✓ | EPISKEY → remus lupin [ discontinued ]

Chapter Nine

Alanna couldn't deny that her lunch with the four girls was much more boring than her usual lunchtimes with the Marauders. She ate her food most of the time to avoid speaking and kept stealing glances down the table at the Pilir brothers and across the Hall at the Marauders. Tiffany and her three friends talked mostly about boys, despite the fact that they were only eleven years old. Alanna was highly grossed out and disgusted with the way they were speaking; it was like they were planning to have children or something.

Alanna was thankful for the bell to ring at the end of lunch and headed off to her next class quickly. She already highly disliked Tiffany's friends, but she didn't want to hurt the girl's feelings claiming that they weirded her out. So Alanna was probably going to have to put up with a lot more lunchtimes with those three girls.

Arriving to Herbology a lot earlier than most students, Alanna found herself in the company of a Hufflepuff boy. When he glanced up at her arrival, she smiled at him kindly. He was quick to look back down at his shoes and avoid any further eye contact.

Alanna was suddenly joined by Tiffany and her Hufflepuff friend, much to her dismay. Alanna avoided eye contact with her friend and the Hufflepuff whose name she'd long forgotten and instead moved towards the Hufflepuff boy.

"Hello," she said softly, attempting pitifully to make conversation. The boy glanced up, caught her watching him and quickly looked back down again. Alanna smiled smally. "I don't bite, you know," she said quietly.

The boy glanced up curiously. He had no idea what this girl was playing at or why she was trying to be friends with him, but he wasn't opposing to the idea of having a friend, even if she was a girl in a different house.

"H-hi," he stuttered. Alanna smiled brightly, happy with the small progress she had made with him.

"I'm Alanna Harpshire." She extended her arm towards him. "Pleased to meet you!"

The boy grabbed her hand and shook it lightly. "C-Carl Walsh. Likewise."

Suddenly, a gang of Slytherin boys walked past, shoving Carl roughly and making him fall to the floor. They jeered and laughed as they watched him scramble to pick up his glasses and books.

"Hey!" Alanna called as they went to walk away. All six of them turned around and glared down at her. However, Alanna refused to back down.

If there was one thing Alanna Harpshire didn't tolerate, it was bullying.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" she snapped.

"Ooh," one of the Slytherins jeered. "Fiesty, this one. I like her."

"Shut it, Clark!" the Slytherin in front ordered. The other Slytherin quickly shut his mouth as the first Slytherin stepped forward, leering down at Alanna. She narrowed her eyes at him, still refusing to step away.

"Why would we pick on someone our own size when we can pick on little wastes of space like yourself, hmm?" the boy taunted. Alanna's nostrils flared.

"You want to know what I think?" she said in a tone so quiet it was dangerous. "I think you're just scared that you'll get what you deserve if you pick on someone other than first-years."

Tiffany glanced up from her hushed conversation with Elise Walburg and her eyes widened. Alanna was standing up to Slytherins that looked to be almost in their sixth year. Walking over to see what was up, Tiffany left Elise standing alone, making Elise's eyes trail to the confrontation also.

"I'll get what I want," the Slytherin boy said, taking another step towards Alanna. She glared up at him harshly. "Out of first-years. See, other sixth-years like me aren't exactly intimidated. They don't feel threatened by me. But you lot, however, are--"