e i g h t e e n

(A/N: Minor TW. This chapter contains two slurs offensive to the LQBTQIA+ community. Viewer discretion advised.)

"Welcome to fifth year Potions." Snape sad tiredly, heading to the front of the class. "After four years of experience, I'd hoped I wouldn't have to repeat my rules but obviously, there are some students who still lack the capability to follow basic instructions." he looked behind Maeve at Harry and Ron - who had been sharing a table. "No foolish wandwaving, no taking notes while I'm demonstrating, no being late, and try to keep the explosions to a minimum. I'm talking about you, Mr. Finnigan." the Potions Master said, looking at the taken-aback boy. "As I'm sure you must know by now, you will be giving your Ordinary Wizarding Level Examinations at the end of year. I won't be wasting time by demonstrating the same potion twice - so pay close attention. Partners have already been decided. You have two minutes to settle down." he flipped the blackboard over, revealing a list of twenty names. 

Maeve's face paled as she saw her partner's name. 

Why did it always have to be a Slytherin?

And to top it all off, why did it have to be Pansy of all people?

Maeve would rather jump head-first into the Giant Squid's mouth than admit it, but a small part of her was happy just to be near Pansy. And however small that part was, Maeve hated it. Deep deep down, she knew the actual reason why she hadn't left Hogwarts. She couldn't bear not seeing Pansy. And it made no sense. The girl had rejected, belittled and broken Maeve for who she was. And the Hufflepuff still felt giddy every time she saw Pansy. 

Looking over, the Slytherin was already seated, reading her Potions textbook. Nervously, Maeve sat down beside her. Neither said a word as the next two minutes passed and Snape began his demonstration of Invigoration Draught and Maeve watched closely, scribbling details down as it went on.

Maeve cleared her throat once he was done. "So are you getting the Potions ingredients or..." 

Pansy looked at her with a blank face and raised a brow.

"Right. I'll get them." Maeve replied quickly, jumping off the stool and fetching all the things she would need. 

Pansy didn't say a word once they were in front of her. So, Maeve started the Potion by herself. She was halfway through the Potion when-

"You're putting half the amount of Alihotsy leaves." Pansy grunted and Maeve turned. 

"But Professor Snape put these many. I counted." Maeve frowned.

"The book says to put twelve, Prissy." Pansy grumbled, grabbing a few more leaves."

"But-" Maeve gave up as she saw the leaved dissolve into the bubbling cauldron. 

"What's next?" Pansy asked tiredly, glancing down at her book. "Peppermint." 

"That's too much!" Maeve exclaimed, reaching for the vial but Pansy emptied the entire thing. The Potion turned a bright mass of teal. 

"See?" Pansy deadpanned. "It's supposed to look like that." 

"Fine." Maeve huffed. "If you think you're such an expert, take over then." 

"Gladly." Pansy said pointedly, and began working. 

Not even a minute in, Maeve noticed the colour was deteriorating to a dirty green. It went on getting darker until it looked like a bowl of pitch black solution. 

Pansy was busy looking closely into the cauldron, trying to figure out what went wrong. '

"Look out!" Maeve's eyes widened as she pushed the girl out of the way just as the cauldron burst with a loud bang. 

Snape let out a tired sigh. "Thomas, take Finnigan to the Hospital Wing." 

"But sir, Seamus is fine." Dean replied confusedly and Snape snapped his head up - noticing Maeve's soot-filled face. 

"Parkinson, take her to the Hospital Wing." 

"That's fine, sir, I can go on my own." Maeve said, looking away from Pansy who was still on the floor. "I don't need her." 

Snape just shrugged and went back to the piece of parchment he was correcting. 

Without sparing a glance at the Slytherin, Maeve grabbed her satchel and headed out of the classroom. 

_____

"Maeve? What happened to you?" a surprised voice asked as she entered through the Hufflepuff door. "Are you okay?"

She looked up, noticing a very worried Elizabeth walking to her after abandoning her seat on the couch. "Oh, hi Lizzie." she smiled awkwardly. The two hadn't talked ever since the train back to London before the summer. "I'm fine. Potions accident."

"Oh. Did you go see Madam Pomfrey?" Elizabeth's pace slowed. 

"Yeah. Just came back from the Hospital Wing. She gave me some ointment and told me to wash the soot off. "I heard you made Head Girl. Congratulations."

"Thanks." the blonde smiled. "Are you sure your face is fine?"

"Does it look that horrible?" Maeve joked. 

"No. Not at all. You look amazing - as always. Uh - doesn't matter. If you say you're fine, I believe you." Elizabeth nodded and Maeve grinned back. 

"Great. Well, I'll see you around then. Best of luck for your N.E.W.T.s this year." she called before heading for the fifth year girls' dorm. 

She walked in to her dorm turning the room upside down with their mess. "What's going on here?" Maeve froze in the doorway as everyone tried to do everything in a frenzy.

"Maeve! Right on time. You're coming tonight, aren't you?" Megan asked, tucking her wand into her pocket. Her hands were full of empty bags. "Fred and George are sneaking people out to Hogsmeade. Wan to stop by Gladrags with us?"

"What're you talking about?" the brunette asked confusedly, "Don't we have an early Arithmancy lecture tomorrow?"

"Right." Susan rolled her eyes. "I keep forgetting you weren't at dinner last night. One of the seventh year Ravenclaws is throwing a last-year-of-school welcome party. Fifth years and above are invited."

"Oh. No thank you." Maeve declined politely, trying to get the clutter off her desk. 

"Is that a no thank you to Gladrags or the party?" Hannah asked, narrowing her eyes in confusion.

"Both. I need to study." 

"Come on, May. The girl we used to know wouldn't miss a party even if her O.W.L.s were the next day." Susan complained.

"Well, that girl isn't here anymore." Maeve grumbled curtly, hands still sorting out the mess on the table.

"Oh, Maeve. You know she didn't mean it like that." Megan pouted, leaning over the brunette's shoulder. "It's okay if you don't want to sneak out to Hogsmeade. Will you at least come to the party with us?" 

Maeve sighed, turning back around to face the rest of the girls. "Fine. But only an hour. I need to give a Herbology quiz tomorrow." 

_____

"Okay..." Hannah said, looking over Maeve as they all met up by the Ravenclaw House entrance. "I'm not sure I like this new Maeve's fashion sense." she gulped at the sweatshirt and leggings the girl was wearing. 

"You should be lucky she even agreed to to come tonight." Maeve hissed. "Don't worry, May. You look great." 

Maeve shrugged, walking through the open door. "One hour. That's exactly how long I'm staying here."

It had been nearly twenty minutes into the raging party and Maeve had already lost Megan, Susan and Hanna. She decided that since no one was really noticing, she could sneak out early. But she decided to get a drink before leaving. 

"Hey." 

Maeve jumped slightly before turning around. "Theodore! Hi!" she grinned, pleasantly surprised. "Where are Daphne, Blaise and Pansy?" she internally cringed in pain at the last name.

"Blaise and Daph are dancing." the Slytherin shrugged, jabbing his thumb in the direction behind him. "And Pans is with Draco." 

"Right." Maeve mumbled, taking a drink of her punch.

"We need to talk." Theodore said seriously and Maeve frowned. 

"What about?" 

"Just come." he tugged her hand and led her outside Ravenclaw House. It was dead silent, thanks to the music being filtered out by a spell. 

"What are you going on about?" Maeve asked - her curiosity peaked. 

"Something's wrong with you." the boy sad tiredly, leaning on a wall as he looked at Maeve. 

"Excuse me?" she sputtered. 

"I mean, apart from the Cedric thing. You haven't really hung out with us in a while... Since the Yule Ball, really. It was only those study sessions and some talks here and there, but that's it. What's going on, May?" 

Maeve sighed, looking down. "It's not as if I didn't want to. I missed you guys through the entire summer, I really did. But I suppose it's no use hiding it anymore - it's going to spill out me eventually." 

Theodore nodded for her to continue.

"I just..." Maeve trailed off, not knowing what to say. "PansykissedmeduringtheYuleBallandranawayandwhenItriedtotalktoheraboutit,shesaiditwasamistakeandsaidsomeveryinsensitivethingsthatbrokeyheartandwehaven'treallytalkedsinceandit'sawkwardwhichiswhyI'veavoidedspendingalotoftimewithyouguysrecentlyandI'msosososorry." she completed, gasping for breath.

Theodore blinked. "Pansy kissed you?"

Maeve nodded silently.

"And then she insulted you?"

The Hufflepuff nodded again. 

"She didn't even want to talk about it?"

Maeve shook her head.

"Merlin, Maeve." Theodore sighed, rushing to the girl and hugging her. "I had no idea... I mean, Pansy's been acting weird since then too, but... I don't know. She can be tough to deal with, so I guess that I understand why you've been shutting us out." he pulled away. "Pansy is still my friend, but she could have definitely handled it better." 

Maeve shrugged. "Can we go back in, now? I don't want to dwell on it."

"Okay." Theodore nodded with a small smile. "Do you want to tell Blaise and Daph too? They've been worried about you. Daph thinks it's something I did at the Yule Ball." he rolled his eyes. 

"I don't mind them knowing, but I'd prefer not to talk about it again. How about you tell them?" 

"Me? Are you sure?" the boy asked, standing outside the entrance to the Ravenclaw House.

"Well, I'm asking you, aren't I?" Maeve laughed. "Thank you Theodore. It feels good to tell someone else about this."

"Someone else?" he asked, confusedly as they walked back into the party. "Who else did you tell?"

"Cedric-" Maeve was cut off as Draco Malfoy put his smug face in between them. 

"Kingston! Right on time." Maeve could tell by the way he was talking that he was drunk. "Watch closely, okay?" his eyes widened as he whispered. "This one's for you, Maevey."

The music died down and the a sixth year Ravenclaw shouted. "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Draco Malfoy."

"Did someone say Draco Malfoy?" the blonde jumped onto a nearby table and yelled. 

"What do you want to say, Draco?" one of the older Gryffindors sighed. "Just get it over with."

"Shut up, Griffie." Draco slurred with a frown before addressing the confused crowd again. "Witches, and wizards, and even the people looking through the frames. Hi!" he stupidly waved at the portraits lined across the walls. Most of them frowned at the boy in disgust. "I am here, to make a very special announcement."

"Get on with it!" someone yelled. 

"Yeah, yeah." Draco rolled his eyes. "You see, Maeve Kingston thinks she can repeatedly mess with me and expect me to leave her alone. And so, Maeve." he pointed at the Hufflepuff in the crowd who was still wondering what was in the works, "This is to remind you that you will never mess with me and not regret it. Because, everybody. Maeve is gay! She's a f*ggy! A d*ke! Call it whatever you want! Secret's out, Maeve! Too-da-loo!" he grinned thoughtlessly before his feet collapsed and he blacked out on the Ravenclaw common room floor. 

The whole room was silent. 

And Maeve was still trying to process things.

She broke out of her trance when she felt someone shaking her. Her vision lined up to look at Theodore. "May? Say something." the alarmed boy shook her as the low hiss of whispers began. "Let's get out of here." Without waiting for a response, Theodore pulled her out of Ravenclaw House, pushing through people to get across. 

They finally stopped walking once they were in the Astronomy Tower. 

"He'd threatened to tell everyone once, but I never actually expected him to go through with it. It was a low-blow. Even for him." Maeve gulped, her stomach feeling bottomless. 

"I know." Theodore frowned, stroking her back.

"And now, everyone knows." Maeve whimpered, the weight of the situation finally hitting her. 

"It'll be okay." he frowned, squeezing her. "The next few weeks will be rough. And then everyone will move on to some other gossip."

"What do you mean, 'it'll be okay'?" Maeve asked, tears streaming down her face as she broke away from him. "He outed me! And by tomorrow morning, everyone in this fucking school is going to know. I should've just transferred to Ilvermorny. This is... I'm sorry but I need to be alone right now." she shook her head, storming out of the Astronomy Tower. 

Word Count: 2103