The Slytherin Princess - Year Seven

September 1997

It became apparent to Lucy immediately that this school year would be very different to her previous schooling years. There became a lot more structure within the classes, and a lot less time spent enjoyed.

Professor Slughorn still challenged Lucy in potions though and she looked forward to each class, it quickly becoming her favourite class again.

Defence Against the Dark Arts had been reimagined as Dark Arts and the students were solely taught the fundamentals of fighting and duelling spells, nothing positive.

During Lucy's first Dark Arts class, Professor Carrow, one of the Dark Lords Death Eater's had instructed her to perform the Cruciatus curse on a first year.

"No. I won't do it." She refused. After having received the curse herself she wouldn't wish it upon anyone.

"You'll do as I say in this class." Carrow drawled as he stalked over to where Lucy was standing.

She averted his gaze until he was directly in front of her. She felt his hand snatch her face as he dragged it up to meet his.

"Shall we show the other students what happens when we don't do as we're told in my class?" He drawled, inching his face closer to Lucy's.

She whimpered under his touch and could sense Draco stiffen behind her as the Professor shoved her to the ground. "Pay close attention, Seventh Years." He bellowed before turning his attention to Lucy laying on the ground. "Crucio!" He called out, casting the curse on her.

Lucy felt the familiar sting of hot knives coursing through her as she screamed in pain and writhed on the floor in front of her classmates.

Her head flung backwards as the Professor increased the curse.

She wasn't sure how long he had her on the ground for but when the pain finally begin to subside her vision quickly became blurry and a constant ringing sang through her ears.

"You're alright." Draco's voice muffled to her as she felt him pick her up and move her. She heard more muffled words as she was rested against the wall.

Her eyes came into focus as she watched Draco perform the curse on the first year Lucy refused.

Her eyes swelled with tears as she quickly shut them, not wanting to see him like that.

─

"Why did you do that?" She asked him quietly as they walked together back to their room.

Lucy had asked to skip lunch that day and just wanted quiet with him.

"If I didn't he would've done it to me." Draco replied matter-of-factly.

Lucy shook her head disappointed. She didn't want to hear anymore as the two of them sat on their bed, holding each other until their next class.

─

"Do you have time to meet me in the library after class?" Lucy asked Theo as they sat down for herbology at the end of the day.

"Okay." He replied, nodding. He had hardly given anything away to her and as annoyed as she was with him for being so blunt about it, she knew he had every right to feel the way he did.

Class dragged on and Lucy fidgeted with her quill for most of it. Professor Sprout's voice echoed through her on the effects of a Sneezewort, something they had learned the previous year.

Lucy and Theo walked together to the library, though they remained silent it was comfortable, and Lucy would catch him looking over at her, smirking as they walked.

"Okay," Lucy sighed, sitting down opposite him, "I want to know what's going on inside your head." She said, watching him carefully.

His expression remained unchanged and Theo kept his cool the entire time. He shrugged and looked her up and down, forming a knot in Lucy's stomach. "I guess, I was just surprised to learn about the engagement, that's all." He finally answered.