Chasing The Keeper

Happy Ending to a Disastrous Year

Summer was creeping over the grounds around the castle; sky and lake alike turned periwinkle blue and flowers large as cabbages burst into bloom in the greenhouses.

Quidditch practices were no longer permitted, and I felt quite upset over the matter.

Dumbledore was temporarily removed as headmaster, and Hagrid was taken away as well.

With Dumbledore gone, fear had spread as never before, so that the sun warming the castle walls outside seemed to stop at the mullioned windows. There was barely a face to be seen in the school that didn't look worried and tense, and any laughter that rang through the corridors sounded shrill and unnatural and was quickly stifled.

Even June's dry humour disappeared almost completely, and she walked around as white as a sheet, worried for Sarah's safety.

Lockhart however strutted around the school, sure the whole thing was over and done with. His face read triumph, and there had been several occasions where I wanted to catapult one of his own books at him. I did manage to jinx his hair to turn rainbow while he wasn't looking, and to my surprise, he didn't seem to notice it; for a man who spends 16 hours a day combing, it came as a shock when he only noticed after the day had ended.

Apparition classes were a drag, and I discovered my weak stomach towards an excess amount of blood after seeing a classmate getting his leg spliced off right next to me.

Three days before our first exam of the finals, Professor McGonagall made an announcement at breakfast.

"I have good news," she said, and the Great Hall, instead of falling silent, erupted.

"Dumbledore's coming back!" several people yelled joyfully.

"You've caught the Heir of Slytherin!" squealed a girl at our table.

"Quidditch matches are back on!" roared Wood excitedly.

When the hubbub had subsided, Professor McGonagall said, "Professor Sprout has informed me that the Mandrakes are ready for cutting at last. Tonight, we will be able to revive those people who have been Petrified. I need hardly remind you all that one of them may well be able to tell us who, or what attacked them. I am hopeful that this dreadful year will end with our catching the culprit."

There was an explosion of cheering, and I saw June get a flood of colour rushing back to her cheeks.

~~~

I sat in the Library with June, Sarah, Lori, and Elio, absentmindedly flipping through my potions textbook. It was, in my opinion, the hardest class, second only to transfiguration. June was scribbling something in her journal, and Sarah was filling a long piece of parchment with arithmancy equations. Meanwhile, Lori and Elio were reading out of the same Herbology textbook, giggling softly with each other about something no one else could understand.

"June you should put some effort into studying. Finals are in less than three days." I remarked sternly.

"Hop off my wang." June rolled her eyes. "I'm prepared enough."

"Babe, maybe Y/n is right." Sarah looked up from her arithmancy, brows furrowed.

"Siding with the enemy?" June frowned.

"What n-" Sarah's protest was cut off with June placing a kiss on her nose.

"Shhh." She whispered, and Sarah began to blush furiously.

The library's peace was interrupted with Professor McGonagall's voice, magically magnified.

"All students to return to their House dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staff room. Immediately, please."

"No way," Lori's eyes widened, making me think of a frightened deer, "Could it be another attack?"

"Shit I think so." June clenched her teeth.

"I'll walk you to your dorms," Elio told Lori.

"Can you stay in my room?" She batted her eyes.

"Lori, don't you have like 10 other roommates who wouldn't like that?" I snickered.

"Oh no," Lori shook her head, "My parents bought me my own room."

Everyone's jaws dropped except Elio's, who had clearly already been there.

"You mean to tell me you're filthy rich?" June asked, her eyebrows sitting so high in her forehead they looked like they were about to fly off at any moment.

"Well, I wouldn't say filthy..." Lori started.

"Alright guys whatever we'll discuss this later, we need to get back to our rooms, like right now," Sarah said, and we quickly made our way out of the library.

~~~~

The basilisk was killed by Harry Potter as we sat huddled in our common rooms. I had been to many Hogwarts feasts in my six years, but never one quite like this. Everybody was in their pyjamas, and the celebration lasted all night.

The rest of the final term passed in a haze of blazing sunshine. Hogwarts was back to normal with only a few, small differences - Defense Against the Dark Arts classes were cancelled and exams had been cancelled as well.

Too soon, it was time for the journey home on the Hogwarts Express. I got a compartment with June, Sarah, Lori, and Elio. Much to my astonishment, Oliver popped in and plopped down beside me in our compartment.

"Hey Stone." He said lazily. "You might've avoided being beat this year, but you won't be able to escape next year."

"You wish." I snorted in disbelief. "What are you doing in here anyway?"

"Perce is making out with Penelope in the prefect's carriage." He said nonchalantly.

"Are you sure you didn't just want an excuse to see Y/n?" Lori asked nonchalantly.

"What?" We sputtered simultaneously, and I could feel myself blush.

"Well, you are friends after all." She said, giving me a coy smile.

"Right, friends," Oliver mumbled.

"With Woody over here?" I laughed, "No way, I just tolerate him."

We spent the rest of the train ride in playful banter. Oliver even invited us to a game of exploding snap. I've never played exploding snap against Sarah or Lori, and while Lori needed a lot of help from Elio, Sarah proved to be better than all of us. During this time, Oliver sat close enough to me so I could smell the cologne on his sweater. It smelled like cinnamon.