I look back at the station, nodding to Veronica, Cat, both Nicoles and Lottie, who only just mysteriously returned, as the carriage drives off. I'm a second year, so I unfortunately can't go with them. For being the last to leave, I end up in the final carriage with Blaise Zambini, Theodore Nott, Pansy Parkinson, Draco Malfoy and Amanda. Not the best companions if I'm honest. I don't know Amanda's last name as she's never shared it. Amanda keeps a lot to herself, as if guarding herself from a temptation or grief. What that might be I have no idea.
I grit my teeth as I lay eyes on Zambini's crumpled robes. I hate people who just can't bother with anything like that. "What?" He asks with a glare, I just shake my head and turn away, ending up looking at Theodore. It takes effort not to turn and look at Draco, who I have a bit of a crush on. Not that he'd ever turn and look at the tidy, organized Ravenclaw with clean robes, good marks and brown eyes. Not without some miracle.
Theodore watches something unseen as the carriage lurches forward, beginning its short journey up the large hill that the castle looms on. The dark turrets and lit windows welcome me like an old friend. Even if me and Mom have a home outside of school, we both agree that this is where we belong. She's a teacher and I'm a student, so of course this is home. Theodore frowns in disgust at whatever he sees in front of the carriage, although I see nothing.
"Still seeing your imaginary horses Theo?" Draco taunts, "Maybe I should tell my mother that your crazy. That might help her consider Crabbe instead of you."
"My betrothal to your sister isn't your concern Malfoy," he whispers quietly, "that's for our parents to decide. Besides, I'm not alone in betrothal to her..." he glances at Zambini thoughtfully, remaining quiet, his voice soft.
"They'll make the right decision," Blaise Zambini tells his friend snidely, "and pick me." The two glare at each other. Their words shock me. They're letting themselves be torn apart... over a girl. Not any girl, but Draco's sister. Not only is she not really pretty, despite being lucky enough to have some of Draco's looks, but she's just a first year. Madeline Malfoy betrothed to them? It almost makes no sense. Almost, but I know pure bloods.
"Your sister is betrothed?" Amanda asks, the disapproval clear in her tone. Draco sneers. I can't help myself. His blue grey eyes shimmer mockingly at her, making me want to look deeper into them and find out what he's hiding. I turn away again, appalled with myself. I need to stop looking. I smooth down my collar and make sure my hair is in check, trying not to get tangled in the conversation. Is Draco betrothed? The thought makes my skin crawl. You're a half-blood, you wouldn't end up with him anyway.
"Yeah she's betrothed." Draco tells her with an eye roll, "My parents had to choose someone respectable for her and there aren't many pure-bloods left. You've got to get betrothed or claimed before they're all taken." He looks at her as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "But you Gryffindors wouldn't know that would you?"
"Does she even know them?" Amanda inquires, ignoring the question.
"I've seen her once or twice." Both Blaise and Theodore answer in unison, glaring at each other with matching coldness.
"We pure-bloods meet up every now and then to talk like 'civilized' people." Pansy tells Amanda with a smug look, putting a huge emphasis an the word civilized. "Not that you half-bloods would know, you don't have the superior qualities and knowledge of a noble family. Isn't that right Draco?" I hate how she says his name, slick and perfect, as if purring. She isn't the prettiest girl I've seen, with her smug face and ugly nose. I wonder what Draco sees in her. I hate her, her looks, how she clutches his arm and strokes his hair, how she indicates that I'm un-civilized. Draco does it too Sasha, he mocks half-bloods and lower behind your back, in front of you even. But I don't care. It's her I hate.
"Watch it Parkinson," Amanda tells Pansy, clearly not liking the tone of the conversation, "I can get you a detention."
"Yeah sure." Pansy grunts, her smug smile still on her face, her eyes still on Draco's. They're dating, everyone knows it, but I still think it's wrong for her to be so close to him. She doesn't deserve him. And neither do you, a little voice in my head seems to scream, but I ignore it entirely.
"Who are you betrothed to?" I ask, directing the question at Draco.
"How dare you speak to him," Pansy tells me, "When did you have any allowance to talk in this conversation teacher's pet? What's your name anyway? Mudblood? Book girl?" Blaise snorts and Draco sneers. I don't care about what Blaise thinks, but Draco...
"Sasha's her name," Amanda says for me, "And you should watch out, I know her mother pretty well."
"Yeah who's her mother, some muggle?" Pansy taunts, making all the Slytherin boys snort, even though it isn't funny.
"Professor McGonagall." Amanda tells them with a glare. I shoot her a gratified look, and she returns it with a nod. Pansy falls silent and so do the others, staying that way for the rest of the ride. Draco lies against her, permitting her to stroke his handsome white-blonde hair. I like the color of his hair, I like how it shines in the moonlight. Yet I hate her touching it.
The carriage thumps to a halt in front of the school's wrought iron gates. Professor Flitwick nods at us as he scans his clip board. Now there's a lot of security at school, defensive charms, aurors, now this.
"Names?" The professor asks. Amanda nods and answers for us.
"Blaise Zambini, Pansy Parkinson, Theodore Knott, Draco Malfoy, Sasha McGonagall and Amanda."
"Your last name?" He asks, glancing over the list. I frown at the tone of the usually kind and accepting professor.
"I'd rather not-"
"No exceptions." He tells her firmly with a glance at her badge. He may be short, but he's hot blind. "As a prefect you should know that Amanda."
"Amanda Black." She tells him with a sigh.
Draco moves back slightly. "Like in Sirius Black?" His expression is strange, and slightly guilty. What could he have done wrong?
"No, it's my mother's name. She's a muggle." Amanda tells him with a glare. I know she's lying, but the other Slytherins don't seem to. Draco relaxes and the whole lot of them laugh and sneer. Amanda's Sirius's daughter? No wonder she doesn't want anyone to know her name. Pity flashes through me briefly, before I brush it away.
"Your bags are labeled with your names I presume?" Our charms professor asks impatiently. No one argues, so I assume that's a yes. "Splendid, come this way please."
Filch scans our bags with a device I recognize from the ministry. It finds objects with dark magic and other things programmed to track. Snape uses a similar device to scan each of us, making sure we have nothing hidden in our pockets. I notice him turn the device off before running it over Draco, but decide not to mention it. I don't know how it works, maybe it is on. Filch's device beeps over Draco's bag. Filch calls Draco over, obviously pleased to have found something. Snape strides over too, ready.
"I can vouch for Mr. Malfoy." Snape tells Filch. The caretaker doesn't check Draco's bag as he's meant to. Instead he moves onto the last one... mine. The detector goes off. I glance at my bag in surprise. Why would I have dark items in my bag? I hear Theodore and Blaise chuckle despite their quarrel. I try to calm myself by listing my favorite k-pop songs in my head but it doesn't help. I straiten my tie and watch him search my bag and scan each of my things. Then Filch grins in triumph holding up a Weasley's Wizard Wheezes product. Instant darkness powder.
"What's wrong with that?" I ask Professor Snape nervously.
"Weasley products are banned from school because of what they call a 'skiving snack box'. Ten points from Ravenclaw." I know he's punishing me for carrying the item, but it's not fair. Negative ten points at the start of the year? Filch tosses the powder onto a pile of confiscated objects, most of them with the bright orange 'WWW' of the new joke store. At least I'm not the only one.
We get to the great hall, and I soon get into a conversation with the Ravenclaws as we wait for the first years. I smile happily, and wave slightly to my mother, who nods and manages a half smile. I watch the doors intently, waiting for my friends.
YOU ARE READING
(A Harry Potter Fanfiction) Just Add Magic
Fanfiction*Important Note: This story has a strong chance of either being completely rebooted or discontinued. I wrote it many years ago back when I was in grade 7 or so. It is cringey as anything and completely for fun. I'm keeping it published because some...
