Valentine stared at Leah and Blaze's joined hands and did her best to seem disgusted with it all. While the idea of having to hold someone else's hand in the romantic sense herself was honestly unappealing and really quite unsettling actually, she wasn't the one involved here. If this was what her friends wanted, then she was happy for them. It wouldn't be the first time she didn't understand why this kind of thing bought so much joy.
Leah said something in that wild, dramatic tone of hers and Blaze laughed, bumping his shoulder against hers, a little rough but still playful.
"Do they have to do that in front of us?" Draco grumbled from Valentine's side.
He didn't have as much patience for the situation as she did. Valentine was fairly certain he was just determined to be discontented in life, no matter what. That was kind of his thing.
They all waited in the main courtyard along with Liam, for Jane Philips. Liam had made quite the scene when he'd asked if she could join them in the next up and coming trip to Hogsmeade. Draco had applauded him, asking him if he was going to finally make a real move. Whatever that meant. Blaze and Leah had been busy trying to finish their Transfiguration homework half an hour before it was due so that McGonagall wouldn't skin them alive and Valentine had expressly told him as long as she didn't become another irritant like Parkinson, she couldn't care less who he invited.
"Should she be here by now?" asked Draco, looking around at the crowd. "Everyone's about to leave."
"Just give it a minute." said Liam, fiddling with his shirt cuffs. "She'll be here."
"Maybe she changed her mind." suggested Draco.
"Oh God, please do not say that." Liam went pale at the thought.
He paced quickly for a few steps, stopped and tugged at his shirt collar and then repeated it all over again. This continued for several cycles before Draco groaned loudly.
"Liam, stop. You're even making me feel nervous."
"I'm not nervous."
"And I'm not staggeringly beautiful."
"I am not nervous, okay? See?" Liam sucked in a breath and gave his best smile.
"That has got to be the most pitiful thing I have ever seen." said Draco, unimpressed.
Liam's shoulders slumped forwards.
"And with that my confidence dwindles ever further."
Valentine then spotted Philips walking towards them, weaving through the crowd.
"Look alive." She shot Liam a pointed look. She swore he got paler.
"Good day all." Philips greeted them with a smile. "Sorry, it took me so long. I was a little busy."
"Nothing important, was it?" asked Liam. "I don't want to keep you from anything."
"Oh no, don't worry about it." Her hazel eyes sparkled. "Everything's been handled."
"Okay, that's good to hear."
"Thank you for inviting me by the way."
"No problem." Liam was quickly relaxing.
Leah then came bounding over, dragging Blaze along with her.
"Can we go now?" She whined. "I need candy post-haste."
"Yeah, because what you need is more energy." Blaze rolled his eyes.
"Heck yeah!" Leah fist bumped the air.
"That was sarcasm, you stupid freaking- actually, no." Blaze stopped himself. "I don't even know why I try. You don't care."
"I sure don't!" Leah pinched his cheek and giggled.
The group, along with the rest of the students, set off together for Hogsmeade. They hung back for a moment to walk near the tail end of the crowd. It was a habit more than anything. It was the best way to keep an eye on Harry and though he wouldn't be in Hogsmeade today, Valentine indulged in it nonetheless. She wondered if she'd be doing things like this for the rest of her life.
Walking with six people again almost reminded Valentine of when Olivia had been with them. Leah physically attached to someone, dragging them ahead. Liam in casual conversation with another and her cousin and her walking side by side. Their first trip into Hogsmeade had only been a year ago and yet it seemed so far away.
One Year Ago-
"Hi." Olivia nodded to the boys.
"We're going to Hogsmeade!" Leah sang, bouncing around happily. "We're going to Hogsmeade!"
"Hello to you too, Leah." Liam laughed.
"Ugh." Draco peered over Blaze's shoulder. "I thought I heard screeching."
"We're going to Hogsmeade! We're going to Hogsmeade!"
"I'm going to hell." Draco sang to the same tune although without the same vigour and cheerful spirit as Leah.
"Ha, ha!" Leah pointed at him triumphantly. "There isn't a thing you can do or say that will ruin my good mood!"
"She's very excited." Olivia giggled.
"Really? I couldn't tell." Blaze rolled his eyes.
"And you!" Leah shifted her finger to him. "Same as Draco! There isn't a thing you can do that will bring me down!"
"Oh, yeah? That a challenge?" Blaze leered at her with a grin.
"I don't know." Leah leered back at him. "Think you can actually be a challenge?"
"Oh, you are going down, Lovat."
"What? To your height? I'd have to go back about six years in time."
Present Day-
It had meant more to them than something new and exciting, way more. That first trip to Hogsmeade had knitted them together after the Buckbeak incident. After Valentine had pushed Leah away and Olivia by extension, they'd found their back with help from Liam and Blaze. That had been the first riff they had ever really experienced within the group. Valentine dreaded the possibility of another.
"Who do you think will win?" Philips was suddenly looking over her shoulder at her, brows raised, pleasant and questioning.
Valentine blinked.
"Win what?"
"The Tri-Wizard Tournament."
"I really don't care all that much. As long as it's not Potter I have no qualms." Valentine scoffed as if she was above this all. "That fool spends enough time in the limelight as it is."
"And he just loves it too." Draco huffed in agreement.
"He does seem to always come out on top." Jane nodded. "Even in the first two tasks.
"Stupid Potter." said Draco "Always just has to be number one. It's like he doesn't even know other people exist!"
"Well, hey, no one even knows what the next task will be." said Liam. "Maybe it's something Potter sucks at."
"What? Like not being the centre of attention for ten minutes?" said Draco. "He'd probably die from the sheer deprivation!"
"Hurry up!" Leah shouted back at them. She and Blaze were a fair stretch ahead. "We're going to Hogsmeade and you're all wasting time talking about Potter!"
"Blaze!" Draco snapped. "At least try and control it, would you!"
"Like you can talk! You've been on the end of her annoying stick your whole damn life!"
"She's quite funny." Philips chuckled. "Strange, but funny."
"Try spending every day with her." Liam looked almost twenty years old. "I mean, she's great in all honesty, but just exhausting."
"If we turn back now we could probably lose them." Draco whispered conspiratorially.
"And risk Leah hunting us down later?" Liam laughed. "Or Blaze smothering us in our sleep for leaving him with her?"
"Have you forgotten who you're talking to?"
"Oh, right. You have a death wish. Nevermind."
"Hmm?" Philips looked between the two boys questioningly.
"Ah, inside joke." said Liam, probably not wanting to explain Draco's dark, death-happy humour.
Valentine twisted her ring subconsciously, not paying full attention to the conversation. After a while, her friends tended to repeat themselves. There were only so many jokes to tell or gags to pull before it became a pattern.
"I've been meaning to tell you, that ring's beautiful." Philips was suddenly at Valentine's side, a little too close for comfort.
Valentine stepped away, shooting the other girl an annoyed look.
"It was a Christmas present from Leah." She said.
Philips took a pointed step back, wearing an apologetic smile.
"She chose well."
Valentine didn't smile back.
"You got Leah a doll that year, didn't you?" said Draco off-handedly.
"I did."
"And let me guess, she probably named it something ridiculous. Like Geoffrey. Or Leonardo." Liam laughed.
"No, actually." said Valentine. Draco froze in his tracks, remember the same as her. He suddenly found his feet to be very interesting. "She named it Olivia."
Liam's grin immediately fell from and he turned to look at Leah and Blaze in the distance, as if making sure they weren't in ear shot.
"I really walked into that one." He murmured, more to himself than to anyone else.
"That's Olivia Benson correct?" asked Philips. "Your friend that passed away.
"Yes." said Valentine.
"You know, I think she and I were partners for a class once." Philips added. "She was very pleasant. As well as very smart. She would have done the whole thing herself if I'd let her."
"Yeah. And she wouldn't have minded either." said Liam. "That's just what she was like."
"It was so awful when we found out. I didn't say anything at the time because I didn't want to overstep any boundaries, but I'm sincerely sorry for your loss." said Philips earnestly.
"Thank you." Liam replied when he saw that neither Valentine or Draco were going to.
"It really is a tragedy. She was so young. And they never even found out-"
Valentine caught sight of Leah and Blaze bounding towards them and turned to Philips sharply.
"Be quiet."
"Oh, my, gosh!" Leah cried out exaggeratedly. "You guys are so slow!"
"We're coming." Draco snapped at her. "We don't all have you dragging us around."
"Well, maybe you should!" Leah glared and charged at him. Still, with Blaze in her grip, she grabbed one of Draco's arms.
"Hey! Leah, knock it off!"
"Nope!" Leah cackled like a ghoul and started to haul him along behind her.
"Let go! Blaze, do something!"
"If I could, do you think I would still be here!"
Leah dragged them both off towards Hogsmeade, leaving behind Valentine, Liam and Philips.
"Leah's still a little...sensitive," Liam explained delicately. "She was really close to Olivia and she died so suddenly...She's only just gotten over it."
"So, watch what you say." ordered Valentine.
"Of course." Philips nodded. "I wouldn't want to upset her."
"Guys, COME ON!" Leah howled. "If you don't hurry up, I'll drag you all one by one!"
--Pretending To Live--
Valentine glanced up from her book for a moment to watch Blaze take a nose dive into the snow, in an attempt to dodge a snowball thrown by Leah. She was glad for the protection of the shop's window given Leah's terrible aim.
Draco, Liam, Jane and herself had wandered into the Hogsmeade book shop, Tomes and Scrolls. Leah and Blaze had always complained about it. The quiet, the musty smell of old books, the crass and elderly store owner. They said that if they wanted all that they would just go to the library at school. Valentine thought it was probably better if they stay outside again.
Valentine watched Leah back up and take a running jump at Blaze, tackling him into the snow like a crazed gorilla. She wondered if Blaze would ever physically recover from Leah, let alone psychology.
How do two people like that even work together?
She tried to think of the other relationships she knew of. Lucius and Narcissa probably weren't the best example of much of anything. The Lovat's seemed to get along just fine but with William's emotionless existence, it was hard to tell. Who else was there? Were more relationships like Leah and Blaze's than she thought.
Valentine knew many things, but the finer details of romance and relationships were certainly not included.
She looked back down at her book in her hand. A novel. A fairly typical piece of literature involving knights, dragons and princesses. She scanned the page dully, but she neglected to really consume any of the words. She sighed and slid it back onto the shelf. Tomes and Scrolls had just about everything from fairy tales to textbooks, research journals to risque novels.
She walked up to the store entry and glanced down the aisles as she headed towards the back. She saw Draco, reading a book with a smooth black, unmarked cover. Draco had always had a taste for darker topics. She passed Liam and Philips as well. Philips held a book open between them but it was clear they were too busy having a hushed conversation to pay it any mind.
The rows of books were categorised by the alphabet. That was it. Authors and subjects didn't apply which could make things difficult if you didn't know what you were looking for. She came at the end of the last aisle, pressed against the back wall.
She wasn't looking for anything in particular. Anything important like information on the parasite in her head wasn't going to be found here. That couldn't really be found anywhere given the rarity.
Why couldn't I have just caught a cold instead?
She trailed her fingertips along the spines of the books, some faded and yellowed, others new and still cleanly bound. She wondered who she would be without books. The things she could have missed out on growing up at Malfoy Manor without them. Sure, many of the books were focused on dark magic or the topic of blood purity but that said nothing for the stories, the novels. The tales that spoke of being kind to others, making sacrifices and doing the right thing even if it's hard. She doubted the Malfoy's ever paid much mind to those books and didn't realise how they could shape a person's entire view on life. A view that was in direct contrast with the one being taught to them, only no one seemed to notice but her.
The characters in the stories that did things like discriminate and spread hate were the villains. The characters that saved people and were kind were the heroes. Valentine had personally never put too much stock in heroes herself. You could only get so much accuracy from a storybook after all and sometimes, being kind just didn't cut it when it came to trying to save people. That's why she wondered what she could have become without these stories. Would her Valentine Lestrange act be something far more genuine and terrifying? Where would she stand with the world?
I suppose I'll never know.
Her index finger paused on the spine of a book with a familiar title. It was an old battered textbook she had read years ago before starting school. It was fairly advanced and a quite difficult read even for her, but she'd never let long words stop her before.
She moved to slip it from the shelf when a hand she hadn't even seen coming, bumped hers. She immediately yanked her hand away.
"Oh, pardon me! I-" Hermione froze when their eyes met. "Lestrange."
Valentine curled her upper lip and took a large step back.
"Watch where you're going, Granger."
"I said 'pardon me', didn't I?" Hermione frowned.
"I don't know. Did you? I don't listen to trash."
Hermione looked like she wanted to say something but stopped herself. She huffed out a breath, resigned to this ill-fated interaction. She pointed to the book Valentine had been about to take.
"Were you going to buy that?"
"I was going to look at it, not that it's any of your business. Why? Do you want it? I'm afraid it might be too advanced for the likes of you."
"Well, we will have to see, won't we?" Hermione's eyes narrowed. "Is that why you were only looking? Too much for you to handle?"
Valentine scoffed at that.
"It might have been something of a trial to read at first, but at nine I managed just fine."
"N-nine?" Hermione stammered, looking from the book still on the shelf to Valentine.
"Yes, nine. You see Granger, I've been studying magic since long before your furry little head even knew it existed. It's just one of the many things that separates my class from yours."
"Blood purity has nothing to do with intelligence, Lestrange."
"Doesn't it?" Valentine looked at Hermione from top to bottom, lips pursed. "Could have fooled me."
Hermione flushed bright red, brows furrowed.
"Your way of thinking is narrow-minded and seriously outdated." She bit out. "Just take the book if you want it."
And Valentine did so. She took it from the shelf, flicked through it briefly and then shoved it at Hermione.
"There's nothing I can learn from this. I have an excellent memory. It's all yours, Granger. You might want to purchase a dictionary on your way out."
"Val?" Draco appeared at the end of the aisle. He eyed Hermione with open distaste. "Is there a problem?"
"No." Valentine pushed past the other girl. "It's nothing. What do you want?"
"We're ready to leave. Are you done?"
"Yes, let's go."
--Pretending To Live--
"Leah and Blaze went to Madam Puddifoot's." said Liam.
"You mean that pitiful little tea shop?" Valentine grimaced.
"That's the one." He nodded. "And can you believe it? It was Blaze's idea.
"That boy is sick in the head." Draco sighed.
"So, where to next for us?" Liam asked.
"I need a new quill, actually." Philips piped in.
"Scrivenshaft's then?"
"Lead the way." She smiled.
Liam offered her his arm and she took it, the two heading off together. Liam was as smooth as ever when he actually relaxed.
Valentine and Draco shared a glance.
"You'd think we were invisible." Draco grumbled.
"Come on." Valentine rolled her eyes and followed after the other two.
"Awe." Draco hurried after her. "Not going to lend me your arm?"
"Not unless you want me to break it."
They trailed after Liam and Philips at a distance, not in any hurry themselves.
"Val. Do you think Leah and Blaze will get married?"
Valentine almost halted altogether at Draco's random question.
"Who the hell knows when it comes to those two. Besides, that type of trouble is years away." Valentine frowned. "Do you not want them to be together?"
"Well, nothing's really changed, has it? Except they're more gross and touchy than usual. It was already a surprise when Blaze started liking her at all. And I never thought Leah would actually find someone who'd put up with her and I definitely never thought Blaze would actually do something about it."
"Let me guess. You assumed that her parents would pick someone out for her and she'd just have to make do?"
"Well, naturally. That's just what happens, isn't it?" said Draco. "Blaze would do, I suppose. He's from a good family with equal standing."
"Obviously. So, why are we even talking about this?"
"I don't know." Draco shrugged honestly. "I was just wondering what you thought."
"I think this is all ridiculous."
"Yeah, I probably should have guessed that."
"I know you're not interested in marriage and all that stuff but...what'll happen if Mother and Father find someone for you?"
"I'll tell them to go to hell, naturally."
"What if it was someone you actually liked though. Not romantically. Like a friend maybe." Draco pressed.
"What? Like Blaze or Liam?" Valentine almost laughed.
"Well, yeah."
"If I don't want to marry, I won't." Valentine pinned him with a firm stare. "Do you really think I'll be successfully forced?"
Draco immediately shook his head.
"Good." Valentine clapped him on the shoulder none too gently. They'd arrived outside Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop.
"Right." Draco laughed lightly. "I need to get something. You coming in?"
"No."
"Okay, I won't be long." Draco headed up the small steps into the store.
Draco's such an oddball. It's a wonder people find him intimidating at all. Although it's not like he walks around talking like that to everyone. Oh, what a different opinion everyone would have of him then.
Valentine turned to face the cobble street. People milled past, attending to their lives that she had no part in. Students weaved throughout them, enjoying their short reprieve from exams and studying.
Maybe one day I'll be just like them. No consequence to anyone. Casually enjoying my day. Maybe.
Philips stepped out of the store and practically floated down the steps, mahogany waves framing her soft face, hazel eyes glowing.
Valentine glanced back at her before facing forward again as if she didn't even know her.
"Valentine." Philips gave her an easy smile.
"Philips." Valentine replied dully.
"I heard what happened to that Nayden Andonov."
"Hmm?" Valentine arched a brow like she'd never heard that name in her life. Inside, her blood boiled in her veins to think of him.
"That Durmstrang who attacked you during the Yule Ball?"
"Oh. Him."
"They should have expelled him if you ask me." said Philips, suddenly serious, her brow creased heavily. "When I heard they only put him on probation I was livid. It's absolutely insane to let him stay at Hogwarts, even if he is just on the ship."
"Yes, well, my uncle and aunt know everything." Valentine didn't look at Philips as she spoke, as she slid a tone of cruel enjoyment into her voice. "I trust they'll iron out any of the finer details. His family will know what he has done and they will all pay the price for his actions."
"As they should." Philips agreed. "He's clearly been raised wrong. To behave like that. I did get the opportunity to see his...injuries. Well done."
Well done.
Those had been the same two words Snape had used the night of the Yule Ball. It had been a strange experience to be complimented by someone who hated her so openly. Valentine supposed that even the old bat had some kind of moral compass, after all, all he did, he did for a woman he loved who wasn't even breathing anymore. But when Philips spoke those words it didn't feel the same.
Valentine still didn't look at her. She remembered a past discussion concerning this very same girl.
Several Months Ago-
When they reached the back of the library, Valentine immediately sat and opened her book. The others did the same but their books remained unopened.
Shocker.
"So, back to Liam and Philips. Do you think he really has a chance?" asked Blaze.
"I hope not." said Leah.
They all stared at her again.
"Right, you said something about not liking her the other night, didn't you?" Draco remembered.
"Uh-huh." Leah nodded.
"What's not to like?" Draco arched at her. "She's smart and attractive. Her family could be better, I doubt Liam would ever actually marry her, but for a bit of fun, why not?"
"I heard this rumour back in like, second year, that she was screaming at this girl for wearing the same gloves as her." Leah whispered conspiratorially. "Like, she went completely mental out of nowhere."
"Hot and crazy." Blaze nodded.
"There's always a catch."
"We're not talking about you, Blaze." Draco scoffed.
"What?" Blaze forced out a laugh, pointedly looking as far away from Leah as he possibly could. "What does that even mean?"
This is painful to watch.
"You're an idiot." Draco sighed. "Anyway. It's just a rumour. I demand hard facts or this whole conversation means nothing to me."
"But I heard this from a sixth year who was actually there when she lost her marbles! She said it was like she became a totally different person!"
A librarian walked past them slowly, giving Leah a look.
"Sorry." The girl in question sunk several inches in her chair.
"Trust Liam to have a thing for a total nutball." said Blaze. "Hotness is great and all but at what cost?"
"Don't just agree with her." Draco snapped at him. "Look Leah, full offence, but you're not exactly a reliable source of information."
"But I'm telling the truth!"
The librarian walked past again, this time clearing her voice. Leah sunk another several inches.
"Seems fake to me." Draco practically turned his nose up at her.
"It's nottttttt." Leah grumbled bitterly.
"But if it is true and she and Liam get together, won't she start hanging around us all the time?" said Blaze. "What if she goes crazy on one of us?"
"You think Val and I would just let that happen?" Draco scoffed without hesitation.
"Nuh-huh." Leah shook her head firmly. "Val's too cool for that.
"You going to protect us, Val?" Blaze asked Valentine with a wide grin.
"I said Val and I." Draco repeated, but no one was listening.
Valentine glanced up from her book for the first time since they'd sat down. She fixed Blaze with an unwavering stare.
"The only one who gets to mess with your heads is me." Her lips pulled into a small, untrustworthy smile.
Present Day-
There's something about her...It's like Olivia but at the same time, there's a world of difference.
"You girls ready to go find the others?" Liam called out from the store stairs, Draco at his side.
"Ready." Philips threw Liam that winning smile.
--Pretending To Live--
Tonight Leah had requested three ponytails. Yes. Three. One either side and one at the back. Valentine honestly didn't care enough to ask. Especially since Leah was only capable of producing the most asinine of explanations and three ponytails were still better than the two odd cone-shaped buns she'd worn for two weeks straight when they were eight in an attempt to look like a giraffe.
As Valentine brushed her out hair and gathered the three demented ponytails, Leah sat between her knees, gabbing on about nothing all that important as per usual.
"...and the tea house was just sooooo cute. Like it had lacey curtains and frilly tablecloths, oh! And it had these adorable heart-shaped cookies! I could literally eat them forever!"
"Hmm."
"And the whole place smelt AMAZING! Seriously, I want my room to smell like that."
"Hmm."
"Blaze said everything was too pink and 'garish' though and that it reminded him of his brother or something. He's such a butt. He wasn't complaining when he downed three cups of tea though! I swear that stuff is the best I've ever had."
"Hmm."
"...Val."
"Hmm."
"Vallllllll."
"Hmmmmmmm."
"Don't ignore me!" Leah snapped, whipping her head around to glare.
"Don't move." Valentine glared right back and forced her head back around. "I'll listen when there is something worth hearing."
"That's mean!"
"That's right."
"Ugh!" Leah just huffed and sniffed and grumbled something under her breath.
A moment of disgruntled silence passed as Valentine made the first ponytail on the left side of her head.
"Leah?"
"What do you want, oh cruel one?" Leah snipped, reaching a hand back to wave it before Valentine's face.
"About Philips." Valentine batted the hand away.
"What about her?"
"Those rumours you heard...You basically called her crazy which is a lot coming from you."
"Yeah, I don't know really. Maybe Draco was actually right and it was just a rumour." Leah shrugged. "I mean she seems nice and all when I talk to her, but I've heard some really weird stuff. Apparently, the other Ravenclaw's don't like to talk about it, you know? They don't want it to get out that they have a total basket case in their house or something. I overheard this one time in the girl's bathroom that Philips, like, stabbed a girl with a quill. Just full-on in the face. And the girl wasn't even talking to her or anything. She just snapped."
Valentine frowned deeply.
Things like that don't just stay contained so well. It's not like the entirety of Ravenclaw has a hive mind. They wouldn't all feel the same about their image to the point of hiding whatever Philips may have done. At least a few would have to come forth and say something if she really was so violent. Certainly, no one in Slytherin ever denied my actions. Some seem even a little proud of it.
"It's more than likely that Draco is right." said Valentine. "She's been at Hogwarts just as long as us. Word would have inevitably gotten out by now."
"Yeah, I guess so. She doesn't really give off crazy-vibes in person either. I think she matches Liam well. They both got that sophisticated, charming thing going on, you know?"
"Not really." Valentine finished up the last and third ponytail.
"It's been a very, very long time...but it's hard to forget eyes like that."
"It's hardly you against the world, Valentine. I think you have fewer enemies than you see."
"What were you thinking? Attacking a teacher like that! If you had injured Moody even the Malfoys' reach wouldn't be able to keep you here! Is that what you want!"
"You're so beautiful is all. I'd give anything to look like you. I mean, I'm pretty and all but your body...I just...WHERE DID IT EVEN COME FROM? I'VE BEEN YOUR FRIEND SINCE WE WERE FETUSES! HOW DID I NOT REALISE THAT YOU SUDDENLY HAVE BOOBS? AND HIPS AND JUST- EVERYTHING? I SWEAR THOSE WEREN'T THERE YESTERDAY!"
"Look, Malfoy, projecting your issues onto me isn't going to make your daddy love you."
"You are not worth the effort of an insult."
"I get it. Krum is awesome. You don't have to get everyone else wet as well. Bloody hell, you weren't even this bad at the cup."
"I feel the weight of it myself. I just ask you to be particularly vigilant going forward, my dear. This death may be a warning of worse things yet to come. Death has always bred more death."
"I punched a window."
"Val. The next time anyone touches you like that again, you have my express permission to put them six foot under."
"Ah, Miss Valentine Lestrange, so good of you to finally bless us with your presence."
"You really think Leah could pick between men and women? I've seen her take three days to choose a pair of socks to wear and you think she can make that kind of decision? Haven't you been paying attention?"
"Yeah, well, maybe my aesthetic is screaming!"
"Okay, so I know it's not a big deal but Hasani was totally eyeballing Liam for the last hour."
"Your parents were quite interesting people, you know. And those eyes of yours. A Lestrange trademark to be proud of. A symbol of your lineage."
"He's not even seventeen yet!"
"I mean, they've got the Viktor Krum on their side. I don't see how they could lose with that kind of skill. The man's a monster! A very buff monster!"
"The only thing impressive about you is your bounds of endless arrogance."
"Well. Aren't we the life of the party?"
"Careful now, professor. Look at me like that and I might just spill all my frivolous hopes and dreams."