Chapter 7

"So you got caught," Hermione said as she changed for dinner, "by two people?"

"Yes, and I picked a corridor that serves no purpose."

"It was unlucky," Hermione nodded. Allegra pulled the duvet up on her bed and rearranged the pillows.

"So now, Draco knows there's something wrong and Fred knows Draco speaks to me without being a douche."

"Well, yeah, you're going to have to be more careful. Things already look suspicious to Fred and Malfoy. Next time borrow Harry's cloak, or something."

"I think I'll have Blaise on my back, too, since I had to say that there was something wrong. Who goes and sits in an empty classroom for fun?"

"Well, not you, that's for sure," Hermione smiled, "no one would believe that."

"Hello, Miss Boone,"

"Mr Zambini," Allegra said, stopping to let Blaise catch up to her, "what can I do for you?"

"I wanted to enquire on your plans for Valentine's day."

"I don't currently have any," Allegra said. "Hermione's being secretive, Harry's going with Cho," Allegra pulled a face of distaste, "and Ron's refusing to leave the safety of the common room because he finds it all nauseating."

"Then you are coming to Hogsmeade with me and Draco."

Allegra turned and looked at him blankly.

"How could that possibly be a good idea?"

"It is. I've gotten word that you've been moping."

"Draco," Allegra sighed, starting to walk again.

"And so we're going to take you for a double date, with no second woman."

"We're going to be stared at."

"That's half the fun." They stopped and looked at each other, "I'm not going to take no for an answer, Ali."

Allegra sighed, "I'll be committing social suicide."

Blaise frowned playfully, "what are you trying to say?"

"You know what happened last time." Allegra didn't fancy having a big fight with her roommates again.

Blaise shrugged, "so?"

"I guess so," she said. Blaise wasn't going to give her a choice. Every time she tried to argue the whole what-will-other-people-think point of view he told her to stop caring what other people thought. And she knew he was right.

"You guess so?" They carried on down the stairs, "no, no, you'd love to."

"Fine, I'd love to." She made no effort to hide her sarcasm.

"I have always seen through your sarcasm, Ali, that's why I've managed to be friends with you for so long."

"No, it's because you're a Slytherin and sarcasm is the only way that you lot can communicate."

"It's really two of the same," Blaise narrowed his eyes on her neck, "is that my necklace?"

"Yes," she carefully pulled the chain out from beneath her shirt.

"I knew it would look good on you." His eyes looked at her wrist, "and is that Draco's bracelet I see?"

"Yes," she showed it to him.

"That looks good, too, it makes your wrists look tiny rather than stick-like."

"Gee, thanks."

"I didn't know whether you'd wear it."

"It's lovely," she said defensively.

"No, not because of the bracelet, I wondered whether you would wear something from him."

Allegra pursed her lips for a moment, "I didn't think about it. I like it, I like him, why wouldn't I wear it?"

Blaise raised his eyebrows and put his hands in his pockets, "he's been upgraded from tolerated to liked, I see."

"Yes," she said irritably, "and I'm guessing he's done the same or I wouldn't have this."

"Obviously," he scoffed.

"I'll see you on Saturday, Blaise," she rolled her eyes and walked towards the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. Allegra found Hermione and sat down next to her.

"I think something is about to happen," Hermione said under her breath.

"What do you mean?" Hermione looked up at Allegra, behind Allegra, and down at her plate within a second.

"Ali," Fred squeezed himself into the cat-sized space between Allegra and Dean; Dean moved out of his way but was visibly annoyed.

"Fred."

"Valentine's Day," he smiled, "would you like to go with me, George and Angelina?"

"Oh," Allegra looked away and bit her lip. Ron snorted, obviously pleased to see Allegra squirm. "I would, yes -"

"Great, I'll -"

"But!" Fred stopped mid-sentence, "but I'm also going with Blaise."

"Blaise?" Fred repeated, "I thought you were just friends?"

"We are," she nodded quickly, "he thinks I've been moping. He, Draco and I are going as friends." Fred's jaw dropped, and Ron and Harry started choking on their food. "But - but - it's fine, I can do both, I'll have lunch with them and then come and meet you and George -"

"Okay." Fred swallowed his pride and didn't argue, Allegra gave him credit for that.

"Great, great," Allegra smiled, ignoring Ron and Harry who were gearing up to give her an ear full as soon as Fred was gone. "I'm looking forward to it." At this he brightened, and left happy.

"Hermione," Allegra whispered, looking pained. Hermione turned and was about to say something but -

"ALLEGRA!" Ron's face was bright red, "there is so much wrong right now!"

"Please, save it for the common room," Hermione hissed.

They ate in silence. Allegra ate little, she felt sick.

Hermione managed to shove the boys up to their dormitory before they erupted.

"Allegra!" Ron shouted. Allegra turned her back to him and pretended to look out of the window. "Two things: first, why the hell are you going on a date with Fred?"

She turned to look at them. "It's not a date," she said quietly.

"Yes, it is."

"It's a date, Allegra," Harry agreed.

Allegra looked at Hermione, she nodded. "It's a date."

"Oh, no."

"Allegra, you'd have to be an idiot not to have -"

"That's not important right now," Ron put his hand up to stop Harry talking, "what is important is why, are you, going on a date with Zambini and Malfoy?"

"Actually," Hermione was going to defend her, but Allegra interrupted.

"First, let me give you some background." Allegra sighed, "Blaise I'm guessing is not the one you have a problem with?"

"Relatively," Ron said flatly.

"Okay then, Draco and I are partners in Potions -"

"We know," Ron and Harry said in unison.

"So Ron, you must have seen us talking? We do our assignments together and he helps me not blow myself up."

"Well, yes ... but you're not exactly laughing and smiling together."

"But you did know we talk," Allegra raised her eyebrows.

"He caught Allegra coming out of a classroom when she'd been practicing you-know-what so she had to tell him she was upset. Draco told Blaise and Blaise is worried, that's all." Hermione smiled. Allegra nodded vigorously, looking hopefully at the boys.

"I cannot believe you're trying to make this okay, Hermione," Harry said.

"Well, has Malfoy insulted you in the last month?"

Harry sat down on his bed, "I don't know that I've even seen him outside of class."

"Exactly," Hermione said. "I've been thinking, maybe if Allegra became friends with Malfoy it would be a good thing for us. He might stop being such an arse and leave Gryffindors alone." Neither of them looked convinced. "She might get to know what he's up to, too. You know, keep an eye on him?"

"I am not going to spy on him -" Hermione looked at Allegra with wide eyes, as though if she spoke another word she'd strangle her. "... unless there's a good reason to." Ron and Harry looked at each other.

"We need a moment of delegation," Harry said after a brief moment. The girls nodded and walked out of the room.

"D'you think they'll fall for it?"

Hermione looked smug, "if Harry is as predictable as I think he is, the idea of having someone 'on the inside' will be too good to pass up."

The door opened and Ron and Harry stood there side by side.

"We have considered your proposal, and we are prepared to agree," Harry said.

That Saturday Allegra met Blaise and Draco in the entrance hall to walk down to Hogsmeade.

"Are you ready for your double date?" Blaise smiled.

"Yes, but I'm afraid it's going to be a bit more of a double date than you'd like."

"What do you mean?" Draco said.

"I can't say no." They both looked at her. "I maybe accidentally said that I would meet Fred, George and Angelina after lunch."

"What, you're going on a date with one of the Weasley twins?" Blaise looked confused. "They don't really seem like your type ... Normally go for someone a bit moody." Allegra scowled. "Yeah, like you."

Allegra thought about hitting him, and then sighed. "I know, I don't know how I've gotten into this mess." She looked at Draco, "why can't I say no?"

"I thought you were a bitch, so ..." he shrugged.

"I am. I am a bitch. But he's like a brother to me."

"Oh, Ali," Blaise grimaced, "now I've got incestuous imagery."

"Ew!" Allegra moaned and started the walk to Hogsmeade. "I'm going to have to tell him I'm not interested, aren't I? Just outright tell him?"

"Yes," they said nodding.

"Or I will," Blaise said, "which one is it?"

"Fred." Allegra pulled her coat around her tightly and looked up at the sky. It was a dark grey-blue colour that you only see when it's threatening to snow.

"I can't see the attraction, myself," Draco said. Allegra smiled and looked at him out the corner of her eye. He was watching his feet but looked up and smiled when he felt her gaze.

"So, where are we going?" Blaise said as Hogsmeade came into view.

"I think you should take me to Honeydukes and buy me lots of Valentine's chocolate, since you haven't even brought me a card," Allegra said.

"We have!" Blaise said, "We're saving it for lunch."

"Did you bring me chocolate?" The boys were quiet. "No, then let's go get your date some sweets." They walked to Honeydukes where there were a number of couples browsing the shelves. Blaise and Draco spoiled her and she bought them each a packet of Valentine's Thoughts, sweets that would fill your head with a thought like "I love you" or "you're the only one for me" as they chewed.

"Where shall we eat?" she asked as they left.

"Madame Puddifoots?" Blaise offered, "I think the Three Broomsticks will be packed."

"Everywhere is going to be packed," Draco said, "just depends where you're willing to squeeze into."

They both looked at Allegra.

"I want food, not tea and toast."

Draco laughed.

"Right," Blaise grinned, "well that told me. Chips it is." They walked to the Three Broomsticks.

Soon after they had sat down to have a drink at a table in the middle of the room Harry walked into the pub looking shell-shocked. After briefly chatting to Hagrid, he bravely walked over to Allegra's table.

"Allegra."

"Harry," she smiled, "where's Cho?"

"She's gone. Threw her tea all over me." Draco sniggered and Harry ignored him. "I have no idea what happened."

"I told you she's a crazy bitch," Allegra said coolly.

"You went on a date with the girl who pushed your best friend down the stairs?" Draco asked, a look of disbelief on his face.

"Allegra, I promise I'll always listen to you from now on." Harry said, and turned to leave as Hermione was calling him.

"How did it become okay for him to date her after what happened?" Blaise asked.

"I like to watch him make mistakes," Allegra smiled, and the boys laughed.

After lunch it was time to meet Fred, George and Angelina.

"It's time for me to go," she sighed.

"You could stand him up and stay here," Draco suggested.

"I don't think so, I'm just going to go and be a terrible date."

"Remember," Blaise said raising a finger in the air, "you're even worse if you lead him on."

Allegra nodded.

"Ah," Draco looked at Allegra, "the one pearl of wisdom Blaise bestows a year has just been uttered."

Allegra patted herself down, "do you think we should write it down?"

Draco shook his head, "don't worry, I've been keeping a record for the last four years. Hopefully in another forty-six I'll be able to publish a book." Allegra laughed and Blaise punched him in the arm.

"I'll see you later," she went to Fred, George and Angelina who were waiting by the door. George and Angelina were chatting to each other and Angelina kept blushing and looking down as she smiled. Fred on the other hand, didn't look like he was having such a good time. He scowled as he watched Allegra walk towards him, she was still smiling.

"Having fun?" he asked bitterly. Allegra shied away and frowned.

"Yes, actually. You're not?"

"No, apart from reasons I won't mention, being the third wheel to them," he glanced at George and Angelina as George whispered to her and she twirled her hair around her finger, "is just awful."

"Well that's okay," Allegra smiled, "I'm here now."

Fred smiled half-heartedly and gave George a push towards the door.

"Hello, Allegra," he smiled cheerfully, "did you have a good date with the Slytherins?"

"Yes, thank you, George," Allegra noticed Fred's shoulders tense, "how's your Valentine's Day going?"

"Fabulously," he grinned. Angelina used George's hand to swing around and smile at Allegra.

"It's sickening," Fred said, leaning down to Allegra.

They spent the next few hours wondering around the shops. They spent a lot of time in Zonko's spying on the competition, and Allegra bought some wax for her broom in Spintwitches. Allegra had fun, but despite trying to see Fred romantically she just couldn't do it.

"I can't believe you've done it," Allegra grinned at Harry on their way to Transfiguration, "everyone's read the article. I haven't met a person who doesn't believe you."

"It was Hermione's idea," Harry said, "we ought to get her something."

"Harry!" Harry and Allegra stopped to see Cho catching up with them.

"Cho?" Cho put herself between Allegra and Harry and took his hand in hers.

"I'm really sorry about what happened on Saturday, I just didn't know - that interview, it was just so brave ... it made me cry."

"Oh," Cho kissed Harry on the cheek and hurried away. Harry looked at Allegra.

"Don't make me say it."

"I know, she's insane."

"Then why are you blushing?"

Harry didn't say anything and as they arrived outside the Transfiguration classroom Seamus appeared.

"I just wanted to say, I believe you. And I've sent a copy of that magazine to me mam."

"Thanks, Seamus," Harry grinned and followed Allegra into the classroom.

"I bet you wish you hadn't given up Divination now, don't you, you two?" Pavarti asked, grinning as she sat down in front of Allegra and Hermione at the table. She got out her wand and began curling her eyelashes. The Divination students were to have their first lesson with Firenze that morning.

"Not really," Hermione said dismissively, "I've never really liked horses."

"He's not a horse!" Pavarti said, offended, "he's a centaur."

"A gorgeous centaur," Lavender smiled, sitting down next to Pavarti.

"He's not really my type," Allegra said.

"We all know your type," Lavender said.

"Oh yeah?"

"Brooding," Hermione, Pavarti and Lavender said in unison.

"Good looking," Allegra countered.

The three other girls all looked at each other before saying, "cocky."

Allegra frowned, "athletic."

"Vain," the girls were starting to giggle.

"You make them sound awful."

"No, they're just -" Pavarti started.

"Like you!" They all shouted, and then giggled maniacally. Allegra was in a good mood so decided not to hex them.

"I'm not brooding." They smiled at her sympathetically and Hermione patted her arm.

"Hello, Allegra, come in," Dumbledore opened the door to his office and let Allegra inside, "I'm afraid I am going to have to cut the lesson a little short today, Professor Umbridge has me forever cleaning up behind her."

"That's okay, sir, I suppose that's what happens when you put a bull in a china shop." Dumbledore looked at her with a twinkle in his eye.

"Have you had a chance to practice on your own?"

"Yes, sir," Allegra sat down in the chair in front of his desk, "Hermione's been helping me."

"Of course she has," he smiled, also taking a seat, "I imagine she is of great help. Have you noticed any changes?"

"Yes, actually. My spells have suddenly become much more powerful, it's like it knows we've noticed it."

"What about the unpredictable outbursts?"

"Mostly happening when I don't mind it doing so, like a light coming on or picking a pen up off the floor."

"That's good, things are going well."

"The only thing is, I don't even think about doing a spell, it just happens. Do you think that's normal?"

"For you, I expect so. As long as it stays convenient I think we'll leave it." Dumbledore helped her with simple exercises, like those she'd done with Hermione and on her own, for about half an hour. He seemed pleased with her progress, and talked about practicing some combat spells once Professor Umbridge had settled down.

"They're so pretty!" Cho said, looking at her silver swan patronus.

"They're not supposed to be pretty," Harry said irritably, "they're supposed to protect you. What we need is a Bogart or something, that's how I learned, I had to conjure a Patronus while the Bogart pretended to be a Dementor -"

"But that would be really scary!" Lavender squealed, "and I still can't do it!"

"Allegra, can you help Lavender?"

Allegra wasn't keen on the idea, but went to her side nonetheless.

"Think about something really happy," she said lamely.

"Like what?"

"What about the time you found the red dress you thought you'd lost?"

"Oh, yeah!" Lavender began practicing once more.

Allegra heard the door open and close, but didn't look up to see who had left. It took Allegra a few moments to realise that the room had fallen silent and the room had lost its silver glow.

"Hi Dobby!" Harry said, Allegra looked up to see Dobby holding on to Harry's trouser leg. "What are you - what's wrong?"

"Harry Potter, sir ..." Dobby squeaked, "Harry Potter, sir ... Dobby has come to warn you ... but the house-elves have been warned not to tell ..." He ran into the wall, bashing his head.

"What's happened, Dobby?"

"Harry Potter ... she ... she ..." Dobby hit himself in the nose.

"Who's 'she', Dobby?" Dobby looked up at him, horror written across his face.

"Umbridge?"

Dobby nodded, and tried to inflict pain on himself once more.

"What about her, Dobby - she hasn't found out this - about us - about the D.A.?" The look on Dobby's face gave his answer. "Is she coming?" Harry asked quietly.

Dobby howled, "yes, Harry Potter, yes!"

Harry looked up and at the motionless people, "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? RUN!"

Everyone suddenly sprinted for the door, all trying to squeeze through at once. Allegra could hear students running down corridors madly. It wasn't that late, if they only walked normally they might be able to get away without getting caught.

"Harry, come on!" Hermione shouted at Allegra's side, looking back into the room. Allegra was pushed out into the hallway and started to walk the opposite way to where the students were running to. Allegra strolled around to the far reaches of the seventh floor and found window seat. She placed herself casually and looked out of the window. She could hear shouting and footsteps, and didn't move until all had gone quiet. No one came to look for her, and so she took herself back to the common room.

"Allegra," breathless students met her with relieved smiles.

"We thought they'd got you," Fred said.

"Nope," she smiled cockily, "unlike you lot I went for a stroll."

"They got Harry," Ginny said.

Ron and Hermione weren't back get either, and the D.A. members looked at her for instruction. She swallowed, "there's nothing we can do now. Go to bed, if someone comes in and finds us all flustered they'll be suspicious." They nodded and dispersed. Allegra followed her own advice and went up to bed.

Hermione returned shortly after midnight.

"Dumbledore's gone," she said.

"What?"

"He took all the blame, they tried to arrest him and he's gone."

"No!" Allegra cried. "Everything's going to fall apart."

"He's also not going to be around to help you control your ability," Hermione said, "you're going to have to do it yourself."

"What!" Allegra felt winded and suddenly all the perfume bottles on her chest of draws smashed. "Oh, bloody hell!"

"You have to calm down, Ali!" Hermione said in a tone that was anything other than calming. It seemed that someone else was freaking out about the on-the-loose-uncontrollable witch.

"Just breathe, just breathe, Hermione."

"The centaurs are going crazy," Allegra mumbled as she watched them gallop around the forest.

"Right, well, with Dumbledore gone now there's a good chance I'll be gettin' the sack any day now." Hagrid said sadly, playing with his hands. For such a big man, he was one of the most gentle and emotional men Allegra knew. He gently mopped his eyes with a handkerchief he had in his pocket. "Look, I wouldn' be tellin yer this at all if I didn' ave ter. See, if I go ... when I go ... I can' leave without tellin someone about im."

"Who, Hagrid?" Hermione asked. Loud rumbling was followed by the appearance of a big bumbling giant-type-thing.

"Grawp, he's me half-brother see?" Grawp turned, saw the five of them and made a run at them. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Allegra stumbled back, Harry quickly pulled Allegra behind him, Grawp grabbed Hermione, and he swung her high into the air, screaming as she went. Harry held Allegra back tightly.

"Grawp! We don' grab! Put er down! What ave I told you bout manners!" Ron made an attempt at a rescue, he ran at Grawp and hit him in the leg with a tree branch. Grawp looked down as though he had felt a mild tickle, and kicked Ron back to Harry and Allegra.

"Grawp! Put. Me. Down." Hermione waved her finger at him sternly. He looked at her for a moment before putting Hermione down and stumbling backwards to sit at the base of a tree.

"You alright?" Ron asked her.

"Fine. Just needs a firm hand."

"Gets is own food n everythin, it'll be company e'll be needin when I'm gone."

Harry, Hermione, Ron and Allegra nodded.