Antares

Chapter Three ~ The Captains Clash

Victoria neatly smoothed her napkin onto her lap, pulling at the corners until it was perfectly flat. She then picked up her knife and fork and began to cut all the food on her plate into one-inch sections. Aki sat across from her, stabbing her fork into the chunks that Victoria had just cut.

"Aki, please," Victoria said. "That is not very ladylike."

"I'm just having a taste..."

Victoria edged her plate closer to herself, so that it was just out of Aki's reach. Aki didn't like eating off her own plate for some reason, all the cutting and fuss. She dropped her fork onto her plate and made a Halloween meal out of candied apples and fudge, a sloppy meal at that.

Rachel and Daphne slipped into the hall to join the rest of the school for the Halloween feast. Rachel was somewhat speed walking down the pathway, while Daphne hung back, walking at a leisurely pace. Daphne took a seat next to Aki, and Rachel had found herself a spot directly behind her at the Slytherin table. Rachel sat sideways, so that she could talk and grab some food at the same time.

"Sorry we're late," Daphne said.

Victoria didn't even notice, as she was engrossed in the dinner roll she was trying to cut up.

"Where were you two at?" Aki had to ask since Victoria wouldn't be bothered at the moment.

Daphne jerked her finger over her shoulder.

"Rachel here took ages to get ready."

"Don't you dare try to blame it on me!" Rachel snapped. "She saw Higgs in the common room, and we had to stay until he left!"

"Terrence," Daphne cooed after a sheepish giggle.

"I can't believe we sat there for twenty minutes," complained Rachel. "I was hungry enough to eat my own legs... I was hungry enough to run here! You know how much I hate running."

"Belt up, it was worth it!" Daphne said. " I got to talk to him, eh Aki?"

"Really? Wud'jou say?"

"I just asked him if he usually likes the Halloween feasts and what he's looking forward to eating. He looks so good when he's talking..."

"What does he look like???"

"Always smiling," Daphne answered.

"Is he nice?"

"He was so nice to me. He's such a good boy."

"What was he wearing???"

The conversation was cut off when the doors were thrust open. A panicked Quirrell ran in with his arms flailing.

"Troll! In the dungeon!" Quirrell shrieked. "Troll in the dungeon!"

Everyone in the hall just gave him a strange look. They were all wondering if Quirrell was over exaggerating or if there really was danger.

Quirrell uttered weakly, "Thought you'd oughta know," and fainted.

Aki caught a short glimpse of Victoria across from her, looking perplexed. Lightning sparked, which sent everyone screaming, except for Daphne, who was standing frozen and staring at the high table.

"Will the professor be alright?"

"Leg it, Daphne!" Aki pulled on Daphne's arm. "We've got to get out of here!"

Dumbledore yelled in a booming voice for everyone to stop panicking, and the mass hysteria stopped.

"Prefects lead their house back to the dormitories immediately!"

Aki felt her sticky hand be taken by Victoria and be rushed with the crowd of Ravenclaws back to their safe dormitory.

"D'you think that's for real?" Daphne mumbled close to Aki's ear. "Is there really a troll loose right now?"

"Quirrell probably just saw his own shadow and got nutty, thinking it was a troll," Victoria said.

Daphne worriedly peered back to Quirrell's figure, still on the floor.

"I hope the professor will be okay."

The crowds were slow moving as they all tried to squeeze through the Great Hall doors. Aki felt over strung, since every second they were not in their dormitory, they were not completely safe. Aki gripped Victoria's hand a little harder for security, and felt Victoria's long nails dig into her skin. They made their way through the dark halls that were periodically illuminated by searing flashes of lightning.

"Ravenclaws, please try not to get lost!" the prefect said. "And keep your eyes open!"

Everyone was noticeably cold. Daphne grabbed onto Aki's free arm and hugged it for warmth. There were times when a rumble of thunder would cut through the night, and Aki would feel Daphne squeeze her arm a little tighter. She'd look over and see her flinching. Daphne didn't enjoy thunder.

"First years, stick to the front, please," the prefect instructed.

Some younger girls were whimpering and latched closely behind Aki, Victoria, and Daphne. They ascended a couple flights of stairs, everyone going two at a time, and several tripping a bit. The prefect ran ahead and opened the door so the other Ravenclaws wouldn't have to wait outside the dormitory for any longer than they had to. There was much chatter as the crowd spilled into the common room. Everyone wasn't completely at ease until the secure door swung shut with a reassuring clang.

"Daffneh! Yer are okay, ay?" spoke an odd voice.

Daphne whipped around, and threw her arms around the fifth year boy.

"Oh, Trevor! Can you believe this is happening?"

Trevor Rowley was an Irish boy whom Daphne had befriended over her years at Hogwarts. He had dark, center-parted hair that fell a bit over his eyes. He was thin, but had a nice physique to him. Of course, Daphne and Trevor used to flirt the bogies out of each other, but nothing really evolved. This could be due to the fact that Daphne had a boyfriend when they began spending time with each other. They still remained platonic friends even now, since Daphne liked Trevor's company because of his strange vernacular that never failed to make her giggle on the inside.

"Ar'ye still hungray, Daffneh? D'you want ter me brin' you up some food den?"

"Oh no, not tonight, Trevor. I've already had plenty."

"O'ey. Jist want ter make sure. A hungray girl is somethin' oi no like."

"All of you, listen up!"

The prefect was standing on a chair; arms in the air, trying to quell the anxious Ravenclaws.

"Now... I don't want anyone setting foot outside the dormitories, is that clear? I don't care if you left your books, or your robe, or your sister down in the great hall, no one is moving!"

People started to argue and speak up. With a wave of both hands, the prefect got them to quiet down.

"Let's all just tuck ourselves into bed, let the teachers deal with this so-called troll, and forget about it."

Aki turned to make way up to the bedrooms but knocked into a tall girl standing in a circle of people. The tall girl barely flinched at the tiny bump Aki had given her. She wormed her way in to the circle.

"What's everyone talking about?" Aki asked curiously.

She checked out the faces around the circle; they were all Ravenclaw Quidditch team players. The tall, sort of brawny girl beside Aki was known as Charlotte Atherton, a fellow fifth year. She had thick brown hair and a surly visage. The people in the circle noticeably stopped their lively conversation and exchanged looks of puzzlement. After a brief 'where-in-Merlin-did-this-intruder-come-from?' vibe, Charlotte moved back a bit to accommodate Aki within the circle.

"We were just talking about this troll business," Charlotte explained. "What do you think about it?"

Aki made the rather simplistic reply of, "It's makin' me nervy."

"It's rubbish fit for the toilet!" said Fairchilds, the team captain.

Charlotte waved her hand pompously and shot a look to the others.

"Exactly what I said!"

"It's for real!" cried the petite fourth year girl known as Ivy Mallinson. "Quirrell fainted, after all."

She fiddled with her golden coils of hair.

"What if he's still there in the Great Hall? What if the troll ate him?!?"

Aki thought she was starting to sound a bit like Daphne.

"Then the job is well done!" said the built beater known as Roger Davies. "That guy I could whack like a bludger."

"I'm sorry, but I just can't trust a ruddy word that Quirrell says," Charlotte debated.

"If you can even understand them first, ey?" Roger joked.

"What if the troll is still there tomorrow?" Ivy said, sounding worried.

She pulled on the arm of the boy beside her.

"Q, you have to wake up early tomorrow and take me down for breakfast! I'm not going all the way to the hall by myself!"

Quentin; a skinny fourth year with shoulder-brushing brown hair, replied, "But I always lay in! Can't ye just wait?"

"I'm not waiting until noon for you to finally get up and I can have my breakfast!"

"Why can't you ask Charlotte?" Quentin moaned. "She is your best ma--aie!"

Quentin nearly jumped out of his skin as Charlotte made a swift kick to his calf. She made a weird hand gesture that only he could comprehend, and be terrified by.

"Err... I... err..." Quentin stumbled, "f-fine... I'll take you down, Ivy."

Right then, fourth year Penelope Clearwater poked her head into the crowd.

"Come on! You heard what the prefect said!" She gently shoved both Aki and Charlotte toward the stairs. "Get up to bed!"

Charlotte looked at Aki and rolled her eyes. The both of them stomped up the cold hard stone steps to their bedroom. Penelope was still running around the common room, imploring other dawdlers to retreat to their bedrooms. Even the prefect gave up and went to bed rather irresponsibly.

"D'yer girls t'ink you'll be o'ey the-morra mornin'?"

Charlotte and Aki turned their heads; Trevor was close behind them, grinning absorbingly.

"I'd be 'appy ter brin' de breakfast ter yer two the-morra," he offered.

"That sounds like a lot of fuss, Trevor," said Charlotte.

"I'm not a lazy guy. T'ings might still be a wee bad in the morning, cannae 'ave yer two bein' stomped by a troll, now. I'll wake up real early an' brin' de toast ter yer girls, oy's dat soun', ay?"

"Thanks, but I'm not scared of a troll," Charlotte stated bluntly.

Trevor motioned his head at Aki and beamed casually.

"Ay?"

Aki blushed, smiled timidly and looked to her feet.

"No thank you."

Charlotte was unswayed by his polite offer.

"G'night, Trevor," she said monotonously and she pushed open the door to their bedroom. Daphne and Victoria were already there, lying in their beds and chatting.

"Besides Dumbledore, who else d'you think could knock down a troll?" said Daphne.

Victoria had her eyes closed, trying to fall asleep but couldn't because of Daphne's ramblings.

"Hagrid, definitely."

"No one can defeat a troll," Mildred butt in. "We're all going to die."

"Hagrid???" Daphne talked back, ignoring Mildred's prophecy. "See, I would think Snape. He'd just have no mercy."

"I could take one down myself too," Charlotte announced.

"Sure you could," Daphne said.

"Oy!" Charlotte pointed her thumb at the door behind her. "If anyone wants some breakfast in bed tomorrow morning, Trevor is willing to get some for your lazy arse."

"No point you know, since we'll all be dead by sunup," Mildred said gloomily.

"What's that you're eating, Mildred?" questioned Aki.

Irritated, Mildred answered, "Cauldron cake."

"Again?"

Mildred viciously narrowed her eyes while Aki didn't take notice and dropped onto the edge of Daphne's bed.

"Aren't you all scared?" Aki said.

Daphne rolled over onto her side to face Aki.

"Well, yes we're scared, but what are we to do? Stuff like that is no place for students."

"Strictly teachers' business," Victoria said tiredly.

"Stop worrying about it," Daphne said calmly.

Aki absentmindedly started opening the drawers on Daphne's night table and rifling through the contents.

"Is a troll smart enough to find its way around?"

Daphne made an "I don't know" noise; her eye fixed on Aki's rummaging hands.

"Victoria, can you hand me my pillow there?" Mildred called over to the bed next to her own.

One of Mildred's many pillows had found its way on the floor, right in front of Victoria's night table. Victoria simply tossed herself over so her back was to Mildred. Perhaps Victoria was already asleep, but it was probable that she just chose to ignore her.

"Suppose it finds its way here? Would it be able to break down the door?" Aki said, reading the old sheets of homework she had found in Daphne's night table.

Daphne slipped her homework out of Aki's fingers, tucked it back into the drawer, and pushed it shut.

"Now how could it get here? How could it get anywhere close?"

"I don't know," Aki said. "It'll just be scary to wake up in the middle of the night and hear giant footsteps outside our door."

"Don't you worry, we're quite safe," Daphne said.

"How so?"

"Have you not seen some of the big, strong seventh years we have? They'll stand up to that troll."

"And I guess Charlotte will protect us too, eh?"

Daphne snorted through her nose. "Not with the way she sleeps. You could cut off her toes and she wouldn't wake up."

"That's true."

Aki recalled back one morning when they had to wake her up. After ten minutes of pitiful efforts, it finally took a suffocating pillow over Charlotte's face to rouse her.

"Do you suppose Rachel is alright?" Daphne inquired.

"She'll be fine. I think an angry Rachel is scarier than any troll."

"Rachel? She's harmless!"

"She's... scary," said Aki, remembering the many times she had agitated Rachel.

"What do you think will happen with Professor Quirrell?" said Daphne with intense worry in her eyes.

"He won't die tonight, I'm sure."

"But... him in the great hall--"

"Look, I'm sure Dumbledore took him away. They wouldn't leave him there for troll-bait."

"I hope he'll be there for class on Tuesday," Daphne said. "D'you know what he did? I saw him in the halls last day, and I smiled at him, and he got all nervous!"

"Daphne... he's always nervous..."

"No, no! Not like this! He gave me the most adorable little twitchy smile, and he was all playing with his fingers! It was the cutest thing I had ever seen."

"You're lucky I didn't have much at supper, otherwise we would've been knee-deep in my vomit--"

"Shut your bloody traps, the both of you!" Charlotte bellowed. "I need to be rested for Quidditch practice tomorrow!"

Aki heard Mildred snicker under her blankets. Daphne made a face and motioned for Aki to get to her own bed. Aki got into her bed and slid under the covers. Daphne emitted a high-pitched sigh as her head sunk into the pillow. Charlotte was on her side; eyes scrunched shut and hands pressed over her ear. Victoria was already wheezing softly, easing into sleep with help from the heavy meal she just had. Mildred, in the last bed at the end, had the blankets bunched up to her chin. There was a light rapping on their bedroom door, and a cheery voice called out:

"Everyone sleeping in there?"

The voice was distinct; it was Penelope's.

All five of the girls didn't make a peep, as to give the impression that they were indeed sleeping. Penelope made a little "hmm!" of contentment and thumped her way down the hall. She could be heard knocking on the next bedroom door down, asking the same question.

"Oy!" said a voice that was scarcely there. "Aki!"

Aki rolled over to the noise. Daphne was lying on the extreme edge of her bed, too lively to sleep.

"That Penelope," Daphne whispered. "She's like a mum to this house."

"She's a bit annoying sometimes, I find."

"Aki! That's not nice."

"I know, but sometimes the way she does everything irritates me."

"She's just the leader-type. She's got responsibility coming out her conk."

"Lord... she's more mature than the lot of us. Why can't she just act her age instead of all high and mighty?"

"That's just the way she is," Daphne said. "All that maturity will pay off, I'm sure. I mean, she's already got that older boy following her around all the time, doesn't she? She must be doing something right."

Aki thought back to Thursday when she saw Penelope sitting outside with a gangly, dainty-looking red-haired boy.

"If getting a bloke means having a Clearwater-level of maturity, then I'm doomed to die alone," Aki declared, smiling as she turned over and closed her eyes.

*****

"I heard that Rosemary cut you off, Wood."

"Don't be a fool, George!" Fred Weasley argued, giving his brother a shove. "Wood cut her off!"

"It's true," Oliver said, shaking his head dismally. "Rose left me."

"Whaaaat?" George cried shrilly in the great hall.

"You mean that shrew--"

"What Fred's trying to say is," said George after jabbing his elbow sharply into Fred, "you let Rosemary be the one to end it?"

"Seems like it should be the other way 'round," Fred said.

"Why would I want to be the one to end it? I really liked her," Oliver said openly. "And I thought she really liked me..."

"How could you like that hag--ow!"

George had pinched his brother on the arm. Fred nursed his flesh and took a seat across from Oliver, grabbing some toast. Oliver rubbed his face hard into his hands. Things were not going so well; aside from having to deal with no Rosemary, he was still in pain from the first Quidditch game four days ago when Marcus had shoved him into the goalpost and he had fallen off his broomstick. On top of that, he had also gotten barely any sleep last night because Lee had 'accidentally' let out his tarantula in the girl's bedroom. Angelina was screaming loud enough to knock out Mandrakes, and Oliver had to spend the whole night trying to capture the thing with Percy.

"One more girl to add to the list."

"Wussat you say, Wood?" Fred asked.

"Nothing."

Oliver had taken some girlfriends over the years in an attempt to make himself feel wanted sometimes. They were all nice at the beginning, and he thought he could have something special, but they all just wanted to exploit his name. They wanted to be known as the captain's girlfriend, Oliver Wood's girlfriend. They'd be there for the big games and after parties, but they'd make excuses to not have to see him any other time. Perchance they liked him, but not enough to have to put up with the constant Quidditch-talk all the time. So many times he had his heart broken, but he'd still keep choosing the wrong type of girl, thinking that this one was going to be different.

"Lonely again, Oliver," Oliver said quietly.

George tried to spread some cheer. "'Ere now, Wood. Keep ye chin up."

"Do you think I was too boring?"

"A'course not, Wood. You're an interesting fellow," Fred said.

"Thousand surprises a minute," George added.

"It's her loss, really," Fred made clear.

"You're a good bloke, Oliver."

"What am I doing wrong?" Oliver said, his forehead wrinkled with thought.

Fred and George just solemnly raised their eyebrows at each other, while Oliver sat there and dwelled on his misery. All he wanted to do was be alone and not talk. He was denied both as someone tapped on Oliver's shoulder.

"Hey-um..."

Oliver turned his head and cringed slightly. It was a girl whom he really did not care to see right now. He hoped that she hadn't heard any of his conversation, as he was in no mood to answer any of her many questions about his and Rosemary's split.

"Are you alright? You took kind of a nasty fall there at the Quidditch game the other day."

Oliver was a bit relieved and happy that the talk was turning to Quidditch.

"Just a couple fractures, but I'm okay for the most part," he replied.

"Spend some time in the hospital wing?"

"Yes."

"For how long?"

"A couple days."

"What'd they give you?"

Oliver thought her questions were irrelevant, and could feel a twinge of annoyance creeping up on him.

"...I can't remember..."

"Hurt a lot?"

"It did, but it's quite alright now."

"That's a nasty way to start off the season, wouldn't you say?"

"It was, but at least we won. That's all that matters."

"I can't believe Marcus shoved you around and roughed you up like that."

"Well, that is the only way he knows how to play."

"Damn Flint... he should be beaten silly with one of those beater-clubs."

Oliver huffed out a laugh. He hadn't laughed once all day.

"I don't think there's a single person who disagrees with you there."

"You completely pissed all over them!" she said happily. "How'd your team manage to win with you out for a fair bit of the game?"

"Well, we do have a great team," he smiled, looking over to Fred, who just rolled his eyes.

"That Harry Potter's pretty good at Quidditch," she said.

"He is. I was so happy when McGonagall put him on the team."

"He's really... amazing..." Her face flushed. "Ohhh, wow!"

"Yes, well... guess who taught him how to play?" Oliver smiled smugly as he pointed to himself. "Me."

"Really?" she said, beaming. "Well, you're really good too."

Oliver looked down bashfully, fiddling with his fingers.

"Well... thank you."

"Aki..."

Aki's round-faced friend beckoned her finger for Aki to join them at the table where she sat.

"Anyway..." Aki said. "It's nice to see you're okay, Oliver."

She smiled and walked down the hall to her friends. The one who had just called to her appeared to be interrogating her profusely. Aki took a seat and started saying something to the girl across the table. She wagged her finger at Aki in a scolding way.

"What are you doing talking to that stupid Gryffindor?" said Aki's blonde friend.

Aki said something quietly in response. The blonde listened, scoffed, then shot Oliver a mean look to which Aki didn't notice. Oliver shrunk and averted his glance, looking around the Great Hall. There was an unusual Hufflepuff couple, sitting close by, holding hands across the table. The boy was thinner than the girl was, which Oliver found out of the ordinary. Several tables over, a group of five Slytherins were all laughing jovially. Even the Weasley twins were having fun, trying to flick each other on the forehead.

"Everybody has someone but me," Oliver said sadly to inattentive ears.

~ ~ ~

"What did I tell you about speaking so casually to strangers, Aki?" Victoria reminded.

"Sorry, Victoria."

Victoria pursed her lips and plucked a tissue, using it to pick up a crumpet.

"What's for breakfast today?" Aki said.

"Not much," said Daphne. "The tables are looking quite scanty this morning."

"Any doughnuts 'round?"

"Sorry," apologized Daphne. "Doesn't look like there's any today."

Aki exhaled loudly in disappointment.

"Just have a cookie or something," said Rachel irritably.

"Where's one?"

Rachel pointed to Quentin's cookie sitting unwatched next to Aki. Quentin had his back turned, busy explaining something to Ivy. Rachel snatched the gooey cookie that Quentin was planning to eat later and handed it to Aki, who took an uncertain bite into it.

"So what's everyone doing for Christmas?" said Rachel.

"Getting home!" Daphne said. "I can't wait to get back for Christmas!"

"It'll be good to finally be back home," Aki added. "Eh, Victoria?"

"Yes," was Victoria's toneless reply.

"How about you, Rachel?" said Daphne. "Going home this year?"

"No."

"How come you never want to go back and see your family?" Aki wanted to know.

"I'm not that interested in traveling thousands of miles just to listen to my mum and dad nag me to do better in school. Then there's Ethan, who just spends the whole time blabbing on about his newest girlfriend," Rachel grumbled.

Daphne made a hum of contentedness.

"Your brother's so handsome..."

"Christ sakes, Daphne! I just had a jelly bean, don't make me regurgitate--"

Rachel was interrupted by a loud explosion. Everyone in the hall turned to look; poor Seamus had apparently blown up something and all were laughing. His face was all black and he sat open-mouthed.

"He's so cute!" Daphne chuckled.

"Potter's still better," said Aki matter-of-factly.

"Potter's a cute one too," said Daphne. "Don't worry, Aki, I haven't forgotten about him."

"D'you remember the Quidditch game last day?"

"'Course. Terrence was there!"

"Wasn't Potter just brill? He's so amazing and--"

"Shuttup about Potter for a second!" Rachel cut in. "Whassat I hear?"

Aki thought Rachel was faking, just so the talk of Potter would cease. She strained her ears, and could make out some sort of strange noise in the distance. In an instant, hundreds of messenger owls flooded the Great Hall. Through the swarm of owls, a letter fluttered through the air and dropped in front of her. Aki picked it up curiously, not expecting any post this late in the month. She wondered if it was a list of things that she needed to bring home for washing as she opened it. The handwriting looked a bit on the neat side, meaning that her father must've wrote it. The details were minimal, and the words only took up about two inches of the page:

Aki-san,

Troubles with the Ministry of Magic. We cannot allow you to come home.

Otousan

"What the hell?" was the first thing Aki said after reading her letter.

She rifled through the envelope it had come in for any other pieces of paper. There were none.

"What the hell is going on?" said Aki.

"Something wrong, Aki?" Victoria said.

"I'm just... a little confused by my letter."

"What it is about?"

"I think... I'm staying here for Christmas?"

"Looks like it's just us then," said Rachel.

Aki's face was frozen in a blank stare for a moment, her eyes a bit wide.

"What's the matter?" Rachel said.

"Nothing. I-I just thought I tasted something bad in this cookie."

"Oy now! Where's me cookie?!" Quentin demanded.

Victoria nudged Aki and nodded to Quentin's cookie that was half-eaten. Aki grabbed it and crammed the rest of it into her mouth, sending crumbs to fall all over the place.

"Smashing!" Victoria said. "We had best go."

Aki gathered her things and walked alongside Victoria. Rachel waited for Daphne as she stopped at the Gryffindor table, took a finger and wiped a bit of the ash off Seamus' face.

"That's rotten luck," Daphne said coquettishly, examining the black stuff on her finger. "You'll do better next time."

Seamus, still stunned from his explosion, just turned around and nodded slowly.

Aki could hear Daphne and Rachel tittering girlishly at the end of the large hall. She kept her eyes on the floor and bit down on her fingernails.

"Victoria?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think you could stay at Hogwarts for Christmas?"

"Pardon?"

"You know, just owl your mum and dad and ask if you can stay."

"Codswallop! What for?"

"I... I'll be all by myself!"

"Right... well, I realize that the bedrooms will be a bit quiet at night, but you--"

"No, no, no! Not that! I mean... by myself..." Aki was quiet for about five seconds. "With Rachel."

"What? Are you afraid of old Rachel?"

"Not afraid! Well... maybe a bit...I just... I feel it'll be odd."

Victoria didn't say a word, but waited patiently for Aki to continue.

"It's always been the four of us, or three. I've never been alone with Rachel for longer than, say, half an hour. I'll be strange to spend the whole two weeks with her."

"It will be no different than when you and I spend time together."

"But this is Rachel! I'll have nothing to say!"

"She may be a Slytherin, but Rachel can be good company."

"Sure, you can say that. Rachel likes you."

"Poppycock, Aki! Rachel likes all of us."

"I'm nervous..."

"Try not to be. Just enjoy your Christmas here with her."

"I wish you could be here with me, Victoria."

"I feel the same, Aki, but I must get home."

Aki gave a sidelong glance to Victoria, whose long, tawny brown hair was in a tight ponytail. She would've much preferred to spend her time with someone like the rigid yet trustworthy Victoria, rather than the carefree but shady Rachel. It was just discomforting to mash two people like Aki and Rachel together, since Aki and Victoria were best mates, and Rachel and Daphne were best mates. Where Victoria and Daphne would kill each other if left alone for too long, Aki feared the same would happen to her and Rachel. She brought her fingers close to her face so she could chew them again, and Aki could feel they had gone clammy.

"Am I going to die, Victoria?"

Victoria gave a throaty, priggish laugh.

"Silly Aki," she said. "Rachel is a friend."

"You're my good friend, Victoria. Rachel is just..."

Aki didn't know what words to use next.

"Hi," someone greeted monotonously.

Aki looked up; it was Marcus, sitting down at the table to her right. Across from him, two more Slytherins were eyeing her vapidly. Marcus was doing a thorough up-and-down look over. She twitched her mouth in a feeble smile and tried to progress on past him.

"Woah, woah, woah, wait a second..."

He stuck his arm out to make some sort of barricade. His fingers brushed close to somewhere naughty, and she flinched. Victoria continued on out the door without her; too caught up in her own air to realize that Aki was detained.

"What's you hurry, eh?" Marcus said.

"No hurry..."

"Good. Then it wouldn't be any trouble to stay here and talk wi'me, would it?"

"Err... I suppose not."

Daphne and Rachel had caught up. They stopped their girlish laughing as they both deciphered the sight of Aki and Marcus together. Rachel looked at Aki, then at Flint, then finally Montague. She didn't even notice Bole.

"Morning, Rachel," Montague greeted.

"Morning, Montague. Plotting with Flint, eh Aki?"

"We're just talking," Marcus said, motioning one hand to Aki. "That is okay, isn't it?"

"Why ar'ye asking my permission?" Rachel grouched, walking away quickly.

Aki's friends moved away, leaving her alone with him. She turned her attention back to Marcus, and saw he was staring at her unimpressive chest.

"Have I told you lately that you look pretty?"

"No."

"Well you do."

"T-thank you."

He finally looked up to her face.

"What are ye doing tonight?"

"Nothing..."

"What d'you say to you and me doing something, eh?" he said with a grin.

"Like what?"

Marcus shrugged casually.

"Not sure yet, but we'll have an effing good time, just you and me."

"Well... er... I'd better not."

Marcus lowered his brows into the place they'd be when he was getting irked.

"Why not?"

"I'm... ah... quite busy."

"You just said you were doing nothing."

"I'd just better not... I'd get into trouble."

"No ye won't, love."

He slid his index finger down her robe. Through the thin material, he could feel the curvature of her hips.

"I'll make sure of that."

"Pardon me," said a voice close behind Aki.

She looked and saw a well-built body with broad shoulders. Oliver was standing closely, and he took notice of the screwed-up look Aki had with Marcus' fingers on her. Flint let his hand drop off and his wry smile disappeared. Both captains let their surroundings float away, and all their attention went into sneering at each other scornfully. Now that Marcus was preoccupied and wasn't going to try anything more, Aki gave a quick look to Oliver before trotting off nervously. She shuddered out the dirty feeling she had coursing through her. She was very relieved that she didn't get a chance to neither accept nor decline Marcus' offer for an 'effing good' time.

"How's your arm, Wood?" satirized Marcus.

The three Slytherins snorted as they held back laughs.

"Shut up, Flint!" Oliver hissed acutely. "Just what in hell do you think you're doing?"

Students in the hall were watching. They knew that whenever Wood and Flint were this close to each other, it would eventually turn into an entertaining dispute. Marcus always liked an audience, and played it cool.

"I'm just having a little fun. Don't jump all over my arse, Wood."

Marcus craned his neck and looked to Bole and Montague. All three of them shared a ridiculing chuckle.

"Is that how you get your jollies, Flint? Grabbing at girls?" Oliver scoffed.

"Fuck you, Wood." Marcus lazily turned his back to him. "At least I'm not some crazy fuck who gets his jollies by cuddling up with a quaffle."

"Sod off Flint, what the hell is the matter with you?"

"I'm Slytherin captain, Wood. All the girls want me, and I want all the girls."

"She obviously doesn't like you around her."

"That's crap and you know it."

"How about just keeping your hands off the girl, hmm?"

Marcus just sat there, wordless.

"Hear me, Flint?"

"Fuck off, Wood! I'll do whatever the hell I want with her!"

Marcus had a look that was a little disturbing. Oliver got a touch nervous of what was running through Flint's head.

"She's just a girl, Flint!" Oliver sputtered.

"You wouldn't know anything about that, willy-woofter," Bole chimed in out of nowhere.

Oliver jerked his head in Bole's direction and gave him the most spiteful look. Bole had his lips closed tightly, trying not to let a laugh slip out. He was attempting to look gutsy, but Oliver could see underlying hints of timidity from the smaller boy. Bole was too insignificant and pathetic for Oliver to be wasting his time on, and he looked back to Marcus.

"Stop being such an arse and just leave her alone, Flint," he ordered and walked off.

Everyone at the Gryffindor table was looking at the three Slytherins. The Weasley twins were the only ones sniggering loudly enough for them to hear.

"Fuck!" Montague barked. "I hate those Weasleys!"

Marcus watched Oliver swagger away. Oliver would always prance around under his nose, getting all the attention from professors, girls, everyone. Without even seeing his face, Marcus could clearly picture him giving that cocky smirk he loathed so much. The whole Gryffindor house was tainted with his presence and just the sight of him made Marcus want to punch something.

"I will stand by the deal," Marcus growled under his breath, "so fuck you, Oliver Wood."