𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 (OC x OC)

[001] CHAPTER 4

Annelise

Becoming friends with Makayla Malfoy, the most popular girl at Hogwarts, was not my intention of how this day would turn out. I mean, I'm a Hufflepuff! Why would a Slytherin befriend someone like me?

She never even noticed me before I walked into that train cubicle. The only reason she even recognized me was because she hated my brother Louis.

"Miss Lupin," I hear Professor McGonagall say, snapping out of my thoughts.

"Hmm?"

"If you're going to be in my class, you might as well make use of it by paying attention," I hear the bell ring as students start trailing out. All except me. I stay in my seat. Professor McGonagall calls out a familiar name, one of which I'd never suspect she'd even consider to help me catch up. "Miss Malfoy!"

Makayla turns around, facing the professor, and walks back into the classroom, "Yes, Professor McGonagall?"

"I need you to help Miss Lupin here catch up with the class since she was too busy with other things to pay attention to."

"Me? Why me? Why not her brother?"

"I don't want to have to go and track him down. He doesn't even have this class, so if you would, please be so kind and escort Miss Lupin to the library and get started immediately."

"Now? But I have Defense Against The Dark Arts next! You know how much I don't want to miss that!" Makayla Malfoy? Afraid to miss a class? What kind of world am I living in?

"Yes, yes, I know, Makayla. But she needs help!" Makayla scoffs and rolls her eyes, crossing her arms. "The least you could do is suck up that Malfoy blood of yours and teach her the basics! That's all I ask of you." Then Professor McGonagall walks away as Makayla sighs.

"Alright, Lupin... Let's go," she says, walking toward the door.

I smile, happy that she finally gave in. Wait. I need to stop smiling. I don't like Makayla. She annoys my brother. My brother is very dear to me. But I do need to catch up... Oh, whatever! It's just one block...

I follow her out the door as she leads me to the library. I know that libraries are quiet, but this one is really quiet. Does no one have a study period for this block? Is everyone utilizing their study periods elsewhere? If so, where? I have so many questions that I suspect will always remain unanswered. But curiosity was fueling my mind. The questions spread like wildfires.

"Hmm, that's odd," I hear Makayla say as she walks down the aisles between the shelves. "There's no one here–guess that leaves us with a quieter study space."

I nod silently. That's when I realized that I've only said two full sentences in her presence. Am I scared of her? I can't be... Does she think I'm scared of her? I hope not. Though, I don't know how to use legilimency. I can't tell what she's saying. I wish I could.

Makayla finds a small table and sets my books on it, sitting in a chair. I stand awkwardly. What if she tries to kill me? What if she already put an enchantment on the room so that no one would hear my screams? "Go ahead, sit down," she says, flipping through the pages of my study book for Transfiguration. Hesitantly, I sit down in the chair across from her. Something about this place makes me feel... on edge. Maybe it's because the scariest and most popular girl in school was sitting across from me, catching me up on my Transfiguration lesson. I feel that if someone like Professor Snape had told Makayla to help me catch up, I wouldn't have my guard up so high. But Professor McGonagall is not Professor Snape.

Makayla and I end up studying for a few more periods so that I understand everything. In other words, Makayla didn't want to go to her other classes, so she used me as her best excuse.

By the time we finish, everyone is already on their way to The Great Hall, so we both make our way there ourselves.

We walk in late. Makayla is unphased. This happened multiple times last year as I was told.

I can feel everyone's eyes watching us as we walk to our seats. She walks to the Slytherin table, and I to the Gryffindor Table, though it wasn't my table.

"What are you doing hanging out with Malfoy?" Ron asks. Ron is also a first-year student, like myself. He, Hermione, Harry, Katelyn, and I have grown a friendship over these past couple of days of school.

"Professor McGonagall told her to catch me up on today's Transfiguration lesson."

"Why couldn't Louis do it after school?"

"That's what Makayla asked. But the professor insisted on Makayla–"

"Hold on," Hermione interrupted. "You know her name?"

"I mean–yeah? She's kind of popular around school."

"Ann is right," Fred agrees.

"Almost every guy in school wants to date her," George says, finishing Fred's sentence.

"So what? Do you guys like her?" Ron asks, with a somewhat negative attitude.

"What–no!" they both say at the same time, looking like the most dishonest people any of us have ever met.

"Unbelievable."

I chuckle as I start to eat my dinner and glance back to the Slytherin table. Makayla, Jordyn, and Louis are arguing, to which I'm not surprised. But, there is another boy I'm unfamiliar with. He has brown hair, and really, really, really soft freckles, that are hard for even me to make out, and he's sitting further down the table, joking around with his friends and throwing food in the air, catching it in his mouth. I could stare at him for ages. Those brown curls shine just perfectly. But, I get interrupted by a special someone coming and slamming his books on the table, as loud as possible.

"That's it! I give up on muggle math!" Alistari shouts, sitting in his spot at the table.

I turn to him and grab the book he slammed on the table, flipping through it. While doing so, Alistari puts his head in his hands, being as chaotic for the rest of the students in the hall to see.

"Can you help?" He asks.

I read over the problems for a moment, then finally reply, "You and I both know we're both too stupid to do this."

Alistari is Jules Lestrange's older brother. He and her have a different mother, but they're as close as they would be if they had the same one. He and Jules are much alike in the personality category, but their interests are highly differentiated.

As much as Alistari has a deep hatred for the muggles, muggle-borns, and half-bloods, like Jules and the other Slytherins, he does have a great sensation for their unique inventions, like math, which he cannot figure out, as you can see.

The Great Hall slowly starts clearing out, and I see Makayla in the corner of my eye, making her way out herself. I jump up and call out to her, "Makayla! Makayla!"