I walked back to the Gryffindor Common Room.
"Catinpule," I said, speaking the password.
The potrait swung aside, and I stepped into the Common Room. It was empty. Good. I needed space to think about everything that had just happened in these few days.
First, I had lied to everyone about my occupation.
Second, I had told Cho that we shouldn't be together anymore.
Great. How does an 18 year-old cope with this? And why did the Head send me to Hogwarts? Why couldn't he post me to some other place where I wasn't involved in any emotional tangle whatsoever?
This was so...crazy. I should have joined the Department of Magical Sports and Games when I had the chance.
**
Morning had come, and the Hogwarts Express had arrived. All the students were boarding the train that would bring them home. I looked for Cho, searching through the crowd. And then I saw her. She was dragging her luggage on the ground, her long hair flying. Obviously she was having some difficulty. I ran over to help her, but halfway there, some Ravenclaw sixth- year had already took her luggage and put it onto the train for her. She smiled gratefully at him. And then her eyes met mine.
She looked away, pretending that she didn't see me. Agony and pain shot through my heart.
If only you knew, Cho. You would understand better.
Presently, I was playing the Bad Guy. The petty boyfriend. Mr Not Understanding. It would be better this way.
I turned and walked away. I wasn't suppose to be here. I was suppose to be looking for Harry Potter, and to make sure he didn't come to any harm. I wasn't suppose to be thinking about my girlfriend. I was suppose to be trying to protect Harry.
As I struggled to get my priorities right, I caught sight of Harry. He was with his friends, Ron and Hermione. I didn't think it would be right for me to interrupt his time with his best friends. Grabbing hold of my backpack, I boarded the train and went into the cabin beside Harry's. Fred and George Weasley were there.
"How nice of you to come by, Oliver," said Fred, grinning.
"Hi Fred. And George." I said, trying to return the warm smile.
"Why aren't you with your GIRLFRIEND?" George said cheekily.
"We erm...broke up yesterday."
The smiles disappeared from the twins' faces.
"What? I thought both of you were going strong?" Fred said.
"Well...we...I mean, I thought that since she still had one more year of studies to go...we shouldn't distract each other. She can concentrate on her studies and I can go on doing my job." I had lost count on how many times I had lied to my friends.
"Oh. Don't worry, Oliver. We understand. At least Fred understands. When he broke up with Ang--OWWW!" George was cut off by Fred, who had elbowed him in the ribs.
"Don't bother about my brother, Oliver. He doesn't know what he's saying...went a little mental when that dungbomb exploded into his face last week," Fred said, giving George a look. George looked away, and continued rubbing his bruised side.
"I'm sorry that you broke up with Angelina, Fred...but I guess your reasons for the break-up were slightly different from mine," I said. So far, this was one of the few true things I have said since my return to Hogwarts.
"I guess so. She says that I'm not serious enough," said Fred, looking depressed. Fred seldom looked sad. This look came as a surprise.
"What?? I thought you told me YOU broke up with her?" George said, looking surprised.
"Erm..."
"HAH! Wait till the others hear about this. FRED GOT DITCHED!" George was grinning.
"Shut up, George," said Fred. "You have no idea what I'm feeling."
"I'm sorry, Fred...it's just that you know you shouldn't lie to me." George looked remorseful.
"Hey guys...don't get upset too. It seems like my fault. I came here because I needed cheering up," I said, looking from Fred to George.
A wide grin spreaded across Fred's face.
"Then you've come to the right place," he said.
**
When I went down the train, I felt slightly more cheered up. Fred and George were good at their jokes and funny antics. I hadn't felt happy since I broke up with Cho yesterday...but Fred and George had succeeded in making me laugh again.
"Thanks guys," I told them. "I feel a lot better."
"I told you, you came to the right place for cheering up," said Fred, grinning.
"Yeah...thanks. Erm. I really have to go now," I said. "Don't get into trouble." I smiled cheekily at them.
"That's a difficult request, Oliver. We'll have to consider it." George laughed.
"Yeah yeah, I know. See you around."
I Disapparated. Apparating was one of the type of magic I had been able to use since I graduated from Hogwarts. I wasn't a student anymore, so the 'No magic during holidays' rule couldn't apply to me.
I was home. Or at least, I thought this place was home. It was in a mess.
What the...What was going on?
"Die, Oliver Wood." It was like a reply to my question
Oh damn.
"Catinpule," I said, speaking the password.
The potrait swung aside, and I stepped into the Common Room. It was empty. Good. I needed space to think about everything that had just happened in these few days.
First, I had lied to everyone about my occupation.
Second, I had told Cho that we shouldn't be together anymore.
Great. How does an 18 year-old cope with this? And why did the Head send me to Hogwarts? Why couldn't he post me to some other place where I wasn't involved in any emotional tangle whatsoever?
This was so...crazy. I should have joined the Department of Magical Sports and Games when I had the chance.
**
Morning had come, and the Hogwarts Express had arrived. All the students were boarding the train that would bring them home. I looked for Cho, searching through the crowd. And then I saw her. She was dragging her luggage on the ground, her long hair flying. Obviously she was having some difficulty. I ran over to help her, but halfway there, some Ravenclaw sixth- year had already took her luggage and put it onto the train for her. She smiled gratefully at him. And then her eyes met mine.
She looked away, pretending that she didn't see me. Agony and pain shot through my heart.
If only you knew, Cho. You would understand better.
Presently, I was playing the Bad Guy. The petty boyfriend. Mr Not Understanding. It would be better this way.
I turned and walked away. I wasn't suppose to be here. I was suppose to be looking for Harry Potter, and to make sure he didn't come to any harm. I wasn't suppose to be thinking about my girlfriend. I was suppose to be trying to protect Harry.
As I struggled to get my priorities right, I caught sight of Harry. He was with his friends, Ron and Hermione. I didn't think it would be right for me to interrupt his time with his best friends. Grabbing hold of my backpack, I boarded the train and went into the cabin beside Harry's. Fred and George Weasley were there.
"How nice of you to come by, Oliver," said Fred, grinning.
"Hi Fred. And George." I said, trying to return the warm smile.
"Why aren't you with your GIRLFRIEND?" George said cheekily.
"We erm...broke up yesterday."
The smiles disappeared from the twins' faces.
"What? I thought both of you were going strong?" Fred said.
"Well...we...I mean, I thought that since she still had one more year of studies to go...we shouldn't distract each other. She can concentrate on her studies and I can go on doing my job." I had lost count on how many times I had lied to my friends.
"Oh. Don't worry, Oliver. We understand. At least Fred understands. When he broke up with Ang--OWWW!" George was cut off by Fred, who had elbowed him in the ribs.
"Don't bother about my brother, Oliver. He doesn't know what he's saying...went a little mental when that dungbomb exploded into his face last week," Fred said, giving George a look. George looked away, and continued rubbing his bruised side.
"I'm sorry that you broke up with Angelina, Fred...but I guess your reasons for the break-up were slightly different from mine," I said. So far, this was one of the few true things I have said since my return to Hogwarts.
"I guess so. She says that I'm not serious enough," said Fred, looking depressed. Fred seldom looked sad. This look came as a surprise.
"What?? I thought you told me YOU broke up with her?" George said, looking surprised.
"Erm..."
"HAH! Wait till the others hear about this. FRED GOT DITCHED!" George was grinning.
"Shut up, George," said Fred. "You have no idea what I'm feeling."
"I'm sorry, Fred...it's just that you know you shouldn't lie to me." George looked remorseful.
"Hey guys...don't get upset too. It seems like my fault. I came here because I needed cheering up," I said, looking from Fred to George.
A wide grin spreaded across Fred's face.
"Then you've come to the right place," he said.
**
When I went down the train, I felt slightly more cheered up. Fred and George were good at their jokes and funny antics. I hadn't felt happy since I broke up with Cho yesterday...but Fred and George had succeeded in making me laugh again.
"Thanks guys," I told them. "I feel a lot better."
"I told you, you came to the right place for cheering up," said Fred, grinning.
"Yeah...thanks. Erm. I really have to go now," I said. "Don't get into trouble." I smiled cheekily at them.
"That's a difficult request, Oliver. We'll have to consider it." George laughed.
"Yeah yeah, I know. See you around."
I Disapparated. Apparating was one of the type of magic I had been able to use since I graduated from Hogwarts. I wasn't a student anymore, so the 'No magic during holidays' rule couldn't apply to me.
I was home. Or at least, I thought this place was home. It was in a mess.
What the...What was going on?
"Die, Oliver Wood." It was like a reply to my question
Oh damn.
