Thank you Tink113 for reviewing =-] so sorry I couldn't post last week I just was no where near ready, and I'm still behind where I'd like to be but I'm updating and hopefully there'll be a post next week too =-] ...keep your fingers crossed.
Chapter 12: Hogsmeade Trip #2
With only two weeks until the First Task excitement was running very high. Alice found out from the Beauxbatons champion that they weren't told what the task was but that they should practice minor jinxes and hexes as well as defensive spells. Also the first round of the Quidditch Tournament was scheduled to take place the weekend after that (starting on the Thursday). The sixteen Quidditch Captains would be given the schedule the night before. And as if that wasn't enough the second Hogsmeade trip was planned for the upcoming weekend. The only bad thing I could find was that when I'd asked Sel for a book on Medieval Times she only had one and it was no help what so ever, there was no mention at all off potion curses, but there also was any mention of torture methods in the book so it's not completely hopeless.
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After Quidditch Practice on Tuesday
"Who do you think we'll be facing first in the tournament?" Sean asked as we changed out of our soaking wet Quidditch Robes, it was raining and the rain was freezing cold.
"I really have no idea," Fred replied.
"It'll probably be either Ravenclaw or Durmstrang's best team," I said.
"Why to you say that?" Fred asked.
"Well, if the start schools together then we'll probably face Ravenclaw because last year we came in first and they came in second, and if they don't start schools together, then well, Durmstrang and Hogwarts are the only teams known for being good at Quidditch," I reasoned.
"I doubt they would start schools together. Then there is no change from a normal tournament just in a slightly different format, so if they were going to do that they might as well put the best teams from each school into the tournament," Rose added.
"Oh, that's just great," James said sarcastically.
"Why," Fred asked.
"Well, if Slytherin is known for the Dark Arts and Durmstrang is supposed to be even worse, like ten times worse…"
"Well, I guess we will just have to be on our guard…"
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Thursday night – common room
"Do you think she'd go…?" Hugo began asking Anthony something and distracting them both from writing their Charms essays in the process…or really starting them for that matter.
"For the thousandth time, Hugo," Anthony said sounding exasperated, "I have absolutely no idea, but I don't see why you can't just ask her, honestly!"
"Because, it's just not that simple, it's not like you're willing to ask…" Hugo replied. I realized that he'd stopped talking because Anthony was sending him a death glare. "Fine, fine, and I still don't see you say that 'it's not a good time.'"
"Because, ugh, well discuss this later. In the mean time why don't you ask Lily her opinion on the matter?"
"No! That'd be weird," Hugo muttered.
"Ask me what?" I questioned.
"If you…" Anthony began.
"You tell her and I'll tell her your secret," Hugo warned.
"Fine, ugh, I'm going to bed."
"What's his problem?" I asked Hugo once Anthony went upstairs.
"I'm not quite positive," Hugo replied looking annoyed.
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Saturday Morning
"Let's go," I said trying to get Hugo to stop stuffing his face so we could go to Hogsmeade.
"Wait, I'm still eating!" Hugo replied…ugh.
"Hugo come on we have been here for somewhere around half an hour," I said.
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Fifteen minuets later…
"So, where should we go first?" I asked as we set off into the cold November air on our way to Hogsmeade.
"How about Weasley's?" Hugo suggested.
"Fine with me," Anthony replied.
"Same, but can we stop at the bookstore at some point?" I asked.
"Sure, we'll go there after," Anthony replied.
"Hi George," Hugo called.
"Hey guys, what's up?"
"Nothing much, you aren't meeting people at The Three Broomsticks, are you?"
"Nope; Hermione's watching kids who have detention, Ron has Quidditch stuff, Harry's working…still, Bill and Fleur are still in France, and Percy and Audrey don't want to come, so I'm stuck here working."
"It's better than getting drunk," Hugo replied.
"Agreed," I agreed – lol.
"I would have to disagree there," George commented.
"Oh, whatever, let's just go in."
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"Why are we going to a bookstore again?" Hugo asked.
"Because, I want to see if they have any books that would have information on medieval torture," I replied, "and possibly a new book for me to read."
"Fine."
"You can get stuff, too, there's like Quidditch books and stuff," I told him.
In the bookstore I went to the section on wizarding history, there were a couple books on medieval times; none of them discussed torture though. I checked to see if they had any books on torture in general, there really wasn't much most of them were extremely elementary, like how the first wizarding torture was derived from muggle torture, that one was very interesting, or modern torture, but nothing specific enough on medieval times. So, I skimmed through the titles I found one book title that looked promising, How Wizards Have Evolved, but when I read the back cover it proved to have nothing on torture. I found several others like that. I was just about to give up and was deciding whether to into the muggle or wizarding fiction section to find a book to read when I saw another promising title, Wizards Through the Ages, according to the back cover it was about wizarding history and how intertwined with muggle history covering several time periods – including Medieval! and discussing clothing, laws, government, muggle torture, punishments, ect. It was exactly what I was looking for! I went over to find Anthony and Hugo in the Quidditch section when another book caught my eye. It was a book of all sorts of strategies for individual Quidditch players as well as teams, I decided I would get it for Fred, his 18th birthday was tomorrow and I didn't really have anything to give him.
"Hugo, Anthony, you guys ready to check out" I questioned.
"Yeah, one second."
After we checked out we bundled up to leave the nice, warm, bookstore.
"What should we do now?" Hugo asked.
"I don't care…we could go to the Shrieking Shack," Anthony suggested.
"Sounds good to me," I replied.
"Alright."
"So, did you find a book?" Hugo asked.
"I think so, yeah."
"Cool," Anthony replied.
"It kinda bothers me that everyone is so afraid of the shrieking shack," I said.
"Yeah, I mean it's been silent for how long?" Hugo questioned.
"Umm, over 40 years, I mean how long can people just imagine that there's screaming in there?"
"Do you guys want to see if there's a way in…other than the Whomping Willow I mean," Anthony asked.
"Sure!" Hugo replied.
"Alright, I guess if you guys want to."
"You're not scared are you?" Hugo teased.
"No, it's just like it was the marauders place and then like now, there all dead and that's where Snape died, and all five of them died trying to stop Voldemort or helping my dad. I just find that depressing."
"We don't have to go…"
"No, its okay," I replied.
"Okay! So, where should we try?" Hugo wondered aloud.
"Um, well, the wood is bound to be rotting in some places; it's been boarded up for over 50 years, but I'm guessing the door would have been boarded up pretty well, so no one could break in, in fact the door might even be magically enhanced, but maybe a back window would have rotted enough?"
"Well, let's go look at the back windows."
There was a back window that we were able to break (useing a bit of magic) and climb in through. It seemed really eerie, all the furniture was broken and the wallpaper ripped, and then it seemed kind of disturbing knowing why everything was the way it was, and then, thinking of all the great memories the marauders had, it seemed happy this place was in some ways their sanctuary; a place where they could just be themselves, and then the sadness knowing that what ever path they're life took, whatever mistakes they made, they all died fighting for good and helping it succeed. At that point I realized I had tears in my eyes, I hastily whipped them away.
"You okay?" Anthony asked.
"Yeah, let's go upstairs," I replied.
We went straight into the room that we knew was where Hermione, Ron, and Dad had found out about that Sirius really was on their side and of Pettigrew's betrayal. It's was also the room in which Snape was killed.
"Oh my gosh!" I gasped pointing at the floor.
"What?" Hugo and Anthony shouted.
"Look," I said pointing to a spot on the floor where there was large blood stain.
"That must be where…" Hugo began.
"Yeah…" I agreed.
"Wait, what?" Anthony asked.
"That's probably where Snape died, during the final war Voldemort killed him believing that that was how he would gain ownership of the Elder Wand," I explained.
"Oh. Wait, this is Severus Snape were talking about, the evil Death Eater that killed Dumbledore, yet your brother is named after?" Anthony questioned.
"Yes and no," I replied. "Yes Severus Snape, the Death Eater that killed Dumbledore, yet my brother is named after, but he's not actually evil, technically he was on the good side ever since Voldemort killed my grandma, he was like in love with her or something, and he only killed Dumbledore on Dumbledore's orders - weird I know what can you do? So my parents say he's really brave and good and all that, which he is, but because of the stories I've heard from when my dad was at school about him, I hate him anyway."
"Okay then," Anthony replied.
"Hey, is it just me or are our footprints not the only one's in the dust?" Hugo questioned cautiously.
"I think you're right look over there," I said pointing to the corner where it looked like someone had sat down somewhat recently.
"Let's go," Anthony whispered frantically, we sprinted out, through the window, and ran all the way back to High Street before we stopped.
"We should tell someone!" I said.
"No, we shouldn't have been there, we'll get in trouble!" Hugo exclaimed.
"But what if it was what ever was making mine, James, and Albus' hands go to mortal peril!"
"And what if it was just some kid and then we'll get in trouble for nothing!"
"And what if it's not!" I shouted back," What do you think, Anthony?"
"I say, it could be either way and if we notice anything else suspicious we'll tell someone, but Hugo's right it really could just be nothing."
"Ugh, fine."
"Let's keep moving though," Anthony said, "just in case."
"So you're worried about our safety right now but not in the near future," I asked.
"No, I'm worried about both and like I said, if something happens we will tell, anyway I bet they'll vacate the place at least for a while, they'll know that we were there and might tell someone," he reasoned.
"Alright, alright!"
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Around 1:00
"Can we go eat now?" Hugo asked.
"Are you kidding me? Do you know how much you ate for breakfast?"
"No, but I do know that I'm hungry," he replied.
"Actually, Lils, I'm kinda hungry, too," Anthony added.
"Fine," I replied.
"So, where should we go?" Hugo asked.
"There's a nice little bakery over that way that I went to with…that I ate at last trip."
"Sounds good," said Hugo obliviously, "I'll follow you."
'I can't believe I'm actually coming here,' I thought. 'This is really stupid; I know I haven't gotten over him yet…'
"Oh, this place smells really good," Hugo exclaimed.
"Yeah," I answered automatically. We went up to the counter to order and then I saw him at the same stupid table we sat at last time with that same stupid girl he cheated on me with, making out for the whole world to see. I couldn't take it any more. I turned around and sprinted right out of there.
"Lily!" Anthony called after me. Then, Ben and his idiotic girlfriend broke apart to watch me run out, I saw Ben whisper something to her that made her start giggling.
'I hate him so much…both of them actually,' I thought as I ran back to the book store knocking over at least one person in the process…Opps. I didn't really want to go in knowing there would be lots of people in there, so I went around to the back of the store in a little ally, people rarely went back here. I sunk down sitting against the wall. 'These past couple of weeks have been so crazy, everything has either been really perfect and exiting or really terrible and depressing. It's so weird! I just can't take it. I'm so used to school being so uneventful, it's not like I'm dad who faced terrible dangers every year, I hope that won't happen to me – that actually was what I thought Hogwarts was going to be a first but I'm so glad it's not and won't be happy if it turns into that. I'm not brave like Dad; I don't think I could handle it. I really have to pull myself together or my grades and Quidditch performance are going to start falling. In fact, there have already been a couple Quidditch practices where I've had trouble concentrating. I HATE DRAMA…and this is worse than the normal 'friend fighting' drama I've had the past couple of years, and I've had a lot, but this is just so much worse! I guess sometimes things just have to happen and we won't always understand why, but eventually everything will work out in someway or another…'
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"Now, why on earth would Lily in the alleyway behind the shops on high street?" I heard Hugo ask, "This is really stupid."
"I know, but we've looked everywhere else in Hogsmeade including around the Shrieking Shack, which I don't even know why you suggested, she was really freaked out earlier, and James says she's no where on the map, and knowing Lily she's just going to find some quiet place to sit and stay away from everyone for a while," Anthony replied.
"Unless she went back to Hogwarts, but never went back into the grounds."
"Or should we check the bookstore again, she could've hid in there somewhere, I know James was borrowing the cloak though so at least she doesn't have that escape," Anthony added
"Let's just check back here there aren't many places for her to hide so it'll be quick and like you said she wouldn't want to be around people right now and I'd bet even in the bookstore there are too many people for Lily's liking."
"Lily?"
"Hey," I replied putting my gloves back on and wiping my eyes as I stood up.
"You okay?" Hugo asked awkwardly.
"Yeah, it's just hard, I really liked him."
"Well maybe he's just not the one, maybe there's someone else who's right for you," Anthony said.
"I know…"
"Oh, Fred's looking for you, extra Quidditch practice," Hugo informed me.
"Joy, when is it?"
"Three o'clock."
"Great, that's in like fifteen minuets."
"Well you make yourself very hard to find, you know."
"That would kind of be the point, well if practice is in fifteen minuets, we should go, well I should…"
"We'll come, too."
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I managed to get to the practice only two minuets late.
"Finally!" Fred shouted, "Get in the air."
"Sorry, Anthony and Hugo only told me that we had practice like fifteen minuets ago."
"Lily, I want you to practice techniques. Sean chuck Quaffles at Kevin, you can use your bat if you want to practice aim chasers over here!" Fred shouted.
Flying is a really good way to forget everything, but while it gets your mind off of the things you don't want to think about it makes it hard to concentrate to something like Quidditch practice at the same time. However, if I don't space everything else floods my mind so I can't focus anyway. Even worse, I think Fred has noticed, too.
"Lily!" Fred yelled.
"Yeah?" I called back.
"Do you want to continue working on technique or do you want to help with drill for me and Sean?"
"First of all, Its Sean and me and I honestly do care which one I do, so which would you rather I do?"
"Well if you think what you're doing is needed/helpful than continue if not come down here and help, and I do not care about grammar!"
I decided I'd do more good down there so I went to help.
"Okay, so Lily I want you to make the target move around start if off slowly and then gradually make it faster as we go on, okay?"
"Yep."
Even this was hard to concentrate on…honestly why is this happening? I mean sure your mind drifts when you're doing something boring, but still if it's as easy as this is – freakishly easy – even if your mind drifts, you don't fail miserably. I swear, I must be going insane or losing my mind…wait aren't those the same thing? Gah, I'm not concentrating, again. First I nearly ran the target into Seth, then I did run it into a goal post, and among other things I just made it go a good 5-10 meters outside the pitch as well as making myself run into the wall. Yeah, I'm the smart one…
"Okay, I think this has been a good practice," Fred called. "Go ahead and change. Practice on Tuesday as normal, but then nothing else until the Tuesday after that because the other teams need practice time."
I decided to stay out here for a little while; it really was a good place to think.
"Lily, you coming?" Fred called.
"I'm going to stay out here for a bit," I called back.
Once everyone else had left, Lucy flew up by, I don't know why, couldn't she see I wanted to be alone.
"Hey, are you okay?" she asked.
"I don't know…"
"That was a stupid question. What's wrong? No that's a bad one, too, I already know the answer or at least the main parts and the little stuff is only bugging you because the big stuff is bothering you. Is there anything I can do to help? I guess that's not a bad question, a little cliché, but does it help that I really mean it?" she asked halfway grinning.
Lucy and I never were that close, I mean we're cousins and our families got together like a least once a week, but there was someone else who we were always closer to and so it was really only when it was all of us hanging out that we really hung out, but right now she was acting like the older sibling I'd always wanted…well technically I have two, but well one is James, that explains it self, and then Albus and I never really were able to relate real well, I mean we got on perfectly and rarely ever fought (unlike him and James) but we just never could relate to each other that well. This was like how it was with her older sister, Molly, she always there when kids were mean to me in preschool or what ever the heck my problem was, but I'd never seen that side of Molly in Lucy she seemed more quite and secluded, not that she wasn't compassionate, just she wasn't the first person who came to your mind when you had a problem and not normally the first one to help before being asked either. Although, now that I think about it she was normally helping people and cheering people on only it was normally her in the group, you didn't normally see her do that stuff too much out of the group but she was nearly always in the group that was there to cheer you up or to cheer you on. I was really glad she came out of the group, because this is what I really needed, someone really to help me, just one on one not in a group and not just saying everything will be okay in passing, but really meaning it and trying to cheer me up at the same time. It was a lot like what Anthony does, only this felt more like what an older sister would do and Anthony was more like a…best friend…but closer…
"I don't think so," I responded. "Life's just crazy, too crazy."
"Too true."
"I just can't stand it. This year it's either really amazing, exiting, and awesome or just plain depressing and hectic. Gah, everything's just way too confusing!"
"Sorry Lils, I'm not exactly the best with comforting, but honestly, it'll get better and I suppose it's better to get through with the first time everything gets crazy earlier…? I mean look a your dad all the hectic-ness started for him when he was eleven..well I guess before seeing as he grew up with the Dursleys and well it seems to help him, so maybe it'll help you, too."
"Thanks," I smiled.
"Wait that really helped?"
"Yeah, actually it did," I replied wiping my eyes.
"Yes, now you've got to tell Molly that I'm not totally insensitive."
"Don't worry, I will, and you really aren't."
"Oh, and you have to pull your self together enough to play Quidditch before Fred murders you," she teased.
"Shut up," I said pretending to be mad and chasing her inside. It was a perfect ending to a not so perfect day.
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I really liked this chapter and want to know what you thought, I lot of the opionons Lily gave were kind of how I feel and I thought it would make it more interesting to have that in there instead of just made up opinions. So....coments questions, mistakes, ect. ect. ...please review it means so much to me. =-]
~You Go Girl~