Working on Charms ((Harry))

[rosewood]

In a corner seated quietly with two textbooks beside her and a crumpled piece of parchment was Julie Rosewood, her quill poised on a blank piece of parchment as Julie tried to organise the ideas in her head before putting them down in writing. Advanced Charms wasn’t a very easy subject, it required skill and disciplined practice and though the theoretical part was easier than the practical part Professor Flitwick now asked for essays that were longer than the ones required for OWLs and wanted them to contain more detail.

Julie was researching Protean Charms. The Protean Charm was a complex spell which could make something change form. The essay was supposed to be about the casting and applications of Protean Charms and Julie had just been through her “Charms for NEWTs students” textbook and through another book called “Transformation Charms and Potions”. She felt she’d have to take another look though before continuing; too many thoughts were in her mind and she wasn’t too sure where to start. Julie opened one of the books to look once more and then raised her head at the sound of a familiar voice.

[Harry Potter]

On an afternoon walk, Harry strolled around the lake and the lawns as he got his thoughts together. His summer was a boring one with a flood of feeling throught it all. The school year starting up was a relief he could actually be away from his hell hold of a house, with the Dursleys.

On his way back up to the castle, Harry passed the greenhouses. Peering into a window to see if anyone he knew was there Harry noticed a farmilar face, Julie Rosewood. A girl of the same year, but different house. They've know each other for awhile, but just started to talk this year. Deciding to walk into the green house and see what she was up to he opened up the door and walked in. Closing the door silently behind him, making sure not to scare her, he spoke. "Hello there Julie." Harry said as he grined and walked toward her.

Comming up next to her he noticed to books that had the same thing in common, Charms. "Charms homework I see." He said as he stood in front of her table looking at her paper. Noticing she looked a bit flustered Harry understood why. "I didnt even want to start that essay, I didnt know where to begin." he said as he pulled up a stool from the work station in front of her and sat down looking over her books. "Any ideas?" he spoke as he opened one of her books she was already finished with.

[rosewood]

Julie put down her quill and looked up at Harry. She pushed a strand of brown hair out of her eyes. Julie hadn't bothered herself with tying back her hair into a ponytail as she had finished her classes for today. She had just taken the two parts of her hair that covered the side of her face and tied them back, and left her brown curls loose over her shoulders.

"Hello Harry," she said with a bright smile. She was rather surprised to seem him on his own; usually Harry had either Hermione or Ron or both with him. She didn’t mind his interrupting her as she had a lot of time on her hands today. "Yes it's Charms. I thought I'd try and get that essay out of the way. There's a trip to Hogsmeade coming up soon and I don't want anything on my mind during our first trip." Julie sighed then looked at Harry, leaning the side of her face on one hand. "Not that I've got anywhere though. I mean I know what I want to write; I just need to put it down properly and I'm not too sure how to do that."

Harry had opened one of her books and was looking through it. "Oh there are some really grotesque images in that book - turn to the index and look for Protean Charms," she said leaning over to show him. "How are you finding our NEWTs classes so far?" she asked. It was a question all the sixth years were asking each other these days but Julie wasn't just making conversation. She really was interested about knowing how Harry was finding their classes. Harry wasn't a close friend or anything but she knew from their first conversation on the train that he was kind and generous, and it was interesting to get to know the real Harry. All the magical world knew about the heroic things he had done but Julie knew Harry was in no way a conceited person. She could still remember their first meeting in the Hogs Head when he had been embarrassed as people mentioned all the good deeds he had done for the school and the wizarding world.

[Harry Potter]

Harry let Julie turn the pages in the book to show her the pictures. "ehh." he said with an uneasy look on his face as he closed the book. Looking at Julie he laughed a little as he shook his head. Setting his hand on Julie's table he listened to her go on about how she cant put her thoughts into words. Harry thought for a second as he said, "Well keep thinking about it, it will come. It always does after awhile, but dont work yourself up over it. You'll get it done." Harry said friendly as he turned his head and looked at the plants lined up on the wall.

Turning back to Julie, she asked him a question about his Newts class. As he answered, "In all honesty, they are a bit harder than our past years but by the middle of the year it will come easier. Plus, if im not used to it by then end of this year there is always next year, eh?" he said with a shrug. "How about yourself? Any Classes you think are much harder than last year?" he asked as he took out his wand from his pocket and held it in his hand.

A few moments of silence passed as you could hear the breeze from the outside hit the side of the green house. Looking up to the celing a few fans turned on low circulating the air. Moving slightly in his chair, Harry looked out the sky light. The sky was a tad bit dark. "Seems like it might start to rain." Harry said nonchalantly. Looking back at Julie Harry shrugged it off with a smile.

[rosewood]

Julie grinned at the expression on Harry's face. "Told you. There are some really disgusting things in there." Julie looked at Harry and to her surprise there was a real note of confidence in his voice as he told her she would manage to get the essay done in the end. It was nice of him to say so. Julie was not quite as unworried as Harry about her classes, and she wasn't the kind of person to put things off, but she didn't say anything. Not everybody was as studious as she was, and it was Harry's own problem whether he studied this year or the next. Why should she worry herself about him anyway? She was surprised at her sudden worry about his welfare but decided not to think of it for the moment. After all he had Hermione Granger as a best friend already. She was top of their year and Julie had seen her more than once telling off Harry and Ron for not paying much attention to their studies. Also Julie reasoned that Harry had probably done well on his OWLs since she had seen him in most of her classes this year.

Julie woke up from her thoughts and answered Harry's questions. "Runes," she said with a little sigh. "By the way you did really well in Charms last class. You got the hardest colour in our group and you still managed to get it right," she said, remembering having been impressed by his performance. Getting back to classes Julie continued "We haven’t started Defence Against the Dark Arts yet, but I'm sure I'm going to have problems with that too. The only reason I did well last year was because of our DA sessions. You’re a great teacher Harry," she said with a grateful smile. A few minutes of silence passed and then Harry commented that it looked as if it might rain. Julie jumped out of her chair and walked up to one of the walls of the greenhouse and looked at the sky that had been a clear light blue a few minutes ago. She turned and looked around at Harry and laughed. "I came to study here because I thought the weather was heavenly today. Apparently I was mistaken. It does look like it's going to rain." The minute Julie finished speaking the sky turned even darker and rain started falling from the sky. Julie looked at it for a few minutes. "Looks like we're going to be stuck in here for a while," she said, a little self-consciously. Julie went back to her seat and then said "I like the rain." The minute the words were out of her mouth Julie laughed embarrassedly. Couldn’t she have thought of something a bit more intelligent to say?

[Harry Potter]

Harry listened to Julie as she answered his question. "Runes." she answered as Harry nodded. "Yes, I understand. Im not taking it but I heard in the Library and Great hall that class was extremly hard."
Julie went on as she complimented him on how he did in charms. "Thanks, I thought i was going to make a fool out of myself there when Professor Flitwick told me Brown. You did very well too. I was a little taken back when he said he didnt want us to practice before we did the spell, but I guess since as we're NEWTS now it changes things." he said as he noticed he took his wand out his pocket. 'habit' he thought as he slipped it back in.

They got on the subject of DADA as Harry listened to Julie as she, again, complimented him on teaching. "Thanks." he said with a slightly embarrassed smile as he added. "If you want, I can help you with Defence against the Dark arts when the class starts." He said as he nodded reinforcing the fact that it would be no problem, at all.

Julie went to a window as Harry spoke about the rain. "I didnt look like it was going to be a showery day, but I guess things can change quick." Harry said as he looked up at the sky light and saw it got even darker and it started to rain. Julie's comment made Harry smile as he replied. "Guess so. Your Charms might be finished before the storm even ends." Harry said as he thought they could have a conversation since the one on the train wasnt that in detail and they couldnt talk much in class.

The rain started to hit the green house as Harry noticed rain was getting into the room and dripping on his shoulder from the sky light and a few other open windows. "Oh Geeze." Harry said a bit laughing as he looked at his shoulder and noticed the water. Taking out his wand he pointed it up to the sky light as a suction sound made the window close intensely. Standing up from his seat, Harry pointed over Julie's head to a window in the back of the room as it closed the same way. Flicking his wand one more time, He pointed to the fans above them as he turned them up one level. Sitting back down Harry rubbed his forhead as he hair messed up and he spoke. "Since the windows are closed now, it will get a bit warm, so I had to turn up the fans. Tell me if it gets a to cold for you." he said as he rubbed his forhead and his hair fell back in place.

[rosewood]

Julie listened to Harry as he replied modestly to her compliments, none of which Julie had said just to be nice but because they were actually true. Julie couldn’t help but admire him for his modesty as he shrugged off the good work he had done in Charms. "Yeah well, Runes is difficult but Professor Vector is an excellent teacher, really patient you know, and I find it a more interesting subject than the other electives. What electives are you taking this year?" she asked. She already knew he took Care of Magical Creatures and knew that Hagrid and Harry were friends. "Thanks, you're right about NEWTs. What are you going to do after school anyway?" she asked. Julie thanked Harry for his offer to help her with Defence Against the Dark Arts, touched by his generous offer. "Thanks Harry, but I'm warning you, because I will take you up on your offer," said Julie, her light brown eyes twinkling.

"Storm?" said Julie, rubbing her arm and turning to look round at Harry. "Boy I do have good timing," said Julie sarcastically. "Yeah maybe. I like studying in one of the greenhouses on most days, it's quiet and sunny and really calm," said Julie, looking around the greenhouse fondly. It also reminded her of home, and her grandmother's shop. Julie wondered how long they would have to stay in the greenhouse. For some reason she wasn't worried, and was glad she had somebody for company. She hated to imagine what it would have been like if she had been stuck in the greenhouse on her own.

Julie smiled as Harry closed all the windows and turned up the fans. She walked up to him and pulled out her handkerchief and dried the few drops of rain on his shoulder with a little smile on her face, noticing the way his hair fell back into place when he rubbed his forehead. "What brought you to the greenhouses anyway?" she asked curiously.

[Harry Potter]

Harry listened as he added to Julie's comment. "Yea, I heard it is very interesting but only if you can understand it all. I wouldnt dare to try- I get side traked in Charms sometimes. That wouldnt be good, just my luck Vector would probably call me." Harry smirked as he tryed to think of the outcome in that situation. Shaking his head as he thought he would be extremly lost- he looked back at Julie.
She quickly asked what he was planning to do after school. With a wondering look he shrugged his shoulders. "Im not quite sure but it seems like an Auror would be a really good thing to go for, you know? How about yourself- What do you want to do?" he asked as he turned around his chair so that he could lean back on to the back of the chair.

Julie went on how she liked to study in the green houses as she stopped she smiled as it seemed she was comfortable in this room above the rooms in the school to study. Picking up on that look he added, "Well Its good you have a place to feel relax in and get all your work done without disruptions- but I guess today was your unlucky day, I disrupted you today amongst other things." Harry said motioning to the window meaning the storm.
Julie asked Harry about what brought him to the green house as Harry studdered a little, "Well.. I.." he was on a walk thinking about the distressful summer plus the loss of his uncle. "I was just thinking, thats all. I needed to get out of the school and I walked past the door and saw you. So I decided to barge in." Harry said as he caught himself with a grin. "Im glad I came in, because if I didnt I'd be caught in the rain and the school is quite a few yards away to walk up hill." Harry said with a nodd backing up his comment.

[rosewood]

"Oh yes, of course, though you know you need to do a lot of training after school. I could never be an Auror; my nerves go to pieces in dangerous situations most of the time, and like I said before, Defence isn't exactly my strongest suit," said Julie, wishing she was a bit more courageous than she was as she dropped her eyes from Harry's. In Harry's case of course that was no problem, if Harry Potter wasn't brave, then who was? Julie could not help but admire Harry's wish to do something so noble, and wondered if part of it was because Harry's parent were killed by Voldemort's greatest supporter. Not that that was something she could ask Harry about. He had had enough pain in his life as it was; no need to rub salt in his wounds.

Harry asked her the same question and Julie replied readily as she had always known what she wanted to be ever since she had first put on her dragon hide gloves and been taught for the first time how to care for a magical plant. "Well I'm going to be a herbologist, or at least I know I'm going to do something that has lots of plants and herbs to work with. You see my grandmother has a shop in London, where we care for plants and sell them and I work there every summer - I enjoy every minute," said Julie reminiscently. Julie's eyes lit up as she thought about her grandmother and her father. It had been some time since she had written them a letter; she'd better do that soon. "My father works with herbs too, only he makes Healing Potions using them, and my late mother was a herbologist herself, that's how they met," she added. Julie wondered for a minute why she'd volunteered that information when Harry said that he had interrupted her today and that she was unlucky because the storm and his unexpected presence had both stopped her from getting her essay done. Julie looked back at him with a smile and leaned across the table. "You're quite wrong about me being unlucky Harry. You're interrupting me has saved me from sitting all by my own here waiting for it to stop raining, and it doesn't look like that's going to happen very soon," said Julie looking at the sky for a moment. "So really, I'd say we're both lucky today."

Julie tactfully avoided asking Harry what he had thinking about when he took his little walk. It seemed to her it was something that had laid a burden on him, and it was not her business to poke or pry into what was worrying him. Julie was an outspoken girl in some ways, and didn’t mind getting personal with people, but that didn't mean she didn't know when to exercise tact. Suddenly a deafening crack of thunder filled her ears, and Julie shivered for a moment. She told herself firmly that she was sixteen; it was just thunder, it wasn't like she had never seen a storm before. It had just taken her by surprise. Oh well, that was life at Hogwarts, full of surprises. If there was a place to expect the unexpected, it was Hogwarts.

((I'm sorry it took me so long to post here... ))

[Harry Potter]

Harry nodded as Julie went on about how an Auror's training and what not. She started saying about Herbology. She wanted to do something that had to do with that. With a smile Harry listened to her go on about her mother, father, and grandmother. "Well, since it seems like it runs in your family it seems like it would come easy and second nature for you. That is something hard to find, but good all together." he said with a nod.

Julie added quickly how Harry was wrong about her. With a confused look about him he listened. When she finished he agreed. "You are quite right. We both would be alone and wading out the rain. I guess we are the lucky ones." he said as he noticed a smile upon her face. He could help but admire the beauty of it for a few moments. Julie was a very nice girl and he could think of anyone he would rather be stuck in a greenhouse with other than her.

Harry noticed a smile upon his face as he thought about Julie. Changing it into a grin he stood up and walked over to the door. He couldnt help but feel his face redden as he looked off on the lawns, seeing the heavy rain beat down upon everything in sight. With a few seconds deep in thought he put himself outside and how he would be reacting if he wasnt inside that greenhouse with Julie. Right then he turned around and walked back to Julie's table and stood at her side looking over her work.

Walking around her to the front of her table he began to close her books, all of a sudden. With a look of energy about him all he could do with grin. Harry knew that she would not understand why he would do something like that while she was in the middle of work. Seeing she was just about to say something he quickly added, "Were going to have fun, my dearest." he said in a superior tone. Stacking a few books on top of each other he left the parchent for Julie to deal with since she was already writting on that. "As far as I can see there is no chance the rain will stop- well anytime soon. So lets go make the most out of this season instead of fearing it. How about we go for the castle! You understand, lets go run for the castle now! Are you up for it, Miss Rosewood?"

He asked with a smile as he took out his wand and held it in his hands. After working so hard on homework he understood how she would feel if all of her work was washed away by the water, of course he wasnt going to let that happen to her. He would put a shrinking spell on her things and water proof them for extra care. Harry just felt so happy to be with her that exact moment he wanted to make the most out of it. Seeing an opertunity right outside his door, litteraly- he decided that it was perfect timing. Harry really wanted Julie to come with him but he wasnt sure if she would agree exactly with a positive attiude, but he could be wrong.

[rosewood]

Julie smiled as comprehension dawned on Harry after his initial confusion when she told him he was mistaken about her being unlucky. Julie was aware of Harry's eyes on her as they sat in silence for a few minutes and she felt herself slightly blushing as she avoided his gaze. "I really should get something written down, if only just an outline for my essay," she thought as she shook herself slightly and turned to her work. She opened the other Charms book she had borrowed from the library and reread the introduction again, and slowly began to think that she finally had an inkling on how to start off the essay. On a spare piece of parchment Julie scribbled down a few points she knew were essential to make sure she didn't forget anything, and then looked up from her work to see what Harry was up to. He had walked over to the door and was looking at the Hogwarts Grounds, and as Julie listened she discovered that the sound of the rain hadn't decreased, if anything it sounded like it was just getting worse.

Julie sighed and looked back down at the parchment before her, twiddling her quill between her fingers, and was just reaching for her book when Harry came over to her and shut all her books. Julie looked at him in surprise wondering what exactly was going on but Harry didn’t give her a chance to protest. Julie could see he was up to something, there was a sudden renewed energy in him as he shut her books and looked at her with a devilish glint in his eyes. Julie was not sure she had heard correctly when he told her his proposition, firstly because Harry had just referred to her as "my dearest" for some reason, but this wasn't the only surprise he had in store for her. Julie stared at Harry incredulously. "Out there? In the middle of the rain and the cold?" she exclaimed. But for some reason Harry made it sound like it might actually be fun, and really they couldn’t stay trapped in the greenhouse forever, anyway, Julie convinced herself. Arching her left eyebrow Julie looked at Harry and decided to throw caution to the wind. "You're on, Potter. Let's just see how fast you can run," she said, surprising herself by her sudden lack of worry.

"Why thank you, kind sir," said Julie, as Harry shrunk her homework and placed waterproof charms on her various items. She put them into a small straw bag she found under one of the chairs in the greenhouse, and walked over to Harry ready for there little adventure. "Let's see if you can run as fast as you can fly, Potter," she said teasingly, following him out of the door. Julie took a deep breath of air the minute they were out of the greenhouse, and then ran as fast as she could. The rain poured down on there heads and the ground was very slippery, and Julie felt her hair get completely soaked as it stuck to the sides of her face. Julie tripped over as they ran and bumped into Harry, and she laughed as she had to lean on him to get up, and smiled at him apologetically. This time she held his hand as they ran, and as soon as they reached the wooden door of the castle they both pushed against the door and ran in, Julie's chest heaving as she leaned against the wall thankfully, her eyes closed. When she opened them again she looked at Harry who was completely drenched, and wondered what she must look like herself. Her chestnut brown hair was almost black, and her uniform stuck to her body like a second skin. She could see Harry dripping water all over the floor, and sure enough, there was a trail of water behind her when she looked at the ground. "I don’t know what we were thinking! Madam Pomfrey is going to kill us!" she said breathlessly. And then, suddenly and before she could stop herself, she caught Harry's eye and burst out laughing.