Believing in Nothing has Changed

Scarlett stared deeply in thought, the position of her body imitating her emotions on the inside- closed and fragile. Her legs were pulled close to her chest, her arms wrapping themselves around them as her head rested gently on her knees. Beside her laid her journal- it's fragile binding hardly covering her life story, the only thing that seemed to be keeping her emotions closed and hidden. As she looked into the water her reflection starred back at her, showing a beautiful girl yet scared of something. Feeling something prick the back of her eye, Scarlett's eyes welled up in tears as a single tear fell from her right eye.

Morgan was walking away from the Black Lake when she spotted a young girl sitting, huddled near the lake. As she got nearer, she recognized her as Scarlett from a few of her classes. "Hi, Scareltt. What's the matter?" she asked gently, as she sat next to her, and held her knees to her chest and looked at her, concerned.

When Scarlett heard the footsteps of someone coming near, Scarlett looked straight ahead tying to avoid any eye contact with the person. "Hi, Scarlett. What's the matter?" someone asked from beside her. Relieving her friend, Morgan was the one speaking Scarlett smiled sadly at her Ravenclaw friend. "Nothing," she answered, rubbing her arms as for she was getting cold at the moment.

Morgan heard Scarlett say nothing, but she didn't believe her. She knew there was something wrong. She looked out over the late. "If you ever need to talk, I'd be happy to listen," she said returning her look to Scarlett and smiled gently.

Scarlett looked at her friend then at the ground behind her, nodding her head slightly. Feeling the sudden feeling of being unsafe, Scarlett turned back and starred out over the distance, wrapped herself tighter as goosebumps appeared along her skin. "Morgan," she begun, not sure how to place this, "Have you ever felt like you don't belong?" she asked, her eyes changing to a light shade of gray.

Morgan nodded. "I feel like that a lot, and not just here. I feel like that when I'm home with my family, too," she smiled slightly. "It wasn't until recently that I even started to feel like I belonged here. Is that what's bothering you?" Morgan asked gently.

Scarlett smiled gently, "But it's not just that, that's getting to me," she chattered out with a sigh, "It's the 'Mud-blood' comments, that are made around here," she finished, gesturing to the school grounds."In Defense Against the Dark Arts class, you were there to witness the stupid comments, that Slytherin made about me," she added, another tear finding its way down her cheek. Red sparks begun to spark their way in her eyes, "And you saw how she said that, anyone that could love a muggle-born was to be weak in battle,"

Morgan reached into her bag and took out a light purple handkerchief and handed it to Scareltt with a small smile. "I heard, but not everyone believes that. Take me for example, I don't think that by liking, or loving, a Muggle-born it makes you weaker in anything. I actually believe the opposite! The more united you are with other magical beings like you, the MORE power you have against whatever you are fighting," Morgan said gently putting a hand on Scarlett's shoulder. She didn't know what made her tell this girl all that, but it felt right to say it.

Scarlett took the violet handkerchief from Morgan, nodding her head in thanks seeming she chose to be silent for a moment. She then wiped away her tears and listened to Morgan's take on Muggle-born and how it makes you a better person. Looking away and blushing, Scarlett grinned, "I need to hear that," she replied, chuckling slightly. "It felt.. flattering," she added sarcastically, poking Morgan's arm.

Morgan smiled brightly at Scarlett and her playful gesture. "It's hard for me to talk about it, well, anything with anyone. I don't have many friends thanks to the reputation my name has. But, I believe it to my core. I'm glad it could help you. I think you're a sweet person, Scarlett. Even if you are a Muggle-born," Morgan said playfully.

Scarlett shrugged and sighed, "Ugh.," she started, "I get that a lot," she added playfully, her eyes returning to their light brown shade. "So.. I heard you are Keeper of Ravenclaw for the Quidditch team," she decided to state, changing the feelings that laid in the air. "And I also heard you're pretty good at it,"

Morgan smiled and shrugged. "I guess I'm alright," she said modestly. "Do you play Quidditch for your house?" she asked.

Scarlett smiled at Morgan's modesty, "Well I heard you were amazing!" she commented, putting emphasize on 'Amazing'. When Morgan asked the question does she play for her house, Scarlett grinned madly, "Yeah," she answered, biting her lower lip, "I'm Seeker,"

"A seeker? Good for you! I can't wait for our houses to play one another," she said brightly. At her comment that Morgan was considered amazing, she blushed slightly and shrugged. "Who told you that?" she asked with a smile.

Scarlett smiled at Morgan's comments comment about playing against each other. "I've bet you been playing ever since you were a kid," she wondered, "Who got you hooked on Quidditch?" she asked, gold specks glistening in her eyes of hope. Shrugging at her friend's question, "Ar.. I get around," she commented, making Morgan wait awhile before she asked. "I over-heard a group of students saying so," she answered a moment later, a smirk appearing on her face. "I think Sirus told them," she added putting her finger up to her lip, giving Morgan her innocent look.

Sirius talked about her? she thought to herself with a shy smile. That wasn't something she was used to. Not about anything good, anyways. "I got myself hooked, I guess you could say. I would follow the games in the Prophet and sometimes my parents would take me to a game or two. Guess, I've sorta been playing for a while. But, I didn't get to play play until I started school here. What about you? How long have you been playing?" Morgan asked.

Scarlett looked over to the Quidditch field, which they had a pretty good view of. "Hmm.. I didn't start playing Qudditch until I arrived here at Hogwarts. Actually I didn't either know that were such things as flying broomsticks none the least a game to play while on one," she explained putting a smirk on her face.

Morgan smiled. "Silly me. I guess you wouldn't since you are Muggle-born," she said with a giggle. "Did you play any sports before you came here?" Morgan asked, curious what kinds of sports Muggles played since they didn't have Quidditch.

Scarlett grinned, "Yeah lots, actually. After my father left to find work in England, I took socializing as a second language and silence as my first," she started, laughing at how silence was one of her favorite hobby. "So my grandparents started putting me in all these sports clubs and making me participate in the nearest elementary school's sport competitions. Like that one time, they put me in the basketball tournament that was being held on the YMCA's property. Oh, are that one time, they made me try-out for the soccer team at my school and was voting most valuable player after winning the championship," she added her voice becoming more and more cheerful at the thoughts. "But my all time favorite was softball," she stated grinning from ear-to-ear.

Morgan's smile grew and grew as she listened to her friend tell of all the sports and excitement she experienced growing up. When she got to softball, Morgan tilted her head a little confused. "What is softball?" she asked, curious to hear all about it.

Scarlett giggled, "You don't know what softball is? Morgan, it's the best sport ever!" she replied, taking a moment to think of how to explain the sport clearly. "Softball is like baseball, only for girls..," she started to explain with a shrug. Counting the ways they were different, Scarlett started to name all of them, "Well, in softball there's a smaller field, a larger bat and seven innings rather then nine like in baseball. Oh and you're only allowed to pitch underhand," she finished, looking to see if Morgan was following. Seeing a question form on her face, Scarlett stood up and put up the nearest rock. Swinging it behind and under then releasing the rock into the lake in a fast motion. "Like that," she declared quietly, "Here you try"

Morgan tried to follow as best as she could while Scarlett explained softball to her. She smiled and nodded when Scarlett showed her what she meant by pitching "underhand." It sounds like I'd like this game... she thought to herself. When Scarlett offered for her to try, Morgan looked at the 1st year and then at the rock she offered her. Morgan got up and took it then copied how Scarlett stood. "Like this?" she asked and threw the rock underhanded just like Scarlett had done. It flew in a long arc and landed in the water of the lake.

Morgan spun around at the sound of a new voice asking if what they were doing was a Muggle game. She didn't know the Slytherin girl, but she had seen her around the grounds before. "Ummm.... Yes. It's called softball. She was just showing me how they throw the ball when they play," Morgan answered meekly. "I'm Morgan, by the way. Ummmm.... Morgan Prince. And this is my friend, Scarlett," she introduced herself and her friend with a gentle smile.