Ch 24

The rest of January passed in a blur of studying, snow, classes, talking with Rose, studying, being ignored by Morgan, and still more studying. After about two weeks of spending each night in the library, even more so then Roses study schedule demanded, I realized I was using the studying as an excuse. I was shutting myself out of Hogwarts social life and was isolating myself simply because I fancied Al. There was no other reason for it. It was then that I became angry with myself. Why was I avoiding all of my friends because of some boy? We hadn't done anything. We weren't dating, we didn't kiss, hell we weren't even talking to one another. We simply just sat in silence during Transfiguration. There was no reason for me to shut down and go about like some sort of ghost of my former self. I started hanging out with people again. Eating dinner with them. Talking to more then just Rose. I talked to Liam and he begin helping me with transfiguration, and quite quickly I found myself falling into a routine that made me happy. Well not completely. I didn't think I would be completely happy until I patched things up with Morgan, and it didn't think that would happen anytime soon. She had been completely ignoring me and I wasn't at all surprised. I had to wait until she came to me, and until that moment there was nothing I could do. So wait I would do, and until that time came I was going to keep on going about my day.

Thanks to Liam and his skills with transfiguration I wasn't so lost anymore. I was doing better then I had been in the fall before I started working with Al, mainly because the two of us no longer sat passing notes in class and I spent all my extra time in the library, but there was still times that I was bored out of my mind and would drift off during class or just couldn't take it anymore and would put my head down and sleep. Liam kept me up on what was going on in class and was even teaching me some particularly boring things that he knew would cause zoning or sleeping in class.

Which is why I found myself in the library on a Saturday morning doing my best to listen to a lecture I had barely suffered though the first time.

"Earth to Riley" Liam said as the snapped his fingers in front of my face snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Sorry. I was just thinking."

" Not about transfiguration I assume." Liam said with a smile as he leaned back in his chair.

" When do I ever think about transfiguration? Accept to think about how much I don't get it. I don't know how you do it. I have to fight and try so hard just to get the information to stick into my brain."

Liam shrugged.

" No worries Ry. It's just something I get. I could say the same about you and charms. Besides the heating charm, you are a wiz with that subject. If it wasn't required for me to take it I wouldn't."

" What do you want to do?" I asked. Liam and I had never really been close and I was curious about what his plans after Hogwarts were.

" I'm not to sure. I know I would like to do something with transfiguration, but I want to take a break from school before I have to decide. I figure if I take all the core subjects though I'll have covered my bases and I can find something I like."

I nodded. It made sense. I completely understood not knowing what he wanted to do with his life after school. I knew I wanted to work at St. Mungos, but I had seen so many people get out into the real world, start their jobs, and decide it wasn't a good fit after all. I don't know why they make us choose at eighteen. I can barely decide what I want for lunch some days let alone what I want to do with the rest of my life.

I felt the mood shift around us, no longer was it light and care free, but I could feel the melancholy feeing that had begun to seep into conversations I had had with other seventh years whenever the hit of the future came up in conversation. We still had a little over five moths left until graduation, yet I could feel sadness in the air. We were going to be saying goodbye to Hogwarts. Something I know I was not ready for. But I couldn't think about that not now I had to get away from this subject.

"How are things with Emma?" I said asking the first questions that popped into my mind.

" Oh" Liam said visibly deflating. Damn it I just jumped from one conversation I was avoiding to another. " Things are ok. It's different then I thought it would be."

I could feel myself wanting to ask more, and if I was talking to Rose I would have asked an instant. But I wasn't sure if Liam and I were on that level.

" We should get back to work." I said going with my gut that Liam and I weren't on the level where we shared personal details about our lives.

" Yeah. You won't be able to master nonverbal transfiguration spells with out me will you?"

" Not a chance." I said smiling at him as I picked up my quill ready to get back to work.

" Can I ask you a question?" Liam said his voice quiet.

" Of course"

" When you were with Al in the United States" I narrowed my eyes at him. Where was he going with this? " Did you ever feel… did you ever feel like something wasn't right?"

I snorted and before I knew it I was full on laughing. The kind of laughing where no sound comes out. Snot and tears were streaming down my face and after a minute I managed to get myself under control enough to talk.

"You're asking me if something didn't feel right when I was in the states with Al and his family?"

"Yes." Liam said slowly.

" Of course something didn't feel right. He was still dating Claire and all I wanted to was snog him."

"Oh right, that. That wasn't what I was talking about. Did things ever feel hard between you guys?"

The expression on Liams face instantly whipped the smile off mine.

" Are things ok between you and Emma?"

Liam sighed. Putting his head in his hands.

" I don't really know. I fell like nothing has changed in our relationship. We're still in the same place and id doesn't feel like anything is moving forward. Plus the positivity thing is still a drag."

I got up and moved to his side of the table. Resting my head on his shoulder and wrapping my arm around his back.

" Go with your gut Liam. Usually it's right. If you feel like something's wrong, usually there is. If things feel hard, maybe it's not meant to be, but at least you tried. You didn't just ogle her from the sidelines. You at least had a relationship."

" Thanks Riley. Sorry about being such a downer."

" No worries. I've been told that I'm a pretty good listener and that I give some good advice.

" Tell you what. Lets call it a day. You and I need to get out of this library. We have months before N.E.W.T.s no need to waste our time now. Go change into something warm and meet me in the great hall in an hour."

"For what?" I asked intrigued.

Liam grinned

" Just trust me Rye bread it will be worth it."

I narrowed my eyes at him. The last time Liam told me to trust him was when we were in Herbology class our fourth year and got paired together. The two of us were released early to the hospital wing due to being covered in pus that caused us to sprout boils.

" The last time I did that I ended up in the hospital wing." I told him snottily. I still hadn't quite forgiven him for that. I ended up missing out on a Hogsmeade weekend that I had a date with Ryan Endress, who was in his sixth year at the time.

" I was hoping that you had forgotten about that. And in my defense I wasn't expecting it to squirt that far. We also had a great time mucking around waiting for the boils to heal."

I smiled at the memory. I hadn't thought about that in a while. It was during that weekend I started to fancy him a wee bit.

" Just meet me there. We need to distress and this will be perfect. No boils involved."

Liam quickly stood up and slung his bag over his shoulder. No doubt he didn't wait for a reply knowing I would turn up since I didn't say no. It's a tactic I had seen him use many times over the years.

An hour later on the dot I was standing in the great hall bundled up with a functional heating charm cast on me. I wasn't quite sure what Liam was planning but word seemed to have gotten out and most of the other Griffindoors fourth year and above as well as some others from the other houses, mostly sixth and seventh years. Like me they were all dressed warm. Looking around I spotted Rose and Scorpious and made my way over to them.

" I'm glad you made your way out of the library. I was beginning to think that you had formed your own house there." Rose said.

" No thank you. I don't need Madam Prince as a housemate. She's much to old and hates noise. I couldn't handle being quiet all the time. And that's rich coming from you Rosie. I do believe that last year before end of the term exams you spent the whole entire month of May in the library."

" I at least came out for meals and a good party on the weekends."

"This is true. I do remember you having a grand time at the last party of the year. I believe you threw up off the balcony and again right in the entrance."

"That was you?!" Scorpious exclaimed.

"Shhh! Keep it down! I have made it almost all the way out of school without anyone but Riley knowing that I was the mysterious puker. And I don't want to be known now. You know that Claire slipped and fell in it! Now that her and Al have split I don't want her to know it was me. I don't think at this point it would take much for her to have a go at me."

" Word of advice Scorp. Your Rosie is like a fire hydrogen when she throws up. There is no stopping it, it just explodes out of her all over the place with enough force that people rooms away can hear her and the splatter sounds it makes when it hits the floor or wall or window. She also can't move when she's throwing up. Just stands or sits wherever she is. It's super inconvenient. I would suggest having a bag or bucket around because its rare that she ever makes it to a toilet."

" Thanks for the heads up." Scorpious said as he glanced down at the now blushing Rose. Never in my life had I ever seen someone throw up the way she did. Poor Scorpious he had no idea what he was in for.

"Do either of you know what Liam is planning?" I asked.

" Not sure. Al just told me to be down here and dressed warm." Rose told me. I could tell by the way she was watching me, she was looking to see if the mention of Al would effect me. And unfortunately it did. I felt myself grow warm and for a brief moment thought about running away and hiding in my room with a good mystery book. Thankfully my inner Gryffindor courage took over and I stood my ground. Running away wasn't going to solve my problems and seeing Al wasn't going to be a problem.

" I just know that Liam and Al have been planning these last few days." Sorpious said as he wrapped his arm around Rose's shoulder.

"Wait. They have been planning this?"

" Yeah. Liam and Al never do anything without at least putting some thought into it. Why?" Scorpious said.

" Liam gave me the impression when he told me to meet him here that this was a spur of the moment kind of thing."

" Since when have Liam and Al ever done something that was spur of the moment?" Rose asked me looking genuinely confused.

" Um all the time. Usually those two fly by the seat of their pants. The only reason anything comes together for them is by sheer luck and magic. Unless they're trying to impress a girl or prove they're mauraders." I froze. Shit " They're trying to prove they're marauders aren't they?"

" Hate to break it to you Ry but it looks that way. You really didn't know they've been hush hush all week. They have just been telling people to be here and dressed warm. How did you not know?" Rose asked.

"Because I have been living under a rock in the library. Do you remember what happened the last time I came to one of these events?" I asked.

Both Rose and Scorpius shook their head.

" Someone charmed off my hair! This fight to the finish thing they always do with these events does not make them marauders! It just makes everyone involved injured or stupid looking. Accept for usually them because they just lurk around and laugh at everyone.

"We got your hair back. No worries. Nothing that happens is something that can't be reversed." Rose said giggling to herself.

I glared at her. She thought I looked hilarious bald. She laughed the whole way to the hospital wing. She wouldn't be laughing if it was her.

I turned my back to the two of them and crossed my arms sulking about what I had gotten myself into. Each year, they joined in with James and his mates at the beginning, they set out to prove that they were Maurders. Usually the events were some kind of challenge that involved people using magic against one another in a "fun" way and some how there was always a winner involved. I wasn't the one who made the rules. I just got myself into it. I did want to spend time with them but I did not want to end up in the hospital wing. I quickly began pondering how to get myself out of this event without anyone noticing. There were loads of people here. I'm sure Liam wouldn't even notice if I wasn't there. I slowly began making my way around to the side of the hall and closer towards the doors. Rose and Scorpious were chatting so they didn't notice that I had begun my escape attempt. I moved quickly once I was out of their line of sight. I knew that if they saw me they would call me back. I was going to tell them I was going to the loo if they noticed. I quickly walked out of the hall and ran strait into Liam. Damn, so much for a clean get away.

"Riley! You made it. Although for a second there I thought you were trying to leave." Liam said.

" No. Just need the toilet. What are we doing exactly?" I asked. If this was going to be a crazy mess I was going to just disappear.

" Wait and see my friend. Wait and see." Liam told me as Al just stared at a point behind me. "Hurry up. We will wait to explain until you get back."

"Thanks." I told him. Damn it. There was no way for me to get away now. And I really didn't need to pee. I quickly walked into the bathroom and waited a few moments so it didn't look to suspicious and made me way back to the hall. I gave Liam a thumbs up and he smiled and waved at me from where he and Al were standing on the top of a stage the two of them must have crafted.

"Good afternoon students of Hogwarts." Liam began. " It is with great pleasure and sadness that Al and I announce our last Marauder event. I know that over the years many of you have participated in these events and many of you have ended up in the hospital wing. We thank you for sticking with us and returning to see what we have in store for you." Liam paused to allow for the cheers that had broken out to die down. I don't know why people were cheering for them. Sure the events were fun and everyone usually got a laugh, but to me it didn't out way the consequences that often resulted from participating. But clearly I was the only one who thought this.

" Thank you, thank you. " He continued after a few silent movements, " Now this year we are going to change things up a bit. We have been informed by those above us that if anyone ended up in the hospital wing that we would be facing more detention that I even want to think about. So without further interruptions I'm going to turn this over to Al to explain the rules." Liam stepped back and Al stepped forward. Al was usually the mastermind and Liam just helped him pull it off. Plus Liam had a way about him that appealed to the crowd.

"After some careful discussions Liam and I have decided that this last event will be an epic snowball fight."

Some slight whispers and boos broke out among the crowd. People were apparently unhappy that the last marauder event was going to be a snowball fight. Where was the risk and excitement in that?

" I know that some of you think this may not be the best idea but just hear me out. Now this isn't your regular snowball fight. We have made the snowballs to be different colors. When you're hit you're out. We will know when you have been hit. The snow doesn't lie. We will be splitting you up into teams. The last team to have someone that has not been hit wins."

With that Al tapped his wand and a hat appeared.

"Each person will come up and draw a bandana out of the hat. Whatever color it is, is the team that you are on."

I stood back and watched as people went up and drew a bandana out. It seemed there was two teams. One group of people were tying lime green bandanas around their heads and the others were tying vibrant orange around theirs. I kept my eye on Rose and Scorpious and saw that they had draw opposite colors. Rose drew orange and Scorpious drew green. I couldn't help but smile as I saw the scowl on Roses face. I knew it had nothing to do with the fact that they had been separated and everything to do with how the orange clashed horribly with her hair.

I slowly made my way to the front and drew out my bandana. Orange like Rose, I was glad I was with her. I liked Scorpious, but I Rose and I were better friends. I made my way over to where she was standing and tied my bandana to match my teammates.

"Why orange. I hate orange." Rose was grumbling to herself.

" Let it go Rosie. No one is looking at your hair I guarantee it."

Rose glared at me.

I smiled back at her and turned back towards the stage to watch people get sorted onto their team. Very shortly everyone was on a team and Liam stepped back into the center of the stage.

"Now over the years Al and I have noticed that people have complained that we have not participated in the events that have been created. Often this was because we were acting as referees to make sure things were done fairly. This year is not the case. Say hello to your team captains." Both Al and Liam pulled a bandana out of their pocket and tied them around their heads. I quickly noticed that Liams was green, which left Al with orange. Great he was my captain. Hopefully I could just listen to his pep talk and then disappear without much interaction with him.

"Now before you start to think poorly of this. Just remember who we are and when have we ever steered you wrong?" Liam said as he and Al hopped off the stage and joined their respective team.

Rose and I snorted. Merlin help us for what we had gotten ourselves into.

Dear Readers,

Thank you for taking the time to read this story and for sticking with it. I hit a road block with this chapter that took a bit to over come. I started and redid this chapter more times then I can count. It has been the reviews that I have gotten that have kept me at it since the last chapter came out. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I know it leaves off at kind of a weird part, but the next chapter is already underway and this just felt like the best breaking point.

I'm looking forward to reading your reviews.