Pyrrhic Victory

thirteen.

Year One
thirteen. Farewell

"What?! Magnolia! You must be out of your mind! There is no way that is Vol- you know who!" Draco scolds the blonde who just sighs. She leans on the couch that was infront of the fire.

"It was a theory Draco!" She fought back.

"Well your theory is wrong! It's probably just some old Mudblood wanting more life!" He shouts and storms back to his dorm. Magnolia brings her arm up to her hand, and tries to soothe the headache she has gotten. She decided that it was best if she didn't attend class today.

~three weeks later~

"SLYTHERIN WINS THE HOUSE CUP! SLYTHERIN WINS THE HOSUE CUP!" The cheers flood the Slytherin common room. They had just been informed that they had won for the seventh year in a row.

"SEVENTH YEAR IN ROW!" The prefect, Gemma Farley, announced and cheers bellowed through the common room. The Ophidians were all sitting together in a corner. Magnolia had her lips covered with strawberry chapstick her mother had gifted her for her birthday, that was in the beginning of June. She had loved it, and it was her new favorite thing.

"Come on Slytherins! Let's go celebrate at the feast in the Great Hall!" She lead the Slytherins all out of the Common Room, and all the up into the Great Hall. Snape was pleased as he watched his house win again for the seventh year. They entered the Great Hall cheering as all the other houses watched in shame.

"Look at the Gryffindorks! Ashamed aren't they?! If it weren't Potter and his friends maybe they would've had a chance!" Draco said to the group, which caused them all to laugh. They all took their respected seats around the table, which will have to change next year.

The house was decked out in silver and green, Magnolia was proud at her houses win, and even though Lucille's house didn't win she was proud for her friends.

"Another year gone!" Dumbledore's started his speech cheerfully. He starts going on and on about how wonderful of a year it has been, and everyone was waiting for him to award the house cup.

"Now as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding and the points stand this: in fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points."
The Slytherin booed as loud as they could, which caused the Gryffindor's to snicker and fight back.

"In third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty six, and finally Slytherin, four hundred and seventy two!" The whole Slytherin's erupt in cheer, and Magnolia is high fiving everyone in the group. Everyone was banging forks, goblets, anything that will make noise to show their win.

"Yes, well done Slytherin. However recent events must be taken into account." The Slytherin's faces drop, and Magnolia and Draco look at each other in fear wondering if they were the cause of this.

"First- Ronald Weasley, for the best game of chess Hogwarts has ever seen in many years, I award Gryffindor fifty points." All the Slytherins become angry, they all knew Dumbledore favored Gryffindors.

"Second- Hermione Granger.... for the cool use of logic, I award Gryffindor, fifty points!" Magnolia's eye widen, she couldn't believe what he said. They got fifty points?! Because of 'cool use of logic'

"Third- Harry Potter, for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor fifty points." Gryffindor cheered as now they were tied with Slytherin, Magnolia rolled her eyes already knowing where this was going. Most of the Slytherin looked like they were about to murder Dumbledore.

"- I award ten points to Neville Longbottom!" All of the Gryffindors erupt in cheer, and start hugging each other. Magnolia face falls as well as everyone else in the Slytherin house.

They changed the decoration, and for the rest of supper the house stayed quiet unlike Gryffindor. When they entered the common room again, some of the boys were seen ripping down the decorations, and Snape had entered to which everyone gathered around him.

"Professor Snape?! He can't do that? Can he?" Gemma Farley asked Snape, and his expression stayed the same, expressionless. Magnolia fidget with her hands as they waited for an answer.

"He can. Not saying it was at all fair." Snape said, and then dramatically leaves the dorm. It was their last night there. The four girls trudged upstairs, and packed the rest of their belongings.

Pansy braided all three of the girls hair so it would be curly the next day. They also did their nails together. They decided to make this a tradition that they will do this on the last day of each year.

"Goodnight girls." Pansy said as she turned off the light. They all sat in bed, quietly. For some reason Magnolia couldn't get to sleep that night. She kept wondering on who the man in the cloak was? Was it Voldemort? Or was it the old hag that Draco said it was?

———

"Goodbye Cedric!" Lucille engulfed the fourteen year old into a hug, he accepted their hug. The Hufflepuff common room was filled with students saying farewell, and trunks of their belongings. Lucille had already said goodbye to Hannah, and now Cedric. She would probably say goodbye to the Ophidians on the train.

She walked down with Hannah, and some of Hannah's friends down to the carriages to Hogsmeade station. They were sitting with Ernie Macmillan, and Justin Finch-Fletchley. She had remember she had met them when it was her first day at Hogwarts.

She headed into the train, and found the Ophidians already sitting in three carts. She noticed their sad faces, and noted that they weren't in the mood.

She sat with Magnolia, Daphne, and Theodore. Everyone kept commenting how Daphne and Draco look like they could be siblings. It was a long way back to London, but Lucille enjoyed every minute of it.

"Goodbye Magnolia!" She hugged the Slytherin girl as they stepped off the platform. It was a bittersweet moment, and everyone watched.

"Goodbye Lucy! Promise to Owl me!" Lucille nods and they enter one last time before they break apart and head to their families. The first thing Magnolia notices was her father in an engaging conversation with who she was guessing was Draco's saying the boy was standing next to him.

"Ah! Lucius! These are my children, Franklin, Claudius, and Magnolia. I'm pretty sure that Maggie is good friends with your boy?" Xayne says and Lucius smiles at them before turning to face Draco.

"Is that right Draco?"

"Yes father." Draco mumbles and Lucius nods his head in approval. Xayne and Persephone bud their farewells to the Malfoy's, and floo their way home.
The Malvorseve's lived not too far from where the Malfoy's lived. It was around a 30 minute walk. Magnolia has seen the mansion before, and it was gloomy looking.

"How was first year?" Persephone asked her daughter as Magnolia unpacked her belongings. Magnolia thought of all the adventures she had experience this year, and smiled.

"It was marvelous."

Authors Note:

I finished first year yay! I can't wait to write second year :), hope you are enjoying!