Chapter - 42 : Between Loyalties

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I shook my head. Whatever this was, it

needed to go away. It wasn't Harry's fault we hadn't spoken much. He couldn't help that we were separated for most of the time. He'd even directed me to Transfiguration the other day when we passed each other the other day before hustling on to Charms with Ron and Dean.

We stepped into the Potions classroom, and instantly all thoughts of Harry vanished to the back of my mind. The room was ovular, with worktables big enough for about four people to sit at comfortably. There were shelves all over the walls covered in pickled bits of animals that floated ominously in colored liquids. The windows were covered, the classroom lit instead with torchlight. In the corner was a basin with water pouring into it from the mouth of a snarling gargoyle.

"Potter?"

"Rena!"

In front of me, Daphne was beckoning me over to a section of three tables where the Slytherins had set up shop. Parkinson was chatting with Nott and Daphne was laughing with Zambini. Malfoy and his lunks weren't there yet, but there were spare enough seats for him and for me. Lily was beckoning me over.

Behind me was Harry. He came flanked by Ron and Dean, with Parvati and Lavender trailing behind them giggling together.

"Come on, join our table!" Harry invited, a wide smile across his face. "I've got loads to tell you!"

Ron was looking at me suspiciously, like he expected me to suddenly sprout fangs and poison him like my house's animal. Lavender and Parvati stepped into the Potions classroom and turned up their noses as they passed me. Even Dean looked a little edgy around me.

I looked back over my shoulder to Lily, who was looking at me expectantly and smiling as she patted the seat next to her.

"Rena?" Harry asked, looking at me with those big, concerned eyes of his. "Something wrong?"

I closed my own. I knew where I had to go. So I turned away from Lily, smiled at Harry, and said, "Sure."

I sat down at the end of the table, Harry taking the empty space between Ron and I. I looked past him to Ron and asked with a small smile, "Alright, Ron?"

Ron looked startled. I could see his desire to hate me wavering. I assumed he was remembering how well all of us had gotten on when we were on the train. Before I became the enemy.

"Er… Alright."

"Good," I said, nodding to him.

"I've got loads to tell you," Harry said. He reached over and grabbed my hand. "You should see the Gryffindor Common room, it's great. And I've met loads of people, like Ron's brothers and the rest of the first years."

"Is everyone being nice to you?" I asked. If the answer was no, someone would be finding a snake in their bed tonight. I didn't know how I'd do it, but I would.

"Yeah, everyone's been great!" Harry assured me. "Everyone's really friendly, the older years have helped us get around the castle a couple times. How're the Slytherins?"

I paused. Kind didn't describe them at all. None of the older Slytherins helped us out, or rather, not in the hands-on way that would make sense to most people. They seemed to think that throwing us into the deep end without floaties was the best way to get us used to swimming in the Hogwarts pool. It wasn't done maliciously, more in a 'tough love' sort of spirit.

And I imagined Harry wouldn't be happy to hear about some of the conversations the girls had late at night, gossiping their hearts out and ragging on whoever caught their attention. Particularly since once of their favorite people to insult were blood traitors, Mudbloods, and Gryffindors. Harry and Ron both fell into two of those categories.

"They've been-"

I looked over my shoulder to where the Slytherins were sitting. Bulstrode's lip was curled in distaste and Parkinson was sneering. Daphne was looking down her nose at Ron. Tracey was glaring, but not quite as heatedly as one might expect. I was certain she was only shooting me the stink eye because the others were. Nott was looking at me in confusion, like he couldn't figure out why I'd join the Gryffindors when there was a perfectly good seat available with them. Zambini looked like he was almost amused by the whole thing.

The only one who looked mildly understanding was Lily. She gave me an understanding shrug and flicked through her Potions textbook. Bless her soul.

"They've been alright," I said finally. "Our Common Room's a little cold, but there's lots of neat stuff down there. The older students tend to do their own thing. I usually eat with the girls from my dorm."

Harry looked at me, his smile flickering. He looked like he couldn't decide if I was being honest or not. I was, but I was omitting quite a bit. I said I ate with the Slytherin girls, I never labeled a single one of them as friends. The only one I could see ever being close to was Lily. Possibly Tracey, if she ever stopped trotting after Daphne like a devoted puppy.

"Potter? What are you doing?"

I closed my eyes and let out an annoyed hiss of air between my teeth. When I opened my eyes, Harry was glaring over the top of my head.

"Malfoy," he spat. I turned around in my seat to see Malfoy staring down his nose at me, Crabbe and Goyle flanking him.

"What is it, Malfoy?" I demanded, frustrated. Here I was finally getting a chance to talk to my brother, and Malfoy has to trot up and ruin the moment.

"What are you doing over here with the Gryffindors?" Malfoy sneered at the aforementioned Gryffindors, who all scowled back. "Come join us. Slytherins sit together."

Harry opened his mouth to say something. I squeezed his hand, urging him to be silent. I raised an eyebrow at Malfoy coolly and said, "I didn't know we had assigned seats. Someone should post a sign."

Malfoy blinked. He, like Nott, seemed to be struggling with the idea that I didn't want to sit with my fellow Slytherins. But, unlike Nott, he plastered his usual superior expression on and continued.

"You don't have to sit with them, you know." Malfoy's eyes glittered maliciously in Ron's direction before flicking to Hermione, who had joined Parvati and Lavender's table with Neville. "You're a Slytherin. You have better options."