Basilisk Eyes

Chapter 86: Talking with Ron

Walking back to the dining hall with the Weasleys, Harry realized how hungry and tired he felt. He hadn't been this hungry in a while.

I suppose it is from all the jumping around in the ocean.

He was thankful for the magic at the door that removed all the stray sand from their bodies and dried their clothes. Hermione was especially appreciative of it as it emptied copious amounts of sand from her hair. Harry was standing right behind her and felt the sting of it as it was blown off her body. He felt a lot more comfortable than he had after his trunks had been transformed back to his trousers and baggy t-shirt. They were soggy and sand-filled—his pants were especially uncomfortable—until he walked over the threshold.

In the corridor they were greeted by the delicious aroma of curry and cardamom.

"Ugh, Indian food," Percy whined.

"Hush, Percy," Molly admonished.

Everyone else seemed excited and the twins and Lee raced toward the dining hall, nearly running into Mei, who must have just left the Montmorency room.

"Hey, you lot, watch where you're going," Mei exclaimed as their trainers skidded on the stone floors, but she didn't sound that put out. Harry wondered how long it took her to swim all the way back to the portal that took her back to the room.

"I thought you were going to transform back into a human?" Ron blurted out.

Harry reached out, trying to grab Ron before he dug himself in deeper and caught his shirt.

"I am human, you twit," Mei said.

"Right," Ron said as shrugged his shirt out of Harry's grasp.

"Ron," Harry said with exasperation and stopping in the middle of the corridor.

"What?" Ron asked, turning to face him.

"Come on, can't you think before you open your mouth?" Harry hissed as the others passed them.

"What? Not you, too, Harry!" Ron whigned. "Why's everyone ganging up on me?"

"Seriously?" Harry questioned, "Can't you see how hurtful questioning someone's humanity might be?"

"But what does she expect? She's part fish!" Ron exclaimed.

"I imagine she expects to be treated respectfully! She still has feelings!"

"I didn't say she didn't," Ron said.

"You're kind of implying that she doesn't by the way you're talking to her. Don't you get it, Ron? It hurts to have people constantly talking about you, defining you by one part of who you are, seeing only that aspect of you—like it is the only thing about you."

"Well, it is kind of hard to ignore," Ron said.

"You don't have to ignore it, just don't say anything," Harry managed to grind out through clenched teeth.

"Like don't talk? Ever? Fine!" Ron stormed off leaving Harry sputtering.

I didn't mean don't ever talk... just think about it first! he seethed silently in the corridor as the sound of Ron's feet slapped on the stone until they were absorbed into the sounds of the dining hall. The weight of it was seeping into his limbs again and he felt as though he were walking through muck again.

Harry couldn't stand the chatter of his staff, so quieted it so that all he had to do was listen to the silver tip ting against the stone and slowly made his way to the dining hall. He hoped that Ron cleared off for a while so that he wouldn't have to talk to him for a bit. He didn't know if he could face him again and that thought made his gut clench.