Chapter Twenty-Two

BIW said: You owe your other reviewers an apology.

Huh? I don't actually owe anyone anything. That's not the way the world works. I am too busy writing to go read those web places.

*hugs reviewers tightly*

"Well, this is the lake," said Araminta. "That over there is the Quidditch pitch, and those trees over there are the Forbidden Forest. You shouldn't go in there. My dad says you'll get eaten by spiders." She failed to hide a shiver.

"Yeah, so what do you guys do for kicks around here?"

"Well, we watch Quidditch--"

"Yuck," said Melannen. "Give me Quodpot any day."

Araminta smiled politely. Perhaps Melannen didn't know it was rude to interrupt? "We also play Exploding Snap, Wizard Chess, and we go to Hogsmeade. It's Britain's only all-wizarding village. It's loads of fun." Araminta crossed her fingers behind her back. She couldn't tell Melannen that until yesterday she hadn't been old enough to go there!

"Okay. Cool. Let's go now."

Araminta looked around wildly. Go now? They couldn't go now. "Um, we're only allowed to go to Hogsmeade on Hogsmeade weekends. The first one probably won't be until October or so. We get to spend a Saturday shopping and going to the pub or the tearoom."

Melannen gave Araminta a dirty look. "Dude, all we've gotta do it hop the fence. No one will notice we're missing. We'll be back before dark," she wheedled.

Araminta shook in her shoes like a leaf in a tornado. She was seventeen today. She should feel like a grownup and be ready for these sorts of things. It seemed that she just couldn't say 'no' when she needed to the most. "I, um, can't. I have to go to class."

Melannen laughed so hard that she was hugging her sides, slapping her knee, and crying streams of tears all at the same time.

"What are you laughing at?" asked Araminta. "Are you laughing at me?"

"Y-y-y-y-y-yes," chuckled Melannen. "You are such a goody-two-shoes! I can't believe that you think school is important. You're a witch, too! Just make up a spell to put the learning right in your head. It's what I always do!"

This made Araminta stop and think for three minutes. All she had to do was say a spell and she'd never have to study again. It sounded wonderful, like an ice cream sundae on the first day that you feel like having hot fudge after you throw it up because you had the flu and then you don't feel like eating it for the next six months.

Araminta sighed. "I can't. That would be like cheating. It wouldn't be fair to have an advantage over the other kids at Hogwarts. They'd hate me for that, and I'd be even more bored than I am now."

Melannen pushed her hair back out of her face and wiped away her tears of laughter. "Well, have it your way then!" She grabbed the top of the Hogwarts fence and hauled herself over, barely missing the pointy things on the top of it.

"Oh no," gasped Araminta in shock. "Melannen, come back!" Oh, Dumbledore was going to be really, really angry with her. Professor Vector had trusted her to show the American exchange student around, and she'd made a big mess of it. She couldn't tattle on Melannen, but she couldn't jump the fence and go after her, either. "What to do?"

Araminta paced back and forth. She wished she could just use Accio to bring Melannen back, but she wasn't sure she would like that very much. If only she could start the whole thing over again, she'd be sure and strong and she wouldn't let Melannen walk all over her.

"Eureka!" Araminta hopped up and down and gave herself a little hug. She should have believed in herself from the beginning; she always thought of ways to get out of scrapes. "All I have to do is take the Time-Turner, and give it a little spin...Whooooooaaaah!!!!"