SHE'S A MALFOY

TWELVE

I was enjoying a peaceful sleep when a loud knock on my door abruptly ended it.

"What?!" I groaned, burying my head under my pillow.

"Wake up! Your human alarm is here, and we need to head to a study session with Narcissa in half an hour! So, get up, you sleeping beast!" Evan's voice was filled with urgency as he started jumping on my bed, trying to wake me. I simply moved my leg, and he tumbled to the floor with a thud.

"Oi! That wasn't nice, Ms. Malfoy. You've got detention!" he mocked, imitating the teachers from Beauxbatons.

I let out a soft laugh and threw off the pillow and blanket. "Fine, you've managed to wake me. I'll take a quick shower. Get me an apple—preferably a red one."

He sighed dramatically but nodded and left to fetch the apple. I picked out a white shirt and a black skirt before heading to the bathroom. I opted for a cold shower to shake off the last remnants of sleep. Normally, I'd play some music, but today I didn't have time. I dressed quickly and slipped on a pair of heels. Evan returned with cookies and my red apple.

"Alright, let's go. Mom probably has the books we need ready," I said, taking a bite of the apple. The library in the manor was massive, with a vast collection of books that we barely utilized.

"Morning, kids," Narcissa greeted us warmly as we entered the library.

"Morning! Are we doing anything interesting today, like explosives or riding a hippogriff?" I asked, flopping onto a one-person couch. Evan, being Evan, decided to sit on top of me, causing me to nudge him off.

He ended up on the floor with a thud but quickly moved to the couch across from mine. "I guess not. Today, I'll be teaching you about potion ingredients, how to prepare them, and some useful tips," Mom said, beginning to arrange various books and materials. She had us take extensive notes on the subject.

Potions had never been my favorite subject. It was always confusing, but there was no escaping it for now. Mom explained the Polyjuice Potion, which allowed a person to take on the appearance of someone else. It required a hair from the person to be transformed.

She also delved into some magical history. My upbringing had been steeped in pure-blood superiority—muggle-borns were considered less deserving of magic, and muggles shouldn't know about our world. Pure-bloods were seen as the higher class. She spoke of Salazar Slytherin, Merlin, and a figure named Tom Marvolo Riddle, also known as The Dark Lord. Slytherin had a mission to rid the magical world of muggle-borns, a cause that had cost many lives, including my uncle Rudolph's and led to Aunt Bellatrix's imprisonment in Azkaban. Mom said it wasn't safe to discuss these topics in detail and promised to cover them later.

When Mom gave us a break, I wandered through the library, searching for any book that might offer more insight into Salazar Slytherin or the broader context of pure-blood ideology. I stumbled upon an article titled "Salazar Slytherin."

Salazar Slytherin

"We'll teach only those whose ancestry is the purest."

Salazar Slytherin was born around 993 A.D. and was a Parseltongue speaker. He was one of Hogwarts' four founders, alongside Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, and Rowena Ravenclaw. Known for his ambition, cunning, and determination, Slytherin believed that muggle-born students should not be admitted to Hogwarts. When he voiced this opinion, none of the other founders agreed.

Slytherin left Hogwarts and never returned, dying after creating the Chamber of Secrets and concealing a basilisk within it. He intended for the chamber to be reopened by his true heir to purge the school of those he deemed unworthy. Slytherin also crafted his own wand from snake wood, with a core of basilisk fang.

It was fascinating how Slytherin dedicated himself to such a grim mission. His single-minded pursuit was almost admirable in its intensity. Merlin had tried to counteract Slytherin's mission but had been unsuccessful. His wand shared similarities with mine.

"Earth to Athena! Hello? I've been calling you for five minutes, and you're still engrossed in that book. We need to grab some food—I'm starving!" Evan's voice snapped me out of my reading.

I reluctantly closed the book, tucking it under my arm. "Fine, but you're always hungry," I remarked as Evan practically dragged me to the kitchen, eager for food.

In the kitchen, Evan interrogated the elf about their magical practices, while I continued to ponder the book's contents. My curiosity about Tom Marvolo Riddle lingered—why was there so little information about him? What was so dangerous about him that it was kept so secret?

The day sped by with more lessons from Mom. We focused on spells for Defense Against the Dark Arts (DADA), learning more advanced techniques beyond the basics like Expelliarmus and Protego. We covered more powerful spells, such as Bombarda, which would be useful in various situations.

It amazed me how spells were simply a matter of saying a Latin word and making a specific movement. The complexity of magic was both intriguing and daunting.

Our practice took an unexpected turn when I accidentally set Evan's robes on fire with an Incendio spell. Mom, though not concerned about our safety, was more worried about her precious decorations. She promptly put an end to our fun. "Wow, love you too, Mom," I muttered as she scolded us.

The day had been a whirlwind of activities and discoveries, leaving me with a mix of excitement and contemplation about the magical world and its secrets.