It's you and me, right? Bad Influence

Chapter 7

"I can't believe Lee got away with it", Fred sighed and handed me another glass bottle.

It was the next day and the three of us were in Snape's office, cleaning empty potion bottles.

"No talking", Snape mumbled and dashed Fred in the back of his head with a book. "I will leave for five minutes to get Professor McGonagall, and if I hear you mutter so much as a little word, or that you try anything, anything at all... I will gladly hand you over to Filch."

"Okay", I answered and got my own taste of the book.

"No answering either."

We kept on cleaning bottles. Fred handed me the one on the highest shelf and I handed them to George after cleaning them the first time, and he cleaned them again.

I yawned and George followed my lead.

"You know, in the muggle world, some people say that if you yawn after someone else does it, it means that you have high empathy."

"Yeah?" George smiled. "I can't see that being true."

"Come on, you're nice in a way."

"Nah, you just don't know me yet."

"Guys, no talking", Fred said and looked down at us.

He seemed tense. He harrowed and took the bottles I handed him.

"What's up with you?" George asked.

He didn't answer.

We finished our work around two in the morning, with Snape and McGonagall watching us.

"I'll escort them to their common room", Snape said and took the twins by their sweaters.

"Take them. I'll walk with Miss Zeller."

I stayed, gave the twins a held back smile as they were dragged out of the room.

"I haven't received your homework."

"I know. It's been a lot. I'll get it done tomorrow."

"And now this? I'm aware that you had a hard time your first year and that you finally got some more friends, and even though I somewhat love those two boys I'd say that they are bad for you. I talked to Sprout and it seems like Miss Jones is in the same situations as you. Not being her normal self I mean."

"Megan? What did she do?"

"Miss Zeller, don't make a fool out of yourself. I know that you and Miss Jones are good friends. She sneaks around at night, being late to classes, and now you. The two of you are very different, but you are both good girls."

"Oh, I see", I lied and tried my best to look like I knew what she was talking about.

"Just... Longbottom is a good boy. Spend some more time with him."

"We hang out all the time. Professor, this was the first time I ever did anything like this."

"I know. I'm just saying, and remember that we have a killer on the loose. Don't do anything that you'll regret. Come on, let's go back so you can get some sleep."

I passed Megan in the corridor the next day and I dragged her with me to the side.

"Anything you want to tell me?"

"What?" she laughed.

"Are you sneaking around at night? For what?"

"I– I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Really? Okay good. I thought we were friends, good friends, but now I know."

I walked away. Megan called after me, but I didn't look back. When I was halfway to herbology Neville ran up to me. I told him about the night before and what McGonagall had said about Megan.

"That doesn't sound like her. Fine, she's a bit wilder that us two, but not someone who sneaks out at night. Did McGonagall tell you where she snuck out to?"

"No, she assumed that I already knew. When I was cleaning the bottles last night, I thought to myself that the prank on Filch wasn't worth it... But this information–"

"How– how was it, the prank I mean? Why didn't you ask me if I wanted to join?"

I shrugged.

"I didn't know you liked that kind of stuff, did you? They just asked me if I wanted to see Filch's reaction and I said yes."

"I don't, but I didn't think you liked it either. Since when are you hanging out with these three?"

"I'm not really hanging out with them. I've talked to them a couple of times and Fred helped me with my divination homework."

"Helping you or helping you?" Neville giggled and we walked into the classroom.

"Okay, he's not really helping me. He just gave me some tips so I can have some more fun."

We worked together during our group assignment, or it was more like I stood there and Neville knew exactly what to do.

"How's your dreams by the way. The semester is almost over, and I haven't heard you complaining about them once."

"It's been okay. I had a few, weirdly about Lupin, but I think I just need to push it aside. Its not real stuff, it's just dreams."

"But the one about me burning my tongue on my morning tea was right?"

"Its just coincidences. You know that, I know that, even McGonagall knows that."

Neville observed me and I tried my best to act like I believed my own lie. The dream about Lupin was just a loop with him turning into a werewolf in front of Snape. The week after that Lupin was sick, so Snape held the class for him, and decided to talk the same creature that was in my dream. The meaning of it all was obvious: in the same way that Lupin turned into a werewolf, his class did as well.