Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or Harry Potter.
Sailor Witches 27—How Do You Like Your Egg?
"So after Raye told me Rita's an animagus," Serena said to Mina and Lita during Herbology on Monday morning. "I decided to buy a Sneakoscope." She pulled out something that looked like a gyroscope. "When it spins and lights up, I'll know if there's someone untrustworthy around."
"Pretty cool," Mina said. "But how will you know it's really Rita and not a Slytherin?"
"Beats me."
"I wish I saw Rita's face when you snapped her quill in half," Lita grinned, trimming her Singing Bush. The greenhouse was pretty loud with all the Singing Bushes. Many weren't singing the same song or style, though few were singing duets. Some argued about their singing ability.
"Oh shut up," Lydia muttered at her bush and Mina gasped.
"Lydia!" she said.
"Not you, I meant my bush." She insisted, trying to make it be quiet by putting fresh dirt around it. "It's too loud and it's singing in Spanish or something-will yeh be quiet?"
"We've got to be really careful that Rita doesn't find out who we are," Serena said, glancing down at her Sneakoscope, which was still. "We'd have to leave Hogwarts if she writes about us."
"Did you notice your Sneakoscope reacting to anything?" Lydia asked.
"Not yet."
"You sure it's not broken?" Lita inquired.
"Better not!" Serena exclaimed. "It was ten Sickles!"
"You paid ten sickles for one of these?" Lita picked it up. "Doesn't look like much—wha—hey!"
The thing started twirling around and flashing. Lita gasped in shock and threw it down. "It's—it's doing something!"
"What's that?" Susan inquired.
"Rita must be here somewhere!" Serena cried, looking around the greenhouse. "Where is she?" She started examining her bush.
"I don't see her," said Mina.
"She'd be here as a bug. Look for a water beetle!"
The four girls began examining their bushes closely. "Mine's clean," said Mina.
"Serena, what're doing?" Harry inquired as Serena picked up his bush. He had to raise his voice because his bush was yodeling loudly, and it was rather annoying.
"I'm looking for a bug, Harry," she said. "It's probably hiding in one of our bushes."
"So?"
"I've got to get it out of here!" she yelled.
"No, leave it," said Ron, "maybe it'll eat the bushes leave so the damn thing will stop singing!"
"Ron!" Hermione scolded.
"I thought you don't like bugs, Serena." Harry said.
"Of course I don't! I hate 'em!" Serena exclaimed as she put down his bush and started looking at Ron's. "Especially the ones with blond hair, funky glasses and bad fashion sense!"
"Huh?"
"I'm looking for Rita Skeeter—she can change into a bug!"
"She what?" Hermione demanded. "Are you sure, Serena?"
"Yeah—that's how she was able to find that stuff on Hagrid!"
"But she can't be a registered animagus," Hermione said, "I checked the list."
"Exactly! She's an illegal little insect!"
Hermione gasped and started searching her own bush like mad. "Come out, Skeeter!"
"What makes you think she's in the greenhouse?" Ron inquired, rubbing his head.
"My Sneakoscope started reacting," Serena retorted, swinging up her head and glaring at Ron. "Aren't you going to help me?"
Ron laughed. "Serena, those things don't really work. They react to every little thing. Really cheap."
"Yeah," said Harry. "I've got one too. Ron got it for my birthday last year." He looked at Ron "How much was it, Ron?"
"About five sickles," Ron answered gloomily. "Sorry mate…"
"Oh yeah?" Serena demanded. "Well, I paid ten for mine!"
"What?" Ron gasped.
"Where are you Skeeter? I'm going to rip your antennas off when I find you!"
"Miss Tsukino , what are you doing to the bushes?" Professor Sprout demanded, walking up behind her.
"I'm…looking for a bug, Professor," Serena said nervously, turning around. She laughed and rubbed her head. "Though it'd…do damage to the bushes, you know."
'Not to mention our personal lives!' Serena added silently to herself.
The Herbology Professor put her hands on her hips. "Well, you're being too loud," she said. "It is not good for the Singing Bushes. Try to be more quiet please."
"Yes, Professor."
"And please, try not to rip out too many leaves," Professor Sprout added, glancing at the leaves over the table. "It makes them sing to high and they'll break the windows."
"Oh, they will?" Serena asked, biting her lip. "Sorry."
"If you find the insect," she said as she walked away, "you can feed it to the Pest Eating Flower in Greenhouse two. It's maturing and needs the food anyway."
"The Pest Eating Flower, huh?" Serena said with a grin. "Sure, all right Professor!"
Professor Sprout walked away to see how the other students were doing with their bushes. "Ah, excellent, Mr. Longbottom…"
Serena grinned and turned to Lydia. " Feed her to the Pest Eating Flower—just what Rita is, isn't she?"
Lydia shook the dirt of her hands. "Yeah, she's the worst pest I've ever seen. Should we try to get her to come back to human when we feed her to the flower? It'll get its protein!"
The girls cracked up with laughter.
"Girls, be quiet!" Professor Sprout shouted. "You are angering your bushes. You must listen to them, listen!"
Lydia groaned and poked her bush. "Can't you sing in Irish or something? I don't understand Spanish!"
"No comprende!" shouted the bush.
-
It was the Slytherins' turn to be disappointed when instead of Professor Grubly-Plank waiting for the class; Hagrid was standing outside his cabin with Fang. Malfoy's mouth dropped and he looked around.
"How—no—how did he get back here?" he demanded. "Where's—"
"Missed you too, Malfoy," muttered Hagrid, causing Malfoy to shut his big fat nasty mouth. Malfoy folded his arms and seethed silently. The trio, Serena and Lydia laughed. Some of the Gryffindors looked happy to see Hagrid as well, though they were a bit nervous what they would start learning.
"I hope we don't go back to the Skrewts," Parvarti whispered to Lavender.
"Hagrid, you're back!" Seamus cried. "That woman always let the girls have the fun!"
"She said the unicorns like the woman's touch, you idiot!" Parvarti hissed at him.
"Sorry to hear that, Seamus," said Hagrid. "We're going to continue the unicorns for a while."
"We are?" the girls asked excitedly and some of the boys groaned. Lydia gasped.
"You're not bringing the Skrewts out?" she asked confusedly, "Not that…I'd want to…"
Hagrid laughed. "No, they're getting' ter big for yeh to handle now. There are a few things left about unicorns I can tell yeh until I can find summat else for yeh to study."
The trio didn't seem to care if Hagrid would bring out the Skrewts again or griffons, they were just glad he was back.
-
"How are you, Raye?" Vladimir asked at lunch. "
Raye, who was sitting there in silence, heard someone speak at her right. "Huh?" she gasped, turning around. "Oh, I'm sorry Vladimir—what did you say?"
"I was just asking how you vare," he said.
"Oh," she mumbled, going red in the face a bit. "I'm fine, Vladimir."
"Are you sure?" Sofia inquired. "You've been kind of quiet, lately."
"It's nothing," Raye lied, pouring pumpkin juice in her glass.
"It must be school, isn't it?" Sofia asked. "Too much to handle?"
"Well, no, not really."
"Wait until you take your O.W.L.S," Sofia said with a groan.
"I think I'll be able to handle it," said Raye.
"You sure you're okay?" Sofia asked. "You don't eat much at meals and you look really tired. Have you been sleeping?"
'Is it that obvious?' Raye thought, rubbing her face.
"You really haven't been the same since the Yule Ball," said Vladimir. "You're not angry that I left, are you?"
"No, no of course not!" Raye told him. "I had a good time, really."
"Yeah, did you really sing the last song?" Sofia asked with a smile. "That must've taken some real guts."
"Yes, well, The Weird Sisters made me," Raye said shyly. "Wouldn't take no for an answer."
"Well, if there was something you want to talk about," Sofia said, turning to her plate. "Come over to the ship."
"Sure, thanks."
Over at the Gryffindor Table, Ron took a big bite of his roast, causing him to choke. Was it an accident or did he do it on purpose so Ami would notice? Did he perhaps do it to make Hermione jealous? Either way, he caused a scene.
"Ron, are you all right?" Harry asked, turning to his friend.
"Ron!" Hermione cried. "Can you breath?"
Ron put his hands to his throat. The Gryffindors turned to look at him, wondering if there was a charm to make him stop choking.
"Put your hands over your head!" Lydia exclaimed, pulling up his long arms.
However, Serena had the right idea. She jumped from her seat and called out to Ami at the Ravenclaw table. "Ami! Ron's choking!"
Ami was on her feet in a heartbeat and rushed over to Ron. She looked at his face, and his whole face-even his freckles-was turning blue. She put her arms around him, found the spot under his diaphragm and gave a deep, hard thrust. He made a wheezing noise and Ami did the same motion. His face was nearly the color of her hair and his eyes were bulging every time she gave a thrust.
Some girls screamed and covered their mouths. Everyone in the Great Hall was watching Ami perform the Heimlich Maneuver on Ron. Only the muggleborns seemed to know what she was trying to do while those with three-wizarding generations thought she was attacking him.
"She's going to make it worse!" George shouted, his face turning white.
"Let go of our brother!" Fred added.
"It's okay," said Harry, turning to the twins. "It's a muggle way to stop someone from choking. My uncle had to do it to my cousin a couple of times."
"Dad's never told us about that before!"
Ami bit her lip and her face scrunched up in frustration and concentration. It was hard for her to do the Heimlich maneuver on Ron because he was taller than she was. Nevertheless, she kept trying without showing any sign of fright. She let out a grunt, pushed her fist into his stomach and up. Ron made a funny noise and everyone backed out of the way incase he retched.
"Come on!" Ami hissed and the hunk of meat shot out of his mouth like a bullet and hit Neville in the head. It stuck to the boy's sandy hair but his eyes were so fixed on Ron he didn't seem to know. Ron blinked and his mouth stayed open for a moment or two and he took some quick rapid gasps of air.
"Just breath normally, Ron," Ami said, rubbing his back.
The Great Hall broke into applause, except for some Slytherins who remained quiet. Draco Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Stupid Weasley…always making a fool of himself."
Hermione wasn't too happy either. She groaned and folded her arms as Ron turned to embrace Ami.
"Oh Ami!" he said hoarsely. "You just saved my life!"
Ami batted his back nervously. "Er—yeah—guess I did. You ought to be more carful when you'r eating, Ron."
"That was the Heimlich, right?" he asked.
"Yes."
"It…really works," he said, rubbing his chest.
"Will you be all right?" she inquired.
"I think so," he replied shakily.
"Maybe you ought to get him to the Hospital Wing," Ginny suggested, looking at her brother panting for breath.
"I'm okay, Ginny," Ron insisted. "It's all taken care of…"
"I think she's right, Ron," Ami said, looking into his eyes. "Your eyes are dilated. You must still be in shock. Is this your first time choking?"
"Never saw him choking like that before!" said Fred.
"You could probably use a rest," Ami told Ron, "and some water."
"Oh, okay, Ami," Ron sighed. "If you say so."
With a small push into his ribs, Ami led Ron away from the Gryffindor Table and out of the Great Hall. Hermione 'humphed' and sat back down.
"I think he was choking on purpose!" she muttered.
"Why, because he was hungry?" Serena asked, her eyes on the doorway.
"Because Ronald Weasley thought he could win Ami's affections by trying to get her to play Florence Nightingale!" Hermione retorted. "Isn't it obvious?"
"Yeh know, Hermione," said Lydia, "if I didn't know better, I'd say you were jealous of Ron and Ami."
"Jealous? You must be joking!" Hermione spat, her face turning red. "You're both good friends with Ami. You must know how shy she is around guys!"
"Yeah, she really used to be until she met Ron," Serena said with a nod. "She'd barely even talk to them—let alone touch them."
"He's crowding around her too much," Hermione insisted. "If she finds out what he's trying to do it will break her heart! She'll think he's just trying to get attention!"
"Come on, Hermione," Serena said, trying not to grin. "Don't you think you're being just a little bit jealous? Just listen to yourself!"
"No!" Hermione groaned. "Can't you see? He's studying with her all the time in the library…"
"Nothing wrong with that," Serena said with a shrug. "She's really good at giving you studying tips. Haven't you noticed his grades are getting better already?"
"And playing chess?"
"A common interest," said Lydia. "Maybe they want to challenge each other."
"And—and he's purposely trying to kill himself so she could baby him!"
"Maybe he is," Serena said with a shrug, "but I think it's really sweet."
"Sweet? What do you mean, sweet?"
"He's trying to help her gain more self confidence," Lydia answered for her. "She does seem more confident now. Not as shy as she used to be."
"Oh!" Hermione groaned. "I think I've lost my appetite!" Totally red in the face, she to up and left the table with Lydia and Serena watching with big grins.
"Just a bit jealous," Serena said, "don't you think?"
"A bit?" Lydia laughed. "She is as green a shamrock, she is!"
"Not as lucky though."
-
"Choked on a bit of roast, you say?" Madame Pomfrey inquired as she grab Ron's hand and put him on a bed.
"Yes," Ami replied. "I was able to get it out by using the Heimlich maneuver. It's a muggle procedure to help someone when they're choking."
"How do you know this?" Madame Pomfrey asked, turning to her.
"My mother is a doctor—a muggle doctor."
"Interesting," she whispered, glancing to Ron.
"I know," Ron gasped.
"Don't try to talk!" Madame Pomfrey hissed, coming to his side with a mild sleeping potion. "Your throat needs to heal. Drink this."
Ron took the potion and looked at it. "What's this?"
"A sleeping draft," she answered.
"Ami said I should drink water," Ron said, handing it back.
"Drink the potion, Weasley!" The nurse muttered.
"But,"
"I also told you needed rest too, Ron," Ami reminded him softly.
"Oh yeah," said Ron sheepishly, "that's right." He drained the potion, gave it back to the nurse and put his head down on the pillow. The nurse shook her head at him and sighed. Then she turned to Ami.
"Ami, will you come with me into my office?" she inquired.
"Of course, Madame Pomfrey," she replied and she followed her into the office. Madame Pomfrey closed the door and Ami looked at the medicines on the shelves.
"You've been bringing Ron in a lot lately," Madame Pomfrey stated, settling behind her desk.
"Yes." Ami remained standing.
"As well as other students from your lessons," she added.
"That's correct."
"You've also given them what is called 'first aid' is it?"
The blue haired girl nodded. "First aid."
"And it seems to do very well," the nurse continued, "with every student you brought in with an ailment, I merely had to follow up with minimal magical remedies."
"Is there something wrong with that, Madame Pomfrey?" Ami asked nervously, "that I'm using muggle practices to help the students?"
She shook her head. "I thought some muggle remedies would be inaccurate but I must say, Miss Mizuno, I am quite impressed."
"Oh, why thank you."
"What else do you know?" she inquired, "besides care for cuts and choking?"
"I know CPR," she answered quickly.
"What's that?" the nurse raised an eyebrow.
"It's short for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation," Ami explained, "It is what you should do if someone's stopped breathing and don't have a pulse. There is also rescue breathing—when the victim does have a pulse but they are not breathing."
"And you've done this before?"
"Yes." She answered. "I was able to revive Serena Tsukino's brother once when he nearly drowned."
"This boy almost drowned, you say?"
"Yes ma'am," Ami still felt nervous, though she appreciated the fact that the nurse found it interesting. "Took him out of the water."
"So you can swim?"
"Yes."
"Are you any good?"
She paused before answering, "Why yes. I am pretty good. Why?"
Madame Pomfrey smiled. "Miss Mizuno, your skills may be very useful here at Hogwarts, especially with the Tournament. The next task the champions will have one hour to swim to the bottom of the lake to retrieve something—and for some reason—the judges have chosen people."
"What?" Ami gasped and sat down. "Why?"
"I don't know," Madame Pomfrey shook her head. "Perhaps to make it look good. Now, Mr. Weasley will be Potter's hostage."
"You mean—Ron will be the person he has to bring out of the lake?" Ami asked going pale, "but how—I mean—how long will they have to be in there?"
"They will be taken to the lake an hour before the task starts," Madame Pomfrey explained, "and the champions have one hour to retrieve them. So they would be in the water for nearly two hours."
"But Madame Pomfrey," Ami said quickly, "the next task is in February, not only are they at risk of drowning, but they can all catch hypothermia, or pneumonia!"
"The merpeople will place a sleeping spell on them," Madame Pomfrey told her. "So they will be oblivious to what is happening until they come out of the water—or until the spell wears off."
"I see where you are getting at, Madame Pomfrey," said Ami, "you want me to help out at the next task?"
"Precisely." She nodded. "I will need assistance giving them blankets and Pepperup Potion so they will not catch cold. As you are a good swimmer, I may need you to collect someone from the water if they're—unable to finish the task. Will you be willing to do it?"
"Absolutely," Ami answered with a smile. 'Wait until I tell the others!' she thought.
"Thank you," Madame Pomfrey smiled back. "We will have a meeting before the task so we can explain it in more detail. Lunch is over. You may go to your next lesson now."
-
Ron came showed up at the second half of divination. Looking proud with himself, he sat next to Harry and started on his chart.
"Feeling better?" Harry asked.
"I'm fine, thanks," Ron smiled and frowned when he looked at the star chart. "Oh, I probably should've remained sleeping.
"You gave us quite a scare, Ron," Dean whispered. "The whole Great Hall was freaking out—people thought Ami was making it worse."
"Only because they don't understand the brilliance of muggle medicine," he snorted. "Ami's a genius—while all you panicked-she jumped right up and took care of it. My dad should investigate muggle hospitals sometime. Maybe he could bring home some of the stuff they play with."
"Ron, you didn't happen to cause yourself to choke, did you?" Harry asked uncertainly.
"Oh come on, Harry," Ron groaned, "Why would I want to choke on a perfectly cooked roast? Would be quite a waste, now wouldn't it?"
"Oh, I don't know," said Serena as she leaned over. "Because you've got the hots for Ami!"
"What does that supposed to mean?" he inquired. "I want to give her loads of hot stuff or something?"
"No, but you think she's hot stuff!" Lydia laughed.
"What Lydia and Serena are trying to say," said Harry, glancing at the girls, "is that you like Ami."
"Well, of course I like her, Harry!" Ron muttered. "Thick, aren't you? Would I be studying with her all this time if I didn't?"
"We mean you really like her!" Serena squealed.
"Oh, come of it," Ron groaned and he took out his Divination book and started making his star chart. He frowned. "Now this can't be right. It's saying that I'm pushing Mercury away—I'm supposed to be drawing it closer. I wonder why it's saying that."
"I don't know Ron," Lydia said with a grin, "maybe you're trying a bit too hard."
"Huh?" he looked up. "What do you mean?"
Lydia couldn't reply. She and Serena broke in a fit of laughter. Ron groaned and rolled his eyes.
-
The girls were very pleased to hear that Ami would be helping in the next task. It gave them more reason for the girls to look forward to the task and they were slightly hoping that Ami would have to perform CPR on Ron. They received word from Madame Indigo that more people were searching for the whereabouts of Bertha Jorkins. Fudge did not want to believe that she could be dead, even though the woman was sort of a pain to have in the ministry.
Thursday night when Harry went to take a bath with the egg to work out the clue, he had to focus really hard. He still had his mind on Serena and the funny things she would say and do in their lessons together.
'I must be going nutters,' he thought to himself as he came to the door next to Boris the Bewildered and muttered the password.
"Pine Fresh."
The door opened, he stepped in and pulled off his invisibility cloak. When he looked around the bathroom, he gasped, mentally kicking himself. Had he known what the prefects bathroom looked like, he would've taken up on Cedric's advice on Boxing Day. It was spacious and lit with a huge chandelier in the middle of the room. The tub was the size of a swimming pool with nearly a hundred taps around it with jewels engraved in the handles. He walked over to the pool-sized tub and examined the taps before turning them on. He put the egg, his invisibility cloak and a towel at the side of the bath. As Harry undressed, he looked around the bathroom. A strange feeling of familiarity came to him.
"I know I never came here before," he whispered, "so why does it feel like I do?"
The bath filled up and he turned the taps off. He stepped in and rested his head on the edge of the tub, looking up at the ceiling. It was made out of marble like the rest of the bathroom. He sighed and closed his eyes, trying to shake off the feeling of deja-vu.
When he opened his eyes again, he saw that the ceiling was now painted like outer space, with all the planets of the solar system, the moon and the sun. It freaked Harry out to the point he sunk in the water, swallowing a bit of bubbles and water. Choking, he bobbed back up and stared at the ceiling. The painted solar system started to fade and he looked around the bathroom again. It still looked huge but now there were symbols on the wall.
The painting with the mermaid was replaced with a pretty girl in a silver-white dress standing on the moon. The girl was looking back at him over her shoulder, more like looking through him. Harry backed up to the end of the bath, staring at the girl in shock mixed with admiration. She was absolutely gorgeous but he couldn't understand why he was seeing things.
As he looked down to avoid her gaze, he saw that even the bath had changed. Once the shape of a rectangle, it was now shaped like a crescent moon. He put his hand out and felt around the bath. The taps were made out of silver and carved into girls. They were wearing the same kind of leotard with a miniskirt, though their hair were different lengths and wore different boots. One girl had shoulder length, wavy hair with boots that came to her shins. The other had shorter hair with boots up to her knees. Their hands were stretched out over the tub. He moved his hand around them, wondering how the heck he was supposed to turn the water on. He pushed the shoulder of the shorthaired one and water fell from her hands. He quickly pushed her shoulder again.
"I'm seeing things," he mumbled. "I've got to be."
He started hearing voices in the distance. Footsteps. People laughing. He looked at the door and around. There was no one there.
"You have to remember," said a voice behind him. He turned around quickly. There was no one there.
"What?" he demanded.
"Please…remember," the voice said again. It sounded very sweet and soft and familiar. He slowly raised his eyes to the painting of the girl on the moon. 'No he thought. She can't be speaking to me.'
He focused on the painting. She was still looking at him. It wasn't like a regular magical painting where the person moves. It looked very old and ancient. She spoke to him, but her mouth didn't move. He heard her voice in his mind.
"You have to remember."
"Remember what?" he demanded. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Remember the Moon Kingdom."
"Huh?" it was the weirdest thing he ever heard. "Moon Kingdom?"
"Please, set me free."
"How?"
"I'm trapped…please…you must set me free. A thousand years—a thousand years I have waited."
Harry swam over to the girl. "I don't understand…"
"Remember…"
Harry seriously thought he was going mad. Harry groaned and shook his head with his eyes closed and his fingers scrunched up in his hair. "Get a grip, Potter." He told himself.
He opened his eyes slowly and the girl was gone. The mermaid seemed to have stirred some, but she just snored and rolled over on her rock. Harry gasped and turned around. The bath was back to a rectangle and the marble bathroom was returned to normal.
Harry knew that the prefects' bathroom couldn't change like that, even in Hogwarts. The whole bathroom changed in front of him, like ghosts of another bathroom. The things he saw seemed really familiar but he couldn't figure out from where.
'What did that girl want from me?' he thought.
"So, how do you like your egg?" said a gloomy voice.
"Oh no!" Harry turned around. 'No more voices!'
Moaning Myrtle appeared on the taps, sitting cross-legged. Harry ducked into the water.
"Myrtle!" he exclaimed. "What—you—I'm not wearing any thing!"
"Why were you talking to the mermaid for?" Myrtle inquired, pointing at the mermaid in the painting.
"Nothing," he muttered.
He wasn't going to get into it with Myrtle or anyone else. He didn't think anyone would understand what he just saw and heard.
-
"Man, I don't want to go to potions today!" Serena groaned at breakfast the next day as she put over easy eggs and sausage on her plate.
"It's last thing," said Lydia.
"But this morning we have History of Magic," she said. "I can't believe our teacher is a ghost! He is just so…boring!"
"Well, at least we have charms in the middle to break the day up," Parvarti told them.
"Yeah, I know," Lydia agreed. "Flitwitck's alive and he won't take away points just because we're not in Slytherin."
"Hey, Serena," Harry said as he sat down. "How's it going?"
"Fine, Harry," Serena replied and she pushed a platter off eggs to him. "Have some breakfast. How do you like your egg? Cracked, boiled or forgotten?" Her face scrunched up in a scowl and Harry laughed. He thought it looked cute.
"Cracked, thank you," he said.
"You mean…you worked out the clue?" she asked, her face softening.
"Yeah," he answered as he helped himself to some eggs. "I did."
"Was it hard?" she inquired.
"Not really," he replied. Of course it wouldn't' be if he had Myrtle helping him.
"Wow," Serena smiled. "That's great, Harry! Way to go!"
"Thanks," he yawned and put his hand to his mouth. "Sorry."
"You all right? How'd you sleep?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," he lied. He had a little trouble getting back to dorm when his foot got stuck in a trick stair. He almost got caught. His mind had been on what he saw in the bathroom and it was a while until he could fall asleep. When Harry was finally able to drift off, he kept dreaming about the girl on the moon.
-
As usual, History of Magic was lame and boring. The only people that were actually listening to Binns were Ron and Hermione. Ron and Hermione seemed to have a little contest at how many questions they could get right and how quickly they could put their hands up. Harry yawned and he was daydreaming about the girl again. He closed his eyes as Binn's voice put him to sleep.
"A thousand years." The girl's words repeated in his head. "A thousand years I have waited."
Harry jerked away awake and his elbow slid off his desk. He blinked and sat up straight, throwing his arm in his air. 'Professor Binns has got to be about a thousand years old!' he thought, waving his arm.
"Professor!" he exclaimed. "I have a question!"
"Yes?" Binns said dryly.
"Professor Binns—what do you know about—er—a girl that lived on the moon?" he asked nervously. Some people jerked awake, staring at Harry. Seamus snickered.
"Harry, isn't that something you'd ask in divination?" he inquired with a grin.
Harry ignored him, staring up at Binns.
"How would Harry know about that?" Serena asked Lydia in a hushed voice.
"No idea," said Lydia.
"I'm sorry," Professor Binns inquired. "Mr. Packer, what was that?"
"A girl that lived on the moon some one thousand years ago," Harry repeated. "You've got to know something about it."
Binns frowned, "haven't I said something to this class before about legends?"
"Yeah, the Chamber of Secrets," said Harry. "But that turned out to be more than just a myth, didn't it Professor Binns?"
The class groaned and looked from Harry to Professor Binns. Professor Binns didn't say anything and he put his notes down. He sighed.
"This has nothing to do with the history of magic," he said. "Legend or not."
"What if this girl had powers though?" Harry demanded. "She'd have to if she lived on the moon."
If Serena really wanted to, she could settle this by transforming into Princess Serenity right now. But she couldn't disclose her identity to the class, especially if Rita Skeeter could be hiding in a corner somewhere. Serena checked her Sneakoscope and it was blinking. She showed it to Lydia, who nodded and they began scanning the room.
"Very well," Professor Binns muttered. "I suppose I can tell you what I know. I heard of it when I was in Hogwarts. My History of Magic professor back then would sometimes replace mythology with history. He—for some reason or another—believed them. But I did not. I liked to learn the facts. It was a history class, not mythology."
Harry began to wish they could learn legends in History of Magic. He didn't care if they weren't real, at least it still be interesting. Before he learned he was a wizard, he always thought magic was a legend and that turned out to be true. The class—for probably the first time since their second year—really paid attention to Professor Binns.
"Well, Professor Myst told us about it in I believe my second year," Binns continued, "There was a kingdom on the moon and they lived in peace for many centuries. However, the Moon Kingdom had an enemy in the universe and this enemy destroyed the moon kingdom and no one survived."
Harry stared. "That's it?"
"That's all I could remember," Binns muttered. "As I had told you, I never liked legends. They are not true. This is not a mythology class, children! It is history! I teach facts here. There was no moon kingdom and no girl lived on the moon. No one can live on the moon."
"Muggles have landed on the moon," said Hermione quickly.
"It is not the same!" he barked. "Even if the moon kingdom was real, it is gone now. Destroyed. Nothing there. Now, let us speak of something useful…in 1803…"
The class went quiet again and Ron turned to Harry. "Where'd you come up with the thought that a girl lived on the moon?"
"Saw a painting of a girl on the moon," Harry muttered. "Thought maybe there was a story behind it…I guess that's all it is…just a story."
If only if Harry knew that the Moon Princess was sitting just a few seats away, he'd know that the Moon Kingdom wasn't just a story.
-
It was the last week of January and Professor Trelawney kept asking Raye if she found the air that Aquarius was giving her and Raye kept telling her that she had no idea what she was talking about. Trelawney would continue to tell her to be ready when the time came and give her new predictions, much to Raye's dismay.
"Oh, my dear, as you wait for the air Aquarius waits to give you," she said, "beware of Saturn!"
Now Raye was thinking of Sailor Saturn but she knew it couldn't be because Hotaru was just a little kid. The outers had thought Sailor Saturn was evil just because she was the scout of death. Raye rubbed her head.
"Why would Saturn be a problem?" she inquired. "Saturn is okay. She's my friend."
"No! Oh no!" Trelawney gasped. "She is not your friend at all! Saturn will try to get in the way, yes…the tarot sign of Capricorn…the devil! The devil will try to take Aquarius' air before you get to it!"
"Why would Capricorn want Aquarius' air?" Raye asked. "Isn't the Capricorn an earth sign anyway?"
"Ah, it is, my dear!" she said excitedly. "Capricorn will try to smother your fire and take away Aquarius' air! Don't let the devil get the star. Your tarot symbol—the magician—must be prepared to stop Capricorn from destroying Aquarius. Aquarius is weak and vulnerable. Capricorn will try to manipulate it. You are the only one that can free it, my dear!"
"But how?" Raye inquired. "I don't understand."
"You will see, my dear," Trelawney continued, "before this month ends…in the last week…you will get a sign if you haven't already. Are you sure you haven't seen anything?"
"Well," Raye rubbed her head, "I've had dreams and done fire scrying on it."
Trelawney took in a big gasp and grabbed Raye's hands excitedly. "Ahh, you have the skill of fire scrying! Amazing. So few have mastered its art!"
"Well, I've been doing it since I was a kid."
"Wonderful," said Trelawney, "yes, continue. What did you see in the fire?"
"Well, I saw a little boy trapped in a star," Raye said uncertainly.
"Ahh! Yes, it is Aquarius! The star—interesting—and how did he get there?"
"Bad people put him there," Raye shrugged.
"Ah, the Devils! Many devils…one more diabolic than most."
Slowly, Raye thought Trelawney was making some sense. The bad people would be devils.
"I try to save him but I can't. I'm not strong. It because I haven't welcomed the air yet?"
Trelawney hugged Raye and sobbed tears of joy with the class looking on with big grins. "Oh, you see it, my dear! Yes, the magician cannot work its magic until it gets more power. Well done!"
"But I still don't get it…why me though?" Raye inquired, trying to get out of Trelawney's arms. She couldn't stand the look Pansy was giving her. "Why not another Aries? Or a Leo maybe?"
"Because it is your fate. No one else can do it. Uranus will not voluntarily give its air to anyone else but you so you must be ready and willing."
"Er, okay…"
Professor Trelawney sat in her chair and Pansy leaned toward Raye. "Teacher's pet!"
"Hey, I didn't ask her to predict my future!" Raye hissed at her.
-
Raye dreamed more about the boy trapped in the star. As Sailor Mars, fought hard to free him but no matter from which angle she attacked it didn't' work. Her fire just wasn't strong enough. She tried telling the boy to hit in one spot as hard as he could so that it would be easier for her to break the star but it didn't work. All she could do was just hover around and try to calm him down.
"Don't…let them get me," he pleaded fearfully. "They'll get their master. He'll do terrible things to me. Make me one…one of them."
"Who is he?" Sailor Mars asked from the outside, trying to get a good look at the boy.
The boy shuddered. "He is so scary I—I can't even say his name. Eyes like a snake…voice cold as ice…face whiter than snow…like the devil."
"Please, try to remain calm," Mars told him. "He won't get you."
"I can't fight him," the boy sobbed. "I'm not strong enough. Not alone…not by myself."
"You won't be alone," Mars insisted. "I'm with you. I won't let him get you." She put her hand on the outside of the star and the boy put his hand over hers, trying to feel her touch through the star that separated them. "I'll stay here and guard you until I can get you out."
"Thank you," the boy whispered with a smile, tears trailing down his cheeks. "You are so kind to me…"
Sailor Mars smiled back. "It's all right. I am a sailor scout. It's my duty to protect the innocent."
"A sailor scout?"
"Yes."
"What's your name?"
"Sailor Mars," she replied.
"That's so pretty."
"Thank you," said Sailor Mars. "What's yours?"
"My name is…"
-
The dream ended as Pansy shrieked from a corner in the room. Raye woke up with a start. "What's going on?"
"Draco's surprise birthday party," Pansy muttered, looking rather overly dressed with tons of make up on, "if you must know!" she ran out of the room with her arms loaded with presents.
Raye groaned and ran her hand through her hair. She was already awake so she might as well get ready. When she came to the common room, a bunch of Slytherins jumped out from behind stuff and yelled:
"SURPRISE!"
"What?" Raye mumbled.
"Not you, Hino!" Pansy groaned, pushing her out of the way. Apparently, they were waiting for Draco to come up with his two cronies and Raye happened to come to the common room at the same time.
"For Draco! Happy birthday, Dracikins!"
Raye snorted and Pansy shot her an angry glare before kissing Draco on the cheek and giving him a vice-like embrace. Raye heard a couple of bones pop and Draco gasp for air. He looked like his eyes were going to pop out of their sockets and she felt a bit sorry for him.
'He must've lots of patience to deal with that girl,' Raye though.
"You know what, Draco?" Pansy inquired with a grin. "We're studying the stars in divination!"
"That's nice," Draco mumbled.
"Yes it is!" she chuckled. "I found out what your sign is—see your birthday's January 31—so you're an Aquarius!"
Raye gasped, backed up and fell over a chair. Pansy and some of her friends laughed hysterically. Noticing this, Draco went to see if she is okay, much to Pansy's disappointment.
"Oh, leave her alone, Draco," said Pansy.
"Why don't you leave her alone?" Miranda LeStrange demanded, folding her arms and glaring at Pansy. She had shoulder length auburn hair and brown eyes and a thin figure. Ever since Raye's performance at the Yule Ball, she looked up to Raye and idolized her the same way Colin Creevey did Harry Potter.
"Quiet you!"
"You all right, Raye?" Draco asked as Raye stood back up, looking red in the face.
"Yeah—yeah," Raye mumbled. "Er, happy birthday, Draco. Sorry, I don't have a present for you. I didn't know today was your birthday."
"Well, then," said Pansy as she came to Draco's side, putting her arms around him. "You should leave!"
"Pansy…" Draco began.
"Well, if she hasn't got a present then there's no reason for her to stay, is there?" Pansy asked with an airy laugh. "Anyway, Draco, as I was saying, you know that my birthday's December 26? Well, I'm a Capricorn!"
"So?" Draco demanded.
"Our signs are compatible!" she exclaimed happily, grinning evilly at Raye. "Not like Aquarius and Aries…oh no…not at all!"
For about five seconds, Raye saw horns grow out of Pansy's head and a red arrow-shaped tail sprout from her bottom. Raye clenched her fist. Exactly. Pansy was a Capricorn. Raye remembered how she bragged about it in Divination and Pansy didn't like how Trelawney was talking about her sign the other day. Raye let out a groan and left the common room.
'Why didn't I figure it out before?' Raye thought. 'I should've realized it when Pansy said it was Draco's birthday. So, Draco's an Aquarius, so that must mean he's the one trapped in the star, and Pansy is going to take away the air he wants to give me! She doesn't know who she's kidding. Had she researched it better, she'd know an Aquarius and Capricorn aren't a very good match.'
Raye stopped walking and gasped. "That's it!" she said. "She's got to be the Capricorn Professor Trelawney was talking about—hmm—the devil suits her just fine. I've got to talk to Professor Trelawney!"
Raye dashed through the halls, nearly bumping into people and causing them to fall, but she could not stop for nothing. By the time she reached the North Tower, she was way out of breath. Gasping for air, she climbed up the ladder and fell to the floor.
"P—Professor," she wheezed, "I—I've got to talk to you!"
"My dear, what a pleasant surprises!" Trelawney shrieked. "My inner eye told me you wouldn't come for another three hours!"
"Professor, do you really have to live all the way up here?" Raye questioned as she pushed herself to her knees.
"Yes. The clairvoyant vibrations are stronger here." She crossed the room and helped Raye to her feet. "I know it is a long way to come, but I am sure it is worth it once you get here."
"Yeah, right," Raye muttered. "Professor, you were right! That prediction about what would happen before this week was over—came true!"
Professor Trelawney gasped, clasped her hands and turned around. "Ahh! Yes…you have welcomed the air Aquarius waits to give you!" she threw her arms out. "Just as my inner eye has told me…"
"Well, not exactly, Professor!" Raye shouted. "What you said that would happen this week was an Aquarius' birthday! Today is January 31—someone born between January twenty-first and February nineteenth—is an Aquarius. That was the sign you said that would come—an Aquarius' birthday."
"So, you didn't know this person was an Aquarius then?"
"No," Raye shook her head. "I found out just now who the Aquarius must be. It's, um, Draco Malfoy!"
"Ah. I see—I'm afraid I do not really know him."
"That's because he doesn't take divination, Professor," Raye explained.
"Doesn't see the beauty of it?"
"I think he wants to," Raye said, "only his father thinks Arithmancy is more useful."
"You believe that this Aquarius does want to give you the air?" she inquired.
"Um, depends all on what the air is," Raye said, "If it's trouble, then he's been giving me that since I came here. Draco Malfoy has a thing for me but I don't feel the same way."
"Are you sure about that?" Professor Trelawney said, coming closer to Raye. "Because I am seeing something else. Perhaps you are beginning to feel something that wasn't there before?"
"Well, I don't know," Raye groaned and sat down into a puff. "After the Yule Ball, he hasn't been acting like such a jerk, at least not to me. He tries really hard, a bit too hard. I'm a bit more tolerant of him now but I'm on the fence."
"I see. And do you've seen the hold Saturn has on him? The Capricorn—the devil?"
"Depends on which Capricorn you're talking about," said Raye grimly, "I forgot that Pansy Parkinson was a Capricorn. It explains why she was so mad after you talked to me in our last class. She must've thought you said all Capricorns are bad or something."
"Oh yes, that girl," Trelawney said, "she doesn't try hard enough."
"But she does when it comes to winning Draco's affections!" Raye exclaimed. "She thinks they're made for each other and she won't leave him alone."
"Do you have any feelings for Draco Malfoy, my dear?"
"Um, well, I don't know." Raye blushed and turned her face to the floor. "I guess I like him."
"Is he the same boy you see trapped in the star in your dreams?" Professor Trelawney inquired. "And when you do fire readings?"
Raye thought back to her dream. The boy did have platinum blond hair like Draco's. His skin was pale. She glanced up at Professor Trelawney. "He very well could be, Professor! If he's an Aquarius and the tarot symbol for Aquarius is the Star! In my last dream, before I woke up, he was about to tell me his name."
"Were you able to get anything else?"
"He was saying stuff about the bad people that put him in the star. They were going to make him one of them. Then he mentioned their master." Raye got to her feet and cupped her chin. "Too afraid to mention his name. He described what he looked like—kind of like a snake—like the devil."
Professor Trelawney gasped. "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. He will come back!"
"What?"
"Who else could this 'devil' be?" Professor Trelawney asked. "There is no one else I can think of whose name we dare not utter! He may come back and Draco fears it!"
"Well, how would he know—unless—that's it!" Raye exclaimed, "Draco Malfoy's father is a Death Eater and I bet Lucius wants Draco to become one too, only Draco doesn't want to."
"Saturn is after Draco, my dear," Trelawney told Raye. "You must protect him!"
"What? Why me?"
"Because you are the only one that can," Trelawney replied.
"I can't be the only Aries in this school!" Raye exclaimed.
"Yes, but you are special," Trelawney went on. "You have a fire that no Aries can possess. You fire is stronger and Draco Malfoy trusts you. He waits to give his air to you so you can free him from his prison. There is no one else he would rather give his air to."
"What do you mean by air anyway?" Raye inquired. "What can he gie me?"
"Why, his heat, of course," said Trelawney with a laugh. "He wants to give you his heart."
Raye hoped it wasn't true. It had to be something else.
"They will try to corrupt him, my dear," Trelawney continued quickly. "You have to keep him away from the power of Saturn. Pansy Parkinson, his father, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named…."
"Are all these 'devils' the Death Eaters? Are they all Capricorns?"
"The most evil are," Trelawney replied. "Many, I'm afraid, are Death Eaters."
Raye suddenly thought of Sailor Saturn. What if they ever found out who she was and they tried to corrupt her?
"Not all Capricorns have the fate of becoming Death Eaters, do they?" Raye asked nervously. "Because I have a good friend that's a Capricorn. She's been corrupted before…"
"But is she strong?"
"Depends what you mean by strong," Raye said, "she has a weak heart but…there's a part of her that is strong."
"I mean spiritually?"
"I think after this first time she's learned," Raye replied. "And she wasn't really corrupted, it was more like possessed."
"I think she is safe," said Professor Trelawney, "but I do not really know. I would have to meet her."
"But she is really, really sweet," Raye added quickly. "Not like Pansy at all!'
"Pansy Parkinson is the evil side of Saturn," Trelawney said, "and as she continues to be around Draco she will easily corrupt him, making him easy prey for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. If you do not want Draco Malfoy to become a Death Eater, child, you must her for him!"
"What?" Raye demanded. "Are you sure there's no other way?"
"Telling her to stop corrupting him won't work, will it?" Trelawney asked. "No. You will have to spend as muc tih Draco Malfoy as possible. The more he is around you, the less he will be around Pansy Parkinson and Saturn's hold."
'Oh, why me?' Raye thought desperately, looking at the floor. 'Why am I the one that has to do it?' She sighed and looked up.
"Can I think it over?" Raye inquired.
"If you must," answered Trelawney, "but do not delay. You do not have a lot of time. There is much evil working within the walls of Hogwarts, even as we speak."
"Yeah, like what?" Raye furrowed her eyebrows.
"I do not know for sure," Trelawney whispered, "but this I am for certain—there is a wolf here in sheep's clothing—and we must find out who before it is too late."
Raye bit her lip. Sometimes Professor Trelawney seemed to be a fraud when it came to divination and Raye hoped this was one of those times. But what if Professor Trelawney wasn't really a fraud? She only sometimes 'misread' what her cloudy inner eye saw time to time? What if this time Professor Trelawney was right? What if Draco Malfoy was in danger and Raye was the only one that could help him? What if there really was a wolf in Hogwarts, hiding in sheep's clothing? What was going to happen and were the sailor scouts the only ones that could stop it?
-
Valentines Day came and when Harry woke up that morning, he nearly freaked out. He never had good experiences with Valentines Day. Girls that did like Harry were too afraid of Dudley to give him any Valentines Cards. They were sure that Dudley would tease Harry about them, beat him up every stinking day and read them to his gang—if he could read—that is. When he came to Hogwarts, his mind was on the Sorcerer's Stone. His second year he got a singing Valentine from Ginny Weasley and many students thought he was the Heir of Slytherin. In his third year, he was wondering where Black was, what was going to happen to Buckbeak and why the Dementors always had a more effect on him than anyone else.
Now it was Valentines Day again. He was in the Triwizard Tournament. He went to the Yule Ball with a pretty girl and since then, this pretty girl plagued his mind. Was this year going to be as weird as the first three at Hogwarts? A slow smile came upon his face. Harry didn't seem to think so.
"It's Valentines Day!" he shouted, springing to his feet and scaring the living daylights out of his dorm mates.
"What the hell are you yelling about, Harry?" Ron demanded from his bed.
"Ron, wake up!" Harry said, shaking him vigorous and going from bed to bed. "Seamus, wake up mate! Dean, come on!"
"Harry, it's Sunday!" Dean groaned, eyes closed and aimlessly trying to smack Harry away. "No lessons…you know…"
"Yeah, but it's Valentines Day, mates!" he said excitedly. "You can give those Patil twins you keep saying are the prettiest girls in Hogwarts drawings or something!"
"But it's nine-thirty!" he yawned, turning over. "Got plenty of time."
"What's the matter with you guys?" Harry demanded, looking around the dorm at his sleeping friends. "Come on, it's Valentines Day for crying out loud!"
"Harry, listen mate," said Seamus as he sat up, "you never went like this on Valentines Day before…why are you starting now?"
"Because now I've got a good reason!" Harry said, "no one's trying to kill me this year, that's why! Valentines Day has always been my least favorite holiday because Dudley would make my life hell if a girl ever gave me a Valentines Day card!"
"But your cousin already gives you hell, Harry!" Ron grunted. "Those muggles have been giving you hell since you started living with them."
"I know," Harry sighed, "but still…it would be worse if Dudley ever found out a girl liked me. And now that I don't have to go to school with my stupid fat cousin now I don't have to worry about that anymore! I know you guys have got to have at least one girl in this school you like—go and do something nice for them!"
"I can't," said Neville sheepishly. "I can't transfigure them a bunny rabbit or…"
"So give them a singing bush or something, Neville!" Harry exclaimed. He turned to Ron, "you can play that chess game with Ami you always keep talking about! Give her a Valentines Day card."
"Oh, like the one Ginny gave you in our second year, eh?" Ron cracked.
"Harry, I'm starting to think Lockhart possessed you," Dean said suspiciously. "You are Harry, aren't you?"
"No, Dean, Lockhart hasn't possessed me!" Harry shouted. "He's in St. Mungo's with no memory—what do you expect?"
-
Over in the girls' fourth year dormitory, something similar was happening. "Come on girls, what are you going to do for Valentines Day?"
"What?" Hermione demanded. "Are you kidding?"
"Hey, it's Valentines Day and there are no lessons," said Serena. "We have two other schools with us this year. If there's a guy you're crushing on, now might be the day to tell him!"
"I don't know if I can!" Parvarti gasped, throwing her hands over her mouth. "I mean—I really like the Beaxbatons boy but—I'm too shy!"
"Oh, come on," Serena groaned. "You went with him last Hogsmead weekend, didn't you?"
"Yes, of course I did," she said, "but my horoscope says I have to be really careful…maybe I can find out what his sign is!"
Serena shook her head and looked at Lavender. "What about you?"
"Well, there was someone," said Lavender slowly, "but it appears he likes someone else." She flashed her eyes to Lydia, who was stroking Lucky and going through her luck charm box. Lydia glanced up.
"Who?" she inquired.
"I'd rather not say," Lavender muttered. "My horoscope says to avoid confrontation."
"You guys have been taking Divination way too seriously!" Serena groaned, putting her fists on her hips.
"Try just sending a simple note about your feelings," Lydia suggested. "Hey, wait, I've got them!"
"What?" Hermione inquired.
"My Claddagh rings!" Lydia exclaimed.
"Have something stuck in your throat, Lydia?" Serena asked.
Lydia laughed "No, Claddagh! It's a charm. See?" she held out a silver ring for her to examine. Parvarti and Lavender walked to see while Hermione continued working on something.
"Claddagh was a village in Ireland. Someone made these rings to show loyalty and friendship and love." Lydia explained, "it's also an Irish engagement ring. Notice the hands? The saying goes, 'With these two hands I give you my heart and I crown it with my love.'"
"That sounds so romantic!" Parvarti squealed, picking it up. "Oh, see the heart, Lavender? This is so pretty!"
"Beautiful," mumbled Lavender, glancing at it and wondering if a certain Irish boy would ever give her one.
"And the heart means, obviously, love. The crown means loyalty and the hands mean friendship
Parvarti placed the ring on her left ring finger with the crown outward. She held out her hand to look it over and she sighed dreamily.
"Parvarti, you might want to turn the ring around," Lydia stated. "If you have it on yer left hand with the crown inward it means two loves have become inseparable. With the crown outward like that—well—I don't think it has a meaning."
"Crowd inward, right," Parvarti turned the ring around. "Does it mean something else it's on your right hand?"
"Yeah," Lydia replied, "on the right hand with the crown outward it means that a love is being considered."
"I might have to that down so I'll remember," Parvarti said.
"Do you have more of those?" Serena asked, looking over Lydia's shoulder.
"Yeah, loads," Lydia said. "I forgot I even had them. I have Claddagh coins, earrings, and bracelets…oh and these are cool to give too. Celtic Love Knots!" she picked up a necklace with a silver knot. "Ye keep one and ye give the other to the person ye like…or ye can put it next to the guy's picture."
"I can ask Andre for a picture of him!" Parvarti gasped.
"Or you can just give it to him," Lydia told her with a wink. "Give you two something to remember each other by."
"Are you planning on giving any of these to Seamus, Lydia?" Serena inquired, picking up the various love charms and looking them over.
"I don't know," said Lydia, blushing slightly. "It depends on what I find."
"What's wrong with these love rings?" Lavender demanded.
"Well, they're a bit, too serious and you really just give those rings to girls," Lydia shrugged. "Maybe a four-leaf clover."
"Oh, but he had one of these at the World Cup," said Lavender, folding her arms. "You like him, don't you?"
"Well, yeah, as a friend." Lydia said.
"I see," Lavender whispered and she picked up a love knot. "Then you probably won't mind if I give him one of these, would you?"
Serena looked from Lavender to Lydia. 'Sooo, Lavender's jealous of them!' she thought.
"Of course not," Lydia told Lavender, raising an eyebrow. There was an odd silence for a while and Parvarti let out a soft moan.
"Lydia, what is this?" she inquired, picking up a frosty white flower with a gold heart in the middle. "This is beautiful! Where on Earth did you get it?"
Lydia looked sadly at the flower in Parvarti's hands. The flower didn't come from Earth. How could Lydia explain to the girls where it came from?
"That's…That's the love blossom," Lydia whispered. "Someone—gave it to me."
"From where?" she asked excitedly. "I want one!"
"I don't know," Lydia answered.
"I wish we could learn about these in Herbology!" said Parvarti. "Does it have any magical powers."
"Yeah," Lydia told her, "unlike a rose, it never dies. Just as long you still have love in your heart."
"Amazing," said Lavender. "You should show this to Professor Sprout. Maybe she can find a way to grow them."
Serena looked at Lydia and she knew he was fighting hard not to think about greenhouses.
"Who's the guy that gave it to you?" Lavender inquired.
"He is very special to me," Lydia said, trying to keep her voice strong and her lip from trembling. "He gave me that right before he had to—go on some kind of mission. I haven't seen him for ages. I don't know when he'll be back."
"Oh, that's so sad!" Parvarti frowned, handing the Love Blossom back to her. "Does your horoscope say anything about an old love returning? You know what Professor Trelawney says: 'If it's in the stars, it might as well be in stone!'"
The thought of stars and space got to Lydia and small sob escaped her throat. The girls looked on in shock. Hermione put down her book and stood up. Serena patted Lydia's back. She was the only one in the room-besides Lucky-who knew how Lydia felt.
"Lydia, I'm sorry!" Parvarti exclaimed. "I didn't mean to…"
"It's okay, Parvarti," Lydia moaned, closing her box. With the Love Blossom in hand, she ran out of the room. Parvarti looked at Serena.
"Did I say something wrong?" she asked.
"Space and plants is kind of a touchy subject for Lydia," Serena explained. "They remind her of Fiore—the guy that gave it to her."
"So, is he an astronaut or a botanist?" Hermione inquired, finally saying something.
"Well, he's a bit of both, actually."
To Be Continued