I don't really think I like this chapter. Thanks to all who reviewed -- no one.


Lauren and I sat quietly in the seventh year girls' dormitory. We didn't cry, but we didn't talk, or smile, or ask questions either. We were finished packing for tomorrow, but we weren't tired enough to sleep, even though it was ten thirty and the five other girls in our dorm were passed out. We'd cried at the memorial feast that night, though. No house cup was announced, and I think that's the way it should have been, although many people – mostly Slytherins – thought the whole thing was a sham. Professor Dumbledore told us everything, too, even though he probably wasn't supposed to; how the cup had been a portkey, and Harry and Cedric had been taken straight to Voldemort. He told us that Voldemort had killed Cedric, and that he was of full and able body… That he was back. We cried through nearly the whole ordeal, and barely ate a bit. Lauren and Cedric were friends once upon a time, and I'd barely even spoken to him, besides the first week of classes last year when I kept forgetting my ink. But it was such a depressing, and frightening, event that we just couldn't help it.

"What a way to spend our last days at Hogwarts," Lauren said in a choked whisper, and all I could do was nod my head in agreement.

"I can't believe You-Know-Who is back," I said, staring at my hands folded in my lap.

"Do you really think he is?" Lauren asked critically, and I looked up at her. She had a perfectly sculpted eyebrow cocked.

"Well yeah," I said, a little confused. Actually, I was really confused. "Don't you?"

"I'm not sure," she admitted. "I mean, it is all a little fishy, isn't it? And we're just riding on Potter's word, what if he's lying? Professor Dumbledore always trusts everything the kid says one hundred percent. Maybe we should start taking his word with a grain of salt."

"So you think he's lying?" I asked, trying to keep my voice from rising. "Well then how did Cedric die, huh? Do you think Potter killed him? 'Cause I sure as hell don't think it was an accident. Merlin, Lauren…"

"Shhh," Lauren demanded, looking around as a few of the girls stirred. "I didn't say that at all. I just think we should keep open minds."

"I just think you're a nut," I retorted, pulling the hangings closed around me. I was furious at her, and I didn't even want to look at her. I didn't want to know what was wrong with her, not tonight. I'd either figure it out or forget it on the train home tomorrow. I just wanted to sleep.

*

Lauren and I shared a compartment with Fred and George Weasley, and Lee Jordan. It was Lauren's choice – she lied about having a crush on Lee – so that I couldn't grill her on our conversation last night. I didn't mind though. It was better to just forget it and go on like nothing happened when it came to Lauren Fortune. Because if you tried to bring something up with her, she'd bring up something you said ages ago and hold it over your head until you dropped the current argument.

"You should write us during the summer," Lauren suggested, winking at Lee. I thought it was pretty awful of her to flirt with him when she actually didn't like him, but maybe she just liked to flirt. I hoped this didn't end up like most of her other flirting escapades though; I'd have to be pretty grossed out if Lee Jordan had sex with Lauren.

"Yeah," I agreed, looking more at the twins. "I'd love to be kept updated about everything." Since they were friends with Harry Potter, I assumed automatically that they'd know more than the Prophet would report.

"Sure," George said, judging Lee with his elbow and wiggling his eyebrows. Lauren was staring at him through her eyelashes, with her head tilted down, and I think I was the only one who wasn't fooled. Fred and George obviously thought Lauren wanted Lee for more than just a random shag, if even that.

When the food trolley came around, Fred and I both hopped out of our seats to buy treats. We took our time, too, letting everyone else go ahead while we stood back.

"I can't believe Lauren," I finally said, and Fred, to my surprise, nodded his head.

"She's not the best of people." He agreed.

"No kidding," I said, buying a pack of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, some liquorice wands, and some cauldron cakes for a Sickle and six Knuts. Fred just got some pumpkin juice, and we walked slowly back to our compartment together. When we got there, George was gone, and Lee and Lauren were snogging like it was the end of the world.

"Oh gross," I whispered, and Fred and I slinked off to find somewhere else to sit. We found George sitting with his brother Ron, and Hermione Granger and Harry Potter, half way down the train. They graciously let us join them, although the compartment was now quite full. I was introduced to all of them, and found they were quite the enjoyable lot all together. Hermione was even able to help me figure out what I did wrong on my Potions final three days ago, and it was a great relief, although it wouldn't help my mark at all now.

We talked and ate happily, and played a few rounds of Exploding Snap, and I found myself a bit sad when the train finally pulled into Kings Cross station. In only three quarters of a day I'd made friends almost as good as Lauren, although I couldn't imagine confiding my secrets in any of these people – like how I had a crush on Professor Lupin when he taught us last year, even though he was a werewolf – or spending hours upon hours studying for Charms with these people, like I did with Lauren last year. But we were close now, and we all exchanged addresses and promised to write each other over the summer.

I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to Lauren for the two weeks we'd be apart, because I couldn't find her before I left the platform and caught up with my mom in the ladies' bathroom to apparate back home. That was one of the convenient things about not having a dad around – if mom and I ever needed to apparate, we could just do it from a bathroom.