She Knew Them As They Were

Chapter Three: The Poltergeist

The next morning, Bria and Andromeda met Narcissa and Bellatrix in the common room. "Ready to go down for schedules everyone?" Bellatrix asked. The other girls nodded and followed her out of their dungeon common room. On the way to the great hall they met Peeves again.

"Ooohhhh who's a lurking around

Not making a sound?

But they can be heard

They're as loud as a bird!

I have a wish...

Are they getting a dish?

Cause Peevsie wants food

While he's still in the mood

Wait this sounds wrong...

This isn't a logical song!

But Peevsie doesn't care!

Oh I see Bria's under—"

"Shut it Peeves," Bria hissed while trying to keep her skirt down. But he decided to continue—

"Oh lookie here

Lets give a cheer

Because at this rate

The Black Sisters will be late!"

He swooped and swerved around and through them causing the four girls to fall over in their attempt to avoid Peeves. The girls screeched and screamed—

"Not again!"

"What the hell, Peeves?"

"Why has it always got to be when I'm—"

"Now look what you've done."

"—gonna get Dumbledore to get rid of you."

"—a mess! A bloody mess!"

—and after a while they noticed Peeves had flown off in boredom and if they didn't hurry up they would miss breakfast. After racing up and down hallways and breakneck speed—"wish I were allowed to apparate inside of Hogwarts"— the four girls finally made it.

"Where have you girls been?" Horace Slughorn, the potions master and usually jolly head of Slytherin house looked at the girls with slight disappointment in his eyes.

"Sorry Professor. We were uhhh held up by Peeves." Andromeda looked down at the floor nervously. Slughorn had never been known to get angry, but then again, the best secrets are never known at all.

"It's no matter, no matter at all Miss Black. Now," his face hardened into a more strict mold, "Miss DeCrox, dear, may I have a word with you?"

"Of course, Professor," Bria replied without missing a beat.

"Now," he led her out of the hall," Professor McGonagall has informed me that you have already been given a detention. She has already given me a detailed explanation of why, but I would be curious to hear your version of events."

"Well, Professor," Bria started,"it was a crazy thing you know. I didn't have time to change out of my muggle clothes (I had to escape from home you know) on the Hogwarts Express because the ride must have been shorter than usual, but when I got off Old Minnie, I mean McGonnagall started screaming her head off at me. Now I've got a detention." Bria finished her explanation with a shrug and turned to renter the Great Hall, but was stopped by Slughorn's strong arm.

"Miss DeCrox, while I appreciate your willingness to give an explanation for your actions, I am afraid I have reason to believe that I have not been given the entire truth." Bria sighed in response; she really did not want any more punishment. "Minerva tells me you acted...errr inappropriately towards her and I am sorry, but if this behavior continues I will be required to take points— yes DeCrox, from my own house — and report you to Professor Dumbledore. As, I am sure, neither of us wish to have this happen, I have to ask that your behavioral patterns change dramatically, and for the better I might add. Good luck with your first day of classes."

"But Professor, you haven't given me my schedule yet."

"And I will be handing it to you and your fellow Slytherins as soon as this conversation is over."

"Yes Professor. My attitude will change." Slughorn smiled in relief at her words, but sadly missed the current attitude of the girl walking away from him. Bria DeCrox had no intention of changing herself for the sake of her teachers.

"What was that all about?" Andromeda asked with concern.

"Oh, just Dear Sluggy wanting to check up on me and make sure I'm behaving myself as usual."

"You really should you know. You're messing up your chances to become prefect!"

"Me? Prefect? You're quite a laugh dear. No teacher in their right mind would make me a prefect." And before the discussion could continue, they had been handed their identical schedules and sent off to their first class of the day.

A/n from now on I'm going to try to update this on Wednesdays (I say as it's a Thursday...)