Chapter Eleven: Bits and Pieces…
"The Second Task does not begin until February. So your minds should be in the classroom and not in the clouds… Yes, Maria?"
"What is the second task?" Half of the class laughed as Professor McGonagall scowled at the question. Holly, however, was barely listening, doodling on her parchment usually pictures of Cedric or of red, snake-like eyes…
"You know very well that I cannot release that information, Miss Gonzales."
"OK, then what is the third task?" Maria pressed. The rest of the class laughed. The color was rising in McGonagall's face.
"I am afraid that is confidential as well, Miss Gonzales. Do you have any further questions?"
"Yes, I—"
"About Transfiguration?!" McGonagall interrupted. Maria fell silent. But another hand rose.
"Yes, Megan?" McGonagall called.
"Are we going to learn how to transfigure a twig into a white rose?" Holly's head snapped up and looked around the room for where Megan was. When she found her, she noticed Megan was smiling in Holly's direction. Holly scowled back at her.
"That is a simple technique," McGonagall said with a slight smile. "It was pointed out to me by a Hufflepuff, actually, who had figured out how to do it on his own. A smart lad. Yes, I suppose I could show you, but next class. Today, we are going to do something different…" Holly tuned out again and went back to her doodling.
"What are you doing?" Holly asked with a laugh as Harry kicked a rock into the lake.
"Trying to figure out this blasted egg!" he growled back, throwing the thing at her feet.
"Hm…" Holly said, picking it up and examining it.
"Don't—" Harry started, but Holly opened the egg. An ear-piercing scream cut through the air and Holly immediately closed it.
"Well!" she declared. "I have no idea!"
"Good," Harry mumbled. "Because I'm not suppose to receive any help from anyone!"
"Shouldn't you have figured it out by now?" Holly asked. "It's been ages!"
"You know Ron and I," Harry muttered. "It's called procrastination, Holly." The girl smiled.
"You'll figure it out, I bet," she said.
"Yeah, when it's too late," Harry whispered.
"So, that egg…" Holly said to Cedric casually. "Have you, you know, like, figured it out yet?" He grinned and gave her a mocking look of accusation.
"Are you trying to extract some illegal information out of me, Holly?" said he.
"Oh no!" Holly sounded appalled at the idea, but Cedric could tell by the look on her face that she, too, was being sarcastic. "It's just, Harry and I were wondering if you'd figured it out. Because, you know, he's known the answer ages ago!" Cedric laughed.
"Still doesn't understand it?" Holly sighed, sadly.
"No."
"I can understand. It's a hard puzzle to figure out. I only came about the answer by accident."
"Oh, so you have figured it out?" Holly grinned. Cedric gave her a reproachful look.
"You know I can't tell him, Holly. Friend of yours or no, he's my opponent. Then again…" Cedric trailed off and Holly noticed the thoughtful look on his face.
"Then again what?" Holly was suspicious. What was he up to?
"I gotta go, Holly," Cedric said, sprinting down the hall. "I'll see you later!"
"Um… OK! Bye!"
"Spew? What's spew?" Holly could barely keep from laughing.
"I have no idea!" Ron cried. "Some stupid thing Hermione's been doing for months now and she won't give it up!"
"Humor her, Ron," Holly urged. "It'll make her happy."
"I s'pose," Ron mumbled. "But only if you join the damn thing too!" Holly laughed.
"OK," she said. "Where's Hermione?"
Soon, Holly found she had to defend herself from snide remarks. And she felt herself becoming very passionate about it.
"It's not spew, it's S.P.E.W!" she hissed, reminding herself of Hermione. "And if you criticize me one more time for helping out a friend, I swear I will blast you with a fever curse!" That threat managed to keep a lot of people away. It was a rumor that as an apology for casting it on her, Moody had taught Holly the curse to help her defend herself. Though Moody and Holly knew this wasn't true, neither of them denied it.
As the other students took their seats, Holly winked at Moody who smiled in return.
"Thanks," she whispered.
"Holly, you great big prat!" Fred hissed. "What on earth do you think you're doing?!" Holly didn't reply to Fred's urgent whisper. She merely sat up, tall and proud, with a large grin on her face.
"Holly, do you know what you're doing?" George demanded. "You're committing social suicide!"
"I don't care!" Holly replied, keeping her proud stance in her seat.
"You should care," Lee said. "Do you know what'll happen to us for just sitting with you??"
"Then don't sit with me then, if you're so afraid!" Holly said without looking at him. Lee and the twins exchanged worried looks. A few Slytherins stumbled into the dungeon, laughing. One of them, a blond girl with sharp features and gray eyes, stared at Holly with a smile.
"Well, well, well," she said. "Would you look at you? All dressed up like a Christmas tree!"
"Go to hell, Saunders," Holly said with a confident smile. Clara Saunders just burst out laughing.
"What are you going to do, hm Phillips?"
"Tear you to shreds, that's what she'll do!" Lee shouted, standing up for his friend. Holly's smile deepened. Lee was standing up for her, even when she was decorated from head to toe in flags and pins saying 'Support S.P.E.W.'
"You never bothered us before, Clara," Fred mumbled under his breath, hiding his eyes from Holly and the blond. "Why now?"
"I'll tell you why, Weasley," said the Slytherin. "Because your little friend looks like an idiot."
"Well maybe I want to look like an idiot, did that ever occur to your small little blond-sized brain?" said Holly, casually. Clara scowled.
"I will not stand idly by and be called a blond!" she hissed. One of her companions leaned in close to her and whispered something in her ear. A surprised expression came on her face, but instantly was disguised with one of pure malice.
"I know very well what my hair color is, Beans!" she hissed at the young man. "Thank you very much for informing me!" The Gryffindors chuckled but their laughter was cut short as the Potions Master swung open the door and quickly walked into the room.
"Everyone take your seats," he said flatly. "And Phillips, take off that horrible display. You won't help any House Elves looking like a train that crashed into a Christmas tree." Holly sheepishly took off her pins and flags. She found it funny that where no one else could make her feel stupid or embarrassed, Professor Snape always seemed to succeed.
"I would like to thank you, Holly!" Hermione cried as she caught up with the sixth year in the hall.
"Thank me?" Holly sounded surprised. "For what?"
"I heard about that incident in Potions. You really know how to show them, don't you? I'm proud of you, Holly, you stood up to everyone for a good cause!"
"Well, Hermione, I have to be truthful with you about that," Holly said, quietly. Hermione looked confused.
"What?"
"I… Well, I don't really believe in all this elf welfare and stuff— I mean, I understand why you're doing it, and I know your intentions are good, but do they really want your help?" Hermione straightened up and the smile on her face disappeared."
"In the Middle Ages, Holly," she began. "Peasants would work on the same manor for their whole lives in exchange for room and board. Their children would work on that same manor, as would their children, as would their children. Their conditions were terrible, but they were happy because they didn't know any better. They had no where else to go. The streets were full of thieves, everyone knew that, and they believed they wouldn't last one second outside the manor walls. When the explorers began discovering new and better things, the people heard of them and grew restless. That's all I am trying to do, give house elves the taste of new and better things."
Holly paused, waiting to see if that was the end of Hermione's speech. Finally, she spoke.
"Yes, well, Hermione, that's all well and good, but do they really want new and better things? I mean, do you really want to start an elf revolution? Not that many people would notice anyway, but a war is a war!" Hermione scowled.
"Well if you don't believe in it, then why were you sporting my pins?"
"And flags. I made flags too, see?" Holly grinned as she showed her a flag that said in blinking neon letters 'Support S.P.E.W!' Hermione smiled a weak, confused smile.
"Well… Why did you make flags and embarrass yourself in your classes?"
"I found it barbaric that people made fun of someone just because of their opinions and beliefs. So I took a stand. I know you really believe in this Hermione, and I know you're a good person who's just trying to help and I couldn't stand all those whispers behind your back. So I took a stand, kind of like a protest. And no one could make me stand down. Except for Snape. That man scares the hell out of me." Hermione gave Holly an appreciative and slightly bashful smile.
"Thank you, Holly," she said. "That's very… kind of you."
"Any time, Hermione, any time."
"The second task is in a couple days, Harry," Holly said excitedly as she met him in the common room one morning. Harry groaned.
"Don't remind me," he said.
"Don't tell me you still haven't figured out that egg!" Holly laughed.
"No, I figured it out, I just dunno what I'm going to do!" Holly nodded.
"You'll know what to do sooner or later. You're smart."
"Yeah," Harry muttered. "Whatever you say."