Had someone told Ila it was harder to find truth in a place with magic then finding a needle in a haystack, she would wonder if you'd had a coma or had any other brain damage.

That and avoiding people's questions about her father..

Sirius Black. The more she read about him, the fishier his case seemed to her. How were they able to arrest a man without any proof?

Especially when they had potions like veritaserum in the ministry?

It felt more like an inside job, as if no one wanted the truth to come out.

On the other hand, Harry and her hadn't talked to each other in ages. Despite being in the same class. It was as if he was avoiding her.

Or she was avoiding him. It wasn't clear to her which, for when she wished to talk to him, he was taken away by his friends and when she tried to talk to him, Draco would drag her away to tell her about some Malfoy estate magnanimity, which honestly bored her at this point.

" Who is your father anyway? " Draco asked one day as he scribbled away on the charms essay. He didn't know it, but she'd fallen asleep on the sofa. It was incredibly boring to learn about the Malfoy family ancestry, seeing as the family was a true blood purist.

" Draco, " She tapped his shoulder during one drowsy Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson, " Why do you think half bloods, or for that matter muggle borns have dirty blood? " She asked. The boy stared at her as if she'd grown three heads.

" Funny you ask Black, " He said, " Seeing as your family worships the motto ' Tojours pur ' . Always pure." He shook his head, then kept a hand on her shoulder, " Take it from me cousin. Muggle borns don't have pure blood. They are the fluke in the system. Magic only belongs to those who have a pure blood. Not dirty like those. " He sighed.

" But blood isn't pure or impure Draco. It's just blood. It's only haemoglobin with the cells in our body. It's not as if they're aliens. Also, pearls are born from foreign substances in oyesters. Lightening strikes when charges collapse. " Her eyes softened, " All things that are beautiful in life are freaks of nature Draco. Moreover, think of it this way, we received the magic because it's ancestral. But they got it because nature chose it for them. "

" It's different. " He mumbled, " If your ancestors saw you like this, speaking in favour of muggle borns.. You don't even know how much hate your house portraits must be spewing against you as of now. " He said, as if truly worried.

" Well then they'll grow up and learn that they're dead. " Ila answered, tone flat. " Tell me Draco. Why do you think muggle blood isn't pure. Not what your father told you, not what the books tell you. Why do you think it's not pure? "

"Ms Black? Anything to share with the class? " Quirrel finally spoke up.

Quirrel. He was the most eccentric teachers of them all. Confusing and to be fair an idiot. She knows she should respect her teachers. Her mother would be furious at her calling a teacher an idiot. But it was true. Quirrel looked on the edge all the time and behaved in odd ways.

" No sir. " She answered, then held on to Draco's robe, who was trying to sneak away from her.

" Answer me Draco. And I might tell you about my father. " Ila smirked.

Draco had been trying to figure out who her father was since ages.

He had even asked if he could spend the Christmas Holidays with her.

His eyes lit up at the incentive and he sat back down, " Well, I -" He stopped short, " I -"

" You don't have an answer do you? " She prompted.

" No. " He grumbled.

" Well then. Change your perspective. Maybe you'll find something that tells you how wrong we are to judge them for their 'blood'."

As Draco went back to writing his essay, Ila wondered why it was so har dto make people see reason. To make them think. Use their brains.

As they readied for the charms class next, Ila thought of how to corner Harry today. She needed to talk to him.

⏟

" So Harry. " Ila cornered her first friend ever as the transformation class ended.

" Ila. Hi.. I need to get going -"

" - no you don't. The next class you have is herbology with the Slytherin house which isn't even for another hour. So. You need to come with me." Ila grabbed his hands, pulling him away to the courtyard.

They sat under a pillar and Ila tapped her foot.

" Explain why you've been avoiding me. " Ila said, " You're my friend. My mum decided to go to your house to fight for you.. And now you won't even talk to me? " She asked.

The boy frowned and took of his spectacles. " I.. I didn't mean to Ila. It's just. Gryffindor Slytherin rivalry is too deep and -"

" - so you won't speak to me just cause two old idiots decided they don't want to be friends anymore? " She asked.

The boy had forgotten how scary his friend was. As a matter of fact, how much she threatened him.

" No it's. It's not that. Okay. " He sighed, getting up, " I promise to not run away anymore. Okay? " He asked and Ila smirked.

" Yes. Okay now I have so much to tell you. " She said, sitting by his side.

" I found out who my father is... Or well, what these people think my father is. " Ila whispered. Harry's eyebrows shot up, disappearing into his mused hair.

" Who? " He asked, " Is he alive? "

" He is... " She trailed off, " Or maybe he isn't. To be fair, Professor McGonagall told me that.. That I have to call Sirius Black my father. " She answered in a breath.

" Who? " Harry asked and Ila breathed a sigh of relief.

" Sirius Black... Is a convicted criminal... " She said.

If Harry's brows could rise higher, they would.

" He's.. Well. You have to promise to hear me out before you get mad at me. Okay? " She said.

" I - why would I get mad at you? "

" Well... Sirius Black was your father's best friend... He was... " She licked her lips, eyes not meeting Harry's comforting ones, " He was convicted for spilling the secret of your house. The night.. The night Voldemort killed your parents. They think he was on his side -"

But Ila couldn't finish before Harry stood up, " I - you -" He paused, as if trying to make sense of what she said. To deny what she said. It couldn't be true could it?

" - Harry hear me out please! "

" He killed my parents! " His voice cracked with emotions, fists clenching by his side.

" You didn't hear me out! And no he didn't! Professor McGonagall believes that he was innocent. That it's someone else! Think about it. They have veritaserum-"

" - oh she believes it doesn't she. " He scoffed, " You are -"

" Harry please, " Ila tried, holding his arm, " Come on. You promised to hear me out -" Ila pressed, but it fueled Harry's rage further.

" - yes! " He exclaimed, " Because I thought it must have been theft, or some some laundering of potions or illegal smuggling! "

" But I am telling you what professor McGonagall thinks! "

" I don't care! If he's in prison it must be true! "

" Harry come on -"

" Stop. " He said, breathing deep through his nose, " How can you even -" He choked back, " How can you defend him! You know how it is to loose a father and -"

" - I'm not defending him! I'm trying to get you to see the truth! They could have done so much to find out the truth. Why-"

" Ila stop. Please stop. " Harry held up his hands as she made her way to him, to hold his hands, to hug him. Anything that would make him calm down.

" Harry, please. " Ila whispered, her eyes watered as she stared at her friend, vision blurring.

" - I need time. I don't want to speak to you now. " He said, collecting his books as he ran away.

Ila choked back a sob as he ran off, uncaring..

Ila couldn't believe it. She'd come here to mend her friendship. Not loose him. With the way he reacted, she definitely lost him.

He didn't even hear the whole thing. How Sirius might not even be her father. Even if he was... Ila would think Harry had the basic sense to separate the fact that she was his daughter. She didn't betray his parents, if Sirius even did that in the first place.

But the torrent of emotions was too much to take. Sirius being her father, not being her father. His brother wasn't alive either. Regulus Black was dead. He could very well have been her father but now he was also dead.

Often times, we forget, that children, regardless of their wit, mind or even compassion are, at the end children. They need support. Love, care.

She sat down, holding her head in her hands as she cried. It felt too hot, every part of her body felt like it would combust. Daphne's lies. McGonagall's half truth. Harry's outburst, her mind was flashing images and scenes over and over.

" Ila? " A soft voice asked. She looked up to see Ron Weasley standing there, confused.

" What do you want? " She sniffed, if Harry had reacted that way, she knew how much Ron hated the Slytherins. She wasn't going to hurt herself more.

" The class is about to start. " He mumbled, " Herbology? " He said, he  swayed on his toes.

She'd forgotten about the class. Not wanting to go at all. Her mind was too busy to focus in class.

" I'll come. Thank you. " She answered, clearing her throat as she wiped her tears away.

" I always said that the Slytherin boys are idiots. " He mumbled.

But Ila had no strength to fight him as she trudged along the fields to the greenhouse.

She held her head low, walking to a side.

" Hey. You're late? " Theo said, surprising her. He rarely spoke to her of his own volition, let alone even try, " I'm fine. " She answered.

His eyes zeroed on her red eyes, but ignored it, choosing to offer a quill for notes.

He couldn't care less about her drama. But something about seeing her cry.. It made him question why he cared. He shouldn't care. So why couldn't he see her cry?

" We'll talk later. " He said.

" I said I'm fine-"

" - we'll talk later. We have potions in the evening. If you have too much on your brain you'll mess up the ingredients and I'd rather Snape not yell and you or me today. " He answered curtly, going silent again.

Ila stared at him, his face was unreadable as always. It always surprised Ila how an eleven year old was this expressionless. Unusual was an understatement. This boy was truly weird. Ron was right.

⏟

Okay people. I know I said we'll see the trolls in this one. But I wanted this to be here first. I wanted Harry to realize how he's hurting his friend, just as they make friends with Hermione later.

But Hermione was kinder to them. Ila won't spare Harry.

🤣

Anyways, tell me how it was. Much love ♥