Coiled (Book 1 of 2)

Closer

End of the term, and the winter holiday is now suddenly upon us.

Earlier this week, Reggie and I'd presented our completed Transfiguration project. We'd done it: completed our work with extraordinary success, despite all the distraction we'd found in one another along the way. Full facial transformations, a new skill we both now possess in our spellcasting repertoire.

Unfortunately, though I'd seen Reggie in class, the two of us hadn't managed to sneak away for any shared private moments. As such, I'd not yet had an opportunity to discuss my conversation with Evan.

Though - and it's a great comfort to know this - I'm absolutely certain Evan's filled him in about everything that happened that night.

Pausing for a moment, I smile to myself:

... Evan

Finally kissing Evan the other night, after such a long build up of tension between the two of us, was nothing short of divine.

His lips -

His eyes -

... Heaven help me.

"Excuse us," Someone murmurs testily from behind me.

"Ah! Sorry!"

I'd stopped short in my daydreams on my way down the long, winding spiral staircase from Divination. Stepping to the side, I smile apologetically at the small group of people I've unknowingly held up just now.

Come on, really?

Have a bit of mental focus, yes?

A bit more aware of your surroundings.

You can't just let yourself become so hopelessly distracted by thoughts of

... Evan.

Evan Rosier.

No!

Shaking my head, I force myself to continue along now. Divination, my last class of the term. In fact, most students have already left for the holiday, a fact that's abundantly clear as I look around and notice how empty and quiet the halls feel.

Shouldn't have procrastinated packing, though -

Left if all for tonight -

Suddenly I feel a hand reach out and grab the back of my robes roughly, pulling me into the darkness of a large room. Instant panic on my part as I try to scramble away. And when I hear the laugh in my ear, that panic multiplies by a hundred.

Barty.

"Let me go, Crouch!"

I don't have to turn around to know it's him. And so I growl defiantly, kicking and pushing back against him as powerfully as I can manage.

"Oh no, I think not ..."

He hisses the reply in my ear, that hiss gives way to more obnoxious laughter as he pulls me further back into the room.

Glancing around in panic, I continue to struggle against him. A small hall used for Duelling Club, mostly empty other than a scattering of thick stone columns dotting the sides of the room at regular intervals.

And of course, no one here but the two of us. As he continues pulling me along, I swear and swing my arms backwards in an attempt to pry myself loose, "Crouch!"

"Been a moment, right?"

"Go to hell!"

"Now, now, no need to be so rude. I just want to ask you a few questions. Pick your walnut sized brain a bit, yes?"