Prologue
One idea I managed to grasp during my fifth year at Hogwarts, was the difference between heaven and hell.
The difference being, that one is a house for all the good people, and one is a house for all the bad. Does that mean that every person fits into one of two categories? Good or bad? I wondered at this thought. Does doing just one good or bad deed, automatically qualify you for one of the two places?
I suppose this could apply to the houses at Hogwarts… A Gryffindor's qualities do include brave and loyal, and we all know what Slytherins want to be when they grow up.
So I guess Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws are just neutral. Purgatory. Switzerland. And we Gryffs' are stuck defending our dignity against a load of snakes. Literally.
Lucky sods. Bet the Puffers would love a piece of the action.
How many meanings can you get out of that one…? Damn my dirty mind. I blame Fred Weasley for that. And Alicia.
Oh, and Oliver - fricking perfect - Wood.
You know, sometimes I wish I wasn't a Prefect. Then I could constantly charm his fricking-perfect mouth SHUT. Believe me; he deserves every spell I send his way.
Course, it doesn't help matters that all my friends think I fancy him. And vice versa. The whole lot of them are off their rockers.
"Give me one good reason why you think Wood fancies me, Ang?"
"Because I'm your best friend, I know these things."
"That's true. But that excuse only worked two years ago, when you tried to convince me that Snape actually shampoos his hair."
"I swear to this day he does. It looks all clean when you get up close and personal."
"…..I don't want to get up close and personal, Ang. EVER. I think you've permanently scarred my brain…And don't change the subject! Give me a reason!" (She didn't answer for several seconds, but I gathered it was difficult for her.)
"Well…he asks you out at least five times a day."
"He does that to piss me off. Not because he fancies me."
"You are just in denial."
"That's fine by me! At least this discussion can finally be over! Oh," (as she grudgingly started to leave) "and feel free to spread the word, I know how Alicia loves a good chinwag."
She couldn't argue with me there. At least she'd leave me in peace now. She may be my best friend, and I may love her to bits, but having Madame Pince give you evils from behind her counter is not how I would describe 'Happy Hour' in the Library. And I need to stay in her good books (excuse the pun), OWL's start in a few days, and I'm completely abusing my revision timetable.
I shouldn't have agreed to that five-a-side Quidditch game the twins planned last week, but my Nimbus hadn't had an outing in days. I did miss an entire day of work though. Yeah, yeah, call me what you like.
However, looking around the deserted room, I was actually surprised to see how deserted it actually was. There should be at least a couple more fifth years in here, and, I'm sorry to say, Oliver Wood should be among them. He was nearly as much of a swot as I was.
Talk. Of. The. Devil.
As soon as he walked through the door and spotted me, I was sure he walked towards me for one of two reasons:
He's come to ask me out. AGAIN. Start looking around for a hasty exit.
Or, he's come to bug me, for the same thing he's been bugging me for the past two days; an answer to his stupid problem. I still don't get what the problem is, as he won't actually tell me what it is.
I said as much to him when he reached me, before he managed to open his mouth. I get Brownie points for good timing.
This, I felt, was my chance for afore-mentioned hasty exit. My chances were 50/50- If I got packed up and out the door fast enough, he may not realize I've actually gone (as thick as his brain is). The chances of that working though, were slim, as he is very persistent. The worst case scenario being, he doesn't let me leave at all, and I'm stuck listening to him drone on for at least ten minutes, before I can make some excuse. But being Oliver Wood, he would have to insist on walking with me, knowing full well it would piss me off even more…
I can't believe he hasn't realized I'm not actually listening…Right, let's do this then.
Phase One: I managed to skillfully pack up my parchment and quills without him realizing. It was easier than I thought, but then Wood was on a roll.
Phase Two: Leave the library, carrying two incredibly heavy books on Ancient Runes, one equally heavy bag, and my sense of dignity, all before Wood realizes that I have indeed managed to thwart his plans yet again.
Cue evil laugh.
Unfortunately, Phase Two was botched by the timely blocking of two all too innocent second years, who had just decided this was the perfect time to moan about the bucket load of work they'd been set over the summer.
Right outside the bloody door.
By the time I'd barged past them, docked ten points off them because a) they were Hufflepuffs (they've got less brain than Wood put together), and b) because they were just plain pissing me off, Wood managed to catch up, exclaiming loudly that I didn't appreciate what he was telling me.
I didn't, but I wasn't about to tell him that.
"What exactly have you been telling me? My brain hasn't had to process anything yet."
He muttered something under his breath which I didn't quite catch. I took this opportunity, as we walked back to the common room, to try and get something decent out of him…
"I honestly don't understand what the problem is."
"The problem…the problem is we need to be sure it doesn't happen again." NOW I knew what he was on about. And, I guess he did have a point about it, but again, I wasn't going to tell him that.
"Nothing happened in the first place, Harry is fine."
"No he is not fine! He's been in the Hospital Wing for the past week!"
"Yeah, but he's not dying Wood."
"Thorpe, will you just listen to me?"
"I've been listening, for the past ten minutes, and you've failed to tell me anything, as usual."
"Look…"
"No, you look Wood. I have an Ancient Runes O.W.L exam in two days, and if I didn't have to make a generous contribution to the organization of this team, as my role as vice-captain requires it, I would be telling you to sod the hell off. Clear?"
"Crystal"
"Wow, you do have a brain. I'll see you at dinner then."
As I start to walk away, a humongous grin plastered on my face, he shouts back to me. My grin falters a little. Only a little.
"Oi! Thorpe! I haven't even told you what I want to do!"
"It's not as if I'm disappearing off the face of the Earth."
"Why do you have to be so dramatic?"
I ignored that.
"We have all summer for you to tell me… urgh, that's an awful thought."
"Why?"
"Because, Wood, the thought of having to spend the last two weeks of my long-awaited summer holiday, with you, is just horrific. Yes, it's at the house of my best friend where the rest of our friends will be, but its two weeks longer than I anticipated… honestly, it doesn't even want to bear thinking about."
"The feeling is completely mutual."
"Glad we agree."
As I turn my back from him again, I hear that stupid Scottish drone, in all its perfectness.
"Hey, Thorpe!"
I whirl around, glaring daggers at him the best I could, seen as we were half a corridor apart. That doesn't stop him grinning at me like a Cheshire cat.
"It's three weeks!"
I just ignored him. I would not give him the satisfaction. Nor would I sink to his level. Amelia Thorpe does not do that.
But Amelia Thorpe does wish to participate in the scheming plotting I shall soon ensue with afore-mentioned BFF. Finally, Wood has met his end.
"MWAHAHAHA!"
Oh, great. He's still at the other end of the corridor isn't he?
I'm gonna kill him.
Well, no one would be surprised if I did.