Chapter Seven
Mending the Wounds
The next few days were very bumpy. The 1st year Hufflepuff girls were having some trouble getting along with Alexia and Parvati in their little fight, so Alexia spent most of her time with Linnea and the other Gryffindors.
But at night she didn't really have a choice. She would sit in the common room, taking part in one-sided conversations that were led by Lorelei or Venefica. Parvati and Alexia wouldn't say anything but just sit and glare at each other.
One day, on the way to Potions class, Parvati was being especially foul toward Alexia. Lorelei and her were talking about classes and how hard potions were when Venefica and Parvati walked by.
"I honestly don't know how people can it's so hard," said Parvati, a very snooty tone to her voice, "Only morons would have a hard time."
Alexia clenched her teeth and went to say something, but Lorelei stopped her.
"Just ignore her," she said.
"No," hissed Alexia, "She's asking for it."
Alexia walked over to Parvati and pushed her across the hall.
"What was that about?" yelled Parvati.
"You being so bloody stupid!" Alexia shouted back.
"You're the one who's an immature child!" retorted Parvati, "Are you ever going to grow up?"
"I will before you pull your head out of your bum!" spat Alexia.
Parvati's face dropped, and her eyes narrowed.
"You went too far," she mumbled, reaching into her robes.
Alexia grabbed her wand, but Parvati fired first.
"Vertistacular!" she yelled.
Alexia flipped back in the hall and slammed into the wall. She fell onto the floor in a heap, and Parvati dropped her wand. She heard someone laughing behind her and turned to see Ashlee and Hades standing there.
"What's so funny?" asked Venefica, standing next to Parvati.
"Poor Huffs, fighting amongst themselves." said Hades, looking down at Alexia in the heap on the floor, "Really a pity when such pathetic people turn on each other."
Lorelei moved to Alexia, she wasn't moving, but she was still breathing.
"Venefica," mumbled Lorelei, "I don't think she's okay."
"Waddya mean?" asked Venefica.
"I think Parvati knocked her out," Lorelei explained, "Let's get her to the Hospital wing.and fast."
Parvati looked over at Alexia; she didn't look too good.
"Let's go," said Parvati, picking up Alexia.
Parvati, Lorelei and Venefica took Alexia to the hospital wing, where Madame Pomfrey told them off for missing their class.
"You three need to get to class immediately!" hissed Madame Pomfrey, tending to Alexia.
They all left, but for the rest of the day Parvati couldn't help but feel a large swell of guilt in her stomach whenever she thought of Alexia. Around dinnertime, they quickly ate and headed up to the hospital wing, where they found that Alexia already had some visitors. Hari and Breena sat on Alexia's bed talking to her. She looked awful, paler than normal and had large black and blue bags under her eyes.
"You missed so much in classes." said Hari.
Alexia looked over and saw Lorelei and Parvati standing near the door. Parvati had a look of guilt on her face and Breena looked at Alexia.
"We'll see you later Lex," she said.
Hari and Breena left and Alexia smiled at Lorelei.
"Hi," she said, avoiding Parvati's eyes.
"How are you feeling?" asked Lorelei.
"Fine I suppose," said Alexia, "I can leave tonight once Madame Pomfrey checks me again."
"That's good," said Parvati quietly.
Alexia looked at her, a confused look on her face. She didn't know whether to be angry or not.
"Look, Lex," said Parvati, "I'm sorry about what I did."
"Good, you should be," said Alexia.
"But how was I supposed to know that you and Breena were having a deep conversation?" asked Parvati, "I can't read minds."
"But you shouldn't have interrupted," said Alexia, "Isn't that a main courtesy thing that you were taught when you were a kid?"
"Yeah, but I had something to tell you," said Parvati.
"Well you could have.." Alexia stopped, "Wait, what did you want to tell me?"
Parvati looked down and then back up at her.
"Professor Sprout had announced that they changed a rule about Quidditch," said Parvati, "First years are allowed to have their own brooms and try out for the team as well."
Alexia's jaw dropped. Parvati looked sheepishly at the floor
"That was it?' asked Alexia, looking very shocked.
"Yeah," said Parvati, "Kind of stupid, eh?"
Alexia nodded, blushing a little. That little of a thing had almost ruined their friendship?
Alexia spent the rest of the day in the hospital wing with Linnea, talking eagerly about the Quidditch try-outs.
"Something must have changed Dumbledore's mind," said Alexia, "Breena told me that the last first year to be on a Quidditch team was Harry Potter."
"Who?" asked Linnea, sounding confused.
Alexia shrugged.
"Some kid I guess," she said, "But it was a big deal because I mean he was a First year."
"You think you'll make it?" asked Linnea.
Alexia shrugged.
"I hope so," she said, "What about you?"
Linnea shrugged.
"I won't get my hopes up," said Linnea sounding miserable for the first time since they had gotten to Hogwarts.
"I'm sure if you try hard enough you'll make it," said Alexia, trying to sound reassuring.
Within minutes Madame Pomfrey told Alexia she could go and they wandered out of the Hospital wing. They talked excitedly about the try-outs but Alexia stopped short.
"Linnea." she said, "What if we don't have broomsticks?"
Linnea blinked several times. She hadn't thought about that.
"Your Dad could just buy you one," said Linnea.
"But what about you?" asked Alexia, "You need one as well."
"I dunno if it's even worth me trying out." muttered Linnea.
Alexia grabbed her shoulder.
"You've gotta try out," she said, "If you don't who's butt will I kick when Hufflepuff wins the house cup."
Linnea laughed.
"Hufflepuff? Win the house cup?" she chuckled.
"Why not?' asked Alexia, looking sharply at Linnea.
"I don't think you guys could ever stand a chance." Linnea trailed off.
By now they had reached the Hufflepuff common room. Alexia turned on her heel and stormed into the common room. She slammed the portrait behind her and up to her dorm, fuming with anger. The others were all there as Alexia threw her bag on the floor.
"Lex." said Venefica, "Lex, calm down."
She flopped down on the bed, smushed her face in a pillow and started to scream.
"Whoa," said Parvati, pulling her off the pillow, "What's wrong?"
Alexia told them what Linnea had said, and Lorelei looked at Verity.
"She was probably just letting off some steam," said Verity, "Although."
"Hufflepuff hasn't won in a while," said Lorelei, "And it doesn't look good for this year, either."
Alexia looked down at the floor. She would send her Father an owl so she could get a broom. She was going to try out for the Quidditch team and Hufflepuff was going to win the Quidditch cup.
Mending the Wounds
The next few days were very bumpy. The 1st year Hufflepuff girls were having some trouble getting along with Alexia and Parvati in their little fight, so Alexia spent most of her time with Linnea and the other Gryffindors.
But at night she didn't really have a choice. She would sit in the common room, taking part in one-sided conversations that were led by Lorelei or Venefica. Parvati and Alexia wouldn't say anything but just sit and glare at each other.
One day, on the way to Potions class, Parvati was being especially foul toward Alexia. Lorelei and her were talking about classes and how hard potions were when Venefica and Parvati walked by.
"I honestly don't know how people can it's so hard," said Parvati, a very snooty tone to her voice, "Only morons would have a hard time."
Alexia clenched her teeth and went to say something, but Lorelei stopped her.
"Just ignore her," she said.
"No," hissed Alexia, "She's asking for it."
Alexia walked over to Parvati and pushed her across the hall.
"What was that about?" yelled Parvati.
"You being so bloody stupid!" Alexia shouted back.
"You're the one who's an immature child!" retorted Parvati, "Are you ever going to grow up?"
"I will before you pull your head out of your bum!" spat Alexia.
Parvati's face dropped, and her eyes narrowed.
"You went too far," she mumbled, reaching into her robes.
Alexia grabbed her wand, but Parvati fired first.
"Vertistacular!" she yelled.
Alexia flipped back in the hall and slammed into the wall. She fell onto the floor in a heap, and Parvati dropped her wand. She heard someone laughing behind her and turned to see Ashlee and Hades standing there.
"What's so funny?" asked Venefica, standing next to Parvati.
"Poor Huffs, fighting amongst themselves." said Hades, looking down at Alexia in the heap on the floor, "Really a pity when such pathetic people turn on each other."
Lorelei moved to Alexia, she wasn't moving, but she was still breathing.
"Venefica," mumbled Lorelei, "I don't think she's okay."
"Waddya mean?" asked Venefica.
"I think Parvati knocked her out," Lorelei explained, "Let's get her to the Hospital wing.and fast."
Parvati looked over at Alexia; she didn't look too good.
"Let's go," said Parvati, picking up Alexia.
Parvati, Lorelei and Venefica took Alexia to the hospital wing, where Madame Pomfrey told them off for missing their class.
"You three need to get to class immediately!" hissed Madame Pomfrey, tending to Alexia.
They all left, but for the rest of the day Parvati couldn't help but feel a large swell of guilt in her stomach whenever she thought of Alexia. Around dinnertime, they quickly ate and headed up to the hospital wing, where they found that Alexia already had some visitors. Hari and Breena sat on Alexia's bed talking to her. She looked awful, paler than normal and had large black and blue bags under her eyes.
"You missed so much in classes." said Hari.
Alexia looked over and saw Lorelei and Parvati standing near the door. Parvati had a look of guilt on her face and Breena looked at Alexia.
"We'll see you later Lex," she said.
Hari and Breena left and Alexia smiled at Lorelei.
"Hi," she said, avoiding Parvati's eyes.
"How are you feeling?" asked Lorelei.
"Fine I suppose," said Alexia, "I can leave tonight once Madame Pomfrey checks me again."
"That's good," said Parvati quietly.
Alexia looked at her, a confused look on her face. She didn't know whether to be angry or not.
"Look, Lex," said Parvati, "I'm sorry about what I did."
"Good, you should be," said Alexia.
"But how was I supposed to know that you and Breena were having a deep conversation?" asked Parvati, "I can't read minds."
"But you shouldn't have interrupted," said Alexia, "Isn't that a main courtesy thing that you were taught when you were a kid?"
"Yeah, but I had something to tell you," said Parvati.
"Well you could have.." Alexia stopped, "Wait, what did you want to tell me?"
Parvati looked down and then back up at her.
"Professor Sprout had announced that they changed a rule about Quidditch," said Parvati, "First years are allowed to have their own brooms and try out for the team as well."
Alexia's jaw dropped. Parvati looked sheepishly at the floor
"That was it?' asked Alexia, looking very shocked.
"Yeah," said Parvati, "Kind of stupid, eh?"
Alexia nodded, blushing a little. That little of a thing had almost ruined their friendship?
Alexia spent the rest of the day in the hospital wing with Linnea, talking eagerly about the Quidditch try-outs.
"Something must have changed Dumbledore's mind," said Alexia, "Breena told me that the last first year to be on a Quidditch team was Harry Potter."
"Who?" asked Linnea, sounding confused.
Alexia shrugged.
"Some kid I guess," she said, "But it was a big deal because I mean he was a First year."
"You think you'll make it?" asked Linnea.
Alexia shrugged.
"I hope so," she said, "What about you?"
Linnea shrugged.
"I won't get my hopes up," said Linnea sounding miserable for the first time since they had gotten to Hogwarts.
"I'm sure if you try hard enough you'll make it," said Alexia, trying to sound reassuring.
Within minutes Madame Pomfrey told Alexia she could go and they wandered out of the Hospital wing. They talked excitedly about the try-outs but Alexia stopped short.
"Linnea." she said, "What if we don't have broomsticks?"
Linnea blinked several times. She hadn't thought about that.
"Your Dad could just buy you one," said Linnea.
"But what about you?" asked Alexia, "You need one as well."
"I dunno if it's even worth me trying out." muttered Linnea.
Alexia grabbed her shoulder.
"You've gotta try out," she said, "If you don't who's butt will I kick when Hufflepuff wins the house cup."
Linnea laughed.
"Hufflepuff? Win the house cup?" she chuckled.
"Why not?' asked Alexia, looking sharply at Linnea.
"I don't think you guys could ever stand a chance." Linnea trailed off.
By now they had reached the Hufflepuff common room. Alexia turned on her heel and stormed into the common room. She slammed the portrait behind her and up to her dorm, fuming with anger. The others were all there as Alexia threw her bag on the floor.
"Lex." said Venefica, "Lex, calm down."
She flopped down on the bed, smushed her face in a pillow and started to scream.
"Whoa," said Parvati, pulling her off the pillow, "What's wrong?"
Alexia told them what Linnea had said, and Lorelei looked at Verity.
"She was probably just letting off some steam," said Verity, "Although."
"Hufflepuff hasn't won in a while," said Lorelei, "And it doesn't look good for this year, either."
Alexia looked down at the floor. She would send her Father an owl so she could get a broom. She was going to try out for the Quidditch team and Hufflepuff was going to win the Quidditch cup.