Dandelions

~48~

Harper didn't want to raise concerns in the group about the Gryffindor boy who seemed very loyal to his friends. Pushing the thought aside, she left the room after Viktor so she could avoid Estelle who kept trying to get her attention. "I haz noticed zat you look pale and zkinner zen usual. Are you alright?" Harper rolled her eyes at the girl before nodding and waving goodbye. Estelle stood in the corridor alone after both champions left her, causing her to let out a sigh. The only two people that meant very much to her was Harper and her brother that was also attending the school in hopes he would've been picked for the tournament. She stalked off back to the carriages for her bed time ritual with a mind full of thoughts on Karkoff, Harper, and the tournament that she wasn't at all nervous for quiet yet.

Harper walked down the corridor to the Hufflepuff common room where her friends all sat on the floor alongside Narcissa who looked uncomfortable around such a rowdy crowd. "Harper!" Lily yelled before rushing over and hugging the brunette girl. Following suit, everyone hugged the girl, making her let out a loud laugh. "I'm fine guys, actually I'm ready to take on his task. But I do urgently need to speak to you all - including you Narcissa so don't think you are getting out of this." The Slytherin had been trying to sneak away but was caught red-handed making her let out a groan of dissatisfaction. Harper whispered the password, letting everyone into the common room. Many Hufflepuff students became confused on why their were other house students in the room but Marlene barked at them all to, "Mind their own bloody business or she'd hex them all with no mercy." Harper led them over to a secluded corner that was surrounded by greenery everywhere.

"So what's up?" Remus asked nervously as Harper never seemed this determined on something. Harper explained about how Viktor lied about being called down to Dumbledore's office, making James and Sirius stand up in defensiveness, but sat back down when she said the reason. "There's no way HE'S a follower.. I mean we know Malfoy, Snivellous, Rosier, and the others are but Karkoff doesn't.. Okay maybe he does." James went on but was shot a dirty look from Narcissa before she asked, "Why am I here for this?" Harper smiled at the girl before holding her hands and whispering, "Narcissa.. Obviously you're marrying Lucius so-" "I won't do it. I'm not going against my family and especially not the man I fell in love with. I won't tell anyone what you're up to but I'm not a blood traitor. Sorry." The girl stood up and walked out of the Hufflepuff common room leaving the Gryffindors and Hufflepuff to come up with a new plan. Harper noticed how Peter had been silent and looked like he was trying to pay attention to anything but the conversation at hand. "You alright Pettigrew? Seem a bit.. Distracted?" She asked in a rather harsh voice.

Everyone's heads snapped back and forth between the two as tension grew. "W-What? Oh yeah! I'm great, sorry." She narrowed her eyes at the boy making him shrink in his seat before murmuring that they had to get to the meeting. "Oh yeah, come on." Lily whispered before collecting her stuff and leading the way out of the room. Everyone followed but Harper, Remus, James, and Sirius lagged behind a bit. "What's with being so harsh with Wormtail? Is everything alright?" Remus asked the girl who was glaring daggers at the back of the smaller boys head who was visibly shaking. "I can't say it now. After lesson, stay behind please?" Nodding, the boys walked faster to catch up but Harper stayed behind causing Sirius too. "I'm sorry you've been so overwhelmed, darling." Their hands wrapped around one another as a blush crept onto Harper's cheeks. She shook her head and began a conversation about how she was ready to take on the task and nothing was gonna stop her.

Arriving in the Room of Requirements, everyone was already there making all the "mentors" a bit embarrassed for being so late. "Our apologies for being late. Anyways we're doing a review day since it seems we've put a lot of work onto your shoulders so far. Alice and Frank, pay attention." Marlene snapped causing the couple to recoil. Everyone partnered off and began to go over the defense spells they learned first. Harper asked Peter to work with her, causing the boy to turn almost blue but nod in agreement. Neither of the two noticed the look of worry exchanged between Lily and Remus but they didn't say anything as they worked with eachother. "3..2..1." Before Peter could utter a word out, Harper already hit him with "Flipendo!" The boy flew backwards causing gasps to fly around the room but a successful smirk formed across Harper's mouth. The smaller boy got up with anger written on his face that nobody had ever seen before and yelled, "Stupefy!" Before it hit Harper, she blocked it with ease causing an even bigger smirk on her face.

Getting into each others faces, Peter began to fume with anger that scared the other Marauder's as they never seen him like this. "What's your bloody problem?!" Harper let out a cackle before yelling back, "You! You know exactly why too - don't you?" Her eyes flickered to his arm and his face drained of color before he backed off and whispered, "I don't know what you're talking about Rossi. Don't go spreading rumors or who know's what'll happen." Marlene seemed fed up with that disrespectful sentence and walked over, slapping him across the face. "Learn your place Pettigrew. Everyone back to practicing!" Harper ended up being partners with James while Peter was with Remus now, much to the boy's happiness as he didn't have to deal with the short brunette Hufflepuff. The rest of the meeting was filled with lots of laughter and defensive spells making it end quicker as they were having fun. "Alright! February 16th is the next meeting, we'll tell you if anything changes - yeah?" Sirius called out.

The students filled out, including Peter who looked eager to get out of the room as fast he could. "Rossi, can you please explain what's going on? I mean Merlin, that was pretty heated." Marlene laughed before thinking about needing chairs, causing them to all pop up for them all to sit on. "You're not gonna believe me or want to know." She grumbled. Remus played with his fingers for a while before saying, "When you told us the signs.. You know what Viktor said about Karkoff.. I noticed Wormy does some of those things. Is this.. It?" Sirius sucked in a breath of air before shaking his head rapidly. "No. Wormtail would never - he wouldn't. I don't want to hear anymore." James grabbed the boys forearm before pulling him to sit down again. "Just listen!" James snapped before looking at Harper to talk about everything. "I think so.. When I looked at his arm and then him, you saw how he sunk away? That's because he has the mark. Probably explains why Lucius called him over during the ball! To tell him about the victory of them murdering my bloody mother!" She flipped the chair over in anger causing everyone to go silent once more.

"I don't wanna believe it.. But I noticed the signs too." Lily whispered, earning a look from Sirius who looked deeply hurt by the accusations thrown towards their friend. "This is mental. Mental I tell you! It's Peter we are talking about! He's our friend and would never betray us." Harper walked over to Sirius and pulled him into a hug before whispering in his ear, "We'll stop talking about it ok? Just keep an eye out for any other things.. We're talking about Evans and her family could be killed." Agreeing to push the conversation away, Harper helped put the room back into order before waving goodnight to her friends. Sirius decided on sleeping in the Hufflepuff room with Harper as he couldn't even be in the same room with Peter. Harper wondered why he felt the most betrayed out of them all as Remus and and Lily should due to the fact they're halfblood and muggle-born. Sirius wouldn't let go of Harper's hand as she led him into the common room and towards the staircase up to the bedroom.

They walked in the room silently, as it was late and some of her roommates were sleep, not counting the ones that came back from the meeting. Changing quickly, both of the teens climbed into bed and learned into eachother for comfort. "Harper?" Sirius whispered after a few minutes. "Yes, love?" She asked. He didn't answer for a minute causing Harper to turn over and look towards the boy. "Do you want to marry me one day?" Harper couldn't help but laugh and kiss the boy who melted into it. "Of course my love. I wouldn't want anything else."