Accio Evans

Chapter 31: Improvement

"I swear – Sirius is the heaviest sleeper I've ever seen!" Hestia complained, flicking her long hair over one shoulder in irritation. "I had to push him out of his bed to wake him and then he fell asleep on the floor anyway! And he snores! I could hear him from the next door room!" she added. It seemed her holiday with Sirius had not gone as well as planned. "He wasn't like that at the Potter's! I'm sure he was doing it to annoy me!" Hestia was ranting, at times like this, the girls would all be sat around apparently listening intently, however Lily was remembering her holiday with James which had been perfect in every way and Alice was remembering the look on Augusta Longbottom's face when she had been introduced as Frank's girlfriend – her face had been like curdled milk, she had warmed slightly to Alice, although it had been a sensation of pure relief when she had boarded to Hogwarts Express back to school with her three friends with Mrs Longbottom nowhere to be seen – Thank Merlin. The girls were all sat in their dormitory, the fire crackling spreading its light across the entire room, casting a warm comforting glow. Laying flat out on her bed, Hestia took out her wand and changed the colours of the curtains around her bed to a dazzling green, then a deep purple and vivid blue – quite absorbed in the colour change charm, she had taken a momentary breather from ranting about her boyfriend – clearly all was not well in Hestia and Sirius land if the look on her face was anything to go by. Lily sat in front of the fire, enjoying the feel of warmth against her skin; Alice too lay on her bed, but on her stomach, absently flicking through a copy of Witch Weekly whilst mentally recalling uncomfortable memories of Frank's mother. Jessica, sat on the floor leaning on her bed, looked around her friends, none of them knew what had happened during her holidays, she lied and said it was lovely, plastering on a smile they seemed to believe her, although by the look in Lily's eye Jessica knew that would not be the last time her holiday was mentioned. In fact, Jessica was quite ashamed of her behaviour during the holidays, running away? Her cheeks flushed slightly at the memory, she hoped none of her friends would see or she'd have to blame her flushing on the heat of the fire. Uncomfortably Jess recalled her Christmas Holidays.

Apparating from the end of her street with her suitcase, Jessica had no idea where to go, but when she opened her eyes she found herself in Hogsmeade village. It seemed the New Year cheer spread into the wizarding world too; the Three Broomsticks seemed to be full to bursting, lights flashing as raucous laughter spilling out of the door as well as the unmistakable alcoholic aroma of Fire Whiskey. Sighing, she looked up towards Hogwarts castle, majestic against the ink blue sky. Taking out her wand, she used a shrinking charm on her suitcase and placed the now pocket sized bag in the inside pocket of her gillet. Pulling the muggle clothing closer to her body she tried to block out the cold, which was biting at the exposed flesh on her neck. Making a split second decision she began to walk towards the castle, a thin dusting of snow crunching underfoot. Slipping on a patch of ice, her feet slid out from underneath her as she landed flat on her chest, knocking the breath from her lungs. Regaining her balance and taking a deep gulp of air, she swore under her breath. Continuing on her journey up towards the castle – this time more carefully – she managed to make it there with no more falls. Finding herself at the gates, her heart sank, it was the holidays, they weren't expecting any students back for another week, the gates were locked, she wouldn't be able to enter the castle. You couldn't apparate into Hogwarts, she'd read that in Lily's favourite book 'Hogwarts A History' and with the extra protection enchantments been put on the castle with the uprising of Lord Voldemort she doubted a simple Alhomora would work on the lock. Suddenly feeling very vulnerable and very very alone, Jess didn't know what to do. Feeling a tear slip down her cheek, she furiously wiped it away. She had no money to book a room at the Three Broomsticks and she doubted they had any with the amount of people in there tonight, she couldn't go to Lily or Hestia's and ruin their holidays with Sirius and James and she had no idea where Frank Longbottom lived to see Alice. Remus was the last person she wanted to see right now and Peter was away with his parents. Just when she was about to resign herself to a night in the freezing cold, she was broken out of her sullen mood by a rather stern voice from the other side of the gates.