𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬, 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 • (𝐝.𝐦.)

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐲-𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

♔

I couldn't help but obsessively mull over what Dumbledore had said to me. He had information about my father, and while my Veela nature told me to get angry, get violent over the fact he had not told me sooner, I contained myself. 

I was simply curious at this point. 

I attended my classes normally for the day until, in Transfiguration, Loony- Luna Lovegood decided to sit next to me. 

"Hello," She said in her usual odd tone. I couldn't ever place what emotion she was feeling, but it didn't sound bad, so I ignored her airy volume. 

"Hi, Luna," I greeted her back, resulting in her happily humming to herself. 

"It's a lovely day out, isn't it?" She asked, and I shrugged, looking out the window at the dense layer of fog outside. "If you like this weather, sure. I don't think it's half bad, actually," I answered. 

"I love the fog, personally. It's like the Earth's way of saying 'I would like some privacy, please', and I think that's lovely," She said. 

"Lovely," I responded, using the enthusiastic word she had now used twice. 

"You're very pretty," Luna said suddenly, and I looked at her only to find her signature vacant expression painted across her face. 

"Thanks, Luna," I said, and she smiled slightly. 

We both went about whatever work we had to get done that day. I was polishing off some notes, and Luna was reading the syllabus for some reason. Again. 

It was a miracle this girl passed any classes at all, honestly. 

"How are you liking Hogwarts?" She asked me, and I turned my head to look at her. She stared right back, her wide eyes meeting my own. 

"I've liked it so far," I said, still writing in my notebook as I spoke back to her. I looked down at what I had written so far and it wasn't enough. I would have to take more notes eventually. 

"I might be a little late to asking you, sorry about that," She said, and I shook my head. "It's okay," I chuckled lightly. 

"What were your first impressions of the place, anyway?" She asked, and I shrugged. "I thought it was big. Kind of scary, but not too bad. Those horse things were unsettling, but the food during the feast made up for all of that," I said with a breathy laugh. 

"Horses?" 

"Yeah, the ones that pull the carriages?" 

"Oh, the Thestrals," She confirmed to herself. "The what?" I asked. 

"Thestrals, that's what you saw. They're not horses, silly. But don't go around telling people, or they're going to think you've gone mad," She said, and I stared blankly back at her. 

"Why not?"

"Well, because only those who have witnessed death can see them," She answered and I furrowed my brow. 

"But I haven't witnessed death," I replied, and she shrugged. "I hate to say it, but you have if you've seen a Thestral," She said. 

I thought about her words as I took more notes and reorganized the ones I already had. What the hell was going on with me recently? How much did I not know about myself?

When Transfiguration had ended I stood up and gathered my stuff. I had to get to Potions next, and I loved that class, so I was excited. I walked there, greeted by various interesting scents immediately after going into the room. 

I sat in my usual spot and waited for everyone to file in, I had gotten there a little early. 

"Ah, Miss Warrington! I have something for you," Professor Slughorn said as he walked in after me. I was the only one in the room, so I wondered what he could possibly have to give to me. 

He walked over to me after producing an ornate invitation out of thin air. "Here you go, you are an extremely bright student, you deserve this," He said, and I looked down at the invitation in my hand. 

"A party?" I asked, and he nodded. 

"A Christmas party," He smiled broadly. 

I wanted to smile, but this was a little bit odd. 

"Oh, please, don't worry. Many other students will be attending. Your friends Harry Potter and Hermione Granger? They will be attending," He said, and I relaxed a bit. 

It was almost like the man had read my mind. "Oh... sure, I'd love to," I said, and he grinned. "Splendid! You'll have to bring a plus-one, is that do-able?" He asked, and I nodded. "Wonderful... just wonderful," He said happily as other students started filing in. 

I stuffed the invitation into my textbook and waited for class to begin. Draco found his seat next to me and I smiled at him. "Hey," He said absentmindedly, and I said it back. 

He seemed spaced out, very spaced out, but I assumed he was tired. 

"What's bothering you?" I asked, and he groaned burying his face in his folded arms on the table. "The stupid task," He said, and I sighed. "I'm sorry, I haven't been helping as much as I should be. I can help tonight, okay?" I offered, and he shook his head. 

"No, you don't need to get your hands dirty, I can do this. I don't want you having to do this fucked up shit, alright?" He said, and I hesitated a bit before nodding. 

"Are you sure? I can-" 

"I'm serious, Mags, okay? No," He said, and I shrugged. "Don't overwork yourself. You don't need to be doing this either, might I remind you." 

"I do need to, though," He rebutted, and I rolled my eyes. "I can't win this fight, can I?" I asked, and he shook his head. "I'll be firm about this until I die," He said. 

"Stop it, I don't want to think about anything like that," I said. He looked at me, nudging my shoulder, and smiled. "I'm only emphasizing my point," He said. 

"Yeah, yeah," I breathed. 

"What did Dumbledore need from you?" He asked. 

"He riled me up. I exploded, literally," I said, and he let out a huff of annoyance. "That man is an idiot," He said, and I said nothing. 

"I'm so sick of this. Why can't we just be normal teenagers?" 

"I don't know, Maggie. I really wish I did, but I don't." 

♔

if we hit number one in oc i would literally be so happy! that's so crazy to me! thank you guys for all your support, you guys are so so so special to me!