Squib Who Scrubbed | ON HOLD

Chapter Forty

The night ended solemnly, and as everyone filed out, Tania kissed Luke goodbye.

"I'll see you tomorrow," She promised, and he gave her one last hug before going to his own home.

Turning around, she faced the rest of the people she considered family, an impulse coming over her. Now, she knew, was the time to tell them about who she truly was. If the Dark Lord was truly back, then they needed to know the danger they would be in by being her friend.

It was time to tell them of her past.

"I," She began, then stopped. "I have something to say." Tania choked out, and met the concerned eyes each of them. Joshua merely stepped towards her, put his hand on her shoulder.

"You only need to say it if you want to. Don't let what happened pressure you to do something you will regret." He said softly, but Tania looked up at him with pleading eyes.

"They need to know, for their own safety. If he is really back, then it is for their own safety that they know."

Joshua looked into her eyes for another second before nodding. He stepped to her side, and Tania looked at the confused glances Fitch, Mika, and Sophie were sending and took a deep breath.

"I'm not who you think I am," She started, struggling to find the words to say. "My name isn't Tania Jameson. I'm not french, and I didn't go to Beauxbatons. I'm not even eighteen yet, either, and my parents aren't travelling the world.

"My real name is Titania Lestrange."

Tania looked up from the ground and took in the reactions of her friends. Mika had stepped back, looking like she had just seen evil incarnate. Sophie looked confused and hurt, but Fitch was who surprised her most. He seemed calm, almost curious.

"I'm seventeen, and lived with the Malfoy family since my parents were put in Azkaban. I never went to Hogwarts, since I didn't receive my Hogwarts letter."

Sophie tilted her head and waved her hands, confused. "You didn't get your Hogwarts letter? But...why not?"

"She's a squib." Fitch answered, leaning against the table behind him. "It makes so much more sense, really, since we've never seen you do magic."

"You're, a squib." Was Micah's only response. Tania closed her eyes.

"I am a squib."

The words finally out of her, Tania felt relief flow through her, which wasn't what she had expected. After so long, being able to tell those who mattered the most to her who she truly was felt amazing.

"I was...mistreated at the Malfoys. When I turned seventeen, I ran away as fast as I could. I cut and dyed my hair, and gave myself a new identity. I was to be Tania Jameson, the girl I had been wanting to be for years. Even now, I want to have what she had.

"But I'm not her, and since You-Know-Who is back, it puts everyone who know me in danger. The Malfoys know who I am, although they gave up on trying to find me. If they do, and he is really back, then all of you are in danger."

"Danger or no, Ani," Sophie said firmly, "I will always be your friend. Although I haven't known you very long, and I don't know your past very well, I know who you are. And that is what matters."

"That is very much not what matters, Sophie," Mika said hotly, and Tania's heart sank. "You lied to us about who you were, for months! None of could have cared less that you were a squib, but you lied to us! And I am not ok with that."

Joshua stepped forward, his hands out in a placating manner. "Tania had no way of knowing what we were like, Mika," He said, "Don't fault her for not telling you."

"She told you!" Mika accused, pointing a finger at him.

"I never told him anything, Joshua figured it out by himself." Tania snarled quietly, taking a step closer to Mika. "Do you think I want to be a squib? Do you think I want to lie about my entire life to everyone else in the world? Do you know how much I've hated myself for every single lie I've ever told you? It was like acid in my mouth Mika, and you do not get to tell me what I did was wrong.

"I was protecting you," She said, taking another step towards her, who immediately took a step back, "I was protecting myself, and I was trying to move on from a life that now feels like a dream, it was so terrible." Tania heaved a breath in, her eyes burning from too familiar tears. "I thought you would understand, Mika."

Mika just looked at her, hurt plastered across her face, before apparating away with a pop. Silence reigned inside the room and Tania brushed back the red curls that had fallen onto her face.

"Mika will get over it," Sophie whispered into the silence. "She just doesn't like people lying to her, no matter the reason."

Fitch came up beside Sophie and rested his arm around her. "Do you want to talk about it more, or no?"

Tania gave a small cackle. "How do you explain that your entire life was like living in Azkaban?"

"By saying it was like living in Azkaban," Sophie responded, with a small tenuous smile. Joshua came up from behind Tania and gave her a hug.

"That sums it up pretty well, actually. I only saw Draco Malfoy once in awhile in the Common Room and I was annoyed with him constantly." He muttered, and the group broke out into tentative laughs.

"I think it's time for all of us to go to bed." Sophie piped up. "It's been a long, sad, day, and my gut tells me that it will only be one of many."

They all agreed and dispersed for the night. As Tania settled into her own room, hearing Sophie getting ready for bed in another part of the apartment, she wondered how life was going to change.

If everything going on was true, how could she continue to work in the Leaky Cauldron? She felt like she had just torn a friendship apart, with Mika leaving in such an anger, and how was she going to face her tomorrow?

Maybe it was time to find another place to work. She could still be friends with the others, but she hadn't been deaf to the whispers of Joshua and Fitch, who had been thinking they could maybe start their own restaurant and jumpstart their careers as chefs.

And Sophie had been talking a lot lately about finding a job that revolved around writing daily, as either a reporter or magazine article writer. She had been talking about formulating one of her ideas into an actual story of some sort, and how the writing experience would be good for her.

Mika, although unhappy with her, had been working on tons of original songs as well. She had even been asked to sing places that weren't the Leaky Cauldron as well, making Tania wonder if her dream to be a singer would finally become true.

That just left Tania, who didn't really know what to do with her life. Plenty of people had mentioned doing something with history, but she didn't know what she could do with that.

Giving a large, tired sigh, Tania closed her eyes and succumbed to the potion. She could think about this later.

A/N - Hello! How are y'all (especially after this chapter, I'm almost sorry)? I don't really know how I like this chapter, but it's done and here it is! This definitely isn't my favorite part in Tania's life, cause just when she thinks she's got a handle on things, she doesn't.

Also would like to announce that this book has recently achieved 20K read and 2K votes! Wow! I really couldn't have done it without y'all and am super glad for all the support!

I would also like to say that I've created an insta for my wattpad account, and its the same username as the one here. It's just for fun, and I will mostly be posting sneakpeeks and updates on when the next update might be. No pressure, just wanted to find a way to include my readers more personally!

-palladiums' podge