Going Home

The remaining weeks before it was time to head home for the holiday break passed by fairly quickly. Soon, it was the last day of the semester and we were all headed home for a couple of weeks. During breakfast at the great hall, I was mentally going over the progress I have had over the past semester.

I made great strides on mastering occlumency, and my dueling skills have greatly improved. I had developed a few unique ideas that I thought would take my opponents off guard. I was counting on occlumency and dueling to help me enact my plans in the future.

On a side note, Professor Snape's continued mental intrusions have made my occlumency skills improve by leaps and bounds. By the time winter break had arrived, I was able to hold a mental shield up during his entire class, with only developing a mild headache.

As such, I put aside my initial plans of revenge on hold. As frustrating as the past month has been, at least it has merited results. During the first couple of weeks of mind-numbing headaches, I had briefly toyed with the idea of poisoning Professor Snape, nothing deadly, just something to let him know that there are consequences for what he had been doing. He's lucky that when it comes to all matters relating to occlumency, my lips have been magically sealed because of the Ravenclaw trial.

Shaking my head, I turned my thoughts away from the deep rabbit hole of revenge. It probably wouldn't have worked anyway, what kind of potions master walks around without a few anti-poison potions?

Across the table, I could see Jessica sulking. As the headache had become more manageable, my grades in potions had started to return to normal. They weren't one hundred percent back to where it was, but it was getting there. When it came to grades, she was within spitting distance of catching up, the only area where she struggled was in transfiguration and some other practical magics.

I'm pretty sure she didn't do anything but study all the time, I bet if Hermione and Jessica met they would be the best of friends. Well, only if they didn't compete against one another academically. Now that I think about it, best to make sure they don't interact, I don't need that headache.

I turned my thoughts to my efforts in spellcraft this semester. Outside of transfiguration, I'm ahead in the rest of my classes. If it weren't for Professor McGonagall's warning that anyone would be banned if she caught any student practicing transfiguration outside of class. She had given me permission to practise the spells I had already mastered, but warned me not to proceed any further.

I wasn't sure about how serious she was, so I didn't take the chance, transfiguration has the most potential to go horribly wrong. Right now, it was frustrating. It felt like I was being slowed down, at least according to her, once we're in our third year, we will be able to work outside of her class on projects.

Thankfully, there were no such restrictions in my other classes. I finished all the spells in the standard book of spells grade three and had moved on to the fourth year. If all goes as planned, I will finish up by the end of the school year.

Interrupting my thoughts was a familiar mental poke on my mental shield. "Son of a mountain troll." I cursed.

Turning, I scanned the front of the hall, looking for a familiar sneering face. My eyes narrowed when I found my target, sitting up with the rest of the Professors looking smug.

Seeing his dark eyes glittered smugly at me, outrage welled up within me, and I mentally cursed. Dammit Professor Snape! It's breakfast time. It's the most important meal of the day. Is there nothing sacred to you? A man should be allowed to eat in peace.

Grabbing the bagel in front of me, I tore into it furiously. If there was a competition for angry eating, I'm pretty sure I would win hands down.

While I sat there devouring my breakfast like a starved wolf, I brooded, and not the useless type of brooding where someone just feels sorry for themselves. No, I was mulling over how I would pay Professor Snape back, I was willing to let the classroom attacks slide as I had almost set the room on fire, and my occlumency was improving, but I refuse to surrender my mealtimes to that... That monster.

While I sat there, several avenues of revenge came to mind. The most satisfying included locking Professor Snape in a room with Hagrid's chimaera. It had been rapidly growing in size, and after almost burning down Hagrid's hut, it was getting too dangerous to keep around. Yet another monster homeward-bound to the forbidden forest.

As amusing as it was to picture Professor Snape being chased around by a chimaera, I tossed that idea to the side. He was too talented a wizard to be caught like that. No, this called for something more subtle, something he wouldn't be able to escape.

Thoughts of Sirius flashed through my head, and the bare bones of a plan were hatched. Professor Snape wouldn't see this coming. It was an act of slow revenge, and it would take years to come to fruition. But, by the time he knew what hit him, it would be too late, and he would be absolutely miserable.

"Alex... Are you ok?" Jessica's voice rang out.

Turning, I saw her looking at me with concern. Giving her a wolfish smile, "I'm fine, just plotting the downfall of my enemies."

She gave me a nervous laugh, not sure if I was joking or not.

After breakfast, everyone heading home for the holiday break, shuffled off to the Hogwarts Express eager for two weeks with no homework.

As Jessica and I made our way through the train, I stopped when I saw Cedric waving that he had a compartment reserved. Alicia and Anna were already inside, and as I slid into the seat. Jessica asked, "Mind if I join you?"

"Sure, the more, the merrier," I replied.

Jessica took a seat next to me, sandwiching me in between her and Cedric. Across from me, Alicia let out a slight groan, leaned forward, and put her head in her hands. Anna narrowed her eyes, seeming displeased with something.

As the train started rolling towards London, our cabin was filled with uncomfortable silence. Saving me from the growing tension, Cedric remarked, "Micheal stopped by just before you got here."

Grateful to take my mind of the cold war that seemed to be developing between Anna and Jessica, I turned to Cedric, "What did that little troll turd want?"

"I don't know. My guess is you. Michael took one look at us, and once he saw that you weren't here, he stormed off." Cedric explained in a low tone. "Have you had any more run-ins with him this year?"

"Outside of an odd hex or two, no, not any more than usual. Which is actually strange, I've been expecting the blowback for what I did to him over the summer. It's odd that he hasn't retaliated yet."

Cedric made a low murmur of agreement. It was strange the Micheal hadn't retaliated. I didn't like it, while Micheal is decently talented, it was offset by his impulsive and easily enraged personality. The fact that he hasn't made a move means something.

Whether Micheal is suddenly developing patience or receiving advice on how to react, neither option is pleasing. I will need to be on my guard.

Around midway through the trip, Alicia, Cedric and I were arguing about which broomstick Cedric should get. Cedric's father had promised to buy him a new one for Christmas.

While we were discussing the pro and cons of the various models, part of me was paying attention to Anna and Jessica. They seemed to be engaged in some form of verbal combat that only they knew the rules too. If one didn't know better, they might think that they were just conversing, but from their facial expressions and tones, there seemed to be some complex point system that only they understood.

At one point, Jessica was innocently studying her fingernails when she remarked, "You know, I'm glad I'm in Ravenclaw."

Anna narrowed her eyes, sensing a trap but not sure where it was, "Oh really, why is that? It's not like your quidditch team is worth bragging about."

Jessica stopped admiring her fingernails as she clenched her hands in anger for a moment before releasing them and answering in a sugary sweet voice, "It's nice because Alex and I get to spend a lot of time together." Jessica adopted a sympathetic expression, "It must be hard for you to spend time with your friends, considering that they're all in different houses. It's great that all I need to do is go down to the common room.

"Not at all," Anna countered. "Just because something is convenient doesn't mean it's good. Besides, I've hung out with my friends a lot, having to put in some effort to hang out just shows how close we are, Alex and I will even be getting together over the break."

Jessica's eyes flared with annoyance, and countered, "I agree, effort is important. Alex has even spent time helping me with my transfiguration."

Anna ground her teeth together for a moment before a sly look appeared on her face. "You need tutoring? I thought Ravenclaws were supposed to be smart." she sneered in disdain.

"We are," Jessica gritted through her teeth. Mimicking Anna's sneer, Jessica viciously returned, "And it's good that Alex is in Ravenclaw, at least there he can be around his... Intellectual equals."

As they continued to throw verbal barbs at one another, I turned my full attention back to Cedric and Alicia. There is no way I was getting involved in their little spat. I wish that they would learn to be friends, you would think since I was friends with both of them they would be able to find some common ground.

The rest of the trip seemed to pass slowly. By the time we got to London, Alicia was glaring at me like everything was somehow my fault. I don't know what her problem is. I didn't do anything.

When the train stopped, Alicia and Cedric bolted from our compartment as quickly as they could. "See you in a couple of weeks," Cedric called out over his shoulder as he disappeared into the crowd.

Grumbling under my breath, "Traitor. And here I thought Hufflepuffs were supposed to be loyal."

Just as I was about to follow, Jessica grabbed my arm and asked, "Hey Alex, how about you introduce me to your parents and those little sisters you like to brag about."

Not seeing a way to decline, I replied, "Sure, you'll like my dad, he was in Ravenclaw as well."

Making our way out to the station, I noticed Anna was following as well. Seeing me raise an eyebrow, she answered my wordless question, "I want to say hi to your parents as well. She turned to Jessica and smirked, "Our families have been friends since we were kids."

Not waiting to see Jessica's reaction, I started making my way through the crowd eager to get this over with and go home.

When my parents saw me, they unleashed Sasha and Rebecca, who took off like rockets and bulldozed into me, nearly bowling me over.

I couldn't help but smile fondly. I had missed the little stinkers. Once I got the twins to settle, I motioned towards my friends, "Mum, Dad, this is Jessica, she is a friend of mine from Ravenclaw. She is right below me in the rankings."

Dad smiled and said, "Alex has said you're brilliant. Its good to know that Alex has some competition in Ravenclaw, nothing keeps you on your toes like healthy competition ."

Jessica blushed, "It's all I can do to keep within sight of Alex." Shooting me a halfway annoyed look, "He's so good at everything it's annoying. Anyways, It's nice to meet you, Mr. Fawley. My parents have told me that your enchantments are of the highest quality," Jessica complimented.

On the other side, Anna snorted, "Everyone knows that Fawley's Wondrous Enchantments is the best." Reaching down, she hugged the twins and whispered something in their ears. I don't know what she said, but Sasha gasped in surprise, and Rebecca laughed and developed naughty smirk as she eyed Jessica.

You know what? I don't even want to know. Giving dad a helpless look, I mouthed, "Save me."

He raised an eyebrow as he took in Jessica and Anna glaring at one another before he shot me a wry grin, like he had all the answers and the whole thing was amusing to him. I would need to interrogate him later, if he knew the solution to my problem, it was his father-bound duty to help me understand.

Interrupting everything was Mum, she enveloped me in one of her famous octopus-like hugs where it was nearly impossible to escape her grasp. "I missed you." She whispered as she almost squeezed the life out of me.

After a few more moments of greeting, Dad shook Jessica's hand, "Well, we have to be going, it was nice to meet you, Jessica." Turning to Anna, he added, "Anna, it's good to see you again, tell your parents to contact us, maybe we can have dinner soon."

As we left, I waved goodbye. Anna shot Jessica one final victorious look as she called out, "Alex, I'll see you in a few days."

It was all I could do not to shudder, why did that sound like a threat? I was ready for a break from those two. Being stuck in a train compartment for the better part of six hours with them was exhausting.