Cold


A/N: This story will be done in one or two chapters!



I kind of avoided Luiz for a few days after that. Mostly because Bill had become my second shadow, popping up before and after most of my classes, sitting near me at dinner, even waiting in the common room until I went to bed.

But I was also avoiding Luiz because I was scared. Scared of how easily I had been tricked. Bill pulled me aside one night, and we headed back to the prefects bathroom, where Frank was waiting. He explained a lot about what I had taken that night, and what it had done to me.

I guess being muggle-born has it's perks. Especially if your mom's a nurse.

After two weeks, Bill seemed satisfied that I could function by myself again. He stopped showing up at all my classes.

I really wish he had kept it up.

It was another cold morning as I was walking to the Greenhouse when Luiz pulled me into the forest.

"Dragonmaster, where ya been?"

"I've been busy. Classes." I stared down at my shoes, then up at the trees, and back over at the greenhouses. Anything to keep from looking him in the eye.

Luiz laughed. "The guys loved you so much, they want us to come back ASAP. They just got some new-"

"I'm busy." I said shortly, trying to walk away. Luiz stepped in front of me.

"I never even said when yet." He accused. "You've been avoiding me, Charlie. What's up?"

"I don't want to do that shit again." I blurted out. My cheeks burned red as I traced a pattern in the dirt with my shoe.

Luiz looked confused, but then he grinned.

"Man, I thought this was serious." He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. C'mon, man, you won't have to do anything you don't want to." Luiz promised. "Come on, what're they gonna do, hold you down and force it in your mouth?"

"I just don't feel comfortable, that's all." I muttered, turning towards the Greenhouse again.

He grabbed my wrist. "Look, Charlie, I'll make sure nothing happens. They'll listen to me."

"I listened to you too." I snapped.

He placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Nothing's gonna happen. I swear it. Come on, Charlie, if you can't trust me, who can you trust? I'm like, your only friend."

I looked at him for a minute, trying to decide if I should trust him again. I looked over at the green house as the rest of my class filed in. I really didn't want to lose Luiz. He was my only friend...

"When?" I asked, even as my stomach tied in knots.

Luiz grinned. "That's the beauty part, you won't even miss any of your precious Herbiology time. We go this weekend. It's a Hogsmeade weekend, and no one will miss us..."

"No one will miss you." I said under my breath, thinking about Bill as Luiz outlined the details.


Three days later, I was back in the alley with Luiz, shivering even though it wasn't that cold.

"Hey man, you just missed Darren." Noodle sighed. They all seemed happier than the last time I saw them. There also seemed like there were more of them.

"Damn, anything new?" Luiz hurried over, leaving me standing there. I don't know what I had been expecting, but that wasn't it. He hadn't told anyone to not offer me anything.

"Hey, Alpo, this is the guy I wanted you to meet." Buzzy called, placing his arm across my shoulders. He had scars up and down his arms, like he'd gotten in a fight with a cat. I was beginning to notice a lot of them did. And they all seemed to be bleeding from some part of their body.

"This the soap you guys washed?" A tall guy, the only redhead I'd seen that I wasn't related to, ambled over and looked at me. "What'd you give him?"

"Crack with dust, Felix acid, and some of Darren's signature weed." Noodle was grinning, and for the first time I noticied he was missing some teeth.

"Man, and he didn't o.d? He couldn't have been a soap. No soap could take Darren's signature weed and not o.d."

"I'll prove it." Buzzy called out. He dug into his pocket, and produced another roll of paper. Holding it out to me, he told Alpo, "Watch."

I stared at it for a while, not comprehending what they were talking about. Luiz had told me they wouldn't even offer me anything. Wait a minute, Luiz!

My eyes darted to Luiz for backup, but he was busy with a needle. I looked back at Buzzy, who was shoving the joint under my nose.

"I-I..." I started shaking again. He shoved the joint in my hand. I stared at it, jumping slightly in my palm.

They all stared at me expectantly. I put it between my fingers to stall. Alpo held out a light. I had just held it up when...

"Charlie!"

They all jumped, probably unaccustomed to such a loud voice. I looked over my shoulder towards where the voice originated, and felt all my blood pool in my feet.

Bill was stalking towards me, fists clenched, cheeks red.