Mistakes {a Cursed Child spinoff}

12-Temper

Second year

The next few days went smoothly. After piecing together that James was the one that made Rue so upset that one night Neville and Serenity had sat down with Harry and Ginny to talk about it.

I know what they were doing was meant to help the situation but it ended with James even more upset with Rue and I. Finding peace at the Longbottom cottage was comforting and well overdue.

Spending time with just Rue was amazing. There wasn't any drama, worry, or sadness. Just the two of us laughing and having the most fun we have ever had. Sadly our little holiday together was coming to an end and we would be returning to Hogwarts soon.

"There they are!" Teddy yells from his seat in the compartment.

"Jude we were worried about you two, you didn't reply to any of our letters." Victoire says as Rue and I take a seat with them.

"I'm sorry, we just didn't wanna talk to anyone after what happened. Not right away anyway." Rue explains. I nod in agreement.

Victoire leans in from the seat across from me and takes my hands in here's.
"Jude we are always here for you, you know that right? I hope you know we didn't think you were in the wrong at all. I would have been nothing but supportive." She says while squeezing my hands in a comforting manner.

Rue abruptly stands up from her seat and walks towards the door. She turns around and smiles a big bright smile.
"I forgot I was going to sit with my Slytherin friends on the way back, catch you guys later!" She says happily before walking out.

I pat Victoire's hands that I just now notice are still placed on top of my own.
"Thanks Vic, I know you guys care. We just needed a break from talking is all." I explain with a smile.

"You guys don't like talking do you?" Teddy questions.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Well I dunno, it's just something I've noticed. You guys keep a lot of serious things to yourselves. You and Rue. You don't enjoy showing your pain or faults, not even with each other. It's not healthy mate." Teddy explains.

"I'm 12 years old, I don't have to be serious and I don't enjoy being serious. I just wanna get good grades, spend time with you guys, and play quidditch. Is that too much to ask?" I say in an annoyed tone. I lean back and take out a book. I see Teddy and Victoire look to eachother questioning my attitude out of the corner of my eye, but I ignore it and end up reading the whole train ride back to school.

.....

The next week goes by quickly. I hold quidditch practice after school everyday and I found I was far to busy with that and school to talk to my friends much. I hadn't seen them often these past days.

I hoped to continue to tutor Rue even though she didn't need it but she had persuaded me that I should focus on being a good stand in captain.

"Finally it's Friday." I exhale while sitting next to Jasper at the Gryffindor table.

"Finally!? Aren't you atleast slightly nervous for your game tomorrow?" Mary exclaimed across from me.

"I'm more excited to get it over with to be completely honest. Being captain is a lot of work and we are playing Slytherin so we had to practice harder than usual." I explain.

Mary and Jasper laugh and nod in agreement with me. Mary begins complaining about how Victoire won't shut up about me lately. Saying she was "proud" and "impressed."

"Blegh don't even say it in her voice, it feels like she is here." Jasper complains.

"What's wrong with you guys? Haven't you been hanging out?" I question.

Jasper and Mary look at eachother with worried expressions but before they can say anything I feel Teddy slide into the seat next to me.

"Hey Mate, gonna cheer me on tomorr- oh Teds.... what's with the new hair?"

I look at my friend shocked, instead of his happy bright blue hair he had been proudly sporting after Christmas. He now had dark black hair, and besides that he wasn't his normal cheerful self.

"Teds?"

Just then Victoire slides into the spot next to Mary and smiles brightly at me.

"Jude! Finally! I've been meaning to talk to you, I'm so excited for your game tomorrow, we are all so proud aren't we?" She says happily.

I see Mary roll her eyes and I laugh slightly at how good her impression had been earlier. She really did sound crazy.

"Teddy? Aren't you proud of Jude?" Victoire questions, looking at Teddy whom is now shoving his nose in a book I've never once seen him read until this moment.

"Very. Now if you'll excuse me I have to study." Teddy says nonchalantly as he rises from his seat and leaves the great hall.

We all watch him leave extremely confused, other than Victoire who continues to beam at me.

"Well that was weird, have any of you seen Rue?" I question.

Victorie rolls her eyes.
"Yeah she is in the library with that prat Calum."

"Thanks Vic! See you tomorrow guys!" I say before getting up and leaving.

....

As I walk into the library I see Calum and Rue sitting together with their other Slytherin friends. They look peaceful and happy. Calum laughs at something Rue says as she points into a book. I'd never seen Calum look so soft, so kind, so happy.

A small smiles creeps on my face. Had Calum really been this kind deep down all along? Leave it to Rue to bring it out of him.

As I take a few more steps further my heart sinks.

Rue falls to the floor, she lays on the floor stiff as a board but her eyes move and blink rapidly.

"SHIT!" I yell as I run towards her.

"What the fuck!" A Slytherin girl yells as she points down at Rue.
"What a freak!"

I slide on my knees to Rue's side and hold her hand in mine. I look up to see all the Slytherin students cringe and glare at her, yet just a moment ago they were laughing and smiling at her.

"What's wrong with her?" Calum asks.

"She has-" I start

"Doesn't matter, she is a freak. Keep away from her Nott." The Slytherin girl from before says while tugging at his robes.

For a second I believed Calum to actually be concerned but instead he just laughs.
"Yeah what a real nut case." He says.

Without hesitation I stand and punch him square in the face.