They say time flies when you're having fun. I never really noticed it before I went to Hogwarts, but next thing I knew it was Halloween
"Hey guys. Hi Wood." I smiled as I took my usual seat behind the three boys
"So Avi. What are you doing for Christmas?" Wood asked
"I'm staying here." I said simply
"Are you not going home?" Wood asked
"Ha, no." I laughed
"Why not."
"I, um." I stuttered "I don't belong there." I lied.
"You don't belong there?"
"Yeah I was adopted and my family are muggles. Technically they don't know I'm here." As soon as I said that I regretted it
"They don't know you're here! Avi. They're probably worries out of their minds."
"Yeah right. They don't care." I huffed. I got up and started walking towards the door angry at the guys and at myself for telling even that little bit about myself.
"Of course they care, they're your family." Fred said as they caught up to me.
"No. They don't. You want to know how I know?" I lifted my shirt to reveal my ribs, showing them a scattering of faded bruises "my so called father did that. Three months ago, and the worst part is the marks are still there. It's like even coming here I can't get away from them. It's a constant reminder that I'll never truly get away from them." I spat before trying to escape for the stairs.
I never made it to the stairs as I was pulled into a huge hug. I couldn't hold back the flood of tears and began sobbing on the person nearest my face.
"You're going to be okay." George said as the three boys continued to hug me
"Um guys I need oxygen." I chuckled slightly once the tears subsided
"Oh yeah, sorry." Fred said and they let me loose
"So what are you going to do at the end of the year? Because you're sure as hell not going back there." George asked
"I'm not sure yet. Dumbledore might let me stay here I suppose." We never did end our conversation as the rest of the students came pouring out of the great hall
"Well we have double potions now anyway and Avi here is Snape's favourite student." George sighed
"I'm not his favourite student I'm just good at potions."
"Yeah potions and transfigurations and probably all your other lessons as well. How did you end up in Slytherin?" Fred added
"Yeah I'd of expected Gryffindor or maybe Ravenclaw, but Slytherin" George agreed.
The end of Halloween brought about the beginning of the quidditch session.
"Hey Wood. You ready for the game tomorrow?" Fred asked
"Yeah. Your brother, Charlie, has been drilling us all week." Wood chuckled "you guys are going to be there right?"
"Of course we are." I said
"Yeah, we wouldn't miss it." George agreed grabbing another piece of toast.
We continued to talk about school and the upcoming quidditch game. After breakfast I broke away from the three boys and headed to my Astronomy class with Ravenclaw. Most of my classes were with the house and myself and the Ravenclaw boy Matthew had been silently competing for top spot in all our lessons. The only lesson I was truly better than than him in was flying. He couldn't get the hang of it now matter how hard he tried
"You alright down there?" I asked as I whizzed around above him
"oh shut up Aviana." he called out as he hovered a little more than a foot off the ground "we weren't all born to fly. Plus you are at a natural advantage since your a midget, your more streamlined." Matthew was from a muggle family so had gone to a muggle primary school. I guess he must have been smart even then as I didn't think they taught that level of science to primary school children.
"I'm not a midget, you're just a lanky sod." I laughed as I flew off around the green once again
"Miss Grace. I understand you may think you are a good flyer, but could you come a little lower?" Madam Hooch shouted up to me. I rolled my eyes and lowered myself so I was only a few feet off the ground now.
"That's you told." Matthew said as he flew past. Rather slowly I might add.
The rest of the day flew by and before I knew it, it was time for the first quidditch match of the session. Gryffindor vs Ravenclaw. We all piled into the stands ready for the match to start. Across from the Slytherin stands was the Gryffindor stands. I looked out across the stands trying to locate the two redheads. I had just located the tint of red in amongst the mass of people when there was a roar of cheers around me. I looked down onto the pitch and saw that the Ravenclaw team had come out onto the pitch. The Slytherins wouldn't normally route for their team but Slytherin and Gryffindor were mortal enemies and an exception could be made for today. A few seconds after the Gryffindor team was on the pitch and the crowd around me erupted into a mass of booing. I spotted Wood almost instantly on the pitch. Madam Hooch began throwing the bludgers into the air followed by the snitch. She put her whistle to her lips and blew as she released the quaffle into the air. The game had begun. Around a minute in the Ravenclaws began chanting
"We hate Gryffindor." Over and over. Next thing I know the Slytherins are chanting
"We hate Gryffindor more than you." I looked over at the pitch and saw Wood looking up at the stands so I began chanting along as well, laughing as I did so.
Wood shook his head at me as I caught sight of something behind him. A bludger. It hit him in the back of the head. I watched helplessly as my friend plummeted to the ground, landing with a loud thud. A timeout was issued as the Gryffindor team ran over to their keeper. I watched helplessly for a few seconds before noticing the twins rushing from the stands. I got up myself and began descending the stairs
"Where are you going, traiter?" A large fourth year boy asked
"Get out of my way." I snarled at him
"What if I don't want to?"
"Just move." I snapped and shoved him as hard as I could. I caught him off guard and he stumbled slightly giving me just enough time to run down the stairs onto the pitch. Madam Pomfrey was down by Wood when I reached them
"Guys. Is he alright?" I asked the twins
"Don't know yet." Fred confessed
"That bludger sure hit him hard." George continued. We followed Madam Pomfrey off the pitch and the Gryffindor team brought on their reserve.
Wood was unconscious for a week. Myself and the twins would go up and check up on him after lessons, before we went down to the great hall for dinner. The rest of the Slytherins were harassing me now that they knew I was friends with Gryffindors. I never kept it a secret they just never noticed it before.
"Traitor!" A third year girl I'd never even seen before shouted at me as I walked to the end of the table where there weren't as many people. I glanced over at the twins a few times and they gave me sympathetic smiles
"Why don't you just go join them, traitor?" Yet another person I didn't know shouted down the table. I snapped.
"Look. You don't want me here, I can see that. You know what, I don't want to be here either. But I was put here and I can't move." I finished my mini rant and stormed out of the great hall.
I walked aimlessly for a bit and found myself by the infirmary. I decided that I may as well see Wood while I was there. I wandered into the infirmary unsure of myself. Immediately I recognised the figure of my friend being fussed my Madam Pomfrey
"Don't worry. He's just woken up." She smiled at me as I approached the bed. All of a sudden I found myself hugging the third year boy
"I wasn't out for that long, was I?" He chuckled
"A week, Wood." I couldn't hold it back anymore "they're calling me a traitor, Wood, I don't even know them. People in the years above. Because I'm friends with you and the twins." I sobbed hysterically as he cradled me. I suddenly realised how silly I must look and wiped the tears from my eyes
"Sorry. I'm being stupid." I apologise pulling out of the hug and sitting on the end of the hug. Wood went to say something but the twins came bursting through the doors
"Be quiet!" Madam Pomfrey scolded them
"Avi. We thought we'd find you here. What you said to them, it was awesome." Fred panted as they sat down next to the bed
"You should have seen her Wood. The way she stood up to those Slytherins. She was awesome."
"were you now? Well I'll have to take your word for it won't I?" Wood chuckled giving me a knowing smile. We stayed as long as we could before Madam Pomfrey kicked us out to go to bed
"we'll come see you tomorrow." George shouted as we left the infirmary towards our common rooms.