"Elena!" I quickly looked away from a tired Draco on the other side of the Great Hall towards Hermione. "Did you even hear me?"
"Um, no. Sorry." I mumbled, pushing my eggs around. "What did you say?"
"I asked if you would like to join me in watching the Quidditch Try-Outs today." She rolled her eyes at me.
"Oh, yeah. Sure, definitely. Are you going because Ronald is trying out?" I smirked as her face began to turn a deep shade of red.
"Shut it." She hissed, angrily stabbing her waffle.
"I'm going to take that as a yes." I laughed.
We quickly made our way towards the Quidditch Pitch, bundled up because of how cold it was outside. We made our way up the stands, and took a seat far away from the others who came to watch the Try-Outs, too. Luna sat close to us, but didn't utter a word. She was busy reading the Quibbler. I watched as the Gryffindors on the field were screwing around, and hitting each other with their brooms, making me roll my eyes.
"They are so obnoxious." I sighed, opening my Herbology book. It was my worst subject, and I was in the N.E.W.T class for it. I had to study during my free time to make sure I pass if I wanted to be a healer.
"They're not even listening to Harry and he's the Captain." Hermione scoffed, agreeing with me.
"Shut it!" I heard Ginny's voice echo through the Pitch, and I snorted when they all settled down.
"Thanks. Alright, um... Now then, remember, just because you made the team last year, it does not guarantee you a spot this year. Is that clear?" There was no response from anyone, making Harry nod. "Good."
I watched Ron as he looked up at the stands, most likely trying to find Hermione. He quickly found us, and Hermione shyly raised a hand to wave at him.
"That was adorable." I whispered, making her quickly look over at me, and put her hand back down.
"I swear, Elena, if you do not stop-" I cut Hermione off with a laugh.
"Um, hate to break it to you Hermione, but that guy is looking at you." I gestured towards Cormac McLaggen, who was talking to Ron.
"What? No, he's definitely looking at you..." Hermione trailed off when we heard the word 'Granger' come out of his mouth. "Ew."
"Want me to teach him a lesson?" I asked, pulling out my wand, but she quickly pushed my wand hand down.
"No! Don't get in trouble because of him." She rolled her eyes at me. The players flew to the sky and got into their positions.
"Merlin, are you kidding me? McLaggen is trying out for Keeper, too?" I watched him, my face scrunched up in disgust.
"Weasley!" People around us started cheering Ron on, making me smile.
"Hermione!" I slapped her arm, making her look away from Cormac. "Don't look at him!"
"Sorry." She muttered, taking one last look at him, before looking over at Ron.
We watched as they started up a game of Quidditch. I let out a laugh every time someone fell off their broom chasing Ginny. She was amazing at Quidditch, and I knew for a fact that she would get a spot on the team.
I rolled my eyes every single time Cormac kicked or hit the Quaffle away from the hoops. He was good, I admit, but Ron was a close second. I covered my snort with a cough when Ron rolled off his broom, and held on for dear life.
"Do you think he will be okay?" I heard Luna ask, noticing that she had put the Quibbler down to watch.
"I hope so." Hermione replied.
"Come on, Ronald!" I shouted, and he quickly got back up. I looked over at Lavender Brown, who had been sitting on the edge of her seat the whole time. I watched as she visibly relaxed when Ron was back on, and harshly clapped.
"Confundus." I heard Hermione whisper, making my jaw drop.
"You did not-" I cut myself off when Cormac shifted over to the side, making the Quaffle go through the hoop. "You're insane. Cheeky. Brilliant. All of those at once."
Hermione just looked down and smirked. I watched as the last throw at Ron was blocked when he spun upside down, hitting the Quaffle away with his head. Lavender jumped up, screaming for joy as she clapped.
"Isn't he brilliant?" I heard her gasp.
"Yes. A perfect match for Hermione." I heard Luna respond. I watched as Lavender quickly sat down, making me let out a loud laugh, before slapping my hand over my mouth.
"I love my sister." I told Hermione, who nodded.
"I have to admit, I thought I was gonna miss that last one." Ron spoke, as the four of us sat in front of the fire. "I hope Cormac's not taking it too hard. He's got a bit of a thing for you, Hermione. Cormac."
"Disgusting." I rolled my eyes.
"He's vile." Hermione agreed.
"Have you heard of this spell? Sectumsempra?" Harry asked, showing Hermione and I the Advanced Potions Book. On the page, writting carefully on the edge of the page were the words 'Sectumsempra: For Enemies'.
"No I haven't. And if you had a shred of self-respect, you'd hand that book in." Hermione scolded.
"Not bloody likely. He's top of the class, right next to Elena. He's better than you, Hermione. Slughorn thinks he's a genius." Hermine slammed her Daily Profit down at Ron's words, before glaring at him. "What?"
"I'd like to know whose book that was. Let's have a look." Hermione reached over to grab the book from Harry's hands, but he moved it away from her.
"No." Harry said, standing up. Hermione stood up too, giving him a weird look.
"Why not?" She scoffed.
"He's probably going to say something stupid like the-" I was cut off.
"The binding is fragile." Harry lied.
"Like that." I pointed at Harry, who glared at me.
"The binding is fragile?" Hermione repeated, following him around the Common Room.
"Yeah." Harry nodded, and Ginny quickly took the book out of his hands from behind.
"Who's the Half-Blood Prince?" Ginny asked after reading the inside of the book.
"Who?" I furrowed my eyebrows, and she looked down at me as she walked backwards, away from Harry.
"That's what it says, right here. 'This book is property of the Half-Blood Prince'." Ginny read aloud, before throwing the book at Harry, who quickly caught it. He walked over to a spare desk in the corner of the Common Room and sat down, reading the book by himself.
"For weeks, you carry around this book, you practically sleep with it, and yet you have no desire to find out who the Half-Blood Prince is?" Hermione scoffed, as we made our way to Hogsmeade.
"I didn't say I wasn't curious, and I don't sleep with it." Harry defended himself.
"Well, it's true! I like a nice chat before going to bed. Now all you do is read that bloody book! It's like being with Hermione." Ron spoke up.
"Well Elena and I were curious, so we went to the-" Hermione was cut off.
"The Library." Harry and Ron said.
"She dragged me there." I admitted.
"And?" Harry urged her to go on.
"And nothing." I answered.
"We couldn't find a reference anywhere to a Half-Blood Prince." Hermione frowned.
"There we go, that settles it, then." Harry said.
"Filius! I was hoping to find you in the Three Broomsticks!" Professor Slughorn shouted in front of us. Professor Flitwick was walking back towards the castle.
"Um, no, emergency choir practice, I'm afraid, Horace." Professor Flitwick replied, and I snorted as he walked past us.
"Does anyone fancy a Butterbeer?" Harry asked us.
"Only if you pay." I smirked.
"Not there, over here." Harry led us towards the back of the Three Broomsticks to an empty table. I took off my coat, and began setting it on the chair across from where Harry stood. "No, sit beside me."
"Okay..." I trailed off, picking my jacket back up, and sitting beside Harry. Ron was on his other side, while Hermione was across from me. I looked up, and saw Draco walking through the crowd, making me smile. I gave him a small wave, but he paid no attention as he made his way towards the bathroom, making me frown.
"Something to drink?" I snapped out of my trance, and looked over at the man in front of me.
"Um... Four Butterbeers, and some ginger in one of them, please." I replied, before watching as Draco quickly shut a door behind him.
"Oh, bloody hell." Ron muttered, and I followed his gaze towards the other side of the restaurant. I cringed when I saw Dean Thomas whisper something in Ginny's ear, making her blush. "Slick git."
"Honestly, Ronald, they're only holding hands." Hermione rolled her eyes, but when we looked back over, they started snogging.
"And snogging." I gagged.
"I'd like to leave." Ron shifted in his seat, as the man came back with our Butterbeers.
"What?" Hermione asked. "You can't be serious!"
"That happens to be my sister." Ron replied.
"So? What if she looked over here and saw you snogging me? You expect her to get up and leave?" Hermione let out a nervous laugh, as I looked at her, my eyebrows raised.
"Hey, my boy!" I heard Slughorn yell.
"Hello, sir. Wonderful to see you." Harry quickly stood up and shook his hand.
"And you, and you. Ah, I see you're with the lovely Elena! Are you two on a date?" He winked over at me.
"No-" I was cut off.
"Yes! So, what brings you here?" I spun my head over to Harry so fast I became dizzy.
"Oh! The Three Broomsticks and I go way back, further than I care to admit. I can remember when it was One Broomstick!" Slughorn spilt some of his drink on Hermione, and I covered my mouth to stop the laughter from escaping my lips. "All hands on deck, Granger. Listen, my boy, in the old days I used to throw together the occasional supper party for the select student or two. Would you be game? I have already asked Elena, unfortunately I couldn't catch you that day."
"I'd consider it an honor, sir." Harry stuttered.
"You would be welcome too, Granger." Hermione stopped drinking her Butterbeer, and laughed.
"I'd be delighted, sir." She slurred.
"Splendid! Look for my owl, you three." Slughorn smiled at the three of us, before looking over at Ron. "Good to see you, Wallenby." This time, I let the laughter escape, making Ron glare at me.
"What are you playing at?" Ron asked Harry as he finally sat down.
"No kidding, Harry. Want to explain?" I hissed.
"Dumbledore's asked me to get to know him." Harry explained.
"So you tell him that we're dating?" I questioned.
"Well, he asked me to get to know him. Maybe if you could help me, Elena, it would be easier. Especially if we're 'dating'." Harry replied. "He would love that. His top two stundents."
"Get to know him?" I repeated.
"I don't know." Harry shrugged. "It must be important. If it wasn't, Dumbledore wouldn't ask."
"But Elena is with Draco." Hermione hiccuped as she placed her empty glass down, making us look at her.
"Um, you've got a little bit..." Ron pointed to his upper lip, gesturing that there was whipped cream on her lip. She gasped, and quickly wiped it away with her sleeve.
"Katie, you don't know what it could be." I heard Leanne tell Katie Bell as they walked in front of us.
"Harry." Ron whispered, making my attention turn to him.
"What?" Harry replied.
"Did you hear what she was saying back at the pub about me and her snogging?" Ron asked, looking at a very drunk Hermione. "As if."
"She was drunk, Ronald." I reminded him, as she threw her arms over the boy's shoulders. We stopped when Leanne screamed up ahead. I saw Katie laying on the ground, a package a few feet away from her body. I quickly ran over, pulling my wand out.
"I warned her! I warned her not to touch it!" Leanne cried to me, as I pushed her back.
"Don't touch that package." I ordered, falling by Katie's side. Once I did, her body slid away from me, making me frown in surprise. She moved left and right, almost like she was being pulled, before she flew in the air. "She's cursed! Stay back!"
She floated in the air, her eyes wide and her mouth open, almost like she was screaming.No sound came out of her, as she slammed back onto the ground. I quickly pinned her down, and put a few spells on her.
"Don't get any closer. Get back, all of you!" I heard Hagrid yell, and he walked over to me. He picked Katie up, and gave me a nod. "I've got her from here, Elena. Good work."
"Harry, don't touch that." I warned Harry, as he reached for the package. "Only the wrappings."
The five of us stood in Professor McGonagall's office in the castle, as she examined the necklace that was in the package. The five of us included the Golden Trio, Leanne, and I.
"You're sure Katie did not have this in her possession when she entered the Three Broomsticks?" McGonagall asked Leanne.
"It's like I said. She left to go to the loo, and when she came back, she had the package. She said it was important that she deliver it." Leanne answered.
"Did she say to whom?" McGonagall was concerned.
"To Professor Dumbledore." My eyes widened as I looked over at Leanne. Someone was trying to kill Dumbledore.
"Very well, thank you, Leanne. You may go." McGonagall inhaled sharply, waving her to leave, before turning to us. "Why is it when something happens, it is always you four?"
"Believe me, Professor, I've been asking myself the same question for six years." Ron sighed.
"Oh, Severus." McGonagall announced his presence, making us turn to him. He gave the Golden Trio a weird look, before giving me a tight smile that I didn't return. He walked over, his wand in his hand, and he levitated the necklace to get a better view of it. "What do you think?"
"I think Miss Bell is lucky to be alive." Snape muttered.
"That was Elena's doing. She placed some spells on her to hold her down." Hermione piped up.
"She was cursed, wasn't she?" Harry asked. "I know Katie, off the Quidditch Pitch, she wouldn't hurt a fly. If she was delivering that to Professor Dumbledore, she wasn't doing it knowingly."
"Yes, she was cursed." McGonagall nodded, still staring at the necklace in wonder.
"It was Malfoy." Harry said, and I glared at him.
"Harry, stop it." I hissed.
"That is a very serious accusation, Potter." McGonagall gasped.
"Indeed." Snape agreed, turning around to face us. "Your evidence?"
"I just know." Harry stated, making me roll my eyes.
"You just... know." Snape repeated. "Once again, you astonish with your gifts, Potter. Gifts mere mortals can only dream of possessing. How grand it must be to be the Chosen One."
"I suggest you go back to your dormitories. All of you." McGonagall told us after a few seconds of awkward silence.
"I can't believe you, Harry." I shook my head, walking away from the Trio angrily.
I'm back.... Woohoo. I figured I should upload a chapter because my book hit 1.3k reads. I'll admit, I totally forgot about this book for a week, and I'm sorry. Hopefully I will write every day from now on. It's not like I've got anything better to do in quarantine. I've just been reading a lot, lately.
~2656 Words~