Chapter 9

"The bed-head style is cute, but it isn't you." Daphne said as she observed Reece's hair. She was faffing around with it, moving it to the side, and brushing bits backward. He just wanted some breakfast before Herbology but she wasn't letting him leave. "The swept back look is more you."

"So you're admitting that I was right?" Reece asked cheekily as she pushed some of the chocolate brown hair back from his face. "You've been standing on your tip-toes for like, twenty minutes. Don't you want some breakfast before the first lesson?" She simply ignored his statement and stepped back to look at her work.

"The swept back quiff style is way better than the whole porcupine thing." Daphne said as she placed her hands on her hips thoughtfully. Reece opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off quickly. "And yes, there is a huge difference. This way the quiff isn't as high and porcupine like. It's more off a model hairstyle if you ask me."

"Alright, alright I trust your expertise. Now can we please go and get some bloody food? You're starving me here." For the first time in ages he didn't care how his hair looked. All Reece wanted was some food.

When the two reached the hall it was quite busy. They went and sat with Pansy and Tracy Davis who seemed to be gossiping intently. Tracy was leaning over her toast, her hair almost touching the butter as they spoke. The two turned their attention to Daphne and Reece sharply as they sat down. Daphne next to Tracy, and Reece beside Pansy.

"Done something new with your hair Lestrange?" Tracy asked as she critiqued the slight, noticeable change. Reece ignored her at first, piling bacon, eggs and beans onto his plate. He only acknowledged her when Daphne kicked his foot under the table.

"I let her do it today." Reece nodded his head forward, gesturing to Daphne. "Unfortunately I haven't seen it yet, so please tell me if it doesn't look good."

"Well you certainly look even hotter than usual." Pansy said bluntly. She was always one to give honest opinions, no matter what situation she was in. "I'd say Daphne's done a good job." Daphne was clearly pleased with herself and sat with her nose a little high.

"Yeah." Tracy agreed although her attention was elsewhere. "You seem to be the guilty pleasure of many girls in our year."

"What?" Both Reece and Daphne asked at the same time. He had now polished off most of the food on his plate and was reaching for his goblet, waiting for her to elaborate on her sudden comment.

"They're all staring." She whispered to the four. "Lisa Turpin, Padma Patil and Mandy Brocklehurst from Ravenclaw. Hannah Abbott and Susan Bones from Hufflepuff – oh I'm not letting this one go, Hannah will definitely hear about this. Even some of the Gryffindors are sneaking glances Lestrange; Parvati Patil, Lavender Brown – Jesus Christ nearly all of them are, even," Tracy spluttered. "Even G-Granger keeps glancing out of the corner of her eye."

"Doubt it." Reece snorted rudely after getting over the initial shock. "I winded Longbottom in front of her on the train. The only look I'll be getting off the mudblood is loathing. As for the rest of them, they're all probably just staring while thinking of how to spread around the fact that I'm sitting with girls and not with Malfoy." The three girls shook their heads at his dismissal. It was obvious; to them.

In Herbology Reece chose to stand beside Pansy and Blaise rather than Draco. Unfortunately for him Hermione Granger was standing on the other side of Pansy – much to the dismay of the latter. Reece could just sense that it was one of those lessons. One of those that she wouldn't shut up in.

"Morning everyone." Professor Sprout said rather cheerily as she entered the greenhouse. No one really paid attention, and Reece just stood with his hands in the pockets of his robes, bored. She tapped on a nearby plant pot noisily to gain attention and everyone's conversations died down quickly. "Morning everyone." She repeated unnecessarily.

"Morning Professor Sprout." The class chorused. Reece didn't bother saying anything. He never did.

"Welcome to greenhouse trees second years, now gather round everyone." The whole class took a step forward. "Now today we're going to re-pot mandrakes." She announced while picking up a pot that was behind her. "Can anybody here tell me the properties of a mandrake root?" Sprout asked as Hermione's hand shot up unsurprisingly. "Yes? Miss Granger." Reece knew the answer. He usually knew but just didn't bother to put up his hand. Hermione Granger could keep the know-it-all reputation for as long as she wanted, Reece really wasn't bothered.

"The mandrake or…" Reece rolled his eyes at her annoying voice, and at the fact that the author was too lazy to spell the next word. "… Is used to return those who have been petrified to their original state. It's also quite dangerous, the mandrake's cry is fatal to anyone who hears it."

"Excellent." Professor Sprout jeered excitedly. "Ten points to Gryffindor." The Gryffindor students were over the moon about the early points that had been awarded, but Reece didn't need to look down the line to know that Malfoy was seething.

"Now as our mandrakes are still only seedlings, the cries won't kill you yet. They'll only knock you out for several hours which is why I've given each of you a pair of earmuffs for auditory protection." Sprout said with strict authority. "Will you please put them on right away?" Reece picked them up and made sure that they didn't touch the top of his head. It seemed Draco had the same idea about what angle to put them on at. "Quickly." She said as Crabbe and Goyle struggled to work out what to do with them. "Flaps tight down and watch closely. You grasp your mandrake firmly, and pull it…" She yanked it out of the pot and an ear shattering scream erupted from the mandrake. Quite a few students put their hands over the muffs as she explained what to do next. Reece was observing other people's reactions and sniggered when he witnessed Neville faint. "Eh, Longbottom's been neglecting his earmuffs." Reece smirked and Malfoy also had the same reaction.

"No ma'am, he's just fainted." Seamus Finnegan announced rather rudely.

"Yes, well, just leave him there." Sprout said with a careless wave of her hand. "Well off you go, plenty of pots to go around. Grasp your mandrake and pull." And with instruction the whole class yanked their mandrake out of the pot in front of them. Reece almost lobbed the mandrake in the other pot and looked down the line to see Draco glaring heatedly at his.

The hall was packed, and Reece sat tightly between Tracy and Daphne. At least he wasn't squashed between Crabbe and Goyle. A tatty old owl that looked to be on its last legs flew into the hall and grabbed everyone's attention. It attempted to land in front of Ronald Weasley, but went soaring into a bowl of crisps instead. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle found it most amusing and laughed along with the rest of the hall. Reece also chuckled at the colour of Weasley's face. He was red with embarrassment.

"Ay up, Weasel's got a howler." Marcus Flint commented quietly, his teeth sticking out as he spoke. Seamus then said something along the same lines and Longbottom told him to open it. The Slytherins began laughing again while he spoke. Ron opened the envelope and the hall fell silent as everyone was anxious to hear what it was going to say.

"Ronald Weasley!" An angry, strained voice bellowed from the envelope. "How dare you steal that car? I am absolutely disgusted! Your father's now facing an inquiry at work and it is entirely your fault. If you put another toe out of line, we'll bring you straight home." The envelope then turned and spoke in a more calm tone. "Oh and Ginny dear, congratulations on making Gryffindor. Your father and I are so proud." Ginny Weasley seemed to be incredibly embarrassed by the sudden mention. Once the letter had finished, the entire Slytherin table burst out into fits of laughter. Even some of the Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors joined in.

"Oh that brought tears to my eyes." Tracy commented once the laughter died down. "I'd hate to have a mother like that though, embarrassing me in front of the whole school."

Reece sat right at the back of the class next to Blaise. He wanted nothing to do with Gilderoy Lockhart. The guy was more self-absorbed than he was, and that was saying something.

"Let me introduce you to your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Me." Reece's lips curled into a scowl. He wasn't funny, and was most certainly not, by any means cool. "Gilderoy Lockhart," He announced, descending the stairs smoothly. "Order of Merlin, third class. Honorary member of the Dark Arts Defence League, and five time winner of Witch Weekly's most charming smile award." Lockhart flashed the smile that had apparently won him an award and Reece grimaced. This guy was purely a tool. "But enough talk about that, I didn't get rid of a Banshee by smiling at it." Ha-ha-ha funny. "Now, be warned. It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizard kind." He tapped the covered cage and it rattled. "You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know that no harm can come to you whilst I am here. But I must ask you not to scream, it might provoke them!"

"Cornish Pixies?" Seamus asked as a few naïve pupils started to laugh.

"Freshly caught Cornish Pixies." Lockhart repeated. Reece was ready to walk out the door. He knew what they could do as he had come across some in the woods near Mr Yaxley's home once before. They were like really annoying friends that leeched onto people, and he couldn't be bothered dealing with the blasted things if they were let out. "Laugh if you want Mister Finnegan, but they can be devilishly tricky little blighters. Let's see what you make of them." As soon as he let them out Reece grabbed the books on his desk and walked out the door behind him. From outside he could hear the mayhem and screaming students. He stood and watched as people filtered out and couldn't help but laugh at Draco who seemed to be incredibly panicked.

Saved himself from a lot of embarrassment there.

Marcus Flint, Slytherin's Quidditch captain seemed to be a bearer of good news. Reece sat in the common room with Zabini and Nott, conversing casually and discussing the day's events when Flint wandered over – his teeth sticking out in what was supposed to be a smile.

"I want you on the team Lestrange. We've got a new seeker this year; Malfoy. And there's an empty beater spot 'cause one of our guys left last year." Flint said to Reece, ignoring the two other boys.

"Yeah." Reece replied almost too casually. "I'm game."

"Good. Mr Malfoy has generously bought everyone on the team a brand new Nimbus two thousand and one. I'll give you yours tomorrow so you're ready for the first practice." He explained as Reece nodded his head at the instructions. A brand new Nimbus for everyone was a good way to get on the team without trying out. "You'd better not disappoint, because I'm expecting a lot. I've heard you're violent, and I want to see you play as dirtily violent as possible."

Only an hour after that Flint approached again. He was dressed in his Quidditch attire and had two brooms. One in his left hand and one in his right. "Your new stuff should be in your room. He's the broom I mentioned as well." Marcus handed Reece the broom and Reece glanced down at the parchment in his hand. "Go get changed now and meet us all in here." Without arguing, Reece did as he was told.

The group of Slytherins were on their way to the pitch when they were intercepted by Wood and the rest of the Quidditch team.

"Where do you think you're going Flint?" Wood questioned as the two teams entered a standoff.

"Quidditch practice." Marcus replied as if it was their right.

"I booked the pitch for Gryffindor today." Oliver Wood argued.

"Easy. I've got a note." Flint said cockily as he held out the parchment. Wood snatched it as Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley walked over to see what was going on.

"I Professor Severus Snape hereby give the Slytherin team permission to practice today as they need to train their new seeker and beater." All of the Gryffindor team looked reasonably annoyed and Wood just looked back at his rival. "A new seeker? A new beater? Who?" Draco stepped out of the group smugly, and Reece just moved into view by standing next to the captain.

"Malfoy?" Harry asked in disbelief.

"That's right." Draco moved his broom intentionally. "And we're not all that's new this year."

"Those are Nimbus two thousand and one's?" Ron commented in disbelief. "How did you get those?"

"Really Weasel? The whole team had no idea what type of broom they were." Reece said sarcastically as the Gryffindors admired the new brooms. "They were a gift from Draco's father, believe it or not."

"You see, unlike some, my father can afford the best." Draco spat coolly at Ron who looked to be on his last nerve.

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in." Hermione said sassily as soon as Draco had finished speaking, taking the heat off of Ron. Reece stepped up to her swiftly and smirked down at her rather sadistically.

"And you're suggesting that what I did on the train didn't prove that I'm a good beater?" Reece whispered, drawling out the last word. "It was a good hit, wouldn't you say? Knocked the wind right out of him." Draco had now edged forward and was trying to copy Reece's menacing stare. It was definitely not as good, and Granger stared right back at him sternly, avoiding Reece's threatening gaze.

"No one asked your opinion, you filthy little mudblood." Hermione didn't reply to Draco's statement. Reece along with the other Slytherins snickered, whereas the Gryffindors all looked enraged. George Weasley looked ready to pounce, and the girls where screaming things along the lines of 'how dare you?'

"You'll pay for that one Malfoy." Ron said as he took out his wand. "Eat slugs." Draco seemed scared for a second, but the fear soon disappeared when the Weasel was sent flying backwards by his own spell. Reece burst out laughing with the rest of the team, and while they were checking on the idiot, Draco, Flint and Pucey fell to the floor. They were all clutching their stomachs, trying to hold in the laughter. Ron then threw up his first slug and the noise level of the Slytherins only rose considerably.