Being the only Slytherin in a household full of Gryffindors left Emilia Costello feeling an outcast even on her first day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. So, odds only proved worse for her when she was forced to endure the endless tor...
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My feet feel heavy as I trudge down the rocky path on the way to Hogsmeade a couple of weeks after my incident with Malfoy.
Hermione had said something about some kind of meeting at Hog's Head and begged me to come, so here I am.
I assumed it had something to do with Umbridge, our brand new, horrible Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. The woman refuses to teach us anything on one of my favorite subjects and it deeply angers me.
What's with the Ministry and their need to meddle with everything, anyway?
I push inside the commonly deserted pub and am surprised to find the backs of many students, and a small group including my brother and the golden trio, who stand at the head of the room.
I must be late. Again.
I swallow nervously and sink into the nearest empty seat, waving slightly at Darius and Hermione who nod.
"You're right Harry, we don't. That's why we need your help. Because if we're going to have a chance at beating... Voldemort.." Hermione smiles reassuringly at Harry.
"He's really back." A boy says quietly. Harry curtly nods.
In minutes, everyone is getting up to write their name down on a piece of parchment in the front of the room. I'm the last to approach it; my eyes flit over the words scribbled at the top: Dumbledore's Army. I glance at the names written under it and realize I'm really the only member of Slytherin here.
I make a mental note to ask Hermione to re-explain it to me later as I write down my full name: Emilia Costello.
I avoid Harry's gaze as I slip back out of the pub, having seen Darius go in the same direction only minutes ago.
As soon as I step outside I see my tall, Gryffindor brother's tall frame and dark curly hair, and I quickly step forward to tap his shoulder.
"Emilia." He says, half-surprised.
"How are you doing?" He asks quietly, likely referring to the small quarrel that everyone at Hogwarts was still talking about.
I guess no one would've expected the quiet, misfit Slytherin girl to suddenly assault the bullying Slytherin Prince.
And Darius knows me well enough to realize that it wasn't an accident. That I must've been seriously hurt in some way.
"Fine, I guess. The bloody coward won't even speak to me." I roll my eyes, my mind casually wandering to the platinum haired boy.
"Why don't you avoid him, as Hermione and I've asked?" He sighs in a frustrated tone. I frown, furrowing my eyebrows.
"It's not as easy as you might think. He's in every one of my lessons, and he's my bloody Potions partner, for damn's sake." I complain.
