Fractured AIAOY 6

Chapter 7

Despite the somber dinner before, the Great Hall was filled with the boisterous anticipation from any first day of class from years past.  The first years congregated amongst each other before splitting up and down the tables to find older students for directions.

"Ah, Herbology.  You'll go up to the seventh floor, take a left-"

"What are you doing Ron?"  Rebecca asked, taking her attention away from the honey she was adding to her oatmeal.  "Herbology isn't upstairs, it's not even in the bloody castle."

Ron narrowed his eyes at her, shaking his head slightly.  

The tiny first year in front of him frowned.  Ron hadn't been helping him, he had been leading him on.

"Is it your first day?"  Rebecca asked, moving down the table away from Ron and waving for the boy to follow her and take a seat.  "Excited?"  Ron scoffed loudly and moved farther away from them.

The boy grimaced, now feeling that he had an older student mad at him.  Looking up to try and quiet the noise and keep the tears welling in his eyes from spilling over, what sent him over the edge were the floating candles.

"Come on, mate.  Let's sit outside."  Rebecca held her bowl with her elbow and gathered up a collection of portable breakfast items on her way out.

"That was really rotten."  Hermione shook her head at Ron, disappointed.  "You're a prefect.  You're supposed to lead, not hurt."  

Ron at least had the decency to let his guilt be seen and Harry and Ginny had to keep their heads pointed towards their plates to hide their guilt as Hermione muttered under breath in a very Rebecca-like fashion.

"What's your name?"  Rebecca led the boy to one of the benches in the courtyard a corridor over.  She swung a leg over the bench and emptied all of the items she brought between them, putting an apple into his hand and waving for him to take anything else he wanted.

"Emmet."

Rebecca smiled and held her oatmeal above her head as if she were tipping her hat to him.  "Nice to meet you, Emmet.  My name's Rebecca."  She nodded her head back towards the Great Hall.  "That was Ron, he didn't mean to be an arse--he thought he was being funny."  Rebecca took a few bites and set her bowl down, having to correct herself.  "Actually, that wasn't true.  Someone told him how to get to Transfiguration wrong in our first year.  Guess he thought it was his turn."

Emmet didn't laugh, though the shadow of a smile seemed to want to show.  "That's still not nice."

"No, no it isn't.  But I have a feeling that isn't all that's wrong though."  Rebecca raised an eyebrow and took another but.

Emmet tried to figure out why she was asking, why she was being nice to him.  "It's so weird here.  Magic and wands and robes, it doesn't feel real."

"Muggle parents?"  Emmet showed no understanding.  "Your parents aren't magic, are they?"

"No, we all thought this was a joke."

They sat in quiet a moment, both trying to figure out what to say around their eating.

"It gets better."  Rebecca said at last, patting his knee.  "Really, it does.  It all seems wrong right now, but you'll find some friends and you'll find your place.  Not to mention, magic is pretty bloody wicked."  She took her wand out and looked at the orange between them.  "Vera verto."  The orange transfigured into a matchbox car before turning back into an orange.

"We'll learn how to do that?"  Emmet asked in awe.

"All in good time, Mr Greeneway."  Professor McGonagall's voice made the boy jump.