Year Two - Chapter Two

The second year started with me gazing into the eyes of the Thestrals pulling the second years and above's carriages, and the Thestrals looking back at me. They neighed, and I bitterly patted the creature's neck before climbing on the carriage. "You waving at the air?" Wayne asked, but I shook my head in answer.

"Thestrals," I said with a sigh, "Only those who have seen death with their eyes can see them," I added as Wayne's brows furrowed. "They're the ones driving the carriage."

"Blimey," Wayne exhaled, "It's the second time I'm getting my foot stuck in my mouth. I'm sorry Shade-"

"It's all right," I chuckled, shaking my head with a sigh. "It was nothing that dramatic."

Nothing more was said, and as we reached the dining hall, we patiently waited for the feast to start.

It did, but without Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. I barely noticed it, and thus as I realized that things were proceeding according to plans, I inwardly knew what was to come.

Ginny Weasley would open the Chamber of Secrets. Some people would end up petrified. Then they'd be made better. All that I needed to do was steer clear of the second floor, and of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, and everything would be fine by the end of the year. If I remembered correctly, they'd even suspend exams this year. I only needed to work my way through the fact there was a deadly kill-with-sight giant snake and steer clear of potential controversies about the Heir of Slytherin.

I had new and powerful magics to master, and there would be no help from the pompous Gilderoy. This year's firsties were a bunch of kids, but then again, so were we. It was eerie how I watched countless unknown faces look up with hope at everyone around them, and yet my eyes were drawn to the only one I vaguely recognized. She was wearing a strange necklace with something metallic attached to it, and had her wand behind her ear. She seemed to be amiably chatting with other fellow students, so I let her be, but I reckoned her strangeness would show herself soon enough, and the rest of the house would then attack her like a flock of crows from that famous Hitchcock movie.

Luna Lovegood, 'Loony', had arrived in Ravenclaw.

I ate, and did my best to ignore the gnawing nervousness wallowing inside my stomach. It would be theoretically easy to prevent everything from happening. However, if I did that, Dobby wouldn't be freed from Malfoy, and I dimly remembered him being important for future reasons. No, I could not interfere. Not yet. Until the fourth year, when a death happened, I needed to prepare.

I glanced at the origami-shaped paper that unfolded in front of my eyes. I looked straight at the timetable, and then cursed inwardly. This wasn't just a timetable. This was death waiting to happen.

"We have no Monday or Tuesday, only a tranquil death," I whispered gloomily. Amanda was happily chatting away with other girls, and the trio of Ravenclaw boys my age were busy talking about Quidditch matches. My words were drowned in the chatters and the murmurs of fools that couldn't understand what it would mean to have such a hefty workload on those days, as well as a History of Magic before lunch.

If the professor forgot about ending the lesson, then we'd end up coming late for lunch, and that was unacceptable.

"I need to safeguard the holy lunch," I whispered some more, before grabbing hold of the mashed potatoes and serving myself a platter of it. Then, I glanced at the fork by the side of the plate and extended my fingers, "Accio," I hissed.

The fork floated into my hand. With a satisfied grin, I grabbed hold of the knife the same way and began to eat. It made me feel pleased with myself. It was small, and ineffective for moving anything heavier than a pebble, but it was progress. It was the kind of progress I could practice every day and every night with ease, because it was the product of laziness.

Bill Gates once claimed that he'd rather hire a lazy and smart person than a hard working and smart one, because the former would find quicker and easier ways of doing their work, while the latter would just work hard. He wouldn't have hired Hufflepuffs.

Dinner done with, I walked my way up to the Ravenclaw dormitory together with the rest of the house students. "Remember that the door will test your wits each time you need to open it, so if you fail at using your wits, house cooperation will work instead," the Prefect said. Then, he easily solved the riddle and allowed everyone inside. My room mates remained unchanged, and as little discussion was had, I quickly went to sleep in the comfort of the comfiest bed there ever was.

The next morning, I had coffee waiting for me by my bed-desk. Just a quick pick-me-up to get me started on the day ahead, but it was glorious to be back at Hogwarts.

"Hey," a student said, catching my attention as I was about to leave. "Where's..." he looked down at his timetable, "Potions? Nobody said anything but 'the dungeons'..."

"Ah, listen," I answered with a smile. "You just need the general direction. Potions' in the dungeons. You don't need to worry about being late, or lost, or whatever. The castle will guide you as long as you want to reach the Potions' classroom. Just remember to watch out when you take the stairs. They'll move you wherever the hell they want to move you," I grinned brightly as I said that, "So learn a fall-cushioning charm as soon as possible, and practice it. it won't help you get back up, but at least should keep you from arriving late for those classes in the dungeons."

"Thanks, I guess?" the first year muttered in disbelief, his friends nearby worried about the newly found information.

"Don't be scared little chicks," I said with a hearty chuckle. "You're at Hogwarts. You can do magic," I stressed it forth. "Nothing is impossible for the likes of you," I grinned, and raised my wand. "The spell for cushioning one's fall is Molliare and all you need is to point it at the area you want to be mollified from." My smile turned sadistic. "It also has other uses, and helps greatly if you point it at an enemy with a baseball bat, for example, or at a stray bludger." I sighed. "I would have avoided so many beatings if I had just learned this spell first," I chuckled at their wide eyes, filled with fright. "Not like anyone's going to beat you up here, but wary the Weasleys, for they are dangerous weasels that seek to chew on the flesh of the young chicks and-"

"Shade!" Amanda interrupted me. I looked at the girl, and at the rest of her friends nearby. "You're scaring the first years."

I gave a single nod. "Can I join?" she asked next.

"I...uh?" I blinked, and she did indeed join...on the side of the first years. She had to feel more comfortable now than she did in the first year. First year students at schools are normally the most polite, since they need to adapt to the environment. It's generally from the second year above that they become hooligans of death and destruction, and blossom into wonderful flowers of schadenfreude.

"What are you doing over there?" I asked her, puzzled beyond belief.

"Well, if it's something scary, then I want to hear it and get scared too," Amanda pressed on.

Oh...Oh.

So if I had a Ravenclaw Thrill-Seeker as a friend...

...what would the other two be, I wondered?