CHAPTER FOURTEEN
PAINFUL SCARS
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"Umbridge has been reading your mail, Harry. There's no other explanation." Hermione said, shaking her head. We were in Charms class, and Hermione was explaining what had happened to the three Gryffindors last night.
Sirius was talking to them through the fireplace, per usual, when he disappeared and a hand appeared. One that was very similar to Umbridge's.
"So, you think she knows about Sirius?" I asked quietly and nervously.
"Yes. Watch your frog," Hermione pointed across the table.
"Accio," I called, and it came flying back into my hand. "If she caught him..."
"He'd probably be back in Azkaban this morning." Harry finished, waving his wand, clearly stressed. His frog swelled and began making a high-pitched whistling noise.
"Silencio!" Hermione silenced the frog.
"I don't reckon he'll risk it again. He's daring, but not stupid. He knows she nearly got him." Ron told us.
After Charms was over, the four of us made our way to a crowded classroom for the rest of the break. We would've gone outside, but it was pouring rain. We made our way to one of the corners, taking seats against the window.
Angelina Johnson came rushing over to Ron and Harry, talking about their quidditch team, so I turned my attention to the window, frowning.
Would Umbridge read Harry's mail?
Yes, yes she would.
Later that evening, I was laying on a couch in the Slytherin common room, watching Harry's quidditch team practice outside. I was anxiously waiting for our practices to begin.
I was brought back to reality by a searing pain in my lighting-shaped scar, one worse than I've ever felt.
"Shit!" I exclaimed, gripping my forearm with my other hand. Draco, Eli, Pansy, and Blaise, who had been sitting around me, all looked over at me with worried expressions.
"Are you alright?" Draco asked.
"Mhm," I nodded, the pain so bad I could barely speak. "Cut myself..."
"Let me see," Draco reaches his hand out, but I stood up abruptly.
"I'm just going to go... see Madam Pompfrey really quickly. Be right back," I said, and ran out of the room before anyone could ask anything else.
As I made my way to the entrance of the school, where Harry and Ron would be coming inside, I thought about what just happened.
It's not secret that Voldemort has been in my head quite a few times now, but this time it felt like I was inside his.
"Harry!" I exclaimed as him and Ron came in, a couple feet after the rest of their team. "Harry, my scar..."
"Mine too," a hand pressed against his forehead.
"He- he can't be near us, can he?" Ron asked worriedly.
"No." Harry said at the same time that I shook my head. "It hurts because,
"He's angry." We said at the same time.
"Did you see him?" Ron asked, then looked at me, "Was he telling you something again?"
I closed my eyes and tried to focus on the pain. What it was trying to say. "He wants something done,"
"And it isn't happening fast enough." Harry finished.
"But... how do you know?" Ron asked. "Is this like last time? When your scars hurt in Umbridge's office? And then Giovanna like, turned into him or something?"
Harry and I shook our heads..
"No, no. Then, he was directly talking to me." I shivered, think back to when he told me to join him. "He was... happy."
"And then the night we came back to Hogwarts, when my scar hurt, he was furious." Harry added.
"You know what you two are doing? You're reading You-Know-Who's mind!" Ron said excitedly.
"No, it's more like his moods than his mind." Harry frowned. "Last year, Dumbledore said this would happen..."
"You've got to tell someone. Other than Sirius, now that Umbridge knows, or is onto us about that." Ron suggested.
"Well, then, who?" Harry looked at him.
"Dumbledore."
"Ha! Funny," I laughed bitterly. "That man won't even look at us."
"He'd want to know." Ron argued.
"Would he?" I stopped him. "I'd better get back..."
"Yeah." Harry nodded. "See you."
"See you."
Dumbledore's Army meetings were put on a hold, since Harry and I were practicing for quidditch every night. Now, I didn't like Flint as captain, but I would much rather have him than the awful one we have now.
His name was Montague and he really rather resembled Dudley quite accurately, and he had hairy arms. And he was bad. I don't know how he became captain.
I ended up changing than the rest of the boys. Thank Merlin I wasn't in the same locker room as them, the thought of seeing Montague getting change could put me in the hospital wing.
Draco had switched to the position of a chaser, leaving me the full-time role of seeker, which I was grateful for. Also, Crabbe and Goyle were our new beaters. Surprisingly, they weren't too bad. So, I didn't care too much.
"Nervous?" A familiar voice asked. I turned and was surprised to see a certain Hufflepuff standing near.
"Go away. I don't want to talk to you." I rolled my eyes and looked back at the quidditch pitch again.
He stepped closer, "Come on, Gio-"
"Go away, Noah!" I whipped towards him, becoming angry. "I told you I don't want to talk to you! Or see you! And I shouldn't be the one that's being annoying by not forgiving you because what you did was an arse move." I seethed.
"Please, I just want to apologize." He pleaded. I looked at his blue eyes, the one that had been there for me and the ones that comforted me way back when.
And the ones that broke my heart.
"Fine." I whispered, giving in.
He took a deep breath before beginning. "I know I messed up. Even though our romantic feelings for each other were going away, I still should've told you that I had feelings for someone else. Because we're friends. We were friends. Best friends, and I betrayed you. And I still haven't forgiven myself for it. I'm sorry. I'm so, so, sorry. All I want is to go back. Go back and be the best friend you deserve. And still be that best friend that you still deserve."
I wiped my eyes, hating how they had teared up by the end of his words. I wanted to forgive him. And, I didn't see a reason not to. He had made a mistake, but he was clearly beaten up over it and regretted it. And I missed him just as much as he missed me.
"Come here," I whispered, breaking into a grin and opening my arms. Noah smiled and threw his arms around me. I laughed and hugged him back tightly. "No more going behind each other's backs."
"No more." He mumbled into the hug.
There was slow clapping and a sarcastic voice that said, "Well it's about damn time." We pulled away to see a smirking Eli. "I knew you'd pull through sooner or later, little cuz." He ruffled Noah's hair then threw an arm around my shoulders. "This one's too good to lose."
"Yeah, Eli, I know. I learned that the hard way." Noah rolled his eyes at his cousin.
"Oh, and when you cut him off, he stopped saying your name at Gio. I like it, it's a good name. Gio." Eli looked at me and nodded.
"Gio," Noah said, looking at me and trying it out. "Yeah, we'll go with that." He nodded with Eli.
"Fantastic." I clapped my hands together. "Now, go away. I've got a match to win." I smirked.
The two began making their way to their bleachers, and Eli called back, "Don't let Gryffin-bore beat you!"
"Never in a million years!" I call back. I waved one last time as they disappeared to the bleachers.
Draco came out of the locker room and hugged me from behind. "Ready?" He asked.
"Always." I grinned.
"Malfoy! Again? Really, dude, hands off my sister!" Harry exasperated voice called from the other locker rooms, where his team was emerging.
Draco held me tighter. "Not happening, Potter!" He spat.
Madam Hooch's whistled blowed, and Draco let go.
"Shut up, and help me win this!" I glared at him.
"On it."