Harry Potter Fan Fiction: For Talia

Chapter 4

"So what do you think?" Talia asked over the howling wind. The storm had swept in suddenly causing all the students to flow indoors during lunch hour. Jennifer, Tabitha, Kristy and Talia were looking for a corner uninhabited by older students. Jennifer was the first to answer (which was hardly unusual). "Harry Potter's name was read out second. Surely that means he isn't the real champion" She said pulling her cloak closer around her.

"Obviously he isn't. He isn't old enough in the first place" Kristy remarked. "Though you do raise an interesting point"

"Ok, what about this whole badge thing? Will you wear one?" asked Jennifer.

"I won't" said Talia. Tabitha, standing next to her, nodded her head in accordance. She was still the shyest person in the group. The other girls seemed to drown her out with their constant oversharing of their opinions. "Despite everything he is a champion. They let the cup's decision stand. Anyway, Harry Potter is better than Diggory"

"Says who? Diggory is better looking!" said Jennifer.

"Clearly his great looks and charm will help him win all three tasks. Imagine how wonderful his reflection will look when peering into the trophy with all his winnings in it!" said Kristy her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"You're just upset he didn't say hello back to you in the hallway last Wednesday" retorted Jennifer.

"I am not!" Kristy's indignant face blushed furiously.

"He has more than his fair share of fans. Why not try the badge? Maybe then he'll notice you!"

They found a crowded classroom filled mainly with first, second and third years.

"Over here" called out Chris, waving them across to his table on the other side of the room. Making room for them, he introduced his friends from Gryffindor. Kristy introduced Tabitha and Jennifer. Conversation struck up immediately about the tournament but also about how classes were going and how everyone was finding Hogwarts. They started talking about house points;

"I've earned 35 points for Ravenclaw, mainly for answering questions in class but one of them Professor Flitwick gave me for perfecting Wingardium Leviosa quickly." said Kristy smugly.

"That's great; I've only gotten 10 points myself. How many have you earned Talia?" asked Chris.

"50 I think." Talia wanted to be modest but couldn't let Kristy get all uppity when she was actually being beaten. She settled for the safe: "I guess I'm just a know-it-all"

"Probably explains how you ended up in Ravenclaw" said Chris. He seemed genuinely impressed. "More than that Slytherin kid I'll bet. Not that you'd know it after one of our potions classes. Snape is practically in love with him. I reckon he would love him even if he was in another house and that really says something, don't you think?"

"He's good at nearly everything" answered Kristy, a tad too snarky for Talia's taste.

"Except flying" Tabitha added. It was something no one else would have thought of. She was more observant than the rest of them, despite Talia dabbling at stalking.

"You're pretty good at it Chris" It was Jennifer that paid the complement.

"I don't think I'll ever get on the team. Not sure if I want to."

"Why on earth not?" asked Jennifer.

"My mother's father had an accident on a broom. He was a pretty good Quidditch player, went pro and all. When he tells the story, he falls from 50 metres and he was about to make the save of the century but mum says it was more 15. Either way she hates them. Brooms that is."

"But surely she wouldn't stop you from playing" Jennifer asked.

"I don't suppose she would. I just don't know how I feel about it. I still have a while to decide I guess. I might not even make the cut. Gryffindor did win last year."

"Yeah but some of the team members would be leaving. You'll probably at least get a chance, next year, when you are old enough."

"We'll see."

The bell went and everyone got up in a flurry to get to class.

"It was nice to see you again Kristy, Talia and meet you Jennifer and Tabitha" Said Chris looking straight at Talia before briefly nodding to the others.

"Likewise" said Talia, gave him a quick nod back. She made a note to herself to keep up these friendships. They might be rewarding in the future.

***

After one long and particularly boring History of Magic class in her last two periods of a Thursday afternoon (sheer torture), Talia went to the library before dinner. She had a list of ingredients for potions she had to find the uses of, something Professor Snape liked to give students frequently and she just wanted to get the work done. At this hour the library was nearly empty with people going off to the great hall for dinner which made it a good opportunity for meeting up with people you didn't want to notably be seen with. Already this sort of behaviour was earning her the nick name 'late-for-dinner'.

Anton was absorbed in a book twice the size of their regular textbooks and thrice as old but only half as dusty. His nose nearly touched the page and he whispered the words he was reading to himself to help them sink in better. It was a bad habit and an annoying one. Talia put up with it as she sat in the chair opposite him. Pulling out her own work, she settled into it, only having to get up the once to get a book she needed to reference.

Looking across she saw that once again, Anton was not doing homework at all. He wasn't even studying school related. Anton ranged from genealogy (this at least she could understand) from wizard banking to curses. These weren't your run-of -the-mill curses but the old school kind, where you literally pointed at people or muttered under your breath and ill fortune would find those you did not like. It wasn't like a bat bogey curse or anything so obvious. It was nastier than that- like the hunting you down, follow you and your children's children everywhere and for all of time type of curse. Frankly, it disturbed Talia whenever Anton mentioned it. He didn't really share what he was doing but he didn't hide it. If he wanted Talia's opinion he asked for it. She seemed to be the only one he talked to and this was sometimes upsetting for her.

While the rest of the school was hungrily gobbling up dinner, Talia ignored any niggle in her stomach and conversed with Anton.

"So what do you think of Harry Potter being a school champion?"

Anton scoffed, "It's ridiculous. Someone wants him dead and without a doubt it's got to be one of Voldemort's followers"

"How on earth is that not ridiculous and would you please not use his name?"

"Harry Potter may be many things but certainly not smart enough to hoodwink the Cup into letting him become a champion. Then you have to consider the pending question- who would want him in the tournament and why? His chances of winning are pretty slim but the odds of him suffering great harm- even death- are high. He has one really obvious enemy and so long as we are assuming you-know-who (happy now?) is dead than it is most probably a supporter of his enemy. I would say for revenge."

"That seems a little far-fetched" Talia said, not dismissing Anton's opinion entirely.

"Maybe- maybe not... The most suspicious element of the whole thing is the fact he is in the tournament. He is there for a reason and that reason is not one of his own choosing."

"Revenge seems too weak a reason for someone to do this."

"Revenge can be the best motivator but I digress. He fights for normality but he is singled out time and time again. When will he realise he is different; that he has to get prepared or he will suffer the consequences?" Anton seemed genuinely frustrated by the thought.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Talia, a question that indicated that she had no one in her life that she feared would bring her harm.

"Some people are not the same as others. They can't afford the luxury of a normal life. You've been targeted" Anton's eyes were unfocused. He was talking more to himself at this point.

Talia looked confused. "All people are unique. It is paradoxical but true. I understand that but are you talking about equality for all or just saying some people have different problems than others?"

Anton came out of his revelry. "All of that I suppose." He smiled. "Who we are can define us or we can define who we are"

"I am an individual- just like everybody else" Talia replied "All for one and one for all"

Anton chuckled. "Sure thing"

They sat in silence for a while.

"All I was trying to say is that Harry Potter doesn't have any control over what happened so has to go through with it. It is binding remember? It has happened, and in happening dictates that further action will occur." Anton concluded.

"It makes sense. Nobody else has seen it this way. They don't stop and think of what it might mean. They just gossip and find someone to ridicule." Talia acknowledged sadly.

"You should hear my fellow Slytherin's. You'd think Harry Potter did it on purpose just to spite us." He couldn't keep the loathing out of his voice.

"How's that working out for you?"

"What do you mean?" asked Anton knowing full well what Talia meant.

"Being in Slytherin" Talia could tell he was unhappy. She had seen how the other first years shunned him because of his reluctance to embrace their house and all it stood for. It was not common for a student at Hogwarts to feel bad about the house they were sorted into. The hat was usually (and remarkably) right when it came to the whole process. Anton was not exactly vocal about it but the others had gotten the message. He was tolerated by his classmates- surrounded by an island of silence and that couldn't be easy.

"It's no more than I expected. I live in a dungeon. Say no more really."

Talia chuckled, "It sounds so dramatic. Like something from a muggle fairy tale"

"I haven't heard any nor would I admit to it if I had. I am surrounded by pure bloods or mostly pure bloods. You have to have an embellished blood line and curse every time you even think of mingling with a muggle"

Solemn again, Talia spoke "That's disgusting" She thought of her own mother and knew exactly how a normal Slytherin student would react. One day, she thought, one day I might tell him I am a half-blood.

"It's life." He said, completely deadpan.

"You don't really believe that do you?"

"I can't complain about bloodlines- I am a bastard after all. Not that that really makes a difference here in Britton. It's back home where that matters." Anton looked at the book in front of him to avoid meeting Talia's eyes. "Here, I'd be patted on the back for having a father who practiced the dark arts. I'd be part of a very special club."

"You're not serious are you?" Talia exclaimed. "I mean, Slytherin may have a reputation for going dark side but that shouldn't include everyone."

"If you're looking for a good witch or wizard in Slytherin, you'll be hard pressed. I'm certainly not one."

"Just because the hat chose Slytherin for you doesn't mean you're going to be a bad person. It just makes you incredibly ambitious right?"

Talia tried to laugh about it but there was a bad taste in her mouth. Anton wasn't lying and she couldn't see how she'd change his mind with a few simple words. He genuinely thought he was a bad person. She let it go. After all she didn't know him all too well. It could be true. She didn't think he was 'bad' but she knew not to be naïve about it. It was the bias against Slytherin she had a problem with, that and all the talk about mixed blood.

Anton smiled sadly. "We'll have to wait and see, won't we?"

"If you say so- I think you'll be fine. I am off to dinner. Study with me soon?" Talia asked offhand.

"Of course. I'll wander over there in a minute or so. Have a nice dinner."