𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗸, harry potter

˗ˋ 42

CHAPTER FORTY TWO
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-: fifth year :-

── IN WHICH INFORMATION 
IS KNOWN

. . .

Whilst Aviana much preferred the Care of Magical Creature classes that took place in the summer time, given that they covered mich friendly creatures who didn't like the cold of Scotland from September through to March or April, that didn't stop her from getting into the lessons that they did in autumn term. 

She moved past from the group of Gryffindors and Slytherins that had gathered around the end of the table and instead aimed for the less crowded area near where Professor Grubbly-Plank was stood, overseeing the fifth years. 

It wasn't just her who had this idea, although it seemed that Harry had moved closer to the teacher with alternate motives. "Where's Hagrid?" The Potter boy asked, although it sounded almost like he was demanding answers more than anything. 

Aviana was looking through the arranged Bowtruckles, examining them for what seemed to be best specimen to use for her diagram, gaze dancing up over to Grubbly-Plan just for a moment.

"Never you mind." Professor Grubbly-Plank replied, which had been her attitude last time Hagrid hadfailed to turn up for a class too during his first couple years as professor. 

Milliseconds later and Aviana was acutely aware of a presence behind her, Draco's pale hand appearing over her shoulder and taking the biggest of the Bowtruckles. The Rosier girl took another, straightening up and examining his smirking features, knowing exactly what he was going to do.

"Maybe," Draco said in an undertone, which was only so that Harry and Aviana could hear what he was saying. " Maybe, the stupid great oaf's got himself badlyinjured."

"Maybe you will if you don't shut up," Harry retorted out of thecorner of his mouth.

"Maybe he's been messing with stuff that's too big for him,if you get my drift." Malfoy smirked, catching Aviana's eyes and turning it into more of a pretentious grin. "You know what I'm talking about, of course." The second part was directed towards Aviana, who nodded.

The girl's insides constricted when she saw the confusion on Harry's face. As they were walking towards the lesson, Draco had told her, Blaise, Pansy and Theo everything he knew about what Hagrid was currently doing. And Harry seemed to be very much unaware of that.

"It doesn't bode well to go meddling in business that has nothing to do with you, Potter." Aviana turned towards Harry, the Bowtruckle she had picked up seeming to like her quite a bit and scuttled up to sit on her shoulder. "However I can tell you that it will either go incredibly wrong.. or surprisingly right. And given Hagrid's track record with his past ventures.. well we all know which outcome is well on it's way." 

Nothing was exciting about the rest of that lesson, Aviana and Draco having reunited with Blaise and begun sketching out their diagraams seconds later. A couple of laughs had come later in the lesson, when Harry was distracted by something Draco had said about his father having it on very good authority that due to the Ministry's involvement at Hogwarts that Hagrid would be turned away on return, and his Bowtruckle had attacked him and ran away.

The lesson came to an end soon enough and the group of Slytherins were first to cross the vegetable patches besides Hagrid's hut and make their way up to school. Glancing behind her, Aviana spotted Harry saying something to Ron and Hermione, eyebrows darting upwards when she saw all three of them looking up at her. 

"I just have to go see Professor Sprout about something." Aviana announced to the rest of the group. "I'll see you all in Charms." Her course diverted from the rest of the group, instead heading in the direction that she knew the Gryffindors were going; Lavender Brown had been going that way. 

It didn't take long for Harry, Hermione and Ron to catch up to her, and without so much of a glance behind her to know that they were right on her trail, Aviana ducked into one of the slim passages between greenhouses. 

"Well this is interesting, isn't it?" The Slytherin girl smirked as she turned to see Hermione, Ron and Harry barring her exit.

"What do you know about Hagrid, Aviana?" Hermione asked, her tone much nicer than anything she had heard from them since the beginning of the nightmare that was her summer. 

"Like I said.. interesting." Aviana tucked a curl of dark hair behind her ear. "I never quite imagined this would be what you were like when wanting information. I always saw you begging or something, putting a lot more effort in then that pathetic attempt."

"I'll write to Sirius." Harry threatened, but Aviana only laughed.

"Is that supposed to scare me? Cute." She scoffed. "My bets are that your little Order already know everything about where Hagrid is, and just like usual, you're all being kept in the dark. It really is laughable how little you all know. Now move, I have to go to Charms."

She had quite literally gone out of her way to poke fun at them, and a shove to Harry and Ron's shoulders had them moving apart to let her by. Except Aviana's hand didn't move from Harry's shoulder, the girl stopping herself from walking and turning back to him. 

Her hand didn't move on his shoulder, a tantalising smile on her lips. A slender finger, with a singular golden ring sat upon it, tapped up and down. Once, twice.

Harry waited to see what she would say with baited breath. 

"I'll see you in detention Potter." The teasing tone echoed in his ears as her hand slipped away, and silently, Ron and Hermione joined him in returning to the path. 

In front of them, a bunch of fourth years had just come out of a greenhouse. Not wanting her path to be interrupted, Aviana moved straight through them, a compliment to Luna's earrings that seemed strangely genuine floating back to the trio. 

"It's not just me who thinks she's bloody strange, is it?" Ron blurted out, words breaking the weird tension that had gathered.

Hermione and Harry slowly shook their heads.

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