A Hogwarts Legend: Changing Paths [3]

Chapter Eleven

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Chapter Eleven - "Life is short. Smile while you still have teeth."

On Halloween morning, I awake with the rest and go down to breakfast feeling thoroughly depressed, though doing my best to act normally.

"We'll bring you lots of sweets back from Honeydukes," says Hermione, looking desperately sorry for us.

"Yeah, loads," says Ron. He and Hermione have finally forgotten their squabble about Crookshanks in the face of our disappointment.

"Don't worry about us," says Harry, in an offhand voice. "We'll see you at the feast. Have a good time."

We accompany the four of them to the Entrance Hall, where Filch, the caretaker, is standing inside the front doors, checking off names against a long list, peering suspiciously into every face, and making sure that no one is sneaking out who shouldn't be going.

"Staying here, Potter?" shouts Malfoy, who's standing in line with Crabbe and Goyle. "Scared of passing the Dementors?"

Harry ignores him and I follow him up the marble staircase, through the deserted corridors, and back to Gryffindor Tower.

"Password?" says the Fat Lady, jerking out of a doze.

"Fortuna Major," I say listlessly.

The portrait swings open and we climb through the hole into the common room. It's full of chattering first - and second-years, and a few older students who have obviously visited Hogsmeade so often the novelty has worn off.

"Harry! Emily! Hi!"

It's Colin Creevey, a second-year who's deeply in awe of us both and never misses an opportunity to speak to Harry or I.

"Aren't you going to Hogsmeade, Harry? Why not, Emily? Hey -" Colin looks eagerly around at his friends, "you can come and sit with us, if you like!"

"Er - no, thanks, Colin," says Harry. "We - we've got to go to the library, got to get some work done."

After that, we have no choice but to turn right around and head back out of the portrait hole again.

"Real clever," I mutter to Harry, who glares at me.

"What was the point of waking me up?" the Fat Lady calls grumpily after us as we walk away.

Harry and I wander dispiritedly towards the library, but halfway there Harry changes his mind. He turns around and comes face to face with Filch, who's obviously just seen off the last of the Hogsmeade visitors.

"What are you doing?" Filch snarls suspiciously.

"Nothing," says Harry truthfully.

"Nothing!" spits Filch, his jowls quivering unpleasantly. "A likely story! Sneaking around, why aren't you in Hogsmeade buying Stin Pellets and Belch Powder and Whizzing Worms like the rest of your nasty little friends?"

I shrug.

"Well, get back to your common room where you belong!" snaps Filch, and he stares glaring until Harry and I pass out of sight.

But we don't go back to the common room; we climb a staircase, and are walking along another corridor when a voice from inside one of the rooms says, "Emily? Harry?"

We double back to see who has spoken and meet Professor Lupin, looking around his office door.

"What are you doing?" says Lupin, in a very different voice from Filch. "Where are Ron, Hermione, Maya and Elinor?"