Katherine walked calmly down the halls of the crowded school, focusing only on the book in her hands. No matter how many times she read it she found herself drawn to Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. Her grandfather, Newt, had written this book. He had taught her how to love and care for many creatures before he passed, and she loved them the same.
Within minutes the third year found herself sitting on the sandy ground; reading once more about bowtruckles and how attached they become. She had just settled into a good rhythm when the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan found her hiding spot.
"Oi!" Lee called out, shattering the world she built around her.
Katherine jumped, slamming the book closed in fright. The boys broke into laughter, as children do, while Katherine gathered her things to leave. With those three around it wouldn't be quiet enough for Katherine to think let alone read.
"Running off so soon?" George asked as she tried to make a quick exit.
Katherine waved him off with her wand, shooting a soft jet from the lake onto his robes. The other boys laughed as she scurried away, and Katherine couldn't help but to let out a smile.
By the time she reached the castle she was more than ready for a hot meal and seat by the fire. She followed the other students as they made their way into the Great Hall.
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Not many had made it yet, dinner wasn't to start for another twenty minutes, but the younger students were eager to begin. Katherine found a quiet end of the Gryffindor table and continued to read in peace.
Katherine loved Hogwarts. From the moment she climbed into the boat and saw the castle from a distance she fell in love. This was almost powerful enough for her to consider teaching as a career afterwards, but a simple glance amongst her and her peers would show she shouldn't be the one to teach. She avoided people at most turns and found herself keeping those who wanted to be close at a safe distance. It was something her family found rather odd as she had never experienced any trauma in her life. She just instinctively found comfort in creatures instead of people. She spoke their language.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione took a few of the remaining seats left at the table as they stumbled in late from studying in the library. Fred and George walked with them while Lee took a seat with Angelina Johnson. George's face lit up as he spotted the empty seats near Katherine. He led the group forward and took a seat beside the quiet girl. Fred took the seat on her other side and picked up a role. The golden trio wearily sat across from her, although they were in her year they hadn't spoken much over the years.
"Such a small castle," George said cheekily.
Katherine groaned and closed her book, surprised that she had tuned out the beginning of the meal.
"I see you've dried off then," she responded in kind.
Fred choked on his roll a bit while George chuckled. Katherine felt crowded in the Weasley sandwich they created around her. With a sigh she began to fill up her plate with her favorites.
"Can you pass the potatoes please?" She asked Ron.
Ron Weasley was the youngest of the Weasley boys. His red hair sat a mop upon his head and his pale face was lined with many freckles. Without a word he handed over the bowl to her, surprised she spoke to him.
"I don't believe you've met. This is Ronald, our little brother," George said in the most pompous voice imaginable, "and the two friends he has. Harry Potter and Hermione Granger."
Katherine rolled her eyes at George, unaware of the boy who lived watching her warily.
"We've only been in the same house for three years Percy. I choose not to speak to you; I don't ignore you." Katherine said with a smile.
Fred choked on his pumpkin juice slightly, causing Katherine to chuckle.
"How are you liking Hogsmeade?" Katherine questioned the three across from her.
Harry looked at the table and Ron's mouth was so full of food he couldn't answer.
"It's lovely, Harry hasn't been yet." Hermione said.
Something about her tone and his reaction made her believe that he hadn't gotten permission to go. Watching him eat slowly caused her to frown.
"You're a third year now, what's your favorite class?" Fred asked changing the topic.
Fred and George had given Harry their map to sneak around the castle, and they didn't need him telling her about it.
"Care of Magical Creatures, " Katherine said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
George snorted at her causing Katherine to give him a glare.
"Is there a problem with that?"
"We just assumed it would be arithmetic," Fred joked.
Katherine rolled her eyes at the twins and continued eating.
"There is nothing wrong with arithmetic." Hermione began while the twins laughed.
Katherine quickly finished her food as they argued over arithmetic.
"Well this has been lovely, but I must be off."
Katherine quickly stood and left the table before the twins could protest. She clutched her book to her chest and made as though she would be heading to the common room.
As she neared the seventh floor she took a sharp turn down an old hallway that held classrooms nobody used. Walking back and forth three times the room she was looking for appeared, and with two steps she was back to her favorite part of Hogwarts: the Room of Requirement.
Everything was just as she had left it the day before. The smile on her face remained as she placed the book down on the nearest table and made her way to her potion station. Thankfully the room kept the ingredients that she needed fully stocked. Currently she was trying to master wolfsbane potion. A potion used to stop the transformation of a werewolf during the full moon. This was her first batch, and she was hoping it would work. This is the night it should be ready. Katherine quickly read the description of how it should turn out and then set about collecting it. Once she was done she was able to collect enough for two doses. Cleaning up her mess she moved onto her favorite part of the room.
A massive cage sat for the rest of the room. It wasn't to keep anything in, but to keep others out. Katherine muttered the spell to allow her in with a smile on her face.
Once inside the cage she felt free. She slowly walked around to see each of the creatures to make sure they had food, water, and each other. Her favorite part of the cage was the tree in the middle. This tree always made Katherine smile just a bit more, as it held Bowtruckles.
Every day for the past year she had come and sat at the tree, talking to the bowtruckles. Each day she had hoped that one might take to her, as they had her grandfather. She began by telling them about her day, what she had learned and her run in with the Weasley twins. Once she was done she sat at the base of the tree and continued to talk to them about all of the things happening in the wizarding world.
Finally after hours had passed and she believed she had run out of things to say for the day, she bid them goodnight. Leaving the cage was always the hardest part for Katherine. As the door closed behind her the smile began to fade. She slipped back on her outer robes and grabbed the potion and book. Leaving the Room of Requirement she made her way to the dorms. Normally she had left sooner, but tonight she really had her hopes on befriending a bowtruckle. As she walked quietly she almost made it to the door. Almost.
"Miss Scamander, do you know that students should not be wandering the halls at night?" Professor Snape's rang out in the darkness.
Katherine slowly turned around looking rather pale. She had gone two full years without detention and she had heard that his were rather awful.
"Yes Professor, I was just on my way back to the dorms, you see I've been working on a potion-"
"10 points from Gryffindor for being out past curfew," he drew out each word painfully slow. "What potion have you been working on?"
Katherine swallowed hard, suddenly wishing that she had taken the punishment in silence.
"A wolfsbane potion, sir. I had read about it in a book and I thought I would try..." Katherine's voice trailed off.
Snape's eyes held a certain glee she had never seen before.
"Well?" He asked. " Did you make it?"
"I believe so P-Professor, I haven't been able to t-test it yet, but-" Katherine stumbled over her words suddenly unsure of herself.
"Follow me, Ms. Scamander. "
Snape turned on his heel and began walking towards the grand staircase. His robes bellowed behind him and he walked with such a quick pace as to send his greasy black hair trailing behind him.
Katherine tucked her book into her robe where her wand was and clutched the potions to her chest as she followed him. She could practically hear her heart pounding in her chest as they took steps towards a room she had only heard about from others.
Once they reached this room, Professor Snape said the two words that Katherine was hoping he would not.
"Lemon Drop,"
The gargoyle slowly turned and revealed a staircase. Snape motioned for her to follow him as he swiftly walked up the stairs. With as fast as he was moving she believed he must be taking them two at a time.
At the top of the staircase there were three doors. Snape stood in front of the largest door in the middle. After a moment the door opened to reveal Dumbledore seated behind a desk that could have made anyone else look small, but somehow it made him look larger.
"Headmaster, I caught Ms. Scamander wandering the halls at night after brewing wolfsbane." Snape said simply.
Katherine was surprised that there was none of the usual malice in his voice that he used so commonly during lessons. He said it for what it simply was: a fact.
Headmaster Dumbledore looked at her with a twinkle in his eyes.
"I do recall you telling me once she needed advanced teachings with potions." Dumbledore said. He watched her carefully, out of her entire family she reminded him mostly of a young Newt. "I do believe you have a free period during your fourth and fifth blocks on Tuesdays and Thursdays."
Katherine nodded and began to worry. She really didn't want a detention period every day.
"Then its settled. You'll be joining Professor Snape's fifth year double potions lesson."
Katherine sat in shock at the headmaster's words. Fifth year potions.
"You'll need to work hard and I do believe that if you are in need of help there are students in your house willing to assist." Dumbledore finished.
After a moment of shocked silence on Katherine's part, Snape finally spoke up.
"I trust you can find your way back to the Gryffindor common room, Ms. Scamander. "
Katherine took his dismissal quickly, making a haste exit towards the doors.
"And Ms. Scamander, may I have the wolfsbane potions you made?"
Katherine stopped and almost tripped over herself placing them on Professor Dumbledores desk. He gave her a kind nod and she quickly escaped the tower.
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As she practically jogged towards her common room she couldn't help but to smile. She was going to take an advanced potions class! She hadn't heard of many doing that, yet alone anyone in her year.
By the time she had entered the common room, nobody was by the dying fire. Katherine eyed the warm seat she loved so much before deciding it was time for bed. Climbing the staircase towards the girls dorm she let out a yawn.
Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati were already sound asleep in their beds. Katherine quietly shrugged off her robe and slide into bed, too tired to realize a bowtruckle had climbed it's way onto her pillow.
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