Chapter Text
October Tonks
Hogwarts was the most magical place on earth. Toby understood that. Every summer he counted down the days to his return. Other students might have found the classes boring. But not him. He loved every minute of it. Whether it was brewing potions with Snape, taking care of plants with Sprout or even listening to Binns drone on about some historical figure. Toby loved Hogwarts. This year he could finally prove himself to everyone. The O.W.L.s were coming and he knew he would do well. Toby tapped his foot on the floor of the car. Exams made him nervous. He took a deep breath. He just needed to study. How hard could that be? He had done it every year before. Without any help.
If there was one thing Toby would change about Hogwarts, it was his house. That Sorting Hat must have wanted to play a cruel trick on him. Toby spent weeks and weeks hoping he wouldn’t get put in Slytherin. His mother had been one, her entire family had been. At least, that’s what Toby had been told. He had yet to actually meet anyone from his mother’s side of the family. Except for the two cousins he had who also went to Hogwarts. Toby’s father and his sister, Nymphadora were both Hufflepuffs. The fit the stereotype too. Smiling and friendly, neither could go anywhere without making a new friend. Toby was much the opposite. He couldn’t find a friend anywhere. In his defence, he was the son of a Muggleborn surrounded by Pureblood Slytherins. The odds were stacked against him the second that stuffy old hat sorted him.
The car came to a stop. Toby stepped out of it. They had arrived at King’s Cross Station. How normal it appeared from here. Toby’s father parked their car amongst all the Muggle cars. Toby’s father would never let go of his Muggle heritage. Toby had to admit that it was rather convenient at times. He knew others wizards had no television and most had never even tasted fast food before. Toby’s neighbours never even suspected there a family of wizards next door to them. Of course, they thought Toby’s mother was peculiar and old-fashioned. She never picked up on the Muggle things they referenced, like old songs and tv shows. Things a woman her age should remember from her childhood. Toby’s father usually intervened in those conversations.
Toby pushed his trolley through the station. His trunk shook as he walked alongside his parents. Toby could point out every single wizard and Muggle in the station. Wizards truly did hide in plain sight. Toby rolled his eyes at a man wearing long sparkly robes chatting to a young Muggle couple. Either Muggles were stupid or blind. Maybe both. Toby glanced at his mother. She never spoke much. He supposed he got that from her. His sister was like their father and Toby was like their mother. Toby smiled at her. He could tell she was nervous. She patted his shoulder as they approached the pillar for Platform Nine and Three Quarters. Toby never liked this part. Toby mouthed an apology to his owl, Artemis, she never liked sudden acceleration.
Toby braced himself as they ran right into the pillar. They would have looked insane to any Muggles passing by. Toby always closed his eyes during the process. When he opened them he could see the Hogwarts Express awaiting him. Toby looked out of place amongst the crowd of wizards. Toby hoped any Muggles back at the rest of the station recognised the band who’s t-shirt he was wearing. Some of the other Hogwarts students would recognise it too. But a lot wouldn’t. Toby’s father appeared behind them and they started walking down the platform. Toby stared at the trunk in his trolley. He didn’t want to make eye contact with any of the other Slytherins, who would all be somewhere on the platform. Toby and his parents walked past the Malfoys who pretended to not even see them, as usual. Toby sighed. Typical Purebloods. Toby couldn’t believe his mother had been raised the same way as them.
Toby spotted a bright pink head of hair a little bit down the platform. He smiled. His sister was here after all. Normally, she came with them to see Toby off. This year, she said she couldn’t but never gave a clear reason why. She had been disappearing frequently these days. Toby knew an Auror would be busy but surely they needed breaks too. Toby’s sister turned her head and spotted him. She grinned and hurried over. Toby knew she missed being a Hogwarts student. The other students and even her teachers liked her. Professor Sprout often asked Toby how she was doing. Toby never really knew how to answer that question. He barely saw her when he was at Hogwarts. These days, she seemed busier and busier.
“Another year at Hogwarts! How exciting!” She ruffled Toby’s hair.
Toby pushed her hand away but smiled.
“It’s much the same as when you went I imagine, Nymphie,” he teased.
Only Toby called his sister ‘Nymphie’. Most people just called her Tonks, their last name.
“Who did you come here with?” Toby’s mother asked Nymphie.
Toby held in a laugh. Their mother was always worrying. She noticed every little thing. Lately, her anxieties were getting stronger. Not that Toby could blame her. Last year had been a strange one at Hogwarts and things were only getting stranger. Toby didn’t quite understand it all but he knew his parents were worried. Especially with Nymphie roaming around as an Auror. Who knows what kind of criminals she could encounter in that line of work! Toby mostly tuned out their conversation. It usually ended the same way. Nymphie would promise she would check in more often and his mother would apologise for nagging. Then they would do it again the next time they saw each other. Toby’s father might even make a joke once they finished.
Toby watched the group of people Nymphie had broken away from. There was a massive black dog accompanying them. It seemed rather calm. It sat next Professor Lupin, Toby’s old Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Toby couldn’t imagine why Nymphie had been with him. Nor could he figure out why Harry Potter and his friends were also present. Looks like Nymphie had made some famous friends. Toby had never spoken to Harry much. Harry was probably wary of him. Toby couldn’t blame him. Most Slytherins were difficult to trust. Still, Toby couldn’t quite solve the mystery of what Nymphie was doing with him and his friends. Perhaps, she came to King’s Cross Station to see Toby off and happened to run into them. But then the question was, how did she even get to know them? Toby thought it unlikely, though not impossible, that she simply spoke to them on the platform.
Before Toby could question her, it was time to board the Hogwarts Express. Toby rolled his eyes. He let his mother kiss of him on each cheek. She told him to behave himself. Nymphie ruffled his hair again and gave him a hug. She told him no to worry about the O.W.L.s too much. Her advice was always to have fun and study less. Not exactly what his parents had in mind. Toby’s father patted him on the back and wished him luck. Toby’s mother made him promise to write every week as he climbed aboard the train. Toby agreed and almost kicked himself for doing so. There was no way he would have time to write back home every week. This was going to be the busiest year of his life! Writing letters was not his priority.
Toby peeked inside at least five compartments before finding one that was empty. He let out a sigh of relief and sat down. Last year he had to sit in the same compartment as a group of sixth years and sat in silence the whole journey. His alone time was briefly interrupted by two Slytherin girls, Ursula Rosier and Tabitha Browne entering his compartment. Ursula rolled her eyes and Tabitha glared at him. How dare he even sit in a compartment on the same train as them! They closed the door and Toby heard them laugh, probably at him. The other Slytherins usually avoided Toby but the Hogwarts Express was only so big. Toby relaxed once he could no longer hear their voices. They were off to find a more suitable compartment. One without him in it.
The train had begun moving before anyone else came into his compartment. He could hear everyone chatting as they walked past to go and find their friends. But then a familiar bushy, brown-haired head popped in the door. Hermione Granger. She was most likely accompanied by Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley. Toby couldn’t see them through the door but she usually was, except when she went to the library. Toby often saw her there and they talked sometimes. They were easily the two students who spent the most time there. Most of the time, they talked about different books they had read. He usually gave better Muggle book suggestions. Hermione always knew the best wizard books. Toby was always surprised that she hadn’t read every book in the Hogwarts library yet. Sometimes they also sat together in their Arithmancy class. But they weren’t close enough for her to introduce him to Harry or Ronald. They didn’t even write to each other over the summer. Hermione was likely the closest thing Toby had to a friend in Hogwarts.
Toby imagined Ronald would have very little interest in getting to know him. Even though their parents knew each other and got along well, Toby knew that Ronald saw him as a Slytherin, first and foremost. A snake. Someone who could not be trusted. Toby didn’t really care. He knew that other people thought that about him. He tried not to care what people thought about him. He would never survive if he did. Toby could never really read Harry very well. It was hard to tell what he was thinking. They hadn’t ever talked much. But they had played Quidditch against each other many times in the past few years. Toby was probably the most sportsmanlike of his teammates, not that there was much competition. He and Harry would usually wish each other good luck before a match or congratulate the other on their win after. But he couldn’t imagine Harry wanting to be friends with a Slytherin. Their houses were rivals after all.
“Hi October,” Hermione greeted him, looking around the compartment, “do you mind if we take these seats?”
Toby almost cringed at the use of his full name. He hated it. His mother chose it. She never explained why. She obviously had a thing for ridiculous first names that children detest. He much preferred to go by Toby. He insisted that everyone called him Toby. Nymphie’s friends mostly called her Tonks and their parents called her Dora. But he heard Hermione even call her closest friends by their full names. She was a lost cause. Toby would never be able to forget the name his mother gave him with Hermione around.
“No, not at all,” he replied.
Hermione thanked him and sat down next to him. Harry greeted him and sat down across from him. Ronald looked irritated but sat down beside Harry anyway. The compartment was quiet then. They could hear other people talking and laughing from the neighbouring compartments. Toby felt a bit uncomfortable. Hermione and Harry were eyeing him and Ronald up like they expected one of them to say something. Ronald definitely wanted to sit anywhere else. He was welcome to for all Toby cared. Toby had been here first.
“Did you have a good summer?” Hermione asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
“Yeah not too bad,” he answered, “what about you guys?”
There was a moment where none of them spoke but they all shared a look.
“Can’t complain,” Harry said vaguely.
“It was nice,” Hermione added.
They continued talking for another few minutes. It was mostly Toby and Hermione discussing schoolwork and study plans. That was all they really had in common. A mutual dedication to studying. Harry sometimes spoke too. But Toby knew academics weren’t exactly his strong suit. He never could have been a Ravenclaw. Not that he was stupid or anything. But when you were the Chosen One classrooms were probably a little boring. Ronald probably had things he would have wanted to say. But it was unlikely he would share them with Toby present. Mostly, Toby got the feeling that the trio were trying not to mention something. Every time Toby mentioned summer, Hermione would quickly ask Toby if he read any good books over the holidays. Currently she had asked that same question four times.
After some time, Hermione and Ronald excused themselves. They apparently had to go visit the Prefect carriage for a while. Harry looked out the window and sighed. He said goodbye and nothing more to his best friends as they left. They promised to come back as soon as they could. Harry didn’t look like that comforted him very much. Toby felt relieved but also disappointed. He didn’t know what he could really talk about with Harry. So far, Quidditch and Hermione’s presence had carried their conversations. What would Harry even have to say to someone like Toby? Somebody who had done so little with his life in comparison to the Boy Who Lived. Toby silently cursed Draco Malfoy for taking the place of Prefect for Slytherin. At least being on a train with Pansy Parkinson wouldn’t be awkwardly silent. She would just glare at him and then run off to find Draco. Toby didn’t envy Ronald or Hermione, sharing a carriage with those two would be much worse than a compartment shared with Toby. Toby hoped Ronald would realise that. Maybe he would even come back and apologise.
Toby wasn’t sure what to do now. He didn’t really know Harry well enough to badger him about his holidays. Everybody knew Harry spent his time away from Hogwarts with his Muggle aunt and uncle. A fate worse than death to many Hogwarts students. Toby didn’t know what Harry’s Muggle family were like. He heard rumours that they were cruel to him. People didn’t talk to Toby much but he often overheard people’s conversations. Harry was often a topic of Hogwarts gossip. Supposedly, Harry’s aunt and uncle didn’t like magic. Toby didn’t know if those rumours were true. But he did know that Harry always spent Christmas at Hogwarts. Even in third year, when a mass murderer was hunting him down, he remained at Hogwarts. Funnily, the man who was supposedly trying to kill Harry was Toby’s mother’s cousin. That was a fun connection the two had. Probably best not to mention him though. In the end, Toby decided to stick to the most reliable topic of conversation when it came to Harry Potter.
“Are you excited to play Quidditch again?”
“Yeah, I think Gryffindor has a good chance of winning the Cup this year.”
Toby let out a small laugh. Maybe he was just being cocky but he didn’t think that was very likely. He did have a slight competitive streak. Maybe the Sorting Hat did make the right decision for him.
“We’ll see about that.”
Draco Malfoy
Draco had not been surprised in the slightest that he was chosen as a Prefect. His father had been one and therefore it was only natural that Draco followed his father’s footsteps. Snape was no fool. He knew none of the other Slytherin boys were up to the challenge. None of them could handle the responsibilities thrusted upon a Prefect. Draco almost laughed thinking about Crabbe or Goyle taking his place as Prefect. Better them than October Tonks, at least they were both Purebloods. Everyone in Slytherin knew about October’s father. That was why they all avoided him. Draco’s parents die of shame if they ever heard he hung out with somebody like that.
Draco supposed the biggest drawback to being made Prefect was the extra time he would have to spend with Pansy Parkinson. Draco had hoped that Snape would choose literally any other Slytherin girl to be the other Prefect. Evidently, Snape didn’t want Draco to enjoy his role as Prefect too much. Sitting in the Prefect carriage with Pansy was a nightmare. She seemed unable to speak to anyone other than Draco. All she wanted to do was ask him question after question about his summer. Draco forced himself to smile. He answered every question as nicely as he could force himself to. Being rude to Pansy would not solve his problems. In fact, it might double them.
“Oh God, don’t tell me those two are Prefects too,” Pansy groaned.
Draco looked away from the window he had been staring out. Instantly, his eyes watered at the revolting sight of ginger hair next to excessively bushy brown hair. McGonagall must have really been desperate if she chose those two. There can’t be many appropriate candidates in Gryffindor. Draco smirked. Potter wasn’t a Prefect. Perfect little Potter. His best friend, Weasley, was chosen and not him. Draco could picture him sulking back in the regular carriage. All alone, without a single friend to boost his ego. Draco actually started to be thankful that Weasley was Prefect. It must have made Potter miserable.
“Those two? Prefects?” Draco scoffed.
Pansy giggled. A horrible shrill sound.
“Granger still hasn’t learned any spells to fix that hair of hers,” Pansy commented.
Draco laughed. Draco watched as Granger and Weasley sat down and chatted. Both were equally as pathetic as each other. Weasley might have been a Pureblood but his family were no better than Granger’s. He probably thought he was a big shot because he befriend the Boy Who Lived. Honestly, Draco didn’t think Potter lived up to all the stories. He wasn’t some sort of hero like everyone thought. He was just a boy. A boring, stupid boy. If Draco had to hear one more story about him, he might finish what the Dark Lord couldn’t. Draco didn’t really believe those stories anyway. How could a baby survive the Killing Curse? Surely, it was impossible.
Draco remembered meeting Potter for the first time. They were both being fitted for their robes before first year. Draco hadn’t realised who he was. Draco tried talking to him but he seemed very quiet. Draco remembered being shocked that he had been hanging around with Hagrid. Draco still didn’t think that oaf should be allowed near children. It wasn’t until Potter mentioned his deceased parents that Draco had understood why he was accompanied by Hagrid. Draco was ashamed now to admit that he had wanted to befriend Potter. Something about him piqued Draco’s interest. Draco wouldn’t be caught dead around him now.
“How was your summer Draco?” Pansy asked him.
Draco sat up. His shoulders tensed.
“It was fine,” he answered.
Draco’s summer had been bizarre to say the least. His father disappeared at random hours during the day and night. He never told Draco where he was going. Draco wasn’t the only one who noticed. His cousin, Augustine, had been keeping track of Draco’s father’s disappearances. Augustine hated secrets. Well, he hated when other people had secrets. Especially, Draco’s parents. Augustine spent many nights awake, hoping to catch Draco’s father returning from one of his secretive outings. Draco joined him sometimes. Occasionally, the two of them managed to overheard Draco’s parents arguing in hushed voices. They could never quite piece together the fragments of their conversations. Everything from that summer was shrouded in mystery.
Draco’s parents fought a lot during the summer. Draco didn’t understand them. They didn’t agree on anything anymore. Their family dinners were mostly spent in silence. Draco tried to start conversations that he didn’t expect to be controversial. Yet no matter what he said, they seemed to turn it into a battle between them. Draco gave up halfway through the summer. Augustine also said little at the table. He was becoming more and more suspicious of Draco’s father. Augustine didn’t trust many people. In fact, Draco knew that he never trusted either of Draco’s parents. These days, Draco was starting to understand why.
Augustine came into Draco’s parents care a little bit after Draco was born. Augustine’s mother, Bellatrix Lestrange, was Draco’s mother’s sister. Everybody knew that. The Lestranges were well known. Maybe not for the best reasons. Currently, they were rotting away in Azkaban. Neither Draco, nor Augustine had ever met them. They were family but how could Draco consider someone he had never met family? How could Augustine care for two people who had never been in his life before? Draco’s father never made much effort to pretend he wanted to be Augustine’s guardian. Draco’s father once said that if it hadn’t been for Augustine, he and Draco’s mother might have tried for another child. Draco could have had a brother or sister. His parents could have had another son or a daughter. Draco’s father always blamed Augustine for that.
Draco thought of Augustine as a brother. During his childhood Draco had no one around except him. His father was constantly off at business meetings, both legal and illegal. His mother spent most of her time shopping or attending social events with her friends. Draco and Augustine were usually left at home alone. Draco supposed it was harder on Augustine. Draco’s parents were quasi absent but at least he saw them. Augustine’s were miles away, imprisoned for life. Augustine’s present pile was always a little smaller than Draco’s at Christmas. Parents did always have a favourite after all. Even if Augustine wasn’t technically their child, they were his guardians. Augustine never spoke with Draco about the favouritism but Pansy told him that he had mentioned it to his friends.
“What about you? Any fun stories from France?” Draco asked Pansy.
Pansy and her family spent every summer in France. Draco didn’t know why. They were as English as they came. Pansy said that her great grandparents on her mother’s side were French wizards. Augustine told him that they were really from Wales and faked the accent. Draco didn’t know which one was telling the truth. There was no rivalry at Hogwarts quite like the one between Augustine and Pansy. They were nice to each other’s face. But if there was a rumour about one of them, the other probably started it. If only he could resurrect Pansy’s ancestors and question them. Unfortunately, Necromancy wasn’t taught at Hogwarts.
“It was quite fun, but I’m excited to be back at Hogwarts,” Pansy answered.
Draco was becoming disillusioned with Hogwarts. The halls were starting to all look the same. The classes were getting dull. And Merlin help him, his classmates were rapidly losing intelligence. Draco was entering his fifth year, only two more after this. Draco was counting the days down. Although, lately he was thinking Hogwarts might not last much longer. Draco’s father almost pulled him out this year. His mother talked him out of it. Of course, he planned to leave Augustine at Hogwarts. Draco’s mother said it was too late to move Draco to Durmstrang. Draco argued that separating them would hurt their social circle too. Most of their friends had parents. Parents who worked with Draco’s father or lunched with Draco’s mother. Those relationships could be damaged by such a drastic move.
Draco knew why his father was acting weird. Or at least, he had his suspicions. Years ago, Draco’s father had been a Death Eater. Afterwards, he claimed that he had been cursed and tricked into following the Dark Lord. It had all been a lie of course. He was lucky. He deceived the Ministry and he wasn’t even punished. The Malfoy family remained in the the Ministry’s good graces. The only Death Eaters who weren’t arrested were the ones who followed a similar approach to his father. However, the extreme ones like Augustine’s parents accepted their sentences at Azkaban. Draco’s mother said that they believed the Dark Lord would save them someday, as a reward for their loyalty. Draco’s mother had been talking about those days a lot recently. Draco put two and two together. Even if Augustine didn’t. The Dark Lord was back. Potter was a lot of things, but maybe not a liar.
Draco read the Daily Prophet all summer. Whoever was writing those articles did not believe Potter. Nor did the Ministry. Draco would normally disagree with anything Potter said but he wasn’t stupid. Diggory didn’t just drop dead after the Triwizard Tournament. Rumours were spreading all summer. Nobody seemed to know what really happened. Draco had put together his own version of events. The Dark Lord ordered someone to somehow intervene in the Triwizard Tournament. Diggory simply got unlucky and ended up dying instead of Potter. Now Potter was trying to warn every wizard alive of his return. And it wasn’t working. Nobody seemed to believe him. For once, nobody blindly followed the boy. Draco hoped it wasn’t true but his father was acting too suspicious. Who knew what that meant for Draco?
“Have you been reading the Daily Prophet?” Pansy gestured to the copy in front of her.
Potter was on the front page again. Rita Skeeter claimed nothing he said was true, again. Surely, she needed some new material. He was getting bored.
“Naturally.”
“All they talk about these days is Potter,” she huffed, “father won’t even glance at it these days.”
Draco sighed.
“You don’t think what he’s saying is true, do you?”
Draco stared out the window. The landscape outside all blurred together. The mountains, trees, even the animals were indistinguishable at these speed. He couldn’t even focus on anything except what Pansy was saying.
“Do they even get the Daily Prophet in France?” He asked.
Pansy turned away.
“Obviously.”
Now she would be in a mood with him. She was a notorious gossip. Draco did not want to talk about the Dark Lord with anyone. Draco wanted to get away from all the drama with his family and his father’s erratic behaviour. Augustine’s theories and schemes were driving him insane. At least at Hogwarts, Augustine would pester his friends with them. Draco kept staring at the window. Finally, some silence.
Augustine Lestrange
Even Augustine Lestrange had to admit that the Great Hall was exceptionally beautiful. He could have stared at the twinkling stars above him for hours. That enchanted ceiling had always been his favourite part of the whole castle. The view of the magical night sky was always enchanting. Although, it wasn’t the only view Augustine appreciated in the Great Hall. He always sat with his back to the wall, around the centre of the Slytherin table. He could see all the other students easily from this position. Sometimes he would ignore his friends and watch the students at a different table. The smiling Hufflepuffs and the debating Ravenclaws always amused him. He couldn’t imagine not being a Slytherin. The other three Hogwarts houses were far less interesting. But sometimes, he enjoyed observing the others. He imagined himself pulling strings from the ceiling and controlling the other students.
Augustine moved his attention back to his friends. Tabitha Browne and Ursula Rosier. Augustine still couldn’t get over how long Ursula’s silky, blonde hair had gotten over the summer. It reached her lower back now. Before she always kept it trimmed above her shoulders. Longer hair suited her more though. Ursula and Tabitha were talking to a Slytherin boy who was a little older than them. This boy showed little interest in Augustine. So he wasn’t surprised he was interested in Tabitha and Ursula. The two girls were like opposites, appearance wise. Tabitha’s skin was countless shades darker than Ursula’s. Tabitha’s mother always told her to stay out of the sun but she never listened. Tabitha’s mother always complimented Ursula for having pale skin. Tabitha said it was an Asian thing. Tabitha also rarely wore any makeup, she didn’t need to. Her skin was smooth and free of blemishes. Ursula, on the other hand, had tried every potion and spell she could find to combat her own skin problems. Despite the lack of progress, she had managed to cover it all up, for the most part.
Augustine became even less interested in their conversation when he heard the boy mention his Quidditch injury. Augustine didn’t know much about sports but he recognised that boy from when Draco told him about a very embarrassing performance at the Slytherin team’s tryouts a year ago. An injury was absolutely not preventing him from playing well. Augustine never understood why boys felt the need to lie to girls about their athleticism. Sure, Tabitha preferred sporty guys. But Ursula always liked guys who were more intelligent. His Quidditch lies would never work on her. Besides, Pansy Parkinson wasn’t at all particular. She was always an option for any pureblood Slytherin. As long as they had a pulse and could stand straight. They didn’t even need to lie about anything. She just used them to attempt to make Draco jealous. Augustine couldn’t tell if it worked. He hoped not. The last thing he needed was for Draco to marry her.
Augustine turned to his other side, as Crabbe and Goyle sat down across from a girl who had been alone. There was nobody in between him and them. There was a noticeable amount of space between this girl and Tabitha, who sat across from Augustine, while Ursula sat beside him. Augustine couldn’t figure out who the girl was. She was too old to be a first year, but he felt certain he had never seen her before. She was really pretty and had perfectly straight red hair. Augustine almost thought the Weasleys had managed to taint the house of Slytherin. But she lacked the numerous freckles the others all had. She also ate her food with cutlery. Uncle Lucius always said they are with their hands. Augustine couldn’t figure her out so he kept paying attention to her interactions with those numbskulls. Augustine never understood why Draco hung around them. In Augustine’s opinion, they belonged in Hufflepuff. Maybe even in Azkaban.
“Is your muffin buttered?” He heard Crabbe ask over the chatter of the Great Hall.
Now Augustine felt terrible for this girl. Which was rare. She probably wanted to be on her own. A girl like that could sit with any boy she wanted. Clearly, she preferred being alone. She definitely did not want those two creeps disturbing her. Tabitha and Ursula both also started watching. Crabbe and Goyle were massive and loud. Subtlety was never their strong suit. The older Slytherin boy returned to his own friends. Dismayed at his failure to seduce neither of the girls. Augustine could hardly look at those two boys make that poor ginger girl so uncomfortable. He leaned over enough so he wouldn’t have to speak so loudly.
“Are they bothering you?” He asked, “Crabbe, Goyle, why are you such imbeciles?”
The girl opened her mouth to speak. But Crabbe spoke first. He always had horrific manners.
“We’re just being friendly!”
Goyle nodded in agreement. Augustine heard Tabitha scowl.
“You were supposed to write to me over the summer, Crabbe!” She snarled.
Augustine turned to Crabbe. God, Tabitha had horrific taste in boys.
“You do not come to a party at my aunt and uncle’s house with Ursula and then hit on some poor innocent girl a week later right in front of us,” he hissed, “she’s not interested!”
He turned to the mysterious girl. Everyone else did too. He always fancied himself a natural born leader. Slytherin needed him.
“Do you want to have sex with either of them?” Augustine asked.
Crabbe and Goyle looked at her expectantly.
“No, thank you!” She blurted out.
The two enormous boys blushed. They glared at Augustine.
“Good! So it’s settled, Hagrid can take you back to the Forbidden Forest now,” Augustine jeered.
Augustine heard them both call him a “bitch” under their breaths as they stood up and sulked away. They sat down across the table from where Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott were sitting. Draco wasn’t sitting with them because he had to sit with the first year Slytherins. Thankfully, so did Pansy. She probably would have sided with Crabbe and Goyle just to spite him. She really was an idiot. How she became a Prefect he would never know. Augustine could tell Blaise and Theodore had been watching the scene play out. Augustine made eye contact with Theodore. Theodore’s eyes always lingered on Augustine. Always. Augustine looked away. The mystery girl stood up from her seat and looked like she was about to run out of the Great Hall. Augustine could see her face. She rubbed her eyes. She was about to walk past him and he knew he had to do something.
“Stop,” Augustine ordered her.
She froze.
“Sit down.”
Tabitha patted the seat next to her. The girl hesitated. She sniffed. He was going to have to try and be a little nicer.
“Seriously, sit down,” he said as sweetly as he could force himself to.
She did. Augustine could tell she was nervous. Normally he wouldn’t care. But he did feel bad for her. She probably had no friends. For all he knew, she has just arrived at Hogwarts.
“Why don’t I know you?” He asked her.
“I’m Daphne Greengrass,” she told him.
“What?” He responded.
“I started at Hogwarts when you did,” she continued.
“Wait what?”
“I’m in most of your classes,” she added.
“So you’re actually Daphne Greengrass?” He asked.
She nodded. He almost started laughing. This girl looked nothing like the Daphne Greengrass he remembered. Only a year, she had huge front teeth and frizzy ginger hair that never sat still. Honestly, Augustine must have ignored her because he thought she was a Weasley. The girl in front of him now looked nothing like a Weasley. Tall, slim and white teeth. Glamorous was the first word Augustine though of to describe her. Augustine noticed some freckles now that she was closer, but not an absurd amount. Her hair actually looked like she took good care of it. She had potential. There was no way she was a Weasley. He needed to befriend her before Pansy did.
“Shut up!” He laughed, “shut up!”
“I didn’t say anything…,” she muttered.
“Daphne Greengrass… that’s really interesting,” he said, “but you’re like really pretty.”
“Thank you,” she smiled.
“So you agree?” He asked, “you think you’re really pretty?”
“Oh… I don’t know…”
***
Augustine grinned. There was hope for Daphne Greengrass. Maybe she would climb the social ladder after all. Daphne was quick to answer all of his questions about her. He had always pegged her for a bit of an outcast. But she was seeming more and more normal by the second. Augustine learned that she had a younger sister named Astoria. He promised her he would keep an eye out for her. That was a lie. He never paid much attention to any of the younger years. He didn’t even notice half the students in his own year. Hogwarts was an active hierarchy. Everybody except the Slytherins ignored it but it was true. They all partook in it, even if they didn’t realise it.
Once dinner ended, all students were ushered to their dorms. Thankfully, their things would be in their rooms already. Augustine watched as all the new first years were guided through the hallways by their Prefects. Augustine snorted at the sight of Draco and Pansy trying to herd first years towards the dungeons. Some of them looked absolutely mortified. Augustine understood why. He always thought the castle’s dungeons were an odd place to house students. Tabitha and Ursula were busy chatting with Daphne. They realised that Daphne knew none of the gossip from their house and were desperate to fill her in. Augustine didn’t find much of their gossip interesting, unless it was about him. He’d make sure to convince Daphne that Pansy was not someone to trust later. He needed to wait until it was just the two of them.
When Augustine entered the dungeon, his eyes were immediately drawn to his favourite spot in the common room. There were a few green, velvet couches near the windows that peered into the lake outside. Augustine had claimed those seats as his territory a long time ago. He liked watching the mermaids swim by. He nearly gagged at the sight of a group of third years sitting in his spot. Immediately, he made his way over and stood in front of a girl with platinum blonde hair and an excessive amount of green jewellery on. He could tell she was their leader. He raised a single eyebrow at her. She rolled her eyes and stood up. Augustine didn’t bother to watch where she went. They knew their place. Each of her friends followed her, one by one. Wise move.
Augustine threw himself onto the couch, leaning against the armrest. Ursula and Tabitha sat on either side of Daphne Greengrass, currently explaining the events of last year’s Yule Ball. Daphne’s shoulders were raised a little too high and her face was desperately trying to mask a guilty look. This was all new to her. Having friends, being spoken to. Being on top of the food chain. Maybe she felt guilty for taking these seats from those third years. Augustine could have laughed. Third years needed to be kept in their place. As did everyone else in Hogwarts. Daphne would need to get used to that if she wanted to actually have friends this year. Or she could go back to being at the bottom of the social hierarchy, with the simplest of Hufflepuffs. Augustine doubted she wanted that. As long as she stayed on his good side, she would be fine.
Augustine saw Draco and Pansy settle into some seats in the middle of the room. Crabbe, Goyle and Zabini were sitting with them as well. Augustine could tell by the redness of their faces that Crabbe and Goyle were telling Draco what had happened at dinner. Augustine thanked Merlin that he never had to hang around the Slytherin boys too often. If Augustine had been sitting with them he would make the conversation far more interesting. Perhaps ask Zabini about his mother’s current fiancé. Maybe request that this time, she could arrange for his funeral to be in the summer. Augustine hated standing in the rain all day at the last one. Augustine stared at the other Slytherins before he realised that Theodore Nott was not sitting with them, which struck him as a little odd. He didn’t usually go to bed this early.
Augustine knew Theodore better than anyone else. They had shared a room together since first year. They got along most of the time. Though, they didn’t talk much. Still, Augustine was probably the only person Theodore talked to about anything. As far as roommates went he was probably one of the better options. Draco was stuck with Crabbe and Goyle in one room, which would be Augustine’s worst nightmare. Zabini brooded far too much for Augustine’s liking. Augustine hated to say it but he dealt with enough of Draco in class and over the summer, he didn’t need to also share a room with him. And not to mention, October Tonks. Augustine was thrilled that Zabini was the one stuck with that freak for a roommate.
“Should we go over to the others?” Ursula asked.
Augustine stood up from his seat and yawned.
“You guys can if you want,” he told them, “I’m going to bed.”
All three of them said goodnight as he walked away. He didn’t look to see if they moved over to Draco’s little gang. For Daphne’s sake he hoped not. Maybe he should have remained with them. If anything, just to make sure she wasn’t harassed again. But he had a plan. He always did. As he walked by, Augustine caught the two oafs glaring at him. He forced himself not to smile. He found them amusing when they were angry because they didn’t have the intelligence to express their anger through words. So they just sat there, red in the face and glaring. Augustine waved to Draco and Pansy as he walked by but didn’t stop to say anything. He could not bear to listen to Pansy drool over how dreamy Draco looked while watching over first years. She had probably picked out their future children’s names today. Maybe some of the new Slytherins gave her ideas.
Augustine walked through the common room. Once he reached the dorms, two second year boys jumped out of his way. He smirked. They were afraid of him. He loved when people were afraid of them. It was probably natural. His parents were very terrifying wizards. Or so he’s been told. He has no real memories of them. They have been trapped in Azkaban ever since he was a baby. That’s why he lives with Draco and his parents instead. The alternative would have been being raised by his other aunt and her Mudblood husband. Augustine shuddered at the thought of how he would have turned out under their care. He would have been stuck October Tonks as a friend. Luckily, Aunt Narcissa had stepped in and rescinded him. Uncle Lucius would have left him to the Tonks if it was up to him.
Augustine entered his dorm and saw Theodore already lying on his bed. He held a book with a leather cover Augustine didn’t recognise over his head. His white sheets covering his body, except for his bare chest. Augustine strolled over to his own bed. Taking his robes off. Pulling his jumper over his head. He threw all of his uniform into his trunk and pulled out a fresher pair of underwear to sleep in. He didn’t care if Theodore saw him naked. He had nothing to hide or be ashamed of. They had been roommates for too long to need to cover anything up. Theodore didn’t know everything, but he never asked either.
“Hello,” Theodore greeted him.
“Hello.”
Augustine slid underneath his bed’s covers and lay his head on his pillow.
“Crabbe and Goyle are mad at you,” Theodore stated.
Augustine looked over at him. He was still reading that book. Not even looking at Augustine. For once.
“I’ll survive.”
Augustine pulled his trunk off the floor and onto his bed. He used magic to fold his clothes neatly inside of it. He hated not being able to use magic over the summer. Narcissa once told him that children from pureblood families used to get away with using magic outside of Hogwarts. Now the Minsitry had become so strict that they could be expelled for something as little as wingardium leviosa. He heard Potter was actually taken in for using magic against Dementors. It was ridiculous in Augustine’s opinion. Even if he despised Potter. He closed his trunk and placed it back onto the floor beside his. He glanced back over at Theodore, who was still reading.
“Goodnight,” he said.
“Goodnight.”