Chapter Ten
At the High Table the new Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, stood, waiting patiently to address the students. Professor Dippet, the former Headmaster, had retired the previous year. The Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and Gryffindors almost instantly fell silent. They turned their attention respectfully to the Headmaster. The Slytherins reluctantly followed suit. At the Slytherin Table, Breeana looked up at him, scowling. She'd been in the middle of explaining to Severus why she refused to sit by him and demanding that he tell her where he'd been. She wanted to know what made Lily so damn important. That was when the Headmaster had so rudely interrupted them.
"Summer," he began, with a warm smile, "has come and gone. Now, a new year begins."
Lucius rolled his eyes. "No. Really?" he said, sarcastically, under his breath.
Breeana snickered appreciatively, but Bellatrix and Severus ignored them both. Severus almost always seemed lost in his own thoughts. As annoying as it was, Breeana was used to this behavior. Severus always got this way after spending time with Lily. Bellatrix had her eyes fixed on the Headmaster. To anyone else, she appeared to be listening attentively. To someone who knew her well, it almost looked like she was sizing up the enemy. For the past four year, a handful of her friends had fought to defy the professors and their rules. She was curious about just how much they'd be able to get away with now.
"I am sure that you will all find this year to your liking. Those of you who have spent previous years here at our wonderful school I hope will be just as happy as those of you who are new to our dear school are sure to be. I wish you all the best of luck in your endeavors. Let the Sorting begin." With a smile, he sat down.
"Oh my…" Lucius said, trailing off. He rolled his eyes.
"Please," said Bellatrix, turning to give Lucius a look. "You are such an ass, Malfoy. Could you just shut up for once?"
"Why do you care?" asked Lucius.
"For your information," said Bellatrix, slowly pronouncing every syllable, "I don't need you getting me in trouble our very first day back."
"So tomorrow is fine then?" asked Lucius, grinning.
"Aww, Bella's gone soft," Breeana teased. Lucius hid a smirk and Breeana pretended to inspect her nails when Bellatrix turned to glare at her.
"Shut up, Watson," Bellatrix sneered. "Just because I'm smart enough not to cross the headmaster on our very first day back…"
"I have a feeling that a bit of common sense would not stop you for a second if you got it in your head to cross him, would it?" asked Lucius.
Bellatrix gave both of them one last glare and turned away.
Right around that time, Professor McGonagall walked in with the same stern look as the first year Breeana had met her. She set the Sorting Hat on its old four-legged stool. She looked out over the students, looking both wistful and already somewhat exhausted. She unrolled her long parchment with the list of the first years' names. She said, "Among news, students, we have a fifth-year transfer student joining us. She will be sorted with the rest of the first years and I beg you make her first year in our school…tolerable." She gave them a warning look, her gaze lingering on Breeana's little group of friends for a moment. Breeana smiled at her and Lucius gave her a little wave. Professor McGonagall sighed and unrolled the parchment. The first name she called out was, "Black, Narcissa."
Bellatrix sat up straight and smile. "That's my little sister," she said.
"I know," said Lucius, bored.
"The one you were yelling at on the train?" asked Breeana nodding.
"I don't even know why I talk to the two of you," said Bellatrix.
Breeana smiled. "You know, if she ends up in Ravenclaw, like Andromeda, I think your mum would have a heart attack," she said.
Bellatrix nodded in agreement.
They all watched in silence, with the slightest bit of curiosity, as Narcissa strode over to the stool, head held high, and sat down. She smoothed her skirt with a very prim, arrogant look on her face and the hat was placed on her pale, blonde head that was in such contrast to both her sisters' dark hair. It fell over her large, dark eyes and, only second later, burst out, "SLYTHERIN!" Professor McGonagall lifted the hat off of Narcissa's head and the petite blonde smiled. Bellatrix jumped to her feet, clapping. The other Slytherins clapped and cheered as well, congratulating Narcissa as she made her way to a seat near her sister. From the Gryffindor table, Sirius turned to glare at them. His eyes strayed to Breeana for a split second. Breeana smiled cheerfully and flipped him off.
Narcissa managed a thin smile and took a seat between Breeana and Bellatrix.
"Congratulations, Cissy," said Bellatrix, patting her sister on the back. "Mum and Dad will be pleased. There is just something wrong with Dromeda, I guess. This is Breeana Watson," she said, motioning to Breeana.
"I think we've met," said Narcissa, quietly.
"And this is Lucius Malfoy," she added, ignoring her sister's comment. Lucius leaned around Breeana to smile his charming smile at Narcissa. He took her hand and kissed it, softly, causing Narcissa to blush.
"What a ladies man," said Breeana, the sarcasm in her voice evident. She pushed Lucius back into his seat. "Come on, Malfoy, where's my kiss?"
"You need only ask, my dear," said Lucius, grinning. "You know I've always got a kiss saved for you."
Breeana laughed and rolled her eyes.
Her eyes scanned the small cluster of first years and fixed on the girl who was standing towards the back of the group. She looked like she was feeling awkward and Breeana could see why. She was taller than the rest of them and clearly didn't belong. Breeana tapped Lucius on the shoulder, ignoring Bellatrix and her whispering to Narcissa. She pointed the girl out.
"I think I found the transfer student," she said.
Lucius nodded in agreement.
"She's not too bad looking," he commented.
"She looks too...something to be in Slytherin though," Breeana added. "She looks familiar."
Lucius shrugged and Breeana tore her eyes away from girl. She took a quick sip of the cold water in her goblet and fell into thoughts of how this school year was going to be different than any other. Her new look had given her a brand new attitude. She was about five foot six with a figure that some girls would starve themselves for and a complexion that was close to perfect. Her normally pale skin was now the light tan of her father's from her summer afternoons with Lily. Her hair, which she normally wore just past her shoulders, had grown out to her waist. Her dark, smoky-blue eyes, which no one had ever noticed before because of her glasses, had already gotten plenty of compliments and the school year had only barely started.
Breeana had never allowed herself to seem unconfident a day in her life. But she felt exceptionally confident this school year. She felt like she was ready to take on the world of men, women, and magic. But she supposed that she could settle for just taking on Sirius and James, her old rivals. She didn't want to be that girl who comes back to school looking gorgeous and slept around with everyone. Other girls already didn't like her because she wasn't very nice. She knew that a lot of people hated her, but she just couldn't bring herself to care. It was partly her fault anyway, since she spoke so unkindly and looked down on almost everyone. People also hated how fiercely she defended her cousin. Even when people were certain she hadn't overheard them talking about what a loser he was or how he gave her family a bad name, she somehow found out. She had cursed and hexed so many students in defense of her cousin. She'd also gotten into plenty of fist fights. She supposed that didn't exactly help her win people over.
"At least you don't curse people for no reason," she always told her cousin.
What she meant, was that at least he wasn't like James Potter and Sirius Black. When she'd begun her open rivalry and hatred with them, the rivalry between Slytherin and Gryffindor house seemed suddenly amplified. Breeana hated how James was always acting like an idiot for the girls. He was constantly showing off with his golden snitch, always messing up his hair. He played for the Gryffindor Quidditch team and Breeana had sent quite a few bludgers in his direction. Sirius was just arrogant. It nauseated Breeana to see girls fawning over him all the time.
Her gaze strayed to Remus Lupin, their shy, much more quiet friend. He had sort of shaggy light brown hair and eyes that were almost a golden color. Breeana had to admit that even though he was quiet and looked really tired, there was something about him that she found attractive. The previous year, Severus had told Breeana that Remus was a werewolf. He said that Sirius had told him where to find him on the night of the full moon one year and that James had saved him at the last minute. But Severus had seen enough. Breeana didn't know whether she wanted to believe him or not, but Bellatrix had overheard and soon almost the entire Slytherin house was talking about it. Breeana felt bad. If the rumors were true, this wasn't going to be the best year for Remus.
"Smith, Elizabeth," Professor McGonagall called out.
Out of the corner of her eye, Breeana saw the transfer student walk up to the front of the hall and she snapped out of her thoughts. The girl - Elizabeth, was it? - took a seat on the stool and Professor McGonagall set the hat gently down on her head. The hat was silent for a minute and Breeana wondered if it was talking to her the way that it had talked to Breeana five years ago. After a moment, it called out, "RAVENCLAW!" and Breeana let out the breath she'd been holding. The girl smiled and walked over to the Ravenclaw table. She looked nervous, but also pleased with the outcome of the sorting.
The Ravenclaw students all smiled and clapped.
Lucius rolled his eyes and leaned over to Breeana to whisper in her ear. "Did you see her face, Bree?" he asked her. "She looks so happy to be stuck with...them."
Breeana giggled. His breath tickled her neck, but she didn't say anything. She was trying to acknowledge Lucius without really paying attention to him. She was still focused on the new girl.
After the feast, Breeana slipped away from her table and went to find the transfer student. In the back of her mind, she knew she shouldn't care, but she wanted to confront the girl. Elizabeth was just standing up to leave when Breeana stepped in front of her and smiled.
"Hello, Elizabeth," said Breeana, coldly. "My name is Breeana Watson. Congratulations on being sorted into Ravenclaw."
"Leave her alone, Watson," a couple of other students muttered to Breeana, in passing.
She ignored them.
Elizabeth ignored them too. She smiled. "Hey, thanks," she said, enthusiastically.
Breeana tilted her head, curiously, and said, "So you are pleased to be a Ravenclaw then, I take it?"
Elizabeth nodded slowly, looking slightly confused. "Of course," she said. "I mean, you have to be pretty smart to get into Ravenclaw, right?"
Breeana sighed, pityingly and gave her a look. "It would have been so nice to have you in Slytherin, that's all. It's the best house, after all. Better than being stuck with a bunch of people who think they know-it-all. Just. Stay out of my way. Can you handle that, Smith?"
Without waiting for an answer, she turned to leave.
"You can call me Liz, Breeana," Elizabeth called after her and Breeana flinched. She turned to throw one last tight-lipped smile at Elizabeth. When she turned back, Severus, Bellatrix, and Lucius had already disappeared through the doors and Sirius and James were blocking her way.
"Welcome back, Watson," said James. "You're looking pretty good. What happened? Sell your soul?"
Breeana rolled her eyes. "Piss off, Potter," she snapped.
"You giving the new girl a hard time, Bree?" asked Sirius, with a smirk. He reached out to touch Breeana's arm, but she jerked away from him.
"Okay, number one, don't call me Bree, Black. We aren't friends. Second, it's none of your business," Breeana spat at him.
"Because if you are, you'll have us to answer to," said James, ignoring her previous statement.
Breeana laughed. "Oooh. James Potter and Sirius Black. Scary," she said.
"You should be scared," said Sirius. "No matter how good you look, we will still hex you."
"You can try," Breeana taunted. "Let's not forget who is the more talented of our little trio."
"Watch it, Bree," he said. James pointed his wand warningly at her, but she was already moving her hand to knock it away.
"Don't call me that, Potter," she said, warningly.
"See you around, Bree," said Sirius, tugging her hair as they walked past her . James slammed his shoulder into hers. Remus and Peter had just joined them. Sirius said something about heading up to the Common Room. Remus met Breeana's eyes and smiled. It was just a small smile, barely there, but she noticed it. It caught her by surprise.
"I hope you had a good summer, Watson," he told her, his voice quiet, but kind.
Breeana felt her face grow hot. She did not smile back. She turned and quickly exited the Great Hall, hoping that Remus hadn't noticed. She slipped out the front doors of the castle and hurried down the steps. Once outside, she slipped her robes off so that she was only in her pleated grey skirt, white button-up shirt, and grey and green vest. A gentle, cool breeze blew through her hair. The air smelled like autumn.