AN: As always, thanks to my beta FalconHonour!
Their first DADA class was scheduled to be last period on Thursday, and they'd be with the Gryffindors. It was lunch break, and the entire class of second-year Slytherins, with the addition of Ginny, were headed off to a courtyard to play an Exploding Snap tournament. When they arrived, they saw Potter signing some fidgety first-year's photo.
"Signed photos? You're giving out signed photos, Potter?" Draco's voice echoed around the courtyard, as he stopped beside the firstie, who was apparently a Gryffindor, going by the color of his tie. "Everyone line up!" Malfoy roared to the crowd. "Harry Potter's giving out signed photos!"
"No, I'm not," said Harry angrily, his fists clenching. "Shut up, Malfoy."
"You're just jealous," piped up the first year.
"What's he got to be jealous of, Creevey?" snapped Ginny, "Draco hardly needs the money Potter's going to make selling signed photos. What're you going to do with it, Potter?" she sneered, suddenly whirling on the dark-haired boy, "Sit on it, like you do with the rest of your money? You know, people who are as well off as you tend to try and help the less fortunate. For example, if they receive a whole set of Lockhart's books for free, they could give them to one of the kids in the family they've stayed with for the past month, you know as a form of payment, because they can certainly afford to buy their own copies. But no. That didn't even cross your tiny little mind, did it? Oh, well that's just fine! It's not like you sat on your arse the whole time he was there and didn't even offer to help with the chores."
Potter looked shocked by Ginny's outburst. Ron was turning a bright shade of red. "Shut up, Ginny! Nobody cares what you think, now that you're in Slytherin!"
"No, that's not how this works," Ginny spat, "You two ignored me all summer long. And Ron, you've never cared about my opinion, even before I got sorted, so don't pretend this is about what colour tie I wear. Besides, who are you to judge my friends? They've talked to me this week, which is something I can't say about you."
"Eat slugs," said Ron angrily, hand flying for his wand.
"Be careful, Weasley," Pansy cut in. "You don't want to start any trouble or your mommy will have to come and take you away from school." She put on a high-pitched voice, similar to the one Draco used whenever he wanted to mock Molly Weasley. "If you put another toe out of line —"
They all burst into laughter.
"What's all this, what's all this?" Gilderoy Lockhart strode towards them, his ultraviolet robes swirling behind him. "Who's giving out signed photos?" When he spotted Potter, he grinned and flung an arm around the young celebrity's shoulder. "Shouldn't have asked! We meet again, Harry!"
The Slytherins held back their laughter, but their smirks stayed in place as they disappeared into the crowd, laughing and high-fiving each other once they rounded the corner.
"You okay, Red?" Blaise asked.
Ginny squared her jaw, "I'm fine, it's nothing I wasn't expecting. And don't hold back on my account-I'm not even sure if I really count as a Weasley anymore, what with my mother's letter."
The afternoon bell rang, and Ginny broke off from the rest of the group to go to her class, as the second-years headed for Lockhart's classroom. The seating was arranged so that there were three to a table. Daphne promptly declared that they were doing a girls-only table, and dragged Pansy and Hermione off to a table somewhere in the back of the class.
Potter came stumbling in at about the same time as Lockhart, and was waved over by Ron Weasley to sit at his table. Once everyone had been seated, Lockhart began class.
He reached forward, picked up Neville Longbottom's copy of Travels with Trolls, and held it up to show his own, winking portrait on the front. "Me," he said, pointing at it and winking as well. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award — but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!" He waited for them to laugh, but was greeted by dead silence. Through either cheerful optimism or deft stupidity, he grinned as if the joke had landed.
"I see you've all bought a complete set of my books — well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about — just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in —" When he had handed out the test papers he returned to the front of the class and said, "You have thirty minutes — start — now!"
Hermione looked down to her paper and read the questions with horror:
1. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favourite colour?
2. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?
3. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?
It went on until question 54-for three more pages, front and back. Hermione could hear Daphne's teeth grinding next to her, and Pansy, who was on the other side of Daphne, was looking at the paper with barely contained glee. Hermione raised an eyebrow at her, and Pansy slid her paper over. The answer to Question One read 'Jaundice yellow, the same colour as his teeth.'
Hermione struggled to not burst out into laughter. Seeing the amusement on her sister's face, Daphne snatched Pansy's paper and read it over, struggling to contain her laughter - even more so than Hermione.
After about half an hour, Lockhart collected the papers back up, and Daphne discreetly cast a copying spell on Pansy's quiz, tucking it away into her bag.
Lockhart was looking through the papers, "Tut, tut — hardly any of you remembered that my favorite color is lilac. I say so in Year with the Yeti. And a few of you need to read Wanderings with Werewolves more carefully — I clearly state in chapter twelve that my ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magical and non-magical peoples — though I wouldn't say no to a large bottle of Ogden's Old Firewhiskey!"
He winked at the class, and Hermione looked at Daphne, who was glaring at the man so fiercely Hermione was worried he'd catch fire.
"But, now! To business!" the man said, marching to his desk and pulling out an enormous cage covered by a sheet with a tacky pattern. "Now — be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind! You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm. I must ask you not to scream," said Lockhart in a low voice. The class leaned in, trying to get a peek at whatever dangerous creature Lockhart had stowed away. Lockhart grinned at the attention he was receiving, before hushing the classroom again. "It might provoke them." He whisked off the cover, and Hermione realized what was in the cage.
"Yes," he said dramatically. "Freshly caught Cornish pixies. "
Seamus Finnigan let out a snort of laughter.
"Yes?" He smiled at Finnigan.
"Well, they're not — they're not very — dangerous, are they?" Seamus choked.
"Don't be so sure!" said Lockhart, waggling a finger at Seamus. "Devilish tricky little blighters they can be!"
The pixies were electric blue and about eight inches high, with pointed faces and shrill voices to boot. The moment the cover had been removed, they had started jabbering and rocketing around, rattling the bars and making bizarre faces at the people nearest them.
"Impossible," Pansy whispered, "A creature that's just as annoying as Gryffindors."
"Right, then," Lockhart said loudly. "Let's see what you make of them!" And he opened the cage.
It was pandemonium. The pixies shot in every direction like rockets. Two of them seized Neville by the ears and lifted him into the air. Several shot straight through the window, showering the back row with broken glass, and the girls quickly cast shielding spells.
The rest proceeded to wreck the classroom more effectively than a rampaging rhino. They grabbed ink bottles and sprayed the class with them, shredded books and papers, tore pictures from the walls, up-ended the waste basket, grabbed bags and books and threw them out of the smashed window. Within minutes, half the class was sheltering under desks and Neville was swinging from the iron chandelier in the ceiling.
"Come on now — round them up, round them up, they're only pixies," Lockhart shouted. He rolled up his sleeves, brandished his wand, and bellowed, "Peskipiksi Pesternomi!" It had absolutely no effect, as evidenced by a pixie grabbing his wand and throwing it out the window. Lockhart dashed out of the classroom.
"Alright, this has gone on long enough," Hermione growled, brandishing her wand. " Immobulus!" The pixies froze midair, and Hermione looked around the classroom. "Come on, now, everyone grab some of them and stuff them back in the stupid cage. Although, if any of you are particularly good at Cushioning Charms, you can help me try and get Neville down from the chandelier."
Slytherin held Seeker tryouts on a bright and sunny Friday afternoon. Draco had been a ball of nervous energy the whole week, and had made Hermione swear up and down that she would go to try-outs.
Which was why she found herself waiting outside with the rest of her Slytherin friends, as well as Hannah and Carrine. Thomas had received the title of Quidditch Co-Captain, shared with Marcus Flint, something Hermione had congratulated him on the first day back - he'd deserved it.
Draco sat on the bench beside her, his brand-new Nimbus 2001 in hand, watching Lucian Bole, a third-year, and the last remaining competitor for Seeker, fly through the air.
Hermione was fairly convinced Draco would get the position- not only was he a better flyer than Bole, but from what she had overheard, Bole preferred playing Keeper to Seeker.
Thomas called Draco down to the pitch and Draco sprang up as Bole dismounted his broomstick. Hermione could see Thomas holding the Snitch in his hand as he spoke to Draco. Draco nodded his head at something, and then Thomas let go of the Snitch. Draco waited for a few moments before leaping onto his broom and soaring into the sky, searching for the Snitch, as Marcus Flint waved his wand, setting a timer.
Hermione crossed her fingers and held onto the bench-she wanted Draco on the team so badly. He really did deserve it, he was wicked good at Quidditch and he had practised like a man possessed that summer. He'd worked so hard on his form, in fact, that Uncle Lucius had promised that he would buy the whole team Nimbus 2001s if Draco got on the team.
"He'll get it," Daphne said, assuredly. "Don't worry, Mia."
"Why are you so tense anyways?" Pansy asked.
"He's my best friend, I want him to get on the team."
Pansy and Daphne exchanged a look that went unnoticed by Hermione, who had snapped her eyes back to the sky, where Draco was searching for the Snitch. He had to beat Bole, who had found the Snitch in an hour and a half.
It was about fifty minutes into Draco's trial, he spotted something in the sky. The Snitch. Hermione grasped at Daphne and Pansy's hands as he flew after the Snitch at breakneck speed.
"Come on, come on …" Hermione murmured.
And then Draco was reaching out, his fingers extended for the flying golden ball, leaning in.
"Come on…"
And his fingertips closed around the Snitch, and Hermione let out a whoop, as Draco slowed down and descended to the ground, where Thomas and Marcus were waiting. Marcus ended his spell, and then called over Bole, before saying something. Draco's face lit up, and Bole turned to him, offering him a congratulatory smile. After Marcus and Thomas nodded, Draco raced off, and Hermione got up abruptly, dashing towards the entrance to the Quidditch Bleachers.
She met Draco somewhere in the middle and barreled into him, hugging him tightly. "Congratulations, Draco!" She kissed him quickly on the cheek, before leaping off and letting out a whoop. "You did it!" Draco stood there, his broom forgotten on the ground and his face pink. He held a hand up to his cheek, wearing an ear-splitting grin.
Ginny fidgeted in Professor Snape's chair nervously, watching the fireplace intently.
"Don't be so worried," Professor Snape said smoothly, "From what I've heard from Lady Malfoy, she already adores you."
Ginny smiled, "Thank you." She paused. "You know, I was worried about you, with how much the twins and Ron complained about your classes this summer… but you're actually really nice. When you choose to be."
Snape smirked, "I'll take that as an enthusiastic endorsement. Do you mind if I put that in my autobiography?"
Ginny laughed, "You could be like Lockhart!" She reddened-"Professor Lockhart-" Snape quirked an eyebrow. Ginny paused before deciding, "Lockhart. He doesn't deserve the title of Professor. But you could write a book like him. Title it 'Prestigious Potioneering,' subtitle, 'Prats Pushing my Patience'."
Ginny jumped and turned around as raucous laughter suddenly came from beside the fireplace. A tall woman with a tight blonde chignon and fitted designer robes had her head thrown back in laughter.
"Severus! I knew she was wonderful, but you never told me just how delightful Miss Weasley was!"
She chuckled again, then deepened her voice into a slow drawl. "My miserable existence began on January 9, 1960, and it all went downhill from there." She threw her head back and laughed yet again, as Snape pinched his nose, and pretended he wasn't smiling. Careful not to offend her Professor, Ginny giggled behind her hand. Narcissa smiled at her. "Feel free to laugh, Severus needs to take himself less seriously." She returned to her 'Snape-Voice'. "The best day of my life, by quite some margin , was September 1st, 1971, when I met Narcissa Black, by far the most amazing friend of mine."
The dam burst and Ginny broke out into full-on laughter.
Professor Snape glared at Narcissa, although it lacked heat. "I blame you for anything that comes from this."
" Au contraire ," Narcissa smiled coquettishly, "This isn't something that you should blame me for. You should celebrate it." She turned to Ginny, "Come along, now, dear, we have a terribly busy day. Besides, when Severus has an aneurysm, we don't want to be discovered on the scene of his death." She hesitated, "Have you ever taken the Floo before?" Ginny nodded. "Alright, good." She stepped into the fireplace, and threw Floo Powder onto her feet. "Diagon Alley!" She disappeared in a flash of green.
Ginny looked to Professor Snape, who made a gesture for her to go. "You'll need all the time you can get, no use in wasting it standing in my office like a dunderhead."
Ginny nodded, and grabbed a handful of Floo Powder, stepped into the fireplace, before exclaiming "Diagon Alley!"
She came out the other side in the Leaky Cauldron, where Narcissa Malfoy was waiting for her. She offered Ginny a smile. "Come along, now." Ginny followed the woman to the back room, where Narcissa got out her wand and tapped it in a pattern upon the bricks. "You can call me Ms. Narcissa, or just Cissa, if you like. What would you like me to call you, then?"
"Ginny," she replied.
"Alright, now Ginny, can you tell me a little bit about yourself? What classes do you like? What do you like to do? Are you a Quidditch fan, perhaps?"
Ginny grinned, "I'm a big Quidditch fan, I like the Holyhead Harpies. I want to play for them one day, as a Chaser. I'm actually pretty good at playing, I mean, at least I think so. I want to be on the Slytherin team, the year after next - there aren't any openings for Chasers until then. So far, I think I really like Astronomy and Potions. I thought I'd absolutely love the subject of Defence, but with Lockhart teaching it…" she trailed off, "It's not what I had hoped."
Narcissa pursed her lips, "I can imagine. You said you like flying?" Ginny nodded fervently. "Then we'll have to get you a new broom as well. Lucius is meeting us this afternoon, to get some odds and ends, most particularly six new Nimbus 2001s for the Slytherin Quidditch team. We'll make it seven and grab one for you as well, then," she said nonchalantly. "I know first years aren't technically allowed to have their own brooms so we'll just pretend it's for Hermione this year. That girl wouldn't use a broom unless it was life-or-death." She laughed. "And when you come home for the summer and can legally take a broom to school, we'll have your name engraved on the handle."
Ginny stood there, her mouth wide open. "I-What-I… that's not necessary-"
Narcissa cut her off with a hand wave, "Oh, of course it is. You like to fly, we're getting you a broom. Simple as that."
"But a Nimbus 2001? That's really generous, you don't need to-"
"Nonsense," Narcissa giggled, "You'll learn that we Malfoys don't do things by half. If we're getting you a broom, we're getting you the best broom on the market." They came to a stop in front of Twilfitt and Tattings. "You need an entire new wardrobe, I have the shop booked out for the rest of the morning."
Narcissa sat across from Ginny in a little upscale café next to Twilfitt and Tattings, after having sent Dobby, one of their house elves, to drop off Ginny's new clothing. Narcissa had said offhandedly, "It is designer and the highest quality in London, but it's not from Paris or Milan, so we'll get some clothing from there next summer. I'd do it over your Yule break, but Lucius and I are going on a trip with Selene and Hyperion Greengrass, as well as Blair and Maurice Abbott. Sirius Black is coming along as well, and I imagine he'll be sleeping with every unattached man and woman in Cyprus." She rolled her eyes. "Some things never change, I suppose. Though I'm not going to spend our entire lunch prattling on about going on holiday. Instead, I'd like to talk about this." Narcissa pulled out a letter and placed it onto the table. Ginny realised that it was the first (and last) letter she had received from her parents. "I found it in your robe pockets when you were getting fitted. I'd like to address it, line by line, if that's alright with you, Ginny?"
Ginny bit the inside of her cheek and nodded, feeling tears well up in her eyes. She didn't want to seem weak, but Merlin, she needed help, and maybe just maybe, Narcissa would be able to.
"First of all, the first paragraph is a complete lie," Narcissa took Ginny's hand, "I know that you know this, but sometimes it helps to hear someone else say it. There is nothing wrong with you for being sorted into Slytherin. And sponsorships are rather common in Slytherin in regards to children who come from families who aren't as well off or well connected, at least compared to their peers. For example, the Puceys sponsor Tracey Davis, one of the girls in Draco's year, and Lucius's parents sponsored Severus back when we went to school."
Narcissa drew in a deep breath, "No mother should call her child the things your mother called you in that letter. It is simply inexcusable. From what I have seen and have been told, you are terribly clever and witty, and a perfectly wonderful girl. As for never letting you into our world," Narcissa glared at the letter, "Molly Weasley does not understand 'our world' in the slightest, so she shouldn't pretend to know that you wouldn't be accepted. As for being more angry over your Sorting than your brother breaking the Statute of Secrecy and the law… well, I think that's ridiculous. As for your breaks, I would be remiss if I didn't extend an invitation for you to live at Malfoy Manor-we can set up a room for you and have it decorated to your tastes. Hermione, Daphne, Hannah and Pansy will be over nearly every day, as will the youngest Greengrass, Astoria, whom you have yet to meet. And don't think you'll be the only one staying either. Blaise Zabini spent most of last summer with us while his mother was on the Riviera" She continued on nonchalantly.
"As for the Hogwarts payment, I think I ought to leave the choice up to you. We can either take your parents to the Wizengamot for making unreasonable financial demands of a minor, or Lucius and I can just give them the thousand galleons that they're asking for. Although there is no love lost between your parents and Lucius and I, I'm not going to try and drag you through a court case that you don't want to be a part of because of a family feud that you don't need to take sides in."
Ginny's eyes welled up with tears. "I-I'd just like to not have to see them again. But all that other stuff? You'd do all that for me?" Narcissa nodded gently. "Thank you," Ginny whispered.
It was the morning of Draco's first Quidditch practice, and his friends had decided to show up and to show their support. Ginny practically vibrated with excitement as she jumped around the second-year Slytherin girl's dorm room.
Daphne raised an eyebrow. "What are you so excited about, Gin?"
"Because Slytherin has the pitch, which means I can use my new broom and fly around. Can't do that if another house is there, because of the whole first year no broom rule. I rode on those school brooms once, I'm not going to do it again."
Pansy snorted, "You could just say that you're borrowing Hermione's broom if other houses are out, no?"
"Nope," Hermione said, popping the p, "That would mean I would have to be out there and people would get suspicious if I wasn't riding 'my' broom. And I'm not riding a broom unless I have to. Now come on, we've got to go out to the common room so everyone can get going."
They were a rather cheerful group on the way to the Quidditch Pitch. Ginny sat on Marcus Flint's shoulders, and was practicing Slytherin Quidditch chants at the top of her lungs. Thomas and Marcus were also singing along, off-key, and Miles Bletchley, who was actually a fantastic singer, was coming in with the harmony. It sounded completely and utterly ridiculous. Emmeline was rolling her eyes, but humming along, and Alfie Selwyn was doing some sort of traditional Irish jig along to the song, while Draco was just laughing at the whole display.
Ginny had integrated into Slytherin House rather quickly, all things considered. Of course, word getting out about how her parents had reacted - courtesy of Pansy - hadn't hurt. After all, Slytherin protects their own. The entire house had collectively and silently decided that they would make up for the loss of parts of her family. As such, she was the most well known first-year by miles. She'd play chess in the common room with anyone who asked...and the upper years had an unspoken agreement that they would take it in turns to ask. Once she had found out who the Quidditch Captains were, she had marched straight up to Thomas and Marcus, and given them a whole entire playbook that she had made by hand, just from listening to the radio broadcasts of every Quidditch Match she could for the past five years. The playbook even contained a few plays of her own invention and they were all quite brilliant according to Thomas. Marcus, who already had a bevy of sisters, three of whom were also in Slytherin, had declared that he wanted one more, and had insisted that Ginny come to all Quidditch Practices to be their unofficial Assistant Captain. Ginny, of course, had taken him up on the offer immediately.
As they approached the Quidditch Pitch, Hermione thought she saw the Gryffindor Captain come to the ground rather hard, stumbling a bit on landing. She nudged Draco and he smirked.
"Flint! Yaxley!" Wood bellowed at the Slytherin Captains. "This is our practice time! We got up specially! You can clear off now!"
Marcus crouched down to the ground so Ginny could scramble off his back, before standing back up to his rather intimidating 6'6 height and staring down the Gryffindor Captain.
"Touchy much, Wood?" Pansy murmured as Daphne and Ginny stifled a giggle.
"Plenty of room for all of us, Wood," Thomas replied smoothly.
"But I booked the field!" said Wood, positively spitting with rage. "I booked it!"
"Ah," said Marcus. "But I've got a specially signed note here from Professor Snape. 'I, Professor S. Snape, give the Slytherin team permission to practice today on the Quidditch field owing to the need to train their new Seeker.'" He waved the note under Wood's nose and the other boy grabbed it disbelievingly.
Wood looked up. "You've got a new Seeker? Where?"
The Slytherin team opened ranks, putting Draco on display. He stepped forward, smirking.
Hermione rolled her eyes, and whispered to Theo and Blaise, "In another life, I think he would make an excellent actor. He's certainly theatrical enough for it."
" Malfoy ," Potter seethed.
"Ah, funny you should mention," Thomas grinned, "Although I suppose you're probably talking about Draco , who made a rather excellent show in try-outs a few weeks ago, Lucius Malfoy made a terribly generous donation a couple days ago."
"Wanna see?" Marcus asked, a bit nastily. Before the Gryffindors could respond, each member of the team displayed their brand new Nimbus 2001's. Even Ginny, who wasn't (officially) a member of the team, had retrieved her broom from the shed earlier, and was holding it lovingly.
"Very latest model. Only came out last month," said Marcus carelessly, flicking a speck of dust from the end of his own. "I believe it outstrips the old Two Thousand series by a considerable amount. As for the old Cleansweeps, which I imagine most of you lot have, well, they sweep the board with them."
The Gryffindors were completely silent, although Fred and George had spotted Ginny holding a Nimbus 2001, and were having one of those silent conversations they tended to have, big grins on their faces.
Then-out of nowhere-Ron Weasley came racing onto the field, face red. "What's happening?" he asked Potter. "Why aren't you playing? And what's he doing here?" He sneered at Draco.
"I'm the new Slytherin Seeker, Weasley," said Draco, a bit smugly. "Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's bought our team." Ron gaped, openmouthed, at the broomsticks in front of him. "Good, aren't they?" said Malfoy smoothly. "But perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to get some new brooms, too. I mean, it isn't uncommon for a new Seeker to provide new brooms for the rest of the team, and Potter certainly has the vaults for it. But I guess if he wouldn't even give Ginny the books Lockhart gave to him for free, he'd never dream of buying his teammates any new brooms."
Hermione smirked internally at just how uncomfortable Potter looked. It was pretty nice to see the Gryffindor Golden-Boy called out for his less than stellar characteristics for once. The good feeling unfortunately went out the window the moment Ronald Weasley's eyes drifted over to his sister. His sister and her brand new broomstick.
"Ginny!" he roared, "What the hell is that?"
Ginny narrowed her eyes at her brother, "Are you stupid Ron? It's a Nimbus 2001, duh. Aunt Narcissa bought it for me the other day, when we were in Diagon Alley."
Hermione smirked internally as she heard the younger girl refer to Narcissa as 'Aunt Narcissa'. She knew full well that Ginny didn't really think of Narcissa as her aunt. Not yet at least. She was just trying to rile her brother up. And it worked beautifully. Ron's face went even redder, if that was possible, until he was the colour of an overripe raspberry. "You call her 'Aunt! After everything they've done to our parents? You traitorous slimy rat-snake bitch!"
Instantly, there was a flurry of movement: Thomas Yaxley and Adrian Pucey were working together to hold Flint back from lunging at the youngest Weasley brother. Miles Bletchley and Alfie Selwyn were shouting a truly impressive array of obscenities in Scottish and Irish respectively, and Emmeline had her fists clenched at her sides, her face an impossibly blank mask. Even on the side of the Gryffindors, there was an absolutely seething George Weasley, in the process of tackling his twin, who had dived at Ron. But it was Draco who set Ron off.
"You're a pathetic rat-arsed shit-for-brains Blood Traitor, Weasley. The only reason you're so bloody insecure is because you know you'll never be a tenth as good a wizard as Ginny is a witch!"
Ron Weasley pulled out his wand, and Hermione noted absently, that it was broken, and taped together. "You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!" he screamed, and pointed it furiously at Malfoy's face. A loud bang echoed around the stadium and a jet of green light shot out of the wrong end of Ron's wand, hitting him in the stomach and sending him reeling backward onto the grass.
Everything was still for a second, as Ron Weasley sat in the grass, clutching his stomach.
And then, he opened his mouth, and slugs dribbled out. Actual, live slugs.
And then, Fred and George Weasley burst out laughing, and the spell was broken. Although the Weasley twins clearly had no reservations against laughing at their brother, the rest of the Gryffindor team seemed torn. Of course, when Potter rushed his friend and started leading him off the field, most of them followed. The Slytherins, meanwhile, were absolutely hysterical with laughter.
"Absolutely brilliant , Weasley," Draco managed to call out at the back of the retreating boy. "Absolutely brilliant."
AN: Alright so I will not be posting for the next two weeks so I can catch on writing and the holiday season. I will be back to posting normally on January 8th of the new year.
What did you think about this chapter? What did you think about *that* moment at the end of the Quidditch tryouts? Comments keep me motivated so let me know your thoughts!
As always, check out my tumblr to find other fics I've enjoyed reading, as well as extra content, ideas, or musings about Snakes and Sunflowers!
All my love and happy holidays!