Enchanted By The Thought

FIFTEEN: BETH

Time doesn't heal anything. It just teaches us how to live with the pain.

Beth rolled out of her bed, her mind already ticking with thoughts. Maggie was already up and fixing her hair. Out of habit, Beth glanced over to Kat's side of the room and felt a jolt go through her when she saw that everything was cleared out. "Where's Kat?" She asked without thinking and Maggie sent her a scathing look. She mutely grabbed her clothes and began to chance into her robes.

"She practically begged Dumbledore to transfer to the Slytherin house, that little wrench. But he told her that the hat doesn't lie so she just changed dorms. Thank God, I was tired of hiding from her, weren't you? I mean, she's the traitor! We shouldn't have to be forced to avoid our own room." Maggie complained and sprayed hairspray all over her neat curls. "I'm just glad she's gone."

Beth's patience with Maggie snapped as well and she struggled to hold back the wave of words but they slipped out before she could stop them. "Who are you?" She blurted and instantly regretted it. But it was true; where had her sweet, kind Maggie gone? Why was she so unforgiving towards Kat? What had happened to them staying up late, gossiping and giggling together? Maggie turned to look at her but Beth grabbed her bag and quickly left the room, not wanting to talk to Maggie at the moment. Quite frankly, she was sick of both of her friends.

Beth wandered down to the Great Hall for breakfast, her stomach whining loudly about being fed. She entered the Hall and caught sight of her brother surrounded by his friends. She hated tagging along but she'd rather be with him than her own, problematic friends. So she trudged over, forcing a smile upon her face. No reason that he should start being nosey about her ever, exciting life.

"I dunno why the teams so popular of a sudden." Harry was telling his friends as Beth drew closer. He looked up at her and smiled widely, scooting over so she could sit down next to him. She could already sense his genuine confusion and curiosity. Her brother could be so dense sometimes...

Hermione scoffed at her twin's comment and shared a look with Beth. "Oh come on Harry! It's not Quidditch that's popular, it's you! You've never been more interesting and quite frankly," Beth grabbed a donut and chewed it, watching Hermione talk to Harry, "you've never been more fanciable."

Beth choked on her doughnut, feeling laughter bubbling up at the embarrassment that flooded through her brother. and Ron gagged on his kipper. Hermione threw both of them a look of disdain before looking back at Harry. Beth finally managed to swallow her bite before pounding Ron on the back, glancing up at Harry, who looked sheepish. "Everyone knows you've been telling the truth now, don't they? The whole Wizarding world has had to admit that you were right about Voldemort-" Ron and Beth both winced at the name, "being back and that you and Beth really have fought him twice in the last two years and both you escaped both times. And now they're calling you pair 'the Chosen Ones'--well, come on, can't you see why people are fascinated by you? And I'm sure that if Beth joined the team as well, everyone would be trying to join!"

Beth and Harry bother shared a look; they both knew all too well their influences over their peers. Which made Beth wonder; was it partly her fault in the Gryffindor house shunning Kat? Ever since she'd stopped talking to the girl, everyone else had turned their backs on her. She felt a flash of guilt but sternly reminded herself of how Kat had called Maggie the unspeakable word.

"Liz, what do you say? Are you going to try-out for the team?" Harry asked his twin, his eyes turning hopeful. She knew him well enough to know that he wouldn't want to face the fame of his team by himself; he would want her beside him. At first, she was tempted to decline but she could sense how much it would mean to him. So she sighed and shrugged. "Of course." It's not as if I have anything better to do. "Although I'll probably fail like last year." She added, remembering how she'd attempted to tryout for chaser and how Wood had kindly let her down. But she knew it was because he only wanted her brother and not her. Even if she was better than her brother when it came to agility in the air.

Harry shook his head quickly, wrapping his arm around her."That was when Wood was coach. This year I am." He assured her, ignoring the look Hermione had sent him at his comment. Beth felt annoyance flicker within her pot of emotions and she met Harry's gaze.

"So?" She prompted, raising an eyebrow. "Do you want everyone else to think I'm only on the team because we're related? I want the same chances as anyone else." She took another bite of her donut to add emphasis.

Harry and Ron both share a look that clearly stated they thought she was being difficult. Beth remembered that it was one of her pet peeves around the trio; all the secret looks they shared. As if she couldn't interpret them and understand what they were talking about; she was bonded to Harry so she knew what he was feeling. When she was finished with her food, Harry stood and held his hand out for her to take. She sighed; they used to hold hands back in first year because they'd been so ecstatic to find out they had a sibling. But as they both grew older, Beth began to refuse to hold his hand because she thought she had grown out of it. Reluctantly, she took her brother's hand and followed him out the Great Halls. As they passed Lavender Brown and Parvati, Parvati nudged Lavender, who looked at Ron and smiled. Ron smiled back, looking confused as to why she noticed him. His eyes cleared and then, he started to strut, puffing his chest out. Beth held back the urge to laugh at his expense.

The four of them returned to the Gryffindor tower so three of them could grab their broomsticks; Beth made a mental note to upgrade Ron's broom to something newer and faster. She was certain that he was great up in the air, he just had to have to correct broom to show off those skills. They walked down to the quidditch pitch, with Harry and Ron talking eagerly about the new team. When they got there, there was certainly a crowd. Beth immediately felt claustrophobic and wanted to get as far away from there as possible. But her twin anchored her to her spot and she stayed, despite every nerve in her body telling her to flee.

Beth spotted Ginny and headed over to her, slightly anxious. Ginny smiled widely at her and turned her gaze to something behind Beth. Harry was talking to a wiry boy who looked too... prideful. "Cormac McLaggen," Ginny explained to Beth, seeing her friend's expression.

Beth nodded, her gaze on her brother. She could already feel the small pool of annoyance that he was feeling. "Please divide yourselves up into ten groups!" Harry shouted, turning away from the boy. She wanted to stick by his side but she also knew she had to follow his orders; he was her captain now, not her brother.

Ginny grabbed Beth's hand and all but dragged her to where Dean and Seamus were standing. They made one group and Beth watched as the others divided themselves up. How many of them were here just because of them? She could feel her brother searching and turned her head, meeting his identical green eyes. "Good luck." He mouthed to her before he looked at the whole group. He instructed them to do a few laps around the pitch for their warm up.

Beth climbed onto her broom and kicked off, soaring into the air with ease. Her heart swelled with joy at being in the air again. She zig zagged through the other groups, hers close behind her. Her hair was flying behind her and she felt giddiness rise up in her. She spiraled up into the sky before diving sharply. Her stomach was left somewhere up in the sky. The ground rushed up to meet her quickly, drawing closer and closer. Her heart began to pound and she waited. At the last possible second, she lightly tugged her broom up and her feet brushed the ground before she shot back up into the sky. Her heart was racing with adrenaline and she circled once, allowing herself to calm down, before she landed beside Dean. Almost everyone was watching her with awe; a few of them were staring at her in jealousy.

After Harry drilled them all, Beth was sure that she would be chosen; her skills in the sky were a bit rusty but she was better than she had been last year. By the time practice was over, she was covered in sweat with a silly grin on her face; her teamwork with Katie and Ginny had been tremendous; they flew in synchronized movements and seemed to know what the others were thinking without talking. Harry announced the Bludgers: Jimmy Peakes and Ritchie Croote. She held her breath as Harry announced the Chasers for the team. "Ginny Weasley, Katie Bell and Elizabeth Potter!" Harry called, sending her a look of pride. She grinned right back, brushing her hair from her face.

Ginny hugged her tightly and together, they squealed like little children. "You were amazing, Beth! I'm jealous of you agility in the air... don't tell Harry I said this but you are way more graceful in the air than him." Ginny whispered and Beth shook her head, giggling along with her friend. She'd accomplished something on her own.