Gerard Way and the Triwizard Tournament

Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Frank hadn't said a word to me in the last twenty four hours. During Charms, he pretended that I didn't exist, and he ignored me during breakfast. Now we were in Transfiguration, and despite the fact that he was only a few seats away, he was diligently taking notes and not even acknowledging my presence. It was like he was pretending that nothing had happened between us yesterday. Maybe it just didn't mean as much to him as it did to me.

Then again, he did say that he had a crush on me, and Frank always meant what he said. Maybe he was just in shock, like I was. Either way, Frank was one of my closest friends, and now I had completely ruined our friendship.

Frank would always be a mystery to me. I wished that I had learned Legilimency. Then I might be able to know what Frank was thinking. For now, however, I simply had to deal with Frank giving me the silent treatment. I had gotten myself in over my head, and now a relationship with Frank was truly out of reach. Frank didn't love me like he did yesterday.

Professor Lester was in the middle of a lecture on Cross-Species Transfiguration, which was review for the NEWTs, since we had learned that last year. I was trying to take notes, but I couldn't focus on anything. Frank, however, seemed to have no problem concentrating. Why couldn't I be more like him?

I started writing out some song lyrics. I needed to relax my mind, and that was the only thing that could help.

Well if you wanted honesty, that's all you had to say.

I never want to let you down or have you go, it's better off this way.

For all the dirty looks, the photographs your boyfriend took,

Remember when you broke your foot from jumping out the second floor?

I didn't know what to do for the chorus, so I would have to work on this song later. "Gee, what's wrong?" Ray whispered to me. "You seem a little off today."

"I'm okay," I said. "Trust me."

"I can tell when something's up," Ray said. "You're not okay. You know, if you need to talk about anything, I'm here for you."

"You're right," I said. "I'm not o-fucking-kay, because you wear me out!"

"Don't worry about it Ray," Hayley said. "He's just stressed out because of the tournament tomorrow. Either that, or he's just feeling cranky and pubescent today and doesn't know why."

"Or both," Ray said.

They were both wrong, but I never expected them to understand. They didn't know what happened the day before, and honestly, I didn't really want them to know. I would take this to my grave if I had to.

I jotted down a few more song lyrics, while Professor Lester continued to lecture. Hopefully we would actually get to do some Transfiguration soon. I always preferred a more practical approach to learning magic.

At that moment, Professor McGonagall entered the room. "Professor Lester, I hate to interrupt, but may I please speak to Frank Iero for a few minutes?"

Frank got out of his seat, grabbed his books, and left the classroom with McGonagall. Either he was in really big trouble or he was about to get an award. Those were the only two reasons why anyone would be pulled out of class to talk to McGonagall.

Class continued, but Frank didn't return. He didn't show up for Herbology or Care of Magical Creatures either. Nobody had ever stayed in McGonagall's office for this long, even when Dennis Creevey did a Vanishing Charm on Madam Hooch's whistle during my first year.

After Care of Magical Creatures, I went into the library and read up on poison antidotes in an attempt to prepare for the second task. I understood how to do most of them, so I figured that I would be okay. Laurette was in there as well.

"Hello Gerard," she said. "Are you ready for the second task?"

I nodded. "I think so," I said.

"Well, good luck," she said. "I hope you do well."

"Good luck to you too," I said.

"Have you seen Renée anywhere?" Laurette asked. "She's been missing for the last few hours."

"Who's Renée?" I asked.

"She's my best friend," Laurette said. "I haven't seen her since this morning, when Madame Maxime pulled her out of class."

"I don't think that I've seen her," I said. I didn't mention that Frank was gone too.

On my way out of the library, I ran into Mikey, who wouldn't shut up about the unicorn unit and some new song that he had learned on his bass. I did finally get to the Gryffindor table for dinner, but Frank still wasn't back from McGonagall's office.

While everyone else discussed the second task, I came up with a chorus for the song that I was writing. I decided to write it down.

I'm not okay

I'm not okay

I'm not okay

You wear me out

I wasn't okay, not when everything was falling apart like this, but I had to pull myself together. The second task was tomorrow, and I had to win. Hogwarts was counting on me, and I wouldn't let them down.