Chapter 12

Devastating Attack



Winter soon turned into spring and the lack of recent attacks made everyone think the assailant had retired for good. Around Easter time the students had to choose their classes for the next year. Vera chose the same subjects as Wood, though she wondered if she would be spending her seventh and final year at Hogwarts.

Gryffindor's next Quidditch match would be against Hufflepuff. Wood was insisting on team practices every night after dinner, leaving Vera little time along with him. She compensated by taking her books with her and sitting in the stands, giving tips to help the team when she could.

"I think that you are really going to surprise the Hufflepuffs tomorrow," she commented as they met outside the locker room.

"Our chances for the Quidditch cup have never been better," agreed Wood as they entered the castle. Wood went on about tactics for a few minutes as they walked up towards Gryffindor Tower, Vera listening with half an ear.

She stopped as they rounded a corner in the hallway. "Athena?" she asked curiously, seeing her cat sitting in front of the portrait. Walking up to the cat, she shifted her books into one hand and picked her cat up with the other. "I don't know how you get out, but I wish that you would stop doing it." Athena climbed up onto her shoulder and Vera shifted her books back again.

Wood said the password and followed Vera into the common room. Dumping her books on the table in front of the couch, she sat back and sighed. Wood sat next to her and opened his book, Quidditch Tactics and Ploys, reading it for the millionth time as if he could pick something new from it. Vera opened her own book, Self-Transfiguration: Animagus.

Vera settled against Wood, realizing she was almost too comfortable. She reminded herself not to fall asleep against him like she had done several times already. Glancing up at him, she chuckled.

"What?" he asked in confusion, looking at her.

Vera shook her head. "You are concentrating on that book as if you life depends on it. I have yet to see you scrutinize a textbook that way."

"Well, a textbook can't help me with my career, this book can."

Vera rolled her eyes and turned back to her own book. "You've memorized every line in that book, you're just burning away braincells with repeat readings."

Wood frowned momentarily before he saw that she was no longer paying attention to him. With a flourish, he threw the book over his shoulder and set upon Vera with his hands, tickling her until she was gasping for breath.

"Oliver!" she choked out amid her laughs as she tried to push his hands away. "I take it back, I take it back! Stop!"

He sat back on his heels on the couch, grinning from ear to ear. "That's what you get for insulting me."

She grinned and raised her foot, solidly kicking him in the chest. He swung his arms in circles, trying to regain his balance, before he flew backwards over the couch to land with a crash on the floor.

Vera started to laugh as Athena jumped onto the arm of the couch. The cat looked down at Wood where he lay in a heap, watching him with her emerald eyes. Wood couldn't help but be unnerved by the stare, thinking that she was laughing at him, though cats couldn't laugh.

Vera's face appeared a few moments later, looking down at him. "So Oliver, what was it that you were saying?"

He rolled his eyes and climbed to his feet, brushing off his clothes as he did. He bent down and retrieved his book, stretching as he straightened up. He sat down on the other side of the couch from Vera. "I'm going to read my book in peace now, thank you."

Vera laughed and settled against him once more. "Sure you are."

He smiled and opened his book as she did the same. After a time he glanced at his watch and looked up. "Team! Bed!"

Vera groaned. Rubbing her eyes she sat up. "I need more rest, I fell asleep again!" She turned slightly and glared at him. "You just had to yell didn't you?"

He chuckled. "Unfortunately, yes. I suggest you go to bed too if you fell asleep against me. I'll see you in the morning." He kissed her and headed off to his room, pushing the Weasley twins ahead of him.

Vera sighed and let Athena perch on her shoulder before she followed Katie into their room. She did need more sleep. At least she didn't have to worry about competing in a Quidditch match in the morning; that was Katie's problem now, not hers. She actually looked forward to the next day; a nice day of relaxing with Wood once the match was over.

~*~*~*~

Vera awoke to brilliant sunshine and a light, refreshing breeze the next day. She yawned and watched Katie get out of bed before following suit. She took her time though, still getting dressed when Katie left for breakfast. She wondered how excited Wood was about today. She didn't have to wait long though as she made her way to the Great Hall for breakfast.

"Perfect Quidditch conditions!" said Wood enthusiastically at the Gryffindor table, loading the team's plates with scrambled eggs. "Harry, buck up there, you need a decent breakfast."

Vera rolled her eyes as she sat down. "Really Oliver. You force them to eat while you don't touch a thing yourself. A tad unfair don't you think?"

Wood shrugged as he sat down. "I couldn't stomach a thing."

Vera muttered, "Hypocrite," under her breath before she started on her own breakfast. As they left the Great Hall and Wood was about to start off for the Quidditch pitch, Vera turned to him. "I have to stop at the library quickly and drop off a few books, but I'll be in the stands. Good luck."

She kissed him once before she disappeared up a staircase, Wood smiling at her retreating back. The smile stayed on his face as he ran through the plays for the day as he pulled on his scarlet robes in the locker room. It wasn't until he walked onto the field and took off for a warm-up flight around the goal posts that his smile turned into a frown.

His eyes scanned the Gryffindor stands, searching for Vera, but wasn't able to find her. He reassured himself that she said that she would be there, but he couldn't get rid of the nagging feeling at the back of his mind.

Focusing again on the Hufflepuff team in their canary yellow robes, he frowned still further when he saw Professor McGonagall come half marching, half running across the pitch, carrying an enormous purple megaphone.

"This match has been cancelled," Professor McGonagall called through the megaphone, addressing the packed stadium. There were boos and shouts. Wood, looking devastated, landed and ran toward Professor McGonagall without getting off his broomstick.

"But Professor!" he shouted. "We've got to play - the cup - Gryffindor -"

Professor McGonagall gave him a pained look before holding up her hand to silence him. She continued to shout through her megaphone:

"All students are to make their way back to the House common rooms, where their Heads of Houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can, please!"

Then she lowered the megaphone and beckoned Harry over to her before looking at the two scarlet clad boys in front of her. "Potter, Wood, I think you better come with me. . . "

Wood and Harry both exchanged looks, unsure of what was going on. Ron detached himself from the complaining crowd; he came running up to them as they set off toward the castle. Professor McGonagall didn't object. "Yes, perhaps you'd better come, too, Weasley. . . "

Some of the students swarming around them were grumbling about the match being canceled; others looked worried. The three Gryffindors followed Professor McGonagall back into the school and up the marble staircase. Wood looked down at his hand and noticed his knuckles were white from grasping his broom handle so hard.

"This will be a bit of a shock," said Professor McGonagall in a surprisingly gently voice as they approached the infirmary. "There has been another attack . . . a triple attack."

Harry and Ron looked at each other in horror. Wood could have sworn that he would break his broom as a feeling of dread washed over him. He reminded himself to breathe as Professor McGonagall pushed the door open and they entered.

Madam Pomfrey was bending over a fifth-year girl with long, curly hair. On the bed next to her was -

"Hermione!" Ron groaned.

Wood was frozen in his tracks. He hardly heard Harry and Ron talking with Professor McGonagall. His eyes were focused on one bed farther than Hermione, a girl laying there utterly still, ice blue eyes open and glassy.

"Vera," he breathed, dropping his broom and going to her side. He found he couldn't breathe as he stared at her still form.

A hand rested on his shoulder and he looked up through watery eyes to see Professor McGonagall looking at him in sympathy. "She'll be all right Wood," she said comfortingly. "I will escort you back to Gryffindor Tower," she said heavily. "I need to address the students in any case." She gently steered him away from the bed before looking back at the frozen girl. She sighed and patted Vera's wrist before leading the three stunned students out of the infirmary.



~*~*~*~

GRRR. I HATE MY COMPUTER. I've been fighting with the stupid thing for an hour! Grr. Anyway. I've finished writing the story. There are two more chapters left and a small epilogue. Which I guess is good because I start school on Thursday, (how unfair is THAT?) and I think that the journalism class that I'm taking is going to kill me. Yep. I'm SO dead. So, you know the drill, hit the little button. Thanks to everyone that sends me feedback, I cherish it all! Next chapter: Haze. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go fight off the LOTR and HP plot bunnies that are trying to maul me now that I have nothing to write. *Grabs a piece of burning wood* Back! Back I say!! ~ Alexandra