Flame || F. WEASLEY

Chapter 19 - Apologies and Tea Leaves

The rest of the Christmas holiday passes in the same way the weeks leading up to it did. I ignore Fred Weasley at every turn and try my best not to hex him on sight. George continues to hang out with me, though I've seen him and Angelina hanging out more. They are absolutely adorable and Angelina has invited me out with them more than once. I declined because while I'm happy for them, it makes my heart hurt just a bit.

My friends refuse to leave my side. Cedric has taken to hanging out with all of us because he can't seem to pry Nora away. I've never seen her hold a grudge against anyone but the way she glares at Fred is something else. I managed to force her one weekend to go to Hogsmeade with Cedric, promising that I would be fine in the castle.

Classes are due to start back tomorrow and I'm finishing up a transfiguration essay in the library. Avianna and Mini had been with me but a young Slytherin second-year came running and they all went back to the Slytherin common room, a promise that they'd be back momentarily. I don't mind and honestly, I'm glad for the reprieve. I love my friends but they have been smothering me.

The library is quiet except for the rustling of pages and the frenzied whispers of students among the stacks. It's one of my favorite places to be. I'm able to be alone with my thoughts even if I'm not truly alone. Everyone here minds their own business, most of the time.

I don't look up from my essay as someone settles into the chair across from me.

"Did the common room flood or--"

My sentence cuts off as I look up and find Fred staring at me instead of either of my friends. My hand itches to grab my wand and curse him into next week but I'd rather not get in trouble before the term even starts. Not that I've ever gotten in trouble before. If I break the rules, I'm sure not to get caught.

Instead, I snatch up my things that are scattered around the table and shove them haphazardly into my bag.

"Wait. Amelia," he says as I gather all my things into my arms.

"Leave me alone," I hiss.

"Just hear me out for a moment."

"Why? So you can tell me this was just one of your silly pranks. So you can brush off the consequences of your actions with a smile and a joke."

His eyes glance down at the table, none of the usual Weasley pride I know rising to take the bait.

"No. I -- I wanted to apologize."

Pain flickers across his face. My eyebrows shoot up. I don't think I've ever heard Fred apologize for anything. He waits, watching to see if I'll leave. But I stay rooted in my seat.

"What I did wasn't right, to you or George. I've already apologized to him. I don't know if you'll ever forgive me for it but I'm sorry."

He fidgets in his seat, waiting for me to say something, anything. I can't force myself to speak though. Too many words crowd my thoughts, fighting to make their way out. Words to soothe his discomfort, something I'm always inclined to do for anything. Words of anger, to spew at him and make him feel like I did. But neither comes out.

"I appreciate the apology," I say. He cuts me off before I can continue.

"Does this mean we're okay?" He lunges forward and seizes my hand.

I rip it away. "No. Just because you apologized doesn't make everything go away."

"But-- "

I stand, all of my stuff clutched in my arms. "You have a lot more of making up to do before we can go back to normal."

I turn and stride off, leaving him standing there dumbfounded. I glance over my shoulder once when I'm sure he can't see me and the look on his face almost has me turning around. I keep my feet moving until I'm out of the library.

...

My wandering of the castle ends up with me standing in the divination classroom, my stuff dumped in a chair. There's no one here and it's the only place I'm fairly sure no one will find me for a moment. I rest my head in my hands. My heart stutters nervously in my chest and I take a few deep breaths.

Once I'm relatively calm, I stand and go through the monotonous routine of making tea. I don't know why I do it. The kettle sits on a table along with a million different tea variations. The hearth is cold but with a quick flick of my wand, I light it. The kettle goes on it while I peruse all the different teacups.

Trelawney told us that we could often tell just as much from the teacup someone chooses as the shape of their tea leaves. She has a whole cabinet dedicated to the ornate cups. There are a few with minimal designs and others that are outright obnoxious. I go to pick my usual -- a light blue cup with swirling gold designs -- when something catches my attention.

The cup is pushed to the back of the bottom shelf, hidden in the shadows. I reach back and pull it out, sending a plume of dust into the air. I wipe the cup off, finding swirling red and orange flames licking up the side. Gold rims the edge and using a damp rag, I scrub any remaining dirt from it.

The kettle whistles and I remove it from the fire. Why Hogwarts doesn't invest in some electric kettles will continue to baffle me but the school does still use quills and parchment instead of pen and paper. I let the water cool as I spoon my preferred tea into the cup. The inside of it is plain white, just the way Trelawney likes. If there's a design it can make it harder to read the leaves.

I pour the water and watch the leaves swirl as they steep. Steam curls off of it and I breathe it in, letting the scent settle my emotions. When it has finally cooled enough, I drag a chair to the window and sit, sipping my tea.

The divination classroom, being at the top of a tower, offers an astounding view of Hogwarts' grounds. A group of students tosses a quaffle around on the pitch and more students wander the crisscrossing paths of the grounds. Snow covers everything and everyone is bundled up against the cold. As I sit there fat snowflakes start drifting through the sky. A snowball fight breaks out in one of the courtyards below me and the sound of lilting laughs is carried on the wind up to me.

I drink the last of my tea and let the leaves settle before looking down. I learned to read tea leaves quickly in my first divination class. My tea obsession was fueled by the magic of it. I would make all of my friends drink a cup just so I could practice. They all humored me until I predicted a horrible heartbreak in Nora's future. In the three years that have passed, nothing of the sort has happened so I attribute the reading to my learning curve.

Sucking down a deep breath, I look down into my cup. A hiss escapes my teeth as I survey the arrangement. The more I have practiced the more intuitive my readings have become. Trelawney has praised me for my accuracy. So as I take in the way the leaves have stuck, I can't help the churning in my stomach.

Chaos and sorrow are predicted heavily in my future, with a few short bursts of happiness. With everything going on I can't say I'm surprised. But an overall sense of foreboding settles onto my shoulders. Something is brewing. My vision from the crystal ball flashes across my mind and I know in my gut that the two are connected.

"Amelia? Are you up here?" A voice calls out.

I recognize it immediately as Malein.

"Yes," I call back. Quickly with the remaining water, I rinse my leaves into a rubbish bin. I set the cup off to the side so Trelawney knows it needs to be cleaned. I shove all of my stuff into my bag and go to yank the trap door open.

Malein is standing at the bottom of the ladder. Her hijab is secured haphazardly to her head and she's wearing pajamas. I can only imagine that Mini and Avianna went to her when they returned to the library and I was gone.

"I'm coming," I say as I descend the ladder.

"You had us worried." She bumps my shoulder as I reach the floor.

"I'm sorry."

She waves a hand and starts walking back towards the Ravenclaw common room. I follow after her but my mind is still fixed on that teacup and the leaves inside of it.

Something terrible is going to happen, I just know it.