Ravenclaw's Shadow

Chapter 7

“Hey!” I catch up to George in the corridor. He looks tired.

“I missed you at breakfast,” I say, “do you want to have lunch together?”

“Uh, yeah,” he nods, “maybe.”

I smile at him and continue down to Potions. Snape hands back our assignments. I got an A. It's not the best, but it's a pass. Maybe George can help me with my next one.

We're brewing a strengthening potion, which takes up all of my attention. At the end of the lesson I think I've done a reasonable job. I put a sample on Snape's desk and hurry up to lunch. I hesistate. The other Gryffindors aren't here yet and I don't like sitting at their table without them. I hang about the entrance to the Hall for a while, but then go in and sit at the Ravenclaw table. None of them turn up.

I save a seat for George in Defence, but he sits up the back with Fred. I wait outside the room after class. I have Care of Magical Creatures and I know he has Potions, so we can walk down together, but when he comes out he doesn't even look at me. I walk down to Care of Magical Creatures alone.

“Told you he'd get bored of you,” Chrissie says, walking past me as I hover by the entrance to the Great Hall. I feel tears sting the backs of my eyes and hurry upstairs. I go to my old spot in the library where I used to sit before the Gryffindors came along. It's a single desk that faces out the window, over the mountains. There's a bookshelf on one side and a wall behind, so it's nice and private. I tuck myself into the desk and try to focus on my Potions homework. Maybe Chrissie was right. Or maybe George found out what I am.

I shake my head. It's only been the last couple of days that he's been distant. Maybe he's tired or got some bad news from home. I shouldn't judge.

“Closing time!” Madame Pince calls.

I jump slightly. I've been staring out the window for the best part of an hour. I pack up quickly and walk up to Ravenclaw tower. When I walk into the dormitory the girls stop talking. Lola and Kia look away, embarrassed, but Chrissie smirks at me.

“Trouble in paradise?” she asks innocently. I ignore her, thinking how easy it would be to flash her my fangs and watch her run screaming.

“I heard that George and Alicia have been having extra 'Quidditch practice', if you know what I mean,” Chrissie giggles. I pick up my pyjamas and head into the shower. When I come out I walk straight over and get into bed, pulling the curtains around me. I sit with my head in my hands, listening to the others.

“You shouldn't tease her, Chrissie,” Georgiana scolds, “just leave her alone.”

“I was only saying what I'd heard,” Chrissie says, “I'd want to know if my boyfriend was cheating on me.”

“Well, you haven't got a boyfriend,” Georgiana snaps, “and you didn't hear that, you made it up. You don't have a clue what's going on.”

“And I suppose you do?” Jessica chimes in.

“Of course I don't, I'm not a busybody,” Georgiana says, “he'd probably just busy and tired, like the rest of us.”

“If I was him, I'd dump her,” Chrissie says, “she's such a freak. Did you see her boggart? A little vampire! She is so weird!”

I suddenly feel claustrophobic. I push the curtains away and run out of the room.

“How was I supposed to know she was awake?”

“Shut up!”

I run down to the empty common room and out into the corridor. I run down the stairs to the nearest window and wrench it open, letting the cold air flow in. I take huge, gulping breathes, then slide down onto the floor and hide my face in my knees. The cold air seeps through my pyjamas, making me feel chilly, but I don't care. I don't want to go back to my dormitory tonight.