Star Crossed

Chapter Sixty Eight- Home

Once we had arrived at Hogshead station Tom had split from us to guide the first years and as such had left myself, Wiglaf and Lazarus to make our way up to the castle together. The earlier clouds had dispersed leaving a  clear night. Millions of stars where glittering above us lighting up the inky black sky, our breaths causing condensation as it hit the chilly autumn air. 
"So how did you two do on your OWL results?" Wiglaf asked as we walked towards the carriages leading up to the castle. I froze... my results, I looked down at my trunk where the unopened envelope lay squashed between my other belongings. After all of the grief and uncertainty that this summer had brought I had completed neglected my results and not wanting anymore bad news I had stuffed them into my trunk. Luckily Gavina had been so busy with work she had not even realised that I should have been expecting them. I looked towards Lazarus, 
"I passed..." Lazarus smiled weakly. Wiglaf rose an eyebrow, 
"Did you manage to get a place in all of your chosen classes?" he asked, Lazarus nodded.
"Just," He ground out bitterly through gritted teeth. Wiglaf smiled smugly, 
"Well done and perhaps now you will heed my words when I tell you the importance of studying." Lazarus rolled his eyes. 
"Yeah, yeah wind it in Wiglaf," Lazarus waved his arm but smirked all the same. 
"What about you Grisha?" he asked me, I bit my lip as both boys looked towards me. 
"I... I haven't looked at them yet." I muttered. Both boys stopped walking immediately and stared at me in disbelief. 
"You haven't looked at them yet!?" Lazarus blurted out his face a picture of shock. 
"I just haven't gotten around to it..." I replied my voice still muffled. 
"Read them." Wiglaf stated firmly. 
"It's fine they are in my trunk I'm sure I'll know how I did when I get my timetable..." I grumbled trying to move past them further down the lane towards the carriages but Wiglaf caught my arm. 
"You're going to read them now Grisha." He said firmly but his face still warm despite his strict tone, I sighed placing my trunk down upon the floor I gave Wiglaf one last unimpressed glance before I opened my trunk, rummaged for a moment and retrieved a rather bent envelope. As I re-latched my trunk and straightened up I caught Lazarus looking at Wiglaf and shaking his head. I fixed him with a look which caused him to stop and lower his head his cheeks turning a little pink. 
I looked down at the envelope in my hands as my heart started to beat harder within my chest... I had chosen to avoid my nervous feelings and had procrastinated every time I had thought about the envelope lay in my trunk. 
Taking a deep breath I pealed off the seal and pulled back the flap revealing the folded up letter inside I withdrew it and with trembling hands straightened it out. 
'Transfiguration- E
Defense Against the Dark Arts- O
Astronomy- E
Charms- O
Potions- O 
History of Magic- A
Herbology- O
Divination- P
Care of Magic Creatures- A' 
I gulped as I looked down at the parchment in my hands, re-reading and re-reading the list of results as if half expecting them to suddenly change as if part of some cruel prank. 
"So?" Wiglaf asked with a raised eyebrow. 
"I... I did it." I breathed, still not daring to believe it. 
"Brilliant!" Lazarus beamed as he now deemed it safe to peer over my shoulder down at the parchment. 
"Merlin's beard Grisha, how on earth did you get an O in potions? In fact never mind that how did you pass History of Magic!" 
"You didn't?" Wiglaf asked with a smirk.
"Well no... it was the only thing I didn't Pass!" Lazarus huffed crossing his arms a cross his chest.
"That's okay," I smiled, "I didn't Pass Divination." I scoffed. 
"What a surprise that subject became a waste of your time." I turned around to see Tom walked towards us his hands in his pockets, his heavy winter cloak floating around him like a mist of black smoke. 
I smirked at him, 
"Clearly... I mean if I was any good at it I would have predicted..." I stopped myself and looked away. There was a moment of drawn out silence as nobody knew what to say. 
"Anyway let's get into one of the carriages I'm freezing." I smiled trying to lighten the mood as we made our way towards one of the carriages, I looked to Tom still noticing how his eyes lingered longer on the front of the carriage then anyone else. 
"Merlin I'm starving!" Lazarus groaned as we took our seats inside the carriage just before it pulled into action and trundled up the uneven lane towards the silhouetted castle. 
"So now that we know we aren't being thrown to the trolls what subjects have you dropped again? Obviously divination but what else?" Lazarus asked me pulling out a half eaten chocolate frog from his pocket and taking a large bite, Wiglaf stared at him in disbelief, he blinked slowly before he looked away and shook his head. 
"Care of magical creatures," I said sadly, "I had wanted to carry on with it but it's too much." 
"Yeah," Lazarus mumbled his mouth still full with chocolate. "Unless you are these two," I gestured to Tom and Wiglaf. Tom and Wiglaf both took ten NEWT's, picking up Alchemy last year they didn't drop anything the only subject that they did not study was Divination. In addition they also attended advanced studies, ancient studies and magical theory. 
"I've dropped History of Magic obviously I'm devastated." he smirked, "And Ancient Runes." He said crumpling up his noise. "I got a Acceptable but I just don't need that kind of stress this year, it was bad enough last year." 
"I would have thought you would have taken Alchemy," Tom said raising an eyebrow at me. "With your love for potions." he added. 
"I had thought about it..." I replied thoughtfully. "But there was nothing else that I could drop, I have decided that I will just train myself in the subject once leaving." 
Riddle nodded. 
"History of Magic!" Lazarus blurted. "You could have dropped that." 
"I like History of Magic." I replied defensively, I found it interesting after all a good knowledge of history prevents history from repeating itself. 
"I'm going to carry on with Wizards Chess and Gobstones if I can find that time." said Lazarus as he rooted around in his pockets. 
Wiglaf smirked at Tom. "It's not as if you struggle to manage your time as it is." 
"I manage just fine!" Lazarus snorted pulling out his empty hands defeated unable to find anymore food. 
"I am supposing you are hoping to carry on with Quidditch?" Wiglaf asked me. 
I nodded eagerly, "Of course! Although Amber has also been pestering me to attend singing with her." The three boys smirked from ear to ear. 
"Can you sing?" Tom smirked.
I didn't reply as I felt my cheeks grow hotter and hotter despite the cold air. Could I sing? I had always loved to sing as a child but I was never confident.
"Why don't you give us a song then,"Lazarus smiled gesturing me to burst into song. 
"Absolutely not." I shook my head. 
"Do you want to hurt me? Do you really want me to fall?" Lazarus sang out in his out of tune interpretation of the Which Hunts famous song, I winced laughing. 
Wiglaf had covered his ear closest to Lazarus as he smirked shaking his head. 
"Yes, yes I really do Lazarus." Tom replied with a large smirk on his face, I burst into laughter as we approached the gates to our new school year. I could not remember the last time I had laughed or truly smiled since my Father's passing it was good to be home, truly home. Despite our differences together we could make it through everything, or so I thought.