I still haven't found the rights to Harry Potter, but I'm close with Lord of the Rings! Well...not really.
##
Ch. 10: The Beginning of a Hellish Nightmare
It seemed as if all her emotions rushed to her awareness, frightening her, yet holding her still. She stared up at his face, enraptured at the way the firelight danced in his eyes, the shadows mingling with the light on his face. It eluded her, invited her, and transformed her into something new, almost reckless. Emotions that had before been waging war inside her now grew calm, then silent, still buzzing around in her mind, sending shock waves through her body at odd tangents. It made her shiver again, both from the cold and from something else she could not quite dress with words. Besides the crackle of the fire, the room seemed quiet, as if poised for something. "The deep breath before the plunge," she quoted.
He loves me.
It was a statement of fact and wonderful, beautiful fantasy that drove through her mind like bright sunshine through a dark room.
He loves me...as I love him.
She smiled and pushed herself up to meet with his gaze, a soft expression in her eyes. He met her eyes, a soft grin on his face as he reached out to gently caress her cheek. She closed her eyes in bliss as she snuggled close to him, wrapping her arms around him.
"I love you, Remus," she whispered in his ear.
He accepted her lips graciously as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him.
##
"Alright, where are they?" James asked as he came into the deserted common room. Lily, standing up from her place on the armchair, shrugged.
"I thought she was in your room with Remus," she replied.
James shook his head. "Remus' bed is totally empty...ah, he asked for the Map and my Cloak last night," he said as an afterthought.
"And you gave it to him?" Lily asked, an eyebrow raised.
"I like playing matchmaker," he answered, meeting her green eyes with a grin. "As I recall, Remus played matchmaker with us."
She answered him with a kiss. "It worked, didn't it?" she whispered in his ear. He sighed happily.
The sound of someone crawling through the portrait hole caught their attention.
"Well, well, well...welcome back, love birds," Lily said, glancing at them as Remus helped Aya in from the portrait hole, a blush forming on each face.
"Have fun?" James asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well?" Lily asked, pulling away from James to gaze at Remus with her hands on her hips. "Did you tell her?"
Kicking at the ground, Remus nodded stupidly. Aya, glancing first from his face to Lily's, suddenly laughed aloud. "So they know as well, do they?" she said after a pause. "Remus told me everything, Lily...even about how you disapprove of the boys going with Remus to the Shrieking Shack."
"Damn straight," Lily said with a glance at the crimson James. "I'm sorry, though, Aya. I tried to get him to tell you, but he insisted on doing it on his own...it took a bloody long time, too, Remus."
Suddenly it hit James: Out all night...alone...together...nothing to hold them back...
"You two did it, didn't you?!" he hissed, narrowing his eyes. "Before me, didn't you?" He suffered a rather nasty jab in his side from Lily.
Both blushed, but shook their heads in perfect unison. "Of course not, James," Remus said. "We're too young...we have our own priorities to think of first."
"Whatever," James said, rolling his eyes. "Love's always the same, it seems."
##
The rest of the day Aya and Remus spent outside in the sunshine, walking along hand in hand. Sunlight streamed in, glinting from the numerous windows of Hogwarts to come running back along their path. The wind blew gently, lifting stray bits of leaves lazily in the air, then let them glide back down to earth without a sound. It was blissful to simply be there, to exist hand in hand and continue on down the path they had chosen. Neither cared of the shocked stares they received from other students who had decided to spend their Sunday afternoon outside.
A few giggled and nudged each other in their direction, spreading the gossip.
One student watched sullenly from the shadows, his eyes intent on Aya.
##
"Here come the love birds," Sirius mumbled, nudging Peter.
"Pay attention to your game, Padfoot Loser Pants," James said, not looking up. "Checkmate."
"Damn it!" Sirius cried, kicking at the table as James sat back with a triumphant grin. "One of these days...I'll beat you."
Laughing, the conqueror leaned forward towards his vanquished, saying, "You've tried to beat me since sunset, and still you lose."
"Shaddap."
Remus rolled his eyes as he sat down to his long-neglected homework. "What was that assignment in Transfiguration, again?"
"Page three hundred and ninety four...summarize in your own words," Aya answered, not looking up from her long parchment of homework, scribbling madly.
"Please don't tell me you're already finished with that, Aya," Sirius said from the couch.
"Almost," she replied, still not looking up.
"I don't even want to think about the Defense Against the Dark Arts assignment," Remus groaned, placing his books on the table.
Giggling, Aya leaned over and kissed him reassuringly on the cheek.
##
"Monday morning at last. I'm so excited," Sirius said as he slumped down in his chair, drawing any food towards him. "I barely got to sleep last night, I'm so tired."
"You should've done your homework at least before midnight, Sirius," Lily scolded, taking a long draught of orange juice.
"I'll try harder next time, Mother," the boy replied glumly.
"Where's Aya?" Remus asked as he came down to the table, a hurried look on his face.
"Oh, look who decides to grace us with his presence," James said brightly, looking up from his pancakes.
"Where's Aya?" Remus pressed again, not sitting down.
"We thought she was with you, Remus," Lily said, standing up. He shook his head quickly. "Where do you think she went off to?"
##
"Keep smiling, Aya. You and I both know how much we love our guests," Dumbledore was saying as he urged the frightened girl out to the gates.
She swallowed, feeling rather sick to her stomach.
"Well, I don't like either of them at all," McGonagall said plainly, her lips a thin line, her eyes rather harsh as she glared at the carriage that made its way slowly up to the gates. "Besides, Aya doesn't have to greet them, does she?"
Sighing, the Headmaster replied, "They insisted..."
Aya couldn't help herself from rolling her eyes. They just can't wait to mock me. She sighed, chiding herself for such gloomy thoughts. "I must not fear. Fear is the Mind-killer. It is the little death that brings total obliteration..."
Her thoughts trailed off into nothing as the gates swung open with a loud creak, the carriage following in. Aya bit at her lower lip and shifted her feet uncomfortably. Dumbledore, sensing the girl's unrest, placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "No matter what happens," he whispered, "Minerva and I are right behind you. There is no need to be frightened."
She felt a bit better as she strode forward to the gate, trying to keep her legs from giving out completely.
Slowly, the carriage door opened with an unpleasant fwump, revealing a plump, pink hand. A head appeared, eyes blinking in the sunshine as a woman stepped carefully out. At first impression, one might think her an ugly lump of a toad; further inspection did, in fact, prove her as an actual woman.
"Ms. Umbridge," Dumbledore said with a smile, striding forward to clasp the woman's hand. "How good it is to see you. Here, let me help you, my dear Amelia."
Extending his hand, Dumbledore accepted an incredibly fat, pink hand bedecked with all sorts of gold rings and bracelets. Aya's heart quickened its pace as the source of her fear stepped into the sunshine. Gray hair glistened in the sunlight as the old woman, barely seventy years of age, climbed confidently down the steps of the carriage onto the ground. Her bulk was not the most shocking, or in how she was identical to the first Umbridge; what was shocking was the way her beady, piercing blue eyes stared out from her face like a bright flare, cold and cruel. "How nice to see you, Dumbledore," Amelia said, regarding the Headmaster of Hogwarts with a curt nod as if she were royalty. Dolores came to her mother's side to hand her a silver cane.
Silver, Aya thought with a pang. Like the old, inaccurate legends.
As Dolores scanned Hogwarts, her eyes came upon Aya; her face split into a strained smile. "Hem, hem. Hem, HLook who it is, Mother," she replied with a high, annoying voice.
Amelia regarded the girl with a brief look of disdain before she, too, broke out in a strained smile. "Well, well, well. If it isn't our dear little Miss Aya! Come give old Amelia a hug, would you, dear?" she said rather loudly.
Aya would have liked to throw up on the spot as she stiffly hugged the old woman. As she came close to Amelia's ear, the old woman hissed, "Mind you keep your manners here, little wench. No funny business."
Gritting her teeth, Aya pulled back and smiled warmly. "Pleased to be reunited with you, Mrs. Umbridge," she said. "And you as well, Ms. Umbridge."
"Get our bags for us, Aya," Dolores commanded with her sweet smile, pointing to the carriage. "I'm sure it's no trouble."
Holding her tongue, Aya obeyed as usual.
##
"You may go on to class with McGonagall, Aya," Dumbledore said, nodding to the girl. Relieved, she followed McGonagall down the corridor, grateful to get away. Just as she was about to take her fifth step, a voice called to her, sending the usual shivers down her back.
"Hem, hem...Aya, Professor, why don't I join you?" Dolores said as she strode over to them. "I would like to see how a class at Hogwarts is run. I am Junior Undersecretary after all."
McGonagall shuddered with the hate. Aya would have laughed if it had been any other happy time. Plastering a forced smile, McGonagall, pivoting on her foot to face Dolores, said in as sweet of a voice as was humanly possible, "Why, I would be honored, Ms. Umbridge." Aya could not help but hear the professor's silent muttering of the words bloody, no-good bitch.
##
"Still didn't find her?" James asked Remus.
"No," he replied with a heavy sigh, slumping forward onto his desk to stare adamantly at Aya's desk. Where are you, Aya? I can't find you.
"And where the bloody hell is McGonagall?" Sirius yelled all too loudly.
"Right here, Mr. Black."
Sirius froze, nearly sending his balanced chair toppling backwards if Lily and Peter had not expertly caught him in time. White-faced, the boy turned to see McGonagall standing in the doorway, her arms crossed across her chest, her lips a curiously thin line. Sirius gulped.
"Sit up straighter, Black," was all the professor said before striding down the aisle to the front of the classroom, Aya in tow before she slid silently into her seat, avoiding Remus' shocked expression.
"Where have you been?" Remus whispered, eyeing her.
She didn't answer as she took out her quill and parchment, her eyes gleaming fiercely with a well-controlled anger.
"Ms. Umbridge, you may take any available seat," McGonagall said with her back turned as she began writing something on the blackboard.
"I think I shall sit here for today, Minerva," Dolores answered as she sat, much to Aya's horror and disgust, right next to the poor girl. Remus noticed how Aya's quill, held tightly in her hand, shook as the girl stared straight ahead of her.
"Fine then," McGonagall said with a sigh, giving Aya an apologetic look. "Now, all of you turn in the homework I assigned over the weekend. For those of you still finishing, quills down and turn it in. Our next lesson will be-"
"Hem, hem."
McGonagall's eyelid twitched. "Yes, Ms. Umbrige...what is it?"
"I hope you don't mind that I'll be taking notes on your...performance. I have to keep the Ministry up to date!" she replied cheerily.
"Thank you for your patronage," McGonagall muttered, giving Umbridge a curt nod. "Now, then, to business: transforming a parchment to much larger animals. Evans, you start us off. Change your parchment into a rabbit."
"Why not have Miss Centaria do it?" Umbridge piped up with a glance at the crimson Aya.
"I have already asked Miss Evans to do it," McGonagall said through gritted teeth.
"Hmm..." Umbridge replied as she began to write in her notebook, saying loudly, "Teacher doesn't...follow...orders..."
"All right. All right! Aya, would you, please?" McGonagall hissed, her eyes speaking more than simple pity. Umbridge immediately ceased to write to look expectantly at Aya, whose face was a deep shade of red.
Remus was seething with an inner rage. Everyone knew how much Aya hated doing demonstrations in front of people.
Though her hands shook, she successfully changed and reverted her parchment, much to the distaste of Umbridge, who muttered quite clearly, "Hm...a showoff and a Half-breed, aren't you, Aya?"
Aya flinched, but sat down without a word. Remus put his hand reassuringly on the girl's knee, now understanding her earlier tears. Damn this woman, he thought with a furtive glancing to the toad-like Undersecretary.
"Ten points to Gryffindor," McGonagall said triumphantly. Suck on that, hag, she thought happily. "Now, I want everyone to practice this in pairs for the next ten minutes, if you please."
The class went into an immediate uproar of noise.
"Practice, Aya. It looks like you need it," Umbridge hissed. "And after, you can stop being a showoff as usual, understand me?"
Aya nodded as she gripped her chair tightly, her eyes flashing with an emotion Remus had never seen in her: hate.
##
"If I hear that woman use the term Half-breed one more time, I swear," Sirius was saying, ramming his fist into his palm, his teeth bared. "'Aya, don't be stupid,' this, and 'I guess Half-breeds like you are just too slow,' that. Damn it! Loathsome hag!"
"Don't, Sirius," Aya whispered at his side as she stared at the floor.
"You're going to defend that bitch?!" he yelled, waving his hands in the air.
"Just don't."
Aya moved off at a faster pace, holding her books a little tighter against her chest as she moved with her head down.
"I am so lost," James said, scratching his head. "Who would want to stand up for that...woman?"
"I'll go talk to her," Remus said as he sprinted after Aya.
As he came to her side, he whispered, "You want to tell me what's going on?"
"Leave it be, Remus," she replied, refusing to look at him.
"Leave it be? What the hell do you mean, leave it be? That Umbridge person was trying to get on your nerves...why?" he pressed.
"I said leave it be, Remus! Just drop it!" she cried, then ran off, her bare feet hitting the ground like the sound of a heartbeat. Remus was left in a shocked silence.
##
The air in the Gryffindor common room was rather talkative and tense that night.
"Did you hear about that woman? That Umbridge? She's been following Aya around and jeering at her!"
"Centaria? You serious? Why would a Junior Undersecretary want to do that with a sixth year?"
"I don't know, but she's been calling Aya 'half-breed' all day! It's really annoying!"
"That bitch!"
Aya slammed her book shut, biting at her lower lip. Half-breed, half- breed, half-breed. The words beat into her skull like a hammer as she stared into the fire, a hateful look in her eyes.
Lily stole a worried glance at the girl from her pile of homework. "Aya? You okay?"
"Fine," she replied harshly. "Never...been...better."
Slowly, she stood and made her way quickly to the staircase, avoiding the stares.
Damn it all, she thought, When will this shit ever end for me?
%$%$
Ooo...saw a different side of Aya there. I regret to announce that it will be some time until I can update again...finals for school...studying...stress...how I love it...please forgive me...it'll be about a week or so...I'm really sorry guys (be glad I didn't end in a cliffie).
##
Ch. 10: The Beginning of a Hellish Nightmare
It seemed as if all her emotions rushed to her awareness, frightening her, yet holding her still. She stared up at his face, enraptured at the way the firelight danced in his eyes, the shadows mingling with the light on his face. It eluded her, invited her, and transformed her into something new, almost reckless. Emotions that had before been waging war inside her now grew calm, then silent, still buzzing around in her mind, sending shock waves through her body at odd tangents. It made her shiver again, both from the cold and from something else she could not quite dress with words. Besides the crackle of the fire, the room seemed quiet, as if poised for something. "The deep breath before the plunge," she quoted.
He loves me.
It was a statement of fact and wonderful, beautiful fantasy that drove through her mind like bright sunshine through a dark room.
He loves me...as I love him.
She smiled and pushed herself up to meet with his gaze, a soft expression in her eyes. He met her eyes, a soft grin on his face as he reached out to gently caress her cheek. She closed her eyes in bliss as she snuggled close to him, wrapping her arms around him.
"I love you, Remus," she whispered in his ear.
He accepted her lips graciously as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him.
##
"Alright, where are they?" James asked as he came into the deserted common room. Lily, standing up from her place on the armchair, shrugged.
"I thought she was in your room with Remus," she replied.
James shook his head. "Remus' bed is totally empty...ah, he asked for the Map and my Cloak last night," he said as an afterthought.
"And you gave it to him?" Lily asked, an eyebrow raised.
"I like playing matchmaker," he answered, meeting her green eyes with a grin. "As I recall, Remus played matchmaker with us."
She answered him with a kiss. "It worked, didn't it?" she whispered in his ear. He sighed happily.
The sound of someone crawling through the portrait hole caught their attention.
"Well, well, well...welcome back, love birds," Lily said, glancing at them as Remus helped Aya in from the portrait hole, a blush forming on each face.
"Have fun?" James asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well?" Lily asked, pulling away from James to gaze at Remus with her hands on her hips. "Did you tell her?"
Kicking at the ground, Remus nodded stupidly. Aya, glancing first from his face to Lily's, suddenly laughed aloud. "So they know as well, do they?" she said after a pause. "Remus told me everything, Lily...even about how you disapprove of the boys going with Remus to the Shrieking Shack."
"Damn straight," Lily said with a glance at the crimson James. "I'm sorry, though, Aya. I tried to get him to tell you, but he insisted on doing it on his own...it took a bloody long time, too, Remus."
Suddenly it hit James: Out all night...alone...together...nothing to hold them back...
"You two did it, didn't you?!" he hissed, narrowing his eyes. "Before me, didn't you?" He suffered a rather nasty jab in his side from Lily.
Both blushed, but shook their heads in perfect unison. "Of course not, James," Remus said. "We're too young...we have our own priorities to think of first."
"Whatever," James said, rolling his eyes. "Love's always the same, it seems."
##
The rest of the day Aya and Remus spent outside in the sunshine, walking along hand in hand. Sunlight streamed in, glinting from the numerous windows of Hogwarts to come running back along their path. The wind blew gently, lifting stray bits of leaves lazily in the air, then let them glide back down to earth without a sound. It was blissful to simply be there, to exist hand in hand and continue on down the path they had chosen. Neither cared of the shocked stares they received from other students who had decided to spend their Sunday afternoon outside.
A few giggled and nudged each other in their direction, spreading the gossip.
One student watched sullenly from the shadows, his eyes intent on Aya.
##
"Here come the love birds," Sirius mumbled, nudging Peter.
"Pay attention to your game, Padfoot Loser Pants," James said, not looking up. "Checkmate."
"Damn it!" Sirius cried, kicking at the table as James sat back with a triumphant grin. "One of these days...I'll beat you."
Laughing, the conqueror leaned forward towards his vanquished, saying, "You've tried to beat me since sunset, and still you lose."
"Shaddap."
Remus rolled his eyes as he sat down to his long-neglected homework. "What was that assignment in Transfiguration, again?"
"Page three hundred and ninety four...summarize in your own words," Aya answered, not looking up from her long parchment of homework, scribbling madly.
"Please don't tell me you're already finished with that, Aya," Sirius said from the couch.
"Almost," she replied, still not looking up.
"I don't even want to think about the Defense Against the Dark Arts assignment," Remus groaned, placing his books on the table.
Giggling, Aya leaned over and kissed him reassuringly on the cheek.
##
"Monday morning at last. I'm so excited," Sirius said as he slumped down in his chair, drawing any food towards him. "I barely got to sleep last night, I'm so tired."
"You should've done your homework at least before midnight, Sirius," Lily scolded, taking a long draught of orange juice.
"I'll try harder next time, Mother," the boy replied glumly.
"Where's Aya?" Remus asked as he came down to the table, a hurried look on his face.
"Oh, look who decides to grace us with his presence," James said brightly, looking up from his pancakes.
"Where's Aya?" Remus pressed again, not sitting down.
"We thought she was with you, Remus," Lily said, standing up. He shook his head quickly. "Where do you think she went off to?"
##
"Keep smiling, Aya. You and I both know how much we love our guests," Dumbledore was saying as he urged the frightened girl out to the gates.
She swallowed, feeling rather sick to her stomach.
"Well, I don't like either of them at all," McGonagall said plainly, her lips a thin line, her eyes rather harsh as she glared at the carriage that made its way slowly up to the gates. "Besides, Aya doesn't have to greet them, does she?"
Sighing, the Headmaster replied, "They insisted..."
Aya couldn't help herself from rolling her eyes. They just can't wait to mock me. She sighed, chiding herself for such gloomy thoughts. "I must not fear. Fear is the Mind-killer. It is the little death that brings total obliteration..."
Her thoughts trailed off into nothing as the gates swung open with a loud creak, the carriage following in. Aya bit at her lower lip and shifted her feet uncomfortably. Dumbledore, sensing the girl's unrest, placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "No matter what happens," he whispered, "Minerva and I are right behind you. There is no need to be frightened."
She felt a bit better as she strode forward to the gate, trying to keep her legs from giving out completely.
Slowly, the carriage door opened with an unpleasant fwump, revealing a plump, pink hand. A head appeared, eyes blinking in the sunshine as a woman stepped carefully out. At first impression, one might think her an ugly lump of a toad; further inspection did, in fact, prove her as an actual woman.
"Ms. Umbridge," Dumbledore said with a smile, striding forward to clasp the woman's hand. "How good it is to see you. Here, let me help you, my dear Amelia."
Extending his hand, Dumbledore accepted an incredibly fat, pink hand bedecked with all sorts of gold rings and bracelets. Aya's heart quickened its pace as the source of her fear stepped into the sunshine. Gray hair glistened in the sunlight as the old woman, barely seventy years of age, climbed confidently down the steps of the carriage onto the ground. Her bulk was not the most shocking, or in how she was identical to the first Umbridge; what was shocking was the way her beady, piercing blue eyes stared out from her face like a bright flare, cold and cruel. "How nice to see you, Dumbledore," Amelia said, regarding the Headmaster of Hogwarts with a curt nod as if she were royalty. Dolores came to her mother's side to hand her a silver cane.
Silver, Aya thought with a pang. Like the old, inaccurate legends.
As Dolores scanned Hogwarts, her eyes came upon Aya; her face split into a strained smile. "Hem, hem. Hem, HLook who it is, Mother," she replied with a high, annoying voice.
Amelia regarded the girl with a brief look of disdain before she, too, broke out in a strained smile. "Well, well, well. If it isn't our dear little Miss Aya! Come give old Amelia a hug, would you, dear?" she said rather loudly.
Aya would have liked to throw up on the spot as she stiffly hugged the old woman. As she came close to Amelia's ear, the old woman hissed, "Mind you keep your manners here, little wench. No funny business."
Gritting her teeth, Aya pulled back and smiled warmly. "Pleased to be reunited with you, Mrs. Umbridge," she said. "And you as well, Ms. Umbridge."
"Get our bags for us, Aya," Dolores commanded with her sweet smile, pointing to the carriage. "I'm sure it's no trouble."
Holding her tongue, Aya obeyed as usual.
##
"You may go on to class with McGonagall, Aya," Dumbledore said, nodding to the girl. Relieved, she followed McGonagall down the corridor, grateful to get away. Just as she was about to take her fifth step, a voice called to her, sending the usual shivers down her back.
"Hem, hem...Aya, Professor, why don't I join you?" Dolores said as she strode over to them. "I would like to see how a class at Hogwarts is run. I am Junior Undersecretary after all."
McGonagall shuddered with the hate. Aya would have laughed if it had been any other happy time. Plastering a forced smile, McGonagall, pivoting on her foot to face Dolores, said in as sweet of a voice as was humanly possible, "Why, I would be honored, Ms. Umbridge." Aya could not help but hear the professor's silent muttering of the words bloody, no-good bitch.
##
"Still didn't find her?" James asked Remus.
"No," he replied with a heavy sigh, slumping forward onto his desk to stare adamantly at Aya's desk. Where are you, Aya? I can't find you.
"And where the bloody hell is McGonagall?" Sirius yelled all too loudly.
"Right here, Mr. Black."
Sirius froze, nearly sending his balanced chair toppling backwards if Lily and Peter had not expertly caught him in time. White-faced, the boy turned to see McGonagall standing in the doorway, her arms crossed across her chest, her lips a curiously thin line. Sirius gulped.
"Sit up straighter, Black," was all the professor said before striding down the aisle to the front of the classroom, Aya in tow before she slid silently into her seat, avoiding Remus' shocked expression.
"Where have you been?" Remus whispered, eyeing her.
She didn't answer as she took out her quill and parchment, her eyes gleaming fiercely with a well-controlled anger.
"Ms. Umbridge, you may take any available seat," McGonagall said with her back turned as she began writing something on the blackboard.
"I think I shall sit here for today, Minerva," Dolores answered as she sat, much to Aya's horror and disgust, right next to the poor girl. Remus noticed how Aya's quill, held tightly in her hand, shook as the girl stared straight ahead of her.
"Fine then," McGonagall said with a sigh, giving Aya an apologetic look. "Now, all of you turn in the homework I assigned over the weekend. For those of you still finishing, quills down and turn it in. Our next lesson will be-"
"Hem, hem."
McGonagall's eyelid twitched. "Yes, Ms. Umbrige...what is it?"
"I hope you don't mind that I'll be taking notes on your...performance. I have to keep the Ministry up to date!" she replied cheerily.
"Thank you for your patronage," McGonagall muttered, giving Umbridge a curt nod. "Now, then, to business: transforming a parchment to much larger animals. Evans, you start us off. Change your parchment into a rabbit."
"Why not have Miss Centaria do it?" Umbridge piped up with a glance at the crimson Aya.
"I have already asked Miss Evans to do it," McGonagall said through gritted teeth.
"Hmm..." Umbridge replied as she began to write in her notebook, saying loudly, "Teacher doesn't...follow...orders..."
"All right. All right! Aya, would you, please?" McGonagall hissed, her eyes speaking more than simple pity. Umbridge immediately ceased to write to look expectantly at Aya, whose face was a deep shade of red.
Remus was seething with an inner rage. Everyone knew how much Aya hated doing demonstrations in front of people.
Though her hands shook, she successfully changed and reverted her parchment, much to the distaste of Umbridge, who muttered quite clearly, "Hm...a showoff and a Half-breed, aren't you, Aya?"
Aya flinched, but sat down without a word. Remus put his hand reassuringly on the girl's knee, now understanding her earlier tears. Damn this woman, he thought with a furtive glancing to the toad-like Undersecretary.
"Ten points to Gryffindor," McGonagall said triumphantly. Suck on that, hag, she thought happily. "Now, I want everyone to practice this in pairs for the next ten minutes, if you please."
The class went into an immediate uproar of noise.
"Practice, Aya. It looks like you need it," Umbridge hissed. "And after, you can stop being a showoff as usual, understand me?"
Aya nodded as she gripped her chair tightly, her eyes flashing with an emotion Remus had never seen in her: hate.
##
"If I hear that woman use the term Half-breed one more time, I swear," Sirius was saying, ramming his fist into his palm, his teeth bared. "'Aya, don't be stupid,' this, and 'I guess Half-breeds like you are just too slow,' that. Damn it! Loathsome hag!"
"Don't, Sirius," Aya whispered at his side as she stared at the floor.
"You're going to defend that bitch?!" he yelled, waving his hands in the air.
"Just don't."
Aya moved off at a faster pace, holding her books a little tighter against her chest as she moved with her head down.
"I am so lost," James said, scratching his head. "Who would want to stand up for that...woman?"
"I'll go talk to her," Remus said as he sprinted after Aya.
As he came to her side, he whispered, "You want to tell me what's going on?"
"Leave it be, Remus," she replied, refusing to look at him.
"Leave it be? What the hell do you mean, leave it be? That Umbridge person was trying to get on your nerves...why?" he pressed.
"I said leave it be, Remus! Just drop it!" she cried, then ran off, her bare feet hitting the ground like the sound of a heartbeat. Remus was left in a shocked silence.
##
The air in the Gryffindor common room was rather talkative and tense that night.
"Did you hear about that woman? That Umbridge? She's been following Aya around and jeering at her!"
"Centaria? You serious? Why would a Junior Undersecretary want to do that with a sixth year?"
"I don't know, but she's been calling Aya 'half-breed' all day! It's really annoying!"
"That bitch!"
Aya slammed her book shut, biting at her lower lip. Half-breed, half- breed, half-breed. The words beat into her skull like a hammer as she stared into the fire, a hateful look in her eyes.
Lily stole a worried glance at the girl from her pile of homework. "Aya? You okay?"
"Fine," she replied harshly. "Never...been...better."
Slowly, she stood and made her way quickly to the staircase, avoiding the stares.
Damn it all, she thought, When will this shit ever end for me?
%$%$
Ooo...saw a different side of Aya there. I regret to announce that it will be some time until I can update again...finals for school...studying...stress...how I love it...please forgive me...it'll be about a week or so...I'm really sorry guys (be glad I didn't end in a cliffie).