Quillian: Hear, hear. But Marietta has not yet begun to cause trouble. Thanks for the review.:)
Chaos666: You're right, there is a way, and soon someone of wit and learning will come upon the clue. Marietta gets worse with every chapter, a natural leader, and very evil girl. Very grateful for the review.
Froggie2: Yes she is that a great review. I love to get readers pissed off at Marietta. Thanks:)
EnlightenedKing: I really appreciate the long reviews, it let's me know almost exactly how the story's hitting you. Well Harry's still going to be a bit of a jerk, but he's going to be driven to it. Don't really blame him, as much as Marietta Edgencombe. Thanks also for letting me know that I'm doing okay in my writing about Cho's self esteem problem. It was lightly hinted at in Order of the Phoenix but I wanted to bring it up a level. Fiona will go to Hogsmead with Harry, but Cho will not know that he is going with her. I can't tell you more about it just now. Thanks again for the words of encouragement.
asherbcool: Thanks for posting a review. Yes I was just about to have Harry show his stuff in Defense against Dark Arts class. I didn't want everyone to thank that I was making him a wuss, because Marietta was always getting the upper hand. But Marietta uses intelligence to achieve her goals, not physical skill. That said, she is faster in pulling out the wand. Thanks for the review. I look forward to your next one.
Hello again everyone. Well this chapter was very disturbing to write. It really made me sick to write all that stuff, especially since all the physical features that Cho possess are ones that I like the most. Example: Almond Shaped eyes, button nose, olive completed skin. I had to put myself in a racist mind, and it's nowhere I want to be yuck! Anyway… this is a really disturbing chapter, be warned.
Chapter 31: Ambush!
Cho was finally starting to feel a bit better. She was still hungry, but she had almost finished her transfiguration homework. Marietta and Danielle both walked into the library, and each casually grabbed a random book from the shelf, not even stopping to look at the title, and each sat by Cho, Marietta next to her on her left, and Danielle across from Marietta. Cho looked up surprised, but both seemed to be ignoring her. Odd was the fact that all the other tables were empty, so why were they sitting by her? She didn't want to talk to them, so decided that if she ignored them that they would leave her alone. Marietta smiled at Danielle. "Oh Danielle, I found out how chincks get their last names. Would you like to know how?" Marietta said innocently. Cho made a small gasping sound, but the two ignored her.
"Yes, I always did wonder how those slopes got such stupid names. How do they pick them Marietta?" Danielle asked in a sweet voice that was as far from her character as possible lately. Cho bit her tong, clenched her fist, and started putting her books in her backpack, still not saying a word.
"Well it's really simple, you see. They take a bunch of pents, and throw them on the top of a pot. Whatever sound it makes that's what they name them. You know… Ching…" Marietta's smile widened, and she slowly said each word for emphasis, to let them sink in. "…Chong…" Marietta turned slightly towards Cho, and said more harshly "…Chang!" Marietta slowly finished as both girls laughed sadistically. Cho lowered her head, and closed her eyes. She looked up at Marietta.
"Stop making fun of me. I didn't do anything to you two." Cho said half angry, and half hurt. Marietta's face suddenly turned one of mock surprise. She gave a gag sound.
"Hump! Excuse me, was I talking to you. Maybe you should mind your own business, and stop butting into other people's conversation. Were here to study. And you're sitting at our table, and fouling it up. Blood traitor!"
"You can have it." Cho said, resisting the urge to smack Marietta and Danielle, and chose to finish putting up her books, and move to another table instead. Cho had settled to one further away. Taking out both a potions book and her book on Brest cancer, each with a book mark set to a specific point. She opened them and began to read, promising herself that she would smack the gruesome twosome if they bothered her again. Cho took out a piece of parchment, and a quill, and began to write down what she would need to mix some particular potions. She would have to go to the potions mistress to ask for permission to do experiments later. Suddenly she felt two people sat on either side of her. Cho's fist balled up ready to strike.
"I thought I fucking told you two to…" Cho stopped in mid sentence when she realized that it was her friend Ian Lewis, and a Gryffindor girl that Cho knew only in passing as Lori, something. "Oh, I'm sorry Ian, I thought you were…" Cho started but was cut off.
"You know Cho, we were wondering, Lori and I, why you never eat in the Great Hall with the other students anymore? I mean, is it because they don't serve rice and cat at every meal?" Ian said maliciously, with a hateful look on his face. Cho's jaw dropped, and she could hardly believe her ears.
"Ca… cat? Ian what are you talking about?" Cho asked not sure what he meant. Lori Sanchez rolled her eyes.
"Oh come on, everyone knows that's all you people from China, ever eat. Rice and cats. You probably use them in your restaurants, and sell them to us, as beef.
"I'm from Scotland, and I don't eat cat!" Cho shouted, and began to tear up. Suddenly Pansy Parkinson walked up to the table.
"Oh don't be too hard on the stupid gook; after all it's got to be a tough job for her to eat with us. I mean she's got to be at a loss without chopsticks, probably too embarrassed to let people see that she has to eat everything with her hands." Pansy said, as she watched Cho start to sob with a content smile on her face. Cho reached a shaky hand for her wand, and raised it, as another student parted the crowd now gathering around her.
"Now, now, what's going on here, what are all of you doing to this poor girl?" the Gryffindor student asked. He looked at Cho. "Are you okay?" He asked. Cho was still sobbing. She looked up at the boy that seemed concerned.
"They said… they said…" Cho choked out. The boy put a hand on her shoulder, which made her jump.
"Now, now, I don't think that you want to go around blasting people with wands, do you?" He said in a soothing voice. "Now just let me take the wand, and I'll take care of every thing, I think you might hurt someone with that." He said calmly. Cho shook her head, holding on to her wand tight, with tears falling from her eyes. "Oh come on now, I promises that we can resolve this without wands, just hand it to me, and everyone else will put there wands away as well." He said. Cho looked around, and everyone else in the room defendant had their wands pointed at her. She looked up at the boy again, a little scared. He smiled at her, and held out his hand for the wand. "Trust me." He smiled. Cho put her wand in his hand, and he casually handed it to Marietta Edgencombe. Cho's knees buckled and she tried to speak, but couldn't for shock of what had just happened. The boy looked at her with pity. "God Marietta, you were so right this is the most useless naive blood traitor that I've ever seen. Now someone was saying that you were too good to eat with the other students. Well that would be true it the students were, mudbloods, and you didn't associate with them. But you're a mudblood loving git." The boy said. Marietta stepped forward. She began to speak in a girlish, sarcastic tone.
"Now, Now, dear Devin. Cho has a perfectly good reason for having to do her work here. After all… her marks last year were shit! But… I suppose that that's to be expected when when you have slits like that for eyes. I'm surprised that you don't need a Seeing Eye dog, and a white cane to get around this school." Marietta said with a devious smile. Then Devin put his forefingers to the back of his eyes, and began to push the skin back.
"Rook every one I Cho Chink, I do your randry, that all I good for, you rike me to cook you a nice juicy cat?" Devin said in a mock, bad Chinese accent that made everyone in the room, except Cho laugh. Cho remembered that the librarian and a Gryffindor boy were in the back. Didn't they hear this? She thought. Suddenly Marietta grabbed Cho by the collar, and pushed her against the wall.
"Listen bitch… we were friends once… so I'll forgive you. Here's what you're going to do. Your going to stop hanging out… with those stupid… mudblood… filth… and start hanging out… exclusively… with better people, like us. Understand?" Marietta finished her voice full of hate. Cho could barley see Marietta through her tears, she was scared because everyone in the room, was against her, and everyone in the room was pointing wands at her, and she was hurt because they were calling her names, most of witch she had never heard before. Cho reached out with all she had for her next words, as she looked Marietta in the eyes, with determination. "Marietta… fuck you!" she said as she punched Marietta in the stomach, with all her power. The hit knocked the wind out of Marietta and she fell to the floor, but then the girls in the group took there turns at Cho with vicious jabs to the stomach. Cho was punched by the girls until she collapsed on the floor, and then was viciously kicked while she was down. They all angrily shouted two words at her over and over again. "Blood Traitor! Blood Traitor! Blood Traitor!" as she curled up with her hands over her head, to avoid getting kicked in the face.Finally after Marietta recovered, she shouted for everyone to stop! She then approached Cho's shaking crying body, raised her wand, and shouted a healing charm. The burses, and blood instantly went away, and Marietta pulled Cho to by the collar again to face her. "Don't ever do that again. Your wounds are now healed, but the experience is still in your memory. Were not going to hurt you again after today. Well… not physically anyway. Next time… ha… next time, it's going to be your mudblood friends. I mean it Cho. You side with us. Or they will suffer." Marietta said in an almost whispered tone. Although her burses healed almost instantly, Cho still felt the pain from the beating, and the hurt from the names that she was called, and the things that were said about her hurt even more. Cho tried to speak, but Marietta put a single finger to her lips. "Uh uh, no. Don't give us an answer just yet. Chew it over first. Think about those who will suffer. Hummm. Oh and One last thing. You shouldn't make trouble in the library anymore. I mean… look at all the witnesses I have that you start stuff here all the time. One in particular…" Marietta said, and turned towards the back of the library and shouted. "Oh Miss…!" Could you come here for a second?" Marietta shouted, and then turned to Cho with a knowing grin. To everyone's surprise the Libran walked out of her office and stopped beside Marietta.
"Marietta what are you doing? I thought you said that she wasn't here? Now were all in trouble." Lori Sanchez said nervous. Marietta simply smiled and looked at Cho.
"Oh Miss… could you please tell Miss Chink that she shouldn't harass hardworking students like us that are trying to bring our marks up. I mean… it's hard to concentrate in the library, with all her trouble making going on." Marietta said in a girlish voice. Cho looked up at the librarian not able to say a word. The librarian, Mrs.…, was always very kind to Cho, but now she bore down into Cho with dagger eyes.
"Miss Chang, I am sick and tired of you always causing trouble in this library. You are not permitted in this library again. And you should be ashamed of yourself, for always making trouble. Now why don't you just leave, and study somewhere else from now on." She stated with an aire of authority.
"What? Mrs. You know that I don't do anything bad here… they all…." Cho started, wondering if this was all a nightmare, but was cut off by the librarian.
"Maybe you should just go back to China, and study. But get out of here now. She said sternly. Cho was in tears again, and going out of her mind.
"Miss… please… why are you doing this?" Cho pleaded.
"You just shouldn't have been a blood traitor miss Chang. Your own fault. Now get out of My library, you slant-eyed, flat nosed, dirty skinned gook." She shouted.
Suddenly something in Cho broke down. She slowly stood up, and walked over to get her book bag. She passed several stunned members of Marietta's gang, who were standing slack jawed at seeing the librarian take there side. As she walked to the door Devin Smith put her wand in her pocket. She continued to walk to the door, and found it locked. Someone gave an unlocking charm, and Cho slowly looked to see that it was her "friend" Ian. Cho looked at him with hurt in her eyes that caused him to look away in shame. Cho had never known him to be racist, and they had always been good friends. She had even helped tutor him, and helped him bring up his marks a few years ago. He couldn't look her in the eyes now. His lines said, he could speak no more. Cho opened the door, and walked out of the library toward the Ravenclaw tower. She was in a daze, and shaking as she walked.
There were mixed reactions as Cho left, but almost everyone was boisterous. Ian was almost crying as he asked Marietta if all this was absolutely necessary, Devin Smith seemed to be proud of himself, Pansy Parkinson was congratulating herself, and Marietta stood quietly at the table Cho had just sat at holding a book that she had left behind. Marietta read the title again.
"Alright shut up the lot of you. Everyone out! I need to get rid of the evidence in private. We'll take this discussion up at the next meeting. The students began to file out of the library toward the great hall. Marietta stopped Lori Sanchez before she left.
"We need to talk. Tonight. Astronomy tower. Make it one o'clock" Marietta said in a monotone voice, with an unreadable expression on her face.
"Okay, what about?" Lori asked.
"Just be there. Now go." Marietta said, and she watched her leave down the hall. Marietta then locked the door shut, and moved to the center of the room. She looked at the librarian. "Hurry up, we don't have much time." She said. The librarian nodded and went back to her office. Marietta then pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket, read it, and put it back. She concentrated really hard, and waved her wand around. She shot blue beams around the library, reciting several spells that took her fifteen minutes to finish. Once done she turned to see Semis Finnigan standing beside her.
"Got what you wanted?" He asked. Marietta looked at the book that she had, in her hand, and read the title once more: The Oxford Cancer Institute: Advanced Brest Cancer Treatment Medical Files Volume 5 "I'm not sure yet. But I have something." She said in an unreadable voice. "The librarian?" she asked.
"Asleep at her desk. Had a hell of a time getting her clothes back on her." Semis said.
"Let's get out of here." Marietta finished. And the two of them started to the great hall.
Harry Potter had just finished sighing autographs, and was very grateful that so many students still wanted it. Gone was the arrogance of before, this was supposed to be a way for him to make new friends, and he made sure to speak to, and thank everyone who came up too him, especially the few Hufflepuffs that did. He was also feeling more confident, when Fiona Shaw walked up too him for another autographed picture, and he asked her out to Hogsmead on the spot. She was elated and screamed yes at the top of her lungs. They sat a time to leave, and she hugged him, thanked him and then ran off to tell her friends that she had been asked out by The Harry Potter! Harry looked over to see Ron setting at the Ravenclaw table with Padma Patel, they were holding hands, and looking at each other intimately. IT surprised Harry, as he thought that Ron might have been with Luna Lovegood instead. But he remembered that Ron didn't want to be committed to anyone, and was just dating Luna, not committed to her either. Harry wondered what Hermione would think of that, and stood up and looked for her. He saw her speaking to Michel Corner, a Ravenclaw boy that had dated Ginny Weasley the previous year, and then past them saw two other students enter the great hall, Marietta Edgencombe and Semis Finnigan. They stopped against the wall, and began talking. The two of them were holding hands, and looking at each other intensely. Harry heard a voice behind him.
"Hey Harry can I get another picture?" Colin asked. Harry sighed.
"Not now Colin. You've gotten enough." Harry said politely.
"Please Harry? Just one more so I can finish the roll?" Colin pleaded.
"Okay. Just one more." Harry said. Harry struck a hero pose with his hands on his sides, and his head looking up, as Colin snapped the picture. Colin thanked him, and then went to go see his brother at the other end of the table. Harry looked back to see Marietta leaving the great hall, and Semis going with her. Harry remembered that fort the past couple of nights that Semis seemed to be sneaking off at night. Once Harry had asked him who he was going to see, and Semis replied that he was going to see Miss Biznezz. First name, Nunya. So Harry Had dropped the questions, getting the sarcasem about Miss Nunya Biznezz. But now he guessed that he knew who she was. What was Semis thanking? Harry thought. He picked up his books, and headed to Defense against Dark Arts class, today being held at the Quidditch pitch. He wondered why. On his way to the outside of the castle Harry walked by the library lately in hopes of seeing Cho. He walked by and looked in the open door expecting to see her deep into her studies. But she wasn't there. No one was. Just missed her, he thought. He would go and see her at dinner, tonight, he thought, and continued out the castle to the pitch.