How It Started

Chapter 56 - Harry Potter.

As we collected wood for the fire, I couldn't help but think that some of the gifts given to us were slightly odd or different.

I mean a sword for Vesper? that was quite odd, and the light-catching thingo for Ron? The book for Hermione made sense of course but the necklace for Selina? again, quite weird and strange.

I had let the snitch fly freely behind me, while I leant over some twigs, still in our charmed area that Hermione had set up. No one had yet to give Ron his present, seeing as he had been in bed throughout the strange exchange, however he was now out and about helping us.

I scooped up the small pile of sticks, walking over to where Selina was perched over twigs people had already placed down. I turned around, ready to continue getting sticks as my wrist was drawn back.

" Harry. " Selina hissed, I turned around, shrugging her hand off and sitting opposite her. I looked at the other's who were out of hearing range.

" Hm? " I asked, pretending to help set up the fire, in-case anyone decided to look this way. I lifted my gaze up to hers, she pursed her lips' as if working out how to go about the question on her mind.

" Spit it out. " I said, mimicking Ron, she half-smiled.

" Did Vess tell you anything? " She asked finally, I stopped pretending to set up and leant back, facing her. I assumed she'd ask me soon enough.

" No. " I answered, slowly, pronouncing each letter. She nodded, but I could tell by the hard-set of her jaw, she did not believe me. I raised off the ground as Vess and Hermione exited, Hermione was carrying a pot, filled with water and pasta. It looked like Vesper's job was to make sure the pot didn't spill, I laughed at Hermione's concentrated expression.

" Do you have a lighter? " Selina inquired as Hermione roughly shoved the pot onto the floor, Vesper looked humoured by the whole incident.

Hermione nodded, running back inside, I assumed to grab said lighter. The three of us stood silently, until Fred came running over with his pile of stick's, followed shortly by Ron.

They held the pile's of twigs out to each of us, I noted their competitive expressions as they did so.

" So - who collected more? " Ron blurted out, Vesper bit down on her tongue and I couldn't help but do the same. They shoved the piles of sticks out to us once again and I carefully considered each stack, going along with what I hoped was a joke.

" Fred collected more. " Selina said, immediately. I laughed quietly to myself.

" Don't let love blind your decision. " Vesper retorted, jokingly. Selina rolled her eye's, in the same humoured manner.

Hermione returned in that moment, carrying the lighter and passing it to Selina.

" Ron collected more. " I answered, Hermione raised an eyebrow at me and then looked at the two boy's very proudly holding out the branches.

" Actually, I might have to go with Fred as well. " Vesper answered, after careful consideration. I held a hand up to my head and let out a dramatic sigh.

" That hurts. You don't trust your own boyfriend. " I sarcastically sighed, I watched as the corner's of her mouth quirked up. She ran behind me as I dramatically fell into her arm's.

" I'm so sorry.. " She answered, a saddened look on her face. I got up and stepped away, holding a hand out to her, indicating I needed space.

" Okay - I know I'm quite weird, but what the hell did we just witness? " Fred asked, carelessly chucking his stack of twig's into the smaller pile on the floor.

" Art. " Vesper responded, with a polite grin. I couldn't help but burst out laughing at our little exchange, she did the same. The other's began laughing as well.

After we had finished our laughing episode, Ron chucked his selection of stick's into the pit as Selina put the lighter towards the stack, that was now quite large. The smaller stick's began lighting up as Selina handed Hermione the lighter, we all sat back and witnessed the large sum of branches go up in flames.

" I believe Ron had collected more by the way. " Hermione said after a moment's silence, we all raised our eyebrow's at her jokingly.

" Well considering the fact he was injured as well. " She huffed, bringing her knee's up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. I let out a low chuckle and she threw me a joking glare, after majority of the fire had started, Hermione brought the pot over to it and set it in the convenient little crater we had made.

" You are very over-prepared. " Ron informed Hermione, she looked at him with a confused glance. He waved his hands.

" Not in a bad way! As in like an over-bearing mother kind of way. " He tried to redeem himself, failing miserably. Hermione's eyebrows shot up even further and I couldn't help but notice the small smile return to her lip's.

" Glad to see you're feeling better, by the way. " She told him, he nodded, a faint red colour making an appearance on his face, I shut my lip's tightly, hoping I would not begin laughing.

I heard a low gurgle as water from the pot began to spit, I looked over at Hermione, who in return looked at the pasta, she shrugged sitting back down.

" I wonder how everyone is going at school. " Selina announced randomly, I nodded in agreement however. I hoped they were all doing okay, we wouldn't hear from them for a while I would imagine.

" With Snape in charge? " Fred questioned, shaking his head. " Probably not well. " He continued, playing with the grass on the ground around us absentmindedly.

" Hm. " Hermione said, as she inspected the pasta once more, she brought the pot off the fire and held the small ladle over the pasta, letting the water drain into a small bottle. I made a grim expression.

" You never know when you may need water. " She answered my expression, I nodded, however the idea of drinking old-pasta water didn't sound any more appetizing than before.

She wondered back inside, returning shortly after with six different dishes. Some people received mug's, while other's got plates and then Ron was the only one to receive a bowl. Go figure.

She spooned the pasta into each of these dishes, sitting back and stirring her own around.