Crowning and Breaking

Humble. An extra-terrestrial word for some when found in boasting and bragging worthy scenarios but being a high achiever like Victoire meant mastering this great act. Perfect grades, former beater in her Quidditch team and popular socialite plus being a prefect and carrying the good Weasley name equalled to only one thing. Head girl. It felt only right that towards the end of last year, she suggested other fellow Ravenclaws to earn the title such as Brea and Taissa Prude who was sweeter than Hogwarts Express candy and captain of the Quidditch team. But, ultimately, the feather was tipping in Victoire's favour and it seemed like everyone in her house knew it. Excitement and nerves began to take hold as tables were cleared and Professor McGonagall prepared to take centre stage.

"I need to hit the muggle gym tomorrow," Brea sighed as she pat her stomach,

"Since when did you use muggle gyms? Wait, no no…why do you even need a gym?" Aaron had never looked so shocked,

"There's only one gym near my house and it just happens to be a muggle one okay. Just because you have a metabolism that's constantly on speed."

Another muggle reference that the great Aaron Choi didn't understand. As the table laughed, the cling of cutlery tapping glass goblets began to crescendo around the hall until all eyes were on the Headmistress.

"While you all digest your feast, announcements are to be made," McGonagall proceeded to recite her usual introduction of teachers and the forbidden areas.

During this, Victoire became distracted by Fred lip-syncing to the words, forcing many students to hold in giggles or disguise them as coughs. As hilarious as this was, butterflies continued to flutter around in Victoire's stomach as McGonagall's speech inched closer to the revelation of the head students. How was she meant to react? Being speechless was very much unlike her, but she was aware that talking too much would get people's eyes rolling. What if she had a wardrobe malfunction or tripped over the steps? Worry after worry entered her head, yet like an immune system, her brain extinguished them, reminding her that she has dealt with and will deal with anything that came her way in her usual classy fashion.

"After careful consideration of the many magnificent students we have here at Hogwarts, decisions have been made regarding our head boys and girls," McGonagall unravelled the all-important scroll, "the following have been selected due to not only their academic achievements, but also their personality, their work ethic and reputation amongst their fellow classmates."

Brea suddenly shakily squeezed Victoire's hand with thrill and tension coating her face as she tapped her feet in anticipation. There was the dramatic wait as the head boys and girls from Gryffindor and Slytherin were revealed.

"Our head boy from Slytherin is a young man who always motivates those around him and is full of spirit. Slytherin's head boy is Lucas Youngstead," deep roaring, howling and girlish squeals erupted from the Slytherin house table.

In true Lucas style, he performed handshakes with his mates, blew empty kisses to desperately parched girls and chanted Celtic nonsense that made the headmistress go from amused to insulted. He became engulfed in a green and black sea, but powered through it, leapt across tables and wrapped his arms in celebration around Victoire, Brea and Aaron.

"YOUNSTEAD, YOUNSTEAD

THE SCOTTISH KNIGHT

HE'S GOT BRAIN, MUSCLES AND GOOD LOOKS

ALWAYS READY FOR THE FIGHT!"

This was chanted as they huddled in a circle and celebrated what they honestly didn't think would come for the reckless Scottish stud.

"Yes, yes, yes, Lucas, we get it, now come to the front and accept your badge," McGonagall had clearly had enough.

The Lucas parade slowly sat down as he had his badge pinned to his robes and stood in the line of the newly crowned head students. It was now Ravenclaw's turn.

"Many students were considered from Ravenclaw, but it only seemed logical to have this individual as head girl. She has never disappointed academically, is always a friendly face in the corridors and not only has she become a beacon for Hogwarts, but I know in my heart that her family would declare war against me if I did not choose her," at McGonagall's words, Ravenclaw let out blue sparks from their wands which fizzled and glowed to morph into the name Victoire.

Celebrations for Victoire's crowning as head girl had become surprisingly civilised. All the new head students hosted a party that spread through the corridors like wild fire and eventually had to be shut down as various students were discovered hanging from the staircases as they moved and not knowing how they got there. Admittedly, Victoire did allow some students to stay out past curfew and had had a couple of glasses of something that was most likely spiked by the deceptively innocent Hufflepuff head girl, Marigold Craft. The fact that she started a dance flash mob while yelling the words to Coldplay Viva la Vida, and even daring to belt out songs by the controversial band The Bent-Winged Snitches were simply minor details. Silence finally swept through the halls when McGonagall took fifty points from each house as she forced them to go to their dorms with threats that sent chills down the sturdiest of spines. While others went to bed so they could be up bright and early, many 7th years stayed up waiting for the buzz to leave their systems.

"But I am Victoire Weasley's sister, surely I can come in," Victoire heard Dominique beg.

It wasn't her fault that she had been placed in Slytherin, making her the third sibling to not follow the tradition of being a Gryffindor, but in all honestly, Victoire was relieved that she wasn't a Ravenclaw. Dominique had many habits that drove Victoire up the wall, along the ceiling and back down again, however no matter how horrid she was, Dominique was her sister and it was her job to make sure that the first year of Hogwarts didn't result in Dominique's crucifixion. She sat in the common room with Aaron, Brea and other Ravenclaw's, playing cards and drinking alcohol that somehow made it through and Dominique was about to ruin it.

"Cette sangsue," Victoire sighed heavily as she stormed over to the door with Tonka skipping by her feet.

Swinging open the door, Victoire glared down at her sister with disappointment and frustration radiating off of her body. The two Ravenclaw's by the door took one glance at her, and sprinted into the dorm, taking cover from the fire, but not before propping open the door so they could eavesdrop. Dominique's eyes were full of respect and joy looking up at her big sister who had gone from just being a prefect to also being head girl. This hushed Victoire for a second as she missed having Dominique look at her this way and was brought back to when she was a toddler and they'd dress up together. Yet all that was in the past, and the sweet, innocent and loving little sister Victoire once had, had scattered away like a dandelion in the wind.

"What do you want?" she scooped up Tonka and began stroking her head,

"I wanted to congratulate you; you're my sister," Dominique smiled,

"Thank you. I gave you a hug in the hall,"

"I know but when I tried to talk to you, you just walked past me to Fred,"

"Do you really need to be told why?"

Boiling point was being reached just by Dominique talking, it was like she was asking for an argument by coming to Victoire's dorm when she obviously didn't want to talk to her.

"Why do you always bring that up? For the hundredth time, I AM SORRY." Dominique's sweet face contorted to one full of rage,

"I do not always bring it up, Dominique, you just seem to forget the consequences of what you did," Victoire retaliated.

"But it was ages ago and I didn't do it to hurt you,"

"BUT YOU DID," Victoire had had enough.

Dominique stumbled back at her sister's outburst with her eyes wide open and Tonka jumped out of Victoire's hands.

"You made a promise, a promise that my happiness depended on and you broke it as easily as snapping a twig. My love for you will be titanium, but my respect for you, my tolerance for you is like china and you just smashed all over the ground."

Dominique had run out of things to say. Victoire had hoped that by now that she would've forgiven her sister; all she wanted was for everything to be as jolly and movie-screen-perfect as it was before, but Dominique had done nothing to allow the dust to settle. Nausea took over with every argument they had and though Victoire's deceptively strong-willed expression refused to let it show, the mini feud between the two sisters was torturing her. Every interaction reduced her to resembling an exasperated and fatigued boxer who was relentlessly forced to fight and every blow, though successful, was agonizing. The silence between the two of them was a thickening fog that made Victoire lose sight of her sister.

"When you break china on the floor," Victoire's voice was soft as she pushed open the door, "just saying sorry… doesn't fix it."