A notice was posted in the Ravenclaw common room the next day, about a Quidditch meeting. Tryouts had been back in September, and Willa and Grace were still sulking about not making the team.
–I cannot believe Cho beat me again,†Grace moaned. –One year, I got, when I was only twelve, and then they were like nope, you’re not good enough to be Seeker anymore.â€
–At least you got beat fair and square!†Willa cried. –That stupid Roger Davies should not be biased against me just because . . .â€
–You broke his heart? Used him to get another boy to notice you?†Julia said innocently.
–I was young and stupid!â€
–That was last year,†Grace pointed out.
–Whatever,†said Willa, flopping down in a chair. –The point is, I’m ten times better than those two little boys he has as Beaters put together.â€
–See, this is why I don’t play Quidditch,†said Julia, taking out her library book - ‘Enchanted Forests - Magical Creature Reserves of Britain’. –So much drama.â€
Grace laughed. –You don’t play Quidditch because you’re rubbish at it.â€
Willa giggled. –Remember in the first year?â€
–Her broom got away on her,†Grace hooted.
–I can fly now,†Julia snapped. –I just need to hold on with both hands.â€
–Yeah, or else you might just slide off . . .†Grace collapsed to the floor, still laughing.
–Glad I’m so amusing,†Julia muttered. She opened the book. It was bookmarked with a slip of paper ripped from a list of school rules. She knew she had to report Fred and George. She should go to Professor Flitwick’s office right now.
Maybe later.
- -
She left potions class the next day in a good mood. Despite Snape’s habit of ignoring the members of his class who weren’t in Slytherin, she’d finally managed to brew a perfect Strengthening Solution. However, her smile faded as she headed down the hall. There was an awful lot of shouting going on. She turned the corner.
A chimpanzee was swinging across the rafters while Mason leapt up and down. –Parker! Get back here! Parker . . .â€
Sam was trying to levitate the monkey, but seemed to be having difficulty focusing. A lot of people were watching. Then, much to Julia’s dismay, the twins turned up. It was only a moment before they manage to lure the chimp down, using only a banana.
–There you go,†said one of them, handing Parker back to Mason. The chimp chomped happily on his snack.
–Thanks!†said Mason. –I . . .â€
–Mason!†Julia pushed through the crowd. –I thought you were keeping that in your dormitory.â€
–I was! He got out. I’ve been chasing him all over . . .â€
–Yeah, pets are a little tricky to keep in one spot,†said one of the twins.
–You should probably feed him,†said the other.
–Don’t you two encourage him!†said Julia.
–I do feed him!†Mason protested.
–We’ll tell you where to get food,†one of the red-heads continued. –But later, not in front of your sister.â€
–Yup, so move along, all of you,†said the other. –Get to class.â€
–Right,†said Julia. –You too, Sam.†Sam looked up, his eyes hidden by his hair.
–I was talking to the girls, miss.â€
–Talk to them in class. Go on. You too, Mason.†Finally, they’d all cleared out . . . except for the twins.
–Aren’t you going?†Julia asked.
–Heard you reported us,†one of them grinned.
–You deserved it! Attacking Connor . . .â€
They looked puzzled. –We didn’t attack anyone.â€
–What about those stunning somethings . . .â€
One of them chuckled. –We haven’t actually tried those yet.â€
–Gotta get on that.â€
–We told you, though.â€
–He was sleeping when we got there.â€
She looked at them. They didn’t seem to be lying. –Someone knocked him out. A sleeping spell, not a stunning spell, which is kind of strange. You didn’t see anyone?â€
–No, I don’t think so. Fred?â€
–Nobody,†Fred confirmed.
Julia shrugged. –Okay.†So they hadn’t done it. It was kind of a relief, somehow. They weren’t bad people, just jokers. They’d even helped Mason out. –I really should get to class.â€
George smiled. –You know, there’s a Hogsmeade weekend at Halloween.â€
–Yeah . . .â€
–You still seem pretty prefecty . . .â€
–So?â€
–So you probably should come for a drink with us. Continue your lessons.â€
She rolled her eyes. –I’ll think about it.†The bell rang. –Drat! Which corridor is this . . .†She spotted a tapestry and ducked behind it, into a narrow way that would hopefully get her to History of Magic before everyone was asleep. As she headed down it, she heard the twins keep talking.
–Nothing like a girl who knows her shortcuts, right, George?â€
–Nothing like a girl who can play Quidditch, more like . . .â€
And then the sound was gone.
- -
–I’m so glad I started a file,†said Willa. –This is going to be hilarious.â€
–It’s not a date!†Julia protested. –There’s two of them, for goodness sakes!â€
–Double date,†Grace grinned. –They said something about Quidditch players, so they can’t mean you . . .â€
–That wasn’t . . . I didn’t . . . It’s not a date!†Julia stammered.
–You tell them,†muttered Chelsea, taking notes.
–What is that you’ve been reading?†Julia asked, leaning over. –It doesn’t look like a set book.â€
–Like you only read school books,†she snorted, hiding the title with her arm.
–Don’t change the subject,†said Willa. –So, you’re going out - not on a date - with the twins. Now, what will Connor say?â€
–What?†Julia and Grace looked at her.
–Nothing,†Grace guessed. –He doesn’t talk.â€
–What do you mean, Willa?†asked Julia.
–He’s been caught up on you ever since you woke him up.â€
–He hasn’t!â€
–He’s been looking at you. That’s the most a shy guy like him would do . . .â€
Julia glanced quickly across the room. –He’s working on Divination stuff. Not looking at me.â€
–Such a thrilling romance,†muttered Willa, taking notes with her massive pink quill.
–This is ridiculous,†said Julia sternly. –I’m going . . .†The clock struck eight. Too early to sleep, too late to go outside. She sighed. –I’m going to sit here and ignore everything you say.â€
–Ooh, snappy comeback,†Grace laughed. Julia ignored her. It was going to be a long night.