The Serpent

THREE

"So, how were your holidays, Anaïs?", Pansy asked with a fake smile. She looked at me expecting to hear a long story, but all I said was: "relaxing". Unsatisfied, she looked over to Draco, who was staring out the window. The beautiful landscape swang by as we were driving at highest speed. "Well, interesting to hear. Did you spent your holidays together? I haven't heard from either of you two.", Parkinson asked further. We didn't answer her. "I've been sending you letters. Not only one.", she explained. "Yes, I saw them.", I answered uninterested and pulled out a book. "But, you didn't answer!", she got angry. I looked up from my book to meet her burning dark eyes. "Not everybody cares about your summer flirts. There were a lot of things going on and-"
"We didn't want to, Pansy.", Draco interrupted me. We exchanged a look and smiled at each other. "Oh come on, we were friends! For five years! Don't you remember how we fought against Professor Umbridge last year?"
"You were in the inquisitorial commando. Pathetic to say you were against her.", I reminded her.
"Oh, and what exactly did you do? Act aiganst her rules?", she made fun of me.
"I disguised her from every part of my soul for taking my father's place in defences of the dark art.", I growled and looked at Pansy with narrowed eyes.
"I remember how you came into first lesson of the year saying:
Yes, I am late, but you should mind that I am here at all.
That was absolutely entertaining.", Draco interrupted laughing.
"I guess she hated me from that moment on. Her detention was amazing though. I've never seen a room more disgusting than her stupid pink office and these quills using your own blood were crazy. I mean, I never had to use one of them, but I guess they were fun!", I agreed shaking in disgust.
"Stop talking about her.", Pansy said angrily.
"What? Did you like her?", Blaise asked, still laughing.
"No, not at all! But, we mustn't give her the attention.", she stated annoyed.

"Snape! Zabini! I have letters for you.", a little boy said holding parchment scrolls.
We took the letters.
Excited, Pansy tried reading it from the wrong way around.
"My father already told me about this doushebag Slughorn. I guess I'm going to join their tea time."
"See you later then.", Draco said.

"Ah yes, you must be the breathtaking daughter of Professor Severus Snape! I am sure he has told you of me, I am Professor Slughorn.", the professor greeted me and looked me over. I didn't feel very comfortable in the school's uniform. It had too much colour.
"Breathtaking?", I mumbled and looked around to see the Weasley Girl and Harry Potter. The others were unimportant to me. "Oh yes, only the best, sir.", I replied, but couldn't hide a bit of sarcasm. "Lovely!", he said.

I sat down next to Blaise and little by little all the others who were invited came. Harry and Neville were the last to come and Harry was of course presented as special. "Now you know everyone here?" Slughorn asked the two who did not answer. "Now... Anaïs Snape and Blaise Zabini are in your year, of course you know each other. This is Cormac McLaggen, maybe you've crossed your path before? No? And this is Marcus Belby, you probably don't know each other either. And this lovely young lady also says that she knows you." concluded Slughorn. Ginny smiled at him. Then Slughorn put each one individually through the mill and we heard interesting things about the others. "And you, Miss Snape? Isn't it weird to have a father who also teaches you? And then it's Professor Snape of all people!"
"Of all people? What do you mean, sir?"
"I just mean that he can be a little strict, can't he?", he explained uncomfortably. I raised an eyebrow at him. No, I didn't want to answer that stupid kind of question. Why would he want to know that?! He got on my nerves. You walk on thin ice, professor...
"I- Uh, sorry that sounded wrong. I really appreciate your father's work. He is an expert when it comes to potions or duelling."
"You better be sorry", I mumbled to myself. Blaise grinned at my little comment. "You must be having high goals in life, do you?", Slughorn asked further. "Yes. Actually, I would love to work in the Ministry of Magic.", I told. "Beautiful, Beautiful! It is important for a girl like you to be in control of yourself. I am sure you will be able to reach anything you want." He said to end questioning me further. A girl like me? I nodded and Slughorn took the next one. I heard quiet whispers coming from McLaggen and Belby and tried to understand the two. "That's the girlfriend of the bully Malfoy, isn't it?" Belby noticed and McLaggen replied: "Yes, unfortunately. I asked her for the Yule Ball, do you remember? She chose that dickhead over me." Unfortunately, I couldn't understand the rest. When it was Harry's turn, Blaise didn't seem interested any longer and when Slughorn asked if it was true that Harry had special abilities, he whispered quietly how untalented Potter was. An angry voice broke out behind Slughorn, which belonged to the Weasley girl: "Yes, Zabini, because you are so gifted... in beauty...", she joked. It seemed to amuse Slughorn because he said: "You better be careful, Blaise! I saw this young lady performing the most wonderful Bat Bogey Hex when I walked through her wagon! I wouldn't get in her way!" I gave Ginny a smile because I really got taken by surprise of this information. "Anyways...", said Slughorn and turned to Harry again. "There were a lot of rumors this summer. Of course, you don't know what to believe, as you know, the prophet has repeatedly reported inaccurately and made mistakes - but in view of the many witnesses, it is clear that there was quite a tumult in the Ministry and that you were right in the middle of it!" Harry just nodded and Slughorn continued radiantly:
"So modest, so modest, no wonder Dumbledore is so impressed - so you were there? But the other stories - so sentimental that you don't really know what to believe - this fabulous prophecy, for example-" Yes, the prophecy. The reason why Draco's father was in Azkaban. And probably the reason why he was so determined to fulfill his task. If my father got arrested, I would do anything to save him. "Neville and I were there too, and all the nonsense with the "chosen one" only comes from the prophet, who invents things as always.", the Weasley tore me out of my thoughts. Now Slughorn was totally enthusiastic and annoyed all present for an eternity with this nonsense. Blaise and I chuckled every now and then, but it felt like hours of talking about Harry Potter, "the chosen one".