...Apologize?...
I read through the articles in the Daily Prophet taking my sweet time. Aunt Marge is visiting and I'd rather not be around her. The boys are in trouble again and I chose to read up in my room instead of stressing out like Mackenzie. I'll be starting my fourth year soon and I'm over the moon about it. There's a slight tapping on the window and I let Kai in.
He looks flustered by my lack of enthusiasm, but I give him a few treats and he zooms off to rest beside Maeve who's sleeping next to Snowball. It's a letter from my boyfriend Cedric. We just started dating at the end of last term and he's the sweetest thing. I read the letter as I walk down to the kitchen for a quick snack and some water.
"Get your head out of the clouds girlie!" aunt Marge shouts. I ignore her and keep walking until I reach my destination. We've been joking about the things my brothers get up to at school. Just last year when uncle Vernon literally locked them behind bars, they broke out with the Weasley's help and drove off in a flying car. I caught aunt Petunia laughing about it when she thought I wasn't looking. Harry's in Gryffindor with me but Conroy ended up in Ravenclaw like Kenz.
I peel an orange or two and snack away sipping my water while reading. "What's so fascinating about that letter?" aunt Marge demands. "It's from her BOYFRIEND." Kenz drags the word out. Aunt Petunia drops her teacup and Kenz quickly retrieves it. "When did you... whenever did this..." aunt Petunia stumbles around for the right words. "A few months ago. He's really nice." I reply with a smile.
"You look quite taken with this young man." aunt Marge notes. "I just like being around him." I giggle. "He's the sweetest, kindest, and absolutely charming. Not to mention athletic and well liked." Kenz mocks my tone. I roll my eyes and keep reading. "Oh, before I forget, what am I making for dinner tonight or can I make a new recipe I've been studying?" I ask putting Cedric's letter down. "I'd love to try your new recipe! Your cooking is exquisite. Here, here's some money and you make whatever you want!" aunt Marge chuckles handing me 500 pounds.
I stare in shock. "Go on, take Kenz with you." she laughs. We go up to our room and begin to make a list. The walk to the nearest store is filled with joking and teasing. The only time we're not talking is when we examine the fresh produce. I know what I want to make but we'd have to start as soon as we get home. Kenz offers to be my assistant I squeal in delight.
I have her wash everything while I soak the veal in milk and begin the dessert. Dudley is watching me as I bustle around the kitchen. I hand him a mini box of chocolates and some tea and send him in the direction of the tv. Aunt Petunia, aunt Marge, and uncle Vernon are in the garden. I have the boys set the table when dinner is almost done and have Kenz wash up.
"Hey, aunt Marge has been drinking a lot this visit. Pack our things and the boys' things just in case." I whisper as she passes. She nods and hurries upstairs. I begin with the appetizers. Garlic mushrooms, polenta mushroom canapes, and peach and prosciutto canapes. Besides the excited murmurs every now and then the only thing heard is the scrape of cutlery on the dishes. I serve the fresh dinner rolls and the veal piccata.
It's so yummy but I do wish aunt Marge would stop knocking back so many drinks. Aunt Petunia eyes her glass with worry but uncle Vernon hasn't noticed how wasted his sister is. "This is absolutely divine Phoebe dear." she smiles at me. I smile and get to my feet. I bring the matcha cream filled croquembouche tower and the six-flavor macaroon tower to the table. "What flavors did you make?" aunt Marge asks her eyes wide in amazement.
"Lavender and honey, mango, chocolate, lychee, salted caramel, and guava." I smile as I serve some tea too. Dudley and uncle Vernon waste no time reaching for the treat. Everything becomes cheerful again for a while and I'm washing up the dishes when aunt Marge starts talking about our parents. Kenz tenses up next to me. "Get my money briefcases too." I whisper.
She takes off up the stairs to get our things and I wave Conroy over. I nod to the front door. He gets the hint. I try to catch Harry's attention but he's too upset to notice. Then aunt Marge refers to our mother as a 'bitch'. Aunt Petunia tenses, clenches her fists under the table, but says nothing. Uncle Vernon has just realized just how drunk aunt Marge is. I finish washing the dishes and walk over to Harry. "Time to go." I whisper.
"No, Phoebe. He needs to hear this; he needs to know. If your mother hadn't met that awful father of yours, she wouldn't have died." aunt Marge suppresses a belch several times while talking. I can feel Harry shaking beneath me and I tap his shoulders again. "I've done some research of my own aunt Marge combined with what I remember. Dad tried to save her, he tried to save all of us. Mum refused to leave. You say that mum would've been better off without ever meeting him but then we wouldn't be here. Harry it's time to go!" I give his shoulders a gentle and meaningful squeeze.
"If you act like that, you'll end up just like your mother Phoebe. Heed my warning." aunt Marge tuts. Aunt Petunia jumps up tears in her eyes but aunt Marge has begun to act funny, well funnier than usual. She begins to balloon up. I glance at Harry who's glaring daggers at aunt Marge.
I pull him to his feet as aunt Marge continues to grow backing the Dursley's into the sitting room. "You better put her back right BOY!" uncle Vernon roars. I push Harry into the hall with Kenz and Conroy. "He can't! Hell, I'm older and know more spells but I couldn't even tell you. You'll have to wait for the Magic Reversal Squad. It's not his fault he snapped. She's been bullying him all week. And while we're at it you shouldn't have poured her so much. She obviously doesn't know her limits." I snap making everyone freeze.
"She has a point, Vernon. I think you gave her too much to drink. If Harry hadn't... well she was out of place talking about things she had no business talking about." aunt Petunia sniffles. Uncle Vernon looks stunned. "I'm sorry the evening is ruined but if you wait an hour or so they'll be here and delete the event from her memory and restore her. Now, I'm taking Harry and Conroy with me. They both need to cool off.", I wave them out the door and turn to aunt Petunia, "I left aunt Marge a gift. It's on my bed. Tell her I took Kenz and the boys on a trip after she passed out drunk or something."
I don't wait for a reply. I heave my bag over my shoulder toss Dudley some sweets I'd gotten for him and close the door behind me. Kenz is following the boys and I run to catch up. "Sorry." I hear Harry mumble. "Sorry? Sorry about what? She was way out of bounds." I huff looking around. I thought I'd heard something. "Kenz keep the boys close. I think something's following us." I mumble. In true stubbornness the boys pull out their wands and light them. Something is lurking in the shadows.
With a bang the Knight bus appears. Whatever was following us disappeared when the bus showed up. I smack the back of Conroy and Harry's heads before shooing them onto the bus. I wait until Tom the barman leaves before scolding the boys. They look down. "Didn't you read the Prophet I left in your room. There's a murderer on the loose and you two stubborn brats came and lit your wands and stood behind me when you should've stayed with Kenz." I huff.
They look up at me and I turn away. "Get some rest. You're probably tired." I sigh and leave with Kenz hot on my heels. I write Cedric a quick letter and send Kai off with it. I change and climb into bed.
Over the next few days, I do my school shopping while Conroy and Harry do their homework. I'm a bit shocked when the Weasley's turn up but I do a bit of shopping with Fred and George. "Have you talked to Lee recently?" George asks as we look at the different color changing ink bottles. "No, not since he found out about me and Cedric. You know he stopped talking to me first. I have no idea why you keep asking me if I've talked to him! He's a big boy. If he has something to say to me, he can verbalize it himself instead of using you two as puppets." I scoff.
They share a look. "He's really sorry." Fred insists as I take one of each bottle. "Oh, he's sorry is he. He literally said I'm only with Cedric because of his looks. He said it in front of everyone, in the common room, at the top of his voice, and laughed. He's not sorry he just wants forgiveness without a proper apology because he doesn't think he's in the wrong. I mean honestly, sure Ced's good looking but that's not why I like him. He's really sweet and caring." I start smile. I see the twins pretend to gag but choose to ignore it.
"Besides we only started talking because of our mutual love for magical creatures and studying." I smile and they continue to gag. I whirl around and they stumble back nearly falling to the floor. "Why does Lee care so damned much? I thought all three of you were into Angelina? Shouldn't that keep him busy enough that he keeps his nose out of my business?" I ask innocently. They share another look and I go to look at quills.
They follow me all the way back to the Leaky Cauldron. "Hey Fred! Hey George!" I hear Lee call. I roll my eyes and start towards my room but the twins pull me back. "Hey Lee, guess who's here?" Fred smirks and pushes me in front of him. "You two talk and try not to kill each other while we get some drinks." George chuckles as they walk away. I turn to Lee with a forced smile. "Phoebe." he says in a painfully polite tone that makes passerby stare. "Lee." I reply in an icy tone that makes the staring people shiver and move away.
"How was your summer?" he asks. "Good, Harry blew up our aunt." I sigh casually and examine my fingernails. "Don't you have anything else you want to say to me? An apology perhaps?" he asks. "An apology?! For what?!" I scoff and laugh. He rolls his eyes and puts his hands on his hips. "For demanding an apology when what I said was a fact." he scoffs.
I glare fiercely at him. "Do you really think you were in the right? I thought you being rude and insensitive." I fold my arms and cock my head as I stare him down. "Of course, I was in the right! What do you even have in common with him in the first place?" Lee huffs. I laugh. "Are you jealous or something? Why do I have to explain my relationship to you? It's none of your business." I jab my finger in his chest pushing him backwards.
"Ok! That's definitely enough alone time for you two." George chuckles uncomfortably as he and Fred pull us apart. "You're the ones who made us talk when I already told you quite plainly, I didn't want to talk to him until he apologized!" I complain loudly. Fred and George wince at my tone. "I'm not fucking apologizing when I know I'm right!" Lee smirks. I stomp on his foot hard and purposely grind my foot into his.
Fred and George reach out like they're going to help but freeze midway their eyes flickering to my face, Lee's face, and each other's faces. "Don't you dare speak to me until you're ready to apologize!" I snarl and stop squishing his foot only to knee him in the groin. He drops to the ground gasping in pain. He curls up coughing and spluttering. "Do you require my presence for anything else or may I go NOW?!" I turn to Fred. He flinches, shakes his head, and waves me up the stairs. I slam my room door shut and throw myself on my bed.
I blatantly ignore the three when I run into them on the train. "Are you fighting with Fred and George now too?!" Kenz mumbles. I nod and sit put my head on Mia's shoulder. "They made me talk to Lee and the idiot demanded an apology for the scene he caused at the end of last term. Why do I have to apologize for his wrong assumptions? I stomped on his foot and kneed him in the groin." I smirk. The others shiver. "Remind me never to upset you." Katie laughs nervously.
I ignore Lee's glances throughout dinner. On the way up the stairs someone clears their throat. I turn and find Fred and George tugging Lee up the stairs. "He has something to say, don't you Lee." George shoots Lee a look. "I don't want a forced apology." I snap and hurry after my friends. We don't linger in the common room. We go straight to the dorm and get ready for bed.
I wake first and take my hair down and brush it out as I prep for my first day. "How is it you're awake already?" Mia yawns. "I always wake up early silly girl." I smile and hand her, her brush. She gently brushes her tangled hair and I watch her with a smile. "I know, I know. I should have tied it up or braided it before bed." she waves me away. I giggle and grab my bag as the others wake.
I head down first and get pulled into a hidden hall. I look up and find Cedric smiling at me. I smile and kiss him. "I missed you too." he chuckles. I wrap my arms around him. "I heard you and Lee are fighting. Why?" he whispers. I sigh and run my fingers across his shoulders. "He said some things at the end of last year that I didn't agree with. Things were said and the whole of Gryffindor witnessed it. Fred and George tried to force him to apologize last night but I don't want a forced apology. I want a genuine apology." I pout.
Cedric smiles at me. "And?" he smiles knowingly. "Well, while Kenz, the boys, and I were staying at the Leaky Cauldron we met up with the Weasley's. Fred and George tried to get me and Lee to make amends then and I sort of kneed him in the groin and stomped on his foot after he said I was wrong and needed to apologize." I mumble. Cedric bursts out laughing.
"Oh, Phoebe, tell me you're joking. That's too much!" He laughs. I can tell he's fighting his laughter trying to be serious and give me a scolding look but it just turns into a praising look. "What did he say that infuriated our normally calm and sweet Phoebe?" he wonders. I frown. "That bad hunh? Ok, ok, I won't make you repeat it then." he pulls me closer and kisses the top of my head.
We walk down to the Great Hall hand in hand and talking about our summers. When we get there, I gently push him towards his table after kissing his cheek but he pulls me to him and kisses me fully before going to his table. "You little brat!" I laugh. He turns and winks before continuing to his table laughing.
I walk to my table shaking my head and sighing contentedly. I start on my breakfast reading my new books all the while. Enya and Mia sit down across from me. "You're blushing as bad as the Weasleys." Enya smirks. "Why? Your boyfriend?" Mia giggles. I nod quickly and hide in my book. "Ooh, what happened?" Katie and Alya smirk. "Her boyfriend!" Enya and Mia sing and fall into a fit of giggles. My blush burns brighter until I'm sure I'm a beacon of light in the enormous hall.
I spot Cedric smiling my way and bury my face in my hands. "You can't hide forever!" Katie rubs my arms. "Yes, I can. I've endured enough teasing in one morning to last me a lifetime." I pout. "Ok, ok, then tell me what those Ravenclaw second years are recalling for Kenz and the others." Alya giggles. I turn and see them get up and act out someone getting pulled back and kissed.
"Wow, I didn't know she could blush that badly! She'll give the Weasley blush a run for its money!" Fred chuckles. Someone places an ice cube on my face and it melts instantly. I duck my head again and finish my last bit of toast before bolting out of the hall and straight to the library. Kenz brings me my schedule and leads me down to our first class.
Our friends spend the next week teasing me and Cedric finds it to be very entertaining. I hide away in the library and he comes to find me. "You can't hide away forever. Come on, I won't tease you this time, ok?" he smiles and kisses my cheek. I smile despite myself and he kisses my cheek again. I turn to him just as he goes in for another kiss this one landing right on my lips.
I look away blushing and see his shoulders shaking. "You're laughing at me!" I frown. "You're really adorable is all.", he smiles and moves closer, "What are you studying?" I lean closer showing him my Charms report. "When will you be done?" he wonders. "15 minutes. Why? Did you need something?" I ask. "I want to take my girlfriend on a walk." he whispers. I smile and put my things away. "Well then, lead the way." I whisper back.
He raises an eyebrow as I clean up my things. "I want to go for a walk with you. Come on." I take his hand and lead him from the library. He drapes an arm across my shoulders as we walk talking in my ear. I smile and listen as he talks about the things he's learned and funny moments in his classes with Professor Lupin. We sit on the shore of the lake and I lie in his arms.
"Have you and Lee made up yet?" he asks as we walk hand in hand back up to the castle. I stop walking and frown at him. "Ok, ok, ok. I don't want you mad at me too." he smiles trying to get me to smile too. Recently whenever Lee passed by me or vice versa he's been making snide comments under his breath especially when no one else was around.
I take a deep breath and hug Cedric. He doesn't know just how bad Lee's been getting and I have no intentions of telling him. "You don't want me to worry do you?" he whispers. "Worry about what?" I ask innocently. "I've been hearing rumors that Lee's been saying highly inappropriate things about us to you when he thinks no one is listening. You don't have to say anything if it isn't true but I don't think you would've lost your temper if it was something Lee would've said normally. I think you lost your temper because he's saying things that nobody would want to hear and I think he's doing it on purpose." Cedric mumbles.
He sighs at my lack of response at his words. "I thought so but your silence definitely says a lot. I'm not even going to ask what he's been saying but I know for certain it wasn't anything nice. Are you crying?" he tilts my face up so he can see me since I've been hiding in his chest. Tears course down my cheeks. I throw my arms around him. "It was really bad. I really wanted to cry!" I sniffle trying and failing to calm down.