Chapter Thirty-Six

Implosion

James declared that the Gryffindor team would hide out in an empty classroom until bedtime, to avoid the inevitable tirade of abuse from Josh Young. The rest of the team quickly talked him down – hiding in a chilly deserted classroom with James standing guard with the Marauders Map was not their idea of a good way to spend their evening. Besides, exams started in two days' time, and there was still a lot of revision to be done.

The team left the changing rooms to jeers and boos from a group of Slytherins who'd seemingly waited around just to poke fun at the Gryffindors. Scorpius was stood slightly apart from the group, and as the Gryffindor team emerged from the changing rooms, he stepped forward to shake Samuel's hand. "It was a good call," he said sincerely. "I guess I would've done the same thing."

"Thanks," Samuel nodded.

The team headed up to the Gryffindor Common Room en masse, thankfully shaking off their Slytherin entourage in the Entrance Hall as they headed down to join the party.

The team took their time making their way up the seven flights of stairs which led to Gryffindor tower, but eventually they had to face the inevitable. "Blancmange," James said dismally to the Fat Lady.

"And the same to you, dear," the Fat Lady hiccoughed – she had a habit of binge drinking on match days. The portrait swung forward to admit the team. The Gryffindor room had been filled with a subdued hum of chatter, but at the team's arrival it fell silent.

"We failed you," James said soberly as he stepped through the portrait hole. "I failed you. Come hex me if you want – if it'd make you feel better... it might make me feel better."

The silence lengthened, and then was eventually broken by Chris. "You didn't fail us," he said. "You were just beaten by a better team... that Zabini kid's something else."

"You all did your best," Ruthie Blue said, stepping forward to hug Fred. "That's all any of us could've asked for."

Alexander jumped onto a chair (and only became marginally taller than everyone else). "Three cheers for our Gryffindors, the valiant runners up!"

His cheers were echoed by the vast majority of the inhabitants of Gryffindor tower, which cheered the team up somewhat. After that, everyone turned back to their conversations and the Gryffindor team dispersed. Lily and Mia went to sit with Emma and Matilda.

"Did you guys know-" Matilda began, almost before Lily and Mia had sat down.

"Probably not, and I probably don't want to either, but I imagine you'll tell me anyway," Lily sighed.

Matilda grinned. "I wasn't exactly going to tell you anything... well... I was... but only so I can ask you something else..."

"Get on with it, then, if you're gonna," Lily yawned.

"Okay, then, did you know it's about impossible to find something to write a book on that isn't made from trees?" Matilda said.

Lily snorted. Then she looked at Matilda. "You're actually serious, aren't you?"

Matilda nodded. "We're trying to write our book about the plants and animals in the grounds, like the one in the-" she grew deadly silent and mouthed the next two words "-Ravenclaw library-"before returning to her usual volume "-but we don't know what to write it on..."

"Why don't you ask you parents?" Lily asked. "I expect they're more experienced in hippy paper-avoidance than we are."
"But I'd have to write to them to ask them... on paper!" Matilda said indignantly. Mia giggled at the irony.

"Surely you haven't not written to your parents all year, just because it'd involve using paper?" Lily demanded.

"No, but we only write when it's strictly necessary," Matilda said. "And writing to them on paper to ask them about how not to use paper would be... what's the word?"

"Ironic," Mia supplied. "Why don't you just use paper, and then plant a tree or two to make up for it?"

"Or reuse old homework sheets or the margins of boring textbooks?" Lily suggested.

"Or just condense it into the two sheets you and your parents have saved by not writing to each other?" Mia grinned.

"You're not taking this seriously!" Matilda said indignantly.

"Merlin Mattie, we can't all be like you!" Lily returned. "We were trying our best – take it or leave it."

"Humpf," Matilda snorted. "You'll all be sorry when the earth implodes!" she got up and stalked off towards the portrait hole. Lily and Mia looked at each other and giggled. "Emma! Are you coming for a walk?" Matilda called back over her shoulder.

Emma got to her feet. "See you guys later," she said to Lily and Mia.

"Have fun on your walk with Little Miss Environment," Lily grinned as Emma walked off to follow Matilda.

"Uh oh..." Mia said.

"What?" Lily demanded.

Mia pointed. Whilst watching Emma and Matilda, she'd spotted Josh Young walking across the Common Room towards where James was sitting with Chris.

"Oh, great," Lily sighed. "Here we go again."

It was clear that James wasn't happy to see Josh, as he swore at him before he even reached where he was.

Josh gave him a two-fingered salute. "All hail King Unstoppable Potter, who appears to have been... stopped."

"What do you want, Josh?" James sighed.

"To tell you you were abysmal," Josh shrugged.

"I already know I was. So you can get lost."

Josh stood his ground, the volume in the room starting to drop as everyone began to notice the argument.

"You know, if you'd made me Keeper instead of Dursley-" Josh began.

"I didn't make anyone Keeper – that was Danielle's decision," James interrupted.

"-I would've blocked way more of Zabini's goals," Josh continued, regardless.

"Sure you would," James yawned.

Josh drew his wand, and James imitated him.

"What are you doing?" James sighed.

"You said I could hex you," Josh shrugged. He began to cast a spell, but James deflected it, and then Chris hastily cast a shield charm between them.

"Go away, Josh," he said. "If you try anything else you'll have more than just James to answer to."

"Oooh, I'm so scared," Josh fake-whined. "You're not worth my time, Potter – you're far from all you're cracked up to be."

He turned and walked off.

"Show's over, folks," James said loudly. "Chris, would you move this damn shield charm so I can like breathe or something?"

Exams started on Monday morning, and Mia's first exam was Ancient Runes. At breakfast, she sat with Lily, Louis and Ailie, and she and Louis tested each other. Lily was smug because her exams didn't start until tomorrow.

"I might go for a walk in the sun before I start revising," Lily grinned.

"Shut up, Lily," Louis growled.

"I was just saying," Lily sighed.

"And I'll be just punching you in a minute," Louis scowled.

"I don't know why you're stressing, anyway – you always breeze exams," Lily scowled back.

"Because I rely on my photographic memory and some last minute cramming," Louis told her shortly. "And you're eating into my cramming time, so shut it."

"I wish I had your memory," Ailie sighed, hugging Louis' arm.

"But then you wouldn't be you," Louis grinned, kissing her forehead.

Lily pretended to vomit into her cereal.

"Right," Louis said abruptly, straightening up violently so that he bumped Ailie's head with his shoulder blade. "Oh, sorry, Ailie... shall I kiss it better?"

Lily fake-vomited into her cereal again.

"Okay, let's go," Louis said, ignoring his cousin. "If we don't know it now, we're not gonna." He stood up and then pulled Ailie to his feet. "C'mon – time to go ace your Charms."

Mia walked out of the Great Hall with Louis and Ailie. They said goodbye to Ailie on the second floor and then headed on upwards to the fourth floor and Ancient Runes.

"Good luck," Louis grinned at Mia as they entered the classroom.