It was the perfect day to have a party. The sun was shining
brightly, and the clouds drifted across the sky carelessly. A few people
found shelter from the hot sun under the many trees that filled the
Hogwarts grounds. Under one of these lay a former Slytherin Rachel Black.
Sitting up, she propped herself against the trunk of the tree and gazed over toward the quidditch field where she spied her roommate, Katie Morse, a former Ravenclaw. Rachel smiled as she made her way toward Katie.
When she was about ten yards away, she opened her mouth to speak when all of a sudden, a tall, red-haired bit wearing Puddlemere United quidditch robes landed smoothly beside her, clutching his Firebolt OTF in his left hand. "Hi, Rachel," he said cheerfully. "I didn't scare you, did I?"
Rachel forced a smile. "No, Oliver."
Then, Oliver Wood's face became serious. "I need your help," he said, glancing over to where Katie stood talking to Luna Lovegood. "Can we talk?"
Rachel looked at him curiously. "Er - s.s.sure."
The two of them trudged to behind one of the quidditch stands.
Oliver looked really nervous. "I - er - I."
"Are you okay?" asked Rachel, looking at him oddly.
Oliver nodded, clearing his throat. "You know that party we're having tonight?"
Rachel nodded, confused. This couldn't be what he had wanted to talk to her privately about.
"I - I'm going to propose to Katie tonight. Or. at least. I was hoping to. I just talked to Katie, and she said she might not stay for the party because she has to do some paperwork or something. so. could you please talk to her? Convince her? Something? I have the whole night set up. I've hired this special band to play and."
"Don't worry, Oliver! I'll talk to her."
Oliver grinned. "Thanks, Rachel. I knew I could count on you." And within a second, he had swung himself back onto his broom and zoomed off to rejoin the other former Hogwarts students who were playing quidditch.
Rachel sighed. Katie had found her soulmate and was now going to marry him. She looked longingly at Draco Malfoy who was surrounded by Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson. Oh, how she loathed Pansy! After all, Draco was her soulmate. not that ugly Pansy girl's. Honestly, what did he see in her? Every time she saw Draco, Pansy was always with him. Draco had never done anything more than look at Rachel, but she was positive that somehow she would get Draco to recognize her.
"Hey, Rei," said a voice behind her.
Rachel jumped.
"Boo!" said Katie as she stepped into view. "What're you doing over here?"
"Oh, nothing," she muttered. "Wanna get something to eat?"
"Sure," Katie replied, beaming.
They strolled over toward the tables filled with food that stood near the castle's main entrance. When they got there, they were surprised to see Fred and George Weasley standing there, trying to look innocent.
"Hello, Katie," George said, smiling.
"So, why aren't you two at your store?" she asked, smiling.
"Oh, we closed it for today," replied Fred, grinning. "Besides, everyone is here. It's the perfect time to - ow! What was that for, George?" he asked, looking angrily at his twin who had just elbowed him in the ribs. "O-o-o-o-oh!"
"So, you didn't do anything to the food then, did you?" asked Rachel, trying hard not to laugh.
"Of course not."
"Now, honestly. Do you really think we would do something like that?"
The four of them laughed as Colin Creevey stumbled in front of them, holding his very long tongue,
"Ah, good ole-fashioned Ton-Tongue Toffee," said Fred with a smile.
"Uh-oh!" said George when he saw Professor McGonagall hurrying towards them, stopping only for a moment to quickly reduce Colin's tongue back to its original size.
"Mr. Weasleys! How many times must I tell you two not to bring those things here?"
"Don't worry, Minerva," interrupted Dumbledore, who had just joined the group.
McGonagall looked as though someone had just slapped her in the face. "But, Albus! Don't you think these two should be punished?"
"Of course I do," Dumbledore replied calmly. "That is why I'm asking them to monitor all the people who eat one of their creations and to perform the counterspell on them. Now," he said leaning over to whisper in George's ear, "at exactly four o'clock I want you to sneak ten of every one of your creations up to my office. The password is Ton-Tongue Toffee. You'll find a bag of galleons sitting on a chair in the middle of the room. Leave the stuff there and take the bag."
"Yes, Professor," George replied grinning. "We'll behave ourselves."
Professor McGonagall looked at them oddly before walking off to join Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout.
As George excitedly told Fred about what Dumbledore had said, Katie and Rachel shuffled down the rows of tables, filling their plates with food. Once full, they took their plates and sat down under one of the trees. Nibbling on the food, they watched as former classmates strolled past them - Ron Weasley, Harry Potter, Angelina Johnson, Lee Jordan.
After awhile, they were joined by Hermione Granger. "So, Katie, what is it like writing for the Daily Prophet?"
"Oh, it's great! So, what're you doing now?"
Hermione beamed. "I'm a professor here, the new Charms teacher. It's my first year; Professor Flitwick just retired."
"Oh, wow, congratulations," said Rachel, trying to sound enthusiastic. But her mind was elsewhere. On Draco, in fact. She was staring at him as he placed a strange piece of candy into his mouth. She recognized it at once as one of the Weasley Wizard's Wheezes. Now, was her perfect chance. Finally, Draco would pay attention to her and realize that they were meant to be together. Reaching in her robes, she pulled out her wand started to mutter the counterspell. But.agh!. she was too late. Professor Snape had already performed it.
"Well, I better be going now," said Hermione as Oliver joined them,
"Hi, honey," he said, leaning over to kiss Katie on the cheek.
"So, who won the game?" she asked as she opened a humbug.
Oliver beamed. "My team. You should've seen the one save I made where I."
Rachel began to feel like it had just become very crowded. "I'm going to go get something to drink," she said, standing up and walking slowly back towards the tables. Halfway there, she spied Draco and Pansy talking in the distance near the Whomping Willow. Rachel looked around hopefully. "Perfect!" she thought when she saw Marcus Flint, quite near where Draco was standing. It was the perfect excuse. She would call out to Marcus and then "accidentally" run into Pansy as she "just-so-happened" to pull out her wand and mutter a curse. Rachel smirked as she waved at Marcus, calling out his name confidently.
"Rachel, hi!" he said when he saw her.
"Now or never," thought Rachel as she made her way towards him. All was going as planned. Then, it happened. She purposely bumped into Pansy as she muttered the Furnunculus Curse. Her work was done. Now, she would go over and talk to Flint for a moment and then wait for Draco to come.
"So, Marcus, what's up?"
"Nothing," he grunted. "You?"
"Oh, nothing much."
"I gotta go. must talk to Milli."
Rachel turned around and saw Millicent Bulstrode standing impatiently behind her. "Oh, sorry," she muttered. Rachel strode over towards a tree and sat underneath it. And not long afterwards was joined by Draco.
"Rachel."
She looked at him oddly.
"That's your name, isn't it?"
She nodded.
"Thanks," he uttered. "I've been trying to break up with her for the past month. Such a pest! 'Draco, look at this! Oh, isn't this just adorable, Draco?'"
Rachel laughed.
Draco smiled. "So.do you..er..want to go out sometime like."
"I'd love to!" interrupted Rachel, grinning widely.
"Okay.cool," he said before hurrying off to rejoin Crabbe and Goyle.
Rachel let out a sigh of triumph as she sought to rejoin Katie, who she had spied underneath a tree near the quidditch field.
"We were wondering where you were," said Katie as Rachel sat down beside her.
"Yeah. Thought you might've gotten lost. After all, it's only been five years, hasn't it?" Oliver teased.
Rachel forced a laugh, her mind still on Draco.
The day now seemed to fly by rather quickly. And before she knew it, Rachel found herself back on the Hogwarts Express going home.
Sitting up, she propped herself against the trunk of the tree and gazed over toward the quidditch field where she spied her roommate, Katie Morse, a former Ravenclaw. Rachel smiled as she made her way toward Katie.
When she was about ten yards away, she opened her mouth to speak when all of a sudden, a tall, red-haired bit wearing Puddlemere United quidditch robes landed smoothly beside her, clutching his Firebolt OTF in his left hand. "Hi, Rachel," he said cheerfully. "I didn't scare you, did I?"
Rachel forced a smile. "No, Oliver."
Then, Oliver Wood's face became serious. "I need your help," he said, glancing over to where Katie stood talking to Luna Lovegood. "Can we talk?"
Rachel looked at him curiously. "Er - s.s.sure."
The two of them trudged to behind one of the quidditch stands.
Oliver looked really nervous. "I - er - I."
"Are you okay?" asked Rachel, looking at him oddly.
Oliver nodded, clearing his throat. "You know that party we're having tonight?"
Rachel nodded, confused. This couldn't be what he had wanted to talk to her privately about.
"I - I'm going to propose to Katie tonight. Or. at least. I was hoping to. I just talked to Katie, and she said she might not stay for the party because she has to do some paperwork or something. so. could you please talk to her? Convince her? Something? I have the whole night set up. I've hired this special band to play and."
"Don't worry, Oliver! I'll talk to her."
Oliver grinned. "Thanks, Rachel. I knew I could count on you." And within a second, he had swung himself back onto his broom and zoomed off to rejoin the other former Hogwarts students who were playing quidditch.
Rachel sighed. Katie had found her soulmate and was now going to marry him. She looked longingly at Draco Malfoy who was surrounded by Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson. Oh, how she loathed Pansy! After all, Draco was her soulmate. not that ugly Pansy girl's. Honestly, what did he see in her? Every time she saw Draco, Pansy was always with him. Draco had never done anything more than look at Rachel, but she was positive that somehow she would get Draco to recognize her.
"Hey, Rei," said a voice behind her.
Rachel jumped.
"Boo!" said Katie as she stepped into view. "What're you doing over here?"
"Oh, nothing," she muttered. "Wanna get something to eat?"
"Sure," Katie replied, beaming.
They strolled over toward the tables filled with food that stood near the castle's main entrance. When they got there, they were surprised to see Fred and George Weasley standing there, trying to look innocent.
"Hello, Katie," George said, smiling.
"So, why aren't you two at your store?" she asked, smiling.
"Oh, we closed it for today," replied Fred, grinning. "Besides, everyone is here. It's the perfect time to - ow! What was that for, George?" he asked, looking angrily at his twin who had just elbowed him in the ribs. "O-o-o-o-oh!"
"So, you didn't do anything to the food then, did you?" asked Rachel, trying hard not to laugh.
"Of course not."
"Now, honestly. Do you really think we would do something like that?"
The four of them laughed as Colin Creevey stumbled in front of them, holding his very long tongue,
"Ah, good ole-fashioned Ton-Tongue Toffee," said Fred with a smile.
"Uh-oh!" said George when he saw Professor McGonagall hurrying towards them, stopping only for a moment to quickly reduce Colin's tongue back to its original size.
"Mr. Weasleys! How many times must I tell you two not to bring those things here?"
"Don't worry, Minerva," interrupted Dumbledore, who had just joined the group.
McGonagall looked as though someone had just slapped her in the face. "But, Albus! Don't you think these two should be punished?"
"Of course I do," Dumbledore replied calmly. "That is why I'm asking them to monitor all the people who eat one of their creations and to perform the counterspell on them. Now," he said leaning over to whisper in George's ear, "at exactly four o'clock I want you to sneak ten of every one of your creations up to my office. The password is Ton-Tongue Toffee. You'll find a bag of galleons sitting on a chair in the middle of the room. Leave the stuff there and take the bag."
"Yes, Professor," George replied grinning. "We'll behave ourselves."
Professor McGonagall looked at them oddly before walking off to join Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout.
As George excitedly told Fred about what Dumbledore had said, Katie and Rachel shuffled down the rows of tables, filling their plates with food. Once full, they took their plates and sat down under one of the trees. Nibbling on the food, they watched as former classmates strolled past them - Ron Weasley, Harry Potter, Angelina Johnson, Lee Jordan.
After awhile, they were joined by Hermione Granger. "So, Katie, what is it like writing for the Daily Prophet?"
"Oh, it's great! So, what're you doing now?"
Hermione beamed. "I'm a professor here, the new Charms teacher. It's my first year; Professor Flitwick just retired."
"Oh, wow, congratulations," said Rachel, trying to sound enthusiastic. But her mind was elsewhere. On Draco, in fact. She was staring at him as he placed a strange piece of candy into his mouth. She recognized it at once as one of the Weasley Wizard's Wheezes. Now, was her perfect chance. Finally, Draco would pay attention to her and realize that they were meant to be together. Reaching in her robes, she pulled out her wand started to mutter the counterspell. But.agh!. she was too late. Professor Snape had already performed it.
"Well, I better be going now," said Hermione as Oliver joined them,
"Hi, honey," he said, leaning over to kiss Katie on the cheek.
"So, who won the game?" she asked as she opened a humbug.
Oliver beamed. "My team. You should've seen the one save I made where I."
Rachel began to feel like it had just become very crowded. "I'm going to go get something to drink," she said, standing up and walking slowly back towards the tables. Halfway there, she spied Draco and Pansy talking in the distance near the Whomping Willow. Rachel looked around hopefully. "Perfect!" she thought when she saw Marcus Flint, quite near where Draco was standing. It was the perfect excuse. She would call out to Marcus and then "accidentally" run into Pansy as she "just-so-happened" to pull out her wand and mutter a curse. Rachel smirked as she waved at Marcus, calling out his name confidently.
"Rachel, hi!" he said when he saw her.
"Now or never," thought Rachel as she made her way towards him. All was going as planned. Then, it happened. She purposely bumped into Pansy as she muttered the Furnunculus Curse. Her work was done. Now, she would go over and talk to Flint for a moment and then wait for Draco to come.
"So, Marcus, what's up?"
"Nothing," he grunted. "You?"
"Oh, nothing much."
"I gotta go. must talk to Milli."
Rachel turned around and saw Millicent Bulstrode standing impatiently behind her. "Oh, sorry," she muttered. Rachel strode over towards a tree and sat underneath it. And not long afterwards was joined by Draco.
"Rachel."
She looked at him oddly.
"That's your name, isn't it?"
She nodded.
"Thanks," he uttered. "I've been trying to break up with her for the past month. Such a pest! 'Draco, look at this! Oh, isn't this just adorable, Draco?'"
Rachel laughed.
Draco smiled. "So.do you..er..want to go out sometime like."
"I'd love to!" interrupted Rachel, grinning widely.
"Okay.cool," he said before hurrying off to rejoin Crabbe and Goyle.
Rachel let out a sigh of triumph as she sought to rejoin Katie, who she had spied underneath a tree near the quidditch field.
"We were wondering where you were," said Katie as Rachel sat down beside her.
"Yeah. Thought you might've gotten lost. After all, it's only been five years, hasn't it?" Oliver teased.
Rachel forced a laugh, her mind still on Draco.
The day now seemed to fly by rather quickly. And before she knew it, Rachel found herself back on the Hogwarts Express going home.