Maggie

Chapter 21 - Debt

 It took three weeks before Oscar was out of the hospital wing.

Damon was delighted. He was strutting around like the survivor of some heroic battle. As if it had been he who saved the wizarding world against his ghastly brother, not my uncle, two decades ago and against Voldemort.

I should've been disapproving. I should've scowled at him every time he took pleasure from his brother's brokenness. But I was so angry at Oscars foul and so relieved that Damon was perfectly okay, that I smiled at him instead of reprimanding him.

He would've only laughed if I tried anyway.

Albus was back to his usual self. I thought, perhaps, that seeing Oscar get his comeuppance for attacking me and fouling Morgan had lifted his spirits somewhat. And the vile whispers and threats from the Gryffindors for putting their star player in the hospital wing seemed to bounce right off him. One of us cared, anymore. We just drew closer together, like penguins in the winter, guarding each other's backs and slipping words of comfort over our shoulders.

I was still being tailed absolutely everywhere by my very closest friends - Enzo and Scorpius. Damon occasionally took the duty on too, though he was still attending quidditch training sessions twice a week and frequently disappeared from the Slytherin common room without telling any of us where he was going. I'd assumed the worst, of course, and sometimes wondered which corner of the castle him and his mysterious lover were befouling! I had no evidence to prove that was what he was getting up to, but I knew Damon and, when I confided my suspicions to Scorpius, his awkward giggle and avoiding eye contact was confirmation enough.

One Thursday afternoon in the second week of December, I was sat in the library with Enzo, watching him fuss over his potions essay. I had finished mine the day it was due and was, instead, absentmindedly labelling the star chart we had started in Astronomy on Monday evening. I looked up, however, at the sound of a chair scraping back.

"Oh, thank goodness. I thought I was going to have to my own potions essay for once!"

I pretended to scowl at Tasha. "Do your own potions essay for once. I'd have thought, sitting next to me, you'd have learnt something by now."

Anniki laughed. Tasha threw her bag down onto the floor and sat in the chair beside me, punching my arm lightly. "Why should I have to when you know everything already?"

I rolled my eyes. She smiled sweetly at me, all teeth and crows feet, which made my resolve crack. I smiled back, trying not to feel too jealous that she had laughed so often in life that her eyes were already lined at the age of eleven.

"So, when do you think Malfoy is going to pop the question?" She asked.

Enzo nearly spat out the pumpkin juice he was sneakily drinking under the table. Anniki smacked him hard on the back to clear his airways.

"Tasha!" I exclaimed. "You audacious little mare! That's so inappropriate!"

She laughed her bubbly laugh, her golden-brown curls bouncing and catching the light from the candlestick in the centre of our table.

"It's down to you for assuming the worst, Maggie. What an interesting insight into your mind."

"What on earth could you have meant if not what I assumed!"

"Well," she sent a sly smile my way, knowing she had cornered me, "I was going to make an adoption joke but..." she trailed off. I smacked my head against the heavy book I was perusing through, making rather harder contact the I had meant to.

The collective laughter from the rest of the table earned us a harsh "Shh!" From the librarian. I scowled, rubbing my forehead. That was going to bruise. My skin was easier to mark than dough.