The Black Dahlia

The first night at Hogwarts is always the quietest one, that was one thing Dahlia was grateful for. It meant that she wouldn't have to patrolling with her new partner and could get a full night's rest before classes in the morning, which would prove to be necessary.

When Dahlia awoke, she awoke to the whispers of dementors and fear in the minds of her fellow Slytherins before she could steel her own. The thoughts were lighter than before, no match for the terror she experienced on the train the night before, but fairly nauseating, nonetheless.

"Morning Dahlia" greeted Daphne, standing before her mirror, and brushing her yellow-blonde hair. "How was your sleep?"

Dahlia gave her a small smile, "Fine Daph. Just fine."

Daphne was the only person known, other than Draco Malfoy, to see the kinder side of Dahlia. She was certainly the only one to ever see her smile, if a grin can be called a smile.

"Oh! You almost actually showed your teeth this time!" Daphne sang. "One of these days, I'm going to get a real smile out of you."

Dahlia only raised her eyebrow, unconvinced. Eventually, she thought to herself, she'd give up on this ridiculous mission of hers. But then again, Slytherins were known for their pride, ambition, and stubbornness.

Daphne was the only person at Hogwarts Dahlia truly saw as a friend, though it is possible that they only became friends due to their similarities. Daphne was a Greengrass, a fellow member of The Sacred Twenty-Eight. As such, they had grown up together their entire lives, their fathers were friends in school and now worked together at the ministry, the two girls were forced to go to all the same parties, though Daphne was much happier to attend than Dahlia, and they were Slytherin House legacies. It made sense that the two would befriend each other. It helped that Daphne, unlike many of the other pure-blood Slytherin girls, was an overall decent person.

"Right well, hurry up and get dressed if you want to get breakfast before class" spoke Daphne, dropping the topic. "We're going to need coffee before sitting through Professor Binn's class again."

Dahlia groaned, "I cannot wait to drop History of Magic next year."

Daphne laughed in disbelief, "as if! You're too prideful to let that ghost ruin your record."

The smaller girl left the girls dorm, leaving Dahlia standing alone, still in her sleeping set. Quickly, the Malfoy girl dressed herself in her robes and brushed out her pin-straight hair. Dahlia ascended to the common room, finding Daphne with Adrian Pucey and Cassius Warrington and having to drag her away from the boys.

"Oh you're no fun, Dahlia" Daphne complained but followed the Malfoy girl up the stairs and out of the dungeons.

Considering it was the first day of classes, the Great Hall was busier than ever than morning with half the students eating a full breakfast and the other half pouring over their timetables. While Dahlia would have loved to simply sit with her friend and eat, as prefect it was her duty to help the first-years make sense of their schedules and make sure they knew where to go.

Dahlia smiled kindly to her friend and headed down the long table to the group of lost-looking first year students. Immediately she was hit by their thoughts of nerves and dread, and then by slight fear of the prefect, herself, walking towards them.

"My name is Dahlia Malfoy." She greeted, her voice slightly less cold than usual. "I am one of the Slytherin Prefects. My job is to answer any questions you may have regarding your classes."

Dahlia was answering the hesitant questions of the first years when a silent whisper distracted her.

Malfoy.

Dahlia froze and looked around the Great Hall.

Malfoy. Over here. I know you can hear me.

Across the hall, leaning against the wall was the very Hufflepuff boy she was hoping to avoid until necessary. Cedric Diggory waved at her in amusement whereas Dahlia only glared.

Sorry, he chuckled in his thoughts, just testing how sensitive your little ability is.

Dahlia rolled her eyes and focused back on the kids in front of her, blocking Cedric's pestering from her mind until he sighed and walked away. When Dahlia met back with Daphne, ready to walk to class she was met with an inquisitive look.

"What?" She asked, annoyed.

Daphne grinned knowingly, "What happened back there. You and Diggory were having a heated stare off."

Dahlia scoffed, "Don't start. He was being a nuisance. Not all of us are as boy crazy as you are, Daph."

Daphne only shook her head and smiled, continuing the walk next to her stoic best friend. It was as if the hall was the red sea, the crowds of students parting for the two as they walked side-by-side to their first class of the year, and each representing two sides of Slytherin house.

Daphne was shorter than Dahlia, and her hair more golden. Her kind green eyes matched her beautiful smile. She was the definition of Slytherin charm and confidence. One look from her and it was like every boy would fall on their knees for her. She used her beauty and her charm to get anything she wanted. From dates, to meals, to papers she neglected to write herself. She didn't need to, there was always someone there to fulfill her every desire.

Dahlia was her opposite, where Daphne was sunlight, she was ice. The perfect Slytherin Princess. Her hair was snow white and her eyes a cold silver. She embodied cunning, ambition, and resourcefulness. She never wanted for the same things Daphne wanted. She didn't care about being liked or really admired, rather, she demanded respect. She used her chilling presence to establish her dominance, her innate abilities to elevate her status. Her plan was simple, take advantage of her opportunities at Hogwarts and use them for her benefit.

The pair had taken their seats on the back left side of the room, Dahlia taking the spot closest to the windows while Daphne chatted with Cassius and Adrian again. She gave them a quick glance again, she understood Daphne's interest. They had grown taller since last year and Cassius seemed to have filled out more, likely training for the quidditch season. Adrian was kinder though, she thought to herself.

The rest of the class slowly filed in, taking their seats and preparing for the first of many boring lectures. The Slytherins were sharing this class with the Gryffindors, and thus, the room was divided into halves. While the Slytherins could usually tolerate the other houses, Gryffindor was their true rival, and the rivalry ran deep.

Across the room sat Dahlia's personal rivals. Not academically by any means but by blood. The Weasley twins.

After the terribly long class ended, Dahlia and Daphne split ways, Daphne electing to take divination while Dahlia chose ancient runes. Along the way out of the corridor she stopped to see the Weasley's messing with one of the first years, a young Hufflepuff. The two had cornered him and were trying to convince him to test out one of their new concoctions, a seemingly ordinary piece of toffee.

Dahlia crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes before clearing her throat, grabbing the twins attention. "Isn't a little early to be accosting the first years? It's still the first day."

Fred threw his head back and laughed to himself while George took a step back from the younger student.

"And you, Hufflepuff..." Dahlia started, "shouldn't you be in class?"

The young wizard went to speak up but cowered at the look in her eyes, scuttling away like an exposed house mouse.

"Isn't a little early for you to be such a buzzkill, Malfoy?" Fred asked sarcastically, leaning against the wall.

"We were only having a little fun." George added.

Dahlia rolled her eyes and moved to walk past them an onwards to her own class, but was stopped by Fred, standing in her way. Slowly, Dahlia lifted her head, eyes glaring with a freezing fire.

"Out of my way, Weasley. Before I make you."

George chuckled from his own wall, shaking his head at his brother's antics, knowing their standoff wouldn't end well.

Fred leaned down slightly, him still being quite a bit taller than her, and smiled. "Make me. I dare you."

Fred barely had a chance to blink before he was pushed backwards and onto the floor by an invisible force. Dahlia had always prided herself on how quickly she could draw her wand, the Weasley boy never stood a chance.

George cackled hysterically while Dahlia silently walked on, leaving Fred on the floor and not sparing him a second glance. Fred glared at his brother as he pushed himself off the ground and fixed his hair that fell in his face.

"Thanks for the help, Georgie" Fred groaned as his brother tried to pull himself back together.

George scoffed and moved to stand by his brother, watching the platinum blonde walk away. "You knew that was a bad idea. All you did was make her mad."

Fred watched her turn the corner and a small smile grew on his lips, "I thought it would at least be fun."

George shook his head and pulled his brother forward, making their way back to the Gryffindor common room to start preparing for the start-of-term party.

The start-of-term party was a secret annual tradition at Hogwarts. The second night of the term, after the first day of classes, the fourth years and above would gather to kick off the beginning of a new year at Hogwarts. Each year, a different house played host, and this year it was Hufflepuff's turn. Each house also played a specific role in the party, it was the only time the students really demonstrated inter-house unity. Hufflepuff oversaw snacks and recreational plants. Slytherins supplied the harder stuff for those who had the cash to buy in and kept the younger students out. Ravenclaws took charge of music and dancing. Gryffindors were responsible for bringing the alcohol and mixing drinks.

That's where Fred and George came in. They had made a name for themselves last year for procuring fire whiskey, telling no one where or how they got it from. It was their little secret.

Dahlia was one of the last people to enter the Ancient Runes classroom, and thus had little options in the way of seating. The only spot left was next to the very student she had hoped to avoid until tonight. Her prefect patrol partner, Cedric Diggory.

He had seen her come in and scan for any other place to sit, but alas she had no luck. He smiled kindly and waved her over, moving his books from her side of the desk.

"Afternoon, Malfoy" he mused as he watched the blonde give him the side-eye. "Sorry if I annoyed you this morning. I really was just curious."

Dahlia didn't respond, only opened her textbook as she waited for the class to begin. She could feel Cedric watching her, waiting for her to say something. She did not. Rather she ignored him the whole class, focusing on the introductory lesson.

The moment the class ended, Dahlia closed her notebook and headed for the door, leaving a scrambling Cedric trying to follow her. Eventually, Dahlia sharply turned around, coming face to face with a disheveled Cedric.

"What do you want from me?" she asked plainly, her eyes still narrowed.

Cedric was surprised by how forward she was, "I, uh, I just wanted us to be friends."

"We're not friends, Diggory. You are merely the Hufflepuff prefect Weasley assigned to me. Nothing more, nothing less." She whipped her head around and went to continue her way back to the dormitory but Cedric, whose legs were longer than hers, quickly moved ahead of her.

"Careful Diggory..." sang a voice from a little up ahead of the two. "Last time someone stood in her way, she rudely threw them back on the ground."

Cedric turned his head to see Fred Weasley smiling at the pair and then looked back at the Malfoy girl. With a sigh he stepped out of her path and walked towards Weasley, who was mockingly waving good-bye to the Slytherin as she continued her way.

"Ready for tonight, Weasley?" Cedric asked in a lowered voice, not wanting any professors to hear them.

Fred grinned and nodded, "just tell us when we're clear to move".

The Slytherin common room was quiet with most students either in class or having lunch in the Great Hall, making it the perfect time for Dahlia to sit and read in peace. With a wave of her hand a plain, black, leatherbound book appeared in her lap. She found sitting in the bay window of the common room the perfect place to read, illuminating her book with the blueish light of the lake.

During her first year, she would sit in this spot for hours on end. One of the fifth years had told her that if she was quiet and patient, she might see a mermaid. She thought she saw one once, the end of a tail from the corner of her eye. It occurred to her then that maybe the mermaids were watching them too.

Lost in thought, Dahlia didn't notice Daphne beside her until she giggled.

"You and your funny books, Dahlia." She laughed, "I'll never understand the point of a book you can't read."

Dahlia grinned to herself, watching Daphne flitter away to Cassius and Adrian by the fireplace. She supposed it would seem silly. Dahlia had enchanted her books to appear blank to anyone else but her who tried to read them. From Daphne's perspective, it was nothing but leather bounded blank parchment. From Dahlia's, it was a tale of a soldier yearning to return home from a ten-year war but cursed to be lost at sea for another decade, encountering all sorts of monsters on his way.

"Dahlia?" Daphne asked as she joined the group, "you're coming to the party tonight, right?"

Dahlia nodded, "I'll be late, I have patrol first."

"With that Diggory boy" sneered Isobel Avery from behind them. "My condolences, Malfoy."

Just as Daphne and Dahlia grew up together, going to the same parties, so did Isobel. She was a small, gangly girl with sharp cheekbones and small lips. To Dahlia, she seemed to resemble a fish. Isobel was from the Avery family and a complete snob. Dahlia couldn't stand her. Unfortunately, Isobel was also Daphne and Dahlia's roommate, so they couldn't always avoid her.

Daphne and Dahlia shared a look and ignored Isobel's intrusion, turning back to the boys as Adrian's clicked his tongue, "I'm sure Malfoy can handle the Hufflepuff chap, Avery".

Isobel only shrugged and walked away, heading back to the dorm to get ready for the party.

"Adrian, is it true you're not playing quidditch this year?" Daphne purred, resting against the arm of the couch behind her.

"That's right!" exclaimed Cassius before him, regaining Daphne's attention. "I'm starting as chaser this year."

Adrian leaned back on the wall and rolled his secretly rolled his eyes at his friends eagerness for Daphne's attention. "I'll be back when Flint finally graduates. I doubt Dumbledore will let him stay another year longer."

Dahlia hummed in agreement before looking at the clock and sighing in discontent. "Right, I'm off. See you lot later."

Dahlia didn't watch as Daphne absent mindedly waved good-bye, preoccupied making heated eye contact with Cassius. Clearly, his new quidditch position had elevated him in his eyes. Dahlia only continued out of the common room and into the cold halls of the dungeon. She was to meet Diggory outside of the prefect's lavatory and then the two would patrol the fifth floor. Dahlia had arrived a few minutes early as she hated being late to things, and was surprised to find the Hufflepuff boy already waiting for her.

"You're early..." she spoke questioningly, approaching him from the shadows.

Diggory turned around on his heel and smiled brightly, "so are you. Shall we?"

He had offered his arm out in a joking matter, rolling his eyes as Dahlia brushed past him without giving it another look.

"You know..." he started, quickly catching up with her, "you can stop pretending to dislike me."

"Who says I'm pretending?"

Cedric laughed then, a true laugh that caught Dahlia off guard but she tried not to show it. "This is probably going to sound incredibly conceited of me but...everyone likes me. It's impossible not to."

Dahlia smirked, "you're right. You do sound conceited."

Diggory was silent for a moment, a long moment, trying to decide what to say next. It was true, normally, he was impossible to not like. He was kind and loyal and patient, and for some strange reason, the prospect of someone not liking him irked him to no end. He wanted Dahlia to like him, fully aware that Malfoy didn't really like anyone. It was a challenge.

The pair walked in silence, through the corridors of the fifth floor, Dahlia leading and Cedric dutifully following. "So...." He began, hoping to break the awkwardness that had enveloped them. "You going to the party tonight?"

Dahlia only hummed, "mhm".

"Going with anyone special?"

The blonde girl froze, and her jaw tightened, and eyes narrowed into slits.

"Right, sorry. I'll stop now."

Touchy subject I guess, Cedric thought to himself as they walked. Guess she's too scary for anyone to ask her. But she is rather pretty though, if she wasn't scowling all the time. Maybe-

"Could you stop thinking so loudly!?" Dahlia suddenly exclaimed, turning around exasperated. "And for your information, though you are certainly not entitled to it, I'm not going with anyone because I don't want to!"

Cedric didn't say or think anything else, totally unprepared for the princess of Slytherin's outburst. Quickly, the pair finished their rounds and Dahlia stalked off back to the dungeons, relieved to find the common room empty. The older students had already left for the party, and the younger were already in bed.

Dahlia didn't spend as much time getting ready for the party as she knew Isobel and Daphne would have. If it was a formal event she might've put in a degree of effort, but tonight she was peeved and ready to experience the numbing effects of alcohol. She smeared black eyeshadow over her pale eyelids, fully aware of how unapproachable it made her look.

The scarier I look, she thought to herself, the less likely anyone will try to speak with me.

This was especially important given how the intoxication of the party and the sociable atmosphere tended to give even the most timid of people a boost of confidence. Confidence enough to bother the "queen of mean", and Dahlia lacked patience tonight. Better to be scary than invite conversation.

As she made her way out of the dorm, she caught sight of herself in Daphne's mirror. She looked reminiscent of the dementors flying around, high above the castle, with coal smudged eyes that matched her black dress and heels. The dark color seemed to wash Malfoy out, as though she was a walking corpse.

She scoffed at her appearance, half in disgust and half in annoyance that despite her efforts, she still looked rather pretty. She didn't want to be pretty or risk another teenage wizard thinking that she was.

Draco had been waiting for his sister in the common room, hoping to catch her before she left for the party. Dahlia simply rolled her eyes when she spotted him, smoothing out her hair with one hand and pointing the other at her brother.

"No" she said, assertive.

Draco gawked, "You don't even know what I was going to say!"

Dahlia narrowed her eyes pointedly, "Yes. I do."

It didn't matter that she couldn't read her brother's mind, he was still her brother and he was still painfully predictable at thirteen.

"You wanted to ask if you could come to the party," she continued, bored, "to which the answer is still, no. Fourth-years and up, you know the rules..."

She heard her brother groan in frustration as she made her exit, quickly making her way to the Hogwarts kitchens, finding two Hufflepuff fourth-years standing guard in front of a stack of barrels. Dahlia turned around, reluctant, so the two could open the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room, overhearing a series of tapping. Once it opened, the muffled sound of music flew through the hall, fighting against a kind of silencing charm, and Dahlia entered the party.

Immediately she was hit by the hazy smoke of the Hufflepuff's house favorite herb and the vibrations of electronic music being played by the Ravenclaws. Dahlia scanned the party, avoiding eye contact with anyone, finding the makeshift bar. She inwardly groaned when she was two red-headed twins manning the station, laughing loudly and shamelessly flirting with whoever approached.

"Fancy seeing you here, Malfoy..." George started, grinning to his brother who turned to look the girl up and down.

"Don't tell me you got all dolled up just for us?" Fred added, mockingly resting his head on his hands, batting his brown eyes.

Dahlia scowled and narrowed her own eyes, "just pour me a fire whiskey, Weasley."

Fred pushed himself off the bar and pursed his lips, reaching for a cup as George turned to flirt with a different girl, one of the Gryffindor chasers. "You know, if you keep narrowing your eyes like that, you're going to get wrinkles."

The blonde turned her head away from him, finding an approaching Daphne giggling like a madwoman and gripping onto her arm.

"D! You made it!" she sang excitedly.

Dahlia smirked, ignoring the look Fred was giving her who had ceased making her drink and instead watched the two, thoroughly entertained.

"I told you I was coming, just that I'd be late." Dahlia grabbed Daphne's chin, looking her in the eyes and sighed. "I see you're already having fun."

Daphne nodded excitedly and smiled, "I have a present for you. Open wide..."

Dahlia had wanted to let loose tonight and fade away into the ecstasy of the evening, so she opened her mouth wide, and her best friend placed a small drop of a yellow elixir on her tongue. Fred raised a questioning eyebrow, but handed the cup of whiskey to the Slytherin, looking on as Daphne dragged her friend away into a dark, foggy corner, bopping along to the music and sitting among the older members of the Slytherin Quidditch team, not noticing how George rolled his eyes at his brother.

Dahlia reclined against her friend, shaking her head at Daphne's shameless flirting, and ignoring the hungry look of Marcus Flint and his insufferable cronies. She let herself float away from the world, feeling the base of the music in her blood and watching her fingers dance through the smokey haze of the party.

She noticed then, how green the Hufflepuff common room was, filled with plants. It was like the room was outside, despite the natural light. It was warm and inviting, not cold and ancient like the Slytherin common room. She envied it, having a common room you looked forward to returning to every night, a place where you felt safe and at home. Eventually, she and Daphne must have made it to the dance floor, but Dahlia couldn't be sure when it had happened. Only that the two jumped up and down to the beat of the music, swaying side to side.

When Dahlia had caught sight of Cassius and Daphne practically eating each others faces, she made her exit quietly, stumbling into the now-abandoned halls of Hogwarts. She had to lean on the walls to keep herself up and she realized that trying to get back on her own was not the best idea.

"You're going the wrong way" whispered a voice from behind her, making her jump in surprise. She turned to find the Weasley boy again. "You'll run into Snape. He already caught two first-years out of bed."

Dahlia could only raise her eyebrows in curiosity.

"Dungeons that way, Malfoy" he finished, pointing to his left.

Dahlia took a step forward, ready to brush past him, but she tripped over her own feet and hurdled towards the ground. She had closed her eyes, bracing herself for impact, but was shocked to find it never came. Rather, she felt the stifled laughter of Fred Weasley on her back, holding her body close to his. Hesitantly, Fred let her go and she rested against the wall again.

Fred clicked his tongue and shook his head from side to side, "what am I going to do with you, Princess?"

Dahlia closed her eyes and blew out a long breath of air and clenched her teeth, "I'm fine."

"Right." The ginger was silent for a moment, glancing down at a piece of parchment when the Slytherin wasn't looking. "Oi don't go falling asleep on me. Time to go."

Dahlia didn't have a chance to respond, not that she would have anything clever to say in her current state, Fred just leaned down and slung her arm around his shoulder. Dahlia was so tired; she couldn't find it within herself to push him away and reject his aid. Instead, she obeyed, walking slowly but letting him lead her back to the dungeons.

"What's the password?" He whispered, setting her down against the blank dungeon wall.

Dahlia chuckled in disbelief, "piss off, Weasley".

"I'm only trying to –"

"I said piss off."

And he did, as far as Dahlia could remember the next morning. Fred backed away, hands in the air before turning around and stuffing them in his front pockets, heading back to Gryffindor Tower. After a few minutes, Dahlia had pushed herself up and mumbled the password before dragging herself back to her dorm.