The Mudblood

Chapter 34 : Year 3

I didn't sleep at all that night; every time I closed my eyes, I saw my mother's body twisting on the ground, her screams echoing through my brain. I also couldn't decide if I should tell my family that I knew the real reason behind my mother's insanity. If my vision was the truth, then they deserved to know—no matter how terribly horrifying it was.

Now that I knew why my mother had gone crazy, I couldn't help but wonder if there was some kind of cure. I should have gone to ask Hermione about it the next morning, but instead—for some odd reason—I felt that I needed to ask a different Gryffindor.

I walked up to the table during breakfast, receiving a very warm greeting from my friends.

"'Ello, Fitz," Fred greeted with a classic grin.

"Coming to join us for breakfast?" George asked.

"Yeah, Lainey, come sit," Ron said before taking a heaping bite of pancakes. He moved over for me to squeeze between him and Ginny as he continued to chew obnoxiously.

"I don't think she'll want to sit next to you when you're eating like that," Hermione snapped from the other side of the table, where she sat next to Harry.

"She doesn't like him anymore, Hermione," I heard Harry mutter to her.

"Lainey, have you met Harmony Flemming yet?" Ginny asked me, glancing down the table to where the blue-haired Harmony sat. "She's nothing like Melody! She's funny and caring and nice—"

"Why don't you go sit with her, then?" Ron said as he took another large bite.

"Have you guys seen Neville?" I injected before Ginny could begin to banter with her brother.

"Oh—yes, he's walking in now," Hermione said as she peered over at the entrance to the Great Hall. Sure enough, Neville Longbottom was walking into the Hall, his facial expression as awkward and timid as ever.

"I'll be back," I said absently before hurrying over to Neville. When he saw me running toward him, I almost thought I saw him flinch in the other direction, but quite bravely, he stood his ground.

"Er—h—hey, Lainey," Neville greeted, glancing around uncomfortably.

"Neville—I—um—I have something I wanted to talk to you about," I began. He looked down nervously as I cleared my throat. "I—I'm not sure why I'm asking you about this—I just have this feeling—well—never mind."

"Er—what's it about?" he questioned, seemingly curious.

"Well—I understand this might be a tough topic to discuss—I don't much want to talk about it either—but—er—do you...know much about the Cruciatus Curse?" I asked, wincing.

Neville's entire body seized up as he stared at me with wide, bulging eyes. "Erm—um—" was all he said before he quickly dashed off toward the Gryffindor table.

My brow furrowed, I followed him with my eyes and saw that the Weasleys, Hermione, and Harry were all staring at me with odd expressions as he took a seat next to Dean and Seamus.

Sighing, I went to go sit with the Slytherins. Obviously Neville had been the wrong person to go to for advice, and I didn't feel like explaining my mistake to the Gryffindors.

"Hey—Mudblood!" Pansy called to me as I walked by her and the rest of the prickheaded fourth years. "Did you have a nice faint in class yesterday? Suppose you plan to make fainting your new habit, hm? Wonder what you'll pass out over next year—"