The Healer | Part 1: The Hogwarts Years

A Confession

Edith

Two days later, I told Mia about Dumbledore's Army.

'That's brilliant!' She exclaimed after I told her about the first two meetings. 'Why didn't you tell me?'

'Cho asked me not to,' I replied honestly. 'So what do you think? I'd much rather you be my practice partner than Smith.'

'What about Robert, can he come?' She asked.

I hesitated. I had been anticipating this response, but I didn't know what to tell her. I didn't want to tell her not to bring Robert, I knew he was important to her. But I wanted to be selfish too. Marietta and Cho had each other, if Mia brought Robert, I would still be the odd one out.

She noticed my hesitation.

'Edie, he's my boyfriend! We don't keep anything from each other,' she said. My eyes widened and I stopped in my tracks.

'You mean to say,' I said slowly, 'that you've told Robert about my eating disorder?'

'What? No!' She exclaimed at once. 'No! I would never tell him about that!'

I relaxed. I didn't want all of Ravenclaw House knowing about my struggles with food. That was private. Mia was the only other person at Hogwarts who knew. I wanted it to be behind me before anyone else found out.

'Thanks,' I told her.

'So? Can I invite him?' She prodded.

I hesitated again, then sighed in resignation.

'Alright,' I said. 'But no one else! The more people that know about it, the more likely it is that Umbridge will find out about it.'

'Deal,' she nodded. 'When's the next meeting?'

'Wednesday evening,' I told her.

I never felt more like a third wheel than I did the next week walking with Mia and Robert to the DA meeting. They weren't as affectionate with each other as they had been when they had first started dating, but I still felt extremely awkward walking into the meeting with them.

We practiced Stunning Spells that evening. I was a little nervous about being Stunned repeatedly, especially by Zacharias Smith and in front of George Weasley, until Harry told us we would be practicing on cushions.

I did have a lot more fun with Mia there then the week before. I felt better knowing I wasn't keeping anything from her anymore.

I had never used a Stunning Spell before, but I quickly got the hang of it. Soon enough, cushions were flying in so many different directions that Harry rearranged us into a single line so we weren't all dodging cushions while we practiced.

George

'Quidditch practice!'

Fred and I wheeled around. Angelina was practically screaming as she barrelled through the portrait hole, fumbling with a piece of parchment.
We must have looked somewhat dumbfounded. She looked deranged with her eyes wide and her hair escaping it's normally tight ponytail,
'Now!' She continued to shout when no one immediately stood up.

At that, she thundered up the steps to the girls' dormitory and out of sight.

'We just got permission to reform!' Alicia and Katie were next to come in through the portrait hole. Katie looked down at her watch. 'About five minutes ago. We're heading straight for the pitch.'

'Brilliant!' Fred and I said at the same time.

'Ron and Harry are meeting us there,' Alicia went on. 'The Hufflepuff team have just finished practice, Summerby said no one else has the pitch booked tonight.'