Far Away (Draco Malfoy)

~ 5 ~

The morning air in the dungeons was colder than the rest of the castle, sending a chill down my spine as Lila and I walked toward Potions class. The flickering torches along the stone walls didn't do much to brighten the gloomy atmosphere, and the weight of the day ahead hung heavy in the silence.

Well, mostly silence— Lila was munching on a chocolate frog like it was her breakfast.

"Why do I feel like I'm walking to my execution?" I muttered, clutching my books a little tighter.

Lila smirked, "because you kind of are. Snape doesn't play favorites— unless you're Malfoy probably. Then you're golden. The rest of us? Collateral damage."

"That's not helping," I hissed. "How are you not freaking out right now? It's Professor Snape. He's supposed to be terrifying."

"Eh," Lila said around a mouthful of chocolate, waving a hand dismissively. "He's not that bad once you realize he treats everyone like dirt. Lowers the stakes."

"That's... not comforting," I muttered, glancing nervously at the classroom door as we approached.

Lila smirked, licking her fingers and tossing the empty frog wrapper into a nearby bin with perfect aim. "Relax, newbie. Just sit in the back, don't blow anything up, and you'll survive."

"Says the girl retaking Potions," I shot back, raising an eyebrow.

Lila laughed, a sharp, unapologetic sound that echoed down the hallway. "Touché. But for the record, I didn't fail because I'm dumb. I just... don't care. Honestly, I was too busy hexing people who deserved it to bother turning in homework."

I gave her a skeptical look, and Lila rolled her eyes. "Fine, if you must know, I'm actually pretty good at Potions. Snape even said so— well, in his usual 'you're still a disappointment' way. But rules aren't really my thing."

I couldn't help but smile a little at that. Lila's chaotic energy was oddly reassuring, even if it made no sense. "Great. Meanwhile, I have no idea what I'm doing. I didn't even know magic was real until, like, two days ago."

Lila stopped mid-step, spinning to face the reader with narrowed eyes. "Been living under a rock or something? You a muggleborn?"

I froze, realizing my mistake. "Uh— not muggleborn, just overexaggerating I guess."

Lila's gaze sharpened, but before she could press further, the classroom door creaked open, and a dark voice drawled from within. "If you are done wasting time in the hallway, kindly enter my classroom before I deduct points from Slytherin."

Professor Snape.

Lila grinned and gave me a playful shove toward the door. "Saved by the greasy bat. Lucky you."

My stomach churned as we walked into the classroom, the heavy atmosphere pressing down on me. Rows of workbenches stretched out in neat lines, each topped with cauldrons and ingredients. I quickly slid into a seat at the back, Lila plopping down beside me without a care in the world.

The classroom was already half full, with students scattered across the workbenches in pairs. The air was thick with the scent of herbs and something sharp, almost metallic.

Snape swept into the room like a storm cloud, his black robes billowing dramatically as he moved to the front. He stood with his arms crossed, his dark eyes scanning the room like a predator sizing up his prey.

As I settled in, my gaze flicked to the front, where none other than Draco Malfoy was sitting at his workstation, his pale blond head angled toward his cronies. He turned slightly, catching my eye for a split second before smirking.