That Darn Slytherin! Part 1 – Annie Lennox

'You'd better hurry, Annie.'

'I know…'

'You don't want to miss the train.'

'Just wait.'

'Annie…'

'There! I've done it!' You stood up from tying your shoelaces and faced your parents.

You were in your seventh year at Hogwarts, school of witchcraft and wizardry. You were at King's Cross station, on Platform 9 and ¾. The scarlet train whistled and people scurried around the platform, waving at the children aboard.

You hurriedly took hold of your trunk and looked at your parents. They weren't like most wizarding parents; they were Muggles. Your strange magical situations were fully explained once you received a letter from Hogwarts at the age of eleven. Your parents were anxious at first but when they realized that you had a potential they began to encourage you to live it to the full. For that, you were so glad you had spent the past six enjoyable years in the wizarding world.

You kissed Mum and hugged Dad appreciatively.

'Until then,' you smiled at them encouragingly, before hopping onto the Hogwarts Express and pulling your trunk down the busy corridor. You stopped and looked out of the window between a couple fourth years and waved at your parents as the train gave a final giant puff of steam and rolled away.

You looked at your summer-bronzed reflection on the train window and brushed back a strand of dark hair behind your ear. Your cheeks, however, were flushed against the cold and your dark eyes glinted with excitement at the thought of returning to yet another interesting and enchanting year at school.

You couldn't believe that you were returning to Hogwarts for the last time.

Someone squealed behind you and before you had time to react, a girl has thrown herself on you. 'Rose!' You exclaimed, brushing away her golden hair from your face. Rose was your best friend, and a pure-blood, but that made no difference to your Mudblood status.

'Annie Lennox! I've missed you so much!' Rose said, finally letting go of you, so she could examine you from head to toe. 'I've got lots to tell you,' before pausing and smirking, 'you have the most amazing tan.'

You laughed as you followed Rose into her compartment.

'Hi Annie,' Harry Potter greeted as you stepped into the compartment. Hermione gave you a warm hug, and Ron grinned broadly.

You sat down next to Rose and listened to her story on how she'd spent her summer with her new Muggle boyfriend who apparently was unaware that she was a witch.

'He kept talking about his favourite T.V programmes!' Rose said, looking at you. 'I'm so glad I spent six years at Hogwarts with a girl who brought a T.V into our dormitory. So, when he asked me which of The Simpsons characters my favourite was, I managed to answer him appropriately.'

'What's a Simpsons?' Ron inquired suspiciously. Everyone laughed.

Halfway through the train journey, your compartment received a rather unpleasant visit from Draco Malfoy and his two cronies, Crabbe and Goyle.

'What do you want, Malfoy?' Harry said coldly as he threw aside his unopened box of Chocolate Frog and glared at him.

The tall famous blond set his silvery grey gaze around the compartment and smirked, 'Just wanted to say hello, Potter.' He drawled. 'I believe you are being rather uncouth toward your superior today.'

Ron took out his wand.

Hermione clasped his arm, 'No, Ron!' She hissed.

'That's rich coming from you, Malfoy,' Harry said callously.

'You sound like you had a bad summer.' Draco continued, tauntingly. 'It is understandable as you spent it at the Weasleys' pig sty.' He turned and laughed with his cronies.

Harry and Ron stood up abruptly, plunging their hands into their pockets. Crabbe and Goyle stepped forwards reactively.

'Shut your gob, Malfoy, and get out of this compartment.' Harry threatened quietly, pointing his wand at Draco's chest.

Draco, on the contrary, looked unruffled. He swept his silvery gaze around the compartment one final time and smirked slyly, before leaving the compartment.

'What's his problem?' Ron grumbled, slamming the door, 'Stinking Slytherin.'

Hermione sighed helplessly.

When you had finally arrived at Hogsmeade station, you took your trunk off the train and followed Rose and Hermione and the boys down to the coaches.

'Firs' years! Firs' years!' boomed Hagrid. You noticed that his tone was already scaring the youngsters, despite his rather giant-like figure.

Soon, a large group of Ravenclaws fourth-years jostled you out of the way in your path. You bent to pick up your wand which fell out of your pocket.

'You're blocking the way, Mudblood.' You heard a low voice say.

The soft night air breezed through your dark hair as you gazed at Draco Malfoy.

'There is no need for that name.' You said ominously, and headed towards the carriages where you found your friends climbing onto the coach.

'Blimey, Harry, I swear the first years are getting smaller every year.' Ron said, staring as the first-years timidly followed Hagrid to the lake.

'Are you ok?' Hermione asked, concerned, her warm hand squeezed yours. 'I saw Malfoy-'

'He was just being himself, Hermione.'

When you reached the castle, you followed Rose and Hermione towards the Gryffindor table. The Great Hall was still as it was at the start of every year; beautifully lit with floating candles beneath the bewitched night sky and grinning faces between the four House tables.

'Are we're going up to the Fat Lady early after the Feast.' You asked her.

Rose's blue eyes glittered slyly, 'Of course, we are.'

You and Rose always liked to go up to the Fat Lady's portrait at the start of every year to guess the most stupid passwords before the Prefect comes up with the rest of the House.

Harry and Ron joined you at the table, followed by Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas.

'I'm dropping Astronomy this year,' Dean announced. 'I was mad to have taken it!'

'Bravo!' Ron clapped him on the back.

Hermione looked displeased.

Soon, Professor McGonagall entered the Great Hall and everyone fell silent.

After the Sorting, the Feast began, and you were so glad to see some delicious food in front of you. Ron looked as though he was living in heaven.

'Can you pass me the potatoes, please?' Harry asked you. You gave him the bowl.

When pudding arrived, you felt so satisfied. 'Oh, Rose, this treacle tart is fit for a king.'

Or Queen, in your case.

'Let's go now.' Rose said suddenly, clasping your hand. 'Upstairs. Before pudding is over.'

She gave a mischievous glint her eyes, which only you could understand.

You nodded and both left the Great Hall.

'Ahhh!' Rose sang as she ran up the marble stairs. 'It's so good to be back. Honestly, Annie, what am I going to do when we leave good dear old Hogwarts?'

You caught up after her. 'I know you will become famous one day; you and your glamorous blonde hair, Rose'

She laughed as she walked alongside you up the moving stairs.

'Password?' the Fat Lady said when you both reached the Gryffindor tower. You looked at Rose and smiled. 'Um, it's…' you then gave a huge raspberry. Rose snorted and pushed you aside. 'The Gryffindor password, given and confirmed by Dumbledore is 'Filliwig's Wizarding Durable Condom!'

'Rose! No!' You exclaimed, embarrassed. The Fat Lady scolded her.

'The password is Mr. Darcy?' You guessed, raising your eyebrows hopefully.

Rose rolled her eyes and leaned against the wall and crossed her arms, 'You and your Muggle books, Annie.'

'Well, you've obviously never read 'Pride and Prejudice!'

It was later on in the evening when the rest of the Gryffindors followed up to the tower, led by the prefect who gave at last the correct password: 'Conkerfly' Yu were in the seventh-year girl's dormitory, unpacking your trunk. Rose's bed was just opposite yours. Just as you'd finished sorting out your wardrobe Hermione entered the room, followed by Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil: your other room-mates.

'Is it true that you're going out with Seamus?' Rose asked Lavender curiously, as she leaned against her wardrobe.

Lavender looked delighted to be having this sort of topic, 'Yes. He asked me out before the summer.'

By her tone, it was plain obvious that she'd been waiting for someone to ask her about her newfound relationship after her rather disastrous history with Ron.

You shoved your trunk under your four-poster bed and turned your radio on, emitting a classical tune. You've also managed to persuade Dumbledore to let you have a radio in your room to catch up on the news in the Muggle world.

'Oooh!' Parvati exclaimed. 'I like this song!'

You lay on your back on your warm bed.

Crookshanks, Hermione's cat, leapt onto your stomach and you scratched behind his ginger ear. You couldn't help smiling. It was, indeed, good to be back.