Hogwarts Descendants

Chapter 23: A Late Start

The next day, the four wizards who snuck into Hogwarts all woke up late, a not so coincidental result of them going to bed late. During their stay at Hogsmeade, they did not account for the restless amounts of homework they had to make up that night. The four of them engaged in a tiring battle against their own fatigue as they struggled to keep their quills on the parchment paper. All four had finished their homework-maybe not the best of quality, but completed nonetheless.

It was the girls who first woke up to greet the bright light filtering through the curtains. They realized almost immediately that they had overslept, and were quickly on their feet. They moved with lightning-like speed to get dressed and get to the Great Hall. They would have little time to eat, but hopefully they could get a small bowl of Pixie Puffs before they would be forced into their potions lesson (A rather dreadful one as Professor Snape was suffering from a mild common cold, making her the most unpleasant).

The boys faced the same predicament as they were also forced to bolt to breakfast in order to catch a small meal before they began their lessons. Their first class was a potions class, shared with Gryffindor.

They all arrived on time, and managed to keep Snape from snaring some house points. As far as anyone could tell, the battle for the house cup was a close one. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw hadn't fallen too far behind, but Slytherin and Gryffindor were neck and neck. Every house point they could gain was a win, but it would really be the Quidditch Cup that would decide it. The winner of the Quidditch Cup would be awarded a grand total of one hundred house points. The Quidditch Cup would be played in a week, a grueling match between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Gryffindor needed to win by at least 88 points if they wanted to claim the cup, Slytherin had scored a remarkable 563 points throughout the season. Gryffindor had scored 476 points, an astonishing feat, but below Slytherin nonetheless. Even if Gryffindor managed to snatch the snitch, they better hope their chasers put them in the lead.

"Mr. Malfoy, Weasley, class started a minute ago! Pay attention!" Snape commanded, although her voice was less authoritative, due to her hoarse throat. "Get out your textbook Magical Drafts Potions and find the Wideye Potion. Now can anyone tell me what the Wideye Potion is used for?"

Reilley's hand shot up into the air, she knew the textbook answer, an effect of vigorously studying before the school year started.

Snape looked around the room, her eyes sweeping back and forth, waiting for someone (preferably a Slytherin) to raise their hand to answer. "No one? Well then..."

"Profesor! Please! The Wideye Potion, also know as the Awakening Potion, is a potion which prevents the drinker from falling asleep and could also be used to awaken someone from a drugging or concussion. It also acts as an antidote for the Draught of Living Death potion."

"Miss Weasley, correct as that answer may be, you must learn to control yourself! No one likes a know it all-especially one that can't keep her mouth shut! 10 points from Gryffindor."

One half of the room gasped, the other side bursting with laughter. "Now begin brewing the potion, up until step one. We will finish step two of the potion next lesson. Begin!"

The rest of the class was a race to complete the first half of the potion, students running to get snake fangs, billywig stings, and other ingredients. Chopping, crushing (using the flat side of the knife, a wise tip from the current professor's predecessor), and stirring. Reilley was the first one done, a so far perfect job, and was excused from class early. Karson had no such luck, and had botched up his potion so badly it had turned an ugly green, and was starting to burst up in plumes every few seconds. Nick hadn't been first to finish, but he had done a good job so far, his potion in its current state probably deserved an A, or a high B at lowest. Elizabeth had also finished hers with flying colors, the only downside being that she had to stay a few minutes late to finish.

"Class is over, put your caldrons in the back of the room, and you are dismissed. If you have not yet finished-Goyle! Sit down! I am not yet done speaking!-If you have not yet finished, you are to stay until completion of part one."

Elizabeth wasn't the only one to stay, she was joined by many Gryffindors and Slytherins who had not yet mastered the art of potion making, as Professor Snape put it. Those who had finished were either sent to a double charms class, in the case of the Gryffindors, or to a transfiguration class, if you were a Slytherin.

Double charms class was rather boring, but it was over quickly. And Reilley had passed the time by planning what she would do afterwards...

Reilley was ready to head to the Room of Requirement, to let a snitch loose and practice. The room had turned into a colossal quidditch pitch, with freshly cut grass and polished rings on the hoops. The only problem was, Nick had the same idea as Reilley, only he went in after her. She grabbed her Nimbus 2000 and grabbed a snitch and let it loose, only to find that Nick was on her tail. They raced side by side, wind whipping at them, Reilley's hair whipped back as she did her best to shake off Nick, not even questioning how he got here. With a spinning dive she lost Nick, and went straight for the snitch. She pushed her broom to the limit, leaning down on the broom to increase her aerodynamics. She cut through the air and was feet from the snitch.

She pushed one last time, giving it her all and caught up to the snitch. But it turns out she had never lost Nick, he had used his extra speed to cut in front of her from above, and come in the opposite direction. They both lunged after the snitch, and they found their hands wrapped around the snitch.

Nick felt his hand over hers, felt the warmth radiating from her hand, and clasped his hands around hers. He could feel Reilley's muscles tense around the snitch, and Nick looked up into Reilley's deep-set sapphire eyes. He found a warmth in her look, her lovely smile, and her captivating eyes.

Nick loosened his muscles, the tension decreasing, almost having time to flash a smile before he was hurtling through the air, his hand freed from Reilley's, and the snitch. He spun through the air and hit the ground sideways, landing on his right arm. In a dazed rush, he tried to push himself up, only to have his right arm collapse in pain. He rolled over and pushed with his left arm, and found himself upright. His feet crossed back and forth as he tried to gain his balance. He near blacked out, but managed to stay up, despite the splitting agony in his head. He looked up and saw Reilley flying down, still holding the snitch.

When he had tried to keep hold of the snitch, his broom had leaped forward from under him, and Reilley had kept going, pulling him backward through the air in a tumultuous tumble. Reilley landed beside him, with the grace of a swan. "Nick! Are you ok?" She asked this without expecting a response, and rather to reassure him. "We need to get you to the nurse!" Reilley flicked out her wand, swish and flick, she thought, concentrating on the spell. "Wingardium leviosa!" Nick didn't move, she needed her spell to be stronger. Swish and flick, come on Reilley, you can do this! "Wingardium leviosa!" Nick stayed where he was, SWISH AND FLICK! Come on Reilley! "WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA!" Nick began to rise in the air, inch by inch, until he was at least five inches from the grassy pitch. Right when Reilley thought she had him, he crashed back down, his head bouncing on the grass. "Sorry Nick."

She noticed a patch of stained grass, blood red. Nick's head was pouring out blood, and he would soon die of blood loss. Reilley moved quickly, grabbing a broom, and slinging Nick onto the back of it.

It would've been fairly straightforward here on, had Peeves not been causing chaos on the seventh floor hall. The pesky poltergeist flung around anything he could reach, sending chairs through windows and shattering vases, sending shards of glass through the air. Reilley burst out the door of the Room of Requirement, just as Peeves heaved a grandfather clock at the ceiling above her. She was fast on her feet and narrowly avoided the falling debris.

Her quick dart led her uncontrollably close to the wall, and had Nick teetering off the edge of the broom. She grabbed the sleeve of his robe, pulled him back on, and tried to steer away from the wall, while balancing Nick, and dodging the various rubbish that Peeves had carelessly sent flying through the air. Peeves disappeared into a wall, only to emerge in front of Reilley.

"Going somewhere, dear?"

Reilley was flying towards Peeves, and getting frighteningly close. He disappeared into thin air, with a *Poof*. Only to materialize right next to her, this time gliding alongside her, spinning and twirling in an effort to annoy Reilley.

Reilley pushed forward and reached the Medical Wing forthwith.