Chapter 10

First Year

If I thought everyone was going to forgot about Harry and I talking to the snake the other day, I would be lying to myself. Nobody forgot. Everyone was treating me horribly. Dasha and Eowyn still avoided talking to me by rushing off to class or to the library. Harry was in hiding most of the time too, so I rarely saw Hermione, Ron, and him. Jake was the only person who had no problem with talking to me. Quidditch was keeping me occupied as well, but it wasn't enough. The Slytherin house was only angry over the fact that people actually thought that Harry and I were worthy heirs of Slytherin. Although they were happy with me during our game against Hufflepuff, because the Hufflepuff team was too afraid to come anywhere near me. I literally hovered in front of the middle ring just throwing the ball through the rings with no problem. The only positive thing in my life was that Slytherin was now tied with Gryffindor. We would be facing them in the final tournament.

Due to the way everyone was treating me, I mainly left my dorm at night time. Most people were in their common rooms doing homework or hanging out with friends. The hallways were much quieter. I didn't have to worry about the all the nasty or frightened looks I would get in the middle of the day. As I was walking down the hallway just stretching my legs, somebody ran into me and knocked me to the ground. "Sorry!" the voice said. I looked up and saw Harry, but he looked angry from wherever he was coming from.

"Where were you rushing off too?" I asked him as he offered a hand, pulling me up to a standing position.

"Anywhere but there," he said. I didn't know where 'there' was, but I'm assuming it was bad. We began walking together down the empty hallway.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" I asked him confused.

"Probably the same thing that's been happening to you," he said still sound angry. "People accusing me of being the Slytherin heir and opening the Chamber. I had no idea it even existed before this year!" I nodded agreeing.

"Kill...kill...want blood..." There was that voice again. Harry and I stopped in our tracks, we both looked at each other with a knowing look. The voice was back... "Do you hear that?" Harry asked. I nodded and we took off following it for about three minutes until the voice faded. It was a bone-chilling voice that would cause most people to run the other direction, but we had to find out where it was coming from. 

"What do you think it is?" Harry asked me. I shrugged, I had absolutely no idea. Why did no one else notice this ghostly voice?

Harry and I waited for a few minutes to see if it came back, but silence. The two of us continued back down the hallways towards the moving stairs where we would go our separate ways. As we turned the corner, it wasn't a pretty sight. Nearly Headless Nick was floating in a frozen like state and behind him laid Justin Finch-Fletchley, the boy who we apparently sent the snake after. He was also lying frozen on the ground. He was in the same state as Colin. Harry and I looked at each other not knowing if we should run or call for help. Unfortunately Peeves flew by.

"Why it's wee Potty!" cackled Peeves, and then he looked at me. "Is this your new girlfriend Potty? Potty's got a..." He stopped laughing when he saw what we were looking at. Before we could stop him he screamed, "ATTACK! ATTACK! NOBODY IS SAFE, MORTAL OR GHOST! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATTAAACK!"  Peeves shouted. Panic rushed through me. Suddenly I heard the sound of many doors opening and then footsteps. People were coming, and all they were going to see was Harry and I standing over Justin's frozen body.

"What is the meaning of this?" McGonagall asked in horror as she turned the corner. The look on her face was unreadable. Unfortunately, a few older students ran our way too. There were gasps and screams.

"Caught in the act!" another Hufflepuff boy yelled glaring at the two of us. Professor McGonagall made her way over to Justin. I've never seen so much fear on her face.

Peeves began to sing, "Oh, Potter and Nyx, oh what have you done,

You're killing off students, you think it's good fun!" He cackled at his joke.

"Enough Peeves!" McGonagall shouted at him and Peeves flew away cackling even more. "Potter, Nyx, come with me."

"Professor," I interrupted barely able to speak clearly. "We didn't do anything!" I would never do this to anyone... well, maybe Draco, my siblings, or my parents...but that was besides the point.

"This is out of my hands," McGonagall said and then we had to take the walk of shame through students who were looking at us in odd and scared ways.

We were sent to the Headmaster's office, luckily Dumbledore didn't believe it was us who attacked Justin. He offered us lemon drops and seats instead. Hagrid even burst through the door offering to swear in front of the Ministry that Harry, he then included me, didn't do anything. Dumbledore assured him that nothing like that would happen to us. Before we left, he asked us if we had anything to tell him. I thought about telling him the voices I heard, but I decided not to in the end.

Christmas break arrived quickly. I was thankful for that. Dasha and Eowyn left early on the morning of departure day, without eve saying goodbye. I woke up to a room full of empty beds. I needed to ask them what their problem was. Luckily, most of the students were going home. Unfortunately, Draco and his goons were staying. I guess it was good for Hermione's plan. Hermione said that the Polyjuice potion would be done sometime this week. I got the three some Slytherin robes easily from the laundry. My only other job was to wait at the entrance and let them in. Sadly Jake went home. He said he didn't like the cold very much and he missed the beach. He and his family were going on a cruise to St. Thomas. But, he did say that over the summer I could visit him in Hawaii. His house had multiple guest rooms because it used to be an old hotel.

I got up lazily on Christmas morning. I wasn't expecting to wake up to any gifts from my parents. I got dressed casually and walked downstairs to find Draco and all of his friends sitting on the couches with torn up wrapping paper all around them. Draco had a very large pile of opened gifts next to him. For once it was too early for breakfast, which was strange because normally I slept through it. I decided to sit down on the empty couch and finish writing Silvius a card until it was time to head to the Great Hall. "Didn't get any gifts Nyx?" Parkinson asked in a false sympathetic voice. "Parent's hate you?" She laughed as she went back to admiring the shining necklace in her hand.

"Yes," I responded sarcastically, although I knew it was the truth. At least Pansy and everyone didn't know it was actually true. Well, Draco knew the truth. He looked over at me for a second but then went back to opening his gifts.

Eventually it got close enough to the time for me to head down to breakfast. On the way I stopped to send Silvius and Jake the gifts I got for them. Even though I still felt alone this Christmas, it was better than most. For a change I got to buy more than one gift this year. Normally I only remembered Silvius, but this year I had actual friends and I wanted to remember them all. I bumped into them on the way from breakfast, "Hey guys!" I called. "Merry Christmas," I said handing them their gifts.

"Thanks Carlie!" Ron said while immediately opening it.

"Here Carlie," Hermione said smiling while handing me a neatly wrapped gift. "I hope you like it." I smiled at her as I took it. I already knew what it was by the shape of it. It was rectangular and thick, definitely a book.

Harry handed me a neatly wrapped box and said, "Happy Christmas". Ron handed me two boxes. It was so nice of them to remember me.

"Why two?" I asked Ron with a laugh.

"One from me and one from my mum," Ron answered shaking his head. "She always asks if we made any new friends in the letters she sends. She loves giving people gifts, we all get the same thing though. It'll probably be a sweater, she said she got to try a new pattern on yours though." I couldn't believe that Ron's mother sent me a present. I was shocked. My own mother wouldn't even send me a gift.

"Way to spoil the gift Ron," Hermione said rolling her eyes.

"It's okay," I said with a laugh. "That was so nice, please tell your mom I said thank you!" I opened the box from Mrs. Weasley and pulled out a knit green sweater with a snake forming an S on the front.

"No wonder it was a new pattern!" Ron said quickly. "She's never made a Slytherin sweater before."

"I love it!" I said truly. "Don't forget to tell your mom that!" I then noticed that they were all wearing similar knit sweaters, probably all made my Ron's mother. Ron's sweater was burgundy and had an R on the front, Harry's was dark blue with a snitch, and Hermione's was pink with a cat. I slid mine over my long sleeve shirt, it fit perfect which was strange because Mrs. Weasley's never seen me before. We carried our presents into the Great Hall. For the first time ever, I sat at the Gryffindor table instead. Draco and his friends looked over at me darkly, but currently no one even cared. Ninety five percent of the school went home, so it really didn't matter where I sat. The only Slytherins left were either complete loners or part of Draco's group. 

I sat with my back towards them at breakfast so I didn't have to deal with the looks they were probably giving me. We filled our plates and ate while opening up a few of the gifts we gave each other. Ron and Harry both got me similar gifts, candy and little Wizarding items that were mostly used for pranks. Perfect. Hermione gave me a book on Vampires. We had a conversation one day on how much I loved vampires and wanted to meet a vampire one day, maybe even work with them in the future.

"Thanks Carlie!" Ron said in an almost-shriek, he pulled out a Chudley-Cannons knit hat. "Where did you find this?"

"Gabe gave me a Quidditch catalogue," I laughed. "I was hoping you'd like it."

We parted ways and I started heading back to the common room. An owl stopped me on the way as I passed the window. It was carrying two packages. I gave the owl a piece of my candy which she seemed very happy about as she flew off. I walked into the common room with my presents in hand. Just as my birthday had been, this Christmas was the best one yet. I found Draco in the common room with no one else around for once. He seemed to be making trips up to his dorm carrying multiple gifts. "Have fun playing Gryffindor today?" he muttered darkly. I didn't respond. His eyes went to the gifts I was holding in my hands. "Parent's decided to send you gifts after all?" he asked sarcastically.

"Please, these gifts are from my friends and my brother," I said placing them on the table and sitting down. I was excited to open them. He eyed my sweater strangely, but shook his head.

"Well, where is my gift?" he asked. I would have taken him seriously if he didn't have that smirk plastered on his face.

 "You didn't get me one," I pointed out. "Besides, we're not even friends."

"Well I have been kind enough not to mention any of the things you've done in school to my father to get you sent home."

"Oh yes," I responded sarcastically. "You're a saint." I opened up the first present, it was from Silvius. It was a broom buffing kit, he thought it would go nicely with my new broom. The next gift was full of little gifts. I pulled out the largest box with a note attached to it. It was a gift from Jake, Gabe, Nico, and Cal, they all coordinated. In the larger box there was a silver charm bracelet with no charms on it. I pulled out one of the small boxes that said From: Nico on it, I opened it and there was a silver Quaffle charm. Gabe's charm was a Finch, mascot of the Fitchburg Finches, and Cal's was a broom. I had to laugh at Jake's, it was a snake charm. He wrote that he was planning on getting me the same Lion charm on my necklace, but he was afraid the Slytherins would kill me in my sleep. I clipped all the charms on and put on the bracelet. It was beautiful. I would have to thank them for it later. I looked up and saw Draco still standing there.  "Need something?" I asked him curiously.

"Just seeing what you got," he said. "Cheap if you ask me." He sneered while crossing his arms and leaning up against the table.

"Real silver's cheap now?" I defended. "And I love it." I smirked before walking away.