After the train pulled into the station, Gwen, Oliver, and the Weasley twins exited the train with everyone else. The four threw a cursory glance over the crowd, looking for Harry and Ron.
"I don't see them," Fred said.
"They were right behind us coming through the barrier, weren't they?" George asked his twin. They were both obviously confused.
"I'm sure we'll find them back at school," Gwen told the Weasley brothers. "Let's go grab a carriage."
The four friends found seats together at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, waiting for the first years. Across the hall, Marcus Flint glowered at Gwen. The left side of his face appeared to be slightly swollen, but the boils were gone. She couldn't help but smirk and tugged at Oliver's sleeve to draw his attention to the Slytherin table.
"I did a pretty good job, didn't I?" Oliver said with a smile.
"Thanks again." Gwen kissed his cheek.
The first years filed in, led by Professor McGonnagal, and formed a line at the front of the hall. Fred and George waved at their sister Ginny, also with flame-red hair, and gave her two thumbs up.
Gwen noticed that Professor Snape was not present at the staff table and started pondering hopeful explanations for his absence. Her heart sank when he entered the hall looking very smug. Fred and George searched up and down the table again.
"Harry and Ron," Gwen mouthed to them. They shook their heads sadly and shrugged. The sorting ended and the youngest Weasley joined the Gryffindor table, taking a seat between Fred and George. The headmaster gave his usual speech about the Forbidden Forest and introduced the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Gilderoy Lockhart. The students watched as Snape left again with Dumbledore and McGonnagal. "Not good."
Many girls around Gwen swooned at Lockhart, but she wrinkled her nose. "I don't see what the big deal is," she said, earning a few glares. "He looks like a bit of an idiot to me."
"Thank you, Gwen!" Fred exclaimed.
"Finally, a smart one!" George added. "Mum has been fawning all over him."
"It's sickening, really." Gwen looked up at the wizard in aquamarine robes again, shaking her head.
After the feast, Gwen followed the other Gryffindors up to the tower, holding Oliver's hand. She heard a few whispers about the Whomping Willow during the meal, but was more concerned with eating. In the common room, it was impossible to escape the rumors.
"A flying car-"
"-Crashed into the Whomping Willow, they did-"
"-Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, they say-"
Gwen could hardly believe her ears. Where would Harry and Ron get a flying car, and why wouldn't they just take the train? Unless...
"Dad's Ford," George whispered behind her in disbelief. She turned to face him.
"What?"
"Nothing. We'll discuss later. Too many people here," Fred said. Suddenly, a loud cheer erupted with shouts of congratulations. Gwen could only assume that Harry and Ron had arrived, since she couldn't see through the crowd.
"Well, guys, I'm going to bed," Gwen announced. Oliver moved to follow, but she put a hand on his chest and chuckled. "We're back at school; you can't come with me." He opened his mouth to speak, and she interrupted him. "And I'm not coming with you. Percy will notice. No, now good night." She kissed Oliver's cheek, since his mouth was still hanging open, and hugged the twins. As she started fighting her way through the crowd, they pulled Oliver aside, whispering hurriedly.
At breakfast the next morning, Gwen looked over the schedule Professor McGonnagal handed her and groaned. "Double Potions this afternoon."
"That's terrible for your first day back," Oliver sympathized. "I'm glad I didn't continue the N.E.W.T. level."
"I'll need it if I want to be a Healer," she sighed. "Looks like we've got Charms today though, just before lunch. And a free period after breakfast." She could almost see the light bulb come on over his head. "What have you got this afternoon? Oliver?" She snapped her fingers in his face, making him blink.
"Hmm? Oh..." He looked down at his schedule blankly. "Uh..." Gwen pointed to the spot on his schedule, and his cheeks turned pink. "Ancient Runes."
Suddenly they heard a shrieking voice coming from farther up the table, and Gwen recognized it as that of Mrs. Weasley. She winced sympathetically for Ron as his mother's voice filled the hall, bouncing off the stone walls and causing the plates on the tables to vibrate. Gwen and Oliver covered their ears as the Howler continued, Mrs. Weasley shrieking about Mr. Weasley facing an inquiry at work. Finally, Ron's torture ended, and the Hall resumed its former peace.
The couple finished their breakfast and decided to take a walk on the grounds in the chill September air. Gwen led Oliver to the lake and sat with him behind her, his arms wrapped around her for warmth and his chin on her right shoulder.
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather be in the castle?" he whispered, his lips brushing her ear and making her shiver.
"You're suggesting your dorm, I suppose?" Gwen grinned.
"My roommates are in class," he said hopefully.
"Sorry, but I'd rather be here. You're such a hornball," she laughed. The giant squid slapped its tentacles on the lake's surface, and she knew Oliver was smiling, too. Gwen snuggled her back into his chest and he tried to move closer.
"So, what have you been doing the past three weeks?" Oliver asked.
"Not a whole lot," she replied. "I wasn't allowed to do anything but sit in my room. You?"
"I spent my time devising a better Quidditch training program. It wasn't a very effective punishment, though." He kissed her neck and she grinned, thinking of the train.
"No, it wasn't." Gwen got carried away by his lips on her skin, but then remembered her surroundings. "Wait... we have to get to class... Mmm, that feels nice... No, I mean... we have to get our stuff for Charms." She could tell he was disappointed, but he knew she was right.
He reluctantly loosened his grip on her waist and pulled his lips away, allowing her to stand. She offered him a hand, which he accepted, before leading her up to Gryffindor tower where they retrieved their school bags. When they left the portrait hole, the break had just begun. Still holding her hand, Oliver headed to class.
"Welcome to N.E.W.T. level Charms," Professor Flitwick said from the top of a stack of books. "I congratulate your endeavor to further your magical education. I must tell you that it will become more difficult from here, but I'm sure you'll do just fine." He stepped down from the books, walked to the middle of the room, and smiled. "But today, we'll review."
Charms had always been a fun class, and Gwen and Oliver left the room laughing. "I've always liked making that tea cup dance across the desk," Gwen chuckled as she slipped her wand into the inside pocket of her robes.
"Look out!" someone yelled behind them, and they turned to see Peeves the Poltergeist pelting first years with eggs.
"Let's get out of here," Oliver said and rushed Gwen off to lunch.
The lunch hour passed more quickly than Gwen would have liked, and soon she found herself trudging along to the dungeons for Potions. Oliver left her at the beginning of the passage with the promise of seeing her at dinner and left for Ancient Runes. Gwen took a deep breath and continued down the cool, damp, corridor, her exhalations misting as she neared her destination.
Her classmates were filing in the door, so she scurried in behind them, though she knew she was not late. In fact, she was nearly ten minutes early. The Hogwarts Potions Master was not on to be trifled with. She found a table with the only other Gryffindor in the class, Percy Weasley, just as Professor Snape entered in a flurry of black robes, and what little chatter there was ceased immediately. He stepped behind his desk, leaning forward, his fingers splayed out to support himself.
"This is a N.E.W.T. level class," he said, barely above a whisper. "Since I accept only those students who achieve the highest grade on the OW.L. examination, I expect all of you to keep up without any difficulty. As sixth years, you will demonstrate a higher level of maturity; no... goofing off or stupid questions," he hissed, leaving no doubt that anyone that did not meet his expectations would immediately be tossed out. "Your instructions are on the board. Begin." Snape waved his wand and a list of ingredients appeared on the board, along with directions for a Sleeping Potion. Gwen read each line carefully in order to follow them exactly.
The professor walked around the room to check on everyone, and stopped to watch Gwen work. Completely unruffled, she pretend he wasn't there, and, as usual, he made no comment. Instead, he moved on to correct a quivering Hufflepuff, cleaning out his cauldron, and taking away his points for the day.
At the end of class, Gwen poured some of her potion into a vial and took it to Snape's desk. He merely glanced from her face to the perfect potion before marking down her completion, his lip curling slightly. After cleaning up, she gladly dropped off her books in Gryffindor tower and met Oliver for dinner.
The students spent the rest of the week settling into school mode. Defense Against the Dark Arts was definitely going to be a problem this year, since Professor Lockhart came off as a complete ninny. He quizzed the class on personal facts like his favorite color and his secret ambition, which they were supposed to have picked up from his books. Most of the girls in the class did well, but Gwen failed miserably.
"Tsk tsk, Miss Pennington," Lockhart admonished, "you only managed to answer a few correctly. You'll have to pay more attention next time you read." Gwen turned to Oliver with a look of disgust, who shook his head, shrugging.
Normally she slept in on weekends, but Gwen's eyes opened automatically at 7:30. Oliver was awake, probably at the Quidditch Pitch, judging by his relative location to her. After a quick shower, she went to the Great Hall for breakfast.
"Good morning, Hermione, Ron." Gwen took a seat near the second years and piled scrambled eggs on her plate. She saw them at Quidditch practices last year quite often, and they chatted a bit. Gwen noticed the lack of students at breakfast so early on a Saturday as she bit into her toast.
"Morning, Gwen," Ron said.
"Are you headed to the Pitch as well?" Hermione asked. "Ron said Oliver woke Harry at dawn this morning. I think it's ridiculous. Harry does have schoolwork to do."
"Ah, so that's his brilliant new training program," Gwen said. "Sorry, Hermione. When it comes to Quidditch, there's nothing I can do to make Oliver change his ways." She chuckled and shook her head, then finished her food. Hermione grabbed a stack of toast for Harry and the three headed to the pitch, but didn't see any of the team members.
"Where are they?" Ron asked.
Using her mental compass, Gwen turned in the direction of Oliver. "In the locker room. Let's go sit down." Hermione spotted the team coming out of the locker room and Gwen waved at Oliver.
"Aren't you finished yet?" Ron called to Harry.
"Haven't even started," Harry answered sullenly. "Wood's been teaching us new moves." All but Oliver seemed to be half-asleep, and Gwen shook her head.
She watched Harry race Fred and George, but they seemed to get distracted by something. She looked where they looked and spotted a mousy-haired boy with a camera.
"That Colin Creevey's been pestering Harry like mad," Ron said.
"He just needs a role model," Hermione countered. Apparently, Oliver didn't like the practice being photographed because he felt annoyed. George pointed down at the ground, and Oliver's annoyance transformed to outrage. Gwen felt a sharp pain in her legs when Oliver landed roughly, but it faded quickly. She could hear him shouting at Flint to clear off, waving his arms as the rest of the team landed.
"We better get down there," Gwen said, and the three observers rushed to the field. When they reached the group, Gwen stood next to Oliver but slightly behind so it didn't look like she had come to his rescue. He put a hand out to tell her to stay back. Ron asked Harry what was going on and why they weren't practicing.
"I'm the new Slytherin Seeker, Weasley," said a blond boy with a pink, pointed face.
"Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's bought for the team." Gwen didn't like this kid already. All seven members of the Slytherin team held shiny black brooms with Nimbus Two Thousand and One written on the handle in gold. The pink-faced boy made a cruel joke about the Gryffindor brooms, and Hermione stepped forward.
"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in. They got in on pure talent," she said, and Gwen cheered her silently.
"No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood." Utter pandemonium broke loose at Malfoy's words. Fred and George lunged for him, but Flint got in the way. Oliver moved for Flint, but Ron pulled his wand out of his robes, which looked as though it had been repaired with Spellotape. Gwen clutched the faery charm around her neck, preparing for the worst.
Instead of hitting Draco, Ron cursed himself and flew backward, the Gryffindors gathering around him. The Slytherins howled with laughter and the mousy-haired first year tried to get in closer with his camera as Ron burped up a slug. Everyone winced in disgust, and Harry and Hermione rushed him off to Hagrid's cabin.
Oliver turned back to the Slytherins, focusing on Flint. Gwen stood next to him, still clutching her necklace. Flint straightened from his broom, wiped a tear from his eye, and slowed his guffaw to a chuckle.
"You're looking disgruntled, Wood," he braved. "What's the matter, did your whore give bad service?" He laughed again. Oliver rolled up his sleeve, but Gwen was way ahead of him. She brought her right hand up, and Flint flew into the air. Everyone gasped, but Gwen took no notice. She brought him back down quickly, stopping him inches from the ground, and then threw him up again. She twirled her finger and the Slytherin captain spun. When Gwen finally set him on the ground, he fell over.
The other Slytherins watch Gwen wide-eyed and stepped back from her glare. "Colin, I want that photo," she said calmly. Oliver took her hand and steered her to the locker room, his team applauding her.
"What was that?" Oliver asked incredulously.
"I was teaching Flint a lesson," Gwen told him, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"But... how?"
"I'm not entirely sure. I just channeled my anger through this." Gwen held up her necklace and the twins walked over.
"Can I have a better look at that?" Fred asked, taking it in his hand. He held it to the side on its long chain while Gwen talked to Oliver.
"But, Gwen, what if Flint tries to get you in trouble?" Oliver questioned.
"Oh, he wouldn't dare," she replied slyly. "Besides, I was very careful not to cause any physical harm. I just... shook him up a bit."
"A bit girly," George muttered, "but definitely useful."
Oliver grinned devilishly. "Fine, but if he tries anything else..."
"I'll let you kick his ass," she said with a wide smile.
"That's my girl!" He leaned in to kiss her and Fred let go of the pendant.