Already Gone

Chapter 7

As Neville turned away, Harry noticed a pair of girl's feet protruding from beneath a crimson hanging. His gaze rose and found Hermione peeking out. Olivia stood near Luna as she spoke to someone. "Lovegood, did you say? I once encountered a seriously unbalanced man by that name at a book signing. Claimed to run a magazine."

"What're you doing?" Hermione yelped and turned. She pulled Harry behind the hanging. Her hair was slightly askew and her lipstick a bit blurry. "And what's happened to you?"

"Hm? Oh, I've just escaped -- I mean, left Cormac. Under the mistletoe." Hermione rush out as Olivia got behind the hanging.

"He made me leave Hermione alone." Olivia was dead tired and her feet hurt. Her lower back was killing her.

"Cormac! That's who you invited!" Harry yelled and he wrapped an arm around Olivia letting her lean on him.

"I thought it would annoy Ron most. But he's a menace. He's got more tentacles than a Snarfalump plant." Olivia let out a laugh as she leaned most of her weight on Harry.

"Dragon tartar?" They turned to find a waiter peeking in a tray in hand. Olivia gagged and Harry gave her a cloth to cover her nose with.

"No thank you." Hermione held her hand up and the waiter nodded.

"Just as well. They give one horribly bad breath."

Hermione grabbed the tray. "On second thought -- maybe it'll keep Cormac at bay. Oh no, here he comes!" Hermione popped two of the Dragon blobs into her mouth, before shoving the tray in Harry's hand. Olivia walked away from it as he walked away from the hanging.

Snape, looking bored, stood on the periphery of a conversation. That was till he spotted Hermione exit one side of the hanging and Cormac entering the other.

"I think she went to powder her nose." Harry looked past Cormac's shoulder and out past the hanging. He saw Slughorn laughing with a guest. Cormac plucked a dragon blob off the tray in Harry's hand, popped it.

"Slippery little minx, your friend. Likes to work her mouth too, doesn't she? Yak yak yak. What is this I'm eating, by the way?" Olivia walked back over as Harry put the tray down on a table.

"Dragon balls." She said and smiled as Cormac's face froze. Harry started to head toward Slughorn when the hanging was swept aside.

"What's going on back here?" Olivia's heart stopped as she looked at her father, the father that didn't know he had a daughter.

Harry pulled her to his side as her hair changed to a light pink. Cormac spewed raw dragon all over Snape's shoes. Snape surveyed the damage before his eyes rose darkly. "You've just bought yourself a month's detention, McLaggen." McLaggen dashed off and Harry made to follow.

"Not so quick, Potter.. and you." Olivia looked down to her feet and her stomach turned.

"I think I should rejoin the party, sir. My date." Harry went to leave pulling Olivia with him.

"Can surely survive your absence for another minute or two. Besides, I only wish to convey a message." Snape stopped him and Olivia was on the verge of crying. Seeing him was much more painful then she thought.

"A message?" The siblings asked at the same time and something in Snape's mind tried to break this wall.

"From Professor Dumbledore. He asked that I give you his best and that he hopes you enjoy your holiday. You see, he's traveling and won't return until term resumes." The feeling reseated when Olivia looked him in the eyes.

"Traveling? Where?" Snape merely stared a Harry silently, briefly, before exiting. Taking Harry's gaze with him, to Slughorn once again, wildly gesturing with a full glass of wine.