Chapter 2: Oddity
I wasn't quite ready to deal with Beatrice as I returned to the Hufflepuff common room. My body moved sluggishly - each step taking more effort than the last. The effects of school and Quidditch were finally taking hold, and it was only the first week. I knew that 5th year was going to be complicated. Everyone always told us so, but nothing can prepare you for the chaos.
My steps echoed through the corridors as I made my way through the castle. As I approached the common room I looked toward one of the many portraits lining the walls. There was one with a basket of fruit in it. As I passed it, one of the apples suddenly toppled out and landed on the ground with a thud. That particular portrait was actually a secret door. It led to the school kitchens, but that wasn't common knowledge. It was a secret mostly known amongst the Hufflepuff House. Occasionally a student from another house would stumble across it when exploring the castle.
A man in the frame over noticed the fallen apple and reached into the portrait to fix it. He gave me a wink as he placed the apple into the basket and returned to his seat inside his frame.
Sometimes Will, Bea, and I would sneak into the kitchens late at night to grab a midnight snack. There was always a house elf or two there who were happy to make us a plate of food. We had spent many nights in there throughout the years, and I anticipated we'd spend many more what with exams coming. Nothing like food to get the brain rolling. Bea was always the kitchen trip instigator.
I sighed. I knew that I couldn't avoid Bea forever. I rounded the corner and approached an assortment of barrels in the corridor's corner. Most of the other houses didn't come down this way, but even if they did, they wouldn't think it odd to see a stack of barrels in the far edges of the castle. Only Hufflepuffs knew that this was the secret entrance to our common room.
I tapped my hand against the middle barrel four times, and the door opened.
"Dana!" Someone yelled. A pair of hands wrapped tightly around my shoulders, "I am so sorry about what happened earlier," she snuffled, "Please - please forgive me." I sighed, wrapping my arms around her shoulders. I hated holding a grudge, but she really messed up this time.
"It was real shit of you," I said.
"I know."
"You shouldn't be copying other people's work."
"I won't anymore."
"And you have to return peoples homework to them," I continued.
"You're right."
"Also… you really need to stop procrastinating."
"I will," she mumbled. I gave her one last squeeze before pushing her away from me. I placed my hands on either shoulder and looked to her face.
"I forgive you, but you owe me."
"Thanks, Danny," she said, smiling. A weight lifted off my shoulders - I hated being mad at her. Bea jumped back to the couch and flopped down next to Will. He was already seated with a book and a stack of papers in front of him. He was busy scribbling away at one of our many assignments. Something I should do if I ever hoped to keep up with the workload.
The room was nice and cozy - almost like an animal burrow. The walls were painted gold with wooden trim along the sides. The Hufflepuff logo was prominent no matter where you looked, and trophies from past Hufflepuff triumphs lined the walls on all sides. Round wooden tables were scattered across the room - some in little nooks to give a feeling of privacy. Bea and Will were seated in the middle of the room, where there was an oversized couch and some comfy chairs. A large fireplace was located infront of this sitting area and had pictures of famous Hufflepuffs placed above on the mantle.
When Will saw me approaching, he looked up, "Did you two make up?"
"Looks like it," I said.
"What took you so long to get back?" he asked. I took the seat across from him in the yellow armchair.
"I just wanted to do a couple more laps."
"Are you sure you weren't just ignoring Bea? I don't blame you… she is rather annoying." Bea shot him a glare. She promptly whacked him over the head with her copy of the Daily Prophet. Will grabbed his head and cursed at her.
"Danny and I worked it out," she said. Will just shook his head at Bea before returning his attention to me.
"I saw some scarlet robes on my way back. Was it who I thought it was?" He asked.
"If you are wondering if it was the infamous James Potter - then yes."
"That tosser - it's Hufflepuffs day," he said, "He can't just show up to the pitch whenever he bloody well feels like it."
"I told him that," I said, slumping further into my seat, "but you know, James. He isn't right in the head when it comes to Quidditch." I lifted my feet and put them on the wooden stool in front of me.
"Yeah - that's true. Kid's a nightmare."
Bea fanned out the crinkled newspaper she used to hit Will, "He's one of the best seekers at our school. I think he has a right to be a bit of a tosser," she said casually as she began reading the paper again.
Will scoffed, "So, what, he gets a free pass because he's kind of good at Quidditch?" Bea flipped a page.
"Well… it also doesn't hurt that he's incredibly good-looking."
Will's mouth gaped open. I snorted as he looked at Bea with a look of incredulity. "How does that make being a total dick acceptable?"
She shrugged. "It's called - pretty privilege, or maybe handsome privilege is the better word." Her eyes never left the newspaper.
"Pretty privilege - is that a thing?" he asked, "I think you're making that up."
"Hmm… just because you've never experienced pretty privilege doesn't mean it doesn't exist."
"What does that mean?" he growled.
She turned the page, "Why don't you read between the lines."
I covered my face to block the scene unfolding in front of me. Will's sudden rage was tangible. Sure enough, the two started to bicker back and forth in earnest. I took the opportunity to sneak out and drop my Quidditch bag off in my dorm room before returning with my school bag. I took my time in my room - changing into comfortable clothes and brushing my knotted hair.
After about 10 minutes, I returned and sat in my chair. Will's cheeks were a blotchy red - the after-effects of a verbal battle with Bea. He read his book, ignoring Beatrice. Bea, on the other hand, continued to look unbothered as she read the paper. This was the way things always were with these two. I honestly didn't know how they stayed friends, always fighting and squabbling.
Unlike Bea, since we were little, Will had always been in my life. Our families lived close to each other, so I had been friends with him long before coming to Hogwarts. It was a happy day for our families when we discovered we'd be in the same house. On the other hand, Bea was the first friend I made at Hogwarts. In the beginning, we all seemed to get along pretty well, but recently, the two have steadily grown more hostile toward each other. They were constantly at each other's throats.
If I wasn't here - I wondered if those two would still be friends. I shook my head. I shouldn't think like that. Of course, I'd always be here.
I looked towards Bea, and my eyes glanced at the front page. There was picture of a ruined house with a group of investigators from the Ministry of Magic huddled around it. "What's that?" I asked. Bea looked up and flipped to the front back.
"Another attack on muggles," she said.
"Is there any news about who is behind it?"
"No…" she said slowly, "it looks like they are still investigating it." I looked down at my hands. I pressed them together and began to lace and unlace them flippantly. There had been a lot more attacks lately. Something terrible was happening in the magical world, but it didn't seem anyone knew what was happening. The worst part was that these groups weren't only hitting muggles. Other witches and wizards were also targeted - especially those associated with muggles. I would know - my family was the target of one of their attacks.
Bea put the paper down and leaned forward. She reached her hand out and grasped mine firmly, "They will get to the bottom, and those who are involved will get the justice they deserve," she said gently. I squeezed her hand in thanks.
I shook my head as the memories of that night came flooding back. I didn't have time to think about this - the best thing I could do was focus on my studies and live my life. That is what my family would want. I made eye contact with Will, and he smiled - I could tell he knew what I was thinking.
"Are you going to do any homework?" He said in an attempt to change the subject.
"I suppose," I said. I dumped my bag out onto the table and got cracking.
——
The next day was worse than the previous in terms of workload. How did the teachers really expect us to keep up with this? We had another 12-inch paper due in Herbology, an 8-inch paper in magical creatures, and a 16-inch paper for Defense Against the Dark Arts! By the end of the day, all of us were knee-deep in homework and barely had time to think.
The following day, we were back at Charms. I entered the class and made my way to my seat. Bellatrix was telling a story about how she tortured a Ravenclaw girl in the bathroom - the other Slytherins listened and laughed along.
"You should have seen the way she cried," Bellatrix said gleefully, "NO, PLEASE!" she said in a high-pitched squeal, and the other Slytherins around her laughed. She continued her reenactment - draping herself dramatically across her desk, "Please don't jinx my face! Anything but the face!"
Regulus was already seated with his books laid out tidily in front of him. He didn't look at me as I sat down. His face remained devoid of emotion as he stared ahead. I gave him a couple quick glances before pursing my lips. I didn't expect a hi or anything, but a simple acknowledgment of my presence would've been nice - especially since we'd be working together in the foreseeable future.
I pulled my Charms book out of my bag and placed it on the table. I flipped to the section we'd be working on in class today. As I looked over the mechanics of the spell we would be working on, I noticed Bellatrix sauntering over. She slammed her hands down onto our desk, making me jump, and leaned forward - her eyes locked on Regulus. He gave her a hard look before shifting his gaze to something behind her. She hissed and looked down at the tidy stack of books in front of him. Something about the sight of them brought a scowl to her face.
She deliberately shoved the books off the desk and they crashed to the floor in a disorganized mess. Regulus didn't react, and she began cackling.
"You're really something, Reg," she hissed. The utter madness in her eyes made me shiver. She turned like she was leaving and then turned to scream in his face. I don't know how he didn't flinch because I certainly did. The whole class did their best not to pay her any attention. That was always the safest bet with Bellatrix. Her eyes snapped to mine, and I failed at shifting my gaze quick enough.
"Keep those hideous mudblood eyes to yourself." A shiver ran down my spine. I shifted my eyes back toward the front. Bellatrix stared intently at me for a few more minutes before returning to Regulus.
Regulus sat with his arms crossed. I could tell his lack of reaction annoyed Bellatrix - it seemed she wanted something from her cousin, but he just continued to gaze forward - ignoring her. Charms eventually started, and McGonagall called the class to order. Bellatrix hissed at him before dancing back to her seat. Without saying anything, Regulus bent down and picked up his book - stacking them in a neat pile once again.
What the hell was that?
I caught eyes with both Will and Beatrice who seemed to be wondering the same thing.
The lesson continued where we had left off. I didn't pay Regulus much attention as I continued to turn various objects and animals invisible. The recent encounter with Bellatrix rattled me. I didn't know how Regulus felt, but I could hear his sigh of frustration over something.
I peeked over at him - it seemed he was struggling to make the spell work. As far as I knew - I was still expected to tutor him. Clenching my fists, I turned to analyze him. What better way to see what he needed help with then to see him in action? I knew he sensed me watching. He mumbled the spell and swished his wand. I nodded to myself when I found the mistake.
"I think you need to flick your wand a little more like this - here, let me show you -" I whispered. Regulus's eyes darted to me, and his look made my blood freeze.
"I don't need your help," he hissed, "mind your own damn business." His eyes darted from me to his cousin. Bellatrix was sitting only a few seats away. Her cock her head toward us in curiosity.
My cheeks flushed at the coldness of his words. Is this how our tutoring sessions were going to be? I kept my eyes away from him for the rest of class. I willed the tears threatening to spill over not to come. How could he be so rude? More importantly… why am I so surprised? He is a Slytherin after all. I shouldn't have expected anything less.
When class finally ended, I packed up and sprinted from the classroom. I could sense Regulus hovering, but I wouldn't stick around and chat if that's what he was looking for. I didn't look back toward Regulus or Bellatrix as I walked down the corridor. Beatrice and Will were not far behind me. I had a free block now and desperately wanted to be alone to sift through my thoughts.
"I'm starving," Will said, breaking the silence. "Should we… ahh…go to the dining hall?"
"Absolutely," Bea said. She turned towards me, "Are you coming, Danny?" I shook my head.
"I think I am going to go to the library - I've still got to polish off a couple essays before I hand them in. I'll meet you guys on the stairs later for Divination." I waved as we parted ways.
I sensed their eyes on me but ignored them as I turned the corner. That whole ordeal during charms drained me - what the hell was that? What is with Bellatrix? I shook my head, trying to banish the experience from my mind.
I entered the library and immediately set out to work. I didn't need to put any unnecessary thoughts toward Regulus. He wanted to treat me like that - fine - I don't need to be his tutor. He can find someone else. I can't handle this kind of stress in my life. I just wanted to pass my exams and start my life - was that too much to ask? I was halfway correcting one of my papers when I saw someone approaching from the corner of my eye.
"Hey," Regulus said. I froze.
What was he doing here? I wanted to be just as mean as he was to me. My fist clenched around my quill…
After a moment of awkward silence I caved - I just couldn't do it. I couldn't be like him.
I gave him a slight nod of acknowledgment before looking away. I didn't care for his presence right now. He paused for a moment, looking at me. His lips pursed in thought. He glanced around like he was checking to see if someone was listening. "I am sorry about what happened earlier," he finally said.
I shoved my paper away and looked at him. The look in his eyes seemed to look sincere… "I'm listening," I said after a moment.
He brushed his hand through his black hair nervously, "My cousin can be… a bit unpredictable when it comes to people," he said. I thought back to class and how Bellatrix was acting. He sighed, "I'm afraid… if she knew you were tutoring me - she would cause me… and you some issues." I thought back to his reactions in class, and something seemed to click into place.
"I need to pass charms," he continued, "and Professor McGonagall says you're the best. I would like to study with you, but I think we should try to keep this arrangement… private. At least for now." I nodded - I could see where he was coming from. The weight in my chest lightened, and I smiled.
"Fine," I said. "I'll still help you."
He sighed in relief. "Thank you."
Strange - it seemed like he meant it. I questioned his appreciative words - this was a Slytherin boy, right - and a Black, no less. They were said to be the worst when it came to muggle hatred, and they despised any witch or wizard associated with them. Why was he being so nice to me…
"Why do you keep thanking me," I said, unable to keep my thoughts to myself.
He paused, looking confused, "Isn't that was people say to show there appreciation?"
"Yes…" I said, "But Slytherins don't always tend to be the most courteous… especially towards people like me."
He rolled his eyes, "We aren't all that bad."
I shrugged and pulled my paper back towards me. "Alright," I said, then asked, "When is a good time in the week for you to study?"
His cold gaze melted a bit as we discussed our schedules. We decided to keep our lessons to the later hours of the day. We both had Quidditch practice, which made finding a steady schedule difficult, but we settled on different nights twice a week depending on our work load.
"I'll see you next Friday then," he said, giving me a small wave.
"Sound good. Let's meet here." He gave me a nod before leaving the library. I sat there for a moment to process before starting my work again.
What an odd experience. Though I didn't particularly know Regulus well, despite being in the same year as him… I always figured him just as wicked as any of the other Blacks. Had I misjudged him?
I shook my head - don't be so foolish, Dana. Everyone has a dark side. Some just hide it better than others. I am sure Regulus is no different.
——
Divination passed by quickly, and so did the rest of the day. Soon Will and I made our way down to the pitch for Quidditch practice.
"Hey, you little fresh fifth years," a voice called. Our captain, Peter, walked over to us with a large smile. His brown curly hair bounced up and down with each step.
Will and I shared a grimace.
"How's the new workload treating you?" He asked. Will and I stared at him with lifeless eyes, "Looks about right," he said. He squeezed in between us and put his arms over our shoulders. "I know it's tough, but I hope you don't think you can skimp out on practice just because you've got a teeny bit more work to do."
Will cussed him out while I flipped him a crude gesture, "Stuff it, Peter," Will said, shoving him away. Peter just laughed as he made his way to the center of the pitch - he enjoyed tormenting the fifth years. Peter was in his last year now - so he had already been through the worst of it. His full focus was on Quidditch now and he let everyone know.
"I don't want any slacking this year at practice!" He yelled, "We need to be perfect and precise in our practice so that we can execute it flawlessly in game. I don't want to lose to Gryffindor again this year. Let's show these houses what Hufflepuffs are really made of!"
The team gave a half-hearted woo. Peter yelled and cursed at us - especially me and Will. Finally, he started practice…
—-
Quidditch passed by in the blink of an eye. Luckily there were no run in's with the Gryffindors this time. My muscles were screaming, and my brain was shutting down as we returned to the common room. Bea was already sitting on the couch, her books in front of her.
"I don't think I will make it," she told us. Her eyes were wide open, and the panic was evident. "How can they get away with assigning so much!"
"I don't want to hear it," Will said, sitting down hard and pulling out his books. Bea glared at him. I could tell she was about to fight him, but I didn't have time for the squabbling.
"It's only one year," I cut in before she could say anything. I tried to rub the exhaustion from my eyes. They both grumbled their displeasure. I began working on my Divinations homework.
"Let's be real - they've always been fixed on torturing us to death with homework," Will said, "That's what this is. Slow and steady torture."
Bea and I nodded in agreement. We stopped talking for a while as we worked through our homework. It had been well over an hour, and the common room was starting to empty.
"I need a break," Bea said as she shoved her books away. I threw my quill down and sank into the couch. A break sounded lovely right now. Will covered his face with his hands and groaned.
Bea leaned back in her chair. "Let's talk about something fun," she said, " - something important…" Her eyes began to sparkle and I knew what was coming.
"Like what?" Will asked.
"Like how hot Stephen was in Divination today." Will groaned.
"That doesn't seem important." Hi eyes squinted skeptically at her.
"It's my life. I will choose what's important in it," she said, then proceeded to gush over Stephen. Will and I nodded along, but we were both to tired from Quidditch to contribute to the conversation. Bea was not having our less-than-enthusiastic responses, so she turned the question on me. "Has anyone caught your eye this year, Danny?" I shrugged, "Oh, come on! It's been a whole year. So many guys have grown up in such a short time."
"I honestly haven't had much time to look - what with all our work and Quidditch," I said.
"It's better to stay single now anyway," Will added, "we should be focusing on our studies anyway."
"Are you telling me you'd say no if Grace asked you out right now?" Will grimaced. It took him a moment to answer. "I'd… probably say no," he said unconvincingly.
Beatrice scoffed, "Seriously - you two are no fun! Relationships can help ease the stress of life. Just think about it."
"Oh, I'm thinking about it -" Will said, but Beatrice ignored him.
"- Picture this, you're working on your homework with a gorgeous boy from a different house. You both decided it would be fun to study together. The hour is getting late," she said, her voice deepening, "so you ask to take a break… then both of you suddenly make eye contact… but you can't seem to look away - and then suddenly the mood begins to shift."
Will and I looked at each other with exasperated looks. Bea was constantly going off on these dreamy, steamy, romance rants. "Then," she continued, "just as you both can't stand the tension any longer, you grab each other by the robes and start snogging in a nook in the library where no one can see you." She finished with a squeal of happiness.
Will and I started to laugh. "That doesn't happen," Will said, "You're living in a fantasy world, Bea."
Beatrice glared at us, "It happens all the time! You two are just so ignorant of the workings of love. What do you think people go to the library for?"
"To study?" I said.
"NO - you go to have a fun time."
"I think you've been reading too many romantic novels," I said. She gave me a shove then clasped her hands together at her chest and sighed dreamily.
"It's all I've ever wanted - a steamy romance as they have in my books."
"Sounds like a bunch of fake romantic nonsense crap to me," Will said, "who even does shit like that?"
"Just because you've got all the romantic thoughts of a smelly troll doesn't mean we all have to suffer the same shitty love life. Some of us have dreams!" She said and clutched her chest.
Will and I both grabbed some pillows and hit her with them. She cursed at us, grabbed a pillow to fling back, and we laughed as we talked about all the romantic crap she thought up.
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