Pages of Love

Chapter 6

I sat next to Hermione, who had an unreadable expression on her face. A light downpour of rain started, and I stared out of the great hall window. It was gloomy and rainy, and the sky was gray and flecked with dark clouds. I nervously looked at Hermione- I was sitting at the Gryffindor table, which earned me strange looks from both Gryffindors and my own house.

I lifted Hermione's chin. "Hey, are you okay?" I ask her softly. She sighs, and I suddenly had a good idea. I rummaged through my bag, working my way through gum wrappers, quills, ink pots, and a journal, until I found my book. It was a leather bound book from the library.

I scanned up and down the pages, until I found what I had marked off. The book read:
"With each passing moment— there will always be discrimination. Against one's mind, their body, appearance, and simply the fact that they may be different. The true meaning of discrimination is nothing more than a hoax of what's wrong. Using one's simple traits against them, is a horrible and undutiful action filled with the malice of hate. Not all will hate— thou are still loved."

I showed Hermione the page. "Not everyone will like the fact that you are a muggle born. Draco Malfoy certainly doesn't, but I do. And so does everyone else here." I said, hoping to cheer her up. She wiped at her eyes, she was clearly nearly on the brink of tears, and she did something quite unexpected. She wrapped her arms around me in a tight embrace— a hug. I hugged her back, and closed the book.

"Simply, not everyone will be happy with having muggle borns at school. The word... mudblood is a terrible word. Don't listen to it." I said to Hermione. She smiled warmly at me. "Thank you, Amber."

The rest of the week was rainy and cold, it was clearly autumn, because wet orange and red leaves lay sodden under our feet. I talked to Marcus Flint, and under certain exceptions I will be joining the quidditch team for Slytherin next month. Hermione had cheered me on for this, and I felt a strange sense of accomplishment— from her cheering. Hearing her saying that she was proud of me made me feel quite nice.

I was quite a good flyer now as well, which had lead me to writing to my aunt. We'd exchanged letters before, about me being in Slytherin, the French weather forecast, my parents anniversary, and getting my new owl, but simply, the most interesting thing was when I told her that I would be playing quidditch. She had sent me a small parcel the following morning, containing a small cloth bag, filled halfway with large gold galleons, and silver sickles. I was shocked as I looked into the bag, then elated.

I read the note attached to it— and Aunt Angelina had granted me permission to buy a broom.

The first Hogsmeade trip was this weekend, and I couldn't have been more delighted for it. Hermione had given me a sugar quill, and Ron sat eating cherry jellies and Droobles. I saw Harry clutching a small cake. "I've never been to Hogsmeade— how is it?" I asked them, while disturbing Ginny from her munching on a mint jelly. "It's wonderful." Said Ron, through a mouth of jelly. Hermione rolled her eyes at him talking with his mouth open, then laughed.

I was still sitting with the Gryffindors, something that had earned me strange looks, but nobody has said anything. "I better get back to my dorm." I said softly, as I accepted a pumpkin pasty from Seamus Finnigan. Everyone waved me goodbye, as I started away. "Wait, Amber!" I heard somebody call me from behind. It was Hermione, holding a book in her hands. "You should read this!" She said, handing me the book. "Thank you! I will start reading it tonight." I said, happy that Hermione had given me a book.

"Great, see you at breakfast!" She said, as she went back to the table and plopped down across from Harry and next to Ginny. I sighed, then smiled with my back turned away from their table. I started down the hall, and back into the Slytherin common room.

I saw Zabini, Malfoy, and Flint sprawled against the leather couches again, and on the loveseat across from them was Astoria Greengrass, a pretty and elegant Slytherin girl. She was knitting a sweater out of chunky and velvety rich green wool, and I looked to the left, to see Pansy, Millicent, and a boy I've never seen before playing Gobstones.

The Slytherin common room was packed, more than I've seen it as, at least. I heard the Slytherins chatting happily about Hogsmeade— they were talking about the trip this weekend, and I was able to scratch down some go-to places according to their murmur of chatter. I wrote down Honeydukes, Zonko's, and the Hog's Head.

I folded the small piece of ripped parchment, and placed it in between the pages of the book that Hermione had lent me. I went to sit near the window, somewhere behind the Gobstones game. I head a loud screech, then something game squirting into Millicent's face. There was a shriek of laughter, and Pansy was sprayed as well. They looked at each other, then bursted into laughter.

This is the first splay of genuine happiness that I've seen from the Slytherins. It was slightly odd, to see them laughing. I looked down at the book, then at the cover. In peeling gold letters, it read: "The Guide to Magical Artifacts". I opened the book, and started reading the first page.
"At the eye of a storm, you reach the calmest part. The part amidst the chaos, yet it is surrounded with the antagonizing intention of destruction, wreaking pain and havoc among others. You are presented with an artifact, what might it be? To learn about calming artifacts: Page 7. To learn about harming artifacts: Page 20. To learn about powerful artifacts: Page 100. To learn about enchanted artifacts: Page 394. To learn about love artifacts: Page 600. Learn how to use these wisely. (Puzzles included on page 798)"

Something caught my interest— a love artifact. I was about to turn to page 600, when somebody bumped into the arm of my love seat. "Oh, sorry." They said. I looked up, and saw Flint. "Hello, Flint." I said, closing my book in hopes that he didn't see the contents of the page. "Hello Piers." He said carelessly. "You'll need a broom starting by next month. I'd suggest purchasing one at Hogsmeade." He said, then took off towards the boys dormitory. I sighed, then scribbled down, at the bottom of my list. "Purchase broomstick."

NOTE FROM WRITER:

Hello! I just wanted to say, that if you are reading this currently, thank you. I've spent ages perfecting each and every word, and let me tell you— this will not be anywhere near my last Wattpad story. I have plans wayyyy into the future! And I'm hoping they'll do well. I guess what I'm trying to say, is to PLEASE SHARE THIS WATTPAD STORY. I was hoping more people would read this, but I understand it is more difficult to find. I'll add hashtags, and hopefully more people will discover my writings in the future.

— I LOVE YOU SO MUCH IF YOU SEE THIS, HAVE THE BEST DAY IN THE WORLD FILLED WITH HAPPINESS AND PEACE, AND; I WISH YOU GOOD LUCK ON SHIFTING. I AM SO CLOSE! 💕

Lastly:
(I'd like to note that I am extremely young. I am actually, still a child. I will try my best, but mostly in the future my writings will undergo a brief edit... as currently, I am 12 years old.)
— LOTS OF LOVE,
ZIARAGRANGER 🖤