Shooting Star
Chapter 11
Vivien and Aster were soon sitting outside with their cats' lodging in their laps. Wednesday, Aster's black cat, purred contently as she was being loved on. The once feral cat seemingly enjoyed the spoiled life of a pet now.
Olive, Vivien's nine-year-old cat, sat in her lap as well. The cat had a shut eye with some crust over it, and a diluted gray and orange mixed into her fur.
Vivien looked at Aster, seeing her smiling as she gave Wednesday chin scratches. "I'm surprised you wanted to see me," Vivien spoke softly. Aster was confused, "I don't why that's surprising. We're still friends, right?"
Vivien looked uneasy, and fear lingered in her eyes, "I hope we are," she admitted, and when she stopped petting Olive, the older cat left her lap, and Vivien held her hands together. "A lot of people thought I was strange growing up because I'm a girl in a boy's body," Vivien admitted. "I didn't want to lose one of my first friends because of what James did. I'm sorry I didn't say anything to you about this."
Aster could see how upset her friend was. Though she could not truly understand the pain, Vivien was going through. Aster knew that hiding one's true self was never the answer. The girl lifted Wednesday and put her down on the ground and scooted closer to the Slytherin. "My mom would tell me that I should never hide my feelings. She always encouraged talking things through, even when it was difficult. I'm not asking you to do so, but I'm glad you never hide your true self from me. You're Vivien. That's who you are right? The girl I met on the train with Lottie and Sam?" She asked.
Vivien nodded furiously, tears coming out of her eyes. "I am. I am Vivien Bulstrode!" She exclaimed. Aster smiled, and the two girls sat side by side, watching as Wednesday was soon chasing a butterfly.
"This is an OUTRAGE!" The man spoke to Minerva. "HOW IS THAT BOY ALLOWED TO BE ANYWHERE NEAR OTHER STUDENTS WHEN HE ASSAULTED MY CHILD?!" Mr. Bulstrode was a plump fellow, tall as well with long wavy dark brown hair and a thick beard that he seemed proud of.
"Now Mr. Bulstrode, that's a little excessive. He didn't assault anyone-" Minerva said but was cut off. "HE PURPOSELY AND MALICIOUS WENT AFTER MY DAUGHTER, HELD HER UP WITH MAGIC, AND PURPOSEFULLY PULLED DOWN HER SKIRT AND UNDERWEAR! HOW DOES THAT NOT COUNT AS ASSAULT TO YOU!"
"I'm sorry this happened, but we've already taken away his privileges around the school," Minerva stated to speak but was cut off once more by Mr. Bulstrode, "So he doesn't get to be on the Quidditch team?! Oh boo-hoo! What a lost!" The man spoke. "He needs to be made an example of!"
"Now hold on," Harry spoke. "My son may have done something horrible, but he's been punished enough."
"And who let you teach here? You're probably the one who's allowed him to get away with vile things!" Mr. Bulstrode stated. He handed letters to the Headmistress, "Vivien has been writing to me every day since the term started of how much she and her friends have been bullied by that James boy! I'm contacting all of their parents and informing them of this behavior if their children haven't done so already."
"Sir you can't!" Harry said.
"Why not?" Mr. Bulstrode asked. Harry looked away uneasy, "it's classified."
"See?! This is exactly why parents and Aurors should not be teaching students! They'll be treated like hardened criminals!"
"Now see here-" Harry began to speak.
"GENTLEMEN ENOUGH!" Minerva shouted over them. "As school policy, we've settled this manner. James is prohibited from all activities outside of his classwork and will be heavily supervised. Mr. Bulstrode, your daughter I assure you, is very much welcomed here at Hogwarts."
"If I hear anymore incident involving my daughter, I'll be withdrawing her from this school and placing her elsewhere. Her magical education is important but so is her safety and well-being," he stated.
The man seemed to be calmed down at the moment, and he looked at the two, "I can't honestly believe that this even happened. That boy has to be a sociopath or something! One more incident like this and everyone will hear of it," the man spoke and left the office.
Harry sighed once the man was out of the room. Minerva was furious as well, "well Potter, I don't know how you plan on punishing your son, but it better be effective."
"I don't know what to do with him anymore. It's like he doesn't care what happens to him," Harry admitted.
"You have to do something soon, or else he'll be expelled from Hogwarts, and his wand shattered. You wouldn't want that would you?"
"No, but you gave me an idea," Harry said as he got up from his seat and headed to James's scheduled class.
Professor Denbright was in the lesson about changing a smaller object to a more massive object to the second-yes Slytherins and Gryffindors when Harry Potter stormed in the classroom. He went straight to James, "come with me right now!" He said, and when James raised an eyebrow and was about to speak up, Harry grabbed him by the ear and began dragging James away from the other students.
He let go as soon as they were out of the classroom and Harry told him to keep walking. Harry led James to Harry's office and with a sound muffler outside placed outside the room, James's punishment commenced. "This attitude of yours and toward other students ends right now," Harry stated. "You're on in-school suspension which means no Quidditch whatsoever and no magic," he stated. Harry had his hand out, "give me your wand James."
James was baffled, "what?! No Quidditch and no magic?! At a magic school? Come on dad!"
"Wand. Now. Do not make me say it a third time," Harry's green eyes burned with anger. James stared at his father, unmoving. "No. You don't scare me."
Harry's hand moved without a second, and Harry slapped his son across the face, which took James by surprise. Harry shifted and swiped the new wand he had purchased for his son in late August, holding it and said, "you are on thin ice that is cracking James. One more step out of line and you're expelled from Hogwarts, and this wand is forever shattered. Do you understand?" Harry stated.
James looked bewildered, but he spoke, "why? Because that thing was exposed for what he truly is? That's not fair!" Harry went over and placed the wand in a box and placed an enchantment on the box so it couldn't be opened by anyone else except for him. "That is not how you speak to anyone! That 's, and I'm starting to wonder if you want to be like him! Huh! Is that it?! Do you want to be like that man?!"
"If you mean my father and yeah! At least he's free from you!"
"He's in Azkaban James! You seriously want to be where he is!?"
"If it's away from you, yeah, I think I would rather be there then here," he said sternly.
Harry's eyes held a sting of pain in them, as his own child was like this. "I tried my best to raise you as a single parent," James rolled his eyes, "yeah, and I'm sure all the people who babysat me while you were at work know how hard you did raise me."
"You are an entitled little brat, and it's time you've learned your lesson. So no, you won't be going to Hogsmeade on your birthday, you will be serving detention," Harry said. James scoffed, "yeah, like you saying it means anything. That Aster brat was supposed to have it, and yet she's off scoff free. Why should I expect any different?" James said.
Harry went silent, deciding to even to answer that with a response. Instead, he stares coldly at the soon-to-be thirteen-year-old blonde boy. "Okay James, do what you will…see what happens," he said and smirked, "without your wand, you're at least no longer a threat to any other innocent students," he said.
James's eyes narrowed painfully, "fine…I hope you never find her then," James turned and stormed out of the office. Harry's eyes widen in horror as it suddenly dawned on him.
James had the Marauder's Map!
Harry went after his son, calling out to him. James turned, and a smirk that sent shivers down Harry's spine appeared on the boy's face. It resembled a certain Malfoy. "James Sirius Potter. What. Did. You. Do?" Harry approached the smirking boy.
"I just assured my inheritance," he said and headed down the stairs of the tower. Harry's eyes widen, his right eye twitching as he couldn't believe how evil his own flesh and blood was. James had an inheritance to both the Malfoy name and the Potter name as the eldest and only living direct relative of both family's wealth. James would be the wealthiest wizard in Great Britain.
Harry would assure that would never happen now.
The school went utterly silent the next day when James walked into the dining hall. Everyone noted that he was sporting a red mark across his cheek, but the Slytherin male ignored them as he went to the Slytherin table. It was notable was that all the Slytherins who sat by him got up and moved away, moving to different tables at different houses.
As the other tables filled and casual conversations began, James realized how much he had messed up. Outing Vivien was the worst thing he had ever done.
Serenity Whitehair, Hufflepuffs Head Girl, have the boy a little glare as she stood turned her attention to the kids in front of her who were asking for some last-minute help on homework. Aster was trying to get some help as she still wasn't great at studying in general.
"I just don't get what the difference between a pixie and a fairy are," Aster commented in frustration.
Serenity only nodded and explained," pixies are smaller and more mischievous, and fairies are more human-like in appearance." Aster slammed her head in her book for being so dumb.
As they studied, the morning Owls came in and began delivering letters and packages from home. A barn owl can in and dropped a package off for Aster. She caught it with ease, and as a few more boxes things were being delivered, she saw that Ace got a package as well.
It actually felt like an early Christmas to get a package.
Aster opened it after seeing it was from her mom, and she practically jumped out of her seat to dive into it. Aster pulled a box of homemade cookies that smelt fresh, and she pulled out a bag of muggle-brand named candy like Snickers and Reese's.
Ace pulled out his item and when he saw was his mother's pineapple (look up Irish deserts) be was excited as well. Though what amazed everyone was the thick stack of papers he gotten that took up most of the box space. "What on Earth?" Serenity asked as she saw the stack. Ace rolled his eyes, "this is how much my dad writes in his letters. It's worst with texting, but since this place doesn't allow phones, this is what I have to deal with every time I eat a package." He said.
"What do you do with all that paper?" Serenity asked.
"Honestly, use it at fire filler," Ace answered. "What is useful, ya know, his actual words, I'll keep, but I don't need the (interest Irish thing here). He doesn't understand that he's doing a lot of unnecessary writing for nothing."
"Maybe he misses you?" Aster questioned.
"He can miss me all he wants, so I do not need the entire book of quotes from a dead man!" Ace reiterated.
Sam over and sat next to Aster, "sup?" He asked as noticed that the Slytherin table was completely empty except for one lone person. "What did I miss?" He asked. Ace shook his head, "don't ask."
Before Sam could ask again, Aster asked, "how was your doctor's appointment?" Sam quickly changed gears, "well my hearing is doing better than ever, and I can speak better," He said. "It is it always weird to hear your voice back to in a recording or is that just me?"
"No, it's weird for everyone," Ace answered. "I think it's because we all hear our voices differently when we speak so hearing back to us make it even worse."
"Yeah. Totally know that feeling!" Aster agreed.
As the conversations continued, the bell began to ring, alerting the students it was time for class. Ace was actually excited, and Aster asked, "why?"
"It's broomstick flying day!"
"It is?!" Aster asked, as though she had been dreading it.
Madam Hooch was someone not to mess with. Aster first saw the yellow eyes, and she automatically remembered that scene from the Christmas Story with the bully kid who had yellow eyes.
"Good morning class!" She walked between the students, twenty Ravenclaws, and Twenty Hufflepuffs all lines up facing each other.
"Welcome to your first flying lesson. Now I want you to step beside your brooms and with your right hand, say 'up.'" She said. The kids stepped forward, and when they began calling for their brooms, Lottie was the first one who actually had hers come to her hand immediately. Some of the students struggled, but Aster's was the last one who had a tough time with her broom. It would shake and quiver up slowly, no matter how hard Aster cried "up" before it smacked her in the face. Aster held her face, but luckily nothing was bleeding, so the lesson continued.
As the mounted their brooms, they were to float a little and then touch down. Aster held her broomstick tight as she jumped and landed on her feet. Sam, who was directly parallel to Aster, saw her shaking hands and stiffened demeanor. While Lottie was a natural and Ace and Sam were adequate for their very first flying lesson, Aster was terrified and didn't want to fly.
"Hey, Aster...what's wrong?" Ace asked when he saw the sheet look of horror in her eyes.
Aster snapped out of her fright and tried to shake off her worries, "nothing! Just the jitters!"
Sam looked over and asked, "who says 'jitters' anymore?" Aster flushed a bit at the comment.
As the flying lesson continued, her broom refused to fly, and if she did, it would only last for a few seconds before she would hit the ground. By the time lessons were over, the girl would be covered in bruises.
"I can't believe you couldn't even get off the ground!" Sam spoke as he, Ace, Aster, and Lottie, were on their way to the Ravenclaw tower to hang out for a bit. Aster blushed a bit, holding onto the side of the staircase as they headed up. "I just…I like being on the ground," she said. Lottie laughed a bit, "I love flying! I always dreamt of flying with a broomstick!"
"I mean, it's fun," Ace said as he tried to make Aster feel a little better since she couldn't even get off the ground. Sam and Lottie got off the staircase, and as Ace took his last step, Aster was still climbing up, and that was when the stairs started to move, Aster tried to hurry and jump off, but she was smacked by the railing. She hung on to the staircase for dear life until she saw that it was about to reach the next podium to step in to. Aster had to let go or else her fingers would have been crushed. Aster began falling, screaming as she went down the center of the staircases back first.
Aster was suddenly stopped by someone casting, "Arresto Momentum." The blonde stopped suddenly, mere inches from the ground and when she was dropped, Aster turned over on the floor, trying to get up. Her legs felt like jelly, and she was shaking visibly. "Never…never again…no more heights….nope, never," she was mumbling to herself as Serenity, who had just gotten out of class, went over and help Aster up. The girl thought the older Hufflepuff used the spell that saved her life, but it was Harry Potter from a different floor who had saved the girl's life.