Chapter 17: The Breakup

I flew down the path to the Shack, a huge grin lighting up my face. Now that I knew exactly what made the Shrieking Shack 'haunted,' it wasn't scary anymore. Unless it was a full moon.

The high sun overhead was melting the snow so fast it was practically visible; it was only February, but it was one of those winter days that was deceptively Spring-like.

"Stefan?" I called, circling the house and trying to calm myself. "Stefan, I know that's you!" I laughed, skipping. "Stefan?" I stopped. The only noise was the breeze ruffling the trees, and my own voice echoing back to mock me. "Stefan...an...an..."

I plunked myself down on a tree stump with a sigh, waiting. Wasn't the boy supposed to be there first? I could wait, but how long exactly was I supposed to sit here? I shifted uncomfortably. What if this was all some big elaborate prank, and Stefan was just trying to see how long I'd wait out here for him?

Minutes ticked by, and I pulled my legs up to my chest. The air had grown slightly colder as it approached three o'clock. I stared out into the distance, the blue sky covering the canyons that opened wide several kilometers away, blanketed by a thick forest and split by a sparkling stream.

"Well," I muttered to myself, standing up. "If Stefan's not going to show up, I'm not going to make this a waste of time.

I picked through the waist-high weeds, sighing with relief as I stepped onto brown grass, flattened by the weight of the snow that had previously been on it. Birds sang in the trees, and I stopped to smell the clean air as it sailed down the wall of the canyon. Before me, a zig-zagging path led down the sloping surface. It looked far down, and it would be a workout climbing back up, but it looked beautiful down there.

I began to skip down, going faster than normal because of the decline.

I turned direction every so often to follow the footpath, sending small rocks skittering down towards the bottom. When I finally came to rest on the ground my breathing had quickened, but I barely even noticed.

"Wow," I blurted, gasping. It was...beautiful. A large river cut through the rock and on the other side, a steep cliff shot straight up into the sky, made of some orange and yellow rock flecked with green and blue. Underneath the swiftly moving river, beautiful fish flashed their scales that gleamed in the sun.

I leaned forward, entranced. Suddenly-

Splash!

"Ahhh-glub!" I let out a scream as my foot slipped and I went plunging into the freezing water, the cold stinging my skin and setting my nerves on fire. My head broke the surface and I gasped for air, flailing my arms wildly as I tried to swim to the side. It was much deeper than I had originally through; when I'd fallen in, I had touched no bottom. I finally managed to grab hold of a slippery rock, my purple fingers numb with cold trembling with exertion as I gripped the slippery, mossy surface. I let out a string of curses as they slipped off and I went tumbling back in with the current; thankfully, it was beginning to slow, and the river widened gradually until the current just...stopped. I found myself treading in open water; I shrugged off my robe. It was weighing me down, and wouldn't do any good once I was out of here...

I narrowed my eyes at the robe.

"Go on, sink!" I told it, but it just floated there, irritatingly still. I swam closer, and my foot struck something. For a moment, it felt as though my leg had passed through some sort of...no. It couldn't be.

I took a deep breath and pushed myself under the cool, silky water. I forced myself to open my eyes, and had to resurface immediately because I began to choke in surprise.

I thrashed around for a while as I tried to dislodge the water from my lungs; when I could breathe again I took another breath, diving down once more.

The Durmstrang ship sat rocking gently in the current, nestled at the bottom and enclosed with some sort of dome that appeared to be keeping the air in. I touched it, sticking my finger through.

I penetrated the bubble, but no water was allowed in. I swam closer to the bottom, my lungs screaming for air. I pushed forward, going at the barrier headfirst, squeezing my eyes shut and expecting the worst-

I dropped like a stone, and suddenly I was hitting the ground, hard, completely dry but now sure I had bruises all over my sides from where I'd landed.

I took several gasping breaths, hissing in pain as I rolled off what I'd landed on. Thankfully it had just been mud, but now I was covered with it, the whole right side of my body. I felt for my wand; thankfully, it was still in my pocket, but right now I wasn't concerned with anything but keeping myself dry. I pointed the tip at myself and spoke a warming charm, sighing in relief as the ice began to flow from my veins.

I took several staggering steps forward, washed in a greenish light from the water above. Toward the surface, I could see light filtering through, illuminating the ship in a ghostly sort of shade. The water seemed to be rocking the dome slightly, which in turn made the boat sway gently.

I circled the giant wooden ship several times before finding any sort of entrance. I didn't both knocking, just opened the hatch and stepped in.

"Lumos," I whispered, growing cold again as I stopped the heating spell. I was in sort of...well, the bottom of a ship, surrounded by crates of whatever it is they seemed to be storing. Food, probably.

Pushed into the corner was some sort of desk, but I didn't snoop. I found a small staircase and ascended, putting a hand to open the trapdoor. When I heard the voices, I stopped.

"Come on, I've got to go! I have a very important place to be right now!" I recognized Stefan's voice thundering. "You've already made me late, so get out what you have to say and let me-"

"Mr. Leonov, showing such disrespect to a teacher is not exactly commendable, is it?" It was one of the professors who had travelled with the Durmstrang students, and he was tutting as if disappointed. "What would your father say?"

I heard Stefan mutter something distinctly like I don't give a damn what my father would say.

"What do you need?" Stefan's voice wavered with anger, but it seemed to pacify his teacher.

"Very good. Now..." I let out a groan as he switched languages, speaking in what seemed to be Bulgarian. Their voices rose until they were shouting, and I chose that moment to burst into the room, popping up from the floor.

They both paused, mid-yell, to stare at me in wide-eyed shock.

The professor, tall and thin with a pointed beard, asked Stefan a question in the same language and he glared at him.

The professor swept out of the room, giving me an odd look before letting the door slam behind him.

"I have to admit when I asked you to meet me I didn't expect seeing you like this," Stefan gave me a sad smile, looking absolutely mournful. "Roxanne, I'm so sorry-"

I held my hand up. "Stefan, I think I can forgive you if you dry me off and clear this mud, too," I gave him a smile, trying to convince him it was alright, but he still looked absolutely miserable.

"How did you get in here?"

"Accident." I cleared my throat. "What's wrong?" I asked softly, touching his hand when I was once more clean and dry. I sat next to him on the bottom bunk, the springs groaning under our combined weight. He had his head in his hands and he was taking slow, deep breaths. I put my arm around his waist, resting my head on his shoulder. He relaxed slightly, leaning into me.

"Roxanne?" He asked, his voice muffled behind his hands. "Have you ever had to make a...a very tough decision?"

"Er...yeah, I suppose," I furrowed my brow. "Why?"

He didn't answer for such a long time that I thought he'd forgotten my question. He stood up and began to pace, looking extremely conflicted.

"I want to tell you," he burst suddenly, falling to his knees and taking my hand.

Suddenly, the door burst open-

"Stefan!" Professor Nikola burst, filling the doorway completely with his commanding precense. Stefan jumped to his feet, looking extremely startled.

"Nikola!" He hissed, eyes flashing. "What are you doing here?" My eyes widened. If I'd talked to Kingsley like that...well, I would probably end up haunting a bit of the school just like Moaning Myrtle.

Nikola growled something in another language, grabbing Stefan by the collar and literally throwing him out into the hallway. He slammed against the wall, looking up at his headmaster with a wounded expression.

"Stop!" I cried, flying out the door and standing in front of Stefan. "You're hurting him!" I yelled at Nikola, and he growled menacingly. I stared unflinchingly at his face, though all I wanted to do was run away. Nikola's eyes flickered to Stefan and he growled out a stream of what sounded like threats in the same tongue which I unfortunately did not speak. Then he spun on his heel and turned away, disappearing down the narrow hallway.

"Stefan, I-" I turned around and suddenly Stefan was there, pressing my back against the wall. His hands held my upper arms and his lips were crashing down on mine, and he was kissing me hungrily like he would die if he didn't. My knees buckled but he wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling my body flush against his without ever breaking the kiss. I rested my hands on his cheeks, running my fingers through his hair-

"Oh," came a surprised voice, and we broke apart to see Nadia looking at us with a look of very clear disgust. "Oh, ugh. I did not want to see my brother snogging a girl," she made a face, and I knew my own was extremely red. I gave Stefan a little push and he stepped back, looking very embarrassed. I tried to discreetly cover my lips, which were feeling slightly swollen.

"Er, Nadia, could you please maybe...go away?" He said meaningfully, giving her a look.

"Oh-er-sure!" Her face was bright red as well too, and she turned and quickly ran down the hall.

Stefan turned towards me again, a crooked smile lighting his face as he stepped in close, pressing his body against mine-

"Wait," I was breathing raggedly as I put a finger to his lips. "Now that you're-erm-better, I want to know why you didn't come," I whispered, letting my finger fall. He stepped back slightly, air rushing in to fill the void between us. I ached to have his warm body back on mine. Oh, why did I have to open my mouth and ruin it?

"I couldn't," Stefan whispered, and his eyes filled with some nameless torment. "Roxanne, they just don't want me..." he trailed off.

"Are you telling me your professors are interested in your love life?" I tried to make a joke out of it, and Stefan smiled half-heartedly.

"They don't want me getting involved with you because...well, you're younger than me-"

"Only by a year!" I protested vehemently.

"Closer to two," Stefan winced. "I'm eighteen, you're only just seventeen. In the muggle world, you know, that's illegal."

"We're not in the muggle world," I grouched, folding my arms. He rolled his eyes, a small smile playing across the lips that I had just kissed.

"I know that. But anyway...I go to Durmstrang, Roxanne...it's so far away," he whispered, and I reached up to brush his hair away from his eyes.

"But you said it yourself, you're almost finished with school," I said softly, wrapping my arms around his waist and stepping close to him. "So who cares?" He looked down at me, a hungry look in his eyes. He brought his lips to mine once more in another kiss, but this one was short, and not as urgent.

"Happy Valentine's day, Roxanne," he said softly before his lips brushed mine once more.

"Stefan," I said slowly as we walked down to the Slytherin common room from a passageway on the ship. "Is this...is this really you?"

He gave me an odd look. "Er...last time I checked," he chuckled a bit. He looked a bit pale, and kept running his hand through his hair nervously.

"I mean..." I took a deep breath. I didn't want to ruin the moment we'd just had, but..."Stefan, I'm pretty sure you just kissed me out of desperation. You were emotional, your headmaster was yelling at you and it looks like you've had a bit of problems with your Durmstrang friends these past few days..." I trailed off as Stefan whirled around, putting his hands on both my shoulders.

"What?" He searched my eyes desperately. "Roxanne, is that what you think?" I looked at the ground, and his hands slowly fell off my shoulders. "Okay then," he sighed, sounding defeated. "Then maybe it's...it's not the right time."

"Okay," I said in a small voice, trying to hold back tears. "I get it. You-"

"No, Roxanne, that's not what I meant!" Stefan suddenly exploded, and we stopped in the empty Hogwarts corridor. "I just..." he let out a groan, rubbing his temples. "I think...we should just..."

"I can forget about the kiss if that's what you want," my breath hitched slightly in my throat, but I tried to keep a calm face even though tears were clouding my vision. "I've got to go," I breathed, and sprinted off faster than I'd ever ran.

"Roxanne!" Stefan shouted after me, but I didn't turn around.

"Gather round, gather round please!" Our tiny potions teacher squeaked. She had just returned from having her baby, and she still had a bit of a belly. She waddled forward, huffing and puffing as she weaved throughout the stands on which many potions were brewing, each one releasing a different odor and smoke.

I looked down at my wrist, and let out a tiny groan as I remembered the number I'd written down earlier that morning-28. We had less than a month, and Stefan and I had barely been communicating since Valentine's day, not even a week ago. We were perfectly cordial outwardly, but emotionally, we were as far apart as...well, as Durmstrang and Hogwarts. Nikola seemed to hate me especially now, maybe because I'd found his ship's secret location.

"I'm going to be splitting you into pairs," Professor Hedge continued in her high-pitched voice. "BOYS! QUIET!" She bellowed menacingly at a group of Hufflepuffs behind her that were nickering behind their hands to each other. They jumped in shock, looking rather frightened. Professor Hedge was tiny, but she could be very, very scary when she wanted. There was a rumor that it was the werewolf coming out in her. She wasn't a werewolf, but most of the student body was convinced she'd descended from one.

"ANYWAY," she continued in a loud voice. "I'll be splitting you into pairs. You each will have the next month to brew one of the potions we've covered this year. The options include Polyjuice potion, Amortentia...the list goes on, and you will be able to chose as soon as you have been assigned your partner. No, no picking!" She bellowed at two hopeful seventh year girls. "This is Advanced Potions, people, keep up!" She yelled, suddenly whipping out her clipboard from behind her back and marking it furiously with a red pen, waddling between us at waist-height, her fiery red hair sticking out all over her head.

My eyes flickered to Stefan, and I didn't know if the tightening feeling I felt in my gut was hopefulness that I'd be with him, or that I wouldn't be with him.

"Albus Potter and Stefan Leonov," she bellowed. Well, that settled that matter. My cousin eyed his new partner warily.

"Rose Weasley and Anna Jacklyn," she continued, and I let out a laugh disguised as a snort. Rose whipped her head up and glared at Anna, who was standing next to me. Rose's eyes looked suspiciously red, like she'd been crying.

"Roxanne Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy," she continued, and I locked eyes with Al's best friend, giving him a small smile. She continued to read down the list until everyone had a partner.

There was a mad scrabble for the list; the main potions of competition were Amortentia, Felix Felicious, and Polyjuice Potion. Scorpius and I ended up with the Polyjuice potion, and he offered to get the ingredients as I sat down and began reading about it.

"Roxanne?" My cousin Lily Luna, the youngest student in Advanced Potions as only a fifth year, slid in next to me, whispering in a low voice. "My father says he's coming to talk to you," she continued, bending her head close to mine. "What's that about?" Melody, I thought immediately.

"Oh..." I wracked my brains for an excuse. "Er-maybe it's...the National Quidditch Races," I blurted. "Maybe he wants me to talk James out of-hey Lily, I think I'm going to go check on Scorp-" I scooted backwards and high-tailed it out of my seat. Lily, like her mother Ginny, had an uncanny knack for knowing when a person was lying.

"Whoa!" I let out a gasp as I flung open the door to the potions closet, where Scorpius and Rose were backed up against opposite walls covered in shelves, wands pointed furiously at each other. Rose's face was bright red, and Scorpius was grinding his teeth together angrily.

When they saw me they lowered their wands immediately, looking rather ashamed of themselves.

"'Lo, Roxanne," Rose mumbled, pushing past me.

"What the hell is going on here?" I managed to find my voice again.

"Er...want to shut the door? It's a long story," Scorpius rubbed his face tiredly. "Rose and I broke up...obviously."

"Yeah, I could tell by the way you had wands aimed at each other's throats," I rolled my eyes, closing the door behind me. "What's up with that?" I asked softly, touching his arm.

"Er..." He peeked at me with a bright blue eye. "I dunno if I should be telling you this. But I feel like you won't tell anyone, will you, Roxanne? You're very easy to...talk to, or something," Scorpius said awkwardly. "Mind if I dump my problems on you?"

"Dump away," I grinned, crossing my arms and leaning against the shelves.

"Well, on Valentine's day-"

"Sorry if I'm interrupting anything," came a cold voice as the door opened to my left, and I turned to see Stefan glaring at the both of us with an unreadable look plastered over his features. "I just need to get some ingredients, which is what the potions closet is supposed to be used for," Stefan said empathetically, brushing past me without sparing me a glance.

"That's what we were using it for, mate," Scorpius cracked a grin, obviously oblivious to the tension in the room. "It's not like we were holding a seance." He clapped a hand on Stefan's shoulder, and Stefan whirled around to glare at him. He was slightly taller than Scorpius, and more muscled. His coloring was on the darker side, whereas Scorpius was lighter. Their facial expressions and stances were opposites as well; Stefan was the epitome of threatening and tense, his face drawn and eyes flashing angrily. Scorpius was grinning easily like he didn't see how Stefan was glaring right in front of him.

"Just move," Stefan hissed, and Scorpius looked very taken aback.

"You don't have to be so rude, mate," he called after Stefan's retreating back as he stalked off, and I rolled my eyes.

"He's in a mood," I explained, turning toward the shelves and picking the fluxweed from one of the top shelves.

"Isn't that your boyfriend?" Scorpius asked.

"What? NO!" I exclaimed, perhaps slightly louder than necessary. Scorpius stared at me with wide eyes.

"Alright, alright," a slow grin spread across his face. "If he's not now, you definitely want him to be."

"No way," I said hurriedly, busying myself by looking down at the list, hair falling over my face. "There's no way."

"Has anyone ever told you that you have a very readable face?" Stefan laughed slightly, and I rolled my eyes.

"Has anyone ever told you you're kind of oblivious to what's going on around you?" I retaliated, and Scorpius feigned horror.

"What?" He exclaimed. "I demand examples!"

"Well," I began. "Rose fancied you for years. You never noticed that. Stefan, when he came in here just now, looked like he was about to Avada you and you just smiled at him!"

"Hm," he said thoughtfully. "Maybe I get that from..." he trailed off. "Definitely not Dad, and Mum's pretty perceptive...she noticed right away when I cut the gum out of my hair when I was five," Scorpius teased.

"Amazing," I said drily. "She must be an Occlumens."

"I know, right?" Scorpius joked, winking playfully. "You know what's weird?" He asked, pulling down two jars from one of the shelves. "All of these Polyjuice ingredients...they're all dusty, like they haven't been used in ages. But if you look closer, they have new fingerprints all over them, like someone's been brewing it. Isn't that curious?" He asked, holding a jar to me. I regarding him carefully, then examining the jar. He was right. Maybe Scorpius Malfoy was more perceptive than I'd originally thought.

"Roxanne!" Someone was whispering. "Roxanne!"

"Melody?" I turned to my left as we walked down the hall to our next class. "Did you hear-oomph!"

Someone had grabbed the sleeve of my robes and pulled me, gently but firmly, into an empty classroom, closing the door behind us. I had my wand out immediately, but then my eyes adjusted to the dark-

"Harry?" I lowered my wand, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Sorry about that," my uncle apologized, straightening his glasses. "But I've been watching for an opportunity to talk to you all day, and...you have a free period next, don't you? I'm not making you late to anything important?"

"Right," I nodded. "I was just going to the library with Scorpius Malfoy."

"Scorpius Malfoy?" Uncle Harry gave me an odd look. "Aren't he and Rosie..."

"They've broken up," I explained. "I plan on getting that story soon. But no, Scorpius and I are completely, one hundred percent sibling-like," I promised, completely honest. I didn't know what it was, but something about romance, myself, and Scorpius fit about as well into a sentence as Melody and Kingsley. It just...we didn't think of each other that way, at all. "We have to brew Polyjuice Potion together for Advanced Potions," I explained, and Harry got a far away look in his sharp green eyes as he remembered...something.

"Ah, Polyjuice Potion," he murmured, but then snapped himself back to the present. "I came here for a reason," he said, more to himself than me. "Here." He pulled out a bundle of papers from his pocket. "These are your forged Animagus Registration papers. Should you have any trouble, any at all, these will get you out of it."

"Thanks, Uncle Harry," I gave him a quick hug, slipping the papers back into my robes. "Do you...do you know about any, erm...defenses used at Hogwarts against the Death Eaters?" I asked timidly, looking at the floor.

"Er...is this a school assignment?" Harry asked, puzzled.

"Yes," I nodded, dragging my toe on the floor. "Yes it is."

"Well...not really. Ron and Hermione and I weren't really there until the fighting began, but I know they used these stone giants, and they put up these old spells to defend the perimeter. Does that help?"

I nodded eagerly. "And do you know anything about those spells?"

"No, sorry." Harry shook his head. "Maybe you could ask McG-I mean, Professor McGonagall. She might know. And...and how is it all going? The monthly situation with Melody, I mean?" Harry asked eagerly. I know that every since I'd told him about Stefan, Melody and I transforming every month, we'd reminded him very much of the adventures his father used to have with his Animagus friends.

I'd been longing to relate the stories of danger and adventure to someone. The hallways outside had grown silent; the rest of the students had gone to their next classes.

"The last month was crazy," I gushed. "Melody transformed into a werewolf and then we went out running. It's incredible, being an Animagus wolf you know. I can run further and faster than I ever could as a human. It's just..." I searched for the right word. "It's unlike anything else I've ever done. Anyway...I fell into this frozen pond, and Melody actually turned and helped me get out!" I said excitedly. "She stepped out on the ice, and-"

Suddenly, Harry was darting toward the door, pressing his ear to the wood.

"Keep talking!" He mouthed, and I nodded, confused.

"And...er...well," I stuttered. "Anyway, I got out and I was absolutely freezing. We went hunting after that and chased after this herd of deer...it's not gross, really, not when you're another animal. Survival of the fittest and all that, right?"

Harry flung open the door, and two dark forms stumbled forward, like they had been pressed against the doors.

"Laine! Anna!" I exclaimed, and suddenly my heart had sunk very low into my stomach. My face drained of blood, and Uncle Harry looked very, very grim.

"How much did you two hear?" He asked in a low voice, and even Laine had the grace to look ashamed. She met Harry's eyes, then mine, and looked away quickly. Anna didn't look up at all, merely stared at the floor.

"Melody never told us that she was a werewolf," Laine said quietly, and when she met my eyes there was anger. "And you never told us you were an Animagus. Didn't you think we had a right to know?" My mind was reeling and I reached forward for Laine's shoulder.

"Laine-"

"I thought we were best friends!" She shouted, eyes flashing as she took a step back. "And best friends tell each other-"

"You don't understand! If you can't understand why you couldn't know, then I'm glad we didn't tell you," I snarled, anger flaring. "This is Melody's secret to tell, not mine. And if she doesn't want to tell anybody, she doesn't have to tell a damn soul!" I hissed. "It doesn't matter!" I said furiously. "It doesn't matter at all and if you treat her differently for it you don't deserve to be her friend!"

"Maybe we won't then," Laine said quietly. "If she's hiding that sort of thing from us...what else might she be hiding?"

"Oh, don't you pull that," I snapped. "You're scared, that's what. You're scared your precious hide will be bitten and you'll have to live with it as well! If you tell a single soul, I will personally-"

"What?" Anna suddenly spoke up, lifting her head. "What are you going to do Roxanne, kill us?" She let out a high-pitched laugh. "We won't tell anyone, of course not. But...this is mental. This is just...just crazy," she repeated, backing up. "Roxanne, you're crazy if you...you go with her every month, don't you? That's why the two of you are gone and then show up in the hospital wing a couple days later, don't think we've don't noticed, you two aren't as good as coming up with excuses as you think...Melody's grandfather can only die so many times. Does Kingsley know?"

"The arrangements are none of your concern. But Kingsley does know. And you don't deserve to." Just like that, six years of friendship were shattered.

"Bloody hell," Uncle Harry murmured as they turned their backs and left, Laine putting her arm around Anna's shoulders. "That was..." he trailed off. "I thought I'd heard someone listening. I never thought..."

"Why? Why would they do this?" I whispered, voice trembling.

"People are scared of what they don't know," Harry said softly, putting his arm around my shoulders. "Trust me, I know. And Remus Lupin, he knew more than anybody."