Erris McGrath strolled along one of the open air corridors that flanked one of the castle courtyards, looking for his friends amongst the crowds of students enjoying their break in the autumn sun.
Over the last week, Erris had become more comfortable around Rosewaine and Rory though he still spoke very little and found Rory's loud, extraverted ways rather overwhelming at times. However, he appreciated how hard Rory always tried to strike up a conversation with him. He simply hadn't had the practice talking to children his age, or very many people at all for that matter. When he was wheeled out for high society gatherings and balls, his stiff, serious demeanour and short curt answers had been perfectly acceptable. He had even been praised for acting just like his father, a compliment he despised. In truth, his nature was not cold and brittle at all. He wanted to laugh and joke like the children around him, he simply did not know how to access that element of himself through the hard exterior he had had to develop over his childhood. Wren had been the first person he had felt at peace in the presence of, like the calm in the middle of a storm. He had never met anyone so full of wonder and joy who was free of judgement towards him. He could understand why she felt at home in nature because when he was by her side she felt the same as the forests and the streams. A girl who shared the same ancient patience as the trees.
As Erris rounded the corner and walked through an archway into the courtyard he heard someone holler 'McGrath!' in a rather baiting tone. Even before Erris turned, he knew the owner of the voice. Lucas Print. A first year slytherin boy who, with his friends Samuel Freeper and Kyle Venderson, hung around in the same group as Prudence and Felicity and hung on Prudence's every word.
It was evident that Prudence was very displeased that Erris had been sorted into Ravenclaw, however, the boys had only started to torment him once he had started to openly spend time with Wren and her friends. It had started as little comments whispered in corridors such as, 'your father must be so proud,' and 'centuries of tradition thrown down the toilet.' to out right shoving him as he made his way to classes. All the while Prudence would look on with disdain in her eyes.
The one time she had spoken to him she had simply stated in a honey sweet tone. 'It's not fun being on the outside, is it now Erris. Let me know when you have had enough of being a loser and you want to take your rightful place by my side.' Erris had not answered her.
Prudence was the one person his age that he had been allowed to interact with as a child however her entitled and domineering behaviour had quickly alienated them as friends even from the age of four. Most of their play dates in the years to come had consisted of Prudence trying to force Erris into playing games such as dress up and weddings whilst Erris simply stood there and ignored her the best he could and yet, Prudence had decided that they were lifelong friends.
When Erris had been sorted into Ravenclaw she had been upset however once she realised that Wren had stolen her friend she had become livid!
'Oh McGrath! Where are you going in such a hurry? I think you should spend some time with us.' Lucus sneered as he and his friends surrounded Erris. The first shove came from behind but Erris had been expecting it and had planted his feet sturdily on the ground. The next shove from the side however unbalanced him, making him stumble into Lucus who shoved him back into the circle.
'This too shall pass, this too shall pass,' Erris let the mantra that his tutor had taught him fill his mind and quell his rage. Reacting would only give the boys what they wanted, another opportunity to beat Erris down. He decided that he would not stoop to their level, he would not escalate or act as a victim so as the boys shoved Erris between them he levelled his breathing and mained his proud head with eyes looking forward.
Suddenly a sharp pain spread across his jaw as the taste of iron trickled into his mouth and he felt himself fall to the flag stone floor as colours and dots danced across his vision.
Wren, Rosewaine and Rory's eyes were drawn to the sudden commotion across the courtyard. As they peered around the crowd, Wren glimpsed several boys pushing another rather viciously around in a circle. However, it was only when one of their fists connected with the boy's face that she realised that the boy being attacked was Erris and she let out a gasp. It seemed that her friends had reached the same realisation in that moment because Rory instinctively threw down his bag as he growled 'No friend o' mine stands alone!' and he thundered into the action with fists balled. Rosewaine began to take a step to follow him into the violence before Wren gripped her arm to pull her back. Wren had an instinct in that moment that this was something that the boys needed to sort out together.
As Erris regained his vision he suddenly became aware of one of his attackers giving a sudden pained yelp then an open hand was bent down to him. As Erris looked up from the ground he realised that the hand belonged to a wildly grinning Rory and in that moment another quote from his favourite tutor popped into his head, 'If you have to fight, give them all you've got!'
Erris grabbed his friend's hand and as he stood, he spat the blood from his mouth to face his bullies. He had been the pacifist and that hadn't worked, now it was time to show them what it meant to provoke a person who chooses peace.
Lucas swung clumsily towards Erris' face again which Erris easily sidestepped and proceeded to land a fierce punch right in the gut. After two months of good food and freedom from his family, he was no longer as weak and thin as when he had arrived. He had filled out his clothes a little more and regained strength in his muscles and now the precision and speed from years of fencing was flowing through his body, the muscle memory strong and reliable.
As he turned to intercept a fist from Kyle he witnessed Rory towing Samuel around with his cloak over his head before kicking him in the backside so that he toppled onto the floor. Erris couldn't help but let out an audible laugh at the sight.
As Wren and Rosewaine watched the brawl, the difference between the two best friends became rather more apparent than usual. While Wren winced at every blow landed no matter on whom it landed, Rosewaine hollered her encouragement to her friends like it was a blood sport. And from the amount of celebratory sounds she was making it was evident that Erris and Rory were winning. Soon the three slytherin boys were stumbling about swinging wildly whilst erris dodged their blows as if it was a performed routine and Rory sweeped their legs and ploughed them down with rugby tackles. It was evident that the two boys had rather different fighting styles, Erris, methodical and trained whilst Rory's was decidedly more.... Scrappy. Evidently picked up from wrestling with older brothers. Saying this, the pair made a rather good team.
'ENOUGH!' came a booming voice from the sidelines and as the entire courtyard froze as a professor in a distinctive black, billowing cloak parted the crowd until he reached the bruised and bloodied boys.
'I would have expected such behaviour from Ridcully.' Snape sneered, 'but I expected far better from you, McGrath.' the professor stopped for a moment, scanning Erris' split lip and bruised jaw. 'Twenty points from Ravenclaw each and two Saturday detentions.' and with that Snape began to stride away, completely ignoring that the slytherin boys had been part of the brawl too.
It was Wren's turn to act impulsively now. 'That is not fair!' she said loudly in an angry tone as her fists balled and the pebbles on the stone floor began to quiver.
Professor Snape stopped dead in his tracks then spun to face the little girl who had been brave enough to call out his actions. His eyes narrowed in on her dangerously as he stalked towards her. 'Oh, Miss Novelle? I didn't realise that the punishments I decided are up for discussion.'
At this point Wren was in too deep to back out now so as respectfully as she could she addressed the teacher. 'The Slytherin boys began to attack Erris unprovoked. Rory only went to protect him. I understand that fighting is against the rules and a detention is necessary but surely the boys who started it should get detention too. It is only fair!' Wren's boldness had not wavered but sadly her naive morality had not accounted for an adult's disregard for justice.
'But Mr McGrath and Mr Ridcully won. Another ten points from ravenclaw for insubordination and as you were so worried that your hooligan friends would get lonely in detention, you may join them.' Snape hissed with a sadistic twitch of his thin lips. And then without another word the professor turned and stalked off back into the castle.
Wren was left absolutely dumb founded as what had happened swirled around her mind. He hadn't listened to her. He didn't care what the truth was. It wasn't right! He had taken points from her, she had never lost points for her house before. It wasn't right! And she had definitely never had detention before, let alone two. IT WASN'T RIGHT!
Rosewaine grabbed Wren's shaking hand and whispered to her friend,' Let's get clear of people.'
Wren was barely aware of her friend taking her out of the castle's perimeter and leading her down near Hagrid's hut where the now dying pumpkin vines were strewn across the ground.
'How could he be so..... So biassed!' she finally voiced with a stamp of her foot that sent quite a few vines flying as a little of her magic impacted the ground.
'He's a nincompoop, now focus on your breathing. This isn't worth two days in the hospital. That would just mean that he has won again.'
And in those words, Rosewaine had stopped the oncoming tide within Wren. It seemed that for once stubbornness had been the cure. Wren took a deep breath, then closing her eyes, letting her frustration out in a sigh, extinguishing the last embers of her destructive power. When she opened her eyes she nodded to Rosewaine.
'Thankyou, you're right.' Wren gave her friend a weak, appreciative smile.
'No problem. I'm just glad it's not me with your runaway powers or Snape would currently be joining Nearly Headless Nick in the list of decapitated ghosts of Hogwarts.' Rosewaine grinned as she began to walk back up the slope towards the castle.
'Don't tempt me, it's still a possibility.' Wren replied in a dark, sarcastic tone.
When Wren and Rosewaine re-entered the courtyard they were struck by a rather odd but wholesome sight. Rory and Erris sat on a stone wall laughing together as they reenacted the highlights of their brawl and comparing their battle wounds. For the first time Erris seemed like a completely normal eleven year old boy, without sorrow or stiffness in his demeanour and it was clear to Wren that the boys had found a new level with each other. No longer had they been thrust together by circumstance. Now they were friends, true friends, brothers in arms.
'Well you two don't look too worse for wear, all things considered.' Rosewaine grinned as she skipped over to the boys. As soon as Erris saw Wren walking over behind her, a little of his smile faded and he stood to greet her.
'I'm sorry you got into trouble too,' Erris said quietly as his grey eyes scanned Wren's face to ascertain her emotional state; however, what he found was not an angry or upset girl but one at peace with the situation.
As Wren met Erris' gaze she simply replied 'you are not at fault. It was my choice to speak. I wouldn't be me if I had stayed quiet when I saw injustice.'
And in that moment Erris found even more respect for the girl he already held in high esteem. He realised that the same force that gave her patience also gave her enormous strength.
The four children spent the rest of the day attending lessons and meeting up in their free time and it was evident to all that a new bond had been made that day. They laughed freely and joked loudly amongst themselves and when it came time to check on Chirrup, they all made their way to his room for play time.
Wren had been so wrapped up in the group's new energy that she had almost completely forgotten about choir practice. When a distant chime for seven o'clock echoed down the corridor, Wren practically bolted out of the class yelling, 'Oh god, I'm so late!' as she left her friends laughing in her wake.
The next morning, however, the owl post brought a decided change in atmosphere. Rory had joined his friends on the ravenclaw table for breakfast and as they had been filling their plates and talking amongst themselves, a red letter dropped into Erris' lap and the blood instantly drained from his face. As soon as Rory saw it he grabbed it from his friend and attempted to shove it in a jug of pumpkin juice to drown it. In a matter of moments, both boys were wrestling to keep the letter submerged as it began to transform but no matter how hard they tried, the howler found a way. It sprang free from the jug by breaking the glass, spraying everyone in a two metre radius with juice then it flew into the air in front of Erris and began to scream in his stepmother's shrill, scratchy voice, its paper lips flapping together as it spat venomous words at the boy.
'ERRIS MCGRATH! IT SEEMS THAT THERE ARE NO ENDS YOU WILL NOT GO TO TO DISHONOUR THIS FAMILY. YOUR FATHER WAS ALREADY EMBARRASSED TO TALK ABOUT YOU SINCE YOU CHOSE TO BE PLACED IN RAVENCLAW BUT NOW IT SEEMS HE IS FACED WITH LEAVING THE TITLE OF HEIR TO THE MCGRATH ESTATE TO LITTLE MORE THAN A COMMON THUG. YOU ARE SUCH A DISAPPOINTMENT! IF I HEAR OF ONE MORE OF YOUR ANTICS THIS YEAR YOU ARE COMING STRAIGHT HOME. WE CAN'T AFFORD YOU TO TARNISH THE FAMILY NAME ANY MORE!'
As soon as the letter had screamed its last words it began to rip itself up in anger leaving the entire hall silent with only the echoes of Erris' gastly step mothers voice bouncing off its walls.
Erris said nothing as he raised stiffly from his bench and began to walk down the table towards the doors as everyone stared at him and began to mutter to their friends.
'I should go with him.' Wren whispered as she got up to follow. Rosewaine and Rory simply nodded, still in shock from how vial the letter had been.
As Wren approached Erris, it seemed that his sisters had also wanted to intercept him before he left the hall.
'My oh my, it seems everyone knows what a little screw up you are now. It's rather nice not to feel so lonely in that knowledge now.' the elder of the two sisters purred in a smug tone. She had long dark, lank hair and pointed shrew-like features, perfect for pulling spiteful expressions.
'Leave me alone, Pamilla!' Erris growled as he tried to push past his relative.
'Now now, be nice or I can write a letter home saying all manner of things that will have your backside on that train home by tomorrow.' She threatened as she gripped the boy's arm tightly. 'What would make mother mad, Vivian?' Pamilla questioned her sister with a cruel smile.
Vivian, the younger of the two sisters looked rather the opposite to her sister. Shorter and less spinderly, she had a very square face made brourder by a rather unflattering severe bob haircut. The main feature that showed their relation was the pointed, sharp nose in the centre of her face.
'Another fight would do the trick.' Vivian replied gleefully.
'Oh use some imagination.' Pamilla scolded Vivian rolling her eyes and it quickly became clear to Wren who was the brainy sister out of the two.
'Mother has always found your attitude very vexing, Erris. Imagine if she heard about you arguing with a professor or worse, Dumbledor himself.' Pamilla gave a mocking gasp of dismay.
Erris said nothing. He simply stared at the ground until his sisters waltzed away laughing to one another.
'Are you ok?' Wren asked in a tentative whisper.
Erris stood there for a second, his fists balled and shaking then he replied quietly through gritted teeth. 'They forget that one day I will inherit the family fortune that they intend to live off for their entire lives,' then he met Wren's gaze as he said, 'and I am going to cut them off.'
This was a new side to Erris that Wren had never seen before. A darker side. A burning hatred and in that moment his sad, stormy eyes had turned to steal, still cooling from being pulled from the forge.
'Time often deals an interesting hand to bad people.' Wren replied, trying to reassure him that everything would be alright in the end.
'I can't go home, Wren. I can't do it.' Erris whispered, his voice trembling with fear.
'You won't, Erris. Your family's threats are just that. If they care about honour so much they will want you to remain at Hogwarts. Pulling you out, especially for no good reason, would cause a scandal that would plague them for years.' Wren pointed out.
Though Wren's parents had shielded her from much of high society's gaze, being a member of the Novelle family meant that she understood the wizarding elite. Her father, eldest son of a noble and rich wizarding family had walked away from the mansion he had grown up in, leaving it to the next male heir which happened to be Zed. That in itself had caused a commotion in its day.
From the somewhat scathing education her father had given her in high society, she knew what made it tick. Image was everything and though Erris' family liked to disregard his achievements, he was the perfect heir. Learned, skilled in the arts and poised. They would not jeopardise that image to the wider world by pulling him from Hogwarts.
Erris breathed a sigh of relief as his mind cleared and the true ramifications of his family's actions slotted into place. 'Your right. They can tell that they are losing control of me and are trying to rein me back in but I'm not a little kid any more and those threats won't work.' He sounded determined and full of a new fire. It seemed that Erris had just broken another chain that had held him down and as he continued to walk out of the great hall he held his head higher.