𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐟 out the hospital wing, I felt less drowsy and more alive. Everyone was right, I didn't need to starve myself to look pretty or be 'normal'. I'm perfect as I am. And... I get to see Lockhart fail at his job, he's supposed to be teaching us defence spells or something and I'm prepared to see him fail. "Gather 'round!" he yells. I roll my eyes and look towards him as he walks along the table. "Can everybody see me? Can you all hear me?" "We wish we couldn't!" I boldly yell. "Lovely to have you out of the hospital wing, Miss. Weasley." he smiles. "Not so lovely to see you, though." I innocently grin.
He clears his throat, his eye twitching a little, "In light of the dark events of recent weeks, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little Duelling Club to train you all up in case you ever need to defend yourselves, as I myself have done on countless occasions- for full details, see my published works." He took off his cloak and through it down to us students. "Er!" I cringe shoving it off me, passing it to an older girl. "That Lockhart's something, isn't he?" a Hufflepuff boy says. "Awfully brave, chap. Justin Finch-Fletchley, Hufflepuff." He holds out his hand to Harry. "Oh, nice to meet you, I'm-" Harry tries introducing himself.
"I know who you are, we all do, even us Muggle-borns." Justin says. "And you must be the infamous Eveline Weasley." "That is I." I grin shaking his hand. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, J." "Let me introduce my assistant... Professor Snape." Lockhart introduces. To be honest, at this point, anyone is better than Lockhart. "He has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry, you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear."
"We weren't "fearing", if I'm being honest, I don't think any of us were scared, because even I know that he'll beat your arse." I smirk, I hear a few giggles from my classmates, loudest ones from Fred and George. "Ah, Miss. Weasley, never underestimate anyone's power." he smiles. "You're telling me." I say. The two Professor's walk up to each other and raise their wands to their faces, they then lowered to their sides roughly and bow to each other. Damn, am I watching Karate or what? The two turn away from each and proceed to take a few steps away from each other, they sharply turn and raise their wands yet again
"One... two... three!" Lockhart smugly counts. "Expelliarmus!" Snape exclaims. He blasts a spell and Lockhart that was powerful enough to knock him all the way back. People were laughing, but I, however, was dying of laughter. "Do you think he's all right?" Hermione asks. "Who cares?" Ron scoffs. "Yeah, he's still alive, isn't he?" I say trying to stop my laughing. "An excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape." Lockhart says coming back to the middle of the table again. "For once, I applaud you, Snape." I giggle. "If you don't mind me saying, it was pretty obvious, what you were about to do. And if I had wanted to stop you, it would have been only too easy." Lockhart comes up with excuses. "Oh, put a sock in it." I murmur.
"Perhaps it would be prudent to first teach the students to block unfriendly spells, Professor." Snape suggests. "An excellent suggestion, Professor Snape." Lockhart muses. "Uh... let's have a volunteer pair. Miss. Weasley and Lovegood, how about you?" "Um... neck?" I point to my neck as if it were obvious. "And plus, Luna's a first year I can't do it to her." "It'll be disarm only." he says. "Fine." I sigh going to the end of the table. "Be careful up there, E." Hermione pleads. "Of course." I nod, I climb up the steps and get my wand ready.
I give Luna a warm smile and she returns it. We do the same exact actions as Lockhart and Snape did. "Expelliarmus!" I cast and Luna's wand flies out her hand. Gryffindor clap and I curtsy as an act of 'taunting' but in reality, I was just acting. I give Luna a warm hug and jump off the table. "Wonderful demonstration, let's have another, Mr. Weasley and Potter, how about you two?" "Weasley's wand causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending Potter to the hospital wing in a matchbox." Snape interrupts. "Might I suggest someone from my own house? Malfoy, perhaps?" Maybe having Ron up was a better idea. Malfoy jumps up and the two join in the middle.
"Scared, Potter?" Malfoy sneers. "You wish." Harry replies. I grin and blush at his words. Hermione nudges me with a smug smile. "Shut up." I try not grinning. Pure hatred is definitely a thing between these two, they didn't even bow ─ the disrespect of each other. "On the count of three, cast your charms to disarm your opponent only to disarm. We don't want any accidents here. On the count of three, cast your charms to disarm your opponent only to disarm. We don't want any accidents here." Lockhart says. "One, two-" "Everte Statium." Malfoy shouts and sends Harry flying. "Disarm, you idiot!" I insult.
"Rictusempra!" Harry casts and then sends Malfoy to land in front of Snape. He drags Malfoy back up and shoves him. "Serpensortia!" Malfoy says. Instead of Harry being flung back, a snake flies out of his wand. It hissed at everyone that it slithered past. "Don't move, Potter." Snape orders. "I'll get rid of it for you." "Allow me, Professor Snape." Lockhart offers. "10 galleons says he don't do shit." I bet. "Alarte Ascendare!" he casts and all snake does is fly up into the air. I feel this just angered the snake more. Harry started speaking to the snake, but everyone was looking at him like he was speaking another language. "Don't hurt anyone." Harry orders. The snake turns it's attention to Justin and hisses even more. I step in front of Justin and glare at the reptile.
"Stop!" I demand. "You can't hurt him, you'll have to go through me first." "Vipera Evanesca." Snape mutters and gets rid of the snake. "What are you playing at?!" Justin exclaims. "Dude, is that your thank you to two people who just saved your life?" I spit. "You weren't saving me! You were in on it too, weren't you, you freak!" he yells. I've had enough of this, I run out of the Great Hall and go straight to the Common Room.
***
𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭 of the fireplace just thinking about what happened, when Harry, Ron and Hermione came bursting in. "You're a Parselmouth?" Ron asks tapping Harry's shoulder. "Why didn't you tell us?" "I'm a what?" Harry questions. "You can talk to snakes." Hermione informs. "I know. I mean, I accidentally set a python on my cousin Dudley at the zoo once." he tells us. "Once, but, so what? I bet loads of people here can do it." "One being me." I pipe up and walk towards the group. "Even though it's not a very common gift." "This is bad." Hermione panics. "What's bad?" Harry asks. "If Eveline and I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin-" "Oh, that's what you said to it." Ron gasps.
"You were there." Harry says. "You heard us." "I heard you and Eveline speaking Parseltongue." Ron insists. "Snake language." "I spoke a different language?" Harry questions. We all nod. "I didn't realise, how can I speak a language without knowing I can... and how can Eveline understand me?" I shrug. "I don't know, Harry, but it sounded like you were egging the snake on, or something." Hermione sighs. "Harry, listen to me. There's a reason the symbol of Slytherin House is a serpent. Salazar Slytherin was a Parselmouth. He could talk to snakes, too." "Exactly! Now the whole school's gonna think you're his great great great grandson, or something and Eveline his great great great granddaughter... but then... that makes me..." Ron trails.
"Nope!" I yell. "Before you even say a word Harry, I'm dismissing this because, I'm Ron's sister and he couldn't understand anything we said so this myth is debunked!" Now that's one lie I'm not proud of. "He lived a thousand years ago." Hermione says. "For all we know, you could be."
***
𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 McGonagall, yes! If everyone could stop staring that'd be better! "Keep staring. Maybe I'll do a trick." I sass and they all immediately turn away, well almost all of them, a few Hufflepuffs keep glaring. "Screw this. I'm going..." I gather my books and stand up. "I'll see you all soon." I walk through the halls and grip onto the book. "You've caused a lot of problems." I whisper to the object. "Blood... I want blood... They all must die. Kill... Kill... Kill! Timeto kill." the familiar voice hisses. I know it's already stricken, but this needs to go... but there's an aura to it, it's like a drug I'm addicted to.
***
𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 not as jolly as it usually is. Especially for Harry and I. Some students were going to the train station in carriages and Hermione, Ron, Harry and I were looking at them all and they sped off. "Hey, look, everyone!" the twins yell. "It's the Heirs of Slytherin. Be careful, they're evil witch and wizards." "Fuck off, you two." I growl. "Oh, come on, Harry." Ron pleas. "Fred and George were just having a laugh." "They're the only ones." Harry says. "Okay so half the school thinks you and Evie go off to the Chamber of Secrets every night." Ron scoffs. "Who cares?" "A few people have started the rumour that Harry taught me how to speak Parselmouth because of "Haveline" and that." I use air-quotes.
"Maybe Fred and George are right." Harry sighs walking way. "Harry!" Hermione tries getting his attention. "Harry! Oh, come on." "Look!" he snaps. "I didn't know I could speak Parseltongue." "Oh and I did, did I?" I scoff "What else don't I know about myself?" he asks. "Look... maybe you can do something, even something horrible and not know you did it." "You don't believe that, Harry." Hermione insists. "I know you don't, and if it makes you feel any better, Malfoy's staying for the Holidays too." "Why would that make anyone feel any better?" Ron questions. "Because..." Hermione begins. "In a few days, the Polyjuice potion will be ready. In a few days, we may truly know who is the Heir of Slytherin."
"I've changed my mind on this potion stuff." I pipe up. "I want in." "Are you sure, Evie?" Hermione asks. "It could be risky, and you know what you have to do to make the potion work." I nod, "I know, but like I've said before... discreet is my middle name."
~~~~~~~
~𝓭𝔁𝓻𝓴𝓸𝓱𝓸𝓵𝓲𝓬~