History Lessons

Chapter Four

"There are only so many times you can circle the castle before you want to puke," said Marcelle.

"I've started noticing things about this place that I just didn't want to know," said Blaine. "Did you know that the bridge is held up with Droobles on one side?"

"Clement," said Hugo gently, "I've been flying since I was one and a half and I've only flubbed once. I think we can cut the flying practices."

"And the Saturday sessions are a great idea," said Rudy. "But it requires Blaine and me to spend far too much time together."

"Alone," added Blaine. "Couldn't you have picked a more feminine beater?"

"What, like Sterling Summers?" said Rudy.

"All right, all right," interrupted Clement. "Saturdays are off. And flying. Fine."

"You know he just wanted to get some sleep as well," said Marcelle to Lily. They were gathered in the Gryffindor common room for a heart-to-heart with their team captain. After being worked to death for a solid month, Lily had started wondering why she had ever wanted to be part of this. After voicing this concern within hearing distance of Blaine Deverill, a team meeting had been called. Blaine often referred to himself as Honorary Captain, a title based on the fact that he was the only seventh year on the team and therefore had seniority over Clement, if only in age.

Another favor Blaine did for the team was call off practices on special occasions. He attempted this several times -- on his parents' wedding anniversary, Hugo's mum's birthday, and the anniversary of the last time the Tutshill Tornados won the league. The first time he managed to succeed was Saturday, October 1 -- Lily's birthday.

"As the team's representative, attorney, and oldest member," Blaine said at breakfast that morning, "I say practice be cancelled in honor of our keeper's sixteenth birthday."

Lily's head snapped up. She was sitting on the opposite end of the table that morning, but Blaine's voice had a way of being loud and carrying, a way of insisting that every word he had to say was important and should be heard throughout the entire Great Hall.

"Wow," said Jocasta. "I think they heard that in Slytherin."

"The table or the common room?" said Jordan. "Or both?"

"Wait, the humble highness isn't angry?" said Evie, peering across the table at Lily. "Just the other day he announced that you had the highest grades on the whole team and you shouted him down like snap."

It was true. On a normal circumstance, Lily would have either turned red and tried to ignore him or walked right over and told him off, but now she was leaning forward to look down the long table, her hazel eyes bright and hopeful.

Clement was now talking but Blaine interrupted him. "It's her birthday! She deserves a break! A girl doesn't turn sixteen every day!"

Rudy now said something that caused their surrounding friends burst out laughing; several of them turned to look at Lily. Clement shook his head, said something else, and Blaine leapt to his feet, his fists raised triumphantly. "Practice cancelled!"

"Yes!" said Lily, leaning back in her seat. "Thank Dumbledore."

"Lucky," said Evie, winking at Lily. "I wish Blaine Deverill knew when my birthday was."

"Ha ha," said Lily sarcastically. "I'm sure Albus let it slip."

"Yeah, sorry," said a voice behind her, and she turned around. Albus held out a brown paper package. "Happy sixteenth."

"Thanks," she said, taking the gift. "Nice wrap job."

"Yeah, well, we can't all be Rose."

Rose had seen Albus' gift-giving and quickly left her seat, dragging Hugo with her, to present their white and gold-wrapped present. It contained a box of Bertie Bott's and a pumpkin pasty. Albus had given her A Keeper's Guide to Keeping on the Team, a book he claimed to have bought years before but had waited until she made the team to give. When the morning post arrived, she received several more presents; a couple from her parents and one from each of her uncles. Uncle George's arrived last. Every year he gave her a box of Skiving Snackboxes; this year the pack included a note and a magazine.

What with your OWLs this year, I expect you to use these only for extra hours of studying. Or something. I've also got you a copy of the Quibbler; WWW has taken over the paper so I want you to tell me if we're doing a good job.

Love from George and Alicia

Lily picked up the magazine, thinking of Phoebe. The cover was splashed with a picture of Kingsley Shacklebolt, accompanied by the headline "Former Minister Saves Orphanage from Umbugular Slashkilter."

"He would," she murmured, smiling at the picture before tucking the paper into her bag. Breakfast was ending quickly so she shrank all of her gifts into her bag before setting off for Transfiguration with Jordan and Jocasta.

"I'd better be getting my fair share of those Snackboxes this year," said Jordan as they crossed the Great Hall. Phoebe stood and waved as they passed the Ravenclaw table and Lily slowed down, ignoring Jordan's request, and left her two friends to go down the aisle between the Ravenclaw and Slytherin tables.

"How are you?" said Lily, reaching Phoebe.

"Very well and good and fair," she replied. "I'm wondering if you might look over my potions essay tonight...I've finished it but I'm afraid I might've slipped up..."

"No problem," said Lily. "I'm free from Quidditch --"

"Yes, I heard."

"-- so how about seven o'clock in the library?"

"Wondrous." Phoebe beamed and sat back down. Lily walked back down the aisle to leave. As she passed through the Hall's doors she realized that she was not alone -- she was being followed.

"Malfoy."

"Potter."

"Haven't you got a class to go to?"

"The benefits of being a NEWT student include free periods."

It suddenly occurred to Lily that this was the beginning of a civilized conversation with Malfoy -- so she stopped talking.

Something grabbed Lily's arm as she crossed the Entrance Hall, Malfoy at her side. She spun around to see Clement Plumpton, holding her arm tightly and looking rather alarmed.

"What are you doing with him?" he hissed, glancing nervously over her shoulder. "We've got our match next month --"

"I'm not with him," she answered, freeing her arm. "He's following me, I don't know why."

"Lily, this isn't safe," said Clement flatly. "He's going to hex you, jinx you in some way. If Blaine -- if James -- if Albus knew you were risking your --"

"If Blaine knew, he'd be throwing punches, yes," said Lily. "If James knew, he'd be throwing hexes. If Albus knew, he'd sit down and have a heart-to-heart with him." Clement finally smiled. "I can handle Malfoy, Clem; don't worry about me." She flashed him a grin and turned back to see Malfoy patiently waiting for her. His expression remained stony as he jerked his head toward the stairs. She smiled almost sarcastically before walking past him to the staircase, but could hardly contain a real smile as she heard him following closely behind. What had gotten into him?

"You're not afraid of me," he said as they reached the top of the staircase.

"What's there to be afraid of?" she asked, not turning around.

"The Head Boy and your Quidditch opponent."

"I'm not scared of the Head Girl; why should I fear the Head Boy?"

"Of course...you're both Weasleys, aren't you?" She could practically hear him sneering. "God, how many of you are there?"

"Enough that I've been given private Quidditch lessons since I was three by some of the best fliers Hogwarts has ever seen."

"That's debatable."

"But it's not debatable that my mum and brother, along with one cousin, have all played professionally."

"True. But when one has no other talents, one's options after school are rather limited, are they not?"

Lily almost stopped in her tracks at these words, but she steeled herself and turned up another set of stairs. He must not get to her.

"So how does it feel being the youngest and least-talented of your family?" Malfoy continued. "Brothers are, as you said, a professional Quidditch player and Hogwarts' Golden Boy, respectively. Parents are heroes, worshipped by the Wizarding world in general...it's a lot to live up to, isn't it?"

"I don't have to live up to anything."

"Harry Potter...it must feel dreadful knowing that the only reason anyone cares about you is for your father?"

"So do you feel obliged to live up to your father's reputation?" Lily spat back, still resisting the urge to turn around as she rounded a corner. "Some coward who holes up in his manor, only leaving to attempt some pitiful bribe to the ministry?"

"My father," said Malfoy, for the first time showing some emotion -- anger. "My father was cheated out of his glory by your arrogant parents."

"You're joking!" Lily finally turned, stopping in the middle of the corridor. Now she was the one smirking. "His glory? Do you know anything about the war?"

"My father was on the front lines," he hissed.

"So was mine," she retorted. "My uncle died in that battle -- my dad practically died -- nearly -- my parents, they -- my aunts and uncles, my grandparents -- they were all -- don't think that I don't know --" Lily knew she was becoming incoherent but she was just so -- spitting -- angry --

"Well," he said, his expression once again frosty. "That certainly cleared that up."

The bell rang overhead, the sound echoing through the corridor.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm late," she hissed, whirling around to continue on her way to Transfiguration only to find the door directly in front of her.

Malfoy strolled around her, stopped next to the door, stood straight-backed and proper, and sneered superiorly before reaching for the handle and pulling it wide open like a doorman. Lily stared at him, speechless, before disappearing into the classroom. He closed the door behind her.

Fortescue hadn't yet begun class; had she been a moment late to Charms, Professor Fawcett would've docked five points, but Fortescue was generally easy-going. Jocasta and Jordan sat in the third row and both looked up as the door shut behind Lily. She walked over and took the empty seat next to Jocasta.

"Malfoy," she said shortly, answering their curious looks.

"Malfoy?" said Jordan loudly.

"I'd rather not talk about it," said Lily, staring straight forward and gritting her teeth.

"What did he do to you?" Jordan demanded, leaning across Jocasta's desk.

"Wands away!" said Professor Fortescue, standing at his desk. "Back in your desks, class, wands away....Today we shall be taking notes on the Inanimatus Conjurus spell -- immensely complicated, I hope you shall pay attention..."

Jordan begrudgingly took his seat but his focus was not on Fortescue. He looked instead at Jocasta, his eyes imploring her to talk to Lily. Jocasta just shook her head, however, and directed her attention toward the professor.

Lily attempted the same as Jocasta but couldn't concentrate; she could feel Jordan staring at her. Finally he looked away, but Lily knew his mind hadn't been diverted.

Only a minute later, a folded piece of parchment was levitated onto Lily's lap. She didn't dare look at Jordan, but just opened it under her desk and, when Fortescue turned to write on the board, slipped it onto the surface.

Malfoy is BAD NEWS, you know that! Don't hang round with him, he'll hex you, he's just trying to injure you before the game! Please don't tell me your thinking of Malfoy like Erato and Evie do.

Lily made a face. She added her response to the bottom of the parchment on the pretense of taking notes.

Don't compare me to Erato. Anyway, Malfoy is all talk and no walk; I'm not scared of him, I've got no reason to be, don't worry. If he wanted to hex me he'd just jump out and do it. He hasn't done shite to me and besides which, I can take care of myself. I'm not exactly enjoying his presence either, so don't get any ideas about me being best mates with that Slytherin. The last thing I need is for someone like Blaine to catch wind of this and he'll get suspended from the team if he tackles another Slytherin -- so shut it, Briscoe.

A minute later she received another note in her lap but just slipped it into her bag. She did not care what Jordan thought; she was the first female keeper in Gryffindor since 1931, one of the youngest of her twenty-some cousins -- she was tough -- why should she be afraid of something as pathetic as Scorpius Malfoy?

And once she started thinking about Malfoy, she became a bit confused. He was harmless. The only way he cared to attack her was with jealous, spiteful insults. He seemed to have no intention of hurting her; the only time a wand had been drawn between them was when Lily had lost her temper. She felt slightly abashed at the thought -- but he had provoked her, she reasoned.

The real question was this: What was Scorpius Malfoy doing following Lily Potter around school? And Lily made her mental list:

But he's had plenty of chances, and he seems to enjoy talking more than dueling.

Hmm...that could be likely.

But he's always so calm and collected...

That's crap, Lily. He's got Vaisley by his side all the time and Flint as a borderline girlfriend.

Well that doesn't make any sense at all.