𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐥𝐞 | h. granger

ix | the potions master

Slytherin Common Room

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𝐃𝐀𝐊𝐎𝐓𝐀 𝐀𝐖𝐎𝐊𝐄 𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐘 the next morning for breakfast. She dressed in her uniform – a gray skirt, white dress shirt, a green and silver tie, and her new Slytherin robe with the house crest. She brushed through her blonde locks and styled them in twin braids before leaving the bathroom.

"Do you know when we're getting our class schedule?" she asked Tracey as they left the dorm room.

"Our head of house, Professor Snape, is going to pass them out during breakfast," she replied. "Do you know which class you're looking forward to most?"

"Probably Charms," Dakota said as they walked out of the portrait hole. "I met our Charms professor when I went to Diagon Alley with my cousin to get our supplies."

"Who's your cousin?" Tracey asked.

"Harry Potter."

"Pottah?"

The two girls stopped walking and turned around at the sound of Draco's voice. The boy was strutting towards them, Crabbe and Goyle behind him like bodyguards.

"You're cousins with Pottah?" Draco asked, extending his hand to shake Dakota's. "I believe we got off on the wrong foot, Dursley. I'm Draco Malfoy."

Dakota raised a brow. She didn't shake his hand. "Just last night you called me a Mudblood," she stated. "And now that you know I'm related to Harry, you want to be friends?" She shook her head. "Thank you, but no. I don't choose my friends based on who they know or where they rank in the world."

Tracey smirked when Draco balled his hand into a fist, glaring at the blonde girl. The two girls walked away and headed upstairs to the Great Hall for breakfast.

Dakota filled her plate with fried eggs, two pieces of toast, sausage, and bacon. She washed it all down with a glass of pumpkin juice, and then walked with Tracey to their first class of the year, Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall. Two other students were already there, Aliyah and Hermione Granger. Dakota and Tracey sat down at the table behind them. There was a gray tabby cat sitting on the front desk.

"Kody!" Aliyah grinned when she saw her. "Aren't you so excited? I could hardly sleep last night. You remember Hermione, right? The triplets introduced her to us last night. I ran into her on my way here."

Dakota smiled politely at the Gryffindor girl. "Good to see you again, Hermione."

"You too, Dakota," Hermione replied. "Is it true Harry is your cousin?" she asked, her cheeks flushing a light shade of red as she wondered if she ought not have asked that.

"Yes, he is. He was left in my mum and dad's care when his parents died," Dakota said as more students began to come in.

"He talked about you a lot last night at dinner. Ronald was worried that you were sorted into Slytherin, and Harry spent the entire feast trying to convince him that you weren't evil."

Tracey sighed and rested her chin in the palm of her hand. "I hate how Slytherin has such a bad reputation."

"The boys don't really help much," Dakota mumbled, glancing over at where Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle were sitting. She stuck her tongue out at them when they gave her a dirty look. "They remind me of my brother." She rolled her eyes and slumped back in her seat, crossing her arms. "I thought I wouldn't have to deal with people like him here."

The door to the classroom swung open, and Harry rushed in with Ron. Dakota snickered quietly to herself. Hermione rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Whew. Made it." Ron panted. "Can you imagine the look on old McGonagall's face if we were late?"