Magic? || Years 5-7

Yellow in the Library: Year 6

The party was about as uncomfortable as Amisty had been expecting. It was tense and oddly quiet as Slughorn pressed them with questions about family or whatever else they could talk about that could link them to the upper class. She spent a majority of her time picking at the rather strange assortment of food, only really talking when it was polite, and determinedly ignoring Blaise every time he popped up at her shoulder.

Hermione and she made it back to the common room about two hours later, rubbing their eyes as they struggling not to fall asleep on their feet.

"That wasn't as terrible as I had expected," Hermione offered.

"Not at all," Amisty admitted, slumping down on the armchair in front of the fire. "I think I'd prefer to avoid them as much as possible, though, if I'm being honest."

Hermione yawned, "Well, I'm going to bed."

"I'm gonna wait around for a bit," She replied, swallowing her own yawn.

"Harry should be getting back soon," Hermione nodded, fighting down her smile as he headed up the steps.

"Shut up!"

About thirty minutes later, Harry crawled through the portrait hole looking thoroughly peeved.

"Have a good detention?" She asked cheerfully as he collapsed into a nearby couch.

He glared at her half-heartedly, "So you're not done?"

Her smile fell, "I'm not going to apologize, Harry."

"Well, neither am I," He replied bitterly.

They sat in silence for a moment, listening to the crackle of the fire and the faint rustle of leaves through the windows.

Amisty sighed, dragging herself to her feet and curling up beside him, "This isn't an apology."

"Works for me," He replied, a smile in his voice as he wrapped an arm around her.

"I talked to Hermione," Amisty said. "I don't think what you're accusing him of is fair, but I'm going to stop making excuses for him when he doesn't deserve them."

"Fine," Harry nodded stiffly. "But I still think he's up to something, there's too much - "

"I'm not having this conversation with you," Amisty cut him off quickly. "Just because I'm done defending him doesn't mean I'm going to agree with your nonsense."

He scowled, "But I - "

"I'm giving you one opportunity to change the subject or I'm going up to bed," She sang.

"How was the party, then?" Harry asked with mock bravado.

"Mediocre at best," Amisty shrugged, grinning. "Tad uncomfortable at times, but it really wasn't as dreadful as I had expected."

"We've already proven your standards aren't as high as they should be, though," Harry countered airily.

"I am not above hexing you into next week," She warned.

He laughed, "I'd say I'm sorry but you might take that as an apology for something else."

"Glad to see we're on the same page, then," She replied dryly. "Really, though, you wouldn't hate them as much as you think you will. They're almost pleasant."

"Ah, yes, 'almost pleasant' is definitely a positive enough praise for me to be dying to go," He nodded wisely. "Can we go back to the original topic now?"

"No."

"Why not?"

Amisty rolled her eyes, "Because I do not want to talk about that now when you're still in a mood and I'm about to fall asleep. Ask me again when you stop making ridiculous claims about underage Death Eaters."