Harry Potter - Series Fan Fiction ❯ Betrothed ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 4

 

Harry busted through the portrait hole and jumped into the common room. He quickly gazed around the room searching for Ron or Hermione. He first saw Ron's red hair on the couch huddled over something. He then heard the familiar crunching sounds of chips and the ruffle of the bag. He quickly went over to the couch, jumped over and landed on the cushions. Ron jumped up spilling chips everywhere.

 

“Bloody hell HARRY!” he snapped. “You do know how to give someone a heart attack!”

 

“Ron, I met her! I met Lullia Marcus!”

 

Ron now sat up and leaned forward. “Well, do tell! Is she hot like I said she was?”

 

Harry took a glance around seeing no Hermione or Ginny around and quickly nodded. “She's very pretty and nice! She's joining us for dinner tonight!”

 

“So you like her?”

 

Harry honestly shrugged. “I thought she'd be some spoiled rich girl, but she's not at all what I expected. She can't wait until she meets your bothers either. I told her about the pranks-”

 

“And what does she think about Malfoy?” asked Hermione. Ron and Harry jumped not seeing her sneak up. She then sat down between the two boys.

 

“Well Malfoy barely said a word to her. In fact, he barely looked at her! She just looked at him…like he was nothing. It was really weird and felt really tense.”

 

“That's because Malfoy is nothing,” muttered Ron.

 

Hermione thought for a moment. “So you do have a good chance with her. Did she seem to like you?”

 

Harry shrugged. He then told them how she kept talking to him and not Malfoy and how she never really looked at him. Then how he was dragged into the office by Snape and looked horribly scared about everything. Draco hadn't said much to Lullia either.

 

“Well I'd still watch out for Malfoy, Harry. He might be doing this on purpose so she has to choose you. It sounds like he's trying to get out of this situation desperately,” said Hermione. Harry shrugged. “So is she meeting us at the Great Hall or are we picking her up for dinner?”

 

 

* * * * * *

 

 

Harry paced back and worth outside of Lullia's doorway. Celina had left to go tell Lullia that a Mr. Potter was waiting for her, and had left ten minutes ago. He had sent Ron and Hermione go before him in case Lullia decided not to join anyone for dinner. He stopped when he heard the portrait move and Lullia jumped out in jeans and a long sleeved shirt. She smiled at Harry.

 

“I see you found it okay. I nearly got lost even with Draco escorting me. Ready for dinner?”

 

“Yeah.” They started down the staircase. “Do you like your room?”

 

Lullia nodded. “It's really big for just one person though. I'd thought Professor Dumbledore would have given me a smaller room.”

 

“You're by yourself?” he questioned as they stepped onto the first floor. They started to walk towards the Great Hall. Harry noticed that Lullia gazed around looking as if she was trying to remember the way back.

 

“Yes. I wouldn't have minded sharing with someone else. After all I'll probably be here for the rest of the year and really don't mind a roommate.”

 

Harry glanced over at her. “Really? For the rest of the year?”

 

Lullia nodded and grabbed Harry's arm stopping him. She bit her lip and pulled him out of the way of the students now walking to dinner. They glanced over at Harry and this mysterious girl holding his arm. They started to talk once again.

 

“Listen Harry I do want to formally apologize for doing this to you. Dumbledore told me that no one informed you until today, and I know that's quite a shock to anyone. I couldn't believe that my parents never wrote to you either. I wasn't aware that you were still betrothed to me until I was nine or ten.”

 

Harry saw that Lullia was deeply sorry for this to happen to him. He wondered if she had ever apologized to Malfoy about this. Probably not since he acted like he knew about this situation. He shrugged. “It's not your fault Lullia. You didn't mean for this to happen and I don't think your parents did either. So it's totally cool even though it's kind of terrifying thinking that you'll either choose me or Malfoy.”

 

Lullia sighed of relief. “Thanks.” She paused as they continued walking towards the Great Hall. “I do have a question for you though.”

 

“Shoot.”

 

“What do you think of Draco? You kind of get this hatred glare in your eye when you talk about him. He even looks at you with hatred too. I know you said you two were rivals…”

 

“I don't hate him. We just don't get along at all.” He paused rethinking what he said. “Never mind. I guess we do hate each other since day one.”

 

Lullia nodded. “I guessed. He does make most people hate him.”

 

They then entered the Great Hall and Lullia's mouth slightly opened. She gazed around like she had first done when she entered the castle. This place was really huge. Harry led her down the table and the Gryffindor students turned to look at him and her. They all gazed at them as Harry and Lullia sat down with Hermione, Ron, and the twins. Lullia smiled at them and waved shyly.

 

“Guys this is Lullia. Lullia this is Hermione-Ron-Fred and George,” introduced Harry.

 

Hermione smiled at Lullia, stood up and shook her hand. “Welcome to Hogwarts.”

 

“Thank you very much Hermione,” thanked Lullia smiling back. She then sat down across from her. She then looked at Ron who had already started to eat, smiled up at her.

 

“Nice to meet ya,” he said with a mouthful of food.

 

Lullia happily smiled at him. “You too, Ron.” Harry then sat down across from Ron, next to Lullia. She then looked at the twins. “Now you're the twins that want to open a joke shop, correct?”

 

Fred and George smiled at her. “Well, well, has Harry ruined all the surprises then?” asked Fred.

 

“Probably not,” said George answering for Harry. They looked at each other, nodded, stood up and left.

 

“We'll be back,” they said together and disappeared from the Great Hall.

 

Lullia slightly frowned. “Did I do-”

 

“No, no,” said Hermione. “They're probably going to get some kind of joke stuff. They were probably hoping to catch you off guard with something.” She then leaned across the table. “Don't worry. It wont be that bad since it'll be your first time.”

 

Lullia's smile returned. “Well that makes me feel much better. Thanks Hermione.”

 

Harry smirked and glanced over at Ron who was still devouring away. This was good-Lullia and Hermione were becoming fast friends. Harry had tuned back in their conversation and now they were talking about class courses, of course. Lullia looked excited about taking classes. After a while near the end of dinner Lullia looked around and back at the Slytherin table. She looked at Harry who had stopped talking because once again Ron and Hermione were arguing over God knows what now. Most likely it was probably related to food. They both after a while had tuned out Ron and Hermione.

 

“Harry,” she began, “I thought Draco was suppose to eat with us?”

 

Harry shook his head. “Actually he found me right before dinner and told me that he's not joining us. I think he said something about writing a paper.”

 

“Oh. The way Dumbledore spoke it sounded like the three of us would eat together.”

 

“Oh, well I don't know about that-” stated Harry.

 

“Yeah, plus you don't really want to eat with Draco anyway,” said Ron, cutting into the conversation. “He eats with the worst people imaginable! Especially the two idiots that follow him around everywhere.”

 

“The two idiots?”

 

Hermione nodded towards the Slytherin table. “They're the other two that look like Ron while eating.”

 

Lullia and Harry both glanced over their shoulders and saw Crabbe and Goyle eating like pigs. Ron then snapped, “They do not look like me while eating!” Lullia started to giggle and nodded. Harry could barely hide his laugh as well.

 

“You wish you didn't look like a pig,” muttered Hermione.

 

Fred and George then came walking back in, smiling. George sat down next to Lullia while Fred pushed Harry aside to sit on the other side. Lullia glanced between both welcoming them back.

 

“Here you are love,” said George and placed a red box in front of her.

 

“Welcoming you to the Gryffindor table,” said Fred.

 

Lullia looked at the box and smiled. “Thanks guys. It won't give me green hair or anything, right?”

 

Fred and George shrugged. “Maybe or maybe not. Just open it!”

 

Lullia opened it and was engulfed in black smoke. She coughed while the other students all turned and looked at her. Some laughed seeing Fred and George on either side and knew it was a joke. Once the smoke cleared everyone saw Lullia covered in black dust and she simply stared down into the box. She seemed not to notice the black dust instead she gazed down at the chocolate. Harry, Ron, and Hermione watched her reaction.

 

“Oh, thank you guys!” she exclaimed. “Is it dark chocolate!? I hope so!” She picked it up and took a bit of it. “Oh Merlin's Beard it is!”

 

Fred and George laughed and patted her shoulders. “Well we're glad you like it,” they said together.

 

“Sorry about the dust-”

 

“-but it should be easy to brush off.”

 

Lullia smiled and hugged and kissed them both. “Thank you so much guys! I've never seen anything like this. I think you guys should most definitely open a joke shop!”

 

Fred and George then started talking about the joke shop. Lullia paid close attention moving her head from Fred to George, listening. After a while Harry nudged Fred and Fred quickly nodded.

 

“Well Lullia we'll see you tomorrow!” he said jumping up. George followed like his brother with another good pat on the shoulder and the twins disappeared once again.

 

“Bye guys!” she called after them. Lullia was still covered with the black dust.

 

Hermione smiled, pointed her wand at her, and said a silent spell that in an instant Lullia was completely free of dust. “There you go,” said Hermione. “I'll see you tomorrow Lullia.”

 

Lullia looked down at herself and smiled back up at Hermione. “Thanks Hermione. See you tomorrow.”

 

Hermione nodded, stood up and looked between Harry and Ron. She then left the Great Hall glancing over her shoulder once more to Ron. Ron stood up and waved at Lullia.

 

“See ya later,” said Ron. “Nice meeting you.” He then hurried out of the Great Hall after Hermione.

 

Harry and Lullia then looked at each other. “I like your friends, Harry. They're fun.”

 

Harry smiled at this. “Thanks, they're really cool. Ready to go back to your room?”

 

“Actually yes. Today's been really tiring.” They stood up and started walking. “I've been up since morning.”

 

“Wow. How long did it take you to get here?”

 

They left the Great Hall with the few remaining students staring at them. No one seemed to know who this mysterious girl was except that she was probably a new Gryffindor or related to Harry Potter. New rumors were going to start by tomorrow.

 

“Actually a few hours. I woke up to pack then moving it to London and getting the train-”

 

“Excuse me, but why didn't you just use some Floo Powder? It's a lot simpler.”

 

Lullia nodded. “Tell me about it. My parents decided that to become a “true” student of Hogwarts I had to ride the damn train,” she muttered. “I think they went a bit mental near the end. This whole situation has been stressing them out.”

 

Harry kept his laughter in. “Yeah. That is really weird. So I take it you don't live near London then?”

 

Lullia shook her head. “Not really. We're maybe an hour away from London, which is why I really wish my parents could've just let me travel by Floo Powder. Oh well, I did make friends with all the train staff though. We had fun.”

 

Harry then saw Lullia turn her head to the side and glanced over where she was looking. He only saw something white and shrugged it off thinking it was a ghost or some blond kid. They then started to walk up the four flights of stairs to Lullia's new room. Lullia looked up and sighed.

 

“Man. Did Dumbledore have to put me on the fourth floor?” she muttered as they climbed up the second flight.

 

Harry shrugged. “Well at least it's a nice room. You could've gotten a room down in the dungeon. That place is really creepy.”

 

Lullia now looked at him curiously. “You've been down there?”

 

Harry nodded without thinking. “Yeah. That's also where Malfoy's room is. Don't know how he does it in the darkness and it's cold too.”

 

They were now on the third flight of stairs near the fourth floor. Lullia had quickly taken another look down where the hundreds of paintings were now crawling back into their own frame. Harry took a look over the edge seeing Neville standing in front of the Fat Lady. He looked like he had forgotten the password until a second year came up from behind, said it, and they jumped in. They then stopped in front of Celina who happily waved at Lullia.

 

Lullia then turned to Harry. “Thanks for the great night, Harry. You're a great guy. I had lots of fun tonight.” She briefly hugged him and smiled.

 

“No problem. I had fun too. You're a great girl.” He felt awkward saying that last part, but simply shrugged it off. “So I'll see you tomorrow when I get you for class?”

 

“Actually Hermione is getting me tomorrow,” she answered. “She offered to show me around at dinner. Also remember we're trying to keep this situation on the down low, remember?”

 

Harry nodded understanding. “Yeah, sure, I totally understand. What kind of robes are you wearing?”

 

Lullia shrugged. “Dumbledore said that they'd be waiting for me tonight, so who knows. I'll see you tomorrow in class. Goodnight.”

 

“Night Lullia.”

 

Lullia then climbed through the portrait and disappeared from sight. She walked into her own private common room and saw four sets of robes laying neatly on the couch. She saw all four House colors and simply looked at them for a while. She knew the red was Gryffindor, green was Slytherin, and she guessed the other two colors were Ravenglaw? Was that it's name?

 

Nah, I think it's Clawraven? Ravenclaw? Then the other one has…raccoon on it? Whatever. I wont wear a tie then.

 

She then went up the stairs to her four-poster bed and flopped down on it. She stripped off her clothes and jumped into a nightgown then crawled into bed. It was strange without having a roommate to say goodnight too. Tomorrow was going to be so tiring as well. She then placed her wand on the table next to the bed and fell asleep.