Chapter 8
~ Charms classroom ~
The Queen enters the classroom blasting through the door as loudly and as arrogantly as possible, the door wasn't a worthy opponent for her, so she swatted it away.
This brought the attention of everybody to her, even Professor Flitwick's, who was startled by the sound of the door hitting the sides, one of the hinges coming off, he thought that somebody hexed the door or used some charm on it, but when he looked up, all he saw, somebody barely taller than him. He wanted to say something. But he saw the Queen raise her hand, to show that he should not talk, he wanted to say something against that, but the Queen stopped paying any attention to him and was just glancing around.
The Queen was looking for the best seat, the perfect one, and of course, it was yet again in the middle, in the spotlight, so everybody could clearly see her. So without a word, without any falter to her movement, without caring that somebody was already sitting there, she walked up to that sit, she took her wand from her ear.
Which Filtwick was ready to go against because he didn't know what the new student was up to, her expressions not showing anything. The Queen obviously saw it and only smirked at the professor, as if to dare him to try anything. So he backed off, for now.
With everybody looking at her, especially the young Gryffindor boy who sits at the selected table of the Queen, with a snare he stares at her. The Queen playfully raises her eyebrow. Not even remotely bothered by the glare she's receiving, toying with him. She quickly glances around. And sees that Ginny is already in the class, also sitting with some other Ravenclaw girl, both looking at her. Great, this is going to go swimmingly.
And so, she begins her show.
She casts the levitation charm, pronouncing 'Wingardium Leviosa' perfect, directs it to the Gryffindor who's starting to sweat. He starts to float, being helpless and unable to do anything against it.
Professor Flitwick finally stands up and tries to defuse the situation. But he doesn't get the chance, more like, he wasn't allowed one. As he was hit by a strong 'Immobulus' The students gasped and looked horrified at the action that the Queen pulled. She only smiled without a care of what she has done.
Luna of course was already in the classroom, since the class should be in order. she's just watching. Only amazed that the Queen got the best of the teacher so easily. But, knowing that she wouldn't actually hurt anybody, she doesn't think about it twice. And just watches the spectacle, it's entertaining, can't hurt her for liking it.
So while Filtwick is forced to watch what's happening in his classroom without being able to help. Yet... he's impressed by the student's power. She not only cast a strong enough levitation charm that let her float a human, but she also easily immobilized him. So from now, he will be watching her with a critical eye.
The Queen floats the boy to an empty seat, deactivates the levitation charm, looks at the Professor, releases him, and sits down gracefully, without saying or letting out a single sound. Luna thinks that she looks royally good and cute at the same time, she's trying so hard for her, all just that she could sit with Ginny. She's all smiles.
Professor Flitwick looks around the classroom, he sees perplexed students, some speechless, some with scowls on their faces, presumable for treating the teacher in such a way, then there's the scared Gryffindor, he was manhandled like a toddler, he's mad and red from embarrassment. Then he also sees a student smiling warmly... That puts him off for a second before he refocuses his attention to the Queen. waiting to see if she does anything else, but she doesn't. So he finally speaks.
"Uhm... Miss Crimson" The Queen looks up to him, still smiling the same way as she first came into the room.
"Could you explain your actions? I don't want to take away any points from your house, so I would be grateful for any sort of explanation" He says, hopeful.
The Queen looks at him for a while, then shrugs and nods.
"Simple. I didn't like where that boy was sitting"
Everybody just stares confused, waiting for more, but realizing that nothing will come, they are thinking if they are dreaming, they don't understand this at all. The Ravenclaw are faring better than the Gryffindor since they already saw how ridiculous classes are with the Queen during the potions class.
"Could you elaborate more?" Flitwick asks again, patient.
"Sure, well, I came into the classroom" She looks at the door, seeing the hinges broken, she casts a quick 'Repairo' like it was nothing and turns back to the Professor, who's stunned yet again, the Queen doesn't seem to realize this and just continues.
"So, when I got here, I took a glance around, saw every seat, while looking around, I thought of the best place to sit, a place worthy of a Queen and this right here?" She points to the table she's sitting at.
"This is it. It's in the spotlight, as I should be in it at all times. Now everybody can see me, everybody can hear me perfectly and so, I took it, as it's rightfully mine. I was too bored, too lazy to talk, so I just used some spells as you should in a school about wizardry and here we are, I am sitting while you're questioning me. Are you satisfied with the answer, Professor?" The Queen asks.
In the background, Luna just shakes her head, then focuses her stare at Ginny.
Flitwick just thinks for a bit before trying to speak his mind.
"But... We have sitting arrangements and people have their partners" Flitwick wants to continue, but the Queen raises her hand again in a motion to stop talking.
"Right, right... Professor. You do realize I am new here right?"
"Uhm... Yeah?"
"So I would need a table to sit at and a partner"
"Right, you were going to get one"
"That's the problem, sir"
The Professor was getting more and more confused by the second.
"You don't understand? Okay, let me put it as best as I can, so everybody here can understand. The problem is, I ain't going to settle for a mediocre sitting place, nor am I going to settle for a partner that was given to me without me knowing. So, dear Professor. I am choosing my own table, I am choosing my own partner and if they already have both, I don't care at all, they should be glad that the Queen even glanced at them, let alone chose them. So, we are redoing this whole partner thing and you won't be able to do a single thing about it. Understand, Professor?"
All the students are just watching this scene playing it befuddled. While the Professor is trying to think of something to say, but the Queen doesn't have the time to wait for him to say something. So she begins without him.
"And so, since the Professor is silent, I will take it as an agreement. Now, now, now. Who shall I pick..." The Queen looks around, spots Luna, and winks at her, to indicate that she should be ready to ask Ginny. Luna nods, still a bit uncertain of the outcome, but she won't let the Queen's efforts go in vain. She will try at least.
The Queen keeps looking and for a better chance for her Moon to get what she wants, she looks at Ginny, Ginny thinking that she may be picked, tries to hide a little, but she doesn't need to, as the Queen then locks her red eyes with a brown pair, that's the previous partner of Ginny, now the new partner of the Queen. The Queen stole her because Ginny could easily ask her to be her partner again because they worked for a bit already. But she's not getting the chance.
"There we go, you there, Ravenclaw girl, you'll be my partner, I think you're one of the few who are worthy, so come along now, I won't wait for long. I might use the same treatment I used on that boy before. So, come, come. Don't be shy" The Queen talks to the girl, who at first was startled at getting picked, but hearing what she says, she runs to the Queen as fast as she could.
The Queen seeing it actually gets a genuine smile on her face. The poor girl is trying so hard to please her when she only got picked because she was Ginny's partner... So she decided to actually be nice to her and try to pay attention to her. Because without that reason, the Queen would've never looked at her, nor talked to her.
"Good girl, here, take my hand, and copy my movements, you aren't going to sit down like a peasant when you're a partner with a Queen"
The girl takes the Queen's hand. The Queen feels her shaking, she squeezes her hand in a comforting manner, it helps the girl a little, as she seems to relax, she also gets a little bit bold, by squeezing back, but the Queen won't reprimand her for it. She likes bold people after all. It shows that they aren't too scared of her. She seems to have found a diamond in a rough, maybe she will make her right-hand woman or something along those lines. She will think about it.
So the Queen takes her robe in her right hand, while she holds the girl's right hand with her left, raising it a little. The girl seeing this tries to imitate the action as best as she could. A little bit wonky, the Queen thinks, but good regardless, with more practice, she will be perfect. She's liking this more and more.
The Queen bends to the front a little and her posterior back, sitting down gracefully, with one single movement, no extra movements needed, with her right hand on her lap, still holding the girl's hand, never releasing it.
The girl does it too, it wasn't in one graceful move, but it was better than the Queen expected, so she smiles at the girl and finally asks her name.
"Good girl, you did alright, with more practice, you should be worthy to sit with me, so tell me, what is the lady's name?"
The girl blushes a little by the praise and being called a lady. As a muggle-born, she doesn't get many of those, insults are the thing she hears more of. So she's very flattered.
"It's...Priscia, Priscia Alpin" The girl says shyly. The Queen only smiles at her.
"It's a nice name, I will call you Pri, during these classes and outside of it if we ever meet. Okay? Pri?" The Queen asks her kindly.
"Y-Yes, of course, Queen" Oh, look it's a puppy, a cute puppy, already knowing who's the master. The Queen beams at her.
"No need for that, I call you, Pri, you can call me, Luna or Lun, since there's a second one in this class"
"I-I would l-like to call you Lun if that's okay with y-you" The Girl still with red ear tips says.
"Of course, I insist even, your voice is really nice, the way you say my name, it sounds good to my ears. So go ahead, say it as many times as you want. Call out to me when you want to, I will always have time to answer you"
The girl only blushes more from the attention and just shyly nods. The Queen chuckles a little but doesn't say anything. She glances around the class and the still speechless students. They are speechless because of the 180 on the Queen's attitude.
"So, here, I have my seat, I have my partner, so you can choose your own, I give you 3 minutes to get yourself a partner, or I will forcefully choose for you. I don't have patience for the tardy. I want the class to finally start. Chop, chop. move"
The students and the Professor are stunned, the crimson-haired girl seeing this, rolls her eyes and claps twice loudly, but smoothly. And finally, everybody moves, chaos reigning over the classroom, the Queen only smiling and looking at Luna, at her Moon, moving towards the target, Ginny still hasn't moved once.
Ginny was left completely puzzled, first, this girl from yesterday takes over the ceremony, today she takes over the classroom, even charming the teacher, now she's bossing around the other students and also, has stolen her partner. Who she could actually tolerate talking to, as a lot of Ravenclaw are 'know-it' alls, so now she's frozen, but not for long as a blonde girl she met recently is now standing in front of her, dreamily looking up to her, so Ginny finally snaps out of it.
"Yes?" Ginny asks.
"I would like to be your partner, would you agree to be mine?" Luna asks, hiding her nervousness inside.
Ginny looks around, nobody seems to be rushing to ask her, of course, she knows why, it's because the incident two years ago is still fresh in some people's minds. While looking around, she spots her old partner who's looking ahead of her. But then she sees the Queen looking at her, staring through her very being. As if she's waiting for somebody to do something.
Luna not hearing the answer to her question starts to move back dejected, but she realizes she can't move, all except for her head sideways, she looks at the source immediately, the Queen only winks at her. Luna realized that the Queen cast 'Muffliato' and then a weak 'Immobulus' on her, so she couldn't run away. She can't help but smile.
Ginny still not breaking her staring contest with the Queen, finally sees the Queen flick her eyes to the side as if to indicate that there's something to the side. Ginny looks to the side and remembers that Luna has asked her a question, a question that she hasn't answered yet. So apologetically, she nods and says 'okay' with some embarrassment because of how long it took for her to answer.
But Luna doesn't care about that, she's happy just because she got the answer she wanted. She moves to sit beside Ginny, quickly glancing and mouthing a 'thank you' to the Queen, who nods smiling then turns around to her own partner.
"Okay Professor, you can begin your lesson, everybody has picked a partner and it took them 3 minutes, 54 seconds. I said 3 minutes, yet they were still slow, quite disappointing. But it was only the first time. So I will let it go. But I won't be as generous, the next time. So be ready for it" The Queen says cryptically
Some of the students are annoyed by this whole interaction, the majority? Gryffindor, while most of the Ravenclaw students are starting to shake in fear, finally starting to understand what's going to happen to their house, that a Queen will not allow them to be slow, tardy, and most definitely not worthy. They can't stop shaking even as the Professor finally starts the class.
"Okay, students, you got yourself, new partners, we will do something new, in the celebration of being with new people. In more ways than one. So today we will be trying out the 'Seize and pull Charm', this charm is medium in how hard it is to be able to successfully use it. you will get some objects in front of you, you will have to pull them back towards your partner and they will have to do the same. Whoever does it first, the smoothest and the longest will get points to their house in their name"
All students nod, the Queen looks unimpressed at the objects given, some forks, some feathers, and for a 'bigger' object an apple. She shakes her head in boredom, the Professor seeing this can only smile sheepishly, he realizes with the skill the new student demonstrated before, she's way above something like this. But he can't just get more difficult charms to cast, otherwise, the whole class won't be happy.
The Queen understands the Professor's predicament, but she still can't help but be bored to death. She glances at the pair of Luna and Ginny... hmm... Linny, decides to call them, she glances at Linny, to see that they are talking lightly, which puts a smile on her face, Luna glances at her, the Queen sees that her Moon has this completely under control. She nods and turns back, finally not looking back to her, only focusing on her partner. There's no way she's going to let somebody else win this.
Her partner seems to have some confidence hidden in her, beneath all of the shyness and discomfort... probably because she thinks she can't measure up to the Queen since everybody has seen how superior she is to them. She could deal with them combined and she wouldn't shed any sweat.
"Calm down, Pri, you got this, you're a Ravenclaw, you're smart, you're awesome, this charm isn't hard, with me here, you will be able to do it, besides, you were the one I chose, so you should take that revelation in any way that you want"
Priscia hearing the Queen say that, finally, gets more confident, losing all of the discomfort and most of the shyness. She nods effectively, making the Queen smile at her slightly.
And so they get to work, the Queen teaching her, helping her, saying to look intensely at the object she wants to move, she pronounces 'Carpe Retractum' multiple times perfectly, so Pri could do it too, it helps Priscia a lot, not only the impromptu lesson but the kindness from her partner. She is mesmerized when the Queen moves all the objects together as easily as it was to blink. So she gets inspired to do more, to do better, and to impress the Queen. Maybe that way she will get praised more. She gets happy when she got little praise from her, so she wonders how much happiness she can get if she were to praise her a lot more.
With that in mind and no other thoughts but concentration on the task, she too moves all the objects back at the same time. The Queen heartedly smiles, quite impressed by her partner, she didn't think she would get this so fast. She struck gold with this. She can't believe her own luck. So she does something she wouldn't normally do and pats her partner's head.
"Good girl, you did a very good job, you're also the first to do all of them at the same time. You're amazing, I knew I didn't make a mistake choosing you. With you as my partner, we will dominate this class all the way to the end of the year. If you keep this up, We might even become friends. Not only partners"
The Queen finishes saying and moving away from her hand.
The Girl is happy to hear all of the praise but gets surprised at the preposition about becoming friends with the Queen. She only nods, still thinking about it. Then gets ecstatic about it, turns to the Queen, grabs her hand, and shakes it excitedly, while saying 'thank you' repeatedly.
The Queen is left stunned for a second by the actions. Then only lets the girl let her excitement out, without moving away from her hand. The girl noticing what she's doing gets red as a tomato and releases her hand saying sorry, but the Queen only shakes her head and says it's okay.
So since they are done. The Queen looks around the class again, to see how everybody else is doing, Priscia still moving the objects by herself, for more practice. Ravenclaw doing better than Gryffindor. She looks at Luna and then gets a brilliant idea. She smirks mischievously.
She takes a paper, writes on it, crumbles it up into a plane, and levitates it to her Moon, Luna seeing an airplane coming towards her because Ginny pointed it out. She takes it in her hands, without looking who sent it to her. She at first thought it will be another nargle trying to get to her, it wouldn't be the first time after all.
She is pleasantly surprised however when she sees that it's from the Queen. So she reads it, then glances at the Queen, who only nods. So she nods back.
The paper saying "Don't panic, don't worry and just do as this says, you will thank me later. Hold out your arms, in a slight hugging motion. Once a thing happens squeeze lightly, encircling your hands, only hold out your arms, once I take the wand in my hands and point it towards you"
"Professor, me and my partner have already finished the task, quite a while ago, it was quite easy, even for my partner. I knew I chose right, the partner I would've gotten otherwise, would've probably been useless"
The Professor only stands up and walks to their table, not recognizing the last snide remark from the Queen.
"Show it to me"
The PriLun combo shows it to him.
"Brllliant, 40 points to Raven-"
He gets cut off by the Queen, just as Snape did before him.
"Not so fast Professor"
"Uhm... what?"
"How about we make ourselves a little deal?"
"I am not supposed to do such a thing as a teacher"
"Oh come on, you know you want to, it's all in good fun. Besides you might see something amazing. How can you live without being able to see something amazing when given a chance? You aren't a boring individual, definitely not as much as Professor Snape. Are you?" The Queen asks nonchalantly.
"Oh, definitely not, you got yourself a deal. Now, what is it?" The Professor agrees with enthusiasm. He has always been a secret prank lover, after all. So hearing that he was called boring as Snape, just isn't something he can allow.
The Queen mentally smirks, way too easy. She wonders if there's a record on how many points a house has gotten in a single day. If there is? She will beat it. If there isn't? She will start it.
This also has gotten the attention of the whole class.
"Okay, so here's the deal" The Queen gets up from her seat and walks as far as possible to the corner of the classroom.
"If I can use the 'Seize and pull' charm from all the way here, to the end of the classroom, and pull the object to any direction, if the object moves even a meter, you give 80 to my partner. And 15 points each to the duo of students of my choosing" The Queen says confidently.
The Professor thinks for quite a while about it. He knows that this student is unlike any other. But for this charm to effectively work, you need to be as close to the object as possible... so with nothing to actually lose in this, he wholeheartedly agrees, just because it's interesting.
"Okay, if you do what you say, I will give you what you want. Hey, if it's as amazing as you say it will be. I will up the 15 points to 20, how about that?"
"Okay, sir. Thank you. Now watch"
The Queen lets her head down, for others, this seems as her trying to concentrate, but all she's doing is casting wandless 'Muffliato'
And the Queen raises her head and points her wand towards Linny's position. Luna instantly doing what the note said.
She still doesn't say or do anything, still 'concentrating'
Because it takes a second, Ginny sees Luna's actions and gets confused by them. But it doesn't last long as the Queen does her thing.
She first casts a silent 'Immobulus' at Luna. Disables the previously cast 'Muffliato'. Aims her wand at Ginny and loudly, perfectly with pure confidence oozing from her very being, says 'Carpe Retractum'.
And just like that, Ginny gets a magical rope entangled around her, she stares at it, then looks back at the Queen, who only smirks.
"Well... Lookie here, I got myself a Weasley, so, whatever shall I do with her... Oh, I know"
The Queen flicks her wand to the side and Ginny unable to do anything about it, just flies to Luna's arms. The Queen quickly disables the 'Immobulus' and Luna does as the note said, encircling her arms, squeezing lightly.
Thanks to the Queen, Luna Lovegood has gotten a free loving hug with Ginny Weasley. Luna will definitely thank the Queen for it later. But for now? She's enjoying it. But she releases and says sorry, saying that she only reacted and caught her, so she wouldn't fly into something. Ginny flustered only nods. Still not being moved away completely from the Moon holding her.
The Queen finally releases the spell and doesn't spare a glance at Ginny, only looking at the Professor, as if she didn't do anything. But what she said, move an 'object' to 'any' side at least a 'meter'. So she has won the deal, perfection. There's no way to dispute the achievement of moving an object, let alone a human from so far away. So even with amazement in his eyes, the Professor only nods at the Queen and then loudly says.
"80 Points to Ravenclaw, for Luna Crimson's and Priscia Alpin's duette, for excellent showmanship of skill and brilliance"
Then he looks at the Queen again, silently asking for the second part of the deal. The Queen loudly answers his silent questioning.
"To the duo of Luna Lovegood and Ginny Weasley" Students are surprised, all except Luna, Ginny being the most surprised.
"I did take her amazing partner after all. So she deserves something. As a consolation prize" The Queen adds.
And so the only thing that Flitwick can do is oblige.
"20 points each, to Luna Lovegood and Ginny Weasley. Because Miss Crimson won our deal fair and square"
The Queen walks back to her table and sits down gracefully with a blank face as if she didn't do anything at all. She slightly looks at Luna. Who mouths yet another 'thank you' this one more heartfelt. The Queen nods, turns back and finally smiles.
Mission accomplished.
Look, even her little protege is in awe of her master's power. This day couldn't get any better. Oh yes, yes it could. I am the Queen after all. I can't wait to sell my book. And the bet with her Moon about one, a little weasel, she can't wait for it.
To Luna's and Priscia's, and the Professor's amusement, they see the Queen take the 'prop' for the lesson. The apple and start eating it, like it was the most casual thing she has ever done.
~ End of Chapter 8 ~