The Cousin

12

"The  killing curse." The professor continued on. "Only one person is said to survive it, and he's sitting in this room." The professor trailed off and dismissed the class.

All Olivia could do was run. She ran out of the classroom and through the halls not even glancing back at the people she hit. Not even turning back when she heard the distant shouts by Harry and Hermione. She only stopped when she saw Neville standing in a window, staring off into space.

Her skirt swept behind her when she stopped so abruptly. She turned with tears in her eyes to the boy and put an hand on his shoulder. She didn't even realize that the golden trio had stepped up behind them as well.

"Neville, are you alright?" Hermione said quietly.

Neville snapped out of his little trance, looking around then to Hermione beside him. He nodded without a word. When he was about to open his mouth the kids heard a thumping behind them.

"Longbottom you alright? Come we'll have a cup of tea." The professor took ahold of Neville and lead him back up the stairs. Thus leaving the rest of the children curious and mad. Hermione then began running down the stairs and ranting about the professor.

"He just can do this! Teaching unforgivable curses in a classroom? There's a reason they're unforgivable." Hermione ranted all the way down the stairs. Harry and Ron were just sitting there star stuck while Olivia was sitting there trying not to cry.

***

It was another night when Olivia was awoken by nightmares. Nightmares of the same graveyard and snakes faces, and other things she couldn't remember. Though these nightmares were unlike any others, with the previous teachings of the unforgivable curses Olivia was having nightmares about them as well. Used on her, her friends, family. Everyone.

She was sitting alone in the common room when she heard footsteps coming down the stairs. She looked to see the one and only Fred Weasley. He was looking at his feet as he padded down the stairs, and when he got to the bottom his eyes met Olivia's.

"Sorry, am I interrupting something?" He asked quietly. He was sitting at the bottom of the stair case wondering where he should go.

"No, no it's alright. Just couldn't sleep is all." She finished and looked to the sofa where she was pulling at a loose string. Fred went and sat down next to the girl brushing the hair that had fallen in her face behind her ears.

"Why couldn't you sleep?" Fred asked his eyebrows furrows and face full of confusion. Olivia looked at him again and watched his face wondering if he would judge her.

"Nightmares..." She said quietly. Fred then Looked even more confused. She looked back at him then the fire running a hand through her hair.

"Nightmare? Why didn't you tell anyone?" Fred asked. Olivia looked back at him and scoffed.

"I don't want people to see me as weak... to weak to be on a boys hockey team, weak if I cry, weak if I say when something's wrong, weak every time I say something girly. God sometimes I hate people. My parents seem to ignore my existence if something happens with my brothers. That just comes with the perks of being a middle child. All the boys on my hockey team wouldn't let me do shit because I was a girl, and I just don't want to be looked at as week at my new school!" She said her voice slightly rising at the end.

Fred almost looked mad

"What do you mean weak? Your not weak if you say something is bothering you, that just makes you human." Olivia thought about what Fred had said for a minute.

"You're right Freddie, I'm sorry." She apologized. "I'm going to head back to bed, goodnight Fred." She said getting up and leaving Fred behind.

Fred then rubbed his hands together and said, "alright now the ageing potion."

Vote and comment please. Your comments make my day!