Harry sat at the Gryffindor table with Hermione on his right, chatting
happily. Ron and Alex had yet to come down to breakfast, and only Hermione
was slightly worried about this. "You know about Alex," she had said, "and
her past. Just because she's cured, doesn't mean her mindset is different!"
Harry had just laughed. He was completely sure Alex's succubus-like
qualities were gone, and if anyone should be on the defense there, it was
she. Ron seemed to have gained a whole new persona once he got a girl's
attention.
As Seamus started to make a comment about the upcoming first Quidditch match of the season, the door to the Great Hall opened. In walked Devin, much like she had on her first day, yet she was smiling and was accompanied by a friend.
"Isn't that Blaise Zambini, the Slytherin 5th year?" Dean asked, leaning past Hermione to Harry. He nodded, wondering why on earth Devin would want to hang around with her. They all watched as his sister said her regretful goodbyes to her new friend and shuffled over to the Gryffindor table. She took a seat near Harry, but not close enough to be considered a peace offering.
Hermione glanced at her, and decided to make the first move. "Ah, good morning Devin. Would you like some toast?" Devin just looked at Hermione in disgust and turned to the muffins and jam. Hermione shrugged at Harry, defeated.
"Devin, you can move closer, you know," Harry called. He was trying his best to get to know her, as was suggested, but she seemed to want nothing to do with any of them. Harry turned back to Seamus and continued their Quidditch talk.
* * *
Devin glanced around the Great Hall. Everyone was talking and laughing like nothing was wrong. Sometimes she wished she could be a part of the chatter, but knew she was different. She was separated from everyone else in this entire school, and nothing could change that.
"Feeling antisocial?" a voice asked. Devin jumped, furious with herself for being scared. She looked up into the face of one of her brother's followers – Alex. She really wanted nothing to do with the girl. "I know how you feel. I was different when I came here. No one understood me, and I really wanted to crawl up in a ball and die. But I made friends, and they helped me get over it." Did this girl really expect Devin to believe she was like her?!?
"Oh yeah? Why were you so different?"
Alex raised an eyebrow. "Have you ever heard of the succubus?" Devin nodded. "Well, I was one. For as long as I can remember, I harbored the spirit of the succubus in me. I've always known, and I came here last year under Dumbledore's wishes so he could protect my future mate and me. My mate turned out to be Ron, and thanks to Hermione and Draco, I was finally cured. I knew how it felt to be different, but because I tried to fit in and make friends, I was able to overcome it. Now, tell me, why are you different? And more importantly, how can I help?"
The girl was sickeningly sincere and sweet, Devin noted. Yet she had a dark part to her aura; Devin supposed she was telling the truth. A little truth in return couldn't hurt.
"I was raised by a Death Eater. I am the long lost sister to the Boy Who Lived. I am… well, yeah. I am like you." Alex looked a bit confused, but soon the look gave way to understanding.
"The spirit of the succubus has been wiped from me, but I still hold some supernatural gifts, like sensing other people's auras. I promise though, I won't reveal your secret." Alex smiled one last time before joining her friends farther down the table. Devin watched her go, feeling a sense of protection overcome her. Alex seemed honest, and for the first time she thought that Hogwarts might not be so bad after all. She had an impulse to move next to her brother, but decided against it. One step at a time, she reminded herself.
As Seamus started to make a comment about the upcoming first Quidditch match of the season, the door to the Great Hall opened. In walked Devin, much like she had on her first day, yet she was smiling and was accompanied by a friend.
"Isn't that Blaise Zambini, the Slytherin 5th year?" Dean asked, leaning past Hermione to Harry. He nodded, wondering why on earth Devin would want to hang around with her. They all watched as his sister said her regretful goodbyes to her new friend and shuffled over to the Gryffindor table. She took a seat near Harry, but not close enough to be considered a peace offering.
Hermione glanced at her, and decided to make the first move. "Ah, good morning Devin. Would you like some toast?" Devin just looked at Hermione in disgust and turned to the muffins and jam. Hermione shrugged at Harry, defeated.
"Devin, you can move closer, you know," Harry called. He was trying his best to get to know her, as was suggested, but she seemed to want nothing to do with any of them. Harry turned back to Seamus and continued their Quidditch talk.
* * *
Devin glanced around the Great Hall. Everyone was talking and laughing like nothing was wrong. Sometimes she wished she could be a part of the chatter, but knew she was different. She was separated from everyone else in this entire school, and nothing could change that.
"Feeling antisocial?" a voice asked. Devin jumped, furious with herself for being scared. She looked up into the face of one of her brother's followers – Alex. She really wanted nothing to do with the girl. "I know how you feel. I was different when I came here. No one understood me, and I really wanted to crawl up in a ball and die. But I made friends, and they helped me get over it." Did this girl really expect Devin to believe she was like her?!?
"Oh yeah? Why were you so different?"
Alex raised an eyebrow. "Have you ever heard of the succubus?" Devin nodded. "Well, I was one. For as long as I can remember, I harbored the spirit of the succubus in me. I've always known, and I came here last year under Dumbledore's wishes so he could protect my future mate and me. My mate turned out to be Ron, and thanks to Hermione and Draco, I was finally cured. I knew how it felt to be different, but because I tried to fit in and make friends, I was able to overcome it. Now, tell me, why are you different? And more importantly, how can I help?"
The girl was sickeningly sincere and sweet, Devin noted. Yet she had a dark part to her aura; Devin supposed she was telling the truth. A little truth in return couldn't hurt.
"I was raised by a Death Eater. I am the long lost sister to the Boy Who Lived. I am… well, yeah. I am like you." Alex looked a bit confused, but soon the look gave way to understanding.
"The spirit of the succubus has been wiped from me, but I still hold some supernatural gifts, like sensing other people's auras. I promise though, I won't reveal your secret." Alex smiled one last time before joining her friends farther down the table. Devin watched her go, feeling a sense of protection overcome her. Alex seemed honest, and for the first time she thought that Hogwarts might not be so bad after all. She had an impulse to move next to her brother, but decided against it. One step at a time, she reminded herself.