How To Annoy A Gryffindor ; harry potter

Step 53: Get a Well-Deserved Explanation

Ember noticed that Dumbledore's Army stopped recruiting. They were slowly starting to disappear one by one. Ginny Weasley never returned after the Easter break, even Slytherins were slowly starting to drop off. There were no more Hufflepuffs sitting at the table, all of them had either retreated home or had been hiding from the Carrows.

It was scary, looking around Hogwarts and seeing how bad everything was. Something at Hogwarts changed, not even the Slytherins dared to break the rules now. Not even Ember or Draco, those of high favour with the Dark Lord. Sometimes, Ember swore she saw Snape even looking like he wanted things to change... but it was gone as fast as it came.

"Cullen needs you," Georgia said, entering the dormitory.

"Tell Cullen I'm busy," said Ember dismissively, scribbling furiously in her notebook.

Billie burst into the door, "Ember, Cullen needs you."

"Really? I had no idea. He needs to wait, I have something important to do." Ember replied, not looking at the two girls who looked utterly exhausted with Ember's snappy behaviour.

"Ember, no. I mean it." Billie snapped.

It was so rare for Billie to get angry that Ember looked up in surprise, shutting her notebook with a thud. Billie's light blue hair was tied up behind her head in a ponytail, the same one she wore when she was playing Quidditch. Georgia looked triumphant which made Ember's blood boil. What could Cullen possibly need?

Sighing, Ember got up out of her seat, tucking the notebook under her mattress like she always did. Billie led the way down the stairs to the common room, the other years had all retreated to their rooms just as they always did. It was rare to see Blaise looking so distressed as well as Cullen pacing up and down the room. Draco was the only one who looked bored, but that wasn't unusual.

"What's wrong?" Ember asked, looking curiously at the group.

Billie and Georgia were behind her and it felt just like old times, even with the obvious tension between everyone. What made it worse was Blaise's fixated scowl as he stared at Georgia and Georgia's obvious resting bitch face.

Cullen looked up, his pacing stopped as he considered Ember for a moment as if trying to find the words, "Don't get mad at me."

"That's never a good way to start a sentence," said Ember, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm serious. You can't think I'm insane... My Mum, she's still in the Ministry and I got a letter today... It's here trial, they're sending her to Azkaban first thing tomorrow," explained Cullen and before Ember could open her mouth to say anything her hurriedly continued. "I want to go to Snape's office and rescue her."

Ember laughed harshly, "You're mad."

"No, I'm serious. We need to go and get her. I do everything for you, Ember and along with Georgia, you're the best at spells so you need to come." said Cullen, his face so determined that Ember could hardly say no to him.

"I'm not going anywhere with her," Ember said, glaring at Georgia. "She needs to sort out her alliances."

"She's a Slytherin," Draco said.

"I don't care. She's been awful to all of us... Why the sudden switch up, Donovan?" Ember asked Georgia who smirked.

"I guess you'll have to find out then, Rowle," Georgia said, looking Ember up and down.

Blaise cleared his throat, "Er — Not to intrude or anything but if we really want to do this — not saying I do or anything — then we should probably go."

"Woah, we're not going," Draco said, shaking his head.

"Why's that?" said Billie, crossing her arms over her chest and looking at Draco defiantly. "You scared, Malfoy?"