Poison Ivy - G.W

SEVENTEEN

Olivia stuffed her trunk full zipping it shut as quietly as possible, and casting a levitating charm onto it, she decided that if she was going to have to escape her newfound hell hole she might have to use magic, she just hoped that hopefully, she'd be able to speak to Dumbledore, play on her grief, it sounds bad but she was hoping for some special treatment. She crept down the old spiral staircase careful to walk as close to the wall as possible to be as quiet as humanly possible. She opened the door with a flick of her wand, cringing at the noise from the heavy wooden door. 

She stepped out into the cold night air breathing a sigh of relief, at least she'd gotten out of the house without being noticed, she walked forwards transfiguring her trunk into a muggle suitcase to help make her look more inconspicuous. She walked with her head down decided she'd go a few blocks before calling for the knight bus as waiting around near the Rockwood's stately home didn't feel the safest.

Walking through to a small muggle park she called for the bus taking a large step back onto the pavement. No matter how many times she'd travelled on the knight bus she'd never get used to the giant purple bus whizzing up to her out of nowhere, she always had a feeling that it was going to run over her toes.

The purple blur appeared in front of her and the smiling face of Stan Shunpike peered down at her, she felt quite rude, but she interrupted his normal speech instead rushing inside desperate to not be so exposed anymore.

"Hogwarts please." She said politely.

"No can do I'm afraid, not allowed in."

"Oh" she replied panic bubbling in her stomach, thinking quickly she said, "How bout the leaky cauldron."

"Of course, what did you say your name was?" Stan asked.

"It's Liv," She said flatly not offering a second name.

She sat in silence for the rest of the ride trying to make a plan in her head, she'd use the floo network and floo to the Gryffindor common room. Maybe she could just ask Tom to use the floo, he probably wouldn't mind but a 15-year-old who should be in school in the middle of December attempting to get to into school looks a little bit suspicious. Or maybe it didn't, ever since the torturing last night she felt as if she couldn't think straight it was like she didn't have a real grasp on reality.

She paid Stan and bid her farewells walking into the drab and dark bar, here goes she thought to herself just walk up casually and ask if his fireplace is connected. "Hello Tom", she greeted cheerfully, "how are you today?"

"I'm good thank you, Miss Rockwood." He replied, the fact she remembered who she was threw her a little bit she didn't know if it was a good sign or not. The fact he said Rockwood and not Pugh probably wasn't.

"I was wondering if I'd be able to floo to Hogwarts?" she asked with a smile hoping her expression didn't falter.

"Of course, my dear, Dumbledores expecting you." This made the girl feel sick, she didn't know what she was going to share with him about her interaction with Voldemort and hoped she'd have some time to figure it out in the safety of her dorm room maybe even tell George the abridged version of the last rather traumatic month. She nodded and stepped into the fireplace announcing, "Headmasters office Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Travelling like that was never an enjoyable experience but it was, however, necessary she stepped out into the headmaster's office looking around and realising that it was empty aside from Fawkes. Doubting her luck, she walked out of the office and didn't relax till she got to her common room at least she had some time before all of Dumbledores questioning. The common room fell quiet when she entered, it was around 1 am but because it was a Friday night most of the older students were still awake chatting in the armchairs, it looked like they'd had a few drinks by the empty bottles on the floor but they all seemed rather relaxed and happy. Her friends jumped out of their seats and rushed over to her George getting their first and wrapping her into a strong warm hug. She clutched on to him breathing in his deep smell of cinnamon and firewood and balling his jumper in his fists not ever wanting to let go. She felt the arms around her waist tighten as she was lifted into the air and spun in a circle.

"I missed you" he whispered into her ear making the girl melt at the tingles his breath sent down her spine.

"I missed you" she replied pulling out of the hug and looking into his eyes, electricity coursing between them.

"Liv" Fred bellowed tackling her away from George and spinning her around again causing a giggle to escape her lips. It felt good to laugh, that might have been the first time she did since before her mother passed.

"Hey guys," she said with a faint smile feeling embarrassed at all of the attention and sympathetic looks she was getting from the people surrounding her.