𝙮𝙤𝙪 || 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲-𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥

As if Valentine's day wasn't the worst day of your life, you soon receive news from Hermione that the diary Harry and Ron found wasn't as useless as you thought it was. But it wasn't the actual item that made you upset, it was whatever Harry saw when he got sucked into its pages.

No matter how many times you try to deny it, the thought of Hagrid releasing a dangerous monster just because he thought it was restless for being cooped up so long wasn't farfetched. Tom Riddle, the owner of the diary, had technically done the right thing by exposing Hagrid but that didn't make you feel any better. You couldn't help but hold a small grudge against the magical inanimate object.

All four of you decided that questioning Hagrid wasn't an option until another attack came up. As more and more days went by without news of another petrified victim, you became hopeful that you and your friends would never have to confront Hagrid about why he was expelled. It's been four months since Justin Finch-Fletchley and Nearly Headless Nick's petrification, and almost everyone believed that the monster was gone for good. You were still skeptical of the sudden calmness that washed over Hogwarts, but it was better than the tense atmosphere, so you just crossed your fingers and hoped for the peacefulness to continue.

During the Easter holidays, when you aren't busy helping Neville catch his pet toad Trevor, your mind is usually swarmed by what subjects you could choose for the third year. Hermione took this matter seriously as if her life depended on it.

"My life does depend on it," she stated with a huff. "It could affect our whole future!"

You were inside the Gryffindor tower with the permission of Percy, who seemed to grow more lenient as you come and go. It was surprising when the prefect let you in as you ran into each other in a corridor. You had rudely cut off his greeting and desperately asked to let you stay inside their tower for a while.

Percy looked downright offended but the face you made just elicited a sigh and a resigned nod. He did ask why you were in such a hurry while the both of you walked up the moving staircases until you've arrived in front of the Fat Lady's portrait. It was enough of a distraction for him. As usual, he made you cover your ears before he said the password.

You didn't want to tell him that you ran with your tail between your legs when you saw Cedric Diggory in the Hufflepuff common room. You were mulling over the list of subjects with your roommates until he came out from the boys' dormitory flanked by two of his friends. You didn't mean to look at him. It was sort of a reflex at this point, but that one-second bliss of ignorance was duly punished with successful eye contact from Cedric.

You jolt up from your seat like you were electrocuted and gathered your belongings. Without so much as a proper goodbye, you fled the common room and rushed out. In hindsight, maybe you should have just went back to your room, but you needed some space, and being in the same house as him wasn't helping you.

"I just want to give up Potions," said Harry as he considered the list of new subjects.

"We can't," said Ron disappointedly, sighing, "we keep all our old subjects, or I'd ditch Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Hermione looks up from her list, utterly shocked by Ron's statement.

"But that's very important!" She said.

"Not the way Lockhart teaches it," said Ron. "I haven't learned anything from him except not to set pixies loose."

You could sense an argument was about to occur, and so knowing better than to intervene, you cautiously stood up with all your things and smiled sympathetically at Harry, who was unfortunately stuck between the two. He sent you a pleading look, but you just shrugged before you move in front of the fireplace where Neville, Dean, and Seamus were.