Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter Only the plot
Chapter
To say that Hogwarts was a place of light, a beacon of hope in these Dark times would be the hyperbole of the century. Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry was now the unofficial battleground of a new generation.
The Dark Lord had risen and Dumbledore was gone. Alliances were made and lines were drawn. Older students looked out for their young ones as a lioness would look out after her cubs. Gryffindor and Slytherin came out on opposite poles, and while the other houses tried to stay out of it, they too were drawn in by the Slytherins constantly abusing their kind.
So, that's how the entire Slytherin house became outcast and their king, Draco Malfoy, scorned by the entire school, even by a few second years in his own house who remembered the kind headmaster who'd welcomed them their first year.
The Angel of Death they called him for his actions the previous year, those of allowing Death Eaters into the school and murdering their classmates, dear friends, and their precious headmaster.
Draco showed no protest to this. He simply continued to act as he had previous.
One may wonder why Slytherin was allowed to return in the first place, and it was for one sole reason: their late Headmaster's wishes. In his will he had begged Professor McGonagall, now Headmistress, to allow students of all backgrounds into the school, despite what may happen. It was in respect to this single wish that she had allowed Slytherin to return and with them, Snape.
Professor Snape. The name rose hate and fear in the same breath to all. They all knew who he was, a traitor, a deatheater. He continued his classes as usual, but with more malice, more control, and more biting remarks than ever seen before at the magical school.
So, when Gryffindor and Slytherin 7th years had History of Magic together, let's just say that tensions ran high.
The magical classroom was as it always was: a row of desks on one side, and a row of desks on the other creating a "hall," for lack of better terms, in the center for the Professor to aid those who needed it. Books were piled high around them and the warm room did little to soothe the foul mood of the students.
Gryffindor sat on one side while Slytherin sat on the other. The two houses sent looks of hatred and spite to one another until class began.
With a clearing of his throat, Professor Binns began to speak.
"Students, today we will be re-examining the seven ancient lines. Now, can anyone name who they are?"
Hermione raised her hand in patience, not with the eagerness of her youth, but with the firm assertiveness of maturity. Happy that he could always depend on Miss Granger to break the building tension of the room, Professor Binns pointed to her, urging her to speak. She opened her mouth to reply when another voice began.
"Professor, is this really necessary?" Draco asked in his cold voice that froze the room like an ice storm. Eyes glared at him, warning him to stay in his place. "The first thing any pureblood child learns is the names of the Seven Families. Why not save your breath professor and conclude class?"
Harry and Ron began to stand up when Hermione roughly grabbed their arms and tugged them down back into their seats. They each sent her a glare to convey their annoyance. The Professor stood unfazed and only smiled, the mirth within his eyes gone.
"Well then Mr. Malfoy, do enlighten us," the professor replied stepping down from his stand.
Harry and Ron begrudgingly sat still as Draco stood up to take the stage. His dark eyes flashed with deadliness and his voice came out like the quickest venom.
"There are Seven Ancient Families: the Blacks, the Zabinis, the Malfoys, the Princes," he grimaced as he said the following names, as though they were unworthy of being spoken by his tongue, "the Longbottoms, the Weasleys," and he simply paused as people prepared for the last name. His dark look turned into one more sinister. "…and the Angelus."
A hiss went through the air and many small gasps occurred throughout the room, as if they had not believed that he would actually speak the name. While the Dark Lord was spoken of in ambiguous terms, like "He-who-must-not-be-named," the Angelus was to never be spoken of, period. The reaction gathered glares from the Gryffindors and cool, reserved looks on the faces of Slytherin, for the Angelus were pureblood royalty. Loyalty to the Dark Lord was required, but loyalty to the Angelus came first.
Draco's sinister look never lifted off of his face as it lit up with dark humor, as if he found amusement in their pitiful reactions. "Ah yes, the notoriously known Angelus, rumored to have descended from Serafina, the fallen angel. Deadly killers and assassins to the Darkness with extraordinary healing magic, they are the bringers of life and death. Always watching, moving in the Darkness, they seem to fall off the Earth and vanish," he paused to let the information sink in. "But everyone knows that they all disappear to become the right hands of the Dark Lords."
He paused again and looked at the crowd. All seemed to be affected by his words. The muggles were rightly scared and shaking, most having been threatened by purebloods that they would send the Angelus to take them in their sleep. Even the purebloods seemed to feel a shiver. The words Angelus held a power to them, more so than any other name.
"Malfoy, while we adored your little speech, why not allow the Professor to finish his lecture?" Hermione finally said breaking the silence. His eyes crashed onto hers and she remained calm, despite the fear that began to fill her heart.
"You don't believe my words Granger?" Malfoy inquired with a hiss as he slowly made his way over to her desk. "The Angelus would kill a mudblood like you in a matter of seconds if they were feeling…generous."
"The Angelus line is nearly non-existent. The last Angelus, Marcus, was killed in the First War. We all know they only had one daughter. Where she is now though, well, that remains to be seen," she replied calmly, but anger was apparent in her eyes. She gave a cruel smirk to rival Draco's and added with an impish gleam in her eyes, "But little ferrets on the other hand…"
His eyes flashed and in an instant both stood up their wands at hand, but his was on her neck while hers hung by her side. The next instant all of Gryffindor and Slytherin had stood up, wands ready to duel if needed. It would not be the first time it had happened. Usually it was the second or even fourth years that were foolish enough to try. It was rare for the older classes to duel, but this, this was called for. Slytherin had attacked a Gryffindor, which was attacking them all.
"Malfoy, get your wand off her," Harry hissed, wand pointed at him. He couldn't advance in fear that Draco would actually hurt Hermione.
"Harry, back off," Hermione replied, eyes blazing with fury. Her eyes met his and they stared back in challenge. "He's mine."
Harry and Ron looked at each other stunned. Rarely had Hermione participated in their war. She was always the one to dictate peace, never partake in the opposite. They knew she was serious by the way her eyes blazed and they backed down, signaling for the rest of Gryffindor to back down as well.
Blaise Zabini met Draco's eyes in question as to their position. A curt nod gave the signal for Slytherin to back down as well, and with a signal from Blaise, they did.
"It's not very polite to hold your wand to a lady's neck Malfoy," Hermione commented coolly as she held tightly onto her useless wand. Fucking seeker reflexes.
"But you forget Granger, you're not a lady. You're the filth that ruins her pretty little shoes," he replied as a slightly amused look entered his eyes.
"Of course, the scum that your Angelus bends down to lick off," she replied smirking as she chocked out the filthy words.
His wand pressed painfully into her skin. She knew it'd leave a mark as he hissed, "I'd watch the words that came out of your filthy little mouth mudblood."
Inside she was about to scream, but she betrayed nothing as she continued to smirk. "Of course Malfoy," she replied coolly. "Wouldn't want you catching a disease."
Their eyes met and an onslaught of emotion happened to them, the passion of anger, the frustration, the loathing and hate. He looked at her in disgust and then tossed her aside. He walked back to his desk as Gryffindors clamored to save their fallen girl.
Professor Binns stepped in as the class regrouped. "Yes, well, thank you for enlightening us on the subject Mr. Malfoy, but I'm afraid I must bush up on a few things so without further ado…" He continued his rather dull lecture as students began reply the scene that has just occurred over in their heads. Usually Professor Binns' class called for the proper amount of zoning out, which was a skill considered essential by the students of Hogwarts, but today's occurrence was rare and one to be pondered about.
"Very well, class dismissed! And don't forget the two foot essay that will be due next week. Choose one of the families to research and look into their status in society today!" the Professor announced calling an end to their thoughts.
The class filed out and Hermione walked with Ron and Harry congratulating her on a job well done.
"That was bloody brilliant Mione!" Ron exclaimed patting her on the back. "I couldn't have done better myself!"
"That's because Weasley, you'd turn as red as the bush you call hair before you could take a swing at me."
They turned to see Draco Malfoy smirking at them. He walked passed and purposely shoved Hermione roughly into the wall. She winced in pain as the wall jabbed into her shoulder.
"What the fuck Malfoy?" Harry exclaimed glaring at Draco in fury. "Your little move in class wasn't dirty enough for you that you had to get one last hit in before your reputation as the biggest prick was tarnished?"
"Tell your little whore to watch where she's going Potter," Malfoy sneered as he glared not at Harry, but straight at Hermione Granger. They eyes met in a fiery blaze of anger before he turned away.
They all stood at glared in hate as Malfoy made his way down the hall. Students on all sides parted for his passage, noticing his particularly foul mood.
Harry turned to Hermione as gave a small smile, the pain apparent in his eyes as he looked at her neck. "Are you alright? You don't want to go see Madame Pomfrey?"
She shook her head as they made their way down to the Great Hall. "And let Malfoy rub that into my face later? I think not. Besides, it adds to my sex appeal doesn't it?" she teased, knowing that would crack them up. It did. "I'll just consider it a battle wound."
They grinned at her and slung their arms over her shoulders and continued in that fashion to the Great Hall.
She smiled with them, but it didn't reach her eyes. She didn't consider her actions a victory in the ever building war between Gryffindor and Slytherin. It was only another "battle" in a series of battles.
The two boys were much the same as when she had first met them, but they also had changed quite a bit. Of course physically they had grown up and become men, but mentally they had too. They were still the goofballs who never finished their homework until the night before, but they had seriousness to them, a calm maturity. It made her glad to see that they were finally growing up.
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