Chapter Text
Miss Snyde?
Yes, Professor Snape?
Headmaster Dumbledore would like to see you.
May I ask why?
As far as I know, Professor Dumbledore would like to have a chat with you and mister Gates.
“I am going to kill Gates; I am going to kill him so much that his body will never be found.” Merula hissed through her teeth while waiting outside of Dumbledore’s office.
The first years had just ended, she was ready to get back home, and just a few hours before their departure, she got called into the headmaster’s office because that damned Gates snitched on her.
“Oh, but I am going to get my revenge.”
Apparently, it wasn’t enough for him to humiliate her when they duelled in the Clocktower Courtyard; it wasn’t enough for him to be the hero and get hundreds of points after he saved her from the Cursed Ice. It wasn’t enough to always be one step forward than her.
And now this.
She already knew what was going to happen: Dumbledore was going to believe every single word Gates was going to say and he would have punished her for something she didn’t even commit.
“Damned Gates: always there to wreck my plans and get in my way.”
The door of the office opens and Merula closed her eyes ready to be scolded.
“Ah, miss Snyde, it’s a pleasure to see you.” Dumbledore smiled with that idiotic expression he always wore when he saw a student. “We were just talking about you.”
“Really.”
She turned her attention to Gates, whom of course was wearing that damned grin of his; he always had it on his stupid face. It was like everything was a joke and he’s the only one who got the punchline.
“Indeed.” Dumbledore kept going ignoring the homicidal thoughts in her mind. “Mister Gates just told me how your help was crucial into weaking the Cursed Ice, thus giving us Professors enough time to think about a plan to keep the school safe.”
What.
“Yeah, us Gryffindors are horrible liars, so I thought it was better to just say everything.” He theatrically sighed like he was on-stage “What a shame for a proud lion like me to receive help from a snake.” He winks at her “I’m just joking, of course.”
“Of course.” Every single word that came out of her mouth was dripping poison.
“Now now, let’s not ruin these last hours of school arguing.” Dumbledore clapped his hand. “Just as I was saying to mister Gates, you both get one hundred house points.”
Merula didn’t need his pity: the strongest with of Hogwarts doesn’t need the sympathy of a moron who can’t even tie his tie properly, but the only thing she could say is a feeble thank you.
“Do you find so much pleasure in humiliating me?”
“I did you a favour, Snyde. Do not let it go to your head.”
After Dumbledore had finished his speech, they had ventured back to their dorms, or at least that was Connor’s plan: he was ready to leave Merula when she had grabbed him by his shoulder and pushed him against the wall.
“A favour?” She almost bit his head off “I’m the strongest with in Hogwarts, Gates. I don’t need favours, especially from half-blood like you!”
“Better to be a half-blood than a Slytherin.” If looks could kill Merula would’ve murdered him hundreds of times. “You are nothing but filth, trash, and fuckups. Did you know that Mosley was a half-blood Slytherin?”
She pressed her arm against his throat. “So? I don’t care about a stupid half-blood. People like him shouldn’t even be here.”
“That stupid half-blood was Hitler’s number one fan: do you think it’s a coincidence? But you are right” He pushed her away and looked at her with spite “People like him shouldn’t even be here. In fact, they shouldn’t even exist. Slytherins are nothing but a mistake. What does that make you.”
They stared at each other ready to draw their wands and shoot whatever spell they could think of; then, Connor chuckled and shook his head.
“Don’t worry, Snyde.” He threw his hands up in the air “I’m going to leave you alone to your plotting and scheming.”
His chuckle became a hideous laughter, and he waved her goodbye as he went back to his dorm.
“A first-rate moron.” Merula clenched her teeth and pondered on the chances of hexing him. “Fuck you, Gates.”
She cursed him again and went straight towards her dorm.
“I’ll write you a letter, ok?”
“Just one?” Penny chuckled and rubbed her right heel on the ground. “Come on: after this crazy year, I think I deserve at least a letter per month.”
“Sure, make it three.” Connor sighed and massaged his temples.
“I said ‘at least’ three.” The Hufflepuff laughed and hugged him. “Don’t be a stranger, ok?”
“Ok.” Connor tried his best to not appear uncomfortable. He counted to six and then coughed “Can you let me go, now?”
“Meanie.” She stuck her tongue out. “You really need to loosen up…Especially with your friends.”
The boy sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “If you say so.” He looked at the train “I better go: I don’t want to…”
“To lose the spot near the window.” Penny teased him with a nudge “Go ahead, Con. I won’t keep you any longer.”
He nodded and ventured towards the train.
“Do not forget to write me some letters!” He heard her scream.
Connor gave her a two-finger salute without turning around and hopped into the train; he started walking towards the nearest empty room, when he heard a familiar voice.
It was the warm, soothing voice that he had heard so many times when the owner of said voice screamed at him during the passed year. He couldn’t resist and turned his head to the right to see Merula talk to some other Slytherins whom, judging by their height, were at least in fifth year.
“You need to tell us why you got called into Dumbledore’s office.” The pale one grunted.
“I told you already: he just wanted to give me the ‘you have to be friends with everyone’ speech.” Merula scoffed and crossed her arms. “I didn’t even want to be there.”
“But how did you get those hundred points?”
“And why were you with Gates?” The other guy, a fat red haired boy, stepped in “We don’t like Gryffindors, you know that.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” Merula hissed back. “And who are you to question my loyalty to Slytherin?”
“I’m your prefect.” Said the pale guy. “And We shouldn’t get friendly with those morons, especially after they won The House Cup.”
“Not my fault then.” The girl growled. “I was the last to score a hundred points, did you already forget that?”
“I didn’t; but I also didn’t forget that you’ve spent a lot of time with Gates and Kenna this year.” The prefect looked her in the eyes. “So cut to the chase and tell me what you were doing with Gates.”
“She saved my life when we faced the Cursed Ice.” Connor stepped into the room without even thinking about it. “Without her help, me and Kenna were probably going to be frozen forever.”
No one said anything.
“The shame I felt when I realized I owed life to a Slytherin.” He then continued with a bitter grin. “But hey: there’s always next year. Maybe I’ll be lucky enough to find a Curse and save the whole school, so each and everyone of you will owe me something.”
The prefect stood up and stopped inches from his face. He was taller than Connor, but the Gryffindor refused to look down.
“And why are you telling me this?”
“I’m a Gryffindor, Rosier.” Connor grin became wider “I have more honour than all Slytherins combined.”
The guy gave a look to his friend and they both left the cabin.
“Hey, Rosier!” Connor put the head out of the cabin and called him “Say hi to your uncle for me next time you visit his filthy Death-Eater grave.”
Merula watched him with scorn and grabbed him by the shirt.
“What’s your game, Gates? Are you planning to humiliate me some more? Why the lies?”
“Because I am a Gryffindor: I am better than those morons.” He firmly grabbed her wrists and forced her to release him. “And I also couldn’t resist the idea of having you owe me something.”
“Hardly.” She drily replied. “You merely stopped me before I gave him the best excuse of my life.”
Connor scoffed and went out of the cabin, he bowed and grinned again. “See you next year, Snyde.”
“I hope you’ll choke on your own vomit, Gates.”
His laughter resonated in the wagon. "Make my life more difficult, ok? I like a challenge."