Chasing Love

Chapter Twenty-Seven - End of Fourth Year

The four girls - Eliza, Katie, Angelina and Alicia made their way down to the great hall. Everyone was in their pyjamas and didn't know what was quite going on. It turned out the heir had been caught, Voldemort had bewitched Ginny.

Eliza sat in between the twins and smiled brightly when Hermione came running in shouting "You solved it! You solved it!"

The feast lasted all night and it got even better when at half past three Hagrid arrived where he patted Harry and Ron on the shoulder so hard that they fell into their plates of trifle.

Near the end it was announced that both Harry and Ron had been given 200 hundreds points. So the 400 hundred points had helped Gryffindor the house cup for the second year in a row. And it was even better when McGonagall stood up and announced that the exams had been cancelled as a treat. Eliza turned to the twins at this point and told them "Lets hope they don't cancel them next year! We need to pass our O.W.Ls!"

"I wouldn't mind if the exams were cancelled." Fred replied. "We don't need them."

To make matters even better Dumbledore went onto say that Lockhart would not be returning the next year due to the fact he was going to have to go away and get his memory back. Even the teachers cheered at this brilliant news.

On the way back to the dormitories Cedric and Eliza passed one and other and grinned happily. "It was another great end to a year at Hogwarts."

The rest of the final term passed very happily, Hogwarts was back to normal except from a few differences - all the defence against the dark arts lessons were cancelled but the twins and Eliza said they never learnt anything in it anyway. Lucius Malloy had been sacked as school governor due to his part in the chamber of secrets plot - this hadn't been said to the students but of course at Hogwarts nothing stayed a secret. Because of this Draco was no longer strutting around school as though he owned it, instead he was looking sulky and resentful.

The opposite of this was Ginny - the girl was perfectly happy once again. It was a relief to the Weasley family that they're daughter and sister was alive and well.

It was over sooner than anyone would have liked, Eliza finished packing her belongings up before turning to Angelina and Alicia, the three girls hugged before getting ready for the journey home on the Hogwarts Express.

Eliza kissed Cedric goodbye and promised to write to him lots of the holiday before going into a compartment where the twins, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were all sat.

Of course the group made most of the last few hours they had left to do magic before the holidays. They played exploding snap, set off the very last of Fred and George's Filibuster Fireworks and practiced disarming each other with magic. Harry and Eliza were the best at it.

When they were nearing King's Cross Harry suddenly asked "Ginny, what did you see Percy doing, that he didn't want you to tell anyone?"

"Oh, that." Ginny replied while giggling. "Well, Percy's got a girlfriend!" This caused Fred to drop a stack of book onto George's head.

"What?"

"It's that Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater." said Ginny. "That's who he was writing to all last summer. He's been meeting her all over the school in secret. I walked in on them kissing in an empty classroom one day. He was so upset when she was - you know - attacked. You won't tease him, will you?" Ginny added nervously.

"Wouldn't dream of it." said Fred, who was looking like his birthday had come early.

"Definitely not." Added George, who was sniggering.

Eliza whispered to the boys "I feel sorry for the people who are near Maisie when she finds out."

The twins burst into laughter. "Good luck to those poor souls. You still not friends with her?"

She shook her head. "I wish we were but whenever I try and talk to her she hits back with a snarky comment." Eliza let out a sigh. "I seem to be losing a close friend every year! First Oliver and now Maisie."

The train pulled into the station. "Home time!" The twins yelled excitedly - they were looking forward to seeing Percy.

Eliza hugged them tightly before going through the wall and walking out of the station. Stood tall in a black suit, he waited. Glaring as all of the muggles walked past him but it softened slightly when he saw Eliza nearing. "Finally these muggles make me sick!"

"It's great to see you again, school was great thanks. I'm glad you're enjoying working with father."

"You should be grateful I even came."

"But you wouldn't be able to live with the fact that you left your poor dear sister alone at the station!"

"I'd live quite contently thank you very much." Dominic told her.

Eliza laughed. "They'll be a part of you full of guilt and every day that part will get bigger and bigger!"

"Sure sister." Dominic said but he failed to hide the smile on his face.

"Thank you by the way." He turned to her, surprise on his face. "It's nice to know you care."

"You're a Dawlish." He replied simply. "I used to always protect you when we were children."

"But then I went into Gryffindor."

"Things would have been so different if you had been in Slytherin."

Eliza let out a sigh. "I know but I can't pretend that I'm glad I am in Gryffindor, it's where I belong!"

"And what about being a Dawlish?"

"I don't think that's a great thing." Eliza told him honestly. "Our family isn't good."

"But you are." Dominic told her. "You were placed in Gryffindor because you chose to be there, you didn't want to be another Dawlish who went bad. I admire you for that."

"You admire me?" Eliza started to laugh. "I do believe brother that we are having a heart to heart."

When they returned to the Dawlish Manor, their mother was waiting. "That took you long enough." She turned to stare at Eliza. "You've grown again." Her mother touched her hair. "Your hairs longer again, it used to be like that when you were young."

Eliza nodded unsure about where the conversation was going. "I should go and unpack."

As she made her way out she glanced back to see her mother and brother staring at her. With a shake of the head she thought to herself that it was going to be a long summer.