Strange Ties--Percy Jackson/Harry Potter

Chapter Twenty-Five

Valerie

"I really think we should include the Trip Jinx in the last part of the guide," Justin insisted. While the rest of her friends were getting ready for the Yule ball, Valerie was stuck doing a last minute project for defense against the dark arts. The whole group, including Valerie, forgot about it. And because the new professor was such an old hag, of course it was due the day after the ball. "Lets include it" Justin insisted again. He was like a broken record, throwing out the same unreasonable suggestion each time they went over the project.

Normally, Valerie was a pacifist. She didn't believe in using violence to solve problems, she thought organized fighting was barbaric, and the idea of war made her queasy.

Yet she was thisclose to punching Justin Bradfield in the face.
"That would take too much time" She said, her tone was firm, but it was impossible to hide her annoyance.

Justin ran a frustrated hand through his wavy dark hair and turned to Stacy, who was fidgeting awkwardly with the tasks papers. "You know I'm right Stacy," he pleaded at her, "We would get more points if we included the trip jinx"
"No, it's better if we end it with the impediment jinx, it's almost the same thing," Valerie argued. She was ready to rip her hair out. She knew exactly what Justin was trying to do. She knew that he had mastered the Trip Jinx, which not many people at Hogwarts could do. He wanted to stand out of the group so he could get a better grade no matter the cost. It's what he had been doing since first year. "Stacy?" Justin prompted.

"Um..I.. Uhh" Stacy stuttered.
Valerie could see the nerdy blond melting under his magnetic stare. Justin had that effect on women. He was infuriatingly handsome, and he happened to be really smart too. Unfortunately, he was fully aware of both these assets and had no qualms using them to his advantage. If Valerie had known what a primadonna Justin was, she would've said hell no to being in his group, but the jackass decided to show his true colors after she said yes, and now it was too late to back out and do the project by herself.

"Maybe Justin is right, '' Stacy murmured, avoiding Valerie's eyes as she betrayed her,"Why don't we start including it? Let's just try it and see if it's really that complicated."

Valerie wanted to curse the girl out, but she bit her tongue. "Fine," she grumbled, "Lets try it"

Triumph lighted Justin's eyes, but it didn't stay there long, because after they started reviewing what they needed to put the jinx in, it became clear that his suggestion sucked. They needed over twenty magic elements and four boiling cauldrons, which were impossible to get in less than twenty four hours.

"I think we should just stick to the impediment jinx," Stacy looked at Justin and bit her lip, as if she was afraid of his reaction.
But although the guy was arrogant, he wasn't stupid. "Fine," he snapped. "We'll do it your way, Valerie"
Valerie nodded her head and muttered under her breath, "Finally"

Fortunately, with Justin's suggestions out of the way, they managed to do the project as fast as possible. Stacy was the first to get out of her seat and run out of the room, claiming there was no way she would be on time for the Yule ball. Truth was, as much as Valerie said she hated dances, she still felt a tinge of fear in missing out on it. Still, even if she changed her mind, she still couldn't go, because she didn't have a date. And the only thing that's worse than going to the Yule ball, is going to the ball alone. She didn't know why no one asked her, but she tried not to think about it so much, though hearing her friends excitedly talking about their plans with their dates, she couldn't shake the feeling of being left out.

Justin arched his brow, "Why aren't you running off like a little girl too?"
"I'm not going" She said she packed her stuff up.
His face sparked with curiosity, "What? Why not?"
She shrugged, "I don't want to"
As soon as she said that, Justin broke into laughter. Valerie eyed him, "What's so funny?"