Ravenclaw's Shadow

Chapter 59

"I thought we were done with exams," Lucas grumbles as we leave a 'team meeting' where Selena told us that after the Christmas break we would be being observed by a few of the most experienced dragon handlers to determine whether we "well, not pass or fail... But more like, have learned enough to... Pass... Or fail...".

"Ah, look on the bright side," Tilly says happily, "we're allowed to do some things on our own now and we're young and beautiful!"

"Why're you always in such a good mood?" Lucas mutters, following us to dinner.

"We're surrounded by dragons," Tilly points out, "how can you not be happy?"

I laugh and we sit down to eat.

"And hey," Tilly says, "you have to have had a better day than Aurelia."

"What happened to you?" Lucas asks, looking over at me. I grimace.

"One of the Horntails managed to eat one of Kim's shoes," I say, "I spent today making sure it 'passed'."

"How?"

"She had to go through all the shit," Tilly says.

"Gross!"

"You're telling me," I sigh, "my hair will never not reek again."

"Ohh, mail is here!" Tilly says, craning her neck as Dan comes in with a stack of letter. He walks around, handing them out. Tilly gets a couple, then Lucas gets one and I get one from Georgiana.

"Let's go to Aurelia's and read them," Tilly says.

We head down to my cabin and Tilly jumps on my bed to read her letters. Lucas sits on the rug and I take the chair.

Dear Aurelia,

I've been good. I love getting your letters, they're always so interesting!

I caught up with Alicia the other day. She misses you and made me promise to make you promise to catch up with her the next time you're both in England, which we think will be this Christmas. Angelina will be in France, or it would be like old times!

Fred and I are still rocky. He's been really distant lately, I think he's distracted with something but whenever I ask he just says "it's nothing". Boys, right? We haven't been fighting as much since our "break" ended, but I think that's because we just don't talk as much. I don't know what to do. I really don't want to end things, but it just feels like we're frenemies.

Make my life choices for me?!

Love your Georgiana.

P.s. For goodness sake, come and visit soon! I miss you!

I read the letter twice, trying to think of comforting words to send back. I glance over at Lucas. He's looking at Tilly with curiosity. I look at her too. She's reading a letter with a half smile that is easily discernible as a love sick look.

"Who's that from?" I ask her. She looks up at me and blushes guiltily.

"No one," she lies, folding it up. Lucas goes for the envelope and Tilly tries to get it, but he's too quick.

"Fred Weasley," he reads. He hands it to her and we're all silent for a moment.

"You said it wasn't like that," I say.

"It's not, it's not from Fred," she says, her cheeks going dark red.

"It said his name," Lucas points out.

"That's something else," Tilly says, "really, Aurelia, it's not like that."

"You guys should get to bed," I say coldly, "we have an early start tomorrow."