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Chapter 3: Conversations and Accusations
The last person that Marijah Zabini was expecting to see as she approached the Slytherin table was her nephew, Blaise Zabini.
"Blaise," she asked, "what are you doing here?"
Blaise blinked. "Well," he leaned back in his chair, smirking, "last time I checked I went to school here." Marijah just about slapped him. She knew that, idiot. Glancing over, she spotted Nina, Isabelle, and Draco watching the exchange with interest. Marijah glared at them.
The story of how Blaise Zabini was the same age as his aunt was rather complicated. It all started when Giovanni Zabini married a woman named Elizabeth Meyers. Soon after their wedding, Elizabeth became pregnant, giving birth to a son, Carlo. Unfortunately, Elizabeth had an affair with another man, and Giovanni divorced her. Soon after, he married Mariko Mikage, a woman who was very near in age to Carlo. Enraged at his father's decision, he got married soon after his Hogwarts graduation, to a woman by the name of Catherine McGregor. Mariko and Catherine had both gotten pregnant at the same time, and Mariko gave birth first. A week later, Blaise was born.
The simple exchange between Marijah and Blaise was now turning into a full-blown argument. Ignoring the storm brewing beside them, Draco had introduced himself to Nina.
"Say Nina," he asked, "are you by any chance related to Lawrence MacDonald?"
Nina nodded. "He's my dad."
"Really? I think he and my father were mates at school. He was in Slytherin, right?" Janina nodded again.
"All of my family has been in Slytherin. My mother, however, went to Beauxbatons."
"Are you pureblood?" Nina frowned.
"Yes, why do ask?"
"Well it would be terrible if you somehow wound up in Slytherin with dirty blood, right?" Draco turned to Isabelle. "What about you?"
"I'm pureblood. My grandparents went to Hogwarts as well. They left England after Grindelwald's defeat." She looked over at the pair of Zabinis. By now she wasn't the only person. Most of the Slytherin table, as well members of the neighbouring Hufflepuff table, was watching the "conversation" taking place.
"You have to listen to me! I'm older!" Marijah shrieked.
"By what, a week?" Blaise retorted.
"Fine! I'm still your aunt!"
"Though you choose not to acknowledge it." Marijah growled, and started to bang her head on the table.
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Over at the Hufflepuff table, Dallas Santos and Blake Yu were watching the exchange with interest.
"Wow," Blake said, amazed. "That's like the only time that I've heard Mariah speak."
"Her name's Marijah, but otherwise you're right," Dallas added.
"I don't think it's proper," a boy who had introduced himself as Ernie Macmillan spoke, adjusting his prefect's badge. "They're awfully loud. It's a wonder that the teachers haven't done anything yet." He nodded at the staff table.
Indeed, the teachers seemed to be ignoring the Slytherin spat, seeing as how they were all in deep conversation with one another. Only Snape remained quiet. As if he had heard Ernie, his eyes slowly drifted over to the Slytherin table. As his focused on the two Zabinis, a sneer that might have been a smirk of amusement formed on his face. He wouldn't do anything. They were Slytherins, after all.
Dallas shrugged and started talking to Hannah Abbott. Blake had resumed hitting in the two seventh years, Marie Whitten and Ella Ramsey, from the train.
Needless to say, he was quite unsuccessful in getting a date, but more successful in earning glares from the girl's boyfriends.
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Evie and Warren Bowen were fitting in their fellow brains at the Ravenclaw table. Evie had stuck her nose into Hogwarts, a History. Warren had gotten into a 'serious' conversation with Terry Boot, Anthony Goldstein, and Michael Corner.
"So Warren, got a girl?" asked Anthony, smirking.
"No," Warren replied.
"Then are you gay?" Evie looked up from her book and people around them stared at the boys, waiting for the answer.
"What the hell! No way!" Warren shrieked. "I am completely 100 straight!"
Anthony shrugged. "Just checking."
"I thought you were dating that Evie girl," Terry lowered his voice. "You two look close."
"We've been friends since we were little. We grew up across the street from each other."
"Where are you from in Canada? I've heard that cities like Montreal and Quebec City have a history of magic," asked Padma Patil, who had been listening to their conversation.
"I'm from Calgary, Alberta. Not much magical history there. But Nina," Warren pointed over to the Slytherin table, "grew up in Montreal."
"Are you muggleborn, then? I've heard that the majority of pureblood families live in Ontario and Quebec." Warren nodded.
"Evie's muggleborn, too." It was actually quite amazing that we both turned out to be magical."
"So, sure you're not gay?"
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Ron Weasley had gotten the surprise of his life when the three transfers came and sat down at the Gryffindor table. When he had introduced himself to the trio, Miranda and Ciara looked surprised.
"Any relation to Fred and George Weasley?" Ciara asked.
"They're my brothers. You know them?"
"We met them at their store in Diagon Alley," Miranda explained. "We promised them that we would carry out their legacy now that they had left Hogwarts."
"Well as long as you don't break school rules," said Hermione. Miranda gave her an appraising look.
"You're a prefect aren't you? Evie and Ninny were prefects back at Maple." Ron blinked.
"Evie? Ninny?"
"Evelyn and Janina," clarified Ciara. "Evie insists on being called by her nickname, and Janina prefers to be called Nina. The only person who can get away with calling her Ninny is Miranda."
"Anyone else gets glared at, or hexed," said Shelley, who had excused herself from a conversation with Dean Thomas about football teams. They all looked over at the Slytherin table. Blaise and Marijah were still fighting, but by this time, Professor McGonagall was making her way over there. Hermione shook her head.
"Slytherins, don't they ever learn?"
"They all can't be that bad," Shelley insisted. "Nina is in Slytherin, and she's really nice."
"Well," Ron answered, "there hasn't been a witch or wizard in Slytherin who hasn't gone evil." Miranda laughed.
"I find it really hard to imagine Nina going evil. Same with Isabelle. That Marijah girl however…"
"What about Marijah?" questioned Harry.
"Well, she really keeps to herself. She rarely talks to anyone. In fact, I don't think she has any friends."
"That's not true," Shelley said. "There is that one girl she hangs out with. Alias Mandelle I thin her name is."
"With the exception of Alias, she virtually a loner." Ciara nodded in agreement to Miranda's statement.
"So, you would trust Isabelle and Nina?" Ron asked.
"With my life," Ciara and Miranda said in unison. The feast slowly started to wind down as dessert appeared. When the last bits of pie and pudding had disappeared, Dumbledore stood up.
"I have a few start of term notices. Let me remind you all that the Forest on the grounds is forbidden, as is the village of Hogsmede to all those under third year. The list of banned objects has been updated to include all Weasley joke shop items, and can be found in Mr. Filch's office. Mr. Filch would also like me to remind you that magic is not permitted in the corridors between classes. Tryouts for the Quidditch teams will take place the second week of term. Please talk to Madam Hooch if you are interested.
"On another note, I would like to welcome Professor Sykes, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." A wave of applause roared throughout the Great Hall, as a tall dark haired man with piercing blue eyes stood up at the staff table.
"On a graver note, I would like to impress on all of you the seriousness of the days to come. With the return of Lord Voldemort," the entire hall flinched, "I urge you all to be on your guard. I will not lie to you as the Ministry has done for so long. Hogwarts is safe, but only for so long. I will rely on the Head Boy and Girl, the prefects and all those in fifth year and above to help in case the castle is invaded.
"Now, I'm sure that you are all tired from your journey. Prefects, I ask that you lead your houses up to your dormitories. Have sweet dreams, and dwell not on the battles to come."