Note: Fourth years can become prefects in this fanfic ;) That is not true to the HP story line.
Arielle sat alone in the prefect's compartment on the Hogwarts Express. Her fourth year was about to begin and she had been nominated as prefect due to her outstanding performance. She was sure Slughorn had something to do with it. Hopefully she would be able to live up to the responsibility. Not that she would have any way to get into trouble considering she cut all ties with the Maunders and the only person who seemed to give her the time of day was Severus. Her summer had been eventful in good and bad ways. She travelled all of Europe alone, making friends along the way, even if they were muggles. Lucius had been anxious to get her out of the house the moment she arrived and ushered her off with cash and a passport, not that she wanted to spend time with all the people who had been recently coming over to the Manor.
"Hello Arielle." A soft voice interrupted her thoughts. Ari turned her head to the side taking the redhead beauty into view. Arielle barely recognized Lily, she had grown up so much over the summer.
"Lily, hey, you look amazing! Did you do something different with your hair?" Arielle asked puzzled at the radical transformation.
"Actually I…" She began before the compartment door swung open and in barged Regulus Black and Avery knocking Lily over and into Arielle's lap in the process.
"I guess if I ignore the fact you are mudblood, I could rather enjoy this." Avery chuckled as Lily lifted her face out of Arielle's lap.
"You're disgusting." Lily yelped as she sat next to Arielle with a new fury that Ari had never seen in her friend before.
"This is the prefect's department, I think you'll find you're in the wrong place snakes." Arielle spat.
"Actually Slughorn selected us as the Slytherin prefects this year." Avery smirked.
"Yeah we will see how long that lasts." Arielle smiled back sarcastically while she attempted to maintain her smugness despite Black's piercing gaze that nearly burned her skin.
"Where were you all summer Malfoy? Didn't see you around the Manor much….Lucius was probably afraid you would embarrass him, where did he ship you off to again?"
"For your information Avery, I went willingly, I would have hated to have to waste my summer around two stupid prats like you." She snapped. Arielle felt Lily shift uncomfortably beside her. She looked over at her friend in concern only to realize Black's gaze had shifted from her to Lily, but the look in eyes was something of a pure darkness Arielle had never encountered.
"Shut up Avery, remember that we are in tainted company." Regulus lazily sneered causing Arielle to roll her eyes in annoyance.
"That's right Evans….you're dating Potter now." Avery laughed.
"What?" Arielle nearly yelled looking over at Lily who wasn't even blushing.
"That's right Avery, so you better watch your back because your every move will be reported to the Marauders." Lily said.
"Oh don't act so surprised and close your mouth Arielle it makes you look like a troll." Lily rolled her eyes at her shocked Gryffindor comrade.
Arielle whipped her head around and glared at Black as he burst out in laughter.
"Oh fuck you Regulus Black!" Arielle sneered leaping from her seat. "And you…..you are not as smart as your pretend to be Evans, just in case you forgot where I come from, it would be in your best interest not make an enemy out of me."
The whole compartment suddenly grew silent. As the three prefects sat stunned by the darkness that had overcome Arielle's demeanour. She removed her gaze from Lily's appalled face to see Regulus sporting a sly smirk. He was enjoying this. The thought enraged her.
"Well seeing that the company in here is clearly below me and definitely unworthy of being prefects, I am going to find where the respectable prefects are hiding out." Arielle announced, lifting her chin high and barging out the compartment door.
"I told you she'd come around." Avery said nudging Regulus in the side.
"Yes, it's time to expose Hogwarts to the real Arielle Malfoy. Let the game begin. " Regulus said with a dark grin.
Arielle tried as hard as she could to be nice to the first year Gryffindors but her day had been ruined by the likes of some annoying Slytherins and Lily Evans. Her anger seeped out of her voice as she barked house rules and procedures at the Gryffindors.
"And make sure you check the board in the common room. The passwords will change, and you will be sorry if I have to get my arse out of bed to let you in."
The first years filed into the common room while Arielle stood by the portrait tapping her foot in annoyance.
"I see you are finally living up to your nickname Princess Malfoy." A familiar voice spat.
"And your living up to yours too." Arielle replied staring at Sirius with newfound coldness in her eyes.
"Which one would that be….blood traitor or stallion?" He smirked.
"How about arrogant prick?" Arielle snapped. "And since I'm prefect and your lack of wit is boring me, get inside before I give you a month's detention."
Sirius growled in anger as he stepped into the Gryffindor common room leaving Arielle to bask in a satisfied smirk.
Lily had already begun talking to the first years about all the house rules by the time Arielle entered. Arielle stared at Lily with contempt. She had no idea why the redhead would ever snap at her the way she did. She couldn't care less if Lily liked James, it was the fact that Lily had spent four years complaining about what a git he was only to turn around snog him a year later. It was the implications on Severus that Arielle was more concerned about.
"Anything you'd like to add Arielle?" Lily said staring with intense hostile eyes at Arielle. Her message was clear, they were now competitors.
"You are so thorough I think you covered it all." Arielle fake smiled.
"Of course I did. Your trunks are in your dormitories already, and if you have any questions please feel free to address them to me."
Arielle snorted at Lily's failed attempt to be subtle. The first years scurried away from the tension that suffocated the room.
"Welcome back I am glad to see so many familiar faces!" Slughorn announced. Arielle smiled up at the professor who sent her a swift nod of approval. She didn't even half to try to be in the Slug Club, after last year she cemented her spot for the next three years.
Arielle growled when she felt a paper hit the back of her head. She turned around to see a smirking Regulus Black and Evan Rosier. She shot them her best death glare before unraveling the paper. A picture of her and Slughorn kissing. Arielle huffed in annoyance crumpling the paper forcefully in her hand.
"This year I have decided to pair off students into partners. The work we will be doing is quite advanced this year, and you will need a steady partner to ensure everything runs smoothly. Slughorn began.
"Rosier…..Parkinson."
"Carrow….Goyle."
"Black….Malfoy."
Arielle gasped drawing the attention of the entire room besides Slughorn who didn't seem to notice and kept calling out the names. Whispers began to circulate around the classroom as Arielle dared to look at Black whose gaze was distant and hard. She turned around in her seat, facing the front of the classroom, and cursing under her breath. Potions was the one subject that didn't come easy to her and she had to concentrate, knowing Black, who could care less about his marks, he would do anything in his power to destroy this for her. Or maybe…..no. Arielle cursed herself for even thinking back to that night she was determined to cast out of her memory forever.
"Alright, good luck, and the first team to successfully complete the potion gets ten house points!"
Arielle snapped back into reality by a loud thud that made her jump out of her seat. She looked down at the potions book on the desk before scowling at Black who took a seat with a smug expression.
"Do you want to get the dragon's blood or should I?" He sighed.
"The what?"
"Were you even listening to anything that Slughorn's said at all princess?" He ridiculed.
"Listen you prat, I don't like this anymore than you do, but I need to do well in this class, so if you sabotage me in ANY way...I will end you." Arielle spat.
"Is that so?" Regulus coaxed raising an eyebrow.
Arielle felt her fury building with every smug expression. "Oh you can count on it."
"I'd like to see you try." He smirked
"Regulus...Arielle...are you going to start your potion? Everyone else has begun and you haven't even lite the fire yet." Slughorn interjected.
"Of course sir!" Arielle exclaimed before redirecting her gaze at Black.
"You don't even know what potion we are suppose to be brewing do you Malfoy?"
"We don't have time to play games." Arielle said gesturing at the clock.
"Well luckily for you, I don't plan on failing potions."
It's been a while but I have missed this story so much! Review my lovelies!