Chapter 14: chapter xiv: everybody make a scene (2)Summary:
In which everybody *does* make a scene.
Notes:
Alright, this is the second of the double-update! If you're reading this first, I posted another new chapter like 10 seconds ago, so... go there first, I guess.
Uuuhh, TW?
Hurt?
Question mark?
Star is very rude? and mean?
Quirrell is a creep?
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
"Sorry?"
Of all the things I imagined for detention, this wasn't one of them.
"I'd like you to help me grade assignments, Miss McKinnon."
Who am I talking to?
Is it Quirrell but he forgot he has to stutter, or is it Riddle using him as meatsuit? How does it work? Fuck, is this a test? A powerplay to tell me that he knows that I know he's an odd one?
And why the fuck is this what he (they??) had in mind when carefully waiting for today to assign my detention?
Fucking Slytherins.
I made sure not to give him my back, keeping him at least in my peripherals and waiting for an attack, eyeing his hands when he smoothly walked to his desk after placing a stack of papers on one of the students tables at the front, but with enough distance that the smell of garlic wouldn't be as pungent as if he had placed me next to him.
"Professor Flitwick sings you praises, and I have taken notice how easily you master the spells from my class." He spoke smoothly, tone dripping caramel as he watched me sit slowly, and once more I wondered if this wasn't Riddle using the meatsuit. Quirrell wasn't that charming, and he definitely wasn't observant enough to realize I was either doing other things during his class, or quickly mastering the silly spells. No, no. That was all the thing behind his head.
And I genuinely believe that, this isn't me understimating him, just an observation of who as a person he was and in what position he was.
Afterall, why would he pay attention to me when he had his freaky mission to complete? I doubt Quirrell would pay attention to a single girl when he had to worry about pleasing Voldemort and dodging Snape.
"They're Charms. I'm good at Charms." Came my clipped reply, and he hummed nicely, as if saying 'but of course you are, dear.', it made my skin crawl and I took notice how confidently he sat down, feeling his sharp attention on me despite the fact he was already going through the assignments.
I worked fast, barely noticing that they were from the third years and only realizing when I came across George's handwriting. It made me pause, and when I discreetly looked at him, I could see his satisfaction about tripping me up like he had.
"Do let me know once you're done, Miss McKinnon." Pressing my lips together, I harriedly tried to come up with an solution.
Would he let me go if I finished quicker?
Did he think he'd succeed in taking the stone today, and just wanted to assess the threat before booking it?
Am I reading too much into it?
He's a Slytherin - Tom Riddle, that is -, so thinking about Blaise if he was Quirrellmort, would Blaise try something when he wasn't completely sure he could get away with it?
Knowing the boy, no.
Blaise woudn't risk it. He would use the troll opportunity if he had a chance, of course, but he wouldn't do anything that could be traced back to himself.
But then again, Blaise was of sound mind.
Deciding that I'd rather finish it faster, I returned my full attention to the assignments, hoping that this was just a weird power play to check how much of a threat I might be in the future instead of ploy to outright murder me.
Hell, I might even just be his alibi.
I chanced a look at outside, seeing through tainted windows that the skies were turning purple and darkening.
As much as I hoped for, it wasn't easy to ignore him. Not when he had such pointed attention on me, and not when his presence seemed to swell and grow, stiffling the classroom in such way that I felt that if I were to take anything other than shallow breaths, I'd choke on the thickness of the air.
The hair on the back of my neck was raised and my hands were cold; nearly clammy and more than once I had to slow down the quill as to not make any more of a mess than the one caused by my shaking hand.
"How is Mr. Potter today?"
Snap!
My face blanked, and I looked down at the broken quill in my hand, jaw clenched so tightly my teeth and head hurt with how hard I was grinding them.
How long has it been since I've broken a quill? Before Hogwarts, perhaps. When I was still learning how much pressure I could get away with it before breaking the feather or ripping the paper.
Working my jaw, I flicked my wand out and tried to reign in my temper and disgust at the- the thing's audacity on asking about my Harry James on this day. On the tenth anniversary of his parent's murder.
"Scourgify." The blotches of ink disappeared under the charm, and I gave a sharp knock on my Occlumency walls once I pushed my feelings to the other side.
I slowly looked up after placing the broken quill down, looking to a point above Quirrell's shoulder.
"What?" Came my sharp question, tilting my head and carefully putting my wand away before I was tempted to use it on the parasite in front of me.
"Mr. Potter. How does he fair today? I'm sure he's received his share of congratulations at his feat from 10 years ago." His words were crisp, a warning cold edge for me to watch my mouth despite how sympathetic he sounded.
I bit my tongue. Hard.
Hard enough that there was a taste of copper before I swallowed and bared my teeth in a mock of a smile. It pulled strangely on my face, and I could feel my magic pressing back at his, not yielding to it but not lashing out yet.
"He's rather well, all things considered, Professor." A tense silence, and my nostrils flared with the sheer weight of the thing's magic, for all that it was a weak thing, more alike Harry's than I was comfortable to admit, it felt different. Cold and sharp, decaying and rotten.
Like oil you can't wash off, while Harry's always felt like a breeze. Tight and perhaps a bit defensive, but breezy and light. Like once of those leaves that recoil when you touch, but were content to sway in the wind if left alone.
Beads of sweat were beginning to collect on my forehead, and part of me wondered how we'd deal with the aftermath of such blatant… battle of wills? Prick sizing competition? Either way, I asked myself if he'd pretend it never happened, that it hadn't caused his glamours to falter slightly at the strain the parasite was putting on his meat suit.
He hummed, as if pleased that the boy he orphaned was doing alright.
It disgusted me, and I felt the fear disappearing under my rage. I was tempted to say something else, so rub in his face how pathetic I thought of him, how it hadn't been Harry that destroyed him, but Lily fucking Potter.
The muggleborn mother who thrice defied him, who proved how much she was worth of her magic, even if it angered me she had to die for it. But by Morgana, how I wanted to say it.
I almost did too.
But then my pocket weightened and warmed uncomfortably, and I snapped my attention to it, checking that my robes and costume weren't on fire as I stared quietly at the glaring turnip, biting my tongue once the smells of jasmines, lavender and mint reached me, chasing away the scent of garlic for a moment and clearing my mind of hatred.
Alright. Easy does it.
Swallowing, I smiled tightly his way before returning my attention to the assignments and finishing the last grading.
"I'm done, sir."
Quirrell hummed again, and I heard a change of tone, his voice lowered mid hum. It was an uncomfortably pleasant sound, and I was reminded that Tom Riddle had been a charming man once (I had seen a picture of him in the trophy room, he had been disgustingly handsome), and it was bleeding into Quirrell at the moment, which clashed horribly with the Professor.
"Quick as expected. I see Flitwick hasn't lied about your capability, Miss McKinnon."
The weight of the turnip was a reminder not to bite back at him for daring speaking about Flitwick.
It was an uncomfortable reminder of everything I chose to ignore, his presence in the castle, near the people I thought dear, Pettigrew's. How Sirius Black was inocent and still in Azkaban, that there was a goddamned Basilisk in the castle, that there were in total three pieces of Voldemort within the walls-
Pretending Scabbers wasn't an animagus was easy. Ron had quickly noticed how tense I'd become in its presence, and would more often than not hide Pettigrew away, either in his pocket or leave the rat in their dormitory where I could forget about his existence, and whenever I did see the rat, Wormtail made sure to quickly hide from me.
Perhaps he noticed my dislike for him and had enough sense to scatter when I was around.
Maybe it had to do with how I once hesitated for a bit too long before taking him to the boys' dormitory when I found him lounging on the common room.
But can you blame me?
The fuck was he doing near the seventh years? I remember I had been rushing for my prank book to check on a charm when I noticed the fat thing relaxing near some of the older students. I hadn't thought before stomping their way and clutching the rat in a tight grip despite its squeaks.
The seventh years barely noticed, so lost in their studies as they were.
I had stopped by the stairs, looking coldly at the squirming and scratching thing, wondering if maybe- maybe I should just kill it.
No Pettigrew, technically, no Voldemort rising in our fourth year.
If not kill it, then at least hand it over to Flitwick, as he would be able to fight Pettigrew if needed be before the Aurors arrived and I trusted the Professor.
But then I remembered something about how Barty Crouch Jr. died. Kissed by a dementor by the Minister's command right under McGonagall's nose.
What were the chances that Pettigrew would be silently taken care of, and Sirius would remain in Azkaban?
My next moves had been stilted and slow before I finally decided to go up the boys' dorm, leaving it on Ron's bed and baring my teeth at its shaking form in a sneer.
"Stay away."
Was my only command, and it had dutifully followed it for the next months.
Part of me recognized the danger he was.
He killed 12 people just to frame Sirius Black, let alone what he had done in his time as a Death Eater, even if he hadn't been bigoted and had aligned himself with Voldemort over Self-Preservation.
A little voice in my head reminded me that he was dangerous. That very little stopped him from finding one of us alone to quietly kill us, if it meant he'd survive another day, but then a bigger, more reckless part overpowered it by thinking of how sniveling he was.
The same way it did with Quirrell.
Seeing how he was assessing me now, that loud voice that told me to mock the turbant and fake stutter was for once silent.
Regretful.
Especially once he smiled coldly and opened his mouth again.
"It's a good thing I told Filch that he should leave the mess in one of the corridors for you to clean, Miss McKinnon." I didn't need to look into his eyes to see the strange gleam, and I had an idea what bloody corridor was. "I'm sure you'll finish it before the Feast is over."
Now that was just petty.
He didn't even finish his own fucking work, just signed for me to follow him, and my shoulders tensed both when he walked by my table and when he gave me his back.
Because unlike when in class, I couldn't feel eyes on me.
It was unsettling.
But it also a hint that somehow Voldemort had just enough strength for this one feat of talking through Quirrel, because let me tell you, he was not looking good.
His walk seemed to shift between distraughtfully confident to tired, a sway that made him seem like he was close to collapsing.
I made no move to catch him whenever he swayed. In fact, if he did pass out, I'd make sure to walk over the back of his head, to crush it under the white boots, then backtrack and sink his fucking lungs in-
Letting out a sharp breath from my nose, I tried waving away the twinge of sharp and cold fury that eventually crept up on me when I dwelled too long on dark thoughts. If he felt the pressure around us loosening, then he didn't as much as twitch at it.
It wasn't a short trip with his slow and unsteady pace, especially with how we were on our way to the dungeons.
I had been half-tempted to kick him down the stairs. Multiple times.
But then I'd focus on the weight and warmth of my turnip and I'd distract myself with how silly it'd look for Snape to catch Quirrell whilst costumed as Batman and it was enough for my mind to partially drift while I prepared myself to fuck off at any sight or smell of the troll.
It helped to also go over what I knew of trolls, and how stupidly lucky the original golden trio had been to survive the encouter of a mature one as children.
I doubt that even I'd be able to take care of one with all the studying and training.
When we finally stopped, we came across a dirty corridor. The walls and floors seemed to be bearing the results of a smelly prank, or a messed up potion. Yellow and green slime stuck to the stones, and I was sure some parts of it were bubbling and moving- maybe even hissing.
My nose crinkled and I glared at Quirrellmort when he swayed around to look at me, smiling coldly and extending his hand.
"Your wand, Miss McKinnon, if you please."
…What?
"Excuse me?" My eyes narrowed, and I gripped my wand through my costume, feeling the cold dread creeping up my spine at his cruel smile.
"Well, after seeing such prowess with cleaning and repairing charms, you can't expect me to allow you the tool to ease your detention, can you?" My breath hitched, and I could feel my hands shaking when his smile widened, showing too many teeth for me to be comfortable with. "The wand. Now, Miss McKinnon."
We stared at each other for what seemed like hours, and I used the time to wonder if I could confund him and make an escape. Something told me I wouldn't.
I couldn't hide the shaking in my hands when I extended my wand his way, for once wishing I wasn't wearing the silly bunny monstrosity costume.
The idea had merit- It was a good attempt at lightening things up and distracting myself to what would happen that day, but face to face with something that could harm me, with… him, I cursed myself for the stupid idea.
I knew the trio would possibly be in dangers and here I was pranking people. Morgana above, how stupid.
"Good." He purred, and a bolt of revulsion shot down my spine, cold sweat dripping with it as he caressed my wand like some creepy kid's movie villain. I wanted to rip the wand from his tarnished hands, wanted to claw at him, make him bleed for daring putting his hands on my wand. "You shall not leave until you are done, and I will know if you do."
No response came from me as I stared ahead, at a spot over his shoulder. I didn't give him my back after I saw Quirrell's face pulling tightly, a mix of fury he tried to hide behind a smile before he returned the way he came, not saying anything as I circled around him to keep him in my vision.
The breath rushed back to me in a snap once the sound of his swaying gait stopped echoing, and I nearly fell to my knees when the weight of his presence left, knees buckling so hard I had to find support by holding onto the wall, mouth filling with saliva as I almost threw up.
It took me an embarrassing long while to recover and I wondered how nobody had passed through in that time.
I considered leaving, it was not as if he looked like he'd have the strength to return and watch, but whenever I tried turning to the corridor, my legs froze, as if someone had injected me with liquid ice, my knees wobbled as if they were made of jelly.
What did he do to me?
My heart was thudding at my chest and I felt nauseated.
When had he cursed me? How?
God.
God!
I wobbled to the bucket, falling to my knees and shakily reaching for the old brush. I could not feel the costume in my skin- it wasn't real after all, a mere conjuration that would disappear in two days time.
My arms seemed to work on their own, and the panic set in.
I wasn't imperiosed, I read about it, this didn't feel like I was being mind controlled, like I was on cloud-nine and so content to do what I was cursed to, no- This- This felt worst.
My movements were jerky, but I didn't feel tense, I didn't feel disjointed from my on body.
It wasn't like I had a chance to fight it, but that my body was jelly, that it was light and moving on it's own.
Like a weightless poppet.
God, no, no, no, no, no, no-
I was able to look at the far window with a jerk of my head, and the panic of seeing the sky darkening had me nearly emptying my stomach right there with whatever I was scrubbing. There were bloody blisters on my hand when my hand slipped, when I trying standing and only ended up stumbling and changing the grip, my knuckles brushing against the stone.
My teeth were clenched, and I willed my tears not to fall, even as the darkness engulfed the corridor and the torches lit up, even as my knees bruised and my fingers bled, even as I heard steps approaching and stopping behind me.
"Do you think this was funny?!"
What. The. Fuck.
Fucking- It just had to be this annoying little- God fucking DAMNIT!
"Walk away, Granger." I hissed, feeling my heart beat violently in my chest. Why was she here? Is it time for the Troll already? No, there's no stink of one, and the Feast hasn't started yet- Fuck, I told them to keep an eye on her! "I have nothing to say to you."
"Look at me when you're talking!" My teeth were clenched so hard a headache was forming, my breaths were coming out in huffs as I wondered what I could say to just make her fuck off. "You think you're so much better than me, don't you? With your- your friends, and, and- your grades, and your stupid pranks! like you're so cool-"
God, I do not have time for this!
"Shut up." She ignored my snarl, and I could see her shadow moving back and forth, could hear her passing as her voice got shriller and tighter, the fury bubbling up from my chest at the memories of all the snubs, of all the screaming and scheming to get me in trouble, of how she wouldn't just let me fucking be. Or maybe it was the burning hot turnip in my robes.
"-And nobody sees that you're just- just a-"
"Just a what, Granger?" I whipped around, my grip on the brush was painful as I stomped off my kness, my ears ringing in fury as I finally turned to look at her angry face, a sneer on my own at the sight of her bared teeth. "Huh? Since you've got such a big fat mouth to tattle to anyone who'll listen, why don't you say it to my face? Go on!" Her hands were shaking, and my vision was darkening at the edges, anger gripping my insides as I stomped her way, angrily throwing the brush to the side and delighting in her stepping back in fear. "Admit it, admit that you're just a jealous little chit, that you can't bear to see someone else succeeding, that you can't cope not being the smartest person in the room, for once! Say it. SAY IT!"
"SHUT UP!" She exploded, her hair was frizzy and crackling with magic, and the only thing I could think about was- good. Say it to my fucking face, coward. "I'M NOT JEALOUS OF THE LIKES OF YOU! WITH YOUR DISRESPECT AND ALL THE BREAKING THE RULES! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO WORK HARD AND NOT GET RECOGNITION! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE DIFFERENT-"
"I DON'T KNOW? What do you think I do? You think I didn't faced shit before Hogwarts?! LOOK AT ME! DO YOU THINK THEY DIDN'T CALL ME FREAK?! THAT THEY TALK ABOUT MY EYES AND MY HAIR?! YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS TO HEAR ABOUT MY MOTHER UNDER THEIR BREATHS?! YOU'RE NOT SPECIAL! YOU DON'T GET TO ACT LIKE YOU'RE NOT ALONE OVER YOUR OWN CHOICES!"
"WHAT CHOICES?!"
"What-" I took a deep breath, for once thanking Quirrell for taking my wand away as I sneered down at Granger, disdain dripping from my words. "I tried being your friend. I offered olive branch after olive branch, but you're too much of a self-centered annoying cunt to accept it-"
She choked a gasp, here eyes filling with tears and I had a moment to feel bad, to remember that she was a child, but then she raised her chin and twisted her lips just so and the anger returned.
"And you're a bully! You're a cruel empty headed girl!"
"Am I?" I sneered, teeth bared in disgust. "Who have I been bullying, huh? You? The girl who's had it out for me since the beginning? Who made sure no-one felt comfortable in our own dorm? The girl who makes everyone around her miserable because she doesn't have any friends?" My mocking cut deep, I could tell, but it was all slipping from my lips, all the anger and the frustration from listening quietly. "You? Who's self-centered and arrogant enough to believe that she's the only one who went through struggle and dismisses everyone else? Huh? C'mon, why're you so silent?"
"I- I'm not-!"
"No? You're not the one humiliating people at class when they can't get the right answer? You're not making fun of Parvati's hobbies just because they don't allight with your interests? Go on, say you didn't."
"I- I- but you-!"
"I what?! Didn't bite back before? Listen to me very carefully, Granger." She gulped, pressing herself against the wall as I bent down to snarl in her personal space, my head exploding in sharp pain. "I've been nice, I've let you spill your vitriol in silence, because I know- I know you're good deep deep inside, I know that you're having a hard time with seeing other people upstage you, with being alone, with not fitting in because you're a muggleborn- but I'm done. This was the last time you assumed things about me and goes unpunished, do you hear me?"
I had a feeling she didn't understand all of my words, my accent thickening with the pain, but she gritted her teeth and nodded sharply, swallowing her tears before knocking her shoulder with mine and stomping away, the cat tail swinging behind her violently.
Gods.
I watched the corridor she left for a long time before taking a deep breath, pinching the bridge of my nose and hissing when the movement stretched the skin of my knuckles, the burn of it a reminder of what happened.
Freezing, I looked wide-eyed at the thrown away brush, my legs didn't feel weak anymore, my body wasn't cold. I cackled in relief, tears blurring my vision as I shook my hands free of the goo, smile ripping my cheeks at realizing that I was free.
My hand went to the cooling turnip, feeling it through my robes, the weight of it was comforting.
I turned on my heels when it hit me.
The smell.
Bile rose up my throat, and the only reason I didn't throw up was over the cold that gripped my insides.
It smelled rotten and like- like old socks and shit.
Slowly turning around, I was met with thick legs that were much too short for the size of it. The skin lumpy and grey as I looked up, up, up-
The troll was growling, the mad eyes staring at me and its rotting teeth bared, the gums seemed decayed, and the smell was so bad it made my eyes water.
We stared at each other for a long moment, and then I stepped back.
My shriek hurt my throat when it roared loudly, swinging the huge club, so big I was sure it was bigger than me.
I ducked, falling to the ground and trying to protect my face from the debris from the exploded window it smashed, ignoring the burn from my cheek and scrambling to my feet to get away. If I had my wand- If I had my wand I could do something, anything- For a moment I thought of doing wandless magic; I was getting good at it, the week before I had been successful in lifting Lavender's Witch Weekly magazine.
Just as soon as the idea hit me, I dismissed it. A magazine is worlds different than a solid wood club.
I wasn't faster than it, what I had in speed it had in size.
I heard it swinging again, the whistling from the club cutting the wind and it's enraged roar; a quick look over my shoulder and I saw it was swinging down to squash me like a bug, making me throw myself against the wall to avoid it. I had barely hit the wall when another scream got its attention, and I snapped my eyes at Hermione.
She was sweating, turning an ashy pale as she pointed her shaky wand to the troll, three other figures gaping behind her.
"What are you doing? Run!"
Harry also had his wand out, and I threw myself to the ground when the troll screamed in anger at my shrill voice and smacked it's fist on the wall, trying to smash me.
"Not without you!"
I didn't know who screamed, just that it got the troll's attention. And then I was running again, shoving them out of way when it swung the club, pain shooting on my back as it clipped me.
It hadn't even gotten me fully on the back, and I had a distinct idea that I should be screaming because I definitely couldn't move my right arm, it just flopped around when I rolled with them on the ground.
To be honest, I had no idea what happened after.
Just that Harry was screaming for me as I blinked at the ground, my cheek burning on the ground, and I think Hermione shot a spell, then the corridor shook with the impact of it falling.
I think I screamed when Ron desperately turned me to lay on my back, choking on my cries and reaching for my right shoulder while Neville peered at me completely green on the face.
Hermione was speaking fast, Harry was calling my name and he was scared and I wanted to reassure him, but I was too busy biting my lip not to cry out.
I heard worried calls, stern adult voices and I cried out when a gentle hand tried moving my arm. Sprout was looking down at me, pale and there was a tightness around her eyes as she spoke to me, but I couldn't hear her through the ring in my ears.
My eyes met Snape's and I was knocked out.
Notes:
Anywayss!!!!!
There we go!!! FINALLY THIS HAPPENED!
Alright, so, I felt so weird having Star curse Hermione and call was a c*nt, because all her cursing is done internally, and I make a point of it, it's even on the tag! So yeah, that happened.
I had a very clear vision of what I wanted to happen, how I wanted them to come to blows, and this wasn't it! And I'm not completely satisfied, but I've written and re-written this chapter so many times it's not even funny, so I'll settle for this.
All of us Hermione Stans can breathe now bc things are going to ease from now on, and we'll get to see how their friend group will interact with Hermione, because as we established, they're different from Canon.
Anyways, as said before, we'll be back to our wholesome content, and we'll start delving into Hermione becoming Star and the boys' friends, and we'll ease a bit on the angst, because I really like writing day-to-day of Hogwarts, give our boy Harry some happiness.
I think it'll be easier for me to write now, and I might introduce into some OCs, who knows.
I won't make any promises on when I'll post next, things are happening on my end.
I AM living alone rn, and between adapting to it, finishing law school, writing my thesis, all my assignments and court visits, I'm running a little hagard, besides work ofc.
And tbh, this bitch is so into House of the Dragons rn. Y'all wouldn't believe the absolute FILTH i've been reading. Aemond is who? My arch-nemesis. What will I do? love him ofc. he's my babygirl. he's my little war criminal and I love him for it.
So is Daemon.
Anyways, if any of you are subscribed to ME as an author, and not only to this fic, you might receive a bunch of notifications for new-stories, but they're plot bunnies, alright? I probably won't finish them, but they're pilling up on my google docs and I need to post them somewhere, so I'll make a "Plot-bunnies series". I'll unashamedly admit they're all self-inserts, bc I'm neurodivergent and I've been hyperfixating on it for over a year now, so I'll accept no judgments!!!! or I'll cry!!!
Anyways, lemme know what you think, I'm still trying to go through all the comments.
Chapter 15: chapter xv: outside perspectiveSummary:
In which we have a shift of pov.
Notes:
,,,, what do you mean it's been two years??? WHAT DO YOU MEAN??? WHAT??? NO IT'S ONLY BEEN LIKE A FEW MONTHS???
no, you guys don't understand, I genuinely just haven't noticed the time passing?
anyways,,, you should all know that I've seen all the comments, and when I tell you every single one of you are the cause for me to post,,, yall...
I'll rant later at the end notes, but thank you so much for anyone still interested in this, and know that if this is being posted because of YOU. <3
AND ALSO YALL WHO BOOKMARK WITH THE FUNNIEST SHIT!!! SOMEONE BOOKMARKED WITH A "I REALISED WAY TOO LATE IT HASN'T BEEN UPDATED IN TWO YEARS" AND I CRACKED UP IM SO SORRY YALL
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Harry knew that Star was oblivious to it, the way people gravitated to her, seemed to fall over each other to be closer. He was sure that if she did, she'd believe it to be over her name, not that she'd be completely wrong.
It was a little surprising she hadn't noticed, given how observant she was—it was one of the major traits they shared, though Harry knew they obtained it for different reasons.
She didn't seem to realise how- just how popular she was, how easy it was for others to approach her on a good day, when her face was open and her eyes twinkled, the urge to have her attention on them when the corner of her lip curled just so.
Part of Harry was jealous of it, of how easy it was for her to talk with the other houses or the others in her year, even the older ones. How nothing seemed to phase her, and how fearless she was in face of authority or others trying to hurt her. But another part of him couldn't be happier having her by his side, even if he had to learn to sharpen his tongue to keep up with her and the Slytherins.
Though he knew it had not been too long- it had been two months since they met on the train, he knew that they (Star, Ron, and Neville, who had finally started shedding his shyness at their insistence, Daph, Blaise and Theo) were friends that he'd keep for life.
Knew by the way that with less than a week Star had given him the chance to know what his parents looked like, by how she started calling him Harry James, how she knew he wouldn't eat vegetables if she didn't push them into his plate, how Ron would always loudly intervene whenever someone tried asking him things that made him uncomfortable, how Neville silently (and gladly) made him company when he'd go into his moods, how Daphne lost hours and hours on the library searching anything on his family, how Theo would constantly give him sweets and share his notes and how Blaise would defend him from Slytherins in that sly way none could match yet.
And he knew that there was very little he wouldn't do for them, so when his best mate asked him and Ron to watch over Granger because she had a bad feeling (something that Ron and Blaise whispered about Seers and things he didn't understand yet), Harry didn't think twice of it.
Though neither of them understood why she'd bother when the girl was annoying and mean.
Harry had very little patience for Granger, less so than Ron, who had an ongoing bet with Blaise that he would explode on others before the Hols; Harry didn't like how she kept antagonising Star, who always made sure to stop them from calling her names even after she was an annoying chit, nor how she always assumed things about them.
Sure, if you didn't know Star she could come off as cold and dismissive, but as most Gryffindor learned, she was anything but. Star was warm and kind, she remembered people's birthdays and their names, she made sure her pranks didn't harm anyone, and she helped others without prompting if she noticed they were struggling; and yes, sometimes Star had a mean and vicious streak that blindsided them more than once, but- The point was that Harry couldn't understand why they had to watch over Granger, of all people.
They'd understand if it was Neville, they all knew that Malfoy was only waiting for an opportunity to catch him alone, but Granger?!
But Star asked, she asked looking so worried that neither could deny, even if they would have rather spent the rest of their evening playing chess or talking.
So watch her, they did. And perhaps they had been too obvious about it, because the annoying girl had stomped over to them and demanded that they stop following her.
It had been Ron to babble about how they were just doing their jobs and how they'd much rather be doing anything but watching her nightmarish self be alone (Daphne would be proud of that quip, he knew), in doing so they had thoroughly lost her as she ran away angrily.
They lost a big part of the feast just by searching for the girl, with Ron and him bemoaning about never doing that again, and Star owed them for making them lose the festivities.
He was excited to see what she and Professor Flitwick had worked on with the bats; they had seen her helping him decorate that morning and Harry had wondered what else she had charmed it to do, he foolishly hoped one would swoop down and attack Malfoy, but aside from the very casual burns from her, Star didn't seem to find him as much of an annoying git as he and Ron did.
Then Professor Quirrell had burst in, screaming about trolls loose in the dungeons and Harry felt an ice-cold fear grip his insides, because Star was supposed to be with the man, and she was unaccounted for.
Her and Granger.
He only had to share a panicked look with Ron, who had gone a sickly pale green, for both of them to decide what they had to do.
"Where's Star?" They had shaken their heads at Neville's squeak, the three of them sticking closer before Harry and Ron broke off from the first-years being herded away and neither had the time (or will) to stop Neville from following after them and sneaking between the Hufflepuff before they could truly part away from the students.
Hogwarts had never seemed so big and terrifying as it did with the three of them dashing through it; Harry thought he heard the paintings talking amongst themselves about warning a professor about them, and he idly noticed the absence of ghosts, from the ones who were perpetually engaged in a duel that ended with them killing one another, to the jolly one who liked to ask every girl that passed by if they wanted to dance with him, the only sounds echoing was their heavy breaths and heavy steps.
"Percy!" Ron hissed, clawing at Harry's costume and keeping his arm out to stop Neville from continuing when they heard the hurried steps ahead of them; Neville was the one to push them into a little nook, the three of them squished together behind two armors.
Harry narrowed his eyes when they realised it was Snape and not Ron's brother, exchanging looks and impatiently waiting for his steps to fade before continuing their search.
None spoke of what he was doing there instead of being with the teachers, but they were on their way to the dungeons, so maybe he was just catching up. They certainly didn't have any more time when a mass of frizzy curls and bitter tears slammed into them.
"-Ah! What are you doing here?! Come to have a go at me as well? To tell me how much of a terrible person I am?!" Granger sniffed angrily, but Harry didn't have the time (or will) to revel in her tears or the fact that Star had finally torn into her, the worry for his friend gnawing at his stomach.
"Nevermind that-! Where's Star?"
Hermione scoffed, scowling and setting her jaw stubbornly, lifting her chin in that haughty manner that always made him grit his teeth for she reminded him too much of Aunt Petunia whenever she looked down on him.
"Of course you'd care for that- that horrible gir-"
"There's a bloody Troll loose, woman!" Snapped Ron, red in the face in anger even as the witch blinked suspiciously while Neville nodded frantically. "Either tell us where Lily is or get the bloody hell out of the way!"
She must've seen something in their determined faces, or maybe it was the tears in Neville's eyes, because Granger started looking sick, chin quivering before she whipped around so fast that her hair sharply slapped them in their faces, running back to wherever she came from, the three of them hurrying to catch up.
Harry felt his heart plummet to his stomach at the sounds filling in the closer they got; Star's shrieks, the Troll's roars and just, the sound of destruction- Of glass shattering, wood splintering, and rocks breaking… He was sure they'd haunt him for a while, as would the image of Star curled on the wall, steel grey eyes with pin-prick pupils, she was already hurt with a cut on her cheek and bloody hands; her golden hair ashy from the debris littered around her, costume stained as she cowered away from the Troll.
They had their wands in hand when Neville screamed they wouldn't leave her, and he wheezed in pain after she slammed against them, pushing them down and covering them from the troll's club.
Hermione was the one to levitate the club from the troll's hand, dropping it on its head while Harry looked down at Star in distress when she didn't move, breathing shallowly, her arm hanging oddly and her eyes staring blankly at the wall, cheek pressed on Neville's leg as she had yet to move.
"Star! Star, get up!" He screamed, faintly noting that the troll had dropped down limply, the corridor shaking with the weight of the beast. Ron panicked, turning her around to face up and they paled even more at her scream of pain, tiny sobs leaving her lips while she wailed, hand reaching for her right shoulder and biting her lip to stop the cries, bitter tears running down the sides of her face.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" - "We need to find a professor! Where are the professors?! She needs help!" - "You're ok! You're ok!"
They were all speaking over each other, with Neville trying to comfort Star and Ron apologising, Hermione was shrieking about finding professors and Harry kneeled on her side, hands shaking and hovering over her, afraid of touching Lily and making it worse but needing to try something.
"What is going on here?!" Harry didn't think he was as relieved to hear Snape's voice as he was at that moment, head snapping up to see the teachers finally arriving.
Hermione was explaining it all rapidly while Professor Sprout hurried closer and kneeled by Star's side, worry plain to see on her soft face when the witch asked quiet questions to his friend.
"No doubt the girl was seeking her moment of glory-" Professor Snape drawled, but he still had a pinch of worry in his lips before Harry scowled.
"She was having her detention! Lily wasn't at the feast, she didn't know!" Snape sneered angrily when Harry spoke, twitching at her name, but remained silent when Quirrell stepped forward, pale and seemingly looking like he'd faint again at the sight of the crying girl.
Harry wanted to snarl at him, it was his fault for leaving her alone! Why didn't he come back for her?!
"O-Oh, d-d-dee-dear." The Defence professor quivered while Professor Sprout tried coaxing what hurt from Star, whose eyes had been unfocused until they met Snape's. They'd take the mickey out of her for passing out from looking at him later, he was sure, but at that moment all Harry could think of was what would happen with Star.
Would she be ok?
"We need Poppy, Minerva." Professor Sprout spoke sharply, eyes roving the rest of them and patting Neville's shoulder when she noticed he looked a tad too green. "Where is Miss McKinnon's wand?"
Harry looked at Ron and Neville questioningly, but both boys shook their heads at the silent question.
"I-I h-h-a-hav-have it, p-p-p-professor." The rage returned, and Harry bared his teeth when the man winced at the other adults looking at him sharply.
"And why do you have a student's wand, Professor Quirrell?" McGonagall asked coldly as she pulled out her own wand, transfiguring a piece of debris into a makeshift stretcher; Professor Snape already levitating the unconscious little witch onto it while the other man shrunk at their combined glares.
"T-T-Th-the gir-r-rl is mo-mo-mo-most suf-f-f-icient at-t clea-ning sp-p-pells." He replied lamely, all but whimpering when Snape stepped closer, looming over him while the man shrank into himself.
"And you left her alone, did you? Unsupervised to…?"
Harry was impatient with the interrogation when his friend was knocked out cold.
Luckily, it seemed like Professor Sprout agreed with his thought as she gently settled Star better on the stretcher before sending them a sharp look.
"Perhaps this interrogation can happen when we don't have an injured student at hand?" Her voice was sharp, but it seemed to do the trick of having Professor Snape back off - even if he had done so with a sneer and a tightening around his eyes. "Good. Now, is anyone else injured?"
All of them shook their heads, looking at each other questioningly before Neville spoke up, looking at their Head of House in worry.
"Is- Is Lily going to be ok?"
Once more he was glad for Neville's presence, because even though he was clearly wigged out like the rest of them, their friend was calm and brave enough to ask what Harry was too scared to find out.
Harry didn't miss how the two women shared looks before Professor Sprout patted Neville's shoulder kindly.
"Your friend will be just fine, dear."
Hopefully.
Was left unsaid, but Harry decided not to focus on that in order to hurry after Star when they started walking briskly down the corridor, his passed-out friend hovering between Professor Sprout and McGonagall, while the potions professor kept back to deal with the Troll and the other man.
"What was he thinking-" Their head of house hissed, her accent thickened in a way Harry couldn't help but link to Star's and how much he wanted to hear from the girl. "Taking away a student's wand!"
"And keeping her from the Feast?" Sprout added in a fit of quiet anger, hand still holding Lily's unharmed one while the children trailed behind them, all sharing worried looks. "A first year?"
Harry couldn't hear anything else they were hissing about, could barely care when Star's head kept lolling from one side to the other whenever they took a corner. He'd never thought Hogwarts as huge as when the minutes stretched until they finally came face to face with the doors of the Hospital Wing.
Neville had run ahead, opening them loudly and crying out for Madame Pomfrey to hurry.
He would've laughed at the sight of an incensed Medi-witch over his disturbance if tears weren't burning his eyes, terrified for his friend.
"What is the meaning of-" Her stern eyes snapped to the student floating between the two teachers, lips pressing together harshly. "What has happened?"
Harry watched between Granger and Ron as she floated his friend up to one of the beds, wand making patterns over her pale body while Professor Sprout opened her mouth to explain, only to blink as if remembering she didn't exactly know before turning their way.
He tensed under their eyes, feeling Ron step closer defensively, ready to argue if needed when Granger opened her mouth.
"It was my fault!" She cried out, shaking hands going up to cover her mouth as fat tears rolled down her cheeks. "I went looking for her! W-We had a row and- and- and if we hadn't she- she would've gotten to the f-feast-!"
The Professors exchanged looks while Harry awkwardly patted her back, not sure how to proceed as the girl carried on sobbing.
"Now, Miss Granger, Lily wasn't supposed to be there in the first place, I doubt a few minutes would've been enough to have her away from the Troll," Sprout said kindly, approaching them to offer the girl a tissue while McGonagall stood at the Hufflepuff's back. "Why don't one of you tell us what happened?"
Ron swallowed thickly, clearing his throat haltingly, "S-she had detention, Professor. B-but we thought she'd be free by the Feast since she started early- uhm- We went looking for her when she didn't show up-"
"And why did you not warn a Professor?" Their Head of house interrupted, making Harry scowl fiercely, but a tiny voice that reminded him too much of Daphne kept him from opening his mouth to say what was on his mind. "Or, at least, one of the Prefects? Your brother is one, is he not?"
"Well, we didn't think about it, you were out of the Hall so fast." Ron replied darkly, face reddening in anger and eyes turning colder, almost a mimic of Blaise. "Don't think we would've been able to, either way. Too many people on the way." He clipped before returning his eyes to Sprout, whose lips were pursed in an effort to hide how the edges of her mouth were curling up.
"And then?"
"We went looking for her," Harry carried on, eyes flicking back over their shoulder to see Neville holding Star's hand while Pomfrey still ran her wand over her. "We found Hermione and she took us to Star. The Troll was destroying everything and she was trying to run away from it- We tried to get its attention from h-her," He had to swallow back his tears, throat closing at the memory of his friend cowering under the window, "It was going to squash us, I think- She shoved us out and it- it got her on her back-"
"Granger levitated his club," Ron said, sounding begrudgingly impressed. "He passed out when it hit his head."
"T-The Troll got her on h-her back," Granger added silently, twisting the end of her skirt- it took Harry a moment to realise all of their costumes had vanished upon walking through the doors.
And to think he was having the time of his life with Star the night before setting up the prank.
"Mister Longbottom!" All eyes turned to see Neville glaring stubbornly at Madame Pomfrey, hand still holding their friend's and his chin sticking out challengingly. "You need to step back."
"I'm not leaving her side." His voice was wavering and his eyes were watery, but Neville went as far as sitting on the bed with a glare.
Hermione squeaked in shock at the move while Sprout chuckled quietly, amusedly watching the other witch put her hands on her hips with a fierce and stern glare.
"Mister Longbottom I need to change her out of her uniform, and you need to return to your dorm!" Pomfrey turned around, looking back at them with a frown. "All of you need to leave for your dorms."
"My arm is broken." Neville blurted out, face red when all of the attention returned to him.
Harry elbowed Ron when the ginger tried smothering a snort with a cough, face reddening in an effort not to laugh when Harry raised a leg, just as bold.
"My foot hurts." For extra measure, the dark-haired boy leaned on his friend, who was starting to shake with the effort to remain silent- or maybe the shock of what they faced was finally dawning on him. "I don't think I can walk all the way back."
McGonagall huffed in sync with the Medi-witch, looking between the two boys as displeasure and disapproval lined her face, lips tugging down.
"Now, both of you stop this right now." She commanded sharply, which only made Harry lean further on Ron. He saw Neville set his shoulders from the corner of his eye. "You heard Madame Pomfrey, up to your dorms-"
"But I'm hurt." He insisted, looking at Sprout with eyes wide like Star's whenever she claimed innocence to the twins after a prank she most definitely set off. "I swear."
Sprout's lips twitched, eyes twinkling with mischief as she hummed, nodding a little and looking between both boys. "Well, Minerva, with how they had to face a Troll by themselves, we couldn't expect to send them straight to bed without at least checking they aren't hurt, could we?"
The stern professor huffed again, shaking her head before staring them down hard.
"You two may stay, but if I hear from Madame Pomfrey you got in the way, a hundred points will be taken from Gryffindor."
All of them blanched, Hermione let out a keening noise that told them she was close to passing out. "I'm very fine! I-I should go to the Common Room!"
Ron shared a look with him, nodding at Harry before setting him right.
"I'll walk with you-"
"And twenty points will be taken from Gryffindor for such a dangerous act!" McGonagall clipped, peering at them from behind her glasses. "Five of each."
Harry swallowed drily, choosing to ignore that for the moment as Hermione squeaked her way out with Ron and McGonagall trailing behind her, instead, preferring to rush to Star's other side.
"Is she going to be okay?" He asked worriedly, noting that pajamas had been magicked onto his friend and that she was turned stomach down. "She's not too hurt, is she?"
Pomfrey sighed, peering at the two boys with that look most teachers had whenever they saw them together, haunted and pained, before she snapped her wand again to change them into something else, as well.
"Her right shoulder and a few of her ribs are shattered," they gasped in shock at that, Harry's eyes burning with tears while Neville looked green on the face, like he was about to be sick. "Now, you insisted on being here, so you will listen to me very carefully,"
Harry could barely hear her talking, eyes focused on Star's paling face, gently brushing her hair out of her face as Pomfrey said something about waking her up to give her some potion, and that she might be in pain or terrified when she woke up-
There was something about vanishing the bones because they were too destroyed, as well, but Harry was focused on holding her uninjured hand and trying to keep his eyes away from the terrible purple skin of her back.
Neville did throw up in a bin when her right side went limp and sank with the lack of bones, but Harry was too busy crouching so Star would see him first when she opened her eyes.
"Very good, well, you try and calm her down, Mister Potter."
Her wand movement was gentler this time, twisting her hand as Star's eyes fluttered open sluggishly, hazy grey and unfocused while Harry squeezed her hand.
"Star?" The call her his friend snapping her eyes his way, her pupil shrinking in fear and her breath picking up, making the boy squeeze her hand harder. "You're fine, i-it's the Hospital Wing, yeah?"
She made a noise of pain, a whine while her eyes filled with fat tears, bottom lip wobbling in response, "E-Everyone?"
"We're all fine, you pushed us out of the way. See, Neville's here, too." He felt a hand on his shoulder, too big to be Neville's, especially since the boy crouched on his side, smiling wobbly at their blonde friend.
When Harry looked back, it was to see Sprout smiling gently at Star, watching Neville whisper reassurances her way while Madame Pomfrey waved her wand this way and that.
"That was very brave of you, Miss McKinnon." She praised kindly, squeezing Harry's shoulder while Lily sniffed with a hesitant nod. "And you have some very loyal friends, you should be very proud of them."
"I-I a-am."
Harry sniffled, feeling his own lip wobble.
He was so scared.
"Good, thirty points for such a show of bravery from all of you."
At least they got the points back.
It wasn't long before Pomfrey had chased them out to their own beds, taking their place by her head to quietly explain what had happened and telling the girl what she had to do.
Sprout didn't leave, taking Star's hand and gently brushing her thumb over the back of it while Pomfrey helped her drink the foul-looking potion.
They nearly bolted back to her when Star gagged, nearly spitting the potion to the side of the bed, heaving dry and coughing in disgust.
"Just another cup, dear, and I'll have some of the feast brought to you. There was pumpkin pie." Sprout soothed, and for a moment, for a single moment, Harry wished he had gone to HufflePuff.
Of course, only if Ron, Star, and Neville followed him.
"I h-hate pumpkin." She gagged, taking a deep breath before allowing Pomfrey to tilt the goblet into her mouth. They all waited with bated breaths, watching her swallow back her disgust before hanging her tongue out and breathing fast. "That was bowfin."
Harry laughed in relief, not having a minimal understanding of what she just said with her thick accent, but noticing how more clear-eyed she looked, smiling tiredly at the Professor still holding her hand and at the Mediwitch already offering other potions, this time, none that had her seizing in revulsion.
"So, any chance I could get some nut bread?"
Notes:
yay?
I know this ended very abruptly and you might've notice a difference in the middle of the chapters, and that's because I've had this written for nearly two years, more than half of it, and then just... didn't finish it.
I can't promise the next chapter, but that's because I'm still chewing on the idea of either re-writting the whole thing in second/third person instead of in first, because I haven't written anything in first person in a hot HOT minute, which is one of the reason as to why I haven't posted before, because I don't know if I have the ability to still do it.
So, genuine question, would it be too jarring if the writing changed from first to second person after this chapter?
Idk, it's just a thought, but anyways.
I do have A LOT already written, like, I have so many future parts all done, most of the third and fourth book, so it's not like I'll abandon this, perish the thought, but I'm not sure WHEN ill update again, also because I'm still not back into the hp groove (thought I HAVE been reading some stuff again, so,,, who knows?) but yeah.
I'm so sorry for anyone who commented on the chapters before this one, I'll TRY to respond to them, but there are SO MANY, so I don't know if ill be able to, but I'll make an effort to respond to the ones from this and forward.
Also, what did yall think of Harry's way of seeing Star? It's the first time we see how others perceive her (but definitely not the last), and I love how it turned out. Not really how it ended, but the idea? loved it. There's something so satisfying seeing how the main character is perceived when they think they're so chill and unassuming. yum I eat that shit up every time.
Anyhow, I'm still on the fence about either:
Trying to keep writing as I have this whole time;
just start writing in second person view from now on;
or rewriting everything.
idk, but I'll see. I might go back to fix some spelling mistakes and all, regardless, so...
ANYWAYS?
happy 2023 and 2024 bc I m i s s e d it. <3
Notes:
Let me know what you thought!
Bi-weekly post because I am spineless woman and can't stick to just one posting day.
Series this work belongs to:Part 1 of Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my Black and deep desires