Cerulean - Fred Weasley

Chapter 3 - First day of classes

"Wakey wakey rise and shine!"

"Argh, Ruth! Leave me be!" Simone shoved her head into her pillow.

"Come on, classes start in an hour. We need to get down to breakfast."

Simone reluctantly peeled herself from the bed, brushing her hair and getting dressed. 

Roger was engrossed in the daily prophet when the three girls arrived at the Ravenclaw table.

"Anything interesting?" Simone asked, plopping down next to him.

He shook his head. "Just coverage on the Triwizard tournament. I guess the whole country is excited. Our schedules have arrived by the way." He gestured to the papers in the centre of the table.

Simone seized hers. "hey! I've got double herbology first. I love herbology!"

"I have divination," Ruth said through a mouthful of eggs.

"Are any of you taking herbology?" They all shook their heads. 

"We have DADA together after lunch!" said Sophie.

"I can't pretend I'm not curious about what that guy is going to be teaching us." Roger looked over to Professor Moody at the teacher's table.

"I think he knows his stuff."

"You sure about that?" Sophie replied. "He can't be that great if he's gotten injured that much."

Simone rolled her eyes. "Are you kidding me? He's a legend. Taught my dad everything he knows. I heard he single-handedly took down Rosier."

"Maybe he'll teach us the unforgivable curses!" said Ruth.

"Whoa, slow down there Voldy"

Simone finished her cereal and began the long trudge to the greenhouses. The sky was a vagrant grey. She took a deep breath, taking in the glorious scent of overturned earth that comes after a storm. It was just as well that her friends weren't coming to herbology. She loved them, but there was something about the feeling of soil in between her fingers... it was nice to be alone. She was taking the hardest courses this year, it was mandatory to become an Auror. Still, getting outstanding in potions last year had nearly killed her. 

She opened the greenhouse doors, joining the other sixth-years. There were only eight of them, Simone recognized Cedric Diggory, the Hufflepuff quidditch captain, the Weasley twins, who grinned at her, Angelina Johnson, a Gryffindor, her dorm mate Lottie, and two menacing-looking Slytherins. 

"Good." Professor Sprout smiled warmly. "Now that we're all here, let's begin. Partner off." The Weasley twins went together, as did the Slytherins and Angelina and Lottie, leaving Simone with... 

"Cedric!" she called out warmly. He was a goofy kind of guy, a recurring star of the female population's affection. 

"Guess we're partners." He grinned. "This is why I love Ravenclaws. They'll do all the work."

She swatted him.

"Only joking, Simone. Not that I would mess with you, you nearly killed me last year in quidditch!"

"I couldn't let you win."

Professor Sprout set them to work right away, collecting snargaluff pods. Cedric prodded the stump with his wand. It sprang to life at once, prickly purple tentacles waving through the air. 

"I'm going for it!" Simone yelled. She plunged her arm into the mouth of the beast, pulling out a tennis ball-sized pod. The vines slipped back into the log, returning to an appearance of innocence. She panted. "That was hard work."