"I just still don't understand how both yourself and Remus managed to fall asleep in his office" laughed Augustus as the group sat in a circle next to the Black Lake. Klara, who was attempting to cast the bluebell fire charm, chuckled alongside him. "Benthium."
Persephone shrugged as she watched the blue sparks from her friends wand ignite into a bright blue flame.
"We were just talking and I was too tired to walk back so he just let me stay" she lied. Picking up her wand, she said "aguamenti", causing a steady flow of water to cascade from her wand. As the water poured over the flames, they fizzled out with a fog of navy smoke. Klara sighed, "close but no cigar i'm afraid."
Cedric was crouched over at the water's edge with his head in the submerged in the lake, testing out the bubble-head charm from their latest lesson. His head dripping with water, he surfaced, popping the bubble with the tip of his wand. Getting to his feet, he walked over to the large willow tree to sit with the rest of the group. "That could come in handy one day"
"When would you need to have a fish bowl head" questioned Klara doubtfully as she attempted yet again to cast the spell.
"I don't know, I bet some situation will come up where I need to swim in the Black Lake. Anyways what were we talking about?"
"We were talking about the suspicious circumstances that caused miss Persephone Caroline to return to the dormitories at four am this morning."
Persephone groaned loudly. "You know my Dad is a snorer. I woke up early and his honking meant I couldn't get back to sleep, so I came back to my own quiet bed. But Klara wouldn't shut up anyways so I only got another hour or so."
The others looked her up and down suspiciously.
"Do we have an alibi on Roger Davies yet?" joked Augustus, obviously not believing her lies.
Persephone rolled her blue eyes grudgingly. "I've told you a million times, I'll tell you again. I was not with Roger Davies."
"I think we should be watching you a bit more baby Persi, sneaking off into hidden corridors and hiding spots is usually my expertise. But you and Rodger, I can see that."
Cedric flipped a page of his fifth year Standard Book of Spells. "Come on guys, she's obviously uncomfortable"
Persephone gave Cedric a warm and thankful smile. She was glad this conversation was over, but it was apparent the other two, were not.
Klara looked directly into the eyes of her best friend, gripping he shoulder firmly. "I will find out what you are hiding."
Persephone laughed and pulled away. She cast a quick incantation, letting her wand tip point to the time.
It wasn't that Persephone didn't want her friends to find out about what happened with Fred, it was that she knew what their reactions would be. Augustus would probably say some dirty joke, and then apologise profusely when he realised how inappropriate it was, Cedric would probably get upset with her for being friendly with someone who had so blatantly disrespected their house, and Klara would just be Klara; ask a million probing questions and ultimately not understand how probing they actually were.
The red scarf was still hidden within her trunk, concealed in a pair of her Dad's fuzzy socks that she knew wasn't going to be noticed lurking around the bottom.
"Time to head off" Persephone informed the others as she look towards the makeshift clock, "Klara, we've got Muggle Studies, boys, you've got Care of Magical Creatures - tell Hagrid that i'm thinking of him with all the Hippogriff drama."
The group parted ways as the two girls made their way up to the castle and the boys made their way towards the Forest. As they walked into the classroom, they passed a group of Ravenclaw boys. Roger Davies was among them, causing Persephone to internally groan.
"Hey Persephone" he greeted as they passed.
"Hi Rodger" she returned, elbowing Klara in the ribs as they made it back to their usual table in the back left corner of the classroom.
There was no bad blood between Persephone and Roger, it was just quite frankly a relationship they both weren't invested in at the time. It occured at the end of the school year, when the both were overwhelmed with tests, assignments and studying. They made a decision to revisit the relationship in the next school year, when everything was less chaotic, but no conversation occurred.
Like most Muggle Studies lessons, the class was both boring and simple, so instead of doing the assigned work on muggle communication devices that Professor Sikander had assigned, Klara continued her assault from earlier.
"Okay, I was only half joking about Roger, but that confirmed it. Promiscuous Persephone, hey?"
Persephone only rolled her eyes in response. Using her wand, she twirled a chunk of hair around her wand, admirable watching it change into various colours. "I've already told you, I wasn't with Roger, I was with my father. Now, I would appreciate very much if this conversation would end. I am getting rather sick of it."
"If I don't get it out of you in the next week I will ask Roger and that is a fact." she said stubbornly, returning to her work, smirking victoriously.
+ + +
Persephone picked up a piece of apple pie for herself as she sat within the Great Hall. Her and Cedric chatted between themselves as they watched Augustus and Klara shamelessly flirt with each other. A knowing look was shared between the two as Augustus smeared ice cream on her face. It was like this every single night.
Persephone felt a light tap on her shoulder, and turned to see little first year Alfie. He greeted them, before handing them both an individual slip of paper and walking back to the far end of the table.
She opened the paper, flattening it out on the table.
"Persephone Lupin, your detention will be carried out at eight pm, in exactly one week on the evening of September tenth. Please meet Hagrid down by the Black Lake."
She sighed as she read the location. Hopefully it wouldn't involve going out into the water, but at least she had Cedric.
"Yuck" he exclaimed as he read his letter, "I'm dissecting toads with Snape."
She felt her stomach drop as she realised she wasn't going to be partnered with Cedric. From across the room, she could see Fred and George also reading similar detention slips.
"Klara can I borrow that quill?" she asked, reaching for the eagles feather after a nod of confirmation.
She quickly scribbled out a note on a spare piece of parchment laying abandoned next to Klara, writing out"Black Lake or Snape?". Folding it into the familiar shape of the bird, she picked up her wand and tapped it's center. Spreading it's paper wings, it flew upwards.
A few people watched as it soared over to the Gryffindor table, including Klara, Cedric and Augustus. Their eyebrows raised in surprise as it landed on the plate of Fred Weasley. Persephone watched as he opened it with a perplexed look on his face, before realising who it was from. He looked toward Persephone and smiled warmly, giving her a nod of his head. George grabbed a quill from the depths of his inner pocket handing it to his twin brother.
Using a levitation spell instead of Persephone's own invention of a charm, the bird soon returned to Persephone, resting in the palm of her hand. She reopened the thick parchment.
"I have Black Lake with Hagrid, Georgie has Snape."
She let out a quiet chuckle to herself as she realised she would be stuck in detention with Fred Weasley. Since last night, she felt she could tolerate the often annoying and childish behavior of Fred Weasley.
"Close your mouth or you'll all catch flies" sung Persephone as she gathered her belongings, tucking them within her bag.
"Bu- But- you were just conversing with, dare I say it, a Weasley" stuttered Klara, surprise dripping from her words like sticky caramel.
"Fred Weasley, for that matter" joined Cedric.
"The guy you almost squared up with in the Entrance Hall" reminded Augustus.
With a smile similar to a cat after getting the cream, she swung the bag strap over her shoulder, stood up and made her way towards the large wooden doorway.
"I'm starting to think that maybe she wasn't with Roger Davies last night" exclaimed Cedric as the three stared in shock towards their best friend.
+ + +
had my first hsc today !! hope it went okay lol,
loads of love,
tilda x