Chapter 4
After we had finally managed to break free from Lupin's lecture George and I ambled along back to the Gryffendor common room, holding hands all the way, trying desperately to avoid Umbridge's minions. As we reached the Fat Lady we let go, once she knew, every painting in the school would, and then Umbridge. "Pistachio" I announced once we were in reach of her hearing "welcome back, long day? " she asked politely "you have no idea" I murmured.
Once we had climbed through the passage door and into the common room I pulled him towards the sofa in front of the great fire place I retrieved my wand pointed and said "Incendio", a large flame burst out igniting the fire with a 'whoosh'. I curled up on the sofa and wrapped Georges arms comfortingly around me and lent against his firm toned Quidditch body staring at the flames until their comforting glow calmed me into a restless and fitful sleep, my previous dream lingering on the edge of my memory.
I awoke to the sight of glowing embers in the fire place I shifted position stretching our various limbs after an uncomfortable sleep. I looked up from Georges lap and saw that he was looking down at me "good morning sleepy head" he whispered softly at me. I sat up an rubbed my eyes and tried to tame my wild blonde curly hair. I looked down at my watch, it was 5am. "Uhhh" I groaned "It's early still" then I remembered that I had a hole load of work to catch up on from the day before. I dragged myself up to my dorm, changed my uniform and settled down at my desk.
The days pasted in blur, school and DA meetings overtook my life; Ruby admitted that the thing knew her name and that she loved Fred, things went crazy. I barely knew what was up and what was down. I wondered between classes and the Room of Requirement in a daze until it came to me that there was something I could possibly do to help, I could use my brain. I mean people in DA aren't all that stupid, I mean Hermione is excessively cleaver but other than her Ruby Is the only other person who is as cleaver as us. Man I'm such a nerd.
I guess this means Library here I come.
The past few days I hadn't been able to sleep without George next to me so we usually never made it up to our dorms to sleep; we crashed on the sofas in the common room in front of the fire every night. Having returned from yet another DA meeting I walked into the common room to see George sitting on the couch, I wondered over and after everything that had happened over the past few days I collapsed on the sofa, leaning against him, I leant up to kiss him before smuggling down next to him, leaning on his shoulders, "good night" he whispered into my hair I was out like a light.
I awoke the next morning feeling better for having a good nights sleep, the first for days. I looked down at my watch, despite my good sleep I hadn't managed to sleep more that six and a half hours. I sat up trying not to shift my weight too much – I didn't want to wake George, despite my best efforts he stirred, so I kissed him lightly on the forehead "come on you, we have things to do"
"like what exactly, it's 6am"
"we are off to the library" I stated smugly, "oh and you might want to grab Harry's invisibility cloak". The cheeky grin that I loved so much appeared, spread across his face "now that's more like it"
We snuck out of the common room and down to the library on the fourth floor we we're silent, I didn't want to admit to anyone what I was about to do, I knew Harry had done it in his first year but, it was expected that they would try and break some rules to see how far things would go but for an older student the punishments were harsh, plus with Umbridge around who knew what the consequences would be.
As we snuck into the library I covered it with charms so that we could speck freely without anyone hearing us. "Ok here we go" I told George
"What exactly are we looking for" he asked with a sparkle in his eyes.
"A magical creature"
"Please tell me this has nothing to do with Ruby and 'Demitri' and is really just you wanting to get ahead in Care of Magical Creatures"
" this has nothing to do with Ruby and I want to get a head in my studies" I repeated cheekily, giving him a smile that he couldn't resist. Well it worked and he just couldn't help smiling back "where to then" he asked begrudgingly.
"The Restricted Section"
"You bad, naughty girl Ivy Fitzgerald" he teased
I searched for an hour with George sitting watching me "could you at least help" I barked at him, my lack of discovery irritating me. "Ohh touchy are we" we replied in that irritating voice he usually saves for teachers. I gave him my dagger eyes. I couldn't find anything, I had combed through the first four sections finding no other mention other than 'The Pale Ones' or 'The Cold Ones', hello I worked that one out already just by looking at them with their pale alabaster skin and looks that could freeze oceans.
"lets go" I shouted across the stacks at George.
" At last" he replied with his shock of ginger hair appearing round the shelves, flopping over his eyes in that cute adorable way. I grinned, "well maybe not yet" I coaxed "so we're going to be like that now are we" he asked curious, walking towards me and slipping his hands around my waist. "yes we are" I replied smuggly as he picked me up and put me on the table so that we were more of a similar height. I smiled and kissed him.
After a while I broke away "crap" I muttered. George looked alarmed,
"what, what is it" he asked panicked,
" potions". I could tell he was suddenly thinking the same thing as we fled the library barely leaving anytime to retract the charms. We burst into Potions, muttering our apologies. Snape ambled over to us "and why are we late, Fitzgerald, Weasley? " he enquired "Seaborgium, Praseodymium and Gadolinium Sir" I answered with my teachers pet voice. "What gibberish are you talking about now girl" He asked curtly.
"The three elements found singly at the bottom of the great lake, ascertained only through magical means"
"Congratulations Miss Fitzgerald, Fifty points to Gryffendor" He exclaimed, truly astonished.
"Nice one" George whispered to me from the nearby desk, smiling. "Weasley" snapped Snape from his desk as he marked books. I looked back to George "Sorry" I mouthed grinning back just as Ruby and Fred skidded in. Snape's head snapped up once again and he strode over the their joint desk. Luckily for Ruby she was his class pet so she had nothing to worry about but Fred I wasn't so sure.
"Mr. Weasley, what are you doing waltzing into my class at this time? " Fred looked guiltily across to Ruby
"Urm, well, I'm not sure you want to know sir" he stated, the whole class silenced ready to hear Snape's out burst. "Scoring with a girl completely out of your league I presume." Ruby shifted uncomfortably in her seat, there was a stifled laugh from another Ravenclaw girl. What had they been doing this time. "Well yeah. How'd you know?" Fred announced, Snape turned "The look on your face said it all. Class dismissed"
We all rushed from the room, hurrying away from the tension. I grabbed Ruby's arm on the way past and dragged her into a silent corner of the corridor. "You did it with him, Ruby! I hissed. Ruby turned to look at me, blushing
"yeah, well I know something you only guessed. They do want me, so I just thought what the hell I might not have much time left." I smiled at her knowing how confused she was, well this just proved it. "how do you know?"
"He told me, he got me alone in a room and told me, his name's Demetri. He said he'll take me sooner or later," she I pulled he into a huge hug and Fred came over, "Can I have my girlfriend back now?" Ruby grinned at me and turned to face Fred . "Of course, come here" Ruby said pulling him into a tight embrace.
"I know what you have to do. They'll be in the cave, I'll follow you, Fred you need to stay here, assemble the army and Lupin, we might need you. I'll call you if anything happens" I interjected from behind. Fred pushed Ruby away, almost violently "My girlfriend is not bait." He growled. "You're girlfriend has a name and I am." Ruby snapped and stormed away and Fred stood in front of her blocking her exit "Please Rubes" Oh dear he was about to beg, I had better leave them be "Don't do this to us. I can't live if I lose you." Fred cried behind me, Ruby started to sob gently. "LOOK FRED, I NEED TO DO THIS"
"OH YOU NEED TO COMMIT SUICIDE, WAS I THAT BAD? REALLY COS THATS WHAT YOU'RE DOING!"
"YOU KNOW YOU WEREN'T THAT BAD, NOW IVY TAKE ME TO THAT CAVE BEFORE I BREAK DOWN"
I lead a sobbing Ruby out of the alcove and back along the corridor. Fred stormed off in the other direction swearing. She started to cry again, but I couldn't stop, she had to do this before she changed our mind, I had a sense that our futures depended on it. I led her to my clearing, which incidentally was the start of all of this, and motioned to behind the waterfall ."It's behind there...Good luck" I added with an almighty hug. She walked through the waterfall into the passage to the cave.
What had I done I thought as I heard her scream.
