| HIDDEN IN SECRETS |

chapter four

SOCIALLY SELECTIVE

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An outcast. But not because she was shunned by other people, but because she shunned people.

Verena was unfamiliar with Hogwarts, especially since she barely knew anyone in her House. While she wanted to make friends, she was also unsure if she should. She liked the Slytherins – more specifically, she liked Daphne and Draco. Any other person at Hogwarts could go to hell; they did not matter.

At first, Verena did not want to tell her parents about which House she was sorted into. She feared how they would react. After a lengthy discussion with Daphne, however, she knew it was better to tell her parents before they found it out from someone else. She sent the letter a week after she had first arrived, then waited anxiously for their response. And then it came.

To Verena's relief, her parents weren't entirely disappointed. Duvessa admitted that the Hat, too, had considered her for Ravenclaw. Her father, though displeased, said only one thing. "At least it's not Gryffindor."

"Yes," Verena thought, "at least it's not Gryffindor."

But in the back of her mind, she knew where the Hat really wanted to place her, and that was the enemy House of Slytherin. The obnoxious, judgmental, and irritating Gryffindor House.

Unfortunately, she shared many classes with them and only had a couple of classes with her Slytherin friends. Then, there were the Hufflepuffs who were annoyingly kind. Verena knew it was impossible to be so kind, believing it to be an act.

Once, another Ravenclaw named Padma Patil said the Defense Against the Dark Arts room smelt heavily of garlic. It was a rather horrible stench when one smelled it for so long. The Hufflepuff came to the professor's defense, making up a multitude of reasons for why it smelled, ending in her scolding her for being so insensitive. But Verena knew that the girl hated the stench, too.

It was a Thursday afternoon. Verena sat in her dorm, reading. Knowing no one else, she kept to herself. While she did find her books fascinating, they were also a sign telling people not to bother her. It worked... most of the time.

"Verena, it's quarter past three."

Verena ignored her at first, and the girl called her again. Verena gestured to her book, telling her to go away.

"We've got flying lessons," she said. "You wouldn't want to be late. You might lose us House points."

"Wouldn't be such a terrible thing," Verena muttered.

"Verena," the girl insisted.

"Yes, yes, fine," Verena said, annoyed. "You Ravenclaws can be quite annoying."

"You are a Ravenclaw, too, you know," the girl remarked.

Padma Patil was just one of Verena's dorm members. In her dorm, it was loud; the girls always talking about homework and about how much they loved Hogwarts. When Verena was present in the room with them, she would stay silent. While others never talked to her unless they had to, Padma was chatty, always asking Verena questions. It was almost as though she wanted to be friends.

Their walk toward the flying class was silent. With them were a couple of other Ravenclaws in her year. Verena could only recognize Terry Boot as he was somewhat famous in their House. After walking the sloping lawns, they arrived at smooth, flatter ground. There, the few Slytherins and Hufflepuffs were waiting. Verena was quick to leave her House members, heading towards the Slytherins.

"Daph! Draco!" Verena called as she walked over. "I was hoping we'd get this class together."

"So have I," Draco replied excitedly. "It's time to show who's boss. Perhaps they'll let me play this year."