Chapter Eight
It seemed as though the two boys had taken her running away as an invitation to taunt and tease her more. She felt like she couldn't get away from it and she hated it, wondering why she seemed to be the target for their pranks and bullying.
It was just over a month and a half into the school year. The classes were difficult and so was trying to avoid two stupid boys, but she tried her best with both. She liked Astronomy and Charms because she seemed to pick them up fairly well, but she hated Potions with a burning passion.
She felt like she was run off her feet with all the homework she had for all of her classes and staying on top of it proved difficult. Sometimes she felt as though she couldn't keep up with all things magic, it was embarrassing, and she wondered if she wasn't well suited for any house.
She was currently on her way to her second class of the day which happened to be Potions. She didn't mind Professor Slughorn, in fact, he was a lovely Professor and helped her and Benji when they needed help, but overall Potions was not her strong suit.
She had an essay to turn in on the importance of Asphodel in certain potions and she thought by the end of her night in the library she was sure to rip out her own hair. It didn't help that she could hear hushed giggles and whispers from the table just one over from hers and to see Benji in the middle of his group of friends made her heart shatter into a million pieces.
She felt like he had truly left her behind, they hadn't spoken, and she didn't know why. She wanted to march right up at him and scream in his face that he was a terrible brother and she hated him, but she felt like she didn't even know him anymore to even do that.
Regardless, she had more important things to worry about. She was going to be late for potions and she couldn't let that happen, she had never been late to any class before and she didn't want to find out what the punishment would be if she was.
The idea of one of her Professors shouting at her sent a chill down her spine.
"Oi, Hopkins!" that was able to send a chill down her spine, too. The sound of those stupid boys clamouring down the hallway the same way she was going. They all had potions together, and sometimes it was harder to avoid them due to that.
She would pack up her things as quickly as possible at the end of class just to make sure she missed them, running to her next class so they didn't see her in the hallway but this time she wasn't so lucky. She wondered if they ever sought her out, rushed to catch up with her just so they could tease her.
She found out not too long ago that she really wasn't the only victim of their constant teasing and taunting. She heard a boy in Ravenclaw talk about that 'stupid James Potter' and she wasn't sure why, but a part of her was relieved. It felt almost sick to think such a thing, that she was happy someone else went through what she did.
"Oi!" Sirius Black's voice grew louder, rushing to her side with a smug grin on his face, "going somewhere, Hopkins?"
She kept her head down and her notebook that she had once scribbled in clutched tightly in her left hand. She hated them with a burning passion. She had dealt with bullies before, but not like this. At least they didn't hit her, but sometimes their pranks felt much crueller.
"Leave me alone," she whispered. Her voice small and mouse-like and the boys erupted into loud 'oooh's'. It was the first time she had said anything, and they had to be listening to her to hear it as it was so quiet, "please."
"Well," said James, grinning, "she did say please!"
They didn't leave her alone though, instead, they walked with her, "how do you get your hair that curly, then?"
"Tips from Hagrid, eh?!" piped up the squeaky Peter Pettigrew who really just wished to be involved. Remus stayed quiet, which was the usual, but she still hated him. If he truly didn't agree with their teasing then he would stick up to them, but he was a coward just like stupid Peter.
The doors to her potion's classroom came into view as she rounded the corner, and she picked up her pace to leave them behind. She had her class with the Ravenclaw's today and she could see Benji ahead talking to some boys.
"Hopkins!" called James, "why you so eager to get to class?!"
"Hagrid isn't in there, Hopkins, he won't teach you his hair tricks!" shouted Sirius, "see I'm not sure if it's your face or your hair that resembles Hagrid the most!"
Benji's eyes lifted when he heard his last name, and when he realised that Adria was right in front of him with tears welling in her eyes his heart dropped. They were taunting her, commenting on her hair and her features.
She didn't say anything, though, and disappeared into the classroom. She had waited for just a second longer than she usually would have, to see if Benji maybe would have said anything. Maybe would have come to her defence against them, shouted at them and pushed and punched them.
She didn't want to depend on him, but she wondered if maybe he would take it on himself to do that for her like he used to. He didn't though, in fact, he averted his gaze back to his friends until she had disappeared into the classroom and so did the boys that were teasing her.
She took her usual seat near the back of the class. The tables were laid out so that four people were assigned to one big table and so she knew that she'd have to sit with others, she wouldn't talk to them though, she never did.
"Good morning, class!" said a cheery Professor Slughorn, "how are we all today? Are we excited for Halloween in just a few weeks?!"
There were a few grunts around the classroom, students not really caring for his enthusiasm, but Adria found it endearing that he still cared for his students. She did not let that show.
"You will be working in pairs today!" he beamed, "I believe it wise that we show a little house solidarity in my classroom. I will be pairing a Gryffindor with a Slytherin!"
Some kids booed, mostly Gryffindors and mostly ones who had planned to be with their friends. James Potter seemed more annoyed that he and Sirius would be split up, but Adria didn't care.
She listened as Slughorn called out students for their partners. If your name was called first you stood and moved to the seat beside your partner. She watched Lily Evans grab her shoulder bag and sit next to Benji, who greeted her with a smile.
Lily Evans didn't smile, though, but she did take his outstretched hand. Adria knew that Lily was lovely, she had a warm smile. They never spoke but they did share a dorm and she always defended her Slytherin friend when Dorcas asked why she still cared for him.
Severus, Adria remembered, was his name.
Unbeknownst to Adria, Lily knew that Benji was her brother. Lily also heard the taunting coming from stupid James Potter, and she also saw that Benji did absolutely nothing to defend her sister. She was already beating herself up that she didn't step in and help her dorm mate, but she wasn't sure if it was her place.
Lily realised that any help would be enough, and vowed that if she witnessed it again, she would help Adria. It was the least she could do for the girl. Severus had been the brunt of James Potters teasing, and whilst she knew Severus wasn't so nice to them either, she didn't like James or Sirius.
She had been teased by them too, it wasn't fun.
"Adria Hopkins!" Slughorn boomed, and she ignored the quiet snickering, "you will be paired with...let's see - ah! Yes, Milo Bell!"
She had no idea who that was, but when she saw a Ravenclaw boy lift his head from the desk she realised it may have been him. He gestured to the seat beside him and she packed up her things and made her way over to him.
"Look at that, Sirius!" James hollered, "Hagrid's found herself a boyfriend!"
He and Sirius snickered, and Lily shouted, "why don't you just shut up for once James!"
"Mr Potter!" Slughorn chided, "I will see you back here for detention, yes?"
James didn't say anything, grumbling curses under his breath and glaring back at Lily who was glaring right at him. Adria threw her shoulder bag down and under the desk, sitting on the stool that Milo had gestured to.
"Just saying," Milo piped up, "I don't think you look like Hagrid...but anyway, if you did I don't really think that's such a bad thing. Cause Hagrid is cool."
She let a small smile fall onto her lips and nodded in agreement. She then said, "yeah. He is cool."