A/N: Thank You to people who are reading this story. Please can you review to let me know what you think thank you. x
Chapter Fourteen
The next morning, news had spread across the castle of Colin's Creevey's attack. The rest of the morning elapsed rather quickly. Nothing being said, as the day past on; by dinner that evening the rest of Quidditch team had noticed that I had hardly being spending much time with them, but instead with the seconds years: Phe, Harry, Hermione and Ron. At first, I think they thought I was doing it to try and console Phe, but by the end of the day, they knew something serious was amidst. I felt the eyes of the team on me as I sat down next to Phe at dinner, I turned to look at them, but as soon as I did Fred quickly looked away, guilt written all over his face. I turned back to Phe and started a conversation, when I felt a presence beside me. Turning to see who had decided to sit next to me, I found George staring at me sympathetically.
"Why have you been avoiding us hey?" he playfully nudged me.
"No reason, though I think you should ask you two timing brother though." I angrily said as I went back to my food. "We have been together a year, but we did not even celebrate as he decided to flirt with Lestrange. I am beginning to believe Ange and Licia about him fancying her. All he as ever done this year is flirt with her and not even bothered to pay any attention to me. Tell him from me, we are over. I cannot stand it anymore." I said as I stood to walk out of the hall, tears running down my face without eating anything. I do not think I stay in the tower tonight, might go to Stef and see if I can stay in her room for tonight.
"Lie, do not split up with him." He said pulling me back to sit at the table. "He loves you. I know he does. I do not know why he is behaving like this, but I know for a fact that he does not fancy Abby Lestrange."
"Why? Why is he doing this to me?"
"I don't know, Lie. I honestly don't know."
"Please, George. Let me go." He reluctantly let me stand back up from the table. As I glanced back, I saw George and Fred in a heated whispered argument and noticed Flint staring at me with a sympatric glance. I walked towards Stef's office, hoping that she would be there. Luckily she was; I explained what happen and she agreed to let me stay with her tonight.
The next morning, I ate breakfast with Stef in her room, before making my way to my first lesson. Potions! I sat at a table near the front of the class, hoping that not one of them came and sat near me. I still needed time to think. The door open as the rest of the class filled in. The twins, Lee, Ange, and Licia sat in their usual seats at the back of the room not noticing that I was sitting near the front or choose to ignore me. Higgs sat next to me seeing as that was the only available space, but kept a distance between us, which I was only too happy to comply with. The rest of the lesson went by with no hitch apart from the twins messing about like they usually do. As the lesson ended, I packed up my stuff and headed off before any of my friends could stop. I though I heard someone shout my name but I took no notice, as I went to Library to make a start on the essay which Snape had set. I settled at a table near the potions section, which I knew no one hardly sat at; I also knew that I was the only one in our group that had a free period at that moment, unless the twins decided to skip the lesson.
By the end of the day, rumours had circulated about the fact that Fred and I were no longer talking and some even went to on to suggest that we had split up, which I suppose was true as I had told George to tell Fred that it was over. It still hurt to think about him. I made my way up to the Gryffindor tower, deciding that it was time that I faced the rest of my house. I said the password and entered, which caused the common room to go silent as I walked in. I looked to see Ange and Fred extremely close on the crouch; when they saw me they jumped apart and Fred ran a hand nervously through his hair. I continued on my way to the Girls dormitory, but instead of going to the fourth year dormitory; I stopped at the Second year; finding Phe on her bed.
"Hey. Is it okay if I stay in your dormitory with you? I do not think I will be able to stay in the same room as Ange after what I just saw."
"Yeah it is fine. I am sorry about you and Fred.
"It's okay. Maybe it is for the best." I replied settling down on the spare bed.
Xoxoxoxox
The rest of November slipped away fairly uneventfully, apart from the occasionally pranks from the twins. I remained in the fourth year dormitory even though Angelina had come up to me the next morning to explain, that there was nothing going on between Fred and her. George kept trying to get me to talk to him but with no successful. Apart from lessons and quidditch practices, I avoided the group as best I could.
Both Ginny and Percy Weasley had gotten more secretive but none of their siblings had noticed; as far as the twins could tell, Ginny was starting to feel the pressures of built-up homework, and Percy was annoyed with them for one broken rule or another. Yet, I knew the real reason why Percy was being secretive after catching Ginny come back to the common room all flustered and embarrassed.
"Gin. What's wrong?"
"I just caught Percy snogging Penelope Clearwater in a classroom on the sixth floor." She replied sounding out of breath. Before I could reply, Percy came through the portrait door, his face matching the colour of his hair. Ginny squealed as she caught sight of him and hid behind me.
"Erm Liesal, Ginny." He started sounding embarrassed and nervous. "I do not suppose you could keep quiet about this. I just do not want to be teased by the twins or Ron. If you do not mind."
"Sure thing Perc. But I will be using this to my advantage though." I smirked at him as his face went even redder. He nodded his thanks before turning and walking out of the common room. As soon as he went, Gin came out from behind, turning to face her, I saw a small smile creep onto her face. Next thing we are both trying so hard to stop laughing; as people entered the common room and kept sending us weird looks. When Fred and George entered; Fred just looked at like he wanted to ask what's funny before deciding against it and walked up the boy's staircase. George; on the other hand, came over and asked, which caused both me and Gin to double over again.
Oliver, however, seemed to have totally forgotten his grievances after our big win over Slytherin and their Nimbus 2001s, and had taken to discussing Quidditch tactics with anyone who would listen. Amazingly, people began suddenly remembering pressing errands and had to run when Ollie entered the room, leaving Katie as the only one who couldn't bring herself to disappoint him. The poor girl could only take so much, however, and finally suggested to Ollie to write to Charlie Weasley, which Ollie thought to, be a brilliant idea. He spent hours hunched over a piece of parchment that night, enthusiastically recounting every detail of the match and assuring the former Captain and Seeker that he was taking good care of his team.
It was not until the second week of December that anything that could be considered interesting happened. Draco had been fuming all through dinner about an accident in Potions class ("Potter did it, I know it!"), which I knew what happened after getting details from Phe. While most of the Slytherins and the other houses tried hard to ignore his tantrum, it had been impossible not to notice the reaction in which the twins had. Despite Percy's hissing at them to sit down and behave, George had clapped Harry on the back and Fred had declared loudly enough that while he approved of Swelling Solutions, nothing beat an old-fashioned jaw-lock jinx. The Slytherins had collectively snarled at that. After he finally sat back down, I saw him turn to look in my way; I tried hard to ignore his stare, but in the end match it, with him turning away first. That had been the first time we had taken any notice of each other since the match against Slytherin.
Mid-December, a notice had appeared in the house common room regarding the formation of a Duelling Club, the first of which was to be held in the Great Hall that evening. As I left the common room that night to head to Great Hall for the Duelling Club, I bumped into the back of someone. I looked up and Fred was standing in front of me with George next to him.
"Hey. I-I was just heading to the Great Hall. You not going?" I asked nervously.
"No." Fred answered before turning his back to me.
"Okay." I replied, before walking past them, trying my hardest to keep the tears at bay. I was still not over him, but I had stopped crying ages ago, so why did I have to start now, in front of him.
"Lie." George said softly. I turned around to look at him, I saw his face frown as he saw the tears forming, sending a glare at his brother, who looked at him with eyebrows raised before looking over his shoulder to glance at me. He shook his head before turning back round; George turned to me, came forward and pulled me into a hug. "Let me know how it went." He said before letting go and following after his twin, who had walked off in front.
I reached the Great Hall, and wiped my tears away before entering. The first thing I noticed was that the long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead. The ceiling was velvety black once more and the entire school seemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and looking excited.
Being the last to arrive, I hung back near the doorway with Phe and Higgs and watched as Lockhart and Snape stood facing one another on the platform for all to see.
"...Now I don't want any of you youngsters to worry," Lockhart was saying. "You'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"
The two Professors bowed at one another; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably. Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them.
"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."
"One - two - three -"
Both of them swung their wands up and over their shoulders.
Snape cried: "Experlliarmus!" There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet; he flew backwards off the stage, smashed into the wall and slid down it to sprawl on the floor.
Malfoy and some of the other Slytherin's cheered. Phoebe gave a startled gasp and started forwards, but Terence held her back. "Do you think he's all right?" she squealed through her fingers.
"Who cares?" said Terence.
Lockhart was getting unsteadily to his feet. His hat had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end. "Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm - as you see, I've lost my wand - ah, thank you, Miss Black. Yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind me saying so, it was pretty obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy. However, I felt it would be instructive to let them see..."
Snape was looking murderous. Possibly Lockhart had noticed because he said "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me..."
They moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Lockhart teamed Terence with Oliver, Katie with Roxanna -
"And Miss Blackheart," Lockhart smiled.
"Uh, no Professor," Phoebe interrupted quickly "I'm not here to take part, I'm only here to observe."
Lockhart patted her shoulder "Nonsense Miss Blackheart; …"
But before Lockhart could pair her up, "Professor, Phoebe is here to observe. Madame Promfrey has strictly forbidden her of taking part in any combat until she is healed."
It seemed to go through that thick skull of his as he disappeared and began to pair others up. Phe casted me a grateful smile in which I returned and we watched as pairs cast spells at each other. After a bad incident between Neville and Seamus; Lockhart and Snape suggested a demonstration on blocking unfriendly spells.
"Excellent idea, Professor Snape," agreed Lockhart. "Let's have a volunteer pair - Potter and Weasely, how about you?"
"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," said Snape, gliding over. "Weasely's wand causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Potter up the hospital wing in a matchbox! How about Malfoy and Potter?"
"Excellent idea!" said Lockhart, gesturing Harry and Malfoy into the middle of the Hall as the crowd backed away to give them room. "Now, Harry, when Draco points his wand at you, you do this."
He flourished in a complicated fashion before dropping it.
"Whoops. My wands a little over-excited."
Snape smirked and moved closer to Malfoy, bent down and whispered something in his ear. Malfoy smirked, too. Harry glanced around nervously.
"Three - two - one - go!" shouted Lockhart.
Malfoy raised his wand quickly and bellowed "Serpensortia!"
The end of his wand exploded. I watched, aghast, as a long black snake shot out of it, fell heavily onto the floor between them and raised itself, ready to strike.
There were screams as the crowd backed away quickly.
Phoebe shot to her feet, but Serefina held her back.
"Don't move, Potter," said Snape lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of Harry standing motionless, eye-to-eye with the angry serpent. "I'll get rid of it for you!"
"Serefina. He gave Draco that spell." Phoebe whispered in our native tongue. "There is no way Draco thought of that alone. You have to get rid of it. Before someone gets hurt!"
Serefina considered her goddaughter for a split second before nodding and turning towards the snake, only to find that it wasn't there. Lockhart had only thrown it ten feet into the air. With a thump the snake landed and turned angrily in Justin's direction.
As she brushed past Terrence and Ollie, the latter caught her quickly around the middle and held her back as I reached her; wrapping a protective arm around her; a hiss from Harry's direction caused us both to freeze. We watched as Harry stepped closer to Justin and the snake. The snake turned its head in Harry's direction bedore slumping to the ground like a thick, black garden hose. The hall was silent, no dared speak, no one dared move.
"What do you think you're playing at?" shouted another Hufflepuff, by the name of Ernie McMillian.
Stepping forward into the crowd, Serefina waved her wand and the Snake disappeared. "Dismissed. Students are to return to their house dormitories immediately. No students other than prefects and the Head boy and Girl are to be wandering the corridors after this hour. Understand?"
"Yes, Professor Dixon." the students chimed.
"Good. Now go!"
We all left to go to our dorms.