Chapter Twenty-Eight

The quidditch try-outs were all agreed to be a disaster. The only person happy was Geoffrey Nott, the new beater for Slytherin. Lucy was walking to the great hall with Argus and Archibald, both boys ranting to each other. They knew that Nott did that on purpose. Some of the Slytherin teams came rushing down the hallway as they aggressively shoved past them however only Lucy felt the brunt of the attack as she tripped on her pleated skirt, falling to the floor. The boys barely reacting as they carried on down the hallway and entered the great hall. Archibald slamming his broken broomstick onto the floor before helping Lucy up. Argus was secretly bubbling up with anger again. Lucy deemed quidditch as too rough for her liking as she disliked what she saw today.

"It's stupid" Lucy told the boys; covering her bruised knee with her skirt again.

"No it's not. You can't call a whole sport stupid because of a few idiots" Archibald quickly responded in outrage.

"Those bludgers are dangerous too. Maybe if you took out the bludgers, it might be a bit better. Have you thought about doing that?"

"Don't be daft. One can't just remove bludgers from quidditch. That's the whole point of the game" Archibald answered in slight shock at the thought.

"She doesn't mean it, she doesn't know what she's saying" Argus quickly spoke up.

Though Lucy shook her head. She did mean it and she thought it was daft that they used them. As she continued..."Maybe you could replace bludgers with soft balls instead"

"You sound like Gertie Keddle. You do know some soft mothers have been saying these exact words for decades. Well don't even bother, Lucy. Nobody wants to make qudditch safe" Archibald informed her firmly.

She was about to reply but Archibald put his hand on her mouth. Departing quickly so he wouldn't hear any more of her ideas about making quidditch softer and lighter. Argus looked equally as outraged as he enjoyed watching it, the bloody bits were secretly his favourite moments in the sport. Lucy however was strongly against dangerous or blood sports.

"I am right you know, Argus. It's like rugby back at home...people getting hurt for no reason over a game" Lucy carried on.

"Stop talking please otherwise I will put your name on my list" Argus warned.

"Argus-"

"No talking about it otherwise I will have to. I can't do favourites"

Lucy rolled her eyes as she entered the great hall. Sitting down at the Hufflepuff table with her friends as she began to eat her breakfast. She saw Olive Hornby in her quidditch uniform as she was sat with the Gryffindor team. The Hufflepuff team came in moments later as they sat a bit away from Lucy. This gave her an idea as she looked towards them.

"Aren't bludgers dangerous? Archibald's broomstick got ruined by one" Lucy told them.

Some of them looked stunned by her statement. The Hufflepuff seeker, Lawrence; shook his head. Nobody barely questions quidditch besides overprotective mothers. Lucy bit into her toast as she noticed getting some more outraged stares from quidditch players and watchers.

"Bludgers are a bit dangerous but that's the point, Lucy. It's alright...nobody gets killed by them anymore. At least not in school. You might get knocked out but that's all part of the risk" Lawrence tried to explain.

"Don't you think that's bad enough?"

"Saint Lucy. Stop preaching" Ruth quickly spoke up with a giggle.

Trying to steer her friend away from this pointless debate. She will become very unpopular overnight if she continues. She turned towards her friends with a sigh as she admitted defeat. She thought her fellow Hufflepuffs might agree but she learned nobody really agreed.

...

The next couple of days felt very long. The second-years were currently sat in 'History of Magic'. Professor Binns was droning on about the 'Medieval Assembly of European Wizards'. Tom Riddle was the only person listening with major interest as he wrote down notes. He leaned in ever close when Binns mentioned the wizards' views on serpents and snakes. Writing down almost every word from this section as Binns explained about the history of these creatures and the wizarding world's views on them. Avery began to yawn but Tom gave him a quick thrash on his knuckles, making him quickly close his mouth. Tom put his hand up moments later, making Binns pause.

"Yes, Tim?" Binns questioned; getting his name wrong by accident.

Tom didn't care enough about his common name to correct him. As he cleared his throat, trying to word his question in a non-suspicious manner. His peers looking at him.

"With regards to serpents, is it true that one lived here once? Did the medieval assembly question this? Or is this just a myth?" Tom asked.

"Just a myth, I have no doubt. Plenty of stories have been made up about Salazar Slytherin and his serpent. Though it's all stories made up to scare children such as yourself" Binns answered.

"Source?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Where is your source? Who wrote this made-up story?"

"Word of mouth, boy. Simply word of mouth. Now let's please go back to facts and dates" Binns replied in annoyance.

Tom turning his eyes back towards his paper as he let him carry on. Eileen Prince looked at him suspiciously from her desk. Why did he want to know she thought. She looked away when the boy in question suddenly stared in her direction. Making her shift uncomfortably in her chair. The lesson went on without any further disruptions.

...

October seemed awfully long that year. Mainly because the muggle-borns and those who lived in major cities had no Christmas break to count down to. Though the pure-bloods and half-bloods that lived in little hamlets, villages or towns were bragging slightly. As they got to go home to their parents while their peers were stuck inside due to the 'muggle war'. Olive Hornby included in this mocking as she went up to Myrtle and Lucy in the hallway with her friends.

"Poor little miss four-eyes has to stay over for Christmas. Enough time for her parents to realize how much better life is without her" Olive taunted.

"Leave her alone!" Lucy snapped as she crossed her arms.

"Oh stop embarrassing yourself, Norris. Everyone knows you only hang out with her out of pity. Which is fine but we all know if you didn't have a guilt complex, you wouldn't be seen dead with her" Olive hissed.

"That's not true"

"It is true...You know that, Myrtle? Because the only friends you have are pity friends"

This last statement made Myrtle run towards the bathroom crying. As she locked herself in. Lucy looking at Olive and her group of girls in disgust as she couldn't believe the lengths they go to just to bully Myrtle. Olive giving Lucy a small sarcastic wave before departing. The only girl in the group who seemed to show the smallest bit of guilt was Euphemia. Lucy making her way over to the bathroom as she entered, Myrtle was sobbing loudly in one of the cubicles.

"Myrtle...It's only me, she's gone now. Are you alright?" Lucy asked with concern.

"Do I sound alright? A real friend would know...pity friend. That's what you are...now go away!"

"Don't listen to Olive"

"I will listen to who I want! Now go away and I may talk to you later but only because I feel sorry for you"

Feeling like there was no point in talking to her when she's in this mood, Lucy just left the bathroom.

...

TBC