Belladonna

The trainings were eternal for Ofelia, but at the end of the day, they came in handy for the first match. Ofelia knew that bragging was wrong, but what was she supposed to do when she spotted the snitch in 8 minutes and caught it in the next ten. The Hufflepuff seeker was no match for her.

“We have to celebrate somehow!” Walburga was so excited.

They were not allowed to join the Slytherin party. Apparently, they were too young, although their male classmates were allowed to be a part of it. This had completely to do with the fact that their brothers were at the party and they did not wanted them there.

At least they let them do a shot of Firewhiskey, which got them really excited.

Now, they were wandering around the dungeons wishing to have a place to go to. They only were allowed to drink one glass of alcohol when they were at dinner parties. So imagine what a shot did to their bodies. They were a little tipsy.

“Potter!” Ofelia yelled when she saw the young boy walking towards them. “What are you doing so far from your Common Room?”

“'Came to congratulate you” he answered when he finally got to the three girls. “Never saw someone catch the snitch that quick.”

“Not everyone has my natural talent” she said and both her friends laughed.

“Do you have any booze with you, Potter?” Walburga asked boldly. “We’re not permitted to enter our own party” she whispered, as if it was a great gossip.

“I don’t, sorry” he apologized. “But my friends and I are going to a bar in Hogsmeade right now.”

“How are you going to Hogsmeade?” Ofelia asked curiously.

“There’s a secret passage that leads to Honeydukes’ basement. We found it last year” Fleamont explained. “Do you want to come?”

“Yes!” Walburga exclaimed before Ofelia could answer. “Sorry, it’s the firewhiskey.”

“Are you inviting as to go to a bar with you and your friends?” Druella asked cautiously.

“Yes.”

“And your friend, Longbottom, will he be disrespectful again?” she crossed her arms.

“No, ma’am. I promise.”

The three girls looked at each other, like mentally agreeing that it was safe to go with Potter. They looked back at him and Ofelia stepped closer smiling.

“Count us in.”

They walked through the castle to where supposedly the entrance to the tunnel was. The way there was pretty loud, since apparently one shot was enough to make Walburga’s tongue feel loosen. She kept speaking about The Hellcats, a new rock band that kept on sounding on the radio. Potter was into the new band too, so he was pretty into the conversation too. Meanwhile Druella and Ofelia walked hand in hand, laughing at both kids’ enthusiasm.

“Shit…” Bella mumbled, as she saw Riddle walking right in front of them.

She had not seen the boy in the whole day, not even at the match. But to be fair, she never really saw the boy anywhere. Either he was very busy doing whatever he did when he was alone, or she was actually avoiding him at all cost. But now Riddle was walking towards them, without noticing their presence. He was looking down to the floor, smiling, which gave Rizzo the creeps. Tom’s smile was spooky after all. He looked as if he had finally accomplished his evil master plan. He carried some kind of book, a black leather diary, in his right hand too.

“What are you doing so far from your beds?” Riddle said as soon as he noticed the frightened kids standing still. “It’s curfew already.”

“We could say the same to you” Ofelia stood forward. “What are you doing so far from your bed, Riddle? It’s curfew already.”

“I don’t have to answer to that. I’m Head Boy” he excused himself. “I’m afraid I have to report you with Professor Slughorn.”

The kids panicked seeing themselves in detention the whole weekend. But Ofelia had a wonderful plan. She raised her wand when Tom got distracted and quickly enough she petrified him.

“You just attacked Riddle!” Potter exclaimed, as his body fell still into the ground.

“Oh, we’re going to die! He’s going to kill us when he goes back to normal!” Walburga panicked even more, starting to hyperventilate.

“What do we do?” Druella asked Ofelia, trying to keep calm. "What do we do?"

Rizzo walked slowly towards the petrified body and kneeled next to it. He looked so funny with his arms glued to his torso and his chest coming out. His face was frozen, but she could still see the anger in the boy’s eyes.

“Sorry, Riddle. But I can’t let you ruin our night” she snorted. “We can have this conversation again tomorrow morning. I promise” she winked at him and then she stood up.

“We can’t just leave him here. Someone will notice” Druella pointed out.

“There’s the entrance to the secret passage, right behind the One-Eyed Witch Statue. Maybe we can hide him there until we’re back” Potter suggested and that seemed the most logic thing to do.

“Sure” Druella agreed and levitated him right into the hidden tunnel.

But as he floated through the air, the book that he was carrying fell to the floor. Fleamont caught it and looked at it, analyzing what it was.

“Tom M. Riddle” he read the inscription in the black leather. “It’s a diary.”

“Riddle writes a diary?” Druella asked with a sudden interest. “Oh, this is great…”

Walburga took it of Potter’s hands and opened it. But she was disappointed to see that the diary was empty. She passed the book to Druella without interest, who repeated her friend’s actions and passed it to Ofelia. Bella felt kind of disappointed too. She didn’t know what she was expecting to find in there, but anything was better than those empty pages.

“It must have some kind of invisible spell on it, so we don’t see what’s written” she explained and through the book to Riddle’s chest. “Let’s go!”

The girls had never been at Hogsmeade so late at night, let alone a bar. They entered a place called The Hog’s Head. It was a dirty, old bar with a few customers. It was a seedy place with unpleasant people that seemed to have come out of a hole. But the music was nice, coming out of magical instruments from the back. It was a soft rock song that Ofelia did not recognize.

“Potter, you’re finally hear!” Ames yelled and waved, so that he could see where they were sitting. But he stopped his action when he realized who were accompanying his friend.

“Hiya!” he said, getting closer to them. “I hope you don’t mind I invited some friends of mine.”

Bella felt warm by the fact that Potter presented her as his friend. It made her feel important.

“This is Druella Rosier, Walburga Black and I’m sure you’re all familiar with Ofelia Rizzo. Am I right?” he presented them, as everyone stared at him, as if they could not believe their eyes.

“Yes, we know” Chuck said bitterly. “In case you have forgotten, she beat the shit out of my team this morning at the match.” Fleamont’s smiled erased immediately from his face. “This nigh out was to cheer me up. How on Earth am I supposed to cheer up when she’s here?”

“You know, Potter? Nale is right. I came here to celebrate my victory. This might become a little awkward” Rizzo agreed with the Hufflepuff.

Silence made its presence making the moment uncomfortable. Why would they want to share their night with these Slytherin girls? Specially that night. But sometimes the most insignificant thing could make a good man have a change of heart. This time it was a simple pout from Walburga’s lips. She was sad that her first and probably only night of freedom was ending so suddenly. She finally was escaping from her duties and now she had to go back to the castle. He got drawn to those stunning eyes that would get wider every time she heard the slightest noise. Chuck saw that sad, little face and it was as if Cupid’s arrow had crossed his chest. He had seen the young girl before. But he had never stopped to actually see her. The girl had porcelain skin and intriguing blue eyes. Her raven hair was falling down her back. He had never seen her with her hair down, it looked like she was free.

“Well, I mean, I’m sure I can find a way of cheering up with the ladies here…”

And just like that, Walburga’s smile was shining bright again. “Take a sit.”

Ames made space for the four of them at the table. He didn’t like blood supremacists sitting next to his half-blood friends. But he figured out that he could not say anything. On the other side, Minerva was trying not to laugh. Potter was trying so hard to enchant Rizzo. It was getting ridiculous. She turned to Poppy, who was drinking from her butterbeer. McGonagall smiled at her, when she caught her eye, and then leaned to rest her head in her arm.

“Waiter, four beers for our friends in here!” Chuck yelled and then winked at Walburga, who blushed uncontrollably.

“So why aren’t you, ladies, at the Slytherin party?” Ames asked.

“We aren’t allowed in it.”

“Walls…” Druella whispered, as if it was not something for them to know.

“What? It’s true” she excused herself and then clapped when the waiter put their beers on the table.

“Thank you” Ofelia said to the waiter, as he left the table. “Walls, maybe you should slow down with that. You’d never drunk before.”

Black finished her cup and then gave her a big smile.

“Relax” she said and then squealed when the magical instruments changed the song. “Potter, this is the song that I was talking to you about.”

“You’re right!” he agreed listening to the notes. “We should dance!”

“What?”

“C’mon, Black! Live a little.” Potter grabbed the girl and took her nearer to the instruments. Then they started dancing. Monty did not do it very well, but it was loosen enough to guide the very shy girl.

“It looks like Potter stole your chance, Chuck” Pomfrey laughed and the black man showed her his middle finger.

“I’m sorry, Nale” Ofelia said out of the blue. “Before I caught the snitch, you had already scored twice. You’re an amazing chaser.”

“Thanks, Rizzo” the boy was surprised. “You’re one of the best seekers I ever seen.”

Someone cleared his throat.

“Well, right next to Minnie, of course.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Minnie…” he teased her.

“You’re right” Ofelia interrupted him. “McGonagall is the only one that can hold a fight against me. I guess we’ll see who is the best when it’ll be Gryffindor and Slytherin’s turn.”

Minerva raised her cup in response, agreeing to her declaration.

“You’re so dramatic” Druella rolled her eyes.

“Agree” Poppy chuckled, making Rosier feel part of the group.

“For real, she’s the most dramatic person I know.”

“Shut up.”

“It’s true” her friend declared. “You’re all: I’m going to save the world and when I become Minister, I will end slavery and gender inequality and save the unicorns and…”

“You want to be Minister?” Poppy asked. She had a sweet voice, like a mockingbird.

“First female Minister of Magic.”

“And you want to end gender inequality?”

“To be a Minister, I’ll have to.”

“For someone that dreams of giving rights to the elves and whatever else, what is your plan with half-bloods?” Ames asked with a despiteful look in his face.

Ofelia turned to look at him. She could not believe this boy was trying to get her on her nerves again.

“How many times do I have to tell you I’m not a Grindelwald supporter?”

“But you’re still a pureblood.”

“Last time I checked, the Longbottoms were also purebloods.”

“Not a blood supremacist though.”

“My family is not part of all that pureblood nonsense” she declared making Druella uncomfortable.

“Prove it.”

“Ames…” Chuck tried to stop him, but Ofelia raised her hand indicating him that she was able to continue with this discussion.

“As you may know, Longbottom,” she proceeded, “I consider McGonagall my long-time rival. Am I right, McGonagall?”

“Yes, for five years now” the Gryffindor girl answered.

“And I consider her my rival mainly because I think that she’s as powerful and capable as me. If I had to point to another woman capable of becoming Minister, I would choose her without a doubt” she confessed, surprising everyone at the table. “I see her as my equal, Longbottom. And if I identify her like it, I could never believe that half-bloods are less than me.”

Everyone stood there in silence. Ames feeling like a complete fool. Pomfrey and Nale ashamed of ever believing exactly the opposite of Rizzo. Druella kind of surprised, as her friend had finally confessed that the rivalry that she had initiated was because she actually felt threatened by Minerva’s brain. And McGonagall was lost without words. She could have imagined hundreds of reasons why the girl hated her so much. But she could have never imagine that she would come up with such pure speech.

“Did I mention that Rizzo is the best in the debate club?” Potter appeared right behind her. “Chuck, I’m a little tired and I was just saying to Miss Black how excellent dancer you are. Why don’t you take my place for a while?”

Charles looked at the lonely girl standing by herself next to the instruments, like a bambi lost in the woods. He took a deep breath and then went for her. Walburga had already loosen up with her former dance partner. However, she surely felt nervous when the gorgeous, tall, black man approached her with a warm-hearted smile that showed all his teeth.

After that, all the awkwardness seemed to have flown away, living the young group of teens to have a fun night. The rounds of beers kept coming to the table and to be fully honest, after an hour of drinking they were mostly pissed. Walburga and Chuck had abandoned the dance floor to be outside the bar, doing what teens did when they were left unsupervised. Druella and Ofelia were really enjoying themselves dancing, accompanied by Minerva and Pomfrey. However, they went back to the table when they saw the missing couple return from outside. Walburga had her hair gone wild and had a stupid smile written all over her face. Bella could not help by wonder if she had looked like that when she had finished kissing Riddle. Ofelia examined Chuck too. He had the same look in his face, which made her have to hold her laugh.

“Did you had a good time?” Potter snorted, when they sat at the table.

“Shut up.”

The night continued just fine with more dancing from Bella and Potter, and a little bit of kissing from Walburga and Chuck. Minerva and Poppy had left the bar early, claiming that it was already late. But Rizzo could not help by notice Longbottom chuckling a little too much for that declaration. Speaking about Longbottom and Rizzo, you could say that by the end of the night both considered themselves friends. Especially after Ames shared a drag of his joint with her.

They walked through Hogsmeade with the sun already trying to take out the sky. They were still drunk, even as they walked through the tunnel getting back into the big castle.

“It was a lovely night, people. But now, I shall retire to my chambers” Ames announced and came out of the tunnel, tripping with Riddle’s body.

Chuck gave Walburga one last kiss, which Ofelia found a little exaggerated. But of course Walls founded it to be breath-taking, as she laid her back in the brick wall trying to stabilize herself.

“Do you want me to accompany you guys to your Common Room?” Potter asked Ofelia.

“It’s not necessary. Do you want me to accompany you to your Common Room?” she teased him.

“No, I know the way back.”

“I had a very nice night, Potter. Thank you for bumping into us in the hallway.”

“Thank you for accepting to come” he appealed. “And you can call me Monty, if you want to.”

“Fine. Then you can call me Bella…”

“Bella…” he repeated, as if he was tasting for the first time the name in his own mouth.

“See you around, Monty.”

“Bye…”

He left the tunnel leaving the three Slytherin girls finally alone.

“Well, that was fun” Druella declared.

“Tell me about it” Walls pondered.

“You guys go ahead. I’ll take care of Riddle.”

“No, we’ll help you” Rosier offered.

“No, I petrified him” she explained. “Let me take care of him.”

“Fine” Walburga consented. “But come quickly. I want to tell you all about Chuck.”

The girls left Ofelia alone with Riddle. Maybe her most evil and dangerous enemy. The first name in her “I Hate You” list, written in red and underlined. She got closer to him, questioning if she could just leave him there to rotten. She was actually surprised that he did not managed to escape from such a simple spell.

She unpetrified him and waited for him to get up. He did it slowly, gaining his motor skills back again. He was calm. She expected him to be raging and throwing spells at her. But he just stared at her analyzing what to do.

Suddenly, he slammed her against the wall grabbing her by her throat and she wondered how she had gotten into that situation again.

“Give me one reason to not get you expelled, little one” he commanded and she did not have any reason.

She was drunk and she could not come up with any ideas. So she did the only thing that she thought it could actually work. Ofelia crushed her lips into the older boy’s. Tom was perplexed. How this was happening again? He had promised himself to not repeat this error again. But here he was, snogging the little, noisy sister of his best friend.

Rizzo could not believe herself too. After avoiding the boy for more than two months, she was alone with him once again, trying to be as close to him as their bodies let them. She was getting disorientated with the aroused movements of his tongue, with the fact that his hand was not pressing her throat anymore to be pressing her thighs, with the invading, herbal scent that escaped Tom. She dared to touch his hair. It was not silky like she was imagined. It was actually kind of dry. But she did not care because she really liked the sound that escaped Tom’s mouth when she pulled his strands.

“Sorry for petrifying you” she whispered catching her breath, when they finally broke apart. “Could you let us go just this time?”

“What would Potter think of you if he knew that you snogged me after you went out with him?” Riddle hissed.

“Please…” she continued ignoring his bitter comment.

He finally let go of her and glanced at her for the last time.

“I wouldn’t drink that much, little one” he advised her, with second intentions. “You become very dumb when you do it.”