Magic (5sos/l.h. Hogwarts AU)

Chapter 97

~A/N~ I'm making a very difficult decision over whether to kill off a very loved character and I want to throw up thinking about it but I know it's what a good writer would do
Enjoy the chapter!
Leila xx

"That's crazy."

"I know."

Ginny leant back on my bedframe and shook her head. "But it doesn't change anything, right?"

"Of course not. I'm still your best friend, still a witch, just with a bit extra I guess," the tips of my toes tingled at the thought of my newfound powers and I shuddered. "If I'm honest, this is the last thing I needed with everything already on my plate."

"Don't worry, we're here to help you through all of this," Hermione rubbed my back as I absentmindedly twisted the bracelet around my wrist. "I know all these situations seem unfixable, but-"

I never found out what she was going to say, as we were interrupted by Parvati letting out a huge sob as she ran into the dormitory and threw herself onto her bed, wailing into the pillow. A jolt of ice ran through my spine - I had never seen Parvati cry. Despite her superficial tendencies and flaws, the girl was steelier than anyone I knew and always able to find light in a dark situation. If she was hurt, something terrible must have happened.

"Parvati? What's wrong?"

"My parents! They want to take me and Padma out of Hogwarts!"

"What! What do you mean?!" A hand flew to Hermione's mouth in shock as we swarmed around Parvati like bees to honey. "You can't leave!"

"They're saying that with You-Know-Who being back, it's not safe around here. I can't leave, Hogwarts is my home and you're all my family!" she lapsed into sobs again and I perched on the side of her bed, so utterly distracted by her pain that I couldn't even begin to think about my own.

"It's not decided yet, is it?" Ginny bit her lip.

"No, but that doesn't matter. You haven't met my parents, they're strict and once they've decided something there's no going back."

For a split second, I caught a glimpse of what really went on behind Parvati's giggly façade. I wasn't the only one with family issues, and it was easy to forget that everyone wasn't just a side character in the story of my life. She was in pain, nervous and destroyed by these two controlling personalities; it explained why she was so desperate for freedom at Hogwarts.

I couldn't even begin to empathise.

"Don't worry, they'll come to their senses," Hermione said. "It won't be any safer at home than here at school - we have Dumbledore, after all."

Parvati nodded along to her words, but I knew it was all hopeless. If her parents were anything like mine, there was no chance she was going to stay.

***
"Leila-"

"No."

"Please, don't shut us out," Michael begged. "Don't listen to Luke, we love you and we want to help you!"

"No, you don't. You've chosen Luke, and it wouldn't be fair to you to make you choose me. He's right, it would be better if you leave me alone."

"Please, at least come to watch Quidditch trials with us," Ashton said. "Luke and Ginny are both trying out, there's no one to cause tension between us and we miss you."

"I'm not sure..."

"It'll be fun." Calum took my hand firmly and I was dragged away into the grounds, where a crowd of Gryffindors was already gathered.

After the first five minutes, I was annoyed. A huge number of first years had turned up, none of whom could actually fly; along with a group of giggling girls who made no attempt to even mount their broomsticks; most of the fourth years hadn't even brought brooms with them; and a great many Hufflepuffs thought it would be funny to infiltrate our trials.