MARVEL [draco malfoy]

Chapter Six

Chapter Six : Wounds.

~*~

The following morning, the inhabitants of the castle of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, awoke to what appeared to be chaos held barely at bay. Everyone had one thing or another to say about all that had transpired the night before, Emma found it unbelievably hard to tell right from wrong. Since everyone had decided to add one thing to another, gossip was all that was left behind. But one thing was common amidst it all: everyone but those from House Slytherin were treating Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger as if they had been the ones to build the school.

And while everyone seemed to be worshiping the ground Harry Potter walked upon, Emma was merely confused. She did not truly understand what it was that made Harry Potter so special, other than that one fateful night in 1981, she did not find anything particularly special, or enchanting about the boy. In all honesty, he was a damn mess.

Where Emma was confused and a little angry about people's treatment of Potter, she had also grown to be a little happy. Because not only had she slowly begun to become good friends with Draco Malfoy, she'd also been approached by Hermione the other day, and the Gryffindor was the one to ask for Emma's help on a History of Magic homework assignment. Emma doubted that Hermione Granger truly needed her help, but she was grateful for the excuse. Because that was the building step towards Emma and Hermione's inevitable friendship.

~*~

The next few months turned quite pleasant. It seemed as if Emma had suddenly become everyone's favorite— second only to Harry Potter, of course. Various people started to approach her, and talk to her about homework or just about anything else— Muggle-borns, Half-bloods and Pure-bloods alike, all seemed to very much like her, but the thing that surprised everyone else the most was that people from all four houses seemed to have become impartial towards Emma. But despite the throes of people that had become her acquaintances, Emma did not let go of her friendship with Draco, Pansy, and Blaise. The four of them were close as ever.

It seemed as if time had flown past them, and before any of the students had realized, it was already near Christmas. The winter at Hogwarts was harsher than Emma had ever faced it. The bright green grass of the courtyard had turned a pearly white, and the lake froze completely so that the windows in the Slytherin dungeons became completely opaque. The wind picked up, and it blew harshly every few seconds, causing the inhabitants of Hogwarts to repeatedly perform heating charms. The students were advised to dress warmly, and pile on as many layer as they could. Everywhere in the castle, one saw bright emerald, red, yellow and blue scarves wrapped around the necks of the students as they bustled around in the hallways, late for classes.

One afternoon, Emma was sat besides Pansy Parkinson in a History of Magic class. That was supposed to be the last class for the day before Christmas break. Emma was all set to go back home to Madame Beckenbauer and her open arms. Professor Binn's long drawl came for the class being dismissed, and Emma nearly skipped out of her seat, too excited on her feet.

"I'm so stoked to go back home, even if it's only for just a week." she told Pansy as they left the classroom and headed towards the dungeons.

But Professor Snape's voice cut through their conversation, "Miss Marvel, I'd like to speak to you for a minute."

"Yes, Professor?" Emma asked, as she and Pansy both stopped cold in their tracks.

He stood in the doorway of the Potions classroom, one hand holding the door open wide. "Please step inside my office, for a minute."

"Yes, Professor." she replied, and began walking towards the classroom, and Pansy hurried off towards the dungeons.

Professor Snape followed Emma inside and sat down at his desk. He pointed to the chair opposite him, "Please sit. I have just received word from your guardian. And the duty falls in my hands to inform you that you cannot go back to your home during Christmas break."