The Rogue Hufflepuff

Chapter three

It's the weekend I've made it through my first two weeks of Hogwarts. I've memorised most of the castle or at least I can get to most of my lessons it's out getting lost.

When I wake I can tell its early as the lights only just beginning to cut through the curtains, getting up I throw on some clothes and make my way to the common room. As I walk I tie my messy ginger hair into a bun on the top of my head and stick my wand through it for safe keeping. I walk out of the common room and into the entrance hall. It's early enough that breakfast hasn't even started yet so I decide to take a walk around the grounds.

Making my way to the lake I hear a high shrill scream, well less like a scream it doesn't seem human, speeding up I spot instantly what's making the noise. It's a cockatrice, its talons are out, its frill raised and its flapping its wings furiously. In instinct I rush forward the professor handling the bears looks badly scratched, getting in between them I walk forward towards the beast. My arms are stretched out in front of my face to protect my face if the beast makes to swipe at me.
'It's okay' I say in what I hope is a soothing voice 'I'm not going to hurt you.' After what feels like hours I'm close enough to touch the creature, I place my palm on the top of the creatures beak so if goes to bite me I have the most amount of time to get away from it. It relaxes and lowers its wings leaning into my touch. I turn to the professor 'my' he says looking at me in amazement 'how on earth did you do that?'
'Instinct I guess' I reply 'I just knew what to do.' I guess I'm an animal person. I slip the lead over the animals neck which was what the professor had been trying to do in the first place and lead him down to a barn. I guess they're getting settled for winter. Settling in his pen I name the creature in my head, Bailey, I like funny names on animals.
'I'm professor Merrythorpe' the teacher says extending a hand.
'Ivy Black' I say shaking his outstretched hand he chuckles.
'I see you've inherited your mother's kindness' he smiles warmly at me 'I was sorry to hear about her passing' he looks genuine and excitement grips me like a steel glove, I never get to hear about my mother.
'You, you knew my mother?' I can barely contain my excitement.
'Very well actually, I used to teach her' he can sense my happiness 'please sit I'll tell you about her if you like. I imagine most people focus on telling you about your father' he looks sympathetically at me. 'She was a ray of sunshine, very talented. Everyone was shocked when she started dating the playboy Sirius Black. I myself was rooting for the Lupin boy personally. She knew every song on the radio, no matter when it was written. She could stand up for herself too, Lucia was not scared to speak her mind. She was a shooting star, bright but gone before you could get a proper look.' I realise my face is wet and have to wipe it, I hope he didn't see. I've never heard anyone talk about my mother like that.
'She must have been very special.'I say. Noticing the time I stand 'I need to get to breakfast' I pause 'thank you.' With that I leave.
'If you ever want to help with the animals, the doors always open' he waves slightly as a walk out. Walking back to the main school I pause to watch as the sun rises. It's golden rays are spread as they hit the lake and bounce off in all directions, the sky is a clear blue and the air is crisp with little breeze. It's turning into a great morning.

Walking into the great hall I notice Rosalie isn't there but I go sit with the others anyway. Darlia looks up from her drawing, 'hi , heard you had an interesting first day yesterday.' She winks at me, 'honestly I don't blame you for threatening my sister,' she giggled as I go bright red.
'It was badass' Rosalie appears from nowhere and clearly caught the last her sentence.
'I was tired' I say in an attempt to justify myself.
'I don't blame you my sisters a brat' she says it with a tone that I can tell this is more than the normal sibling rivalry.

The others are going into Hogsmeade the village just outside the school, this meant the school would be less crowded for a few hours. Rosalie is giving her brother instructions of what to buy for her from the village, it sounds like she forgot a lot of school supplies and needs a lot of sweets. They get into slight disagreement when she hands over the money, something about sugar quills.

An hour later I'm sat doing homework for potions and Harry sits down next to me with a sigh. 'What's wrong with you?' He looks at me and I can tell he's being dramatic, 'your acting like someone's died' I say with a laugh.
'It's complicated' he says as though that's going to convince me.
'I've got time' I say 'ohh and no intention of doing this homework its so boring'. That makes him laugh at least.
'Hagrid had a pet and we had to get rid of it. So we gas to meet someone after hours to take it away.' I can tell he's covering some details but if he needs to cover for someone I don't need to know who.
'Sounds rough what do you have to do?' I'm genuinely curious I've never heard of someone getting a detention yet so I don't know what they do.
'I have no idea but Malfoys doing it with me so thats going to suck.'
'Cant be worse than Saturday, oh wait you like quidditch' personally I prefer to play a sport than watch it.
'Not looking forward to it, I'm making my debut' he looks at me with mock offence.
'Relax I say I'll be there cheering you on' I chuckle and rummage in my bag for more ink.

The rest of the day is pretty uneventful I finish all my homework and finish the book I started reading, by the time tea comes I'm exhausted and hungry, which everyone knows is the worst combination in a woman. As I'm about to enter the great hall I feel a tap on my shoulder an turn expecting Rosalie or Darlia. Instead I'm met by the one and only, Draco Malfoy.
'Yes' I say skipping the polite introduction, I'm hungry.
'So your the psycho, heard you've befriended Potter,' he sniffs as though I've most grievously betrayed him. 'I'd be careful who you make friends with people like Potter are self-centred, the fame went straight to his head.' He smirks at me and its not unlike the smirk an older brother would give his spoiled sister who was wrong. The fact he thinks were friends is unbelievable. 'Yes' I say trying to remain calm 'I guess the deatheater children should stick together, just like our parents. No, wait, your dad walks free, leaving you free to do what you like and my dad is, let me remind myself, in jail and I have to deal with idiots like you everyday telling me I'm just like him, when really they don't even know me.' I glare at him, he looks taken aback I guess people don't usually stand up to him or say things about his father to his face.
'Now if you don't mind, I must get going enjoy detention I'd pack a scarf the forest can get very cold this time of year'. Walking into the great hall I smile at the terrified look on his face, he's the one who said I was a psycho I only confirmed his statement. Something bothers me though, Harry never told me what he was doing for his detention, he didn't even know at that point. I push the thought from my mind I don't want to deal with complicated questions right now. Sitting down in an empty spot I grab for a plate of chicken, no one else is here but I don't care I'm to hungry at this point. Someone sits down next to me and I look up, to my surprise it's George.
'Hey' he says 'I heard what you said to Malfoy, it was pretty badass standing up to him like that. Not many people would've had the confidence to say that about his dad, not to Malfoys face anyway. Especially with Crab and Goyle as his body guards now.'
'He's an arrogant little toe-rag who needs to be taught money cant get him everything.' To that George actually smiles.
'I couldn't agree more,' he says and lifts his goblet to give me a sort of salute before drinking it to the dregs. I smile, it seems he has learned that I'm not my father and more like my mother or at least thats what Merrythorpe says. We talk about the upcoming quidditch game, he's a beater on the griffendor so will be playing as well. Then tea is over and he's walking back to the griffendor table with a group of girls half watching him pass and half glaring at me for being the one he talked to for the last hour.