𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐑 || 𝐒𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰

Chapter Seven: Duelist take your marks!

Chapter Seven

The next morning was quite slow. Matty had a few classes to attend later in the day but nothing serious and still no word from Professor Fig—much to her disappointment. She figured she'd stay in the castle for a little while until she was sure it was safe enough for her to go out.

At breakfast in the morning, Hope immediately made her way over to the Gryffindor table when she saw Matty walk in and sit down for breakfast. Matty didn't even notice her until she was leaning over to her.

"I heard what happened yesterday, with the trolls and everything. Are you okay?" Hope questioned her quickly.

It took Matty a moment to even register that someone was speaking to her, it had been a rough night for her. "Hm? Oh yeah, I'm fine. I didn't get hurt at all." She answered Hope. She scooted over so that Hope could come sit next to her. "Hogsmeade was fun, except for the troll and a few other things, I guess. But I got my new wand and I got to hang out with Sebastian."

Hope came and sat down next to Matty. "Sebastian hm?" She said with a small grin. "A few people have already been talking about how friendly you two are with each other. I will say, I haven't seen you become friends with someone so quickly since we met each other. And Sebastian and I are almost polar opposites."

Matty rolled her eyes. "I heard from Nellie that a few people are chattering around about it, but I can assure you that we are just friends and nothing else." She said with an assuring tone. Hope didn't exactly believe her—she definitely thought that Matty at least liked Sebastian a little bit she decided to "believe" Matty and just shrugged her shoulders.

As the two continued their chatter just like any other day, Matty's eyes caught sight of a Ravenclaw girl, getting up from the Ravenclaw table. A few people seemed to immediately move out of her way as if they were afraid of her or something. She had long black hair that was neatly put up in a bun and she wore a prefect's uniform.

"Who's that?" Matty asked, gesturing over to the girl with her head.

Hope looked over to see who she was talking about, instantly recognizing her. "Oh, that's Zerena Black, the Headmaster's daughter." She answered and Matty immediately knew why those other students had moved out of the way. "She's the oldest of all his children and one of the smartest in the school. She's not... mean or anything, but she's definitely reserved. Her dad only lets her really hang out around Purebloods, so she usually doesn't talk to many people."

"Why only purebloods?" Matty asked, genuinely confused. She had no idea that blood supremacy was a thing.

The genuine confusion in Matty's voice made Hope confused. Did she really not know what blood supremacy was? "Do you not know about the whole Pureblood thing? That some of them think they are better than Halfbloods and Muggleborns?" She asked Matty.

Matty's jaw almost dropped. "That's a thing?" She asked, almost a bit too loudly. "I—I thought that was just some dumb and ridiculous thing muggles did. But something like that exists here? That's ridiculous."

Hope sighed, nodding her head. She hated the fact that she was having to explain this to Matty, but she was her best friend. It was better for her to do it than for Matty to have to find out the hard way. After all, Matty was a Muggleborn, and several Pureblood supremacists wouldn't even consider her a real witch. "It is, I completely agree. But sadly everyone has to put themselves on a pedestal for something that doesn't even matter." Hope sighed.

This revelation was extremely shocking to Matty. "So, does Zerena just not talk to anybody who's not a Pureblood? How do you even know? I mean, it's their blood." She asked, still confused.