Chapter 4

I tried not to reflect on earlier as I finished my homework but her tear-filled blue-gray eyes refused to leave my mind. My hand still burned where her warm tear had fallen.

There was another meeting at the Slug club that night. Slughorn had excused me and everyone else in the club from the potions assignment so we wouldn't have as much work to do before the meeting. Usually he doesn't do things like that but I guess today is a lucky day.

I entered Slughorn's office to find that many of the guys were already there. They were mostly pure-blood Slytherins. In the center of the room, the table we always had meetings at was set with six chairs around it plus Slughorn's chair. It was a large comfortable chair with a velvety footrest in front of it. It must give him a sense of authority to sit in that chair but everyone knows that I'm the leader of this club.

I was greeted with many warm hellos and what's ups from the boys, most of whom had already taken their usual seats.

"Where's Slughorn?" I asked Avery. It was pretty unusual that he wasn't in his office. Usually, Slughorn is already in the room somewhere before anyone even shows up. He practically lives for these meetings where he can be surrounded by the soon-to-be and already famous wizards of Hogwarts.

"Dunno," he said, apathetically. "Maybe the fatty's gotten drunk and forgot that he scheduled the meeting for today," he said in a muffled voice. A few boys laughed. I just took my usual seat at the head of the table.

"Simmer down, boys. Simmer down." said Slughorn as he slammed open the door to the office. He seemed particularly happy about today. He walked over to his chair and plopped down in it, causing the already weak springs to squeak in protest.

"Boys, I have a surprise," he said smiling. "I have invited another student to join this here club."

Immediately everyone started giving each other confused and curious looks. None of them had heard the news either. Why do we need a new member? Wait, why am I complaining? Another boy to corrupt. Another follower. I should be thanking Slughorn for making things easier for me.

"Let's meet this new guy!" shouted Lestrange with mock enthusiasm. The boys laughed.

"Well, we'll just have to wait until they get here so for now you boys can help yourselves to some Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans." he said motioning to a bowl on the table. He leaned back in his chair with a handful of them himself and started tossing them into his mouth. I grabbed a few. I was willing to take the risk of getting one flavored something foul like booger or vomit.

There was a firm knock at the door and every boy's head turned towards the door to see this new member.

"Come on in!" shouted Slughorn from his throne.

There she was, standing in Slughorn's doorway. She was wearing a white short-sleeved school shirt, her loosely-knotted Ravenclaw tie, and a skirt with knee socks. She still had her bookbag strapped across her chest and her hair was pulled up halfway again with bangs framing her face to show off her attractive features. In her ears shone those moon and star earrings that changed phases.

A few of the boys jaws had dropped. I wasn't sure if it was because the new member is a girl, because she's so unusually beautiful, or because of her strange reputation.

Maybe the way she's dressed is provoking perverted fantasies in some of their minds. Those sick bastards better stay away from her. None of them better try anything or I may have to interfere.

She smiled meekly at the crowd who could do nothing but stare. She seemed unsure of what to do next so she stood frozen in the doorway.

"Boys, let me introduce you to Maggie. Don't be shy Maggie. Come in! Maggie here is going to go on to great things. She's a talented witch." He beamed at her.

She walked towards the table cautiously. The boys were scrutinizing her to no avail. As she circled the table unsure of what to do, she looked over at me and then looked away quickly.

"Maggie, pull up a chair! There's one over there. Why don't you sit right there? Next to Tom." He motioned to an empty chair in the corner and then to the spot to the right of me. Lestrange gave the boys a 'well, this is odd' look as they moved down to make room. Maggie dropped her bookbag in the corner and picked up the chair. I couldn't resist watching her motions. She could do something in a way that would make anyone look barbaric but she would look like she was dancing. She had a grace about her that no one else possessed.

"It's Magdalena." she said sitting down.

"Yes, that's right! Magdalena. I'm sorry, Maggie." said Slughorn.

She rolled her eyes. The boys snickered.

The rest of the meeting I could barely pay attention to anything but her. She was such a distraction. At one point, I watched Magdalena lift her skirt a bit to scratch her upper thigh. This revealed a bit more to me than she probably would have liked and I felt another tug of desire for her. Slughorn chose this moment to ask me a question and all I could do was give a clever "huh?"

Why won't she look at me? Is it possible that she's ignoring me? Her actions say otherwise.

All night it seemed like she was torturing me slowly. I watched her mess her hair with her fingers. Sometimes it would gently caress my face and send a shiver through my veins.

And the skirt incident wasn't the only time she had messed with her clothes. She had taken off her shoes once she had sat down and then when she tried to get comfortable in her seat, I felt her foot graze my pant leg. My blood ran cold as ice. Even worse, she had unbuttoned her school shirt a bit, complaining that it was too warm.

She played with her earrings at times when the conversation was dull. She seemed to have a game with herself. She would feel the changing moon and mouth what phase it was in by what shape she felt. She guessed correctly every time.

Also during these times, she would smile for no reason. It was as if something funny was said that only she could hear. It was almost too much to take.

The entire night I sat very still and didn't talk much. My thoughts were too cluttered with her. Her moon earrings, her bare feet, everything. I hope no one noticed. I hope she didn't notice.

"Boys...and young lady, it's almost eleven o'clock. You better get back to your dorms. I wouldn't want to get you in trouble." said Slughorn.

Magdalena put the chair she was sitting in back into the corner. The guys formed a tight circle as they moved toward the door.

"Why do we need her here?"

"Come on! She's kind of pretty. It's nice to have something to look at other than Sluggy."

"But haven't you heard about her? She's supposed to be smart but mentally unstable."

"That's just a rumor."

I lingered in the back of the group. This stupid chatter means nothing. They will accept her when she is my right hand. I looked over my shoulder to see that she was collecting her things from the corner with no rush. I leaned against the door frame. Maybe I could say something to her? Perhaps an apology for the other boy's behavior?

She walked towards me, looking like she had something to say.

"Hello Tom." she said quietly, avoiding eye contact.

"Hello Magdalena." I said humbly. How quickly we are on a first name basis when we haven't even been properly introduced.

"I just wanted to apologize for this morning. I'm sure I made you very uncomfortable." she said embarrassed.

"That's okay." I said politely. I checked to make sure the other boys were gone. "I want to apologize for their behavior."

"It's not your fault they were being so aloof. I know how it is. I'm the new one. I'm toxic until proven normal." she looked into my eyes and smiled. Something inside of me broke. I wanted to wipe that smile off her face and delve into a kiss that would cause her to lose all sanity.

"I think they just aren't around pretty girls very often." I raised an eyebrow at her. I could see in her eyes that she was warming up to me.

"And you are?" she asked suggestively. "I hardly think I'm pretty. Plus haven't you heard? I'm mentally unstable. I'm dangerous."

Dangerous? I'd like to see how.

I moved closer to her so I could feel her breath on my chest. "I'm never around girls as uniquely beautiful as you." I said shyly but with hidden confidence. "And you aren't unstable. You just think in a way that no one else can understand. I'm the same way."

She gave a nod of understanding.

I tucked her hair behind one of her ears and grasped one of the changing moons with my fingers. She lowered her eyes. She seemed to be in a bit of a trance, a trance I knew well. It was similar to the kind of trance she had me in throughout the entire meeting.

I let go of the moon.

"We better start our prefect duties. We wouldn't want to get in trouble and set a bad example." I said.

"No. No, we wouldn't." she said, sadly.

"Goodnight Magdalena." I said with a smile as I walked off towards the Slytherin common room.

I smirked to myself. Now she'll get to be the one full of stinging desire. The one wondering how she will ever be able to see me again. The one thinking about every little detail about me. Finally, she is mine.