The Girl Who Hid | ✓

|74| Seeker

Guilt ate at me. For the last few weeks, I had been keeping a secret from Harry and Hermione; Ron already knew since we had been at practices together. And tonight, Angelina was going to break the news to Harry.

The only thing I really looked forward to were the D.A. meetings and Quidditch, and they would have to stop over the holidays, as nearly everybody in the D.A. would be spending the time with their families. Hermione was going skiing with her parents, something that greatly amused Ron and me, as we've never before heard of Muggles strapping narrow strips of wood to their feet to slide down mountains— ice skating yes, but never skiing. Ron, meanwhile, was going home to the Burrow. Harry and I endured several days of jealousy before Ron said, in response to Harry asking how Ron was going to get home for Christmas, "But you're both coming too! Didn't I say? Mum wrote and told me to invite you weeks ago!"

The thought of Christmas at the Burrow was truly wonderful, made me feel better about the impending argument Harry and I were bound to have later that night.

Harry and I arrived early in the Room of Requirement for the last D.A. meeting before the holidays and was very glad we had, because when the lamps burst into light we saw that Dobby had taken it upon himself to decorate the place for Christmas. We could tell the elf had done it, because nobody else would have strung a hundred golden baubles from the ceiling, each showing a picture of Harry's face and bearing the legend HAVE A VERY HARRY CHRISTMAS!

We had only just managed to get the last of them down before the door creaked open and Luna Lovegood entered, looking dreamy as always.

"Hello," she said vaguely, looking around at what remained of the decorations. "These are nice, did you two put them up?"

"No," said Harry, "it was Dobby the house-elf."

"Mistletoe," said Luna dreamily, pointing at a large clump of white berries placed almost over my head. I jumped out from under it. "Good thinking," said Luna very seriously. "It's often infested with nargles."

Harry and I were saved the necessity of asking what nargles were by the arrival of Angelina, Katie, and Alicia. All three of them were breathless and looked very cold. My stomach dropped.

"Well," said Angelina dully, pulling off her cloak and throwing it into a corner, "we've replaced you."

"Replaced me?" said Harry blankly.

"You and Fred and George," she said impatiently. "We've got another Seeker!"

"Who?" said Harry quickly.

"She didn't tell you?" Angelina said and looked at me.

"She?" Harry asked.

"Your sister," said Katie, pointing at me.

Harry gaped at her and then looked at me.

"Yeah, I know," said Angelina, pulling out her wand and flexing her arm. "But she's pretty good, actually. Nothing on you, of course," she said, giving me a knowing look, "but as we can't have you... might as well your twin. Your father was a legend."

Harry gave me an angry look and I knew it was because I didn't tell him. But he bit his tongue and looked back at Angelina.

"And what about the Beaters?" he asked, trying to keep his voice even.

"Andrew Kirke," said Alicia without enthusiasm, "and Jack Sloper. Neither of them are brilliant, but compared with the rest of the idiots who turned up..."

The arrival of Ron, Hermione, and Neville brought this depressing discussion to an end and within five minutes, the room was full enough to prevent me from seeing Harry's burning, reproachful looks.