The Spark {Book 5 in the Star of Gryffindor Series}

Chapter 4 - Two Over One

The Daily Prophet
Issue No. 101,824
28 August, 2021

Hogwarts Headmasters Prepare for New Year

In light of the events of last year, culminating in the mysterious and unexplained death of Hogwarts Headnaster, Brutus Pouri, the Ministry has seen fit to appoint the newest Hogwarts Headmaster itself. However, they have decided to go a new route, and have done something that has never been done before....

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One good thing about most of the public thinking you're a menace is that you get a lot of room to yourself on a crowded train. It was not difficult at all to find a compartment. I think the combined aversion to Wren and me probably helped. I can't say I liked it. Sure, I'd never been super popular, but most people had liked me, or at least simply been indifferent. I didn't appreciate the wary way people were keeping their distance now. I could see absolutely no upside while I was sitting in that compartment with my friends, watching people either hurry past the door or glance in with a look of apprehension on their faces.

Finally, Albus just pulled the blinds down. "Stop glaring at the window, Astra, please. It doesn't help."

"Maybe I want to glare at the window," I said sullenly, though I was unaware that I'd been glaring at the window at all until Albus said something.

"Go ahead, then, but they can't see you anymore."

Colette sighed. "Has she been like this all summer?"

"I've missed you, too," I said sarcastically. When Colette raised a skeptical eyebrow at me, I softened my tone. "Thanks for sending all the news. I would've gone crazy without that, at least."

"I'm surprised I didn't go crazy with it. It's ridiculous, honestly. I mean, six Ministry officials' houses burn down and they say it's a freak occurrence, terrorism from the Predatels that definitely won't happen again." Colette crossed her arms. "I don't get who's stupid enough to believe any of it."

"Everyone is," Wren said quietly. "Everyone would rather believe that they're safe than otherwise."

"The longer people think like that, the less safe they'll be," James pointed out.

"My dad is an idiot," Colette said firmly, sitting back in her seat and turning her gaze to the window. "He told me I wasn't supposed to talk to any of you, you know."

"Oh." I shouldn't have been surprised, but I had met her dad once or twice, and had hoped Colette would be able to soften his opinion of me.

"I'm glad you're not listening to him," Albus was saying.

"Why should I? He's as deluded as the rest of them."

"I don't think we should go around calling people deluded," Wren said, shifting uncomfortably. "I mean, that'll make everyone less likely to listen to us, won't it?"

"Let them think whatever they want," Colette replied coldly. "See if I care."

An uncomfortable silence ensued. What Colette had said resonated with part of me. There was a part of me that was angry at the world, the world that had shoved me aside and labeled me a liar and a freak. If they were destroyed because of it, that would just show them. The other part of me was horrified at my own spite. I wanted this world safe, because it was my world, even if it wanted no part of me. I didn't want anyone to get hurt because they believed the Ministry's lies. That wasn't their fault.