The Gryffindor Malfoy

Chapter 2

Summary: Carina talks to Stella. Lucius comes to Hogwarts.

Other owls begin to arrive. One of them drops a package on the head of another Gryffindor boy, who I recognise as Longbottom. And then an owl lands near us, knocking over Hermione's glass.

"Errol!" said Ron.

The owl looks faint. Ron reaches out to take the envelope it's holding. "Oh no..." Ron gasps. 

"It's all right, he's still alive," I say, nudging the owl.

"It's not that – it's that." Ron points to the envelope.

"What's the matter?" says Harry.

I take a look at the envelope and recognise what it is. "It's a Howler!"

"You'd better open it, Ron," Neville says quietly. "It'll be worse if you don't. My Gran sent me one once, and I ignored it and..." he gulps. "it was horrible."

"What's a Howler?" asked Harry.

"Open it," I say curiously. 

Ron hesitantly opens the Howler. I soon see Neville sticking his fingers in his ears. Although I know what a Howler is, I've never seen one in person before, and I can only understand why Neville does it afterwards.

"...STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEYD EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GETHOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINKWHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAWIT HAD GONE..."

The shouts come from a woman who I assume is the Weasleys' mother. Now I understand why Mum or Father never send anything like this... Everyone in the hall turns to us, curious to know who got the Howler.

"... LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHTYOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOUUP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND HARRY COULD BOTHHAVE DIED..."

"... ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED, YOUR FATHER'S FACING ANINQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOUPUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOUSTRAIGHT BACK HOME."

The good thing is that I know that whatever my father's reaction is to me being sorted into Gryffindor, at least I won't have to go through this embarrassment.

I wait until Transfiguration class to talk to Stella, since we have that class with the Hufflepuffs. As I enter the room, I let Ginny and my other roommates sit together, each with their own pair, while I walk straight over to sit in the vacant seat next to Stella.

"Hi," I greet her, giving her a slight smile.

"Hi," she replies without smiling.

We sit in silence for a few seconds, perhaps waiting for the other to start talking, when I decide to break the silence by asking the thing I am curious to know about.

"I heard you crying at breakfast today." I start to say. "What did your mum say?"

I realise Stella is trying to hold back her tears before she answers me. "I was disowned." her voice breaks. I hear her sniffle and quickly wipe away the tears she's dropped.

I can't say I'm surprised, quite the opposite. "Stella, I... I'm so sorry." I say, turning round to hug her. 

She hugs me back desperately. I know that her mother was never a loving or affectionate person towards her. The affection and comfort she should have received from her mother always came from me, who always considered her the sister I've never had, and from my mother, who always treated her like a second daughter, especially as she knew how cold Stella's mother has always been towards her own daughter.