Chapter 3- The Wisdom of Bats and Brothers

The first few days of school passed in a blur and Avril found herself remembering none of it. The Sorting Hat's words were still flying round her mind, bothering her and instigating long sessions of being lost in thought when she should've been listening to a lecture on the correct way to hold a wand or how goblin rebellions shaped the rights the goblins had today. Whilst her friends shrugged her behaviour off, one did notice.

Avril was sitting on the edge of the lake, absently staring out across the smooth glass and into the horizon. Her fingers were playing with the pebbles beneath her, her mind elsewhere. She was so very far away that she didn't notice the Hufflepuff walking up and sitting beside her.

"Hey," he said.

Avril jumped, snapping round to face her brother before relaxing and answering dejectedly, "Hey."

"What's up?" Cedric asked. "And don't tell me you're homesick- you don't hold that much attachment to the house or St Ottery Catchpole."

"Just something Gerald said," Avril waved off.

Cedric's forehead creased, the exact same way Avril's did when she was confused. "Gerald?"

"The Sorting Hat," Avril supplied. "His name is Gerald- apparently Helga Hufflepuff named him."

"Okay," Cedric said slowly, before nudging her. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"What did…Gerald say?" Cedric reiterated.

Avril hesitated, looking down at the pebble she was fingering. "He said my magic was Dark," she mumbled.

If it was anyone else, they would've had to ask for her to repeat out of sheer lack of being able to hear what she said, but this was Cedric…her sole confidant since she had ever needed one and he had honed the art of understanding her hesitant mumblings to perfection. And he sighed.

"That's not really all that surprising," he admitted.

Avril shot him a hurt look. "You think I'm Dark?"

"Avril," Cedric said, running a hand through his strawberry blonde hair. "Having Dark magic isn't a bad thing. It's how you use it that makes it good or bad."

Avril's brow creased. "But Light is good and Dark is bad."

"By the ministry's prejudiced definition," Cedric conceded and then added sadly, "…and Dad's."

"But you don't think that?"

"No," Cedric said. "And neither does Mother- in fact, she's the one that explained it to me." He paused. "Light and Dark magic are neither good nor bad, but can be viewed as such due to reputation. Dark Magic is the older of the two, and its origins are very, very powerful. Its wild and can't be retained and blocked the same way Light Magic can.

"Light Magic is newer and is the result of pure creatures, such as Elves, breeding with wizards and muggles, passing on magic which is a lot simpler and easier to control and understand. Light Magic isn't as powerful and usually relies on the six rules and elements of magic.

"Grey Magic is the result of cross-breeding between Light and Dark families. It's more complicated than Light Magic and harder to control but less so than Dark. Grey Wizards and Witches can easily access both sides of the spectrum. For example, I'm a Grey Wizard; I learnt that because I finally accessed my magical core- why do you think Mother made us learn how to meditate from a young age?

"My point is; Dark Magic has often been classed as evil due to aversions from muggleborns who found the majority of its methods barbaric which led to law restrictions which then further led to uprisings that fought for the right to practice it. History is written by the victors, always remember that."

Avril nodded slowly, her expression thoughtful.

Cedric scooted closed and pulled her half-onto his lap and into a hug, tucking her head under his chin. "Look, don't worry about it. Just because your magic is Dark, doesn't mean that you're evil."

"If I'm Dark does that mean I won't be able to cast Light spells?" Avril asked quietly after a moment's silence.

"No, you will simply find it harder," Cedric said. "You'll be able to cast Grey spells pretty easily though but it'll be Dark that you have a natural affinity to. Most of the spells they teach at Hogwarts though are neutral so you shouldn't have a problem; Charms will be your hardest subject."

Avril only hummed in response.

.

Avril had been fairly pensive the following day, thinking on what Cedric had told her but her thoughts were less erratic and any panic she had melt away. In fact, she was back to herself by the time Friday rolled round, which was exceptionally good timing considering she'd need all her wits about her if she wanted to survive Professor Snape's class…

"What have we got today?" Harry asked, as Avril buttered her toast.

"Double Potions with the Slytherins," said Ron morosely. "Snape's head of Slytherin House. They say he always favours them- we'll be able to see if it's true."

Avril groaned. The Slytherins meant Draco. And Draco meant best behaviour or else a Howler from Narcissa Malfoy…or even possibly Lucius Malfoy. She sighed, and to think she'd been looking forward to potions, even if it was mainly to see Professor Snape in action.

"Wish McGonagall favoured us," Harry said.

Professor McGonagall was head of the Gryffindor house, but it hadn't stopped her from giving them a pile of homework the day before, nor did it stop her from taking points of her own house nor handing out detentions to the lions either. She certainly had no qualms about lecturing them publically, embarrassingly and thoroughly in public, making it all the worse.

.

Potions lessons took place down in the dungeons, which was quite unfortunate because it was the coldest place in the castle, only adding to the supposed torture it was. Floating eyeballs in jars lined shelves as well as preserves of what looked suspiciously like human fingers. Avril decided this was probably meant to add to the intimidating effect the dungeon's bat had; warning them subtly what would happen to their body parts if they dared cross him.

Avril lost all thoughts of giving the professor a chance the moment she sat down next to Harry and was told to move.

"Miss Diggory," Professor Snape snapped. "Next to Mr Malfoy."

"But…" Avril tried.

"End of discussion," he hissed.

Draco glanced side-ways at her as Avril rather reluctantly dragged herself to the third row next to her cousin. She unpacked what she needed beside Draco's things and sat down on the hard wooden stool, a scowl fixed on her face. Anyone could see she was not pleased by this arrangement, nor the fact that Draco probably had something to do with it.

"No need to look so please," Draco drawled. "This is, after all, a chance for me to keep a closer eye on you; wouldn't want you embarrassing the title of Pureblood, now, do we?"

Avril said nothing and just ground her teeth.

Professor Snape started off the class with the register and then a good long rant before turning on Harry, something that immediately set a mark against his greasy name. Once picking on her friend thoroughly and Draco making sure she stayed silent, the potions master set them all to work on creating a simple potion to cure boils. And of course, Avril was paired with Draco.

Throughout the lesson, Draco was criticizing her on her posture, her attitude and just about every flaw he could find that did not fit in his guide to be a posh snob. The Gryffindor thought she had done fairly well at keeping her cool, but years of bitterness welled up inside her with each scathing comment and on the sixth time, she lost it.

"I don't care!" she snapped. "I don't give a damn if we're cousins! Or if you've been told to keep an eye on me! Or if I'm disgracing the title of pureblood! I just don't care! And I'm tired of you treating me like you're my superior!"

Professor Snape spun round immediately and looked at her sternly, his obsidian eyes flashing with untold depths. "Detention, Miss Diggory. Maybe it will teach you to mind your tongue!"

Avril fumed in silence, and fumed a bit more as Draco threw her a smug glance as if to say, 'If you just listened to me you wouldn't be in detention'. Grinding her teeth, she focused on the potion and putting aside her temper long enough for them to be complimented by Professor Snape on how she and Draco had stewed their horned-slugs to perfection, when a loud hissing noise and green smoke filled the room.

Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron and the health hazard was now seeping across the room, burning holes in people's shoes. Within a matter of moments, everyone was standing precariously on their stools as the round boy blubbered; the potion had sprayed all over him and now angry, painful red boils were burning themselves into his flesh.

"Idiot boy!" Snape snarled, vanishing the potion with an irritable flick of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the potion off the fire?"

Neville whimpered.

"Take him up to the hospital wing," he snapped at Seamus before whirling on Harry and Ron, who had been brewing next to them. "You- Potter- why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."

This was so unfair that Avril opened her mouth to argue, her eyes flashing dangerously, but a kick from Draco made her clamp it shut, her jaw tensing so hard it was a miracle it didn't snap in two. An hour later, her jaw was still whole, and the lesson had come to end, or in other words they were eagerly awaiting their dismissal.

"You may go," Snape sneered, "And I'll see you, Miss Diggory, at two o'clock."

Avril gave a terse nod before fleeing the dungeons with her friends, eager to escape the dank lower levels. She slowly cooled off during lunch, and Cedric hopped tables to work his magic on her mood like he always could, and after much assurance that it could've gone worse, she found herself in a relatively pleasant mood, even stretching to laugh with Harry and Ron as the Weasley twins challenged each other to a game of chubby bunny.

When two o'clock rolled round, she dejectedly departed from her friends and trudged down to the dungeons, a dark cloud settling over her like a bad mood. She knocked on Professor Snape's office door and rolled her eyes as it slowly opened by itself. She stepped inside and walked up to stand before the greasy-haired-git, who was sitting behind the ebony desk, his fingers laced together and his eyes calculating.

"Sit," he ordered.

Avril hesitantly slipped into the hardback chair, shifting uncomfortably. She felt exposed to the man; as though he could see into her very soul. She had things in there she didn't want to be discovered.

"Miss Diggory, why do you dislike your cousin?" he asked simply.

Avril frowned. "I'm…I'm not sure what you mean…Professor," she hastily added on the end.

"What has Mr Malfoy done to deserve your behaviour this morning?" Snape reiterated.

She looked down. When she looked back it seemed childish but when she brought it altogether all she felt was bitterness and resentment; she could count on one hand the times she had actually momentarily enjoyed Draco Malfoy's company and considering they'd known each other for eleven years, that was a pitifully small amount.

"He's an egotistical, a-class, jerk," she spat, everything she felt blazing in her eyes as dancing flames in the silvers and blues and the undying resentment drawing in victims to drown in the obsidian black flecks. "He seems to think he owns me; that he's my parent or that he's in charge of me. He points out my faults and turns a blind eye to my virtues, no matter how few there are." She took a moment and continued, practically hissing her words, "He's a snitch; he holds everything to him as blackmail and should I step one toe out of line, I find myself buried in howlers and lectures from various personnel.

"Professor I'm not even sure you can begin to understand the amount of bitter resentment I have towards that boy. I can count on one hand the times I actually enjoyed his company, but none of it, none of it, makes up for things he has said, the things he has done to me." Pain actually found her way into her voice as she continued. "We're supposed to be cousins; we're supposed to be family. Doesn't that mean anything to him? Because I don't think it does; family. Does. Not. Hurt. Each. Other. No matter what."

Avril realised she was crying and angrily wiped away her tears. She would not cry. She'd held this inside her for so many years, it was almost overwhelming releasing it. She struggled against herself, dragging in anything that might prevent the sudden openness of her emotions, fighting tooth and nail in the effort.

Professor Snape regarded her curiously before finally answering slowly, "I agree that perhaps Mr Malfoy has not taken the best approach in gaining a familial relationship with you, but the truth is, he has at least tried. Snide comments and little praise was how he raised, in the world he lives in, he knows little else, and I have reason to believe he was attempting to take responsibility of you but has had few good examples to learn off." He paused. "You need to look at this from Mr Malfoy's point of view, to do otherwise would be unfair of you."

Avril's firm, heated gaze stared at him, giving away nothing but the clear clues that she was struggling to control herself.

The sudden sound of a shattering jar made them both jump but whilst one calmly cast a quick reparo, the other felt panic add to the battle.

CRACK!

A large splinter snapped into the ebony desk.

She couldn't breathe.

SMASH!

The inkpot on the corner of the desk fell into a thousand shards, bleeding shadowy ink.

"Miss Diggory, you need to calm down," Snape said firmly.

Avril jumped to her feet just as another jar shattered. She shook her head, her fists clenched at her side. "I'm sorry Professor," she muttered. "I can't talk about this now."

She shook her head one last time before fleeing the room; she didn't even acknowledge the platinum blonde boy waiting outside; the boy who had been listening the whole time…


A/N- Thank you to the few who have followed, and the single person who added it to their favourites. I wish all those who have read this a Happy Christmas (if you celebrate it and if not, have a good December and New Year).