Hogwarts is my Home

Chapter 25: The Dumbest Teacher in the Whole School (CS CH10)

Rian's POV

I was walking down the corridor after classes were done for the day, when I came across Harry, Hermione, Toni, and Ron standing outside the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

"There has to be another way. I don't think I could compliment that man if my life depended on it."

"Well, I hate to break it to you, Toni, but your life might actually be on the line," Harry said gently.

The four of them stared through the window and watched him writing something at the desk in the back of the room. They ducked when Lockhart looked up.

"Nope. I can't do it. Sorry, guys."

"Hermione, maybe you can try," Ron suggested.

"Maybe I can help," I offered, stepping in front of where they were sitting on the floor. "Like everyone else, Lockhart has become fascinated with me because I'm a muggle-born in Slytherin house." I tried my best to imitate Lockhart's voice. "That's never happened before."

"You'd do that?" Harry asked.

"For Toni, sure." 

She smiled at me briefly. "Okay, here's what we need..."

I approached Lockhart's desk, a piece of paper clutched in my hand. Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Toni were listening at the door.

I tried to put on my most flattering voice. "Professor Lockhart?" 

He looked up at me and set his peacock feather quill down. "Ah, Miss Carter, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I just wanted to- to get this book out of the library- for background reading. The thing is, though, it's in the Restricted Section, so I need a teacher to sign for it. I'm sure it would help me understand what you said in Gadding With Ghouls about slow acting venoms." I held out the note Hermione had given me.

"Ah, Gadding With Ghouls!" Lockhart said as he took the paper and smiled widely at me, making my insides churn. "Possibly my favourite book. You enjoyed it?"

I tried my best to actually remember what happened in that book. "Oh, yes! So clever, the way you.. trapped that last one- with a tea-strainer?" I smiled, hoping I was right.

It seemed I was, as Lockhart said, "Well, I'm sure no one will mind me giving the underdog student a little extra help." He signed it and all but threw it at me without even seeing what book I wanted.

"Thank you, Professor." I walked away, wanting to be out of this room as fast as I could.

"You know you're welcome any time, Miss Carter. I would love to pick your brain more about Why you're in Slytherin." I gave him a thumbs-up.

My four friends almost fell forward as I opened the door to leave. They followed me as I walked. 

"Where's the note?" Toni asked me. 

"Here." I gave it to her. "Anything else you need from me?" I asked with a sigh.

"I think we're good," Harry answered.

"Thank you so much for doing that, Rian." 

I started to leave again when Ron said, "Oh, wait- I thought of something. Could you maybe ask the other Slytherins about the Chamber of Secrets and Slytherin's heir?"

I smiled sweetly at him before declining. "They already pretend that I don't exist, if I go poking around for information that'll only make things worse. Maybe if I was a seventh year I wouldn't care, but not when I'm stuck with them for another four years. Bye, guys."

"Bye, Rian," they all said back.

I went and hid in an empty classroom until it was time for dinner. I cried the entire time. Ever since the chamber was opened, and there was talk about the heir, the same name kept being brought up: mine. Rumours started going around that I was somehow lying about being a muggle-born so I could go to Hogwarts and open the chamber again, like my "family" wanted. Talk that I was somehow a descendent of Salazar Slytherin himself and just didn't know it yet. 

I knew who I was. I knew my entire extended family from both sides- all muggles. Every single one. I knew the reason I was in Slytherin was because I was a dumb eleven-year-old who got a Hogwarts letter and decided I was going to be the best. I had to be the best, or it was not worth learning magic. That sense of arrogance, conceitedness- it consumed me. That's all the Sorting Hat could gather from me, so I was placed in Slytherin, not aware of its reputation. Two years into school, I now just want to help younger students find their way. I believe if I were to place the hat back on my head today, it would give me Hufflepuff. After this week, I wish more than anything I'd have been put in Hufflepuff to begin with.