Snitches and peace treaties

Excitement is an understatement for what I'm feeling as I wake up. I get under the shower while the others are still fast asleep, get dressed with the others still fast asleep, open Pansy's trunk and spill her entire ink into it while the others are still fast asleep, pack my bag and run into the common room. Then I feel stupid, run back up and wake Nia and Lorinda.
"Guys c'mon get up. First day of school." I whisper to make sure Pansy doesn't wake up as well. They both blink the sleep out of their eyes and get ready as well. We jump down to the stairs into the common room where some of the older Slytherins yawn as they finish their homework for the day.
We follow a tired fourth year through the gateways up to the Great Hall and sit down for breakfast. We're almost finished when a pissed off Pansy with ink stains all over her clothes storms in.
"Youuu!" she growls at me clutching her wand in her shaking, blue hands "I will kill you for this."
"For what, exactly?" I ask trying my hardest to supress my laughter.
She shows her hands and then points at her clothes "THIS!" she shrieks absolutely furiously catching the entire Halls attention.
I cannot help myself from laughing "Looks like you didn't close your ink properly? Happens to people all the time."
Nia and Lorinda start laughing as well "It's a good look though." grins Nia.
Pansy flashes us the angriest look and storms off.
"I don't want to know what she's going to do to our stuff now..." Says Lorinda.
"Oh don't worry. I put special locking spells on our trunks. No way she knows how to unlock them." I calm her.
"Do you?" laughs Nia.
I nod "I'm not an idiot."
"Messing with someone like Pansy on the first day seems idiotic." corrects Lorinda.
"Well-" I put on a guilty face "Who says I did anything?"
They laugh again.
After we finish our breakfast we decide to go back to our dorms to make sure our beds haven't been burned down by Pansy but someone grabs my arm and pulls me to the side as soon as we leave the Great Hall.
"Cute little prank." says a grinning Fred Weasley "Probably going to cost you your life, but funny enough."
"I don't know what you're talking about." I say trying to look innocent.
"Now I have to admit... Ink isn't the most creative thing but it sure is a successful way to make someone mad. What did she do to deserve this anyways?"
"Infested with Weasleys, Mudbloods, half breeds. It's disgusting." I imitate her.
"Ah, I see. Well in that case, I might have something better for you." He pulls out a small bag of sweets "Three Galleons and you can give that girl hell."
"Three Galleons for what exactly?"
He grins "Just some of the famous Weasley Ton-Tongue Toffee."
"She's going to have me expelled if I poison her like that."
"Oh sorry, I assumed you knew how to mess with someone without them knowing it was you... seems your just an amateur."
"Oh please. She'd simply suspect it was me."
He shrugs "Well your loss, have fun letting her walk all over you."
"Nice try Weasley. You're a good salesman but I'm really not desperate for your approval. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to somehow find my way back to my common room."
"Oh that's easy I can bring you there." He says and follows me.
"And what is it you want in return?"
"Why would you assume I want something i n return?" he asks offended.
"You don't?"
"Well, not yet." he grins.
"Why do you know how to get to Slytherin, anyways?" I ask him as he guides me through the labyrinthine passages.
"I know where everything is." he says ominously. "Aaaand voilà here we are." he points at the stone wall.
"Thanks Weasley, very kind of you." I say, expecting him to leave but he doesn't.
"Can I help you with anything?"
"Time to repay me."
"Fine-" I roll my eyes "Three Galleons was it?"
He chuckles "No, that's not what I'm talking about..." he taps against the stone wall "You repay me in secrets."
"I'm not going to tell you the password."
"Well then you're not going to get in..."
"Weasley, I will curse you." I say and pull out my wand.
He just laughs some more and takes the wand out of my hand with ease "Cute. Now, password and I don't break your precious threatening twig."
"You wouldn't."
"Oh. I am crazy like that. Now come on. I have some unfinished business."
"If anyone finds out I did this they're going to hate me forever." I whisper.
"Well hen make sure no one finds out. Besides who cares if a Slytherin hates you."
"In case you haven't noticed, I am a Slytherin."
"Yeah, but you're not like them, are you now." is that meant to be a compliment? I can feel my cheeks flushing red "Now come on, Wilderwald! Password, don't be a buzzkill."
"Again, not looking for your validation. Now just give me my wand and leave." I wink at the leave part.
He nods understandingly "Fine be boring then." he says loudly and leaves around a corner.
"Antipodean Opaleye." I say as clearly as possible and the door slides open.
"Well well well if it isn't the mudblood!" Draco greets me with a evil grin surrounded by evil looking Slytherins of all years pointing their wands at me.
I point my wand at Draco "What do you want Malfoy."
"You mess with one Slytherin, you mess with all of us. Not very nice what you did to Pansy, was it?"
I roll my eyes "Please. You call muggleborns pathetic, meanwhile you thick-headed pure-blood geniuses don't even know how to properly close your ink-pots."
He flicks his wand to send a curse at me but I block it with a quick protego then I whisper "stupefy" and send him flying across the entire common room. He jumps to his feet with confusion and even more fury in his eyes.
"You should know, there's a few very special curses out there and even though I wouldn't be too fond of using them, if any of you mess with me-" I look at all the Slytherins surrounding me "I'm not going to hesitate."
I proceed to walk past all of them into my dorm.
"What took you so long?" Lorinda asks curiously putting the last few books into her bag.
"Had a quick chat with a Gryffindor." I say and grab my already packed bag. "Ready for potions class?"
They both nod and we go back into the common room where the others immediately stare at us. Aidan and Isaac suddenly join us "You guys could have waited." mumbles Elijah quietly.
"Honestly, why were you up so early? we only woke up because Pansy was screaming like a maniac about some ink getting on her clothes." says Aidan. "Nice one , by the way." he whispers into my ear so quietly only I can hear it.
We find the Potions classroom rather quickly and take our seats at a table with five chairs. Shortly after the other student come strolling into the classroom and take their seats Gryffindors and Slytherins divided as well as possible. Harry greets me with a hug once he enters the classroom, Ron with a smile and they walk over to one of the last empty tables. Shorty after Hermione comes in as well, also hugging me and then walks over to sit next to Harry.
The other Slytherins stare at me with disgust. But I just smile back at them.
Finally the potions master and head of Slytherin, Professor Snape enters the classroom, his robes flying past him as he struts towards the teachers seat.
No hello, no introduction, he just begins checking attendance.
And of course he stops at Harry's name "Ah yes, Harry Potter, our new celebrity."
I roll my eyes at Malfoy and his braindead bodyguards sniggering behind their hands.
"Wilderwald... Haven." weirdly Snape stops at my name as well and stares at me for a few seconds. Then he just continues checking attendance.
"You are here to to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making." His voice is quiet, barely more than a whisper, but I can hear every single word. Snape has the room so quiet, We could hear a feather falling.
"As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses..."
Aidan and I give each other an annoyed look. We both were more than excited for potions class, thinking it was one of the most interesting subjects, so Snape's assumptions were frustrating.
"I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even put a stopper in death, if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."
Our annoyed looks turn into grins.
"Potter!" he says suddenly "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" I can see Hermione's hand shoot in the air. A powerful sleeping potion.
"I don't know, sir." says Harry.
"Tut-tut, fame clearly isn't everything." says Snape at which I can't help but roll my eyes.
"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" in the stomach of a goat, obviously. I raise my hand just like Hermione, and so does Aidan, looking even more frustrated.
Snape ignores us all.
"I don't know, sir." says Harry again.
Malfoy and his idiot crew can't stop laughing.
"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?"
I let out an annoyed sigh which makes Snape turn to look at me.
"Is there a problem, Miss Wilderwald?" he asks now approaching me.
"Actually, sir, there is." I say.
"Oh, and that would be?"
"Well, first of all, this is a potions class. You have more than one student and in case you haven't noticed, some of us know the answers to your questions. Second of all, it's pathetic to single out Potter. For your information, he did in fact look into your stupid books. You can't expect someone who learned he was a wizard a month ago to know the entire Potions book by heart. It' not our only subject, you know?"
A few Slytherins laugh at me as Snape approaches our table and sits down right in front of me "That is your first warning, Miss Wilderwald. Speak out of line again, you're out."
"Speak out of line? You asked me. It's not my fault you don't know how to teach."
Aidan gasps quietly.
"Detention, Miss Wilderwald."
"Stop being unfair. Single out Potter in your free-time. Personally, I came here o learn and not watch my teacher try to humiliate someone."
"Well then. First lesson. What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?" he asks me this time "and be so kind to answer my first two questions as well, if you know so much."
"Fine." I snap "Asphodel and wormwood make a powerful sleeping potion, which is also known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar, you can find in the stomach of a goat. It's a stone that can save you from most potions. And monkshood and wolfsbane are the same plant. Also goes by aconite. Satisfied?"
He stares deeply into my soul "Very good. I expect everyone was copying that down?" he asks the class.
The classroom is filled with the sound of students hectically searching for their quills and parchment.
Once Snape arrives back at the front of the classroom he says "In today's lesson you will brew a simple cure for boils. I expect you to work in groups of two and follow the instructions given in your book closely."
Aidan and I immediately look at each other and nod in understanding.
"Not fair!" mumbles Elijah "You both know what you're doing."
We laugh but stay a pair.
"That was risky." he whispers to me "You could have lost us a bunch of points."
"If Snape takes points from his own house, even though he's clearly the one in the wrong... I'd riot." I peak over to the teacher closely watching us.
"Now... cure for boils, eh?" I shuffle through the potions book until I find the right page.
"Seems simple enough." says Aidan reading through the instructions.
"Simple?" asks Elijah staring at his book.
"All you have to do is follow the instructions." says Lorinda "it's really not that hard." she looks over to Nia who went to work with Daphne Greengrass "made the wrong choice..." she mumbles to herself.
Aidan and I align our cauldrons, scales, mortars and thermometer.
"First thing we need are six Snake fangs." says Aidan.
I nod and throw them into the mortar and crush them into a fine powder using the pestle while he slices the pungous onions finely.
"Four measures into the cauldron..." mumbles Aidan taking the appropriate amount and adding the snake fangs and onions to the cauldron which the heats up to 250 for exactly 10 seconds. I wave my wand and we allow to brew for forty minutes. After a while I throw the dried nettles into the mixture.
As I add a dash of Flobberworm mucus, which my the way is as disgusting as it sounds, and begin to stir vigourously, Snape joins our table and looks into the cauldron then he leans down and whispers "I will see you after class." and walks away.
"You're in so much trouble." laughs Aidan preparing the next ingredients.
I add a sprinkle of powdered ginger root and start stirring again "Oh please, he has no right to be mad."
"Well..." Aidan adds the Shrake spines and stirs the mix gently "You did call him pathetic."
"Rightfully so." I mutter and add the four stewed, horned slugs to the cauldron.
Aidan takes the cauldron off the fire and as I throw two porcupine quills into the mix and finish stirring clockwise, five times a cloud of bright green smoke and a loud hissing fill the dungeon. We all look over to the Gryffindors, where Neville melted Seamus' cauldron into a small blob and watch their potion run over their table and burn up peoples shoes.
We all climb onto out chairs, Aidan hands me our cauldron "You do the honours."
I quickly wave my wand over our potion and watch through the pink smoke coming from our finished potion, how Neville, drenched in his potion, cries in pain as boils cover his arms and legs.
"Idiot boy!" snarls Snape, clearing the potion away with a swing of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"
He commands Seamus to get Neville to the hospital wing and then begins to scold Harry for not warning Neville, as if it were his responsibility.
Aidan sighs "That's it." He takes a deep breath "Hey Professor!" he shouts across the room. Everybody's heads turn to us at once. "If you care to notice." he points at the cauldron in my hand "We are the first to finish, even before your golden boy Malfoy. So maybe you can stop blaming Potter for something he has no control over and act like a teacher."
I stare at him "You're mental. Absolutely mental." I whisper.
"Yes... trying to protect your friend here." he whispers as Snape struts towards us.
I can see the anger in his eyes as he stares into our cauldron but he says with a forced tone "Very well done. Five points to Slytherin for finishing the potion first." He gives us a hateful look and walks away.
"What the..." Aidan is just as confused as me.
"This time you were lucky." Lorinda says "But can you two please stop pushing him? I'd like to win the house cup."
"Sorry." we both laugh.
After the class I try to sneak out of the classroom before having to sit through a conversation with Snape but he stops me. Harry gives me a thankful look and whispers "Good luck." before escaping the classroom.
I sigh and sit down on a stool as far from Snape as possible.
"You're behaviour today-" Snape begins whilst pacing through the room "was absolutely inacceptable."
"I'm sorry, Professor. But I am not going to let anyone mistreat my friends and that does involve teachers."
"Friends." he scoffs "Gryffindor friends. Do you have any idea how bad you're making us look?"
"Bad? If anything I'm actually shining a positive light on us. I don't know if you noticed, but the entire school hates us."
"I don't care what the school thinks of the Slytherins. I care about the pure-blood families that created a proud, strong image for this house."
I laugh "Are you serious? You do realize that us students are the ones who have to deal with this proud image, right? Personally I don't want to be hated by everybody just because the hat decided to throw me into Slytherin."
"It is not your decision to make-"
"Actually, it is. I won't be treated like pure-blood supremacist trash, just because some of you are so proud of your hateful, gatekeeping ways."
"Is that why you go around calling yourself a muggleborn? As a sign of rebellion?"
He sits down across the table "Do you have any idea how upset families like the Malfoys were when they heard a Mudblood was sorted into Slytherin?"
"Shouldn't you as a teacher be more liberal towards us mudbloods? Considering that kind of thinking already cost you Lily?"
"You're not a- wait what did you say?" his fury turns into confusion.
"Things could have actually worked out with sweet, sweet Lily Evans, couldn't they. But it was easier to just keep judging people for their blood."
"How do you know about her?" he's even more confused.
"She speaks to me." I lie "And she's furious. The way you treated her son today... breaks her heart."
Fear and sadness fill his eyes "You liar. How do you know about her? Who told you?"
"She did. Told me everything. She hoped one of her oldest friends would make her son feel a little more welcome... but you are too blinded by jealousy, aren't you."
"Stop lying!" he bangs on the table.
"I don't care, how you found out about that. I want you to stop telling people you're muggleborn."
"I'm not?"
He looks confused "No, of course not. Why would you think that?"
"I don't know. I wasn't convinced of it... just thought it might be a possibility."
"How could it possibly be a possibility? You grew up in a wizarding family."
"Well, I don't remember that." I snap and want to get up.
"What do you mean?" he stops me.
"I don't remember anything from before a month ago. Ron Weasley said, I could've been obliviated."
Something in his head seems to click but all he says is "Well, you're parents were both purebloods. So you can go get rid of that little rumor."
"Did you know them?"
"No." he says shortly "Now get out."
He pushes me out of the door and closes it with a bang. What The Fuck?
Herbology class was interesting enough. We have Herbology with the Ravenclaws who tried their absolute hardest to impress Professor Sprout, which means that us Slytherins were even more aggressive in doing so.
I'm alone on my way to lunch because I had to go to the toilet. As I walk down a long hallway two older students, a Ravenclaw and a Gryffindor push me into a wall and spill the entirety of my bag onto the floor. Then they run away laughing singing some stupid mock song about Slytherins.
Oh how I hate it here.
"Seems like our song is quite popular." I hear a familiar voice say and Fred and George come out from around the corner.
When Fred sees that it was me who fell victim to their lyrical masterpiece he laughs "What are you doing on the floor, hm?"
"Take a guess!" I snap at him.
He grins "Need any help?"
"Definitely not from Gryffindors. You two can piss off."
"Snake girl is angry." laughs George. I can feel my jaw clenching.
"Didn't I tell you to piss off?"
"Well technically-" Fred gets on his knees and collects my books "You said we can piss off." He gives me my books.
I snap them out of his hands "Guess I said it wrong then. Fuck off."
George just grins harder but Fred looks a little remorseful "Are you okay? Did it hurt?"
"I am more than fine." I get up and walk off. I kick open the door to the girls bathroom, punch a stall wall and then sit down on the toilet and cry.
My house hates me, every other house hates me and apparently being the joined punching bag for all the other houses comes with being a Slytherin.
I hear another girl let out a horrible cry "OOOoooooh" and in the next second a girl with pigtails and glasses sticks her head through the door.
I mean literally through the door. She's a ghost.
"What the-" I get up from the toilet "Ever heard of privacy?" I ask furiously.
"Well I heard someone cryyy. And it's always nicer to cry with someone else." tears stream down her pale, see-through face.
"Well it wasn't me, so if you could leave now, please."
"I was bullied too." she cries "Everydayyyy."
"Nobody bullies me."
"They made fun of my glasses. All the time. Ugly Myrtle, everybody made fun of me." she lets out another loud cry and leaps through the floor the pops up through a window.
"Well, sorry." I say, unsure of what she expects me to respond.
"Olive Hornby was the worst. She kept making fun of me. Those Gryffindors are the worst." she cries "Except of course the Slytherins."
"Yeah sure. Well nice to meet you. Bye."
I run out of the bathroom.
"There you are." says Aidan "I was looking for you. Are you okay?" He looks at my face.
"Yeah. I'm fine."
"Did you cry?"
"Do I look like a pussy? It's an allergy. This place is dusty as hell."
He laughs "Yeah sure. What happened?"
"I think I just told you."
"Whatever, come on you're missing lunch."
"Thanks I'm not hungry."
He shrugs his shoulders "Okay. Looking forward to charms class? I remember you said that was you specialty."
"No. I literally couldn't care any less. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to have some peace and quiet."
I silently suffered through charms class, only speaking when we were expected to recite a spell, without our wands of course, and ignoring all the other students.
Isaac said if something happened I could send him an owl. Maybe he could come pick me up and send me to a normal muggle school...
I suppose transfiguration class is rather interesting but McGonagall ruined the subject for me when she gave us the biggest amount of homework possible.
And just like that, the school day is over. Leaving the transfigurations classroom Malfoy pushes me into the doorway, followed by Pansy who steps on my foot as hard as possible.
I decide to go to the library for some peace and quiet and begin doing my homework. After not more than ten minutes Hermione walks into the library and sits down with a deep sigh.
She doesn't say a word and neither do I. We just sit and work on our assignments. It's Lorinda and Nia who break the comfortable silence "Told you, she's be in the library. " says Lorinda when she spots me.
"Are you okay?" asks Nia sitting down next to me.
I nod "Yeah. Just trying to do my homework."
"Aidan said you seemed really upset during lunch."
"Is it because of Malfoy? You should really ignore that prick." says Lorinda
"I don't care about Malfoy. I literally just want to do my homework in peace."
They give each other a look "You do know, that friends are the people you can talk to, right?"
"There's nothing to talk about. Everything is fine." I can feel myself close to tears. I don't want to talk about the stupid students who pushed me, or the even stupider Weasley twins with their stupid Slytherin song, or stupid Snape and his stupid lie about my parents.
"We all want to hang out in the common room in two hours. You should come." says Nia softly.
"If I find the time." I shrug.
They sigh and get up and leave.
"You know... most of the Gryffindors seem to hate me." whispers Hermione. "Classes were absolute hell today. Whenever I said something someone groaned or laughed."
"I'm sorry." I say.
"I'm guessing a muggleborn in Slytherin doesn't have any more luck, right?"
I shake my head "Even the older students want to see me dead."
"I still like it here, though... I mean not the students so much but the things we're learning... they're incredibly interesting."
I nod "You're right... and I'm really excited for flying lessons."
"There's a book somewhere here, Quidditch through the ages. I'm really looking forward to reading it. So I won't embarrass myself on the broom."
"I don't think flying is something you learn by reading."
"You're probably right, but it doesn't hurt to try, does it."
"Guess not. The good thing is, we have flying lessons together. I know as little about flying a broom as you do. We can embarrass ourselves together."
She smiles "Looking forward to it. Now shut up, there's a bunch I have to reread from History of Magic class. The teacher had me snoozing off every two seconds."
"Happily. McGonagall gave us enough transfiguration homework for a year."
I don't feel quite as gloomy after my short talk with Hermione and after finishing my homework, I decide it wouldn't hurt to hang out with the others in the common room.
Walking down the stairs I see the Ravenclaw from before talking to some other Ravenclaw on the floor below. As I pass her by, I subtly point my wand at her legs "Locomotor Mortis" I whisper and watch my wand light up purple. I walk past her hiding my wand and watch as she trips trying to take a step forward. The other Ravenclaw laughs as the girl starts cursing "Do something!" she cries.
I walk away as quickly as possible.
"Hey, did you get in trouble with Snape?" Harry asks coming from another hallway.
I shake my head "Not really..."
"What did he want?"
"He told me something... about my parents. He said they were both pure-bloods... but I think he just said that because having a Muggleborn in Slytherin looks bad."
"What if he's right though? Wouldn't that be better?"
"Maybe. But he can't possibly know. He doesn't even know who my parents are. Just like me."
"Well, if they were wizards, they probably went here, meaning there have to be school records on them. Your last-name should help you with finding at least one."
I'm an idiot, how didn't I think of that? "You're right, thanks I have to go."
I run back to the library, ignore a few Gryffindors who shout the Weasleys Slytherin song after me but am stopped by another older Hufflepuff who trips me, sending me falling flat on my stomach.
"Don't be so mean, Alex." says another Hufflepuff boy who offers me his hand to help me up. They're a group of six, five boys and one girl. The boy helping me up seems weirdly familiar.
"Don't be so soft, Ced." says Alex.
"Ced?" I ask "As in Cedric Diggory?"
Ced looks confused "Yes, that would be me. Have you heard of me?"
"Yes... a little..." he's the recurring Hufflepuff from my visons.
"From who? One of the teachers? I'm assuming Professor Flitwick?"
Huh? "Uhm yes... exactly."
"Oh well. I'm currently full... but I could probably spare an hour or two on Saturdays... if it's urgent."
Huh? "Yeah, er- I think it is."
He sighs "Fine... is 4pm alright?"
"Yeah, uh sure." I say unsure. I'd love to know what he's talking about.
"Great. It's five Galleons an hour. Bring your wand and charms book. You're a first year?"
I nod.
"It's alright, you know. Today was only your first day. I bet we can get you to the top of your class in no time."
Wait... is he a tutor? "Great, yeah."
"Alright. See you Saturday, 4pm. I'll meet you in the courtyard. What's your name by the way?"
"Haven... Wilderwald."
"Alright. Nice to meet you Haven. See you Saturday."
A little confused I walk to the library and start skimming it for the student records. But I can't seem to find them. I spot an Ravenclaw, probably a year older than me "Excuse me?"
She turns around "Yes?" she seems familiar...
"Do you know, where I can find the student records?"
She laughs "Well, not here. They're in the headmasters study, as far as I know."
"And... does the headmaster ever give them to students for... research?"
She shakes her head "No, the Hogwarts archives are pretty much a secret. I mean, you can try, but I doubt he'll give them to you."
"Oh... okay. Thanks."
"No problem. I'm Cho, by the way. And you are?"
"Erm- Haven. Nice to meet you."
"Oh I heard about you. Must suck being in Slytherin as a muggleborn."
"It sure does." I say.
"Well. Gotta go. I've got loads of homework to do. Bye."
"Bye."
Once again I climb down the staircases all the way down to the dungeons, where I realise, I still have no idea how to get to the common room.
"I'm assuming you're, once again, in dire need of assistance?" says Fred Weasley creeping around a corner.
"Not from you, I don't." I say coolly.
"Oh come on, I'm sorry, okay. We came up with that song last year."
"I don't care. You guys are bullies."
"Well, so are you. But it's not as bad, when you're bullying the right people."
"Well, you think the right people are the entire Slytherin house."
"I do not." he says with a fake offended voice "Only 99 percent of Slytherin house."
I roll my eyes.
"Now come on. Let me guide you."
"So you can pressure me into telling you more secrets?"
He shakes his head "No, this ones on the house."
"Ugh fine." I once again follow Fred Weasley through the dark corridors. "Why do you keep creeping around here anyways?"
"I told you... some unfinished business." He says.
"With who?"
"Can't tell you. Now shut up about it."
"That's my house you're messing with. I think I have a right to know."
"Well, you're thinking wrong. Besides, your house?" He laughs "You can't stand them. And as far as I know they can't stand you."
"Oh screw you, Weasley."
"What? Am I wrong?"
I ignore him and walk away.
"You're going the wrong direction!" He shouts, running after me. "I'm sorry, if that like... hurt your feeling or whatever. But you don't seem to be getting along too well with your house. It's just a fact."
"I really don't care about your facts, Weasley."
"My god, you're grumpy today." he grins.
"You notice, and yet you keep making it worse."
"I mean it is only your first day. I think you should have at least a week before becoming this salty."
"Well... it was a shitty first day." I swallow a few tears.
"Why? Because of those guys that pushed you?"
"It's been happening all day. Everybody hates Slytherins in this school. Even a Hufflepuff tripped me. And then when I just want to escape all of this shit I can't even go into my own room because everybody in my house hates me and I can't even fucking find it!" yap... now I'm crying. In front of Fred Weasley. Like a pathetic little baby.
"Oh come on..." he pulls me in his arms "It's not that bad... you've got friends here. You got you're little Slytherin group, you got Harry, that Hermione girl... you got George an me. You're going to be fine."
I sob into his chest for a while, as he keeps me in a close embrace. I feel like an absolute idiot. Being all emotional in front of a Weasley doesn't really make me feel better. I mean... he does, but it's still embarrassing. I take a deep breath and let go of probably the most comforting hug of my life.
"Not a word about this. Ever." I sniff.
He grins "I can't promise that."
"Weasley! Not a word!"
"Tell you what, my lips are sealed if, and only if, you promise to be nice to me."
"Why should I be nice to you, if you keep blackmailing me?"
"Just promise."
"Fine. I promise." I scoff.
"That's not a very nice tone."
"Weasley, I swear to god-" I growl and take a deep breath. "Fine, I promise."
"That's better. Anyways we're here." He points at the stone wall then says "Antipodean Opaleye.", winks at me as the door opens and disappears around a corner.
He's going to get me killed, no doubt.
Lorinda, Elijah, Nia and Aidan are already sitting in the common-room.
"Ah, look who decided to join us." says Aidan sharply.
"I can go." I say, not in the mood for a lecture but he shakes his head and points at the free seat next to him "Sit."
I sit down.
"What took you so long?" asks Nia "We thought you weren't coming."
"I got caught up in the library, looking for some records. But they weren't available."
"Well, better luck next time." she shrugs.
"Are you all finished with your homework?" asks Aidan.
I nod and so do the others, except Elijah "I really don't like potions. I keep forgetting things. If that Gryffindor wouldn't have blown up his cauldron, I probably would have been the one to do so."
"He really would have." Lorinda rolls her eyes.
"Well, I can help you with that, later." says Aidan.
"Thanks." mumbles Elijah.
"I'm really excited for Defence against the dark arts tomorrow." changes Nia the subject. "Even though I heard the teacher's bit of a nutter."
I sink deeper into my seat. Right, tomorrow I'd have to suffer through a lesson with Quirrell, who probably wouldn't mind killing me on the spot if he got a chance.
"Oh I'm still really excited. I've been studying all summer." says Lorinda "It's by far the most interesting subject."
"That's obviously herbology." interrupts Elijah "But go on."
Lorinda rolls her eyes "Oh please. Some stupid plants compared to defensive spells, dark magic, and evil creatures. I heard the professor has gone so mad because he met some vampires that tried to kill him."
Elijah swallows "I prefer my stupid plants, thank you very much."
I feel like him and Neville would get along rather well.
"I was really looking forward to History of Magic, you know, it's supposedly taught by an actual ghost, but I heard some Gryffindor say he almost died of boredom himself." says Aidan "But then again, how boring can it really be. I bet it's just because all those Gryffindors want to do is run around and get into trouble. I mean have you seen those redhead twins? A house of hyperactive nutters, I can tell you that much."
"Hey! Some of those hyperactive nutters are my friends." I say.
"Oh yes!" says the snarly voice of Draco Malfoy, coming up the stairs. "Not only are you a disgrace to the entire house by being a filthy mudblood, No! You also go running around with a hoard of those uncivilized Gryffindors. Someone even saw you, hanging around with a Hufflepuff!"
"Get lost." I say to him.
"Oh, but I can't." he says, looking frustrated "You are trying to ruin this house. And I've been telling my father to get you out but he said, for now, there's nothing he can do."
I roll my eyes "If you hate it so much, you can always go to a different school yourself."
"Oh, you wish. But I am not the problem, you are. An embarrassment to the entire wizarding world, a disgrace to the proud house of Slytherin."
"Proud of what exactly? Exclusion? Classism? Being a bunch of supremacists? Is it having a bunch of murderers in our house history, that we can be proud of? Just because your father licks Voldi's feet when he tells him to, doesn't mean that we have to."
Draco looks caught of guard "Voldi?... And you have no right to talk about my father! He was under a curse, like many others!"
"Oh, I bet he was." I say sarcastically.
"Of course he was."
"Please. Your father is probably counting the days until Voldemort returns, so he can bring some more actual disgrace and embarrassment to Slytherin and the wizarding world. You're father is pathetic and so are you."
"How dare you!" he points his wand at me "I will kill you if you ever speak of my father again."
"Sure. What's the spell exactly?"
"Oh, wouldn't you like to know."
"I do know. I'm asking you because, let's be honest, you are a dog that barks but doesn't bite. I bet you don't even know the curse your father was under." I say the last thing in air-quotes.
"I do!"
"Sure, show us then."
"It's not allowed. By the ministry."
"Neither is the killing curse you just threatened to use. So show us, come on."
"You know the killing curse?" whispers Aidan.
I shrug "Heard it before."
Somewhere deep down I can feel... a memory. It's not a vision, it's memory, confirming that I have, indeed heard the words Avada Kedavra being used on someone before. Well, that's not good.
"How would a mudblood like you know any curses." laughs Draco.
"Oh you don't believe me?" I whip out my wand "Would you like me to demonstrate?"
"Sure, go ahead and be expelled. You'd do me a favour."
"Can't do a dead man a favour." I smile.
He slowly lowers his wand "Wilderwald, trust me." his high pitched, snarly voice turns a lot more dangerous "You don't want me as your enemy."
"Considering my blood itself seems to make me your enemy I don't have much of a choice. However, and I think you know that, you sure as hell don't want me as your enemy either. So I suggest, you re-evaluate how you treat me, before it's too late."
He puts his wand back into his pocket "You get one chance at peace, mudblood." he reaches me his hand "Right here, right now."
I look down on his hand, there's no way he's serious, right? "Stop calling me and others mudblood, and you've got yourself a deal."
"Don't test my patience."
"I don't hink it's too much to ask. You want peace, you stop insulting me."
He sighs "Fine."
"Fine." I shake his hand.
I can see his lip curl in disgust but he stays quiet and walks away.
"That's a trap, right?" I ask Aidan quietly.
He nods "Most likely. Just gotta find out what he's planning."