บท 299: Ron's Birthday

"Good morning."

"Morning," Chris rubbed her eyes sitting up on her bed. Then looked up. "Hey! You are already dressed up. Are you coming to Hogsmeade with us?"

"Er — no," Ginny said looking away but Chris noticed the smile on her face. "I'm thinking I will just fly my Firebolt today. It's been weeks since I have flown."

"Alright," Chris said slowly. "So where are you going now?"

"Thought I will just walk out before Ron does," said Ginny. "I really don't want to see him now and ruin my mood for the entire day."

"But it's his birthday, Gin," Chris said surprised. "Harry was telling me about it last night."

"Yeah, I remember. I have sent him his gift," said Ginny rolling her eyes. "Listen, Chris, I will see you later. I —"

Ginny almost reached the door when Chris jumped out of the bed. She caught Ginny's arm and stopped her, glancing at their other two roommates who were sleeping, she looked back at Ginny.

"Look Gin, I know I have been all around the places with — everything that's been going on but I am still your best friend, right? You can tell me things if you are in trouble with anything, you know that, right?"

Ginny stared at her for a long moment then she smiled.

"It's nothing like that," she said. "I am not in trouble and I know I can tell you things."

"Then why aren't you?" Chris said impatiently.

"I — I don't know," Ginny shrugged. "I am so confuse lately. I am judging myself so hard for the things I am doing but I can't help myself. I just — I just don't want others to judge me too. I—"

"Why would I judge you, Gin?" Chris said surprised. "That's ridicu —"

At that moment, Colin's voice came through the talisman.

"Chris! Ginny! Come to Harry and Ron's room. Now."

Chris and Ginny exchanged a startled look then scrambled out of the room to boys' dormitory. Inside Harry and Ron's room, the scene was so bizarre that Chris did a double check on everything. Colin was pointing his wand at Ron, who was floating in the air and was thrashing around aimlessly; Harry was sitting on the floor gasping for air as Neville gave him water. Purple bruises were forming on Harry's face.

"What's going on?" Ginny asked before Chris could.

"Ron attacked Harry," said Colin still holding Ron in the air.

"What?" Chris wasn't sure if she heard it right.

"But why?" asked Ginny shocked.

"Because he insulted my Romilda," roared Ron before anyone could answer.

"Your Romilda?" Ginny raised her eyebrows. "When did she become your Romilda?"

"Since she walked into this school. I love her," Ron said smiling foolishly.

Chris looked at Harry for clarification but he shrugged.

"He is going on about it since morning," he said. "I thought it was a joke, so I laughed and he started punching me."

"Since morning —?" Chris looked around. Ron's bed was full of half-opened gifts and lots of sweets including — a box of Chocolate Cauldrons. Chris laughed out loud. Everybody stared at her as she held up the box. "Romilda Vane. Remember?"

Realization dawned on Harry, Colin and Ginny.

"But I don't understand —" Ginny said. "Harry, did you gave them to him?"

"No, of course not," said Harry hastily. "Why would I? I was just taking out the map and threw it —" he turned to Ron. "Ron, where did you get those Chocolate Cauldrons?'

"They were a birthday present!" shouted Ron, revolving slowly in midair as he struggled to get free. "I offered you one, didn't I?"

"You just picked them up off the floor, didn't you?" said Harry.

"They'd fallen off my bed, all right? Let me go!" snapped Ron.

"They didn't fall off your bed, you prat, don't you understand? They were mine, I chucked them out of my trunk when I was looking for the map, they're the Chocolate Cauldrons Romilda gave me before Christmas, and they're all spiked with love potion!" spat Harry but then winced at the pain on his face.

"No use, Harry," said Chris. "He is out of his mind. We need to give him an antidote for this before he goes around declaring his undying love for Romilda Vane."

"Romilda?" Ron repeated. "Did you say Romilda? Chris — do you know her? Can you introduce me?"

"Yeah, after I jinxed her," said Ginny. "That horrible witch."

"Sure, but first thing first," said Chris briskly. "I don't have any antidote for love potion but Madam Pomfrey should."

"We can't take him to Madam Pomfrey," said Harry. "We aren't supposed to have anything from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes and honestly speaking, it'll be very embarrassing to take him to Madam Pomfrey."

"Ok then, we should take him to Slughorn."

"Good idea," said Harry standing up. "Let's go. Colin put him down."

"Alright," Colin nodded and turned to Ron. "Ron, I'm going to put you down but you can't hit anyone, okay?"

"No one insults my Romilda," Ron said aggressively.

"Yeah, yeah," Chris said stifling a laugh. She had a feeling everyone was trying hard not to laugh. "No one will insult Romilda and we will introduce you to her."

Colin sent Ron crashing back to the floor (his ear did hurt quite a lot), but Ron simply bounded to his feet again, grinning.

"She'll be in Slughorn's office," said Harry confidently, leading the way to the door.

"Why will she be in there?" asked Ron anxiously, hurrying to keep up.

"Oh, she has extra Potions lessons with him," said Ginny walking with Ron.

"Yeah, remedial ones," Chris whispered darkly.

"I don't think there's any need for all of us to go," said Harry stopping at the stairs. "Chris, Ginny and I can go with Ron."

"Yeah, but Chris can't go like this," Ginny pointed at Chris' nightclothes.

"Damn! Why didn't anyone mention that before?" Chris said angrily walking ahead. "I'm walking around the boys' dormitory in my nightshirt without a jacket."

Harry, Ginny and Colin chuckled.

"Are we going or not?" asked Ron precipitously.

"Go on you all," said Chris. "I will catch up after I change."

Lavender was waiting in the common room. She stared as all of them walked out of boys' dormitory.

"What is going on? Why were you there?" she pouted at Ginny then turned to Ron. "Won-won?"

Chris shrugged and walked to the girls' dormitory. Before running upstairs she heard Ron speaking to Lavender, "Leave me alone. They are going to introduce me to Romilda Vane."

After getting ready in super fast speed Chris took off to Slughorn's office. She was excited to see how to prepare an antidote for a love potion. She knew one and two things about love potion but not a lot. She never felt interested in love potions. When Chris knocked at Slughorn's office, he opened the door beaming.

"Just in time to celebrate, Christina," he said ushering Chris inside.

"Celebrate?" Chris said surprised. Inside the office, she saw Ron slumped in an armchair, Ginny sitting beside him and Harry standing near them. "Is he okay?"

"Yes," Ginny replied. "The antidote was really easy to make and worked quickly."

"And we were about to celebrate Mr Weasley's birthday," said Slughorn. "Have a seat, Christina."

Pulling two chairs, Harry offered her one and sat on the other.

"Hey, your face," Chris noticed the bruises in his face which had darkened. "Wait, I think I have the bruise remover."

Chris pulled out a tube from her locket and dabbed the paste on Harry's face.

"It will be gone in a bit," said Chris happily.

"Thanks," Harry smiled.

"Well, let's have some wine," said Slughorn and Harry and Chris spun to see him standing in front of them with red wine glasses. The smile slipped off Harry's face and Chris understood why. She realized he thought, it was an act to show Slughorn that they were close. Chris wanted to say that it wasn't, she really cared if Harry walks around with painful bruises but seeing Ginny she kept quiet.

This is frustrating!

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To be continued. . .