DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER

It was almost 10pm and Abhimanyu was walking down the corridors near Gryffindor tower to make sure that there were no students prowling about.

This was his last week of being the Head Boy.

That conversation with Professor Dumbledore in the evening had been an important one.

True, Saunders was a bully, and had made a lot of nasty comments about girls, but that did not mean that he could let grudges come in the way of doing the right thing. And yes, he could have been calmer with Saunders earlier instead of slapping him. He should have.

Speaking of which, he had not seen Saunders since the evening. When he had returned to play, Armand had told him that Saunders had quit and left the stadium. Abhimanyu, Ginger and the Prewett twins Gideon and Fabian had not thought much of it.

Abhimanyu was currently passing through a deserted corridor when he suddenly heard something.

It sounded like someone was around the corner.

Abhimanyu walked ahead, towards where the sound seemed to be coming from.

It sounded like someone crying.

Abhimanyu neared the end of the passage and turned around the corner calling out, "Hello is something wrong?"

And then, he stopped short at a most unexpected sight.

It wasn't just anyone crying.

It was none other than Saunders, his face buried into the wall, and he was sobbing.

Abhimanyu softly spoke, "Saunders, what's wrong?"

Saunders turned around and glaring at Abhimanyu, tears rolling down his face, he whispered, "Go away."

Abhimanyu said, "Saunders, are you alright? Did something happen?"

Saunders angrily hissed, "Why should you care?!"

Abhimanyu said, "Saunders, look, I know you and I have had differences, but obviously, something really bad must have happened to you, and I can't just watch you crying and do nothing about it."

Saunders said, "You don't need to know about it. And why would you listen? You'll just call me a bully and yell at me. You always support girls."

Abhimanyu sighed and said, "Saunders, just tell me. I won't judge you."

Saunders replied, "You won't? You'll listen?"

Abhimanyu said, "Yes."

Saunders replied, "Fine, then you'll understand why I don't respect girls here, especially your girlfriend and her sisters."

Abhimanyu said, "Okay, I'm listening."

Saunders began, "Okay, I'm a half-blood. My mother is a pureblood, and my father is a Muggleborn. You get me?"

Abhimanyu nodded.

Saunders continued, "Shortly after I was born, my father left my mother for another woman and ran off the United States. My mother tried to find a man, but no one wanted to be with a single mother. So she started hating me. She stopped showing me affection and she started yelling at me and humiliating me for everything. Once I fell down and scraped my knee in the park and she humiliated me by yelling at me that I was a clumsy idiot and… I can't and do not want to remember the swear words she used towards me. Every time I cried for her, she told me to shut the hell up. 'You're just like your father!' she yells at me all the time. Then, she started locking me in my room every time friends of hers came over. Soon, she married an elite pureblood called Hewson Leverge. And his daughter Avril was cruel to me from the very beginning. She and her father abused me constantly, and my mother never did anything about it. She joined them several times. And I know for a fact that Avril used to hang out with Bellatrix Black. Her mother Druella Black often came to visit and my mother locked me in each time saying that I'm an embarrassment. She always tells me to be grateful because she didn't leave me in a group home, because she's given me everything I need! Avril and her friends treated me cruelly every time they saw me in the house, trying to have my own space! But the worst of all is my mother who hates me! Why?!"

With that, he burst into tears.

Abhimanyu was horrified to hear the other boy's story. He hugged him saying, "Saunders, I'm so sorry! How can she be so heartless?! No wonder you never hung out with Rodolphus! I'm so sorry."

Saunders sobbed even as Abhimanyu continued, "Why didn't you tell anyone? I should have tried to find out instead of wrongly judging you like that! I'm so sorry."

After a while, Saunders calmed down. He said, "I didn't think I'd hear something like that. No one has told me that in my life."

Abhimanyu looked at Saunders and said, "Saunders, you should get to bed. Tomorrow, I'll explain it all to the others. And Bellatrix is not like what she used to be. She doesn't hang out with Avril anymore."

Saunders said, "They'll hate me. They'll think I'm lying."

Abhimanyu said, "I believe you completely. They will believe you."

Saunders wiped his eyes and whispered, "Thank you. I hope you can…"

Abhimanyu said, "Don't worry. I'll ask Dumbledore to have your detention cancelled. What you need is love and compassion, not punishment. Now, let's get to our dorm before Filch catches us. Come on."

With that, Saunders walked back to his quarters, with a hand on his shoulders.

The next day…

Molly and Ginger were puzzled when they saw Abhimanyu and Saunders walking together towards them in the Great Hall.

Abhimanyu and Saunders sat down with Ginger and Molly to eat.

A few moments later, just as Abhimanyu was about to start eating, Molly asked, "What is Saunders doing here?"

Abhimanyu explained, "Molly, there are some things that he needs to say, about why he's been the way he has been so far."

Saunders whispered, "I don't know if I…"

Abhimanyu said, "We won't hate you for it. If anyone will be hated afterwards, it will be Avril."

Ginger asked, "What's Avril got to do with this?"

Abhimanyu replied, "It happens that she is his stepsister. He'll explain after breakfast by the lake. You and Molly need to be there. The Black sisters will be there as well."

"No, not them," Saunders whispered.

Abhimanyu said, "Saunders, don't worry, Bellatrix is not the same person she used to be until last year. And Andromeda is a nice person. They'll hear you out."

Molly said, "Amelia's coming too."

Abhimanyu replied, "Oh, well that's good. She's a very fair person."

Soon, Abhimanyu, the Black sisters, Molly, her twin brothers, Ginger, Amelia and Saunders were sitting under a beech tree near the lake, gathered in a circle.

Abhimanyu who was sitting next to Bellatrix said, "Saunders, you need to tell completely what happened."

Bellatrix whispered, "What's the point of this?"

Abhimanyu whispered back, "We were wrong to judge him the way we did. We should have tried to find out what was going on. Trust me; you'll understand when he explains."

Saunders took a deep breath and began, "All right, I will explain why I have been the bully everyone sees me as. It all started soon after I was born…"

And with that, he proceeded to tell them his sad story.

By the time he finished, there was hardly any resentment towards him.

Molly was on the verge of tears, Ginger's mouth was hanging wide open in horror, Andromeda had her hand clasped over her mouth, and Bellatrix was looking horrified. As for Amelia, her expression was a mixture of sorrow and anger.

Amelia said, "This absolutely is not fair. No one deserves that."

Bellatrix cried out, "I can't believe I was friends with Avril and Rodolphus. If it hadn't been for Abhimanyu, I wouldn't have changed. I would have…"

Andromeda said, "How can she treat you like this?! Surely, you must have a friend you can stay with."

Saunders replied, "I have nowhere to go."

At this point, Abhimanyu spoke up, "I'll write to my parents and ask if you can stay with us. I'm sure they won't have any problem having you live with us."

Ginger spoke, "My mother will surely be willing to take you in. I'll write to her as soon as possible."

Molly said, "You're welcome to stay with my family anytime."

Saunders asked, "Why are you all offering me help?"

Abhimanyu replied, "That's what friends are for."

At that point, Saunders broke down and wept, feeling emotional.

Molly hugged him and Bellatrix moved over to him and said, "You are our friend now. We'll help you."

She said inwardly, "You're not the only one who suffers from nasty statements at home."

She remembered her father telling her once that she was a disgrace to the family and that once she got married, he would no longer have to deal with her.

And Abhimanyu was the opposite of all that. He saw her, loved her for who she was.

As for Avril, she was nothing but a cruel person.

Narcissa spoke, "Saunders, we…"

Saunders spoke, "I'm sorry, but I don't know how to say it."

Narcissa replied, "I'm sorry for what you have been through Saunders."

Saunders replied, "Thank you all, and please, call me Collin."