What If? Year 1

Chapter 9

I get dressed in my robes before starting down the stairs to the common room.  I was going to read until Harry got up.  I open my book and hear someone laugh.  I look around, and see no one. 
Must have been my imagination. I start to read and hear the laugh again. I ignore it, and continue to read. 
"What are you doing up so early, young mistress?" someone asks. I jump, and drop my book on the couch. 
"Whose there?" I ask, nervously. A small house elf walks out from the shadows. 
"It's just Jovena, mistress," they say, "A measly little house elf." 
"You aren't measly," I say, "you are just as important as me. And I didn't know Hogwarts had house elves." 
"How do you think all the food was made?" Jovena asks, "Jovena should not be talking to young mistress."
"I'm sorry," I tell her, "I don't want you to get in trouble, Jovena.  And please call me Goldie, not mistress." 
"Alright, Miss Goldie," Jovena says, shuffling out of the common room. I sit back down and continue reading my book.  

About an hour later, Fred and George get down to the common room. 
"Are you reading?" Fred asks me, carefully pulling my book from my hand. I growl at him, before grabbing my book back. 
"You should not take a girl's book while she is reading, Fred," I tell him, "She might hurt you." George laughs. 
"You sound like Hermione," George says, "you wanna go down to the Great Hall, breakfast should be ready." I shrug. 
"I've got a letter to send to my parents," I say, "Could we'd be able to get it to go to the.." Fred cuts me off, but taking my arm and yanking me to the exit. 
"We can show you the way!" They say, in unison. It was kind of creepy. 
"Alright," I laugh, following then around the castle till we get to the Owlery. I tie my letter to an owl and tell it to give it to the Potters. The owl nods, and I quickly pet it's head.  It flies off and Fred and George take me to the Great Hall. We sit down and start to eat. 
"I'm surprised that not very many people are here yet," Fred says, smiling at me. 
"Most people don't wake up early," I say, "I was just nervous."
"Exactly," George says, "Usually there are a lot of kids up because of nerves." 
"But you two aren't up from nerves, are you?" I ask them, smiling.
"We're to cool to be up from nerves," Fred says, "We were hoping to get an early morning prank on Percy, and so far it's going good." I look at George, for an explanation, but he just laughs. I finish my breakfast. 
"I think I'll go back to the common room," I tell them, getting up. They jump up and follow me. 
"Why are you following me?" I ask them, "I'll be back down, you know." They nod. 
"We wanted to make sure you knew where you were going," George says, "Is that alright?" 
"Of course," I tell them, "Just tell me you aren't going to follow me to my classes." 
"Oh, Merlin, no!" Fred says, "We've got our own classes." I laugh. We get to the common room and I am immediately tackled by Harry. 
"I thought something happened," he tells me, "I was so worried!" 
"Harry!" I complain, "get off me! I was eating an early breakfast. You don't have to worry so much." Harry gets off me.
"It's my job to worry," he tells me, "I'm your big brother." I roll my eyes. 
"Well then don't worry about me when there is nothing to be worried about," I tell him, crossing my arms. He frowns at me and I go up to my dorm. I see that the rest of the girls were up. 
"Where'd you go?" Ginny asks, as I grab by bag. 
"I went and ate breakfast," I tell them, "But I'll come and sit with you." 
"Alright," Ara says. We go back down stairs to the common room. Neville stops us. 
"Hey, Goldie! Hey, Ginny!" he says, "can I sit with you guys?"
"Sure, Neville," Ginny says, "This is Heather and Ara." Neville nods to them. 
"Neville Longbottom," he introduces himself. We walk down to the Great Hall. Everyone starts to eat and Neville looks over at me. 
"Going to eat something, Goldie?" he asks, making me glare. 
"I already ate," I tell him. He shrugs, and continues to eat his breakfast. Owls start to fly over head and drop off letters and packages. A bright red envelope drops in front of me, and I recognize it as a howler. 
What in Merlin's name did I do to deserve a howler? All the color starts to drain from my face, and tears start to form in my eyes. 
"That must be for me," Harry says, "you didn't do anything to warrant a howler.. I did on the other hand." He takes it from me just before it explodes. 
"MARIGOLD POTTER!" it screams, in my dad's voice, "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW PROUD OF YOU I AM?" Tears start to flow freely down my face, and my breathing starts to be uneven. I get up and start to run. 
"YOUR ALMOST AS COOL AS HARRY AND I  NOW!" Black spots start to cloud my vision as I keep running. 
Why the hell would he send me a howler? He knows how much I hate a some much attention. My sight was now almost completely blacked out. I get to the portrait hole, and I quickly sit down. I put my head on my knees and start to cry. It felt like everything was spinning. 
"Hey," someone says, "Are you okay?" I shake my head, still sobbing. 
"Do you need to go to the hospital wing?" they ask me, kneeling down next to me. They touch my shoulder and I start to shake. 
"Could you maybe tell me your name?" they ask me, "I'm Cedric Diggory." I look up from my knees and smile, wearily. 
"M-Marigold," I whisper, "M-Marigold P-p-potter." Cedric smiles at me, and lifts my body up. 
Gosh, he's strong.  He runs me to the hospital wing. 
"Madam Pomfrey!" he shouts, "Marigold is having a anxiety attack! Do you have any anxiety potions?" A lady, with white robs comes running into the room. 
"Hello, dearie," she says, "I am going to need you to take this potion." She gives me a glass full of a bright pink liquid. I nod, slowly drinking it.  As soon as I finish it, I start to feel happier and a lot more giggly." 
"Thank you," I tell Madam Pomfrey and Cedric. They both nod and Cedric and I walk out of the hospital wing.