A/N: So I watched OOTP with my sister and got an idea for this little ficlet. I really miss Angela, so I jumped at a chance to write for her again. XD Don't worry though, I am in the process of writing a new chapter of Altus Vicis, Ferreus Vicis.
Disclaimer: The only character I own is Angela Barry. None of the rest I do.
Genre: Friendship/Slight Angst
Rating: PG-ish I suppose
Summary: Movie-verse. OOTP. After the mass punishment by Professor Umbridge, Angela does her best to help Dumbledore's Army using a remedy Luna created. Slight Fred/Angie/George if you squint and tilt your head.
Let the Circle Be Unbroken
My hand hurt. Badly. I flexed it several times, looking down at the words as tears pricked the corner of my eyes. I hated that Umbridge woman. Completely and utterly hated her. Cho was on her bed, sobbing. I suppose it was because she was the one that told on us. I suppose I should have been a good friend and gone to comfort her, but I was in too much pain and at the moment I didn't mind blaming her either.
Luna approached me; she was cradling her hand and the sight of sweet Luna hurt like that made me even angrier.
"Angela," she said softly. "I believe I've concocted a potion that will help with the pain. It was one of my mother's old experiments. Daddy says I shouldn't, but I couldn't help myself this time." She handed me a small vial. "Three drops should do," she said with a vague smile. "It won't make it go away, but the pain will lessen. See? Mine already feels better." She lifted her hand to my face and I winced at the fiery red letters that adorned her lily-white hand.
"I'll try it," I said, holding out my burning hand and dripping the liquid from the vial onto the words. It burned worse for a second before dulling to a gentle ache. I flexed my hand again. "Thanks Luna," I said, looking up to smile at her gratefully.
"You're welcome," she answered with a tilt of her head. "I believe Neville's in the library," she informed me, before turning and skipping off.
I blinked for a moment before I realized what she was saying. I slid off the bed and hurried out of the Ravenclaw house and toward the library.
Neville was huddled over a book on herbology, hiding his hurt hand in his robes. I sat down next to him.
"Neville," I said gently. "Let me see your hand."
He hunched forward farther and glanced over at me quickly. "Why?" he asked hesitantly.
I smiled slightly, placing my hand comfortingly on his back. "I have something that will help with the pain," I explained.
He stared at me a moment longer before straightening and slowly holding out his scarred hand to me. I opened the vial and dropped three drops onto the letters. He hissed and drew back his hand quickly, but I saw his face smooth out as the potion worked its magic.
"Thanks Angela," he said softly, looking up at me with a slight smile.
"You're welcome, Neville," I answered, resting my hand on his head briefly before standing and turning to leave.
"Wait," Neville said, standing. "The others are in the common room; I'll take you."
I smiled gratefully and he led me to the Gryffindor tower. However once we got there he scratched his head in a perplexed manner. I raised my eyebrows.
"Forgot the password?" I offered.
"No!" he said quickly, even though his blush betrayed him. I sighed.
"It's okay, Neville. I'll find them later."
"Find who?" Seamus Finnigan's unmistakable Irish brogue sounded from behind us.
"Harry, Hermione, and the rest," I offered, glancing down at his hand. He saw me looking and scowled, hiding his hand behind his back.
"I'll open the door," he declared, stepping forward and saying the password. The door opened and we walked inside. He turned to go up to the boy's dormitory but I stopped him with a hand on his arm.
"Seamus, let me see your hand," I said, releasing his arm in order to hold my hand out to him. He looked at me warily.
"It's okay Seamus," Neville interjected. "She has something that helps."
The Irish boy lifted his hand to me. "I didn't sign up for this you know," he muttered. "I wanted to learn how to fight for Dumbledore, not tear up my hand with bloody writing."
I winced sympathetically as I took his hand and poured the required three drops over his hand. He grimaced but kept still as the pain began to ease. He looked up at me and flushed slightly.
"Thanks," he murmured, turning and moving away.
Neville led me over to where Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat in front of their fireplace. They were all quiet, which was strange, staring into the flames. They were all cradling their hurt hands.
"I've brought something to help," I said, holding up the vial and stepping up to them.
Harry looked up and gave me a small, grateful smile, holding out his hand trustingly. Hermione did the same, watching me curiously. Ron glanced at the other two than stuck out his hand as well. I poured the concoction over the letters and they all hissed as the pain flared and then dimmed.
"Thanks, Angela," Harry said, giving me another smile. Ron nodded in agreement to Harry's words.
Hermione was looking at me. "Where did you get that?" she asked. "I don't think it's in any of our school books."
"Luna made it," I said, smiling and moving on to a small boy sniveling in the corner. I recognized him vaguely as Nigel somebody. Anyway he was in Dumbledore's Army and so I administered the potion. Straightening, I looked around for Fred and George, wondering where they were seeing as I had not seen or heard them yet. I finished with the Gryffindor members of the Army before thanking Neville for letting me in (even though it was actually Seamus who said the password), and leaving.
I found Hannah Abbott in the main corridor and asked her to take me to the Hufflepuff House, keeping an eye out for the Weasley twins. I hesitated briefly before stepping into the House. The place reminded me so much of when I would come there with Cedric. We would sit on the couch, my ear over his heart, and talk about our respective summers. My chest ached as soon as I stepped into the common room, but I pushed aside my feelings in order to focus those Hufflepuffs who were a part of Dumbledore's Army.
Once I was done there, and duly thanked (as well as asked to thank Luna as well for them), I left in search for Fred and George. I found Draco Malfoy instead. I quickly hid the vial in one of my robe's inner pockets.
"Barry." He spat the name out as if it tasted bad. I simply waited. Crabbe and Goyle flanked him, as usual. "What are you doing sneaking about at this hour?"
I glanced at my watch. "It's hardly seven o' clock, Malfoy," I told him, giving him a rather contemptuous look.
He scowled and reached forward, grabbing my hand and pulling me closer, inspecting the back of it and the scar there. I glowered at him.
"You'd better be careful who you hang about with," he warned me. "You never know when something nasty might come of it." He lifted my hand to my face as if to show me the scar. I refused to look at it and stared into his face instead.
"Are you quite finished?" I asked icily. He held my hand for a moment longer before dropping it abruptly. I quickly hid it behind my back.
"Just watch your back, Barry," he finally said, pushing past me roughly. Crabbe and Goyle followed him, giving me a long, hard look as they did. I stared back at them and then turned to lean against the cold stone wall of the hallway. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. It was hard, seeing Draco around after we had broken up. It was even harder to talk to him.
I flexed my hand slowly, remembering the feel of Draco holding it. It brought back memories. Memories that were now painful. I clenched my jaw tightly.
"I say, you're looking a bit ill."
I opened my eyes to see Fred and George standing in front of me. I gave them a slight smile. "I'm fine," I said, pushing off the wall and stepping up to them. "I was actually looking for you."
They exchanged a glance and then looked back at me. I reached into my robe and pulled out the vial.
"What's that then?" they asked in unison.
"It's to help with the pain," I explained, showing them my hand. They both stared at the angry scar for a moment before holding out their hands simultaneously. I administered the potion and when the pain eased they grinned at me.
"You're an angel," they said.
I froze slightly before giving them a weak smile in return. George caught on to the mood change faster than Fred did.
"What's the matter?" he asked, stepping forward and slinging his arm around my shoulder. "Didn't you give it to yourself?" He picked up my hand and looked at it before offering it to Fred as if to see what he thought.
I had to smile slightly as Fred inspected my hand. "No, no, it's not that. It's just that . . . Cedric used to call me his angel."
"Ahhhh," came the response from the boys.
"We understand, Angie," George said, giving my shoulder a slight squeeze.
Fred stroked the back of my hurt hand with his thumb. "He was right though. I mean, it even fits with your name. Angel. Angela. It's about as close to it as you can get." He grinned at me.
I slowly grinned back. "That's part of the reason why he called me that," I admitted.
"Brilliant fellow," George said.
I gave them both a grateful smile as I once more pocketed the vial. "Well, I got everyone in Dumbledore's Army; I should go back to my House now. It's getting late."
"We'll escort you," they chorused. They offered their arms and I looped my through theirs.
"I gotta hand it to you Weasleys," I said, looking up at the both of them. "You do know how to cheer a girl up."
"Our pleasure," they said, grinning.
When we arrived at the Ravenclaw House, I answered the portrait's question and then turned to the Weasley twins. "Thanks for walking me back," I said, giving each of them a hug. "And for your words. They helped."
"Thanks again for the potion." Fred and George placed a hand on each of my shoulders, squeezing them encouragingly. Glancing around furtively, Fred leaned close to my ear.
"Keep an eye on the skies during the Fifth Years' OWLs," he whispered.
"You'll be in for a great surprise," George added with a wink.
"What do you—" but the boys were gone before I could finish my question. Sighing and shaking my head, I turned and entered the common room. Luna was there, reading her magazine upside-down as usual. I handed her the vial.
"Did you get everyone?" she asked me in a vague sort of way. She slowly moved her eyes from the words of the magazine to look up at me.
"Yes," I replied.
"Mmm. Good." She returned to whatever she was reading and I made my way to our room. Cho was there, sitting on the bed, her hands clasped tightly together. I didn't want to talk to her, but something told me that I had been there and comforted every single member of Dumbledore's Army. I couldn't leave Cho out, even if she had ratted us out. The circle that connected us could not be broken.
I sat down beside her. She sniffed piteously. I remained silent, waiting for her to speak first.
"I didn't want to do it," she said, and let out a soft sob. "She forced me to. That dreadful Umbridge woman. She made me tell her about the Room of Requirement. I didn't want to, honest I didn't!" She began to cry again.
My heart softened and I placed my arm around her shoulders. "It's okay Cho," I murmured softly. "I forgive you. I don't know about the others, but please believe me when I say that I believe you and that I, at least, forgive you."
She looked up at me with watery eyes. "You do?" she asked softly, incredulously.
I nodded and held her tighter. "You're my best friend, Cho. And I know you would not do anything to hurt Dumbledore's Army intentionally."
"No, I wouldn't," she said with a sigh.
"Good. Now get some rest. It's late."
Cho gave me a weak smile and nodded. I stood and made my way to my chest, getting out my pajamas and laying it across the bed. Luna wandered in just as I was buttoning the last button of the shirt.
"Was that the Weasley twins who brought you back?" she asked dreamily, tilting her head slightly and studying me with wide eyes. I blinked.
"Yeah, why?" I answered.
"Mmmm," she murmured thoughtfully, before she turned and left. I frowned after her in confusion.
"What was that all about?" I asked, looking over at Cho. She shrugged helplessly.
I crawled into bed, still frowning over Luna's words and her reaction to my answer. What had she been thinking: asking that question? Deciding now was not a good time to try and puzzle out what went on in Luna Lovegood's mind, I laid down and fell asleep.
Well, that's it! I promise to do my best to have the next chapter of AVFV up soon. In the meantime, review and tell me what you think of this! XD