Episode Seventy

Part One

            Gwen stuck to herself for the first weekend of the term. She worked further on her proposal for the Ouranian Barbaric project, graded more homework (Professor Smith was more than happy to hand out essays every night of the week; his students were less than happy to complete them on time) and spent several hours flying about on her broom. Flying was still the best way to relax she thought.

            The sky was hazy blue, the grounds bright green. She floated about, just enjoying the lick of the wind ruffling her hair. She knew she'd be spending about three hours later than evening trying to untangle it, but it didn't matter at the very moment. She was free in the air, breathing it deeply into her lungs, just trying to appreciate the beautiful blue world.

            Two weeks of lessons later and Gwen had absolutely no time to contemplate what was going on outside of Hogwarts, let alone her own personal problems. That was the nice thing (and the drawback all at once) about being in a secluded school like this. The world beyond the grounds did not concern you until it knocked on your front door.

            The world climate was still shaky, people had taken to locking their doors in neighborhoods where no one had thought to do so before. She knew that there was some Order activity going on, but she was not asked to participate. She figured it was just as well. Putting that on top of all her other work would have been suicide.

            The rest of the faculty seemed a bit bogged down as well. Minerva took her daily tea with Gwen, but they had been cutting their visits very short. Professor Smith was either sleeping or working on Order projects so he was completely unavailable. Dumbledore was so busy he was only ever seen once a day, at the head table for dinner. And Professor Snape had taken a leave of absence, something Gwen thought was highly peculiar so early in the term. But, she sighed, all of the other faculty is in the Order, why not him?

            A small throat clearing from her office door interrupted her thoughts.

            Standing there was a tiny second year student. Gwen recognized her immediately. She was the quiet one in class, who never dared to raise her hand or speak. She didn't do so well on the last homework assignment. Gwen had been meaning to speak to her. She thought it best to attend to students having trouble right from the start, nip it in the bud before it became a real problem. The timid Hufflepuff girl looked at her nervously.

            "Is there something you'd like Abigail?"

            "Yes Miss LeFey." She spluttered.

            "It's ok." She said with an encouraging smile. "Why don't you take a seat?"

            The girl stumbled to one of the oak chairs and plunked down. She craned her neck around to take in her surroundings. Gwen noticed how observant the girl seemed to be, if not a bit overwhelmed. When she looked back to the desk she noticed that Gwen was looking back at her waiting.

            "I uh. I'm not doing very well am I?" She asked barely above a whisper.

            "You're last homework assignment wasn't very clear." Gwen said honestly. "Perhaps you can buddy up with another student and work together?" She suggested.

            "I would Miss LeFey, but…" She sighed, big tears swelling in her eyes.

            Gwen walked around the desk, took the seat next to Abigail and put an arm around the girl as she began to weep loudly. "It's ok." She soothed. "Get it all out."

            "It's just that *sob* I *sob* don't know anyone." She wailed.

            Gwen was reminded vaguely of a banshee's ear splitting, bone chilling cries. She sighed. Teaching was not an easy job, she knew that heading into this. But she never expected a screaming twelve year old in her office.

            When the girl had managed to stifle her moans and blew her nose several times with the handkerchief Gwen offered her, she tried to speak again, only to find that her voice was raw from all the wailing she'd just done.

            Gwen started the conversation again, giving her time to rest her vocal cords. "How is it that you don't know anyone yet? This is your second year isn't it?"

            "Yes." Abigail said miserably. "It's just hard to get to know people."

            Gwen smiled at her sympathetically. "It is, but you get better at it the more you practice. Why don't I help you?" She said.

            "How?" The girl whimpered.

            "I could introduce you to someone from your class, ask someone to tutor you. Then you'll have an excuse to get to know each other. Who knows, maybe you could meet some of their friends and hang out, go watch Quidditch together."

            Abigail's bottom lip trembled. She couldn't believe that a teacher could be so kind. She fought to keep back another wave of tears and jumped up to hug Gwen, who was a bit put off by the girl's sudden display of affection.

            After Abigail left she went through the list of second year Hufflepuff students. She wanted to find a student who was not only smart enough to tutor but someone who would be kind and friendly to her.

            She paused on Colby Morrison. He was bright, very advanced, but he seemed a bit stand offish in the classroom. Next she thought of Andrea Wilke. Andrea was very sweet and had the same timid tendencies as Abigail, but mixing timid with timid wouldn't necessarily help the girl to pop out of her shell. Ann Temple was too boisterous, she might frighten the girl away. Sean Williams was too "by the book." He would easily get frustrated with her.

            Finally she found the perfect student. Rose McGill. She was bright, popular and very friendly. Her classroom behavior was exemplary, always offering to help others. She was exactly the kind of student who would volunteer to tutor someone who needed help. And she was Abigail Burns' ticket to friendship.

Part Two

            Miss LeFey had called Harry to her office once more. She had noticed that his grades were steadily slipping from A's and B's to C's and D's and then he received his first F on a DADA assignment. Hermione and Ron had tried to help, Hermione especially, but they couldn't get him to concentrate.

            He would often grumble nonsensically when working on homework for this class. All of his other classes were fine, although he didn't participate as much as he used to. Even on the Quidditch field he had lost his sparkle. The other Gryffindors were worried. They had never seen Harry so sullen.

            He didn't want to speak with her. She was the whole problem. Every rotten feeling he was now trudging through was because of her. He could handle it over the summer, he had much bigger things to worry about (like cleaning the Dursley house every day until he nearly rubbed holes in the wood he was polishing). He wanted to be Gwen's friend, that is if he couldn't be more.

            But she had cut him off completely. This wound was deep and fresh, not something he could shake off easily. He wanted to forget about her, but it wasn't easy being stuck in her class. So he simply stopped paying attention in Defense lessons.

            He stood before her door. It was closed, the dim light in the hall glimmering as it hit the letters of her name. G. LeFey. He didn't want to ever hear that name again.

            He knocked twice, turned the handle and pushed the door open. Gwen was seated behind her desk, gazing at the Mona Lisa by the door. She looked worn under the burning light of the candles. Her eyes were red rimmed and her hair was a little disheveled, as if she'd been pulling at it.

            He sat dazedly in a chair as the thought finally struck him. Maybe she's taking this as badly as I am. She certainly didn't show it before now, but of course she couldn't. Harry sighed and looked back up at her.

            She was trying so very hard to maintain her composure. It wasn't easy being professional in the face of great emotional attachment. Hurting Harry wasn't something she liked to do, but unfortunately it was something she did well.

            She breathed slowly. "Harry, your grades have been slipping and Professor Smith thought it best that I speak to you."

            "I know." He said, looking at his hands. He too was aiming to remain casual and business-like. "I'll study harder." He said softly.

            "Harry, I know how you feel. Please understand, I know. But there's no point wasting away in your grief."

            He looked deeply into her eyes and blinked when he couldn't bear to look anymore. She wanted so badly to bear her soul to him again and he wanted to be there for her. He reached his hand timidly across the desk and brushed her fingertips with his.

            She didn't curl away like she used to when he made her nervous.

Part Three

            Rose McGill was very willing to help. Gwen didn't explain the situation verbatim, but she slid enough hints into the conversation that Rose would get the point. She saw to it that she  would meet with Abigail twice a week and offered them her office at their disposal.

            "That's ok." Rose grinned. "I think we'll be ok in the common room."

            Gwen grinned back. "Thanks for all your help."

            "My pleasure Miss LeFey."

            But Abigail was not to be the main concern of the day. Malfoy's gears had been cranking since the opening feast and he was finally putting one of his plans into action.

            During DADA lesson with the Slytherins Gwen was being particularly helpful to Professor Smith. It was a rather difficult lesson to get through, involving complicated theories that the students were sure to confuse. She was at his elbow the entire time, offering up any suggestions that might help the students comprehend better.

            Anthony was more than grateful for her assistance and grinned widely at her. He patted her on the bottom, a source of much embarrassment, but she was certain that no students had seen him do so.

            Malfoy however, never stopped watching, waiting for his opportunity. "Potter not doing it for you anymore? Moved on to Professor Smith?" He whispered viciously.

            Gwen might have hauled up and slapped him had it not been for her immense personal restraint. This job was far more important to her than getting even with the little bastard. She gave him her nicest smile and replied "That is none of your business."

            When she turned away Malfoy stood quickly, making sure that Professor Smith's back was turned. He yanked on her long ginger ponytail and with a tap from his wand had cut most of it off. Gwen whirled on him, this was the last straw.

            "How dare you." She fumed.

            Professor Smith ran to the rescue. "Mr. Malfoy I suggest you take your seat and desist in the harassment of my assistant. Eighty points will be taken from Slytherin house and if it happens again you will serve a detention." He turned to Gwen and quietly added: "why don't you take the rest of the lesson off?"

            She smiled gratefully at Professor Smith and counted her blessings that Malfoy would no longer be a student when she became a teacher. After class she waltzed over to his office and approached him with a hand extended. "Thanks Anthony."

            "Ah no sweat." He said, clasping her hand in a peculiar hand shake. He was trying to get her to snap thumbs with him as he pulled his hand away. He succeeded, and Gwen couldn't help but laugh. "Sometimes ya g-g-gotta let shit slide and other times ya g-gotta put your foot down. This was one of those boot in the ass times."

            Gwen was glad he didn't talk like that in front of students, but appreciative of his help nonetheless. He pulled what remained of her hair out of his pocket and handed it to her. "I probably should've given the little wretch a detention."

            "It's just hair." She said, tossing it into the waste bin. "It'll grow back."

            "It looks nice short, you carry it well." He said as she tucked a strand behind her ear. She had spent the rest of the lesson in her office with her own wand, trying to even out the strands until her hair rested in a soft bob an inch above her shoulders. She smiled, wondering how she would explain the hair cut to Minerva.

Part Four

            Many students complimented Gwen on the new hairstyle, much to Malfoy's chagrin. He thought that if anything would upset a girl it would be losing her hair. Gwen however, rose to the occasion and felt that Malfoy had done her a great service.

            "It took too long to dry anyway." She laughed with Minerva over tea.

            "Heavens knows, he could have done worse." The older woman scowled. "However I would've taken away more than eighty points for such an offense."

            "I think Anthony was right." Gwen said. "He didn't actually put me in harm's way, he just saved me a trip to the salon."

            "I'm surprised that you're taking this so lighthearted."

            "I think Malfoy just needs a little patience. He can't be all bad."

            "A little patience and a weeks worth of detention with Mr. Filch."

            Gwen couldn't help but laugh. Minerva sounded so serious. "How are things with John?" She said abruptly, changing the topic before her godmother could lecture her on taking things seriously.

            "Good. He writes often now that school's started. It would be simply impossible to get him on school grounds, so letters are all we have." She sighed, a faraway look in her eyes.

            "I know how you feel." Gwen said. "I had another talk with Harry."

            "After your first meeting went so poorly?"

            "Well, I figured he needed time to adjust. I certainly did. But his grades were slipping badly. This meeting went much better. He's improved quite a bit. I think he understands now."

            "That's good." Minerva replied, sipping her tea.

            When Gwen returned to her office she bumped into Abigail in the hallway. The timid girl had a sparkle in her eye that hadn't been there in the previous weeks. She smiled brightly at Gwen and whispered conspiratorially. "Your plan worked."

            Gwen winked at her. "Glad to hear it."

            Abigail rushed off down the hall as Rose McGill turned the corner. The two girls linked arms like old pals and started giggling furiously. Gwen was glad to see that at least one of her ideas was going well.