The next few days were a nightmare. All anyone would talk about my father and the wild theories circulating caused me to become a sort of pariah. Only Fred, George, Lee, and Angelina stuck it out. Other people who hadn't hated or loved me during the year so far completely abandoned me. Others were stiff and awkward, including Harry, Ron, and Hermione. To make it worse, McGonagall summoned me to her office a few days after.
Crossing my legs, I clasped my hands in my lap, fixing her with an analytical, steady gaze. "Miss Black, there is no point hiding it from you any longer...your father broke out of prison for two reasons. The first of which is to get contact with you again. The second is to go after Harry Potter."
"Why?" I asked, keeping my voice steady with difficulty.
"We believe, to kill him," she admitted.
My eyes flaring, I snapped, "That's a lie. My father isn't a murderer."
"Miss Black," McGonagall sighed.
"He doesn't want to hurt Harry!" I shouted, getting to my feet. "He doesn't want to hurt me! My father loves me! He has to love me because if he doesn't love me then no one does!" My eyes were filled with tears as I realized what I said.
"Miss Black, surely you don't believe that," McGonagall said, her voice softening. "You have Professor Lupin and the Weasley twins. I believe you and Miss Johnson have been close these last five years. Mr. Jordan hangs out with your group. And even if all those people didn't love you, I do."
"Then why do I feel like no one cares?" I cried. "My father was in prison most of my life. I don't even know my mother's name. I shouldn't be saying this, but...my father's been out for months. If he really loved me wouldn't he have reached out? And how can my mother love me? She's gone. If my parents don't love me then how can anyone else?"
"Please sit, Valerie," McGonagall requested. Wiping away my tears, I sat down. She slid over a cup of tea she had just poured out for me. My hands trembled as I took a sip. "I can't imagine what you've gone through, but I will tell you this. I went and saw your father when you were two years old. Your mother had already left and it was just you and your father. I remember he spent an entire hour bouncing you on his knee and smiling wider than I'd ever seen someone in my life."
"What?" I whispered, looking up at her.
"His eyes lit up every time he looked at you," McGonagall explained with a small smile. "He made you laugh and giggle so easily. He always had a skill of making people laugh. I'd never seen him so happy."
My smile falling, I asked, "How could a man like that turn around and kill thirteen people?"
"I don't know," she admitted after a short pause.
We sat in silence for a long time before I stood, wiping away the last of my tears and saying weakly, "I need to get ready for the Quidditch match."
............................................
"So what did McGonagall want?" Angelina asked, taking off her shirt and leaving her in a sports bra as we changed for practice.
"She wanted to talk about my dad," I admitted, beginning to change as well. As no one else was in the locker room yet, I added, "She said my dad broke out to kill Harry."
"What?" she gasped, rounding on me.
"It's not true," I insisted. "It has to be something else. He doesn't want to kill Harry. I know he doesn't."
"Val, you know I love and support you not matter what, but..." Angelina paused, biting her lip. "What are you going to do if he actually did it? What if he is guilty?"
"I can't think about that," I admitted, pulling on the rest of my Quidditch robes as she did the same. Soon everyone else entered.
"We're not playing Slytherin," Wood fumed, storming into the locker rooms. "Flint's just been to see me. We're playing Hufflepuff instead."
"Why?" I snapped, along with everyone else.
"Flint's excuse is that their Seeker's arm's still injured," Oliver explained furiously. "But it's obvious why they're doing it. Don't want to play in this weather. Think it'll damage their chances."
"There's nothing wrong with Malfoy's arm!" Harry said angrily. "He's faking it!"
"Not surprised," I scoffed bitterly, crossing my arms over my chest. "My cousin always had a flair for the dramatics."
"I know that, but we can't prove it," Wood said. "And we've been practicing all these moves assuming we're playing Slytherin, and instead it's Hufflepuff, and their style's quite different. They've got a new captain and seeker, Cedric Diggory." I smirked slightly as Angelina and Katie giggled.
"What?" Oliver sighed, irritated.
"Oh nothing, Ollie," I smirked, looking at the two girls. "These two just find him really attractive."
"Do you?" Fred asked pointedly.
"He's not my type," I admitted, "but he's cute."
"Yeah, he's that tall, good-looking one, isn't he?" Angelina asked, blushing.
"Strong and silent," Katie chuckled.
I smirked as Fred impatiently snapped, "He's only silent because he's too thick to string two words together. I don't know why you're worried Oliver, Hufflepuff is a pushover. Last time we played them, Harry caught the snitch in about five minutes, remember?"
"We were playing in completely different conditions!" Oliver snapped anxiously. "Diggory's put a very strong side together! He's an excellent seeker! I was afraid you'd take it like this! We mustn't relax! We must keep out focus! Slytherin is trying to wrong-foot us! We must win!"
"Ollie, we are taking this seriously," I insisted.
"Very seriously," Fred added.
Looking surprised at our sincerity, Oliver replied, "Right, well, let's get to practice."
"I swear," I groaned, turning a corner with Angelina and Katie as we headed back to the dorm, "I'm going to kill Oliver."
"I'm freezing," Katie agreed, shivering. I smiled, glad she wasn't completely ignoring me anymore. Angelina glanced between us hopefully but didn't comment on it.
"The game's going to be a nightmare," Angelina agreed.
"It's unfortunate we're not playing Slytherin though," I said.
"True," Angelina agreed. After a pause, she suggested, "Guys, what if we do what we used to do before every game? Tomorrow night? And we can ask Alicia to join?"
Katie looked at me uncertainly, but finally smiled and agreed, "Okay. That sounds great. You in, Val?"
Smiling widely, I replied, "Yeah, of course."
"Great," Angelina exclaimed excitedly. "Why we ever stopped, I'll never know. Now we just need to ask Alicia."
"Ask me what?" Alicia asked, looking up in surprise as we entered our dorm.
"You remember our pre-game tradition?" Katie asked. "Even though you're not on the team anymore, we were wondering if you wanted to join us tomorrow night?"
"All of you are?" Alicia asked, looking uncertainly between me and Katie. Katie nodded. "Then I'm in. Val, you got the face masks?"
"You know it," I replied with a wink. "And Katie you have the candles?"
"Always," she said excitedly. "Alicia, you get the tea and butterbeer?"
"Duh," she chuckled. "Ange, you have the junk food?"
"I'll be sure to pick it up," she replied.
Letting out a squeal-like laugh, Katie exclaimed, "It's so good to have us all friends again!" Chuckling, we all embraced with wide smiles.