"Arden, wake up!" Romina shook and shook the brunette to no avail. It was time to get up and get changed and while their other roommates - Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bullstrode were already halfway through - Arden remained fast asleep.

"How long are muggles meant to sleep?" Pansy poked her head into the room, curiously laying eyes on Arden's sleeping figure.

"Same as everyone else, Pansy! They're not some different species!"

Pansy's face said that she strongly disagreed.

Romina groaned and stomped to her bed, taking her pillow and returning to Arden's bedside. "Arden!" She began to hit Arden with her pillow for each word she said, "Get—" whack! "—up—" whack! "—now!"

Arden finally gave signs of life by pulling her blankets over her head. "Why's it gotta be so early?" came her muffled words.

Romina threw her pillow back to her bed then snatched Arden's blanket right off the girl. "Who cares, c'mon! We're supposed to be having breakfast and that's where we'll get our classes."

Arden's eyes snapped open. "My classes!"

"Finally," Pansy reappeared from the bathroom with a toothbrush popped in her mouth. "So, really, answer my question, King: how many hours of sleep do Muggles need?"

"Pansy!" Romina threatened to throw a pillow at her. Pansy squealed and ran back into the bathroom.

"She's kind of annoying," Arden remarked and got out of bed.

"But completely harmless as far as I can tell," Romina said. She designated Pansy Parkinson as another of those pureblood elitists last night, but Romina seriously doubted the girl could cause any actual harm. Millicent seemed to be on the same boat, although she seemed to care less about blood status.

She'd met a few other first year Slytherins and they seemed pretty kind for the most part. There was Daphne Greengrass who, during their first conversation the previous night, had a knack of throwing her nose in the air every once in a while. Romina thought Daphne was funny. Then there were the Carrol Twins, two quite reserved girls that weren't really into the whole conversation thing. Romina thought it was best to leave them out for a while. Angel Paes, a curly haired brunette boy with the lightest hazel eyes Romina had seen, was overtly kind. He mentioned having a twin sister but Romina had yet to meet her. Apparently, the sister was remaining in Brazil where their mother was staying for another year to care for her own sick mother. Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott were other boys who were apparently very good friends with Draco. Most of them ran in the same social circles.

After getting changed quickly, the four roommates headed for the Great Hall to get some breakfast. Romina hoped she could get a glimpse of Harry or Hermione, and even Ron and Neville if possible. She wondered how their first night had gone. She heard the Gryffindors had their common room up in the towers, unlike the Slytherins who were down in the cold dungeons, a bit submerged under the Black Lake.

While Romina didn't see Harry, she did spot familiar redheads near the Great Hall entrance.

"I'll be there in a bit," she told Arden who nodded and followed after Pansy and Millicent. She neared the identical sets of red hair near the small flight of steps. "Whatcha doin' there, boys?" She made the Weasley twins separate automatically.

"Oh look, George, it's the not-Gryffindor," Fred declared, and for a moment Romina couldn't tell if he was being sarcastically dramatic or just being one of those who would turn on her after realizing her true identity.

"Yeah, yeah, it's the Oswell girl," George raised his delicate eyebrows at her. "Not very surprised where you ended up, did you?"

"So we're just...not going to be friends anymore because of my name?" Romina frowned. "I thought you were better than that, you know."

The twins looked at each other for a second before bursting into laughter.

Romina scowled and even more so when several students passing them by shot them odd looks. "What, so we're going to embarrass me now? What I do to you?"

"Listen, Rom—can we call you Rom?" Fred slung an arm around Romina's shoulder, but not before Romina saw George slipping something into his pocket.

"Harry calls me that," Romina said, acting innocent as they headed for the Great Hall.

"Right, well, we had a lot to think about where you're concerned, Rom—" George said, now walking on Romina's other side.

"—and we thought if Harry Potter was friends with you, then it had to be for a good reason," Fred said like it should've been obvious.

"I don't know whether to be flattered that you thought about me or insulted that you base my worth on Harry instead of me," Romina said flatly. "But I'll let it go on account that I know you're up to no good on the first day of school."

Both twins stopped just inside the Great Hall and turned to face Romina, both acting offended.

"Making accusations against us already?" George placed a hand on his chest.

"That's your Slytherin coming out, ain't it?" frowned Fred.

"No," Romina said slowly. "It's my common sense coming out. I saw you put something in your pocket, genius." She looked at George with a small smirk. "I look forward to seeing your work, boys."

Both twins beamed.

"We look forward to impressing you, Rom," they both said simultaneously.

Romina laughed to herself and finally made her way to her table.

"What was that about?" Arden asked as soon as Romina sat down. She was already helping herself to some bacon pieces.

"I think we'll find out later this week," Romina shrugged and got to eating herself.

Suddenly, many owls flew into the room carrying various sized packages and/or rolled up parchments. Arden was in awe, but Romina recognized the owl that belonged to her family.

"What's going on?" Arden could not close her mouth as Romina gingerly untied the parchment from the owl sitting between them on the table.

"It's mail, Arden. This is how they do it in the wizarding world."

"There's no mailman?" Arden gasped.

Romina shook her head and popped the 'p' in her "nope!" The parchment turned out to be a letter from her aunt and uncle.

Dearest Romina,

Your aunt and I hope that you are not still dwelling over your family's history. We hope you are focusing on your studies and overall enjoying your time at Hogwarts. Forget the family, forget being an 'Oswell', and simply be Romina.

With love and care,

Your auntie and uncle xx

Simply be Romina. She should probably recite that for a couple of hours and see if it sticks. Romina took a deep breath and sent her owl on his way, with a bit of crumbled toast, and returned to breakfast.

When the students finally received their schedules, Arden was more than happy to get started. Unfortunately, they didn't share some of their classes. Romina tried to cheer themselves up by reminding each other that the schedule always tended to change each year. Plus, it meant they could try and make some new friends. So, it wasn't that bad.

Romina just wondered if she would be seeing more familiar faces from other houses, and by houses she really meant the Gryffindors.

Because when it came to their breakfast, Romina was only able to wave a 'hello' to the Weasley twins, Hermione and Neville. Neither Harry nor Ron made an appearance.

"I'll see you later today," Arden bid a cheery farewell and started for her Potions class.

Romina nodded and finished her own breakfast before she had to go get her things for her first class.

~0~

Getting into Professor McGonagall's classroom, Romina saw familiar bushy hair sitting right up front With a textbook already placed on the desk. Without thinking of assigned seats (like most muggle schools tended to do) Romina walked straight up to Hermione.

"Hermione, can I sit next to you?"

The girl in question nodded her head and moved her things aside so that Romina could take a seat.

"Do you know where Harry is?" Romina soon started to ask. "Or Ron, for that matter."

Hermione looked at Romina for a long time with what Romina would describe as doubt. Finally, she spoke up. "I read about your family." It was then that Romina understood the change of attitude towards her. "Well, technically I had read about all of the Dark Lord's reign and his followers and the Oswells showed up. I just didn't know they were your family."

Romina looked down. "Look, Hermione, what you read…"

"They were your parents, your aunts, uncles, some cousins too."

"Yes, but…"

"But?" Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to say it's not true? Cos I also read that there were loads of families afterwards who changed sides when the Ministry of Magic started rounding them up. Some of those included the Oswells, Parkinsons and Malfoys."

"I'm not going to lie," Romina braved herself to look Hermione in the eyes. "I don't know half the things my family did, nor do I want to know, but I will never deny it. My parents were Death Eaters and they're paying for it in Azkaban. But I find it unfair that you're turning against me because of what they did. I thought Hermione Granger was more than that."

Hermione thoughtfully looked at the desk. "I never said you were the same. I'm only curious why you haven't told Harry. It was pretty obvious he didn't know when Ron mentioned your parents. He doesn't know they're your parents, though, if you're worried."

"I will tell Harry, but it's difficult to do so when I know all the pain my family caused. I just...I haven't found the way."

"You might want to hurry up, I don't think people around here are going to keep quiet on the matter," Hermione opened up her book to read the first chapter, a chapter Romina was sure had already been read.

Romina, uneasily, turned to face the board. There was an odd black cat prancing around the desk and Romina got to wondering when McGonagall would be arriving. It appeared she would be coming in later than Harry and Ron who had come a couple minutes after class was meant to start. By the looks of it, they'd been running. They ended up sitting two desks behind Romina and Hermione, but with their panting breaths they both heard perfectly what they were talking about.

"Whew, amazing, can you imagine the look on old McGonagall's face if we were late?" Ron was just setting his things down when the cat - who'd gotten into McGonagall's desk - jumped off towards them and actually turned into McGonagall. All students froze in their place, completely awed.

"That was bloody brilliant!" Ron had to comment nonetheless.

McGonagall was neither bashed nor amused. "Thank you for that assessment, Mr. Weasley. Maybe if I were to transfigure Mr. Potter and yourself into a pocket watch, maybe one of you would be on time."

The class snickered.

"We got lost," Harry feebly said.

"Then perhaps a map?"

Romina knew she was going to love the sass of the woman.

"Now then," McGonagall turned back for the head of the class, "Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts." Romina saw that Hermione was already scribbling things down on a parchment even though what McGonagall was saying wasn't technically part of the class curriculum. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

She pulled out her wand and pointed at her desk, turning it at once into a pig. As soon as she did, she turned it back to her desk. Needless to say, the whole class was paying the utmost attention during her lecture. No one knew if they were really ready to actually practice—except maybe Hermione—when McGonagall gave each student a match that they were to turn into a needle.

"I think there's been a mistake…" Hermione heard Romina say and glanced at the raven-haired girl to see her staring at the match like it was about to jump and attack her.

"What? Is it a faulty match?" Hermione asked, seemingly close to raising her hand to ask McGonagall for a new match.

"No," Romina calmly said. "I am afraid that I can't turn this into a needle. That means I have to do magic! I can't do magic!"

Hermione was a bit confused before she realized Romina was just nervous. "Your whole family are witches and wizards."

"Yeah, that's not the type of reassurance I'm looking for, Hermione."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Just do what I do."

Romina watched Hermione for the longest time. It didn't look as hard as she thought it would be but it didn't take the nerves away either.

"Just try it," Hermione insisted. "This is why we're here, right? To learn magic?"

"Yeah, guess so..." Romina mumbled. She drew in a breath and pointed her wand at the needle. It was to her mighty shock when she watched her match turn into a sharp needle. "Woah..."

Hermione gasped with the same shock. "You did it!"

"Yeah..." Romina felt like she was smiling stupidly. Her first bit of actual magic — she did it!

In the end, only she and Hermione had been able to transfigure their matches successfully. When class was dismissed, Hermione fled out of the room to, Romina assumed, go to her next class. She hadn't even thought to ask Romina if they shared any other class but Romina wasn't bothered. Instead, she caught up with Harry and Ron.

"I didn't think you'd actually oversleep on your first day," Romina joked with them.

"We actually got lost!" Ron huffed.

"Poor Ronnikus," Fred appeared from an intersection, looking ready to tease or pull a prank, or perhaps both.

George then liked his head right above Fred's. "That'll be a story to tell Ginny, maybe even get her to laugh."

"Who's Ginny?" asked Romina.

"Our little sister," went the twins together.

"We have to get to class," Ron hadn't felt like being teased by his brothers and was ready to get out of there.

"What do you have?" Harry thought to ask Romina. He and Ron had DADA next and had yet to even learn Romina's schedule.

"Defence Against the Dark Arts."

"Good luck with Quirrel," George made a face while Fred pretended to gag.

"Why? Is he tough?" asked Harry.

"No, but he's a joke of a teacher," Fred said.

"Not to mention he always smells like garlic," George waved a hand in front of his nose.

"Garlic?" Romina repeated, fairly entertained. "What? Is he fighting against vampires now?"

"That's his story," said both twins, making Romina stop for a minute.

"Vampires exist?" Harry blinked, making the twins and Ron laugh.

"Quirell said he fought off a vampire in Romania but now he uses the garlic to make sure the vampire doesn't come back," Fred explained.

"Fred and I think he actually stuffs the garlic into his turban," George smirked.

"I have heard enough of this crazy story," Romina decided and started past the boys.

"Careful, Rom!" warned Fred but Romina shook her head.

"You're idiots!" she made sure to call back.

~0~

They're idiots who were right, thought Romina after they had been dismissed from DADA. Quirell was a stuttering mess of a teacher who probably lied his way to get the position. The only thing that came out of his mouth was bumbling lies and Romina was sure of it. Too bad I have to spend all year with him, she thought glumly.

"Yeah, I didn't think he was all that good either," Arden admitted that night after the girls had finished dinner. They sat on the carpet floor of their common room, doing homework which they already seemed to be getting a lot more. "He kept stuttering a lot which made it a little difficult to understand his lecture."

"Are you talking about Quirell?" Pansy had entered the common room. Her face was contorted into utter disgust. "That class is a joke. I'm only eleven and even I know that man isn't made for the Dark Arts."

"Pansy I think anyone with common sense could see that," Arden shrugged.

"Then why hasn't Dumbledore seen it?"

"That…" Romina pointed at Pansy with her quill, "...is actually a good question."

The wall rumbled as it opened for more students coming in.

Pansy smirked and walked over, plonking down on the couch. "I can't imagine Quirrel actually teaching us anything important this year...or the next."

"That's because he won't," Draco had come in with Angel and by two larger boys Romina didn't know yet. "Not to mention he physically can't. The man's an idiot."

"Well he's an idiot who happens to leave a lot of homework," Romina raised her parchment with a smirk on her face. "So...who has the answers?"

"I do!" Angel happily raised a hand. He was also, quite possibly, the most cheery Slytherin Romina had met so far.

~0~

Nearing the end of the first school week meant there would be some time to finally relax...or so first years thought before starting classes. They were surprised to find loads of homework being left each day which would then pile on if you didn't do the homework of the prior day.

Romina thanked the Gods she only had two classes on Friday: Charms then Potions. Romina trudged along to Potions with Hermione. Her first choice had been Harry, but the boy was proving to be trickier to find. Hermione seemed to have made no such new friends yet, at least that's what Romina thought and wouldn't dare straight up ask, and so the two girls made each other company in classes they shared. Hermione was kind enough to point out that several of the students were already questioning Romina's lineage and would only be a matter of time until Harry himself came into the loop.

Hermione proved to be a nuisance conscience. Romina would inevitably have to come clean and was constantly reminded of it.

Entering the potions class, the students - save Slytherins - discovered the dungeons were much colder than the castle itself. There was an eerie green shade bathing the windows and reflected off some glass jars of picked animals that Snape kept on the shelves around the room. While Romina and Hermione took a seat at one of the desks in the middle aisle, Harry and Ron took the one directly behind them.

"Why are you so jittery?" Romina was watching with amusement as Ron shifted from one spot to the next.

"This is the worst class possible," Ron mumbled.

"Funny, I thought Neville would have said that," Romina threw a brief glance at the boy in question who sat in the next aisle of desks, looking positively ghastly. "What's the big deal? It's our last class. And we have it together."

"Yeah, easy for you to say when you're a Slytherin and thus one of the preferred students of Snape," Ron said.

Romina raised an eyebrow. "What? Is that the rumor going for this professor?"

"It's not a rumor. It's true," Ron frowned. "Everyone says so."

Romina made a face and glanced at Harry to see what he thought. "Honestly, I thought I was only imagining that Snape didn't like me but...I'm starting to believe it's true," Harry said quietly.

"That's ridiculous—you haven't even met him! I haven't even met him properly!" Romina exclaimed.

"Romina!" Pansy called the moment she walked into the class. "What are you doing sitting with Gryffindors?" She made a gesture to Hermione who was hungrily reading from her book and out of tune with the world around her. "Come sit here with me!"

"Pansy, no, quiet," Romina made a motion for the girl to sit with someone else.

"Oh leave her, she loves to sit next to them in every class," Draco didn't fail to remark from his desk on their left.

"If it bothers you both so much to sit alone, then just sit together!" Romina snapped. "And I was in the middle of a conversation so shush!" She sighed then looked at Harry and Ron. "These are some of the people I live with."

"Please don't turn like them," was all Harry had to say on the matter.

"They're not bad," Romina smiled in amusement. "They're just—" but at that moment Snape had strode into the room.

As he walked down the desk aisles, each student turned to face the board. Hermione merely raised her head from her book. Without so much of a greeting, Snape began calling attendance. He got through every student - and made a passing remark about Harry being a celebrity - and finally gave a somewhat greeting to the students.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," his eyes swept over the room. Even though his voice was like a whisper, the silent room made it sound like a shout. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses..." he took a small pause to which every student remained listening to, "I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even put a stopper to death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

Everyone then waited for him to go on with the lecture. However, he suddenly called Harry, making everyone flinch in their seats. Harry had barely raised his eyes when Snape started throwing questions his way.

"What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Harry blinked. He had no freaking idea what Snape was going on about. Hermione raised her hand faster than the first blink of Harry. Romina then shot her an incredulous look. How could she possibly know that?

With no answer, Snape asked a second question. "Powdered root of what to an infusion of what?"

Hermione wiggled her fingers in the air, desperate to be called upon. Snape paid her no attention.

"I don't know, sir," Harry finally gave an answer.

Snape seemed satisfied with his lack of knowledge. Romina was beginning to see what Ron meant.

"Tut, tut—fame clearly isn't everything. Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Romina inwardly slapped her forehead when Hermione nearly fell out of her seat raising her hand to answer the question. Behind them, she could hair distinctable snickers belonging to Draco and his friends.

"I don't know, sir," Harry repeated himself, unfortunately.

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh Potter? What's the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

Once more, Harry didn't have the answer. And he sincerely doubted anyone in the class—except Hermione of course—had the answer. "I don't know," he repeated for the third time then flickered eyes to Hermione. "But I think Hermione does. Why don't you try her?"

Definitely wrong answer, Harry. Romina closed her eyes, regretting for Harry. Everyone around them laughed.

"For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite," Snape said like a breeze in the air. He then looked at the rest impatiently. "Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?" as he headed back to his desk, he made sure to warn, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter."

Definitely see what Ron was talking about. Romina focused on her note taking, which paled in comparison to Hermione beside her. When it came time to do the class work, Snape put them into pairs which - for today - would be the person sitting beside you.

The task was to create a potion that would cure boils. Romina wasn't as surprised seeing she heard Fred and George babbling about the potion with another companion of them. She suspected it had something to do with their first prank of the year that they had yet to make.

Poor unfortunate soul, thought Romina.

While Hermione weighed nettles, Romina smushed snake fangs. Snape watched them all like a hawk, giving a couple lines of criticism directed mostly towards Gryffindors. Not one Slytherin rubbed him the wrong way despite being almost as bad as some of the Gryffindors. Although it was clear that the prized student in the class would be Draco considering all the compliments had been for him and only him so far.

"Show off," Romina muttered under her breath after the latest compliment Draco received and made sure the whole class heard it.

"Watch it, please!" Hermione huffed and pointed Romina to their cauldron. "You don't want to—" An explosion startled them, as did with the other students.

Suddenly, Neville cried out and other students near them began to hiss and hop. Green smoke started enveloping the class, all from Neville's and Seamus Finnigan's cauldron. The cauldron had melted and was spewing the acid to the floor, burning holes into students' shoes.

"Up! Up!" Romina panicked and climbed over her stool. Hermione quickly followed to do the same, and soon everyone else.

Pansy shrieked when the acid neared her desk, but she was outmatched by Neville's agonizing cry. His skin was turning red and popping up boils.

"Idiot boy!" Snape took off for him and used his wand to clear the class of acid. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?" Neville couldn't answer on account of his boil situation. "Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape ordered Seamus. He did the unthinkable and whirled around to Harry and Ron. "You - Potter - why didn't you tell him not to add the quills?" Harry didn't even have time to be offended. "Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."

All the rest of the students slowly resumed their seats, but their eyes were glued onto Harry to see what he would do next. Romina mouthed 'no' to him and begged for him to have some sense and stay silent. It was clear Snape was looking for more reasons to doc points off Gryffindor because of him.

When it finally came time to leave, Ron didn't fail to rub it in Romina's face about how wrong she'd been about Snape.

"Okay, so I was wrong," the girl huffed. Hermione zoomed past them without a word. Behind them, Romina was sure she heard the laughs of Pansy and Draco. Those two could cause some issues alright. "He's unfair. I'm sorry Harry."

"It's alright," Harry said, truly not minding it. He had also just confirmed that Snape hated him for no reason.

"Cheer up, Harry," Ron nudged him. "Snape's always taking points off Fred and George. Can I come and meet Hagrid with you?"

"Hagrid? You guys are meeting with Hagrid?" Romina said as they ascended up the staircase leading them back to the normal level of the castle. She led the way, going upstairs backwards.

"He wrote me a letter earlier today," Harry explained. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

"Where does he live?" Romina wondered. "I mean he—AH!" she had tripped over nothing and landed on the floor.

"Rom!" Harry panicked but before he could do anything something splashed from above, drenching her entire body.

Romina thought it was freezing cold but it had a familiar scent. Her vision was blurry but she swore she saw two sets of redheads up on the second level. Unknown to her, someone else saw too.

"Romina!" Pansy came towards her but immediately retracted the step with a shriek. "Eugh! It's the same as Longbottom!"

Because now Romina's skin was getting blotchy and red, sprouting boils like Neville had done earlier.

"It hurts! It hurts!" Romina cried, her hands covering her face.

None of the students around her knew what to do, and thankfully none of them had to.

"Out of the way," ordered the cold voice of Snape who, with a wave of his hand, made every student rush to the sides. "What—who did this? Who decided to get funny and replicate my potions? Poorly I should add." He turned on the others, demanding an answer straight away but of course no one had one or they wouldn't give it up.

"Professor, it just came out of nowhere!" Pansy frantically waved her arms. "She-she was walking and-and it just happened!"

Snape looked at the others and of course everyone agreed with her. And so, Romina was taken to Madame Pomfrey to receive the same treatment Neville was. When she was more or less stabilized, Snape continued persisting for the name of the culprit who had dared take from his stock of potions.

Romina was staring directly at him, showing no bit of nervousness. One wrong word and she could get some dear idiots in trouble. "I honestly did not see anyone, Professor. I was just walking with Harry and Ron and it just hit me. Literally!" she waved an arm but quickly brought it down after seeing the ugly boils that had yet to disappear.

Snape was staring at her like he believed his mere look would eventually break her, but Romina was quite good at those looks. Her muggle teachers, and even some nasty girls, often decided she was so weak that with a simple look she would crack.

"Professor, she needs to rest," Madame Pomfrey stopped by Romina's bed after checking over Neville. "I'm sure you can figure out who did it after she's well."

It was obvious Snape hated to lose especially against a student, but with no more to do he turned and left. Romina released a breath and made herself comfortable again.

Over the next couple of days, Romina received visits from Hermione - who often brought along the homework she was meant to be doing over the weekend - followed by Harry, Ron, Arden, and even Pansy when she wasn't gagging over the boils. She was, however, pretty anxious to see Fred and George come in on Sunday. It was actually really funny seeing them approach her with terribly guilty faces.

"Good afternoon boys," she greeted like nothing. Though she kept her voice a bit quiet considering Neville was asleep nearby.

"Rom…" Fred's eyes flickered to Pomfrey at her desk, "...we are so sorry! We thought the upperclassmen were coming out."

"Is that who your little prank was meant for?" Romina raised an eyebrow, fairly curious to know who had been the actual target.

"We got the dates mixed up," George let his head hang in shame. "Sorry about that."

"Yeah, don't worry about it. I lived, see?" Romina gestured to her face that was on its way to leaving the last bit of redness and boils. "No one has to know about it."

"Rom, you really are the best," Fred lunged to hug her but the mere contact still stung Romina that she yelped and pushed him away. "Sorry."

"You definitely change the meaning behind 'Slytherin'," added George.

"I intend to in the future," Romina smirked.

They talked for a bit more until they had to leave on account of some detention they had to serve to McGonagall. However, they did leave behind a box of pumpkin pastries for her. Romina happily started munching on them, making a mental note to separate some to share with Neville.

She received one more visit, though, before she could relax as she would've pleased.

"Did Pansy send you in cos she was busy still gagging?" Romina mused as Draco approached her bed. "Or Daphne? I honestly think that girl is too squeamish for her own good."

"I don't do things for people, and much less for Parkinson," he huffed. "Though these are from Angel," he rolled his eyes as he pulled out a small box of chocolates from his pocket. "Like I said, they're from Angel!" He said to be perfectly clear.

Romina chuckled as she accepted the box. "He's so sweet, that Angel. So, was this it? Or is there something else you needed?"

There was a hint of mischief in his eyes. He looked around like someone would be interested in their conversation. Then, he stepped closer and whispered. "I know that you lied, Oswell." Romina's eyes widened as Draco pulled away. "I know you saw those Weasley twins upstairs cos I saw them too, but you lied. You lied for two idiots who aren't even in your house."

"It was an accident," Romina shrugged. "What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is you could have gotten them into trouble like they deserved. Snape would have had their heads—"

"Yeah, I know, that's why I didn't rat them out. Besides," Romina raised a pumpkin pastry, "Think about what I could get afterwards because I kept my mouth shut? Exhibit A."

"Did you play the Weasley twins?" Draco asked, almost sounding like he was impressed.

"Not 'play' as in to be evil, but for...I just saw an opportunity and I took it. Now if you play your cards right you can get something too. But nothing they can't get - and nothing that gets them into trouble." Draco considered it for a moment while Romina went back to her pastries. "Might I give a suggestion?"

"Okay…"

"Do your parents allow you sweets?"

"What? Course they do," Draco automatically said before stiffening with the new idea. "Oh...you're kinda good."

"Ask for the ones they don't let you have. I'm asking for truffles."

"Yeah, alright. But now you owe me one for keeping your little secret."

Romina smirked. "Deal."

A/N:

P.S As always, I have a tumblr account dedicated to my fanfic works! It's a place where anyone can comment about a story or even just talk to me! I often drop aesthetic work belonging to my stories too! Feel free to check it out, my URL is "saiilorstars"