Moonlit Snake // R.L. Marauder's Era

NINE

I, of course, just ignored them as I walked into the shop.

I headed straight for the Pigmy Puffs because I've always wanted one. Remus came and joined me, he seemed more tired lately, it's weird he's only like this once a month, maybe he just has a weak immune system. I shrugged to myself because Flu season was about to start up again.

"Aren't they just adorable?" I asked him, holding a purple one up between us, and making a funny face at it, it squealed in delight.

I looked at how much they cost and my face dropped.

Thirty Galleons, that's crazy.

"I can pay half?" I looked to see Remus with his hands in his pockets and he was looking at his face.

"No! Absolutely not, I will not let you." I put the Pygmy Puff back and walked away. 

I could practically see Remus shaking his head and rolling his eyes at me. I knew him that well since he and I had been friends since the second year really. During year one we never really talked.

"Prongs!" I heard him call out to James I think, those boys are so weird, having nicknames and all.

I went to see what Andromeda and Lily were looking at since Lily had just walked in.

"Kelsey! Oh my God, look at this." Lily was looking through a book on how to make magical candy, Dromeda and I rolled our eyes, then looked at the quills they had, like the spell-check ones. 

I decided to buy two of these.

"Are you girls ready to go?" Sirius came up behind us and we nodded at him. 

We all decided on going to the Three Broomsticks for the rest of the time, just joking and laughing while we drank our butterbeer. Narcissa had come to join us much to the dislike of Bellatrix who was sitting with her boyfriend at another table, and to the distaste of Sirius and James. However, after a while, Sirius started being a bit civil towards his cousin, as was James.

Around six o'clock we headed back towards Hogwarts for dinner which was at seven. Once we got back, I said goodbye to my friends and headed towards the Slytherin table. Luckily we only had to wear our robes for the welcome feast and end of the year feast.

I saw Regulas and instantly went to go sit by him, but it seemed like he and Lucius were in a heated argument so I sat by Narcissa instead, who was, unfortunately, sitting with her sister Bellatrix.

"Hi." I smiled at them both.

"Hello, Kelsey. Enjoy your day?" Bellatrix practically sneered at me.

"Bellatrix, I think we all know you don't care," I replied.

"You're right, I don't." She cackled and I just rolled my eyes, Narcissa looked at her sister with disapproval.

"Do you know what Reg and Lucius are arguing about?" I asked Narcissa, she shook her head,

"I was about to ask you the same." We were about to continue when Professor Dumbledore stood up causing everyone to be silent, he looked around at us all.

"Tuck in." and then good appears in front of us and we all started to grab food.

"Hey, I didn't see you come in." Regulas finally spoke to me, turning to the food I had begun piling on his plate.

"You seemed to be having a heated discussion, so I didn't want to intrude," I told him as I took a sip of pumpkin juice.

"It was nothing, just some school stuff." He gave me a smile that was more like a grimace then he started eating

Soon we were all stuffed from the dinner and dessert we all ate and then it was gone. Dumbledore stood up again to talk, which was confusing since he almost never did that.

"I have a couple of announcements." We all turned to get a better look at him.

"I am proud to announce that this year at Hogwarts, on Christmas Eve, there will be, how you say, a party, well, a Ball more like it," he said and everyone started to whisper.

"However," he spoke again and every shut up, "it is only for years Five through Seven, but if you ask someone in a lower year, they may come." All the third and fourth years girls started talking amongst themselves and I rolled my eyes a bit too dramatically causing Regulas to chuckle.

"The other announcement is, the first Quidditch game will be next Saturday, and it will be Slytherin versus Ravenclaw. I wish you all the best of luck. Now, off to bed." There was a chorus of feet standing up and walking out of the Great Hall. 

Barty and I made sure the first years knew where they were going again before I walked back to my dorm with Andromeda.

I almost passed out in my bed but got up to shower and change before that happened. I took off my necklace again and put it by my things and went to leave when I heard a voice again.

"Soon Miss Clearwater, you will be the deciding factor in my victory."

I never left that bathroom so fast in my life.