Chimaera Of Judgement

6: Peele And Dryden

Sunlight was already streaming through his window when Albus jerked upright. The dormitory was empty. This was both good and bad news; he may not have to deal with his bunkmates, but he was also inarguably late. Dressing at breakneck speed, he was soon flying through the common room, out the portrait hole, and down flight after flight of stairs into the Great Hall, where (he paused to say "thank you" to the enchanted ceiling) most students were still eating breakfast. He noticed Professor Longbottom moving toward them as he slid onto the bench beside Rose, who was wolfing down what looked to be her second helping of eggs and toast.

"Don't make yourself sick," he told her breathlessly as he poured himself some pumpkin juice. "You'll mess up your first day back."

"Blokes in glass houses, Albus," she retorted. "Fancied a bit of a lie-in, did we?"

"Couldn't sleep last night - took me forever to drop off."

"Why? Something you ate?"

"No, nothing like that."

Her brow creased for a moment before her face fell. "Oh Al, they didn't, not again!"

Albus would really rather she didn't make a fuss. "Of course they did."

"But we haven't even been at school twenty-four hours!"

"It's not their fault I continue to exist."

Her mouth opened as if to loose several unkind words about the other boys in Albus's dormitory, but the round face of their Head of House was poking between their shoulders, two slips of parchment in his hand. "Full day ahead... sorry about this, but it is O.W.L. year, after all. See you Monday!" And with that, he left them to peruse their schedules.

"Urgh!" Rose spat as if hers were a frog that had done its business in her hand. "Double History Of Magic this afternoon! And we have to start the day with that Peele woman! Merlin, I hope she's not too oppressive, I don't think I could stand it."

"Charms with Aunt Penelope after that, though," Albus said with a shrug as he speared an out-of-reach kipper on the end of his fork. "That'll be all right."

Rose laughed weakly. "It's going to take me a while to get used to this - 'I'm off to my aunt's class!' That's too weird."

"Bad luck," said a voice behind them; they turned to see Hugo had been looking over their shoulders. "I don't much envy your schedule, sister and cousin - but at least you're not starting Ancient Runes and Arithmancy today, I'm so nervous!"

"Thanks, worm," Rose sighed miserably. "That's loads of help."

"Take heart that term started on a Thursday this year," Albus was saying as they trudged from the Great Hall and up the marble steps. "We've only today and tomorrow before the weekend."

"But did you see tomorrow? Double Potions with the sodding Slytherins is not the best part of waking up."

"Agreed." Peeves was floating along a short distance ahead, cackling and rolling marbles across the floor in the hopes of causing unsuspecting students to trip. They stopped short, waiting for this prank to pass. "Oh well."

"And you're trying to put me off-track," she said shrewdly, eyes narrowing. "I wasn't done with you and those so-called Gryffindors."

A vein began throbbing over his eye, he could feel it. "Oh, leave it, can't you?"

"No!" She quickly ducked her head into the Muggle Studies classroom they were standing beside - evidently there were no classes that morning, as he found himself being chivvied inside.

"Hey!"

"When are you going to stop letting them push you around and stand up for yourself? Twists my knickers to see them rag on you like this!"