Starry skies and Gardenias

Chapter 20

Isabella lay awake in bed, wondering. She had so many questions. Could thestrals see each other? Maybe, yes, they live in herds so they must be able to see each other. And would they be seen in pictures? Would it be the same in a picture too? Only the ones who have seen death would be able to see the pictures? And what about their hair? If their hair was taken, can a normal person see it, or would it be invisible too? 
Talking about hair, Ollivander had never said that thestral hair was used for making wand cores. Like unicorn hair, they don't use thestral hair? What could its properties possibly be? She hadn't reached cores yet. She was still learning about the wand woods. Wonder when she'd reach learning about cores. . .

Isabella had an excellent couple of weeks, opening into her second year and everything was going well. Even Black hadn't bothered her a bit in Potions, the only class she was worried about. Slughorn was going particularly easy on her and wasn't asking her to talk or give opinions on what she thought about certain potions. Black was filling up that position and doing his job very well.

But something Isabella had learnt was that when everything seemed to go smoothly in life, there is going to be a huge gutter in the road ahead. 

And that's exactly what happened. 

And who was the cause of her anguish? Professor Slughorn.

At the end of one Potions class, he declared that he would be partnering up the students. According to him, it was time the Slytherins and Gryffindors stopped being so hostile towards each other.

But this caused an instant uproar and he had to give in to another method. All their names were put into a bowl and he would pull out any two and they would be a pair until he saw it fit.

As most of the first pairs were always a Gryffindor and a Slytherin, and Isabella thought that Slughorn had a hand in it. 

She wasn't eager at all. Back in her old muggle school, nobody wanted to be her partner. Nor did she want to be anyone's partner. Even the teachers thought she would do better on her own, and they were right. Isabella did best when she did it by herself. 

She had her fingers crossed, hoping that hers would somehow be the only name left and she would have to work alone. 

Regulus was listening carefully, waiting for his name to come out of the cauldron. Slughorn plunged his hand into the cauldron again and pulled out two bits of parchment. 

Regulus had noticed the pattern. Slughorn, even though he said that it was random, was picking a Gryffindor and a Slytherin. 

And he was pretty sure he would get a Gryffindor too. 

Regulus' gaze fell on the girl sitting beside him. Her head was bent over her parchment as her quill scribbled away lazily.

Anyone but her. 

"Regulus," Slughorn said reading his name out from the first piece of parchment. "You're with. ..Ah! Excellent! You and Isabella!"

Regulus' mouth fell open in horror. 

Of all the eight Gryffindors in the room, he was stuck with the only one he didn't want??! What sort of sorcery is this?!

"No," Regulus said in a small, disbelieving voice

Isabella wasn't even offended by that. Because she was thinking the same thing. 

No.