ONE | OH, HOW WONDERFUL!

     THE PASSAGE OF TIME IS SUCH A STRANGE CONCEPT—LIKE, HOW HAD SELINE BEEN A STUDENT AT HOGWARTS FOR FOUR YEARS ALREADY? What a simultaneously short and long time. Time seemed to be flying by in an instant (but it also moved really slowly when she was in classes like History of Magic? She'll never understand how a hundred minute lesson can feel like a hundred year lesson.) But, at the same time, she could barely remember her time before Hogwarts. Like, being a witch and going to Hogwarts has just become such a massive part of her life now. And she honestly can't imagine herself being a boring muggle. (Not that she's prejudice, her parents are muggles for crying out loud! Sometimes she wants to scream at the other houses and point out that, "hey! Not all Slytherins are evil muggle-hating bitches! That's just a select few!!!")

Seline felt as if Hogwarts had become her sanctuary. A place where she could escape the problems she faced at home. (Cough—her parents' constant arguing, it was enough to drive anyone insane—cough, cough. Seline wishes she packed a throat lozenge.) Not that Hogwarts was the best place ever, oh no—it was just way more tolerable than home. . . some inconveniences were easier to deal with than others, she supposes.

"Now, make sure you owl me at least three times a week." Cordelia Winchester said, doing the top button on Seline's coat up and she then flattened Denika's hair out, again—honestly, Seline thinks, she ought to invest in a flat iron or something. Is she going for the Hermione "I can't be fucked to do anything with my awful hair" Granger look? Both girls scowled at their mother, though Denika's scowl was less passive-aggressive—more playful—than Seline's. It had taken four years, but Seline's parents had finally gotten used to the wizarding communities strange ways. ("Honestly girls, this is ridiculous. Why doesn't some teach them how to use the telephone or something. . . ? Sending owls! Bah, what is this? The sixteenth-century?" — their mother upon learning that the only way she could contact her daughters was through an owl. . . !) . . . perhaps 'gotten used to' was a bit strong, it was more that they tolerated the wizarding world and it's backwards ways.

Seline rolled her eyes slightly at her mother's constant nagging, this woman was convinced her daughters would forget to breathe if they weren't reminded on an hourly basis. (Denika maybe but Seline was proper mature.)

"Yes mother, I will remember." She spoke in a monotone, looking over her mother's shoulder in search of any familiar faces. But unfortunately, nobody stuck out—well, that's if we're including Weasleys as people. (Look, it's not the Slytherin superiority complex that some of her housemates have going on that makes her dislike them. . . it's more the fact that they're kind of dicks to her and she doesn't tolerate people who are dicks to her.)

Robert Winchester nodded at his daughters—which was as far as he'd ever go with affection. Like, Seline could not remember her hugging him once in her life. Surely he hugged his daughters when they were born. . . right? "Behave." He told them sternly and they both nodded in sync.

"Will do," Seline muttered, stepping aside so that Denika could cop the rest of their mothers start-of-school speech. Maybe it'll be more loving and genuine now that Selines out of the picture. (If I hear that either of you have stepped even a toe out of line, I'll send you one of those Screamers——" "They're called a Howlers, Mum.")

Denika and Seline always made a point of wandering away from their parents together. Their mother might get pissy if they don't, you see; "Seline, why are you being horrible to your sister by leaving her all alone? She's younger than you and as her big sister, it's your responsibility to take care of BLAH BLAH BLAH!" But as soon as their parents weren't in sight, they went their separate ways.

"See-ya," Denika had muttered, before running to catch up with her ginger friend, Ginny Weasley. (Seline could never be friends with a ginger, they just creeped her out. Like, it's not natural for your hair to be such a vibrant colour. She's sorry if she's offended anyone but it's the just the truth.) (Plus, she's a Weasley therefore, she's going to be a dick to her.)

As she pushed through the hoards of people, she had been trying to avoid walking into Neville Longbottom's scary looking grandmother when she bumped into someone else instead. And honestly, she'd have taken grandma Longbottom over this person any day.

Spinning around, Seline came face to face with an oh so familiar sneering face. "Watch it, Mudblood." Draco Malfoy growled. (And here, Seline thinks, is another example of a person who's a dick to me for no real reason.) She was about to retort when an older—and uglier, Seline noted—version of Draco appeared in front of her.

"Now Draco, what did I tell you about calling people that name?" Lucius Malfoy drawled, eyeing Seline carefully. Judging by what Seline had heard about this man, she wouldn't be surprised if he encouraged the use of that word but she digresses. "You must be Miss. Winchester, if I'm not mistaken. Yes, yes, Draco has told me a lot about you. . ."

Seline's eyes narrowed even further at her classmate, she could only imagine the horrible things he'd say about her to his parents. In fact, she'd bet any money that his behavior towards her would only be encouraged by his parents behind closed doors. ("Oh yes, that filthy Seline Winchester and her dirty, dirty blood.")

"I don't doubt that." She said, her teeth grinding together in annoyance, can she get out of this conversation already?

"A Muggle-Born making it into Slytherin. . . it's just so. . . unusual." Lucius continued, his stare sending shivers up Seline's spine. (Side-note: Seline doesn't remember when she asked for his opinion on the matter?)

This statement was annoyingly arrogant, Seline thought. She remembered a girl—Stefani Herold—who was in her seventh year when Seline was in her first. Like Seline, Stefani had been a Muggle-born Slytherin. She had taken Seline under her wing, helping the girl adjust to the wizarding world.

Seline really missed Stefani sometimes. . .

"But I don't understand," a much younger Seline had whined, her black eyes glassy and her voice weak. "Why should it matter that I'm a muggle-born?"

Stefani gave her the ghost of a smile, her hand running through Seline's dark hair—a complete contrast to Stefani's, which was white as snow and complimented her fair skin perfectly. "I know, it's stupid." She said, wiping a tear that slid down Seline's cheek away. "But who cares what those pricks think, anyway?"

"Me." Seline said meekly, "I want to be their friend."

Stefani frowned, her brows creasing. "Why? They're assholes who don't deserve to even breath the same air as you."

"Really?"

"Really," said Stefani, her reassuring smile returning. "You're so much better, so much stronger than those spoilt, prejudice dicks. . . pardon my french."

This had made little Seline laugh properly, she allowed those mean girls in her dorms to not make her sad at that moment. She just laughed with Stefani, a girl Seline would kill to be even remotely as awesome as.

Stefani was pretty, she had lots of friends—a boyfriend even. She was a talented and determined witch. She'd told Seline countless times not to strive for anything less than the best—

"Unusual, sure. But it happens enough for it not to be a big deal," Seline said shortly, using all her self control not to insult him. She decided to distract herself by trying to calculate exactly how much alcohol a sane woman would've needed to consume in order to marry this man. She also took into the consideration that the infamous Narcissa Malfoy mightn't be sane. "If you'll excuse me. . ." Seline didn't give them a chance to respond.

"Assholes," she grumbled to herself, climbing into the train. Now all she had to do was find her friends. . .

"Bloody hell, Hermione," a voice said and Seline's head whipped around just fast enough to see Ron Weasley (another fucking Weasley?), Hermione Granger and Harry Potter walked into a compartment. The Golden Trio, Seline couldn't help but scoff at the nickname. There was nothing golden about them. They were just a trio of idiotic Gryffindors who actively sought danger. That is what people should refer to them as—The Idiotic Trio. She can't help but grin slightly at that.

"Seline!" a voice called from behind her snapping her out of her thoughts. She turned and saw one of her friends sticking their head out of the Slytherin compartment door. "I was worried that you weren't coming back this year or something," said her brown-haired friend, Astoria Greengrass. She looked exactly how she had when she'd visited over the summer—though, her round face matured slightly. Her big blue eyes stared at her, a small twinkle in them as she smiled at her friend.

A smile crept its way onto Seline's face as she wandered inside. Her friends truly were the light of her world, she'd probably be clinically depressed or something without them.

"And miss out on seeing your pretty face every day? Never!" Seline laughed sitting down beside one of her other friends, Nicolette Travers.

The dark-skinned girl sent her a friendly smile. Seline was sure that she got taller over the summer—or maybe Seline had shrunk? Seline gave her the once over, like Astoria, Nicolette hadn't changed that much. Her hair was still a mess of chocolate brown locks (but she rocked it). Her full lips still stretched into the contagious smile Seline had grown to love. God, Seline had missed her.

"How was your summer?" She questioned excitedly because, unfortunately, Nicolette's parents had banned her from owling Seline.

("They still hadn't got the memo about Muggle-Born being equals," Nicolette had told her in their first year.)

Seline shrugged. "It was all the same, really," she explained, "met up with some muggle friends who think Hogwarts is some prestige boarding school in Scotland. Me and, you remember Timmy Li—the boy from my Muggle primary school that I told you about?" Her friends nodded eagerly, desperate for the gossip that would follow, "yeah, well we snogged and it was awful." Both her friends stared at her for a moment, confused. Because hadn't this been the boy Seline had raved on and on about before the summer?

"You told us he was super cute though?" Nicolette recalled with a frown on her face. Astoria nodded in agreement, remembering a particular tangent Seline had gone on about his eyes. . . or maybe it had been his lips?

"He is! That's why I was so disappointed in him being such a bad kisser." She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. The memory unwillingly replayed in her head. "When Dudley introduced us, he forgot to mention Timmy's parents were religious nuts and that I'd be his first kiss! It was a handsy, slobbery mess."

"You know who would be an alright kisser——well, this is just what my sister says Pansy Parkinsons' been saying—Draco Malfoy," Astoria said, a dreamy look behind her expression as Nicolette finally stopped laughing at Selines story. She and Nicolette watched Seline carefully, waiting to nitpick her reaction.

"As if Pansy actually snogged him," Seline shook her head in disgust. When Nicolette raises an eyebrow at her, Seline added, "I'd rather kill myself than snog Malfoy."

This made Nicolette snort loudly, almost choking on their air she was breathing—she hadn't even known that was possible.

Just the idea alone made Seline shudder and feel nauseous. Just imagine that for a second? Imagine the feel of his arms around her waist and his lips pressed against hers? The close proximity an—

"It's a good thing that the feeling is mutual, Winchester," Draco spat, swaggering into the Slytherin compartment. His cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle stood behind him as if they were his bodyguards. "I'd snog Mrs. Norris before I even come near a filthy mudblood like yourself," he added, smirking at her arrogantly.

She noticed that he'd grown taller over the summer, as had his hair. His voice sounded different; deeper. She hated to admit it but she kind of got why all the girls in her year were madly in love with him. Well, she understood the superficial reasoning but she'll never get it logically speaking. Like, a pretty face and a decent body will only go so far (that's what her father says about celebrities. . . Seline can't believe she's just quoted him.)

Seline rolled her eyes. Could his insults be any less original? She's a mudblood? Wow, she had no idea. . . it's not like these assholes have been saying it to her for literal years. She didn't even bother getting offended anymore—she saves it for her crying in the bathroom sessions.

"Well, I'm glad we're on the same page, dickhead," she muttered, picking at the initials carved on the train wall bashed her: J.P + L.E . . . she wonders who they were and if they stayed together. Somehow, as she stares at the initials, she thinks they did. She reckons they lived a very happily ever after, too.

The platinum-haired boy glared at her. "What did you just call me?" he spat, crossing his arms across his chest.

"You heard me," she replied coldly, not having the energy to start a proper argument with him.

Instead, she turned back to her friends and finished her story. ". . . anyways, I just told him I wasn't allowed to see him—that my parents found out and forbade me from seeing him again," she explained, watching as her friend's lips curled upwards. Nicolette particularly ate up this kind of gossip. "Of course, the arrogant git bought it up, compared our love to Romeo and Juliet."

"Romeo and Juliet. . . The muggle play you told us about. . .?" asked Astoria, a small smile on her lips. Seline's friends always got really excited when they successfully understood a muggle reference.

Seline grinned at her, "The very one."

After that, Nicolette then went on to discuss all the high-class events her parents had dragged her to. Gazing over at Draco, the dark girl huffed. "I even had to go to one of Narcissa Malfoy's stupid balls. And Daddy made me dance with her git of a son. I reckon there's some grand scheme to promise me to him we're older or something." She stuck her fingers in her mouth and feigned vomiting.

Seline put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder, "I'm so sorry that you had to go through that," said Seline, the corners of her mouth upturned. She already knew this was going to be a good year.

The rest of the journey was quite the same—the three girls continued to catch up as well and eat lots of chocolate frogs. Seline's smile didn't leave her face once. (Well, except for when she accidentally ate a vomit flavoured Bertie Bott.) Seline felt happy again, she was back were she was the least miserable with her two best friends. If only she'd known exactly what this year, and the ones coming, had in store for her.

     SELINE STRAIGHTENED HER TIE UP AS HER AND HER FRIENDS STROLLED INTO THE GREAT HALL. They walked right past the Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor tables—thank god Seline didn't have to sit at the last one. She might just kill herself if that were the case.

Gryffindor reminds Seline of those fraternity's in American films—the kind that party and do drugs all the time (she has no doubt in her mind those Weasley Twins are dealing something—it's probably the only way they can afford equipment for their annoying pranks). Everyone from Gryffindor is loud and expects the whole school to watch every dumb thing they did. They're so up themselves. Though, Denika had spent three years trying to convince her older sister that Gryffindors weren't arrogant gits. . .

"Seriously, the other Gryffindors aren't like you told me—some of them are really nice and. . . they say that your house is the bad one actually—I told them to shut up and that you're a Slytherin and you're not so bad. . . w—where are you going?" Denika rambled, the excitement draining from her face as her sister turned to leave.

"Away. Enjoy Gryffindor," Seline said to her cooly in second year, "hope you go on some brave quest with Potter or something."

"You mean Harry. . .?" Denika had asked, confused by her sisters' apparent hatred towards him. "He's actually really——"

A voice broke Seline out of her thoughts as she sat down, not realising who she'd sat beside. "Oh, wonderful," Draco said sarcastically under their breath as Seline turned to face him.

Her eyes narrowed and she let out a deep breath. "Ugh," she huffed, "it's like I can't escape you today."

And then she turned back to Nicolette, continuing their conversation about their theories about who would be chosen for The Triwizard Cup. Because you see, Nicolette's father told her about the competition as soon as he found out because he was a very high up ministry official. "Apparently my however many greats, grandfather won it," she had said on the train. Seline had thought that was pretty cool and had Nicolette not told her about the age restriction, Seline would've tried to join.

Draco scowled at Seline one last time before turning away, trying to find anything else to focus his attention on. He couldn't believe his luck today, he continuously got stuck near her—it's as if the wizarding gods were against him or something cynical like that. All he wanted to do was forget about her pitiful existence and yet here she was, constantly in his face. It was hard enough having classes with the girl, let alone sitting right next to her. . . feeling her elbow brush again his arm and the smell of her shampoo—

"Draco? Are you even listening to me?" Asked Pansy Parkinson, a frown on her pug-like face as she ran her hands through her aggressive bob cut. Draco thought she was pretty and an alright friend but that was it. He didn't feel what everyone (Pansy included) thought/wanted him to feel. Sure, he'd snog her occasionally but that meant nothing to him, really. It's just what everyone else their age did.

"Of course I am," he snapped, letting out a frustrated sigh he focused his attention back on Pansy.

The girl glared at him before continuing her dull story. Draco only half-listened to her—he thinks she was saying something about her cousin having an affair with a troll. . . no, that can't be right.

"Oh look, it's that Mudblood Creevey's brother," sniggered Theodore Nott opposite Draco, he pointed towards a wet mousy haired kid. Draco recognised Hagrid's jacket wrapped around him and couldn't help but roll his eyes as he watched him mouthed I fell into the lake at his brother. Pathetic, Draco thought.

"He's the one that's basically stalking Potter, right?" asked Blaise Zabini, eyeing the small child in an annoyed manner. "What a loser."

Draco fiddled with his knife and fork as the sorting hat sang a new song just like it did every year. He thought it had a sad life, only coming off the shelf once a year to sing and get plonked on greasy-haired kids who probably had lice.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool," said Professor McGonagall to the first years, unrolling her scroll. "When the hat announces your house, you will go and sit at the appropriate table."

"Ackerley, Stewart!" Draco watched with boredom as the small child was sorted into Ravenclaw.

He only cheered when, "Baddock, Malcolm," was sorted into Slytherin. (Apparently he was Pansy's third cousin twice removed—whatever the hell that meant?) His cheers for the other new Slytherins were half-hearted, he didn't really care that much—it's not like he'd ever talk to them, probably. He had other things—or should he say people?—to worry about.

"I bloody hope the new Slytherin's can help us break Gryffindor's winning streak," Draco heard Seline mumble to Nicolette and Astoria, he felt inclined to comment.

"Not possible," he said, gaining Seline's attention (along with her friends but he wasn't really bothered about those two.) He continued speaking, ignoring the way the candles in the great hall reflected in her eyes. "Potter could breathe and Dumbledore would award him a thousand points."

Seline nodded at him wearily. "Well, you're not wrong," she grumbled, glaring at the messy-haired prat that was sitting across the hall. She noticed that he was talking to her sister. Seline watched as Harry said something that made Denika burst out laughing.

Draco turned away from her as he watched the last student, "Whitby, Kevin," be sorted into Hufflepuff.

Dumbledore stood up, opening his arms in what Draco assumed was supposed to be a welcoming manner but Draco never felt very welcomed by Dumbledore. "I only have two words to say," he announced, his deep voice echoed through the hall. "Tuck in."

Draco heard a few students cheer as the empty goblets and plates began filling with food. He hadn't realised how hungry he was until his stomach rumbled at the sight of the roast chicken.

Beside him, Seline was piling some pasta salad onto her plate. "God," she said through mouthfuls. "I've missed this."

"Of course you missed the food the most." Astoria chuckled, tying her dark hair up in a messy bun before beginning to eat her own food. Though, Astoria had better table manners than Seline.

Seline merely grinned at her in response.

"You should be grateful there was a feast at all tonight." Said the bloody baron, floating past them. His blood-covered body almost scared Seline to death the first time she saw him (well, to be honest, it still scares her.) "Ruddy Peeves wanted to come to the feast—I put my foot down, told him no, of course, and he decided to go terrorise the house-elves."

"He's a menace," The Bloody Baron grumbled, floating further down the table before the girls could reply.

Swallowing her food, Seline spoke to her friends. "You know, I don't think I'll ever get used to ghosts floating around me while I'm trying to eat," she giggled and Nicolette snorted.

"I'm a pureblood witch that's grown up in the wizarding world and I'm still not used to it." Nicolette replied, grinning.

Seline could hear the rain drumming against the roof loudly as the remains of the first course disappeared, only to be replaced by dessert. Her eyes lit up when she spotted a very delicious looking chocolate cake. "Yummy," she muttered, cutting herself off a large slice.

"You're such a glutton," Nicolette commented, comparing her moderate slice to Seline's huge slice. "How you're not a thousand kilo's is beyond me," she said and the trio giggled.

Not that long after, dessert too had been eaten. Seline watched as the last crumbs disappeared from the plates. Albus Dumbledore got on his feet again, smiling at all the students as their conversations silenced. "So!" he started, gazing around the hall. "Now that we are all fed and watered, I must once more ask for your attention, while I give out a few notices."

"Sure thing, you great old oaf." Seline heard Draco mutter beside her and she couldn't help but elbow him in the ribs. Like, yeah, Dumbledores a bit bias but the least they could do was respect him as he spoke.

The fourteen-year-old shot her an indignant glare. "Don't touch me, Mudblood," he growled as Dumbledore gave out his usual reminders.

"Don't call me that, you toe-rag," she hissed, glowering at him with such intensity. "However pure your blood is doesn't make you better than me."

Draco rolled his eyes at her. "Sure it does, Mudblood." God, he thought, she's so irritating. He wondered daily how she'd ended up in Slytherin—having muggle parents and all. But then he remembered Seline, her sarcastic comments, pessimistic view on life and all the other things that made her so endearing. . . to other boys. Not Draco, he doesn't find her endearing—he thinks she's a bitch.

Seline balled her fists up angrily, "If we weren't in the great hall I'd——"

"You'd what?" he taunted, "hex me? Yeah, good luck with that."

"Might I remind you that I beat you by quite a lot in the duelling club in second year?" she countered. Her face turned red with anger and she lowered her voice. "Or what if I did a Hermione Granger special and punched you in the face?" She cocked her head to the side, raising a confident eyebrow at him.

His face too reddened and his jaw clenched. "How'd you find out about that?" he growled, leaning far too close to Seline than she was comfortable with—like, we're talking millimetres. She could feel his hot breath fanning against her cheek as her own breathing hitched. 

"Wouldn't you like to know," she said defiantly, trying to hold her own as she leant away, away from him. The truth was, Denika had told her over the summer and even though the pair had their differences, Seline still found the story absolutely hilarious and did not stop laughing about it for about thirty minutes.

"—that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year," Seline heard Dumbledore say and there were many gasps coming from students all over the great hall. Draco's head snapped up and he glared at the headmaster momentarily before turning back to Seline. His eyes flickered down to her lips and the rest of her face before he cleared his throat and moved away from her. Scowling, Seline turned away from him.

Nicolette's nostrils flared, "he can't do that!" she grumbled, talking about Dumbledores announcement, "it was supposed to be my year for Quidditch."

"It must be because of the Triwizard Cup," Astoria reminded her, trying to calm the girl down.

"Yeah, which I can't even enter," Nicolette sighed, resting her head in her crossed arms sadly.

"This is due to an event that will be starting in October——"Astoria and Seline gave Nicolette a knowing look. ("Oh, shut up.")  "—and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy—but I'm sure you'll enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts—"

Dumbledore's words were cut off by a deafening rumble of thunder as the doors to the great hall burst open. Every head in the great hall turns to get a look at the man standing there holding a long staff as he leant against the doorframe. His steps made loud clunks as he strode towards the front of the hall. He was absolutely terrifying, thought Seline. It wasn't him that was the scary part, really—it was his eyes. One of them was small, dark and beady. While the other one was large—as round as a coin—and a vivid, electric blue. This eye seemed to almost have a mind of its own. It was rolling around in all sorts of directions.

Finally reaching Dumbledore, he stretched out his scarred hand. They exchanged a conversation that Seline couldn't hear. After a few moments, the stranger went and sat down at the table.

"May I introduce our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher?" said Dumbledore, turning to face the students. "Professor Moody." Usually, new staff members were greeted with applause but this time, nobody clapped apart from Hagrid and Dumbledore.

"Oh my god." Astoria's eyes were almost popping out of her skull. "That's Mad-Eye Moody!"

"What's he doing teaching at Hogwarts?" Nicolette asked, just as shocked.

Confused, Seline looked between the pair. "Who's Mad-Eye Moody?"

"Only one of the most famous Aurors ever!" Astoria replied enthusiastically, she was staring at the new professor with a dazed expression. "Half of the inhabited cells in Azkaban are full because of him."

Dumbledore cleared his throat, regaining everyone's attention. "As I was saying, we are to have the honour of hosting a very exciting event this over the coming months, an event that that has not been held for over a century. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."

"You're joking," Seline heard one of the Weasley twins—Fred she thinks it might be—call out loudly.

Seline could feel the tension that Mad-Eye Moody's arrival had brought break. Everyone laughed, "I am not joking Mr. Weasley," he said, "though, now that you mention it, I did hear an excellent one over the summer about a troll, a hag and a leprechaun who all go into a bar. . ."

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat as Seline snickered. "Er—but maybe this is not the right time. . . no. . ." Dumbledore said. "Where was I? Ah yes, the Triwizard Tournament. . . well, some of you will not know what this tournament involves, so I hope those who will forgive me for giving a short explanation, and allow their attention to wander freely."

And Seline stopped listening, Nicolette and Astoria had explained the tournament to her on the train. She wasn't interested in listening for a second time around. "—We have worked hard for the summer to ensure that this time, no champion will himself or herself be in mortal danger.

"The heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their short-listed contenders in October, and the selection of the three champions will take place at Halloween. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons of personal prize money." Dumbledore explained and Seline let out a yawn, sliding her sleeve up to check the time on her watch. She couldn't wait for this to be over so that she could go to bed already.

It's not that Dumbledore was her least favourite professor. . . it's just that, okay, he was her least favourite professor—she couldn't even deny it. The way he favoured every other house over her own disgusted her. It was very unfair. Slytherin would be good all year, collecting house points and winning only for Dumbledore to award Harry Potter and Co. hundreds of points for breaking the rules. If Potter was in Slytherin, Seline thought, he probably wouldn't get such special treatment.

"—students who are of age—that is to say, seventeen years or older—will be allowed to put forward their names for consideration. This," Dumbledore had to talk louder as students were protesting, "is a measure we feel necessary, given that the tournament tasks will still be difficult and dangerous. . ."

Seline gave up trying to listen, the sound of angry students—especially Gryffindors—was too much. "Can he shut up already?" She muttered to herself.

"Don't be so rude!" Draco mumbled to her, doing a spot-on Hermione Granger impression. Seline couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter before clamping her hand over her mouth. She did not just laugh at something Malfoy had said—the dick who was just picking on her? It wasn't even that funny either!

After what felt like forever, Dumbledore had stopped talking. Thank the lord.

"Slytherin first years, this way!" Seline heard one of the prefects call out. Nudging her friends to follow her, they slithered out of the hall before they could get stuck behind that lot.

"This years' going to be. . . interesting," Seline decided as they made their way down to the basement.

Nicolette chuckled, slinging an arm around both her friends. "Honey, it's Hogwarts, interesting doesn't even begin to cover this place."

"Here, here!" Astoria cheered, pumping her fists in the air.

🌸 KARLA RAMBLES 🌸

i want them to be an agonisingly slower burn then they were in the original version teehee

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