The Shadows Cast

Chapter 14

Ulla had been the one to pick Varian up. They apparitioned into the family living room, where the two remained silent for a moment. Then his mother looked at him. "You at least socked him real good with that uppercut I showed you, right?"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"That's all I want to know. I don't care who started it, but if you want to talk about why, I'm more than open." She set her back on a hook, acting nonchalant.

"He just spread this stupid rumor about me and this girl. It was ruining her reputation," Varian admitted. He wasn't surprised that his mother didn't care about the fight and was more focused that he was ok.  His father would probably be a little upset it became violent.

"A girl, huh? Which one?" His mother passed him a teasing smirk.

"Yeah, the one that broke my rib," Varian deadpanned, deciding to ignore the implication.  He was not in the mood to address the assumptions of his and Ginny's relationship anymore.  After all, he literally just duked out Draco Malfoy for spreading a false rumor about it.

"The Weasley?" She didn't even try to cover up her surprise.

"Yeah?"

Ulla crossed her arms as she raised a brow.  "It's just, I thought you didn't like the Weasleys?"

"Never claimed I didn't.  Draco didn't like them, so naturally they weren't exactly too keen on me."  He shrugged. "But I guess we're friends now."

"You should be.  No one punches their childhood friend over just anybody," Ulla said.

"I don't even know what we were," he admitted quietly.

She passed him a sad look before wrapping her arms around him in a hug.  "Falling out with friends isn't an easy thing.  Especially when you've known them for so long and everything is going to change.  Give it some time, you'll feel better."

The teen remembered his mother mentioning a friend she once had when she was younger.  How they eventually had a falling out.  Although, he couldn't remember why or what her friend's name was.  But he supposed that she understood a little bit about what was going on.  Or at least how he felt.

The day was long and seconds felt like minutes.  He spent most of his day in his room, reading about potions.  Honestly, he half expected to be grounded or something, but his mother was a firm believer was getting in trouble with school didn't extend at home.  From past experiences, his father usually agreed, but he still liked to talk about what he would like Varian to do in the future.  He supposed he would probably expect that talk after dinner when his father was back from work.

Varian rubbed his forehead as he leaned back against the headboard to his bed, book laying open in his lap.  His mother never cared that he befriended the Malfoy heir.  She was just happy he made a friend.  On the other hand, his father never really liked the Malfoys, particularly Lucius.  But he didn't vocally express his dislike for the family, not wanting to judge Draco for his father's sins.  But, to be fair, Draco was never a great role model, much like Quirin had pointed out.  And as much as Varian hated to admit it, but perhaps his father was right about being skeptical about their friendship, always expecting to go down in flames.

But the adrenaline from the fight had worn off. Had he done wrong? Sure, maybe out right attacking Draco wasn't the best choice.  Maybe they could have talked, but he had tried.  Draco seemed to be determined that what he said about him and Ginny was in his right.  But what had Varian done to deserve hatred from Draco.  Was he truly a fool for believing they had any type of friendship all these years.  Was it all a lie?  Or if they truly were, what happened to change that so suddenly?