Take Me Away

“George, calm down!” Meredith demanded one Saturday morning.
The two woke up early, ate an early breakfast and decided to get right to work. George had been getting very frustrated, very fast lately and Meredith didn’t understand. Quite frankly, it was getting on her last nerves.
George stayed quiet and stared at the book that lay in his lap. He knew that Meredith was getting upset with him, but he couldn’t help it. He was so frustrated all the time now. He just wanted to be good at this so she wouldn’t think that he was an idiot.
Meredith sighed, “Let’s just take a break for now.”
Fall was starting to take it’s dominance. The wind picked up and Meredith watched the leaves dance around them and over the black lake. She stood up suddenly and jumped in the air, exposing her thin stomach. George watched her do this and his own stomach did a flip. She had caught a bright red leaf that must have caught her eye.
“It matches your hair,” She laughed looking back at the boy who had been watching her.
When the wind picked up again, she let the leaf go. It flew high up in the air, weaving from side to side. But when the wind came to a stop, the leaf fluttered down, spinning a few times. Then it landed on the top of the twinkling black water.
Meredith watched until the leaf was totally submerged under water, then sat beside George again. She let out a sigh as she thought about her mother. She hadn’t heard about or from her mother since she received her letter and money. She was supposed to be in Azkaban, but had escaped. Meredith didn’t even know how she did it. She wasn’t supposed to talk about her mother to anyone.
George on the other hand, was thinking about Potions and how he was slowly improving. He knew that his O.W.L.S. exam was to be during Christmas holidays so he wouldn’t be going home for the holidays. When Meredith told him this, he was upset at first. But then he discovered that she would be staying too and he got excited. That was the thing George didn’t understand. Why did he get so happy and excited when he was around her? She was a Slytherin for crying out loud! Her mother was one of the most feared villain ever. And yet, he was completely and utterly comfortable around her.
George and Meredith continued their lesson. They weren’t having much luck still. George became snappy with Meredith and she didn’t like it one bit.
“Okay, so when they say this, they really mean just to slice it in half,” Meredith told him.
“I know,” He spat.
Meredith stared at him for a moment then said, “I’m sorry. Did I offend you or something?”
George scoffed, “No. Why would I let a Slytherin offend me?”
And there it was. The reason that Meredith was waiting for. She had always known that it would come down to this. Just because she was a Slytherin was no reason to be mean to her when she was doing everything in her power to help him pass his test. She was even starting to believe that they were friends. But she was sadly mistaken. Her anger boiled up and around the pit of her stomach as her hands formed into fists and her knuckles turned white.
She slapped the book shut, shoving to the ground. It wasn’t hers; why should she care? She stood up and brushed herself off. She moved past George as he was standing up also. Before she knew what she was doing, she spun around and punch his shoulder as hard as she could. When she realized what she did, she brought her hands to cover her open mouth and stared at the boy that shared her shocked expression. It was like something had snapped within her. Was she turning into her mother?
“I am so sorry,” She whispered from behind her hands as she started to back away and taking off to the castle.
George grabbed his shoulder in pain as he watched Meredith run away for him. He groaned. Why did he have to be such a jerk? He picked up his textbook and walked slowly to the Gryffindor common room to get ready for the first task.

Later that day, Meredith sat with Lucy during the first task. She still had mixed emotions about what had happened. She was angry but felt really bad.
“Well, maybe you should just give him some time to cool off,” Lucy said as she played with the hem of her shirt.
Meredith shrugged as she sported the red hair she was trying to avoid. She slid down in her seat, trying to make herself invisible. With much luck, the twins walked past her without giving her a look. She let out a sigh and looked over to Lucy. She was staring after them with a small smile on her lips.
“What’s with that look?” Meredith asked, waving her hand in front of her friend’s eyes.
Lucy’s cheeks quickly flushed. She blinked a few times then pointed to the large arena in front of them. “Look, it’s starting!” She yelled, changing the subject.
Meredith’s eyes wondered to the arena, spotting Hagrid, the ground’s keeper, opening a giant cage. He ran like hell as soon as he got the lock off. Squinting her eyes, she tried to make out the form of the creature that laid in the cage. But she didn’t have to, because a giant green dragon came from the metal contraption.
Her eyes widened as the dragon stepped around, looking at the students all around him. He let out a loud, booming roar, causing everyone in the stands to either cheer or scream. But she stayed quiet. She was baffled as to why Dumbledore would approve of this kind of activity.
George strolled into the stands with his brother. His shoulder still stung and was forming a pretty awful bruise. He couldn’t get his mind off of Meredith. Not just of what happened, but everything about her. Her face, her hair, the way she smelled of mangos, her body. He just didn’t understand why he was feeling this way. Sure he has had girlfriends before, but none of them consumed his thoughts more than she did.
That’s when he spotted her. She was sitting in the stands with Lucy. She was wearing the same thing from earlier and her hair was pinned up the same. She looked stunning to him and that scared him. She was listening to what Lucy was telling her, almost a look of shame on her face. He did that to her.
Lowering his face, he kept walking. He wanted to look up and see if she had seen him. And if she didn’t, he wanted to walk by endless amount of times before she did notice him. He sighed out loud and looked up when he heard Ron’s voice.
Him and Fred climbed the stands and sat behind Ron who was sitting all alone. George looked at Fred to see his eyes fixed on something, a slight smirk playing at his lips. George followed his eyes and jealousy and anger began to over come him. He was staring at Meredith. His Meredith.
“Who are you making those eyes at?” He asked trying to sound amused.
Fred looked at his brother with a proud smile that made George want to punch him. “Lucy. We’ve talked a few times. She totally wants me.”
George calmed himself, realizing that he was getting in too deep. Why did he care so much? He quickly changed the subject by leaning in towards his younger brother.
“Where’s your girlfriend?” He teased.
Ron turned in his seat, his face going red. George knew that Ron had always liked Hermione but he never said anything to her. He would say that it would make him look like an idiot.
“I don’t know who you’re taking about,” He lied, turning his attention to Victor Krum out in the arena.
Fred rolled his eyes while saying, “Where’s Hermione?”
“She’s wishing Harry luck,” Ron answered eyes glued to Krum.
George and Fred looked at each other, deciding to tease him even more. “Wishing him luck, eh?” They sang in unison.
Ron gave them a look as if saying that it wasn’t going to work. The twins just patted Ron’s back and both turned their attention to the event.
Soon Harry came out of the small tent that was sent up by the arena. Everyone seemed to hold their breath, wanting to see if the Boy Who Lived was up for the challenge. No one seemed to cheer for Harry; they thought he was just doing this for attention. But his friends knew better. They knew that he would never do that. Plus, eternal glory? He’s already got that.
Meredith watched Harry carefully, her mind wondering from scenario to scenario. What if he was killed? What if he actually won? A smirk played at her lips as one scenario fit to her liking. But once she realized what she was thinking, she almost gasped out loud. She stood up, not even saying goodbye to Lucy and darted out of the stands.
She couldn’t believe what she had just thought. She thought of the dragon, ripping Harry’s body apart and rapidly consuming his body. She pictured the dragon snapping its jaws shut tightly around Harry’s body. His blood going every.
“Ms. Black,” Professor Snape’s voice echoed through her brain.
She brought her attention to the Professor, her hands shaking a bit.
“I must inform you that all students are to remain in the stands at all times,” He droned on.
“I’m sorry, Professor,” She told him with a shaking voice.
She turned back around and slowly climbed the stands to her previous seat. She sat beside Lucy who was wearing a concerned expression on her face.
“You okay?” She asked as she grabbed Meredith’s arm.
She nodded and lied, “I thought I was going to be sick. I’m fine though.”
Lucy didn’t push it any more and turned her head to watch the ending of the event. When Harry put his hands around the gold egg, everyone in the stands cheered. It was odd; at first no one wanted him to even be in the competition, now they wanted him to win.
Meredith and Lucy stayed in their seat, watching the students around them try to make it to dinner first. Meredith felt a little queasy, not really wanting any food. She just wanted to go to bed and shake off the image of Harry being ripped apart by a dragon. The scary thing about all of it, was that she liked it. She loved the look of horror and pain on his face. It made her sick.
“Hey, Lucy!” Called a voice, lifting Meredith out of her thoughts. It was Fred. He was standing with George, waving one hand high above his head while the other was tucked away in his pocket.
Lucy giggled from beside Meredith and quickly stood up and hopped over to him. Meredith stayed where she was, afraid that she would be sick if she stood. Meredith felt a few footsteps on the stand, telling her that she wasn’t going to be alone much longer.
She looked up and asked, “How’s your shoulder?”
George sat beside her before answering, “It stings a little. Not bad though.”
He said this even though in reality, it stung badly. George didn’t want to seem like a wimp to her. Meredith nodded, looking down at her feet, which were resting on the seat in front of her.
“I’m really sorry about hitting you, George. I was mad and it just kind of happened,” She apologized for the second time.
George shrugged, “It’s alright. I was kind of being a jerk.”
Meredith glanced at him with a soft smile, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. The wind started to pick up again, causing George’s long, orange hair to twirl around. Meredith’s hair danced in the wind as well as the cool air bit at their noses and cheeks.
“Want to walk to dinner?” George asked.
Meredith still wasn’t that feeling up to eating but she nodded anyways. The two stood, noticing that Fred and Lucy were off on their own and almost to the castle.
“So,” Meredith pondered, “Fred and Lucy?”
George laughed softly, scratching his neck, “Yeah, who would’ve known?”
Meredith shrugged her shoulders. She was happy for her friend. And the two were definitely cute together.
They continued the rest of their walk in silence. When they reached the entrance of the Great Hall, George stopped her before she could walk in. Meredith looked back at him, confused. When George looked at her face, he laughed a bit.
“What is it, George?” She asked.
George gulped, “Uh, I’ll see you later.”
Meredith gave him a questionable look, but walked off to sit at the Slytherin table. George watched her leave, sighing. He went off to his own table, taking a seat next to his twin brother who was rambling on and on about how he and Lucy were going to Hogsmeade the following day. George had planned on asking Meredith if she wanted to go with him, but as soon as he looked at her face, he couldn’t ask it.
Meredith sat at her table, not eating anything. Her head was filled with her mother and how she could possibly be just like her. She loved her mother, but she didn’t want to kill people like her. But what if it were destined to be so? She wouldn’t have a choice.
“Meredith, I haven’t talked to you in a while.”
She was pulled out of her thought and replied, “Oh, hello, Draco.”
Draco squeezed next to her, filling his plate with the food that lay in front of him. He talked to Meredith the entire dinner, telling her how his parents had lots of gifts for him for Christmas. She just rolled her eyes at the spoiled brat as she picked at her finger nails.
Meredith looked up, feeling someone staring at her. Her eyes suddenly locked with Harry’s. He lifted up a letter and pointed out to the staircase. She gave him a small nod and watched him walked out of the Great Hall.
“I’ve gotta go, Draco,” She said standing, “Maybe we could caught up another time.”
She walked quietly out of the large room and spotted Harry a little ways away from the stairs. She smiled when she got closer to him. His long, untidy dark hair covered his eyes a bit and he looked tired.
“Here’s your letter from Sirius,” He told her, handing off the letter.
She smiled as she took it and stared at it, “Thanks so much, Harry.”
He nodded then stood there awkwardly. He cleared his throat then asked, “So, what’s up with you and George?”
Meredith was taken back by this question. What did he mean? Did he think that the two were together? Did he think that the two liked each other? She shrugged her shoulders while saying, “I’m tutoring him.”
Harry didn’t seemed convinced. He squinted his eyes at her, trying to read if she were holding back something. When he couldn’t find anything, his intense look dropped.
“Alright. I was just wondering. It looks like you two would like each other. That’s all,” He shrugged his shoulders, then walked off.
Meredith watched him go, not sure why he would even think that. She shrugged it off and basically ran off to read her letter.