The List

Chapter 13. Cold Day in Hell.

— What are you staring at?

Natsai asked as they waited behind the line of students to enter the History of Magic classroom. At the other side of Everleigh, Garreth gave a bite to his apple before poking her on the cheek with a finger.

— She is staring at the Nargles.

The amusement in his voice just made Everleigh turn her head towards the red haired boy, eyes sending daggers in his direction.

— Nargles are not real. — Natsai offered, but there was some humor in the way she said it. — You are thinking of Wrackspurts.

— No, no. — Garreth countered, clicking his tongue. — Wrackspurts are not real. You are thinking of Gulping Plimpies.

— Alright, I get it. Ha ha. Funny.

Everleigh interrupted their mild tease, rolling her eyes at the stream of chuckles that left both their mouths.
It was her own fault, really. Natty had been trying to talk to her about something and she had zoomed out shamefully.

Twenty inches about the Origins of the Wiggenweld Potion, fifteen for Everlasting Elixirs, all of it due that day. She had to work until very late in the night. The last time Everleigh had checked the clock before heading to bed it had been past two o'clock.

And that not counting the lessons they were going to have to revisit before their N.E.W.T.'s came around.
It was expected of her to know how to properly fight off a Dementor and a Boggart.
And Everleigh's Patronus was shit.
Her Riddikulus charm was shit, too. She needed to find somewhere private and some time alone to practice, or otherwise, her plans to leave the school in a couple of years and become a Healer would come crashing down.

— Sorry, I'm still half asleep. — She heard herself mumbling to her friends as they finally entered the classroom, who was filled with shouts and giggles from their peers. — What were you talking about?

— The Yule Ball! — Natty responded, dodging two Slytherin students that had improvised a duel between desks. — Black is throwing a ball right before the Christmas break for students of sixth year and up. He is bringing Ministry members and people from different professions to talk to the students about career paths.

— That's actually a very good idea.

— Oh, he's only doing it so he can flaunt his tittle of Headmaster and show off just how much authority he has. — Garreth whispered those words towards them, positioning his hand next to his mouth to cover the slander. — My aunt says he is just trying to impress the people at the Ministry.

— Well, I don't particularly care about his motives, as long as we can get a ball and job connections. — Natsai shrugged and dropped her weight in their usual desk, in the middle of the classroom. — Which now that I think about it... we are going to need dresses for such event.

— Suddenly this conversation doesn't interest me.

Garreth sat on a desk at the other side of them, next to Phelan Noel, with an expression of boredom.

— Maybe I can make time on Saturday, after the game against Hufflepuff. — Everleigh tried to think about everything that she needed to do that day as she sought the seat next to Natsai. — But I need to be back at the castle before five o'clock. I have my shift at the infirmary then.

— What about Sunday?

— No way. I'm sleeping all day on Sunday.

— That's actually the best idea you've ever had.