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"ONWARD, YOU PEASANT!" Ariana commanded as she pointed to the forest with her right hand, her left steady around Blaise Zabini's neck, and her legs secure around his body. The group of Slytherins, including Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott, Pansy Parkinson, Daphne Greengrass, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle, chuckled and tittered at both the childish antics of the girl, and the annoyed, yet slightly amused face of Blaise.
"Just keep walking losers." He replied with a flushed face as he wobbled at her weight, making the small group of Slytherins to laugh once more.
"Merlin, you're weak. Just goes to show being good-looking isn't everything, Zabini." Pansy teased, and the sound of snorts and snickers arose from the group.
From the outside, their friendship may seem a bit cruel, toxic even. But in all honesty, it was the only way they knew how to express their feelings -- without being soft, Merlin knows they would never --, so they never took anything to heart.
The group continued to poke fun at the boy as they made their way to Care of Magical Creatures. They were lucky enough to arrive before any of the Gryffindors, a comment Theo thought wise to express rudely earning a kick in his side.
"Merlin's Beard, Ari that hurt!" He exclaimed as the short girl slipped off of Blaise's back. To the other's entertainment, she simply gave him a confused look.
"What are you talking about Theo?" She said innocently, although a small smirk began to form at the corner of her lips. The boy only rolled his eyes as she laughed.
The group proceeded to laugh and joke, ignoring the arrival of a few other Slytherins and the Gryffindor 3rd years. It wasn't until they heard the voice of Rubeus Hagrid did they begin to pay attention.
"Gather 'round." He said, "Find yerself a spot. That's it. Now firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books an-" He was cut off by Draco's chilling voice.
"And how exactly are we supposed to do that?" He commented, holding up two of the books, his and Ariana's. Normally, Ariana would have hit him in the back of his head or elbowed him in his side, but she couldn't blame him, especially when it nearly bit their hands off.
"Hasn-' hasn' anyone been able ter open their books?" asked Hagrid crestfallen. The students all shook their heads. "You stroke it," he responded. He demonstrated with Hermione's, pressing one large finger against the spine, and soon enough the book fell open quietly. He looked around, eager to see everyone remove their bindings. Once everyone had succeeded, Hagrid hurried around to the edge of the forest and out of sight.
Draco turned back to the group and spoke carefully for only them to hear. "Oh, how foolish we've all been!" he mocked "We should have stroked them! How didn't we guess? Really witty, giving us books that try and rip our limbs off! Wait until my father hears Dumbledore's got this oaf teaching classes."
