"There's nothing wrong with me, I'm perfectly fine," I complained in annoyance. Sirius ignored me and continued to pull me towards the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey looked up from where she was attending to one of her patients and frowned at the sight of me.
"You again? You kids and your Quidditch," she said, clucking her tongue.
"Well it's not my fault. I'm perfectly fine. Adrian keeps sending me here for no reason at all," I huffed in annoyance.
"And that's as it should be. You never know what damage can be done," she said, hurrying over to examine me. "Ooh, that's a nasty lump on the head you have there. A few bruised ribs as well. Took quite a fall I take it?" She murmured, talking more to herself than to me or Sirius. I fidgeted while she took her time making sure everything was healed until she scolded me. I jumped up when she proclaimed she was finished. I looked out the window in dismay, seeing that the Gryffindors had left the pitch already, to be replaced by the streaking green and silver figures of the Slytherin team. I scowled darkly, marching back to the common room.
"That's the last time he sends me off to this bloody hospital wing," I swore under my breath. Sirius chuckled and put his arm around me.
Later that day, I sat on the bench beside Sirius, anxiety making my food suddenly strangely unappetizing. Today was Sunday. I tried not to be obvious, but Sirius caught my occasional glances at the Slytherin table where Malfoy was deep in conversation with his friends. Sirius frowned at me, and after shoving another bite of potatoes into his mouth, asked what was wrong. I shrugged and stared down at my food.
"You keep looking at the Slytherins. What's wrong? Did Malfoy threaten you? Did Sna-" He started to question but I shook my head furiously.
"It's nothing," I said quietly. Tonks glanced at me from across the table and snorted.
"Yeah right. You never eat like that. What's up?" She said, joining in on the interrogation. I frowned slightly and slowly ate another bite of roast beef.
"I said it's nothing. Drop it would you?" I said, a hint of anger creeping into my voice. Tonks looked down at her food and mumbled something that I didn't hear. For the rest of supper, I made a concentrated effort to eat as much as I could, avoiding Sirius' eyes the entire time. When I knew I could eat no more, I lingered at the table, slowly drinking my pumpkin juice. Sirius had finished a while ago and although I had told him to go back to the common room without me, he'd stubbornly refused. The last drops of the juice slid down my throat and landed in my stomach like drops of lead.
"Go, I've got some stuff I needa do. Just go," I said quietly.
"But Rav-" He started to protest.
"I'll see you in the common room," I said, my voice low and angry. He frowned at me and got up silently, leaving without a backward glance. A knot twisted in my throat as I remained glued to my seat, waiting until he was out of sight. I took a few deep breaths and got up slowly, following the direction he had went but knowing I'd never make it to the common room. As I passed through the arch, I heard a hissing sound and felt my hair being yanked. I wheeled around to find a glowering Regulus. Lucius laughed coldly.
"How noble. Not prepared to let your new boyfriend fight your battles for you?" He said as I was tugged away. I bit my lip to keep the harsh retort from spilling out. Lucius pinched my lips. "I asked you a question mudblood," he hissed into my ear. I glared at him, but refused to give him what he wanted. He shoved me into the room and I stumbled, falling to the floor. I started to get up, but I felt hands pushing me back down. I looked up to find Regulus' wand inches from my noise and an ugly look of hate contorting his features.
"You filthy little mudblood," he said, his voice low and shaking with anger. Lucius watched him carefully. "Too long has my brother pranced about, befouling the noble name of our family with his indiscretions, and now this? That even he would sink to such a level," he continued. I said nothing, head lowered. They'd taken my wand and there was nothing I could do to prevent an attack anyways. I felt more than heard the impact of his words and wondered for the thousandth time why I was subjected to this meaningless torture. I wasn't the only muggle born in the school, was it because of that day on the train? That was ages ago. I didn't deserve this. I didn't deserve any of it, I thought to myself angrily. I lifted my head to glare at Regulus. He took this as his cue to unleash his spell on me.
"Sectumsempro," he said quietly, and immediately large gashes were gouged into my skin. I gasped as the pain washed over me, flooding into every inch as it flowed down into the carpet, staining my clothes. I slumped forwards, trying to catch my breath and biting my lip to keep from crying out.
At that moment, I heard the door fly open and shouts echoed around the room. Jets of light streamed past me and I blinked, shutting my eyes against the lights. Everything went blissfully black, the voices fading like so much white noise.
I awoke in his arms and blinked up at his worried eyes. I felt a dull throbbing pain, but it was mostly in my head and much better than it had been before. All I remembered was Regulus' curse, and the awful look in his eyes. I shivered at the thought and Sirius stroked my hair and whispered soothingly.
"Are you alright? Why did he do that to you? That little snot nosed brat. He'll pay for what he did. Him and all those others. I'm so sorry Raven. It's my fault," he said angrily. I closed my eyes tiredly.
"It's not your fault. It wasn't because of you," I murmured. Suddenly I was angry and my eyes snapped open.
"Why did you come? I didn't ask for your help. Sirius! I told you to let me be," I said, watching his anger melt and smooth into a puzzled expression.
"This again? Didn't you know what he did to you?! Why won't you let anyone help?" He said in confusion. I scowled and struggled out of his arms, pushing him away.
"I don't need anyone's help," I muttered in annoyance. I felt the soft bed beneath me and assured myself with a quick glance that I was in the hospital wing for the second time that day. The ward was starting to get much too familiar. Sirius moved closer to me and reached out to touch me, but I shuffled away from him, out of his reach and scowled.
"You're hopeless," he said in annoyance, getting off the bed. "Here's your wand," he said, throwing the wood onto the bed and walking out of the room without a backward glance. I clutched my wand and shivered at the sudden coldness I felt at his absence.
"Sirius had no right to intrude. I was just fine," I muttered to myself, pulling the blanket around me and curling into a ball. Nonetheless, it was hours before I slipped into a light sleep, Sirius' face the last thing I saw in my mind's eye.
"Oh Raven, is it really so hard to stay out of trouble?" I awoke to the sound of Tonks' voice and opened my eyes, only to blink them in discomfort at the streaming sunlight. I moaned and sat up, hurriedly lying back down when my head began to throb in protest.
Tonks, Lily, and Dawn were seated around my bed. Sirius' absence hit me far harder than it should have and I chastised myself silently for it. Dawn was fiddling with her hands anxiously and Tonks looked upset.
"You're awake," she said in surprise.
"Are you alright?" Asked Dawn in concern.
"What happened?" Questioned Lily. I waved away their questions and closed my eyes, not liking their staring.
"I'm hungry," I said, eyes still closed. Tonks laughed.
"Not too badly damaged I see," she said. "Here." She handed me a bowl of porridge drizzled with honey. I sat up again, wincing at the pain but too hungry to care. I wolfed it down and sighed contentedly, placing it on the table beside my bed.
"Wait what time is it?" I asked suddenly.
"It's 8," replied Lily promptly.
"So early?" I groaned, rolling over. Tonks grinned.
"I know, it's ridiculous. Dunno what you're doing awake."
"Need… More… Sleep," I mumbled into the pillow.
"Alright, well we should get going anyways. I'll see you later," said Tonks, getting up from here seat.
"Feel better soon Raven," said Dawn seriously, following Tonks.
"Yeah, Adrian will kill you if you're not well enough for the match in a couple days," said Tonks over her shoulder.
"Oh I'll be more than better by then," I said grimly.
"I hope you feel better soon," said Lily, echoing Dawn's words as she followed the other girls out of the room. I rolled over onto my side and sighed, snuggling deeper into the blankets and willing myself to sleep. It did not come so easily, and I rolled around in the blankets uneasily.
I woke up and yawned, sitting up with no accompanying flash of pain. Madam Pomfrey hurried over to where I was swinging my legs off the bed and getting up.
"Yes, everything's healed nicely. I'd prefer it if you'd stay here longer and rest, but I know you have studies and classes to be getting back to," she said irritably. I nodded and stretched.
"Well thanks for everything," I said. She nodded.
"Try not to end up here so soon again," she called after me as I went into the bathroom to change. I rolled my eyes as I quickly pulled on my clothes. My stomach growled at me unhappily and I left the room in a hurry. On the way I ran into Tonks, who had a plate full of sandwiches and fruit. She blinked at me.
"Oh. Up already? I brought you this," she said in surprise, shoving the food at me.
"Fanks," I said, mouth full as I bit into a sandwich. Tonks didn't even laugh this time, as she was so used to my eating habits, and merely winced slightly at the mass of food my mouth revealed.
"Ew," she mumbled to herself. I ignored the comment and chewed happily, walking towards the Great Hall. I stared silently down at my plate and continued to eat, sitting near the end of the table away from Sirius, after a quick glance to ascertain where he was seated.
I wasn't really sure why, but I was still mad at him. The humiliation of being so helpless still burned through me. I hated how much of my weakness Sirius had seen. It made me feel so vulnerable, to know that someone had seen the made me cold and irrationally angry. I didn't look up when I heard the sound of a plate hit the table in front of me.
"Why are you mad at me? I don't understand," he said softly, frustrated. Tonks glanced at us, and moved to away to sit by Dawn. I shook my head, not entirely sure of the reason myself. "This isn't fair. Why can't I help you? It's not fair. Nobody should endure that, why are you mad at me for helping?" He continued, his voice growing louder. I glanced around cautiously and shrugged, still not meeting his eyes. He sighed and there was silence for a moment.
"Raven?" He said gently. I chanced a look at his bewildered face, hurt written plainly in his features. I frowned and looked away.
"It makes me angry," I said simply, continuing to eat slowly. I shot another look at him to gauge his reaction. Sirius shook his head in irritation.
"Why?" He persisted. I hadn't an answer for him, so I gazed at my plate helplessly. I could tell he was starting to grow angry with me, as a result of my unsatisfactory answer. "Why won't you look at me?" He plunged on, a hint of anger coloring his words. I looked up and met his gaze, my eyes narrowed.
"I don't like to feel like I need someone. Anyone."
"Why? Everybody needs help sometimes. Everyone needs somebody," he said in annoyance. I shook my head slightly and drained the last of my pumpkin juice.
"See ya around," I all but whispered, getting up and heading to class.
Tonks seemed to want to discuss something in Charms, but I waved her away and pursed my lips, listening to Professor Flitwick's lecture on something called the Fidelus Charm, an apparently very complex charm that allowed the subjects of it to stay hidden with the help of a Secret-Keeper.
By the time we got to History of Magic, Tonks took the hint that I wasn't in the mood for talking. Instead, she tried to get a response by passing a note my way, but I frowned at it and crumpled it up, sinking onto my desk with my head in my arms. I was getting real tired of all the drama real fast. It didn't matter that this latest difficulty was the direct result of my own stubbornness. I really had no reason to be mad at him, if anything I should be grateful. I just couldn't find it in me to accept what he had done, let alone thank him for it. I chanced a glance at Sirius. He was scribbling moodily on a piece of paper, oblivious as was most of the class to the professor's ramblings. He didn't notice my eyes on him, but James did and frowned at me. He started to mouth something, but I hurriedly looked away, avoiding his puzzled eyes.
The rest of the day passed slowly, as if the clocks had forgotten the proper speed with which to spin round. I relaxed a bit in Arithmancy, my last class of the day, glad that neither Sirius or Tonks was in my class. I still paid only a little attention to the class, my thoughts drifting away like butterflies to rest on subjects that had very little to do with numbers. Lily nudged me reproachfully and I pretended to take notes for the rest of the class, choosing to doodle and write random scraps of thought as they came to me. Lily however, seemed satisfied, immersed as she was in her own diligent note taking.
I retreated to my room after class and stayed there, not going down to the Great Hall for supper. Tonks bounded into the room a while later, narrowing her eyes at me.
"Aren't you hungry?" She asked. I shook my head as my stomach growled.
"Shut up," I mumbled in annoyance. Tonks just stared at me like I'd lost my mind.
"Well I didn't bring anything for you because you're being stubborn. And really silly. Get over it already. I don't know what happened and I'm not gonna bug you to tell me because you're already in a bad mood. But anyways, there's a new boy that transferred to Hogwarts," she said, only half-excited about the news she'd brought me. I slipped out of my sulkiness a bit.
"Really? What's he like?" I questioned curiously. She scowled at me.
"Well why don't you go down and figure that out for yourself?" Tonks said snappishly. I sighed.
"I just don't want to, okay? Besides, I'm sure Dawn or Lily will tell me when they get back," I said confidently.
"Yeah but in the meantime, what're you gonna do about food?" She said smugly. It was my turn to scowl at her.
"I'll manage…" I mumbled, wondering as I said it what I was going to do about my hunger. I wriggled around impatiently as Tonks slipped away downstairs, wondering what this transfer student was like. Out of sheer boredom and anxiety more than anything else, I pulled out some of my homework and spread it out on my bed, the papers fanning out, a frown of disappointment. I felt a similar expression tug the corners of my mouth, and stared at the Potions assignment in agitation.
Describe several love potions and the advantages and disadvantages of each. Also discuss the nature of the main ingredient, something of who you wish to bewitch.
I pulled open a Potions book and grudgingly looked up one of the potions. Before I could get any further, Lily and Dawn entered the room.
"Raven did you hear? There's a new boy in our house!" Said Dawn happily. I cocked my head in curiosity.
"Yeah I did, what's he like?" I asked, eager to hear about him. Dawn looked thoughtful.
"Well, he's," she started to say, but Tonks burst into the room.
"Oh, don't tell her," she said irritably. Dawn looked at her, puzzled.
"But why not?"
"Because she's being a stubborn prat. If she wants to know she can go find out for herself," she replied calmly. Dawn frowned.
"Come to think of it, I didn't see her at supper either. There must be a reason she's hidden away up here," she said, smiling at me and sitting on her bed.
"That's right, what's wrong Raven?" Asked Lily, taking off her earrings and laying them neatly on a table beside her bed. I shrugged.
"Don't wanna talk about it," I mumbled, my voice barely audible. Lily frowned, but didn't pursue the matter.
"You're mean, why can't someone tell me about the new boy?" I whined, packing away my homework, having lost the brief desire to get some of it done. Tonks glowered at me.
"Because you're being a git," she said simply.
"How do you know it's my fault?"
"Well I… Oh. Good point. But you'd tell me if it was because of… Someone else," she said confidently.
"Fine then," I said in annoyance, wiggling under the covers with my clothes still on and pulling the hangings around my bed closed. "Be that way," I mumbled.
Notes: Here you are! Nice and early.
Hehe. Raven's so ridiculous. ^_^ She doesn't even make sense. Anyways, the Yule Ball has now been changed to the Millenium Masquerade, as I'm stupid and overlooked the fact that that ball is only for the Triwizard Tournament. So, the school is celebrating a thousand years of being open. And it's a masquerade/costume ball. Because that's more fun.