Green? My hair is green? It’s never turned that color before. I touch my hair, taking a strand of it and looking at it, sure enough, it’s a lime colored green. I shake my head, making it turn back to blonde.
“Someones a bit envious, eh?” Cedric says.
“What? No. No I’m not jealous. I have nothing to be jealous of.” I say, quickly. I watch as Fred and George leave the Great Hall.
“I can walk you to the dungeons if you want me to.” Cedric says, glancing at the twins leaving.
I nod. “Yeah, that would be nice.”
He puts a hand on my back and leads me out of the Great Hall. This is the first year that Fred and George haven’t walked me to the dungeons after the first meal at Hogwarts. I begin to feel scared and alone, even though Cedric is right next to me. I don’t have that overwhelming sense of warmth that I normally get when I’m here. And of course, with my emotions comes changing hair colors. It's now dark blue and Cedric looks at me.
“Are you okay?” he asks.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I lie.
We walk in silence to the dungeons and he stops at the entrance into the Slytherin common room.
“We'll go to Hogsmeade this weekend, okay? We'll have a good time.” He smiles.
“Yeah, I’ll see you later.” I say.
“Have a good first day of classes.” He says turning and walking away.
I smile and go into the common room. I see Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson and Zabini all sitting on the two couches. They glance at me with a mean look as I pass them.
“Not out partying with your blood traitor friends?” Draco says, taunting me.
I pause and turn around and look at him.
“Obviously not.” I say, matter-of-factly.
“You know you wouldve been dead if they didn’t show up at the quidditch cup.” He sneers.
“Draco, let’s stop this little dance we're doing. It wouldn’t have mattered if they showed up or not. I can handle you.” I say, Draco stands up and walks closer to me.
“A filthy mudblood like you cant handle me. Someone like you deserves to be dead. There isnt blood running through your veins, it's dirt.” He glares at me and without thinking, I punch him in the face, my hair red as ever with anger.
He yells in pain and staggers backwards, I smirk as his friends rush to his side, he pushes them away. And I shouldve seen it coming, well, I expected something else, so it took me by surprise but Draco punches me in the face and I stagger backwards and glare at him.
“How dare you touch me, mudblood!” he spits at me. “Yeah, don’t got your blood traitor friends to help you huh? They cant save you in here.” He begins to laugh and stepping closer to me, hes inches from me.
“listen, Malfoy, if you really wanted me dead, I wouldn’t be here.”
He stares at me and I stare at him for what seems like an eternity. Let’s face it, I’m right. Malfoy doesn’t have the guts to kill me. Everyone here knows it. He backs away slightly and I head up to the dorms.
I walk into the dorms and find my trunk up against my bed. I open it and change into pajama pants and a sweatshirt, I see George's scarf and hide at the bottom of the trunk before shutting it. I get into bed and stare at the ceiling.
I hit Malfoy in the face, something I thought I’d never get to do. Something snapped in me, I normally just don’t care if he calls me a mudblood. Call me that all you want. It doesn’t bother me. What bothers me is that my entire house wants me dead. At least most of them do.
I also hit him wishing for a split second that it was George Weasley, how dare he have the nerve to go talk to some veela girl when I’ve literally done everything I can to tell him that I like him and he doesn’t reciprocate, well, the second time he didn’t. Yeah, I guess I am jealous. And confused. This whole thing with George is confusing.
Before I know it, it’s morning, and I’ve gotten very little sleep. Great, now I’m losing sleep over George Weasley. Wish I had quidditch or something to distract me this year. I get dressed, putting on my tights, black skirt, white button up with the vest and loosely tie my tie. I put on my Slytherin robe and slip on my boots before fixing my hair so it’s covering my bruised eye. I grab my messenger bag and walk out of the dormitory and head down the steps to the common room.
The common room is empty as I walk through it so now I know there wont be any altercations happening. I climb through the portrait hole and make my way to the Great Hall. Judging by how I’m feeling, I can tell this day will not be the best. I walk into the Great Hall and a lot of people are sitting down eating breakfast. Draco glares at me as I walk into the Great Hall. I roll my eyes and see Hermione waving at me. I reluctantly make my way to the Gryffindor table and sit between her and Harry. Ron is on the other side of Harry and Fred and George are sitting across from us.
“How are you this morning, Em?” Harry asks.
I keep my focus on the table while answering him. “I'm okay.” I say.
“What classes do you have first?” Hermione asks. I take out my schedule and slide it over to her.
“Did you guys see the bruise on Malfoys eye? It’s like spreading to his nose.” Ron sounds extremely pleased. “Wonder who decked him.”
Everyone looks over at Draco Malfoy except for me, I make sure to pull some hair in front of my eye. The twins and Harry begin to laugh and Hermione rolls her eyes.
“He always runs his mouth. Honestly, I think this is a record, hasn’t even been twenty-four hours and hes already got a black eye. Will never learn.” Hermione says taking a bite of pancake.
“Who says he ran his mouth?” Fred says.
For the first time this morning I look up at Fred and George.
“Yeah sometimes I just look at him and want to punch him just for existing.” George says, I try not to smirk, but I cant help it.
“You’re awfully quiet, Em.” Fred says, looking at me. “Missed you last night after dinner.”
“You both left before me..” I say.
“Oh..” Fred says.
So Fred doesn’t even realize I was still in the Great Hall. Which means George doesn’t realize either.
“Wait you walked to the common room by yourself?” George asks.
“I went with Cedric.” I say. Everyone raises their eyebrows at me, I raise my hands in defense.
“Whoa, not like that. I wouldn’t be caught dead in a hufflepuff common room.” I roll my eyes.
“he walked me to my common room after I waited for you two and you left without me.”
“Bloody hell, Em, we're sorry.” Fred says and I nod.
“It wont happen again.” George says.
Hermione tries not to giggle. We all look at her.
“It's the bauxbaton ladies. They’re part veela which makes them irresistible. After dinner both of you walked over to the Ravenclaw table to talk to them. And then after you were done talking you guys left. So basically, you were under some kind of trance.” Hermione says,
“That’s why you left Em.”
“Hardly remember talking to them.” George says.
“Yeah, well I do.” I get up from the table and grab my bag, I can see the hair in front of my eye turn green. I sigh heavily and leave the Great Hall.
“Think you’ve upset her.” Ron says, finishing off his orange juice.
“You think?” The twins say in a mock tone, glaring at him.
I make my way to potions, I hate that I have potions on a Monday morning especially double potions. And seeing as Snape had a bit of a talking to last term about trying to make two classes do a potion in an hour that will take eight days, I’m surely not on his friendly list. Even though I am a Slytherin.
I go into the classroom which is empty and get a table, setting my cauldron on it. I take out my ink well and quill and begin writing down the potion that is on the chalkboard. We're making the draught of peace potion, which is an anxiety relief potion.
I’ll have to keep this potion in mind since my O.W.L's are this year. I hear Fred and George got three O.W.L's each. I know they’re smart, they just don’t apply themselves academically.
Theres only four ingredients in this potion, powdered moonstone, syrup of hellebore, powdered unicorn horn and powdered porcupine quills. Though theres only four ingredients, it's a difficult potion, if too much of the ingredients are added then this potion can make someone fall into a deep sleep.
I finish writing down the potion on the board when people start to fill in the classroom.
Rosaline Pikeberry sits next to me and gives me a smile. We don’t talk much, she tends to keep her head mainly in a book. And the fact that shes a Ravenclaw and I’m Slytherin, we arent seen around each other much.
“Oh, you write down the ingredients and instructions too?” She says looking at my parchment.
“Yeah, I hate having to keep looking up at the board.” I say.
“Do you mind if we share the instructions?” she asks.
“That’s fine.” I say with a smile and push the paper towards the middle of our table.
Professor Snape walks into the classroom, tension fills the air as he goes up to his podium.
“Today you will be brewing the Draught of Peace, potion. Can anyone tell me what it does?” Professor Snape says, he looks around the room. I raise my hand in the air. I’m the only one with their hand in the air. Snape breathes deep before calling on me. “Yes, Miss Wingrove?”
“The Draught of Peace relieves anxiety.” I say.
“Five points to Slytherin.” He says. “This is an advanced potion, it should have a silver vapor when completed, if not, then it is not brewed correctly and you will get points off. Start working on your potion you have two hours.”
I go to the shelf and gather my ingredients and head back to my table. I have to carefully add ingredients to my potion water so it turns certain colors, I have to stir a certain amount of times and put it on heat, and take it off heat or let it simmer. Potions is quite easy, I don’t have problems with it, what is weird though, is that I’ve never used my potion book.
When I complete my potion I raise my hand so professor Snape can come over to look at it. Rosaline Pikeberry probably added too much moonstone powder to her potion because instead of an orange color its lavender color. My potion is orange and has a silver vapor. Professor Snape looks at my potion.
“Well, you seem to have a very close to perfect potion.” He says. “the orange is a little dark. But, the silver vapor is there. Fifteen points to Slytherin.” I smile, apparently professor Snape isnt going to hate me this year. “As for you, Miss Pikeberry, I suggest you slow down with your potions and not be so eager to add ingredients.” He gives her a look and she looks defeated. Professor Snape turns his attention to the rest of the class. “Your assignment is to write an essay on the properties of moonstone and what it’s used for in different potions. Due in two Mondays from now. Class dismissed.”
I look at Rosaline and she still looks upset.
“Well, at least you can earn points for the essay.” I say.
“Oh, that is so typical of a slytherin to be condescending towards me.” She snaps at me. My eyes widen.
“Rosaline, what? No, I-"
“Don’t limit my abilities to an essay.” She says glaring at me.
I breathe deep and gather my things. I wasn’t being condescending, but I shouldn’t have to explain myself. I’m used to my own house treating me horribly I don’t need other people doing it too, though, its inevitable. I’m a Slytherin. Muggleborn or not, people still think I’m a bitch.
I have a free period so I make my way to the Great Hall and sit at the Slytherin table, I walk past the Weasley twins and they notice I don’t give them the time of day. I sit down and get out my inkwell, parchment, potion book and quill and begin to look up the properties of moonstone. I begin underlining in my book when I notice someone sits across from me. I look through my hair and notice a Gryffindor symbol, two Gryffindor symbols.
“We're sorry we left you last night…” George speaks first.
“We will stay far away from the veela's, no matter how much it hurts.” Fred jokes.
I look up at them and they’re both smiling.
“You’re our best friend, and we feel terrible.” George says.
“You don’t have to stay away from them, its just…you guys always walk me to the dungeons. Its tradition.” I say.
“We're sorry…” Fred says, I nod, silently forgiving them. “Whys your hair all red, Snape make you angry?” Fred asks, pointing to my hair.
“I did the best on the potion today…and Rosaline didn’t do too well. I told her that at least she could do well on the essay, and she yelled at me thinking I was being condescending like how ‘Slytherins' are.” I say, with an eye roll.
“But, you’re not a mean person.” Fred says.
“I know, I think shes angry I’m doing better in potions than I did last year.” I say, shaking my hair and making it go back to blonde, the twins look at me. “What?” I say, confused.
“You've got a black eye like Malfoy, he punched you didn’t he?” George says.
Whoops. Forgot about the black eye. Knew it was a matter of time before the twins go into protective mode.