Susan, *Casper*, and Lucy gathered outside the fencing club's residence. Soon the leaves would littler the ground with color and a slight chill would be a part of the wind, but for the time being, the three could enjoy the outdoors without the use of additional outerwear.
Casper, wooden practice sword in hand, began to swing his arm. He let out a huff as he dropped it.
"Don't be too disappointed. Muscles shrink with disuse. Give it time and practice and your strength will return." Susan's voice reminded him.
"Most my life is missing from my head, I'm surrounded by strangers in an unfamiliar place, and the one thing I believed I could excel in, I'm failing!" Casper retorted.
"Deep breaths. You'll get though this. You'll learn and adapt quickly."
"And what do you know of my difficulties?" Casper jutted out his chin.
Susan stiffened, back straight as a rod. "More than you'd think." Susan inhaled deeply and exhaled. "Besides, you're almost certain to regain your memories. The question is not so much as if as when." Susan sat down on the red blanket, beside Lucy, who was using a quill and ink to complete some of her schoolwork and took out her own book to read.
Susan distantly wondered if Lucy had even heard what the two had said or if she was too consumed with her work. A squeeze on her elbow answered that question. With a sigh and a shake of her head, Susan opened her her book and began to read.
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Lucy and Ginny sat together in the Gryffindor common room discussing what to get Dean, a fellow Gryffindor that Ginny was dating, for his upcoming birthday. Lucy didn't hide that she didn't think the couple went well with each other, but Ginny was her friend and Lucy would support her. They were discussing chocolate toads and other sweets vs quidditch team merchandise when Harry and Hermione drew the attention of the common room.
"NO." Harry stood from his sitting place by the feet of the couch in front of the fireplace.
"Why not?" Hermione questioned.
"The binding is fragile." Harry excused as he started around the couch that Ron occupied.
"The binding is fragile?" Hermione repeated incredulously, following around after him, trying to get the old potions textbook he held.
Taking advantage of his distraction, Ginny reached around from behind and took the book from his grasp. "Who's the Half-Blood Prince?" She wondered.
"Who?" Harry and Hermione asked in tandem.
"That's what it says right here. 'This book is property of the Half-Blood Prince.'" Ginny explained, tossing the book back to Harry.
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"I wonder who the Half-Blood Prince is? A King or a Duke by now perhaps?" Ginny proposed as the two headed up to bed.
"...Or maybe it doesn't mean a title at all. Maybe it's a last name-of course!" Lucy laughed. "Its Dad's. Dad excels in potions, which is what that old textbook is all about, and his mother's maiden name is Prince."
"Professor Snape is a half-blood?" Ginny turned to her friend in surprise.
"Yep." Lucy confirmed
YOU ARE READING
Centaurs, Serpents, and Princes
FanfictionThere's a double meaning in that. The End, and the Beginning.... Book 6 in the Severus and Lucy series. Lucy's sixth year at Hogwarts is about to begin.
