A/C: Alright, enough drama, we deserve a fluff chapter!
Also, slight side-note, I'm aware that Dean Thomas' parents were married. Kids are just cruel.
December 10, 1992
The fundraiser for Creevey's recovery was a smashing success! In just over a month, The VATIC secured enough donation funds to order the mandrake restorative draught. In fact, with the amount of money that came pouring in after the Prophet's revelation (and the howlers to Dumbledore, so many howlers…) they were able to keep some extra as funds for next year's display! Once they got confirmation that the order was on its way, the group sent a letter to Colin's family both explaining the situation and how a cure was being sent right away. According to Patil, Colin's father sent a tear-stained note in gratitude for their generosity and friendship to his dear son; a message which was shared to all those that donated to the fundraiser.
Not all was bright and cheery at the school, however. Despite her assurances to Dumbledore, the Headmaster made no announcements that the trouble had passed. Technically, he said that the "Situation is being dealt with'' rather than it being finished. It did little to reassure everyone. Especially after the Family Tree incident sent everyone in a tizzy. The pureblood bigots were no longer smug about the Chamber warning, and suspicions turned to half bloods and muggleborns of questionable heritage. In fact, skirmishes were sometimes breaking out between the purebloods and muggleborns, the purebloods and half bloods, and sometimes even between the purebloods themselves!
The most entertaining one she'd seen so far was the one between the young Gryffindors and Slytherins. From what Melissa saw in the courtyard, it started when Nott insulted Ginny over being afraid of the Chamber and the thought of You-Know-Who coming to Hogwarts. Something along the lines of "you think the Dark Lord would care at all about a scrawny little blood traitor like you?" and it got physical when Parkinson loudly called Thomas "a muggle whore's bastard!" By the end of that fight, Parkinson was spewing slugs, Ron lost his eyebrows, Thomas grew donkey ears, and Nott had an impressive collection of bats clawing out of his nostrils.
Melissa, on her part, tried to avoid the blood-battles as much as she could. It was all pretty pointless, as far as the Heir issue was concerned. That, and she simply didn't want to bother with the fallout of her prank. It was on one such occasion, dodging out of view in the lower dungeons, that Melissa happened upon Jacinth seemingly talking to himself.
"So- what I'm trying to say is that- I think we- well…"
"Who are you talking to?"
Jacinth whirled on the spot. The surprise caused him to fumble with something in his hand, before his other hand went protectively around his wand holster. "Wha- NOTHING! NO ONE! What are you doing here, Bennett?!"
"Just on a walk." She answered casually. Her focus was more caught up on the object in his hand. From the look of it, it was a thin, flat black box just over palm-sized. Her eyes glinted at the sight. "What have you got, there?"
"This?" He hid the box behind his back. "It's nothing!"
"Really?" She practically skipped over to him, her own hands behind her back as she tried to peer around him. "Because it looked to me like a jewellery box, and just before Hogsmeade weekend, at that!" She looked up to see his face, finding him in a deep, crimson blush. "Aww, Wystan, you finally asked her out!"
Jacinth squirmed on the spot. "No, I- wait. What do you mean by 'finally'?!"
Melissa rolled her eyes. "Come on, Wystan, it's pretty obvious that you and Ignatov have a thing for each other. I've known since last year."
The boy's eyes bulged. "Really? She knows?"
Oh my god, this is precious! "I wouldn't be surprised. She's probably just waiting for you to make a move."
"Oh." Like a light switch, the boy brightened to a smile. "That's great! So when I ask her here, she'll definitely go out with me, right?"
"Here?" Melissa looked around the room- no, sorry- dungeon. Her eyes and ears took in the dripping walls, dirty floor, and rusty chains. "No, no, no. You are not asking her out here."
"Why not?!"
Melissa made a 'gimme' gesture to the box. "Show me what you're giving her." Jacinth flinched, reluctant at the request. Still, he gingerly brought the box forward and opened it up. Inside was a beautiful silver bracelet, inlaid with emerald-cut stones of aquamarine and jacinth. Melissa couldn't help but whistle at the sight of it. This bracelet is beautiful. Beautiful and expensive. She had no idea how Jacinth was able to afford it. One thing's for sure, though, this kid is serious. "Okay… Wystan, I need you to look at this room and tell me if it's worthy of that." She gestured at the gemstones. "Or, better yet, worthy of her."
The boy looked at the bracelet, then took a look around the room. His wince said enough. "I guess. But there might be people around if I ask her at the lake. I don't want anyone to see us."
"So, you need a private, romantic location with no interruptions, and don't want her to know ahead of time what the plan is?"
"Right."
"Well then…" She straightened up. "I might be able to help you with that."
"You would?!" Though excited, a part of him tensed to narrowed eyes. "In exchange for what?"
He had a point. Something like this shouldn't be worth nothing. "I suppose you can put in a good word to the older purebloods to get off my back." She offered. "If that doesn't work, I'll think of something else worth the favour. We have a deal?"
Jacinth eyed her offered hand warily. Though it didn't take long to accept it into his own. "Deal."
December 11th, 1992
After supper, the fourth year Slytherins journeyed down to the lower dungeons. Most of them huddled in the middle of the corridor, while Melissa hovered her illuminated wand under a painting of a ship sailing under a storm.
"This feels like a trap." She heard Warrington gripe quietly to the others.
"You're imagining things, Cassius." Jacinth replied. "As if Bennett can pull something on us with everyone here."
"I guess…"
Melissa returned her focus to the wall. Finally she found a small numb, just enough to press the tip of her wand inside of it. "Tutum navigare."
At those words, the stone wall shifted. Everything below the painting shifted to the left and the stone slid and scraped by, revealing a dark passageway that slowly illuminated with hidden torchlight. The other gasped in awe at the sight. Then, at Melissa's beckoning, they all went inside.
"How did you find this place?" Jacqueline asked.
"I heard about it while talking to Malfoy's mother over summer break."
"You're in contact with Mrs. Malfoy?" Warrington asked incredulously.
It was just the one time, but they didn't need to know that. "We met at a party Mister Black was throwing. You know how it is."
The group chatted quietly as they walked through the passage. Melissa explained the history of the passageway as an escape route to the docks in case of an attack, but it fell out of memory as the school became more secure in its warding and when the Statute of Secrecy came into play. ...Truthfully she was pulling that story out of her ass; but considering one of the pathways does lead to the docks and has a password meaning "It is safe to sail", it seemed like a perfectly reasonable explanation as to why the tunnel exists in the first place.
In time the stone walls roughen to the jagged walls of a cave. Eventually the cave then widened and broke off into a series of tunnels. "I've gone through a few of these so far." Melissa explained, pointing off in different directions as she spoke. "These two have some really neat crystal formations. That one leads to the docks. Those three are just dead ends. Not sure about the other ones up ahead."
"I'd like to head out to the docks." Adrian commented. He gestured to Warrington and Garrick. "Wanna check them out?"
"I'm going to explore the ones up ahead." Amy announced, with her and Domonkos stepping between Jacinth and Warrington as she did so. It seemed to do the trick, as the former three moved onward to the docks, while Jacinth suggested he and Rusalka go out to the crystal formations. They broke into the three groups, with Melissa leading the way to the unknown tunnels. Once the sound of footsteps faded, however, Jacqueline cast a silencing spell on their groups' shoes and doubled back to the crystal caves.
"Maybe we shouldn't." Amy said quietly. "They want to be alone for this, don't they?"
"But aren't you curious?" Jacqueline asked. "And we're just going to peek. No harm done."
Amy shrugged lightly. "I suppose."
They crept silently through the tunnels. Melissa led them forward with hand gestures and a compact mirror to ensure when the coast was clear. Eventually they came upon their destination. The tunnel widened once more into a great expanse. Much like an atrium, a cliff-side hole near the ceiling exposed the cave to the outside world. From without, a large gibbous moon shined brightly. The moonlight illuminated the walls and ceiling, where thousands of crystals of many colours sparkled with magic. At the centre of the room, bathed in moonlight, stood Jacinth and Rusalka.
The group hunched behind a section of stalagmites and watched the scene unfold. Jacinth, through stammers and blush, was in the middle of making adorable declarations about their friendship and how much he admires Rusalka for her cleverness and skills. Rusalka, to her credit, caught on quickly to what Jacinth was trying to say and made teasing but complimentary remarks about how she feels for Jacinth. It did the trick with him, as soon after the boy revealed the gift box to her. Rusalka opened the gift, eyes going wide (no doubt at the extravagance of the gift.) Melissa had to wonder if Rusalka even heard Jacinth as he asked her, officially, if she'd like to be his girlfriend.
"OF COURSE!" She shouted, a bit too loudly, as it caused her to blush at the outburst. Jacinth certainly didn't mind, though. The boy grinned broadly, then clasped the bracelet around her wrist. He admired it for a moment, then bowed and kissed the back of her hand.
Back at the stalagmites, Melissa and Jacqueline had to cover their mouths to keep from squealing in delight. They practically held each other up to keep from being overwhelmed with giddiness. They quickly looked back at the new couple, and were immediately surprised to see Rusalka giving the boy a kiss on the cheek. The group got distracted by a hand in their periphery. Amy was gesturing at them with a series of hand signs. We need to leave, she signalled. The other three nodded and crept carefully away from the couple, giving them some privacy over their newfound romance.
It felt like ages before they felt far enough away to speak out loud. As soon as they did, Jacqueline practically squealed in delight. "Oh, goodness, that was beautiful!"
"I know!" Melissa exclaimed. "I didn't think about how it'd look with the moon out, but that was perfect!"
"And that kiss-!"
"-and bow!"
"So romantic!" They said in unison. Then immediately they dissolved into giggles.
"You've seen the bracelet. What's it like?"
"Oh, god, it's gorgeous! The aquamarines totally match her eyes!"
"Really?!"
"I know, right? He went all out with that gift!"
"I can't wait to see it!"
Unbeknownst to the giggling girls, Domonkos and Amy gave each other a mix of befuddled looks and wry smiles. Over the last exchange, Amy turned over to the girls. "You know, I expected this from Jacqueline, but not from you, Melissa. I thought you weren't into dating?"
"Not for me, no. Definitely not." She waved dismissively. "But that was gorgeous, and so romantic! I can't believe how beautiful that went!" She immediately turned back to Jacqueline to gush over the crystals in the moonlight.
Amy, on the other hand, turned over to a dejected Domonkos and gave the boy a sympathetic pat on the back. He tried to smile back, but it was obvious to Amy that there was pain behind that smile. So, with a sigh, they walked down the tunnel in silence while the other girls chatted happily over the love lives of their fellow classmates.
Some girls are just oblivious when it comes to their own love lives.