We Will Shine {Book 6 in the Star of Gryffindor Series}

Chapter 43 - Ciara and Nico

~Wren~

One thing hadn't changed about prefect duties. I was still dreading when Eris and Emanuel released the prefect patrol schedule for the next term. Now that Ciara and I were finally getting along, and we'd humiliated Eris, I was sure she'd put both of us with the worst partners she possibly could. We'd been speculating about it on our last patrol. Most likely, it would be Ciara and Tommy Ortega, me and Marcus Dillam (though he'd become such a joke that I had to admit it would be more boring than anything else).

Albus suggested we not worry about it. After all, Eris had been leaving all of us alone lately. Which... I guess that made sense. I was trying to see it all from her perspective, at least. If a rumored international terrorist in the grade below me teamed up with the girl she seemed to hate most to humiliate me just because I made them work together, I suppose I'd leave her alone too, even if I was head girl. I guess I was mainly dreading it for Ciara's sake, then, because Eris didn't have a reason to be afraid of her.

The day that they posted the new pairings, Albus and I were waiting downstairs for Emanuel Beck to post the list. Albus had gotten the insane idea that one of us might have been paired up with Eris, the ultimate torture. No amount of me pointing out that that would be torture for her, too, would make him feel better. It wasn't until Emanuel tacked the list to the notice board and stepped back to let us crowd it that Albus calmed down.

"See? Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy. That's not bad at all."

Albus narrowed his eyes. "That's got to be a trick. That's too good."

Emanuel gave us a confused smile. "I'm sorry?"

"Is this the real list?" Albus demanded.

"Of course it is!" Emanuel's grin widened. He launched into an explanation of each pairing, and I tuned him out as I looked for my own name.

Poppy Stevens and Aron Horn

Lillie Collins and Tommy Ortega

Elias Brown and Celia Rowe

Wren Predatel and Ciara Malfoy

I blinked. I couldn't have read that correctly. But there it was, Ciara and I paired again. I turned to Emanuel, who was talking about why Marcus Dillam and Cedric Rogers were paired together, and interrupted. "This is actually the real list? You're not kidding?"

Emanuel turned to me now, the confused smile back. "No, I'm not. Why? Is there a problem with it?"

"No, not at all. I just..." I glanced back at the list one more time, just to make sure I wasn't seeing things. "Ciara Malfoy and I are paired together again."

Emanuel glanced behind me, then shrugged. "Yeah. You are."

"Why?"

"Oh, I don't really know. Eris insisted on it." He shrugged again, then flashed me a smile. "I'm afraid the list is final, too. We can't change it."

"No, I know. I don't want you too." I frowned. She'd insisted on it? After what we did last time? I mean, I knew most people were aware that we didn't hate each other anymore, but I was shocked Eris would take the risk that we might retaliate on principle. It honestly made me a little nervous. Was there something we didn't know? Was Eris planning something?

Someone nudged me, and I glanced over to see Ciara standing at my shoulder, squinting at the list incredulously. "I don't suppose this is some joke, hmm?"

"Beck says it's real. And as much as he smiles, I don't think I've ever heard him actually crack a joke."

Ciara nodded, now frowning at the notice board. "Do you feel worried?"