Dark Pasts { A Harry Potter Story }

Chapter 7 - S.P.E.W.

"Honestly, what was he thinking?" Hermione exclaimed as we ate dinner. "There's a reason those curses are illegal!"

"Can we just talk about something else?" I said dispassionately.

Hermione frowned. "Of course," she said, "sorry, Liz."

I shrugged, but then I let out a long sigh as I heard fellow fourth year Gryffindors walking toward us talking loudly about Moody and the lecture he just gave.

"Did you see it twitch?"

"— and when he killed it — just like that!"

"Fred and George were right, weren' they?" Ron said as he and Harry sat down in front of us. "He really knows his stuff, Moody, doesn't he? When he did Avada Kedavra, the way that spider just died, just snuffed it right —"

I looked up from my plate to see Hermione staring angrily at him. Ron then glanced at Harry before looking in my direction, then frowned.

"You alright?" he asked tentatively.

"I'm fine," I said shortly as I pushed my plate away, having lost my appetite.

Hermione then leaned in toward me. "Want to go to the library? We're almost done with the badges."

"Yeah, alright," I said and we walked out of the Great Hall and up the stairs toward the library.

"Sorry about Ron, by the way," she said as we entered the library.

"It's alright," I said, "he doesn't know."

We worked for many hours on finishing up the S.P.E.W. badges. It was dark outside when we finished up and made our way back to the tower. The common room was empty but for Ron and Harry.

"Hello," Hermione said, "we've just finished!"

"So have I!" Ron said triumphantly as he set down his quill.

Hermione put down the things she was carrying and grabbed Ron's parchment.

"Not going to have a very good month, are you?" she said sardonically and I understood that he had bullshited his way through his predictions for Divinations.

"Ah well, at least I'm forewarned," Ron said.

"You seem to be drowning twice," Hermione pointed out.

"Oh am I?" Ron said. "I'd better change one of them to getting trampled by a rampaging hippogriff."

"Don't you think it's a bit obvious you've made these up?" Hermione said and I chuckled.

"How dare you!" Ron exclaimed in mock-outrage. "We've been working like house-elves here!"

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"It's just an expression."

"What's in the box?" Harry asked as he nodded to the box I was holding.

"Funny you should ask," I said.

I took off the lid and showed them the badges inside.

"Spew?" Harry said as he picked up a badge. "What's this about?"

"Not spew," Hermione said impatiently. "It's S-P-E-W. Stands for the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare."

"Never heard of it," Ron said.

"Well, of course you haven't," I said, "we've only just started it."

"Yeah?" Ron said in mild surprise. "How many members have you got?"