Chapter IV
Darian walked into the common room the next morning to find Jonathan, Daniel, Jacob, Tyler, and Alexis waiting for her. They were accompanied by another girl.
"This is Selma Clint. She's a third year as well," Jonathan introduced the tall girl. She had dirty blonde hair that reached below her waist. Selma also had deep blue eyes. Darian thought she was very pretty; no wonder Jonathan remained in close proximity to her.
"Nice to meet you," Darian said, wondering if these people were her 'friends' now.
"You too," Selma gave a charming smile. Then she added in a whisper, "Jonathan explained your special lineage to me."
So that's it, Darian thought. They want to hang out with me because of who my parents were. Darian did not feel insulted. When she did not reply, the other Slytherins decided to start towards the Great Hall. Once seated, Darian scanned the Hall for James, Pamela, and Derek. She saw them laughing at the Gryffindor table.
"Well Darian? What do you think?" Daniel was asking her.
"Think about what?" Darian replied, she had not realized he had been talking to her.
"Our schedules," Daniel said looking down at her plate. Darian followed his gaze and found a small piece of parchment lying on top of her scrambled eggs. She lifted it up and scanned the list.
"What does 'double' mean?" Darian asked. The word was in front of all her classes for the first few weeks.
"At the start of every year the houses are paired the first three weeks in order to promote inter-house relations. First week, we're paired with Hufflepuff, then we got Ravenclaw, and finally the Gryffindors. After that, we're pretty much on our own except under special circumstances," Jacob explained.
"Our first class is Potions with that traitor Malfoy teaching. I heard he only took the job so his son could get into Hogwarts a year early," Daniel said.
Traitor? Darian thought. Then she recalled what she read about the Great War in her father's biography. Well I suppose it was recent enough for these guys to feel somewhat betrayed. Their grandparents were part of it even if their parents weren't. Malfoy was a dark wizard? Thoughts were swirling through Darian's mind. She was still thinking about what she found out when she walked into the cold dungeon Potions classroom.
The week spent with the Hufflepuffs had passed by uneventfully; similarly with the Ravenclaws. The only noteworthy occurrence was Darian's first Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Professor Potter was used to having students ask him about the war. He usually reserved the first class exactly for that purpose. He impresses the students with stories of intense battles and strange events. The Slytherins usually acted like they did not care but they had no choice but to sit and listen since whatever house they were paired with for the first week always bombarded Harry with questions.
This time, it was incredibly uncomfortable for Harry though. He could feel Darian's dark eyes on him from the back of the classroom. Every time he mentioned Lord Voldemort, her gaze just got deeper and darker.
The Sunday before she would begin her classes with the Gryffindors, Darian found herself walking down a wide staircase, towards the Trophy Room. Jonathan had suggested that she might be able to find some information regarding her parents there. She thought it was worth a shot.
When Darian entered the room, she heard a familiar voice demand, "Who's there?"
"James?" she replied, ignoring the question.
"Darian?" she saw James appear from behind a particularly tall shelf full of small trophies.
She asked, "What are you doing here?"
James started on what seemed like a long-rehearsed speech, "Can you believe my father gave me detention? I had a lot of homework last week so I figured it would be alright if I skipped my D.A.D.A. assignment. My father would understand right? But no! Instead he makes me polish trophies for a week! Can you believe it? What are you doing here?"
Darian blinked, "I was wondering if my parents had any trophies here."
James beckoned to a large nearby plaque, "I think you might find something there. I remember it from my first night."
"Thanks," Darian walked over to the tablet and scanned the names. It was a list of all the head girls and boys. She found what she was looking for: Tom Marvolo Riddle 1944. Darian resisted the urge to trace the small engraved letters; she could sense James looking at her.
She turned around and surveyed the young boy. He asked, "That help?"
"Yeah, thanks again," she replied. Darian was almost out the door before she turned around again. "James?"
"What's up?" James looked up from a particularly complicated trophy he was polishing.
Darian hesitated before saying, "I really wish we had met under different circumstances. Maybe then we could have been friends."
James was silent for a moment—only a moment, "Don't be silly Darian! We are friends."
She looked at him, "Sure." Darian walked away.
When Darian walked into her Defense Against the Dark Arts class the next morning, she realized after a quick scan that the only available seat was behind James. Despite Jonathan's advice, Daniel and Jacob were not comfortable enough around the Dark Lord's daughter to save her a space. Darian took the seat and smiled back faintly when James turned around and gave her a wave.
Darian groaned when the class came to an end after a particularly uninteresting lesson about dark magic familiars. Next, she would be having her first flying lesson. Everyone else, especially James, was excited. Darian, however, had an irrational fear of heights.
On the Quidditch pitch, Darian nervously gripped her borrowed broom. She listened as Professor Oliver Wood explained the proper take-off technique. His heavy Scottish accent made her even more nervous. She was unsure whether or not she caught everything he said. She was not prepared to fly without knowing the correct procedure. Darian tried to pay attention but it seemed like now the professor was explaining to some curious boys how he was taking a year from professional Quidditch after a particularly nasty fall off his broom. That's assuring Darian rolled her eyes.
Wood blew his whistle. That meant it was time to mount. Darian lifted her leg over the broom's handle and straddled the flying equipment. A second whistle—it was time to kick off. Darian pushed with all her strength and was soon hovering in thin air. Well not exactly hovering—she could not stop going higher. Darian looked down. That was a big mistake. She could feel the vertigo overtaking her. She tried to remember what the professor said about coming back down. She would not shout for help; that would be weak. But she needed help; her arms were getting weak and she couldn't control the broom anymore. It was over; Darian fainted on her broom.
Darian woke up on the grassy ground of the pitch. A pair of brown eyes was examining her and a thick Scottish voice said, "Alright there?"
Darian nodded, she could not do much else. Wood continued, "Good thing James was close enough to grab you before you fell off. That would have been painful." Wood tapped his skull as if to add credibility to his words.
James saved my life? Darian thought.
The Professor looked down at Darian, concerned that she had not gotten up yet, "Maybe you should go to the Hospital Wing. James, you mind?"
"No Professor, not at all," James extended his hand and Darian gripped it. He pulled her up and made her place her weight on him as the two started towards the castle.
"It's alright James. I can walk," Darian said about halfway to their destination, increasing the distance between her and her savior.
"I'm glad you're alright. I guess flying is a bit scary for first-timers," James tried to comfort Darian.
She stopped walking, "I was not scared."
James stared, "Okay. Sorry."
Darian continued walking. When they reached the castle, Darian said, "Look James. I don't need to go to the Hospital Wing. I think I'll just go to my room and rest for the remainder of the day."
"Alright, if you're sure . . ." James was a bit uneasy about leaving Darian but he also wanted to be back at the flying lessons.
"I'm sure," Darian said and left towards the Slytherin common room.
He thinks I'm weak. They all do. Darian thought as she entered the spacious room. Without pausing, Darian walked over to the fire.
Jonathan Avery was just entering the common room, with several of his friends to enjoy, his free period when he heard a stifled moan. He and the others ran into the room and stopped at what they saw. Darian Black was kneeling in front of the fire, her right arm shoved deep into the fire.
"Oh my God!" Jonathan shouted and leaped towards the hunched figure. "Help me!" A couple other boys jumped forth and together, they pulled Darian out of the fire and carried her fainted, limp body to the Hospital Wing.
"What happened?" Madame Pomfrey demanded as they placed Darian on a bed.
"We found her like that. Is she gonna be okay?" Jonathan asked while Madame Pomfrey began applying some ointment onto Darian's arm.
"She must have had her arm in the fire for a long time before you found her. She's burned off almost all of her skin. It will take at least the night to grow back. You should leave young man," the nurse ushered Jonathan out of the Hospital Wing.
Darian opened her eyes. "You're awake," an excited voice whispered beside her. Darian turned her head and saw James sitting on the next bed. She looked down and saw that her right arm was bandaged tightly.
"What are you doing here?" Darian turned back to James.
"I could ask you the same question! I thought you were going to back to your room and rest, not set yourself on fire!" James chastised. "Why did you do it?"
So that you would see I am not weak—I am brave. I have survived fire. Who else do you know that has done what I have done? I am special; I am unique. "I don't know," Darian said.
"It was a pretty stupid thing to do, but at least you're alright. I brought you your homework; you've been out since yesterday," James motioned to a large pile of books sitting on the table next to Darian's head.
James started to leave. He turned around at the door and said, "You know Darian, you're not like other people I've met. You're hard to understand." He left.
Good, thought Darian as she rested her head back on her pillow.