Echo | Harry Potter - George Weasley

Chapter 22: PolyJuice Potion

As the holiday season rolled around and fresh, sparkling white snow covered the school grounds, the rumours surrounding Harry being the Heir of Slytherin hadn't died down in the slightest. In fact, Shaye had even heard a few people whispering about her in the corridors. 

Despite the fact that the professors and Dumbledore knew that Shaye and Harry weren't behind the attack of Sir Nicholas and Justin—or any of the other ones, for that matter—the student body persisted in believing the outlandish tales that depicted Shaye and Harry as an evil, mudblood murdering duo.

Standing on one of the outdoor stone balconies, Shaye pulled her scarlet and gold scarf tighter around her neck and watched as a herd of white horses trotted across the snow-covered field, pulling sleds full of students behind them as they went. It was a good distraction from the wandering eyes she could see in her peripheral vision. 

Shaye felt an overwhelming surge of embarrassment and shame whenever she was out with a crowd of other students, which was most of the day during classes, in the halls, and even in the common room on occasion. Compared to Harry, she was only the butt of a few jokes and rumours here and there so she couldn't possibly imagine how he was feeling.

Thankfully, Ron and Hermione were there to help as best they could. 

"Hey, look, everyone." George laughed as he and Fred passed by. "It's the Heir of Slytherin."

Fred chuckled. "Be careful. He's a seriously dangerous wizard."

"Don't forget about his partner in crime," George added. "She's as cold-blooded as they come."

Shaye felt her ears burn red hot. Her once seemingly heroic act of telling off that Hufflepuff boy in the study hall was now seen in the public eye as a sneak peek into her 'volatile' nature. There was a nasty tale going around about Shaye having actually been the one to go after Justin because of what his friends had said, and although she didn't know who had started it, she was inclined to believe it was Ron's stupid twin brothers, who had been there to witness the scene with their own eyes.

One minute Shaye had been friends with Fred and George, sneaking out to prank Lockhart with them, and the next she, along with Harry, was their own personal laughing stock.

Hearing the twins' irritating snickering from behind, Shaye drew her wand and rounded on them. She knew that, even though she never planned on actually using magic on them, that the act only furthered the public's rotten opinion of her; but right then she just wanted everyone to leave her alone.

Fred and George winced slightly before retreating back into the castle, as did a few other students.

 "Come on, guys. Fred and George were just having a laugh," Ron said in hopes to cheer the two glum friends up.

Harry scoffed. "They're the only ones."

"Okay, so half the school thinks you're nipping off to the Chamber of Secrets every night." Ron shrugged. "Who cares?"

"Maybe they're right," Harry said before clarifying. "About me, not you, Shaye."

Then Harry stormed off, his friends close on his heels. "Harry!" Hermione called after him but he didn't stop. "Oh, come on."

"Look, I didn't know I could speak Parseltongue," Harry snapped. "What else don't I know about myself? Look ... maybe you can do something, even something horrible, and not know you did it."

Hermione shook her head. "You don't believe that, Harry. I know you don't. And if it makes you feel any better, Malfoy's staying for the holidays too."

Ron furrowed his brows. "Why would that make anyone feel any better?"