As the Eagle Flies

Chapter Four

Ari hastily pointed the man out to the others.

"Oh, dear, oh, dead, I mean, we're dead..." said Jamie, biting her nails.

"Excuse me, girls, might we have a word?" asked the man in a squeaky voice.

The four of them nodded and followed him out of the hall, down many corridors. As they passed through a large tapestry depicting a banana, the man said, "I am Professor Flitwick, and I am head of Ravenclaw house."

They entered a room where the gray haired teacher was already sitting with Valerie and her gang. Professor Flitwick spoke again. "This is Professor Snape--" Ema's eyes narrowed slightly "--head of Slytherin house. Now I trust all four of you know why you are here."

He addressed the four Ravenclaws, who nodded, Jamie's eyes beginning to tear. Flitwick must have noticed for he said kindly, "Now, my dear, it's okay, we're just going to have a little chat about the events on the train. No need to be frightened. I daresay, if I'm frightening the students, there's something about me I don't know!" He looked around as though expecting to see a monster behind him.

Ema laughed a little. She personally thought that a mouse running in circles with a piece of cheese stuck to its tail would be more frightening than Flitwick. Then she wondered how she got those odd ideas. She then went back to figuring out his age. That seemed to have become her hobby. She did realize, however, that he was extremely old.

Snape was a different matter. He was not much older than fifty now, at least she guessed so by what little her father had told her, and he looked like no one's sweet grandfather handing out cookies. He stared at the four Ravenclaws with a sneer playing around his mouth. "Four of you onto three of us," he sneered. "Despicable."

"Two of us onto three of you," said Ronnie suddenly.

Snape's eyes were darting from her to Valerie as though sizing them up. Though Ema had heard a lot about Snape from her father, and though none of it had been complimentary, she could see that he was warming up to Ronnie much more than to Valerie. Though, as Ema reasoned, that wasn't much comfort.

"What was that, Miss Malfoy?" asked Flitwick in his funny little voice, making Ema giggle quietly and attempting to stand on the desk but as it was too high for him, he gave up and stood on a chair.

Ronnie gulped. "Only...only Ema and I used magic...we were the only ones fighting..."

There was silence. Jamie and Ari glared at Ronnie. It was clear that, however frightened Jamie had been, they did not want to leave this room.

"Well then," said Flitwick, "You two may go to the feast."

Ari and Jamie rose and left.

The second they were out of ear shot, Jamie started ranting. "We told them that if they were in trouble so were we! That's what we said, wasn't it? And now we have to wait for them! Now I'm going to be even more nervous than I was before, wondering what's going to happen to them..."

Ari sighed. "Well, it's like Ema said, isn't it?" she said, looking tired. "We're first years and it's the first day. Worst that'll happen is they get detention and lose some points for Ravenclaw."

"That can hardly be considered good!" said Jamie shrilly as they entered the Great Hall in time to catch a little first course food.

"Yeah, but...you heard Snape--bloody git--he went and said that we were despicable for going four against three. Now they know it was only two against three and Snape's already said how awful that is. Okay, I know that made no sense, but the point is: Whatever we lose, Slytherin will lose more."

* * *

"No, that's not what I said!"

"I'm sorry dear, I don't understand,"

"They provoked us!"

"That's not what you said before." Professor Flitwick clearly tried to act professionally and neutrally but it looked clear he was having fun taunting Valerie. "I'm sorry, but I'm still not clear on what happened. Miss Potter, perhaps you could enlighten me?"

"Yes. My owl went crazy. I turned around and saw her standing there. She called both of our other friends Mudbloods and was insulting Ronnie. Ronnie got mad at her and pulled out her wand but didn't use it. I got mad too. Ronnie was about to fight when she--" Ema jerked her head at Valerie "--used Incendio and scorched us. We used Expelliarmus disarm them. Those two gits--" she nodded at Justine and Louise.

"Now, now, Miss Potter, let's be civil," squeaked Flitwick, looking very happy with the whole situation.

"Right. Those two, erm...those two went for Ronnie and started beating her up. I sent sparks at them and Ronnie tried to stun them but it didn't work. They were busy beating her to a pulp--"

"No, it was--" began Louise but Ema interrupted.

"Kindly allow me to speak," she said with mock politeness. Then, catching Flitwick's eye, she continued hastily, "They were beating her to a pulp -" she glanced at the Slytherins as though daring them to interrupt "--when Tilla came in and stunned them and me. That's what happened."

Snape raised his eyebrows but said only, "Flitwick, can we wrap this up? I would like to go to the feast."

"Yes, yes, of course, well, what should we say...five points apiece from Ravenclaw and Slytherin." He glanced around and, seeing that the Slytherins looked rather less than pleased hurried on. "Excellent! Well, let's go down, shall we girls?"

Ema and Ronnie followed him out, leaving the Slytherins looking livid.

By the time they had returned to the Great Hal,l the deserts were out.

"So? How was it?" asked Jamie who looked much more nervous than Ema thought necessary. "Was it awful?"

Ema and Ronnie sat down next to her and Ari and helped themselves to treacle tart.

"Bo, ger up uka vie bon ec," said Ema with her mouth full.

Jamie rolled her eyes.

"Ema," she said sternly. "I'm tired of going through this. If you must stuff your mouth full of food, please refrain from talking."

Ema grinned and swallowed. "I said no, they just took five points each, so that's ten from Ravenclaw and fifteen from Slytherin."

"Brilliant," said Ari, while Jamie nearly fainted in relief. Ari glanced at her in affectionate exasperation before saying, "You didn't even get bloody detention."

"Oh, but I will before long," said Ema. "I do plan revenge on those three, and there's nothing you can do about it."

Ronnie stared up at the ceiling.

"Ema, you are the limit," she said. "Now we'll have to spend all our time in detention with you." Ema grinned.

When at last the golden plates were cleared, Professor Katkin stood up. She looked, in Ari's opinion, like the Queen of the Elves. Any Queen of the Elves. Her white hair fell gracefully to her waist and her eyes were of the deepest blue, noticed only by Ari who had the best eyesight. She was smiling around at them all as she stood. The hall went quiet.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! Our new students should note that the Forbidden Forest on the grounds is, well, forbidden, and there are a couple of older students who should take note of that too, for their memories are very poor." She looked pointedly at Colin Weasley and his friends.

"Quiddich tryouts will take place on the next Saturday. First years are permitted to try out, but must have their own brooms. It seems that parents have been confused with the change of rules. I'm rather confused myself--" she glanced at the other teachers as though hoping for an explanation. "Oh, well. The point is," she said, "that first years are allowed brooms and are allowed to tryout. I would like to ask everyone to stop asking me why. Thank you."

"Mr. Filch has asked me to tell you that on no account may any Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products be used in the hallways of this school. Those found guilty of crimes such as this will be severely punished." The corners of her mouth twitched, "And now, to bed, chop, chop!"

The students stood up, some laughing at the headmistress's pitiful attempt to treat them like six-year-olds and began to thunder out of the hall.

"First years! Follow me, please! All Ravenclaw first years! Please, stay together!" The foursome made their way to a teenaged girl, sixth or seventh year, probably who was grinning happily at them all.

While most prefects were leading their houses out of the hall, this girl stayed with a small group of other prefects. "Ravenclaw tradition!" she said happily, "We like to get to know our fellow housemates! We'd go to the Common Room, but everyone will be thundering there now. Right, I'm Kenzie Little, and I'm a seventh year prefect, this is..."

"Robbie Shortnick, I'm the other seventh year..."

"Tracey Jenkins, sixth year and this is Joe Robinson, the other sixth year."

"I'm Josephine, Joey, Moralez, fifth year."

"Mark Yolanski, fifth year also."

"Good, now you know your prefects, who are you?" asked Kenzie grinning as though this was the best thing in the world to be doing.

The first years exchanged lightly annoyed looks. We're being treated like nursery schoolers! Screamed Ari's mind. However, as no one was about to talk, she decided to start. "Arwen DeLingues, call me Ari or death will come bloody swiftly."

"Ema Potter, call me Ema." Everyone laughed as though it were funny.

"Ronnie Malfoy, forget the last name."

"Jasmine Lastroni, please, Jamie."

"Billy Short," said a boy.

"Marcus Flint," said another.

"Hey! My dad knew you," said Ema, then, realizing how stupid this sounded, burst into laughter and corrected herself. "I mean, he knew your dad."

"Yeah. I'm Marcus Flint Junior," said the boy, blushing a bit.

"Robert Pentine."

"Andy Finnigan."

"Rodney Macmillan, please Rod."

"Okay! So we all know each other and we can head off to the common room!" said Kenzie happily. The first years followed her, talking quietly.

"Hey, I recognize your names from my dad's stories," said Ema to Rod and Andy while Jamie, Ronnie and Ari hung back a bit awkwardly.

"Yeah, they knew each other," said Rod evasively. "Our dads...Mine and Andy's, I mean, are good friends." He rolled his eyes.

"Your dad knew our mums too," said Andy, grinning.

"Who are they?" asked Ema.

"Oh, Lavender Brown," said Rod a bit awkwardly.

"Parvati Patil."

"Oh, yeah," said Ema reminiscently as though she had grown up with the two boys' parents.

"Your dad knew my dad as well...I don't know about my mum..." said Marcus Flint.

Ema shrugged and it was clear to Ari that there had been some tension between the parents that might be mirrored in the children.

"Okay, here we are," said Kenzie. They had reached a painting of a wizened old witch, who looked like she could cause more trouble than Ema, which, for anyone who cares to know, is saying something.

"Spoiled Monkeys! That's the password," Kenzie told the first years. The painting swung forward to reveal an archway into the Ravenclaw common room.

Ari looked around in amazement. It was all she'd ever hoped for. There was a long room with bookcases all around and comfortable blue armchairs as well as tables for homework.

"Welcome home, Ravenclaws!" said Kenzie.

* * *

"What have we got today?" asked Ronnie, helping herself to marmalade. "Anything with the Slytherins?" she added, trying and failing to sound casual.

"Dunno," said Ari.

"Usually Gryffindor and Slythies have potions together and we'd have Herbology with them...I mean the Slyths," said Ema with her mouth not quite as full as usual.

"Yeah," said Ari, "We've got double Transfiguration with the Hufflepuffs, then Herbology with the bloody Slyths, damn, then double Charms with Gryffindor."

"Oh, okay," said Ema unconcernedly. "Whatever. Is there anything else?"

"No, that's the day, tomorrow we've got double Potions with the Hufflepuffs and..."

"Watch out, here comes the GOB," said Ari, looking up.

"The what?" asked Jamie and Ronnie simultaneously.

"The Gang of Bitches," said Ema, nodding at Valerie's crowd who were fighting their way over to them.

Ronnie laughed. "Don't worry; they can't do anything, not with the teachers watching..."

It was true. Valerie walked right past them but couldn't resist whispering, "Mudbloods..."

As usual, Jamie and Ari rolled their eyes while Ema and Ronnie suppressed rage.

"Honestly you two," said Jamie. "She's insulting us yet you guys are going and getting offended! Calm down!"

"Calm down? She's walking around calling you...you-know-whats and you're telling us to calm down?" Ema was beside herself. She shoved her face full of toast, "Boo ard da orf Avndos dive ebr sid!" she said, "Di beed, dur brind er fid ard tuff--" she swallowed "--but your attitude is revolting,"

Jamie cast a stern eye at her. "Ema, please repeat what you said, I couldn't understand because of the large quantity of toast getting mashed to a pulp in your mouth."

"I said that you two are the worst Ravenclaws I've ever seen! I mean, your brains are great and everything but--" she took a huge bite of cereal "--Dor appitude id ebolting."

"Well," said Ari, turning to Jamie, "It took twice as long but we did get the bloody message..."

Jamie grinned.

"Are you three going to check your watches at any point this year?" asked Ronnie indignantly. "We've got to get to Transfiguration!"

"What are you talking about? We've got twenty minutes!" said Ema, spraying all of them with milk. "Oops, sorry, guys."

"Yes, but it'll take us a while to get there," said Ari. "Ronnie's right. Em, get away from your precious food and come on!"

* * *

"You will not pass your exam in Transfiguration," said Professor McGonagall, "unless you do some serious studying this year. If you do not apply yourself in my classes, I will have no sympathy for you if you Transfigure your fingernails into piglets and can't change them back."

Ari grinned.

* * *

"I - can't - do it!" said Ronnie thirty minutes later, attempting to turn her match into a needle, "Oh! No...I was so close, did you see? It flashed silver! I think it did at least... whoever said Ravenclaws were the smartest were bloody wron--"

"Ronnie," said Ema, who was also having trouble. "Shut up."

"Oh! I did it, Professor! Look!" Ari was writhing with excitement. "Oh! I've never Transfigured anything before!"

Professor McGonagall smiled. "Excellent, Miss DeLingues, ten points to Ravenclaw!"

"Professor? Does this count?" A Hufflepuff girl who Ari thought was called Amy was holding up a match with a pointy tip but otherwise no similarities to a needle whatsoever.

"No, I'm sorry Miss Longbottom...Keep trying. MR. FINNIGAN, PUT THAT DOWN AT ONCE! TEN POINTS FROM RAVENCLAW AND DETENTION!"

Ari glared at Andy as he put down Ari's needle with which he had been attempting to poke Rod. "Great, you've lost the points I bloody gained, you idiot," she hissed.

"Miss DeLingues, if you are going to be rude you shall have to join Mr. Finnigan in detention, do I make myself clear?" snapped McGonagall.

"Yes," said Ari grudgingly.

Ema grinned and went back to her match.

* * *

"Nice, isn't it, being threatened by teachers your first day here, isn't it, goody-two-shoes?" Ema smirked after class as they headed to the Great Hall for lunch.

Ari called Ema a lot of things that made Jamie say, "Arwen DeLingues!" and of course that caused Ari to rant on about how much she hated being called Arwen and would everyone please give her a bloody break...

"Where are we?" asked Ronnie suddenly.

The four of them looked around.

"Let's try here," said Ema, attempting to open a door, but it was locked. Just as they turned around to backtrack, a cold voice reached their ears. "And what are we doing down here?"

They turned to see Snape sweeping towards them looking rather unpleasant. "And why, may I ask, are you attempting to get into my office?"

"That's your...?" Ari couldn't finish, she knew they were in for it.

"We didn't know!" said Ronnie indignantly.

"Yes, but be that as it may. Five points from Ravenclaw and be thankful it isn't more."

"That's unfair!" shouted Ema.

Ari and Ronnie started shouting as well. Even Jamie, they found, couldn't resist.

"The why not just put a sign on your door that says, Enter and die?" she asked.

"That's enough!" said Snape. He smiled nastily. "Twenty points from Ravenclaw and a detention for each of you!"

"But..."

"Go on...scram!" They left, not keen to lose any more points...

* * *

"Those two!" ranted Ginny, attempting to clear up the pickles from her living room. "Scourgify!" The pickles and bits of chicken and celery disappeared but the soup remained.

"Oh, hell," said Hermione, who was drenched in it.

"Honestly, Hermione," snapped Harry. "Wake up and help! It's going to take a couple more charms...and I'm like Tonks, I don't get these householdy spells, erm...scourgify?"

Just then a swallow soared in through the open window, a letter attached to its leg. It emptied itself of bodily wastes, dropped the letter on the couch and soared out again.

"Bloody hell!" said Harry, annoyed. "Okay, you, who are so wise in the ways of cleaning, clean! I'll read the bloody letter!"

Ron was the only one who looked taken aback by Harry's bad mood; the women both rolled their eyes.

Harry unfurled the letter and read:

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Potter,

It is my woeful duty to inform you that your daughter has already been taking part in fights at school.

No matter! I would not be writing if my dear Luna hadn't insisted on it, I think your daughter handled it quite well, in fact. The fight in question was with one Valerie Malfoy, whose father I believe you know quite well, and her two friends by the names of Louise Goyle and Justine Crabbe.

Joyfully,

Professor Frederick Flitwick,

Head of Ravenclaw House

Harry grinned. Professor Flitwick was not the strictest disciplinarian. Harry could just imagine his little Ema sitting there, worried about detention and whatnot and Flitwick taking but a single point. It had certainly happened to him.

"What is it?" asked Ginny, Harry handed her the letter.

"Oh, bloody hell," said Ginny. "She's already getting into bloody fights? It's her first day!"

"I think she did well. It was against Malfoy's kid after all."

"Hell, Harry, you're so vindictive! She can't go getting on the wrong side of bloody Snape! He never did manage to get you expelled, he'll probably be trying his hardest on Ema!"

* * *

"Bastard," said Ema idly ten minutes later. "Bloody detention! And all we had to do was get lost!"

"And twenty points from Ravenclaw!" squealed Jamie. "We've lost a lot of points and it's only the first day!"

"Ret?" asked Ema with her mouth full of apple pie.

Jamie rolled her eyes but Ari answered. "She's right though, you know, Ema, you and Ronnie lost ten last night, I gained ten but Andy lost it, then we lost five and then twenty, that means we've lost thirty-five points total since we came. I think we'd bloody well wise up around here or we'll be in deep trouble."

"Yeah I can just imagine," said Ema, rolling her eyes in turn, "Yeah, we're going to trip over some GoB's outstretched leg, get hauled to Katkin and immediately we'll be expelled, get real."

"What?" said Ronnie, trying to see the logic in what Ema was saying. Needless to say, she failed, because there was no logic in what Ema had said.

Ari, however, looked slightly annoyed. "That's what you say now, Miss I'm-Going-To-Be-Getting-The-Entire-GoB-For-Hurting-Ronnie."

"Yeah, well, but...Hedwig!"

Harry's owl had just landed, dropped a letter and flew off. The four of them leaned in to read it.

Dear Ema,

Congratulations on your fight with Malfoy's kid. I raised you correctly. Don't you dare lie down in front of those -

There followed many scribbled out words that Ema was sure were not g-rated - stupid gits, stand up to them, my girl!

-Dad

Dead Ema,

How dare you seek a fight with girls such as that?! Now, you listen and you listen good, bloody Snape tried his hardest to get your father expelled and failed. I have every reason to think that he'll be after you next. If you put another toe out of line I'll kick you from here to America, got that? And eat your vegetables.

-Mum

"Well, there are two different minds for you, Em," said Ari, laughing. "I don't know, who are you going to follow?"

Ema grinned. "Dad of course, you think I'm going to let the GoB get me? You've got some serious bloody problems."

Jamie, however, looked anxious.

"Ema, you've already got a detention, and we've lost our house thirty points. I don't think you should be breaking rules, especially if your mum is right about Snape..."

"Oh, lighten up, I'm not going to blow up the bloody school right under old Snapey's nose. I'm just going to make sure the old GoB get what's coming to them..."

"And what is coming to them?" asked Ari, who, despite her love for rule-breaking, was feeling a slight sense of foreboding.

"Don't worry, it's a secret, but you don't have to join in if, you know, you're bloody scared."

"No fair!" said Ronnie laughing, "You can't goad us into helping you. You've got a seriously sick mind."

"Well, sick minds are great minds," said Ema. "Are you with me?"

Ari grinned.

"Count me in," she said.

"Oh, all right, you stupid antelopes, me too," said Ronnie. They all looked at Jamie.

"Stupid antelopes?" asked Jamie, raising her eyebrows.

"Stupid people, okay? Now are you in?" asked Ronnie rolling her eyes.

"Sure, fine, whatever, but if we get expelled, I'm blaming you, Ema,"

"Fair enough," agreed Ema.

Author notes: I loooove feedback, if you'd like to give some!