We're only five chapters in and there's less than nine chapters to go of Year One. Each year will get bigger as the story progresses, because I will be adding in certain events to spice things up but that major stuff will start in Year 3, any other changes or additions before that will be minor.

Dealing With Trouble

Facing the rest of Slytherin after losing house points in Potions thanks to Merula's sabotage was certainly not something that Abby was looking forward to. It had been made clear to Abby that her house fully intended to win the House Cup at the end of the year, and by losing those ten points, Abby had made that job even more difficult than it needed to be.

"What a great start you're off to, Selwyn," a Slytherin fifth-year berated Abby as she entered the Common Room with Rowan. "You've already lost us ten points and now we're in fourth place!"

Great, I'm barely a few steps into my Common Room and I'm already getting a lecture. Abby thought.

"Who do you think you are to talk to me like that?" Abby crossed her arms. She didn't like being told what to do by the teachers, let alone another student.

"I think I am your Prefect, Felix Rosier," the boy introduced himself. "So I have every right to talk to you like that. It's a Prefects job to keep order in the house, and help first-years like you with their problems. Considering what your brother did to Slytherin's reputation, I should've kept a closer eye on you."

"I can assure you that I am not my brother. I didn't come here with the intention of causing any trouble," Abby stated.

"Then why did you just get into trouble?" Felix demanded.

"It wasn't Abby's fault. That Merula Snyde girl sabotaged her potion!" Rowan exclaimed.

"Do you have any proof of this accusation?" Felix questioned.

"No," Rowan grumbled.

"Nevertheless, Professor Snape has already sent you a letter directly to our Common Room," Felix said.

"Why wouldn't he just send the letter to me?" Abby wondered.

"Probably because he hates you. Snape hates everyone so I wouldn't take it personally, but I would read that letter immediately," Felix suggested.

"Selwyn, I have discovered evidence that your potion may have indeed been tampered with. While it does not prove your innocence, it does cast some doubt on my belief that you are hopelessly incompetent. Bring me a jar of Pickled Slugs from the Potions Storeroom, and I will consider restoring your house points – Snape," Abby read the letter.

"It seems as though he's left directions to the Potions Storeroom at the bottom of this letter," Rowan observed. "Want me to come with you, Abby? It's the least I can do after you saved me from Merula."

Abby shook her head, "Thanks, but I don't want to get you into any trouble if it happens. You don't want to ruin your chances of becoming Head Girl."

"You're right! I can't afford to get onto any teachers radars. I should take this time to study and revise everything that we've learned so far," Rowan said.

"But Rowan, we've only had one day of classes," Abby pointed out.

"Exactly! I'm already wasting time if I want to get perfect marks on my exams!" Rowan exclaimed before rushing off to their shared dorm.

All Abby could do was shake her head in amusement at Rowan's antics. Even though Rowan's excessive knowledge came from her desire to be the smartest witch at Hogwarts, it still amazed Abby that Rowan hadn't ended up in Ravenclaw. At least Abby had a friend in Slytherin, since if Rowan wasn't around then Abby would have nobody else to talk to.

"What are you standing there for and doing nothing? Go get the supplies that Snape wanted!" Felix ordered.

Not wanting to get onto her prefects bad side already, Abby hurried off and followed the directions listed below the letter that Snape had sent her. Even though Abby hadn't known Snape enough to make sure judgements, there was just something about the way that the letter was written that bothered her. For starters, Snape could've easily just came and ordered her to get the supplies since he was her Head of House.

But if there was one thing that Abby had realised in her first Potions class, it was that Snape had a few unorthodox methods of teaching, and she was beginning to wonder how she would make it through seven years with him as her Potions Professor and Head of House.

Arriving at the door, Abby couldn't help but feel like she was in the wrong place because this certainly didn't look like a place where you would keep Potions supplies. Nevertheless, Abby opened the door and walked inside, only to be greeted by pitch black darkness. As Abby stepped further inside, she heard the door slam shut behind her.

"What the?" Abby jumped in alarm. "Ugh, it's so dark in here. I should cast the Wand-Lighting Charm so I'm not blind."

"Lumos."

Upon casting the spell, Abby jumped back in alarm as she saw what was in front of her. If she'd had any doubts about this being the Potions Storeroom, then those doubts had certainly been confirmed. Either this was some kind of bizarre reaction to the potions, or this was not the Potions Storeroom.

"What is that?" Abby asked, not expecting a response of any kind

"Devil's Snare. It's sensitive to light, not to mention deadly," a familiar voice replied from the other side of the door.

"Merula? You locked me in here?" Abby exclaimed.

"Sure did. Oh, in case you haven't figured it out already I also sent you a fake letter from Snape. I told you that things would only get worse for you, Selwyn," Merula proclaimed, and Abby could just see the smirk that was surely on her face right now.

"You cow!" Abby yelled.

"How dare you insult me like that? If only you weren't already trapped in there, I'd finish you off myself," Merula seethed. "Something has to stop you from ruining Slytherin and Hogwarts. It might as well be the Devil's Snare."

"You can't do this!" Abby argued.

"But I'm already doing it, am I? Enjoy being snared," Merula said.

Within seconds Abby heard Merula's retreating footsteps, leaving her completely at the mercy of the Devil's Snare. It wasn't long before Abby started to feel the pressure of the Devil's Snare squeezing against her, rendering her completely helpless. Of all the ways she could've died, Abby never would've expected herself to die like this.

Before the panic could set in, Abby suddenly remembered what Merula had said about the Devil's Snare being sensitive to light. Whether she had intended to or not, Merula had given Abby the tools that she needed to save herself.

As the Devil's Snare slowly strangled Abby's body, she managed to grasp hold of her wand that she'd dropped and was barely able to make the movements of the Wand-Lighting Charm. Piece by piece, the Devil's Snare slowly began to release itself from Abby's body, only for another part of it to wrap itself around her. When Abby heard footsteps from outside the door, she knew that she'd need someone to help her get out of this mess.

"Someone! Anyone! Help! I'm being snared by the Devil's Snare!" Abby screamed.

"What's goin' on in there?" a loud voice demanded from the other side of the door. "Outta the way!"

In an instant, the door that was locked was knocked down and a large man entered the room, his eyes instantly landing on Abby, who recognised him as the tall man who lead the first-years to the castle.

"Gulpin' gargoyles, Slytherin!" the man exclaimed. "Get away from that Devil's Snare. Yer' scarin' it!"

"I'm scaring it? It's snaring me!" Abby shrieked.

"Let's get yeh outta here…" the man trailed off.

After initially being cautious of this giant man, Abby let him help her get untangled from the Devil's Snare. Once Abby was free from it, all she could do was let out a sigh of relief after not being snared like she thought she would be.

"You saved my life!" Abby caught her breath. "Thank you, Mister…"

"Rubeus Hagrid, at yer service. I'm Keeper of the Keys and Groundskeeper at Hogwarts. Pleasure to meet yeh," the man introduced himself.

"I'm Abby Selwyn," Abby introduced herself.

"Ah, yer that Jacob boys brother and that man Rogelius' daughter. Everybody's been talking 'bout yeh. I guess trouble really does run in yer family…" Hagrid trailed off. "How'd yeh end up in there, Abby?"

"A first-year Slytherin named Merula Snyde locked me inside," Abby replied.

"She did? What are yer goin' ter do?" Hagrid questioned.

"I'm going to make her pay for trying to kill me. I can't let her get away with this," Abby growled.

"I can't blame yeh for feelin' that way, but revenge rarely works out for anyone. Yeh might want ter reconsider. I'd head back ter yeh Common Room an' take some time teh think, Abby. I don't want yeh doin' somethin' yeh'll regret. Yeh might also want to do somethin' about those robes. That Devil's Snare got yeh good," Hagrid suggested.

"Thank you, Mister. Hopefully I'll get to see you again," Abby said.

"Yeh certainly will, Abby. And when yeh do, please call me Hagrid. But fer now, yeh'd better get back teh your Common Room," Hagrid advised her.

"I will," Abby nodded.

Despite wanting to stay out of trouble, Abby was beginning to think that with someone like Merula Snyde constantly on her case that that was easier said than done. If Abby was going to make it through Hogwarts, it looked like she'd have to get used to it.

~*•°•*~

After escaping the Devil's Snare thanks to Hagrid's help, Abby headed immediately back to her Common Room to hopefully see Rowan. If there was one thing she felt like doing now, it was venting about Merula because Abby was already frustrated with that girl. Except Merula wasn't the first person who Abby came across when she entered the Common Room, it was Felix Rosier.

"Bloody hell, Abby!" he exclaimed. "What happened to your robes?"

"I got snared by Devil's Snare," Abby groaned.

"Devil's Snare? How? What Happened with Professor Snape?" Felix demanded.

"That rat Merula Snyde faked the note and trapped me in a room with the Devil's Snare," Abby snarled.

"What is it with you and this girl?" Felix asked.

"I'd like to know," Abby grumbled. "The moment she knew who I was she hated me. I think it's because of what Jacob did, but I also think it's because she's threatened by me and she hates that I'm the only person who's had the guts to stand up to her."

"And I take it that once again you don't have any proof?" Felix stated.

"If it's anything, she admitted it to me that she did it. But I guess Merula's confession isn't enough considering I was locked behind a door when she said it," Abby replied.

"You're going to need to change into a new set of clothes because you can't go around looking like that, Professor Snape will have a fit. People already think you're mad because of your brother, you don't have to look it," Felix suggested.

Abby sighed, "I just wish that people would stop thinking that I was my brother and father because I'm not. I don't want to cause trouble."

"Then you should try staying out of Merula's way if she really is out to get you. And if you could, figure out a way to get back those twenty house points that you lost," Felix said.

"I'll try," Abby mumbled.

Before she did anything else, Abby wanted to go and see Rowan so she could hopefully vent about her troubles. They were lucky enough to be spared the trouble of having to share a dorm with Merula Snyde, which meant that Abby could vent about her as much as she could.

"Oh my gosh, Abby! What happened?" Rowan exclaimed as Abby entered their dormitory.

"I got snared," Abby grumbled.

"Did you at least get the house points back?" Rowan asked.

"No, it was a trick by Merula," Abby replied. "I swear, she's out to get me when I haven't even done anything bad to her. The second she heard my name she hated me."

"That's probably why she hates you then," Rowan mused. "I mean, your brother infamously got expelled and as a result, tainted Slytherin's reputation and your father is a convicted Death Eater. Most people probably won't like you for that."

"But it's not fair. People should judge me based on who I am, not who my brother and father happens to be," Abby stated.

"It's sad that people don't do that. But Merula shouldn't be one to judge considering who her parents are," Rowan remarked.

"Do you know what they did? My cousin Octavia told me that the Snydes were trouble and to watch out for their daughter," Abby said.

"I don't know what they did exactly, but I heard that they got locked up in Azkaban for doing something bad. I don't get much news on the Tree Farm," Rowan answered.

"I guess I'll have to write to Octavia to see what she can tell me. If Merula is going to be a problem like she has been so far, then I'm going to have to be able to put up with her," Abby declared.

"Whatever Merula does, I'll stand by you no matter what. I can't have my only friend getting expelled," Rowan smiled.

"Thanks, Rowan. I appreciate it," Abby replied.

After getting changed from the robes that she would most likely never wear again, Abby set out to write a letter to her cousin Octavia who would hopefully be able to give her some guidance on Hogwarts. If Abby couldn't go to Jacob at times like this, then she'd at least be able to have Octavia to guide her. But her cousin wasn't her brother, and Abby wished more than anything that Jacob was here with her in his seventh-year, like it was supposed to be. Unfortunately, Abby had already come to the sad realisation that not everything was the way it should be.

A bit short for a chapter, but the rest will probably have the same length. You can expect Felix to have a bit more of a prominent role in the story compared to him just being a nagging prefect, which I found incredibly annoying. I can't be the only one who finds it annoying whenever some random asks 'How many house points have you earned this years?" It just makes me wish that there was an option to say "More than you have, suckers." Anyways, let me know what you guys think and I'll be back next week with another chapter.