A/N: Okay for the manuscript it didn't format right so pretend that there are tons of little stars in between the letters in the manuscript...I'll look into fixing that. Thanks!

Chapter 9 – The Bracelet

"All right, class dismissed. Remember, practice those counter curses for tomorrow, and I'll see you then," said Professor Magus after the bell rang.

It was another day, sometime in the end of November, at the end of a Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Before Liz left, Professor Magus beckoned her up to the desk. "How is your—ah—research coming?" she asked.

"Oh. I've been really busy, and I haven't started yet," Liz replied. "But I'll do it soon. I'll start tonight."

"You don't have to. Take your time."

Liz nodded and left, going outside where Rachel and Michael were waiting for her so they could go to Potions. Rachel suggested skipping class to practice for Defense Against the Dark Arts, but Liz shot the idea down instantly. Snape would find out somehow.

That night, after classes were done and homework was finished, Liz took her bag with the manuscript in it and made for the library, particularly the Ancient Runes section. She took piles of books from the shelves and spread them out on a table. Then she set to work. She had to look up the Ancient Runes she believed resembled the figures most. It took her two hours just to translate the letters A, B, and C, and all of the punctuation, which was the easy part. Then she plugged it into the manuscript, and it looked something like this:

a aaa . a a. a b , c, a a b c ca . A a ac Cab c, a ccb a . a c a a Aaa bac. B , a , a ac . ba cab .

a a c c, aa Ac c, c a a. , a a a, a a ac.

a , a a b a a a a, a a a, "C , a, c !" . a a, a a . a a Aaa aaa a.

a a a aa, a . A a a . a a, b a a bac a a a. a a a a b c.

Ca ac. aaa

Liz stared at the rows upon rows of blanks, occasionally punctuated by an A, B, or C. This hadn't helped at all. She was three steps closer on a road with twenty-six steps, and right now she couldn't walk anymore. It was nearly nine o'clock, and she had to be back in Gryffindor Tower before that time. She packed up all her things, returned the books to the shelves, and left, making sure no one had seen her. Professor Magus probably wouldn't appreciate it much if the whole school knew about the secret manuscript. She made it back just in time, and spent the rest of the evening studying her Ancient Runes book, not for class, but for clues as to where to go next.

Cold weather was approaching. Hogwarts received its first snow of the season on the sixth of December. Liz left the warmth of the common room fireplace to go outside and enjoy the icy fun that the other students were having. She, Rachel, and Michael started a snowball fight, which turned into an all-out war between the first-year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. The only one of the fourth-years who didn't join in was Bettie Hess, who sat dejectedly on the sidelines. Even Liz noticed, though she was inclined not to care. Cathy Taw, one of the Ravenclaws, got Liz three times, and Clarence Lattimore got her twice. Liz retaliated by enchanting half the Gryffindors' stock of snowballs to chase them around the courtyard as they screamed and yelled. Soon it was she and Alberta's job to charm all the snowballs they could gather to do the same to the entire Ravenclaw team.

"We're winning! Yeah, we're winning!" Michael yelled, throwing five snowballs at once. Only one met a target.

"Throw better," John Peterson told him, hitting Steve Knudson, Roger Koontz, and Kristine Whitesell all at the same time.

"Throw better," Michael mimicked. He launched another snowball. It hit a tree. This had the upside of shaking loose all the snow that the tree had accumulated during the day and showering it on the other team's fort. Michael beamed.

"Nice aim," Rachel told him, grinning.

Robert Sorenson and Thomas Needham were using spells to strengthen the Gryffindor fort, which someone had decorated with a Gryffindor banner. A lion reared and roared on it, growling and gnashing its perfectly white and pointy teeth. Rachel and Desiree were working on collecting snow, and then delivering it to Liz and Alberta. Only Keith Dircks, John, and Michael were throwing snowballs at the opposing team, but Liz and Alberta were emptying the courtyard of snow to make their flying version.

"Wait! How many of them are there?" Liz yelled to Alberta over the war cries.

"How many what? Snowballs?"

"No!" Liz began, but was smacked in the face by an enemy snowball. When it was all off her face, she said, "Count the Ravenclaws! How many are there?"

It took Alberta a couple of seconds, but she finally answered, "Eight."

"And there's supposed to be ten!"

"Who's missing?"

"I see Kristine—"

"—and Cathy—"

"—and Clarence—"

"—and Amy—"

"—and Steve—"

"—and Roger—"

"—and Ida—"

"—and Curtis—"

"So who's missing?" Liz said.

"Who else is there?" said Alberta.

Liz thought for a moment. "Andrew and Monica! Where'd they go?"

"Who are they?" Alberta asked, squinting through the blinding snow.

"Andrew Altamirano and Monica Engle! He's kind of skinny with sandy blonde hair, and she has tanned skin and really short black hair. They're not that hard to miss."

"Look, there they are!" Alberta cried, pointing. The two Ravenclaws were scurrying across the field, carrying between them a large basket filled with snow. Green snow. "What's that they have?"

"Don't let it in! Don't let it in!" Liz shrieked, diving to the ground. Everyone around her was completely bewildered until one of the green-colored snowballs thrust itself forcefully into Alberta's mouth and she froze. The snowballs had something in them to stop the Gryffindors in their tracks. Monica and Andrew pelted snowball after snowball at the Gryffindor players, who did their best to dodge them. Michael grabbed a broken tree branch and whacked plenty of snowballs, which caused them to burst and spray their contents all over the people underneath. When those people were standing there, looking skyward with their mouths agape, the result was exactly what the Ravenclaws had intended it to be. Soon only John Peterson and Liz were left. Monica and Andrew advanced on them. There was no hope left for a peaceful surrender. Liz and John ran screaming away from them. Then suddenly there was no one chasing them. Liz turned. Bettie had enchanted the snow, not only to pelt itself at the Ravenclaws after it was made into balls, but also to make itself into balls. Soon the entire Ravenclaw team was defeated, and Liz removed the spells from her fellow Gryffindors. Andrew Altamirano, who had been leading the Ravenclaws, surrendered. By the time everything had calmed, Bettie was back on her bench, looking downcast again. Liz approached her.

"Thanks."

"It wasn't for you. Gryffindor pride."

"Thanks anyway. Do you mind me asking what's wrong?"

"Yes," Bettie said coldly. Liz had thought that maybe she was ready to give up the grudge, but obviously she had been wrong. She followed Bettie's gaze, which was directed at another bench where two people were sitting. David and Winnie. They were talking and holding hands. Then David kissed Winnie quickly on the lips. And Winnie was wearing the bracelet, the one Liz had seen him buy in Professor Armanda's shop.

"This is the only time I'll ever agree with you," said Bettie.