Amelia Merlin

Part Six: Wasting Time with Friends

"I hate transfiguration," Seamus complained as they all sat around the common room doing homework.

"It's not that bad," Amelia tried to comfort him.

He raised his eyebrows at her. "Not that bad? Forgetting to brush your teeth is not that bad, but setting your hair on fire every day is bad!" Seamus whined and everyone laughed around him.

"Well I don't know anyone else who explodes things as much as you do!" Dean chimed in. Parvati leaned in and started explaining the transfiguration theory to Seamus.

Hermione walked in with about a million books in her arms. She was always alone, sometimes she was seen with Ron and Harry but she still didn't have very many friends. Amelia really wanted Hermione to have fun and be a part of things. It just seemed to suck being on the outside.

"Hermione!" Amelia called out to her. She turned around with her bushy hair covering half her face. "Could you help me with Herbology? I don't understand any of this!" She understood everything of course (Herbology was one of Amelia's best subjects) but that was besides the point.

Hermione smiled and joined them. She started explaining things in a rather annoying way but Amelia didn't mind. After living with her mother she had a very high tolerance for the irritable. After about twenty minutes, Ron and Harry walked through the porthole and Amelia could hear them talking.

"Why is Hermione sitting with that group?" Ron asked.

"Well Amelia's there,"

"So?"

"So..... Amelia's nice," Harry said awkwardly.

"Yeah but Hermione's not," Ron retorted, he seemed almost jealous.

"Amelia's just super nice, she'd let Neville sit with her," Amelia blushed from across the room.

"I guess so," Ron grumbled. The boys went directly up to their room but came back down five minutes later. Amelia waved them over.

"Harry! How's quidditch going?" She smiled at him.

"It's going well I think, Wood's been working us really hard. He doesn't care at all if the weather sucks," Harry chuckled lightly.

"Poor thing!" Amelia teased and Harry laughed with her.

"Seriously! It's no fun flying in the freezing rain and wind!"

"Aww, does IckleHarry get a chilly?" She poked his nose gently. Harry rolled his eyes and they talked long into the night about Quidditch. Everyone in the common room had left before they finally went to bed.

"Goodnight Amelia," Harry said yawning.

"Sweet dreams Harry!" She smiled at him and crept quietly back into her room, trying not to disturb the sleeping girls.

................................................................

"Good morning Neville!"  Amelia plunked down beside him at the breakfast table.

"Amelia! Hi!" He seemed a bit taken aback. Amelia was strangely pretty, and charming, and powerful, and had lots of friends. So understandably, Neville Longbottom was in shock a girl like this would talk to a guy like him.

"What is new in your world?" She inquired while eating her porridge.

"Nothing really,"

"What's your favourite subject so far?" She said.

"I like Herbology, an I think I'm good at it!" Neville got excited the second he mentioned plants.

"Yeah you're honestly amazing! I'd say best in Gryffindor  for sure! Maybe even best in the year!" She nudged him in a friendly way.

"I'm not better than Hermione," he said modestly.

"Hermione doesn't count," Amelia waved her spoon dismissavly. Neville smiled appreciatively and Amelia's heart warmed. He was such a kind soul and she really did enjoy talking with him.

After classes that day, the Gryffindor first years sat around the edge of the black lake studying and lounging about. Seamus was trying to make his quill fly without a single spark catching, while Lavender watched intently. Amelia and Harry stood barefoot with their feet in the water.

"I like it here," Harry said quietly.

"Me too," Amelia's voice came out cracked.

"Feels like home," Harry whispered to her. His green eyes met hers and she felt the same rush of affection for him as she'd had on the train.

"I know, me too," the corners of her mouth dragged into a small smile. "Did you know the lake is full of mermaids?"

Harry grinned, "is that so?"

"Yeah but not your muggle mermaids. Real merpeople. With pointy teeth and green eyes. They're a bit terrifying actually,"

"Well I guess I'll try to avoid them then,"

"Probably a good idea, they eat boys with green eyes,"

"No they don't!" Harry scoffed.

"Oh yeah! They think that green eyes should be only for the merpeople and they will kill anyone who tries to take that away from them!" Amelia convinced him.

"You're lying....."

Amelia grinned "I almost had you there!" She laughed. Harry kicked water over her bare calves.

They wasted the rest of the afternoon away, lounging by the lake and laughing with friends. Harry was right, this place was home. And despite all Amelia's worries about her magic, she did feel happy here. And she would rather turn a mouse into a moose and have it wreck the great hall then leave here. Actually she kind of wanted to see a moose in the great hall, it would probably be pretty funny. She should mention something to Fred and George........

Just as she was thinking of the twins they appeared in the distance. Amelia said goodbye to her new friends and went to see her old ones.

"Hey boys!" She ran up to them.

"Amelia my pearl!"

"Amelia! Natures gift to humankind!" Fred said, upping his brother. She rolled her eyes.

"What are you boys up to?"

"Not much actually, we are a bit bored," George slumped his shoulders.

"That's the worst thing you could ever say!" Amelia was shocked.

"I know, it's terrible!" Fred pretended to blink back tears.

"Well what ever could we do to cure this?"

"We could take the broomsticks and fly them around the castle, then sit on the top of the astronomy tower, there's a little ledge on the edge of that big telescope, the one that sticks out of the roof, we could sit on that!" The fire ignited in George's eyes as he planned their little adventure.

So they did just what he had said. Amelia didn't have a brim so she clung to Fred's back as they flew to the tower. Amelia laughed when they sat down on the ledge.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing,"

"Then why are you laughing?" Fred smiled as he looked down on the beautiful girl sitting next to him.

"I'm laughing because I'm happy," she replied and stared out to the vastness just below her toes.

Fred couldn't help but watch her, watch the world. The way her eyes lit up whenever she saw a shimmer of beauty, the way she ran her fingers through her hair and especially the way he could make her laugh.