1.8 Turning Point
It had been none of Jasper's doing; the Hufflepuff players joining the Slytherin Quidditch team. The two Hufflepuff sixth years and one Ravenclaw fourth year trialled for their own teams and not received a place. Their inclusion to the Slytherin team didn't come without its problems however Bruno took up their cause with much gusto. He became more vocal when other students showed their dislike of the Slytherin team and this became a turning point for them. Many of the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students stood behind their three players and this support flowed on to the Slytherin players.
Lorna watched all the Slytherin Quidditch practices, and this gave her and Jasper the opportunity to sit together without the influence of his friends being around.
"Do your friends know you're here?"
Lorna questioned him the first time he joined her.
"No and don't tell them. They're great friends but sometimes I need a break."
Lorna had no intentions of telling them.
"Why aren't the other first years here. Don't they like Quidditch?"
"I don't know. I don't speak with any of them."
This surprised Jasper.
"But who do you talk with when you're in your dormitory?"
"Gannon mostly but that's not often. Most of us keep to ourselves."
"Why? I thought being the only Slytherin's returning you'd stick together."
"It's about our families you see. Most of us have or had parents or family members as Death Eaters and those of us who didn't are traitors."
"What, that's insane. Surely now with you know who gone everything can go back to normal. I mean, weren't a lot of those Death Eater forced to become them?"
"Some will say they were forced but who do you believe. There were people who thrived on being a Death Eater and what it meant to be one. Now they've lost all of that. Many feel they are once again being repressed and forced to accept a way of life they don't agree with."
"Is that what your family think?"
Jasper asked in a quiet voice.
"My mother was a Death Eater when Voldermort first came to power but she didn't marry my father until after he was gone. My father never became one, but he did do a lot of work for them in later years."
"What happened to your mother?"
"She died when I was seven."
"I'm sorry."
Jasper's concern was genuine and Lorna found it often difficult to understand their relationship.
"Thank you. She died while removing a curse from a locket. Father says it was something she should not have died from but she had been distracted that day. It was the only explanation he could give for her death."
"Do you miss her?"
"Sometimes. I don't really remember her but I know she loved me. Father talks of her all the time and he misses her deeply."
"I can't imagine what it would be like to lose someone. You're a strong person Lorna Borgin."
Lorna was taken back by Jasper's response. Unable to reply, they returned to watching the Quidditch practice in silence.
.
Slytherin's first Quidditch game saw their defeat against Gryffindor. It was a good game, Lorna thought as she walked back to the castle with the rest of the students. Vivian, Robin and Conrad joined her for the first time. Although Vivian had nothing to say, the fact she walked beside Lorna gave her a sense of moving forward. The two boys talked animatedly about the game as they too walked beside Lorna.
"I really thought about playing." Conrad said.
"Why didn't you?" Lorna asked.
Conrad shrugged, the expression of torment on his face.
"Gannon tried to talk me into playing but can you imagine me." Lorna told them.
This brought laughter for both boys and Conrad grew at ease. It was the first time in months Lorna had spoken to them. Without Regina and Bree, all four got on well enough.
Back in the Slytherin common room they waited in comfort in the sofas with several older Slytherin's for the players return. Although Lorna had nothing to add to the conversation, being part of the group gave a sense of belonging. Even Vivian, sitting quietly beside her led Lorna to feel the most connected she'd ever been. Conrad and Robin remained animated as they joined in the conversations and Lorna couldn't help but want to try harder at fitting in.
.
As the weather turned cold, the students spent more time in the common rooms by the fires. Most craved the winter break and looked forward to it as it drew closer. The Christmas festivities around Hogwarts brought a merry cheer to all. Peeves made the most of the decorations around the castle to displace them and wrapped them around unsuspecting students. In all the months there, Lorna had found a place within the Slytherin house. Not as she had expected but the second year students had willingly welcomed her company.
Vivian spent much of her time either in their dormitory or somewhere within the castle. Lorna couldn't be sure where Vivian vanished too, but had at some point assumed the library. The other four first years Lorna had little contact with. She had hoped Conrad and Robin would be friendlier to her, but it never happened. They continued to ignore her and Lorna found herself conscious of her needs to fit in.
The isolation growing up never bothered Lorna. She had her father and the shop always kept them busy. Lorna loved every corner of Borgin and Burkes. With something new to discover every time she woke. When she thought of home, she missed it terribly.
At Hogwarts, a sense of acceptance put pressure on her. There were too many people who sort a recognition for their existence and Lorna struggle to be who they wanted her to be. If not for Gannon, and sometimes Jasper, Lorna would think all those attending Hogwarts were shallow and selfish. However, if she had not attended Hogwarts, Lorna would not have realised how much she needed the company of others. The sparse rooms and wide open spaces made the company of people all the more important to her. The nearer she was to company the comfortable she felt in her environment.
This dependence became a struggle. Although being friends with Jasper had its issues, Lorna made every effort to talk with him regardless if he was with his friends or not. He had not a bad bone in his body, always friendly, with a kind word to say to anyone. Lorna found he and Gannon bore similar personalities. Only Gannon preferred his privacy and rarely talked about himself, whereas Jasper loved talking about himself and his family.
Although her friendship with Jasper had grown and made her time there more enjoyable, it didn't stop many of the first year female students giving Lorna a difficult time. It wasn't only glares they gave, but also nasty notes found forced into her satchel when they past Lorna in the corridors and deliberately bumping into her.
Lorna did her best to take it in her stride. With Vivian by her side during classes, she still enjoyed relative peace from those who still found pleasure in harassing them. Although the numbers had dropped considerably now. Lorna could count the number of offenders on two hand and they all seemed to fit a certain type. Once the type was recognised, Lorna found avoiding them relatively easy.
If only Jasper didn't have the friends he did, they were the main culprits among the Hufflepuff first years.
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When the Christmas holidays arrived Lorna made her way to the great hall to join the other students departing for the Christmas break. Lorna stood silently with the second year Slytherin's, wrapped in her travelling cloak, ears covered in muffs. Lorna's hair continued to hang over her face as she avoided eye contact, not willing to talk to anyone as they waited to leave for Hogsmeade station. When she heard her name, Lorna pulled back one side of her hair to spy Jasper coming towards her.
"Jasper, what are you doing?" Lorna asked, tucking her hair over her shoulder.
"I wanted to give you this before we left."
Jasper held out a small box, gift wrapped in brown paper.
Lorna frowned, "What is that?"
"A gift."
Lorna glanced up at Jasper. Wrapped in a bright yellow scarf, with a matching beanie pulled down over his head, his hair stuck out at the edges along the front making him looked like he had furry ears.
"For who?" Lorna asked.
"You."
"Me. Why?"
"Because... it's Christmas."
A sense of confusion reached Lorna's expression and Jasper said, "I don't expect anything in return. I wanted to give you something. I gave all my friends gifts."
Christmas for Lorna had never been a fancy affair. She and her father rarely exchanged gifts, preferring to spend the day reminiscing about their favourite items discovered during the year or telling stories told to them by customers. To be receiving a gift, and one from Jasper, left Lorna somewhat perplexed. Not that she didn't what the gift, she simply did not know what to do with it.
Jasper held the gift in his hand for Lorna to take, which she did.
"Thank you." Lorna replied reluctantly.
"Open it."
"Now."
"Yes, I want to see what you think?"
Lorna frowned, unsure what Jasper's gift could possibly contain she took hold the edge of the paper, Lorna tore it open to find a cardboard origami box. With care, she removed the lid to find a small wooden snake, body wrapped around itself, head reared up.
"I carved it. In Muggle Art."
Lorna could not draw her eyes away from the gift; and then she realised what Jasper said to her.
She glanced up and said, "You do Muggle Art?"
"You have to request it."
Lorna touched the tiny snake; half afraid she might break it.
"I didn't curse it."
Lorna heard the half joking tone in Jasper's voice.
"You don't have the skill yet to curse an object." Lorna said with a touch of sarcasm. "Thank you. No one's ever made something for me before."
Jasper's peach stained cheeks glowed and attempting to run a hand through his hair, something he did when flustered, dislodged his beanie instead and Lorna let out a laugh.
"Thank you, Jasper. For the gift and being my friend. If anyone had ever said I'd have made friends with a Hufflepuff, and a boy at that, I'd have never believed then."
Jasper gave an awkward shrug. "I thought you looked interesting. So many people were surprised with who your father was and you always seemed to be alone. I didn't like it."
It was Lorna's turn to blush and before she could reply, Mr Filch entered the great hall instructing students to make their way toward the front foyer and Hogsmeade station.
"Have a great Christmas." Jasper cheerfully said.
"Thank you, and you."
Jasper made his way back towards his friends and Lorna clenched her satchel to her chest and followed the Slytherins out the castle. Her trip home on the Hogwarts Express was unlike her arrival, this time she shared a compartment with the second years, all welcoming of her company.
.
Her arrival home came with mixed emotions and the realisation at how difficult it would be returning to Hogwarts. Her father looked exhausted and her time home she spent working beside him cataloguing the many items purchased. Another conflict Lorna dealt with was the continuing harassment by the Ministry of Magic. They had taken it upon themselves to pay regular visits to Borgin and Burkes looking for particular items once owned by Death Eaters for the purpose of prosecution. Her father was conflicted with helping the Ministry and the strict rule he had with client confidentiality. The Ministry raided Borgin and Burkes twice during Lorna's absence and she didn't know how her father might cope if they continued to disrupt his business.
The night before Lorna's return to Hogwarts, she and her father sat at the small table in the kitchen. Boris had business to discuss and Lorna took the matter seriously.
The small log fire in the fireplace across from the kitchen area lit up the small living room. Two armchairs sat beside the fire, one dirty and old, the other tattered and worn. Each had seen its day. The room served as a living room, dining room and kitchen and in every corner from floor to ceiling shelves along the walls piled high books and trinkets. The inch thick dust on most areas could not hide the musty smell of mould coming from old clothes wrapped around unseen items. To Lorna, it was home. Every smell, every crammed corner held a memory of her past, of her father's past and his father before him.
The small glass lantern on the table was the only other light in the room. The dirt stained curtainless windows let no light in or out. They were alone and very much comfortable in their environment.
"Will it drive customers off with the interference by the Ministry?"
Lorna asked once Boris explained the Ministries surprise visits.
"It's had an impact on business. Which is why I need to tell you; I intend to shut the shop for the next six months?"
"Why, are you in danger?"
Lorna did not want to think what might happen if the Ministry of Magic prosecuted her father.
"Not in any danger I'm aware off. However, many customers are reluctant to venture into Knockturn Alley so it's time I went back out on the road."
"Is it safe for you to do so?"
"I think so. The Ministry will continue to pay regular visits and so long as you continue to attend Hogwarts I think they won't question my closing the shop for a period of time.
"How will you conceal the items you purchase on your travels?"
"I know a thing or too. Your mother was always good at hiding even the biggest of items."
At the mention of her mother Lorna looked towards the small portrait standing on the wooden mantel above the fireplace. A young woman, with long black hair, pale skin and almost the image of Lorna stared back at her. Polama Borgin's shallow features were the one thing Lorna had not inherited.
.
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Useless end note: I carried a notebook around with me for three years, writing dialogue as it came to me.