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AS SOON AS SNAPE HAD ENTERED THE CLASSROOM, EVERYONE WAS ALREADY AT THEIR DESKS. no one dared be late for severus snape's class, as he would mercilessly take off house points and give out detention if done so.

"some of you will benefit from today's assignment: wit-sharpening potion. perhaps you should begin immediately", snape subtly insulted as everyone rushed to the lab tables.

     victoria simply took her time walking there, though she honestly shouldn't have, as the only vacant spot left was right next to draco.

     "come to join me I see", draco commented, grinning at the girl's presence.

     "not like I had an option. if I could though, I would rather not be in the near vicinity of you", victoria sweetly said as nobody but draco was able to hear her.

draco furrowed his brows.

"showing your true colors now are we?", he teased, making victoria momentarily stop mixing the ginger root.

she let out a laugh.

"true colors? what do you ever mean, mr. malfoy? I have no idea what you're insinuating", victoria simply replied as she continued mixing the root until it was lime green.

     "I'll crack you soon", draco lowly muttered, making the girl raise a brow.

     "you? then you're going to have to try harder than this, because I don't fancy boys who are stubborn gits", victoria replied as draco just scowled at the audacity of the girl's attitude.

     "watch your attitude noir. you may be a wealthy pureblood like me, but don't overstep your boundaries", draco warned.

"pardon me for treating you the way you treat me. once you decide to show me true sincerity, perhaps I won't have to step out of line, as you say", victoria retorted.

both fourth-years' attention was then diverted towards the golden trio, where snape was most likely poking fun at them.

"quite the reputation you've made yourself, ms. granger. playing harry potter and victor krum's heart", snape read out, examining the daily prophet's as if it was the most interesting thing ever.

hermione merely blushed as victoria went back to focusing on her potion brewing.

victoria wasn't particularly interested in all that, as she needed to head somewhere after classes today.

just as the students were finished with their potion brewing, victoria was just about to exit the class as harry spilled armadillo bile while igor karkaroff had entered snape's classroom.

     the girl immediately casted a cleaning spell, helping harry as she glared at karkaroff, making him glare back.

"oh thanks victoria...", harry mumbled as he couldn't find another excuse to stay behind.

"no problem! don't be late now", victoria simply smiled as she slowly followed harry out the classroom.

"karkaroff, I suggest you start acting rationally before you slip up", victoria warned as she left the man with snape, who both had a grim expression on.

•♛•

     after classes ended, victoria had to wait for everyone to have left for dinner before she could head towards the dungeon's antechamber.

between the dungeon's antechamber and the side room of the entrance hall, was a framed painting of salazar slytherin's portrait.

"it's nice to finally meet one of the founders. my name's victoria millicent noir, sir", victoria introduced, though the portrait did not respond.

"I'm a pureblood, and I know of your ideals. muggle-borns indeed should not have been given the trust that we purebloods deserve", victoria suddenly stated, making the portrait raise a brow.

     victoria knew this would catch the attention of the salazar slytherin, as the man was even more of a purblood supremacist than draco malfoy and his entire family combined.

"you've heard of my ideals?", salazar questioned.

"of course sir. I've also heard about the chamber of secrets that you had created centuries ago", victoria smiled. "and might I say, it was simply brilliant".

salazar questionably glanced at the girl's outfit, recognizing that it was not from hogwarts, but elsewhere.

"you claim that you're a pureblood, yet neither do you wear a hogwarts uniform nor do I recognize the last name noir", salazar said, starting to feel that victoria was bluffing.

"I attend beauxbatons currently, sir. but after this year, I'm surely to be put in slytherin once I transfer to hogwarts. and perhaps you don't recognize the last name noir, but you should know of peverell", victoria slightly smirked.

salazar slytherin was amused for the first time since centuries. it wasn't everyday that a pureblood girl would come up to his portrait and make intellectual conversation with him.

"antioch peverell specifically", victoria grinned.

"the oldest creator of the deathly hollows? what's the ancestor of antioch peverell doing here? surely there's something you desire", salazar deduced.

"I didn't expect any else from the clever founder of slytherin", victoria complimented, though salazar wasn't that easily swayed.

     "I was wondering...if you knew if there was a cure for a certain condition", victoria suddenly seriously asked, making salazar invested.

     "condition? depends, what is it?"

victoria hesitated as she sighed, explaining her special circumstances to the portrait.

salazar surprisingly listened intently as he hummed in response.

"so that's why you desire the elder wand?", the old wizard questioned, making victoria eagerly nod her head.

     "yes sir. in fact, I hope to become the master of death", victoria boldly claimed with a straight face, making salazar chuckle.

     "you're definitely an interesting one. I haven't had a good laugh since helga scolded godric for his brute-like comments", salazar admitted.

     "I'm serious sir", victoria sternly said.

     "I can tell. your eyes burn with that same fury and determination, like a true slytherin. cunning and clever you are, finding me of all the other portraits. however, I cannot help you", salazar said, making victoria frown.

     "why not? aren't you the brilliant salazar slytherin? surely you would know what had happened to the elder wand after the oldest perevell!"

     "you seem to have mistaken my cleverness for current world knowledge. I'm only a mere painting girl. you're lucky that I can even hold up such an intelligent conversation with you, as I can't seem to say the same for the other portraits".

     "what...what do you mean?"

     "portraits aren't all-knowing. they can only advise the living at most", salazar briefly explained.

victoria bit her bottom lip, anxiously wondering what her next plan of step should be.

she had already hired professional tracers to track down gregorovitch, however, they have yet to get back to her about the man's current position.

"perhaps try a different route girl. not everything requires one solution", salazar said as he turned back to being a still portrait.

victoria then heard many pairs of footsteps approach her as the students were presumably done with dinner already.

"you okay victoria? looking a little pale there", pansy asked.

"yes...just splendid", victoria smiled, as she walked with pansy towards the slytherin common room.

     "are you perhaps nervous the the third task?", pansy questioned.

     "ah right..the third task. actually, I'm quite thrilled about it. I have great confidence that it'll turn out just swell", victoria confidently said.

pansy simply nodded as victoria momentarily closed her eyes while she sat in front of the fireplace in the common room.

'indeed, it's going to be the start of a new beginning'.

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