True Reflections: Scars Saga 3

Interlude: A New Normal

Hi yawl! Yup...I'm baaaaaack! I hope you enjoy this little interlude. It came to me about half-way through one of the new chapters, and I wanted to share it. It takes us back to Kate in her school days, and I feel it kind of sets the mood for the remainder of the story. I'm thinking about posting the next full chapter tomorrow; we'll see how it goes. (It's my birthday (and Sirius'), so I may be busy with dinner and a movie.)  

Part 2

Interlude:

A New Normal

24 May 1977

I took what was becoming my new usual seat between Remus and Sirius and across from James and Lily. I'd been back at school for a little over two weeks now, and things were far from the way I wanted them. Normal.

I wanted to blend in like I used to. I didn't want everyone to know my name. I didn't want to pass someone in the hall, have them see me, and have them whisper behind their hand to their friend before they both looked back at me. The looks they gave me were different depending on what house they were in.

The Gryffindors looked at me with pride and an almost congratulatory look as though to say, "Yeah, she's one of ours." The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were usually a mix of awe and wonder and mild loathing, leaning mostly to the former. The Slytherins, however, all looked at me with extreme loathing and often provided a few snide comments whenever they saw me.

Word had spread through the house of snakes that I was really Persephone Dolohov, daughter of the notorious Antonin Dolohov a vicious Death Eater and one of Voldemort's most loyal followers. It was also known that I was a great disappointment, a Muggle lover, and responsible for my own mother's death...so they said. I was also being held accountable for Mulciber and Rosier no longer being at school, never mind the fact that they left on their own accord before they could be expelled.

I didn't want to be known for that. I didn't want to be known at all.

As I took my seat at the breakfast table, I sat as low as I possibly could. James and Sirius were laughing about Merlin only knows what, while Lily and Remus were deep in conversation. Remus' thumb traced over the back of my hand as he held it. If there's one thing I was grateful for, it was Remus.

He didn't ask questions, though I knew he wanted to. He quickly shut Peter down when he tried to ask. And whenever he heard any kind of slur towards me he was the first to react; he delivered a particular nasty boil hex to Avery just the other day. (Flitwick had been standing right there but he was "looking the other way" and Remus had cast the spell silently.) So despite the Slytherins' persistence, Remus got away with it. Moreover, Remus never missed a moment to let me know he was there, even if it was as simple as rubbing his thumb over my hand.

"Kitty-Kate!"

"Don't call me that, Black," I said with a roll of my eyes.

"Well, you weren't answering to Leo," Sirius replied. "Anyway... Petie was talking to you."

"Oh? Sorry, Pete. I..." I let my voice fade out. I'd zoned out...again. It seemed to happen quite a lot. Yet another thing that wasn't....normal.

"'S okay," he said with a shrug of his shoulder like it was no big deal. "I was just asking how the porridge was today."

"Why would I know?"