It was lunch time, and every Hogwarts student was in the Great Hall. Lili was sitting next to Cedric, like always.
"Should I try to make up with him?
"You don't have to if you don't want to. You need to be ready. But he's your brother. I'm sure he'll ignore the little fight."
"You think so?"
"Yeah."
--
"Post is here!" Someone could be hear yelling, and then a bunch of birds swooped down. Lili only got a newspaper, which she had purchased herself.
"Ronald Weasley!" Echoed through the hall, making Lili jump at the suddenness. She turned to see that Ron got a Howler. "How dare you steal that car! I am absolutely disgusted! Your father's now facing an inquiry at work it's entirely your fault! If you put another toe out of line we'll bring you straight home!"
The Howler then turned to say something to Ginny, who looked up quickly for a smile. It then ripped itself to pieces and disappeared, with the House tables all laughing. Lili didn't find it very funny.
--
Sitting next to Hannah Abbott, Lili didn't understand why her new professor is so liked. He wasn't not very handsome, and his voice wass quite irritating. She decided that she hated Professor Lockhart more than she disliked Snape.
"Let me introduce you to your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Me." Lili rolled her eyes. He was more self-centered than Draco was turning out to be. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honourary Member of the Dark Force Defense League and five times winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award...but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!"
He paused, as if waiting for laughter. Silence. So he continued. "I see you've all bought a complete set of my books. Well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about. Just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in."
Lili groaned when she got the quiz. "It's all about him, Hannah."
"You have thirty minutes. Start...now!"
--
Lockhart rifled through the completed quizzes, looking disappointed overall. "Tut, tut. Hardly any of you remembered my favourite colour is lilac. But Miss Hermione Granger knew that my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair care potions. Good girl. And Miss Lilianna Malfoy...I suggest you keep your apparent hatred of me out of your answers."
Lili gave him a pointed stare, making Lockhart awkwardly clear his throat and continue. "Now...be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind! You may find yourself facing your own worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here..." Swishing his cape, Lockhart walked over to the covered cage on his desk. "I must ask you not to scream. It might provoke them."
Lockhart exaggerated pulling the cover off the cage, revealing...cornish pixies. Lili rolled her eyes again. He opened the cage and the pixies flew out, with Lili making her way towards the door. She wasn't dealing with this.
"Come on now, round them up, round them up. They're only pixies." He took his wand out. "Peskipiski Pesternomi!" Of course it did nothing.
"That's not a real spell, you ninny!" Lili yelled before leaving the room. It was going to be a long year with this guy.
--
"Oh, Lili. I forgot you were trying out for the team."
Lili stood on the Quidditch pitch, along with other Hufflepuffs wanting to try for the team. Cedric was already the Seeker, and he'd walked over to talk before tryouts started. "Yeah. Beater, hopefully."
"I thought you were afraid of flying? And heights in general?"
"Well, yeah. But this is something that I really want to do. Father bought Draco's spot on the Slytherin team. I want to prove that I can get onto my team with just my skills. Both to them and myself. I'll just have to get over my fear."
"Well, good luck. Just do your best."
"Thanks, Ced."
--
Lili ran up to George, who was on his way to Gryffindor practice along with the rest of his team. He hung back to talk to her, though they kept walking.
"George, guess what?"
"What?"
"Guess."
"Uh...you've fallen in love with Professor Lockhart."
"Ew, no."
"You've decided to try and be a Gryffindor."
"You wish!" She giggled.
"Well, what else could it be?"
"I got onto the Hufflepuff Quidditch team!" They were on the field now.
"Oh, that's awesome!"
"I'm a Beater, like you."
"Sweet! Knew you'd get it."
They stopped when they realised that the others had stopped. Lili sighed when she realised why. It was the Slytherin team. The pair stopped to listen, moving forward.
"Clear out, Flint!" Wood, the Gryffindor captain, said to the Slytherin captain. "I booked the pitch for Gryffindor today."
"Easy, Wood. I've got a note."
Wood took the note and read it out loud. "'I, Professor Severus Snape, do hereby give the Slytherin team permission to practice today, owing to the need to train their new Seeker.' You've got a new Seeker? Who?"
Draco pushed his way to the front, and Lili glared at him.
"Draco?" Harry asked.
"That's right," Draco spat. "And that's not all that's new this year..."
"Those are Nimbus 2001's," Ron gaped, staring at the broomsticks the Slytherin team produced.
"A generous gift from Draco's father," Flint sneered.
"That's right, Weasley. You see, unlike some, my father can afford to buy the best."
"At least no one of the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in," Hermione smirked. "They got in on pure talent."
"No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood."
Lili decided to put a stop to this. With that comment, Wood had to stop the Weasley twins from going at her brother. But no one stopped her. She stared up at her brother, him being a little bit taller than her already. Despite a few differences, their platinum hair was almost as identical as their glaring grey eyes.
"You're not going to get anywhere in life, Draco. Not with Father babying you the whole way. Unlike you, I didn't need his help to get onto the team. It was skill and talent alone."
"You're just jealous because Father actually likes me."
No reaction came from Lili. She just continued to glare at her brother, perfectly still. And then she slapped him. A swift, painful slap. Draco clutched his cheek, and a red mark could be seen appearing. By the time he looked up, Lili is already walking away.
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