Ravenclaw's Shadow

Chapter 4

Lupin hands our essays back on Friday.

“Aurelia, well done,” he says, his eyes twinkling. I got an O. I tuck the essay into my bag, feeling proud, despite how easy it was.

After class George catches up to me.

“How'd you do?” he asks.

“I got an O,” I say, trying to sound modest. His face splits into a grin.

“Me too,” he says, “with your help I might actually scrape a pass in this subject! I have to go, plans with Fred. See you at dinner?”

“Sure,” I smile. He grins and runs after his brother. I feel a warm sort of feeling in my stomach.

“Wow, I still can't believe he's into you,” Chrissie says, stepping up to walk beside me, “he must be, like, deluded.”

“Totally,” Jessica says from the other side, “are you giving him love potions?”

“That's it!” Chrissie exclaims, “love po- Ow!”

Angelina shoves her aside roughly and links her arm with mine. Alicia does the same on my other side.

“I've never liked her,” Angelina says conversationally.

“Yeah, ignore her,” Alicia says, “George has been into you for ages.”

“Really?” I can't help feeling pleased.

“Yeah, since last year when you took out that Slytherin boy in the duelling club,” Angelina says, “we've been at him to ask you out ever since.”

I feel my cheeks heat up as I give a goofy smile and Angelina gives my arm a squeeze.

“He's a good guy,” she says, “bit of a loon, but a great guy.”

“Yeah,” I giggle, “he is.”

We have Transfiguration with the Gryffindors. I sit off to the side. We're making notes from our textbook. I like taking notes. It's good to just sit quietly in class sometimes. I carefully underline the heading for the next section and start reading. Something thumps down onto my desk, making me jump. It's a bit of paper, folded into a messy swan. On one of the wings Read me is scrawled. I carefully unfold it.

Roses are red,

But sometimes they're pink

Lunchtimes without you

Really do stink!

George

“What's this?”

I nearly jump out of my skin when McGonagall appears next to me. She holds her hand out and I reluctantly hand the note over, my face burning.

“Shall we share this with the class?” she asks.

“No, professor, please!” I cry. She looks down her nose at me.

“Accio!”

The note flies over to George and he promptly sticks in his mouth and starts chewing. McGonagall raises her eyebrows at him. He swallows hard, makes a face and sits down. McGonagall sighs.

“Get back to work,” she says, walking back to her desk, “Miss Dunmore, Mr Weasley, see me after class.”

I bury my nose in my book until the bell rings, then slowly begin packing up until it's only the three of us left. I approach McGonagall's desk with George, feeling very apprehensive. George looks relaxed and calm. I hope she doesn't tell Flitwick!