TAINTED BLOOD ━ FRED WEASLEY ( editing )

𝖛. 𝖕𝖊𝖈𝖚𝖑𝖎𝖆𝖗 𝖔𝖚𝖙𝖈𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖘

Alexandra had never hesitated in showing her support for Harry; the morning following the announcement of the Triwizard's champions, the blonde had managed to shock half the school by joining Harry for breakfast. Over the following days, Harry and Alexandra had found themselves spending much more time together, something that the raven-haired boy deeply appreciated, for the witch had managed to make him feel less alone in the mess he currently found himself in.

The young Grindelwald was aware that both of her best friends believed Harry to be innocent as much as she did, but she couldn't find it in her heart to fault them for having chosen to stay away from the drama. Alexandra would have never expected Blaise and Freya to change their mind and take such a public stand, yet here they both were, neither of the two showing any sign of distress over the whispers that started taking over the Great Hall.

"We're outcasts." Freya shrugged before taking a sip of her tea. "It's obvious Harry didn't put his name in the Goblet. I'd rather spend my breakfast and lunch on the shunned end of Gryffindor table instead of being surrounded by people dumb enough to believe Harry cheated his way into the Tournament."

"You know I am sitting here, right?" Harry queried in a rather amused tone.

"Yes, Harry." Blaise huffed, rolling his eyes in mock-annoyance. "Now, I'd eat something if I were you – hurry up before Freya ends up claiming half of what's on this end of the table."

"I bet Salazar Slytherin is currently rolling in his grave." Alexandra snickered before clearing her throat and gesturing towards Harry and Blaise, purposely avoiding Freya's less than amused look. "A Slytherin student who's fully and openly supporting a Gryffindor one. If he wasn't already dead, I think he'd bite it because of this very moment." A brief silence followed Alexandra's statement, the quiet surrounding the four coming to an abrupt end when Harry burst into laughter, only to be followed by the three best friends.

"You know that people will start picking on you too, right?" Harry was quick to burst the happy bubble, his question causing the laughter to cease.

"Let them, it's nothing new to any of us." Alexandra quickly dismissed Harry's worries while waving a hand absentmindedly in the air. "What are they going to say that we haven't heard already?" Her words must have struck a chord in Harry, for the corner of the boy's lips quickly tugged upwards, something he tried to hide, yet failed miserably at it.

"I mean, I am a muggleborn, for heaven's sake." Freya threw her head back as she let out an exasperated sigh. "If I had taken every insult thrown my way to heart, I'd have ended bawling my eyes out with Moaning Myrtle at the beginning of our first year."

Blaise simply hummed nonchalantly as he straightened himself on the uncomfortable wooden bench. "According to half of my house I am a blood-traitor, but if you ask Avery I am simply an insult to Slytherin house." Alexandra couldn't help but notice how Harry's expression morphed into one of pity, something that apparently didn't go unnoticed by the dark-skinned boy either. "Don't feel sorry for me, Harry. Those apes can say whatever they want; at the end of the day, I have friends I wouldn't trade for anything in the world. They can keep their prejudices."

"Yeah, and shove them up their arses since they're at it." Alexandra huffed, twirling her fork in her hand.

Many people failed to see Blaise's unwavering loyalty and undying devotion to his friends, for the boy could often come across as simply vain and detached. It was Blaise's moral compass, along with his bravery to stand up against his own housemates, and his continuous support, that had caused even the Weasley's family to welcome the dark-skinned boy into their family with open arms. Many found it odd, for usually, Gryffindor and Slytherin students did not get along, however, Blaise had managed to destroy any existing stereotype by simply being himself.