A Halliwell at Hogwarts: The Prisoner of Azkaban

IX - Expecto Patronum

Persephone was furious. She had understood Harry when he had decided to distance himself from her. He hadn't let her explain and she still thought he was a jerk for what he had said about her family, but she understood, really! However, she didn't understand why he and Ron had decided to ignore poor Hermione now. Why?! Because she was concerned about his safety?!

After the whole Firebolt fiasco Hermione had started avoiding the Common Room taking refuge in the library and Thing 1 and Thing 2 weren't even trying to persuade her to come back. The situation among the four of them became extremely awkward. Persephone ignored the glances Harry sent her way, although she was starting to feel rather irritated by them. She didn't know what he expected from her, but whatever it was she surely wasn't going to guess it just because he kept staring at her like a creep.

Harry wasn't the only one, though. Persephone could also feel Hermione's gaze on her, constantly. It was so painfully obvious that she wanted to talk with her, but again, Persephone wasn't going to take the first step. If Hermione wanted to talk so badly with her she had to gather her courage and come to her, she was a Gryffindor after all.

All in all, they were all glad when the rest of the school returned shortly after New Year, and Gryffindor Tower became crowded and noisy again. Wood sought Persephone and Harry out on the night before term started (he found Persephone and dragged her where Harry and Ron were seated).

"Had a good Christmas?" he said, and then, without waiting for an answer, he sat down, lowered his voice, and said, "I've been, doing some thinking over Christmas, Harry. After last match, you know. If the Dementors come to the next one... I mean... we can't afford you to — well —"

Wood broke off, looking awkward.

"I'm working on it," said Harry quickly. "Professor Lupin said he'd train me to ward off the Dementors. We should be starting this week. He said he'd have time after Christmas."

"Ah," said Wood, his expression clearing. "Well, in that case — I really didn't want to lose you as Seeker, Harry. Have you two ordered new brooms yet?"

"No," said Harry and Persephone at the same time.

"What! You'd better get a move on, you know — you can't ride that Shooting Star against Ravenclaw!"

"He got a Firebolt for Christmas," said Ron.

"A Firebolt? No! Seriously? A — a real Firebolt?"

"Don't get excited, Oliver," said Harry gloomily. "I haven't got it anymore. It was confiscated." And he explained all about how the Firebolt was now being checked for jinxes.

"Jinxed? How could it be jinxed?"

"Sirius Black," Harry said wearily, shooting a quick glare at Persephone. "He's supposed to be after me. So McGonagall reckons he might have sent it."

Waving aside the information that a famous murderer was after his Seeker, Wood said, "But Black couldn't have bought a Firebolt! He's on the run! The whole country's on the lookout for him! How could he just walk into Quality Quidditch Supplies and buy a broomstick?"

"I know," said Harry, "but McGonagall still wants to strip it down —" Wood went pale.

"I'll go and talk to her, Harry," he promised. "I'll make her see reason... A Firebolt... a real Firebolt, on our team... She wants Gryffindor to win as much as we do... I'll make her see sense. A Firebolt..."

After he stopped his rambling he faced Persephone, "What about you, Persephone? You need to order—"

"No, I don't need to order anything" she said grinning. Wood raised a brow, while Ron and Harry sighed in annoyance.