First Day
"I really should've gone to bed earlier."
Alyra lifted her arms into the air and stretched with a drawn out yawn as she lumbered down the corridor with Charlotte and Saskia on either side of her. Her stomach growled and tightened as the three made their way towards the Great Hall for breakfast.
"Same here," Charlotte covered her mouth as she yawned as well, glossy blue eyes welling with tears as she blinked the exhaustion away.
Saskia shook her head disappointedly, "Honestly you two. You really should listen to me more often and get a proper rest."
"Not likely," Alyra shrugged, walking through the entrance to the Hall. She examined the area, hunting for her sister. "You guys go sit down. I need to talk to my sister," she said as she spotted Ellana and made a beeline for the younger girl.
The Great Hall was filled with students munching away at their breakfasts; some buzzing with excitement for their first day and others grumbling about their early start. Alyra walked through the aisles and tapped her sister's shoulder, "Can we talk?"
"Yes?" Ellana turned to the older girl, mouth full as she chewed on her eggs and toast.
"What happened last night? How did this happen?" She interrogated with a frown, nodding towards her sister's Hufflepuff uniform.
"I don't know, I just sat there and the Sorting Hat decided on Hufflepuff," Ellana replied after swallowing. "I like it here though."
Alyra groaned and whacked her hand to her forehead, "Father is going to be absolutely furious! What am I going to tell him?"
"It's not like you had any control over it. Besides, I think we both know I'm his favourite and he couldn't be angry forever at an angel like me," her sister proclaimed, fluttering her eyelashes.
"Yeah, yeah. Just don't cause any trouble, okay? You should be getting your class schedule soon," the darker haired girl folded her arms, acquiring a nod from her sister.
Running a hand through her hair and sighing, the Avery girl made her way to the Slytherin table, seating herself beside Saskia. She picked up a bowl and poured herself a serving of Cheeri Owls and milk.
"You look dreadful, Avery," Blaise spoke from the opposite side of the table, next to Charlotte.
"Thanks, Zabini," her amber eyes rolled as she took a spoonful of cereal. "Unfortunately, some of us don't have the luxury of getting beauty sleep every night, unlike yourself."
"Oh please, you have the luxury, Ly. You just choose not to utilise it," Saskia retorted, taking a sip from her goblet.
"Shove off, Sas," Alyra prodded her friend with her elbow. "I'm so not in the mood this morning."
She returned to eating her breakfast and glimpsed around the Hall. A group of Slytherins caught her eye as they charged in, shoving a young Gryffindor first year to the side, Draco Malfoy leading the pack with Pansy Parkinson following closely behind, along with her own cronies.
"Avery!" Parkinson paused as their gang walked by. "Hufflepuff? Really?" She snickered along with her friends, "I'm embarrassed for you!"
"Not you too," Alyra pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing. "Just piss off, Parkinson. My sister can be in any house she likes without your judgement."
"How utterly humiliating. I would die if that were my sibling. The great Avery family is now an absolute laughing stock! Are you sure you're even related? I think you should disown her," Pansy continued to ridicule the girl, earning many chortles from the clique.
Alyra shot up from her seat, jaw clenched as she spoke through her teeth, "I don't give a damn what you think, you munter."
"Yeah, shove it, Pansy," Charlotte stood in defence, her tall figure towering over the girl.
"You two had better watch your mouths, you're talking to a prefect. I could have the both of you thrown in detention for giving lip, right now," Pansy snapped, unfazed by the two.
Alyra glowered in fury, turning to Draco who gave her a small smirk in return. As if she had spoken to him through her eyes, he shook his head and turned to his counterpart, "Let's go, Pans."
"But she's sassing me! Didn't you hear her?" she shrieked, but followed the blond away to further down the table.
"Don't waste your breath on her, Pans," Millicent Bullstrode soothed the girl as they stalked off.
Letting out an exasperated breath, Alyra dropped back down onto her seat, the scowl on her face softening.
"I can't believe you used to be friends with her," Charlotte scoffed, also returning to her spot.
Just what I need to start the year with….
"I can't wait to drop Potions next year," muttered Charlotte, placing her book onto the wooden table.
Alyra rested her chin against her fist while her friends seated themselves beside her, filling the table in the middle.
"I don't mind it," Saskia's shoulders jerked in a light shrug. "Grouchy as he may be, I think Snape is a genius."
"When he's not off brooding about another newbie taking his job," Alyra added, watching as the professor swept into the room and over to his desk.
"I think it appropriate to remind you that next June you will be sitting an important examination," he started, his dark eyes travelling across the class. "During which you will prove how much you have learned about the composition and use of magical potions."
Charlotte and Alyra groaned quietly at this, sharing a crestfallen look.
"Moronic though some of this class undoubtedly are, I expect you to scrape an 'Acceptable' in your OWL, or suffer my...displeasure," he droned, eyes landing on Neville Longbottom.
The two girls once again shared a look, this time grimacing at his cold tone. Snape continued to speak until the class had finally begun, instructing them all to mix a Draught of Peace.
"This might help you two sleep tonight," Blaise suggested, almost inaudible as their professor demonstrated the steps.
"That's awfully caring of you, Zabini," Charlotte whispered back cheekily.
"Don't start," he rolled his eyes, flipping through his book to find the corresponding page.
"You will find everything you need in the store cupboard," Snape flicked his wand towards the cupboard and it snapped open. "You have an hour and a half...Start."
Alyra begrudgingly lifted herself off the seat and began walking towards the cupboard to collect ingredients, book in hand to check quantities of the items.
Saskia followed as Charlotte called out to the two, "Can you grab some for me too?"
Slithering between the small crowd of students, Alyra quickly snatched up the components for her potion, as well as an extra few for her friend, before hurriedly returning to the table. Splitting the quantities with Charlotte, she began brewing her potion.
"Here you go, Blaise," Saskia passed the precise amount of each ingredient to the boy, receiving a nod of thanks and subtle glances from the two other girls. Letting her black hair fall in front of her freckled and lightly flushed cheeks, she flicked both girls on the back of their heads then returned to her seat.
The two snickered as they stirred the powdered moonstone into their cauldron, before allowing it to simmer for a moment. Alyra scanned back through the method, searching for the next step.
"Shite," she complained quietly, realising that she had forgotten the porcupine quills required for the next step. "I'll go grab it. Can you watch my cauldron to make sure it doesn't blow up? Don't want to be caught looking Potter over there."
Charlotte nodded, the group all turning back to stare at Harry and his band as their cauldrons began releasing copious amounts of steam and sparks.
Alyra strolled back towards the cupboard, browsing through the different jars and vials of ingredients. Much to her dismay, the porcupine quills sat on the topmost shelf. Which imbecile put them up there? She lifted herself onto her toes in an attempt to reach the item unsuccessfully. Guess I'll have to accio it down. As she reached into her robes to pull out her wand, a hand came into view and snagged the jar.
"Trouble reaching the shelf, little goblin?" Draco asked smugly, earning a dirty look from her as she dropped her arm.
"Just give me the quills, you ass," she bit back and made to pluck the jar from his hands, eyes narrowed.
"No, I'll be taking this," he sneered, jerking his arm back and turning aside.
"Why are you such a selfish prat, Malfoy?" she snapped, placing her hands on her hips.
The sound of Snape taunting Harry pulled their attention away, watching as he belittled him. "Tell me, Potter...Can you read?"
Alyra turned to Draco and the two snickered as the professor ridiculed the boy, all eyes in the room on the confrontation with quiet laughs. As Draco continued to watch, she took the opportunity to yank the jar out of his hand and dash back to her seat with a satisfied smirk.
"Hey!" he barked, stepping towards their table only to be cut off by Snape turning towards him, unimpressed.
"It's okay, Draco, we can share mine," Pansy called out softly in an attempt to soothe him.
He sent an icy look towards Alyra, scowling when she responded with a smug wink and shook the powdered quills into her cauldron. With an eye roll, he retired back to his seat and grasped the quills that Pansy held out for him, adding it to his brew.
Continuing with the concoction, Alyra attempted to adhere to the instructions with the best of her ability, finishing when a silvery vapour shimmered above the cauldron. Blaise and Saskia had achieved the same result, a much more polished draught, while Charlotte and Alyra's were...Sufficient?
The four regarded their professor as he reached their table and examined their cauldrons. He lifted his chin, nose high in the air and gave them a nod, permitting the four to fill their flagons. They brought their draught samples to the desk for testing and packed away their equipment, groaning as he announced their homework; twelve inches of parchment on the properties of moonstone.
Divination had followed after potions, and it was currently time for Defence Against the Dark Arts. The quartet of Slytherins ambled down the Serpentine Corridor, the three girls leading the way while Blaise followed silently, nose deep in a book.
"Are you okay?" Charlotte prodded Alyra's shoulder, who was meandering along with her eyes closed.
"Yep," she replied simply. "Just resting my eyes."
"Well, we've just about made it to class," Charlotte grabbed her arm, tugging the girl aside to avoid colliding with the wall as they turned the corner.
"Thanks, Char," eyes now open, she allowed the bag on her shoulder to drop into her grip as they pushed through the door to the classroom.
"Let's see what toad-face has in store for us," Saskia whispered and followed the group in.
A few students had also just entered, while Umbridge was already seated at her desk, dressed in her barmy fluffy pink cardigan and a large black bow on her head. Her bogus smile was plastered across her face as she watched the tables fill up with the class.
"She looks like a Pygmy Puff," Alyra spoke under her breath to Charlotte, taking a seat in front of Blaise and Saskia.
"If it had the face of a frog," Charlotte hissed back and dropped down next to the darker haired girl.
The woman stood once the class was completely seated, "Well, good afternoon!"
Unenthusiastic replies of 'good afternoon' were not enough for the new professor.
"Tut, tut. That won't do, now will it?" she spoke in a sickly sweet tone. "I should like you, please, to reply 'Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge.' One more time, please. Good afternoon class!"
The two Slytherin girls shared a puzzled look, before replying wryly as she had demanded. Alyra folded her arms onto the desk and rested her chin, tuning out the noise of Umbridge's lecture on the new theoretical approach to Defense Against the Dark Arts. Pretty pointless if you ask me.
She had begun to doze off, until the sound of an altercation between Potter and Umbridge picked up in her ears.
"And what good's theory going to be in the real world?"
"This is school, Mr Potter, not the real world."
"So we're not supposed to be prepared for what's waiting for us out there?"
He has a point.
"There's nothing waiting out there, Mr Potter," Umbridge rebutted once again in that phony tone.
Alyra could see Potter's temper rising, his jaw was clenched and his hands were balled into fists. He looked as though he wanted to hex the squat woman. I'd pay to see that…
"Who would you imagine wants to attack children like yourselves?"
"Hmm, let's think. Maybe...Lord Voldemort?"
There were a few gasps and flinches around the room, the mention of his name was clearly unsettling to most of the students. Alyra's eyes met with Charlotte's, a knowing look passing between them.
Umbridge deducted ten points from Gryffindor, much to the amusement of the Slytherins in the room, and began to counter his words once again.
"You have been informed that a certain Dark wizard is at large once again. This is a lie," she claimed, standing at her desk with her hands clasped together.
"It is NOT a lie!" Harry cried out, the fury clear in his eyes. "I saw him, I fought him!"
"Detention, Mr Potter!" Umbridge shrieked, before explaining the terms of his detention and attempting to reassure the class that it was all false.
"What an absolute loon!" Alyra heard Pansy snigger two desks behind her where she sat with Draco.
She turned back to catch his gaze, his lips turned in a sly smile. He knew too. The Dark Lord had in fact returned.
Potter and Umbridge continued their back and forth bickering.
"So according to you, Cedric Diggory dropped dead of his own accord, did he?" his voice was jittery, raising another bout of gasps from the room.
Shut up, Potter. You're just making this worse for yourself.
"Cedric Diggory's death was a tragic accident," she spoke coldly, feigning a somber look.
"It was murder. Voldemort killed him and you know it."
Soon he was called over to Umbridge's side, then sent out with a roll of pink parchment. Alyra almost pitied him.
No one is going to believe you, Potter.
It wasn't long after dinner that Alyra and her companions had retreated to the Slytherin common room to unwind before bed. The three girls occupied a table in the corner, chatting about the events of their first day of the term, while Blaise had escaped to the large black sofa by the fireplace.
"That Umbridge is an absolutely infuriating little troll!" Saskia groused with a shake of her head.
"I don't know how many more classes I can endure with that thing," Charlotte added, massaging her temples.
"She's a raging lunatic and it didn't help with Potter egging her on," Alyra agreed, leaning her head against her arm, resting it on the table. "He and his weird friends are always causing trouble, I'm surprised they haven't expelled him yet."
"Dumbledore seems to have an odd thing for him. He's always protecting him and his mates," Charlotte spoke as she unwinded her braid, letting her very long strawberry blonde hair fall down her back.
"I guess rules don't apply to the Chosen One," Saskia yawned, stretching as she stood. "Well, I'm off to bed. You two best get some sleep too, can't have you napping and walking again."
Charlotte couldn't help but also let out a yawn, "I might do the same."
"I might go sit with Blaise for a bit then," Alyra stood, moving towards the boy. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight," the other two said in unison, before heading up the stairs to the fifth year girls' dorm.
The Avery girl settled onto the sofa next to Blaise, laying her head against the soft back of the seat. He lifted his head from the book he'd been skimming through, acknowledging the girl's presence.
"Thought you'd be in bed by now too," he uttered after a few moments, returning to the text.
"Hm," she hummed to herself quietly, her amber eyes drifting towards the fire to her left.
The two had known each other from the beginning of their Hogwarts years, always the subdued and observant ones. Silence for long periods of time between the pair was not unusual, in fact, it felt comfortable. They never prodded each other with unnecessary questions or attempted to start superfluous conversation. A mutual respect, one could say.
"Is it true?" he piped up smoothly after another while, still nose-deep in his book.
She knew exactly what he meant. "It is. I don't know what's happening, but He has most definitely returned," her voice was hushed, almost inaudible while she scanned the room to ensure that they were now alone.
"Hm," he replied, imitating her previous response, then snapped his book closed. Lifting himself off the black couch, he wandered towards the stairs and up towards the fifth year boys' dorm. "Night."
"Night, Zabini," Alyra laid along the length of the sofa, focusing back onto the fireplace.
She was entranced by the way the flames danced and licked the wood, illuminating the room and warming her skin. The Slytherin common room was adorned in shades of green and silver, along with a large Slytherin crest above the fireplace. Occasionally you could hear the sound of the water from the lake or see the giant squid swoosh by.
However, the sound of the fireplace snapping and crackling soothed the girl as she rested, her eyelids beginning to feel heavier in each passing moment. She was quickly losing track of time and her body was succumbing to slumber, until footsteps roused her from the daze.
"What are you still doing up?" asked a familiar voice as she sat up.
"I could say the same for you," she pulled her knees in and wrapped her arms around her legs.
"Patrolling," Draco replied simply, standing over her with arms folded. "I could give you punishment for breaking curfew, you know."
"But you won't," she cocked her head to the side with a small smile. "You know my father wouldn't let yours hear the end of it."
His brows creased together for a moment silently. He then seated himself on the sofa, joining her as they were both captivated by the flames to their left.
"It's strange, isn't it? Knowing that he's back and no one believes it," she trailed off, pressing her chin to her knees. "I mean, what do they all think happened to the Diggory boy?"
"They know," Draco's voice was quiet, something she never heard much, as he often spoke in a haughty and obnoxious tone. "They're just too scared to believe it."
"I almost feel sorry for Potter," Alyra chuckled lightly at the sentiment, especially when he scoffed in reply.
"I don't. Saint Potter," he hissed in what seemed like an envious tone to Alyra. "Always running his mouth and thinking he can do whatever in Merlin's name he wants without any consequences. Even the Wizengamot let him off without even a slap on the wrist after he used underage magic in front of that muggle cousin of his!"
"I'll bet you're glad to finally see him punished, now that Umbridge is around," she watched the flames flicker their light across his face.
"I'll be happier once the Dark Lord is rid of him," he sneered, his facials softening after a moment. "I believe that congratulations are in order, by the way."
Alyra rolled her eyes, meeting his silver pair, "I am proud of Silas, it's a great honour for my family. I just...worry about him." She paused and plucked at the threads on the hem of her skirt. "I know he's a talented wizard, but I just never know what kind of tasks the Dark Lord has set him and I don't want him to get hurt like my Grandfather did."
"It's a sacrifice all Death Eaters have to make. My Mother worries about my Father often, but we know that being in the best of his graces is the greatest honour and my Father wouldn't risk losing it." Draco had always admired and idolised his father immensely, something Alyra had known since they were very young. "Father says that soon I could be joining their ranks," his eyes almost sparkled with inspiration.
She nodded plainly, knowing that he was absolutely resolute on his ambitions to join his father.
Moments like this were becoming more rare for the two. They were wedged between a fence of barely being able to tolerate each other most days and moderately friendly on some occasions. The pair had, after all, grown up together as family friends for the past decade, but somewhere through the years, the friendship between them had become blurred when the two had split off into groups of their own and their personalities grew to clash.
"You'll be great," she gave him a small smile, then stood and patted down her skirt. "I should probably get to bed now, before you give me that detention," her lips curved into a smirk as she walked away from him and onto the stairs.
"Goodnight, Draco."