"What meant the world imploded, faded and demoted
All my oxygen to product gas
And suffocated my last chance
You said, between your smiles and regrets
Don't say it's over
Calm before the storm, set it off
And the sun burnt out, tonight"
-Calm before the storm, FOB
***
Harper sat in the common room that afternoon, finishing her school work, prepping for her O.W.L.S. Her mind wandering the mostly empty room as she listened to the radio playing.
"Don't forget the addition of woofsbane here..." Harper handed Ginny back her essay.
When she noticed George enter the room, she quickly gathered her things and tried to run for it. Angelina and Joy stood up from their spots by the fire, both frowning as they tried to ascertain the situation.
"Sorry Gin, I need to get ready for patrol."
That's really immature of you
Harper hurriedly stuffed her things away, shaking her head.
Harper.
"I'll see you later," Ginny nodded as she hurried up to her dormitory.
Harper paused, looking at George who was watching her with a pained expression. "I'm being immature?"
"You said we could start talking again, but all you've done today is literally run from me," he pointed out her hurried packing job, "so yeah. A bit immature."
Harper frowned slightly, "says the bloke that was flirting with Alexandria right in front of me."
"I knew you were going to be jealous the second she sat down," George scoffed, shaking his head. "We were talking about quidditch, the Irish might make it to the cup this year. That's all. Quidditch."
"I'm not jealous, I just know she's prettier than me," Harper shrugged. "It's a fact. She's part Veela. I can't be jealous of what I can't compete with."
"Nonemacker! Come on, I told you I haven't given up on the idea of us being together again. I meant it! And besides, you're prettier than her," George whispered, giving a confident nod.
Harper scoffed, Joy jumped on the couch across from her, watching the scene for trouble, Angelina pulling on her sleeve to keep her back.
"You really think I'd look at any other girl than you, Harper?"
Harper shrugged, "I don't really know."
"I had Ginny and Hermione leaving those yellow carnations outside your dormitory for me everyday, I've done nothing but keep all your supplies stocked, why am I doing any of that if I didn't fancy you? Why would I still say you're my girl?" George whispered.
"Aww-ahhhh!" Harper looked over to see Angelina pulling Joy down on the couch and out of view.
"You can't say something slick like that after...after seeing you flirt with her," Harper's face flushed.
"Harper..."
"Stop calling me Harper," she frowned.
"I'm most certainly not calling you a pet name when things are tense. If you want a pet name go ask Diggory or Freddie-heard he's been using them-"
"Oh now look who's jealous!" Harper scoffed, putting a hand on her hip. She looked at her bag with a frown. "You don't get it," Harper shook her head.
"I do get it, Harper. Please just hear me out for a moment," he stepped closer, Harper feeling her chair push into her leg as she backed up.
"Talking to another girl-"
"About quidditch...Alexandria knows I like the Irish team and they're about two wins away from being in the World Cup this summer, it's the only thing we have in common." George sighed, pausing as he looked at Harper with a pleading look-his brown orbs smoldering slightly as he held her gaze. "Unlike us who have a lot more..."
"Awwww!" Joy's voice could be heard from the couch area, Angelina shushing her hurriedly as they continued to hide from view.
Harper felt her heart skip several beats, George stepped closer, holding his hands out to her. Harper rolled her eyes, sighing and pulling her sleeves down over her hands and holding back. His fingers grazed the back of her hands, the contact made her breathing hitch for a moment.
"Come on, you know better...What happened to wanting to start again as friends?"
Harper bit her bottom lip, worrying it as she sighed. "I suppose...."
"Ange told me what you said after the quidditch game last month," George's smirk was even bigger, stepping closer.
Harper scowled, she wasn't going to let him win that easily, looking at her bag beside her. A specially made tin of his favorite sweets hiding the vial she'd finished that morning sat beneath her books and parchment. She just needed to wait until tomorrow.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she stuttered, face going red.
George smirked, pushing a bit of her hair behind her ear, the small contact made her heart thump harshly against her ribs. "yeah. Sure, Nonemacker."
****
In the morning Harper woke up before all the girls, pulling on black jeans and a grey shirt underneath a billowing dusty orange cardigan. Outside the door sat two yellow roses, with a smile Harper carefully walked over to the boys' stairs and up to the boys' dormitory. She gently placed the tin of lemon lavender cookies she had finished yesterday on the floor and bolted for it. Taking a seat in her favorite over stuffed chair that had a view of the stairs and pulling out her book she was currently reading.
It felt like ages before anyone emerged from the boys' dormitories. Lee bounded downstairs with a giant smirk on his face, giving a wink as he sat across from her.
"He'll be down any second," Lee nodded.
Harper gave a nervous smile, closing her book and watching students slowly leave for the Great Hall. When George finally came down, Harper jumped to her feet, he looked a bit apprehensive as she approached. Her heart twitching in pain for a moment.
"Happy Valentine's Day," Harper smiled, sitting up in her chair.
"What's so happy about it?" George raised an eyebrow, folding his arms across his chest.
Harper's smile fell, "alright fine, if you want to be that way, Weasley."
George stepped closer, his eyes shimmering slightly, leaning forward his eyes seemed to melt like chocolate in the dim firelight, "I asked what's so good about a holiday you're deliberately supposed to celebrate your loved one? It should be every day, Nonemacker and you know it."
Harper's face flushed slightly as he smirked, "while I agree...I wanted to make sure you got the cookies."
"I did," George nodded, rubbing the back of his neck.
Harper frowned, "no. You didn't."
George raised an eyebrow, "what do you mean? I got the tin."
Harper gave an exasperated sigh, "did you open the tin?"
"I wasn't very hungry for a sweet...."
Harper rolled her eyes, "there was something else in there besides some damn cookies." She ran her hands through her hair, George bounded up the stairs and returned with the tin, on the inside of the lid a small vial was taped. "That's what I've been working on for the past few months," she nodded to the vial, "come find me after you take it."
George raised an eyebrow and nodded, reaching into his pocket he revealed a small box. Inside was a small oval pendant with a jewel that shimmered a honey golden brown color that matched her eyes. "In different lighting, it'll change colors," George smiled at it.
Harper smiled, putting the necklace on. "Just a sip of that potion should be plenty," she nodded to the tin.
***
George cleared his throat, looking at the vial with apprehension. Walking back upstairs he found Fred slowly getting dressed.
"What ya got?" Fred asked with a knowing smile.
"Cookies and a mysterious vial," George commented.
Fred grinned, "best to lay down when you take that vial."
"You know what it is?"
"You haven't figured it out yet?" Fred laughed, heading out to the common room.
George laid back into his pillows and uncapped the vial, the scent of lemongrass wafting up to him. He took a sip as instructed and slowly watched his world turn black, and then an image, a girl with raven colored hair was on her knees in front of a group of five girls-pleading with them. All wearing identical blue dresses with tan flats.
"You expect us to believe that you have no idea how you ended up in Marta's memories?! That you have no clue how you just appeared in some nightmares?!" A girl with blonde curls snapped, Harper slunk away.
"You were always such a freak, but now it all makes sense!" A girl with auburn hair laughed.
"Oh my god. That's how you spoke to me that first time! I was thinking about our alchemy class and you just went on a ten minute long speech about alchemy-no one even asked you for your input! It was only in my mind!" The brunette of the group glared as she flipped her hair over her shoulder.
"You probably cheat on tests, Lorelai's grades are just as good as yours. I bet you use her to cheat and mess up one question to keep from being noticed." A girl with dirty blonde hair shook her head.
"That's not true! None of this is true! I would never willingly go into any of your minds or use it to cheat! I don't even know what we're talking about." The small black haired girl was crying as the five girls lifted their wands higher.
"Just keep lying, the Headmistress will deal with you shortly." The first girl spoke again.
"You used your freak mind to spy on Marta, her family is now being suspected for things that you falsely brought to people!" The brunette jabbed her wand at Harper, stomping her foot.
"I didn't mean to do anything, I've been having these strange dreams and I got scared, so yes I went to the infirmary about it all. I didn't realize I was spreading gossip and rumors. I have no idea how I did any of this!" Harper stammered, pleading for them to believe her.
"You're a legilimens. A mind reader. And a scary one too." The auburn hair spoke up.
"You're not normal, Nonemacker."
"What?! No. My family are seers, not mind readers. I can't do that!" Harper protested.
"Don't play dumb, it's unbefitting." The dirty blonde spat with venom.
"Do you realize how intrusive this is? We don't want you to be our friend. You need to switch rooms. I won't have you near me anymore."
"Intrusive? But...but I never did...." Harper was shaking from head to toe.
"All the facts and gossip you know...it's all because you've been in our minds! You start conversations by looking into our minds first and then answering that!"
"Get your things from our room and leave!"
"But what if there's no other places to sleep?" Harper got to her knees, she was three inches taller than the girls standing before her.
"That's not our problem, you intrusive little sneak."
"How dare you trick us. We should've known the second you mentioned your relatives. Being related to the great Cassandra and Sybill Trelawney. It was only a matter of time that it would be revealed you're just as cracked as those two."
The group started walking away, leaving the younger Harper standing there sobbing.
"Don't speak to us again, we don't want a single thing to do with you and we will be warning the rest of the school."
"You're nothing but a cheating gossip"
"Freak."
Harper stood alone, falling to her knees as she cried, her wails echoing around the empty room.
George laid there as his vision was brought back, slowly getting up he felt his stomach twist on itself. He was such an arse. Running full sprint down the stairs, he looked around the common room, sighing deeply when he saw Harper with her legs pulled to her chest as she read her book in her favorite chair.
"George! Put me down!" Harper yelped as George picked her up from her spot and squeezed her.
"I'm so sorry, I'm an arse. I already knew I was an arse...but Harper," George breathed into her hair as he held her tighter, beginning to press his lips against her temple.
"Sorry that took a bit for me to make, I had to steal all the ingredients during potions in small increments."
George shook his head, "don't apologize for that, potions princess."
Harper moved around in his tight grip, pressing her forehead against his neck as he breathed in the scent of lavender. He'd missed this, he missed holding her, the scent of lavender or lemongrass that often got mixed into his jumpers. "That's why it hurt so much, but I couldn't just tell you....I needed to show you, if I was going to keep dating you then I wanted you to see why that hurt," Harper whispered, her voice thick with unshed tears.
"So the time you needed was for the potion?" He whispered, nuzzling his face further into her hair.
"That and I wanted to give it to you on Valentine's Day," she laughed slightly. "I admit, it was a bit of a hopeless romantic type of move."
George smiled, leaning back to study her face, "wouldn't want it any other way, Harpsichord."
"I'd like to start again, if you're willing," she whispered, pulling her lower lip between her teeth as she held her breath.
"I thought you'd never ask," George grinned, pulling her close to his chest, burying his face into the crook of her neck as he laughed.
****
"Are they back together?"
"I don't know."
"You're the best friend!"
"And you're the other best friend!"
Lee looked up from his cereal as Fred and Angelina sat down across from him, arguing like usual.
"How don't you know what's going on with your twin brother?" Angelina scoffed.
"Easy, he has his own life," Fred scowled. "He doesn't have to give me a play by play of his adventures. Unless it's a prank."
"But do you know if they are?"
"I don't! Why not just steal her diary like you usually do, if she's not going to tell you?"
Angelina glared and grabbed some toast without another word, Lee chuckled at them as Joy sat beside him.
"I haven't been able to find it, she got a new spot for it," Angelina said darkly.
"Any idea?" Joy asked him, wiping her glasses on her robe sleeve.
"How're you guys so behind on things?" Lee laughed, the girls frowned and looked at him, "they're back to friends. Just leave it alone there."
"Are you sure?" Joy frowned, "I would've thought seeing them hug on Valentine's they would be back where they left off....it didn't seem like a friend kind of hug."
Lee shrugged, "just let the two figure things out themselves. We can resume the pool in the meantime."
The girls seemed to pout as they ate their breakfast, they were so absorbed in their own thoughts they didn't notice when Harper appeared on Lee's other side until she took a piece of bacon from him.
"Morning," Harper gave a genuine grin for the first time in months, Alicia and Angelina both clapped their hands excitedly.
"Yay! You're here!" Alicia said excitedly.
The group grinned when they realized that Harper had appeared, possibly for the first time in four months at the Gryffindor table with a genuine smile.
"And where have you been?" Lee prodded her cheek before reaching for what little remained of his bacon from her hand.
"Can't a girl enjoy some peace and quiet?" Harper shoved the last of the bacon in her mouth, laughing as Lee shook his head.
"Meals are a family ordeal Harps, you have to eat with us," Fred scolded, "that's the rules."
Harper leaned forward, grinning as she swiped Lee's pumpkin juice and downed it, "whatever you say, Freddie."
"Meals, with us, here." Fred pointed his fork at her before tucking into his eggs.
"I ate with Lee and the girls," Harper shrugged, "doesn't that count?"
"Not if I'm not involved." Fred scoffed, Harper rolled her eyes slightly.
"And to answer that burning question: we're friends," Harper smiled, snatching Lee's bacon from his hand.
"Booooo," Alicia protested.
Harper shrugged, her face flushing slightly as the bacon sparked in her fingers.
"Ah ha!" Lee grinned as Harper yelped in surprise, "don't touch a man's food!"
Harper glared at Lee, Fred laughing into his food, "sugar snaps. Really puts a spring in your step."
"That was cruel," Harper pouted, punching Lee's arm.
****
"Ange, I really think you're my best friend and all but...you staring at me like that is very creepy, your eyes look pretty with that shadow color though?" Harper poured her tea as she looked at her friend across the small divination table.
"You didn't hear me?" Angelina took the tea as she grinned.
"Should I?" Angelina hit Lee's arm beside her, getting his attention from Cho.
"Lee, I think the pressure is off of Harper."
"Ah," Lee chuckled as Harper scowled between the two. "Is it really?"
"This coded talk is really getting old," Harper muttered to herself. When she looked up from her tea leaves, Lee had a intense expression on his face. A ball of paper hit the back of Harper's head, making her annoyed just as a few more came pouring down on her.
"I will give everyone here detentions if they don't stop," Harper threatened, turning around and chucking the discarded paper at Joy and Alicia who ducked under their table.
"Harper!" Sybill reprimanded her niece before she conducted the class in readings.
Harper rolled her eyes, looking down at the tea dredge.
"Harper? Yours says a new love," Lee laughed.
"It does not," Harper glared at him before snatching the cup. "Oh...." She felt her face flush, so it did.
Angelina tried to hide her smirk as Lee continued laughing, "yeah both of yours says detention," Harper glared at him.
The rest of class continued that way, by the end of class Harper was laughing at Lee and Angelina's bogus predictions. It wasn't until she was cleaning their cups and about to follow the others to charms when the room went black.
Harper fell to her knees, clutching the carpet unseen to her as she hyperventilated, she couldn't hear anything but the black vision was replaced with something else. Quick flashes of images she couldn't make out.
"He will enter swiftly in the dead of night. Unbeknownst to the boys. He's there for the traitor, no one else. He'll strike at midnight. Quick and fast. Only for the traitor. Only for the coward. Only for the one who betrayed their friends that fateful night."
Sybill held her niece tight in her arms as the girl continued to speak a prophecy that only the Professor heard.
***
"We shouldn't bother her!"
"She knows something!"
"Guys!"
Hermione huffed as she chased Harry and Ron to the Hospital Wing, looking around until they found Harper reading a book in one of the last cots by a high window.
"Hello you three," Harper smiled slightly.
"You knew," Harry huffed, "how did you know?!"
Harper raised an eyebrow and looked at Hermione for clarification, "last night. Ron was attacked by Black in the dormitory. How did you predict that?"
Harper gasped, "Ronald are you alright?!" She reached out for his hands and pulled him into a hug, resulting in his ears turning scarlet as she held onto him against her chest. "I can't tell you how prophecies work guys," Harper shook her head when she finally released Ron.
"You lot started taking divination this year, yeah?" The three nodded, "there's just some things I can't explain to you. My family are seers that's all I can give you for clarification."
"So you just collapsed and that came out?" Ron frowned.
Harper nodded slowly, "yes. All I remember is cleaning up my table and falling. I woke up here and missed the rest of classes, I don't even know what I said.....but you guys do?"
"It wasn't until after Black attacked, I heard Fred talking to Angelina and Lee. He said you had predicted the events, he was ticked that no one took immediate action when you said whatever it was...." Ron explained, he looked at Harry and frowned.
"I'm so sorry, Ron," Harper whispered, giving one of his hands a squeeze, his ears camouflaging into his hair.
"We're glad you're alright," Harry smiled.
"Since...since that prophecy happened," Harper suddenly fell silent. Her eyes wide.
"Have you had more than one?" Hermione frowned at the fifth year.
"Ah....I'm getting a bit tired you three, I know you have a lot of questions but maybe another time?" The three scowled at her, Harper gave a big sigh, "trouble follows you three everywhere. I'm not giving you anymore trouble while I can help it."
"Please Harper? Black is....if Black is my godfather like I've heard, I need to know what else you've seen," Harry pleaded. Harper pursed her lips together, shaking her head.
"No, now unless you want help with some assignments or a game of exploding snap. Off with you three."
Harry and Ron hung their heads and began to walk away, Hermione leaned over and hugged her tightly. "I'm glad you're alright," she whispered.
"My lips are sealed, 'mione. Get outta here," Harper chuckled. Hermione nodded with a frown, "it's safer this way....for you."