Chamber of Love

Chapter 11

 Under the confused gaze of his friend, Juliette rolled her eyes and sighed before looking elsewhere.

"Well, that doesn't look suspicious at all." Cedric mumbled; inspecting the new hat, that came from nowhere, Juliette was wearing.

"It's just a hat, Cedric." She hurried to the school entry, eager to slip in her warm bed.

"Where did you get it?" He asked, trailing behind her like a lost puppy.

"Why does it matter?"

"I'm just wondering. You said you didn't bring much money with you while you were spending them on candies." They walked past the Courtyard and the grand doors of the castle. The familiar environment made Juliette relaxed.

"You are so observant." Her voice was colder than the winter air that was surrounding the castle. "I wish you could use that observation skills while choosing a date for me."

Cedric tried not to stumble over his feet. "What?" If Juliette cared enough to look back, she would see that her friend was exhibiting a very shocked and ashamed face. "I didn't— I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, please." Juliette fiddled with the buttons of her coat to open them as they walked closer to their common room. "Zacharias told me how you bribed him with homework to take me to the ball."

Cedric walked faster to catch up with her as they walked towards the kitchens. "Please don't tell me that you're mad at me." She didn't answer. "I did it because I didn't want you to stay in the common room by yourself. You'd do the same for me."

Juliette hesitated, her steps slowing down. Yes, she would. But at least she would choose someone who wasn't as despicable as Zacharias Smith.

Juliette sighed as they walked past the kitchens and reached the door of their common room after walking for a while. "He ruined my shoes." She said in distaste before taking her wand out and tapping the barrel from middle of the second row, in the rhythm of Helga Hufflepuff's name to gain access to the house. Cedric followed her into the room that was decorated with green plants. Their calming smell was flying in the air, embracing the students.

"I'm sorry. He was the only one I could think of." He plopped down on the nearest chair without taking his coat and scarf off. "Besides, I don't plan on doing his homework anyway."

Juliette rolled her eyes and she sat down in front of Cedric with a tiny smile on her lips. She put her wand on the table and took off the hat that Draco gave to her and placed it next to her wand before smiling at it, which Cedric thought was weird.

"Can I wear it sometime?" He asked with his eyebrows raised.

"No, you can not. It's mine." She couldn't believe how much she actually got attached to an object in such a short amount of time.

He rolled his eyes but didn't make any other comment about the suspicious hat.

"I forgot to tell you." He took off his black and yellow scarf. "I finally figured out the clue."

Juliette involuntarily widened her eyes at the information she just received. "What? When?"

"Last week or something—"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you weren't talking to—" He tried to answer but got interrupted by a very excited looking Juliette.

"What is it? What's the clue? How did you—"

"You're giving me a headache." He said, unimpressed with the questions as if he was expecting to hear them.