Renee POV
"Sanderson, leave us alone."
"Ron!"
"Well, she's a nosy sneak, Harry. She is."
"What did you do?" I asked in awe.
"Nothing, I swear! I mean, we just…."
"And where's Hermione? And….why did you impersonate them?"
"We thought he was the Heir, and Hermione wanted the three of us to stop getting the tormenting."
"I knew this couldn't have been your idea, then!"
"Meaning what?" Asked Ron hotly.
"Oh, come on. Sorry to say it, but Hermione does all the thinking for you. I mean, really, Ron. So where is she?"
Ron was about to retort, but Harry cut him off. "She's in there. For some reason, she didn't want to come. It's called Polyjuice Potion, by the way, because I knew you would ask. If you have a piece of the other person, you can turn into them."
"So then….where are the real Crabbe and Goyle?"
"A closet. Are you with us, Renee? We need to check on Hermione."
"Yeah, whatever. If you want me to come." I sighed.
Ron pushed open the door to the bathroom. "Hermione, come out, we've got loads to tell you!"
"I think I'll just….stay here."
"What's the matter? You must be back to normal by now, we are."
"Go away!"
Someone came out behind a stall. "Oh, it's dreadful," she cackled, and I realized where we were.
"Harry, why did you do this in Myrtle's bathroom?" I whispered.
"I'll explain later. Hermione, please, it can't be that bad." But he looked worried and I knew that if there was something that had Myrtle looking that happy, it couldn't be good. There was only one thing for Hermione.
"Hermione, please. Please," I said, laying the charmspeak heavily.
"Renee, is that you?"
"It's me, Hermione. Please come out."
"O-okay." She stepped out of the stall, paws over her face. Wait, paws? That couldn't be right. I heard Harry and Ron's gasps along with Myrtle's giggles.
"Hermione, what happened?" I coaxed.
"It was...was cat hair! Millicent must have a cat! The potion isn't supposed to be used for animal transformations!"
"Harry and I can take you up to the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey never asks too many questions. Ron, go free Crabbe and Goyle from….wherever you guys are hiding them."
"Why me?"
"Just go, okay?" I pleaded.
"Fine." Ron stormed out. I put an arm around Hermione.
"It'll be okay, girl. Come on."
Clara POV
The rest of the holidays had been awkward, to say the least, and I was happy to share a compartment with Kat, Rebecca, and Ginny's friend Rachel on the way back to Hogwarts with the knowledge that Renee was always welcome at the Bradley's for the holidays in the future. Since we were away from the other Hufflepuffs, Kat and Rebecca had admitted that they never actually believed I was the Heir.
"You'd better be standing up for her as well, you know," Rachel admonished. She was turning out to be someone I thought I'd like very much, although I hadn't paid much attention to her before.
The other Hufflepuffs were accepting, too. We even had a visit from some of the second years, Ernie in the lead, saying they were sorry they had behaved that way. Hannah Abbott and Susan Bones stayed to chat with us about their breaks, and Gill and Sandra popped in a little later to ask if I had heard from Renee. I told them I hadn't.
The train arrived at the school right on time for dinner, and I realized it was going to be a good start to the new year.
Later that night, Renee told me about everything that had happened, and we went to visit Hermione in the hospital wing. It was good to be back.
It had been a couple of weeks and things were going back to normal with Hufflepuff. There had been no attacks since I was back, something everyone was grateful for.
There were no disturbances of any kind until February. Lockhart, being his usual stupid self, decided we needed a "morale booster," and we found out what that was on February fourteenth. Renee walked into the breakfast and immediately cursed Aphrodite. I followed her and saw why.
"My happy, card-carrying cupids!" Lockhart was saying, and Renee muttered to me, "never mind, have Mom curse him!" I laughed. "They will be delivering your Valentine's throughout the day."
Ginny came up to me. "You should write one for….you know."
"Only if you write one for him."
We giggled and Renee walked away.
Renee POV:
Ginny and Clara were acting like idiots for Valentine's day, but I knew something they didn't. I had stolen the diary when I last went to the Hufflepuff common room, and I had chucked it away in the bathroom. Hopefully my friends would forget about it in the way they planned to embarrass themselves today. I knew Ginny was going to do something really cheesy for Harry, and I wondered who Clara's "you know," was. Probably Cedric, all the Hufflepuffs loved him.
"It's so great of him to do this," Sandra was squealing in my ear. "I mean, this is a great way for me to tell Tomasz!" I still didn't get her hot-and-coldness. She seemed to want to be my friend now. "And you should deliver something to Gill!"
"Oh no. You can't pull me into this. No way, Sandra. Besides, I don't even like him that way."
"Suit yourself, Sanderson." She skipped away, her blonde curls bouncing in the sunlight of the Great Hall ceiling.
It seemed as if the only other first year girl who thoroughly didn't care was Luna Lovegood. I was glad we had Herbology that morning.
"People are making such a big deal about this, Renee Sanderson. I mean, I just want to curl up and hide." I nodded absently. Sandra had decided to cozy up to Tomasz, leaving Gill to work at our table so as to shield himself from the disgust and embarrassment of being associated with her. I would've, too, to be honest.
I found that the three of us worked well together. We were able to pay attention better and have a laugh about Lockhart's stupid "morale booster."
Professor Sprout caught up with me after break. "Have you talked to anyone from camp lately?"
"No, why?"
"Well, Dumbledore's heard that things are getting bad with Kronos. I have no doubt that Chiron will tell you this yourselves when you return for the summer, but I just want you to know that the ministry cannot track underage magic beyond the Atlantic Ocean. I mean, if things ever do get….dire."
"Why are you telling me this now? It's only February."
"I want you to be prepared, Renee. This summer will be a test, you know."
"Thanks, I think." I ran to catch up with my classmates.
At morning break, I saw the first effects of the horrible cupids. Ginny had really outdone herself with her stupid note to Harry, which happened to be a singing card. The dwarf had to tackle him to the ground to get him to read his letter. Even Ron was laughing at the display.
Harry's books had spilled all over the floor and there was a giant crowd around him by the time the card was delivered. I grimaced when I heard the words.
"His eyes are as green as a fresh-pickled toad
His hair is as dark as a blackboard
I wish he were mine, he's really divine
The hero who conquered the Dark Lord!"
By this time, Ron couldn't control himself. Ginny and Clara walked by, Ginny blushing furiously.
Percy Weasley was doing a bad job of controlling the crowd. "Get to class, all of you, the bell rang five minutes ago," he was yelling. Nobody cared.
I heard laughing I did not want to hear and a drawling voice said, "What's this? I wonder what Potter's written in here."
I looked up to see Draco Malfoy holding….the diary! My heart sank. How had Harry gotten his hands on it? I tried to remember where I had left it, but by that point, Ginny and Clara had seen it too. For a brief moment, we exchanged a glance, but they were hurried off in the rush, and I figured I should get going too.
It wasn't until later that I remembered where I had left the diary. Moaning Myrtle's bathroom was a stupid place, that's where I had been with Harry and Ron just days before! I smacked myself. And now Clara and Ginny would know too!
Clara POV:
I saw the scene. I hadn't realized what Ginny had been planning, but I was glad my card wasn't as horrible. The problem was, it was a scene, which was not the way Ginny wanted it. She was in tears as we tried to walk by inconspicuously. Renee was watching it too, but she just looked confused.
Suddenly, Draco Malfoy had picked something up and was yelling about it. I had to look, and then I turned away. Ginny had seen it too, and she was angry.
"Clara," she whispered urgently. "He has my diary!"
I tried to think how he could've gotten it, and then I remembered: it had been my night with it, and I had lost it….or had I? I had put it in our hiding spot in the private room and went to bed. Renee had come in the next day and….
Renee! What did she do, and for the gods' sake why?
By lunchtime, Ginny wasn't talking to me. She had seen Harry with the diary and was worried Tom Riddle would tell him everything she's written. She also blamed me because I was the last to have it. In turn, I wasn't talking to Renee. We ate, lonely, at our own house tables, without each other for company.
Renee POV:
It was a week from Valentine's Day, and Clara and Ginny had completely stopped talking to me. Everyone had noticed the rift, even Kaylee.
"What are you doing here, Sanderson? Why aren't you with your girlfriends? Oh yeah! Because they ditched you!"
I just rolled my eyes and went to my dormitory, every time. I wanted to blame Malfoy, but for once it wasn't his fault. Harry and Ron couldn't have any blame, but they were the ones who had found it. So I guess I had to blame myself for leaving it in such an obvious place.
I started skipping classes and sleeping later. I had lost all of my friends in just one week, and I should have just let it go! I mean, that diary couldn't have made things worse than this, right?
As I was contemplating this, someone was banging on my door. "Renee, get up! Charms in ten minutes!"
"I don't want to, go away!"
"Renee, Snape will put you in detention if you're late again!"
"I don't care. He can expel me for all I care!"
"You don't mean that!"
"I do too, GO AWAY!"
"Renee Sanderson, I'm sorry I've been a jerk to you!"
"You don't matter. Nobody does."
"Alohomora! Renee, stop doing this to yourself! What happened?"
I finally realized what was happening. It wasn't Clara coming to relieve me of my misery. It wasn't my mother, even. Of all people, it was Sandra Ballias.
"You're so mean, go away!"
"I brought you a scone, Renee."
I hadn't eaten properly in three days. I looked hungrily at Sandra's hand and rolled over in my bed. I would not give in. She waved it under my nose, and I groaned. It just had to be strawberry and chocolate drizzle, my absolute favorite.
"Renee, I am your friend."
"You never were when I was the supposed heir."
"I'm sorry."
"No, you're not! No one is!" I grabbed the scone angrily.
"Renee, tell me what's going on."
Her tone was so calm, but I wouldn't, I couldn't give in.
"What happened?"
I couldn't resist any longer. "I made a bad mistake." It wasn't like I could actually tell her about the diary.
"Renee, what did you do?"
"I….I hurt Clara. And Ginny." I was getting weaker by the minute.
"What happened, Renee? I'm here for you."
I closed my eyes tightly. I was losing hold on thought.
"Renee, what happened?"
That's when I blacked out. The last thing I heard was Sandra's petrified scream bouncing off the wall.
A/N: So I have no idea what I was actually doing with this chapter, other than writing freestyle. That said, I know it's both short and messed up. I guess I just wanted to get out Renee's stress levels. Again, I know it makes no sense.
Also, if any of you are really worried, Renee will be fine in the next chapter. That's all I'm saying.
I'm thinking of making a Facebook page for this story, for the characters. If you have Facebook, it will be called Hufflepufferfish Fanfiction and I would be very grateful if you could follow. I feel like it would be a way for me to become more public and I don't really like how few reviews I'm getting. So anyway, please follow that if you're on Facebook. I could probably expand to other social medias for that later as well, maybe Tumblr and/or Pinterest. Let me know.
~Hufflepufferfish
