Chapter two.
Next day, at breakfast, Andy noticed a few things:
1: A few people from Slytherin liked her
2: A few people from Slytherin didn't like her
3: The rest of the school hated her because she is a Slytherin
4: Breakfast at Hogwarts was GOOD
Especially the second point bothered her, because she didn't know why. There were the girls from her year, of course, but also a few older students who seemed to hate her and Bellatrix. When she asked her big sister about it, Bellatrix had simply said that some people were raised different, an explanation Andy did not quite understood.
Later, Fiona told her that the other Slytherin first year girls were named Kimora Daveys (the one with the darker skin, chestnut-brown hair and brown eyes) and Gwendoline Morris (The one with the bright green eyes and the honey-brown hair). Apprarantly they already knew each other before Hogwarts, just like Fiona and Eloise. It wasn't odd that Andy knew no one, she was homeschooled, just like her sisters and cousins.
"Miss Black, are you paying attention?"
"I'm sorry, professor."
Professor Sprout continued her story about magical plants, and Andy started paying attention; it was actually quite interesting. A few minutes later a girl form Ravenclaw (caramel-coloured hair) who sat next to Andy, nudged her.
"Watch out!" She whispered.
Andy looked up, and saw that a very strange looking plant was trying to strangle her from behind.
"OI! Leave me alone!" She yelled at the plant, who seemed to back off, but now the whole class was staring at her.
"I- I'm sorry." She stammerd, and everyone laughed.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. If you hadn't warned me it would probably be worse." She said, turning to the girl.
"Oh, that's okay. I just thought you wouldn't want another dangerous experience, you know, after what happened at the lake." She smiled knowingly.
"Okay girls, great, but the plant wouldn't have done a lot of damage. The really dangerous plants aren't in this greenhouse, and you won't work with them until third year. Now, as I was saying, Dittany is an example of herbs with a strong healig effect, and..."
"What's your name?" The girl whispered. "I know you're a Black, but surely you have a first name too?" She smirked.
"Yeah, though people tend to forget that, sometimes." Andy glared at Kimora, standing on the other side of the greenhouse, next to Gwendoline. "My name is Andromeda, but I prefer Andy. what about you?"
"My name is Verity. Verity Thomas. It's a stupid first name, I know. But it is also too short to make any different name out of it, like Andy."
"I don't think it's a stupid name. Verity sounds like a sunny day, with picnics and sunflowers and eating fudge-flavoured icecream."
"Really? Well maybe I shouldn't think too bad of it. My sister is called Imogen, it could always be worse I guess."
"What? No, Imogen is also a very charming name. It sounds like a cold winter day. With ice-skating with friends, and hot chocolate after. I think you're parents have done a great job naming you."
"You really think so? I never thought of it like that. I used to get bullied for my name. Imogen too. I actually used to say my name was Vera. Still do sometimes."
"Vera is also a pretty name. What do you prefer?"
"I don't know, really. Call me Vera, and I'll be Vera. Call me Verity, and I'll be Verity."
"Different personalities?"
"Hm, sometimes. Vera is a bit cooler, doesn't like school, goes to a muggle skatepark and wears baggy clothes. Verity, on the other hand, is me. Just me, a Ravenclaw who likes studying ancient languages, and who can't fall asleep if there's a book unread within ten feet."
"That's-"
"Weird? I know."
"No, I was going to say cool. I think it's awesome to sometimes be someone different."
"How can you be so positive? You're a Black, I thought they were all- I mean, ofcourse not, but-"
"You thought we were all what?"
"I'm sorry, but I thought, everyone thought- thinks, that, well, uhm, that Black-parents aren't very, er, nice to their children? I'm sorry if it's not true, but it's a rumour, and-"
"No, it's fine. I woulnd't say my parents are the kindest in the world, but they love me. I guess."
Andy suddenly realized the whole class was listening. They were all staring at Andy, even professor Sprout.
"Er, miss Black and miss Thomas, could you follow me outside? Please?" Professor Sprout said. Andy and Verity shared a look, and followed her outside.
"Girls, I won't give you detention for not paying attention to my class, as it's the first week of school. First day, actually. Though may I remind you that I could be saying something useful?"
Andy nodded. Verity stared at the ground.
"Great. Now, miss Black, I know you're not in my house, but if you ever want to talk..."
"I don't, thanks, professor."
"That's okay, that's okay. Now, the lesson is over, please pay better attention next time." She gave Andy one last, quite pitying look, and walked away.
"Come on," Verity nudged her, "let's grab our stuff and go to the Great Hall for lunch, shall we?"
They never arrived at lunch.
Two Slytherin fifth years were standing in front of them, right outside the greenhouses. Everyone had left for lunch, they were totally alone.
"Er, could we pass?" Verity asked.
"Pass? Hm, no." One of them said cruelly. "We first want to ask her some questions." She pointed at Andy.
"You want to ask me some questions? About what?" Andy asked suspicously.
"Shush, we'll ask you them in a minute, if she goes away." The other said, gesturing at Verity.
"No way. I'll stay with her!"
The first one tutted. "Fine, less chance you'll go to a teacher." She took out her wand and pointed at Verity. "Bracchiabindo!" Ropes appeared from her wand and they tied her up. Verity screamed. "Silencio!" Verity was immidiately quiet and looked terrified.
"Both spells are very useful." She said. She saw the disbelieving look on Andy's face, and smiled. "Come on, Black. Your parents surely taught you something, before Hogwarts? Or didn't they teach you normal spells? No, probably only Unforgivables, right?"
Verity was still silenced and tied up, but she turned her face to Andy, looking shocked.
"I've never cast an Unforgivable, and I never will, I promise." Andy tried to reassure her, but she was so scared herself, it didn't sound very convincing.
"Oh no? We'll see about that, Black. We all know your family. But that's OK, you know, we're Slytherins, too, aren't we?" One of them (She had brownish hair, like chestnut) sneered.
"Let's get back to the questions, shall we?" The one with the white-blonde hair said. "First things first: Show us."
"Show what?" Andy panicked, what did they expect her to have? The Dark Mark? No, she was eleven, that would be ridiculous. Right? The next thing she knew she was lying on the ground, screaming in pain. It felt like her inside was being treated with white-hot knives. She looked up and saw that a wand was pointed at her. Andy knew the pain, of course. Her parents had taught her many lessons using it, but the pain still overwhelmed her.
"She said show us! Now!"
"I- I d- d- I don't know what- what you mean!" Andy groaned. The pain stopped.
"Fine. Next question, Maddie?"
"Alright. Tell me something about your sisters, Black."
"My- My sisters? Well, one if them is named Bellatrix, she is in her third year now, and the other is Narcissa, she is nine years old, and- What else do you want to know?" Andy said, trembling.
"And the rest of your family? What about them?"
"You want me to tell you how old my whole family is? I mean, it's not like I don't know, but-"
"How close are you with the Dark Lord?" Maddie hissed.
"The- The Dark Lord? I don't know- My family sure is, but I never met him or anything. My parents think I am too young."
"And they're right. Now, where lay your loyalties? We've heard stuff, rumours."
"I- I don't know! I don't know!"
"You don't know where your loyalties lay? Well, I'm sure your parents wouldn't mind me helping you a bit, would they? Crucio!"
There was it again. The so familliar, so cruel pain, where you never got used to. Andy screamed and sobbed and felt like she was going to die. She couldn't breath anymore. Everything turned black, but she didn't pass out. After what seemed like forever, the pain stopped. Andy was shaking form head to toe.
"Liked that? Sure now you know where your loyalties lay?"
"I- My loyalties lay with- The Dark Lord."
"Aha! Very good. Now, last question: Have you ever thought about joining him?"
"What? Becoming a- a Death- Death Eater? N- No."
"No?!"
"Never thought about, I mean!" Andy said hastily, still panting.
"OK. That's enough for now." The other said. She turned to Maddie. "What do we do with the Ravenclaw girl? She saw everything."
"Oh, don't worry. She won't dare going to a teacher, would she?"
Verity shook her head, still not being able to speak.
"Great, I'll stop the enchantment now, then." She waved her wand. "Finite Incantatem!" The ropes disappeared and Verity could speak again. She didn't, though. She kept staring at the two Slytherin girls in silence.
"Come on, Verity, let's go." Andy said, and they walked back towards the castle rather fast. Neither of them spoke. The Slytherins had History of Magic, together with the Ravenclaws. They sat in the back of the classroom. Though they missed lunch, they weren't hungry. The whole class was getting sleepy of professor Binns' voice, and Andy finally dared to speak.
"Are you OK?" She whispered. Verity looked at her, as if unsure what to say.
"Yeah, fine. What about you? She used an Unforgivable on you. Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, really. I'm almost used to it." She forced a smile.
"Are you- were you friends with them? They're also in Slytherin."
"Neh, I don't know them. Though people seem to hate me, even Slytherins. I don't know what I did wrong, so..."
"Are you scared? To sleep in the same part of the castle as them tonight?"
Shit. Andy hadn't thought of that. She put up one of her best fake-smiles, and tried not to sound worried.
"I'll be fine. I am a Slytherin too, you know. And I won't be alone."
Verity's mouth dropped. They didn't speak for the rest of the lesson.
"Andy!" Fiona said at dinner, "Where were you at lunch? I didn't see you leave the greenhouse, but Eloise said you would be fine with that Ravenclaw girl, so we left. But- You never came to lunch, and the Ravenclaw neither, and-" She dropped her voice- "What happened?"
"Uhm, Verity- the Ravenclaw girl- and I, we didn't want to go to lunch. We discovered the grounds instead."
"Oh, come on. Don't lie to me. I saw you coming back to the castle, looking all shaky, and so did that Ravenclaw. And-" She was almost whispering now- "You have tremors. I'm sorry, it was hard not to notice, and-"
"What do you mean, I have tremors?" Andy knew exactly what it meant, of course. The Crutiatus Curse, that's how you get them. Or a very big shock or anything like that, but tremors are the symptoms of the Cruciatus. Andy had had them often enough to know that. You're whole body starts shaking uncontrollably, and sometimes you get a tic in your fingers, for example. Andy had noticed her fingers tremble at everything, but tried to stop them. Apparantly without any luck.
"Well? You can trust me, you know." Fiona said softly, with a small smile on her pretty face. When Andy didn't answer, she said, "And, I may have heard you talking at History of Magic. You don't really have to tell me, but I thought-"
"Oh? You thought you could just eavesdrop on a private conversation? No way. Leave me alone!" Andy sneered.
"Oh- I am sorry, I didn't mean to, but- You know what? I'm going to a teacher. Anyone you prefer?"
A teacher? Shit, shit, shit. "Not Slughorn." Andy said quietly. Then she added, "Or Mcgonagall."
Fiona just nodded, and walked away. Andy didn't finish her food, she had lost all sense of hunger. And, she thought, she could do with some weight-loss, as her parents her always reminded.
She lay in her bed, thinking about her first day of school. Hogwarts, she had always looked forward to it. But if this was going to be every day... She didn't know if she wanted to stay. Not that she had a choice, really, but it's always nice to pretend like you have.
"Miss Black? Are you there?" A familliar voice said.
"Yeah?"
"Ah, miss Black, there you are." Someone walked across the room and Andy saw her face: Professor Mcgonagall. Behind her stood Fiona, looking oddly uncomfortable.
"What are you doing here? This is a Slytherin dorm, you know."
"Miss Hamnond here told me you were having tremors, miss Black. Now, we all know what could've happened, therefore I'm very happy miss Hamnond informed me. Could you tell me, miss Black, what happened? Miss Hamnond said it happened at lunch?"
"What?" Andy lost all her sense of being nice to teachers. "I don't know why you guys care so much. Leave me alone. Please." Not all her sense, of course, God knows what kind of punishment she would get. No, she reminded herself, I'm not home. The teachers won't hurt me, or, most of them won't.
Mcgonagall sighed. "Alright then, miss Black. I'll leave it for now. Though I want you to see Madam Pomfrey, she'll help you."
"OK."
Mcgonagall turned around and walked away. Fiona stared at her, still looking very uncomfortable.
"Well? Very much thank you, for calling Mcgonagall, from all teachers!" Andy snapped. Fiona got tears in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I was asking Madam Pomfrey, but Mcgonagall just interrupted me and said she would come with me or something and- and- and-" She sobbed. "I'm sorry-"
Shit, she was crying now. Andy coudn't stand crying people, she always had to help them. She walked to Fiona and hugged her. Fiona winced, but didn't step back.
"It's alright, it's alright. It's not your fault, don't worry." Andy said soothingly.
"You have to see Madam Pomfrey, though." Fiona said once her tears had stopped falling.
"I will." Andy promised. She let go of Fiona. "I'll go and see her, right now, OK?"
Fiona nodded. Andy started walking away.
"Andy?"
"Hm?"
"Did Madeline that to you? Together with a girl with blonde hair named- I think- Danica?"
"Yeah, I guess."
"Maddie is Gwen's sister."
"Oh. Shit happens." Andy replied, but her body felt sore and shaky, and, though she didn't want to admit it, she was scared. Why would this happen to her, on her very first day?