Magic (5sos/l.h. Hogwarts AU)

Chapter 24

~A/N~ Oof so I've finally started revising and I've got two months to suddenly learn 11 subjects' worth of content so updates might be a little iffy
Enjoy the chapter!
Leila xx

Hogwarts was now a scary place to be, no longer my sanctuary. The next few days were hellish for me, for Luke and Calum, for Ginny (whom we had kept mostly in the dark about most things), and especially for Michael. I hadn't spoken a word to him since we discovered he was the heir of Slytherin and he now resorted to hanging around with Dean, Seamus and Neville, who didn't question it and just accepted him.

Still, I was reluctant to believe it, which was perhaps why I invested so much time in the Polyjuice potion. It was essential to prove to myself that it was all a coincidence - besides, we had all witnessed Harry speak Parseltongue too, and the rest of the school thought he was the heir of Slytherin.

"I got the Boomslang Skin and the Bicorn Horn!" Hermione celebrated as she squeezed into the cubicle Ron and I were sitting in, watching the Polyjuice Potion bubble away in the cauldron. "Where's Harry?"

"He said something about going to talk to the Hufflepuffs about the Parseltongue," Ron replied, not even looking up. I cleared my throat uncomfortably and Hermione shot me a sympathetic look. Even though she barely knew a thing about what was going on with Michael, she could suspect, and Hermione was awfully good at suspecting.

"Do you think that's a good idea?" I asked. "I'm sure the Hufflepuffs won't listen to him."

"He has to try, doesn't he?!" Ron replied. "What's got you so pessimistic?"

I didn't reply, and instead watched Hermione tip the powdered Bicorn horn into the cauldron.

"Listen, I'm sorry about Ashton..." Ron began, trying to placate me, but I cut him off.

"This isn't about Ashton. Anyway, it's not you that should be sorry. It's not like you're Slytherin's heir."

"Yeah," said Ron, brightening up. "That's what we're here to prove."

He turned to Hermione as I muttered softly to myself, "It's not you I need proof against."

***
"Did you hear about that Clifford boy?"

"Michael Clifford?"

"Yeah, it looks like Potter has struck again."

"And Justin Finch-Fletchley, the poor boy..."

"The Hufflepuffs are all terrified."

"So are the Gryffindors, another one from their house, and their ghost for Merlin's sake..."

"And two second years, nonetheless..."

"Michael Clifford, is he the one that was speaking Parseltongue?"

"Yeah, his friends were avoiding him. I guess they thought he was the heir of Slytherin."

"Looks like they were wrong, unless he faked it and it's a clone that's been petrified."

"It must be Potter then, surely..."

Unlike with Ashton, there was no abrupt way of discovering Michael was petrified. And honestly, I'm not sure which was worse. Instead of all the emotions drowning me at once, they came slowly, one by one. First was suspicion. All the whispers of Michael's name, the sympathetic looks I was receiving in the corridors, then surprise when I seemed to have no knowledge of what was going on.

Then shock as I slowly figured it out, soon followed by disbelief, because no.

Just no.