The House of Snakes: Book One

Halloween

           

Hey guys, sorry I haven't uploaded this chapter on here until now, I've been pretty swamped with school and work! If you ever see that I haven't updated on here for a while you can always check on my AO3 page, my name there is the same as here! That's my primary uploading platform so everything will always be there first. I hope you enjoy this chapter and please leave a comment on how you like the story so far, I love hearing feedback!*

Over a month had passed since Harry's first Quidditch practice and Halloween as just around the corner. Both Hermione's and Pansy's birthdays had passed, the two girls delighted to find out their birthdays were just a few days apart, but not everyone had been so excited. Once again Daphne had been angry and spent the weekend whispering angrily to a tired and frustrated Millicent. Harry had felt bad for Millicent, she seemed to only have Daphne to talk to but never seemed to enjoy talking to her. He had tried to talk to her before but she had just stared at him with a blank expression until he trailed off and quickly left. He didn't try talking to her again unless she spoke first.

Harry was getting himself ready for bed, putting on the new pajamas Draco's mother had sent him as well. He had been awestruck when he had opened his trunk that night, he had expected to find his old clothes in the mostly empty trunk, but instead he found a trunk brimming with new clothes in all sorts of colors. According to Draco the jumpers and trousers were much blander than she had originally tried to get Harry, but Harry thought they were wonderful, he had never owned anything so nice. He had told Draco this, which promptly shut the boy up. He regarded Harry curiously, scanning over longer on Harry longer than he would have liked before the other boy had smiled and simply turned away to get ready for bed himself. Harry felt the warm material, not silk like Draco's pajamas, but rather a soft flannel that felt well-worn despite being new. He quickly got changed and helped close the curtains in the room.

When they woke up the next morning Harry couldn't help but feel as though something were wrong. Brushing it off as excitement for the upcoming holiday, Harry quickly dressed in his weekend clothes and, tucking his potions book to read at breakfast, chased after the others as they made their way out of the room. The Great Hall was just as packed as usual, but something nagged at the back of his mind throughout breakfast until it came to him.

"Where's Pansy?" The others suddenly seemed to notice the girl was missing, too, and Harry felt deeply guilty that it took him so long to notice. Daphne giggled, sitting up away from whispering with Millicent to turn to Harry.

"She's... not feeling well, so she stayed in the dorms," she gave a cold smile and Harry's stomach turned, remembering Draco's warning about Daphne. What did she do to Pansy? "She'll come out when she's good and ready, don't you worry your pretty head, Harry." Harry frowned deeply at the girl as she turned away. He looked at Draco and Blaise, both boys silently shook their heads at him. Turning his attention to his potions book Harry tuned out the hum of conversation around him, focusing instead on the words in front of him. He was so focused on reading that not only did he miss his mouth a few times, but he also missed the conversation around him trail off into silence. He didn't pull away until someone said his name, causing Harry to jump, and when he looked over his shoulder, Professor Snape surprised him so badly he dropped his spoon of oatmeal onto the table.

"Y-yes, sir?" Harry turned the best he could to face Snape who was standing directly behind him, making it hard to face him. The man said nothing, just picked up Harry's book from where it was propped, eyes scanning the page Harry had been reading and Harry realized he was reading the notes Harry had filled the book with just as the professor's eyes flicked to him.

"Do you make it a habit to deface your books, Mister Potter?" Harry worked his mouth for a few seconds before finding his words.

"No sir, it's just easier for me to remember what you've said in class if I write notes in the book next to the potion, sir," Harry felt very tiny, like he had done something wrong. He owned the book, shouldn't he be allowed to do with it what he pleased?