A/N: Hey guys! So, updates might start getting a little staggered from now on but I'll try really hard to keep writing and not get distracted. Please review and let me know what you think!

Remember my first book? My writing has changed quite a bit since then, hasn't it?

Memories Misplaced

Chapter 11

I watch detached as the owl gets smaller and smaller until it's just a speck on the horizon and then disappears completely from my view. A sharp pain in my finger has me jerking my hands from the open wall of the tower and glancing down at the perpetrator.

The snowy white owl shifts back and forth on her clawed feet, letting out an angry hiss as she ruffles her feathers at me.

"I'm sorry, Hedwig," I tell my friend's owl. "I didn't ask Harry if I could borrow you and he might want to send his own letters."

She clicks her beak at me. "Fine, I promise you can take my next letter; please don't be mad at me."

The owl's eyes narrow in satisfaction before she takes off out the window, sending up a cloud of molted feathers and dead mouse fur.

I turn as she, too, disappears into the setting dusk. Sirius will get Ginny and I's progress report on our animagus transformation shortly. Right now, I'm going to make good on a self-promise and go for a run. I feel strangly restless, more so than usual.

...

I watch as if from a distance, or underwater, the excitement move around the entire hall. Even the boys, who make a show of moaning and groaning, have a certain gleam from the news of the Yule Ball. Only Harry, I dimly note, seems truly distraught over the news.

I don't feel one way or another about the ball; third years are not invited. I don't feel joy or disappointment; it's just a stupid dance.

But then it feels like my head broke the water's surface as Neville comes up to us after supper and stammers through an invitation for Ginny to be his date. She's happy. When the embarrassed boy leaves, Ginny turns to me and squeals excitedly for getting to go. It's no longer impersonal to me. Excitement buzzes in me in response to her getting to go. We latch onto each other's arms and jump up and down until we notice Snape standing over us in the doorway, arms crossed and tapping his foot.

Gryffindor is deducted ten points for holding up the door. Dumbledore passes after him, awarding ten points to Gryffindor for being in the spirit of the holidays.

Everything is good. I almost forget the strange feelings I get from this tournament.

...

I pause in my retreat from the library, at the sound of falling books and hushed voices. My curiosity peeks as there is a shuffling and more books dropping to carpeted floor, and I retrace a few of my steps to look down a long isle.

Three girls are at the very end, looking quite hostile.

"Why am I not surprised to find you here? All you Ravenclaws are such know-it-all's; it's disgusting. I bet you don't even have a date to the ball."

I glance nervously to Madam Pince, who is sitting obliviously at her desk reading a large tomb, and paying no mind to the two older Slytherins ganging up on a fourth year Ravenclaw. I recognize her as Mandy Brocklehurst, a short, pretty girl who could be popular if she didn't keep to herself, and she always seems to be reading some fantasy book. I've spoken to her a few times, and though she loves to learn, she's set apart from her house by her love of fiction. Meaningless things according to much of Ravenclaw.

The sixth year Slytherin slaps Mandy's books out of her hands as she bends down to pick them up, and shoves her slightly to knock her against the towering bookcase.

"Why would anyone want to spend time with your ugly mug even if it is always covered by a book-"

"Hey!" I call, striding forward as anger blotches up my neck.

The two older girls turn from the Eagle, who seems to be trying to shrink into herself. At my call, her eyes flash over to me, surprise shining in the blue orbs.

I squeeze between the two squaring off against the one, and face my older Housemates.

"Don't you have something better to do than hang out in a library? I'm surprised you even know where this place is, or did you stumble upon it by accident?"

Their eyes roll, and like predictable robots, they turn and walk away- dismissing me. My fingers twitch in anger at my side, and as they reach the very end of the isle, a book falls from the top shelf, then another, each hitting the girls' heads perfectly.

The familiar tingle of magic in my veins alerts me to the fact that it was my doing.

I tentative hand lies on my shoulder, and I jump slightly, before turning sharply to the other girl.

She jumps, too, from my abruptness, and I smile apologetically before bending down to collect the books my housemates knocked out of this quiet girl's hands.

"Don't listen to them," I tell her softly as she crouches down to help push her papers and books into a pile. "I think you're very pretty. Any guy would be lucky to take you to the Yule Ball, just for this one chance to get to know you. You're very mysterious you know. Very quiet and smart."

Her lips twitch up into something resembling a hesitant smile. It makes her look even prettier with her black hair, pale pink lips and ocean eyes. Something- hopeful excitement- flash in her eyes as she takes a step closer to me. The books she's holding brush against the ones I am.

"Would you go with me?" My eyes widen before she seems to remember herself and draws back slightly, embarrassed. "I mean-"

"I'd love to!" I blurt excitedly, before trying to calm myself. "Er- are you sure you want me though?"

She smiles again, a real one, and gently takes the books still resting in my arms. I blush when I realize that I had clutched them to my chest.

"Yes. You've always nice to me; I'd like it if you were my date."

"Then, yeah, sure!" I brush my hand through my hair to give my hands something to do since I don't have anything to hold anymore. "I'd love to go with you."

Her cheeks color. "Great." She ducks her head as she passes me. "See you later, Alex!"

I'm left there, deep in the library, grinning like a fool. Now I can go to the Ball, too, and we can hang out with Ginny and Neville and the others.

This thing might just be fun after all.

...

"Ginny!" I call bursting through the Room of Requirement's thick doors and interrupting her meditation (it's the next step to making the animagus change). She looks up just as I tackle her to the beanbags.

She laughs as I struggle to sit up, before just pushing me off herself.

"Ginny!" I gasp again, once I'm at a proper enough distance away to see her expression. It's amused and coated in affection.

"What?" She asks, sounding exasperated even as her face says differently.

"I'm going to the Yule Ball too! I was just asked in the library and it was the strangest thing. Some of my older housemates-"

I break off as her face turns to something upset.

"Who asked?"

"A fourth year from Ravenclaw, Mandy. This is great, right? We both get to go to the Ball?"

Her lips twitch. "Mandy asked you? A girl?"

"Yeah," I frown unsure why her moods are changing so fast.

"Did she call it a date?" Ginny bites her lip, like she's holding back laughter.

"Well, yeah. Isn't it if I'm going with her?"

A smile and a laugh breaks out on my best friend's face. "Merlin, Alex, she thinks you're a boy!" She falls over clutching her stomach, and the sound makes my stomach do odd things even as I frown at her words. "You're going on your first date-date with her!"

"No I'm not!" I refuse immediately, truly upset. "I'm a girl! She knows I'm a girl!"

Ginny sobers somewhat, trying her hardest to keep a straight face as she reaches out and takes my hands. She clutches them like I might jerk away.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's just... make sure she knows. It's best if you both know what this date means to the other; she might be thinking it's a real date."

I sigh and shift until my head is rested in her lap. Her fingers immediately trail softly through my hair, scratching soothingly against my scalp.

"It'll be fine," I tell her. "You'll see."

...

The owl post comes at its normal time, and a flurry of owls and mail swirl around the Great Hall for several minutes. I'm not completely surprised when a large regal eagle owl swoops down and lands on my plate of eggs, clutching an envelope.

A smile instantly stretches my face, and I reach readily for the stiff parchment. It's a lot fancier than any of the other responses Snuffles has sent me- more formal.

My grin falters when I see the family crest stamped into the wax sealing the note shut.

I hesitantly break it and pull the letter out to read the neat, orderly script.

"What does Sirius say?" Ginny asks absently, reaching for another slice of toast.

"Um," I clear my throat and read back over the words one more time before placing it down on my scattered plate to wipe my sweaty hands onto my trousers.

"It's, um... it's from my dad."

She looks up then, expression startled before turning stormy. She reaches for the letter. I let her take it.

"He, uh, he wants me to visit this Christmas. Not come home for the entire break, but after the Yule Ball- Christmas Day."

I watch her expression the entire time she reads, as her eyes flick across the parchment, red blotch her ears, and her lips press into a pale line.

"He already talked to the Headmaster- got permission to take me for the day."

"Why?" She asks, looking up at me finally and clenching the parchment in her fist. "He's never wanted you before for the holidays."

I flinch at her words, unable to help the wounded look that briefly passes over my face. She sees my expression, and it's enough for her face to soften in apology, and speak softer. She even reaches out to place her hand over mine in my lap.

"I just mean, what does he want? I don't like that you're going to be near him."

Instantly, I draw my hands way, defensive, and scowl. "Maybe he wants to spend time with me for once. He is my father; he's aloud to want to spend time with me."

Ginny's brows furrow, and I can see the frustration clearly coming onto her face. I'm sure another attack is coming, but her green eyes disappear underneath their lids and she takes a deep, slow breath.

When she opens them, they are swimming with sadness, and I hate that I put it there. Me.

"Hey, guys, what's going on?" Hermione asks, sliding into the bench across from us.

I drag my eyes away from my best friend to interact with the other people in the world.

"Nothing," Ginny says. Reluctantly. Helplessly.