the goblet - f.weasley

- c h a p t e r - e i g h t -

   Gemma squeezed her hair out, glaring at the howling Poltergeist as he flew away.

   Only her friends, most of the teachers, and a few select people knew about her true parentage. Still, with Peeves the Poltergeist running around dropping hints, Gemma wanted to strangle the stupid spirit before he dropped the bomb...just like he had dropped a water balloon on her head a few moments earlier.

   "Well, move along, then!" Professor McGonagall shouted at the group of soaking wet students. "Into the Great Hall, come on!"

   Gemma followed her best friends into the bustling Great Hall, slipping onto a bench between Hermione and Ginny, the boys on the other side of the table.

   "Good evening," Nearly Headless Nick exclaimed, grinning as he appeared.

   "Says who?" Harry grumbled as he emptied his water-filled sneakers. "Hope they hurry up with the Sorting. I'm starving."

   Gemma gave him a look, "Well, now you actually have to sit through one of the other sorting..."

   Her best friend had literally missed the two last years of Sortings.

   He stuck his tongue out at her as Colin Creevy, a very energetic third-year Gryffindor, shouted over the din, "HIYA, HARRY!"

   "Hi, Colin," Harry called back with a tired sigh.

   "Harry, guess what? Guess what, Harry? My brother's starting! My brother Dennis!"

   "Er - good..."

   "He's really excited! I just hope he's in Gryffindor! Keep your fingers crossed, eh, Harry?"

   "Er - yeah, all right," Harry nodded before he looked at his friends and the Gryffindor Tower's ghost. "Brothers and sisters usually go in the same Houses, don't they?"

   "Oh no, not necessarily," Hermione shook her head.

   "Parvati Patil's twin's in Ravenclaw," Gemma told Harry.

   "And they're identical. You'd think they'd be together, wouldn't you?"

   Gemma placed her frumpy black hat on her head, looked around the crowded hall, and just managed to catch the eye of Draco Malfoy.

   She scowled deeply at him, getting ready to make a rude hand gesture at him when Hermione asked, "Where's the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher?"

   Gemma turned her gaze to the table and noticed the empty seat, and a wave of sadness fell over her.

   She remembered her father sitting there, looking a little out of place in his shabby robes, pale complexion, and tired eyes. Gemma knew that he had been their favourite Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher so far, and part of her held a sense of pride in her father earning that title. She knew he had gone through so much since her mother died and since they had been separated when Gemma was a baby, and even though her father did not hear the praising conversations about his teaching, she was firm in her belief that he deserved it.

   "Maybe they couldn't get anyone!" Hermione murmured, her voice quivering with anxiety.

   Gemma squeezed her hand and assured, "I'm sure they found someone."

   Hermione did not look convinced.

   She turned and started to talk to Ginny, who was struggling to braid her long red hair back. Gemma stood on her knees on the bench, piecing out Ginny's hair and quickly weaving them into a dutch braid down the back of her head and back. She tied it off with a dark red ribbon Ginny had brought before sitting back down.