Light and Darkness

YEAR 3: SIX

YEAR 3

¦SIX¦

I sat at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall. The first time I've had breakfast here since Halloween. There were sausages, bacon, eggs, but I was only able to barely eat a slice of toast. My left arm was still in the sling and my wounds weren't fully healed yet. I looked around the Great Hall, most of the students multi-tasking between finishing off homework and eating breakfast, others wishing their house Quidditch team luck during their match today. I noticed Terence and Adrian walk into the Great Hall and quickly walk toward me, "Why didn't you tell us you were out of the Hospital Wing?" Terence asked as both boys sat down opposite me, filling their plates with food.

I set down my fork and shrugged, "I don't know."

"How are you feeling?" Adrian had asked before tucking into his breakfast.

"I'm doing okay." I sighed, "How are you guys feeling? First match of the season."

Terence and Adrian shared a look before Adrian answering, "We're pretty good." He said with a smile, "We've got Snape's support anyways."

"Have you seen Snape limping lately?" Terence asked, "Oh, look, there he is now." He said looking behind him, pointing out Snape who walked toward the top of the Great Hall.

I noticed Snape's limp and immediately thought back to Halloween night where I noticed his leg was wounded, "I don't know." I shrugged, "He probably fell or something." As much as I wanted to find the answer, Terence and Adrian weren't those people to help me. In that moment, I heard the squeak of an owl. "Mail?" I questioned, looking up to only see one owl fly over the Gryffindor table.

Terence and Adrian both noticed this and turned around as the owl had dropped a large parcel in front of Harry who sat with Ron and Hermione, "Is that a -?" Adrian had asked.

"It's a Nimbus 2000." Terence answered, as Harry unwrapped his gift, "So unfair, who got him that?"

"Well," I said trying to hide my smile, "You've got your work cut out for you today so." I gathered my things together, "I'll see you guys before you leave for your match, I have to finish off some Herbology homework." I parted ways with Terence and Adrian and made my way to the common room, bumping into Fred and George on the way, "Oh," I said noticing them, "Hi."

"Oh, Pandora." Fred said with a chuckle, "We didn't even see you there. How are you?"

"Getting better." I said with a smile, "How are you guys doing?"

"Not too bad." George answered, "We're just heading up to the common room for a bit before the match. Ron told us what had happened, just, thank you so much for helping them."

I blushed slightly, "Ron's the one who helped me." I said with a slight smile, "Ron and Harry are the ones who knocked that troll out."

"Just, thank you." Fred said with a smile, "We better go and get ready. We'll see you later."

"Good luck!" I called as the pair of them headed in the opposite direction as me. They headed upstairs toward their common room while I made my way to the dungeons. The atmosphere in the common room was immense, especially since Marcus Flint, the Slytherin Quidditch captain, had everyone chanting. I noticed Draco in the middle of it all, chanting and cheering for Slytherin. Adrian and Terence soon entered the common room and got ready in the dormitory. With the noise and the amount of people in the common room, there was no way I was going to get that Herbology homework done. Adrian and Terence soon emerged from the dormitory to cheers from everyone as the full team were now ready for the match.

Everyone soon began clearing out and heading toward the Quidditch pitch. The first game of the season is always the best. I met up with Laura, Madeline and Penelope who made their way to the Quidditch pitch, "I can't believe we have to go to this stupid thing." Laura sighed.

I furrowed my brow, "You know it's optional."

"I know," She responded, "But Marcus Flint is really cute."

I shook off her comments and proceeded on our way to the Quidditch pitch. Gryffindor filled half of the stands already and some Slytherin's were already there. We got to our stand, which I could finally rest. Gryffindor had already started their chants, Slytherin's not far behind. "You're friends with Adrian, aren't you?" Penelope said to me.

I turned to her and nodded, "Yeah, why?"

"Oh," She shrugged, "No reason."

Being confused was an understatement, but I ignored it as both Gryffindor and Slyhterin teams took to the air. Terence and Adrian flying high and Fred and George not far behind them. I noticed Harry on his new Nimbus 2000 flying around the pitch for a bit, but soon stopping and getting into position along with the rest of the players. Lee Jordan, the commentator, echoed throughout my brain, but I was used to his voice at this stage at Quidditch games that I could merely block him out. Madam Hooch took to the pitch and the quaffle was thrown into the air.

As much as I didn't want to play Quidditch or know much about the sport, I always liked seeing Adrian, Terence, Fred and George play, even if it was against one another. The game began as it always begins, Katie Bell taking hold of the quaffle. After Katie had scored, the quaffle went back and forth between the teams, tensions rising between Marcus and Oliver Wood, the Gryffindor captain. It's always been like that between them, almost resulting in a brawl every time they face off. This time, Marcus hit a bludger at Oliver resulting in him falling to the ground beneath the Gryffindor posts. I rolled my eyes as the game was beginning to turn dirty and Slytherin were beginning to lose their patience. Katie Bell was forced to fly into one of the stands surrounding the pitch, bringing the Gryffindor team down to five players. Harry must find that snitch soon or a lot more Gryffindor players won't finish the game. I watched Terence roam the pitch in search of the snitch, but no luck so far, Adrian and Marcus passed the quaffle between one another as they flew around, scoring easily since Gryffindor had no keeper now.

I then noticed Harry beginning to move, probably seeing the golden snitch, but his broom began acting funny, throwing him around, "Is that supposed to happen?" I asked Madeline as she was the only one out of the girls that was actually watching the game and not the players, "Look at Harry."

Madeline began laughing, "No, but that's hilarious. Who's doing that?"

I didn't bother responding but continued to watch Harry as he held on tightly to his broom as he began moving in sharp directions almost as if it was trying to knock him off it. I noticed the stand that some of the professors sat in began jumping around or quickly moving out of the way of something. While that was going on, Harry's broom stabilized and he was able to get back on his broom and play, seeing Terence follow the golden snitch. Terence was getting so close to the snitch but Harry quickly caught up with Terence, with a little help from his new broom, I imagined. I noticed shoving going on between the pair, and I just hoped for a Slytherin win, just to shove it in Fred and George's face.

Both Harry and Terence went into a nose dive, Terence pulling out of it before Harry and soon enough after that, Harry had his hands clasped around the golden snitch, after he spit it out from his mouth. The Gryffindor stand erupted into cheers while the Slytherin's hid their faces in their hands and sighed. "Either way," Laura sighed, leaving the stand, "Marcus Flint is still good looking." The girls left the stand while I stayed back to meet up with Terence and Adrian.

I left the stand and waited beside the Slytherin dressing room. Adrian and Terence soon emerging, not in the best of form, "Tough game." I sighed, beginning to walk alongside them. "But yous both played brilliantly."

Adrian sighed, "Let's not talk about it anymore, please."

I nodded in response and I quickly changed the subject to Potions, "I'm free tomorrow evening," I said to Adrian, "Since you said you'd help me with Potions."

I could hear Adrian mumble something, "I can't tomorrow, I'm meeting up with Penelope."

I stopped in my tracks, Terence and Adrian soon stopping and turning around, looking at me with confusion, "Penelope?" I questioned. Adrian nodded in response, "As in Penelope from our year?"

Adrian nodded again, "Yeah, she wanted to meet up, so that's what we're doing."

I sighed, "Oh," I began walking again, "That's okay, maybe another time."

I walked faster, ahead of Terence and Adrian. I tried to process things through my head, it was so obvious from earlier with Penelope, I knew she liked Adrian. But I never thought he'd like her back, but why should I care? I'm his friend. But maybe I don't want to be. I was so caught up in these thoughts that I hadn't realized that I was in the Transfiguration courtyard. I walked over to an empty bench under the overgrown tree, taking shade. I tried my hardest not to think about Adrian or Penelope, but the more I tried not to think about it, the more thoughts that came to my head. I felt so overwhelmed, "Pandora." I heard someone call.

I quickly wiped my tears that I had only realized were there and looked up to see a beaming Fred and George approach me, "Oh, hi." I sniffled.

Fred sat beside me while George sat on the grass in front of us, "Is everything okay?" Fred asked, putting his arm around me, "It's only a Quidditch game."

I couldn't help but laugh, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just overthinking, that's all."

"Overthinking about what?" George asked.

I shook my head, "You know what," I stood up, "I'm just being stupid. But, thanks though." I walked past Fred and George and decided to go the common room, where I'd have no disruptions.

I forgot about my Herbology homework, I just wanted to be alone and the dormitory was the perfect place since it's always empty anyways. My bed was the third on the right out of the five that filled the dormitory. My bed was between Penelope's and another Slytherin girl's, Jaz. I lay down on my bed, trying to forget everything dealing with Penelope and Adrian. It could be nothing, they could be just friends. My thoughts were interrupted by the dormitory door swinging open. I jumped up and looked at the girl who had entered, "Oh, hi Pandora, I wasn't expecting anyone in here."

I sighed, "It's fine, Penelope. I just wanted some alone time."

"That's understandable." She responded, sitting down on her bed, looking through her things that were stacked at the end of it, "Sorry, I'm just looking for my Transfiguration essay for McGonagall."

"It's okay." I responded, counting down the seconds until she leaves.

Penelope glanced a smile over to me, "Adrian needs help with his -"

I sat up promptly, hurting my arm slightly, but I didn't care, "Adrian?" I questioned, "Adrian's good at Transfiguration, why would he need your essay?"

Penelope shrugged, "I guess he didn't understand the homework, ah, there we go." She smiled, taking a piece of parchment out and holding it up.

Just before Penelope left, I called her, "Penelope, can I ask you something?" I asked.

"Sure." She responded, coming back into the dormitory and sitting back down, "What do you want to ask?"

I thought about it for a moment, I really want to know what's going on between her and Adrian, "Adrian," I sighed, "I heard you guys are meeting up tomorrow." Penelope responded with a smile and nod, "Is that as friends or -"

"Look," Penelope said, "Adrian and I have been hanging out since the start of this year, mainly after Halloween. We're in a really good place at the moment."

"Do you like him though?" I asked, "Like, as more than friends?"

Penelope paused for a moment, "Kind of, but look, we're only in third year. If your suggesting that I want Adrian as my boyfriend, you're getting ahead of yourself"

"So, you don't want to be with Adrian?" I was confused by what Penelope was saying, but I wasn't going to let this conversation slip. I had to be blunt.

"No," She sighed, "I do, but not right now. I mean we've kissed -"

My eyes widened, "You've kissed?" Penelope responded with a nod. I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces. I didn't say anything else, not even a sound. Penelope soon got the hint that the conversation was over and quickly left the dormitory. I sighed, and closed my eyes. Even though I hadn't eaten dinner yet, I just wanted to sleep and wake up tomorrow and pretend that none of this ever happened.