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Since the meeting with the Minister, school hadn't gotten much better, despite everyone closest to Lina's best efforts Lina still felt on edge every waking moment.
To make matters worse Snape had told her whole potions class about the meeting which in turn got spread throughout the school. It was a vicious cruel move by Snape. Lina was quietly getting on with her potion, occasionally talking to the people around her when Snape strutted over.
"Miss Black" he sneered as if the name burned his mouth to say "I heard about your little meeting with the minister" Lina hummed in reply and continued to do her potion, she was determined not to react to anything he would say "it must have been horrible to be questioned like you were an accomplice to your father's escape" Lina hummed again and clenched her fist under the table, "I, of course, told the minister it was ridiculous, you, of course, would not be in touch with your father but his cousin Andromeda...I would advise everyone to be careful of you, the Apple does not fall far from the tree after all."
Lina's eyes burned holes into Snape's back as he walked over to another student undoubtedly to criticise another poor student, Lina used to Snape insulting her but insinuating things about her aunt was too far. She clenched her first tighter until her knuckles turned white, the cauldron next to Snape began to bubble and hiss, before Snape could do anything Lina flicked her hand, the potion exploded all over Snape.
Lina luckily avoided detention but inky because Snape didn't have proof that she was behind the attack.
"What you need us to get out the castle," Fred told Lina once they were out the dungeons.
"Thank Merlin the first Hogsmeade trip is coming up," George said.
"When?" Lina asked.
"Halloween" Lee answered.
Lina gulped. Well getting out the castle would be a good way to keep her mind off the days, that was what kept her going through the next two weeks, especially after Lina ended up in the hospital wing a week before Halloween.
The accident was Lina's fault, there were no two ways about it. A Friday after school and Cedric had called a quidditch practice, Lina had decided to take her frustrations out on her playing resulting in her playing the best she ever had, she dodged her teammates with never before seen fluidity from her, she never kissed s Haida and for that time Lina forgot, it was just her, the Quaffle and her broom.
That was until she saw the dog again, it was watching her from the grounds with an intensity that was hypnotising, the Quaffle dropped from her grip falling to the grounds below, in the distance Lina heard her name being called, before what could have easily been a brick collied with her face.
Lina's mouth opened in s silent scream, her eyes immediately watering making it hard to see, the bluster flew off in the other direction. "Down!" Cedric yelled.
Lina flew down and dismounted "fuck!" She screamed blood was streaming down her face coating her lips like lipstick. "Ow, Oh fuck."
The rest of the team joined her "tilt your head back" Tony said.
"What will that do?" Jenifer asked.
"Help stop the blood flow at least that's what mum says."
Lina did as Justin suggested but all it did was make her feel dizzy "this is - ow - I think my nose is broken. Fuck this really hurts."
"Your uncles going to kill me," Cedric said knocking into Lina's arm that was holding her nose, Lina glared at him "sorry, let's get you to Madam Pomfrey. Everyone else great practice, I really think we have a chance this year, would you mind clearing up?"
The team agreed with no arguments so Cedric after giving Tony their brooms took Lina up to the hospital.
"What on earth happened!?" Madam Pomfrey shirked at the sight of the pair, they both looked rather out of the place with there canary yellow quidditch robes caked in mud and Lina's face covered in blood, his left eye slowly bruising.
"I - ow, fuck - Ced," Lina said.
"She got hit in the face by a Bludger" Cedric explained.
"My fault," Lina said holding her free hand up.
"Sit down," Madam Pomfrey said ushering her to bed "honestly Miss Black, I know you want to be a healer but there are easier ways to end up here. Just like your parents" she shook her head and disappeared.
"I really can't wait for Hogsmeade" Lina settled on the bed, she knew she wouldn't be staying for long but her nose was killing her.
"What happened out there?" Cedric asked sitting down in the chair next to the bed "you were playing amazingly."
"Really well" Lina agreed and winced from the pain.
"So..."
"So I just got distracted," Lina said, it wasn't a lie she did get distracted she just didn't say what by.
"Lina!" The voice of Remus bounced off the walls of the hospital, he walked towards the bed shocked.
"Hello, uncle Remus" Lina grained, blood had stained her teeth "Ow."
"What happened?" Remus asked.
"She got hit by a Bludger" Cedric explained.
"It was my fault" Lina confessed, Remus shook his head.
Madam Pomfrey returned, she had Lina's nose fixed, blood cleaned up and her out the hospital wing within ten minutes.
Lina and Cedric left Remus in the hospital and headed back to the common room, every so often Lina would twitch her nose just to make sure it was fine.
"You owe me a butterbeer," Cedric said.
***
On Halloween morning Lina awoke without the usual discontent of the day, by all means, this should be the worst Halloween but Lina was determined to have a good day in Hogsmeade. The group of four ate a hurried breakfast and was amongst the first few to be out the castle.
"Fire stop Honeydukes" Lucy declared "I want some more sugar quills and Will wants some chocolate frogs."
"And then the three broomsticks," Danny said.
"Yeah but before that I need some more broom polish," Cedric said.
"And then the three broomsticks" Danny repeated.
"Oh I wanted to buy uncle Remus some new robes," Lina said but seeing Danny's frustrated look added "and then the three broomsticks, I can get dome pumpkin juice."
They were so close to leaving the castle, just a few more steps and Lina would be free, free to just feel like a normal fifteen year old for a few hours, something she really needed. But she never got out the castle grounds.
"Miss Lina, Miss Lina" Lina didn't mean too but she sighed at Professor McGonagall's voice. She turned around hoping the voice had been her imagination, no such luck. "Miss Lina, I'm terribly sorry you should have been told at the start of term, I thought you had" she took a breath "Miss Lina, due to the recent events, you are not permitted to leave school grounds."
Lina's jaw practically dropped to the floor, of course, this happened "but why! I highly doubt my father is going to try and kidnap me while I'm on the way to Honeydukes."
Professor McGonagall pursed her lips "maybe not but precautions must be made for not only your own but everyone's else's safety. I'm sorry Miss Lina but this decision is final."
Professor McGonagall had nothing left to say so she left Lina ever so reluctantly to explain to her friends what had just happened.
