Rather than speak with me, Professor Snape slips me a note.

20:00. Sharp.

I take it that means he intends to continue brewing, despite Professor Umbridge's reservations. I keep a straight face as I read it though, in case Elora is watching me. This time, I don't look over to check.

We file out of the classroom, and I join Robbie. At a bare minimum, she is the only person who is talking to me.

"Are you headed to the library?" she asks me.

I nod, even though I'm not really headed anywhere. Potions normally gets out before dinner, and though I am decently hungry, I cannot face the Great Hall. I'd rather study elsewhere than eat.

"Sure," I smile.

Together, we head off to the library. I bury myself deep in my notes, going over every ingredient in Felix Felici once more. Maybe I can do it, without blowing off my eyebrows in an explosion. Perhaps, I have what it takes to become a bonafide potioneer. If not, I can just be a brewer for the ministry.

"Any plans for Christmas?" I ask.

Robbie doesn't answer me. She stares forward, her eyes looking at the page. Maybe she hasn't heard me, since she is so deep in thought. Her eyes, dark and brown, flicker across the page. I look over her shoulder, watching as she reads up on herbology.

"You said you wanted to be a healer?" I ask.

She looks up at me, and her eyes still seem vacant. "Yes."

"Why?" I ask.

She shrugs, smiling. "I like helping people. I want to do the impossible."

Before I can ask what she means, something zooms by the windows. I press my nose up against the glass, watching as the Weasley twins fly around the castle.

Robbie doesn't pay them any mind, if she even notices that it is them.

"Didn't you say the Weasley twins had their brooms confiscated?" I ask.

She looks up at me, brow furrowed and head cocked. "Yes. Why?"

"Come with me," I ask, without saying the word please. Instead, I dart through the library, briskly walking so as not to catch the attention of Madam Pince. I can hear Robbie behind me, slowly moving along.

Once we are in the hallways, we sprint towards the grounds. Robbie and I are both out of breath by the time that we are halfway there, but no matter. I keep pushing, and pushing, until we are outside near the Whomping Willow.

Those dastardly Weasley twins are flying around it.

A crowd is beginning to gather around as they soar through the air, nimbly missing the spinning branches of the Whomping Willow. Each second they pass through makes me feel nauseous.

"You ought to get down at once," their muggle-born witch points out beside me. I see her everywhere with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, and both of them are here in tow. Her long frizzy brown hair gets tangled in her face as George flies past. "Umbridge will have your heads in."

"She already has our heads in," Fred laughs, rolling his eyes.

"What's a little theft now and again?" George questions back.

Now, there are only a few of us here. The Weasley boys, Harry Potter, and their muggle-born witch to name them, specifically. However, they have drawn the attention of a few other Gryffindors who are headed this way. Among them are Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet. Soon enough, there will be teahcers headed our way.

"Come on 'Mione, let them have their fun," Ron Weasley says.

The girl, Mione I suppose her name is, walks off in a huff. Harry Potter says nothing, seemingly mesmerized by them as they fly around.

"Someone's going to get hurt," Robbie calls up to them.

George and Fred both laugh, as they duck out of the way of the Whomping Willow's thick branches. Soon enough, they'll both have their heads in, one way or another.

Harry Potter whispers something to Ron, and then Ron steps up. "You don't want to serve detention with Umbridge, do you? Trust us, it's not worth it."

"We'll only serve detention if we get caught," Fred points out.

The other Gryffindors have made it to us now, and they begin to cheer Fred and George on. Fred casts a light spell, creating a sparkling ball of white whisps, which he throws to George. George catches it and lugs the ball back at Fred. Neither of them are paying much attention to the willow now, and soon enough it's going to catch them.

Worst of all, the only plan I can come up with is to get a teacher.

I dart away from them, running into the castle. From there, I make my way towards the Great Hall. When I see all the teachers up there, I stop.

They'd rather break an arm than endure the wrath of Professor Umbridge. While I don't see too much of a problem with her, outside of, of course, cancelling my project and being a boring professor.

So, I head back outside. There, the twins are still playing with the tree. I watch as Fred throws George the ball of light, and George has to lean a bit off his broomstick to catch it. The Whomping Willow catches him by the arm, and he goes soaring through the air. He lands on the ground next to Alicia, nearly colliding with her.

Robbie runs up to him, while Angelina makes sure that Alicia is okay. I try to give them space as Fred flies down next to me.

"George?" Fred drops his broom on the ground and heads for his twin. "You alright?"

"Better this than Umbridge," Ron mumbles to no one in particular.

I inch my way forward until I'm above them. George's shirt has been torn, his arm scraped and bloodied. From the way he holds it, it almost certainly looks like it's been broken. His leg is twisted at a funny angle as well. Robbie and Fred help lift him off the ground.

"Someone needs to hide their brooms before Umbridge comes," Angelina Johnson points out.

I furrow my brow. Isn't she Captain of the Quidditch team? "Why don't you hide them in Gryffindors Quidditch pit?"

"I don't want the team getting in trouble for their mistake," Angelina shakes her head back and forth. "Again, might I add."

Before I can offer, Fred looks over. "Ron and Harry will hide them. Won't you?"

The boys are taken aback, but they nod. Each of them grabs a broom before they scurry off, deep onto the grounds and away from the castle.

"Do you need help getting him to the hospital?" I ask, taking a step forward, while the rest of the Gryffindors begin to disperse. Angelina holds a shaking Alicia, glancing over her shoulder at George. This leaves me trailing after Robbie and the Weasley twins. Unfortunate, I think. Or at least, I question if I'm lucky or not.

"No," Fred says. He stops and looks back at me. "We don't need your help."

"I'm fine, really," George groans. He looks back at me and has a slight frown on his face. Then, he looks at his twin and shrugs. He lets out a grunt of pain at the sudden movement.

"I'll see you later, yeah?" Robbie asks.

I nod.

This leaves me wandering around, trailing across the snowy grounds in the frigid weather. Last year, just under a year ago, Fred threw a snowball at me. I don't understand how so much has changed, and yet so little materially has actually changed.

I feel like the same brat as last year. Cold and miserable.

~~~~~

Well, this is short and hopefully less than sweet. Christmas is next, which excites me. I always feel like my chapters that take place on Christmas are the best, so be ready for that.

I will see you soon.