Assemblage

one

Even after three years attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I still hadn't made any close friends. Sure, I talked to my roommates. But I wouldn't consider us friends. More like acquaintances.

Hogwarts was... Changing, to say the least. It all has to do with the Minister of Magic who was appointed over the summer. He's one of those prejudiced types who wants everything to be the way he wants it. And the way he wants it? No muggleborns or halfbloods. Only purebloods, strutting around like they're better than everyone else just because they come from a family that hasn't married with muggles.

The school was changing to this stereotype. The teachers still had the same views as they always had. What I'm talking about is the students. Especially some of the pureblood students.

Bullying on muggleborns and halfbloods has never been so bad. Even I've experienced bullying. The other day I landed in a week of detention because I ended up duelling a fifth-year boy in the hall. Not my fault. One, he was picking on a first-year. Two, he underestimated me because of my size. Being a five-foot-two girl makes a lot of people underestimate you.

Now, I sat in the Great Hall. Noises surrounded me. People talking, cutlery clacking. Yet I was zoned out, too absorbed in the fantasy world of my book to care. Apparently I hadn't noticed that breakfast had ended. One of my roommates, Charlotte, tapped me on the shoulder and gestured to the Entrance Hall, where students were flooding to to get to their classes. I got up and swung my bag onto my shoulder. As I walked to class, it seemed that the rest of my third-year Slytherin house had gone ahead of me, as I was alone.

My shoes clacked against the stone in a satisfying way. Click clack, click clack, as I headed down to the Potions room. I jumped down the last few steps, the heavy bag swinging from my shoulder threatening to break if I swung it around too much. I entered the classroom. We were with the Hufflepuffs for Potions. They stayed to their side and didn't bother us. Some of the other Slytherins jeered at me as I entered the room. I scowled back and gave them the dirtiest look I could.

I stopped mid-step. Two of the students had caught my attention. They were in my house and all of my classes. Why were they just sticking out to me now? I guess I must have looked for a second too long. One looked over and gave me a weird glance. I shook my head, looked away, and walked to my desk. I noticed a slip of parchment with a list on it on my desk but ignored it and waited for the Professor. Professor Slughorn had retired quite a few years back. The Potions Professor now was a tall lady named Professor Dovie.

She entered the room, clapping her hands together.

'Good morning, students! Based on the ingredients that are stated on the list on your desks, what do you think we'll be brewing today?'

One of the students that had caught my eye earlier raised his hand. Professor Dovie pointed at him. 'Yes?'

'Shrinking Solution?' He suggested.

'Yes! Very good. Thank you, Mr...?'

'Daniel Wright, Professor.'

'Yes, thank you. As you heard Mr Wright say, we will be brewing the Shrinking Solution. The instructions-' she waved her wand and the instructions appeared on the board. -'are on the board. You have the rest of class. Hop to it!'

I rushed over and grabbed the things that I would need. I managed to get them to my desk without dropping any. I sliced the caterpillars and added them to my cauldron, letting them sit and heat. Meanwhile, I shook the peeled Shrivelfig. I remembered how last year, my cousin came over and tried to show me how to make the Shrinking Solution. She hadn't shaken the Shrivelfig enough, though, and when she added them it had caused some sort of gas to emit from the potion which made us both sick.