The Kings of Old and Arya Hale (HP & Narnia crossover)

(4) The Battle in the Corridor

"I find that hard to believe. Y'know, with all of the rumors going around and everything."

"I'm not surprised that you're gullible enough to believe them."

———

"This is ridiculous," said Arya, who was studying in the library with Matilda. She had just gotten her 13th sneer of the morning from another student. "Why can't they just get over themselves? It's not like I'm committing a crime, although I wouldn't be surprised if they all wanted me in Azkaban."

"Teenagers are stupid, Arya. We should know, seeing as we are teenagers." Said Matilda, turning the page in her copy of Ancient Runes Made Easy.

"True..." Arya said, looking down at her open copy of The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4. "How do you think we all became so dumb?"

"It spreads."

Arya laughed. "Indeed."

As she distractedly tried to focus, Arya had gotten sneered at once again by a Slytherin girl sitting across the room.

"Okay, I can't do this. Sorry, Matilda, I'm just gonna find an isolated corner or something because apparently, my presence is revolting." She picked up her bag and books.

"No worries. I get it." Said Matilda.

"Thanks. See you later?"

"Yeah." Matilda smiled.

Arya and Matilda said their goodbyes and the former looked around for somewhere to sit. She remembered the corner in the back that she always studied at when she wanted to be alone, and quickly walked over to it. However, when she got there, she wasn't alone.

"Harry?" She asked, seeing her Gryffindor friend hunched over sitting at the empty table.

Harry looked up at her, looking surprised. It was evident to Arya by looking at his face that he had been crying for a while.

"Arya! I wasn't... I..." he trailed off.

"What happened?" She sat down next to him, looking at him with utmost sympathy.

"I don't want to talk about it." He said, looking away from her and focusing on the wall in front of him.

"Alright, I'm not going to make you. But whatever it is, I'm sorry. Just know that you can talk to me though, okay? Whenever you're feeling up to it. I won't judge."

"Thanks," Harry mumbled, feeling a bit better.

Arya grabbed his hand and gently squeezed it. "You're not alone, and you don't have to be."

Harry looked at her again and gave a soft smile. Just then, Arya and Harry heard something heavy fall on the floor behind them.

They both turned around and saw a surprised-looking Ravenclaw girl looking at them. A book lay on the floor in front of her. She stood there for a second, stunned, then ran off. Arya then realized that her hand was still on Harry's and that it probably made her look very bad without proper context.

"Great, that's gonna look amazing for me." She said sarcastically, putting her books on the table.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, confused.

"I'll explain later."

~

But later, there was no need to explain. By the afternoon, the newfound gossip and rumors around Harry and Arya had spread like wildfire. As she walked into the great hall for lunch, she and Harry were the topic of every conversation. Arya had overheard a Gryffindor girl saying that Arya had kissed him out of pity, which was far from the truth.