Well, sometimes we have to do things we don’t really want to.” Dad says as he sits on my bed.

“And I assume visiting your annoying mother and twin sister in London is one of them?” I ask still hoping that I won’t have to go.

“Yes.” Dad confirms and I roll my eyes. 

“So what are you saying?” Blair asks confused. I look at her with a smile and she looks at me finally understanding. “No, Ash, we can’t do that.”

“Why not?” I ask. “No one would notice.” 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asks me suspiciously. “You seem different.”

“What do you mean?” I ask nervously.

“Just three weeks ago you would kick me.” He says.

“Right.” I say. “Well, I’m giving you a free pass now.” 

“I will pair you up according to the alphabet. That means that you, Mr Potter, will spend a great deal of time with...” No problem here. I’m a Hastings. H is nowhere close to P.



Except that I’m not Blair anymore. And Pierce is very, very close to Potter. I get a weird feeling when Slughorn grabs his notes and checks the pairings.

“Oh, with Miss Pierce!” Slughorn says proudly. 

I slam the door so hard, he jumps of the sofa and points a wand at me.

“Blair, what in the name of Merlin’s pants?” he asks when he sees how angry I am.

“Boys!” I scream angrily and march towards my room. 

“You do realise this counts as kidnapping?” I ask.

“If by kidnapping you mean taking you out to have some fun, then yes, I am kidnapping you.” He says. “Or should I say funnapping you?”

“Your idiocy has no limits.” I say and he grins at me.

“Get dressed princess.” 

“It’s not that bad.” I say and smile remembering the last time Ash and I saw each other. “We hated each other for years. Well, not actually hated, but we fought a lot. But we actually made up this summer and we’re closer than ever."

“You don’t understand.” I say and shake my head. “I don’t belong here.”

“You do belong here.” He assures me with a small smile. “You’re here to do what you love. And when you do that, you’re best when you’re you.”

I look up at him, my eyes filled with tears. “You know.” 

“So, you’re ruining your life just for the sake of Ashley’s?” Nick asks me.

“Of course I am.” I say. “She’d do the same.”

“And I can’t tell her this?” he asks me.

“Absolutely not.” 

 

“James!” I call him and he turns towards me, his light brown eyes suddenly cold.

“What?” he snaps and immediately I feel like someone punched me in the stomach.

“About what happened at the Platform…” I start.

“What about that?” he asks crossing his arms.

“I…” I start but suddenly realise I have nothing to say to him. I can’t exactly admit the truth. “I… I’m sorry.”

“I’m not lying, sweetie.” She shakes her head with a smile. “And you know I’m not lying. That’s why you’re so worried. And if you don’t believe me, you can ask that girlfriend of his.” 

“You know how it feels then?” I cut him off and he nods his head.

“I do. You feel like someone shattered you into tiny pieces and you don’t know how you’ll ever pick yourself up.”

“Did you ever pick yourself up?” I ask.

“I’d like to say I did.” He shrugs. “But that would be a lie.” 

“I really like her, Blair.” He shrugs standing up from the table. “I never thought I’d find someone like her after your mother left. And now, I feel happy again. I just wanted to make sure you were okay with this first.”



No, no, no, no! I am most definitely not okay with this! Complete opposite actually! 

I close my eyes trying to feel my wand in the back pocket of my coat but before I even manage to find it, I hear a loud bang and when I open my eyes I find the guy lying unconscious on the floor. I look up and there’s Nick pointing his wand towards the man. 

I stare at both of them bitterly. “It feels like you’re divorcing again!” With that said, I march to my room leaving both of them hurt. Seconds later I hear a loud sound of my Mum disapparating and then the sound of my Dad closing the door of his bedroom. Everything after that is silence. 

"Your Dad-?” I try and he just shakes his head.

“He crossed the line this time.” Nick says sadly.

“Plus, your heart is promised to someone else, ha?” Savannah nudges me with a wink.

“If you’re referring to James-“ I start.

“No, we’re referring to Dumbledore.” Hilary says sarcastically. 

“How can I leave him to handle this on his own?” I ask him. “How can I do nothing? I love him!”

“You can’t control everything.” Gerard says and I sigh but stay silent. 

I mean,” he continues. “Why would Blair ever go to London? She’s a pure American! She’s so much American she has a bald eagle tattooed on her back. She eats a Big Mac for lunch every day. Why would someone like that visit London?”

Dom looks at me all freaked out. “He put something in his coffee, didn’t he?”

“Either that or he’s been smoking something stronger than his usual Marlboro’s.” I say. 

“Well, well, look what the cat dragged in.” he says and I know he noticed me. With a sigh I turn around and stare at the guy in front of me.



“Hi, Seth.” 

“You’ll be a Quidditch star.” He says. “What do you have to study for?”

“A Quidditch star or not, I still have to pass my exams.” I point out. 

“Ashley?” James who’s wandering in front of the Great Hall asks and all three of us stop walking, my heart sinking into my feet. Ashley and I turn around to face James who’s standing in shock starring at the three of us.

“Well, fuck.” I hear Nick mutter.

“James-“ I start.

“What the fuck?!” James snaps starring at us, his eyes wondering from me to Ashley. “You- There’s- You two- I-“

“I can’t.” she says.

“You can’t admit you were wrong?” I ask and she smiles a bit at me.

“It’s a lot harder than it looks, am I right?”

“It brings up a lot of pain.”