Everything Has Changed

Everything Has Changed ~ Chapter 15

"Happy birthday, Eleanor!"

My eyes snapped open. "What...?"

"Sorry, we couldn't wait any longer," Emilia laughed. "You slept in so late today."

I groaned, sitting up. "What's the time?"

"About nine. You're lucky it's the weekend."

"Mm-hmm."

"Presents!" Emilia said cheerfully, shoving a bright package at me – the one I'd seen under her bed. I unwrapped it, revealing a box full of Honeydukes items.

I beamed. "Thank you!" This present came at a lucky time. The sweets I'd gotten last Hogsmeade visit were almost all eaten by now.

Beth handed me her present next. It was a beautiful quill. The feather looked like it was made of molten gold.

"Normally I wouldn't get such a distracting colour," Beth said. "But you don't mind that sort of thing."

"I love it," I said in delight. "You guys are the best."

"Luna's not here, actually," Emilia said next. "I don't know where she is."

I looked over at Luna's bed. It didn't look like she'd been back last night. Worry gnawed at my insides, but I shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm sure she just got distracted with something."

"Maybe we'll see her at breakfast," Emilia suggested. "Speaking of which, you'd better get up if you want to make it in time."

I realised how hungry I was then, so I jumped out of bed and ran around to get ready. Emilia and Beth lingered, the former complaining how hungry she was and telling me I'd better speed up if I didn't want her to start eating my birthday present.

So I finished getting ready in ten minutes, and the three of us speed walked to breakfast. When we got there, something was seriously wrong. Snape was at the front of the room, the Carrows flanking him on either side. On the left, three Slytherin students were holding Luna, Ginny and Neville in headlocks. Neville was being held by Gregory Goyle and was struggling violently, despite the fact he looked battered and exhausted. Ginny was in the grip of Vincent Crabbe and she was standing mostly still, expect for occasionally stomping on Crabbe's feet. Otherwise, she was just sending Snape the most bloodthirsty, murderous look imaginable. Luna, in a headlock from Blaise Zabini, was also staring at Snape. And while she wasn't sending him a violent look, it was still the furthest expression from nice that I had ever seen on her face.

Emilia and I tried to sneak in as surreptitiously as we could, for Snape was already talking. It didn't work. Snape noticed us. Thankfully, he just scowled in our direction and didn't punish us.

"As punishment," Snape said, continuing on from whatever he had been saying before, "they will be banned from attending Hogsmeade visits for the rest of the year and will be serving detentions for a month. If anyone else attempts to behave in this way, you will be punished far harsher, for you have had a warning. That is all. You are dismissed." Snape swept out of the room, leaving Ginny, Luna and Neville to the Carrows.

Although few people had finished their breakfast, none were keen on sticking around any longer. I had never seen the Great Hall emptied so quickly while there was still food in there. I stayed behind, though, pushing through the crowd towards the front of the room. Emilia followed me with a sigh, but Beth hightailed it out of there. Padma Patil was already standing in front of Amycus Carrow, arguing with him animatedly.

"Let them go!" Padma shouted.

"I'll do that when I feel like it."

"They need to go to the hospital wing," I said tersely as I joined the conversation.