My One and Only

Chapter 17 - Year 2

MAIA WAS RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL WING THE NEXT DAY, where she spent most of her afternoon locked away in her dorm, curled up on the windowsill where she could watch the snowflakes fall. She tried not to think of what had happened the night before, but somehow the image of Justin's froze seemed burned into her mind.

The school dissolved into complete hysteria once the news of the attack spread. The fact that a ghost had been attacked seemed to terrify the students more, because if even those already dead weren't safe, then how could any living person be? It was practically a bloodbath as students hurried to book seats on the Hogwarts Express that was scheduled to take them home for Christmas.

Maia couldn't wait. She didn't think she could take much more of the stares, or the gossip that was spread through tightly pressed lips. The accusatory glares had now moved onto her as well, as she had been the only one so far to come out of an attack unharmed. Clearly, the students whispered, it was because she was Harry's sister. The thought of being tied to something as horrible as these attacks sickened her, but not nearly as much as the guilt that gurgled constantly in her stomach. She had survived because she had been warned, but she wasn't quick enough to save Justin or Nick. If she hadn't been so paralyzed by fear, maybe they would still be unharmed. Maybe she'd be able to walk through the halls without other students skirting around her for fear of becoming the Potter twins' next target. Or maybe, she thought, I should have just kept my eyes open and been petrified as well. At least then I wouldn't have to live with this guilt.

Maia sighed and pressed her palms to her eyes until she saw stars. The guilt was going to eat her alive and she was one accusatory glare away from letting it. The common room was practically empty, as most students were locked away in their dorms, finishing any last minute packing. The Hogwarts Express was due to arrive at the Hogsmeade station in the morning and no one wanted to risk missing it.

Her vision was blurry when she finally opened her eyes again, but it quickly adjusted to the dim light in the room that was lit only by a dying fire. Across the room a group of fourth years sat huddled around a table, their eyes lingering on the dark haired girl who was curled up in an armchair by the window. Hagrid had leant her a book on dangerous creatures in hopes of cheering her up, and it did for a little while, but then she noticed the stares the monstrous thing gained her and she fell back into a pool of bitterness and desolation.

"Evening stranger." Fred leaned against the windowsill, pearly teeth shining in the pale light of the fire, and ran a hand through his hair. Maia glanced blankly up at him, though her heart gave a little stutter as his hair fell effortlessly back into his eyes. "Up for a little adventure?"

---

Fred and Maia darted through the shadows that danced in the deserted corridors. He hadn't told her where they were going, but she was so desperate to get away from the whispers that plagued her in the common room that she followed him willingly. He could be planning to drown her in the Black Lake for all she knew, but at the moment that seemed much more pleasant that subjecting herself to accusatory stares and whispers.

He kept her hand firmly in his grip, and even though she could keep up with him just as easily on her own, she didn't pull away. Instead, she intertwined their fingers and held on tighter, clinging to the bit of warmth that crept from his palm to hers, momentarily distracting her from the hell that had been her third semester at Hogwarts.

"Where are we going?" she finally whispered as they ducked behind a suit of armor, narrowly missing being spotted by Peeves, who was spinning through the air, a large paintbrush in his hand. Splatters of colorful paint stained the wall and the armor they crouched behind, but thankfully didn't stain them.