Secrets of Sallow

Chapter 11 [Book 2]

Here's a little something to take a break from the drama.
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"Ah, Miss Sweeting."

"Good morning", I chirped, greeting the portrait of Helga Hufflepuff, her plump face smiling down on me.

"How is my favourite Hufflepuff today?"

"Doing quite well actually."

She took in my appearance and let out a soft giggle, "you're dressed up for the weekend."

I could feel my cheeks begin to get warm.

"Yes, I may have gotten a tad earlier than one does on a Saturday, but for good reason."

"Oho, and what reason may that be."

My blush deepened at the thought of a Gryffindor redhead that is beloved by everyone he befriends. 

Perhaps it was his high-spirited personality or his humour, or perhaps just everything about him. 

Or perhaps it was the day I met him.

Ever since I began to understand what my parents did as poachers, I swore to myself that I will protect every magical creature I could. And after my first Care of Magical Creatures class, it only cemented that. 

I decided to visit the pens after school and what I saw in front of me, horrified me. A group of Slytherin boys in my year antagonising a poor Kneazle I remember Howin mentioning was recently rescued. 

"Hey!" 

The laughing and vexation stopped as they all turned to face me, my stomach drop at the look on their faces. 

What was I thinking, there's no way I can take four of them.

"Oh look what we have here. A lowly, undersized Hufflepuff."

I cowered back as a group of Slytherin fourth-year boys began to approach me, sinister smiles on their faces as the one who looked like the leader took out his wand.

I frantically looked around, planning my escape.

I took off in a dash, but the blasted hood on my robe got snatched up as a collided with the ground with a thud, I attempted to get up only to have a wand pointed at my face.

"Now you listen you hear", he spat.

He pushed the wand deeper into my forehead as I winced. 

"Flipendo!"

The boy terrorising me then flew away with the knockback jinx that hit him and I swivelled my head to see a boy wearing a Gryffindor robe and who had the reddest hair of all red hair. 

Next to him, I see Professor Howin approaching too.

"Fuck", I heard the boys mutter as they all began to scatter away. 

The boy ran to my side as Professor Howin pursued the group of boys.

"Are you okay?"

Looking into his eyes, they were a pretty forest green, just like the Kneazle the boys were hurting. 

He held his hand out which I happily took as he hauled me up and began to pat me down, smoothing my hair and dusting my robe off of dirt stains as a result of those boys.

I turned behind me. 

"Don't worry about them, Professor Howin's got this."

"Ah, right."