Breakfast with News - Part 1
September 1999
Your walk back to your common room was not particularly conspicuous as you did not want to draw any more attention to yourself. Before you knew it, you were back in your rooms and hurriedly took another shower. You didn't want to stink of sweat and damp sea. So you hurried to get to the great hall in time for breakfast. Freshly showered and dressed in your school uniform, you make your way to the Great Hall for breakfast. You nod to everyone who gives you a small smile to show courtesy. Whereby you've also been given the opportunity to get to know a few students from your own house better.
Since the second magic war ended last May, some students have only started studying again this year. The students have used the year off to mourn deceased members or to help rebuild Hogwarts School of Magic.
When you recognised Draco Malfoy in the common room, you were pleasantly surprised by his appearance. Since you had seen and remembered him more as a frightened lad from the Daily Prophets. The break after the war had probably put down roots so that all the war members could resume their daily routines. Draco should be about 3 years older than you. Which meant that this year would have to be his last year at Hogwarts.
You didn't want to stare at him with too much curiosity on the first day, though, so you hurriedly moved away by the large fireplace in the Slytherin common room. Draco's gaze was directed towards the fireplace as he sat on one of the large black Chesterfield leather armchairs. He was probably deep in thought, so you were able to rush past him effortlessly.
On the way to the Great Hall, you met the Slytherin house ghost. The bloody baron told you that you could let him know if the poltergeist called Peeves ever bothered you. As he will deal with it personally. You were surprised to learn that Hogwarts is home to about 20 ghosts. And you wonder if they might make good companions if you wanted to sneak around at night. You put the thought aside for another time.
Finally, you arrive at the great hall. It was only 6.30 a.m. and you were only now realising how hungry you were. You hadn't eaten dinner the day before. You make your way to the Slytherin table, noticing that there weren't that many students in the Great Hall yet. The teachers' table was also relatively empty, so you could only recognise Professor McGonagall and Professor Lupin from a distance. Both professors were engrossed in conversation, with a copy of the Daily Prophet lying wide open on the table between them.
You frown slightly as you notice that the few students who were in the Great Hall were grouped around a pair of Daily Prophets, whispering hotly but quietly. Finally, you sit down to a group of girls, asking for silent permission, which you eventually receive approvingly.
‘Welcome to our humble group Miss... Swan? Right?’ said a slim, dark brown haired young girl. Which seems to be about your age. You smile politely at the group. ‘Miss Swan is too formal for me, you're welcome to call me Viviana.’ you say, slowly joining the brown-haired girl. ‘Nice to meet you, Viviana. ‘My name is Astoria Greengrass.’ ‘You're welcome to call me by my first name, as we're in a class together,’ she explains, while everyone else in the group introduces themselves briefly.
During the short round of introductions, you help yourself to some hard-boiled eggs and toast on your plate. Astoria poured you a pumpkin juice and handed it to you, which you gratefully accepted. The conversation quickly turned to the all-important Topic, and the front page of the Daily Prophet caught your eye.
Daily Prophet
+ New prophecy, ministry keeps quiet about it +
The ministry does not want to comment on the statements. Past cases show that knowing a prophecy can put people's lives at risk. Recent events also play a role in this. Some Death Eaters have not yet been caught. The Ministry assumes that a resistance will be rebuilt if the prophecy comes to light too soon. Experts warn of ambivalence in society.
You frown in confusion, which elicits a hearty laugh from the others. ‘Viviane, your forehead will fall off your face at any moment if you continue to grimace,’ Astoria says, trying to catch her breath as she laughs. ‘Sorry,’ you finally say, trying to hide your slightly flushed face behind the becker of pumpkin juice as you drink. The girls were laughing so loudly that by now they were drawing attention from the other houses as well.
‘Your face is quite expressive, Viviane’. ‘I can well imagine that when you raise your eyebrows a little, the look is meant to be very suggestive,’ Astoria finally said and winked at you. You took this statement as a challenge and did her the favour of demonstrating the look to her. Astoria choked while drinking her own pumpkin juice and had to clear her throat. Which in turn earned you another laugh from the group. As you were infected with laughter from your group, your eyes wandered around the great hall. Which was slowly filling with more students. As you did so, your gaze was caught by a tall black figure that slipped past you.
His expressionless gaze pierced you in the briefest of moments, drawing you in to his intense dark eyes. You felt as if you had forgotten to let fresh air into your lungs. As you gingerly tried to inhale a slow unobtrusive breath. While his gaze lingered on you. It was only seconds, but you could have sworn it was a small eternity. Finally, the headmaster lingered on your group.
‘Miss Greengrass, as your old Head of House, I expect you to behave in a manner befitting your position as Perfect in Slytherin House,’ he said, sounding bored. Astoria cleared her throat again and nodded. Snape gave her an appraising look, one of his eyebrows arching upwards slightly. Which elicited a slight chuckle from the group again, which was immediately interrupted by a flapping hand. Snape noticed this but didn't dwell on it. Instead, he turned his attention back to the teacher's desk, his gaze scanning you again briefly and fleetingly.
You felt your incoming heartbeat pounding against your ears as you turned your gaze back to the group. The group finally cleared their throats and everyone returned their attention to the Daily Prophet article.
Again, you tried not to look at the teacher's desk as goosebumps covered you. As you listened intently to the discussion. ‘A new prophecy?’‘Does it have something to do with the Chosen Ones?’ asks a platinum blonde with very nice straight hair in the group as she turns the paper slightly. ‘Good question, Daphne, at least we can't leave it out completely,’ Astoria said, biting her fingers absentmindedly. Your group then turned their attention to the group entering the Great Hall. It was the golden trio, what you recognised as war heroes from the news. Hermione Granger, with her natural beauty and slightly wild hair, trailing a red-haired young man. Which you can assume was the infamous Ron Weasley. And a graceful smiling boy with dark hair and glasses, what was also known as the Chosen One - Harry Potter himself.
As the trio slowly made their way to the Gryffindor's own house table, you realised that the Potter was looking over at you. You give him a small smile and nod to him. Which Potter accepted with a big smile, mirroring the small gesture. You looked forward to the small token of appreciation before glancing towards the teacher's desk.
Snape was watching you again while he was engrossed in conversation with Professor Lupin and McGonagall. His eyes met yours again, sending another shiver down your spine.
Why the hell... Is he watching you so closely?