brewing hatred (d.m)

Double Trouble

It had been a few days since the disastrous detention with Draco, and Ariana was still nursing a deep sense of irritation every time she saw his platinum blonde hair flicker in her peripheral vision. But she was also determined not to let him consume her thoughts. Instead, she found herself gravitating more toward Pansy Parkinson, whose biting sarcasm and knack for stirring up trouble had quickly become a source of amusement and solidarity.

On this particular afternoon, Pansy and Ariana were sprawled out on the plush green sofas in the Slytherin common room, their heads bent close together as they whispered conspiratorially. The fire crackled in the hearth, casting flickering shadows on the dark stone walls around them. Most of the other students were either in the library or out enjoying what remained of the rare sunny afternoon. But Ariana and Pansy had other plans.

"So, what's the deal?" Ariana asked, her blue eyes gleaming with mischief. "What kind of trouble are we causing today?"

Pansy's lips curled into a wicked grin as she leaned in closer. "I've heard Filch has a stash of confiscated sweets and joke products locked up in his office. Some from Zonko's, others from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. I say it's about time we liberate them."

Ariana raised an eyebrow, her pulse quickening at the idea. "You think we can break in?"

"Please," Pansy scoffed, her dark eyes glinting with amusement. "We're Slytherins. If anyone can, it's us."

Ariana smirked, leaning back into the cushions as she considered the plan. It had been too long since she'd gotten into proper trouble. Ever since her transfer to Hogwarts, she'd had to keep herself in check—what with new teachers, new rules, and the constant, suffocating presence of Draco Malfoy. But now, with Pansy by her side, the itch to cause chaos was too tempting to resist.

"Alright," Ariana said, her voice low but eager. "Let's do it. But how do we get past Filch? You know he's always lurking around."

Pansy waved a hand dismissively, her grin widening. "I've got that covered. Filch has been obsessed with catching Peeves lately, ever since the poltergeist dumped ink all over his cat. He's been chasing him around the castle for days. I heard from Daphne that Peeves is planning some big stunt in the Great Hall later. All we have to do is wait until the chaos starts and sneak into Filch's office when he's distracted."

Ariana's smirk matched Pansy's. "Sounds like a solid plan. What are we waiting for?"

The two girls exchanged a glance, the excitement building between them. Pansy jumped up from the sofa, brushing off her robes and grabbing her wand. "We'll head out when the bell rings for dinner. Filch is always near the kitchens around that time, whining about the students tracking mud through the halls."

Ariana followed suit, stretching her arms above her head as she stood. "Do you know where he keeps the stash?"

"Of course," Pansy replied confidently. "Third drawer on the right in his office. He's paranoid, but not paranoid enough. I've been watching."

The afternoon passed in anticipation, and soon, the low chime of the dinner bell echoed through the castle. Students began streaming out of the common rooms, heading toward the Great Hall. Ariana and Pansy stayed behind, lingering by the entrance to the dungeons, waiting for the moment to strike.

As predicted, Filch had disappeared from his usual patrol, probably in pursuit of some imagined mischief or tracking Peeves through the halls. The girls exchanged a quick nod and slipped out of the common room, keeping their footsteps light as they made their way through the labyrinth of corridors.

Filch's office was tucked away in the corner of a dark hallway near the entrance to the dungeons. The door was old and creaky, and the lock looked more worn than effective.

Pansy drew her wand, pointing it at the lock with a confident flick. "Alohomora."

The lock clicked open, and the door swung inward with a soft groan.

Ariana grinned. "That was almost too easy."

Inside, the office was just as grim and cluttered as Ariana had imagined. The walls were lined with shelves full of confiscated objects—everything from joke wands to Exploding Snap cards—and the air smelled faintly of dust and damp parchment. A large desk sat in the center of the room, and behind it, an ugly filing cabinet loomed, filled with who knew what kind of petty rule violations.

Pansy moved quickly to the third drawer on the right, just as she'd said. With a swift yank, it slid open, revealing a stash of brightly colored sweets, joke products, and a few small bottles of suspicious-looking potions.

"Bingo," Pansy whispered, her eyes gleaming.

Ariana reached into the drawer, pulling out a handful of Puking Pastilles and Skiving Snackboxes. "We're going to have fun with these."

Pansy giggled softly as she stuffed a few trick wands into her bag. "Oh, you have no idea."

Just as they were about to shut the drawer and make their escape, a loud CRASH echoed from outside the office, followed by the unmistakable cackle of Peeves.

Ariana froze. "Do you think—?"

Pansy put a finger to her lips, listening for a moment. The sound of Peeves causing havoc in the distance continued, but there was no sign of Filch returning.

"He's still distracted," Pansy whispered. "Let's move."

They quickly gathered the rest of their stolen loot and slipped out of the office, closing the door quietly behind them. As they hurried back toward the common room, Ariana felt a thrill of excitement rush through her. It had been far too long since she'd felt this free—this alive. Causing trouble was what she did best, and Hogwarts was already proving to be the perfect playground.

When they finally made it back to the Slytherin common room, they collapsed onto the sofas, giggling like they'd just pulled off a grand heist.

"That was brilliant," Ariana said, catching her breath. "I forgot how fun this could be."

Pansy smirked, pulling out one of the trick wands and twirling it between her fingers. "Stick with me, Green, and you'll never be bored."

Just then, the door to the common room opened, and Theo and Blaise walked in, both of them looking curious at the sight of Ariana and Pansy grinning like mad.

"What have you two been up to?" Theo asked, raising an eyebrow as he took in their flushed faces.

Ariana exchanged a conspiratorial look with Pansy before shrugging casually. "Oh, nothing. Just a little... Slytherin mischief."

Blaise leaned against the wall, folding his arms with a smirk. "Should I be worried?"

Pansy's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Only if you get in our way."