✓ Dragons #wattys2016

three

❝Always speak politely to an enraged Dragon❞

-Steven Brust

There was an explosion in the back corner of the room and Snape was whisking back there, his nose upturned at this new disaster.

"Can't you go five seconds without making a mess," Snape hissed, waving his wand. Instantly the mess was gone. "You can clean up the room tonight in detention. Tonks go with Wood. Prince and Smith."

Jane let out a small groan as she grabbed her things and moved to the back table. Soon Nymphadora Tonks was sitting next to Ellie where Jane had been just moments ago. She pulled her textbook out and dropped it on the table. Ellie winched.

"Sorry," Nymphadora said with a small apologetic grin. "I added too much newt."

Ellie let out a small laugh. "This potion doesn't even require newt."

"Yeah, I figured that out," she said looking down sheepishly. "So what do you want me to do?"

"Can you finish chopping these Nymp-"

"Tonks. Call me Tonks. I hate my first name," she pulled a face. "Most people actually have trouble saying it."

"Well I'm not most people...Tonks." They grin at each other for a second before Ellie is pushing the mandrakes and knife across the table. "Okay, so can you finishing chopping this? It needs to be as fine as you can chop it. I'll go get the dragon liver, porcupine quills, and peacock feathers."

"Aye aye captain," Tonks said saluting her with the knife. Ellie rolled eyes in return and squeezed past her towards the cabinet that held ingredients students might not have.

That's where she was, concentrating hard on finding the right ingredients, when she heard a voice behind her.

"So we meet again Elisha Wood."

She's ashamed to say she jumped before turning to glare at the chuckling redhead.

"Bloody hell, what was that for?" She whispered placing a hand over her heart. She waited for it to slow down but it did not. In fact, at the sight of Charlie Weasley, her heart seemed to speed up. Not that she would ever admit it to anyone. "Almost gave me a heart attack."

He was smirking at her as he leaned against the wall, blocking the rest of the classroom from her view. Not that it was much of a view. The cabinet was mostly hidden from the classrooms view.

"I tend to have that effect on females," he said which only intensified her glare.

"Prat," she muttered as she squeezed past him and back to her seat. She slouched down in it.

"Did you get everything?"

"Shite," Ellie said jumping back up and heading over to the cabinet that Charlie Weasley was now standing in front of. She leaned against the wall and crossed her arms over her chest waiting for him to be done. She thought it would only take a minute or two, but it didn't. He hummed to himself as he searched, only stopping when she cleared her throat behind him.

"Well, fancy meeting you here," he said grinning.

"Dragon liver's on the second to top shelf," she said in answer.

"Ah thanks." He said grabbing it off the shelf. They did a weird little dance as they traded places, but he did not leave. She grabbed what she needed only pausing when he cleared his throat as her fingers brushed the last thing she needed.

"So, what are you doing Saturday?" He asked raking a hand through his hair.

"I'll be at the Quidditch match," she answered snatching up the peacock feathers and turning to face him.

"Oh right. Supporting Hufflepuff, I assume?"

She did not bother telling him that she was one the team. "And you'll be at the match, I assume? Unless you plan on letting Gryffindor loose without you," she teased and, not giving him time to answer, squeezed past him and back to her seat, this time with all the ingredients they needed.

They finished the potion without another incident and chatted as they waited for Snape to come over and check their potion.

"I like your hair," Ellie said pointing to the pink hair that Tonks was sporting at the moment.

Tonks grinned. "Thanks. I was thinking of changing it to purple though. Kinda tired of the pink."

Tonks's face became one of slight concentration and, with amazement, Ellie watched with wide eyes as her hair turned from the bright pink color to a pale purple color. It also grew a few inches longer, reaching just passed her shoulders.

"Bloody hell! You're a-"

"Metamorphmagus."

"That's so cool!" Ellie exclaimed. The person in front of her turned to glare at her, so she lowered her voice. "So you can change your appearance whenever you want? To whatever you want?"

"Yep."

"Even to look like another person?"

Tonks let out a laugh. "I once made myself look like my mum and convinced my dad to go out and buy me cake. I was eight at the time, so it seemed like a brilliant idea. Almost got away with it too. And last year when I caught my boyfriend snogging another girl I made myself look like him."

"Oh Merlin! That must have been fun," Ellie replied laughing as she did so. "I'll have to be sure not to get on your bad side from now on."

"I don't think you could," Tonks said laughing, "unless you really wanted to."

"Have you ever tried to turn into Dumbledore?"

She gasped with excitement, her eyes going wide. "No! Why didn't I think of that? Ellie Wood you are bloody brilliant!"

Ellie blushed slightly and laughed. "Thanks. You'll have to let me know if you ever do it."

"Ever do what Miss Wood?" Snape said from behind Tonks and Ellie's eyes grew wide.

"Ever decide to become an Auror," Tonks said smoothly before Ellie could even think of an excuse. "I'm leaning towards it, but I haven't completely decided if that's what I want to do with my life or not. Something better might appear."

Snape looked down his nose at them, but did not say anything in response except, "Let me see your potion."

He inspected it carefully.

"It seems you have finally successfully completed a potion Miss Tonks," Snape sneered and Tonks beamed. "Although I assume it was mostly Miss Wood's doing? Perhaps I should keep you two partnered up."

He turned to go, his cloak blowing out behind him as he went onto the next group.

"I think that's the closest he's ever gotten to complimenting someone," Ellie said once he was out of earshot.

"I think you're right," Tonks said in response. "Thank you by the way."

"No problem."

Snape dismissed them and Ellie grabbed her bag, ready to leave.

"It is a problem actually," Tonks sighed tripping out after her. "I need do better in potions if I want to become an auror. I almost always mess up somehow. And my last partner was never serious about the class. I think they enjoyed watching me mess up."

"Well we're partners now, so I'll help you," Ellie said grinning. "What do you have now? I've got a free period."

Tonks made a face. "I've got Ancient Runes next."

"Oh okay. Well see you later!" They headed in opposite directions, Ellie towards the library and Tonks toward the Study of Ancient Runes classroom.

04.10.2015 Hello again! I've still been listening to Marianas Trench. And reading up on the Black Plague. What have y'all been up to this week? Are any of you guys doing Camp NaNoWriMo? What are your stories about? How far are you? What is your word goal? What music do you listen to as you write? I'm at 5,440/15,000 words so far, but I haven't written anything today. Okay, bye.