Amelia Merlin

Part Ninety One: The end of another year

"What?!" Amelia gasped. "That's insane!"

"I know!" Lavender squealed. "I freaking know!"

"I have to go." She mumbled, grabbed her bag and stood up. "I'll see you guys later."

Amelia sped through the halls, her heart butterflied in her chest as she headed towards the hospital wing. She couldn't help but be worried. Harry was always getting into trouble but she was still worried. She was making her way through the halls as fast as she could when a voice called out behind her.

"Amy!" Fred's voice sounded through the mass of people. "Amy wait up!"

"I can't chat!" She turned to look at him and he started to jog towards her, Amelia turned and continued going to the hospital wing.

"What's up?" He caught up with her.

"It's Harry." She said desperately.

"Yeah? What happened?"

"You don't know?" She tried to keep the shock out of her voice. Fred was the sort of person who always knew everything about everything.

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah that's why I'm asking Amy."

"Well something happened to Harry."

"You said that." a small smile crept up on his lips.

"So I'm going to the hospital wing to make sure he's okay."

"Isn't that what Madame Pomfrey is for?"

Amelia glared at him and walked faster, almost running.

"okay! okay I'm sorry!" he caught up and grabbed her arm so she spun around to face him. "I'm sorry."

"It was a Dementor attack apparently." she half whispered.

"Harry's faced worse. He's a tough guy."

"I know that."

"Well let's go see how the little bugger's doing, yeah?" she nodded and the pair of them walked to the Hospital Wing. When they entered, Amelia strode over to where Harry was sitting on the edge of a bed and gave him a hug.

"Woah!" he laughed. "What's this for?"

Amelia smiled and released him. "Just checking in on you. I heard you fought off about a million dementors."

Harry shrugged. "Yeah you're not wrong." behind her, Amelia heard Hermione snort.

With a sort of dizzy happiness, Amelia leaned in and kissed Harry on the cheek. "I'm really happy you're okay."

"Thanks." he blushed and awkwardly looked down at his feet.

"So Harry!" Fred said boisterously. "Did you really fight off a million dementors?"

"No, it was more like a hundred." Hermione chimed in.

Fred looked thoroughly impressed and was about to start talking when Ron yelled out of the blue, "Has anyone noticed my leg!"

Everyone turned to stare at him. Then Fred spoke up, "We are talking about Harry right now. And also nobody really cares."

"It's been half chewed off by a mangy old beast!" Ron protested and Amelia had to stop herself from saying that's what she said because it was a super inappropriate time to do so.

"Again, nobody cares." Fred repeated. Ron scowled and Amelia laughed.

A few days later the end of term was upon them, Gryffindor had won the Quidditch Cup and the House Cup, the feast was incredible and now it was time to go home. The train ride back to King's Cross was full of people discussing the year they had just had, the memories they made and the plans for summer.

"We have to go to Amelia's again." Lavender said seriously to the group sitting in the compartment. It was the usual Gryffindor gang, with Oliver and Terry as well.

"We've all already said yes," Dean rolled his eyes. "I don't know why you keep going on about it."

"Because! It feels like you guys are going to bail on me and that would suck!" she pouted.

"I promise we won't" Seamus said.

"Yeah we wouldn't dream of it!" Neville smiled and Lavender looked a little more at ease.

"What's this you guys are talking about?" Terry raised his eyebrows and before anyone else could answer Oliver spoke.

"It's Amy's birthday party. We all go over there and just have a chill time." he said.

Terry nodded and there was a small silence for a moment before Amelia said, "Would you like to come?"

Lavender shot her a look and the boys stiffened slightly. Amelia got the impression she should not have invited him, hopefully he would decline.

"Yeah sure!"

Or not apparently.

"Great!" She said with a feigned enthusiasm. "I'll send you a letter with the details."

There was another awkward silence.

"Does anybody want to see my Herbology drawings?" Neville offered eagerly.

Another awkward silence.

"Yeah sure." Oliver leaned in as Neville brought out his book and Amelia stared at the curly haired boy and smiled for she was reminded of how kind he really was.

The trees whisked past the train and it made anyone looking out feel very sick. But Amelia felt fine. When they arrived however, a vomit worthy anxiety laced her stomach.

The clunk her trunk made as she pulled it off the train. Lavender's hair suffocating her as they hugged and Parvati's smile as she waved goodbye. The smoke billowing off the train so she couldn't see a thing. The parents embracing their children.

And Oliver's low tone in her ear sending shivers down her back, so close she could feel his breath and almost hear his heart, as he said "I'll see you soon, darling."

Then a tall young man leaning against the wall. Smoking a purple cigarette and smiling that familiar crooked smile as he tucked a small black book into the back of this black jacket. And the crooked smile calling her name as she walked over.

"Amelia!" He beamed as he hugged her. She smiled and pressed her face against his chest. Jeremy slung an arm around her and pushed her trunk with the other. "It's absolutely grand to see you!"

She looked up at him and suddenly recognized how terrible he looked. There were bags under his eyes the colour of his cigarettes and his face was thinner than usual and his walk seemed more forced, more frail.

He continued talking, "It's been a crazy time Amelia. And I've got so much to tell you! But first let me warn you about something."

She gave him a look that made Jeremy laugh and shake his head. "Nothing bad. There's just a guy staying at the house right now because he and mom are starting a charity together and just thought you should know so it doesn't throw you off."

"Is he nice?"

"Yeah totally. Super cool too. I'll tell you about this hilarious time we went to a party and - yeah I'll just wait actually. It'd be better after you meet him."

"Well I can't wait!" She said honestly.

And as Amelia ducked into the cab he said behind her, "Me neither."

A/N sorry this took so long guys! But it kept deleting and I had to keep starting over so I got super unmotivated. Much love! Please comment with predictions about what might happen this summer!