Okay, there's a depressing little truth about myself at the end of this chapter, don't pay too much attention to it. I changed the name of the guy (unfortunately, it's the same name as one of my other guy friends. Stevo, I AIN'T TALKING ABOUT YOU!), so no one can tell who he is for real.

I've decided to upload everything now, because I've already started in on part two. Hope ya like it!

Disclaimer: We own nothing. (*cowers in terror* Don't sue us, please!)

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Chapter 14: Thanksgiving

October had passed us by, as had Halloween (the bats had been excellent!), and November dropped upon us faster than I would have liked. Sure, I liked the Grangers, but I did not want to leave Hogwarts so quickly.

Our first match against Hufflepuff came up like a chicken hatching. In other words, I knew it was going to happen, but I wasn't prepared for it. A week before our match, Ron and I discussed our options. Wood had told us to work it out between ourselves.

"We've seen Hufflepuff in action," Ron said, thinking a bit over. "If anything, I'd say that I lack speed compared to you-"
"And I lack strength compared to you," I added, admitting that Ron was a lot stronger than me.

"From what I've seen the Hufflepuffs use agility in their moves," Ron moved on. "Not strength. So, this will be your match."
"All right," I smiled, glad. "I've noticed the Ravenclaws also beefing up for our match against them. They seem to want strength. That's your match."
"Cool," he grinned too. "But Slytherin..."
"Slytherin..."
We hadn't any intelligence at all on that team. Slytherins were very careful that no one, and I mean no one, watched they practices. No one had seen hide nor hair of the Slytherin practices, but Madam Hooch always vouched for them that they were practicing. And very hard.

"We'll cross that road when we come to it," I said finally. "We don't have that match until May."
"Yeah."

"All set for tomorrow's exam?" Angel asked us, sitting down opposite us. "McGonagall said it would be difficult."
"Her classes are always difficult," Ron pointed out.

"Only if you don't pay attention, Mr. Weasley," Angel sniffed indignantly.

"At least I can change the color of whatever it is," I sighed. "That's the only attribute I've managed to change fully."
"You can do it, babe," Angel grinned. "You've just got to believe you can. Watch this."
She pulled out her wand and tapped the rock she pulled from her pocket. An intricate design appeared all over it with one tap and muttered word. It changed white and blue next. Then flattened last, revealing a white china plate, the kind my mother had always admired but never bought.

"Unfortunately, you can't fully transfigure anything," Angel said, pouting. "It's still made of stone, underneath all that. Otherwise people really could change straw into gold."

She stood up, and with a wave of her wand, the stone returned to her hand as if it had never been a plate before at all.

"I envy her," Ron sank into his robes. "She can do anything."
"Not quite," I answered him. "She is a very confused person, Ron. I don't think she'll ever find out who she really is."
"You can say that again, Galis," Malfoy appeared behind me, and I nearly jumped out of my skin. I still don't trust the boy. "I'm not that person, David. Try to remember that." With a flick of his robes, he walked away, too.

"Why don't you trust him?" Ron asked. "I know he's in Slytherin and everything, but he seems to be a pretty nice guy."
"I know. It's just that I can't shake the feeling that he isn't totally truthful," I shivered a little before turning back to Ron. "Come on, let's see if we can't master a few of these things."

***

McGonagall's test came and went, too. I had managed a pretty decent-looking plate out of the stone, which turned out to be McGonagall's test.

The week also flew by. With Quidditch practice and our homework, it seemed to fly, anyway. Our match against Hufflepuff was upon us already.

Angel, Harry, and I sat in the locker room as Wood gave us his speech. It was the first of his speeches I'd ever heard, and I looked as though I paid rapt attention. However, I was more preoccupied with the screams and cheers and boos coming from outside in the stands.

The whole school was going to watch us.

I had totally forgotten about it.

This was not good.

"How was your first game, Wood?" I asked, my brain a little fuzzy.

"I don't remember it real well," he answered. "Took a Bludger ten minutes in. Woke in the hospital wing a week later."
Yeah, like that helped. Sorry I asked.

"Calm down, Angel, calm down," I heard my sister whispering to herself. She hated crowds in the first place.

"And here they come! The new Griffindor team, including Fred and George Weasley as the Beaters, David and Angel Galis and Katie Bell as the Chasers, Harry Potter as the Seeker, and Oliver Wood as Keeper and Captain! Also on the team this year is backup Chaser Ron Weasley."

I flew over the crowd, tiny pinpoints on the ground. The nervous feeling in my stomach hadn't gone, but it wasn't as bad now that I was in the air, ready.

Our positions were set. Angel on the far left, Katie to my immediate left, and me on the end.
"The Quaffle is released and they're off!" Lee Jordan shouted. The Weasley twin's friend was a pretty good commentator, making sure to get every face right. "It's Griffindor in possession, Katie Bell. A quick pass to Angel Galis, one of the newest additions to the team and the goal is clear...She SCORES! Ten points to Griffindor!"

The game went on like this, the three of us passing the Quaffle back and forth. Hufflepuff was no competition at all. Fred and George hit Bludger after Bludger at the other players, and that helped even more. Hufflepuff only had the Quaffle one shining moment, when it was blocked by Wood.

I think all Wood did that day was cheer, though.

I didn't even realize that Harry had caught the Snitch until Angel tugged the Quaffle from my hands and pointed at him. She rolled her eyes. I blushed and raced down to congratulate him.

Our first win was easily won, needless to say.

***

Thanksgiving, a holiday Angel continuously said that the books never focused on, came a few days later. I could see why, though. The whole thing was just one great big feast, equal in status to that of the opening feast, I'd say.

Angel seemed extremely sad that day, but I didn't know why. When I asked her she just sighed and said it was "nothing important". She ate, but I could tell it was just for my benefit, which made me worry. Angel was an eater, she always ate anything she could, whenever she could.

There was no way this was "nothing important".

Thanksgiving passed, yes, but I couldn't help but look back on it and wonder. What was up with Angel? Why had she been so sad, so depressed? It had continued ever since. She didn't seem herself at all, and I couldn't know why.

"David, do you know what's wrong with Angel?" Hermione asked me after classes about a week later. "She won't tell me anything."
"Nope, sorry," I shrugged. "She won't say anything to me about it, either. She's been like this since Thanksgiving."
"That's strange..."
"Not really," I smiled. "It's just like her."
"Hmm? What do you mean?"

"She's never really trusted people before. I can't really blame her."

"Why's that?"

"Come on," I sighed. "Sit down, I'll explain." She sat down in the chair in front of the fireplace and I began to explain.

"Don't tell the others, okay?" she nodded. "About three months before we came here, she learned that one of her best friends from when she was little had died." Hermione gasped. "But, she found out about a week before we came that the whole thing had been a lie. A scam to get her worried about him."
"Wh-What?" Hermione whispered. "Talk about the dirtiest trick in the book!! Tricking someone into thinking your dead, why, that's inhuman!"

"Yeah. She's really touchy on the subject, especially when you ask if she's ever had a boyfriend. I wouldn't suggest it."
"Wait, how old was she again?"

"Sixteen."
Hermione was silent a moment. "Who was this person?"
"His name was Stephen. But like I said, don't say anything, she's really-"
"Yes, I heard you," she smiled. "Don't worry, David, I'll keep it secret. I'm glad I know now."

"Yeah, I suppose you would be. She didn't trust people before that, but the whole ordeal kind of intensified the feeling," I grinned sheepishly. "I'm the closest to her, and I still don't understand her at all."
"I understand," Hermione nodded.
I wondered if I had done the right thing, but shrugged it off as Harry asked me to play a game of Exploding Snap.

The next day, I noticed Malfoy studying me in a strange manner, then glancing at Tirui, almost invisible in the back row. Malfoy seemed extremely disturbed, but I couldn't be bothered with it. Snape was telling us how to make the next potion and I wasn't going to mess this one up for anyone.

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Dee asked me to reveal that one as part of the story. *grimaces* Great, now the whole world knows. Oy....