Chapter 11: Little Girl Lost
"Gelliston, what the hell are you doing?" Prue glanced up, only to see the face of her 'most loathed' enemy.
"Sod off, Dirk," she went back to work without another word.
Sneering, Dirk said, "Language Gelliston. What would your mother say if she heard you speak like that? Not much, I suppose. I've heard muggles don't make much use of their mouths. What about mudbloods?"
He winked suggestively with his final words. Snapping her Charms book closed, Prue stood. She was exactly an inch shorter than Dirk. Eyes meeting his, she demanded, "What exactly do you want?"
"I just wanted to spend time with my favorite mudblood. After all, I've been so busy, what with classes and girls and Quidditch that I haven't had time to ridicule you at all."
"Joy of my life, I hadn't noticed," Prue drawled, looking around for Serendipity or Elanore. Unfortunately, she was the only one who had decided to stay inside that sunny Sunday. They were probably down at the lake, gawking around Orpheus Vaughn. He had promised to sing the new song he was formulating for anyone who showed up. The icemen were probably wandering around trying to wreak havoc and destroy things, preferably themselves. Stupid Casey, she thought.
"You wouldn't," Dirk informed her haughtily, "Your type never recognizes perfection when it's around."
Raising an eyebrow, Prue asked, "Perfection?"
"Exactly," smartly, Dirk crossed his arms, "So, why are you sitting in the dark reading up about Charms?"
Suspiciously, Prue sat back down, "Why do you care?"
"I don't. I was just making conversation," he shrugged, taking a seat across from her.
This is why, Prue thought, I hate doing homework. Snotty gits like him always come along and ruin it, "You know, I decided to use this classroom to study, rather than the library or the Great Hall, so that I wouldn't be disturbed."
"Are you saying you don't want me here?"
"If you don't answer my questions, why should I answer yours?"
"Touché," Dirk laughed, "Touché."
"Are you going to sit here and watch me?"
"If you don't answer my questions, why should I answer yours?" mimicked Dirk.
"God," Prue threw up her arms, "I hate Slytherins."
"It's a talent," he smirked, tossing his green hair over his shoulder.
Prue turned back to her book, trying to immerse herself in Charms. But now that Dirk had arrived, the spells were swirling around in front of her eyes. Actually, they'd been doing that before he came into the empty transfiguration room. That's why she was attempting to study. Failing Charms, easily one of the simplest classes in Hogwarts, according to Elanore, would be pathetic.
"So- err, what are you having trouble with in there? I mean, it's Charms," he nudged the book.
"I know what it is," she frowned.
"Charms is, like, easy," he continued.
"You're being nice," she responded.
"God forbid," he looked shocked, "I didn't think that was possible."
"Don't make fun of me. Last time I saw you, you did try to jinx me."
"Well, I was hoping you'd lose that Quidditch game. Forfeit worked, though."
"Scared you'll lose to us?" She countered.
"Never happen," he peered at the book, "Glamours?"
Prue blushed, "They're hard!"
"No they're not. Let me see you do one," he leaned his chair back on its hind legs.
Waving her wand extravagantly in the air, Prue obediently said, "Obscura!"
Timidly, Dirk asked, "Err- you were meaning to turn that chair into a coat rack, right?"
"No," Prue said dismally, "I was trying to turn my ring blue."
Dirk picked up said ring, a small silver piece sitting in the middle of the table, and whistled, "Nice. Must have cost a lot. Muggle, right?"
"Yes. It was my grandmama's. I didn't think you ever worried about money."
"Joshua and Gethsemane are the rich ones, not to mention Jacob. I'm lucky I can afford my racing broom," he chuckled bitterly, "If I had the money Hargrove has…"
Curiously, Prue asked, "What would you buy?"
"A boa," Dirk replied promptly.
Prue scrunched up her face, "You mean like the furry, fluffy things? That come in assorted colors?"
"No! Do I look like a pouf? Eh, don't answer that. No, a boa constrictor. They're beautiful creatures. I have a ball python, back in the dorm. His name is Tindlemeyer," Dirk finished softly, looking embarrassed.
"Tindlemeyer? Do you name everything so oddly?"
"No. I name his food-"
"The mice?"
"The mice- Casey," he grinned evilly.
"Well, I suppose that's understandable. He does have a way of getting on your nerves," Prue blushed, recalling the almost kiss.
"But you do- err, you do fancy Hargrove, don't you?" Dirk asked, completely avoiding tact.
"I'm dating him, aren't I?" Prue demanded irritably.
"Not the eldest git. Casey," he said, matching her in irritability.
"No! How in the world did you get that idea?" Prue wondered, hoping he hadn't been in the group of Slytherins who sat on the shore taunting them after Casey and she clambered out of the water. No, he definitely hadn't. She hadn't seen his lime green hair anywhere in the crowd. Not that she had been looking.
"It's sort of obvious, the way you're constantly making googly-eyes at him. And Jacob told me that you guys were making out in the lake yesterday," he turned a little red.
"We were not," Prue exclaimed, horrified at the thought. Well, actually, the thought of making out was rather nice, even though they definitely hadn't even kissed. The fact that people had been watching was incredibly humiliating, however.
"Oh, good," Dirk raised an eyebrow, "So you don't like Hargrove?"
"I like Cerulean," she said petulantly, crossing her arms.
"Could you ever like me?"
"That's sickening," Prue made a face, "What's to like?"
"I'm hot," Dirk defended himself, "And funny-"
"Funny looking," Prue shot back, "But that's not what I meant. You're not, well, you're not very nice. Most of the time, I mean."
"That's because it's a waste of time. Being nice to people you don't like, I mean. Honestly, if you don't have the balls to tell it like you see it, why bother talking?"
Prue gave him an odd look, "You're constantly making fun of me and my mates. Is that telling it like it is then?"
"No," he looked rather apologetic, "Maybe. When it comes to Hargrove and his minions it is, and I can't say I'm fond of the midget you picked up. But Watson's okay when her wand's not pointed towards me, and you're all talk."
Unhappily, Prue asked, "I am?"
"Yeah. Sorry," he didn't look very sorry though.
"Don't apologize," she thought back to all the times she'd threatened to curse, jinx, hex, or kill people and how many times she actually followed through with it. She could count the amount of times on one hand, and all of them had been to Casey when he made her particularly angry.
"I don't like you, if that's what you're thinking," Dirk said tentatively.
Blushing, because that had been exactly what she was thinking, Prue's head shot up, "Who is it then?"
"You can't tell anyone," he commanded.
"I won't."
"Especially Hargrove," he continued.
"Like I would," she scoffed.
"Especially Wakefield," he added.
"Especially- wait, why not Frank?"
"Well, since you won't be telling anybody, you shouldn't tell Wakefield either," he said matter-of-factly.
Prue scratched her head, "You like Dana, don't you?"
"Uh- hey! No guessing," he was turning a very unsightly color red.
"Ha, I'm right, aren't I? Dana and Dirk, hunh? Hmm, but Frank's competition. You don't even know how long he's been after Dana, do you? Since third year, I think."
Dirk sighed, "Don't even tell me that."
"I seriously thought I had you and Gethsemane down as a couple," she said thoughtfully.
"Me and that cow?"
"Work on being nicer, Dirk. Dana likes nice guys. Cow is not nice. Skank is a nicer word," Prue smirked.
"Geez, I knew I should have talked to Watson. Its just that she always tries to hurt me when I go near her," Dirk rambled.
"I wonder why," Prue drawled.
"Bugger it, you're going to be absolutely no help, are you?"
"I suppose I can talk to Dana," Prue smiled, "I think its sweet that you fancy her."
"I do not fancy her!"
"But you just said," she looked rather confused, "What did you want her for then."
"Sorry, automatic reflex. I've been defending myself against Joshua thinking I liked Gethsemane for awhile."
Laughing, Prue pushed back her chair, closing her charms book, "I'll go talk to her right now. But in return, you have to do me a favor."
"I knew there would be a catch. What then?"
Sighing heavily, Prue threw her Charms book at him, "Tutor me in this."
Plopping down next to Serendipity in Potions, Prue exclaimed, "You'll never guess who cornered me five minutes ago."
"Please tell me it was Noah Weslen and that he wanted you to end this thing with Cerulean," Serendipity told her, stirring a particularly noxious mixture of purple goo and spider legs. Elanore leaned over to listen in, despite the protests of her partner, a tall, blonde Gyrffindor named Perseus Elroy.
"Elanore, please! I can't fail this semester because of your gossiping habits," Perseus raked a hand through his hair, and Elanore smiled devilishly back at him.
"I wouldn't dream of it. You just go right on mixing the potion," she said.
"You're vicious," observed Serendipity.
"I try," Elanore explained.
"Back to me, please," Prue interjected, "Bleeding conversation made me forget what I was going to say."
"Noah Weslen cornered you and raped you," attempted Elanore.
"Perv," she giggled, "No. I wish."
"Then its not rape, is it?" Serendipity wondered.
"You girls are disgusting," Perseus said, "You do know Noah's more bent then a cork screw? About as straight as one, too."
"Fuck off," Elanore advised him, "Don't worry Prue, I don't think Noah's gay."
"Oh, I've heard that one before," she shrugged, smiling brightly, "If he is, I guess I'm stuck with Hargrove. Not that he's bad."
"My god. The apocalypse is coming," Serendipity opened her mouth in horror, "Did you just hear Prue say that she's giving up on Noah, Ellie?"
Expressing an equally terrifying face, Elanore replied wondrously, "I think I did."
"I'm not giving up on Noah, guys. I'm just putting him on the back burner for now. I mean I have Ca-err-Cerulean," Prue covered quickly. She'd said Casey. Or had almost said Casey. This was not happening. Fiercely, she told herself, I do not like Casey Hargrove.
"If you say so," Serendipity crossed her arms smugly, "So, who was the corner-err then?"
"Dirk Drake," Prue laughed at the looks of real horror on their face.
"You didn't talk to him, did you?" Elanore demanded.
"Of course I talked to him. What was I going to do, say 'sod off and die?'"
"Yes," her friends chimed in unison.
Laughing, Prue informed her friends that they were horrible. Serendipity replied, with a patronizing look on her face, that Dirk had jinxed, hexed, and cursed them often enough that she should have known to avoid associating with him.
"Guys, he's not that bad," Prue told them, wondering why exactly she was defending the git, "Wait till you hear what he wanted."
"To get at Casey, I suppose," Serendipity guessed.
"No, not at all. We hardly talked about Casey. Or Cerulean, or Cherridy for that matter. The Hargroves were a non-issue."
"I doubt that," Elanore said softly, "He probably found ways to slip the boys into the conversation somehow."
Remembering how Dirk kept talking about whether or not she was fond of Casey, Prue flushed, "Well, its not like we have much common ground to discuss."
"That's why we don't talk to Slytherins. It's all well and good if you want to go hex one," Serendipity told her, "But we don't associate with them."
"Guys, that's totally bigotry," Prue wrinkled her nose, "It's the same sort of crap Dirk uses with his 'mudblood' riot act."
"Exactly. That's why we don't associate with him. How many times have you, Bobby, or Frank been read the mudblood 'riot act' as you call it?" Elanore wondered.
"Too many, but he was literally waving the white flag. He was asking me advice on girls. Come on, would you ask your enemy that?"
"Yes," Serendipity said promptly, "If I was trying to get close to her."
"Of course," Elanore nodded, "If I wanted her to trust me."
"You guys are too suspicious," Prue told them, "Stop being such drama queens. Don't you even want to know who he likes?"
"It doesn't matter," Elanore said dismissively, "Whoever he likes would never go out with him, would she? Who wants to date a Slytherin?"
"Who wants to marry a millionaire?" Joked Prue meekly.
"I do," Perseus said from the next table.
"Shut the fuck up," all three of them said simultaneously.
"You know what? If your going to act like this, I won't tell you what Dirk said," Prue said angrily.
"Don't be like that," Serendipity pleaded, "We're only saying this for your protection."
"I don't need to be protected," Prue scowled, "I'm a big girl. I can stir my own potions and everything."
With that said, Prue started mixing more ingredients into their transmodifying potion. Elanore leaned over to Serendipity, "She just put in the wrong amount of dragon's blood."
"Thank goodness," Perseus put in as Elanore leaned back over to his table, "I thought you would never stop talking. Ow, what was that for?"
"For being a dumbass," Elanore smiled.
Despite Elanore and Serendipity's warnings, Prue caught up with Dana Wingate after class, "Dana, hey Dana!"
"Oh, hi Prue. Listen, sorry about yesterday. I tried to tell Matilda and Atlanta that you two were having a moment, but you know. They just got carried away."
"Hunh? Oh, no problem, that's not what this is about. I usually blame those things on Casey and get over it," Prue waved it away with a smile.
"Really? I would have been so mad if you guys had done something like that when I was trying to hook up with a boy. Especially a cute boy like Casey," Dana said with a smile, "I wish I had someone like him after me."
"That's what I'm hear about," Prue chirped.
"Casey wants to date me?" Dana asked, looking confused, "But I could have sworn he was crushing on you, big time."
"He's crushing me alright," Prue said with a dark look, "Because everyone thinks he likes me. He's never said anything of the sort. Plus, if he did, why would I want him? He's a giant prat, if ever there is one. He burned off my hair, for heaven's sake."
"I thought that was Bobby," remarked Dana.
"Well yes, but its Casey's fault. It always is," she said with conviction, "Anyways, this isn't about Casey. I know for a fact that two different boys are majorly crushed on you."
Dana looked surprised, "Really? Who? Its not Krit, is it? Because I told him that we were more through than those Clinton blokes in America."
"No, its not Krit. I thought you'd been through with him since that day in Hogsmeade. And you do know the Clintons seem to have gotten back together. I don't think they were ever really apart," Prue scratched her head, "My mum made me watch something on them on Biography."
"Biography? That television show? On this history channel?" Dana asked. Prue nodded, relieved. She hadn't meant to mention television; it felt too weird in Hogwarts. But Dana was muggle-born, so everything worked out. Wait a minute, Prue thought, if Dana's muggle-born, why in the world does Dirk the purist like her? Giving Dana her full attention as the girl continued, Prue heard, "Well, going to the masquerade was fun and all, but Krit got majorly jealous. Lucky me. So we got back together at the end of the night. Don't look at me like it's scandalous, you were the one who came with Bobby Stone, flirted with Cerulean Hargrove, and ended the night with his little brother."
"Yes, that's true," Prue had to admit the girl had a point, "So what happened?"
Laughing, Dana said, "What else? We got in another fight. Honestly, that boy is the worst. He thinks the Renfro family rules the world."
"I thought he only cared about surfing," Prue said.
"No, well, he's not muggle, is he?" Dana said, "I doubt he knows what surfing is."
"I'm sorry. These boys aren't Krit, but they both like you. Really, really like you," I think, Prue added mentally, thinking of Dirk.
"Ooh, who are they?" Dana squealed.
"I can't tell! I'm only supposed to find out whether you'd date a Gryffindor over a Slytherin."
Thankfully, instead of looking repulsed at the idea of dating a Slytherin like Elanore and Serendipity, Dana looked thoughtful, "I guess it depends, doesn't it? I mean, Gryffindor is my own house, and I am a prefect. So a Gryffindor boy and I could experience much more privacy, couldn't we? Of course the Slytherin boys are known to be wild. I think we'd definitely have more fun. They're a little more brains than brawn though. Plus, I know most of the boys in my house are cute. Who could it be? Oh, there's Perseus, Aero, Quant- no, he's got Fortune, and is he even in my year? If not it could be Noah-no, he's gay, Polaris- no, he likes Serendipity, Apollo- eh, he's got Vedder. Geez, it has to be my house. Who, Andrew? Frank- ha, that's a laugh."
Prue tried very hard not to look as though she'd hit the nail smack on the head. It was difficult, and Dana asked, "Oh no, its not Frank, is it?"
"Ahem, I don't- uh- is that bad?"
Dana said slowly, "Its odd."
"Odd," Prue replied.
"Yes, odd."
"Odd…but not bad?"
"No, not bad," Dana smiled.
Good, Prue thought, Frank would have killed me if it were bad. Grinning, Prue exclaimed, "In that case, yes, Frank is hot for your form."
"I wouldn't put it quite like that," Dana blushed, "He hasn't jumped me in the Quidditch showers yet."
"You shower together? Gryffindors sure are odd," Prue frowned.
"No! Why, you want to shower with Bobby? Or Radovan? Oh, no, Cherridy. After all, you do have such a thing for the Hargrove brothers."
"Do not," she protested, batting Dana playfully with her Potions text.
"Did I just hear you say you wanted to shower with my little brother?" Casey demanded behind them. Prue and Dana jumped, not having seen him.
"Where in the seven hells did you come from?" Prue exclaimed, clutching her heart, "You scared the devil out of me."
"You were possessed?" Casey
wondered, "Obviously, if you wanted to jump my little brother now."
Dana teased, "As opposed
to your big one?"
At Casey's face, Prue said, "Sore subject, don't got there. But while we're there, I do not want to do anything dirty with Cerulean."
"Meaning you haven't yet, right?" Casey asked brightly.
"Well you needn't sound so happy about it," Prue said grumpily.
"He can't help it, he lo-oves you," Dana said, stressing love. Looking somewhat off balance, Casey started to say something in protest, but closed his mouth before anything came out.
Prue gave him an uncertain look, "He does not."
"Right," Casey agreed, as though she'd prodded him in the ribs.
Shrugging, Dana looked back and forth between the two, "Yeah, if that's your story."
"It is," Prue said firmly.
"Tell me who the Slytherin is then," Dana giggled.
Casey growled, "Slytherin?"
Comfortingly, Prue said, "A Slytherin likes Dana."
"Competition for Frank, I suppose," Casey muttered, then clamped a hand over his mouth, "Oops."
"And you wonder why no one tells you secrets, Hargrove," Prue shook her head disapprovingly, "It's okay, I told her already."
"About Frank?"
"No, about the Easter bunny. Yes, about Frank, moron," Prue sighed.
Giggling, Dana told them, "You two are so cute together."
"Bloody hell, Wingate. Maybe if you're blind," Prue looked scandalized. It was all well and good that she kept saying these things in front of just her, but now Casey was here. What if he took offense to it? Fortunately, the boy said nothing to deny or affirm the statement.
Instead he chose to ask, "So who is it?"
"Well that's the secret, isn't it?" Prue laughed, dancing away from them, "But I'll give you a hint. He's going to start tutoring me in Charms."
As she trotted off, ignoring Dana's speculative questions, she heard Casey say, "Wait a second? A Slytherin bloke is giving you tutoring lessons?"
She was out the door and down the hall before Casey had a chance to catch up with her, "Why didn't you ask me for Charms lessons?"
"Frankly, you aren't doing much better than I am in Charms," Prue told him.
"Well, that much is true." Casey admitted, "But why didn't you ask Bobby? He rocks in Charms."
As though remembering something, he paused, "On second thought, no, Bobby's a bad idea. What about Quant? Or Frank or Sylvester, even."
"Quant's too hard to understand, Frank is too busy with Quidditch, and come on, Sylvester?" she scoffed, "He can't tell which end of the wand to use. Anyway, I already asked D-err the Slytherin boy, so it's settled."
"D…" Casey was thinking of boy's names in Slytherin that started with d. He could only think of one, "Dirk? Dirk Drake? You have to be kidding me Prue. You can't get tutoring lessons with him."
"Watch me. You can't control me Casey," Prue informed him angrily, "Why does everybody keep trying to do that? Everyone except for Cerulean."
Casey was tempted to go after the Cerulean comment, which he knew was aimed to hurt him, but in a surprisingly wise move, he left it. Rather, he went after Dirk, "He's going to hurt you, Prue."
"Why would he do something stupid like that? I can defend myself, as I showed him in Dueling a few classes ago," Prue crossed her arms.
Okay, Casey told himself, maybe its better not to attack her wand work, "Yes but, he's a sneaky little rat bastard."
At the mention of rats, Prue got the strangest look on her face and started giggling, "Oh god, snake, rats, Casey!"
"Hunh," he shook his head, the girl was absolutely nutters.
After about five minutes of this, Prue finally caught her breath and managed to look him in the face without laughing hysterically. He was rather insulted that she would laugh when she looked at him, was there something wrong with his face? Deeply desiring Quant's mirror, and maybe comb, Casey waited for her to say something. She did, "Do you really want to help?"
"Yes, if it means keeping Drake away from you," Casey said eagerly.
"No, not that. Dirk is my problem. But I meant would you like to help with my education?"
"Err, I doubt there're many subjects I could help you with. I'm not very good at Charms, as you said, and I got kicked out of Herbology. I am your partner for Divination, and you've seen how well that's been going," he scratched his head, "There's only one subject I'm good at."
"Astronomy," Prue breathed, "That's exactly what I need help in again."
Brightening immediately, as Prue had known he would, Casey exclaimed, "Great! It will be just like last year. You, me, the stars!"
"That's fine," Prue said uncertainly, "But um, this time, could we not invite Reese O'Malley to spy on us?"
"Why, don't want my brother to find out?"
Sternly, Prue said, "There will be nothing to find out, Casey. Nothing."
Only, she wasn't so sure.