“Well, aren’t Blacks always names after stars?” he asked, mystery in his eyes.

“Yes, usually”, I answered, on the edge of losing my temper.

“Well, what’s wrong with you then?” he asked with a smirk.

“WELL I DON’T WANT TO BE A BLACK!” she exclaimed, her tone dangerous and upset.

“WELL, IF YOU KEEP IT UP, YOU’RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A CHOICE!” I screamed back. I heard murmuring from not just inside the compartment, but from the corridors of the train, people were congesting the corridors to listen to our argument, everyone in shock; hardly anyone had ever heard me raise my voice.

He looked like he was having trouble reaching his hand in the water as though it were going to bite him, " and don’t even think of saying that you’re scared of it! Just because it has eyes doesn’t mean that it’s going to bite you! It’s a bloody plant for Merlin’s sake, Aaron!" I told him vehemently.


I could here Malfoy chuckling behind me.


"What are you laughing at Malfoy?" I asked him lightly. A fire slug burned Malfoy’s hand and our group, including Malfoy, couldn’t help but laugh.

The sky was still a dim blue when Bella strutted into the first year dorms and pulled my curtains back, rifling me from my sleep.

After Bella’s futile attempts to rouse me from my sleep failed, she turned to the one tactic that never failed: shouting.

“CISSY, GET UP!” she wailed into my ear. I refused to give her the satisfaction of letting her see me scowl like I had done in the past.

Bella started growing impatient when suddenly she took a vase with black roses in it and poured them

We gathered around the trunk containing the balls. Rodolphus was standing next to it, waiting for everyone to gather around before starting. While we were waiting, I looked around to see who else was here. I saw a few third years, a fourth and fifth year, a few sparse second years, but I was the only first year.

Once everyone was gathered and ready, Rodolphus was already up in the air while Slughorn and Violet Parkinson’s older brother sat at a table with parchment.

"WHAT?" she shrieked. This time, the surrounding students made no move to be discreet as they scrambled from their seats and moved to the very opposite side of the table.

"You heard me," I said, grabbing my things, "it might do me some good to be around the sane one." Without another word, I stood and walked over to the neighbor table where Andy was sitting with her friends, laughing at something her friend had just said.

Fine, fine," I said, "act like a baby, then. I won’t say her name!"

"I wasn’t being a baby!" she scowled, "mother said in her letter that we were supposed to go about our lives like she doesn’t exist; I’m simply following the rules."

"Since when do you follow anyone’s rules beside your own?" I asked with a snort of laughter.