Venom in the veins

The swan

The first weeks at Hogwarts were a blur of new classes, long corridors, and whispered rumors that followed Evie Lestrange like a shadow. It didn't take long for Evie to realize that her name carried weight—heavy, cold weight that pressed down on her shoulders and made her feel small, no matter how tall she stood.

Slytherin house was a world of its own, filled with students who seemed to know more about the dark corners of wizardry than Evie cared to admit. The common room, hidden deep in the dungeons, was a mixture of green light and murmured secrets. It was beautiful, in a haunting way, but Evie couldn't shake the feeling that she didn't quite belong.

Ava, who had fit into Slytherin like she was born for it, had already made a small group of friends. She moved through the common room with an effortless grace, her sly wit and charm making her a favorite among their housemates. Evie watched from the edges, trying to fit in but always feeling like the odd piece in the puzzle.

Kaylah was loud, bold, and instantly popular. Her afro seemed to bounce with every step she took, her laughter echoing through the corridors. Evie could hear it even from the Slytherin common room, a reminder of the friend who was no longer by her side.

Evie spent most of her time buried in her textbooks, determined to excel in her classes. She was top of the class in Potions and Charms, subjects where precision and focus were key. But in practical classes like Transfiguration, her anxiety got the better of her. The thought of failing, of being ridiculed for her mistakes, was enough to make her hands shake and her spells falter.

Percy Weasley, meanwhile, was impossible to avoid. He seemed to be everywhere—his red hair a beacon in the sea of students, his robes always perfectly pressed, his nose often buried in a book about Hogwarts' rules and regulations. He was, as far as Evie could tell, already preparing for the day he would become a prefect. He walked through the halls with a self-imposed sense of authority, as if he was already wearing the badge.

Despite herself, Evie found herself watching him more than she would admit. He was everything she wasn't—confident, assured, and seemingly unburdened by the weight of his family name. But there was something else, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. A tension, perhaps, a desire to prove himself, just like her.

One evening in the Slytherin common room, Evie sat hunched over her Potions homework, her brow furrowed in concentration. Ava was lounging on the couch nearby, flipping through a magazine.

"You know," Ava said, her voice light and teasing, "you're going to burn out if you keep studying like that."

Evie looked up, blinking. "I have to," she said, her voice a little sharper than she intended. "If I don't, what else do I have?"

Ava's smile faded slightly. "You have us," she said, softer now. "You don't have to do this alone, you know."

Evie sighed, rubbing her eyes. "I know. But it's different for you. You fit in here. People like you. I'm... I'm just a Lestrange."

Ava closed her magazine, sitting up. "So what? You're more than just your last name, Evie. You're smart, you're determined, and you're my best friend. Don't let them make you think you're anything less."

Evie looked at Ava, feeling a surge of gratitude. But even as Ava's words comforted her, a small, nagging voice in the back of her mind whispered doubts. It was easy for Ava to say these things; she hadn't grown up under the same shadow.

As the weeks passed, the strain of being in different houses took its toll on their friendship. Kaylah was too busy with Gryffindor activities, and Ava was always surrounded by her new Slytherin friends. Evie often found herself alone, hiding behind her books and avoiding eye contact with everyone around her.

One afternoon, as she was leaving the library, she nearly bumped into Percy. He was deep in conversation with a few Ravenclaws, his face alight with enthusiasm.

"I'm just saying," Percy was saying, "if I were a prefect, I'd make sure everyone followed the rules to the letter. It's about setting an example, you know?"

Evie stopped, her ears pricking at the word "prefect." Percy's voice was filled with such certainty, such confidence, that it made something in her chest tighten. She envied him, envied the ease with which he spoke, the way he seemed to know exactly where he was going.

She ducked her head, hoping to slip past unnoticed, but Percy caught sight of her. "Oh, Evie," he said, his tone neutral, though there was a flicker of something—curiosity, perhaps—in his eyes. "How are you settling in?"

Evie mumbled something noncommittal, keeping her eyes on the floor. "Fine," she managed to say. "Just... busy with classes."

Percy nodded, but he didn't seem convinced. "You know," he said, almost as if he was talking to himself, "there's more to Hogwarts than just classes. You should... get involved in other things. It's good for building character."

Evie resisted the urge to snap back, biting her tongue instead. "I'll keep that in mind," she said curtly, before brushing past him and hurrying down the corridor.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she walked, her mind swirling with thoughts she couldn't quite untangle. Percy Weasley, with his plans and his certainty, was everything she wasn't. And it frustrated her to no end.

She made her way back to the Slytherin common room, where she found Ava chatting with a group of second-years. Evie hesitated in the doorway, suddenly feeling out of place, like she was intruding on something.

Ava caught her eye and waved her over, but Evie shook her head, muttering something about needing to study. She retreated to her dormitory, where she sat on her bed, staring at her books without really seeing them.

As the days turned into weeks, Evie buried herself deeper into her studies, trying to drown out the doubts and insecurities that gnawed at her. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was losing herself in the process.

And all the while, Percy's words echoed in her mind, a constant reminder that no matter how much she excelled in her classes, there was a part of Hogwarts that she hadn't yet conquered—a part that Percy seemed to navigate with ease.

But that was Percy, wasn't it? Perfect, confident Percy Weasley, who probably never second-guessed himself or felt like a failure. Bloody hell, she thought, staring at the ceiling, why couldn't she be more like that?

Little did she know, the path she was on would soon force her to confront those very insecurities—and Percy Weasley would be at the center of it all.