A/N: Hi :) This is going to be my first novel-sized story (about time); this is pretty much a sort-of prologue. Hopefully you'll enjoy it!
Disclaimer: I don't own the world of Harry Potter. Not now, not in the next chapter, never.
"Calm down, Rose, easy. Deep breath in, and breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. Calm. Easy. Count to ten. Close your eyes. You're above this. Far above this. You can handle it. Don't make them think they've won. You can deal with this. Calm. Deep breaths."
"Rose? Why are you talking to yourself?" My head snaps up and I see my cousin Lily looking at me concernedly. My eyes flicker over to the Ravenclaw table, and Lily gets the message immediately. "Oh Rose, what did they do now?" she asks sympathetically.
I look around to see if anyone is listening in; that isn't the case. But of course, who would want to listen in to a conversation between two very normal, very ordinary Gryffindors like Lily and myself? Anyway. "They found my diary," I say softly, and Lily gasps. It's good to have a cousin who actually understands me and sympathises and isn't laughing his head off as one of the culprits. I continue, "And now they're reading it, probably, and they already told me that they will read some passages aloud when they find anything juicy."
"You're kidding, right?" Lily asks. Her eyes turn to slits as she gazes at the only red and gold speck at the Ravenclaw table. "How did they even find it?"
"Beats me," I reply, shrugging. Alright, that is a lie. I may have left my diary in the common room last night before going on patrols, but that should be no reason for them to confiscate it!
"Do you want me to talk to Al?" Lily asks, her eyes on the Ravenclaw table once more.
"I don't think it'll do much good," I say, and I sigh. "It'll only encourage him. Them."
Lily nods pensively. "And – are there any juicy passages in your diary?"
"Depends on what you would call 'juicy'," I answer. "Would that be other people's secrets, gossip, my dreams and nightmares…" After a meaningful silence, I look at Lily, who is now drumming her fingers against the table.
"I could always write mum and dad," she offers, "they might be able to convince Al to give you your diary back …"
I can already picture Al's face as he receives another Howler Aunt Ginny sent him, and I grin. "Perhaps…" I say vaguely. "But maybe I'd better think of a way to get it back without informing the whole family."
Lily nods in understanding. Did I mention how great a cousin she is in times of need? "Once they read your diary to the entire school, they'll find out anyway, eventually," she says, tearing apart my recently obtained optimism. "What's the worst that could happen if anyone finds out what's in there?"
I think for a moment. An unknown number of relationships will be torn apart, among them, I remember suddenly, Al's own relationship with Erin Vane. Not that I would mind, I can't stand either of them. Students might get in detention for pulling pranks here and there (I am sure, at this very moment, that James should be happy to have already graduated, so he's unable to serve detention for everything I wrote down but no one else ever found out). People would find out about the scandalous scenes I come across while patrolling hallways at night. They would find out what I dreamed about at night (and during the day, at that), what I wanted to do with my life, my goals, my hopes, everything. Why I even keep a diary is now unclear to me.
"We have to get that diary back," I tell Lily in a serious tone. "Otherwise, I might not survive this." Merlin forbid that they'll find out that I fancy… no, I shouldn't think about it. If that happens, my life will officially be over.
And if anyone finds out that it was me who accidentally set fire in the cupboard where the school brooms are stored away, I can forget about becoming Head Girl next year at all.
A/N: Well, what do you think so far? Let me know, please review!