Chapter 22: New Nostalgia 

"Hello, Lucy." 

Lucy sat bolt upright in her bed. She recognised that voice but was so tired she couldn't make sense of why her body had decided to address it, her eyes were too tired to work so she couldn't see who it was. 

She rubbed her eyes frantically but still couldn't make out anything in the darkness except the tiny light that entered through her open window. It was a poor light source but it was as bright as the sun to Lucy after sleeping for...how many hours? 

"That's it, wake up. You'll see me in a minute," the voice announced calmly. Lucy felt like she needed to trust this voice. It was vital to trust this voice. 

Lucy's eyes finally adjusted before she saw the figure standing in the room. A male figure wearing a long black coat. Lucy was so tired, her brain was on delay and the man before her was practically screaming his name at her but she still couldn't make sense of it until —

"Lord Zuc," Lucy wasn't panicking, she knew too well despite the fact she had 'woken up' this was just an illusion. She hadn't really woken up, she was still dreaming. 

"Sorry to barge in like this but you seem to be ignoring me recently," Zuc sat down on the edge of her dressing table stool, making himself at home. "It seems you've just acquired a new...friend." 

"How do you — ?" 

"We see glimpses into each others life. It's not only you who can see into my life, I can see into yours too. It's only fair, isn't it?" 

"Why do you care about my relationship?" 

"That's the thing," Zuc laughed as one of his gloved hands took hold of one of Lucy's old potions book on the dressing table behind him and flicked through it. "I don't." 

"Then why have you come to talk to me?" 

Zuc raised his eyebrows. "To give you a warning." 

Lucy frowned, she heard a bit of shuffling beyond her bedroom door. Zuc had probably brought someone with him, Kingston no doubt. "A warning? A villain doesn't tell the hero their schemes." 

"Oh! How modest of you! So you've finally accepted your role in this game? Finally become a part of this tale? A tale that will end in tears," Zuc laughed a low laugh. "Together we are going to re-write Merlin and Vasil's tale. Perhaps you could call it...the modern day version. We're going to re-write it for our present day readers. After all, the old tale can be a bit boring." 

"Our tale is different," Lucy took out her wand and illuminated the room a little bit with it, she could definitely see Zuc before her now. "Far different." 

Zuc almost sang. "Not really." 

"Our tale is longer and more painful, our tale is just a sequel to Merlin and Vasil's. History is not being re-written...it's being continued." 

"Wise words, I'll give you that..." Zuc nodded. 

Lucy leaned forward. "Now what is this warning." 

"The warning?" Zuc threw Lucy's book behind his head, it almost smashed the mirror. "Oh yes, the warning. Sorry, Lucy, you'll get old one day. Your memory goes, your hearing goes, your sight goes — " 

Lucy growled. 

"Oh sorry that was offensive. Now, this warning," Zuc rested his feet on the end of Lucy's bed, he was tall enough to do so. "I suggest you stop be-friending people right now. The more friends you have, the more people you have to cry about." 

"What are you getting at?" 

"Don't you remember my dream from the other day? I worked hard to project that to you in high definition." 

Lucy remembered Zuc's dream about Hogwarts burning with people dead and the trail of destruction Zuc wanted to leave on the path behind him. 

Lucy nodded stiffly. "Yes." 

"Good because it's going to become reality." 

"You won't kill my friends." 

"Won't I? You seem so sure of that." 

"Of course I am. My army is bigger than yours, name how many friends you have helping you out." 

"I only have one and that's not the point. I am sending a group of soldiers who I don't even know to attack you and your people here at Hogwarts. This way when some of them die I won't care, I won't have to cry and it won't slow me down. But in your case, however, you're sending your friends to war and every life my army takes the more you break down. You're just asking to be destroyed bit by bit." 

"My friends are loyal to me and we'll fight together. My friends are willing to sacrifice themselves for the oncoming war that's been talked about for so long. We're almost at the end of this chapter, maybe we're nearing the end of our book? Perhaps we're only a page away from finishing? We'll never know." 

"By all means, Lucy, keep your friends. But treasure them, enjoy every second you have with them. For every second you have with them will be precious. McGuire, Cousins, Weasley's, Potter you name it...oh and who was that other boy?" Zuc placed a finger on his lips pretending to be in deep thought. "Matthew Jarvin." 

Lucy's grip tightened on her bedsheets; Zuc had hit a nerve. The terrible thought of Zuc killing off her boyfriend before her and then leaving her to suffer. Lucy became teary eyed at the thought of that becoming reality. 

"I would have started this conversation with family but you do have a bit of a pathetic family, what with your father being the only person in your family." 

"That's where you're wrong," Lucy snapped and stood up. "They're all my family, my dad and my friends. We work together even though we fight. It's hard but we get by because at the end of the day  we know we'll always be stronger than you." 

Suddenly Lucy's door opened and Snape was standing there, he looked at her strange. Lucy looked back, why would she dream about this? It seemed a little odd...

"Are you OK, Lucy? I heard you talking," Snape murmured. "Who were you talking to?" 

Lucy looked at him before pointing to Zuc who was sat down with his feet rested on the end of her bed. Snape looked in the direction she was pointing to. 

"You like talking to mirrors?" Snape wondered. 

"No, can't you see him?" Lucy snorted. "Switch the light on, it's probably too dark for you." 

Snape reached to the side of him and switched on Lucy's light, Zuc smiled as Snape turned on the light. Snape then looked in the direction of Zuc again and he shrugged. 

"It's an un-healthy obsession to talk to mirrors," Snape shook his head. "I've got to have you tested." 

Lucy's bottom lip quivered. "T-Tested?"

"I'm just an illusion you idiot," Zuc hissed from where he was sat. "Only you can see me. This warning is intended for you and for you only." 

"I was only joking," Snape rolled his eyes.

"Don't joke...it's not right," Lucy looked back at Zuc. "So you really can't see him?" 

"Who am I supposed to see?" 

"Lord Zuc, he's sitting right there talking to me but according to him I'm the only one who can see him." 

Zuc lent forward and whispered. "I'll kill him." 

"Kill who?" Lucy asked aloud to Zuc, Lucy stared at him. 

"Matthew Jarvin," Zuc used his right index finger making a horizontal motion on his throat. Lucy charged towards Zuc in a rage, she was just about ready to tear him apart when Snape grabbed hold of her. 

"He's not there, Lucy!" Snape hissed. "Only you can see him! He's not there!" 

"LET ME GO!" Lucy yelled. "LET ME GO!" 

"NO!" Snape cried in desperation. "HE'S NOT REAL YOU CAN'T KILL HIM!" 

"YES HE IS!" 

Snape, somehow, managed to drag Lucy out of her bedroom and into the living room. There, Lucy was forced to sit down and resist the urge to go back to her bedroom and rip Zuc to pieces. Well, imaginary Zuc anyway. 

While Lucy was controlling her demons, Jessica woke up from her slumber on the sofa. She saw Lucy sat down and Snape stood in front of her. Despite her tiredness she immediately addressed the situation. 

"Severus? Lucy? What's going on?" Jessica wondered as she sat up, looking extremely out of it. 

"Lucy has just seen an illusion of Lord Zuc, apparently his sole purpose was to talk to her. I want to know what about," Snape replied, looking at Lucy the whole time. "What did he say that made you want to attack him?" 

"He said he was going to kill you soon," Lucy lied, simply replacing Matt with her father. It was a safe alternative for her and it was believable even though Lucy didn't want it to be. She really needed to stop lying to her father... "And I wanted to attack him because it wasn't right." 

"You really need to stop showing him your weakness," Snape shook his head. 

"He already knows my weakness, does it matter?" 

"But you need to show it doesn't get to you." 

"Well of course it's going to get to me! You're my dad!" 

"Yes, well," Snape sighed. "Pretend it doesn't get to you." 

"But it's pointless, I can't say that someone killing off my only direct member of family won't hurt me." 

Jessica stood up and held onto Snape's arm. "She's right, Severus." 

Lucy tilted her head slightly. " Are you two...? Again? Officially?" 

Jessica immediately let go of Snape's arm, her cheeks flushed red. Snape was suddenly far too interested in staring out the window which answered Lucy's question without the use of words. She smiled a little bit. 

"It's OK, you don't need to get embarrassed. I don't run your lives," she smiled. "It's nice to know you have someone else to keep you company, dad." 

"With that being said," Snape feeling a little more comfortable, he turned back to Lucy. "About running lives, I must ask where you were last night. You didn't return to my quarters." 

"I was in the library still, I had a lot to do," Lucy shrugged. "Now with that being said I'm going to go and get dressed," she announced now that the sky outside had lit up, signalling it was the start of the day. 

Lucy walked back to her room and shut the door behind her, Zuc was now gone from her bedroom making her feel less tense. She reached into her wardrobe and ignored her school uniform, it was now the weekend and she could see Matt at any time in the less than 48 hours that she had. 

She closed her eyes and reached into her wardrobe, randomly choosing an outfit and putting it on before stopping dead. Her face fell and her shoulders slumped. She couldn't spend the day with Matt as she had other plans. 

Yesterday she had promised Dean she was going to spend the day with him as she hadn't spent much time with him recently. Lucy's heart sank, she was really hoping to see Matt's face again especially after Zuc had threatened her. Even though she knew she would protect Matt as much as she could, she couldn't help thinking of the impossible becoming possible. 

Despite her sadness, Lucy walked miserably to the guest quarters and to Dean's place. She promised for Dean's sake that she was going to brighten up when she saw him. It wasn't fair on Dean that she acted miserable just because she couldn't see her boyfriend. She had known Dean for longer and he had undoubtedly been loyal. 

Lucy held up her hand and knocked on Dean's door three times. She waited but Dean could not be heard from the other side of the door, Lucy assumed he must still be sleeping. After all, it was still quite early in the morning. 

"Alohamora!" Lucy whispered after taking out her wand, she heard the faint click of the door unlocking. It would have made the exact same sound using a key but that was the great thing about having magic in your blood, you didn't need a key. Unless you were a squib of course then you'd have to carry dozens of keys around with you.

Lucy opened the door and stepped inside quietly, she closed the door behind her and then made her way through Dean's apartment. She tiptoed into his room where she found him asleep, she then tiptoed over to the side of his bed. She tucked her hair behind her ear before leaning down to whisper in his ear. 

"Dean," she whispered and shook him lightly. "Dean, wake up." 

"Yes, dad, I've finished the sword...I did it...all by myself. You didn't show me this time..." Dean mumbled in his sleep. 

"Dean, please wake up," Lucy whispered a little louder. 

"I don't want to wake up, mum, but if you could see me now you'd be impressed...I've been looking after the bravest girl I know, she's such a great friend..." 

Lucy stopped shaking Dean, she stood up and looked down. Dean really did miss his parents and Lucy felt awfully sorry for him. He knew definitely that his father was dead but had no idea if his mother was still alive. 

"Dean?" Lucy asked once more, sadly. Her shoulders and she turned to leave when something knocked the air out of her from behind. She landed on the floor and just hoped none of her ribs were broken. 

"WHO GOES THERE!" Dean screamed, he obviously couldn't see through the darkness. 

"You're crushing me!" Lucy whimpered. 

"TELL ME WHO YOU ARE!" 

"L-Lucy Eileen Snape!" 

Dean gasped, he got up and switched on the light. He helped Lucy up and then looked at her tearfully. Lucy put a finger on his lips before he started whimpering. "It's OK, you didn't hurt me," she whispered while ignoring the pain in her chest. 

"A-Are you sure?" Dean stammered. 

"I'm sure, I only came over to wake you up so we can get on with the day and spend time with each other." 

"Alright but are you one hundred percent sure you're OK?" 

"Absolutely, I'm one hundred percent sure." 

Dean nodded, Lucy left the room while Dean got dressed. In no time at all they were making their way down to the great hall for breakfast. They would be two of the first people into the great hall which Lucy perked up at, she was sure to see Matt walk in. 

"So what do you want to do today, Dean?" Lucy wondered as she buttered herself some toast. They were now both sat at the Gryffindor table. 

Dean poured some milk over his cereal. "I don't know but I want to do something special." 

"Like what?" 

"Maybe we could go down to Hogsmeade?" 

Lucy remembered last night and smiled. "But lets avoid the Hog's Head." 

Dean turned to her with a frown. "Why's that?" 

Lucy thought of the man last night chasing her and Matt away, he may remember her and it was best not to risk it. "I don't know, Dean, the place just scares me a little." 

"We shall head to the Three Broomstick's which shall not scare you!" Dean stated boldly. "And if anything scares you, I'll make it go away!" 

Lucy laughed and then the two remained in silence while they ate their breakfast for a while. Lucy gazed up at the enchanted ceiling and hoped tonight there would be stars out...

Dean suddenly tugged on her sleeve. 

"What is it?" Lucy wondered. 

"You know...last night?" Dean whispered just as more people began filing into the Great Hall. Lucy nodded and so Dean continued. "How did it go?" 

"It went quite well." 

"Did he hurt you?" 

"Not once." 

Lucy fell silent and stared at her toast. Dean wasn't really buying it, he knew he wasn't getting the whole story from Lucy. 

"What really happened?" He inquired. "Tell me the truth." 

"Well..." Lucy whispered. "Matt was actually really nice." 

"What did he say?" 

Lucy smiled and her cheeks flushed a little. "He told me he loves me and that he'll do anything for me...we're now dating," Lucy turned to Dean. "Are you mad?" 

Dean's eyes widened and he put his hands up. "Not at all! I'm happy for you!" He then smiled and gave her a hug. "I really am, it will help you get over Fred." 

"I'm over Fred, there's no need to worry about him anymore." 

"Morning, all," Shona yawned as she sat opposite Lucy and Dean. "How are you two today?" 

"Fantastic!" Dean squealed as Shona started making herself a mug of tea. 

Shona laughed at Dean's ecstatic mood. "What's gotten into you? Did you discover chocolate frogs for the first time?" 

"No," Dean shook his head still grinning. 

"You tried everything in Honeydukes and the sugar went to your brain?" 

"Definitely not." 

Shona gasped in realisation. "Dumbledore let you become his butler! Snape let you borrow his cape! McGonagall — " 

"No, no and no," Dean shook his head. 

"Well spill the beans!" Shona took a sip of her tea. 

Dean lent towards her and whispered. "Lucy's dating Matt!" 

Shona spat out her first sip of tea, Lucy held up the newspaper on the table while poor Dean was left to wipe the spray off tea off of his face. Shona looked at Lucy in absolute shock, she looked like she had wanted to rant for ten years but hadn't been allowed to do so but today she was finally allowed to speak. 

"Dating Matthew Jarvin?!" She hissed. "What are you doing with your life?" 

"Keep your voice down!" Lucy growled. "It needs to be kept a secret!" 

"Quick, Dean, take her temperature I think she's ill," Shona moaned in disgust. "We need to get her to Madam Pomfrey." 

"How rude!" Lucy folded her arms and turned away from Shona. 

"Oh come on, Lucky! You can see why I'm disgusted! You're dating the boy who thinks women are weak and is no doubt going to end up in Azkaban when he leaves school! Sure, Fred was no saint but at least he's got himself a job and is doing well!" 

"You don't know him!" Lucy protested. 

"Look at you! You sound so desperate! You're so desperate you're dating your stalker!" 

"You haven't spoken to him since he's changed! He's changed so much!" 

"I really don't believe you..." Shona huffed. 

Lucy grunted. "Besides, I'm not the desperate one...." 

"I'm not desperate, I'm in love." 

"So am I but you can't see it because you're taking it the wrong way." 

"Fine," Shona threw her hands up in defeat. "I believe you that he's changed, you're not desperate because I know you're somewhat sensible. I mean with a dad like Snape he probably slaps sensibility into you daily. I'm sorry for what I said but you've got to understand why I took it the wrong way." 

"Understood," Lucy accepted her apology. "I'm sorry for what I said as well, I didn't mean it." 

"Again, I understand why you took it the wrong way." 

Lucy smiled at Shona before turning around and watched as Matt walked into the Great Hall. He saw her looking at him and gave her a wink before walking over to the Slytherin table to join his friends. As soon as he sat down he was being slapped on the back by his friends. 

"I think his friends have heard the news then," Shona laughed as Johnny put his friend in a headlock. Apparently this was how Matt got congratulated on dating a girl. 

After a while, Lucy and Dean were ready to go. They left the Gryffindor table and headed towards the exit of the Great Hall. Matt looked up from his breakfast and saw Lucy leaving. He dropped his toast and followed them out. 

Dean walked ahead happily while Lucy tagged along slightly. She was about to ask Dean something when Matt grabbed her and pulled her into the broom cupboard. He shut the door behind them then took out his wand which illuminated the room for them. 

"Hi," Matt smiled. 

"Good morning to you too, Matthew," Lucy raised her eyebrows. "Please tell me why we're in here?" 

"Because it's the only way I can talk to you in private right now!" 

"Dean's probably freaking out now! Poor thing, I was right behind him just a second ago." 

"Where were you going with him, anyway?" 

Lucy looked up. "We were going to head back to dad's quarters, I was going to grab my coat and then we were going to head down to the Three Broomsticks." 

"But I thought we were going to — " 

"I know but I promised Dean I was going to spend today with him, he really feels a bit lonely because I haven't spent time with him recently. I really am sorry." 

"Hey," Matt smiled. "It's OK, I was planning on going down to the Three Broomsticks anyway with my friends so maybe I'll...see you down there?" 

"Maybe," Lucy agreed. 

"OK, see you there." 

"Bye," Lucy smiled and the two looked at each other for a minute before Lucy broke the silence. "We're not friends anymore, Matt."

"Oh, yes," Matt kissed her quickly on the lips. "You exit first, I'll stay here until Dean leaves."  

Lucy left the broom cupboard and then ran towards Dean, he faced her. "Oh! Where did you go?" 

"I thought I left my bag in the Great Hall, sorry," Lucy laughed at her 'stupidity.' "How silly of me, I didn't even bring it!" 

"Well it's best to check!" Dean grinned. "Now shall we head off?" 

Matt heard Lucy and Dean leave the entrance hall, he then swiftly exited the broom cupboard only to find Filch standing there. Matt looked around awkwardly. 

"What were you doing in there, Jarvin?" Filch growled. 

"I was, uh," Matt thought for a moment. "Never mind...I've got to go and finish my breakfast, I'm really hungry — " 

Filch grabbed Matt before he could run off. "Not so fast. I've heard some stories about you." 

Matt raised his eyebrows. "Stories? That I'm from Los Angeles kind of stories? Well here's another one for you, it's a tradition in my family to sit in broom cupboards." 

"That's the most pathetic thing I've ever heard." 

"Yes, well, that's what happens from where I come from," Matt grinned. "The land of the free!" 

"You won't be free when you land yourself a detention." 

"When?" 

"Tonight, Professor Snape's classroom." 

"Oh, come on! I was sat in a broom cupboard for — " Matt suddenly remembered that he was changing. "I'll be there, what time?" 

"Seven o'clock, don't be tardy." 

"I won't be." 

Matt walked back into the Great Hall feeling a bit strange. When had he ever obeyed teachers? 

'There's a first time for everything,' Matt thought. But he knew it was for the best. He'd made many promises in his life and broken them but he was sincere about his promise to Lucy, he would definitely not break it. 

*      *      * 

"What would you like to drink, Lucy?" Dean asked as Lucy stood by the table she and Dean had claimed. 

"Butterbeer, please" Lucy said without even thinking. 

"Me too!" Dean gasped. "It's like your telepathetic!" 

Lucy smiled. "It's telepathic! Now, here's some money — " Lucy reached into her pocket. 

"No, no! I'm paying, my treat!" 

"Why can't I treat you? You're always protecting me." 

"Because I am the bodyguard and drinks are on me!" Dean folded his arms. 

"Well, alright but I'll give you the money that you're going to pay." 

"I don't want it, I want to buy it all by myself!" Dean walked over to the counter while Lucy began to slip off her coat. 

"Let me get that for you," Matt appeared behind Lucy and slipped off her coat for her, he then held onto it. 

"Thank you," Lucy blushed. 

"You're going to need a bigger table," Matt looked at the two seater table Dean and Lucy had picked. 

"Why's that?" 

Suddenly Johnny, Alex, Tyler and Chris all bounded in happily, cheering at the top of their lungs. All turned to face the group as they found a big table and looked at Matt. 

"FOUR BUTTERBEERS, MATE!" Chris called. 

"I WANT FIREWHISKY!" Johnny protested. 

"SHUT UP YOU'RE GETTING BUTTERBEER," Tyler snapped and whacked him over the head. 

"YOU'RE NOT HIS MOTHER!" Alex yelled. 

"That's why," Matt chuckled. "Sit down with the hooligans and I'll be right with you." 

Matt pulled up a chair for her then hung her coat on the back of the chair. She sat down and Matt left to order his own and his friends drinks. Lucy watched Matt go before she was forced to look at Matt's friends who were all grinning at her as though she was going to tell them her darkest secrets. 

"No," was all Lucy said. "Before any of you ask the answer is no." 

"No what?" Johnny put an arm around her. "You don't even know what we're going to say!" 

"I can read you all like a book, you're all about as subtle as a sledge hammer." 

"Go on then," Alex scooted towards her. "What were we going to say?" 

"You were going to ask how Matt and I got together and the answer is no. I don't want to tell you. Matt can but I don't want to." 

"Matt will tell us anything," Chris whispered darkly. 

"Anything," Tyler chimed in. "As soon as we saw him last night we couldn't resist asking him where he went, of course he told us."

"But he didn't tell us how you got together," Johnny sighed as though disappointed. "What did he do? Did he tell you he owns a mansion and you can live there one day?" 

"Or did he give you the best kiss that you couldn't resist?" Alex purred. 

"That rhymed," Tyler laughed. 

"Shut up," Chris whacked Tyler over the head. "Nobody cares about your poetry." 

"Poetry doesn't have to rhyme," Lucy pointed out wisely. 

"So tell us, Lucy, what did he do?" Chris urged. 

"OK, hands off, Johnny, she's taken," Matt shoved Johnny over and sat in his place. "And you, Alex." 

"I didn't do anything!" Alex protested. 

"No but you were thinking it." 

Alex scooted over miserably and Dean sat where he was sat. 

"As for Chris and Tyler, they better not get any ideas," Matt warned. 

"Look, Lucy! I paid for the Butterbeer in Wizard money all by myself! I've never done that before!" Dean grinned happily, he then noticed he had company and they were all staring at him. Dean pouted. "What? I'd like to see you all live on the Medieval Islands for twenty years of your life and then come to a Wizarding place and use forren money." 

All seven glasses of Butterbeer were handed out and the group began to talk happily while Lucy and Matt held hands underneath the table. Even though the five who joined Lucy and Matt on the table knew about their relationship, no one else in the Three Broomsticks knew and they wanted to keep their relationship a secret. 

"So how did you two get together?" Alex asked. "Lucy won't tell us so Matt's got to tell us, he tells us anything." 

"And everything," Johnny chipped in.

"Not any more," Matt smiled. 

"So you're not going to tell us?" Tyler's jaw dropped. 

"Your first ever girlfriend and you're not going to tell us?" Chris joined in. 

"Come on, we won't tell anyone!" Johnny pleaded but Matt noticed his hand was behind his back, no doubt crossing his fingers. 

"No, I'm not telling you. But I can tell you one thing," Matt lent in closer. "You better not tell anyone otherwise I'll make your lives hell." 

"We won't!" Johnny groaned. "We confirmed this with you last night." 

"Good," Matt nodded before returning to his Butterbeer. 

"Lucy!" Slughorn approached Lucy holding a glass of Firewhisky. It made Lucy jump and she immediately let go of Matt's hand. "What a surprise to see you here!" 

"Professor Slughorn!" Lucy tried to sound enthusiastic. "It's good to see you too!" 

"I see you've made some new friends," Slughorn smirked as he looked at the table full of males, Lucy suddenly realised she was outnumbered here. 

"I'm actually helping them with their homework, they don't understand it." 

"BECAUSE WE'RE STUPID!" Johnny yelled. 

"SHUT UP!" Alex snapped and whacked him over the head. Lucy had come to a conclusion that hitting each other was a normal gesture amongst Matt's friends. 

"Lets hope Lucy changes all of your personalities at the same time," Slughorn sighed. 

"Oh, she has," Alex laughed, looking at Matt. Matt glared at him. 

Slughorn turned back to Lucy. "But that's not what I came to you about." 

"What did you come to talk to me about?" Lucy wondered, curiosity filling her eyes. 

"I've come to invite you to the Slug Club Christmas party," he turned to Dean. "And you Mr Cousins, you were great company the last time you joined us." 

"Thank you," Dean gave a small bow. 

"Also," Slughorn turned back to Lucy with a smile. "You can bring a date with you." 

"Oh fantastic!" Lucy smiled, still sounding enthusiastic for Slughorn but then she remembered she had Matt to take with her now. 

"Well I hope to see you there — " Slughorn laughed but as he spoke he didn't realise he had tipped his glass slightly and he had spilt his Firewhisky on Dean. "Oh! Mr Cousins! I do apologise!" 

"It's fine..." Dean tried to sound like it didn't bother him as he wiped the Firewhisky off of his face. "I'm fine, I really am." 

"No you're not, my boy," Slughorn tutted and pulled his wand out as Matt's friends were practically on the floor as they were laughing so much. Slughorn took out his wand and cleaned poor Dean up, ridding him of the stench of Firewhisky. "Good day to you both!" 

Slughorn waved as he left to go and talk to Harry, Ron and Hermione. Dean didn't look up at Matt's friends as they were still laughing. Lucy noticed this and took Dean's arm. 

"Dean, lets go and get some fresh air. It's hot in here," She took her own coat as well as Dean's as Matt's friends laughed harder. Matt, however, was sat there looking very shocked. 

Lucy and Dean exited the Three Broomsticks and stood outside. Lucy handed Dean his coat and then slipped on her own. Dean put on his coat gratefully and they both stood there in the freezing cold. It was now starting to feel like winter and the extended summer they were blessed with was now long gone. Instead they were greeted by the long and lonely months of cold winter. These would only consist of being cold and the occasional bit of snow like they were currently experiencing now. 

"I really am sorry, Dean," Lucy looked at him sadly, Dean looked like he was on the verge of tears. "I shouldn't have agreed for Matt and his friends to sit with us, this was supposed to be our day together." 

Dean didn't say anything, instead he turned away from her. He put his hands in his pockets and ignored the snow freezing all of him, right down to the tips of his toes. He thought if he cried his tears would turn into icicles. 

Lucy realised she wasn't going to get a reaction from Dean and so she stormed back into the Three Broomsticks, right over to Matt's table. She looked at Matt's friends, fury in her eyes and they ceased laughing. 

"I suggest you all go outside and apologise to Dean right this instant, you've really upset him," Lucy snapped. "If you don't, we're both leaving." 

Johnny looked up at her with a small grin. "Only if we get to share you with Matt." 

"I'm not making deals here!" Lucy hissed. "He's on the verge of tears! Now go and apologise!" 

Matt looked at his empty Butterbeer glass. "I think you should say sorry, you know. It was mean." 

"But you were laughing too!" Alex frowned. 

"No he wasn't," Lucy shook her head. "It was just you four, so you can all apologise." She then walked over to the entrance of the Three Broomsticks. "Are you coming or not?" 

"Fine, we'll go," Tyler sighed. Lucy stepped outside of the Three Broomsticks and Matt followed closely behind. They looked around for Dean but he was no where to be seen. 

"Where's Dean?" Matt wondered as they both looked around. 

"I can't see him, he was here just a minute ago," Lucy frowned. 

"Where is he?" Chris demanded as he Johnny, Alex and Tyler stepped out of the Three Broomsticks. They too were trying to look for Dean.

Then, while none of the four were paying attention, a rather large snowball came flying past Lucy and Matt and hit all four boys. While they were all looking at their snow covered coats in shock, Dean peeped at them from around a building opposite the Three Broomsticks. He then nervously revealed himself.

"Here I am," he said timidly and all six of them turned in his direction, Lucy laughed as she saw a pile snowballs in Dean's hand and a few by the buildings corner. 

"Oh, Dean, you're brilliant," Lucy smiled. 

"Was that good payback?" Dean wondered. 

"Fantastic payback," Lucy couldn't stop smiling. 

"You think a few snowballs are going to stop us?" Alex asked as he bent down and picked up a pile of snow and shaped it into a snowball. He then threw the snowball in Dean's direction, Dean moved behind the building but there was no need to. The snowball just hit the building. Alex's jaw dropped at his pathetic attempt. 

Dean emerged from behind the building again. "Yes, I do think a few snowballs are going to stop you." 

The four boys bent down and picked up snow, shaped them into snowballs, stepped forwards and threw them at Dean. Dean once again hid behind the building until it was all clear. He then picked up a snowball from his pile and threw it at Matt's friends. It hit Tyler square in the face. 

Chris laughed. "IDIOT! YOU CAN'T DODGE A SNOWBALL!" 

Tyler whacked him over the head. "NEITHER CAN YOU, SHUT UP!" 

"Hey," Johnny stepped forward and Dean emerged once again from behind the building he had taken safety from. "How about we all make it up to you?" 

Dean tilted his head. "How will you do that?" 

"You like snowmen?" Johnny asked. 

Dean gasped and then smiled. "Oh yes! When it snowed occasionally on the Medieval Islands, my dad would always make me a snowman!" 

"Well how about we make you one?" 

Dean then covered his mouth. "I-I can't expect you to do that! That'll be far too much to ask! Oh no! You musn't! I can't let you — " 

But Johnny, Alex, Chris and Tyler had already started making Dean's snowman for him. Chris and Alex worked on the base, Matt worked on the middle and Johnny and Lucy worked on the head. In no time at all they had all finished their parts and were ready to assemble their snowman. 

Alex put down the base with just his strength, Matt lifted up the middle of the snowman with ease and Johnny placed the head down to complete the snowman. They then all stood back and admired it. 

"I think a few things are missing," Chris observed. 

"Of course," Tyler agreed, he then took off his hat. "You can use this." 

Johnny grabbed some stones from the floor. "And these." 

Alex took off his necklace. "What about this?" 

"Oh!" Dean bent down and grabbed some twigs. "I think these will do." 

"And — " Matt saw a few carrots on a table just outside the Three Broomsticks, no doubt for sale. "Not forgetting this." 

Tyler put his hat on the snowman, Johnny decorated the snow mans face with the stones he had found, Alex hung his necklace over the snowman, Dean stuck the twigs he had picked up into the side of the snow mans head and Matt stuck the carrot he had 'borrowed' into the snow mans face as a nose. They then admired their work once again. 

"I still think it's missing something," Tyler thought, but they had so little materials to choose from. 

"I know," Lucy announced all of a sudden. She slipped off her coat and put it around the snowman. "I think that will do." 

"No!" Dean shrieked. "You'll get cold! Put your coat back on!" He dashed over to her and held onto her tightly in a desperate attempt to warm her up. 

"I'm fine, Dean!" Lucy giggled. "There's no need to worry about me." 

"Yes there is," Matt stated and slipped off his coat, he put it on Lucy and did it up for her. 

"Now you'll get cold, won't you?" Lucy looked at him but he just smiled. "What's so funny?" 

"It's far too big for you," Matt observed and Lucy looked down at Matt's coat which was absolutely massive on her. The grey coat reached Matt's mid calf but on Lucy it practically reached her feet.

"Thank you all for your help," Dean smiled at them all. "I really appreciate it." 

"Don't mention it," Johnny slapped him on the back. "We're the ones who laughed at you, so we had to make it up to you." 

"I wish this moment could last forever..." Dean looked at the floor sadly. 

"Well it can," Matt walked over to Lucy and reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a camera. 

"Is that a special camera where the pictures move?" Dean wondered. 

"All cameras in the Wizarding world do that to photographs," Matt smiled. "Now go on, all of you, pose for the camera!" 

Before long, Matt had a whole stack of photos in his hand of the moment Dean wished to last forever. 

"OH NO!" Johnny cried dramatically as he took one of the photos. "CAN WE DO THAT ONE AGAIN, I BLINKED!" 

"MY HAIR'S MESSED UP IN THAT ONE!" Alex screamed in dramatic dismay. 

"MY LIPSTICK IS MESSED UP IN THAT ONE!" Tyler yelled at the top of his lungs. 

"You just went too far," Chris shook his head at Tyler. 

After that, Johnny, Alex, Chris and Tyler darted ahead to the castle after taking their possessions from the snowman. Lucy had taken her coat back from the snowman and returned Matt's coat to him and Lucy, Dean as well as Matt walked back to the castle together behind Matt's friends. Lucy walked between the two of them as they talked happily together. Lucy put her right arm around Matt and her left around Dean as they walked.

But what they didn't realise, as they walked together,  stood outside the Three Broomsticks, holding a notebook and quill, out of sight was Ellen jotting down her next article to destroy Lucy. 

"Oh Lucy," Ellen tutted with a mischievous grin as she pulled out her camera. "Never put your arms around boys when I'm around." Ellen pushed the button on her camera, she now had the photographic evidence for her article...she could tell this article was going to be big.