The Tale of Azure - Book I: Shades of Green and Blue

Chapter Thirty: Past, Future and Present

A/N: We are now back to Myrtle's POV. This chapter takes place in mid-April. The Chamber of Secrets remains unopened...but not for long. There is also a cameo of Lyall Lupin, who will be our dear Remus Lupin's father.

Disclaimer: I do not own "Harry Potter", only my OC's.
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A pair of bespectacled eyes rose from the plate as its owner saw Azure entering the Great Hall, practically empty, except for two or three small groups of Ravenclaw and Slytherins who sat on their respective benches, sometimes glancing at the threesome before going back to whatever they were doing.

Admittedly, Azure, Myrtle and Ru made a strange group: a Pure-blood, a Muggle-born and a Half-Giant. News of their close friendship had flown quickly among the castle's halls, making Myrtle's over-cautiousness spiking to abnormal levels as she remembered the times she had been accosted by a couple of older students. That kind of thing was over; Azure's stare at anyone unsatisfied about her choice of friends was more than enough to make them rethink their intentions.

And Myrtle felt safe and grateful for it. Azure's existence had pulled her away from her inner shadows, doubts and fears. Azure...completed Myrtle.

"Did yeh' woke up the wrong side of the bed?" Hagrid teased as the Slytherin sat on the Gryffindor table's bench, placing the silver tray full of toasts and jam jars on the table rather loudly.

"Sorry, Ru, but I really, really hate this place's bloody competitive system," her friend admitted. "Why can't we all get along? Why is it so bloody difficult to do as other schools do? When traditions endanger our society, they don't deserve to be called that anymore! And this thing with Cups! In Beauxbatons, there are no cups. They get ribbons. In Ilvermorny, medals."

And here we go again, Myrtle let out a tired sigh as the older girl continued her rant, Hagrid looking at her as if she had grown two heads when she told them about Durmstrang rewarding their best student with Occamy shells, which were extremely valuable. And rare.

"...in Hogwarts, there is Quidditch Cup, Inter-House Duelling Cup, Wizarding Chess Championship Cup, House Cup," Azure continued sourly. "Who cares about the stupid House Cup anyway?"

"All the students except for you?" Myrtle returned easily the question, retrieving a strawberry jam jar.

"With the number of detentions and the many points I've been deducted to, it's nothing short a miracle how in the bloody hell my House won last year's Cup!"

This was true; only in this trimester, Azure had already lost 120 points for "minor infractions" and had attended many hours of detention with "the twit".

"You're forgetting the 'Tom Riddle factor,'" Myrtle said matter-of-factly. "Slytherin winning the House Cup for four consecutive times is probably because of him." Azure huffed. "And the last time someone obtained such high marks was when Dumbledore was a student."

"Tom is a model student since first-year," the burly boy added between scoops of cereals and milk. "Many call him a prodigy."

Azure tightened her hold on her glass of milk before she swallowed the liquid in one gulp, traces of it on around her lips. Myrtle giggled and Hagrid quickly put his hand on his mouth to stifle his laugh.

Glaring at the pair, Azure wiped her mouth with the napkin. "For now, there's no more talking about Mr Perfect Prefect," the Slytherin declared in a final tone. "Do we three understand each other?" Not waiting for their answer, Azure left her seat, probably to pick up some leftover bonbons that were on the opposite side of the table.

"I guess we will never know why 'Zure and Tom act like cats and dogs," Hagrid whispered to his friend. "She's scary, sometimes."

"Those two in the same place for a long time...is not good for anyone's health," Myrtle whispered back. "And I asked her countless times why-"