Year 3: Not Quite Right

Chapter 29: May 2018

With the arrival of May, Louis and Justin became even more busy than they already were. As per usual, the Slytherins had provided them with a list of questions that they wanted detailed answers to in preparation for the upcoming exams.

"This is just ridiculous!" Julia cried when she saw what Louis was working on.

"It is," Louis agreed. "But remember, you promised you wouldn't say anything."

Julia frowned unhappily. "I said I wouldn't say anything about the homework."

"This is all a part of the same deal," Louis explained. "And you said you wouldn't say anything about us and the Slytherins."

"How have the professors not managed to catch on yet?" Julia demanded in confusion. "Their exams surely don't reflect the same level of mastery as their homework assignments. Wouldn't the difference between your work and theirs be obvious?"

"Well Louis and I do dumb down some of the language when we write their assignments," Louis allowed. "And up until this year, we weren't actually doing all their homework assignments. Only the ones they really didn't want to do."

"So, what changed this year?" Julia wondered.

Louis sighed. "They realized that we weren't going to fight back anymore," he stated. "Last year we tried everything we could think of to resist them, but it didn't do any good. Now we know better. And they know we won't tell."

"I still think you should," Julia declared.

"Your opinion has been noted," Louis said in slight irritation. He was tired of having the same argument over and over.

"Fine," Julia sighed. "I'll shut up about it. For now. At least until we get through exams."

LlLlLlLlLlL

Though Louis had little spare time, he still managed to make time to study with Julia in addition to Justin. Julia was his friend now too, and just because Justin was his oldest friend and was in it with him when it came to the Slytherin's homework, didn't mean he was going to shut Julia out.

But after a few separate study sessions with each of them, Julia pointed out that it was silly to be wasting time splitting his time and wouldn't it make more sense to all just study together?

"I guess," Louis shrugged. His main concern was that Justin wouldn't appreciate Julia's presence after all her talk of wanting them to turn Flint and his gang in. Justin thought she was dangerous to have around. But Louis was also tired of going between his two friends.

"And I'll bring Olivia," Julia decided.

"Olivia?" Louis frowned.

"She's my best friend," Julia defended herself.

"I know," Louis replied. "But Olivia and Justin studying together? Don't you think that would be awkward?"

Julia shrugged. "They went on one bad date. It's not the end of the world. I'm sure they can mange to be civil with each other well enough to study at the same table at the very least."

So, Louis agreed.

The next day after classes, Louis and Justin met up with Julia and Olivia in the library with plans to study history of magic. They'd spent the year covering the history of wizard-muggle relations, beginning with the days when the two groups lived in harmony, working through the history of the persecution of wizards and the witch hunts to wizards going underground, the creation of he international statute of secrecy and finally the fictionalizing of magic in the muggle world. There was a lot to cover, and the Slytherins had a lot of questions on the subject as they'd spent the year sleeping through or skiving off every one of Professor Binns' lectures.

"Justin," Olivia greeted Louis' best friend when the four came together to sit down at their table.

"Olivia," Justin returned curtly.

Louis glanced between the two and then at Julia nervously. But neither did or said anything more, they simply sat down and began to work. Louis decided that perhaps Julia had been right, and things wouldn't have to be awkward.

"Does anybody have a copy of the textbook?" Olivia asked about half an hour in. "I must have left mine in the dorm."

"How could you forget your textbook?" Justin asked. "We had history of magic earlier today."

"I don't bring my textbook to every class," Olivia defended herself. "That thing is heavy. I don't need to throw my back out lugging it around all day when we almost never need to refer to it in class."

"But this isn't class," Justin pointed out. "When you're studying the subject, it tends to be useful to bring the book."

"I told you I forgot it in the dorm," Olivia said, sounding confused as to why Justin was making this a big deal. To be honest, Louis was having trouble figuring out why Justin cared so much too.

"Here Olivia," Louis said, breaking up the argument. "You can borrow mine."

"Thank you," Olivia said gratefully. Julia shot Louis a grateful smile as well.

"I just think it's a little strange is all," Justin muttered. He said it under his breath, but loud enough that the whole table could hear him. "That you'd forget the one book you needed for this study session."

Olivia rolled her eyes and pretended to ignore Justin. Meanwhile, Louis kicked Justin in the leg.

"Ow," Justin hissed at Louis. "What was that for?"

"Can't you be nice?" Louis demanded. Just because Olivia and Justin weren't the best of friends didn't mean Justin had to pick on her.

"Why?" Justin demanded. "It's not like you're dating Julia anymore. Why do we have to be friends with either of them?"

"Julia is my friend," Louis declared. "And Olivia is hers. And you're mine. So find a way to get along with everyone or go study by yourself."

Justin harrumphed, but stayed put, flipping the page in his own textbook as he scribbled out answers to Darian Reed's questions.

LlLlLlLlLlL

With exams nearing, each of Louis' professors was spending their last few classes having intensive review sessions and making sure that their students were completely ready for their exams. While Louis and Justin had to pay close attention to review sessions on the theory of cheering charms, the constitutions of various types of soil, and Golpalott's first law, there was one course that they didn't have to study much for at all: defence against the dark arts.

The previous year, Louis and Justin had convinced Professor Derlid to teach them his unit on physical defence because they'd wanted to be able to fight off the Slytherins if they were ever attacked. Of course, when the attack had come, they'd failed to defend themselves spectacularly. But it hadn't been because they hadn't learned anything. It had been because five against two rarely turned out to be a success in favor of the two.

But what Louis and Justin hadn't realized would be a benefit to them was that when Professor Derlid had introduced the physical defence unit, they would be miles beyond the rest of the class. The unit had begun the previous month after a very brief unit on the ability to decide whether to fight or to flee and the usefulness of a good scream when faced with a situation where you might need help. Defence against the dark arts wasn't all about fighting, after all. It was about being able to protect oneself against anything, and sometimes that didn't mean fighting. It was a lesson Louis wished he'd learned sooner.

When the training equipment had made its reappearance in the defence against the dark arts classroom and Professor Derlid had started teaching his students various exercises and training techniques, Louis and Justin had very quietly set themselves up in a corner away from the rest of the class and completed their exercises without any trouble. They knew they would be getting O's for this unit anyway and thought it best to stay out of the way of people like Flint and his buddies.

Usually, Professor Derlid would split the room between the girls and guys, since he taught the unit slightly differently for the two groups. But as the end of the term neared, he removed the separation and allowed all his students to move about freely as they continued to practice their physical defence, even pitting some of the girls and boys against each other, as further preparation for real-world situations.

When Louis got paired to fight against Julia, he wasn't sure how to handle the situation. Was he supposed to go easy on her because she wasn't as strong as he was? He wasn't saying it because she was a girl, but because Julia Arnold was basically a twig and had been struggling with this unit ever since it was introduced. And while Louis didn't have hugely defined muscles and was a little scrawny for his age, he'd spent over a year developing his strength with Professor Derlid's techniques and knew that Julia didn't stand a chance.

But it would be a disservice to Julia to go easy on her. If she were cornered in an alley by a dark wizard, he certainly wouldn't go easy on her. If she lost her wand, physical defence would be her only shot at getting it back and Louis wanted that for her. So, Louis put all his strength into the fight.

As soon as it began, Louis grappled Julia to the ground and held her there. He didn't want to hurt her of course, so he simply used his strength to restrain her as she squirmed and kicked and tried to wriggle out of his grasp. But Louis was stronger, and that quickly began apparent to them both. He thought about easing up a little, to give Julia the opportunity to slip out of his grasp and possibly wrestle him to the ground, but just as Professor Derlid was about to declare Louis the winner, Julia lifted her head up just enough to kiss Louis right on the lips.

In his surprise, Louis relinquished his hold on her, and Julia jumped away with an evil grin. Louis shook his head, impressed by her tactic, even if it was a little unorthodox. All around him, the rest of the class was making the sorts of immature mocking sounds that thirteen and fourteen-year-olds make, and Louis felt his face redden in embarrassment.

Taking her shot, Julia rushed Louis and attempted to knock him over. Instead, Louis simply blocked her swings for about thirty seconds before grappling her to the floor again, this time making sure to stay far enough away from her face that she couldn't trick him again. Professor Derlid announced him the winner and Louis stepped away, letting Julia get up on her own.

"That was quite the fight," Louis commented as he and Julia moved aside to straighten up and the next pair moved into the center of the room to fight.

"You're a lot stronger than I expected," Julia commented.

"Well, no offense," Louis said. "But you're kind of weak."

"I am," Julia readily agreed. "I just thought you would be as weak as me."

"I'm nothing if not a plethora of surprises," Louis joked. "But so are you. That kiss was…"

Louis didn't know how to finish that sentence. It had been confusing to say the least. He knew that their relationship had always meant more to Julia than it had to him. He knew that she'd had real romantic feelings for him, even though he'd never been able to reciprocate them. He knew that when he'd broken up with her, she'd been disappointed. She'd said she'd seen it coming, but Louis could tell that she'd been hoping she was wrong.

"The perfect distraction," Julia declared. "If that had been a real duel and I'd only been trying to get to my wand, I imagine that would have been just the distraction I'd have needed to grab it. And then you'd have been cursed before you even had a chance to recover."

Louis breathed a sigh of relief. So, it hadn't been about her feelings for him. The kiss had been purely an escape tactic. Louis could accept that. It had been an awfully ingenious way to get away from him.

"Well careful with that," Louis said. "Because a tactic like that only works once."

Julia nodded. "Don't worry," she said. "I've got a few other tricks up my sleeve."

LlLlLlLlLlL

That afternoon found the four Gryffindors in the library once again, this time reviewing the dark creatures they'd studied that year, namely boggarts, kappas, and kelpies. It was one of the only theoretical portions of their defence against the dark arts class, and as such, one of the driest. Professor Derlid hated teaching theory units and it showed in his lectures. Louis' notes were so boring, he could barely get himself to read them through there in the library.

"Stop kicking me," Olivia snapped suddenly, staring across the table at Justin.

"I'm not kicking you," Justin insisted with a frown.

"You are and I'm getting fed up," Olivia declared. "Just keep your feet still."

"Alright, alright," Justin surrendered. "Whatever."

Louis glanced up from his work to share a look with Julia and then looked back down. Anthony Pearle wanted to what the difference was between a kappa and a vampire and it was one of the dumbest questions Louis had had to answer for the Slytherins yet. Kappas and vampires shared one thing in common: a taste for human blood. Literally every other aspect about them differed. It was like asking what the difference was between a venus flytrap and a lion since they're both carnivorous.

"Would you stop using my inkwell?" Justin demanded about ten minutes later.

Louis glanced up and Justin was looking right at Olivia with accusation in his eyes.

"Excuse me?" Olivia demanded. "I'm not using your inkwell, you're using mine. I've just been polite enough not to say anything."

"This is my inkwell," Justin insisted, grabbing the single inkwell between them and holding it up.

"No, it's mine," Olivia insisted, reaching out and grabbing for it. Justin held on, and as they fought, ink began to spill on the table.

"Whoa!" Julia cried, grabbing her papers, and moving them out of the splash zone. "Guys, calm down, this isn't the end of the world."

"She's wasting all my ink," Justin insisted. "I paid for that ink."

"You mean your parents paid for it," Louis rolled his eyes. Justin never spent a knut on his school supplies. He saved his money for things like candy and Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products and owled his parents anytime he needed a refill on quills or ink or parchment.

"Well she didn't pay for it," Justin said, pointing at Olivia. "So, she shouldn't get to use it."

"It's ink," Olivia said dryly. "The amount I used tonight probably doesn't even amount to a knut. Not to mention, it's my inkwell."

"Who cares whose inkwell it is?" Louis groaned. "The whole thing costs what, a sickle or two?"

"I care because she's trying to steal from me," Justin insisted.

"Excuse me?" Olivia cried. "If I was going to steal from you, it would be something a little more valuable than a stupid inkwell. You can keep it!"

With that, Olivia stood up and shoved her things into her bag before storming off.

"Well I'm not going to sit here and be disparaged," Justin declared, gathering his things into a pile, and sweeping them into his own bag. He stood up. "I'll see you in the dorm, Louis."

Once he was gone, Louis and Julia were left alone. Louis sighed.

"Well that didn't go great," he declared.

"No," Julia agreed, shaking her head. "I'm sorry I insisted on bringing Olivia."

"I'm sorry I thought it would be better to study altogether in the first place," Louis stated. "I just thought it would be more efficient than always splitting my time."

"Those two just can't get along," Julia agreed shaking her head. "There's nothing for it."

"You're right," Louis agreed. "We just need to stop trying to shove them together. We can be friends even if our friends hate each other, right?"

"Of course," Julia smiled. "I'm not going to let Olivia decide who I can and can't be friends with."

"Good," Louis declared. "Then let's get through this defence nonsense before it bores us to death."

LlLlLlLlLlL

Louis and Julia finished up their studying about an hour later and then packed up their things, ready to seek out their respective friends and apologize for forcing them to study altogether. From now on, Louis would study with Justin and Julia would study with Olivia, and Louis and Julia would study together. But Justin and Olivia were to be kept apart.

They were almost back to the common room when they heard a strange knocking sound coming from a nearby broom cupboard.

"Do you hear that?" Louis frowned, pausing as he walked.

Julia stopped too and listened carefully. There were a series of quiet bangs, suggesting that something other than brooms and mops was on the other side of the door.

"Do you think there's a student locked in there?" Louis frowned.

"I don't know," Julia shrugged. "Let's find out."

She crossed the hall, Louis close behind her, and without a moment of hesitation, grabbed the door handle and pulled the door to the cupboard open.

As they'd predicted, there was someone inside. There were two someones in fact. And from the looks of things, they hadn't been locked inside, but had gone into the cupboard voluntarily.

As soon as the door was opened, the two flung apart, but it was clear what they'd been up to. The girl's lips were red from kissing and the boy's hair was mussed, likely because the girl had had her hands in it mere moments ago.

"Olivia?" Julia cried in shock.

"Justin?" Louis asked in disbelief.