Slytherin Princess | ✓

eleven

After Easter Holiday, I felt like I was completely giddy and on top of the world with the information the Malfoys had given me. In the week I spent with them, Narcissa continued to scold me for calling her Mrs Malfoy instead of her name or, her personal favourite, Mum. Although it was highly unlikely I'd call her Mum, I managed to comfortably call her Narcissa; but Draco's father was still Mr Malfoy to me.

Back at Hogwarts, things only got worse. The Hufflepuff/Gryffindor Quidditch game ended up being cancelled; I wasn't one to watch Quidditch games unless Slytherin played, but Quidditch matches meant an empty library. Instead, I heard Professor McGonagall's stern voice bellow:

"All students are to make their way back to the House common rooms, where their Heads of Houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can, please!"

"Merlin, I wonder what happened now," I groaned, leaning on Pansy.

"Probably somebody else got Petrified," Pansy shrugged.

"Another Mudblood," Draco sneered, causing Crabbe and Goyle to snigger.

"Draco," I warned. He only held up his hands, not willing to fight with me.

The five us of made our way to the Slytherin common room where Professor Snape waited for us with a large scroll.

"All students will return to their House common rooms by six o'clock in the evening. No student is to leave the dormitories after that time. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No student is to use the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher. All further Quidditch training and matches are to be postponed. There will be no more evening activities."

The Slytherins packed inside the common room listened to Professor Snape in silence. He rolled up the parchment from which he had been reading and said in a somewhat unusual voice, "I need hardly add that I have rarely been so distressed. It is likely that the school will be closed unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught. I would urge anyone who thinks they might know anything about them to come forward."

The next few weeks were tense with worry and all of the other Houses seemed to steer clear of all Slytherins. Draco walked around with new bravado as Mr Malfoy had gotten Dumbledore sacked.

"I always thought Father might be the one who got rid of Dumbledore," Draco said to Crabbe, Goyle, and me in the middle of Potions, not troubling to keep his voice down. "I've told you he thinks Dumbledore's the worst headmaster the school's ever had. Maybe we'll get a decent headmaster now. Someone who won't want the Chamber of Secrets closed. McGonagall won't last long, she's only filling in..."

"Hasn't she trained for this though?" I said airily.

Snape swept past Harry, who sat behind us, and Draco caught his attention.

"Sir," said Draco loudly. "Sir, why don't you apply for the headmaster's job?"

"Now, now, Malfoy," said Snape, though he couldn't suppress a thin-lipped smile. "Professor Dumbledore has only been suspended by the governors. I daresay he'll be back with us soon enough."

"I don't reckon he will," I spoke up. "Anyways, I expect you'd have Mr Malfoy's vote, sir, if you wanted to apply for the job— Draco and I could easily tell him how good of a teacher you are—"

Snape smirked as he swept off around the dungeon, unfortunately not spotting Seamus Finnigan, who was pretending to vomit into his cauldron, earning an icy glare from me.

"I'm quite surprised the Mudbloods haven't all packed their bags by now," Draco added. "Bet you five Galleons the next one dies. Pity it wasn't Granger —"