Chapter 15
Chatter.
Gossiping chatter filled the room as soon as Professor Lockhart began to talk happily about his adventures, which Raven thought was a load of crap. How could a single man do all of these things and come back unharmed? It wasn't possible. He didn't even have a single scar to show for his adventures.
Or maybe it wasn't the fact that Raven could see the way he was lying through his teeth—the familiar charming smile of her Uncle flashed into her mind—but the way everyone was so convinced by his words, and trusted him without question.
Even her friends, Sophia and Veronica, bought into his words as they listened happily. Raven glanced between her two friends and saw similar smiles on their faces. The way their grins stretched up till it looked like it hurt. The way they sighed before leaning onto their palm as they gazed at Professor Lockhart.
Has everyone forgotten how the man left them to fed for themselves against the pixies? Raven certainly hasn't. She still had the back pain to prove it.
Though, it did come with an added bonus.
Hermione Granger was now her.. friend? Or try out friend? Raven didn't know. All she knew was that the two of them were trying to be friends now after what happened a few days ago.
"And then, I sent a curse at that troll!" Professor Lockhart's voice echoed throughout the room, enacting a gasp to fill the air. Raven, posture as perfect as ever, just continued to read the book that was assigned to them.
The Professor hadn't taught them a single thing since he's started here. All he's been doing was talk about his adventures as if that would teach them how to cast a defense spell or two. And Raven would not allow for the man to cause another.. lesson at the Flint house for his mistake if she failed.
Nope. She wouldn't allow it. Instead, she's study harder, practice with Cedric if she had to. Just like she'd ignore the rumbling of her stomach as more days went by without a full meal.
"Wow, Professor." Granger's voice echoed. Raven could practically hear the smile on her lips. Raven couldn't wait to tease her about it the next time they spoke. "You're truly fearless."
"Nothing can scare me, Miss. Granger." Professor Lockhart sent her a smile that cause Hermione's ears to heat up as she looked away from him. "Now, back to what I was saying.."
Raven, despite the way her stomach twisted at Hermione's reaction to Professor Lockharts smile, felt the urge to sketch out the way she reacted. The way her ears were bright red, and the way she bit her lip to fight off a smile. The way a gentle pink coated her cheeks as if the sun shined against them, provoking the light to show itself, just as the moon.
To Raven, the muggle born witch looked quite.. nice. Pretty even. Not that Raven wanted to look at her, but it was hard not to, especially with the fact that she had been talking to the Professor mere moments ago.
And with the way she reacted, Raven felt that.. warmth surge through her again as it rested against her skin causing Raven to relax ever so slightly. Her posture, which was tight, felt relief flood through her as if she were nothing but putty with the way her body untightned itself.
Raven felt her eyes soften just a bit as she continued to watch Hermione admire the liar known as their Professor with a glint in her eyes. She didn't feel angry at the way the girl admired the liar, if anything, she felt at peace with how intrigued she look. A familiar look that Raven had come to known as interest. It was such a similar look to whenever Hermione was interested in a lesson and eagerly raised her hand to answer any question.
It calmed Raven down in a way even if the look wasn't directed at her—not that she wanted that at all—because for some reason, seeing Hermione Granger, the girl who stuck up to Uncle Nicholas without fear and wanted to be her friend, happy made Raven wish for that look to be kept onto her face if only so that Raven's debt would be dealt with since Hermione had done the one thing that Raven had always wanted to do.
"Okay, Raven," Veronica coed beside Raven, while Sophia snicker under her breathe. "No need to admire the Weasel that hard."
Raven turned to Veronica. "I wasn't admiring."
"Mhmm." Sophia hummed. "That's not what we saw. I mean, Raven, it's so obvious. You're going to give it away."
"Give what away?"
Sophia and Veronica shared a glance with each other before Veronica leaned in closely to Raven, a slight smirk on her face. "Ya know, that you fancy Ron Weasley."
"I don't fancy—" Raven stopped, hearing the way her voice came out scratching and slightly louder than her soft spoken tone. A few people had turned their heads, glancing their way causing Raven to straighten in her seat in embarrassment. She could feel the nails digging into her skin, slicing into her. She could feel the way her wrist ached, the pain of a ruler slapping against her till she was bruised. Raven cleared her throat, "I don't fancy anyone."
"Are you sure?" Sophia coed before she pointed at Harry and Ron talking to each other. "I mean, you saved his life the other day."
"—Saving his life is going too far—"
"Besides, anyone could like him, especially since he's best mates with Harry Potter." Sophia continued.
"I'm sure.." Raven grimaced. "Boys are just ew. I don't know why you two think that I fancy Ron Weasley. I swear I seen him eat his buggers the other day."
Raven shuddered at the memory. It wasn't like she was looking, but he had sneezed in his hand in the Great Hall and after wiping away most of his snot, he licked his hand, getting the rest of it. Raven knew that if she had an appetite to eat, then she would have lost it right then and there.
"Did he actually?" Veronica leaned forward.
Raven cringed. "Unfortunately, but don't tell anyone Ronnie. He's already getting bullied enough because of his status."
"And the fact that he's poor." Sophia chimed in, causing Raven to wince at the reminder. She had once thought Ron Weasley deserved nothing in this world, that he was scum on the shoes of Purebloods out there. But then she met Cedric and Natasha and all of her friends, and realized that he was just a kid, just like she was.
"Yeah." Raven sighed, her voice trailing off.
"Are you sure you don't fancy him?" Sophia asked one more time. Their wasn't a teasing grin on her face, nor did she lean in. She was simplify asking a genuine question.
Raven gave a perfect smile that looked more like a doll than anything. "I'm sure."
"Awww man." Veronica leaned back into her seat. "I was sure that you fancied him. Damn it, I guess now I have to keep teasing you about Cedric being your boyfriend."
"Cedric is not my boyfriend!" Raven exclaimed.
"Not with that attitude." Veronica huffed.
Sophia leaned in, placing her arm in front of Raven as she talked to Veronica. "No, V. She needs that attitude. Cedric is always smiling a lot more when she's mean to him."
"You're so right!"
"I don't know why I bother." Raven sighed before she zoned the two of them out. She didn't dare lean back into her seat,—a part of her wanted to make space for them— feeling Aunt Eleanor's hand on her shoulder, keeping her rooted in place. Instead, she continued to look at Professor Lockhart, watching as he continued talking about his adventures.
"And then, a dragon appeared and uhh— umm and flew down and nearly sliced— no, clawed my right arm—"
Raven rolled her eyes at his nonsense. Maybe it was the way his tone reminded Raven of her Uncle's fake charming voice that always sent shivers down her spine. Or maybe it was the way his words stumbled every so often before he remembered himself and his story. Or maybe it was the way he stood behind his desk as if to hide behind his lies with a barrier between him and the class.
Raven had grown tired of hearing his words as that faded out in the distance. She grown tired of seeming him speak, and so she looked at the thing that interested her. She stole a glance at Hermione Granger, wondering how the girl looked as she took in all of his false information. Was she sighing? Was she still biting back a smile? Did her eyes still hold that glint inside of them? And so, she looked, trailing her eyes along her bushy brown hair that Raven was tempted to sketch once more as she memorized every strained and every speck before locking eyes with the brown ones that built a home in her sketch book.
Raven sent the girl a soft smile as she greeted her. Hermione smiled right back, even going as far as to flash her teeth. Raven felt her cheeks begin to burn at the grin before she cleared her throat, placing her elbow on the table—even though, every part of her screamed at her not to—before she used her hand to mouth along with Lockhart.
Hermione giggled, hiding her hand behind her smile as if to quiet the noise, but it just made Raven's eyes soften. She felt a genuine soft smile creep its way up onto her lips and rest there at the sight of Hermione.
Maybe being friends with the muggleborn girl wouldn't be too bad.
BumpBump. BumpBump. BumpBump.
"And I'm sure Ms. Rosier would agree." Professor Lockhart's muffed voice barely broke through the sound of her racing heartbeat. "After all, it was her parents that killed my entire family—"
Suddenly, Raven's good mood turned into something sour as she took in the sight of Professor Lockhart.
"Excuse me." Raven's voice echoed throughout the room. Her hand balled into a fist as she tried to control her ever growing anger at her Professor's words. Her heartbeat grew muffled as she locked eyes with the liar.
She could feel the buzzing of her magic against her skin aching to get out. She didn't care that everyone grew silent at her words, that they all tensed up in fear at her growing anger. Even her friends beside her.
Professor Lockhart chuckled nervously as his charming smile faltered, "Ms. Rosier, I mean no disrespect—"
"I don't give a damn if you disrespect my parents. They were monsters." Raven explained, venom leaked through her voice as she spoke of her parents. She heard people say something about her and her parents on a daily basis, it stopped bothering her after she was 6. She had gotten used to putting up with it. Raven's eyes darkened as she continued, "I give a damn if you dare to disrespect their victims by lying through your teeth about an experience that you didn't even go through personally."
"T—The Rosiers did kill my family!" Professor Lockhart argued.
Raven stood up from her seat as the picture frame on his desk fell to the floor as if someone swiped them away. He gasped as Raven continued to look down at him, eyes bright with anger as she tried to control her magic.
"Joshua Clarke. Daniel Morris. Victoria Hughes. Eric Anderson. Robert Hall. Lily Evans. James Potter. Charlotte Potter. Iris Pomfrey. Malcolm Rickett!" Raven began to list the lives her parents took like a distant memory, as if she were the ones who had taken each and everyone of their hearts and crushed them in her hand. But she hadn't. It was her parents who had done those sins, and now it was up to Raven to avenge them. She kept going, and going, and going, and going as more and more people gasp when familiar last names were being said of their classmates, friends, cousins. "I remember every single life my parents took. I remember every 4 year old, every pregnant woman, every father, every uncle, every aunt, every grandma. EVERYONE!"
The class flinched at her shout as her friends watched her with wide eyes. They had never once heard Raven scream, or look as mad as she did until that moment. It was as if they were seeing a movie, watching as the girl grew angrier and angrier. The entire class could feel the tension in the air as well as.. something else.
"And you dare stand up there and act as if you were a victim!" Raven slammed her left palm against the table, not even wincing at the sharp pain that shot through her arm. "You're a liar, a fake, and a phony! And I would rather die than let you stand up there and act like you were affected by the horrors my parents caused!"
"I don't— I—I— Uhh—"
"Lockhart, you wouldn't mind if I borrow some ingredients for the 4th years, would you—" Raven tensed up at the familiar voice of her Godfather walking into the classroom. Professor Snape paused in his step as he took in the wide eye man before him as he flinched upon hearing the potions teachers voice. Raven watched as her Godfather glanced down at the fallen pictures before following Professor Lockhart's gaze and locking eyes with Raven's dark ones. "What's going on?"
Everyone remained silent.
A slight creek could be heard as Raven sat back down in her seat, avoiding her godfather's burning gaze on her face. She glanced down at her book, and began reading the same sentence over and over again to ignore the chilling fear that had gripped her bones.
"I'll ask again." Professor Snape's voice grew stern as he addressed the class this time. "What is going on?"
"I was just giving Ms. Rosier," Professor Lockhart spoke her name as if it were something vile on his tongue. Raven could feel his burning gaze on her as if he were trying to render her to ash for embarrassing him. "Detention."
Raven couldn't hold back the flinch at the punishment. This was bad. This was really bad. Her Uncle Nicholas would be informed of her behavior and punish her even worse. She wasn't like Christopher or Katherine. She'd get punished for speaking out of turn, for doing anything that could harm their pureblood reputation.
Professor Snape scoffed in disbelief. "Detention? Whatever for?"
"For speaking out of turn for one." Professor Lockhart went around his desk, placing his hands behind his back before he began to walk over to Raven. Her Godfather kept his eyes burning into his back as if he were tempting him to try to do anything. "Yelling at her Professor, disrupting the class, and.. oh yes,"
He walked in front of Raven's desk, locking eyes with her sapphire ones. "Calling me a liar, a fake, and a phony."
Raven stood up from her seat, slamming her hands against the table. "BECAUSE YOU ARE!"
Professor Lockhart flinch back, his facade disappeared in that instant as he reached for his wand to aim it at her. But just as he got it out, it was out of his hands in an instant and into her Godfathers.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, Professor Lockhart." Her Godfather's eyes went dark. Everyone began to whisper as they watched the scene unfold. "But here at Hogwarts, do we harm our students?"
"I—"
"No." Hermione interrupted, causing Raven to turn to the girl and lock eyes with hers. She felt a chill run up her spine as those brown tree fill eyes twinkled ever so gently against the light. "You're not allowed to. It's against the rules."
Her Godfather's lips tugged upwards ever so slightly into a smirk, "Ms. Granger is correct, and as much as it kills me to say this, 5 points to Gryffindor."
"Yes." Professor Lockhart huffed. "I apologize for my mistake, but you certainly can't blame me Severus for reacting that way. She is a Rosier after all."
"And a child." Her Godfather stated, crossing his arms over his chest as he narrowed his eyes at Lockhart. A few moments passed as the students watched this silent starring contest take place before Professor Lockhart looked away first. Professor Snape glanced at Raven, softening his gaze ever so slightly. "I'll take Ms. Rosier off of your hands. She'll serve detention with me."
"You can't possibly think I'd allow—"
"I'm not asking." Professor Snape's voice snapped through the air. "Especially after the show of violence you almost caused earlier. Now, if it were up to me, you wouldn't be teaching here."
"It's up to Dumbledore." Lockhart stated.
Her Godfather smirk. "Yes, but even the headmaster makes mistakes. And he has the scars to prove it."
Lockhart flinched at his words before he balled his hand into a fist as he glared at her Godfather. The class slowly went silent as they glanced between the two of them, wondering who would break the silence first. Raven knee was bouncing under the table as she dug her thumb into her index finger to ground her with pain.
"Fine." Lockhart glared before he smacked his palm against Raven's table causing the roommates to flinch at the action. Then, he pointed to Raven, his finger an inch away from making contact with her face. She fought the urge to lean away, knowing she'd get punished even more so. "But I want her out. I'm sick of her attitude today. You deal with her."
Veronica placed her hand on Raven's shoulder, feeling how tense the girl was in her palm. She spared her a look before reaching out and smacking Professor Lockhart's hand away from Raven's face. "You don't need to be so close, Professor. It's inappropriate."
Professor Lockhart froze for a moment before turning to Veronica, "It's inappropriate for you to smack your Professor's hand away—"
"Or to harm a student, isn't that right, Professor?" Sophia fluttered her eyes innocently at the man. Professor Lockhart's shoulder began to tremble as he tried to flash his charming smile to control his ever growing anger at kids telling him off.
"I suppose so." He gritted his teeth.
"Raven." Professor Snape broke the tension as he called out for his Goddaughter. "Pack your things. You're coming with me to my classroom."
Raven did not need to be told twice. She shrugged Veronica's hand off as she grabbed her books from the desk. She hurrily hugged them to her chest before she began to pass Professor Lockhart.
"Phony." She coughed under her breathe. Veronica snickered while Sophia snorted out a laugh at Raven's insult. The red haired girl walked away from Lockhart before she glanced at her friends and gave them a smile, thankful for their added protection.
Even if it took a moment for them to do so. She didn't blame them for being surprised at her anger. Raven would have reacted the same and stayed frozen till her brain caught up with her. She was just glad Veronica smacked his hand away from her or else Raven probably would have felt a sense of panic in her stomach.
Raven continued walking passed the man, feeling the burning gaze of the golden trio on her face. She glanced around the room, locking eyes with Draco's silver ones. She sent the boy a tiny tug of her lips as soon as she saw the flash of concern in his eyes before he looked away, having been caught caring for her. She wouldn't take it to heart. Raven was grateful that Draco still cared for her deep down.
Maybe one day they could be friends again. Even if for a single moment in time.
She glanced at the Golden Trio, locking eyes with Harry Potter's sea green ones first. His face was twisted as if he were in pain from her words. She couldn't blame the boy, she had mentioned his family. She was the first too look away, feeling too exposed with the way he was looking at her as if he were truly seeing the person she is.
Her eyes landed on Ronald next as his rugged clothing caught her eyes right away. She felt a twinkle of pity go through her at the way they fit him a little too tight to be confortable. But she didn't dare soften her gaze to convey that. Instead, she continued down the desk, nearing the first row that held Hermione Granger, who had not stopped looking at her.
Raven clenched her jaw as she continued, feeling the way her heart began to echo inside of her ears as if it liked to fester there whenever Hermione was around. Raven figured she was nervous because this was the first time that someone wanted to be her friend instead of the other way around. That's what it had to be, considering the fact that she was actually interested in learning more about Raven.
But it didn't help the fact that those deep brown eyes were gazing into her soul with such concern as if they wanted to shield her away from all of the darkness in the world, and protect her. She bit her tongue, trying to fight the rush of blood that threatened to claw its way up her neck and rest against her cheeks. It was too embarrassing the first time, and it won't happen again.
And finally, she passed her.
Feeling only her burning gaze on her back as she walked up to her Godfather, who had not stopped glaring daggers at Professor Lockhart.
Her Godfather glanced down at Raven for a moment, his eyes searching for something in hers and once he didn't find it, Raven saw the way he relaxed before he glanced back up again, narrowing his eyes back at the Professor. "If it comes to my attention that you threaten Ms. Rosier, or any other students even Mr. Potter, I'll inform the Headmaster of what took place here today and deal with you myself. Is that understood?"
"Y—Yes, Severus." He stuttered.
"Good." Professor Snape hummed before he placed a hand on Raven's back— a sickening slash ran through her stiff as a board back, slicing into her as if she were meat ready to be eaten by savages— and Raven tensed up, biting her tongue to stop herself from smacking the hand away. Her Godfather noticed the action right away and removed his hand as if he burned her. He glanced at her before speaking, "We'll be taking our leave now. Come, Raven."
Her Godfather placed his hand in front of him, gesturing for Raven to go first as if he didn't trust the man behind him to not attack the girl. Raven relaxed as soon as his hands left her back as she continued to walk up the stairs and towards the door, her godfather right behind her. As soon as she placed her hand on the door, her Godfather turned back to Professor Lockhart and tossed the man his wand. Raven could hear it clattering on the floor as she left the classroom and shut the door behind her.
Raven didn't spare her godfather a glance as he moved to step beside her in the quiet filled hallways as they continued walking towards his class. She just hugged her books tighter to her chest to stop the growing nerves from spreading. Professor Snape has his hands behind his back as he walked along side her with a clenched jaw.
He hadn't spared her a glance either and Raven could tell that meant that he was upset with her. Uncle Nicholas did that as well, especially when they were in public and he couldn't anything too harshly in that moment. She had just hoped her Godfather was more leant with his punishments, even if she hadn't received one from him yet.
Raven couldn't bare the silence between them. It wasn't a comforting one that she had come to enjoy around him, but a.. tense one as if he were holding himself back from harming her. She deserved it for getting detention and disrespect someone older than her. She could feel the way her fingers began to shake, as the quiet grew more and more thick. She couldn't bare it.
She truly couldn't stand the silence between the two of them, one that reminded her too much of how it was at the manor.
And in a quiet voice, she spoke to the man. "Are you mad at me?"
He stiffened for a moment before he glanced down at her, "No. Raven.."
Raven glanced up at her Godfather, locking eyes with his dark ones. But instead of feeling the chills go up her spine at the similar darkness inside of his pupils like her Uncle Nicholas, she felt herself relax under his gaze.
Though, that didn't stop the flinch that left her body as soon as they locked eyes. Professor Snape's eyes widened before he stopped, gently crouching down so that Raven could look down at him instead of up.
"Listen, I don't even like the man." Her Godfather began, his stern yet soft voice that had only been available to her cousins and her ears only. To others, it might have sounded angry, but they knew the difference. "And I know that whatever he did or said, your anger was justified."
"But you don't even know what he said."
"Doesn't matter." Professor Snape shrugged. "You're not the type to get mad. Especially the way you were just then."
Raven flushed at the reminder of her shouts. She didn't mean to get angry, or yell but she felt this grip on her that needed her call out the man for his lies. It was downright filthy the way he had tried to act as if he hadn't lied through his teeth.
But still..
"Can you not.." Raven hesitated, glancing down at her hands as she began to fidget with them. She inhaled deeply, feeling the burning sensation against her nose as she held back the ball of fire in her throat that threatened to spill. "T— Tell Uncle Nicholas or Aunt Eleanor?"
Raven felt small, and if she were in her Godfather's position, she would think that she looked small too. She was still fidgeting with her fingers as they held a light tremble to them. And the way her voice had cracked ever so slight as she spoke.
Raven has cried before. She knew that, has experienced it. But it was only ever after she had been punished or after she'd puked her guts out. And yet, now as the embarrassment from what just occurred filled her, she was fighting back tears from her own failures. She should have held her tongue and handle the looks. She should have just let him lie through his teeth. She shouldn't have said anything.
Because now, she was going to get punished for crying in public again. The last time was after her first whipping, and only because she had slipped and fell. Her Aunt Eleanor had smacked her so hard, leaving Raven to feel the tingling sensation till long after they returned home.
She could already hear her words.
"I'll give you something to cry about."
And she did, making Raven's lungs feel as if they were burning from the inside out with the amount of running she forced her to do. It's been a long time since Raven cried since then for something other than a punishment, whether self initiated like a nightmare or throwing up, or getting whipped.
Raven flinched at the feeling of arms wrapping around her. Severus had wrapped his left around over her shoulders, pulling her close to his collarbone. While his right hand went up into her hair, holding her as if she were something delicate. And yet, Raven couldn't help but feel worse.
Her lip trembled.
And then the dam broke.
She didn't move her wrap around her godfather back. She didn't know how. So, she just stayed there in his warm embrace and let her worthless tears stain his black robes. She ignored the way she still hadn't relaxed in his hold, and ignored the way her heart tightened as if only to take her breath away.
For a few moments as she cried, she felt as if she couldn't breathe. It almost felt too much, but Raven was aching for this. Aching for whatever this was, to feel comforted by someone else's arms just as her cousins had by their family. It was so simple, yet so foreign that Raven had no idea what to feel besides overwhelmed.
Maybe even a little squished.
But thankfully, his hands hadn't grazed her scars as they just simply rested against her shoulders.
"Shhh." She could hear his voice against her ears, sounding so loud in a way that was so unfamiliar to her that she had to shut her eyes tightly. "It's okay. I won't tell them."
"You promise?"
"I promise."
✦✦✦✦✦✦
Silence.
The classroom was overrun by silence as soon as the two of them walked in. Her Godfather had waited a while till Raven was all cried out before he suggested that they return back to his class. He even walked Raven to the girls bathroom and waited while she fixed herself before they arrived back.
Raven felt the nerves creep in as the potions fourth year students eyed her down as if she were meat on a plate. Their glares struck into her and lived under her skin for everyone to see. She straightened her back, making sure her posture was stiffer than a board. She couldn't allow them to see her mistake of being anything but perfect.
"Ray—Ray!" Cedric's voice echoed inside of the quiet classroom. Raven felt a sigh leave her lips at the sound of his voice. "What are you doing here?"
"Mr. Diggory!" Professor Snape warned the boy for his outburst, but Raven could see the way her Godfather looked grateful for the distraction since Raven was freaking out mere moments ago.
"Sorry." Cedric flushed, scratching the back of his head as he flashed the professor a nervous grin for his mistake.
"Now, Ms. Rosier will be joining our class for the moment, so everyone please welcome her." Professor Snape stated. A few student raised their hands. He sighed before he pointed to a Gryffindor. "Yes, Mr. Harrington."
"Why is she here?"
Chatter filled the classroom at his words and how he said she with such venom in his tongue. Cedric glared daggers at his head from where he sat in the back, while Raven placed her hands behind her back to hide the tremble. She can handle it.
Professor Snape glared, "It doesn't concern you, Mr. Harrington. All you need to know is that Ms. Rosier is going to be joining us today—"
"I called out Professor Lockhart." Raven blurted out, feeling her Godfather's burning gaze on her face. "So, he kicked me out of his class."
"Raven!" Professor Snape exclaimed.
"Wh— What did you call him out on?" Another student asked, a Ravenclaw.
Raven opened her mouth to speak, but her Godfather placed his hand on her shoulder to silence her explanation. She glanced up at him, but he was only looking at the class.
"Okay, that's enough." He said before squeezing Raven's shoulder. "Find a seat, Ms. Rosier."
Raven already knew where she was going to sit.
She tried not seem eager as she walked over to Cedric's table. The boy had been sitting beside a fellow Hufflepuff and had pulled out the seat beside him for Raven to sit down. She felt a calming ease fill her at his sunshine smile he flashed at her.
"Ray—Ray!" Cedric exclaimed happily as she sat down beside him. She placed her books down on the desk and turned towards her best friend. Well, at least Raven considers him her best friend. "Tell me your lying."
"I wish." Raven mumbled.
Cedric's eyes widened at her response before he leaned in closer to her and began whispering under his breathe, "Bloody hell, you actually called him out?"
"Yeah." Raven winced recalling how she did that in front of the entire class of second years. God, they probably thought she was a monster for sure after all the thing she said and accused him of. Raven sighed, fighting the urge to lean back into her chair. "It's not my fault he's an attention seeker."
Cedric furrowed just eyebrows, "What do you mean?"
And Raven couldn't control the spike of anger inside of her if she tried.
"He tried to act as if my parents killed his entire family! And that's a bunch of bull because I read all of the files and learned each and every victims names. His name was not in any single one." Raven explained, her voice sounding like venom as she recalled her previous Professor's actions. She felt her jaw clench in anger as she looked straight ahead, but not seeing what was in front of her. Her hand balled up into a fist under the table as she mumbled under her breathe for Cedric to hear, "That fucking liar."
Cedric's eyes widened as he heard her curse under her breathe. He had never heard her say a curse word before especially with the way she acted most of the time. The way she stood as if she were everything, as if people were scum on her shoes. Though, many other see Raven like that, but Cedric knew the truth. He knew that Raven was just raised that way. He had never seen her relax. Ever.
It was as if she was incapable of doing so.
"Wait, so what even happened?" Cedric broke out of his shock as he whispered to Raven. The red haired girl sigh, not quite knowing how to explain how she nearly allowed for her magic to strangle him death.
"We got into an argument and I screamed at him, and said a lot of.." Raven's voice trailed off before she mumbled, "Things."
Cedric raised an eyebrow at her, urging her to go on. Raven clenched her jaw as she avoided his eyes. But she could feel the burning of his gaze on the side of her face.
"That he's a liar, a fake, a phony." Raven explained. "And a man child."
Cedric gasped. "You called him a man child?!"
"No. I thought it." Raven sighed, disappointed. Cedric felt a huge warmth of pride fill his chest at the way she was acting more and more like a kid and less like a robot. "But I called him everything else."
"And this is why we are best friends." Cedric smiled, smacking her shoulder with his hand.
"Not because of my stellar reputation?" Raven scoffed causing Cedric to chuckle under his breathe.
"Look at you being sarcastic, Ray—Ray." Cedric hummed before he glanced back at the board where Professor Snape was writing down notes. The light brown haired boy quickly got to work and began to scatter down his notes. Raven wanted to wince at the mistakes she caught, knowing that if it was her, she would have gotten smacked so hard she'd see stars.
He glanced at her for a moment before he smirked, "I love when your mean."
"I don't." Raven said.
And it was true.
She hated being mean. It felt like everything she wasn't. It felt too much like her parents had grabbed a hold of her and squeezed out any and all of her negative thoughts and put them out on display for everyone to see. She felt like them when she was mean. And she never wanted to be like them.
"I do." Cedric continued to write his notes before he turned to Raven and winked. Now, if it was anybody else, they would have blushed. But this was Raven, and so she did the next best thing. She gagged, which caused Cedric to roll his eyes before he continued. "It's like your being your true self."
Raven couldn't stop the sting of pain that filled her heart if she tried. It was as if Cedric was that she was like her parents. Was he saying that? She hoped not because.. she didn't want to be anything like them. She didn't want to be mean, or murders, or evil. She wanted to be kind, thoughtful, and even.. gentle.
But it was probably against her nature.
Raven clenched her jaw. "So, my true self is mean?"
"No!" Cedric exclaimed loudly, causing his voice to echo off of the classroom walls. Raven winced at the volume and at the way her Godfather sent daggers to Cedric. The boy flushed under his Professor's gaze before he turned back to Raven a light pink resting against his cheeks. "All I'm saying is that I love your blunt side and how you stick up for your friends. And even.. your bio parents victims."
Raven remained silent as he spoke.
"It reminds me that your nothing like them."
"You need a reminder?" She didn't blame him, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt any less. He glanced at her, locking eyes with her sapphire ones.
"Never." He said, and Raven felt compelled to believe him. It was as if he held no doubt in his mind that Raven wasn't evil. That she was kind and true and loyal just like he was.
Raven felt a gentle smack against her balled up fist. "Ow! What was that for?"
"Don't hurt yourself, dumbass." Cedric smacked her hand again causing her to unball and bring it up to her chest.
"Your an arse." Raven sent him a glare that held no heat behind the action. "You know that?"
"That's not what your mom told me last night." Cedric smirked as the joke left his lips before it quickly vanished as his eyes went wide. "Wait, no I didn't mean—"
"Damn Diggory, I didn't you were so desperate that you fucked a corpse." Raven interrupted, a growing smirk rose ever so slightly onto her face. The guy beside Cedric chocked before Raven saw him cover his mouth.
"Raven!" Cedric exclaimed.
"What?" Raven giggled, a sound so genuine and pure without the need to be perfect forced its way out of her lips. "You said it!"
"She's got a point, Ced." The Hufflepuff beside Cedric chimed in. The light brown haired boy turned to his classmate with an embarrassed expression on his face.
"Shush, Henry!" Cedric huffed before he turned back to Raven, a glare on his face. "This is what I get for being nice to you."
A comfortable silence passed between them as Cedric continued to write down the notes and Raven began to read through her Defense Against the Dark Art's book. It was peaceful in a way, but Raven couldn't get his words out of his head.
"You need a reminder?"
"Never."
Did he really think that?
Raven finds it hard to believe. She knows that people have always looked at her and just seen her parents starring right back. For years, it was hard going out in public. She could barely stand it. But now, it's even harder to believe whenever anyone is telling the truth.
Even someone as kind and honest as Cedric.
"Do you really think I'm nothing like my parents?" Raven whispered. She tightened her grip onto the book as she braced herself for cruel words to follow. For him to say that he was lying and just wanted to say that so that she didn't feel worse.
And so, she waited for him to take back the words and break her heart because that's what deserved.
But he didn't.
"Yeah." He replied without hesitation. Before he turned to face her, locking eyes with her sapphire ones. And Raven searched his eyes for any lies or doubt, but no.. he had true faith that Raven was nothing like her parents. "I do."
Raven felt a genuine smile curve up and onto her lips. Though, her posture was still as stiff as a board. "Thanks, Loser."
"How the hell am I a loser?" Cedric furrowed his eyebrows as he looked at Raven, who held back a laugh at the look on his face.
"You cheated the other night and lost." Raven hummed. She did not forget how he acted as if he fell off of his brown and allowed it to fly passed her while she stopped to check on him.
"What?! No!" Cedric exclaimed, while Raven rolled her eyes. "I won fair and square."
Raven narrows her eyes at him."Liar. Even Jessie thought so."
"So, you've been talking to Jessie?" Cedric leaned back in his seat, a smirk on his face. Raven felt her face heat up at his words, turning away from him as clenched her jaw.
"No.." She mumbled.
"Coward." He coughed.
Raven glared. "Cheat."
"If you two are done, I have lesson to teach." Professor Snape interrupted their conversation as he glared at the two of them— though he softened it ever so slightly once he glanced at Raven— for disrupting class. "Unless you want me to teach it to you in detention!"
"Sorry, Professor Snape." Cedric and Raven mumbled. Raven looked back down at her textbook and continued to read where she left off before she felt Cedric lean towards her. She turned to the boy, a deadpanned expression on her face.
"He could teach me another lesson." Cedric smirked.
And Raven smacked the absolute shit out of him.
"Ow! Ray—Ray!"
"Do you want me to move you two?!"
"No, sir." / "Sorry, sir."