Chapter 6: Sick of Slytherins
The first week of school went by pretty fast. It was now Saturday morning, Claire was woken up by Hermione as usual. They went down to the Great Hall and saw Ron eating his normal amount of food.
"Morning, Ron. Where's Harry?" Claire asked.
"Quidditch Practice." Ron said
"Oh, did he just leave?" Claire asked.
Ron shook his head. "No, Wood came into our dorm about six in the morning telling Harry about earlier morning Quidditch practice."
Claire glanced at the clock on the wall of the Great Hall. It was nine o' clock.
"It's been three hours and they're still not done?" Claire questioned.
"Wood's like that. That's probably why our team is the best." Ron said.
"Let's go bring him some breakfast." Claire said.
They agreed. Claire said she would grab the food while Hermione and Ron headed towards the Quidditch Pitch. Hermione and Ron had left already while Claire wrapped a few pieces of toasts and bacon in a napkin and grabbed a bottled of water. She was about to climb the bleachers at the Quidditch Pitch when she heard someone calling her.
"Smith!" Claire turned around and frowned at the person. It was the transfer student Jason Saxton. He ran towards her.
"Oh, it's you." Claire said annoyed.
"I detect a hint of annoyance in your tone." Jason replied.
"Oh, so you do have a brain? Fantastic! Now, leave me alone. I'd rather not waste my time talking to you." Claire said starting to walk away.
Jason caught up to her and grabbed her arm stopping her.
"Look we got off on the wrong foot at the bookshop." He began. "I'm not all bad."
"Ha! That's hilarious! You should really consider becoming a comedian. Now let go of my arm." Claire glared at him.
"No, not until you hear me out." He said. "How about we start over? I just want to be friends."
"Funny, that's the last thing I want to be." Claire retorted. "Now-let-go-of-my-arm."
"No-"
"What's going on here?!" They turned to see Harry coming towards them. Jason immediately released his grip on Claire's arm and walked away. Harry finally reached Claire.
"What did he want?" Harry asked. "Why was he holding onto your arm?"
Claire waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry about. Anyway, Hermione, Ron, and I brought you breakfast."
Claire handed the water and food wrapped in the napkin. Harry smiled appreciatively.
"Thanks. Where's Ron and Hermione?" He asked, eating a piece of toast.
"They're in the stands. Come on." They climbed the bleachers and found Hermione and Ron. Hermione and Ron saw them and greeted them.
"Did you just finish?" Hermione asked.
Harry shook his head. "No, Wood just let us have a five minute break. And it's a good thing he did. I caught that Durmstrang kid and Claire together."
"What?" Ron and Hermione turned their attention to Claire.
Claire groaned. "Not like that, you nitwits. What Harry means is that Saxton and I were having a conversation. He grabbed my arm and wouldn't let go. Harry came over and Saxton left end of story."
"He didn't hurt you did he?" Ron asked.
"No." Claire said.
"Five minutes is up! Potter, get down to the field!" Wood called.
"See you later!" Harry left them and went down to the field.
Claire, Hermione, and Ron sat in silence as they watched Wood tell the players where to go. Harry had mounted his broom and was flying full speed around the Quidditch field. Suddenly, Claire heard a clicking noise. Hermione and Ron must've heard it to because they turned their heads in the direction of the noise. It was Colin Creevey. Claire noticed that Wood seemed ticked off that Colin was taking pictures of the Quidditch team. She then saw George pointing at something. Her eyes caught several people in green robes walking on the field. The Gryffindor team began descending from the air to the ground. They dismounted from their broomsticks and walked towards the Slytherin team. Claire noticed that Wood seemed really angry. She then saw the Slytherin team part revealing Draco Malfoy.
"Looks like we have company." Claire said to Hermione and Ron.
"This can't be good." Hermione said.
"Maybe we should go down there." Ron suggested.
The three of them headed down to the field. When they reached the Gryffindor team, they heard the Slytherin Captain say, "Oh, look, a field invasion."
"What's happening?" Claire asked Harry.
"Why aren't you playing? And what's he doing here?" Ron questioned gesturing to Malfoy.
"I'm the new Slytherin Seeker, Weasley," Malfoy said, smugly. "Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's bought our team."
Claire saw Ron gap at the Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones the Slytherin team had.
"Good, aren't they?" Malfoy said, smoothly. "But perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms, too. You could raffle off those Cleansweep Fives; I expect a museum would bid for them."
The Slytherin team howled with laughter.
"Oh, so that's how you made it on the team," Claire began. "You had your daddy buy your way on it."
"At least everyone on the Gryffindor team got in on pure talent." Hermione said.
The smug look on Malfoy's face flickered.
"No one asked for your opinions, Smith and your filthy little Mudblood friend." he spat.
There was an instant uproar at Malfoy's words. Flint had to dive in front of Malfoy to stop Claire, Fred, and George from jumping on him, one of the Gryffindor Chasers named Alicia shrieked, "How dare you!", and Ron plunged his hand into his robes, pulled out his wand, yelling, "You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!" and pointed it furiously under Flint's arm at Malfoy's face. Claire hardly had time to remember that Ron's wand hadn't been working properly since the Whomping Willow incident and therefore wasn't able to warn him before a jet of green light shot out at the wrong end of Ron's wand, hitting him in the stomach and sending him reeling backward onto the grass.
"Ron!" Hermione squealed running towards him and dropping to her knees next to him.
Claire and Harry ran over to Ron and Hermione.
"Ron, are you alright?" Claire asked, noticing he looked like he was about to vomit.
Claire almost puked when Ron opened his mouth and several slugs dribbled out of his mouth onto his lap. Claire could hear the Slytherin team howling with laughter and felt her insides boil with anger. The Gryffindor team was now gathered around Ron, who kept belching large, glistening slugs. Nobody seemed to want to touch him.
"We'd better get him to Hagrid's, it's nearest," Harry said to Claire and Hermione.
They both nodded and the three of them helped Ron up.
"What happened, Harry? What happened? Is he ill? But you can cure him, can't you?" Colin had run down from his seat and was now dancing alongside them as they left the field. Ron gave a huge heave and more slugs dribbled down his front. Colin looked fascinated by this and raised his camera asking them to hold Ron still while he took a picture. Claire spoke up at this moment, "I mean this in the nicest way possible: Get the hell out of the way, Colin!"
This seemed to make Colin back up. Claire, Harry, and Hermione took Ron to Hagrid's.
"I swear Malfoy's going to get what's coming to him." Claire muttered angrily.
"Claire," Hermione warned.
"No, Hermione, he can say whatever he wants about me, but when it comes to my friends that's when it crosses the line. The next time I see him I'm sticking his broomstick up his-" Claire was interrupted by Harry dragging them behind a nearby bush and hissing, "Quick, behind here!"
They were at first confused as to why Harry did this, but they soon saw Gilderoy Lockhart emerging from Hagrid's hut. Why does this dude alway show up everywhere we go? Claire thought annoyed to herself.
"It's a simple matter if you know what you're doing!" Lockhart was saying loudly to Hagrid. "If you need help, you know where I am! I'll let you have a copy of my book. I'm surprised you haven't already got one-I'll sign one tonight and send it over. Well, good-bye!" And he strode away toward the castle.
They waited until Lockhart was out of sight, then pulled Ron out of the bush and up to Hagrid's front door. They knocked urgently. Hagrid appeared at once, looking very grumpy, but his expression brightened when he saw who it was.
"Bin wonderin' when you'd come ter see me-come in, come in-thought you mighta bin Professor Lockhart back again-"
Claire, Harry, and Hermione helped Ron over the threshold into the one-roomed cabin. Hagrid didn't seem perturbed by Ron's slug problem, which Harry hastily explained as he lowered Ron into a chair.
"Better out than in," Hagrid said cheerfully, plunking a large copper basin in front of him. "Get 'em all up, Ron. There's nothing much we can do except wait for it to stop."
Hagrid began making them tea. His boarhound, Fang, was slobbering over Claire.
"We saw Lockhart come out of your hut." Claire said, scratching Fang's ears. "What did he want with you, Hagrid?"
"Givin' me advice on gettin' kelpies out of a well," growled Hagrid, setting down the teapot on the scrubbed table. "Like I don't know. An' bangin' on about some banshee he banished. If one word of it was true, I'll eat my kettle."
Claire laughed while Harry seemed surprised that Hagrid would criticize a Hogwarts teacher seeing as he never did. Hermione, however, said in a voice somewhat higher than usual, "I think you're being a bit unfair. Professor Dumbledore obviously thought he was the best man for the job-"
"He was the on'y man for the job," Hagrid said, offering them a plate of treacle fudge, while Ron coughed squelchily into his basin. "An' I mean the on'y one. Gettin' very difficult ter find anyone fer the Dark Arts job."
"I can't imagine why. It's not like the last one had You-Know-Who on the back of his head." Claire said sarcastically.
"People aren't too keen ter take it on. They're startin' ter think it's jinxed. No one's lasted long fer a while now. So tell me," Hagrid said, jerking his head at Ron. "Who was he tryin' ter curse?"
"Malfoy," Harry said.
"He called Hermione a 'Mudblood'." Claire said.
Hagrid looked outraged.
"He didn'!" he growled at Hermione.
"He did." she said. "But I don't know what it means. I could tell it was really rude, of course-"
"It's about the most insulting thing he could think of," Ron said hoarsely before he began spewing out more slugs.
"Mudblood's a really foul name for someone who is Muggle-born-you know, non-magic parents." Claire said.
"There are some wizards-like Malfoy's family-who think they're better than everyone else because they're what people call pure-blood." Ron said. "I mean, the rest of us know it doesn't make any difference at all. Look at Neville Longbottom- he's pureblood and he can hardly stand a cauldron the right way up."
"An' they haven't invented a spell our Hermione can' do," Hagrid said proudly, making Hermione go a brilliant shade of magenta.
"It's a disgusting think to call someone," Ron said, wiping his sweaty brow with a shaking hand. "Dirty blood, see. Common blood. It's ridiculous. Most wizards these days are half-blood anyway. If we hadn't married Muggles we'd've died out."
Ron began to retch and threw up more slugs.
"Well, I don' blame yer fer tryin' ter curse him, Ron," Hagrid said loudly over the sound over the thuds of more slugs hitting the basin. "Bu' maybe it was a good thing yer wand backfired. 'Spect Lucius Malfoy would've come marchin' up ter school if yeh'd cursed his son. Least yer not in trouble."
"Harry," Hagrid said abruptly as though struck by a sudden thought. "Gotta bone ter pick with yeh. I've heard you've bin givin' out signed photos. How come I haven't got one?"
Claire watched amused by Hagrid as Harry furiously wrenched his teeth apart.
"I have not been giving out signed photos," he said hotly. "If Lockhart's still spreading that around-"
Hagrid began to laugh and Harry's anger expression disappeared as he realized that Hagrid was only joking.
"I'm on'y joking'," Hagrid said, patting Harry genially on the back and sending him face first into the table causing Claire to laugh. "I knew yeh hadn't really. I told Lockhart yeh didn' need teh. Yer more famous than him without tryin'."
"I bet Lockhart just loved that," Claire said sarcastically.
Hagrid laughed. "He definitely wasn't pleased with my comment. An' then I told him I'd never read one o' his books an' he decided ter go. Treacle fudge, Ron?"
"No, thanks," Ron said weakly. "Better not risk it."
"Come an' see what I've bin growin'," Hagrid said as Claire, Harry, and Hermione finished the last of their tea.
In the small vegetable patch behind Hagrid's house were a dozen of the largest pumpkins Harry had ever seen. Each was the size of a large boulder.
"Gettin' on well, aren't they?" Hagrid said happily. "Fer the Halloween feast..should be big enough by then."
"You mean they're still growing?" Claire said astonished by the already overly large pumpkins.
"Yep." Hagrid said.
"What've you been feeding them?" Harry said.
Hagrid looked over his shoulder to check that they were alone.
"Well, I've been givin' them-you know-a bit o'help-" Claire noticed that Hagrid seemed to be nudging his head towards a flowery pink umbrella leaning against the back wall of the cabin. Claire had a feeling Hagrid wasn't supposed to be doing magic and suspected his old school wand was concealed inside of it.
"An Engorgement Charm, I suppose?" Hermione said, halfway between disapproval and amusement. "Well, you've done a good job on them."
"That's what yer little sister said," Hagrid said, nodding at Ron.
"Oh, you met Ginny?" Claire said.
Hagrid nodded. "Met her jus' yesterday." Hagrid looked sideways at Harry, his beard twitching. "Said she was jus' lookin' round the grounds, but I reckon she was hopin' she might run inter someone else at my house." He winked at Harry. "If yeh ask me, she wouldn' say no ter a signed-"
"Oh, shut up," Harry said. Claire and Ron snorted with laughter. Ron ended up spraying the ground with slugs.
"Watch it!" Hagrid roared, pulling Ron away from his precious pumpkins.
The four friends soon realized that it was getting close to lunchtime and bid Hagrid goodbye. Ron had improved a lot only hiccoughing occasionally, bringing up two very small slugs. They had barely set foot in the entrance hall when a voice rang out, "There you are, Potter-Weasley." Professor McGonagall was walking towards them, looking stern. "Move along Smith-Granger."
"We'll save you seats." Claire told them as she and Hermione continued on to the Great Hall. They soon entered the Great Hall and Claire spotted Ginny sitting next a blonde-haired girl. Claire motioned for Hermione to follow her. They sat in front of Ginny. Ginny smiled brightly at Claire and Hermione.
"Hello, Hermione, Claire," Ginny greeted them. "This is Luna Lovegood. She's in Ravenclaw."
Claire recognized the girl from the sorting ceremony. Luna smiled at them.
"It's nice to meet you." Luna said.
"You have a lot of Wrackspurts zooming around your head." Luna said to Claire.
"What's a Wrackspurt?" Claire asked, utterly confused.
"They're invisible. They float in through your ears and make your brain go fuzzy." Luna explained.
"That's interesting." Claire said.
"How do you like Hogwarts so far?" Hermione asked them.
"I think it's absolutely brilliant!" Ginny said.
"Hogwarts is nice. However, some people aren't that kind." Luna said looking over at the Slytherin table.
Claire turned to see Luna was looking at Malfoy and his goons. Malfoy and his goons seemed to be laughing at Luna and it made Claire extremely angry. Claire turned her attention back to Luna.
"What have they done to you?" Hermione asked.
"They kept calling her Loony Lovegood and made fun of her because she believes in Wrackspurts and other creatures." Ginny said, her brown eyes filled with fury as she glared at Malfoy and his goons.
"Don't worry about those gits, Luna." Claire said. "People like Malfoy tend to find flaws in other's lives in order to avoid fixing their own. A person shouldn't be judged just because they're not perfect. We were born to be real, not perfect. So just be yourself. Besides if you're not you, who will be you?"
Luna smiled at Claire. "Thank you, Claire. I'm very glad to have met nice people like you, Hermione, and Ginny."
"So," Claire said, turning her attention to Ginny with a sly smile. "I hear you went down to Hagrid's to find a certain boy with a lightning scar..."
Ginny blushed furiously and then stood up from her seat. "Well, it was nice chatting with you two. Luna and I have some where to be before lunch ends. Bye."
Ginny dragged Luna, running out of the Great Hall. Claire shook her head amused. Harry and Ron then came in and sat in front of Claire and Hermione.
"Why was Ginny running out of the Great Hall?" Ron asked.
"No reason." Claire said. "What did Professor McGonagall want with you two?"
The boys then told them about their detentions.
"I have to go polish the silver in the trophy room with Filch," Ron said, piling food on his plate."And I can't even use magic."
"Tough luck," Claire said with sympathy.
"I'd rather be doing that then answering fan mail with Lockhart," Harry said.
"What?!" Claire and Hermione said simultaneously. Claire's tone was more shocked while Hermione's tone seemed to be envious.
"Why didn't you just ask Professor McGonagall if you could do the same thing as Ron?" Claire asked.
"I did." Harry replied, as he poured some water into his cup. "But it seems Lockhart has requested me for tonight."
"Maybe he'll ask you for your autograph," Claire teased.
Harry glared at her.
"I'm just trying to lighten the mood. Geez, no one appreciates sarcasm nowadays." Claire muttered.
That night at eight o'clock Ron and Harry went to serve their detentions. Claire and Hermione were in the common room doing homework; well Hermione was doing homework while Claire was writing in her diary.
Hello Tom. How are you?
Hello Claire. I'm fine, and you?
I've been better.
What's wrong?
Slytherins can be such arseholes- no offense to you, Tom.
None taken. What happened?
Well, this boy I met in Diagon Alley transferred to Hogwarts from Durmstrang Institute and he tried to make friends with me. He's in Slytherin but that's not why I won't be friends with him. Back in Diagon Alley he got mad at me for breaking up a fight. He said it would've been entertaining to watch them fight till death. That's sick! What kind of a person thinks like that?! Then Malfoy, another Slytherin who has been picking on me and my friends since last year, called my friend Hermione a Mudblood! That ass! And then I find out Ginny's, Ron's little sister who is practically like my little sister, friend Luna has been picked on by Malfoy.
I can definitely see why you would think of Slytherins in such a light.
You know, you're practically the only good Slytherin I've met.
Should I take that as a compliment?
Yes, you should. Not very many of your kind out there.
I should say the same about you.
What do you mean?
Well, you seem to be one of the only nice people I've met. I wasn't treated very well at the Orphanage or at Hogwarts. I didn't have many friends.
I'm sorry to hear that. You seem like a very nice person. If you were at Hogwarts now I feel like we'd be friends.
That's good to hear.
"Claire, are you even listening to me?" Hermione snapped.
Claire looked up from her diary. "Oh, were you saying something?"
Hermione sighed. "Nevermind. It's getting late. We'd better go to bed."
"Ok, mother." Claire teased earning her a glare from Hermione.
Claire rolled her eyes before turning back to her diary.
Sorry, Tom. Hermione will be angry with me if I don't go to bed. Good night, Tom.
Claire closed the book and put it in her school bag along with the quill and ink. Hermione and Claire then went up to their dorm, changed into their pajamas and then went to sleep.