Angelina and Alicia stared at the twins and Oliver as they playfully marched out of the dorm, and then gave me an amused look. I glared at the door as it magically shut after the twins. I returned to the spells I was practicing before the three boys incoherently interrupted me. The two girls giggled as the returned to their beds, staring at me waving my wand around with distinguished smiles.
"What?" I snapped. They giggled even more, and I hastily snapped my book closed. Lynette entered the room, and shortly after, Caroline did also.
"You were with the twins and Oliver in here!" Alicia trilled. I frowned at them, and stood up.
Lynette whipped her head around. "Verity! You know that boys aren't allowed in here!" She said sternly. I stared at her scarlet and gold prefect badge.
"Yeah, yeah. I know. But I didn't exactly let them in, they just sort of barged…" I mumbled. "There's no way I can get rid of them."
"Verity, why is it that when you're with them, you're all goody best friends, but individually, the two of you act like you're dating or something?" Angelina asked.
"I don't know what you're getting at." I said, rummaging through my trunk for some more books.
"You know perfectly well! Like with the whole group, you guys are all 'friend' level. And then, say, if you're with Oliver alone, you guys act like you're dating. And same goes for George." Alicia said. I smudged my lips to the side, and thought.
"Not Fred though. I wonder why." Angelina noted. I shrugged.
"Well, I guess with each of them, individually, we have a bit more… privacy? And get to connect in a more personalized level? Oh, and Fred seems to be the less… emotional one, if you say. So, he wouldn't show it, not as much, I don't think."
"Why is everything such a question to you, huh, Verity? I mean, honestly, give at least one sentence with substance." Caroline drawled. I glared at her porcelain face, and silvery blonde hair. I tried to collectively compose myself to prevent from snapping at her.
I sighed, and ignored her remarks, and stood up with a new bottle of ink. Not exactly what I was looking for, but it would be enough for me to stop kneeling on the ground, head first inside this endless trunk. I chuckled at the memory of it, which had me meet Fred, George, and Oliver.
Angelina and Alicia were now babbling on about how their lives went on for the summer, Lynette was calmly shining her badge, and organizing things on her desk, and Caroline was fixing her hair in a hand mirror that trawled, "Oh, you look absolutely dashing, honey!". It look all the will I had not to grab that mirror and throw it out the window.
Caroline was now smacking her lips into the mirror, which was giving a long, high pitched laugh. "You know, I do think Oliver and you," She said the 'you' with complete distaste, "will stop having those 'private, and personal talks' this year. Or maybe this next week?" She cackled.
I glared at her. "And why is that, dear Caroline?" I spat with poison. The other three girls were staring at the both of us with wide eyes.
"Well, for one, why wouldn't he? I mean, seeing as he clearly has me as an option over you." She laughed. I rolled my eyes.
"Seeing as his eyes aren't damaged, nor is his mind, or heart, I'm glad to say that he doesn't see you as an option. Nor will he ever." I retorted coldly. She narrowed her eyes with a sneer. A good blast of the wand would do her good. Get some boils on that perfect face.
"You're just a jealous little git!" She screeched. Such an over-reactor, she is.
"No," I said. "I completely believe that you are." Caroline practically slipped off her bed. Not once, has perfect, pretty, little Caroline been talked back to. Gosh, what would I give to just dunk her face in the toilet and give her a 'swirlie'.
"I am most certainly not a git!" She stood up stubbornly with a death grip on her wand.
"That's what you think, you insolent, annoying little prat!" I said in the worst tone possible, and giving her the worst glare I could. My eyes turned a blood red as did my hair. The three other girls now rushed to each other, trying to figure out what to do. When my eyes, and my hair were both red, well… let's just say nothing's going to turn out good.
"STOP it!" Angelina, Alicia, and Lynette yelled. "Both of you!"
"Well, Verity started it!" Caroline protested, pointing at me.
"No, I didn't!" I growled.
"STOP! I don't care! I don't want the whole room to get in trouble!" Lynette yelled. She did, though, give me a knowing look that clearly said Caroline started it. She got fed up, and when Lynette gets upset, she works to get it cleared.
"Fine." Caroline said, and flaunted down onto her bed. I rolled my eyes, and covered my mouth.
Deep breaths, Verity. Deep breaths. I told myself as I walked over to my night stand. I plucked a flower from one of the bouquets, I think it was Oliver's, and made it shrivel up, and bloom again. I watched it as it turned a singed brown, and then to it's original gleaming white as I caught my breath.
Caroline's a mind turner. She insults and brags, just so she can feel better, I told myself as I sat quietly onto my bed, picking up my unfinished book. There's no reason to get worked up over what she says. Who cares if she tries after Oliver? It's not like he likes her or anything.
A sudden dread covered my face. What if he really did have something for her? What if all he said earlier was just a set up? What if they shared something over the summer, and didn't tell me? My eyes turned a sodden blue, and my hair midnight black at the possibility. What if I just yelled at his - I gulped at the word - girlfriend?
"Ver, are you okay? You look like you just swallowed a misery stone." Lynette called over with concern.
I shook my head. "Yeah, Lyn. I'm absolutely fine. Grand, even." I stuffed my face into the book I was reading. I couldn't read though, my mind kept on wandering over to Oliver and Caroline, or maybe Fred and Angelina - not that I had a problem with that, I was, in all, if that happened, absolutely delighted- or George with… who would George be paired with? I mean, I could see myself, but I haven't exactly see any - no, Verity, there is to be no thinking of boys! It is the school year you take your OWLs, you are to have no sense of dating boys this year! Maybe next year, but now? Absolutely not! I stopped myself indignantly of thinking about having a relationship with any of my three best friends.
I mean, not like they'd like me back anyway, I fully doubt that they would in any situation they were in. Even if I were to be stuck alone with one of them, the only two survivors in the world, I'd bet they'd try and find a cockroach before being romantically involved with me. Even if I could change myself into the sexiest model there is, I'm guessing my personality is just lacking the 'sex appeal' that they ran for.
Once the light was turned out, and I heard everyone's paced breathing, I marked my page in the book with the flower I plucked, and set it down. I hadn't actually gotten anywhere, I just kept on reading the same sentence over and over, as my thoughts over took my mind. So, I deemed that reading was useless in trying to ease my mind, I had given up on the book, and hugged my pillow. I breathed slowly as I let my thoughts lull me to sleep…
I glared at everything in sight as I sat down at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall for breakfast. The twins kept on shoveling food down their mouths, and Oliver read the Daily Prophet with pursed lips.
"What's with you, Verity?" George asked, tilting his head to the side as he observed me angrily staring at our schedule for the semester.
"Oliver's got himself a right charmer tailing on his ass." I growled, waving away a bit of toast Fred was offering me. The twins snorted in their laughs as Oliver stared at me shocked.
"Verity! You're language…" he sputtered. I rolled my eyes as I snatched the animated newspaper from him.
"Like you haven't said a couple of nasty words on the pitch." I got a "oohs" from the twins. Oliver had a murderous cloud cast over him, but it passed in a second when he finally saw how upset I was.
"Ver, I'm sorry that Caroline isn't being the best to you, but you don't have any reason to lash out on us for that. I'll deal with her when the moment's possible." He rubbed my back. I set down the newspaper, and stared at the table.
"Do you like her? Did you have anything with her?" I asked quietly. Oliver's face slipped into a sympathetic smile.
"With the way she is? Absolutely not. She's just another piece of hell that I have to deal with." I felt my lip twitch at the corner, but then pretended to be interested in the Daily Prophet I had set down.
I rolled my eyes. "Another piece of hell?" I laughed. Oliver shrugged.
"Well, you know, with all those girls on my tail, that like me because of my charming good looks, and dashing personality." I snorted a laugh, and the twins snickered.
"Dream on." All three of us said, and laughed.
"Fine, whatever. Say what you want." Oliver grumbled. "Anyway, your owl came by. It dropped this off on the table." He handed me a square parcel.
"What is it?" I asked, twisting it around. They all shrugged.
"We were waiting for you to say." The twins said together. I raised my eyebrows and bit my lip as I undid the strings. The paper fell gracefully down, revealing a small black velvet jewelry box. I stared at it in shock. The boys just stared at me, before Fred began to rummage in his pocket.
"Oh, right. This came too." Fred handed me a letter as I picked up the little box. I glanced at the letter and scowled. Of course, my father sent this to me. Who else would?
"Verity, what's wrong?" George asked. I shook my head, grinding my teeth. I tried everything I had to keep my eyes from turning blue.
I finished the rest of my toast while I shoved the box and letter into my bag. I gave Oliver back his paper, and picked up my schedule. I stood up quickly, and adjusted my bag.
"I'll see you guys in Transfiguration. I'll see you at lunch, Oliver." I started to walk away, but then rushed back to give them all kisses on the cheeks. That was part of my daily routine, if I didn't do that, then I'd feel weird all day.
As I walked the hallway back to the common room - I still had thirty minutes before classes started - I took the letter out, glaring at my father's print. I took a heavy breath, preparing myself for what was written.
I opened my eyes slowly, biting my lip, preparing for the worst.
Dearest Verity,
How are you enjoying your first day at Hogwarts? It is a wonderful school to learn witchcraft, and I am so glad that I have the opportunity to send you there.
Things are going fantastic back at home. The ministry has given me a break, and your mother and I are planning to take a trip to Fiji. What a wonderful way to spend a vacation, don't you think? I wish I were able to bring you and your brothers with us, but seeing as you and Will are at Hogwarts, and Wesley is in the state he is, that isn't much of an option, sadly to say.
Your older brother is doing rather well. As you remember, he has to be taken to the hospital occasionally, but he is improving greatly from before. You're mother has perfected the potions to keep him sane, in his condition. We have finally found a safe place for him to undergo his changes when the time comes. He is dearly missing you, as he always is whenever you go to Hogwarts. He often asks about you, might I say. I suggest you write more letters to him this year than last. Apparently, one letter a week isn't enough to suffice for him. Perhaps three will do.
The reason why I wrote this letter, is because I have had the absolute delight and pleasure of having a talk with Mr. Hydrus Higgs. He and I have agreed to a marriage between you and his son, Terence, when you become of age. I believe that you two, have, in fact, come to good terms with the times you have spent together. Terence is a wonderful man, who is bright and cunning. As I am sure you know, he is of age, and in his last year in Hogwarts.
As you do still have two more years of learning to finish, and aren't of age, it is not permitted that Terence's and your wedding shall go on next summer. Though it will not happen for a while, I still advise you to stay true to him. Infidelity will not be accepted from my daughter.
I have enclosed a promise ring for you to wear, until the time of your wedding shall come. Terence shall be receiving news about this shortly after, and will also be wearing a ring.
Remember that I always love you, Verity, and only want the best for you.
With love,
Your Father
I stared at the letter with disdain. How could he do this to me? How could he be so heartless? I didn't have any say in this arranged marriage! How could my mother accept this? He didn't have to go through an arranged marriage with my mother! He got to marry who ever the merry hell he wanted!
I slid down the wall with a small cry. This was worse than the worst! What am I supposed to do? I had no type of emotions for Higgs, he slandered around with Flint and Pucey! As nice and charming as he is, I never saw myself in a future with him! I had thought maybe I'd have my future with one of the twins… or Oliver…
I hit my head back against the wall, and closed my eyes. I slipped the letter up to cover my face as I tried to fight through a slight panic attack. My hair turned pin black, and my eyes the darkest blue. My shoulders shook as tears streaked down my cheeks.
"Verity! There you are." I heard one of the twins say. I quickly turned my hair brown, and my eyes violet. I discreetly wiped my eyes and face as I stood up.
"Uhm, yeah. Sorry." I said, looking down, putting the letter in my bag, and talking out the small jewelry box.
"What's wrong? You usually don't just walk out on us like that." George said, and wrapped his arm around my waist.
"Oh, it's nothing." I lied. "My brother just had a tough night, and my father sent me a ring. That's all." I opened the small box to reveal a thin silver band decorated with emeralds. I took a slow breath as I slipped it on my left ring finger, and replaced the box in my bag.
"Pretty, isn't it?" I asked in the perkiest tone I could muster. I held my hand out to examine how it looked. It look absolutely glamorous, but I just wanted to throw it on the ground and crush it to pieces.
"Yeah. But it looks like a Slytherin engagement ring." Fred said with slight distaste, walking slightly behind me. I gulped.
"Oh, yeah, I guess. My father's just a bit fancy that way. And he was from Slytherin." I muttered as we all made our way to McGonagall's classroom.
We were passing an empty classroom as we heard a crash come from inside. Peeve's cackling laugh erupted as another crash came. Fred got an evil look on his face. George and I stared at him.
"You guys wait here, I'm going to mess with Peeves." He said, and slipped into the classroom. I looked around the hall to make sure it was empty.
I peered inside the classroom before closing the door. I ran over to George, and wrapped my arms around his neck. I tiptoed and kissed him firmly on the lips. I closed my eyes as he kissed me back. He slipped his hand to the small of my back, and brought closer to him.
"Infidelity will not me accepted from my daughter." My father's voice rang in my mind.
My eyes shot open, and I scrambled away from George. He looked at me confused, but Fred came outside of the empty classroom, with a smug look.
"How about we head to class now, eh?" He said, walking with delight to his step. George and I eyed him, before letting him walk slightly in front of us. We followed suit, and linked arms.
We entered McGonagall's classroom. I sat next to George while Fred took a seat across from us with Lee. I played with the end of my skirt below the table while I tried to listen to the lecture. George intertwined his fingers with mine, and smiled. I nervously turned to him, and shot him a smile back.
Professor McGonagall sat at her desk, dismissing us to read our books. I slipped mine out quickly, only to have the dreaded letter from my father fall onto the desk with it. Before I could react, George took it, and skimmed it.
"Ver, what's this?" He whispered, a stricken look wandering onto his face. I quickly snatched it back, and folded it, protectively putting it back in my bag.
"It's nothing." I whispered hastily as McGonagall looked up from her desk. I slipped open my book and pretended to read as George stared at me.
"It's something. There's a reason why you're wearing that ring. There's a reason why you're acting so strange after receiving it. There's always a reason to how you're behaving. Tell me." He begged. Sincerity brimmed his eyes, and I couldn't look away, no matter how hard I tried. I bit my lip as he tightened his grip on my hand.
"My father…" I said with edge. "has given me away to a marriage with Terence Higgs. I am to wed him when I become of age." George was able to coax anything out of me. I looked at the ring in disgust. It was wretched, no matter how much beauty it contained.
George stared straight ahead. I saw his jaw muscles tense and relax as he chewed over what I said. He let go of my hand, and held the bridge of his nose. I looked away from him, and stared glumly at the desk.
"George, I'm so-"
"No. Don't be. We can get you out of this. We still have two years, right? So that's enough time to get you out of this. I promise." George said quietly, trying to calm me. I put a hand on my mouth to control my intake of air.
"Two years isn't much time at all, actually. It's only two school years, if you really think about it." I said. I closed my eyes to keep calm as George slyly put his arm around my waist, and slid me closer to him.
"I promise that I'm going to keep you safe. And I will get you out of this. Me, Fred, and Oliver can all work for that." He said as we both began to pretend to read our books. McGonagall looked up from her desk, suspicious, but returned, thinking as I wouldn't dare let the twins do anything mischievous while I was so close, and they were separated.
George took my hand on the desk, admiring how our fingers looked together. He leaned in, and whispered in my ear. "I promise."