“Just back off, okay?” he yelled. “Back off! No one wants you. No one likes you.”
I stumbled backwards, stunned. True, my father had been a Death Eater, but people didn’t have to be so mean. There were plenty of other people who where the kids of former Death Eaters.
“Nah, she’s pretty hot,” another boy leered at me. “What say, pretty?” he smirked.
I snarled something at him and stalked away with a flourish of my robes. I could be bleeding pints of blood, just as an expression, and wouldn’t care, but harassment was one thing I couldn’t stand.
My name is Halaan Raheen. Halaan means “the devil’s creation”. My mother named me that after I was born. My dad had just died in Azkaban a week ago and she wanted to escape all the pain. So she killed herself. I was raised by two orphaned boys off cow’s milk.
Their names are Jordan and Austin. They are the sweetest guys I’ve met. Then again, seeing as there are so many jerks around, it’s not saying much. The boys sent me off to Hogwarts just a week ago. The Sorting Hat put me in Slytherin. It told me it was only since my family’s past...and other things that it wouldn’t tell me...All the teachers hate me. No one likes Halaan Raheen. No one knows anything about me. Not even about my parents. The Ministry kept that their “dirty little secret”.
Oh, by the way, the boy screaming at me before? Cory Potter. Talk about teacher’s favorite. The boy who was being a freak? Draco Malfoy’s adopted son. Draco Malfoy’s real son is in my year, Scorpius Malfoy. An extremely quiet kid, if you ask me. I think that he might be really nice...I’d love to talk to him, but I’m afraid something bad’ll happen. Bad things always happen when I talk to people, for example – Cory Potter, though I didn’t want to talk to him that time.
So, getting back to the point, I stalked angrily back to the common room. I finished the homework in thirty minutes (I’m kind of a nerd, but only in the smart sense). Then I went up to my dorm. The other Slytherin girls were sitting around, giggling about cute boys.
“Hey, Death Girl!” Jessica Parkinson called. “Who do you think is hot, eh?”
“I looked up at her. “You want something from me; you tell me something about you.”
“The girls were affronted. “Look here, Death Girl,” Lizzy Goyle snarled. “Don’t talk like that to Jessie.” -I snorted-.
“Fine,” Jessica looked at me. “I’ve got the hots for Reico Malfoy. He’s a third-year.”
“Do you even know his real last name?” I drawled.
“No, and I don’t care,” Jessica retorted. “Now tell me who you like.”
“No one.”
“As if!” Lizzy said. “That’s impossible.”
“No guy here is what I call hot. Sorry to break it to ya, sis,” I replied. And I walked out into the common room. And crashed into Blake Zabini.
“I am so sorry!” I exclaimed.
“Nah, that’s fine,” he said.
I looked up and blinked at him. “Pardon?” I stuttered.
“Its fine,” he grinned.
I stared.
He grabbed my hand and led me out of the common room. There was an empty room – cell, rather – that he pushed me into. “I know all about you,” he said. No, that doesn’t make him sound like a stalker at ALL.
I hugged my knees on one of the tables. “Tell me.”
“I know that your father was black-mailed into being a Death Eater, your mother committed suicide, that your brother-”
I put a finger to his lips quickly. “How do you know this?”
He looked slightly pleased for some reason. “Your mum and my dad were best friends and the boys who take care of you live across the street from me. Hence, you live across the street from me.”
“Hmm,” I twisted my hair absentmindedly. “So you’re the guy with the amazing pool.”
“And the stunning good looks,” he stroked his hair.
I laughed.
He turned to me. “You have a really cute laugh.”
“You have no shame,” I returned.
“Oi! Blake, you in there?” someone pounded on the door.
“We might want to go,” Blake walked me to the door.
“You first,” I said.
“Ladies first,” he corrected.
“Any difference?” I muttered as I opened the door.
Blake laughed and four Slytherins spun around.
“No, Blake, what did you do?” Andreah Pucey groaned.
“Nothing,” Blake replied. “Why?”
“You were talking with the traitor’s kid!” Andreah said.
“Don’t know who the hell you’re talking about,” Blake answered coldly.
“Her-” Pucey spun on me. “Wait, you are a girl, right?”
I slapped her, my nails raking across her fair skin.
“Detention, Raheen,” Professor Lawrence bobbed up behind my shoulder. The Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was not one who was deeply loved by the students.
Blake tried to say something nasty to him, but Andreah clamped a hand around his mouth.
“Follow me,” Lawrence said.
I scowled and shoved my hands into my pockets. After a few minutes, we reached the fourth floor. “You’re cleaning the bathrooms,” he said evilly.
A mop and bucket of soapy water were shoved into my hands. I could have sworn I heard cackling as he walked away. I silently cursed him as I cleaned the filthy stalls. When I was finally done with both bathrooms, I trudged out, disgusted.
“Nicely done, Raheen,” Lawrence sneered. I snorted. “Now get out of my sight!”
“I was going anyway,” I whispered as I headed back to the Slytherin common room. When I entered, I slumped in a chair by the fireplace.
“So what happened?” I jumped. Blake grinned. “You’re very tense.
“Yeah, cleaning out the boys and girls bathroom does that to one,” I remarked.
“Ouch.”
“And they were Gryffindor,” I said.
Blake sat down on the arm of my chair. “Double ouch.”
“You wouldn’t believe how many girls – er, changing subjects,” I broke off.
He smirked. “Well, what do you think of Jessica Parkinson?”
“As much of a bee-yotch as I heard her mum was.... and the brat’s got a crush on my brother!” I exclaimed.
“You mean Reico?” Blake threw his head back and laughed.
Scorpius walked up to me. “Your brother? I think you mean mine?”
“No,” I shook my head, “Reico is my brother.”
Reico walked up. “Are you crazy? My parents are dead. They were my only family. So Scorpius is my brother.”
A crowd had already former around us.
“And you are my brother, too,” I stood up and crossed my arms over my chest.
“I don’t belong to a filthy family like yours!” Reico snarled.
“Don’t you dare talk about my mum and dad like that!” I yelled.
Blake held me back. “Don’t.”
“Why?” Reico sneered at me. “Can’t face the facts about your dad?”
“He was your dad, too!” I screamed. “And don’t talk about things that you don’t know!”
“Oh, I know enough,” Reico laughed coldly. “Your excuse for a father sold out over a dozen families. Your family is as low as they come.”
“He did it for a reason, you jerk! I told you not to talk about things you don’t know!” I shouted.
“What is going on?” the Head Boy strolled in.
“Gary! Raheen’s acting up! Telling all sorts of lies! She says she’s Reico’s brother!” Lizzy whined as she fawned over Gary Liam.
“She’s not lying,” Blake announced.
Gary frowned. “What’s your proof?”
“I’ve got a family tree starting from Merlin practically,” Blake spread his hands out to try to show how big it was. “Got a headache trying to read it last summer.”
“Well, that’s solved, to bed, everyone!” Gary said loudly.
“You okay?” Blake asked when everyone had left.
“Yeah, thanks,” I said, dragging myself to the stairs. When I entered the dorm room, I was assaulted by Lizzy and Jessica.
“You said that you don’t like anyone when we asked you, but we heard that you and Blake Zabini were walking out of an empty room together. And he was defending you at the fight!” Lizzy accused.
“Erm, so?” I asked. “We’re just friends. You are so slow, Goyle. Slower than a giant turtle in the Sahara.”
“And a turtle is?...And what’s the Sahara?”
“How stupid do you get?” I said, throwing up my hands. I climbed into bed and fell asleep immediately, which is a first for me.
The next day at breakfast, Blake sat next to me. Of course it raised eyebrows. It raised even more when Scorpius took a seat across from us.
“Hey, mate, what’s up?” Blake asked cheerfully.
Scorpius looked directly at me. “I sent my dad an owl last night. Asked him why he never told me about you – or Reico’s past.” Scorpius and I nodded, sharing a moment of silence.
“Kipper’s really good today!” Blake said suddenly.
I caught Scorpius’ eye and we grinned.
“Oi, I was wondering, anyone trying out for Quidditch?” said Blake.
“Uh, we’re not allowed to, Blake. We have to wait till fourth year. They changed those stupid rules from second to third year after Austin and Jordan left. I think it’s because they got so many injuries from the beginning. By the way, Scorpius, your dad was amazing; they always talk about him when the conversation’s Quidditch.”
“Austin? Jordan?” said Blake and Scorpius together.
“Yeah, the awesome guys who raised me,” I nodded.
“As in the legendsofQuidditch Austin and Jordan?” Blake said, awestruck.
“They never told me they were that good!” I said.
“Does anyone care, Raheen? Remember, no one likes or wants you!” Potter yelled from his table.
“We do!” Blake and Scorpius shouted.
“And I think you’re jealous!” Blake added.
“I have Harry Potter, savior of the Wizarding world as my father,” Potter sneered. “Why’d I be jealous of poor, filthy Slytherin scum like them?”
I flared up. “Too bad your amazing dad didn’t rub off on you, Potter!” – there were jeers of “Ohhh!” – “For your information, Jordan and Austin were in Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. And you don’t have to be stinking rich just to be cool or good.” I downed the pumpkin juice and walked out of the Great Hall.
“You know, it’s a shame the girls only like you since you’re good looking,” Blake scowled at the Gryffindor.
“You just got served,” Scorpius said, making Blake crack up.
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