Harry Potter 1. Chapter 1

The platform had roughly a dozen people, parents and children, waiting for eleven o'clock when the Hogwarts Express would leave for the new term. My mother kept on looking around crazily, expecting some minion of You-Know-Who to pop out like an April Fools joke. Ever since the official news of his return, she had hardly let me out of her sight. It was embarrassing. I was sixteen; I could take care of myself. Plus, all that secret training in Potter's D.A. last year helped my skills.

Another pair suddenly appeared from the barrier between platforms nine and ten and Mother's eyes darted suspiciously.

"Give it a rest, Mom," I said.

She looked down at me, shocked. "I'm only worried for you."

"I'll be fine," I replied. "You know how safe Hogwarts is."

"Yes, yes, it's safe," She nodded, "but who knows what You-Know-Who might have at his disposal this time around, or who he's got in his service? All those mind bending curses…"

"I'm sure they've thought of that," I said dryly, simply hoping to drop the subject.

Eventually, around ten-thirty, Parvati and Padma showed up with their parents, giving me someone else to talk with besides my jumpy mother. I reintroduced them to her, since they were my closest friends at school. Apparently, the Patils were also a touch on the edge about security measures on the platform and, later, at school. They were not, however, as emotional as Mother, suggesting that each student carry proper identification on their person at all time.

Mr. and Mrs. Patil escorted their children to a wagon to relieve themselves of the luggage. During that time, a group of fifth year boys came on to the platform, all chatting about the latest broom model. Mother watched them, turned to me, and then put a small, almost undecipherable grin on her lips.

"Have you met anyone special yet?" She asked.

I sighed heavily; not this topic again.

"No, Mom. Not yet."

"Anybody you're keeping your eye on?" She questioned airy voiced and all.

"Even if I did, Mom, I probably wouldn't tell you," I replied.

"Aw, Lavender, I'm your mother!" She said. "You can tell me anything."

"Afraid not," I said under my breath, through grit teeth.

She didn't hear me. "Any names I can get off you? Something to remember?'

"Mom, please. Drop it."

"Your cousin, Samantha, found her fiancé in her fourth year," Mom rambled on.

"Yes, I know. You've told me."

"And… doesn't your friend see that Harry Potter boy?"

"Oh, Parvati? That was a one time thing, Mom."

"Good for her," Mother said. "She got out there and she took a risk. Getting to know new people is a good thing, Lavender. You should take a lesson from her."

I gave up. I couldn't take it any longer. Lucky for me, Parvati and Padma joined me again and we decided to find a compartment on the train. I quickly hugged my mother, said goodbye, and left quicker than the embrace. By this time, the platform was teaming with students and parents. One of the many waving arms could have been Mother's, but I could not tell which. All that mattered was the act of waving back, so I did.

The advantage of getting there early was that plenty of compartments were open. Parvati, Padma and I found one toward the front of the train and took our seats. We began catching up on what happened over summer holiday. Parvati and Padma spent a week at a beach house, which sounded extremely relaxing. Of course, I stayed home the entire break. Mother was never keen on vacations.

One of the downfalls of sitting near the front of the train was that the snack trolley comes rather quickly. I did not get anything, but after another half an hour of journeying to Hogwarts, my stomach began to growl.

"Oh, I could use a Cauldron Cake right now," I said, putting a hand on my stomach.

"You just decided this?" Padma asked.

"I wasn't hungry when that old witch came around," I replied, pouting.

"Come on," Parvati said, standing up and patting my knee. "Let's track her down; she shouldn't be down too far. She walks incredibly slowly."

She and I left the compartment and started heading down the hallway in pursuit of the snack cart. After a handful of wagons, we caught sight of the old witch and got her attention. She was happy we found her, or possibly more surprised. I got three Cauldron Cakes and a Licorice Wand for Parvati since she came with me.

On the trip back to our seats, two other students were coming in the opposite direction. They were Ron and Hermione, Harry's friends. Hermione looked slightly graven and Ron could easily been mistaken for sleepwalking.

"This is so pointless," He said.

"It's our duty as prefects, Ron," Hermione replied.

"Yeah, yeah," He mumbled. "This long, though?"

Hermione grunted to herself, before spotting Parvati and I coming their way.

"Oh, you girls aren't supposed to be out in the hallway," She said.

Ron nodded absentmindedly, obviously not caring too much. "Yeah."

"Since when is that against the rules?" Parvati asked.

"New this year," Hermione answered. "I know it's a bit ridiculous, but…"

She shrugged.

"Well, we're on our way," I said.

"Cheers," Ron flashed a thumbs-up lazily and continued to patrol the corridor.

Hermione quickly walked after him, looking over her shoulder to make sure Parvati and I kept moving. For some reason, before Parvati took a step, I reached out and grabbed her sleeve.

"Stay here a second," I whispered.

"Why?" She whispered back.

I felt myself slowly grin. "Not sure. Just do it."

Before long, I heard Hermione's voice.

"Lavender, Parvati…," She waved at us to start moving.

I nodded and grabbed Parvati's sleeve once more and started back to the compartment.

Halfway back, Parvati glanced at me, and then laughed.

I laughed too. "I'm sorry."

"Why? Did you see the look on her face?" Parvati said. "It was great."

"I don't know what it is about her!" I exclaimed. "Can't put my finger on it, but she just irks me."

"I understand," Parvati agreed. "I'm sure she's nice once you get to know her, but it's so hard to get past that rigid shell of hers."

"Yeah, I don't know how Harry and Ron did it."

"There must be something there," Parvati said. "Fourth year, that Yule Ball, they both kept such a watch on her. It was very strange, and frankly, annoying. Something's got them rapt."

She rolled her eyes.

By then we had reached our cabin. Padma asked why we took so long and we quickly told her of our encounter. She didn't think much of it, but she had less contact with Hermione Granger. However, she understood completely on Parvati's comment on the Yule Ball, since she was Ron's date, after all. Said he was the biggest bore.

"Yeah, you two are in her house, so she must cross your path quite a bit," Padma said.

"Yes, and no," I said. "But whenever she does…"

I made a low scream in the back of my throat.

The twins laughed.

"It's so strange," Parvati added, "a girl like her, having two best friends who are boys?"

"Maybe the problem isn't with her, it's with them," Padma suggested. "You know, Harry and Ron."

Parvati and I snorted, causing Padma to follow. Apparently, she did not even believe in her own statement. Then again, all three of us could be correct and that famous trio was one huge dysfunctional problem.

The Hogwarts Express soon rounded on Hogsmeade Station and everyone exited the train as soon as they could manage. The platform was packed with students carrying trunks, owl cages, cat baskets, and trolleys. First years were extremely confused and prefects from all houses were trying to usher them towards the boats on the lake. Two prefects ran by so swiftly that one bumped into my shoulder. She turned around to apologize, and it turned out to be Hermione once more.

"Oh, Lavender, I'm sorry," She said quickly, insincerely. "By the way, have you seen Harry anywhere?"

"No, I haven't," I replied.

Parvati and Padma shook their heads as well.

Hermione's eyes opened wider and rushed after Ron.

"It's hard to tell who's holding the handle and who has the leash around the neck," Parvati said.

We found ourselves one of those horseless carriages to take us to the castle. The whole ride there, Parvati stared at a spot just beyond my shoulder, an odd smirk on her face. I tried to get her attention by moving over the place she was concentrating so hard on. However, her eyes never faltered. She must have really been thinking.

Padma left for the Ravenclaw table while Parvati and I took our seats at Gryffindor. The feast went by smoothly. Once the main courses were through, a blur of Harry Potter entered the Great Hall. His face covered in blood and dressed in Muggle clothes, he didn't look too happy to be here.

"Wonder how that happened," Parvati thought aloud.

"Dunno," I replied. "Honestly, don't care too much, either. He's always getting into some sort of dirt."

"That's true," Parvati nodded. "Sometimes it seems the dirt finds him instead, though, doesn't it?"

"I guess."

"If I were him, I would be sick and tired of all the attention."

"Me too," I agreed. "Do you think Hermione and Ron feel the same?"

"You'd think so. I mean, being the best friends of the 'Chosen One'?" Parvati lifted an eyebrow. "That's got to be one awful shadow to follow."

I thought on that for a moment.

"Hermione does quite well with it, if you ask me. Her academic skills get her plenty of recognition. But Ron, he's … average."

Parvati giggled shortly. "He got some nice attention when he helped the Quidditch team win the cup last year."

"Yes, but I can almost guarantee most of the school has forgotten about that," I said. "I mean, you don't hear the name Ron Weasley unless the name Harry Potter is said in the sentence previous, the same sentence, or the one following."

Parvati laughed. "Well, Hermione seems to like the average opposed to the famous."

"Really?"

"You haven't noticed?" Parvati asked.

I looked at her, a bit confused. "I wasn't paying attention; didn't see the point."

"Oh, it's not like I was trying," Parvati quickly said. "It's just that they're so obvious, it's hard to miss. They're like an old married couple, arguing left and right over nothing."

"And just because they argue means they're—"

"You don't believe me?"

"Well,"

I gazed down the table, as if Hermione would nod a yes or no answer to me.

"Trust me," Parvati continued. "She may be forward enough, but when it comes to him, she clams up. I'm sure if anything ever started to interfere, she'd cave."

"Or just become a cross mess," I said.

"Oho," Parvati laughed. "That would be fun to see."

There was a pause between us. Desserts materialized in front of us and we each grabbed for our favorite. I took a large bite from my chocolate gateau happily. I loved eating at Hogwarts, mostly because I didn't have my mother breathing down my neck saying how fat I was going to get if I ate too much chocolate and sweets.

"You know what?" Parvati said quietly. "We should do it."

"Do what?" I asked.

"Make Hermione flip like that!" Parvati grinned maliciously. "All we need to do is find someone to grab Ron out from under her nose."

"You're not serious, are you?"

She shrugged. "Sounded like a fun trick. Get her back for acting all high and mighty all these years."

I shook my head, laughing under my breath. "You're really serious."

"Wouldn't it be fun?" Parvati said. "The problem is, I doubt we could find someone to go through with it. I mean…"

I leaned over in my seat, trying to get a glimpse of Ron.

"…if he hasn't done anything for what, five years?"

I saw Ron grab for a piece of chocolate gateau, a childlike grin on his face.

Suddenly, I heard my mother's voice from this morning: _Have you met anyone special yet?_ The look in her eyes as she gazed down at me, disappointed that I had not acted like Parvati and "taken a risk", burned in the back of my mind. I was not sure if it was a desire to finally please her, or to get my own type of revenge on her insensitivity as she never let me take my time.

"I'll do it," I said.

Parvati almost gagged on her rhubarb and custard.

"Lavender?" She questioned.

"I said I'll do it," I repeated. "Well, I'll give it my best shot."

Parvati sniggered. "Seriously?"

"What? You weren't serious before?" I asked, worried.

"I was," Parvati stuttered, "but, you really want to try?"

"Why not?" I said. "Give ourselves some entertainment for a while."

"Alright," Parvati nodded joyfully and returned to her dessert.

That night in the common room, everyone was reacquainting themselves. First years were sitting in a corner, possibly afraid to venture any further. Parvati and I sat down at our usual table near the window closest to the fire. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were in their usual spot as well, the couch and armchair in front of the hearth. I kept on checking on Ron out of the corner of my eye. Awkwardly, one time I looked, he happened to be peering through the window I was sitting in front of. Thinking quickly, I waved my fingers lightly. He did not react, but kept his gaze my way a second longer before returning it to the fire.

"Getting a head start?" Parvati whispered.

"Maybe," I said.

"So, you're actually going to go through with this?" She asked.

I took another quick peek at Ron sitting on the couch next to Harry.

"Yup, I think I am."


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning Parvati shook me awake for breakfast. I was always such a heavy sleeper; I'd sleep away half the day if nobody bothered to rouse me. The sun was already up and shining bright through the dormitory windows. Throwing the sheets off me, I climbed out of bed to see Hermione staring at me as she finished buttoning up her white shirt.

"What?" I asked.

"You're going to have to clean up your stuff," She said.

I looked around my bed. A couple of suitcases were on each side. At the end where the trunk stood was scattered with garments. I had forgotten to pack my pajamas on top so I had to rummage through everything to find them last night. I simply hadn't bothered to clean up what I had tossed aside. True, my space was a tad cluttered, but I did not see what she was so upset over.

"Why?"

She sighed and switched her weight to the other foot. "Technically, it's a violation of the dormitory codes… we each get a certain amount of space."

I felt my nose turn up. "That's a load of crap."

"I told you yesterday, they put in a bunch of new rules this year, and being prefect, I need to enforce them."

"Yeah, but do you honestly care if some of my clothes cross 'your line'?" I asked.

"Well, no, but,"

"Then leave me alone," I replied hotly, quickly pitching a pair of jeans back into my trunk.

Hermione pulled on her sweater and grabbed her robes before walked out rather hastily.

"Whoa," Parvati said. "What's got you this morning? You've only woken…"

I shrugged. "I have no idea. I just have this feeling that today going to be a bad day, whether I try hard at it or not. So, why try?"

"It's the first day of classes, you've got to be more cheerful than this," Parvati said, handing me my tie.

I knot my tie without much thinking and put on my robes, trying to find my hands in the swimming black sleeves.

"Plus," Parvati added, "Today is day one of our operation."

I paused for a moment, "Did you just call it an operation?"

The smile dropped off her face. "What? Can't I call it that?"

I laughed and patted her shoulder before heading down into the common room. Parvati followed and we each took our book bags from where we left them the previous night. We climbed through the portrait hole and started toward the Great Hall for breakfast.

"Are you having second thoughts?" Parvati asked.

"Second thoughts?" I pondered. "I'm having… no thoughts."

"Yeah, I suppose you have a point," Parvati said understandingly. "We were mostly joking around last night."

I nodded.

"But there has to be something to back her down," Parvati whispered, mostly because we were gaining on her, Ron, and Harry as they made their way to the hall.

Hermione suddenly stopped a young boy who was tackily hiding a Fanged Frisbee under his arm. She had a word with him before confiscating the object. The young boy looked positively disgusted, not to mention disappointed, as he walked off. Ron quickly snatched the Frisbee from Hermione's hands.

"Great, I've always wanted one of these," He said.

For some odd reason, I started laughing, walking at a quicker pace to pass by his side. While doing so, I looked over my shoulder at him, making sure the slight giggling fit continued and flashed a small smile. He stared back, sheer confusion on his face, which eventually melted into satisfaction. He looked proud of himself. Before I straightened my gaze, I caught a glimpse of Hermione who now appeared absolutely appalled.

Once we were some distance away, Parvati, who had kept up with me, tugged on my sleeve.

"Where did that come from?"

"I don't know," I said, amused. "It just came out."

Parvati snickered. "Well, something as a simple as laughing at his comment sure put a smile on his face. Guys can be so easy to please."

"I wouldn't know," I said.

"Aw, come on, you just did it!" Parvati replied.

"Maybe, but it was a guess," I said. "The only girl he really talks with always jumps down his throat. He probably wants someone to agree with him. So, I agreed."

"I thought you said you weren't going to do this anymore," Parvati said.

"I didn't think I was," I replied.

Parvati looked over her shoulder nonchalantly.

"He still has that stupid grin on his face."

"It's probably at something else," I said. "By now, come on…"

Parvati puffed a sigh. "Have some confidence for once, Lavender."

"Parvati," I glared at her. "What does that have to do with anything? Low shot…"

"Well, I'm sorry," Parvati said sincerely, but continued, "but you should honestly give this a go. I mean, at least you can say you tried."

"Is this about Hermione anymore?"

"Oh," Parvati breathed. "Yeah, it may be. On the other hand, what if something else comes from it?"

"Stop talking like that," I said.

"Alright," Parvati agreed much too quickly for it to be earnest.

I tried to look into her eyes and check for that special glint which meant she was lying. It wasn't there, but the smile she had yesterday night in the carriage had appeared again. I shook my head, perhaps a little overzealously to gain Parvati's attention. She did not budge, her stare unfaltering ahead of her.

Breakfast passed as usual. Professor McGonagall began handing out each individual student's schedule for the year. I had no particular inkling toward a career choice, or desire, so I took the average courses…or whichever ones Parvati was taking. We found out Professor Trelawney was teaching Divination again, but her classes were split between herself and Firenze. I couldn't care less which teacher I got, honestly, but Parvati was a tad upset.

The mail came a little bit before the bell for first class rang. The number of owls was simply ridiculous, if you ask me. For the first day of classes, it was a spot much for three-quarters of the students to receive mail. They were most likely from panic stricken parents, making sure their child did not get "avada kedavra"-ed in their sleep. Parvati received a letter from her mother who had written her letter so nonchalantly it came across more apprehensive than if she had just scribbled what was on her mind.

My mother's owl never flew in from the open window. Truthfully, I was not surprised. Even though she went on and on over the summer on safety measures, I'm sure she was glad to put me in someone else's care for a while. She was sick of "protecting" me. I never doubted if she loved me, but sometimes I would like a letter. If it contained mere criticism, hidden in sugary sweet words, I wouldn't care. Just a letter…

Parvati tucked her note inside her book bag before we left for the common room. We had a short break before our first class. Sixth years had that special privilege of break time, but it would mostly be used for study. N.E.W.T.s decided if we would be able to get a job, and those were nothing to fool around with. Most of the sixth year Gryffindors had returned to the comfort of the common room by now. I noticed Ron and Harry sitting at a table. Their words couldn't be heard, but any witch or wizard could read lips when the word Quidditch was said a couple times.

"Quidditch try-outs should be coming up, right?" I asked Parvati.

"I dunno," She said. "Maybe in a week or two."

I nodded to myself. "You want to go watch?"

She lifted an eyebrow. "Not really, but maybe I'll change my mind by then."

"Alright."

Parvati laughed. "Look at you…looking at him."

"I am not!" I said loudly, catching some stares.

She ignored me, "He should be so lucky."

I opened my mouth to retort, but shut it. I put my head down on the table, actually embarrassed by what Parvati said. It was a bad habit, mine. Excitement catches me all too soon over a silly task. I end up overreacting and making a fool of myself. The whole process was beginning now, me getting all flustered over something that wasn't even happening.

Parvati patted my head.

"The year has only begun."

"Oh, what's wrong with me, Parvati?" I sighed heavily.

"Nothing," She replied softly. "It's just who you are. Maybe calm down and—I know you think it's a low shot, but it's true—have some confidence in yourself."

"Then why haven't you?" I said out of slight annoyance.

"Oh, ho!" She exclaimed. "I have had my chances and I took them. There simply aren't any guys around I have my eyes on. Maybe later…"

I giggled.

"I don't know what you're thinking, but shut up," Parvati said.

"But I didn't say anything," I replied, finally lifting my head up.

"It was a warning," She pointed her quill at me.

I shook my head and decided to change the subject. "Is Divination first?"

"Um, no, Transfiguration, but Divination is after that," Parvati replied. "Oh! That reminds me! I should have asked the cards about you!"

Parvati rushed up to the dormitories in a flash to retrieve her tarot cards. I should have expected that. Sure, I loved Divination, but I always thought the tarot cards weren't as powerful as, say, star charts, crystal balls, or tea leaves. Your future shouldn't be as obvious as a metaphorical picture on a card. Nonetheless, I allowed her to set up the pattern on the table. She guided my hand, held tightly in hers, over the oddly shaped tree of cards. After each row, the cards that did not produce a pulse were removed, leaving us with the positive ones.

"Oh, why didn't I think of this sooner?" Parvati asked herself happily.

Even though my belief in tarot cards wasn't strong, my excitement kept building as Parvati gathered up the cards that would "tell" my future.

"Alright," Parvati said, and took the card set aside at the beginning which I pulled from the deck, "Eight of cups."

I nodded, listening intently, trying to remember which card meant what.

Parvati continued: "Center card, The Hanged Man. Top card, Three of Wands. Bottom card, Five of Cups. Left, The High Priestess. Right, Death. Base, Nine of Swords. Second bottom, Knight of Pentacles. Second Top, The Fool. Top staff, Seven of Swords."

I stared back and Parvati gazed down at her deck, satisfied.

"Did I lose you again?" She asked finally.

"Yeah," I replied. "You know tarot is not my strong point."

"Okay, give me a second," Parvati said, preparing to summarize. "Well, there was a lot of information there, so bear with me. You will, or have, come across a realization that a matter you thought to be of great importance is really not, um; you will be moving on from that and to a new inner journey to find fulfillment."

"That doesn't sound bad," I replied.

Parvati laughed, "That was the first card."

"Oh, dear," I sighed.

"I'll be quick! Next, the unwillingness to make necessary sacrifices; you'll be taking full responsibility for a decision, power toward a distant goal. That's good! Then, overcoming loss and grief to get on with your life. A pure, gracious and exalted influence…aww, that's me!"

"Wait," I grabbed the High Priestess from her hand. "That's for education or forces of nature."

"Shut up, it's me," Parvati retorted playfully and went on with her cards. "Rebirth of consciousness, transformation after trauma…good for you, Lavender. Then, you will overcome—wow, there is a lot of overcoming in this—mental anguish and you will refuse to be dragged down by others as well. Oh, but that's followed by stubbornness and slow advances."

I stuck out my tongue at her.

"Fearlessness and an adventurous spirit, that's not a bad thing to have," Parvati said and went to the last card.

Her face dropped ever so slightly, only my trained eye could have caught. I took the card from her, Seven of Swords. Parvati went to speak, but I held up my hand. I wanted to remember this card by myself, especially if it caused such reaction in Parvati. She looked out for me too much; I did not want my fortune, whether tarot or not, to be told otherwise for my protection.

Finally, I recalled Professor Trelawney going through the levels of Swords. Seven of Swords was Futility: Being trapped in a hopeless situation and unable to withdraw; a feat of daring that is too much for you to handle; being caught in the middle of a desperate act of cunning or outright deception.

The picture was fitting. A man is carrying five swords, two in one hand, while three in the other. He looks down at the remaining two, both stuck in the ground by the blade and he realizes he cannot pick them up without dropping the others. His face is hopeful yet sorrowful and he tries to make a fast getaway from a camp.

"That, uh…doesn't always mean something," Parvati stumbled.

"You're bloody lying," I replied, handing her back the card. "If those cards told you your mother was going to die at noon, you'd begin to make funeral arrangements during lunch!"

"Come on, Lavender, you're overreacting."

"No, I'm not," I said. "I accept my future; it sounds pretty much like my mother predicted it to be anyway. Yeah, I try, but it will all end up being for no good."

"Lavender,"

"I'm fine, Parvati," I said. "Nothing is perfect, I'm sure if we placed your cards, they wouldn't all be great. I'm taking it in stride."

Parvati nodded, perhaps a little too reluctantly.

"Thank you," I added. "You're always quite good with the cards."

Parvati grinned feebly, "You're welcome. If I want my tea leaves read, I'll come to you."

I nodded.

It was our little way of making up after a silly spat. We complemented each other well.

Classes began shortly after, settling in the entire monotony of school life. Being at N.E.W.T. level meant much more homework than the previous years, so those breaks that appeared to be bonuses were in fact graciously bestowed time to catch up on work. Throughout the day, I caught myself watching for signs from Parvati's cards. Those were weak, of course, in my mind. There was no reason for me to be taking them so seriously. Yet, each character stood out in my mind.

Along with that, I caught myself stealing glimpses of that famous boy's side-kick. Reason left me blind in that category as well. I suppose the idea had begun to implant in my mind and curiosity was getting the better of me. I was, indeed, curious. If I were to finally put a stronger foot forward and catch myself a boyfriend, why not Ron? Sure, there are plenty of other choices, so why was he so vivid to me?

I suddenly saw myself in a toy store as a child, running toward a particular stuffed animal shouting, "I bagsie the orange lion!" I snickered under my breath. Not only because I still had that orange stuffed lion, but that its color strongly resembled Ron's hair. I felt like pointing and saying, "bagsie!" all over again.

This could be an easy accomplishment, honestly. I may simply be looking at it way too hard. I could be forward yet discreet at the same time. I could even, possibly, get Ron to like me in that certain way.

I snickered once more. My first card was Eight of Cups: the realization that a matter thought to be important was actually of little consequence; the start of an inner journey to find higher aspects of life.

One has got to begin at some time. Why not now?


End file.

Harry Potter, Drama, Romance