Dealing With Assumptions
Classes were over for the day. Rowan and Wren were heading back to the Hufflepuff Common Room when Witcher bounded out of the entrance barrel.
"Witcher!" Wren beamed as the kneazle leaped closer to his owner. "How's my baby?"
Witcher meowed and rubbed against Wren's leg. Wren crouched down to pick him up and pressed her face against his fur.
Rowan giggled and patted Witcher, "Someone missed you."
Wren smiled, "I missed you too, Witcher. Such a good kneazle. Let's go see Roux in the kitchen and grab a snack before we study."
"Good idea," Rowan agreed. "I could use a study snack."
Witcher wriggled out of Wren's clasp and landed on the ground. He hissed at something behind the girls. The duo turned to find a blond Gryffindor boy standing there.
"Hey," the boy stated nervously. "You're Wren O'Rourke, right?"
"Yes," Wren replied. "Who are you?"
The boy answered, "I'm Ben Copper. I'm a first-year like you. I just wanted to know how you could be friends with Merula."
Wren frowned and cocked her head slightly, "Why?"
"I saw from the corridor," Ben explained. "I've been following her so she can't sneak up on me, and if she sees me, I'll at least have a chance to run away. She tormented me and kept threatening me, calling me a Mudblood."
"So what do you want me to do?" Wren huffed. "It's not my fault you got on her bad side. I can't control her actions 24/7 and I don't like the fact you came to me. If you don't like the way she's treating you, you should tell her to stop."
Rowan put a hand on Wren's shoulder, "Wren, maybe you should tell Merula to not pick on people. It won't help her become the best witch of our year if she's being mean."
"You don't know Merula as I do. Just leave her be," Wren pouted before walking away to the kitchen with Witcher following closely behind.
Rowan shrugged at Ben and went to catch up with Wren. She decided to observe and make up her own mind about Merula since it was a rather sensitive topic for Wren.
/ - / - /
Jane Court was waiting for the duo when they reached the Common Room. "There you are, Wren. I heard about how you earned 10 points for our House. Keep up the good work."
"She would have earned more if Professor Snape gave out points in potions," Rowan commented. "Wren made the Cure for Boils perfectly on the first try."
Wren blushed, "It was nothing."
"In any case," Jane sighed. "I will be keeping a closer eye on you considering who your brother is. He may have ruined Gryfinndor's reputation but I won't have you ruining Hufflepuff's."
"I know my brother broke school rules but I will be a credit to our House," Wren frowned. "I am not him and I shouldn't be held at his standards. Maybe I should have gone to Beauxbaton."
Wren stormed off to get to her room, not caring if Rowan was following or not. She knew it would be hard but didn't realize how much it would hurt being compared to Jacob at every turn. No one else wanted to be her friends besides Merula and Rowan but it even looked like Rowan was questioning their friendship due to Merula's behavior.
Wren didn't notice her other roommates in the room when she charged in. She removed her robes and shirt before even grabbing a new one.
"Wren, you're bleeding," someone informed as Wren was about to put on her new shirt.
Wren realized she was not alone and booked it to the bathroom. Witcher hissed and took his spot at the door. They heard her crying but didn't know how to help until Rowan got there.
/ - / - /
"Sparrow, open up," Merula huffed as she stood outside the bathroom, in the Hufflepuff dorm. "I brought Roux who has your favorite food."
The door creaked open a bit and Merula went in after Roux. Merula sighed when she saw the mess. Wren shredded the shirt she was supposed to change into and her back was bloody.
"Clothes off and get in the shower," Merula ordered. "I'll get something for you to wear."
Merula glared at the other girls when she walked out of the bathroom and moved to Wren's things. She selected clothes that made Wren feel safe and warm.
"Will she be okay?" Rowan asked before Merula went back in.
"Yea, she will be," Merula confirmed. "Just don't mention her brother. It's a really sensitive topic."
Merula assisted Roux with applying the healing salve to Wren's back and got Wren dressed. While Roux cleaned up after Wren, Merula tucked her friend into bed. She sat on Wren's bed and opened the book that Witcher brought to her.
"The House With a Clock In Its Walls by John Bellairs," Merula read. "Chapter 1. Louis Barnavelt fidgeted and wiped his sweaty palms on the seat of the bus that was roaring toward New Zebedee. The year was 1948 and it was a warm windy summer evening outside that is. Lewis could see the moon that trees tossing gently beyond his window which was sealed shut like all the windows on the bus. He looked down at his purple corduroy trousers..."