I'm a Good Snake (Harry Potter Fan Fiction) | Book 1

Nine

Sunday was a dreary day, with the rain pouring down outdoors and the skies gray with no life. Even the Whomping Willow seemed tired of how it stood out in the wet weather. Everyone was walking around indoors, some too antsy to stay holed up in their bedrooms or common rooms. Rosalie found herself in an abandoned classroom.

Time alone to read a book. That's what she wanted. Even if it was for class, it was a pleasure to read.

"I bet Hagrid won't expect a German magical creature for this essay..." Rosalie spoke as she kept a bound notebook close for notes.

She'd work on taking down notes on the creature at hand, noting how it lived in the Black Forest and usually targeted children. Finding a book on just this creature in the library also helped her out immensely compared to the short section of them in her copy of Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them. However, her attention faltered as a knock came on the ajar doorframe. A glance over and she'd see Martyn there.

"What are ya doing alone in here?" he'd ask.

"Reading and gathering notes for an essay Hagrid wants us to write," Rosalie responded.

Martyn scrunched up his face in confusion and walked in further. "Is he going to be able to read them? His spelling is worse than a first-year's."

The brunette only shrugged her shoulders and turned back to her book to scribble down another note. "I dunno... Maybe he's going to get help from someone else for reading them?"

Martyn returned the shrug as he continued to get closer and took a seat in an old chair. His eyes were set on the window as Rosalie continued to take notes while sitting on the windowsill. A small ball was in his hands that was tossed lightly back and forth between each one, the movement making a soft pat noise to fill in with the rain hitting the castle walls and windows.

"How do you think he did it?" Martyn asked.

Rosalie looked up from the text and back over to Martyn. "He who?"

"Potter," Martyn threw back quickly. "He's only fourteen, so how? You're the one who read up on this tournament. Maybe there was an answer to it in the book?"

Knowing she wouldn't get any more work done with Martyn around, Rosalie closed her book and looked over at him. "The book stated rules can be set on the goblet, like the age line Professor Dumbledore did on it. The goblet honors rule sets like that and enforces them. The only way I can think of his name getting in is if someone who was seventeen or older entered the circle and submitted his name."

"Yeah, that makes sense, but how could he be a fourth? You said yourself that it is a rule of three, not four. One from each school." Martyn paused in tosing his ball and now clasped it firmly with both hands. "Something had to have happened."

"I mean... I can't think of anything that could disturb an old magic item like that. It would have to be something very powerful and very opposite..." she began to trail off at the end, now getting an idea in her mind of what it could be.

"What is it?"

Rosalie turned her body to face Martyn's and dropped her legs to dangle from the windowsill. "Maybe one of the unforgivable curses could do it. But why would anyone do that during the competition?"

Martyn let out a snort and shook his head. "Beats me. But that is a possibility. So thanks for humoring my question."

"Don't mention it," Rosalie responded and went to tuck her hair behind her ear. "So... What's with the ball? Gonna try and pull me into something?" A smile popped onto her face as she thought over what Martyn was up to.

"Hmm, maybe just a fun way to do the muggle game of Hot Potato. I want to try a charm on the ball that causes it to spark after a while. Thought it could be a fun game to pass time while indoors."

"If Filch doesn't catch us." She then hopped down from her spot on the sill and slipped her belongings into the pouch she had brought along with her.

"Or me!" a high-pitched voice said from above.

The two looked up to see a small and stout male ghost. The jingling of the bells on his hat was audible, along with seeing the poltergeist holding onto something bunched in his hands.

"Peeves..." Martyn began as he started to back away from the spirit. His wand was drawn out quickly and pointed at Peeves. "I just got rid of the scar you caused me last year. I don't need another injury."

Rosalie had joined in at getting away from Peeves, not wanting to be a victim of another prank the spirit liked to cause. "Why are you even in here?"

Peeves only smirked and loosened the fabric in his hands. "Well, I was going to throw this at you, Monday, but Webby coming in makes it a perfect time for revenge!" He darted after Martyn, who bolted out the door, Peeves not far behind. "You won't curse me again!" was the last thing Rosalie could hear of Peeves before he and Martyn were no longer able to be heard.

A sigh left her lips and Rosalie left the classroom. She'd peer over the ledge she was at, seeing Martyn already sending spells at Peeves as he descended a moving stairwell. She only shook her head as she took a step down the stairs from the fifth floor. The stairs moved a moment later, not phasing Rosalie as she continued down them and landed on the platform they connected to temporarily. More steps and more turns happened due to the enchantments of the grand staircase puzzle before Rosalie made it back down to the main floor.

Martyn and Peeves had taken a different direction, one she didn't see while focusing on descending herself. A few others walked by themselves or in groups throughout the halls, either talking with their friend or being silent until their next destination. Rosalie joined in by being a silent walker, deciding to stroll along for a bit before returning to her dormitory.

She descended the stairs and heard the rain become more muffled. Now the main echo was any footsteps in the dungeons, which were only her own and what seemed to be Professor Snape's before he had entered his office further down the way. Once Rosalie was at the entrance of the dormitory, she'd speak the current password and enter.

Inside was a group of students playing a game by the fireplace. They had lined all the sofas and others also sat on the carpet below. When Rosalie got closer she could see it was Bavarian style Exploding Snap. Others were gathered in other spots, studying for their O.W.L.s or N.E.W.T.s depending on their year.

Finding that most were studying and banter from the playing group wouldn't phase her much, Rosalie hurried off to her sleeping quarters to swap out her current assignment with another. Once in the room, Silver and other pet cats greeted her by rubbing up against her legs as she walked. One girl's frog croaked from his small glass home as well, something Rosalie noticed the amphibian did whenever someone entered the room. She reached her messy bed and shuffled through the books she had on it currently, looking through for her Ancient Runes book. Parchment and a refillable quill were also taken with her free hand before returning to the common room.

Most seats were filled no matter where she looked, but one was open. One by the blonde she didn't want to bother...

With a sigh, Rosalie walked over and took the seat. The glance from Malfoy could be felt, but Rosalie paid no mind to him as she opened her book and started working on her rune translations. 

"Is there a reason you're at this table, Monday?" Malfoy questioned.

Rosalie didn't stop writing as she responded to him. "It was the only empty seat for me to take to do homework. Not like I'm trying to pick a fight."

A small mutter of agreement came from Malfoy as he turned to his friends again, now not paying any mind to Rosalie. She was thankful but did steal glances every once in a while when insults were thrown towards muggles and muggle-born witches and wizards. 

"Just ignore them..."  she'd say in her head. "They're never going to learn how terrible they're being. Pureblood Slytherins never change."