As promised... here's chapter 16 ! (already?!)
Thank you all for the amazing feedback on the last chapter! Wow, you guys are amazing.
A lot of you have been asking if/how George will ask Addy to the ball...
Well, I won't tell you anything, but I can't tell you it won't be that easy, and you'll see why in this chapter :)
Please keep reviewing ! Love hearing from you!
Enjoy x

wildest dreams
VOLUME I

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

About a week before Christmas, I was sitting in the Common Room, trying to work on my assignment for Arithmancy, when a first year that I had never seen before came up to me, looking a little bit nervous.

"Er – Adelaide Harlowe ?"

"Can I… help you ?" I said, frowning.

"Professor Dumbledore would like to see you in his office."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Oh – okay. Thanks."

"Sure. Oh – and, also, you should know – caramel."

I frowned again, but before I could ask him what he meant, he ran upstairs. I stared down at my parchment, wondering what Dumbledore could ever want with me. I racked my brain, trying to find out if I had done something bad for the last few days, but with the exception of selling a few more Canary Creams to third years, I didn't have a single idea of what this meeting could be about.

"What was that all about ?" asked George, who had been listening from the couch.

"I have no idea" I shrugged. "Better go and find out."

"I'm coming with you."

I didn't even have time to protest – George was already up, grabbing his sweater.

"Okay" I muttered.

I carefully ignored Angelina's stare as we walked out of the Common Room, and started making our way to Dumbledore's office, which wasn't very far from the Gryffindor Tower.

"You know, I was thinking – Fever Fudge, Puking Pastiles– they're used for the same thing, right ?"

"Yeah, getting out of classes" I nodded.

"Well, why not make it a package, you know ? Buy the box and you get all of them – something like that."

"That's brilliant ! I'm sure people would buy them" I said with a smile.

"I think so too. But we need more, two isn't enough. Any ideas ?"

I thought for a while.

"Well, we need things that get you to the infirmary, like a fever… Ooh ! Why not a nosebleed ?" I said excitedly. "Remember last year, when Katie told us about how she got a nosebleed during Potions ? Snape sent her straight to Madame Pomfrey."

"Brilliant idea" nodded George. "I bet it wouldn't be that hard to make."

"You just need a name. Something that starts with the same letter, to continue the theme. What food starts with 'n' ?"

"Nuts ?" suggested George. "Nah – too many people are allergic. Wouldn't sell well."

"Noodles ?" I said.

"Too complicated" laughed George. "Oh, I've got it."

"What ?"

"Nougat."

I laughed.

"That sounds good. Nosebleed Nougat."

"Perfect" he said.

He raised his hand, and I gave him a high five.

"We make a good team, you and I" he said.

I glanced at him, smiling.

"We do" I agreed.

We stared into each other's eyes for a few seconds, and I looked away, very aware that I was probably blushing. Luckily, we had arrived in front of the gargoyle that lead to Dumbledore's office.

"Thanks for accompanying me" I said.

"No problem. I'll just wait for you here, in case you need emotional support when you come out."

I chuckled, and turned to the gargoyle.

"Caramel" I called, and it started to turn around.

Soon the stairs appeared before me, and I glanced one last time at George before I went up. He looked so calm, and so handsome, standing there in the hallway – his blue sweater matching his eyes, his hair messy on his head. I quickly chased away the thought – I had to focus. I was going to see Dumbledore, after all.

When I got to the door, I knocked on it a few times, and after a few seconds, it opened by itself. Dumbledore was sitting at his office, smiling kindly.

"Ah, miss Harlowe – please, come in."

I had only been in Dumbledore's office once before – in second year, when I got in trouble with Fred and George for pranking Marcus Flint. It was the same as I remembered – vast, intriguing, welcoming.

"Good evening, Professor" I said, walking towards his desk.

"Please, take a seat. Caramel ?" he smiled, offering me a small, brown candy.

"No, thank you."

I smiled – it seemed like when Dumbledore changed the password to his office, it was according to the candy he most fancied at the time.

"Now, miss Harlowe" started Dumbledore. "I'm sure you very well know that the Yule Ball is taking place next week."

"Of course" I nodded, intrigued.

"And I'm sure you have heard rumors about a certain musical guest for the event."

I nodded – I had heard that my uncle's band would be coming. I had asked him about him, but hadn't gotten a reply yet. I wasn't very concerned, though – I knew he was touring in America.

"Well, I thought I should tell you first – I have been in contact with your uncle, and I can confirm that he and his fellow comrades have agreed to come and play for us at the Yule Ball."

I gasped in excitement.

"Really ? That's brilliant !"

"Yes, I must say I am very happy that they agreed. Now, since you know Mr. Wagtail and his friends very well, I thought you might like to be the one to welcome them at Hogwarts, and make sure they find their way around."

"Of course, Professor, I would love to."

"Now, I also trust you to keep the secret of this news to your classmates… Even to your closest friends."

"I won't say a word, I promise" I chuckled.

"Very well. I will owl you the details in a few days – good night, miss Harlowe."

"Good night, Professor. And thank you !"

Dumbledore only smiled as I stood up to leave. I was definitely excited about the Yule Ball now. I would see my uncle again – that would feel good. I went down the stairs, grinning from ear to ear.

"I'm guessing it went well" said George when the gargoyle closed behind me.

"Extremely well" I nodded.

I couldn't stay still – so we started making our way back.

"Are you going to tell me what it was about ?"

"Oh – I wish I could ! But I can't say anything, I promised Dumbledore."

"You promised Dumbledore ? What is so important you can't tell me ?" he frowned.

"It's a surprise, George."

I heard him sigh – he seemed annoyed.

"Sorry" I added faintly.

"It's fine. You've already got all those secrets – what's one more ?"

I stopped and faced him, frowning.

"What is that supposed to mean ?" I asked.

"Nothing."

"George, there's clearly something you want to say. So why don't you just say it !"

I didn't know why I was suddenly angry, and why I was suddenly able to talk to him so freely, but I did – maybe I was just tired of pretending. I had always been honest to George, and I hated not to be. Things needed to change.

"Fine" he said sharply. "I don't know what happened to you, Addy. You've been acting all weird recently. You're never around – and when you decide to show up, you refuse to tell us anything !"

I pecked my lips. There it was. There was the truth. Of course he would have noticed. I was such an idiot to think it would go unnoticed.

"It's like you don't want to be friends with us anymore –"

"You know that's not true" I said faintly, cutting him off.

"Well, it certainly feels like it. I mean… We used to tell each other everything. Now I feel like I barely know anything about your life. That you're blocking me out. And I don't understand why."

I couldn't stand to look at him anymore – I was too busy fighting the tears burning my eyes. I was gritting my teeth so hard my jaw started to hurt.

"I don't –" I said, my voice breaking. "I'm sorry."

"If you're sorry, why don't just tell me what's going on !"

But I knew I couldn't do that. I knew I couldn't look at him and tell him what was going on. Because if I did, I knew it would ruin everything. Whatever Angelina had said. I could feel George's eyes on me, waiting. The silence was deafening.

"I can't" I let out quietly.

"Why ? Why can't you ?" he said, his voice getting slightly louder.

I didn't answer. My head was starting to hurt. I just wanted to run away, but my legs were shaking too hard.

"I don't understand, Addy. Help me understand."

"George, I told you – I can't !" I cried out, finally looking up to meet his stare.

It felt like his eyes were burning into mine. I saw how he looked disappointed, and confused, and angry.

"What has gotten into you ?" he said quietly. "It all started with that Durmstrang -"

"Oh, don't bring Nik into this !" I exclaimed – he was the last thing I wanted to think about.

"No, I am going to bring him into this, because he's whole bloody reason we're having this conversation !"

I laughed bitterly, shaking my head.

"You call that a conversation ? I'm going to bed."

I sharply turned around, determined to run back to my dormitory, crawl into bed and cry myself to sleep. I hated fighting. I hated everything about this situation. At that specific moment, I hated Nik, and I hated George, and I hated myself.

"You could have told me you were going to the ball with him."

George's voice was quiet – I barely heard it. I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. I slowly turned around, frowning.

"What ? What are you bloody talking about ?"

"Oh, don't play that card."

"I'm not playing any card – where did you hear that ?"

"It was obvious, Addy. That day in the park – you went to talk to him, and when you came back, you had this huge smile on your face. I'm not an idiot, whatever you might think."

I was so shocked that I couldn't even formulate a coherent answer.

"I'm not – It's not –"

"Will you stop pretending ? I know you're going with him. And I know that you've been going on dates, and I know that you like him –"

"Stop ! You don't know anything, George."

"Look, Addy – you can do whatever you want" he shrugged. "I certainly can't stop you. But I just thought you would at least tell your best friends about it."

I felt like a lost child. I couldn't find the words. I couldn't even think straight. I just stared at him, stared at the sadness in his eyes, stared at his clenched fists.

"And by the way, I think you deserve a lot better."

I didn't say anything as he walked beside and past me. My mind was blank. I listened to the sounds of his steps, getting more and more faint. I closed my eyes, feeling the tears finally slide from the corner of my eyes to my cheeks. And I started to cry. I didn't know what else to do. It was the only thing I could do. My head was pounding, my chest hurt, my eyes burned.

I don't know for how long I stood there. It certainly felt like forever. When I seemed to be able to breathe again, I only wanted to do one thing – go to sleep. So I blankly walked back to the Common Room, ignored everyone and got into bed. Sleep did not come easy, and when it did, I only dreamt of loneliness and pain.