I headed to the courtyard. There would probably be some sort of gathering to discuss what went on. It wasn’t hard to find my housemates. Even if they weren’t smiling their eyes sparkled. Cena shook his head. “I can’t believe you said something like that in class.” I could only sigh. “What was I supposed to do? It would of turned into a bigger mess?”
An irritated snort interrupting our small gathering. “Get worse? Leave it to a Slytherin to say that about their own plans.” I looked up to see Shannon and some of the fifth year Gryffindors. I shook my head no. “I didn’t have any plan. I’m sorry your house got in trouble but I was just concerned for-” He interrupted me. “You were concerned for your house? As if any of us would believe what you have to say after that.”
I stood up irritated. “I wasn’t going to say that. You prat. I was concerned for my friends. For the people who have been kind to my brother and I. Unlike you lot who keep blaming me for things I had nothing to do with.” Florence stepped forward. “Blaming you! You completely made up that note.” I turned to look at Karl who was simmering with his lot a bit away. “Did I make up that note?”
A range of emotions crossed his face as everyone was looking at him. It was a pleasure to watch him swallow down all of his feelings. There was no way he would cross the house and Rob. “No, she didn’t. The orphan did do something against our house though.” Cena stood up and nodded. “So it is our problem.”
Shannon took a step forward but Emily ran into between them. When did she get here? Wasn’t she a 7th year? “Shannon stop!” Besides her was a group of older students they must have been on break. Florence looked at her annoyed. “Emily do you even know what she did?”
Emily turned to look up at Cena. He sighed. “Hyo-Eun stupidly revealed a note Florence wrote to Karl in class to the Professor. It was about him ruining her date with Tir tonight.” Emily turned back to Florence. “Flor, I know you like Tir but ruining a date? Working with Karl? You hate Slytherin.” Florence got even more irritated. “The note is a complete fake, Em!” She looked back up at Cena.
Cena turned to point to Karl. “The idiot confirmed it just now. Doesn’t want to make Rob any madder.” Emily looked back at Florence disappointed. “I know it isn’t easy seeing the guy you like with some else but you can’t do things like that. Hyo-Eun isn’t at fault for being asked out.” We all watched Florence stamp her feet on the ground. It was embarrassing. “This isn’t like Cena and you! The note was fake. I’m telling you!”
Everyone grew quite. Emily looked sad. I watched Cena step closer and put his hands on her shoulder. He was so scary. “Florence, we’ve never gotten along but you need to apologize to Emily. We may not be together and I may not feel the same way as her but she is still my friend. A good friend and a good person. She doesn’t deserve you to hurt her like that.” I watched one of Emily’s hands rise to squeeze one of Cena’s. I see now how he keeps her on a leash.
Florence turned to look at Shannon. “Shannon, it’s really not true.” He nodded his head. “I believe you. In fact, we all believe you.” The Gryffindors nodded their heads. Ethel scoffing from the ground. “You all accuse us of sticking to close together no matter what’s right and wrong. Look at you.” The students observing nodded their heads.
Finally, I rejoined the conversation. “I’m sorry if I’ve gotten in the way of your romance but if you should be mad at anyone for hurting your feelings it’s Tir. He asked me out. I didn’t ask him.” She glared at me. “Then don’t go. Now that you know about all of us don’t go.” Everyone turned to look at me. I could only sigh. “Florence, Tir is single. He’s been really nice and helpful since I’ve arrived. He was one of the few people who didn’t automatically judge me for being an Orphan or being sorted into Slytherin. That was a huge relief. I’m at least going to go on one date with him.”
A few of the students of the other houses looked away feeling guilty. Florence got even madder. “All of you Slytherin use those word skills of yours to make yourselves sound better. To avoid trouble. You wrote a fake note. You are going on a date with the guy I like. Stop making yourself sound like a victim.”
It was time for a dramatic moment. I slapped her across the cheek. Everyone looking on stunned. “You have no right to say that. My brother and I are not victims. We will never be victims again.” Everyone looked on as if she had just pressed a button to some unknown past. A possibly painful one. She held her cheek and glared at me. “I’m telling that you slapped me!”
I ignored her and turned to Shannon. “Go ahead and tell on me. Tell everyone how good and right you all are. You golden lions are all just hypocrites.” I walked over to Tir and Li who had elected to just watch. I grabbed Tir’s collar and pulled him up. Surprised, he looked down on me. Standing on the tip of my toes I kissed him. Everyone making audible sounds of shock. When I was done I ignored his reaction and turned to Florence. “Unlike you and your cubs I will never allow myself to be a victim. I’m not going to let myself be used by some boy. Or freak out in front of everyone because I don’t like something.”
I walked away from the smiling Tir. “If you’ll excuse me I have to get to Divinations.” Li and Isodola ran after me. “Wait.” “I have it too.” A hufflepuff boy walked forward. “Flor, that wasn’t nice. You’re starting to become a different person over him.” The Hufflepuff boy walked after us. Cena looking down at Emily. “I’ll take you to your next class?” She nodded her head with a small smile. The two walking off in another direction. Ethel turned to Wibert. “It’s too noisy. Let’s just go to the common room until lunch.” They nodded and walked off. Shannon and Florence standing their like idiots. One of the Gryffindors looking up at him. “Don’t you also have Divinations?”
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