Shattered

Four

January 4, 1996

    By the time I get to my first class it's apparent everyone has heard about what happened. Whispers follow me out of my dorm, trailing behind me as I walk to History Of Magic. Unfortunately, the problems don't stop there; it's obvious the teachers are afraid of me after what happened to Snape. On a normal day, I would be happy, but when all my teachers are giving me work periods it gives plenty more time for gossip. And so History of Magic moves by at a painful rate, sluggishly inching towards Transfiguration.
    Once I get there, I notice she has had the class quiet down. I smirk as I imagine what's going through her head. Does she think she can outsmart me? "Quiet down, class. I understand rumours have been going around about our transfer student, Kalia." She nods at me. "Firstly, I would like to address the allegations against the circumstances of her injury. While there is indisputable proof she was attacked in some way, shape, or form, she was not attacked by Mr. Potter nor was she hurt by shaking his hand."
Murmurs all around. Why is she lying for me? "I would also like to address the separate actions reported by Severus. From now on, Mrs. Lestrange shall be taught an advanced version of all her classes, effective immediately. She will remain in the same classroom, but she is not to be disturbed. Do you understand me?" More whispers, louder this time. Most of them are along the lines of: "She's a Lestrange?" or "What happened to Snape?"
She nods and turns to the chalkboard behind her. "Very good. Give me a moment to speak to Kalia and then class will begin." She walks over to me. "Today you will be taking a placement exam of sorts, to see what level work we must place you in. This will be in all of your classes." I nod and smile politely. "What happens if I get 100%?" She laughs. "You won't." The next few hours are a gauntlet of tests, each of them harder than the last. But I know I get a 100% on all of them.
As the bell rings for lunch, I catch Harry glancing at me from across the room. I don't dare go near him. After lunch, I go to Care Of Magical Creatures with Hagrid. Another test, another A+. Afterwards, I return to my dorm. Sadly, I can't attend Astronomy because of detention with Professor Flitwick. My first astronomy class will have to be postponed to Monday next week.
I don't have any homework, so I decide to paint. I take out an easel and place a canvas on it. Today, I'm thinking of being alone, so I paint a long castle hallway with no one in it. It still seems unfinished, so I add shadows as if people are there, but I can't see them. Quickly I realize there are more details to add: a flourish of shadows reaching out from the very back of the painting, where the hallway stretches into a suffocating black. I decide to title it "Darklights". Then I realize I haven't decorated my dorm room at all.
Over the next 4 hours, I put up all three of my recent paintings, as well as some older ones I'm proud of. I put a frame around the wall of paintings, and paint in between them to combine them into a cohesive picture. In the center, I put a set of 5 paintings which fit together in a circle, creating the night sky. Around the edge I paint zodiac signs. By the time I'm finished, it's almost time for me to go to detention. Just then, the door opens. Astoria walks in. "I heard you have detention. Sorry about that." Like she has anything to be sorry for.
"Yeah, it's okay. I'm leaving in a little bit." She teeters over the doorway, obviously wanting to say something else. "Hey, is it true what they're saying about you?" I shake my head and motion for her to come over and sit on the bed. "Look, rumours are rumours. I don't blame you for believing them. But if you ever ask me again..." I bring up my hand and close my fist, choking her from afar. "I will personally see to it that you never breathe again." She nods desperately and I le\
her go. "Look, I don't want you to be scared of me. Can we just be friends? Just... please don't bring that up." She nods, relieved.
I leave the room and walk to detention. Professor Filtwick has us writing lines, of course. I'm the lotto arrive, and upon entering I see Draco, Ron and Pansy. Because of course she's here. "Are you all here?" Flitwick is standing in the back of the room, looking nervous to speak. He confiscates our wands and clears his throat. "Good. The way I see it, you must learn what appropriate behavior in the classroom is. Thus, I will have you write lines. You will write 'I shall not interrupt the classroom environment 500 times. Understood?" We all nod. He scurries out of the room, leaving us to ourselves.
I yawn and with a wave of my hand, send my quill writing. Pansy stares at me, shocked, with a look of disgust and jealousy. Ron stands up and lets his jaw fall open. Draco leans back and smiles. "How the bloody hell did you do that?" Pansy can't say anything. I look at Ron innocently and say in a sickly tone: "What? I'm just taking advantage of the situation." Ron looks away and starts writing angrily, muttering curses under his breath.
Pansy decides to ignore me and starts a conversation with Draco, hushed so I can't hear. I don't want to, to be honest. Soon, my quill is done. I put it aside and take the quill to sketch on another piece of paper. I decide to draw a portrait of my dear friend, Pansy Parkinson. I begin sketching Pansy with a panicked expression, looking down at something. Then I draw her dress, bursting into flames. I walk over to give it to her.
"By the way, are you going tomorrow night?" She omits something from the sentence as she sees me walk near. "Only if Kalia goes," Draco remarks. I smile deviously at Pansy. "Go where?" "There's a party tomorrow night. They usually happen weekly, in alternating common rooms. We have ours this week." How did she expect me to miss it if it's in my own common room? Once again I am reminded of how stupid she is. Her expression is annoyed as I approach her. "Here, Pansy. I have something for you."
She takes the picture from me. I watch as her face turns from intrigued to disgusted to terrified as the paper catches fire and burns her hands. I laugh maniacally as she runs around screaming "Get it off! Get it off!" Flitwick bursts into the room shortly after. "What do you students think you are-" He sees Pansy and puts her out with a wave of his wand. "Who did this?" Pansy, who is distraught, points at me shakily. "Mrs. Lestrange, this is the third time this week you have had an incident similar to this. You can't have even finished your lines!" I hold up my paper, where 500 lines are neatly written in my handwriting.
He sputters. "Mrs. Lestrange, you are dismissed!" I walk out slyly and wave at Pansy, Ron, and Draco, two of which look like they could explode with rage. Eventually I make it back to my dorm room. A party tomorrow sounds interesting. I figure I should go, because I really need a distraction from everything that's been going on. I also get to pick out a dress, so it's a win win. Today wasn't that bad. For the first time, I go to bed smiling.