The next morning when I descend into the common room I find Harry waiting for me, except it didn't quite seem like Harry. He looked haunted, scared, drained. I smile weakly and sit on the arm rest of the chair Harry was sitting in. "You alright?" I inquire. He doesn't answer me at first, just slightly shakes his head. "What happened, with Snape I mean?" maybe I shouldn't have been pushing him so hard but I needed to know. Again Harry doesn't say anything and in the silence I think back to the sorting hat, Snape could have been my head of house, Draco wouldn't be my secret friend, I would be in the dungeons right now. All of that would have been true if Dumbledore hadn't decided that being in Gryffindor was in my best interest… but why had it been in my best interest? If I am the supposed dark lords daughter then surely I should be in Slytherin, making connections and infiltrating the minds of our enemies children.
"My father… he wasn't as nice as I thought…" Harry finally spits down in less than a whisper.
"Pardon?"
"Father, he was cruel to Snape, bullied him, humiliated… why would dad do that?" I didn't have an answer to his question, I don't think Harry wanted one either.
"I'm sorry Harry, I know what it's like to learn something new about your parent but they're no longer around to question them about it… its harrowing." Harry turns to me, he's looks me dead in my eyes with pity. Pity? How could he possibly pity me when we're practically in the same situation, parent-wise. Aside from the fact that Voldemort himself thinks he is my true father.
"Do not look at me like that Harry, I forbid it." I add on at the end.
"Sorry." Harry stammers out. Everyone looks at me with pity in their eyes, Harry was the one person who never had, and he was not allowed to start doing so now.
Together we descended down towards the great hall. The Weaslys and Granger were already there. I sat beside Fred and Harry seated himself beside Ginny. Within the small bubble of Gingers the atmosphere was tense. As they explained the critical condition of their father I look down at the table and see Fred's fist balled up. He was tensing his arm so hard his arm was riveted with veins. It shook with intensity and I could sense the anger rolling off of him in thick waves. His vision was shrouded in red thinking about Voldemort sending that snake to harm his father. I place my hand on top of his and squeeze. He looks at me briefly, a warm smile. I smile back, it made me happy to know that despite the circumstances he could still smile, a genuine smile, not fake and forced to fool outsiders to perceive he was doing better than he was, not like me. All my smiles felt fake sometimes. Even when I was genuinely smiling or laughing I would suddenly think of my poor mother, dead in her grave, or the fact I was being lawfully kidnapped to live in the Malfoy manor, or the I would be going there to be groomed to be the dark heiress of the pureblood world. Often the laughter would die on my lips, or if I could catch the laughter the moment before it died I could phase it out so people didn't know, know that I was suffering inside my own mind. I needed to take a leaf out of Fred's book. I leave my hand where it is, on top of Fred's, although he had relaxed his fist, he still shook slightly.
Just then I lurch forward, someone's bag had collided hard with my back and my hand on top of Fred's goes flying forward, covering Ginny in a colourful splatter of pulpy orange juice and scrambled eggs. I turn to see the culprit but they are already walking away. Of course it was none other than Malfoy.
"Oi!" both me and Harry shout at the same time.
Malfoy looks over his shoulder rather flippantly "Is there a problem, Potter?" he inquire, lazily arching a brow. Ginny stands, a furious scowl plastered across her face. I see Fred stand, the fury of a thousand different scenarios shadowing his face. If I didn't calm him down then all hell would break loose. And although Draco yet again ignored my existence I wasn't about to let that sadness show.
The Weasleys were all sent back to Hogwarts for a change of cloths and to get something to eat, as Mrs Weasley refused to leave her husbands side they couldn't go back home. "Guys, you've changed and eaten, let's just get you guys to where you're really needed, with your mother-" the words hitch in my throat and I roughly swallow a lump in my throat, it was sickening to think, but I was jealous of the Weasleys, even in this situation, they still had their mother, and my lack off one made me feel a bout of loss. I look up to Draco and although he had been ignoring me, for the first time in ages he's actually looking at me, not pretending to look through me like he had been as of recent. A look of pity sparked across those stormy eyes of his. I looked away. I couldn't bare it. I inhale deeply, turn to my friends and plaster as much of a realistic smile as I can muster. "Shall we go?" I say chirpily. The twins give me a weird look but I don't falter. I don't need anyone seeing through my fake charade, not quite yet anyway, not like I know Draco just had. I put myself between the twins and link my arms between theirs, leading them towards Dumbledore's office. I walk past Draco and even as I've past him I can feel him staring, his eyes boring into my back, creating impressions that would last forever.
After Ginny had re-changed we were all reunited in Dumbledore's office. Me, Hermione and Harry sent the sibling on their way and then we were ushered out, told to attend our classes and not to speak of this with anyone. On the way to Potions with Snape we chit chatted about occulmency, seeing as I had been learning it just that little bit longer than Harry I had a few tips to share. Harry was eager to learn and I was happy to be useful. When we entered the classroom Snape looked little than impressed.
"Seats. Now." He said in two blunt syllables. "Seraphine." Snape said my name more like an order than a way of garnering my attention. I turn to answer but before I do he is already pointing at the empty seat besides Draco. I inwardly cringe. The last thing I wanted was to have to face Malfoy, not after that look on his face today. However it seems the potion that we would be recreating in class today was slightly more complex than usual and therefore having a partner was not optional.
"Sir I'll work with Malfoy, Aria can work with Hermione." Harry volunteers.
"My my, how chivalrous of you Potter, but I don't believe I asked you, did I?" Snape sneers. "Did I?" Snape repeats.
"No sir, you didn't." Harry finally answers, jaw clenched tight.
"Then I suggest you mind your own business and take your seat by Miss Granger." Snape replies dismissively. A few of the Slytherins laugh as Harry slides into the stool by an embarrassed looking Hermione. I sigh, why Harry felt the need to always try to come to my rescue I'd never understand. He was such a mother hen.
I too slide into the stool beside Draco and places my things on the floor beside me. After a bit of awkward shuffling around I finally settle into my seat.
"Today we will be recreating a potion from earlier on this year, as time has passed I expect a 100% success rate amongst you, especially as you are partnered up, consider it a charity." Snape begins and although his tone was rather unpleasant, I suppose this was an act of kindness, allowing the class to revisit this portion of the class with the hopes of encouraging us to be a lot better. After learning about the reasons why my mother did what she did I've learnt to always read between the lines. To look for a deeper image or more profound intention. It forces you to open your eyes. Although I wasn't attending Hogwarts when the class first attempted this potion I was eager to prove myself.
"The potion should be a turquoise blue when finished and simmered before being consumed. Do you understand Nevile I said turquoise, not orange." And just like that Snape shreds up the tiny bit of humanity I had bestowed upon him. Across the classroom Nevile flushes a bright red and again the Slytherins snigger in the background. Even Draco let out a small laugh despite his best efforts to seem as though he couldn't see nor hear me.
At least 45 minutes go by in silence and although in a practical sense of mind this means both me and my potions partner have worked hard to produce an excellent batch of the draught of peace it was stifling. I know Draco was in the wrong for ignoring me and treating me like nothing but I did slap him, and although I refuse to apologise, seeing as he called me Aria Riddle, he doesn't know that Voldemort isn't my real father, so can I really be mad at him? Of course I can. Nonetheless, I was going to be the bigger person here and end this awkward silence.
For a long while all you can hear is me grinding our porcupine quills into a powder and Draco grinding a segment of a unicorn horn into a power. I clear my throat but Draco doesn't so much as look up from his task.
"Draco?"
"…"
"Draco…"
"…"
"Draco!" I say in a quite shout causing a few student to peer in our direction.
"Is there a problem here Miss Seraphine, Mr Malfoy?" Snape inquires as he glides to our table, both hands behind his back.
"No sir." Me and Draco both say synchronised. Snape peers into out cauldron, nods once and moves onto the next table.
"Keep it quite or you'll get us both in trouble." Draco speaks up.
"Oh, do I suddenly exist to you now?" I ask sarcastically. I get no answer. "Draco, I need to tell you a secret." I finally say. This definitely peaks his interest because I visibly see his ears twitch. After another long moment of silence he finally speaks up.
"What is it?" he asks, Draco was trying to sound annoyed but you could hear the curiosity dripping off of his tongue.
"I put the sorting hat on." I say.
"Congratulations, everyone in this room did." I roll my eyes.
"When I first started here I wasn't allowed to put it on, I was automatically put in Gryffindor."
"Why would they do that?"
"I don't know." I answer abruptly. "But get this… I'm really a Slytherin. The hat said so." I look at Draco to gauge his reaction. I thought it would either be confusion or humour, but not this, not relief. He visibly sighs a sigh of relief.
"I knew it." he finally breathes. "I knew you were one of us." He continues.
"One of what?" I inquire. But the question lingers unanswered in the air. Snape calls the lesson to an end and Blaise swaggers over to reclaim his ring leader whilst Harry ushers me back towards him and Hermione. As an entire classroom tries to squeeze out of one door to leave Snapes classroom I find myself squished right up against Draco. His solid torso stopping my own body from being thrown up against the rest of the student body. "Welcome home, Aria Riddle." I hear whispered in my ear. I gasp and turn to see who said that, but there's just a mass of bodies pushing up against me now. No Draco to be seen, just faceless bodies in a swarm or emerald and ruby.