Bezoar
Zoro’s trust wasn’t something easy to get, but once you got it, you got it forever. It was funny to remember how Luffy and he met and how they had become friends. One moment the green haired boy was shouting the other one because of his crazy ways and the next moment he was following him without even questioning it.
With Sanji things had been a little different. From the very first moment he hated his manners, but he knew the blond guy was trustworthy. They fought a lot, but also shared some qualities they didn’t want to admit.
With the rest of the group things came naturally, mostly because of Luffy. If he trusted them, Zoro wasn’t going to say anything against it.
Nevertheless, there had been something different with Nami. Zoro could recall the first time the orange haired girl entered their compartment in his second year (that cat was heavy) and that determination in her eyes when she was sorted as a Slytherin. Zoro never considered ambition as something bad, he was quite ambitious, but he could say that there was more behind that sweet face than what she would allow anyone to see.
They didn’t meet much during her first year. He would see more her sister, Nojiko, in some of the classes they shared with the Ravenclaws, but from time to time he saw her in the Great Hall and in the library (he didn’t remember having so many homework in his first year to spend the amount of time that girl did there).
The first time they had a real interaction had been during that episode in Knockturn Alley. What the hell was she doing there? He was looking for Luffy when he found those muddy wizards after them. Luffy had immediately liked her, as he liked mostly everyone, and the girl started to hang out more often with them. She proved to be bossy and greedy, but also very intelligent, fun and even kind. However, in Zoro’s eyes it was obvious that she hided something.
It was in the beginning of her third year when the secret came out. One Saturday, during one of the trips to Hogsmade, Zoro was wandering around (he wasn’t lost, he just enjoyed discovering different places by chance, he would say to the others when he’d show up one hour later) when he ended up in a narrow street close to a muddy pub. He saw how a couple of dark wizards hidden underneath hoods were meeting for what he thought couldn’t be anything good. When he was about to turn around, a group of Slytherins stopped him.
“Look at this, guys, apparently this lion has some ratty traits… Didn’t they teach you that you should keep your nose out of other people’s business, Roronoa?”, said the tallest of them. Zoro recognised him as Chew, one of the most despicable members of the house. The rest of the group surrounded Zoro and had their wands out before he could take out his.
“What is happening here?”, said one of the wizards, approaching the teenagers.
“We had a little spy, boss. Zoro Roronoa”.
“Roronoa? I don’t recognise that surname… Probably a mudblood”, said the man with disgust.
“Even if I were a mudblood I would smell better than you, bastard”, replied Zoro.
“Isn’t he funny?”, said the man. “Very courageous, but very dumb. The perfect Gryffindor”, laughed the wizard. It was a cold and evil laugh.
“What should we do to him?”, asked the other wizard.
“Well, it wouldn’t be very wise to draw unwanted attention because of a schoolboy. Nevertheless… there are ways to make someone shut their mouth”.
Zoro felt a strong pain running through his whole body. He had suffered some wounds in his life, but this was the worst thing he had experienced until the date. His lungs were desperate for air and his head felt as if it were going to explode. Suddenly he heard a voice.
“STOP!”
Zoro’s eyes were blurry, but he saw, shocked, how Nami approached the men.
“Finally the princess shows up”, said the wizard. “Do you know this little boy?”
“He’s one of Nami’s new friends, boss”, said Chew. “She’s been hanging out with very bad company”.
“Is it true, Nami? I’m disappointed”
“They are not my friends, Arlong, but it’s not advisable to be doing this in the middle of the street”, said Nami coolly.
“Of course the ice queen couldn’t have friends… There’s only one thing that matter in life, isn’t it, Nami? Our own success. No matter who we have to crush to achieve it”, said Arlong.
Lying on the floor, Zoro could sense how Nami tensed. Something wasn’t right.
“Ok. Let’s finish with this soon. Our little Nami is right, there are more subtle ways of fixing these things…”Arlong took a small bottle from his cloak and gave it to Nami. “This is a strong venom. One sip and your not-friend’s brain will be completely useless for the rest of his life”.
Nami stayed still, the bottle in her hand.
“Now, Nami, you don’t want me to give it to you…”
Zoro, using all the strength he had left, managed to get up and say “no need it, I can drink it myself”. He took the bottle from Nami’s hands and emptied it in his mouth.
Nami froze for a second.
“YOU STUPID!”, she shouted and run to the closest pub. Hardly some seconds later, she returned and introduced something in Zoro’s mouth. The boy started coughing and shaking. Arlong witnessed the whole scene laughing as if it was a little play.
“You managed to move me, Nami, we will leave this here”, he said while Nami grabbed Zoro. “But don’t forget our deal… if you don’t want to regret it”. After saying this, the man apparated followed by the other wizard. When some of the pub’s clients started to appear after Nami’s scene in the bar, the Slytherins left the scene discreetly.
“He needs a Healer, quick!”, said Nami to one of the wizards.
ゾロ と ナミ
Zoro woke up three days later in the infirmary. Unfortunately the first thing he saw was Kureha, the Healer and from time to time Potions teacher.
“The dumb head is awake”, she said with a smile.
Zoro noticed a light touch and when he turned his face he saw Nami sitting on a chair very close to the bed, her hand close to Zoro’s.
“You’re stupid”, she said, a sad expression on her face.
“And you’re a witch”, he replied.
“You have no idea what you did”.
“I knew very well what I was doing. And I wanted to know what you were going to do”, he said. “What did you give me?”
“Fortunately, there’s someone who listens in Potions class, moss head”, said Kureha.
“It was a bezoar… Fortunately they had one in that pub”, said Nami.
“Wouldn’t be the first time someone gets intoxicated there”, murmured the old witch before leaving the room.
“You have to tell Luffy what happened”, said Zoro very seriously.
“Don’t you want to know why…”, asked Nami.
“I know what I need. But don’t you dare to betray Luffy, he doesn’t deserve it”, said Zoro.
Nami felt how the tears rolled down her face. She hadn’t done anything to deserve those friends, but still there was one of them, injured because of her.
“You can’t be with me. It’s dangerous”, said Nami.
Zoro’s cocky smile appeared on his face. “And apparently you don’t know us well enough. Whatever it is, I’m sure we can deal with it”.
Nami couldn’t refrain herself and hugged Zoro, who tensed up. Suddenly, the door opened and the rest of the band appeared.
“ZORO AND NAMI ARE HUGGING”, shouted Luffy cheerfully.
“WHAT THE HELL, MARIMO!! You take advantage of your situation to get close to Nami!”, cried Sanji.
“How are you, mate?”, said Usopp.
Nami smiled. Zoro was right. Her friends were the best ones.