Thank you to my two reviewers! You made my day! I love when you guys tell me what you like. Please review and follow if you want to see more!
Chapter Nine: O.W.L.
"You're an idiot," Keela snapped, staring down at the rumpled slytherin tie in her hands. Her mismatched eyes glistened as they snapped where Clara sat, curled by a fluffy, yellow rug in front of the roaring fire. "I love you."
The two sentiments at the same time seemed a bit odd to Clara but at the moment she was too cold to think more upon it. Winter had come to Hogwarts with a vengeance that startled the young, French witch. In the mountainside of France where Beauxbaton was nestled, winters had always been a bitter affair but the school was always a place warmed by magic. Here the halls of Hogwarts were open to the grounds and the winds were bitter and cutting.
At the moment, Clara's toes were growing numb from the cold. She desperately inched them towards the roaring fire in the common area. Across from the library area, the outdoors were blanketed off with thick curtains, letting a sweep of frigid air under the cloth.
"You're going to return it aren't you?" Molly asked nervously, her fingers working at each other, her books spread around her on the tile floor, a thick, fur blanket wrapped around her. Her brother sat just beside her, snoring against one of the comfy, plush couches that Keela sat upon with Callum engrossed in an astrology book just beside her.
"I don't know why you're so pleased," Clara murmured, her eyes turning to the flames as they licked along the logs in the hearth. "It's not even Delphine's tie."
"My mother always told me it's the thought that counts," Keela said offhandedly, tossing the tie onto a side table.
Clara rubbed at her temples, feeling mentally drained. She would still have to find a way to return the damn thing while deftly avoiding her cousin. The thought of her distant relative still floating along the halls made Clara's gut twist. Afraid was a big word for the emotions that were seeping through her at the moment. Maybe weary would be a better word? Whatever it was that she felt for Delphine the bottom line was that no good would come from being near her.
The weeks went by in a flurry of snow and papers. Winter seemed to be the time where all of the Hogwarts school work piled up and began to crush the majority of Hogwarts' students. Even George and Fred seemed to be buried in the avalanche, always bent together, whispering. George would always give Clara a wink and a soft hello but both of them were slowly slipping into the quicksand that was the Hogwarts curriculum.
Clara was starting to seriously regret accepting the advanced classes the more papers she got. Eventually she completely forgot about return Elsie's tie, the prospect of returning it drifting away with the looming of O.W.L. - a completely foreign concept to Clara.
There was an equivalent of this test in France but it was administered in the sixth year. And it was a little more… fluid.
"J'en peux plus!" Clara's hands grabbed futilely at her hair, burrowing in, tugging and then burrowing in once more to grab more hair. "I - I don't even understand - Good lord what is that?"
"French bread." The smile tugging at Molly's lips looked almost painful to Clara but the thing that was drawing her attention was the lump of baked dough being gently nudged toward her. Keela eyed her quietly while shoving a ridiculous combination of toast and beans into her mouth. Clara still didn't understand why exactly beans were being eaten for breakfast but…
"This...is a monstrosity," Clara stated dully. "Why is it so big?"
Molly's smile faltered, her eyes flicking swiftly to the bread then back again. "It… yeast?"
"At what point do you turn a temptress potion to a low burn?" Clara asked desperately, riffling through a book to her right filled with a variety of torn up notes. Across the table, Callum flipped a page on his latest muggle book titled You Before Me.
"When it curdles, turning a purplish - green," he answered, sounding slightly bored.
"I can't go to Hogsmeade," Clara hissed, her neck dampening with sweat as she eyed the thick astrology, arithmancy, and ancient runes books that sat to her left, each book barely even skimmed through. It was nearly halfway through the term and given that she had no clue what profession she wanted to go into getting the highest number of O.W.L.s possible was a last ditch effort for time.
"What?" Archie's brows nearly reached his hairline, his neck craning around his sister who was looking equally alarmed.
"That's-" Molly started.
"Crazy," Keela finished, looking partially disgusted by the idea. "You're going to skip Hogsmeade so that you can study?"
"I'm sorry, honey but that's-" Molly started again.
"Ridiculous," Archie finished for her. Molly's face reddened, her hand flying out to smack his arm.
"Stop interrupting me, butthead," she hissed as he rubbed his arm.
"It wasn't even me that interrupted you in the first place, trout face," he snarled back and they began to squabble in a quiet, intense huddle that escalated quickly to wrestling.
"This is why I study over the summer," Callum sighed, turning another page with such a superior air that Clara resisted a wave of violent aggression.
Keela sighed, looking at the flustered, now raging French witch and shaking her head. "You're nutty, Deschamp."
"There are more trips to this Hogsmeade, yes?" Clara started impatiently, rifling through the pockets of her robe until her hands met the purse of coins that had been sent to her.
"I take it you need to get a couple of souvenirs for that sister of yours?" Clara stilled for a moment, flustered at the mention of Annabelle. It was still odd knowing that others knew about her. Even odder was the thought that they knew more than even her family did. Sometimes she caught people staring at her as she went down the halls. Sometimes she heard them whispering behind her back.
"Honeydukes," she finally forced out, dropping the bag onto the table with a clink and then shoving her books back into her bag. "You can get whatever you like, as well. I'll be down for dinner! Thank you so much!"
"You know me," Keela sighed, eyeing the heavy lavender purse. "Heart of gold."
"And the voice of a siren," Archie threw in as Clara hurriedly got up, still sending venomous looks to his sister as she fumed from across the table.
"Oh stop it, you scoundrel." Keela's voice was the last thing she heard as she hurried away, dodging around groups of people and tripping over a variety of purses and bags crowding the aisle.
She was so busy trying to avoid inanimate objects that she failed to see the lanky barrier of muscle and red hair coming toward her until she was literally slamming into him.
"Oh no," Clara moaned, scrambling to pick up her notes while also untangling herself from the flailing of limbs that was slowly becoming unmanageable.
"You're rather clumsy, Clara." A pair of amber eyes twinkled down at her as she collected the last of her books from the ground and he tucked the stack of notes and quills neatly back into her bag, tugging her towards him in the process. His head tipped to the side as he leaned in closer. George's voice lowered to a soft whisper. "Has anyone ever told you that?"
For a moment, Clara was caught up in his eyes, the flickering depths dancing as he drew a little bit closer. He was… There was something about him that made Clara want to laugh and be still all at once. Like if the world stopped spinning, she would be fine with just keeping his company for a little bit.
"Oh stop with your flirting, George." Both brothers were grinning down at her now, Fred's arm slung across George's shoulders.
"Not flirting," George corrected with a grin, his hands slowly going to his pockets. "Just telling Clara love about all the fun she'll be having with us in Hogsmeade."
"I actually won't be going to Hogsmeade," Clara cut in, desperate to get that attentive stare off of George's face. It reminded her too much of the way that he had stared at Delphine. "I - I have to study."
"Is that what books are for?" Fred mused, his eyes landing on the bulging satchel slung around the tiny witch. "You hear that, Gerogie? We've been doing it all wrong this whole time."
"Imagine - the smartests buggers in this school getting something like that wrong. Everybody else is doomed," George drawled, his brows knit as if he were thinking something very complicated over. "What on earth are you studying for, Deschamp? All you need to do is aim for your dream job requirements and you'll be right as rain."
"See that would be easy if you actually knew what you wanted to be." A hollow laugh burst from Clara, something like panic making her hands itch and her mind run over all the notes that she had remembered from just this morning. "For those of us with less direction…"
She didn't know how to finish that sentence. Instead she decided to go on the defense. Hopefully it would make George and Fred stop looking at her in that sympathetic way.
"What's the plan for you two anyway? Hogwarts' next professors? Dragon tamers?" Her smile turned teasing as both twins shivered in mock disgust.
"Our brothers got that last bit covered," Fred grumbled.
"No, we're looking into something a bit more…" George wandered off, a mischievous grin curling his lips as he met his brother's gaze.
"Lucrative," they said together.
They gave no more explanation and for once Clara felt a little abandoned - like she was trying to decipher something that wasn't readily given. That feeling alone made her take a step back, clearing her throat.
"Well, um, unlike you two, some of us are a little less prepared," Clara finally sighed, looking down at her watch. "I really have to go. Um - but have fun at Hogsmeade."
Quickly, she skirted around the two, trying to make as fast an escape as possible but she was stopped by a large, warm hand grasping her bicep.
"Hey…"George's voice was soft as he drew closer, glancing around quickly before take a step closer. "If you need any help - well, I'm rubbish at most things but… I'm a right whiz at charms. I'll be able to pass that without a thought. And defense against the dark arts."
He didn't say it but Clara knew what he was thinking of. She had seen the small glances that he had sent her in class. She knew that he saw how uncomfortable she was in that class. Every time that she lowered her wand and let a red cap barrel toward her, she saw him, his mouth set in a hard line, his shoulders tense. The rest of the class had come to expect her inaction in every open demonstration or practice that they had had. But not George. Each one seemed to test his resolve.
"That's very sweet of you," Clara whispered back, her hand reaching up to touch across the lightly stubbled strength of his jaw before she could think. Why were his ears turning red? Slowly, she pulled her hand away, smiling. "Thank you, George."
As she rushed off, she heard Fred, his voice dreamy and high. "Thank you, George."
"Oh shut your trap." Clara stifled a giggle at the distinct sound of wrestling reached her ears as she rounded the bend.
That was the most human interaction that she would have for the rest of the day, it turned out. Her entire morning and evening was spent in a cocoon of books, papers spread about her like she was planning to nest in the library. Occasionally, she would get up, limping around the different sections in hogwarts until her butt didn't hurt so much and her back stopped aching. She even made a trip to the little painting in the wall, tickling the fruits until she was admitted and the house elves rained food and tea down upon her until she could barely stand.
But eventually she would have to limp back to her pile of papers.
By the time that the dinner bell rang, her eyes were blurry with fatigue and her mouth was cottoney for some reason. For the first time in her life, she wanted to go for a run. Or maybe just walk outside for a long, long while. Anything to get out of this room.
"Found her!" A happy voice chirped and a moment later a pair of wind chilled arms was wrapping around Clara, bringing with it the scent of winter air and pumpkin. Molly's wide eyes peeked at her from the side, her arms staying tight around Clara's neck. "Are you alright, Clara? You look a little peaky."
"It's time for dinner, nerd." Bag after bag of clothes, food, and books hit the table, sending some of Clara's papers fluttering to the ground. Keela's wild, red curls were in a puff that had small flutters of snow still melting in them. "You gave me too much money."
"Keela's family is already well off enough without giving her some of your money to spend as well," Molly chided, helping clean up the clutter of quills, ink, and notes.
"My head hurts," Clara whispered, rubbing at her temple desperately. "Can't I just go to sleep?"
"Oh, you old hag," Keela groused, throwing up her hands.
Both Hufflepuff girls eyed the disheveled mess that had been Clara Deschamp when they had left. Now however the girl in front of them had gone a grayish color beneath her usual sun-kissed hue. Her curls were sticking at odd directions, making her look closer to a frantic, old lady than a teenager. Her eyes had dissolved into a murky brown, the light behind them seeming to have sputtered out in the hours that they had been gone, dark circles making the change all the more apparent.
For a moment, Keela and Molly had a silent but fierce argument before turning slowly back to Clara.
"We'll help you get back to the dorms," Keela finally said, stuffing Clara's satchel full of as many books as possible before slinging it over her shoulder along with the other bags that she had gotten that evening. Molly went to work trying to cajole the withered mess of the French witch to stand.
"I didn't finish nearly as much as I wanted to," Clara finally whispered as they made their way deeper into the bowels of the castle. Most of the other students had already flooded the main hall for the Halloween feast so the halls were nearly empty. Her eyes flicked to the two girls nearly carrying her down the stairs at the moment. "What do you two want to be?"
"Reporter," Keela said automatically, not even glancing up. "Need a basis in charms and history and that's about it. I'm all set for the O.W.L.s. Dad'll be overjoyed at the choice. He'll finally have an excuse to travel all around."
"Archie and I don't really know yet," Molly mused, looking thoughtfully. "I've always been quite good with animals though. Maybe something along those lines."
"Not all jobs are gonna need you to be a star, Clara," Keela confided. "Sometimes it's okay to just be...average."
"Nobody wants to be average," Clara whispered dejectedly.
"Don't let all those famous blokes get you confused," Keela charged on. "It's us average people that make this world go round."
"Scare the world, Clara," Molly suddenly murmured, her eyes luminous in the flickering of the lamps as they neared the barrels that led to the hufflepuff common room. "Be exactly who you want to be and don't let all this nonsense about grades and who's the best determine what matters in your life."
"It's absolutely silly to let the world dictate how smart you are," Keela said with a nod, nudging Clara through the open barrel.
Clara's mind spun as she made her way down the long crawl space that would eventually open to the common area.
"We'll bring you back some food!" Molly's voice echoed off the mossy walls followed by the sound the lid closing once more.
By the time that Clara had crawled through and stumbled into the quiet lounge, her head was in absolute agony. It made going to her room all the more difficult. In the back of her mind, all of the facts and questions that she had gone over and over again beat painfully. But in the front, right near her ear, she heard Molly and Keela's voice. What did she want to be? She could still remember toddling along beside her mother, watching her work in her gardens. When she was little, it had all been so easy. But now…
Fear beat through her. Her years in school were numbered. Real life was beating at her door and it was getting louder and louder by the day.
Clara fell into a restless slumber, not even bothering to dive under the covers. Somehow all of her uncertainty seemed to follow her into her dreams, stalking her.
"Clara!" Why was her professor talking to her? She was supposed to be working on her test. Or was it her article? Wasn't she supposed to be reporting on the number of failures that disappointed themselves and their families after schooling?
"Clara, wake up!" Why was her editor talking to her like she was stupid? She didn't need to scream.
Lights blared to life all around her, jerking her violently away from all dreams.
"Finally," a huddle of dark shadows near her bed sighed, her voice tinted with anxiety and fear. The lamp that she was holding was too bright for Clara to see her face. "Get up and get dressed."
"Wha-" Clara muttered groggily, rubbing at her eyes. She blinked a few more times. "Keela?"
"Yes, you dolt," the redhead snarled, tossing a pair of slippers at Clara. "Now, move!"
"What's going on?" Even as she said the question, she was throwing on a robe.
Keela's mismatched eyes gleamed in the lamplight, shadows playing across the girls solemn face. "Sirius Black just broke into Hogwarts."
Thank you to my two reviewers! You made my day! I love when you guys tell me what you like. Please review and follow if you want to see more!