Little Bird

Chapter Three

Eve

            I discovered that Pansy Parkinson wouldn't be my only roommate; there was another girl named Millicent Bulstrode who was just as terrible as Pansy, if not worse. What made it so awful was the fact that Millicent and Pansy were friends, so when the feast ended and we went down to our dormitories, the two of them immediately went to their side of the room and whispered together for hours.

            It took everything I had not to Owl my aunt and beg to be sent home. I had been nervous about making friends here even before arriving, but this was worse, so much worse. How was I supposed to make friends if the only girls in my House and year absolutely hated me?

            And it looked like being friends with anyone outside of Slytherin wasn't an option; I'd seen the way Ginny and Harry had looked at me from across the Great Hall. It was clear the other three Houses didn't want much to do with my House, and it seemed as though the other Slytherins were perfectly okay with that.

            I went to bed praying that tomorrow would be better.

           At breakfast the next morning, Professor McGonagall handed out everyone's schedules before classes started. I found that I had Potions first, and my stomach lurked a bit. It wasn't because I was bad at Potions—I was worried about where I was going to sit.

            The bell rang all too soon, and I reluctantly got up from the Slytherin table and made my way out of the Great Hall along with everyone else. I searched the crowds of students for Ginny Weasley, but I couldn't spot her anywhere. Trying to decide whether or not this was a good thing, I clutched my schedule and concentrated my gaze on Pansy's back. As much as I already disliked her, there was no way I could find the Potions classroom without deliberately following her.

            I discovered that the Potions classroom was in the dungeons, pretty close to the Slytherin common room. Taking a deep breath and pulling up the strap on my bag, I hurried inside the classroom.   

            My heart sank almost as soon as I stepped inside. The class was full of Slytherins, and as I looked over the tables, I realized there was not a single student who wasn't a Slytherin. I nearly turned around and walked back out when I saw that none of the tables were empty.

            "Hey, Hawkings! Sit over here."

            I turned my head as someone called my name and I saw, to my surprise, Blaise Zabini beckoning me over to his table. Uncertainly starting forward, I couldn't tell if he was joking or not.

            He laughed at my unsure expression and told me to just sit down. I hesitated, noticing for the first time who else was sitting at his table. Draco Malfoy and another Slytherin boy from last night were seated around the table, and I felt the sudden urge to back away very quickly.

            "Relax, you can sit here," Blaise said, and I finally gave in. Where else was I going to go?

            As I gave him a small smile and took a seat next to him, I heard Malfoy mutter under his breath, "Does she have to?"

            I felt my cheeks flush, no matter how hard I tried to ignore him. The intense anger that had helped me snap at Pansy last night was gone now, and I knew I was back to the way I always was: quiet and not standing up to anyone.

            Blaise rolled his eyes at Malfoy, and he was about to say something to me when the Potions professor cleared his throat at the front of the room. Everyone instantly quieted down, and I looked up to see a tall man standing before all the tables, dressed head to toe in black with greasy hair. I felt uneasy just looking at him.