A Glimpse Beyond - Echoes of a different star

Chapter 10 - Banter of the Brave and the Cunning

The Great Hall was filled with a charged silence, a tension so thick it was almost palpable. The students had spent the entire night reflecting, trying to brace themselves for what they might witness next, preparing their minds for more shocking revelations. Yet this sixth glimpse had been something none of them were truly prepared for. As the scene of Esmeralda standing up to her own housemates in the Slytherin common room played out, the hall buzzed with murmurs, everyone lost in their own thoughts and emotions.

For many students, particularly those from Gryffindor, the thought of Esmeralda Black had always been tinged with suspicion. How could a Slytherin, let alone a Black, be genuine in her friendship with Harry? They assumed she must have ulterior motives, manipulating Harry or pretending to be different. But the glimpse had shattered that belief. They had seen Esmeralda stand alone in her common room, with no audience, no need to put on a show, yet she had firmly defended her beliefs. She wasn’t pretending. She wasn’t manipulating anyone. And for many of them, that realization brought with it a pang of guilt. They had judged her, doubted her, and now they were faced with the uncomfortable truth that they had been wrong.

But not everyone was convinced. Whispers of doubt still lingered. Some students clung to their suspicions, unwilling to believe that a Slytherin, let alone a Black, could truly stand for what was right. But even they were shaken, unsure of their own convictions. Esmeralda’s defiance had planted a seed of doubt in the most hardened minds.

At the Slytherin table, however, there was no mistaking Draco Malfoy’s fury. His face was twisted in anger, his hands clenched into fists. How dare she humiliate him like that? Slytherins were supposed to stand together, united. Esmeralda had betrayed that bond, undermined his authority, and in front of the entire school. “She’s nothing but a traitor,” he hissed, his voice low but venomous. “How dare she put me down like that in front of everyone?”

Pansy Parkinson nodded in agreement, her eyes filled with scorn. “She’ll pay for this. Just because she’s a Black doesn’t mean she can turn on us.”

But not all the Slytherins shared their view. Blaise Zabini, calm and composed as always, leaned in toward Draco. “You need to control your temper, Malfoy. After what everyone’s just seen, people won’t take kindly to your usual tirades.” His tone was measured, almost warning. “Esmeralda may have put you down, but if you lash out now, you’ll only make it worse.”

Draco glared at Blaise, his anger burning hot, but there was a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. He could feel it too—the way his housemates were looking at him. After Esmeralda’s defiance, some of them weren’t so sure about Draco anymore. They were questioning, weighing their loyalties, and that scared him. Even though Esmeralda didn’t exist in their world, the way she had confronted him on screen made him feel as though he was losing control.

Over at the Gryffindor table, Harry was lost in his own thoughts. The glimpse had stirred something in him, but there was one moment that stood out—the way Sirius had reacted when Malfoy mentioned Esmeralda’s father. Harry turned to Sirius, his brow furrowed in concern. “Sirius, why did you tense up when Malfoy brought up Esmeralda’s father? Do you know something about him?”

Sirius, who had been brooding silently, looked up at Harry with a heavy sigh. “There were only two possibilities, Harry. Either me or Regulus. And when Malfoy said her father would be ashamed, it’s clear he was talking about Regulus, my brother.”

Hermione’s eyes widened in shock. “Your brother? What do you mean? Why would he be ashamed of Esmeralda?”

Sirius shook his head, his expression dark. “Regulus was a believer in blood purity. A Death Eater. He bought into all that pureblood supremacy nonsense. He would have been disgusted by the way Esmeralda stood up for Muggle-borns, by her defiance.”