"Why couldn't they have portkeyed us back?" wondered Harry out loud.
"Some sort of regulation," answered Alfred. "We all have to go back together."
They, Justin, Terry, and Max were all in Max and Alfred's dorm. Max and Alfred were getting ready for the Senior Ball. Harry was pacing back and forth, nervous for some reason he refused to disclose.
Alfred clasped his cloak closed and sighed, "That's it. We're ready."
"So are we," answered Francisca, opening the door. She entered, looking very beautiful in elegant robes of magenta color. Behind her Hannah had floating robes of hunter green.
Max held out his arm. "Shall we?"
"We shall." Francisca linked his arm with hers and they exited together. Hannah and Alfred followed thier lead.
Sappho entered and collasped onto one of the two beds. "Well, that's that. Anyone care to play Grab the Worm?"
So they took out a deck of cards and were soon absorbed in the game. Some time later, Terry was winning, Justin was losing, and Harry and Sappho were somewhere in between.
"I need a four," said Justin. "Terry?"
"Grab a worm." Justin reluctently took another card from the pile in the middle. "Sappho?"
"Grab a worm."
"I hate this game." He took another card. "Harry?"
Harry however was sitting looking like he'd just seen a dragon. "Harry!"
He seemed to come to himself. "Oh, sorry. Uh, worm."
Justin took yet another card. "Your turn, Sappho."
"I need an eight. Harry?" No response. "Harry!"
At this point Harry tossed down his cards. "Excuse me, guys. I'm going to go for a walk." He got up and left with no further explanation.
Hours later, they had just finished another game of Grab the Worm and Harry had not yet returned.
"I'm getting sick of this game," said Justin flatly.
Terry checked his watch. The schedule hand was on "You really should be asleep." "I'm turning in for the night." He climbed into one of the three sleeping bags on the floor.
"Uh, Sappho," whispered Justin several minutes later, "I think we should go into your dorm."
"Why?"
"Well-" Then Terry began to snore. "That's why."
"Oh. Follow me."
They left Terry snoring away and traveled to the girls' dorm. Robes, makeup, various random things, and two sleeping bags lay strewn about. Sappho cleared off her bed and sat down. "Wow! And you've slept in the same room with him for..."
"A Soundproofing Charm is a very useful thing," said Justin.
"I'd hate to think how his dormmates fared before they learned how to perform the charm. Well, Grab the Worm isn't that much fun with only two people. What say we play Warlock Committee?"
For some time they played in silence. It suddenly occured to Justin that while he and Sappho has spent hours each day together, this was the first time they had been alone together for more then two minutes. Then he realized as they played on how he had been taking her presence in his life for granted, and how he could no longer do so, for suddenly the amount of time left for them seemed very little. The remaining seconds were slipping by like sand, even now as she beat him.
"You just aren't good as card games, are you?" said Sappho, and she laughed, but her laugh seemed more nervous then usual. Was she thinking the same thing he was?
"Maybe we should listen to some music? Do you prefer Wizard or Muggle?" Justin shrugged. "I have a weakness for Muggle Pop." she confessed, and turned on the radio on her bedside table.
Then they were distracted by a tap at the window.
Sappho opened it, and two large owls flew in, each carrying a large parcel, one addressed to her, the other to Francisca. "Ah! The yearbooks!"
"Yearbooks?"
"Yeah, you know-no, you don't, do you?" She placed the second parcel on Francisca's bed and tore open the first. It contained a black book.
"A yearbook contains pictures of all the students from that year. As well as pictures of all the special groups, such as the Quidditch teams, and all the events of the year. There are sure to be some pictures of us in here, last I heard, they were dedicating at least four pages to Triwizard photos."
"Here they are." Justin first took in the twelve New York State Students waving at him. "That photo was taken right before we left, early in the morning of October 30th. We were all so annoyed because we had to get up at five in the morning..."
As she spoke, she placed the yearbook on his lap, and then settled on it herself. It wasn't the first time she'd sat on his lap, but somehow it seemed like it.
He focused on the pictures. After the twelve candidates, there was a picture of Alfred, Hermione, and Paul standing together. Then there was one of the troll chasing Alfred around, persumably taken before he made himself invisible. Then there was one of him sitting in the Medical Tent. He grinned at Justin and Sappho, ignoring the scoldings of the nurse. Then there was one of him and Hannah getting rather cuddly outside the caves, persumably after the second task. Then one of them standing with Ron, Hermione, Paul, and Lavender, everyone laughing for some reason. There were a couple of other pictures, including one of him and Sappho waving away with Alfred, Hannah, Max, and Francisca.
The next page contained pictures from the Yule Ball. Hannah, Alfred, Paul, Lavender, Hermione, and Ron opening it. Hannah, Alfred, Hermione, and Ron, during the last drum solo of the Hand Jive. Max and Francisca making out(he persumed they hadn't been when the picture was taken, though he couldn't be a hundred percent sure of that. More pictures, including one of Romulus Metlik and Pansy Parkinson yelling at each other. And then, at the end, himself and Sappho, grinning up at him. And then, as they watched, the photographic Sappho winked, and leaned over and kissed Justin. The real Sappho grinned and kissed Justin too.
Then they noticed that while the real Sappho had only pecked Justin, the photographic Sappho was pratically devouring him. "We've never kissed like that," remarked Sappho.
"D'you think we should?" asked Justin nervously. He had never kissed Susan that way either. In fact, he had never kissed anyone that way, period.
Until now, as Sappho turned her face towards him, and parted her lips.
On his first attempted, Justin aimed wrong and ended up licking her cheek. She tilted her head so that thier mouths met. Tongues entangled and Justin froze up. Sappho took charge, leaning into Justin's mouth until her teeth pressed into his lips.
After what seemed like an eternity she pulled away. "I'd never done that before," she said softly.
He stared at her, and slowly closed his mouth and wiped her saliva off it. "You don't believe me?"
"It's just..." he managed to say after a second or so, "you seem like the type-"
"Yes I do, don't I?" She pulled away from him and stood up. "You don't think I'm really like that, do you? You've seen how spontaneous I can get sometimes. Rising at 5 AM to practice Quidditch, kissing you at the Yule Ball in front of everyone as if we'd been going out for ages, stuff like that. Do I have to get more outrageous for you to get the point?"
"Well then, why do you do it?" he asked.
"Because I'm frightened of doing anything. So I always act before I can think, because I did, the fear would kick in. But there are some things that I knew better to do without thinking, so I never did. And really get committed was one of them. I've never been alone with a boy like this since I was 12."
"Then why didn't you protest before we came in here. If you didn't want me in here with you-"
"But I do, Justin," She sat down again. It seemed hard for her to confess all this. "I do. You're not like any other boy I've dated. If 'dated' can describe it. You're special to me. I want you to be special to me. I want-" She took a deep breath, then spoke quickly, "I want you to be my first."
"You're-" as he comprehended her meaning, he pulled away. "Sappho, I shouldn't be. It should be someone who lives here, someone who can stay with you afterwards. We don't have any plans after two weeks, and I think it's too late to form them."
"I don't care." said Sappho. "I know what I want."
"It's tonight or never." she added. "Yes or no?"
He had no idea how long he sat there, just staring, his mind unable to comprehend. Then she started again. "I know what this sounds like. I'm sorry. If I'd known it'd come to this-"
"Yes." He cut her off.
"Yes?" she repeated. She hadn't really thought he'd say yes, he realized.
"Yes." He reached out a hand, and placed it on her face, barely believing what he would soon be doing to her. "If you're sure."
She reached out her hand and placed on on his face, just as he had done. "I am."
When later he looked back on what happened afterwards, though he could remember touching her otherwise, Justin could only recall two sensations: when she, who had been on top, had first taken him inside her, and when he had exploded barely ten seconds later. The only sights he could recall well were facial expressions:anticipation, pain, pleasure, fright, acceptance. He could not recall her scent at the time, and the only sounds he could recall were her breathing, and the chorus of the song that played on the radio the entire time of their copulation:
I'd give my all to have
Just one more night with you
I'd risk my life to feel
Your body next to mine
'Cause I can't go on
Living in the memory of our song
I'd give my all for you love tonight
Meanwhile...
"I don't believe it!" said Max in disgust. "That idiot?!" Hector had just been crowned King of the Ball.
"It's okay, Max," Hannah told him. "You know it means nothing. They don't have that nonsense in England." Francisca looked as if she would like to argue that point but decided against it.
The four of them were standing to the side, each holding a bottle of butterbeer. They had drunk quite a lot of the stuff.
Hannah, watched, bored, as Hector slow-danced with the Queen of the Ball, some girl they didn't know. Life seemed good.
The dance ended. The Queen rejoined her escort. Hector turned, but there did not seem to be any girl waiting for him. "Where's my date?"
"Over there." one random girl pointed out one boy and girl who appeared to be busy in the corner.
"Why I do beleive they're both Juniors!" exclaimed somone else.
They all could almost smell Max's laugh coming. "Dragged here by a Junior who just used him to get in! Some King!"
"Well, I'm not ready to leave the dance floor yet." He glanced from girl to girl. Several of them looked very eager.
Then his eyes fell on Hannah. He walked up to her. "Would you care to dance?"
"Well, I don't want to desert my date-" Hannah started.
"Just one dance. You don't mind, do you Alfred?"
Alfred shrugged. "Bring her back afterward."
"Are you crazy?" Max hissed. Francisca shushed him, but Hannah secretly was inclined to agree. But even so, she nodded.
As the music started again, Hector led her away. She could smell alcohol on his breath, much more then she had imbibed. She suddenly felt very frightened, as he danced her almost out of sight of Alfred.
"Can't you get closer?" he asked.
"We're close enough already," she told him.
"Come on," and he pulled her very close, and hands clutching her more tightly then she would have wished. "Hector, stop it."
"Why should I?" he all but whispered, very close to her ear. He was very drunk.
"Because I am with Alfred," she insisted. Now downright terrified, she tried to pull away.
He was gripping her too tightly. She couldn't move. "He wouldn't have to know."
"You're supposed to be his friend!" She couldn't believe this. Alfred had told her about Hector, he was nothing like this!
"You really don't know me, do you?" he murmered. Then he was kissing her, forcefully. She managed to push him off. "GET OFF ME!"
"Well, well, well! I heard Hufflepuffs were supposed to be stupid, I guess this just confir-" He never got any further. Hannah felt a pair or arms grab her and pull her back as a fist hit Hector in the jaw, sending him flying back. Turned her head and looked into the face of a concerned Max.
"You all right?" She nodded, and he released her.
She looked back, and saw Hector glaring at Alfred. Hannah had never seen Alfred so completely given over to anger. His entire face was red, his eyes were slits of fire, and he was trembling with fury.
Hector shook his head. "Can't have this. She rejects me, I guess she can do that, but I won't be letting any Mudblood go hitting me like that."
"Hector!" said Francisca in shock.
He smiled cruelly at her. "You should gone with me, Francisca, instead of wasting your time with him." He jerked his thumb at Max. "We could have gone into the service of my master together."
"Your master? You're working for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?!"
"Voldemort?" Everyone within hearing range, and a lot of people were now watching, flinched. "That pathetic half-existant? No, no, no. My master is much greater and more powerful then Voldemort. And when he begins his reign, not long from now, I shall make sure you, Mr. Fadton, and your wife are-"
Alfred pulled out his wand. "Furnunculus!"
Hector pulled out his and responded in kind. The others watched and sparks flew through the air as the two boys hurled curse after curse through the air, until the the adults made thier way over. "I really don't have time for this." He aimed his wand at random. "Crucio!" One of the students in the crowd fell to the floor, and half of the crowd shrieked. Hector laughed and Disapparated.
One of the adults shook his head. "Come along, Mister Fadton."
Covered with curses and brimming with fury, Alfred turned to Hannah, and saw, his heart sinking, the look of horror on her face. What have I done? As he was led away, he saw her turn and run from the room, her hands on either her eyes or her mouth, he couldn't tell which.
He followed the adults without protest. He didn't think he would be expelled, under the circumstances. At any rate, he was under binding magical contract to do the Third Task. And at theat moment, he didn't care anyway
Hannah was standing alone, her head down, outside the building the Ball was taking place in. She looked up at him as they led him past her. He turned his head away quickly. He didn't want to hear her words of anger, didn't want to see her glare at him.
He walked away, not knowing she had no intention of yelling at him, not seeing the tears roll down her face, not realizing he had accidently broken her heart.
The next morning...
"You really should be more careful, Sappho." said Francisca. "Justin is Muggle-born, you know, and they carry a lot of diseases. One should usually use Muggle protection when with a Muggle or a Muggle-born."
Francisca and Caroline had just returned from the Ball, Caroline was already sleeping away in her bag, and Hannah lay on top of her sleeping bag, looking as if she'd cried herself to sleep. Justin had just sneaked back to his dorm.
"Well, it's not all bad," Francisca continued. "I mean, at least you used a Sterilization Charm. You felt the chill in your stomach, right?"
"Chill?" Sappho looked up in confusion.
"Oh no," said Francisca. "Sappho, when you used the charm, you didn't, by any chance, feel a tingle, rather then a chill? That's a completely different spell altogether."
The look on Sappho's face was the only answer Francisca needed. "You were completely unprotected. Oh no."
All in all, the mood was tense when the seventeen students gathered around the portkey. Caroline and Romulus Metlik had apparently fallen into odds with each other, after Francisca's bit of news Sappho really did not feel like talking to Justin, which was frightening him, Harry was continually mumbling something under his breath, and Max and Alfred showed up at the last minute, Max feeling extremely irritable. He watched, turned between amusment and exasperation, as Alfred and an utterly miserable-looking Hannah turned away hastily from each other, as if each expected the other to slap them.
A day passed, and then another. The New York State students began thier final exams, and there was no longer time to think. All during exam time, Alfred and Hannah avoided each other. By the the time exams were done, Max decided things had gone too far. He'd never seen Alfred so miserable. So he cornered Ernie McMillan the day after thier last exam.
"Okay," said Max. "I assume you know what the problem is."
"Yes," said Ernie, very coldly. By his glare, it seemed as if he was convinced Alfred and Max had wronged Hannah.
"Actually, I don't think you do. You've probably been too worried about Hannah to notice she's not the only one moping around. So, if you will look at my roommate over there." He pointed to where Alfred was walking, head down, across the Hall. "He's just returned from the library, where he was hoping to do some research. However, he saw Hannah in there, helping Hermione Granger prepare for the Third Task with the latter's two best friends. Afraid of what she might say, he was forced to retreat, and he's feeling very upset with himself."
Ernie did not respond to this little speech. Max continued, "Now, I assume Hannah is going through a similar experience."
"I don't know," answered Ernie. "She hasn't talked much since you guys came back from America."
"You mean she's told noone whats going on?" This was not what Max had expected.
"Well, I suppose she's told her diary, but noone else."
It was as if a wand had lit over Max's head. "Okay, then. We'll have to use that."
"What?" Of course Ernie didn't get it. When it came to suggesting rule-breaking to Hufflepuffs, they usually missed the point.
"We take Hannah's diary, show it to Alfred-"
"Steal her diary?" asked Ernie in shock.
"If it gets them past this stupid misunderstanding," said Max slowly, as if explaining to a young child, "it is more then justified. Besides, we won't look at anything besides the relevant entries."
Ernie seemed convinced. "Harry has an invisibility cloak. If we can get our hands on it, it'll be much easier."
"After dinner?"
"Sure."
After dinner...
Alfred tossed the latest book from the library onto the floor. He'd been reading the same paragraph over for the tenth time and still not taking it in. He couldn't concentrate.
"Lovesick little boy, aren't you," said a voice next to him, causing him to jump.
Then Max and Ernie removed the invisibility cloak. "Where'd you get that?"
"We-uh-'borrowed' it from Harry." Max was wearing the widest grin.
"Does he know?" asked Alfred suspiciously.
"No. He is still in the library with his two best friends and a certain girl who we all know and love-by varying degrees, in my case, the affection of the boyfriend's best friend, in Ernie's case, the platonic love of a long friendship, and in your case, the passion of the one true love, am I correct?"
"One true love?" Alfred shook his head.
"What, you don't love her?" asked Max in shock.
"Oh I love her, allright-"
"And she loves you, and I intend to be the best man at your wedding. Alfred, have you paid close attention to how she's been acting around you?"
"She turns away from me in scorn!"
"No," said Ernie. "She turns away from you in fear, and thinks you turn away from her in scorn!"
"But I don't! I....I turn away from her in fear." It would have been funny, if he could have been sure.
"Now," said Max. "I observe you are in doubt, which given the insecurity of both of you that's been shown so far, I suspected you would be. So, with the help of Ernie here, we, under this lovely cloak, slipped into the girls' sleeping area in the Hogwarts Bus, and removed this from on top of the suitcases of the girl in question." And he grinned even wider and pulled out a black book, on which was written in gold lettering:My Diary:May 30, 1997-
"You shouldn't have taken this," said Alfred firmly.
"We had no choice. It is now the sole authority on how she feels about you. Out of respect for her, and also because we are currenly operating on a time limit, we've left most of the entries unread. However, the content of the entries after End-weekend I think are something you should be aware of."
He opened the diary and flipped through a number of pages. "Since we will need to return both diary and cloak to where we found them before thier respective owners leave the library, I will get straight to the relevant content. First, the opening:Dear Diary, I feel as if I have first been turned upside-down and then knifed in the heart. Then perhaps, The way he turned away, what if he thinks I was encouraging that boy or something? He must hate me now!"
"Why would she think that?" Alfred interrupted. "He stated she had rejected him."
"I don't think she was listening to his exact words, Al. To reinforce, What he did feels a hundred times worse then what Andre did. And last, but certianly not least," and here he thrust the diary in front of Alfred, so he could read along, "It's only now that I realize how much I really love him. Oh Alfred, if you only knew, I would be your wife. But fool I am, I blew it. Now, is Miss Hannah van Abbott in love with you or is Hannah van Abbott in love with you?"
Alfred stared. Then something snapped and he leapt up. "Yes!"
"Glad to see you're catching on. Now if you'll excuse us, we have a cloak and diary to return." Then he smiled warmly. "Go tell her, Al."
They vanished beneath the cloak and Alfred heard thier footsteps go down the corridor.
He paused a moment to pull himself together. Then he exited into the corridor, nearly ran its length, bumping into the now invisible Max and Ernie, and leapt down from the plane. He felt a crack and a sharp pain in his leg, and realized he had landed on it and probably broken it.
Max and Ernie removed the invisibility cloak off thier heads. "Just stay put, Alfred. We'll return the stuff and take care of you."
"Fine." So he sat and waited, listening to the grass rustle as Max and Ernie hurried across it. A few minutes later they emerged, visible and without the diary.
"Allright," said Max triumphantly, "now that your leg is broken, you go where we steer you!"
"I'm not completely helpless-" Alfred tried to protest and Max and Ernie lifted him up on either side and began to lead him across the lawn to Beauxbatons.
"Take me to the Medical Wing," said Alfred when they reached the Entrance Hall. "I'd much rather face Hannah without my leg broken."
"No," said Ernie, "we're not delaying for anything!"
"But this is ridiculous-"
"What is?" Arm and arm, Justin and Sappho strolled into the Hall, having persumably made things up. "I'd advise you guys to watch the entrances. Mark Posting's only three hours away, and the first stragglers to wait to see thier marks should be arriving any minute."
"They're posting at midnight?" It was already well known to the foreigners that Beauxbatons students periodicly had thier marks and rankings posted for the all the world to see.
"Yeah. After all, these are just the marks before the finals and the Bac." The Bac was an extremely difficult exam Beauxbatons students had to stay an eighth year to prepare for.
"Well, as I was saying," resumed Alfred, "I was about to go make up with Hannah, and I broke my leg, and I want to get it mended first."
"Okay then," said Sappho. "I was looking for an oppotunity to try this out." She raised her wand. "Accio Francisca Martinez!"
They all looked at her funny. Minutes later Francisca flew in through the open doors and landed in front of Sappho.
"Sorry I blew your secret, Francisca, but this was an emergency. She's been doing some studying in medical magic."
"Okay, so what's the emergency?"
"Alfred really needs to see Hannah now, and in one piece, but his leg is broken and the Medical Wing is on the far side of the school."
"I really don't believe you Sappho," sighed Francisca. She pulled out her wand. "And yes, I have been studying medical magic. I've found myself to be quite good at it. I think I might persue it as a career." She tapped Alfred's leg and muttered something. Instantly the leg straightened and the pain vanished.
Max let go of Alfred, as did Ernie. "How long have you known, Sappho?"
"Since she began in earnest about a year ago. I'm her roommate, Max! Of course I'd know!"
"And you did not tell me because..."
"I," Francisca looked ashamed. "I was afraid of what you'd say, that you wouldn't like me. Merlin knows we weren't very stable at that point, because of what happened with Hector. And when we got over that, I had no idea how to break it to you when I should have already."
"I wouldn't have upset because my girlfriend wanted to become a nurse!" said Max, holding back laughter.
Francisca smiled. "It does seem rather silly now, doesn't it?" Then she looked at Alfred, and her expression became stern. "But it isn't as silly as you and Hannah have been behaving recently. I assume you've come to your senses."
"He has," answered Max, "thanks to moi"("Hey!" said Ernie), and now that your leg is fixed, off to the library you go."
"No need," said Harry, coming down the staircase that led to the library. Ron and Hermione was with him. "I assume you want to talk with Hannah."
"Where is she?" asked Alfred.
"Back there, frightened. Hannah, could you come down?"
There were several seconds pause. Then, step by step, head down, Hannah moved into sight.
"Hannah-" he started, but didn't know what to say afterwards, especially when he was staring at her hair instead of her. "Hannah, look at me, please!"
Her head snapped up. Her face was that of a frightened doe. That face had made him giggle as a boy. Now it melted his heart. It blurred as he began to cry.
She was crying too, and suddenly, they were in each other's arms. "Not until now did I realize what you meant to me, Alfred. By the time exams were over, I realized you probably didn't blame me, but I was still afraid." he heard her choke out between sobs.
"Don't be afraid," he murmered. He pulled back.
"I love you," she murmered back. She had never said that before.
He pulled back. "Then make me the happiest man in the world, Hannah. Marry me."
Her smile was the most beautiful thing Alfred had ever seen, and was followed by the sweetest thing he had ever heard, "I will." To Be Continued...