The Dark Lord's Daughter [FW - Book One]

Dance Partner

After cleaning ourselves up, I realize that I've got detention with Snape tonight.

" Oh! I'll see you guys later. I have detention with Snape." I say, turning and walking in the other direction.

I slowly make my way to the dungeons, and knock on Snape's door. I hear a faint 'enter', and open the door.

"Ah, miss Riddle, how nice of you to join me." Snape sneers, "Tonight you will be cleaning the couldrons without using magic. I will know if you use it. You may begin."

I let out a sigh as I pick up a rag, and begin scrubbing the insides of a couldron. It's disgusting what students leave in their couldrons. I've found eyeballs, varios frog parts, and remnants of potions, one of which made my hand grow green warts all along it's surface.

Once I have scrubbed the inside of every cauldron, Snape says I can leave, but I stalk over to his desk, holding my warty hand out to him.

"I believe I said you could leave, Miss Riddle." Snape says without looking up.

"You did, but you see, I have a problem that I've been trying to bring to your attention." I say. Snape looks up this time.

"I see. You must be a special kind of stupid to have done that to yourself. You should go to the hospital wing. Madame Pomfrey will be able to put your hand back to normal." Snape drawls, shooing me out of his office.

I sigh and walk up to the hospital wing, staring at my hand in disgust all the way. When I open the double doors, I find that there are no other patients. Madame Pomfrey rushes over to me and examines my hand.

"How did this happen dear?" Madam Pomfrey asks kindly.

"I was cleaning cauldrons for detention and accidentally touched a potion." I explain.

"Alright. Drink this. I'll have you stay the night so I can make sure your hand returns to normal." Madam Pomfrey replies, handing me a potion.

I uncork the vial and smell the potion. It smells like strawberries, so I drink it. It does NOT taste like strawberries. It tastes like mold. No matter how many times I swallow, I can't get rid of the taste. I eventually give up and lay down on a hospital bed. As soon as my head hits the pillow, I'm out like a light.

*

It feels like I've been sleeping for no more than a few seconds when Madam Pomfrey wakes me.

"You may go dear. Your hand has returned to normal." She says when I open my eyes "Breakfast has just started."

I nod, getting up and examining my hand as I walk out of the hospital wing. On my way back to Gryffindor tower to change, I run into a Slytherin who is a year younger than me who I've never talked to before in my life.

"Oh! Sorry. I really need to start watching where I'm going." I say, muttering the last part to myself.

"Yeah, whatever, It's fine." He sighs. "Hey, would you want to go to the ball with me?"

"What? Why me? I don't even know your name."

"Because I need a date. I've been asking around." He shrugs. "My name is Marlo, by the way."

"Aright then, I'll go with you." I nod. "I'm Vanessa."

"Oh I know. Everyone's talking about you. I don't care though, it's not any of my business." Marlo says. "So I'll meet you outside the Gryffindor common room before the ball?"

"Sounds like a plan." I shrug.

I return to my empty dorm and change into some clean clothes before going down to the great hall and sitting with my friends.

"Where were you? You didn't come back last night." Lani asks, looking at Fred suspiciously.

"Hospital wing." I say simply.

"WHAT?" George exclaims, "What did that greasy haired git do to you?"

"He had me clean cauldrons, and I touched the remnants of a potion by mistake. It gave me warts." I grimace. The twins burst into laughter.

"You're lucky Ness. You could have touched something deadly." Lani says seriously.

"I know." I say, more interested in my food than the conversation.

When we finish eating, we split up, each going to our different classes. I say goodbye to my friends and head off to ancient runes.

*

"Do you lot have dates yet?" I ask as I scribble away on a roll of parchment.

"Yeah, you already know who I'm going with." McKenna replies.

"Yep." I say, nodding.

"What about you. Have you got a date?" McKenna asks.

"Yes, actually. Some Slytherin bloke named Marlo asked me." I say with a small smile.

"Going with a Slytherin, eh Redwood?" Angelina Johnson asks as she enters the dorm, "Good to see you hanging around the other snakes where you belong you creep."

"Oh bugger off Angelina!" McKenna shouts, raising her middle finger and rolling her eyes.

"You stay out of it, Riot!" Angelina shoots back.

"Keep your mouth shut then, you cow." Kenna mumbles angrily.

"Alright, cool it with the insults, both of you. Can we all just be quiet and mind our own business?" I groan.