I'm not a coward, just shy (Hogwarts fanfic)

ch 4- the calm before the storm

After the feast I got up from my seat and followed the first years lead by Hermione and Ron up to the common room. The password to the common was "Cuttlefish" and with that the portrait swung open. I walked up to my dorm and flopping on my four poster. Stormy hopped onto the bed and pushed her head into my hand the way cats do. I smiled at the intelligent grey eyes.

"Hey, Taylor, you alright" Dean asked. I round over and looked at him.

"Yeah, just been a long day" I said and meant it. I felt completely drained.

"Oh, ok" he mumble, i could feel him watching me. Wincing visibly as i revealed the long scars down my chest as I pulled my robes over my head and replaced it with my pyjama shirt. I felt my face flush.

"So you're a seer" he said, I didn't look at him, I just nodded.

"Oh, that's cool" he said and the tension of silence began to grow. I watched as Seamus walked in, and I nodded a greeting. He seemed off put by me which was understandable. I would know what he was thinking, what he was feeling, what he would say all before it him knew it himself. That is if I looked for it. I don't think most would know that I can mostly just see what I look for. Yes, I get visions, but most of it is meaningless futures of people about me which blur together. Stupid everyday things like what someone will have for breakfast the next day and how long it will take for them to get to sleep tonight. All it served to do was to give me one hell of a head ache.

I curled up into my pillows, letting myself sink into the soft feathers. Stormy wandered up and curled herself around my shoulders as I picked up my guitar. I strummed a few random cords, trying to remember who actually taught me how to play. I sort of realised I couldn't remember who taught me. It might have been a book a found in the orphanage where I used to live. As I was lose in my own thoughts, Harry and Ron entered, both of them talking quietly to themselves. I stopped playing to scratched stormy behind her ear, getting a grumbling purr in return. My head was starting to thump and I m gut telling me that I was going to have nightmares.

"Taylor, you already? You're looking pale" Neville asked and without thinking I responded.

"Yeah, I am just going to have nightmares tonight" I said, then flushed as I realised that I had opened my big mouth.

"You know when your going to have nightmares?" Dean asked stepping carefully around his words but curious nonetheless. I, in turned, answered just as carefully.

"Sometimes, unless I look for it" I answered.

"Oh Yeah" Said Seamus and he sounded disbelieving "What I am going to dream then?". Getting a little annoyed I closed my eyes and shook my head.

"I don't know, I'm like a radio and a future is like tuning into a channel. Know add Seven billion futures, plus the futures of objects and basically everything which are tangled together and over lap each other and it's a bit hard to pick something the truth from the Static, sometimes things like that just pop into my head or I have to search who it which gives me a head ache." I explained letting my annoyance drift into my words and thoroughly shutting him up. Feeling drained and annoyed and knowing that I would not get a good nights sleep, I decided to pulled my blankets out me. Stormy curled up on my bed, like to guard me from the horrors I would see tonight.

I nursed a warm mug of bitter coffee in my hands, nibbling at on small butter toast as I watched as the hall began to fill with students. I did have nightmares and due to that that I really needed the caffee. I could feel eyes on me and I tried to ignore the odd whisper. Professor McGonagall handed out the time times and I looked over it.

"Hey, look, you got defence against the dark arts first." Fred said peeking at my time table. I nodded, feeling in my gut that it wasn't going to end well.

"What do you have?" I asked.

"Charms with Flitwick" George replied watching the Slytherin table very careful. I raised an eyebrow, realising Fred was going the same. I followed their eyes and realised they were watching Malfoy.

"What are yo-" I was about to ask but I was shushed but Fred and George's finger.

"Shhhh, just sit and watch the fireworks" they said in unison and I just sat there with a confused look on my face. Suddenly Malfoy turned very pale looking down at something one his plate. He then shrieked and toppled over backwards off the bench.

"What did you do?" I asked.

"We maybe have slipped some extra protein into his breakfast. Just to add some extra crunch" Fred smiled evilly.

"I hope he does mind animals with more than six legs" George smiled at me and I couldn't but chuckle a shake my head.

"What am I going to do with you two".

Everything felt off as soon as we entered the DADA classroom. Professor Umbridge was standing at the head of the class, waiting for everything to find a seat. I sat between Hermione and Harry on one of the long benches. I went to remove my wand, to my surprise Umbridge order us to put them away.

"But Professor, how will we learn the spells without practice?" Hermione asked letting her distrust leak into her words.

"Oh dear, everything you will need is inside this ministry approved textbook" She said, before waving her wand at the board. "Ok, quills out and turn to page number 3 and read chapter one." She said. Confused the room began to be filled with the scratch of quill on paper.

"Excuse me, Professor" Hermione rested her hand. I shot her a glance. "Is this all we are going to do?". Professor Umbridge turned her sickly sweet eyes on Hermione.

"And you are?" She asked.

"Hermione Granger" Hermione responded.

"Well Hermione, I am using a plan made specially by the ministry and it's not like you will need to sure these spells anytime soon. The wizarding world is perfectly at peace" I could almost feel the anger ration off of Harry.

"No it isn't-" Harry mumble and I pull a hand on his arm to stop him.

"What was that Mr Potter" Umbridge snapped towards him.

"I said, No it isn't. Voldemort is back and he killed Cedric!" Harry shouted, My throat tighten and gasps sound and even some squeaks of terror, as if using his name wound make him materialize out of nowhere.

"Mr Potter, Cedric's death was an accident" Harry was about to bark at her and I stood taking her attention.

"Let's say we are at peace for now. With all drew respects professor, How do you know it is going to remain that way?" I said calmly but icy cold. Her sickly smile grew as murmurs ran round the room.

"Mr Fleet, I presume?" She asked although she knew. I nodded. "Can I presume you do know?" all the sweet gone from her voice.

"Yes, but the real question is whether or not it will sink into that pink frosted head or yours?" I said the words with a smile that didn't reach my eyes. I full unnerving power of my golden iris shake her very being in only the way a predator staring its prey before it's lured into a trap could. She fumed visibility shaken and red faced.

"Detention for the rest of the week, meet me in my office at seven, Mr Fleet" She snarled at me. "I also want you to go see Professor McGonagall about your disrespect". I nodded, knowing that if i showed that it have affected me, she would have won.

"Very well" I said politely before taking my things and going to have Tea with Professor McGonagall, only to be joined 20 minutes late by Harry potter.