Blake sat down quietly next to Charlotte, who looked like she was fighting very hard not to cry. He quickly looked around at his other friends to see their reactions - Tracey shook his head at him, silently urging him not to say anything, while Zabini and Greengrass nodded for him to speak. Either way, I was always going to talk to her, Blake thought. Might as well do it now.
Soon, Lockhart asked them to discuss one of his silly books in pairs, and Blake took his chance.
"What happened?" he asked directly, but his tone was soft.
Charlotte didn't respond, instead just turning away to read the book with far too much focus to be real.
"I'm sorry, Charlotte. Greengrass is pureblooded and in high standing - you can still talk to her. We'll leave you alone if that's what you want, but you should know that if you ever change your mind or need anything, we're here. I promise."
Blake's voice was hollow, but he turned away nonetheless. He refused to make his friend's life any more difficult than it already was, and in the face of blatant blood supremacy, there wasn't much he could do to make her situation better. But that doesn't make the guilt go away.
After the lesson ended, Tracey, Zabini and Blake waited outside the classroom to speak, while Greengrass spoke with Lockhart - about the duel, most likely.
"What did she say?" Zabini asked.
"Nothing," Blake sighed.
"What did you say?" Tracey asked, her voice and tone still not back to normal. Damn, she must be really upset if she's still like this.
"I told her I'm sorry, and that she can talk to us or come back if she ever changes her mind - and I told her that she can speak to Greengrass because she's Sacred 28," Blake sighed again.
Neither Zabini or Tracey said anything, and they stood in silence waiting for Greengrass.
"Lockhart agreed to the duel," she announced after coming out. She looked at their sombre faces.
"I take it Charlotte didn't budge?"
"She might speak to you, Daphne," Tracey said quietly. "Blake told her to. You're Sacred 28."
Greengrass didn't respond, instead she merely nodded. In a rare show of affection, she placed her arm around Tracey for a moment, and whispered something in her ear. Blake and Zabini were both surprised to hear Tracey laugh - a watery, tearful laugh, but a laugh nonetheless. They turned to each other in shock, then at Greengrass, who was smiling slightly too. What the hell is happening? Blake wondered. Aren't we all sad right now?
"Blake," Tracey said.
"Yeah?"
"You better beat Malfoy within an inch of his life."
Blake had never Tracey speak with such conviction and seriousness before in his life, but he nodded.
"I will."
/
Apart from Charlotte, nothing much had changed about Hogwarts, which Blake supposed he was grateful for. He'd instantly got his homework business up and running again, although Weasley was less than pleased when Blake told him that their deal was off.
"Why?" he demanded indignantly, his red cheeks matching his red hair.
"Because I don't need any more advertising, Wea- Ron," Blake responded.
"But that's only because of me and Harry!"
"And I appreciate that, and that's why you got free essays for a whole year. If I was working for you and you fired me, would you still pay me?"
Ron gaped. "You're not firing me! We - we had a partnership."
"You're right," Blake said agreeably. "Then I'm just ending our partnership."
"You - You're such a Slytherin!" Ron shouted, clearly unhappy. Blake just laughed as Harry looked on nervously.
"Thanks, Ron! But don't worry - I'll give you a discount," Blake said with a smirk.
"A shared life threatening experience discount, if you will," he whispered. Weasley leaned and nodded enthusiastically.
"10 Sickles."
"5."
"10. If you don't agree now, the price is going up."
"7!"
"11."
"Wait - fine, fine, 10!"
"12 now."
"Blake, stop!"
"Am I hearing 13?"
"Fine, 12!" Ron scrambled.
Blake smirked.
"Please doing business, Ron. The 10 Sickle discount applies to you too, Harry. Unless you want to try and negotiate too…"
"No, I'll take the 10 Sickles," Harry said hastily.
"Perfect," Blake said brightly. "I'll take payment when I give you the essays."
Harry and Ron nodded.
"Anyway, could I ask you guys a favour?"
Ron opened his mouth to retort scathingly, which Blake would've found endlessly funny, but Harry spoke first.
"Sure, what is it?"
"Could you tell Connor I want to speak to him please? Tomorrow after breakfast."
"Sure."
"Thanks Harry, I'll see you around!"
He left quickly, as the sound of Ron berating Harry for giving Blake free favours echoed in his ears.
/
After telling Connor to call Ron by his first name instead of his last, Blake sat down and thought about whether or not Hogwarts had changed since last time. The other subjects were pretty normal, the same as the year before. McGonagall continued to do her best to try and catch him slacking in Transfiguration, Flitwick stayed singing his praises, and Snape continued to largely ignore him. The only noticeable difference that Blake noticed was an increase in both physical and magic strength and endurance.
Is it because I'm older? Blake wondered. He wasn't stupid, he knew he was growing up, going through puberty, growing taller, and everything related to that. But how much of this is natural growth, and how much of it is training?
He had found himself in the Forest again, and it was nice that he didn't have to worry about bloodthirsty Professors while he trained and worked on Scriptum Exordia. It's a good thing that I documented everything, Blake thought. Now I know exactly where I left off.
Blake split his 'work time', as he liked to call it, equally between Scriptum Exordia and training. Although he would've liked to dedicate it all to business, a lingering truth that refused to leave his mind prevented it. Blake thought about that battle last June, and the shadowy spectre-like face and body of Lord Voldemort.
He's not dead. He's going to come back. And this time, when he does, I'll be ready.
/
The rest of the week passed relatively uneventfully, aside from Defence Against the Dark Arts. Between the tension of sitting next to Charlotte silently for an entire hour, and listening to 'Professor' Lockhart yap, Blake had begun to hate the subject that he thought he was best at. Lockhart is full of sh*t. There's no way in hell that he's ever been in a real battle, let alone risk his life.
Regardless, he was the referee of the duel, and Blake knew better than to get on his bad side.
Speaking of the duel, Friday soon rolled around, and Blake woke up early to prepare himself. During breakfast, however, a boy he'd never spoken to before pulled him aside.
"Sorry, Blake - can I call you Blake?" Cedric Diggory, the fourth year Hufflepuff that he'd seen at the station, asked, smiling bashfully.
"Sure," Blake responded apprehensively. Blake had heard a lot about Diggory - he was supposedly nice, and he'd overheard girls speak about his good looks too, but the thing he was most well known for was the fact that he was arguably the only Hufflepuff that was a truly highly capable wizard. Tests, exams, practical demonstrations, he was good at them all. What does he want?
"I know it's not my business, but I just wanted to let you know - I heard Draco Malfoy talked to his friends yesterday after dinner - they were speaking about getting Charlotte Rosier to go over and spike your lunch with late-acting Befuddlement Draught. I just thought you should know," he finished, with that same bashful smile.
Blake felt a surge of rage at Malfoy's disgusting tactics, but he pushed it down quickly.
"I see. Thanks for letting me know, Cedric," he said with a small smile. The older boy laughed, and clapped Blake on the shoulder.
"No worries, Blake. I probably shouldn't say this, but well - I hope you win."
With that, Cedric turned and left for his lessons. Blake stared at his retreating figure. I guess I know why he's in Hufflepuff.
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