Credit Where Credit is Due
Later, during dinner, Ron and Nova were deep in conversation about something where they didn't seem to fully agree. Harry was witnessing the conversation with an amused look on his face, eating the contents of his plate as if it was popcorn.
Another few Gryffindors beside Leigh were talking about what had just occurred: the fireworks and candies and the news of the grand opening of the shop, which, coincidentally, fell on the same day as the Hogsmeade trip. Of course. No wonder they delayed setting a date for the grand opening - they waited until a Hogsmeade trip was announced.
"McGonagall must be fuming!" Someone to Leigh's right spoke. "I'm surprised she hasn't said anything yet."
Leigh's eyes drifted up to McGonagall in the front of the hall. She looked as calm as ever. Filch, however, had not taken the news well. Seeing the twins back in the corridors, throwing about fireworks and Merlin knows what else - everyone thought he was going to have a heart attack. Poor guy thought the worst was over when the two pranksters left Hogwarts, only to now be faced with the bitter reality.
Leigh sat silently during dinner, eating her food occasionally, but mostly pushing the plate's contents around with a pondering look on her face. It was her first meal of the day, and subconsciously she knew that not eating would affect her mood, but she quickly pushed the thought from her mind.
The atmosphere around her was exciting and joyful, yet she was uncertain what to feel. Her thoughts drifted to the corridor a mere few moments earlier, and she swore she could still feel the slight gust of a breath upon her ear. Her face heated up. It was a bit embarrassing really. It had been a crowded corridor, and none of them wanted their words to be heard by anyone else. That's all. The fact that she was so touch starved that she thought back to an innocent moment between friends, not even that really, was just a tiny teensy bit pathetic.
She shook her head to herself. It was nothing, She was thinking too much. Not just about that, but about everything. It was as if she could feel the thoughts bubbling up in her head, putting pressure on the insides of her skull.
She had had a nice few days, she really had. She had enjoyed her classes, enjoyed partying, enjoyed being more present for her friends, and even enjoyed having some conversations with people she normally didn't speak to, a notable example being Fred Weasley, as unexpected as that was.
Still, despite those nice moments she could feel the stormy undercurrents trying to fight their way back up. It was said that it comes in waves, and she really started to understand what they meant. That strange seething sensation stayed constant in the pit of her chest.
The joyful chatters continued around her, and she forced herself to look up at her friends briefly. They, too, were discussing the display of mischief which previously played out in the corridor. Ron seemed proud, and gladly accepted nods his way from people who suddenly had a newfound liking to the Weasley siblings.
"You should've seen it, Leigh," Nova started. "It was awesome. At the end it was like they disappeared in smoke!"
Leigh raised her eyebrow, leaning her face upon her hand on the table as she hummed at her friend. "I'm sure the first years were very impressed."
After her run-in with the twins they had continued down the corridor, a tail of students following them. Leigh wasn't one of them and apparently missed this, according to Nova, impressive spectacle.
Nova rolled her eyes but gave her a tired smile, undoubtedly still feeling the effects of her hangover. "They were. As was everyone else."
"In all honesty it was quite impressive," Hermione added. "I'm not a massive fan of their antics but credit where credit is due; they have improved their stuff tremendously."
Hermione had after all grown up around them and seen their products improve; seen them brainstorming and creating inventions to unleash at the burrow. She had already years back realised that they were smarter than people might expect, and didn't hesitate to let them know it.
Leigh realised that she couldn't help but agree. As Hermione said, credit where credit is due.
"It's going to be nice to have them in Hogsmeade to be honest - I do miss seeing them in the corridors," Harry admitted. Leigh reflected over Harry's many summers in the Weasley home; he probably saw the two of them as big brothers. The thought made her smile faintly, although she wasn't sure why. "Have they told you anything about the new things they are planning?" Harry asked, eyes focused on Leigh.
She shrugged. "I mean not really," she answered honestly. Sure, she was able to take a peek at their new products list, but she was sure they had left off a lot, much to her own disapproval. And regardless, while she wasn't a fan of the shop herself, it would feel wrong to be told something in confidence only to turn around and tell everyone the next day. "Not sure I'm the best person to ask about their 'new' stuff. I barely know any of their old stuff as it is," she replied sheepishly, not a fan of all of the attention being on her.
"Fair enough," Harry shrugged mindlessly, dropping it as easily as he picked it up.
Nova, however, had other plans. "You look like you're getting close you three," she mumbled, and Leigh looked at her with a neutral expression. "You looked proper cozy there for a second."
Leigh's brows furrowed. "Who?"
"You and...one of the twins." She wiggled her eyebrows, earning a roll of the eyes in return. "Whispering..," she trailed off dramatically.
Leigh forced out a chuckle, not wanting to be a complete killjoy. She knew Nova meant no harm, as usual, even though she was annoying. "It's nothing like that, believe me."
A gag was heard from across the table, and Ron looked at Nova with a disgusted expression on his face. "That's my brother you're talking about!"
Nova rolled her eyes dramatically, not appreciating the interruption. "Well I'm not saying you should snog him, am I? I'm saying Leigh should snog him."
Leigh scrunched her nose, not happy about the direction this conversation was going. "Absolutely not."
"I agree!" Ron chimed in, and received a glare from Nova in return - Harry snicked at the exchange. "And 'him'? You don't even know which one you're talking about!"
"Who cares which one it is! She can choose whichever one she fancies most," Nova exclaimed, and Ron seemed to turn greener by the minute. She rolled her eyes. Again. "Fine. It doesn't have to be the twins. I just think having someone as a bit of a distraction would be good for her! I mean it's like her golden years are being wasted and for what?"
The table suddenly grew quiet; the chuckles previously heard coming to a halt.
Leigh exhaled harshly, looking at Nova with a stern look. Golden years? "Leave it." She said firmly, feeling her heart beating quicker in her chest. This was not something she wanted to be discussed during supper, or at all for that matter. The witnesses of the conversation seemed to grow uncomfortable, and a frown etched itself across Hermione's forehead as she looked back and forth between the girls.
Nova lifted her hands in the air, signalling she would back off, and Leigh lowered her gaze onto her plate once more, although she could still feel her body tensing at her friend's words. "I'm just saying," Nova said defensively. "I keep telling you, I think you need to move on, you can't be stuck in the past forever, it's not like it's gonna bring him–"
And just like that Leigh had enough. In an abrupt motion she stood up, slamming her palms on the table. The chatter quietened around her.
"Can you ever actually shut the fuck up?" She asked with a raised voice. The words just tumbled out of her. She noticed numerous eyes on her but for once in her life she didn't pay them any mind. Her mind was reeling and the anger coursed through her like waves. "What makes you think it's okay to say that shit to me?"
A few people further down the table stopped their conversation to lean over the table and steal a look at the group, trying to figure out what the commotion was all about.
Nova's face fell, but Leigh didn't give her any chance to reply before angrily pushing her plate to the middle of the table and grabbing her bag. She shot a menacing glare towards the girl before storming out of the hall, ignoring Nova faintly calling her name after her.
Leigh's footsteps echoed throughout the empty corridor, and she was relieved when she didn't hear anyone following her. An angry tear forced its way out of her eye, and she harshly wiped it away as she made her way towards the dorms.
She couldn't for the life of her understand what Nova's issue was. If she didn't want to be supportive, then no one forced her to. Leigh could take care of herself.
She shook her head as she sped up her pace. She normally wasn't angry, and the emotion felt unfamiliar as it resided in her chest. It had whipped up a storm inside of her, awakening emotions like a stream dragged up the bottom of a lake. She felt overwhelmed and confused and mostly wanted to shove herself into a dark room so she could be alone and try and stabilize herself, however that could be done.
When she finally reached the portrait leading into the Gryffindor common room she stopped in her tracks, slightly out of breath. She leant against the stone wall and closed her eyes, demanding herself to calm down. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to stay up here, knowing the common room would soon fill with people, or just go somewhere else for a while. She needed quiet, that much was certain. She rubbed her eyes harshly before taking a breath, standing up straight before uttering the password to the portrait, ignoring the lady's judgemental looks. Leigh quickly went into her dorm to snatch up a textbook before making her way out the common room again.
She hurried down the stairs and was grateful she met no one on her way. She didn't expect anyone walking after her anyway.
She spent the rest of the evening seated in one of the many vacant classrooms in the castle - attempting to catch up on some studying but time and time again being distracted by her thoughts going back to Nova's words.