The Birds and the Bears - Harry Potter Fanfic.

Chapter One. Cheese Cauldron Tossers.

Chapter One. Cheese Cauldron Tossers.

Victoire P.O.V.

Sixth Year:

            I'm not looking forward to going back to Hogwarts much. I am excited to be able to do magic and everything, but being there eats at me. My dorm mates in Ravenclaw don't seem to know what to do with me. They've been nice enough since first year, but as soon as I turn my back I feel like they are spreading rumors about me.

There was that one time that someone told Fisk Burnaby that I had a burning passion for him, and he wouldn't stop asking be out for three months. Or that other time in fourth year that someone charmed all of my robes bright magenta and I couldn't for the life of me change them back, and had to send to Madame Malkin's for more. Over my school career there have been many such incidents. I try to ignore them, stay proud, and keep to myself, but sometimes they are really hurtful. Last year was the worst though. I really truly hit puberty, and all Hades broke loose.

            Jessica Patil got it in her jealous head that the only way that the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain would look at her twice was to have me get expelled. She tried all kinds of stuff, including defacing the Second Wizarding War memorial with rainbow colour change spray paint, spelling out the words "VICTOIRE WEASLEY WAS HERE".

            One of her more cruel attempts was when she went, tearfully, to Headmistress McGonagall swearing she'd seen me and Professor Greenbank, who taught DADA at the time, coming out of a broom closet together. Jessica may not have been all that bright, but she was certainly conniving. Professor Greenbank was transferred, even thought I vehemently denied the accusation, and after that none of the other male Professors would stay in the same room alone with me. It was like I had some kind of disease, but on the plus side they stopped giving me detention. 

            After that Jessica's attempts died down a little. She did small spiteful things like adding swelling solution to my forgetfulness potion during the OWLs practice exam and convincing her brainless lackey, Brian Welling, to write raunchy information about me in all the boys toilets. She was a bitter girl last year and I kind of hope she's forgotten all about me over the summer.

            Other than mean girls, I had to deal with other irritating things last year. Namely boys chasing me around, trying to get me to go out with them. I dunno if Veelas are supposed to be really promiscuous, but I myself am emphatically not. Within the first week of fifth year I'd been asked out over thirty five times, which averages out to five times a day.

            After that I stopped counting, and begged Teddy to teach me a disillusionment charm, and all the secret passage ways that he knew. He did, and it was then that we really started hanging out. We worked together on homework deep in the stacks of the library, casting the Muffliato charm around us so that the ancient Madame Pince would not hear us chatting. Teddy taught me how to do this jinx that causes the male victim to get an irrepressible itch in their nether regions for forty five seconds. He said it was to keep the un wanted suitors away. Needless to say it is effective.

            Most of the time we sat in silence, simply enjoying each other's company. It was really lovely. Teddy acted like my one man safe haven, keeping me calm and centered, keeping me from accidentally torching Jessica Patil to ashes. I hope that he hasn't forgotten about me this summer. We didn't spend much time together, because my family went to france to visit Maman's younger sister, and Teddy wasn't at the end of summer Weasley gathering.

            "Victoire!" Maman is calling me from the base of the stairs, breaking me out of my reflections. "Victioire, eef we do not leave zis instant, we will be tres retard for zee 'ogwarts Express." I grab my heavy trunk in one hand, and stuff the last of my belongings into my purse, then trundle down out towards the hearth in the kitchen. Domonique is starting her second year at Hogwarts, and Louis his first, so my parents will be empty nesters this year. Maman is slightly tearful as she places soggy kisses on the heads of her two silver haired Veela daughters, and her one red headed son. She and Papa usher us into the large hearth and one by one we each shout "Platform 9 and 3/4!" then disappear in a swirl of green flame.

            After I make sure that Dom and Louis have got there trunks on the train and are happily sequestered in a compartment, I go to try and find Teddy. As I struggle down the packed corridor I try to avoid the gawping boys. It is so stupid. Most of them have known me for years, you'd think they'd have gotten over me by now. It's not as if I've been encouraging their advances at all.

            I duck into a loo. Rummaging in my purse I find a long blue silk scarf, that Maman got me in france. I wind it carefully around my waste length silver hair and bind it to my head. For some reason my disillusionment charms don't work that well on my Veela hair. It seems to defy any kind of magical concealment, or transfiguration. Muttering the charm, and feeling the familiar sensation of a cold egg being smashed on my head, I dissolution myself.

            The corridors are packed, and people keep bumping into my invisible self, and looking confusedly around. I don't care. It is nice to not draw people's eyes. I pass the prefects cabin and see Jessica Patil, and her no account friend Melanie Fern. It baffles me that they got to be prefects, what is the world coming to? Finally I see him. Teddy is much taller than I remember. Today his hair is turquoise and shaggy, matching his eyes exactly, and his shoulders seem a lot more broad. Last year Teddy was all elbows an knees, his hands and feed large on his gangly frame. Boy did he fill out! I blush at the direction of my thoughts, momentarily forgetting that no one can see me. He is chatting animatedly with some other Griffindor seventh years. They are all taller and brawnier than last year, but Teddy is by far the most handsome.

            I remove the disillusionment charm, and seem to fade into visibility. For a moment no one notices me, then Manfred Bletchly catches sight of me. A familiar dreamy expression steals over his face, and he looses the train of the conversation. Teddy say "Manny!" while poking his friend in the ribs "You were just telling me the Chuddley Canon's chaser got spatergr ..." His eyes fell on me and his annoyed expression morphs into a smile. "Vic." I run at him, literally, and jump into his arms. "What are you wearing on your head, Vic?" he asks. One of his arms is firmly around my waist, holding me a good foot above the ground, and the other pulls at the scarf around my hair, letting it fall in silver sheets down my back."Teddy you know that I can't disillusion my hair." I remind him laughing quietly. He sets me down, leaving an arm around my waist and turns to his slightly stunned friends. "Will, Manny! Snap out of it guys. It's just Vic." They both try unsuccessfully to clear their dazed expressions.

            We all jam into a compartment, that already contains some of Teddy's other friends, and I end up squashed between Teddy and Manfred. The Griffindors start up a ratios game of Exploding Snap, while I crack open Advanced Potion Making Grade Six and start reading. We are traveling along merrily until Manfred dose something unwise. His hand rests on my thigh, heavy, hot and unwelcome. Apparently over the summer my control got a little rusty. The entire deck of Exploding Snap cards burst into noisy flames, the lamp above us sparks out, and Manfred yanks his hand back howling, "You crazy bitch! You burned my hand!". The other five occupants of the compartment quickly stifle their sounds of surprise as Teddy jumps to his feet. His hair has turned a fiery shade of red and his eyes are dark with anger. Before I can stop him he has Manfred hanging by the collar of his shirt, the end of Teddy's wand pressed against his chin. "If you didn't grope her that wouldn't happen. Idiot." Teddy's voice is low and threatening. "Say your sorry Manny." Manfred's usually ruddy face is whey coloured, and his voice waivers as he squeaks "Sorry Victiore." Teddy lets go of his collar and Manfred drops lackadaisically back into the seat. "We're leaving." Teddy growls, grabbing my hand and marching to the door.

            He doesn't speak as he strides down the corridor, my hand still clamped in his. His legs are much longer than mine, and I jog to keep up. We reach the end of the passenger cars. Teddy points his wand at the door to the baggage car, and it springs open. He pulls me in after him and then, all of a sudden, his strong arms are wrapped around me. "Are you ok Vic?" He whispers into my hair. "He didn't get you too bad?" I push his chest away from me and smile up at him. "You didn't need to freak out, Teddy. I deal with stuff like that often, while I'm here." Teddy scowls and says, "Not if I can help it."