The Mudblood

Chapter 28 : Summer

"How long does this stupid chimney teleportation take?" Evan groaned, sinking deeper into one of our old, ratty couches. Currently, Evan, Lyle, my father, and I were all seated in the living room of our small home awaiting the arrival of Astoria Greengrass. It had been a few weeks since I'd left Hogwarts, and while I missed the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione, I was not yet missing the Slytherins.

"It takes seconds, but Astoria takes hours to get ready," I droned dully, crossing my arms. I rested my head on Lyle's shoulder as he let out a sigh.

"I don't even want to see Astoria," Lyle moaned. "Why am I sitting here?"

"No one's making you, Lyle," Evan snapped from where he sat on the other side of me. "Why don't you go hang out in the hall with Garren and his girlfriend?"

"Now, Evan, let's not be hasty," my father warned. "I don't think it's very nice to wish that upon anyone."

We all fell silent for a moment, which proved to be a fatal mistake since the sound of Garren and Olivia snogging on the other side of the wall could be heard clearly.

"Bloody hell—get a room," Lyle groaned loudly. "You two are the most disgusting human beings—"

"Lyle," my father scolded, although not very harshly. He should have been scolding Garren for being so inappropriate, but I don't think he felt that he had the power.

"Do they do this all the time?" I asked, scrunching my nose.

"Since they got here last month, yeah," Lyle replied bitterly. "Honestly, Lainey, not to offend, but it's best when you two aren't home—"

"Hey—shut up in there!" Garren called viscously from the hall. "You told us we had to leave the room. If we were in there, this wouldn't be happening!"

"Rubbish! You always snog when we're in the room!" Lyle barked, shifting uncomfortably where he sat. "I really hate it..."

"Get used to it, buddy, because that's what Astoria and I are gonna do when she gets here," Evan said, stretching his arms out to rest them behind his head.

Lyle shuddered violently as I gagged in complete revulsion.

"Excuse me?"

Before Evan could come up with some cocky response, our fireplace seemed to explode with green flames as a young girl came flying out of it. She landed face first on the floor, her soot covered hair veiling her entire face.

"Floo Network," she muttered bitterly, trying to push herself up. "So uncivilized..."

"Astoria!" Evan cried rushing over to help her. Whining, she managed to sit up as he crouched down next to her. I thought he was going to make an awkward attempt to kiss her—which was something I did not need to see for the second time—so I hid my face in Lyle's shoulder.

A moment later, however, I heard another blasting explosion radiate through the small room. Slowly I looked up, and instead of seeing Evan and Astoria snogging on the floor, I saw Evan and Astoria both being crushed to the ground by a purple-haired girl that lay on top of them.

"Your Floo Powder sucks, Greengrass," Melody snapped as she struggled to stand herself up.

Astoria remained on the floor, whimpering as Evan began to stroke her shoulder. Lyle, my father, and I all stood up from the couches, staring warily at the three people in the middle of the room.