[CHAPTER 5]

KATE'S ADVICE

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2 weeks later

"MS. POOLE!"

Emily grimaced as she was stopped in her tracks by the stern voice of Minerva McGonagall.

She turned on her heel to face her Transfiguration teacher.

"I still haven't received your homework on the History of Animagi," she said, and Emily nodded slowly.

"Right," she said, "Uh....can I get that to you tomorrow?" she asked hopefully, and McGonagall raised a single eyebrow.

"It was due a week ago," she said, and Emily winced.

"I'm sorry professor, but with the new school year, and Quidditch trials this afternoon-"

McGonagall looked more sympathetic at the mention of Quidditch. Ever since her 3rd year, when Oliver Wood had watched her fly during a prank she had pulled on Kate where she had hung all of her favorite clothes on the Quidditch posts, Emily had played chaser for the Gryffindor team.

"Have it on my desk latest by tomorrow afternoon," McGonagall said, and Emily's faced relaxed into a grin.

"Thanks a bunch, Prof-"

"Any later and I'll start deducting points," she wagged her finger at the brunette, before turning and walking up the staircase, her emerald robes billowing behind her as Emily pulled a grimace.

She was in a grizzly mood as she stepped into the Great Hall, spotting Violetta and Kate arguing wildly at the Hufflepuff table. At dinner, and especially at the opening feasts, students were required to sit at their respective house tables, but during lunch and breakfast, the teachers usually didn't care much.

So, Emily made her way to where her friends were sitting, but was stopped in her tracks when she heard a familiar voice call her name. She turned to face Harry, and he jogged to reach her as her stomach started coiling into uncomfortable knots.

As September had gradually become colder, Emily had managed successfully to avoid Harry, although he was starting to notice it more and more, which meant he tried to talk to her more and more.

"Quidditch tryouts this morning," he said, "You coming?"

"Oh well, I wasn't sure if-" she said, but he cut her off.

"Please," he begged her, "We need to keep the team together and-"

"Listen Harry, I'll think about it, I've got lots going on this year," she said hastily, before turning around and setting off towards the Hufflepuff table to sit with her friends.

Harry looked de-moralized as he sat down opposite Ron and Hermione. Ron had been shovelling food into his mouth, but even he hadn't missed the way Emily had been trying to get rid of Harry.

"Everything alright?" Hermione asked, and Ron paused eating for a second.

"She's been like that for 2 weeks," he said dejectedly, sliding his plate of eggs away from him.

Harry didn't know what he had done wrong.

She was normal with him at the feast, almost closer than usual, but the next day she had suddenly been distant and eager to get away from him.

Maybe she had finally come to her senses and realized it was his fault she had spent all summer in hospital, he thought.

Hermione seemed to read his mind, and her face hardened.

"Don't even think that, Emily isn't like that," she said sternly.

"Then what have I done wrong?" he asked, and Ron shook his head.

"Don't sweat it mate, women are an enigma," he shrugged, and, ignoring the look of disbelief Hermione had shot him, he slid Harry's plate of eggs back towards him, "Eat up,"

Over by the Hufflepuff table, Kate kept a skeptical eye on her best friend as they chatted.

"You're trying out for Quidditch, yeah?" Violetta asked Emily, who got an uneasy look on her face.

"I don't know....uh maybe not this year," she said, thinking how much more difficult it would be to avoid Harry if they were at practice thrice a week, and Violetta frowned.

"You love Quidditch," she said disbelievingly, and Emily shook her head.

"I don't know, I guess I'm just-"

"Avoiding Harry?" Kate said, putting her fork down noisily.

Emily got an annoyed expression on her face.

"Not this again Kate, I'm not avoiding him," she said, and Kate scoffed.

"You're getting wrapped up in Dumbledore's words," Kate said, and Emily shushed her harshly.

"Can you keep your voice down?" Emily hissed, and Kate shook her head in disappointment.

"You're hiding," she tutted, and Emily glared at her.

"I am not," she replied hotly.

"Look at yourself," Kate said, "You're giving up things you love because something a death eater came to warn you about god knows what,"

"Kate, keep it down," Violetta hushed her, but Kate rolled her eyes.

"Hasn't it occurred to you she was just trying to freak you out?" she asked in a furious whisper, "You landed her husband in prison, any normal person would be angry,"

"I did think of it-" Emily started vehemently, but Kate cut her off.

"No you didn't!" she exclaimed, before lowering her voice after getting a glare from Violetta, "You're just desperately looking for an excuse to stay away from him because you're terrified he doesn't like you in the same way you do,"

"Kate, stop," Violetta warned, watching Emily's eyes glistening with oncoming tears.

"It's been two years, Emily," Kate said angrily, "When are you going to grow up and stop hiding?"

Emily stood up, the bench grating noisily and causing some people to look around, including Harry, Ron and Hermione.

With a tear-filled glare at her best friend, she grabbed her books and her bag and hurried out of the hall, tears dripping down her cheeks and onto her potions homework. Harry, who had been halfway through a bite, let his fork fall with a clatter and grabbed his bag to hurry after her.

"Emily! Wait!" he called down the hallway as he followed her.

"Go away," she hiccupped, when he caught up with her.

"What's wrong?" he asked, "Talk to me,"

For a split second, he thought she would, but when she turned towards her, she had anger in her eyes he didn't understand.

"What part of 'go away' do you not understand?" she said furiously, wiping her wet eyes on the sleeve of her robes, before turning on her heel and thundering down the corridor, leaving Harry stunned. This wasn't the first time he had seen Emily angry: the girl had a commonly known short temper, but he had never exactly been on the receiving end of it.

Back in the Great Hall, Violetta glared at Kate.

"Proud of yourself?" she asked, and Kate shrugged.

"You know I'm right, Vi," she said, "She has been tiptoeing around that boy for three years,"

"You didn't need to make her cry," Violetta argued, and Kate got a look of remorse on her face.

"I didn't want to, but at least you know that with her temper, she'll go out of her way to prove me wrong and-" Kate said, but Violetta finished her sentence in an understanding tone.

"-she'll try out for Quidditch,"

"Exactly," Kate smiled, "Meaning she can't avoid Harry even if she wanted to,"