The Era of Aria Snape

29

Chapter Twenty-Nine

ARIA HAD JUST entered the common room after an irritatingly long Astronomy lecture, only to hear Malfoy bragging to a few second years.

"I'm trying out for Quidditch. Positive I'll make the team, I'm the best Seeker they've ever seen."

Aria snorted. "You're doing what?"

A few second-year girls turned to stare at her, expressions of pure awe on their faces. Aria felt a strange sensation of pride, but ignored them and focused on the bratty blond.

"Trying out for Seeker. Potter won't know what hit him when I shove the snitch up his-"

"Gosh, Malfoy." Aria laughed, flopping down onto the leather sofa next to him. "Didn't think you even knew how to fly a broom, but knock their socks off." She had a suspicion that even if he didn't make the team, his daddy would persuade the school to change that.

"Will you watch the tryouts?"

Aria shook her head. "I have to watch that ridiculous creature Sprout gave me. Have you seen it?"

Malfoy's face scrunched in disgust. "Those Weasley fools walked past me holding theirs. Ugly little things-the Weasley's I mean."

Aria rolled her eyes, ignoring his nasty comment. "And they shoot fire out their rear ends! How in Merlin's name am I expected to raise that damned thing?" The image of her room being set on fire was all the persuasion Aria needed to cut the conversation short and head up to attend to the creature. "I have to go." She stood up and headed for the stairs. "Good luck, though. Show those Gryffindors."

She shouldn't exactly be cheering Malfoy on-her boyfriend was one of those Gryffindors. She shuddered at the thought and opened the door to her room.

"Here Skrewty Skrewty. Here boy!" She called for the dumb animal. She had decided against naming it anything that might eventually lead to a bond of sorts, so, Skrewty it was. Not creative, not original, but easy. "There you are." She glared at the creature and lifted it, holding it at arms reach by the abdomen, making sure that its rear end was nowhere near her face or uniform. Professor Sprout had mentioned that the stinger on the end of the tail would not be poisonous until they were much older, which was a relief because Merlin knows Aria would have been stung one hundred times already. "You're coming with me you foul little thing."

She reached underneath Annabelle's bed for a shoebox and emptied the contents, stuffing Skrewty inside. "Don't worry, you won't die." She assured him. "I'll let you out at the library to wreak havoc. The Skrewt hissed at her, which she took as a positive response. "Excellent."

She noticed that the common room had quite significantly emptied since she had gone to her dorm ten minutes before. Everyone had probably left to watch the Quidditch tryouts. She decided that she would take the long way to the library so as to catch a glimpse of the team. She knew George and Fred would be there, avoiding them in front of her house's team would be best.

She thought back to her second year when Madison had cried upon finding out girls weren't allowed on the Slytherin Quidditch team. Aria couldn't have cared less-flying a broom was one of the only things she hadn't immediately gotten the hang of and had sworn off flying since her broom whacked her in the face in her first year.

"There they are, Skrewty." Aria spotted Malfoy halfway across the field, the Slytherin team obviously in some sort of argument with the Gryffindor team. George was there, Aria decided she had better go and see what was happening. She didn't want Malfoy saying or doing anything dumb, he could be quite illogical at times, or so she had learned during her stay at the Manor.

She got close enough just in time to hear the announcement of the new Slytherin Seeker. She smirked, glad Malfoy had made it. "-And that's not all that's new this year." Malfoy forced his way to the front, revealing his new broomstick, in fact, the whole team had new broomsticks. They were glistening in the sun.

Of course, Lucius's persuasion, as she had predicted.

"Those are Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones! How did you get those!" Ronald gasped as he spied the broomsticks. Aria remembered George mentioning that their family wasn't very well off, money-wise and how they hardly ever got new things. She glanced over to her boyfriend, whose eyes were fixated on her. She sent him a small smile, which he returned immediately. That was all the affection she would show, though. It was no time to reveal their relationship when either house could start throwing Unforgivable Curses at any moment.

"A gift from Draco's father."

"You see, Weasley, unlike some, my father can afford the best."

"Draco." Aria snapped under her breath. She didn't have a problem when he teased them about their hair color or the funny way they walked, but what he had said was unnecessary.

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in, they got it on pure talent."

Aria snapped her head to glare at whoever had made that ridiculous comment, but upon realizing it was Hermione, her glare softened and she looked away.

Malfoy stepped past Aria and glared at Hermione. "No one asked for your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood."

Aria closed her eyes and breathed out. Such a foul mouth he had. No matter how much she disliked Muggles, Aria had never said that word.

"You'll pay for that one, Malfoy. Eat slugs!" Ron aimed his wand at Draco, but the spell backfired and threw the ginger halfway across the field.

Aria groaned and slapped Draco's shoulder. "What'd you go and do that for?"

"What?"

"You're such a bully!" She folded her arms and glared down at him.

"Me?" He snorted. "You're the one who curses people on a daily basis. I just said one little word. You're such a hypocrite, Snape."

"The people I curse deserve to be cursed!" She snapped and watched as the Gryffindor team carried Ron off the field. "I don't have time for this, I have to get to the library." She rolled her eyes and turned to walk away.

She thought back to how Malfoy had watched her try and curse Cedric the previous year. Had she encouraged his horrendous behavior?

No, she shook her head. That was impossible. It had nothing to do with her, or so she hoped.