Magic? || Years 5-7

Leaping: Year 5

"Oh, sweet Merlin," Amisty hissed as she tumbled to the ground, rubbing her knees. "That hurt!"

"You're getting there, Amisty!" Eli encouraged brightly, helping her to her feet.

"In case you hadn't noticed, Eli, I'm no closer than I was the first time. I'm currently sitting on the floor, which, by the way, still has no cushions or blankets or anything to keep me from looking like I've just fallen down every staircase in this damn castle," Amisty retorted bitterly, glaring at him.

They were back to practicing in an empty classroom, only this time with a very strong Locking Charm on the doorknob.

He, to her complete frustration, only laughed, "Just one more time. Honestly, I think you're almost there."

"You're just saying that," She grumbled, blatantly stalling.

"If it doesn't work, I'll buy you one bag of everything from Honeydukes the next Hogsmeade trip," Eli offered, raising an eyebrow.

"That's a dangerous offer," Hermione commented, having offered to watch and research on Amisty's progress after she heard about Eli's plans.

She glared at him, but her mind always chose sweets over practicality, anyway, "Fine."

"Yes!" He cheered, pumping a fist into the air.

Amisty took a deep breath, preparing herself for both the utter pain of crashing into the floor for the fifteenth time in the span of ten minutes and the upcoming prize of pounds of candy.

She walked toward the other end of the room and shook out her hands before breaking into a run, focusing on her happiest memories. Hanging out with Hermione, meeting her dad for the first time, the Yule Ball -- no!

"You're hesitating, Amisty!" Eli warned, but his voice sounded far away.

Completely hating herself for doing so, she let the wall she had built around her memories with Draco shatter. The Yule Ball, the letters, the tiny glass wolf in a box, the journal --

She leaped up into the air, feeling a bright pulse rocket through her veins just before she collided with the ground, suddenly much smaller.

"See!" Eli knelt down beside her, his blue-green eyes alight. "I knew you could do it -- "

But his voice broke off as he noticed her body posture, ears low, tail tucked, her body quivering. She shoved away the memories angrily, hating how those were the ones that worked. Hating the stupid collar that was now a permanent reminder of her failed... friendship. For Circe's sake, she didn't even know what it was anymore. Romance, friendship, stupidity, either way, it was over and all because of that damned toad-faced excuse of a professor.

"Amisty..." He murmured, taking a seat. "Shift back, talk to me."

She did, rubbing furiously at her eyes and struggling to keep her misery from turning into anger.

"Hermione, I need you," Eli gestured frantically at the brunette, who had already set her book down and was hurrying toward them.

"I hate him," She growled lowly under her breath, covering her face with her hands and rocking back and forth. "I hate him so much, I hate what he's done, I hate what he's done to me, I hate that I can't -- that I can't -- "

Her next words came out on a dry sob, "I hate that I miss him!"

"It's okay, Amisty," Eli whispered softly, rubbing her back. "He'll realize sooner or later that -- "

"That this never would've worked out in the first place," Amisty finished, her voice muffled as she buried her face between her knees. "I don't know what I was thinking, letting myself believe anything good could come from this."