Green and Scarlet Ice {Book 1 of the Klins series}

Chapter 7

*Jay*

Mother had always told me to not let anyone get too close. I remembered vividly her advice as she prepared me for my first year.

"Jay... I'm going to tell you a piece of advice that is more valuable than anything you will learn at Hogwarts." She had said. "Never get close with anyone. When you get close with someone, you start to feel for them and let your guard down. When you let your guard down they will hurt you, there is no doubt about that. No one will fail to disappoint and hurt you. You've already been hurt enough."

Those words I took to heart. I kept even Draco at a distance. The only thing I changed from what my mother drilled into me was that it wasn't me who'd get hurt, it'd be them. If I let my guard down I could hurt them.

Days like today I reminded myself the most that I had to keep a distance. They couldn't get close. No one could.

The Great Hall was full as I entered, my head still in the same place. I spotted Xavier who waved and the George who gave me a warm smile. Keep your distance, I told myself.

As Breakfast wrapped up I followed Bianca and Hazel to our first class, Defense against the dark arts with Gryffindors.

"Hello Slythers." I smiled. Only two people called me that.

"Hello, George, Fred." I nodded at the pair.

Ever since we met on the train my first year and they learned I was a malfoy destined to be in Slytherin, they called me Slythers. It was a silly nickname and it was something they would never call my brother. They always said I was as far from a Malfoy as one could get.

The sorting hat placed me in Slytherin like I told them it would so Slythers stuck as my nickname. At times I needed it most, they cheered me up. It was rather welcoming on a day like today.

"At the Halloween feast Dumbledore encourages sitting among other houses." George said. "We were wondering if you'd sit with us."

I swallowed hard. "I-I can't. I already promised my brother I would sit with him. We haven't really talked much since the start of term." I said giving him an apologetic smile. Please don't let him actually look for me at the feast.

"Oh. Well that's okay. Maybe the Christmas feast." He said eagerly.

"Yeah maybe." I said.

The twins parted ways with me at defense against the dark arts and wished me good luck with Quirells uneventful lesson.

As I entered Xavier waved me over to the empty seat next to him.

"How are you this fine hallows eve?" He asked with a smirk.

"Just fine." I said with a small smile. At least I would be fine until later this evening.

As class started we just rolled our eyes. As Quirrell droned on about Reducto and Diffindo I tuned him out. To look like I was taking notes I pulled out a piece of parchment and wrote something before slipping it to Xavier. 'I was hoping he'd do something more interesting for Halloween.'

He smiled then flipped the paper over and wrote a reply before discretely slipping it back to me. 'Tell me about it. Even Binns went over the Salem witch trials as boring as it was to listen to.'

I was about to reply when- "M-Miss M-Malfoy. Care to-to explain and demonstrate the D-Diffindo spell to the rest of us?" Quirrell suddenly asked.

I stood up. "Diffindo is a spell used to slash or roughly cut things. It could probably cut an opponent as well." I explained confidently. Then I took out my wand, pointed it at the curtains and said "Diffindo". A tearing sound could be heard as a piece of the fabric crumpled to the floor.