"So how has your summer been?" Flint asked, after five minutes of silence.
I sighed, "Oh which part? The one where the muggle minister yells at my dad for moving yet again, so my dad did a little magic trick and poof the minister is fine with it.. Or that the minister of magic calls my mom in for 'late' meetings with him at the office, to go over 'certain rules'. Or the part where we had to move here, privately for the Dark Lord but locally for the Tri-wizard tournament?"
Flint shrugged, "that seems to be an awful lot about everyone else... But I was asking about you. Are you excited for Hogwarts?"
"Eh.. I suppose it will be alright. So tell me, how is it set up? Different houses? Split by years?" We found a place to sit on the curb of the ice cream shop.
"Well, both I guess… There are four houses, named after the founders, but then inside the houses you stay with your year. Is that not like other schools?"
I shook my head, "Not really…" We fell into silence again. He was waiting for me to expound on my explanation. I wasn't going to! Flint can struggle to keep this conversation alive; I wanted to hear about those kids's candy.
To save the day, Draco Malfoy appeared, "Ah our mothers ran into each other! Yours said you'd be wandering around without an escort, but I see Marcus has found you."
I stood up and gave him a quick hug, whispering in his year, "You showed up right on time!"
He laughed and pulled away. "Ok Marcus, if you don't mind, I would like to steal Cali away from you. Just for now…"
Marcus looked like he was going to complain but held it in, "Alright, but we have to meet up later alright? Before you guys leave."
Oops, I forgot to tell him I was staying here one night… Oh well, I graciously went with Draco. "So, let me guess? You heard our moms talk about Marcus and I being betrothed to each other?"
He laughed, "I heard, yes… And I have to say I am sorry! There are worse people your parents could be thinking of for you." He went into thought.
I smirked "Is it that girl who was hanging all over you last meeting?"
He shivered, "Pansy Parkinson. No matter how horrible I treat her, she is always right beside me the next day."
"At least she is loyal; I think Marcus would go off with the next hottest girl."
Draco looked skeptical, "I don't know… He is always asking about you, and from what I could tell he never looks away from you. Give it time though; he will realize you don't like him."
"Why can't it be now?" I complained, opening the door to the book building I passed by just two hours ago. The twins were no longer sitting outside; instead they decided to position themselves right where I was trying to walk.
"Oh I am sorr—Oh if it isn't Flint's girl!" The one, Fred I am guessing, said.
My eyes narrowed. "Watch out Fred, right there she looks more like a Malfoy girl!"
I smirked, "Malfoy wishes."
"HEY!" Draco was torn between laughing and being disgusted that the joke came from a Weasley.
The twins showed no hesitation to laughing, "That was a good one. So you are going to be at Hogwarts now?"
Draco grabbed my arm, "You two don't need to concern yourself with Carlson here. You better hurry, all the half-priced clothes and used quills might be sold out!" He proceeded to pull me away.
"Why don't you guys like them?" I asked once we were alone in the corner of the book store.
Draco shrugged, "Honestly I don't know… I mean they are purebloods. I believe it is because they didn't choose to follow the Dark Lord… And the father is just about obsessed about muggles as they get! Just Blood-traitors, the lot of them. Fred and George are the only decent ones, and that is only because they actually show a sense of humor." He started thumbing through a book, "So tell me what you know about the Tri-wizard tournament!"
"What, the rules and stuff?" I asked, picking up a book I remember reading off the list of requirements.
"No! How old do you think I am? I mean the real details, the plan.. Anything! I have been trying to listen in but no luck! You've always been better at sneaking around." For Draco to admit he isn't good at something, he must truly want to know.
I shrugged, "Honestly all I picked up is that they are using Barty Crouches son… and he is only familiar to me because I think my parents hid him in the states before they carted him away to Azkaban. He babysat me a few times."
"You are getting side tracked! What are they using him for?" Draco was so impatient!
"Hey, I am not telling you anything with that attitude! I don't know what for. All I know is their plan Draco, is almost impossible to pick up on! They hide every inch of it!" And I know, I have been trying for quite some time. This plan didn't just pop up over night!
Since my mother and Mr. Malfoy work in the Ministry, they have known that the tri-wizard tournament will be coming up for quite some time. With each failed attempt to bring their master back to life, they somehow see a tournament to be the best way.
Speaking of parents, our mothers walked up, "Oh! There you are! It is getting late! Oh and did you see Marcus? He said he talked to you for just a little bit, I told him to come by the leaky cauldron tonight if he wants to talk to you more!" My mom looked proud of herself.
I blinked but hid my emotions, "Oh joy!" I mumbled, shooting a pleading look to Draco. His own mother was already picking off lint of his robe. I made a point NOT to tell Marcus where I was going to be, and I knew the minute he heard that he was off to the leaky cauldron to wait for me.
Sure enough when we walked in, he was sitting at the front bar. My parents went straight upstairs to sleep; the Malfoys were already on their way home.
"How was seeing Draco?" He asked causally. I knew he was jealous that I talked to Draco more then him.
"Informative… As always." That was not a lie. I sat on the stool next to him.
"So, you are in your sixth year!" He seemed actually excited for me.
"And you are in your seventh!" I tried to smile back at him.
"Look, I know you have had an opinion about me ever since you were fourteen."
"Thirteen." I corrected him without meaning to.
His cheeks turned red, "My bad. But look, I have changed! Just.. give me a chance ok? We can start off being friends, I am alright with that! I just think we need to get to know each other a bit more…"
"Why? Because you think we will be betrothed?"
"Who else is there?" Marcus seemed to be getting upset, "What is so wrong with me that you can't even think of marrying me?"
I got kind of scared of making him mad, "No it isn't that.. it's just.. I was thirteen! First impressions matter!" This got him more worked up, finally I just sighed, "ok.. Marcus, just friends will work for now, alright? Just don't try to hold my hand or touch me…"
He started to calm down. My gosh, do men always act like this when being shut down?
"thanks Cali, you won't regret it." He stood up, "But I have to go, so see you at school!"
All I could do was nod.