Courage

-63-

Layla,
Good day, kiddo. I'm missing my favourite unbiological daughter.
I have a list of ground rules for you:
1) I WILL BE THE FIRST TO KNOW IF YOU GET A BOYFRIEND
2) If you don't make up with Harry by the end of the year, there will be serious words exchanged, missy
3) Do well in classes, but don't enjoy them too much
4) Bring me back a Skiving Snackbox or two from Fred and George when I next see you. I want to prank your dad
Okay, that's all. Enjoy your first day back, sweetheart.
From,
Padfoot x

Layla smiled and placed the letters aside, making a mental reminder to reply to them later.

Professor McGonagall was now moving along the table handing out timetables.

"Look at my lessons today!" groaned Layla. 'History of Magic, double Potions, Divination and double Defence Against the Dark Arts... Binns, Snape, Trelawney and that Umbridge woman all in one day! What about you?"

"Um..." Ginny looked down at her timetable. "Potions first, then double Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Transfiguration, and Charms. Pretty easy."

"Lucky," said Layla.

"Well, you've got your OWL exams this year, it's bound to be hard," reminded Ginny, pocketing her timetable as she dug back into her scrambled eggs.

"Don't remind me," said Layla with another groan. "Well, History of Magic awaits. Wish me luck. I'm going to need it."

Ginny giggled and waved Layla goodbye.

Layla headed to History of Magic and, as promised, Hermione had saved her a seat. Unluckily, the seat was right in front of Harry. Of course it was. With a sigh, Layla walked over to claim the seat.

History of Magic was by common consent the most boring subject ever devised by wizardkind. Professor Binns, their ghost teacher, had a wheezy, droning voice that was almost guaranteed to cause severe drowsiness within ten minutes, five in warm weather. He never varied the form of their lessons, but lectured them without pausing while they took notes, or rather, gazed sleepily into space.

However, Layla had always been amazing in the lesson nonetheless and never failed to get good grades in History of Magic. But given the circumstances of the end of last year, and the sudden change in her personality, she no longer seemed interested in learning as she once did.

Today, they suffered an hour and a half's droning on the subject of giant wars. Layla heard just enough within the first ten minutes to appreciate dimly that in another teacher's hands, this subject might have been mildly interesting, but then his brain disengaged, and she spent the remaining hour and twenty minutes doodling a small drawing of her wand on a corner of her parchment.

As they left the classroom for break, Layla said goodbye to Hermione before heading off down the halls on her own.

A fine misty drizzle was falling, so that the people standing in huddles around the edges of the yard looked blurred at the edges.

Layla spent her break in the courtyard, finding a seat right where she used to always sit with Cedric. It was their spot, and it felt odd to sit there alone, but also comforting as it brought back all of their incredible memories.

Pulling her hood over her head and zipping up her jacket to shield herself from the harsh weather, Layla simply sat there, deep in thought, until she heard the bell ring. With a sigh, she rose to her feet and headed to the dungeons, praying that it would be an easy potions lesson.

As Layla stood alone at the back of the cue outside of the classroom, the ominous sound of Snape's dungeon door creaking open was heard. She filed into the classroom behind and saw that, once again, Hermione was saving her a seat. But once again, it was right in front of Harry and Ron's desk, causing Layla to roll her eyes in frustration. It was as if Hermione couldn't get it in her head that she didn't want to be anywhere near Harry. It would be hard to ignore him when she would be able to feel his presence at the desk behind her. But still, Layla walked over to sit beside Hermione.