I'm swept off my feet, quite literally, by the most annoying boy in all of Hogwarts
ANNABETH:
I knew today was going to be a bad day. It all started when I realized I hadn't remembered to set my alarm clock. It was one of my dorm mates, Cho, who had awoken me.
"Annabeth, class begins in only a few minutes. Aren't you going to get up?"
I shot awake.
"Why didn't anyone wake me?" I exclaimed. She shrugged.
"I don't know. During your six years here at Hogwarts, none of us have seen you sleep in once! Not even on weekends. We thought you'd want to bit of rest." She handed me my robes and tie. "Sorry, you better hurry."
I managed to make it to class right on time. My first class today was double potions with Slytherin. The Slytherins in my year weren't all that bad. Our houses mostly kept to ourselves. It was unfortunate having a class with Slytherin when I was a muggle-born myself. These were hard times, especially with someone of my blood status.
When Snape stepped to the front of the classroom, everyone went silent. All apart from a few Slytherin students who knew they wouldn't get in too much trouble having Snape as their head of house. He ignored them.
"This year I am going to assign your potion lab partners, instead of having you choose yourself. It seems when I allow you to choose yourself, your work turns out less than satisfactory." Students grumbled amongst themselves. I'll admit, I took part on the grumbling as well. No matter who I got put with, I would end up doing all of the work anyway. I just hoped it would be someone I could at least put up with.
He assigned partner after partner, and my name wasn't called. I began to notice a common theme. He was assigning his students with ours. I had no choice; I was going to be put with one of the Slytherins.
"Piper McClean, Annabeth Chase." A pretty girl stood up. She made her way to my desk, and took a seat without looking back at her grumbling house members who weren't pleased with their partners.
"Hi! Um, I'm Annabeth." I greeted. The girl laughed.
"Yeah, I got that myself, thanks."
"Right, sorry."
She seemed annoyed, which wasn't uncommon for members of her house. I don't think it was me who she was annoyed by, however. I had a feeling her feelings were directed towards a curly-haired boy from her house who glared at her from afar.
Snape droned on about the usual rules and expectations for his class. No one paid much attention, as usual. I even found myself nodding off on more than one occasion. For some reason, I simply couldn't focus.
"Sir." After the end of Snape's speech, the curly-haired Slytherin boy raised his hand.
Snape glared in his direction.
"Um, you didn't assign me a partner." He said.
Piper rolled her eyes and looked down at her desk.
"Then choose a group, Valdez." Snape turned away. "I expect you can do that without my assistance."
I began working on the assigned potion. Piper said something. I didn't quite comprehend what it was because something on the desk had distracted me.
I froze. For a moment, I forgot how to breathe. I forgot how to speak. I couldn't even move. I don't know why I reacted in this way, but I was overcome with fear.
"Hey, Pipes! Looks like I'm joining your group." The Valdez kid took a seat at our table. Piper glared at him.
"I'm still not particularly pleased with you, Leo." She mumbled.
"Ah, whatever." He smirked, seemingly satisfied with her annoyance. "Uh, hey blondie, you alright?"
There it was, making its way down the desk. It's eight spindly legs creeping along with every step.
Leo followed my gaze to the desk, then laughed.
"Perificus totalus." He pointed his wand at the spider. It immediately froze. He blew it off the desk, out of sight. "Arachnophobia?" He guessed.
"Yeah. Just a bit." I answered. Spiders had always made me uncomfortable. This time was different. I didn't understand. Suddenly it was as if they had been my biggest fear. Had they?
"Thanks." I mumbled. An awkward silence passed over our trio.
"Allow me to introduce myself! I'm Leo Valdez, Slytherin extraordinaire. Lover of sarcasm and Spanish cuisine. This is Piper McClean! Lover of a sassy, over-dramatic attitude," Piper glowered at him. "And you are Annabeth Chase! Enemy of spiders."
I thought it should have been the other way around. Spiders seem to be my enemy. I wasn't an enemy to anything.
I continued to work on the potion while Piper and Leo mostly glared at each other. Piper did most of the glaring, actually. Leo mostly smirked in response which made Piper glare even harder.
The end of class came quicker than expected. I guess time flies fast when you're doing all of your group's work. Snape trudged along, inspecting the potions. He glanced at ours without a word and walked away. That was a good thing. The thing about Snape was that he never failed to supply negative remarks. If he didn't say anything about your work, that meant he had nothing negative to say about it.
Piper seemed to be in a hurry. She left as quickly as possible. Leo chuckled to himself, but I could tell it bothered him.
"What's up with her? Sorry, that was a bit rude of me." I added.
"Ah, it's alright." He sighed. "Her and I are best friends."
I raised a brow in confusion. I didn't think that was how best friends acted.
"We were, I guess. She's mad at me because I offered my friendly advice. That friendly advice was to stay away from the crowd she's gotten herself in with," he shuddered. "They're bad news."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I hope everything works out."
He shrugged.
"I've tried to get through to her since last year. Piper is the one who has a way with words, not me." He shook his head. "But it's okay! I'll keep trying, I guess. All I can do is annoy her. Maybe that will get through to her."
He smiled at me.
"I'll see you around, Chase. And great job on the potion. That'll be the first decent mark I've gotten on any on Snape's assignments in years!"
All I could think was at least he had the decency to say thanks after I did all of the work. Piper seemed distracted with her own problems. I didn't quite have an opinion on her yet. She hadn't been unpleasant to me yet. But Leo saying she was in with the wrong crowd made me nervous. It wouldn't be long before she'd start complaining about her 'mud-blood' partner. It made me sick to my stomach to think about.
During my free period I didn't really know what to do with myself. My only house mates were off doing their own things. Hazel wasn't even in the same house as me. I decided to use my free period to study different subjects, and re-learn anything that may have been fuzzy because of the summer months I hadn't been at school.
Usually, I didn't have a hard time focusing. Especially in the Ravenclaw common room, where our house students knew better than to be obnoxious while others were focusing on school work. Our house has always been more mature and civilized than the others, I'd imagine studying in any other common room would be horrendous.
But like I said, I usually didn't have a hard time focusing in my house. Today was different. I don't know if it was because it was the first day of classes and perhaps my mind was simply taking time to adjust to the Hogwarts routine of things. I tried to reassure myself, as I reread the same paragraph for the third time in my History of Magic book, and I still couldn't comprehend what it was that I was reading.
Okay, relax Annabeth. Perhaps you're simply stressed? Sixth year wasn't that different than fifth, however. Why would this be any different than last year?
I put down my books and decided I'd try to focus my attention on something else for awhile. About half an hour into the period, I was thankful to see some of my housemates had returned from whatever it was that they were doing.
They chatted in their usual corner of the common room, while Cho left them and approached me.
"Hey!" She greeted, taking a seat on the chair across from mine. "Is everything okay?" She immediately asked.
I laughed slightly. "Yeah, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"
She shrugged.
"You seemed a bit distracted this morning. I understood then, I mean, I'd be freaked out too if I was nearly late for my first class of the year. Especially since that class was potions." She continued. "You just still have that dazed look in your eye."
"Do I?" I questioned. She smiled.
"Well, if you didn't, why would I have wasted my time telling you that?"
She was right. I was distracted.
"How are you doing, Cho?"
Her eyes widened. I wanted to take the conversation away from me. It was probably inconsiderate of me to change the subject to her, given what she had been through.
"I'm doing okay. Everyone has been asking me that question. It felt nice to ask someone else for a change."
"Why'd you ask me then?"
"Because, you have that same look in your eye that I get when I'm bothered," she added. "When I'm hurting."
That surprised me. If anything, that comment probably made me look more bothered.
"I'm not hurting, nor am I bothered."
She rolled her eyes.
"Annabeth, open your eyes. We're all bothered. Hogwarts has been the saddest I've ever seen it. Especially the Hufflepuff house." She paused, taking a moment to breathe. "I can especially tell that you're denying it because let's face it, it's the first day of classes, and you've woken up late, also, you're about to miss your corridor duties. It's sad that I know your schedule better than you do."
Corridor patrol.
Right.
Cho may have wanted to say more to me, but I didn't get a chance to listen. In a rush, I gathered my things into my sack and slung it over my shoulder. I left, hearing Cho laugh and say goodbye.
***
This was the corridor, right? A girl was standing alone looking around. Perhaps she had been my assigned partner for tonight. I didn't mind, anyone was better than Percy Jackson.
"Hi! Are you Annabeth Chase?" The girl extended her hand towards me.
"Hello, yeah! Sorry, I haven't looked at who my partner is for tonight. What's your name?" I shook her hand.
"I'm Hermione Granger." She eyed me for a moment before gasping. "You're Annabeth Chase!"
"Yeah, haha." Hadn't we established that already?
"No! I mean, you're the other potions tutor. McGonagall told me I was only one of two students who had been accepted! She told me that you were the other student! You must be quite brilliant."
I felt my face redden.
"Uh, thanks! Tutoring is only one of the items on my seemingly unending schedule." I joked. She raised a brow.
"Really? My schedule was so full McGonagall had to add some possible weekend classes later in the year!" Hermione bragged.
There it was, the Gryffindor pride. I could hardly stand it, especially when I had to put up with Percy Jackson. It nauseated me to think that there were even more obnoxious morons like him. I hoped and prayed Hermione wouldn't be one, maybe my hopes were too far-fetched.
The only way to win a bragger's game is to put brag them. That is what I decided to do.
"Really? I'm actually top of my year in potions."
She seemed surprised.
"Oh." Her face reddened. "I'm top of my class."
We stood for a moment, each of us in obvious discomfort. I didn't think Hermione and I would get along very well.
"Aren't you on the Quidditch team?" She asked.
"Quidditch. Is that all you Gryffindors talk about?" I didn't mean for it to sound rude. She reminded me too much of Jackson. I couldn't help it.
"I was only trying to start a conversation-"
"Perhaps you and I should stop attempting to start a conversation. I believe that would be best."
Her face was as red as the scarlet on her tie. She looked like she wanted to say more, but she shut her mouth. Looking back, I felt bad for snapping at the girl the way I did. I was simply stressed, and she had been what I had unwillingly decided to take my anger out on.
Flash forward ten minutes. I hadn't cooled down much. If anything, I only grew more frustrated. Not at Hermione, but at myself. For some reason I couldn't keep still. I continued to pace the corridor. I grew more bored every second. Suddenly, Frank Zhang of all people tore me from my thoughts.
"Frank?" He had his nose deep in a book. He looked up at me and smiled.
"Hey!" He greeted. "How are you?"
"You have patrol tonight?" I asked.
"Yeah. With Percy actually."
"Wait--Why aren't you there?"
He shrugged.
"I-I needed to check this out quickly for...for class!" He stuttered. Frank may have been a sweet and pretty smart guy, but he was an awful liar. "I'm heading back to the east corridor in a few minutes. I'll see you around!" He said, heading in the opposite direction of the east corridor.
"That was odd." I mumbled. I slung my bag over my shoulder.
"Where are you going?" Hermione asked.
"The East corridor. I need to have a word with Jackson."
***
Just as I expected, he wasn't there. Hermione followed me. Though she continued going on about how we shouldn't have left our assigned area, she still stuck by me.
"What exactly do you need to speak with Percy about?" Hermione asked.
"He left Frank! Frank is obviously trying to cover for him. Whatever he's up to, it can't be good."
"So, let me get this straight. You're leaving our assigned corridor to lecture Percy for leaving his assigned corridor? Seems a bit hypocritical, if you'd as me." She said with snark.
Before I could reply with a few choice words for Hermione Granger, the devil himself entered the scene.
"Percy Jackson! You're a complete ignoramus."
"Nice to see you too, Chase." He mumbled. He set his things down casually.
"You're support to be in the east wing with Frank Zhang! Tell me, why did I find Frank wandering along by himself reading a book, and when I questioned him he said he didn't know where you'd gone? Percy! You can't skip out on patrols!"
"I wasn't skipping! Tell me, is it a crime to use the bathroom? Because, that's what I was doing! Merlin, Chase. Do you want me to send you a copy of my bathroom schedule?"
Hermione stifled a laugh behind me. I shot her a glare and she shrugged.
"Yeah, such a likely story. We're right beside the bathrooms, you idiot! And you came from the other hall."
Why do you care?" I spat. "I wasn't even your partner tonight!"
"I care because I think it's completely ridiculous that McGonagall chose somebody as irresponsible, egotistical, and as uneducated as you are!"
"Uneducated? I have some of the highest marks in Defense against the dark arts!" Percy argued.
"You're all brawn and no brains. Performing a charm and casting a spell are one thing, but exactly how high of marks do you get on tests, Jackson?"
"That isn't fair."
"Why don't you try picking up a book sometime, Jackson? Your brain has to be made of--"
And that's when all things broke loose.
I still don't quite know what happened, it was a blurry memory. Especially since everything had occurred so quickly.
I briefly remember how the water fountain outside of the restroom had let out a loud groan, as if the machine itself were fighting back against the pressure building up inside of it. A surplus of water shot straight into my path.
Hermione was the first to react. She immediately brought out her wand. I didn't pay attention to what spell she used, as I was still in shock about what had just happened. Apparently the spell had been a good one. Though the water fountain was now repaired and the water was cleaned up, my dignity was still in pieces.
"Merlin, what happened?"
"Harry?!" Hermione immediately left and began talking with him. By the looks of it, neither of them seemed particularly happy to see the other. Their conversation seemed particularly heated even if I couldn't hear what it was they were discussing.
Jackson and I stared at each other for a long moment, mortified. Partially because we were both processing the strange event that had just occurred, and partially because of the voice we heard down the hall. That voice was McGonagall's
"Percy Jackson!" She shouted. She was pulling Frank Zhang in behind her by the ear like a misbehaving child.
"Why were you two not in your corridor?" She looked shocked to see me. "Miss Chase! From Jackson I would only expect this sort of tomfoolery, but you? Tell me, what is going on? Also, why do you have your wand out?"
"Oh--I was just--"
"It was all my fault professor. Frank and Annabeth had nothing to do with it. I left my duty early to sneak out after hours. Chase caught me, and Frank was probably just searching for me. It's not their fault at all." Percy Jackson had covered for me. I couldn't believe it. After all of the names I had called him, he defended me.
"Is this true, Miss Chase?" She raised a brow towards me
"Uh, its," I looked at Percy hesitantly. He rolled my eyes in response. "It's true."
"Detention. This Saturday. Noon. My classroom!" She shouted at Percy. She was fuming.
"B-But quidditch tryouts! They're this Saturday! I need to be there." He pleaded.
"Humph. Perhaps you should have considered your actions more carefully then, Mr. Jackson. Go back to your corridor, you two Mr. Zhang. And your detention remains assigned."
The boys apologized. McGonagall nodded towards me.
"You and Hermione are finished for tonight. Sorry for the misunderstanding, Miss Chase. You keep them in line." She left.
Hermione was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. Harry had left. Whatever conversation they'd had must've been pretty heated. She looked every more cross than earlier.
"It's funny. You called him an ignoramus, when you're the most ignorant of all." Hermione snapped. She turned around to leave, before looking over his shoulder to say one more thing. "He has dyslexia, Annabeth. That's why he struggles to sit down and study from a book."
And just like that, I became the bad guy. I immediately regretted all of the things I had just said to him. He has dyslexia, how could I not have known? I felt awful.
"I--I didn't know." I admitted.
"Sometimes you Ravenclaws need to be knocked down a few pegs when it comes to knowledge. You don't know everything. Hah, and students seem to think it's my house that has the ego."
"Annabeth!" Hazel approached me in the halls, just as Hermione turned away. "I have to tell you something!"
Where had she even come from?
Who cares. I needed her right now.
"Hazel! Jeez, I'm sorry I couldn't visit tonight. I had patrol--"
"That's okay!" She assured. "I need to speak with you." She seemed quite agitated.
"Ahem, you're aware it's after hours, correct?" Hermione snootily turned around.
"It's one minute after hours, and it's the first day. We can let it slide. And your friend was just out here talking to you, I saw him!" I interjected.
"No, we can't just let it slide. Also, he was out here before curfew, for your information."
I glared at her, my eyes like daggers.
"Hazel. I'm sorry, but I have no choice but to give you a detention."
"W-What!" She pleaded.
"Yeah, what? A detention? Can prefects even do that?!"
"Yes, they can. Of course, you'd only know that if you read Hogwarts: a History. Which of course, I doubt you've found time in your busy schedule to pick up!" She turned, sharply, and made her way back to the Gryffindor house.
"Hazel--I'm sorry."
"You couldn't have done anything?" Hazel shot. I paused for a moment, taken aback.
"I'm sorry!" I repeated. "Look, it's been a rough day."
"Oh, I'm sure your day has been simply impossible! You've been been bullied by your classmates because your professor thinks you're some chosen one, you've been avoiding Ernie all day because he's been trying to ask you to the ball, you've been followed by some stupid little creature all day because Professor Sprout decided to start an experiment involving owning different types of Hogwarts pets, you've been getting no sleep because you've been waking up every five minutes from stupid visi--nightmares! Oh wait, that's not you, that's me! So please, Annabeth, make some time to visit my house at the end of the day like you always do so we can talk about how exhausting your day was!"
Hazel and I stared at each other for a moment. It wasn't like her to blow up like that. I didn't blame her. It had to be hard to be so patient and kind all of the time.
"Hazel, listen. I'm sorry. I'll--"
"No. It's fine." She said, suddenly calm. Though, I sensed an edge in her tone. "I just need some rest. I'm the one who should be sorry."
She turned back around.
"Goodnight Hazel."
She didn't reply.
***
I was thankful we didn't have any homework that night. I don't think my brain could have handled it. Never had I been this exhausted after only the first day of school.
"Annabeth, are you still awake?" Cho asked me from her bed.
"Barely." I replied.
"Don't forget to set your alarm clock." She reminded me.
"Right, thanks."
***
"Come on Annabeth, you have to tell!" The girl pleaded. "Everyone at camp knows. Come on, I'll bet even Chiron knows!"
I felt younger. A few years younger at least.
She was really beautiful, her voice was warm. The girl's laugh was bubbly. I couldn't help it, her laugh always made me smile. Even when she was annoying me, like right now.
"How exactly would this information benefit you, Silena?"
Silena pondered for a moment.
"Come on, you know my siblings and I can smell a crush from miles away! We are our mother's children, after all." She shrugged sheepishly. I sighed heavily, exaggerating the sigh beyond its full extent as all teenagers do.
"It's no one, okay?"
"YOU TOTALLY HAVE A CRUSH!" Silena screamed. Nearby children in the strawberry fields looked over in concern. Silena waved them off, informing them everything was fine. She immediately turned back to me with a smile from ear to ear.
"Who is it? It's totally him. It's totally him! Who else would it be?
I sighed once more, defeated.
She squealed at her victory.
"Look, just...don't tell him. Especially because of Rachel."
"Rachel? Please." Silena scoffed. "Those two would never work. You've got to let the boy figure it out after a few failed attempts. You two are soul mates! I'm telling you, Annabeth. It will all work out."
"But what if--the prophecy, it-"
"It will work out. Just because his brain is made of seaweed, that doesn't mean his heart is!"
Silena clapped her hands together in delight.
"It will all be okay! After all of this monstery business is over, I can be your flower girl." She beamed.
I wanted to mention that the 'monstery business' wouldn't be over any time soon. I didn't even know he would survive it all.
"Oh course," I said, just to humor her. "Silena Beaugard. My flower girl."
Her and I laughed, our laughter echoing throughout the fields. But as our laughter died, the scene changed.
***
"NOBODY TOUCHES HER."
His voice echoed louder each second.
Whoever he was, he stood in front of me with his arms extended.
I saw her staring at me, getting paler ever second. She was beginning to fade.
"Silena. Silena?!"
As she faded, she looked at me with deep sorrow. She pointed to the blade sticking in my back.
"It's my fault." She whispered, she was gone.
I fell to my knees, a black curtain closed around my vision.
I heard someone shout.
"WE NEED A HEALER!" Followed by, "SOLACE!"
I felt somebody gently turn me over. I felt numb, I couldn't move on my own. I knew it would hurt too much.
"Easy does it, Annabeth. Stay with us." His voice was calm, despite all of the chaos surrounding him on the bridge.
He placed one hand on my back, the other on the blade.
"This is gonna sting just a bit, okay? Just stay calm. I don't want you going into shock."
He removed the blade. Immediately, he pressed both of his hands on the wound. Slowly, I felt it close. I began to breathe easier. It still hurt, but it was only 10% of the pain I had felt moments ago.
The healer sighed in relief.
"Annabeth Chase lives another day." Will Solace smiled down at me. I passed out.
Will sighed. "I tend to have that effect on the ladies, unfortunately." I mumbled. He lifted me up and out of harm's way, sounds of chaos growing in the distance.
***
I awoke in a cold sweat. I had remembered the strange dream. My hand instinctively went towards my back. No knife. Though, I did feel something rather odd. A scar? Perhaps I had imagined it.
I carefully pushed my covers off and got out of bed. I had to see this myself. I couldn't just assume the bump on my back was the scar from my dream. I needed a mirror.
I had a small handheld mirror in the trunk that held all of my clothes. I brought it out, lifted my shirt and held it to my back. "Lumos!" I turned my neck and saw it. Even in the faint light, I could see it. A thin, white line in the center of my back. How had I never noticed this before?
"Ah!" Maybe I had been distracted by the scar, or maybe it was just the fact I was exhausted. Whatever it was, it was enough to make me forget the basic motor skills of holding onto objects without dropping them. The mirror just had to break, and of course, the glass had to fall into my foot.
By miracle, none of my house mates had woken up. I repaired the mirror in a quick moment and hobbled out to the halls. I knew that Filch would be somewhere, and I especially didn't want to run into Peeves. I had a valid excuse if I was caught, I didn't really want to look down but I knew a fair amount of blood would be there.
The staircases were near impossible to walk on, somehow I managed.
Just as I had almost made it to the Hospital Wing, the staircases decided to have some fun with my situation. I found myself outside of the Gryffindor common room, which is definitely not where I wanted to be.
Shit.
I tried to turn around. I misstepped, which landed me on the ground in a yelp pain. Not only was my foot bleeding because of the glass, but not I think I may have sprained my ankle. I may or may not have mumbled a few not-so-appropriate words following this event.
Like I said earlier, I don't know why I was so worried about getting caught. If Filch saw me, he could only assume I was trying to go to the Hospital Wing, and maybe he'd actually help me. But when I heard footsteps closing in on me, I cowered against the wall and brought out my wand.
"Annabeth?"
"Jackson?"
His eyes were wider than an owl's.
"Merlin, what are you doing out here?" He then took notice of my food. His expression turned cold. The grip around his wand tightened. "Who did this? It was one of those stupid Slytherins, wasn't it?"
I rolled my eyes.
"No, it was a handheld mirror if you must know. I dropped it on my foot in my dorm. Help me up?"
He bent down and extended his arm. However much I despised him, I was too tired to pull the independent card. I needed help and yes, I was ashamed to admit it.
He supported me as I hopped down the stairs.
"What are you doing up?" I asked.
"I just got back from a talk with our dearest Minerva. She gave me the usual lecture about behavior, and let me off with a detention. She said my behavior for the rest of the week would determine whether or not I would be allowed to attend Quidditch tryouts this Saturday."
"Oh." I murmured. I knew this was my fault. He did too. I wondered why he was rubbing it in to make me feel even more guilty. If anything, his silence made me feel more guilty.
"I was actually staying up to write my mum. I heard someone yell outside the door, and I found you." He shrugged. "She actually hasn't written me. She's sent a letter to me on the first day of school every year."
"Oh." I repeated. Was that all I could say?
"Can I ask you something?"
"I thought we were on a strictly talk to each other as little as possible relationship, Jackson." I pointed out.
"Yeah," he agreed. "But which one of us has glass in their foot right now, Chase? And I'm helping you without question. I think I have the right to ask one thing about this situation."
"Fine." I caved.
"Why exactly are you looking in the mirror at this hour? I've pegged you as many things, but never as vain. Well--maybe a little bit." My immediate response was to snap at him for such a comment, then I saw his smirk. He was joking. Was I really this over-defensive? I thought about the argument I'd had with Hermione. All of it occurred because I thought I had to one-up her with my intelligence. Had she even been trying to compete, or was she just trying to start conversation?
I was awful at reading people.
"I was putting it back in my trunk because I didn't want someone to knock it off and break it." I lied.
"Huh, that worked out."
"Just shut up and held me down these stairs."
We had been on the same staircase this entire conversation, and we weren't even halfway down.
"This is taking ages." I complained as he helped me hobble down another step.
"I mean, we could make this a lot easier."
"What do you--" he raised a brow. "No. Jackson, that's not even an option. I'm not letting you carry me."
He held up his free hand in defense.
"Hey, you said it, not me. Though, it would help matters."
I crossed my arms in frustration.
"I'm not some damsel in distress! I will not allow you to carry me. I'm perfectly capable of walking on my own."
"Is that so?" He smirked. He lifted his arm away and my weight went back on my bad foot. I tried to hide my pain, but the swear word that immediately escaped my mouth sort of gave away my feelings.
"If you tell anyone about this, I will kill you."
He laughed. "I'll make note of that."
In one swift motion, he lifted me off of my feet. He carried me bridal style down the stairs. It was humiliating. Though I will admit it took us less time.
We didn't carry on any conversations on the way to the hospital wing. It was mostly just me swearing to myself under my breath and Jackson pretending he didn't notice.
We arrived. The door was opened, Madam Pomfrey was sat at her desk.
Right before he was about to push the door open, I stopped him.
"Wait--"
"What's up?" He asked.
I hadn't noticed how exhausted he looked. I also hadn't noticed how unique the shade of his eyes were. They weren't only green, they were more of a sea-green. I had I discovered a trait about him that I didn't hate? Yes. His eyes definitely weren't awful.
"You aren't completely stupid." I admitted.
He gave a lop-sided smile.
"Uh, huh?"
"Earlier I called you stupid. Stupid on tests and on homework...you aren't. If anything, I was stupid for saying that. However much it kills me to admit this, you are actually pretty smart."
I didn't mention the fact that Hermione had told me about his dyslexia.
Jackson knocked on the door.
"Oh dear! What happened?"
He smirked at me.
"I think Poppy's got this handled now. I'll see you, Chase."
Long story short, she helped me out. She gave me a potion to numb the pain for awhile, she she said when I woke up my foot would be as good as new. For the longest time, I thought Madam Pomfrey was the only one in the hospital wing. Then, she turned to her desk and said something.
"Mr. Solace, not that I don't appreciate your help, you should head back to your house," she sighed and mumbled to her self. "It's as if you students have forgotten that the curfew exists!"
I froze as I made eye contact with him.
He had been the healer in my dream. I remembered that much.
"I'll be back dear, get some rest." Madam Pomfrey smiled at me and left me alone with him.
"I doubt you remember me." He shrugged sheepishly, with a basic boy-next-door smile.
"R-Remember you?" I wasn't going to mention the dream. It had been too strange. I didn't trust him yet. Though he hadn't exactly posed as a threat in the dream, it was still too weird.
"Yeah. Heh, I accidentally knocked you off of your broom in my first year of Quidditch. I was in third year, you were in fourth. Nasty fall, that was. You spoke some-ah-interesting words to me when I tried to help you up. If you guys would've lost the game than night, I was scared you would have bloody murdered me," he laughed. "Yeah, uh, sorry about that."
I remembered the game. And Will wasn't wrong about the whole I would've murdered him thing.
"No hard feelings." I said, coldly. I still didn't trust him.
I tried to sit up, and winced in pain. My ankle still hurt quite a bit. Will noticed this.
"I'm actually here because I'm sort of shadowing Madam Pomfrey. You see, I want to be a healer. Uh, do you mind if I take a look?"
I recalled something in my dream.
***
"WE NEED A HEALER!" Someone had shouted, "SOLACE!"
***
"Go ahead." I said, reluctantly.
He gently lifted my foot. I tried to wince as little as possible, which resulted in me nearly kicking him in the face.
"Uh, sorry." I mumbled.
"Have you hurt this foot before?" He asked.
"No. I've never broken a bone before." I admitted, I really hadn't
"Strange, simply tripping wouldn't call this much trouble. That would cause a sprain, or a bruised bone as worst. It's almost as if you've broken your ankle before. Quite fragile."
I was surprised. I didn't know how to reply. I knew he was wrong, but I couldn't form the words.
The longer he held my foot, the better it began to feel. I thought it may have been because of the potion I had been given. Then, I realized Will's hands were glowing.
"Shoot." He dropped my foot back onto the bed. This time, I didn't nearly kick him in the face. My foot didn't hurt anymore. It throbbed ever so slightly, but nothing I couldn't tolerate.
"Uh--" I stared. Will stood up quickly, his expression was panicked.
"Sorry, I should get going. Take it easy on that foot of yours. See you around."
He was gone, just like the pain in my foot.