"Wow, Harry, nice broom," a familiar voice said. Liesel, Hermione, and Cam looked over to see Cedric Diggory congratulating Harry on his new broom.
"Who's that?" Hermione muttered, glancing over at the boy.
Liesel turned to look at her. "That's Cedric Diggory, the Hufflepuff Quidditch team Captain."
Her eyebrows rose. "So that's him?"
"Yeah," Liesel said with a shrug, shoving her food around her plate with her fork.
"Oh—Liesel, I-I think he's looking at you," she said in an unsure voice. "Oh, no—wait, no, he is," she said. "He's—he's coming over here," she said, sounding rather confused.
"Hey, Liz," Cedric said, smiling down at her.
Liesel looked up at him, feigning a smile the best she could. "Hi, Cedric."
"Are you ready for the match?" he asked eagerly. "Too bad Hufflepuff isn't in the running."
Liesel shrugged. "I'm not playing, so—"
"Are you okay?" he asked suddenly. "You seem a little under the weather…"
"Well, that's one way to put it," she mumbled.
"Is it…" Cedric hesitated. "Is it because of those rumors about you and Malfoy?" he asked apprehensively, lowering his voice. Liesel's stomach turned. People had been talking about it. "I mean, those are just rumors…right?" his eyes were shocked and full of worry at the same time—Liesel never knew that was possible.
Liesel shrugged. "I can't deny it."
"Right," he said shortly. "Well," he said, patting her on the back. "If you ever need someone to talk to—I'm here."
"Thanks," she mumbled after he walked away.
"Liesel, you need to eat something—anything," Hermione said in an attempt to talk over all of the chatter about Harry's new Firebolt. "You look terrible." Hermione eyed her anxiously. "I didn't know you knew Cedric."
"I've known Cedric for forever," Liesel shrugged. "Plus, I feel terrible," Liesel muttered, pushing her plate away. "And I've told you already—I'm not hungry."
"Oh, I swear to Merlin!" Hermione exclaimed. "If Malfoy looks over here one more time—"
"You look really pale," Cameron noted from Liesel's right. Liesel turned to look at him; he didn't exactly look very chipper, either. His skin was just as pale as hers, if not worse. There were even purple bags forming beneath his mismatched eyes.
"You're one to talk," Liesel yawned.
"Oh, Liesel, you look so tired," Hermione said worriedly.
"Maybe you shouldn't go to the match," Cam suggested tiredly.
"Well, what'd you expect?" Liesel mumbled. "I spent all night crying—you were here. You heard it."
"But, really, Liesel," Hermione said. "You should take a rest."
"No, no—I'm fine, really," she muttered. "I'm going to the match." She said, staring down at the table. She looked over at the Ravenclaw table, where a few fourth years kept glancing at her with grins, followed by giggles.
"Don't let them get to you," Cam yawned. "They'll shut their traps, eventually…"
"How is it that new gets around so quickly here?" Liesel hissed under her breath. "You have feelings for someone who may not be the nicest—and suddenly you're a villain," she grumbled, stabbing her eggs with her fork repeatedly.
"Maybe I should take that," Cam muttered, prying the fork from her fingers. "And just ignore the whispers," he said. "It'll all go away."
"How do you know?" Liesel asked. "My life is over," she groaned, burying her face in her hands. "They'll never talk to me again..."
"Er, Liz," Hermione muttered, looking past her shoulder.
"I mean—really, I'm entitled to my own privacy—am I not?" Liesel asked Cameron.
"Liesel," Hermione said again.
"Well, it depends on your definition—" Cam began.
"Liesel, look!" Hermione whispered forcefully.
But, Liesel didn't even have to—she heard Draco's voice from behind her and she stiffened. She bit her lip and looked down at her plate. She began fiddling with her hair—anything to take her mind off of his closeness. Hermione rolled her eyes when she realized he'd only come over to taunt Harry about his new broom. But, Harry had hardly put any effort in making him feel like a fool and he was soon sauntering back to the Slytherin table.
"He is so rude!" Hermione shrieked after he walked away. "He doesn't even acknowledge the rumors—let alone, you!" she said to Liesel.
"Don't be too surprised, Hermione," Liesel said with a shrug. "It is Draco, after all."
"He's always going to be Draco to you from now on, instead of 'Malfoy', isn't he?" Hermione asked.
"I guess so," Liesel said with a shrug.
Liesel rushed onto the field, standing closely behind Harry to observe the scene. Her jaw practically hit the ground when she realized that dementor that had 'attacked' Harry was no dementor at all. Professor McGonagall had stormed over, shouting at the four Slytherins in her shrill voice. Liesel felt fury flow through her. She knew why he was doing this—acting out in such an immature manner. It was to get back at her. The best way to do that, Draco believed, was through Harry.
After Professor McGonagall rushed to find Professor Dumbledore, the crowd had departed. Liesel overheard that there was to be a party in the Gryffindor common room, but she didn't feel much like going. She stormed to Draco, who was still attempting to release himself from the large robe. "Very mature," she said in an attempt to hide her frustration. "If you were going to get back at me, I would have expected you to do something to me—not my friend."
Draco sneered maliciously. "The last I heard, he wasn't your friend."
Liesel took in a deep breath. "As you could have probably guessed," she retorted. "None of this would have happened if you would have just minded your own business and never bothered me about those stupid letters." Draco stared at her, not sure how to rejoinder.
"We'll handle the little Half-blood for you, Malfoy," Marcus Flint sneered, attempting to charge at Liesel, who took a defensive stance, reaching for her wand.
"No," he said, still staring at Liesel. "Let her be," he sneered. "She'll get what's coming to her."
"Just as you're going to get what's coming to you," Liesel replied heatedly. "And to think I thought you were different," she laughed. "You're still the same underneath it all."
"Miss Greenwood, what are you still doing there?" Professor McGonagall asked, approaching the group. "You are well aware of the celebration going on up in the Gryffindor tower, are you not?"
"I'm aware, Professor," Liesel mumbled. "I'm not in much of a celebrating mood."
"As that is quite understandable, Miss Greenwood, we need to have a word with these four young men," Professor Dumbledore said. "However, I will need to see you soon, Miss Greenwood."
Liesel's eyebrows rose. "Me?"
"Yes, you," Professor Dumbledore replied with a ghost smile appearing on his lips. "Tomorrow at noon, perhaps?"
"Er, okay, Professor," Liesel muttered. "I'll see you," she said, walking off, heading towards the castle.
She shoved her hands in the pockets of her Quidditch robes as she sulked through the corridors. She found herself in the dungeons, not looking to go anywhere in particular. She was about to round a corner when she'd collidedwith someone. "Hey—watch where you're—oh, it's you," Dominik said. Cameron slowly followed him around the corner, holding his stomach and looking slightly green. "Come on," Dominik muttered, grabbing his arm and pulling him down the corridor.
Liesel quickly changed the direction she was going and followed the two boys. "What's wrong with him?" Liesel asked.
"Uh…" Dominik glanced at Cam, before turning to look at Liesel. "Food poisioning."
"From what?" she asked curiously.
"I don't know," Dominik snapped. "It was probably that treacle tart from dinner last night."
"But, I ate that and I'm completely—"
"Well, maybe Cam's stomach is a bit more sensitive," Dominik replied. "Isn't there a party in your common room, anyways?" he asked.
"Yes, but—"
"What're you doing in the dungeons?" he asked. "Being here is a bad idea—especially with those rumors going around."
Liesel huffed. "Well, sorry if I didn't want to be bothered by my housemates," she said. "I don't exactly feel welcome around them."
"Liesel, you need to find someplace to be, otherwise you'll just end up getting yourself in trouble," Dominik sighed. "Okay?"
"Okay," she muttered.
"I've got to take Cam to the Hospital Wing, okay?"
"But, can't I—"
"No, Liesel," Dominik stated firmly.
"Fine," Liesel said. "I'll see you."
Liesel let out a deep breath and stomped up the stairs to the library; a place she knew would be deserted. She wasn't exactly in the mood for doing work; she simply wanted to be alone. Liesel couldn't have been bothered with anyone else, and it seemed that no one else could have been bothered with her—not even Dominik, her own cousin. Even he knew that she had no place to go and nothing to do. So why couldn't she have assisted him in taking Cam to the hospital wing?
Poor Cam, Liesel thought. Food poisoning was a curse all on its own. Liesel wondered what he could have eaten that'd made him so sick.
She finally found the library, which was deserted, as Liesel had expeted. Liesel let out a sigh of relief as she wandered through the aisles, happy to see that it really was empty. She found a chair and seated herself at the table and rested her head on her arms.
A nice nap would be exactly what Liesel needed to take her mind off of things. She could forget about the last twenty four hours and relax.
"Mind if I sit here?" A boy asked. Liesel mumbled an incoherent 'no'. But, it seemed that the boy didn't hear it quite well. "Great," he said, pulling out the chair beside Liesel and setting down his books before he seated himself.
Liesel lifted her head with a quiet yawn. Who she saw sitting beside her was someone she didn't expect to see. "It's a shame, you know," Ernie Macmillan said as he flipped a few books open. "I don't see why Wood never lets you play."
Liesel sat up, running her fingers through her hair. "I guess," she muttered, not quite sure why the Hufflepuff was speaking to her.
He lifted an eyebrow at her before turning his gaze back to his work. "You guess?" he asked. Liesel took note that his voice had gotten deeper since she had last spoken to him, which was merely over a year ago.
"You could hardly say I'm on the team," she said. "I've been in once game in the year and a half that I've been on the team." Suddenly Liesel huffed. Why was she even talking to Ernie Macmillan, anyways? "Besides, I'm the black sheep of my entire house. No one wants to see me play."
"Is that so?" Ernie asked, turning to look at her. "You're a lot friendlier than I remember," he said with a half-smile.
Liesel feigned a smile. "That's probably because I disarmed you."
Ernie laughed. "Sorry about that, by the way," he said. "I shouldn't have been on Potter's case."
"Yeah," Liesel said shortly, leaning back in her chair.
Ernie observed her closely, realizing that she wasn't exactly in a good mood. He decided that it would be best to change the subject. He glanced around the library, loking for something—anything to talk about. His eyes fell on Liesel, once again and his eyes fell on the pendant that hung around her neck.
"Nice necklace."
Liesel looked down at the necklace, frowning. She'd forgotten that she even had it on. "Thanks," she said in an insincere voice. "I don't know why I'm still wearing it," she muttered as she fiddled with the pendant with her fingertips. "It was a gift from—nevermind," she said quickly.
Ernie looked at her curiously. "Who?" He noticed that she was hesitant to speak. "If you don't mind me asking," he added slowly.
"It's from Draco Malfoy," she blurted. Ernie's eyebrows rose.
"Malfoy?" he asked. Liesel gave a timid nod. "So…the rumors…they're true, then?" Ernie didn't seem upset or angry at her in the slightest; she hadn't exactly expecting him to react so calmly.
Ernie, instead, seemed even more curious. If he was angry, he sure had a good way of hiding it. "It depends on what you've heard," Liesel said with a miserable sigh, resting her elbow on the table. "But, yeah, for the most part, it's true." She turned to look at Ernie. "We dated for a few weeks. But, now, we're over."
"Really?" Ernie asked.
"Yep."
"So, is that why you're not at the party?" he asked, "because most of your house, if not all, has turned against you?"
"That's exactly why," Liesel said, "even my own friends."
"Malfoy is denying everything that's going around," Ernie said.
"I know he is," Liesel said in a distant voice.
"Doesn't that—doesn't it bother you?"
Liesel shrugged. "I guess I just expected it," she said with a frown.
"So, you two aren't together?" Liesel shook her head. "Since when?"
"Yesterday," she murmured. "Everything has gone downhill since then."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"Yeah…Ernie?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you have the time by any chance?"
Ernie looked at his wrist watch. "It's quarter 'til six," he said.
"Great," Liesel said dryly. "They're probably still celebrating," Liesel muttered as she stood up. "See you around, then," she sighed.
Liesel rushed out of the library, headed for the North Tower and rushed up the spiral staircase. There, she saw the silver latter.
Liesel quickly climbed the latte and entered the overly fumed classroom. "I knew you were coming," Professor Trelawney said from the window. "The crystal ball is right over there," she said, pointing at the usual round table the two Seers shared during their sessions.
"Aren't you going to join me?" Liesel asked.
Professor Trelawney smiled. "You won't need me for this, my dear," she said. "You have to find out what is to be done on your own." Liesel wasn't yet quite sure what the Professor meant, but she nodded her head anyways. "I'll leave you here," she said. "I'll check up on you every hour or so."
"Thank you," Liesel said, approaching the table and sat down.
She took a deep breath before focusing her gaze on the crystal ball. Soon, everything around her blurred as the image in the crystal ball became clearer. There stood Sirius Black in the center of a dim-lit, shabby, dusty room. His eyes were large and surrounded by purple bags. But, his voice made him seem sane, despite his ragged appearance.
"There's two of you?" he asked with a bewildered expression on his face. Liesel could see a few other figures in the background and assumed them to be insignificant, seeing as there was a possibility that they wouldn't be there.
"Yes," Liesel heard herself say. "We need to talk to you," her future self said, glancing over at Dominik, who stood beside her. "Please," she asked desperately. "It's important."
The clear image immediately blurred and she was once again in the Divination classroom.
"It's about time that you head back to your common room, Ms. Greenwood," Professor Trelawney said. "It's almost eleven." Liesel nodded, standing up from the table.
When Liesel finally arrived at the portrait, she realized that the party was still going strong. She frowned as she muttered the password to sir Cadogan. She stepped through the portrait hole and entered the noisy common room. She did her best to be discrete, but ended up bumping into Fred. He turned around curiously to see who had collided with him. When his eyes landed on Liesel, his face twisted up into a scowl.
"Finally decided to show up?" he taunted. "Or were you too busy with Malfoy to remember that your house won a Quiddtich match?"
Liesel frowned. "I didn't come here because I knew that I wouldn't be welcome," she said, attempting to keep herself calm. "I also knew that no one wanted to be bothered with me," she said quietly. "So, I slept in the library for about four hours. After I woke up, I knew the party would have still been going on. So, I went to Professor Trelawney for a private lesson." Liesel glanced around. "It's nice to know that you're all having fun without me."
"Yeah," Fred said harshly. "We are."
"Fine! I get it—you're mad at me!" Liesel shouted. "It's bad enough that the entire school is talking about me behind my back! What more do you want, Fred?"
"I want to know what you saw in that git!" He shouted back. The common room had gone silent. Liesel glanced around to see that everyone had become indulged in their argument. "Let's take this elsewhere," Fred said through clenched teeth.
"Fine," Liesel replied.
He grabbed her wrist and pulled her up the stairs and pulled her into his dormitory, slamming the door behind him. "I still don't get it," he said with a sardonic laughter.
"What is there to get, Fred?" Liesel asked. "I like him! What do you want me to do—apologize for it?"
"That would be nice," Fred drawled.
"If you really liked someone I absolutely loathed—like Tabitha—I'd still be a good friend to you and support it, no matter what I thought!" she argued. "If you wre truly my friend, you would've stuck by me like Hermione did!"
"Hermione knew what was going on the entire time!" Fred bellowed. "You lied, Liesel! You lied to all of us and you don't even feel bad about it!"
"Everyone has their secrets, Fred! Everyone!"
Fred gave her a stony look. "Well, I don't."
"Oh, so you're just the perfect friend, are you?" she asked.
"I try to be."
"So, you've never kept one secret from me? There's nothing you haven't told me?"
Fred didn't answer. "That's different."
"How, Fred?" Liesel asked, finally reaching the point of frustration. "How is it different?"
"Well, maybe if you weren't so wrapped up in yourself, then maybe you'd know!" He seethed. "You've been skipping off into the sunset, holding hands with Malfoy—no wonder you're so bloody clueless! If you would stop thinking about your stupid self for one second, you wouldn't be in this situation!" Liesel had never been so mad at Fred in her entire life. Her fists were balled and he face was red, along with her breathing being heavy. "You—you're a spoiled brat. You deserve everything that you get."
Liesel shoved her way past him and yanked the door open. Outside the door was the entire Quidditch team, including Ron. Liesel was trying extremely hard not to cry. "I quit the team," she said to Oliver with a quivering voice.
She shoved her way past Harry and George and rushed down to the common room. Liesel collapsed in the first armchair she could find and sobbed loud enough for all of the common room to hear. She felt someone place a hand on her shoulder, but she immediately shrugged it away. Liesel didn't want anyone's pity.
Eventually, Liesel's sobs became silent, though the tears never stopped flowing. Even when Professor McGonagall arrived to break up the party, Liesel was in the same armchair, still crying.
It wasn't until a few minutes after the common room was clear. That Emile made his way down into the common room and curled up in the armchair with Liesel. He let out a loud 'meow' and licked her arm with his sandpaper tongue in comforting manner. It wasn't until then that Liesel had finally fallen asleep.
Emil stirring in the armchair is what woke Liesel only a few hours later. Liesel sat up and peered around the empty common room. Emile had hopped down from the chair and began cuddling himself to a pair of feet and making constant meows. Liesel looked at the feet curiously before looking up and locking her eyes with someone she'd been dying to meet for months.
"I believe this is your cat?" Sirius Black asked, picking up Emil and holding him in his arms. Liesel's jaw fell, but she nodded. "Make sure you take care of him, Miss Greenwood," he said with what could have been a sweet smile, had it not been for his rotting teeth. "He's special," he said.
Liesel got to her feet and Black placed Emil back in her arms. "Y-You're Sirius Black." Liesel wasn't speaking out of fear, which was something that Black picked up on. Liesel's voice held more of a mesmerized tone.
"That would be me."
"I-I've got so many questions for you!" she breathed, trying to hid her excitement.
"As much as I'd love to answer your questions, I've got something to do," he muttered, glancing around the common room. The scruffy man seemed hesitant to ask, but did so anyways. "You're not afraid of me?"
"Of course I'm not," she replied. "I've got so many questions to ask you—about Peter Pettigrew, Harry's parents, and—"
"What do you know about Peter Pettigrew?" Black asked.
"I know that he's not really dead," she said. "I also know that you're innocent."
Sirius stared at Liesel. Liesel stared at Sirius.
"Have you been crying?" he asked suddenly, observing the dry tear stains on her cheeks.
Liesel quickly wiped them away. "That's beside the point," she said. "We need to clear your name so that you can take care of Harry."
"First, I need to find Pettigrew and kill him," Sirius growled.
"What makes you think he's here?" Liesel asked curiously, tilting her head to the side. "I've got to talk to him before you—er—kill him."
"He's a rat."
"It's not nice to call people names."
"No, he's actually a rat!" Sirius said. "He belongs to Weasley."
Liesel's eyes widened. "Y-you mean Scabbers?"
"Whatever his name is!" Sirius said offhandedly.
"He's dead."
"What do you mean?" Black asked.
"He was eaten by a cat," Liesel said quietly. Sirius' eyes immediately fell on Emil. "Not this cat," Liesel said quickly, holding Emil closer to her. "It was my friend's cat."
"Well, I'll see for myself," Black said.
"It's a bad idea, I'm telling you," Liesel warned.
Black rushed up the stairs. He may have been up there for all but two minutes before there was a strangled scream that caused Liesel to jump. Soon, Black came rushing down the stairs. "I still need to talk to you," she whispered quickly as he rushed past her.
"The Shrieking Shack," he said in a rushed tone. "There's a shortcut through the Whomping Willow—just press the knob at the base of the tree."
"Wait—how do you know who I am?"
Black grinned. "I'd know that hair and those eyes anywhere." Soon, he disappeared through the portrait hole. A few seconds later, Harry, Dean, and Seamus bustled into the common room.
"What did you see?" Seamus asked her.
"Was it truly Black, like Ron said" Dean asked.
Liesel swallowed, looking at the three boys. "It was."
