Fall from Grace

Close Minded Worries

Chapter 16

Closed-Minded Worries

Two Slytherin girls, both in their sixth year, were sitting in the Slytherin common room. It was a busy, crowded day, and the two leaned toward each other and talked in hushed whispers.

"I heard that Peverell is... unnatural."

"Really? But he is so handsome."

"Indeed but have you ever seen him with a girl? He is always surrounded by boys—Riddle's group."

"Oh no, do you think he's influencing them, are you?"

"I don't know, but have you heard about Avery? I heard that he killed himself because he was unnatural too! I never heard of such a thing until Peverell came along."

"You don't think he turned him, did you? By the Dark what a horrible thing!"

"It's such a shame. He must be so confused."

"Have you seen him with the first-year boys?"

"No?"

"Then there's time to save him. I heard that men like Peverell, they're sick in the head. They like to go for young boys."

"Disgusting. We must see if we can save him. It is such a shame, he is handsome."

"If only he doesn't spend much time with the boys. At least Black seems immune to his influence. I heard that he and that Greengrass girl are dating. The fifth-year one."

"They will make such handsome babies!"

"Indeed—oh! Peverell is looking. Should we try?"

"We should! What if he isn't queer and doesn't know the rumors? It'll be helpful if we do."

Harry looked up to see two very endowed girls walk up to him in the common room. He was finishing an essay for Dumbledore and waiting for Tom to come back from his Arithmancy class. The two girls sat down on either side of Harry, pressing their bodies against his awkwardly. "Uh hello?" he said. He knew that they were in his year but couldn't for the life of him remember their names.

"Hello Peverell," one of the girls said. "Have you been thinking of going to the Hogsmeade visit this weekend?"

"Uh yeah," Harry said politely, "Riddle and I were going to look at some books."

"You spend an awful lot of time with Riddle, Harry," the first girl said. "You never seem to have time for pretty girls."

"Sorry?" Harry said.

"You should be! Don't you know it's strange?" the second one said, "A handsome boy like you all alone without a girl on his arm? It's unnatural!" She hooked her arms around his and Harry had to do a strange shimmy to politely pull his arm free. "I'm sorry but I need to finish Dumbledore's essay—"

"This is much more important than homework, Harry!" the first girl said. Harry raked his mind and just couldn't find a name for her.

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you are talking about," Harry said, though he had a sinking feeling that he knew.

The girls smiled and the bolder one said, "Take us out on a date!"

"I'm sorry what? Who—who even are you?" he asked.

The girls suddenly glared at him, pushing him off of his seat and onto the ground. "So rude!" the first one said.

"You really are a queer, aren't you?" the second sneered. "That is not how to talk to proper women, Peverell."