"What's the matter with her?" Abe demanded scornfully.
Dante glared at him. He had some nerve taking that tone because Zephari was an orphan and did not like it. She reached over automatically, restraining Zoë from leaping at him. "Today isn't just Halloween, you know." Dante growled.
"Whatever today is, it's no reason for her to go crying to a professor." The boy snapped, pushing his swiftly lengthening reddish-brown hair out of his eyes.
"Her parents died today, alright, so just bug off!" Zoë snapped, "Her Mum died fifteen days after she was born, her Dad died when she had just turned five."
"Why the hell would she go and die fifteen days after child birth?" Abe demanded, incredulous.
"That's it, let me at him!" Zoë snarled, struggling against her cousin.
"I mean, it's rather stupid to run off and leave a kid all alone as a newborn!" He blabbered on.
This time, Zoë did not need to struggle. In fact, Dante had given up on restraining her cousin in exchange for leaping at the idiot herself. They weren't alone, as the rest of the wizard-born first-years had either jumped at him or tried to restrain those attacking; Annabelle and Liam each grabbed Dante and Zoë by the arms instead of joining in; as they were deemed most likely to cause damage to the insolent idiot.
"Let me go!" Zoë snarled, fighting furiously against Liam's restraining arms, "He insulted all those who died against Voldemort! Let me at him! Let me rip him apart!"
Dante was fighting as well, ready to join her cousin in pummelling Abe. So what if he was a member of the same House? At the moment, she hated him. She wanted him to apologize and say that all those who had died against Voldemort had died for a noble cause. She wanted him to take back what he had said against her uncles and aunts!
Before she knew what was happening, several larger and heavier people had joined in the fray, grabbing and restraining the furious first years. Dante struggled until Abe was picked up by two pairs of helpful hands. He was sporting a black eye, a cut lip and was crying angrily. She instantly felt guilty, but also slightly satisfied.
"Stop it, all of you!" A commanding voice ordered, one Dante recognized all too well.
"Carly?" Dante asked.
"Explain yourself, Dante." Her sister ordered, releasing her.
Dante turned to meet her sister's furious face. Despite the fact that Carly was also a Metamorphmagus, she kept her features natural. She looked up into her face and cringed away as her cousin put her hands on her hips. She lowered her eyes and realized that she had changed her own features back to normal.
Zoë had struggled free of Fern and Willow's hold to stumble to a halt beside Dante, glaring at Abe. "He was making fun of Zephari for being sad today." She growled, "He made fun of Lily for 'going and dying' not too long after Zeph was born!"
Their rescuers, who were revealed to be all the elder Weasleys and a few others, turned to glare at Abe. "I thought she had killed herself or something..." He mumbled dispiritedly.
"What made you think that?" James demanded, also irritated with Abe for having insulted those who had fought on the 'Potter side' of the war.
"Because..." Abe looked at his feet.
"Because that's what your mom did?" Alexis finished for him, not at all kind. "Whatever made you think that anyone – especially Zephari's Mum – would do the same thing?"
The boy looked properly abashed and Dante stepped in front of him, her arms crossed. "Apologize." She growled.
"I'm sorry I said that about Zeph's Mum, I really wasn't thinking." He mumbled.
"That," Thomas muttered, "Is obvious."
Fern, Willow, Ryan, Elida, Aleanor, Spring and Summer all glared at him. Chiharu had arrived sometime during their dispute and had wrapped Zoë in a makeshift hug-headlock to keep her from attacking. Alexis, Alexandre, Thomas, Carly, Brandy, Ralph and Scott looked ready to attack at the slightest wrong move. The remaining few – Joseph, Daniel, Felix, Leif, August, Colin and Alistair – looked indecisive.
"He's apologized, that's all we can ask for." Fern snapped with authority, volume and fervour that none had ever heard from the docile eldest Weasley.
"Zoë, Dante, how about both of you head upstairs and get changed into something that meets regulations." Willow murmured.
"We'll take them." Natasha offered.
"That would be a good idea." Fern agreed, her twin nodding.
Dante's arm was taken lightly by Annabelle, who steered her in the direction of the castle. She turned around in time to see Liam, Xander and Nathaniel glare at Abe before following. James had obviously opted to stay with Abe, who was now sitting miserably at the foot of the tree they had so happily sat under less than fifteen minutes before.
Zephari shook slightly as she sat in Dethol's office beside the fire. It was cozy there, but the large clock – displaying the day, the month and the year, as well as hours, minutes and seconds – did not help her forget what the day was. She shivered and Dethol gave her a blanket to wrap around her shoulders. He had made her change back into her Hogwarts robes, and she had accepted gratefully. She did not want to remember anything about Halloween at the moment.
The door opened roughly and Zephari looked up with a start. Her Aunt Ginny was standing in the doorway, looking afraid, "Dethol, have you seen Zephari?" She asked quickly, "The other Gryffindor first-years got in an argument and we can't find her anywhere!"
"She's fine, Ginny, she's right here." Dethol told her quietly.
Ginny nodded. "I need to speak to you, Dethol." She murmured, "Alone."
Zephari ducked back in her armchair. They had to talk about her, obviously, or they would not be leaving the room. Or maybe her fellow Housemates, but they did not want her to repeat what they were saying. Which made her all the more determined to listen, so she could hear what her Aunt and favourite adult had to say about her and her friends behind their backs.
She wrapped her blanket tighter around her and went to the slightly open door, leaning close to listen. Later, she would wish she never had.
"What is it, Ginny?" She heard Dethol ask quietly.
"The reason the other Gryffindors were fighting... Abe Forrester was confused as to why Zephari was sad. He said a few... rash... words and all but Liam Harrington and Annabelle Ashford attacked him. The older Weasleys, August Wood, Colin Finnigan, Alistair Longbottom and Chiharu Potter arrived in time to restrain them and keep them from doing any serious damage." She paused slightly. "I think it's best if Zephari does not learn this... He thought Lily had killed herself. That's what his mother did, not too long after he was born."
Zephari opened the door without thinking. "My mum did not kill herself!" She exclaimed.
"We both know that Zeph," Dethol told her quickly.
"Promise me you'll leave Abe alone." Ginny ordered firmly, "It's not his fault he's had bad experiences. If any Gryffindor first year so much as throws a punch at him, all of you will have detention."
Zephari's eyes narrowed. "Fine." She growled, taking off the blanket and giving it to Dethol, "Thanks." She muttered in an attempt to be kind before shoving past both of them.
"I wonder if Zephari's alright..." Liam sighed as they sat on the common room floor.
"She'll be fine." Zoë informed him, her knees tucked up to her chest, "She always is."
She saw him blink in surprise and sighed herself, staring into the happily crackling flames in the fireplace. She felt slightly mocked by them. She turned her back on them, facing her comrades. James and Abe had refrained from showing their faces in the hour or so that had passed. Good riddance, She thought irritably, as Abe had been getting on her nerves prior to that moment.
"So... she's like this every Halloween?" Xander asked quietly.
"Yeah, but don't mention it. She likes it better when you don't." Dante whispered.
It was then that the portrait door opened and Zephari stepped through. Zoë got to her feet first and went up to her cousin. "We were worried about you." She said truthfully.
"Sorry." Zephari replied evenly, avoiding her gaze. "I shouldn't have run off."
"You mean: I would've liked to help you fight Abe." Natasha pointed out innocently.
"Nat!" Dante hissed.
"Don't worry, I heard about what he said." Zephari said in a frightening growl. "To put it simply: He's not getting a Christmas present from me for the next five years."
Zoë hugged her friend around the shoulders, "Let's not talk about that right now." She encouraged. "We all missed lunch, so we'll just have a big supper. You know how everyone says the Halloween feast is great, right?"
Zephari mustered up a smile for her, making Zoë smile back. "Sure, I'll join you guys."
"I wonder what kind of state the Slytherins will be in by then?" Natasha mused.
"Oh?" Zephari asked.
"Rumour has it they've been hiding out at the top of the astronomy tower." Liam said with a small smile for her.
"Professor Snape, however, has dismissed their claims as attention-seeking." Xander added, smiling himself.
Zephari grinned evilly, "Good." She stated simply.
Dante was content to simply lounge about with her friends and cousins all afternoon. They hurried down the feast as soon as dinner was nearing being ready. They sat expectantly at the end of the table only to find they were not alone. The first-year Slytherins were shivering at the end of their table, closely watched by Professors Snape, Malfoy and Dethol.
Zephari got up and started for their table. Dante and Zoë's eyes met as they exchanged grins before following. Dante turned, smiling, to see the rest of their friends following. They stopped at the end of the Slytherin table, Zephari smirking superiorly and the rest grinning smugly.
"I heard you guys nearly got eaten by a few vampires down in the dungeons," She drawled, "Too bad they didn't finish you off, would've saved us a load of trouble."
"Shut up, Black." Veronica snapped.
"Quiet, Parkinson, or I'll tell the vampires the Slytherin password." Zephari retorted menacingly.
"You don't know it." Matthew sneered.
"Oh, and if I do? It's Avada Kedavra, by the way." She said, still smirking, "Didn't believe me? Well, now you do."
They glared at her in unison.
"I'll get you someday, dog." Veronica growled.
"Don't count on it, pug-face." Zephari replied coolly, striding away.
Dante grinned at her cousin. "That was brilliant, Zeph." She applauded.
"Thanks, Dawn." Zephari replied as they sat down again.
"It was really good, Zephari." A quiet voice mumbled from a little farther down the table.
Dante turned to see Abe and darkened angrily. "What do you want?" She demanded.
"It's okay, Dawn." Zephari said quietly. "I heard about what you said about my Mum, Abe," She continued, louder, "And I know you didn't think before saying it. I've been told not to hurt you, or else I probably would hit you a few times. However, I can't so I'll settle for this: If you ever talk about my parents or any other Gryffindor's parents that way ever again, I'll be the first to hex you."
He reddened and Dante finally felt her anger ebb away. "I won't." He promised.
"Good." Zoë said brightly, "Now we don't have to worry about stepping on each other's toes during supper."
The rest of the school began filing in quickly, filling up the Great Hall in due time. The professors arrived with the students and, as Dante felt her stomach begin to growl painfully, the Headmaster stood up to greet them. "Happy Halloween!" He announced, smiling kindly down at them.
A murmur of agreement spread through the Hall, though a few people did not share the happiness. This was apparent as Bill Weasley looked down on them all, his long red hair held back in a ponytail and his fanged earring catching the candlelight. The bats stirred restlessly in the eaves, making a rustling noise above the murmurs.
"Though, indeed, to some of us it is not so happy." He sighed, "Today, on the day of the dead, we mark the anniversary of the passing of numerous great wizards. Thus, I propose a toast, to those who died for us in the war against Voldemort."
The entire Hall lifted their goblets – suddenly filled with pumpkin juice – in tribute and drank. Dante noticed, with a start, that even the Slytherins followed suite. She had a nagging feeling that half of them – those that had been slower to answer Professor Weasley's prompt – had proposed a toast of their own. However, she raised her own in complete agreement with her uncle.
"Now that we have honoured those we have lost, we can all eat and be merry." He concluded with a smile for them all as food appeared in front of them.
Veronica glared at the Gryffindors throughout the feast. "Why do they have to be so arrogant?" She whined.
"Because they're Gryffindors." Matthew muttered.
"I swear that Black should be in Slytherin." Sora growled.
"What?" The others demanded.
"Well, look at her!" She continued, "She's cunning, sly, pureblood, vicious and ambitious."
"She's related to Granger." Veronica hissed.
"She's related to the entire house of Black, which is all purebloods!" Torrence said proudly.
"I still hate her." Veronica growled.
"You just don't like the fact that she's better than you at... well... everything." Nora snickered, making Crabbe and Goyle guffaw.
"Don't you two have brains?" Veronica snapped at them.
Christopher looked a little stunned, "Yeah." He grunted.
"We're just being good little cronies like our parents want us to." George told her.
"Either way, stop being such trolls." She ordered.
Veronica took another bite of pudding, glaring across the hall at Zephari's back. How ironic that she, a Slytherin, would be irritated because a Gryffindor was such a... well, a bully! She swallowed the dessert without tasting it. Wait until her grandparents heard about that. She glanced sideways at Professor Malfoy, her father, with a grumble. He had taken in a boy her age and called him his son, but he had not taken in Veronica. She hated him too. She hated them all.