Water Lily | E. Riddle

[16] Mudblood

The first day of school went exceptionally well but there was a lot in store for Eridanus. He was slowly adjusting to the environment of Hogwarts and as he wasn't accustomed to the presence of so many people around him, he tended to isolate himself mostly.

However, when asked a question or prompted by other classmates, he was quick to respond and made sure to be polite. The three Ravenclaws he had gotten acquainted with in the Herbology lesson became a frequent group for him to acknowledge in passing. 

They would sometimes approach him and stay to talk but he seldom made the first step to go to them. From his house, he was on friendly terms with his dorm mates but still stayed slightly reserved to the rest of the people. 

Only Lucius could break through the barriers Eridanus unknowingly erected around him. He was the only person in that school whom Eridanus knew from childhood and trusted without any doubt.

But being close to Lucius had its downsides that Danny slowly figured out as the days passed. Even though he was never mean to anyone, just because he was close to the top tier of the purebloods, namely Lucius and Bellatrix, people who hadn't met him automatically assumed that he was a snobby brat like the other entitled pureblood heirs.

He had unknowingly gained the title of the young Slytherin Prince and that made students from other houses either not approach him altogether or snub him each opportunity they got.

They probably thought he was just like the other rich Pureblood Slytherins having too many luxuries and a haughty attitude toward others whom they considered their inferiors. 

Eridanus couldn't understand why they behaved that way toward him but he often let it slide, thinking that it was of no importance to him to bother himself with such trifles. 

He would often write to Demelza but never mentioned anything about the students' cold behavior toward him. He made sure that he never gave his mother anything to worry about. 

He was coming back from the Owlery with his mother's letter in hand when he was stopped by a group of older boys, probably from the third or fourth year. They were bullies and seeing Danny alone, they cornered him.

"Where goes the little prince?" One of them called out but Eridanus tried to sidestep them, keeping his head down as he did not want to get caught in any trouble.

"What do you have here? A letter, look, he's got a letter! Is it from your Mummy and Daddy, writing to see how their prince is doing at school?"

Danny was about to hide the letter in his pocket but the boys tried to snatch it away. The bullies were greater in number so in the tussle, the letter got ripped.

He stilled, seeing the pieces of paper shredded in front of him. A surge of anger coursed through his veins akin to that strange fire he felt burning whenever the Dark Lord was angry. However, that once it felt more personal, like that anger was coming from within him and not from the connection he had with his biological father.

The bullies were still taunting him but he could no longer hear their words. His fists were clenched as that fire within him swelled.

But before he could give in to that anger, Lucius turned up and handled the situation. He could also feel the unsettling energy radiating off Eridanus so he quickly came in between.

"What is going on here?" Lucius demanded and the boys laughed at first but seeing his cold expression, they faltered.

Eridanus snapped out of it as a crowd had gathered and Demelza's words resonated in his head. His mother had always told him to stay calm and control his emotions. She knew he had powers beyond his control so in her own way she tried to protect him by making him cautious.

So he took in deep breaths to bring himself back to normal, knowing he couldn't afford to give into his mysterious powers at the moment. It would attract more attention toward him and that was the last thing he wanted to happen.

"Nothing for you to get involved in, Malfoy," the leader of those bullies sneered, but they backed off, knowing that Lucius could fire a hex or two at them without hesitation.

"And do you think it is wise of you to get involved in bothering my cousin?" He threatened, his elm wand pointed dangerously close to the boy's neck, "get lost before I do something you will regret."

The boy stumbled as a light blue zap of energy struck him briefly. It wasn't a severe hex but enough to show that Lucius really had no qualms in following the threat he had just given. The group of bullies scurried away shortly after and the crowd began to disperse as well. 

"Filthy Mudboods," Lucius mumbled in irritation as he led Eridanus away to the Slytherin common room.

Danny looked up at him in confusion as he had no idea what that word meant but heard his housemates use it often. He had also seen the other students show quite an aversion to the term, almost as if it was a curse in itself.

They had reached the common room so Lucius gave the password and the dungeons opened to let them in. There was no one else other than them in the common room at the moment as mostly the students were out in the castle grounds or using the library during their free periods.

"Are you alright, Danny?" Lucius asked, sensing that he no longer looked dangerously angry as he did back then facing the bullies.

"Yes, I am fine."

"If those boys bother you again, tell me and I will handle it. You have no need to get so worked up on filth like them."

Eridanus felt the hatred seeping into his voice and it confused him why Lucius disliked them so much. True, they were bullies and said mean things but it seemed the reason for Lucius' dislike ran deeper than that.

"Luc, what is a Mudblood?" He asked at last before the elder boy could leave.

Lucius paused, "you don't know?"

He shook his head in reply and the elder boy thought of how to tell it to him. He had a fair idea that Demelza and Nathan might never have used that term before so Eridanus was unaware of it.

"Danny, when we say Mudblood, we mean people who have dirty blood. People who are not pure in terms of magical ancestry," he explained, "others call them Muggle-borns."

"Is it a bad word?"

"Depends."

"Calling someone dirty-blooded... That's cruel," Danny mumbled thinking about his friend Felix who was a Muggle-born too, "they didn't choose to be born that way. You shouldn't say that."

"Why are you defending them?" He asked all of a sudden, pale blue eyes focused on Eridanus, "you don't have Mudblood friends, do you?"

Danny did not reply to that question but his silence was sufficient for an answer itself.

Lucius sighed, shaking his head in disappointment, "Danny, you might not understand this right now but it is very important to choose the right people to be acquainted with. Bella also told you that on your first day, remember? We don't make friends with the lower kind."

But at that remark, Danny's face turned cold and it made Lucius worried. He felt he had said something that made him angry again.

"I'm sorry, Luc. Your views and mine are different. I don't make friends based on how pure their blood is when I am not a Pureblood myself. I won't change my friends and please don't call them that awful word again," he remarked, leaving for his dorm shortly after.

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