Harry Potter: 19 Years Later

17: Seraphine's POV

  Seraphine headed to Potions, the tips of her ears burning with mortification at what happened in Charms. Professor Flitwick had called her name to answer a question on the Fire-Making Charm and Evan Peterson–that wretched... that brat–had shouted out, "Seraphine? Who's that?"

Just as thoughts of disappearing on the spot had flitted across Seraphine's thoughts, Flitwick's eyes had darted over to Evan.

"Seraphine? Seraphine Parkinson." He had pointed to her. "She's been in your classes for over a month now, Mr. Peterson."

Evan had looked at her and laughed. "Oh...! Her! Why didn't you just say, 'the scrawny girl with the uncared for hair and clothes?' " He had then proceeded to laughing his ugly head off along with his fellow brutes.

The fact that Flitwick had just stayed silent and encouraged her to answer the Fire-Making Charm question instead of defending her, troubled Seraphine. After class, she had rushed into the girl's bathroom and taken a dreadful peer in the mirror. Immediately after, she wished she hadn't.

So Evan had been right. Her hair was in disgusting, unbrushed, greasy, and clumped. Her clothes were wrinkled and obviously not washed.

That wasn't the only thing bothering her now; in the midst of the moment, with being embarrassed and all, Seraphine had sneaked back to her dorm and grabbed some of Lilith's clothes. She had hastily put them on and now she was rushing to her next class, Potions.

As much as she wanted to put them back, Seraphine liked these clothes. They fit her almost perfectly–as she was one of the smallest girls in the school, of course they were a bit big on her–and were clean and... they smelled good. Like perfume or flowers.
 
Ugh... I hate myself. I'm becoming just like my mum, stealing, not caring about others, not caring that you stole...
 
Before she could dwell on it more, Seraphine arrived to the Potions classroom. She chose her seat as far from the rest of the class as she could–in the way back–and pulled out her textbook and parchment.

Just as she was beginning to think that today might be a good day, Lilith entered the classroom and sat next to Albus. Seraphine gritted her teeth. Why was she even bothered by the two of them? They were doing her no harm, so why should she even care?

I don't. I don't care. They don't bother me AT ALL. Seraphine smiled at the sight of them talking together and... laughing. She didn't care, so why did it hurt to smile at them?

As she desperately tried to tune them out and take notes, a trail of loud--and annoying--laughter made its way from Albus and Lilith's table and into Seraphine's ears. What in the name of Merlin are they talking about? For some reason, Seraphine was overcome by a strong wave of keenness to find out every detail of their conversation.

The feeling was like a lump in her throat. Seraphine didn't know how she lasted through the entire class period without jumping up and getting in Lilith's face, demanding every component of her and Albus's conversation.

When class was finally over, Seraphine already had all her things packed. All she needed to do was leave. And she did. But not before Lilith. She met the worthless thing at the door and needed to squeeze past her to leave. In that split second that she spent thrusting past Lilith, Seraphine caught eye contact with her. And saw the suspicious gleam in her unnaturally black eyes.