22 – Gryffindor's Honour
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
― H. Jackson Brown Jr., P.S. I Love You
...
"Morning Potter," Angelina Johnson greeted Haley at the breakfast table on Wednesday. The words were friendly but the glare on the older girl's face was anything but. "Do you know which day today is?"
The calm tone of her voice was definitely scary. "Er… Wednesday?" Haley answered carefully. They didn't practise on Wednesdays… They practised on the weekends and…
"Shit." Haley cursed, glancing at her cornflakes in an attempt of evading Angelina's scorching gaze.
"Oh." Angelina replied, as if Haley's reaction surprised her. "So, you remembered that we have quidditch practice every Tuesday?"
"I… I…" Haley stammered. She'd totally forgotten. In dedicating her whole afternoon to patch things up with Draco, she'd not only skipped her evening classes but also forgotten about quidditch.
"You… you…what?" Angelina echoed.
"I…" Haley clamped her mouth shut in defeat.
"Weasley here told me you're going through… something." Angelina stated, nodding to Ron who was sitting next to Haley. "Is it serious?"
Haley helplessly looked toward Ron, wondering what exactly he had told their captain. He shrugged. Which wasn't helpful at all.
Angelina's gaze softened. "Look, as a friend I'd tell you, I understand and we're all going through hard times at some point."
Well. That was unexpected.
Then Angelina continued with a sigh, "But I'm also your captain and I want nothing more than to win this damn cup!" She hit the table with her fist, scaring a few first years down the table. "I'll let it slide this one time but if you miss another practice for no apparent reason and without even telling me, I will throw you off the team!"
A tirade like that was much more like Angelina. Haley could only quietly nod at her fingers. She didn't even want to begin to imagine what her dad would say, if she was kicked off the team.
"Okay," Angelina replied, clapping a hand on Haley's shoulder. "Don't skip your meals, all right? You'll need all your strength for the game on the weekend."
Her quidditch captain returned to the space further up the table where her class mates were sitting. It made Haley sigh in relief.
"She's right about skipping meals, you know?" Hermione commented with a raised brow.
"I'm not a child," Haley grumbled, stirring her cornflakes listlessly.
"Well, you're certainly behaving like one." Hermione shot back. "Are you going to keep skipping classes today as well?"
"Wasn't planning to." Hadn't Hermione said, she was going to respect her reasons?
"Hermione," Ron said cautiously as if to remind her of her words.
"I'm just asking. Am I not allowed to ask?" Hermione rolled her eyes.
Ask… That reminded her. There was something important she needed to ask.
Suddenly she got up. "I gotta go."
"What? But just now you said you weren't-?"
"I'm not going to skip, okay?" She replied impatiently. "There's just something I need to take care of. I'll see you in Charms!"
In her haste to get out of the hall, she stumbled over a bag that lay carelessly between the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables. Luckily she caught her balance before she fell. But her foot caught on one of the side pockets and caused something feathery to escape. A bird? No. It was a snitch. Haley reached out to catch it but the little girl on the bench in front of her was quicker.
"Er… that's mine," the kid said, quickly pushing the snitch back into her pocket. Huh? Wasn't that the Creevey girl? Her reflexes weren't bad.
Angelina had noticed as well, glancing over curiously.
"You're not trying to knock me out on purpose, right?" Haley joked.
The kid shook her head with wide innocent eyes. "Sorry," she mumbled shyly, as she picked up her bag so that no one could fall over it again.
"It's fine." Haley returned with a smile. "I'm in a bit of a hurry so… see you later!"
And with that she finally sped out of the Great Hall.
…
Unsurprisingly, she was the only one in the owlery. In record time, Haley penned a short urgent letter, found Hedwig and sent her off to Godric's Hollow. If there was anyone who could help her with this, it was her mum.
Who else could she ask? There was a part of her that wondered if maybe she should have asked Draco first, if he was okay with letting her mother know. But then… Haley hadn't even mentioned him in her letter. She had only asked her mum whether she knew anything about the curse he had used.
So… that should be fine, right? There was no way her mum would be able to link the curse to him.
Although, she was five minutes late for Charms, she managed to attend all of her classes that day.
And in the evening, Hedwig already returned with a letter.
Dear Haley,
Come see me in my dreams tonight.
Love, Mum
Was it possible that her mum had already found a solution to the problem? Impossible. But clearly, she wanted to talk to her in person about it. So, before going to sleep that night, Haley armed herself with her mum's hair clasp and a portion of optimism.
…ooo…
Mum is waiting for me inside our Potions classroom. Or the dream version of it, which doesn't look quite as gloomy as the room looks nowadays. There are even windows, bathing the room in a warm light.
Mum is sitting at a table in the front, flicking through an old book.
"Come here," she says, when she notices me. She puts the book aside and waves me over. The sight of her in her paint coveralls that are covered in specks of colour is so achingly familiar, I might cry.
Instead I walk over and sit down beside her. This is the table that Draco usually sits at. It feels like forever since I've seen him in Potions class. It must have been hard pretending all this time that nothing was wrong.
"So…" Mum starts to say, pulling a parchment out from between the pages of her book. "It seems you've gotten yourself into quite a mess."
From the parchment a couple of familiar words glare up at me. I've written them.
Dear Mum,
how are things at home? I hope everything's well.
There is something I need to ask you. Have you ever heard about the 'Insidio Humdrus' curse? Is there a cure?
Say hi to Dad and Simon from me!
Love,
Haley
"Why did you ask me about this curse? How did you get involved with it? You didn't use it, did you? Or did someone use it on you?" Mum suddenly grabs my hands and then cups my face, angling it from side to side, as if she's looking for something.
I shake my head. "I'm fine. I didn't use it."
Mum sighs in relief. "That's good, then." She pinches my nose lightly. "I was afraid, we'd need to start another of those potions."
"Another?" I ask.
She nods. "Considering how much I love making potions, figuring this one out has really been a hassle."
I still don't understand what she's telling me.
"Mum, what are you talking about? What potion?"
She shrugs. "The Resurgence Draught. That's the working title, anyway." She taps her pointer finger against her chin thoughtfully. "But you're welcome to suggest a better one."
I blink as a way to show her that she's still not making sense. "Mum, what-?"
"Which reminds me!" She interrupts energetically. "The potion should be fairly ready by the weekend. Sev says so as well. If you come by on the weekend we can try it out."
Mum looks so eager as if she's about to burst at any moment. "I thought you'd be happy?" She asks, her smile wavering slightly. "I was really looking forward to meeting that Malfoy kid, too…" She looks honestly disappointed.
"What? Do you mean Draco?"
Mum nods. "Who else? The one you're dating, right?" Then she suddenly claps her hand in front of her mouth, seeming horrified. "Didn't you make up? Or wait… you didn't break up, did you?"
"No, we didn't break up – we–" I stop myself, needing a moment to make sense of the chaotic mess that is our conversation. "You want me to come visit… and bring Draco along… so we can try out your new potion experiment?"
"Yes." Mum confirms as if it is the most obvious thing in the world.
"… Why?"
Mum ruffles my hair fondly. "To get his magic back, silly. That's why you sent me the letter, isn't it?"
I'm floored. She's completely right, of course. But I never mentioned a name in my letter. So… how does she know?
"How do you know?"
Mum raises both of her eyebrows. "I have my sources," she says nonchalantly. Then she grins. "Come on, it was quite obvious. Sev told me about a student who became victim of a curse that takes away magic and asked me to help him devise an antidote months ago. I knew it had to be a Slytherin because Sev only cares about his own students." She scoffs. "And… now that you mentioned the same curse to me… and you're madly in love with a Slytherin… I figured those two were the same."
I might be gaping at her.
"And you kind of confirmed it just now. Until now, I only suspected." She winks playfully.
Damn it. I really need to be more careful with what I'm saying.
"So, does that mean you're coming?" Mum asks, her voice hopeful.
I glance down uncertainly, tapping my fingers against the table. "I'll see if I can get Draco to come. He… doesn't really… want people to know…"
"I see." She tilts her head to the side, seemingly thinking about it. Then she reaches over and pinches my cheek this time. "Well, I'm sure you'll come up with a way to convince him. Let me know once you've decided."
"Okay." I wonder how on earth mum thinks I'm going to convince him. I'm not even convinced, I can convince him.
Mum seems to notice that. She takes my hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze. "There's a potion for everything. And if there isn't… "
"… it simply hasn't been invented yet." I continue her favourite saying. It's a good saying, I think. Words that are filled with hope.
For the first time since finding out about Draco's secret, I think that everything might just work out after all.
…ooo…
The following day, Haley asked Draco to meet her in the kitchens for supper.
"Are you still eating that?" She asked, pointing to the roasted sweet potatoes on his plate. He hadn't even touched them. Draco shook his head and fixed her with a suspicious glance instead.
Haley switched out her empty plate with Draco's but before she could grab her fork, he had confiscated it.
"Hey – give it back!" She reached for her stolen fork but he hid it behind his back, completely out of her reach.
Draco raised an eyebrow. "After you told me… why you brought me here."
Haley huffed. "Isn't it obvious? To eat? To see you? You're the one who keeps skipping classes. Not my fault, I barely remember what you look like."
He snorted. Maybe she was exaggerating. A bit. When did he get that observant anyway?
"So…" He urged, twirling her fork between his fingers. "What is it?"
Haley sighed. How was she going to explain this? "So… my mum invited me to come home on the weekend…"
Draco frowned. "Does she miss you that much? Won't she see you in three weeks anyway?"
Haley nodded. The school year was almost over after all. Of course, he'd find the idea strange. "She… well… the thing is… er…"
Draco tilted his head to the side, his inquiring gaze making her even more nervous.
"She… er… she…" Haley bit her lips. "She i-invited you, too."
Her words were followed by silence. After a few moments Draco finally found his voice again.
"Why?" He asked slowly, voice tinged with wariness.
"Look," Haley reached across the table to touch his arm. "I know you don't want others to know-"
"You told her?" He asked hotly, pulling his arm away.
"I never mentioned your name, I promise!" She replied just as passionate. "My mum she… I only asked her about the curse but she figured it all out by herself!"
"Well, then you shouldn't have been so stupid to tell her in the first place!" He thundered, getting up from the table angrily.
"Right! I was stupid for trying to help you!" She shot back. "I was stupid to think you'd actually want your magic back!" For a second her own outburst surprised her. A few months ago she would never have talked back like that.
Draco seemed slightly stunned as well. He looked around wildly as if he was searching for something to grab and throw against a wall. When he didn't find anything, he ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "You don't know what it's like," he growled in a low pained voice. "Getting my hopes up and having them crushed every single time." He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "You want to help me? Then don't make me go through that torture again."
Haley swallowed back a sob. He looked so dejected. She walked around the table and approached him cautiously. Like he was one of Simon's kittens after playing around too much and getting wounded and defensive.
"I can't promise that it's going to work this time," she said quietly. "But… my mum is one of the most talented witches I know. If there's anyone who can find a way, it's her." Slowly, she touched the back of his hand with her fingertips. He didn't pull away. "I think… it's worth a try. But if you really don't want to…" She took a deep breath. "I'll let it go."
Something seemed to crumble in his eyes. "I don't want to give up… yet." He admitted, as if her words had triggered a hidden fear inside him.
"All right." She said, interlacing her fingers with his. "We won't give up, then."
He looked at her as if he already regretted his decision. Haley really hoped she wasn't setting him up for another crushed hope.
Then all of a sudden, something shifted in Draco's eyes.
"What was that?" He asked, eyeing something behind her warily. Before she could turn around or wonder what that strange squeaking sound might belong to, Draco was already rushing past her to check.
"Ow! Let go!" A high voice screeched from the hall.
What followed then was a mess of blond hair and whooshing robes. It looked as though Draco was dragging a girl who was fighting and scratching like a wild cat through the door into the kitchens. Had she been eavesdropping?
And then Haley recognized her. "Emberley!"
The little girl who was still struggling against Draco who was holding her up by her collar, sent her a glare. "It's Emily, damn it! How come you can't even remember a simple name?"
Wow, that Creevey kid could be a real brat.
"Who do you think you are, you little beast? How much did you hear?" Draco growled angrily, pressing her against the wall next to the door. It looked far from gentle.
"Let her go, Draco." Haley insisted, unable to watch any longer.
The boy didn't seem to hear her. "I asked, how much did you hear?"
The girl only glared at him. Then she bit into his hand, causing him to drop her.
"Ow, you monster! Get back!"
The kid was about to make a run for the door but Draco was quicker and blocked her from it.
"What. Did. You. Hear!" He roared, eyes shining wildly.
This was too much. Haley leaped between the two and forced him to look at her. "That's enough. You're scaring her. She's only a child."
"So what? She eavesdropped on us. She probably heard everything!" He tried to push her aside to get to the girl but Haley didn't budge.
"I won't stand here and watch you bully a little girl. No matter what she did."
That seemed to shake him out of his haze somewhat. Maybe it reminded him of all the times it had been her he had been bullying.
"I wasn't… she was the one who… I…" And just like that he'd turned from an angry bull to a sheepish boy. "She shouldn't have eavesdropped, then." He grumbled, fixing the kid with an irritated glare. The girl glared right back. She had found refuge inside a small kitchen cupboard. A sack of potatoes was carelessly lying on the ground next to it.
Haley sighed. "Still, let's talk to her first. All right?" She made a step closer and took his hand carefully.
"I don't know what that's going to change, so…" he started to argue but Haley squeezed his fingers tightly and narrowed her eyes only a smidgen.
He took a deep breath, as if trying to calm himself down. "All right." He muttered. But he only followed her to the table after barricading the only exit with one of the benches. Haley lifted an eyebrow. Somebody was being paranoid.
Once he was satisfied with his work, he wandered over to the table and sat down in a chair next to Haley, from which he was able to watch the little potato cupboard without potatoes.
"What?" He asked somewhat aggressively, when he noticed her staring. Haley only shook her head and turned to the cupboard as well.
"Why don't you come sit as well?" She asked, trying to sound as soothing and inviting as possible.
The girl peeked out of the open cabinet door carefully but shook her head as soon as she noticed the gloomy boy. "Not with him there. What if he turns into hulk again?" She replied, sticking out her tongue.
"What did you say? You think you can call me names? Just wait until I-"
"Draco, stop!" He had already been getting up again. But Haley held onto his arm almost reflexively.
With a growl, he dropped down again. "Fine." He rolled his eyes. "But if the brat keeps provoking me I'll-"
"She won't." Haley cut him off. "Right, Emily?"
The girl seemed so surprised she'd used her right name, that she could only nod.
"Wonderful." Haley released a relieved breath. "Then… why don't you tell us what you're doing here? You didn't follow me, did you?"
Emily bit her lips nervously.
Okay, Haley hadn't expected that. She'd only meant it as a joke. An ice breaker.
"You followed me?" She asked. "Why?"
"Didn't Angelina tell you not to skip meals? You weren't in the Great Hall, so I thought… I wanted to make sure…" She twirled her thumbs fidgety.
Aw. That was almost sweet. She'd wanted to make sure, she didn't skip any meals.
"Then… how'd you find me? We came here quite early." Even before supper had started. That way it was easier to sneak the food before it was sent up to the Great Hall.
Emily glanced over to the door quickly. Then she focused on the floor again. She seemed guilty almost.
Haley followed her gaze and noticed a piece of parchment by the door that seemed strangely familiar.
She got up and leaped toward the door. "My map! You were the one who took it!"
"I – I didn't…" Emily quietened, chewing on her lips harder. "I only took it because it's one of the Marauder's legendary treasures and… because I was annoyed at you for not taking the training seriously!"
Well, well, well. Was this kid actually a fangirl of her dad? And how was it her business when she happened to be late for practice every now and then?
Just when Haley was about to ask and quell her own curiosity, she noticed Draco clenching his hands to fists under the table. He was starting to get impatient. Seemed like she had to save her own questions for later.
"So…" After picking up her map, she quickly folded it up and returned to the chair beside Draco. "What did you hear?"
Draco tensed, while Emily crossed her arms and raised up her chin defiantly. "I heard you're planning to go on some vacation on the weekend – But you can't! The final game is on Sunday!"
Quidditch. Why was everyone pestering her with that lately?
"It's Sunday morning." Haley pinched the bridge of her nose. "We'll be back for the game if everything goes according to plan." They had the whole of Saturday. That should be enough to try whatever potion her mum had concocted.
"If everything goes according to plan? That doesn't sound very convincing! Are you going to let our team down again? I won't let you! I'll – I'll tell everyone what I heard! I'll tell them all about him!" The little girl threatened, pointing her small finger at Draco.
She shouldn't have said that. Because after those words, the boy to Haley's right jumped to his feet with a murderous expression on his face and lunged toward the cabinet.
Damn. Fast as lightening the girl pulled the cabinet door shut. But who knew for how long that would stop him?
Haley went after him, snaking her arms around his middle and tried to hold him back. "Calm down!" She hissed, stopping him inches away from the cabinet.
He ignored her. "You're gonna tell them what? What exactly, you little monster!"
"That you're trying to get back your magic," her voice sounded muffled from the other side of the wooden door. "Does that mean you lost it? I didn't know that was possible." The girl opened the door slightly to peek curiously at him. How was she this fearless?
With a roar Draco broke out of Haley's grasp and lunged for the door.
Emily's eyes widened and she pulled at the door again but the boy was faster. He pulled the door open completely and was about to reach into the cabinet, when the potato sack lifted off the ground and slammed into him, taking him off his feet.
Had Emily done that? No… the girl was hiding behind the closed door again. Then who…?
A small house elf hurried over and took in the chaos with comically wide eyes.
"Bandy is really sorry, Mr Draco. He was only trying to summon the potato sack for the potato soup he needs to prepare."
Bandy! Haley recognized him now. His ears were exceptionally small for a house elf. Quickly, he knelt down and tried to pull the heavy sack off the boy.
Draco shoved his hands away impatiently. "Get away from me, you useless-"
"Bandy is very sorry. He will prepare some sweets to make up for it." With that the elf bowed, nose almost touching the floor and hurried back to his fellow elves at the other end of the room again.
Haley used the moment of distraction to kneel down next to the boy and effectively block him from the cabinet at the same time.
"Let me talk to her, okay?" She asked cautiously, reaching for his hand and giving it a light squeeze.
"You heard her!" Draco burst in return, still angry it seemed. "She'll tell everyone! I won't let her!"
"Then what are you planning to do?" She shot back. "Tie her up? Kidnap her?"
Draco scoffed and glanced away. "You could at least make her forget what she heard."
"How? I've never even tried a memory spell. Chances are I'll delete her whole memory or worse, my own."
Draco sighed. He had to see that she was right even if he wished she wasn't. She could feel his fingers tremble. He pulled his hand away and crossed his arms in front of his chest in an attempt to hide it.
That was why he was being so aggressive. He was scared. Scared the younger girl was going to expose the secret he'd been guarding for so long. Her heart went out for him.
With fresh determination, she turned to the cabinet. "Emily?"
There was a quiet hum form inside the cabinet.
"So… if I don't cause our team to lose the game you won't have a reason to tell anyone about Draco, right?"
For a few seconds it was silent. Then a muffled voice hesitantly replied, "Right. I can keep your secret if you don't make us lose."
Haley released a relieved sigh. "Okay. You can come out."
"He has to promise to leave me alone." The voice argued stubbornly.
Haley looked at Draco pointedly.
The boy rolled his eyes. "How do we know, she's going to keep her word?"
"Because I'm going to really make sure Gryffindor loses if she tells only a soul. And she doesn't want that."
"You can't!" The door was thrown open and the girl leaped out of the cabinet, stomping her foot petulantly. "I won't let you!"
"Then simply keep your word," Haley said sweetly.
Draco uncrossed his arms, which made Emily shrink back against the cabinet.
Haley sighed. Then she scooted over to Draco and looped one of her arms around his. "Oh, don't mind him. He won't hurt you. He's as soft as a teddy bear, really."
But Emily still seemed intimidated by the intense stare he was fixing her with.
"I promise," Haley reassured her. "Gryffindor's honour." She reached out her hand and with positively shining eyes the little girl took a hesitant step toward her.
"Okay. I promise, too." She breathed, taking her hand almost in awe. "Gryffindor's honour."
"You know, I think we've still got the legendary seven-second snitch at home. I could show it to you, if you want?" Haley offered. She swore this was the first time she saw the younger girl genuinely smile. It was a smile that lit up her whole face.
"Are you sure that would be okay?" Emily asked shyly.
"Why not?" Haley shrugged, hoping her dad hadn't thrown away his old snitch. But then, he never parted with anything that reminded him of his glory days.
"That would be so amazing! I'll definitely keep my word!"
A moment later, Emily skipped past them, happily humming to herself.
"See? I'm good with children." Haley beamed, clutching Draco's arm tighter.
"You're just going to let her go like that?" He asked sceptically.
"Sure. She won't break the Code."
"Code?"
"The Marauder's Code. It's something my dad and his friends came up with when they were students. If you say the words 'Gryffindor's Honour', you can't go back on your word. It's similar to the Unbreakable Vow." She explained.
"What happens if you break the code?" He asked.
"You lose your honour."
Draco frowned. "What? That's it?"
"Yeah," she nodded. "That's kind of a big deal for a Gryffindor. Like a death blow."
Draco shook his head. "That's insane."
"Yeah well. Gryffindors are simple like that." She shrugged.
Draco still looked torn between running after the kid to lock her up in the dungeons and staying put. "What if she doesn't keep her word?" He mumbled gloomily. "What if she tells everyone? What if dad finds out? He'll kick me out for sure – what will I do then?"
Haley placed her hand on his mouth, trapping the words, that only brought him down further, inside.
"Shh. We have a plan, don't we?" She said softly, moving her hand to his cheek and caressing it gently. "And even if it doesn't work out… you're not completely useless. You have a decent voice. You could even become the next Myron Wagtail."
Although he still looked dejected, there was a small smile tugging at his lips. "You think?"
"Definitely." She agreed. "Just a little less wild and… er… more boyish and…"
"And?"
"And I could be your fangirl, I'd come to all of your concerts."
"All of my concerts?" He seemed to like the sound of that. Then his brows furrowed. "Even if I can't make any spells work? Even if people call me a… squib? You'll still stay by my side?" His voice dripped with bitterness.
He sounded so miserable and lonely, Haley wanted to shake him. Or hug him. Or kiss it all better.
"Yes." She replied impatiently.
"Why?" It sounded as if he really couldn't fathom why she would willingly spend even a second of her time with someone like him.
"Because…" she started to say and then stopped because she couldn't think of a single reason that would make his doubts disappear right away. So instead she grinned and said, "Because I really like kissing you." With that she pulled him down to her and pecked his lips sweetly.
"Huh?" He obviously hadn't expected something like that.
She chuckled. "It means as long as you take care of your pretty mouth, I'll be stuck to you like… like bubble gum." To demonstrate her point, Haley threw her leg across his lap and wound her arms around him like a koala bear.
"Insane," he murmured from somewhere above her. And even though she wasn't exactly sure, who or what exactly the word referred to, she swore she heard the tiniest hint of amusement in his voice.
…
A/N: Hi friends! So sorry, this took so long. I'm kind of busy with my thesis at the moment so there's not too much time to write. Also, I found this addictive Chinese webnovel but shh...
Anyway, now that Lily's involved surely everything will turn out alright, right?
Stay positive and happy, everyone :)