Bad Omens | F. W

Thirteen - Stresses and Struggles

    The new year came and went faster than anyone anticipated. Harry and Ron began to avoid Hermione, while Sarah Jane began to avoid Harry and Hermione. Hermione had been the one who ratted them out, saying their broom just had to be cursed. Sarah Jane avoided them by sitting in her common room alone or in the library.

    The day after New Years eve, Sarah Jane finally spat the mandrake leaf out into the crystal phial Fred had gotten for her. She sat in the kitchen in silence as she poured the silver teaspoon of dew in, then added the chrysalis of death's-head hawk moth. The girl plucked one of her own strands of hair out and stuck it in as well. The only downside to this process was she still had to repeat that annoying tongue-twister of a verse every morning and night, but at least it wouldn't be long. She wrapped the phial with some black cloth and stuck it back into its corner before leaving it alone.

    She just needed an electrical storm now.

    The students returned to Hogwarts shortly after that. Sarah Jane welcomed her friends back loudly, to their surprise. Susan eagerly told her about her holiday, Hannah wasn't as keen on her own though. The girl thanked Cedric for her shirts, and the boy was happy to see her wearing one of the ones he got her.

    But then Cedric's joy was ruined when Sarah Jane told him about the broom.

    "She took it?!"

    Sarah Jane grabbed his ear and yanked him down to her height, bringing her finger to her lips, "quiet! I don't even know if I'm gonna get it back, so don't go spewing about it."

    "Ow! Ow, ow, ow, ow! Okay, I'll -- ow! Quit that, I'll be quiet!"

    With an eerily friendly smile, the girl let him go and watched as he grabbed his war, wincing from the pain her tiny fingers inflicted on him.

    The first week of classes came back quickly though, as well as the endless detentions. When Thursday night came around, Professor Lupin had stopped Sarah Jane and her brother. The two looked at the man, inching away from one another, as he promised he'd teach them in private after their lesson on Monday. Despite the obvious tension between the twins, they both agreed with grins and left seconds after.

    Friday night and the weekend passed painfully.

    Sarah Jane found herself practicing quidditch for most of it, sitting on a school broom outside with Cedric alone or with her team any chance they got. It was difficult for the girl, while everyone else had their versions of the Cleansweep, or Comets, (or Cedric's own Nimbus,) Sarah Jane struggled to control the horrible little Shooting Star broomstick. She hated the broom, it was too slow for her and it tended to drift when she didn't move for too long.

    She missed bludger shots at least three times all because she was too busy refocusing the broom, not getting to the spot she needed for the strike.

    Each practice they ended, Sarah Jane would grab Cedric by the collar and drag him away from staring at the Ravenclaw team from taking the pitch. Cedric would stare until Cho Chang, the seeker, was out of sight. Cedric finally snapped out of his gaze after the others teased him.

    It was funny how a good couple dozen girls were swooning over Cedric, yet he had his eyes on the one he couldn't even reach.

    And each practice Sarah Jane lost more hope of getting that Nimbus 1700 back.

—

    As eight o'clock on the next Thursday night came around, Sarah Jane took a lazy step into the History of Magic's classroom. She walked in with her hands deep into her robe pockets as she saw Harry already inside. The two glared at one another for a moment.