It was the afternoon of Oliver's birthday when I ran into Miles. With Oliver at my side he made a hissing sound then sneered at the both of us, "Well if it is not quite a pair…" Miles said smoothly as we walked by. Feeling his eyes trial on me I hugged Oliver closer but Wood insisted on turning around to face Bletchley.
"You have something you want to say, Bletchley?" Oliver asked venom in his voice. Raising his wand Miles came closer then whispered, "Do you really want to start something Wood?"
With both of the men having their wands out and drawn I smiled cunningly before I drew mine. Pointing it at Miles I heard him whisper but before he could do anything I used the shield charm, Protego. Miles flew backwards in the air as I repelled his curse.
Gasping I saw Snape round the corner as Miles slowly got back to his feet. Instantly Snape accused me while giving a detention before Miles was caught also.
"Hopefully you don't have any plans, because you have detention tonight Williams!"
I knew that if Miles had not said, "I'm going to get you for that one Williams!" Then he would have never gotten detention also. It was only McGonagall that sentence him to detention. We were both to report to Snapes' office later tonight. Oliver came through unscathed and Miles seemed fine with being stuck in detention with me.
Miles gave a curt smile before disappearing, and I turned to Wood.
"Oliver, I'm so sorry, this ruins your birthday! I didn't-oh, I'm so-" I stuttered as Oliver took my hand and whispered, "It's all right…don't worry about it."
I nodded to him but yet I could see the sadness orating from his smile and eyes. Hugging him briefly I went back to the Ravenclaw common room to find my books and to tell my friends. I had detention in less than an hour.
Sara looked at me, her face all screwed up in a grossed-out look and then a shocked look. "Miles?" She whispered as Rachel squealed in fright before Teresa said plainly, "I'm sorry, that sucks!"
Gray looked at me her eyes frowning before she whispered, "You want us to do anything?"
Thinking for a moment I said, "Yes, actually there is."
They all looked at me, curiously involved for danger. My smile grew before I said, "You want to come and meet me after detention? Just come after and meet my by Snapes door?"
Rachel looked at me, fear in her eyes, "Well, if this doesn't make it look like Miles is going to try something. Are you expecting anything out of the ordinary?"
Teresa smiled and said, "He would not do anything…not if we are there."
"It's going to be around ten, so decide who wants to go." I said, leaving that to them as they all smiled, "We are all going, that's for sure."
"Breaking rules was always too much fun anyway." Teresa said with a smile.
"Are you sure about this? What is we get caught?" Gray said, slightly put out by the idea of getting dead caught.
Rachel gave her a frown the said, "No time to think rationally, not now."
Walking down to the dungeons I was put on edge in the dark night. Running my hands down the stones walls as I went past I felt something suddenly give way. Turned I found my hand draping itself across Miles Bletchley's chest.
Before I could say anything to him I pulled my hand back as he told me, "Common room…not like you really care, huh Mara?"
Staring into his eyes I whispered nothing back but sighed loudly as he took the lead. With both of us walking down to the corridor I saw the wooden door that led to the dungeon, or Snapes classroom and office.
Miles pulled it open as the candles in his room lighted and a sweet smell hit my nose. Walking after Miles almost scared to find something hidden around the corner I took a seat, right in the middle of all the desks. Miles took a seat behind me as Snape came into my sight.
"I presume that you two have brought other homework, mine I hope, to do." His voice was edgy but quiet tired sounding. He said nothing more but disappeared into the shadows which held his desk. I knew somewhere in the darkness he was watching us closely, and perhaps consistently. My heart raced as I took out Snapes homework, prepared to do it before his very eyes. Maybe then he would understand why I was in Ravenclaw.
It was around nine thirty when I looked up at the clock which ticked ever so slowly. My eyes pained to open as I looked back, for the first time, at Miles. He was coolly returning my gaze as I bit my lip to watch him further.
"Williams?" Snape's hard voice cut through my abruptly as I turned back in my seat. My head had snapped back so fast my hair gave a delayed moment to push its way into my face. Moving my hands to uncover my lost face I said, "Yes sir?"
"Do you need something?" I could feel his scorn from here and the problem was yes, I did need something, and it was on his homework too. I had looked over and over at this problem and for the life of me…I could not figure it out.
I knew I was missing something gravely important but before I said anything else Snape whispered, "Bletchley."
Confused I looked into the darkness and then at Miles who joined me, by my right side. He moved the chair and sat next to me, smiling deeply into my eyes as he stared momentarily. Slowly he touched the book I was holding, brushing his hand against mine. Shivers went into my blood as I pulled back but sighed instead. I smiled when he finally reached my eyes, unsure of why I had done that I shrugged again. He said nothing but pointed to the over used parchment that I had been scribbling things out on.
Touching the Potions book with the other hand he red it over once as he said so quietly I knew Snape could not hear, "Mara, you keep using the same formula to find the Budworm ingredient…on this problem you do not, you are trying to just find the Cimworm. All you really have to do it looked I up in the back, then find which element it works with, fire, then you can figure it out."
I hardly understood any of those words but I looked at him, my eyebrows knitted together as I frowned at him. "Why are you helping me?" I whispered back as he turned to look into the shadows then back at me, "Time to go." His voice was slightly accented as he got up and nodded to Snape who said, "Oh yes…you may go as well Williams."
Taking my books back in hand I followed Miles who held the door open for me. Going into the dark hallway I found that he soon disappeared through what looked like a stone wall, and then I remembered, "Common rooms." Following the corridor I swore I heard giggles and I knew my friends were just around the corner. Turning around the corner I saw them smiling as they came to my sides.
Sara was the first to rush to my side and say, "Was he not there?" Plainly meaning Miles.
"Oh," I said briskly as we checked the corridors before moving into the Great hall, "Oh, he was there all right but he didn't try to murder me, although he did brush my hands quiet a few times…" I let my voice trial as we silently moved into another hallway that branched off of the Great Hall.
We all slide into the corridor as we whispered, "He looked at me, at one point, so deeply into my eyes I thought he was reading my mind. Let me just say that he is a very mysterious man in the dark…then when he left he opened the door for me, that's it." I said as we crossed into another hallway stealthily.
Gray looked at me before saying, "You don't like him do you?"
Gaping at her I whispered outrageously, "NO!"
Gray was the first one to make a squeak as we looked around the corner. There was Peeves, the annoying little twit of a ghost.
He was both positioned on the bottom of our tower, holding what looked like a cauldron boiling with something sticky and black inside.
"What do you think it is?" Sara asked as Gray said, "Looks like Bone Acid…it goes through your skin and eats your bones raw until you scream in pain and then inevitably die-"
Rachel gaped at her before saying, "Gray, that's enough! What do we do?"
Teresa smiled then said almost excitedly, "We go through it."
"No," I said with a scared look, "we can wait a little more time, don't you think?"
I looked at my friends who all gave loud sighs; if we didn't hurry dawn would surly approach…
"So much for that God sent sleep." Gray said with some effort to keep her eyes open as we walked silently but cunningly through the darkened hallways. Trying to avoid contact from anyone unpleasant I knew where to go next.
"Might have fun right?" Teresa said as she red my mind with a smile.
It was quiet as we arrived to the Gryffindor Fat Lady. Looking at the picture I said, "Rectorus." The Fat Lady's eyes grew as she looked at all of us.
"Fine…" She said grumpily as her eyes shut once more, opening the picture we all entered the common room of Gryffindor.
The picture frame shut after us as we all looked into the fire. Then practically yelling I heard voices coming from one of the rooms. Walking down the hallway to Oliver's bunker we ran into Fred and George Weasley along with Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet, and many others still dressed and having a party.
Abruptly Katie smiled at me as she draped her long arms around me before Fred said, "We gave her some fire whiskey, she's been like this for a little while…but I suppose you will be looking for Oliver, huh?"
"Naturally," George said as he but in, "well, of course he will be in his room, sleeping or rather talking I should think." Nodding solemnly we all diverted our attention to the room.
I could hear voices inside as I entered slowly. Oliver was sitting on his bed, along with the others as they looked at us all. Adam Dubai's eyes brightened when he saw Rachel enter. Without a word we all found a bed to sit on, finding peace in this room, as we had done three times before.
I sat on Oliver's bed as he wrapped his arms around me, "I was just talking about all of you." He mentioned as everyone listened intently.
"Oh really?" I asked with a smile but then frowned, "Grave news from Ravenclaw, Peeves is going to threaten us with this black liquid…looks rather dangerous…" I said as he kissed me abruptly.
"You want us to help?" Adam said with a bright smile as we all faced him curiously.
Teresa smiled but said nothing, still thinking we could do this ourselves, no doubt. Yet Sara spoke up first, "Yes, please."
Adam, Oliver and the rest slowly go out of bed, still dressed and walked with us back to their common room. Oliver abruptly moved out of the way as someone came angrily through the hallway. My vision set on them as shock set in, along with a renewed anger and resentment.
Chelsea Stone took a moment to look at me and then at Sara, Teresa, Rachel and Gray. Sara and I had the same sneering reaction, but Teresa and Rachel prompted themselves to stay out of this matter. Rachel and Teresa had never known Stone like we had. Gray said nothing but looked down, playing the pathetic position of neutrality. Feeling betrayed slight by Gray's actions I decided to mock Chelsea as she went by, "Lost in your own corridor?" I asked murderously to her, sneering still as she went by.
"And what," She asked as she turned to face me in the common room, "your mental, because last I saw you never belonged here." She pointed to the patch on the left of my robes.
"Oh, Ravenclaw," Sara said venomously, "since when can you read?"
Our angry eyes stared into each other as we thought of something so much crueler to say. Chelsea was quiet for a moment, a lucky break then smirked to Oliver who looked at us both, "Wood, how could you possibly be with this bitch…I mean witch. If anyone was unworthy I should think it would be her-"
Oliver had taken a warning step to Chelsea before saying gravely, "Stone…stop moving your mouth-"
I jumped at Chelsea as I bellowed, "Shut your fucking mouth before I shut it for you!" Pointing my wand I found hers in my face as Sara pointed it at her also.
Silence.
Two wands against one as Gray started to speak, "I really don't think-"
"Shut up!" All three of us snapped at her cruelly as Teresa took my arm and said, "Come on Mara…"
Rachel had her wand pointed at Chelsea as she whispered maliciously, "Try it again and I will personally-"
Chelsea laughed and said heartlessly, "Oh Rachel, really you can not be serious, is this your little threat to me."
Adam stood protectively at her side before Rachel whispered, "A threat," Her voice was so ruthless as she leaned in to whisper into Chelsea's ears, "A threat…that would mean you're already dead…oh, but to me, you were dead a long time ago."
Walking past Rachel and Adam departed as Teresa and Gray followed. Sara stood with me as Oliver took my hand, coaxing me away from what looked like to be a serious fight.
"Go on you two; you both have no business here." Chelsea said as she crossed the room to disappear up the stairs. Right when we were leaving the portrait Sara turned to whisper one more thing, "Impedimenta."
I knew that this would either blind, freeze or do some other kind of bidding, but we didn't stay to witness the sight, although Sara and I both found it comical to do so. Walking the halls late at night once again, but this time with Oliver at my side, we started to the long conversation of Chelsea Stone.
"It's likely that she just didn't want to have a conflict and she was about to keep walking but then you had to antagonize her." Gray said as they walked, the boys all on theirs sides, following them cautiously. Making sure there was no teacher down one of the corridors Sara spat, "Oh really Gray, don't even pretend-you can hardly deny-I swear, if you would care for your friends-" Sara was stuttering in her anger as they walked along.
I took over her voice, just as loud, and by my standards, practically screaming, "If you care about us then you would do well to stand by us!"
Grays voice grew more and more annoyed without words as she snapped, "Oh honestly, you can't think that I would not stand by you!"
Sara took a jab into the air before saying mercifully, "Yeah, I could really tell you were a friend back there…"
Silence once again before Rachel said, "You think that after she offended all of us that you would actually-"
A screeching came in time before we all looked up at Oliver and the other men holding their wand to Peeves. Scared, for possibly the first time in his dead life, Peeves smirked then said, "Oh, Woody Wood Wood, can't scare me off…I'll be back, oh yes, Woody Wood…" His voice trailed off as I looked at the stone which for all purposes lacked a heartfelt touch. Standing at the base, forgetting Gray for only a moment I murmured to Oliver as he came to my side, kissing my cheek, "Thank you for coming so late." I smiled all around to the boys who smiled back. I knew more than half had come here for my friends, thinking some were cute, but I gave them a heart felt smile anyway.
Oliver kissed me and for a moment I took his hand as he started to walk away with the rest of the Gryffindor men. Our hands stretched out to reach each other but finally both of our hands slipped. Mine hit my leg as they disappeared down a corridor and we started to walk up to the common room.
When we had finally all found our beds we sat and decided bed was not an option. Talking out loud I started, "Chelsea betrayed us last year…we were the six…we all so unbreakable and then she went and-"
Sara sat straighter before she said in a hushed voice, "I knew she was trouble from the beginning, always thinking she was higher than any of us…I mean, she was a Gryffindor that should have been the straight away giveaway."
We all, maybe not Gray, but we knew that Chelsea had never really been one of us, no matter what we had said. She had been too busy, too fussy about how we lived our lives when she failed to live her own. Rolling her eyes Teresa said nothing, she was not in this. She didn't know Chelsea like Gray, Sara and I had. Rachel hadn't even been in this fight till tonight. I presumed Rachel had brought the heat because she felt the new need to defend us. We were a group, more like a family now that Chelsea was gone. Sure, we would all admit that it hurt to loose what you thought was a close friend but hey, it had to happen.
"I guess that she was wrong for…" Gray started but failed to speak the rest so I took over, "Glad you can see the light, only took you forever…" I was still fuming at Gray, almost more than Chelsea.
A pause in the clean air as Sara said, "She back stabbed us…she talked behind our backs all year and we never knew. Then she told the teachers terrible, untrue things about us, which grant it, put me in the most detentions for a year; I made a detention record! She never gave the time to listen to us when we needed it because she never cared. She was hardly ever the definition of friend."
"She always hated us." I mumbled under my breath as my eyes started to shut.
Waving my hand I saw the lights go out as we sat in the dark. I then heard a voice, "Why did you-"
"Shut up!" Three people had snapped at the same moment, I could tell you, I was one.
My eyes fluttered in between sleep and I felt the next few weeks pass me, which led us to the middle of October. Miles was his usual, 'let me touch you' self and Oliver was Oliver, my loving boyfriend. He would hold me in my time of need and keep me safe from everything that I had ever feared. Sara and I had taken up being mad at Gray but it only could last less than a week and we soon became the tight knot we were born to be…
