The Family that Chooses You

Chapter 4: The First Approach

Katie kept sneaking glances down the table.

The twins had caught up to her as they had made their way to the Great Hall for dinner.  They mentioned what they learned from Ron to her and she could not get those details out of her mind.  They sounded too similar to the stories she had heard from her mother.

The more she looked at the small boy the more she was convinced she was right.

She tried to remember what her mother said however.  Looks can be deceiving after all.  She could be drawing her own, what she hoped to be, incorrect conclusions.  It had happened to her mother after all.  There were times when her mother thought something was wrong when there was not.  Not all families were the same and not all childhoods were similar.

However, Katie's mother said that you should always listened to your instincts.  Katie's instincts were screaming louder than a Caterwauling Jinx casted at Maxima.

Katie looked down at her plate and compared it to Harry's.  Even when Katie was trying to cut back a little, it was still almost three times as large as Harry's plate.  After Quidditch practice Katie was ravenous and her plate always reflected that.  She knew he had exercised just as much as she did during it.  Sure she was taller than him, but not by much.

Why did he have less than a fifth of the food than she had?

She also noticed how he served himself after others did.  He only took food when he thought people were not looking.  Always the smallest portions.  It would be one thing if he was a picky eater.  She knew plenty of people that were.

It was the way he looked at it.  How he willingly ate everything without caring what it was.  How he looked as if he wanted more, but was visibly holding back.

She wanted to cry.

She had opened her mouth to say something several times now.  Wanted to make a comment, any comment.  She wanted to feed him herself.  She wanted him to want to eat more without restraint.  She wanted to know why he was like that.

She wanted to help.

She was too shy to.  Too hesitant.  She did not want to embarrass him.  She did not know if she had any right to help him.

Angelina had noticed Katie looking.  She had seen Harry's plate.  Compared it to the plates of those in his year.  Compared it to hers and Katies.

Angelina decided she would do what she can.  Whatever she could.

"Hey, Potter!"

He looked at here again, his eyes quick and darting, already starting to shrink down.

She tried to keep the churning in her stomach from reaching her face.  "Relax Harry.  You're not in trouble.  Just saying now that you're on the team, you gotta get your weight up.  You're a bit scrawny.  Weigh any less and the wind will blow you topsy."

Harry's look of fright became thoughtfulness.  "Oh, that makes sense I guess.  How do I get my weight up?"

Another stab deep inside threatened to Angelina's look of calm.  "By eating silly.  You've barely had anything.  Go on, eat some more."

"Excuse me."

All eyes were drawn to a first-year girl with bushy brown hair.  She looked right at Angelina.

No problems with eye contact from this one, the older girl thought wryly.  "Yes?" she said instead.

The smaller girl frowned.  "I don't think you have any right to tell him how much to eat."

Low snickers could be heard.  Not many in Angelina's year or even above would dare talk to the girl like that.  Here a first-year was doing what most would be too intimidated to.