Rebekah shunned Draco for his earlier words. He tried to reason with her but he only made it worse. He used the word again and called anyone who cared for them "Blood Traitors to Wizarding kind." Rebekah's palm swiftly met his cheek and she stormed off and out of the common room. Their group watched the situation but they couldn't do anything, they were split between the two undesignated leaders.
Early Monday morning, Rebekah went to McGonagall and asked her if she could sit at the Gryffindor table for the time being. Snape had already contacted her so McGonagall agreed as long as she is respectful of the other members.
Rebekah pulled her hair back and flicked it as she walked out of the Slytherin common room, completely ignoring her group of friends. She said good morning to Bloody Baron and the quivering Peeves as the former yelled at the latter for a prank he pulled. The Baron stopped his shouting, said a pleasant greeting and began yelling at Peeves again.
"What are you doing here?" Weasley scrunched his face when Rebekah sat across from Hermione Granger.
"Do you actually want to know, or are you trying to be annoying?" Rebekah gave him an exhausted look.
He shrugged his shoulders and raised his chin. "I want to know."
"Slytherin House had Quidditch practise on Saturday, as you probably know." Rebekah piled a little bit of food onto the newly appeared plate. "Draco Malfoy then decided to use a Magical slur against one of your team members, then when I went to tell him that it wasn't right, he called me a Blood Traitor and said I might as well be a MudBlood if I'm gonna defend them. I slapped him across the face and now I refuse to speak to him."
The two girls next to Rebekah and Granger gasped loudly. "He didn't!"
Weasley snorted with a laugh and sat down a few seats away. "Okay, I understand why he was being a prat yesterday."
"Can we be civil?" Rebekah sighed with her shoulders drooping. "Meaning that we don't go for each others' throats at any moment? Frankly, I'm tired of it."
"Fine, sure," He stood from his seat and held his hand out. "Truce?"
"Truce," Rebekah gave it a good shake and then continued to eat.
"Finally!" Granger said, jumping up but quickly turned red. "I mean, now you both won't interrupt our lessons anymore."
"Am I alright to still partner with you in Potions and DADA, Granger?" She nodded with a smile.
"Only if you stop calling me Granger. Please call me Hermione."
"Sure, Hermione, only if you call me Rebekah."
The rest of the month went like this, Rebekah would join the Gryffindors at their table and have a good laugh. Occasionally sending her old group jealous glares, she refused to back down. She would pair with one of them when Hermione wasn't in the class, only Rebekah always stayed away from Malfoy.
Rebekah refused to stay in the common room and always ignored the group if Draco was with them. It hurt the group's friendship with Rebekah, Pansy stood with Draco but the other two were torn. They were friends with Draco longer but they agreed more with Rebekah.
Professor Sprout paired the two together, not realising what chaos that would ensure after.
"Why are you being so petty, Rebekah?"
"I don't know," Rebekah said as she pulled the Fluxweed seeds away from the mother plant. "Maybe only Blood Traitors would understand!"
"I said I was sorry!" He defended himself. "They're only words."
She paused but continued to pull the seeds, gripping them tighter than needed. "So are Hexes, Jinxes and Curses. Your point?"
"What will it take you to forgive me?" He said and began to pull his seeds roughly.
"I don't know." She paused and dropped her hands into the soil of the plant. "You don't realise how much it hurts. My mum is a MuggleBorn, I'm a HalfBlood and I am proud of it. You said those words so confidently. You think being born from Muggle parents makes them worth less?"
"You're a Potter, it doesn't matter if you're a HalfBlood,"
"Doesn't it? Because my parents didn't agree with him, they died. So yes, it does matter. If I hear you say it again, any of you, I will refuse to speak to you. You've got another thing coming if you think I'll put up with that kind of prejudiced attitude." Rebekah dropped the last of her plants, and called out loudly, "Professor, may I go to the Hospital Ward?"
"Why? Have you hurt yourself?" Professor Sprout came over after dusting her hands off.
"My shoulder hurts," Rebekah rubbed her left shoulder, just above the scar, wincing. "I don't know if I pulled a muscle or something. Madam Pomfrey said to go to her if my shoulder hurts."
"Sure, sure, go but take someone with you," She said. "Perhaps Malfoy?"
"Oh, Professor, I'll take her," Hermione quickly said and came over. "I'm already finished with my plants."
"Good. make sure she arrives and then come straight back."
They both left quickly, Rebekah clutched her shoulder to seem like she was in pain. After walking a couple of minutes, Rebekah dropped her hand and smiled.
"You little faker!" Hermione gasped.
Rebekah shrugged. "Well, I didn't want to deal with him. Besides, when I thought of my mum, my scar did hurt."
After getting checked out by Madam Pomfrey and getting the okay, Rebekah and Hermione had the rest of the day free until dinner and then curfew. They skipped dinner and decided to stay in the Library, hidden in one of the alcoves in the Library's bookshelves. There were several that had their own little desks and others that were several metres in the air, only accessible by the little moving stairs.
The two sat in one of them, it was about two metres wide and three metres deep with a large window and cushioned flooring. It was probably used for lounging when reading and not actual work.
"Do you ever miss the Muggle World?" Rebekah asked, laying on her back with her hands behind her head. Both of them wore their white shirts and black trousers, loosening their ties and shaking off their robes.
"Yes, I sometimes miss my parents," Hermione looked outside the clear window, getting a beautiful view of the fields and forest. "It gets hard sometimes."
"Yeah, I live with my uncle and aunt and Dudley. They're all Muggles but Aunt Petunia knew of this world because of my mum. Uncle Vernon was terrified when I got my letter," Rebekah went back to the memory in her mind, smiling faintly. "He was so scared, he didn't understand anything but he tried."
"Goodness, when my parents read the letter, they almost had a heart attack," Hermione giggled. "They're dentists."
"Oh, Uncle Vernon works for Grunnings, a company that makes drills," Rebekah told her, quickly sitting up. "He had some clients over for dinner and Dudley and I were behaving ourselves because we wanted him to get a deal. Something strange happened."
"What?"
"So there was a sound upstairs, I told them it was Emperor," He purred at the edge of the cushioned alcove. "I excused myself and went to check. I found a House-Elf on my bed!"
"What's a House-Elf?"
"It's a creature that serves Wizarding Families,"
"Oh, isn't that cruel?"
"No, they prefer it. It's strange but I don't know much. Do you want some snacks?" Rebekah's stomach growled as did hers. "Talpey, can you tea and biscuits with the daisy tea set?"
Talpey appeared with the tray, carefully placing them down on a flat wooden base. Strangely, there were five teacups in total but Rebekah dismissed the thought. "Is there any question I can answer?"
"Please," Hermione said. "What are you exactly?"
"Talpey is a House-Elf working in Hogwarts, I clean, cook and help."
"Do you get paid?"
"No!" Talpey shook his head fiercely. "It is considered bad if we get paid. We work for our masters until death. We abide by our laws and their commands."
"Do you have to do what we say?" Hermione said.
He lifted his chin. "No, I am not required to do so."
"Then why do you answer when I call for you?" Rebekah tilted her head.
"Miss Potter is kind, always saying please and thank you," Talpey said mostly to himself. "You do not take advantage of me like many would."
"Is it true that if I give you clothes, you'll be released?" Rebekah saw his face and quickly added, "I won't! Don't worry."
"Yes. House-Elves cannot accept clothes. They can accept fabric to be made into clothes for themselves," Talpey said. "Albus Dumbledore has said that if any of us want to be released, he will do it. Only if we ask."
"Can I request that you use a certain material as clothes?" Rebekah said.
"Yes."
"I have this velvet top that I cannot stand. I will happily give you the fabric to make an outfit for yourself, is that acceptable? It's the purple one."
"It is," A smile widened his already wide face. "Thank you, Miss Potter."
He popped away with a broad smile. Talpey came back, wearing a velvet outfit that looked like a casual suit. The girls clapped and giggled as he bowed. Talpey excused himself after thanking them both.
Soon enough, Ron Weasley decided to come up to the alcove. Whining about some homework, he asked for help. In the last month, Rebekah and Ron became closer, not enough to be close friends but enough to ask for help if needed.
Daphne and Blaise came up the stairs, looking very nervous and uncomfortable. They apologised and Rebekah did too. Everything between them would be fixed if Draco actually knew how much it hurt her. The three Slytherins knew this. He refused to see reason.
They asked to join the three on the cushioned alcove. Rebekah looked to Hermione for permission, which she gave. The two Slytherins shuffled out of their robes and Daphne used the blanket to cover her legs. Everyone took their ties off and laid them in a bundle.
They all sat with white shirts, black trousers, or skirt, plain shoes and open minds, sipping from the daisy teacups and telling tales of their childhoods, Muggle or Magical.
Now they just looked like students, no House rivalry between them, no prejudice and no hatred.
Halloween came and Rebekah asked McGonagall if she would speak about Rebekah's parents. The two had Halloween dinner in her office while McGonagall spoke. The room was full of a nostalgic feeling and they both relished it in. nearing the end of the feast, McGonagall suggested that they relocate down to the Great Hall. She told her of her parents and their friends and adventures.
Someone had screamed, a blood-curdling scream that caused most of the professors to jump up and find out where it came from. Rebekah had shot out of view, following her Head of House as she had a bad feeling.
She clasped a hand over her mouth as she wanted to sob, tears welled up in her eyes as she tumbled out of the shadows. She tugged the side of Snape's robe, gaining his attention. His eyes widened at her fearful and knowing gaze, tears refused to spill.
"I told you it wasn't normal."
"Flint!" Snape said to the side, alerting the Slytherin Captain. "Get her to her dorm, quickly and quietly. Make no fuss and use the passages if necessary."
"What?" Flint said, surprised at his sudden command. "What's wrong with her?"
"She's a Parselmouth and she doesn't need to be blamed. If any of the other Houses find out, they'll be sure to point their fingers at her. Quickly, boy!"
"Come on, Potter," Flint said and grasped her arm firmly. "You're not to blame. We've still got Samhain to celebrate."
It was written in blood, letters foot long with some bit dripping down to the floor.
THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED.
ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.
What in Merlin's name was the Chamber of Secrets?