Chapter 27- Discrimination
All week Harry heard nothing but "Potter is a fag" and "Harry Puffer" and "Weasley is a gold-digger". He was thoroughly annoyed by the whole thing, and was about ready to curse the next person who said anything. Ron beat him to it, though.
"Ron, what happened?" Harry asked when Ron had entered the common room.
"Crabbe was insulting us," Ron said simply. "I had already heard enough of this stuff for today. I just turned around and used the first curse that came to mind."
"Ron- you didn't-"
"No, of course I didn't use an Unforgivable. I was angry, not stupid. Anyway, I think it was a Memory Charm, but I forgot to control the force of it. Convenient, eh?"
"So what happened then?"
"Well, Crabbe is in the hospital wing. It kind of reminds me of Lockhart, and how he was when he was being a stupid git in our second year and tried to use the charm on you. I think I erased his entire memory."
"Didn't you get in trouble?"
"Oh, that. Well, I got a detention, but I'm serving it under Dumbledore, so it shouldn't be that bad. He just wants me to help him write something, or prepare something. Or both. I don't remember. He actually seemed angrier at Crabbe than me."
"Well, good," Harry said. "He should be."
"Damn right. Who gave people the right to talk about us in front of our faces, anyway?"
"How about to talk about us at all. That's what I want to know," Harry added.
"It'll have to be taken care of."
The next night at dinner, it was. Dumbledore stood before the food appeared, and the entire hall was silent. "It has come to my attention that there has been rather free insulting of two of the students here. Everyone knows who they are. They have recently come out- accidentally- as homosexual, and now they are being ridiculed for it. I do not tolerate this behavior, and neither should any of you. You have no right to judge, to discriminate against a person because of their sexual orientation. From this point, anyone heard using this kind of language, written or spoken, will be punished. First offenders will only lose House points, but be warned that your second time we will not be lenient. If it does not stop, something *will* be done. Thank you. That is all."
The food appeared on the table, and Ron and Harry, satisfied that their problems were beginning to be over, piled it onto their plates.
************************************************************************
"Under the circumstances," Snape said, sneering as usual, though less than while talking to Harry, "You are to be Quidditch captain."
"Yes, sir," Draco replied, not at all surprised. The previous year's team had all graduated but for him, Crabbe, and Goyle. They were now- unavailable.
"You will need a new team," Snape continued. "I suggest you hold tryouts within the next few days. Our first match is at the end of November. I expect they will be ready by then if the team is formed now?"
"Yes, sir," Draco said again. Snape dismissed him. Draco went to work immediately.
~* Tryouts for the Quidditch team are to be held at five o'clock on September 20. All positions except Seeker are open. Second years and above may try out. Those with an IQ below the aforementioned number need not show up, you will not be chosen. Students must know how to fly, because we will not be teaching you.*~
This was the bulletin Draco put up that night announcing tryouts. Sagittus stood behind him as he tacked it up, chuckling.
"What?" Draco finally asked, annoyed.
"You know how many that rules out?" Sagittus said.
"Yes. That's the whole point."
"We should at least start to plan the Halloween celebration, or the Hogsmeade trips," Hermione said, crossing her arms in front of him. "All boys *ever* think about is Quidditch."
"Tell you what," he said disinterestedly. He had been acting this way toward her ever since their *falling out*. "Why don't you start, and when I come back I'll help you. You can handle starting on your own, right?"
She huffed. "I suppose."
"I can't delay tryouts for this. We have plenty of time to work on it." That said, he shouldered his broom and left their dormitory. He had been keeping his broom in his bedroom, not trusting it to be in the safekeeping of the Slytherin locker room.
Tryouts did not seem promising at first. A rather small amount of Slytherins had shown up for it, and Draco would not have given any of them a second glance at any other time. All except Sagittus, who was trying out for one of the Chaser positions.
By the end of the tryout session, Draco had already formed the team in his mind. Only one of the students was above fifth year, which would be useful for future continuity. He only had to turn down two of the students who had not performed as well, and the rest made the team. He announced them at the end of it, and set their first practice for a week from that day.
Hermione had quite an extensive list when he returned. Much of it was Halloween, some Hogsmeade, and she had even started on Christmas.
"And I checked our duties and privileges list. We're allowed to visit Hogsmeade during free time before curfew as Head Boy and Girl."
"My, you have been busy," he commented wryly.
After changing into fresh clothes, he sat down with her, and though he barely talked to her and ignored her as much as possible, by the end of the night they had planned a bloody brilliant Halloween celebration.
************************************************************************
Hermione was satisfied with the work done with Draco, but she was not satisfied with their relationship. She refused to tell him what she had said when he was out of earshot unless he brought up the subject. He avoided it like the plague. She, therefore, ignored it like Pansy Parkinson's vain attempt at an insult.
She was sitting in her room, and she decided she wanted to write to someone. She could not think of who. She did not want to tell Harry, or Ron. They would not care. It did not seem right to tell her parents. Finally, she took out a sheet of parchment and began a letter.
~* Dear Mr. Dubeyji…*~
She received a reply within a week.
~* Dear Hermione,
It is good to hear from you. I have only one thing to say. You must find a way to make peace with your heart, or you will regret it for the rest of your life.
Sincerely, Parbatlal Dubeyji*~
It was excellent advice, but she could not bear to follow it. She swore she would not be the one to bring up "us" in any conversation with Draco. She was not about to break her promise to herself. Besides, if he wanted her, he would have let her explain. She should have known it was too good to be true.
Thoroughly in need of music that would make her cry, she took out her CD player and a disc of the Weird Sisters that she had made at the Weasleys'. She popped it in, and setting the player on repeat, skipped to the song entitled "Sorrow Unavoidable". She listened to it for what must have been hours. She even forgot to go down to dinner.
A dark spot formed on her sheets from her tears. At least, she thought so at first. Gradually, a dull, throbbing pain in her eye sharpened, and she got up to see if cold water would help. When she caught sight of herself in the mirror, she clapped her hand to the side of her face in horror. She ran down to the common room, rushing to reach the portrait.
"What's wrong with you?" Draco asked.
She turned to him, momentarily taking her hand away. In that moment he could see the blood pouring from above her eye. His face paled briefly (more than usual), and he took her arm. "You have to go to the hospital wing."
When she was there, Madame Pomfrey healed her quickly, but she seemed greatly troubled. She fetched the headmaster as quickly as she could, and explained what had happened.
Dumbledore sat down next to Hermione, gravely looking at her. "I have a warning for you," he said. "The injury you just experienced is a result of a curse that we now call 'My Eye Is On You'. Have you ever heard of it?"
She nodded, wide-eyed. "It was designed by Grindelwald to make people think he was watching them, preparing to attack. Sometimes he did, sometimes he did not. The point of it was to instill fear."
"Yes. But you missed the most important part. It was only used on Muggle-borns. You now have reason to be on your guard constantly. I would ask that you not leave the interior of the castle by yourself. Definitely do not leave Hogwarts grounds unaccompanied. Mister Malfoy is probably the most convenient companion for you. I must make an announcement about this to the school, warning all Muggle-borns here to be wary. If anything like this happens again, make sure you come immediately here."
"Yes, Headmaster."
Hermione was frightened. She knew this day would come, the moment she had found out about Voldemort and his awful campaign. She had not thought it would happen until she was at least out of school, away from the knowledge of Dumbledore. Voldemort was finished playing it safe. He was now attacking people right out, under the eyes of his greatest enemies.
The war had been brewing, but now it was coming to a boil.
************************************************************************
Draco left the hospital wing before Dumbledore spoke to Hermione. He left, in fact, as soon as he heard the headmaster mention the curse used. He knew what was really going on. It was all connected to the threat his father made when he left the mansion for good.
Lucius was as good as his word. He had threatened Hermione, and now he was acting on his words. Draco could not dare get close to her again. He would keep pushing her away no matter what it cost him.
End Chapter 27
To clarify: The first Quidditch meeting for Gryffindor was approximately the second day of school- why else would he have had to meet the DADA professor? I mean, he would have met him in class, right? Ah, now it all becomes clear to you. The Goyle thing did not happen until about a week later. At least.
Thanks you for the reviews! Skittering hot magenta confetti to you if you review this chapter!!!
All week Harry heard nothing but "Potter is a fag" and "Harry Puffer" and "Weasley is a gold-digger". He was thoroughly annoyed by the whole thing, and was about ready to curse the next person who said anything. Ron beat him to it, though.
"Ron, what happened?" Harry asked when Ron had entered the common room.
"Crabbe was insulting us," Ron said simply. "I had already heard enough of this stuff for today. I just turned around and used the first curse that came to mind."
"Ron- you didn't-"
"No, of course I didn't use an Unforgivable. I was angry, not stupid. Anyway, I think it was a Memory Charm, but I forgot to control the force of it. Convenient, eh?"
"So what happened then?"
"Well, Crabbe is in the hospital wing. It kind of reminds me of Lockhart, and how he was when he was being a stupid git in our second year and tried to use the charm on you. I think I erased his entire memory."
"Didn't you get in trouble?"
"Oh, that. Well, I got a detention, but I'm serving it under Dumbledore, so it shouldn't be that bad. He just wants me to help him write something, or prepare something. Or both. I don't remember. He actually seemed angrier at Crabbe than me."
"Well, good," Harry said. "He should be."
"Damn right. Who gave people the right to talk about us in front of our faces, anyway?"
"How about to talk about us at all. That's what I want to know," Harry added.
"It'll have to be taken care of."
The next night at dinner, it was. Dumbledore stood before the food appeared, and the entire hall was silent. "It has come to my attention that there has been rather free insulting of two of the students here. Everyone knows who they are. They have recently come out- accidentally- as homosexual, and now they are being ridiculed for it. I do not tolerate this behavior, and neither should any of you. You have no right to judge, to discriminate against a person because of their sexual orientation. From this point, anyone heard using this kind of language, written or spoken, will be punished. First offenders will only lose House points, but be warned that your second time we will not be lenient. If it does not stop, something *will* be done. Thank you. That is all."
The food appeared on the table, and Ron and Harry, satisfied that their problems were beginning to be over, piled it onto their plates.
************************************************************************
"Under the circumstances," Snape said, sneering as usual, though less than while talking to Harry, "You are to be Quidditch captain."
"Yes, sir," Draco replied, not at all surprised. The previous year's team had all graduated but for him, Crabbe, and Goyle. They were now- unavailable.
"You will need a new team," Snape continued. "I suggest you hold tryouts within the next few days. Our first match is at the end of November. I expect they will be ready by then if the team is formed now?"
"Yes, sir," Draco said again. Snape dismissed him. Draco went to work immediately.
~* Tryouts for the Quidditch team are to be held at five o'clock on September 20. All positions except Seeker are open. Second years and above may try out. Those with an IQ below the aforementioned number need not show up, you will not be chosen. Students must know how to fly, because we will not be teaching you.*~
This was the bulletin Draco put up that night announcing tryouts. Sagittus stood behind him as he tacked it up, chuckling.
"What?" Draco finally asked, annoyed.
"You know how many that rules out?" Sagittus said.
"Yes. That's the whole point."
"We should at least start to plan the Halloween celebration, or the Hogsmeade trips," Hermione said, crossing her arms in front of him. "All boys *ever* think about is Quidditch."
"Tell you what," he said disinterestedly. He had been acting this way toward her ever since their *falling out*. "Why don't you start, and when I come back I'll help you. You can handle starting on your own, right?"
She huffed. "I suppose."
"I can't delay tryouts for this. We have plenty of time to work on it." That said, he shouldered his broom and left their dormitory. He had been keeping his broom in his bedroom, not trusting it to be in the safekeeping of the Slytherin locker room.
Tryouts did not seem promising at first. A rather small amount of Slytherins had shown up for it, and Draco would not have given any of them a second glance at any other time. All except Sagittus, who was trying out for one of the Chaser positions.
By the end of the tryout session, Draco had already formed the team in his mind. Only one of the students was above fifth year, which would be useful for future continuity. He only had to turn down two of the students who had not performed as well, and the rest made the team. He announced them at the end of it, and set their first practice for a week from that day.
Hermione had quite an extensive list when he returned. Much of it was Halloween, some Hogsmeade, and she had even started on Christmas.
"And I checked our duties and privileges list. We're allowed to visit Hogsmeade during free time before curfew as Head Boy and Girl."
"My, you have been busy," he commented wryly.
After changing into fresh clothes, he sat down with her, and though he barely talked to her and ignored her as much as possible, by the end of the night they had planned a bloody brilliant Halloween celebration.
************************************************************************
Hermione was satisfied with the work done with Draco, but she was not satisfied with their relationship. She refused to tell him what she had said when he was out of earshot unless he brought up the subject. He avoided it like the plague. She, therefore, ignored it like Pansy Parkinson's vain attempt at an insult.
She was sitting in her room, and she decided she wanted to write to someone. She could not think of who. She did not want to tell Harry, or Ron. They would not care. It did not seem right to tell her parents. Finally, she took out a sheet of parchment and began a letter.
~* Dear Mr. Dubeyji…*~
She received a reply within a week.
~* Dear Hermione,
It is good to hear from you. I have only one thing to say. You must find a way to make peace with your heart, or you will regret it for the rest of your life.
Sincerely, Parbatlal Dubeyji*~
It was excellent advice, but she could not bear to follow it. She swore she would not be the one to bring up "us" in any conversation with Draco. She was not about to break her promise to herself. Besides, if he wanted her, he would have let her explain. She should have known it was too good to be true.
Thoroughly in need of music that would make her cry, she took out her CD player and a disc of the Weird Sisters that she had made at the Weasleys'. She popped it in, and setting the player on repeat, skipped to the song entitled "Sorrow Unavoidable". She listened to it for what must have been hours. She even forgot to go down to dinner.
A dark spot formed on her sheets from her tears. At least, she thought so at first. Gradually, a dull, throbbing pain in her eye sharpened, and she got up to see if cold water would help. When she caught sight of herself in the mirror, she clapped her hand to the side of her face in horror. She ran down to the common room, rushing to reach the portrait.
"What's wrong with you?" Draco asked.
She turned to him, momentarily taking her hand away. In that moment he could see the blood pouring from above her eye. His face paled briefly (more than usual), and he took her arm. "You have to go to the hospital wing."
When she was there, Madame Pomfrey healed her quickly, but she seemed greatly troubled. She fetched the headmaster as quickly as she could, and explained what had happened.
Dumbledore sat down next to Hermione, gravely looking at her. "I have a warning for you," he said. "The injury you just experienced is a result of a curse that we now call 'My Eye Is On You'. Have you ever heard of it?"
She nodded, wide-eyed. "It was designed by Grindelwald to make people think he was watching them, preparing to attack. Sometimes he did, sometimes he did not. The point of it was to instill fear."
"Yes. But you missed the most important part. It was only used on Muggle-borns. You now have reason to be on your guard constantly. I would ask that you not leave the interior of the castle by yourself. Definitely do not leave Hogwarts grounds unaccompanied. Mister Malfoy is probably the most convenient companion for you. I must make an announcement about this to the school, warning all Muggle-borns here to be wary. If anything like this happens again, make sure you come immediately here."
"Yes, Headmaster."
Hermione was frightened. She knew this day would come, the moment she had found out about Voldemort and his awful campaign. She had not thought it would happen until she was at least out of school, away from the knowledge of Dumbledore. Voldemort was finished playing it safe. He was now attacking people right out, under the eyes of his greatest enemies.
The war had been brewing, but now it was coming to a boil.
************************************************************************
Draco left the hospital wing before Dumbledore spoke to Hermione. He left, in fact, as soon as he heard the headmaster mention the curse used. He knew what was really going on. It was all connected to the threat his father made when he left the mansion for good.
Lucius was as good as his word. He had threatened Hermione, and now he was acting on his words. Draco could not dare get close to her again. He would keep pushing her away no matter what it cost him.
End Chapter 27
To clarify: The first Quidditch meeting for Gryffindor was approximately the second day of school- why else would he have had to meet the DADA professor? I mean, he would have met him in class, right? Ah, now it all becomes clear to you. The Goyle thing did not happen until about a week later. At least.
Thanks you for the reviews! Skittering hot magenta confetti to you if you review this chapter!!!