Gillygate - 5. Another Mysterious Note

I managed to start my Transfiguration report. I did see Quintin in the Great Hall and although he cast miserable looks in my direction he didn't approach me. Seemed like he wasn't going to, I tried to push him out of my mind. While Rodney was an electrifying new possibility, I wasn't sure how to speak to him when he was always surrounded by a gang of rowdy Gryffindors. I hadn't exactly been welcoming to the stud, but at the time I needed to make sure he stayed away and didn't sweep me into temptation.

Fuck it, if all gay guys are whores then I can be one too.

As for Rod, I may need to wait until our next Potions class but still felt nervous about what I'd say. I was heading off to the bathroom when a trio of Slytherins shot me feral looks as they passed. They still hate me? I was surprised. A muggle-born striking down a pure blood in a duel over magical superiority caused a bigger impact than I'd thought. Maybe I need to watch myself…

On Sunday there was another bouquet floating outside the entrance to the Hufflepuff common-room. This one was orchids and being circled by tiny birds.

I angrily pulled out my wand "Finite Incantatem."

The flowers and birds were sucked up into points of space and vanished. All that was left was the card saying simply 'sorry' in my boyfriend's cursive handwriting. It fluttered to the floor and I left, getting on with my day.

At midday I was in the library with Kiena. In the tall shelves above us books were hovering about and returning themselves.

"I can't believe you're doing History of Magic at N.E.W.T. level." I told her while sitting on the edge of a desk "There must be only three students in your whole class."

"Professor Binns is the oldest teacher here. He's a ghost, so that's fascinating." She turned over another page of her book concerning the uprising of Elfric the Eager. "Besides I could say the same about Herbology."

"Herbology is the most Hufflepuff subject there is. Plants are great."

"Oh! That reminds me. About a thought I had in Potions class… what do you think would happen if someone could make Amortentia into a perfume?"

"That sounds bloody terrible."

"You think?"

"The most powerful love potion in the world? Even if it worked you'd just have every man in the room falling in love with you."

"Yeah I suppose you're right…" she went back to her book.

Something touched my shoulder and I turned around to see another flapping crane. I backed away and onto my feet.

"Kiena… look! Another note."

She jumped up and I held out my hand, the crane unfolded itself into my palm.

I αm most troubled to heαr the neωs. Fαirest one, he does not deserve you. I ωould hαve you αs mine αnd only mine. Forever.

"How does he keep getting these to you?" my friend murmured. "He must be close-by, using a levitation charm."

Kiena stepped out from the bookshelf and into the walkway, her frizzy hair turning this way and that. My thumb traced the squiggle at a bottom corner of the page. If it was a signature I couldn't tell what letters it was supposed to be.

"Do you think this is an ancient rune?" I handed her the paper. Kiena frowned at it.

"No… look more closely at the top of it. It's a snake."

"What?"

Our heads leaned together and Kiena pointed with her finger "that's supposed to be its tongue."

We looked at each other seriously before my friend whipped out her wand. Set the note down on the desk.

"Avenseguim!" the paper flitted upward and hovered in mid-air. "Return to who you belong to…" It fluttered out to the walkway "Come on!" Kiena called to me and we both raced to follow it.

The paper fluttered and tumbled as it made a zig-zagging path through the air. Students turned in their seats as they saw us running after it. As someone was entering through the library doors it flicked over their head and out. The two of us burst out and moved quickly down the corridors to keep up.

"Come on, we can't lose it!" Kiena warned as we rushed down steps, still drawing stares.

I'd recognized the direction we were headed but had been hoping otherwise. "We're being led to the dungeons…" I muttered.

Soon enough we came to a stop in the dark, dank caverns. The note flattened itself against the bricks, not having the strength to force its way through. Kiena pulled out her wand again.

"This must be the entrance to the Slytherin common-room. Finite Incantatem." The paper slid lifelessly off the wall and I leaned forward to grab it. As I straightened and pocketed it we both stared at the gloomy hidden entrance before us.

"That settles that… a Slytherin."

"It was a prank after all. Revenge for what happened last year."

"But then why did they draw a snake in the corner of the pages?" I turned to her. "Why were the messages so brief?"

She shrugged and we stayed quiet for a moment. "Come on… we don't want to be caught here."

We hurried off.

On Monday morning there was a third bouquet waiting for me, this time being orbited by a cloud of tiny glowing stars. I barely gave it a look before vanishing it with my wand.

"Evanesco." It blew into non-being, card and all.

Herbology was my first class and then it was followed by Potions. As I made my way down after breakfast and then entered the greenhouse it occurred to me there were a few Slytherins in the bunch. I looked over the long table at everyone in the grimy glass building. That spell Kiena knew was a useful one, I'd have to get her to teach it to me. If I tried that tracking spell in the middle of the day it would probably lead me right to that Slytherin. Then I'd know once and for all if I was being pranked. I thought about my predicament throughout the practical part of the lesson. Many students around me were struggling and getting beaten by the Bouncing Bulbs. One angry spud broke free and started drumming repeatedly on one poor boy's head. His friend beside him had to blast it away with his wand.

"Good show, my boy." The portly Professor Barberry stood beside me. Grey hair thinning and clutching the edge of his vest. "I can see someone's been practicing! Excellent work."

I smiled, caught a rogue bulb in my hand and tossed it back into the pot.

When Potions class came around I saw Rodney returning my furtive glances with an unmoved expression. He wasn't giving me lustful looks from across the classroom anymore, which I had asked for. Most of this lesson was theory, Professor Melisend discussing the lasting effects of elixirs versus philtres as the blackboard chalk jotted down important information. The room was full of the sound of scratching quills and the glass tap of ink bottles. After note-taking we tried once more at potion-making, this time a Hiccoughing Solution. My attempt was passable but my silver-cloaked teacher told me I'd lose points in the exam for its off-colour hue. She hovered her hooked nose over my little cauldron, took a whiff and moved on to Kiena's brew.

When class ended I made my way over to Rod again. He raised his eyebrows but wasn't bothering to overplay the cockiness anymore.

"You're more come and go than a Diricawl. Can't stay away from me."

"I'm sorry. Ah… I'm here because… I'm actually single at the moment."

Rod stared at me for a second "Well I'm sorry to hear that."

"So…"

"You're feeling like some rebound sex?" he finished for me, that arrogant smirk quickly returning to his features.

"Uh…" my heartbeat was racing. I'd never been so nervous from pure sexual feelings before.

"You get cute when you're flustered, Philkin. Meet me by the Quidditch stands after classes today."

I nodded, blushing. He was still smirking at me with eyes alight as he made his way out. The professor finished cleaning up with her wand and then turned to me. I hurried out then, the last to leave. My heart was still beating and I had many strong urges and signals blaring inside me. One of them was a warning that I may be making a big mistake. But it's just sex right? Casual sex, that's what a lot of gay wizards do.

o0O0o

spellman's syllabry

Finite Incantatem - General Counter-Spell.

Avenseguim - Tracker spell used by yo boy Newt Scamander.

Evanesco - Vanishing Spell.