malice. |harry potter|

3.2

♥

"reparations for my trauma!"

♥

Hogwarts droned on despite the threat of Sirius Black looming over their heads during the winter months. September bled into October, the leaves started to fall, and Malice Fallon was perpetually bored.

"Is he like..." Astoria trailed off.

"Depressed?" Pansy finished, the lot of third-year Slytherins staring at Hagrid, who had a forlorn look on his face.

"This is bloody ridiculous," muttered Theo, aggressively poking a Flobberworm with his stick. "I can't imagine anyone ever wanting to look at these things."

"I'm dropping the class if he doesn't pull himself together," Malice threatened, opening her journal and scribbling furiously.

"Are you..." Blaise began,

"is she—" continued Lottie,

      "Drawing?" finished Draco, tilting his head to the side. "Is she drawing?"

      Astoria rubbed her forehead. "I am so confused right now."

"I'm not drawing, you daft imbeciles," Mali groaned, not looking up. "I'm composing."

Sure enough, upon further inspection, Draco saw the unmistakable five staff lines, and what looked to be an extremely complicated three-part melody, complete with flute, viola, and complex piano. "That's beautiful, Mali," Blaise commented, hearing the music in his head already, humming lightly.

"Looks like a bunch of dots to me," Astoria mused, staring at the music as though it would begin to make sense if only she looked long enough.

Theo chuckled, patting his raven-haired friend condescendingly. "Of course it does, Astra."

"Hagrid," called Malice, walking over to where the large man was half-heartedly chaperoning. "Are you planning on us working with any other animals any time soon?"

The man seemed unaware that Malice had even asked anything, staring off into space with a desolate ever-present frown. "Hagrid!"

He jumped lightly, taking a second to process. "Huh? Oh, no, probably not."

Mali huffed, pivoting on her heel to walk back to her friends. "I'm done with this class, I mean it. Like, he still has a bloody job to do, he shouldn't be letting his pathetic emotions interfere with my education."

Blaise snorted, "yeah, okay."

"What's that meant to mean?" she asked sharply, piercing with her eyes.

"It's just—" Pansy interrupted, cautiously speaking to an on-edge Mali. "Well, you're one to talk."

"Lupin lets his emotions dictate his teachings all the time," added Theo. "He's so obsessed with you that he lets you do whatever you want."

"He does not!" Mali defended.

"Yes, he does," said Lottie. "You literally called him a moron the other day."