The Outcasts Of Hogwarts

Chapter 11 Trials Concluded

Harry wasn't quite sure whether he liked Amaris hanging around them. From very early on in his Hogwarts life it had always been him, Ron and Hermione. He liked it being just them (even with the other two constantly at each other's throats these days) and he didn't really want that to change.

Outside of lessons, she was with them practically all the time, which made it very difficult for Harry to tell Ron and Hermione the important stuff on his mind. Stuff about Sirius Black and the dementors. Stuff he didn't trust Amaris with yet.

Not that he thought there was anything wrong with Amaris herself. He saw that she felt very out of place and could be shy and nervous. It reminded Harry of how he had felt at his muggle Primary School, alone and lost. He didn't want her to be lonely like he had been.

Besides, she was quite a lot of fun to be around. She was a ball of energy that was intrigued by everything. She was constantly asking questions, was inquisitive and loud. At times it was annoying but Harry found it refreshing to have someone who was still in wonder at the wizarding world. And not constantly talking about how his life was in danger from an escaped madman.

In fact, despite it being consistently in the Daily Prophet, Harry wasn't sure whether Amaris knew what was going on with the Sirius Black situation. Once, over lunch, they had been discussing why Black would risk going after Harry as he could get caught and sent back to Azkaban.

"Well, it's because he's a devoted follower of the Dark Lord," Hermione had said, "he's prepared to do anything to avenge his master."

"What?" Amaris had chuckled, "Sirius Black devoted to the Dark Lord!" She'd smiled and shaken her head like it was a bad joke and before they could ask her what she had meant, she had got up and headed to her lesson with Dumbledore.

Harry had found it very weird but then again there were many things about Amaris that he found weird. Like how she would never wear shoes in the common room and she would always go to sit on the floor or a windowsill. Then, after seemingly remembering that the chairs were there, she would always sit cross-legged or in a sort of crouch, with her feet up on the seat. Her ability to get distracted by completely ordinary things was, honestly, impressive and Harry was sure he had caught her talking to herself on several occasions.

But, from what he'd managed to piece together from the stories Amaris had told him, she had been isolated from anyone her age until now. Also, it seemed that her main motherly figure was a house-elf and her main fatherly figure, a goblin. Not exactly the most normal childhoods but they sounded a fair bit better than his aunt and uncle had been.

He was quite concerned when, on the last day of September, she slugged into breakfast lacking the usual spring in her step. She didn't greet them when she sat down and her eyes seemed dimer. She didn't exactly look tired, more like she was only semi-conscious and her movements were slow and heavy. Harry watched as Amaris nibbled morsels of food, trying to find the right words to ask if she was okay. Being sympathetic and considerate wasn't really his thing but as Ron was definitely worse than he was and Hermione had her nose obliviously buried in the Daily Prophet, it seemed it was up to him.

He had just opened his mouth to speak when Hermione made an unexpected squeak of surprise. Harry turned to see her stuffing the newspaper into her bag, eyeing Amaris nervously as if she was making sure she hadn't seen. But Amaris didn't even look her way, she simply got up and trudged out of the hall with not so much as a wave goodbye, leaving most of her food untouched.

Harry didn't see Amaris for the rest if that morning as she had lessons with Dumbledore but he noticed her absence at lunch. When Hermione walked in, he asked her whether she knew what was going on but she shook her head. Then she grabbed a handful of sandwiches and hurried out again, saying she had homework. And he didn't get a chance to talk to Amaris during charms either as she was on the other end of the classroom.