A/N Hi, I'm back with the next chapter. Thanks to all of those who left me their condolences, it really means alot to me. And thank you to all the people that reviewed, followed and favorited. You guys are rockstars. I hope you enjoy!
Ch. 7
This Spells Trouble
"If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for all your troubles you wouldn't be able to sit for a month." –Theodore Roosevelt
The elevator door dinged and the doors slid open to reveal a tall handsome guy with brown hair and beautiful hazel green eyes.
"Um, excuse me…"
I mentally slapped myself for making the same mistake twice. "Sorry." I stepped out of the way and tried to make myself small.
"Hi, I'm Alex." He introduced himself to me. I nodded, recognizing the name from before.
"Lucia Anderson, but you can call me Lucy."
The elevator opened on my floor and I sighed with relief. Once again I hastily made my exit and collided with him sending my mail into the air. Again I scolded myself for following the same pattern of idiocy. "Oh, Bollocks." I cursed.
"I'm so sorry." He apologized bending down to help me.
"Don't be, it was my fault." I assured him. I saw a flash of yellow permeate the uniform white of my mail when he handed it to me.
"I'll see you later?" He said, maybe a little hopefully. I gave him a tight smile but didn't answer. The doors closed and I felt a small rough tongue lick my face. I wiped at my cheek in alarm and looked around. There was no one there.
What the hell—
Another lick. I opened my eyes and was greeted by the silver and green drapings around my bed.
"Meow." Midna licked me again and I sighed.
"Alright, alright. I'm up." I told her. She jumped lightly to the floor and followed me protectively to the bathroom. The other girls were still sleeping soundly. After a quick shower and washing my teeth I strapped on my wand and got dressed in my Slytherin robes. By the time I was done the other girls had begun to stir.
"You're up already?" Daphne yawned in confusion.
I nodded. "Couldn't sleep, Midna seems to think that 5:30 in the morning is an appropriate time to wake up." I twisted my still wet hair around my finger forming a tight curl over my shoulder. "Speaking of which, what are the rules concerning pets, do you know?" I asked as Midna wove in and out from between my legs.
"Well, they aren't allowed in class, I don't think, but they are allowed to roam the rest of the castle. Even without their owners." Daphne explained.
"Really?" I asked perplexed. "And they aren't afraid of pets getting into trouble, making messes or anything?" I asked. Alya looked over at me and narrowed her eyes.
"Of course not…" Daphne said hesitantly confusion flashing across her features. "Familiars are magical pets. They're far more intelligent due to the nature of their purpose and breeding. Their purpose is to aid and protect their witch or wizard so they wouldn't cause trouble for their owners. Not like some common muggle pet."
"As a wealthy pureblood one would think that you would already know this." Alya said offhandedly. My blood went cold. I was ashamed to say that I might have panicked for just a moment. I scrambled for a second to gather my bearings while Parkinson's frown began to morph into a sneer.
"My parents hate pets." I finally managed. The excuse sounded weak even to my ears. "Mother is allergic to them but, they made an exception since it's my first year at Hogwarts and I'm an only child." I further explained.
"Oh," Alya replied simply. "That's interesting."
I nodded sensing I was in the clear…for now.
"Well, I'm off to breakfast. I'll see you lot there." I grabbed my school bag and left the dorms. The common room was deserted seeing as everyone was still getting ready.
I exited through the wall that served as the entrance to the common rooms and took off through the dungeons before slowing down. I suddenly realized I hadn't the slightest idea of how to reach the Great Hall.
"Bollocks." I cursed. Midna sniffed at me and took off towards a different corridor. "Midna! Bloody hell." I cursed as I chased after my cat. She slowed to a trot just in front of me so I no longer had to sprint when we arrived at the grand staircases.
I suddenly realized that Midna, as Daphne pointed out, was not the ordinary housecat I thought she was. She now doubled as my GPS that helped navigate me through the halls of Hogwarts.
"Midna, darling, you are a goddamn blessing." I cooed scooping her up in my arms and scratching her between the ears. She purred happily as if to second that statement.
I placed her on the ground again. "Alright then, onward!" I commanded with a giggle as she took off again up the stairwell. I soon reached the Great Hall and entered. It was mostly deserted save for the teachers who had already started eating and a couple of the older students who littered the house tables.
Remembering the spot I had taken the day before during the sorting I sat down and helped myself to some jam and toast. I was going to make a point of sitting there just to grind Bulstrode's gears.
I ate my breakfast at a relaxed pace as people slowly started filtering in. Soon the Great Hall was buzzing with conversation. I was feeding Midna some bits of bacon when a familiar platinum blonde sat beside me.
"Morning, Anderson." He greeted me cordially as Crabbe and Goyle sat beside us. True to their nature they seemed to be guarding us, probably by Draco's command.
"Morning Draco. You slept well I take it?" He seemed rather pleased about something.
"I did thank you." He smirked helping himself to a boiled egg. Midna jumped on his lap and licked his hand. Draco scratched her behind the ears and she mewled happily before trying to snatch some bacon off his plate.
"Midna!" I scolded her. "Where are your manners?"
"It's quite alright." Draco smirked. "Nothing could ruin this morning."
I narrowed my eyes. "What have you done?"
Draco held his hand to his heart. "I'm hurt," He said with mock indignance. "What makes you think I did something nefarious?"
"Oh please," I scoffed. "What did you do—" I caught sight of Harry and Ron enter the Great Hall, the front of their robes were soaked through with ink.
"Salazar's spit!" I cursed. Draco found what I was looking at and started laughing raucously. He soon had a group of Slytherins laughing and pointing at the pair.
"What in the bloody hell did you?" I hissed angrily at him.
"Oh, don't get your knickers in a twist." Draco said between laughs. "I just paid Peeves off to give them some trouble."
Ron and Harry glanced over at the Slytherin table. Ron turned red at the sight of my housemates laughing at their expense and shot us a vicious glare.
"Oh now you've done it." I sighed. "I have to go clean up your mess." I got up and moved to leave but Draco grabbed my arm stopping me.
"Just leave it be, Anderson. They're our enemies. Why do you keep trying to be their friends?" He asked angrily. So much for nothing ruining his morning.
"I'm tired of explaining myself to you." I sighed. "Come find me when you've decided to grow up." I sneered tearing my arm away from him. Midna leapt off his lap and followed me dutifully, making sure to sniff haughtily at Draco before she left.
I made my way to the Gryffindor table and ignored the whispers and stares that were aimed in my direction. I guess they weren't used to seeing a snake enter the lion's den.
"Are you two alright?" I asked when I finally arrived at where Harry and Ron were sitting.
"Like you care." Ron glared at me. "Bet you were having a real laugh with your pal Malfoy."
"Hey, just because I'm friends with him doesn't mean I condone his actions." I defended crossing my arms over my chest.
"Yeah alright." Ron scoffed. "Because we're supposed to believe the words of a Slytherin, a snake." He sneered at me like I was the dirt from underneath his shoe. My jaw dropped in disbelief.
"Excuse me?" I asked, my voice trembling with barely concealed rage. Harry watched on helplessly as our argument began to spiral out of control.
"You heard me." Ron said, sneer still firmly in place. "You're a Slytherin, only bad people get sorted into Slytherin. You do the math, Anderson."
"Do you even hear yourself when you speak?" I said coldly. "That's a piss poor argument and you know it. Might I remind you that back on the train I defended you and your family against Malfoy's prejudice?"
"Yeah, but—" He started.
"I'm not finished," I growled dangerously. "Not only did I defend you, but now you in turn are being just as prejudiced as the snakes you so despise."
Ron turned red and I turned to look at Harry.
"And you," I shook my head.
"Me! What did I do?" He asked indignantly.
"You just sat there and let Ron go about spouting slanderous comments about how I'm not worthy of your company and other such rubbish because of where I was sorted. You didn't try to defend me even when I've been nothing but good to you." I hissed.
"That's not fair." He argued. "Malfoy and his friends are a bad lot and you know it. I've only known them a day and I know it. So when we saw you acting so cozy with them and then you got sorted into Slytherin and then we get attacked by Peeves who told us the it was Malfoy's doing we thought—"
"Oh you thought did you?" I scoffed. "Well you thought wrong." I clenched my fists in anger. "Like I said to Malfoy, come find me when you've decided to grow up." I stalked off back to the Slytherin table.
"Honestly." I grumbled under my breath as I picked up my bag and sat at the opposite end of the table far from Draco and his goons.
Draco stood from his seat and waved Crabbe and Goyle off when they tried to follow him. He made his way to where I was and sat down.
"That went well, I take it?" Malfoy asked dryly.
"Bugger off, Malfoy. I'm not in the mood." I looked over at him. "Unless of course you've decided to grow up."
He scratched at his nose.
"I'm going to take that as a no." I scoffed. "Honestly, Malfoy."
"So it's back to surnames is it?" He asked.
I raised my eyebrow. "Oh please, you still only ever call me Anderson." I pointed out.
"That's not true." He argued. "I call you Lucy…" He trailed off and then smirked at me. "Sometimes." His smirk grew when I shot him another glare.
"Oh c'mon, don't be such a sour puss." He gave me a playful shove. "Who cares if you're friends with Potty and the Weasel anyways?"
"I care!" I cried angrily. "Believe it or not I like being friends with them."
Malfoy shook his head as if he felt sorry for me. "Look at all the good that did you." It's only day one and they already turned against you for something you didn't even do. And do you want to know why?" He asked me. "It's because you're Slytherin and they're Gryffindors. Your 'Friendship' was doomed before it even began." Malfoy sneered.
"Well then, I guess I'll just have to prove you wrong then." I challenged.
"I doubt it." Malfoy scoffed.
"We'll see." I finished simply.
Suddenly, as if by some unspoken signal, the heads of houses stood up simultaneously and each conjured a stack of parchment.
"That'll be the schedules." I heard one of the older students tell his friend.
Snape made his way slowly down the table handing out schedules as he went. When he finally made it to us he paused.
"Miss Anderson." He handed me my schedule.
"Good morning Professor." I greeted him cheerfully. "How are you today?" I asked.
He frowned with distaste at my cheeriness. "Peachy." He said slowly. I grinned at that. Causing him to cock an eyebrow. "May I ask what you were doing over at the Gryffindor table?" He asked in his silky Alan Rickman-ian cadence.
"You may." I smirked playfully. Draco's jaw dropped at seeing me sass the Professor.
Snape's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I trust, Miss Anderson, that this isn't an attempt to be difficult with me. Is it?" He asked lowly.
"Of course not Professor." I said as innocently as possible but even I could hear an undercurrent of mockery in my tone.
"Tread carefully, Miss Anderson." Snape warned. "Now I'll ask you again, what were you doing over there?"
I sighed and tried to smother my smile. "If you must know, Peeves decided to prank some friends of mine by throwing inkwells at them like muggle grenades so I was just checking on them to see if they were alright."
"You're friends with the Gryffindors?" He asked disbelievingly.
"Yes Professor." He sneered at this.
"Oh c'mon, you can't tell me that in your day you weren't friends with any Gryffindors." I asked. I saw his jaw tighten for only a second before he made his face carefully blank.
"No, I can't say that I did, Miss Anderson." He said coldly.
"Really?" I asked softly, thinking of Lily Evans. "Not one?" I gazed into his eyes, which seemed to expand into gaping tunnels that swallowed me up. I felt pressure begin to grow in my skull as flashes of Lily Evans streaked across my consciousness. I gasped and looked away clutching at my temples as the pain receded to a dull ache.
"Lucy?" Draco asked, concern leaking through his façade of indifference. I looked back at Snape who had become very pale.
"Did you just—" I started to ask with alarm.
"I'll see you in class." He said quickly. He stalked off, his black robes billowing out behind him.
"Lucy, what just happened?" Draco demanded. I picked up my goblet shakily and took a sip of my pumpkin juice.
"Nothing. It-it was nothing." I whispered.
"You're trembling." Draco pointed out.
"I have to go to the library." I said suddenly. I picked up my things and Midna trotted along in front of me leading me through the quickest route to my destination.
"We have Transfiguration in twenty minutes!" Draco called after me.
"I'll meet you there." I called back my mind racing. Snape had just read my mind. He'd used Legilimency on me not moments ago. I had to start training myself in Occlumency today if I had any hope of keeping my secrets from Snape and anyone else that decided to try and sneak a peek at my thoughts.
I soon reached the library thanks to Midna's extraordinary navigation skills. I approached Madame Pince hesitantly. She seemed preoccupied with a stack of paperwork.
"How may I help you?" She asked, her voice as dry as the pages in the books she guarded. She hadn't even looked away from her work to address me.
"Do you know where I can find a book on Legilimency and Occlumency?" I asked.
Her eyes widened and she gave me her full attention. "Why on earth would a first year such as yourself need a book such as that?" She asked, perhaps a tad alarmed.
I bit my lip. "I came across the terms while I was doing a bit of extra reading for Defense class. And Occlumency is supposed to help shield your mind from a Legilimens, correct?"
"Yes." Madame Pince pressed waiting for me to continue.
"Well the issue is that my book doesn't teach you how to become an Occlumens. That's where I was hoping you could help." I finished.
"Who do you think would want to read your mind, young lady, that makes you want to become an Occlumens?" She asked suspiciously.
I thought of Snape. "Oh no one Madame!" I assured her. "I just think it would be a useful skill."
She pursed her lips. "Well, Legilimency, and in turn Occlumency, are restricted subjects to first years."
I felt my heart plummet. Damn.
She saw my reaction and sighed." But, if you were to get a signed permission form from your head of house than I would be able to get you the materials you need." She told me.
I managed to force a grateful smile. "Thank you Madame Pince."
She peered down at her watch. "You'd better hurry, first class begins in five minutes." She warned me.
Bollocks.
"Goodbye!" I waved back at her as I rushed out of the library. I was going to have to find an alternate solution to my Occlumency problem before potions class on Friday or I was going to have a serious problem on my hands.
P/N What did you guys think? Leave a review below and tell me! Ask questions if you have them, I'll be glad to answer so long as they don't ruin the plot too much. Don't forget to drop a follow and a favorite if you like this story. Hopefully i'll be back soon with more.
Love,
Lucy
