Discoveries
Kara watched Emmie as they neared the outskirts of the village, happy to see she was in a good mood. She had woken up with a nasty headache - they all had - but after they had all taken a nip of the hangover tonic from her brother, they were feeling much better.
Another small miracle - Emmie hadn't seemed the least bit embarrassed by whatever had happened last night. Kara worried that she wouldn't remember or that she would be mortified by openly flirting with Williams, but Emmie was more impressed with herself and commented that the lessons must be paying off. Kara was of the mind it had more to do with the firewhiskey than their lessons, but she wasn't about to burst her best friend's bubble. Not if it meant that she loosened up more in general. In fact, Emmie seemed more relaxed than she had been all year, going as far as to greet Cedric with a smile and no stutter or blush as they went through the common room.
Granted, there was still the matter of what happened with Wood, but Emmie was being unusually coy about that.
Now the four of them were looking forward to an afternoon in the village, Melanie and Toni happily chatting about the blokes they had chatted up the night before behind them, while Kara rolled her eyes and Emmie chuckled.
"Where you want to go first?" Kara asked, looking over at Emmie.
"Figured you'd want to go to Honeydukes," she replied.
"Sounds like a good start. Then suppose you're in need of a new novel?" Kara asked. Emmie nodded. "So, Honeydukes, then Tomes & Scrolls, it is. Before The Three Broomsticks."
"Oo! Could we stop by Gladrags?" Melanie asked. "I wanted to see if they've gotten in anything new since last time."
"Didn't you buy loads then?" Emmie asked, glancing over at her.
"Did not," Melanie replied. "Just a few things…"
"Think she is attempting to buy out the whole store this year," Toni said with a snort. Melanie just frowned and playfully hit her.
"Am not," she said before hopping up and looping her arm through hers. "The weather is beautiful. Let's just enjoy our afternoon of freedom, yea?"
"Sounds like a plan," Emmie said, grinning.
Emmie's face was pinched in concentration as she poured over the shelf of books at the shop. Melanie, Kara and Toni were over perusing the various magazines on offer while Emmie made her selections. She supposed she could just borrow books from the library - which she did often - but there was something about the thrill of purchasing a new book. Opening it up and wafting in that new book smell thrilled her to no end. Though she was going to need to expand her trunk when she went home at the end of the year at this rate. She was sure to get loads more over Christmas even though she'd end up taking home a fair bit to make room for others in second term.
She stopped and reached for a book, opening it to scan through the first chapter a bit.
"That's a bit boring, if you ask me," a voice said from her right. Emmie looked over and her eyes widened in surprise as Marcus Flint walked up, his eyes on the shelf. He then pulled out a book from high up and handed it to her, finally looking at her. "Might like this one."
Emmie silently took the book and looked it over. It did seem interesting, though she hesitated to say that out loud to him.
"So, it's good?" she asked, keeping her voice neutral. He smiled at her and shrugged.
"I liked it. You'll just have to read it and find out if you like it," he said, starting to turn away. Part of Emmie was content to let him go on his way, but another part of her was curious.
"How come you never talked to me before this year?" she asked pointedly. Marcus stopped and turned back to face her. "You pretty much ignored me."
"To be honest, I was a bit afraid of your brother," he admitted. "He didn't seem to like any bloke talking to you. Add the fact that I'm in Slytherin and he was Gryffindor, I was sure that he'd sock me or hex me." Emmie frowned.
"He hasn't been here since third year," she said.
"Yea, but there's long been rumors that he's had someone here watching out for you at his behest," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "Didn't want to chance it. But this year… well… couldn't hold off anymore, I guess. We'll all be graduating next year." Emmie just blinked at him, surprised both by him confessing he had wanted to talk to her before and by the hint that there was someone else acting on behalf of her brother to protect her. She wasn't completely surprised by that, but it meant that she would have a few choice words for him in her next owl.
"I told you that I liked you already, MacKenzie. Shouldn't be a shock that I've fancied you before this year," Flint said, smiling slightly. She looked down at the book again, mostly because she needed to look somewhere else besides his eyes. She cleared her throat and straightened up a bit.
"So, you recommend this one?" she asked, changing the subject. Flint chuckled softly.
"Yea. Just get it and let me know what you think about it. We can discuss it next time we have rounds, if you want," he said. Emmie glanced up at him and then back down at the book, starting to nod.
"Alright then," she said.
"See you around, MacKenzie," Flint said before walking away.
She was still staring down at the book when Kara, Melanie and Toni careened around the corner of the aisle.
"Thank Merlin, you're alright," Melanie exclaimed. Emmie looked up at them, frowning slightly.
"No need to be dramatic," she replied.
"We just saw Flint leave. What did he want?" Toni asked.
"Just recommended a book, is all," Emmie said, putting the previous book she had back on the shelf before starting towards the till.
"Wait… that's it?" Melanie asked, a bit let down.
"Ehm, well… said he's fancied me for a bit but was too afraid to talk to me because of my brother," Emmie said lightly.
"This isn't something to brush off," Kara said, following her. Emmie shrugged as she put the book down and started fishing out coins from her coat pocket.
"Dunno… though it a bit… endearing," she said, smiling slightly. Kara, Melanie and Toni's mouths all dropped open. Emmie accepted her change and then picked up the book and made her way out of the shop. "Really, that's an unbecoming look for you all."
"Do not tell me that you are starting to like Marcus Flint," Kara whispered, glancing around to see if anyone was eavesdropping. Emmie chuckled.
"Merlin, no," she said. "I'm flattered by it, but I am not falling for Marcus Flint." Kara breathed a sigh of relief.
"Had me worried there for a minute," she said.
"I mean, I do think his feelings are genuine, but… no. I'm not interested," Emmie said, her thoughts turning to Wood. And then Cedric. She stopped, not really expecting the seeker to find a way into her thoughts at that moment. But then again, she had been feeling a bit differently about him lately.
"You don't honestly think that he's being truthful, do you?" Melanie asked incredulously. "This is Flint we're talking about." Emmie shrugged.
"Does it matter? I told you that I'm not interested in dating him," she said, looking over at her friends.
"Well… suppose," Melanie said.
"But it doesn't change the fact that you cannot trust a Slytherin," Toni stated matter-of-factly. Emmie snorted as she started walking again, now headed towards The Three Broomsticks.
"Surely they're not all bad," she said.
"Emmie MacKenzie!" Melanie chided.
"I meant in general - not Flint," Emmie said. "I mean, everyone assumes just because we're Hufflepuffs, we're all these timid pushovers. But we're not. Shouldn't we try not paint all Slytherins with the same broad brush?" Her friends silently thought this over.
"Seems much has changed about you besides your appearance," Kara finally said, smiling at her. Emmie shrugged.
"Always thought that way. Same goes for Ravenclaw and Gryffindor," she said with a sigh. "Though I do think my brother is the epitome of a Gryffindor. All foolhardy rashness with an inflated sense of chivalry." Kara snorted in laughter.
"That I could agree with," she said. She then looped her arm through Emmie's. "First round of butterbeers on me!"
Oliver watched as the group of girls walked off towards the pub, laughing loudly. He was passing by on his way to the quidditch supply shop and caught the last bit of their conversation. He had been hoping to run into Emmie so he could talk to her, though he was still a bit embarrassed and confused about the party last night.
He was sure of one thing - he fancied her. But he was not sure about whether he should tell her, seeing as she had spent the rest of the party flirting with other blokes. She probably just saw him as she always did - the boy who followed her brother around. If anything, just a friend. And he wasn't sure he wanted to muck that up any more than he already had by nearly kissing her.
But he couldn't lie that the talk about Flint concerned him. Not so much on Emmie's part - she seemed rather confident in not being interested in him. But he knew the Slytherin captain all too well, and he was not someone to be friendly without a reason. Meaning there was something it in for him. And Wood did not for once believe that it was out of genuine feelings for Emmie.
And he was sure that Alex would want him to find out for Emmie's sake.
He kept walking towards the quidditch supply shop, wondering where Flint would be, when he heard loud laughter. He stopped and looked over, seeing Flint standing in an alley with Warrington and Pucey. Well, this was good luck. He quickly moved closer, being sure to hide behind a barrel so they wouldn't see him. It was a bit cramped, hunkering his tall frame behind it, but from the way they were going on, he was sure they hadn't noticed him.
"Really? So she took the book?" Warrington asked.
"Ate up every word. Thanks for filling me in on what the bloody thing was about, by the way," Flint said, the pride evident in his voice. "Trust me, just a bit longer and I'll have her eating out of the palm of my hand."
"Still not sure why you think this'll work," Pucey said, not sounding nearly as convinced as Flint and Warrington. Wood mentally put a point in his favor. He always thought Pucey wasn't as devious as the other Slytherins.
"It'll work," Flint said, his voice changing suddenly. Wood heard footsteps and assumed Flint was doing his usual, tower-over-someone-until-they-become-submissive move. He ventured a look over the top of the barrel and noticed that Pucey stood glaring just a defiantly back at Flint. Another point in his favor.
"Mark my words, I'll have MacKenzie with her knickers at her ankles before winter break," Flint continued. Oliver hunkered back down, his blood running through his veins like fire. He had figured that was what Flint was after, though it didn't make him any less disgusted to hear it and have it confirmed.
"If that's what you think," Pucey said with a sigh. There was a bit of scuffling and then a thump. Wood assumed Flint had shoved the other chaser up against the wall of the building.
"It is what I think. What are you going to do about it?" he asked, his voice low.
"Not a goddamn thing. As I've said before, it's your funeral," Pucey said. Oliver could sense that they would likely be walking his way soon and he needed to move unless he wanted them discovering his hideout.
He cautiously peered over the barrel again, then quietly and quickly moved, hopping around the corner and walking in the opposite direction. He ventured a glance over his shoulder and saw the three Slytherins exit the alley and start off in another direction. He then stopped and shook his head.
He knew what Flint was up to. Rather quickly, he mentally went through his options over what to do. While his first thoughts were to beat the hell out of him and then inform Alex, he knew these weren't the best choices. He then settled on one that would be infinitely more uncomfortable, but necessary.
He needed to tell Emmie.
Emmie sat laughing at her friends later that night at the Hallowe'en feast in the great hall. It was large and wonderful, as usual, though she couldn't help but sneak glances at Cedric, who was sitting to her other side with his friends.
"Enjoy Hogsmeade?" he asked, catching her glance. Emmie's cheeks immediately heated up slightly, though she shook her head.
"Yea. Got some sweets and a new book," she said, finding it easier to talk to him.
"What's it about?" Cedric asked, leaning towards her a bit to better hear her over the noise.
"Ehm… it's another adventure story," she said. "Quests and knights and dragons and such."
"You'll never grow out of those, will you?" Kara asked, a smile on her face. Emmie frowned.
"What's so wrong with adventure stories?" she asked.
"Not a thing, if you ask me," Cedric said. Emmie turned to smile at him in appreciation, missing Kara rolling her eyes.
"What did you get up to today?" she asked casually before popping some food in her mouth.
"Ehm, spent most of my time at the quidditch supply shop trying to pick out new gloves," he replied. "Ended up unable to decide and left empty-handed." Emmie frowned slightly.
"Noticed the ones you have were getting a bit ragged," she commented.
"My father kept telling me to get new ones all summer, but slipped my mind," Cedric said. "Then Fincher ordered me to get new ones this weekend and well…"
"I've a spare pair you can borrow. Just until you get new ones," Emmie offered. "And I've got a few catalogs. I can help you choose a new pair to order." Cedric grinned.
"Really? It's not too much?" he asked. Emmie waved her hand.
"Honestly, it's fine. I was always losing mine when I was younger, so my brother always makes me keep a back-up pair just in case. And he's helped me loads with picking out various gear. It's about time I imparted his wisdom on others," she said.
"I appreciate it," Cedric said, blushing slightly.
"I've got them up in my truck. I'll go grab the catalogs and the gloves when we get back after the feast," Emmie said.
As the two continued on in their conversation, Melanie leaned over and elbowed Kara slightly in the ribs.
"What do you think of that?" she asked, grinning.
"I think Emmie's changing her mind on how she views Diggory," Kara said softly as she reached for a pumpkin pasty.
"But seriously… what about Wood?" Toni asked. While they all enjoyed giving her a hard time about Cedric, she still hoped Emmie would get together with the Gryffindor captain. It was the one thing Emmie had hoped for since first year. Kara shrugged.
"We're only in sixth year. Not like she's got to choose one to marry," she said before taking a bite of the sweet.
"This is true," Melanie said. "Now is the time to date around and all."
"Precisely," Kara said after swallowing and glancing over at the two. "I mean, blimey. I always thought the idea that you have to find the person you want to spend the rest of your life with at Hogwarts a bit ridiculous. There's a whole, big world outside of this castle."
"Thought you were of the mind that Emmie and Wood were meant to be," Melanie replied, fluttering her eyelashes dramatically. Kara shrugged.
"Do think they're a good fit - of course. But hell if I know if they're meant to be," she said with a slight roll of her eyes. "And I'm fairly sure that he fancies her. But, best to let that play out as it will. Operation Get Wood was always a bit more of a joke for me. Gets Emmie going a hilarious shade of red." Melanie chuckled in response. She looked over at the couple, who were now laughing.
"Goodness, we are only 16," she then said. "I, for one, am not looking for my one true love." Kara snorted.
"That's obvious," she said. Melanie playfully shoved her again. "But, I am happy to see Emmie getting out of her shell more."
"Me too."
"Seems Mac is getting chummy with Diggory," Fred said casually. Oliver glanced over at the Hufflepuff table, seeing the two sitting together, their heads bent towards each other as they laughed.
"Wonder what's going on there," George sang.
Oliver ignored them, knowing the twins were just trying to get a bit of a rise out of him. He had done well at not looking over there every few minutes, waiting for a chance to catch her on the way back to the Hufflepuff common room so he could tell her about Flint.
But from the look Percy was now giving him, he knew at least the older Weasley had noticed. Possibly the twins from their ribbing.
"Shame. Heard Williams was hoping to ask her out," Ian said with a sigh.
"Not surprised she's going for a Hufflepuff. Doesn't that lot normally stick to themselves?" Walter asked. Oliver noticed they were looking at him. He shrugged.
"Hell if I know," he replied.
"But you did used to be friends with her. And you've been hanging out with her more this year. Surely there's some sort of insight you can give us," Ian pushed. Oliver glanced over at her again.
"Don't think I'll be much help. We mostly talk about quidditch and schoolwork," he replied. And that was mostly true. Despite trying to get to know her better, Emmie was still largely a mystery to him. She had always had been shy and timid before, but this year, she was starting to open up before his eyes. Becoming more outgoing. More confident in herself. It only drew him to her more.
But then there was the more important issue at hand. Warn her about Flint.
He looked down at his plate and continued eating as his friends offered more observations about various students. He had looked for her around Hogsmeade, but when he found her at The Broomsticks, she was surrounded by her friends from Hufflepuff and he lost his nerve, instead moving to sit with the Gryffindor team instead. But time was of the essence, so he was determined to do it that night.
The feast continued on, and soon large groups of students were leaving. Oliver had finished his supper but was watching Hufflepuff. As soon as he saw Emmie and her friends stand, he was on his feet, ready to talk to her before he lost his nerve.
He moved quickly, following them out as the four girls laughed about something.
"Ehm, Mac," he called out. The girls stopped and turned to look at them, her three friends immediately grinning. Emmie looked a bit scared, though pasted a smile on her face. Bugger, she probably thought he wanted to talk about the party. "A word?"
"Sure," she said, she then turned to her friends. "I'll see you in the common room." They nodded and waved before walking off. "What is it?"
"I can walk with you to Hufflepuff," he said, suddenly becoming a bit nervous, even though he had no intention of bringing up the party. Emmie nodded and started moving. "Just, ehm, well… I overheard something today at Hogsmeade that I thought you should know." Emmie frowned slightly.
"What about?" she asked cautiously. He could tell she was trying to figure out what on earth he could have heard in regards to herself. She probably didn't realize that she was popping up in more conversations this year.
"Well, it's about Flint," he started. Emmie's eyebrows rose before she smiled.
"You have nothing to worry about there," she said.
"I'm not worried, well, I mean, it's just… it's an act," Oliver said quickly. Emmie stopped and looked up at him.
"What do you mean?"
"I overheard him talking to Warrington and Pucey," he said. "He's been putting on this charming act thinking he could get you to shag him." Emmie was silent as she started walking again. She didn't appear to be too surprised by the news.
"Knew he was up to something. When have you ever heard of Flint being nice and friendly without ulterior motives?" she asked. Oliver breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't sure how she'd react to the news.
"Never," he replied. Emmie nodded.
"Well, I wasn't interested in him anyway, but always good to know," she said. "Thanks, Oliver. For telling me. And for hopefully telling me before my brother." He chuckled.
"Why would I do that?" he asked, suddenly wondering if she knew about his arrangement with Alex and Ryan. She shrugged.
"I know you're close with your brother. Wouldn't have been that far of a stretch," she admitted. He didn't reply, just shrugged again. He was about to say something when Emmie frowned, her eyes fixed ahead of them. He looked over, noticing a bit of a commotion.
Both of them quickened their pace, meeting up with her three friends on the outskirts of a large group of students.
"What's going on?" she asked, straining to see over the many students in front of them. Oliver went up on his toes, his eyes widening as he saw the wall.
"Merlin, is that blood?" he asked. All four girls immediately looked over at him.
"What?" Kara asked.
"What's it say?" Melanie asked. Oliver looked over again.
"The Chamber of Secrets has been open… Enemies of the heir, beware…" he read. A hush went over the group as they heard the Malfoy twit shout out the message adding his own warning for so-called mudbloods. Filch could then be heard, moaning about his cat Mrs. Norris.
Professor Dumbledore added that the cat was only petrified and then ordered everyone to their houses. Oliver looked over at Emmie, who appeared a bit ashen.
"Are you alright, Mac?" he asked, reaching out for her arm in the commotion as students started moving around them. She looked up at him and gave him a weak smile.
"I'll be fine," she said.
"Come on, Emmie! We need to go!" Kara said. Emmie looked over at her and nodded, suddenly snapping into prefect mode.
"Need to help out with the younger years," she said, looking back at Oliver.
"Sure. See you tomorrow or at class Monday," he replied. She nodded and gave him a tight smile before turning and walking away.
"Hufflepuff! Follow me!" she shouted. He watched her a moment, a bit in awe at the seemingly total transformation, before turning and making his way to his own house.
What the hell did all this mean? And what was the bloody Chamber of Secrets?
And the ruse is up! Also getting into canon stuff. ^_^ Still have too many articles to write, but since I'm so far ahead in writing, thought it couldn't hurt to post another.
Pamela Hutchins – Haha, thanks! Kind of based off me when I get tipsy… maybe… just a bit… or a lot…
Thanks for reading!
