𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬, 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 • (𝐝.𝐦.)

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

♔

I couldn't find the guy anywhere but was reminded of the DA meeting later that day. As I made my way to the Room of Requirement, I noticed Ron going inside at the same time as I had arrived. 

"Weasley!" I called, and he turned to see who had said his name. 

"Warrington!" He called back upon seeing me, and I waved, jogging over to him as he held the door open. We walked inside together, talking about whatever we'd be doing today. 

"We're dueling today, Harry told me. Nothing too bad, but we have to learn how to handle the pressure of a real situation like that," Ron told me, and I nodded. 

"Where is Harry, by the way?" 

"He'll be here," Hermione answered from behind us. "You guys are really deaf, aren't you? I was calling out to you both so you'd hold the door for me, but it closed back into wall before I got there. Had to walk past it three times and everything just to get it back open," She said, panting slightly and looking very disgruntled. 

"Sorry, 'Mione," Ron said, his ears turning a deep shade of scarlet. 

"It's fine," Hermione said with a light laugh, shoving Ron's shoulder slightly, and I saw the scarlet tinge from his ears creep subtly onto his cheeks. 

I smiled to myself at this non-existent pairing but was interrupted by the rest of everyone coming into the room. 

When Harry finally walked in, commanding the attention of the room, we all formed a large circle as we awaited instructions. 

"Today's lesson will be friendly dueling, alright? Partner up, everyone, and make sure your partner is someone who can match your magic skill level," Harry announced, and we all nodded. 

Hermione and Ron looked at each other, partnering up silently, Seamus and Dean paired, Luna and Cho paired, the twins paired, and soon I was left alone. 

I looked around, making eye contact with a few people, but since my... episode... a few meetings ago, nobody dared duel with me. They were afraid of me. 

"Need a partner?" Harry asked, and I turned to face him. 

"Desperately," I said, a sigh of relief escaping me as we aligned with each other. "Harry, before we start, I need to tell you we should talk after this meeting, okay?" 

"Sure, about what?" He asked, lifting his wand in preparation for our impending duel whilst still listening to my words. 

"The Sorting Hat said you were supposed to be in Slytherin," I said, and apprehension befell his face. "What?" He said, his wand lowering slightly and a small burst of sparks shooting out of it. 

I jumped to the side, avoiding the sparks, and I looked up at him, shocked. "Harry, are you okay?" I asked, not sure what I said wrong, but he shook his head. "It's all good. We're fine, I'm fine," He said, brushing it off. 

"Okay... are you sure?" I asked, and he nodded. "We can still talk more after the meeting, right?" I asked, and he nodded. 

"Alright everyone, begin dueling in three... two... one!" Harry shouted, and everyone began.

Harry and I kind of looked at each other for a second without casting any spells, and I found his very weird. I decided I would simply start, "Expelliarmus!" I shouted, disarming him immediately. 

It was no problem whatsoever. His wand went flying and he seemed to do nothing to stop it. "Harry? Are you paying attention?" I asked, and he snapped out of the trance he was holding himself in, nodding his head. 

"Yes, sorry. I'm paying attention," He said. 

He stanced himself and pointed his wand out weakly. "Expelli-" 

"Stupefy!" I shouted before he could disarm me, and he went flying back against the wall. "Harry!" I shouted, not realizing how out of it he truly was. 

"Sorry- ah, sorry!" He said, struggling to get up, and I rushed over to him. 

"What happened?" I asked, rushing my words, and he shrugged. "Maybe I am a little distracted," He admitted, and I nodded, extending my hands to help him up. When he was on his feet again, he dusted himself off. 

"Maybe we should just talk now? I won't be able to focus if this is on my mind," Harry said, and I nodded. "Sure," I nodded, and we went through a door that had appeared that led into a small room in the back of the Room of Requirement. 

When we were inside, Harry sighed. "What did the Sorting Hat tell you?" He asked, and I shrugged. 

"I was hoping for Gryffindor when I first got here, and I expressed that when the hat was on my head. It said something about not wanting to make the same mistake it made years ago with you. It said it firmly believed you belong in Slytherin... why?" I asked 

"I don't... well... I don't know how to put this simply," He said. 

"Just tell me. This is important," I said, and Harry sighed. "Voldemort killed my parents. He tried killing me too but failed. He tried to use the killing curse on me when I was a baby, but it didn't work. 

Something about that linked me to him in some way, I don't exactly know, but all I know is that in my second year here, I was able to speak in Parseltongue-" 

"Hey, I speak that too! How funny," I said, interrupting him only slightly, but his eyes went wide as if I had slapped him in the face. 

"You... you what? You can speak Parseltongue?" 

"Yeah, my dad speaks it as well," I said, snapping my fingers to try to get him to continue with his story without being tripped up over this redundant information. 

"Anyway, I was able to speak Parseltongue because when Voldemort tried to kill me, there was a bit of his soul embedded in my scar," He said, lifting his hair to show it to me. 

When I said nothing, he furrowed his brow. "What's your father's name?" Harry asked.

"Fabian Warrington," I said, and Harry stared at me. 

"But Sirius said... oh, Merlin, it's all making sense now..." He muttered to himself. 

"What? Who's Sirius?" I asked, but before I could get any answers, he darted out of the small room and left me standing there completely dumbfounded. 

What the hell was going on here?  

♔

weeeeeeeee things are happening. what's going on? nobody knows... well, i know, but you don't. heeheehee.