Chloe Patil at Hogwartss: Part 24
The girls, of course, didn't stay true to their word. They'd been lying to Chloe all the while, after all, which is why they told Jack the news the first chance they got.
"Dammit!" Jack swore loudly in the busy common room, attracting several looks of curiosity.
"Jack!" Jessika tutted, "Please, watch your mouth and keep it down!"
"Besides, what's the problem?" Roz added. "You're freaking out over nothing."
"Nothing? Weren't you listening when I explained that I need that little lion runt for the plan?" Jack responded.
The girls all rolled their eyes at his emphasis on the word 'plan.'
"So then, how can I get her and Harry back together again?" Jack asked desperately.
"Well, the only way I can see is if you get Padma off and snogging with someone Chloe cares about." Autumn said, as though it were the most stupid suggestion in the world. "But who would you use?"
Suddenly Jack got an evil gleam in his eyes. "Well..." He trailed off, a plan forming in his mind. "In Quidditch, Gryffindor versus Slytherin game in two weeks, right?" He asked, a dazed look in his eyes.
"Yeah..." Jessika responded cautiously. "You of all people should know, Jack. Honestly..."
He snapped back into the real world. "O.K, this is what you girls are going to do. Roz and Jessika, I'll be needing the two of you the most."
The girls nodded their heads, eager to hear what he had to say.
"Roz? You'll be cheerleading?" He asked seriously.
Roz puffed up with pride. "Right in the front!" She exclaimed.
"Great. This is what you'll need to do...."
*~*
Thirteen days passed, and the eagerly anticipated Slytherin vs. Gryffindor game was the very next day. It was always entertaining for Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, watching the two rival houses battle eachother out on the pitch, but for the Gryffindor and Slytherin houses, it was pure war. The few days before the game were filled with attempts to take out eachothers players and even more mockery and hissing in the halls and during meals. Chloe went to bed that night already feeling the butterflies fluttering around in her stomach.
She tossed and turned, unable to sleep due to visions of approaching Bludgers, fluttering Snitches and soaring Quaffles. She was unsure as to what the next day would bring, but she had a feeling that something very odd would happen.
Finally sleep washed over her in a peculiar way, pulling her into such a deep unconcious state that a few dreamless hours passed without notice. It came suddenly. Nothing built up to it, it just appeared, and Chloe was awakened by the same dream that had haunted her on the train. She sat up gasping, groping her surroundings in fear, breathing quickly and harshly. She calmed a bit when she acknowledged that she was, indeed, in her bed and not with Voldemort, but she noted that her pulse hadn't descended from it's steep race upwards just yet.
She collapsed back into her damp sheets, confused. What did this dream mean, if anything? Voldemort was definitely not out to get her, he had no reason! She decided that it was brought on by nerves. On the train she was nervous about coming back to school, and now she was nervous about the game.
Yes, she soothed herself as she closed her eyes once more, it's just nerves....
When Chloe woke in the morning, she had only a vague recollection of what had happened. After all, there was something WAY more important going on today
Jack felt the exact same way.
"So, you girls know what you're doing then?" He asked nervously, gathered in the Common Room once again with the same group.
"YES!" They replied impatiently. Roz, the center of attention, held her prized pom-poms and was decked out in an outfit of green and silver. She danced nervously on her toes. Jessika had a determined look on her face, and Jack knew she was going over what she was supposed to do once more. He checked his watch. Only an hour remained until game time, and the team had to meet in the dressing room a half-hour early.
"Did Padma get the owl?" Autumn inquired.
"Yeah, I saw her open it at breakfast." Sara replied.
"Same here." Jessika confirmed absentmindedly.
"Alright, I'm going to head out and assume position. Jessika, bring Chloe with you 15 minutes after Roz has left, just in case there are problems."
Jessika nodded stiffly. "Alright."
Jack nodded once more, then turned and left the Common Room, heading out to the boundary of the Forest. The girls waited alone silently for a good five minutes before Sara spoke up.
"Roz?" She said, interrupting Roz's practicing of the routine. "It's time for you to go."
"Alright, good luck guys!" She said cheerfully, skipping out.
"Think that Cheering Charm the squad put on themselves was a little too strong?" Ashley asked with a smirk.
The other girls grinned. "Definitely!" They replied.
Meanwhile, up in the dorm, Chloe was rushing about.
"Why didn't they wake me up earlier?" She grumbled to herself. The girls had done this on purpose, something she didn't know. She wasn't exactly running late, but she was being rushed, and she hated it. While she was grabbing various items and thrusting them into her bag, Jessika was climbing the stairs to get her.
"Hey Chloe." She grinned as she opened the door. "How's it going?"
"How does it look like it's going?" Chloe answered in a disgusted tone. "And how on earth did this get in here?" She added, picking out from her bag a furry green slipper.
Jessika shrugged. "Beats me. Listen, Chloe. You don't have to be nervous, you're going to be great, but we have to go." She coaxed gently, zipping up the bag and handing it over to Chloe.
"Yeah, you're right, the meeting's soon." Chloe answered, bending over to tie her sneaker.
Jessika sighed with relief. That had been easy, now on to the next part.
~*~
"Um, Padma?" Roz asked, tapping the older girl on the shoulder. She'd gone down to the Great Hall as Jack had instructed and was now collecting the 'bait.'
"What?" She answered irritably. Then, taking notice of Roz's Slytherin uniform, she asked, "Where's Chloe? She sent me an owl saying I was to meet her here, and she's a bit late. Have you seen her?"
"Yes, actually, I have," Roz answered, smiling sweetly. "She sent me to get you."
Padma eyed her up suspiciously. "What does she want?"
"Oh, how on Earth should I know? She's full of surprises!" Roz laughed loudly.
"Um, are you alright?" Padma asked, narrowing her eyes.
"Of course I'm alright! Right this way, then." Roz replied, grabbing Padma by the arm and leading her towards the door. Next stop: The Forbidden Forest.
As this was happening, Jack was waiting impatiently, anxiously checking his watch. "They're a bit late." He muttered under his breath. He sank beneath a tree, ready to put his part of the plan into action. Who knew that the first Patil he'd kiss wouldn't be Chloe?
Finally he spotted a cheerful Roz hopping along the grass leading a puzzled and slightly scared Padma Patil right behind her. He crouched behind a bush, swallowing hard and moistening his lips in anticipation.
"Just a little bit closer." He muttered.
"We're here!" Roz giggled as they reached the area that Jack was hiding in.
"Yeah, but where's Chloe?" Padma asked with exasperation.
"She'll be right with you. Bye now!" Roz said, trotting off.
Padma turned around, facing the castle. "Weird girl." Jack heard her mutter. He grinned and lost his balance, having to grab onto a tree to steady himself again. Unfortunately, however, he'd made enough noise to capture the girl's attention.
"Chloe?" She asked, approaching. "What kind of joke is this? Sometimes I wonder about you..." She reached the tree and pulled back the bushes to reveal Jack.
"What the..." She burst out, her face contorted with confusion. She never finished though, because Jack was ready.
"Imperio!" He bellowed, pouncing from his crouched position at the same time.
And the next thing she knew, Padma didn't know anything at all.
*~*
Jessika and Chloe were just entering the Great Hall when they met up with Roz.
"Chloe!" Roz greeted them breathlessly. "Your sister, at the Forest. She want's to see you." Roz told her, clutching a stitch in her side.
"Did you run all the way here?" Chloe asked.
Roz grinned and nodded emphatically.
"For a Ravenclaw." Chloe pointed out dubiously.
Roz went slightly pale, then shrugged. "She, uh, threatened to curse me. You know those Ravenclaw's, smart as the dickens, didn't want to mess around with her!" She answered loudly, gesturing with her arms to give her story what she thought to be effect.
Chloe gave Jessika a look. "What's going on with her?" She asked with obvious confusion.
Jessika smiled meekly, "The Cheering Charm, you know, they make her a little...er-" Then she mouthed the word Whack-O.
Chloe nodded understandingly. "I see..."
"So then." Roz answered a little less brightly, glaring at Jessika. "Shall we?"
Chloe looked at her watch as they exited the castle. "Yeah, but I hope she makes this quick."
From where he was hiding, Jack could see the girls coming over the hill. "Better get this over with." He mumbled to himself. "Padma!" He barked. She looked up, astonished. "Kiss me!" He ordered, and was taken aback by how quickly she jumped up and threw herself at him. He kept his eyes open, watching them approach, waiting all the while for that very second...
Roz and Jessika were obviously putting forth a lot of effort to keep Chloe from looking their way, pointing out owls and other common things. Anything to keep her gaze from wandering ahead. They were getting so close, sooo close.....
Now! A little voice said in his head. "Finite Incantatem!" He muttered, turning quickly so Padma would be facing her sister..
*~*
"Look, Chloe, look! An owwwwl!" Roz sang out, attempting to make her words drip with amazement. Chloe, concerned for her friend, played along.
"Nice Roz...what kind is it?" She asked, shielding her eyes.
"A Tawny." Roz replied.
Jessika, trying to prolong the conversation, added, "It is not, you twit! That's is SO a barn owl, you can tell."
Roz rolled her eyes. "What are you? An Owl expert?"
"Yes." Jessika responded in a dignified manner.
"Yeah, whatever." Roz responded.
They were coming ever nearer to Jack and Padma. Jessika could see them now, and quickly looked away. "I would have never thought it to be possible for a tree to grow to be that high." She speculated.
Roz rolled her eyes again. "Now who are you? The Possible Police?"
"Would you stop it with the Who Are You's?" Jessika snapped, "'Cause it's really getting annoying, don't you think so Chlo-"
But she was stopped by the sight of her friend. Chloe had caught a glimpse of Padma and Jack. A look of horror quickly turning to anger spread across her face.
"I can't believe this..." She muttered, trailing off. Roz and Jessika did their best to look politely puzzled. Suddenly Jack whirled around, exposing Padma's face. Padma immediately opened her eyes, saw Chloe and jumped away, pushing Jack off of her.
"Chloe, no! No, wha- who are you???" She asked, turning to look at Jack in the face.
"Oh don't go playing dumb!" Chloe spat out hotly, advancing towards the two of them. When she was face to face with Padma she said in an angry whisper (that Jack could just barely hear),
"You're lucky I have a meeting right now. Meet me here after the game, and if you don't show up, you'll be sorry." Then she stalked off towards the pitch, leaving the rest of them behind.
Neither of the Patil girls noticed the evil grins of triumph on the Slytherin's faces.
*(A/N)* Oooh, they're evil, those bunch! Thanks for reading, les revues sont apprécie. Ha! French! Is it wrong? I'm terribly horrible with verbs and they always seem to be wrong.
Review, people, an eternal ending is nearing for one of the characters. *evil laugh*
Just a little foreshadowing there! *wink* Plead for your favourite characters! **Later Alligators**