Serenity | 1

ELEVEN

"Welcome to Potions"

After Serenity's generous display in the great hall, she received plenty of unusual looks from students of all years. Even the lively portraits whispered among themselves, leaving their frames to gain closer access to each other and spread the gossip: there was a Rier in the castle.

Serenity kept her head down as she and Lakita made their way to the dungeons. The blonde was busy offering glares to bug-eyed students to realise the sudden shyness in her new friend. Noticing the silent threats, Serenity tapped Lakita's arm.

"Stop it, you're scaring them."

"That's the point." Shaking her head, Serenity rushes to stand in front of her friend. Hugging her potions and charms books to her chest, she lowered her voice and kept close to the sighing girl.

"No," she shook her head, "they're probably scared already." Glancing around warily at a gaggle of students gawking at her, she looks down at the ground. "They think I'm a freak, Lakita, don't let them think I'm a monster too." She turned and once again began making her way to Potions.

"But you're not!" Lakita called after her with a sigh as she jogged to keep up. "You're not a monster or a freak. You're Serenity Rier, and you helped Arthur. You didn't do the hurting, you alleviated it- they don't fear you."

Holding her head high, Serenity swiftly nods in the direction of a group of Slytherin girls. Two of the four of them flinched away while the two brunettes in the middle of them laughed with each other. Ther equally pointed noses turning up at the sight of her. Serenity was familiar with these girls, they had met before considering their fathers both worked alongside each other at the Ministry.

"Do you know who that is?" Lakita looks over at the sneering girls and scowls. "That's Bellatrix and Andromeda Black. Bellatrix is two years above us while Andromeda is a year above and they're supposedly family friends. But they have always despised me, as well as their younger sister." Offering a glare back, Serenity looks over at Lakita who now fell in line beside her. "They think I'm a freak."

As they entered the Potions classroom Lakita shook her head.

"Well, they're obviously a dim-witted purebloods." Lakita's smirk dies as a bubbly Slytherin girl skips up to Serenity. She looked mesmerized as she greeted the brunette and overly excited, she was visibly proud of herself as she excitedly tapped at the snake embroidered on her robes.

"I'm first!" She exclaims happily. "Can you believe it? I'm the first muggle-born to be sorted into Slytherin." She smiles briefly at Lakita before focusing back on the Rier girl. "I mean, you being all Marie Laveau is cool and all but I'm the first freaking muggle-born Slytherin... And the girls in my dorm think it's cool!" Serenity's smile was frantic as she kept up with Juliet's excitement.

"That's great!" Serenity grinned with a hint of false excitement as she hastily introduced Lakita. Juliet grinned up at the blonde.

"Oh! I know your brothers. I sat next to them at breakfast but they just stared at me... it was kind of weird, actually." Lakita strained a smile at the insult to her brothers.

"Who's Marie Laveau?" She directed the subject away from her brothers. She wasn't fond of this girl already, the stigma against Slytherins wasn't one she'd uphold but every time she met one that wasn't her brothers- she struggled. "Is that some, what do you call it," She waves her hand thoughtfully. "Muggle culture... thing?" Juliet smiles, dislike shining in her eyes.

"It's called a cultural reference. Marie Laveau was a voodoo practitioner who could intimidate anyone she wanted. She was a wise woman and even held the title of 'Supreme Witch'."

"Oh my god, really?" Lakita's voice rose, weighted with sarcasm and faux interest.

"Yeah! She was the only American muggle who associated with actual witches and wizards." Lakita's broad smile dropped as she rolled her eyes. Lost among the tense girls, Serenity desperately searched the room for a way to escape the confrontation.

At the front of the class, laughing with two students, the distracted Potions Professor was watching her curiously. Standing straight, he beckoned her over. Slipping carefully between the hostile Slytherin and Hufflepuff, Serenity was grateful for the excuse to leave them. She met with her Professor at the desk in front of the class, where he was patiently waiting. His square jaw softened and blended with his neck as he grinned at the first year.

"Serenity Rier." He greeted her with a hearty laugh. "I'm Professor Slughorn." She offered a small smile.

"Good morning, Professor." He happily looked between where the girl had been standing and where she was now.

"I'm sure you're glad to be away from those two." She nods slightly, glancing over at the girls who were now squaring up to each other. "I won't be needing to separate them anytime soon will I?" Eyes widening at the prospect of a fight, Serenity looks back at them frantically.

"I- I don't know, Professor." Who maintains his inquisitive look for a few seconds before cracking into the same face crushing smile.

"No need to look so worried! I actually wanted to talk to you about a little club I run-" suddenly there were yells from the back of the class. Lakita had Juliet's hair gripped tightly in her hand, the brunette tapping wildly against the blonde's arm as she bent awkwardly under the grip. She was screaming at the pull on her scalp as the other students either encouraged them or watched in horror. "Girls!" Slughorn yelled, his voice turning harsh as he moved to see them properly. He raised his wand and tore the two away from each other. Lakita was moved to the far right of the room with a few movements of his wand, leaving Juliet to scratch at her scalp and hold back the tears stinging her eyes. "Miss Senate, sit down!" He gave Lakita such a stern glare that he didn't need magic to move her anymore. She sat down suddenly and lowered her gaze. Juliet moved to the other side of the room, moving towards four other Slytherin girls with whom she shared a dorm with. "The rest of you take a seat, the lesson is starting." As Serenity moves to find a seat, he lowers his voice to her. "We'll speak at the end."

Nodding, Serenity glances between her two friends. On one side of the room, Juliet was having her head inspected by four other girls. And, on the other side of the room, Lakita was scowling at the desk in front of her with empty seats all around her. Shaking her head ever-so-slightly, Serenity quickly took the seat beside the blonde.

"I guess we're both freaks now," Lakita mutters, "you and your magic hands," she motions to the brunette and then to herself, "and then there's me and my short temper." Serenity purses her lips and, without a word, looks to the front of the class where Slughorn was beginning his introduction to potions.