The Last Great Hogwarts Dynasty

chapter two.

November 4th, 1994.

As the rays of dawn touched the spires of Hogwarts, a sense of anticipation filled the air.

The uproar from the beginning of the week had left students distracted, professors of every subject trying to get them back on track.

Katrina remained boggled by Harry's name coming out of the goblet and it was evident that her mind was elsewhere. Em payed close attention as her friend stared into space. It was a joint Slytherin/Gryffindor potions class today which tended to cause tension either way. She chewed on the inside of her cheeks as her eyes traced Katrina.

'Felix Felicis.' A dull voice echoed through the class 'Can anybody tell me what that is?'. The potions professor's voice felt like it drained life out of any student that heard it.

'Miss Spinnet?'

'It's more commonly known as liquid luck. It means that once taken, all of your endeavours succeed.'

Snape nodded with validation.

'A very difficult brew, Felix Felicis. It takes months and months of up-keep and even the slightest knock of the cauldron will ruin the mixture.'

It all sounded like murmurs to Katrina, as if a fish tank had been placed over her head. Even her eyes couldn't focus and everything she looked at had a dreamy sort of haze over it.

'Katrina, how dare you talk back to me that way?' Lucius bellowed, leaning across the table that was stretched out wide in the dining room. He spat as he spoke and his fingers looked as if they were able to leave dents in the wood he put his weight on.

'I did what you told me to do, father, I looked after him.' It was hard to force the words out, but she had to. She didn't dare look him in the eye, but through her peripheral she notices Draco quietly shaking.

Frustrated, he slammed his fist on the table, demanding attention. Startled by the sudden noise, Katrina jumped in fear, eyes wide with alarm, but still managing to maintain composure.

'It's your fault you know,' Lucius thundered 'if you did as I told you instead of wondering around with those filthy blood traitor friends of yours, he would have never got hurt in the first place!' Katrina was finding it especially hard to breath now.

Narcissa stood and placed a gentle hand on his arm. Mumbling in her husbands ear, she talked him down.

The room started to spin and the ringing in her ear got aggressively louder and louder. Combined with her mother calling her name, her heart raced and a suffocating wave of dread washed over her. Desperate for relief, she clamped her hands over her ears.

'Katrina!'

Lost in the haunting memories of Malfoy Manor, Katrina was jolted back to reality as her friend's voice called out, urging her to snap out of the poignant flashback. She quickly realises that all eyes were on her as Em shook her back into the classroom. Proffesor Snape's eyes were poison in her veins.

'Perhaps you aught to step outside, Miss Malfoy?' He says in much more of a mocking tone than sympathetic.

'I'll take her, sir.' Em nods emphatically and directs Katrina out of the room that had now fallen even more silent than before. George gazes over, brows furrowed as he watches her go.

'It happened again.' Em says holding her friend gently by the forearms, just outside of the classroom.

'Apparently.' Katrina took a deep breath, half embarrassed and half exhausted from whatever she just experienced. They took a seat under a stone archway and it calmed them both to hear birds chirping in the garden.