Authors' note: This is the last chapter we're going to post for awhile. Our hiatus on this story begins now and we're going to pause the story. We've decided to stop posting now because if we left off with what we've written up to, we'd leave you with a major cliffie and we don't want to do that.
At this point, we're going to guess and say that we'll begin working on and posting this story again in a month tops- probably even a bit sooner. We appreciate your patience and we'll see you on the flip side with some brand new work very soon!
There was just one week of school left, and while Saffron was busy studying, her mind was also busy wandering ahead into the summer holidays. She couldn't wait to go to Brighton and be able to see Andrew every single day.
"Saffy," Alexa poked her friend with her quill. "You're daydreaming again... and let me guess... Wizard McDreamy?" she teased.
Saffron broke out of her reverie and looked at her friend. "Maybe."
Alexa shook her head. "It's not like you'll have any trouble on your exams anyway."
"I am a little concerned about potions," Saffron admitted.
"Even Snape wouldn't dare fail you," Alexa said loyally.
"Yeah, but he's still giving me a hard time," Saffron said frowning. "Which is why I plan on acing his exam."
"That's the spirit," Alexa looked at her History of Magic notes.
Mimi and Beth came into the library whispering about something. Saffron waved them over. The four of them were going to have a study group and as always Beth and Mimi were late.
"Saffy you aren't going to BELIEVE what we just saw," Beth said in a hushed voice.
Saffron rolled her eyes. "I don't really care if Professor Wood was wearing jeans, Beth."
"Show it to her Meems," Beth said.
"No," Mimi replied. "I'm scared of her reaction."
"What do you mean my reaction?" Saffron asked. "You two act like I'm going to attack you."
"It's not us we're worried about," Beth pulled a rolled up newspaper out of Mimi's hand. "It's RJ."
A concerned expression came over Alexa's face. "He's not hurt, is he?"
"He's going to be after Saffy gets through with him," Beth replied.
Saffron grabbed the paper and stared at the front page. On it was a picture of her boyfriend with RJ, both of them surrounded by about ten gorgeous women.
"What does it say?" Alexa asked.
"Quidditch foes and best mates Andrew Kirke Jr. and RJ Weasley let off some steam at one of London's hottest night spots," Saffron read aloud. "The long-time friends are looking forward to the new season which starts in a couple of months, but for one night anyway, Quidditch was the furthest thing on their minds..."
"Andrew wouldn't cheat on you Saffy," Alexa interrupted. "That's just rubbish."
"A source close to both boys told us that the boys partied with a gorgeous gaggle of models until 3 a.m.," Saffron continued. "They left the club looking like the night wasn't about to end."
"Rubbish," Alexa repeated. "We have studying to do, you guys."
"RJ Weasley could be heard telling his friend to forget about his girlfriend for the night," Saffron said her grip tightening on the paper. She'd seriously considered making amends with RJ. And now...all that anger she felt for him rose to the surface again.
"RJ didn't say that," Alexa said grabbing for the paper.
Saffron narrowed her eyes. "Oh it sounds just like him," she said, her words dripping with malice.
"This is a tabloid," Alexa pointed out. "They're known for embellishing."
Saffron crumpled the paper in her hand. "I can't believe I was thinking of becoming friends with that wanker again." she said.
"Saffy---" Alexa said.
Saffron shook her head. "I know Andrew would never cheat on me. But RJ's a bastard. Just because he gets himself pissed every night and shags a different girl doesn't give him ANY right to tell Andrew to forget about me!"
"It was just one night," Alexa pointed out. "And you know just as well as anyone how these trashy tabloids like to stir up trouble. They are still trying to do it with your parents."
Saffron stuffed the crumpled paper into her bag and sat back down. "Let's study," she said sharply.
"Um, yeah," Beth said taking a seat on the other side of the table.
Mimi reluctantly took the seat next to Saffron. "Please don't hit me," she said. "I have a date with Jake this weekend and I don't want a black eye."
"I. Am. Not. Going. To. Hit. You," Saffron said tersely.
"People always blame the messengers," Mimi whined.
"Moving on," Alexa said. "Let's see...what did we want to start with?"
"I need a little help with my Potions," Beth said quickly. "Saffy?"
"I'll help you," Saffron said trying to forget about her anger.
"Thanks," Beth said, kicking Mimi under the table.
"Ow!" Mimi glared at her. "Um... I need help with Potions too?"
Saffron looked at them. "I know what you're trying to do..."
"I really need help!" Beth said. "Honestly, Saffy."
Saffron grabbed her Potions text. "Okay. Let's get to work."
"I'll go over my Potions stuff as well then," Alexa said. "Studying together will help."
"Here comes Mary Ellen," Beth whispered. The Hufflepuff was Saffron's biggest competition for Head Girl next year.
"Hello, Potter," Mary Ellen said sweetly. "I see you're studying Potions. Do you need any help?"
"No," Saffron replied icily. She so wasn't in the mood to deal with Mary Ellen right now.
"I had my Potions exam yesterday and I think I passed with flying colours," Mary Ellen bragged.
"Congratulations, Mary Ellen," Alexa told her. "But we'd really like to get back to studying."
"Oh but if you like," Mary Ellen said in a sneaky tone. "I can tell you exactly what's on the exam."
"And have you running back to Snape to tell him I cheated?" Saffron snorted. "Thanks but no thanks. Run along."
"You know," Mary Ellen said leaning against the table. "I cannot wait until I'm Head Girl next year. I get to have my very own room..."
"You don't know that you're going to be Head Girl," Beth snapped. "Saffy has a much better chance than you do."
"Well, I may not have the Minister for Magic for a mother or some hero for a father, but I have better marks than Saffron, especially in Potions," Mary Ellen huffed.
"Says you," Mimi returned. "And after Saffy passes her exam tomorrow, you'll be second, as you always are and should be."
"And Saffron has never, ever used her name to get anything," Alexa retorted. "She's worked hard for everything she's gotten."
"And I'm sure she never pressured her sister to talk to her good 'friend' the Headmaster?" Mary Ellen sneered.
Saffron shut her book and stood up. "Mary Ellen, my sister has never, ever given me special treatment. And I'd appreciate it if you'd stop insinuating that she is. And her personal life doesn't concern you and if I find out you've been spreading rumours about her..."
"I don't spread rumours," Mary Ellen's face took on an angelic look.
"I wish you luck, Mary Ellen," Saffron said in an equally saccharine tone. "May the best girl win."
"Don't worry," Mary Ellen smirked at her. "I will."
With that, the girl sauntered out of the library.
"What a cow!" Alexa seethed.
"Tell me about it," Beth nodded. "Although I'm surprised to hear you say it, Lex." she teased.
"I know I'm usually quiet, but I couldn't help it," Alexa said.
"It's kind of a nice change," Mimi said.
Saffron only rolled her eyes and looked down at her notes again. "Whatever," she muttered.
"You okay, Saffy?" Alexa asked gently.
"Fine," Saffron said tightly. "I just really want to study right now."
Alexa nodded. "Okay, I think we should go over the Chapter Three potions first. They're the most difficult."
Saffron turned her book to the right page. "Oh... I thought these were pretty easy. It's all about mixing them in the exact order they're written."
"That's what you say," Mimi teased.
Saffron smiled a bit. "If he does any of these on the exam, just do them right in this order, and the right amount of each ingredient. You know how on some potions you can mess about with adding in things whenever? With these, you can't just do that."
"I just hope I get through the exam without burning my eyelashes," Mimi said shuddering.
"Good luck with at," Beth replied. "Last time it was your eyebrows."
"I was completely mortified," Mimi remembered. "It took a month for them to grow back!"
Alexa grinned. "So I'm guessing this time you'll remember how to do the potion the right way."
"Thanks to Saffy's help," Mimi said smiling at her friend.
"I didn't do that much," Saffron said, flipping to another chapter in her potions text.
"You did," Beth assured her. "You've always helped us out when we needed it. And even though we're scared of you, you've always been a great friend."
Saffron smiled. "Thanks you guys. I appreciate that."
Alexa smiled at her friend. "And we'd all be in a world of trouble if she hadn't helped us out."
"She's going to be going on an ego trip if we don't stop complimenting her," Beth teased.
"Yeah, you guys better stop before I get an even bigger head," Saffron said balling up a piece of parchment and throwing it at Beth.
Mimi smiled at her. "What else do we need to work on?"
"Potions is tomorrow," Alexa said. "And then we have Charms tomorrow and then History of Magic on Thursday."
"What a week," Mimi leaned back in her chair. "I'm not going to be able to spend any time with Jake."
"At least you're finally over Ollie," Alexa teased.
Beth snorted. "Like she ever had a chance."
"Because he was so besotted with you, right?" Saffron asked.
"He should be," Beth replied.
"Beth," Alexa said shaking her head.
"Let's get back to Potions," Saffron replied. "The sooner we study it the sooner we can get on with our lives."
"Exactly," Alexa agreed. The four girls made quite a bit of headway in their revising. Before long, they were breaking for dinner. Beth and Mimi went on ahead so they could catch up to Jake.
Alexa stuffed her books into her bag. "I have to write back to Gabriel after dinner," she said. "Want me to tell him you said hello?"
"Yeah," Saffron replied. "In fact, I should write to him, too."
"Are you going to write to Andrew?" Alexa ventured.
"Of course," Saffron said. "And I'm going to ask him why he remains friends with that arse."
"Saffy..." Alexa sighed.
"You read that article," Saffron argued.
"You don't know that he actually said it though," Alexa replied calmly. "Come on... you said you were going to patch things up. Don't let this throw you back."
"You just concentrate on Gabriel," Saffron said. "And leave RJ to me."
"Saffy!" Alexa exclaimed.
Saffron just shrugged her shoulders and walked ahead of her friend.
Alexa thought Saffron was just looking for excuses to stay angry at RJ. "Are you mad at me now?" she called after her.
Saffron turned and looked at her. "I just don't understand how you can just forgive and forget? And how you can take up for him after all that he did to you!"
"Because I'm over it," Alexa said. "I've moved on, Saffy. I'm with Gabe and I'm very happy."
"And you want to be friends with him?" Saffron asked angrily.
"I don't see why not," Alexa admitted.
Saffron shook her head. "You are way too forgiving," she said. "I'm going to give him a piece of my mind."
"Saffron, he's not even going to be in Brighton," Alexa pointed out. "You're going to ruin your holiday with Andrew..."
"After RJ said what he said in the paper, Andrew's got to realise what an arse he really is," Saffron spoke the password and walked into the common room.
Alexa remained silent. She couldn't believe Saffron was taking the words printed in that tabloid as the truth.
"In fact, I'm going to send him a Howler," Saffron replied, almost as an afterthought.
"Saffron!" Alexa exclaimed.
"He deserves it," Saffron replied, heading upstairs to their room.
Alexa decided to leave her alone. "I'll catch up to you later."
"Fine," Saffron answered.
Back in London, RJ and Andrew were sitting in their kitchen eating pizza with Jason.
"Those girls were around us for what five minutes?" RJ asked looking at the paper in the middle of the table. "And then you and I were leaving the club with them to do God knows what. Not to mention them saying that I was telling you to forget about Saffron, when I never said anything like that."
Andrew shook his head. "Those papers are total trash. They're the ones who printed all those stories about you and Serena too."
Jason laughed. "So you were around ten hot birds and you did nothing?"
"Pretty much," Andrew said with a grin.
"I just got out of a headache with Serena Starr," RJ told him. "There was no way I was getting back into it with a bunch of her clones."
Jason shook his head. "I'll have to tell Monica that. She was worried that by coming over here to have dinner with you guys, I'd be coming into an orgy."
RJ threw his head back in laughter. "Oh the tales I could tell."
"He wishes," Andrew said reaching for another slice.
"Hasn't he always wished?" Jason cracked.
"That was you, Jason," RJ returned.
"Okay, okay," Jason said. "You two superstars make sure you aren't doing anything in August. You're my groomsmen."
"I promise to be there," Andrew said. "You and Monica, man. I think that's awesome."
Jason leaned back in his chair. "I think so, too."
"I still don't see myself getting married, not for a long while." RJ said, grabbing another slice of pizza.
"Who'd have you?" Jason joked.
"Not Serena," Andrew quipped before he could stop himself.
"Good one, Kirke," RJ said getting to his feet. He headed for the icebox but stopped when he heard a tapping on the window. He turned to see an old barn owl just outside. "Mail call."
"I'll get it," Andrew stood up and opened the window.
Andrew turned a little pale when he saw the red envelope. He'd been dreading this all day. Saffron had to have seen the paper. But as he took the envelope, he was surprised to see it wasn't addressed to him, but to RJ.
"Who's it for?" RJ asked.
"Me..." Andrew said quickly, thinking he'd take it into his room and get rid of it.
"Saffron Grace Potter," Jason said with a shudder. "You knew it was coming, buddy."
"Saffron sent you a Howler?" RJ rolled his eyes and they fell onto the name on the envelope. "Hey that's not to you, that's to me. She's sending ME a Howler?"
Andrew nodded. "Yeah, but let's not open it."
"You have to," Jason pointed out.
"The longer you wait, the worse it is," RJ said taking the envelope from Andrew. "Besides, let's get this over with."
Andrew shook his head. "Fine..."
RJ slowly opened the envelope and jumped back as the sound of Saffron's angry voice filled the room.
"RJ WEASLEY, JUST WHEN I THINK YOU CAN'T SINK ANY LOWER, YOU SURPRISE ME AGAIN. IT'S BAD ENOUGH THAT YOU'VE RUINED EVERYTHING IN YOUR LIFE, BUT NOW YOU'VE DECIDED TO TAKE ANDREW ALONG FOR THE RIDE. YOU MIGHT HAVE FORGOTTEN THAT YOU HAD A GIRLFRIEND, BUT ANDREW ISN'T THE TYPE OF PERSON WHO COULD DO THAT."
Andrew winced at her words. "This has gone too far," he said angrily.
RJ watched as the letter disintegrated. "Its okay, Andrew. I've gotten used to it."
"But she should know better!" Andrew shook his head. "Damn it I am so sick of being put in the middle with her!"
"What are you going to do, mate?" Jason asked.
"I don't know yet," Andrew said. "But I'm not putting up with this anymore."
"Andrew--" RJ started to say.
"Don't," Andrew held up his hand. "Just don't, okay?"
RJ nodded. "So, how about another beer?"
"I don't feel like it right now," Andrew said. "I'll see you lot later."
RJ felt guilty that he was coming between Saffron and Andrew. If only Saffron would have left well enough alone and at least tried to forgive him for what had happened.
"What's her problem?" Jason asked when Andrew left. "Hasn't it been over between you and Alexa for awhile?"
"Yeah," RJ answered. "And she constantly tries to pit Andrew against me. It's really ridiculous. And he's been really patient, but I think he's held it in too long. He does that sometimes and then it all comes out at once."
"Doesn't look good for them," Jason commented.
RJ shrugged. "If it doesn't work out, it's her own fault for being a stubborn brat."
In his bedroom, Andrew was thinking the exact same thing. He'd had it up to here with this. They were leaving for Brighton in a few days and for the first time, he wasn't looking forward to seeing her. They needed to have a long talk about this.
He tried several times to write her a letter but gave up. Feeling frustrated, he grabbed his broom and took off for a night time ride to clear his head.
He would have expected her anger to be directed to him, if she'd had any at all. Those tabloids were notorious for printing rubbish, but she'd believed it just the same. It was almost as if she was looking for an excuse to keep her anger toward RJ going.
"That's all it is," he muttered. "An excuse. And now she's dragging me into it."
He was through with this. She was either going to let this go, or he'd ask her if this grudge was worth destroying their relationship.