His North Star. *Complete*

62. That Fluffy Looking Pink Pincushion

The start of term feast was...awkward. All eyes seemed to be on Harry. I know he had asked me if I had read the paper. I wonder what it said. "Hey, did any of you read the paper this summer?" I whispered. "Of course, it was brilliant!" Draco laughed. "What was?" He looked at me, his eyes wide. "Didn't you see it?" I scoffed. "Obviously not," I rolled my eyes. "Well, the ministry has confirmed what I always knew. Harry Potthead is mental." I gasped. "What?" Draco sighed happily. "The papers have been saying that everything he said last year about You Know Who was rubbish and he is a liar. They even made it out that Dumbledore was a crackpot, and they shouldn't be trusted." Theo explained. "That's outrageous!" I almost shouted. "You don't actually believe that, do you?" There was silence all around the table. No one said anything. "Seriously, guys?" I gasped. Were my friends really that stupid? "Well, it's just that it is so far-fetched. I mean, I know some of it is true, but...?" Pansy said timidly.

I slammed my fist on the table making several people jump and way more turn to me. "Harry isn't a liar! I believe him. I can't believe you would think that! After everything he has been through these last few years, I can't believe people have the balls to doubt him." I shouted. "Babe, calm down." Draco laughed nervously. "And you of all people..." I stopped myself. I couldn't make a scene. Didn't that fluffy-looking pink pincushion just basically say the ministry was watching the school? I had to leave. I stood up.

"Where are you going?" Daphne asked horrified. It wasn't too often I went off on them. "Sorry, I lost my appetite all of a sudden." Draco grabbed my arm. "Isla..." I looked down at where his hand was clasped on my arm. "Draco let go of me." He half stood up. "Why are you being like this?" Was he fucking kidding? "Maybe because I am not afraid of the truth. I am not a coward. I am not ignoring what is happening around us. I am not throwing a veil over last year and pretending that it didn't happen. Nor am I pretending that we are not headed for a war. I know the truth, and so do you. You of all people know. Actually several of you know better than anyone. But you are so hung up on hating him to admit it. It's childish behaviour like this that tells me that whatever we are heading for, we are doomed." I pulled my arm out of his grasp and left the hall.

I took off walking along the corridor. I had no clue where I was going, but I wanted to put as much space between me and those...my friends as I could. "Isla... wait up!" I turned to see Harry running at me. He didn't say anything but pulled me in for a bear hug. "Thank you for defending me." He spun me around. "Harry I..." I wasn't sure what I was going to say. "No seriously. I have been feeling pretty low this last while and you doing that made me realise that no matter how they judge me...the truth will come out eventually and I am fighting for the right cause and no matter what the ending I know I am doing what is right." I hugged him again. "I just wish I could make my friends see that. I can't believe them!" I scoffed. "It's ok. You, Ron and Hermione, and my friends believe me, and that's all that really matters to me. I better get back before Ron eats my dessert. I will see you around, ok?" I smiled at him and kissed his cheek. "Definitely."

I headed back to the common room as I had nowhere else really to go. I went up to my room. All my things had been set on my bed. I let Astra out of her carrier, and she darted out of the room straight away, probably off to find some mice for her supper. I changed into my pyjamas and climbed into bed. I pulled the curtains around my bed, hoping the girls wouldn't disturb me when they came in. I lay down thinking about what they said. How could they not believe Harry? What did they think happened to Cedric?

I lay there for the longest time, just staring at the roof of my four-poster bed. I bewitched it to show the night sky to try and soothe me. I watched a shooting star dance from one corner of the roof to the other. I didn't even hear the door open until I heard Layla. "Isla? Are you awake?" I didn't answer. "I wanted to say I am sorry. I do believe Harry I do. Of course, I do. That's the whole reason we are hiding. I am just too much of a coward to defend him and go against the group." I sighed. "You are a lot braver than I am Isla. You stand up for what's right. I am so sorry." I wanted to say something, but I couldn't. I was still too angry, and I was afraid of what I would say if I lost my temper. She gave a sigh, and I heard her change before climbing into her own bed.