(A Harry Potter Fanfiction) Just Add Magic

Veronica: "The Hidden Spectator"

I sit next to Nicole Snape threading strings together to make patterned rugs for my most recent model, a replica of the famous muggle 'Plaza Hotel' in New York. Nicole S is reading "Hogwarts, A History" beside me. We didn't really want to go, and honestly why should we? Ravenclaw tryouts aren't for a couple days. Sasha wanted to go to 'see the team's potential' and Nicole had to come with her little fan group which now includes Katelyn Umbridge.

Cat and Lottie weren't allowed in because they were Slytherins. It seems like the Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry is way more intense this year, with the new captains of both teams being basically sworn enemies. I can't help but smile at the thought of Draco.

I know I'm not the only one with a crush on Draco, Lottie's sister has an obvious thing for him, Sasha's not very good at denying that sort of stuff and of course there's Draco's creepy girlfriend Pansy Parkinson, but still I feel like no one could understand how strange (yet amazing) I feel around him. I shrug it off. He'd never date a Lovegood.

My thoughts were elsewhere, on the mini 'rugs' or the Slytherin captain, so I didn't notice until now where the conversation is directed. It catches my interest, despite my hate of gossip.

"I heard Madeline Malfoy got into a fight with Pansy Parkinson! It involved a beast apparently. Pansy was telling her friends about it!" My sister says enthusiastically.

"I heard that the beast was a hideous monster that can kill you with its eyes!" Katelyn adds.

"Isn't that a basilisk?" I comment, "Madeline wouldn't have one of those."

They ignore me and continue.

"I heard the creature burnt down the dorm!"

"It sounds like Pansy broke all her limbs!"

"Madeline set all her beasts loose?" Sasha asks, mishearing all the previous comments, having been preoccupied watching the pitch. "She has licenses for some of those things! They have to be dangerous, at a high level on the M.O.M scale, to need a license!"

"I heard that Madeline's being expelled!"

"Didn't she kill Pansy?"

"Wait, hold on, you said you heard this from Pansy." I remind them.

Sasha doesn't hear me over the noise in the other stands. "Oh my god, actually?" Sasha asks, "Somebody died? Who?"

"Nobody's dead," I say, "Seriously guys. At first I actually believed you about the whole fight thing."

"That part's true," A voice says from behind us, "I did get into a little scuffle with Pansy, but she started it and someone else set my niffler loose. Nifflers aren't dangerous."

"Madeline?" Nicole says nervously, "How long have you been standing there- where even-?"

"Invisibility potion." An empty bottle smashes on the ground next to us. "Oops, I was just trying to show you... whatever. They aren't letting Slytherins watch Gryffindor trials, so I'm not meant to be here... but my cousin's trying out, I wanted to watch and yeah...."

"So, you're snooping?" Sasha asks disapprovingly. I sigh, knowing where this is going. Being a teacher's daughter rubs different expectations into you.

"Not really. They came to see me tryout, your captain's just not... as easily persuaded."

Sasha clearly doesn't approve. "Don't you have better things to do? Homework for instance?"

"What? No, I don't get potion's homework from Slughorn because-"

"Other homework! Believe it or not Madeline, learning is the key to success!" Sasha retorts. I hate how Katelyn and my sister just sit back and listen to collect gossip. Probably to tell Cat later. Why do people have to gossip so much? Why can't people be kind?