Chapter 16

Article in the Daily Prophet

Roxanne felt she may explode herself with all the mixed feelings running about in her head. Somehow the news about the confusing happenings going on between herself, Harry, Cho and Malfoy. And even worse, some busybody girls from Ravenclaw were starting a school newspaper. A few Gryffindors were helping, one or two Hufflepuffs and even some Slytherins. It was called Hogwarts Hearsay. And have a guess what was on the first page below the victory of Hufflepuff over Ravenclaw? It was all about what people had heard and seen from Roxanne, Harry, Cho and Malfoy. The girls responsible for the paper got severely told off, as they weren't supposed to publish anything without the teachers checking it first and getting permission from the people they had mentioned.

Harry and Cho had received immature nicknames. Cho was the Potternapper and Harry was called The Innocent, Malfoy didn't have a nickname, people were obviously too scared of him to give him one. It was clearly the same for Roxanne. Though she often heard her being called a two-timer or a slag.

People had been looking up her family history in the library and were visibly worried. Roxanne wondered why they were doing this now and not earlier. She soon found out. She found a discarded Daily Prophet in the library and the front page caught her eye. Underneath a large heading was a picture of her parents. They grinned maliciously up at Roxanne and blew her kisses. The picture was taken about twelve years ago when they had been caught. Roxanne read,

MORE MURDERERS LOOSE

Since the escape of ten Deatheaters last year, Azkaban has upgraded its security by hiring a small army of trolls to guard every cell. But this didn't prevent the escape of two murderers and Deatheaters, Adrian and Marilee Winters. Being You-Know-Who's greatest supporters and most probably closest companions, though they were in a higher security cells. The Minister for Magic refused to accept the possibility that the daunting guards of Azkaban, Dementors, have signed up with You-Know-Who as they had done sixteen years ago.

The Winters only daughter is currently attending Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry and is said to be a 'perfectly good girl' by all the teachers. We interviewed a few students at Hogwarts who had something else to say. "She's terribly scary looking and carries her wand up her sleeve!" stated Pansy Parkinson, from Slytherin.

As you may have guessed, Roxanne Winters is in the Slytherin House as was her family before her. She has also befriended the famous Harry Potter. "They were going out for a long while but I think they recently broke up," said Lavender Brown in Gryffindor. Some people did have positive things to say about Roxanne. "She's really nice. People just tend to assume that she's horrible because of her family," said Kacia Smith, a close friend of Roxanne's also in Slytherin.

If anybody has any clues about the Winters whereabouts please contact us…

Roxanne couldn't read anymore. She flung the paper in the fire and ran upstairs, kicking a couple of things on the way there.

Harry had been meaning to talk to Roxanne but she was evidently avoiding him. He also noticed she wasn't hanging around with Malfoy anymore. She seemed even paler than usual and skinnier. She was rarely seen eating and wore even more gothic clothes. People skirted around her in the hallways, as she looked so threatening with her untamed black hair and black lipstick. Ron suggested maybe it was the extra classes but Hermione said she doubted that.

The only time they saw her happy was in Care of Magical Creatures. They were now studying Aqua Dragons. They looked like a mix of overgrown seahorses and lizards. Instead of spitting fire, boiling water spurted out of their mouths at one hundreds miles per hour. According to Hagrid, they had been living in the Lake for ages without anyone knowing. They hadn't grown as big as the ones living in the Bermuda Triangle could because the Giant Squid was taking up so much room already. They were a bit bigger than a large horse but were still quite intimidating.

"Hi Roxanne," said Harry, cornering her after one Care of Magical Creatures class.

"Oh hi…I've got to get to my next class," she said quickly, turning around. Harry grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"Its lunch next," he said pointedly. "If it makes you feel better, I had the worst time with Cho."

"No it doesn't."

"Ooooh look! It's the Slag and Potter talking! Take a picture Pansy!" a Slytherin girl squealed. Pansy grinned and took out her camera. There was a flash of green light, but it didn't come from the camera. Roxanne put her wand back up her sleeve as Pansy gaped at the tangled mess of plastic at her feet.

"I heard your parents have escaped from Azkaban. You must be thrilled!" sneered Pansy.

"Shut up Parkinson," retorted Harry.

"They'll come and get you Potter! Just you wait!" she said, laughing. But few of her friends didn't laugh with her; they thought she had gone way too far.

Roxanne burst into tears and ran as fast as she could. When she reached the Slytherin common room she sat down and tried to ignore the fact that her life sucked.

"Hey Roxanne," someone said behind her.

"Get lost!" she said loudly.

"Just read the Daily Prophet," said Malfoy, sitting next to her.

"You and the rest of the world," she muttered darkly, wiping away her tears brusquely.

"Yup, what did Potter say?"

"Nothing yet."

"I'm not saying this because I want you for myself. Even though I do," he added thoughtfully, "but for his safety, you shouldn't be with him."

"Why's that?" said Roxanne sarcastically.

"When I first started Hogwarts, my father told me to make friends with Potter so I could lead him into their hands. I bet that's what your parents will ask you to do," he said.

"I doubt it."

"See these?" said Malfoy, rolling up his sleeves and showing his wrists. Scratches upon scars covered his wrists and arms. "I hated my life. I hated it so much in fourth year I tried to end it. But my father cast an anti-self harm charm on me."

Roxanne was speechless. She gazed at the many scars and nearly fully healed scratches.

"So I just carried on with my life. Ignored others people's feelings and what they thought of me. And tried to enjoy it – I still hate it but at least its better." he said, pulling down his sleeves. "So should you."

She stared at him blankly.

"Accept who you are. Accept you're a Winters and you're destined to be like your parents. I have," he said simply.

"No, you don't understand. I can't stand by and watch them kill Harry!"

"You'll have to learn to."

Roxanne laughed in disbelief.

"Would you watch me die if you knew you could help me?"

"That's different–"

"No it's not!" she insisted.

"And that's not going to happen. They wouldn't kill you!"

"Who do you mean by they? The Deatheaters? Voldemort?" she asked, ignoring Malfoy flinch. "Who said I meant them? It could be anyone! An Auror!"

"But that won't happen!"

"But what if it did? Would you save me?"

"Yes…"

"I've proved my point," she said perceptively.

Malfoy rolled his eyes.

"So you're saying you care for Potter more than me?"

"No…that's not what I'm saying. Its just…Harry is meant to help people and save lives. Your – well you're not." It wasn't one of those questions you could answer in a few seconds. She did feel they both needed her, they both needed saving, they both needed helping. But she couldn't help both at the same time. This – she felt –was her purpose in life.

"You haven't answered my question."

"Because I don't want to," she said sulkily.

"Fine," said Malfoy, "I'll see you later." Before leaving he kissed a glum Roxanne on the cheek gently.

The next evening Harry sat opposite her in the library. She made no sign that she had seen him. He leaned his head on one side and gazed at her avidly, trying to keep his face straight. Roxanne raised an eyebrow.

"You look cute when you're trying to be serious," said Harry.

Roxanne laughed, for the first time in a long while.

"Well you look cute all the time," she said, her eyes still on her Potions book.

"Dumbledore said you're allowed in the Gryffindor common room as long as you don't hear the password."

"I don't think people will want me in there," she whispered derisively.

"Well there's a disco for the fourth years and under going on. So they'll be gone. And if anyone says anything I'll blow their heads off," he said, grinning cheekily.

"Ok…that'll be cool. Not the blowing up bit…" she said, grinning back.

"Come on then," he said, grabbing her wrist.

"Now? But I –"

"But nothing. Come on," he said again, swinging her bag on his shoulders and leading her to the Fat Lady's portrait.

"Passwor – hold on. She's not allowed in here," said the Fat Lady strictly.

"Here," said Harry, holding a note in front of her face.

"I, Professor Dumbledore, give permission for Roxanne Winters to enter the Gryffindor common room until eleven o'clock as long as she does not hear the password," read the Fat Lady, "fine, fine. Block your ears missy."

"Nec fide nec metuas ignis," said Harry. The portrait swung open and he dragged Roxanne inside. Secretly she liked the Slytherin common room better. That decorator had obviously put more effort into it.

"We always sit near the fireplace," said Harry, taking his usual seat. "Bring up that chair and that can be your place from now on!"

Trying to ignore the piercing and prying eyes of the fifth, sixth and seventh years, she pulled over a purple chair and slouched down opposite Harry.

"The rest will be here soon," he said. Just as he finished the sentence, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and Mark came through the portrait.

"Hey Roxanne!" squealed Ginny, taking her usual seat.

"So Dumbledore agreed did he?"

"Well duh Ron!" said Hermione.

Ron grumbled something inaudible.

"I don't mean to be rude but…what's going on with you two?" Mark blurted out.

Harry frowned slightly and cast a confused glance at Roxanne, who said –

"Pass! Next question."

They all laughed but Harry didn't.

"I wanna know too," he said seriously.

"'Er…should we go?" suggested Ron.

"If you want me back Harry then…" said Roxanne in a whisper.

"Of course I do!" he said, pulling her off her chair so she landed on his lap. She snuggled up to him and soon realised everybody was staring at her.

"Anyway…" said Ron, raising his eyebrows.

"Its all my fault that article was in the Daily Prophet. Or rather, its my fault it was so bad," Hermione said suddenly.

"Why?"

"Because of…of Rita Skeeter."

"That's not your fault."

"But –"

"Its not, Hermione," said Roxanne firmly.

Hermione smiled gratefully.

"Do you know who I blame for all this?" said Roxanne. "The Sorting Hat."

They laughed, spurring him on.

"Yeah! Lets kill the Sorting Hat!" said Ron. He snatched Hermione's pointed hat off her head.

"Oh look at me, I'm the Sorting Hat! You should go there and you should go here even though you don't want to!" mocked Ron, putting on a squeaky voice and making the hat walk around.

"You shouldn't mock it, Ron. Its over two thousand years old, it knows more than you," said Hermione, pushing Ron away as he tried to stick it over her ears.

"Die you stupid hat!" he yelled, wrestling the lifeless hat to the ground and laughing evilly.

"You've lost it!" said Roxanne, giggling.

"Ron lost it in second year when the Whomping Willow hit him on the head," joked Harry.

"Shut up! So what if I'm a bit mad," he muttered, throwing the hat at Hermione.

They talked in the common room until the early hours of the morning. Roxanne felt happier than she had for months. She dreaded going back to her dorm.

"Is there a spare bed in the girl's dorms?" Harry asked Hermione.

"No, sorry."

Roxanne sighed deeply.

"See you tomorrow, Harry," she muttered, feeling her happiness deflate like a burst balloon.

Harry dragged her away from Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville and Mark.

"You could sleep with me," he whispered to her.

She chortled.

"Goodnight Harry."

"I'm serious!"

"Really? 'Em…I don't know Harry," she said uneasily.

"I guess I said that kinda wrong. I mean you could sleep in my bed. With a sleeping bag…"

"I dunno... It would be kinda weird."

"No it wouldn't! Its big enough!"

"But I don't have my stuff."

"Use a spell to get them!"

"Oh fine! You are so persistent!" she exclaimed. "Accio Bilt pyjamas. Accio Bilt sleeping bag."

"Huh? Ain't it just Accio?"

"Don't you know it? It's the same as Accio but it turns the things you want invisible."

"Cool…never heard of it!"

There was a scream from the portrait.

"Oh no!" gasped Roxanne. "The things would have hit her!"

She ran towards the Fat Lady to find she wasn't even there. She caught sight of her running through the other portraits yelling, "Peeves, you've gone too far now!"

Roxanne laughed loudly. She felt around for her things, they became visible once she touched them.

"Stay here," said Harry, turning to run to the boy's dorms. He pulled out his Invisibility Cloak. Downstairs he threw it over Roxanne.

"Wow, I've never seen one of these before!" she said, staring down at where her legs should have been.

"Was my dad's," he said, walking towards his dorm. Roxanne felt a sudden sinking feeling in her stomach.

Roxanne changed into her nightwear in the bathroom and then climbed in Harry's bed, feeling herself blush.

"Wow…" she breathed, looking out of Harry's window. She climbed in the sleeping bag and sat on the windowsill. "I sleep on the bottom bunk," she said to Harry, who was sitting next to her.

"You might get a top bunk next year."

"I hope so. Its so beautiful."

"Look at the time! Its nearly three o'clock!"

Roxanne yawned and shuffled back to the bed. Harry reached over to put out the candle beside them.

"What's that?" asked Roxanne, grabbing his wrist. In his hand was a scar and it said, 'I must not tell lies.'

"Professor Umbridge."

"Oh yeah, you told me about her. You can get this removed you know."

"I will," he said, putting out the candle.

With all the awkwardness gone, Roxanne curled up to Harry's chest and fell asleep with the rhythm of his heart beating in her ear.