A/N Thanks for my loyal reviewers! :) And thanks for the review 'sirius black', it made me laugh hahah. So, I hope you like this chapter! :) And please, please review! There are lots of people viewing the story, but not many reviews:( So, it would make my day if you did, because i can see if people are viewing it! xx
Chapter Thirteen
Hogsmeade Date
The whole of Gryffindor House stayed in the Common Room that night, too scared to go back to bed and wanting to see if Black had stayed in the castle. Amara sat with Ethan and Eddie, trying to reassure them that they weren't in danger, and that Ron had not been the intended target and was not going to kill her.
At dawn, Professor McGonagall came back and told them that Black had escaped once again. Amara didn't bother going to sleep again, she spent the day in the common room, dozing off sometimes. But when she did leave the room, she saw how much tighter security was now that Black had been back. Professor Flitwick taught the front doors to recognise Sirius Black and Filch blocked up every little hole. Sir Cadogan had been fired, and had been replaced by the Fat Lady again. She, however, only came back because she made them place a group of security trolls to manage the passage outside the Gryffindor Tower. Amara did not like walking past them, because all they did was speak in grunts and compare clubs.
Amara had not spoken to Hermione since the day of the party, which made her very sad, and so she made a plan so that she'd catch her outside Ancient Runes, so that she could say sorry.
Ron was now very popular, and was basking in the glory of being approached by random people.
"...I was asleep, and I heard this ripping noise, and I thought it was in my dream, you know? But then there was this draft... I woke up and one side of the hangings on my bed had been pulled down... I rolled over... and I saw him standing over me... like a skeleton, with loads of filthy hair ...holding this great long knife, must've been twelve inches... and he looked at me, and I looked at him, and then I yelled, and he scampered."
Neville was in total disgrace. Professor McGonagall was so furious with him she had banned him from all future Hogsmeade visits, given him a detention, and forbidden anyone to give him the password into the tower. Poor Neville was forced to wait outside the common room every night for somebody to let him in, while the security trolls leered unpleasantly at him. Amara, feeling sorry for him, always made sure that she let him in, because she knew that everyone else forgot. None of these punishments, however, came close to matching the one his grandmother had in store for him. She sent him a howler.
When an owl dropped the red letter in front of Neville, they all realised what it was immediately, because Ron had received on the year before.
"Run for it, Neville," Ron advised.
Neville didn't need telling twice. He seized the envelope, and holding it before him like a bomb, sprinted out of the hall, while the Slytherin table exploded with laughter at the sight of him. They heard the Howler go off in the entrance hall-Neville's grandmother's voice, magically magnified to a hundred times its usual volume, shrieking about how he had brought shame on the whole family.
Amara shook her head in sadness before turning to see Harry receive a letter from Hedwig.
"Ouch! Oh-thanks, Hedwig."
Harry tore open the envelope while Hedwig helped herself to some of Neville's cornflakes. Amara leant over to read it too:
Dear Harry and Ron,
How about having tea with me this afternoon 'round six? I'll come collect you from the castle. WAIT FOR ME IN THE ENTRANCE HALL; YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED OUT ON YOUR OWN.
Cheers, Hagrid
"He probably wants to hear all about Black!" said Ron.
"Would you like to come Amara?" asked Harry and Amara shifted.
"Um, no thanks, I think I'm going to go to the library," she said.
That evening she went and got a table in the library, which was surprisingly quite quiet for a day of the week. She noticed Hermione amongst the shelves, but decided not to bother her into saying sorry, because she didn't feel like it. Before long, she realised that she needed a book for her Ancient Runes project, so she went into the shelves to find one.
"What do you mean, Sophie?" came a whispered voice from the shelf in front of her. Feeling rather awkward, Amara tried to concentrate on finding her book, instead of listening into people's conversations.
"I – I don't know, Megan, it's just – he, he, obviously doesn't feel the same way!" Amara was surprised to hear her very quiet roommate, Sophie Roper. Amara had not really heard her speak much before, for she was even smaller than Amara, skinny and very distant-looking. But over the summer she had grown taller than her, and was now the same height as Lavender. Her very pale blonde hair was always scraped back into a ponytail, and she hung around the Hufflepuffs in their year and her sister, Annie.
"Are you sure, though? We can always ask Lillian about it …"
"No!" Sophie said, and Amara crept forwards, peeking through the gaps. Sophie and her friend, Megan Jones, were looking through the gaps of the bookshelves, seemingly looking at someone at a table. They had books spread across their table, and Sophie was looking rather disgruntled. "I heard," she started. "That – that – he, um, he liked someone else."
"Oh!" Megan said and Amara felt uneasy for listening in. "Who?"
"Uhm, well –"
Before she heard the answer, there was a slam behind her, which made her jump a meter in the air and whip around so fast, she cricked her neck. Rubbing it furiously, she saw Hermione stalking away, a heavy book under her arm.
Cursing, Amara found her book and went back to her own table to work again. She dipped her quill in her ink and began her essay, but was interrupted two minutes later by someone awkwardly standing by her table.
"What?" she snapped unintentionally, and looked up to see a very scared Roger Malone standing by her.
"Oh – I'm – I'm –"
Amara sighed. "I'm sorry Roger, what was it that you wanted?"
Roger's face cleared. "Well, I was wondering, I've just seen in the common room that it's Hogsmeade this weekend … and I was wondering if you wanted to go … with me."
Amara dropped her quill in surprise. "Oh!" she said and Roger looked downtrodden. "No! No, I'd love to go!" she smiled hopefully and he smiled gingerly back.
"Great – I, um, I'll meet you in the entrance hall at, uhm, nine thirty?"
"Sure!" Amara smiled, and Roger went away.
Amara worked solidly for the next two hours, and at eight o'clock, Madam Pince ushered her out of the Library, so she made her way back into the common room. She went upstairs first, to dispose of her things, and found that all her roommates, minus Hermione, were in there.
"Oh, hi, Amara!" Lavender said. "Have you heard? There's a Hogsmeade trip this weekend!"
"Yeah," grinned Amara. "I know."
"Really?" Parvati asked keenly. "Have you been asked?"
Amara blushed. "N – no."
"Yes you have!" Lavender beamed. "C'mon, you can tell us!"
"Urm, well – it's, it's Roger Malone," Amara said.
There was a tinkling of a hairbrush being dropped on the floor, and the three girls looked to see Sophie looking devastated.
"You're going with Roger Malone?" she asked in a constricted voice.
Amara nodded, suddenly guilty.
"Oh," was all the blonde girl said before heading out the door.
"Well that was weird," commented Parvati. "But isn't Roger Malone that cute Ravenclaw in our year?"
Amara nodded before excusing herself. She noticed, as she entered the common room, a group of fourth years glaring at her, with Sophie in the middle. Squirming down guilty thoughts, Amara marched over to where Hermione was sitting, predictably with a massive wall of books.
"Hermione," she said firmly. "I'm sorry for what I said the other day, I was very annoyed."
Hermione looked up and Amara was startled to see tears in her eyes.
"I'm sorry too!" Hermione wailed. "I deserve everything you said – I was being horrible to you, and I am awfully sorry!"
Amara shook her head. "It's fine, Hermione! Are you going to Hogsmeade tomorrow?"
"I don't know," said Hermione doubtfully. "I think I should stay and do this."
"But what about having a break?"
"Oh, but will you come with me?"
"Ah," said Amara. "The thing is – I, erm, I have a …"
"Do you have a date?" Hermione smiled, her eyes glinting. "With that Roger Malone?"
"How did you know?" asked Amara.
"I heard Sophie Roper telling her sister," Hermione explained. "It's weird, because she seemed so upset …"
"Oh yeah," said Amara. "I think she likes him, and, erm, she wasn't happy when I told Lavender and Parvati that I was going with him."
"Do you think, you'll go out again?" asked Hermione in interest.
"Hmm, I don't know, we'll see how it goes – but, he does seem slightly – erm, frightened all the time, doesn't he? I don't think I'd be able to cope with that."
Hermione laughed.
"Don't worry – but are you sure you're alright? I am sorry, you know."
Amara smiled. "It's alright, but can you please say sorry to Ron?"
Hermione nodded and blanched as Ron and Harry sat down near them. They were talking about the upcoming Hogsmeade trip.
"He can't be planning to go?" whispered Amara into Hermione's ear. "Not with Black lurking around?"
"I don't know – but he can't go!" replied Hermione worriedly.
"Harry!" Amara said at the same time as Hermione.
"Harry, if you go into Hogsmeade again... I'll tell Professor McGonagall about that map!" said Hermione.
"Can you hear someone talking, Harry?" growled Ron, not looking at Hermione.
"Ron!" Amara exclaimed. "Don't be so immature! What about Sirius Black still lurking around?"
"Oh, not you too," Ron said bitterly.
"Ron, how can you let him go with you? After what Sirius Black nearly did to you! I mean it, I'll tell -"
"So now you're trying to get Harry expelled!" said Ron furiously. "Haven't you done enough damage this year?"
Hermione opened her mouth to respond, but with a soft hiss, Crookshanks leapt onto her lap. Hermione took one frightened look at the expression on Ron's face, gathered up Crookshanks, and hurried away toward the girls' dormitories.
"Honestly Ron!" Amara cried. "Why don't you listen to her?"
"What, are you going to do Harry in as well?" Ron demanded.
"Of course not! And Hermione wouldn't either – she's doing it to make you safe!"
"What do you think Harry?" asked Ron.
"I don't know," said Harry uneasily. "But, I think – I'll take my Invisibility Cloak this time."
Amara sighed, but nodded. "Fine," she said. "Have fun."
"What – you're not going?"
"Of course I'm going, Ron, I'm just going on a date instead," said Amara.
"A date?" Ron said, starting to grin. "Really?"
"Don't you dare take the mickey!" Amara said as Harry started grinning too. "Eurgh – boys!"
-OOOOO-
On Saturday morning, Amara woke up at half past seven by Lavender shouting at her to get up and have a shower. After refusing profusely to do so, Parvati and her promptly dragged her out of the bed and into the bathroom and threatened to strip her of her clothes. So Amara decided it wasn't worth it and began to have a shower. Then, she was bombarded with different clothes and her hair had a drying charms placed upon it.
"Um, I was just going to wear my jeans …" Amara said, flustered.
"You can't wear jeans on a date," cried Lavender.
"Lydia Thomason did that, in the year above," said Parvati, shaking her head. "Lavender wore a skirt with her date last time, would you like to borrow it?"
In the end, eventhough they tried forcing her into Lavender's orange skirt, she managed to only wear a plain black skirt, a white T-Shirt and a plaid red shirt with Parvati's shoes. They also insisted to her hair as well, so by the time she made it out of her dorm, it was nine o'clock and she had to rush breakfast.
Roger met her in the entrance hall, looking very nervous in jeans and a jacket. Amara smiled at him encouragingly.
"Hi, Roger," she beamed. "Shall we get going then?"
"Sure," he said, smiling a little. As they left through the doors (after being checked off by Filch) Amara spotted Sophie Roper with her friends Megan Jones and Sally-Ann Perks, looking very sorry for herself indeed. Amara felt very guilty all of a sudden, and wished she hadn't seen her.
Roger and Amara walked the stretch up to the village, making small talk, which Amara thought was exceedingly dull.
"So," she said as they walked up the final hill. "Um, tell me about yourself, Roger, I hardly know you outside of Ancient Runes."
"Oh," said Roger. "Um, well, I'm in Ravenclaw," Amara refrained from an eye-roll. "And I have four older brothers – one in fourth year, Jeremy, twins in sixth year, Gregory and Harrison, and then one who's at the Ministry, Kenneth. Jeremy and Kenneth were in Hufflepuff, but the twins are in Ravenclaw." Amara tried to remember this pointless bit of family history. "Also, my mother was a Slytherin but my dad was a Hufflepuff."
"Ah," Amara said. "That's good to know. I have a brother called Ethan in first year and my sister is joining in two years, if she's a witch."
Roger nodded. "And you're a muggle-born, aren't you?"
Amara nodded. "Where do you want to go then?"
"Um," said Roger.
"How about the Three Broomsticks?" Amara said.
"OK," said Roger.
Amara restrained herself not to sigh in Roger's sparse vocabulary. They entered the already-crowded pub and stood for a few seconds.
"I'll go get the butterbeer, shall I?" Amara said, eager to get away for just one second.
"Oh," said Roger. "I don't like Butterbeer."
"You don't like Butterbeer?" Amara said, her jaw dropping.
"No, I don't like sweet things much," Roger said, shrugging.
"You don't – what, not even Chocoballs?" Amara said, now wanting a Chocoball.
"No," Roger scrunched up his face. "They're awful, I don't go into Honeydukes if I can help it.
Amara just nodded dazily before heading off towards the bar. It was crowded with seventh-year boys, all trying to talk to Madam Rosmerta at once.
"Hi, Rosmerta," said Amara, smiling.
"Oh, hullo Amara, dear, what can I get you?"
"Um, a butterbeer and a – um – what do you normally get Roger Malone?" Amara stuttered.
"Uh," Rosmerta sniffed. "Tricky boy, normally I give him a gillywater, would you like that?"
"Yes please," said Amara and she paid the money (making the note to ask Roger to pay her back, considering Gillywater was three times the price of Butterbeer).
Roger had got them a corner booth, which was now occupied with some of his friends. Frowning, Amara sat down and gave him his drinks.
"Thanks," he said, taking a sip.
"Hello," said a boy opposite her. "I'm Oliver Rivers – and that's Kevin Entwhistle."
"Hi," said Amara. "Um, Roger, how do you buy Gillywater all the time? It's three times as much as Butterbeer."
"Oh," he said. "I don't know, but here's some money to pay for it, I forgot how expenzive it was."
Amara sighed inwardly and took the change.
After about an hour of useless rambling, Amara had had enough.
"I think I'll head back to the castle now," said Amara and Roger looked up in surprise.
"Oh!" he said, suddenly looking worried. "Do you want me to walk you back."
"No," said Amara. "Thank you, I've had a nice time."
She turned and smiled at Roger's two friends, before turning back. What she didn't realise was that Roger had leaned in to kiss her cheek, meaning as she turned, he caught her lips instead. It was rather awkward, too, both of them jumping back at the same time.
"Sorry!" Roger said, rather pink in the face. His eyes flitted to a point behind Amara, and she turned to see Sophie staring at them. She quickly looked away, however, once realising Amara was looking.
"You know," said Amara. "I think you and Sophie would do much better."
Roger blinked. "Uhm, really?"
Amara nodded.
"Oh," he said. "Does she like me then?"
"Urm …" said Amara uncomfortably.
"Yeah," said Oliver Rivers. "Lisa told me."
"Oh!"
Amara nearly snapped at him to stop saying 'oh' all the time.
"Yeah, so you better go talk to her," Amara said. "Because I've heard that Justin Finch-Fletchley likes her."
Roger nodded, finished his Gillyweed and walked off.
"Does Justin really like her?" asked Kevin.
"Nope," said Amara. "Well, he might, but I have no clue."
Oliver grinned. "You know, I like you, Amara Matthews, you're funny, for a Gryffindor."
"I like you to, Oliver Rivers," Amara said back. "You're nice, for a Ravenclaw."
And with that, Amara whisked out of the door, finally glad that her disaster-date was over.
"So," said a voice behind her. "How was it?"
Amara turned to see Fred Weasley leaning casually against the wall of the three broomsticks.
"How was what?"
"Your date," Fred winked.
"Eurgh," Amara said in response.
"That bad?"
"Worse," said Amara. "He doesn't like Chocoballs!"
"Oh no!" Fred gasped dramatically. "The end of the world!"
"Shut up," Amara grinned, pushing him playfully. "His vocabulary didn't help – all he said was 'oh' all the time."
"Well, my darling," Fred said. "I personally think that you behold a sumptuous and exquisite look today."
"Fred," laughed Amara. "That makes no sense."
"It means you look gorgeous, love," Fred grinned, making Amara flush. "Are those your shoes?"
"No," said Amara. "They're Parvati's."
"Hmf," said Fred. "Yes, don't wear them again, they do not do any favours."
"Hey!" laughed Amara, acting offended. "How dare you!"
"I'm joking, Mattie," Fred said as they walked up the highstreet.
"Now, where's your twin?" Amara said suddenly, looking around suspiciously.
"Ah," said Fred. "He has a date with Alicia, so he is unable to attend this conversation at the moment."
"Oh," said Amara. "I didn't see him in The Three Broomsticks."
"Ah, the last I saw of him was them getting rather cosy in Madam Puddifoots," Fred sighed. "I can't believe Alicia dragged him there."
"What's Madam Puddifoots?"
"You don't want to know," Fred said, as though in great pain.
"Why were you all alone then?"
"I wasn't, I was in The Three Broomsticks but needed some air," Fred explained. "They won't miss me."
As they climbed up the hill, Ron can sprinting towards them.
"Amara!" he gasped, panting. "Amara – you've got to –"
"Merlin, Ron!" Amara said. "Breathe!"
"Harry's in trouble – got to get to school!"
"What? Oh dear," Amara said, worried. "C'mon then! Bye Fred!" she shouted behind, as they started running.
"What happened?" she gasped as they ran along the path.
"Harry's Invisibility Cloak slipped off when we were facing off Malfoy – and he went back to school to tell Snape!"
"Oh bugger!" Amara said as they ran. "What're we going to do?"
"Well, he's going to find all the Zonko's stuff, and know he was there, we've got to tell him we bought it!"
They managed to run the distance from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts in a matter of five minutes, so they continued sprinting up until they reached Snape's office. Without a thought, they barged through, gasping for breath. Inside the office, there was Harry, Snape and Professor Lupin, all looking at the blank Marauder's Map.
"I-gave-Harry-that-stuff," Ron choked. "Bought-it... in Zonko's... ages-ago..."
"Well!" said Lupin, clapping his hands together and looking around cheerfully. "That seems to clear that up! Severus, I'll take this back, shall I?" He folded the map and tucked it inside his robes. "Harry, Ron, Amara, come with me, I need a word about my vampire essay-excuse us, Severus -"
Amara, still out of breath, walked behind the boys, steadying her breathing. Harry turned to Lupin.
"Professor, I -"
"I don't want to hear explanations," said Lupin shortly. He glanced around the empty entrance hall and lowered his voice. "I happen to know that this map was confiscated by Mr Filch many years ago. Yes, I know it's a map," he said as Amara, Harry and Ron looked amazed. "I don't want to know how it fell into your possession. I am, however, astounded that you didn't hand it in. Particularly after what happened the last time a student left information about the castle lying around. And I can't let you have it back, Harry."
Harry had expected that, and was too keen for explanations to protest.
"Why did Snape think I'd got it from the manufacturers?"
"Because...," Lupin hesitated, "because these mapmakers would have wanted to lure you out of school. They'd think it extremely entertaining."
"Do you know them?" said Harry, impressed.
"We've met," he said shortly. He was looking at Harry more seriously than ever before.
"Don't expect me to cover up for you again, Harry. I cannot make you take Sirius Black seriously. But I would have thought that what you have heard when the dementors draw near you would have had more of an effect on you. Your parents gave their lives to keep you alive, Harry. A poor way to repay them - gambling their sacrifice for a bag of magic tricks."
He walked away, Amara finally getting her breath back. Together, they began the ascent of the Marble staircase.
"It's my fault," said Ron abruptly. "I persuaded you to go. Lupin's right, it was stupid, we shouldn't've done it -"
He broke off; they reached the corridor where the security trolls were pacing, and Hermione was walking toward them. Her face looked constricted, as though she was about to start crying.
"Come to have a good gloat?" said Ron savagely as she stopped in front of them. "Or have you just been to tell on us?"
"No," said Hermione. She was holding a letter in her hands and her lip was trembling. "I just thought you ought to know... Hagrid lost his case. Buckbeak is going to be executed."