Hogsmeade...
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The last three days to ending the week, and not to mention the first week of December, flew by as the anticipation and apprehension flew within and without the castle.
More Christmas cheer was following through the corridors with each passing day. Starting with small mistletoes being hung in unexpected late night places and following with carols being heard echoing through the halls during classes as the ghosts speared there vocals throughout. Ending with decorations and cherry presents throughout the days given to students from secret admires..
Mostly every student you passed through the chilly corridors these last passing days, always seemed to have a foolish grin on there face, or a weird academic skip to there step as they walked. Even the second and first years were finding holidays at Hogwarts ever more welcoming and cheerier then usual, even if they wouldn't be the students to find accompanying Hogsmeade this weekend, they still found cheer to bring smiles to there solely faces.
Even the teachers were feeling the cheer already spreading through the ancient castle so early into the month. Easing up on the work and evening assignments, mainly most of them had been found giving there students less of a lack and more of a break till the last few weeks till Christmas arrived.
The fifth, sixth and seventh year students found this present to be a blessing. Ever since then, you barely would find a fifth year or up, residing in the common room as an excuse to pass time, or to work on homework, but mainly catching them in the school yards experimenting with the cold wonder of snow.
Or at least this is where you'd find most of the students during there free hours, but you exceptionally would not find Hayley Glenwood in either of those residences.
Hayley, nowadays, was found to be hiding in her Dormitory bed. If not at classes, breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you would most likely find her there.
Three days previous, Hayley was released from the Hospital Wing and returned back into classes. She felt very distance from everyone, maybe not everyone, but in a manner of speaking - distant from Harry.
She felt sick every time she saw him-a feeling like she was queasy to her stomach and going to throw up, but resisting the urge of retching all her breakfast down during classes.
Hayley could tell, if not from him then her, that he felt the same way. Barely making eye contact with one another, or speaking to each other in silence or just in public was a task that none of them was succeeding in. To Hayley, it felt like she was back to day one. Starting with day one from first meeting Harry, and learning to deal with his weird ways, then before now, where they seemed to be closer before the incidents began to take over that friendship and now tearing it apart.
Hayley now kept to her own routine. She would wake up in the morning, dress with her dorm mates, proceed down to the Great Hall with Hermione and have breakfast with basically anyone who didn't consist of Harry, then attend classes. After those six long hours, she'd then start heading up to the Hospital Wing to have her daily check-up with Madam Pomfrey to make sure her head wasn't suffering from any brain damage from the fall, or what she could remember of it. Then after that, reporting back to her Dormitory where she wouldn't come out for quite some time.
Every since she was released from the solitude of the hospital bed, Madam Pomfrey make it crucial that she attend to her everyday at six o'clock sharp for the usual check-up, which Hayley now found to be quite annoying to hear the same 'doing fine dear - see you tomorrow then' after every session she'd been to, and she's only attended three.
To make her temper rise more too full climax, she seemed to be getting quite irritated with the constant questions from Ron and Hermione about the night before she was released.
It was quite obvious to Hayley that they knew Harry had snuck out to head to the hospital wing, but when Hayley began to run through the details with them, she had indistinctly left out the detail about waking up and finding him in bed with her. Something she was quite sure both Ron and Hermione would take the wrong way, if not the right way.
But even so, it still annoyed Hayley every time she recalled the memory to herself.
In all honesty, she didn't remember the part of Harry yelling at her, or maybe it was her yelling at Harry. All that seemed to me running through her mind was the words he said after that, and if even more so, Professor McGonagall showing up during the raw.
'"YOU'RE MY BLOODY SIS -"'
Hayley hadn't yet fully registered what that interrupted sentence meant, nor did she have time to. It was the words spoken by Professor McGonagall that she had overheard during one of her many sessions of 'eaves-dropping.' But even now, Hayley regretted it immensely. It wasn't like one of her parents' silent chats, where she usually had no clue as to what they were saying, but this time it seemed different. Like she needed to find out what the words she had overheard meant, and why they were leaving Harry in the aftermath mood he'd been carrying around with him during classes for the last three days.
' "Potter - I know this isn't easy, but you have to face it, you cannot tell her.'"
She tried to put it all behind her, but something was stopping her. She tried to recall the words that had been said before Professor McGonagall had found them, but all that seemed to be coming to her was the line said by Harry.
Sighing, as Hayley glanced over herself in the mirror, she started to feel queasy again.
"Hayley - are you alright?" asked Hermione, stepping away from her four- poster and walking over towards her.
"Yeah everything's fine Hermione, why?" asked Hayley; shaking off the last lurch she felt her stomach issue.
Hayley had grown used to shaking off emotions and weird incidental feelings. It just seemed harder to do when you were the one trying to fool Hermione Granger.
"You just seem a little pale that's all."
"No - I'm fine Hermione."
"Okay - almost ready to go then?" said Hermione, turning away from Hayley and walking back over towards her trunk.
Hayley couldn't help the smile that crossed her face. Today was Saturday. They would be attending Hogsmeade. Hayley's first Hogsmeade trip away from her parents.
"Excited about seeing your father?" asked Hermione.
Hayley tried to bring another smile to her face, but she was having a hard time forming the curves without it looking forced. Of course she missed her mother and father, but the main reason she came here was to get away from them. Sure Owls were alright, but actually seeing them after only five weeks away from each other just didn't seem right.
"Yes - I guess," was all the raven responded with.
"Well I'm going to go down to meet up with Harry and Ron. Are you almost ready?"
"Almost - I'll be down in a minute."
"Alright."
"Oh-and Hermione?"
Hermione turned around almost instantly expecting this. Hayley could see a look of excitement hidden within her features.
"Yeah?"
"Did you - you know - return Harry's cloak I gave back to you after Madam Pomfrey?"
Hermione let out a soft sigh at the way she detected Hayley say her boyfriend's name, but she nodded all the same. Hayley watched Hermione through the mirror as she crossed the room and walked out.
Sighing again, Hayley walked back over towards her own bed.
She looked over her clothes she had picked out for the day and frowned at them.
She had grown quite used to wearing her uniform. To her, it showed that she wasn't home schooled anymore, but now part of a real school.
Since it was almost below zero outside there wasn't much of a choice to wardrobe in this whether. So, she was going with Hermione's approach at things. She picked out something simple yet comfortable for both herself and her father to see her in (if you called a light green sweater and jeans simple); for when they would meet up at one o'clock at Quality Quidditch Supplies; according to the Owl he had sent her only two nights ago.
Hayley didn't know if it was the anxiety of seeing her father again, or the anxiety that this would be her first visit to Hogsmeade without him accompanying her, but something was telling her there was danger lying ahead.
Shaking off the feeling once more, Hayley proceeded to change out of her nightgown, and slip into her daily wears.
After zipping her jeans up she went back over towards the mirror.
Gazing over her features she couldn't help the frown that was crossing her face. She had noticed lately that her eyes seemed to be harboring in a pale green; so unlike there usual shinning emerald that was always carried with a happy face. But there was the answer right there. In order to have a happy face, you had to have a happy girl, and Hayley was not any of those at the moment.
She felt like she did when she was back home; miserable, depressed; and finding it a new quest with each passing day to face the school. Not knowing why; the school didn't know anything about her, her scar, the voice, her dreams, or Harry. But lately to her, facing the school meant facing Harry.
Feeling very unconscious now, Hayley brought her hand up to her forehead, pushing away the hair that lay there and moving it aside, giving her the clear view of her scar.
Her scar. She looked directly at it, almost glaring at herself through the mirror. It wasn't as red as it had been through the previous days. It had resided in going back to its usual pale pink, and leaving her alone with its torments of turning bright blood red.
Taking one last glance at herself, Hayley turned and began heading towards the common room.
It wasn't its usual quiet solitude, but other then a loud and roaming center filled with students from third year and above.
Without her brain even needing to direct her, her eyes instantly targeted Harry almost on instinct. She didn't realize she was staring, but her eyes didn't seem to want to pull away from him.
He was standing near the fire, Hermione and Ron near by, all three of them in a tight circle, as if giving the impression not to be disturbed. It only took three more seconds until Harry finally caught her gaze.
Him, like her, couldn't seem to pull away either. Both emeralds scanning over the other, neither making a move to go over to each other, or show respect either.
Ron seemed to be ranting on over one thing or the other, until he noticed one of his audience members wasn't paying a bit of attention to his jolting and rambling. He seemed to catch Harry staring at something, because the next minute Ron's eyes were on her also, but Hayley kept her focus only on Harry.
Ron turned back towards Harry and gave him a short nod before he started making his way over to Hayley's still form.
Hayley, finally wiping out of her gaze, turned towards Ron and gave him a soft smile.
"You okay?" he said audibly in a whisper.
Hayley couldn't help the small blush creep into her cheeks as she heard how soft and calm his voice was towards her. She probably, for the fourth time that morning, knocked off the sharp lump starting to form within her throat as she turned to face him.
"Are the carriages here yet?" she asked, trying to change the subject and more then anxious to get out of there.
"No - we're 'bout to head out soon-do you have your permission slip with you?"
"My mum sent it to Dumbledore a couple weeks back. s'pose he has it already."
"Right - well, ready to head down to the entrance hall?"
Hayley suddenly felt like Ron was treating her like some three year old lost up in her own feelings and emotions, and not knowing which end was up. She turned her eyes back towards Ron curious blue ones gazing over her, and gave him just that look. The look that told him she was fine and to lay off a little.
"Sorry - just you know. I'm worried about you. Just got out of the hospital wing, it's okay to be worried you know!" he said in a sort of mocking, yet delighted voice.
Hayley laughed softly at him, "well yes - but your over worrying - mother."
"Mother!" Ron snapped back, a huge grin spreading over his face.
Hayley couldn't help the laugh that escaped her mouth at the pouting look he was displaying for her. She didn't stop laughing for quite some time. Missing the absent of the happy feeling and not even feeling as the emotional one was disappearing faster then she could detect.
"Now are you ready to go down to the entrance hall?" asked Ron, a smile still lingering at his lips as he watched his work display in front of him, for he knew how depressed she had been during this last week.
Hayley nodded at him, then turned and followed him over towards Hermione and Harry who seemed to be in another tight circle discussing something, but Hayley watched as they spilt apart from each other when they saw Ron return with Hayley at his side.
An uncomfortable silence occurred over the four of them as they stood and stared at one another.
Hayley taking this time to some advantage, began taking her gaze and looking over what the trio had chosen for there daily wears today instead of there usual Hogwarts wear.
Hermione was in wool, white sweater along with that, came a long raven skirt that came down to her ankles. Her hair being the same as always, long bushy and laying around her shoulders in a small attempt to keep it out of her face.
Ron was residing in a maroon yet red sweater, wearing baggy tan pants that fell around his legs in a worn and tired fabric. His hair, like Harry's, was dishelmed and coming up in all sorts of places over his redden roots.
Then that left Harry.
Hayley tried to hold back her features as her eyes gazed over Harry's. Even Harry was doing the same as her, he clearly to, was seeing what Hayley was and they seemed to be the only ones to notice.
'So now we think alike?'
Harry, like her, had put on a same forest green sweater; only his had a big 'H' stitched in white over the chest and hers was plain, but the color, the fabric, and the way it looked with there eyes were all the same.
As her eyes descended down his body she tried to hold back her gasp -- even Harry had picked out jeans along with his wear.
'Same black hair - same green sweaters - and now -- same jeans.'
Harry seemed to be taking this in as well, but he, unlike her, was doing a better job of hiding his expressions.
"Er - all ready to go down then?" he asked, his voice rasp and rough like he was trying to clear it some how.
Ron and Hermione both nodded at Harry, and making a quick move, they both began to start walking towards the Portrait. Hayley seemed too caught up in the moment to take any movements with her feet.
She started to feel foolish at her childish manners, and getting even more caught up in the moment she brought her head up so that it was facing Harry's face to face.
"Hi Harry," she said. Her voice, like his was very rough, and nervousness could be detected in it quite obviously.
"'Lo Hayley," he said as a small smile began to cross over his face and lighten his pale color somewhat to a pink shade.
"How are you?"
"I'm fine - yourself."
"Can't complain."
"Are you - er -- feeling better?"
"Yes - very much."
"That's good."
Hayley nodded at his response, turning her gaze away from Harry and scanning the common room for any left residence. All she could see were second years and below.
Apparently they were too caught up into the moment to notice that everyone had already left.
Hayley turned her eyes back on Harry. He smiled at her, and then Hayley watched as he brought his hand up to his glasses and took them off.
"What are you doing?" asked Hayley as she saw him starting to rub the glass frames over his shirt.
"Cleaning them."
Hayley had never known anyone besides Harry and Dumbledore who wore glasses. So to her, this was a new experience. She watched as Harry rubbed the worn glass back and forth over the emerald fabric, and it wasn't until Harry brought his head back up towards her that he caught her gazing.
"Something wrong?" he asked a look of small concern over his face.
"Wha - no, no nothing's wrong."
She couldn't seem to take her eyes away from Harry's face, and judging how he wasn't putting space between there bodies, he couldn't either.
Her eyes mysteriously rounded up towards his own eyes, seeking the depths of them as she did so.
"Your eyes are green?" she said, completely traced within his gaze.
"Yeah - s-so are yours."
Those simple four letters, seemed to whip Hayley out of that trance faster then she had expected it to.
"Sorry," she mumbled, feeling very foolish for even staring at his face in the first place.
"It's alright - we should start heading down now."
"Right."
If there was one thing Hayley hated about the idea of going to Hogsmeade, it was getting passed Filch at the door. He looked over her like she was some grimace disturbing his presence and only darkening his shadow like some rodent.
She must say, she didn't prefer the carriage ride much either. If the wheels could roll for five minutes without hitting a bump or a rock that would have pleased the ride and its passengers some.
It did help somewhat that Ron had succeeded in getting them a carriage all to themselves. Harry and Hermione sat across from them, Harry's hand intertwined with Hermione's, while Hayley and Ron sat across from them. Clearly not closing the space between them as they say Hermione and Harry doing.
"So where do we go first?" asked Ron, shifting his position to get more comfortable into his seat.
"How about were we always going Ron - The Three Broomsticks."
"Thanks Hermione," was his only reply as he gave her a small smile before dropping it almost as fast as he displayed it.
Silence seemed to engulf them after that response. Hayley, feeling to uncomfortable to say anything just sat, fiddling with a small thread of fabric off her shirt while Harry, Ron and Hermione seemed to be favoring the windows at the moment.
"Ruddy time," Ron mumbled as the carriages came to a halt.
Ron was the first one to appear outside the carriage. Hayley following him after that, and then Hermione and Harry; there hands still locked together as they stepped down.
"Where should we head off to first -"
"How about Quality Quidditch - ouch Hermione what in grotty hell was that for!"
"I'm sorry Ron - I thought I saw a fly or something."
"Yes I'm sure you did," said Ron, now rubbing at the rending spot on his head that was seizing the emotion of pain, being surrounded by Hermione's hand.
"Well I'm fancying a Butter Beer right about now," said Harry, glancing up towards where he knew the Three Broomsticks laid.
"How about I meet you lot there - I have to meet someone," said Hayley, trying not to put an impression on her words as she said 'someone' in front of Ron.
"Alright -- how about we go into Three Broomsticks and Hayley you meet us there when you're done?"
"Sounds good to me Hermione - I guess I'll see you later - say around two?"
"Okay," they all chorused. Hayley didn't feel like leaving them now, not especially Harry for her father. She had an uncanny feeling in the pit of her stomach as it banished its usual episodes of lurching and twisting every time she felt uncomfortable or wrong.
Sighing, she turned her back on them, and began heading toward Quality Quidditch Supplies that laid two blocks ahead of her.
Feeling December's breeze ruffle through the fabric of her jeans, and run waves through her thick hair, Hayley shivered at the lack of clothing she was wearing.
Placing her hands within the solemn of her pockets, she brought her head down.
She felt a feeling of informality tug even harder at the pit of her stomach, and she didn't know how to detect it, or see why she felt it on a day as happy as this. That's when the thought caressed her fogged brain, and brought lights to its views of wisdom as the reason why she felt this way became clear.
'I don't want to see my father.'
If there was any other plainer way to say it, than that was it. More feelings came to her fogged brain as she tumbled that thought around within.
'He may only want to see me because he wants me to come back home - or he may just take me home and never bring me back?'
She sounded selfish for even thinking it, but when you have grown up living like this; never knowing what your parents will access you to, then yes, those queer thoughts always come abrupt.
As she brought her head back up, knowing she couldn't look like this in the presence of her father; he would start to assume something was wrong and Hayley needed to show him she was extremely happy now.
She gazed over the village in front of her. It truly never changes.
Hayley remembered now the time her father had brought her here for the first time. She was nine. Way before the Ministry even thought of building a Quidditch shop in the depths of the fore grounds, and her father becoming famous and rich with its blooming business.
Her family had always been rich, if not with her father's past job and her mothers present job, there was no doubting the Glenwood's had money, and after her father got appointed the manager of Quality Quidditch Supplies, that money seemed to take a fast toll as it got higher.
How high someone might ask. Well let's say three vaults in Gringotts stored those savings, and neither of those three vaults stored Hayley's future fiancées, adding on a fourth one as well. Hayley never paid attention to her family fiancées, but maybe if she had come from a poor family she would think again. Growing up with it, you never notice it. It probably doesn't add to the problem that you live in a house that's invested in the richest part of England yet. In disappointment of Hayley, that was the Muggle part.
Too lost in her thoughts, Hayley hadn't realized she was already standing in front of Quality Quidditch Supplies.
The store standing proudly before her and already students rushing in to get a glimpse of the latest broom being displayed happily through the widow (The Wimpex 3000). Hayley didn't need to see it, she would probably be owning one herself by Christmas. That's just who her parents were.
"Never thought I'd see someone with the likes of you standing near a store like this."
Hayley turned around immediately at the voice. Almost regretting it as she felt her feet standing above ice harvesting off the ground and the friction of her feet rubbing over it.
"What do you want, Malfoy?"
"Oh - back to surnames are we Hayley. I see were taking Potter's approach at greetings now?"
"Malfoy -"
"That's alright - never told me you're the daughter of one of the richest men in London now did you - don't tell me, just slipped your mind?"
"What does it matter to you anyway, you git!"
"Wow - you are learning fast with that lot, well I'll tell you what it matters to me, I'm sure you've heard of the Malfoy's rich fortunes?"
"I -"
"Well maybe you have maybe you haven't. I'll tell you anyway, see here, Hayley - if a name like the Malfoy's and a name like the Glenwood's be wed, do you know how much money is involved in that alone?"
"Sod off!"
Hayley didn't bother staying to see the aftermath of her words; she just started walking forward towards the shop.
"If you think you can fancy someone like a Weasley, you'll find yourself in the dumps faster than a father like there's Ministry of MAGIC!"
Hayley stopped dead in her tracks.
"Don't tell me you don't think I see it?"
Hayley slowly turned around to face him, her face penetrating many looks in one go - shock, scared, and yes she will admit it, happy. Happy at the way Malfoy retorted Ron's name at her. He was jealous. Jealous of something that hasn't even happened and very well may never happen.
"I beg your pardon?"
"A ruddy blind man could see it - you fancy someone whose money is the most farqing -- bloodiest way it can go!"
"Is money all that matters to you Malfoy - fortunes and gold?"
"Only if I see a Glenwood musing with a Wealsey - it's almost as sickening as seeing a Mudblood with Potter -- see you around Hayley."
Hayley watched as Malfoy lifted his cloak over his head and with one last smirk, he started tampering down the alleyway and turning into another pub just up two from where she was standing. Hayley recognized the place her parents had forbidden her to ever enter.
She just stood there - completely speechless. Feeling the cold winter air whipping at her numb skin.
That's when one of the passing students accidentally bumped into her coming through the alleyway, bringing her back to reality. Malfoy's words stinging her brain with a force that she knew would also bring a smile to her face as she thought of it:
'"A ruddy blind man could see it - you fancy someone whose money is the most farqing -- bloodiest way it can go!"'
So Malfoy thinks she likes Ron.
Hayley hadn't thought much of it, but if the unexplainable smile and tug at her stomach performance played whenever she was around him, then she may very well fancy him.
The smile still tugging at her lips, Hayley turned and began making her way through the scurrying crowd of what she recognized as some of the Hufflepuff fourth and some Ravenclaw third years.
After many 'excuse me' through the crowd, Hayley entered the shop. Even shops in Hogsmeade never change. Still holding up as good as ever, still harvesting it's usual gold shiny paint shimmering off the walls and all the brooms still standing above her, shinning proudly for there crowd.
Making her way through the crowd some more, Hayley began heading back towards the service lounge. She couldn't see her father anywhere within her gaze.
Turning around to seek the clocks numbers she frowned as she saw the time:
1:10 PM
"Snitch - Snitch is that you?"
Turning around at the source of finicality, Hayley smiled as she saw who it was.
"Blimey it is - it's the Hayley Glenwood, our new Gryffindor Princess!"
"Hello Midice it's great to see you to," laughed Hayley at her father's head assistant.
She remembered when her father brought a bunch of his colleagues around the house for drinks after a night at the store two years ago. They called it the 'broomstick drinking' because during the day they had sold more brooms in all the Quidditch stores piled together in London. Hayley remembered when her father had introduced her to Midolous Gavolent, (Midice she nick- named him and Snitch he did her); she had taken to him the most out of all ten men her father introduced to her that night.
He was a young chap, reaching the age of twenty-six this coming year. He had just the same build her father did, and for this job that was the build required. His height reaching a good six foot, and his arms and shoulders a good very buff size. His hair a misty brown, and his eyes a bright shining blue. It was a wonder Hayley didn't fancy him, but to her he was more of a big brother.
"So what's a sheela like yeh, doing here on a day like this?"
"Actually Midice I'm looking for my father - you haven't seen him by chance have you?"
"Seen him - Snitch I work with him remember, or is that Hogwarts education flooding that mind of yeh's eh!"
"Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha...no, not exactly. You just seem busy today that's all, didn't now if you've seen him."
"No he's around here I think he just went on lunch ten minutes ago - so tell me how's Hogwarts been for yeh? Being as I graduated from it nine years ago - its becoming something of a daze to me yeh know?"
"It's still a wonder how you got into Hufflepuff Midice, but no - Hogwarts is great!"
"That's good - none of the young lads making the moves on yeh now right or else big Midolous is gonna have to pound some gits head it!"
"Ha-Ha-Ha...no none of them are making moves on me."
"Do you fancy anyone yet?"
"MIDICE!" screamed Hayley, slapping his arm playfully as a young sister would do to her brother.
"Wha - oh c'mon, Snitch - Midice needs this info c'mon now spill!"
"Well - there is one boy -"
"Details, Snitch - I need details!"
"Well he's in my year -"
"Names, Snitchy I need names."
"Well don't tell my father please it's all I need - but his name is Ron Weasley -"
"Arthur Weasley's youngest lad! Never met the chap, but heard loads from yeh dad! Okay why do yeh like him Snitch? Give me all the juicy details!"
"Well - he's smart, extremely funny, handsome, and he's charming.."
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"..and she's charming, and incredibly pretty and smart and the list could go on."
"So that's what you like about her?" asked Hermione, leaning forward out of Harry's embrace to grab her Butter Beer from off the table.
"Well no - blimey no, there's other reasons - but those are personal!"
"Ron why don't you just tell her?" asked Harry, wrapping his arms back around Hermione's shoulders as she leaned back into there embrace.
"Because Harry - I just couldn't, not with the way things are between you two -"
"Ron I wouldn't mind really, I mean Malfoy's one thing, but my best mate is another, I think it would be brilliant."
"But if something happened between us, then you'd be all over me -"
"Ron - please, given I've seen you with Ginny, but that's your little sister, you've grown up with her, you know?"
"Well Hayley's your little sister to!"
"Well - actual I don't know who was born first - Sirius never told me."
"And it's quite obvious she likes you too," said Hermione.
Harry watched as Ron's ears turned an even redder shade then he was already harboring, and as a smile crossed his face.
They arrived in the Three Broomstick only twenty minutes ago and while Harry had been buying there drinks, Hermione had taken up the conversation of Ron and Hayley.
Ron, Harry observed, was a little more eager to talk about her, maybe more then before, but he was still just as stubborn to do anything about it.
"Hey, Hermione?" asked Harry as they fell silent.
"Humph?"
"What did Hayley mean when she said 'meet someone' who was she meeting?"
"No one, Harry."
Harry could tell by the look on her face she was holding something in.
"Hermione c'mon - as long as it isn't Malfoy I don't care."
"Oh -- well if you say that then okay -- she was meeting with her father."
"Her - father?"
Hermione nodded her head against his neck.
Ron bit down on his lip to help make the look on his face look less evident.
"Well - that's fine - you know, she's allowed to see her father."
"I suppose so - well it's already one forty-five, she should be here soon," said Hermione, leaning over Harry so she could get a better glimpse of the window for any signs of a raven hair - emerald eyed girl.
Harry brought his head back over towards Ron. Giving him a small smile, he turned his attention into the crowd of students still trampling through the doorway.
"Hey - do you guys smell smoke?" asked Ron, sniffing the air blowing in through the opened door.
"Smoke?" asked Harry looking at him confused.
"Yeah smoke - coming from outside?"
Harry starting sniffing the air around him. He smelled it to.
"Come on lets go outside," said Hermione standing up away from Harry. Apparently, to Harry, she could smell it to.
Harry set his Butter Beer down beside him and as did Ron they both stood up from there chairs and began walking outside.
The minute Harry reached the outside, his nostrils filled with the foul smell of smoke, rather then the sweet smell of Christmas air surrounding the village only twenty minutes ago.
"Oh my - LOOK!"
Harry turned to where Hermione was pointing and that's when he felt his entire body go numb.
"FIRE - FIRE - THERES A FIRE SOMEONE CALL THE AURORS!"
Harry grabbed Ron and Hermione right as a crowd of students came tumbling into them and pulled them back inside the Three Broomsticks.
Harry realized as he did this, that was probably a bigger mistake. All the students and teachers that were now inside, were now wanting to get outside.
Harry could see Professor McGonagall making her way to the door through the window. Hagrid, Snape, and Flitwick, were not far behind her.
Mostly everyone moved aside as they saw them now pushing the crowd through. Hagrid leading the way during this so the children would back off quicker.
"HAGRID, ROUND UP ANY STUDENTS IN HERE, SERVERUS YOU GO UP THE HILL AND LOOK THERE, FLITWICK STAY WITH ME."
"Hagrid, what's going on?" asked Harry the minute he saw McGonagall, Flitwick, and Snape leave in a hurry.
"There's bin a fire - down near Hogs Head - c'mon you lot, we have to get you to the carriage'," said Hagrid, starting to push students near by out the door.
"But Hagrid - what about HAYLEY!"
"She'll be fin' 'arry - we need to get you lot out now!"
"But Hagrid Hogs Head is near -" Hermione went deathly pale as something came to her, putting a hand over her mouth she looked like she was going to faint.
"Wha - near where Hermione?" asked Harry.
"Oh Harry - Hogs Head is right around the corner of Quality Quidditch Supplies."
Harry didn't say anything. He didn't even give Hermione or Ron a second look, he just pushed the students aside as he ran to the door.
"HARRY NO! YOU ARE NOT GOING DOWN THERE!"
"SHE COULD BE HURT, HERMIONE!"
"SHE IS PROBABLY ALREADY SAFE!"
"YOU COULD BE KILLED HARRY - YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE SHE IS!"
"LIKE THE AURORS DO TO!"
"HARRY - HAGRID HELP!"
Hagrid apparently didn't hear Hermione scream his name. He was to busy getting the students up and out of there chairs behind them.
He turned around when the last student ran from the door, leaving only Harry, Ron and Hermione left within the shop along with the co-workers, who were taking the back exist of the pub.
"'arry c'mon, we need to get you out of here!"
"HAGRID, SHE COULD BE HURT!"
"No she isn't - I dunn' Auro's are down there alredy' she'll be fin' gettin' you out is a matt'r now!"
Harry could barely get another word out as Hagrid pushed him out the door and started making him run up the alleyway towards the carriages that were already taking leave back to the castle.
As he was running he glanced back at the towering smoke hovering over the building and the fire beneath it.
'Please - please let her be okay if she's dead -'
"HARRY, COME ON GET IT!" screamed Ron behind them.
Harry hastily climbed into the carriage, not even paying attention to were he was sitting or who he was sitting by. After Ron climbed in, Hagrid shut the door immediately. He watched as Hagrid ran back down into the village where he could see McGonagall making her way towards him.
Harry felt himself jerk forward as the carriages began to move. The village becoming a small ball of orange and black as they neared the castle. The only thing lingering in Harry's head was to find Hayley.
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"Well little Snitch - I have work to be done, I'll find yeh dad fer yeah alright?"
"Thanks Midice."
Midolous smiled at her before turning and heading out of the room.
Hayley sighed as she laid her head back against the couch.
Midolous had taken her to the back lounge of the store. In this part, there was a resting lounge that Hayley was currently residing in. Her father - being half an hour late as he was and Hayley had to meet Hermione, Harry and Ron in ten minutes.
As she began to feel her eyes feeling lazy and starting to drift off from the comfortable couch lying below her, and the cup of tea was bringing her more of into her drowsy state.
Hayley opened her eyes immediately as she started to hear screaming coming from behind the doorway into the corridor.
She could hear people running, and a second thought later she could hear curses being shouted and echoing off her doorway that was harboring her within.
Hayley got up off the couch, her knees feeling numb from the sound level of screams she could hear.
"GAVET - LOCK ALL THE DOORS, MAKE SURE EVERY SINGLE ONE IS LOCKED!"
Hayley felt every cell in her body go numb. She couldn't move.
That's when she heard someone beyond the door shout a curse and the door give an 'audible' click, as the dead bolt slid into place.
Rushing forward, Hayley began to pull at the handle. It wasn't opening or even turning for that matter.
Reaching for her wand in her back pocket, she began to furiously search for it.
She couldn't find it - it was not in her back pockets, her shirt, or her front pockets.
'MY BESIDE TABLE!'
Hayley began to throw her hands at the door. But the minute her skin even touched the wood she immediately had a fast intake and took it off.
The door was burning hot.
She couldn't hear anything outside of the door; the shop seemed completely empty now. As she listened harder, there were screams coming from all around her outside the shop.
"MIDICE!"
No answer.
"DAD!"
Still no answer.
"RON, HARRY - HERMIONE!"
Again no answer.
Hayley threw herself at the door, forgetting about how hot it was as her forearm touched it. Taking it away as the burn sunk into her skin, that's when it came to her.
She was in a locked room with a fire beyond the door.
She started to hear the screaming die down as new voice came to her, she started to feel dizzy and seeing everything becoming a blur in front of her gaze.
'Do you hear them, child?'
Hayley stopped moving. Glancing around the room she saw that she was the only person here. But then that meant --
'Do you know who they are - well I'll tell you, there here to get you.'
"No."
'You want to get out of that room alive right - I'll tell you how.
'Behind the bedside cabinet child, there is a wand.'
Hayley walked forward. Knowing right away that it wasn't her body making her legs move, it was something or someone else doing it for her.
Without knowing, she reached for the cabinet and pushed with all her might until it began to budge and fall over. She stood back as the cabinet fell, watching as it hit the couch and crushing it immediately under its weight.
'Pick up the wand child.'
Hayley not doing so but being forced walked forward. She felt someone like a hand push on her back as she bent over. Feeling the wooden stick beneath her fingers, she stood back up.
'Use the wand to break the door down.'
Hayley walked forward. Raising the wand she muttered the spell.
She dropped the wand immediately as she ran forward and out of the lounge. Running into the corridor of the shop, seeking the door through her hazed eyes.
The minute she took her first breath, she regretted it immediately as she felt the smoke making its way down her throat and into her lungs.
She coughed, feeling her throat going raw with the fierce of the coal inside her chest - her eye sight began to fog up as water started coming through her eyes.
She turned her head. There before her was the door leading out of the shop. The only problem was it was at least twenty feet away from her.
Holding her hand over her mouth as she kept coughing, she began to walk forward.
She was so concentrated on the door, she didn't even hear as the wood above her began to crumble. She still walked forward. She couldn't see, but she could feel around.
The wood crumbled and then with one last snap it fell to the floor in front of her.
Hayley jumped back as it fell right in front of her. She turned around, but right as she did that, another piece of wood fell before her.
She was trapped.
Hayley couldn't stop coughing - her lungs couldn't breathe. She could feel her heart pounding against her chest as if a bunch of drums were located where her heart was beating.
She felt her knees give way as they fell to the floor, burning from the fire glazing over her skin; she barely even noticed the pain through her lungs being deprived of air.
Hayley knew she had to get out of here, if she didn't then she was going to die. Still on her knees, she began to feel around the floor, trying to ignore the heat now radiating off her skin.
She felt her eyes beginning to fall over her watering eyes. She had to stay awake, if she fainted she would die, but to her at the moment, death seemed like a release, she wouldn't be feeling this anymore if taken away from it.
The last piece of wood above her snapped completely, and then fell.
"ARRRRGGGGGGG"
Hayley opened her eyes slowly, and that's when the piece of burning wood in front of her showed its presence before her. The wood had landed on her elbow. She couldn't move.
Looking up more, Hayley saw that the fire hadn't reached the end that had fallen on her elbow. She could feel the pain running through her veins as if fire was being sent to them.
'I'm never going to see my family again - Ron, Hermione, Harry.'
Hayley felt her eyes finally close as she laid her head down. She could feel her throat closing up. Her throat was burning, her elbow was lying under a fifty pound piece of burning wood and her lungs were burning with fire. She was going to die.
Right as she felt the last attempted breath reach her throat, she heard something.
Something was coming towards her. She could hear it. It sounded like echo's - but no it was a -
Hayley tried to look up as she heard something moving behind her as she heard the door slam open and more pieces of wood being thrown everywhere. She tried to scream out, but her throat wasn't issuing anything passed a breath.
She didn't have to move a muscle. The source came to her. She then felt something warm and wet spread over her face, opening her eyes she found yellow amber eyes staring back at her as black fur covered the eyes staring intently at her.
It was a dog.
She tried to reach her hand up to touch it, but it had moved away from her.
Opening her eyes more, she realized that the dog was pushing the wood off of her arm.
Hayley couldn't see what it was doing, or where it had gone, but she could feel the wood above her arm beginning to budge.
Two - three - four - five - six -- seven and then came eight and the fallen burning limb left her arm.
Hayley couldn't move it; she could feel something warm tickling down her elbow as she tried to pull it out.
It was broken. Not just the bone, but Hayley saw the bone sticking out of her skin. The wood completely broke it.
Hayley then felt the dog begin to nudge her over her rib cage. She tried to sit up, but she felt the dog place its paw over her back, holding her in place.
She felt her eyes lids starting to fall over her eyes again. Closing them she felt herself being lifted off the ground and thrown onto something warm and hairy.
Hayley couldn't feel the burning floor beneath her, all she could feel was a bump over her back. The dog had thrown her over it's back.
She could feel its movement as it jumped over the other numerous fallen pieces of wood. Her head feeling limp and her arm causing such a force of pain through her skin she couldn't breath.
Hayley closed her eyes, wanting the pain to stop. Wanting the release- praying-hoping to see the light of day again.
As if on cue, she felt something warm and hot fall over her face.
She felt herself being lowered to ground as her head hit it with a hard 'thump.'
Hayley felt more blood leaking from her arm, more pain rushing to her lungs as air tried to reach its destination. She tried to open her eyes, seeking the dog's warmth, but not finding it as she felt around the ground for it, only finding cold stone under her touch.
She was outside.
Hayley heard footsteps walk forward and pick her up from off the ground. Cradling her within there arms. She felt pain seize its capture over her arm as it was raised off the ground.
She felt her head come upon a new resting ground. It was warm, and she started to feel even dizzier under its warmth as arms wrapped themselves around her body as it cradled her within the embrace, rocking back and forth she felt her body moving with the stranger's movements. She could feel something beating beneath her ear.
That's when Hayley felt something warm and soft place itself over her head as it leaned into her ear and said:
"It's okay Lily bear, I've got you. Nothing else will happen to you -- Sirius is here."
The last thing Hayley saw before she passed out, were the same lips coming down and kissing her forehead once more before she fell limp in the arms of her savior.
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I am sorry if this is not what you all expected. I seem not to be able to write the greatest during action scenes, but I'm trying.
Thank you all so much for the reviews. They have just been flooding in, and I know I have misplaced some information in this story, but that is how I am writing it. I am sorry if that upsets you.
Thank you Sandy for all the work you're helping me do with this story, I highly appreciate it.
New updates next Saturday or Sunday.
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The last three days to ending the week, and not to mention the first week of December, flew by as the anticipation and apprehension flew within and without the castle.
More Christmas cheer was following through the corridors with each passing day. Starting with small mistletoes being hung in unexpected late night places and following with carols being heard echoing through the halls during classes as the ghosts speared there vocals throughout. Ending with decorations and cherry presents throughout the days given to students from secret admires..
Mostly every student you passed through the chilly corridors these last passing days, always seemed to have a foolish grin on there face, or a weird academic skip to there step as they walked. Even the second and first years were finding holidays at Hogwarts ever more welcoming and cheerier then usual, even if they wouldn't be the students to find accompanying Hogsmeade this weekend, they still found cheer to bring smiles to there solely faces.
Even the teachers were feeling the cheer already spreading through the ancient castle so early into the month. Easing up on the work and evening assignments, mainly most of them had been found giving there students less of a lack and more of a break till the last few weeks till Christmas arrived.
The fifth, sixth and seventh year students found this present to be a blessing. Ever since then, you barely would find a fifth year or up, residing in the common room as an excuse to pass time, or to work on homework, but mainly catching them in the school yards experimenting with the cold wonder of snow.
Or at least this is where you'd find most of the students during there free hours, but you exceptionally would not find Hayley Glenwood in either of those residences.
Hayley, nowadays, was found to be hiding in her Dormitory bed. If not at classes, breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you would most likely find her there.
Three days previous, Hayley was released from the Hospital Wing and returned back into classes. She felt very distance from everyone, maybe not everyone, but in a manner of speaking - distant from Harry.
She felt sick every time she saw him-a feeling like she was queasy to her stomach and going to throw up, but resisting the urge of retching all her breakfast down during classes.
Hayley could tell, if not from him then her, that he felt the same way. Barely making eye contact with one another, or speaking to each other in silence or just in public was a task that none of them was succeeding in. To Hayley, it felt like she was back to day one. Starting with day one from first meeting Harry, and learning to deal with his weird ways, then before now, where they seemed to be closer before the incidents began to take over that friendship and now tearing it apart.
Hayley now kept to her own routine. She would wake up in the morning, dress with her dorm mates, proceed down to the Great Hall with Hermione and have breakfast with basically anyone who didn't consist of Harry, then attend classes. After those six long hours, she'd then start heading up to the Hospital Wing to have her daily check-up with Madam Pomfrey to make sure her head wasn't suffering from any brain damage from the fall, or what she could remember of it. Then after that, reporting back to her Dormitory where she wouldn't come out for quite some time.
Every since she was released from the solitude of the hospital bed, Madam Pomfrey make it crucial that she attend to her everyday at six o'clock sharp for the usual check-up, which Hayley now found to be quite annoying to hear the same 'doing fine dear - see you tomorrow then' after every session she'd been to, and she's only attended three.
To make her temper rise more too full climax, she seemed to be getting quite irritated with the constant questions from Ron and Hermione about the night before she was released.
It was quite obvious to Hayley that they knew Harry had snuck out to head to the hospital wing, but when Hayley began to run through the details with them, she had indistinctly left out the detail about waking up and finding him in bed with her. Something she was quite sure both Ron and Hermione would take the wrong way, if not the right way.
But even so, it still annoyed Hayley every time she recalled the memory to herself.
In all honesty, she didn't remember the part of Harry yelling at her, or maybe it was her yelling at Harry. All that seemed to me running through her mind was the words he said after that, and if even more so, Professor McGonagall showing up during the raw.
'"YOU'RE MY BLOODY SIS -"'
Hayley hadn't yet fully registered what that interrupted sentence meant, nor did she have time to. It was the words spoken by Professor McGonagall that she had overheard during one of her many sessions of 'eaves-dropping.' But even now, Hayley regretted it immensely. It wasn't like one of her parents' silent chats, where she usually had no clue as to what they were saying, but this time it seemed different. Like she needed to find out what the words she had overheard meant, and why they were leaving Harry in the aftermath mood he'd been carrying around with him during classes for the last three days.
' "Potter - I know this isn't easy, but you have to face it, you cannot tell her.'"
She tried to put it all behind her, but something was stopping her. She tried to recall the words that had been said before Professor McGonagall had found them, but all that seemed to be coming to her was the line said by Harry.
Sighing, as Hayley glanced over herself in the mirror, she started to feel queasy again.
"Hayley - are you alright?" asked Hermione, stepping away from her four- poster and walking over towards her.
"Yeah everything's fine Hermione, why?" asked Hayley; shaking off the last lurch she felt her stomach issue.
Hayley had grown used to shaking off emotions and weird incidental feelings. It just seemed harder to do when you were the one trying to fool Hermione Granger.
"You just seem a little pale that's all."
"No - I'm fine Hermione."
"Okay - almost ready to go then?" said Hermione, turning away from Hayley and walking back over towards her trunk.
Hayley couldn't help the smile that crossed her face. Today was Saturday. They would be attending Hogsmeade. Hayley's first Hogsmeade trip away from her parents.
"Excited about seeing your father?" asked Hermione.
Hayley tried to bring another smile to her face, but she was having a hard time forming the curves without it looking forced. Of course she missed her mother and father, but the main reason she came here was to get away from them. Sure Owls were alright, but actually seeing them after only five weeks away from each other just didn't seem right.
"Yes - I guess," was all the raven responded with.
"Well I'm going to go down to meet up with Harry and Ron. Are you almost ready?"
"Almost - I'll be down in a minute."
"Alright."
"Oh-and Hermione?"
Hermione turned around almost instantly expecting this. Hayley could see a look of excitement hidden within her features.
"Yeah?"
"Did you - you know - return Harry's cloak I gave back to you after Madam Pomfrey?"
Hermione let out a soft sigh at the way she detected Hayley say her boyfriend's name, but she nodded all the same. Hayley watched Hermione through the mirror as she crossed the room and walked out.
Sighing again, Hayley walked back over towards her own bed.
She looked over her clothes she had picked out for the day and frowned at them.
She had grown quite used to wearing her uniform. To her, it showed that she wasn't home schooled anymore, but now part of a real school.
Since it was almost below zero outside there wasn't much of a choice to wardrobe in this whether. So, she was going with Hermione's approach at things. She picked out something simple yet comfortable for both herself and her father to see her in (if you called a light green sweater and jeans simple); for when they would meet up at one o'clock at Quality Quidditch Supplies; according to the Owl he had sent her only two nights ago.
Hayley didn't know if it was the anxiety of seeing her father again, or the anxiety that this would be her first visit to Hogsmeade without him accompanying her, but something was telling her there was danger lying ahead.
Shaking off the feeling once more, Hayley proceeded to change out of her nightgown, and slip into her daily wears.
After zipping her jeans up she went back over towards the mirror.
Gazing over her features she couldn't help the frown that was crossing her face. She had noticed lately that her eyes seemed to be harboring in a pale green; so unlike there usual shinning emerald that was always carried with a happy face. But there was the answer right there. In order to have a happy face, you had to have a happy girl, and Hayley was not any of those at the moment.
She felt like she did when she was back home; miserable, depressed; and finding it a new quest with each passing day to face the school. Not knowing why; the school didn't know anything about her, her scar, the voice, her dreams, or Harry. But lately to her, facing the school meant facing Harry.
Feeling very unconscious now, Hayley brought her hand up to her forehead, pushing away the hair that lay there and moving it aside, giving her the clear view of her scar.
Her scar. She looked directly at it, almost glaring at herself through the mirror. It wasn't as red as it had been through the previous days. It had resided in going back to its usual pale pink, and leaving her alone with its torments of turning bright blood red.
Taking one last glance at herself, Hayley turned and began heading towards the common room.
It wasn't its usual quiet solitude, but other then a loud and roaming center filled with students from third year and above.
Without her brain even needing to direct her, her eyes instantly targeted Harry almost on instinct. She didn't realize she was staring, but her eyes didn't seem to want to pull away from him.
He was standing near the fire, Hermione and Ron near by, all three of them in a tight circle, as if giving the impression not to be disturbed. It only took three more seconds until Harry finally caught her gaze.
Him, like her, couldn't seem to pull away either. Both emeralds scanning over the other, neither making a move to go over to each other, or show respect either.
Ron seemed to be ranting on over one thing or the other, until he noticed one of his audience members wasn't paying a bit of attention to his jolting and rambling. He seemed to catch Harry staring at something, because the next minute Ron's eyes were on her also, but Hayley kept her focus only on Harry.
Ron turned back towards Harry and gave him a short nod before he started making his way over to Hayley's still form.
Hayley, finally wiping out of her gaze, turned towards Ron and gave him a soft smile.
"You okay?" he said audibly in a whisper.
Hayley couldn't help the small blush creep into her cheeks as she heard how soft and calm his voice was towards her. She probably, for the fourth time that morning, knocked off the sharp lump starting to form within her throat as she turned to face him.
"Are the carriages here yet?" she asked, trying to change the subject and more then anxious to get out of there.
"No - we're 'bout to head out soon-do you have your permission slip with you?"
"My mum sent it to Dumbledore a couple weeks back. s'pose he has it already."
"Right - well, ready to head down to the entrance hall?"
Hayley suddenly felt like Ron was treating her like some three year old lost up in her own feelings and emotions, and not knowing which end was up. She turned her eyes back towards Ron curious blue ones gazing over her, and gave him just that look. The look that told him she was fine and to lay off a little.
"Sorry - just you know. I'm worried about you. Just got out of the hospital wing, it's okay to be worried you know!" he said in a sort of mocking, yet delighted voice.
Hayley laughed softly at him, "well yes - but your over worrying - mother."
"Mother!" Ron snapped back, a huge grin spreading over his face.
Hayley couldn't help the laugh that escaped her mouth at the pouting look he was displaying for her. She didn't stop laughing for quite some time. Missing the absent of the happy feeling and not even feeling as the emotional one was disappearing faster then she could detect.
"Now are you ready to go down to the entrance hall?" asked Ron, a smile still lingering at his lips as he watched his work display in front of him, for he knew how depressed she had been during this last week.
Hayley nodded at him, then turned and followed him over towards Hermione and Harry who seemed to be in another tight circle discussing something, but Hayley watched as they spilt apart from each other when they saw Ron return with Hayley at his side.
An uncomfortable silence occurred over the four of them as they stood and stared at one another.
Hayley taking this time to some advantage, began taking her gaze and looking over what the trio had chosen for there daily wears today instead of there usual Hogwarts wear.
Hermione was in wool, white sweater along with that, came a long raven skirt that came down to her ankles. Her hair being the same as always, long bushy and laying around her shoulders in a small attempt to keep it out of her face.
Ron was residing in a maroon yet red sweater, wearing baggy tan pants that fell around his legs in a worn and tired fabric. His hair, like Harry's, was dishelmed and coming up in all sorts of places over his redden roots.
Then that left Harry.
Hayley tried to hold back her features as her eyes gazed over Harry's. Even Harry was doing the same as her, he clearly to, was seeing what Hayley was and they seemed to be the only ones to notice.
'So now we think alike?'
Harry, like her, had put on a same forest green sweater; only his had a big 'H' stitched in white over the chest and hers was plain, but the color, the fabric, and the way it looked with there eyes were all the same.
As her eyes descended down his body she tried to hold back her gasp -- even Harry had picked out jeans along with his wear.
'Same black hair - same green sweaters - and now -- same jeans.'
Harry seemed to be taking this in as well, but he, unlike her, was doing a better job of hiding his expressions.
"Er - all ready to go down then?" he asked, his voice rasp and rough like he was trying to clear it some how.
Ron and Hermione both nodded at Harry, and making a quick move, they both began to start walking towards the Portrait. Hayley seemed too caught up in the moment to take any movements with her feet.
She started to feel foolish at her childish manners, and getting even more caught up in the moment she brought her head up so that it was facing Harry's face to face.
"Hi Harry," she said. Her voice, like his was very rough, and nervousness could be detected in it quite obviously.
"'Lo Hayley," he said as a small smile began to cross over his face and lighten his pale color somewhat to a pink shade.
"How are you?"
"I'm fine - yourself."
"Can't complain."
"Are you - er -- feeling better?"
"Yes - very much."
"That's good."
Hayley nodded at his response, turning her gaze away from Harry and scanning the common room for any left residence. All she could see were second years and below.
Apparently they were too caught up into the moment to notice that everyone had already left.
Hayley turned her eyes back on Harry. He smiled at her, and then Hayley watched as he brought his hand up to his glasses and took them off.
"What are you doing?" asked Hayley as she saw him starting to rub the glass frames over his shirt.
"Cleaning them."
Hayley had never known anyone besides Harry and Dumbledore who wore glasses. So to her, this was a new experience. She watched as Harry rubbed the worn glass back and forth over the emerald fabric, and it wasn't until Harry brought his head back up towards her that he caught her gazing.
"Something wrong?" he asked a look of small concern over his face.
"Wha - no, no nothing's wrong."
She couldn't seem to take her eyes away from Harry's face, and judging how he wasn't putting space between there bodies, he couldn't either.
Her eyes mysteriously rounded up towards his own eyes, seeking the depths of them as she did so.
"Your eyes are green?" she said, completely traced within his gaze.
"Yeah - s-so are yours."
Those simple four letters, seemed to whip Hayley out of that trance faster then she had expected it to.
"Sorry," she mumbled, feeling very foolish for even staring at his face in the first place.
"It's alright - we should start heading down now."
"Right."
If there was one thing Hayley hated about the idea of going to Hogsmeade, it was getting passed Filch at the door. He looked over her like she was some grimace disturbing his presence and only darkening his shadow like some rodent.
She must say, she didn't prefer the carriage ride much either. If the wheels could roll for five minutes without hitting a bump or a rock that would have pleased the ride and its passengers some.
It did help somewhat that Ron had succeeded in getting them a carriage all to themselves. Harry and Hermione sat across from them, Harry's hand intertwined with Hermione's, while Hayley and Ron sat across from them. Clearly not closing the space between them as they say Hermione and Harry doing.
"So where do we go first?" asked Ron, shifting his position to get more comfortable into his seat.
"How about were we always going Ron - The Three Broomsticks."
"Thanks Hermione," was his only reply as he gave her a small smile before dropping it almost as fast as he displayed it.
Silence seemed to engulf them after that response. Hayley, feeling to uncomfortable to say anything just sat, fiddling with a small thread of fabric off her shirt while Harry, Ron and Hermione seemed to be favoring the windows at the moment.
"Ruddy time," Ron mumbled as the carriages came to a halt.
Ron was the first one to appear outside the carriage. Hayley following him after that, and then Hermione and Harry; there hands still locked together as they stepped down.
"Where should we head off to first -"
"How about Quality Quidditch - ouch Hermione what in grotty hell was that for!"
"I'm sorry Ron - I thought I saw a fly or something."
"Yes I'm sure you did," said Ron, now rubbing at the rending spot on his head that was seizing the emotion of pain, being surrounded by Hermione's hand.
"Well I'm fancying a Butter Beer right about now," said Harry, glancing up towards where he knew the Three Broomsticks laid.
"How about I meet you lot there - I have to meet someone," said Hayley, trying not to put an impression on her words as she said 'someone' in front of Ron.
"Alright -- how about we go into Three Broomsticks and Hayley you meet us there when you're done?"
"Sounds good to me Hermione - I guess I'll see you later - say around two?"
"Okay," they all chorused. Hayley didn't feel like leaving them now, not especially Harry for her father. She had an uncanny feeling in the pit of her stomach as it banished its usual episodes of lurching and twisting every time she felt uncomfortable or wrong.
Sighing, she turned her back on them, and began heading toward Quality Quidditch Supplies that laid two blocks ahead of her.
Feeling December's breeze ruffle through the fabric of her jeans, and run waves through her thick hair, Hayley shivered at the lack of clothing she was wearing.
Placing her hands within the solemn of her pockets, she brought her head down.
She felt a feeling of informality tug even harder at the pit of her stomach, and she didn't know how to detect it, or see why she felt it on a day as happy as this. That's when the thought caressed her fogged brain, and brought lights to its views of wisdom as the reason why she felt this way became clear.
'I don't want to see my father.'
If there was any other plainer way to say it, than that was it. More feelings came to her fogged brain as she tumbled that thought around within.
'He may only want to see me because he wants me to come back home - or he may just take me home and never bring me back?'
She sounded selfish for even thinking it, but when you have grown up living like this; never knowing what your parents will access you to, then yes, those queer thoughts always come abrupt.
As she brought her head back up, knowing she couldn't look like this in the presence of her father; he would start to assume something was wrong and Hayley needed to show him she was extremely happy now.
She gazed over the village in front of her. It truly never changes.
Hayley remembered now the time her father had brought her here for the first time. She was nine. Way before the Ministry even thought of building a Quidditch shop in the depths of the fore grounds, and her father becoming famous and rich with its blooming business.
Her family had always been rich, if not with her father's past job and her mothers present job, there was no doubting the Glenwood's had money, and after her father got appointed the manager of Quality Quidditch Supplies, that money seemed to take a fast toll as it got higher.
How high someone might ask. Well let's say three vaults in Gringotts stored those savings, and neither of those three vaults stored Hayley's future fiancées, adding on a fourth one as well. Hayley never paid attention to her family fiancées, but maybe if she had come from a poor family she would think again. Growing up with it, you never notice it. It probably doesn't add to the problem that you live in a house that's invested in the richest part of England yet. In disappointment of Hayley, that was the Muggle part.
Too lost in her thoughts, Hayley hadn't realized she was already standing in front of Quality Quidditch Supplies.
The store standing proudly before her and already students rushing in to get a glimpse of the latest broom being displayed happily through the widow (The Wimpex 3000). Hayley didn't need to see it, she would probably be owning one herself by Christmas. That's just who her parents were.
"Never thought I'd see someone with the likes of you standing near a store like this."
Hayley turned around immediately at the voice. Almost regretting it as she felt her feet standing above ice harvesting off the ground and the friction of her feet rubbing over it.
"What do you want, Malfoy?"
"Oh - back to surnames are we Hayley. I see were taking Potter's approach at greetings now?"
"Malfoy -"
"That's alright - never told me you're the daughter of one of the richest men in London now did you - don't tell me, just slipped your mind?"
"What does it matter to you anyway, you git!"
"Wow - you are learning fast with that lot, well I'll tell you what it matters to me, I'm sure you've heard of the Malfoy's rich fortunes?"
"I -"
"Well maybe you have maybe you haven't. I'll tell you anyway, see here, Hayley - if a name like the Malfoy's and a name like the Glenwood's be wed, do you know how much money is involved in that alone?"
"Sod off!"
Hayley didn't bother staying to see the aftermath of her words; she just started walking forward towards the shop.
"If you think you can fancy someone like a Weasley, you'll find yourself in the dumps faster than a father like there's Ministry of MAGIC!"
Hayley stopped dead in her tracks.
"Don't tell me you don't think I see it?"
Hayley slowly turned around to face him, her face penetrating many looks in one go - shock, scared, and yes she will admit it, happy. Happy at the way Malfoy retorted Ron's name at her. He was jealous. Jealous of something that hasn't even happened and very well may never happen.
"I beg your pardon?"
"A ruddy blind man could see it - you fancy someone whose money is the most farqing -- bloodiest way it can go!"
"Is money all that matters to you Malfoy - fortunes and gold?"
"Only if I see a Glenwood musing with a Wealsey - it's almost as sickening as seeing a Mudblood with Potter -- see you around Hayley."
Hayley watched as Malfoy lifted his cloak over his head and with one last smirk, he started tampering down the alleyway and turning into another pub just up two from where she was standing. Hayley recognized the place her parents had forbidden her to ever enter.
She just stood there - completely speechless. Feeling the cold winter air whipping at her numb skin.
That's when one of the passing students accidentally bumped into her coming through the alleyway, bringing her back to reality. Malfoy's words stinging her brain with a force that she knew would also bring a smile to her face as she thought of it:
'"A ruddy blind man could see it - you fancy someone whose money is the most farqing -- bloodiest way it can go!"'
So Malfoy thinks she likes Ron.
Hayley hadn't thought much of it, but if the unexplainable smile and tug at her stomach performance played whenever she was around him, then she may very well fancy him.
The smile still tugging at her lips, Hayley turned and began making her way through the scurrying crowd of what she recognized as some of the Hufflepuff fourth and some Ravenclaw third years.
After many 'excuse me' through the crowd, Hayley entered the shop. Even shops in Hogsmeade never change. Still holding up as good as ever, still harvesting it's usual gold shiny paint shimmering off the walls and all the brooms still standing above her, shinning proudly for there crowd.
Making her way through the crowd some more, Hayley began heading back towards the service lounge. She couldn't see her father anywhere within her gaze.
Turning around to seek the clocks numbers she frowned as she saw the time:
1:10 PM
"Snitch - Snitch is that you?"
Turning around at the source of finicality, Hayley smiled as she saw who it was.
"Blimey it is - it's the Hayley Glenwood, our new Gryffindor Princess!"
"Hello Midice it's great to see you to," laughed Hayley at her father's head assistant.
She remembered when her father brought a bunch of his colleagues around the house for drinks after a night at the store two years ago. They called it the 'broomstick drinking' because during the day they had sold more brooms in all the Quidditch stores piled together in London. Hayley remembered when her father had introduced her to Midolous Gavolent, (Midice she nick- named him and Snitch he did her); she had taken to him the most out of all ten men her father introduced to her that night.
He was a young chap, reaching the age of twenty-six this coming year. He had just the same build her father did, and for this job that was the build required. His height reaching a good six foot, and his arms and shoulders a good very buff size. His hair a misty brown, and his eyes a bright shining blue. It was a wonder Hayley didn't fancy him, but to her he was more of a big brother.
"So what's a sheela like yeh, doing here on a day like this?"
"Actually Midice I'm looking for my father - you haven't seen him by chance have you?"
"Seen him - Snitch I work with him remember, or is that Hogwarts education flooding that mind of yeh's eh!"
"Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha...no, not exactly. You just seem busy today that's all, didn't now if you've seen him."
"No he's around here I think he just went on lunch ten minutes ago - so tell me how's Hogwarts been for yeh? Being as I graduated from it nine years ago - its becoming something of a daze to me yeh know?"
"It's still a wonder how you got into Hufflepuff Midice, but no - Hogwarts is great!"
"That's good - none of the young lads making the moves on yeh now right or else big Midolous is gonna have to pound some gits head it!"
"Ha-Ha-Ha...no none of them are making moves on me."
"Do you fancy anyone yet?"
"MIDICE!" screamed Hayley, slapping his arm playfully as a young sister would do to her brother.
"Wha - oh c'mon, Snitch - Midice needs this info c'mon now spill!"
"Well - there is one boy -"
"Details, Snitch - I need details!"
"Well he's in my year -"
"Names, Snitchy I need names."
"Well don't tell my father please it's all I need - but his name is Ron Weasley -"
"Arthur Weasley's youngest lad! Never met the chap, but heard loads from yeh dad! Okay why do yeh like him Snitch? Give me all the juicy details!"
"Well - he's smart, extremely funny, handsome, and he's charming.."
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"..and she's charming, and incredibly pretty and smart and the list could go on."
"So that's what you like about her?" asked Hermione, leaning forward out of Harry's embrace to grab her Butter Beer from off the table.
"Well no - blimey no, there's other reasons - but those are personal!"
"Ron why don't you just tell her?" asked Harry, wrapping his arms back around Hermione's shoulders as she leaned back into there embrace.
"Because Harry - I just couldn't, not with the way things are between you two -"
"Ron I wouldn't mind really, I mean Malfoy's one thing, but my best mate is another, I think it would be brilliant."
"But if something happened between us, then you'd be all over me -"
"Ron - please, given I've seen you with Ginny, but that's your little sister, you've grown up with her, you know?"
"Well Hayley's your little sister to!"
"Well - actual I don't know who was born first - Sirius never told me."
"And it's quite obvious she likes you too," said Hermione.
Harry watched as Ron's ears turned an even redder shade then he was already harboring, and as a smile crossed his face.
They arrived in the Three Broomstick only twenty minutes ago and while Harry had been buying there drinks, Hermione had taken up the conversation of Ron and Hayley.
Ron, Harry observed, was a little more eager to talk about her, maybe more then before, but he was still just as stubborn to do anything about it.
"Hey, Hermione?" asked Harry as they fell silent.
"Humph?"
"What did Hayley mean when she said 'meet someone' who was she meeting?"
"No one, Harry."
Harry could tell by the look on her face she was holding something in.
"Hermione c'mon - as long as it isn't Malfoy I don't care."
"Oh -- well if you say that then okay -- she was meeting with her father."
"Her - father?"
Hermione nodded her head against his neck.
Ron bit down on his lip to help make the look on his face look less evident.
"Well - that's fine - you know, she's allowed to see her father."
"I suppose so - well it's already one forty-five, she should be here soon," said Hermione, leaning over Harry so she could get a better glimpse of the window for any signs of a raven hair - emerald eyed girl.
Harry brought his head back over towards Ron. Giving him a small smile, he turned his attention into the crowd of students still trampling through the doorway.
"Hey - do you guys smell smoke?" asked Ron, sniffing the air blowing in through the opened door.
"Smoke?" asked Harry looking at him confused.
"Yeah smoke - coming from outside?"
Harry starting sniffing the air around him. He smelled it to.
"Come on lets go outside," said Hermione standing up away from Harry. Apparently, to Harry, she could smell it to.
Harry set his Butter Beer down beside him and as did Ron they both stood up from there chairs and began walking outside.
The minute Harry reached the outside, his nostrils filled with the foul smell of smoke, rather then the sweet smell of Christmas air surrounding the village only twenty minutes ago.
"Oh my - LOOK!"
Harry turned to where Hermione was pointing and that's when he felt his entire body go numb.
"FIRE - FIRE - THERES A FIRE SOMEONE CALL THE AURORS!"
Harry grabbed Ron and Hermione right as a crowd of students came tumbling into them and pulled them back inside the Three Broomsticks.
Harry realized as he did this, that was probably a bigger mistake. All the students and teachers that were now inside, were now wanting to get outside.
Harry could see Professor McGonagall making her way to the door through the window. Hagrid, Snape, and Flitwick, were not far behind her.
Mostly everyone moved aside as they saw them now pushing the crowd through. Hagrid leading the way during this so the children would back off quicker.
"HAGRID, ROUND UP ANY STUDENTS IN HERE, SERVERUS YOU GO UP THE HILL AND LOOK THERE, FLITWICK STAY WITH ME."
"Hagrid, what's going on?" asked Harry the minute he saw McGonagall, Flitwick, and Snape leave in a hurry.
"There's bin a fire - down near Hogs Head - c'mon you lot, we have to get you to the carriage'," said Hagrid, starting to push students near by out the door.
"But Hagrid - what about HAYLEY!"
"She'll be fin' 'arry - we need to get you lot out now!"
"But Hagrid Hogs Head is near -" Hermione went deathly pale as something came to her, putting a hand over her mouth she looked like she was going to faint.
"Wha - near where Hermione?" asked Harry.
"Oh Harry - Hogs Head is right around the corner of Quality Quidditch Supplies."
Harry didn't say anything. He didn't even give Hermione or Ron a second look, he just pushed the students aside as he ran to the door.
"HARRY NO! YOU ARE NOT GOING DOWN THERE!"
"SHE COULD BE HURT, HERMIONE!"
"SHE IS PROBABLY ALREADY SAFE!"
"YOU COULD BE KILLED HARRY - YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE SHE IS!"
"LIKE THE AURORS DO TO!"
"HARRY - HAGRID HELP!"
Hagrid apparently didn't hear Hermione scream his name. He was to busy getting the students up and out of there chairs behind them.
He turned around when the last student ran from the door, leaving only Harry, Ron and Hermione left within the shop along with the co-workers, who were taking the back exist of the pub.
"'arry c'mon, we need to get you out of here!"
"HAGRID, SHE COULD BE HURT!"
"No she isn't - I dunn' Auro's are down there alredy' she'll be fin' gettin' you out is a matt'r now!"
Harry could barely get another word out as Hagrid pushed him out the door and started making him run up the alleyway towards the carriages that were already taking leave back to the castle.
As he was running he glanced back at the towering smoke hovering over the building and the fire beneath it.
'Please - please let her be okay if she's dead -'
"HARRY, COME ON GET IT!" screamed Ron behind them.
Harry hastily climbed into the carriage, not even paying attention to were he was sitting or who he was sitting by. After Ron climbed in, Hagrid shut the door immediately. He watched as Hagrid ran back down into the village where he could see McGonagall making her way towards him.
Harry felt himself jerk forward as the carriages began to move. The village becoming a small ball of orange and black as they neared the castle. The only thing lingering in Harry's head was to find Hayley.
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"Well little Snitch - I have work to be done, I'll find yeh dad fer yeah alright?"
"Thanks Midice."
Midolous smiled at her before turning and heading out of the room.
Hayley sighed as she laid her head back against the couch.
Midolous had taken her to the back lounge of the store. In this part, there was a resting lounge that Hayley was currently residing in. Her father - being half an hour late as he was and Hayley had to meet Hermione, Harry and Ron in ten minutes.
As she began to feel her eyes feeling lazy and starting to drift off from the comfortable couch lying below her, and the cup of tea was bringing her more of into her drowsy state.
Hayley opened her eyes immediately as she started to hear screaming coming from behind the doorway into the corridor.
She could hear people running, and a second thought later she could hear curses being shouted and echoing off her doorway that was harboring her within.
Hayley got up off the couch, her knees feeling numb from the sound level of screams she could hear.
"GAVET - LOCK ALL THE DOORS, MAKE SURE EVERY SINGLE ONE IS LOCKED!"
Hayley felt every cell in her body go numb. She couldn't move.
That's when she heard someone beyond the door shout a curse and the door give an 'audible' click, as the dead bolt slid into place.
Rushing forward, Hayley began to pull at the handle. It wasn't opening or even turning for that matter.
Reaching for her wand in her back pocket, she began to furiously search for it.
She couldn't find it - it was not in her back pockets, her shirt, or her front pockets.
'MY BESIDE TABLE!'
Hayley began to throw her hands at the door. But the minute her skin even touched the wood she immediately had a fast intake and took it off.
The door was burning hot.
She couldn't hear anything outside of the door; the shop seemed completely empty now. As she listened harder, there were screams coming from all around her outside the shop.
"MIDICE!"
No answer.
"DAD!"
Still no answer.
"RON, HARRY - HERMIONE!"
Again no answer.
Hayley threw herself at the door, forgetting about how hot it was as her forearm touched it. Taking it away as the burn sunk into her skin, that's when it came to her.
She was in a locked room with a fire beyond the door.
She started to hear the screaming die down as new voice came to her, she started to feel dizzy and seeing everything becoming a blur in front of her gaze.
'Do you hear them, child?'
Hayley stopped moving. Glancing around the room she saw that she was the only person here. But then that meant --
'Do you know who they are - well I'll tell you, there here to get you.'
"No."
'You want to get out of that room alive right - I'll tell you how.
'Behind the bedside cabinet child, there is a wand.'
Hayley walked forward. Knowing right away that it wasn't her body making her legs move, it was something or someone else doing it for her.
Without knowing, she reached for the cabinet and pushed with all her might until it began to budge and fall over. She stood back as the cabinet fell, watching as it hit the couch and crushing it immediately under its weight.
'Pick up the wand child.'
Hayley not doing so but being forced walked forward. She felt someone like a hand push on her back as she bent over. Feeling the wooden stick beneath her fingers, she stood back up.
'Use the wand to break the door down.'
Hayley walked forward. Raising the wand she muttered the spell.
She dropped the wand immediately as she ran forward and out of the lounge. Running into the corridor of the shop, seeking the door through her hazed eyes.
The minute she took her first breath, she regretted it immediately as she felt the smoke making its way down her throat and into her lungs.
She coughed, feeling her throat going raw with the fierce of the coal inside her chest - her eye sight began to fog up as water started coming through her eyes.
She turned her head. There before her was the door leading out of the shop. The only problem was it was at least twenty feet away from her.
Holding her hand over her mouth as she kept coughing, she began to walk forward.
She was so concentrated on the door, she didn't even hear as the wood above her began to crumble. She still walked forward. She couldn't see, but she could feel around.
The wood crumbled and then with one last snap it fell to the floor in front of her.
Hayley jumped back as it fell right in front of her. She turned around, but right as she did that, another piece of wood fell before her.
She was trapped.
Hayley couldn't stop coughing - her lungs couldn't breathe. She could feel her heart pounding against her chest as if a bunch of drums were located where her heart was beating.
She felt her knees give way as they fell to the floor, burning from the fire glazing over her skin; she barely even noticed the pain through her lungs being deprived of air.
Hayley knew she had to get out of here, if she didn't then she was going to die. Still on her knees, she began to feel around the floor, trying to ignore the heat now radiating off her skin.
She felt her eyes beginning to fall over her watering eyes. She had to stay awake, if she fainted she would die, but to her at the moment, death seemed like a release, she wouldn't be feeling this anymore if taken away from it.
The last piece of wood above her snapped completely, and then fell.
"ARRRRGGGGGGG"
Hayley opened her eyes slowly, and that's when the piece of burning wood in front of her showed its presence before her. The wood had landed on her elbow. She couldn't move.
Looking up more, Hayley saw that the fire hadn't reached the end that had fallen on her elbow. She could feel the pain running through her veins as if fire was being sent to them.
'I'm never going to see my family again - Ron, Hermione, Harry.'
Hayley felt her eyes finally close as she laid her head down. She could feel her throat closing up. Her throat was burning, her elbow was lying under a fifty pound piece of burning wood and her lungs were burning with fire. She was going to die.
Right as she felt the last attempted breath reach her throat, she heard something.
Something was coming towards her. She could hear it. It sounded like echo's - but no it was a -
Hayley tried to look up as she heard something moving behind her as she heard the door slam open and more pieces of wood being thrown everywhere. She tried to scream out, but her throat wasn't issuing anything passed a breath.
She didn't have to move a muscle. The source came to her. She then felt something warm and wet spread over her face, opening her eyes she found yellow amber eyes staring back at her as black fur covered the eyes staring intently at her.
It was a dog.
She tried to reach her hand up to touch it, but it had moved away from her.
Opening her eyes more, she realized that the dog was pushing the wood off of her arm.
Hayley couldn't see what it was doing, or where it had gone, but she could feel the wood above her arm beginning to budge.
Two - three - four - five - six -- seven and then came eight and the fallen burning limb left her arm.
Hayley couldn't move it; she could feel something warm tickling down her elbow as she tried to pull it out.
It was broken. Not just the bone, but Hayley saw the bone sticking out of her skin. The wood completely broke it.
Hayley then felt the dog begin to nudge her over her rib cage. She tried to sit up, but she felt the dog place its paw over her back, holding her in place.
She felt her eyes lids starting to fall over her eyes again. Closing them she felt herself being lifted off the ground and thrown onto something warm and hairy.
Hayley couldn't feel the burning floor beneath her, all she could feel was a bump over her back. The dog had thrown her over it's back.
She could feel its movement as it jumped over the other numerous fallen pieces of wood. Her head feeling limp and her arm causing such a force of pain through her skin she couldn't breath.
Hayley closed her eyes, wanting the pain to stop. Wanting the release- praying-hoping to see the light of day again.
As if on cue, she felt something warm and hot fall over her face.
She felt herself being lowered to ground as her head hit it with a hard 'thump.'
Hayley felt more blood leaking from her arm, more pain rushing to her lungs as air tried to reach its destination. She tried to open her eyes, seeking the dog's warmth, but not finding it as she felt around the ground for it, only finding cold stone under her touch.
She was outside.
Hayley heard footsteps walk forward and pick her up from off the ground. Cradling her within there arms. She felt pain seize its capture over her arm as it was raised off the ground.
She felt her head come upon a new resting ground. It was warm, and she started to feel even dizzier under its warmth as arms wrapped themselves around her body as it cradled her within the embrace, rocking back and forth she felt her body moving with the stranger's movements. She could feel something beating beneath her ear.
That's when Hayley felt something warm and soft place itself over her head as it leaned into her ear and said:
"It's okay Lily bear, I've got you. Nothing else will happen to you -- Sirius is here."
The last thing Hayley saw before she passed out, were the same lips coming down and kissing her forehead once more before she fell limp in the arms of her savior.
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I am sorry if this is not what you all expected. I seem not to be able to write the greatest during action scenes, but I'm trying.
Thank you all so much for the reviews. They have just been flooding in, and I know I have misplaced some information in this story, but that is how I am writing it. I am sorry if that upsets you.
Thank you Sandy for all the work you're helping me do with this story, I highly appreciate it.
New updates next Saturday or Sunday.
