Something About Harry: The Lilia Watt Files

Chapter Two

Ginny and I shared a compartment with a few other fourth years, and while Ginny chatted pleasantly with them, I sat in thought. What a boring person I am, I thought. Strange how all manner of things can go on at Hogwarts and nothing ever happens to me. I didn't mention this to Ginny, who I knew would tell me sharply to be grateful for it. Ah well, off to another year we are, same as always. Formalities over, Ginny could go back to criticizing me.

As we clattered up the way to the castle in our horseless carriages, I wondered again, how I could possibly be bored with this. After all, I was a witch (though not a very good one), and how many people could say that? I looked around. Okay, a lot of people could say that. I concentrated on being happy that I was alive to be bored, though this thought didn't help much. Pity parties are my specialty.

We stepped out at the gates, and it was swelteringly hot, even for the UK. It was humid and damp, and the students picked their way along the cobbled ground, trying to avoid puddles. Me being the accident-prone type that I am, I was talking to Vivan, a third year, when one of these puddles slipped my notice. Which wasn't the only thing that slipped. I fell backwards and was caught, thankfully, before I hit the hard ground. "Thanks," I said breathlessly, then found myself looking into a pair of brilliant green eyes.

"No trouble," answered Harry, going a peculiar shade of magenta as he helped me upright. I glared at his back. How "nice" of him.

Ginny shot me a slightly contemptuous look as I sidled casually back over to her, watching my step this time. I sighed. "Oh, come on Ginny, give it up already. Potter's full of himself."

"He is not!" she replied defensively.

"Blind, you are," I answered, feigning sadness.

She crossed her arms, looking huffy.

By this time we'd entered the Great Hall, and the crowd walking in fell silent, taking their seats at their house tables.

Everyone around me shifted impatiently in his or her seats as the Sorting progressed. Well, actually, it inched along. The silence ceased as "Zorkovsky, Christina" was made a Ravenclaw.

"Blimey, I'm hungry," commented a round-faced third year to his friend.

"When aren't you?" his friend shot back.

The chatter again stopped as Dumbledore stood. "Though events of last term must be taken into consideration, I must advise you all not to worry unless called upon to do so." A smile tugged at his lips. "And as I see you have all been waiting patiently - or impatiently as the case may be - I have but a word to say to you: Begin!"

"Finally," moaned the round-faced boy.

I was in agreement. The gold plates filled with food, and everyone ate voraciously.

"Won't you have anything to eat?" I pleaded with Nearly Headless Nick.

"Pointless," he replied.

"Ah well, it isn't very good anyway," I said in attempt to make him feel better.

"I believe you," he answered, his voice dripping sarcasm.

"Aw give up, Lilia, you try that every year," Ginny told me.

"I wonder what our schedules are this year," I mused.

"I'd say perfect if we could drop Potions," she said with a sigh.

I gave a derisive laugh. "At least you're doing well in it."

She didn't answer. Obviously I had a point.

My friend on the other side of me, Ariana Mellengraf, said reassuringly, "You've gotten through it for three years, you'll do it again."

I smiled wanly. "Not if the Slytherins can help it."

We went on in this manner, finally with Ginny concluding, somewhat bitterly, "As much as you say you hate this place, I can't help wondering why you stay."

Taking this for her to mean that I chose to be terrible at my studies, I kept my mouth shut for the rest of dinner, though the comment smarted a bit. Maybe she'd be less irritable in the morning.

After dinner, we made our way sleepily up to Gryffindor Tower, Ginny and I still not speaking. What a day.

At the breakfast table, we were handed our new schedules as the morning mail arrived. Nothing for me. Again.

"Potions in the morning," I said, trying my best not to sound whiny.

"Ah, but we're not with the Slytherins this year!" observed Ginny cheerfully. She was happier in the morning.

That, at least, made me smile. "I'm sorry I complain so much, Ginny. It just upsets me that I'm a near failure at magic."

She put a comforting arm around me. "Don't worry, Lilia, we'll get through it together, just like we always do, okay?"

I grinned. "You can count on it." Little did I know how different that year would be.

Snape seemed to have lost none of his usual bitterness over summer break.

"Though it is the beginning of the year, I will have no slackers this term. Today we'll see how well you remember what you learned last year. Swelling Solutions! Finish by the end of class," he said silkily, turning and pointedly sneering at me.

"I've got an antidote ready, Watt," he added, shaking a little bottle at me.

Ginny, Ariana, and I worked diligently on the solutions. Fortunately for myself, this was one I remembered.

I busied myself adding the last of the ingredients, and the three of us were quite satisfied with the solution. Snape bitterly awarded us full points. I beamed at Ginny and Ariana, but for my lack of attention I paid dearly. It seemed that there was too much in the cauldron, for it fast began tilting, then spilled all over the table. I buried my face in my hands in exasperation, and grabbed a towel. It hit no one, luckily, but the bell chose that moment to ring.

"Ten points from Gryffindor for your inattentiveness, Watt," called Snape over the heads of the departing class.

I scowled, and said hurriedly to Ginny, "I'll catch up with you."

"McGonagall will have your head if you're late," she answered, leaving.

"I've lived through it before," I replied as I wiped up the mess of Swelling Solution.

I sped off to Transfiguration when this was done, hardly watching where I was going. Excellent move. I smacked right into someone going the opposite way, sending both their books and mine to the floor.

"I'm so sorry," I muttered, gathering my books. "Wasn't paying attention..." We'd both grabbed the same quill, which turned out to be mine, and I took this moment to look at the victim of my clumsiness. Brilliant. Ugh. It was Potter.

"It's okay, neither was I," he answered, his voice shaking slightly.

My expression shifted to mild disgust, and I looked at my watch. Thinking it best to end the conversation, I mumbled, "Sorry again, but I'm late for Transfiguration."

"Good luck," he called after me as I took off running again.

I walked cautiously into McGonagall's class and sat down at my seat, pretending I had been there all along. McGonagall continued lecturing.

"I hope everything hasn't leaked out of your heads this summer, and I'd like to thank Miss Watt for gracing us with her presence," she finished sharply. "Not a good way to begin the year," she said, glaring at me over her spectacles. I hid behind my books, and Ginny gave me a sympathetic look. Oh, if she only knew.

"Reviews!" barked McGonagall, passing out hedgehogs to turn into pincushions. Ah, good, I can get through this, I thought. McGonagall placed a fat hedgehog on my desk. It blinked benignly up at me.

"Okay, you little cactus, I have to turn you into a pincushion." I pointed my wand at it. I began to say the spell, and a bright, vivid blue light shot from my hand, right at the poor, unsuspecting animal. It blew up like an enormous balloon, and shot quills around the classroom, where they ricocheted off the walls. My classmates all ducked under their desk, but thankfully no one was hurt badly. Ariana had a quill in her nose, and a boy named Aidan Quinn emerged with many spikes in his bum.

"You and Longbottom ought to get together sometime," commented Professor McGonagall, her voice quivering with a mixture of anger and surprise.

I looked back at Ginny, who shrugged. Just like every other first day, I supposed. It wouldn't have been too bad except for what I heard on the way out.

"Lilia..."

"...so clumsy, it's a wonder she got into Hogwarts....."

"...maybe she should try that Kwikspell thing....."

Halfway between exploding and crying, I stormed from the classroom, past the people commenting about me. Witches, hmph.

I didn't talk much during lunch, their words still spinning in my head. I was busy with my food, and Ariana interrupted me.

"Er...Lilia?"

"What?" I answered sourly.

"You're putting ketchup on your cake," she said, pointing.

I sighed disgustedly and pushed my newly red chocolate dessert away.

"Are you alright?" Ginny asked me, sounding concerned.

"I'm great, lovely, just perfect," I retorted, trying to hide my tone of pain.

Ginny seemed to be fighting a scowl.

"It's all okay for you," I continued in my anger. "You're a pure-blood wizard, good at magic, and you can walk and talk at the same time without crashing into something." I put my head down on my arms, getting cake in my hair.

She still had nothing to say, or if she did she was holding her comment.

Things were stranger during that first month. Similar events like the Transfiguration incident were rare, and Ginny was strangely distant from me. I usually exasperated her, but now she had no smart remarks, or comebacks, or irritated sighs. She was simply quiet, and seemed empty. This confused me, but it all became clear one day as we were walking through the halls.

Now halls may not seem an extraordinary place, but I suppose what happened hit Ginny where it hurt. She, Ariana, and I were taking our time walking to Herbology, when none other than Ron, Hermione, and Harry passed by us. The halls were crowded, and Harry and I brushed arms momentarily, and we kept on walking. I rolled my eyes. He, however, had gone slightly red and was staring after me. As soon as we were outside, Ginny spoke up, fury in her every word.

"I see what you're trying to do, Lilia, little miss 'Feel sorry for me because I'm a ditz'. You can't get to me, and I won't let you take Harry!"

I stood back and gasped, thunderstruck and completely bewildered. "What do you mean, d'you think I'm looking for your pity? And how exactly could I take Harry, especially since he's not yours to begin with? I don't even want him!"

"Trying to work him over, looking pretty and helpless, an 'exotic' American," she spat, shaking. I had apparently hit a nerve deep within her.

"Oh ho, so now I act like a klutz on purpose and I flaunt myself? Give me a break!" I snapped at her.

"You're nothing but a superficial idiot and...and a Squib!" she shouted, turning on her heel and running off to Herbology.

Ariana ran after her, trying to get her to make up with me I guess, and I just stood there, my mouth hanging open. A Squib. She had called me a Squib. I walked blindly to Herbology, astonished that she would call me such a thing, and that she would accuse me of being accident-prone to get attention. No, not this, not right now...

Ariana tried to mediate us during Herbology, as we extracted bubotuber pus. Nevertheless, Ginny was still upset that I had caught Harry's eye, and I was flabbergasted that she had called me what might as well have been a Muggle. Such a petty girl, I thought bitterly to myself. All I did was accidentally touch his arm! She nonchalantly aimed a bubotuber at me, and it squirted pus onto my hands, which swelled rapidly. She ducked behind Ariana, smirking.

"Get yourself to the hospital wing, Miss Watt, Madam Pomfrey will fix you up," Professor Sprout said, ushering me out of the greenhouse.

Ginny and I weren't speaking, obviously. I'd always had trouble admitting things to Ariana, who was a little nosy and tended to talk a lot, so I tried to study. The least I could do was prove Ginny wrong.