A Portrait of The Black Heiress (Harry Potter)

Chapter XIII: I Am About To Blow-Dry You

Aglaia entered the Slytherin dungeon a little bit later to a few cheers. "If it isn't our Slytherin Champion!" Yelled out a seventh-year. "We have been hearing reports on how you fared. Did you really take down Hufflepuff all by yourself?" The final was still ongoing so most of Slytherin had left the common room by now to go watch the match if they hadn't been outside before. But still, about a dozen or so Slytherins were here. Mostly the Seventh-years who were spending every waking hour studying for their N.E.W.Ts and had refused to attend to competition now they weren't part of it.

No one here had seen her duel but still, they had some knowledge of what had occurred as some Slytherins would return to the common room every hour or so to get a snack and would inform the others of the proceedings on the Quidditch pitch.

Another voice, a rather shrill and unpleasant one, however, was speaking in a completely different tone. " – And remember when we were all in the Malfoy dining room and Lady Malfoy complimented her on her Occlumency for the umpteenth time when Black literally did the bare minimum? She has everyone falling all over her. As if she is something special. I could have done what she did. It's just Hufflepuff. It's not that impressive. Why is everyone acting as though she took down the Dark Lord himself – "

"Whoah, Pansy," said Aglaia from right behind Pansy. "I had no idea you were this taken with me."

"Can someone shut them up? I am trying to study!" came a shout from one of the couches but none of the first-years paid him any mind.

Pansy had rounded on Aglaia. No time to be embarrassed at the scolding from an upper-year, instead she pointed an accusative finger at her face. "You are nothing, Black! You hear me? Nothing! Everyone might worship the ground you walk on, but we know the truth."

"And that truth is – what exactly?"

"You are a fake. You probably aren't even a Pureblood. Who knows from what gutter your father dragged your mother. The only reason you are an heiress in the first place is because your father's oldest brother is in prison. You come here, thinking you are all this. When you are nothing!"

"Now, Pansy, I never back away from a fight with you," hissed Aglaia, "But you really shouldn't have insulted my mother..." She pulled out her wand. "Come on, then, Pansy. If you think you're better than me.... Have at it. Let's see if the results are different this time."

Pansy pulled out her wand as well. "I, too, can do simple Stunning Spells, Black! Stupefy!"

Aglaia blocked it with a nonchalant flick of her wand. "Was that supposed to impress anyone, Parkinson? I would call you a disgrace to your family name if your family had any respect left – "

"Rictusempra!" said Pansy, growing increasingly agitated.

Another nonchalant flick from Aglaia and everyone in the common room seemed to have put aside their respective business and were now watching the show unfold. They must think the childish arguments between first-years terribly amusing.

"You are a nasty little insect, Parkinson. One that crawls into places it doesn't belong and then shouts about the injustice of you being treated like the vermin you are!"

"Petrificus Totalus!"

"I am so sick and tired of you thinking that you can just say anything, do anything, with nothing worthwhile to back you up! Your big mouth is about five times larger than that tiny cell you call a brain and still you think yourself better than me. Look at you, Pansy. You can't touch me. Can't hurt me and you hate it! So, you go behind my back, gossip and turn people against me. Because that's the one thing you're good for! Crawling!"