ETHALINE

THE SLYTHERIN INQUISTIION

"No It's fine." She said before giving him a small smile, "I'll see you tomorrow." She said before grazing her shoulder slightly on his shoulder. Harry closed his eyes, letting out a small sigh before heading over to his dorm to do his work. 

Ron followed his best friend, his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Alright mate what's the matter?" He asked as they walked into their room and closed the door behind them with their leg before tossing their books into her floor.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked as he slumped on his bed. 

"You haven't been the same since Christmas." Ron said, making sure no one else was in the room. "Wanna tell ole' Ronald about it?" 

Harry put his face in his hands and let out a frustrated groan. Ron smirked, "That bad huh?" He asked as he sat on his bed across from his. 

"You can't say anything! Not a single word!" Harry said clearly, "not even Hermione." 

Ron nodded, "Promise, now out with it before you explode." 

Harry bit his lip, trying to stop the smile from forming as he sighed, "I kissed Ethaline." 

Ron paled, "What?!"

"We kissed," Harry said again, "At the ice rink I broke us into a skating rink in London. It just happened—I don't regret it but I can't stop thinking about her." He groaned, "Cho—" 

"Cho would understand." Ron insisted, "You know she would—" 

"It's not about that. It's about the fact that if I...pursue anything with Ethaline then I put her at an even bigger risk. Her family is already after her, if they found out we were together I'm not sure what they would do—I can't lose her. Not her." Harry said in the most serious tone he'd ever had. 

"If it's a risk you're both willing to take them there shouldn't be a problem." Ron shrugged. 

"It's a risk I'm not willing to take. I want to protect her from everything and everyone after me and she wants to protect me from her family—specifically Bellatrix." 

Ron exhaled slowly, recalling the stories of the raven haired woman. "I see..." 

Harry sighed and shook his head, "I don't know what to do. I'm quite literally at a crossroads." 

"What does she want?" Ron asked. 

"Friendship." Harry replied dully, "She won't even have the conversation." 

"With the number of problems, she carried with her I'm not surprised." Ron muttered as Harry glared at him. "Watch it." 

"My advice—if you're asking for it—is to just let her go." Ron said, "Perhaps after all of this is over, if it ever is, then you'll work it out. I know it. Focus on the now, you have Sirius and Quidditch as well as a good girlfriend." 

Harry bit the inside of his cheek, and nodded. It wasn't what he wanted to do but he would take any advice to lift the burden off his shoulder. 

Meanwhile Ethaline worked on her homework, the picture of Azura and the snow globe Harry had given her resting on her desk while she worked. Every once in a while, she checked the time and saw it coming closer to the witching hour. 

At exactly 2:45 she grabbed a cloak to protect her from the freezing air as she snuck down the stairs and hid from Peeves before heading out the castle. She approached the back of the castle; her wand being held tightly in her hands before she saw a small lantern being held by Henry. 

"You came." He said, slightly surprised. 

"I quite like being alive so if you're going to try anything, I'd advise you not to." Ethaline said, before she took his arm and they walked down the pebbled path towards a door that was hidden with vines. 

He opened it and allowed her to walk in first before the warm air in the room relaxed her slightly. She looked around, her confusion growing as she saw the sea of green and silver ties. "What's this?" Ethaline asked, turning to Henry. 

"Take a seat." Cassie said, "Please." 

Ethaline hesitated and took the seat, her eyes catching a couple of young ones who seemed to be in their first year. "As you know," Henry said, "Our house has suffered discrimination from our Headmaster and other students."

"Much like you, we all face a morality question regarding blood supremacy." Cassie voiced, "Everyone here has been harassed and guilt gripped into trying to join the Death Eaters by their parents." 

Ethaline felt her face softened, "And what do you wish for me to do? I can't do anything—I'm sorry." She stood up and began to walk towards the door. 

"Don't abandon us." A soft childlike voice said. 

Ethaline turned and came face to face with a first year Slytherin boy, "Please." He whispered, his eyes watering, "I don't want to hurt my friends." 

"Nate's parents caught wind of him having muggle friends," Henry said, "They've threatened the boy to severe ties with them to avoid embarrassing their name." 

Ethaline looked away, "What are you asking of me Greenwood?" 

"Protection." Cassie said firmly, "Everyone knows of your ability, instead of fearing it we have decided it would be best to have you as our leader—" 

"Leader?!" Ethaline asked in disbelief, "I'm not sure what you're talking about--" 

"We know about Dumbledore's army." Henry cut off, "Don't deny it." 

Ethaline stayed silent. 

"Gryffindor and the lot of them would never allow Slytherins in the group you know this." Cassie said, "That's leaves us defenseless—off to fend for ourselves." 

Ethaline pinched the bridge of her nose, "You're asking for protection when the very thing I have to protect you isn't with me." She sighed, "I'm truly sorry but I can't help you." She said as she began to walk to the door. 

"Don't you want to know why you can speak to dragons and have them under your submission?" Henry called out. Ethaline stopped dead in her tracks, turning around. 

"We did our homework." Cassie said, her gaze fierce, "we have the answers you want. We aren't asking you to decide now, we're just asking you to think about it—to finally take a firm stand instead of becoming a shoe in for the Golden Trio."

Ethaline scanned the room, looking at her house mates with an emotionless face as they pleaded for her felt with a single collective look. This was it, this was the thing Ethaline was meant for. 

She wasn't meant to be the chosen one's friend, nor Draco Malfoy's forgotten sister. 

This was it. 

"Give me what you have." She finally said, breaking the silence as Henry felt his lips curls upwards into a smirk. "Gladly."