𝓗𝓲𝓼 𝓒𝓱𝓸𝓼𝓮𝓷 𝓞𝓷𝓮

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

𝐌𝐮𝐝𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐮𝐫𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐬

CHLOE WAS MUCH more sceptical about Gilderoy Lockhart's "greatness" since he fled from his classroom and left his students behind to fix his mistakes. She spent a lot of time, over the next few days, dodging out of sight whenever she saw him nearby. But Hermione's opinion didn't change.

It was much harder to avoid was Colin Creevey, who seemed to have memorised Chloe's timetable.

Not that Chloe was actively trying to avoid Colin. She found him rather sweet. She was just taken aback by how much she seemed to spot him.

Nothing seemed to give Colin a bigger thrill than to say, "All right, Chloe?" six or seven times a day and hear, "Hello, Colin," back, even in exasperation.

Hedwig was still angry with Chloe about the disastrous car journey and Ron's wand was still malfunctioning, surpassing itself on Friday morning by shooting out of Ron's hand in Charms and hitting tiny old Professor Flitwick squarely between the eyes, creating a large, throbbing green boil where it had struck. So Chloe was quite glad to reach the weekend. She, Ron and Hermione were planning to visit Hagrid on Saturday morning.

But Chloe was shaken awake several hours earlier than she would have liked by Angelina Johnson, a Chaser for the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

"Mm, whassamatter," murmured Chloe, tiredly. "Quidditch practice," sighed Angelina, whilst she helped Chloe to her feet, "come on, the twins have just had a telling off from Wood for faffing about."

Angelina was a good friend to Chloe, when it came to Quidditch practice. If the team was like a family, she and Alicia Spinnet were like the supportive older sisters. And sometimes voices of reason whenever they felt like Oliver Wood, the team captain, was pushing the team too hard.

After wiping the saliva from her chin, Chloe walked over to the window and squinted at it. There was a thin mist hanging across the pink and gold sky.

Now she was awake, Chloe couldn't fathom how she slept through the racket the birds were making.

"It's the crack of dawn." Chloe yawned, as she rubbed her right eye. "I know." Angelina responded, in a tone that told Chloe she couldn't believe Wood was making them train that early either. She was a tall and pretty fourth-year girl with dark skin and sleek black hair that was usually seen in plaits.

"Wood says it's part of this new training programme he's done for us. Grab your broomstick, and we'll go meet up with him and the others," said Angelina, patting Chloe's shoulder.

Once she left her to get changed, Chloe found her scarlet team robes and pulled on her cloak for warmth. She scribbled a note to Hermione explaining where she'd gone and went down the spiral staircase to the common room, with her Nimbus Two Thousand on her shoulder.

Chloe had just reached the portrait hole when there was a clatter behind her. Colin Creevey came dashing down the spiral staircase with his camera swinging madly around his neck and something clutched in his hand. "I heard someone saying your name on the stairs, Chloe! Look what I've got here! I've had it developed, I wanted to show you-"

Chloe looked bemusedly at the photograph Colin was brandishing under her nose. A moving black and white Lockhart was tugging hard on an arm Chloe recognised as her own. She was amused to see her photographic self putting up a good fight and refusing to be dragged into view. As she watched, Lockhart soon gave up and slumped, panting, against the white edge of the picture.

"Will you sign it?" Colin asked, eagerly. Chloe frowned, apologetically. "Sorry, Colin. I'd love to, but I'm in a hurry. Quidditch practice-" She replied, as she briskly climbed through the portrait hole.