Harry Potter and the Lost Half-Bloods. *1*

Frank

My friends suddenly hate me but at least I have gossip
FRANK: I was confused.

Hazel and Will suddenly hated me. Will was well known for being a bit melodramatic at times. But, Hazel? She was kind to all of her friends. Not to mention, loyal. I don't know what I could have done to Will to make her so furious! I didn't tell anybody his secret, nor did I want to.

"What's bothering you, honey?" Natalie asked. Ever since I had said yes to going to the ball with her, she had been a bit over-the-top with nicknames.

"Nothing," I said, setting down my school work. I couldn't focus enough on my essay about the history of giants. It was boring, first of all. Secondly, I had better things to do. I could probably pop out this essay later in less than ten minutes.

"Corridor patrol is in a few minutes," I said. She nodded.

"You best be on your way, then," she said. I nodded.

"Alright, l'll be off then," and I left.

Before I left, she tapped me on the shoulder.

"You know, I have patrols after the match tonight. However, something's come up. Do you mind covering for me?" She asked.

I didn't exactly jump at the idea of covering two patrols in one day. That was a lot of hours wasted pacing up and down a hallway.

"Let me rephrase," she spoke, after I didn't respond right away. She put more persuasion behind her voice. "You don't mind covering for me." She smiled. I knew I didn't want to. But for some reason, I couldn't do anything but nod.

"Yeah, I don't mind."

"Good!" She smirked. "Thank you, darling." She pecked me on the cheek before ushering me out of the room. I walked to my hall, blushing all the way.

My assigned partner was a Ravenclaw girl called Annabeth Chase. I'd never talked with her much before. I knew that she was friends with Will and that made me nervous. Ever since Will had convinced himself that I had been the one to out him, he had been avoiding me. Hazel shot me a glare every chance she got and that really stung. I thought that Hazel and I had really hit it off as friends and we could continue to expand that friendship into something truly special! She was different, I just felt an automatic connection with her. Of course, that was ruined. Bless her loyalty to her friends, curse my rotten luck.

"Hey," I was hesitant to approach Annabeth in our assigned hallway. I wasn't sure who's side she was on in this. Thankfully, she smiled.

"Hello!" She approached me and we faced each other for a moment before she spoke again. "Frank Zhang, isn't it?"

I nodded.

"Okay," she said. And that was the entire conversation. She didn't look cross with me. She just seemed a bit distracted.

"Quidditch match tonight, right?" I asked. She rolled her eyes.

"Is that all you jock boys think about?" She asked. I laughed.

"Me, a jock? I tried for the team once in third year. I wound up in the hospital wing from giving myself a black eye trying to use the 'up' command on my broom," I admitted. Annabeth stifled a laugh.

"Yes, to answer your question. Gryffindor v.s Ravenclaw. That's what I was thinking about, actually. Don't tell Percy Jackson, but I'm a bit nervous," she admitted. "Not that you talk with him anyway. But if he heard me say I was nervous about the match, he'd definitely use it against me. He mocks me enough as it is."

I laughed.

"Percy Jackson's got nothing on you, I've seen you fly. You're a brilliant seeker! He's a decent chaser, but you can win the game. He can't."

She smiled.

"Wow, I needed that. Thanks, Frank," she said.

"You know," I took a seat against the wall. "It's a bit of a house inside joke. Every year we draw up a list of couples and potential couples. Ravenclaw actually joins us in determining who will break up and who will end up together. Your name is at the top of that list, alongside Jackson's," Annabeth gagged.

"First of all, GROSS! Secondly, how did I not know that Ravenclaw was a part of this?" She asked. I shrugged.

"A few representatives from each house join in Hufflepuff's common room every year. Once at the start of the school year, once on the second to last day of school. It's a big betting game. The representatives also swear to secrecy," I admitted. "So, I've sort of broken that rule."

"Who are the representatives from my house?" Annabeth asked.

"Cho Chang and Luna Lovegood," I confessed. Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"Those bloody traitors!"

"It's Fred and George from Gryffindor, Pansy and Blaise from Slytherin. With Hufflepuff, it's all of the prefects as well as the seventh years," I explained. Annabeth looked frustrated, wanting to know more. I didn't know much about her, but I did know she craved knowledge about any and all given situations. I admired that about her.

"I didn't realize Hufflepuffs were such gossips," she admitted. "Who else is on this list?"

I pointed to my fingers, speaking with my hands as I went through the lists.

"Natalie Pierce insists that Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley will end up together some day, she's quite insistent on this stuff. Scarily enough, she's usually right. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger are on everybody's list. Some even joke that Draco Malfoy will admit he has feelings for Harry Potter. Who could be that obsessed with somebody, you know?" I joked. "Some think Piper will end up with Draco. I personally don't see it. I think Piper and Leo is more likely."

Annabeth stared at me in shock.

"Natalie Pierce came up with all of this?" She asked.

"She's all obsessed with romance and couples and whatnot. Like I said though, her predictions are usually correct. It's almost scary," I joked.

Annabeth seemed to ponder that for a moment then shrugged it off.

"Weird," she said. "Even weirder, you think Jackson and I are plausible? Hah! That's the funniest thing I've heard all day."

I laughed.

"You never know, you never know!"

We talked about other things after that. Conversations with her were surprisingly easy. It was almost like talking to an old friend. She was just...Annabeth! That's the only way to describe her, she was just so Annabeth.

"Time flies!" Annabeth looked down at her watch nervously, "our time is up, and my match will begin soon."

"You'll do great!" I insisted, "good luck."

She paused for a moment then looked back at me.

"You didn't do it, did you?" She asked. "What Will's saying?"

I shook my head.

"I swear, I didn't--I just--" I sighed. "I honestly don't know who could have done it, Annabeth. I'm not shocked that he blames me. I don't think he even told anybody else."

She nodded.

"Do you blame me?" I asked. She shrugged.

"Sometimes blame is simply a wasted effort."

With that remark, she left.