Amelia Merlin

Part Twenty Two

The common room was especially warm that night. After her father had been pronounced guilty and sentenced to a lifetime sentence in Azkaban, she had a strange combination of elation and something like guilt, within her heart. Amelia's mind was at war with itself.

"Amy darling," Fred sat down beside her and threw an arm around her shoulders, "have I mentioned, you look wonderful tonight?"

"No I don't think I heard that," she couldn't help smiling, it came too naturally with Fred.

"Did someone say Amelia is gorgeous?" George sat down on her other side.

"Sometimes I think you boys are to nice to me,"

"Well we can easily change that can't we Fred?" George grinned and he exchanged a knowing look with his brother.

"Amelia Merlin, ugliest girl I've ever seen," he said with an air of distaste.

"Smells terrible!"

"Thick as the castle walls too," Amelia was already laughing as the twins.

"Hear about that George kid?" She chimed in. "The worst at Quidditch, absolute rubbish,"

"Oh that is true!" Fred joined, throwing his head back in laughter,"I have heard that before,"

"I thought we were bashing Amelia!" George whined.

"Yes but it's so hard to do that," Fred chuckled giving her a small squeeze, "She's just too great,"

"Can't argue with that," Amelia agreed. A couple hours later she went to bed, she was able to sleep again, but still woke in cold sweats all through the night. Amelia had finally cut her fingernails so she didn't have to wake with bleeding palms.

Her mind was battling with itself as she tossed and turned in bed. She didn't want to feel bad for her father, but she couldn't help it. Amelia hated that man, but his words kept replaying in her mind.

I love my family more than anything.......Ultimately it will save them.

When she woke the next morning she hadn't realized she got any sleep but apparently she had. Amelia was still tired though as she made her way to breakfast with the girls. Lavender and Parvati were in a fight and didn't speak to each other once. Which meant they both vied for Amelia's attention, trying to prove what great friends they were.

"You look so beautiful today Amelia!"

"I love your hair, it's so effortlessly amazing!"

"I see Cedric looking at you!" Amelia snorted at that one.

"Wow Lavender, you really went there didn't you?" She laughed.

"Went where?" Lavender feigned innocence.

"You know, you guys could just talk to each other?" They both looked away awkwardly, "instead of bringing my personal business into it and trying to get in my good side. Cedric has nothing to do with this," Amelia kept her voice very calm and just cut up her potatoes. The girls trained their eyes on their food and sat there.

"Sorry Amelia," Parvati mumbled but Amelia shook her head.

"You know, I'm done with this," she put her fork and knife down and got up to leave. She didn't want to listen to juvenile squabbling when her father had just been sentenced to life in prison. Amelia walked quickly towards the exit of the Great Hall with her clock billowing behind her.

"Amelia!" A voice behind her sounded. "Amelia wait up!"

She spun around, "What?" Her voice came out louder and harsher than she thought.

"I heard about your father," it was Oliver, he looked so sad.

Amelia laughed derisively, "Of course you have! The whole schools heard by now! It's been what? Twenty four hours!" She did not have any patience for people saying things behind her back.

"I didn't mean to be rude," he said complacently. "You know I wouldn't do that Amelia,"

"Yes but you see it's kinda hard to talk and assume the best when everyone is trying to tear you down!" Her voice raised in volume and her hands were clenched. "I'm not stupid! I see all the looks, I hear the whispers and I know what they mean. I know everyone just wants to be friends with me because they think I'm cool or something stupid like that! It's all shit! Everyone here is so shit!" She was full out yelling right now and the hall had gone silent. Amelia furiously wiped the tears from her eyes that had fallen without permission.

"I know," Oliver grabbed her hand and led her outside, away from an audience.

"I'm sorry Oliver, I've just been having a rough time and I really do try to be happy. I put on this face of joy and I'm so nice and I truly see the best in people but goddammit I'm done fighting people. I'm done pretending I don't notice and pretending it doesn't happen. Because it does and it fucking sucks!" She paced back and forth as Oliver took a seat. He patted the ground beside him and she sat down.

"You're going to be fine Amelia," he patted her leg. "I mean it, your brilliant, beautiful, funny and incredibly kind. You don't care about social hierarchy even though you're at the top. You eat breakfast with Neville Longbottom. You let Hermione Granger help you with your homework when I know perfectly well you can do it all in your sleep. You talk about Quidditch with anyone who will listen and you always say hi to people in the corridors. Which sounds dumb but it means a lot,"

Amelia and Oliver sat in silence.

"You always know what to say don't you?" She smiled and touched her forehead to his shoulder. It was a weird gesture but sweet nonetheless. "I really do value you Oliver, you're a good friend."

"That's why I'm in Hufflepuff. And you're in Gryffindor because I don't know anyone else as brave as you. Nobody in this whole world could do what you did yesterday. I'm proud to he your friend," he smiled and warmth emanated from him. Once again she felt a curious fondness for the boy. His dark curls and blue eyes and everything about him was entrancing.

Amelia felt her heart swell at his words. She ran her fingers through her hair before saying what had been scratching the inside of her skull, "I feel bad for him."

"Who?"

"My father. I hate him so much. But he looked so sad and he loves me so much, he said so. But I hate him," she said in one breath.

"That's very confusing,"

"I know! How do you think I feel?" She chuckled dryly.

"I don't have any advice for you, but can I say one thing?" She nodded and Oliver continued, "nothing you feel is wrong. Feelings aren't wrong, it's hard but you're not doing anything bad."

Amelia smiled and felt a bit better. They left the grounds to go to their respective classes, and Amelia embraced him before turning down a corridor. She could see him meeting up with his friends and how all of them slapped him on the back  and laughed at something he said which she couldn't hear. 

She enjoyed the rest of the day and didn't think about her father once afterwords. She was so grateful for Oliver's advice, so when the note from Dumbledore came, Oliver was the first person she told.