Intertwined

Chapter One

Maggie loved Hogwarts. She loved the classes, the food, the teachers, her dorms, her friends. Everything! And to be honest, she didn't particularly mind the time away from home. She felt free to be her regular bubbly self at school, and somehow she didn't have that freedom at home. Although she loved her family, she didn't quite fit in with them.

Recently, she has started dating a boy named Elijah, whom she very much liked. He was just as warm as her and returned her affections. Maggie was pretty, with her honey colored hair, bright green eyes, friendly freckles, and tall soft willowy figure, but she hadn't quite believed anyone would ever find her attractive enough to have more than the occasional hookup with. Elijah was handsome. He was tall and thin with puffy dark brown hair, and golden eyes.

She especially liked lying in his arms by the fire. Content was the word she thought of when she saw him. Not the flaming passion her friend Chloe insisted she had felt with her last boyfriend Edmund, just steady quiet happiness.

Not that she minded, there was a reason she was a Hufflepuff. Maggie was sincere, and her love was simple. She saw no point in playing games of the mind or heart, and was straightforward with her feelings. Duplicity and cunning had no place in her life, and she quickly dropped any friends that had a lot of drama, or betrayed her in any way.

This hatred of cunning made her avoid Slytherins, who often enjoyed it. Maggie had once heard a Slytherin girl proudly telling her friends a story about how she'd led on four boys at one time, and ultimately manipulated them into giving her wonderful, expensive presents.

There was another reason she avoided the Slytherins as a whole however, and his name was Carter. He didn't look like a Slytherin, who were usually somehow snakelike. This boy was tall, but sturdy. He had jet black hair, and widely set shoulders.

Maggie had first seen him on her way to her first year at Hogwarts, on the magnificent train. Instantly her breath was taken from her, and she felt hot and cold at the same time, tingles rushed down to her toes and fingers. What was this feeling? It felt dangerous.

She was standing outside her own compartment, buying some lunch from the trolley when she heard his voice floating from the one next to hers. "Well of course I'm going to Hogwarts, I need to to get a job of power in the Ministry, where I can control what happens with all the trade. Or, technically." The other kids in the apartments laughed, but the words chilled Maggie's blood.

Attraction and fear warred in her brain desperately. "Dear, dear, will that be all?" The concerned trolley lady asked, she had become lost in her thoughts and his voice

"Oh, yes." She said in a small voice, and hurriedly shoved some money into the woman's hand. At the sound of her voice, the boy's head snapped up, his eyes widening at seeing her. She was satisfied he hadn't got a good luck, because then she was gone.

Relief (and was that a twinge of disappointment?) flooded through her when they were sorted into different houses. She knew they would probably have a few classes together, but not too many.

She shoved this boy, Carter she had learned was his name, to the back of her mind, and successfully wasn't too bothered by the thought of him.

There were instances of course. Once, in third year her bag ripped when she was walking alone in the hallway from the weight of her books. He just happened to round the corner as she knelt to the floor, a steady stream of curses coming out of her mouth under her breath. Without a word, he knelt to help her. "Thanks." she said and repaired her bag, shoving the books back in.

"No problem." he said in his deep, pleasing voice that made her knees go weak, she tried desperately to keep a straight face. "If you want I could carry some to where you're going, it's only going to break again."

"No, no I can carry some myself. Thanks again." Her voice didn't break and she felt a swell of pride. He opened his mouth as if to say something else, but she brushed past him on her way again before he could.

Then there was the time in fourth year when he asked to borrow her silver knife in potions. She had been unprepared for this, and utterly focused on the work, so she almost tipped over her cauldron. She handed it to him without a word. "Thanks." he said, using it quickly and handing it back.

She caught her breath when at the end of class she walked past his work station and saw his own perfectly good silver knife lying on the cutting board.

So uneventful, so ordinary, but to her they seemed the most dramatic moments of her life. The air between them was always charged. The pinnacle of everything she felt would happen at the Winter Ball. It happened each year just before Christmas Break. Only fifth years and above were allowed to go to the Ball, although many snuck in. By then the teachers didn't really care.

Somehow she thought that something would happen. However, she shook herself, repeating to herself that she was being ridiculous. She was going to the Ball with her wonderful boyfriend, Elijah. They were going to dance, to kiss, maybe make out, even though they would be in public. Even though her teachers might see. The evening would be glowing in the golden light of candles, and the gardens would be draped in silver moonlight.

Maggie bought a periwinkle colored dress, which set off her honey colored hair nicely, and Elijah's black dress robes would go perfectly. She loved the dress, it gathered around her chest, showing just the right amount. It hugged closely at her hips and average sized waist, and flowed gently from there to her feet. The material felt like water in her hands, and almost felt like wearing nothing when she had it on.

But when ever she pictured it, she saw Carter's face in her head, them dancing kissing...other things. As much as she tried, she couldn't get those pictures out of her head.