Nocturnal Activities

Parvati was right. Shortly after dinner, it began to rain, and the sky remained cloudy for the next few days. Nevertheless, her friend's inexplicably good mood continued, while she herself became increasingly sullen. What's wrong with me? she tried to critically investigate herself several times, but she couldn't really figure it out. Was it the stress at school? The unresolved argument with Lavender? Or her longing for Padma, which somehow always remained unsatisfied?

For Padma, whose proximity she sought even more often during the week, suddenly seemed strangely distant. On Thursday, Parvati managed to get a seat next to her in Defence Against the Dark Arts, but her sister had nothing better to do than listen to Professor Ashley's boring lecture for the entire hour, writing down every single word he said in her neat handwriting. And if she was secretly chatting, it was with Lisa Turpin, who sat on the other side of her.

After the lesson—Parvati had already opened her mouth to make an appointment with Padma for the evening in the library—she just called a cool "See you around" over her shoulder, before she vanished with her friend into the inaccessible reaches of the Ravenclaw tower.

"What's wrong with her again?" wondered Lavender, who had observed the brief interlude like a hawk and interpreted it exactly right, with a harmless expression. "Well, I guess you'll have to make do with me today!"

"Well, nice for you!" Parvati growled unfriendly. "Must do homework anyway!" Lavender once again didn't get it—why can't she just shut up?—, and she didn't even want to think about what was bugging her sister again.

Such games were part of her everyday life since they went to kindergarten. As long as there were only the two of them, everything went wonderfully; but as soon as one of Padma's numerous friends appeared on the horizon, Parvati was no longer of interest for her. And I thought it would be different this year! she thought bitterly as she left the class at a forced pace, always leaving Lavender two feet behind her.

Over the years, she had got used to this constant up and down—but it still hurt her and gave her bad nights. And Lavender wasn't much help; how could she talk to her friend about the complicated relationship with Padma when her joy was oozing out of every pore?

So she crawled into her bed, drew the curtains and hurled herself into her homework, as she had intended to do anyway. There was a lot to do, starting with the essay for Defence Against the Dark Arts, which was supposed to be finished by Monday; then a whole page of arithmetic problems for Arithmancy, which she had to do on her own, now that Padma had no time for her, through to a practical exercise for magic, which she actually wanted to do together with Lavender—if she ever came down from her cloud again.

Not to mention the tasks that Snape demanded. And all the material from his last lesson had to be reworked. Next week they were going to start brewing the first potion, which would take about ten days.

Hogsmeade adé, Parvati thought with a sigh. Even if she managed to get everything done by the weekend, Lavender was surely just getting started, the way she always did everything at the last minute (or copied it down from others) and certainly couldn't come along.

Early Friday evening, she was sitting in the rather crowded common room with Hermione, poring over an Arithmancy assignment as Lavender climbed through the portrait hole, together with Ron and Harry. Their sports clothes were smeared from top to bottom with mud, and they were grinning like Cheshire cats.

"I'm in!" Lavender cried, running towards Parvati with sparkling eyes. "I'm in, I'm in!"

"Wow, I don't believe it!" The bad mood was forgotten. Cheering, the girls fell around each other's necks and danced around the room, shrieking, under the amused looks of the others. Parvati had trembled with Lavender every year and was very happy for her that at last her great wish had come true. Besides, it might distract her from Snape …, she hoped.

More Gryffindor students filed into the common room, all just as dirty as the three sixth-years, but not all looking happy. A great tumult arose, students hugged and patted each other on the back. Also Lavender was congratulated by some people outside of her class.

"What are you, anyway?" Hermione asked. "Chaser, aren't you?"

Lavender nodded happily. "Imagine, there were seven people applying to be Chaser. I was so excited! The other two are in the third year, by the way. Dennis Creevey, the little pain in the neck, and his blond friend, I've forgotten the name. I'm the only girl on the team!"

Ron put his arm around Lavender's shoulder and gave her a short squeeze. "But you play like three men," he said praisingly.

Lavender beamed, but it didn't slip past Parvati how Hermione's eyes widened.

"Then let's party, girls!" Ron called exuberantly. "I'm sure, there's enough butterbeer in the kitchen!" He did not take his arm from Lavender.

Hermione and Parvati glanced at each other; obviously they could forget about their homework now. "Library?" Hermione mouthed.

Parvati was torn two ways . She was always up for a good party, especially when her best friend was being celebrated. On the other hand, she had been happy to finally be seen as Hermione's equal in professional matters after all these years. She would also certainly be offended if Parvati didn't give her the support she seemed to need now. Because somehow, Hermione didn't like Ron being so nice to Lavender …

"I suppose, Lavender can manage without you for once today," Hermione's pointed voice mingled into her thoughts, and with that it was clear to Parvati where she belonged.

"All right, I'll stay," she announced.

"It's okay. I'm just saying." Hermione grabbed her bag with a dismissive expression and turned to leave.

"Come on, Hermione, it's the weekend! Take a break!" Parvati called after her.

But Hermione went away with sagging shoulders, and Parvati couldn't help but feel guilty. She couldn't get the look the girl gave Ron and Lavender out of her mind, and not for the first time the thought occurred to her that Hermione's feelings for him might involve more than friendship.

Ron and Harry, as they were, ran off enthusiastically to get butterbeer and snacks. Lavender and a few others took the opportunity to take a quick shower; there wasn't much time left until dinner, and getting some food before the party was certainly not a bad idea.

Despite their disagreements—or perhaps because of them—Parvati kept her friend company and helped her get ready quickly afterwards, including removing her hair from the shower using the Scouring Charm, followed by a wellness programme and hair blow-drying.

"What am I going to wear?" Lavender sighed after that and slipped into her bra, which no longer held what it had promised once. And that's when Parvati really noticed: "Tell me … have those actually grown over the holidays?" she asked enviously, pointing at Lavender's breasts.

Lavender paused for a moment and looked down at herself. "Uh, a little maybe …" she said proudly, giggling. "Better late than never, right?" Then she held her hand to her mouth in concern. "Oops—sorry …"

"It's okay," murmured Parvati, who felt like a long shapeless board next to Lavender's now clearly more womanly figure. "I'm just still in puberty. But I've grown another inch again! Great, huh?"

"That's indeed great," Lavender said earnestly. "I wish I was a bit taller! With a figure like that, you could become a—what's the Muggle word—a model!" She stepped in front of the mirror and began to apply eye shadow in soft earth tones.

"Even a model needs breasts!" said Parvati, but couldn't help feeling a little flattered.

"You have breasts!" Lavender said emphatically.

"And you're just the right size," replied Parvati.

"For Quidditch," Lavender added mockingly as she drew black kohl under her eyes with her mouth wide open.

"Speaking of Quidditch: What's that thing with Ron?" Parvati asked, her voice drawling.

Lavender stared at her friend in the mirror. "With Ron?" she repeated, perplexed.

"Don't play the innocent with me!"

"Ah!" Finally, Lavender got the point. "That's what you mean."

"So, what is it now?"

"We just get along," Lavender said with a shrug. "Like mates. But that's no wonder, we've got all free periods at the same time! That bonds us together!" She grinned and reached for the eyeliner.

"Like mates," Parvati repeated wryly. "How cute!"

"Oh, God!" Lavender paused in her make-up and turned to Parvati, her eyes wide with surprise. "Do you think he wants something?"

"Smart girl!"

"His problem!" Lavender said shortly. "He's a friend, not more."

"Tell that to Hermione!" said Parvati. "You should have seen the look on her face!"

"Hermione?" echoed Lavender. "What exactly are you telling me? That she's into Ron?"

Parvati was stunned. "Good morning, Lavender Brown!" she exclaimed. "Don't you notice anything?"

"Nah, she doesn't tell me anything!"

"You think she'd tell me? But there's been something going one for ages, don't you remember all the fuss about the Yule Ball back in the fourth year? When Ron asked Padma to go with him? Hermione completely freaked out!"

"It's possible, I guess I really forgot!"

"Forgot!" Parvati repeated incredulously, rolling her eyes. "Where have you been at that time, anyway?"

"But it's been ages," Lavender defended herself. "Maybe she has a crush on somebody else now!"

"I don't know," Parvati said hesitantly. "You really should have seen the look on her face. There is something, any fool can see that. And the way they're always bickering—like an old couple!"

"How exciting," Lavender giggled. "Apparently he needs a bit of a change now. But don't worry, Leo and Pisces don't go together at all, and I only fancy older ones anyway!" She looked at Parvati meaningfully and mascaraed her eyelashes. "You don't wanna dress up a bit, too?" she warbled as she tore open the bathroom door and straight afterwards stumbled over Hermione's cat, Crookshanks.

The girls screamed with laughter while Crookshanks fled indignantly out of the window. With that, Parvati had finally caught Lavender's party mood. In no time at all, she had conjured up a makeup that emphasised her dark eyes; to her rather thin lips she applied a subtle shade of pink. Then she pointed her wand at her hair which had been messed up from studying: "Appario French plaits!"

When she came into the bedroom, Lavender was sitting by the wide-open window in a light lilac summer dress, drawing the rain-damp air from outside into her lungs in deep breaths. "Oh, that scent!" she gushed, rolling her eyes. "My heart is almost bursting!"

Lavender was a very nature-loving type, and such moods belonged to her personality as the constant fits of laughter. But Parvati understood very well what she meant. Or what else could it be that she felt her own heart just as intense?

She sat down opposite her friend on the low windowsill and tucked up her legs. "Actually, are you still that serious … about Severus?" she asked cautiously.

Lavender nodded emphatically. "I can't think of anything else. Even during Quidditch, I see him in front of me all the time! Are you really okay with that?" she asked again, looking Parvati straight in the eye. "I don't even know how much to tell you about it now!"

"You can still tell me everything," Parvati said hesitantly. "You know my point of view. I don't want to waste my feelings any longer on people who are unattainable—and that's what he is, in my opinion."

"Yeah, but don't you feel anything for him anymore?" Lavender stubbornly wanted to know. "You can't simply switch off something like that—at least, I can't!"

With that she exactly hit the mark. Parvati shifted uncomfortably on the hard windowsill. "I would say the thing has sorted itself out," she said.

"I see," Lavender made doubtfully. "And apart from that? You would like to wait," she said, sounding more like a statement than a question.

"You got it! And you? Would you like to wait … for Severus?"

"Until hell freezes over?" Lavender added mockingly. "That's what you imagine, you stupid cow! By the way, I love your plaits!" She leaned forward and, with a practiced movement, destroyed Parvati's hairdo.

"Hey!" Parvati dragged Lavender up and the girls fooled around until they finally had to repeat half their beauty routine and missed dinner over it.

The party was in full swing when Lavender and Parvati returned to the common room. They were greeted with loud cheers by all the boys in their class and, before they knew it, were each given a bottle of butterbeer. "We drink to Lavender!" Ron exclaimed enthusiastically, and everyone shouted, "Three cheers for Lavender!"

In the end, they really gave the shrieking Lavender three cheers, while Parvati stood by with her arms folded and her eyes narrowed. She just couldn't help herself. Ginny, sitting a little way away with her friend Eve Carrington, also looked anything but thrilled. She's probably already imagining in the most horrible pictures what it would be like to have Lavender as her sister-in-law, Parvati thought.

Shortly afterwards, Lavender appeared next to her, flushed, and Parvati felt a pang of conscience. I'm just not happy for her!, she realised, startled. This can't be true!

She put the bottle to her mouth and drank it almost in one go; then she began to gossip with Lavender about some heavily made-up fourth-years, hoping she sounded like she always did. Lavender, at least, didn't seem to notice. She was still floating on her wave of happiness.

Padma would sense immediately if something was wrong, Parvati thought, and once again she cursed this ridiculous rule that students from different houses were not allowed to visit each other. Otherwise I could have just invited her spontaneously—if she had been interested …

But she was convinced that the relationship with her sister would be much easier if they could share more things, like a good party.

Dean Thomas brought his magically driven boombox and threw in a cassette of the Screaming Mandrakes' latest tunes, which he had recorded from that group's performance at the last Halloween party. Almost everyone, including Lavender, began to dance enthusiastically.

And it didn't take three seconds for Ron to come fidgeting towards her with a big grin on his face. Parvati wondered what kind of rhythm he was shaking his long limbs to; at least it didn't have much to do with the music. Lavender didn't seem to mind, and she responded fully to his advances. She was clearly enjoying herself.

So what!, Parvati told herself, catching her eyes narrowing involuntarily again. She just wants to party because she finally joined the team! Why do I begrudge her that?

"Come on!" Lavender shouted to her, but Parvati shook her head. For days, she had been in this strange mood; her legs felt almost too heavy to walk—how was she supposed to dance now?

Finally, Harry grabbed her by the hand and pulled her right into the middle of the crowd. And there, she couldn't help it anymore. Parvati loved this band—they had a way with harmonies she never encountered in the Muggle world, and the hard rhythm of the music went straight into her blood. It wasn't long before she was dancing her heart out with the others to the ever recurring chorus:

"Why don't you dance with me on Halloween,
Why don't you show your face I've never seen
Why don't you fight your ghosts on Halloween
And push the wall and let me in?"

Parvati sang along every word fervently; never before had these few lines touched her so strangely, made her heart swing that way. And why actually did she keep seeing Severus' face in front of her?

A few more songs followed, each as rousing as the first. Parvati knew them all and danced on until she had completely exhausted herself. Panting, she settled down on a free chair at the edge and reached thirstily for her butterbeer bottle, from which, however, only a few droplets came.

"We're already out of beer," Harry, noticing her searching gaze, said from beside her. "Shall we go down to the kitchen and get some more? I don't think I need to ask Ron now!" He nodded towards the dance floor, where Ron was still fooling around in front of Lavender, bending her ear. Lavender seemed to be having the time of her life.

Parvati jumped up immediately. She suddenly felt the urgent need to get out of this noisy, crowded room, to walk through the long, quiet corridors of the castle; even though it was forbidden at this hour …

Together with Harry, she set off. As soon as they had left the portrait behind, she breathed a sigh of relief; the mild air coming in through an open window felt pleasant on her heated skin. It was still mixed with that earthy scent of rain, and again she felt her heart. Oh man, I'm about to burst!

She would have loved to run through the aisles singing and dancing, while another part of her just wanted to cry out loud. It's the alcohol, she thought resignedly. A few sips and I'm getting sentimental!

Despite everything, her fear of the dark came back, as always, and if Harry had been a girl, she would probably have grabbed his hand, as she had her sister's the other day.

Fearing that the caretaker Filch might catch them on their nocturnal spree, the two spoke not a word as they made their way to the kitchen in the faint glow of their wands, the large basket between them by Levitation Charm. There, with the help of busy house elves, they exchanged the empty bottles for full ones, and Parvati gave vent to the strange pressure inside her with a tremendous—and to Harry completely incomprehensible—fit of giggles.

"So, now you have to be quiet," he said, shaking his head, before they started on their way back. Parvati pulled herself together, although everything inside her was tingling. If only something would happen, she wished, though she didn't know in the least what that would be. She was in a really strange mood.

Finally, it was Harry who broke the silence after a while, whispering, "Do you actually know where Hermione is?"

"In the library," Parvati murmured, and Harry made a growling sound. "Of course. I know learning is important to her," he then said. "But the fact that she's already starting to skip parties for it …"

Parvati remained silent. She thought she knew the reason, but Hermione for sure didn't want Harry to find out.

"I think, it's Ron," Harry continued on his own. "Do you actually know how Lavender feels about him?"

Parvati's mouth was open in the dark. You're quite a gossip, Harry Potter!, she thought. I'm sure Hermione wouldn't like that!

She was still searching for a harmless phrase when, not twenty yards in front of them, a dark figure emerged from a side corridor, whose silhouette was well known to Parvati. Severus!

Parvati's heart made a huge leap. We have to get out of here!

But she did not move from the spot. Her limbs were paralysed and suddenly she knew, as crazy as it was, that this was exactly what she had wanted: to be picked up by her teacher in a dark corridor and sentenced to a massive detention or worse.

Have I gone completely mad?, she thought. I have to hide!

But still she remained standing in the middle of the corridor, mesmerised, as if she was really waiting for him to turn to them. As yet, Snape hadn't noticed her. He had stopped and was looking in the direction from which he had come, as if he were waiting for someone.

Then she felt a hard grip around her wrist and Harry dragged her behind one of the marble statues that lined the aisle at irregular intervals. As a result, she bumped into the basket hanging in the air next to Harry, and the bottles banged against each other with a soft clink.

"Shit!" hissed Harry. The two ducked behind the statue, hardly daring to breathe. Snape simply had to have heard them.

"Albus?" they heard his questioning voice. "Is everything alright?"

"Of course, Severus," replied their Headmaster immediately afterwards in a relaxed tone. "My shoelace had come undone … Now, off we go! I can't wait to try that wine you were praising so much the other day!"

"You won't regret it," Snape returned, and for the first time in her life Parvati heard the hint of a smile in his usually dark voice. But immediately it resumed its typical sarcastic tone. "It will hopefully sweeten what I have to tell you!"

With bated breath, Parvati and Harry waited until, a moment later, Snape and Dumbledore really did come into view and walked past them—on their way to the dungeons, it seemed. They didn't even notice us, Parvati thought. Good thing! But part of her was bitterly disappointed, and her knees so weak that she could barely hold herself in her crouched position.

At that moment Severus turned around, one half of his face dimly lit by the cone of light from Dumbledore's wand. Parvati could only make out his eyes as dark caverns in his pale face, but he was looking at her!

Harry increased the pressure around her wrist, which he still clutched, as if to prevent her from doing something rash. It's a coincidence! He can't see us!, Parvati told herself. It's pitch black here, how can he see us?

Nevertheless, she felt his gaze right into her soul—he seemed to see her very well, although it simply could not be!

But a moment later, he turned again and continued on his way with Dumbledore. They moved away from them without Snape looking back again, and finally the two figures became one with the darkness of the long corridor.

"Phew, that was lucky!" Harry beside her breathed a sigh of relief and rose with cracking knees. "That's all I needed for a nice weekend start! Detention with Snape!"

"Yeah, that's really all I needed," Parvati sighed, her cheeks hot. "Harry—do you think he saw us?"

"That can't be," Harry replied immediately. "He was standing in the light of Dumbledore's wand, and it was completely dark in our corner. Besides, he would hardly have passed up the opportunity to drag us into his office by the hair then!"

"Unless they have something really important to talk about," Parvati said thoughtfully.

"Or he just wanted to have a quiet glass of wine with his best friend," Harry teased. "Probably Snape really opens up after his first glass and shoots his mouth off about his hopelessly stupid pupils!" He tapped the basket beside him with his wand and then started moving. Parvati followed him, still quite confused; the basket floated between them as if pulled by invisible strings.

"Why on earth you stopped earlier anyway?" began Harry again when they had reached the second floor.

"I just was so scared," Parvati murmured, glad that Harry couldn't see her face.

"You have great reactions," Harry told her off. "About time we started the practical exercises with Ashley, huh? Or have you had too much butterbeer today? Somehow you give me the impression …" he remarked, and she heard the smirk in his voice.

"I, uh … yes, I suppose," Parvati said sheepishly, then cleared her throat. "Cordis Leonis!" They had arrived at the portrait, and Parvati could still feel her shaky knees as they climbed through.

It was probably a bit because of the alcohol, she thought to herself. And then that intense music … It's really time I stopped letting Snape put me off! That's so pathetic!

The first thing that caught her stunned gaze was her friend, who had meanwhile moved into a corner with Ron and Seamus and made herself comfortable, resting her head on Ron's lap. Both boys, lost in thought, were playing with their long hair, while philosophising about some nonsense.

Parvati just couldn't believe it. A butterbeer contained very little alcohol, but Lavender had probably had at least three too many. Lying there in front of the fireplace like a full, satisfied cat! Probably she's even purring! I really wonder what's that supposed to become when it's finished!

Now Parvati took a closer look at the room and realised in disbelief that the actual party had ended by now; the wild dance orgy was over, the music was playing softly in the background, and somehow there were only half as many people as before.

It's only eleven! Are we in an old people's home here? she thought in frustration. Or do they all have something better to do than celebrate? Like Lavender, that party queen … Parvati cast another evil glance at her friend. Hermione was right, she thought sourly. Lavender is doing very well without me. I bet she didn't even notice I was gone!

And so her overexcited mood gradually took its leave, just like all those bores who were leaving one by one, and gave way to a somewhat wretched feeling.

"Is there anything I can do to cheer you up?" asked Dean beside her, holding a bag of Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans under Parvati's nose.

"Thank you," she murmured and, lost in thought, put a bright green bean into her mouth. The very next moment, she stopped chewing in horror and her eyes widened.

"Oh," Dean said, concerned. "What does it taste like?"

"Boah! Like bogeys!" cried Parvati, outraged. "Really, thank you very much!" Disgusted, she spat the thing on the floor, only to remove it immediately afterwards with the Scouring Charm. Then she went in search of something drinkable to get that disgusting taste out of her mouth.

"How do you know what bogeys taste like anyway?" she heard Dean mutter behind her, just about loud enough for Parvati to generously ignore it.

Pissed off, she finally joined Terence Wood and Joshua Elliot from seventh grade, who told funny anecdotes from their first years at Hogwarts and were pleased about anyone to listen; some of them she could even recall faintly.

Parvati tried hard to stifle the yawns and laugh in the right places, but actually all she longed for was her bed and the book she was reading.

But she couldn't just leave—not while Lavender was stretched out on Ron's lap in that provocative way and Hermione could return from the library at any moment. I wonder how she will react, Parvati asked herself with a mixture of uneasiness and curiosity. I don't think Lavender has moved her pretty bottom anywhere else by then! Or does she want me to come and help?

Every now and then, she glanced at her friend, who had once again another beer next to

her—how many is that now?—and she noticed that Harry and Ginny didn't take their eyes off the three of them either. They were probably asking themselves the same question as Parvati: What will Hermione say to this heartwarming cuddle session?

A few minutes later, she had the answer. Parvati caught sight of her friend who had just climbed through the portrait hole, where she stood rooted to the spot with a pale face, her books pressed tightly to her chest. Ron was not looking in her direction at all, and Lavender's eyes had meanwhile fallen shut.

Parvati made a sign to Hermione to come to her and the girl awoke from her numbness. She walked straight to the spiral staircase leading to the girls' dormitories and disappeared out of sight. A short time later, Ginny stood up, tossed back her long red hair and followed her. Parvati politely finished listening to the story Joshua was telling, then she, too, ran after her.

"What do you want?" said Ginny unkindly, as she cautiously entered the dormitory, where she found the two girls on Hermione's bed.

"Er—this happens to be my room too," Parvati reminded her in an extra-kind manner. "Hermione, what's wrong?" She sat down on the other side of Hermione, who had her arms wrapped tightly around her tucked up legs, her chin resting on her knees, and put her arm around her.

"Now don't play the innocent," Ginny snapped at her. "That courtship behaviour of Ron and Lavender out there really takes the biscuit!"

"But … Hermione, you really care so much?" asked Parvati cautiously.

Hermione turned her head towards her. She wasn't crying, but her eyes were shimmering suspiciously. "I guess I was just reading too much into it," she said in a muffled voice.

"Because Ron was acting like that!" said Ginny sharply. "And then Lavender just gets in the way—"

"It takes two to tango!" Parvati interrupted her. "Besides, he's hitting on her, not the other way around!"

"But she's giving him the signals!"

"I don't know what you mean," Parvati said in a snappish, questioning tone.

"I mean the slut factor!" Ginny said relentlessly. "It's definitely elevated!"

"Oh, this is such a bullshit!" Parvati retorted.

"And you stand by Lavender anyway! Besides, you don't even know what this is all about!"

"Hello?! That's really enough!" Parvati glared angrily at Ginny. Who did that brat think she was, talking to her like that!

"And you both shut up now!" it came from Hermione.

"I'll have a word with Ron!" There was no stopping Ginny.

"No, you won't!" said Hermione firmly. "There is nothing to talk about, do you understand? Let him get his teeth into Lavender, it serves him right. I think she's got her eye on someone else anyway!"

"What?" Parvati started up in alarm. "What do you mean?"

"A blind person can see she fancies older men," Hermione explained. "I can feel it."

With this puzzling announcement, Hermione got up and disappeared into the bathroom; Parvati had to be content with that, willy-nilly. However, she had finally lost her desire for the party; she was angry with her friend, and the strange encounter with Severus was still on her mind—what was he going to tell Dumbledore about? Was he really just trying to get his everyday frustrations with the dear pupils off his chest?

Parvati returned to the common room only once more to pull her soundly sleeping friend down from the lap of the also sleeping Ron and lift her into bed. With the Levitation Charm, of course.