Chapter 7
Garreth could not sit still for the life of him. It seemed every spot in the castle he tried to retreat to was just slightly too stuffy, and his tie was always just slightly too tight no matter how much he loosened it. Any place that was quiet only amplified his scattered thoughts, but any place that was busy was too overwhelming and distracting. The potions classroom was being occupied by an older student tutoring a second year, so he couldn't get lost in brewing. In short - he felt like he was losing his mind. In a last stitch effort to save his sanity, he decided to go walk outside near the Black Lake and hope the fresh air would cure his discomfort.
If his feelings for Maeve being dragged out of the shadows by Natty was enough to totally unnerve him, the past 24 hours probably could have killed him. As he walked through the corridors toward the Bell Tower Courtyard exit, he replayed the previous night in vivid detail, as he had been doing unwillingly all day.
When Garreth had first thought about going to the Restricted Section, he hadn't been planning to ask Maeve to join him. Sure, the two of them had been a stellar pair for years now when it came to sneaking into the area, but he thought this specific errand was best run alone. However, when she fit perfectly in his arms and opened up to him, he had no choice - he would ask her to go anywhere with him, if only for the possibility of maybe being that close to her again.
And Merlin, did he get to be close to her.
When he heard the infamous voice of Peeves approaching, he knew they only had mere seconds to hide, or else risk being caught and turned in by the insufferable git of a poltergeist. Peeves wouldn't stop at alerting Scribner - Garreth knew that he would go directly to his aunt to rat them. Peeve's awareness of Garreth's relation to the Headmistress had proven to be a massive pain in the arse on many, many occasions, escalating even the smallest of offenses into several detentions and familial lectures.
Right now, being caught was one thing. He could handle the consequences of his mischief, as inconvenient and uncomfortable as they were. It was an entirely different and horrifying thought being caught with that bloody vial in his cloak pocket.
He went to the Restricted Section for a reason: to grab that vial. Veratiserum was a powerful truth serum that Sharp introduced them to during their sixth year. The potion is controlled by Ministry guidelines, and therefore strictly monitored during potions lessons. Sharp had to keep an extra close eye on the distribution of ingredients, to the point of distributing them out himself rather than allowing students to grab what they needed. Additionally, he retrieved each vial after the lesson, not allowing a student to leave until he was certain they did not take their brew with them.
Garreth had been simply fascinated by the potion, and its taboo nature only mystified him further. He wanted to keep a vial for himself, if only for research purposes - he never imagined he would ever actually use it. So, when the day came for them to actually brew it, he loaded up his cloak pockets with different ingredients in advance. After Sharp distributed the necessary ingredients, Garreth instead used the alternate ingredients he brought in a fashion that was designed to ruin the potion, and pocketed the ingredients Sharp had given him for the Veratiserum. After Sharp had questioned what exactly Garreth must have done to achieve that type of foul bubbling (which Garreth honestly had no answer to, but thank Merlin that Sharp did not press the issue), Garreth received a new set of ingredients to complete the assignment. Therefore, when the end of class came, Garreth was able to turn in his Veratiserum, and leave class with a complete set of ingredients in his robes.
After he made the potion on his own, he realized he was too afraid to store it anywhere that could be traced back to him. He landed on a bookshelf deep in the Restricted Section, placed behind several books (they were dusty - a good sign that they wouldn't be moved). Only he knew exactly where it was, but on the off chance that somebody happened upon it, it at least couldn’t be traced back to him.
Yesterday was the first time he had thought about the Veratiserum since he had hid it (so much for all that "research" he planned to do), but he thought that at the very least, he could use it for good. He was suspicious that Charity used a Maxima potion during her duel with Maeve, which was not only unsportsmanlike but entirely against the rules. How else could Charity pack that much of a punch with a single cast against Maeve? His suspicions were only validated when he saw Sharp's ingredient stock lacked the ingredients necessary for a Maxima potion. He was also still about 75% sure that he saw a subtle red glow around Charity's hand during the duel. None of this evidence was something he could actually prove... however, if three drops of Veratiserum happened to land in Charity's tea, and someone were to ask her just how she did so well during the duel, she should give herself away.
It was a risky plan, of course, which is exactly why he wasn't going to tell Maeve and incriminate her in this potential mess. If Garreth were found out to not only be in possession of Veratiserum but have used it on another student, Aunt Matilda would be the least of his worries. Especially at his age, he wouldn't be able to play this off to the Ministry as being some irresponsible child who didn't know better. He didn't even know if his brew actually worked - it's not like he tested it on anybody after he made it. It could be all risk and no reward. But, he thought about Maeve and that duel, and the tears she cried on him afterwards, and nothing would’ve stopped him from trying.
But in order to actually carry out the plan and get Maeve the opportunity she deserved, he couldn't get caught with the potion here, in the Restricted Section. In the few seconds they had to hide from the quickly approaching Peeves, he saw only the small gap between the bookcases. It wasn't a great option - it looked barely large enough to fit Maeve's frame, and not at all large enough to fit his - but he knew it was the only thing they had time to try. He shoved her in first (not at all gracefully, and he planned to apologize for the bruises it probably left) and somehow managed to squeeze in behind her as well.
He took a moment to adjust to the sudden darkness this space provided, but once he did, his brain felt like it was hit with an electricity jinx. Him and Maeve were pressed completely against each other. If you told him that he was dead, he might actually believe you, because there was no way his heart was still beating. With his face hovering only inches from hers, he was afraid to even breathe, because she would surely notice when his breath was inevitably shaky. Merlin, he hoped his breath didn't stink.
His only saving grace was that his arms were pressed up against the bookshelf, elbows and forearms flush with the wood behind her, effectively caging her in. Otherwise, what would his hands have done? He doesn't know what would be worse - if they had to lay limp at his sides awkwardly, or if he rested them on her, like some cocky git. Though, with the two of them pressed against each other - their chests, their stomachs, their legs - would his hands on her hips really have made things more intimate? He didn't know why, but he felt like it would.
If Garreth had to guess, the two of them were there for at least four days. That's what it felt like, at least. A full four days of standing there, trying not to look at her lips, failing, and subsequently thinking through every disgusting scenario he could to avoid his attraction to her taking over and making the situation more... intense. It was intimate, it was terrifying, and he could tell by the flush on her cheeks that shone through even in the very dim lighting that she felt equally unnerved.
Thinking back on that moment, Garreth was utterly pissed at himself that he didn't lean forward and kiss her right then and there. He'd be lying if he said he hadn't imagined that exact scenario before: a rendezvous in the Restricted Section that was much less friendly than in real life. He couldn't believe he had the opportunity and didn't take it. But he knew it wouldn't have been right, releasing his feelings onto her while she was already managing the aftermath of losing the duel. The restraint killed him. He wished to find the persevering rational part of his brain and eviscerate it. It took all the strength he could muster when he finally suggested the coast was clear. Stepping away from her simultaneously felt like a breath of a fresh air and a Crucio to the gut.
It was necessary for him to return his focus to his original plan (as if he could think of anything else besides Maeve). Though, he did remind himself that if things went as he hoped as far as getting Maeve into the tournament, she would be in a much better space for him to take her back to the Restricted Section with a different goal.
At first, Garreth had no idea how he would manage to get Veratiserum to Charity without raising suspicion. He doesn't know if he's ever even spoken to the girl before, so he couldn't just walk up and say "Hey, can I add this suspicious liquid to your drink? Don't ask me what it is." Luckily, some of the pieces came together nicely on their own, though he swears this plan didn't include any Felix Felicis.
He found out that his aunt asked Sebastian and Charity to come speak with her about some tournament details before the Transfiguration class they all shared. Therefore, he had to get the Veratiserum to her during her breakfast, and then simply arrive early to the classroom and prompt the conversation. If she was guilty of anything, and the potion actually worked, then the rest would happen naturally.
He arrived extra early to breakfast that morning in order to give himself the most time possible to find an opportunity to get the potion to Charity. As he watched her from the Gryffindor table, waiting for an opportunity, he realized that she moved around often during breakfast. Quite the socialite she was, walking back and forth from group to group for various chats, bringing her cup of tea with her wherever she went. He added three drops of Veratiserum - actually, make it four, for good measure - as subtly as he could to a fresh cup of tea, hoping he avoided the eyes of the gossipy Gryffindors sitting around him. Then, he excused himself to quickly go discuss the Chudley Cannons' new chaser with one of the Slytherin quidditch players.
It all happened exactly as he had hoped. He pretended to not be paying attention as he passed Charity, and bumped directly into her cup of tea, spilling the entire thing on her robes and uniform. Garreth did his best to look sheepish as the Slytherin stood appalled.
"What in Merlin's name did you do that for? Watch where you're walking, Weasley!" She spat out between huffs and groans, mourning her outfit and cup of tea.
"I am so sorry! I wasn't paying attention, that was entirely my fault." He extended the cup of tea to her. "Here, take this since I ruined yours. I haven't drank from it yet, I promise."
She eyed him angrily for a moment, but snatched the tea from his hands. "I'll drink this on my way back to my dormitory, since I have to go change into a uniform that doesn't have tea stains down the entire front." She grumbled, harshly bumping into his shoulder as she walked toward the exit, mumbling a series of "completely ridiculous" and "absolute imbecile" as she left. One step down.
Next, he arrived to Transfiguration early for class, but exactly on time for his purposes. It was only Charity and Sebastian in the room with his aunt, and he couldn't be more thankful that no other students would witness this conversation. When he walked over, his aunt noticed immediately and paused her conversation with the Slytherins. "Garreth, might I ask you to please wait outside for just a few more minutes? We will be finishing this conversation shortly."
"Sure thing, Aunt Matilda." He politely responded. He pretended to turn to leave, but then turned back to look at Charity directly. "Oh, Charity, I am so sorry again for this morning."
His aunt gave Charity a questioning look, who did not hesitate to explain. "He is the reason I was late to our meeting, Professor. He spilled my tea everywhere, including my uniform, so I had to go change into fresh clothes." She said.
Was the potion working? What Charity was saying was the truth, but Garreth felt as though she would have responded that way regardless.
"Truly sorry. It won't happen again, I swear." Garreth responded, his arms raised in innocence. He swallowed deeply, his stomach suddenly buzzing with nerves. It was time to see if this whole plan would actually pay off. "Say, I don't believe I've congratulated either of you on winning those duels yet. Charity, how did you manage to defeat a powerhouse like Maeve?"
"No, you haven't congratulated me yet." Charity harshly responded. "And I had to take a Maxima potion to win."
Yes! Yes! His plan actually worked! Garreth coughed to stifle the grin he couldn't help growing on his face, but it turned out he didn't need the distraction. The eyes of Sebastian and his aunt were already focused on Charity with horrified expressions.
"Miss Newton, did I hear that correctly?" His aunt asked, voice dripping with disappointment. "Did you take a spell-enhancing potion during your duel against Miss Delaney?"
"Yes, I did." Charity responded easily, but it was clear from her widened eyes and violent fidgeting that she was horrified to be sharing this information.
"I believe that myself and Professor Hecat made the rules for dueling very clear. Were you aware that using potions during these duels was not allowed?"
"Yes, I knowingly broke the rules." She admitted.
From there, Professor Weasley dismissed Garreth and Sebastian, instructing them to get ready for class while she spoke to Charity privately in her office. Garreth was elated that his plan worked, but he did his best to maintain a façade of shock as Sebastian commented to him about just how crazy that was.
Sebastian being present for it all was an unfortunate but unavoidable part of this. If he wasn't there, Garreth probably would've kept his presence for Charity’s confession a secret from others, pretending to discover what had happened at the same time as other students. However, Garreth knew he couldn't trust Sebastian to not tell other students about his involvement, especially Maeve. So, when Maeve walked into the Transfiguration classroom only a few minutes later, Garreth cornered her before Sebastian was able to, and told her what happened... well, a version of what happened.
It wasn’t long after classes ended that Maeve was requested in his aunt’s classroom, and he could only assume and hope it had to do with her filling the position in the tournament. He hadn’t seen her since, but he knew that the next time he saw Maeve, he would finally know if his plan had actually worked. Until then, he was a scattered, distracted mess who couldn’t stop thinking about the good, the bad, and the intimacy of the last 24 hours.
Finally, he stepped outside, and a crisp, autumn air washed over him. He took a deep breath of the air, hoping the salty scent of the Black Lake could somehow cleanse him from the inside out. It would be dark soon, but right now there were still bands of fluorescent orange and pink that streaked through the deepening navy. Late evening was Garreth's favorite time to be outside, and he knew it would only be a few weeks before Hogwarts would settle into a long, dark winter. Therefore, he definitely wanted to at least walk closer to the lake and take in the sunset from a better spot.
He barely made it five steps before spotting Maeve sitting in the courtyard. She hadn’t yet seen him, though. Instead, she sat on the ground with her back against the base of the fountain, staring out at the sunset, just as he was moments earlier. He couldn’t get a read on her expression; she didn’t look at all happy, but not quite sad either. Perhaps stoic was a more apt word. Her focused expression rested perfectly still, and Garreth was unable to stop himself from admiring her. She had a splattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks that made her look sweeter, especially when combined with the youthfulness her round face provided. Maeve worked very hard to look intimidating, especially in dueling, so Garreth would never tell her how she couldn’t seem to look anything other than cute. He couldn’t ever seem to take her seriously when she was mad - it was like arguing with a puffskein.
That being said, he did find himself unsettled by her expression in this moment. Maeve should be thrilled right now. She should look like the same Maeve who had just found out she was competing for the tournament position in the first place, unable to contain her excitement behind her wide smile. After all, with Charity admitting her cheating, then it is a no brainer that Maeve would be asked to compete in the tournament. What else could his aunt have wanted to talk to her about?
Garreth knew he needed to go over and actually talk to her in order to get his answer, but his feet were firmly planted on the stone. With each passing second analyzing Maeve’s rigid expression across the courtyard, he felt more and more certain that she must not have been offered the position, and he wasn’t sure if he was ready for that answer. As much as he tried to fight it, thinking of their closeness in the Restricted Section only invited him to get his hopes up about what his relationship with Maeve could look like if he removed the heartache of not participating in the tournament. The idea of it being ripped from him was sharper than Scribner’s stare.
Maeve appeared to have finally sensed the pair of eyes on her, turning her head toward him. Her expression was unchanged, apparently not surprised at his presence. Still, her eyes invited him in, and the force holding his feet to the ground lifted. He made his way to her side, a shaky breath escaping just out of her earshot. He was going to get his answer, whether he liked it or not.
“Erm, hi there.” He awkwardly greeted as he sat down beside her. Come on Garreth, couldn’t you just play it cool for once? He briefly closed his eyes as he willed himself to approach the conversation more casually. “Come here often?” He joked.
“I was wondering when you would come out here.” She said.
He looked at her questioningly. “You were waiting for me?”
Maeve nodded, “I knew you’d be out here at some point, since you’re the one who always nags us to come enjoy the sunsets before it’s ‘cold enough to freeze a troll’s tit’.”
He chuckled hearing his crude expression coming from her, and his lips remained curled in a smile from the familiarity. Still, she hadn’t provided him with a real answer. “Why were you waiting for me?”
Her eyes darted away from him toward the sunset, and he took notice of the way her hands started fidgeting with each other. Though it was a question she should have expected him to ask, she appeared hesitant to answer it. Her nerves only seemed to amplify his own, building with each passing second as he waited for her answer. Was the topic she was waiting to discuss with him something bad? Finally, she spoke. “I am taking over the tournament spot.”
“Yes!” He involuntarily cheered, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug before he could stop himself. “Maeve! Congratulations!” He was relieved when he felt her hug him back, and he wished to stay paused in this moment for the rest of the evening; basking in the joy that his plan to get Maeve into the tournament had actually worked, getting to hold her tightly, and inhaling her perfume, all illuminated by the vibrant sunset changing with each passing minute. This was now the second time in a 24 hours that he felt that the moment was perfectly set up for him to just finally kiss her, and this time he was no longer held back by wanting to give her space to mourn her tournament loss. He pulled away only slightly and looked into her eyes, but paused when he found a muddled mix of emotions but none that resembled joy. “Why does it feel like you aren’t happy?”
“It just... why would Charity admit to that out of nowhere?” Maeve asked.
His stomach dropped at the question. Garreth of course had considered the fact that it didn’t seem in Charity’s character to confess to cheating without any prompting, but he had simply hoped that nobody was going to ask about it. Clearly, he was paying for that now. He analyzed Maeve’s expression, hoping it would give him any indication if she was suspicious of his involvement or not - that was how he would determine what to say next. But that tactic gave him nothing to work with, and he was taking too long to respond, so he finally said, “Maybe she just felt guilty.” He punctuated it with a shrug, knowing his answer was weak. In response, her stare only focused on him more intensely, and he knew then that she was very much onto him.
“Do you think something was forcing her to tell?” She asked, and his fear was confirmed. He desperately tried to think of what to respond with, but he came up short, only staring at her in response. She continued, “Garreth, what was in that vial you took from the Restricted Section?”
There was nowhere for him to hide, and he knew that he finally needed to just Gryffindor-up and start addressing this head on. “Veratiserum.”
“Bloody hell, Garreth!” She scolded, noticeably scooting away from him.
“I gave Charity the Veratiserum before her meeting with my aunt this morning-” He began to explain.
“Do you have any idea how stupid that is?” She asked, her expression cold.
Unfamiliarly, he felt himself becoming aggravated at Maeve. He knew that she would not approve of his use of Veratiserum - Maeve certainly rode the line between light mischief and serious rule-breaking, but she knew better than to cross into anything too troublesome. What he hadn’t been expecting was for her to be so visibly disgusted. She had cut him off before he could even begin to explain his thinking, but he was set on getting his point across. “No, actually, because it wasn’t stupid at all. What is stupid is her using a potion before that duel and thinking she wouldn’t be found out.”
“Is it as stupid as using this potion and hoping that you aren’t going to be caught?” She asked.
“Who cares if I’m caught!” He said, which was not entirely truthful but did capture his sentiment. “You deserved to be in this tournament, Maeve. It’s all you’ve talked about since I’ve met you, and you have the talent and the drive to back it up. All I did was check if Charity actually earned it, which she didn’t. If she hadn’t do anything wrong, then nothing would’ve happened.”
“It’s not worth it if you’re caught and expelled.” She said, and though her voice retained the harsh tone they had been using, it cracked slightly. Suddenly, he felt completely disarmed. His looked to her in disbelief, seeing tears beginning to well up in her eyes. Here was Maeve Delaney, the daughter of famous dueler Elias Delaney, an incredibly talented dueler herself, and an aspiring champion who discussed only offensive casts and advanced maneuvers and variations on Protego. Before they were even friends, one of the only things he knew about her was her need to be a part of this tournament, which only grew drastically over the years. Yet here she was, proclaiming that Garreth’s presence in her life in any way matched that.
This should’ve made him feel elated, but instead his heart ached as he saw the clear pain he caused her. He thought about if she would’ve done something similar for him. Of course, he wasn’t anywhere near as talented and deserving of the spotlight as Maeve. But, if she had she put herself at risk of being expelled to do something for him, he knew he would feel both incredibly guilty and incredibly pissed off at her. He removed the space Maeve had created between them, and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. He immediately felt relief as she accepted his comfort, not hesitating at all to rest her head on his shoulder.
“I’m really sorry, Maeve. When I realized that she may have used a Maxima potion, I couldn’t stand the idea of you having to sit out of the tournament and watch that cheater duel. I needed to find out for certain.” He said. “I don’t regret it at all, but I am sorry that I upset you. I promise that no one will find out what happened, so long as you keep your big mouth shut.” She suddenly chuckled at that last part, and it was music to Garreth’s ears, especially coming out of an emotionally heightened conversation.
“I don’t know,” she replied, “I’ll try, but someone might slip me some Veratiserum and make me blow your cover.”
He shook his head and laughed. “Too soon!” he said. In the moment of comfortable silence that followed, he looked to her with his best Mooncalf-esque eyes. “Forgive me?” he asked in a purposefully pouty voice.
“Stop that.” She jokingly smacked his chest. “You know that doesn’t work on me.”
“Oh, it definitely does.”
Even he couldn’t help but notice her trying to suppress a smile, but the blush creeping on her cheeks gave her away regardless. “Yeah, it definitely does.”