Family Pride
~°YN's POV°~
Y/N rushed into the school from the courtyard, taking off her gloves and hat, tucking them into her coat pocket. She quickly looked to the hallways and the festive decor laying around. It was a week before break and the school was filled with garlands and lights and holiday decor, making the school feel a little more homey than it should.
She turned to see her fellow Ravenclaw, Violet, standing beside her, also admiring the halls. "This reminds me of home so much, I can't wait to get back to my family!"
Y/N hummed and started walking, listening as Violet went over all her holiday plans. It's rare for her to see someone this excited about the holidays, but it's also rare for her to be around people that weren't purebloods. She passed it off as a muggle thing, seeing as some of the muggleborn caretakers were equally as excited about the holiday season as Violet was now.
"L/N, there you are."
Y/N looked infront of her to see Walburga glaring daggers at Violet. Of course, of all purebloods to see her with a muggleborn, it just had to be a member of the Black Family. "Apologies, I didn't know you were looking for me."
"Where have you been exactly? You're practically impossible to locate in this school." Walburga looked back up at Y/N, her pleasant smile forced and her voice restraining irritation.
Y/N put on her award winning smile and kept up her polite and pleasant demeanor she was use to having around other people. "I was in the library helping a friend find a good study book." She watched as Walburga's brows furrowed, her eyes narrowing. "Right, forgot who I was talking to. A book is a set of written sheets bound-"
"I know what a book is, L/N." Her eye twitched slightly, prompting her to close her eyes and take a quick breath to calm down, "I was wondering if you'd be an active participant at the holiday gathering this year?"
Y/N blinked a few times, "of course I will, there isn't much need to hide away when people now know what I look like."
"Ah, yes, the ever mysterious child of the L/N Family finally come out of hiding. The Ministry's favorite Criminelle. Surely your parents are finally pround of their little girl."
Y/N felt her calm demeanor falter for a second before returning to normal. "Makes me all the more desirable, don't you think? There's countless Blacks who could take the spotlight, but only one me." She saw Walburga tense up and begin to glare, the hatred she holds glaringly obvious. "Simmer down, Black-" Y/N waves her wand, a small flame dancing at the wood's tip, "keep up with behavior like that and you could very well get burned."
"I beg your pardon, L/N." Walburga spoke through a clenched jaw, clearly using all the strength she has to not attack or reach for her wand.
"You, like all the other members of your family are much like this flame," she blows at her wand, blowing out the small flame that was there, "it's completely disposable." She places her wand back into her coat pocket and nudges Violet, signaling for her to walk. "It was lovely speaking with you, Walburga."
***
The walk back to the Ravenclaw Tower was dead silent, Y/N could tell Violet wanted to say something but was terrified to...which was reasonable. Y/N also didn't want to say something while she was still highly irritated.
The two stood infront of the entrance of the commonroom and looked at Violet, "Your turn to answer the riddle this time, Vi."
"Right." Violet looked up at the owl on the door.
"I have cities, but no houses. I have mountains, but no trees. I have water, but no fish. What am I?"
Violet tilts her head, taking a second to think. "Ummmm...a map?"
The door slowly opens and the two quickly step into the commonroom, slipping past the commune of Ravenclaws as they make their way to the dorms.
Violet waits for the door to close behind them before speaking, "Y/N...about earlier, with Black...don't you think you were a little harsh?"
Y/N hummed as she took off her coat, carefully hanging it up. "Not in the slightest, I don't regret what I said. Though I wish I had said it when we weren't in mixed company." She would never regret the things she says to Walburga, she deserves it every time. But she also knew it was stupid to say something in front of other people, especially someone like Violet.
"But- she's a pureblood, and a respected one at that." Violet hung up her own coat and sat on her bed, looked at Y/N. "I don't want to see you get in trouble because of what you said."
Y/N scoffed and looked at Violet, "Trust me, Vi, nothing is going to happen to me. The worst thing to happen is Malfoy or some other stupid Slytherin pureblood is going to walk up to me an ensure that you won't say anything."
Violet frowned slightly, "why wouldn't they just ask me directly?"
"They trust the word of a pureblood more than they'd trust a muggleborn. Have you never heard the name they call that Griffindor from flying class?" Y/N saw the sad expression on her friend's face and knelt down infront of her. "Hey, you know they wouldn't dare insult you when I'm around. And if I'm not around, tell me, I'll straighten them up."
Violet smiled and nodded her head, "Alright..."
"And Vi?" She held out her pinky and looked her in the eyes, "What you heard between Walburga and I stays between us, you mustn't tell a soul. Promise?"
Violet interlocked their pinkies and pulled Y/N into a quick hug, "promise."
~°Tom's POV°~
Tom was sitting in the common room, listening to the other first years chat about their holiday plans. He kept quiet on the topic, as he had nothing to say; he was the only one of his dormmates that was staying at the school for break.
The door to the common room opened and everyone could hear the irritated screams of Walburga, "that stuck up, boorish little chienne!"
Abraxas, who was talking with a few of his friends, walked over to Walburga, "Okay, let's take a second to, I don't know, calm down." He glared at the surrounding Slytherins, urging them to mind their business, but he knew they'd still listen in. He guided Walburga to a small table and had her sit down, "Now, what happened and who are you insulting?"
Walburga glared up at Abraxas, "you must have a word with L/N and her behavior, it's completely unacceptable!"
Hearing this caught the attention of Tom and his group, they were used to Walburga getting upset, but that normally involved a muggleborn or halfblood, not another pureblood.
Abraxas blinked a few times, he was surprised Walburga even talked to Y/N...those two couldn't stand eachother. "Apologies, but she's not my responsibility...L/N isn't a Slytherin."
"But she's a pureblood, and a disgraceful one at that!" Walburga stood up and glared at Abraxas, "Do you know who I saw her with? I mudblood, a filthy mudblood! And she dared to make a fool of me infront of said mudblood!"
Abraxas placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled, "I can see this it a touchy subject. Why don't we discuss this elsewhere, wouldn't want any of her claims to be true." He gently pushed her through the commonroom, glaring at those nearby.
Lestrange looked to Abraxas and waited from him and Walburga to her out of sight before standing up. "Place your bets now on what L/N said to piss her off."
"You're following them?" Tom looked at Lestrange.
"Of course I'm following them, you can't tell me you aren't curious on what was said." Lestrange raised an eyebrow and turned to start walking. He knew where Abraxas was, there was a hidden room near the dorms that the blonde snuck off to when wanting to escape his duties as prefect. "I'll let you know what happened."
***
After a few minutes, Lestrange rushed back to the group and sat down. His eyes were wide and looked to be in complete shock.
"Was it that bad?" Avery poked lestrange's arm, who responded by smacking his hand with more force than intended.
"L/N called her, and the entire Black Family undesirable and disposable." Lestranges voice was just above a whisper, but loud enough that those around him could hear.
Rosier inhaled too quickly from the shock and went into a coughing fit, Nott had his jaw practically fall to the floor, and Avery stared at Lestrange as if he had grown a second head.
Tom furrowed his eyebrows and looked at everyone's reactions. He wasn't sure if it was the words who shocked them, or the person who said it, or maybe both. He had gotten into quarrels with Y/N enough this term to know she isn't one to lash out this harshly, meaning she had to have been provoked. "What did Black say to cause that reaction?"
"That's your focus?!" Nott looked between Tom and Lestrange, "not the fact that she completely disrespected a member of the Sacred 28?"
"She doesn't act without intention, you all made that very clear." Tom leaned forward, moving closer to them, "I highly doubt she would've said anything remotely close to that without reason."
Avery sighed and shook his head, "normally, you'd be right. But L/N and Black couldn't get along even if their lives depended on it."
"Every event where those two are forced to be in the same room, we end up hearing Walburga say L/N insulted her in some way with no rhyme or reason." Nott rested his cheek on his palm as he tapped his fringers of his free hand on the table. "Not even sure why Black would talk to her, she knew it would end in disaster."
"Does Y/N ever get in trouble for it?" Tom looked to Lestrange, who seemed to be deep in thought.
"There's no point." Rosier leans back in his chair, "normally the jabs are made towards just Walburga and either between just the two of them or surrounded completely by purebloods who could very easily critique her as well."
"And this is different, how?"
"L/N insulted the entire Black Family, not just her. Plus, you heard Walburga, she said it infront of a mudblood. What's stopping that mudblood from telling the entire school that the Black Family is nothing more than a joke according to another pureblood like L/N."
"Rosier's right, she outright disrespected an entire family that is considered superior to her bloodwise." Lestrange caught the attention of the others, his voice void of actual opinion and expression compared to how it would usually sound. "But Riddle also has a point. We never know what causes Y/N to lash out against Walburga, she never defends herself because she's not supposed to draw attention to herself."
"I suppose..." Avery shrugged, "she was supposed to keep a low profile per the Ministry's request, but now we all know what she looks like and she's already established herself as a competent witch."
"But to disgrace Black would also disgrace herself..." Rosier let out an annoyed huff and tilted hus head back, "It's very contradictory, there really isn't a winning or losing side."
They all agreed and fell back into scilence, continuing what they were doing before Walburga had rudely burst through the commonroom. Tom kept his focus on Lestrange and carefully sepped into his thoughts. '𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬'𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴.'
Lestrange rubbed his temples, and unknowingly forced Tom out of his head. The brunette narrowed his eyes at him, who never tried to meet his gaze. Tom hummed quietly to himself before returning the the school assignment he was previously working on.
***
Tom walked to the back corner of the library's upper floor and examined the tables. His eyes landed on the silver bracelet resting atop an open book and walked over. Despite seeing the bracelet, the person he was looking for was nowhere in sight.
He turned his head to a figure walking towards the table, but noticed them freeze. He had recognized her briefly, she spent time with Y/N during class breaks and on the occurances she actually ate in the Great Hall.
"Sorry...I didn't know you guys were planning on sitting here. I-I can move if you'd like-"
Tom put up his hand, seemingly silencing her. "No need. I need to talk with L/N, know where she is?"
Violet nodded her head slowly, "she went to the greenhouse to get something...told me to pick a spot for us to get work done."
"And you chose...here?" Tom glared at the Ravenclaw. He wasn't surprised this was the spot she chose, it's secluded and quiet. That was the reason he even came to look here, it was a spot Y/N favored to be in, a place away from prying eyes.
Violent let out a small squeal as she averted her gaze from him. "If this is about yesterday, I already promised Y/N to keep quiet."
"Oh, so you're the person she was with." Tom moved closer to the table, forcing a smile onto his face, "I was wondering who that was. She must really trust you if she dared insult a pureblood infront of someone like you."
Violet looked down at the floor, "it seemed harsh, what Y/N had said...but I could tell she was angry with something Black had said."
"And what did she say, exactly?" He heard a robotic hiss and forced his hand away from the table just as he saw the bracelet lunge for it. He heard a yelp and stumbling behind him. When he turned around, he saw the Ravenclaw staring at the bracelet in horror, the books she was holding now on the floor. He let out a sigh and knelt down to pick up the books, as she showed no intention of moving, "I take it you're not a fan of snakes?"
Violet didn't move, she was practically frozen in fear. She thought the bracelet was cool, if not a little strange, but she didn't know it could move and attack on its own.
"It's just metal. Besides," Tom set the books beside the bracelet and looks at it intently as it continues to hiss at him, "it seems to be more of a threat to me than you." He keeps his back to Violet as he hold his hand out towards her, taking a second to mask his disgust for this. "It won't hurt you, trust me."
Violet stared at his hand in shock, slowly reaching for it. He grabbed her wrist and gently pulled her closer to him, causing her to yelp and squeeze her eyes shut. She heard the hissing from the bracelet grow quiter and eventually stop.
"Told you. It knows a good person when it sees one." Tom looks around him, he knows damn well it isn't moving its own. He feels Violet turn and looks back to the table to see the bracelet moving onto her hand.
Violet stares at the bracelet and smiles, she watches as it keeps it focus on Tom. "It doesn't seem to like you."
Tom let's go of her and takes a small step away, wiping his hands on his robe. "That's cause the person who owns it doesn't like me...or Slytherins in general."
Violent looks up and furrows her eyebrows, "Y/N? She doesn't hate you." She raises her hand and moves it closer to him, the bracelet letting out a low hiss. "She admires your intelligence and skill, though she'd never say it out loud."
Tom took a second to process his next steps before he holds his hand out towards hers, watching as the bracelet slowly moves onto his arm. Though it looked like an innocent movement, he could feel the metal tightening around his arm.
"See?" Violet had a gentle smile on her face as she looked at the bracelet, 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘯𝘢𝘪𝘷𝘦...
Tom took advantage of her lowered guard and took a step towards her, one hand taking hold of her own and pulling it closer to him, the index finger of his other hand lifting up her chin. He gives his charming smile that's fooled several and spoke with a fake warmth in his words, "you Ravenclaws aren't all that bad afterall..."
Violet looked back and forth between his eyes, too shocked to speak. "I- um..." she forces herself out of his grasp and grabs her books, "I just remembered I have to pack." She pick up her book and bows her head to him, "it was nice speaking with you." She rushes off, keeping her head down, avoiding his gaze.
Tom drops his smile the moment she passes him and raises his arm to look at the metal snake, "you can come out now...I know your bracelet can't move on its own."
The bracelet moves up his arm, resting on his shoulder as a hand comes up behind him and picks up the bracelet. "Was hoping you had actually kept your hands where they were." Y/N moved to her stuff, setting the bracelet back down on the table. "Now what do you want, Tom, cause I know flirting with a muggleborn wasn't on your agenda today."
Tom grimaced and took note of the state Y/N was in, her hair was disheveled and her clothes were messy. She looked as if she got into a fight, far from the usual image she has. "The hell happened to you?"
Y/N sighs and takes out her wand, giving it a quick wave to fix her appearance, her clothes void of wrinkles and not a single hair falling out of place. "The herbology professor needed help with a plant that put up a fight." She looked back up at Tom and gestured her hand to the empty seat beside her. "Now, I repeat, what do you want?"
Tom gripped the top of the empty chair, looking down at her. She didn't make an effort to meet his gaze, or even stand at the same level as him like she normally would. "Heard you got into a little...disagreement with Black yesterday."
"Oh yeah? What'd she say? That I'm a disgrace to the entire wizard population?" Y/N sat down and stared at the open book. She was trying to review something for History of Magic, but no longer had the energy to do so.
Tom took a seat and tilted his head, "not sure, Lestrange only told us you insulted her infront of your friend." He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, analyzing her behavior. She wasn't normally this burnt out, even when she's stressed or tired, she'd still snap back at him. "But that not why I'm here."
"Then why?" She moved her hair out of her face and locked eyes with him. She wasn't in the mood for his cryptic speaking and arrogant behavior. "Why are you here, manipulating my friend and annoying me?"
"I wasn't-" He stopped himself before an argument broke out, he could tell now wasn't the time. "I want to know what happened."
"You already know what happened." She glared at him and tightens her jaw for a second. "I warned her to keep her temper or be burned then called her disposable. What else is there to say?"
"How about what she said that upset you so much?"
Y/N stopped for a second, feeling frustration disappear for a brief moment, "What?"
"We've spent almost this entire semester bickering, but not once have you said anything relatively close to that harsh" Tom waited for a few seconds to see if she'd argue to interrupt him, when it was clear she wouldn't, he continued. "I know damn well you wouldn't dare insult someone as important as Black without reason, especially infront of your little friend."
"What does it matter what she said? Not like it'll change anything."
He sighed, "because I'm curious what she could've possibly said that cause you to act like this." He gestured to her with his head, "You nearly snapped at Slughorn in potions for simply looking at you, almost broke your broom in flying, and don't even get me started on what a mess you were in transfigurations."
Y/N blinked a few times, and felt her nails dig into her palms, she didn't think anyone was paying attention. "Since when are you so focused on my behavior?"
Tom didn't say anything, just kept looking her up and down. Truthfully, he's always been focused on her behavior, ever since they first interacted with eachother. He found her peculiar: she was attentive, graceful, and talented in every subject. Not to mention the mysteriousness behind her family that he was dying to know more about.
Y/N sighed in defeat, looking down at her book, "She called me the Ministry's favorite Undesireable. A criminal, similar to the Most Wanted list in the muggle world." She looked up at Tom, "she went a step further by saying my involvement with pureblood society would finally make my parents proud of their little girl"
Tom sat there for a second, "So she what, attacked your pride?"
Y/N scoffed and rolled her eyes, closing her textbook, letting out a low hiss that prompted her bracelet to coil around her wrist. "I answered your question, Tom. I'm not about to humor you more than that." She stood up, holding her textbook close to her chest. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd much rather prefer to be anywhere but here." She glared at him and gave a small bow of her head before walking away.
Tom watched as she walked away and clenched his hands into fists. He wasn't sure was irritating him more, Y/N's attitude or the fact that she keeps calling him by his given name. Scratch that, both factors were irritating him equally. He took a deep breath of tey and calm himself down before getting up.
***
Tom walked through the door to his dorm and let the door slam behind him as he walked towards his bed, "Alright, I need one of you to explain something."
"Wow...what's gotten you all riled up?" Rosier looked up from his textbook and set down his quill.
"Black called L/N the Ministry's favorite Undesirable. I need someone to explain why that irritated her so badly." Tom glared at the four of them and crossed his arms, learing against his bedframe.
"She what?!" Lestrange shot his eyes up from his parchment and stated at Tom in utter disbelief. "No wonder she insulted Walburga...jeez, I would've lost it too."
Tom felt his eye twitch slightly, "and why would that irritate her so much? She refused to explain more than that."
Avery scoffed slightly and gave a small shake of his head, "Her family is full of nothing but Undesirables." He kept working on his assignment, not bothering to look up. "Far as I'm aware, there's not a single person in her British family that hasn't ended up in Azkaban. Her simply existing got her on the top of the Undesireable's list."
"It's one of the reasons no one knows her." Rosier chimed in, "Not a single person know where she's been living since her parents were locked up. She decided to keep a low profile and draw as little attention to herself as possible."
"Which is now out the window as we all attend the same school, her only objective now is keep up appearances." Lestrange looked at Tom, trying to guess what he could possibly be thinking.
Tom hummed and let his mind wander. He had an answer as to why, but it wasn't nearly the response he was hoping for. However, he was now left with more questions about her, what caused everyone in her family to be locked away, why she would be allowed to attend Hogwarts if she was viewed as a threat. He knew better than to ask more questions; if he wanted to know more he'd have to figure it out himself...or go straight to the sourse - which he'd definitely prefer not to.