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"I'M A MESS."
Valerie Grindelwald could hardly bare to look at herself as she stood in front of her mirror. The young witch had fallen asleep in the courtyard by accident, and so here she was, trying to fix her disheveled appearance before the Malfoy carriage arrived.
Her light blonde hair had grown over the summer, falling just below her shoulders, but unfortunately, the frizz had grown with it. She mentally cursed herself as her mind went blank, suddenly unable to remember any useful spells for the matter at hand.
"Uh, Crinus Muto?" with a wave of her wand, her hair was washed into a horrifying neon pink, "Merlin, help me."
Valerie somehow managed to turn it back, but the sound of hooves pattering against the castle grounds rang through her window, and her eyes went wide as she realised who had arrived. Peering from atop her tower, she spotted Lucius Malfoy stepping down from his carriage, clad in black from head to toe.
"At least I don't wear extensions..." Valerie murmured under her breath, taking one last glance at her less than acceptable reflection before rushing down the winding staircases.
Valerie walked out the doors with two guards by her side, trying to keep a collected composure as she came face to face with the guests.
Holding her hand out, she introduced herself, "Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy. I'm Valerie—"
"Grindelwald," Lucius finished for her, shaking her hand curtly, "We meet at last."
She drew her hand back warily, sending him an awkward smile that could pass as more of a grimace, "The pleasure is all mine."
"Oh, Draco has told us the most wonderful things about you," Mrs. Malfoy spoke, "Call me Narcissa, dear."
As wrong as her words sounded, Valerie respectfully greeted the woman back. She then noticed the absence of a certain infuriating boy, a feat she would have paid no mind to if not for the current circumstances.
Lucius seemed to have caught on her confusion, "My son is waiting at the manor. He's got this peculiar case of motion sickness."
Valerie slowly nodded, and it abruptly hit her that this journey would be a thousand times more uncomfortable than she had expected.
If she'd lost control, Valerie swore that a cell in Azkaban would already be waiting for her. Cause of arrest— pushing Lucius Malfoy off his own carriage. The fake-haired man had continuously been asking her every question known to wizard, particularly invested in her academic endeavours.
"I heard you have an astonishing talent for Charms, yes?" he queried, "Strange. Your grandfather had it too."
"Yes," Valerie forced a smile, "It's called genetics."
