“I’ll be back later and then you better spill Parker!” called Rose as she left our dormitory with a swish of her hair and made her way to her annual family gathering. It’s a Wotter only thing and after fourth year when they all bought people with them and it turned into a party, they decided to keep it that way. I can’t say I blame them to be honest.
As I couldn’t go with Rose – not that I’d want to – I had decided to tackle a particularly difficult essay for Professor Chang. It wasn’t going well. I hate that woman so much. I’d gotten halfway through when I noticed that an owl had just flown through the window with a letter in two which was clearly for me. I grabbed the letter and opened it only to discover that it wasn’t for me, it was in fact for Rose.
Rose
How are things? Firstly I have some major news for you; Teddy and I are getting married! I’m so excited. You know he proposed at my birthday party, but we’ve finally set a date. It’s the 3rd August in case you’re wondering. We thought the summer would be a good time as all the cousins could be there.
On to a more gloomy subject, how’s Al? Has he finally summoned the courage to ask this new girl out yet? Or are we going to have to keep hearing about Olivia “the evil one”? You must convince him to move on, I know you guys have all been trying but I think you need to try harder. James said you’d been talking to the girl as well. Let’s hope you manage to get them together. Auntie Ginny’s been really worried about him. If you need any help, you know where I am.
Anyway, I just wanted to check in with you. I hope things are going well, and Teddy sends his love.
Love
Victoire
I knew I shouldn’t have read it. Who am I to go snooping through someone else’s letters? But I thought Rose was my best friend, I thought we didn’t keep secrets from each other. I honestly thought the only thing I’d find in that letter was the mundane home stuff and fashion advice which Victoire normally writes about. I didn’t know I’d find out that my best mate has been lying to me. That all this time, whilst I’ve been torn up about my feelings for Al, she was trying to convince him and another girl to get together. I thought that she liked the idea of me and Al being together. That she supported me. Not that she wanted him to be with another girl so he could get over Olivia. Who is Olivia anyway? There’s no one in my year called Olivia. Hell I think the only Olivia I know is a Hufflepuff first year. I don’t really see her and Al having some sort of connection.
I was angry. So angry that I thought I there was a possibility I might start breathing fire any second. How could she? How dare she? I’m supposed to be her friend and she’s betrayed me. These were the thought that swam around my head as I ran out of the dormitory and the Gryffindor tower and set off towards the room of requirement. I had decided I was going to confront her. It wasn’t until I spotted Mrs Norris Junior that I realised the idiocy of my plan.
Firstly, even if I got to the room of requirement her whole family would be there, including Al. This would mean having to admit my true feelings for him to his face. Which I wasn’t really willing to do.
Secondly, all of the Wotters would find out and therefore half of the school after they’ve told their friends. This would also be extremely embarrassing.
Thirdly, I probably wouldn’t ever reach the room of requirement anyway because I was staring directly into the yellow eyes of Mrs Norris Junior. Quite frankly, at this moment I’d rather be looking at a basilisk. At least my death would be painless and quick instead of torturous and slow.
With these thoughts circling round my head I did the only thing that I could think of. I ran. I kept running down flights of stairs until I could no longer remember how many there’d been, until my heart was beating out of chest and I could no longer feel my feet. Then I collapsed and as I sunk down onto the cold marble floor the enormity of this entire situation hit me. My best friend, the person I trusted most in the wizarding world had lied to me. I didn’t even realise I was crying until a voice above me spoke.
“Merlin, Anya, what are you doing here?” I didn’t answer. I couldn’t think of anything to say. If I told him then I’d have to tell him everything and that is not an option.
“Umm, why don’t you come back with me to the Slytherin dorms?” I was so shocked when he grabbed my hand and threw his invisibility cloak over me that I didn’t say anything. I let him lead me back to the Slytherin dungeons and up to his dormitory under the cloak, not really paying attention to anything. I’d had enough, it was late and now the only thing I wanted to do was forget. I wanted to forget about everything that had happened. I wanted to forget about Rose and Olivia, whoever she was. So I did something crazy. I kissed him. I pushed Albus Potter down onto the only empty bed in the dormitory and I kissed him. I ran my hands through his hair, and against his willpower he kissed me back. Our tongues were entwined in an on-going battle. I felt his hands wrap around my body in order to bring me closer towards him. It was a rush of adrenaline and passion. Eventually he pulled me onto the bed with him and before either of us could fully comprehend what we were doing clothes were being tossed to the other side of the room and we were both forgetting everything.
*****
“Anya … Anya …. Wake up! Seriously Anya get up. Anya!” I was dreaming, I was sure of it, because there is no way in hell that the voice of Albus Potter can actually be telling me to get up. No, I’m definitely dreaming – although it was a very detailed dream - because if I’m not then last night really did happen and that would be disastrous. It would also leave me stranded in the middle of the sixth year boys Slytherin dorm with Albus Potter. This might just be a little embarrassing and need a level of explaining/lying which I’m not sure I can do. Plus last night just can’t have happened, because if last night happened I slept with Albus Potter. At this point I decided to open my eyes and was convinced I would see Rose and the girls. Unfortunately I received a rather frightening shock in the form of a practically naked Albus Potter who looked like he was going through the same level of shock as me. SHIT!
“Anya, Shhh! The boys haven’t woken up yet” Oh, did I say that out loud. Err, shit.
“How? What? I, err…” I was actually flabbergasted. How do I get myself into these situations? Less than forty-eight hours ago we were agreeing to be friends and now we have slept together. Merlin, Dumbledore and Harry Potter, WHAT HAVE I DONE?
“Shh, look we need to get you out of here before they wake up.” At this I glared at him. Was the git going to ignore me after this! “Err, we can talk later, I’ll come find you … I promise” He said in a truthful tone.
“How am I supposed to get out of here?” I asked as I realised the full extent of the situation … being that I didn’t have half of my clothes and I can’t exactly remember anything about the layout of the Slytherin dungeon.
“Umm, you can take the invisibility cloak. Just sneak out and run back to Gryffindor tower.” He said confidently, whilst grabbing the cloak and giving it to me.
“What, in my underwear? Won’t your friends notice my uniform on the floor.” I stated whilst thinking about how my Gryffindor tie would at least make my house obvious.
“Shit, we’ll have to go grab it now whilst there still sleeping.” He pulled back to curtain which was hanging around his bed and I noticed my tie on the other side of the room whilst my shirt and skirt were quite nearby.
“I’ll get the tie, you get the shirt and skirt” commanded Al as he got up from the bed wearing only his boxers and tiptoed across the dormitory towards my tie. I didn’t know whether he looked stupid or hot. I suppose it was a mixture of both. This light really shows his muscles. I’m definitely enjoying the view. Unfortunately Al caught me staring at him and glared at me. Why does he have to ruin my fun? Anyway, I got out of bed and started to stride towards my shirt – feeling the need to cover up – I looked up from the ground and noticed Al was staring at me. Unfortunately I didn’t have time to do or say much about this realisation as my foot hit into something and I went flying through the air and landed with a loud thump.
“Shit” I said as I started to force myself up. I looked over to Al and noticed that he was holding my tie with a look that just screamed “rabbit caught in the headlights”. I looked over my shoulder and to my horror Scorpius Malfoy was sitting on the four poster bed next to Al’s looking like he’d been hit by a bus.
Scorpius seemed to regain his composure quicker than either me or Al as he was the first to speak.
“What the fuck? Please tell me I am having some sort of weird perverted dream and this is not actually happening!” He mumbled towards Al who started to look rather guilty at being caught by his best mate.
“Sorry mate” replied Al whilst striding towards Scorpius and therefore closer to me. I decided this was probably a good moment in which to grab the shirt in front of me and wrap it around my body.
“Seriously Potter! You Moron! Rose is going to murder you in your sleep dude!” Woah, I didn’t realise Malfoy had such a temper. Unfortunately for Al and I Malfoys loudness had caused the rest of the boys in the dorm to stir. One by one Slytherin sixth years appeared from behind the curtains around their beds and proceeded to stare at Al and I.
“Nice one Al!” Said the boy on the bed furthest away who I recognised as Oasis Zabini.
“She’s fit, didn’t think you had it in you mate.” Lucas Foster said in a rather shocked tone but with a rather gleeful expression on his face.
“Sweet Merlin, isn’t she that girl who…” Roman Jackaman started from the corner but soon shut up after a rather mean look from the others.
“So … are you two like an item now?” Zabini asked with a raised eyebrow. This seemed to spurn me into action as I started to talk.
“It’s not what it looks like” I was hoping they might believe this but the look on their faces said it wasn’t going to happen. Plus Al then raised his eyebrows at me and turned back to the boys and said
“It’s exactly what it looks like, ignore her, you know what Gryffindor’s are like” he smirked as he turned back to face me. I suppose they weren’t going to believe me anyway, I’m shit at lying and we’re both standing here in our underwear. It couldn’t look much worse really.
“What’s going on mate? Are you two together or what? And did you actually, well, you know?” Scorpius asked.
“Err, we’re not together but we did err yeah. You can’t tell anyone.” He said whilst trying to avoid my gaze. It’s not that I suspected him to say we were together but it still sort of hurt.
“We won’t say a word, but seriously, how do you get yourself into these messes dude?” Asked Foster with a very stupid grin on his face.
”Thanks and Merlin knows” muttered Al
“I still say it’s a curse on anyone with Potter blood. I’d stay away from him if I were you babe” Said Foster whilst aiming a wink towards me.
“Lucas you can be a prick later, firstly we need to work out how to get her out of here undetected. She’s got lessons this morning and I doubt she knows her way out of our common room yet alone this side of the dungeons.” Said Scorpius as he sent scathing glances towards Al. I’d almost feel sorry for him but I just can’t bring myself to.
With this the boys started rapidly discussing how exactly to sneak me out of here and get me back to Gryffindor tower. In this time I grabbed my uniform and started getting dressed. Being in your matching underwear set in front of the Slytherin sixth year boys is probably not a good idea I reasoned. Anyway eventually the boys decided the easiest way to get me out would to be to have Jackaman sneak me back under the cloak. Al didn’t look that pleased about it but by this point I didn’t care so long as I got back to Gryffindor tower before the girls woke up. Plus, I figured he wanted to take me so he could save himself a long grilling which was clearly going to come from Scorpius as soon as I left.
My walk back to Gryffindor tower with Jackaman was pretty uneventful, which was probably a good thing. As we got when we got there we snuck behind a tapestry, where I got out from under the cloak, whispered a quick thank you and prayed to Godric that those boys would keep their mouths shut.
It was only when I walked back into the common room and saw a group of people – including Rose, Helen, Kirsty, Lily, James and Fred - sitting by the fire that I realised the trouble I was in. My disappearance had obviously been noticed.
“Anya, It’s not what you think, I should have told you, I’m sorry, I’m so glad you’re okay” Rose said as she ran up to me and enveloped me in a hug.
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