the order - f.weasley

- c h a p t e r - s i x -

 Despite the obvious angst Harry was giving off, Gemma took his hand in the darkness of the carriage, knowing he was watching the Thestrals outside.

But she wouldn't look at him because if she did, she would start crying.

So instead, she involved herself in conversations with her friends.

"Did everyone see that Grubbly-Plank woman?" Ginny asked. "What's she doing back here? Hagrid can't have left, can he?"

"I'll be quite glad if he has," Luna answered. "He isn't a very good teacher, is he?"

Her tone wasn't nearly as severe as Harry, Ron, and Ginny's, but she said in unison with them, "Yes, he is!"

Harry glared at Hermione, and she stammered, "Erm, yes! He's very good!"

"Well, we think he's a bit of a joke in Ravenclaw," Luna shrugged.

Gemma frowned at that, not super happy that the Ravenclaw house was so rude about Hagrid behind his back.

"You've got a rubbish sense of humour then," Ron snapped at Luna, who stared unfazed at him.

They continued on the ride, rocking side to side with the motion of the carriage as they chatted about nonsensical things.

When they pulled to a stop in front of the castle, Gemma climbed out, standing next to Harry while the others moved to the stairs. She waited for her brother as he stared in the direction of where she assumed the Thestrals were. Again, she took Harry's hand, letting him know she was there, and he just held it tightly.

"Are you coming or what?" Ron asked the two of them.

Harry jumped, quickly saying, "Oh, yeah..."

Gemma led Harry into the crowd right behind their best friends.

They all just headed right into the Great Hall to their tables.

She waved a farewell to Luna before walking with Harry through the crowd. As they walked, she could hear whispers about Harry, and a few of them were about her too. She glared at anyone who met her eyes, not caring if they saw her or not. She was not having it this year.

She had had enough last year, and after the tournament, she was done taking the garbage.

Ginny gave Gemma a hug goodbye before disappearing into the crowd to hang out with some kids from her year. The five fifth years found seats about halfway down the Gryffindor table, and as they sat down, Harry pointed out, "He's not there."

Gemma leaned back and scanned the teachers' table, not spying Hagrid.

Where was he?

"He can't have left," Ron murmured, sounding worried.

"Of course, he hasn't," Harry shot back at him.

"You don't think he's . . . hurt, or anything, do you?" Hermione asked, her eyes wide.

"No."

"But where is he, then?"

There was no answer until Harry said almost too quietly for any of them to hear over the crowd, "Maybe he's not back yet. You know — from his mission — the thing he was doing over the summer for Dumbledore."

Gemma pinched her lips, anxiety filling her.

She knew a handful of people they knew were out doing missions, her father included, and now that Hagrid was thrown into the mix, she felt her worry spike as she whispered, "Yeah...yeah, that'll be it..."