Hogwarts is my Home

Chapter 28: Christmas at the Marston's (CS CH12)

TW: Domestic abuse

Word quickly spread that Harry could speak to snakes, and rumours about him being the Heir of Slytherin grew from there. The double attack on Justin Finch-Fletchley and Nearly-Headless Nick didn't help, either. People refused to look at him. 

The sheet for signing up to stay at Hogwarts was passed around at breakfast Monday morning. I didn't put my name down.

"Hey, Toni, you forgot to put your name down. Do you want me to do it for you?" Harry asked after writing his own name.

"No, that's okay. I have to go to my house."

"Why?" Ron asked.

"Spencer asked me to." I spoke the next sentence in a hushed voice. "I guess our parents were fighting a lot over the summer- I don't want her to go through that alone."

Ron looked shocked. "She never told me. She only talks about good things."

"I think that's why. She doesn't like to dwell on sadness. She's afraid it'll consume her if she does."

"Oh, man. We're gonna be extra nice to her from now on," Hermione said.

Fred, who now had the list, said, "Tone, you're not staying?"

"No, sorry. Do you think you'll be okay without me?"

"It's not me I'm worried about, it's you. Will you be fine?"

I just shrugged. I had no idea if Amara was going to be nice to me, mean to me, or pretend like I'm not even there. I didn't know which option I wanted most.

"I asked Rian to stay over the break so she could get us into the Slytherin Common Room," Harry said in a whisper. 

"I did, too. She told me no," Hermione said.

"Well now what are we gonna do?"

"You think she'd want to stay here with her housemates that pick on her when she has the option to go home to people she loves?" I asked.

"She was down with it at first," Hermione said, acknowledging Rian's feelings. "But then more people started calling her the Heir of Slytherin."

"I don't blame her for wanting to get away from it all. I do," Harry said. He turned to me.

"You don't want to go to my house. Besides, what about your plan?"

"I know."

"I'll see you guys after the break. Don't try and miss me too much," I said to all my friends who were gathered in the Common Room.

"Try not to let Amara get to you," George said. "I know it's hard, so you can tell me all about it when you get back."

"Thanks," I said.

I turned to the trio. "All your presents are already under the tree. Whatever it is you're planning that requires you to go into the Slytherin Common Room, be careful."

"We will."

Spencer and I got off the Hogwarts Express at King's Cross and tried to find a familiar face. We walked through the barrier, because Dad couldn't go through it and Mum wouldn't want to.

There stood Dad, hands in his pockets. The car ride home he asked us both about what we did and all our new classes and friends.

"Toni has a boyfriend," Spencer teased.

"No, I don't, he's just my best friend."

"What's his name, dear?"

"Harry Potter."