The Elementals by Namacub95 (best book club books for discussion .txt) 📕

of confusion.

"What's with her? It's like she's planning something." He said.

"She didn't tell you?" Scorpius asked "I thought if she was she would have told you something."

"What are you talking about?" Keith asked. "Why would she tell me?"

"Well you two have been spending a lot of time together." Scorpius smirked.

"Well duh!" Keith replied with a roll of his eyes "She's tutoring me remember?"

"You talk about her a lot." Scorpius continued.

"Yeah, and most of it is complaints." Keith argued.

"You sit beside her a lo-"

"Are you trying to make a point Scorp? 'Cause all I hear is you repeating yourself a lot."

"I think you like her." Scorpius declared.

"And I think you're deranged." Keith shot back "And I don't like her in that way. She barely tolerates me!"

"That's Shauna's way of saying "I like you Downes"." Scorpius said as if this were the most obvious thing in the world.

"How the hell would you know?" Keith asked "You barely spend any time with her."

"I can read people Keith." Scorpius said "I've learnt to do it before I could walk. It's a thing all the old pureblood families teach...that and how to find a good obedient little pureblood wife if you're a guy." Scorpius said "Not that I'm looking for one." He quickly added when he saw the seething look on Rose's face.

"Look I'm not in any way interested in Shauna. She's my friend nothing more, nothing less."

"Whatever you say Keith." Scorpius responded with a knowing smirk.

"Wipe the smirk off your face Scorp. You're making me want to vomit."

"Nice image Keith." Rose said wrinkling her nose in disgust. Scorpius smirked at Keith who glared at Scorpius.

After dinner Albus, Alice, Keith, Rose and Scorpius all went to the Room of Requirement. Shauna hadn't turned up to dinner which scared them all slightly, obviously she was planning something.

They pushed open the door and Shauna was standing waiting for them. The Room had a large training ring in the middle with benches and equipment surrounding it.

"Alright." She said "Pair up! Downes you're with me. Daffodil you're with Blondie. Sparky you're with Hothead."

Alice and Albus glanced at each other and shuffled closer to each other. Rose and Scorpius shared a brief look of worry and Keith shrugged.

"There! Now time to spar! Sparky and Hothead are going first." Shauna declared.

"What!" Albus and Alice yelled together.

"Spar!" Shauna said "You know you two fight against each other."

"I can't fight her!" Albus argued.

"I can't fight him!" Alice argued at the same time.

"You don't have to kill each other!" Shauna said in exasperation. "Just try and knock each other out of the ring! No murder involved!"

"Except for the fact that Albus'll be lobbing fireballs at Alice." Keith said.

"And Alice will be throwing lightning bolts at Albus." Rose added.

"As long as they stop before they kill each other they'll be fine." Shauna said waving her hand dismissively. "Now into the ring."

Alice and Albus gave one last protest before Shauna shoved them to either end of the ring. Rose, Scorpius and Keith sat on one of the benches to the side of the ring.

Albus looked at Alice as if to say 'I'm sorry about this'. Alice gave him a smile and a small nod. Keith, Rose, Shauna and Scorpius waited to see which one would make the first move.

Albus drew back his fist ready to punch a fireball at Alice. Alice raised her arms ready to produce a force field but neither attacked.

"Why aren't they doing anything?" Keith whispered to Rose.

"They waiting to see which one breaks first." Rose said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Albus took a step to the right, Alice took a step to the left and the two began circling each other. Albus and Alice were completely focused on each other and then Albus punched forward shooting a fireball at Alice. Alice ducked but the fire singed a few strands of her hair on the way past her. A force field sprang up in front of her as another stream was shot at her.

Alice dropped her force field and shot another bolt of lightning at Albus. He met her lightning with a jet fire causing a minor explosion. Both took a step back and shield their eyes before glaring at each other again.

Albus moved forward and Alice moved back conjuring another small force field to act like a shield. He blasted fire at her and she put her hands and force field in front of her face to protect herself. She lunged forward with a strike of her own and it was his turn to take a step back.

Alice dropped her shield and called up more lightning he responded with a small spurt fire. She jumped to the side to avoid the small explosion. Their strange and deadly dance of flame and lightning continued.

He moved forward, she moved back. He shot fire, she responded with a force field and a shot of lightning. He moved back, she stayed in place. This was going nowhere fast.

Alice ran forward catching her opponent unaware she tried to deliver a punch to his chest but Albus easily blocked her. Alice ducked as Albus shot a small flame at her head and she manoeuvred so she was standing behind Albus. He turned to try and face her but she mirrored his movement following his turns so that she always stayed behind him.

She traced a small pattern with her fingers and her right hand became covered with an electric current. She reached out and touched her opponent's spine but before she could Albus grabbed her wrist and pulled her round to face him. He gave her a cheeky grin

"I win." He said and gave her a small push so she was out of the ring.

Alice looked indignant "I let you win."

"Whatever you say." Albus grinned.

"Right everyone training session over!" Shauna declared.

"But none of you sparred!" Alice pointed out.

"Next time then." Shauna said with a shrug as she walked out of the Room of Requirement.

Chapter 18: Returning Home

The final weeks of term went by in a blur and soon it was time to leave for Christmas. The grounds were blanketed in several inches of snow which had been falling steadily since mid November. The mood inside the castle was one of excitement and festive cheer.

Soon it was time for all those who were leaving for Christmas to get ready. The Entrance Hall was flooded with leaving students all ready to board the Hogwarts Express.

"Goodbye Hogwarts! Hello freedom!" Keith grinned.

"A whole four weeks off. Plus we get to go to The Burrow for New Years." Alice nodded.

"What I can't believe was they were ok with Scorpius coming too." Rose said wrapping her Gryffindor scarf more securely around her neck.

"Don't push it." Scorpius advised "They can still change their minds."

"I just can't wait to get out of here." Shauna said sitting on her trunk "The sooner I get home, the sooner I can relax."

"I can't wait for the Chudley Cannons game on Christmas Eve. They might have a chance of winning."

"And I'm a purple thestral with silver wings and a tiara." Shauna replied "

"I think they'll win if they don't play Anderson." Scorpius grinned.

"You lot are hopeless." Shauna declared with a roll of her eyes.

"We're going too!" Alice grinned "They're playing against the Appleby Arrows. Dad's the keeper."

"So don't feel bad if the Cannons don't score any goals." Keith smirked.

Albus shook his head and smiled at his friends.

"What's up with you Hothead?" Shauna asked.

"Nothing." Albus answered.

"Look!" Alice said "Everyone's starting to leave."

The students were starting to file out of the Entrance Hall and to the carriages that would take them to Hogsmead station. Students flocked to the carriages and Albus managed to grab one for the six of them before it was taken. The ride to the train station was filled with jokes and sarcastic comments and soon they stood on the platform staring at the familiar red steam engine.

"Quit staring and c'mon Hothead!" Shauna yelled. Albus quickly snapped out of his daydream and boarded the train after Rose.

The train was already crowded with students trying to find a compartment. Albus walked quickly after Shauna but then something caught his eye.

Ellesheil sitting in an empty compartments staring out the window with her arms folded across her chest. If she knew Albus was there she didn't give any indication as she simply kept staring out the window.

"Oi! Hothead! You coming?" Shauna's voice made him jump "You're really out of it today aren't you?"

"I'm fine." Albus mumbled. Shauna rolled her eyes at him

"Sparky and Blondie have found us a compartment."

"Fine." Albus nodded.

"What's up with you lately?" Albus fought the urge to smirk this was typical Shauna, no tact at all.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Albus replied.

"Yeah right Mr Mope." Shauna rolled her eyes.

"I don't mope." Albus said indignantly.

"Whatever you say."

"Look there's nothing wrong." Albus was adamant.

"And I'm a purple thestral with silver wings." Shauna replied sarcastically.

"Shauna I'm not lying. I'm fine." Albus insisted.

"You're not." Shauna stated "I'm not blind and neither are the others. All we want is you to be back to normal."

"Well what do you want me to say then?" Frustration finally caught up with Albus.

"I'm not blind and neither are the others. Don't think we've not noticed you moping around. All we want is you to be back to normal."

"There's no going back! Nothing will be normal again! Not after this! Alice still doesn't look at me the way she used to! Everyone treats me like I'm about to explode! There! Now will you leave me alone?"

Albus tried to storm past Shauna but she stuck her arm out to prevent him from going.

"Is that the truth? Or is that what you want to believe?" Shauna asked.

"Both."

"No it isn't."

"How would you know?" Albus snapped. Shauna glared at him and Albus took a step back.

"'Cause I know what it's really like have something happen that there's no going back from! It'll never be normal or ok again! But you can move on with your life! There are millions of girls out there who are ten times better than Ellesheil Darrow! So stop moping about and move on!"

Albus stood for a minute while Shauna calmed herself again, he knew better than to ask exactly what Shauna was referring to.

"C'mon." Albus said "They'll think we've jumped off the train or something." Shauna didn't reply but nodded.

The train ride was faster than any of them imagined and soon the train was slowing and they rounded the corner to be met with the crowd of parents waiting for them.

Trunks were gathered as each of them promised they would write over the break. Alice and Scorpius stepped off the train still deep in conversation. Rose and Albus followed them silently and started scanning the crowd for their family.

"Shauna." Keith approached Shauna who was standing with her arms crossed trying to spot her