[Hufflepuff Common Room]
Gabrielle got up early, just like she used to at Beauxbatons.
She quickly changed into her uniform, neatly folded her blanket, but when she looked up again, she ran straight into the strange looks from her roommates.
Gabrielle showed no reaction to this, only walking out of the dormitory with an indifferent expression.
Her Veela bloodline, along with that head of silver hair, made her the center of attention no matter where she was.
She had long gotten used to it. After all, back at Beauxbatons, she had already seen far more disgusting looks and expressions.
Gabrielle had been in England for over a month now.
During this month, Link had settled them in a small estate on the outskirts of Cambridge.
It wasn't big, but it was very beautiful.
It was said to have been built by a Wizengamot member, intended as a retirement residence.
For some unknown reason, it ended up in Link's hands.
She still remembered when the property deed and various identity documents were handed to her parents. They were so excited they could barely contain themselves.
They kept running from one end of the estate to the other, then back again.
Touching this, checking that, their eyes filled with happiness.
They even sighed, saying they had a home again.
That a new life was about to begin.
And indeed, just as they said, a new life had begun.
Her father was arranged a job at Gringotts. The pay wasn't high, but it was very relaxed.
For her father, that alone was already an unimaginable privilege.
Back in France, the jobs he worked were always the hardest and most exhausting.
This wasn't because he lacked ability, nor because of the nature of the work itself.
It was because he had married her mother, a woman with Veela blood.
The French magical world might claim to be open, but that openness was actually directed toward Muggle-born wizards.
Someone like her father was still not accepted by society.
The price he paid for going against convention was that he became an outsider as well, someone pushed aside and suppressed.
Her father never spoke of these things at home.
He always acted optimistic and cheerful, smiling all day long, almost to the point of seeming carefree.
But Gabrielle knew very well that beneath that smile was unbearable pain.
Because she had seen it with her own eyes.
She had seen her father and mother hiding in their room, crying with their heads in their hands.
She had seen her father standing alone at the door, his face full of worry and exhaustion, only to instantly put on a smile when the door opened.
She had even seen him at work, being insulted and mocked by colleagues with filthy words, people going so far as to make "jokes" about her mother.
And at the time, her father only gave an awkward smile.
Gabrielle refused to admit that this meant her father was weak.
Because he had resisted before.
And the result of that resistance was that, during that time, he always came home covered in injuries.
And he would soon lose that job, and the whole family would lose their source of income.
So the reason he endured those insults was only for the stability of the family.
He wasn't weak at all.
On the contrary, he was brave.
A truly weak person would have abandoned them and her mother long ago to start over.
Only someone truly brave would stay and hold this family together.
And all of this changed after coming to England.
Working at Gringotts, her father had likely completely escaped the exclusion and pressure from colleagues and superiors.
It was easy to understand. After all, Gringotts employees used to be under goblin leadership. It would be strange if they discriminated against non-wizard races.
Moreover, her father had been personally recommended by someone like Link Flamel.
Others probably couldn't wait to curry favor with him.
You could tell just by how he hummed tunes all day, smiling brightly.
It wasn't just her father.
Her sister and mother were also living happily.
Her sister had been placed in the Department of International Magical Cooperation, studying English hard every day.
Her mother stayed at home, tending the garden and doing housework.
She was very good at it and loved it.
Household magic was her specialty. With her around, everything at home was always spotless.
She also loved gardening.
Even back in France, when they didn't have a garden, she would still decorate the living room with potted plants and flowers.
Gabrielle still remembered how her mother had said countless times that it would be nice to have a real garden.
And now, her wish had come true.
The estate Link gave them wasn't large, but it was just right for a family of four, and it wasn't too tiring for her mother to maintain.
More importantly, it had a garden.
Everything seemed to be moving in a better direction, just like her sister had promised.
But when she thought back on everything that had happened, it all felt like a dream.
A nightmare.
First, Beauxbatons was attacked. Headmistress Maxime died in battle.
Then, she herself was abducted to England.
Worst of all, the Phantom Knight she once liked the most had, on that night, turned into a demon and become the source of all her suffering.
Everything had changed so fast, far beyond what Gabrielle could understand.
She couldn't process it on her own.
And so it turned into pain, constantly tormenting her.
Even though her sister had already told her the truth about Voldemort and the shadow figures as soon as they left France, it still couldn't mend the wounds in her heart.
Since arriving in England, she had stopped speaking.
The smile had disappeared from her face.
She locked herself in her room. No matter how exquisite the gifts her sister and parents bought, or how delicious the food they made, nothing could rekindle her hope.
Because in the face of that overwhelming wave of pain, the only thing she could do was shut her heart.
Only that way could she make sure she didn't lose her mind.
None of this changed at Hogwarts.
The Hufflepuff common room was famous for being warm and cozy.
The yellow and black color scheme, along with all the lush greenery, always put people in a good mood. Even the portrait of Helga Hufflepuff on the wall looked gentler than the founders of the other houses.
But it still couldn't reach Gabrielle's heart.
Like a lifeless puppet, she closed the dormitory door and slowly walked toward the exit of the common room.
The laughter and chatter in the room vanished the moment she appeared.
Everyone fell silent, watching her with complicated expressions.
That made her bite her lip without realizing it. Her heartbeat sped up, and even her steps quickened.
The habits she had developed at Beauxbatons were urging her to get away as fast as possible.
Because if she walked too slowly, something even more unbearable might happen to her next.
She had experienced too much of that kind of thing at Beauxbatons.
Yet even though she sped up as much as she could, almost to the point of race walking, it still happened.
A tall figure blocked her path.
It was a burly seventh-year girl.
Perhaps "burly" wasn't the most appropriate word for a girl, but Gabrielle couldn't think of anything more fitting.
Her broad frame and thick arms outmatched most boys.
From Gabrielle's experience at Beauxbatons, people like this were usually the hardest to deal with.
Because they were often fiercer than boys, and since they were girls, they weren't bound by the same sense of restraint, making them capable of even more outrageous things.
At that moment, Gabrielle had already prepared herself to face disaster.
But in the next instant, two newspapers were handed to her.
Gabrielle took them and opened them. The reports came clearly into her view.
Her body swayed slightly.
The name Norton was like a steel needle, stabbing deep into her heart.
He was one of the professors she respected the most at Beauxbatons, second only to Maxime and Lero.
He was powerful, serious, even seemingly cold, radiating an aura that kept people at a distance.
But beneath that cold exterior was a burning heart.
Whenever someone needed help, Professor Norton was always the first to act.
And this time was no exception.
But… was it really necessary to go this far?
The ones who brought disaster to Beauxbatons were Link and Dumbledore.
Shouldn't the targets of revenge be those two?
Why attack the Hogwarts Express and Diagon Alley?
Those places were filled with innocent people.
Gabrielle's body trembled slightly.
She actually already had an answer in her heart.
Link and Dumbledore were simply too strong.
So strong that Professor Norton didn't even dare to make a probing attack against them.
So Norton shifted his revenge onto innocent civilians.
This kind of act, this shameless act, was it really something Professor Norton could do?
Gabrielle could hardly believe it.
At the same time, she also roughly understood why this burly Hufflepuff girl had stopped her.
Her thinking was probably the same as Norton's.
Unable to take revenge on the true culprits, so they vented it on someone connected to them.
Even if that connection was so distant it barely meant anything.
Gabrielle was far too familiar with such things.
She lifted her head, looking at the burly Hufflepuff girl in front of her, her face filled with disdain and pride.
As if mocking the other's actions.
She had always been like this.
She was like that at Beauxbatons, and she would be the same at Hogwarts.
Endless retreat and tolerance had no meaning.
It would only make their laughter louder and the next round of bullying more reckless.
In the face of bullying, you had to push back hard, no matter the cost.
Even if the enemy was far stronger.
Even if they outnumbered you.
Because only then would those who bullied you understand that hurting you came with a price.
This was Gabrielle's way of surviving.
If not for this, she would have been swallowed whole at Beauxbatons long ago.
"Gabrielle, where are you going?"
The Hufflepuff girl blocking her asked softly, her tone carrying an indescribable feeling.
At the same time, the surrounding Hufflepuffs stood up and slowly approached.
The mocking edge in Gabrielle's smile deepened.
Her sister had said that after coming to Hogwarts, life would get much better.
At least she wouldn't be bullied anymore.
After all, bloodline discrimination was punished at Hogwarts.
'But now?'
'What was the difference between here and Beauxbatons?'
'What difference was there between the students here and those at Beauxbatons?'
'Wasn't the bullying still happening?'
'Heh!'
Gabrielle couldn't help but let out a cold laugh, lifting her chin as she said, "Going to eat. To class."
The burly girl across from her raised her arm.
Instinct made Gabrielle close her eyes.
She had already prepared for that hand to strike her face in the next moment.
She even leaned back slightly.
That evasive movement wouldn't help her avoid the blow, but it might keep her ears from getting hurt.
Yet the expected sound of air being cut, the shouting, and the burning pain never came.
That large hand only gently touched her face.
Warm. Dry.
Then she heard the girl say gently, "Poor child. I'll go with you. No, we'll all go with you. We already talked about it."
Gabrielle opened her eyes in disbelief.
What she saw was a face that looked fierce, but with clear and sincere eyes.
"That's right, Gabrielle, we'll go with you."
"Don't be shy, Gabrielle. This is what we should do!"
———
More and more people gathered around, surrounding Gabrielle tightly, constantly speaking words of comfort.
It only made her more confused.
Her lips moved as she spoke in a voice barely above a whisper, "W… why?"
"Why?"
The burly girl repeated it, sounding puzzled.
"Didn't I just show you today's Daily Prophet? After what happened, the whole of Hogwarts is in chaos. It's a mess outside right now."
"Even the professors can't control it. And someone like you, who just transferred from Beauxbatons, could easily become a target for people to vent their anger on."
"But don't worry!" a freckled older boy cut in.
"We'll protect you! No matter where you want to go, we'll go with you. We won't let those thugs hurt you! Haha! That's what it means to be Hufflepuff! Unity and kindness, that's our motto!"
Another tall, slender girl stepped forward. She was Gabrielle's roommate.
She held Gabrielle's arm and said, "But I think it's better if you don't go out. It's not safe. Anyway, with something like this happening today, classes probably won't go on."
"As for breakfast, that's not a problem. The kitchens are right next door. I'll have someone get some food later. How about you stay here with us for a while?"
"Also, Gabrielle, Hogwarts isn't strict about dorm rules. You don't have to fold your blanket the moment you wake up every day. And so… perfectly, too."
Their answers didn't really match her question.
But looking at their gentle eyes, Gabrielle's mind went blank for a moment.
She found herself nodding.
Then she was guided by the crowd to sit on the sofa by the fireplace.
The burly girl from earlier happily poured her a cup of black tea and said apologetically, "Sorry, Gabrielle."
"It's only the first day of term, and we've already left you with such a bad impression. I hope you won't take it to heart. Hogwarts is actually quite friendly. Uh… most of the time."
Listening to her, Gabrielle's eyes finally turned red.
Her nose stung. Something welled up in her eyes until her vision blurred.
Her lips parted slightly. She wanted to say thank you.
But before she could speak, a loud bang sounded from not far away.
Everyone turned their heads sharply.
They saw Harry kick open the wooden board blocking the entrance to the common room and rush in with Hermione.
"Where's Gabrielle?! Where is she?!", Harry shouted aggressively.
Good grief. Someone actually had the nerve to come to Hufflepuff looking for trouble.
The Hufflepuffs in the room all showed disbelief.
Soon, several older Hufflepuff boys sitting on the outer edge stood up.
They stretched, cracked their necks, and grinned as they walked toward Harry.
Some even quietly took out their wands.
The scene put a lot of pressure on Harry.
But he didn't back down.
He still remembered his original goal... to rescue Gabrielle.
His face was full of determination.
At this moment, he felt like he had become a knight trying to rescue a princess taken by a dragon.
A crimson cloak fluttered behind him. A gleaming white blade reflected a cold light in his hand.
And not only that, he had the most trustworthy companion at his back.
At this moment, he feared nothing. He was unstoppable.
Smack!
That most trusted companion, Hermione, slapped Harry hard on the head.
The crimson cloak and shining blade vanished instantly.
Harry clutched his head and cried out, then looked at Hermione with a wronged expression.
He didn't understand.
Why would the companion who had gone through so many adventures with him betray him at such a critical moment?
Hermione, had you also become a lackey of the dragon?
Hermione, on the other hand, was so angry her face turned pale.
One look at Harry and she knew he was acting up again.
Pointing at Gabrielle in the distance, Hermione snapped, "Idiot, take a good look. Does Gabrielle look like she's being bullied?"
After saying that, she ignored Harry and turned back with a smile.
"Sorry for the interruption. We heard about what happened today and rushed over because we were worried Gabrielle might be bullied. She's alright, right?"
As soon as she said that, the Hufflepuffs who had gathered looked at each other awkwardly, sheepishly putting away their fists and wands.
They had actually been the same as Harry just now, all imagining themselves as knights.
Hoping to protect Princess Gabrielle and show themselves off in front of her.
They hadn't expected it to be a misunderstanding.
The atmosphere turned extremely awkward.
And at that moment, a string of bell-like laughter rang out in the common room.
It was Gabrielle.
She laughed.
Her first laugh since coming to England.
She laughed so freely that tears kept streaming from her eyes, unable to stop.
She tilted her head back. Through her blurred vision, she could vaguely see the portrait of Helga Hufflepuff on the wall, holding up a golden cup and smiling at her.
For no reason, it made her think of her sister.
She thought of what her sister had said to her before...
Once you go to Hogwarts, everything will get better.
"Sister… maybe you were right.", Gabrielle whispered to herself.