This is the last chapter from 1st year! Next I'll skip a while! I hope you like it, please review! No flames, only constructive criticism!
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything about the setting and some characters, only the plot and the other characters.
Chapter 4: Red beliefs
"No! You're absolutely not missing the Quidditch match!" shouted Alice, taking the covers off me. I groaned, frustrated. We had been arguing about this topic for nearly a week.
"But Alice, I want to sleep! I don't even understand the stupid sport!" I complained, trying to get my covers back "Kelly, help me out here" I pleaded turning to my other friend.
"Sorry Molly, Alice kind of scares me" Kelly said apologetically. I groaned again. I knew how stubborn Alice could be when she wanted something. The only thing I didn't understand in the least was why on Earth she wanted me to watch those pointless matches.
"See? End of discussion! You're coming" Alice stated. I groaned again and got up. I'd much rather be sleeping, or even catching up on Homework. I had a shower, dressed quickly and went down to breakfast with my friends. Everyone was wearing either red or green, and it seemed like Christmas was here already, when really there were two weeks left until we could go home for the holidays. I made myself a piece of toast absently, while Alice and Kelly chatted excitedly with other people.
I couldn't afford to be loud or show any strong emotion in public, it wouldn't be proper, so I was often quiet at meals, which would have been perfectly normal if I had been eating at the Slytherin of Ravenclaw tables, where most people kept their composure, but clashed greatly with the excitable nature of most Gryffindors. I only showed my personality and emotions inside Gryffindor tower, where there wasn't anyone from the high society who could talk about me being hotheaded or anything considered inappropriate.
"Come on, let's go, I wasn't to get good seats!" Alice said excitedly, draggindg us towards the pitch. Honestly, all I wanted were seats close to the exit. We sat together and were waiting for the game to start, when I had an idea. Alice wouldn't leave her precious seats for anything, si if I pretended I had to go somewhere she wouldn't follow. I'd finally have the common room to myself, and would be able to finish my potions essay, which was due Tuesday. I know it wouldn't exactly be a fun activity, but at least it would be useful, not like wasting my time freezing and watching people fly after a ball.
"I have to go to the bathroom, I'll come back in a bit" I told Alice and Kelly. Alice looked like she was about to complain, but I got up and left quickly, before she could say anything. Yes! I celebrated mentally I'm free to do whatever I want! I started making my way to Gryffindor tower, not bothered by the fact that I'd just lied to Alice and Kelly. Alice will be so excited about the game that she'll forget about me until it finishes I thought.
"Look, it's the Greengrass traitor, all alone!" said a taunting voice. I looked up to find Lucius Malfoy, Evan Rosier and Rodolphus Lenstrange. They were Slytherin second years, and one of the few people who put bullying me for being in Gryffindor above decorum. I shivered involuntarily. Usually they just called me mean things, but I was usually with my friends, and between classes, so there were teachers around. This was the first time I was alone with them, and I knew perfectly well that all the teachers would be at the Quidditch match already.
"Hello, I see you are as polite as ever" I said indifferently, masking my fear rather well "now if you'll excuse me, I have things to do". I walked firmly between them, set on getting to Gryffindor tower as quickly as possible. Even though I thought it unlikely that they would actually harm me, one could never be too careful.
Rosier grabbed my arm. "But wait, dear Molly, we just wanted to chat with you" he said threateningly. My heart started beating twice as hard. What did they have in mind? They suddenly didn't seem as harmless anymore.
"But I don't want to chat with you!" I cried, trying to get away "Leave me alone, will you?"
"Wow, is that fear I hear? Are you afraid of the big bad boys who have you cornered?" asked Malfoy mockingly, grabbing my other arm "because you should be" he whispered in my ear. I felt tears threatening to spill. What could I do? I didn't have my wand on me, and even if I had, there would be no way of beating three second years single handed. What would happen to me? I couldn't start imagining anything, because if I did, I'd start crying, and there's no way I'd give them that satisfaction.
"I'm not afraid of you!" I shouted furiously to them, even though I was sure that my trembling voice and wide eyes betrayed me. They could clearly see that I was desperate to get out of there.
"Well, now you will be" said Lenstrange "Petrificus totalus!" I looked at them in horror, and suddenly couldn't move a muscle. If I had been afraid before, it was nothing compared to what I felt now. I depended wholly on their will now, and for the first time in my life, I felt totally helpless. I started praying in my mind for someone, anyone. I didn't know who I was asking, but I just was, desperately hoping for someone to rescue me. Nobody came.
"So what will we do with her?" Malfoy asked casually "We could get her in that broom closet…maybe Filch will find her when he wants to clean the floor, in three days or so". The three boys gagged me and started dragging me to a broom closet nearby. It hurt, it scared me, that no one would find me, and I just wanted to cry. How long would it take people to notice I was missing? Or for someone to open the broom closet? Please, let someone come soon I thought. They shoved me in roughly and I fell face first on brooms and buckets. There was something pointy, and I tried to cry out in pain when it stabbed my leg, but I couldn't speak. My skirt rid up, and I could feel a bit of underwear showing. This amused them even more.
"Wow, Greengrass, what an excellent idea!" said Rosier, delighted. He flipped my skirt, so it covered my back and all my underwear was showing "Aww, the ducklings on your knickers are so cute!" They started laughing uncontrollably, mocking me. I felt tears starting to fall, not only from pain and fear, but from humiliation, and I couldn't make it stop.
"You're crying now? I thought your family wasn't weak" said Lenstrange "Come on, this is boring, let's leave her here and go to the match". The others agreed and closed the door, leaving me in absolute darkness. I heard their footsteps leaving, not bothering to stop my tears anymore. I had no hope now, no one would find me if I couldn't speak out. I should have stayed watching the match I thought desperately, even though I couldn't change anything now. Please let someone come I thought for the last time. And then, someone opened the door.
"Holy Merlin! Molly, are you okay? What did they do?" asked a boy. I didn't know who it was, nor cared. All I cared was that he had saved me; I wasn't going to starve in the cupboard anymore. He picked me up with some effort, so that I was standing and could see him. It was Frank Longbottom.
My skirt flopped back to cover my underwear, reminding me that my underwear had been showing, and my cheeks burnt red from embarrassment. Worst of all, I couldn't stop crying still, I was just so relieved. He took the gag out, looking really worried, but I couldn't speak. I was in total shock. He muttered the counter course so I could move, but I wasn't ready and my knees gave out. He caught me just in time, noticed the stab on my leg and gasped. I think he was almost as shocked as I was, because he couldn't seem to say or do anything. I was still crying, now more in relief than anything else.
"Come on, let's get you to the hospital wing, you'll be all right" he whispered finally. He put an arm under my shoulder blades to help me walk took me to the hospital wing, still talking. "I just heard those guys telling you that you were weak and then leaving, so I thought they could have hurt someone and decided to investigate. I wish I'd come sooner, but at least you're all right now". I wanted to thank him a million times over, or to tell him that if he'd come sooner they'd have petrified him too, but I still couldn't speak. I just walked robotically to where he was leading me.
"Here dear, drink this" Madam Pomfrey told me, once she'd fixed my cut and bruises. I drank it and to my surprise, felt a lot calmer, and could finally stop crying.
"Thank you" I managed to say.
"Mr. Longbottom, would you mind accompanying Miss Greengrass to the common room?" she said "she just needs to calm down, hopefully in a familiar environment". Frank nodded, and we made our way in silence to Gryffindor tower.
"Hipogriff" said Frank when we reached the portrait of the fat lady, and we went in. We sat in a couch, and I faced him, suddenly aware of the fact that I'd never talked to him before.
"Thank you" I said timidly "I thought I would be there for days before someone found me". He looked at me, but I couldn't figure out what he was thinking.
"It's nothing" he replied, smiling slightly "anyone would have done the same". I had the sudden urge to hug him, and I did. He seemed to realize I needed it, because he didn't seem to feel awkward, he just hugged back, and I felt safe.
"Sorry about that" I said embarrassed "I'm just so relieved, I was really scared". I vaguely noticed how odd of me was to admit being scared, but I didn't pay attention to it.
"Anyone would have been scared" he agreed, and I was glad he didn't mock me, or ask me how anything had happened. I didn't want to remember anything about it now. I was a bit surprised. I had expected Frank to be mean to me like Arthur Weasley, since they hung out together all the time, but he was kind and gentle, and I told him so.
"You know, Arthur's great once you get to know him" he told me "you two just had a rough start". I laughed.
"I seriously doubt that" I replied "but I'm glad I met you, I wish we could be friends".
"Of course we can!" he said animatedly. I hugged him again and felt happy for the first time that day. I started feeling drowsy soon afterwards and fell asleep on his shoulder.
OoOoOoOoOo
The next days passed in a blur. Frank had convinced me to tell Professor McGonagall what had happened, and Rosier, Malfoy and Lenstrange had lost a lot of points and got two weeks on detention because of it. They had been surprised I was out of the cupboard at dinner and were angry with me, but my friends made sure I was never alone and the teachers kept an eye on them. Frank and I had become good friends and talked all the time (when Arthur Weasley wasn't around). We'd discovered we had a lot in common and I trusted him a lot. Some people thought we had a crush on each other, but I knew it wasn't the case. It felt more like he was the older brother I'd never had, but always wanted.
Gryffindor had won the Quidditch match, so everyone had been in a good mood, Alice hadn't even been mad at me for bailing on her. We spent the last days before break studying hard for our classes, so we wouldn't have as much homework for Christmas. Kelly did better than us in most subjects, though her strongest one was transfiguration, so she helped us a lot understanding the concepts and practicing. I was really good in charms and potions, even better than Kelly, but average in everything else, so I helped Alice in those subjects. Alice on the other hand, had a lot of difficulties with most classes, though with our help she performed decently. Her favorite class was herbology, and she was brilliant at it, so she taught us a lot. Frank also started tutoring us in defense, in which he did great, so we got a lot better. All in all, I was getting good enough grades to make my parents proud, even if they were not the best. When we weren't studying we were out in the snow, making snowmen and having snowball fights.
"I wish I'd brought my skates!" cried Kelly once she saw the frozen lake. Alice and I didn't know what she was talking about, so we just looked at her, confused. She was disappointed.
"I can't believe you don't know what skating is, it's one of the best sports ever! I wish I knew how to transfigure my shoes into them, but they are too big and it would be waay too dangerous!" she said.
"Err, the only sport we know is Quidditch" I told her.
"I'll master the transfiguration by next Christmas, and then I'll teach you how to skate" she said firmly "I can't believe you don't have any other sports! We have at least twenty!"
Before I knew it, it was time to go home. Alice and Kelly sat in a compartment with Frank and Arthur, so I found another one with Mia, Tessa, Alyssa and Serenity. I'd been so focused studying and hanging out with my Gryffindor friends that I'd hardly seen them, and I missed them. On the other hand, I really didn't want to share a compartment with Arthur Weasley.
"Craig's initiating at the ball after Christmas" Mia told us. I was surprised, I'd forgotten about Mia's brother being thirteen already. Alyssa looked impressed, and Tessa looked dreamy.
"Oh, I hope he's my bethrothed!" she gushed "then I'd be your sister in law!" she told Mia. Tessa had had a crush on Craig since she was seven, and it showed no signs of actually stopping. I guess I could understand it, because he was one of the best looking boys I'd ever seen, and he was also kind to everyone. Serenity looked lost.
"What's initiating? And who's Craig?" she asked.
"Craig's my older brother" Mia told her "and the initiation is one of the most important rituals of the pureblooded families. They host a ball every holiday, and all the people who have turned thirteen attend for the first time, and they tell us who we are to be married to when we are older. It's a total secret until you attend it, Craig won't be able to tell me or anyone who his betrothed is, and that girl will only find out when she turns thirteen and attends the ball. I hope it's not Bellatrix or Vanessa, I'd die if I had to call one of them family". She shuddered. Tessa and I agreed wholly on that. I was glad my only brother was younger, so he had no chance of ever being paired up with one of them. Tessa's brother was younger too, so she didn't have to worry.
"But I don't get it, you have arranged marriages? That sounds terrible" commented Serenity, confused. I agreed with her on that. I mean, I respected traditions and the desire to keep the line pure (though I was starting to doubt the last part), but I'd much rather choose who I wanted to marry. I mean, why arrange it, if we probably would choose pureblood people anyway, just because of the way we were raised. I didn't even want to imagine what it would be like when I found out who I was to be married to. Imagine if I got paired up with Rosier! Or Malfoy, or Lenstrange, who was the worst of them! I'd kill myself before I spent my whole life with one of them!
"I just think it's simpler" said Alyssa "no choosing, or getting confused, or worrying about figuring out your exact feelings for everyone. You can date all you like until you come of age, and you don't have to worry about being with them for the rest of your life, because you know you'll marry someone else anyway. And you have four years to get to know the person you're marrying, so it's ok".
"Except, well, if you fall in love with someone else…then you'd be heartbroken when you have to leave them to get married" said Tessa quietly "I don't like the idea at all, when I have kids I won't arrange their marriages". That got me thinking…my parents had chosen their marriage, not been forced to do it. Maybe, if they'd liked to choose themselves, they'd decided not to arrange our marriages, and I had the chance to decide freely. It was unlikely, since my dad was very traditional, but it was a possibility. I'd have to ask my mom soon.
"But if you don't then they'll stop being the elite!" Alyssa cried, horrified. It sounded kind of selfish, but she had a fair point. I mean, if all the respectable purebloods were paired up, you could only choose someone who wasn't one, and that would ruin your image for everyone.
"Wow, I'm glad my family doesn't do that stuff" said Serenity "but I don't get it, I mean, I'm a pureblood too".
"It's only the pureblood families who follow traditions, and are part of the high society" Alyssa said "you don't have that because your family isn't well known…or maybe they used to have it, and someone like Tessa here decided to stop it at some point".
"Thank Merlin they did" muttered Serenity. I changed the subject before Alyssa could reply anything else, and we spent the rest of the ride talking about unimportant things. I was thoughtful though…who was my betrothed, if I even had one?
OoOoOoOoOo
"So, is it too difficult not to associate with mudbloods?" asked my dad the next day at breakfast. I almost winced at the term, but tried not to show it. I didn't really think of Kelly as a mudblood, because it was impossible to feel that she was inferior to me in any way. I'd become steadily more confused about that since I'd befriended her. How were they inferior? I hadn't befriended any mudblood except her, for fear of people talking about it, and I'd convinced all my friends that I just hung out with her for convenience.
"Not really, I just don't talk to them. Well, I talk to a friend of Alice's, but it's just because she helps me with schoolwork sometimes, so it improves my grades" I lied again.
"Well, that's good. I knew you wouldn't lower yourself to like that scum" my father said, and continued eating. I felt guilty. Was it bad that I liked Kelly? Did that mean I had a problem, or that I wasn't worth as much as other purebloods? Was I doing something evil, just because I didn't really understand why they were inferior? Should I stop being friends with her until I understood? Maybe if I understood why everything would be clearer…if I asked my mom, would she hate me? Maybe if I just ask her, without telling her about my friendship with Kelly…yeah, that could work.
I talked a lot to my mom; I told her about my classes, and about my other friends, since I knew she didn't mind me being friends with purebloods who liked muggleborns. I even told her about my crush on Damian, and she listened and didn't laugh. But I didn't have the guts to talk to her about my problem. What if she suspected I had a muggleborn friend and told my dad? That would be a disaster.
On Christmas Eve, we went to Alice's house for dinner. We often did this, though sometimes we went to my father's parents' house. I liked the first arrangement better. Fabian and Gideon pretended they were sorcerers and ran around doing invented rituals to cure Vivi's illnesses while she giggled at them. Roddie sat on the couch reading while the adults talked among themselves. Alice and I talked endlessly, like we hadn't seen each other in years, when it had been hardly three days.
"Here's your present" Alice grinned, handing me a square package "just open it, it's already midnight anyway". I opened it to find a red velvet diary, but I couldn't open it.
"It's so you can write stuff you can't tell your parents or whatever, I know you like to write" she smiled.
"Thanks!" I said gratefully. It did get too much sometimes. As my father didn't think showing emotions was proper, I felt a bit trapped sometimes. I handed her her present, which was an agenda. She often forgot to do things, so it would be useful for her to write down what she had to do. Alice laughed and thanked me.
OoOoOoOoOo
"Molly, get up, it's Christmas!" exclaimed Vivi, jumping on my bed. It was one of the few times when my dad didn't mind us showing emotions, and she took full advantage of that. I smiled and got up, letting her take me downstairs. My parents were already there with Roddie, all gathered around the tree. I felt excited against my will. I'd forgotten how fun Christmas could be.
As usual, Vivi, Roddie and I first opened the ones from the other siblings. Vivi had drawn a picture of the three of us holding hands, and given a copy to Roddie and one to me. I smiled brightly and thanked her. It was really good for a six year old. Roddie had given us both sets of quills that wrote in different colors, and I gave each of them a package of Bertie Bott's every flavor beans that I'd bought from the food trolley in the Hogwarts Express. Next, I opened my parents' present and lost my breath. They'd given me a magical camera. Those were new in the market, and pretty expensive.
"It's so you can take pictures of your friends and remember all your moments at Hogwarts" said my mom "and so you can take pictures and send them to us, of course"
"Thanks" I breathed, and hugged them both. I took a picture of my parents and my dad took a picture of my siblings and me to test it. It worked great, and I decided to take them to Hogwarts to have a reminder of them. I next opened the gift from Aunt Mari and Uncle Bill, to find a cute summer nightdress. It almost reached my knees, and it was white with pink and red hearts of all sizes all over it. I decided to thank them when I went to stay the night the next day. There was also a present from Tessa, which was a hairclip with a big blue butterfly on it, and one from Mia, which was a silver charms bracelet with a lion, a snake and an eagle. I smiled and put both of them on, and went with my family to have breakfast.
Later in the day when I went into my bedroom, I found two owls waiting for me. I untied the parcels and let them drink water from a bowl before they left, before opening the note attached to the first one. It was from Frank.
Hey Molly!
Thanks for your present!
The one I sent you is not exactly cute, but it will be useful! At least you'll know when someone dangerous is coming and will (hopefully) avoid them. Anyway, I hope you're having a nice Christmas!
See you soon,
Frank L.
I smiled and set it aside. Trust Frank to be concerned about my safety. I opened the present and found a sneakoscope, sitting perfectly still. I laughed. Maybe I should carry it around in my robe pocket I thought. The note on the other one was from Kelly, just saying she hoped I liked her present and wishing me a merry Christmas. I opened the present and a thin silver chain fell out. It was a necklace. I looked at the charm and felt confused. It was a silver weird shape with a lot of vertices on one side, and a round other side. Inside, it said "forever" in black letters. What could it mean? I put it on, deciding to ask her later. I hoped my parents didn't see it.
OoOoOoOoOo
The rest of the holiday went by quickly. I spent a night in Alice's house with my siblings, while my parents went to the ball, and relieved the tension running and jumping around. It felt really good to do everything I couldn't do at home. I'd shown Alice Kelly's present, hoping that she would understand it, only to find her as confused as I was. Kelly had given her a chain with a similar shape, except hers said "best".
"Speaking of Kelly, do your parents know you're friends with her yet?" Alice asked me.
"No, and hopefully they'll never know. I just wish I understood why they say I shouldn't associate with mudbloods! It's sucks to not know why you're hiding your friends!" I replied frustrated.
"It's muggleborns, not mudbloods" corrected Alice "and anyway, I figured maybe my mom knows why they say that, you should ask her. She already knows we're both friends with Kelly and promised not to tell your parents". I thought it over. Aunt Mari could probably give me some clues as to why they taught me that, my mom was her sister and best friend after all.
"You're right, let's go right now" I said. I was suddenly very impatient to know, even if I was scared of the truth. I had to know why I should hide Kelly from them.
"Mom, can we talk to you?" asked Alice, once we went into the sitting room.
"Sure, what's going on?" asked Aunt Mari, looking curious. I guessed she wasn't used to Alice asking to talk to her, she usually just talked.
"err…" I started. I didn't know how to start. "You know about our friend Kelly, right?" I said uncertainly, even though I knew she did.
"Yes, but I won't tell your parents, what about it?" she asked.
"Well, it's because of my parents actually…" I said "they've always told me not to associate with mud-muggleborns because they are inferior, but she doesn't seem inferior to me, so I wanted to know what they mean when they say inferior, and why I shouldn't talk to people like that".
She looked surprised. "Molly, you'll have to talk about that with your mom. I promise she won't get mad at you" she said when I opened my mouth to protest "there's a lot you don't know about your mom, and I think you should hear this from her. Just ask her, and make sure your dad doesn't hear you". I was shocked, and curious. What didn't I know? Was there a dark secret she was hiding? And what did it have to do with muggleborns?
OoOoOoOoOo
"Mom, I need to ask you something" I told her anxiously a few days later. It had taken me a lot of courage, pacing and rehearsing to say that simple sentence.
"Sure honey, what do you need?" asked my mom. She seemed to realize I wanted to speak privately, because she led me to her balcony and put a silencing charm around us. I looked into her eyes, wondering if what I was about to ask was the biggest mistake ever, or if it would lead to something better.
"One of my best friends is muggleborn" I blurted out. Not the best way to start the conversation. "And she's pretty, and kind, and talented, she's better in school than Alice and me…I just don't understand why she's inferior to us or why I shouldn't associate with her…I mean if you explained to me why you think that maybe I would understand better and stop being her friend…but I can't stop being her friend because of things I don't understand". I mentally slapped myself. I had phrased all that in the worst way possible, and she was probably going to tell my dad, or punish me for breaking the house rules. I looked at her, afraid. And to my surprise, she was smiling.
"Thank Merlin you figured it out yourself" she said "I don't think muggleborns are inferior to us in any way. Muggles are, obviously, since they have less power and can't do magic, but muggleborns are just as powerful and worthy of magic as we are". I was shocked. Out of all the answers she could have given me, that was probably the one I'd thought least likely. Why would my mom have taught me something my entire life, only to tell me it was all a lie the second I questioned it?
"But then why have you always taught us not to associate with them?" I asked confused.
"Look Molly, your dad and I think differently on a lot of important things, so we compromise on how we raise you. I think they are not inferior and that it's not bad to befriend them, while he thinks they don't deserve to be alive and approves violence against them, so we compromise and tell you they are inferior, so you shouldn't befriend them, but you shouldn't be violent against them either". She said this like she'd been dying to say it for years, though now that I think about it, maybe she had. I was horrified.
"Dad supports violence against human beings?" I asked, not wanting to believe it.
"Your father participates in a group of men who plan to kill muggles and muggleborns" my mom said bitterly, to my horror "luckily it's only a small group, I hope it never grows". I couldn't believe it. My father, a killer? Now I was glad they'd never taught us what he believed in. What kind of person would I be if they had? I didn't even want to think about it. I wondered vaguely how they'd fallen in love having so different beliefs. A part of me was relieved though. Not about my father, but I was relieved that my mom thought muggleborns weren't inferior. That meant that she understood me, and that I wouldn't have to hide things from her anymore. It also meant that my friendship with Kelly wasn't wrong, I was just unlucky enough to have a prejudiced (and killer) father.
"Do you think differently on arranged marriages too?" I asked, remembering the conversation with my friends on the train.
My mom sighed. "Yes…I'm sorry, Molly. I tried to prevent you all from getting arranged marriages, but we would be banned from the high society if I had, and your father wouldn't have that. He had a really rough time when his betrothed died, because there wasn't any pureblood woman from the elite who wasn't promised to someone else. I sometimes think that's why he chose me…" my mom drifted off and I sensed she wasn't going to tell me more about that. It was the first time she'd mentioned my dad's betrothed, ever. I couldn't help feeling my heart sinking. I wouldn't be able to choose who I wanted to marry.
"Molly, I want you to promise me something" my mom said suddenly. I wondered what it could be…she didn't need to tell me not to speak to my father about this, I wasn't stupid. So what would she want to say?
"What is it?" I asked curiously.
"Look, when you turn seventeen you'll have to get married and start your life as a pureblood trophy wife, and trust me, knowing you, you won't enjoy it" she told me. I nodded, not very surprised. I wondered where she was going with this.
"But, there's a good thing that comes with that, and that is that as long as you are polite and proper as a wife, no one will remember or care how you behaved at Hogwarts" she continued. I was still confused. What did she want to tell me?
"Mom, I don't understand, what do you want me to promise?" I asked impatiently.
"I want you to be yourself at Hogwarts. Enjoy it as much as you can and don't worry about what anyone from the high society thinks. It won't reach your dad's ears, trust me, even if kids from Slytherin taunt you sometimes, they won't care enough about what you do to tell any of their parents. As long as you behave on the social gatherings and balls once you start going to them, it doesn't matter what you do inside Hogwarts". I was surprised again. Would it really not matter if I befriended muggleborn people, shouted loudly or ran and jumped?
"Are you sure, mom? I mean, I do that inside Gryffindor tower…I've done improper things, like eat chocolate or have pillow fights, but will it really not matter if I do it outside?" I asked uncertainly.
"Molly, I wasn't part of the elite. I did all that stuff and then married a respectable pureblood, and no one looks down on me because of what I used to do. They'll just care about your last name later, ok? Enjoy these seven years! They could be the only ones you have to be totally happy, ever" she told me seriously "and don't forget to tell me every detail of it" she said smiling.
"Ok mom, I promise" I said happily. This was the best promise I'd ever made.
"Let's make it a new year's resolution, ok? It's tomorrow" my mom told me "promise me, and yourself, that from the moment the year 1966 starts, you won't care about any rule from the conduct code, or any comments of the high society while you're in Hogwarts".
I held my hand up. "I, Molianna Fiorella Greengrass, won't care about any rule from the conduct code or any comments from the high society while I'm at Hogwarts, starting tomorrow" I said. And I meant it. When I got back to school, everyone outside Gryffindor would see a new Molly.