The Last Riddle

18. Halloween

October flies by in a blur and soon it is the last day of the month or as most people know it, Halloween. My mind however is preoccupied with other things.

For most people this is a holiday filled with fun, costumes and parties. I however have never enjoyed the holiday due to a very particular reason. During the build up to the end of October this year my head has been foggy and I haven't quite felt like myself. Harry has been ignoring me whenever I try to approach him in the hallways or at meal times. Thankfully Ron has made a full recovery from the slug incident and is back to his usual self.

Flint came to me after my detention with Snape and shoved my new Nimbus 2001 and quidditch uniform in to my arms. He outright told me that quitting is not an option and even if I hated everyone on the team I still have to play. Which I agreed to with a glare on my face of course. Since then quidditch practice has been extremely awkward, Draco and I avoid each other at all costs, Flint is even harder on me than before as my other team mates watch me cautiously, they are all clearly worried I am going to start shouting at them again.

With all of this on my mind I feel constantly weighed down and find myself missing Poppy more than ever. She would find me a solution to all my problems and as much as I love Blaise there are just some things he is not good at, conflict resolution between my Gryffindor brother and I being a main one.

"Hey! Did you hear me Angelica?" Blaise shakes my shoulder and I lift my head and shake away all my thoughts as I look away from the fire burning in the Slytherin common room.

I turn to face my friend and offer him an apologetic smile "no sorry, what did you say Blaise?" I sit back against the hard leather sofa and sigh deeply as I look back at the dancing flames.

Blaise reaches his hand out and moves my hair out of my face so he can clearly see me "I was just talking about the party tonight but forget it." He gently turns my shoulders so that I am facing him and looking into his eyes. "What's wrong? Talk to me please." His dark eyes burn into mine and I feel myself fall into his arms.

"I'm sorry" I sniffle "you know I hate to cry but all I can think about is my parents."

I feel Blaise stiffen and he exhales deeply "shit sorry. I forgot that today is the day when... I'm so sorry Angelica if Poppy were here she would of reminded me. Not as if that excuses it, but you know how bad I am with dates. I'm so sorry."

I pull myself out of my best friends arms and squeeze his hand "don't be silly, you don't have to apologise. Normally I don't feel this awful about it, I mean it's a hard day but twelve years allowed me some time to heal. It's just that I'm not really speaking to Harry and it's just making it so much worse. Normally we spend the whole day together and just talk."

I pull my knees up to my chest and hold my legs against my body as tears run down my face freely.
Blaise reaches out and wipes them away for me as he stares at me frowning.

I close my eyes laying back against the sofa and soon drift off next to the warmth of the roaring fire, worn out from feeling so sad, I feel Blaise leaving the sofa but I am too drowsy to comment and instead slip in to a dreamless sleep.

"Wake up Potter."

I groan at the voice trying to wake me and roll over to escape it.

"For Merlins sake Potter" I feel a pointy object poking in to my side and a small electric shock comes out of the end causing me to jump up in shock.

"OUCH!" My eyes snap open and I jump up into a standing position clutching at my side. I spin around looking for the sadist who wakes people up in a way fitting for a war camp and my eyes land on a pointed face with blonde hair.