Ron’s sister, Ginny was a very strange little girl. Every time Rory saw her she was sullen, or often in a faraway place and she wondered if she was okay. It was clear Ginny was infatuated with Harry, but he barely knew she was alive. Rory knew what that felt like. Even though we were good friends, Harry only ever saw Rory as just that, a friend. Each time he looked through her was agony. Ginny however looked haunted as she walked the castle.
When Professor Lockhart established the dueling club, Rory and Ginny were partnered and Ginny was surprisingly fierce in her delivery of spells as if she was taking down the only competition she knew she was up against. It was like she noticed what most people didn’t that she wasn’t the only one who wanted to be noticed by harry. “Shouldn’t we stop them before they get seriously hurt?” Lockhart asked, but Snape waved him off.
“Let them continue,” He said, “The dark Lord wouldn’t give them mercy, why should we.”
So the duel continued until some fifth year shot a patronus their way, forcing them both to fly backwards in the air. Ginny was the first to stand, shooting a glare at Rory, then the fifth year, who turned out to be Cedric Diggory, before she stormed out of the Hall. It was Cedric who was the first one by Rory’s side to see if she was alright, but then he was joined by Harry, Ron and Hermione.
“Sorry, Rory,” Ron said. “My sister is a freak.”
“She’s okay, Ron.” Rory replied. “I think she’s going through something at the moment.”
“Who, Gin? No way,” Ron dismissed it. “She’s just crazy. It’s like she has a point to prove with everyone.”
“She’ll be okay.” Harry reassured her. He didn’t seem to have a clue and Rory wasn’t going to be the one to tell him. They were walking to their next class, Ron and Hermione were arguing up ahead, when he looked at me and said, “You didn’t do too badly yourself. You surprised me Rory.”
All Rory could do was blush. “Well I’ve been doing a lot of extra study, this year. Defense was really difficult for me last year, but this year it’s a cinch.”
“It doesn’t help that we have a complete buffoon for a teacher.” Harry quipped, making her giggle.
For someone, so worldly, as Lockhart claimed to be, he seemed to lack a lot of experience in dealing with the simplest of spells. It was obvious from the very first day when he ran screaming from the room because he couldn’t tame the pixies he had let out into the classroom. If it wasn’t for Hermione knowing the stupefy spell, those pixies would have been let loose around the school. It was a wonder they learned anything that year.
“Harry?”Rory began out of nowhere. She had been contemplating asking him to go steady with me, but by the time he answered, she had lost courage. “Will you tutor me in Defence if I start to fall behind?”
“Who, me? You want me to tutor you?” he asked with wide eyes.
“You’re the best in the class.” Rory insisted. “I want to finish this year with better grades than Paris.”
“She’s still giving you trouble?” Harry asked, concerned.
“No yet, but give it time. She’s very hostile.” She said shrugging.
“Dark witch in training?” Harry joked and they both laughed.
That was when Paris overheard us and thumped into me as she stormed past. That was when Harry decided he would help Rory with her Defense lessons.
Every afternoon, after class and before Quidditch, Harry sat with Rory in the library going over spells in the textbook and she would practise them under his supervision. Soon she was quite good at them and one day Harry decided to ask her the question that burned in his brain.
Harry was very suspicious of anyone wanting his help. He was always afraid someone would use his help against him. His past experience reminded him that sometimes people weren't who he expected them to be, although he was careful not to tell Rory this.
"So, why me, Rory?" Harry asked. Rory was taken aback by his question and shrugged.
Then seeing that Harry was expecting an answer, Rory knew she had to say something. "You're the best in our year."
"Rory, Hermione scored higher than me in defense." Rory's eyes widened.
"You're always sure of what you cast," Rory said in a small voice.
"Ah, but I only appear to be. That's the trouble when people want to kill you. You show them weakness and they use it." He sounded wise beyond his twelve years of age.
Rory looked at the boy beside her and for the first time she saw his eyes darting around the room as if he were waiting for someone to jump out from behind a shelf yelling "avada kedavra!"
Rory had to admit she was scared at that moment, knowing that being Harry's friend would often mean danger. Rory often heard the Ravenclaw girls talking about the possible rising of what I soon learned to call "He who must not be named" and that he was the darkwizard who had killed Harry's parents and had tried to kill Harry, too.
No one knew how Harry had survived that ill fated night. That was how he was given the name the Boy Who Lived. That was the night he was given the scar. It was a mark left from Voldemort's wand. That much of the story she learned from Hermione in their first year.
KILL THE GIRL!
Harry jumped as he heard the words, but Rory seemed oblivious.
KILL THE GIRL.
He heard it again, puzzled by Rory's non reaction. "Didn't you hear that?" Harry asked.
Rory shook her head. "Hear what?"
"Never mind," Harry said, feeling stupid. "I have to go."
Abruptly he stood up, gathered his books and dashed out of the library.
On the other side of the library, Rory saw the retched Malfoy kid, smirking as his eyes followed Harry out.
"How curious," he taunted. "It seems Potter is going nuts." His laughter cut through the quiet, making Rory mad.
"Shut up, Malfoy!" she retorted as she gathered her books.
"Gee, Gilmore! It's bad enough that you're a half Mudblood, but I bet Richard and Emily would not be impressed with you hanging around sum like Potter."
Ignoring him, Rory left the library with her books in tow and didn't stop until she was in her dorm.
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