Sorry I haven't updated. This was originally supposed to be a very long chapter, but because I wanted to update in this century I split it in half. Hope you like it and please review. Oh yeah, Cyborg is able to operate inside Hogwarts because Dumbledore put a spell on him that made him able to.
Chapter 19
Conversations and Confrontations
Part 1
Raven sat in a long dark aisle of books in the library. She was leaning against the bookcase, arms wrapped around her knees, chin resting on them. It was a very fetal, insecure position, yet she liked it. She sat their thinking, just thinking. Not meditating, she had already done that.
The sun was now lowering in the afternoon sky and leaking in the window, lighting up the area Raven sat. She heard footsteps approaching. And for some reason a smile ran on her lips. 'Figures,' she thought.
"Hey," said a voice from the end of the aisle. Raven did not have to look to know who it was, "I thought you would be here."
'Took you long enough,' she said in her head, there was a silence.
"The only problem was I had to figure out were here was," said Beast Boy sheepishly, scratching the back of his head, coming a little closer, "I swear that more than the paintings move around this place." Raven gave him a quizzical look. "I mean the rooms and the statues of armor. I couldn't recognize anything. You couldn't believe how long I was wandering around this place."
"I think I could," she said quietly.
Beast Boy sat down next to her and looked around, "Nice place you got here," he said appraisingly.
Raven looked directly at him, "Did you even come her for a reason?" she said sarcastically.
"Yeah," he replied as though it was the simplest thing in the world, "I came her for you." Raven became a little nervous at this answer. What did he mean?
"What about me?" she asked, trying to sound indifferent.
"I'm worried about you. We've been through a lot lately, and there is no denying it. You were so mad at lunch."
"I just needed to think," she said unemotionally. A moment of silence followed.
"He was wrong," Beast Boy said from nowhere.
"What?" said Raven, having not expected him.
"Harry, he was wrong about what he said."
"Glad you're on my side," he said mordantly.
"That is not what I meant," said Beast Boy.
"I know," replied the half-demon girl, showing weakness in her voice.
Another awkward silence followed, "You are not going to turn evil just because your father was."
Raven took an audible breath, "How do you know?" she said bitterly.
"What do you mean?"
"How do you know I am not going to become evil, I have already done horrible things and helped that man do …," she sighed.
"You didn't have a choice Raven," Beast Boy said earnestly.
Raven scoffed at him, "You always have a choice," she said in a raspy, upset voice.
"You're right," said Beast Boy firmly, "You did have a choice. The one you made saved our lives. If you want to sit here and worry about what might have been of you had done something different. Fine! But here I am trying to help you and all you do is feel sorry for yourself and forget that you were not the only one to have to make a hard choices in the last few days," he finished forcefully.
Raven looked away from him, "Sorry…I forgot."
"Well, you shouldn't," he said calmly, "You make yourself miserable over little things. Remember, you are not alone."
"When did he get so serious? When did he get so deep?" thought Raven, "Thanks."
"So do you want to go find the others now?" Beast Boy asked as though nothing had happened.
"Give it five minutes," she answered coolly.
"Why?" replied the changeling, utterly perplexed.
Raven gave him a mockingly skeptical look and answered a though it were the
most obvious thing in the world, "To give them time to finish talking behind our backs."
linelinelinelinelineline
"Harry, can I speak to you?" asked Hermione in a forced calm voice. They, Ron
Ginny, and three of the Titans were hanging in the dorm after lunch.
"Uh, sure," he replied, having just lost to Ron at chess.
"Privately," she added.
"Okay," Harry answered unsure of what they needed to talk privately about.
Hermione lead him out of the dorm room into a nearby empty classroom, closing the
door behind them. The two stood in an uneasy silence.
"Sooo…" said Harry inquisitively.
Hermione turned her back to him, hands clasped behind her back, and walked
towards the window. She took a deep breath before exploding, "You Are So Tactless,"
she said, enunciating each word firmly and clearly.
Harry was surprised, "Wha-?"
"You," exclaimed Hermione again a little hysterically as she turned around to
face Harry, "Are tactless. You were so mean to her."
"Who?"
"Raven! You were such a jerk to her at lunch," said Hermione upset.
"Oh," said Harry finally figuring out what Hermione had been ranting about, "She
was the one that exploded, why are you yelling at me."
"Are you that dense! You're the one that pushed her over the edge. Did you not
notice how upset she was getting during your guys argument, on which you were wrong
by the way?"
"Er, no."
Hermione shook her head in dismay, calming down, "I know you did not believe like half
the things you were arguing for at lunch so why did you keep going."
"I don't know. I just couldn't let her win. I just don't trust her like the others. She
seems so secretive and …," Harry trailed off arrr
"Guarded," offered Hermione.
"I was going for creepy, but sure."
"How can you judge her like that? You don't even know her?"
"And you do?" asked Harry skeptically, raising an eyebrow.
"Do, I don't, but I know her better than you do," Hermione paused.
"I'm listening," Harry said.
"When Raven and I were in the library together, we got to talking. I realized then,
that at the core, she was just a normal person, like us. Sure she has a dark, mysterious
side to her, but she doesn't? She has insecurities and secrets and quirks just like the rest
of us have. I know she had done some questionable things involving Voldemort, but we
don't know the whole story so don't be so quick to judge. And if I remember correctly,
we have done some questionable stuff before too," Hermione added with a grin, "Plus,
think of how many times you've been judged without others learning the truth first."
"I guess you're right," said Harry.
"Of course I am," replied Hermione teasingly, "So what are you going to do
about it?"
"I'll try not to judge her anymore, but I can't promise you that I can trust her."
"I guess I will have to live with that."
"I guess so." They both left the empty classroom and went back into the dorm,
one with a lot of their chest and one with a lot to think about.
