Hey guys! So this story was originally published in September 2015, but I have decided to completely redo it because it wasn't that good and I hated the two main characters I created. I hope this is better than the previous story!
Chapter One
Demi tried not to scowl. Of course Summer Venus had beaten her – again – in Potions class. She wasn't even a Slytherin, and yet she got E's and O's in every essay she handed in, without even really trying. It took her about ten minutes in the common room, Demi saw every night, whereas for her, it took over forty minutes and she could barely scrape an A.
"Your essays on the Wiggenweld potion were absolutely disgraceful," Snape said savagely, glowering at them all. "The only exceptions are Venus and Malfoy, who managed E's. The rest of you should be feeling extremely ashamed of yourselves."
Demi gave him an evil look, though he wasn't glancing her way. It wasn't fair. Hermione had also gotten an E, and with a nicer teacher, she probably would have gained an O.
"Well, what are you all waiting for? You have an hour to make your potion. At the end, use your ladles to put some into your flask and bring it up to my desk. Begin!"
Demi squinted at the first instruction, having laid the correct ingredients out (she had memorised them from her essay);
Add salamander blood until the potion turns red.
She added some, until it turned a kind of red… well it was red if you looked at it in a certain light. This wasn't starting well. Demi sighed and stirred it until it turned black. She froze. The instructions clearly stated it should be orange. Hastily, she added more salamander blood, and the potion began to bubble.
Fifteen minutes later, it was bright purple and lumpy, with a distinct smell of fish. Hermione and Seamus, who were stood either side of her, were edging away. Demi was desperately trying to think of a way to either improve or vanish her potion, when Snape strolled down the row, checking everyone's potions. He wrinkled his large nose when he approached her.
"Your essay was abysmal," Snape said softly, vanishing the potion, "and I can safely say the same thing for that mess in your cauldron. Zero points." And he swept away, to check Summer's potion.
"Very good," Snape said curtly. "Just the desired shade of turquoise."
Demi cleared away her area, resisting the urge to fling a lionfish spine at his face, and sat down on her stool moodily.
"Oh no Whitlock," Snape said with a nasty smile. "For the rest of the lesson, you can clean out these flasks, seeing as your sense of smell seems to be immune to every foul odour. You can come and sit in front of my desk."
Crabbe laughed stupidly, even though his own potion was nowhere near finished, or passable. The Gryffindors all gave her sympathetic glances, each having felt Snape's anger at some point. Harry in particular was supportive, giving her a kindly smile as she trudged along the classroom. She sat on the stool in front of his desk. For the rest of the miserable lesson, she sat and cleaned out the flasks without any magic, while he quietly insulted her and taunted her. Once the lesson was over, Demi packed her things away as quickly as possible, and stormed out the class, before Snape could try and put her in detention or criticise her method of cleaning.
"Poor Demetria," Summer whispered loudly to her best friend Katherine as they strode past. "The worst in our Potions class!" Cackling, she sped away.
"God, I hate her," Demi said viciously to Hermione. She hated her for her horrible personality (and for using her mortifying full name), but also because to Demi, Summer seemed so perfect.
Summer was your typical good-looking girl, with skin that tanned perfectly in the summer, beautiful waves of blonde hair and clear blue eyes. She always seemed to get good grades on everything, and to top it all off, she had a wealthy, influential family who didn't seem in the least bit embarrassing.
Of course Demi couldn't see any negative aspects of Summer's life whatsoever. If she could, she wouldn't bother to be jealous of her at all. For all of Summer's supposed 'good' points, she was actually incredibly flawed. But Demi didn't recognise any of these flaws.
Instead she focussed on her own bad points, or what she perceived to be negative anyway. She hated her long black hair, her deep brown eyes and almost oddly pale skin. Her grades varied depending on the lesson, but none were particularly outstanding. And her own family were just weird; it was also mortifying having four sisters who all attended Hogwarts too.
Demi was thinking about all of this as she walked along silently with Harry, Ron and Hermione. It was time for lunch now, and lunch always meant seeing her crush, George Weasley.
Only Hermione knew about this crush; Demi didn't trust anyone else. She'd liked him since Second Year, and although she was really close to him (and Fred), he'd never guess that she liked him, nor he did ever shown any signs of liking her.
Sure enough, when they arrived at the Hall, the twins were sat there already, stuffing their faces as usual. Hermione turned and gave her a small smile, before allowing her to sit opposite George. She smiled gratefully.
"Hey short arse," Fred said, after swallowing his food. The twins always called her this; Demi supposed it was a sign of affection. She pouted.
"You're so mean!"
"We are indeed," George said, smiling at her, and she blushed slightly. It was embarrassing when her face went red, because she was so pale. Demi ducked under the table and emerged when her face felt normal again.
"Potions was crap," Ron was saying moodily, stabbing a sausage with his fork.
"Snape was in a particularly bad mood today," Harry told Fred and George, who nodded in understanding. Both managed to annoy Snape at least once a week. "He took it out on Demi."
"I had to sit at the front and clean out some stinking potion flasks," Demi grimaced. "It was awful."
"Aw, bless you," George said sympathetically, which made her grin. She exchanged a quick happy look with Hermione.
"Well, in fairness, yours did smell like fish," Ron pointed out.
"I know, I know, I added way too much salamander blood," Demi admitted. "Potions is not my strong point."
"Definitely not ours either," Fred agreed, and George nodded. "But who needs Potions anyway?"
Hermione gave him a disapproving look. "It's your OWL year, of course it all matters!"
The twins looked at her like she was insane, but at that moment, Summer approached the six of them. "Mind if I sit down?" she simpered, smiling at the boys but glowering at Hermione and Demi. She and Hermione didn't get on well either, as they were rivals in most lessons.
Fred moved up for her, but Summer moved quickly and joined George on the bench. Demi's heart thumped in anger and envy, as she smiled sweetly at the older boy before eating her lunch daintily. Demi suddenly realised that she was eating rather like Ron and the twins. She slowed down, on the verge of choking.
"So sorry about what happened in Potions, Demi." Demi froze. Was Summer really talking to her? She looked up into her bright blue eyes, and found that she was smiling at her. Demi gave her a suspicious glance.
"Snape really is evil, isn't he?" She glowered in the direction of the teachers table for the added effect, then turned back to Demi. "Potions is super tricky, it really doesn't come naturally to everyone, does it?"
"Oh well, we can't all get straight O's," Demi said coldly, face flushing yet again. How horrible of her to bring up the lesson again! It was mortifying enough at the time without George hearing about it too, though he'd hardly care.
"If you'll excuse us, young ones," Fred said suddenly, getting up with George, "we have important matters to attend to. Ciao." He and George walked away, and Summer watched them leave, smiling. Then she slid up the bench, opposite to Ron.
"Your brother is so cute!" she told him. Ron looked startled.
"Oh, well… if you say so…"
He was silent for a bit, then spoke again. "Which one?"
"George, of course!" Summer smiled, showing pearly white teeth.
Demi's heart sank to the pit of her stomach. It felt like she now had competition.
"He's not really interested in girls at the moment, I don't think," Ron said shortly. He wasn't much of a fan of Summer either; to him, she was like a female Draco Malfoy. "Come on guys, let's go outside."
Demi hadn't finished, but she was grateful for a chance to get away from the terrible girl, who was still eating carefully. She wanted to choke her, for being spiteful and mean and also perfect. Instead, she merely nodded at her and followed the trio out of the Hall.
"What the bloody hell was that all about?" Ron burst out as soon as the autumn breeze hit them. "What do I care if she fancies him? My own brother can't go out with a Venus! They're against half-breeds, Muggleborns and Blood Traitors! I'll – I'll disown him if he goes near her!"
"Ron, calm down," Hermione said soothingly. "I'm sure George wouldn't look twice at her, she's not really his sort of person, is she?"
Ron looked slightly reassured as they entered the Courtyard and looked around for a place to sit. Fred and George were sat discussing something animatedly, and looked up when the four of them approached.
"Hello again," Fred grinned, moving up so Demi could sit with them. "Couldn't stand sitting with that awful girl a moment long. Drives me round the bend."
George grinned too. "We came out here to discuss mischief, t'is what we do best. And the next Hogsmeade trip, of course."
"Ooh, when is it?" Hermione asked excitedly. All of the Third Years except Harry were looking forward to going. While Ron and Hermione quizzed the twins on Hogsmeade, Demi slid up to Harry, who looked miserable.
"It won't be the same without you," Demi reassured him, and he smiled.
"It's okay, I'll do homework or something…" He didn't sound too convincing.
"We'll stay with you-"
"No, honestly, don't worry about it." But Harry looked pleased and gave her a warm smile, which she returned.
"During my first Hogsmeade trip, I took a very pretty girl with me," Fred was telling Ron and Hermione. Fred was such a womaniser, bless him. "It didn't quite work out but never mind… Perhaps Ron, you could take Hermione?"
Ron went red and wriggled away.
"And George, you take Demi!" Fred stared expectantly at him with a smirk on his face, and George looked embarrassed, not quite looking at Demi. After a few seconds, he laughed shakily.
"Yeah, maybe not… I've forgotten my quill, better go and get it." He got up, towering over the rest of them, and left quickly. Fred frowned after him.
"That was rude," he commented. "Never mind Demi, I'll take you myself." He winked at her and she giggled, feeling a strong wave of disappointment flood over her.
"Such a delightful offer Fredrick. Very hard to resist."
George didn't arrive for ages, only towards the end, and he didn't even say much, not when all of them were laughing and joking.
"Damn, we have Potions now," Fred said, looking disappointed. Then he looked cheered. "We have our first Quidditch practise tonight, an informal one." Harry grinned too.
"Could I come and watch?" Demi asked. She loved watching Quidditch, like every other member of the school. "I'll behave, promise!"
"Don't see why not," Fred replied, glancing at George. "See you guys later." He patted Demi on the head annoyingly; he knew she hated this. She gave him a mock glare, then waved goodbye.