Chapter Two

People have always said that I look like my mother. I can see it as I stand in front of the full length mirror in our dorm trying to pull my hair into a manageable style. I have her long, pale blonde hair (except mine is much longer than hers, extending slightly past my waist), crystal blue eyes, and pale skin.

"Ugh!" I exclaim after attempting a ponytail for the third time.

Lauren laughs from across the room. "Here, let me help." She says, putting down her book and walking over to me. Lauren starts to braid my thick hair. The tight braid goes all the way down my back when she's finished.

"Where did you learn to braid so well?" I ask, admiring her work.

"I've got 3 sisters." Lauren says. "I'm the oldest."

"What's it like growing up with 3 sisters?" I say.

"Crowded." Lauren laughs. "Now, let's go or we'll be late for breakfast."

Amber and Taylor have already left, so Isabel tags along with us. She's been ready for a while, but was waiting for Lauren. Having short hair like hers must be so easy to take care of.

"How do you deal with so much hair?" Isabel laughs. "I'd melt in the summer!"

"Who says I don't?" I say in response. All three of us burst out laughing as we enter the Great Hall, which is already mostly full. We spot Amber and Taylor and head over to sit with them. I can see Draco giving me a look at the other table. "They're Mudbloods and blood traitors." He mouths.

"So what? They're my sisters." I mouth back. I can see his eyes grow huge in anger, and he quickly turns to the rest of the Slytherin table and starts whispering to them. I shut them out.

The five of us quickly eat breakfast, excited to start classes. Professor Sprout begins to hand out schedules. All of the Hufflepuff first years have the same schedule, we come to find out. First is Herbology with Professor Sprout, then Defense Against the Dark Arts with Slytherin and Professor Lupin. Then lunch, and after lunch, Potions with Professor Snape and Ravenclaw. Our last class is Transfiguration. And that's only today!

Unfortunately, none of us know where "Greenhouse One" is. "I have an idea." I tell the other girls, spotting Cedric.

"Hey Cedric!" I call, walking up to him. Cedric looks up from his schedule. "Can you tell us where Greenhouse One is?"

Cedric looks at my schedule and nods. "Come on, I'll take you girls there." He says. "All the greenhouses are together outside."

We follow Cedric out the main door of Hogwarts and onto the grounds. The grass surrounding the castle is a very pretty green. I spot a hut on the edge of a dark forest.

"Cedric, who's is that?" I ask, pointing it out to him.

"Oh that?" He says. "That's Hagrid's hut. He's the game keeper, and I think Care of Magical Creatures teacher this year. Hagrid's the one who led you guys across the lake yesterday, remember?"

I nod, remembering the extremely tall and hairy man who had led us up to Hogwarts through the rain last night.

"Here you are!" Cedric says as we approach a glass sided building. "Greenhouse One!"

"Thanks Cedric." We all say and the girls go inside to claim us a spot.

"Just a heads up, the Slytherins were saying something pretty nasty things about you this morning." Cedric warns me. "Don't let them bug you, the Slytherins will find something bad about everyone."

"Thanks for the warning." I say and head into class. Cedric nods and jogs back to the castle.

The greenhouse air is warm and uncomfortably moist. Isabel calls me over to where she, Lauren, Amber, and Taylor are all sitting. I slide my bag of books under the desk and sit down just as Professor Sprout walks in.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, Hufflepuffs!" She says in a jolly voice. "Now, I'm sure Dumbledore went over everything last night, but I have a few things to add, so if you'll just bear with me for a bit and pay attention."

"First, if you ever need any medical assistance, the hospital wing is on the third floor next to the Defense against the Dark Arts tower. The matron, Madam Pomfrey, has always done a wonderful job caring for everyone." Professor Sprout begins.

"Second, I will remind you since we have had problems with this in years past, the Forbidden Forest is not a place to hang out (except for the golden trio who get away with it with no punishment every year)." She says. "And with that, let's begin."

Professor Sprout's lesson is only mildly interesting. My mind is on how I'll deal with the Slytherins later. I ask Isabel as we're copying down notes and homework (homework on the first day? Ick!). "Well, as they say, 'kill 'em with kindness'!" She suggests.

I laugh. "They're Slytherins. I don't think kindness will work."

Isabel shrugs. "It'll surprise them, throw them off then."

Finally, the bell rings and I dash out with Isabel. Lauren stays behind with Amber and Taylor, who had to ask Professor Sprout a question for us all. "We'll save you seats." The two of us promise.

We sprint up to the third floor, remembering what Professor Sprout says. Cedric catches us as he leaves Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"They're bugging us all this morning." He warns us. "Just ignore it."

"I'll go get us seats." Isabel says, and she heads in.

"What sort of things are they saying?" I ask, thinking that if I know what they're saying, it'll be easier to respond to.

"Something about a house of blood traitors and Muggle lovers." Cedric tells me in disgust.

I make a face. "This is my fault." I say. "I should've ignored Draco this morning instead of responding to him."

Cedric puts a hand on my shoulder. "It's no one's fault." He says. "The Slytherins have always been like this. They think that anyone who has a sense of decency is a traitor."

"I know." I say. "Better than most."

Cedric nods in agreement. "Just ignore them. I'll see you at lunch."

"See you." I say, walking into Defense. Isabel has chosen seats in the back corner, as far outside of anyone's view as possible. The Slytherins still manage to find us.

"The bell rings in a minute." I say, checking my watch. "Where are they?"

Before Isabel can answer, a Slytherin girl walks up to us. "You know, I would think a true Pureblood would have better things to do then associate with Mudblood filth." She says to me, then turns to Isabel. "Go back to the Muggle world, Mudblood. You don't belong here."

"What's a Mudblood?" Isabel whispers to me.

"A bad name for Muggle borns." I reply. "Just do what Cedric said and ignore them." Even as I say that, I'm struggling to keep my mouth shut.

Amber comes up and taps the girl on the shoulder. "Having a pure heart is more important than having pure blood, Thalia." She says fiercly.

"Oh look, guys!" Another Slytherin calls. "It's the best Hufflepuff has to offer! A Mudblood and two traitors!"

It's at that moment, as I'm about to fight back, that the bell rings and our professor walks in. I quickly sit back down and calm myself.

"That will be ten points each from Slytherin, I think." He says, smiling at us Hufflepuffs on the corner. "Back to your seats."

Once the Slytherins sit down, the professor introduces himself. "Hello, class." He says. "I'm Professor Lupin, your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher this year. This year will cover some basic countercurses and Dark Creatures, that sort of thing."

One of the Slytherins raises their hand. Professor Lupin calls on him, and the Slytherin gives Isabel, Amber, Taylor, Lauren, and I a glare before asking, "Will we be learning how to protect ourselves against Mudbloods?"

Professor Lupin gives him a very stern look. "Muggleborns are not Dark Creatures, and they certainly do not need to be protected against, Mr. Gaines. Five points from Slytherin."

Lupin turns back to the rest of the class. "Now, does anyone have any more actual questions?" He asks. No one does. Lupin immediately jumps in, just like Professor Sprout, starting us on a lesson on identifying dark forces. Every time a Slytherin attempts to throw an insult at us (which is fairly often), Lupin takes points. Eventually they learn to stop.

"Ten points to Hufflepuff for hard work." Lupin says towards the end of class.

"But that's not fair!" One of the Slytherins complains. "They're literally the house of hard work!"

"If you wish to see it that way," Lupin says. "Then let's say ten points to Hufflepuff for focused work. Better?" The Slytherins shut up for the remainder of class.

As soon as the bell rings, we race out of class, trying to stay ahead of the Slytherins. Of course, they catch up just outside the lunch room, now joined by more Slytherins, led by none other than my own brother.

"Well, it looks like you wasted no time making friends with Mudbloods, did you Charissa." Draco says, clicking his tounge. "What will Father say?"

"Just keep walking." Amber mutters under her breath to the rest of us. I shift my bag higher on my shoulder and try to ignore Slytherin.

"Ten points from Slytherin." A voice says smoothly from behind me. I feel a gentle hand on my shoulder and look up at Cedric's friendly face. "Hope they weren't giving you too much trouble."

I shoot Draco a smug look before replying "None, none at all."

"Come sit with me at lunch?" Cedric asks. I glance over at the other girls.

"Maybe at dinner." I reply. "Thanks!"

"You girls finding your way around alright?" Cedric asks the five of us. We all nod.

"Of course, we've only had to find one place by ourselves!" Isabel laughs.

"Mudblood scum." The Slytherins reply, giving up and passing us.

"Ten more points from Slytherin." Cedric says calmly.

"Bye Draco!" I call after them just to bug my brother.

"Well, see you." The six of us part ways as Cedric finds a spot at our table at the Great Hall. Lunch passes quickly, and soon the four of us are off to Potions with Snape and Ravenclaw. I know Snape; he and my father are friends.

The Potions dungeon is dark. It takes us a little longer to get to. First, we got lost and ended up by a fifth floor bathroom, and after seeing said bathroom, Amber felt the sudden need to fix her hair, and I needed to take my braid out. It's weight was starting to hurt my neck. As a result, we were late to class and lost ten points.

"Ms. Malfoy, so nice of you to join us." Snape sneers as the five of us skip into class, giggling and grinning from ear to ear. My hair is free-flowing now, and swings high into the air everytime we skip.

"Sorry, Professor!" We all laugh and find a seat. Unfortunately, the only seat left is in the front of the class by Snape's desk. It's never fun to sit by the teacher.

Snape's lesson is EXTREMELY boring. I've always thought the idea of Potions class was so revoltingly boring. I mean, what's the point of them? They take too long to make with less effects then a spell.

"Wonder if he used an engorgio spell on his nose." Amber whispers halfway through Snape's lecture. She lazily flicks through her empty parchments. I'm not even sure if we're supposed to be taking notes.

Those of us who grew up in the Wizarding world laugh quietly, trying not to distract Snape. "What's an engorgio spell?" Isabel whispers.

"And enlarging spell." Taylor answers, breaking into a fit of giggles that the rest of us pick up on, giggling uncontrollably.

"Fifteen points each from Hufflepuff." Snape says, causing us all to jump. No one had noticed that Snape was behind us the whole time. "Do not think, Charissa, that you will receive any special treatment because of my friendship with your father."

"Wouldn't dream of it." I respond bitterly. "I'm sure he's already told you to give me as many detentions as possible."

Snape ignores my comment and goes back to lecturing the class. I stay quiet and frustrated the rest of class. Why can't they just see? Why can't they just open their eyes and see the there's more to life than stupid blood purity?

"Are you alright?" Taylor asks after class, sending the others ahead to Transfiguration."You almost snapped your quill in class."

"I'm fine." I smile, almost genuine. I've calmed down now, but I'm still bugged.

"You sure?" Taylor presses. "It's about what Snape said, isn't it?"

"I told you, I'm fine." I say brightly.

Taylor still doesn't believe me, but she drops the issue. "You know, part of being sisters is being able to trust them with your heart, you know." She says. "Now, we should hurry, or we'll be late!"