Chapter 35

The teachers of Hogwarts began piling on the work almost the moment Christmas break ended. Meredith and Patricia were spending more and more time in the library, sometimes joined by Percy and Oliver.

"It's a bit odd isn't it?" Patricia asked as they made their way back to the commonroom after dinner.

"What," Meredith said as she attempted to read her Charms notes and walk at the same time. Patricia grabbed her arm and turned her just a second before she smacked into a wall.

"Thanks," Meredith said.

"Don't mention it," Patricia said. "I'm talking about Percy."

"Yes," Meredith said. "I've always thought Percy was a bit odd"

"I mean here it is OWLS just a few months away and I haven't seen Percy in the library or studying in the common room. It doesn't make sense. He's more uptight about grades than you are." Meredith looked up from her notes and scowled at her.

"He's probably just off studying by himself. Probably doesn't want our breathing to disturb him." They giggled together. A sudden shout had them both turning their heads. They saw a plump boy with dark hair stumble down the stairs and land at their feet in an untidy sprawl.

"Hello Neville," Meredith said kindly to the boy helping him up.

"Hello," the boy said glumly. Meredith smiled. Neville was a rather shy first year who was known to be a bit clumsy and forgetful.

"Are you all right?" she asked him.

"Yeah," Neville said blushing. "I missed a step. My toad got away from me again."

"I've got him," Patricia said grabbing the wayward toad from the step and handing him to Neville.

"Thanks," Neville said and dashed off.

"Bit hopeless that one," Patricia said as they climbed the stairs to the portrait hole.
"I think he's sweet," Meredith said. They gave the Fat Lady the password and climbed into the portrait hole. They found Percy sitting on the sofa by the fire looking at a pile of pamphlets.

"Speak of the devil," Meredith said. Patricia snickered.

"Career Advice," he said pointing to the announcement on the board. Meredith glanced at it. Her meeting with McGonagall was a week from tomorrow. Well it wasn't as though McGonagall would tell her anything she didn't know already.

"Look at this," Patricia said flipping through the pamphlets. "There's hardly a career here that doesn't require at least an E at NEWT level in practically everything. I may as well go live in a box right now." Meredith squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.

"I'm sure McGonagall will be able to advise you."

"Yeah right," Patricia said gloomily. "You're lucky Mere. You've known what you want to do since we were twelve."

"What about you Percy?" Meredith asked plopping down on the sofa.

"Hmm?" Percy said distracted.

"What do you wanna do when we get out of Hogwarts?"

"I'm going to work for the Ministry," Percy said matter-of-factly.

"Which department?" Meredith asked picking up a pamphlet.

"I'm not sure yet," Percy said. "Something important that has lots of room for growth. Not some silly area like Muggle Relations like Dad. There's nowhere to go from there really." Meredith thoughtfully paged through the pamphlet for a career in healing. Pictures of witches and wizards in green healer robes leaning over patients with various ailments met her eye as she flipped through. It looked very much the same as the one she had looked at when she was a fourth year. The requirements had not changed. A minimum E at NEWT level in Charms, Herbology, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Potions. Top grades in Care of Magical Creatures and Arithmancy were also recommended but not required. Dedication, hard work, and compassion it said.

"So Percy," Meredith said setting down the pamphlet. "Patricia and I were just wondering why we never see you in the library anymore."

"Oh, uh," Percy said his face turning scarlet. "I uh find the library to be, uh, incompatible with my needs for concentration and focus."

"Oh yes," Patricia said sarcastically. "All that silence can be so distracting." Meredith smiled. Oliver came in at that moment, hair wet from the rain outside, and collapsed into a chair.

"How was practice?" Meredith asked.

"Potter's a magician," Oliver said with a grin. "If we beat Hufflepuff next week we'll be in the lead."

"If you win the Quidditch final we'll be sure to win the House Cup," Patricia said eagerly.

"Snape will never let that happen," Meredith said with a sigh.

"We'll put the word out," Percy said. "All Gryffindors do your best not to provoke Snape into taking away points."

"We don't have to provoke him," Meredith said. "Snape takes points away when a Gryffindor looks at him funny."

"All Gryffindors do your best not to look at Snape," Patricia said. "Or for that matter step on his toes or breathe in a way that displeases him."

"Yeah that will work," Oliver scoffed. "Meredith I need you to quiz me."

"On what?"

"Counter jinxes I'm way behind," he said.

"I'll say," Percy said.

"Shut up, Percy," Oliver said.

"We've got career advice with McGonagall this week," Patricia said.

"Cool," Oliver said taking out his books.

"So what do you want to be when you grow up, Oliver?" Percy said.

"Keeper for Great Britain's National Quidditch team," he said.

"Hmm," Patricia said rolling her eyes. "What kind of NEWTS do you need for that?" Oliver threw a cushion at her head.

"You know that the average Quidditch career only lasts ten years," Percy said.

"I have heard that statistic," Oliver said.

"So even if you went pro right after graduation you'd be retired before you reach the age of thirty."

"Look at that ladies," Oliver said. "It's learned to count."

"Boys," Meredith said firmly.

"All I'm saying is it's good to have a back up plan," Percy said.

"Did you not just hear me ask Meredith to quiz me on counterjinxes?"

"I think Percy's mad that you asked me and not him," Meredith said with a wry smile.

"You're better at Defense Against the Dark Arts," Oliver said.

"Hence Percy's a little snippy," Meredith said.

"Is it possible you two could go somewhere else!" Percy snapped. Meredith gathered up her notes and stuffed them into her bag.

"Let's go to the library," Meredith said. They slipped out of the portrait hole. They entered the library and found it very crowded. Fifth years studying for their OWLS sat huddled over their books at almost every table except for one which was occupied by Harry, Ron and Hermione. They were whispering frantically amongst themselves but went dead silent as Oliver and Meredith passed them. They found a vacant table in the back and set their things down.

"It's not like I don't care about my grades," Oliver said pulling out his notes.

"You know the secret is to dealing with Percy?" Meredith asked pulling her notes on counterjinxes out of her bag.

"What's that?"

"Ignore him," Meredith said. "Now what are the wand movements for the impediment jinx…

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They worked on several counter jinxes and defensive spells for the next several hours until Madam Pince ordered them out.

"I've been meaning to ask you," Oliver began hesitantly as they made their way back to the commonroom.

"Yes?" Meredith said.

"Well, how are you? I mean…" Meredith held up a hand. She knew where he was going with this.

"I'm fine," she said sincerely. It was true. Being away from Hogwarts and spending time with her dad had done wonders in healing her from the trauma she had experienced at Flint's hands.

"Are you sure?" he asked her. He looked at her with such tenderness that it made her smile.

"Yes," she said. "I'm really fine Oliver. I won't say it has been easy but I'm over it. Flint hasn't dared look at me cross eyed since Gryffindor whooped Slytherin in the last match." At this Oliver grinned.

"That was rather spectacular," he said. "I just worry about you, you know." Meredith wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight.

"I know you do," she said. "I could tell you I'm fine till the moon crosses the river, but I know you're going to keep asking me. So I'm just gonna have to keep showing you and hope that eventually you'll believe me." Oliver sighed.

"I can't help it Mere," he said. "Walking into the prefect's bathroom, seeing Flint…" She gently cupped his face.

"You stopped him," she said. "You saved me Oliver." Oliver would not meet her eye.

"I keep thinking," he said. "What if I'd gotten there a moment later, what if I hadn't stopped at the boys room on my way back to the dorm, what if…"

"You can't keep thinking this way Oliver," Meredith said. "It's gonna tear you up inside."

"If he'd…"

"He didn't," Meredith said. Oliver ran a hand over his face.

"You're my best friend Mere," Oliver said. "You and Percy, and Patricia. If anything ever happened to any of you, I don't think I could bear it." Meredith was a little surprised to hear Oliver open up like this. Normally he didn't open up about anything accept Quidditch.

"Oliver," she said gently. "Look at me." He raised his head and met her eyes.

"Now really try to see me," she said. "What Flint did was awful and terrifying, and for awhile it really messed me up inside. But I'm okay now, look." She held up her hand, which was steady as a rock.

"You saved me Oliver. You were there when I needed you, like a good friend should be." Oliver sighed.

"If that git had hurt you…" he said. "If he ever hurts you…"

"I'll help you hide the body after you kill him, I promise," Meredith said. Oliver's eyes widened.

"Is that any way for a future healer to talk?" he said. Meredith laughed and after a bit Oliver joined her. Soon they were laughing so hard they had to hold each other up to keep from falling.

"Thanks Mere," Oliver said when they had caught their breath. I needed that." Meredith grinned.

"Any time Oli," she said. He cringed.

"Don't ever call me that," he said.

"I think I will," Meredith said. "From now on."

"Don't you dare!" Oliver said chasing after her as she sprinted down the hall.

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For the next few days Oliver was extremely busy with Quidditch practice. He was working his team to the brink. Meredith had a feeling it had less to do with wanting to beat Hufflepuff and more to do with keeping his mind off of what had happened to her, but she would have to be under threat of death to admit it. She herself was too busy studying to really give the matter much thought. She was studying by herself at the moment curled up on the sofa in the commonroom. Oliver was at practice, Patricia was in McGonagall's office for her career advice, and who knew where Percy was. She barely noticed when Patricia slumped into the room and plopped onto the sofa with a huff.

"How did it go?" Meredith asked not looking up from her book.

"You wouldn't think there was a polite way to tell a person that they have no future but somehow McGonagall managed it." Meredith gave her a sympathetic smile. She glanced at her watch and realized she needed to get going to her own career advice. She handed The Standard Book of Spells Grade 5 to Patricia and hopped up from the sofa. She ducked out of the portrait hole and headed for McGonagall's office. She was not nervous. She knew what she wanted to do and what was required to get there. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted two familiar red heads. Fred and George were huddled in a corner staring at what looked like a very old piece of parchment. Her eyes narrowed as she walked over to them. Whatever these two were up to it could not be good.

"Mischief managed," Fred muttered as they saw her approaching.

"Well hello, Meredith," George said with an innocent smile.

"Hand it over," she said not buying those phony smiles for one moment.

"What?" they said together.

"Whatever you are trying to hide behind your back, hand it over right now."

"We're not hiding…"

"FRED, GEORGE!" she pulled out her wand. "I am supposed to be Professor McGonagall's office right now so don't waste my time." Finally, they begrudgingly handing her the parchment. Meredith turned it over in her hands. It appeared to be blank.

"Specialis Revelio," she said tapping it with her wand. Nothing happened.

"See," Fred said. "Just a blank bit of parchment. Nothing to fuss about." She glared at the two of them.

"Stay out of trouble," she said shoving the parchment at them.

"Of course," they said. Meredith turned with a huff and realizing she was going to be late to her appointment took off at a run. She made it to McGonagall's office out of breath with seconds to spare. She smoothed a hand over her hair and straightened her robes before knocking on the door of her Head of House's office.

"Come in!" Professor McGonagall called.

"Good afternoon Professor McGonagall," Meredith said politely.

"Good afternoon Miss Lupin," McGonagall greeted her. "Sit please." Meredith took a seat across from McGonagall's desk.

"So," McGonagall said. "We are of course here to discuss your future career plans once you graduate from Hogwarts. Now, you once expressed a desire to be a healer. Do you still wish this?"

"Yes ma'am," Meredith said confidently.

"Well," McGonagall said taking a large book from her desk and flipping through it. "You will need top grades. St. Mungoes only takes the best. If you are accepted into the program they require several years of study in the field with a licensed healer supervising. Very few healers in training make it past their second year. It takes a certain mental discipline to make it in the field." Meredith knew all of this. She had been reading up on what it took to be a healer since she was twelve years old.

" I am sure you have thought about what classes you will need to take."

"Herbology, Charms, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Potions. Care of Magical Creatures and Arithmancy are also strongly recommended."

"Quite correct," McGonagall said. "I will tell you right now Miss Lupin that I do not accept any student into my NEWT class unless they receive and E or higher on their OWLs. Right now you are somewhere between an A and an E so you'll need to put in some hard work to keep that grade up. According to the notes from your other teachers…" she pulled out several sheets of parchment from a drawer.

"Herbology, Charms, and Defense Against the Darks Arts you are between an E and an O. Professor Villevue in particular said you have a talent for Defense Against the Dark Arts. As for Professor Snape…" Meredith tensed. She could only imagine what Professor Snape had said about her.

"He says that you show extraordinary talent in the subject," McGonagall said. Meredith was so surprised by this she nearly fell off her chair.

"Yes," McGonagall said. "I'm sure this must shock you."

"Yeah," Meredith said. "Snape hates me."

"Now, now. Professor Snape is a Hogwarts teacher. He would not let his personal feelings cloud his judgement on a student's academic potential."

"Wanna bet," Meredith thought to herself.

"Now I am sure you are aware that Professor Snape does not allow anyone into his NEWT class unless they achieve an Outstanding on their OWLs."

"Yes ma'am." Professor Snape had informed them of it on a weekly basis.

"Now, having discussed all of this," McGonagall said, "are you certain that this is the career path you wish to take."

"Yes ma'am," Meredith said firmly.

Meredith left McGonagall's office feeling slightly more confident, but also with the knowledge that she still had very far to go if she wanted to achieve her dream. She could hardly believe that Snape had given her such a glowing report. Well, she reasoned with herself, she HAD earned it. But she still had a long way to go if she was going to get into Snape's NEWT class. She glanced at her watch and saw that she had about an hour till dinner. Plenty of time to get some studying in. She was pondering this when she heard an odd noise coming from behind a tapestry. She sighed. Most likely a bunch of students getting into mischief. Pulling her wand from her pocket she marched purposely toward the tapestry. She grabbed the tapestry and yanked it back. What she saw made her gasp in shock.

"Meredith!" Percy cried his face turning red. He immediately pulled away from a red faced Penelope Clearwater whom he had just been snogging like there was no tomorrow. Meredith didn't know what to say. She was torn between being embarrassed for having caught Percy in such an awkward position and wanting to laugh at the look on Percy's face.

"Um," Penelope said awkwardly. "Hello Meredith."

"Penelope," Meredith said.

"Yes, well see you in class Percy," Penelope said rushing away. Percy was standing very still and making a great effort to look anywhere but at Meredith.
"So I guess I know where you've been when we couldn't find you all this time," Meredith said fighting a grin.

"You won't tell," Percy said pleadingly. Meredith pretended to think about it for a bit.

"Please Meredith," Percy said seizing her hands. "If Fred and George find out I'll never hear the end of it. They already give me no respect."

"All right," Meredith said. "I promise I will not tell Fred and George."

"Or Ron," Percy said. "He can't keep a secret to save his life."

"Or Ron," Meredith said. Percy sighed in relief.

"Thank you," Percy said. "Now if you'll excuse me I better go make sure Penny is all right."

"Penny?"

"Shut up," Percy said. Once he had gone Meredith busted out laughing. Who would have ever thought Percy of all people would have a girlfriend. This was just too good. She hurried back to the commonroom where she found Oliver and Patricia sitting on opposite sofas. She glanced around to make sure that Fred,George and Ron were not around then hurried over to the sofa.

"How did your Career Advice go?" Patricia asked her.

"It was fine, but never mind that now," she said. "You'll never believe what I've found out." Oliver and Patricia set their books down and gave her their attention.

"I've found out where Percy's been all this time."

"Where?" Patricia and Oliver said together.

"With Penelope Clearwater," she said. "His girlfriend!"

"What!"

"No way!"

"Yes," Meredith said. "I just caught him snogging her behind that old tapestry on the third floor."

"Percy was snogging someone?" Patricia gasped in disbelief.

"Penelope Clearwater," Oliver said thoughtfully. "Isn't she that Ravenclaw Prefect?"

"Yes that's her," Meredith said.

"What in the world would she see in Percy," he said rubbing his chin.

"Who knows," Meredith said. "Some girls like smart guys."

"I don't like it," Oliver said shaking his head. "She's probably knows he's friends with me and is just trying to get inside information on Gryffindor's Quidditch strategies." Meredith rolled her eyes.

"I don't know," Patricia said. "I mean, Percy isn't really all that bad to look at. And he is the best student in our year. Meredith's right. Some girls like brainy guys." It was at that moment that Percy climbed in through the portrait hole. They all turned to stare meaningfully at him. He took one look at their expressions and shot Meredith and accusing look.

"You promised!" he said indignantly.

"I promised not to tell your brothers," she said wisely. Percy sighed and flopped down on the sofa.

"Well," he said. "Now you know."

"I think it's wonderful Percy," Patricia said kindly. "Penelope is a very nice girl."

"You've got to be careful Perc," Oliver said. "If she starts asking you about Quidditch or Gryffindor's plans make sure you change the subject straight away. Those Ravenclaws are a crafty lot." Percy looked confused.

"I don't know what you're talking about Oliver. Penelope and I don't talk about Quidditch. Well, we don't really talk about anything much…" They stared at him with wide eyes.

"Well, that is, uh, I mean…" Meredith and Patricia busted out laughing and didn't stop for a long time.