Contrarietas Chapter 3
The first week at Hogwarts was going by quickly and soon Friday was upon them. This was pleasant for many as Friday, as well as heralding the weekend, meant their first flying lesson. The teacher was Madam Hooch, a particularly fierce teacher, with golden eyes, who was the referee for the quidditch matches, and watched every move like a hawk. The only unfortunate thing about the flying lessons for the Slytherins, was having to share them with the Gryffindors.
Alice knew that Harry would end up showing off in these lessons, their father had been a brilliant chaser for the Gryffindor team, and had been teaching his children from a young age, the rules of quidditch, and teaching Harry some finer techniques for flying. At home the twins had nimbus 2000s, but while harry enjoyed flaunting his skills and doing intricate manoeuvres, Alice flew for fun. She loved the feel of the wind in her long hair, and was happy to be out whatever the weather, as it let her feel free. There were boundaries on the ground, places where you couldn't go, but there were no limits to the skies.
The lessons started with simple things like correct positioning on the broom, and when they were allowed to lightly hover off the ground, a boy named Neville's broom started to rise higher. It was going everywhere and trying to throw him off, until he slipped and fell, hitting the grass. Madam Hooch ran over to him and helped him up saying quietly that he had a broken wrist, and then helped him to the hospital wing, saying that if anyone's broom was off the ground, they would be out of the school before they could say 'quidditch'.
Draco moved over to where he had landed and picked up a ball of glass, which Alice recognised as a remembrall.
"Look what Longbottom dropped, maybe if he had given this a squeeze, he would have remembered to land on his fat arse!" he laughed.
"Give that back Malfoy," Harry exclaimed moving towards Draco, Draco smirked jumping onto his broom.
"Maybe I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find it… how about on the roof," he said flying up into the air. Harry leapt onto his own broom and kicked off the ground approaching Draco above everyone's heads. They exchanged words that everyone strained to hear, before Draco brought his arm back and threw it, flying quickly to the ground. Harry chased it quickly catching it just before it hit a window. He looked through the pane of glass, and his face turned to one of shock, before he landed quickly.
Less than a minute later, McGonagall rushed out to the first years looking flustered,
"Potter, with me, Mr Potter," she called and he walked over to her, the remembrall still clutched in his hand. He was escorted inside and the group of first years broke out into smaller group all whispering furiously.
"So, I'm hoping this means that Potter will be on the train home tomorrow," Draco sneered turning to Alice and the others.
"Well, knowing Harry's luck, we won't be lucky there, my money is on him getting to do some special thing that no one else in our year is allowed" Alice scoffed. Daphne nodded in agreement, just as Madam Hooch returned, and the lesson continued.
The weekend had finally arrived, and the group of Slytherins quickly finished their work on the Saturday morning, before spending the rest of the weekend relaxing. Harry was trying to avoid them at all costs, but whenever he did run into them, he and, as Draco called him, the weasel would glare at them. Draco was convinced that they were up to something, and was being very persistent at getting the rest of them to think this as well, but it was not working.
Over the two days, Alice had received four angry letters from her father, in one he even said that if she did not go and ask Dumbledore if she could move houses, he would remove her from the school altogether. Her response to all of these letters, was the same, tearing them to pieces and throwing them in the fire. On the evening of the Sunday, after getting rid of her father's most recent letter, she took a seat in the corner of the common room and started writing. At one point Daphne glanced over the top of the book she was reading, and quickly scanned over what was written in Alice's beautiful handwriting.
Dear Mother,
How are you? I am greatly enjoying Hogwarts, and have made many friends. My lessons are going well, and I am finding some easier, while others have proved to be more challenging. I have no idea how Harry is doing, as I do not share the majority of my lessons with him, but I am sure that he is keeping you both up to date.
However, the main reason I am writing to you is to ask you to ask my father to stop sending me these angry letters. While he may be displeased with how the sorting went, I am fine with it, and hope that maybe you can bring him round to see things from my point of view.
Lots of love,
Alice.
"Don't you think that's a tiny bit over the top?" Daphne inquired,
"Oh, maybe a little, but I really have to be as nice as possible, if I don't want to get disowned" Alice replied, Daphne laughed slightly, before accompanying her friend to the owlery.
After two days of no contact from either of her parents, on the Wednesday morning, her mother's owl landed in front of her. She snatched up the letter attached to the leg of the bird, and stuffed it in her bag, before the owl ruffled its feathers haughtily, and flew away. Draco opened his mouth as if to enquire as to the letter, but Alice shook her head, and he stopped himself.
When they left the great hall, once they had finished breakfast, Draco turned to Alice,
"What was that letter?" he enquired.
"Oh just some reply from my mother, nothing of any importance, I'll read it at lunch break," she said brushing off his enquiries with a small laugh.
The day passed slowly, and at lunch break, Daphne and Draco went to the library together in search of Alice, who once the bell had gone, had quickly vanished. They found her sitting in an empty corner and pulled over chairs. She looked up from the letter at them, and Draco noticed the faint glisten to her eyes that suggested that she was close to tears.
"Alice, are you ok, what does the letter say?" he asked quietly.
"It's a reply from my mother, I just, I just told her I was happy with the hat's decision, and stuff like that, I thought that at least she wasn't disappointed with me" Alice replied sniffing a bit as she handed them the letter. Daphne took it and Draco read over her shoulder.
Dear Alice,
It is lovely to hear from you, I am glad that your lessons are going well, but don't be tempted to slack off from working just because it seems easy now. Of course Harry has written plenty of letters and has mentioned you in some of them as well. This brings me to what this letter is really about, I am not averse to Slytherin house, I had a wonderful friend who was in Slytherin, but sadly, we drifted apart over the years. However, your father has his own opinions, he does not wish for any child of his to be in the House of Snakes. I may have convinced him not to complain to Dumbledore, but I can understand what he means. I, however, have no power over the letters he sends to you, and my dear you should know that your father is very much a Gryffindor at heart, he will only become more irate the more you ignore his letters. Of course family comes first and so you should not split apart from us. My only advice there is to reply to these letters but under no circumstances should you be rude, or disrespectful.
Harry, in his letters, has also mentioned that you have become friends with a Malfoy and the Greengrass girl. I do not approve at all. You may be a Slytherin, but, you should not be friends with these people. They are the complete opposite of everything our family stands for. They are the children of accused Death Eaters! You should not be friends with people such as these, for they may warp your views on the wizarding and muggle worlds alike. I, myself, know first-hand how the pureblood outlook on society can change people for the worst, as I lost a friend, who became friends with people such as those you are friends with now, people who currently reside in Azkaban. Unless they have said to you that they disagree with their families' opinions, I am telling you to stay away from these people, and make new, more appropriate friends. If we hear that you are still talking to these people, your father and I will be less than pleased.
We hope to see you at Christmas.
Your loving Mother.
Daphne looked up at Alice, then looked back down at the letter before saying, "What do you think about what she says here?" Alice was about to reply but was cut off by Draco.
"Who do you think was your mother's friend who 'went bad'?" he asked
"It was Snape of course," Daphne gave Draco a withering look, "Everyone who knows anything about Alice's parents knows that Lily was friends with Snape for years," Draco looked surprised and looked at Alice, who gave nodded conformation.
"I don't know how to reply to that, obviously I'm not going to let go of my best friends just because of what my parents think of them, but I don't know what to say to either of them, I'll probably just ignore both letters," Alice said thoughtfully, the subject was then dropped, and the trio left the library and made their way down to the great hall for lunch.
A/N: Thanks for reading. I apologise for not having updated in so long, a lot of stuff has happened, but I am going to keep updating more regularly.