Chapter Ten |Year Three|

"Drakey-poo!" called Lexi to Malfoy as Daphne, Lexi, and Amelie exited the girls' dorm. Malfoy was waiting for Lexi outside, in the common room with Blaise. Daphne looked injured, she still harbored deeply felt feelings for Malfoy, and Amelie was just aggravated. Aggravated that Malfoy would use her friend in such a way...

"Lexi," said Malfoy in a sweet voice. They immediately proceeded to snogging. It wasn't even a sweet, romantic way. It was practically them raping each other, almost.

Amelie wrinkled her nose and led Daphne out of the portrait hole. For some reason, she just couldn't bear to stand there and watch them snog. It hurt her heart greatly. Besides, today was not a day to feel miserable. Her first game against Hufflepuff was today!

After a hearty breakfast, Amelie headed to her dorm to change into her Slytherin uniform. When she got to the pitch, however, Flint was there, looking indignant as he faced down the Gryffindor team. After a few last harsh words, he turned and saw Amelie.

"What's going on?" she asked earnestly. He scowled.

"We're not playing today, and bloody Gryffindor's not happy about it."

"Wait, why?"

"Because our seeker, Malfoy, broke his bloody arm, that's why!"

"Don't we have a replacement?" asked Amelie, careful not to get to into this situation. Flint shrugged and then resumed his scary facade.

"No, we don't. Now stop asking questions, puny third-year, and leave!" he snarled, and Amelie backed up, holding her hands up,

"Fine, fine..."

She changed back to her robes quicklly, and headed towards Defense of Dark Arts. The subject was a popular one, highly anticipated by most students. Excluding Malfoy and his goons, of course.

She met up with Daphne again, and they walked towards Professor Lupin's room together. When they arrived, however, the professor who was standing in the room came to them as a bit of a nasty shock.

Professor Snape stood at the front of the classroom at looked at the students who were arriving sharply. Many of them who were arriving were looking around bewilderingly, as if wondering where Professor Lupin was. In fact, Amelie was wondering the same thing, so she decided to ask.

"Professor Snape?" she asked, raising her hand. his hand turned her way, and he scowled at her.

"Well?"

Amelie was, for once, glad she was a Slytherin. "Um, forgive me to ask - but, where's Professor Lupin?"

He glared at her. "Do not ask such ridiculous questions in my class. He is merely taking care of some unfinished business, no need for you to stick your nosy heads into it. Now sit down," he said monotonously.

"As Professor Lupin has not left any record of what we have done so far - " he started, and Daphne raised her hand.

"Sir, we've done, er - boggarts, red caps, kappas, grindylows - "

"I was merely commenting on Lupin's lack of organization, you foolish girl," he snapped at Daphne, who shrunk down with a hurt expression written all over her face. "Today, we will be learning about werewolves. The concepts Lupin's been teaching you are so easy, a first year could do it. Now, turn to page 394."

When the class hesitated, he glared at the whole class. "All of you! Now!"

Amelie immediately flipped open her textbook and looked through, trying to find page number 394. She found it, and it had passages about werewolves and hideous, deranged photos with werewolves in them. Amelie grimaced, and she looked over at Daphne, who looked quite repulsed.

"Which of you can tell me how to distinguish between a werewolf and a true wolf?" Snape asked, and Amelie quickly skimmed one of the passage. When she found what she was looking for, her hand shot up.

"Yes, Miss Santerre?"

"Well.. er - the snout - "

"That is what Miss Granger said to me earlier today. I will not accept students asking other students the answers to simple questions to cheat in my class," Snape said stiffly. She heard a laugh, which sounded suspiciously like Malfoy.

Luckily, the bell rang, and everyone started gathered up their books and supplies. Snape, however, blocked the door. "You will each write an essay, to be handed in to me, on the ways you recognize and kill werewolves. I want to rolls of parchment on the subject, and I want them in by Monday morning. It is time somebody took this class in hand."

All the students groaned, and Amelie was one of them. How was she to finish all of her homework, studying, and quidditch practice?

They all exited the classroom, and Amelie decided to watch the match between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. She had friends on the Gryffindor team, of course, but she had heard that Cedric Diggory, the new captain, had put together a brilliant team and was a bloody brilliant Seeker himself.

Why not witness it, she thought.

When she arrived at the pitch, where crowds of yellow-and-red encased crowds ensued, she immediately headed over to where Hermione stood, with Ron and Ginny.

"Hermione!" she called to her friend, who offered a grin back along with Ron.

"Haven't seen you around, Amelie," she greeted. Amelie groaned.

"Snape subsituting for DADA? Not a good idea..."

"I know! Snape just assigned this dreadful werewolf essay assignment - miserable, I say - " said Ron, recalling earlier that day when Snape had assigned the essay.

Ginny giggled. "For once I'm glad that I'm a second-year,"

Hermione shushed the three of them as Madam Hooch entered the pitch, ready to signal the start of the match. She waved her arms around to catch everyone's attention.

"Alright, now, I want a clean game, is that clear?" she said to both captains, Diggory and Wood. They nodded and shook hands.

Madam Hooch blew her whistle and the game commenced. Lee Jordan stood in the commentator's box, eyes darting wildly and words flowing quickly to keep up with the fast-traveling advancement of the match.

The players were all soaked after just five minutes. The rain had, unfortunately, fallen like buckets when the Quidditch match between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor started. Not one person could see clearly through the rain, certainly not Harry, who was wearing his glasses and was evidently struggling to spot the snitch.

Once the players had a short break, Hermione rushed over to Harry, and took his glasses. "Harry! I have a spell to help you with your glasses - here, it might help - " Hermione paused to recall it. Then, she brightened up and recited it. "Oh yes, Impervius!"

Harry's glasses started repelling the water, helping Harry see through the rain clearly. He smiled gratefully to Hermione as she handed his glasses back to him. The game started up again right after that, and a fast and furious match went on after that.

"Brilliant!" Wood exclaimed as he looked at Hermione in new admiration. She blushed modestly, and Amelie hugged her.

"He's right, you are brilliant!" she said, and they continued to watch the game. There was a clap of thunder, followed by a fork of lightning, which shook all the players. They turned around, Luckily, Harry spotted the snitch and sped forward, but so did Diggory. At the last moment, when both were so close, and suspense was closing in on the two...

Dementors. Hundreds of them were racing abroad the pitch, levitating spookily towards Harry, who was struggling to keep on his broom. As soon as the dementors reached him, however, his broom jerked and Harry fell off. Towards the ground... Amelie screamed, happiness no longer prevaded her. Her body was being filled with misery, dark times, and darkness.

Darkness. That was what she could feel. If only, she could reach the light... a dementor came into view, and before Amelie could scream -

Blackness consumed her.

***

Amelie woke up to a dizzying headache in the infirmary. She was propped up in frighteningly fluffy pillows in a white cot that smelled suspiciously of sanitizer. And mint, she realized. Next to her was Harry, still unconscious. Amelie could have predicted that he took a nasty fall, with that plunge he took from his broom during the match.

Madam Pomfrey, the witch that took care of the hospital wing, shuffled out of the room and looked at the two ruefully. "Quidditch. The nastiest sport of them all," she muttered, and realized that Amelie was conscious. "Oh! Well, now that you're awake - how are you feeling, darling? Here, eat this chocolate - " and offered Amelie a thick bar of dark chocolate.

Amelie took the piece gratefully, and nibbled a corner of it. Gradually, warmth began to seep into her body again. "What happened?" she asked the nurse.

"What happened?" the nurse said, busily beginning to move around some remedies and potions. "Well, let's just keep it short and sweet - although it really isn't sweet - a dementor nearly performed the Kiss on you. And you nearly got your soul sucked out, so..."

"What stopped it?" asked Amelie quizzically. She couldn't help herself.

"The headmaster, Dumbledore. Great man, he is," said Madam Pomfrey. Amelie smiled. The door opened to admit a visitor, who turned out to be the gorgeously stunning Cedric Diggory. Amelie's breath caught. She had been expecting Hermione, or Ginny or Ron, but why Diggory?

"Er - hello - " greeted Diggory awkwardly as he eyed the two, one unconscious, one conscious. Madam Pomfrey lit up and hugged him. Seemed to be she was quite fond of the sixth year.

"Cedric Diggory, m'boy! You did brilliant at the match, yes you did," she said, fussing over him affectionately. He smiled warmly to her, and his eyes met Amelie's.

"Are you alright?" he asked tentatively.

"I'm guessing you came for Harry, because we've never talked before," she said. He laughed.

"Yes, I suppose we haven't. And, well, yes, I came for Harry, but now we can talk! I'm here, aren't I?"

Amelie smiled. "Yes. You did brilliant at the match,"

Cedric rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, Harry deserved to win... It was only because he fell off his broom that I caught the snitch,"

Amelie cracked a grin. "Yeah, right. You don't have to be modest, you won fair and square,"

"Well, the Gryffindor captain seems to be upset..."

"Oh, Wood? Everytime the Gryffindors lose a match, the Weasley twins tell me, Wood drowns himself in the shower," she said, chuckling. Cedric joined in, too.

"Aren't you a Slytherin?" he asked curiously. Amelie waved off the suspicion that was radiating off him. IT was commonly known that Slytherins were fairly nasty, so why should be upset if some people thought it applied to her, as well?

"Yes, I am. Although how I got in, I don't know." She then thought for a moment, then looked back at Diggory. "Well, maybe I do. I have proud... I might be a little proud... okay, maybe a lot,"

Cedric smiled. "Yeah, I am too, but I guess I'm more nice than proud," he said, shrugging. Amelie grinned.

"Are you saying Hufflepuffs are just nice?"

"No, I mean - "

"Ah, I get what you mean," she said, waving off his blustering. He blushed, and gazed at her adoringly. Amelie was oblivious, of course.

"You're beautiful," he said. Only when Amelie looked at him did he realize that he said it out loud.

"Um, sorry - " she coughed. " - What?"

"Nothing," he mumbled. "I best be off now - I'll see to Harry later."

"Okay, then. Catch you later, Diggory."

"See you, Amelie," he said, and quickly left the room before he could accidentally spit out another embarrassing remark. Madam Pomfrey emerged from her office when Cedric left, and gave Amelie s flask of healing potion. She raised her eyebrow at Amelie.

"Someone's taken a fancy to you, Miss Santerre."

"Uh, what?"

"Cedric Diggory. Take care of him well for me."

"I, uh - um, okay.. I will?"

"You're free to go now," she told Amelie, dismissing her. She smiled at Madam Pomfrey and gave the nurse her thanks before leaving.

***

A few days passed, and Amelie could tell Harry was miserable. His Nimbus Two Thousand had been battered to pieces by the Whomping Willow, and nothing could really cheer him up. Obviously, the loss of his broom affected the young Potter greatly.

Amelie had even offered to smuggle out the spare Nimbus Two Thousand and One that the Slytherin team owned, but Harry had declined, looking grim. "I don't think I'll ever be able to get over it - " he told her tearfully. " - I've had that broom for nearly three years!"

Amelie went to the library decidedly after visiting her friend. She hadn't started on the essay Snape had assigned yet, and it was due in two days' time. She lugged a stack of books about werewolves to the table she had chosen to sit at, and pulled out two rolls of parchment to write on. She flipped through her textbook for some background knowledge, then pulled out some more books. When she thought she had enough information, she started on her beginning paragraph with her quill.

Werewolves are part-wolf beings, usually being changed from a human into a werewolf by being bitten by a werewolf when the full moon is up. It

She was stopped by a boy plunking his body into the chair across from her. She looked up, annoyed, and saw Draco Malfoy lounging on the chair across from her. She scowled. "What are you doing here?"

"Why, I have to get started on my essay, too. And what better place to start than with a person who's starting, too?" he drawled lazily.

"You can't cheat off of my essay, Malfoy. Go do your own lazy work," Amelie scolded indignantly, and pulled her parchment away from his roaming eyes. She knew her comeback sounded awfully lame, but... oh well.

"And why can't I? I'm failing in DADA, so... one might say I need some help," he said, smirking at her. Amelie bit back an angry retort. She couldn't stand his laid-back, womanizing gait.

"Well, why don't you ask for help and not cheat off other people's papers?" she said, looking him in the eye.

Malfoy became flustered, much to her delight. "Well, I - " he realized he was acting quite odd, so he straightened up and swiped the smirk back on his face. "Will you help me, then?"

"No."

"What, why?"

"Because you're acting like a self-centered prick,"

"You're the one who's being self-centered!"

"Sure I am."

"You are!"

"Quit trying to fight me if you want me to help you!" Amelie snapped irritably. She got up, ready to leave, when Malfoy stood and drew himself up to his full height, which was at least a head taller than her.

"Fine! Will you help me?"

She smiled. "Yes, I will."