WRONG CHOICE

10

"Aura!" Bella shouted across the common room.

she shoved a second former out of her way, sprinted across the room, vaulted over the sofa and barrelled into me.

she had always been dramatic.

"hi, Bells." my voice was muffled by the hug she held me in.

she grabbed my hand and dragged me up to my room.

"are you ok?" she asked once we were inside.

i nodded.

"i went to the infirmary earlier but you weren't there."

"i had to speak to Dumbledore..." i sat on my bed. "then i was with Tom."

"Tom!" her jaw dropped. "doing what?"

"just... head student things." i avoided her gaze.

"head student, head student." she emphasised. "did he give you head, Isaurelia?"

"shut up!" i threw a pillow at her. "no, he did not, and i don't plan on letting that happen either, Bellatrix." 

"boring!" she exclaimed, then faked a yawn. "i would."

"you're awful," i stuck my tongue out at her.

"seriously, though," she came and sat beside me. "you're alright?"

"i'm fine, Bel, promise. i don't remember most of it and Tom promised me nothing happened."

she grinned. "he carried you down into the common room shirtless and took you to the infirmary."

"where was his top?" my eyes widened.

"on you!" she clapped her hands. "i'm surprised nobody's talking about it."

"strange," i muttered.

"well, that's better for you anyway, you don't want things like that going around." she continued. "it's just so strange, like you said."

"yeah,"

"what did Dumbledore say?"

"that there are always people for me to talk to, and that Felix has been expelled."

"that's good," Bella nodded and rubbed her chin. "i wonder if Evan will say anything."

Evan was Felix's brother.

they looked alike but acted very differently; while Felix had been more reserved and unbothered, Evan was overly loud and popular.

"i have don't think he will," i sighed.

"well, if he does side with Felix, everyone's got your back."

"Tom didn't tell you."

"tell me what?" she frowned slightly.

i sighed. "he Obliviated their memories—none of them remember anything happening between us."

her eyes widened and she stared at me for a long while, the cogs of her brain turning rapidly.

"what happens when people start asking questions? they'll want to know why Felix was expelled."

i released a breath and shook my head. "i'll have to talk to Tom."

"talk to Tom about what?" asked Tom.

he stood in the doorway, eyebrows raised.

"you aren't allowed in the girls wing." Bella pointed out.

"yet here i am." he stepped over the threshold and shut the door. "go and report me to Slughorn."

"i told her about what you did—i had to." i told him.