A Master Of Mischief ~ George Weasley Love Story ~ Book 1

Chapter 14

**Maddie's POV**
                    
"Oliver, how do you find time to study for your NEWTs and play Quidditch constantly?" Alicia asks sleepily. It's not yet dawn and Oliver already has us down in the change rooms.
"That's not important right now," Oliver says, "what's important is that this is my last chance to win this thing! We've had some bad luck over the years," he gives a small shudder, "but we've got the best team in the school!"
He pauses for a moment, looking around at us all with a gleam of pride in his eyes.
"This year is our year,"Fred says.
"We'll do it!" Angelina agrees.
"Definantly," Harry nods. Oliver nods, seeming too emotional to speak for a moment.
"I was hoping you'd say that," he says finally, "because I've decided, we're going to train three times a week. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, as well as every spare weekend."
I try not to laugh at the expressions on everyone's faces.
After training, which went for five hours, we all begin trudging back to the castle.
"Oh, and you can all have next Saturday off!" Oliver calls, "as it's Halloween!"

"Let's go to the Three Broomsticks," I suggest as we walk through the village.
"Are you alright?" Fred asks anxiously, "you seem exaughsted."
"I'm fine," I reply.
"Someone's not cursing you again are they?" George asks, "you remember last year-"
"I'm just tired," I sigh, "with lessons, quidditch and prefect duties... I'll get used to it."
"Alright," Fred says doubtfully.
"Let's just go get some butterbeers," I say, "my shout."

Much later, after the feast, we head back to Gryffindor tower. To our surprise most of Gryffindor is packed into the corridor outside the portrait.
"What's going on?" I ask a second year.
"I don't know," she replies, "no one can get in."
"Excuse me! I'm Head Boy!"
"Good old Percy," Fred says sarcastically.
"Get Dumbledore!" he cries from the front of the crowd. A sixth-year sprints off down the corridor and a moment later Dumbledore is sweeping through the crowd. I see him talking to Flich, but can't hear what he's saying.
"You'll be lucky!"
I look up. Peeves is floating near the ceiling, a wide grin on his face.
"What do you mean?" Dumbledore asks.
"Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess, poor thing," Peeves cackles.
"Did she say who did it?" Dumbledore says calmly.
"Oh yes, Professorhead," Peeves says slowly, "nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."
I feel my blood run cold and grab George's arm.
"Prefects!" Dumbledore calls, "take all of the Gryffindors to the Greathall. Teachers, rouse the other houses and take them there as well."
I stand up straight and take a deep breath.
"You take the first and second years," Percy tells me and Lee, "you two," he says to the prefects in sixth year, "take the third and fourth years."
"First years!" I call, "second years! Line up over here!"
"Come on!" Lee calls, "quickly."
"What's going on?" a first year girl asks me.
"We're going to the Great Hall," I tell her gently, "come on."
"Any more first or second years?" Lee calls.
"Let's go," I say, "I'll walk at the back to make sure none of them lag."
"Wands out," Percy mutters as he sweeps past us, hustling Fred and George along. I pull my wand out, knowing I'd never use it against my father.
Once in the Great Hall the other houses join us, looking confused and sleepy.
Dumbledore beckons all the prefects over.
"I'll need to do a thorough search," he says, "if there are any disturbances send word with one of the ghosts," he smiles at us all, "I'm afraid you're in for a sleepless night. You'll need to do shifts to monitor the Hall."
"Yes sir!" Percy says.
"Oh, you'll be needing," Dumbledore sweeps his wand across the hall. Hundreds of purple sleeping bags appear. He nods to us and strides out.
"Alright!" Percy calls over the Hall, "into sleeping bags! Lights out in ten minutes!"
He turns back to us.
"Gryffindors, we'll do the first shift," he says quietly, "then Ravenclaw, Slytherine and Hufflepuff. We'll swap every two hours. Try to sleep between shifts."
The Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherine prefects go off to find sleeping bags.
"Make sure no one is talking," Percy says, "I expect the younger students, especially Gryffindors, may be upset by this. Keep them calm and assure them everything is alright."
I roll my eyes at Lee as we turn to patrol the hall.
"Shh," I shush a couple of girls who are giggling over something.
"You sh!" one of them whispers when I turn my back. I turn around and lean over her.
"What house are you in?" I ask.
"Ravenclaw," she replies loudly.
"Twenty points from Ravenclaw," I tell her, "if you speak again it'll be fifty."
We walk up and down the hall. Fred and George are lying side by side and I can tell by the way they're lying they fell asleep talking.
"George likes you, you know," Lee whispers. I look up at him.
"Don't be stupid," I mutter.
"I'm not," he says. I shrug and walk ahead a little. The idea of George liking me is absurd. I glance over my shoulder and see his face just peeking out from his sleeping bag. A row across from him, Oliver has fallen asleep with a slight frown on his face. I feel my cheeks heat up and turn around. I wouldn't mind the idea of Oliver liking me.
"Wake up the Ravenclaws," Percy says, "then get some sleep. We're back on at four."
Even after the Ravenclaws have taken over I can't sleep. I think of the possibilty that my father was only metres away from me. I think about what Remus said in the Summer. He's forgotten... I roll onto my side and pull my sleeping bag up. Could he have forgotten me?