Back again! I was abroad for a couple of months and I didn't take my laptop with me. Now I'm here again I'm excited for the story to go on. I'm hoping you'll like this one. I made it an extra long one to make up for the months of silence. Please review in the end :)

CHAPTER 36

'Well, I'm at least happy for Adrian I suppose, even though we lost.' Mathilda said as we walked back to the castle from the Quiddtich pitch, filing in with the hundreds of other students who had gone down to see the match. Ravenclaw had played Slytherin and had played relatively well but lost to Slytherin when they caught the snitch.

'Cho did nicely though.' I commented and Mathilda had no choice but to agree. 'Yeah, she did alright. Just a shame she didn't catch the snitch.' She said, quickly moving on. 'I'm just going to sit in the Great Hall and wait for Adrian. If he won't go straight to the Slytherin common room for the parties.' She said. 'You want to wait with me?' She asked. I shook my head. 'No, thanks. I'll try and find Rory and Marietta and we'll cheer Cho up.' I said. We had lost Aurora and Marietta in the crowds.

'Okay, whatever, tell her hi from me, I suppose.' Mathilda said begrudgingly before we parted ways. Mathilda had gone very soft when it came to Cho. I remembered a time when Cho and Mathilda couldn't be left alone, not if you didn't want them screaming at each other, but ever since the Third Task Cho was too busy being depressed to get lured into any arguments and Mathilda had avoided saying much at all in Cho's vicinity, probably frightened herself that she'd pick a fight out of a reflex otherwise.

I couldn't find Cho, or any of my other dormitory mates (although admittedly I didn't try too hard), so I assumed they were still somewhere by the Quidditch pitch. Instead I went up to the common room alone. They'd most likely head up there too when they were done by the pitch. In the meantime I could do some of my required reading for class.

I kicked off my shoes and sat down in one of the plush chairs by the fire, stretching out my legs in front of me so the warmth could tickle the bottom of my feet. I yawned as I opened my Arithmancy textbook, staring at the chapter title blankly. I hadn't been sleeping particularly well for the past month or so.

Ever since I had told Fred Weasley I didn't want to go through with whatever we were involved with anymore, I had been fidgety and nervous and worried myself over imaginary confrontations with him in the case of us ever perhaps one day meeting again for some reason, all the while I was lying awake in bed as I worried. It had gotten worse the more time passed even though my heartbreak dulled. I felt pathetic. I was sure he wasn't losing sleep.

I put my open book face down on my stomach for a moment, another yawn escaping my lips. I let my head loll to the side a bit, gazing into the roaring flames. I wriggled my toes around in my dark grey tights. I heard some light hearted jeers as well as some encouraging applause behind me and I sat up in my chair a bit to look over the back of it towards the common room entrance. The Ravenclaw team came trudging into the room, smiling appreciatively (albeit thinly) to their housemates, followed in by some of their friends.

I spotted Marietta and Aurora walking beside Cho and waved at them. Marietta waved back as she disappeared up to the dorm with Cho but Aurora came to sit with me by the fire. 'How's Cho?' I asked her and she shrugged with a sigh. 'Better than the rest of the team, I think. Fairly optimistic even.' She said. 'All things considered she doesn't seem too crushed.'

I considered her words with care. 'I'm glad she's doing so well.' I said, not so much referring to her athletic let down earlier. Aurora nodded understandingly. 'Much better anyway. She mentioned she had a date for Hogsmeade.' She said. I frowned. 'Really? I didn't think she was doing that well!' I joked. Aurora smiled, pulling the ties on her shoes, the laces shooting out of her hands and loosening her shoes for her. She took them off herself, stretching her legs out towards the fire like me.

'She won't say who with but Marietta seems to know but doesn't seem too happy with it. I can't imagine who with. She hasn't been especially close to any boys recently has she?'

I tried to think back but couldn't think of anyone myself either. 'No, not that I can think of. Do you think that's why Marietta and Cho keep disappearing?' I proposed but Aurora shook her head. 'Can't be. Why would Marietta go with Cho to her secret dates?' She said with a chuckle. 'Secret dates?' Asked Mathilda's voice from behind us.

We looked up to see her looking down to us, having snuck up without us hearing. 'Scoot.' She murmured, squeezing herself into the chair with me. I grumbled but obliged and we sat pressed together. I had to cross my arms across my chest to make room and she had her left arm slung over my shoulder. 'Did you find Adrian?' I asked.

'I did but he wants to celebrate in his common room with the rest of Slytherin. He's the hero of his house now, Slytherin's top scorer, and he wants to bask in the attention.' She said, rolling her eyes. 'Anyway, who's going on secret dates?' She continued and Aurora answered. 'No one. But we do know Cho has a date to the next Hogsmeade weekend.'

Mathilda let out a shrill whistle and I elbowed her, rubbing my right ear after. 'Isn't the next Hogsmeade weekend during Valentine's Day?' She asked. 'I don't know, is it?' I countered and she nodded. 'I think it is. Adrian's supposed to take me out but he hasn't really mentioned it to me much so I'm sure he's forgotten.' She replied. Aurora sighed dreamily. 'Cho deserves some romance after the year she's had.' She said and I agreed with a thoughtless nod. Mathilda wasn't in complete agreement.

'I don't think Cho doesn't deserve it or anything but I do think it's very quick. It's not at all long ago that she was still crying herself to sleep. Which reminds me; I ran into her coming out of the bathroom the other day and her eyes were red.' Mathilda divulged to us. 'Oh really?' Asked Aurora and we both looked at Mathilda with saddened expressions. Maybe it had been too optimistic to assume that just because she looked happier, all of her problems had gone away.

'Anyway, Valentine's Day is going to be fun, I suppose.' Mathilda said, clearing her throat to get rid of the suddenly quite loaded atmosphere. 'And Leap Day!' Aurora added. Mathilda made a face. 'I don't know why you care about Leap Day. It's such an old-fashioned kind of holiday. Who that is sane still seriously celebrates it?' She asked and Aurora smiled with a shrug. 'I don't know, my dad always really liked it. When we grew up he would always make a big deal out of it.' She answered and I simpered at her memories.

I looked at Mathilda sideways. 'Why shouldn't she celebrate it? It's an old magic day. A pocket day in which anything is possible.' I said. Mathilda laughed. 'Do you even hear yourself? That's not magic! That's wishful thinking!' She argued. We bickered a little longer before Aurora let out a big yawn and we all chuckled.

'I'm going to see Cho and Marietta.' Aurora said, standing up, picking up her shoes and leaving for our dormitory. We called out our goodbyes with tired smiles. I pushed at Mathilda. 'You sit in Aurora's chair now.' I commanded and after some whines she did as I told her and moved sluggishly to the other chair.

I picked my Arithmancy book up again. It had fallen closed when Mathilda had roughly wormed herself next to me but I flipped through the pages lazily to get back to where I had left off. A yawn got away from me.

'Last night I dreamed that we went on holiday together.' Mathilda said to me. I smiled, looking up to her briefly. She had glided all the way down the armchair, almost lying on her back, looking up at the midnight blue ceiling.

'Did you? Where did we go?' I asked her and she pouted thoughtfully, putting her hand through her hair, tousling it fashionably. 'I don't know, it was a bit vague. I just know we were on holiday. We had good food and nettle wine together and we laughed a lot. It just felt like we felt very free, you know? Completely burden free.' She explained. I sighed wistfully. 'That sounds absolutely glorious.' I said. 'It does, doesn't it?' Mathilda agreed.

I went back to flipping through my book when she suddenly sat up and reached forward to slap my knee, a little harder than I could tell she meant to. I looked up with a jolt. 'Ow - what?' I asked her, rubbing my knee but noting the excitement on her face. 'We should go on a holiday together this summer!' She said. I snorted. 'With what money? Besides, my parents will never allow me going on a holiday without adult supervision.' I said.

'I'll talk to them.' She tried to comfort me confidently, although quite unsuccessfully. 'Yeah, good luck with that.' I said sarcastically, knowing my parents loved Mathilda, but that they weren't idiots either. Mathilda sat back with a sigh, gazing ahead.

'Where should we go?' She wondered and I indulged her fantasizing, liking the game somewhat myself. 'France maybe? My French has been improving a lot and it'd be great to get some practice with someone who isn't Rory.' I said good-humouredly.

The rest of the night we let our imaginations run wild talking about the French Riviera, the burning sun and Doxy egg cocktails.

We didn't find out who Cho was going on her date with until the morning of Valentine's Day. 'She's insane.' Mathilda muttered as we were hunched over our breakfast. 'She's literally going out with the boy who saw her boyfriend die. And less than a year after the fact.' She muttered. I said nothing, feeling bad about the whole ordeal. Cho was indeed going out with Harry Potter, having gone out to the Entrance Hall to meet him just a minute ago. 'That's some serious issues she's not dealing with.' Mathilda kept on rambling. 'You think she's even once seen a Head Healer?' She asked me but I stayed silent, not knowing what to think.

Adrian came to pick up his girlfriend when she finished her breakfast. 'Go on then, you said you planned something.' Mathilda said unnecessarily grumpy and Adrian raised his eyebrows at me questioningly while he held out his hand for her. I shrugged helplessly. Mathilda kept grumbling while they walked away until I heard him call out at her 'Shut up or you can forget about the necklace I bought you!'

Marietta had vouched to finish her homework in an attempt to avoid the sappy Valentine's Day couples and I was quite eager to join her, partially because of my own overwhelming pile of schoolwork but also because of my still relatively fresh wound that was Fred's rejection. But I knew that Aurora wanted to go to Hogsmeade but that she didn't want to go alone. So when Aurora came up to me I let out a sigh and swung my cloak and scarf around me and stuck my hands into my mittens.

'What do you think about Cho going out with Harry Potter?' Aurora asked me as we walked down the grounds in the direction of the village. 'It seems.. Odd.' I admitted and Aurora hummed in agreement. 'Odd, to say the least.' She said. 'You think she's seen a Head Healer?' Aurora posed the question to me with genuine concern. 'Mathilda wondered the same.' I said with a thin smile and Aurora chuckled shortly. I noticed that in the distance the Gryffindor team was having practice on the pitch and my heart did a nervous jump before I realised that Fred was banned from the sport.

'I'm just worried that she's throwing away all the good progress she's made recently.' Aurora said and I nodded. 'But..-' I proposed thoughtfully '-..maybe some part of her progress has been due to him. Potter I mean.' I said. Aurora considered my words. 'Her being unusually cheery is because of him?' She said. I shook my head. 'I don't know. I'm just saying that it could be part of the reason. He went through the same thing, or a similar thing. Perhaps they are able to talk about it together.' I replied. Aurora was about to answer when someone called out her name.

We both looked up from our conversation. We had just reached Hogsmeade Station and by the gate to the platform stood a familiar face although it took me a moment to place it. I realised who it was around the same time as Aurora did.

When the owls delivered the mail that morning Aurora had expectantly looked up to the enchanted ceiling but her boyfriend hadn't sent her a Valentine's card. It was apparent why now.

'Robin!' She shrieked, breaking out into a sprint in the direction of her German boyfriend. For a second I hesitated, not sure whether to follow after or to just leave them be, but then I slowly walked after.

The last time I had seen Robin Müller was just before the summer when we had gone our way towards the Hogwarts Express and he had gone his way back to Beauxbatons. I knew that Aurora and himself were quite serious about each other. She had visited him and his family in Germany during the summer and he and his parents had come to see her during Christmas.

Aurora had him crushed into a fierce hug and he laughed as he murmured some words to her that I didn't hear. When I got close enough to say hello he untangled her arms from around his neck and stuck his hand out to me. I shook it tentatively, smiling uncertainly. 'Salut Cecilia, ça va?' He asked me how I was in French and I let out a laugh. Aurora must've mentioned that she was teaching me French.

'Ça va très bien! Et toi?' I replied and he nodded. 'I'm doing well! Your French is sounding good!' He said in his soft German drawl, switching to English (although I wished he would keep the French going as I needed practice). 'I can't believe you showed up here!' Aurora interjected, reaching up to kiss him on the cheek. She looked smitten.

'Je suis ici, ma chérie, c'est vrai.' He muttered to her. I felt very much like I was intruding. Aurora clung to his arm, murmuring something back to him that I didn't quite understand and Robin turned to me. 'Would you mind terribly if I stole her away for the day?' He asked and I shrugged for what I felt was the thousandth time that day. 'I'd feel bad saying no.' I answered, only half-jokingly.

Robin and Aurora stood in front of me holding hands and Aurora in particular had a grin on her face that could make clouds part. 'Have fun.' I added. They made sure to say goodbye before leaving me to stand alone by the station, wondering whether I should head back and join Marietta in the library, or that I should keep going. After a few seconds I decided I had come this far already, I might as well restock my sweets while I was at it and perhaps peruse the shelves of the bookshop, before heading back.

Before anything else, I decided to get a butterbeer. I had been craving one all week and now I was finally in Hogsmeade I was eager to get myself one even though I had liked to have Mathilda or maybe Aurora with me. It was incredibly busy inside the Three Broomsticks. There were groups of friends, a lot of Hogwarts students, wizards and witches from all over Britain and Beings of various kinds. The predominant customer today seemed to be Valentine's Day couples though.

Everywhere I looked there were couples sitting close together, sharing food, kissing across the tables and I almost turned on the spot. I wasn't sure I could take it right now. However I gritted my teeth and decided that I was (or at least needed to be) tougher than this. Who I forgot I might be seeing there too was one redheaded ex-Beater.

I saw him before he saw me. I stopped walking, looking around me for an escape but before I found one I saw that Fred had glanced my way and stared at me straight before excusing himself with his friends and walking my way rather decidedly. I stood rooted at the spot.

'Cecil! How are you?' He asked cheerily and I gaped at him. I didn't know what I had expected, dreading a confrontation for the past month, but I hadn't expected him to ask me how I was doing. 'Just.. Normal.' I said breathlessly and Fred raised his eyebrows. 'Normal feelings for a normal girl, eh?' He asked teasingly and I tried, unsuccessfully, to suppress my blush. 'You?' I asked after a few moments and he ruffled his hair (in a way I suspected he knew I liked) while he lazily looked at me. 'Trying to mend my broken heart after your cruel rebuff.' He joked and although my face flooded red I refused to look away. 'Oh.' I answered, not knowing what else to say.

It was quiet for a moment as I struggled to keep my expression neutral and he allowed me to feel increasingly awkward as he watched in amusement but then he laughed. 'You haven't changed, have you?' He asked and I frowned. 'I have.' I disagreed. He laughed again, once again reaching up to ruffle his hair but this time I caught a faint redness on his hand and with a start I realised it was shockingly familiar. A scar of Umbridge's Blood Quill. I couldn't see what words she made him write but it reminded me with a jolt of the promise I had made myself, to do something. To tell someone.

Although it hadn't been long since I had made that decision, it was too long in my own eyes. It had scarred, he had written the words so many times it left a scar. I felt guilty.

I kept feeling undecided on what would be the best course of action. Should I tell my Head of House, Professor Flitwick, or should I go straight to the Headmaster? Maybe I should tell my friends first, or maybe it was better to leave them out of it for now. The only thing I was sure on was that it should be as soon as possible. The longer I took to decide, the more students would suffer under her detentions as she was rather generous in handing them out. But however much I had felt my confidence had grown in the past year and a half, this was on a whole new level.

Fred noticed my eyes glance at the top of his hand and his expression hardened as he put his hand in his pocket. 'The Toad isn't letting up easy.' He only said. I opened my mouth, hoping to say something but then closed it again. 'Spit it out.' He said, noticing my hesitance. I took a deep breath. 'I'm going to do something about it.' His eyes lit up at my words. 'Oh, are you?' He asked with humour. I nodded, ignoring his tone.

'Yeah, I'll tell Professor Flitwick. Or Dumbledore perhaps.' I said, getting more determined at his disbelief. A smile had crept onto Fred's face but it slipped off again when he took note of my resolve. 'Don't do that.' He said. I frowned. 'Why not?' I asked. He glanced over his shoulder and then reached out, grabbing onto my upper arm and pulling me aside, slightly out of the bustle of the pub, into a corner. I felt electricity shoot through my body at his touch and my face felt hot. What a sad mess I still was.

'We are already working on it.' Fred said. I tried to focus on his words and raised my eyebrows. 'What are you working on?' I asked. He glanced around again. 'We're not just sitting back quietly as Umbridge spreads terror.' Fred said. After a beat he added 'You should know that there's no one more adept at spreading terror than George and I.' and I chuckled against my better judgement.

'There's that smile. I almost forgot you had it these past weeks.' He said and at that I immediately stopped smiling again. 'I have to go.' I said hastily. Fred nodded. 'Go find your date.' He said with a cheeky wink and I blushed further, not correcting him as I turned around and walked away but he caught my shoulder. I looked back at him with a start. 'Don't tell the professors.' He insisted once more. 'She'll only make it worse on everyone. We're working on it.' He reminded me. I nodded uncertainly.

He dropped his hand and I hurried along, going back out the exit of the pub. All the way back to the castle, having foregone a trip to the bookshop and a sweets restock, I had my gaze trained on my shoes as they walked up the gravel path, thinking of Fred's words. Did he and George really have a plan or did he just want to keep me out of it? I shook my head as I discarded that thought immediately. I didn't doubt them having some kind of elaborate scheme. Was it just them or did they have their friends involved? I wasn't sure what to think about it. And should I listen to him? Should I not tell a professor?

In my distraction I ran into two people coming out of the front doors of the castle as I walked in. I started apologizing profusely, feeling embarrassed, but I stopped talking when I noticed who I ran into. Stacy looked up to me sheepishly as she stood next to a boy that I remembered to be her boyfriend. I had seen him having his arm around her shoulders sitting at their House Table and now too they were holding hands. 'Oh, hey.' I said lamely. She greeted me back although her eyes didn't meet mine. Was she embarrassed too?

'So.. On a date?' I asked hesitantly although I regretted asking the moment the words left my mouth. Stacy and the boy both turned red and in turn did I. 'Uhm, yeah.' The boy answered for the both of them. I took a good look at him. He was a little bit taller than Stacy, although almost a head shorter than me and he had floppy ears. He was a bit spotty and had dirty blond hair that was cut short. I wondered if he knew who I was or if he just let Stacy take the lead.

All three of us were quiet for a moment. I cleared my throat. 'Anyway, I need to get going.' I said awkwardly. They both nodded. 'Yeah, us too.' Stacy said. They nearly sprinted along outside and I took a second to look after them before I went into the castle. It was barely noon and I was already feeling exhausted.

That evening both Aurora and Mathilda came back gushing about their respective boyfriends. Robin had made a picnic and he and Aurora had hiked out of the village and had lunch a bit higher up the mountain, overlooking the village and further in the distance Hogwarts. Adrian had been less creative and had taken Mathilda to Madam Puddifoot's, but Mathilda seemed satisfied, showing off the opal necklace she had been gifted.

Apparently Cho's date with Harry Potter had gone less well. They too had gone to Madam Puddifoot's. Cho didn't speak about it, just sitting in the armchair by the fire with a frustrated frown on her face, but Mathilda spilled the beans, or more appropriately tea, as she had been at Madam Puddifoot's when Cho had stormed out and had left a befuddled Potter to chase after her. Marietta sat with us as we were huddled around the study tables. 'Can't you go and find out more?' Mathilda prodded at her, nodding towards where Cho was brooding in solitude, and Marietta laughed. 'No, thank you!' She exclaimed. 'I'll no doubt hear about it later.' She added.

I excused myself to go to bed early that evening. I did feel tired, I really did, but mostly I just didn't really need to hear any more on all the romantic stories Aurora and Mathilda had to tell. I was feeling alone enough as it was on Valentine's Day and happy as I was for them, I had just had enough. Also was it hard to not mention my run in with Fred to Mathilda – I was thoroughly confused by the situation and craved a second opinion. Nonetheless I kept my mouth shut, knowing that if I told her about the run in, I would have to tell her about the true happenings of my detention with Umbridge, something I hadn't told her before. When I told everyone goodnight, I saw my best friend shoot me a look but I tried to give her a reassuring smile.

Life turned back to normal after the weekend. Monday morning, right before classes, Altheda came flying down to the Ravenclaw table. Altheda was my brother's owl. I eagerly unbound the letter from its paw after letting it sip from my goblet of pumpkin juice. 'Cecilia, we need to get to Study of Ancient Runes.' Aurora said and with reluctance I shoved the letter into my robe pocket as we got up. 'Bye Altheda.' I mumbled to the owl as it picked bread crumbs off my plate. It only looked up briefly before focusing back on the plate.

It wasn't until professor Babbling had finished her lecture and had given us translations to do that I had time to read Aidan's letter. I had been looking forward to him writing for two reasons. One was because I had been a little bit miserable for the past month and a half and the other reason was because I had helped his girlfriend Nina Bugg to organise a special trip to Cornwall for him, to celebrate his birthday. Well, not so much help organise as sending him an owl to say that there was this week he needed to ask off from work because for some weird abstract reason I'd be off school. He had suspected something then but it had been such a long while since that I don't think he had thought of it again.

Dear Cecilia,

I just knew you and Nina were plotting! She has been secretive for months now and now I know why. We just got back last night from our week away. She sprung it on me at the last minute, she already packed my bag and everything, and she took my befuddled self to Cornwall. Of course it rained the whole week but I didn't mind much. I could hold her under my arm as we walked down the pier and we'd dry each other off and have hot cocoa by the fire when we got back to the inn. It was proper romantic, you know.

How have you been doing? I have not heard from you at all since you went back to Hogwarts. You are still doing well in classes? Are your friends good too? And that one other person? The redheaded crush? Is it yet time for me to strike an intimidating older brother pose?

I am of course kidding, you just worry me a bit when you don't write in more than a month.

It's time for me to put my quill down and get my shoes on because I'm wanted back at work, but before I do that I just wanted to give you big thanks on helping out Nina with my birthday present. And not just because I'm happy to have gone, but also because I appreciate you going out of your comfort zone to help out my socially also awkward girlfriend.

Write to me!

Aidan

PS: You asking mum and dad for gold for your apparition exam after you threw that whole fit about buying your muggle friend a ridiculously expensive owl, is probably the most hilarious stunt you've ever pulled. Keep it up for my entertainment! Expect an owl from them (in mum's handwriting I'm assuming) in the next couple of days.

I swallowed noisily and Aurora glanced at me before concentrating on her runic table. I was nervous about mum and dad (mostly mum) getting annoyed (or angry) with me. I had made such a big deal out of spending my pocket money the way I saw fit and that they needed to trust me more and that I was responsible and there I was, asking for the course fee at the next corner.

Turned out that mum didn't waste time and my family owl was waiting for me at the Ravenclaw table as I came down to breakfast.

Dear Cecilia,

I barely know where to start on this and I'm sure you've already imagined all the things I could possibly call you (imprudent comes to mind, as well as irresponsible and injudicious), so instead of that I'm going to raise my eyebrows at you and tell you to think of my judgemental glare you know all too well.

Thank your father for getting away with only that much. See enclosed in the envelope your exact course costs.

My begrudgingly given love,

Wendela

I sighed in relief and with a surprised laugh emptied out the envelope into my hands. I counted out exactly twelve Galleons. Although I didn't expect my parents to want to keep me from learning how to apparate, I had definitely expected more blowback than this. What a relief. I had enough trouble without mum adding to that.

That weekend there was another quidditch match, pitting Gryffindor against Hufflepuff. Aurora and I stayed behind to do homework but Mathilda went along with Adrian and Marietta went with Cho, and I think most of the school went to see just how much Gryffindor had suffered after having three of their team mates cut from the team. A fair lot, was made obvious, Gryffindor losing in only twenty-two minutes despite catching the snitch. Slytherins were favourites for the cup as it was but Roger Davies was feeling optimistic for Ravenclaw's chances as well. Ultimately I didn't give two Knuts about quidditch.

The following Monday turned out to produce the biggest piece of gossip of the year. I first heard of it at breakfast when Marietta murmured to me that Cho had told her that Marcus had told her that he heard from Oliver who had heard from his sister Orla that she had seen an interview in the Quibbler with Harry Potter in which he described the night of the Third Task. We turned to the Gryffindor table and saw that Potter was being buried in owls. Was it true then? Had he done an interview?

The Quibbler was usually regarded as an odd tabloid at best but it was now sought after by students like they were nifflers and the magazine was gold. Never had the Lovegood girl, a Ravenclaw student two years below me whose dad published the Quibbler, been more popular, people asking her for copies at every turn. People wrote hasty owls towards the publishing house, buying copies where still available. In all our morning classes (with the exception of Defence Against the Dark Arts), students were whispering rumours about what the interview entailed and the first opportunity I got at looking at it was when Cho got one of them in the post. However after reading it, tears running down her cheeks in rivers, she pressed it to her chest and she stumbled across the common room and went up the stairs to the dormitory. Nobody followed after. We could sense she needed to be alone. Never mind our burning curiosity.

I got to read it the first time that afternoon when Mathilda and I were hanging around the Entrance Hall, sitting on a bench at the side as we acted silly and giggled at nothing, and Adrian jogged up to us having it rolled up in his right hand. 'Have you read it yet?' He asked us, Mathilda in particular, without greeting us. We shook our heads, extending our hands eagerly and he handed it to us. We held it between us as we read.

I was done reading before Mathilda and was so shocked by the words on the paper that I felt none of my usual embarrassment when I said to Adrian 'This is insane!'. 'Completely.' Adrian agreed although the way he said it was unconvincing. I took a good look at him and reckoned he looked paler than usual, quite put out. I wondered if there was something he wasn't saying.

Mathilda lowered the magazine as she gaped at us. 'Potter must be out of his mind saying all this stuff.' She said. 'You think?' Adrian asked and Mathilda nodded. 'Umbridge is going to lose her head!' She said, half laughing. 'Out of his mind.' She repeated. 'Besides,-' she added '-he's bonkers, this whole story is bonkers. It's in the Quibbler even. They only print rubbish.' She said. Adrian nodded slowly. 'Yeah, they do.' He replied, seemingly downtrodden.

'That's a lot of detail though.' I argued, taking the magazine from Mathilda and scanning it. 'I bet you can look up the grave Potter mentions, probably, if it's real, and there's a list of names. He says they're Death Eaters.' I said aloud. 'Some of these names are familiar too.' Mathilda said. 'Malfoy? Is that the same Malfoy as the Seeker on your team?' She asked Adrian and he shrugged. 'Supposedly his father.' He answered vaguely. 'Draco's in all states.' He added. 'I need to go.' He said after a moment. I tried to give the Quibbler back to him but he held up his hands. 'You guys can keep it. I've read it enough times.' He said before he leaned forward to give Mathilda a gentle kiss on the top of her head and turned on his heels, making his way towards the dungeons. Mathilda frowned slightly. 'He's in a strange mood.' She commented.

Soon after we read it we found out we had been engaging in illegal activity. Umbridge had issued Educational Decree Number Twenty-Seven that forbade not just owning a copy of the Quibbler but also forbade reading it. Mathilda and I looked at each other sheepishly. 'Should we throw it out?' I asked her and although she took a hesitant breath, she shook her head. 'Let's just hide it in the dormitory. Like Umbridge is going to check.' She said. I felt nervous about it. I wasn't much of a rule breaker, even weird rules like this.

At dinner we found out that Harry Potter had been banned from Hogsmeade trips as well because he apparently gave the interview at the Three Broomsticks. 'Isn't that his right as a wizard?' Aurora pointed out indignantly. 'It was in his own time, off school property. Umbridge is infringing on his individual rights.' She commented. Eddie, who sat next to her, rolled his eyes. 'Who cares about Potter, if he's going to just blab this attention-seeking nonsense. He's just causing fear.' He said. 'Who cares about you, Eddie!' Cho hissed diagonally across the table.

We all looked at her in shock because her words had been quite venomous. 'Harry is speaking the truth and you're all too dim to accept it.' She proclaimed before standing up abruptly and storming out of the Great Hall. Marietta scrambled up from her seat, following after in a hurry. Eddie blinked awkwardly. 'I forgot about her and Cedric for a moment.' He apologized to the group matter-of-factly. 'That's on me.'

If the banning of the interview had done anything, it had made everyone want to read it even more. Within two days I was sure there was not a single person in the whole school who hadn't read it. Everywhere there were copies but any time Umbridge came by or made a surprise inspection, the magazine turned out to be charmed into seeming like something else or made unreadable for anyone but the owner.

Thursday was a special day, or at least for some. 'It's Leap Day!' Rory announced jollily as she arrived to breakfast. 'Now what?' Mathilda replied moodily, sipping her tea as she read a letter from her dad that had come with the post. 'Mathilda, a leap day means a free pass! You get to do anything you like. It's a secret day, an extra one to give us all one more chance to make happen what we want.' Aurora cried out. Mathilda seemed to be annoyed by the display. 'I've never celebrated Leap Day and I'm not about to start now.' She said.

It was a slow day. There were a few instances of people doing what they'd been wanting to, Marcus for instance said he was going to join the Chess Club and Oliver mentioned wanting to stop biting his nails, hoping that the supposed magic of the day could seal his promise to himself. A seventh year called Elora Dunn even did a very public speech in the Great Hall for her boyfriend, saying that they should just get married already, as soon as they finished school. He wasn't too in to it, it seemed. On the WWN they had a special show running fulfilling wishes.

I remembered the last Leap Day. I was in second year then and Aurora and I had used the day to ask for an extension on our homework. Professor Snape granted it to us which Aurora saw as further proof on the magic of Leap Day and I saw as a huge relief because I had drowned in my homework that week and desperately needed that extension.

However, the revelations of Potter's interview earlier that week had overshadowed anyone's excitement for this magical day. Everyone just kept talking about it, opinions about Potter's proclamations went anywhere from huffy dismissal to cautious consideration. I was vaguely aware that there had been no mentions of the article in either the Daily Prophet or on the Wireless. Hadn't they seen the latest publication of the Quibbler? Had only the population of Hogwarts found out about it? It didn't seem likely. Everyone had an opinion and was sharing it around, albeit carefully. Felix certainly had an opinion on the matter.

'I think he's telling the truth.' He said as we studied in the library that evening. He had waited outside the Transfiguration classroom and when I came out he had suggested studying for Muggle Studies together. We had an essay due the next day. 'Harry Potter you mean?' I asked, lowering my voice. It wasn't busy in the library but I didn't want to be overheard.

Felix nodded, leaning closer as he also lowered his voice. 'The story he told was just too realistic. You wouldn't make it up like that, right?' He said. I shrugged. 'I don't know.' I told truthfully. I had never had more doubts about anything than I had about this now. 'I've been wondering about this for a long while now.' I admitted to Felix. 'Have you?' He asked and I nodded. I looked around once more, making sure no one was listening.

'When I was interning at the Ministry over the summer Potter was called before the Wizengamot.' I whispered. 'He had performed underage magic and I had assumed it was some kind of stunt but my boss mentioned in passing that it was self-defence.' I said. 'My mum was supposed to write a story about it in the Prophet but Minister Fudge came down to the editorial room in person and killed the article.' I said. I looked down at my hands, nervously fidgeting with my sleeve.

'You think the Ministry is trying to cover up the return of You-Know-Who?' Felix asked and I quickly shook my head, out of reflex more than anything. 'I don't know.' I recanted. 'But they're sweeping something under the rug.'

We were silent after that for a long while, the both of us eventually going back to our studying, and it wasn't until it was nearly curfew that I spoke up again. 'Let's meet again tomorrow morning and prepare for class together.' I opted as I closed my book with a yawn. I hadn't done much for Muggle Studies, getting tied up in other classes. 'Yeah, alright, let's meet after breakfast.' He agreed as he put his ink and quill back in his bag. 'You're going to your common room?' He asked and I nodded. 'I'll walk you. We can talk some more.' He said amicably. 'I'll leave you a little way away!' I said with a teasing laugh. 'You can't know where our common room is after all!' He laughed as well. We swung our bags over our shoulders and walked out of the library.

'What about the breakout from Azkaban?' said Felix as we strolled down the corridor. 'What about it?' I asked, a little confused why he brought it up. 'Well, for a moment, let's assume Potter is telling the truth.' Felix said. 'Then why do you think all these former Death Eaters escaped?' He said and I felt my heart freeze over. 'Bloody Merlin, I hadn't considered that.' I uttered with wide eyes. It made sense, much more sense than Sirius Black going through the risk of getting his old friends out.

But that would mean that You-Know-Who had indeed returned. It couldn't, he was dead. There was no way. It was strange, because all these doubts had gone through my head already, poking holes in everything that came by that seemed odd, but now that a potential solution to the logical problem had come by I was reluctant to grasp onto it. What did it mean if I did? 'I need to think about this.' I said.

It was quiet for a moment before Felix spoke up again. He was always a lot more chatty than me. 'Forgive me for the sudden change of subject but how are you doing anyway? You told me you called it quits with Fred Weasley.' He said and I shrugged. I was a bit surprised that he mentioned it. Felix and I talked about a lot of things but almost never about boys. 'You're not in as grouchy a mood anymore.' He added and I chuckled involuntarily. 'Yeah, it has dulled a bit.' I admitted.

'I'm glad you're feeling better.' He told me with his hands in his pockets. 'It was hard to see you feeling like that.' He said. 'I didn't mean to make you worry.' I replied and he smiled, although he didn't look at me, just looking at his feet. I realised that we had stopped walking. We weren't far from the Ravenclaw Tower anymore but we were just standing there across from each other.

'I'll worry about you whether you mean me to or not.' He said jokingly. It just made my stomach clench. 'Sorry.' I murmured. Felix' smile disappeared.

'Honestly, Cecilia, you don't have to apologise to me.' He said. 'I just want you to know that you do deserve all the best and sometimes I feel like you don't believe in that yourself.' He said genuinely. I had no answer for that. I had been feeling bad about myself and my decisions since I had broken it off with Fred even though continuing it would've been bad as well and I just felt like a social failure, like no boy would ever like me. Fred hadn't liked me, not really. I felt hopeless and like I was going to cry and I didn't want to feel all that so instead I reached up to Felix' neck and pulled him closer, pressing my lips to his.

He froze, not responding, but I just slid my arms around his neck and pressed myself closer to him. And then he started moving his lips to mine as well and pulled his hands out of his pockets to slide them around my waist.

And it didn't matter that I was kissing Felix and that this would surely ruin the friendship that had grown so important to me over the past year; nothing mattered. I was just feeling down and kissing felt good. Felix' kisses were soft despite their intensity and they were comforting, smoothing over the hurt I felt.

It became increasingly heated. My hands were in his hair, my fingers tangling in his loose curls and his hands were on my lower back, pressing me close as we stood in the well-lit corridor.

It was nice, kissing Felix. It made me feel better, just like talking to him did or when he sat with me by the Lake or when we studied together. Felix always made me feel better but when we finally broke off right before curfew and I looked at his grin, his lips red from snogging, and his twinkling eyes, I felt guilty. I had been selfish.

He was still holding me, looking down at me. 'That was.. interesting.' He said with a laugh and I smiled a watery smile. 'Felix, I-' I began but Leonard Rigsby, the Head Boy, came round the corner. 'Hey you! Curfew is in five minutes! You better be in your common rooms by then.' He shouted at us and we sprung apart.

'Are we still on for the library tomorrow morning?' Felix asked me and I shrugged. 'Yeah, sure, okay.' I said. He smiled at me brightly, showing off his slightly askew front teeth. 'I'll see you at breakfast!' He called out at me as he sprinted past the Head Boy. I stared after him, my stomach making an effort not to hurl up my last meal. 'Get going Wiggleswade!' Leonard Rigsby said and I shook myself awake and ran into the opposite direction.

Mathilda immediately knew. I came into the common room and although she was sitting with Marcus Belby and Eddie Carmichael, she abandoned the conversation when she saw me and came up to me, dragging me up to the dormitory. 'Who did you snog?' She asked and I sputtered and denied but she rolled her eyes. 'Your lips are red, your hair is ruffled and even your clothes aren't quite as pristine as I'm used to seeing you in.' She laid out the evidence. My face was scarlet as I sighed and confessed my indiscretion. She didn't see it as I did however.

'What gives, Cecil?' She asked me. 'Felix has always been nice to you, why shouldn't you kiss him?' She asked me and I looked at her as if she was crazy. 'Because I'm not in love with him?' I asked her, confused by her question. She groaned. 'Why should you be in love with everyone you kiss. Kissing is fun and pleasant and all that.' She told me. 'Besides, you weren't in love with Cassius either when you two kissed.' She said accusingly and I blushed. 'That was different. He surprised me and it was to get Fred to notice.' I said heatedly. Mathilda sat back, leaning against her pillow. 'I think you're making it way too big an issue. I think you should just kiss Felix again.' She said with a laugh.

I could hardly believe my ears. 'Again?' I called out. Mathilda nodded. 'You liked it, right?' She asked me and I reluctantly agreed. 'And Felix isn't some random lad who's going to go off on you or anything or tell the whole school about it or something like that.' Mathilda evidenced. 'Felix is one of the good ones. If you're going to kiss anyone, why not him?' Mathilda concluded. 'I'm not going to kiss anyone!' I rebutted however. Mathilda sighed. 'Okay, whatever.' She said, standing back up.

'Where are you going?' I asked her and she shrugged. 'Well, I was having quite a serious discussion about goblin revolutions with Eddie and Marcus and I just stood up and left. Besides, you don't take anything I say seriously anyway.' She said before walking out the door. 'That's not fair Mathilda!' I shouted after her. She was right though. I could definitely not take her seriously right now.

Oh boy, a lot happened! Review if you can! It means a lot to me :)

I also finished another chapter on my story I Believe In Action; it's a West Side Story fanfiction but I don't think you really need to know anything about West Side Story to be able to read my story. All you need to know is that it's about a boy who's in a 1950's gang in New York. Maybe give that a chance too?