Mary Smith and The Three-Headed Dog

16. Leanne's Sweaty Hand

"Hellgate? Is it anything like a veil? My father's mentioned one of those before. He's a ministry man. Poor thing what happened to your family. Can you give Daphne my address?"

--Draco Malfoy

Chapter 16: Leanne's Sweaty Hand

The next morning, I woke early. Dean had fallen asleep in his chair, drooling on my bed cover, and Cedric was up, feet propped at the end of the bed reading an issue of Sports Now. Featured was a rugged boy out of Bulgaria already being scouted and said to start an immense bidding war come his 17th birthday. Madame Pomphrey eventually shooed him away, but I was not allowed to leave the room for the next two days. They came back and visited every afternoon, this time with Daphne who I thought I was here because of a flu. "It's the season for that they say," she would mention each time she brought me stolen food from the Great Hall. Hospital food was gross in comparison, but I didn't want to mention it because of the whole 'working on my gluttony' thing. Although I hardly know exactly what good manners are to a devil worshipper. Maybe they intend for me to be more gluttonous?

Seamus came by once, if only to both complain about the mess I'd made and thank me for getting classes canceled for the week. I really do think he was a little worried about me. He mumbled something about worrying for nothing when he walked in on me stuffing my face full of croissants. He couldn't stand Daphne's presence long enough to hang around longer since it was made very clear that she wouldn't be the one to leave the room this time around. Daphne was taking her more-than-best-friend role very seriously. She even conjured up a vase of Peach Roses at my bedside and told me they were for me. "My favorite flowers are water lily. They symbolize life and love."

"These peach roses are my favorite because...well I've never gotten flowers before."

Daphne snorted and dug her nose back into her magazine. "That'll likely change. Just wait until a stupid boy decides he fancies you. Whatever flower he gets you will likely be your favorite."

Dean's nose scrunched up in disgust. "Can we talk about something other than flowers and blokes?" He'd gotten himself comfortable laying across the foot of my bed. Madame Pomphrey surprisingly didn't force him out. She let him come by whenever he wanted.

Just then, one of the red-heads in some of my classes walked in. I almost choked on my bread. He waltzed in like the omen child himself, with his burning hair and pale freckled face. "Hey Dean! What are you doing here?"

"Visiting a friend," he said before introducing us. "Ron, Mary. Mary, Ron."

I knew it was important that we give last names during introductions, but I had no intentions of interacting with him ever again if I could help it. He gave a small nod and a wave and I returned it by looking away and continuing to eat. Maybe if I didn't look he would just go away. That's mean. Oh, but it isn't like he doesn't have plenty of friends. All of the Gryffindor boys seem to like Ron. I'd even seen a couple of the Hufflepuff boys hanging around him. They all wanted to be his friend. Well I didn't want to. He was popular enough. He could go hang around HER-MY-KNEE Granger and Harold Potts and stay good and far away from me. And I wouldn't be hearing any strange overlapping voices.

When Dean asked me later why I was being so rude, I'd simply told him, "He's weird is all." Dean and Daphne looked confused, but they seemed to let it go.

Eventually, I was finally cleared to leave and able to make it back to the Hufflepuff cellar. As soon as I stepped through the barrel doors, Cedric was waiting for me, again. As always. I could never get any peace. "Let's go. Everyone's waiting." He didn't give me a chance to even ask who or for what. I was immediately dragged into the secret hallway and then into one of the smaller secret rooms. The entire house was present and made way for Cedric when they noticed me behind him.

I blushed, embarrassed to be seen in my pajamas again. They were different, bright blue with white polka-dots, but these covered my feet. I never got to see what kind of pajamas the other girls wore since we didn't share a room, but the funny looks told me they weren't footie-pajamas. Note to self, Mary. Get new pajamas next year. Witchy ones. "Are you okay?" Leanne whispered when we arrived at the front of the crowd. The guides gathered off to the side and left us first-years to be spectated.

"Oh, I'm well. Thank you," I smiled, though still embarrassed. "Just a little sick."

"Sick?" she frowned. "Oh, you don't have to lie to anyone here, Mary. All of Hufflepuff know you almost brought the roof down on us-err. Sorry. But your condition. We've all been made aware." At the look of horror on my face, she tried to settle my nerves. "Oh, don't worry. We've all been told not to tell anyone."

That didn't make me feel any better, but I gave a weak smile anyway. Just then, Professor Sprout came barging to the front of the room with a scroll in-hand. A loud round of murmurs rose. There was even one person collecting sickles. I wasn't sure what was going on, but I wasn't going to tell the rest of the first years that. It seemed their Guides always kept them slightly more well informed than my own ever did. I shot Cedric a glare, but he seemed to be preoccupied with Cat girl. They always seemed to be going back and forth. Mama said when boys picked on you like that, it was because they liked you. Like-liked you. I don't think I ever want to be like-liked by a boy if that's what I can expect.

"Settle down. Settle down," Professor Sprout chided. The noise was immediately silenced. "I know you've all been incredibly eager to see how this year's round of Eligibles have been doing. Welcome to their first ranking ceremony. The following is a list compiled by Helga Hufflepuff herself. Here, she has ranked you all from one to eight. One being most likely to be crowned, and eight being the least likely."

My mouth dropped. They were going to rank us right here? Right now? In front of the entire house? I almost choked on my own spit.

"The list reads as follows. Number eight, Leanne Merrymount-"

"Oh no," Leanne gasped beside me. Her hands were shaking. I glanced to our left with the courage she didn't have and could see Creevy fuming. His whole face was red and he was looking at Leanne like he was fit to hit her. If he thought he was going to I'd...I'd...I'd kick him in the ankle. His weak looking ankles. I reached down and grabbed Leanne's hand and she seemed to calm down a bit. What shocked me the most was that I wasn't last. But, I'm sure I'd be next. Maybe my hard work really did pay off.

"Seventh, Hannah Abbott." Another whimper. "Sixth, Justin Finch-Fletchley. Fifth, Zacharias Smith." A loud huff. "Fourth, Meagan Jones. Third, Susan Bones. Second, Ernest Macmillan." Various loud gasps. My heart stopped beating for a moment. I was torn between wondering if she'd forgotten my name and realizing what was happening. "First...Mary McGowen-Smith."

I could feel everyone's eyes on me. They pierced through me to the spot behind me where Professor Sprout enchanted a nail through the scroll, holding it to the wall.

"First!" Cedric cheered, clapping in the silent room. "Pay up!" And there it was. My guide finally got to yell out first. Mary's done first.

Leanne wrenched her hand out of mine and ran out of the room, followed closely by her Guide.