Soon enough, DADA had become everyone's favorite lesson. Rachelle had the impression that even Malfoy and his goons had problems finding things to complain about, since the things he would say sounded so desperate that no one else cared.
He'd talk bad about the Professors robes, but no one really took notice. His lessons gradually got more and more interesting and it put all the other classes to shame.
However, it still appeared to be a source of gossip.
Word about their DADA lesson had spread throughout the whole school to the extent that even the teachers knew what had happened, much to the displeasure of Snape.
People would congratulate Neville, and harass Rachelle for details about the lesson, about her screaming black cloud Boggart, and her fathers weird full moon Boggart. What no one seemed to see was how much she hated it.
She hated being the center of attention.
She hated when people would come up to her, pretend to be her best friend so they could get gossip.
She hated it when people would casually slip it into a conversation they were having.
She hated the judging stares and whispered words when she was around.
She hated every little thing about it.
But yet no one seemed to notice.
They were all ignorant to Rachelle's uncomfortableness as they approached her.
They didn't notice how she'd walk down the opposite hallway even though she had a class in the other direction.
They didn't notice how she'd twist her fingers together when someone brought the topic up.
Only one person noticed.
Ron.
Rachelle loved it when he'd come over and ask her a question to get her out of the situation.
She loved it when he'd guide her away from prying eyes and whispers.
She was starting to think her little crush on Ron was escalating. And she was scared. Not of rejection or that he wouldn't like her back. But scared because she didn't know what to do.
•••
"Can I go to Hogsmeade." Rachelle asked her father, her tone more demanding then questioning. "I've already signed it." Remus replied, handing her the slip of paper. "Thanks!" Rachelle said and skipped out of the room.
She returned to the common room to see a very depressed Harry.
"I'm sure Sirius Black won't lurk around too long. You'll get to go to Hogsmeade soon." Hermione and Ron had said but to no avail.
"Try Mcgonagall." Rachelle suggested, collapsing into the stuffed couch.
"Elle!' said Hermione. 'Harry's supposed to stay in school –' 'He can't be the only third-year left behind,' said Rachelle. 'Ask McGonagall, go on, Harry –' 'Yeah, I think I will,' said Harry, making up his mind. Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but at that moment Crookshanks leapt lightly onto her lap. A large, dead spider was dangling from his mouth.
"Eww." Rachelle wrinkled her nose at the sight of the spider.
"Does he have to eat that in front of us?' said Ron, scowling. 'Clever Crookshanks, did you catch that all by yourself?' said Hermione. Crookshanks slowly chewed up the spider, his yellow eyes fixed insolently on Ron. 'Just keep him over there, that's all,' said Ron irritably, turning back to his star chart. 'I've got Scabbers asleep in my bag.' Harry yawned and pulled his bag towards him, took out parchment, ink and quill, and started work. 'You can copy mine, if you like,' said Ron, labelling his last star with a flourish and shoving the chart towards Harry.
Hermione, who disapproved of copying, pursed her lips, but didn't say anything. Crookshanks was still staring unblinkingly at Ron, flicking the end of his bushy tail. Then, without warning, he pounced. 'OY!' Ron roared, seizing his bag, as Crookshanks sank four sets of claws deeply into it, and began tearing ferociously. 'GET OFF, YOU STUPID ANIMAL!'
Ron tried to pull the bag away from Crookshanks, but Crookshanks clung on, spitting and slashing. 'Ron, don't hurt him!' squealed Hermione. The whole common room was watching as Ron whirled the bag around, with the cat hanging on.
Eventually the scuffle ended up under a chest or drawers and Ron and Hermione rushed over to retrieve their respective pets.
"Look at him!' he said furiously to Hermione, dangling Scabbers in front of her. 'He's skin and bone! You keep that cat away from him!' 'Crookshanks doesn't understand it's wrong!' said Hermione, her voice shaking. 'All cats chase rats, Ron!' 'There's something funny about that animal!' said Ron, who was trying to persuade a frantically wiggling Scabbers back into his pocket. 'It heard me say that Scabbers was in my bag!' 'Oh, what rubbish,' said Hermione impatiently. 'Crookshanks could smell him, Ron, how else d'you think –' 'That cat's got it in for Scabbers!' said Ron, ignoring the people around him, who were starting to giggle. 'And Scabbers was here first, and he's ill!' Ron marched through the common room and out of sight up the stairs to the boys' dormitories.
"Well, goodnight!" Rachelle called up the stairs as Harry followed his best friend.
The next day was plain misery as Ron was not refusing to talk to Hermione and poor Rachelle ended up being their messenger. She could be seen storming from the girls dorms to the boys dorms and vice versa.
Harry waited until the end of Transfiguration to ask the professor about the form, to which his response was a big fat no. Not that anyone was really surprised.
The other three spent the rest of the day attempting to comfort Harry.
"Uhh. We'll bring back lots of sweets from Honeydukes?" Rachelle mumbled in response to Hermione's rib-nudge when she didn't say anything about the situation, her reply more of a question.
Hermione and Ron did a mental facepalm.
Everyone made a mental note not to let Rachelle comfort someone.
Rachelle, Hermione and Ron had no choice but to leave Harry roaming the halls of the huge castle they called home as they left to catch the carriages to Hogsmeade in an attempt to save their energy.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
