For: maureen is me, CrystalClear444, and Kaiya33087.

They figured the title for chapter three is from Fiddler on the Roof. Congratulations! (maureen is me also figured out that the title for chapter two is from Aida).

Also, I would like to note that the break-up scene was written courtesy of Mara1313, my amazing co-author. Take a bow, Mara!

Disclaimer: I don't own Wicked. I don't own Harry Potter. End of story.

Chapter 4: Where Do I Go

Someone knocked on the door of her bedroom. Elphaba sighed. She had just been about to crack open the book Snape had purchased for her last birthday. It looked fascinating but she hadn't gotten the chance to read any of it yet. Now, it didn't look like she was going to get that chance today. She didn't budge from her curled-up position in her armchair as she calmly said, "Come in!"

However, her only answer was more pounding on the door. Groaning, Elphaba set the book down and pushed herself out of her chair. "I said, come in!" she exclaimed as she walked towards the door.

The door hesitantly opened, revealing a bashful Fiyero. "Sorry, I didn't hear…are you busy?"

Elphaba shifted uncomfortably, "Not yet."

"I'm sorry," Fiyero said apologetically. He paused for a moment. "Are you still mad at me?"

"No, no…I'm just…I don't know." She didn't want to deal with this conversation now (or ever, if truth be told). Maybe after a good night's sleep she would be able to calmly tell Fiyero her true feelings and peacefully end their long relationship.

"Well, can we talk?" Fiyero asked, walking towards the armchair Elphaba had recently vacated when she had answered the door.

"Do we have to talk now?" Elphaba groaned.

Fiyero turned around quickly. "Yes, Elphaba, we do. The school year will start tomorrow and then you will be busy all the time. And it probably won't be long before Dumbledore needs me for another mission. So yes, we need to talk now."

"Fine!" Elphaba threw up her hands in a sarcastic surrender. "We'll talk!" She sat down on the bed, slightly angry that Fiyero had now taken a seat in the armchair and looked quite comfortable. Why did he have to barge in, take up her small amount of time to relax, and steal her most comfortable chair as well?

"Good," Fiyero said, waiting only a second before he started the interrogation. "Why did you treat me so coldly that night?"

Elphaba was shocked. "I told you! That was the fifth anniversary of the day I had to leave behind everything that I loved, Fiyero! I had every right to be in a bad mood!"

"It's been months since I last saw you, Elphaba, and you treated me like an intruder. I love you too much to let our relationship suffer like that!" His words scared Elphaba. She may be ready to end what seemed to her a loveless and dying relationship, but he apparently was not going to let go easily.

"Well," Elphaba said after a long silence. "Maybe it's time we took a…break in our relationship?"

Fiyero looked like he had been kicked in the gut. Then his face turned cold as stone. "Elphaba," he said, his voice chilly, "what exactly do you mean?"

"Just that…well…" Elphaba found herself completely unable to articulate what she had told Harry earlier today. She tried to think of how to calmly explain that she didn't love him anymore, but there was no easy way to do this and Elphaba was tired. "You know, it doesn't matter. Let's just get some sleep and—"

"Yes, yes it does matter," Fiyero said, leaning forward in the chair. "You can't just brush off comments like that, Elphaba."

"Well, I'm sorry," Elphaba retorted. "But now really isn't the time, Yero."

"It's never the time with you, Elphaba. You're always too tired or too busy to talk. I'm tired, too, Elphaba. I fight against Voldemort too, if you've forgotten."

"Okay, I'm sorry!" the witch shouted back. "I just didn't want to tell you now!"

"Tell me what now?" Fiyero asked. Elphaba took a deep breath and bit her lip. "Tell me what now?" Fiyero was now a bit annoyed at all this secrecy.

She shook her head.

"Elphaba? Fae?"

"Nevermind, Yero."

Fiyero rolled his eyes, "Well I do mind, Elphie."

She pulled a stray strand of dark hair behind a green ear and leaned forward on the bed, burying her face in her hands. She was absolutely silent for what seemed to Fiyero an eternity. Then she finally lifted her head. He was shocked to see that her eyes were full of water. He had never seen her cry before and he couldn't remember the last time her eyes had been so watery.

"That's the problem," she said quietly. "You mind too much. You're never around and you expect me to welcome you home with open arms. I can't just wait around for you forever, Fiyero. You need to be here for me, too."

Now Fiyero felt like crying. "Isn't absence supposed to make the heart grow fonder?" he asked softly.

Elphaba couldn't suppress a chuckle. It sure had made Elphaba's heart grow fonder, just not in the way Fiyero thought. "I guess it has…in a way. But…well, not for you," Elphaba finally managed to say.

She struggled to meet his hurt gaze. She hated to cause pain to those she cared about: even if she no longer loved Fiyero romantically, he would always be a good friend. "There's…someone else I care about."

Silence met her bold statement. She looked away, not wanting to see Fiyero's expression. The awkward silence stretched for what seemed like hours, broken only by the ticking of a clock. The constant beat of the clock would have made any observer of the scene think of a time bomb, ready to explode from all the tension in the room.

"Who?" Fiyero whispered.

The clock continued to tick. Glinda would distrust clocks were she ever to find herself in England, Elphaba randomly thought. They seemed far too much like the tiktok inventions back in Oz.

"It-it doesn't matter. I know the person doesn't love me back," Elphaba said, keeping her eyes on the floor.

Fiyero hated silence. He listened to his breathing and the steady beat of the clock. "Who?" he asked again.

Elphaba looked up at him, pain in her eyes, but not forthcoming with an answer. Then, something clicked in Fiyero's brain. His expression grew dark and his breathing grew ragged. He knew who she loved, and despite what she had claimed about the person not loving her back, Fiyero was sure that they had been carrying on an affair while he was gone.

"My head isn't full of straw anymore, Elphaba. I'm not an idiot. I know who you've been cheating on me with, and I bet half the Order does too," Fiyero spat out his words, practically choking on some of them.

Elphaba was puzzled. She wasn't cheating on him. And she hadn't asked anyone but Harry for advice. "What are you talking about?" she asked.

"I can't believe you, Elphaba," Fiyero rose to his feet. "Here I am, totally in love with you while you screw around with some creepy guy with long hair." He gestured wildly as his voice rose. "I can't believe you. I just can't believe you!" Fiyero cried, kicking over the little ottoman and toppling the book Snape had bought Elphaba.

"What in Oz are you raving about, Yero? What guy with long hair? And pick up that book! That was a birthday present from Snape!" Although she had picked up most of the wizarding expressions, Elphaba tended to revert back to Ozian expressions in times of stress or annoyance.

Fiyero's eyebrows shot up as he gaped in surprise. Then he shook his head. "And I bet that book means a whole lot more to you than our relationship. Thanks, Elphaba," he said with a sarcasm rare for his typically charismatic personality. Then he stormed out of the room, kicking her dresser as he walked towards the portrait hole. He slammed the portrait behind him.

Elphaba stood in the middle of the room, totally confused. What had just happened? Were she and Fiyero done? That certainly hadn't been the nice and tidy ending to their relationship which she had envisioned. She leaned over and picked up the book, gently setting it on the chair. Then she righted the ottoman and sat down on it. A wave of self-loathing washed over her, and Elphaba finally let herself cry.

The next day, September 1st, dawned gray and cloudy, just like Elphaba's mood. She dressed in her usual black robes and, clutching her wand, left silently. She was not in the mood for conversations of any type. Noticing Dumbledore but a few steps away, Elphaba tried to hurry past. Out of everyone in the castle, Dumbledore was the person she most wanted to avoid (other than Fiyero)- she definitely did not want to endure twinkling eyes and forced Lemon Drops.

Dumbledore, however, had other plans. As Elphaba brushed past him, Dumbledore put a hand on her arm, stopping her. "Good morning, Fae," he said pleasantly.

"Hello," Elphaba sighed. It looked as though she would not be able to avoid the Headmaster. "Look, Albus, I'm tired, I'm stressed…it's just not a good time. Can we talk later?"

Dumbledore regarded her over his half-moon spectacles. Then, he took a small white bag out of his pocket. "Lemon Drop?" he offered. "I often find that they help-"

"I don't need a Lemon Drop right now, nor do I want one," Elphaba raged. Then, she realized exactly whom she had just yelled at and groaned. "I'm sorry, sir." It seemed as though messing up relationships was unavoidable for her lately.

"It is fine, Fae," Dumbledore reassured her. "I shouldn't have pressed you…but I do have a small favor to ask of you."

"Yes?" Elphaba asked, hoping this would make up for her behavior in the past two minutes.

"You know our," Dumbledore suddenly lowered his voice, "-our contact for the Order?" Elphaba nodded, wondering what this had to do with her. "I'm inviting her to the feast tonight, but I will be unavailable to sit with her. Do you mind sitting by her and talking to her tonight?"

Well, there went my day of being solitary, Elphaba thought. She shrugged. "No, I'll do it," she said impassively. "What's her na-"

"Wonderful!" Dumbledore cried. "Well, Fae, I must be off. So much to do to get ready for the start of another school year, you know." He hurried off, leaving Elphaba alone again.

"-name?" Elphaba finished to no one in particular.

The final staff meeting at six o' clock always had an undercurrent of tense excitement for the staff members. The teachers all milled around, some talking, others staring at the fire, still others instructing newer teachers what to expect from the students. Elphaba was talking to Snape when Fiyero walked in. Fiyero headed for her direction, saw Snape, scowled, and left, not looking back at her.

"What happened between you and Tiggular?" Snape asked, curious at Fiyero's behavior. "Last time I checked, you two seemed perfectly happy together."

"We…had a fight. Perhaps it was partly my fault, but Fiyero thinks I'm cheating on him with 'some creepy guy with long hair,'" Elphaba answered, her eyes downcast.

"Well, are you?" Snape said, smirking.

"What? No, of course not. Why in the world does everyone think I'm having an affair?" Elphaba cried, standing up.

"Sit down, Fae. I was merely trying to annoy you; I know you wouldn't do that," Snape reached out and pulled Elphaba back down onto the couch.

Elphaba sighed. "I know, Snape. I'm just-well…never mind." At this time, Dumbledore entered the room and addressed all the teachers.

"Hello everyone. To those that are new, welcome to Hogwarts and to those returning, glad to have you back. I wish you all an enjoyable ("Doubtful," Snape muttered) year. Now, we have to take care of some last-minute business.

"First, Hogsmead weekends. As Voldemort's power continues to grow, we are now increasing the number of teacher patrolling the village. The sign-up list is over there: There should be at least four teachers per visit. You can work out a schedule amongst yourselves. Next, I am sorry to announce that our Transfiguration professor, Professor McGonagall, has decided to retire from being Head of Gryffindor House. In her place, she has nominated," he pulled a piece of paper out from his pocket, "Professor Fae Thropp."

"What?" Elphaba stood up, glaring at the Headmaster. "Why wasn't I informed of this?"

"Well, that's what I'm doing right now. I thought it prudent to tell you before I announced it tonight at the opening feast," Dumbledore said, seemingly unperturbed.

"And…I don't get a say in this?" Elphaba crossed her arms. Dumbledore didn't answer. He looked at Elphaba with a gaze that made Elphaba feel like he was seeing right through her. Finally, she relented. "Alright, then. But don't expect me to give in again," she added.

"Glad that's all cleared up," Dumbledore declared cheerfully. "Finally, I believe that I do not have the lists for the Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff prefects- could these be given to me as soon as possible?" It was not a request, but a command. "Thank you. It is now," he consulted his pocket watch, "six thirty. I expect all of you down in the Great Hall in fifteen minutes. That is all."

At 6:45, Glinda was mildly annoyed. So far, she had run into five dead ends, three abandoned corridors, and one secret room. By 7:15, Glinda had decided that she hated large castles. The Welcoming Feast and the 'Sorting' had started fifteen minutes ago, and Glinda still had absolutely no idea where in the castle she was. For all she knew, she could be on the completely wrong side of the castle.

I really should ask Dumbledore about putting maps up throughout this school. How in the world do people find their way here? she thought. Fifteen minutes later, at 7:30, she finally caught a glimpse of light from behind a set of large double-doors. Thank Oz, she thought, and pushed the door open. Perhaps I could sneak in the back…

Obviously, that was not to be the case. When the doors opened at last with a loud creak, she saw hundreds of students staring at her. "Or…not, then," she muttered, completely embarrassed.

"Welcome, Ms. Upland. I'm sorry, I should have helped you find the Great Hall. Hogwarts can be very confusing if you don't know where to go," Dumbledore said apologetically.

Huh. Upland. Where have I heard that before, Elphaba thought. However, she was too busy talking to Snape to really give any thought to this subject.

"It's...okay," Glinda said hesitantly, although of course, she was horribly embarrassed. She could feel the hundreds of eyes staring at her. All the teenage boys were entranced by her beautiful figure, looking at her in a really uncomfortable way. And all the teenage girls were glaring at the woman they unconsciously saw as a sort of competition for the boys' attention. Glinda was sure that her cheeks were as warm and cheerful pink she had chosen to wear tonight.

Say something! Glinda's conscience yelled at her. "Well, hello everybody!" Glinda said, her voice shaky but cheerful sounding enough.

Nobody answered, but Elphaba looked away from Snape. That voice sounded awfully familiar.

Glinda's eyes roamed the room. The students were still staring but the teachers looked pleasant enough. She was about to walk across the long hall towards the table when she suddenly noticed someone staring, wide-eyed, at her. Someone very familiar. Someone with green skin.

In the un-name of the Unnamed God, was that…"Elphie?" Glinda whispered into the silence of the Great Hall.

Coming up: An awkward reunion and a confrontation with our favorite Potions Master.

Can you guess what Elphaba's animagus is? I'll probably reveal it in the next chapter…

-Wolfie