WHIRLPOOL. ❪ Lily Evans ❫ ✓

seven

"Did you hear? Evanescence murdered her father. Probably ate his head or something."

"Now, Crouch, isn't that going a bit far?" snickered Rosier.

"That so? Well, I'm just relaying on I heard!" shouted Crouch Jr.

Effie was not bothered by many things. She had heard gossip and rumors of her - some of which were true - but they had never bothered her once she came into her second year at Hogwarts.

She was terrified when she attended Hogwarts her first year. She did not know anyone and refused to speak, hating her voice because of what she was. Rumors and gossip spread around that year as well, and it was so bad that it made her anxious to the point of puking in the stalls every morning before her first class.

Now, she did not puke anymore nor care about what people had to say about her. Her hatred for her voice had lessened. She liked it to an extent, but ever since meeting Lily, she enjoyed talking more. She usually only ever used her voice for spells or to sing.

But the topic of her father - who she hated to admit was the man who helped create her - always made bile rise up her throat. Her palms would get sweaty and her heart rate would rise. It triggered her fight or flight response, and she usually chose to flee.

Crouch Jr. and Rosier were horrible people. That much the students would agree to. It was no wonder the other Houses hated Slytherin passionately with every ounce of their being.

The two were being quite loud in the Great Hall in the morning. Effie was not sure what brought this on. It had already been the middle of the school year and she had done nothing to provoke the two boys.

"Say, did you eat your father's head, Evanescence?" questioned Crouch.

Effie glanced up from her music score to stare at Crouch, who was standing in front of her, leaning over menacingly. She refused to answer him, knowing that whatever she did would only result in something bad happening.

Annoyed that she refused to answer, Crouch reached out and grabbed a chunk of her hair, pulling her violently toward him.

Neither he, Rosier, or Effie seemed to notice or care about the large screech of tables and chairs coming from the other side of the hall.

"I'm talking to you, whore," he spat out.

Effie clenched her fists and stared at him straight in the eyes, refusing to acknowledge his words. He reminded her of her father and she despised that. She didn't run away from home to be end back at the same place again.

"Leave her alone, Crouch," demanded Lily as she walked up to the table with the Marauders and her friends.

"Why don't you go play with your Mummy?" asked Ivory. "We all know you have motherly issues. A bit off putting, I have to say."

Crouch Jr's eye twitched and he opened his mouth to retort, letting go of Effie's hair as he turned into Ivory.

"Motherly issues?" questioned Sirius as he put an arm around Ivory's shoulders. "He's got fatherly issues too. No wonder he turned out the way he is. He's just begging for attention."

"Is that why that Ravenclaw girl said 'no' when he asked her out?" James questioned.

"Actually, I believe her words were 'Are you bloody insane? Who'd go out with you?' Quite embarrassing, really," said Remus.

Dawn giggled.

Crouch Jr. snarled at them before stomping away with Rosier following after him. They all stared at the two Slytherins before turning to check on Effie.

"Are you okay?" asked Lily.

Effie nodded silently, fixing her hair gingerly.

"Don't listen to them, all right?" reassured Lily. "They don't know what they're talking about."

"And what if they do?" Effie retorted quietly.

"I'm sorry?"

"What if they do know what they're talking about?" Effie explained.

"You mean...about your father? Are you saying what they said was true?"

"And if it is, what will you do?" Effie questioned.

Lily stayed silent. What would she do? She didn't know. She didn't know the whole story. She was sure Effie was in the right — that she was innocent, but the words wouldn't come out because all she could focus on was the word murder.

Effie shook her head, then stood up from the table and left, leaving Lily alone, frozen with her friends staring in wonder and worry.