How To Annoy A Gryffindor ; harry potter

Step 2: Be a Slytherin

"Thank Merlin they got rid of Hagrid," said Georgia while they were in the carriage that led them up to the castle grounds once they were off the train.

"Got rid of Hagrid?" said Ember, looking questioningly at her friend.

"Yeah, I just asked the new professor who was guiding those first years around, she says she's filling in until Hagrid gets back from something," Georgia answered with a shrug. "Wish I knew where he was though,"

"He's no good," Billie said. "Almost killed Draco in third year,"

Ember laughed loudly, remembering the time Draco had insulted a Hippogriff in Care of Magical Creatures, "Almost killed him! Ha! Draco's was being dramatic, the poor kid wants all the attention he can get," she teased, playfully nudging the blonde sitting next to her.

Draco glared at her, "Thanks for that, Em,"

"No problem, Dray," she said, sweetening her voice.

Once the carriage had stopped, Ember, Draco, Billie and Georgia all jumped out. Blaise and Cullen had to go in a different carriage, in which they were joined by Pansy Parkinson and Theodore Nott.

Ember and Draco walked side by side to the Hogwarts castle, as they usually did. The Entrance Hall was ablaze with torches and echoing with footsteps as the students crossed the flagged stone floor for the double doors to the right, leading to the Great Hall and the start-of-term feast.

The four long house tables in the Great Hall were filling up under the starless black ceiling, which was just like the sky they could glimpse through the high windows. Candles floated in midair all along the tables, illuminating the silvery ghosts who were dotted about the Hall and the faces of the students talking eagerly, exchanging summer news, shouting greetings at friends from other houses, eyeing one another's new haircuts and robes.

Ember drifted over to the Slytherin table where she sat down next to Draco and Cullen.

"Who the ruddy hell is that," Blaise asked from across the table, pointing to a woman who was dressed in a horrible pink colour, who had short, brown hair.

"Looks like a Barbie doll," replied Ember curiously looking at the woman seated next to Snape at the teachers' table, the two of them looked slightly odd sitting next to each other, Snape's dark robes and dark hair in contrast to the pink outfit and mousy brown hair this woman had.

"A what?" Draco asked.

"Barbie, it's a muggle toy," Ember explained quickly, forgetting that Draco didn't know what simple muggle things were since he was raised as a pureblood.

"Sometimes I forget you were raised as a muggle," Draco said.

"I wasn't really," Ember said with a shrug. "I was raised by Death Eaters for a good seven years,"

Draco groaned, "If you're going to bring your dad up again I might just die right now,"

Draco had learned to never really talk to Ember in a serious way before, so on the rare occasion, Ember mentioned him he had to make some sort of a joke about it to lighten the mood.

"Jeez, never knew you were suicidal," Ember deadpanned.

The blonde boy rolled his eyes at his best friend.

"No, he's right," Cullen said with a grin. "I might just join him,"

"Then what would I have?" Ember asked. "I'd have nothing without–"

"Shush," hissed Pansy Parkinson, her high-pitch voice alone was enough to make Ember want to throw her knife at her. "I want to hear what the Sorting Hat has to say,"