"So what made you change your mind about him?" Hermione asked. She and Roxie were sitting on their beds. They still heard the sounds of the party continuing downstairs.
"I don't know. I guess it was just post-match euphoria," Roxie smiled.
"Well whatever it was I'm glad. It's about time that you two got together. Maybe you won't be as moody anymore."
"Nice try, but I doubt it. Now I'm kind of tired. It's been a long day, good night." Roxie lay down and smiled. Good night Harry.
"Come on Roxie I want to show you something," Harry called and he pulled on her hand. They walked out the front door of the castle and towards the lake.
"Harry, I've seen the lake before," Roxie joked.
"Very funny. Look." He pointed to a blanket spread on the ground. Awww he made a picnic.
"That's so sweet!" Roxie sat down with Harry. They ate and laughed. It was the picture perfect date. "That was great! No one has ever done anything that sweet for me before."
"Well I love you Rox, I would do anything for you." He leaned down and kissed her.
"I love you too Harry." Suddenly the lake started to churn. The sky turned a dark gray and the wind kicked up. Roxie felt something on her face. It felt like long, spindly fingers clawing at her face. "No you can't take him from me!" Roxie shouted at the wind. But the wind blew faster and Harry seemed to be falling away from her. "No come back!"
"Roxie! Roxie wake up!" Roxie's eyes snapped open. The birds were chirping outside her window. How can they be so happy when Harry is gone?
"Harry where is he?" Roxie asked Hermione.
"I'm sure he's in his room, or maybe he's in the Great Hall. Why?"
"Voldemort's got him!!!" Roxie shrieked.
"No he doesn't. You were just having a dream." Hermione looked at Roxie with sympathy.
"It seemed so real," Roxie sobbed.
"I know. I know. Shhh." Hermione pulled Roxie into a hug and tried to comfort her. "Tell you what, get dressed and then we'll go down to the Great Hall and see if Harry's there." Roxie nodded silently. The two of them walked down to the Great Hall and toward the Gryffindor table. Roxie scanned the students and then she saw the familiar green eyes and black hair. He's still here. It was just a dream. Roxie ran the rest of the way to the table. She threw her arms around Harry's neck. She buried her face in his hair and smelled his familiar scent. Then she pulled his face to hers and kissed him. There were tears in her eyes when she pulled away.
"Good morning to you too!" Harry said, surprised.
"We had a little scare this morning," Hermione answered the unasked question. She had just arrived. She pecked an expectant Ron on the cheek, who seemed a little disappointed, and then sat down. Ron was obviously not pleased with the comparison of the two greetings.
"Are you all right?" Harry asked reaching for Roxie's hand.
"Yeah I'm fine. Just a bad dream. That's all." Roxie smiled. She loved it when he was concerned about her, it showed that he really cared.
"So you had any bad dreams lately?" Ron asked Hermione expectantly.
"No, I haven't. But I promise that the next time I dream that You-Know-Who took you, you will get a greeting just like that one," Hermione said distractedly.
"That's what you dreamed?!!?! I knew that us dating would have an effect on you! I will fully understand if you don't want to do this anymore," Harry said.
"Harry, there is nothing I want more." Roxie reached out and grabbed his hand. She gave it a reassuring squeeze. Harry looked at Roxie and smiled. Hermione sniffed.
"Get a room you two!" Ron called at them. They all laughed.
"So what classes do we have today?" Roxie asked. I'm glad that he didn't let go of my hand. Maybe if I never let go then Voldemort can never take him from me.
"Herbology in the morning and then Transfiguration after lunch," Hermione informed her.
"So this is a perfect day. No Potions or DADA." Roxie practically cheered. For once her life was going exactly as she wanted it to. She had Harry, a boy who she had loved, no matter how hard she tried to deny it, since the day they had met. She had good classes today. And it didn't seem like Voldemort had found out about Harry and Roxie yet. But he will eventually. Roxie shook her head. I'll deal with the consequences when he does, but for now I should just enjoy it. I deserve to be happy for once. But how will this affect the task? Will I still be able to do it? Roxie looked over at Harry, he smiled at her and she couldn't help, but smile back. I'll deal with that later, for now I'm just going to enjoy being young and in love.
"Oh look!" Hermione exclaimed. The mail was being delivered. Owls of every size and color flew down over the students. They flew to their respective students, dropping their packages. Food scattered everywhere as the packages hit the table with a clatter. Behind the rest of the group, a tawny barn owl was flying, a small white envelope clutched in its beak.
"Hey that's my parents' owl!" Roxie yelled. Sure enough, the owl flew over to the Gryffindor table and hovered above Roxie. In a split second the envelope was dropped and with a screech the owl was gone. "He's always been a bit crazy." Roxie shrugged. She reached her hand out and grabbed the envelope. The rest of the table went back to conversations.
"So I've been thinking up a new practice schedule for us," Ron said proudly.
"I'm sorry, I thought I was the captain. Since when do you…You ok Rox?" Harry asked, looking over at Roxie. Tears were glistening in her eyes. One look at her told Harry the answer to his question.
"It…it's my aunt. She's been killed," Roxie stuttered. There were shouts of 'Oh that's terrible' from all around the table and Hermione gave a small gasp.
"Do they know who did it?" Ron asked.
"Yes," Roxie said simply.
"Well that's good then, they can catch the git and he will be punished. I mean I know it won't bring your aunt back, but…" Ron babbled.
"It won't help! Voldemort killed her! There's nothing that they can do with him! They can't catch him! He won't be punished!" Roxie shouted. Her sobs shook her whole body. She closed her eyes. I can't deal with this right now. I thought my life was going right. Why did this happen? Roxie felt muscular arms envelope her. She looked up and she saw that Harry was hugging her. That's why this happened. He knows. That dream last night, it wasn't just a dream. He used Legilimency on me. He saw the dream and He knows. He's reminding me that I am His slave. Maybe I should break it off before anyone else gets hurt. Roxie sobbed even harder. She knew she had to do it.
"Shh. It's ok. Don't cry," Harry tried to comfort her. He rubbed Roxie's back and made comforting shushing noises. I can't do that. Right now he's the only thing that brings me happiness. The only thing that can make this all better.
"Ummm… I know this is going to seem awfully rude of me, but we have class," Hermione butted in. No I need to go report. I need to go try and fix this.
"Well…" Roxie started to look for an excuse, but she was saved by Harry.
"I don't think Rox is really up for that this morning. How about you go up to the common room. I'll tell Professor Sprout where you are. I'm sure she'll understand," Harry smiled.
Roxie stifled her final sob and looked up at him. "Thanks." For everything.
"No problem." He gave her a kiss on the forehead and then got up to leave the Hall. Hermione and Ron walked hand and hand through the door and Harry was about through when he turned around and waved at Roxie. She blew him a kiss and waved goodbye back. He closed the door and then she was alone. Time to get this over with. Roxie sighed and grabbed some toast before she left the Hall.
The vial was empty when Roxie found it. She lifted the lid of her trunk and then pulled everything out. When she reached the bottom and it seemed empty, she pulled on the bottom of the trunk. The secret compartment opened with a snap to reveal a bottom full of the strange orange powder. Roxie dipped the vial in and filled it to the top. She stood up and waved her wand. The secret compartment closed and her things rearranged themselves in their rightful places within the trunk. Roxie turned and sprinkled the powder in a ring. When she had stepped inside and pressed her fingers to her forearm, she sighed. Clear your mind. Clear your mind. She told herself. She knew that as soon as she arrived He would try to break into her memories. Her feet hit the ground.
"Ahh the girl of the hour," a snake-like voice hissed at her.
"You lied to me! You told me that no one would get hurt if I completed the task!" Roxie shouted, losing her cool.
"Ahh, but you see there is the problem. My task for you was not being done. In fact I feared that it would never be done. I saw the dream that you had. You obviously have feelings for that boy. And besides, I didn't go to the extreme that Wormtail wanted to. He wanted me to kill your parents, I settled for a less immediate relative." He laughed a cruel, high-pitched laugh.
"Do you honestly think I care how 'immediate' the family member is? You killed her!"
"Like I told you, I feared that my task was not being completed. I thought that you needed a little reminder." This time it was Wormtail who laughed.
"Oh shut up! At least I'm out there doing stuff instead of being holed up away from all of the danger!" Roxie spat at him.
"Wormtail is doing his part for me here. Now if you don't mind I'm losing my patience. What is it that you came here to tell me?" Voldemort asked in a mock bored voice.
"I came here to explain. My 'friendship' with the Potter boy was not getting him to trust me enough. He wouldn't reveal things to me. I needed to get closer. That's why I decided to fake feelings for him. I agreed to go out with him and now everyone believes that I truly care for him. Including, it seems, you and he." Roxie closed her eyes and hoped that this explanation would suffice. She had come up with it on the spot.
"Well, well, well. I wouldn't have thought you had it in you. You turned out to be a better actress than I thought you were. You may prove useful after all. Don't make any move that will risk losing this 'connection' that you seem to have with him. Although I do expect you to finish the task by the end of the school year! You may go now!" Roxie felt the familiar rush of air and with a thud landed back in her dorm. She couldn't believe her luck. Not only had she made up a good explanation on the spot, but she had escaped without punishment and she had been given permission to hang out more with Harry. Now she had an excuse to spend as much time as possible with him. But I have to try to use Occlumency. I need to stop Him from seeing my true feelings. But Roxie couldn't be bothered with that right now. I've got to go see Harry! She grabbed her books and ran from the room. She practically flew through the front doors and she ran to the greenhouses. She looked in each of them and in one she saw her dirt clad classmates. She flung the door open.
"Sorry I'm late Professor."
"That's quite all right my dear. I heard what happened. I'm terribly sorry. Why don't you join your friends over there." The plump witch smiled at her and then returned to lecturing one of the students about the correct way to repot the plant. Roxie walked over to her friends.
"Rox hey…" Harry started, but Roxie reached up and pulled his head to hers and kissed him long and hard.