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 24: The Black Lake
Once Leigh made her way out of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes she was immediately tackled by Nova, who was giggling profusely, having watched Leigh's conversation with Fred from a distance.
"He was so flirting with you!" Nova's excited words were shushed by Leigh, who immediately looked around them to make sure no one had overheard Nova's, albeit false, statement.
Leigh rolled her eyes at her friend. "He was definitely not."
"He was! It's as clear as day!" Nova practically squealed. This was her forte: crushes, flirting and, most importantly, delusion. Nova seemed more excited than Leigh at the prospect.
"He was not flirting with me," Leigh stated. Once she realized Nova wasn't easily convinced, she rolled her eyes once more, this time in semi-defeat. "He's just flirty like that with everyone. That's how he is." Leigh replied instead, kicking a pebble at her feet and scanning the street to know where to go next.
It was true, even Hermione said it. Fred was flirty. If she occasionally happened to be on the receiving end of that behaviour, that didn't have to mean anything.
Nova didn't seem too convinced. "Really? What was the last thing he said to you?"
Leigh looked at her friend with a look of confusion. "What?"
"What's the last thing he said? Before you left?"
Leigh looked at Nova suspiciously, but replied nonetheless. She looked up towards the sky with a squint, thinking back to her conversation with Fred moments prior. "He wanted me to come back soon. Didn't want me to wait another month," she blushed at her own recounting of the words.
Nova flung her head back. "Oh, don't make me wait another month, darling!" she imitated, giggling.
"Shut it you absolute prick," Leigh mumbled, happy they had reached a far distance from the shop at this rate.
-
After they returned from the Hogsmeade trip she agreed to follow Nova to dinner before deciding to go on a stroll down to the black lake.
Hermione, sitting at the same table in the hall, offered to come with down to the lake, but Leigh quickly shook her head, telling the girl to enjoy the rest of the meal. The desserts had yet to show up, after all. Besides, Leigh needed some time to herself.
Being late October, the night had already started to darken, and she looked through the dusk across the water once she made it to her destination. The lake laid silent, its mere movements being the few ripples spanning across its surface.
She had gone here with the hopes of some peace, and huffed quietly under her breath when her mind went back to the event that transpired in the corridor some days ago. She wanted to shove the memory out of her mind, but the view of students glancing at her the last few days, snickering, made it difficult to forget.
