Patrick Stump and the Flying Car Brigade

Chapter 48

Chapter 48

A few days passed, and things only got worse. The weather certainly wasn't helping, since it was nothing but northern downpour for the whole week after Pete broke up with me. I dutifully attended my classes, but it seemed that I was only going through the motions. Without Pete, it all seemed meaningless.

My friends all noticed that something was wrong, but none of them could do anything. Even Teddy tried to brew me a Calming Draught, despite the fact that the first year Potions students hadn't learned that yet. However, all I wanted was Pete, and no spell or potion could bring him back.

Outside of Hogwarts, things were even worse. The newspapers were delivering nothing but bad news. The Muggle Born Registry was in full swing, and hundreds of Muggle borns were disappearing. Even one of my Muggle born neighbours, Ray Toro, had left Hogsmeade to go into hiding in southern England. The Death Eaters were wreaking havoc, and there was nobody left to stop them.

Three days after Pete broke up with me, I ascended the North Tower staircase once again. I found my way to the mirror, but something seemed different. I looked directly into the mirror, and the crack in the mirror was gone. I took out the Marauder's Map and located the spot where I was standing. Strangely enough, the fuzzy spot that marked the location of the mirror was gone. The gateway between the realms of the living and the dead was closed yet again.

I looked into the mirror. Even if I couldn't talk to Sirius, Lupin, or Dumbledore, I could at least be comforted by what I desired most. I expected to see the graduation scene once again, but what I saw was much more mundane. Instead of showing me the lake again, the mirror only reflected the room that I was in. In addition, I could see myself exactly as I was, complete with a fedora, glasses, and a yellow and black scarf. The only change to the scene around me was that Pete was there with his arms around me. I smiled slightly as I saw his face once again, with velvet lips and the eyes to pull me in. In the mirror, he pulled me closer until we were in a romantic embrace. It seemed so real, but when I looked back, Pete wasn't there. It was only an illusion.

I knew that it wasn't real, but it was something that I wanted more than anything else. I couldn't take my eyes off of the mirror. Maybe one day, it would come true. Someday, Pete would be mine again.

All of a sudden, the graduation scene seemed like such an insignificant dream. Would it matter if I graduated from Ilvermorny instead of Hogwarts? As long as Pete was with me, it wouldn't be such a big deal. If anything, Ilvermorny would be safer than Hogwarts. It would be nice to stay at Hogwarts, but if I couldn't, then I would still be okay. I wasn't okay without Pete.

Moving seemed like a better and better idea the more I considered it. I could get away from the Death Eaters, and if I was lucky, Mum and Dad would let me bring some of my Muggle born friends with me. The political situation in wizarding Britain was only worsening, so certainly they would understand. I could leave all of my pain behind and start a new life in America.

Nevertheless, there were still problems with that idea. It was daft to think that moving would solve all of my issues. America had plenty of prejudice too. There was plenty of conflict between the wizards and the Muggles there.

Besides, being halfway across the world from him couldn't make me stop fancying Pete.

I stared into that mirror for what seemed like forever. I couldn't take my eyes off of the image of what I desired most. It was simply an unfortunate detail that what I wanted most was something that I couldn't have. I desperately needed to let all of it go, but that was impossible. He was worse than nicotine.

The two figures in the mirror snuggled even closer, and I couldn't help but feel jealous of my own reflection. He always seemed to have whatever I couldn't, whether that was staying at Hogwarts or being free from the Death Eaters or still being with Pete.

I finally stepped away from the mirror and went back down the staircase, passing the spot where Pete had told me the bad news. On my way down, I saw Mrs Norris. She purred softly as she climbed up the stairs, ignoring me completely. Sometimes, being friendly with the caretaker's cat had its perks.

I continued down the stairs. By that point, it was nearly time for dinner, so I found a spot at the Hufflepuff table in the Great Hall and sat down. Maybe working on Potions homework would distract me. I took out my Potions homework and began to work on it.

The first problem was quite simple. Which two substances react most strongly to love potion and what are the effects of combining them?

I could name the first one right away. We had learned that tincture of Demiguise created a flammable reaction in Potions the week before. The second substance was harder to remember. I flipped through my Potions textbook, hoping to find the answer. I finally found it on page forty two.

Potions students should never under any circumstances mix pumpkin juice with any love potion, especially Amortentia. The mixture may have unpredictable and possibly severe effects to the drinker.

I knew that I should have remembered that. After all, I had combined Amortentia and pumpkin juice once. However, thinking of that day only made me think of Pete yet again. Would he ever leave me alone? Pete was the only friend that made me cry, but I couldn't deny the truth. I loved him, and he didn't love me like he did yesterday.