So I know I haven't updated in ages, but look! It's the longest chapter yet! I'm a bit sad I don't get many reviews but I'll keep going.
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Chapter Eight:
"Get your ugly mug out of my face, you troll." Pansy growled from the desk next to mine.
We were in History, last class of the day, sitting at the back of the room and Pansy is obviously a tad bit tired and pissed that I scored the seat next to the window.
"Get your fat arm off my side of the desk, gnome." I replied cheerfully, getting a fierce scowl in return.
"Now now, ladies, play nicely." Blaise said amiably from the seat in front of me, before his tone turned sarcastic. "We only have an hour to go until we can have to joy of study in the library! Let's not spoil that fun promise!"
Professor Binns floated into the room, barely sparing any students a glance before jumping straight into a lecture on the Normandy Dragon Crisis of 487. A few rows back from the front and on the other side of the room sat Gryffindor's Golden Trio. The rest of their house-mates were doing the same as the Slytherins. Ie: whatever they wanted. Most students were drawing, working on unfinished homework, daydreaming, sleeping or just messing around. Ronald was a sleeper; already cradling his head on his desk and drooling from his mouth, an attractive look, not. Harry, one for messing around it seemed; looking to be getting ready to draw on his sleeping friend's face with the tip of his wand dipped in ink… Hope he doesn't give him a tattoo. And Hermione was attentively taking notes, a look of deep concentration on her face as she listened to Binns.
There're only a few words that I'd use to describe my time at Hogwarts so far: Surreal; fun; hilarious; wonderful; spectacular; amazing. Take your pick.
It's making me hate my father even more for keeping me from this for six years. Six years I've missed out on this. The inside jokes, the atmosphere and the feeling of family. Now I know many people would think that the words 'Slytherin' and 'family' would be antonyms but you'd be surprised. Being in a house where practically every other student and teacher has some form of bias against you, whether it be something small or actual hate, makes you a close knit bunch. Fiercely protective and supporting. After all. You learn not to expect it to come from somewhere else.
Classes are generally fun too. Especially the ones with Gryffindors. We've got Potions, DADA, History and Charms with them. And I have to say that I've been having fun toying with them a bit too. Their reactions to teasing are just so comical! I can fully understand the thrill Blaise, Pansy and Draco got from it over all these years. Of course we haven't been doing anything too bad… My favourite was making Ronald's feather explode in his face during Charms last week. His face was just hilarious! He was completely gobsmacked!
But don't think that we haven't been getting away with it all, they've been giving as good as they get. But it's all been friendly fire. After almost every prank Harry's caught my eye and given a decent smirk. He's quite a good guy you know? I actually think that if Draco hadn't been so used to getting everything he wanted as a kid and had been less stuck up, they'd have been able to be good friends over the years. Well… if we didn't have a screwed up, controlling, psychotic father who hated Harry's guts…
But anyway. That's the past.
As I tuned out of Professor Binns droning, (don't judge! I've covered this already at Beauxbatons), I let myself start sketching the Golden Trio. It's quite interesting to see how despite their great differences in personality and the like, they're still such close friends. Although I do often question Hermione's wisdom on supporting the other two through their school work. You'd think that someone who's so smart would at least find relief talking to others who has similar passions and interests but from what Blaise says, she rarely talks to the people of other houses. Understandable on the Hufflepuff and Slytherin side of things; I mean, I doubt she'd get a warm reception with the majority of my house and the Hufflepuffs are more concerned with having a happy-go-lucky time. I suppose maybe the Ravenclaws could be jealous? I mean she'd top of the class but not one of them. That's got to sting a bit.
Glancing back over at Harry I couldn't help notice his messy hair. Except that when Draco described it as being 'unfit for even a bird's nest' I'd describe it as 'sex hair'.
"You never mentioned that Potter manages to always look as if he's just had mind-blowing sex" I whispered in French to Pansy, quiet enough so that Blaise and Draco wouldn't hear. But I kept my eyes on the black-haired boy who currently was sticking the tip of his tongue out of his mouth while he delicately drew on Ronald's face.
Pansy's head shot up. To anyone who wasn't family, namely Draco, Blaise and my esteemed self, you wouldn't be able to detect any emotion. But by the slight tightness around her eyes that gave away her surprise. "Well, I didn't exactly want to say anything with your brother & Blaise ready to jump down my neck. Why?"
"Just making an observation. He's good looking and a decent guy. And I'm just a new student, merrily gathering opinions on all my fellow students. Would you like me to point out all the good points that I've so far got for Weasley?" I asked with an innocent look.
"Don't even think of it! I don't want to be scarred for life." She sarcastically joked. "Although you do have a good point, I'm too used to just male company around school, we need to have a girls night! Movies-"
"Chocolate, ice cream, popcorn-"
"Boys-"
"Manicures-"
"Boys-"
I paused and raised an eye brow at my friend. "I think I see a pattern emerging here."
"What?! As I said, this is long overdue!" And with that she simply flipped her dark hair, and resettled her head on her folded arms. I love my dramatic friend.
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Walking with full stomachs from the Hall to the Library was always an effort, I found. After plenty of good quality food, all I ever wanted to do was go back to the common room and nap on my favourite chaise lounge, staring up at the lake. But no. Instead I get a good few hours of completing assignments.
"Why do teachers hate us?" I groan, as I finally reach the library.
"Because they are jealous of our youthful zeal and don't want us to have the dun which they're too old to have." Blaise said, only a step behind me. Looking back over my shoulder at him I saw he looked just as bored as I feel. His black hair, scruffy from numerous times dragging his hand through it, was covering chocolate brown eyes that showed he'd rather be anywhere but here.
"Ah well. Look on the bright side-"
"There's a bright side?" he interrupted, earning a Malfoy glare.
"Something exciting could always happen."
"Please!" He said, eyebrows raised in disbelief. "Sera, we're studying. Nothing interesting ever happens. The only interesting thing will be when Pansy and Draco pull themselves away from mirrors and join us."
"You never know." I replied as I sat down at our usual table, back to the window. According to Pansy, she and the boys had been using this table for themselves since first year. It was large and square, with enough chairs for twelve people to study there, and situated in a forgotten corner of the library where almost no one came by. There was one large window that gave a view out over the back of the castle and courtyards with two well-worn armchairs placed by it. "You know what, Blaise? I have no idea how we always get this table. You'd think we'd have to fight all the bookworms off to get it."
Blaise looked at me as if I were retarded. "Wait, I take that back. I think I have a very good idea on why you lot have never had your claim on the table challenged." Flashing through my mind were memories. There was the time my second cousin, Celeste, three years older, wanted to take Pansy's books from her and we made her see a hungry lion following her for a week. The time when Blaise's older sister wanted to force a kiss on Draco so Pansy and I cursed her hair brush so that when she brushed her hair, it just got more knotted. The time a son of father's friend bullied me and Draco and Blaise made him wet himself. And those are only three examples of a lifetime of practice.
After a good ten minutes of work on my Tranfiguration assignment on the principles of changing a solid object to a gaseous substance, I was distracted by the sound of some whispered voices coming our way.
"Slackers, are finally here." Blaise muttered from his seat across the table from me, not lifting his head from a book on medieval potions practices during the black plague.
A few seconds later, however and we were both staring at the space from between two bookshelves where four people stood. Four non-Slytherin people.
"Guys?" I asked, sure that they must have just wandered to the wrong section of the library.
"Sera!" Colin cried, before being slapped in the stomach by Luna.
I just shifted my gaze between them, a raised eyebrow in curiosity.
"We were looking for you." Ginny said, smiling with obvious pleasure at finding me.
"Yes, but we went to the astronomy tower first. The bungle folgs were turning clockwise, you see." Luna said in a day dreamy manner as she and the others came over to our table. Blaise opened his mouth to say something and I immediately kicked him from under the table. Ginny sat next to me, Jasper on her other side, and Colin and Luna between Blaise and myself, near to the shelves they came from. Blaise and I were both surprised when the four sixth years pulled out work from their bags and set it on the table.
"So," Jasper said, turning to look at me, "how's classes been?"
"They've been good. Some stuff I've already covered from Beauxbatons, but it's still interesting. I mean, someone's always playing a prank or stuffing up a spell." I say with a slight smile and a shrug. "It keeps life interesting."
Ginny snorted next to me and gave me a humoured, sceptical look. "'Interesting', is it? From what Ron and Harry say, you lot have a prank war going on." Oh, I hope she doesn't mind too much the stuff that we've been doing to her friends. She looked between me and Blaise a small grin growing on her face. "I might just casually mention that the last time we played truth or dare over the summer, my brother and Harry revealed that they aren't too fond of slugs, for some odd reason. Not that such a fact would be of interest to you two, though." Nope. Doesn't seem to mind.
"Now, on with study! I say!" Jasper cried in a pompous accent. And to my continued surprise, the four of them turned to their books and paper and started working away as if doing so with two Slytherins was the most normal thing in the world for them. I saw that Blaise was looking at the four with a glint of admiration in his eyes.
"So you're fine with this then?" I asked him in Italian.
"Yep." He replied. Both of us giving the newcomers small smiles in response to their curious expressions before we all turned to work.
I worked on my Transfiguration for about three minutes before the silence was broken by a sigh from Jasper. Turning to look at him I saw that he was holding his quill in his mouth and tugging at his brown hair while looking at his work. "No… It can't be the helfanor because that just doesn't make sense. The properties should be completely different."
I was interrupted before I could ask what the problem was by Blaise. "Potions?" He asked.
Jasper looked up, blushing slightly from, I guess, talking out loud. "Yes." He replied after a slight pause from surprise. "It's about what ingredients go into the Neverlasting Jealousy potion. I just can't for the life of me find out what it is that give it the green smoke and envy."
Blaise sifted through his small pile of potions books and stood up, moving around to a seat closer, to help Jasper with his potions. Shifting my gaze back to my work I noticed that Ginny and Colin were also returning to their work after watching the exchange between their friend and Blaise. Luna had been working on her own homework the entire time, smiling and humming odd tunes to herself.
Only a few minutes later I finished my homework. Bored, I looked at the small group. Jasper was now furiously writing his report, after having help from Blaise, who hadn't bothered to move back to his original spot, but simply summoned his stuff over to him. Watching the sunlight glint off Ginny's red hair I was reminded of the conversation I'd had earlier in the day about a certain other red-head's black-haired best friend.
"Are any of the Golden Trio dating?" I suddenly blurted. Honestly curious to hear what the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws would say. I mean, I of course know all about the massive, albeit unknown crush between Hermione and Ron, and that Harry used to have a crush on a Ravenclaw a few years older and that he and Ginny dated for a short time before the war, but I'm more interested in what his close friends might accidentally let slip. Because yes, I'll admit it, I wouldn't mind kissing him.
Everyone, including Blaise, stopped their work and looked over at me. Not expecting this conversation topic.
"No." Colin said, swapping gazes with Jasper quickly. "They're all single."
"But everyone knows that Ron has the biggest thing for Hermione, and that she also really likes him, despite her being perfectly able to get someone much smarter." Ginny added.
"Or someone with an emotional range that isn't the size of a teaspoon." Luna dreamily added.
"That's nice! They'd be really cute together." I said, watching as they all swapped relieved glances. I swear, if I find out that they thought I fancied Ronald, I'll kill the lot of them. Nice enough guy as he is, totally not my flavour. "They'd be like a cute married couple; either fighting to the point of death, or would kill everyone with their corny cuteness. Why hasn't anyone said anything to them?"
"Because this is the one topic where they're both frightfully shy and would reject any help and deny it. Then they'd think the other didn't care and would be all awkward around each other." Jasper said.
"Sometimes people are afraid more of what they may lose than of what they may gain." Luna said. I think that's one of the few things she's said that's made complete sense.
"So what about Harry then? Does he like someone? Didn't you two used to date, Gin?" I innocently asked, turning to face her. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Blaise looking at me closely only to slightly lean back with an expression of understanding. Damn, he's too smart for his own good.
Ginny didn't even blush. "No. I mean yes, we did date but there is nothing between us now besides the fondness of siblings. Much like what you have with Pansy and Blaise, I expect. I had the biggest crush on Harry growing up, and it was as if with him out of my reach, I made him out to be this perfect person who he isn't. Of course that's not his fault or anything, but yeah, we just don't have any romantic feelings anymore. Much to mum's disappointment I assure you."
Quite the contrast to his angelic looks, Colin slyly asked, "You seem very interested in Harry, Sera. Why d'ya want to know?"
"Oh? I'm just curious. I mean, he's the wizarding world's biggest hero of the time, is good looking, young, rich, polite, and charismatic. You'd think that someone like that wouldn't be a single pringle like the rest of us."
"Really?" Jasper said, obviously not believing a single thing I said.
"Sure you don't have a crush on him?" Ginny added.
"Oh, I certainly think all of the things that I just said about him. Who doesn't? But that doesn't mean I have a crush on him. A crush is when you have an overwhelming desire to be with someone. That I certainly don't have."
Luckily the conversation ended with the arrival of Draco and Pansy. Only two hours after Blaise and I had been here. Slackers.
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To say Pans and I were shocked to find two Gryffindors and two Ravenclaws with my sister and Blaise at our study table would be the understatement of the year. It's one of the few times I'm grateful for my proper Slytherin upbringing. Grandmother had made it an instinct to hide shock and surprise by always playing pranks on the four of us. If we didn't hide our emotions, she made us eat escargot for lunch. And that stuff is slimy.
"Pansy, come sit." Blaise said, tapping the empty seat to his left without looking up from his work. "Do you remember what Snape was saying about the contagious infection prevention methods in the south east region?"
The new additions looked up to watch as Pansy flicked her hair over her shoulder and dropped into the indicated seat. Sera just ignored us.
"Of course I do. Only an idiot would forget something Snape said."
"Well, don't fall over yourselves to offer me a seat. No, no, no. I am perfectly fine. I don't need any affirmation that my friends like me." I jokingly said, sitting across from Sera. She looked up when I kicked her and I gave her my famous fake pout. "I thought you wuved me."
"I would, but last I knew I was denounced as your sister."
"Oh fine, I suppose I could make you my sister again."
"Why thank you deary. Now shut up and entertain me. I have no more work."
About to reply, I was distracted by the light bell-tone laughter coming from the blond to my left. Which was soon followed by a snort from Red. "I never thought I'd see the day that Draco Malfoy was bossed around." Red said through her laughter.
Deciding on my famous single raised eyebrow I turned to look at her. "Well, I suppose today's your lucky day, huh?"
"Play nice, Draco." Blaise said.
"When don't I?! I love to frolic through sunny meadows with fluffy bunnies and butterflies!" I said in my most girly voice possible. Fluttering my eyelashes and smiling at Blaise's disbelieving face, I turned back to Sera.
"Want to plan the next prank on Weasley and Potter?"
"You know, we may not be able to speak multiple languages. But I can certainly understand my brothers' names." Ginny said with a knowing look.
"Nothing to worry about. I was just about to tell Draco the uninteresting fact about them not having a fondness for slugs that you told us." Sera innocently said. Her narrowed eyes giving her away. Wait, what? Red gave us information on the enemy for our pranks? That's rather Slytherin of her.
And so the afternoon passed in quite the normal manner. With the added additions of Red, Creevey, Lovegood, and Clover. I found out a few things about Red, whilst I'd always known she was able to be the little spit devil – chough bat bogey hex chough – she was also quite caring towards her friends. And I think she's the only Gryffindor besides Granger who likes Potions, and Granger likes everything that isn't Divination, so she doesn't really count. Red also mentioned that she wanted to prove herself as being an individual, not with her families name. Quite similar to my ambition to distance myself from the Malfoy image my father created. She's pretty, smart, knows how to stand up for herself and a very good quidditch player.
Walking out of the library, I watched the four sixth years head off towards their common rooms. Well, I specifically watched Red. Turning to face my friends I saw that they all knew exactly what had happened to me over that afternoon.
"So remember that hypothetical case? Well, looks like it might not be so hypothetical any more, after all." I casually said, slinging my arms over Pansy and Sera's shoulders and heading down the staircase.
"Oh, so should we expect you to be dating Lovegood soon, then?" Blaise said blandly, causing me to almost trip down the stairs.
"You know exactly who I meant, you prat. And yes, I think I will eventually ask her out."
"That's all well and good but you've hardly given her reasons to like you before hand, you might want to fix that first." Sera pointed out.
"Oh! But don't go changing your image too much. You have a reputation as the Slytherin Prince and a 'bad boy' and everyone knows that all girls like bad boys. You don't want to become a sappy whimp." Pansy quickly added. I looked down at her and she simply shrugged her shoulders. I know what she means and there is no way that would happen. Corny is just not in my nature.
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Morning of our first quidditch match passed very quickly; meeting Sera and the rest of the team early in the hall where Sera forced us all to eat some special sports meal that consisted of high carbohydrates; heading down to the pitch and changing into our robes before having a team meeting before grabbing our brooms and heading to the pitch. Standing in the tunnel, out of the view of the crowd, I saw as Sera gave last minute encouraging words to Alice.
As our youngest member, being only in third year, Alice was the baby of our team and I knew that just as much as Pansy and I trust her to pull off her side of the chasing by herself, we will be there to maul any Hufflepuff that harms her. She was the shortest of the team at 5'5" with wavy red hair passing her shoulders and a light dusting of freckles across her nose. Her chocolate eyes hid the brains capable of thinking of numerous passes to get through defensive lines. Leon was a fourth year and as stocky as a bull, being able to pack a mighty punch with the Bludger. He had the tan skin of Italian-Spanish decent with thick lashes to match his jet black hair and brown eyes. Out other beater was a fifth year, Juan, his father was a professional Keeper for the Spanish national team and had trained his son from birth according to Juan's stories that ranged from sweet father-son bonding to hellish, demanding training sessions over the summers. Juan was tall with average muscles but demon-like accuracy when given a bat, in fact Sera hadn't been too sure which position he'd be best at as he was a brilliant all-rounder and would do well with either Chaser or Keeper positions also. Juan had sun-bleached light brown hair, green eyes and tanned skin that just shouted of wonderful summers.
Sera had given us all strict instructions to end the game as quickly as possible without pulling any of our – in the words of Alice – 'fancy pants moves'. As the entire school had turned out to watch, this was the smartest thing to do to keep Gryffindor and Ravenclaw in the dark. However I'm sure they would be too preoccupied with the fact that not I, but Sera is Seeker to wonder why we'd be playing so cleanly for once. I'm even paying Theo to take a picture of Potter and Weasley's reactions so I can see later.
"Mark Jones, Captain of the Hufflepuff team and Beater, leads his team up to the centre of the pitch. In his last year, this is his final chance to win the Quidditch Cup since Potter has been stealing it every year." Yates, the sixth year commentator from Hufflepuff, announced to the crowd. And of course, the ponce has to make it sound as if Potter can do no wrong. "His team is made up of Rhys Taylor, the only new addition to the team, Emily Williams and Alec Wu, as Chasers. The beautiful Flora Chang as Keeper, who I'd like to take this opportunity to ask if she'd like to go to Hogsmeade with me?"
"Mr Jones, this is a Quidditch match, not a dating service." Came a familiar drawl.
"Ahh, sorry Professor Snape! Anyway, we've also got William Edmondson returning at the remaining Beater. And James Kiely as Seeker. Let's hear our support for the Badgers!"
And as expected, the pitch was filled with the loud cheers from all houses apart from my fellow snakes who threw in the customary hisses and taunts. Even so, we tended to be more subdued when against Hufflepuff, it was like watching the fat kid run the race. You'd feel so bad that all other competitors wouldn't try their hardest and all spectators would cheer them on. Pitiful really.
"And now, let us welcome the Slytherins to the field! After the shock replacement of Draco Malfoy as Captain by his own sister, who none of us knew existed, and who is an exceptionally lovely-"
"Mr Jones!" Came the cry of McGonagall this time. Whilst Sera led the team out onto the pitch. Us Slytherins had a tradition of walking out in formation with Captain and Seeker in the lead, followed by Keeper and Beaters and finally Chasers. Walking with Pansy and Alice behind Blaise, Leon and Jaun, I couldn't wait for the imminent shock that was about to take place.
"-the one and only Seraphina Malfoy! And – oh my God! Seraphina Malfoy is walking alone! This means that not only did she take her brother's title but position of play as well! All I can say, is I bet none of the other teams have planned for this curve ball."
My smirk matched that of Pansy's that I could see from the corner of my eye. I'm going to enjoy this. I've always been a better Chaser than Seeker. The other houses won't know what hits them.
"Apart from their captain, the Slytherin team consists of three other returning seventh year players: Blaise Zabini as Keeper and Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy, both as Chasers. Their Beaters are Leon Alvarez and Juan Guerrero whilst they have Alice Medina as their final Chaser. I can't wait to see Medina and Taylor go head to head as the youngest players on the teams this year, both only in third year."
Tuning out the further drabble from Yates, I concentrated on the match a head. I always found that calming myself before a game was the best way to be able to play at my best. And soon enough, the whistle was blown and we were in the air. We wasted no time gaining possession of the quaffle, and then the race to the hoops began with Pansy, Alice and myself darting through the defending Hufflepuffs easily, passing the ball between us and soon enough, I was shooting the quaffle through a hoop, Chang nowhere near.
We played simply, with absolutely no flamboyance. Leon and Jaun hitting bludgers at any opposition that was formed and Blaise saving every try they made on the hoops. We were up 50-0 when I saw Seraphina fly up to Yates and show him something. She had the snitch in her hands and he had completely missed that it was even spotted.
"-Seraphina Malfoy has caught the snitch in a move that was completely unexpected! Slytherin wins, 200-nil."
Flying back to the ground I joined my teammates in shaking hands with the Hufflepuff team. Something that the whole school was in shock to see. But hey, it's not like we only do decent things because Sera makes us. We can come up with these ideas by ourselves.
After showering and general congratulations from the whole team. We made our way back to the common room which had been decorated and prepared by the whole house for our celebratory party. Whilst first and second years had been confined to their rooms to keep our of the way, third years had cleared a large area in the centre of the room by re-arranging furniture and the fourth years had taken over decorating, with small floating lights swirling through the room among other flying figurines of snitches, quaffles and even little bludgers that were chasing people. The fifth years had sourced out food and drinks, whilst sixth years organised music and seventh years delegated tasks and ordered everyone else on what to do.
With the dark room lit only by the small lights and the thumping music coming from the spinning orbs in the corner, the room had been transformed into a semblance of a muggle night club. As we all know due to the fact that last year Pansy, Blaise and I had managed to sneak the whole house from fourth year up out to Muggle London for a night of partying. Since then, all our parties have been nightclub style.
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So because it has been a while since the last update, I'd love to hear what you readers think of the story: is it going how you wanted it to? What don't you like? What do you like? All the general stuff. Even just a smiley face will brighten up my day!
I'd like to get at least five reviews for this chapter before I update pwetty pwease? ;)