𝓛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓇 (𝒞𝑒𝒹𝓇𝒾𝒸 𝒟𝒾𝑔𝑔𝑜𝓇𝓎)

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝟣𝟨

ᗪIᔕTᗩᑎᑕE ᗷETᗯEEᑎ ᑌᔕ

It was a Sunday, so most people were outside enjoying the crisp air and the sunlight after yesterday's storm. Ariana was told the previous day by Cedric's two best friends that he wasn't feeling well, so Ariana did plan on taking him something to cheer him up — and maybe even confess she had a crush on him — but she wasn't sure how she was supposed to enter the Hufflepuff common room. She didn't want to waste a whole trip down to the basements, so she walked out into the Clocktower Courtyard hoping to spot a friend of Cedric's, or really just any Hufflepuff that she knew. Hufflepuff House was in a much better mood than it had been since the term started, and Ariana knew exactly why. Still, the kind and lovable nature of those students resulted in them taking their victory over Gryffindor without rubbing it in her face. 

She passed some younger Hufflepuffs who smiled and waved as she went, and Ariana smiled back, well aware that they deserved their victory. She and Harry had been distracted before the Dementors with the sighting of the Grim, and so Harry would have never made it on time unless Cedric made a huge mistake, which he wasn't exactly known for. 

The wind was whipping her hair all around, and it kept coming into her mouth, so she extracted her wand from her locket and charmed the golden locks to form a simple but cute side swept braid, which appeared to look much more intricate thanks to her natural curls. She stuffed her wand down her coat pocket, not bothering with the locket again.

Unlike the pleasant Hufflepuffs, the Slytherins were being horrible arses as usual. When Ariana walked by some boys from her year, they pointed and laughed, mimicking her fainting and then pretending to be Oliver, mock crying. The witch rolled her eyes and flipped them off over her shoulder as she sauntered away.

"Oi, Sagewood!" Cassius Warrington called. "Learn to treat your superiors with respect."

Ariana slowed down a little, wanting to turn around and punch him, but she took a deep breath and continued moving forward. She couldn't help but shout a retort at him. 

"Last time I checked, I'm the one with the Prefect badge, Warrington."

She heard a growl behind her and smirked, continuing to search for Alexis Rodriguez or someone Cedric knew. If she didn't find anyone who fitted those requirements, she'd move back to the younger ones she had passed earlier.

"A filthy little Mudblood like you was bound to lose the match yesterday," Warrington's best mate Miles Bletchley added.

Ariana froze.

She whipped around, braid flying back and eyes glowing dangerously. "What did you just call me?" she snarled.

"You heard me, Mudblood! Unless you're deaf as well as dumb. Pathetic."

Storming back over to wear they stood, she pulled her wand out and held it threateningly against Bletchley's throat. Warrington pulled out his own wand and pointed it at Ariana. Adrian Pucey, one of the Slytherin prefects in her year, was standing in Warrington's way, so he politely stepped back and allowed a straight aim towards Ariana. 

Warrington turned to Pucey, confused. "What're you doing?"

"I'm not doing anything," Pucey said, not taking his eyes off Ariana, who was watching him with an eyebrow raised, just as confused. "I'm a prefect, Cassius, so is she. If you two start a fight, I don't wanna get caught in it. Let her lose her privileges," he smirked.

Warrington just went along with whatever Pucey had said. Ariana had to admit, the guy wasn't as dumb as most other Slytherin Purebloods. He was prefect after all.