25 – Don't Let This Magic Die
"Hope is a waking dream."
― Aristotle
...
The mood was completely ruined after that. When it was time for supper, Simon was the only one who didn't pick at his food gloomily.
So, instead of torturing her guest much longer, Lily declared, "If you're done eating, you may go wash up and rest. I've prepared a bed for you in Simon's room."
Draco nodded absently, before getting up and lifelessly marching in the direction of the hall.
Lily cleared her throat. "Simon." She said pointedly.
"Hm?" Simon grunted, his mouth full of mashed potatoes.
"Show him to your room?" Although, it sounded like a question, it clearly was an order.
Simon swallowed forcibly. It looked like a small catastrophe. "But… I'm eating?" He replied in confusion.
Another pointed look from Lily.
Then Haley got up instead and hastily said, "I can do it. I'm already done eating."
Lily raised an eyebrow, which made Haley almost think, she was going to protest. But to her surprise, her mother nodded. "Fine." She said. And winked at her…?
Before she could change her mind, Haley followed Draco into the hall and lead him upstairs.
Simon's bedroom was the first one to the right. Across from it was her own. Between her parents' bedroom at the end of the hall and her own room was the bathroom.
Haley pointed to the first door on the right and opened it. "Here, we are."
True to her word, Lily had set up a second bed in the middle of Simon's room. It wasn't too spacey but it didn't look uncomfortable either.
While Draco took in the room, an unpleasant silence settled over them. Haley was suddenly unsure how to talk to him. Did he want to be comforted? Should she pretend nothing had happened?
"Er…" She said awkwardly. "The bathroom's down the hall to the right. If you need anything… I'm right over here, across the hall." She pointed to her room, which was right across from Simon's.
Draco nodded. The movement was so small, that Haley almost didn't notice it.
"All right. Er… make yourself at home, I guess." With that, she fled to her own bedroom. For some time, nothing but faint noises could be heard from the other room. He seemed to be settling in for the night. Haley tried to do the same, but she couldn't stop worrying about him.
Then she heard another set of footsteps in the hall. Loud footsteps. Simon's without a doubt.
Haley had an idea. And before she could overthink it, she slid out of her room and stopped Simon, who was about to enter his own.
"What are you doing?" Simon asked, eyeing his arm, where she had grabbed him suddenly.
Instead of answering, Haley pushed her brother into her own room and shut the door between them.
It reopened only a second later. "Hey, what are you-?"
"Shh," Haley hushed, nodding toward their parents' bedroom. "We're switching rooms tonight."
"What?"
"Don't ask. I owe you one, alright?"
Simon seemed like he wanted to protest.
Haley sighed. "I'm worried about him, okay? He had a really shitty day."
Simon's eyes went innocently wide. For a second, he even looked sympathetic. "Okay," he answered, slightly pouting. "But you owe me."
She nodded. "Yes, yes. Now go to bed." She shooed him into her room and then turned around and slid into his.
Nothing but darkness greeted her inside. The small bed Lily had set up in the middle of the room was empty, too. Where was Draco? For a frightened second Haley feared, he had jumped out of the window and left or something.
But then her eyes found the small lump underneath the sheets on Simon's own bed to the left. She released a sigh in relief. Then she cautiously tip-toed over to the bed and squeezed in next to him, lying down on top of the covers.
"What the-?" He exclaimed in surprise, almost falling off the bed.
"Oops, thought you were Simon. Why'd you steal my brother's bed?" Haley replied nonchalantly.
"I didn't – I thought this was–" Draco stammered, gripping the covers as if he wanted to hide underneath them.
She grinned. "You thought Simon was gonna let you sleep in his own bed?"
He raised an eyebrow, as if to say, 'Duh.'
Haley snorted. Then she scooted closer, propping up on her elbow. With her cheek resting on her palm she watched him silently.
"What is it?" Draco asked warily.
She hesitated, biting her lips. How should she phrase it best? "Are you… okay?" she asked cautiously.
He glanced away and rolled onto his back with a sigh.
Wrong question. She mentally slapped herself.
"I…" she whispered quietly, after a moment. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought you here. It's my fault you got your hopes crushed."
He didn't reply for a while. If not for the recurring movement of his eyes blinking, she would have thought he had fallen asleep.
"It's… it's okay." He said then with a shrug.
"Huh?" She was a tad surprised to hear that. "Really?"
He nodded, still facing the ceiling. "It's… kind of nice actually."
Haley stared at him in disbelief. Nice? This trip of disappointments? Had he gone mad?
"Before…" He continued quietly. "I was always trying on my own. Trying this potion or that spell, driving myself mad with frustration…" He paused. Perhaps, hanging on to painful memories. "But this time… it was different. I wasn't alone." His voice gained a more hopeful tinge. "You were there… by my side… fighting with me… believing in me. You… and even your family." He shook his head. "It felt nice… not to be the only one… in this… this hopeless mess."
Something glistened below his eye. Like a tiny translucent gobstone. Haley wanted to reach out and wipe the tear drop away.
"I feel like… maybe it's okay… to give up now." He sounded like a little kid. A kid whose dream had been stolen and hidden somewhere far far away where it could never be retrieved again. It almost broke her heart.
She wished there was something, anything, she could say to make him feel better. But there was nothing. She couldn't even begin to comprehend what it had to be like, losing your magic and along with it all hope to ever get it back again. It was impossible to imagine.
There were no words to make up for this terrible loss.
So, instead of wasting her breath on hollow phrases, she tightly wrapped her arm around his middle and rested her head on his chest.
Whenever she hugged Simon like this, it seemed to calm him. Although her brother usually was the sweetest child imaginable, he sometimes had anger fits, where he just… went off.
At first, Draco seemed to calm down as well, but then after a few minutes, she could feel him start to shake beneath her. He didn't make a sound. When she slightly inched backwards to get a better look at him, he quickly rolled onto his side and hid his face against her shoulder. His arms came up around her back and clung to her, like someone might cling to a rope that was the only thing saving them from falling into a bottomless abyss.
"Don't leave me." She heard him whisper, his voice full of fear. "Please… don't… leave me."
Haley returned the embrace just as forcefully. "I'm here." She said, hoping it was enough. "I'm here."
She kept repeating the words soothingly. Reassuringly. Lovingly. Until finally, the sobs subsided and his breaths evened out, carrying him over into the merciful arms of sleep.
…
The door opened with a bang.
"Haley! Breakfast!" Simon yelled the two words as if his life depended on them.
Something heavy stopped Haley from sitting up in surprise. Something heavy that was lying on her arm. It felt as though all of her limbs were entangled with someone else's.
A strange feeling. But somehow nice as well.
Before she could ponder the thought any more, she grabbed a pillow and threw it at the general direction of the door. "For Merlin's sake, knock, Simon! I'm pretty sure I taught you how to do that!"
"But – this – this is my room!" Simon argued, ducking out of the way. The pillow hit the wall with a disappointing thud.
"Same difference. Now go!" Haley hissed, reaching for a red plush dragon to throw next.
"I'm leaving, I'm leaving, Merlin's pants." Simon grumbled and then the door shut.
Haley flopped back down on the bed with a groan. Then she carefully glanced at the boy next to her. He blindly reached for the plush dragon and pressed his face against it with a sigh.
"Sorry. Did he wake you?" She asked, slowly pulling her left arm out from under Draco's body.
He shook his head. That damn plush dragon was still hiding his face. Hesitantly, she pulled it aside to get a better look at him. Lying on her side, she tugged on one of his blond locks and gently tucked it behind his ear.
"How are… how'd you sleep? " She bit her lips, rephrasing her question at the last second.
"Alright, I guess." He shrugged, lifting an eyebrow, as if he knew exactly what she had been meaning to ask. "The bed's a bit small."
She pinched his cheek. "Bet yours is twice as big, that right?"
"At least," he quipped. "And the sheets are made of silk."
Haley snorted. "You're so full of it!"
He caught her hand to stop her from pinching his poor skin any further. "Why don't you go and see for yourself?"
"Look at you, trying to seduce people. I think I liked you better when you were cute and innocent."
"I wasn't – I just said – I didn't–" Now she had him flustered, his face turning all red. It was too adorable. This was her mission now. She had to keep distracting him, so all the sad and depressing thoughts didn't even get the chance to enter his head.
"I know, you're still cute and innocent, of course." She leaned forward and pecked his nose sweetly. "I'm going to head to the bath room. See you downstairs for breakfast?"
For a second he looked at her as if the thought of being left alone was unbearable. Then he nodded slowly. "Don't call me innocent." He grumbled quietly.
Haley grinned, climbing across him to slip out of the bed. "Cute it is, then."
"Not that either," he muttered slightly disgruntled, grabbing the plush dragon and aiming for her.
But Haley was already quickly slipping out of the room, hastily closing the door behind her.
Something hit the door with a thump. Poor plush dragon. Poor door.
Snorting, she walked over to the bathroom. Simon was going to be mad. But as long as Draco was distracted, all was well.
…
Seeing Professor Snape in her kitchen for breakfast was slightly surprising. "Did he spend the night?" Haley asked Simon in a whisper that only he could hear, when she sat down next to him.
Her brother shook his head. "Stumbled in through the chimney earlier," he replied messily around a mouthful of buttered scones. The molten butter was already dripping into his lap.
Haley lifted her brows. He was a walking mess, that brother of hers. She grabbed a napkin from a cupboard behind her and threw it at him.
"I assure you, I did not 'stumble in'." Professor Snape drawled with barely concealed amusement. "I did come in through the chimney, however."
Haley smiled politely, while elbowing Simon and whispering, "Lower your voice, next time, will you?" Louder she asked, "Did you forget something, professor?"
The potion master shook his head and took a sip of tea. "Well, not in the common sense. I returned because I remembered something. And it simply would not leave me alone."
"What did you remember, sir?" Simon asked, picking up the napkin and wiping butter globs off his fingers. Haley grimaced. She would never get used to that.
"I kept thinking about this acquaintance of mine who had used the curse against the Dark Lord." Snape mused. "Thus, I paid him a visit last night. I think, I mentioned that he never used his magic again?"
"Right, but why?" Haley asked.
"If he took that lord's magic, why didn't he use it? Did he give it back? Or lose it again?" Simon wondered.
Haley frowned. "Come on, it doesn't work like that. Magic's not like a quaffle that you can just toss back and forth as you like."
"Is it not?" Snape questioned. "That is exactly what I asked old Regulus. And he gave me an interesting answer."
"It would be easier if you could just toss it back like a quaffle." Simon mused. "Did anyone ever try?"
Haley tried not to roll her eyes. "It's not a quaffle though. And obviously that wizard didn't want that lord of the darkness to ever get his magic back. So, why would he try to help him?"
Simon nodded. "I guess… But that lord… if he was so powerful… he should have done everything to get it back. He should have tried to take it back. No matter how. Right?"
What Simon said made sense. On a certain level.
"Maybe he did." Lily chimed in. She had been silent the whole time. Contemplating. "Maybe there simply was no way."
Haley's heart sunk. Again. She'd thought Snape was here because he had found a way.
"What did your acquaintance say, Sev?" Lily asked, stirring her blueberry porridge absently. "Why did he never use magic again?"
Professor Snape looked slightly disgruntled. Maybe because he had thought his story would receive more attention. "He was scared."
That seemed… a bit anticlimactic.
"Why was he scared?" Simon asked curiously.
Snape folded his hands on the table, this time continuing much more willingly. "He said… that his magic had changed. It had become different. More violent. And vicious. Unpredictable. He was scared it was going to overwhelm him. That he might not be able to control it. That it might turn him into the same thing he had been trying to destroy."
An eery silence followed these ominous words.
"So, you're saying Tom Riddle's magic was transferred to your… acquaintance?" Lily mused.
Professor Snape lifted an eyebrow. "It seems so. Magic does not simply disappear. It had to settle somewhere."
"Why didn't he just give it back?" Asked Simon as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"He wanted to defeat that dark wizard, remember? So, he couldn't give it back." Haley argued sceptically. She still wasn't convinced it even worked like that. It seemed too easy.
"But Neville can." Simon argued stubbornly. "Can't he?"
"It's not that easy! We don't even know if Draco's magic was really transferred to him!" Haley replied hotly. Somehow she felt this was all going too quickly. She wanted to give Draco a break. It was a good thing he was still upstairs, otherwise the topic might have upset him.
"Isn't that basically what he just said?" Simon asked, nodding at Snape.
"But…" Haley protested, waving her arms back and forth wildly. "That doesn't make sense. Neville never had a problem like that. He's been using his magic just fine these past months…" She trailed off, an image appearing in her mind. No. A lot of images. "His hands…" she mumbled quietly. "There were blisters all over his hands…" She sent her mum a questioning look. "It's not because… it can't be because…"
"Haley, what about Neville's hands?" Lily asked gently.
"N-nothing. It probably doesn't have anything to do with this at all!"
"You said there were blisters-"
"No. I mean – I – Draco – it's not his fault – it can't be his magic doing that," Haley stammered. She didn't want to believe that Neville was hurt like this because of Draco. His hands full of burns and blisters because of Draco's magic that had run wild…
"Hm." Professor Snape hummed thoughtfully. "I wonder… have you noticed anything else unusual about Longbottom?" He didn't sound accusative at least. Just… curious.
Haley bit her lips. "Well. He had some problems with his wand, I think. It would sometimes emit sparks or small bursts of fire. And there were instances in class where he would try a harmless charm and the object he was working on would go up in flames." Something else came to her mind. "And other times his spells seemed to go… overboard."
"Overboard? How?" Lily asked, tilting her head to the side.
"For example," Haley continued. "Instead of making a pillow float, the whole class would end up floating. Or… he would transfigure a button into a four poster instead of a chair…" Now that she thought about it, there had been lots of instances like that in the past year. "What… does that mean?"
The others around the table let her words sink in for a moment.
Then Lily offered, "It seems… like he can't control it. It's too much to handle."
Haley sighed. At least that meant, Draco's magic wasn't purposefully hurting Neville. Right? It was like… when you were trying to fit into a pair of jeans that was several sizes too small. It was bound to tear and eventually break. Or like blowing too much air into a balloon until it burst because it was simply too small for all that air.
"Then what do we do?" Haley whispered. "We can't just let him suffer like this! Can't we make him return the magic?"
"If it worked like that, the potion should have been enough," Snape explained. "My guess is… that Longbottom has to return the magic willingly. The potion cannot force him to do that."
"So, it's up to Neville, then?" Haley asked. "If he doesn't want to give it back… Draco… has to stay this way?"
"I am afraid so." Professor Snape replied.
From the kitchen entrance came the sound of breaking glass.
Everybody's eyes turned to the entrance. There, leaning heavily against the door frame, was the very person they had been talking about this whole time, face as pale as chalk.
Haley rushed over to Draco. He had even cut his left hand on the shards of whatever had crashed to the floor.
"Are you okay?" She asked, taking hold of his bloodied hand. "Does it hurt?"
He shook his head absently, as if he didn't even register the pain.
"Mum – C-Can you–?" She waved over her mother frantically. That blood on his fingers really unsettled her.
Lily was already by her side, flicking her wand and patching up Draco's skin, along with the glass object that had been smashed to pieces. It was her dad's terrarium. The special one with little goal hoops, in which he kept all the snitches he had ever caught in his life. Now, they were all zooming about the room, adding to the overall chaos. It was a good thing her dad wasn't present.
Haley grabbed another napkin from the table behind her and hastily wiped the remaining blood off Draco's fingers. "It's okay. Don't worry – What-Whatever you heard – just forget it," she said hastily. "It's not important – you – you don't have to worry about it. It's okay."
"Haley… Haley, stop." Draco said, gently stilling her hands that were still wiping at his fingers like mad. "I'm fine. Stop fretting." Now he was calming her down. Somehow, she was more upset than him, it seemed. Or maybe it had been the sight of her distress that had brought him to his senses.
Haley inhaled deeply. "Okay. Okay, let's… just forget about all of this, alright?" She didn't want him to get disappointed again. She still remembered how devastated he had been the previous night. He had already suffered so much pain.
He chewed on his lips indecisively. "I… Do you think… is there a chance that… he'd help me? Longbottom?" He grimaced. As if the name left a sour taste in his mouth.
Haley gave it a thought. Apart from the fact that Neville was one of the kindest people she knew, she also remembered the last conversation between them. He had felt so guilty about Draco's current situation that he had broken up with her. Because he had somehow thought staying with her wasn't fair to Draco. Although that wasn't true. Although none of it had been Neville's fault. On the contrary. Draco had been the one who had cursed him.
"I think he would," she whispered honestly. "Surely, he would."
Draco nodded once. Then he seemed to make a decision. "Alright. I want to try."
"Are you sure?" Haley asked quietly.
He nodded. "Nothing left to lose, is there?"
She couldn't argue with that.
"Er… not trying to burst your bubble, or anything," Lily spoke up. "But… if you really want to give it another try, we need to hurry. The potion draws most of its power from the full moon. Which will start receding around noon, so…"
"We have to get to Neville before noon?" Haley asked. "That shouldn't be too hard. It's only ten."
"Wouldn't it be better to do it here instead?" Draco argued quietly. "There are… so many eyes at Hogwarts."
Right. In case the plan went wrong… it would be better not to have any unnecessary witnesses, who might potentially find out about the reason for their endeavour.
"Okay, so then we need to go get Neville and convince him to help us." Haley concluded. "How do we get there, though? Apparating might take too long. We'd have to walk all the way from Hogsmeade."
Questioningly, she turned to her mother. Who turned to Professor Snape, even nudging him with an elbow.
The man sighed in resignation, looking up to the ceiling helplessly. "Fine. You may make use of my personal chimney."
"Really?" Haley beamed, barely stopping herself from hugging her teacher. "Alright, let's go, then!" She pulled on Draco's arm, about to take him to the chimney in the adjoining living room.
"Ah – wait, a second, Haley," Lily called, stopping her. "Would you mind going by yourself? I'd like to really make sure everything goes well this time, so… there are some things I need to ask Draco. Just to make sure there won't be any side effects."
"Hm. Okay, I guess." Haley replied. "If that's alright with you?" She asked Draco. He nodded.
"Just don't make me wait an hour again." He half-joked.
Haley rolled her eyes and wanted to give him a playful slap, when she suddenly remembered something. "The game." Her hand flew to her mouth in shock. "I can't come back. The game starts in half an hour!"
The realisation made Draco's face fall. "Right. Quidditch." He chuckled humourlessly. "That's important. You have to be there, of course." He encouraged her. But his voice sounded strangely hollow.
She hated that she had to make him go through this alone. She reached for his hand, squeezing it softly. Reassuringly. "Look, maybe… if I catch the snitch really quickly – I can come back and–"
He shook his head. "No, it's fine. Don't worry. The game is important. You shouldn't miss it because of something like this. I'm fine. Really." His mouth pulled upwards but the smile didn't reach his eyes. Not by far.
"Alright." Haley whispered. She felt terrible. But there really was nothing she could do. It was the finale. If she missed that, Angelina was going to kick her off the team for sure. And even worse than that, the annoying Emily kid had threatened to reveal Draco's secret if they lost because of her. She really didn't have a choice but to leave him alone.
"I'll look after him for you, sis," Simon piped up, appearing by her side, as if he had read her thoughts. He really was the sweetest. Although there were still butter clumps stuck to his nose.
"Thanks, Simon," she said, ruffling his hair and kissing his cheek fondly. He promptly rubbed the space with his shirtsleeve, making her roll her eyes.
When she turned back to Draco he watched her brother in a strange disapproving way. He couldn't be jealous of him, could he?
"Here, you get one, too." She mumbled, leaning over and kissing his lips. Although she lingered there for no more than a few seconds, a couple of throats were being cleared, making her hastily pull away.
But before she turned away completely, she whispered something into Draco's ear. "Don't be afraid. I believe in you. Just believe… that magic works." She half-sang that last part like the line from Draco's favourite Weird Sisters song.
It lit a spark in his eyes.
And then Haley was finally off.
…
Travelling with floo powder was so much more pleasant than apparating. One second she was in her living room. The next, she stumbled out of Professor Snape's personal chimney in Hogwarts.
Her plan was easy, really. First, hurry to Gryffindor tower. Then, get her Magnificient Marauder's Map from her trunk and locate Neville. Finally, get Neville, convince him to help Draco and send him back to her house through Snape's chimney.
Nothing could go wrong. It was a fool proof plan.
So fool proof that Haley didn't even have to go up to Gryffindor tower to get her Map. Because she spotted Neville inside the Entrance Hall. He was probably on his way down to the game.
"Neville!" She greeted him enthusiastically. "So good to see you! Do you have a moment?"
"I – Haley – what…?" He sputtered, not quite following her. "You're back already? I thought there was an emergency at home–"
"Exactly," She interrupted him with a pointed look. At this rate, he was going to let the whole castle know. "Which is why I… kind of need your help. Come with me for a second?" She asked, a tinge of urgency creeping into her voice.
It was a testament to his character that Neville didn't ask any more questions but nodded instead and followed her right away.
On the way down to the dungeons, she whispered the most important details into his ear. "So, the thing is… we've been trying to get Draco's magic back and so far it hasn't worked. But over breakfast we had the idea that maybe you… maybe you can help him."
Neville listened attentively.
Haley took that as a sign to continue. "I'd tell you to think about it carefully and take your time but… we kind of don't have much time because the full moon is losing its power and then the potion will stop working, I think."
Neville blinked. He was probably a tad confused.
Haley sighed. "I'm sorry, I'm not explaining this right. My mum is better at that. She'll be happy to see you again. Simon, too."
Professor Snape's office was right down the next hall.
"In any case… I'm pretty sure you have an idea how important this is for Draco." She bit her lips, wondering whether to add something else or not. "And I know he's the one who cursed you. So you don't have any reason at all to help but-" She took a deep breath and released it soundly. "I hope you'll at least consider it. I hope you won't say no right away." She finished lamely, not daring to look at him.
They stopped in front of the door to Snape's office. All this time Neville had been silent. Silently, listening and taking in her words. Was he wondering how to turn her down politely?
Haley felt ready to burst with anxiousness.
Then finally, Neville tilted his head to the side and spoke. "What can I do to help?" He asked, as if she had asked him to help her repot a couple of mandrakes.
She could have kissed him. But that ship had already sailed, hadn't it? Not to mention how awkward and inappropriate it would have been.
So instead, she took his hand and squeezed it.
Which maybe hadn't been the best of ideas.
Because Neville grimaced and pulled his hand away with a weak, "Ow."
"Oh, sorry, sorry," Haley apologized. She'd completely forgotten about his burned hands. "You know, on a lighter note, I think this will solve your wand problem as well." She said encouragingly.
"Really?" He asked hopefully.
Haley nodded. "Come on." She raised her hand and knocked on the door.
"Come in," said a voice.
Haley opened the door and pushed Neville through the empty room toward the chimney at the back. The voice had come out of the fire, where Professor Snape's head was sitting and sending them slightly irritated looks.
Haley took a handful floo powder from a jar Snape had shown her earlier and let the grains rain into Neville's open palm. "You first. You remember our address?"
Neville nodded, before stepping into the now empty flames. "13, Peverell Street" He said. Then the fire turned green, he was revolving around himself and was gone only a second later.
"Ah shit." Haley muttered. She had forgotten to tell him, she wouldn't come with him. Well… hopefully it would be okay.
There was no more time to linger. The game was going to start in less than fifteen minutes.
…
Hurrying around the first corner, Haley slammed – bam – into a person.
It wasn't as if she had time for something like that. Getting up, she readied herself to continue running down the next hall, when she recognised the person, she had run into.
"You! What are you doing here?" She asked.
"What are you doing here?" Asked the younger girl accusingly. Of course it was that Emily kid. "You need to hurry! The game starts in fifteen minutes!"
"I know! What do you think I'm doing? You're the one who walked into me."
"No, I didn't. I was following you. You walked into me."
"That's rubbish! You walked – wait, you were following me? Again?" Haley lifted an eyebrow. "I'd look for a new hobby. Seriously."
Emily rolled her eyes, arms akimbo. "Anyway. Forget it. We gotta go." With that she turned around and marched down the hall.
Haley looked back uncertainly.
When she had reached the stairs, Emily seemed to realize Haley hadn't moved an inch. "Aren't you coming?" Emily asked with a frown.
Wasn't she coming? Haley kept staring back toward the corridor where Snape's office was located.
Emily trudged back to her with a sigh. "I'm sorry I followed you, okay? I just… saw you in the hall. And then you went down to the dungeons – it… didn't make sense – I wanted to make sure you're not running off. Didn't you get your things done? Where's your… your… you know…" She made a vague gesture that could have meant anything.
"Draco?" Haley helped.
Emily nodded. "Didn't he get his magic back?"
Haley's face fell. Again she was filled with the intense urge to run back to him. The way he'd cried into her pyjama shirt last night. The way he'd clung to her.
Please don't leave. He had asked her. Again and again. It was okay as long as she was there by his side. That was what he had told her. And now… At maybe the most important moment in his life… she was leaving him alone.
That wasn't right.
"Haley? Haley! Come on, we've gotta go. Now!"
"I can't." She whispered.
"What?"
"I can't." She repeated, shaking her head. "I've gotta go."
"But the game-"
"Honestly, I don't give a shit about the game! I'm only playing because it means so much to my dad!" Haley exploded. It felt incredibly liberating.
"What?" Emily gaped at her speechlessly. "What's that supposed to mean? You can't… you can't throw the game – You're letting down the whole team. Your own house! How could you – I'll tell everyone – we-we had a deal, did you forget?"
Haley made a step toward her, looking straight into her eyes. "I remember our deal. But if I remember correctly, it's not broken yet. Not as long as Gryffindor doesn't lose." Her eyes narrowed. "And we will not lose."
"But how…? So, are you playing after all?" Emily asked in confusion.
"No." Haley shook her head again. "But you are."
Her eyes went as wide as saucers. "Me?" She asked in a quiet, disbelieving voice.
Haley nodded. "Yes. You. Isn't that what you wanted? Why you've been pestering me so much? You want to be Seeker." It was a far shot. But she had a hunch it wasn't too far from the truth.
"I… I don't know if I…" Almost self-consciously Emily kicked her foot. She did it in such a clumsy way that she lost her balance and would have fallen if she hadn't reached out to hold onto Haley's sleeve.
The movement caused a fluttery thing to shoot up behind Haley. She turned around but the golden thing already whizzed past, about to escape into the maze of the dungeons.
But to her surprise, Emily, quickly caught it, lunging across the hall after it.
Lying on the floor, the kid held a struggling golden snitch between her fingers. "That's the… the seven-second snitch!" She said breathlessly, her eyes wide with awe.
Oh. Her dad's. Had it escaped from the terrarium? Ah, maybe it had sneaked into her hood when Draco had accidentally broken the terrarium earlier.
"Keep it as a good luck charm," Haley offered. Hopefully, her dad wouldn't miss it. Much. It was one of his favourites. He had caught it during one legendary game after only seven seconds. Hence, the name.
"Really?" Emily asked, her voice full of hope. She looked as if she was close to tears.
"Really." Haley reached out her hand and helped the other girl up. "With this, there's no way, we'll lose."
"Do you really think I can do it? Do you think… I can be a Seeker?" Emily asked, her little hands clutching the snitch to her heart.
"Of course," Haley encouraged her. "And Angelina knows it, too. She's seen you catch that snitch, the other day." The same day she had threatened to kick Haley off the team, actually…
"But… I've never really played… not a real game… I – what if I mess up?" Emily asked in a small voice.
"This might be your only chance to show what you can do," Haley replied sternly, trying to summon some of her inner Hermione to get the tone right. "Do you really want to waste it by worrying about messing up?"
Emily shook her head violently.
"I thought so." Gently, Haley placed her hand on the girl's shoulder. "You don't want to regret not following your heart, do you?"
Again she shook her head.
"Then what are you waiting for?"
With that and a hesitant smile, the girl positively skipped down the hall.
And Haley turned the other way to follow her own heart.
…
A/N: "So is Draco going to get back his magic or not?", I hear you ask. And I promise you'll find out in the next chapter. Totally. This chapter went away with me again... But we're almost at the end. It hink there will either be one more chapter and an epilogue or two chapters plus the epilogue. So, stay tuned, dears. And leave me your thoughts :)
Title is inspired from "Magic Works", which I totally haven't overused in this fic...