Chapter 5

It was less than an hour later before I was woken up by knocking. It was soft, almost hesitant but I still woke up.

I opened the door to Daphne Greengrass standing at my door, dressed to the nines in a beautiful slip drip and her makeup and hair on point.

"I'm sorry about Pansy," She said. "I know she can be a bit of a bitch."

"Okay,"

She gave me a look up and down before frowning, "Get dressed. The Seventh years are throwing a party in their common room."

"They have a common room?"

"Yeah, Seventh year privileges are a thing," Daphne said. "The party started but you've still got time to get ready. Something nice but something slutty. Or wear what you're comfortable in. If you've got alcohol, bring it. Fags too."

She strutted away.

It was only a Saturday so we didn't have classes until Monday.

Maybe a party was going to be a good thing, let me get to know some people. Maybe make some friends too.

I put my camera in my clutch, alongside my cigarette pack.

Getting dressed didn't take long. I wore a tight black tank top with my best pair of dark jeans, ones which had several large rips in the tight material. I pulled on my black leather jacket and grabbed the vodka and Malibu bottles I hid in my trunk.

"Do you think it's a good idea?" Silver frowned at me as I quickly lined my eyelids in a dark eyeshadow before doing a wing. "Slytherins are known to do hazing rituals to newbies. They do it to any transfers."

"Can't be helped, Silver," I told him, applying a nice lip-gloss. "If I get hazed, I get hazed. You'll look out for me, won't you?"

"Of course, I will! I'm just concerned,"

"Then we shouldn't have any problems, should we?" I pulled on a pair of boots before leaving for the Seventh year dorms.

The door opened and the person gave me a stiff look before nodding me in. I could already hear the music coming from the very last room of the hall. Light mist came from underneath the door and when the person got to it, they opened it and let me in.

The Seventh year common room was packed with people. It was fairly smaller than the main common room but just as nice. A huge table sat to the left, holding all of the bottles and cups and some food. I put down my vodka bottle but kept the Malibu to myself.

The lights were low and flickering as a slight green tinge came from the windows of the Black Lake. It set the mood and the music was good.

Pansy Parkinson strode over to me, drink in hand and with Daphne Greengrass and Millicent Bullstrode behind her.

"Good to see you could make it… in less than adequate attire," She said. Pansy wore a tight dress with slits on either side of the skirt. "I thought you would have dressed up some more rather than wear your Muggles garbs."

"This is a house party, not a gala," I replied, fixing up my own drink. I had already filled my goblet with Malibu and mixed in lemonade. "Slutty but comfortable, I got told. I'll wear a dress next time if you're so bothered."

"We're Slytherins. We don't show up half-dressed and looking like we came from the Muggle world," She snippily said. She thrust her goblet at me. "Try it."

Instantly, I knew where this was going.

Pansy wasn't going to be nice to me, I could see it in her eyes. The tiny glint of something told me she had alternative motives than simply giving me a drink.

"No, thanks," I tried to smile. "I'm good with my own drink."

She huffed, "Suit yourself. Oh, they're finally here."

Pansy puffed up, slinging her shoulders back and putting a calm but sultry look on her face. Daphne and Millicent did the same. Pansy strutted over as the doors to the common room opened again, letting in the trio of male Slytherins.

"What's so special about them?" I asked Daphne as Millicent followed Pansy. "Harry doesn't like them and the way you all look at them… It's peculiar."

"It's because they're, as we like to call them, the Aces of Slytherin," Daphne sipped her drink. "Nothing happens without them knowing, nothing happens without their permission either."

I looked at her with narrowed eyes, "Why are you being nice to me?"

"You've got the Aces' attention and that's a dangerous thing. I'm not being nice. I'm just warning you that there is a hierarchy in this House and Pansy is top girl. Then myself, Millicent, Tracey Davis and then you at the bottom. Pansy sees you as a threat."

"I'm not a threat to her little crown," I said. "Nor yours. I'm not here to play the game of politics."

Daphne's laugh was humourless and dry, "You don't get a chose in the game of politics. It's the way of life here. Either you play or you die. You're just a little Squib in the game of powerful Wizards and Witches. You've got no place here, Potter. I thought to warn you before you make a mess of this House."

"That's where you're wrong," I took a larger than necessary gulp of my drink, letting the mixed alcohol and lemonade go down with a simmer. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't have what it took. Calling me a Squib is like calling a serpent a lizard. It doesn't take away from the pain when the bite comes."

I let my teeth show when I smiled, making sure she knew I wasn't kidding. I wasn't going to be insulted on the same day I arrived at Hogwarts. There were some things I could ignore, but to insult me and my ability was not one. It didn't matter that it could take me time to take revenge or hash it out. I could wait, bide my time and plan.

I excused myself, seeing an open door that led to the outside balcony. I was surprised that there was a balcony but didn't let it faze me. I could smoke in peace.

I put the cigarette to my lips, trying to light it while the wind from the summer night kept putting out my lighter flame.

"Here," Someone put their fingers to the end of my cigarette, a flame appeared at their fingertips and lit my cigarette with ease.

"Thanks," I took a breath, holding it to absorb the nicotine better. I offered the pack to Blaise Zabini. "Want one?"

He took one from the pack, lighting it with a snap of his fingers. He took a draw, almost like he was examining the quality and taste before nodding, "There's something about Muggle fags that are better."

"There's nothing special about them, that's what," I said, quicking examining my cigarette before taking another draw. "It's all natural stuff, nothing Magical added."

"You've had Wixen cigarettes?"

"I snuck one off someone I knew,"

I didn't sneak one. When Sirius caught me smoking that one time late at night, he offered me one from his Wixen pack, letting me compare. They were nice and flavoured but nothing beat the nicotine high of a normal fag.

The moonlight caught his rings.

Blaise Zabini wore many rings, just like Draco Malfoy and Theodore Nott. His right hand had more rings than his left. A signet ring with the ace of spades on his middle finger with a serpent ring around his ring finger. A horned devil ring finished his right hand on the pointer finger while his family ring sat on his left pinky and a square obsidian ring on his left pointer finger. They were all polished silver.

I only had my family ring right and my hands felt almost empty when I looked at his.

"What are you drinking?" He asked.

"Malibu and lemonade," I offered him the goblet.

He took a swig and nodded, "Not bad. Sweet."

"I like my alcohol sweet but strong," I finished my cigarette, rubbing the end out before flicking it into the little dish to the side with the other butts. "See yah inside."

I wasn't being ignored but not a lot of people talked to me when I went inside. Whatever conversations I had were about how I transferred into Hogwarts. Why? What happened? Did I choose not to join when I was eleven or what? I answered without giving away the true reasons.

When I went back to the drinks table, I poured myself another drink and tasted the difference in the lemonade. I wasn't drunk. One drink wasn't going to do much to me. I took another sip and found Silver begin to shake his head at me.

"It's starting,"

I was dragged out of the common room by two burly boys, each of them holding me as I felt a little light-headed.

They dragged me out of there, out of the Slytherin common room and outside, bringing me through the darkness of the school grounds. I couldn't fight them. They were a lot stronger than me but I still thrashed in their arms.

I gave Silver a look to back down, feeling his anger like it was my own. I was burning with it, boiling inside as I was forced through the grounds and towards a huge willow tree.

They shoved me to the ground and I fell to my knees in the wet grass. I struggled to stand but I did. My limbs were numb and heavy but I forced myself.

Pansy, Daphne, Miliscent and Tracey Davis stood before me.

"Look at her," Pansy laughed. "A couple drops and she's almost paralytic."

If she thought I was already paralytic, she should be assessed for some sort of mental deficiency. I was standing and glaring at her. The only thing I felt was my heavy limbs and a slight headache. I was nowhere near paralytic from whatever she gave me.

"What…do you…want?" My tongue was dry and it almost hurt to speak.

"Ah, the Squib speaks,"

Tracey rolled her eyes, "Just get on with it."

"Fine," Pansy nodded to the two fat boys around me.

They both grabbed me, dragging me again. This time I dug my heels in, trying to stop them.

I heard the thumps from behind me. The willow tree wasn't normal. Its branches swung out and thrashed, swinging at anything and everything near it. It deserved its name of the Whomping Willow.

The boys stopped a foot or two away from its reach before almost tossing me into the grasps of the tree.

I landed on my ass and then a branch slashed barely an inch away from my hand. I flinched, fear welling up in my chest as I stood up and dodged a swinging branch. Another one caught my ankle, quickly dragging me closer. I clawed at the ground but all I did was bring the wet grass with me. It pulled me into the air, lashing like a whip before thumping me down to the ground.

I landed on a small rock. It dug into my ribs as I groaned in pain. It echoed all over my whole side before the willow took me up again.

Silver watched from a distance, his hands clenched but he wouldn't do anything, not unless I was in immediate danger or I told him to.

I heard the laughter from the group. Pansy's cackles echoed all around me and made me angry.

Grabbing onto the branch that held me, I tried to get it off my ankle but it didn't work. I didn't want to take out my wand yet, I didn't quite know how to use it or what spells would work the best. Harry told me many spells but I didn't know the proper movements for them just yet.

Another branch slashed at me, slicing a deep cut down my face. I felt blood drip and even tasted it as it broke the skin on my lip.

The burning started again.

The hot pain started at my wrists this time, travelling all over my hands within seconds. I gritted my teeth, holding onto the painful Magic in my grasp as I held onto the branch around my ankle.

I wanted to burn the tree but not to destroy it, just enough to get it to let go.

The branch lit on fire, burning bright and hot and i prepared myself for the fall. It let go and I plummeted to the ground. I landed gracelessly, heavy against the stupid ground as I let out a harsh scream of pain. I felt a rib crack.

I still stood up as all of the branches retracted themselves, flinging backwards lest I do it to every other one that touched me.

When I put weight on my ankle, I hissed a breath. It was twisted but I still limped forward as Pansy and her little groupies all laughed at my pain.

I dragged Pansy down with me, straddling her as I punched her in the face.

One.

Two.

I felt her nose break.

Three.

Her eye left eye would be bruised.

Four.

Five.

I was dragged off of her but not by Pansy's fat little duo of boys.

"What the fuck is going on?"

I saw Draco's blond hair, striking in the moonlight as Blaise and Theo dragged me off of Pansy. They didn't hold me though, only getting me far away enough that I couldn't leap forward to hit her again.

"Bitch broke my nose!" Pansy screamed, clutching at her face.

"I'm going to break more than your fucking nose!"

Blaise pulled me back when

When I went for her again, Theodore held me back while Blaise stood in front of me.

"Calm down," He demanded. "You've done enough. Any more and she'll tell Snape."

"Any more?" I scoffed, snatching my arm out of Theodore's grasp. "She drugged me and brought me here."

"You're just a pathetic Squib," She yelled again as Daphne helped her up. "You had to go all Muggle on me."

I looked over Blaise's shoulder, "You want me to go Muggle? I fucking will!"

Blaise didn't let me go past him as Draco addressed them.

"Keep her there," Draco called to us. "She's done enough damage. And I thought we told you no hazings, Parkinson."

"She deserved it, Draco,"

"For spilling juice on you?" He laughed. "You know we don't do hazings anymore. You're the reason they think all Slytherins are evil. Get inside before I lose my temper."

At those words, the little group went white, all colour falling from their faces. They all hissed cursed at me before they began the trek back to the castle.

Draco turned back to us, rubbing a hand over his sharp jawline as he came over, "Causing fucking trouble when there's no need."

I felt my rib creak as I breathed in. wiping a hand down my face, I saw the blood on my hand. My lip was still bleeding too, dripping into my mouth a little. I licked the blood off my lip.

Without warning, Draco pressed a hand into my ribs. I shoved him.

He gave me a cold look, "You've broken a rib. You need to go to the hospital wing before it punctured your lung."

"I'll be fine," I said.

"No, you won't,"

"Back off,"

All of them took a step back as the wind whistled around me in my anger.

"You're certainly not a Squib," Theodore chuckled. "Can you walk?"

I sent him a dark look, beginning to slowly limp my way towards the castle. It hurt. A lot. But I refused to let my injury impede me, or let them touch me.

)()()(

Silver was angry but not at me.

He kneeled before me as I sat on my bed, his cold hands on my ankle as he healed it. He had already done my rib and the cut on my face. They would be all healed by morning but he was still angry.

"I knew it was going to happen, Viktoria," He muttered. "And you wouldn't let me help. Why?"

"Because I need them to know not to mess with me," I said back. "They're bullies, Silver. They're like Dudley. If you don't show them why not to, they'll keep bullying you. I punched Dudley that one time and he stopped. But I doubt these will stop."

"No. No, they won't. It'll just become worse for you,"

"But they know what will happen if they do. They'll be a little more than inconveniences in my life now."

"Hopefully,"

"Yeah, hopefully,"

I went to breakfast with no marks while Pansy was still swollen with her bruises, all covered with heavy makeup. She glared at me from her side of the table.

My seat had been swapped so I sat closer to the Sixth year than the Fourth, putting me away from Pansy and her little gang. The Aces separated me from them, putting distance so there wouldn't be another fight.

Pansy continued to glare at me and I knew this would be a year of hell from her.