Thank you guys so much for the wait. I'm so so sorry it took so long, ill try and be faster in the future. I want to thank all my readers, reviewers, and favourators. You guys have helped me make it this far and to keep on going. I love getting feedback so please leave a review.
The match brought high spirits to the Slytherin House for several weeks and straight into the Easter Holiday. The happy mood distracted everyone from my blood-status, even causing a few to smile at me in the hall way in acknowledgement. I had no idea how long this friendliness would end so I took to the deep corners of the library, hiding from even George, Fred, Hermione, and Cedric. Meals became a hassle to hide from conversation or worried looks from my 'friends'. I quickly got distracted when it came the time to decide on our Electives. I had a broad option of Divination, Arithmancy, Study of Ancient Runes, Care of Magical Creatures, and Muggle Studies. I quickly decided that Arithmancy was off the table and the Study of Ancient Runes. It's not that I didn't think I was smart enough, I just didn't want to be bored out of my mind. I lean against the table looking at my other three options. Looking around the Great Hall I notice others in the same dilemma, most of them are muggle-born though. I go back to my choices, well I'm not going to do Divination. I want built for hippy crap by a crazy, tea drinking, druggo. That leaves me with Muggle Studies and Care of Magical Creatures. I was really looking forward to Muggle Studies, it might build some knowledge on the life my mother would have had growing up. I quickly write down my options, stuff the page in my bag, and quickly scuttle out the door.
"Rose" calls Cedric. Crap he's seen me. I stop and try to come up with some excuse to get away.
"Can we talk?" he asks, before I could answer he bustles me out to the grounds and sits me at a bench looking out to the black lake. We sit there, silence spreading between us. The spring breeze lapped at the lake, and gave a chill to the skin.
"You've been avoiding me, haven't you?" Cedric asks breaking the silence.
"I've been avoiding everyone." Silence fills the air again, I feel slightly awkward so I start listing off the pieces of homework I still have to do before the holiday finishes.
"I think we should break up…" he confesses. He turns to me and we catch each other's eyes before I quickly look away. I nod though so he has caught my understanding.
"Friends though?"
"Friends, seeing as I still have to knock you off your broom," I laugh.
"I would like to see you try," he says shoving me in a playful way. "So you and George?"
"Nothing happened, we're just friends," I say blushing. "I don't even like him in that way, even if I did I don't think my fellow house mates would be very thrilled."
"I have to go finish the mountain of homework Professor Sprout has set everyone," I begin. "But we should go running together sometime, you look like you're getting a little unfit." I poke his stomach as if intending there is fat where its rock hard. His face opens in his broad smile and punches me in the arm. Sitting down in the library after our conversation was surprisingly uplifting. I guess there is something about being single and not having to worry about looking like I have cheated on anyone.
The next day I head to Snape's office so I could hand in my Electives form. I found him hunched over his desk as usual unfairly marking someone's homework. He either doesn't hear me walk in or he just doesn't acknowledge it so I plonk my form right on top of his desk so I could be out as soon as possible.
He picks it up, scanning it quickly and without even looking up at me he hands it back saying "you're not doing Muggle Studies."
"Why not?"
He puts his quill down and leans back in his chair with a serious look on his face. "Slytherins don't do Muggle Studies."
"I should be allowed to learn about where my mother came from and about the world around us."
"It's never been done and it's going to stay that way," He says going back to his work.
"You are dismissed, unless you want detention for a week."
"Unbelievable," I mutter storming out of the room. I don't change my class choices in defiance and just post it to him. He can take that and suck it, the last class I'm taking is Divination.
I didn't forget the conversation for a few weeks and then it was time for the next Quidditch match. Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff. Cedric, Fred, and George were busy with Quidditch practice for several days in a row, never really eating or sleeping. I took this time to study in my blissful corner in the library, I had managed to finally finish all my homework that had been piling up and do some readings for the next class. On the day of the Quidditch match I decided to do some reading in the library before having to go and 'socialize' with people. I was reading a moldy version of Handbook of Do-It-Yourself Broom Care when Hermione bustles past in a fluster. I hear her mumbling in the isle beside mine. I sigh, close my book, and head over to see if she wanted my help. I see her bending over a table, intently reading a book.
"Hermione?" I say walking towards her. She jumps, letting out a squeak.
"Oh it's just you." She says in relief. I notice her holding a mirror in one hand which seems odd for a library of all places. She turns back to the large book and then rips out a page.
"What are you doing?" I quietly say, trying not to draw Madam Pince in our direction.
"It's the answer to all the people being petrified." I just go with it hoping she will explain later. We turn to go when we here a noise making us stop in our tracks.
"Rose close your eyes." She demands taking her mirror. I do as I'm told not knowing what to do. I hear her move around next to me, then I feel this chill go down my back as if some idiot has opened a window.
"Is it ok to open my eyes yet?" I whisper trying to listen for her. "Hermione? You still here?" I open my eyes and let out a scream.
She was standing in front of me looking like an ornament. It isn't long before Madam Pince rushes over. She shouts something and then a wisp of white cloud shoots out of her wand down the hall. Madam Pince takes my arm leading me away. I don't make it far before I collapse from the shock. I see Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore rush past towards Hermione. They then levitate her out of the library taking her to the hospital wing. Madam Pince picks me up and starts dragging me after them, my legs barely holding me up. I barely notice us arriving at the hospital wing till I'm lying on the bed. I look around the room and I see Hermione, lying in the same pose as before, across the room. Looking back at the ceiling I try to calm myself down from having a breakdown. My body starts shaking so I close my eyes, only to see her standing there in that still frozen pose from the library.
"Rose," shouts George rushing to my side. "I heard what happened, are you ok?" I nod slowly confused to why he was by himself.
"Where's Fred?" I ask quietly.
"He's with Lee working on a new prank," he says agitated. Madame Pomfrey walks over with a disgusting looking potion.
"This will help with the shock," she says placing it in my cold hand. I smile a thanks as she leaves, peering into the cup I notice it's a moss green color in a sludge like form. I pull a face at it as I sniff it.
"It will help," George says sitting on the bed next to me. Pinching my nose I chug it down in one go. I sit up gagging as it tasted like dirt and vomit blended together with some curdled milk. The potion worked fast but was awfully drowsy. The shaking stopped and my eyes got heavy. I heard Madame Pomfrey come over telling George I could go whenever I wanted and then all of a sudden I was being carried. I quickly realized it was George leading me out of the wing. He smelled of gun powder, wet grass, and cologne. I clung to him feeling safe in his arms, knowing he would keep me safe. I quickly fell asleep in his warm embrace and the regular pace he held as we walked down the corridor. Not that much later I felt myself in a bed and blankets. I don't complain so I fall back to sleep. I was so tired I even thought I felt a slight kiss on my forehead as I drifted into the abyss.
I woke up with a fright to loud angry voices. My heart races as I try to figure out where I am. The bed is red and gold instead of green and silver. It's also a lot lighter and warmer than the normal dark, misty feeling if the dungeons. Well at least I know for certain that I'm not in my bed, but wait where am I? I sat up trying to listen to the argument going on just outside the door.
"George, this is against school rules!"
"Screw the rules for all I care!"
"I'm getting Professor McGonagall" I heard Percy say.
"Bloody hell Percy," Fred shouted at him.
"If you don't fix this now George, then I'm going to be a beater down for the match,"
"The last thing on my mind right now is Quidditch."
"She's a Slytherin!" Oliver shouted before I heard loud stomping away.
"Is all this trouble really worth it over one girl?"
"She's our friend Fred so yea it is." I hear them close the door engulfing the room in silence once more.
Well at least that explains where I am. Gryffindor house. The enemy. I'm going to be in so much shit if word gets out where I am. I wait about ten minutes before deciding to creep out of the bed, I figured everyone would have gone to the Quidditch match. Pulling back the drapes surrounding the bed I am welcomed to Quidditch posters everywhere. I couldn't see one bit of wall in their room that wasn't displaying the moving poster of teams. I could see a bit of conflict with the Chudley Cannons and the Holyhead Harpies After I had recollected myself, I opened the door causing I huge creak. I cringe at the noise hoping no one was left. I manage to walk down the spiral staircase quietly enough until I get to the common room. I see the portrait door and beeline for it not noticing the current people on the couch.
"Rose, you're awake," George calls over to me. I stop in my tracks and look over at them. It was Fred, George, and lee all sitting on the couch in from of the fire.
"Why aren't any of you at the game? You're both kind of key players?"
"Professor McGonagall cancelled the game because of Hermione," Fred replies. It all comes back in a rush, the frozen statue of Hermione, the quick rush to the hospital wing, and the drowsiness.
"Why did you bring me hear?" I ask starting to panic. They all look at each other.
"You were half conscious. I couldn't just dump you outside the Slytherin common room."
"Do you know how much shit I'm going to be in if anyone finds out that I'm here?" I shout.
"Rose calm dow-" Fred starts.
"Don't tell me to calm down when-" I shout.
"Leave now than before anyone come in and sees, go back to your precious Slytherins," George sneers.
"You're unbelievable," I say walking towards the door. Before I even make two steps towards it the portrait door swings open with a pile of Gryffindors streaming in too.
They all notice me immediately (more like the green and silver that I wear) and give me looks of disgust. Some rush to their rooms but most of them just stand there and gap at me. The fear picks up under my skin, who knows how fast this will spread. I push through the crowd which slowly parts for me to make it out the door. Running down the hall as fast as my feet could take me, I go to the hospital wing to visit Hermione. I find Harry (still in his Quidditch gear) and Ron sitting by her with Professor McGonagall.
"Rose Grey! You should be in your house, you too Potter and Weasley. Come along," she barks escorting us out. She leads me with the others to the Slytherin common room entrance, they wait till I'm in the door before leaving. Luckily not a lot of people were in the room and those who were just pretended like I wasn't there. I scurried into my room and spotted a notice pinned to the door. It said "all students will return to their house common rooms by six o'clock in the evening. No student is to leave the dormitories after that time." It went on for two rolls of parchment. I sit down on my bed worried about what I will do. I'm now stuck here from six every day. The door bangs open making me jump but it was only Pansy and Daphne. They sneer at me as they go to their beds talking about the new attacks.
The next day at breakfast I didn't eat much. I look over at the Gryffindor table and notice Fred and George looking over at me. Lucian blocks my view as he sits in front of me. Two more boys sit on either side of me, the beaters off the team but I don't remember their names. "Everyone is talking about what you did Grey," Lucian sneers.
"Sod off, I don't care if everyone is talking about it," I spit back at him. One of the guys clenches his fists next to me.
"You're going to get what's coming to you eventually," he says getting up.
"I'll be waiting," I call after them as they leave the hall. Well I have just dug myself a grave. Fred and George walk over and sit where Lucian just was.
"What was that about?"
"It looked like he was not too happy when he left?"
"It's nothing," I mumble. They both look at each other.
"We can help you know," they say in unison helping themselves to bacon. I look down the table and see that fellow Slytherins were sneering at me, and the twins.
"There is nothing you can do that will help with what you have done," I snap leaving the table. Adrian chases after me as I storm out of the hall.
"Leave me alone," I sneer turning towards him. "I don't need your advice." He goes red with embarrassment and anger.
"Quidditch meeting. Now," He says fuming. I roll my eyes but follow him any way to the Quidditch pitch. When we arrive, everyone is waiting for us in the tent. Adrian pushes me forward.
"Not the face, I don't want Snape to find out," Adrian says to Lucian. "Got it?"
"Yea got it." He says with a sly smile. I'm getting confused as I watch Adrian leave the tent. The beaters from before grab both my arms awfully hard dragging me to the center of the group.
"I've been waiting a long time for this," Lucian sneers cracking his knuckles. He punches me in the stomach causing me to double over in pain. I get a few kicks here and there from others before it stops. Lucian bends down to my face.
"We are a laughing stock because of you," he says. I sit up and spit in his face.
"You are a laughing stock all by yourselves," I say through the pain. He wipes his face and then punches me in the jaw.
"I want you to tell me where your loyalties lie?" He says looking at his raw knuckles.
"Well right now I would say not Slytherin," I pant. "I don't think you can blame me." He stands up and nods to the others. I get more kicks.
"Where do your loyalties lie?" He asks down on me.
"Slytherin," I whisper. "Just leave me alone." Lucian smiles and kneels to me.
"You better get this cleaned up before any one sees it," he says stroking my jaw. He then grabs my face causing me to cry out in pain. "If anyone finds out then I will personally come and find you." He let's go of my face. They all start to leave. "Oh and I don't want you associating yourself with those blood traitors," he calls back to me. "Or they will be next."