Millicent decided to call her the Slytherin Banshee. She sneered the moniker over breakfast to a laugh from Pansy. Daphne just shot Leo an exhausted look.

"I did say I would be a better roommate," Draco said. "Move. I want to get some mash."

Leo leaned back so he could reach the dish without touching her. "I would never disagree with you about that."

He huffed. "You love to disagree with me."

"Because you're very good at being wrong."

Draco snarled at her and stole a sausage off her plate before turning his back to her to talk to Crabbe instead.

It wasn't long before the mail arrived. Her mother's eagle owl delivered sweets to both her and Draco, and she made quick work of the tie on the bag to get to the contents. But then another owl—she knew this one, and she selected some bacon to give it—put a letter in front of her. It was her name in a familiar, bold handwriting.

"The plan," Regulus growled at her. "You're getting distracted. You should already be gone."

She hushed him with a roll of her eyes and a waved hand in his direction—Draco ignored it, as always, but Theodore glanced at her askance—and she opened the letter.

Leo,

Tell me everything.

Your favorite,

Tonks

She held the letter tight, frowning. She would write back. Of course she would. But what should she include? The hatstall? Dora was a Hufflepuff; she wouldn't mind. The screaming? Only those at Malfoy Manor had known that until now, and Draco was the only one to ever put it into words.

"The plan." Regulus was growling now.

"Fine," she said, folding the letter and tucking it away. "Fine, fine, fine, fine, fine."

It was easy for Leo to leave. Most of the table didn't want to look at her, and Draco hadn't once since he'd turned away.

As Regulus led her to the classroom, he said, "Professor Flitwick is competent. A true Ravenclaw."

"An asset," she concluded. "Imperturbable."

"Among other spells. He'll be especially fond if you quickly prove yourself. Which is why—"

"Yes, yes, yes, yes. Early," she said, letting herself into the empty Charms classroom. "I'm early."

She'd practiced Wingardium Leviosa at the Manor until her arm shook and she couldn't feel her fingers. The quills she practiced on always shook, too. Her magic wasn't steady enough, and even now the quill trembled as she sat at a desk in the empty classroom and practiced soaring it about the ceiling. She wanted to perfect it. And she wanted to be caught.

"It needs to be perfect," Regulus insisted. "If it's shaky, it might not work. You'll never make it."

"I'm getting better," she promised.

"Incredible!"

"Drop it," Regulus prompted.

She jolted visibly, releasing her magic and letting the quill fall. She looked at the very small wizard standing at the entrance to the classroom. Bowing her head, she said, "Professor Flitwick."

He stared at her and then smiled. There was something sad about it, she thought. He flicked out his wand, catching the quill before it touched the floor and floating it to sit on the desk in front of her. "I will admit, I'm not used to students being quite so early to my classes. Especially First Years."

"I apologize if my presence is disruptive," she said, rising to her feet and collecting her quill.

"Nicely done," Regulus said, hovering near Flitwick. "Don't be too humble. He likes confidence."

At the same time, Flitwick said, "Absolutely not. It's a welcome surprise. It's not every year a student appears with such a clear talent for charms. Don't let me interrupt your practice. Please." He motioned to her as he moved to his desk.

"Thank you, sir," she said, casting Wingardium Leviosa again. She kept the quill up until Regulus, from his post just outside the classroom, leaned in to warn her that the other students were coming. She lowered the quill back to her desk, and the Hufflepuff and other Slytherin First Years poured inside.

When Draco stepped in, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle, his gaze sought her out easily. His mouth twisted. He stopped in front of her desk, crossing his arms. "Did you even finish breakfast?"

"Worried for me, Chou? I know how to feed myself."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "You always get up to something. Every time you go somewhere, you're always up to something."

"I've never been up to anything in my life." She gave him a smile. Then she glanced at Crabbe and Goyle, both of whom were lingering a couple yards away. Goyle wouldn't look at her. "Are you three sitting down? I would hate for you to delay class starting."

Draco huffed and dropped into the chair next to her. Goyle and Crabbe glanced at each other and then each shoved against each other to not take the chair right next to Draco. Goyle won.

Flitwick brought the class to order and began with roll call. Leo knew people were stealing glances at her, especially after her name was called, but she focused on trying to match faces and names so she could remember them. People were more inclined to like her if she could remember their names. She couldn't afford for people not to like her. And she didn't want to spend too many nights with Regulus hissing about not making enemies. How she was still so small and weak and enemies would do her no favors.

Flitwick spent most of the class going over the fundamentals of charms. An introduction to spellcasting, especially for all of the Muggle-borns who were learning about it for the first time. Leo did her best to be active and engaged—she needed Flitwick to like her, she didn't want him to think she was a lazy student, she couldn't afford to look disinterested even if she'd known these fundamentals most of her life. It was at the end of the class when Flitwick had them hold up their hands—no wands—and practice the movement for Lumos. Then he dismissed them with a reminder to practice the motion so they'd be ready to use their wands the next day. Students scrambled up, gathering their things and heading for the door.

Draco stopped when he saw her lingering. "What are you doing?" he asked suspiciously.

"I have a question for the professor," she said, blinking at him as if she'd never done anything wrong.

He squinted. Then he huffed. "Don't be late. You like plants."

She grinned and stood, finally packing at her things. "Of course."

Draco was the last outside the classroom, his flunkies already waiting for him. Flitwick was touching up his writing on the chalkboard as she moved to stand in the middle of the room. "Professor?"

"Miss Malfoy," he greeted cheerfully. "Do you have questions from the lesson?"

"Not from this one, sir." She folded her hands behind her and smiled. "I was wondering what the rules are on learning spells outside this year's curriculum."

He considered her for a moment. "There aren't any rules against it, though I do advise caution and keeping in touch with myself and your other professors. Do you have something specific in mind?"

"The imperturbable charm. So as I start my independent study on it, I can ask you for guidance?"

"Of course. I will always offer guidance to students who seek it. However, it is a Sixth Year topic. It's complex, and its difficulty in casting can mean concerning complications if it's done incorrectly. With that in mind, I would advise against tackling such a spell just yet."

Leo smiled, not intending to follow that advice whatsoever. "I see. Thank you, Professor Flitwick." She bowed her head and hooked her thumb under the strap of her back. She turned to go, Regulus already grumbling.

"Perhaps if you told me why you wanted to learn it," Flitwick prompted.

She turned to stare at him. Regulus stared at her. She took a breath. "You know who I am," she ventured. Flitwick gave her a tight smile, and she knew that was confirmation. "I wanted to see what I could do to my bed. I'd like to be a respectful roommate for my fellow students."

Flitwick studied her for a moment. "I'll consider it. Speak to me again after class tomorrow. For now, run along. I wouldn't want to make you late."

"Thank you, Professor Flitwick," she said again. Then she left for Herbology.

Leo had been partnered with Daphne during Herbology, and the other Slytherin was polite but cold as they gathered their dittany. Professor Sprout had looked over their carefully trimmed leaves and complimented them both on their attention to detail.

During lunch, Leo sat at the end of the bench with still at least a foot of space between her and Draco. He didn't talk to her much, mostly enthralled with their housemates. But when she got up to leave the Great Hall while everyone else was still enjoying the meal, he swung around on the bench and stretched out his legs as a new obstacle to her walkway. He grinned up at her. "Leaving me?"

"Trying to."

"Made any friends?"

She paused. "Did Mère put you up to this?"

"I'm being compensated. I got more sweets than you. All I have to do is report back."

"She could ask me if she's so worried."

"She probably assumed you don't know what 'friend' means. Need a dictionary?"

"I brought one."

"Of course you did." He drew his legs back. "If you manage to become friends with all the professors, let me know. That'll probably count."

"I'll keep you informed," she said flatly.

The Defence classroom was empty when she got there. Quirrell arrived only seconds before the stream of students, and he yelped when he saw her. He jumped again when he called her name during roll call, and he stared at her with wide eyes whenever she spoke during the lesson itself. In contrast, Professor Binns didn't seem to be aware of who she was. He didn't seem aware of who anyone was if they'd been born in the last hundred years.

After History of Magic, Leo retreated to the Slytherin Common Room and sat in one of the windowed alcoves under the lake's refracted light while she practiced Wingdarium Leviosa again. And again. And again. At some point, her hand was shaking while the quill was only barely, and Regulus was pleased that she probably wouldn't die.

"Have you been here the whole time?"

She blinked. The Black Lake outside the window was dark, and the Common Room was only lit now by flickering candle and the roaring fireplace.

"You hear me?"

"Oh. Coucou, Chou," she finally said, staring up at her brother.

He scoffed and pointed at the quill she was still keeping aloft. "You skipped dinner for this?"

"I skipped dinner?" she asked, releasing the spell and catching the quill. Her hand ached.

"Yes. I can't believe Father thought having it written down on your class schedule would actually keep you from getting distracted." He thrust a plate at her. "Toffees, too. So you can stop chewing on your hair."

She set her wand and quill down and turned to sit up, making room for him on the bench as well. "Thank you." She tucked her hair behind her ear. She hadn't even realized, though she supposed it was a step up from all the quills she'd snapped between her teeth.

He groaned as he dropped down next to her. "I'm not your house elf."

"It's a good thing, too. You would be terrible as one."

"Miss Malfoy," Flitwick called after he'd dismissed the class.

Draco shot her a grin as he got up. "I'll write Mère that you're already in trouble," he whispered loudly before leaving with the rest of the students.

Leo gathered her things and moved to join Flitwick at the front of the room. "Yes, Professor?"

"I've thought about your request, and the last period of the day is open for me on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. If you're willing to apply yourself, that is. It's a difficult charm and should not be taken lightly."

She set her shoulders. "Of course, Professor Flitwick. I promise. Thank you."