Gillygate - 4. Revenge Sex?

"Incendio!" Fire shot from the end of my wand and onto the pile of moving photos.

I sat in a corner of the common-room that night, teary as I watched captured memories of my boyfriend and I burn away. Kiena knelt beside me with a sympathetic frown, offered me another tissue.

"Thanks." I took it and blew my nose.

"Etundre Chalem." Kiena made a circle with her wand and the fire went out, leaving a pile of ashes and a scorch mark on the floorboards.

Other Hufflepuffs were standing away by the squeaking and shifting plants, watching with sympathetic looks of their own.

My friend turned back to them "Come on, guys! Move along or stop staring!"

"It's okay." I wiped my pink eyes. Stared bitterly at the ash. "…I can't believe Quintin did this. He told me he'd been flat-out busy with study. He's a Ravenclaw, after all."

"I'm sorry he did this." Kiena said again with a comforting pat.

"What makes it worse is they're both Ravenclaws. They could've been snogging each other every night since the start of term, for all I know."

Another pat "Let's… just… put your wand away. I don't want you to accidentally set off a tornado in here cause you're upset."

I tucked my wand away and a small second year stepped over.

"Philkin…? I saw Madam Merrypot in the infirmary, using Boil Cure Potion to fix up Quintin. It didn't look like he was going to report you…"

"No, I don't think he will." I said. "Thanks, Elis."

The boy nodded and ran off.

"…You said his Uncle Chestimir died over the holidays in some kind of accident involving a swarm of Billywigs?"

"Yes. His favourite Uncle. A very daring guy. Off adventuring around the world, it was some sort of experiment gone wrong."

"Hmm."

"It doesn't excuse his behaviour!"

"I know!"

"…do you think he's sorry?"

"Probably."

"Well that's not good enough." I clenched my hands into fists. "Who knows how long he was snooping? I should start sleeping around, see how he likes it!"

"Don't do it."

"Why not?"

"Because you'll feel awful if you do." Kiena assured me. A younger Hufflepuff had been staring from the corner of his eye but then pretended he was looking at the roof.

"…This sucks."

"I know…"

"Why do gay guys have to be such whores?"

"Well you two were such a staple couple around here. You've been together a long time."

"I have to break up with him. I mean, I have to. Right? This is too far. Me and him are done."

I got to my feet and wiped my nose, heading off to bed. Above my pillow was a lot more bare wall, I stopped at the sight of my curious love-note before shutting off the light and getting under the covers.

o0O0o

Kiena watched her best friend leave for the dormitories. She sighed, then when no one was looking she pointed her wand.

"Papyrus Reparo." The corners of the photographs were drawn together. The ash glued itself back and the images faded to return. It took a deal of effort and concentration but soon they were restored. Then she slipped them into her pocket and stood up. Swept back her hair and left for bed.

o0O0o

The next morning it was the weekend. I had a three-scroll-long report that needed starting for Transfiguration but didn't have it in me. I'd cried in bed before eventually falling asleep. After stepping down into the common-room in my duck-patterned pyjamas I saw Kiena waiting. Leaning against the sofa in a purple zipper-jacket and black skirt.

She stepped over "Want to get breakfast together in the Great Hall?"

"No… let's go to Hogsmeade."

I washed up and dressed before we made our way through the crawl space. I climbed out in jeans and a green hoodie. Stopped at the sight of a floating bouquet of roses. A pair of blue butterflies were circling around it and the card said 'sorry'. I let out an angry sigh.

"Leave it." I told Kiena as she was outstretching her hand. "This is exactly why I don't want to have breakfast in the Great Hall. Come on."

We made our way through the corridors, down the changing staircases and outside. It was a beautiful spring day, I could hear cheers and beating over by the Quidditch pitch. The two of us made our way down the grassy trail, the Great Lake shining brightly as my friend started discussing our Potions homework. We were both hungry after the trek, descending to the streets of tall and chimneyed houses.

No other students about in Hogsmeade. We walked around looking for a place to eat. We passed Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop and I immediately felt awful at the sight of the pink store, remembering dates Quintin and I had been on. We settled on a pie place called Praxley's Pastries, it was in view of Honeydukes sweet shop. We sat at a red booth behind the glass-front while waiting on our coffees and food.

"I hope the Three Broomsticks are open. I could do with a butterbeer after this." Kiena stated and caught me glowering out the window with a tense posture. "Hey, cheer up."

"I feel like shit. I'm so angry."

"I'm sorry your boyfriend cheated on you." she leaned forward to say. "Try not to let it spoil your happiness. It's a beautiful morning. We have enough pressure from schoolwork without letting ourselves be bothered by other things."

I sighed but did my best to let it go.

It was early afternoon by the time we were heading back to the castle. I'd told Kiena about how Rodney apparently wasn't the author of my mysterious note. I reckoned it was a prank, and she agreed it could be. On our way up she was gushing about how hot Rodney was. How disappointing to find out he might be gay, but also agreeing he was a total player and sex fiend.

Despite my best attempts I couldn't stop contemplating the scorn I had for Quintin. I also considered how undeniably sexy Rod was. There was more cheering coming from the Quidditch pitch.

"Let's take a look." I indicated to the stands and my friend grinned in agreement.

We hurried under the stands and peeked through the steps. Surely enough the Gryffindors were practicing, red and gold cloaks fluttering as they sped through and around goal posts on broomsticks. They were speeding blurs - I'd always thought this game looked frightfully dangerous. The small crowd of admirers cheered as the players tossed the quaffle between themselves.

There was Rod, swerving up and around on his broomstick before coming to a halt in mid-air. They were an easy thirty feet up. I watched him lean back and adjust his wrist straps. The feathered tips of his chestnut hair were windswept. He looked dashing and strapping. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, his skin shone with it.

From beside me Kiena was smiling broadly. I frowned at him. He just wants to fuck you, I thought to myself. I'd be nothing but another trophy to him.

Quintin got bored of me, that must be it. He was still a male, he wanted to go out there and sexually experience. I recalled his straight black hair and glasses, the way his chest raised with his gentle snoring in bed beside me, the way he'd itch his nose and furrow his brows while reading something he didn't understand. He wasn't a superstar like Rod, but he'd been my first boyfriend. I knew him like the back of my hand. Or at least I thought I had.

Rodney dived down on his broom several feet to catch the quaffle one-handed. With a haughty smirk he tossed it back. I felt the tight squeamishness of arousal in my gut again.

o0O0o

spellman's syllabry

Incendio - Fire-making Spell

Etundre Chalem - I half-invented this spell. Nobody knows the incantation for the Extinguishing Spell so I'm making it this. Derived from French words "éteindre" for "extinguish" and "chaleur" for "heat". I didn't want to use Aguamenti.

Papyrus Reparo - used by yo boy Newt Scamander.