Chapter 18

There was always something about Hogsmeade that made Brooke feel at home. The cobblestone streets, the chatter and laughter from everyone in the village, the smell of hot chocolate mixed with the wonderful scent of food, even the creepy shops with their batty owners were comforting to her. It became even more of a favorite since Fred and George opened up their job in the town, she has received quite a few care packages from the two, who on occasion threw in some relationship snacks to try which she had promptly deposited into the trash.

Since news reached the Burrow of Ron and Brooke's relationship she had received numerous letters from Molly, and numerous love letters from Fred and George who decided that they wanted to branch their expertise out into the relationship world as well with inappropriate cards, letters, and gadgets. Brooke was too embarrassed to tell Hermione that the reason both she and Ron ended up in the Hospital Wing last weekend was because of one of these gadgets. It was called the Kissing Oxygen; it read that it could make kissing last longer as it has a serum in it to give the partners extra oxygen. Out of the gadgets she had received she and Ron thought best to try with something that could do no real harm. WRONG. Not only did it give the two extra oxygen it also made their mouths suction together like a vacuum. Brooke had never been so mortified in her life. After that the two decided to pitch all gadgets into the trash.

The snow was starting to fall and the grounds were turning into a blanket of snow along the cobblestones. The green trees had long since been covered in sheets of snow, making Hogsmeade look like a winter wonderland as the trio entered into the village. The excitement of Christmas nearing had the entire village a glow with excitement and chatter as people rushed to do some shopping, students gathered in their little cliques, and other Wizards and Witches went about their day.

Ron's hand held hers securely as they walked through the town, the trio making their way through the shops and stores to see what all they wanted.

"I just don't understand Brooke, that book just seems like bad news, I can't find reference to it anywhere" Hermione quipped as the trio left Honeydukes.

Brooke rolled her eyes and Ron snorted.

"How many hours did you spend in the Library searching for references to a Half Blood Prince 'Mione?"

Hermione sent him an icy glare, "Honestly I figured you would be most concerned to Ronald, after all the last real book that Brooke took an interest in was a book possessed by You-Know-Who, which also consequently led Ginny into being brought into the Chamber of Secrets."

"I'll have you know-"

"Enough." Brooke sighed, "Come on I'm hungry let's go to the three broomsticks and have a butterbeer or something."

Hermione bite her lip but trudged along with the two.

Even since Brooke had been given the Potions Book who's previous owner was someone called the Half Blood Prince Hermione had been on her butt. Mainly because it had many things written inside, that actually helped Brooke ace a few of her Potions Assignments, but also because Hermione had not passed those assignments. For a while Hermione just asked to view the book, but soon she started to become truly obsessed with the books prior owner, declaring for Brooke to give it to the Headmaster.

Warmth seeped through Brooke's thick winter coat as the three entered and quickly grabbed a table, warming their hands as they sat. It appeared almost the entire school was sitting in the Three Broom Sticks, probably to escape the cold weather from outside, even some of the Professor's were here including…

"Professor Slughorn is here!" Brooke squeaked out, "Hurry switch with me Hermione, I need to sit there!" without quite waiting for Hermione's answer she quickly squeezed herself into the seat Hermione was currently about to sit at.

"Honestly Brooke, your obsession with Professor Slughorn is making you lose your mind!" she said in a reprimanding tone.

Brooke ignored her, the sole focus of her attention was sitting at the bar speaking to another Wizard.

"Three butterbeers please" Ron requested, tossing his hat onto the chair next to Hermione.

The chatter in the Three Broom Sticks was loud, and packed almost to the point where they would soon allow no others entrance until others left. But the noise was good, because it kept Brooke focused on where and what Slughorn was doing. Dumbledore had told her to let him catch her, and she knew what that meant since the other night. She had been lying in bed, constantly thinking of what he could possibly mean when she realized of course that he was referring to his 'favorite students.'

"Oh bloody hell!" Ron growled, his cheeks growing positively red.

"What is it?" Hermione asked.

Brooke followed his line of sight to the far corner booth where Ginny and Dean tucked into a corner booth. "Oh honestly Ron they are just holding hands!" she stated before snapping her attention back to Slughorn.

"And snogging…"Hermione added, looking slightly uncomfortable herself.

Ron slammed his fist against the top of the table, making their freshly arrived drinks jiggle in their cups. "I would like to leave."

"Don't be ridiculous," Hermione lectured, "What do you think she would do if she looked over here and saw your and Brooke snogging, would you expect her to just get up and leave?"

Ron's face tinged red at the mention of snogging, but Brooke wasn't paying any attention to the two's conversation anymore as she was watching Slughorn slowly start to approach the table.

She stood in a hast, almost knocking her chair backwards had it not been for Ron's arm on the back of the chair, "Hello sir how are you doing today?" she asked, her voice sweet and smile big as she shook his hand.

"Well hello young lady what are you doing here, enjoying a drink with your lovely friends here?" he asked, his smile almost goofy as he looked to the two before looking back at her with a bright smile, a drunk smile, but a smile none the less.

"Of course sir," she hid a laugh as his hand swung around, his drink spilling all over the floors and on an annoyed Hermione's shoes.

"In the old days Potter you know I use to throw these glorious supper parties, but only for a select student or two…would you happen o be interested Potter, and of course you as well Granger."

Brooke quickly answered for the two of them, "We would be delighted sir!"

"Good good" he stated with cheer, giving the two girls a drunken smile, before giving a look to Ron that was crossed between a smile and outright confusion, "Good to see you Wallace!"

Brooke smiled, nodding as he departed from the establishment, grinning as she sat down and took a sip of her butterbeer, ignoring her two friend's odd looks.

"What are you playing at?" Ron asked, glaring in the direction that Slughorn had departed from, "He called me Wallace!"

Brooke laughed, taking another sip of her drink, "Obviously he just doesn't know you as well Ron, don't be so sensitive." She took another sip, "Besides remember, Dumbledore asked me to get to know him…I mean it must be something important, because if it weren't Dumbledore wouldn't have asked."

Hermione's smile thinned, "I think you need to be careful Brooke, I think sometimes Dumbledore forgets how old you are…"she took a sip of her butterbeer, reminiscing before putting it down, "I'm just saying that sometimes I think he puts a bit too much pressure on you."

"Honestly 'Mione, he wants me to get close to Slughorn, it's not like he is asking me to fight in a tournament that could kill me."

Ron rolled his eyes, "Yeah Hermione that was 4th year!"
The three burst out laughing, their laughter bringing an end to the tension that had built form the discussion. Ron's warm hand wrapped around her shoulder, Hermione's smiling face in front of her, Brooke couldn't have thought of a better place to be than right then and there.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

By the time the trio had finished their drinks, and shopped a bit, the snow had picked up, and the road back to Hogwarts seemed almost empty with little to no students on it.

Brooke's hand fastened tightly into Ron's much bigger one, and her arm wrapped around Hermione, "It's nice to be able to just have a relaxing day; no talk of homework or Voldemort, and to top it off not school!"

Ron chuckled, "How badly did you want to speak about school 'Mione?"

Hermione huffed, but laughed none the less, "No, I actually agree it was a good day to get out and-"

"AHHHHHHH"

The piercing scream made Brooke's skin crawl, her heart freezing, and her mind racing as the three detached and reached for their wands.

A few yards in front of them where Katie Bell had been was gone, and all they could see was Allison Schrieb, screaming.

Brooke was the first to take off, quickly followed by Ron and Hermione, "What?" Brooke yelled as they neared and saw Katie on the ground.

"I WARNED HER!" Allison yelled.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH"

"I WARNED HER NOT TO TOUCH IT AND SHE DID!" Allison cried as Katie was thrust into the air.

Brooke had never seen anything like it as the four stood back and hopelessly watched. The screams that were coming out of Katie were muffled, but loud, she just floated there, levitating as though in slow motion, but the screams kept coming.

"What do we do?" Allison wailed.

"You can't do anything, she's been cursed" Hermione stated, still staring at the now prone form of Katie on the ground.

Brooke made to take a step forward when Hagrid's booming voice stopped her.

"Don't get any closer!" he walked by quickly, picking Katie up, "You four, one of 'Yer grab the necklace, but don' touch it but w'th the wrappins" he instructed, "Come now we need to get back quickly."

Brooke was still trying to let her mind catch up on what exactly was happening, and before she knew it they were in McGonagall's office.

"Why is it when something happens, it is always you three?" her face was stern, but you could tell her eyes were desperate, worried, even a mix of sadness mixed in them as she looked at the three Gryffindor's.

Ron sighed, "Believe me Professor, I've been asking myself the same question for six years."

If the situation hadn't been so serious, Brooke would have laughed, or at least cracked a smile, but this time it didn't seem funny. "She's been cursed hasn't she?" she finally spoke. "Katie would never do anything to harm anyone, if someone told her to deliver it to Dumbledore she either didn't know what it was, or someone cursed her to do it."

McGonagall nodded her head, "Yes she was cursed."

"I would have to say Miss Bell is lucky to be alive"

Brooke turned her head, staring into the black eyes of Severus, his face like usual was whipped of any kind of emotion, but Brooke could swear she saw something flickering in his eyes.

"It was Malfoy." This time she knew she was the flicker. She could feel the stern gaze of Hermione, and the shocking gaze of both Rona and McGonagall, but her eyes held Severus'. "I saw him at the Three Broomsticks."

McGonagall took a deep breath, "Potter that is a very serious allegation, and not one to take lightly."

"Indeed." Severus deep voice stated, his eyes questioning, but a questioning that didn't show to anyone else but her, "Your evidence."

"I just know."

"You just know?" now his voice sounding mocking, deliberately drawing out his words as he stated them. "You have an astonishing gift Potter, a gift a mere mortals can only dream of possessing…How grand it must be to be the Chosen One." His voice like usual was low and his words were annunciated in a slow demeanor, one that was meant to make her feel small. But it didn't.

She held his gaze, while the room shifted with the uncomfortable silence that it was left in.

"I suggest you three go back to your dormitory."

Brooke held his gaze a few moments longer, before finally turning and following after her friends.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-00-0-

"You shouldn't have said that Brooke, with no valid proof that Malfoy is doing anything, you really shouldn't have said that" Hermione hissed as the trio relaxed by the fire that night.

The common room was almost completely empty now due to the late hours, and the promise of classes tomorrow, most had already retired to their respectful rooms.

"I don't need proof Hermione, not the kind that they want; besides it's not like I can explain to them him disappearing from the map."

Hermione sighed loudly; closing the book she currently had open, "don't you sometimes think you just assume it is Malfoy up to no good because of your animosity towards each other."

Brooke turned, her eyes narrowed, "No Hermione I don't, I am telling you Malfoy is up to something, I knew it the moment I saw him sneaking around Diagon Ally in the summer, he is up to something, and it is something big!"

"Remus told you not to go running thinking Malfoy is a Death Eater, he is too young!" Hermione insisted once again.

"Voldemort doesn't care about how old you are to think you are a threat or an ally Hermione, in case your forgot!"

Silence gathered around them.

"I'm going to bed" Brooke declared, standing.

Ron started to scramble to get up, clearly not knowing what to do in this moment.

"Brooke I didn't mean to make you upset, I just think-"

"That we should all be holding hands and singing kumbaya?" she scoffed at her own comment, "This is a war Hermione, and in case you didn't need more evidence that it is coming, look at what happened to Katie Bell today! It's time to take your head out of the books and out of whatever la la land you're currently in and realize shit is happening, and it's happening now, and closer to home than ever!" and with that she disappeared up the stairs.

Her blood was boiling as she drew her curtains closed tightly around her bed. She wasn't mad at Hermione, but at the situation as a whole. She knew Malfoy was up to something, and as she opened the map, and found his name disappearing, she knew that he was. She just wasn't sure as to what. Snape obviously knew, she could tell by his eyes, he wanted to know how and why she knew. Now she was really in a pickle, how was she to find out what he was up to was the real question now.