Against All Odds

By Allison Stolz

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and any of the characters. If I did, I would be an extremely rich British woman named J.K. Rowling and this story would actually be in a published book. Seeing as I'm not Jo, please don't sue me. The only thing that I take credit for is the plot line, the sarcasm, and the personalities that I've put into some of the characters.

Allie

Ch. 6

            Sally-Anne awoke on Saturday morning rather late. She glanced around her room and noted that all the girls had already left.

            Thanks for waking me up.

            She scrambled out of bed and quickly got dressed. It was only after she had left her room that she remembered what day it was: the first Hogsmeade weekend. She rushed down the stairs and found it pretty much deserted except for a few first years, a seventh year, and her friends.

            "Thanks for calling me," Sally-Anne said sarcastically as she plopped down beside Ernie on the couch. She caught them all looking at each other sceptically before they looked back at her.

            "What?" she asked quickly while narrowing her eyes at each one of them. "Do I have something on my face?" she wiped at her face and started laughing. Her friends didn't join her.

            "Sally-Anne, we need to talk to you," Hannah said quietly.

            "What about?" she replied but was hushed by Susan and Ernie.

            "Well, you know about Umbridge," Justin added, "How she won't be teaching us anything." They all nodded before he continued, "Harry, Ron and Hermione have put together a Defence group."

            Sally-Anne knew that her face was probably showing confusion and she wasn't entirely sure what they were getting at.

            "We've decided to check it out," Ernie replied after seeing her puzzlement "maybe we can learn something."

            Sally-Anne wasn't sure if they were asking her to go along or if they were ditching her. She knew though, that her temper was starting to rise.

            I don't understand!

            "Do you want to come?" Susan asked her. They all looked a little nervous, which started to make Sally-Anne more confused.

            "Well I don't know," she said slowly "won't we get into trouble?"

            She definitely caught Justin and Ernie giving each other worried looks and she was starting to get angry.

            "Well there's no rule," Hannah said "study groups are allowed, we just reckon Umbridge won't be too happy about it."

            Sally-Anne considered for a moment but wasn't sure what to deicide. She looked up at them all and frowned.

            "How long have you guys known about this group thing?"

            Hannah looked like she had been petrified at the sound of this question. The rest of them were in a similar state. Sally-Anne could tell that they had known for a while, the mystery was, why hadn't they talked to her sooner.

            "About a week," Susan said finally.

            Sally-Anne shook her head and stood up to leave.

            "Where are you going?" Justin asked her timidly.

            Sally-Anne decided that she might as well have some fun with the situation. She was a bit miffed at them for not including her and had the feeling they only asked her because she would ask what they were up to sooner or later.

            "Where do you think I'm going?" her voice dripping with sarcasm "to tell Umbridge of course."

            Her friends must have missed the note of sarcasm in her voice because in a second they were diving at her.

            Susan had pounced on her back again and the two went tumbling to the floor. Hannah took advantage of this and grabbed Sally-Anne's wand from her cloak pocket. Ernie held her feet to the floor as she started to kick and squirm, and Susan held her hands.

            The remaining four students that had been in the room were watching curiously as Sally-Anne began screaming.

            "Nothing to see here," Hannah yelled to them over Sally-Anne's loud protesting.

            Justin picked her up and slung her over his back. This wasn't a problem considering her petite form, although she started kicking and punching wherever she could come into contact with.

            The five of them headed up the boys dormitories, seeing as the two boys couldn't go to the girls, and they entered the fifth year's room.

            "Let me go!" Sally-Anne shrieked as Justin dropped her onto one of the beds. Hannah still had her wand, Susan was starting to cry, Ernie looked sick, and Justin pulled out his own wand and pointed it at her.

            For a sheer second she was scared beyond anything. Surely he wasn't going to hurt her?

            "I'm sorry Sally-Anne," he mumbled "we can't risk you telling anybody. Hermione told us that the only people that can know, are those that will be showing up."

            She knew what he was about to do. She knew that whatever she said now wouldn't change what was about to happen. She would never forgive them.

            "I hate you," she whispered. Her tone was nothing but pure hatred and despise. "I hate all of you. I will never forget this. Ever."

            The last thing she saw was all of them looking at her with sorrow and regret. She promised herself that no matter what, she wouldn't forget what they were going to do to her.

            "Obliviate."

***

            "What the hell am I doing in the boys dormitories?" Sally-Anne muttered as she opened her eyes and glanced around the room. There were clothes scattered everywhere, the beds were unmade, and the room smelt vaguely like men's cologne.

            She wrinkled her nose at the smell and left the room. Just as she was leaving she ran into someone and went flying backwards.

            "Are you ok?" she looked up from sitting on the floor and saw Wayne standing there along with two of the other fifth year boys. She blushed as she remembered where she was and quickly stood up.

            "I'm fine," she muttered while gazing down to the floor.

            "What exactly are you doing in the boy's dorms?" he asked her. She could hear them all sniggering quietly and she felt her face burn even more than it already was.

            "That's the problem," she said with irritation "I don't know!"

            She ignored their quiet laughter and left the room. She was determined to find her friends and ask what had happened. She entered the common room and found that it was empty.

            "Great," she muttered, "where did everyone go?"

            She left the common room and started to wander the halls. It was strangely quiet and deserted.

            Weird.

            She entered the great hall and found that there were many of the younger students still eating breakfast. She sat down sat down at her table, alone, and pulled out some of her homework.

            "You don't want to do homework today!" a cheerful voice sad from beside her. She looked up to find that Megan Jones had sat down beside her.

            "I don't?"

            "No!" she started giggling, "It's a Hogsmeade weekend. I'm surprised you're not with Susan and Hannah."

            Hogsmeade? Sally-Anne felt a little angered. Her friends had gone to Hogsmeade without her and here she was utterly confused about everything.

            "You look tired or something Sally-Anne," Megan looked at her concerned "are you feeling alright?"

            Sally-Anne nodded and started working on her potions essay that was due Monday. Megan pulled it away from her and shook her head sadly.

            "Why don't you come to Hogsmeade with me?"

            Sally-Anne grabbed back her essay and considered the offer. She was angry with her friends for ditching her but that was no reason why she shouldn't still have fun.

            "Sure, why not"

            The two girls hurried out of the great hall and out into the Hogwarts grounds. They dashed towards Hogsmeade, which was already packed with happy Hogwarts students.

            "Where shall we go first?" Megan asked her curiously while waving to one of her Ravenclaw friends who was across the street.

            "Hey Megan!" the girl whom Sally-Anne didn't know called over and motioned for them to come over. Megan looked at Sally-Anne curiously as if to ask her answer. Sally-Anne shrugged and the two girls walked across to the girl.

            "Hello," she said simply "I'm Mandy Brocklehurst."

            "Sally-Anne Perks," she shook Mandy's hand and the three of them began walking in silence.

            "Do you girls want to join me in getting a butter beer?" Mandy asked them as they started to pass The Three Broomsticks.

            Sally-Anne shrugged once again and was pulled into the bar by Megan. They grabbed a table near the back and Megan went to order their drinks.

            "So," Mandy tried to begin a conversation but it didn't seem to go very far.

            Sally-Anne bit her lip and looked around the room. Susan, Hannah, Justin and Ernie were nowhere to be seen.

            "You're on the quidditch team aren't you?" Mandy interrupted her search for her friends. Sally-Anne looked at Mandy with a grin and nodded.

            "Do you play?"

            Mandy shook her head and Sally-Anne felt that it was the end of this conversation.

            "I've always liked Quidditch," Mandy continued "but I'm not much of a flier," she laughed a little before a glass of butter beer was placed in front of her.

            "What's so funny?" Megan asked curiously as she handed Sally-Anne her drink and sat down beside Mandy.

            The girls chatted quietly for nearly an hour before they decided to head back to the castle. Sally-Anne was vaguely disappointed that she didn't get to go shopping, but seeing as they had left so late into the day, it was starting to get dark.

            As they entered the great hall, Mandy departed and headed for the Ravenclaw table and Megan and Sally-Anne sat down at the Hufflepuff table. About a moment later Susan and Hannah came waltzing into the hall, giggling like maniacs and glancing over to the Gryffindor table.

            Sally-Anne felt her face growing hot with anger as she turned her gaze away from them and busied herself in grabbing her dinner.

            "Hello Sally-Anne, Megan," Hannah said cheerfully. Sally-Anne glanced up just in time to see Susan and her exchange frightful looks before settling themselves down.

            "We thought you weren't feeling well," Susan said to Sally-Anne.

            "Since when was I not feeling well?"

            "Don't you remember?" Hannah looked at her with concern "you told us you weren't feeling good so we left you in bed."

            Sally-Anne became confused again and tried to remember when this had happened.

            "We figured you were to ill to go to Hogsmeade so we left without you," Susan added although her cheeks were becoming a bit pink.

            "Then how exactly did I end up lying on one of the beds in the boys dormitories?" she asked them sceptically. Megan stifled a laugh.

            "You what?" Hannah looked shocked "you must have been sleepwalking."

            Sally-Anne could tell they were hiding something from her. She had never slept walked in her life and she was willing to bet she hadn't done it today.

            Hannah and Susan began talking about 'that cute Gryffindor' before Sally-Anne could say anything else. She wasn't as dumb as everyone thought she was.

            Just because I'm in Hufflepuff…

            She frowned and began poking at her food. Megan had began talking with some sixth year boys and Justin and Ernie still hadn't shown up.

            Speak of the devils

            She watched as they casually walked into the hall and sat down beside Susan and Hannah. She noticed that they had purposely avoided her gaze and hadn't said anything to her.

            Something's going on and I intend to find out what it is!