Year 4: Listen To Your Heart
Chapter 39: May 2015
The morning of her birthday, Victoire awoke early, before most of her dorm mates (Caitlin of course was already long gone running around the school as usual) and slipped out before anyone could ambush her with a rendition of Happy Birthday. She'd had the displeasure of enduring it last year and wasn't going to let it happen again.
She got ready as quickly as she could and then descended to the common room. She had composed a letter the previous evening to her parents that she still had to send off, so she had planned to take it to the owlery before breakfast. When she arrived in the common room and noticed Teddy sitting in an armchair in the corner, she changed her course and headed over to join him.
"Hey," she greeted him, sitting in the adjacent armchair. "You're up early."
"Couldn't sleep," Teddy confessed. "Never really can this time of year."
"Do you want to talk about anything?" Victoire asked.
"Nah," Teddy shook his head. "I'm alright actually. What are you doing up so early anyway? Shouldn't you be sleeping in, since it's your birthday and all?"
"I was avoiding the singing catastrophe I awoke to last year," Victoire admitted.
Teddy laughed. "I'd have left early too," he said. "Were you going to go somewhere in particular?"
Victoire shrugged. "Just the owlery," she said. "I wanted to post a letter to my parents, but I can go anytime."
"Let's go then," Teddy said. "I could use some fresh air."
"Are you sure?" Victoire asked. She didn't want Teddy to feel like he had to accompany her. If he'd rather sit by himself, she was more than happy to leave him to his own devices. "I can go on my own."
"No, I want to come," Teddy decided. "Really."
"Alright," Victoire smiled, leading Teddy towards the portrait hole with a smile.
The walk to the owlery didn't take long, and soon Victoire and Teddy were watching as a great horned owl flew off with Victoire's note.
"I'd have let you borrow Moony, but he's out on a delivery at the moment," Teddy confessed a little belatedly.
"That's alright," Victoire shrugged. "The school owls are fine."
"So I got something for you," Teddy said suddenly. "For your birthday."
He reached into his robes and pulled out a small package wrapped in red paper.
"And you were carrying it around in the wee hours of the morning?" Victoire laughed.
"I was being prepared," Teddy corrected her.
"Well thank you," Victoire said, taking the package and slowly tearing off the paper. It was a jewellery box. "Jewelery?" she asked in surprise. "Oh Teddy, you shouldn't have."
"Just open it," Teddy said, waiting impatiently.
Slowly, Victoire lifted the lid to reveal a beautiful silver bracelet with a heart-shaped charm dangling from it.
"It's beautiful," she gasped.
"You're beautiful," Teddy said, taking the bracelet out of the box and clasping it onto her wrist.
Victoire smiled and reached her arms up to wrap around Teddy's neck. She pulled him down and kissed him deeply.
"Thank you," she said eventually, releasing him and taking a step back to catch her breath.
"Happy Birthday," Teddy replied happily, taking Victoire's hand as they started to descend the stairs of the owlery.
VvVvVvVvVvV
At breakfast, Victoire's friends were enraged that she'd skipped out on them.
"We had a whole thing planned," Kara complained. "Your sister was so excited."
"I don't want you guys making a fuss," Victoire replied honestly.
"Good," Brianna muttered. "What they had planned was lame."
"Was not!" Kara cried.
"Was too," Brianna returned.
"Can you two please not start?" Victoire begged. "If I want anything for my birthday it's for you not to argue about the lameness of my birthday."
"Well you're getting more than that," Kara declared. "Because we got you presents. We left them on your bed since you left before we could give them to you."
"Thanks guys," Victoire said. "And sorry for skipping out early. I know it was a lame move on my part."
"That's alright," Kara replied. "Dominique will get over it."
"She doesn't seem that torn up to be honest," Victoire noted, glancing down the table at her sister and her friends laughing loudly as the two boys – Tom and Miles? – threw bread at each other.
"We should get to class," Brianna announced. "We don't want to be late."
Kara and Victoire reluctantly agreed, taking their last bites and then getting up and starting to make their way to their first class, which happened to be Muggle Studies.
VvVvVvVvVvV
When the three girls arrived in their Muggle Studies class, they immediately made for the back corner of the room. Professor Carbourough was great, but even he couldn't make the study of Muggle governmental systems interesting.
As he began to lecture, Victoire found herself trying and failing to concentrate on what he was saying. In front of her, Sara Pucey and some of the other Slytherins were talking about skiving off their next class.
"Transfiguration is so boring," Sara Pucey was saying. "I can't sit through another boring class today, I just can't."
"So don't go," Sophie Hall said. "We can skip and go hang out outside."
"Yeah," Lia Weston agreed. "It's not like Professor Tonks is going to say anything. It's the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, so we basically get a free pass."
"You're right," Sara said. "We can just skip the whole rest of the day and I bet nobody would say a word."
"I don't know," Sophie muttered. "We should probably go to Herbology at least. You know, to check on our plants."
"Well that's not until last period anyway," Lia replied. "And we can probably just slip in right at the end and Professor Longbottom wouldn't care."
Victoire was fuming. How could these girls be so insensitive? The reason the Professors were lenient about attendance on May 2nd was because there were some people who were actually grieving. It wasn't so that the whole school could slack off for no reason!
"Can you believe them?" Victoire hissed to her friends. "They can't just skip lessons because they're bored!"
"Victoire?" Professor Carbourough asked, pausing in his lecture. "Did you have something you wanted to share with the class?"
"No," Victoire replied, embarrassed to have been called out by her teacher. "Sorry Professor."
VvVvVvVvVvV
In Transfiguration, they were working on cross-species switches and had just started working with medium-sized animals. Professor Tonks had brought in a dog for each student, which they were attempting to transfigure into pigs.
Victoire was furious when Sara, Sophie, and Lia didn't show up to class at all, and even more angry when Professor Tonks didn't bother to take roll call. Choosing a dog and sitting in a circle with her friends, she grumbled about taking advantage of the system while she tried to perform the transfiguration.
"It's not like this is anything new," Brianna pointed out as she tried to calm her dog, who was apparently one of the more excitable ones.
"This happens every year," Kara said. "Not everyone who misses class is doing it out of grief, but at least the ones that are have the option."
"But it's wrong," Victoire insisted.
"It's also life," Brianna replied, getting fed up and casting immobulus on her dog to get it to stay still.
Victoire sighed, focusing on her dog and the spell they were supposed to be working on. It was only their first day of trying, so she didn't expect much. After about twenty minutes, she heard laughter from across the room and looked up curiously to see what was going on.
It was a groups of girls from Ravenclaw, all sitting on the floor and playing with their dogs. Victoire immediately searched the room for Professor Tonks only to discover that she was sitting at her desk, not paying attention to what was going on.
"Look at that!" Victoire cried. "That's so wrong!"
Brianna looked over where Victoire was looking and rolled her eyes. "Yes, it's so wrong for a group of girls to play with dogs," she said sarcastically.
"It is!" Victoire insisted. "They're taking advantage of the fact that Professor Tonks is hurting and won't stop them from fooling around."
"Come on Victoire, it's not a big deal," Kara insisted. "It's not like they're skiving off class, they're just having some fun."
"But we're supposed to be practicing our cross-species transfiguration," Victoire insisted.
"What's wrong with you today?" Brianna demanded. "You'd think a girl would be in a better mood on her birthday."
Victoire shot Brianna a death glare and Brianna backed off. "Whatever," she muttered. "I've got a spell to work on."
VvVvVvVvVvV
At lunch, Victoire and her friends met up with Teddy and Billy in the Great Hall.
"How're you doing?" Victoire asked Teddy, knowing that he had a tough time with so many people around.
"I'm okay," Teddy said honestly. "Made it through both my classes anyway, so that's something."
"Let me know if there's anything I can do," Victoire insisted.
"I will," Teddy agreed, kissing Victoire so swiftly even their friends didn't notice. "But just having you around makes things easier."
Victoire wrapped her arm around Teddy's waist and he in turn wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
"So," Teddy said, turning to the group. "Anything new happen today?"
"We started trying to transfigure dogs into pigs," Kara spoke up.
"Of course!" Teddy exclaimed, bonking himself on the head. "That's why my grandmother's office smelled like wet dog the other day!"
VvVvVvVvVvV
After lunch, Victoire and Teddy separated, Victoire heading to Charms while Teddy had a free period.
When they arrived in Charms, Professor Flitwick paired them off, as they were currently working on a charm to make antlers grow out of someone's head. Victoire got paired with Joseph Alderton and reluctantly made her way over to him to practice the charm.
"Hey, so how about we pretend to be working on the anteoculatia spell and instead I can write my potions essay?" Joseph suggested.
"Shouldn't you have written it already?" Victoire asked. "It's due tomorrow."
"Yeah, I know," Joseph muttered. "But I was up late with the guys last night and I'd really rather not have to write it tonight, so…"
"Well you know, we are in class," Victoire pointed out. "Don't you think we should be doing what Professor Flitwick asked us to do?"
"It's not like he's going to care if we don't," Joseph shrugged. "You know, maybe I'll just go to the library to get this done. It's just down the hall anyway."
"But we're in the middle of class," Victoire reminded him.
Joseph shrugged. "Yeah, whatever. The Profs don't care today anyway."
Victoire opened her mouth to say something more, but Joseph left before she could. Clenching her teeth to keep from screaming, she joined Kara and her partner, a Hufflepuff named Kayla Watson.
"Can you believe him?" Victoire demanded after regaling her tale to her friend.
"Well actually yeah," Kara replied. "I can."
Victoire gaped and Kara hurried to explain herself.
"Victoire this has been happening all day. You'd think you'd have come to accept it by now," she said.
"Hold on," Kayla interjected. "You're saying people have been skiving off class all day and they're not going to get in trouble because it's the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts?"
"Yeah," Victoire agreed. "Isn't it terrible?"
"More like awesome!" Kayla exclaimed, grabbing her things and hurrying out the door.
Victoire's hands curled into fists. "I swear to Merlin Kara, if one more person ditches class I'm going to lose my mind!" she cried.
VvVvVvVvVvV
Soon it was time for their final class of the day. When Victoire got to Herbology, she was dismayed to find that it had the lowest attendance of all the classes she'd attended so far. Only ten people had shown up, and three of them were Victoire and her friends.
Of course, Professor Longbottom didn't say a word, and instructed everyone simply to write a report of their plant progress thus far through the project. With a sigh, Victoire pulled up a stool next to her spiky bush and grabbed some parchment and a quill, setting about writing a report.
The final lesson of the day dragged by slowly and Victoire just couldn't wait until it was over and she could just forget about everyone skipping class. She would go back to the dorm and open her remaining birthday presents, and then she would meet up with Teddy in the library to work on homework, or else sit by the lake and talk. It would be a whole year before she was faced with this again.
About ten minutes before class was scheduled to end, the door to the greenhouse opened and a horde of fourth years suddenly poured into the greenhouse. Victoire looked up in surprise and horror as they all signed in on the sign in sheet to prove that they had come to visit their plants and then turn around and make their way back to the door to leave.
Victoire looked to Professor Longbottom, internally begging that he would say something, but he didn't even look up from the correcting he was doing. Unable to hold herself together any longer, Victoire stood up and opened her mouth.
"What is wrong with all of you?" she cried out loud, causing her classmates to stop in the tracks and look back at her in surprise. "Seriously? What is wrong with you?" she repeated. "You skive off class all day for no reason, and now you just prance back in like everything's normal. This isn't do-whatever-you-want day. This is the anniversary of a battle where people died. The reason the Professors don't ask questions is because people are grieving. There are people in this building who are feeling sad and depressed and alone and they just can't handle being in class, so the Professors look the other way and give them this one opportunity to have just a little bit of time to themselves so they can grieve in peace."
"But you… you're not grieving. You're taking advantage of a day of great sorrow so that you can get some fresh air or get your homework done, or even just to sit around in the common room all afternoon with your friends. It sickens me. I know people who feel their losses very intensely on this day, and even they don't miss as much class as you all did. In fact, they wouldn't skip class unless they really couldn't handle being there anymore. They don't just skip class because they can. And for you all to do that is disrespectful not only to Hogwarts and to your Professors, but it's disrespectful to the people that are hurting."
Having run out of things to say, Victoire stood awkwardly while her classmates all stared at her silently.
"That's… all I wanted to say," Victoire said uncomfortably. "Carry on..." She awkwardly sat back down on her stool and tried to hide behind her spiky bush. Now that she'd made her speech, the anger was gone and all she could feel was humiliation. And her classmates were still just standing there.
"Thank you Victoire," Professor Longbottom finally spoke up. "That was very well put. As someone who was at the Battle of Hogwarts and who witnessed many of the deaths that took place, I appreciate your concern for the grieving. And certainly this day should not be treated as a day for skiving off. In light of Victoire's speech, I want each of you to write me an essay about the Battle of Hogwarts, with a special emphasis on the sacrifices of all the brave souls who gave their lives so that we might be free today."
"But that's not even related to Herbology," Sara Pucey complained.
"If you have a problem with my assignment, you can feel free to take it up with the Headmaster," Professor Longbottom replied. "But I have a feeling he'll support my decision."
VvVvVvVvVvV
When class was over, Victoire started packing up her things, eager to find Teddy.
"Thanks a lot Victoire," Lia Weston muttered, passing by her table. "Now we have even more work to do."
"Yeah," Sara Pucey grumbled. "Nice going big mouth."
Victoire gaped. Had her classmates completely missed the point of her speech?
"Can you believe them?" Victoire demanded, turning to Kara and Brianna.
Brianna shrugged. "Well if you hadn't have said anything, we wouldn't have to write the dumb essay."
"I can't believe you!" Victoire cried. "It was about the principle of the matter. What about the people that are really grieving?"
"Well was some fourth years skiving off class really hurting them?" Kara asked.
"That's not the point!" Victoire cried, grabbing her things in a huff. "It's just so ridiculously disrespectful!" she stormed off, unable to continue the conversation for another minute.
VvVvVvVvVvV
"Hey," Teddy greeted Victoire, coming up behind her. Victoire was sitting on the edge of the lake, moodily staring out at the water as she contemplated the self-absorbed character of teenagers.
"Hey," Victoire smiled, gesturing for Teddy to sit down. "I'm glad you found me."
"I heard about your little speech in Herbology," Teddy smirked.
Victoire cringed. "You did?" she asked, afraid of what specifically he had heard.
"Yeah," Teddy nodded. "It was pretty bold."
"I probably should have just kept quiet," Victoire muttered. "Then things wouldn't have gotten so complicated."
"Actually, I'm glad you said what you said," Teddy replied.
"You are?" Victoire asked in surprise.
Teddy nodded. "Sure," he said. "You spoke for everyone who couldn't. I could never have made a speech like that. I've wanted to, but I've never had the guts."
"I just… I hated seeing how everyone was taking advantage of the Professors like that," Victoire said. "You were able to go to all your classes, despite how terrible I know today can be for you, and all Sara Pucey cared about was not having to sit through another 'boring lecture'."
"Victoire?" Teddy said then, his voice serious.
"Yeah?" Victoire asked, still a little distracted by thoughts of her classmates.
"I love you," Teddy said.
Victoire's head snapped around in shock, but when she saw the look in Teddy's eyes, her heart melted. She thought of how angry she'd been all day and how incensed she'd been on Teddy's behalf. She thought of how all she'd wanted to do all day was to make sure Teddy was doing alright, and then she thought of the bracelet he'd gotten for her and how even though her birthday fell on the worst day of the world, he'd still managed to make her feel special.
He leaned down over and Victoire closed her eyes as his lips covered hers, kissing her more deeply and more passionately than he ever had before. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer as she parted her lips to let him in. She was in absolute heaven and she whimpered just a tiny bit when Teddy pulled back.
He pulled Victoire into his lap and she curled up against his body and breathed in the scent of his cologne.
"I love you too," she said. She felt his arms tighten around her at her words and she smiled, turning slightly so that she could kiss him again, softly this time.
She sighed happily and pulled away just a bit, staring into Teddy's big beautiful eyes. She'd never been more sure of something in her entire life.