"Professor McGonagall?" The witch turned to her name, seeing Harper Nonemacker standing with her books in hand, twitching nervously. "I was wondering, could...would it be-" she cleared her throat and started again, "I want to be at the first quidditch game."
The wise witch gave a sympathetic smile, understanding Harper's desire to support her friends during their first match of the year, especially against Syltherin. "Miss Nonemacker. I understand your desire-"
"Please! Professor Snape says I'm doing really well in my lessons, I've made a lot of progress!"
She cleared her throat, nodding slightly, "it might be overwhelming."
"Professor Trelawney had these earmuffs....if we could perform the silencing charm on them...maybe it'll help! Or whatever charm we use for the classes? It's worth a shot, I just want to watch our house win."
As someone who loved quidditch, McGonagall fully understood the girls point. With a small nod, she gave a smile, "I suppose I could allow it if you sat with the announcer box. Where I'll be...we'll keep an eye on you."
Harper squealed happily before hugging her head of house and running down the halls. The first person she found was Angelina who stood in shock as Harper took her hands and jumped up and down.
"I'm going to be in the stands on Saturday," Harper grinned. Angelina gasped, joining the jumping as she squealed in excitement, "I have to make a sign! Do you make signs?! I'm making one."
Angelina laughed, enjoying seeing this side of Harper as she grinned.
Saturday came and Harper was nothing but excited as she got dressed in her Gryffindor sweater and scarf, grinning as she grabbed her huge sign she'd made. It had all her friends' names on the board with a giant lion head in the middle. She ran down the steps, crashing into someone at the bottom of the steps. It turned out to be Ron Weasley
"I am so sorry!" She stammered as she helped Ron to her feet.
"Nice poster," Ron laughed as he cracked his neck.
Harper smiled, "are you alright?"
"Yeah yeah, did you make that for the team?"
Harper grinned, "yes! See you down there!"
"Hope it's a good match!"
Harper grinned as she walked off to the great hall for breakfast, no one was around as she hurriedly ate her food. She patted her wand against her ankle in her boot, assessing that she had everything she needed. She'd camouflaged the earmuffs she'd taken from Sybill and Flitwick had put the necessary charms on them.
"Oi! Harper are you ready? We should get to the stands and make sure the sound equipment is working," Lee Jordan patted her shoulder.
Taking a deep breath, she made her way to the stands with Lee, sitting by the edge of the stands and closest to the exit just in case. She pulled out her book she'd brought and began to read as she waited for everyone else to arrive. Joy arrived soon after, decked in Gryffindor gear including makeup on their cheeks: hearts of red and gold and Lions drawn on. Joy took out her makeup she'd brought and drew the same hearts in Harper's cheeks.
"There! Now you'll be even cuter when we wait for everyone," Joy grinned, bumping her shoulder as Lee laughed.
The stands became more crowded as the professors arrived, Harper took a deep breath, steadying her nerves. This was the most important test for her right now.
I can do this
Suddenly the Gryffindor team was flying the field, circling around as the crowd cheered for the red and gold. Angelina and Alicia flew low into the stands, Harper held out her hand to her friends who high fived her.
Her cheers of support melded with the others as the game got underway. Harper and Joy held the sign together and shook it as they shouted. But soon the game turned dirty. Oliver Wood was knocked out of goal and Slytherin was mercilessly slaughtering the red and gold team. Her eyes glanced over the box across from her, she noticed some of the other professors were sitting there such as Snape and Quirrell.
The boy! Kill him already!
Harper looked everywhere until she looked up and saw that their seeker was being bucked around by his own broom. She shouted as Harry Potter kept being bucked around until it suddenly stopped. The match was now devastating to watch. Harper took a deep breath, steadying herself as she continued focusing on her own thoughts.
So much for Harpsichord's first match here
George's thought ran through her like a quick breeze. So much for this all working...
When Harry caught the snitch, Harper felt even happier than anyone else. She had managed to stand in a crowd during a quidditch game, something that would've been impossible at her old school. Together with Joy and Lee the three waited for the team to come out of the locker rooms. When the twins, Angelina and Alicia appeared, the two girls waved them over and congratulated them on a job well done. Harper took off her earmuffs, feeling it was safe enough.
Harper flinched at the pounding pressure that encapsulated her, closing her eyes as she thought about lavender and lemon cookies. Something simple, something she could call up quickly, something that was soothing. She opened her eyes when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Harpsichord?" George grinned, raising an eyebrow as Harper slowly relaxed and met his gaze. The pressure was gone the longer she stared into his brown eyes, her heart fluttering and beating hard against her ribs. "I was wondering if you'd like to go on the Hogsmeade trip next weekend together?"
"Wouldn't we all be going?" Harper asked as she grinned at him, behind him the girls face palmed themselves as Fred doubled over laughing, using Lee as a support.
"Possibly," George stammered, "but I was thinking about it just being us this time."
Harper stood there stammering slightly as George's smile faltered slightly, "that would be really nice!"
George grinned, "brilliant." They all began to walk back to the castle, the girls sharing a look that went unnoticed by Harper as she smiled at the back of George's head.
Twenty galleons in my pocket please
At this Harper stopped walking, her smile was gone and her heart felt like it was breaking. The group hadn't noticed Harper had stopped walking with them. She was so transfixed at the ground she hadn't noticed McGonagall standing beside her.
"You did marvelously today, I dearsay the lessons are helping tremendously," she didn't notice Harper's tears until she looked down at the small girl. "Miss Nonemacker?"
Harper shook her head, clearing her throat and giving a curt nod toward her professor before slowly walking up. Harshly wiping her face as she approached the castle.
"Harper! Over here!"
"Oi!"
"Harpsichord!"
Harper heard them but hurried away, making a break for the secret passage Fred had shown her one day and beating them to the common room. She rushed upstairs and closed her curtains of her bed, charming them so no one could hear her crying. She gripped her pillow and let the tears fall.
Had she only been a bet to him?
**
"I haven't seen her."
"She won't open her bed curtains."
"We have classes together and yet she manages to hide really well."
"We need the map. We'll get her and ask her what's wrong."
"Guys, just stop."
Everyone looked at Angelina who sighed deeply, she was the sensible one of the group. "Did you two have a bet going between yourselves?" Fred coughed and George averted his gaze.
"Thought she wouldn't say yes if the git asked," Fred muttered.
"Oh you tossers...." Joy scowled at the boys.
"if you did have something going about asking her to Hogsmeade...then I think she figured it out."
"You lot have a pool on her and I and you're saying she's only hearing about mine and Fred's?" George clarified.
Angelina nodded solemnly, "don't use the map to stalk her. Let her cry for a few more days and we'll handle it. You two stay away," Angelina pointed at the twins.
"I didn't do anything!" Fred retorted, offended.
"You probably started the bet," Joy scoffed.
Fred looked at George, letting out a huff and frowning, "well....you got me there...."
That evening Angelina and Joy slowly approached the four poster that had its curtains drawn for days. Very slowly Angelina pulled the curtains apart to see Harper sitting with her school books scattered everywhere. Her raven black hair was a knitted mess atop her head as she gave a sad smile to her friends.
Harper let out a deep breath and nodded, moving all her school work to the side and letting Angelina and Joy on the bed.
"You don't have to tell us what happened," Joy whispered.
"We're just worried," Angelina finished.
Harper let out a shaky breath, looking away from her friends as she wiped at her eyes. "He had a bet going on me?"
The girls shared a look, Joy nodding slowly.
"Fred and George made a bet that you wouldn't say yes to George if he asked you to go with him to Hogsmeade...."
Harper rolled her eyes, "boys." Angelina and Joy chuckled slightly.
Angelina looked around the room, taking out her wand and tapping the bed so there was a privacy bubble around them. She gave a look to Joy and gripped her wand slightly.
"H.....I want to know.....how did you figure that out? I'm sure you know we have a silly pool going to see when you two will become a thing....but that? That was something between the boys that we didn't even know."
Harper bit her bottom lip, her eyes brimming with new tears, Joy leaned forward and squeezed her knee slightly. "Does that...does it have to do with why you transferred here?" Harper looked around, unsure what to do.
"Look, we'll make a vow right now. What you tell us, will stay with us. We swear."
Harper swallowed, taking a shaky breath as she closed her eyes, steadying herself as the two girls continued to vows of secrecy.
"We'll do the unbreakable vow if you're that worried."
"The twins said they tried to get Ronald to make one when he was younger. It'll be easy to get them to explain how it's done," Angelina agreed with Joy, at this Harper laughed slightly.
"Bet you could find it in the restricted section," Joy offered.
"Harps, we really mean it. We promise not a single word to anyone," Angelina reiterated while Harper's body tensed, the beginnings of a panic attack chewing through her body.
Joy reached for Harper's hands, gently squeezing them, "I promise you that whatever is going on, you can trust me, Harper," Joy spoke softly.
"Me too, H," Angelina whispered.
"I....I...I am a legilimens," Harper spoke softly, keeping her eyes closed, she felt Joy's hands leave her own-their warmth leaving as well.
"Barely controllable, honestly Snape would probably say I'm dogshite at it all but...." She opened one eye as she sighed, Angelina and Joy were silently staring at each other with the widest eyes possible. "I don't really mean for it to happen, but I can hear thoughts, particularly in large crowds with loads of emotion going on. So...I suppose the quidditch game and a nervous bloke just made for the perfect situation and I heard George say something about getting paid."
Both girl's mouths dropped open, their eyes widening for a few moments.
Here it comes, they'll start running any second.
I should pack my bags
"That's...."
"Bloody hell...."
"If you're terrified of me, I get it. I lost all my friends at my old school, all my classmates were terrified of me. I didn't realize I had this power until last year, I just thought I was really charismatic....turns out I'm an idiotic gossip. Caused a lot of issues....I transferred because I was expelled and Dumbledore offered Snape's assistance."
"That's crazy," Joy whispered.
"That explains so much," Angelina nodded.
"I'm trusting you with my life here," Harper pleaded, the anxiety of discussing this sending her lungs into a haphazard pattern—her breathing hitched and unsteady. If she weren't gripping her pant legs, her hands would be shaking tremendously.
"Your life is safe with us," Joy and Angelina held out their pinkies and smiled.
"You aren't going to run?" Harper questioned, apprehensively hooking her pinky with theirs.
Angelina tilted her head to the side and frowned, "friends never run when one of them is in trouble."
"We've got your back, lovey," Joy promised with a smile.
"But...back to the George thing. The git really didn't mean any harm."
"I know...I just....I want more control over....me! And hearing that really jolted me. So I've been trying really hard to focus on myself this week."
The girls gave sympathetic looks and nodded, "you two would look really cute," Joy said in a singsong voice as she poked Harper's knee.
"Like really cute," Angelina joined in with a laugh.
Harper only laughed, putting her homework away, "could we go to the kitchens as a sign of friendship?"
"Oh! Ange! She said friends!" Joy squealed, launching herself forward and hugging Harper tightly as she laughed. Angelina chuckled as she joined the hug.
"Thank you for trusting us," Angelina whispered.
"Thank you for trusting me," Harper smiled.
"If....you ever hear my thoughts, can you tell me?!" Joy whispered with wonder.
"No wait! This is brilliant, if you can hear us then we can have private conversations at meals," Angelina grinned. "The boys will never know!"
"I can't send my thoughts to you," Harper laughed.
"Will you eventually tell the group?"
"I don't want them to panic, so I want to at least have some semblance of control over it first. That's what I've been trying to do, I promise I would've told you sooner. But...." Harper let out a shaky breath, "when my friends found out. They were pissed. I started getting bullied for it by other students, my friends exiled me and I was left to fend for myself....did alright for a bit. Then dad got an offer to work permanently for the British Ministry and we jumped on it immediately when the parents started to request my expulsion."
Angelina and Joy frowned, "we aren't like that. But I understand your fears about trusting people," Joy whispered.
Harper nodded slightly as the three got off her bed and slowly made their way downstairs, noting the boys sitting around the couch. Their backs to them as the three slowly slunk to the portrait hole. Soundlessly getting to the hall and running until they were at the kitchens out of breath.
"Thank you, Ange...Joy. Thank you," Harper squeezed their hands as they gave sympathetic smiles.
"You are most welcome," they grinned.
"Are you still going to go to Hogsmeade tomorrow with George? He was a tosspot, but at least he's a cute one," Joy smiled.
"I'd really like to," Harper looked at her hands and sighed.
When the girls returned to the common room, only George and Lee Jordan remained of their group.
George gave a strained smile as Harper rolled on her heels, feeling nervous as they both tried to avert their gazes. Joy grabbed Lee and the three left the two alone.
"Sorry....if I've been avoiding you....I erm...my private lessons were getting tougher and I needed-"
George held up a hand, he'd watched the map here and there. Yes she was still pacing around Snape's office, but she was staying in the library more often-sometimes past curfew. He knew Harper was lying and it hurt, but he had to remind himself that she transferred. If she needed to learn to trust people. He wouldn't bring it up, even if it did hurt.
"It's alright, Harper," he smiled.
"Maybe we can try Hogsmeade another time?" She gave a hopeful smile, George tried not to show his disappointment but he nodded.
When Harper took a seat on the couch beside his things, a waft of lemongrass passed him, the scent was nothing short of comforting and alluring as he breathed deeply.
***
Harper sat at the Gryffindor table, reading her book until everyone appeared around her in a loud bang. She smiled up at them all as Joy took her designated seat beside her. "How was your lesson with Snape?" Fred asked as he spread out a parchment and began scrawling.
Harper frowned, "I never told you who my lesson was with last night."
Fred gave George a look as he continued to write, Joy and Angelina gave each other knowing looks. Harper frowned and leaned over the table, noticing Fred's bag was on the ground. With a quick motion, Harper sat back down, ducked under the table, grabbing at Fred's bag and bringing it to her. Fred jumped over the table at her as she began to make a run for it, Harper dove under the Ravenclaw table, crawling until she was between legs and sat there rifling through the bag. She could hear Fred shouting as students watched the spectacle. Harper sighed as she didn't find anything incriminating, she came from under the table and dejectedly handed back Fred's bag.
"I'll figure it out," Harper glared at him turning and glancing around the professor's table as she tried to think of how exactly the Weasley twins could know where she was everyday.
You could read his mind
A voice whispered, Harper closed her eyes as she steadied herself. "No," she whispered aloud, she jumped when she found Angelina touching her shoulder.
"Everything's fine now," Angelina whispered. Watching Harper carefully. Harper nodded solemnly as she took her place back at the bench. Joy and Angelina nodded their heads and smiled as they tucked into their food.
"Are you staying for the holiday or going home?" Alicia asked the group at large.
"I'll be here," Harper smiled, the twins nodded while everyone else confirmed they'd be gone. Alicia and Joy leaned back to give each other thumbs up and winked before going back to eating.
The two cupids would finally see if they could get Harper and George to at least share a kiss under mistletoe for the holiday.