The Devil You Know | Wizarding World

chapter twelve | secrets under the mistletoe

"Hi," Gavin said to her once she was standing right in front of him.

"Hi," Rosie replied, rocking back and forth on her heels.

"Going home for the holidays, I assume?"

"Yeah, you?"

"Yeah. Just waiting for Greer and Adam. Care to join us?"

She opened her mouth, reluctant to respond. "Um, I was going to sit with Neville. He gets kind of down during this time of the year and I figured he can use the company."

"Oh." Gavin paused for a moment, furrowing his eyebrows. "Since when do you hang out with Longbottom?"

Rosie let out a chuckle. "I mean, we're in the same House, so we see each other all the time."

"I know that," he retorted. "It's just...you've been hanging out with a lot of Gryffindors lately."

She scoffed in response. "Honestly, I don't see why you or Greer even care."

"Well, considering there's been talks about some secret organization led by Potter, I think we have a right to be concerned about our friend."

"What, are you two afraid I'm hanging with the wrong crowd?"

"That's not what I meant."

"It sure sounded like it."

Rolling his eyes, Gavin huffed a sigh before continuing. "Listen, Professor Umbridge is determined to find out what Potter is up to, and she'll surely punish him and everyone else involved with whatever he's been doing behind her back. We're just trying to look out for you."

"Well, maybe I don't need you guys to look out for me," Rosie snapped, her expression turning cold. "Did Greer put you up to this?"

"What?"

"Did she want you to get information out of me or something?"

"No, she didn't."

"How do I know you're not lying?"

"Because you and I both know that Greer doesn't need anyone's help to get what she wants."

Suddenly, Rosie's eyes averted to behind Gavin, where she found Adam and Greer with their hands locked together, walking and talking along the sidewalk. It was enough to see that Gavin was right. Greer didn't need help to get whatever or whoever she wanted, and it brought about an irritation inside Rosie.

And instead of responding to Gavin, she simply spun around and stormed off, not hearing any of her Slytherin friends call after her.

*******

The Christmas cheer Rosie was desperate to feel didn't come over her once she got home.

She hardly did anything festive-related since she had been back in England, usually staying cooped up in her bedroom as she occasionally watched more snow fall and cover the streets and yards even more with a fresh coat, so beautiful that she hated to see it not stay that way for very long with how often people walked by. Though she would rather continue looking down at the people carrying on with their lives instead of baking cookies with her mum and act like everything was okay. Rosie couldn't pretend anymore. She couldn't lie to those she cared about just to please them. Frankly, she was growing tired of it.

However, on Christmas Eve, when Rosie was sitting at the small dinner table with her parents, she put a fake smile on her face, not wanting to ruin their holiday spirit. She could at least pretend for a little bit longer, just until after the holidays were over.

"Rosie?"

The girl snapped out of her thoughts and quickly turned her head to face her mum. "Yeah?"

"I asked you how the school year was going."