Born to Rule: The Story of the Slytherin Princess (paused)

Chapter 38

"A fox may change its skin
but never its character."

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At the first rays of the morning sun stretched their golden tendrils across the castle grounds, Draco Malfoy found himself begrudgingly trudging towards the dark and musty dungeons of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. His once immaculate Slytherin robes were now smudged with soot and grime. Alongside him were his fellow Slytherin teammates, each sporting expressions of irritation and frustration that matched Draco's own.

It had been a week since their infamous prank during the Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw Quidditch match, where they had donned hooded cloaks and glided across the pitch like dreaded Dementors, causing chaos among the players and spectators alike. But their antics had not gone unnoticed, and they had been caught red-handed by Professor McGonagall herself. The consequences had been swift and severe.

Now, under the watchful eye of Severus Snape, Draco and his teammates found themselves scrubbing and cleaning the shelves of his potions classroom. The air was heavy with the acrid scent of various ingredients, and the dim lighting cast eerie shadows as they diligently worked to remove the residue from the potion bottles. The glass was slick with grime, and Draco could feel the grit beneath his fingertips as he scrubbed with a sense of resignation.

Snape, with his trademark scowl and piercing black eyes, stood nearby, his arms folded across his chest as he surveyed their progress. His stern voice echoed through the room, criticizing their work and pointing out missed spots with precision. Draco clenched his jaw and resisted the urge to roll his eyes, knowing better than to provoke the already irritable potions master further.

As he scrubbed a particularly stubborn stain, Draco's mind wandered back to the events that had led to this moment. The thrill of the prank had been undeniable - the rush of adrenaline as they had swooped down onto the Quidditch pitch, causing panic and confusion among the players and spectators alike. But now, faced with the consequences of their actions, Draco couldn't help but feel a sense of regret. The weight of his actions was heavy on his shoulders, and he couldn't shake off the nagging feeling of guilt that gnawed at him.

His thoughts were interrupted by a sharp reprimand from Snape, who had noticed his momentary lapse in concentration. Draco bit back a retort and refocused on his task, determined to complete the punishment and put this ordeal behind him. He scrubbed with renewed vigor, the muscles in his arms and shoulders aching from the repetitive motion.

As the hours passed, the once spotless potion bottles gradually regained their gleam, reflecting the flickering candlelight that Snape had lit to ward off the gloom of the dungeon. Draco felt a small sense of satisfaction as he finished the last bottle, his hands raw and sore from the effort. He exchanged a weary glance with his teammates, and a silent understanding passed between them - they had endured the punishment together, and it had brought them closer in an unexpected way.

Snape nodded his approval, his stoic expression softening ever so slightly. He dismissed them with a curt nod, and Draco couldn't help but feel a grudging respect for the potions master. Despite his harsh demeanor, Snape had pushed them to do their best and had held them accountable for their actions. Draco realized that there was a lesson to be learned from this experience, one that extended beyond the scrubbing of potion bottles.

Draco's heart skipped a beat as he was stopped in his tracks by Clarissa. She raised an impeccably groomed eyebrow at Draco's crumpled robes, taking a note in her ever-present notebook.

"How did the punishment go, dear?" she asked, her voice tinged with amusement as she surveyed the mess that Draco had become.

Draco couldn't help but feel a twinge of embarrassment at his unkempt appearance, a far cry from his usual pristine image. He sighed, feeling the weight of the day's events settling upon him.