The Older Potter // HP Older Sister

37

C H A P T E R 37

The school was in a buzz the next day about the whole Parseltongue situation with Harry. It was as if people didn't stare at him enough during his First Year so they had to find a reason to whisper about him this year.

When he would pass, kids would murmur and scurry away, like he couldn't hear or see what he was doing. Most of the older students who had OWLs and NEWTs to worry about ignored him as usual and continued on their merry way. They got their glimpse of him during Harry's First Year and that was enough for them. Samantha wondered why all of the students weren't like that.

The Gryffindors stuck by his side like usual while Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw started to drift away from him. Usually the other two houses would stick by him as they faced against Slytherin but now, a lot of them hardly even spoke him, especially Hufflepuff.

Harry couldn't blame Hufflepuff for the sudden change of heart. What happened to Justin was up for interpretation and he understood them sticking by their housemate.

However, Samantha sort of felt a bit relieved that no one besides her friends knew that she was also a Parselmouth.

Samantha felt awful for him. Seeing her little brother being in the spotlight sparked an anger inside of her. She just wanted to go up to everyone in the school and tell them the truth or to not spend their lives revolved around sickleless gossip.

But she had to control her short temper and channel her energy into trying to find a solution to this problem. Needing some time alone, as well as needing to finish up some homework, she went to a place where she could be left in peace, especially from Fred and George.

The library. A place Fred and George barely went to.

She was sitting in the library that night trying to find a solution to what was happening.

She had another bit of information but it still didn't lead her anywhere. Was Harry and her being a Parseltongue another clue to this puzzle? Her gut instinct thought yes but what if it was no? Then Samantha was just wasting her time down a path that would end up in a dead end.

Samantha couldn't really concentrate due to Christmas break coming up and the future encounter with Aberforth as well as the trip to Egypt.

She knew he was upset that she left, but it really didn't mean anything. She was just as upset about why he was so protective over her. Samantha missed him and missed his letters that either had a new piece of interesting information or to tell her to stay out of trouble.

At the same time, she had to stand her ground and to not fall into the way he was treating her. She didn't want to be coddled up anymore and wanted to explore new opportunities.

Being stuck inside the cottage all of the time didn't allow her that. Of course she knew where to draw the boundaries and to not do something that could end up with her in serious trouble.

She was so deep inside her thoughts that she didn't even notice someone sit down next to her until they cleared their throat.

Looking up, a smile came to her face once she saw that it was Cedric.

"Are you following me?" she asked with a cheeky grin.

"Depends," he answered. "Do you want to be followed?"