Haley1994-Thank you for the lovely review. In answer to your question Meredith knows very little about the Marauders. She knows that James and Lily were Remus's friends and that Snape did not like him. Remus has told her as little as possible about Sirius.
Chapter 29
"What do you think of this one?" Patricia held up a copy of Wicca. Meredith looked up from her copy of Numerology: Arithmancy Made Easy at the magazine Patricia held. There was a picture of a handsome wizard with dark hair and eyes.
"Who is he?" she asked. Patricia looked at her as though she were and idiot.
"Who is he?" she repeated. "Who is he?" Meredith shook her head.
"You can repeat the question as much as you like, it won't change the fact that I don't know who he is." Patricia responded by throwing the magazine at her.
"He's only Raoul Dubois. Keeper for the Bordeax Blasters. They're second in the league this year." Meredith shot her an incredulous look. As much attention as Meredith paid to Quidditch was it really any wonder she did not know who Raoul Dubois was? She flipped through the magazine. It was filled with pictures of handsome wizards.
"You know Mere," Patricia said plopping down on the bed beside her. "If you ever took your head out of those books you might notice the boys. They certainly notice you." Meredith laughed.
"Yeah right," she said. "I'm certain the boys are just itching to get their hands on me."
"They are," Patricia insisted. "And not just the ones in our year. You know Will Grady, that sixth year in Ravenclaw. I heard from Emma Avery who heard it from Miriam Dale that Will Grady thinks you're quite pretty."
"Miriam Dale is a gossip whose idea of intelligent literature is the stories she reads in the Quibbler. Hardly a reliable source."
"Well, I did see with my own eyes, a certain Quentin Montgomery of Hufflepuff staring at you in Herbology when you were pruning that flutterby bush."
"Probably trying to copy my technique. Professor Sprout is constantly lecturing him."
"Uh huh," Patricia said. "And Timothy MacGregor who shares a dormitory with Oliver and Percy asked Oliver if you and he were 'more than friends.'
"Timothy MacGregor is so dim, he probably meant to ask about you and mixed up our names."
"Meredith!" Patricia laughed. "Do you ever look in the mirror? Sweetie, you are gorgeous! All that red hair, those big brown eyes. Not to mention that you've gotten at least four inches taller and well, a few inches in other areas." Meredith glanced at her friend out of the corner of her eye.
"Yeah," Meredith said, "well they're wasting their time."
"My dear sweet naïve Meredith," Patricia said. "You may be the smartest girl in our year when it comes to charms and spells, but when it come to l'amour you are really quite dim." Meredith shook her head.
"Yeah, well with OWLS next year, I think I'll stick with what I know. I was looking at those career pamphlets in the common room for the fifth years. St. Mungoes doesn't allow anyone to study healing unless they have at least an E at NEWT level in Charms, Herbology, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Potions."
"So what are you worried about," Patricia said. "You're a great student."
"It's not enough just to be a great student. They only take the best."
"Why is this so important to you?" Patricia said running a hand through her gold locks.
"Healing is all I've ever wanted to do," Meredith said thoughtfully. "It's an important job. The chance to help people; to make their lives better. Even if all you're doing is relieving them of a cough, you're helping someone. Taking away their pain. I want that chance Patricia. More than I've ever wanted anything." Patricia stared at her thoughtfully.
"It's a great goal Mere," Patricia said. "But you don't have to be alone when you're accomplishing it. It doesn't hurt to have someone to be cozy by the fire with after a long day of curing pain and misery."
"Well, I'm not gonna be cozying up with an imbecile like Quentin Montgomery," Meredith said tossing her book to the floor and rolling over onto her back. Patricia looked down at her with a smirk.
"You can't wait around for Bill Weasley to think of you as more than his little brother's friend Mere," Patricia said kindly. Meredith laughed.
"I know," she said. "Believe me I'm not holding out for Bill. I've seen the sort he goes for. "Oh Bill, you're so clever." "Oh, I'm just no good at Patronus Charms Bill." "Oh, Bill you're so handsome." "Oh Bill I'm a bubble-headed nincompoop who can't tie my own shoes." Patricia was laughing so hard tears were falling down her cheeks.
"Cruel, but appropriate," Patricia said between hiccups.
"Well, if constantly behaving as though you don't have a brain cell in your head is what it takes to get the attention of one Mr. William Arthur Weasley, then you can count me out."
"Uh huh," Patricia said. "Whatever helps you sleep at night Mere." Meredith responded by smacking her with a pillow.
--
"Meio?" Meredith read from the runic dictionary.
"Um…that's tree," Patricia said uncertainly.
"Very good. Hleifi?"
"Um, food?"
"Bread," Meredith corrected. "Sowilo?"
"The sun?"
"Excellent. Laguz?"
"Um, water?"
"Water or lake, yes, good. Fehu?"
"Cattle?"
"No," Meredith said. "It's wealth."
"Actually it means both," Remus said coming into the kitchen where the girls were studying.
"Many cultures consider wealth to be not how much gold you possess but how much livestock."
"I thought you never took Ancient Runes?" Meredith said giving him a look. Her father gave her a dry look.
"I never took it myself. But my friends did, and they often asked me to quiz them from time to time on translations. I dare say I learned as much from helping them as I did if I had taken the subject myself. In any case, why don't you two take a break and have some lunch. You've been at this all morning."
"You don't have to tell me," Patricia said gratefully getting up and pulling a loaf of bread from the cupboard.
"Meredith's a slave driver."
"I'm not the one whose failing the bloody subject," Meredith said taking ham from the ice box."
"Don't start on me," Patricia said holding up a hand. Meredith shook her head. After barely making it through their fourth year, Patricia was spending the majority of the summer holiday at Meredith's house. She knew her father didn't mind in the least, though there was always the issue of the full moon to deal with. Patricia had asked no questions last time Meredith told her they would be spending the night at Aunt Andromeda's, but there was a bit of a suspicious look in her eyes. Fortunately, Tonks had come to stay for the night and the three of them had had an enjoyable, 'girls night'.
"Well," Meredith said spreading mustard on a slice of bread. "after the last howler your mum sent scorched my essay on Summoning Charms, I'm as determined to see you pass the subject as I am to pass it myself."
"You're such a pal, Mere," Patricia said pouring them both a glass of pumpkin juice.
"Looks like the mails here," Remus said. He went to the window and opened it. Two Hogwarts owls floated onto the table and landed in front of the two girls.
"How did Dumbledore know I would be here?" Patricia wondered taking her Hogwarts letter from the owl.
"I think it's the owls that know," Remus said. "Smart animals owls. Always seem to know where a person may be found, even if the sender doesn't."
"Oh my," Meredith gasped.
"What's wrong, love?" Remus asked.
"I don't believe this," Meredith said holding up the silver prefect's badge that had come with her letter.
"Meredith," Remus exclaimed jumping up and hugging her. "That's wonderful. Prefect." Meredith smiled a little and stared at the badge.
"I just never thought…I mean it's so surprising."
"No it's not," Patricia said with a smile. "I mean you're the best girl in our year. Of course Dumbledore would make you a prefect."
"But I blew up the potions classroom," Meredith said.
"That was a long time ago," Patricia said waving her hand.
"I've gotten all those detentions."
"Not nearly what I use to get," Remus said.
"Oh," Meredith said turning to him. "You were a prefect too weren't you Dad?"
"Yes," Remus said taking the badge from her hand and staring at it fondly. "It was quite a shock when it came in the mail. My parents didn't think I could possibly be made prefect considering…" he paused and glanced at Patricia, "well, all the detentions I'd racked up."
"There's always two for each house," Patricia said thoughtfully. "One boy, one girl." Meredith grinned.
"One guess who got the other badge for Gryffindor." At that exact moment Percy burst through the door.
"Meredith! Patricia! I got it! I got it! I'm Prefect!"
Meredith and Patricia grinned at each other.
"Hello Percy," Patricia said.
"Nice to see you Percy," Meredith said.
"Yes, um, well," Percy said blushing. Though Remus had told all her friends that they were welcome here anytime Percy still felt it necessary to knock before he entered the house. Most of the time that is.
"It's all right Percy," Remus said smiling. "We know you must be very happy. Congratulations."
"Yes, thank you sir, I am quite proud."
"Meredith too," Patricia said pointing to Meredith's badge.
"That's great Meredith," Percy said. "Though I had a hunch Dumbledore would pick you. Anyway, Mother and Father are so proud. We're having a party at the Burrow to celebrate. You're both invited. Everyone will be there. Bill and Charlie and Tonks. I'll have to tell mother to put your name on the cake as well Meredith. Oh, and Oliver's made Quidditch captain."
"He must be thrilled," Patricia said quietly.
"Oh yes," Percy said. "Flooed me the moment his letter came. Well, I must be going. Mother and Father are getting me an owl for becoming prefect and I want to go with them to pick it out. I'll see you both tonight." And he dashed out the door.
"I honestly don't think I've ever seen Percy move that fast," Meredith remarked.
"You sure you won't come with us Dad?" Meredith asked as they stood at the front door
--
"I'm sure love," Remus said. "You two go and have a good time."
"All right then," Meredith said doubtfully.
"Come on Mere," Patricia said. "We don't want to be late." Meredith sighed, gave her dad a last hug and she and Patricia set out for the Burrow. She really wished her dad would have come with them. She always felt so guilty when he was alone. He was already alone so much when she was away at school. He had assured her that he was glad she had friends and that she should not feel bad about going out and having fun, but she could never quite shake the feeling.
"So," Patricia said slyly as the climbed the hill that separated Meredith's neighborhood from Percy's. "I guess you're excited about tonight."
"Well, being made a prefect is rather exciting."
"I meant about seeing Bill again." Meredith glared at Patricia.
"I do not have the slightest idea of what you are talking about."
"Oh please, Mere. I think I know you better than that."
"I'm not even thinking about Bill Weasley."
"Uh huh," Patricia said. "That's why you changed your clothes four times, took an hour brushing your hair, and asked to borrow my lip gloss?"
"It's a party, I wanted to look nice. I didn't realize that was a crime against humanity."
"Uh huh," Patricia said. Meredith didn't have a chance to say anything because they had arrived at the Burrow.
"Come in, come in," Mrs. Weasley called from the front door. She gave both girls a big hug as they entered the house.
"Good to see you girls, so good to see you. Meredith, congratulations on being made Prefect. We're all gathered in the backyard. Go on, go on." Mrs. Weasley had gone all out for this evening. Two picnic tables were set up piled with food. In the middle of one was a large cake that read "Congratulations Percy and Meredith." All the Weasley's plus Oliver and Tonks were sitting around talking and laughing. Bill sat with Fred and George and looked up and smiled at her. Meredith fought not to go weak at the knees. She had not seen him in two years. His hair was the longest she'd ever seen it and was pulled back into ponytail. His ear was pierced and a gold hoop hung from it.
"Ah Meredith, Patricia, so glad you could come," Mr. Weasley welcomed them.
"Great they're here so can we eat now," Percy's youngest brother Ron moaned. Everyone laughed. They all took a plate and moved around the table loading their plates with food. Meredith squeezed on the bench beside Oliver as far from Bill as she could get.
"So, Quidditch Captain," she said to him. "You must be so happy."
"Ecstatic, and yet terrified," Oliver said with grin. "After Slytherin flattened us in our last match, the pressure's really going to be on to win the cup."
"Gryffindor hasn't won since you were captain Charlie," Patricia said.
"We came close last year," Fred piped up.
"Yeah," George joined in. "If that prat Hawkins hadn't knocked Morgan off his broom at the last second, Morgan would have caught the Snitch."
"We'll have to find someone really good to play Seeker this year," Oliver said. "Someone with the right build, who can really handle himself on a broom."
"You'll need to hold tryouts for all positions," Charlie said.
"Hey!" Fred and George protested. Both twins had worked extremely hard to make it onto Gryffindor's team.
"That's the way it goes boys," Charlie said. "There may be someone better than you out there." Fred and George glared at Oliver. Meredith had a feeling that if Fred and George were cut from the team Oliver would be finding a lot of dung bombs in his locker.
"Course I always thought the best thing about being the Captain was being allowed to use the prefect's bathroom."
"Ah yes," Bill said nostalgically. " The Prefect's bathroom. I have so many fond memories of it."
"Like when?" Tonks asked raising an eyebrow.
"Um…" Bill said noticing his mother's look. "So Percy now that you've got an owl what are you going to do with Scabbers?"
"I gave him to Ron," Percy said.
"Yeah," Ron said glumly holding up the worn torn rat.
"So are you excited to be starting this year Ron?" Meredith said kindly.
"I guess so," Ron said quietly. Meredith smiled. With five older brothers Ron was often overlooked.
"Fred!" Mrs. Weasley snapped as Fred threw a roll at Ron's head. "Oh for heaven's sake!" Ron moved to retaliate only to have his arm seized by Bill.
"I hope you and Meredith will be able to keep your brother's in line, Percy."
"Of course we will Mother," Percy said. Meredith looked over at Patricia and exchanged a look.
"Not bloody likely," she heard Fred mumble.
"Well, I just hope Gryffindor wins the House Cup this year because if Slytherin wins one more time…" Patricia snarled.
"I don't know how we're gonna win it," Oliver said. "Everytime Gryffindor pulls ahead in the slightest Snape takes about a hundred points away from us."
"We'll gain a ton of points if we win the Quidditch cup," George said.
"If you make the team this year," Charlie said.
"George!" Mrs. Weasley snapped as George made a rude guesture at Charlie. Meredith smiled. It was going to be an interesting year indeed.