Lemniscate

Five

I walk into my dormitory without making a sound. I shiver as I undress, looking towards Draco's and Dion's beds. They're sleeping soundly, or so I think.
"Where have you been?" asks the sleepy voice of Draco. I jump, and a chuckle comes from him.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."
"It's fine," I say, "As to where I've been, Dumbledore wanted to meet with me."
"Really?" Draco sits up, "What for?"
"Some codswallop about being 'there for me.' I don't believe a word of it. He probably just wants me to come to him so he can get more popularity with the wizarding world."
Draco looks surprised, but then snorts, "You really are a Slytherin, you know that?" I nod.
"Yeah. And this snake had better get to bed," I say, and Draco smirks.
"Yeah, we wouldn't want the Boy Who Lived to lose his beauty sleep."
"You're one to talk," I say, but get into bed. Soon enough, I'm asleep.

The next day, I get a Nimbus 2000, and I smirk as even Draco fawns over it. The Gryffindors seem peeved off, but I ignore them.
I also get a letter from Gringotts, saying that guardianship will be transferred in a week's time. I smile at this. Once again, things seem to be going my way.
Classes that day are simple, again. Potions, Herbology, and Charms. I manage to brew this potion even better than I had during the first class. My father seems beyond impressed, earning a smirk from me. I'll have to remember to ask him about accessing his potion ingredients later today.
Herbology is also rather easy. We're growing Sweetgrass, a poisonous grass that reacts well with the Winter Leaf. Severus needs more of it for his third years.
In Charms, we start on summoning charms, which I get very easily. The essay is only a foot and a half long, about the theory of the charm, which I already understand far better than the textbook explains it.
After that comes Quiddich practice. I'm ready for this, and am excited to play as a chaser for once. Turns out, I'm extremely good at it, too. I make more than half of our goals, and the captain of the team seems really happy by the end of the practice.
So far, things are falling into place perfectly, and I'm ready for the end of the year, by Halloween.
The whole 'troll in the dungeons' act that Quarrel puts on seems rather fake, this time around. I go to the common room with my friends, because confronting Quarrel right now would not be wise. Severus may be doing it, already, and what good will it be if he knows what I plan to do beforehand?

And so, I wait. Classes are fun, and I enjoy learning things the second time around. My peers ask me how I'm not in Ravenclaw, to which I just shrug.

It's not until spring is producing flowers and such that something interesting happens.
I'm walking down the hallway, heading back towards the common room after dinner, when I see him. A boy whom I recognise as Neil Wilde is being harrassed by a couple of older Gryffindors. I feel anger growing inside of me, and let my magic wrap around the two. They look over, and sneer at me.
"Well, well. If it's not Mr. Hotshot himself."
I let out an angry sigh, and step in front of the other boy.
"Why are you preying on the weak? It's very cowardly," I say it calmly, but it really ticks off the two boys.
"And why are you getting in our way? You're no stronger than this weakling," the taller boy says. I smirk, raising an eyebrow.
"No? Why don't you test that theory?" I challenge. Neil looks scared as the tall boy pulls out his wand. Before I have the time to pull out mine, he casts a hex at me. Without thinking, I cast up a wordless protego and repel the hex.
The boys are beyond shocked, and, casting one last look at me, they turn and run away. I smirk at them, then turn to Neil.
He's as pale as a sheet, "Are you okay?" I ask softly, and his eyes widen.
"That was amazing," he says. I smile at him, and take one of his hands.
"Come on, let's go back to the common room, okay?" wordlessly, he nods, and I lead him back.
"So, Neil, I have to have a promise from you that you won't tell anyone about that."
Neil nods without a second thought, and I grin at him.
"Aside from that, now that you know, would you like to join my little group? I'd love for you to hang out with us, as you have most of your classes with us, anyways."
"You're sure?" he asks, probably thinking that I'm joking. I nod, and he smiles, "Sure."
I wouldn't have asked, but his core is strong for a first year, though nowhere near my level, and is obviously dark. He would make a good ally, if I'm in need of one. Not only that, but the Wildes are a dark family through and through. He'll probably be a death eater when Tom returns.
And so, the group becomes bigger. Draco and Dion easily accept Neil, and I'm grateful for it.