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A week after their last encounter, Potions class had arrived with its usual blend of anticipation and tension. Professor Slughorn, praised Athena and Tom Riddle for their exceptional potion work. His approval was not only a testament to their skill but also a reward in the form of house points for each of them, much to the other Slytherins' delight.

As Professor Slughorn's praise echoed through the classroom, Athena cast a glance towards Lucinda. It was a look filled with a mixture of frustration and resignation, an inaudible groan escaping her lips as she internally replayed the scene.

Once again, the outcome of their competition had resulted in a tie. Despite the fact that the potion was not formally graded, Athena and Tom had turned the task into a fierce contest of who could produce the superior potion in the shortest amount of time. This informal rivalry seemed to have become a recurring theme in their Potions classes, and once more, neither had managed to outshine the other.

It had been one exact week since Riddle had said the hurtful words that lingered in Athena's mind. However, it didn't turn out to be like he expected. He did not know Athena Malfoy. If he did, then he would know that she turned hate from other people into motivation. It gave her a reason to work harder– it pushed her to be better.

She imagined her mother's disapproving frown, the way her father's gaze always drifted to Abraxas as if she weren't even there. Every perfect line, every neatly written essay was a desperate plea for notice, for pride, for recognition. But it always ended the same. No matter how hard she worked.

In fact, it always did the opposite.  Athena still remembered the cold sting of her mother's words.

"Why must you always try to outshine your brother?" her mother had snapped, eyes cold as winter. Athena had clenched her jaw, the retort dying on her tongue. It wasn't worth the argument. It never was. She just dropped her gaze, letting the familiar weight of disappointment settle in her chest. Her mother had turned away, leaving the room with a finality that made it clear who mattered more.

Athena snapped out of it when the class was dismissed and walked out with Lucinda, while Druella was with Cygnus again. It seemed like the two were spending more time together– with Druella mostly listening and Cygnus being the one talking.

"I don't know what she sees in him," Lucinda's voice broke her out of her thoughts, her gaze also on the two. She turned to Athena and continued, "But don't tell her I said that. She'll go on about how he is 'at least a pureblood and isn't that bad' for the fourth time this week."

Athena's lips twitched upwards, almost taking form of a smile, but she stopped it. With books in her hand and her bag slung over her shoulder, she replied, "Is that not all that matters, Lucinda?"

Lucinda looked thoughtful for a moment as they made their way to the common room, since classes were over for the day. She finally shrugged and said, "I just want her to be happy. I doubt Black would be able to make her happy." Then, she shook her head, a thought in her mind. "But what do I know about happiness?" She finished in a small whisper, Athena almost didn't hear.

But she did hear.

She put her books in her bag and slung an arm over her friend's shoulder, giving her a soft smile and a look of understanding. "Who does?" She finally replied in a comforting whisper, her voice almost breaking.

"Them." Lucinda motioned towards the running group of Gryffindors in front of them– all laughing and seeming to be having fun. She swallowed the lump in her throat, letting out a sigh filled with longing– which Athena caught.

Because Athena herself felt the same way her friend did.

As they passed the running and laughing Gryffindors, Athena's arm still remained around Lucinda's shoulder.

She pulled her friend to her for a moment, as if she was hugging her, and continued walking down the stairs leading to the dungeons. "If us Slytherins were as happy as they were, do you really think we would be Slytherins?"

Lucinda's lips twitched upwards into a small, sad smile as she shook her head. "No," she replied honestly. She turned her head sideways, looking at her friend. "Because there is no Slytherin running around, laughing their heart out."

"Exactly," replied Athena with the same expression on Lucinda's face.

When they finally reached the rock that led them into the common room, she said the password, "Pureblood." And watched as the rock rumbled and split into two, showing the hidden door.

Just before opening the door and walking into the common room, Athena turned to Lucinda with a grin on her face, "Riddle's the prefect, came up with this very original password, and isn't even a pureblood."

Lucinda let out a laugh, even when she walked into the Slytherin common room where she got weird looks from the others. She kept laughing, deeply amused.

Speaking of the devil, Tom Riddle's head turned to them all the way where he was sitting with his lackeys– on the couches by the fireplace. His head snapped in their direction from across the room, his cold, calculating eyes narrowing as they landed on Athena. A sneer twisted his lips, dark and venomous, before he turned away with a dismissive flick of his hand, as if her very existence offended him.

Edmund Avery– who was sitting with Riddle along with Abraxas, Nott, Mulciber, and Dolohov– gave his younger sister a look of disbelief at the fact that she was laughing. She hadn't laughed like that since–

"What are you staring at?" snapped Lucinda, noticing her older brother's look. She let go of Athena and gave him a look, making him snap out of it and roll his eyes fondly.

She turned to Athena, slung an arm over her shoulder, and was about to walk up the staircase leading to the girls' dormitories, but stopped when she noticed the look on Athena's face as she stared at Abraxas Malfoy.

Abraxas seemed not to notice, his focus on the golden snitch flying in front of him as he caught it and let it go again. He looked almost bored, his expression not giving away any feelings.

Athena, meanwhile, turned away with a swallow, knowing that if she stayed there too long, she would either kill her brother or break down crying. The second would be worse for her and her dignity, so she finally snapped out of it and walked up the stairs, Lucinda doing the same with her arm still around Athena's shoulder.

"Would you like to talk about it?" Lucinda finally broke the silence as they stepped into their dorm, closing the door behind them as she let go of Athena– who let out a sigh and sat down on her bed.

Lucinda walked over to her friend and sat down next to her, a small concerned frown on her face. Her green eyes seemed to have the look of worry in them– something Athena still hadn't gotten used to.

Athena merely gave her a fake smile, which Lucinda saw right through. "I'm alright," she tried, but was stopped by the knowing look from Lucinda. She let out another sigh and looked away, her mind still on what happened the week before.

"Athena, I care for you." Lucinda held onto Athena's hand, sincerity in both her eyes and words. "I know you might not want to talk about your problems, but I'm ready to listen if you change your mind."

Athena gave her friend a genuine smile this time, but her eyes teared up. She pursed her lips, disappointed in herself for showing even that tiny bit of emotion. But the look on Lucinda's face made her feel like she would understand, so she got her emotions under control– or tried to– and cleared her throat.

"My whole life, I've always been in the shadow of my brother," Athena began, her voice trembling slightly. She closed her eyes, wincing at the ache in her chest from saying it out loud.

Lucinda, trying to ease the mood, said, "Aren't we all?" but her attempt came off more sorrowful than comforting.

Athena managed a small laugh, opening her eyes and brushing away a tear. "No, Lucinda, I'm serious. I was sent to Beauxbatons because my mother said I'd just be a waste of their time if I stayed at home. I've felt ignored my whole life. My hair is black, not blonde, because my parents were too busy celebrating Abraxas' first use of accidental magic to care about changing my hair back."

Lucinda listened with wide eyes and a concerned expression, her lips slightly parted and her gaze growing misty.

"And then Abraxas told Riddle about it. So, last week, when I ended up in Abraxas' dorm instead of ours during the party, Riddle was there. We started with usual banter, but things took a turn. When I pulled out some parchment and a quill to start on the Potions essay, Riddle said something really hurtful." Athena's voice cracked, and another tear slipped down her cheek as she recalled the moment, the pain still fresh.

She hated how weak she felt over the words of someone who didn't matter a bit to her. The words were important not the person. The words that she always deep down thought and knew about but never expected to hear from someone else.

Lucinda didn't interrupt. She simply held Athena's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.

"He said, 'You do realize that no matter how good your grades are, you'll never earn your parents' love?'" Athena said, her voice tinged with bitterness. She scoffed and shook her head.

Riddle's words had cut deep, even though she tried not to let them affect her schoolwork. It was hard not to feel hurt.

Lucinda's face showed anger. "How dare he?" she said, her voice filled with shock and rage. But when she saw another tear fall from Athena's cheek, she gently wiped it away, her expression softening with affection and understanding. "What did you say back to him?" she asked, trying to lighten the mood.

Athena's lips curled into a small smile as she repeated her response to Riddle. "I told him, 'You know that no matter how good your grades are, you'll always be an orphan.'"

Lucinda's eyes widened in surprise, and she burst into laughter, falling to the floor. Athena couldn't help but join in, her own laughter mingling with Lucinda's. The tears on her face were no longer from sadness but from laughing too hard.

"You did not!" Lucinda gasped between laughs, holding her stomach.

Athena shrugged with a sheepish grin, laughing as well. "I did," she admitted, making Lucinda look at her with awe and respect. Just then, the door creaked open, signaling Druella's return.

Druella gave Lucinda– who was on the floor– a weird look. "Why are you on the floor?" She asked in confusion, closing the door behind her softly and putting her bag on her bed.

Lucinda cleared her throat and stood up, sitting down next to Athena again. Her eyes lit up when she realized something. "It's Hogsmeade weekend tomorrow! You both are coming, right?"

Druella nodded. "Yes, I am. Athena, are you?"

Athena turned away from her friends, her gaze falling on the empty slip of parchment tucked away in the drawer of her bedside table. "My parents forgot to sign it," she confessed, her voice tinged with frustration.

The admission drew sympathetic glances from Druella and Lucinda, their faces reflecting a mix of pity and concern.

Shrugging off the sympathy, Athena reached into the drawer and pulled out the unsigned slip. "It's fine. I'll just get Abraxas to forge the signature," she said with a resigned air.

She moved swiftly towards the door, but Druella's voice called out, "Athena, wait–!" The urgency in her tone was clear, but Athena was already on her way out, barely acknowledging the call.

Descending the spiral staircase, Athena frowned as she noticed that the common room, usually bustling with activity, was now deserted. Her irritation grew as she ascended the staircase leading to the boys' dormitories, determined to find her brother and his friends.

At her brother's door, she knocked, shifting impatiently from foot to foot.

When no one answered, she tried the door handle and, after a creaky protest, pushed it open.

The room was empty, devoid of the usual signs of life or recent activity.

Athena knew for certain they weren't in the common room anymore, having just checked moments before.

Confused, she closed the door and retraced her steps back down the staircase, her mind swirling with questions.

She made her way to the staircase leading to the girls' dormitories, gripping the empty slip tightly in her hand. Her jaw was set in frustration as she reentered her dorm room, her eyes scanning Druella and Lucinda for answers.

"They disappeared," Athena blurted out, her gaze darting between them, searching for an explanation.

Druella, looking almost indifferent, waved a dismissive hand. "Just let it go, Athena. They probably went to the library or somewhere. It's not worth worrying about," she said nonchalantly.

Athena shot her a look, clearly unimpressed. "I have never, not once in my life, seen Abraxas actually studying," she pointed out, her arms crossed in irritation.

Lucinda, equally puzzled, shrugged. "They disappear often. We've all gotten used to it by now," she said, her tone reflecting a similar sense of confusion.

Turning back to Druella, Athena's frown deepened. "Weren't you just with Black? Where did he go?" she asked, her voice edged with curiosity.

Druella shrugged again, her expression nonchalant. "I don't know, and frankly, I don't care. Just drop it, Athena. You're overthinking it," she said dismissively, clearly uninterested in further discussion.