Chapter Ten: Leap and Loss

Finally Christmas break was over. Students ran onto the train and filled every compartment. Al, Hope, and SS sat in one at the very end, sharing stories of their holidays. Suddenly, there was a tap at the door. Rose stood outside of it. SS glared and Al smiled.

"Um, hi. I was wondering if I could…uh," Rose stuttered.

"Wondered what?" SS yelled. She jumped. Took a deep breath

"Can I talk to you?" she asked Hope. SS began to shake his head but stopped when Hope stood and followed her out.

"What is it?" Hope asked as they entered an empty compartment with Rose's belongings sprawled over the seats. She had clearly claimed it as her own.

"I wanted to thank you. For the gift you got me," Rose whispered, afraid Hope would laugh and call her a child or stupid like James had done all holiday, threatening to reveal her secret.

"Oh. It was no problem. I just saw an ad for custom jewelry in the Daily Prophet," Hope said and shrugged nonchalantly. But inside she was glowing with pride. "Do you want to sit with us?"

"Better not," Rose sighed and shook her head. "I don't want any trouble."

"Okay. I'll see you at school." And Hope walked back to her compartment. Rose sighed and sat down with her books.

Lessons continued uneventfully. SS, Hope, and Al spent most days inside the library, studying and chatting. SS avoided his common room like the plague. He only returned to the North Tower just before curfew. Although the Fat Lady gave him a harsh scolding when he was late one January evening. The reason he was staying out so late at night was because of the other Gryffindors, specifically James and his gang. SS had to start placing his objects in a locked trunk since his robes kept disappearing. Luckily, no one in his year was very intelligent so they couldn't break the charm.

In February a bout of horrible flus swept the castle and both Al and Hope came down with it. They spent one Saturday afternoon waiting in a line for some of Healer Fallax's Pepperup Potion. Unfortunately for SS, the library was closed because Madam Pince was sick as well. So he was forced to spend time in Gryffindor Tower.

SS was struggling to finish an essay on Moon Rocks for potions in his dorm room when someone suddenly knocked at the door. Nathaniel Wicker, Head Boy, stuck in his head and looked around. Upon spotting SS he grinned, which immediately made SS wary.

"Hey SS! I was wondering if someone was in here," Wicker said, smiling his dopy smile.

"Well there is," SS stated the obvious.

"I can see that. Listen, I'm really bored. Do you want to do something?" Wicker asked.

"Why don't you go ask your friends?" SS responded.

"They're all in line for some potion. Man, am I glad I'm not sick," Wicker sighed. SS's heart sympathized with his plight. He too was rather bored.

"What do you want to do?" SS asked, slamming his books shut.

"Have you ever been to the Center Tower?" Wicker asked eagerly as he shut the door. SS didn't notice how he had locked it as well.

"No. I thought no one could get into that tower, not even the Headmistress."

"You can't if you don't know the password." Wicker sat next to SS, bouncing slightly on the bed.

"What's the password?"

"Come on, I'll show you!" Wicker cried and jumped up. SS was hesitant though. Something was off. Wicker had barely spoken to him all year.

"Why me? Why not some of your friends?"

"I told you. They're all in line for potion." Wicker was beginning to get frustrated. This sent alarm bells ringing in SS's head. Wicker was known for never getting mad. Never.

"I actually have to finish an essay for potions. Maybe later." SS shrugged.

"Come on, SS. Where's your sense of adventure? Where's your bravery?" Wicker hissed. SS slowly looked up. Wicker's eyes had turned milky white. His skin seemed to glow white and a dark purple bled into his robes.

"What are you doing?" SS softly asked as he slid off his bed, wand gripped tightly in his right hand.

"Are you a coward? A true Slytherin? Are you not the Son of the Lion?" Wicker continued to hiss as he crept towards him. SS stumbled back in horror. "Aren't you brave? Come on boy, let's go have an adventure." SS's back hit the wall and Wicker drew closer. His cold hand wrapped around SS's neck. Dread filled SS's veins that was quickly replaced by red hot determination.

"You want bravery? You want adventure! Let's go!" he yelled and shoved Wicker off his chest. He stumbled into the heater in the middle of the room and spilled burning coals all over the floor. But Wicker didn't seem to notice. Instead, he drew out his wand and pointed it directly at SS's heart. SS drew his as well, even though he knew that he wouldn't stand a chance against a seventh year.

"So, this is how it all ends? Such a shame. Albany would have loved you," Wicker chuckled. His white eyes twinkled with laughter and power. His skin seemed to get brighter as his robes darkened another shade of purple.

Something suddenly caught SS's eye. Sunlight was filtering through a skinny window, just big enough for an eleven year old boy. Seeing an opportunity, SS took it. He jumped just as Wicker fired his spell.

"AVADA KEDEVRA!"

"BOMBARDA!" Glass shattered and stones flew. SS was hurtling towards the ground, black robes billowing out. Wicker stood at the edge of the hole, smirking, his pearly skin shimmering in the sun.

Terror filled SS from head to toe. What had he been thinking? He couldn't fly! He was surely going to die. This was the end!

Suddenly SS felt his slow fall and a weightless sensation spread through his arms. An arm wrapped around his waist and he was pulled to the ground. It was a rocky landing. SS and his savior both fell to the ground and were likely bruised all over. But they were alive. SS turned to thank his savior but froze when he saw her. Rose Weasley was picking grass out of her hair and nursing a sore arm, determinedly not looking at SS.

"You… You saved me," SS whispered in amazement. Rose was looking at the cracked broom handle that was lying next to her.

"Dad will kill me. I've had that broom forever," she muttered and struggled to stand but her left leg was bent funny. Rose gasped in pain and sank back down. "Broken. Just my luck. Last time I save a Gryffindor stupid enough to jump from a twenty story tower."

"You saved me. And you didn't call me Slytherin," SS said, trying to get her attention. Rose still didn't respond. Instead she looked up. Wicker had disappeared from the hole in the wall. A sinking feeling in her stomach told her that he wasn't up to anything good.

"You saved my life," SS repeated. Rose finally looked at him. A green bruise was forming on her forehead and her split lip was dripping blood onto her black robes, staining the Ravenclaw crest.

"Why did you jump out of a window? From a tower, no less?" Rose inquired, trying to stop the red spreading throughout her cheeks.

"Wicker. He came into my dorm room and started threatening me. It was weird too. His eyes and his voice changed," SS explained, mystified as he remembered the events.

"His eyes turned white, his voice cold and raspy?" Rose asked. SS nodded.

"His robes also turned purple. How'd you know?"

"Hope told me the same thing happened to Drexel. But his robes didn't turn purple. Was he going to take you to a tower?"

"Yes. Why did you save me?" SS asked intently, determined to know.

"I was riding my broom around the castle. It helps me think. I'm so glad that first years are allowed to bring them now, I don't know what I'd do without it. Anyway, I was flying by and felt like something was wrong. So I sped over here and saw you falling from the window. I just reacted. I cast the levitation charm to slow your fall and then dragged you down here. And now my leg is broken," Rose explained very quickly.

"But why did you save me?" SS asked, leaning closer. Rose shrugged.

"I felt I had to. Watching you fall… I've never been so afraid. It was as if I was falling," Rose mumbled and tried to stand again. But she just fell back down. "Must have landed on it funny."

"Let me help you. You need to get to the Hospital Wing," SS offered as he stood and pulled Rose up so that she could hobble and lean on him for support.

"No, I'm fine. I can get there on my own," Rose protested. She leaned away from him and tried to walk. She fell down with a cry of pain.

"Yeah. Sure you can," SS chuckled. Rose glared, but allowed him to pull her up and help her to the Hospital Wing. As they approached they saw a long line of students waiting for potion.

"Hey, buddy, we were here first!" one student yelled as the pair made their way through the crowd. The others were the same way. Rose was beginning to turn pale as pain flooded her body.

"Are we almost there?" she mumbled, half delirious with pain.

"Almost. Just hold on," SS promised, guilt pricking his heart. She wouldn't be in the position if he hadn't jumped from that window.

Struggling through the line, SS suddenly spotted two familiar faces together in line. He sighed in relief. "Al! Hope!" They both turned. Their smiles melted off their face when they saw Rose holding onto SS like a crutch.

"What happened?" Al and Hope asked at the same time.

"She broke her leg. I'll tell you about it later, okay? But we need to get Rose to Madam Pince," SS hurriedly explained.

"Rose, are you okay?" Al whispered, his hand on her head. Rose mumbled something no one heard. Meanwhile, Hope was in her element. She whipped out her wand and shoved people out of the way.

"Move people! Broken leg coming through! Come on people, move back!" Hope cried as she surged forward. Despite the fact that her voice sounded funny due to her stuffy nose, they listened. People jumped back and stared. Al fussed over his cousin while SS continued to support her. Slowly but surely, they reached the Hospital Wing.

Madam Pince mended Rose's leg instantly and she and SS told the whole story. They then repeated the story when Madam Pince called the Headmistress. And even though they searched the castle they could not find Nathaniel Wicker. He seemed to have vanished just like Drexel.

It was long after dinner when Rose woke up to Al, Hope, and SS sitting around her bed. She jumped about a mile when she saw them.

"What are you doing here?" she yelled, startled.

"We wanted to make sure you were okay," Al started.

"I'm fine! You can leave now, thanks!" Rose interrupted, gesturing to the door.

"Fine! Thought you would have been more thankful to those who got you to the Hospital Wing before you passed out!" SS hollered back.

"I would have gotten here on my own!" Rose argued, sitting up straight.

"Yeah right! You couldn't even stand up!"

"I never asked for your help! I don't even like you!"

"Fine! I won't help again!" SS yelled and stormed out of the Hospital Wing, slamming the door as he went. Al looked torn. A part of him wanted to follow his friend but another part kept him here with his favorite cousin. Rose saw this indecision and it fueled her fury.

"Go after him! See if I care! I don't need you! I'll never need you!" she screamed and threw the flower vase on her night stand at Al. He ducked and ran from the room. That just left Hope. "What do you want?"

"To know why you continue to bite the hand that is offering you friendship. We only wanted to make sure you were okay because we care about you, Rose. And I don't understand why you continue to deny us," Hope wondered sadly. Then she too stood to go.

"Wait," Rose called but it was too late. Hope had left and Madam Pince was bustling over to exam her.