Chapter 18: Fanatical Friendship

"Take me to the hospital wing," Lucy almost begged as soon as Snape had announced his vision. "I have to know if it's true. I have to know if I really am going to go blind or if it's just my sight is a little blurry. I just have to know."

Snape nodded once before leading the way to the hospital wing. Of course, Lucy knew her way there but she didn't want to go alone. She just thought that she would go completely blind between the time she was walking from the Quidditch pitch from the hospital wing. But that would not happen as Zuc wouldn't kill her sight that quickly, he didn't have time for that.

"Severus, Lucy," Madam Pomfrey said as Snape opened the doors to the hospital wing and led himself and Lucy in. Madam Pomfrey greeted them like old guests, she had seen Lucy so frequently in the hospital wing she might as well make a wall of fame that consisted only of a picture of her. "What can I do for you today?"

"Would it be alright if you checked out Lucy's sight for us?" Snape asked. "We fear she might be losing it."

Madam Pomfrey wasn't trained specifically in eyes but she thought she could do her best to at least see if Lucy was losing her sight or not. "Of course. Lucy, please sit down and we'll see if your father is right."

Lucy sat down on the edge of one of the hospital beds and Madam Pomfrey walked over to her and did a few tests that Lucy didn't pay much attention to. She did as she was told and hoped with everything she had that she wasn't losing her sight. It just made her extremely frustrated that Zuc was going to take away everything she had because he was a selfish man who believed that by taking everything Lucy had, it would make him more superior.

"He wants to break me, doesn't he, dad?" Lucy's shoulders slumped as Madam Pomfrey was getting the results she had taken from Lucy's tests. "He wants to break me until there's nothing left."

"Unfortunately, I think he does and there's nothing we can do about it," Snape admitted sadly. He was sat opposite her on the edge of another hospital bed. I wish there was something I could do to help but there appears there is nothing I can do. I'm so sorry."

"It's fine, it's not your fault. Like you said, there's nothing you can do."

Madam Pomfrey pulled up a chair next to Lucy, holding her clipboard firmly in her hands like a news reporter about to give the news on Dean's television. She rested the clipboard on her lap so the side with the paper clipped on it was facing her and only the back of the clipboard was visible to Lucy and Snape.

"Lucy," Madam Pomfrey turned to Lucy. Lucy's hands were in her lap and she looked extremely miserable, she looked like a lost puppy staring up at her owner sadly. Madam Pomfrey almost didn't break the news to her as Lucy was so sad. "Your fathers assumptions were true; you are losing your sight."

Lucy's face dropped even more and she looked down sadly making herself disappear. She would have been entirely unnoticeable if it wasn't for her hair which turned a cold icy blue which made Madam Pomfrey shiver just looking at it.

"I know her sight has got worse but will she become blind?" Snape asked, asking the question that was, hopefully, on Lucy's mind.

"I am uncertain of that, all I know for now is that her sight has got worse and if she wants to see clearer again she may want to invest in a pair of glasses with the right prescription. If she thinks her eyes do so get worse in the near future I suggest you report back to me so I can run some more tests," Madam Pomfrey laid her clipboard on her lap so that Snape could see the results of Lucy's test upside down. "Might I ask if your parents or any member of your family has worn glasses before? Perhaps even on her mothers side?"

"Nobody in her family wears glasses, or contact lenses for that matter, except her half-brother who received those poor genes from his father." Snape said the last part of his sentence like there was a revolting taste in his mouth that he couldn't get rid of. 

"This is rather strange then, I can't think of any way that Lucy could have damaged her sight — "

Snape lowered his voice even though there was no one else in the hospital wing but the three of them. "Zuc has inflicted this damage onto her, it is not genetic and she hasn't damaged her eyes."

"Did you foresee this?"

Snape nodded.

"She will still need glasses whatever the case, unless she wishes to struggle to see for any longer."

"How do I get hold of these?" 

"A muggle opticians, I'm sure Professor Dumbledore would grant you access to apparate out of the castle to find one."

"And whereabouts do I find one of these 'opticians?'"

"There are plenty of them around and they aren't hard to find either."

"Thank you, we'll be sure to visit one of these places soon," Snape finished the conversation by standing up and then turning to Lucy. "Come on, Lucy."

Lucy stood up slowly and followed her father after he took the test results from Madam Pomfrey. They walked out of the hospital wing and as soon as they did, Snape paused to check Lucy's test results.

"Are they bad?" Lucy wondered as she peered at the test results herself.

"Well, it appears you are short sighted."

"Does that mean I can't see close up?"

"Quite the contrary. But you're only minus two point something so it isn't too bad at all."

"Yet," Lucy spat.

"You haven't gone blind so that's a first, isn't it?"

"I suppose so," Lucy shrugged. "I just want to go to bed."

"If you insist," Snape sighed as the two of them walked back to his quarters. On the way there, Lucy was haunted of the idea of going blind completely. She wouldn't be able to do much unless someone held her hand and led the way.

'Story of my life,' Lucy thought miserably.

Even when Lucy fell asleep that night, different scenarios of being blind fuelled her dreams. Even the next day in class she couldn't stop thinking about it, especially when she couldn't see the board. But she was too shy to tell the teacher who was teaching her (excluding Snape as he knew already) that she couldn't see the board.

"Lucy," Professor Flitwick said. "What are we going to be doing in Charms next?"

"I don't know, Sir," Lucy admitted and a few snorts erupted in the classroom. Lucy had no idea why until Professor Flitwick spoke again.

"The answer is on the board."

"Um..." Lucy pretended to look at the board. There was only one thing written on there and it was in big lettering but no matter how much Lucy tried, she couldn't make it out.

Matt raised his hand and Professor Flitwick looked relieved, he almost thought Lucy was stupid today. "Yes, Mr Jarvin?"

"We're going to be studying more advanced charms," Matt said. Johnny laughed and thumped him on the back and so did Alex. Matt and his gang never answered questions in class. 

"Thank you," Professor Flitwick said and raised an eyebrow at Lucy who's cheeks went red and she stared down at her textbook. Dean and Shona looked at each other worriedly. "We will be studying more advanced Charms considering you have all decided to take a N.E.W.T for Charms, like I have said before. Now, please pair up and if you don't mind...pair up with someone you don't usually work with."

"Way to raise my social anxiety levels," Lucy shuddered and Shona laughed. But she was quickly saved as Matt walked in front of her desk.

"Want to work with me? We can be study buddies," Matt laughed.

"If you insist," Lucy shrugged.

"Who am I going to work with?" Shona asked miserably as she got up and Matt immediately took her place. "I'm not going to work with one of your — "

"You can work with Tyler." Matt shrugged.

"I am not working with him," Shona huffed and then went to sit next to Hermione without another word. "I have to sit next to one of the brain boxes!"

"Me too," Matt agreed, looked at Lucy and winked.

"You will study the next Chapter in your textbooks and make sure to take a sufficient amount of notes," Professor Flitwick announced. "You must work together to locate and retrieve appropriate text that will help you for the next lesson."

As soon as Flitwick had stopped speaking, the low hum of voices began as everyone set to work. Matt took out his own text book which surprised Lucy as she didn't think he'd have any textbooks at all and would just borrow his friends ones.

"You actually bring textbooks to class?" Lucy frowned. 

"I secretly like Charms, it's the only good class in my opinion," Matt replied with a shrug. He then looked for the appropriate page and as he did, he spoke in a low voice. "So what was wrong?" 

"I..." Lucy muttered. "I don't know."

Matt looked up at her and saw right through her lie. "You can't fool me."

"Alright, fine," Lucy huffed. "I can't see."

"Can't see what?"

"I just can't see long distance anymore; I need glasses. However, dad doesn't have a clue where any of these op..." Lucy paused. "Opt..."

"Opticians?" Matt helped as he found the correct page and put his text book in the middle of both of them.

"Yes, opticians. He has no clue where to find any of those places. I don't blame him, I don't know either. How are we supposed to know anyway? They're normally classed as places for muggles, not wizards and witches."

"I know a few optician places," Matt shrugged as they both pulled out some parchment from their bags. "I might not have been here long but after my parents dragged me through London to get to Diagon alley, I saw a few of those places."

"That's all well and good but my father and I don't have time to visit these places. We have better things to do and my sight is only going to get worse!"

"What should I copy?" Matt asked as he pointed to the textbook then focused back on their conversation. "How do you know your eyes are going to get worse?"

"This paragraph — " Lucy pointed to a paragraph with appropriate information. "But put it into your own words — and my eyes are going to get worse because of..." Lucy made sure nobody was listening before leaning closer so Matt could hear her whisper. "Zuc. He's made my sight get worse."

"So it's his fault is it?" Matt wondered. "But still, for the time being you need glasses so you can see. You don't want to be walking into door frames or anything, do you?"

Lucy smiled innocently. "I do that anyway."

Matt laughed. "But you still need glasses to reduce the risk a little bit."

"Like I said, me and dad don't have time."

"I could get them for you," he suggested. Lucy's eyes widened. She looked at Matt and he looked at her. Lucy frowned but in return Matt shrugged. "I could."

"How?"

"By getting permission from Dumbledore to leave school."

"And he's really going to let you do that after your reputation isn't he, Mr Jarvin," Lucy snorted.

"He'll let me do anything if it's for you. I can explain the situation and he might let me go," Matt looked down. "Besides, it's the least I can do after what I said."

"I don't expect you to leave school just for me, that's just..." Lucy's voice trailed off. "Even if you do want to make it up to me it's a bit extreme, even for you."

"I like breaking boundaries," Matt shrugged. "Now, I'm going to have to know what perscription you need and and what style of glasses you want."

Lucy pulled out the piece of paper with her perscription on and Matt took it. "I don't know what style of glasses I want, it's not the kind of thing I think about during the day."

"You could get those glasses like Harry's got," Matt joked. "You could match your half-brother."

"I'm OK," Lucy admitted with a smile.

"Or you could get some of those black framed one's that make you look hipster."

"Hipster?" Lucy repeated in confusion.

"Or they could make you look more intelligent?" Matt looked hopeful as he tried to back out of the awkward situation.

"Alright, I'll go for those one's," Lucy nodded not really knowing what she was doing. "Thank you so much, Matt, I really appreciate what you're doing for me."

"It's fine, I don't mind helping you out. Even if it means leaving school," Matt turned back to the textbook and his smile dropped. "But I really wish I was of age to apparate so I could just get out of here."

"You can't apparate outside of Hogwarts, silly!" Lucy tutted. "No one can apparate out of Hogwarts because there is an anti apparation jinx!"

"Talk about taking away your freedom!"

"I'll take away your freedom by giving you a detention if you don't get on with your work, Mr Jarvin," Flitwick huffed as he looked at Matt's empty page. "And you, Miss Snape, get a move on now."

*      *      *

"But I don't think you should include that."

"Why ever not?"

"Because it's a little complex, don't you think? Start with a more basic approach, set homework and then go onto the complex side of things."

"Good point."

This was the conversation Lucy walked in on at the end of the day. Snape and Jessica were sat on the couch in Snape's quarters planning the next lesson for Defense Against the Dark Arts. It was apparent Jessica was now helping to plan these lessons.

"Good afternoon, Lucy," Snape said as he briefly glanced up from his work.

"Hey," Lucy replied simply, Dean tagging along behind her closely.

"Lucy, I heard about your — " Jessica began but Lucy had already closed her bedroom door behind her and Dean. "Sight?"

"Don't mind her, she's just a little upset," Snape murmured as he wrote down something with a quill. "She isn't really taking it well with her sight taking a turn for the worst."

"I don't blame her! It must be so terrible," Jessica tutted and then glanced back towards Lucy's bedroom door. "So you allow Lucy to take Dean to her room?"

"Are you saying that in a suggestive manner?" Snape raised an eyebrow.

"No!" Jessica looked gobsmacked. "No of course not! I understand that they are both just friends. But do they always go to Lucy's room after school? That's what I was trying to say."

"Yes, they do. Lucy just seems to want to stay with Mr Cousins. However, if she feels safe with him I don't have any problems with that."

Meanwhile, in Lucy's room. Lucy was sat next to Dean on the edge of her bed and they were discussing today's events.

"So Matt is going to get you some glasses?" Dean asked, he too was shocked about what he had heard today.

"That's what he said," Lucy nodded. "I think it's rather kind of him. I don't know if you heard him but he said he was doing it to say sorry for the other day."

"Do you think he's trying to lure you into a trap?"

"What do you mean?"

"Could he possibly be trying to be nice to you and then make you go out with him?"

"I don't know, Dean. But for the time being I think he's trying his best."

"What if you got Shona to read his mind?"

"That's rude!"

"It might be rude but it could be for your own safety! I really don't want you to get hurt, Lucy. That's the last thing I want. If I'm not there I want you to know that Matt Jarvin — if he is — is trouble and you will be able to get away from him before he does something bad."

"What do you mean 'do something bad', Dean?"

"I mean he might say something mean again or — " Dean gave one of his sympathetic looks. "I just don't want you to get hurt!"

"I won't get hurt," Lucy admitted as she lent on Dean's shoulder. "You know, Dean, you're like a second parent to me."

"Like a second dad?"

"No, like a mum," Lucy laughed slightly. "You're always there for me no matter what."

Dean laughed. "I try my hardest."

As the day wasn't even near to ending, Dean and Lucy decided to venture out of Snape's quarters and down to the black lake where Lucy and Shona usually met up. When they arrived Shona was already there with her nose in a book. She was aggressively reading it and nothing would get her to put it down.

"You OK, Shona?" Lucy wondered as she and Dean approached.

"Fine," Shona murmured as she turned a page in her book. She didn't even look up as the two of them sat down. Lucy and Dean were silent as they watched Shona read her book intensely.

"So," Lucy began. "Why are you out here?"

"No reason," Shona replied as her eyes furiously darted to and fro as she read her book with the blank cover.

Shona's eyes darted up only for a moment before she began to read again. Lucy took notice of the strange emotion in her eyes and decided to turn around to see what had taken her notice off of her book as it wasn't Lucy she had been looking at.

When Lucy turned around she saw Ben and Ellen. They were sat down by a tree in the near distance, talking and laughing. Ben had his arm around Ellen protectively and just as they were about to kiss Lucy turned away.

"Yuck," she shuddered. "At least me and Fred never used to rub our relationship in other people's faces."

"Oh, so you know why I'm here?" Shona muttered, looking up for another moment over Lucy's shoulder; she instantly flinched away because of what was going on behind Lucy.

"Either you enjoy watching couples making out and think it's adorable or you just can't keep away from Ben," Lucy stated while trying not to be too rude.

"I love watching couples make out, it makes me happy!" Shona mused sarcastically.

"I'm glad you've found something that makes you happy in this life," Dean joined in with his own hint of sarcasm.

"But seriously," Shona said as she closed her book and threw it on the grass in a harsh manner. "Why must he date the devil's spawn? What does he see in her?"

"Maybe he sees something good in her? There's something good in everyone right?" Dean pointed out wisely. "I know you love him so desperately but maybe there's other boys out there who would be much better than him."

"How about Matt?" Lucy snorted. "I still can't get over the idea that he's your type. He wears plaid, he's got a good body and you could go on pranking trips together!"

"I don't want to go out with him; nobody wants to go out with him because he's an idiot."

"Somebody will one day," Dean shrugged. "There's someone out there for everyone."

"Stop trying to give me an emotional speech, I know I don't have a chance with him and that's that. But there's nothing to stop me from flirting with him...from a distance."

"If that's how you flirt, I won't question your motives. But like Dean said there's someone out there for everyone."

"Why can't he go out with someone else? Sure I'd still be a bit jealous but why Ellen? She's just a — " 

"I know what she is," Lucy silenced Shona. "We all know what she is and I've seen other students in the corridor look at the two strangely as well. It's not just you who doesn't agree with this pairing. But if you tried to split them up, Ben would never even bother to go out with you so for goodness sakes don't do anything stupid." 

"But I want — " 

"I know what you want but sometimes in life we can't have everything we want. I didn't want Fred to cheat on me but he did therefore we're no longer going out. I would have loved to have stayed with him but instead he had to go and cheat on me." 

"Hey, Shona, Lucy, Dean," a voice said from behind Lucy. Lucy looked around to see Ben standing there holding Ellen's hand. The three of them hadn't seen them approach. 

"Hello, Ben," Lucy waved as she got up. "How are you?" 

"Good," Ben smiled as Ellen grinned. However, Shona, Lucy and Dean knew it was a fake smile. Underneath that smile was a big news report to kill the gifted's self esteem even more. 

"Lucy! You are simply a star in my newspaper!" Ellen squealed and tried to hug Lucy but she stepped back just in time. 

"Oh! How wonderful!" Lucy tried to sound enthusiastic for Ben's sake. "I, uh, saw that article in your newspaper the other day..." 

"Article?" Ellen snorted. "The whole newspaper was dedicated to you, silly! If that's what you were talking about..." Ellen whipped out her notebook and a quill. "I heard you've been hanging around with Matthew Jarvin, tell me about him. Are you just acquaintances? Friends? Dating?" 

Lucy's hair went a little red. "We're just..." she still didn't know what she was to Matt Jarvin, even though they had decided to be friends you couldn't exactly call them friends. 

"You're what?" Ellen held her quill eagerly over her notebook. 

"I don't think this is the time to make another article," Ben interrupted. He took Ellen's notebook from her gently. "I think Lucy should be left alone when it comes to articles." 

"Oh but, Ben!" Ellen whined in a playful manner. "I want to write lots of articles on her! She's such a lovely girl and all my readers want to know about her!" 

"They've heard enough about Lucy and the gifted," Shona snarled as she stood up; she was finally starting to lose it. "We've had countless articles written about us." 

"But everyone is hungry for more as you all get up to so much." 

"We haven't been up to anything recently, we're just trying to focus on school." 

"That's still up to something! I can write an article on anything to entertain my readers." 

"That's not called writing an article; that's called stalking and if you don't stop this nonsense I will rip up every issue of the Quick Quills and there's nothing you can do to stop me." 

"I can report you to Dumbledore if you did that," Ellen said smugly. "So there is something I can do." 

"Dumbledore won't take any nonsense from you, he knows me better than you." 

"Oh really? Just because you've paid more visits to him than me does not mean in every conversation that you've had you learn something new about each other." 

"Thanks to your articles he probably knows a lot about me," Shona hissed. 

"I guess my articles do have a use then! You can't try and complain about them and then support them! You really must make up your mind before beginning an argument." 

"Ellen," Ben interrupted again. "Wouldn't it be more prudent if you took your mind off of your newspaper for just a moment and spent some time with me back in the castle instead?" 

"What are you suggesting?" 

"I was suggesting that we could go to the library and I could help you with your homework." 

"Agreed!" Ellen squeaked and the two of them walked back up to the castle. 

"What about my homework?" Shona's shoulders slumped when Ben and Ellen were out of earshot. "He used to help me with it." 

"Not to sound horrible; but that was once," Lucy sighed just as somebody grabbed hold of her arm causing her to squeal a little bit. 

"Lucy," The man under the cloak said in a low voice. "I'm so glad I could find you!" 

"I thought strangers weren't allowed in Hogwarts!" Shona trembled as she took out her wand and Dean ran forward to attack the man. 

"I'm not a stranger, you know me very well," the man under the cloak said as he revealed his face. 

"Cornellius Fudge!?" Lucy gasped. "How did you get here? What are you doing here?" 

"How did you get there?!" Shona asked. 

"I just said that." 

"Whatever." 

Fudge smiled and took off the cloak. "I've come here to ask you something." 

"Such as risky trip considering you're not the minister anymore," Shona folded her arms as Dean stared gobsmacked at the old minister, no doubt starstruck again. 

"It gets better," Fudge laughed and turned back to Lucy. "I'm going to break into the ministry with you, Miss McGuire and Professor Snape." 

"YOU WHAT," Shona's jaw dropped. 

"We're going to practice some fighting skills in the room I showed Lucy when she was on work experience with me." 

"We are?" Lucy gasped. "Oh that room was wonderful! You showed me all the weapons and that bow — " 

"Yes, I know. You'll finally be able to test them out and train yourselves. I think the time is right now to make sure you have the full potential to go into battle." 

"But how will we get in there?" Lucy wondered all of a sudden. "Won't we be caught? Is this even legal?" 

"Lucy, Lucy, Lucy," Fudge shook his head. "Re-think your life, my dear. Half of the things you have done aren't legal. Is this going to bother you now?" 

"Well I guess I did use magic outside of school before...crept down to the department of mysteries without permission. Took part in the tri wizard tournament — which wasn't my fault — I've probably also done a lot more." 

"Exactly! Do you think breaking the law bothers you now?" 

"It does bother me, that's not the sort of person I dreamt I would be long ago." 

"Do you think any of our dreams have been the same as reality?" Shona spoke up, Lucy turned towards her and Shona looked down, pretending she didn't say anything. 

"But you, minister," Lucy turned towards Fudge. "You were the minister for magic and you're going to break the law too?" 

"There isn't anything I wouldn't do for the gifted, I support them in whatever they do," Fudge said sincerely before Ellen ran back towards them as she had noticed Fudge standing there, Ben followed desperately behind her as she ran. 

"Lucy! Who's that!" Ellen screamed and pointed at Fudge. Lucy gulped; she wasn't meant to be here. She was supposed to of gone back to the castle. 

"Who's who?" Lucy blurted out suddenly and looked around in a confused manner, she now had it covered. 

"Yeah," Shona asked as she joined in the act. "Who are you talking about? Dean?" 

"No, you idiots!" Ellen snapped. "Him!" Ellen pointed at Fudge who remained perfectly still. 

"Who are you talking about?" Dean wondered and also joined in. "The only people here are me, Lucy, Shona, you and Ben. Who could you possibly be talking about?" 

"That person there!" Ellen pointed at Fudge frustratedly. 

"Look, Ellen, I think it's best you go to Madam Pomfrey to make sure you haven't gone completely senile. Come back to us when you've been checked out," Shona said smugly. 

"How rude!" Ellen flipped her hair behind her shoulder before walking off rather quickly. Well, as quick as she could in her silly heels. Ben followed after her, not saying anything. 

"I didn't say you'd gone full crazy!" Shona called after her. 

"So when must we visit this fighting place in the minsitry then?" Lucy asked, trying to get the subject back on the place Fudge had mentioned. 

"Tomorrow, perhaps? That is of course if you are free," Fudge suggested. 

"I'm sure all of us can make it, Dean included." 

"Fantastic! I shall see you tomorrow, after all of your lessons of course," Fudge put his cloak back on and made his way down to Hogsmeade. 

"What does he mean with this 'fighting room?'" Shona wondered. 

"You'll see when you get there, I don't want to spoil the surprise," Lucy waved her comment away. "Lets head back up to the castle, it's starting to get quite dark." 

The three of them headed up to the castle but when they were halfway there Lucy paused. Dean turned around to address the situation. 

"You two go ahead, I have to go somewhere," Lucy murmured when she noticed Dean looking at her. 

"What have I said about you being alone?" Dean replied sternly. 

"I'll be fine!" Lucy protested. "I'm only going to see a friend." 

Before Dean could argue, Lucy ran off towards a corner of the castle where no one else could see. When she arrived she couldn't see him. She would have sworn she saw him here only moments ago, she was obviously losing it. 

Suddenly someone grabbed her from behind and she shrieked.

"Got you!" Matt laughed. "You're a bit jumpy today aren't you?" 

Matt let go of Lucy as he laughed. Lucy turned around and deliberately stood on his foot. 

"Don't sneak up on me like that!" She snapped. 

"Why are you so nervous?" Matt laughed. 

"Perhaps because Zuc has access to the portal of England and could capture me at any moment, I don't even know if Hogwarts is safe enough anymore," Lucy folded her arms.

Matt stopped laughing. "I'm sorry. But you've got to admit it was a little bit funny, right?" 

"Just a little bit," Lucy admitted with a smile. "Sorry I stood on your foot, did I break anything?" 

"Are you for real?" He asked. "You didn't even damage skin let alone bone." 

"Well thank your lucky stars I didn't stand on your foot harder," Lucy joked. "So how has your day been?" 

"Pretty good, I've just got back actually." 

"Got back — ?"

Matt reached into his back pocket and pulled out a glasses case. "Here we go." He tossed it towards her and she caught it clumsily. 

"You mean you've just — " 

"That's right, I got permission from Dumbledore to leave school, he apparated me out and i've just come back from getting your glasses, now try them on I want to know if you can see." 

Lucy opened up the glasses case awkwardly and took out the pair of glasses that looked exactly like the one's she had imagined. She had no idea what she would look like with these on but it was definitely worth a try if it was going to help her see. 

She put them on and then blinked a couple of times. It was an absolute miracle; she could see again. Lucy looked at Matt and he looked even clearer now she had glasses on. She wondered if he would start laughing in a minute as she was un-sure as to how she looked. 

"How do I look?" Lucy wondered. 

"Great," Matt granted. "The glasses suit you." 

"They do?" 

"Of course. So why don't we test them out properly? Do you fancy going to see the stars?" 

"What?" Lucy wasn't sure she heard Matt right. Perhaps she needed her hearing to be sorted out too. 

"The stars? You know? The things in the sky?" 

"But it'll be after hours soon." 

"I'm always out after hours," Matt shrugged as he took Lucy's hand and dragged her along. Lucy tried to free herself but Matt was too strong. 

"I'm not! I'm a prefect!" 

"And I'm Matt Jarvin, lets go see the stars." 

Matt dragged Lucy up a hill that was quite a long way away from the castle. When they reached the top, Matt let go of Lucy and laid on the ground. He looked up at the sky now that it was completely dark and patted the space next to him. 

"Come on, you can't see them properly while you're standing up. Besides, your neck will start to hurt if you look up for too long," he called. 

Despite the fact she didn't want to, Lucy laid down on her back next to Matt and looked up. Matt put his hands behind his head and didn't say anything as he looked up. 

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Lucy muttered under her breath. 

"I can," Matt smiled. 

Lucy looked at him. "Why?" 

"Because we're friends and we're spending time together." 

"We still barely know each other." 

"But if we spent more time together we'd know more about each other, wouldn't we?" 

"What would everyone say if I suddenly started hanging out with you?" 

"Does it matter what everyone else says? If we want to be friends we can." 

"OK..." Lucy didn't know what to say. Did she even want to be friends with Matt? Or did she feel she had to? She didn't know if she was making that decision for herself or someone else was making it for her. 

"What's wrong?" Matt asked. 

"Nothing," Lucy shook her head as she stared up at the sky. "Nothing at all." 

"Everything." 

"What?" 

"Everything's wrong, isn't it?" Matt said. "Your sight is deteriorating, you don't talk to your dad that much anymore, you've got me following you, you're trying to sort out your friends' love life and this year is a stressful year for you." 

"How do you know all that?" Lucy whispered. 

"I try to understand as much as I can...but I don't really understand what you're going through, of course." 

"Nobody really does but thanks for understanding." 

They both looked back up again as though every conversation they had would end with them looking back up at the stars. Lucy had to admit they really were pretty but how long would she be able to see them for? Would her sight deteriorate quickly? She would never know. But she would have to remember what she could for the time being if she did go blind quicker than she intended to.

"I wish I could make it all better for you, you know," Matt murmured as his eyes wandered across the sky. He used to love seeing the stars at night back in Los Angeles, but he would never admit to it. Lucy was really the only person that knew now and she would be the first person to ever join him in this. 

"What is done cannot be un-done." 

"But how could I change it?" 

"Go back in time, kill Vasil yourself and save Merlin and Sebastian a job." 

"Great, where can I find a time turner?" 

"But," Lucy interrupted. "I would never want anyone to do that, not even my sworn enemies because that means all my responsibilities will be passed onto them. As well as that, they wouldn't have the support I have because Merlin and Sebastian did this together therefore I have help from Shona and I also have dad. Dad could have abandoned me in this, he doesn't have to help at all but he chose to do it. However, me and Shona are bound to this work until it's done. To top that all off, I wouldn't be here if you did that. I'm only here because of Merlin's line of descendants never stop going because one of them will have to kill Zuc. That person just so happens to be me." 

Matt nodded in understandment. "So what you're saying is the only person that can help you in this is yourself?" 

"That would be correct." 

"That's just really unfair, you never signed up to this. You could be living a carefree life and you could be busy enjoying life, instead you've got this." 

"You're right but I was destined to do this, nobody else could take my place no matter what the circumstances. Even if I seem weak now I have to train myself because I am physically the only one who can kill Zuc." 

Matt noticed Lucy's hurt face. "Why don't we talk about something else?" 

"Like what?" 

"Whatever you want to talk about." 

"There is nothing interesting to talk about." 

"Yes there is, tell me your dreams." 

"Wow, that was a bit soft for the school's bad boy." 

"I'm only trying to think of things that you want to talk about!" 

"Fine, if I'm completely honest I've never had dreams." 

"Not one?" 

"Not one. How about you?" 

"I guess I've always wanted to live here or travel a lot. I've wanted to be good at sport and just go along with life without following the rules." 

"Looks like all of your dreams have come true." 

"Wish they hadn't; it doesn't give me any goals in life." 

"I'll tell you what, lets switch lives. You'll have an endless amount of goals to achieve in my life." 

"Done," Matt held out his hand but Lucy didn't shake it. 

"You wouldn't like my cat." 

"I wouldn't like your cat?" 

"Angus is very picky when it comes to favouring humans. He only likes me and Dean." 

"Bodyguard Dean?" Matt questioned. 

"Yes," Lucy smiled thinking about Dean. "He's such a wonderful friend." 

Matt suddenly felt very jealous and didn't mean for his tone to be so angry. "Well how did you become friends with him then?" 

"It just came naturally," Lucy shrugged, ignoring his jealousy. "He just seemed like a very nice person and I immediately befriended him." 

"You have more in common with him than me," Matt looked back up at the sky miserably but this time their conversation didn't end. 

"What are you trying to say, Matt?" Lucy whispered. 

"I'm saying that you should date him." 

"I don't want to date him; he's twenty years old." 

"Only a four year age gap, nothing major," Matt snapped stubornly. 

"Stop being so defensive! I know you love me but I'm not ready for a relationship...plus I don't think you're really my type. I don't think it would work out between us." 

"Can't we at least try it?" 

"I'm not ready for a relationship yet, I'm still trying to clear up a few things." Matt didn't say anything, he had turned on his defensive mode, so Lucy started again as she remembered what Dean had said earlier. "Are you just trying to be friends with me because you want to go out with me?" 

Matt still didn't say anything, he purposely gazed up. Lucy prodded him in the arm, he flinched a little at her touch but apart from that no reaction was given. 

"We're not getting along," Lucy said in a low voice. She stood up and looked at him sadly. "I think we should just leave each other alone and pretend we never met." 

Lucy walked away slowly, she was emotionless and no emotions were kicking in. It was as though she was under some sort of drug that wouldn't let her feel any emotions. So she kept walking, then she started speed walking until she was running. The more she ran the more it powered her emotions that had disappeared a minute ago and when she had made it down the hill, Matt had grabbed her and held her in a forceful hug. 

"We are getting along," he murmured into her hair. "We are, you just can't see it. Friends have the biggest fights ever because they know each other better, that's why strangers never fight."

"You're like a leech," Lucy sighed. "You just won't go away until you've drained all the sanity out of people." 

"You're like a tree," Matt joined in. "Strong, thin, wise, silent and will only make a noise when the wind bothers you." 

"A tree?" 

"You called me a leech." 

"Touché." 

Matt slowly let go of Lucy, in fear that she would let go. Instead Lucy turned around and faced him. Just for safety, however, Matt held onto the top of her arm and held her there. 

"Why do we bother?" Lucy asked. 

"Because we know we can get along but it's hard," Matt replied. 

"But we always argue about everything." 

"The best friendships are unexpected." 

"So are enemies." 

"Don't be negative." 

"Then don't be positive. Besdies, we're just too different for this." 

"Opposites attract." 

"Are we getting along now?" 

"We're getting along. I told you things would get better. If we just spend time with each other things will get better, there's always a silver lining," Matt pointed out. "If it helps, you can't abandon me now because you've told me too much about your life. We're too far into friendship to be acquintances." 

"I hate to admit you're right; but you are." 

"I think all you need to help cure your problems a little bit are your friends." 

"How will they help me?" Lucy pondered. 

"They'll help you by looking after you and simply being there," Matt looked hesitant, he really wanted to kiss her. As he finally plucked up the courage Lucy ducked and hugged him instead. 

"I swear you hug everyone you know and it's starting to become not very special." 

"I don't hug Shona, she'd murder me if I did that." 

"Well she's your friend." 

"So's Dean but I hug him. I hug the people most dear to me — excluding Shona." 

"Then what am I?" 

"You're Matthew Jarvin, the boy who cared too much about one girl." 

"Caring too much is good." 

"Caring too much is the problem; you'll just get hurt." 

Matt frowned. "Well aren't you just a ray of damn sunshine!"

"You could call me that." 

They both looked up again at the stars and it almost seemed like the sky was confused at this bazaar friendship that was never meant to be. But if they gave each other a chance it could possibly work. Matt looked at Lucy's arms around him all of a sudden then it drew a small smile out of him. It was just like the other night. 

"Friendly hug?" He asked with curiosity. 

"Friendly hug." She agreed with a smile.