"Yeah, and he reckons he fought You-Know-Who, and won. How ridiculous is that?"

Ophelia groaned as she opened her eyes. If she heard one more comment about Harry Potter and how his mind was deteriorating she was going to explode. It was all the whole school was talking about yesterday, and it seemed they hadn't forgotten.
She sat up as Parkinson and Bullstrode gossiped some more. Well, you could say gossiping, it was more of Parkinson rabbiting on, and Bullstrode grunting in agreement.

Lia crawled out of bed and into the bathroom.

"Morning Mudblood!" Pansy said spitefully. Lia just rolled her eyes, too tired to retaliate.
After her shower, Lia came back into an empty dorm room, which was usual for a school day. Trace was very much a morning person, and she was usually one of the first for breakfast, and Pansy left the dorm early to go and flirt with Draco, and of course wherever Pansy went, Millicent went too.
This left Lia with the mornings to herself, though by the time she was up, she had about ten minutes until her first lesson.

Lia's bed was, annoyingly, the furthest away from the bathroom, and the nearest to the windows. At least she had the curtains around it, to block out the noise of Bullstrode's snoring. Her things were strewn around her corner of the room. Lia vaguely thought she should tidy it one day soon, before deciding not to.

She grabbed her school shirt and kilt, which she detested. Lia never wore skirts. Pulling on her green and silver tie, she got her books and walked down the stairs to the Slytherin common room. It was an ugly room, or so Lia thought. It could almost be a dungeon, with the low ceilings and the greenish hue cast from being underneath the lake. It was adorned in skulls and snakes, and Slytherin banners. There were two small sofas, but the rest of the furniture was hard backed and uncomfortable. There was a small bookcase, full of books about Salazaar Slytherin, the founder of the house.

Lia did not pass through the room quickly, as she usually did. It was empty, as was regular in the mornings, and Lia wasn't going to let Parkinson's earlier comment slide. She strode over to Pansy's usual spot, one of the green velvet sofa's in the far corner, where she sat in the evenings, gushing over Draco. She put her wand to the place where she knew the pug-faced girl would sit, and muttered some well-chosen words.

On her first evening, her head of house, Snape, had given a speech on house unity, and how he would severely punish inter-house fighting. But Lia never played by the rules, especially when provoked, and anyway, Snape had seemed like a bit of a creep to her, even if he was in the Order.

Later, after a mind numbingly boring Charms lesson, she met up with Trace outside the Transfiguration classroom.

"Why are you so happy?" She said to an extremely chipper Trace.

"Just had an awesome Herbology lesson." Trace said, grinning. "I shared a plant pot with Terry Boot from Ravenclaw. He so couldn't take his eyes off me."

Lia just scoffed softly. Trace claimed to be in love with a different boy nearly every day. It seemed this Ravenclaw would be the topic of many conversations for the next hour or so.

The door opened, and McGonagall, the transfiguration teacher came out. The class attempted to file into the room, but McGonagall stopped them

"Now, class, kindly wait a moment while I explain this year's seating arrangement to you!"

The corridor erupted in load groans.

"Seating arrangement?"
"But who am I going to copy off now?"
"Doesn't she know we share this class with the Slytherins?

Ophelia glared at the last speaker, a Gryffindor boy with sandy hair.

"Settle down students!" McGonagall shouted. "Now after problems with last year's OWL class I had decided to assign you your seats. There is a seating plan posted on the door. Find your assigned seat and sit in it. There will be no changes to it."

Ophelia and Trace, at the back of the line had to wait a while to find out their seats.

"I don't care where I am as long as it's nowhere near Parkinson." Trace muttered, as the line grew smaller.

"Same," Lia replied, watching the space near the door. From the rest of the class' reactions, McGonagall hadn't been kind in assigning seats.

"Score! I'm sat next to Malfoy, that'll really annoy the pug!" Trace grinned evilly as they looked at the plan. "What about you?"

Lia looked at the parchment to see her name written at the back of the classroom next to…Hermione Granger.

She groaned. Hermione was alright, but she was just a little too annoying.

Lia found her seat and sat down. Hermione gave her a small smile which she ignored. This year was going to be very long.

Half an hour later, she was enjoying herself much more. They were vanishing snails, and Ophelia, who had mastered this spell when she was about fourteen, had vanished hers on the first go, and was now watching Hermione struggle with hers.

"How did you do yours so quickly? This is really complicated magic!" She eventually said, looking at Lia in annoyance.

"Yeah well when you deal in stolen goods, sometimes you need to get rid of it quickly." Lia answered dully.

"Well done Miss Williams, Ten points to Slytherin!" McGonagall sounded from her left, as she was checking on the class.

"Whoop," Lia muttered under her breath.

Hermione looked even more annoyed.

"Look, you're flourishing your wand a bit. You need to keep the movements sharp and swift." Lia finally said, fed up with the Gryffindor's frustration.

Hermione looked even more annoyed that Lia was trying to help, but she tried anyway. The snail vanished.

Hermione gave Lia a small smile, and Lia went back to observing the class' struggles. She saw Trace leaning heavily towards Draco Malfoy, silently sniggering at Parkinson's enraged face. By the time the bell had rang, no one apart from herself and Hermione managed to vanish their snails, and they were the only ones not set the homework.

After a quick lunch, it was time for Care of Magical Creatures, again with the Gryffindors. For two houses that were supposed to hate each other, they sure shared a lot of lessons, Lia thought. What a stupid idea.

This class was outside in the grounds, and without Trace, who took Muggle Studies for some bizarre reason, Lia walked down towards the small wooden hut, where the teacher stood waiting behind a table. She heard a loud, shrill giggle that she knew all too well as Malfoy, surrounded by Pansy and his usual band of ignorant followers made their way onto the grounds.
The joke wasn't on her, for once though, and as they approached the table, it seemed pretty clear it was on Potter.

"Is this everyone?" The Professor, Grubbly-Plank, said. "Good. Now who can tell me what these creatures are called?"

Hermione lifted her hand quickly and Lia cringed. To the right of her, Malfoy did a stupid impression of her, jumping up and down like a moron, which Parkinson found extremely amusing.

Ten minutes later, and Malfoy still hadn't stopped with his stupid impressions. Lia was getting sick of Pansy's shrill laughter, and as Hermione answered another question correctly, she'd had enough.

"Cut it out Malfoy! No one finds you funny, apart from the brain-dead" She said, angrily, glancing at Pansy. He looked round for the source of the interruption and smirked when he saw Ophelia.

"Going to make me, Mudblood?" He replied.

"Keep calling me that, and I bloody well will," Lia said, raising her eyebrows at him.

"What, Mudblood?" He antagonised.

"What's the disruption back there? Ten points from Slytherin!" Grubbly-Plank shouted.

Lia looked round and realised most of the class was watching her and Malfoy. Defiantly, she raised her wand and sent a Jelly Legs Jinx at him, and he toppled over.

"Miss Williams! Twenty points from Slytherin!" The teacher shouted.

"Whatever," she replied, turning back around to watch the lesson, and she saw Harry grinning at her. She managed a small smile back.

Grubbly-Plank spent a few more minutes talking about the bowtruckes, whilst Theodore Nott performed the counter-jinx to fix Malfoy's legs. He looked extremely peeved off, which Lia was glad about. They got set a task to sketch the magical creatures, and she, sighing, stepped forward to retrieve one, when Malfoy stood in front of her.

"I'd be careful, Black." He said, menacingly.

"Excuse me?" Lia said, raising her eyebrows. How did he know her real name?

"I know you're not really a Mudblood. I'm just going along with that little rumour to amuse Pansy." He smirked. "Like I said, I'd be careful, unless I wanted people to know who I really was…cousin. I knew you were too familiar that day in Diagon Alley. Reminded me of some of my mother's family. It didn't take long for me to put two and two together."

Lia was still unimpressed. "Like I give a shit what a load of poxy school kids think, Malfoy. Now get out of my way."

She shoved him away and walked off. Malfoy didn't say anything, but she was sure she saw him look at her in a peculiar way as she left him.

It was five o'clock that evening, and Ophelia was on her way to Umbridge's detention. Making her way down the corridors she wondered how Malfoy knew about her last name. She'd been so careful at Hogwarts, and she couldn't think of anything that would have given her away. Maybe she should write to Remus again. She still needed to reply to his last letter.

Dear Ophelia,
In fear of getting a 'broken face', I didn't show anyone else your letter. Although your dad did ask how you were. Maybe you should start writing to him?
Of course you won't turn out like Voldemort. I stick by what I said before, some outstanding witches and wizards have come from your house and they are not dark in the slightest.
I'm not convinced everyone hates you. Silly rumours lose their power after time and I'm sure you'll make friends soon. And if not, dungbombs under the bed are always a good idea.
And you're not a bitch. Just a little…truthful.
Tonks and Arthur are here in the kitchen as I'm writing this, they hope your well.
Remus.

Lia'd finally reached Umbridge's room. She grimaced. It was full of flowers, pictures of ugly, ugly kittens, and the sort of décor you'd find in an old woman's house. Slowly, she walked in, to saw Potter standing there. She looked at him curiously before Umbridge spoke.
Lia jumped. In her flowery outfit, she was nearly camouflaged against the hideous wallpaper.

"You're late, Miss Williams."

"Yeah, I got lost," Lia replied, not missing a beat. "I've only been here a week and I didn't know where your office was."

"That is not my problem," Umbridge replied. "Now, sit down, both of you. I hope you understand why you are here. I will not stand for disruption in my classroom, especially with extreme lack of respect for the school rules with walking out of lessons, silly comments and nasty attention seeking lies."

She aimed the last part towards Harry, who clenched his fists.

"Now sit down please." She continued. Lia looked behind her and saw two desks set up with parchment and quills on them. Lines? How cliché.

"I would like you, Mr Potter to write 'I must not tell lies.' And Miss Williams, you must write, 'I must always follow rules'".

Lia rolled her eyes.

"How many times?" Harry asked, dully.

"Oh, as long as it takes to sink in!" Umbridge said.

Lia lifted her quill. "You haven't given us any ink." She stated.

"Oh, you won't need any." Umbridge squeaked, as if she was trying to stop herself from laughing.

"Okaaay then…" Lia whispered. She put the quill to the page and started to write the lines Umbridge had set her.

I must always follow rules.

As she put the quill to the page, the words appeared on the parchment in shiny red ink.

I must always follow rules.

Umbridge sat herself down behind and looked at them both as if waiting for them to say something.

I must always follow rules. Lia heard Harry make a noise next to her. It sounded a little like a sigh.

"Yes Mr Potter?" Umbridge asked, smiling her sickly smile.

"Nothing." He replied, glaring at her.

I must always follow rules.

"Yes that's right." Umbridge said.

I must always follow rules.

Lia noticed a tickling sensation on the back of her hand. She went to scratch it and her breath caught in horror.

I must always follow rules, shining brightly on the back of her hand, before it healed again, leaving an angry red patch where it had been. She looked at the red ink on the page.

She was writing in her own blood.

"Everything alright, Miss Williams?" Umbridge had noticed Lia's pause in writing.

Lia looked at the woman with all the hatred she could muster. Her first thought was to angrily stand up, upturn the desk and hex the toad.
But she was at school, and things were done differently here. From her first few days, she had learnt that the type of fighting you had to do was sneaky, and secret. So she composed herself.

"Everything's fine Professor," She replied, giving her a wide grin.

An hour or so later, she and Harry were free to go. The left the classroom at the same time, and started down the corridor together. Harry looked just as angry as Lia felt.

"She's an old hag." Harry stated simply, clenching his fists.

"She's a toad." Lia added, quickening her pace.

"We've got to do something about her." She said suddenly, stopping. She was too angry to even realise she and Harry were having an actual conversation, something that hadn't happened yet at Hogwarts

"Like what?" Harry said, sighing. "She's here because of Fudge, we can't do anything."

"I don't know. But we can't let her get away with this bullshit!" Lia kicked a suit of armour in the corridor. It shouted in displeasure.

They both stayed silent for a while.

"The Gryffindor tower's this way," Harry said finally, gesturing to his left. "I'll… see you around, I suppose."

"Yeah, I guess so," Lia replied, turning around to go back to the Slytherin dungeons.

"Oh, Lia!" Harry said suddenly.

"What?"

"Thanks…cheers for sticking up for Hermione today in class." He said, smiling slightly.

"Yeah, well, someone had to jinx Malfoy, he was driving me crazy." Lia replied, running her hands through her hair.

"Goodnight,"

"Yeah, night."

When Lia got to the door of the common room, she heard hysterical screaming coming from inside. Smirking to herself, she gave the password and walked into the room.

Pansy was running up the stairs, her face covered in huge red boils and blisters. It seemed that Lia's hex had worked. She laughed heartily, and Trace came up to her.

"Well done Phee." She said, giving her a high five.

"Hey, I had nothing to do with that!" Lia feigned innocence, but grinned evilly.

"How was Umbridge?" Trace asked, as they followed the shrieking Pansy up to the dorm.

Lia contemplated telling Tracy about the detention, but something told her that Lia complaining about it was just what Umbridge wanted. No, she wasn't going to let Umbridge get to her.

"Alright. Just lines."

Later that night, Lia woke up absolutely starving. She'd missed dinner because of that stupid detention, and now she was famished.

She sat up, and put a jumper on. She vaguely remembered Remus telling her about the kitchens at Hogwarts, and that they were near the Hufflepuff common room, which wasn't far from her own. She got out of bed and walked past Trace, Millicent, and Pansy's empty bed (She was still in the hospital wing) and walked out of the door.
She crept out of the common room, and walked down the dingy corridor.

After about half an hours aimless wandering, she heard loud footsteps behind her. They were quick in pace, and sounded like they knew exactly where they were going. It could only be a teacher.
Cursing silently, she scuttled down the corridor, round a corner, looking for a place to hide. She spotted a broom cupboard on the left of an old tapestry. She quickly went towards it, and opened the door, dashing inside. It was full of mops, and other cleaning equipment. It stank. Lia held her breath
After a few minutes, it seemed as if the coast was clear. The footsteps had died down; whoever it was must have gone another way in the labyrinth of hallways. Ophelia opened the cupboard door, stumbled out, and finally took a breath of clean air.

"Lia?" A voice whispered to her. Lia looked around suspiciously. The noise came from the tapestry on the wall. She got her wand out, and took a step towards it.

"Hey, it's only me!" The voice said, and George Weasley stepped out from behind the tapestry, holding his hands up.

Lia didn't lower her wand.

"Hiding from Filch too then? What are you doing up so late?" George asked brightly, smiling at her. Lia was very confused. Last time she saw this boy, he was desperate to get away from her. Now he wanted to talk?

"Finding the kitchens." The words came out of her mouth even though she didn't want them to.

"Oh, I've just come from there. They're just round the corner here, wanting me to take you?" He offered her his hand.

"What is your problem?" Ophelia blurted out.

"Excuse me?" He asked, looking very confused.

"I mean, you spend all summer trying to get into my pants, or whatever you were doing, and then as soon as I get to school, you don't speak to me at all! And when I tried to be nice, or something, you just totally disregarded me! Now all of a sudden you're being all chummy again? What is with you?"

George looked stricken. "Look, I'm sorry about yesterday, okay? It's just…"

"It's just what?" Lia spat out angrily. George stumbled. "C'mon Georgie, spit it out!"

"You're a Slytherin!" He managed finally.

"Yes George, I'm a Slytherin. Slytherin and proud! But newsflash to you, you're the only one of us that gives a shit about it. You're the only one who's acting like a complete idiot because of it." She turned on her feet and walked away.

"Ophelia, wait!" George said, following her.

"Save it!" She said, not looking round.

Suddenly, she felt a strong arm on her shoulders that spun her around. Before she had a chance to think, her mouth was captured by his, in a kiss that made her knees want to buckle. Ophelia hungrily returned it, all anger flying away. She lifted her arms and put them over his shoulders, and his moved from her shoulders to around her waist. As the kiss continued, Ophelia's wand dropped from her hands and onto the floor. George lifted one hand and ran it through her wavy hair.

Suddenly Lia's senses came back to her. What was she doing, snogging George Weasley like there was no tomorrow? Opening her eyes, she drew away from him.

"Lia, I'm-"

WHACK! Ophelia slapped George straight across the cheek and stormed off towards Slytherin dorms.

"Lia!" George called, but she didn't stop until she got into her bed.

"Crap." She muttered, as her stomach grumbled loudly.