Just finished this chapter. Hope you like it.

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I was sort of mad at how easily Harry managed to brew the potion but I got over it rather quickly unlike Hermione who was still holding a grudge. I was excited though when the next morning it was Quidditch trials. I know I'm a good chaser but I don't want anyone to think I just got on the team because I'm dating the captain so I really have to show how good I am today.

Ginny and I were standing behind Harry. Ron, Ginny and I were the only ones listening to him. Harry tried with little success to get the attention of the throng of aspiring Quidditch players assembled on the pitch. "All right! Queue up! Excuse me..."

"SHUT IT!" Ginny yelled. There was instant silence. Harry frowned, but nodded to Ginny nevertheless.

"Thanks. All right. This morning I'll be putting you all through a few drills to assess your strengths." Harry explained "But know this: Just because you made the team last year does not guarantee you a spot this year. Is that clear?" Ron looked unnerved at this, sweating so much he's attracted a pesky fly.

Cormac, the huge boy from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, sidles up. "No hard feelings, Weasley, alright?"

"Hard feelings?" Ron asked

"I'll be going out for Keeper as well." Cormac said "Nothing personal."

"Really? Strapping guy like you, you've got a Beater's build, don't you think?" Ron advised" Keeper needs to be agile, quick –"

Cormac nabs the fly between two fingers, and kills the buzzing. "I like my chances. Say... think you could introduce me to your friend Granger? Wouldn't mind getting on a first name basis, know what I mean?" Cormac gives a lewd wink and saunters off. Ron glances up to the stands. Hermione smiles and waves. I look at Ron and raise my eyebrows. When Ron looks at me confused I roll my eyes and walk away.

When it's my turn I fly swiftly, handling the Quaffle with ease .Behind me two second years collide in mid-air. I throw the Quaffle and Cormac makes a brilliant save. While Ron makes a shaky save. Katie Bell snatches a Quaffle with one hand, splits two defenders beautifully and makes a slick blind pass to Dean who jets high in the air, then lets the Quaffle roll off his fingers... right into my hands as I race below. Seamus sends a Bludger rocketing into the stands which scatters a group of onlookers, leaving only Neville, who sidles delicately to the right as the others leg it. I see two third years collide in mid-air. Ginny throws a Quaffle and Cormac makes a brilliant save again. Ron turns the wrong way but makes the save anyway as the Quaffle caroms off the tail of his broom. I'm starting to feel rather nervous for Ron .I can see Hermione look on nervously too. Demezla Robins, bent low over her stick, pins the Quaffle under her chin, splits two Bludgers and a pair of Beaters. Two fourth years collide in mid-air. Two aspiring Beaters "whiff" on a pair of Bludgers and whack each other instead and plummet to the pitch as the Bludgers ricochet off one another and go flying into the stands, scattering onlookers yet again and leaving, as before, only Neville. This time, he sidles delicately to the left. I manage to get a Quaffle and shoot it through the goal but yet again Cormac makes a brilliant save. I throw another Quaffle to where Ron is but the Quaffle bounces off Ron's head. I see Hermione look on extremely nervously. Two fifth years collide in mid-air.

The survivors pressed ice packs to their heads and run tape round twisted fingers. Only Ron, hovering at the west goal, and Cormac, hovering at the east, remain on the pitch. I eye Cormac - cool, confident, clear. Then I eye Ron – sweaty and nervous,

"All right. Cormac. Ron. It's down to you two for Keeper." Harry yelled out "We'll decide it with a shootout. Belle, you'll bring the Quaffle up against Cormac. Ginny, you'll take on Ron.

"Hang on. She's his sister. How do I know she won't toss him a floater?" Cormac Complains.

"Piss off, Cormac." Ginny shouted "How 'bout I toss you a floater?"

"Quiet" Harry snapped "I'm Captain. We do it my way. Now line up. On three. One. Two... Three!"

Ginny and I rocket forth. Ron weaved nervously while Cormac hovered in place, a confident sneer on his face. I hunched over my broom, flying like an arrow, then I went into a wide, sweeping slide. Ginny blasts over the pitch ginger hair streaming like flames, then rolls recklessly to the side. As one, we both throw the Quaffle. Cormac, at the last moment, inexplicably rolls his broom to the right and the Quaffle sails over his shoulder. Ron, zig-zagging crazily, nearly falls off his broom, rights himself in a panic, and deflects Ginny's Quaffle... with his forehead. As a few partisan cheers erupt from the stands, Harry grinned, and then had to restrain himself. I smile realising Cormac missed the goal but Ron didn't.

We were sitting in the common room. Harry was scanning his Potions book. Hermione was perusing the Prophet while Ron was cracking walnuts, pitching the pieces into the fire. I sat reading my charms textbook.

"Have to admit, thought I was going to miss that last one. Hope Cormac's not taking it too hard." Ron smiled. Behind her paper, Hermione rolled her eyes. "Has a bit of a thing for you, Hermione. Cormac."

"He's vile." Hermione admitted.

"I second that." I spoke up.

"Ever heard of this spell?" Harry moved next to Hermione and I and pointed to a notation in the margin underlined three times: "Sectumsempra. For Enemies."

Hermione frowned. "No I have not. And if you had a shred of self-respect you would turn that book in."

"Not bloody likely." Ron snorted "He's top of the class. Even better than you, Hermione. Slughorn thinks he's a genius." Hermione cast Ron a withering glance.

"What?"

"I'd like to know just whose book that was. Let's take a look, shall we?" Hermione reached past me to grab the book from Harry.

Harry held it out of her reach "No!"

"Why not?" Hermione asked suspiciously.

Harry stood up and walked away "It's... old. The binding is fragile."

Hermione followed Harry "The binding is fragile?" She made another grab for it, but Harry held it clear.

I stood up and walked behind Harry, and plucked the book out of his hand. "Who's the Half-Blood Prince?"

"The who?" Hermione and Ron asked.

I backed up as Harry and Hermione walked closer to me "That's what it says. Right here. 'This Book is the Property of the Half-Blood Prince." I pointed, written on the frontispiece is: "This Book is the Property of the Half-Blood Prince." I threw the book back to Harry who caught it and walked over to a desk and started to read.

We were walking to Homemade but we had to trudge through deep snow and there was a bitter wind.

"For weeks you carry around this book, practically sleep with it... and you have no desire to find out who The Half-Blood Prince is?" Hermione questioned Harry.

"I didn't say I wasn't curious. And, by the way, I don't sleep with it." Harry corrected Hermione.

Ron chortled sarcastically "Yeah. Right." Harry glared at him. "Well, it's true. I like a nice chat before I go to bed. Now you're always reading that bloody book. It's like being with Hermione." Hermione glared at him.

"Well, I was curious. So I went to …" Hermione began.

"The library." Ron, Harry and I interjected.

"And?" I asked

"And... nothing." Hermione exclaimed, "There's no reference to the Half-Blood Prince anywhere."

"Good. That settles it then." Harry stated.

Hermione started to object, when Hagrid emerged out of the trees, beard crusted in white, looking like a crazed Father Christmas. "Hey, you four!"

Behind him, deep in the woods, I could see dark silhouettes, Aurors. I eyed them briefly then nodded to the pulsating burlap bag Hagrid clutched in his fist. "What've you got there, Hagrid?"

Hagrid tipped open the bag and the four of us grimaced while Hagrid chuckled. "Stinksap. Burn the whiskers right off yer chin. Trees 'ere are drippin' with it."

"Stinksap? You're not sick, are you?" Hermione asked.

"It's not fer me. It's fer Aragog. " Hagrid explained and I flinched leaning into Harry as he wrapped his arm around me. I hated spiders."Yeh remember Aragog, don' yeh?" Yeah, it did try to eat us.

"Spider? About six feet tall? Ten feet wide?" Ron questioned with gestures.

"Tha's the one." Hagrid grinned but then frowned, "He's taken ill. I'm hopin' ter nurse 'im back. Keep yer fingers crossed." Hagrid crossed his fingers. Ron and I forced a grin and did the same.

Ron shook his head as soon as Hagrid disappeared back into the trees. "Barking. Does he not remember that raving arachnid tried to eat us? What?"

Ron saw Hermione staring at the Aurors. "The Aurors. I know they're here to protect us, but... somehow I don't feel any safer."

Just then I spotted Slughorn, heading down towards the Village, passing a weary Professor Flitwick coming the other way. "Filius! I was hoping to find you at the Three Broomsticks."

"Emergency choir practice, I'm afraid, Horace." Professor Flitwick passed us on his way back to the castle.

Harry watched Slughorn continue on towards the Village. "Who's up for a Butterbeer?"

As we entered the Three Broomsticks, Hermione, Ron and I were in the midst of seating ourselves at a perfectly acceptable and clean table, when we saw Harry seat himself at one strewn with the detritus of a previous customer but which put him in direct view of Slughorn. We exchanged a glance, shrugged and joined Harry. I sat next to Harry and Hermione sat opposite me but as Ron started to take the chair directly opposite Harry blocking his view. Harry said "No, no. Sit next to Belle."

Ron stopped and exchanged another glance with Hermione and I."O-kay." He moved so that he was next to me.

A skinny kid in an apron appeared and tossed a filthy rag on the table which began to wipe the surface on its own. "What'll we have?"

"Four Butterbeers. Splash of ginger in mine, please." Hermione answered. The kid whistled and the rag leaped back into his pocket. I looked up and spotted Draco but he walked away a second later.

"Aw, bloody hell..." I heard Ron mutter. I turned to see Ron glowering at Ginny, who was sitting in a dark corner with Dean, their faces lit by a guttering candle.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Oh, honestly, Ronald. They're just holding hands..." Dean kissed Ginny, "And snogging"

"I'd like to leave." Ron mumbled.

"Leave? You can't be serious." I said to him.

"That happens to be my sister." Ron stated.

"So? What if she looked over here and saw you snogging me? Would you expect her to get up and leave?" Hermione pondered. Ron blinked, utterly speechless.

"Harry, m'boy!" Slughorn's voice boomed so loudly even Ginny jumped. As Slughorn waddled over, sloshing mug in hand, Harry rose immediately, an action so grossly out of character that I regarded him with amused curiosity.

"Hello, sir. Wonderful to see you."

With my brow wrinkling I turned to Ron and Hermione, silently mouthing "Wonderful to see you?"

"So what brings you here, sir?" Harry continued.

"Oh, the Three Broomsticks and I go way back. Longer than I'd care to admit. In fact, I remember when it was simply One Broomstick!" As Slughorn guffawed, Harry joined in, laughing heartily as well. Slughorn's belly trembled next to Hermione's cheek and his waving mug sloshed over, spattering the table. "Oops! All hands on deck, Granger!"

Hermione smiled thinly, when I heard a whistle and the filthy rag was back whisking away Slughorn's mess as the skinny kid slid four foaming mugs onto the table. I could see Katie bell emerge from the back and start for the exit. Her friend Leanne following her out.

"Listen, m'boy. In the old days, I used to throw together the occasional supper and invite a select student or two. Would you be game?" Slughorn asked Harry.

"I'd consider it an honour, sir." Harry answered.

"You'd be welcome too, Granger. And you as well, Danvers."

Hermione, in the midst of emptying her Butterbeer in one long draw, slammed down her mug, leaving behind a moustache. "Be delighted, sir."

When he turned to me I smiled. "I'd love to come."

"Brilliant. Look for my owl." As Slughorn was exiting he turned to Ron. "Good to see you, Wallenby."

I stifled a giggle as Ron frowned when Slughorn waddled away. He turned to Harry. "What're you playing at?"

"Dumbledore asked me to... get to know him." Harry explained.

"Get to know him?" I asked confused.

"Dunno. But it must be important. Otherwise Dumbledore wouldn't ask."

Slam! Ron turns to see that Hermione has emptied his mug as well. Ron gestures to her upper lip. "Um... You've got a little…".Without a thought, she flicked her tongue up and wiped it clean.

We were on our way back to the castle and the snow was falling heavily now. I was walking hand in hand with Harry with Ron beside him while Hermione was trailing several yards behind us, pirouetting happily, letting snowflakes fall on her tongue.

"Bit worried about her." Ron said to us, "Did you hear that rubbish she was talking back in the pub? Her and me snogging. Ha. As if..."

I was about to reply when I heard Leanne yell out, "Katie. You don't know what it could be!" Up ahead, Katie Bell and Leanne were standing in the drifting snow, arguing. Katie was holding a slender package.

Hermione came bumping up behind us and draped her arms over the boys. "What's up?" At that very instant, Katie Bell rose six feet into the air. Hair dancing violently in the wind, her face remained eerily placid. Then she screamed. Harry and I released hands as he and Ron dashed forward and seized her ankles. At their touch, she fell to the snow, thrashing and shrieking, eyes rolled up in her skull.

"I warned her!" Leanne shrieked, "I warned her not to touch it!"

I looked and lying in the snow was the torn package. I looked up at Katie again and yelled "Harry, she's swallowing her tongue!"

"I'll get someone…" Hermione began.

"There's no time!" Harry interrupted.

Suddenly, a massive figure lurched out of the white: Hagrid. "Get back! All o' yeh!" He said this so forcefully the others instantly obeyed. Effortlessly, he scooped up Katie's thrashing body and then, as if calming a terrified animal, pressed his face close to hers and whispered with great tenderness "Now, now. Now, now..." Over and over he repeated this, soothingly, the words like a mantra, until Katie's lids fluttered and her body went limp. "Don' go touchin' tha' but by the wrappin's. Unnerstan'?" Hagrid nodded darkly to the package in the snow. Harry kneeled and poked through the paper and inside is an ornate opal necklace. Taking off his scarf he carefully enfolded the package and rose. We then watched Hagrid lumber off, Katie cradled in his arms. In seconds we were swallowed by the snow. The only sound we could hear was the roar of the wind.

Later that afternoon we were in Professor McGonagall's office. The necklace lay green and glittering upon McGonagall's desk.

"You're sure Katie did not have this in her possession when she entered the Three Broomsticks, Leanne?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"It's like I said. She went to the loo and when she came back she had the package. She said it was important she deliver it." Leanne answered McGonagall.

"Did she say to whom?" McGonagall continued. Leanne shook her head. "All right, Leanne. You may go." Leanne exited the office. McGonagall turned to us. "Why is it always you four? Hm? When something happens?"

"Believe me, Professor, I've been asking myself the same question for six years." Ron replied

Just then, Professor Snape appeared at the door and eyed us. "Severus." McGonagall greeted Snape.

"Is this it?" Snape gestured to the necklace. McGonagall nodded. Snape took out his wand and lifted the necklace like a dead snake, eyes it with fascination.

"What do you think?"

"I think Miss Bell is lucky to be alive." Snape stated.

"She was cursed, wasn't she?" Harry asked "I know Katie. Off the Quidditch pitch she wouldn't hurt a fly. If she was bringing that to someone, she wasn't doing it knowingly." Snape eyed Harry levelly.

Professor McGonagall sighed "Yes. She was cursed."

"It was Malfoy." Harry declared. Ron, Hermione and I turned to stare at him.

"That's a very serious accusation Potter." McGonagall frowned.

"Indeed. Your evidence?" Snape drawled.

"I... just... know." Harry stammered.

"You... just... know. Once again you astonish with your gifts, Potter, gifts mere mortals could only dream of possessing. How grand it must be to be the Chosen One." Snape sneered as Ron, Hermione and I averted our eyes uncomfortably.

"I suggest you return to your dormitory. All of you." Professor McGonagall turned away from us as she continued to speak to Snape in low whispers.

When we arrived back in the common room, Hermione and Ron went straight to the dorms so I stayed with Harry in the common room. I sat with my head on Harry's lap as he sat on the sofa. "Sorry we haven't spent much time together Belle."

"It's fine Harry." I smiled softly.

"You know we have to get ready to go to that dinner party you know." Harry informed me. I nodded.

"Do we have to?" I groaned.

"Dumbledore wants me to get to know Slughorn and get him to trust me. It would be a lot more enjoyable if you were there." I smiled and kissed Harry softly.

Please review. It would really make my day!

Constructive criticism welcome.

Updated: 02/08/2014

Kisses,

RockaRosalie X