𝐎𝐃𝐃 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐎𝐔𝐓 harry potter.

14: Pepperup

ALLY WEASLEY FOUND HERSELF thoroughly drenched before she even made it to the Great Hall. It was all Peeves' fault, of course. She had cheekily flipped him a finger for fun, and in response, he dropped a water bomb on her. Her usually curly and voluminous hair now clung to her head in wet, tangled strands, the ends dripping onto the cold stone floor. She shivered, already feeling the onset of a cold.

The Great Hall, however, looked as magnificent as ever, glowing with the warmth of the start-of-term feast. Golden plates and goblets gleamed under the light of hundreds of floating candles, casting a soft, flickering glow over the four long House tables. Students chattered excitedly, the hall buzzing with the energy of a new school year. At the head of the hall, the staff sat at a fifth table, watching their students with a mix of sternness and fondness.

"I feel awful," Ally muttered under her breath as the Sorting concluded and the feast began. She hadn't caught a single name during the Sorting, sneezing every time Professor McGonagall called one out. Her hair had begun to dry, but her clothes remained damp, and the chill in her bones only grew worse, leaving her on the brink of a full-blown cold.

Lottie and Amelia were already engrossed in the feast, though Lottie spared a sympathetic glance in Ally's direction. "You should go see Madam Pomfrey," she suggested. "She could give you some Pepperup Potion, or something."

"We can come with you if you want," Amelia offered kindly, though Ally could tell they'd much rather enjoy their dinner than accompany her to the hospital wing for something as mundane as a cold.

"I'll wait until after the feast," Ally said, pushing her plate away. She laid her head gently on the table, closing her eyes. "Just let me sleep," she murmured, her voice heavy with exhaustion.

Amelia and Lottie exchanged puzzled glances, noting how out of place Ally looked among the lively chatter of the other students. There she was, head resting on the long table, eyes closed, and mouth slightly open as she struggled to breathe through her congested nose.

Some students, curious about Ally's odd choice to sleep through the feast, would occasionally poke their heads over, trying to figure out what was so special about it. Pansy Parkinson even asked Amelia if Ally was dead. When Amelia responded with an exasperated "No!" Pansy looked visibly disappointed and turned her head away, pouting.

Blaise Zabini, sitting next to Theodore Nott, furrowed his brows at Amelia and Lottie struggling. The thing about Blaise was that he didn't need to speak or call your name to get your attention. With a slight nod toward Blaise, Lottie exaggeratedly mouthed, "She's sick," while pointing dramatically at Ally and gesturing a slice across her neck. Amelia scolded her in a harsh whisper, "What are you doing?!"

"So!" Dumbledore's voice rang out as he smiled warmly at the students. "Now that we are all fed and watered, I must once more ask for your attention while I give out a few notices."

"Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to inform you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year been extended to include several more items. The full list can be seen in Mr. Filch's office." The corners of Dumbledore's mouth twitched with amusement. "As ever, I would like to remind you all that the Forbidden Forest on the grounds is out-of-bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmeade to all below third year."

"It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."

That announcement would have shattered Ally's heart—if she had heard it, of course. But she was already deep in a dream, one where she was surfing on a cloud by the beach while cats rained from the sky, and she had to catch as many as possible to pass to the next level.