Torn Between Three Me's

9 - A Meeting with Dumbledore

That weekend, the first day since being at school without classes being held, I woke up bright and early in my obnoxiously red circular dorm room, much to the despair of my roommates. I had been assigned to room with four other Gryffindor girls in my year, Angelina, Alicia, Millie, and Nell, who I was getting on with, but none as well as Fred and George. I got ready as quietly as I could so as not to disturb the other girls.

Dumbledore had sent an owl asking to meet today. I still didn't understand what was so important, but he was the headmaster, so I knew I'd better go!

On my way down to the great hall to grab some breakfast to eat on the way to speak with Dumbledore, I bumped into Cedric and a few of his friends, laughing together in yellow and black jumpers with broomsticks in their hands. 'Addy!' He smiled.

'Oh, this is her!' One of the boys gasped.

'It's that Potter girl!' Another exclaimed.

The small group of random second year Hufflepuff boys crowded around me.

'What did he look like?'

'Did you see him?'

'Do you ever talk to the Minister?' The boy's question didn't match the words on his lips.

'Why don't you live with-'

'That's enough!' Cedric interjected, grabbing my arm and pulling me out of the swarm. 'Give me a minute with her, I'll catch up with you.' The kids reluctantly left us and walked off down the corridor.

'Sorry about them,' he grimaced. 'I told my friends about you last year while I was missing you...and I made them huge fans accidentally. With the whole...ya know...'

I nodded. 'It's ok,' I assured him. 'They don't seem so bad. I mean, if they're your friends.'

He nodded through the slightly awkward tension filled silence.

'Sorry...' I mumbled.

'What for?'

'Being in a different house,' I looked at him with big red eyes.

'Addy,' he chuckled lightly. 'It doesn't matter to me what house you're in. Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw. The three houses of Hogwarts.' We both smirked. 'Gryffindor...is great! And I think it suits you perfectly!'

'But we won't see each other all that much,' I said solemnly.

'We may not see each other like we did at home, no. But we'll still get to see each other in the halls, at meals, in the library, we can find time specifically to spend together.' He sighed. 'This is a chance to spread your wings without your big brother peering over your shoulder constantly.'

'Well, there's still Charlie who threatens the three of us nearly every five minutes with point deductions and detentions.'

'Well sometimes you guys deserve it.'

I scoffed as he started to laugh to himself. I shook my head at him, as a smirk appeared on my face.

'I'm glad someone is keeping you guys in order, if I can't. But I'm always here for you, regardless of house, right?'

'Right,' I smiled at him. I looked at his jumper and broom in his hand more curiously. 'What's that for?'

'Oh, mates and I are trying out for our house Quidditch team!' He exclaimed, mostly excited with a touch of nerves.

'You'll get picked for sure!'

'You think?'

'Yeah, course! How many hours did we spend in the back garden chasing each other on mum and dad's broomsticks?' We laughed, fondly remembering our childhoods.