In the Melancholy Moonlight

Chapter XXIX: Ready for This One, Too

LUCY:

Thanks to Fred's firework and Harry's Quidditch reflexes, Hermione was able to successfully swipe the necessary ingredients from Snape's storage two days after the full moon. We gathered around the cauldron in the bathroom that afternoon, watching as Hermione stirred.

Harry sighed. "He knew it was me. I could tell."

"Snape can't prove it was you. What can he do?" Ron asked.

"Knowing Snape, something foul," he replied bitterly.

"It'll be ready in two weeks!" Hermione chirped, seemingly unaware of the conversation happening less than a meter away.

I groaned and dragged my hand down my face. "I'm going home for Christmas. Christmas is in exactly two weeks."

The others turned to stare at me.

"You're going home for Christmas?" Ron asked.

I nodded. "Cedric has been such a nervous wreck lately." I sighed and looked down at my hands. "I know he's trying to be brave, for me and for everyone else who looks up to him, but going home would give him a break from that. There's no Chamber of Secrets at home --- that I know of, anyway," I added with a halfhearted grin.

"Yeah, and no Lockhart either," Harry chuckled. "Truthfully, he's the bigger danger to you. You only left the Hospital Wing, what, three days ago?"

I pursed my lips. "I think so. I don't even know. I've been so busy trying to catch up on work I honestly have no idea. Speaking of, I should probably go," I said with another sigh. "I need to try to finish an essay before practice tonight."

Harry's eyes lit up. "Oh! You've been cleared for Quidditch?"

"Not exactly," I replied slowly as I rose to my feet. "But I will go mad if I have to go one more day without flying."

Hermione glanced up from the potion to look at me disapprovingly. "Lucy, if you haven't been cleared-"

"I'll be fine," I interrupted. "Honestly. I would rather fall to my death than be stuck on the ground at this rate, anyway."

"Alright then, how many fingers am I holding up?" she asked, clearly holding up three fingers.

"Seven," I retorted. I laughed when she glared at me. "I'm kidding, Hermione, you're holding three fingers up. See? I'll be fine at practice. Meanwhile, my essay won't write itself. See you all later."

I ducked out of the room before anyone could protest and made my way up to the common room. The twins tried to convince me to help them bewitch Percy's prefect badge, but I shook my head.

"Sorry, boys, I need to finish an essay before practice tonight."

They jumped. "Practice? Tonight? You're going?"

I nodded. "Finally. I can't wait. I miss the sky. Speaking of, my essay on moon cycles is waiting for me. See you later!"

Thankfully, my dormitory was empty. I loved being back, and I was glad that everyone else loved me being back too, but the attention was suffocating. Especially when I was trying to write an essay.

I did manage to finish it before practice, and I felt a shiver of joy run up my spine as I zipped up my Quidditch robes. They were bigger on me than I remembered, but I figured a month in the Hospital Wing, barely able to eat anything due to my reaction to the dittany, would have that effect.

Just the same, I grinned at Harry when we met in the common room. He smiled, too.

"Ready, Lu?"

"You bet your Bludgers I am," I replied, laughing at my own enthusiasm as we walked out of the common room. I checked my half of the ring as we left. As I expected --- bright, bright yellow-green, which I assumed meant nothing other than pure excitement.