| HIDDEN IN SECRETS |

chapter thirty-three

THE THIRD SISTER

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For the first time, Verena skipped a Quidditch game. Though it was the first game of the season, she didn't mind missing it. She knew Gryffindor would likely win anyway. Of course, she soon found out that she was wrong.

Word spread quickly throughout Hogwarts. Dementors had intervened, Potter fell off his broom, and Cedric Diggory caught the Snitch. Hufflepuff had won, Gryffindor having been defeated by a hundred points.

While she was pleased by this information, she was also pleased that her friendship with Draco had been restored. That afternoon, Draco had searched for Verena, finding her at the Astronomy Tower, reading.

"For someone who says she's not a Ravenclaw, you sure act like one," Draco spoke when he saw her.

"Very funny," Verena said sarcastically. "I'm doing the homework Professor Snape assigned us for Defense Against the Dark Arts. You have to admit you like Professor Lupin – he doesn't give us as much work."

"That's why you love him so much," said Draco. "Can I sit?"

"Sure," Verena said, closing the book. "Why are you not at the game?"

"Didn't feel like it," he said with a shrug.

"You would never miss the chance to see Potter fail," said Verena.

"Well, you're more important," said Draco. "The Greengrasses have been annoying me for weeks about you... Your brother talked to me yesterday and he, um, he knocked some sense in me."

"I never meant to make you feel bad about the Dementors," said Draco sincerely. "It's just... you know, Crabbe and Goyle, and I can't help but— "

"I know," Verena understood. "I just wanted an apology."

Verena knew he'd never say what troubled him aloud. Even though he didn't say it, she knew what he was implying. Verena thought he was brave for being the one to come to her. So, she accepted this apology, and the two were back to being friends – despite disapproval from her Housemates.

Still, Draco fell back in temptation, taunting Potter about the time he fainted during the match. He would do it constantly, but whenever Verena was around, he'd try to keep the bullying to a minimum. He didn't want to lose his best friend completely. He wouldn't admit it but he felt tortured after not talking to her.

Things felt happier. Aside from the piles of homework and the nightmares on repeat, the days were fun. Every day after classes, Verena would practice with the Ravenclaw team, and then she and Cho would have some fun on their brooms until dinner time. All their practice paid off as they defeated Hufflepuff in their game in November.

Study sessions with her Ravenclaw fellows were more entertaining thanks to Padma's idea to make it a game. For every correct answer, they could earn a piece of candy. For every wrong answer, they'd have to test their luck with Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans.

Professor Lupin had also been brought back to health, getting his students back on track. He revoked Professor Snape's assignment, and Verena managed to convince him to give extra credit to those who had done it anyways – her included.

As the end of term approached, Professor Lupin had been reviewing everything that they had learned. One day, they were going over Hinkypunks again – a one-legged creature made up of wisps of smoke who lured travellers into bogs and could throw fireballs from their lamps.

To defend oneself against a Hinkypunk, one would have to trap it and perform Lumos Duo on it until it solidifies. While the Hinkypunk's solid and dazed, blinded by the wand's light, one would have to hit it with the Knockback Jinx, causing it to disappear.