Unaware {M.R.}

twenty-three

Zoe's POV

Monday.

It went by so fast. Just when I finished my final word at the final question of the question paper, time was up.

I'm sure no one was relieved as I was once we left the classroom. Sure, Dorcas was like a floating boat when we stepped out of the school building, and Mary was a lot less jumpy; but me? I was exhausted.

We made our way straight to the quidditch fields, slipping up the stairs at the entrance of the Slytherin locker rooms.

Muffling voices came down the stairs and to our luck, Draco, Blaise and Theodore were demanding we moved aside.

I stood in the middle of the stairway.

"Leeon-"

"Not unless I hear please, Nott."

His eyebrows lift. "I'm not gonna say please."

I chuckled, crossing my arms. "Then we won't move."

I knew both Alex and Joe stood behind me, on both sides. Quite because Theo looked willing enough to push me aside. Even though I know he wouldn't.

"Let's just go, Zoe," Dorcas softly begged.

I rolled my eyes, walking forward. To my surprise, Theodore pushed Draco and Blaise aside, giving me and the boys behind me an opening.

Yet, he grabbed my arm as I passed him.

"I don't ask nicely-"

"Unless you're really begging. Man-whore."

He grinned. "Coming from you? Remind me again about last year."

"Remind me again who was sober." I tugged my arm away, before continuing my way up the stairs.

The muffling continued until it silenced out into the background.

I joined the others on the bleachers, where we crashed down in the lowest two rows, with the two boys sitting behind us.

Slytherins were lucky enough to have training today. Despite the approaching stormy clouds.

-----

The field was more busy than ever. Due to losing against Gryffindor, the Slytherin captain had them flying in circles and practicing a lot more.

It made them mad, and that was quite amusing to watch.

Yet, it was odd for me that Mattheo was one of the calmer ones. I'd expect him to be impatient and irritated, but he wasn't. Yet again, he was barely paying attention.

It wasn't hard to notice his glances differing away from the rings, and to us; or me. He'd smile, notice me notice him, then look away.

Stupid, silly boy.

I dug through my bag for some snacks, when I suddenly came upon a piece of paper. I didn't recognize it.

When I opened it, I didn't recognize the handwriting either.

Meet me behind the owlry after quidditch practice. And please be alone. I know something you'd
want to know as well.

It didn't say who it came from, yet I grew curious. Also, who could've had time to put it in my bag? I mean, I only left it unattended in the front of the class in Astronomy. During lunch and classes it was beside me; sometimes on the floor, and the rest of the time over my shoulder.

Yet I would never know.

-----

The clouds neared us quicker than expected, and soon ut lightly started to rain.

Therefore, quidditch was cut short.

Dorcas, Mary and Aria left a lot earlier than Alex, Joe and I.

Joe jogged forward to join some other Ravenclaw girls, and not even seconds later, Alex vanished.

I patiently made my way down the stairs, where I was stopped by Mattheo.

"Walking alone?" he asked; a charming, yet concerned smile on his lips.

I nodded, holding onto my bag as I looked him up and down in his quidditch uniform.

Something about it seemed quite hot to me; but Merlin forbid I'd admit it.

"Can you give me ten minutes, then I'll join you?"

I smiled, nodding. "I'll wait here. Quite rainy outside."

He gave a semi-excited nod, before making his way into the locker room. Just then, I felt some sort of spike in my back jean pocket, making me flinch.

I pulled out the note, before suddenly seeing words being written on the back. It made me frown in confusion. Still, I waited.

Nevermind. Not with this rain.
I'm under the stairs behind the
Slytherin locker rooms. Please be
quiet. Can't risk anything, please.

I looked around me, before my eyes fell onto a door behind the stairs. Slowly, and luckily unseen, I made my way to it. When opening it, my eyes widened and my mouth dropped.

"Are you kid-"

He grabbed me by the hand, plucking me into the closet-like room, before shutting the door.

"Shh," Draco hushed. "Please, Zoe. Be quiet."

"Is this a joke?" I asked, plucking my hand out of his grasp, before grabbing a hold of my bag. "What do you want?"

"To tell you that you need to be safe, Zoe."

"Be safe?" I nearly laughed. "Are you high? What the hell are you talking about?"

"Fucking hell," he groaned. He looked fairly frustrated. "Zoe, I'm not joking. Someone told the Death Eaters about your little club. They're fucking mad about the fact that a bunch of sixteen-year-olds want to stop rhe Dark Lord, as if possible. You need to stop-"

"Right?" I laughed. "And I wonder how they know."

"It wasn't us," he tried to convince me. "I swear."

"Don't even try," I bit, shaking my head. "Probably some rouse you want to use to tear our group apart. Draco I'm not stupid. Maybe blonde,but not dumb."

"Zoe, I'm not lying-"

"It's all you ever do!" I argued, and immediately he stepped forward. Just when he did I stepped back, lifting my hand forward. He stopped.

"Zoe-"

"I gotta go, Malfoy. I don't have time for- for this."

I pushed the door open, rushing out. To my relief there was no one there, but just as I made my way to the outlet of the bleachers, some fourth-year Slytherin quidditch player came running in. He was soaking from head to toe.

"Some boy is fighting with Theodore Nott in the rain!"

That was enough to have me running out onto the fields on the way back to the castle.

It wasn't hard to notice a few quidditch players standing near two boys on the ground.

It was also not long before the boy on top was plucked off of the other by Blaise, and punched through the face.

That's when I saw Mattheo stumbling to the ground; his clothes staining with his own blood.

[1075 words]