"Velvet, Krista."
The name was met with whispers as Harry's had been except these weren't so nice. "A Velvet?"
"I heard they were awful."
"Savages."
"Murderers."
"Yeah, yeah allright. I get the message." The girl turned to face the students, black hair hanging round her face "You don't want me here. I'll just go back to my nice, warm, comfortable cell in prison with loads of reading material and things to do." Her voice was full of sarcasm "Well tough. I'm staying. Bit of a change from Azkaban I must say." She commented to McGonagall as the teacher placed the hat on her head.
The hat took a long time deciding, then shouted "Slytherin". Krista walked over to the Slytherin table and slumped over it. When Malfoy poked her to move her she told him "Sleeping. Go away."
"Why do I have to say the incantation?" Krista complained to Professor Flitwick.
"Because that's the way you learn."
"I mean, I get why I have to learn it. So that if anyone says "Wingardium leviosa" I'll know what they're on about. But do I have to say it? I've been taught all spells non-verbally, it's second nature to me."
"You still have to do it." Flitwick was adamant. Krista sighed and flicked her wand at her feather. It immediately shot towards the ceiling. She was then given ten points for being able to perform the charm so well, and had fifteen removed for disobeying instructions.
"Miss Velvet, would you be able to stay awake this lesson?" Professor Snape asked icily.
"I do try." The girl in question protested, yawning. "It's just I was somewhat busy last night."
"And what was so important last night?"
"I was reading a book. The Mallorean series. Reading is very important, it helps pass the time."
"Stay awake or I will give you detention." Snape gave her his ultimatum. Krista sighed and nodded.
"I don't care if you've already learned this material Miss Velvet. You still have to attend my lessons."
"But Professor McGonagall…"
"No more on the subject and five points from Slytherin for not attending the lesson."
"Aw, professor!"
"Any more and you'll get detention." McGonagall was firm.
"Are you sure this thing will hold me up?" Krista asked dubiously.
Everybody laughed. There was on up-point to lessons with Slytherin, Harry decided, Krista was in them. The girl was a born comedian, all the Gryffindors agreed. Even if she was a Slytherin.
"Yes, it will hold you up." Madame Hooch assured her.
"I think I may have ridden one before. A long time ago. I think I was six. Yes, six. It was when they took me to high security. Well, no it was just prison first, then they moved me to high security."
"Krista." Draco interrupted her.
"Yes?"
"You're doing it again." He sighed.
"What?"
"Rambling."
"I do that. Been locked up for three, four years. I talk to myself a lot. Especially when I'm scared."
Just then Madame Hooch called them to attention so Krista's rambling was stopped. Hers was one of the few brooms to jump into their owners' hands immediately and she kept hovering slightly while Madame Hooch was showing the rest, her toes trailing the ground.
"You have a lot of nervous habits." Draco commented.
"Yes, I need them. Otherwise I might go mad. Prison is very boring."
"Krista, on the ground. All of you, on my whistle rise up slowly and then on my second whistle come back down. Three…two…one…" she blew the whistle.
Unfortunately Krista had already rocketed up on "one". She had then regained some degree of control, or so Harry guessed from the way she was dead still directly above him.
"Come down!" Madame Hooch ordered her.
"Can't." Krista called back, moving about left and right "Left, right, forward, back. Up and down aren't working."
"Come down this instant."
"Told you, I can't. What happens if you stand up?" Krista asked, trying it and promptly falling off. About a metre from the ground she managed to get her wand out and flick it at herself. She immediately stopped falling and hung in the air. "Now I've lost all that momentum." The crazy girl grinned and flicked her wand again. This time she fell. "Ow."
"Are you hurt?" everyone crowded around her.
"I'm fine." Krista smiled "Can I do that again?" she looked for the broomstick and picked it up from where it was lying next to her.
"Did the broom bang your head on the way down or were you always crazy?" Ron asked.
"That apparently goes with the rambling." Draco said as he helped her up.
"She's mad." Several people commented.
"Oh yes." Krista agreed happily.
"Troll in the dungeons. Thought you ought to know." Quirrell managed to say before he fainted. Immediately everybody began to panic, until someone screamed.
"Krista! What the hell are you doing?" Draco yelled above the noise.
The screaming stopped "Getting everyone's attention of course." she told him as if it were obvious. "Why is everyone scared?"
"Troll." The boy looked at her condescendingly.
"So?"
"So, trolls are scary and there shouldn't be one in the castle." Pansy Parkinson informed her.
"Whatever. You ever met a Dementor? Imagine the scariest thing and make it ten times worse. If you want I'll go kill it for you."
"While Miss Velvet I do believe you. I cannot allow you to fight a troll." Dumbledore ordered.
"Didn't say anything about fighting it did I?" Krista looked at her fellow Slytherins. They all shook their heads.
"You're awfully selfless for a Slytherin." A Gryffindor Harry couldn't see commented.
"Selfless? Me? Oh, I wouldn't say that." Krista vaulted the table "I'm doing this for myself. The noise you lot make." She sighed.
"Who was screaming?" the Gryffindor asked incredulous.
"Oh, you get used to that. It's when the background murmurs become too loud that I can't stand. You want to come Draco?" he shook his head. "Your loss." With that she almost skipped to the door.
When Harry and Ron burst into the bathroom where the troll was they were amazed to find it dead. Hermione and Krista were standing to the side observing.
Then the teachers arrived "Told you I could kill it." Krista reminded them.
"How did you do it?" Quirrell asked, stuttering as usual.
"Will you stop that? It's really irritating. And I thought a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher would know about the killing curse. Guess I was wrong." Krista was not too nice when she thought you weren't very good. Neville had once been berated by her for having no confidence.
"Well of course I know. But how…"
"She's a Velvet." Dumbledore smiled "I'm never quite sure if they're either taught it really early or just know curses instinctively."
"And what are you three doing here?" McGonagall asked Hermione, Harry and Ron.
"Ron insulted Hermione so she was hiding." Krista informed her "And I presume he and Harry decided to come and tell her about the troll. Which is more than I would have expected really." she looked thoughtful.
"Why?"
"They don't like her, and she doesn't like them."
"Back to the common room Miss Velvet." Snape ordered.
"Yes Professor." Krista walked to the door.
"And take fifty points for managing to kill the troll." He added.
"And lose ten for disobeying the rules." McGonagall glared at Snape.
"Yes Professors." Krista left.
"You three had better go back to your common room as well." Dumbledore suggested. They left as well.