"Why does the Potions classroom have to be down here?" Marigold complained as she and her classmates walked across the corridor in the dungeons.

"It's so cold in here," Lucy added, shivering.

"How do the Slytherins live here?" Faye asked as they headed into the classroom.

Professor Slughorn started the class by taking the register.

"Ms Lupin-Black," Slughorn paused at Marigold's name. "I suppose you're the sister of Teddy Lupin?"

"Yes, sir," she replied.

"Teddy is one of my best students," Slughorn said proudly. "He's a good boy with talent. He's so much like your father Remus. Of course, Sirius was also brilliant. It's a shame he wasn't in Slytherin."

'Why would've Paddy wanted to be in Slytherin?' Marigold thought.

"And his brother Regulus. He was an exemplary student, very talented in magic and Quidditch." Slughorn added.

Marigold had already heard about her brave Uncle Regulus from Sirius. Marigold admired Regulus for his courage and loyalty and considered it a pity that he had died at such a young age, long before she had a chance to meet him. She could only nod in response to Slughorn's mention of the uncle she had never met.

Slughorn put the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs into pairs to mix up a simple Cure for Boils; Marigold got paired with David. They weighed dried nettles and crushed snake fangs. After David tossed two porcupine quills into the cauldron, Marigold stirred the potion five times clockwise. When David waved his wand, pink smoke started rising from the cauldron.

"That was brilliant, Mr Edwards and Ms Lupin-Black!" Slughorn could not conceal his astonishment. "Ten points each to Gryffindor and Hufflepuff!"

Marigold and David beamed proudly at the fact that they had already earned points for their houses. Cosette, who was working next to them with Oliver, smiled at Marigold as if to express her gratitude; Marigold smiled back at her.

After the lesson ended, everyone gathered their stuff. Although some of her classmates were on their way to their next classes, Marigold was done for the day as she was free on Friday afternoons.

"Mr Edwards and Ms Lupin-Black, may I speak with you for a moment?" Slughorn asked them.

"What is it, Professor?" David asked.

"I was wondering if you two would be interested in joining me for supper tonight. "I'll be inviting some of my favourite students, and considering how bright you two are, I'm sure you'll fit right in," Slughorn said. "Especially Mr Edwards, I was very pleasantly surprised, considering you grew up with Muggles."

"But sir, I grew up with wizards, but even I don't know much magic either," Marigold said.

"Ms Lupin-Black, judging by your brother and fathers, I'm sure you'll be brilliant. And back in the day, I enjoyed having your uncle in my parties as well."

Both Marigold and David promised Slughorn that they would attend his gathering before he waved them off.

Although Marigold was honoured that a professor asked her to have supper with him and his "favourite students," she wasn't sure whether she liked Slughorn or not. She felt as though Slughorn only invited her because of her family. He also seemed too surprised at the fact that David was a good wizard, albeit a better one than Marigold herself.

* * *

Hogwarts was bustling, with everyone's minds on the upcoming Quidditch trials.

"Are you thinking about trying out for our house team?" Andrew asked Marigold during breakfast.

"Not this year," she replied, swallowing her bacon. "The current Gryffindor Seeker is in his seventh year now, so I'm waiting until next year."

"Well, you did seem to have quite a talent for flying," Andrew said, recalling their first Flying lesson in which he and Marigold were the first to summon their broomsticks into their hands.

"I do really hope I'll get in," Marigold said. "I don't have a proper broomstick yet. I only have a toy broomstick I got when I was little. I should ask my fathers to get me a broomstick before the next school year."

While Marigold and Andrew were talking, a few Slytherins walked past between the Gryffindors' and Hufflepuffs' tables.

"I can't believe we have to wait another year to have our own broomsticks," Celeste said.

"Who do you think will be on the Slytherin team this year?" Rosier asked.

"My father was in the team during his days at Hogwarts, you see," Flint said. "I better get in this year."

"What's Quidditch?" David, who was listening to the Slytherins' conversation from the Hufflepuff table, asked.

Celeste seemed a little surprised, but she quickly regained her composure. But Flint and Rosier made their shock apparent.

"You live in the wizarding world now. I can't believe you don't know what Quidditch is." Flint scorned.

"And then people think they should let people like you into Hogwarts," Rosier scoffed.

"Are you saying that David doesn't belong at Hogwarts?" Marigold confronted them.

"Just because he grew up with Muggles?" Andrew added.

"Exactly, Laird," Flint said.

"He's not like us. He shouldn't be here." Rosier added.

If Celeste looked uncomfortable before when the Gryffindors and Slytherins were about to break into an argument in the middle of the Great Hall, she now seemed as if she wanted to disappear.

"Well, I'm glad he's nothing like you," Marigold quipped.

"Why are you defending him, Lupin-Black?" Flint sneered.

"Isn't it obvious? She comes from a family of blood-traitors." Rosier scorned. "They've always existed. My parents told me about one notorious blood-traitor from their days. Alistair Bell. You wouldn't know he was a wizard from the way he was acting. He even married a Muggle-born."

"Does that mean Lupin-Black is gonna marry Edwards?" Flint jeered; he and Rosier laughed as they walked away.

"Don't mind them," Celeste told Marigold and Andrew, and turned to David. "Are you alright?"

David nodded, but it was clear that he was still quite upset.

"Bloody gits," Andrew muttered under his breath. "What gives them the right to tell others they don't belong at Hogwarts, anyway?"

"They insulted my dad," Marigold said angrily. "And Andromeda. They didn't deserve to be treated like rubbish by their stupid family members, anyways."

"And the Alistair Bell Rosier mentioned was the father who gave birth to me. My mum was Muggle-born," she told her friends.

"So those idiots insulted the people who raised you and your dead parents?" Andrew said as if he couldn't believe it.

"I never liked Flint and Rosier anyway," Celeste said. "Now I'm going off them for good."

Flint and Rosier continued sniggering away, completely oblivious to the four pairs of glaring eyes behind them.