"Why do you always sound so much older than the rest of us anyways?" Terry asked changing the subject after accepting what I said.
"Life hasn't always been kind to me. That's all i'll say on that." I said firmly.
"Must've been rough. Learn to lighten up though, all up hill from here right?" he asked with a grin.
I smiled and nodded "That's the hope at least." I agreed.
He ended up joining me in studying in the library till lunch time. I finished up the book I had found by then and headed for the great hall to eat. -
Terry marveled at how fast I read as we left the library and I merely chuckled and left it alone.
"Look at Longbottom, can't even watch where he is going!" an unfamiliar boys voice was heard around the corner as we neared the great hall.
As Terry and i rounded the corner we saw a group of three Slytherins standing near a fallen Gryffindor. I recognized Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle and thanks to what Malfoy had said Neville as well on the ground. I casually drew my wand and pointed it at the Malfoy.
"Pedem Retro." I said three times while flicking my wrist three times.
Three blue spells shot through the air and struck the Slytherins who weren't prepared to be attacked. They looked confused when nothing happened to them even as they panicked and checked themselves over hurriedly. Malfoy then sneered at me.
"Look who it is, the boy who got himself blown up on the first day of school! He can't even cast a proper spell!" he mocked and Terry bristled but I stopped him.
"Theres no need, he'll be regretting saying that in a moment." I said with a calm smile.
"Hmph! As if anyone'd believe you after that failure." Malfoy sneered before his expression stiffened.
He had gone to take a step to walk off all imperiously and rather than his right foot moving forward like he intended his left foot moved backwards causing him to fall down. Crabbe and Goyle soon followed suit falling to the floor with confused expressions.
"Foot reversal charm. Only noticeable AFTER you start walking. I'm not a fan of bullying Mr. Malfoy, it's disgraceful and crude." I said with the same calm smile as before. "Are you alright Mr. Longbottom?" I then asked the awed Gryffindor on the floor still.
"Y-yes. T-thank you." he stuttered nervously but grateful.
"You are welcome, now I do believe you should be picking yourself up no?" I said with a slight tease.
"R-right!" he stuttered in embarrassment as he got up before hurrying off.
"You'll regret this when I tell my father! He'll have you expelled!" Malfoy hissed angrily as he tried and failed to get to his feet.
"You overestimate your fathers influence, he's on the board of governors not the headmaster of the school. At most I'll get a warning for breaking the rules since nothing but your ego has been harmed. Now then I do believe we have some food waiting for us so i'll bid you good day." I said casually before walking to the great hall and inside it.
"That was bloody brilliant! You might not know since you've been in the hospital wing this whole time but Malfoy's been insufferable to everyone. He usually has spats with Potter and Weasley but he's gone off on others too if he gets a chance. Feels nice seeing someone putting him in his place." Terry said with a wide grin as we sat down at the Ravenclaw table.
"I've met people like him before. Self centered, arrogant and petty. Best to quickly let them know not to mess with you unless you can stomach scenes like that all the time." I said with a shrug.
"You say that like it's easy. He's always got a group with him and that bit about his fathers no joke. Lord Malfoy is a very powerful pureblood noble apparently, dangerous too." Terry said seriously.
"Believe me there isn't a single person who'd hear about this and take it as anything more than a childish spat. If anything his father will scold him and tell him to get back at me at most." I said with a shrug.
We started eating after that and both smirked when Malfoy and his cronies entered the great hall about fifteen minutes later followed by Flitwick. All three of the Slytherins glared at me as Flitwick cheerfully walked over.
"I'm told that foot reversal charm was your doing Alex, marvelous spell work! Simply textbook! That said I must ask that you refrain from using spells on fellow students." he said both praising and scolding me.
"Not even to stop said students from bullying another?" I asked and he paused.
"I believe I may not have been told the whole story." he said with a frown.
"It's a fairly simple matter really. Terry and I were on the way to the great hall from the library and happen to catch Malfoy picking on Longbottom for falling down. I detest bullying you see and just so happened to have learned a new charm that would give Malfoy a taste of his own medicine. I used the spell, explained to Malfoy the error of his ways and then headed here after making sure Longbottom was okay." I explained the whole event from start to finish without even a single embellishment.
"Defending your fellow students is a good and honorable thing but next time try and find a professor instead of taking matters into your own hands." he said as a light warning before walking away to the professors table.