Chapter Five: Lies and Broken Ties
When Clarice returned to Gryffindor Tower after the last full moon it was still very early. The sun had only just risen and she was heading to bed. However, when she got into the common room what she found surprised her. Looking as if they had both seen ghosts Fred and George had fallen asleep in the common room. She went over and woke them.
"Fred. George. What are you doing down here? Go up to your dormitory before Percy finds you down here."
At the sight of her as they woke, Fred and George became angry.
"What would you care? You've lied to us. You're a werewolf!"
"Oh my Goddess. Don't say that too loudly. Please. It's not what you think. Please, calm down. Fred, you're not saying anything. Guys please don't be mad at me. Please?"
The twins did not want to hear it.
"We can't be friends with someone who will lie to our faces. We can't hang out with you anymore Clarice."
"George, wait, let me explain...Fred, help me. You two are my best friends. I can't make it thru the year without you guys. Please don't turn your backs on me."
Finally, Fred spoke.
"I loved you Clarice. I never knew how to tell you, but I did. Now, I don't feel it anymore. How can we trust you if you lie to us? Good- night."
And with that the twins were off and Clarice was left in the common room alone, crying. Clarice had no idea how much time had passed, but a little while after the twins ended their friendship with her the other Gryffindors began to wake up. When they did, Clarice went for a walk. She went down by the lake.
She had been sitting down by the lake for over an hour when Harry and Hermione came to find her. Professor McGonagall had sent them to look for her because it was snowing and she could get sick. When they reached her they saw that she had tears streaming down her face. They were both nervous. They had never thought someone who hangs out with Fred and George could be so fragile. Hermione was the first to talk.
"Clarice, are you alright?"
At the sound of another's voice, Clarice jumped with a start.
"Yes, I'm just peachy."
"Fred and George are very upset. Did you three have a fight?"
"Yes, we did. We're no longer friends. They've decided they can't trust me."
Harry decided to come into the conversation.
"Why can't they trust you? Everything was fine yesterday."
"There are just things in my past that I am learning now and that I have not told anyone, not even Fred and George. They somehow found out the truth about one of them last night and now they won't speak to me anymore."
"Well," started Hermione, "friends should always be open and honest with each other. If you truly trusted them you would have told them. You three have known each other for ages."
"Hermione, I know you mean well, but maybe you should go back to the castle. Why don't you go check on Ron to see how he is making out with Fred and George?" asked Harry.
"Fine, but remember, Professor McGonagall wants Clarice to return to the castle soon as well, Harry."
"Don't worry, Hermione, just let me talk to her first."
"Alright."
Hermione left to return to the castle.
"Clarice, I think I might know how you feel. I learn things about myself and my past everyday that I have not known all my life. It can be weird."
"Harry, you shouldn't be trying to cheer me up. I am older than you, remember?"
"I know, I just feel like I should try to make you feel better."
"Unless, you can help me with Fred and George, I don't see how you can."
After awhile Harry and Clarice went back to the castle. Clarice showed Harry where the kitchens were so they could get steaming cups of hot chocolate. Then they returned to Gryffindor Tower. Upon seeing that Fred and George weren't ready to forgive her, she grabbed her textbooks and went to the library.
The next few weeks went on like this. Fred and George began spending time with Ron and Harry. On occasion, Hermione would join them. However, she was now spending a lot of time with Clarice trying to make her feel better. Hermione felt bad that her best friends of five years would no longer speak to her. She couldn't bear to think what she would do if Harry and Ron stopped talking to her. So, instead, she tried to preoccupy Clarice. Clarice had her Ordinary Wizarding Level exams in June and Hermione was helping to prepare her.
In the second week of December, Hermione went to find Clarice. She hadn't been seen by anyone all day and Hermione was starting to get worried. Finally she found her in the astronomy tower. She was sitting on the floor, holding a letter and crying.
"Clarice, are you okay?"
She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded.
"What's wrong?"
"I just received an owl from my new foster father. I was placed the day before term started and this is the first I've heard from him since the beginning of November. He told me that I have no choice but to go to his house for the Christmas holidays. I don't want to! I don't ever want to go to my foster home! I'd rather be back in the orphanage."
Clarice started to cry again. Hermione felt awful. Clarice had nobody to turn to right now.
"Clarice, it's only a few weeks. It will be all right. The foster home can't be all that bad. It's a Muggle family, right?"
"No, its not. It's a wizarding family."
"Well at least they'll understand you better."
"Hermione, I just really would rather stay at Hogwarts. But without Fred and George talking to me, I might as well go."
Hermione knew Clarice appreciated her trying to help her. She also knew Clarice missed Fred and George more than anything in the world.
"They'll eventually come around. They're just hurt right now. They'll get over it."
"Thanks Hermione. You're a pretty good friend. You've stood by my side when nobody else would. Thank you. I see now why Harry and Ron try to keep you close."
Hermione started to blush a bit. She noticed Clarice starting to shake a bit.
"Clarice, are you okay?"
"Uh-oh. Hermione, you need to leave me in the tower and lock me in. Tell Professor McGonagall."
"What's wrong?"
"Please don't tell anyone, but I'm a werewolf. That's what Fred and George found out. Please don't hate me. I didn't take my potion and I'm about to change. Now, quickly, run and lock the door behind you!"
Hermione ran from the tower and locked the door. As soon as she locked the door she heard the wolf scratching at it and growling.
When Clarice returned to Gryffindor Tower after the last full moon it was still very early. The sun had only just risen and she was heading to bed. However, when she got into the common room what she found surprised her. Looking as if they had both seen ghosts Fred and George had fallen asleep in the common room. She went over and woke them.
"Fred. George. What are you doing down here? Go up to your dormitory before Percy finds you down here."
At the sight of her as they woke, Fred and George became angry.
"What would you care? You've lied to us. You're a werewolf!"
"Oh my Goddess. Don't say that too loudly. Please. It's not what you think. Please, calm down. Fred, you're not saying anything. Guys please don't be mad at me. Please?"
The twins did not want to hear it.
"We can't be friends with someone who will lie to our faces. We can't hang out with you anymore Clarice."
"George, wait, let me explain...Fred, help me. You two are my best friends. I can't make it thru the year without you guys. Please don't turn your backs on me."
Finally, Fred spoke.
"I loved you Clarice. I never knew how to tell you, but I did. Now, I don't feel it anymore. How can we trust you if you lie to us? Good- night."
And with that the twins were off and Clarice was left in the common room alone, crying. Clarice had no idea how much time had passed, but a little while after the twins ended their friendship with her the other Gryffindors began to wake up. When they did, Clarice went for a walk. She went down by the lake.
She had been sitting down by the lake for over an hour when Harry and Hermione came to find her. Professor McGonagall had sent them to look for her because it was snowing and she could get sick. When they reached her they saw that she had tears streaming down her face. They were both nervous. They had never thought someone who hangs out with Fred and George could be so fragile. Hermione was the first to talk.
"Clarice, are you alright?"
At the sound of another's voice, Clarice jumped with a start.
"Yes, I'm just peachy."
"Fred and George are very upset. Did you three have a fight?"
"Yes, we did. We're no longer friends. They've decided they can't trust me."
Harry decided to come into the conversation.
"Why can't they trust you? Everything was fine yesterday."
"There are just things in my past that I am learning now and that I have not told anyone, not even Fred and George. They somehow found out the truth about one of them last night and now they won't speak to me anymore."
"Well," started Hermione, "friends should always be open and honest with each other. If you truly trusted them you would have told them. You three have known each other for ages."
"Hermione, I know you mean well, but maybe you should go back to the castle. Why don't you go check on Ron to see how he is making out with Fred and George?" asked Harry.
"Fine, but remember, Professor McGonagall wants Clarice to return to the castle soon as well, Harry."
"Don't worry, Hermione, just let me talk to her first."
"Alright."
Hermione left to return to the castle.
"Clarice, I think I might know how you feel. I learn things about myself and my past everyday that I have not known all my life. It can be weird."
"Harry, you shouldn't be trying to cheer me up. I am older than you, remember?"
"I know, I just feel like I should try to make you feel better."
"Unless, you can help me with Fred and George, I don't see how you can."
After awhile Harry and Clarice went back to the castle. Clarice showed Harry where the kitchens were so they could get steaming cups of hot chocolate. Then they returned to Gryffindor Tower. Upon seeing that Fred and George weren't ready to forgive her, she grabbed her textbooks and went to the library.
The next few weeks went on like this. Fred and George began spending time with Ron and Harry. On occasion, Hermione would join them. However, she was now spending a lot of time with Clarice trying to make her feel better. Hermione felt bad that her best friends of five years would no longer speak to her. She couldn't bear to think what she would do if Harry and Ron stopped talking to her. So, instead, she tried to preoccupy Clarice. Clarice had her Ordinary Wizarding Level exams in June and Hermione was helping to prepare her.
In the second week of December, Hermione went to find Clarice. She hadn't been seen by anyone all day and Hermione was starting to get worried. Finally she found her in the astronomy tower. She was sitting on the floor, holding a letter and crying.
"Clarice, are you okay?"
She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded.
"What's wrong?"
"I just received an owl from my new foster father. I was placed the day before term started and this is the first I've heard from him since the beginning of November. He told me that I have no choice but to go to his house for the Christmas holidays. I don't want to! I don't ever want to go to my foster home! I'd rather be back in the orphanage."
Clarice started to cry again. Hermione felt awful. Clarice had nobody to turn to right now.
"Clarice, it's only a few weeks. It will be all right. The foster home can't be all that bad. It's a Muggle family, right?"
"No, its not. It's a wizarding family."
"Well at least they'll understand you better."
"Hermione, I just really would rather stay at Hogwarts. But without Fred and George talking to me, I might as well go."
Hermione knew Clarice appreciated her trying to help her. She also knew Clarice missed Fred and George more than anything in the world.
"They'll eventually come around. They're just hurt right now. They'll get over it."
"Thanks Hermione. You're a pretty good friend. You've stood by my side when nobody else would. Thank you. I see now why Harry and Ron try to keep you close."
Hermione started to blush a bit. She noticed Clarice starting to shake a bit.
"Clarice, are you okay?"
"Uh-oh. Hermione, you need to leave me in the tower and lock me in. Tell Professor McGonagall."
"What's wrong?"
"Please don't tell anyone, but I'm a werewolf. That's what Fred and George found out. Please don't hate me. I didn't take my potion and I'm about to change. Now, quickly, run and lock the door behind you!"
Hermione ran from the tower and locked the door. As soon as she locked the door she heard the wolf scratching at it and growling.