The Girl From Hufflepuff

Chapter 26

    Florence woke up earlier than Casey with a new happiness blooming inside her. She hopped out of bed and jumped onto Casey.
    "Girl! Get off of me." Casey yelled annoyed,
    Florence laughed as she got off her best friend and sat on the edge of her bed. "Get up, we have to decide a name for the prank so we can give it to James."
    "Ugh, Okay." Casey said as Florence pulled her up by her arm.
    They got dressed quickly and walked to the common room to find Lily sitting there. Casey, half asleep, almost jumped by the young girl. "How'd you get in?"
Lily smiled as the girls sat down, "It's rather easy." Florence and Casey nodded they both knew that was true.
Lily clasped her hands together and looked at the two of them. "A name. Do either of you have anything?"
Both thought to themselves, "what about color changing pops?" Casey asked.
Lily raised an eyebrow, "color changing pops? You can't be serious." Casey shrugged and looked hurt. "We can't have just some random name that gives it away. It has to sound cool and have some mystery to it."
Florence rubbed her hands together thinking hard. "What if we just use his name?" Casey and Lily looked at her. "Bradie pops. It doesn't give away the trick but it also makes the person think. On the wrapper we can put some writing about the name. A remembrance, almost, for Bradie."
Lily smiled, "it's perfect. Casey, can you grab a few of the lollipops and we can head to the gryffindor common room and show James." The girls stood up.
Casey grabbed some while lily put her coat back on. They all smiled to one another and walked out of the room. Passing hundred of painting as they made their way up old staircases to the common room. When they arrived the fat lady stared at them. "Password." She said nonchalantly.
"Lux in tenebris." Lily answered. The door popped opened and the girls followed Lily in.
As they walked Florence asked from behind Lily, "Whats lux in tenebris mean?"
Through the darkness of the tunnel Florence saw lily turn around and smile. "A light in the darkness."
Florence looked down and a somber smile came to her face. The rest of the way they walked in silence. Florence looked around her and saw the beauty of the empty gryffindor common room. The and gold covered the couches and walls and a grand fireplace ran in the corner. A warm felling came over the girls as they followed Lily through the and and to a spiraling staircase.
At the top of the staircase Lily finally stopped and turned around. "Here we are. I think me and Casey will wait downstairs and you should go in and see him."
    Florence gave her a questioning look, "Is it really that bad?" Lily nodded her head and handed her a lollipop. Both gave her a reassuring smile and she nodded.
    Florence took a deep breath in and knocked on the door as the footprints behind her grew quieter. "Lily, I'm not in the mood. Go away."
    She gently pushed open the door to find James head down into the pillow. When he heard the door, he looked up "Lily! I said go-, Florence? What are you doing here?" He pushed himself up on his head and Florence walked over and took a seat on the edge.
    "Hello to you too." Florence giggles pushing her hair behind her ear.
    "Sorry." He looked down. "What are you doing anyway?" He eyebrow raised as he looked back up at her.
    "Before I tell you," she looked around the room. It was a mess. Clothes thrown everywhere, not a single care given. Her voice strained as she spoke, "you have to clean this up and come downstairs."
    James closed his eyes and went to lay back down. "I'm good."
    "Oh no you're not." Before James could pull the covers back over him Florence hopped up angrily and grabbed his hand, pulling him up.
    He yelled at her, "let me go!" Florence froze her face full of hurt. James repeated himself, this time it was quiet and mean. "Let... me... go. And get out." He yanked his wrist away from Florence, who's grip had loosened by surprise.
    "Okay." Florence tried to keep her voice steady. Tears burned in her eyes but she refused to let them out. "I love you James Potter. I hope you know that. I'm going to go." James didn't look at her. He had a distant look in his eyes as he stared at the ground.
    Florence slowly walked towards the door, the two lollipops still wrapped up in her pocket. Her hand gripped the doorknob as she turned around, "You're allowed to be angry, James. But don't take it out on the people trying to help you." She walked out and shut the door.
    As soon as it shut, she heard him, James. She beards his cries and couldn't do anything about it. She was too hurt by what had just happened to do anything. Tears silently fell down her face and she fell to the ground. Leaning against true door, Florence reached in her picked and grabbed the lollipops. She tossed them in her hands before throwing them against the staircase wall.
    She watched as they shattered into little pieces and fell down the stairs. James sobs grew louder as time went on and Florence just sat against the door, hand in her hands. This was supposed to be a day that brought light into the pit of darkness, but it seems like they just dug the hole deeper without even trying to.