How It Started

Chapter 25 - Selina Black

I glared angrily at Potter who apparently was not having any sort of issue with the potions task that was at hand, set by the one and only Snape. It was my sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and I couldn't been happier that I would be graduating next year. Voldemort was back, there was no person in the ministry that could try to avoid that, or say otherwise. I had witnessed first hand the brutal murder of my father, by none other than his goddamn own cousin Bellatrix Lestrange. I still wasn't over it, and I had shut down for many weeks after it, eventually the nightmares slowed down as the horrific sight began to fade to the back of my mind, but I knew it would always be with me. The feud between Harry's group and mine still stood but was ever so slowly fading, I found a friend within Potter because of the fact, my father was his godfather and it was nice to have another person who I could somewhat call family. I now watched him from afar as he managed to clearly chop the ingredients given.

I started desperately searching for something anything that would give me the answer, written in clear writing said slice, Potter was not following the instructions yet was seemingly getting it right. As clear as day written said the next instruction, I tossed the ingredients into the cauldron. It resulted in the loud explosion, I coughed wiping the ash away from my eyes, I glanced around as everyone look my way, before returning to their own cauldrons.
"Here I think you need this" Mattheo said handing me a towel, I took it and wiped my face down, ever since my fathers death and his killer being Mattheos mother, he was trying too hard to be a friend. I had an unsolved resentment and hatred for his mother, but I couldn't take that out on Mattheo, even that seemed a little unnecessary.
"Thanks" I said, still didn't mean I wasn't going to be a little stubborn

I flinched slightly as I watched Snape glide over to our table, he examined my cauldron and laughed silently to himself.
"Miss Black I was willing to make exceptions to your studies last year for obvious reasons, but I will no longer tolerate it, please next time thoroughly examine the text before you act, you don't want to end up like Mr Finnigan" he murmured before walking away and examining the next table. I looked up to where Seamus had ash cover his face and his hair sticking up as if, it had caught alight. I shivered.
"Was it just me or was that harsh even for snape" I said re-reading my Potions book, I had followed the instructions exactly. I heard the table start laughing and I found myself even smirking.
"What did you expect, it's Snape after all" I looked up to be met with Dracos eyes, they seemed sad, a pained smile fell across my face.

The past couple of weeks I had noticed a very painful change within Dracos personality, he was becoming more reserved as if he was hiding something, he wasn't the person I hung out with over the school break that was for sure, he was different, lifeless almost.

"I still don't know how his doing that" Pansy said obviously trying to change the subject, I looked around the classroom it was clear that no one else apart from potter was able to complete this potion. I glanced down at his workbook, it looked horrible almost falling apart. Our group was smaller, Theo had fallen under the trap of his father and joined the death eaters. I had seen the way it changed him, how angry he was all the time, it was cruel. The mark itself was worse, a constant reminder of what you have become. The last time I had seen Theo he had shown me, the mark, in a crying hysteria I tried to comfort him, but before I could he had pushed me down and ran away, I hadn't heard a single thing from him since. I looked up at Mattheo, it wouldn't be long until he too would become one of them.

I was internally grateful when class was finished and we were dismissed, potions had never been a class I struggled in, in fact I usually rose to the occasion and was one of the highest performers in the class, alongside Hermione who too couldn't complete the potions that last class. Fortunately potions was the last class of the day, which was a good thing in itself as I could tell my friendships group energy was slowly declining. I walked out of the classroom books in hand with Draco, Pansy, Blaise, and Mattheo. Surprisingly over the past couple of years Pansy had dropped liking Draco and was now a puppy following Blaise everywhere, although it looked as though he also had feelings for her.

"Uh well I'm going to head to the library get a little more studying in" I said suddenly stopping, it was true of course I had to figure out why I couldn't master the potions. They all looked at me, and nodded except for Draco who just stared off to the side, I was started to get worried about him.
"Alright well I'm heading back to the common room, see you at dinner" Blaise said, which Pansy followed tightly behind his heel, I waved goodbye to them as mattheo waved back before also following them.

"Draco did you want to go to the library with me?" I asked after he didn't move for a while, this seemed to bring him back to reality, as he looked at me
"Right of course, yeah sure" He responded with.
We started walking in silence towards the library, it was awkward but at the same time the silence was somewhat comforting. We walked into the library still in silence as we took a seat, both Draco and I opened our books and started reading.

It wasn't until Ron came up to me that the silence was broken. Draco still didn't like the weasleys so I wasn't surprised to see him make a face and squirm slightly, I elbowed him because of this. He decided to get up and walk away as Ron started talking, I watched him walk back out of the library that was fine by me.
"Uh Selina Hi Fred wanted me to give you this and also say hi" Ron said with an awfully large grin on his face
"Is it something from the shop that will give me a fright?" I asked concerned as he reached into his pocket
"No just a note" he said handing me it.

I had spent a lot of my summer break at Fred and George's store, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, mostly because Fred wanted me to and it was nice to be around positive and humorous gadgets. Fred had promised to write, as I had basically begged him to so I was glad to see he was keeping his promise.

"Oh well thanks Ron" I said, I couldn't help but smile as I opened the note, Ron was still standing at the table.
"Well what's in it, i told Fred to just admit he likes you is it written in there?" Ron asked as I rolled my eyes
"We're just Friends" I said back trying to be serious although I was still smiling
"Sure sure, friends" Ron laughed