𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 [𝐏𝐉𝐎 𝐗 𝐇𝐏]

vi: ariana's worst fear

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chapter vi

(prisoner of azkaban)

ariana's worst fear

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MALFOY DIDN'T REAPPEAR IN CLASSES until late on Thursday morning, when the Slytherins and Gryffindors were halfway through double Potions. He swaggered into the dungeon, his right arm covered in bandages and bound up in a sling, acting as though he was the heroic survivor of some dreadful battle.

"How is it, Draco?" simpered Pansy Parkinson. "Does it hurt much?"

"Yeah," said Malfoy, putting on a brave sort of grimace. But Ariana saw him wink at Crabbe and Goyle when Pansy had looked away.

"What a dick." Ariana muttered.

"Agreed." Ron murmured back.

"Settle down, settle down," said Professor Snape idly. Harry and Ariana scowled at each other; Snape wouldn't have said 'settle down' if they'd walked in late, he'd have given them detention. For some twisted reason, Snape loathed both children.

But Malfoy had always been able to get away with anything in Snape's classes; Snape was Head of Slytherin house, and generally favoured his own students before all others. They were making a new potion today, a Shrinking Solution.

Snape took attendance quickly, and once again called Ariana "Andromeda Black". At first, all her teachers called her that, but she had told them all her name was Ariana. Everyone knew she hated that name, but they didn't know why.

Malfoy set up his cauldron right next to Harry and Ron so that they were preparing their ingredients on the same table.

"Sir," Malfoy called, "sir, I'll need help cutting up these daisy roots, because of my arm-"

"Weasley, cut up Malfoy's roots for him," said Snape, without looking up.

Ron went brick red.

"There's nothing wrong with your arm," he hissed at Malfoy. Malfoy smirked across the table. Ariana resisted the urge to throw her knife through Malfoy's blonde head.

"Weasley, you heard Professor Snape, cut up these roots."

Ron seized his knife, pulled Malfoy's roots towards him, and began to chop them roughly, so that they were all different sizes.

But the stuck-up Slytherin wasn't finished yet. "Professor," drawled Malfoy, "Weasley's mutilating my roots, sir."

Snape approached their table, stared down his hooked nose at the roots, then gave Ron an unpleasant smile from beneath his long, greasy black hair.