–Have fun in detention,†Grace grinned.
–Sure,†Julia grumbled. –Loads. I can’t believe those two framed me like that. And in the last week before the break!â€
–They got in trouble too,†Chelsea pointed out. –Maybe they wanted someone new to be in detention with.â€
Willa made kissy faces. Julia hit her. –I’m leaving.â€
–Without proper farewell?†said Grace. –It’s your first detention! You’re so bad now . . . so’s Connor. Telling people off left and right. You two should date.â€
–Shut up, before I hit you too,†Julia grumbled. –I’ll be back in a couple hours, I guess.â€
She felt rather depressed as she descended the spiral staircase, followed by several more staircases that led her to the dungeons. So much for her perfect record. What kind of prefect got detention? She would have to do something really good to make up for it. Probably figuring out Chelsea’s secret would help . . . after the break, though. No need to worry about that now.
She opened the door to Snape’s classroom. He leered unpleasantly from behind his desk. –You’re late, Miss Rowland. You will be putting a fresh supply of pickled slugs into jars. There will be no talking.â€
The Weasleys were already at the back of the room. She tried not to laugh as they imitated Snape’s serious face.
–Ready for detention, troublemaker?†George whispered (they had letters on their jumpers, so she could tell them apart. Clever). Julia glared at him, and reached into the barrel of slugs. She touched one, and drew her hand back.
–Girls,†Fred rolled his eyes. –Here, just levitate them.†He passed her a wand, and she took it without thinking. It turned into a rubber chicken. They burst into silent laughter.
–Quiet,†said Snape.
Julia handed him back the chicken and started moving slugs, grimacing at the sliminess. –You two could help,†she hissed.
–Now why would we do that?†Fred whispered.
–This is an excellent way to learn how not to be a prefect,†said George just as quietly. –Prefects don’t get detention.â€
–So getting me in detention was just another one of your ‘lessons’?†Julia asked, annoyed.
–Actually, no,†said George quietly.
–Happy accident, that,†said Fred.
–No talking,†said Snape, in a menacing voice.
George threw a slug at Julia. She squeaked. Fred laughed.
–Another sound and I personally ensure that you two have detention the day before the Quidditch final, and that Miss Rowland is removed from her post as prefect. That is enough.â€
They knew he was serious, so they continued their work in silence, Julia trying to stifle her laughter as the twins took turns imitating Snape’s bat-like demeanor. When she finally left an hour later, Julia couldn’t help but think that detention really wasn’t so bad. She’d have to avoid it in the future, of course . . . but it wasn’t so bad.
- -
The holiday was more homework than anything else, and Mason and Parker’s constant interruptions didn’t help. It was almost a relief to go back to class and hand in the many rolls of parchment she’d written over the past week.
There was less than a week to go before the Quidditch final, and the corridors were constantly blocked by Gryffindors and Slytherins fighting. Julia ensured that points were taken from several people from both houses, not wanting to be outdone by the newly outspoken Connor. It seemed that the Slytherins were the ones who usually initiated the fights, but plenty of Gryffindors had sent jinxes flying. Even in class, everyone was in a state of distraction.
Julia knew the chaos was perfect cover for her to try and trail Chelsea, but Chelsea never seemed to go anywhere. She never left class to go to the washroom, never went on unexpected walks. It seemed impossible that she could be doing anything wrong. The only suspicious thing was that her marks were slipping, something completely unexpected for a clever Ravenclaw. Her friends had other things on their minds.
–You really should figure out why he’s so chatty all of a sudden,†said Grace as they watched Connor tell off some first years for trying to duel each other.
–I’m not talking to him,†said Julia, blushing. –No way.â€
Willa nodded. –I totally understand. I need to transfigure myself into a flowerpot or something so I don’t have to see any of the fourth years. That stupid boy told all his friends what happened, plus some . . . it’s embarrassing.â€
Grace shook her head. –Whatever. Maybe Julia dumping Connor actually helped him. Toughened him up a bit.â€
–I hope so,†said Julia earnestly. –Really.â€
–Speaking of Julia dumping Connor . . .†Willa started.
–Can we not?†Julia asked.
–We are ALL going to the Quidditch final on Saturday. ALL of us. That means you, too, Chelsea.â€
Chelsea glanced at her, startled, and muttered something about homework.
Willa glared at her. –Homework is bad. Homework is evil. You will watch Quidditch, and that’s that. You need a break.â€
Chelsea smiled. –Fine. Quidditch. Saturday. Got it.â€
But when she thought no one was looking, Julia saw Chelsea frown anxiously, and she couldn’t help but be glad that Willa had prevented her from having to spy again. She wanted to see how this match went.
- -
It was a brilliant spring day, and Julia had never seen the Quidditch stadium so packed, or heard cheering so loud. It was clear that everyone but the Slytherins was cheering for Gryffindor. Why wouldn’t they be? Gryffindor was the better team. Today especially, the Slytherins looked prepared to rely more on dirty tactics than any kind of skill, having filled every position but Seeker with the largest people in the house. The game began, and turned bad almost instantly.
–Foul!†Sam screamed as Flint flew right into Angelina. A second later, Julia couldn’t help but laugh as Fred threw his Beater’s bat at the Slytherin captain. Grace shook her head.
–They’re been a bad influence on you,†she sighed.
That wasn’t the last foul of the game. The Slytherins continually attacked the Gryffindor team, and Julia was fairly certain that Lee Jordan calling them all cheaters wasn’t helping.
–They’re all going to be dead by the time this match is over,†Chelsea noted.
–This is brilliant!†cried Mason.
Gryffindor kept their lead, though. Everyone in the stands stood up to watch as Potter and that little Slytherin, Malfoy, raced for the snitch . . . but Malfoy had grabbed Harry’s broom, and they lost the trail.
–That’s cheating!†Willa shouted, hard to hear over the multitudes of people shouting the same thing. –That’s not even clever!â€
The game went on. And then . . . they’d spotted the snitch again . . . it looked like Malfoy was leading . . . but now it looked like Harry might be pulling ahead . . . and he caught it! Lee Jordan tried to announce Gryffindor’s win, but he couldn’t be heard over all the shouting in the stadium. Julia laughed at all the excitement, and laughed harder as Sam started jumping up and down.
–Yeah!†he shouted. –Wait ‘til we tell Parker about this one . . .â€
Mason did a little dance. –This is so cool!†he cried as Dumbledore handed over the Cup. –We should win next year . . . it would be so neat . . . let’s try out next year, Sam!â€
Sam didn’t hear him. He was busy watching the Gryffindors land, all in a heap, as people went running down towards the pitch. Everything was in complete disorder, and Julia couldn’t think of anything more fun.