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𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆
"𝐴 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑔𝑖𝑟𝑙 𝑔𝑒𝑡𝑠 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑎𝑙𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑎 𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝑔𝑖𝑟𝑙."
—𝐴𝑚𝑖𝑡 𝐾𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑖
𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 𝟓𝟖𝟗𝟏

⋆⋆⋆✧⋆⋆⋆

"𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐀, 𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄!" 𝐑𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐘 begged quietly, prodding her side. "I don't know how to start the essay! Give me the answer!"

"Well, you can start it off by actually picking up your quill and putting thoughts in your brain." Liliana raised her eyebrows as she flipped to the next page in her textbook. "And there is no answer. It's an essay."

The end of Charms class was nearing, and they had just been assigned an essay that was to be submitted in two days. Riley, as usual, did not want to do it himself, so he decided to bother Liliana about it.

"But that's the problem! I don't think!" Riley whined, still poking her side and ignoring as she tried to swat his hand away. "But you know who does think? You!"

"Why don't you ever ask Wes?" She pointed towards the blond boy who was two seats down from her. "He's smart! Or Ced, he's smart! Or Devon, he's smart! Just anyone other than me? Everyone is smart!"

"Because you're the nicest one." Riley grinned. "The other ones just slap me if I try to ask for their help."

"Oh, yeah?" She folded her arms, trying her hardest to put a tough expression on her face (though she didn't need a mirror to see she was failing). "I can do that. I can . . . I can slap you really hard."

A sudden laugh came from her other side. "I would love to see you do that."

"I can!" she insisted as she turned to Cedric, who only chuckled again in return.

"Then do it," Riley challenged, nudging her hand. "Slap me."

"Uh . . . okay." She lifted her hand slowly, and it paused just at his cheek. Scrunching her face, she tentatively tapped the side of his face with her palm. "There! That oughta show you!"

"You basically just patted his cheek," Cedric pointed out, his eyebrows raised in amusement. "That was not a slap."

"Yeah, Liana, I'll show you what a real slap looks like." Devon grinned. He lifted his hand—in a slow, dramatic fashion—and then slapped Riley across the cheek, the loud noise making Liliana jump in her seat.

"Mr. Anderson!" Professor Flitwick looked towards him, a look of horror on his face. "No violence in this classroom!"

His cheeks coloured and he bowed his head, sheepishly mumbling, "Sorry, professor."

Liliana giggled softly as she leaned towards Cedric and whispered, "That's why I don't slap people."

"Anyway, Liana, please! I beg you!" Riley continued to implore as he rubbed his reddening cheek with one hand, poking her once more with the other. "I don't want to—"

His pleas were then cut off by Professor Flitwick, who had climbed back onto his stack of books and began to announce to the class in his squeaky voice, "Attention, class! The Yule Ball is approaching—a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an opportunity for us to socialize with our foreign guests. Now, the ball will be open only to fourth years and above—although you may invite a younger student if you wish. Dress robes will be worn, and the ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Day, finishing at midnight in the Great Hall. Now then—"