Ch. 17: The Slytherin

Chapter Song: Your Nickle Ain't Worth My Dime by Sleeping With Sirens

"Honestly dear, you need not be here right now." The nurse sighed at me as she positioned the mirror in front of Hermione's teeth so that my sister could judge how they looked. It was a little hand-held one with silver ornaments carved into the sides that featured the Hogwarts Houses in their various forms, and Hermione took it gingerly, sniffling slightly as she did in embarrassment. "You should be in class."

Hermione nodded at me, her emotional moment had passed and she was now back to her motherly self. "Y-uh." She tried to speak, but the chompers muffled up her words, causing a flush to her cheeks.

"You sure, Mione?" I frowned, "I could always skip Advanced Potions."

Hermione shook her head at me, earning a groan from the Nurse. "Please don't move. This is temperamental magic, sweetheart."

For a small moment, I simply watched Madame Pomfrey work her tender magic, with her weathered features scrunched up in concentration. There was a pit in my stomach. Something solid and heavy, weighing me down from the inside like a creeping depression. My sister lay on her cot, her curly-haired head propped for the Nurse, and I decided that I was feeling anxious. Anxious for what Hermione must have experienced at this school, anxious about what we'd experience together. Clearly, this wasn't a progressive place when it came to Muggleborns.

Sighing, I picked up my bag and stood slowly, the chair scraping the cobblestone floor and verberating off the walls of the Infirmary. "I'll go then. At least I got to ditch Moody's class. He scares me." I muttered to no one in particular and left the Nurse's office quickly.

Running, I took the stairs down two by two, trying not to be late for Potions. I was sure Snape would not appreciate that. 'There go another few points for Gryffindor', I thought in annoyance.

I was so caught up in my own world, that I didn't detect another person coming up the stairs until I shoulder checked her and ended up dropping my bookbag. Cursing under my breath, I quickly apologized.

"Shit, sorry," I said, scrambling to pick up my scattered rolls of parchment.

The girl knelt down and helped me, pushing back the long sleeves of her blue and bronze trimmed robes. " 'S alright!" She assured me softly. We both stood as I pushed my jumbled mess into my bag. then took the few rolls from her arms. She was a pretty Asian girl was a Scottish accent, and looked to be a little older than me, from what I could tell.

"Hey, you're Elizabeth, right?" She politely smiled.

I stuffed the other materials into my bag, with my head tilted to the side in curiosity. I couldn't, for the life of me, remember her at all. "Do I know you?" I frowned. "Sorry," I immediately backtracked, not wanting to sound rude, "I'm bad with faces."

She blushed and looked down at her shoes. "Uh... No, but I have been meaning to introduce myself. You're kinda making a name for yourself." She stuck out a tanned hand and smiled. "I'm Cho Chang. I'm a Ravenclaw."

The name struck a whisper of memory in my mind, and I realized that I did know her... or, rather, of her. I could remember a short interaction between Harry and Ron on the train as Cho and her friends passed by, and if I remembered correctly, Harry had a little crush on Cho. I watched her a little more carefully, my interest piqued.

Quickly, I shook her hand and nodded. "OH, well it is nice to meet you. I actually think I've heard of you too." I spoke before I really thought about what I was saying.

"Really?" Her eyes sparkled. "Why?"

I mentally slapped a hand over my mouth. My tongue had just betrayed Harry. I honestly didn't mean to say that.

I coughed, nervously. "Er...You know, I can't remember? But don't worry it was something nice." I chuckled, throwing her off. I pointed down the stairs and slowly moved forward, trying not to be obvious with my escape. "You know, it has been really nice to meet you, but if I don't leave now I will be late for Advanced Potions."

"Oh, by all means, go!" She chuckled and slowly waved goodbye. "Maybe we can talk later, bye."

"See ya!" I called behind my shoulder and sprinted down the stairs, I still had a few minutes, according to the pocket watch in my dress robes, but you try to get from the middle of a large castle to the dungeons of it in under ten minutes.

✧

I burst through the door absolutely on time, can you believe it, and a heavy-breathing pattern. "Oh. My. God!" I cried out and gasped for air. Jenna and Lana watched me, snickering softly and grinning. "I made it." I heaved out a heavy breath and wiped the sweat from my brow. "Man..."

"Run a marathon, Elle?" Lana rose an eyebrow at me and Jenna kept laughing.

"Shut up!" I hissed nonchalantly at them. "Jerks!" I cursed them and looked around the full room-trying to find an empty seat since Cedric was sitting next to a silvery haired girl from Gryffidor already. My eyes scanned the room and the sight of someone waving at me caught my eye.

Through the sea of Red and Green students, like little Christmas decorations with spaced out faces (clearly no one here was exactly eager to learn), I spotted a chipper girl flagging me down, eye seafoam coloured eyes contrasting with her deep olive skin and loose curls.

Shockingly, it was a Slytherin who was waving me over to sit next to her. I tried to think if I knew her, but her figure didn't ring any bells. Who was she?

Slowly, I made my way over to the desk and set my things down. "Hey! You must be Elizabeth! I am Blake Hall!"

"It's Elle," I smiled a little, "and nice to meet you too?" Despite how comfortable she'd gotten with me at a fast speed, I was getting the feeling that I was going to like this chick.

I rifled through my messy bag, trying to figure out where everything had ended up after my encounter with Cho Chang, the object of Harry Potter's affection. Blake opened up her parchment and began prepping her notes with her quill. "Can I call you Eliza? Or Liz?" She asked, "I think Elle is too much like the letter." She frowned and helped me organize my things. "Sorry if I am coming off weird! I'm kinda crazy, it's just how I sausage roll."

I stared at her serious face for a few seconds, completely silent until I couldn't hold back my laughter. "Ahahaha, what?!"

"Haha, yeah that one was kinda lame. Sorry," she laughed, and I noticed the nonchalant expression she was holding. "So can I? Call you Liz or something like that, I mean?"

"Sure, whatever." I shrugged, still chuckling and shaking my head at her.

"So, you're a fourth-year?" She asked me, making small talk before class began.

I smiled politely and nodded. "Yeah! It's my first time here, but so far I like it. Are you a fourth year?"

"Me?!" She threw her head back and let out a loud snort-causing people to look at us curiously. "No! I'm a sixth year! But, I can see why you may have been confused-I do look a little young for my age."

"Would you shut up-Hall? Some of us are trying to study!" Malfoy called behind us and I was about to retort, when Blake suddenly snapped up out of her chair and slammed a hand down on Malfoy's desk-causing him to jump.

"Don't cross me you twit! I don't care who your father is-or what your lineage is!" She hissed at him, her liquid eyes freezing solid as she glared. "If you were smart you would recognize your place-my family's pure blood has been around way longer than your family's baby blood has so I would watch your tongue if I was you."

Even I felt my heart stop at her menacing words. Woah-she could be scary.

"Well, I would be if you weren't tainting your blood by mixing with dirty bloods." Draco's face was pale, but he still manage to say that.

Blake looked as if she was made out of pure stone. "Respect my decision to do what ever the fuck I want. Got that?" She flipped her curls behind her shoulder and turned away from his desk with a sneer. "And I would not be boasting about your defiled blood if I were you, Draco."

Draco's mouth popped open and then closed, and then open once more, but no sound made it's way out.

Blake shook her head and turned back to me with a smile, as if nothing just happened. "Sorry about that, sometimes the only way to get through to that prick is to exercise my rule over his. The only language he understands is 'High Society', like that matters," she scoffed. I think the funniest part of her monologue is that she was saying it right in front of him. "It keeps him quiet for a few days, but then he starts back up in a week." She shook her head like a concerned adult, tisking away. "But, what can you do?"

"Oh, well... that's good to know." I grinned. This girl could hold her own; I really did like her.

"Silence class!" Snape got up in front of the class. "Today we will be learning about the potion called Felix Felicis. One drop of this and the user will be having good luck for the rest of the day. It is highly temperamental and highly toxic-lethal even- if you get it wrong. Turn to page 398 in your books and begin."

✧

Jenna grabbed her chest as the four of us, Blake included, escaped into the fresh air of the outside. "That was horrible!"

The entire Advanced Potions class had been cleared out of the dungeons, and we were all scattered about the open air. Some students were being rushed to the Infirmary, while the rest that happened to make it out in perfectly fine condition, were excused from the rest of the lesson.

Before we left, Snape cautioned everyone to watch for delayed side effects. Some students experienced boils, pustules, or excessive drowsiness. We all half paid attention, excited to have the rest of the day to ourselves.

"WHY DID YOU MIX THE FOX CLAWS WITH THE BUTTERFLY EXTRACT!" I screamed at the top of my lungs at Blake, earning some weird looks from people making their way towards the Quidditch Pitch for practice.

Blake's eyes enlarged and she pouted a little. "I just wanted to know what would happen."

I smacked my forehead and grumbled under my breath. "I specifically told you not to!"

"That's why I did it!" She stomped on the ground and pointed at me. "It's your fault for tempting me to do it!"

Lana rolled her eyes and high-fived Blake excitedly. "Man! Did you see Snape's face as the poison gas began to erupt from Blake's pot?!" She let out an evil chuckle. "Priceless!"

I sneered at the laughing trio-sure, it truly was hilarious. "Yeah?! And did you see Cedric's face as it began to break out in thousands of boils?!"

Jenna stopped laughing and frowned. "Oh...that's not funny."

"No! It isn't!" I scolded, but Lana gave me a cross-eyed look and broke down my facade. A round of laughter tore through my mouth. "Okay, okay!" I giggled. "It was pretty funny!" I snickered and we all had a good laugh for a few minutes.

"Sorry that I ruined Cedric's perfect face." Blake chuckled menacingly and Lana shook her head.

"She's just mad because now she has to fantasize about her boyfriend with boils all over his face."

Blake's mouth opened a little. "Woah-really? Interesting!"

"Wait-what?!" I threw my hands in the air. "He isn't my boyfriend!"

Jenna giggled. "Yeah, not yet."

"Hey, is anyone else not feeling too great?" I asked, suddenly feeling a little sleepy myself. It was a sort of agitation feeling, like when you didn't get enough sleep after a few days, and it all builds up to angst deep in the pit of your stomach. "I think I need a nap now."

They disagreed, not feeling affected at all. Lana even claimed that I was just changing the subject. We all began to walk towards the covering of the Great Hall when Hermione appeared behind me. "Hey! Moine!"

"Hey, Elle. How was Advanced Potions?"

The four of us shared a knowing glance and decided not to say anything about what Blake had done. Hermione was sure to worry about possible side effects and have us all rushed for examination by Madame Pomfrey. Instead, I narrowed my eyes and examined her smile.

"What did you do?" Something was off. Then I saw it as she smiled again! She had not only fixed her teeth, but she'd also changed them. "You shrunk your teeth?"

Hermione bit her bottom lip, trying to decide whether she wanted to admit it or not but gave in. "Yes! The Nurse told me when to stop when they were back to their original size... so, I just lied - a little - to get them down to the perfect size."

"Pretty smart, sis," I admitted and suddenly remembered why I had stopped her. "Have you seen Harry? I need to get the DADA homework from him."

Hermione shook her head. "He went to visit Hagrid-said it was urgent."

"Oh, well. I can get it later." I yawned and looked at my watch. Five o'clock, which meant I had time for a nap in the common room before dinner. "I'm going to go back to the room you guys, I'm about to pass out."

Blake arched a brow, worry crossing her face. "Hey, that could be a side effect--"

"Of a boring lecture!" I blurted out over her. Hermione's worried expression that cropped up at the word 'side effect' subsided. "Yeah, you're probably right. I'll see you guys at dinner."

I waved them away and, as I made my way inside, I heard Lana and Jenna invite Blake to sit with us for dinner.

"Or, maybe you can sit with us for the rest of the year?" Jenna added innocently and I chuckled with a small smile.

The stairs glared at me as I trudged my way up them to get to the common room. Every flight of stairs I would curse who ever thought it would be a great idea to have kids climb countless stairs every day. Maybe that was why they did not have a Physical Education class?

However, despite the exertion of energy, I was so freaking tired. Of course, I thought dumbly to myself, it would make sense that I was suffering from side effects. I was sitting right next to the Slytherin that had started the catastrophe in the first place. My brain was starting to get fuzzy, all I could think about was remembering the stupid Common Room password for the Fat Lady.

I thanked the gods that I remembered it, having little fuss with the Fat Lady as I crawled my way into the Common Room. The warm fire called to me and I debated whether or not to nap up in my bed or on one of the close, nearby, and oh-so-cushy looking couches. My decision was already decided before I had to think any further.

Yawning, I threw myself down on the couch, noticing in some part of the back of my mind, that it was not as soft as I had remembered it. I was too tired to care, my senses were beginning to fog up.

I didn't even care that I heard a guy calling my name from under me, or that I could quite possibly be crushing some random, helpless Gryffindor. Too bad for them cause I was out in two seconds.

One.

Two.

✧

In my dream I was running away from an evil farie godmother. Instead of trying to fix me up for the ball, she was trying to make me go in my underwear! And I hadn't shaved my legs!

I was running and running, but finally I could not run any more and she caught me and started tickling me!

"Stop!" I mumbled at her, trying to pry her tiny body away from me. Suddenly, she stopped and disappeared and now I was in the middle of a valley wondering what the hell was going on. I was going crazy.

"L." A husky voice rung through my ear and I looked every where for the source.

      "What?" I mumbled. The dream was beginning to fade and I was beginning to wake up.

     The voice let out a low chuckle that shook my whole body. "Are you gonna wake up any time soon?"

     "No..." I whined and pulled the blanket on top of me over my head and snuggled my head deeper into my hard pillow. "Five more minutes." I yawned and felt my body being called back to dream land.

     "I didn't want to have to do this, butttt..." The voice snickered and two warm objects were suddenly grasping my armpits and tickling me.

    Gasping, my eyes fluttered open, I quickly sat up and I took in my surroundings, smacking the hands away from me through breathless giggles from torturous tickling.

     What I saw sent a flurry of emotion through me. I saw me, now sitting on top of Fred Weasley and Ron, Jenna, Hermione, Lana, and Blake were all sitting around the couch watching with large eyes and....was that popcorn?! Anger, then embarrassment, then comedy, and then embarrassment again as I rubbed at my eyes, still feeling very foggy from the side effects of the poison gas.

     "What?!" Was all I could get out through a stifled yawn.

     Fred sent me a grin from under me. "Good morning, sleeping beauty. You ready to get off me now?"

      Frowning at him I shook my head, still too tired to care at the moment. "No. You are comfy." I was joking, but later I would blame the poison for fogging my judgment.

     "You're mental," Fred scoffed. "I was debating carrying you to the Infirmary, but once you started snoring your arse off, I figured you were fine."

     I ignored the snoring comment.

    Refusing to move, I started a conversation as if nothing weird was happening. Not entirely sure if it was due to sheer hardheadedness or poison. "So, Blake, how did you get in here?"

     "U-uh. Hermione let me in?" Her kind eyes darted around the room not sure what to make of the scene before her. "Are you two-together?" She turned to Hermione with the question, but everyone just shrugged at her.

    I opened my mouth to let out a laugh, but Fred interrupted. "Aye! We are, right, babe?"

     I squinted at him angrily. Babe was demeaning. "Sure, sweety pie?"

     "You sound like mum," Ron sniggered, causing Fred to cringe.

I smirked a little and put my hands over Fred's which were on top of my thighs. "Though I would love to continue where we left off," I joked with Fred, knowing no one else in the room would know nothing happened. "I am really hungry and am going to the Great Hall now."

Fred's eyes sparkled with my humor and he grinned cheekily. "May I join?"

"If you want."

With that I sent him a cheeky wink and hoped off the couch, snapping the coursing energy that seemed to flow between the two of us. Meanwhile, my foggy brain was still reeling. 'Seriously', it said, 'what the hell is wrong with you?'

As Jenna, Lana, Hermione, and Blake followed me out of the Common Room, I suddenly felt totally aware of what just happened. What did I just do?

Hermione was the first to ask me that. "What was that?"

We turned down the stone corridors, towards the long winding staircases lined with portraits chattering amongst themselves about their daily activities. Another tired yawn ripped through my throat and I groaned, feeling very bitter towards Blake for the concoction she'd cooked up.

"Yeah?! What did you do before we found you passed out-on top of Fred Weasley?!" Jenna's eyes popped wide. "Your life is so scandalous!"

I rolled my eyes. "Seriously you guys, we were just messing around." I frowned as I pushed open the doors to the Great Hall. "By the way—why were you all watching us?!"

Blake blushed a little and Lana let out an evil cackle. "It's not like there's anything more exciting going on, anyway — babe," Lana sung.

Dinner was quiet.

I was still pretty tired. It was a little nerve racking for me, my eyes would wander across the table and meet with Fred's, thinking about how foolish that whole ordeal had been as embarrassment settled its claws into my brain, but then he would send me a wink or a funny face and my conscious was clear.

One could certainly let their brain convince them that they are the dumbest person alive, if they let it. Besides, it was a joke. All in good fun.

We were already done with dessert, and starting to get up from the table, when a worried Ginny tugged on mine and Hermione's sleeves. "Where's Harry? He hasn't been here all dinner."

Ron snorted and rolled his eyes, dabbing at the corners of his mouth with a dinner napkin. "Good. That slimy git can stay away for all I care." He tossed the napkin over his plate and stood up from the bench with a huff.

"That's mean, Ron." Hermione sighed and shook her head.

  I glared at him, despite Hermione's understanding tone. Ron wasn't winning any brownie points from me by talking bad about his 'best friend' behind said friend's back. "You call Draco a slimy git too, Ronald."

A small frown puckered on the outskirts of Ron's chin. The meaning of my words hit him deep and he sighed, shaking his head. "I don't have to explain myself to you."

"Didn't want you too." I stuck my nose in the air and walked way from him and Hermione.

She had issues for putting up with this big baby.

      By the time we all reached the common room, it was cold and dark outside and rain could been see plattering on the windows. Fat droplets pooled against the stain glass and streaked down the frames, casting an ominous air.

     I saw the familiar mop of messy black hair sitting by the fireplace and I grinned. "What have you been up to, Harry?"

     Ron rolled his eyes at Harry's back and quickly headed for the stairs, refusing to even be civil.

     Harry looked around at the big group of girls surrounding him, nervously. "Err, do you lot mind if I talk to Hermione and Elle alone?"

     Jenna, Lana, and Ginny all exchanged a confused glance, but shrugged it off. "Sure, guess so." They replied and headed up the stairs to give the three of us privacy.

     "What's wrong, Harry?" Hermione rose a brow and rubbed her upper arm. I could tell it made her nervous to see Harry nervous; hell, it made me nervous because of all the stories Hermione told me of their previous experiences.

     Harry hesitated, his green eyes glinting anxiously behind his round frames. I glanced from Hermione to Harry then back again, waiting for someone to say something. When no one started, I egged Harry on.

     "Tell us."

    Harry ran a shaky hand through his hair and sighed. "Dragons."

     "Excuse me?" I crossed my arms over my chest. Was he high or something?

     "The first task!" Harry whisper yelled at both of us. "It has something to do with dragons."

     "Shit." I felt my mouth pop open. "Dumbledore really wasn't kidding when he said that the tournament wasn't for the weak-hearted!"

     "Not really helping, Elle." Hermione frowned at me and rested a calm hand on Harry's shoulder. "Don't worry, we can help you prepare. When is the first tournament?"

     "November 21." Harry's face grew a little pale and I didn't think that Harry could feel fear.

     "Woah, woah, woah," I protested, "that is next week, like the Monday of next week! How are we supp—," Hermione slapped a hand over my mouth and shook her head authorativly at me.

     She sent a sure smile to Harry. "We will just have to make do with the time we have. From now on me and Elle will be helping you learn charms and spells for the arena."

~~~~~~~~

(2011 Author's Note:

SO there it is!! I would write a longer Author's Note-but currently my mom is nagging me so-got to go!

xoxo Jess )

I wonder what my mom was yelling at me about ... - 06.18.2022

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