Chapter 4

The next morning, Virginia went to breakfast in the Great Hall and noticed Delilah was telling everyone that she was muggle-born. Unfortunately, it was a Sunday, so classes wouldn't start until the day after. That gave Delilah plenty of social time to tell the entire Slytherin house that Virginia was muggle-born.

"Ginny Hughes is a mudblood," Virginia heard Delilah say, "Mudbloods shouldn't be allowed in Slytherin. My father will hear about this."

"So true," Beatrice LeStrange, who had aligned herself with Delilah, said, "It's like being a pureblood Slytherin means nothing."

When Virginia got her class schedule the next day, she felt conflicted to see that the Slytherins' first class of the day was Potions with the Gryffindors. Virginia had been told that the Potions master was Professor Snape and he was the Head of Slytherin house. On the one hand, Virginia knew he was an adult who was responsible for her more than the other professors. If anyone had an obligation to have Virginia's back, it was her Head of House.

On the other hand, Snape was the Head of Slytherin House because he had been a Slytherin as a Hogwarts student. Virginia started to worry that he might have the mindset of Virginia's Slytherin peers and the same prejudice regarding her blood status. Virginia didn't think she could handle it if her Head of House called her a mudblood like Delilah and Beatrice did. After breakfast, Virginia grabbed her bookbag and cauldron from her dorm and marched to the Potions classroom with her house.

In the classroom were tables made for two students to sit at each. Virginia tried to sit at a table with a Gryffindor because it would be better than sitting with someone from her own house. However, none of the Gryffindors wanted to sit with her. All the other houses thought Slytherins were evil.

"Ha," Delilah said, "It looks like the mudblood is also a blithering idiot. You can't sit with the Gryffindors, they're our arch-rivals."

Virginia just sat next to a Slytherin girl instead.

"Hi," the girl said, "My name is Camela Dune. I'm not like the others. My mother is muggle-born, and she taught me better."

"Really?" Virginia asked, "I thought most of these kids have parents who were also in Slytherin."

"Yeah," Camela said, "My parents were both in Slytherin, but not all of us have to be prejudiced like most of them are. I hope the pureblood bias fades away eventually."

"Me too," Virginia said.

Professor Snape entered the room and Virginia started taking notes.

"No foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class," Snape said, "As such, I don't expect many of you to be able to appreciate the subtle science and the exact art that is potion-making. However, for those select few who possess the predisposition, I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death."

Delilah raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss Malfoy," Snape said.

"I just thought I should inform you, Professor," Delilah said, "That there's a mudblood in Slytherin this year. Her name is Ginny Hughes. Oh sorry, Virginia Hughes."

"Don't you dare use that word," Snape said, "I couldn't care less about Miss Hughes's lineage! What I do care about, however, is her and your performance in my class. 10 points from Slytherin."

There was a gasp throughout the room. No one expected Snape to detract points from his own house.

"Now," Snape said, "Let's move on from this foolishness and begin our first lesson. Also, Miss Hughes, I would advise you to pay attention."

"Sorry, sir," Virginia said, looking up to make eye contact with her professor "I was just taking notes, so I can remember what you said later."

"See that you do," Snape said, "Now, for our first lesson, we'll learn how to make a cure for boils,"

After Potions class, Delilah confronted Virginia.

"What are you playing at?" Delilah asked, "Turning Snape, our Head of House, against me?"

"What?" Virginia asked, "You think I did that? You interrupted class just to tell the Professor that I was muggle-born."

"On top of that," Camela said, "you called Virginia the offensive term for muggle-born. No teacher is going to tolerate any student using slurs. Seems like you turned yourself against Snape."

"Also," Virginia said, "I told you before, never call me Ginny."

After Potions class, the Slytherins had Charms class with the Ravenclaws. It was taught by Professor Flitwick, who was the Head of Ravenclaw House.

"Alright everyone," Professor Flitwick said, "Today we are going to learn Lumos, the wand lighting charm. This charm allows for a bit of light to protrude from the end of your wand. Don't let me catch you Ravenclaws using it to read books in bed late at night."

There was a chuckle from the Ravenclaws, and Virginia started to feel a little better. She was glad to have a professor with a sense of humor.

"Now," Flitwick said, "Let's practice saying the incantation together, and then you can work on your own or with a friend. Ready, three, two, one, Lumos!"

"Lumos!" the class chanted.

Virginia took out her wand and said the incantation until her wand lit up. It was only a small amount of light, but it was better than nothing. A Ravenclaw boy named Drew Bailey did it the best.

"Wow," Virginia said, "His wand is so bright, you could probably use it for a lightbulb."

"What's that?" Beatrice asked.

"Oh," Virginia said, "A lightbulb. It's a round object that muggles put in their ceilings or-"

"Just kidding," Beatrice cut her off, "I'm not interested in anything to with muggles. Whatever it is, I'm sure wizards have a better version of it."

"Don't worry about it," Camela said, "I know you were just trying to compliment Drew."

"You know," Virginia said, "Beatrice is wrong. Lightbulbs are much brighter than candles."

"Exactly," Camela said, "My grandparents on my mum's side have electric lights. Their house is so much brighter than my family's candlelit home."

"Yeah," Virginia said, "Contrary to popular belief, muggles are better at some things, they're strengths are just different from wizards."

"That's a good point of view to have," Camela said.

"Yeah," Virginia agreed.

Virginia started to feel better about herself during Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Later that day, Virginia and Camela were doing homework in the Slytherin common room when Virginia remembered something Camela said when they were talking to Delilah.

"Hey," Virginia said, "That word everyone has been calling me, is it offensive?"

"Yeah," Camela said, "You don't know what it means?"

"No," Virginia said, "I'm often clueless about many things in this world. Everything is so new to me. Sometimes, I feel like I don't know what I'm doing."

"Well," Camela said, "Mudblood is a slur and it means 'dirty blood'. They think you're inferior just because you don't have magical parents. A lot of Slytherins think that muggles themselves are worthless."

"Oh," Virginia said, looking down "So they think I'm worthless for having muggle parents."

"Hey," Camela said, looking into Virginia's eyes, "Don't listen to them, they're wrong. I have two muggle grandparents, they are wonderful people, and my mother is capable of so many amazing things. Just because you're different from them, it doesn't depreciate your worth. I think you're worth something."

Camela suddenly became very flustered.

"I mean," Camela said, "I think you're worth something as a friend. I think you could be an amazing friend."

"Yeah," Virginia said, "I'd like to be friends, too. Maybe then I won't feel so alone."

At that moment, Virginia stopped wishing to be in another house. If she hadn't been a Slytherin, she wouldn't have met her best friend Camela. Meeting Camela made all the insults from the other Slytherins worth Virginia's trouble.