Seeing Fred

Advice

The next few days were filled with her practicing on her own or with Minerva and even Derek between and after classes. Her first-year books from Charms and Transfiguration, already completely read and the spells fully mastered. She was reading her Herbology book as she walked the corridors on her way to the green houses. The kids of the school still looked at her as she passed them, whispering to each other but she just smiled at them. When she started attending some of the classes, standing next to a professor, the students were informed she was an apprentice at the school, like they agreed.

When she reached the grounds, she heard a boy sniffle between greenhouses one and two. She closed her book and stuffed it in her bag as she looked around. Then she saw him, an 11-year-old Ravenclaw boy huddled in the corner, crying. She walked slowly to him and slides down the wall.

"Hi." She whispered. The boy wiped his tears away with his sleeve before he looked up at her. "I'm Leah."

"David." He said with a soft voice.

"You like hanging out between the weeds?" She smiled down at him.

"At least they don't call me names." His voice getting even softer.

"What kind of names?"

"Some boys from Slytherin call me names, call my parents' names."

"Are your parents muggles?" The boy nodded. "I come from a muggle family too."

"Really?"

"Yes, and I'm not ashamed of it, nor should you. We know the best of both worlds, the things we could accomplish if we put the two together. I even went to college, and I used to develop games for the PS."

"That's amazing! And I always wanted to go to college."

"You still can. If you do well here at Hogwarts, you can do anything you put your mind to."

"T-thanks." He gave a small smile.

"Do you have a class?"

"I'm supposed to be in potions."

"Alright, are you ready to go? I'll take you there."

He nodded as he pushed himself up from the wall. "What about those boys?"

"I know you probably don't want to tell a teacher, but you can always come to me." She said as they walked to the castle. "And don't let them pull you down, just show them off in every class. Be better than them."

"I'll try." Leah gave him a pointed look. "I will." He smiled then.

She smiled back at him. "Do you have classes with them now?"

"No, with the Gryffindors. They're alright."

"Okay." She chuckled as she knocked on the door before pushing it open. "Professor Slughorn?" The well-rounded professor walked towards them from the back of the class. "I think you're missing a student." She smiled as she gently pushed David into the classroom.

"Ah, mister O'Malley. Why don't you take a seat and follow the instructions on the board." The boy nodded and went to sit with two other Ravenclaw boys. "Thank you, Leah."

"Not a problem, Horace." She winked and closed the door behind her.

The next day a Hufflepuff girl came up to her when she was walking out the great hall after dinner.

"Miss Derijker?" She piped up. "I'm Helena."

"Call me Leah." She smiled as the Hufflepuff followed her out. "What can I do for you Helena?"