=.=
WALK THE LINE
Harry x OC
'for those that don't feel wanted.'
Chapter 13: The Company That We Keep
Song Choice: Diagon Alley Ambience
Sarah had never been a large fan of Diagon Alley.
She'd only ventured there on occasion with Maggie, and the Sallows, but it never escaped her notice how busy the place was. She decidedly didn't enjoy crowds. At least in school she was relatively the same height as most of the population. Here, she was short by comparison; swallowed by the masses. Despite growing over the past year, and being exceptionally tall as it was, Sarah was still annoyingly shorter than some of the boys. Cerus, who was going to be tall like his father, never let her forget it, grinning down at her any chance he got. He felt tempted to lean his arm on her head, like he did his significantly shorter sister, but second guessed that choice after remembering who he was dealing with. He was only a few inches taller, but that small advantage was something to hold over Sarah's head, so it would seem.
Maggie had planned to spend the day with Atlas, and so the Sallows and the Wilkinson/Williams households met in Diagon Alley to collect the children's things and also enjoy each other's company. Atlas and Maggie chittered away as the group wandered the shops, but Sarah spent the entire time looking around for short black-haired boys with dazzling green eyes. Today had been the scheduled day, but she supposed they never spoke about a time. Perhaps she had missed the Weasleys and Harry already?
"Oh, hello Sarah." A timid voice called out from the crowd. The blonde turned, looking down at none other than Hermione Granger approaching. Sarah nodded, eyes softening some from the resting witch face she often wore when in a crowd. The corners of Hermione's mouth lifted when she noticed the change in expression.
"Hello Hermione. How have you been?" Sarah asked, being polite. Cerus chuckled, noticing the tone she used. A subtle kick to his shin made the boy back off. Selene groaned to her brother about him being a menace before she also greeted the frizzy-haired second year. Hermione said her hello, looked over her shoulder for something, then back at the group.
"It's been good! Mum and Dad are always a bit spooked coming here, but I find it enthralling really." Hermione then looked back once again to a couple standing awkwardly by the register to a shop, talking over a list with the cashier who patiently guided them.
"Hm," Sarah wasn't sure what to say to that. Thankfully Maggie came up to her, greeting Hermione warmly.
"Hello there! Are you one of Sarah's friends?" Maggie asked, practically glowing. Hermione hesitated, her soft brown eyes roaming to Sarah, then back as she smiled, shaking Maggie's outstretched hand.
"Hello, I'm Hermione Granger. Yes, I'm a friend of Sarah's." Hermione's eyes glimpsed at Sarah briefly, then felt more confident as she saw Sarah give the slightest of nods. "Pleased to meet you, ma'am."
Maggie was positively glowing.
"What a kind young lady! I'm Magenta Wilkinson, but please, call me Maggie. I'm Sarah's guardian. I've heard quite a bit about you from Sarah." The last comment surprised Hermione, but also caused her smile to widen ever so slightly as Sarah looked away from them. She pretended to see something in the distance, but her ears were pink at the tips. Over Sarah's shoulder, Cerus scoffed.
"Sarah? Making friends?" He taunted. The blonde didn't move, sans a twitch in her left cheek.
"At least I don't have to hold tryouts." She countered flatly. Maggie turned to them both.
"Can't you two just stay hushed for five minutes? Honestly, you Slytherins think pretty high of yourselves." Maggie jeered, surprising Hermione. Cerus whispered something in Sarah's ear, making her eyes turn skyward, as if praying for some divine intervention. When Cerus stepped away to harass his sister, Maggie ushered them all to meet Hermione's parents.
Meetings had never been Sarah's forte. She knew how to remain polite, mostly from Maggie's teachings, but she wasn't game for meeting new people all the time. As if sensing this, Maggie ushered Sarah and Hermione to continue on with their shopping. Within five minutes she was offering to help the Grangers find all their magical needs. She insisted on being their guide, which the Grangers accepted graciously as Atlas stepped up to help them carry their things.
"Maggie is very kind and bubbly." Hermione said.
"She is," Sarah agreed. Then, after a beat of silence, Sarah added. "She also knows half the bloody wizarding community."
Hermione giggled, thinking that Sarah would find this sort of thing annoying, considering she wasn't a people person herself. Still, when Hermione looked up at Sarah, there was a certain fondness in her eyes still. Something only Harry, and apparently Magenta Wilkinson, could coax out of the young girl. It was quite charming when her eyes weren't so guarded.
"What supplies do you still need?" Hermione asked. Sarah hummed, pulling out her list. "I still have to stop at Flourish and Blotts- oh Ron and Harry said they would be here today. Have you seen them?"
To her surprise, Sarah tensed, but then forcibly relaxed. The muggleborn witch would be unaware that the last time Sarah saw Harry was behind a barred window. The memory still soured in her head. However, the thought of seeing her best friend again after almost a month apart was a wonderful feeling.
Sarah nodded, looking back to find the rest of their group wandering to another store. It didn't deter Sarah, however, as she noticed that Atlas and Maggie were explaining brooms to the Grangers. Sarah let a tiny smile lift to her lips. Perhaps Hermione would be leaving with a new broom today, even if she didn't want one.
"Harry said they'd be here, but I didn't catch a time." Sarah explained as the duo entered Flourish and Blotts. The shop was horribly busy, far busier than any others in the area. It appeared to be crammed full of middle-aged witches and uninspired youths. Sarah noticed the man that everyone appeared to be staring at. He reminded her of a peacock, preened and posing for the camera.
"Oh it's him! It's Gilderoy Lockhart!" Hermione cooed. Sarah raised a brow, not familiar with the name. "He's the author of all our books, you know!"
He was? This was news to Sarah. However, considering all of his preening, she couldn't imagine his books to be particularly noteworthy. Next to him, however, was a rather startled looking young boy. His dazzling green eyes were wide as photos were snapped of him. Sarah bit back a smirk, her eyes catching several red heads in the crowd.
"Think we found Harry." Sarah said, a lilt in her voice as she felt relief wash over her. Hermione either didn't hear her, or simply said nothing as she rushed forward with the crowd of witches. Getting to Harry would take immense effort, and it wasn't like Sarah was in a particular hurry. She could wait, for now, until Harry was done being in the spotlight. Sarah wouldn't mind teasing him about it.
'Well,' Sarah thought, 'might as well get my books.'
She found the shiny books listed in her school supplies list stacked high in the corner, frowning as she looked at all the covers. More glittering, fancifulness, and preening. Sarah hoped beyond anything that their defense against the dark arts professor wasn't going to make them read this. Perhaps they would learn Confringo officially and set it on fire instead.
"Waiting on Weasley and Potter are you?" A slimy voice said from within the shop. Sarah knew it was Malfoy without setting eyes on the boy. She ignored him, stacking all the books, along with a few small note books, into her arms. As she turned, however, Malfoy was right there. He shoved them from her hands. Initially, Sarah didn't react, she stared at her empty arms for a moment. Then, with great reluctance, her eyes drifted up to the inbred boy. He stood as tall as her, glaring daggers in her direction. Her eyes narrowed, hardly any reaction, or emotion, which infuriated Draco even more.
"Heard you burned our last professor, WIlliams," Malfoy said in a lower voice, eyes narrowing. "What are you going to do to Lockhart? Send him back in a match box?"
"There'll be enough room for you, Malfoy." Sarah assured in a calm voice; her ring finger stung. He was so close, right in her space. She wanted to shove him away, disliking how her space was invaded. To her surprise, a tall man appeared behind him, whacking the boy with his cane.
"Behave, Draco," he scolded. Draco Malfoy touched the back of his head, but clearly the whack was more for show than real punishment. Draco backed away, giving his father a direct view into Sarah's eyes. The tall man looked down his nose at Sarah. "There is no need to taunt Muggleborns. They are already at the bottom of the barrel."
'This has to be his father,' Sarah thought. He was just as slimy as Draco. Sarah stared up at the man, noticing the way he narrowed his gaze at her. Sarah stepped up to him, rising her chin. Her blood still boiling from his son's commentary.
"Bottom of the barrel?" Sarah snapped. At least she wasn't scraping the bottom of the gene pool.
As she thought this, a hand caught her shoulder. Sarah tensed, ready to fight, but then the familiar smell of Maggie's perfume enveloped her. Sarah remained vigilant as her guardian stood beside her.
"Ah, Lucius Malfoy. How horrible to see you." Maggie greeted in her usual cheery voice. Lucius' lip curled as he locked eyes with Magenta.
"Am I expected to know you?" Lucius asked. Maggie chuckled, confident despite her shorter stature. Sarah was almost as tall and her, and Lucius stood a whole foot above them.
"Of course not, that would mean you didn't buy your way into the ministry." Maggie assured. The Malfoy's both snarled, but before anything could be said, a tall man with red hair appeared, smiling at Maggie.
"Magenta! It's been too long!" He called, shortly sensing the atmosphere and gleaning why. The two tall men faced each other.
"Hello Arthur, we were just about to-" Lucius cut Maggie off, smirking at the other man.
"Well, well, well — Arthur Weasley." He said, looking down his nose and looking ridiculous to Sarah. He thought awfully high of himself simply because he had nice clothing and inbreeding in his genes.
"Lucius," said Mr. Weasley, nodding coldly.
"Busy time at the Ministry, I hear. All those raids. I hope they're paying you overtime?" There was a silence in which Sarah took in the site of several other redheads. The twins, Ron, a little girl, and Harry all began to congregate in the area. Lucius scoffed, seeing their dirty faces and messy attire. "Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"
Mr. Weasley's face darkened.
"We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy," he said.
"Clearly," said Mr. Malfoy, his pale eyes straying to Mr. and Mrs. Granger, who were watching apprehensively. Something flared to life inside of Sarah even before he spoke. "The company you keep, Weasley, and I thought your family could sink no lower —"
A large stack of books as high as the ceiling crashed down over Lucius' head. Maggie pulled Sarah backwards as everyone jumped out of the way. The frizzy-haired witch looked down at her charge, noticing the glare on Sarah's face and the way she was playing with her ring.
"Dad!" Draco called, scrambling to dig his father out. There was laughter from Weasleys. Most of them at least. Ron, Fred and George were all jeering. A shy smile appeared on the little girl's face. Molly Weasley was livid as she yelled at all of her kin to get out before they could be kicked out.
Lucius Malfoy sprung out of the books, a stunned look on his face. His eyes went to Sarah, as if sensing the culprit. She didn't back down, looking down her nose at him with the faintest uplift of her lips, even as Maggie gripped her shoulder tighter. Sarah wasn't sure what Lucius saw in her eyes, but whatever it was, it made him call for his son and amble out of the shop with what little pride he had left. Sarah's eyes followed him, wanting to imagine his coat set on fire.
"Sarah Williams." Maggie said under her breath. She was upset with her, or maybe the situation. Sarah couldn't tell. In the mound of books were some of Sarah's, and her bag that Maggie had been holding. It laid abandoned in the pile until Sarah picked it up, assuring that there were still books in it, before Maggie hauled her outside. Sarah briefly saw the Sallows and the Grangers chatting together, Hermione's parents looking nervously at the entrance to the shop, before she was carted to a more secluded area.
"Sarah," Maggie began, looking all over her young charge. "Are you alright? Did anything hit you?"
"No, I'm okay." Sarah said, straight to the point. There wasn't any point in stalling for time when she knew the outcome. Maggie held her shoulders, staring into her eyes. Soft brown met hard grey.
"What did I tell you about wandless magic Sarah? We need to- you need to stop doing that. It's not a good habit." Maggie said, sounding disappointed. It had been the same when she heard Sarah tried to rip the bars off Harry's window. It had been interrupted by Vernon screeching at her from inside the house, broom in one hand and folding chair as a shield in the other, as he hid behind his wife. She sounded tired, like she'd said the same thing too many times.
Sarah bit her tongue, feeling hurt. Her magic had always been part of her. It was the one thing that was entirely hers. She couldn't truly share it, only show it. It felt like Maggie was scolding her about being herself. A curtain lifted then, one that Sarah had always kept out of the way ever since Maggie promised not to send her back to the orphanage. The frizzy-haired witch showed surprise at the neutral, guarded gaze that looked back at her.
"I apologize," Sarah said, eyes dull. "I won't do it again."
Monotonous, hidden, Sarah retreated. Maggie gently brushed a hand over Sarah's shoulder, not seeing any change in the girl.
"I know it's not fair," Maggie soothed. "You have this gift Sarah, and you want to use it. I understand."
She didn't, Sarah decided, but the blonde said nothing against her.
"Why are people like him allowed to act how they want?" Sarah asked, but gave nothing away to what she was thinking. Maggie pursed her lips, frowning.
"Bad people do not get away with things- don't interrupt me- Bad people seem like they get away with it, but there are other ways to take care of that sort of altercation." Sarah looked down, fingers clenching. Maggie saw no emotions fluttering across her eyes. She was shutting down.
"Sarah," a few moments passed, before she raised her gaze to Maggie. "What good is winning an argument, or a fight, if you have to sacrifice your own morals to win it?"
But that was inherently where Maggie saw different. To Sarah, her magic was simply her thoughts being freed. To Maggie, it was something to hide, be ashamed of doing. It was gutting to the girl, knowing full well that Maggie may love her, but she didn't accept her.
"Now, there's a little boy waiting for us to finish up. I would hate to keep him waiting." At Maggie's words, Sarah's eyes shot towards the group waiting nearby. Her eyes landed immediately on Harry, and a sliver of emotion came through. He beamed, racing over to her. Without thought of where they were, he threw his arms around her. More stiffly, and hesitantly, Sarah did the same.
"I missed you." Harry said, pulling back. The smallest of smiles lifted the corner of Sarah's lips then.
"Perhaps the feeling is mutual." She said carefully. Maggie scoffed at her, muttering about her aloof nature. Harry pulled her hand, tugging her over to the group of redheads all loitering in the street. Molly Weasley, it had to be her, smiled down at Sarah.
"Well! You must be Sarah. I've heard all about you." The woman said warmly. Sarah nodded, emotions frayed from all the excitement, but she forced a tiny polite smile. They shook hands, Sarah doing everything to keep a neutral expression.
"Pleasure, Mrs. Weasley." She said in return. She could hear Ron scoffing in the background, and immediately thought of how to lift her spirits. She looked at him, frowning.
"Are you going to insult me some more, Ronald?" Sarah asked, but from her tone Harry knew something was up. Too cordial, polite. Ron scoffed.
"Oh please! You're the one always coming at me all the bloody time!" Mrs. Weasley bristled as Sarah gave the perfect look of dejection.
"But you keep calling me a bird, and a pigeon." She said, knowing full well the youngest boy was too riled up to realize his mistake.
"That's because you are! Merlin you're-"
"RONALD WEASLEY!"
The fire in Ron's eyes died immediately as he slowly turned to his mother. Fear, and a good dose of regret, flooded his features as he was cowed. Molly pulled him aside, but they could faintly hear his ear being screamed off.
"Devious." The twins said in unison. Sarah's face returned to neutrality. She raised a brow at them, but said nothing as they grinned in acknowledgment before Fred spoke. "I think Mum's going to scream for a while longer, but it is getting late."
Sarah looked at Harry, who rolled his eyes at her antics, but smiled. The blonde looked over to Maggie, only to see her speaking with both the Sallows and Arthur. Cerus wandered over, smirking down at Sarah.
"Devious little one, you are. I could hear her from over there." He taunted. Sarah said nothing, growing tired of the day. He then turned to the twins as they mentioned quidditch. The three beaters talking amongst themselves.
She felt a tug on her hand and looked over to Harry. He gestured for her to follow, and the duo wandered off.
"I had been hoping to have more time with you, it's been a long while." Harry said as they separated hands. Sarah put hers in her pockets, feeling cold without his touch. Sarah hummed, a pinch of a smile on her lips.
"I know, probably the longest, well. No, last year when you found Weasley and Granger was a long time as well." He bumped her shoulder as she spoke, causing a smile to split her lips for a brief second.
"Was it you who tumbled the books?" Harry asked. Sarah gave a short nod. "Maggie looked upset. She wasn't upset at you, was she?"
Instantly, the mirth left her. A hard look crossed her eyes, a pang hit her gut. They were silent as Sarah formulated her response.
"She was disappointed in me." Sarah said quietly. They walked a little more, then she added on. "It always feels like- like she's ashamed I can do it."
"Maggie loves you." Harry insisted. Sarah swallowed. "She isn't ashamed of you. If anything, I imagine she just wants to make sure nothing happens to you."
"Like what? Like me jumping in front of a homicidal professor? Oh that will never happen, I assure you." Sarah snapped, voice dripping with sarcasm. Harry huffed. "She was livid, by the way. She was so angry she just stopped talking for a few days. I don't think she was angry at me though. Not for that one. I think she was furious at Dumbledore."
"Why?"
"Because he kept the stone at the school. Where he's responsible for hundreds of students every year. He purposefully put students in harm's way Harry. You said it yourself. He didn't come down immediately to get us. How is that a responsible adult?" Sarah pointed out. Harry frowned.
"You also said I either trust Dumbledore or I didn't based on my logic." He stopped, turning to look at Sarah as she did the same.
"I said that in reference to Snape. Just because you dislike something doesn't make it automatically the reason for all your problems." Sarah looked down at the boy who now stood a few inches shorter than her. "Besides, I never said I trusted Dumbledore."
Harry searched her eyes, finding a flicker of emotion in them. Sarah was telling the truth. While it didn't completely shock him, Harry had expected Sarah to at least put some faith in the man.
"It's different, you don't trust anyone, Sar." Harry retorted.
She frowned. "I trust you."
It was such an automatic reply that Sarah herself looked a bit startled. She swallowed, eyes widening a fraction. Harry couldn't help the large grin that slipped onto his lips. It put the girl at ease. His eyes flickered to the headband she still wore every time he saw her. It made a little stir inside his chest before he looked back at Sarah's beautiful grey eyes. Steel grey, so bright he wondered if he'd see them in pure darkness.
"Good." Harry said before he swallowed thickly.
"Come on you two love birds!" Cerus' voice drawled above the noise of the streets. Immediately, Sarah looked skywards, questioning her choice in friends.
Harry looked at the older boy. He was incredibly tall for a thirteen-year-old. He'd certainly be taller than his father by the time he was an adult. His voice was dropping, sometimes it cracked- something Sarah and Selene teased him relentlessly about- but there was a way about how he sauntered around. His tanned skin and freckled features belayed a boyish look to him, despite his sharp eyes and pronounced jaw. He didn't look gangly. Instead, he was rather broad. Harry would've easily mistaken him for being older than the twins.
"You sound jealous, Sallow." Sarah scoffed. Cerus' smirk widened, not backing down as he loomed over them both.
"Perhaps I am." He said, eyes glancing from Harry to Sarah again. Harry felt something stir once more, not liking how Cerus looked at his friend. Sarah huffed then, side stepping.
"Of course, I would hate to stand in your way." The corner of her mouth tugged up at Cerus' bewildered expression. Harry's eyes widened as he realized he'd been left for the wolves.
"Sarah!" Both boys shouted in broken unison. She gave a single, mocking laugh, then gestured for Harry to follow. He did, but not before seeing the easy sideways smile that slipped onto Cerus' face. Charmed, that's the look, Harry finally realized.
The trio wandered back, seeing the group had thinned significantly. Maggie waved them over on their approach.
"Harry, I hope you don't mind. I told Molly we would love to have you for the evening. We can return you to the Burrow either in the morning or tonight. Though I'm sure Sarah would love to spend as much time as she could with you." An olive branch, Sarah realized, that Maggie was extending to her. Sarah nodded, though her eyes didn't lose the spark that Harry had managed to put back in them.
Harry grinned. "A sleepover? Brilliant!"
The trio said their goodbyes to the Sallows next, Atlas inviting them over the next day, before making it home vis floo.
There was always something about Sarah and Maggie's home that Harry loved to see. The colours around the house were always yellow, green, silver, and black. A beautiful myriad of colours, Harry thought. Oddly enough, he enjoyed the lack of red and gold that came with Gryffindor. Sarah's room, was painted the same shade of green as Slytherin, with silver accents and dark oak furniture. It was old, subtle, and very much like Sarah. Her room was always tidy, except for one drawer that, according to Sarah, was the misfit drawer. Anything she couldn't find a place for was shoved unceremoniously into that drawer.
The rest of the house held deep oak furniture, with yellow and green accents that harmonized beautifully. Sunflower wallpaper coated the living room, along with green couches and yellow knitted blankets tossed over either couch.
Harry loved coming over, always feeling welcomed. Sarah enjoyed helping Maggie cook, even if she wasn't as good at it as her adoptive mother. Harry helped, the two children catching up on anything that had happened while they prepped food for Maggie. When they could do no more, they moved to the couches and spoke over some tea until supper was finished. It started with the main events, like Harry's harrowing escape- which Maggie pointedly ignored- all the way to the simplest of things, like what Harry had for breakfast.
It seemed like nothing was ever unspoken between them. Something Maggie noticed. While Sarah may not have been a talker, this past year had done good for Sarah. She had opened up more, especially to Harry.
When supper was finished, Maggie offered for them to make a fort with the couches. Despite her aloof personality, Sarah's eyes lit up at the idea, as did Harry's. The duo turned the couches so that the backs faced each other, stuffing blankets and pillows in between. They changed into night clo9thes, Sarah wearing a comfortable sweater as she often became cold, and Harry taking some clothing Maggie bought him a few weeks prior. She'd been hoping to give the kids this chance for a while, evening if it never came to fruition.
Maggie gave them some treats, stoking the fire and making sure they were comfortable for the evening before retiring to bed. She briefly reminded them that they needed to be up at a decent hour the next day. They were still talking, even as Maggie shut her door. Harry was, at least. Sarah listened, enjoying the sound of his voice. When the snacks were finished, and the fire was just embers, the two children finally laid to sleep.
Harry smiled as Sarah made herself comfortable. Sarah's eyes flickered to Harry's, just a foot away from hers. Perhaps it was the fatigue, or the safety she felt. Either way, Harry felt warmth in his chest when Sarah showed one of her rare, true smiles.
"Goodnight, Harry." Sarah said softly, as if afraid to break the magic. Harry copied her smile, eyes half-lidded.
"Good night, Sarah." He said, voice wavering as he slowly drifted off to sleep. Sarah sighed, settling in. Despite the inability to get comfortable, despite the cool ground making her shiver as the fire slowly died out, Sarah found herself falling asleep with that honest smile, feeling Harry's puffs of breath on her face.
It was, quite possibly, one of the best sleeps Sarah had in her entire life.
Hey y'all, thanks for reading.
I'm on a role man, this is thrilling. I never get this much going at once.
So I have CoS being 13 more chapters. That will be where this book ends. I'm so excited to write this next part and I really hope you guys enjoy it too. It'll be a lot of fun, and Sarah has some serious character growth to achieve in these next two years especially.
Admittedly, The fourth and fifth book are only... kinda mapped out? Like third year there is so much that I kinda got side-tracked on actually figuring out fourth. Anyway, I'm rambling, I hope you enjoyed!
Anyway, cheers.
Iland Girl.