Monachopsis • Harry Potter • Book II

.6.

Alcohol was a stain on humanity, Keziah decided. At that moment, she was sat at the breakfast table, shovelling porridge into her mouth with one hand and massaging her aching head with the other.

Of course, her pounding headache was made worse by the fact that Draco Malfoy was less than a foot away, putting on an entire-ass pantomime.

Just as he did a ridiculously over-the-top swooning fit, the group around him burst into a roar of laughter that set Keziah's eardrums bleeding.

"Shut the fuck up," she growled, tugging on the folds of her hat to shield herself from the light. "Can they be any louder?"

Daphne mumbled something incoherent while Blaise and Theo didn't even respond.

Shaking her head, Keziah made her way over to the Gryffindors, seeking some peace. She sunk onto the seat next to Ron, digging her nails through her hair.

"New third-year course schedules," George Weasley was saying. "What's up with you, guys?"

"It's Malfoy," Ron growled, glowering at the Slytherin table.

"He's being a prick about yesterday," said Keziah. "I guess hungover Draco likes to make everybody else's lives a misery too."

George turned around in time to see Draco pretending to faint in terror all over again.

"That little git," he said calmly. "He wasn't so cocky last night when the Dementors were down at our end of the train. Came running into our compartment, didn't he, Fred? Freddie?"

He waited for Fred's reply but it didn't come. He looked around for his brother, only to spot him talking to Lee Jordan and Angelina Johnson. Rolling his eyes, he turned to the third-years.

"Let's just say that he nearly wet himself," George continued. "Of course, I wasn't too happy myself. They're horrible things, those dementors."

"They freeze your insides," Keziah mumbled.

"You didn't pass out, though, did you?" said Harry bitterly.

"Forget it, Harry," said George bracingly. "Dad had to go out to Azkaban one time, remember, Ron? And he said it was the worst place he'd ever been, he came back all weak and shaking...They suck the happiness out of a place, Dementors. Most of the prisoners go mad in there."

"Anyway, we'll see how happy Malfoy looks after the first Quidditch match," said Ron. "Gryffindor versus Slytherin — first game of the season, remember?"

Harry seemed slightly appeased at that fact and happily dug into his fried tomatoes. Keziah wished she could join him but already the smell of oil was making her sick. She just stuck to porridge and blue honey.

"Ooh, good, we're starting some new subjects today," said Hermione happily, examing her new schedule with great excitement.

"Hermione," said Ron, frowning as he looked over her shoulder, "they've messed up your timetable. Look — they've got you down for about ten subjects a day. There isn't enough time."

"I'll manage. I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall."

"But look," said Ron, laughing, "see this morning? Nine o'clock, Divination. And —" Ron leaned closer to the timetable, disbelieving, "look — underneath that, Ancient Runes, nine o'clock. I mean, I know you're good, Hermione, but no one's that good. How're you supposed to be in two classes at once?"

"Don't be silly," said Hermione shortly. "Of course I won't be in two classes at once."

"Well then —"