After the Facts
I don't own Harry Potter!
Harry stomped up the stairs. All he had learned was that Voldemort was looking for a weapon. Then Mrs. Weasley burst in and stopped Sirius from saying any more. Harry reached his and Ron's room and slammed the door behind his friend.
"Blimey, Harry! What kind of weapon do you think You-Know-Who's looking for?" Ron whispered.
"I don't know." Harry mumbled "But I bet we can get Sirius to tell us if we ask at the right time."
"Or we could scare it out of Smart!" Ron suggested "I'll bet anything she knows!"
"Ron, what's your problem with her? I mean, what's she ever done to you?"
"She's weird, mate. She talks to herself, stares into space, and, I've heard, that her granddad was a follower of You-Know-Who!" Ron whispered excitedly.
"Then why did Dumbledore bring her into the Order?" Harry countered "She can't be a Death Eater. Dumbledore trusts her."
"Dumbledore also trusts Snape."
"Snape's in the Order?" Harry was astonished.
"Yeah, he comes round every once in a while."
"Why?"
"Because Dumbledore trusts him!" Ron exclaimed loudly.
Mrs. Weasley's footsteps were heard coming up the stairs and the two quickly shut their mouths. The footfalls paused outside their door then continued up the steps.
"Look, we'll talk more in the morning." Harry sighed "For now, just try to get some sleep."
"Whatever you say."
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Soon it was time to head back to Hogwarts. Harry's trial has come and ended with the boy getting off scot-free. Lydia was happy for him but hadn't really been worried, she'd sensed that he would be lucky as always.
They arrived at the train station just in time. Sirius has come along in his animargus form. Lydia bent down to pet him and scratch his ears.
"They say they'll come and visit you when he doesn't need them." She whispered to the dog "They also say they love and miss you."
Sirius whimpered and licked her cheek comfortingly. He knew she was talking about Lily and James.
Lydia scratched his ears once more before standing up and climbing onto the scarlet engine. She hurried down the train, avoiding eye contact and searching for a compartment. Eventually she found one at the back of the car and pulled a book from her heavy trunk.
Her peaceful reading was soon interrupted by the Weasley twins, who seeing her alone, invited themselves into her compartment and her to a game of exploding snap.
She won.
Three times.
Then they changed to wizards chess. She won again.
"Blimey!" Fred exclaimed "I'd like to see you and Ron have a match!"
"A Knut on Lydia!" George bargained.
"I'm not taking that bet."
"Good choice." Lydia giggled quietly.
"Ha! You owe me two sickles! She laughed!" George shouted.
"No, she giggled there's a difference." Fred argued.
"We're you betting on who could make me laugh?" Lydia asked.
The two looked at her then at each other before shrugging and saying "Yes." In unison.
Lydia stared at them for a long moment, making the twins nervous that she was upset. Then she laughed loudly. Fred and George shared another glance before joining her.
"What's going on?" Ron asked as he came into the compartment. Harry and Hermione followed him in.
George was wiping tears from his eyes, Fred had fallen out of his seat, and Lydia was doubled over with giggles. But as soon as Ron came in she stopped laughing.
"We made a bet," George explained "To see who could make Lydia laugh. And I won!"
"No you didn't! You made her giggle. I made her laugh." Fred disagreed.
"Well shut up, will you?" Ron grumbled "We're trying to have a conversation next door."
"Aw! Has Ickle-Ronnikins got his knickers in a twist because we're having more fun than he is?" Fred mocked.
Lydia stifled another laugh.
Ron turned on her "You think that's funny?"
Lydia shook her head.
"Say something, freak!"
"Ron!" Hermione admonished.
"What? She's a freak. She knows it."
Lydia sighed.
Fred and George drew their wands "You had better watch your mouth, little brother." Fred warned.
"You might just find it in an ugly place." George continued.
"Whatever." Ron rolled his eyes and left the compartment. Harry and Hermione stayed.
"Are you okay, Lydia?" Hermione asked the silent girl.
She nodded once in response.
"Hey, Lydia?" Harry asked "I heard you talking to Snuffles on the platform. Who were you talking about?"
Lydia turned white and shook her head violently.
"Hey it's okay!" Harry was surprised at her reaction "You don't have to tell me, I was just wondering."
"I think you should leave, mate." George whispered to Harry "She doesn't like questions."
Harry nodded and whispered back "Can I ask you why?"
"We don't know." Fred joined the conversation after calming Lydia down "But we found out pretty quick after asking her about the Order meetings."
Lydia sat in the corner, hiccuping, with Hermione beside her.
"Lydia?" Harry moved closer "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked you something so personal."
"It's okay, Harry. It wasn't that personal." Lydia whispered.
Harry's eyes widened, he'd never heard her speak before "Still," he said "It was your business and I shouldn't have pried. Are you okay?"
Lydia nodded.
"Okay. I'm sorry." Harry backed out of the compartment and headed back to his own.
Ron was sitting next to the window and cursing under his breath "Stupid Smart. Why'd she have to join us this summer?"
"Ron?" Harry asked.
"Yeah?"
"What's so wrong with Lydia? She seems nice. So what if she's a bit strange?" Harry pressed.
"Her family's bad news, Harry. They're like the Malfoy's. Evil." Ron exclaimed.
"I don't think so." Hermione came back into the compartment "And you are truly terrible to her, Ron. And she's never retaliated or done anything to you."
"She's weird!" Ron protested "I don't think she should be in the Order or even at Hogwarts. Her parents should have kept her home where freaks belong."
"Please stop using that word, Ron." Harry asked.
"But it describes her perfectly."
"It's what the Dursley's used to call me." Harry said quietly.
"Oh...oh!" Ron realized "But you know I'd never call you that!"
"Then what makes it okay to call Lydia that?" Harry asked.
Ron was at a loss for words.
Word count: 1063 words
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Love,
The Author