This story is so fun to write, hope you're all liking it! As Ivy1Fantasy pointed out, I hope you all understand the flames on the cover! ;) Thanks for reading!
Side note: We are halfway through the first part, so within another half the original HP characters will be brought in.
Chapter Ten
Considering I only missed three days of classes, I wasn't too far behind. But I personally hated being behind. Hell, I hated being on schedule. If anything I preferred to be ahead of the readings and assignments. I said goodbye to my father once more knowing that I would be seeing him soon for Thanksgiving. I arrived back at Salem. Headmaster Elwood greeted me kindly and then sent me off to the dining hall for breakfast. It then hit me that there would be stares as I walked into the hall and surely there were plenty. It was very rare that someone left school for a few days and at such a small school everyone knew that I was gone. Ignoring the looks and ducking my head I raced over to the Irdrea section where Charlie and Idella looked relieved to see me. They both jumped up and hugged me. I quickly told them I would explain later. Suddenly, several other people asked where I had been and I lied saying I had gotten a stomach virus. Hopefully that lie would spread and I wouldn't be bombarded with questions all day.
As I went through my classes that day, the questions didn't die out. People were asking me where I was in every class. I managed to pull Charlie and Idella aside to quickly tell and only them the truth and then went to class. Luckily they answered a lot of the questions for me. As we entered into Charms Idella announced to the entire room, "Yes we all know Bradley missed a few days. She was ill. There you go." Charlie and I couldn't help but laugh. Selina surprisingly didn't have much to say. She of course made a comment about how far behind I was but ended it there seeming rather distracted.
The one person I really didn't want to lie to was Kent. Medical Approaches was my final class of the day and as I walked in it hit me...it was Friday. The exam. Studying with Kent. I began to panic. Professor Sheringham spotted me and called me over as she saw me and I had to drag myself to her desk. "Miss Willis, Headmaster Elwood has informed me that you had to miss a few days and that you weren't able to bring home your textbooks, so I am excusing you from the exam today. Monday after your classes you can take the exam," she said. I sighed with relief.
"Thank you Professor," I said nodding. Turning around I began walking out of the room. Right as I stepped outside the door, the familiar dark haired boy was about to walk in. Kent looked caught off guard when he saw me.
"I have been hoping to run into you," he said when he saw me. "I saw you come in at breakfast and lunch, but didn't get to talk to you. Are you alright? I was worried when you never showed up to class a few days ago."
"I'm completely fine," I told him. "And I'm sorry about missing our studying session, I didn't plan on leaving school so...quickly." He nodded understandingly.
"Don't worry about it. Just glad you're okay," he said. He looked in at the classroom. "Well I better go cram as much more information in as I can." Kent sighed. "I'll let you know how it goes. See you around?" I nodded with a relieved smile.
"Good luck," I said walking away. "You'll be fine." It was nice to know he thought of me when I was away. If only he wasn't Grant's best friend. The two have been side by side since I first met Grant. It was sad to think our friendship had to remain almost secretive. As I walked to the library to study for the exam, I spotted Nephele. Clearly she was skipping class along with seventh year Thomas Carlton. Leaning in and kissing him, I knew if Kent was here he wouldn't be too happy about his sister with one of his roommates. Being as quiet as possible I walked away not wanting her to see me.
After I caught back up with all of my classes, the next few weeks passed easily. Well, the classes weren't easy, but the potion kept the side effects down. I truly considered Kent a friend now after these weeks. Yet we still hid it from Grant. Kent helped me catch up with all of my classes and even helped me study for my N.E.W.T.s. Idella and Charlie knew we hung out together. I went to the Agrethance versus Irdrea Quidditch game to cheer Kent and Charlie on. Being so busy with school, we rarely had any time for celebrations. Irdrea lost that game, but won against Eztoprea which was a big accomplishment. Idella and Colin spent a lot of time together. The two had gotten very serious. I could honestly never imagine them not being a couple. Charlie still was infatuated with Selina, but didn't deny any other girls either. I was currently content with my life.
Selina had strangely backed off from me. She didn't hunt me down like she used too, only giving me her sarcastic remarks when we happened to be face to face. Randomly she would miss a few classes, leaving me to do all the work in Care of Magical Creatures on my own. It wasn't much different than usual I suppose. I blamed Cole. Although Selina had a slight distaste for the rules and preferred doing her own thing since first year, she now completely defied any rules. She would never have missed classes a month ago. Now I constantly saw her walking the halls with Cole while the rest of us were in class. I overheard a few Eztoprea girls talking about how she came back four hours after curfew one night.
Nothing changed in the Wizarding World that I knew of over the next few days. The same tension existed in the Ministry according to Professor Haliwell. The constant worry of what would happen next still remained. Nothing severe has happened recently but we all knew what was possibly coming. With Halloween only a few days away, I wondered if we would be allowed to leave and celebrate in Salem. Our question was answered at dinner one night by Headmaster Elwood. "Good evening students," he said standing up at his podium and looking around the room. "Tis almost Halloween. Due to the recent safety rules we have added, I am sure you have all been wondering if you will be able to leave the Academy this weekend for Halloween. There have been a few changes." A series of groans and sighs went around the room. "Now, now. It has been decided amongst the board that all fifth year students and above are allowed to leave the Academy, trusting that they will use wise judgement and be responsible." Amongst the cheers from the older grades, there were several complaints coming from the younger grades. "We are giving the students eligible to leave, a midnight curfew. Unfortunately, any student who defies that curfew will be suspended." Ignoring the suspension threat, Idella cheered and stared over at Emmie who was only a fourth year. Emmie gave her a dark look back.
"And a Saturday night too," Charlie added looking at Idella and I with a devious smirk. "Perfect." This Halloween was going to be wild.
After dinner we were walking by the courtyard where we saw a bunch of students gathered off into the corner. Curious, the three of us walked over where Selina was sitting on the sea wall close to Cole. "So yes this Saturday. Party at my house right here in Salem. Spread the address around if you don't already know where I live. It's an all black party, so if you're not wearing black then you're not coming in," she announced. Everyone cheered and the crowd dispersed. Selina's massive ocean front mansion was perfect for this sort of event considering it was right in the area.
"What about your parents?" I asked her as we got closer. She turned to look at me. I knew her parents and their strict ways, they would most likely kill her for having almost half the school party at her house.
"Out of town," she replied bored. "I suppose you can come." Pushing her blonde hair off to the side, she stood up grabbing onto Cole's arm and walking away without another word.
"I'll be there Selina! Can't wait!" Charlie called despite the fact she clearly was as obsessed with Cole as Charlie was with her.
The next day the party was what everyone was talking about. I love how she assumed I even wanted to go to her party in the first place. Charlie of course could not stop talking about it. There would be no chance of changing his mind now. Idella and I simultaneously rolled our eyes at him as neither of us planned on attending. Yet Charlie was going to go with Andrew and Roddy no matter what we said. Those three would never miss a party. Idella and I could do better. Actually make that Idella, Colin, and I. Great...
I had finally gotten the idea of Muggle Medical technology. Genius really how these muggles managed to heal one another without magic. Kent and I studied for a few exams together but not too often as it was getting suspicious. What was strange was that we never actually mentioned hiding our friendship from Grant, but we did it anyway. It was nice having someone to study with and I enjoyed being with him. That day in class he was there before I was. "Are you excited for Halloween?" he asked me as I sat down.
"Yeah it's always fun. Especially in Salem," I added with a knowing laugh. The muggles here went crazy for Halloween. They were parading the streets in the craziest outfits I have ever seen in my life. A few had some style though, they wore cloaks and carried around brooms. Close enough I guess. Before I could make a snide remark about Selina's party, he cut me off.
"You're going to that party, right?" he asked with a hint of hopefulness. He was going to that party? I mentally slapped myself...of course he was going to that party.
Idella was going to kill me but I responded, "Yeah I'll definitely be there." He smiled and Professor Sheringham began class. I don't know why I did it, but couldn't say no to him even if it meant going to Selina's party. It just slipped.
That afternoon I went back to the blue adorned common room. Today it was somewhat empty. Idella was sitting with Colin on one of the couches in the corner. The two were sitting extremely close while reading their textbooks. "So..." I said as she looked up. "I was thinking, well, it's stupid but maybe we could go to that party? Just for a little bit..." Her face flushed with shock.
"Oh thank Merlin!" she cheered shutting her book.
"What?" I said confused at her reaction.
"I was hoping you would change your mind. I mean I know it's Selina and all, but there will be a hundred people there anyway, we probably won't even see her," Idella said happily. Now it was my turn to portray confusion. "I figured you didn't want to go and I didn't want to leave you alone on Halloween." Colin looked up at me with his light eyes looking happy himself about going to the party.
"Well now you have to find me something to wear," I said with a sigh. She smiled and the two of us left to go up to our dorm. People tended to dress far more scandalous on Halloween than any other day. I was a bit fearful about what she was going to chose, but I wouldn't deny her selection.