Pluto Projector.

Chapter Fourteen.

"Still no Harry?" (Y/n) said, watching as some of the last carriages moved off toward the castle.

"Guess not..." Ron murmured.

"Maybe he's already gone down to the castle?" Ginny suggested.

"Maybe," Hermione said, not looking like she believed it. "Well, better get going, or we'll be locked out too. The four climbed into a carriage, which set off to the castle.

"Is Slughorn going to be our Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher?" Ginny wondered.

"Probably... The only available position, no?" Hermione answered.

"I'm all right with him because I won't be needing to see Snape this year," Ron said, leaning back.

"You can't become an Auror without Potions," Hermione stated.

"Tonks needed a Herbology O.W.L. but they didn't have one," Ron said. "Replaced it with History of Magic... I can probably replace Potions with something."

"Like what?" Hermione asked.

"I'll figure it out," Ron shrugged. "Or McGonagall will do it for me."

"Come on, (Y/n), I'll show you where you can leave Effie's carrier," Hermione said, leading the way away from the carriage. "Say, where's Hoshi?" she asked.

"Delivering a letter," (Y/n) answered.

"To who?"

"Uh, a return letter to Regulus," (Y/n) answered. While technically a lie, (Y/n) had indeed recieved a letter from Regulus that she had yet to reply to due to not really knowing what to write back.

"You shouldn't have used Hoshi for that," Hermione frowned.

"Sorry," (Y/n) murmured. She looked into the Great Hall and her eyes fell on Marietta. "Why does Mari always sit away from the rest of the table? She's such a sweetheart, honestly, if people got to know her—"

"She betrayed the D.A. last year," Ginny stated. "And I imagine her own House isn't too fond of those nasty scars she's got on her face."

"Well, I do not think it's very fair to judge someone based on their scars," (Y/n) frowned. "Betrayal... maybe that's less excusable, but from what I read Marietta did what she did to protect her mum."

"Would you throw us under the bus to save your family?"

"You are my family," (Y/n) stated. "But you were not Marietta's nor did you reach out to try and befriend her— things would be different, you know, if you at least tried to befriend people in other Houses?"

"We have friends in other Houses!" Ginny insisted.

"All right, who? And do not say me—"

"You." Ginny paused, turning to stare at (Y/n). "All right, what friends do you have outside of Ravenclaw? And don't say us—"

"You..." (Y/n) pursed her lips. Hermione laughed while Ron grinned and Ginny looked smug. "Katie, Leanne, Tony!.. Though, I am not really in the right state to remember my friends, am I?" (Y/n) smiled.

"And you're the only friend I need outside of Gryffindor," Ginny said. "And Luna."

"How sweet," (Y/n) smiled. "Well, I suppose this is where we part... I will see you around, whenever that may be—"

"(Y/n)!" Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor House, called before (Y/n) could fully enter the Great Hall. "We need to have a word with you, remember?"

"Oh, yes! It slipped my mind, sorry," (Y/n) apologized, waving to Ron, Hermione, and Ginny before jogging off with Professor McGonagall to a side room not too far from the Great Hall.