Four Hearts, Two Pathways

Today was the first Quidditch match of the year. I was excited and overly nervous, just for the fact that I’m in my sixth year and it’s my first game. Sure I’ve watched it when Blaise asked, but other than that I didn’t go.

Getting up, I pulled on my uniform and headed to the great hall by myself. I wasn’t in the mood to be around anyone again. Halfway to the great hall, I pass by the Gryffindor corridors and I see Potter there by himself. I was confused. He’s almost always with Granger and Weasley. He smiled at me a little and jogged to catch up to me.

“Hey Atria,” Potter said. Why was he using first names with me? Everyone in Slytherin called him Potter and he called us by our last names. What was so different now?

“Hello, Potter,” I spat as I walked away from him. I tried to get away from him but he just kept following. Oh wonderful, I thought. I had spotted Granger and Weasley approaching us too.

“Harry, what are you doing with a Slytherin? Did she curse you?” Weasley asked Potter. I saw him shake his head in the corner of my eye. I took this chance to escape, even if it meant going through the longer route to get to the great hall. All I wanted was some breakfast before the game!

When I finally got to the great hall, I saw Draco. He wasn’t surrounded by his usual crowd so I sat by him. Even though Draco and I were considered friends, I wasn’t one to bug him when he acted like this. We ate breakfast in silence, luckily.

“Ready to play your first game, Zephyr?” Draco asked, trying to get into a better mood. I nodded and stretched.

“Let’s go beat those Puffs!” I cheered, making him laugh. We silently went to the pitch, which I was grateful for. I was too caught up in my thoughts about Potter to concentrate on where I was going.

Before I knew it, the game was in full swing. I was blocking Hufflepuff’s attempts at scoring, occasionally missing a few. When I kept hearing Lee Jordan saying how Slytherin wasn’t doing too great, I was so tempted to flip him off even if he couldn’t see it. Just then, the snitch was released. Draco, being the seeker, started to go after it as did the Hufflepuff seeker, Sage Foxley. I was watching them in the corner of my eye as bludgers were chasing them. Where were our beaters? They’re supposed to prevent that from happening! I kept shouting at the referee, who just happened to be Professor McGonagall. That witch hated me. I had no clue why, but she wasn’t doing anything. I knew from watching one of the games from my second year when Potter’s arm got broken from a bludger that they were cursed. I was still blocking them when Sage started rapidly descending. Draco had zoomed in after her. All I heard were cheers from the other houses. We had lost.

Our whole team sulked back to the castle, Draco more so than others. He had saved Sage Foxley, but she was still injured. I wasn’t too upset at the game. We did our best but when our next match against Ravenclaw comes up, I know we’re going to do better. Everyone on the team went to the dungeons to change but I really didn’t want to go see all the disappointed faces. It was basically Draco’s and my fault for losing. I was an alright keeper for being a beginner, but Draco for once cared about someone else instead of himself. I was happy with our loss, but being me, I never showed it.

I headed to the astronomy tower and sat on the edge. I felt a change in pressure in the room and looked to my right. Potter had followed me.

“Hey, Atria, we didn’t get to finish talking earlier. How was your game? I wasn’t there,” He said, inviting himself to sit with me. I shrugged and looked at the scenery.

“We lost, but it’s okay. Mind if I ask you something, Potter?” I said still looking at the grounds. I saw him shrug in my peripheral vision. “Why are you trying to get close to me all of a sudden?” I asked as I turned my head to look at him. Yet another shrug from him.

“At first I thought you were close to Malfoy so I wanted to see if you knew anything but then I saw how you only hung out with Zabini. And after that, I just saw how lonely you looked. I know it’s not easy being away from family,” He said smiling a little. I knew he was referencing to his godfather who had gotten killed last year by Bellatrix LeStrange. “I know your parents are Aurors, that’s how I knew you weren’t on the dark side, so to speak,” Harry laughed.

“You don’t know a damn thing about me Potter. Blaise is my only friend but I’m perfectly content with that. I don’t let people get close to me like you keep trying to do because they’re only bad news,” I said standing up. “Now, I’m sorry about what happened last year but I’m not going to be sympathetic. I’ve never known my parents. As far as I’m concerned, Blaise’s parents are mine,” I finished storming off.

I had tears fighting to become free from my eyes but I fought them. I didn’t know where I was going and I knew I looked ridiculous in my Quidditch robes from a few hours ago.

My feet had brought me to the Room of Requirement. As I entered the room, I saw it had transformed into the bedroom I had usually stayed in at the Zabini Manor.

I laid on the bed and for the first time in years, I cried.