I can't decide if it's a choice, getting swept away

I hear the sound of my own voice, asking you to stay

And all we are is skin and bone trained to get along

Forever going with the flow, but you're friction

-Treacherous by Taylor Swift

Life is a tricky climb.

You're continuously trudging uphill, branches tugging at your clothes and mud weighing you down. Every once in a while, you begin to feel your descent starting, your muscles relaxing, the air getting easier to breathe. You're always wrong. Eventually your lungs begin to choke and your boots begin to clot and your muscles begin to strain past repair.

Life is a tricky climb that, unfortunately, very few finish.

I'd like to say that my story is different. That it's not all uphill (or downhill, depending how you see it). If you want to read a happy story where the girl lets herself forget everything for some guy she probably isn't going to make it past university with, switch genres. I'd suggest a pinker cover.

In the end, my steep ascent began with a slight stumble. Or five.

"Hi! I'm Charlotte Branwell, from Ravenclaw. It's lovely to meet you!"

Charlotte smiled down at the small cluster of first years around her. She herself was a fourth year, and took great pride in McGonagall's request for her to tutor the new students in Potions. Just another thing to add to her CV when the time came.

"And I'm Lana. Gryffindor. Before Little Miss Ravenclaw here suffocates you all with her niceness, grab a cauldron and take a seat. Individual tables- that means no pairs Jordan."

'Little Miss Ravenclaw's' blue eyes glared at her companion as the first years grinned shyly, collecting their cauldrons from the back of the room. "What do you think you're doing, Lana? The point is to make them like us, not fear us!"

Lana just snorted. In comparison, there was basically no similarities on the surface, except for the fact that both girls were pretty. Charlotte had blonde hair, perfectly styled, bright blue eyes, just enough make-up, and clothes which flaunted all of her 'assets.' Lana was a bit of a different story.

Her face was delicate, like a doll's, which was something girls (like Charlotte) loathed about her. It didn't help that she hid it with her dark brown hair, dyed deep purple and cut in odd layers. Though her face was usually make-up free, her lips were always tinged with some form of tint, always darker than her natural skin tone. To top off the 'I-can't-give-a-fuck' look, her jumper masked her figure and her skirt, though not long, didn't settle in the right places to flaunt anything.

"Right. Let's start with something simple. A check list." Lana began. Her voice naturally captivated the little kids, who quickly drew their parchment and pen in preparation. Charlotte leaned back, her blue eyes sparkling like flame.

"Step one- measure all your ingredients. I don't care if the hair or the horn or whatever isn't due for another ten stirs- you're going to run out of time and you're going to screw up. The only time you leave ingredients is if you have over a twenty minute break of your potion stewing."

The kids nodded, parchment creaking under their hasty words.

"Step two- read the instructions carefully. Make sure you know what comes after what before you do it- having large gaps between ingredients could possibly be fatal. Step three- follow those instructions to the T. Mistakes are stupid, and in Potions, a lot more pronounced. If you mess up, everyone knows it."

She waited, every child eventually raising their heads, fear evident in their eyes. Charlotte sighed, about to butt in.

"And step four- the last one, I promise." She smiled kindly. "Don't worry. You're first years. You have seven years to master this stuff. Just relax and enjoy it, okay? Also, check out The Empty Cauldron online- it's got tons of shortcuts in different potions if you're starting to run out of time., as well as-"

With a large gasp, Charlotte pushed Lana from the front of the room and began her demonstration. Behind her, the Gryffindor grinned at the little kids and pulled faces behind her back. An hour later, twelve children left the room laughing, the stress off of their shoulders, while a fourth year Ravenclaw followed red in the face.

"Hey, Charlotte! Wait up!" Lana shouted, clasping her bag shut as she ran. It didn't really matter- the bottom split open as she reached the girl anyway.

"What do you want, Boa?" She snapped. Her azure eyes glared like coals.

"I heard you were looking for a few more writers for The Marauder's Map." Lana met her eyes boldly, not ducking her head like most. The Marauder's Map was the new Hogwarts magazine, and it was going to BIG. Capital letters required. The name was taken from the actual Marauder's Map, as the same spell was being used to hide the magazine from unwanted eyes (aka teachers).

Charlotte's eyes trailed down Lara disdainfully. The truth is that Lana was on the verge of being the best. She was smart, funny, the Gryffindor Beater (co-Fred Weasley of all people) and had a knack with words. She was every Charlotte Branwell's worst nightmare.

"Sorry Lana. But I just don't think you're suited to our group. You're just not..." She trailed her eyes again, but this time exaggerated it with a chewed lip and furrowed brow. Lana's cheeks tinged with colour. "...one of us."

With a smirk and a flounce of her blonde hair, Charlotte strutted away from Lana Boa. Two weeks later and a picture of the two Gryffindor Beaters in very close contact was released, earning Lana a few dozen hate mails and removal from the Quidditch team, for 'her own safety' of course.

Let's just say that Charlotte and her never really saw eye to eye again.

Author's Note

Oh my God, like, finally! Sorry for the gigantic wait, I've had tons of stuff on, and it's also been pretty hard trying to settle on a story to write. I'm hoping my inspiration for this baby keeps up, and that you guys all like it! P.S. Reviews are welcome :)