Betrayal of the Black

six

THE NEXT DAY BEGAN PERFECTLY. Pansy woke her up, and the two got ready as they always did. After getting ready for the day, the two girls made their way down to the common room. Just like the past four years, the boys were waiting for them. The three of them were sprawled out across the two couches near the fireplace. Anyone that even attempted to get near the couches while they sat there were scared off by Draco.

Once Pansy and Celestia began walking towards the exit, the boys were immediately behind them. Multiple times they had made the joke about how they constantly acted like bodyguards - despite the fact neither of them needed a man to defend them. In third year, the duo had convinced the boys to dress up as actual bodyguards for Halloween. Pansy and Celestia wore muggle dresses, and the boys had worn muggle tuxedos with too-dark sunglasses. The boys had complained for most of the night until they realised their costume basically gave them free rein to push anyone who came close to the two girls. They usually did not need an excuse to push anyone, but having one just made them more ruthless.

Breakfast went by normally. Though, Celestia kept throwing glances up at the staff table and wondering whether Umbridge was going to do another impromptu speech. It was only after one too many glances at the staff table that Celestia finally realised that Hargid was not sitting at the table. In his place sat Professor Grubbly-Plank, and she couldn't help but wonder how she had missed the large man being missing for so long.

The enchanting ceiling was gray and filling with rain clouds. Celestia loved the rain and deemed anyone who didn't psychotic. When she had been a child, Narcissa had told her one day she would hate the rain, because living in England the rain never felt like it stopped. Years later, Celestia still found herself excited when she would discover that it was forecasted to rain that day.

Schedules were handed out, and like every year, most of their classes consisted sharing with Gryffindors. Celestia did not see why the teachers were still trying to mend the rift between the two houses even after it continues to fail every year.

Thankfully their school day began with Study of Ancient Runes. Though the class was quite boring, she had Blaise, Draco, Theodore and Pansy to keep her company. They had also chosen the same classes, and it was either can be a huge mistake or the best idea they have ever had. Hufflepuffs were the ones they had to deal with, and out of all the houses, Slytherin got along best with Hufflepuff.

An hour and a quarter went by in the blink of an eye. This was mostly because of the fact that none of them had really paid attention. First and foremost, it was the first day of school. What did they expect?

By the time break came around, the group of Slytherins began making their way to the courtyard. The rain was only a misty drizzle but Celestia relished in the hope for more rain. Most students had congregated under shelter, even though there was very little rain.

The peace of the day was broken when Pansy was practicing Expelliarmus and Celestia's wand flew across the courtyard. After jokingly ridiculing Pansy, Celestia made her way to grab her wand before anyone stepped on it and broke it.

She still had a small smile on her face as she bent down to pick up her wand, but all traces of it vanished when she stood back up. None other than Harry Potter was stood a foot away, Hermione and Ron bickering about something behind him.

Celestia was about to take the high road. Perhaps the wonderful day could continue on if she just walked right back over to her group of friends and continued to laugh at their awful jokes. Celestia loved a good fight, but it was the first day back at Hogwarts for heavens sake, maybe Harry would decide to ignore her as well.

Nevermind. Though Ron and Hermione had yet to notice her, he was already opening his mouth to start an argument. After all, he hadn't seen her since she disappeared the night she left for Malfoy Manor.