All Is Fair ~ Tom Riddle AU

Chapter 9

"Hello Ruby," Gen greeted, only for the boy to jump up six feet in the air.

He turned to face them with a surprised expression fleeting over his face. "Artemis? Roman? Gen?" He asked confusedly. "What're you doin' here?"

"Actually, it's Gen, Artemis and Roman," Gen corrected with a smile. "And we were taking this walk that we do every Saturday morning-"

"-it's afternoon-"

"-that's what I said, we were taking this walk we do every Saturday afternoon," Gen continued. "And we just happen to bump into you."

Rubeus' eyebrows furrowed. "But I saw you coming to me."

"We bumped into you." Gen corrected, her smile slightly strained. "It was accidental, right guys?"

"Complete coincidence." Artemis dutifully added.

Roman nodded. "It's like the universe wanted us to meet you today. It's totally not because Missy got your routine from other people by threatening them with detentions because of Gen- Oomph!" He abruptly shouted, rubbing the part where Artemis and Gen had elbowed him simultaneously.

Artemis smiled at a confused Rubeus once more. "Complete coincidence." She repeated with an innocent smile.

Rubeus slowly nodded.

"So," Gen began, always quick to change the topic. "How are you?"

"I'm good," Rubeus replied.

"How is everybody else?" Gen continued firing questions. "Did you make any new friends?"

"Um, yes actually."

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "Are they human?" she asked.

Rubeus blushed. "Friends don't have to be humans. Animals don't judge me, people do."

Gen's eyes softened greatly. "And that's not one bit your fault that people are such jerks. Got it, Ruby? Besides, you do have human friends."

"I do?" Rubeus blinked with a bewildered expression on his face. "Who?"

"Us, of course!" Gen grinned as Artemis gave him a small wave and Roman winked. "Friends stick together. Now, come on. Tell me all about your day, Ruby." She said, dragging him to sit under a tree with Artemis and Roman following her.

Rubeus looked flustered by the attention he was getting from the three upperclassmen who happened to be very popular, and he offhandedly wondered if the trio even knew how famous they were.

After all, they consisted of the greatest Quidditch player of their generation, Roman Rhys; the beautiful, kind, fashionable and feminist Genevive Rhodes and of course, the gorgeous genius, artistic and favourite commentator, Artemis Potter, who was also the little sister of the second greatest Quidditch player of their generation and potions prodigy, Fleamont Potter and the perfectly brilliant Charlus Potter, both of whom were legends in the House of Lions.

But then, Rubeus realised that it didn't matter if they realised their popularity or not. All that mattered was that they not only considered him to be their friend but also looked out for him. While he was admittedly a little oblivious, he could see how a lot of people had stopped bullying him too badly after rumours got around that he was seen sitting with the trio, or how he received special treatment from Artemis during the time he got caught staying up after curfew, nor was he blind to the fact that Roman had dramatically waved to him whenever he saw him or how it seemed that the three of them had planned to meet him that day.

He felt touched really and all their efforts made his heart go warm.

Was this how it felt to have friends?