AN:I've broken this year into two parts.
Angelina yawned as the train's vibrations lulled her to sleep. She was exhausted, having stayed up the night before with excitement. That decision was catching up to her as she dropped onto Alicia's shoulder.
"I'm not a pillow, Ange." Alicia shrugged her shoulders, smirking as Angelina groaned, slumping forward. George was sitting to her other side and hesitated before saying.
"If you want, you can..." He trailed off, his ears burning as he coughed and looked away. Angelina smiled.
"Thanks George." She settled on his shoulder.
George nodded before glaring at his twin who was smirking at him from across the compartment. "Shut up." He muttered.
"Yeah, Weasley." The door slid open, revealing Marcus Flint, already changed into Slytherin robes. "Shut up."
"What do you want, Flint?" Angelina demanded, resisting the urge to punch his face. It was too early to deal with him.
"Just wanted to tell you that your Quidditch team better watch out this year." His smirk was unsettling. And did he seriously wander around the train looking for their compartment to tell them this? Did he have nothing better to do?
"Okay." She said, giving him a fake smile. "You told us..." Her expression dropped. "Now leave." She motioned to the door. Flint gave one sweeping look around the room, his eyes lingered on Angelina, her head on George's shoulder. He tensed, then he left.
"One of these days I'm going to rearrange his face." Fred muttered.
George looked at the door. "It was almost as though he knew something...which is wrong, because he knows nothing."
Angelina shifted her head, intent on taking a nice nap, but before she could the compartment door opened again. A short red headed girl, obviously a first year, came in. Her eyes were wide and darted around the compartment.
"Ginny." Fred sighed, looking indulgent. "We had a rule, you're not allowed to make contact with us until after your first detention. We have a reputation to uphold." Angelina looked at her with interest. So this was the Weasley sister. She could see the resemblance. In fact, the twins looked more like her than their younger brother.
George frowned. "What's wrong?" He asked, moving Angelina off his shoulder so he could stand to go to his sister.
"Ron and Harry Potter." Ginny said. "I can't find them anywhere on the train and...and their friend Hermione hasn't seen them and... I know mum thought he and Harry got on the train without saying anything but I don't know where they are and..." She was bubbling, tears rolling down her cheeks.
George pulled her into a hug, shushing her. "We'll look for them." He said as Fred got up with Lee hot on his heels. Angelina got up as well with Katie and Alicia behind her.
"We'll look that way." She said, pointing towards the engine. "You guys go towards the caboose." Fred nodded. He, Alicia, and Lee took off. George followed after getting assurances from Ginny that she'd stay in the compartment.
The first three compartments didn't have anything. No one had seen either of the boys on the train or the platform. Angelina was starting to get worried that this wasn't just a stupid prank. She shook her head and pointed to the next compartment they were about to knock when
"Harry Potter can't even go 2 seconds into term without everyone talking about him." Angelina stopped and listened. The voice belonged to that blond rat faced second year, Malfoy. "I mean, how attention seeking to you have to be to not board the train?"
Angelina motioned for Katie and George to continue without her and opened the door. Malfoy was sitting with his two goons. They stood up, cracking their knuckles.
"This is ours." Malfoy said. "Leave."
"Not until you tell us how you know that Harry's missing." Angelina said, glaring at...Lobster and Boyle? Whatever his lackeys' names were.
"It's all over the train, Johnson." Malfoy smirked. Though his thugs had gotten up, he was sitting, cool as a cucumber. Her wand hand twitched. He was so smug behind his protection.
Angelina tilted her head. She couldn't win a fight with them, but...She whipped out her wand, pointing it at the them. "How about you tell me everything you know." She growled. "And I don't decide to use this time to practice all the spells I've learned at my 3 years at Hogwarts." She smirked. "That's two more years than you."
The three of them hesitated. "I didn't see him get on the train." Malfoy blurted. "I was looking for him...him and his friend Weasley. They caused an embarrassing fight between my father and Weasley's at Flourish and Blotts." He glared. "I wanted to teach him a lesson. But he didn't come on the train...They weren't even on the platform."
Angelina lowered her wand. "Some people might find it weird that you pay so much attention to where Harry Potter is, Malfoy." She said, before backing out of the compartment.
Alicia came up to her. "Hey, Lee wanted me to ask-" George ran up to them, out of breath.
"We looked in every compartment, every bathroom at the front of the train, no one's seen them." He was worried. "Did you find anything?"
Alicia shook her head. "We haven't checked all the-"
"Why the bloody hell not?" George yelled, pushing past her. Alicia and Katie looked at each other. Angelina sighed.
"Go back to the compartment." She told them, giving them bracing smile. "I'll make sure he doesn't do anything stupid." She found him scaring some Hufflepuff third years. Dragging him out of the compartment, she gave them a small nod before dragging him out into the corridor. "George." She said, turning him so he was facing her.
"Angie, I need to find them." His eyes were wild; he was spiraling. He tried to pull away.
"GEORGE." She said, putting her hands on his shoulders. "Calm down and listen."
He jumped, taken aback by her tone. She took a deep breath. "I know I don't understand what it's like to have a sibling, but I know that, where ever Ron is, you loosing your mind isn't helping him."
He slumped, leaning back against the wall of the corridor. "You're right." He mumbled.
"Of course I am." She said, he gave her a small grimace. "Come on." She motioned to the end of the hall. "These compartments aren't going to search themselves."
She turned and began walking down the corridor, George behind her. The train lurched and she stumbled, George grabbed her and pulled her up, stopping her fall. Her stomach fluttered slightly as she looked up at him. It was then that she noticed how tall George had gotten over the summer.
"You okay, Angie?" He asked. She nodded.
"Yeah." She pulled away. "This compartment." She motioned down the hall not indicating a specific one. "We haven't looked in it."
George's eyes narrowed. Walking away from her, he shook his head. Angelina let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Focus, she told herself. George needed her help.
"A flying car?" Alicia said, watching as the majority of the house clamored around the portrait hole, welcoming Harry Potter and Ron Weasley into the common room.
"George says it's his dad's." Angelina said, folding a copy of the Daily Prophet into paper airplanes. "Is this right?" She said, holding up her attempt. Alicia shook her head, flattening the paper out.
"Fold it down center first." She instructed. Angelina nodded.
"And Muggles fly on these." She said, trying to remember everything she'd read about planes.
"Not on these." Alicia rolled her eyes. "On big ones that can cross the world."
"I know." Angelina rolled her eyes. "Honestly. How thick do you think I am?" She looked at the paper in front of her. "But this is the basic construction for the machines?"
"Still no." Alicia said, looking over at Harry and Ron being pulled into a crowd. Food had been brought up from the feast. Angelina looked over at Katie.
"Wanna be my best friend?"
"What's in it for me? Katie retorted.
"You get to be my best friend." Angelina repeated.
"Hey." Alicia said. Angelina smirked.
"That's for insulting my intelligence." She crumpled up her piece of parchment and threw it at Alicia's head. It bounced off the center of her forehead. Alicia didn't even flinch.
"They're going to keep the entire house up all night." Katie sighed.
"Ladies." Lee came over, throwing his arm over Angelina's shoulders. Across the room George looked over at her. When he saw Lee with her an inscrutable expression crossed his face and he turned to focus on his brother and Harry Potter. "What type of trouble are we planning on getting ourselves into this year?"
"You can't plan trouble, Lee." Katie rolled her eyes. "It defeats the purpose."
"You need to let it happen organically." Alicia said.
"We haven't even had one day back." Angelina said, shrugging off his arm. "Maybe we should focus on classes, getting started on the right foot..." She trailed off as the others looked at her. She sighed, "I'm putting ten sickles on Lee losing the first points for Gryffindor."
Lee nodded solemnly as Fred and George walked over. "I shall rise to the challenge," he put his hand on his heart. "Dear lady." George had the same strange look on his face. Fred arched an eyebrow before squeezing between Lee and Angelina.
"What is Lee rising to?" He asked.
"Angelina just bet ten sickles that he'd be the first to get in trouble this year."
Fred looked over at her in horror. "Excuse me?"
"Yeah, Angie." George said. "Have you no faith in us at all?"
Angelina gave him a small smile. "Prove me wrong."
The party went on until Professor Mcgonagall came in at 1 am, wearing a purple bathrobe and a very angry expression. The house scrambled to their dorms. Angelina noted that George was hesitated.
"Georgie." She shouted. He jumped, looking over at her.
"I guess I earned that." He mumbled, walking over. "Listen...Can you tell Alicia I'm sorry?" He shuffled his feet. "For yelling at her?"
Angelina titled her head. "Wouldn't it be better coming from you?" She rolled her eyes as he exhaled, his ears turning red. Nudging his shoulder, she grinned. "Hey, it's okay. You were under a lot of pressure. I don't think she'll hold it against you."
George nodded. "I just..." He sighed. "Ron really freaked us out last year when he and Harry Potter went off on that adventure and I...I know I like him getting into trouble, but I just wish his version of trouble didn't put him in danger."
"You're allowed to tell him that." Angelina said.
"What, and sound like Percy?" He scoffed. "I mean, Fred and I taught him how to fly the car, I guess we should have expected that he'd use it." He shook his head. "Thanks for...you know, not letting me lose my mind earlier." He smiled. "I don't know what-"
"GEORGE" The two of them jumped, looking over at the stairs to the boy's dormitory. Percy was standing, looking annoyed. George sighed.
"Mummy's calling." He said, walking towards the stairs. "How many times do I have to tell you it's bed time Johnson?" He puffed up his chest, imitating his older brother's pompous swagger as he walked to the stairs. "Wouldn't want to incur the wrath of a prefect." He ducked around Percy, sticking out his tongue at his brother as he passed. Angelina rolled her eyes before turning and climbing the stairs to her dorm.
"Unbelievable."
Angelina and Alicia turned to glare at the back of the classroom. Fred, George, and Lee were standing there, looks of mock outrage on their faces.
"What?" Alicia said.
"Since when do you sit in the front of the classroom?" George said.
"1st year." Angelina said.
"Uh huh." George moved, sitting next to her. "You always sit in the second row." He opened his notebook and promptly began doodling. Angelina shoved his arm. "What?"
"This is not the class for your antics." She hissed. He was not going to embarrass her in front of Gilderoy Lockhart. Having a famous author for their DADA professor, especially one who'd had such real world experience battling dark elements was an honor.
George scoffed. "My antics?" He glanced at the enormous portrait of Lockhart that was looking into a mirror. "Angie, he's useless. You heard what happened in the second year class."
"He's not a teacher." Alicia said. "We all make mistakes."
"Opening a cage of Cornish pixies on a room of 12 year olds hardly qualifies as a mistake." Fred sat on Alicia's other side. "You two just think he's handsome."
"Well..." Alicia blushed.
"Unbelievable." Fred groaned, covering his face. "You're allegedly intelligent witches in training and yet..." He motioned to the painting where Lockhart was rearranging his hair. "This is what you go for."
Angelina bit her lip. She'd enjoyed his books and she hoped that they could learn from him and was it so wrong that he was charming? "Fred, if you embarrass us..."
"Threatening me, Johnson?" Fred leaned around Alicia, smirking. "Let's hear it."
"I'll tell Wood exactly what happened to his prized broom polish."
Fred humphed, looking at the front of the classroom just as Lockhart walked in.
"You're welcome class. It is good for you to be here, with me." Lockhart flashed them a blinding smile. Angelina winced, okay he did seem like an idiot. "Quick little quiz." He waved his wand, sending a stack of parchment flying through the class, one landing in front of each student. "Just to see how familiar you are with my work."
Angelina looked down at the quiz, all of the questions were about Lockhart and none of them seemed to be very practical in terms of learning anything. She glanced out of the corner of her eye as George snorted. "Hey Angie." He whispered. "How many of these do you know?"
She grit her teeth, scribbling her name across the top of her parchment.
"Bet you have his witch weekly interviews papering your walls." George wasn't done.
"I will hex you." She mumbled out of the corner of her mouth, glancing nervously at the front of the class where Lockhart was admiring himself in a mirror.
"I'm just trying to get a good grade." George shrugged. "And since you seem to be the expert here perhaps you can help me out."
She knocked her shoulder into his, shoving him. He laughed. Angelina glared at him, "George, I-"
There was the sound of a throat being cleared. Angelina's stomach sank as she looked up. Lockhart was standing over the two of them. "Oh dear." He said.
"Professor, I-" She began.
"I know you want to help your boyfriend, Ms." He plucked up the quiz from her desk. "Johnson." Snickers erupted from the class around them.
"He is not my boyfriend." Her face was burning.
"It was my fault, Professor." George spoke up. "I was teasing her and-"
"Ah, standing up for your lady." Lockhart smiled. "Gallant, my boy. Young love." He let out a sigh. "While it warms my heart that you care so deeply for each other, I can't have you being distracted." He nodded solemnly. "5 points from Gryffindor and I think I'll have..." He walked to the Slytherin side of the class room, looking thoughtful. Angelina's stomach sank as he stopped next to the empty seat next to Marcus Flint. Surely not. "How about Ms. Johnson moves here."
"No." George jumped up, glaring. "I mean..." He flushed. "I'll move." He grabbed his books, ready to move.
"Do I need to take more points from Gryffindor?" Lockhart's smile had an edge. "Come now, Ms. Johnson."
The entire room was silent, watching as she stood, grabbing her books and bag walking towards the other side of the room, her footsteps echoed in the class. Even the portrait Lockharts were looking down on her with amusement. She sat in the chair next to Flint, on the furthest part of the chair she could without falling off. She looked directly at the quiz, refusing to look at Flint or at her friends.
"Johnson-" Flint started.
"Shut up Flint." She hissed.
The class was torture. The scratch of quills, the dipping of ink wells were amplified. When the class was over, she slammed the quiz on Lockhart's desk and ran.
"Angie." George called out behind her. "Hey wait, ANGIE."
She whirled around, glaring at him. "You couldn't keep your mouth shut, could you."
"I'm-"
"Everything's a joke to you, isn't it?" She hissed. "Now I have to sit next to Marcus Flint and everyone thinks you're my boyfriend."
George stepped back. "I-"
"I don't want to hear it." She walked straight to Divination, getting there early. When George got to the class she put her bag on the seat next to her and didn't move it until Alicia sat next to her.
"Lockhart is an idiot." she declared. "A handsome one, but still."
Angelina met her eyes. They cracked up. Angelina feeling her stomach loosen, leaning back in her chair. George looked over at them hopefully. She looked away, not quite ready to forgive him just yet.
"I sense..." Professor Trelawney had arrived. She was holding out her hands in front of her, her eyes half opened. "Oh dear, tension between two hearts that pine for each other." She tilted her head. "A heart that yearns while the other spurns its attentions."
Angelina put her head on her desk as the Slytherins in the class, hooted and hollered with laughter. At least until Trelawney walked over to Flint and said. "My dear...she does not hate you that much, no need to fear...though..." She turned over his hand. "You will make a decision that will make or break whether she will want to stay with you." Flint gaped at her before jerking his palm out of his hand, looking around the room in horror. Lee and Fred were laughing. George's eye twitched and he glared at Flint.
She didn't talk to George until dinner. "Look." She said, pulling him aside. "We have Quidditch practice tomorrow and I'm rusty. Do you want to sneak out to the field and run through some drills with me?"
A peace offering. George bit his lip. "Aren't you worried that people will think I'm your boyfriend?"
Angelina rolled her eyes. "Please, Weasley, as if fake dating me isn't the highlight of your year."
The corner of George's mouth twitched. "I'll see you in the common room at 12" He said.
It was the first time she'd snuck out at night without Alicia. Mercifully, Percy didn't do his late night round of the common room.
"This way." George, pulled aside a tapestry and led her through it. Angelina looked around at the dusty passageway.
"What is this?"
"A secret passageway." George grinned. "Fred and I ...found it. It lets out right next to the kitchens. From there, it's just a short 5 minute walk outside." He arched an eyebrow. "What, did you seriously think you were the only one who could go around the castle undetected?"
"When Alicia and I sneak out we don't need secret passages to not get caught." Angelina retorted. A glint of silver glittered in front of them. She winced as she recognized the ghostly blood soaked clothes and grabbed George, shoving him around a corner and covering his mouth.
"Angie?" George mumbled against her hand.
"Bloody baron." She said, shuddering. George's eyes widened and he nodded. They waited, listening as the Baron moaned. Angelina lowered her hand from his mouth. She hated the Baron. He scared her.
"What do you think he's doing?" George asked, looking around the corner. Angelina grabbed him and pulled him back. "What?"
She shook her head.
"Are you...scared?" His brow furrowed. "Ghosts can't hurt you."
"But Peeves can." The Baron was the only one who the poltergeist deferred to, probably because the ghost was horrifying.
George snorted. Angelina smacked his chest. "Ow." He hissed.
"Shut up."
The Baron hadn't noticed them. "Heeeleeena." He moaned. Angelina shivered.
"I think..." George looked back around the corner, dodging Angelina's hands that tried to grab him. "I think he's crying."
"George, I swear, I will feed you your beater's bat if you don't-"
A ghostly sob made her teeth grate and she gripped George's robes, burying her face in his shoulder. George's hands came up, rubbing her back. "It's okay." He whispered. After a few minutes the noise stopped. George stuck his head around the corner and nodded.
"He's gone."
Angelina gulped, aware of how close they were. Pushing back, she pressed herself against the wall on the opposite side of the corridor.
"If you ever tell anyone about this George Weasley." She hissed. George smirked
"That you're afraid of ghosts?"
"Just the Baron." She said. George shook his head.
"As your boyfriend," he teased. "I'm sure that would be against the rules." He held up his hands as Angelina reached for her wand.
There was a meowing noise. The two of them turned and looked down. Mrs. Norris was looking up at them, her eyes glowing. Angelina and George shared a look of panic. "Common room." Angelina said.
"Common room." George agreed. They both turned and ran. Angelina's heart sank as they came up to the portrait and realized it was empty.
"Where?" She whirled around, looking for the Fat Lady.
"She's probably visiting her friend Violet." George suggested.
"If Filch catches us." Angelina hissed. It shouldn't be allowed for the Fat Lady to leave her post. How else would students be able to break the rules and wander the halls at night?
"Well, well well." The portrait hole opened. Fred Weasley was sitting in the entrance, looking at his fingernails. "Aren't we in a bind."
"Fred." George let out a sigh of relief and moved forward to got inside. Angelina moved to follow him.
"Ah ah ah." Fred held up a hand. George stopped, causing Angelina to bump into his back. "I am hurt..." Fred put a hand to his chest. "Pained...shocked that you would do this to me."
Angelina threw a panicked look over her shoulder. She swore she could hear Filch coming.
"...Sneak out and not invite me." Fred was saying. Why was he still talking? "You have wounded me. My heart is-"
"Fred" She cut him off, "I promise I'll buy you whatever you like from Zonko's the next time we go to Hogsmeade. Move, unless you want to land all of us in detention."
The wheezing sound of Filch's footsteps were louder, a swinging light from a lantern was reflecting off the walls. Fred gulped and moved out of the way. George let Angelina go first, shutting the portrait behind her.
"Students out of bed." Filch's voice was clear. "Ooooh I'll get them. I'll..."
Fred pressed his ear to the back of the portrait. Angelina tugged his arm. Fred shook her off. At that second a loud shout of irritation came from the outside of the portrait.
"Where is she?" Filch demanded. "If she's off drinking again. In my day, portraits had proper respect for their posts and if not, they were turned to kindling."
Angelina covered her mouth, trying to silence her laughs. At least something good had come from the Fat Lady's absence.
"Soooo." Fred said, sliding out of the portrait hole. "Whatever I want from Zonko's?" He threw an arm around her shoulder. "I have a list-"
"One item." Angelina rolled her eyes. "And-"
"What do you think you're doing out of bed?" Percy's voice pierced through the common room. He was standing on the steps to the boys dormitory, glaring at them. Angelina waved to the twins as they followed their brother back to bed.
She was yawning the next morning as they made their way towards the field. Alicia and Katie shot her concerned looks. "Where were you last night?" Alicia whispered, glancing ahead at the twins who were talking to Potter.
"I..." Angelina murmured.
"Wait." Katie's eyes widened. "You were out of bed last night?" She grinned. "Like George."
Alicia smirked. "George was out of bed?"
"Oh yeah." Katie hefted her broom higher in her grasp. "I heard Percy yelling at him this morning."
Angelina rolled her eyes as Alicia pretended to stroke an imaginary beard. "Interesting." She said.
"Not interesting." Angelina rolled her eyes. "Not..." she frowned, looking in front of her. The Slytherin team were approaching and they were wearing their practice robes.
Wood went in, demanding to know what they were doing. "I booked the field for Gryffindor today." Flint grinned, holding out a letter, claiming it was from Professor Snape. His eyes slid contemptuously over the team. Angelina gripped her broom, glaring at him.
"To train their new seeker..." Wood read over the letter from Snape. "You have a new seeker?"
From behind the larger members of the team came the Malfoy boy. He could play? She was about to ask when she noticed the brooms...and Flint confirmed her suspicions by mention how generous Malfoy's father had been. Nimbus 2001's the fastest brooms on the market. Part of her wanted to try one, the rest of her was furious. That slimy blonde rat had bought his way onto the team. She and Alicia shared a look. She had an equally disgusted look on her face. With any luck the little twerp couldn't play. Angelina rolled her eyes as he and Potter began trading insults. Potter's two friends, Granger and Weasley, walked over.
"Well at least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way on." Granger said. Angelina nodded her agreement. "They all got in on pure talent." The comment clearly got under Malfoy's skin as he turned, glaring at Granger.
"No one asked your opinion." Malfoy sneered at her. "You filthy little mudblood."
Katie gasped.
"How dare you?" Alicia said. Angelina felt cold. She'd heard of the word before. It had been something her mother had explained people shouldn't say. How evil or stupid was he that he'd just casually say that to someone? Ron pulled out his wand.
"You'll pay for that, Malfoy." He declared, pointing his wand at Malfoy. "Eat Slugs." The spell backfired, hitting Ron in the chest and pushing him back. He hit the grass. The Slytherin team was laughing. She glared at them before going with the others to see if Ron was okay. He was clutching his stomach, turning over, he threw up and a slug hit the grass. Angelina shuddered as he vomited more. George and Fred glared over at the Slytherins while trying to angle Ron's head forward so the slugs wouldn't choke him.
Potter said he'd take them to Hagrid's, pulling Weasley to his feet. He and Granger walked over to the hut. George and Fred watched them, before turning to the Slytherin team. They were laughing as they walked to the Quidditch field.
"They're sick." Alicia said, shivering.
"They're Slytherins." Fred growled. "Any surprise that they're blood supremacists?" He turned, "I'm going back to breakfast." He muttered, pausing as he looked at Alicia. "You okay?"
She shook her head. "My dad's a muggle, Fred." She murmured. "I just..." She shook her head. "Granger might be annoying, but she's a nice girl and she doesn't deserve to be called...that."
Angelina put her hand on her shoulder. Fred looked at her sadly.
"We'll kick their asses at Quidditch." He murmured. "We're playing them first."
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Katie demanded. "You have no idea how it feels." She glared. "None of you." She pushed Angelina's hand off. "You're all pureblood. None of you get it." She turned and stormed off towards the castle. Katie and Angelina looked at each other.
"I've got it." Angelina said, rushing to follow her. Alicia was walking fast and she only caught up to her when they were halfway up towards Gryffindor Tower.
"I don't need to be handled, Ange." Alicia shot over her shoulder.
"I know." Angelina said.
"I don't need you feeling sorry for me." Alicia added, barreling up.
"Alicia WAIT" Angelina held up her hand, trying to grab her friend but it was too late. Alicia took another step and her leg sank up to her ankle. "Trick step." Angelina sighed, coming to stand next to her.
Alicia let out a scream of frustration. "WHO THE BLOODY HELL DESIGNED THIS PLACE?" She glared around. The portraits closest to them filled, the occupants clearly hoping to be entertained. Angelina gripped under Alicia's arm and lifted her up. Alicia's leg pulled free. She angled her face away from her, wiping her eyes. Angelina pulled her into an empty classroom. Checking for Peeves, she sat Alicia at a desk and sat across from her.
"You don't have to say anything." Angelina said. "But if you need to, I'll listen."
Alicia wiped angrily at her eyes and sniffed. Looking around, she let out a shaky breath. "You know how I told you I went to muggle school before I came to Hogwarts?"
Angelina nodded.
"Well...Muggles...they obviously don't have issues with blood purity, but..." She paused. "Well you and me. We're black. Muggles discriminate based on skin tone. I thought...I always thought Hogwarts would change things. If I could just get to wizard school, everything would be okay. Magic was safety." She wiped angrily at the fresh tears that were spilling from her cheeks. "But the same...painful things are being said. Just different words and different labels and I am still not accepted. Because I'm not pureblood. I'm half. Just like in muggle school. I..."
Angelina moved so she was sitting next to her, putting her arm around Alicia's shoulders as she covered her face and dissolved into sobs. She didn't know what to say. What Malfoy had said had been so utterly vile and she didn't know how to fix it. So she held her close, letting her friend vent her pain.
"We need to kick those Slytherins' asses." Alicia declared. "It's about more than just Quidditch now."
Angelina smirked. "It's not like those brooms are going to do anything for them. They'll make the same mistakes...only faster." Alicia gave her a watery smile. "Who knows, maybe they'll crash into the stands."
"Leave the jokes to the twins, Ange." Alicia muttered, pulling away from her.
The next day saw them back in Lockhart's class. Angelina made to sit with her Gryffindor friends.
"I think not, Ms. Johnson." Lockhart's voice cut across the noise. Everyone looked at her. "I can't have you distracted, sitting near this handsome devil." He motioned to George. His eyes bugged out of his head. Fred nudged him.
"I-" Angelina began. Lockhart motioned to the seat next to Flint. She glared, gripping her school bag as she walked over. Sitting next to Flint, she opened her notebook. Today's lesson was Lockhart talking about his encounter with a vampire. Angelina focused on her notebook, trying to ignore everything except what was happening at the front of the room.
"Johnson." Flint hissed. Angelina glanced over at him before shaking her head and looking back at her notebook. A piece of balled up parchment hit her in the head.
"Are you serious?" She hissed out of the corner of her mouth, not looking at him.
"About..." He glanced behind him before lowering his voice. "About what Malfoy said."
"I don't care about anything you-"
"I'm sorry." He interrupted. "It was..." Angelina's eyes narrowed. Was he trying to apologize? Did he seriously think that she didn't remember him laughing and walking with his teammates to the Quidditch field. Even now, he didn't want anyone to know what he was saying.
"Save your breath, Flint." She said. "We both know you don't really mean it. Focus on how badly we're going to beat you on Saturday." Flint slumped in his seat, hunching his shoulders and looking at his notebook. Angelina glanced over at her friends and saw Fred and George glaring at Flint. She gave them a smile, shaking her head. The last thing they needed was the two of them landing in detention during the game for an ill-timed prank.
Halloween was especially festive that year. Angelina laughed as Lee and the Twins tried to capture one of the bats flitting around the Great hall in a Jack o Lantern. Alicia and Katie were bewitching the goblets of different Slytherin players to move slightly whenever they reached for them. The feast passed without incident, which, considering the troll from the year before, was a marked improvement.
"I hate pumpkin juice." Katie declared. She was leaning on her friend Leanne, grinning up at the ceiling.
"You've had too much candy." Alicia said, pulling away the plate in front of her.
Katie grabbed at the retreating plate, missing and hitting a dish of mashed potatoes. "You're not my mum." She whined.
"Of course not." Alicia smiled. "Now sit up straight and eat a vegetable."
Angelina snorted, yawning. It was late, the candles were flickering down to the bottom of their wicks. She was stuffed, having eaten way too much candy and pie as well. The twins sat on either side of her.
"Angie." George said seriously. "We got you a present."
She rolled her eyes. "From anyone else, hearing that would make me happy, but you two-"
Fred, practically bouncing with excitement, pushed a Jack o Lantern with a plate covering it. She frowned at him.
"Let it out."
"Aw come on Ange" Fred smirked. "The fire's out."
"You can keep it." George said. "And think of us."
She shook her head. "I feel as though we should discuss the fact that you think you're the same as rats with wings." She pulled the Pumpkin from Fred's hands and took the plate off. The bat flew out, hitting Fred in the face. He blinked as he was covered in a slimy mix of melted wax and pumpkin seeds. He wiped off his face, glaring at his twin who was laughing at him.
George ducked behind Angelina as Fred pulled his wand out of his pocket. "You wouldn't hurt, Angie, would you?" He asked, winking as she shot him a glare over her shoulder.
"How dare you, sir." Fred said. "Use my adoration of our dear friend Angelina Monique Johnson-"
"How," Angelina held up a hand, interrupting his rant. "Do you know my middle name?" Alicia gave her a sheepish smile. Angelina's eyes narrowed.
"Use my adoration of our dear friend Angelina Monique Johnson as means of shielding yourself from my wrath." Fred continued.
Angelina moved to the left and George moved with her. "Don't drag me into the middle of this." She warned.
Before either twin could respond, Dumbledore stood, holding his hands up. "While I'm sure you are all having fun." He said. "Halloween will be over soon and then we'll all be sitting in this hall with a day old celebration." He clapped his hands. "Off to bed with you, chop chop."
There was a collective groan from all the students along with the scraping of benches. Angelina fell into step with Alicia as they reached the end of the Gryffindor table. "Expect payback." She said, putting her arm around Alicia's shoulders.
"I don't know why you're upset." George came up next to them. "It's a lovely middle name."
"French." Fred agreed. "And way better than George's." He smirked. "Isn't that right, Atticus?"
"Quite right, Maximilian." George said as they began climbing the stairs. There was a crowd of people stopped in front of them. Angelina ignored it; the moving staircases often caused crowding outside of the Great Hall, especially after an important feast like Halloween.
"Atticus, huh?" She nudged George, who shrugged.
"Ron's is-"
The noises from the front of the crowd grew louder as people began to push. Angelina almost fell onto a blonde Ravenclaw first year. George caught her and pulled her away. Professors Dumbledore and Mcgonagall walked past them, along with a few other teachers. Angelina followed, using the parting of the crowd the professors created to go to the front. George, Fred, and Alicia followed while Katie got stuck behind with Leanne.
Whatever had happened, it was upsetting people. Angelina craned her neck towards the front, trying to see, but there were too many people blocking her. She also couldn't hear what was happening. The crowd closed and she found herself pressed against strangers. Then the Prefects began ordering people back to the dormitories. She was pushed backwards, away from the hall where the teachers were gathering. She was pushed, elbowed, stepped on, but she fought back.
Then she saw it. Shining in red on the wall were the words
The Chamber of the Secrets has been Opened. Enemies of the Heir Beware.
She let the crowd pull her away.