The image of the Shadow Man is still imprinted in my head. I see him down every corridor and through every doorway. When I walk alone I can feel him following behind me but I can't hear him. I don't hear his footsteps, his cloak dragging on the ground, or his heavy breathing. But I know he's there right behind me. When I look back he's not there but I know he's looking at me. I can feel his eyes locked onto me like he's staring into my soul trying to figure me out. I think I'm going mad, or maybe I'm just tired. All I do is study for the OWL exams even though they are months away I can feel them creeping up on me.
Fred thinks I study too much and that I have nothing to worry about, he thinks I'll do just fine. I know I'll do fine but I don't want to do just fine what I want is to do great. Maybe then Mama Azadeh would tell me she's proud of me. I know she's proud of me and I know she loves me but I would kill for her to say it. I learned the sign for I love you from the television. She says I love you in acts of service like a home-cooked meal that took hours or a small gift she made. Kind of like the twins, they don't tell you they care rather they will do things for you.
Like Fred and George planned a contest to get me and Apollo to stop drowning in our studies. We all marched down to the great lake in our swimsuits wrapped in blankets. It's getting colder and colder at Hogwarts and within the next month, snow will fall. I held the blanket around my body tightly. Apollo glared at Fred and spoke sharply, "I still don't get why you dragged us away from our studies for this."
"It's depressing to watch you two sit in the library and drown in schoolwork," Fred answered.
I rolled my eyes holding until my blanket was so tight my knuckles were turning white. "Can we hurry this process up please I'm freezing my arse off?" I asked. George nodded, "On the count of three, ready..."
"3."
"2."
"1."
We all dropped our blankets at the same time revealing swimsuits underneath. Fred, Apollo, and George wore the matching pink trunks with little pineapples on them that Echo, Apollo's mother, bought them. The only difference was George had on one of my bikini tops. All of us exploded with laughter at the sight of George wearing my smallest black bikini top that had the words Bad bitch written across the front. Alicia bought it for me last year, she has the same one. "What?" George asked.
"Mate you can't take anything seriously?" Apollo asked through his laughter. George looked at him with a shocked expression. He pointed at himself and then at me, "Just because Us girls look better than you ever could, doesn't mean you have to act out."
"Mate, you've got the word's Boss bitch on your tits," Apollo said picking up his blanket. "So you're staring at my tits now?!" George yelled at the top of his lungs. I covered my stomach leaning over, tears flowed down my face as I tried to stop laughing. I had on my bright pink swimsuit with little pineapples on it, Echo bought them for the upcoming beach trip this summer she invited us all on. I don't know if Mama will let me go but hopefully, with a little convincing, I'll be riding home with Ap and his father back from the train station and not taking the bus. Normally she would let me go but still at times, her permission can be hard to insure.
I fell back onto the grass when Apollo yelped. George had thrown his blanket at Apollo as he screamed at him for being a womanizer. It's moments like these when I can't stop laughing, George and Apollo are arguing, and Fred is trying to break it up before someone gets hurt (although he always ends up a part of the wrestling) that I realize how perfect our friendship is. Ever since our first year, we've been inseparable, over the summers when we're forced to separate it's like we become different people entirely. The first time I met Mrs. Weasley she told me she was glad to finally put a face to the girls that they constantly sent letters to. I first met Mrs. Huxley and she asked me if I was her son's girlfriend when I said no she told me to never become one of the many.
Composing myself I sat up watching the three of them wrestle. I'm ninety percent sure that they don't even remember what they were "fighting" over. I also don't think I'm ever getting my top back. I jumped to my feet when I realized all three were lying on a blanket. "I win!" I screamed pointing at the blanket. All three of them turned to look at me horrified looks on their face. "So tell me boys what do I win?" I asked. Fred pushed George off of him. He got up and started slowly walking over to me.
"What?" I asked.
"You know Vik, you're doing a lot of laughing over here." He said a smirk growing on his face. "She was," Apollo interjected. "Well duh, you all started fighting because George was being an idiot." I defended myself. "Wow, what happened to girls supporting girls Viktoria?" George asked pretending to be shocked.
"You're a dude George," I said looking around Fred. Fred picked me up and threw me over his shoulder, "You thought we were gonna let you get away with that Vik, your funny." I knew exactly which direction he was walking in. "No! I'm sorry!" I yelled smacking him on the back.
"Too late Vik," He said walking closer to the Great Lake.
"Apollo save me please!" I begged. "Sorry, Viktoria but you got too comfortable." He said trying not to laugh.
"George comes on, you're my best mate we can get through this I promise." I pleaded.
"I can't look," George said fighting off his laughter.
Fred whispered, "Sorry Vik." He threw me down into the frigged water. I felt my muscles tighten and I started to shiver. "Fuck you!" I yelled. I tried to stand up but I could barely move. Next thing I knew Fred was falling into the water nearly landing on top of me. George stood where he had been a wide smile on his face.
"What the hell George?!" Fred yelled wiping the mud off his face. George pointed at me and said with absolutely no remorse, "She's my best mate man, I gotta get revenge for her." I held my hand out for George to help me up. I wasn't that wet cause the water only came up halfway when you sit down. He took my hand and then I had a realization. I yanked him down beside me, "That's for letting him throw me in here in the first place!"
George pushed my head under the water for maybe a second but it felt slower. Under the water it was like time passed differently, I was down for maybe ten seconds at most but it felt like more. I felt weightless and it was almost freeing, I think I've gone mad. I pushed my hair out of my face as I came up for air. Apollo stood on the shoreline taking photos of us with George's Disposable camera. "Oh, you think it's funny mate?" I asked
"Hilarious, "He said a smug grin on his face. Slowly I got up out of the Great Lake water dripping out of my hair. I marched out of the water towards Apollo, "So funny, right?" He took off running in the opposite direction back towards the school. I chased after him, my bare feet getting caked with dirt that become mud. My flip-flops fell off somewhere between when I was thrown into the great lake and when I started running. I just painted my nails too, fuck. I knew Fred and George were running behind me because I could hear their heavy stomping.
I chased him back to the school and down the corridors. People stared at the four of us as we ran past, I know we look crazy. We all knew, but none of us care. He ran out to the crowded courtyard forgetting that I have no shame. I jumped onto his back wrapping my legs around his waist. "Come on Viktoria now my back is wet." He grabbed onto my legs so I wouldn't fall.
"I think there's something wrong with your brother's friend Venus," An annoyingly familiar voice said. I rested my head on his shoulder glaring at Hermione Granger. She's two years below us and the most aggravating person on the planet. I hate studying but it's something I need to do to ensure I pass every time she sees me study she acts shocked as if I could never be interested in passing a class. "Hey Venus, Venus's annoying friend, little Weasley, and chosen one, " I said smiling. Hermione rolled her eyes and Ron looked annoyed. Venus covered her face like she was embarrassed to be seen with us. Harry squinted in confusion at the sight of me soaked and hanging off of Apollo. The Twins came running into the courtyard yelling something about how they had to go back for the blankets.
"Bloody hell, are you lot all wearing matching swimsuits?!" Ron asked. I nodded in response trying to yell. "Venus has one too but she refuses to wear it, I don't think she likes matching with us anymore," I pointed out. "Yeah, I remember before she started at Hogwarts she loved matching with you Vik," Fred agreed.
"I was nine," Venus said her voice muffled by her hands. "So what kind of trouble are you guys getting into these days?" I asked trying to start any form of conversation to make this less awkward. But I don't think you can make four half-naked teenagers dripping with water in the cold any less awkward than it sounds. "Nothing that concerns you Viktoria," Hermione remarked in her annoying voice. "You're just mad that people like me and they don't like you because your annoying," I said. She sat there in shock, I was slightly shocked myself. It just came out I didn't mean to sound as rude as I did but it just happened.
"I think that's enough talking for you today Viktoria. We're gonna be going now," Apollo said trying to calm down the scene.
"Can we talk to you later, preferably alone Apollo?" Harry asked Ap. He nodded after thinking for a moment. All four of us walked out of the courtyard, well I rode on Apollo's back but still, we all left at the same time. The three of the broke out laughing when we were just out of earshot. "Holy shit, why did you say that to her. I mean it's horribly funny and somewhat true but damn Vik. You're only ever rude to us," Fred said through his laughter. I threw my hands up in the air, "I don't know it just came out!" That made them all laugh harder and their laughing made me laugh. We all laughed back to our dorms, where Apollo graciously gave me a ride back to mine.