Living Dangerously

Chapter 8: Dumbledore

The fourth wall of the Slytherin Common Room was made entirely of glass and on the opposite side of it was the Great Lake, illuminating the room with a darkened green tinge. Occasionally a school of fish swam by and amused the students or in the case of a Grindylow, frightened them. Some even said that on rare nights, the ghostly silhouette of the giant squid could be seen lurking nearby.

A brick wall separated the glass in the middle, forming an isosceles trapezoid shape of the Common Room. It sported a fireplace that burned with a green flame, and just above that hung a large shield with a Slytherin emblem on it. Two leather sofas and an arm chair stood before the fire place, with a dark wooden table between them. A few exotic animal skulls and fancy portraits of Medieval Slytherins decorated the surrounding walls.

The whole room glowed with the aura of a mysterious, underwater shipwreck.

"I'm going out for my run, I'll be back in two or so hours," Daphne said, entering the room.

Tracey sat up from her position on one of the sofas, coming into Daphne's view.

"That's the third night this week! And it's a Wednesday!"she asked, confused.

"I have a routine to keep."

Tracey's eyes light up.

"You're seeing your boyf again aren't you?" she teased.

Daphne rapidly descended on her from across the room.

"Be quiet. And don't call him my boyf."

Tracey gasped excitedly.

"You are, aren't you?"

Daphne tried to hide a smirk.

"How can you tell?"

"Look at you!" Tracey gestured to Daphne. "I've never seen you so happy in school! Oh Daphne, you need to tell me about him!"

Daphne continued to repress the urge to burst out into a smile.

"We've discussed this, I told you if it gets serious enough, then I will."

Tracey rolled her eyes and lay back down on the couch. "But looooook how happy you're getting over him! I want to be a part of that! I am your half-sister after all."

"Emphasis on the half," Daphne shook her head.

"Have you told Astoria?"

"Of course not."

"Have you told anyone?"

"No! You know I haven't. The first person I tell will be you."

"Has he told anyone?"

"I doubt it."

"But do you know for sure?"

"Why are you asking?" Daphne raised an eyebrow.

"Because, if even one person in this school knows, I'll find out somehow."

Daphne mused, "How?"

Tracey smirked, "I have my ways."

Daphne shook her head, sighing. "Well you keep your ways far away from me. For now, neither me nor him are comfortable with other people knowing about our involvement together. You can respect that can't you, dear half-sister?"

"Ouch, using family against itself. Daphne Greengrass, you Ice Queen," Tracey pretended to be offended.

"That's what they call me," Daphne turned and began making her way towards the Common Rooms exit.