Anger is a killing thing: it kills the man who angers, for each rage leaves him less than he had been before - it takes something from him.
Louis L'Amour
!#$%^
Everyone was staring at us in awe. Me and Harry Potter. Well, we I suppose were quite a sight. Potter stood about six feet away from me with his wand drawn and a smirk in place. I was slowly standing up from my seat at the Slytherin table, drawing my own wand, and in the process; devising a slow and painful death for the-Boy-Who-Lived. Nobody has ever dared to start a duel in the Great Hall. At least not while the professors were present. But he had said something. Something that got me mad, and Slytherins were just not that good at letting things go. The room had hushed as I stood, and I knew that the professors were deciding whether or not they should intervene. I hoped they didn't.
"What did you say?" I hissed, my voice full of venom and steel. Potter was just about to learn just how dangerous I could be, and let's just say...not a good thing for him. But he just smirked his infuriating smirk. He probably thinks he can get away with it; and with the teachers he can. Except for Snape. He's the only one who sees him for what he is. So I smirked back at him.
"Stupify!" He was too surprised at my sudden boldness to defend himself, and was knocked flat to the ground. But before I let him get up, I ran over to him and pinned him down. Now I probably shouldn't have done this next thing, but as "The Ice Queen", I had a reputation to uphold.
"Next time use that inflated head of yours and think before you come over and insult my family like that. Because no one insults my family. Especially you, Potter." And with that I punched him squarely in the nose. Before I could fully enjoy the crunch that sounded when my fist hit his nose and the blood that squirted out, he cursed me back into the Ravenclaw table.
Girls screamed as s they scrambled away from the mass destruction we were creating. I was covered in pumpkin juice, and the crumbs of several different kinds of pastries were scattered all over my robes, but I didn't care. Gave me another reason to knock some sense into him. Potter was definitely NOT getting away with this. So I used his "signature" move.
"Expelliarmus!" He was expecting it this time, though, and blocked it. It was sooo on.
"Immobulus!"
"Petrificus Totalus!"
"Rictusempra!"
"Serpens-"
I had barely said half of the curse when both of our wands went flying out of our hands and we were frozen in place. Professor McGonagall had stopped the fight. God damn.
"Miss Manston! Mister Potter!" She barked. She looked disappointed in Potter, and I swear she rolled her eyes when she looked at me.
"Headmaster Dumbledore's office. NOW!" As we were released from the spell that binded us, I glanced up to where the teachers were sitting; only to find Dumbledore smiling at me with his bloody blue twinkling eyes.
!#$%^
Okay, before I continue on with that dreadfully moving story about myself, you should probably know my name and what-not. My name is Atarah Manston, and I'm a fifth year Slytherin pureblood. As you can probably tell, Potter is definitely not my one off my best friends right at this moment. Damn; I hate him! Anyways, I have blonde hair, light green eyes, and blah blah blah. That's not really the important stuff right now.
Draco Malfoy is (and has been) my best friend for many long years. Our families are very close; so you can imagine how close my family is to Voldemort. Yep. It's my mother's dream to see me grow up to be a Death Eater, just like my bloody father. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm loyal to my family (who in turn is loyal to Voldemort), but I don't worship the bloody guy. He's just some spoiled power crazy murderer who'll do anything to get his way, and stomp his feet when he doesn't. Oh, how my family would hurt me if they heard me say that. I can already feel the Crucio coming on. Ha! I'm a bit of a rebel, but I'm not stupid enough to get myself killed.
!#$%^
I walked to Dumbledore's office cold, wet, and covered in pumpkin juice. The trip was made in silence, but both Potter and I sent murderous glares towards each other. We probably would have started something again if it weren't for professor McGonagall; who was trailing quietly behind us. I still can't believe that Potter had the nerve to insult my family. I don't actually know why he came over to the Slytherin table, but he started threatening Draco; saying something about leaving his friends alone (probably that Neville kid, who we had bullied earlier that day). Anyways, I automatically jumped to Draco's defense, and Potter insulted me. You know the rest.
"Why do you have to be such an insufferable know-it-all? You and your little fan club?" I whispered angrily to him, careful not to let McGonagall overhear.
"Why do you have to be such a selfish little princess? Getting everything you want, at the bat of an eyelash?" He returned.
"Ha! Me? You're the famous one. You've got everyone wrapped around your bloody finger!"
"You think I wanted this? I wanted to have Voldemort continuously try to kill me? To have Voldemort kill my parents? " He whispered louder.
"Well, it was their fault for trusting the wrong person." I muttered with a roll of my eye. He stopped walking and turned to face me. He held his wand to my throat, and had a look in his eyes that, well, it was...murderous. It was a look that I knew all too well from my father.
"Potter!" McGonagall pulled him away from me.
"DON'T YOU DARE TALK LIKE THAT ABOUT MY PARENTS!" He was struggling against McGonagall, staring me straight in the eye with that look (that quite honestly scared me). I couldn't help myself from what I did next. Childish, I know.
"Well, it's the truth, I don't exactly lie about that sort of thing, Potter! Grow up for once! Things aren't just about YOU anymore! And you call me selfish! HUNDREDS OF OTHERS ARE LOSING THEIR LIVES AND ALL YOU CAN THINK OF ARE YOUR TWO BLOODY PARENTS?"
"YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT LOSING SOMEONE YOU LOVE! YOU HEARTLESS, EVIL, FILTHY DEATH EATER!" He was shouting so loud, I was sure that the Great Hall could hear him. I was positive actually. We weren't that far from where everyone was sitting, and now; listening to our screaming. But that last thing he said, it struck home. It ripped open a wound I thought was long since healed, and released something inside of me that hasn't been introduced to the world before. I screamed and threw myself at him, pushing professor McGonagall out of the way.
"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE!" I screamed, pushing him, and shoving him, and trying to get it into his head that he's not the only one who's been through hell before. " YOU'RE SO INNOCENT, POTTER! WHY CAN'T YOU OPEN YOUR EYES FOR ONCE! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE!"
I live with parents that slap me at even the slightest mistake I make. I have to be around people that would kill an innocent child without blinking; and would be able to sleep perfectly at night afterwards. I had to be a puppet in everyone's else's master plan, not being able to do anything for myself. He didn't understand what it was like. For years and years, rage and sorrow had been boiling up inside of me, and I was letting it out all right now; on him. I would have normally felt sorry for him, but all that went through my head at that moment was, "Why does no one understand?"
He had been through his fair share of hardships, I'll give him that, but what I wouldn't do to trade lives with him now.
And with a final shake, I let go of Potter's shoulders and started to cry. I haven't cried since I was five and my mother hit me for the first time. I was sobbing uncontrollably. I fell to the floor in a troubled heap of useless limbs. I don't know how, but he destroyed me. Potter didn't say anything, just stared at me with a look of complete and utter shock. I mean, what would happen if your worst enemy broke down in tears in front of you, for no apparent reason?
"Expel me if you want." I spoke towards McGonagall, my voice now completely barren of all emotion. I had stopped crying; stopped the rivers that had flowed freely down my face just seconds ago. I stood and started to walk to Dumbledore's office, alone and lifeless. McGonagall was too shocked to move, same as Potter. I laughed humorlessly.
Somehow, he managed to crack my heart of ice. The Ice Queen. That's what they call me. And I earned it, by being as ruthless as I was. I could slice down anyone in my way, and I showed that by attacking Potter. Unfortunately, I supposed I lost that title the second I started crying. A tired and lonely girl, stripped of the one thing she holds to.
I could hear their footsteps start to follow me again, and this time, there was complete silence. No sounds could be heard from the direction of the Great Hall, either.
My name is Atarah Manston, and this is the beginning of a long story; one of love, life, and of course, death. This is the story of my fight for freedom in a world that was out to get me.