Little Snake - A Black Legacy

Chapter Nine - First Traces

"How long have you been sitting here?" she was jolted out of her thoughts and catapulted back into reality. Ominis had sat down next to her. "What time is it?" she asked wearily, rubbing her eyes. "Half past five. We have to get to breakfast soon" he said. She leaned her head back against the wall and sighed. "Two hours" she replied to his original question. He moved closer to her until their shoulders touched. "what's wrong?" Ominis asked. "I... I had a bad dream. That's all." she muttered softly to herself. "And why is your heartbeat so loud?" the blind boy asked gently, reaching for her hand. It felt good the way he gently slid his thumb over the back of her hand. "Malfoy was here, but I put him in his place," she replied with a smile, quietly telling him what had happened as the common room filled up and the students slowly made their way to breakfast. When Sebastian finally showed up, Hazel went to her room to put on her uniform, while her boys stood guard outside her room.

"Tell me, Hazel... do you like dueling? So for fun I mean?" Sebastian asked her as they were walking up the stairs near the Great Hall. "Yes. You could call it stress relief. There were days, last year, when I kicked Professor Fig's butt all the way!" she said with a reluctant laugh. "Then I'll take you somewhere soon. I think you'll like it" he said as they sat down. "Have we gone from leashes to bodyguards now?" A girl next to Malfoy laughed. "Aren't students from the same house supposed to make sure that such a thing wouldn't be necessary?" Hazel countered with indifference. "I thought the oh-so-noble old bloodlines were... better than that." she added with a hint of disgust. "Better than what?" the girl, who looked like an exact copy of the light-blond Malfoy, hissed. "Better than the scum of the muggle world," Hazel replied nonchalantly.

She didn't understand all this talk of noble houses anyway, when they all behaved the same as the Muggles they so hated. A murmur could be heard around them. It seemed that no one had ever dared to confront them. Hazel didn't care by now. She just tried not to expend any more energy than necessary. Today she would not play up emotions if she didn't have to.

Malfoy stood up. "You'd better sit down. I don't think you want me talking to my family," she said, bored. It was only a bluff, but an effective one. He sat down and his sister stared at her hatefully. "They're starting to get on my nerves" Hazel muttered as she took a sip of tea. Suddenly the screeching of owls could be heard in the hall and she looked up. Several owls - some carrying letters, some carrying newspapers, some even carrying small packages - flew through the windows of the hall. One of the letters almost fell on Hazel's marmalade bread. "I love you too Lilly" she called up to her owl, which circled restlessly above her and then - just like that - plopped down on her shoulder. "uff Lilly!" moaned Hazel. Nurse Blainey had healed Hazel's bones, but her shoulder was still a little sore. Surrendered, Hazel stroked her owl and offered her a piece of bread. "I don't think fruit tea is that good for you" she said as Lilly eyed her cup. Lilly let out a little screech and instead leaned down to Ominis water glass. "Hey! You don't drink out of other people's glasses Lilly, stop it! You and I will talk about your manners later Madame!" Hazel cursed. Ominis just laughed. "Let her drink if she wants. There's nothing wrong with even an animal enjoying spending time with you!" he said, carefully extending his hand to the owl. Lilly eyed his fingers at first, as if they were some strange animal. Curious, she approached the fingers and gently nibbled on them as if to feel them out before allowing herself to be stroked. "I'm not usually that into animals. I tend to trip over them and then they get mad at me" he laughed. His laugh warmed Hazel's heart. It made her smile, too. "That's because they're so small. Your attention is way higher. You're just not used to animals" Hazel said. Ominis nodded. When Lilly finally flew away again, messing up Hazel's half-open curls, she decided to read the letter.