(E/N: This chapter contains some rude references to 9/11. Don't wory
though, the person (if you already haven't guessed who) says them gets
what's coming to him!)
Except for getting accustomed to her classes, the first week passed without inciden. But as the 11th of September approached, Rory became more and more somber. Those who came frompure-blood families did not understand why, on that date, Rory had bewitched 4 candles, two larger and more slender than the others, to follow her around. Even the Muggle born witches and wizards were not sure what the bug deal was. And everyone was taken abaout, when, at 8:45, she burst out crying in the middle of potions. And when Snape yelled at her for disrupting the class, the lights of pain and anger that mingled in her wet green eyes made even him falter in his rant. Only Malfoy seemed untouched by her grief.
As she was walking out of her last class, Rory felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Harry.
"Are you okay?" he asked carefully.
"Not really, but I'll get through it. It's just so hard because no one really understands it. You were all here. You - - you didn't have to watch the television. The building, the people.. al; those people.." As Rory broke down into a fresh wave of tears, she felt Harry pull her into a hug.
When she stopped crying somewhat Harry pulled away, looked at her, and asked, "Better?"
"A little, I guess. We better hurry to the Great Hall though. Professor McGonagall asked Dumbledore to say something, and she told me to add a little thing at the end."
"What?"
"You'll see," she said with a weak smile, "They hope it will help all of you guys understand just a bit of something even I don't fully get. I told them they don't have to go through all this, expecially when you guys have your own widzarding problems." She gave Harry a meaningful look - he had told Rory about Voldemort.
Dumbledore's explanation of Rory's sadness brought her to a point that was between sorrow and pride for her home. Finally, it was time for her to read her piece.
"Um.. This is a poem I wrote last year. It sorta explains everything, or at least how I felt. So here it is..." Tears welled in Rory's eyes as she read her poem, but she somehow managed not to completey break down into tears.
"Why must we suffer These great acts of Evil As they progress Terror unfolds They strike at our Hearts Try to break our Spirits Not caring to spare the young or the old. I watch on TV as the building collapses Taking along their Hearts and their Souls"
Here Rory paused, taking in a deep breath before starting again.
"But we must be strong Awake and Rise from the rubble Caring for those whose Hearts Are torn and broken by Trouble Whose Hearts no longer smile But are haunted by Tears For those who were robbed Of their Precious Years"
As Rory ended, the hall was filled with a sort of respectful applause. Through her new feeling of pride, Rory could not help but notice that the applause faltered over at the Slytherin table.
As she settled back down at the table, Harry was looking at her intently.
"Wow. I never realized you wrote stuff like that."
"Yeah, I write poems and songs all the time, just to get my feelings out. Of course, the love ones are all about what I wish would happen, not what actually does, "she said with a small laugh.
"Yeah?" Harry answered.
"Rory," Hermoine said, "You were brilliant up there. Really."
"Yes, bloody brilliant!" Ron agreed.
With and uncomfortable lull in conversation (with rarely happened among the four), the started to walk back to the dormitory. But as they were walking down the corridor, they had the misfortune of running into Malfoy & Company. Rory had not yet met him outside of class before, but from Hermione, Ron, and Harry's stories, she knew he was bad news.
"What do YOU want?" she demanded, before either Harry or Ron could say anything. They glanced at each other, slightly amused, and stood next to her, wands at the ready.
"Oh, so I see the Trampy Trio has become the Queer Quartet," Malfoy said calmly.
"Wow. Has anyone ever told you that you suck at alliteration. Because, wow. I have no words for how much you do. Just.. My god!" Rory bit back.
"Ooh, fiesty! I like her. Too bad she's an American, and a Mudblood at that, or she just might have had a chance."
"A chance? What, with you? Hel---"
"But I guess we all know why she's here now, "Malfoy continued, ignoring Rory's comment, Hermione's disapproving face, and Harry and Ron's shaking wand hands, "Hiding from the Arabs. Lord, do you really think you can get away? They destroyed two of your most prominent buildings with your country's own planes. Hah. How stupid can you Americans get?" As he was saying this Malfoy had strolled up until he was 3 inches away from Rory's face. This was a big mistake.
The light of anger shone again in her eyes, but Rory just smiled calmy. Then, she brought her knee up sharply, right into ---
"Ah!" Malfoy screamed, "My balls! You b!tch!"
"Harry, Ron and Hermione tried to keep straight faces and help, but were too overcome with laughter. Before their slow minds could process what had just happened, she kicked both Crabbe and Goyle and smacked them upside the head. Then she bent down to where Malfoy was writhing in pain and said, "One thing you should know about Americans: don't piss us off. K, hun?"
Rory then simply stepped over the three boys, turned to her friends, and said, "Amazing what you pick up from watching the Three Stooges. Now, are you coming?" And turned and walked down the hall. Hermione, Ron, and Harry, followed, not bothering to avoid stepping on the three Slytherins.
For the next month, Rory was a kind of hero for all the houses but Slytherin.. But that house, of course, hated her with a passion, and went out of their way to harrass her and her friends even more than usual. And Snape seemed harder on them than ever before. She apologised to Harry and Ron for this, but they didn't seem to care. They joked that the indident was her official induction into their circle. Hermione acted quite disapprovingly around them, but secretly confided in Rory that she had longed to help her out.
Except for getting accustomed to her classes, the first week passed without inciden. But as the 11th of September approached, Rory became more and more somber. Those who came frompure-blood families did not understand why, on that date, Rory had bewitched 4 candles, two larger and more slender than the others, to follow her around. Even the Muggle born witches and wizards were not sure what the bug deal was. And everyone was taken abaout, when, at 8:45, she burst out crying in the middle of potions. And when Snape yelled at her for disrupting the class, the lights of pain and anger that mingled in her wet green eyes made even him falter in his rant. Only Malfoy seemed untouched by her grief.
As she was walking out of her last class, Rory felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Harry.
"Are you okay?" he asked carefully.
"Not really, but I'll get through it. It's just so hard because no one really understands it. You were all here. You - - you didn't have to watch the television. The building, the people.. al; those people.." As Rory broke down into a fresh wave of tears, she felt Harry pull her into a hug.
When she stopped crying somewhat Harry pulled away, looked at her, and asked, "Better?"
"A little, I guess. We better hurry to the Great Hall though. Professor McGonagall asked Dumbledore to say something, and she told me to add a little thing at the end."
"What?"
"You'll see," she said with a weak smile, "They hope it will help all of you guys understand just a bit of something even I don't fully get. I told them they don't have to go through all this, expecially when you guys have your own widzarding problems." She gave Harry a meaningful look - he had told Rory about Voldemort.
Dumbledore's explanation of Rory's sadness brought her to a point that was between sorrow and pride for her home. Finally, it was time for her to read her piece.
"Um.. This is a poem I wrote last year. It sorta explains everything, or at least how I felt. So here it is..." Tears welled in Rory's eyes as she read her poem, but she somehow managed not to completey break down into tears.
"Why must we suffer These great acts of Evil As they progress Terror unfolds They strike at our Hearts Try to break our Spirits Not caring to spare the young or the old. I watch on TV as the building collapses Taking along their Hearts and their Souls"
Here Rory paused, taking in a deep breath before starting again.
"But we must be strong Awake and Rise from the rubble Caring for those whose Hearts Are torn and broken by Trouble Whose Hearts no longer smile But are haunted by Tears For those who were robbed Of their Precious Years"
As Rory ended, the hall was filled with a sort of respectful applause. Through her new feeling of pride, Rory could not help but notice that the applause faltered over at the Slytherin table.
As she settled back down at the table, Harry was looking at her intently.
"Wow. I never realized you wrote stuff like that."
"Yeah, I write poems and songs all the time, just to get my feelings out. Of course, the love ones are all about what I wish would happen, not what actually does, "she said with a small laugh.
"Yeah?" Harry answered.
"Rory," Hermoine said, "You were brilliant up there. Really."
"Yes, bloody brilliant!" Ron agreed.
With and uncomfortable lull in conversation (with rarely happened among the four), the started to walk back to the dormitory. But as they were walking down the corridor, they had the misfortune of running into Malfoy & Company. Rory had not yet met him outside of class before, but from Hermione, Ron, and Harry's stories, she knew he was bad news.
"What do YOU want?" she demanded, before either Harry or Ron could say anything. They glanced at each other, slightly amused, and stood next to her, wands at the ready.
"Oh, so I see the Trampy Trio has become the Queer Quartet," Malfoy said calmly.
"Wow. Has anyone ever told you that you suck at alliteration. Because, wow. I have no words for how much you do. Just.. My god!" Rory bit back.
"Ooh, fiesty! I like her. Too bad she's an American, and a Mudblood at that, or she just might have had a chance."
"A chance? What, with you? Hel---"
"But I guess we all know why she's here now, "Malfoy continued, ignoring Rory's comment, Hermione's disapproving face, and Harry and Ron's shaking wand hands, "Hiding from the Arabs. Lord, do you really think you can get away? They destroyed two of your most prominent buildings with your country's own planes. Hah. How stupid can you Americans get?" As he was saying this Malfoy had strolled up until he was 3 inches away from Rory's face. This was a big mistake.
The light of anger shone again in her eyes, but Rory just smiled calmy. Then, she brought her knee up sharply, right into ---
"Ah!" Malfoy screamed, "My balls! You b!tch!"
"Harry, Ron and Hermione tried to keep straight faces and help, but were too overcome with laughter. Before their slow minds could process what had just happened, she kicked both Crabbe and Goyle and smacked them upside the head. Then she bent down to where Malfoy was writhing in pain and said, "One thing you should know about Americans: don't piss us off. K, hun?"
Rory then simply stepped over the three boys, turned to her friends, and said, "Amazing what you pick up from watching the Three Stooges. Now, are you coming?" And turned and walked down the hall. Hermione, Ron, and Harry, followed, not bothering to avoid stepping on the three Slytherins.
For the next month, Rory was a kind of hero for all the houses but Slytherin.. But that house, of course, hated her with a passion, and went out of their way to harrass her and her friends even more than usual. And Snape seemed harder on them than ever before. She apologised to Harry and Ron for this, but they didn't seem to care. They joked that the indident was her official induction into their circle. Hermione acted quite disapprovingly around them, but secretly confided in Rory that she had longed to help her out.