☞ 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟏𝟏𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫, 𝟏𝟗𝟗𝟔

Yesterday was still fresh in my mind. The book, seeing young Tom Riddle, the way he spoke about Novella, and then running into the very boy that was born as a red of that memory I witnessed.

I decided to hide away, finding solace in the astronomy tower all day, only emerging for dinner and my daily visit to my father. In the Great Hall, I sat alone, avoiding my Gryffindor friends I knew were itching to talk to me. Now and then, I'd look around the room, and find Mattheo staring at me. Every time I'd notice him, he'd look away instantly without fail. Strange.

After bit by bit picking at my food, I eventually decided to head back to my room, leaving an almost full plate behind. Walking down the halls in peaceful silence was a rarity I never got to enjoy, and I wouldn't be enjoying it today.

Many footsteps sounded from behind me, followed by a gust of wind wishing past me. Before I knew it, the Slytherin boys were in front of me. "Snape!" Zabini grinned, along with the others.

"I thought we weren't friends anymore... yesterday doesn't change that fact." I pushed through the group, heading straight towards the common room. Mattheo quickly caught up, walking by my side while the others walked closely behind.

"Please don't be like this." Mattheo frowned, trying to get my attention. "What we did, what we said, it was a terrible lapse in judgment and we will do anything to earn your forgiveness." Mattheo begged, his voice so desperate that I almost stopped and forgave him at that moment. Almost.

"I'll think about it, but for now I must get back to my dorm, I have studying to do." I muttered, trying not to engage in the conversation too much. Despite that, they all followed after me like lost puppies. They offered to help, but after a few rejections, they sounded like they were begging.

As we clambered up the stairs leading to the girl's dormitories, Theo pushed past Mattheo, now the one at my side. "Just let us help you!" Theo whined, his hand roughing up my hair. I shoved away his hand, giving him a nasty glare that caused him to stop in his tracks immediately.

I gently open my bedroom door, looking forward to crashing onto my bed, only to find my sheets to be replaced with satin pink ones, and my belongings thrown into my trunks. "Merlin's beard!" I gasp, looking around my side of the room. My books were gone, replaced with very expensive perfumes and makeup many dream to afford.

Before I could begin to piece together what could be happening, two girls came stumbling out of the bathroom, laughing, with all my bathroom belongings thrown in a bag. Those two girls being Astoria and Pansy. "What the fuck are you two doing!" I screamed, snatching back my stuff.

"Well, since you and Astoria aren't friends anymore, and me and her are best friends, I've decided to move in here and kick you out!" Pansy smiled, laughing as her eyes darkened with amusement. My jaw fell to the floor faster than you can say quidditch as I stared hopelessly between the two witches in front of me.

"What! Astoria why would you agree to this? We've roomed together since first year!" I protest, deciding to ignore Parkinson and turn to Astoria. "We are childhood best friends! You are the one who pulled away! You are the one who changed! You can't punish me for that!" I yelled at the top of my voice, straining my vocal cords. Mattheo and Draco tried to calm me down, while Theo and Blaise began to enchant the room to prevent eavesdroppers from overhearing this outburst.

"Stop being so fucking dramatic! We aren't fucking friends anymore bitch, so why the fuck would I want to share a room with you!" Astoria retaliated, however, her voice didn't strain, she was holding back... "It was about time that me, a Greengrass, a noblewoman from a pure family grow up and stop wasting my time on filthy blood traitors like you." She smirked, although it didn't reach her ears. I hated those words, I hated that phrase, I hated what they represented... and so I began to hate her.

Hate Astoria, the first person to love me and show me friendship in all its forms. Hate the girl I grew up with, my sister. I hate her. Yet I feel empty, not because she's going. No, she has been gone for a while now, but I was too delusional to realise it. I feel empty because I do not feel guilty for hating her. I should. She was there for me my entire life when no one else was. Yet, hating her is the easiest thing I've had to do this year...

"What?" Is all I could muster up the strength to say. Anger clouded my mind as my hands began to shake into fists. Was hating me as easy for her as hating her is for me?

"Are you deaf or something? We. Are. Not. Friends. You are a fucking virgin loser, nothing more than a filthy blood traitor!" Astoria screamed, her voice in such a high-pitched glass would've been close to breaking. She stopped holding back, she meant it.

"I'd rather be considered a blood traitor than be anything like the pair of you! What even is this, Astoria? Look at you! This hair? This outfit?" I snapped. "Merlin I hate this! I hate you!" I grabbed my things, using magic to quickly pack and float my things down to the common room. "You want me gone, then I'm gone." I screamed, kicking open the door and breaking the enchantment Theo and Blaise had cast.

"But when you are your pathetic family are locked away for being fucking death eaters..." I began stepping towards the girl, my eyes narrowed. "I'll be the first person to advocate for a lifelong Azkaban retreat." I spat, not flinching as I watched Astoria's eyes widen, hurt and pain filling her face. What stuck out to me the most was the fear in her eyes.

I began to leave, deciding to say one last thing to the girl before presumably stepping out of each other's lives for good. "Astoria!" I called out, not knowing what to expect.

"Huh?" She spoke softly, being pulled out of her deep thoughts by my sudden outburst. She slowly turned to me, her eyes filled with emotionless energy.

"Where are you?" I muttered, gaining no response from anyone. I rolled my eyes, before finally exiting the room. At the bottom of the stairs, I was greeted with all of my luggage. The sinking feeling of defeat travelled down my body, starting from my head to my toes, consuming me whole.

"Come on, loser." Someone laughed, picking up my bags. Blaise. He threw a trunk onto his shoulder and began to walk up the steps leading to his dormitory, a small smile on his lips.

Confused I turn to the others, only to find them also carrying my luggage. "Do you think we'd leave you stranded?" Draco laughed at my blatant confusion and followed Blaise up the stairs.

I began to stress, not wanting to be a bother and not knowing if staying with them would be the best option all things considered. "Nonsense!" Theo patted my head, which annoyed me slightly. "It's the least we can do for you." He smiled, before also heading up to their room.

"Come on, darling. I'll escort you there." Mattheo smiled warmly at me. That dreaded feeling began to creep back. My face turned hot. Merlin help me.

"S-sure..." Knowing that there's no protesting now they all have their mind set on the idea of me living with them, and I gave in. "But if this doesn't work out for any reason I'm finding somewhere else to stay!" I stressed to him, making Mattheo chuckle.

"We'll see." He grinned, pushing open their bedroom door. Inside was an extremely detailed room with wooden panels and stone carvings littering the walls. There, in the middle of the room, in front of a bay window, was an empty bed. The window was huge and littered with cute pillows looking out to the blue abyss that was the Black Lake.

"Is that mine?" I questioned them, having the boys all agree with me. "How is this room so big... how did you get so many beds in here?" I slowly took in my surroundings, from the last bookcase stretching to the ceiling, the miniature kitchen and living quarters, and of course the messy beds. "So this is what pure blood privilege looks like." I laughed, unable to comprehend that all these years these boys have been living in this mansion compared to the broom closet of all the dorms I've had.

"Pretty much." Draco chuckles, walking over to his side of the room, which was the tidiest of all areas. "This room has been passed down generations of Malfoy's, and it's enchanted to be fully customisable. So, we can change any aspect of this room to our heart's desire!" Malfoy gloated, feeling pride bubble within while talking about his family room.

"That explains the extra bed." I smile, walking over to the plain white sheets, untouched desk and bare wardrobe. All mine to have, decorate and create something out of. "This doesn't mean you are forgiven." I turned to the boys, who began to place my belongings around me.

"Of course it bloody doesn't, we only went and saved you from a life of homelessness." Blaise spoke sarcastically as he rolled his eyes. Theo harshly jabbed him in the ribs, hinting at him to be quiet.

"We'll give you space to unpack." Mattheo spoke from beside me, giving me a gentle smile before pushing his friends out of the room, leaving me in peace.

Astoria... what have you done?