Chap 18: Ravenclaw Problems
"I'm impressed that you are still sitting here honestly," Hermione said.
Harry and surprisingly Daphne, Tracey and Blaise were all sitting at the Gryffindor table together with Cho, Ron, Hermione, Neville and Luna. Harry and Daphne just broke the news of the confrontation between them and Malfoy's cronies, something that Cho felt immensely proud of Harry for.
"Honestly same, last year me would have probably attacked Malfoy and got into a lot more trouble, I guess Occlumency is really helping me with acting more rationally," Harry commented.
"Wait you are learning Occlumency?" Daphne asked, staring at Harry curiously.
"Yeah, McGonagall is teaching me, keep it down though, it's better if the whole school didn't know."
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Malfoy at the Slytherin table, glaring daggers at the group.
"We should all be more careful around the school from now on, Malfoy looks bloodthirsty," Cho said.
"Yeah agreed, try to stick around each other more, don't get caught alone, while he is pretty incompetent at duelling, his cronies will probably be able to overwhelm you if you are alone."
"You know Harry, this is probably a good reason for us to do what I suggested," Hermione said, leading to Harry groaning. Hermione had suggested the formation of a Defence club where Harry teaches everyone about defensive magic, hopefully preparing them for their exams and teaching them how to actually defend themselves.
"Hermione, you know I'm way too busy for this shit, the last thing I need is more responsibilities and to become a target of Umbridge because of this," Harry groaned.
"But this is very important Harry, and Umbridge can't actually get you into trouble for this, unless she passes another stupid Education Decree, though I don't see how she can convince others that this is necessary," Hermione retorted.
"Wait, what are you guys talking about?" Blaise asked.
"Hermione suggested the formation of a Defence Club where he would teach everyone defensive magic because Umbridge is way too incompetent to do it herself," Cho answered.
"You know what, that is a really good idea Hermione," Tracey said.
"Agreed," Daphne said, "If you teach us if Malfoy tries anything funny again, he will really regret it."
Harry looked at the group sourly, hoping that one would advise against it, before turning to Cho.
"You reckon I should do it?" He asked.
"Yes Zhu, it's actually a very good idea," Cho replied, Harry sighed and said.
"Fine, I would do it Hermione, but you will handle all the admin stuff, I'm really too busy for that."
"Fantastic, I will start asking others if they want to join, Daphne, if there are any Slytherins who are friendly and want to learn, you can invite them too," Hermione said, before dashing away, excited to get started.
"I don't understand why she wants to do this so much," Harry muttered under his breath.
"Well, she always has been passionate about doing things that bring about positive changes, rather noble actually," Cho replied, "Anyways, I gotta go, see you in the stands for the tryouts later."
Giving Harry a peck on his lips, she got up and left the group, heading off to her first of many classes that day.
"You guys are looking strong this year," Harry said.
"Well, not as strong as Gryffindor though, our chaser line is a little disappointing, Byron Bradley and Matt Chambers are good but they aren't Katie Angelina and Alicia level, and the replacement Lila Coil has potential but needs quite a lot of time, the reserves aren't any special either, the beaters, Harris Lyre and Jasper Rooks are pretty good but once again, not Fred and George good, our keeper Jordan Goldhorn looks on par with Ron," Cho listed, "I don't know, we look alright but against Gryffindor, if I don't get the snitch fast enough we are definitely losing."
"Thanks for telling me the win condition, not that I will need it," Harry said, with a smug look on his face.
"Prick, I will beat you this year, at least once."
"Well, thankfully we will face each other twice this year, I think we will be 1 2 in the championship this year, Slytherin looks good and bad at the same time, their chasers are surprisingly talented, Blaise looks like he can do damage while Pucey and Montague look mid at best as always, Malfoy isn't impressive as a seeker while Crabbe and Goyle are hopeless at aiming, Daniel Griffin looks decent at best, Hufflepuff on the other hand look rather abysmal as a whole."
"Agreed."
"Anyways, I should go complete my homework now before the patrols otherwise Hermione will murder me, see you tomorrow Cho," Harry said, kissing her before leaving.
Cho quickly debriefed her new teammates about the new training plan and took a nice shower before heading back to the common room. However, on her way back, she spotted Luna walking around the castle, seemingly searching for something, to make it more worrying, she did not have shoes on.
"Hey Luna, what are doing here without any shoes on," Cho asked.
"Hi Cho, I'm going around trying to find my shoes, someone must have hidden it somewhere," she replied, her smile wide and genuine.
"What!" Cho yelped, staring at her, "You are telling me that someone hid your shoes, in this weather?"
"It would seem so, I left it in the common room when I went to take a nap and now it's gone, someone probably hid it somewhere."
"Aren't your feet cold?" Cho asked worriedly.
"It is, unfortunately, I do have to find the pair of shoes before lessons tomorrow, I can't go to classes barefoot," Luna replied, somehow still not mad or troubled that people were hiding her shoes even though the weather was getting colder by the day. Cho stared at her in pity, how could anyone bully such an innocent and genuine girl?
"I will help you find it, do you want me to place a heating charm at your feet?"
"Oh that would be fantastic," Luna nodded. After a simple incantation, Luna sighed in relief, hurting Cho's heart even more, how long have she walked around the castle with freezing feet? She wondered.
"Come on Luna, let's go back to the common room and find your shoes."
"It's alright Cho, I can find it by myself, you don't have to go out of your way to help me," Luna said shyly.
"It's alright Luna, you are my friend after all, how can I not help you?" Cho asked, looking at her sadly, her heart definitely broken now.
"Come on, let's go and put an end to this."
Storming into the Ravenclaw common room, Cho immediately stormed straight to a 7th-year girl named Melissa Hearth, someone she knows as a toxic and egotistical girl and one of the bullies in Ravenclaw.
"HEARTH!" She shouted, startling the entire Ravenclaw common room, "WHERE IS LUNA'S SHOES!"
"Lower your voice darling, dating Harry Potter does not mean that you are a hotshot now," She smirked, resulting in a few uncomfortable laughs in the common room, while many wanted to stay on Hearth's good terms, many were terrified of Cho in that very moment, understandably so as she was always polite and quiet in the common room.
"For the last fucking time Hearth, where are Luna's shoes?" Cho snarled, glaring at Hearth menacingly.
"Who? Loony? Why would I know?" Hearth said, "You should ask Loony's friends, oh wait she doesn't have any."
"She has me," Cho snarled.
"Makes a whole lot of difference does it? Being friends with the new whore of the school," Hearth retorted.
"Oh it does," Cho whispered softly, "Because if you don't return her shoes, I will hex you into oblivion."
"Really? Last I check, you can't do anything without her boyfriend swooping in to save your yellow ass."
"Wanna test that theory?" Cho threatened, pulling out her wand, Hearth stood up at the same time, wand in her hand, ready to strike.
"STAND DOWN YOU 2!" the 7th-year perfect, Seth Sow yelled, running towards them.
"What on earth is going on here?" He asked, looking at Cho who was still glaring at Hearth.
"Perhaps I should ask all of you here!" Cho shouted, "Bullying Luna for all these years, hiding her shoes in this fucking weather!"
"Whoa whoa relax Cho," Sow said, "What are you talking about?"
"YOU DON'T KNOW DO YOU? MR PREFECT? AREN'T YOU MEANT TO WATCH OVER YOUR OWN HOUSE AND YOUR HOUSEMATES WELLBEING?" Cho yelled, anger now finally exploding.
"WHAT HAS LUNA DONE TO ANY OF YOU HERE, JUST BECAUSE SHE THINKS DIFFERENTLY FROM US DOESN'T MAKE IT A REASON TO BULLY HER! SHE'S THE MOST KIND-HEARTED AND GENUINE PERSON IN THE HOUSE AND THIS IS HOW YOU FUCKING TREAT HER?" She continued glaring at everyone in the room, "ALL OF YOU PRIDE YOURSELF FOR BEING IN THE BEST HOUSE BUT WITH THE WAY YOU TREAT YOUR OWN HOUSEMATES, YOU AREN'T BETTER THAN SLYTHERIN EITHER!"
The entire room was silent, most of the occupants' faces were bright red or pale, some were unable to maintain eye contact with Cho, key among which is Sow himself.
"All of you talk about how we are the most intelligent house and yet none of you have the ability to realise that perhaps intelligence does not define a person's worth," Cho said, voice now soft and deadly, "I have not met people as egotistical as you all in this house, I wear the badge of my house proudly on the outside but on the inside, I feel nothing but shame for this house."
Turning to look at Sow, she continued,
"You walk around flaunting your badge and acting like a big-shot yet you just close one eye while people are ostracised and bullied in your house, your badge means nothing, NOTHING!"
Turning away from a bright red Sow, she stared at Hearth and continued,
"And you, Ms Perfect, all you ever do is bring down people, you act as though you are the Queen of this world but when you leave Hogwarts, you are going to get a reality shock at how insignificant you truly are, when that happens, your fragile ego will shatter and you will have no one there to help you because you are just a lonely and pathetic bitch who acts like they are royalty, you are nothing Hearth, NOTHING!"
Hearth stared at Cho, her mouth agape, face pale and was stood rooted to the ground, not knowing how to respond to Cho's words, something that clearly hit her hard.
"Call me a Chinese whore all you like, I do not need opinions from people like Malfoy and neither do I need them from you, everyone in here is an embarrassment, a fucking embarrassment," Cho said coldly, before storming up her dormitory and heading straight for bed.
Laying on her bed, Cho's mind was racing, whatever happened in the outburst was a blur. Everything came out, all her frustrations about the house and the people, something that she never had the courage to do, afraid that she might lose her friends when she did that, afraid that she would become an outcast in the house. But ever since she started dating Harry and hanging out with his friends, she realised that she would still have people who would accept her regardless of her talent, popularity or blood status and race. They accept her based on her heart and good nature, something that was unfortunately rare in Hogwarts. Dating Harry definitely also made her more courageous, following in his example when stood up against others or when he faced adversity. Any worries that filled her mind were quickly squashed, she was already an outcast in Ravenclaw ever since the start of this year, so many in the school believed the Ministry and by extension, believed that Dumbledore and Harry were liars, with Cho dating and supporting Harry, she soon became the outcast of the house. She had largely fallen out with her group with Marietta the only one she still considers as a friend largely because she remained friendly with her. Other than Marietta and Luna, the whole house has turned their backs on her, this rant wouldn't make anything worse for her.
"Cho, are you up there?" a voice that Cho immediately recognised as Luna asked. Opening her curtains, she looked at Luna and replied.
"Yes Luna, why are you here?"
"I just wanted to thank you, Melissa returned my shoes and the entire house was apologising to me, Sow also went to report this to Professor Flitwick, said that it was time for the entire house to change and take accountability."
"About time I guess," Cho remarked snarkily.
"Rather surreal in my opinion, never had so many people apologise to me," Luna said, a shy but innocent smile appearing on her face.
"That's good, hopefully they stop treating you so badly after today."
"I don't really care about them, all I need is you as a friend," Luna said, smiling brightly at Cho which warmed her heart.
"Thank you for being my friend Cho," She said, before leaving the dormitory, leaving Cho with a huge smile now back on her face.