A Marauders' Daughter

53

The next two weeks went by fast. Nobody asked questions about my absence. The twins, Angelina and Alicia just asked if I was feeling better when I came down for dinner that evening. The twins had brought me soup, just like the year before. They had it levitated to just outside the dorm with a note. They didn't make it easy not to like them. It was getting harder and harder to keep my eyes off them, or to focus on class. It's not like they did something major. They just helped me pack up my things, carry my bag, and make me laugh. Every time one of them winked or gave me their lopsided smile, my heart nearly exploded.

I was happy that they were gone most of the nights with their pranks or trying to find a way to enter the tournament. I could focus on my homework, talk to Harry, or just relax without feeling their eyes on me. A few days ago, I was talking to the Gryffindor head girl. She had strawberry blond hair that just reached her shoulders and a cute button nose. She was obviously flirting, and for a moment I thought, why not? I needed something to distract me from the twins. So, I flirted back. But of course, the men who occupied too much of my thoughts interrupted us. Neither of them noticed that we were leaning in, or maybe it was just because she was a girl, they didn't think about it. Because I knew if it was a guy that was standing so close to me, they would be sending daggers at him. They still send Cedric daggers, but Cedric was just as friendly as he always was. To me and to the twins. None of them spoke about the kiss at the party which I was grateful for.

Classes were ending early today because the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang would be arriving soon. We just finished our Charms class; Flitwick soon gave up on the class as everyone kept talking about their arrival. My stomach was in knots the whole day, not knowing who would come. Jack hadn't answered my last letter and a dreadful part of me thought it was because he didn't get to come and was too ashamed. He could be proud like that. We were walking at a fast pace to the courtyard.

"Are you nervous?" Angelina asked me as she eyed my hands, which I was wringing together.

"A little. I haven't seen them for so long. And I don't know who's coming."

"They're going to be happy to see you." Angelina smiled.

"Can't wait to see all those French boys."

"Not only French." I pointed out to Alicia with a smirk, and she rolled her eyes smiling.

The twins were walking behind us next to Lee and were unusually silent. I risked a glance over my shoulder and saw their eyes already on me. I shot them a little smile before turning back as we stepped out into the courtyard. Students were trickling out of the castle and the courtyard filled quickly.

"Do you how they will get here?" George asked, standing right behind me as we took our places.

"I have a feeling." I smirked up at him. He squinted his eyes at me before smiling.

"Again, so mysterious." He winked and my cheeks heated.

I turned back forward, and my foot started tapping as my eyes scanned the sky. All the students and teachers had gone quiet in the courtyard, waiting. Over five silent minutes had passed before I saw it. I saw the horses and the carriage flying violently through the sky. I grinned up at the sky, just when a second-year student called out, pointing up at the sky.

"Look! Look!"

Every eye flickered up to the sky. And when they saw the carriage and the horses, they all gasped. Even Fred and George were behind me, which made me smile. Although the carriage was swaying in the air violently, it landed gracefully and softly in the middle of the courtyard. The horses were bigger than Hagrid, who came over with buckets of water and apples.