Tracey crossed the hallway, not picking up the fact that a shadow, three actually, was slinking just behind her.
As she was in her thoughts, she heard a voice. It was so quiet that she hardly even caught it in the first place.
Twisting her body around. A rope, she thought strangely. Like an aeroplane, a thick piece of rope was chasing after her.
It looped around her waist, tightening.
Her face flew down to the floor, an annoying ache worming its way up to her nose. A group of chuckles came from overheard, her teeth clenched.
Her arm shook, an attempt to tear those ropes in two, but unlike the movies, it did nothing but burn her skin.
''Lookie, lookie. The Mudblood can't even walk properly.''
Her eyes scraped across a green cloak, two green cloaks, three green cloaks.
She glared up at them.''Let me go so I can teach the three of you a lesson.''
They didn't cower as she hoped, they just laughed louder.
''Ooooh, we're so sorry! Please forgive us, stupid little Mudblood.''
Her face reddened like a tomato.
As a retort was going to split from her lips the three Slytherins had already begun walking away.
''Come back!'' She shouted. ''C'mon, let me out! I was only joking about teaching you three a lesson! Promise!''
They faded from view.
She glared and glared, hoping for a horrible fate to fall upon the Three Stooges.
She would get her revenge on them, she promised herself.
After an hour or so — a Professor had found her, dispelling the rope at last.
She stormed into the Slytherin common room, a look of anger tinting her plain face.
Her brown eyes leaked across the room, freezing upon a pale first year. ''Harry!'' She called out, nearing him.
He looked up from his book. ''Tracey.'' He called back, inspecting the bruises on her face. ''Are you…. okay?''
Harry was a quiet boy, but in that quietness, he was annoyingly good at magic. That thought drenched her with a feeling of jealousy.
His hair, lustrous and dark, crawled down to his neck. And a face that was probably prettier than most of the girls in their year.
He almost looked like one of those child models she saw on TV a few times before.
''Yeah, I'm fine. Just fell over.''
Harry gave a small nod.
''Have you…'' She paused. The three stooges bubbled up in her mind, each fat as a Pig. ''Have you seen any fatsos around here?''
''Fatso?'' He murmured, almost seeming confused by the words.
''Yeah, you know, big, fat, chubby, overweight.''
He blinked at that and glanced towards a pair of first years. ''Do you mean Goyle and Crabbe?''
''No.'' Her head shook.''The fatso's I'm looking for are blonde.''
Their piggish faces brought a fire in her chest, scorching like the Sun itself.
''The Lannister triplets?''
She shrugged. ''Never heard of them.''
He flicked his wand, a mirror levitated inches away from her face, reflecting an image, an image of three fatsos.
She glared at the reflection. The mere sight of them poured a feeling of anger over her.
As quick as it came, the mirror seemed to disappear from sight.
''Lannister.'' She grunted. That name felt like poison on her tongue. ''How do you even know who they are? Do you know them or something?''
Maybe that was a dumb question, but she'd only seen him interact with a handful of people all year.
''I wouldn't say that….''
She sent a questioning stare his way.
After a moment of hesitation, he spoke. ''Their father, Lord Lannister.''
''Lord?'' She snorted. ''You people still call people Lord?''
A few vicious stares nicked at her, but she didn't care.
''Head of Houses are.'' He said,
Insanity, she thought. It was as if they were stuck in the Middle Ages. ''And what… are you going to be called Lord Potter?''
''No, I'm only a backup heir.'' He whispered.
''Wait.'' She crossed her arms. ''Your sister is going to be called Lord Potter?'' No movie she'd ever seen had a woman being referred to as Sir.
''No, Lady Potter.''
She thought that made sense…. still, it was insane, bizarre to her. Lords? Ladies? It was as if she found herself in the Middle Ages.
''Lord Lannister had visited us a handful of times before.'' He started up again. ''He brought his children with him.
She didn't say a word for some time.''Are you…. like friends with them?
''No, they were.'' The final parts of his sentence were squashed into dust.
''They were what? Ugly? Annoying? Or just both.''
''No.'' He said, looking slightly taken aback.
Something seemed to nick at her, swinging her head around. Spotting someone, he looked to be around 15 — with hair so blonde it almost seemed golden. Ocean-blue eyes and a handsome face.
The Blonde was also glaring at her coldly.
So she did what she usually did, glaring back at him hotly.
After a minute, although it could've been ten hours, she wasn't quite sure, she ripped her glare from him.
''And what's his problem.'' She muttered with a snort.
Harry eyed her, his eyes questioning.
''What?'' She asked, words slow like a Snail.
''That's their brother.''
Quickly snapping her neck, to see the blonde still glaring a hole through her. ''What no?'' Wrenching her neck back in. ''Seriously?''
He nodded his head.
Her brain seemed to twist at that revelation. They were not only related, but brothers? Sure, they both had blonde hair and green eyes, but that's where the comparisons stopped.
''Wha….. how?'' She whispered.
Harry didn't offer a response for that one.
''So.'' She said after a stretch of silence ''You said you had this thing that made you invisible?''
''An Invisibility cloak?''
'' Yeah.'' A mischievous grin was drawn upon her lips. ''That. Can I borrow it for a bit?''
He seemed a bit hesitant.
''C'mon, I just want to borrow it for a bit…. I'll give it back to you tomorrow.''
The hesitation was still painted on his face, clear as day. ''I guess you could.''
Her grin somehow seemed to become wider.
As night rolled in, she wrapped the cloak around her. It was strange, odd, peculiar, at first. Was she truly invisible? But any doubts had been shattered once she saw her reflection in the mirror or the lack of one.
Slowly, she crept out of the dormitories. As the floorboards screeched she heard some of the girls moan.
Strolling down the stairs, unlocking the door to the boy's dormitories, thankfully it wasn't locked.
Her footsteps were slower than a crawl. Her eyes lit up like fireworks as her eyes latched upon the trio.
The Lannister trio were breathing heavily, she meant that she'd never heard anyone breathe so loudly.
The three little piggies? Yes, she thought that name would be apt.
She snickered as her hands dropped into her steep pockets. Her hands stepped back into view, only they weren't empty any longer, a bottle of ketchup now occupied them.
Slowly, she pushed the cloak up.
She needed to do this quickly.
The bottle of ketchup titled just above the first Lannisters ear. The ketchup squirted into it, his face, and then his clothes. While that happened the boy started to whisper, it was fuzzy at first, but after a second or two she finally caught it.
''Mudblood… go away.''
She almost jumped out of her skin. Checking on him, his eyes were still scrunched shut.
''Yeah…Mudblood take that! No one messes with a Lannister!''
After a moment, she decided that he was just sleep talking, her father did that.
Moving the bottle onto the second Lannister, he was silent for the most part, although he did wiggle slightly.
And finally, she squirted the third and last Lannister. He wiggled, but he also whispered, but it was so low she wasn't sure about the details.
She grinned at her work. The three pigs were painted with red with ketchup.
The thin bottle of ketchup sank into her pockets. She inched down the stairs, and zoomed near the girl's dormitories, but before she could walk up the stairs a voice stopped her in her tracks.
''What did you wish to speak with me about, Greengrass?'' Head-boy Of Slytherin, Cyrus Avery asked coldly.
She stepped down the last stair.
''Does there has to be a reason?'' A stunningly beautiful blonde, Daphne Greengrass, asked, a small smile playing on her lips.
''Don't play games with me, Greengrass.''
She stood on, watching the conversation between the two older students. She could leave, but that sounded boring, and she hated doing boring things.
''I heard that your father passed.''
The tiniest dose of suspicion was injected into his eyes. ''What about it, Greengrass?'' His voice almost cracked into a growl.
''I want to give you my condolences.'' Her hand drifted up to her chest. ''I hadn't met him before his passing, but I heard that he was a great man.''
His face gave off a violent twitch.
''But to think that an intruder was able to get through the defences…. I didn't even think that was possible.''
Her arm slipped down to the side.
''It's unfortunate, but the intruder got lucky.''
''Perhaps.'' She agreed. ''Your 18th birthday is coming up this year, yes?''
''It is.''
Tracey brought her hand to her mouth, yawning. Not that it was boring per se… she just wished something exciting happened, like a fight.
''It must be unfortunate…. not even a year before you take the name of Lord Nott and your father dies…. murdered. I must say, it's a rather cruel coincidence.''
His eyes somehow became ever colder, like a blizzard picking up in them. ''What are you implying, Greengrass?''
Her thoughts stopped walking by, trying to figure out what she was implying, then, like a light switch, she got it.
She couldn't mean that… really? That was insane… although from what she's seen — the Wizarding world was insane.
But it was also exciting, so unlike her life before. Before her life was dull, average, she hated it.
''Nothing, nothing at all.''
The fury, cold and silent, didn't seem to leave him. ''I think we're done here, Greengrass.'' He pivoted around and stormed up the stairs.
Daphne's blue eyes moved, and brushed against the room, but they eventually stopped on her.
There was no way for Daphne to see her… right? She was invisible.
Daphne nodded her head, still focusing on her, or at least her direction. The blonde walked towards her. She was now starting to feel a smidgen nervous.
''Davidson.''
She had two options, she could either try and sneak away, or reveal herself.
Dumping the cloak off her body. ''How'd you know I was there?''
Now that they were so close to each other, she hastily noticed that she was tall, probably taller than any girl in fifth year.
''I felt you.''
''Sensed me? Confusion rose upon her face. ''Are you a Ninja or something?''
''No, one of my gifts allows me to sniff out magic as if it's second nature.''
Her face was now completely drenched with confusion. ''Gifts…..?''
''Yes, gifts.'' She said coldly. ''If you were to pay attention in class I'm certain you would know what they are.''
''I do pay attention in class!'' That wasn't a lie, she paid attention…. sometimes.
''Do you?'' Some of the iciness was clipped from her voice, she almost sounded amused now. ''I'm assuming you heard everything.
She shrugged... ''Yeah.''
Daphne's eyes twirled up to the boy dormitories.
''Do you think he knew I was there as well?'' She asked.
''Unlikely, I doubt that he has any sensing abilities… but if he does there isn't much I can do to help you.''
A small shiver climbed up her spine. ''You think he'll try and kill me?'' She blurted out.
''Perhaps.'' She admitted bluntly. ''He's dangerous.''
Anyone who would kill their father in cold blood ought to be dangerous, she thought. ''If he's so dangerous then why'd you say what you said?''
Daphne smiled wryly. ''He's dangerous for a first-year, not me. A mindless brute is what the Muggles would call him, I believe.''
Daphne eyed her with some curiosity. ''You aren't crying like a toddler.''
Her face twitched at that. ''Why'd I cry?''
Daphne cocked her head to the side. ''Most would, most first-years would.''
She grinned cockily at that. 'I'm not a scaredy-cat.''
''Perhaps.'' She agreed. ''Or maybe you're a fool.''
Her expression turned poisonous. ''I'm not an idiot!''
''I never said you were, there's a difference between a fool and an idiot. You could be the most intelligent person in the world and still be considered a fool.''
''Wait… are you calling me smart?'' Even if she would never admit it… she knew she wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed.
''Certainly not.'' She admitted openly. ''Let me pose a question. What would you do if he overheard you.''
''I'd fight him.'' Without a single conflicting thought, she said.
She crooked a pale brow, and like everything else she did, it was so eloquent, to an almost annoying degree. ''My point stands.''
She bristled. ''And what? You think I should just be scared?''
''Having fear is not a bad thing, you need it to survive.'' For a moment, Daphne obtained a far-off look in her eye.
''As if! I'd rather die than become some scaredy-cat.''
Her voice lowered down to ground level. ''I'd fight him, beat him, and get him locked up.''
Daphne's face froze still, her head cocked back, and for the first time ever, she laughed.
She glared up at the older girl. ''What's funny? I'm serious!''
The laughter seemed to vanish into thin air. ''As much as I would like for that to happen, it simply isn't that easy.''
''Why not?'' She could imagine it, facing him, beating him in a duel. She wouldn't just be known as a Muggleborn anymore.
''Because things don't go perfectly like they do in the stories.'' She said with an air of finality. ''Because if you were to duel him you would surely lose.''
''You don't know that!'' She was good at magic, she could… maybe beat him in a duel?
''But I do.'' She asserted confidentiality. ''No first year could ever hope of matching, let alone defeating a seventh year.''
It didn't matter that he was a seventh-year student. She would still beat him somehow.
''Well…. I can!'' She meant those words with all of her heart. The good guys won, no matter what.
''And how can you?''
She wasn't stumped, she really wasn't, yet an answer didn't bounce off her tongue.
The question was clear. 'Why are you different from anyone else?' Every retort she thought out sounded ridiculous. For that reason, she glared at her.
Daphne strolled past her, patting her shoulder. ''Davidson, I would advise you to drop it, because it won't end favourably for you, I can promise you that.''
The blonde retreated up the staircase, leaving Tracey to think in silence.
No, she wouldn't, Tracey thought.