Chapter 25
As it turned out it was not Patricia's boggart that was the talk of Hogwarts in the following weeks, but Meredith's. Apparently, those third years taking their first year of Divination had learned from Professor Trelawney about the grim, a large black dog which was an omen of death.
"So apparently I'm going to die," Meredith said plopping down beside her friends at breakfast.
"Could you try to stick around long enough to help me with these translations?" Patricia said not look up from her homework.
"Your sympathy is touching Patricia," Meredith said tossing a roll at her friend's head.
"Technically," Percy said, "it wasn't a real Grim you saw. It was a boggart. So really you fear death, but that doesn't mean your going to die."
"Of course I'm going to die," Meredith said throwing up her hands. "So are you. We all are. Dying's a part of life."
"The last part," Oliver said joining them. "In any case Mer, I certainly hope your not gonna kick the bucket any time soon."
"Thank you Oliver," Meredith said.
"You wouldn't ever get to see me play Keeper." Meredith sighed. Why was she friends with these people again?
"When are tryouts, Oliver?" Patricia asked.
"This afternoon," Oliver said stuffing a sausage into his mouth. "Keeper tryouts are last."
"We should work on your Charms essay," Meredith said. "The common room will be empty. Half of Gryffindor is trying out for the team and the other half will be down watching the tryouts." Patricia looked down at her lap and pursed her lips. Meredith sighed in exasperation.
"Fine," she said. "If we start after breakfast we can probably get it done before Oliver's tryout." Patricia grinned.
"You're gripping your wand too hard," Meredith said as Patricia failed for the seventh time to hit her with a cheering charm.
"Everytime I loosen my grip you disarm me," Patricia said rubbing her hands on her trousers.
"You take too long with the move," Meredith said taking hold of Patricia's wrist and directing her movement.
"Quick," Meredith said. "before your attacker has a chance to contemplate what you're going to do. Flick, Jab! Flick, Jab! Like that. Try again."
"Can't we take a break? We've been at this for hours." Patricia whined. Meredith gave her a stern look.
"Not until you get this right," she said sternly. "Now try again." They continued to work for nearly two hours. Finally, Patricia managed to hit Meredith with a cheering charm, however, so overzealous was she that the Meredith was overcome with giggles that she had to lie down on the grass for half an hour. Patricia lay down next to her and giggled with her.
"So," Patricia said once Meredith had stopped giggling. "Oliver's tryout should be starting soon. Can we go?" Meredith nodded still smiling like a lunatic. They made their way to the Quidditch pitch and found nearly half the school gathered in the stand.
"This is gonna make Oliver so nervous," Patricia said. Meredith giggled. This was becoming annoying.
"Does he look nervous?" Patricia asked pointing out Oliver on the pitch. Meredith glanced down and saw Oliver pacing.
"I just hope he makes it this year," Meredith said. They watched as the other student's trying out took their turns. So far no one was all that good. The best of them had only saved three out of five goals. They held their breath, as it was Oliver's turn. He mounted his broom and soared up to the goal post. His face held a look of pure determination. Meredith squeezed Patricia's hand as Clarice Bergen, a sixth year and captain of the team, threw the quaffle toward the goal. Oliver easily knocked it away. Clarice took her second shot and Oliver stretched out his hands and caught it.
"So far so good," Patricia whispered squeezing Meredith's hand. Clarice took aim again and threw. Oliver twisted on his broom and knocked it away with the brush.
"That was amazing," Patricia said as the crowd clapped. "One more and goal and he'll be in." Meredith sucked in her breath as Clarice took aim. Oliver stretched out far, nearly falling off his broom and caught the quaffle with the very tips of his fingers.
"Yes!" Patricia shouted jumping up. Meredith grinned as Clarice made the announcement that Oliver Wood was the new Keeper for Gryffindor.
The next few weeks found the foursome busier than ever. Almost every moment they weren't in class they spent in the library trying to keep up with the mountain of homework their teachers were piling on them. When they saw an announcement in the common room that the first Hogmeade weekend would take place the day of the Halloween feast, they were excited and relieved to finally be getting a break from school.
"I've been saving my allowance for this weekend," Patricia told Meredith as they got dressed Saturday morning. Meredith didn't quite know how to respond. Money was a subject that she and her friends usually tried to avoid speaking of. None of her friends knew about the huge pile of gold she had in her Gringott's vault. She shook her head and pulled her jacket on over her sweater. They went down to the common room where Percy and Oliver were waiting for them. At the entrance hall Professor McGonagall was waiting with a list of those who had permission to go to Hogsmeade.
"Now remember students," McGonagall told them. Visits to Hogsmeade are a privilege. The rules of Hogwarts still apply though you are not on the grounds. Any mischief and you will not visit in the future. Now have fun and be back to the castle by seven tonight."
"Where should we go first?" Meredith said as they entered the village.
"Honeydukes," Oliver said and was immediately met with approval. Meredith's jaw dropped as they stepped into the bright colored sweet shop. She had never seen so many different kinds of candy and sweets in her entire life. It would be hard not to spend her entire inheritance in this shop. Once they had filled their bags with fudge, sugar quills, Jelly slugs, choco balls, and licorice wands, they left the shop and headed to the post office where Meredith sent off the box of raspberry fudge she had got for her dad. After that they went to Zonko's joke shop. Percy declared that this was Fred and George's own personal paradise.
"Where to next?" Percy asked as they left Gladrags Wizard wear, after Oliver purchased a set of Keepers gloves.
"We haven't been to the Shrieking Shack," Patricia said.
"It's supposed to be the most haunted building in all of Britain," Percy said knowingly. "Most of the villagers won't go near it." They made their way to the outskirts of Hogmeade. Up on the hill was an old dilapidated house. It certainly looked haunted. Surrounding the perimeter of the house was a fence. Signs on the fence said, Keep Out, DANGER, Turn Back Now.
"Do you think it's really haunted?" Oliver asked leaning against the fence.
"That's what everyone says," Percy said. "The villagers say they hear moan and banging coming from the shack at night." Meredith stared at the house. She couldn't explain it but she was very uncomfortable standing here. Sadness and misery seemed to be radiating from the shack. She moaned a little as a sharp jolt of nausea twisted in her belly.
"Meredith?" Patricia was at her side. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," Meredith lied. "I just uh, feel funny here."
"Are you ill?" Patricia asked laying her hand against Meredith's forehead.
"No I'm not ill," Meredith said pulling away. "Um, can we go?"
"Of course," Patricia said taking her arm. "Maybe we should go back to the castle?"
"No, no that's not necessary." Meredith wanted to slap herself. What was wrong with her? It was just a house. A stupid house. Why did it affect her so?
"You do look a might pale Mere," Oliver said. "Why don't we go to the Three Broomsticks? Maybe a butterbeer will perk you up a bit." Meredith tried to smile as they entered the noisy pub and found a table near the bar.
"I'll get our drinks," Oliver said.
"He just wants to see Madam Rosmerta up close," Patricia said. "She's supposed to be really beautiful." Meredith glanced over at the woman behind the bar whose attention Oliver was trying to attract.
"Feeling any better?" Patricia asked her. Meredith nodded.
"I don't know what came over me," Meredith said.
"You've just been working too hard," Patricia said. "I mean between your own classes and trying to keep me from failing mine, it's bound to get to a person eventually."
"Yeah," Meredith said accepting a tankard of butterbeer from Oliver. "That must be it." She took a swig and felt it warm her belly easing away the queasy feeling. She relaxed as she and her friends talked and laughed.
"Well, fancy meeting you all here," a voice said beside their table. They looked up and saw Bill standing there. Meredith's stomach jumped and she lowered her eyes staring intently at her tankard.
"What are you doing in Hogsmeade?" Percy asked after giving his brother a hug. "I didn't even know you were back in England."
"Just here on Gringotts business," Bill said. "Meeting some Goblins here in a bit. So how are you all enjoying Hogsmeade?" Meredith felt her face get hot as Bill joined them.
"Get a grip Meredith," she ordered herself.
"It's been great," Patricia said. "Don't you agree Meredith." Patricia gave Meredith a smirk. Meredith kicked her under the table.
"It's been very nice," Meredith said.
"Have you been to Zonko's?" Bill asked.
"Fred and George are itching to see it," Percy said. "They made me swear under penalty of death that I would tell them all about it."
"I'm surprised they haven't found a way to sneak down here."
"Believe me they were trying to find a way. I told them if they even thought about it I'd tell Mum." Meredith was silent the whole time Bill sat with them. When the goblins showed up Bill bade them goodbye and they headed back to the castle. Meredith glared at Patricia who was giving her a knowing smirk.
"What?"
"Oh nothing," Patricia said. "You were just awfully silent the whole time Bill was with us." Meredith blushed.
"So?"
"So," Patricia said. "You like him."
"Please," Meredith said. "He's a full grown wizard."
"A handsome full grown wizard."
"He's Percy's brother."
"Percy's handsome brother."
"Okay, okay, okay," Meredith said. "So he's handsome. So what?"
"So you have a huge crush on him," Patricia said.
"So maybe I did."
"Do," Patricia said with a smirk. "As in right now this minute."
"So I have a crush on Bill. Who cares? He's in Egypt, I'm at Hogwarts. He's twenty I'm thirteen. What's the point of even thinking about him?"
"I'm not the one whose thinking about him. You are." Meredith shook her head. This crush she had on Bill was stupid. She needed to get over it and right now.
"Let's get to the feast," Meredith said. "I'm starving."