ETHALINE

AN UNWANTED VISIT

Hermione gulped noticeably as Azura's big yellow eyes blared into her brown ones before she huffed and stormed out, but not before grabbing Ron's arm and yanking him out.

"Pathetic," Ethaline scoffed as she used her wand to close the door and lock it, "Their little group falls apart every other day and they blame it on me when I've done nothing but try to be their friend." She ranted as Azura perked herself on her bed post.

"Like the time I helped Ron with his homework after Hermione rejected him—or the time Hermione herself asked me for help. Though now that I think of it the poor girl isn't as bright as she leads herself to be...she memorizes her text books instead of actually learning them."

Ethaline then looked at Azura, "You know what I hate most?!"

Azura leaned her head to the side, as if telling her to go on.

"That they put Hermione Granger on a pedestal and expect me to just go with it. She messes up and it's okay—she calls Luna 'Looney' Lovegood and everyone moves on, but because of my last name if I were to do any of that I'd be framed a monster—a cruel Malfoy product sided with the Dark Lord." She ranted to her dragon as she paved the room.

"E-even Harry..." she sighed as she sat back down on the seat and stared herself in the mirror, her hands going to her hair—a constant reminder of her roots— "Even Harry chooses her side over me...when I've done nothing wrong."

She inhaled shakily as she felt her eyes water, "Because I'm a Malfoy."

Ethaline was determined not to let it get to her so she put on a brave, stern look and walked herself to her classes. She had unknowingly been inheriting Harry Potter's characteristics, such as not letting people get to him or the fact that he just simply didn't care if other people didn't like him.

As she sat next to Neville in Professor Trelawney's class, completely ignoring the Trio she heard the door burst open making her flinch as she turned and saw who it was. Umbridge, Professor Umbridge, easily one of the few people Ethaline hated. The woman had a talent for getting in her nerves.

Ethaline resumed her work, occasionally glancing up and watching as she interviewed Trelawney with questions that made no sense. She had also measured her height. Ethaline looked over at the Trio instinctively before she noticed a small red mark on Harry's arm.

With letters.

Ethaline's eyes snapped over to Umbridge, so the rumors of her abusing her kids are true, she thought bitterly as she debated whether or not she should summon Azura in her full form. The thought of the pink woman hurting Harry over telling the truth was revolting.

She believed him, Ethaline believed in him

Foolish to say the least, she thought, considering the chosen one prat wasn't talking to her. But as she planned, a calculated move—strict generic trait she inherited from her mother Narcissa Malfoy, she was going to meet up with Luna and talk to her about what occurred.

"You're dismissed." Professor Umbridge said in her usual collected and high pitch voice, pulling Ethaline out of her thoughts. She's what?!

Everyone seemed to be knocked out of their bored trance as they followed their hysterically crying teacher out of the classroom, down the stairs and into the courtyard where the poor woman pleaded for her to reconsider.

"Hogwarts has been my h-home for twelve years." She choked out, her bug eyes wide and filled with sadness as Umbridge stared at her without a sympathetic expression—not a single facial strain to even fake it.