THE WHOMPING WILLOW
"All I see is a freak who will never fit in." Keli's voice echoed in the back of my head. Repeating the same line over and over. Matching the same rhythm of me walking up the steps to our school. "That's all you are, Margo- a freak."
Everyone else was laughing with their friends as they entered into the Grand Hall, but I barely got past the threshold. I had a burning headache and my hands were on either sides of my head.
I was the last one to enter the castle, and no one noticed me as I sat against the wall beside the huge doors. I put my knees up to my chest and pressed my forehead to my knees. My head was killing me and I couldn't think properly.
"All I see is a freak who will never fit in." The voice echoed again, taunting me.
Why does that sound familiar?
I already know Keli said it all those years ago. But I feel like I've heard it before. Gosh, now that's going to bug me forever.
The doors that lead outside screeched open, and I looked up. My eyes grew huge when I realized it was my twin. His weirdo ginger friend was with him and Snape was leading them down a narrow staircase that led to a dungeon.
That can't be a good sign...
Snape returned minutes later, whisking past me, his cloak billowing behind him as he went into the Great Hall. He didn't see me. How did he not notice me? I'm sitting right here in the open!
Snape walked out with two people behind him: Dumbledore and McGonagal.
Oh snap. Now Harry really is done for.
The teachers continued on their way, but Dumbledore stopped in his tracks. A few feet away from me, but he didn't turn to me. Instead, he addressed the flaming torches that lit the entrance hall. "Miss Potter is something.... troubling you again?"
My head pounded and I found it hard to reply.
After a few seconds, he turned to me, a look of worry I had never seen before coming across his face. "Are you alright?"
"Y-yes. Only a bit- Proffesor- about my mother- did her and Petunia- my aunt- did they ever get along?" Even I don't know where that came from. But my weird talent of seeing the future gives me these weird leads sometimes. I have a feeling that Petunia has something to do with this whole freak thing.
Because that makes so much sense...
Dumbledore tilted his head in consideration. "As most sisters go, they had an interesting relationship to say the least-"
"But someone interfered." I guessed.
Dumbledore looked suprised at my response. "Margo, perhaps Rowena overdid this."
"Proffesor, who is Rowena? You mentioned her last year, but-"
Dumbledore glanced towards the dungeon stairs like he suddenly found them amusing. Translation: he's stalling and he doesn't want me to know about Rowena and how it relates to me. "I should go help Snape with this... issue."
I roll my eyes. "Harrys an idiot."
Dumbledore shakes his head. "On the contrary, you're brother is only being himself."
I stood up to go, but added, "He hit the Whomping Willow, sir."
He didn't reply at first, then he finally said, "Miss Potter, maybe it would be best to keep these comments to yourself."
"What comments?"
He sighed patiently, like he had this conversation every day. "Do you know what the tree is for?"
I shook my head.
Dumbledore nodded outside the window, where a massive tree stood. I knew it was the Willow, but I didn't get what was so great about a stupid tree.
Then I saw it again- that dog. The same one from my mirror. "Sherlock Block!" I muttered. "He lives there." I looked at Dumbledore's sad expression. "Used to live there." I corrected. "But he wasn't the only one." I added, as different pictures I had never seen before started to flip through my mind. "There were three others: a rat, a werewolf and- I- I don't know the third one."
Dumbledore looked at me like he was slightly scared. "Yes, there were four." He cleared his throat. "Don't mention anything else like that again."
"What? Why?"
"It would be best-"
"But Sherlock Block is-"
"Sherlock Block is dead, Margo!" He hadn't yelled it, but I could tell he was losing patience. "Now I must be going, you can go join your classmates in the Great Hall. I do believe they're on dessert now. Good night." He added automatically.
He left me by myself in the entrance hall. I was even more confused than I had been to begin with. But I had figured something out: the Whomping Willow was linked to Snape & my parents. And there was no way Sherlock Block was dead.
Satisfied with that, I went to sit next to Draco at the Slytherin table. I was supposed to be at the Gryffindor one, but who cares. That's what life is about, taking risks, not following the rules.
That's how Harry lives his life and we all know where that got him.
