A/N: Hello my lovely readers! I know I've been gone a long time. I could make a long paragraph about how I've been busy or whatever, but I'd rather not make empty excuses. I'll try to update more frequently from now on, and I apologize for making all of the people who followed this story wait. And to everyone who followed and favorited, I'm really grateful and I hope you will continue to enjoy this story. I'll try to post another chapter soon, maybe tomorrow, so look forward to it!
And to new readers, welcome!
Disclaimer: Not mine. I wish it were, but unfortunately J.K. Rowling is not me.
By the time we reach Hogwarts, I am just, well, exhausted. Ugh, I hate my life.
Okay, no, I don't.
First, I had to share a compartment with bloody Gryffindors, and it was even worse when Draco walked in.
He started whining to Potter about his new prefect status, and then he started whining to me about why the hell I was sitting with those idiots.
And then I finally get some peace and quiet on the carriages when Draco decides to invade my solitude when I step out.
"Why were you sitting with them?" He demands, standing in front of me way too close for comfort with his arms crossed.
"Who is this them?" I question, although I already know. It's fun to irritate him. "You must be more specific, Draco. It's a surprise anyone actually understands what you are talking about most of the time, seeing how vague you tend to be."
"You know very well who I am talking about!" He sneers, "Why, just why, would you be sitting with the likes of them? Gryffindors and Loony Lovegood? When there was plenty of space in my compartment? Have you lost your mind?"
"No, but I'm fairly certain you have," I smirk and push past him while he seethes. Seriously, who can blame me for wanting to sit alone? Or at least to have some peace and quiet, especially after this summer? With the Dark Lord back, Aunt Cissa and Uncle Lucius are under a lot of stress. Uncle Lucius's loyalty lies with the Dark Lord, but then he has to keep up a façade of being a normal Ministry worker. It would be nice to finally get back to my studies in relative peace. To pretend that nothing is going on.
However, there are things going on. Uncle Lucius hinted that there would probably be quite a few changes to Hogwarts this year, considering the less-than-favorable view the Ministry has of its esteemed headmaster lately.
"Ethelinda."
I groan. Draco's caught up to me, and he's using his stern voice. I say nothing, but raise an eyebrow to indicate that I'm listening, as he falls into step beside me and we walk into the castle.
"This is enough. You're acting so childish. Fraternizing with those people merely to annoy me is extremely immature. Especially now. We're fifteen, in fifth year, don't you think it's time to stop acting this way? You need to act more seriously, especially with what's been going on recently. You can't be seen sitting with the likes of them. I forbid it!"
I purse my lips, and keep myself from glaring at him, instead focusing my gaze straight ahead at the crowd of people in front of us. We are a few meters behind them, which is good, I suppose. Being seen arguing would not be good for our family's reputation.
"Are you that full of yourself that you think I act this way merely to annoy you? No, I don't care in the least about annoying you. You misread my intentions. I only sat there to get away from you, regardless of whether or not you were annoyed because of it. Actually, if anyone should be annoyed, it should be me. You're the childish one, if you intentionally misunderstood my intents just to boost your own ego. I mean, do you really think my actions are only to annoy you? We've lived together since we were one, you should know I don't care enough to do things only out of spite."
Draco scoffs and attempts to walk past me into the Great Hall, but I grab his arm and pull him back.
"I'm not done yet."
He shrugs his arm back and turns around to face me, his eye twitching.
"You don't think I know that I need to be serious? I understand, probably more than you, about the intensity of the situation. And what's that? You forbid it? Since when do you control me? I admit, maybe sitting with them wasn't the best thing to do, and I won't do it again, but only because I care about the family and our reputation, and not because you 'forbid it' or whatever rubbish."
I start through the doors, then turn around. "Aren't you coming? We have to appear as the perfect family, don't we?"
He glares, then catches up to me and we walk through the doors appearing to be in a friendly conversation. We can't appear to be having a fight, after all. It would ruin our family's reputation.
We make our way to the Slytherin table and join his – ahem, I mean our – friends.
"So, Ethelinda, we missed you on the train," Pansy says, in that annoying I'm-better-than-you voice.
I hold in a groan, because I'd hoped that I'd get to keep from talking to her at least until tomorrow. Instead, I give her a smile while gritting my teeth.
"Well, Pansy, I only wanted some solitude. I'd rather not sit in a compartment filled with children," I say in forced politeness, while giving her a pointed glare.
"You'd better watch your mouth," she hisses. "Things aren't going to be the same this year, you know."
"I know better than you," I say, managing to keep my tone polite. "And I definitely know enough to figure that talking about this in open in the middle of the Great Hall is probably not the best idea."
Someone coughs behind me, which suspiciously sounds like a snort.
"That would be smart," that someone says, sliding into the seat on my left.
"Hello Daphne," I greet, this time with actual politeness, considering the fact that Daphne and Astoria Greengrass are two of the few people I actually enjoy speaking with. She nods while Astoria takes the seat in front of me.
"So what were you talking about? I only heard the tail end of what you said."
"You shouldn't barrel into a conversation when you know nothing about what we were saying," Pansy says, smirking. Draco nods in agreement and shoots me a warning glare. One that says keep in mind what we already talked about. I ignore his look in favor of staring at my food as I eat, staying out of the conversation.
"I only joined in because Pansy had this utterly ridiculous look on her face," Daphne says to me, pretending to not notice Pansy.
I let out a grin but otherwise don't say anything back, and Daphne takes the hint and starts up a conversation with Astoria, leaving me to my thoughts.
Pansy seethes and turns to, in her words, "darling Draco." Those words were almost enough to make me vomit the first time I heard her say them in her whiny voice.
I ignore them as Dumbledore stands up to make his speech as usual. I ignore him too, at least until I hear a squeaky hem hem.
I turn to look at the Head Table to see that one of the new teachers has stood up, intending to make a speech.
Oh, right. This must be the new Professor Umbridge. Uncle Lucius mentioned this to us before we left for Hogwarts. He had heard from Fudge that the Ministry was going to take a lot more interest in the school, and were sending one of their own to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts.
I don't know quite what to make of this woman. She's rude, for sure. No one ever interrupts Dumbledore during his speech. No one. Well, I suppose she thinks she's an exception?
Her voice is sickly sweet, as if she is trying to talk to young children but doesn't quite know how to be nice to them. I drown out her speech and stare at my table, because even the bare surface is better to look at than all of that pink.
Whatever. It's not like it matters what she's saying anyway. Probably just a load of rubbish about the Ministry wanting the best for the students or something.
Well, it's not like her teaching would affect my studies here or anything. She's just another DADA teacher who will disappear after another year. I mean, the first one died, the second one ended up losing his memory, the third one had to leave after being exposed as a werewolf (despite being the most competent DADA teacher we've had so far), and the fourth was an impostor. Whatever bad luck is coming will happen to her after this year, and she'll be gone.
I just hope I'll be able to pass through this year peacefully.
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