Chapter Eight
Pay Back
A week went by and Alexia's Father said that if she made the team, they would buy her a broom, but she figured that she'd get one eventually, with her own pocket money or as a present for Christmas. They had the Quidditch tryouts and as it turned out, no first years made it, not because they weren't good enough, but there were only a few spots left, and those went to the more experienced players.
In the meantime Alexia and Linnea didn't talk much. In fact Alexia was becoming closer to Daniel Hatter, Chris Moody and Jamie Shadowboxer. Chris had taken Alexia out to the pitch one afternoon to explain Quidditch to her. It was a very cool late fall day, and Alexia could feel winter closely approaching. Even though she hadn't made the team, she still wanted to know more about the sport, so she wouldn't be out of the loop.
"It's pretty simple," he said, setting the trunk down with a loud clunk.
He opened it and revealed a large red ball, two black ones and a tiny golden one.
"This is the Quaffle," he said, picking up the large red ball and handing it to Alexia, "The Chasers pass it back and forth and try to put it through the hoops over there."
He pointed across the field and Alexia nodded.
"The Keeper tries to keep the Chasers from scoring," said Chris, "That's my job for the Gryffindor team."
Suddenly the trunk jumped about five inches in the air. Alexia gasped and jumped back, watching the box as though it might explode.
"Don't worry," said Chris, stifling a chuckle, "Those are the Bludgers."
"The what?" asked Alexia.
"Bludger," repeated Chris.
Alexia looked at him very confused and he shook his head.
"Here," he said, handing her a black club, "Get ready."
Alexia tightened her grip on the club as Chris released the Bludger. It flew up in the air and then it came hurtling back down towards Alexia.
"HIT IT!" Chris yelled.
Alexia waited, then swung as hard as she could, hitting the bludger as far as possible. Chris looked slightly impressed as it sailed over the low castle wall.
"Nice job Lex," he said, smiling.
"Thanks," she said grinning.
Suddenly the bludger swooped over the wall and back at them. Chris knocked Alexia over onto the ground as it zipped over head. He stood up and as the bludger headed towards him he caught it. He wrestled it into its box and gave a sigh of relief.
"The bludgers are the beaters problem," said Chris, slightly out of breath, "Unless of course they come after the other players."
Chris put down the club and opened the smallest container. In it was a very small golden ball, the snitch.
"This is the golden snitch," he said, "The seeker's job is to catch this before the other team can. It' worth 150 points and almost assures the seekers team victory."
He handed the snitch to Alexia and she looked at it.
"Wow," she said smiling, "It's beautiful."
"It may look pretty, but it's meant for speed," he said, "That's why it's so hard to catch."
After about an hour of trying out Quidditch and flying, Alexia and Chris headed inside. They departed in the entrance hall, Alexia thanking him for helping her, and she headed for the Hufflepuff common room.
But before she could get there she overheard voices talking.
"I'll make that those girls pay," snarled the voice, "They'll never humiliate me again!"
Alexia froze and hid behind a large statue of a lion and watched as several girls walked down the hall.
"Ashlee, quiet!" hissed one of them who Alexia had never seen before.
"Don't tell me what to do Fe!" snapped Ashlee, "I'm sick of those stupid girls picking fights with me when they have no right! They're going to pay dearly!"
"What are you going to do to them?" asked Hades, who was on the other side of Ashlee, a slight hint of excitement in her voice.
"Haven't decided," Ashlee said shortly, "But that Mudblood Granger and Brightheart going to pay dearly, and so will Malfoy, if she doesn't watch her step."
The girl called Fe chuckled slightly.
"Alexia is a Malfoy?" she started to laugh harder, "In HUFFLEPUFF?"
Fe roared with laugher and Ashlee pushed her.
Fe was smaller than the others with long reddish brown hair, which was very wavy. Her skin was very pale and her eyes were hazel. She had what looked like a kind face but by the glint in her eyes Alexia could tell she had an evil side.
"Sorry," said Fe, giggling slightly, "It's just I never thought I'd live to see a Malfoy in Hufflepuff. I mean they were all Slytherins weren't they?"
Ashlee shrugged.
"Evidently somewhere along the line the blood went bad," Hades muttered, "A shame too."
Hades trailed off and Alexia heard footsteps running down the hall. Next thing she knew Jemima was standing near the other Slytherins.
"I've found something," she said, sounding excited, "C'mon!"
The Slytherin girls ran off and once they were gone Alexia bolted to the common room. She had to tell Breena and Hari what was going on, but she didn't know where they were right now. She entered the common room and saw Verity sitting in a chair, reading a book.
"Verity," said Alexia, half out of breath, "Have you see Breena or Hari?"
"Huh?" asked Verity, looking up, "No.can't say I have. A whole bunch of people are in the library right now, though. You might want to check there."
Alexia nodded and took off out of the common room.
She ran down the hallway and slammed into someone just outside the library. Alexia hadn't been concentrating on where she was going and plowed right into another girl, a fellow first year. She looked up to the Slytherin girl she had overheard in the hall a few moments earlier.
"Sorry about that," said Alexia, scrambling to help Fe up.
"Don't worry about it," said Fe in a very off-handed way, not taking Alexia's helping hand and getting up herself.
Fe looked up at the girl and her eyes flashed.
"Are you Alexia Malfoy?" she asked.
Alexia nodded slowly and a smiled crossed Fe's face.
"I'm Feronia Ardantane," she said, "But you can call me Fe."
"It's nice to meet you," said Alexia, grinning, "But if you'll excuse me I gotta go."
Alexia took off and ran into the library making a lot of noise. She saw the look of death that Madame Pince was giving her and she began to walk.
She found Hari, Breena, Daniel and Jamie all sitting around a table studying.
"Breena!" hissed Alexia as Madame Pince swept by, "Hari, we're in so much trouble."
Breena looked alarmed, as did Hari.
"What's wrong?" asked Hari.
"The Slytherins, they're going to do something to us.well you guys," Alexia explained, "They'll only do something to me if I keep getting in the way."
"What do you mean?" asked Breena.
"I heard them," said Alexia, "Saying something about how you two are going to pay. They were serious, Bree, really serious."
"I'm not afraid of them," said Breena, shaking off Alexia's words and diving back into her Charms homework.
"Breena you've got to listen!" hissed Alexia.
But she didn't look back up; she just kept on writing her essay. Hari shook her head and Alexia looked at her.
"Just watch yourself," said Alexia.
"Don't worry," said Hari, "Breena will be fine."
Alexia nodded and said good-bye and left the library. She started to wandered towards the common room when she saw Linnea walking slowly down the hall. Alexia couldn't help but notice how Linnea had changed.
She no longer had a little spring in her step, her eyes looked dull and tired and she seemed to wasn't smiling.
Piper was next to her, trying to force some sort of conversation. Piper looked up and saw Alexia and smiled.
"Lex!" she called, "Lex, over here!"
Piper jumped up and down and Alexia smiled.
"Hey guys," said Alexia softly.
Linnea looked up and glared at her.
"C'mon Piper," she said, "We've got homework to do."
Piper walked up Alexia and pushed something into her hand. Alexia continued towards the Common Room and opened the note.
Lex,
Meet me outside the Great Hall after dinner.I need to talk.
Piper
Alexia turned and looked at Linnea, who was talking angrily to Piper, as they headed into a classroom. Alexia shrugged and kept walking, heading for the common room. She crawled through the portrait and saw Parvati and Venefica playing a game of Exploding Snap in the corner. Alexia flopped down in a chair and Lorelei looked up.
"What's up Lex?" asked Lorelei. Her tone of voice told Alexia that she could tell something was wrong.
"Nothing," said Alexia, looking down at the floor.
Lorelei looked at her when suddenly there was a loud explosion from across the room. Parvati and Venefica sat there, their eyebrows slightly singed and their faces covered with black ash. They started to laugh and Alexia rolled her eyes. Right now all she wanted was to be alone.
"I'll see you guys at dinner," she said, standing and leaving the common room.
Alexia made her way across the school and into the owlery. She pushed open the door and saw there were no students around. She smiled and closed the door and walked to a corner. She pulled out her sketchbook and began to draw. She drew a picture of an owl snoozing in the corner. She looked at her watch and noticed that dinner was due to start in an hour.
Alexia was about to get up and leave when the door flew open. Ashlee and Fe were standing there, Fe holding a letter. Alexia sunk down behind several of the sleeping owls and froze. She couldn't move.
"So you think that they have any idea?" asked Ashlee as she tied the letter to an owl's leg.
"Not the faintest!" said Fe happily, "Hades is sure everything is set, nothing could go wrong."
Ashlee pushed the sleepy owl out the window and it took off and she smiled.
"Those stupid girls will pay," she said, scowling, "Just wait."
They exited the owlery and Alexia sat up. Breena and Hari were in for it for sure.
Alexia dashed to the Great Hall for supper and found Hari and Breena.
"Bree, you've got to listen!" Alexia gasped.
Breena looked up.
"If this is about the Slytherins again I don't care," she said, "I already told you I'm not afraid of them."
"Well maybe you should be!" spat Alexia.
"Why? Asked Hari.
"They've got it out for both of you," said Alexia, "Even me if I don't get lost."
"What could they possibly do?" asked Breena, laughing slightly.
After several minutes Breena convinced Alexia to return to her seat and she did, but the others could tell she was edgy all during the meal.
"Eat Lex!" urge Venefica, handing her some potatoes, "C'mon, it's really good!"
"No," said Alexia, "I'm not hungry."
Venefica shrugged and handed the plate to another Hufflepuff. Lex couldn't help but keep looking from the Slytherins to the Ravenclaws. Something was going to happen, but she wished she could stop it.
Then, near the end of dinner, it did.
The pudding had appeared on the table and everyone dug in. Breena and Hari seemed to be enjoying theirs a lot, but Alexia couldn't eat, her stomach just wasn't up to it. She watched as Breena finished her pudding and so did Hari. Alexia looked down and took a small bite of her pudding and then refused to eat anymore. Suddenly she felt very sick, like her insides were swelling. She looked at Breena and Hari, who were both gagging over their pudding. They turned and Alexia could see their faces were swollen and their heads seemed about seven sizes too large for their heads.
The Hufflepuffs seemed to panic and so did the Ravenclaws. Alexia could see Piper at the Gryffindor table looking very concerned, but Linnea was bent over in silent giggles. The Slytherins howled with laughter and Alexia could see Ashlee, Fe and Hades high fiving each other. That's when she knew, it was them.
After dinner, they headed to Dumbledore's office, where he shrunk their tongues. After a few minutes they left, Breena cursing the Slytherins loudly.
"Can you believe them?" she yelled, "The nerve!"
"You did kind of deserve it," said Daniel, who had followed along to explain what had happened to Dumbledore.
"Shut up Dan!" snapped Alexia; her face very sore was the enlarging.
Apparently the Slytherins had enchanted the dishes right before they were sent, which made sense. Jemima hadn't been at dinner; she must have been in the kitchen. Dumbledore figured that someone had cast a very strong and powerful enlarging charm on the pudding. Alexia had never felt so humiliated, as did Hari, but Breena was enraged.
"I told you they were up to something!" said Alexia, rubbing the side of her face, "You should've listened to me!"
But Breena wasn't listening. Alexia could almost see her mind busily working away, thinking up a plan. Hari shook her head.
"No, no more tricks!" she insisted, "This has already gone way too far!"
"Yeah, let's just let them be," said Alexia, looking to Breena.
"Right." said Breena vaguely, her eyes strangely out of focus.
Hari rolled her eyes. She knew Breena was still going to do something, which is the just the way she was. She didn't take things lying down.
They reached a staircase and Hari and Breena headed towards the Ravenclaw common room. Alexia headed towards the Hufflepuff common room, walking slowly. She didn't want to go back to the common room. She'd probably face people laughing at her, making fun of how weird she looked with her face all puffed out like a blowfish. She soon found herself facing the portrait that led to the common room. Alexia blinked several times but finally she turned away. She didn't want to go to in, she didn't want to be with the others.
She quickly turned on her heel and ran down the hall. She didn't know where she was going, nor did she really care. It didn't matter to her. She pushed open the doors to the entrance hall and saw the empty grounds before her. The sun was barely dipping beneath the forest and she saw the pitch in the background. She started to walk, then began running towards it. She knew what she wanted to do; she wanted to fly.
She reached the pitch and found two people flying around. They were both rather small and tossing the Quaffle back and forth. She squinted and realized that one of them was Piper, her long brown hair flying behind her.
"Catch Linnea!" yelled Piper, throwing the Quaffle.
The other figure swooped in and caught the Quaffle quickly and sped across the field. Linnea was a superb flyer, better than Alexia could've ever guessed. Alexia saw the box of Quidditch balls lay open near the corner of the field and a few beater bats lay nearby. Alexia grinned and saw an old Comet broom setting nearby. She picked up the broom and the club and released the bludgers.
"Let's have some fun," she muttered to herself.
Alexia took off, streaking through the air. She watched as one of the bludgers hit Linnea in the arm, causing her to reel in pain.
"Ouch!" she cried, nearly falling off her broom.
Piper and Linnea both looked towards Alexia, but she streaked past them. Linnea swooped down towards the ground and grabbed the other club. Alexia sent another bludger her way, but she knocked it right back. This was a piece of cake for Linnea.
But Alexia didn't see Linnea hit the bludger. She was turned around when the bludger whacked her right in the arm and she screamed with pain.
"Damn it!" yelled Alexia, landing her broom.
Linnea and Piper landed nearby.
"Thought you'd take me out, did you?" asked Linnea, throwing down the broom and storming towards Alexia.
"What the hell are you talking about?" asked Alexia.
"Why were flinging all those bludgers at us then?" asked Linnea.
"Getting some bludger practice," yelled Alexia.
"Yeah, sure," Linnea said, rolling her eyes.
"Well then what the bloody hell do you think I was doing?" shouted Alexia.
Linnea glared at her for a moment and then picked up her broom.
"C'mon Piper," said Linnea, leaving the pitch.
"I'm going to get the stuff back together," said Piper, picking up the Quaffle and putting it in the box.
Linnea sighed and stormed off. Alexia conjured the bludgers into the box and snapped it shut.
"Lex, wait," said Piper, running after her.
It was nearly dark when they headed back towards the castle. Piper stood in front of Alexia, blocking her path.
"Move," said Alexia shortly.
Piper glared up at her.
"Piper, get the hell out of the way!" spat Alexia.
"Not until you listen to me!" Piper shouted back.
Alexia had never heard this tone to Piper's voice before. Alexia stepped back and looked at Piper.
"Fine, I'm listening," she said.
Piper sighed.
"Look, Christmas is coming up and I don't want to see you and Linnea fighting like this anymore," Piper pleaded, "She misses you."
"She's got a funny way of showing it," Alexia spat, glaring at Piper.
"There was no reason for this fight!" yelled Piper; "You two are being so immature!"
Alexia stopped. She had been so wrapped up in her anger that she had never really thought about it that way. They were fighting over Linnea saying Gryffindor was better than Hufflepuff. How had that ever happened? Alexia couldn't even remember.
Snow slowly started falling, and Alexia looked at Piper.
"Look, Christmas break is in like a week away," said Piper, "I'm leaving, and so are most of the Gryffindors, could you just.I dunno.could you just try and make up with her?"
Alexia sighed and then nodded.
"Yeah," she said, "I know, this whole thing is stupid."
Piper smiled and they walked towards the school; Alexia thinking about how she would make this up to Linnea.
Pay Back
A week went by and Alexia's Father said that if she made the team, they would buy her a broom, but she figured that she'd get one eventually, with her own pocket money or as a present for Christmas. They had the Quidditch tryouts and as it turned out, no first years made it, not because they weren't good enough, but there were only a few spots left, and those went to the more experienced players.
In the meantime Alexia and Linnea didn't talk much. In fact Alexia was becoming closer to Daniel Hatter, Chris Moody and Jamie Shadowboxer. Chris had taken Alexia out to the pitch one afternoon to explain Quidditch to her. It was a very cool late fall day, and Alexia could feel winter closely approaching. Even though she hadn't made the team, she still wanted to know more about the sport, so she wouldn't be out of the loop.
"It's pretty simple," he said, setting the trunk down with a loud clunk.
He opened it and revealed a large red ball, two black ones and a tiny golden one.
"This is the Quaffle," he said, picking up the large red ball and handing it to Alexia, "The Chasers pass it back and forth and try to put it through the hoops over there."
He pointed across the field and Alexia nodded.
"The Keeper tries to keep the Chasers from scoring," said Chris, "That's my job for the Gryffindor team."
Suddenly the trunk jumped about five inches in the air. Alexia gasped and jumped back, watching the box as though it might explode.
"Don't worry," said Chris, stifling a chuckle, "Those are the Bludgers."
"The what?" asked Alexia.
"Bludger," repeated Chris.
Alexia looked at him very confused and he shook his head.
"Here," he said, handing her a black club, "Get ready."
Alexia tightened her grip on the club as Chris released the Bludger. It flew up in the air and then it came hurtling back down towards Alexia.
"HIT IT!" Chris yelled.
Alexia waited, then swung as hard as she could, hitting the bludger as far as possible. Chris looked slightly impressed as it sailed over the low castle wall.
"Nice job Lex," he said, smiling.
"Thanks," she said grinning.
Suddenly the bludger swooped over the wall and back at them. Chris knocked Alexia over onto the ground as it zipped over head. He stood up and as the bludger headed towards him he caught it. He wrestled it into its box and gave a sigh of relief.
"The bludgers are the beaters problem," said Chris, slightly out of breath, "Unless of course they come after the other players."
Chris put down the club and opened the smallest container. In it was a very small golden ball, the snitch.
"This is the golden snitch," he said, "The seeker's job is to catch this before the other team can. It' worth 150 points and almost assures the seekers team victory."
He handed the snitch to Alexia and she looked at it.
"Wow," she said smiling, "It's beautiful."
"It may look pretty, but it's meant for speed," he said, "That's why it's so hard to catch."
After about an hour of trying out Quidditch and flying, Alexia and Chris headed inside. They departed in the entrance hall, Alexia thanking him for helping her, and she headed for the Hufflepuff common room.
But before she could get there she overheard voices talking.
"I'll make that those girls pay," snarled the voice, "They'll never humiliate me again!"
Alexia froze and hid behind a large statue of a lion and watched as several girls walked down the hall.
"Ashlee, quiet!" hissed one of them who Alexia had never seen before.
"Don't tell me what to do Fe!" snapped Ashlee, "I'm sick of those stupid girls picking fights with me when they have no right! They're going to pay dearly!"
"What are you going to do to them?" asked Hades, who was on the other side of Ashlee, a slight hint of excitement in her voice.
"Haven't decided," Ashlee said shortly, "But that Mudblood Granger and Brightheart going to pay dearly, and so will Malfoy, if she doesn't watch her step."
The girl called Fe chuckled slightly.
"Alexia is a Malfoy?" she started to laugh harder, "In HUFFLEPUFF?"
Fe roared with laugher and Ashlee pushed her.
Fe was smaller than the others with long reddish brown hair, which was very wavy. Her skin was very pale and her eyes were hazel. She had what looked like a kind face but by the glint in her eyes Alexia could tell she had an evil side.
"Sorry," said Fe, giggling slightly, "It's just I never thought I'd live to see a Malfoy in Hufflepuff. I mean they were all Slytherins weren't they?"
Ashlee shrugged.
"Evidently somewhere along the line the blood went bad," Hades muttered, "A shame too."
Hades trailed off and Alexia heard footsteps running down the hall. Next thing she knew Jemima was standing near the other Slytherins.
"I've found something," she said, sounding excited, "C'mon!"
The Slytherin girls ran off and once they were gone Alexia bolted to the common room. She had to tell Breena and Hari what was going on, but she didn't know where they were right now. She entered the common room and saw Verity sitting in a chair, reading a book.
"Verity," said Alexia, half out of breath, "Have you see Breena or Hari?"
"Huh?" asked Verity, looking up, "No.can't say I have. A whole bunch of people are in the library right now, though. You might want to check there."
Alexia nodded and took off out of the common room.
She ran down the hallway and slammed into someone just outside the library. Alexia hadn't been concentrating on where she was going and plowed right into another girl, a fellow first year. She looked up to the Slytherin girl she had overheard in the hall a few moments earlier.
"Sorry about that," said Alexia, scrambling to help Fe up.
"Don't worry about it," said Fe in a very off-handed way, not taking Alexia's helping hand and getting up herself.
Fe looked up at the girl and her eyes flashed.
"Are you Alexia Malfoy?" she asked.
Alexia nodded slowly and a smiled crossed Fe's face.
"I'm Feronia Ardantane," she said, "But you can call me Fe."
"It's nice to meet you," said Alexia, grinning, "But if you'll excuse me I gotta go."
Alexia took off and ran into the library making a lot of noise. She saw the look of death that Madame Pince was giving her and she began to walk.
She found Hari, Breena, Daniel and Jamie all sitting around a table studying.
"Breena!" hissed Alexia as Madame Pince swept by, "Hari, we're in so much trouble."
Breena looked alarmed, as did Hari.
"What's wrong?" asked Hari.
"The Slytherins, they're going to do something to us.well you guys," Alexia explained, "They'll only do something to me if I keep getting in the way."
"What do you mean?" asked Breena.
"I heard them," said Alexia, "Saying something about how you two are going to pay. They were serious, Bree, really serious."
"I'm not afraid of them," said Breena, shaking off Alexia's words and diving back into her Charms homework.
"Breena you've got to listen!" hissed Alexia.
But she didn't look back up; she just kept on writing her essay. Hari shook her head and Alexia looked at her.
"Just watch yourself," said Alexia.
"Don't worry," said Hari, "Breena will be fine."
Alexia nodded and said good-bye and left the library. She started to wandered towards the common room when she saw Linnea walking slowly down the hall. Alexia couldn't help but notice how Linnea had changed.
She no longer had a little spring in her step, her eyes looked dull and tired and she seemed to wasn't smiling.
Piper was next to her, trying to force some sort of conversation. Piper looked up and saw Alexia and smiled.
"Lex!" she called, "Lex, over here!"
Piper jumped up and down and Alexia smiled.
"Hey guys," said Alexia softly.
Linnea looked up and glared at her.
"C'mon Piper," she said, "We've got homework to do."
Piper walked up Alexia and pushed something into her hand. Alexia continued towards the Common Room and opened the note.
Lex,
Meet me outside the Great Hall after dinner.I need to talk.
Piper
Alexia turned and looked at Linnea, who was talking angrily to Piper, as they headed into a classroom. Alexia shrugged and kept walking, heading for the common room. She crawled through the portrait and saw Parvati and Venefica playing a game of Exploding Snap in the corner. Alexia flopped down in a chair and Lorelei looked up.
"What's up Lex?" asked Lorelei. Her tone of voice told Alexia that she could tell something was wrong.
"Nothing," said Alexia, looking down at the floor.
Lorelei looked at her when suddenly there was a loud explosion from across the room. Parvati and Venefica sat there, their eyebrows slightly singed and their faces covered with black ash. They started to laugh and Alexia rolled her eyes. Right now all she wanted was to be alone.
"I'll see you guys at dinner," she said, standing and leaving the common room.
Alexia made her way across the school and into the owlery. She pushed open the door and saw there were no students around. She smiled and closed the door and walked to a corner. She pulled out her sketchbook and began to draw. She drew a picture of an owl snoozing in the corner. She looked at her watch and noticed that dinner was due to start in an hour.
Alexia was about to get up and leave when the door flew open. Ashlee and Fe were standing there, Fe holding a letter. Alexia sunk down behind several of the sleeping owls and froze. She couldn't move.
"So you think that they have any idea?" asked Ashlee as she tied the letter to an owl's leg.
"Not the faintest!" said Fe happily, "Hades is sure everything is set, nothing could go wrong."
Ashlee pushed the sleepy owl out the window and it took off and she smiled.
"Those stupid girls will pay," she said, scowling, "Just wait."
They exited the owlery and Alexia sat up. Breena and Hari were in for it for sure.
Alexia dashed to the Great Hall for supper and found Hari and Breena.
"Bree, you've got to listen!" Alexia gasped.
Breena looked up.
"If this is about the Slytherins again I don't care," she said, "I already told you I'm not afraid of them."
"Well maybe you should be!" spat Alexia.
"Why? Asked Hari.
"They've got it out for both of you," said Alexia, "Even me if I don't get lost."
"What could they possibly do?" asked Breena, laughing slightly.
After several minutes Breena convinced Alexia to return to her seat and she did, but the others could tell she was edgy all during the meal.
"Eat Lex!" urge Venefica, handing her some potatoes, "C'mon, it's really good!"
"No," said Alexia, "I'm not hungry."
Venefica shrugged and handed the plate to another Hufflepuff. Lex couldn't help but keep looking from the Slytherins to the Ravenclaws. Something was going to happen, but she wished she could stop it.
Then, near the end of dinner, it did.
The pudding had appeared on the table and everyone dug in. Breena and Hari seemed to be enjoying theirs a lot, but Alexia couldn't eat, her stomach just wasn't up to it. She watched as Breena finished her pudding and so did Hari. Alexia looked down and took a small bite of her pudding and then refused to eat anymore. Suddenly she felt very sick, like her insides were swelling. She looked at Breena and Hari, who were both gagging over their pudding. They turned and Alexia could see their faces were swollen and their heads seemed about seven sizes too large for their heads.
The Hufflepuffs seemed to panic and so did the Ravenclaws. Alexia could see Piper at the Gryffindor table looking very concerned, but Linnea was bent over in silent giggles. The Slytherins howled with laughter and Alexia could see Ashlee, Fe and Hades high fiving each other. That's when she knew, it was them.
After dinner, they headed to Dumbledore's office, where he shrunk their tongues. After a few minutes they left, Breena cursing the Slytherins loudly.
"Can you believe them?" she yelled, "The nerve!"
"You did kind of deserve it," said Daniel, who had followed along to explain what had happened to Dumbledore.
"Shut up Dan!" snapped Alexia; her face very sore was the enlarging.
Apparently the Slytherins had enchanted the dishes right before they were sent, which made sense. Jemima hadn't been at dinner; she must have been in the kitchen. Dumbledore figured that someone had cast a very strong and powerful enlarging charm on the pudding. Alexia had never felt so humiliated, as did Hari, but Breena was enraged.
"I told you they were up to something!" said Alexia, rubbing the side of her face, "You should've listened to me!"
But Breena wasn't listening. Alexia could almost see her mind busily working away, thinking up a plan. Hari shook her head.
"No, no more tricks!" she insisted, "This has already gone way too far!"
"Yeah, let's just let them be," said Alexia, looking to Breena.
"Right." said Breena vaguely, her eyes strangely out of focus.
Hari rolled her eyes. She knew Breena was still going to do something, which is the just the way she was. She didn't take things lying down.
They reached a staircase and Hari and Breena headed towards the Ravenclaw common room. Alexia headed towards the Hufflepuff common room, walking slowly. She didn't want to go back to the common room. She'd probably face people laughing at her, making fun of how weird she looked with her face all puffed out like a blowfish. She soon found herself facing the portrait that led to the common room. Alexia blinked several times but finally she turned away. She didn't want to go to in, she didn't want to be with the others.
She quickly turned on her heel and ran down the hall. She didn't know where she was going, nor did she really care. It didn't matter to her. She pushed open the doors to the entrance hall and saw the empty grounds before her. The sun was barely dipping beneath the forest and she saw the pitch in the background. She started to walk, then began running towards it. She knew what she wanted to do; she wanted to fly.
She reached the pitch and found two people flying around. They were both rather small and tossing the Quaffle back and forth. She squinted and realized that one of them was Piper, her long brown hair flying behind her.
"Catch Linnea!" yelled Piper, throwing the Quaffle.
The other figure swooped in and caught the Quaffle quickly and sped across the field. Linnea was a superb flyer, better than Alexia could've ever guessed. Alexia saw the box of Quidditch balls lay open near the corner of the field and a few beater bats lay nearby. Alexia grinned and saw an old Comet broom setting nearby. She picked up the broom and the club and released the bludgers.
"Let's have some fun," she muttered to herself.
Alexia took off, streaking through the air. She watched as one of the bludgers hit Linnea in the arm, causing her to reel in pain.
"Ouch!" she cried, nearly falling off her broom.
Piper and Linnea both looked towards Alexia, but she streaked past them. Linnea swooped down towards the ground and grabbed the other club. Alexia sent another bludger her way, but she knocked it right back. This was a piece of cake for Linnea.
But Alexia didn't see Linnea hit the bludger. She was turned around when the bludger whacked her right in the arm and she screamed with pain.
"Damn it!" yelled Alexia, landing her broom.
Linnea and Piper landed nearby.
"Thought you'd take me out, did you?" asked Linnea, throwing down the broom and storming towards Alexia.
"What the hell are you talking about?" asked Alexia.
"Why were flinging all those bludgers at us then?" asked Linnea.
"Getting some bludger practice," yelled Alexia.
"Yeah, sure," Linnea said, rolling her eyes.
"Well then what the bloody hell do you think I was doing?" shouted Alexia.
Linnea glared at her for a moment and then picked up her broom.
"C'mon Piper," said Linnea, leaving the pitch.
"I'm going to get the stuff back together," said Piper, picking up the Quaffle and putting it in the box.
Linnea sighed and stormed off. Alexia conjured the bludgers into the box and snapped it shut.
"Lex, wait," said Piper, running after her.
It was nearly dark when they headed back towards the castle. Piper stood in front of Alexia, blocking her path.
"Move," said Alexia shortly.
Piper glared up at her.
"Piper, get the hell out of the way!" spat Alexia.
"Not until you listen to me!" Piper shouted back.
Alexia had never heard this tone to Piper's voice before. Alexia stepped back and looked at Piper.
"Fine, I'm listening," she said.
Piper sighed.
"Look, Christmas is coming up and I don't want to see you and Linnea fighting like this anymore," Piper pleaded, "She misses you."
"She's got a funny way of showing it," Alexia spat, glaring at Piper.
"There was no reason for this fight!" yelled Piper; "You two are being so immature!"
Alexia stopped. She had been so wrapped up in her anger that she had never really thought about it that way. They were fighting over Linnea saying Gryffindor was better than Hufflepuff. How had that ever happened? Alexia couldn't even remember.
Snow slowly started falling, and Alexia looked at Piper.
"Look, Christmas break is in like a week away," said Piper, "I'm leaving, and so are most of the Gryffindors, could you just.I dunno.could you just try and make up with her?"
Alexia sighed and then nodded.
"Yeah," she said, "I know, this whole thing is stupid."
Piper smiled and they walked towards the school; Alexia thinking about how she would make this up to Linnea.