Chapter 6: Strange Third Year
Summary:
Important points of the third year, changes and that. Brief because a year is a long time and ain't nobody got time for that.
I was right. I may not be a know-it-all like Hermione Granger, but I knew this year wouldn't be normal. I must be cursed, doomed to always fight for my life every year, without fail. I mean, it wasn't all bad, I'd say this year was the best by far, and I'm so much happier now, but if some ratty man tried to kill you in the middle of a lesson, you'd be a bit bitter too.
The year kicked off well, I called Ron out publicly for ignoring me and blaming me for his sister all summer, only to jump up my ass the minute we got back. He didn't say another word to me, and Hermione followed his lead, but that didn't matter to anyone else. Neville became my new best friend, a better one too actually. He told me about his mum and dad, how they were tortured to insanity by some LeStrange bitch, and I found out his birthday is July too, the day before mine. We were much more similar than I'd realised. And he had my back all year, even defending me against Malfoy for the first 4 months, which was unexpected, before he backed off mysteriously. He refocused on Ron all of a sudden, not that I minded much. And he was the one that saved me in Transfiguration against that man before McGonagall could understand what was happening. Ron would never have done something like that for me, not sure if he even could.
After sneaking out to Hogsmeade, I found out that the Sirius Black guy Tom told me about was the reason my parents died. He'd told Voldemort where to find them that night. It was horrifying, and without Neville to calm my anger, I'd have probably gone after the bastard there and then. Why wait for the Dementors to take my revenge? But then Professor Lupin told me he's my godfather, as they were both my dad's best friends, and innocent because this Peter Pettigrew framed him. Sirius would never have hurt my parents. That ratty asshole was the one who got my parents killed and faked his death as murder to Sirius for both so he could get away. Then trying to kill me. Guess this is one thing I should thank Ron for, his crap hand-me-down wand can't do magic properly.
Professor McGonagall wanted to recap turning our familiars into water goblets the first Transfiguration lesson back, as that lesson was put off last year to talk about the Chamber of Secrets. I was flushed with excitement after Tom taught me this during summer when he tried to give me a headstart for the year. I hadn't actually done it, but he helped me understand the theory of it, which is the hard part for me usually. I was first to finish, even against Hermione, to make Hedwig a platinum goblet. The selfish wench looked bitter and envious, which made Ron want to be her shining hero, and screwed up whatever spell he was casting before it hit Scabbers. Whatever he did wrong turned Scabbers into a man. A filthy, poorly-dressed and twitchy little man, perched on his desk. McGonagall mumbled his name, and Pettigrew snapped. He spotted me in his panic, and he leapt across the room to grab at me. His fingers clenched over my throat, and if it wasn't for Neville tackling him I could have died. After catching the monster and interrogating him, the Aurors found out the truth and Sirius was absolved. After that, he was allowed to be titled my guardian, so after school, I was told I could move away from the Dursleys and in with him. But that meant away from Tom.
I did as he asked, after confiding in the twins one night during Christmas break and they both kissed me. George practically just pecked me, short and sweet, but Fred went for it, with tongue. Neither gave me the same tingles, there was bearly any tingling at all. They're like brothers to me, so I just felt weirded out mostly. They said they'd sort out a surprise, and if that didn't get me going then 'that-Tom-bloke' must really be something. Their plan was for me to go into the prefects' bathroom blindfolded and kiss this guy who was still in the closet but could work his tongue like magic, which I didn't really want to know. And that's almost what happened. Fred forgot the blindfold and sent me in any way, so I saw Cedric Diggory, Hufflepuff's Quidditch captain before he kissed me. I had already considered he was pretty good-looking, and a real sweetheart after the whole fainting thing on the Quidditch field, wanting a fair rematch. But I had no idea he was interested in guys, let alone me. I expected tingles like with Tom, he was just as gorgeous, just as nice, and I knew him about as well. And he really was good with that tongue of his, like a salsa dancer in my mouth. But the tingles weren't as strong. The passion was equal, but its effect was limited. They were definitely stronger than when I kissed the twins, but miles away from the intensity of kissing Tom.
Cedric didn't take it too bad but made me promise if things with my other 'friend' went sour, he was first in line. But currently, Tom was the one. I didn't want anyone else. Our letters had been few and far between. He wasn't at Drumstrang he'd said, but he'd decided to do some travelling while I was away, so letters took longer to deliver. He said he was doing research on other culture's magic that was frowned on in Britain. But that hardly mattered, it was almost like I could feel he was okay even across the distance, what really mattered was I'd get to see him again just before moving away with Sirius, just in case I couldn't after that. I hadn't told him about my revelation about us, I wanted to surprise him face-to-face, with an unexpected visit as soon as I left. I was going from Professor Lupin's fireplace at Hogwarts to the fireplace in Private Drive on the network, and straight to his house. My plan was to be cute and unexpected, but such a good surprise that he wouldn't stop kissing me, I just didn't plan the bump in the way.