Chapter One
After six, uneventful, adventure-free years at Hogwarts, I don't think any of us were expecting something like this to happen. I mean, why would we? Lilly was perfectly used to living in the shadow of her famous parents and by now the shock of her sorting had been forgiven by, well, everyone. But I say, so what? So she ended up in Slytherin why does that automatically make her bad? I turned out ok after all, and I'm muggleborn! Contrary to popular belief, it can happen. Being in Slytherin doesn't mean you have to be evil, it just means you have ambition and a hope for something better. I know I had big plans, and so did Lilly.
I suppose it started on our very first day back after the holidays. I was sitting with Lilly at the Slytherin table when she nudged me in the ribs.
"Hey Gwen, what do you know about that guy over there?"
I looked up to gaze at the boy she was nodding at. He was sitting at the Gryffindor table talking to a Ravenclaw boy and a Hufflepuff girl. He was fairly good-looking with sandy hair and a serious expression. I recognised him and smiled ruefully.
"Forget it Lilly, that's John Watson. You know Mary in Hufflepuff? She has a total crush on him and she'd scratch your eyes out if you as much as look at him."
That was another myth, it wasn't just Slytherins who could be bitches. Lilly frowned in disappointment.
"I know who he is! I just wanted to know his relationship status."
"If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times, wizards need Facebook!" I sighed. "It would avoid all this confusion."
Six years of being best friends had taught Lilly to just ignore me when I started talking about muggle stuff. She sighed regretfully and went back to her toast. I shook my head, smiling, and glanced up at John again. The boy he was talking to suddenly looked over and for a second our eyes met. Blushing, I dropped my gaze. I knew that boy, Sherlock Holmes. He was a bit of a weirdo but very handsome. With only forty people in the whole year it was almost impossible not to know everyone's names by now but Sherlock was someone I'd never had much interaction with. I remembered his brother Mycroft had been head boy when we first arrived and the two had famously never got on. Other than that he was a bit of a question mark. A total shit in classes, winding all the teachers up by being a little smart arse but other than that he kept himself to himself.
"So how did you enjoy France?" I asked Lilly just for a distraction. She shrugged.
"Alright, aunt Hermione kept trying to tell us about the history, you'd love it."
"I probably would, you're aunt's great! I loved it when she came in to give that lecture about Elf Rights last year."
Lilly rolled her eyes and patted my hand.
"Stick to history Gwen, leave the politics to me."
"Yes Miss future Minister for Magic." I said sarcastically before checking my watch and getting up. "And speaking of history, I've got it now. See you!"
Lilly waved me goodbye as I left the Great Hall and hurried up the marble staircase. History of Magic had got a lot better since Professor Weasley had started coming in every so often to take classes. Bill was something of an idol to me and had promised to help me get a job with Gringotts as a tomb-breaker at the end of this year. Today however Bill was nowhere to be seen and the only teacher present was Professor Bins. Slightly disappointed, I dropped into my usual seat and took out my books. The NEWT History class was traditionally tiny and this year only three were still taking it. Myself, Sherlock Holmes and the new head boy, James Moriarty.
Usually both of them completely ignored me but today Sherlock leant across to mutter,
"Tell your friend that Mary is sleeping with the Hufflepuff Quidditch captain so John's free."
I stared at him in surprise but then remembered that Sherlock had a tendency for knowing things that he ought not to. I sorted out my face into an expression of calm.
"Thank you, she'll be really glad. Why are you telling me?"
"Because John's being morose about it and it's getting on my nerves, so he needs distraction."
I bristled and glared at Sherlock.
"Lilly is not a distraction!" I hissed angrily. "And anyway, I know John, I know he wouldn't just use her as some fling."
Sherlock shrugged and sat back in his chair looking supremely disinterested. Grumpily I set about copying down notes for the rest of the lesson, though I did notice out of the corner of my eye that Moriarty was smirking. Well I'd never liked the guy anyway, always a bit creepy. But by the time I'd left History and was heading for Charms I'd decided to pass on the message to Lilly anyway (though leaving out the distraction part). Charms was much more full and under cover of the noise I told Lilly the good news.
"But how do you know? No offence Gwen but I'm always the one who hears gossip first!" Lilly whispered as she waved her wand absently. The water we were supposed to be turning into wine sloshed around in her glass. Catching the glass before it fell I said,
"A little birdy told me."
"Who?" asked Lilly curiously and I tapped the side of my nose.
Lilly was intrigued for a little while but as our first week back wore on she lost interest. All the energy she had that was not directed at school work was now being channelled into landing John Watson. This seemed to amuse Sherlock no end and endless hours were spent with me and him standing by in corridors whilst our friends chatted. However time for flirting was severely limited by the beginning on the Quidditch season. I couldn't believe that September had already slipped me by unnoticed and it frightened me. I had got so comfortable at Hogwarts these past few years that it was a shock to think I wouldn't be here much longer.
John played Seeker on the Gryffindor team so he was at practises three times a week. Not that I kept track of the Quidditch schedule of course, it was Lilly who kept giving me updates.
"And he barely has time to talk anymore!" Lilly told me fretfully one rainy evening three weeks before Halloween when we were both sitting in the library.
"Hmm." I said, not paying attention since I was glued to the Daily Prophet. Lilly scowled and peered at the front page.
"What are you so fascinated by anyway?" she asked irritably and I glanced up.
"There's been another disappearance in Hogsmeade, Carl Powers, remember him? Flunked out last year."
"Oh yeah! Didn't he get into big trouble for turning up to an exam hung-over? I think Dad's working on that case, mum said something about in the letter I got this morning."
It was no wonder Lilly wanted to go into the Ministry next year I thought, what with her father and her uncle working as Aurors, not to mention her campaigning aunt. It was a surprise that neither of her brothers had been remotely interested in politics. James who had left three years ago played Chaser for some team or other, and I didn't have a clue what Albus was up to. Just then Sherlock Holmes sauntered over and sat down with his pile of books.
"I suppose you're discussing the murder in Hogsmeade." he said, opening a volume on advanced potion making. I stared at him curiously but Lilly looked up eagerly.
"Do you know if John will be off any time this week?" she asked, foregoing her dislike of Sherlock. He gave her a withering look.
"Do you really want me to repeat what you already know? You have memorised John's training timetable off by heart."
Lilly looked affronted but I had to silently agree with Sherlock. Ignoring him I turned to her and said in exasperation,
"Look, why don't you just ask him out already? Arrange to meet in Hogsmeade or something."
"I can't just ask him out just like that!" she said, looking shocked.
"Why not? He obviously likes you back and I'm getting bored of hanging around in corridors. I'm getting behind on my school stuff!"
"And her mother is badgering her." Sherlock chipped in and I goggled at him.
"How the hell did you know that?" I asked incredulously.
"It's quite obvious, your left hand says it all."
Both of us stared at him so he elaborated, pretending to be bored but quite clearly enjoying showing off.
"The ink stains on your left hand are from a muggle pen so you've obviously been writing home a lot. The letter sticking out of your bag is on muggle paper and slightly crumpled up so it clearly annoyed you, and your eyes are tired suggesting you've been staying up late trying to finish homework. Now you have the handwriting of a generally lazy person who doesn't usually do more work than absolutely necessary so at a guess I'd say you're under pressure from your parents, more likely your mother whom I hear is a teacher and therefore very concerned with your school work."
We stared at him a little while longer until I said,
"That's really cool."
"Really? That's not what people usually say."
"What do they usually say?"
"Piss off."
I snorted and Lilly muttered,
"That what I'd say."
"Yeah you can piss off about the lazy thing but the rest was really spot on. How do you notice all that?"
"Observation, the rest of you people are all so unobservant."
I was fairly sure that he had just insulted me but at that moment John came in and sat down, firmly closing the current conversation and prompting a new one taking place solely between himself and Lilly. I didn't mind, I had an essay to finish anyway.
Sherlock's words grated at me for the next few weeks until I found myself thinking about him as I lay in bed at night, hardly a good sign. I didn't like being called ignorant, which was effectively what he had done, and I racked my brains for a way to disprove his theory. For some reason I kept going over the conversation in the library. Something about it didn't quite ring true, something Sherlock had said. But it wasn't until Halloween that I got a chance to try and prove my worth. The feast was going well as usual, live bats kept getting tangled in girls hair and the Bloody Baron drifted by unnervingly a couple of times. Lilly and I was holding our annual argument about the muggle version of Halloween.
"I just don't see the point of celebrating something you don't believe in!" Lilly said, waving a cookie shaped like a spider at me impatiently.
"It doesn't matter if you believe in it!" I countered. "Halloween is just an excuse for kids to dress up and beg for sweets, and for adults to dress up and get drunk out of their skulls!"
Just then I noticed Professor Longbottom hurry up the staff table to the Headmasters chair. He whispered in Professor Slughorn's ear urgently and the portly old man paled considerably. It was only noticeable from where I sat because his face was usually a ruddy shade of red behind his sizably moustache. He spoke with Longbottom a little longer before standing up to address the students.
"Ah, and incident has occurred, ladies and gentlemen, and I would like you all please to return to your common rooms immediately. Prefects take charge, if you will."
There were moans of protest and a fair few calls for an explanation. But the teachers had all risen as one and were trooping out of a side door. I watched them go with a mixture of intrigue and excitement. Unobservant eh?