Pyrrhic Victory

twenty one.

Year Two
twenty one. Theodore's Epiphany

The days have became even gloomier, quidditch hasn't be the quite same as everyone feared for what was happening inside the castle. The rain trickled outside as Magnolia sat in the Common Room. Despite being underwater, they could still hear the rain from outside.

Draco, Vincent, and Gregory were all joking about who knows what in the corner. Pansy was drawing in the new sketchbook her mother had gotten for her birthday recently. Blaise and Lucille were talking about Herbology, and Magnolia didn't quite know where Theodore had gone.

Everyone watched as Lucille's sister, Melody, walked by glaring at the second years. Melody was a fifth year this year.

"Mums been pressuring her about her O.W.L.S this year, it hasn't been going to well." Lucille says as she moves right next to Magnolia. She felt bad for Lucille, she didn't really have a good relationship with her sister. Magnolia knew she got along with her two brothers, but her sister was a different story. Her eldest brother, William, was the nicest to her, in Lucille's words. Then her younger brother, Joshua, who should be attending Hogwarts next year. She describe him as a bit peculiar. He didn't talk as much according to Lucille.

"Why hasn't she been doing well?" Magnolia says just trying to get the conversation going with her friend.

"Y'know, Melody only cares about learning Dark Magic... you bet she'll get a O in Defense... the others... probably Troll!" Lucille says which causes Magnolia to stifle a giggle. Apparently when Melody first got her wand she would hex Lucille all the time to where her parents had to out Melody's wand in a metal box which was hidden.

"Frankie said that the O.W.L.S are hard, but not as scary as the professors say they are... He's taking his classes for his N.E.W.T.S next year." Magnolia tells Lucille who eyes widen. She thought Franklin was a fifth year this year along with Melody.

"Frankie is a sixth year?!" Magnolia nodded which Lucille noted in her head. I guess it'll make sense, she thought, since Claudius is a fourth year. All the sudden Theodore bursts through the Common Room doors.

"Hello Ophidians!" Everyone cringed at the name he'd called them since the last year. They were known as the Ophidians to everyone else, but never called themselves that.

"Hello Theo." They all mumbled. Theodore pushed between Lucille and Magnolia as he sat between both of them.

"I just had a insight when I was in the library... so maybe the reason girls don't like me is because... I'm too good for them!" Everyone rolled their eyes at Theodore's response. Theodore had a huge ego, that's for sure.

"An Epiphany." Magnolia said and everyone stared at her like she was crazy. Magnolia giggled a little, before giving them the definition.

"Theodore had an Epiphany... basically an insight or revelation... like he realized it." The whole group nodded, but not before Draco had to make a snarky remark.

"That's why I say Magnolia should've been in Ravenclaw!" Magnolia took a pillow and chucked it at the blonde boy. Magnolia just had a wide vocabulary. Magnolia always knew she didn't belong in Ravenclaw, they treasured intelligence and were curious, and valued creativity and originality. Magnolia was ambitious, and would do anything to reach her goal, for example, get Franklin to convince Flint to let her on the Quidditch team. She may have threatened Flint that she would go to Dumbledore about the matter, if he didn't.

The Malvorseve's valued Ambition and Pride. They were proud of their ancestors and their successes. They were ambitious about their goals in life, and hardly had doubts about anything. The bad side was the Malvorseve were very self-absorbed and judgmental. Magnolia has been called selfish by her peers growing up, as well as Persephone. Magnolia would just keep reminding herself that doing that will get her to where she needs to achieve her goal.

Persephone always told Magnolia the story on how she betrayed her best friend to become top of her class.

-flashback-

"What do you think Professor Slughorn called us for?" Persephone's friend, Penelope White, Gryffindor, asked her. Persephone knew exactly, but she wasn't going to tell Penelope.

"I don't know." Persephone shrugged as she kept her eyes focused on the ground infront of her. They both had entered Slughorn's classroom.

"Ah! Miss. Greengrass, Miss. White please come here." He said as he waved the girls over to his desk.

"You may be wondering why I called you two in here, and it's because.. it seems both of your exams have the same exact answers... now if one of you can come clean about who did it..." Penelope immediately looks over to Persephone who had her eyes focused on the ground before she blurted out.

"I saw Penelope looking over at my exam, Professor Slughorn." Penelope looked at her with eyes widen, she was baffled her friend accused of such foolery.

"Is that true Miss. White?" Penelope looked at Persephone and caught her eye. Penelope cherished friendship and bravery, so she did what she had to do.

"Yes, Professor Slughorn." Persephone looked up at her surprised. Penelope admitted to the crime her friend actually committed.

"I'm severely disappointed in you Miss White... I thought you had more potential... that's thirty points from Gryffindor and detention for two weeks." Penelope nodded and he dismissed the girls who walked in silence before Penelope spoke up between the two fourteen year olds.

"You did it, didn't you?" Penelope asked Persephone who still couldn't face her friend.

"You cheated off of me!" She shouted at her friend who jumped at the interaction. Penelope has hardly ever lost her temper on her.

"You know Persephone... your such a low life, no wonder you got sorted in Slytherin! You're so selfish -!" Persephone cut her off with a quite mumble.

"Its called being resourceful... I was achieving my goal being top of my classes..." She says and Penelope looks at her like she was crazy.

"I trusted you Persephone... you back stab me and earned me two weeks of detention! You know how mad my mum is going to be!" Penelope had tears in her bright green eyes by now. Persephone felt bad for her friend, but she did what she had to do.

"Y'know what Seph.... we aren't friends anymore! Go be friends with Narcissa or Lucius, or that Xayne! Maybe I'll be like you and tell the whole school that you like Xayne Malvorseve! I won't though! Because I'm not a cheating, low-life, Slytherin who throws her friends under the bus!" She yelled at Persephone who was know was also in tears.

Persephone Greengrass and Penelope White never talked again. All she knew was that Penelope married a Muggle man and moved to France.
She still regrets what she did to Penelope, but she did end up getting the top of her classes.

-end of flashback.

Magnolia stared at Lucille. She wanted to achieve her goals, but promised to never do it in spite of Lucille. She was the only girl who would actually listen and understand her. Pansy and Daphne would always just butt in about themselves. She still loved Pansy and Daphne to death, but they could never compare to Lucille who actually listens to her and takes her advice.

"Mag? You okay?" Lucille asked her when she finally realized she was staring at her but in a trance. Magnolia shook out of it and nodded her head. Lucille smiled.

"Come on... let's go to supper!" The Ophidians all got up and headed to the Great Hall. Magnolia was thankful for her group of friends, and she was glad to have them by her side.

Magnolia realized she had an Epiphany. She was not cruel, like most people paint Slytherin's to be. Sure, she could be selfish and self absorbed, but she was loyal to her friends. Magnolia still would do anything to achieve her goal, but she would not betrayed Lucille, she was loyal to Lucille.