As the Second Wizarding War ended, many students decided to go back to Hogwarts to finish their studies. Anne-Leigh Conway was one of them.
While she attempts to come to terms with what's happened, she gets entangled in an effort set forth by Headmi...
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Chapter 8: Owlery
A few minutes later Leigh and Nova were careful not to slip as they rushed down the stairs from the common room to the great hall for dinner. Leigh's stomach grumbled, and she was painfully reminded that she had stupidly skipped lunch, and had opted for a plain apple for breakfast before rushing off to classes in the morning.
The scene with the spiders and Ron was still ingrained in her mind, and Ron still seemed shaken up as he was led down the stairs a few minutes prior, desperately holding onto the railing next to Hermione and Harry. Hermione seemed worried, while Leigh swore she could see a small smile fighting at the corners of Harry's lips.
"I can't believe it," Nova giggled. "One of the Weasley's actually set off the spiders?"
"Fred," Leigh huffed in annoyance. "Arsehole."
Nova shrugged. "I guess. But it is his own brother. I suppose if he's allowed to be an arsehole to anyone, it's him."
"It's ridiculous," Leigh started as they turned a corner and continued down the stairs, careful as they moved onto one of the moving staircases. "They're not even students anymore. It's inappropriate."
"Oh, shut it!" Nova exclaimed with a giggle, and Leigh looked at her with wide eyes. "They're not hurting anyone. Besides, people love them. Gryffindor quidditch heroes. Always used to make people laugh. Made Dumbridge get petrified and eaten by a firework dragon. What's not to like?"
Leigh grumbled to herself, not having anything to reply with. She supposed they weren't all bad. Still, annoyance grew in her chest and she was planning to send them an angry letter from the owlery after dinner. She certainly didn't appreciate being dragged into one of their stupid ideas, as she had been this afternoon, with Fred tugging her into the shadows of the corridor.
Her mind went back to the aftermath of the spider prank, remembering Ron's wide, glossy eyes looking her way after the insects had disappeared, a finger pointed in her direction. "W-was it you? I saw them coming from that way!"
Of course, once Ron had calmed down after this life threatening event, it was clear both to him and anyone else that the spontaneous accusation was absurd, and he had mumbled a sheepish 'sorry' to her, clearly embarrassed. Out of everyone in the school, Leigh had to be one of the least likely people to go around pranking people. Except, of course, when she was dragged along by one of the prank masters themselves.
Nova dropped her voice as they started to near the great hall, the both of them feeling the smell of freshly cooked food reach their noses. "I hope Terry's in," she murmured with a nervous smile, and Leigh scrunched her eyebrows together, not following.
"Terry Boot? The Ravenclaw?" Leigh asked in confusion. "Where else would he be?"
"Yes, Terry Boot," Nova giggled again. "We have charms together. And Herbology,"
