Black Legacies

TWO

Aitne couldn't help her grin as she strode into the Great Hall for dinner that night, as Perseus' screams from Herbology continued in her head in a beautiful loop. She sat down at Slytherin's table and dug into the Shepard's pie and hot, doughy rolls. She popped one into her mouth and nearly groaned aloud in satisfaction: those house elves knew how to cook.

"What the hell do you have to smile about right now, Aitne?" She reluctantly lifted her eyes from the third roll she had clenched in her hands. Amadea Zabini looked at her from across the table with humor glinting in her rich hazel eyes.

Amadea was one of the first friends Aitne had made upon entering Slytherin, a connection forged in their places as 'resident family failure'. Amadea's father, Blaise Zabini, was a disdainful, arrogant man, and had always found Amadea's general amicability and tolerance for others to be distasteful.

She was also one of the most stunning girls in their class: she was tall and lithe, with a glowing mahogany brown complexion that brightened her hazel eyes. She had her box braids out the top knot they were in this morning and they brushed against her deep green jumper, the charms woven in them glinting under the candlelight.

"I'm clearly enjoying wheaty ecstasy. Why shouldn't I be happy?" She asked.

"Uh, have you not heard?" Amedea regarded her with suspicion.

"What?" She barely glanced up from buttering another roll.

"Perseus is on an absolute rampage." Amadea said in a low voice, as though she didn't want anyone overhearing. "He was covered in smoke and vicious burns earlier, and when a third year asked if he was okay, he hit him with a stunning spell. The kid rolled down one of the moving staircases right when it was changing directions. Nearly died." Amadea nudged Aitne with her boot under the table. "You wouldn't know anything about this rage of his, would you? I know you have Herbology with him on Wednesdays."

"I can't imagine what you mean." It was an effort to hide her glee.

"Oh come on, Aitne. I gotta say I'm disappointed in you. I heard it was wildfyre that Perseus got lit up with--that stuff is supposed to melt bone in seconds!" She shook her head. "I rather think you're losing your touch. I would've expected at least a sectumsepra to get the ball rolling." Amadea finished with a scoff.

"I wasn't in the mood to be clever, you prick. Besides, that would've been too messy, and then I'd never get the chance to cook up the potion I've been perfecting to actually teach him a lesson; I would've been caught by Prof Longbitch and been in detention a month." Aitne rolled her eyes. "Besides, a sectumsempra is utterly cliche."

Amadea opened her mouth to argue, but before she could, Teddy Lupin plopped down next to her, grinning broadly. He pushed his chestnut brown curls out of his eyes as he reached for a piece of mince pie across the table. Teddy was tall, nearly six feet, and barely had to strain himself to reach for the food sitting a few feet away with his long arms.

"And how are my two favorite broody Slytherins on this fine evening?" Teddy asked, flashing them one of his charming smiles that got him out of any bind.

"Teddy, first of all, you're lucky Clara isn't here to hear you say that: she'd hit you with a Babbling Curse before you could so much as blink." Aitne said. "She'd be terribly offended, and you would lose your sniveling little crew of girls following you about every time you opened your mouth. Second of all, how many times have we told you it's a bad look for us to be consorting with a Hufflepuff at supper?" Aitne glared at him, but the effect was ruined when she smiled slightly at his mock shock at her words.