The Forging of the Bonds

Chapter 38. Advice and Surprises.

The next morning, Elizabeth sat alone at the breakfast table, thinking. Nadine was a lesbian--and Mike simply accepted that 'relationship' between his and her best friends. No, her father was right. The Weasleys were not proper wizards. And that she had ever thought otherwise...

An owl dropped a letter in front of her. She took it automatically. It was very short and to the point.

Miss Malfoy:

Please come to my office this afternoon. Don't worry, Mr. Weasley will not be there.

Professor Harry Potter.

She took it. Potter was her father's friend. Elizabeth would go.

At three in the afternoon, after Charms, she made it to Potter's office. She entered as soon as a class of third years had left.

"Sit down, Miss Malfoy," Potter said. "I've heard you ended your relationship with Mr. Weasley."

"Sir, what's it to you? None of the--"

"Miss Malfoy, I only have a simple question. Can you work together with Mr. Weasley on the third task after what happened?"

Elizabeth should have expected that. "Yes, sir," she said, more certain than she felt.

"We'll see."

"Sir, we cooperated in the--"

"I've seen that 'cooperation'," Potter said. "Believe me, cooperating with someone you hate is easier than with someone you used to like. You will be briefed on the third task in one week's time. Also, your father wants to see you the day before. He'll be here at eight in the evening. In the meanwhile, think carefully about what I asked you. I don't care what you answered me, but please, for your sake, answer my question honestly for yourself."

"Sir?"

"Yes?"

"What if the answer is no?"

"Then, the way I see it, you only have two options. One, patch things up with Mr. Weasley, and two, resign the Hogwarts team to the last place in the Tournament. Good day, Miss Malfoy," he dismissed her.

Elizabeth moved to leave the office. As soon as she opened the door, she ran into Mike. They turned away from each other as Mike entered.

Elizabeth was now more confused than ever. Of course it made sense for Potter to talk to Weasley, as well as her. But she couldn't forget that Potter all but told her to 'patch things up'. That wasn't going to happen, but Weasley might try. And that wouldn't be good. She also had no idea what her father might want. He had never come to see her during school before this. She hoped it wasn't because he had heard about the relationship. If it was, she could tell them they broke up, but he would still be angry at her. Some people felt better after a break-up. She wasn't one of them. At least, not concerning this break-up.

XXX

"What did you and Professor Potter talk about?" Kate asked Mike that night.

"You and Nadine," he grunted.

"What?!"

"And how that ended my relationship with Elizabeth," he added.

"Hey, it's not my fault your girlfriend--"

"Ex-girlfriend," he corrected.

"Mike..."

"Well, Potter said I'd have to put it all aside and cooperate with her for the task. That won't be easy..." He paused. "I was right, you know. I said it, the night our names came out of the Goblet. Hogwarts is going to lose this tournament."

"You haven't lost yet," Kate said. "And I'm sure you'll be able to work together well enough to--"

"How?"

"Didn't Potter give any suggestions?"

"I... he brought up how my parents have been arguing since they met. And how, when..."

"When what?"

"When he tried to rescue Elizabeth's mother... and Aunt Ginny died--"

"He blames himself?"

"I would. I also told him, that considering what happened between him and Dad as a result, I shouldn't get my hopes up regarding Elizabeth."

"You still want to date her?"

"Yes," he said. "I really don't know why--she's pretty, sure, but..."

"You're in love--"

"Shut up," he said automatically. Then her words hit him and he exploded in laughter. "In--love--with--her--don't--be--"

"Okay, you're not in love. But you still want to date her."

"Well, that's going to be a big effort. How am I supposed to convince her? How am I supposed to try,

if she won't even talk to me?"

"So you're giving up--"

"No."

"Mike, are you all right?"

"You know, that's what I said to Potter. That he gave up regarding Dad. And he just looked at me and told me he didn't. That's how our meeting ended. I could tell he was angry."

"And..."

"Kate, I'm sorry, but I just don't see how you can help me with this. I can't exactly ask you to break up with Nadine so that--"

"And if you did, I wouldn't do it."

"I know."

"But I think I can still help. Nadine's Elizabeth's best friend--"

"Was."

"Oh, she's as stubborn as you are."

"Elizabeth or Nadine?"

"Both. Goodnight, Mike." She went upstairs to the girls' dorm. Mike stayed in the common room, staring into the fire. Potter may have made things sound simple--he should try to at least get Elizabeth's friendship back before the third task. But...

But if it meant destroying either his friendship with Kate or Kate's relationship with Nadine to restore his own, he wouldn't do it. He knew Elizabeth well enough to doubt that she would apologize and come back. It was over between them. They wouldn't need to talk again once the third task was done.

Mike was certain about all that. None of it made him happy, and he couldn't tell why. He thought about what Kate said. In love? Bullshit. Maybe I should check what kind of potions Kate's been taking... Things like that just didn't happen in real life.

XXX

The following week was the loneliest Elizabeth had ever had. Neither Mike nor Nadine spoke to her, and Nadine sat demonstratively next to Kate Longbottom in every Defense class. Mike had gone to sharing a desk with David Jordan. Elizabeth surmised, based on certain looks she saw passing between Jordan and Kate, that Jordan had been let in on the not-so-secret secret. She didn't know what he thought about it, but he continued to hang around his friends.

On Sunday night, she left the Slytherin common room and headed for the empty Defense classroom. She encountered no one except Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor house ghost. He gave her t he cold shoulder--if that expression was appropriate in this case. Elizabeth didn't break her stride until she was in relative safety.

"Dad!" she shouted as soon as she got inside, and hugged her father.

He smiled. "Hello, dear. How's the tournament? Weasley giving you trouble?"

"No, we're doing fine," she lied. "Why'd you come here?"

"What, am I not allowed to see my favorite daughter?"

"Dad, I'm your only daughter."

"Well, I'm here to tell you something about you. Professor Potter gave you some history lessons, I take it?"

"Yes, he has," Elizabeth said.

"The reason should become clear to you soon. Your godfather and I decided it's time you knew this. You are of age, you will leave school soon... and it's dangerous to go out into the world without knowing this. At least, that's what your godfather says."

"Will he be here? Will I meet him?" she asked excitedly. She certainly didn't expect this. "I never got to give him any presents, and he always gives very good stuff. We--I wouldn't get through the last task without what I got for Christmas."

"So I take it. But to answer your question, yes, he'll be here, and you've already met him."

"What? How?"

"You didn't know it was him, but you've met him," he said.

"No more games, Dad. Who's my godfather?"

A door opened between the office and the classroom and Professor Potter stepped out. "I am," he said.