𝐃 𝐈 𝐕 𝐈 𝐍 𝐄, 𝐝.𝐦

𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐱 𝐦𝐞𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬

t h i r d y e a r

ON the edge of her vision, Adeline sees someone pass. Cloaked in darkness, a shiver of movement catches her attention. Gone before she can catch sight, Adeline enters the library in search of her friends.

She spots Honey first, head in a book presumably about ancient muggles, with Ari beside her playing around with his wand and a pile of feathers. Adeline stands across from them, greeted by smiles.

Ryland appears seemingly out of nowhere, his kind smile beaming at her when she notices him. He's always so happy, always so pleased to see his friends. It's rather comforting, this tall boy with pretty golden hair.

Adeline's quiet excitement to see him putters away when she notices the boy beside him. It's the same boy from her DADA class, his dark hair and sharp features look out of place in here.

"Adeline, I'd like you to meet someone." Ryland says upon getting to the table. The other's look up but lack a certain interest with the new boy. "This is Dean Draguar, the guy I was telling you about who spent the summer with me. He transferred from Ilvermorny and he's in the same house as you. Dean, you've met everyone else but this is Adeline Levier."

Adeline shifts her attention to Dean, who is looking at her the way he had been in class.

"Yes, so pleased to finally meet you." He holds out his hand, which Adeline hesitates before she takes it. "Ryland here doesn't seem to know how to shut his trap about the sweet girl from Slytherin."

Ari and Honey smother their laughter, snickering into their tasks at hand. Adeline glances at Ryland briefly but glowing pink cheeks hide away from her gaze.

"Thanks for that." Ryland mutters, finding his attention captured by a book on a not so nearby shelf. Leaving Adeline alone with this boy she doesn't think she likes.

Ari and Honey have grown bored of the interaction and don't even notice the conversation that follows.

"Sounds like a logically self-contradictory statement to me." Dean comments, dancing around her as one would before pouncing on its prey. There's a whisper by her shoulder accompanied by a warm, suffocating breath. "I find it runs contrary to one's expectations of Slytherin girls."

He's in front of her again, too close and all proprietorial. "You must have them all fooled."

A swipe of his tongue dances against his lip as he grins down at her. Flickers of amusement within his eyes raise distrust deeply against Adeline's skin.

Her head hurts too much for this.

Amethyst appears with complaints about Professor Snape and Dean takes a step back, laughing against his chest as he takes a seat next to Ari.

The moment is gone and over, everyone moved onto something new. Adeline stands there, dislike bubbling within her veins, her brain bleeding with pain, and the twitch of something dark and disturbed blending in with the sunlight streaming through the library windows.