XI. THE LIBRARY

Track Eleven: Big Black Car, Gregory Alan Isakov
 

   CIRCE SAT IN THE GREAT HALL bleary-eyed and cross with herself for staying up so late the night before. Her mood brightened when she spotted an owl swooping down overhead, it landed with a soft flop on top of her charms book from which she was diligently studying. Before opening the letter she immediately recognized the elegant penmanship gracing the cream envelope, her suspicions were correct when she turned it around and noticed the Malfoy family seal engraved on the letter.

She gently opened the folded-up parchment, grinning like a madman upon reading the contents.

Dear Circe Oriana,

I've gotten word that you're in need of a dress for the upcoming ball so I took it upon myself to notify the seamstress taking care of Draco's dress clothes that you'll be in need of something as well. We both know you wouldn't be caught dead at the ball in something your other Aunt had picked out. She inherited our father's fashion sense or rather lack thereof, it would be absolutely dreadful if our last remaining heir showed up poorly. Please send an owl with your current measurements as soon as possible, it is rather last minute.

I hope all is well.

Narcissa Malfoy.

She thanked the skies, merlin, God, and all things in between that Andromeda would not be sending her a dress. She couldn't bare it. Everything Andy had ever picked out for Circe to wear had looked absolutely awful on her and she couldn't have that for the biggest event of the year. She was grateful that Narcissa had thought of her, despite not having much contact over the years.

As Wallaburga grew senile in her old age she had forgotten Andromedas' disownment, so for the poor old woman's sanity, a few times a year Narcissa and Andromeda had to appear civil during family engagements. Both sisters felt an equal responsibility towards Circe, their last remaining heir. So the bond slowly repaired, at a distance. Narcissa no longer scorned Andromeda and Andromeda no longer held resentment towards Narcissa. Both sisters came to a mutual understanding that maybe for Circe's sake, nothing would be harmed if they got together to catch up a few times a year. Evidently, it was during one of these catchups that Narcissa spared Circe from whatever awful dress Andromeda had suggested be made for Circe. And Circe was eternally grateful for this divine intervention that took place at exactly the right time.

She quickly scribbled a reply, attaching it to the sleek black owl that smoothed its feathers and gracefully took off. She gushed to Emrys, exclaiming that she finally had prospects for a dress, which most people had ages ago. Circe of course, had procrastinated till the last minute and ended up deciding to go with whichever dress Andromeda picked out (Which she knew was a mistake, but she was completely out of options). Luckily now, she had Narcissa to rely on.

Emrys nodded along, clearly glad to have Circe chipper and excited again. She had been in a miserable mood the last few days since the start of the tournament and he suspected it had something to do with Cedric being chosen as a champion, and him being thrust into danger.

This was part of the reason Circe had been upset but in reality, she had been turning the words Tonks had spoken to her - over and over again in her head. Her eyes found Harry from across the room, he looked isolated from the rest of his table and his hands rested under his chin, avoiding eye contact with everyone nearby. Circe knew that many students hadn't been treating him nicely since the tournament had begun, but she hadn't realized it had gotten to the point of his housemates turning on him. She promptly made up her mind then and there to find him and his friends to propose an idea, a truce, and an offer of help from her. It seems her brains incessantly nagging to rectify her family's awful actions towards him, had won.

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HARRY POTTER WAS A BAD OMEN. Bad luck seemed to follow him like a shadow. He hadn't been able to sleep since the night he was chosen, the looming fear of the first task seemed to enclose on him with every breath he took. He knew this paralyzing fear was irrational but he felt wholly ill-prepared for the first task. He didn't have a clue what to expect or how to prepare, and he had no one to help him either. He didn't want to worry Sirius or stress out Hermione more than she already was. So he poured himself over books in the library, even venturing into the restricted section a few nights a week to research defensive spells. He wasn't worried about becoming a champion, he was worried about staying alive and he hadn't the first clue what to expect.

Circe hadn't had a full night's sleep since her meeting with Dora. Guilt had been gnawing at her brain, leaving her tossing and turning for nights on end. She rose from ash that morning, determined to start anew and to offer Harry Potter a chance to trust her. She carried the burden of her family's involvement in the ruin of his so, she thought this was fate's way of balancing the scales. She had yet to tell Cedric about the first task, justifying it in her head that it was only because he probably knew about it anyways. He had not been around the common room a lot lately, he was popular with the press as well as the entire student body. Circe thought that not telling him for now, couldn't possibly harm him, considering he had top marks in every NEWT subject including defense.

The maledictious had been headed towards the library to grab a few books for her Charms research (The effects of an incorrectly performed silencing spell on ravens and its consequences) but as she strolled through the stacks of books she noticed two students adorned in gold & red robes. She heard the clear voice of Hermione, lecturing in a stern tone.

"Harry, I don't see how you can expect to prepare properly without knowing half of what you're doing. Frantically reading books won't help you in the tournament. I just don't understand why you won't go ask Moody for help, he does seem to favor you." Circe could detect Hermione's slight bitterness in her tone as she uttered the last bit.

"Hermione, I told you, I think something is off with Moody. I don't trust him, he creeps me out."

"Well just because he's a bit harsh doesn't mean he won't be helpful."

"Hermione -" Harry groaned in annoyance. "Please, if you're not going to offer me any constructive advice can you just piss off?"

Circe heard Hermione frustratedly sigh. "Have it your way, figure it out yourself. You know I'm one of the only people in this castle who doesn't think of you as a attention-seeking freak. So maybe you could be a bit nicer." She slammed some books back into place before leaving in a huff.

Peering out from behind her shelf, Circe noticed Harry running his hands frustratedly through his hair before angrily flipping through the pages of his book. She stepped into the aisle, clearing her throat "Potter". She paused, forgetting the words she had been practicing in her head the entire time she spent lurking behind the shelves.

His head snapped up, his glare harsh before softening and realizing it was her.

"Black?"

Harry's face was twisted in confusion, probably wondering why a random Hufflepuff he had barely spoken to his entire time at Hogwarts, was seeking him out.

"Ah, see, I figured I should come here to, er— tell you that," Circe was searching for the right words to say, but she ended up telling him exactly what Tonks had told to her in Hogsmede. "Well, you see, dragons are the first task. You'll be fighting them and I figured I should come to tell you, seeing as you're the youngest and all. I figured it was only fair, I mean my sister told me and I'm pretty sure the rest of the champions already know so you'd be at an unfair disadvantage and all." She nervously let all of this out in one breath but noticed she was rambling and quickly stopped.

Harry looked surprised but his face soon turned skeptical "Aren't you friends with Diggory?" He eyed the yellow and gold on her tie "Why are you helping me? I wasn't even supposed to be champion, aren't you helping the competition?" Suspicion was glinting in his eye, as if he was expecting to catch her in some sort of lie.

"I just told you why I was helping you," She said with a huff. "if you don't want help then be my guest to figure it out yourself. Because from what it sounded like, no one else is offering to give you much help either." 

Harry was taken aback, not realizing she had heard the previous conversation he had with Hermione. He didn't quite know what to say "I mean, would you really help me?" He chuckled nervously, regretting his earlier disposition towards her. Harry really was scared out of his mind for the first task, which was hurtling towards him at an ever growing rapid pace. He decided then and there that any sort of resentment he had for Circe, could be pushed aside until the end of the tournament. He wasn't quite sure what the girl had to offer, but having another person to practice spells with wasn't the worst thing that happened to him today. 

"Sure. My sister is an auror and we used to practice defensive spells so, I'm sure I could at least be a bit of help in preparing. It's really the least I could do." 

Harry nodded while placing the books back in there proper places "Brilliant! It would be great actually. I'm sure you've noticed I don't necessarily have many other people in my house to help." He said with a tense chuckle "Thank you for offering".

Circe grimaced "Er yeah. Well, I'd better be going. Oh, perhaps we can use the empty classroom in the transfiguration hall after class tomorrow? I'm sure McGonagall would have no objections since its practice for the tournament and all".

 "Sure, yeah that sounds good," Harry said as he grabbed his books, pushed his chair in and fell in step with Circe as they walked out of the library. The silence was awkward and tense, so when Circe said her goodbyes it felt like a relief. She began to take an alternate route down to the first floor before remembering she had forgotten the books she'd come for. 

The portraits eyed Circe as she groaned frustratedly and stomped back up the staircase. She usually wanted to minimize her trips to the library as much as possible. Madame Pince was extremely strict when it came to talking or making noise of any kind, which was not good for Circe, who tended to make a racket everywhere she went. Madame Pince gave her a death glare when she entered the library for the second time after she heard her stomps down the hallway. The maledictions walked hurriedly back into the depths of the library and she had almost reached the S's in the Charms section when she stumbled across Cedric.

Specifically, Cedric and Cho. Circe stopped in her tracks when she saw Cedric and Cho, who were practically siblings, kissing in the corner. Her mouth dropped open, staring in horror as they quickly broke apart upon noticing Circe, who stood frozen looking rather scarred. 

"You're practically SIBLINGS!" Circe's loud exclamation caused them both to jump. "I mean, you've spent summers at Emrys, who's like your little brother, which makes Cho like your sister. " She said mortified.

Cedric looked back and forth between Circe and Cho, at first not knowing how to respond. "Circe, you know it's not like that. And it hasn't been for a while, I'm sure Emrys already knows anyways. You're just extremely unobservant."

She began to bombard them with questions, "What do you mean he already knows? How long has this been going on? Why haven't you told me!" Circe was genuinely hurt at this, both Cedric and Cho have been like older siblings to her, and she trusted both of them deeply. 

Cho, who had been silent throughout this whole ordeal looked over to the fourth year and grimaced "Er- since the start of this term? I mean, we've been more than friends for a year. We just didn't really want to make it known to everyone, yet. I'm really sorry we didn't tell you sooner, Circe."

Circe still stood shocked, the notepad with her required reading hung by her side limply as she simply stared between the two of them as if she was trying to make sense of an absurdly complex math problem. A sparkle glimmered in her eye as her look of shock slowly turned into a broad, gleaming smile. "Well, it certainly makes sense now. Why you two were acting so oddly this summer at your dad's cottage. I suppose you're right, it's a wonder I haven't caught on until now." She was bursting to tell Emrys, it took every ounce of willpower in her not to run down to the common room to tell him. 

Cedric seemed to recognize that familiar gleam in her eyes and his face transformed into apprehension "Circe, please don't tell Emrys. I already know he suspects us, he'll write to our parent's first thing in the morning, you know how he is. " 

Circe was too busy smirking and walking away to notice the two's shared look. "Yeah, sure." As she walked away, she was already picturing in glee the obnoxious letter Cedric would be getting tomorrow from Cho and Emrys's father, her books long forgotten. 

The walk down to the Hufflepuff common room was excruciatingly long despite her speeding through the corridors. When she finally tapped the last barrel, she made a beeline for Emrys's spot in the common room, which he had claimed in their first year.  She almost trampled over several first years in the process of getting to him. 

"Emrys, you will not believe who I saw in the library." 

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The next morning Circe had accidentally slept in, she woke up realizing she had missed breakfast and had almost slept into potions. She quickly dressed, rubbing sleep from the crevices in her eyes. Her hair had twisted and mangled itself in her sleep so she fastened the knots into two braids, making her face appear more girlish and round. She squinted at herself in the mirror but ultimately decided to leave it, she'd rather not be late for potions. Snape was known for being harsh about lateness, and Circe did not intend to be on the receiving end of his doling out of detentions. She checked the clock that was mounted on the dormitory wall, she had four minutes to get to class. Luckily, the dungeons were close to the Hufflepuff common room and she had faith she'd make it.

She flew out of the common room, sprinting through the halls and almost slipping down the moving stairs as she hurried to class. She was out of breathe and shaking by the time she made it, she spotted Emrys at their usual spots in the back and made her way over. 

"Oh look Pippi Longstocking finally decided to show! We missed you at breakfast, slept in again?"

Circe looked quizzically at Emrys, what was a Pippi Longstocking? It was an awfully silly name, Circe thought. Before she could respond, the door slammed shut behind them and Snape dramatically swept into the room. His black robes billowed behind him and Circe snickered as she leaned over to whisper to Emrys "It smells like mothballs and death every time Snape walks in a room." 

Evidentally, Professor Snape seemed to overhear her with his batlike ears and he glowered in Circe's direction. "Care to say that again for the class Miss Black?" Circe's eyebrows rose but she grinned and snarkily replied "Of course, professor. I only said that it s-" 

He quickly flushed a bright red and cut her off "That is enough Miss Black. Ten points from Hufflepuff for talking back. Please pack up your belongings and move over to Nott's station, hopefully being partnered with a skilled potions student will encourage you to devote more time to your studies and less of it to trivial gossip." 

Emrys covered his laughs with a cough as Circe shot him a glare from the corner of her eye, she gathered her potion supplies and angrily dumped them at Nott's table near the front of the room. Theodore looked amused at Circe's scowl as he busied himself with taking out some parchment and ink for note-taking.

"Now that we have dealt with that" Snape shot another deathly stare at Circe "We can continue on more important matters, like preparing for your end-of-term exams which are coming up in less than a month. Today we will be discussing some theory, so get your parchment and ink out." 

Snape seemed to drone on endlessly, his monotone voice made the class unbearable and even the Slytherin next to her seemed to be nodding off. When Snape finally completed his rant about potion antidotes, Circe's hand ached and she dreaded the homework assignment that Snape was writing on the board. Perhaps the only thing Circe enjoyed about Potions was the last twenty-five minutes where they were permitted to get a head start on the week's readings. Snape sulked back to his office, leaving the door cracked to ensure no student left early. 

The class erupted into chatter and hushed whispers, she turned to catch eyes with Emrys but he had already begun chatting with Elowyn Dolohov, the distant pureblood, Slytherin cousin of Death eater Antonin Dolohov. She was a sweet girl, though, nothing like the evil of her family. Rumors floated around her circles, it's said that she is the daughter of a muggle from Cornwall, although this has not been confirmed. 

Circe sighed, turning back around, placing her head in her hand staring blankly at the textbook in front of her. Nott was silently reading beside her but she felt his eyes on the side of her head, so she shamelessly turned to stare back at him. 

Nott didn't seem to expect this as he flushed slightly "Sorry, I didn't mean to stare. I was just wondering" He cleared his throat "you see, Draco told me earlier that his mum had written you? Are you still in contact with the Blacks? I normally don't engage in gossip but I will admit, I was intrigued to hear that after everything that went down with ... " His voice trailed off but Circe knew what he was insinuating. 

"Oh, well I'm not in the best standing with the whole of the sacred twenty-eight but I suppose I've been a bit active in society, at least when Wallaburga was alive. She didn't mind having a second disappointment in the family nearly as much as she did the first." She said, hinting at Wallaburgas apathetic attitude towards Regulus, as if after Sirius she had resigned herself to permanent irrelevance in pureblood society. "It was really only out of pity that we were invited to things, even the strictest blood purests knew how fanatical she was and how much of a disappointment two traitors were in the family. Plus, I suppose a Hufflepuff is a lot more harmless than a Gryffindor. So I had that going for me." 

 Nott looked as if the puzzle pieces were fitting together in his mind. "I see. I take it that's why I haven't seen you around at events in the past few years then." 

Circe turned to gather her books, her thoughts drifting elsewhere. "Probably so." Nott turned and did the same, the sound of papers rustling and stools being pushed in filled the room as the students filed out to leave. 

Theodore turned back to face her as they moved to leave the classroom, "Ah well, nice speaking with you Black. Hope to see you around again" the corners of his mouth turned upwards and the green in his eyes seemed to look brighter when he turned to look at her.

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authors note:

i am always open to constructive criticism because i always want to improve my writing/the audience's experience so if anyone has any suggestions feel free to comment them :)

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