CHAPTER 5: Dammit, he's dropped me in the Lake

Amy woke up early, suddenly, and without knowing why. She closed her eyes and stayed where she was, hoping to go back to sleep, but her mind was now awake and would not let her rest. So, sighing, she got up and dressed quickly in cords, a warm sweater and boots. Noticing the frosty exterior through the window, she added her Ravenclaw scarf, some gloves, a woolly hat and threw her cloak around her to keep warm, before silently leaving the dorm and creeping down the stairs to the common room.

She slipped out of the great front doors and stood on the top step, just observing the view from where she stood. Shivering, she drew her cloak tighter around herself and decided to walk around the lake to warm up.

As she walked, her mind started to wander, drawing her back to yesterdays many events. Frowning, she thought of Bethany and her surprise birthday party. Amy knew her friend had done it with the best intentions, but her intentions would have been even better if she had just listened to Amy and ignored her birthday.

That was all Amy had wanted.

To forget.

To forget the memory of her mother making her favourite chocolate pancakes for breakfast as a little girl.

To forget the time of when her parents had spoiled her at the zoo as a happy eight year-old, buying her ice cream and a huge soft toy tiger for her present.

To forget the moment when she blew out the candles on her birthday cake and wished, more than anything, to be accepted at Hogwarts.

To forget the huge, bright and sparkly birthday cards her mother had always sent on her birthday. (Even though, officially, they were from both parents, Amy had always known that her mother was the sole creative source of these colourful creations.)

But try as she might, Amy hadn't been able to completely obliterate these memories from her mind. The sight of her father's short and stark note had thrown her mothers happy cards into sharp focus, reminding her that she would never again receive one of them again. All she had to look forward to from now on, on her birthday, was a note of the same sort, from a father who seemed to want nothing more than to forget she existed.

Amy closed her eyes as she felt tears start to well up and concentrated on not crying. She had cried enough and Amy had promised herself not to do it over her father again, but it was hard, because, after all, he was her father, and she loved him. And no half-orphaned girl wants to be ignored and separated from the one thing that still joins her physically to her mother.

'Hey Amy!'

Amy quickly brushed her hand over her eyes to check that all the tears were gone, and looked up. She smiled as she saw one of the Weasley twins waving at her from the other side of the lake.

'Hi!' she waved back.

'Wait there!' He said.

Amy stopped and obeyed orders, not moving from where she was standing as she watched him skirt the lake and come towards her, grinning.

'Hi.' He smiled.

'Hey.' She smiled back, trying to figure out which one he was.

There was silence as Amy desperately tried to work it out. She hated not knowing things and not knowing how to distinguish them was starting to bug her.

'How am I supposed to tell you guys apart?' Amy burst out suddenly. 'I can never tell which one of you you are…'

'It's easy.' He grinned. 'I'm the one with red hair, Fred's the one with freckles.'

'Funny George.' Amy said, rolling her eyes.

'Very good!' He grinned. 'Yes, I'm George. M'lady…' He pretended to take off a hat and bow.

Amy laughed and curtsied exaggeratedly.

'So good to see you again Sir George…'

'Sir George…' He said with a grin. 'That doesn't sound half bad actually!'

Amy grinned back.

'So was there anything specific you wanted to ask me?' she said, looking up at him. He was at least a head taller than her.

Yeah.' He nodded. 'I've got that list of books you might want to read, for your own benefit.'

'Blimey,' Amy blinked as he handed her the folded piece of parchment. 'That was fast.'

'It wasn't hard.' He shrugged with a grin. 'I know it's hard to believe, Fred being my twin and all, but I'm actually quite an organised kind of guy.'

Amy laughed as they started walking again.

'If you say so!'

He grinned.

'I also just wanted to tell you that I'm looking forward to working with you. I'm normally the one who sorts out the potions, you see.' He explained as they strolled along the edge of the lake. 'Fred's worse than I am at Potions and Lee's better at Transfiguration and Charms, so I'm normally left to do it on my own. It will be nice to have some company for a change.' He smiled down at her. 'Also it will be good to have a second opinion and some help! Maybe I'll learn how to not blow things up with your help.'

Amy laughed.

'I'm not joking.' He grinned. 'You can tell you haven't ever seen our room.'

Amy laughed again and his grin grew broader.

'Are you worried about it?' he asked, as they carried on walking.

Amy smiled again, wider this time.

'Actually, I'm kind of looking forward to it.'

'You're looking forward to blowing yourself up in the search for the perfect sickening sweet?' he teased.

'Maybe not that part…' Amy grinned. 'I think I'm just looking forward to having something to do that doesn't involve the word O.W.L.s, studying or homework.' She grinned.

'Hear, hear.' He grinned.

Amy smiled and they carried on walking for a few moments.

'Well I have to get back to my research.' George said, looking at his watch. 'Fred should hopefully be awake enough to help me out a bit by now.'

Amy laughed.

'See you later,' she waved as he headed back up the path to the castle. Smiling, she shook her head as she went to sit down under her favourite tree.

'Daisy!' Amy called, spotting her friend at the far end of the Ravenclaw table on her own.

Waving, her friend indicated the empty space next to her. Amy made her way through the space between the tables and sat down next to her friend with a smile.

'Hi Amy.' Daisy watched as her friend grabbed a bowl of porridge and drenched it in milk and sugar. 'Where've you been?'

'Lgh.' Amy said through a mouthful of porridge.

'Come again?'

Amy swallowed.

'Lake.'

'You must have woken up early.' Daisy commented, as she took a piece of toast from the rack. 'I was awake by eight and you weren't there then.'

Amy shrugged.

'Wasn't tired.'

There was silence as they both ate.

'So what time did you get back last night?' Daisy asked, swallowing a mouthful of toast.

'About half eleven.' Amy said, taking a sip of pumpkin juice.

'What on earth were you doing all that time?'

'I met Weasley and then went and read in a classroom.' Amy lied, using the same excuse as she'd used on Bethany. 'I kind of lost track of time…'

'I'll say.' Daisy grinned. 'And you didn't get busted by Filch, which has to be some kind of miracle.'

'Amy smiled slightly, remembering last nights escapade in the broom closet.

'A very big miracle…'

'Have you seen Bethany yet?' Daisy asked.

'She caught me coming in last night.' Amy grimaced. 'I don't think she's best pleased with me at the moment…'

'Doubt it.' Daisy sighed. 'Everyone kept asking where you were and she had to keep saying that you'd be there soon…'

'Except I didn't.'

'No…Marietta says that she suddenly caught on at about half ten that you weren't going to come. Apparently she got very upset.'

'Didn't you see her?' Amy asked with a frown.

Daisy shook her head with a small smile.

'I went up to the dorm at about ten. Couldn't stand the tension and drinking downstairs.'

'Was she awake when you came down?' Amy asked.

'No. You know Bethany,' Daisy said with a smile. 'Saturday's are for sleeping.'

Amy smiled weakly.

The two girls stood up and left the Great Hall, which was now starting to fill up with students. On the way out Amy spotted Fred and George sitting at the Gryffindor table, their heads bent together over the table with the dark-skinned Lee Jordan. They seemed to be arguing quietly about something. Amy hoped it wasn't about her.

'So, what d'you want to start with today?' Daisy asked as they reached the foot of the marble staircase. 'Potions, Transfiguration, Runes or Defence Against the Darks Arts?'

'How about…'

Amy stopped as she realised she didn't feel like doing homework at all that day.

'How about we don't do homework today?'

'Not do homework?' Daisy raised her eyebrows. 'Well… what else could we do?'

Amy thought for a minute.

'Lets…Lets go and see if we can change the Giant Squid's colour! We could turn him red!'

'The Giant Squi- Amy, are you feeling all right?' Daisy frowned, feeling Amy's forehead. 'Have you got a headache, feel dizzy…?'

'I'm fine.' Amy sighed. 'I was just joking.'

'Good.' Daisy said with relief, 'you had me worried there for a minute!'

Amy smiled slightly.

'Come on.' Daisy said, leading the way up the marble staircase. 'Defence it is!'

Amy sighed, but followed her friend.

'Fred would have found it fun…' she found herself thinking.

'Daisy.' Amy said.

'So if you-'

'Daisy!'

'Sorry, what?'

'I need a break.'

'Oh.' Daisy looked surprised. 'What time is it?'

'Ten past one.' Amy said, pointing at her watch.

'Oh.' Daisy still looked surprised. 'I didn't realise it was so late.'

Amy rolled her eyes.

'Yeah, because time flies when you're having fun...'

'I know!' Daisy exclaimed, missing the sarcastic tone in Amy's voice. 'Strange isn't it?'

Amy rolled her eyes again.

'Very strange.'

The girls packed up their things and left the library. Daisy was still talking about the homework and Amy was starting to imagine ways of getting her to be quiet. She was getting a headache.

'Amy!'

Amy looked up and groaned as she saw Bethany, Kia and Jacob heading towards them. Bethany was leading, and by the look on her face, she hadn't forgiven Amy's disappearing act yet…

'Hi Bethany.' She said weakly. 'Hi Kia, Jacob.'

'Hey Amy.' Jacob said, looking at her sympathetically.

'Hi Ames.' Kia said with a smile.

'Where's Eddie?' Amy asked, looking behind them, confused.

'Unconscious.' Jacob grinned.

'You'd think he would have learnt his lesson last year wouldn't you.' Kia shook her head.

'I want an explanation!' Bethany snapped suddenly.

'For what!' Amy exclaimed, turning to her.

'Where were you last night?'

'Reading!' Amy lied.

'Yeah right…'

'I was!' Amy protested. 'I told you that last night!'

'Well you should have been in the common room!' Bethany yelled. 'We'd organised you a party!'

'Well I told you I didn't want one!' Amy retorted.

'Yeah, and we were supposed to believe you meant it?' Bethany said, with a snort.

'Yeah you were!' Amy yelled. 'If I say something I meant it! Not like you!'

'What!'

'I seem to remember you promising me you wouldn't organise a party!'

'I didn't! I never promised you anything!' Bethany yelled back.

'Oh yeah?'

'Yeah!'

'You still shouldn't have done it!' Amy seethed. 'I just wanted to forget my birthday and you go and completely ruin it!'

'You did that by yourself!' Bethany retorted. 'Cutting yourself off from us and refusing to even talk to us!'

'I- I.' Amy stuttered. 'I don't have to explain myself to you!'

'Well we're supposed to be friends!'

'Some friend!'

'Talking of friends, did Daisy give you a detention?'

'And- What?' Amy stopped, the change of subject taking her by surprise. 'Why should Daisy give me a detention?'

'You were out after curfew.' Bethany smirked.

'Daisy…' Amy turned to her friend.

'She has to give you one.' Bethany sounded smug.

'I- Well I-' Daisy stuttered, looking from one furious girl to the other. '…I-'

'You're a prefect Daisy.' Bethany said, crossing her arms. 'Amy was out after curfew. If you don't punish Amy, I'll…I'll go to Flitwick and tell him that Amy was out and that you're prejudiced with your friends!'

'You wouldn't!' Amy said, narrowing her eyebrows.

'Watch me.' Bethany narrowed her own.

'Amy… I...' Daisy lowered her eyes.

'Don't worry about it.' Amy said, turning to her friend. 'I don't want you losing your badge. See you later.'

She turned on her heel and walked down the hallway, leaving two worried, one distressed, and one seething ex friend behind her.

'Argh!' Amy threw herself on her bed and screamed into her cushion.

She'd spent the rest of the day hiding in her favourite spot by the lake, reading. She'd thought dimly of going to the library to check out the books on the list George had given her that morning, but had given up the idea realising her friends would probably be in there studying. The last thing she wanted was to bump into them again today.

'Ow!' she sat up suddenly, feeling something dig into her hip. She rummaged around and found what it was: a medium-sized rectangular package wrapped in plain navy paper and tied with a white ribbon. Gritting her teeth she lifted it to throw at the wall, but a small piece of parchment floated onto the bed and she lowered it again. She picked up the parchment and looked at it carefully. It had her name on. Curiously, she unfolded it and read:

Amy,

Happy birthday!

I know you said you didn't want anything this year,

but I was planning on giving this to you anyway so it might as well be today.

It's an old book Milly bought last Christmas at an auction

(you remember my sister Milly right? She's studying unicorns in Scotland.)

It came mixed in with in a lot of books she bought, but she didn't want this one,

so I asked if I could have it to give to you.

I hope you like it,

Your friend,

Daisy xxxxx

Right at the bottom of the page was a short postscript written in a different-coloured ink with a hurried hand.

P.S. I'm really sorry about today… You know I didn't want to do it right? I'm giving you twenty lines: "I will not stay out past curfew". You might be interested (and amused) to know that Bethany got a detention too. Professor McGonagall heard her talking in the hallway about your "party "… She said drinking was not allowed at Hogwarts and gave her detention for a week! Hope you're OK and not too mad at me… D xx

Amy grinned as she read about Bethany's detention.

'She deserves it,' she thought as she picked up Daisy' gift again. Quickly, she unwrapped it. A thick leather-bound book dropped onto her lap. Picking it up she turned it over and read the title written in gold script.

PERFECT, PRACTICAL POTIONS FOR PRACTISED PEOPLE

Grinning widely, she opened it and began leafing through the pages. There were basic potions for things like growing, shrinking, changing colour, growing hair, curing basic afflictions like boils… More intermediate potions such as love potions, beauty products, strengthening solutions… And then there were the more complicated potions…

Flicking through, Amy saw pages on how to make Amortentia, the most powerful love potion in the world, the strongest sleeping potion ever heard of, the Polyjuice potion, Veritaserum and there was even a chapter on making Felix Felicis! Amy had heard of this potion of course, its effects were described as liquid luck, that is to say, that a couple of spoonfuls would give a person enough luck to change the circumstances of most things in his favour. Looking at the method and ingredients, Amy saw that it was one of the most complicated potions she had ever seen before, even harder than the Polyjuice potion, which she had always seen as way above N.E.W.T level.

Looking quickly at the index at the end of the book, she saw that there were a couple of chapters dedicated to illnesses and curing them. She closed the book with a wide smile and looked down at the cover.

'Daisy.' She said out loud. 'You rock!'

'Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!!' Amy threw her arms around Daisy. It was early-ish Sunday morning and Amy had just entered the Great Hall for breakfast.

'Amy!' Daisy laughed. 'Let me breathe!'

Amy let go and sat down next to her friend.

'I take it you like it then?' Daisy smiled.

'I love it!' Amy exclaimed. 'I meant to thank you last night but I spent all evening reading it and then fell asleep.'

'I'm glad you like it.' Daisy grinned. 'Are you annoyed with me about yesterday?' she said, her grin fading slightly.

'No.' Amy shook her head. 'It wasn't your fault.'

'But Beth-'

'Now her I'm mad at.' Amy's eyes narrowed. 'I'm not forgiving her. I don't intend to speak, look or even acknowledge her existence ever again.'

'But Amy…'

'No Daisy. First she ignored me when I said I didn't want a party and then when I didn't turn up, threatened to have your badge taken away.'

'But she's your friend Amy. I'm sure she didn't-'

'Mean to do it?' Amy scoffed. 'Oh yeah, I'm sure some alien from outer space took over her brain and forced her to do it all. And she's not my friend. Not anymore.' She took a piece of toast and began buttering it furiously.

Daisy sighed. She hated to admit it but Amy was right. It wasn't in Daisy's nature to think badly of people, but Bethany had really gone too far this time. She'd always been a bit shallow and slightly self-absorbed, but this… Daisy was starting to think that maybe "a bit" and "slightly" didn't exactly describe Bethany properly.

'More like deeply shallow and truly self-absorbed.' Daisy thought sadly. 'I can't believe she threatened to have my badge taken away…'

Daisy's thoughts were interrupted by the appearance of Elliot Hollow, the male sixth year Ravenclaw prefect.

'Brocklehurst, Cassidy.' He said, sitting down opposite Daisy and nodding at the two girls.

They looked at each other, surprised. Hallow had barely ever said three words to them. He was a head-boy in the making, perfect school marks, eleven "O's" in his O.W.L.s and studying for seven N.E.W.T.s. He had a rich family, a younger, also perfect, sister in the second year and a girlfriend from Beauxbatons who, Amy had heard, was as perfect and good-looking as he was. Tall and well built, he had smooth dark brown hair, dark brown eyes and golden coloured skin. Many of the girls from other houses found him very attractive but Amy and her friends had been put off by his strict rules and pompous attitude.

'Hi.' Daisy said uncomfortably.

'Hey.' Amy said, watching him suspiciously. 'What can we do for you?'

'Actually, it was Margaret I was hoping to talk to.' He said politely, turning to her. Amy raised her eyebrows. Margaret?!

'Oh.' Daisy said, flustered.

'I've heard from a reliable source that you refrained from giving a person of your year punishment, just because they were your friend.'

'Well I-'

'Who is this reliable source?' Amy said, narrowing her eyes. She had a shrewd suspicion of who it was.

'Yes, well I must remind you Margaret,' he said, acting as if he hadn't heard Amy, 'that forgoing your prefect duties for the sake of your little friends, is not what is seen as future head-girl material.'

'And what if she doesn't want to be head-girl?' Amy exclaimed.

'And that seniors such as myself, the head-boy and girl, and the Professors take a serious view of punishment for misbehaving students. Rule-breaking will not be tolerated.'

'Yes, professor Hollow.' Amy muttered under her breath.

'Also, you realise that your badge could be taken away if you violate your prefect privileges?' He continued, not having heard Amy's mutter.

'Er…Yes, thank you Elliot.' She said, turning back to him. 'But I promise you I take my prefect duties very seriously.'

'So you can tell your "reliable source", where she can-'

Daisy interrupted Amy

'And I promise, I never let any rule breaking escape me.' Daisy smiled angelically at him. 'After all, it's my dream to follow your great footsteps and then become head-girl.'

Elliot smiled back, mollified.

'I'm glad to hear it.' He stood up. 'Thank you.'

Amy made faces at his back as he moved up the table to sit by his friends.

'Amy, stop it, he'll see you!' Daisy said glancing after him.

'I hope he does.' She growled. 'Pompous prat.'

'Yes, well I agree,' Daisy grinned, 'but he's still a senior prefect so try to control yourself, at least until he's out of sight. Please?'

'Fine,' Amy sighed, 'but only because it might hurt your chances of becoming head-girl.' She grinned. 'I never knew that was your dream, by the way. Are you sure you shouldn't go and sit by professor Hollow? It might help you on your way to following his great footsteps.' She said dramatically.

'Amy-'

'Oh, and I have to ask. Does insulting your senior prefect mean I have another detention? Even if I'm your little friend? Because I'd understand, you know…Rule breaking must not be tolerated. After all-'

'Amy?'

'Yeah?'

'Shut up.'

'Oh dammit…' Amy sighed as her quill broke for the third time.

It was nearly a week after their breakfast chat with Hollow, and Amy was sitting in her favourite spot by the lake reading one of the books she had checked out of the library under George's instructions. She was only about half of the way through the list and already she had a huge pile of notes written and hidden under her mattress in the dorm.

She and Bethany hadn't spoken at all since their fight. Actually, they ignored each other completely, sitting on opposite sides of the common room each night and turning their heads away if they met in the corridor. The tension in the dorm at night could be cut with a knife.

Kia had basically taken Bethany's side, though she did still smile and talk with Amy. Daisy was about the same, but she was on Amy's side and was barely exchanging words with Bethany. Considering Bethany had tried to get Daisy's badge taken away, Amy wasn't surprised. The boys had decided to go neutral, talking to both sides and pretending as if nothing had happened, though they had learned not to speak the others name in presence of either of them.

Amy shook her head, to rid her head of these thoughts, took another quill from her bag, dipped it in ink and started scribbling again, checking her book now and then as a reference.

'So if I add half a tea spoon of powdered wormwood and then-'

A rustling sound made her lift her head. She turned, looking for the source but couldn't see anything.

'Must have been a bird.' She thought with a shrug, turning back to her work.

Seconds later, she heard it again.

'Who's there?' she said warily. When only silence answered her, she stood up.

'Is there anyone th-'

'Petrificus Totalus!'

Amy felt her body become paralysed instantly. Unable to move, she felt herself tumble over and land face down in the grass.

'Thought it very funny did ya Cassidy?' Amy recognised Montague's jeering tones. 'Thought it was hilarious to turn us into pigs?'

'Don't know about hilarious, but it was definitely appropriate.' Amy thought wishing she could say the words out loud.

'Well how funny do you think this is?'

Amy felt herself levitated into the air. She could now see Montague and his cronies below her, laughing and calling out insults and catcalls. Amy realised they could probably see up her skirt and thanked Merlin that she had put tights and not socks on that morning. Even thought she was covered, she still felt her face redden.

Suddenly, she saw Montague flick his wand to the right and saw the view underneath her change to the rippling silver-grey surface she recognised as the lake.

SPLASH

'Dammit. He's dropped me in the lake.'

Amy rolled her eyes. Or, at least, she tried to.

'The stupid prat hasn't taken the body-bind off!' she realised as she tried to move her arms and legs. Slowly, she felt herself start to sink.

A few seconds went past.

'Come on, Montague.' She thought as the light above her slowly started to dim. 'You can't leave me here forever.'

A few more seconds ticked past the clock.

'Not funny anymore Montague.' She thought, beginning to panic as the darkness grew thicker. She knew she could hold her breath for very little over a minute, and that after that she would start to drown. She must have been here for at least a minute now. She tried kicking her arms and legs furiously, but they refused to cooperate.

'I'm going to die.' She thought suddenly.

Her oxygen was running out, and fast. A normal persons reflex at this point would be to open their mouths to try and breathe. Of course they would actually take in water and not air, but Amy couldn't even do this. She could hear the screams in her mind as if they were actually coming from her mouth, but it didn't help.

'Mum…' she whispered in her mind.

Her eyes shut and she lost consciousness, still sinking into the darkness of the lake.

AUTHORS NOTE: dundunduuuuuun!! woohoo my first cliffhanger! Thanks to all my reviewers especially akaccino: thank youuu! Go check out her stories people: they rock! I'll give a cookie to whoever can find the Wicked quote hidden in here...

I'm very sorry it's not longer...I think it might be my shortest chapter, but I've got very bad writers block...I hate fillers. I have all the key points planned out (some of them are even written), but I can't figure out what to do with the fillers...

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that isn't mine. Anything you recognise is JK Rowling's work.

Plate of cookies to all who...

REVIEW!!!!

P.S. School starts in a week and my computer time will probably be severly limited seeing as I'm starting my bachillerato..but be patient because I'll still definitely be posting, just maybe less frequently!