Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Coincidence?
The no-name Gryffindor boy prefect from our year saw us walking towards him as we headed for the great hall. First, he paused in mid-step; a chalky-white complexion took over most of his face. Then, he made a hurried adjustment left and scurried to give us a wide berth as we passed; refusing to look away from his shoes. His aversion amused me greatly and I wondered if this is how Professor Snape felt when he crossed paths with students.
Glancing over his shoulder to watch his no-name roommate go, George made a sound of appreciation. "That's the fourth day he's avoided us like we're Peeves. Percy must have really torn him a new one. I'm kind of sad we didn't get to watch".
Fred shrugged as I made a noise of agreement. "Better him than us", Fred reasoned. Percy may be uptight, but he's still related to us. Meaning he knows how to retaliate. The difference is that his form of retaliation isn't as fun as ours.
We continued on our way; talking about Lee's new infatuation with a seventh-year Ravenclaw girl that didn't know he existed. As we came closer and closer to the great hall we came across more people. Lost in our own conversation, we didn't notice right away when they would pause at the sight of us and start whispering behind their hands. Not until we were standing at the doors of the great hall; surrounded by whisperings and stares.
"Okay", I started in a low voice to not attract any additional attention as we approached Gryffindor table. "It's too early in the year for any of us to have done something to earn this level of gossip. Have you two pulled any pranks without me?"
Fred and George shook their heads in sync as their eyes scanned the hall like they were searching for the source. "I was just about to ask you the same thing", George said after nothing glaringly obvious popped out.
We didn't make it to the table. Ginny intercepted us by seemingly appearing out of nowhere and asking in a slightly panicked voice, "It's not going to happen again, is it?" Her Slytherin green robes swished around her ankles as she came to a halt. Her hands were clasped to her chest as she stared up at us; expecting one of us to know the answer to her question. In her hair, an emerald green hair clip that I know did not come from Mum was neatly keeping loose hairs out of her face.
Bending his knees slightly so they could be more at eye level, Fred asked, "Ginny, what are you talking about?"
Her expression morphed from fearful to concerned. "No one's told you?" Ginny asked, despite that answer being clear as her eyes flickered over me. Around us, the whispering continued; making this moment with Ginny not very private.
"Told us what?" Fred tried again.
But before Ginny could say anything, two identical faces joined her on her left and right. Fred straightened to his full height as Hestia held out a copy for the Daily Prophet for us to see. "It's all anyone will talk about", she informed us.
"It made the front page", Flora helped as George took the paper from her sister.
I tried to read it from my spot next to George, but thanks to our difference in height, it was difficult. So, I had to settle for George reading the front title aloud. "Escaped Patient from…." George paused; as if he had to read it again silently to be sure. "St. Mungo's", he finished; glancing down at me as Fred snatched the paper from him.
That could be anyone, right? I turned my head to watch Fred read. I mean… the odds of a certain blonde fraud breaking out of a mental ward the same night we destroyed the diary that had possessed him….. But when Fred started to grind his teeth and his expression became pinched, I knew things were not looking good. Ah, hell.
"Last night, Lockhart's hospital bed was found empty, and the healer on staff at the time was found stunned with his wand missing", Fred grimly reported.
My hand shook as I held it out, expecting Fred to hand the paper to me so I could see it for myself. But he didn't. Instead, he folded it up and tucked it under his arm; shaking his head at me and my outstretched hand. Later, I took his gesture to mean.
"He won't come back, right?" Ginny rephrased her question as she took a step closer to us.
The three of us weren't as good as Bill and Charlie, but like practiced older siblings, we had a quick and wordless conversation with our eyes. "No, he won't come back". I said; reaching out and pulling Ginny into a hug. Ignoring the fact the action was probably something Hestia and Flora looked down on. But, by Merlin! If my little sister needed a hug, I was going to give her a hug. "He can't come back", I tried to assure both myself and Ginny. "Lupin took his job".
"Ginevra", Hestia broke in; causing Ginny to step out of my embrace and my arms to fall to my sides. "There won't be anything to worry about", the second-year tried to soothe her friend. Nice of her. Good to know she had the capacity. "There'll be a manhunt for Lockhart now, and if he so much as steps a foot inside Hogsmeade, someone will summon the Aurors".
Sound logic. I thought as I agreed with Hestia. The absence Ginny created by stepping out of my hold made me realize that the hug had been more beneficial for me than for her. And now that it was over, it left me craving another. Or any sort of comfort really. So, I inched closer to George's side; who gave no second thought about wrapping an arm around the back of my shoulders. Lockhart was loose. But was he himself, or Riddle? We destroyed the diary, so he had to be Lockhart. That would make the most sense. Maybe he was planning on hiding in some remote corner of the world where he wouldn't be recognized as some deranged celebrity who was charged with crimes against a minor. You know, rebuild his life.
"He'd have to be a fool to try to go near your sister", Flora added; hitting on the biggest concern like a hammer to a nail. And that was the seed of doubt. Regardless if Lockhart was himself or still had remnants of Riddle, I was the person who ruined his life… both their lives. I blurted out Lockhart's plagiarizing habits to the whole Wizengamot, and I was the one who led Riddle to believe I was a Horcrux; ultimately ruining his plans for Hogwarts. If Lockhart wanted revenge…. Well, I better start paying more attention in defense.
George gave me a squeeze as he said directly to Ginny, "If he tries, he'll have to go through Fred and me". There was bravado in his voice. Usually, I could tell when he was putting on an act. But this time I wasn't sure if George believed he could take on Lockhart. So, if it was an act, it may also be intended for me as well as our younger sister.
Hestia's and Flora's eyes flickered over Fred and George, starting at the top of their heads and ending at the tip of their tops. Their lips were pressed together and their faces blank as they scrutinized. When they were done, Hestia angled her shoulders in Ginny's direction. "Cousin Adrian nearly murdered Lockhart last time. Remember what he told us when he saved Holly last year?"
Fred made an offended choking sound at being passed over by the second-year so fast as I quickly swallowed an almost hysterical chuckle. Clearly, Adrian was a hero to the Carrow sisters like us triplets tried to be to Ginny and Ron. Err… We'll I tried with Ron and Ginny. And Fred and George only tried with Ginny…..
"Imagine what he'd do if Lockhart did make a reappearance", Flora added. I thought back to that night when Adrian had used an unforgivable and I shuddered. He definitely had the means to handle things, that boyfriend of mine.
Ginny took a deep breath. She looked right at Hestia and left at Flora before saying, "I suppose you're right". Her voice was calmer than it had been when she first approached us. And she seemed to be ignoring how agitated Fred and George had become at her seeming acceptance that Adrian was the one who would protect us over them. Ginny turned her attention back to me. "But you will be careful. Won't you, Holly?" She was almost pleading.
What did she think I was going to do? Run after Lockhart in the hopes I got to him before he got to me? "Yes, I will", I promised with my mind a million miles away. This was not how I wanted to start the day.
Now that I knew what all the whispering and staring were about, I was more self-conscious than before. It was like everyone was waiting for me to fly off the broomstick and have some sort of mental breakdown. Fred and George included. They kept me sandwiched between them all morning. Fred refused to let me read the paper we got from the Carrow twins, and George kept my plate filled so I didn't have to ask anyone to pass anything. That part was nice. But Fred was getting on my nerves. "Fred, let me read it", I complained as brother dearest refused for the fifth time. "It's a news article. The worst thing that can happen is accidentally giving myself a papercut".
A sideways glance out of the corner of Fred's eye gave me an inkling of what he thought could happen if I read the article. "Lockhart's loose. They're searching for him. What more do you need to know?" Fred asked, trying to evade my request.
First, I looked at George to see if I could get any support from him. Like me, he hadn't gotten the chance to read the article in full. Surely, he'd want to be included in the loop. But when we made eye contact it was brief. He quickly looked away from me in favor of staring into his morning coffee. Looks like he would be siding with Fred until he knew what was written in the article. Typical.
Next, I turned back to Fred; who looked like he didn't want to be having this conversation, but was willing to stick to his gumption. "You not wanting me to know is making me paranoid", I spoke honestly.
Fred was tense when he turned his whole torso towards me. "Other than taking care of the diary, we're supposed to be having a boring uneventful year, remember? You promised".
Gesturing with my hands, I tried to keep my volume down to avoid attention, but this was becoming ridiculous. "Fred! It's not my fault Lockhart escaped. And I should know if I need to spend the year looking over my shoulder".
With a shake of his head, Fred stated, "It should be fine. He'd have to sneak into the castle to get to you, and we're the only ones with a map of the secret tunnels".
I narrowed my eyes. "That sounds like wishful thinking. Especially considering our luck last year".
"I think-" George broke in, before Fred and I could continue our bickering. "That we shouldn't worry until we have to". Fred sent me a victorious grin. But it quickly slipped off his face when George added, "And, I think we shouldn't be keeping each other in the dark". Then it was my turn to smile.
"Whose side are you on?" Fred demanded to know; talking over my head.
George let out an exasperated sigh. "There's three of us. I'm not going to take sides".
Looking down at his plate, Fred muttered under his breath. Except it was still loud enough for all of us to hear. "Typical".
I watched as George shook his head to express his annoyance. It must be hard to play the role of peacemaker. "So", I started up again after giving everyone a short respite. "What was in that article that you didn't want me to see?"
There was defeat in his eyes as Fred looked at me. But despite this going against his better judgment, he opened his mouth to tell me what I wanted to know. However; someone beat him to it. "What's the plan?" Ron asked as he and his friends occupied the seats across from us.
Momentarily hanging my head at another interruption, I asked, "What plan?" Only sounding slightly more annoyed than I intended.
"Lockhart, of course", Ron answered like he felt my question was stupid. "What are we going to do to the bloody bastard when he shows his face?"
Ugh. Ron hadn't been a teenager for very long, but already I was missing the childhood version of him. The Ron that I could distract with games of chess and promises of sweets. "We are not going to do anything", I said with extra emphasis on the word 'we'. If there was anything to do, the party involved wasn't going to include my younger brother. You can bet Merlin's hat on that.
Before Fred and George could back me up, Hermione added her two cents. "It's just awful", she expressed. Almost as if I hadn't said anything at all. "How did he ever manage to get out of St. Mungo's? That poor healer!" Clearly, the golden trio had been able to get their hands on the article. "And that part about what Lockhart had written in his diary".
…. "What diary?" I asked; fearing the worst when Hermione's expression became concerned, Ron started to look uncomfortable, and Harry adopted an empathetic countenance.
Raising her hands to cover her mouth, Hermione leaned forward slightly. "You didn't know?" She asked, her voice coming out a little muffled.
From his spot to my left, Fred shifted. "Thanks, Granger", he said sarcastically. Evidently, that was not how he wanted me to find out.
"What diary?" George asked; also, in the dark.
Hermione's eyes flashed to Fred before she slowly shook her head. For the first time since I met her, Hermione didn't want to answer a question.
Clearing his throat, Harry decided to take up the burden of explaining. "In the paper, it said Lockhart kept a diary in St. Mungo's". Bloody diaries.
"Something about being a part of treatment", Ron added gruffly.
Harry nodded at his friend's input before continuing. "He left it behind when he escaped. Inside was- was-" Harry cut himself off. I felt his emerald green eyes studying my face and the faces of my fellow triplets before he decided to stare at the tabletop. It's easier to deliver bad news when you're not making eye contact, I suppose. "He'd written plans on what he wanted to do once he left St. Mungos. The paper said he mentioned Holly".
I exhaled through my nose in one long go; leaving me breathless. Great. Perfect. Absolutely perfect. I guess I breathed a sigh of relief a little too soon after stabbing the Horcrux diary. But the question remained; was it Lockhart's revenge or Riddle's? Who really escaped from St. Mungo's? It had to be Lockhart, right. We destroyed the diary. It had to be Lockhart. My thoughts were all over the place and it was only George placing a hand on my shoulder that kept me in my seat.
The time I was given to process this new information was limited as Ron was not able to wait any longer, "So, what's the plan?" He repeated his question. Man of action, my brother; as if he saw the whole world as one giant chessboard.
With my left hand, I reached across my chest to place it on top of the hand George had on my shoulder. My fingers wrapped around his for the sole purpose of needing something to hold on to. "Nothing", I forced out in a voice that didn't reflect what I was feeling at all. "We do nothing. Lockhart's insane. I'm sure they'll catch him soon enough".
Ron looked like he was ready to protest. But Fred wasn't having it. "What do you think a bunch of third-years are going to be able to do? Leave it to the professionals".
Ron sputtered, glaring at Fred for the lack of sibling comradery. He better be careful how he responds or he'll end up with socks soaked in pickle juice again. "But you'll be alright?" Harry asked before Ron and Fred could start fighting. His eyes were soft as he waited for an answer. Definitely the sensitive one of the golden trio.
This time, I couldn't force my voice to take on an unbothered tone. So, I offered a nonverbal response; a short and brief nod.
Harry wasn't the only one to ask me that question as the day progressed. Or a variety of the same question. I heard it from my friends. Fred and George's friends. Fellow Gryffindors. Random students who I had never talked to before. Percy hunted us down before the first lesson of the day but after the golden trio had left to head to their care of magical creatures class. That had been a hypocritical and slightly amusing lecture about not needing to be scared but also needing to take every precaution.
During classes, teachers would send us worried glances when they thought we wouldn't notice. Flitwick made a point of making sure I knew I could talk to him at any time if I needed to. The only teacher who did not express concern was Snape. He ran his class as if there hadn't been any breaking news. Today we were assigned the hair-raising potion. And he took great joy in walking around the lab and taking house points away from Gryffindors for their shoddy knife skills. It was such a comfort. I almost thanked him for it. I would have thanked Snape for it, only I didn't want to spend an evening in detention with him.
By far, the worst was Adrian. When it was time for our Arithmancy class, I separated from a reluctant Fred and a reluctant George and went with Adrian. As Adrian had made our habit, we walked with our arms joined; my hand resting on the crook of his elbow. Unlike our custom, we didn't walk in companionable silence. He kept muttering under his breath; curses and threats that made the younger years step around us out of wariness. "I'm not sure a prefect is supposed to know so much about different types of hexes", I commented off-handedly in an attempt to put a pause on Adrian's mood. "Especially of the variety you're going on about".
Adrian ignored the humor I offered. Or maybe he hadn't recognized it as such. I wouldn't be surprised. Humor was not one of Adrian's natural mindsets. Instead, all I did was invite conversation. "Do you still have the necklace I gave you?" He asked as we came to a standstill in front of the Arithmancy classroom.
"If you mean the necklace you put a trace on, then yes", I answered slowly; having an idea where this was going and planning on making him work for it.
"Good", Adrian said as Diggory passed us with a sideways glance as he entered the classroom. "Wear it". After I learned about the tracking spell on the necklace, I lost some of my attraction to the accessory. As such, I started to wear it less and less. Currently, it was packed away in my trunk where it had been since the end of last school year.
"Why?" I asked without really needing an answer. I doubt anyone could blame me. Based on how this day had started, I needed to find fun wherever I could.
Freeing our joined arms, Adrian turned so we were facing each other. He took a step closer; leaving no space in between us. "I need to know where you are at all times". He spoke softly. Not because this was a matter that needed softness. But because listening ears didn't need to be in the know.
"That has got to be the creepiest thing you've ever said", I replied in an equally soft voice. Adrian being portrayed as a stalker was not something we needed to be introduced to the Hogwarts' gossip mill, after all.
"Holly", Adrian started; his voice becoming stern. "I'm not going through this again".
"Neither will I". I said, taking a step back. "At least, not willingly". Supposedly, there was a component in all this I didn't have a say in. If Lockhart was truly planning on revenge, there was nothing I could do to make him not choose that path. All I could do was make his revenge hard to achieve.
However, Adrian's line of thought was different from my own. That became apparent when he took a step forward so there was no space between us again. He bent his neck so his mouth was next to my ear. I could feel his hot breath on my skin as he hissed in a low whisper. "I mean it, Holly. If that man comes near you again, I will kill him".