First Staircase

Amanda sat at the bottom of the stairs, studying.

Rachel had left the Room Of Requirement about fifteen minutes ago, and she was going down to the Great Hall. When she saw Amanda, she decided to stop and chat with her for a bit.

You know, just for a change of pace.

A needed change of pace.

Amanda smiled and put down her book after folding the page in the corner to mark her place. "Hey Rachel."

"Hey." she peaked over and looked at Amanda's book. "What class are you studying for?"

"You know, at this point I'm not even sure. I was kind of daze reading, so I wasn't absorbing any information." Amanda picked up the book and read the title. "Transfiguration Year 7. Hm."

"Staring at the page won't do ya any good." she sighed. "At least you're a diligent student. YOU'LL be the one who ends up Empress Of Gringrotts and all the cash that comes with it someday."

Amanda laughed, and pushed up her glasses. Her head had been hurting too much to wear her contacts. "I won't be anything that impressive. But it would be fun being an Empress!"

"Yeah you will!" she slapped Amanda playfully on the shoulder. "Deep inside, past your modest self, you just want to BLOOM like a flower, and want everyone to know your name!"

Amanda glanced at the book then back to Rachel. "You're reading me better than I read this book."

Rachel began to laugh-a loud belly laugh. "Really?! What I was saying is right?! Oh goodness Amanda, you WILL become Empress of Gringotts at this rate!"

[Empress of Gringotts is like the president of it right? XD]

Amanda grinned. "And you my friend will control the rest of the world!"

(Whatever your interpretation is. XD)

She laughed again, but a bit more quietly, and shook her head. "Oh no, appoint that role to someone else. I'd be a terrible ruler."

"But you'd be perfect for it! You're pretty levelheaded and you can read everyone's emotions!"

She shrugged. "I don't want it anyway." she changed the subject. "So, it seems like you and your friend Opal have been hanging out a lot lately, huh?" she lowered her voice to a whisper. "Is it true she's bisexual?"

"Op-- Her name is Olivia. And no... she's straight."

"Whaaaatcha talking about?" Libby announced. She happened to be walking by. "Hey, Amanda! Rachel."

Kelsi and Robin, and Fry were running down here. They had dragged Nicky with them too. Kelsi paused. "YOU GUYS!" she screamed, and grabbed both of Rachel's and Amanda's arms. "Oh my God." she stumbled a bit, and held her breath. "Oh my... Harry Potter and his friends just appeared in the Room-- And You-Know-Who is coming!" she cried.

"Oh hi, Lib! I was just answering Ray's question 'bout Liv. Oh- Ray, that was just a rumour spread by one of those stupid Fairfield twins." Amanda took notoice of Kelsi and the crew.

"Harry- Voldemort- WHAT!?"

Libby's broad grin immediately faded away. "Wait, WHAT?" Libby looked over to Robin, as Kelsi was too immersed in Rachel and Amanda. "Harry Potter? I thought that bugger was dead! How'd he get here? And You-Know-Who?"

Nicolas nodded. "It's true!" he said in support of Kelsi.

"NICK! You're out of the Room Of Requirement and-" then, her mind fully registered what Kelsi had just said. And it kicked her in the butt.

"You-you Know Who is coming?!" exclaimed Rachel, not fully believing it. Her face was turning a sickly white pasty color, and it even had a bit of a green tint added to it.

"YES! We're just making our way to the Great Hall, they told all those who wanted to fight to go there."

"Which is what we're going to do." Fry said, nodding.

"You're not. You may be seventeen, but you are not fighting." Robin snapped.

"I'm an adult now, and I can do what I want. And I want to kick some people's asses." Fry retorted.

Kelsi shook her head. "You guys, this is really... well, scary."

"Harry and his crew stayed with me during Christnas..." Amanda stood up, using the railing for support. "Guys, we were all born for a reason. And I think it was to help kick the Death Eater's and Voldemort's ass."

[That was terribly out of place. /fails]

Libby paled a bit, but nodded. She placed her hands firmly on her hips. "I'm going to fight, too! C'mon, guys, we don't have any time to waste!" Her voice shook slightly. She was actually terrified, but after she put a brave face on and got into it, she'd surely be okay. Right?

Rachel shook her head furiously, her (now) long red hair whacking Amanda in the face.

"It might YOUR destiny, but not mine!" she exclaimed. "It's not my destiny to die at the hands of some Death Eater! Call me a coward, but I don't care."