Magic (5sos/l.h. Hogwarts AU)

Chapter 70

~A/N~ Has anyone got any good book recommendations? I just finished White Teeth by Zadie Smith and I loved it so that's my rec for you
Enjoy the chapter!
Leila xx

There was an obvious change in heart for everyone after the Ball. Some students had newly formed relationships with people, and there were many more couples holding hands in the corridors and kissing by the Black Lake. Others were miserable - they had had their hearts broken, so instead traipsed around looking bluer than Luke's eyes with heavy minds and downcast eyes. Most were in high spirits after the much needed celebration, and that was where we all fitted in.

The other boys joked that Luke and I were now 'together', and no matter how much we denied it the teasing was inescapable. From an outsider's point of view it probably looked as though our friendship had blossomed into something more - there was rarely an evening we weren't cuddling on an armchair, and our fingers were entwined at almost all times.

Though I felt something for Luke, I was sure there was nothing on his side. Despite us being physically closer, there was nothing new in our friendship and I still talked to him like I talked to Calum and Michael, simply platonically.

Michael was smug, as he took all the credit for this change. He believed it was his match-making skills at the Ball that brought us closer, and I didn't disagree though it became slightly tiresome after a while hearing him poke fun at me and say how it was all him.

It was as though his roles had reversed with Calum's, for now it was the latter who walked around in a daze, dreaming of his newfound love. After the Ball he had mustered the courage to kiss Hannah, and now the odd couple were, in fact, a couple. I found I saw less of my friend for he was always in the Hufflepuff Den, or by the Black Lake with Hannah, but I was proud of him.

Ashton, on the other hand, was more distant but for different reasons that I couldn't quite figure out. He became quieter, further away, and stopped taking the opportunity to hang around with us. It was unlike him, but after digging as far as I could I still couldn't see a reason. The other boys told me the same thing, but something inside me didn't exactly believe them. According to Lavender, nothing had happened at the Ball and they parted as mutual friends, so I was left in the dark on that matter.

Instead of dwelling on things I couldn't figure out, I busied myself helping Fred and George. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes were coming a long way, and I was proud of us for the work we had put in. Often joined by Luke or Michael, we spent many long nights by the fireplace, testing products and charming objects, mixing potions and perfecting spells, and it was rewarding to see the order forms filling up as all our hard work paid off.

The mood was high (apart from Ashton's) and I didn't want it to end, but something bad was bound to happen sooner or later, and we received the news one Care of Magical Creatures lesson.

"If I ever see a Blast Ended Skrewt again, I'm going to murder it on the spot," said Luke as we hopped down the grassy hill, interlocked fingers swinging between us. "I'm going to avada kedavra it up in here."

"You can't say that!" Michael laughed, hushing him frantically as several of our classmates turned to look at us.

"To be fair, even I've had enough of them," Calum agreed, "and you know it takes me a lot to hate any creature we study."

"You were scarily passionate about the Flobberworms," I said, squinting as I took in the unfamiliar woman standing where Hagrid usually greeted us.

"I am Professor Grubbly-Plank, your temporary teacher while Hagrid is indisposed," the woman said as all the Slytherins sniggered. I glared at them sharply, but a pit of fear wormed its way into my stomach, for surely they knew something about what had happened to our giant friend.

Despite all our questioning, Professor Grubbly-Plank refused to tell us where Hagrid was, so we just drew back to mumble among ourselves as she led us past the stables where the Beauxbatons horses were kept, over to a tree where the most beautiful creature I had ever seen was tethered.

The unicorn was such a bright white it made the dazzling snow around it seem greyer than a September cloud. Radiating an aura so powerful my knees became weak, its piercing blue eyes burned holes through my soul as it kicked the ground with its aureate hooves and whinnied the songs of heaven.

"Boys, keep back!" the teacher yelled, throwing her arms out so all my friends stopped moving, but I continued forward slowly, as did the other girls. "They prefer the woman's touch, unicorns. Girls to the front and approach with care. Come on, easy does it..."

Gently stepping towards the unicorn, I copied the other girls and put my hand out. After squeezing my eyes shut for mere seconds, I could feel soft fur on my palm and faint vibrating of breathing, for the unicorn had come to me without me making any further move forwards.

"My, my, what an unusual feat! This girl has gained the favour of the unicorn!" I was broken out of my trance by the sound of Professor Grubbly-Plank bleating in surprise. "Do you know how you managed to do this, Miss...?"

"Ahmed," I said. "And no. I have unicorn hair as the core of my wand - it might be that?"

What was it Ollivander had said? My emotions would be my downfall? I hadn't thought about it for a while, and now as the memory resurfaced my heart started to beat faster, and the unicorn shivered slightly.

"It would have to be a very strong core for that to have any effect," she said, seeming unconvinced, then began shouting facts about unicorns that were far beyond anything Hagrid would have taught us. All thoughts of Ollivander quickly slipped out of my mind as, enthralled, I absorbed the knowledge like a sponge and couldn't help thinking in the back of my mind that this is what Care of Magical Creatures should have been like, and perhaps she was a better teacher after all.

But I quickly shook away those doubts and turned around, ready to watch Calum become completely overexcited by the chance to pet a unicorn, but was greeted by a shocking surprise.

Ashton was running up the hill, his figure growing smaller and smaller with every second. Luke, Calum and Michael stood on one side, breathing heavily and faces red, while Harry and Ron copied them on the opposite side.

"What's going on?" I asked, approaching Luke nervously and taking one of his hands. "Where did Ashton go?"

"Rita Skeeter," he spat, throwing a newspaper clipping at my feet. After skimming it, I felt my blood turn cold. Lies about Hagrid littered the page in front of me, statements from Slytherins about injuries that never happened as their prejudices shone through their words, and somehow the journalist had found out that Hagrid's mother was a giant - a secret I thought was well hidden by those he trusted enough to tell.

"Ashton's gone and got rid of Hagrid!" Ron shouted, stamping his foot like an angry bull.

"It wasn't Ashton, it was Rita!" Calum yelled back. "He didn't ask for this! He didn't want any of this, to be related to her, to be blamed for her actions! This is Rita Skeeter's fault, not his, and you're all idiots for trying to put the fault on him!"

Before anyone could reply, the teacher swooped down on us and stopped the fight, but as soon as the lesson was over we raced back to the Gryffindor boys' dormitory to find Ashton on his bed, sobbing.

"I can't do this, Michael," he wailed as the boy in question put an arm around him. "I can't keep going on like this while she's out there, ruining everything for me..."

His voice trailed off as he lifted his eyes to see me standing in between the other two boys, an equally worried expression on my face. No one said anything for a while as he just stared, but eventually Luke turned to me and muttered, "Don't worry, we'll handle it from here."

"But-"

"Just trust me on this," he said, pecking me on the cheek. "We'll come and find you later."

Hurt and confused, I ran back down the stairs to find Ginny, Hermione and Luna, the only three girls that could help during this troubling time, and collectively we decided to take on the new task of comforting Hagrid.