“It's looking better,” Mum says, peeling the dressing off my neck.
“Mum, I'm going to be late to class,” I say, “I still have to go and collect my books and uniform.”
“Professor Flitwick brought them down,” Mum says, “he brought your scarf too. I know you don't like wearing it, but it'll keep this covered.”
“It's healing really well,” Mum says, “if you were human, you'd be dead.”
“If I was human, I wouldn't have gotten stabbed,” I point out, “can I have a shower?”
“Sure,” Mum says, “as soon as you've finished your blood. I'll put the dressing on when you're done.”
I look at the glass of blood on the table and sigh. I am so sick of blood. I pick the glass up and drink is quickly, then go into the shower. Mum has laid my uniform out for me with a fluffy, white towel.
I get in the shower and turn the water on. It stings when it hits my neck. I wash myself quickly and climb out. I dry myself and wrap the towel around me, then go to the mirror. Feeling apprehensive, I wipe the steam off the mirror and look at my neck.
It's not as bad as I thought. The cut is about an inch long, only a few millimetres wide. There's a lot of bruising around it, mostly purple, but the edges are starting to yellow.
I get dressed and brush my hair into a ponytail. I walk back into the bedroom where Mum has her 'healer kit' set up. She dabs the lotion onto my neck, making me wince.
“There we go,” she says, taping the dressing on, “all done.”
I wrap my scarf around my neck and cringe. Scarves make me feel trapped, I don't like them. Mum hands me my bag of books.
“Come back down at lunch time,” she says, “you probably won't have time during break, right?”
I nod.
“Have a good day, sweetie,” Mum says.
“Bye,” I mutter.
The snow is deep as I trudge up to the castle. I wonder what happened to my broom. I realise I haven't told Mum and Dad what happened, but they haven't asked either. I don't want to have to explain to everyone, talking is uncomfortable, but I know George will want to know, the other Gryffindors and probably Georgiana will want to know too. I sigh deeply. I wish I could've stayed in bed.
I get out my timetable and look at Monday's classes. I don't have a class with George until fourth, right before lunch. Conceivably, I could avoid him today. Arrive at class late, leave early. I could do that tomorrow, and the next day, all week. Then I wouldn't have to talk. I could just skip classes altogether. My teachers would understand. I could just sneak up to Ravenclaw tower and go back to sleep.
I reach the steps leading into the castle and sigh deeply. I know that plan won't work. I remember how awful I felt when I thought he was avoiding me, I don't want to make him feel like that. I'll just feed him the story Mum came up with and hope he buys it. I look at my watch. I left too early, there's still a quarter of an hour of breakfast until classes start. I walk up the steps and push the door open. I walk into the Great Hall and see Fred, George, Lee, Alicia and Angelina still at the Gryffindor table. I walk towards them, trying to keep my breathing level. It hurts if I breathe too hard.
“Aurelia!” Angelina sees me first and waves. George leaps up and hurries over to me. He pulls me into a tight hug and I hug him back. He's warm and cuddly, better than staying in bed.
“Where've you been?” he asks, “you were gone all weekend.”
“My cousin is getting married this weekend,” I croak, “I had to get fitted for a dress, I completely forgot.”
“Are you sick?” he asks, frowning, “you sound like you're losing your voice.”
“It's a cold, nothing serious,” I shrug. He smiles.
“Good, we can hang out tonight,” he says.
“Uh, I'm babysitting all this week,” I say, “my aunt has to help my cousin get ready for the wedding, so I'm watching the other kids.”
“Every night?”
“Every night.”
“Well, I guess at lunch-”
“Uh, I have to go into the village during lunches,” I say, “but break works.”
“What about this weekend?” he asks, “the game?”
“I'll be here for the game,” I say, “the wedding is on Sunday, they don't need me on Saturday.”
George brushes some of the hair off my face.
“I look forward to Saturday, then.”
“Hey,” George nudges me. I glance up from my Transfiguration notes.
“Which chapter is on animagi?” he breathes.
“Look at the contents page,” I mutter back, returning to my notes.
“It's not in there!”
I roll my eyes and pick up his book, flipping to the front. I point to human transformations, chapter six, page two-hundred and thirty-six.
“Thanks.”
McGonagall puts our essays on our table and I grab mine to check the mark. O. Yes! I glance at George. He hasn't touched his other than to move it off his work. He got a P. That's a bit embarrassing.
After school I head down to Hogsmeade. As I'm walking through the grounds I hear a shout and turn to see George running through the snow towards me.
“Hey,” he says, grabbing me and kissing me hard. I wrap my arms around his waist, ignoring the snow seeping through my clothes. He gently cups my face, running his thumbs over my cheeks. I press up against him, feeling my heart rate pick up. My fangs are pressing on my gums, but I force them back. I feel totally in control. This is perfect.
Then George's hand brushes down over my neck. Pain shoots through me like a bullet.
“Ah!” I cry, stumbling back, clutching my neck.
“What?” George asks anxiously, “what did I do?”
“Nothing,” I shake my head, gritting my teeth, “I've just got a cut on neck, that's all.”
“I'm sorry,” he says, reaching for me, “are you alright?”
“I'm fine,” I say, “I'd better go, though.”
“No,” he complains, pulling me into his arms, “stay.”
“George!” I laugh, “I have to go.”
“No, you don't,” he says, “you have to stay.”
I give him a tight hug and step away.
“I'll see you tomorrow,” I say.
“I'll be here,” he shrugs, moving back towards the school. I turn towards the village, a smile sneaking onto my face. I skip down to the village, feeling like my heart is full of sunshine.
As cheesy as that sounds.
“How was school?” Mum asks as I walk in, “oh, I like being able to ask that.”
“Fine,” I shrug, sitting down at the desk, “Mum, did you know Dad when he was at school?”
“Not while he was at Hogwarts, darling,” she says, “but while he was at the University of Transylvania.”
“Did he ever get a bad mark, or not take it seriously?” I ask.
“No, he was always very committed to getting the best marks,” she says, “as you know, he thinks it is very important to do well in school, we both do. Why, darling? Did you get a bad mark?”
“No,” I shake my head, “but George, he... Well, he doesn't take school seriously. Neither does Fred, they just see it as a game, a waste of time.”
I pause for a moment, giving my throat a few seconds to rest.
“It's frustrating,” I say, “they're so smart, but they don't even try.”
Mum raises one eyebrow and I wish I could take back what I've just said. I should've known that if it bothers me even slightly that they're not serious about school it would bother Mum a hundred times worse and would be an unforgivable fault to Dad.
“Well, darling,” Mum says in a measured tone, “you have to think about your future, I mean-”
“Mum,” I interrupt, “it's fine, I was over exaggerating. Like I said, they're both smart.”
“Hmm,” Mum purses her lips at me, “well, I suppose it's just a high school romance.”
I roll my eyes and start on my homework.
I walk with George from Transfiguration to Defence on Tuesday afternoon.
“Did we have an essay due?” he asks, “I mean, after the werewolf one, I can't remember if Lupin set us another one.”
“It's not due until tomorrow,” I say, “have you started it?”
“Not yet,” he shrugs, “what's it on?”
“Didn't you write it down in your book?” I ask. He glances at me sheepishly.
“I might have lost my book,” he says guiltily.
I roll my eyes at him and file into the class room.
“Pop quiz!” Lupin says, passing out papers, “you've got half an hour, you can start immediately.”
The quiz is fairly easy. It covers all the topics we've done this year. I know George will be marking it, so I write my answers simply, so he won't mark it wrong again.
“Switch with the person next to you,” Lupin calls, “does everyone have red ink?”
I take George's paper and mark it as Lupin goes through the answers. George gets thirteen out of thirty. Not even half. I pass it back to him and take mine. 30/30. I smile to myself.
Straight after class I say goodbye and walk down to Hogsmeade, looking forward to being able to stay in the castle. I walk up to the room and pull my homework out. Mum hovers over my shoulder.
“Do you need any help?” she asks.
“I'm fine,” I say. She flutters nearby, watching me write. I put my quill down and fish out the test from today.
“I got full marks,” I say, handing it to her. She takes I and I return to my work.
“Oh, goodness,” she says, sounding shocked.
“What?” I ask, scratching out a line from my essay.
“That's a bit inappropriate,” Mum says, holding the paper out, “I think I need a word with Albus about that.”
At the bottom George has written '30/30. Well done, babe ;)'.
“What's wrong with that?” I ask, “he was just being nice.”
“Put your cloak on,” Mum says, standing up, “we're going to see the Headmaster.”
“Why?” I ask, shocked. Mum grabs the paper and pulls her cloak on. I grab mine and follow her downstairs.
“Mum, I think you're overreacting,” I call, struggling to keep up with her. She doesn't say a word the whole way up to the castle. It wasn't even that big of a deal, him writing that on the bottom of my paper. I could just erase it!
We walk into the Entrance Hall. Dinner is ending and I cross my fingers that George doesn't come out. Not only would that totally undermine my babysitting story, but at this rate Mum would probably tear his head off and eat it.
We reach Dumbledore's office and Mum gives the password. I have no idea how she knows it, and I'm too afraid to ask right now. I follow her up the staircase and she raps on the door.
“Come in,” Dumbledore calls. Mum storms in and I follow her meekly.
“Albus, I'd like a word with you and Remus Lupin,” Mum says in a commanding tone. Dumbledore looks surprised. He stands and throws a handful of powder into the fire place.
“Remus, could you join me, please?” he says into the fireplace. Dumbledore glances over at me and give me a reassuring smile, which does nothing to calm the pit of snakes that has over taken my stomach. Professor Lupin ducks out of the fireplace. He looks surprised to see Mum and I. Mum's eyes are flaming.
“Now, what can we help you with?” Dumbledore asks. I notice that he's standing slightly in front of Professor Lupin. Wise move.
“This,” Mum says, flourishing the paper at Dumbledore, “the comment on the bottom.”
Dumbledore reads it and glances at me. I can feel myself blushing. Dumbledore shows it to Lupin who smirks slightly.
“This is totally inappropriate,” Mum snaps, “a teacher writing such a thing to a student!”
“Mum!” I exclaim, astonished, “Professor Lupin didn't write that!”
Mum rounds on me.
“What?” she hisses.
“Professor Lupin doesn't mark the pop quizzes,” I tell her, “we trade them with the person next to us and he goes over the answers with the class! Professor Lupin didn't write that, George did!”
Mum is staring at me. I see the realisation slowly dawn on her and she starts to blush.
“Oh,” she says, standing up very straight, “oh.”
Dumbledore is looking as if he's fighting a smile while Lupin is looking rather embarrassed.
“I can assure you, Mrs Dunmore,” Lupin says, “my relationship with the students is only that of a teacher-student relationship.”
“Yes, of course,” Mum says, “it was my mistake entirely, I must apologise. However, this does raise the issue of this boy.”
I look at Mum, surprised. What-
“I would appreciate if Aurelia was not allowed to sit with him during classes,” Mum says, “he is obviously an unnecessary distraction. I understand that you can't watch all the students all the time, but I would like for them to be kept separate during the evenings also. Hogsmeade visits are fine, but all other times, including meals, I want them apart.”
“Mum!” I cry, “you can't do this!”
“Aurelia,” she says firmly, “school is a time for learning. I won't have all the hard work we've put into your schooling go to waste because of a boy. Next year you'll be too busy with extra lessons, so you might as well get used to it. At least for this year you'll have Hogsmeade visits. Next year... Well, we'll see.”
My mouth is hanging open as I stare at her, completely shocked.
“But... My marks have been just as good!” I can feel tears welling up behind my eyes and fight to keep them down, “he's not a distraction!”
“Prove it,” Mum says, “if you get a good mark in your OWLs then I will consider revoking this, until then, I trust Albus will see to it.”
“I'll let her teachers know,” Dumbledore says solemnly. Mum nods to him and takes my paper back.
“Let's go,” she tells me. As soon as we step outside the office I burst into tears. Mum doesn't take any notice of my sobbing as we walk back down to the village. When we get back to our room Dad is there. I ignore him and lock myself in the bathroom. I sit down on the toilet and cry. This is SO unfair!
When my crying starts to ease up, I hear Mum and Dad talking. I stop crying and move over to the door to listen.
“-completely agree,” Dad is saying, “she's too young to have a boyfriend anyway. She's fifteen! I don't think she should be allowed to go to Hogsmeade, I've been saying it for years. It's a waste of time.”
“We agreed she could have that weekend for time with friends,” Mum says, “but a boyfriend... I was nearly two hundred before I had my first boyfriend.”
“Nicèla, she doesn't have friends,” Dad says, “and she's better for it! They're just going to grow old and die while she watches, barely changed. That's why I've always said she should go to a vampire school!”
“We can't take her out of Hogwarts,” Mum says, “look at how she reacted to us limiting her time with that boy!”
“She'll thank us when she's older,” Dad says, “he's a nice enough boy, but his father has no ambition! I'd almost prefer she was with the older boy. At least he's Head Boy.”
I sit back on the toilet and burst into a fresh wave of tears. There's a knock on the door.
“Aurelia, come and do your homework,” Dad says, “you have one minute to be out here.”
I briefly consider refusing to leave, kicking up a huge stink until they let me see George, but I know it would be no use. Mum and Dad are stubborn, more stubborn than I am. I sigh deeply. I'll figure this out somehow.
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Sorry for the wait! Things have been crazy the last couple of weeks! Anyway, hope you liked it, please comment and let me know what you think :)