The Gifted One

Chapter 14 - Distant Yet Close

Maxine POV

I was sitting near Ron and Harry as they searched for a book on the Chamber of Secrets with the warm rays of sunlight that illuminated the library. I had a different book compared to what the trio were researching. It was a book about Merlin. I mean how could I not get a book about Merlin when he's so well known in the muggle world and Hogwarts? Not only that he is the best wizard to have ever lived maybe even the only strongest wizard.

Well, I take that back, there are a few great wizards such as Dumbledore but I mean Merlin, the Merlin is simply so fascinating and amazing. In my eyes, he's the most powerful wizard to live. Although I'm sure people would say otherwise. The brown thick worn-out book was like many of the other books on the bookshelves. This book was well hidden at the very end and bottom of the bookshelves and dusty. I swipe the front cover of the book making the dust fly in the air as it reveals the title in words that were slightly faded. But they were still visible enough to be able to see the title of the front cover as it reads "Merlin: The Prince of Enchanters".

Now I sit there with the book laid on the table as each page I flip contained specks of dust that would fly out. However, I did have a few doubts about the book, mostly because I believed it would deteriorate at the very touch of my fingers. Thankfully it didn't and was rather sturdy. It contained messages that Merlin himself wrote but they would be in small pieces of paper. I would have thought this would be kept in the restricted section but upon further inspection around the outer part of the book I can barely see a small hole which I assume was where it would be chained in.

It was hard to tell whether someone had snuck the book out of the restricted section or not. Hermione shortly arrives where we are with a big book in hand, "Here it is, The Polyjuice potion. Properly brewed, the polyjuice potion allows the drinker to transform himself temporarily into the physical form of another." She reads the book to use as Ron responds, "We'll turn into Crabbe and Goyle? "

"Yes." "Wicked. Malfoy'll tell us anything." Ron says looking rather excited about the plan. "Exactly, but it's tricky. I've never seen a more complicated potion." I take a peek at the book as my eyes widen "It looks complicated."

"Well, how long will it take to make?" Harry asks.
"A month."
"A month?" Me and Harry say in sync. "But, Hermione, if Malfoy is the heir of Slytherin, he could attack half the muggle-borns in school by then." I shake my head in disagreement with what Harry said. "I know...but it's the only plan we've got," Hermione responds.

"Besides I don't think Malfoy will plan to attack the muggle-borns yet anyway," I say knowing that deep down Malfoy could hardly harm a person besides only using words to harm a person. "How would you know that Maxine? For all we know he could." Argues Harry as I stay silent not wanting to argue any further.

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Soon as time flew came the quidditch match against Gryffindor and Slytherin. Which I gladly came to especially since Harry was in the Gryffindor team but many gave strange looks at me since Slytherin wouldn't be cheering for Gryffindor. I wouldn't doubt that most Slytherin aren't a big fan of me but at the same time, it seems neutral perhaps because I'm close to Draco. Slytherin at first seemed to have been winning. While Harry searches for the golden snitch. "Blimey! Harry's got himself a rogue Bludger. That's been tampered with, that has." Hagrid says beside me, Ron, and Hermione as we watch Harry flying away making me grip tightly to the edge in front of me. It wasn't surprising that Slytherin was playing dirty or that even Draco was behind this. Ron raises his wand towards the rogue bludger, " I'll stop it." Before Hermione would push Ron's hand down I made sure to give him one loud smack on the arm. "No. Even with a proper wand, it's too risky. You could hit Harry." Hermione scolds Ron as I grab Ron's hair moving his head back and forth, "That's right you can hit Harry with that broken wand of yours. Are you crazy!" "Owww let go Maxine that hurts." I finally let go as he looked like an annoyance making me want to grab his hair again as he flinches and hides behind Hermione, "that's right you better hide." I say warningly, "You're so mean to me. You're just as mean as your friend Draco."

"I wonder why I'm always mean to you...maybe it's because you get on my nerves." We glared at each other and it felt as if we were the fighting type of siblings at that very moment. "I think it's funny when Maxine is mean to you Ron." Says Hermione as she laughs while Ron looks like betrayal.

Harry managed to dodge the rogue bludger as he shortly spots the golden snitch. Both Harry and Draco make their advances in capturing the golden snitch. For what felt like a long moment Harry and Draco disappeared before reappearing as Draco fell on the ground. While Harry continues to chase after the golden snitch but the rogue bludger hits his arm but Harry continues his advances towards the snitch. He then fell to the floor and we all went to Harry to check on him.

"Harry Potter has caught the Snitch! Gryffindor wins!"

We finally arrived towards Harry but Hermione, Ron, and Hagrid were ahead of me since I wasn't able to push past the crowd while Hermione stops the Bludger.

But I stopped... in the distance unable to move myself towards Harry.

I stood frozen or it felt like time itself had frozen.

I saw them... Harry's and I's parents.

Lily and James Potter...

So happy, with smiling faces when Harry won and yet with worried expressions towards Harry. There they stood and here I stood so distant and yet so close. I was close to reaching out my hand towards them even though there was a huge distance away from both of us. 

But the moment they made eye contact....they faded away. Like when the sun goes down to meet the dark. They were gone...but why? Why did they leave? Why?

I didn't notice what happened to Harry. I froze looking at thin air as if hoping they would reappear for me. Just to see them one...more...time. But they didn't, "Maxine?" I hear Regulus say as he waves his hand in front of my face catching my attention. It was the same when Regulus would disappear whenever he wished, "what's wrong." He says but I remain silent for a long moment before answering. "Nothing." I finally reach Harry to see his wobbly arm move around boneless. It was rather gross looking and had me looking away for a split moment.

"Yes, well...that can sometimes happen, but the point is...you can no longer feel any pain," says Lockhart as he bends Harry's arm making me gasp in horror. "And very clearly, the bones are not broken."

"Broken? There's no bones left!" Yells Hagrid
"He's as boneless as a worm!" I also yell while pointing at his arm. "Much more flexible, though." I shook my head at Lockhart, feeling even more grateful that I pranked him but it gave me the urge to prank him even more.
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I stood in the infirmary which brought many horrible memories of that horrid demon and how it wounded me bruising my neck terribly. I was sure that if I didn't receive treatment as they do in Hogwarts I wouldn't ever heal fast enough. "Oh, Mr. Malfoy, stop making such a fuss. You can go. Out of my way. Out of my way! Should have been brought straight to me. I can mend bones in a heartbeat but growing them back?" Pomfrey says as I sit on Harry's bed beside him.

"You will be able to, won't you?" Hermiones says.
"You can right?" I also question with a worried tone. "Oh, I'll be able to, certainly, but it will be painful. You're in for a rough night, Potter. Regrowing bones is a nasty business."  She says as she hands a cup to Harry. I knew very well it wasn't gonna be good especially as Harry spits it out. Making jump out of the way I feel little droplets fall on my arm.

"Well, what do you expect, pumpkin juice?"

I quickly went over to Draco who was still lying on the bed groaning. I smack him on the arm and he quickly stops and grabs his arm. "Ow that hurt." "I thought the fall hurt more than the slaps. Let's go, stop being such a baby you can't handle this much pain."

"You wouldn't understand Maxine you didn't fall off your broom." I rolled my eyes "It doesn't look like you broke your arm at least. You're fine." Draco shook his head as I finally said "I'm glad you're fine." I smile warmly at Draco. "I guess you're right. I mean it doesn't hurt anymore." Even though Harry, Ron, and Hermione weren't so fond of Draco I don't believe I could ever dislike someone even if they were rude and perhaps I was just too kind for my good.