Chapter Three
My Brothers and Sisters Couldn't Do That
Making friends with people was always easier said than done for me. The first and only friend that I had in my house for awhile was Neville. We ate together, we sat beside each other in class and besides bath time and bed time, we spent about every moment possible together.
Bath time, now that was a more difficult time for me. The bathroom for the Gryffindor first year girls was just like every other bathroom in Hogwarts, one enormous tub where all the girls bathed together. That was a problem for me, not because I had body issues, more or less it was because my body was the issue. The secret weapon gets marked almost about the same way a death eater does, with the dark mark, except all death eaters get marked on their arm. That is far from where the secret weapon gets hers. I don't know if Voldemort planned for it to be provocative because I was marked as soon as I came out of my mother, I was marked on the inside of my thigh. My mark was different, in many ways. One; it was bigger than any death eaters. Two; it was a dragon. And three; when activated, it would spread to fill the entire length of my leg. Of course, at the time I didn't know any of this, I just knew I didn't want any of the other girls to see my leg, which made getting a bath quite difficult. I'd either have to wait in the water until all the other girls got out or I would have to quickly dress without any of the other girls seeing. Isn't bath time supposed to be where all your stress melts away? Not where it starts? Well, that's an entirely different story. Weren't we talking about my friend making abilities? Or lack thereof?
It really all started at breakfast. While I was reading through Hogwarts: A History, Neville was marveling at his Transfiguration exam. He'd gotten an E, thanks to my help.
"Neville got a better score than I did." Ron complained loudly. "How is that possible?"
I was trying to analyze whether he was being loud to get my attention or he was generally just a loudmouth. Perhaps it was a trait of a ginger.
"Well, he does hang around Song-li." Harry said. "And she's bloody smart. She has higher marks than Hermione and that is saying something."
"Are you saying he cheated?" Dean asked. "I mean they sit together in every class."
"No, I'm saying he hangs around Song-li." Harry said. "Why don't we hang around Song-li?"
"We do have a load of homework, and she's a lot better looking than Hermione," Seamus said. "Perhaps you are suggesting we become part of the Song-li study group?"
"Study? Me?" Dean
said. "Seamus, you're off your rocker."
"I wasn't
intending to study anything…except maybe her cute little face."
Seamus said. They all started laughing like they were the funniest
blokes in the world.
I huffed and shut my
book. I nudged Neville. "Neville, did you hear any of that?"
"Hm?"
He said looking up. "Uh…no."
Nevertheless, at dinner all four of the jerks came over and sat down at my table.
"So, Song-li, we
need your help." Dean stuttered. "We wondered if you could help
us with our homework tonight."
I poured myself a goblet of
pumpkin juice as calmly as I could. I looked up at their pleading
faces and gave them one of my best flirtatious smiles. I heard two of
them sigh. "Why of course!" I answered. "I'll show you how to
do the problems or where to look in your book and you will do it
yourself. That's how I work with Neville."
Their cheerful faces dropped. Ron opened his mouth, a trait that throughout the rest of his life would constantly get him in trouble. "How about you do the work for us and we say we did." He said.
I picked up my goblet and took a sip. "Well, however would you learn if I did that?" I said and picked up my book again.
"We'd study what you wrote down?" Harry said trying to save himself.
I didn't even look up from my book. "That would be cheating and I don't cheat."
"I'll pay you." Seamus said offering me some gold.
I glared at him before looking back at my book. "No. You're welcome to study with us but I will not just hand out the answers."
"God, you are such a stubborn little prat." Ron snapped.
"Well, I'm sorry that you don't have the brains to pay attention in class." I said my voice beginning to rise.
Ron knocked the book out of my hands. "And I'm sorry that you're a stubborn little orphan. No wonder you never got adopted. No one wants you."
I picked up my goblet and tossed its contents in Ron's face. "You're such a bloody git!" I snapped, tears starting to tickle my eyes. I grabbed my book and ran from the room.
When I told Hayzie, she was less than pleased. She had him pinned up against a wall before I could say or do anything to stop her. "I will pound you into non-existence if you ever say something like that to my Song-li ever again." She growled.
"Please don't kill me." He begged.
"I can't kill you; you have to apologize to Song-li." Hayzie said. "But I will injure you severely until you do."
"Wait, wait, wait!" Ron pleaded. "Song-li come here."
I hesitated but a nod from Hayzie sent me forward, slowly I might add, but forward. "Are you going to let me go?" He asked. Hayzie looked at me concernedly but I nodded and she let him go.
"Song-li, I'm really sorry, I shouldn't have said that, it was wrong and mean and I'm sorry."
"You don't mean it!" snapped Hayzie and before I could stop her, she punched him in the face. I gasped.
"Detention, Miss Edwards." Snape said coolly as he passed by.
"Yeah, yeah, tell me something I don't know." She said simply. "Have a good day, Song-li." She smiled and traipsed off.
I knelt next to Ron, he was holding his mouth. "Are you ok?" I asked.
He moved his hand; his lip was swollen and bleeding. I gasped, again. I took his face in my hands. All I remember was just wishing it would go away, only wishing. I never reached for my wand. I never did anything but wish and it was gone! I pulled my hands away from his face and stared at them in shock. Ron gaped at me.
"How did y-" he started but I cut him off.
"Did what?" I said
nonchalantly. "I merely used my wand, Ron, duh."
He narrowed
his eyes at me. "You did?"
"Yes, didn't you see? Come on, we're going to be late for Transfiguration." I said pulling him to his feet.
At Transfiguration, about ten minutes late
"Miss Saeto, I never expected you to be late." Said Professor McGonagall. "Because this is your first time, I will let you off with a warning, take your seats."
I sat down next to Neville and opened my notebook. I began working on my notebook but all I could think about was how I did that and how close a call that was.
Author's Little Corner
Please leave reviews and again, I warn you, don't make any assumptions when it comes to this story. There are too many twists and turns for you to assume anything.
Little Chiyo
