An Unpredicted Exception @Hogwarts

2

The next day, Celine wakes up way past breakfast time. "Oh shit," she gets out of bed, get her clothes, and walks to the showers. When she is ready to get down to the Great Hall, it's already almost time for lunch so she heads there for her late-breakfast/lunch. The most students from Ravenclaw are either reading or discussing subjects over their food. Celine spots her best friend, Julie, on the end of the table. The girl has bright blue eyes that match with her robes, which she always wears neatly. Her hair is bond and short, but she is one of the tallest girls of her year. Celine, with her 5.2 feet, makes together with Julie an extraordinary team. "He Juul," she says, "Are there still some cheese sticks left?" Julie makes place for her so she can sit next to her. "Wah good morning sleeping beauty. Slept well?" She hands Celine the spare cheese sticks. The girl's face lifts up. Grateful she takes the food and start eating. "Yes, maybe a little to long, but whatever. I can learn till late tonight." "A little?" Julie laughs, "I don't understand how you do that." "That's because you are a morning person and I am not. We are just another kind of people" Celine winks. "But you are still my best friend, don't worry." Jullie smiles her brightest smile and the two eat in comfortable silence after that. When both are done eating, they're getting up. "What is your plan for today?" Julie asks when walking to the exit of the great hall. "I think I will get back to the library today. It is to busy in the common room and some people keep talking to me. I really want to learn alone, or else I can't concentrate." Celine answers. "Yeah, I already thought you would do that. I will be in the common room if you are looking for me." "I will walk with you, I still need to get my books. And please don't wait for me tonight if you are done studying, I probably work till late." Celine explains. "But you said we could play wizard chess." Julie pouts "Sorry Juul, not today. Another time okay?"

When Celine got her books and had said bye to Julie, she heads to the library.
It looks even more crowded then yesterday. She curses herself in her head, why didn't she got here earlier.
Passing past all the occupied seats she walks past the place where she sat yesterday. She stops when she recognizes the same Slytherin boy from yesterday sitting on exactly the same spot. His work is scattered over the table again and because of that, the seat next to him is still empty.
The boy looks up and the two dark brown eyes find her standing next to the table. Without saying anything he organizes his stuff and makes place for her next to him. Then he looks back up through his glasses, waiting for Celine to move. A warm feeling spreads through her and she smiles back at the boy.

Happy she sits down and starts with her Potions work. She mostly likes this course, but for this test they need to be able to calculate the precise amount of ingredients for different potions. It is bad enough to have all the math by Arithmancy, and now also with Potions. Of all the school work, Celine likes math the least. But she doesn't want to fail, so she starts working.
However she doesn't get through the second exercise. Not wanting to give up she digs through her notes. Did Professor Snape said something about this kind of problem? "You only need to subtract both your solutions from the start volume to get the answer." She suddenly hears the boy next to her saying. Looking back and forward from him to her notes, she finally sees what he means. "Oh right! Like this?" Celine says while she is calculating the answer with the way the guy told her. "Yes." The Slytherin nods and returns to his own notes. "Thank you." Celine whispers before she starts on the next exercise. "I owed you, now we're even." He mumbles.

Celine looks at him, was that a smile she saw? "I'm Celine Dunnett," she says, extending her hand. The boy looks at her hand, probably debating if he should take it or not. "We have Herbology together." Celine continues, still holding out her hand. "I know." The boy says, then realizing that he said that out loud. "I mean, you are difficult not to see. When you are sitting in the front. Not that I was looking at you, of course.." He looks away, shoving his glasses right nervously. Then he seams to remember the still extended hand of the girl. "I'm Horace Leason." He says, taking her hand. Celine smiles, bringing her other hand for her mouth to hide her amusement. "Did you finish studying for Herbology yesterday?" She asks him then. "What? Oh yeah, I did read the summary of the book, but I can't possibly ever remember all the names of the plants." Horace answers awkwardly. "Oh I know something for that. I made this mnemonic myself but maybe it can help you too." Celine rumbles through her stuff. She gets her notebook for Herbology, and tears a page out of it. "Here, I already know this one by heart, so I can write it again an other time. It is on the song 'Brother John', see? So you get the name and the specifications in every sentence." She hands over the note and sings the first couples softly. Horace looks at her with wonder. "You made this?" Celine smiles a little shy, "yes, actually that was what I was doing yesterday. You can use it if you want." The boy looks astonished. "And what do you expect from me in return?" He says cautious. "Only a Huffelpuff is that kind to do things without reason, are you after something?" That sounds really offending in Celines ears. "If you don't want it, then that is fine too." Celine already stops the note back in her notebook. She brings her attention back to her Potions. "No no, that's not what I meant. Normally people are not this kind to people from my house, you see? You just surprised me." He lays both his hands on the table and leans a bit more in Celines space. "Does your offer still stand?" He asks with pleading eyes. Celine looks considering at the boy. She is about to say yes anyway when Horace speaks again. "I can help you with Potions in return, if you want?" That is just perfect. If he can help her with this impossible task, then she can help him too, even if he is a bit rude. "That would be wonderful." She says with a brief smile. She hands him her notes for Herbology. He looks pleased at the notes and then turns to her work. "Okey, how far are you with this? Is there something you don't understand?" "Ah," a blush spreads on Celines face. "Actually, I don't really.. Understand anything.." She whispers, fidgeting uncomfortably with her hands. Horace looks at her, mumbling something like 'thought that Ravenclaws knew everything'. Hearing that makes Celine even more uncomfortable. A part of her wants to say 'Then you thought wrong obviously' and storm away. She can always try and figure it out by her self. But then Horace starts explaining. "It is not as hard as it looks, you just have to use some formulas, the professor didn't show them specifically in the lessons but they are really simple. Look." Then he is writing some equations under her notes. His writing is messy and big, but Celine doesn't mind. Because what he writes makes sense. Finally there is some hope that she will pass this test.

Horace explains some more exercises with the help of his formulas. Then Celine is certain that she understands everything and thanks him. They make their work further in silence. Celine working on her Potions and Horace learning Celine's notes.

Because of Horace's help, Celine is earlier done than expected. Therefore she might still be able to play wizard chess with Julie. With that in mind she gathers her stuff and gets ready to leave. "You're leaving?" Horace says. "Yeah, I'm done for tomorrow. Thanks for your help Horace. I really appreciate it." Celine says. Horace smiles back and scratches his neck, " I will stay a bit longer, I really had to start earlier instead of two days before the tests." He says sheepishly. "Thanks for the notes." He then adds, waving with her notes. "No problem, good luck tomorrow with the tests." Celine answers. She then turns around and walks away, holding her books before her chest, smiling when she leaves the library.