in fury, but she shook her head reluctantly.
“Well, let me enlighten you. You know how Severus goes around looking down on ‘Mudbloods,’ calling people ‘blood traitors.’ Well, he’s little better himself. His mother’s the biggest blood traitor around. And his father? Never talks much about him, does he? His father is a Muggle,” Black finished maliciously.
Angelina shook with rage. “How dare you, Sirius Black?” she began. “How dare you act like blood matters to you? As if you care one lick about whom Snape’s parents are. You, Sirius Black, just want to humiliate him.”
Anger burning in her eyes, Angelina spun on her heel to face Snape.
“And you,” she growled, as Snape made to speak. “You,” she repeated, poking him in the chest with her extended wand. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me. I can’t believe you’re lying about who you are. As if that matters. When you are as talented as any of the other students in your house.”
“Like you could understand,” Snape spat, looking derisively at Angelina. “You, a pure-blood princess. When have you ever not carried what you precious father would thing? You’re a perfectly spoilt little hypocrite, just like the rest of them. You don’t care that I lied. You care because of my blood. Don’t pretend it wouldn’t have mattered if I told you. You think you’re so superior to Mudbloods, but you’re not. You don’t even have the skill to be sorted into Slytherin.
“So why don’t you hurry back to your fiancé, your foolish Gryffindor Knight in Sirius Black.”
Angelina flushed in embarrassment.
“Oh, you think I didn’t know? You should hear the things people say about the two of you in the Slytherin common room.” Snape smiled maliciously.
A flash of pain flickered across Angelina’s face, but her expression quickly smoothed into a coolly impersonal mask.
“Well,” Angelina drawled her voice as deadly sweet as the seeds of a Georgina Gidgee tree, “at least I’ll be marrying a pure-blood, which is more than your mother can say for herself.”
And with that she strolled away up to the castle, leaving a deadly silent clearing in her wake.