Saving Audrey

Chapter 17

When the students returned to Hogwarts, they had just enough time to change before the beginning of the Halloween feast. Audrey loved the Halloween feast. Remembering all the havoc she and her so-called friends had always caused on the holidays reminded her how lucky she was to be at Hogwarts. This being her last year, she often thought about how different things could have been if she had not been given the chance to come here. She was once nothing more than a lost kid in with the wrong kid. She had conformed to someone she wasn't, someone she was not ashamed of. There was barely a trace of that girl in her now.

After the feast, the Gryffindors were greeted with a shocking and disturbing sight. The portrait of the Fat Lady had been slashed and the Fat Lady was nowhere in sight. In the midst of all of the commotion, Peeves came to float over the students. When he informed them that it was Sirius Black's doing, the hysterics only heightened. Once Percy and McGonagall had calmed everyone down, they were informed that all students would be sleeping in the Great Hall.

"The staff would be looking for Black, so naturally Penelope and I will be overseeing the Great Hall. There is no reason to panic." Audrey secretly thought this gave her more reason to panic as Percy tried to calm the younger years. After making sure Ginny was okay, Audrey set off to the corner her friends had over taken.

"Wow, it's just like a slumber party."

"Oh please Fred, let me paint your nails."

"Okay George, but only if I can play with your hair." Leave it to the twins to turn such a serious matter into a joke. Over the past couple of years, Audrey had learned that the twins could only handle things was humor. It didn't matter if they were sad, happy, or anywhere in between. It was their only element.

The teacher's search provided hopeless and Sir Cadogan, who insisted on continuously inventing stupid passwords and challenging the Gryffindors to duals whenever they tried to enter, temporarily replaced the Fat Lady. Audrey was tempted to take him up on it one day out of annoyance, but she feared who the newest portrait replacement would be.

Finally, it was time for Quidditch season to begin. The first game was against Hufflepuff. As always, Audrey was not worried. She knew she once again had an unstoppable team as far as reserve teams went, and Hufflepuff was definitely no threat. Oliver, however, was training his team as if they were playing for the World Cup. Audrey knew it was more out of it being his final year with the team than out of fear of Hufflepuff. He wanted so badly to win the House Cup, impress the scouts, and leave a mark on his team.

Audrey was waiting for Oliver inside after practice one day as the team came in dripping wet.

"Audrey! I have missed you! Why haven't we seen each other much this year? Oh wait, I know, your boyfriend has gone psycho over the Hufflepuff match." Although she did not want to betray Oliver, Audrey had to agree with Alicia. She could hear the other team members complaining about practicing in the rain constantly as they came in. She could hear Fred and George above the others.

"I haven't been properly dry since August." complained George.

"We really should have a talk with that niece of ours about her boyfriend!" replied Fred. Luckily, the twins did not see Audrey hiding behind Katie and Alicia as they headed towards the tower. After everyone had headed to dry off and warm up, Oliver finally came.

"Don't you dare touch me until you are dry! I refuse to look like the rest of your team. You really have gone crazy. I could ring those people out!"

"Baby, just one hug! Anyway, you know how much winning this year means to me. "

"I know, I was just kidding. Well, a little. And only about the crazy part. I was serious about you not touching me until you are dry. I'll meet you in the Astronomy Tower. "

"Does that mean what I think it means?"

"Only if you think it means we need to get our Astronomy homework done!"

The weather had not cleared up any by the day of the matches. The reserve team would play soon after the house team. Audrey had breakfast with her reserve team that morning and spent the rest of the time with Penelope. She usually didn't spend much time with Oliver before a match. Oliver was always bad on game day, but this time, he was just awful. Audrey refused to go near him at all until after the game today.

"Damn it, if this isn't love, I don't know what is." Audrey and Percy were sitting in the stands waiting for the game to start. Audrey would only have come out in the rain to see Oliver. If it hadn't been her senior year, she still might have waited in the common room to congratulate him. Audrey thought the game would take forever. Cedric and Harry came circling, obviously not able to see the snitch through the weather. Finally, Harry took off after it on his Nimbus 2000. Audrey turned to look at Cedric tailing him. Her attention was quickly drawn away as she heard a collective gasp. When her eyes settled on the reason, she felt her heart lurch. Harry had just fallen out of the sky and was heading towards the ground at a pretty good speed. In the midst of all of that, Cedric had caught the snitch and Hufflepuff had been proclaimed the winners. Audrey looked towards the posts to see a very depressed Oliver coming down to meet his team. It was going to be a long night.

Eventually, Oliver got over the defeat and began practicing his team even harder. They could still win the cup, but it was going to take nothing short of a miracle. Oliver wanted the cup more than he had ever wanted anything, even Audrey. One loss was not going to take it away from him, no matter what he had to do. They didn't receive a break again until Christmas holidays.

Audrey couldn't believe it! The one holiday she was staying at Hogwarts and Oliver was going away with his family. Their last Christmas together and he was leaving! Well, he sure as hell better get me a nice gift, she thought. With Oliver gone, Audrey spent most of her vacation working on stuff from Clemson. No one was left in her dorm and her other girl friends were usually occupied with their boyfriends so she had no one to hide it from. She hated not being able to tell people what she was doing next year, but she didn't want to have to face to inevitability of good-bye just yet.

When Christmas day arrived, Audrey headed to the fifth year girls dorm to open gifts with her friends. Everyone seemed to give her sentimental gifts, realizing it was their last year with her around. She felt herself tear up several times, and even the twins got emotional once or twice. There was no gift from Oliver. Instead, he had sent a note saying he wanted to be there himself when they exchanged gifts. Great, thought Audrey, now I have to wait even longer for my favorite gift. But at least she would get to share the moment with him.

When Oliver returned, Audrey was in his dorm waiting on him. "Miss me that much?"

"No, "she replied, "I just wanted my gift that much." Despite her words, she leapt off of the bed to kiss her boyfriend. She had missed him, but she would never let him know how much. It was time to start getting used to him not always being there, she told herself.

"Well, don't I get mine?" Audrey had been so lost in thoughts of Oliver and the future she hadn't noticed him holding a small box. She grabbed his envelope out of her bag and held it out. Without saying another word, the two swapped and tore into their gifts. Audrey just stared at hers.

"Audrey, is this what I think it is?"

"A ticket to the Quidditch World Cup? Yeah."

"With lodging?"

"Yep."

"You are the greatest."

"I know!"

"Well, what did you think of your gift?"

"It's beautiful Oliver. You really shouldn't have gotten this for me."

"It's a promise ring. I wanted you to know that no matter what happens, I'll always be with you, somehow, in someway." Audrey couldn't take it anymore. She began sobbing. "Baby, are you okay?"

"Yes, it's just that, oh, I love you so much Oliver and you're going to be off playing Quidditch next year and..." She couldn't say anymore.

"It's okay. You'll figure out what you want to do. There are plenty of options around here for work. It's going to be all right." Oh, if only he knew.