บท 68: Chapter 68: The Song of the Little Bird (3)
After the unpleasant encounter in front of Charmé Chic, Catherine went to Madam Puddifoot's tea shop where she met Alice Fortescue, Marianne Trundle, and Tabitha Meadows. They formed a cheerful group, occupying one of the central tables, completely covered with finger foods and baked goods. Steam wafted from a big orange teapot that reassembled a small pumpkin.
The Gryffindor girl felt a bit out of place in the overly decorated room, filled with ribbons, lace, and glitter. She also noticed that all of her Hufflepuff classmates were wearing dresses and even had makeup on. Catherine glanced at her jeans and t-shirt, reflected in one of the ornate mirrors hanging on the walls, and shrugged helplessly.
'There's nothing I can do now, anyway. I guess Gwyneth had a point in calling me a tomboy.' – she thought gloomily, taking the only available spot around the table, facing the window.
The Hufflepuffs didn't comment on Catherine's outfit. In fact, they proved to be very pleasant company. The black-haired girl already knew and liked Alice, a kind soul with a bubbling personality that quickly made her everyone's favourite person. Marianne was sharp and witty, gifted in Charms, and famous around the school for creating incredibly elaborate hairstyles. This had quickly elevated her popularity among the older female students, with whom she was already on a first-names basis. As a result, Marianne also knew the juiciest gossips, especially regarding Hogwarts' love life and romantic rivalries.
"Really?" – she asked, surprised when Catherine shared the news about Isabeau Branstone and Jasper Holloway – "This is even weirder than you think because I personally heard Isabeau referring to Jasper as 'that ugly boy with the huge ears.' I remember that last year, Odette Edgecombe was teasing her because they had been playing Truth or Dare, and Isabeau had been dared to kiss Jasper."
"Maybe he turned out to be a great kisser." – giggled Alice, earning a disgusted look from Marianne.
"Or she just got to know him better." – suggested Tabitha. She was the quietest of them all, usually preferring not to take an active part in lively conversations. Instead, Honney T, as Hufflepuffs referred to her, sat there listening carefully with her mesmerising smile, making everybody feel special when she looked at them.
'No wonder they consider her the leader of the third-years in Hufflepuff. As they say, still water runs deep.' – thought Catherine, smiling back at Tabitha.
"You know who I want to get to know better?" – asked Marianne with a twinkle in her eyes – "Your friend Sirius."
Catherine chuckled with the rest of the girls, but a slight pang of irritation hit her. She acknowledged that objectively Sirius was growing into a handsome, talented, smart, rich, and athletic young man from a well-known family. It wasn't surprising that girls around the school were taking notice. However, a weak voice inside the Gryffindor's head insisted that his attention belonged to her alone.
"You know him best, Catherine. Do you think he would be interested in going out with me sometime?" – asked Marianne hopefully.
Catherine paused for a moment, pondering the best way to answer this sudden question, when Alice came to her rescue.
"Don't be daft, love! Sirius Black has eyes only for one girl, and it's visible from a broom a hundred metres up in the air!" – she winked at Catherine, who blushed heavily.
"We're just friends." – the young Gryffindor witch explained to the skeptical group of Hufflepuffs.
"Don't mind us, Flame!" – said Tabitha eventually – "We're a bit nosy, but we don't have bad intentions, you can rest assured! After the way you defended Grace, Hufflepuffs will always have your back!"
"It was nothing, really." – Catherine insisted, finishing her tea – "However, I've noticed that Slytherins are becoming more and more daring in their attacks against the rest of us."
"It's not only them, though." – said Alice in a low voice, glancing around – "It may seem like it's Slytherins against the rest of us, but it's only because they are the loudest and have many people who would like to clean the school from Muggle-borns. Unfortunately, I know for a fact there are people from other houses who also support this madness."
"Do you have any proof?" – asked the Gryffindor.
"Not really. These are just things people hear being rumoured about. Nobody is stupid enough to openly proclaim such a stand because they may end up being expelled. However, the acts speak louder than words. I'm sure that teachers know about it, but even they are attempting to sweep it under the rug, disguised as a particularly bad case of House rivalry." – explained the Hufflepuff witch while her classmates were nodding in agreement.
Catherine found herself lost in thought, trying to understand the seriousness of what was happening at Hogwarts. She felt ashamed that she had been so focused on her own worries and hadn't paid attention to the broader Wizarding society. Sirius' warning reverberated in her mind with unmistakable clarity.
'If there's indeed an organised movement advocating for a Wizard-led order, with intentions to dominate Muggles, it's only natural that its influence would extend to Hogwarts students from diverse backgrounds. Some of their families might be supporters. The situation could escalate, especially if violence becomes a means to an end. It transcends the simple rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin. I've been such a naive child!' – Catherine thought, her excitement for the upcoming party diminishing abruptly.
It was already getting late, so she excused herself, thanked the Hufflepuffs for the lovely time and the treat, and left with a promise to have another outing in the near future. The black-haired Gryffindor was walking absentmindedly among the students, crowding the High Street, already eager for enjoying the Halloween feast. She felt like it had been ages since she was thrilled like them. The conversation at Madam Puddifoot's had left a profound impression, and Catherine couldn't help but gaze at the faces of passing wizards and witches, wondering who among them harbored ill intentions toward their Muggle-born classmates.
'It's not only a matter of principle, though.' – the young witch thought, frowning – 'For everyone here, I'm also Muggle-born, hence, they would not hesitate to come after me or attempt to harm me! Why isn't there a place where I can truly feel safe? This is exhausting.'
"Knut for your thoughts" - Sirius said, casually draping his arm around Catherine in a manner reminiscent of their first meeting on the Hogwarts Express. This time, however, she felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for his presence. Tilting her head, she briefly rested it against him, cherishing the comfort of his closeness.
"It seems these Hufflepuffs really drained your energy." – James chuckled and took the Sorcerié's bag from his friend's hand – "I'll carry this for you."
Catherine smiled appreciatively and walked in silence, surrounded by Peter's enthusiastic blabbering about the new line of firecrackers expected to be released, the buy-one-get-one-free offer at Honeydukes, and James' joke that cracked up the stunningly beautiful owner of The Three Broomsticks, Madame Rosmerta.
"To summarise, you didn't miss a lot." – chuckled Remus, walking by Catherine's left side and smiling softly.
"Don't encourage her, Moony!" – Sirius scolded him jokingly – "It's bad enough she's going to attend that stupid party and not enjoy the feast with the rest of us, The-Not-Worthy-of-Slughorn's-Attention!"
"I'm sure you'll get plenty of attention even if you don't attend the party." – said Catherine, recalling Marianne's interest in the grey-eyed Gryffindor.
"It's not fun without you there." – shrugged Sirius which made Catherine blush again, as she remembered what Alice said about Sirius having eyes only for her. For once, however, this thought didn't make her jump and try to run away from him.
'I can't believe I'm the jealous type, wanting my friends' attention solely focused on me!' – the young witch thought and shook her head in frustration.
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