Chapter Text
Tracey Davis leaned on her best friend's shoulder closing her eyes.
This year is going to be different , she decided.
She was always the quiet, forgotten girl, that most people ignored. By the way her classmates refer to her 'Daphne's friend' she was pretty sure they didn't even know her name.
Tracey was incredibly insecure when she got sorted into Slytherin, mainly because of her half-blood status but also because of the terrifying rumors about the House of the snakes. The dark House, people called it.
She was surprised that nobody inside Slytherin made her blood status an issue and she quickly understood why. It was an unspoken rule among the snakes to not ask many questions about each other's families. No Slytherin said anything for example when Malfoy's and Nott's fathers were arrested and sent to Azkaban, or when Zabini's mother got married once again (why do people keep marrying that woman? Tracey wondered).
In general inside the House of the serpents people leave you alone as long as you don't bother them, which is nice in some cases, but also makes most Slytherins seem detached and secretive. Trust isn't a common thing among the snakes.
Of course, there was one fellow snake that Tracey trusted (within reason of course, as any Slytherin knows to always be wary of people) and that was Daphne Greengrass her beautiful, talented friend. So beautiful and talented that she always managed to overshadow Tracey.
The half-blood girl never had the chance to shine, mostly because of her quiet personality but also because her best friend seemed so much better than her in every way. Tracey loved Daphne but she couldn't deny her jealousy when every boy seemed to approach her only to get closer to Daphne or with how her grades always weren't as good as her blond friend's.
This year is going to be different, she thought once again to herself. This year I'm going to make something of myself. I'm not going to be the ignored girl any longer that nobody cares about.
Tracey had created a list with goals she was determined to achieve until the end of the school year.
1)Improve your appearance.
2)Get on the Quidditch team.
3)Improve your grades
4)Get a boyfriend...
Tracey had already made effort for numbers 1 and 3. She was exercising throughout the summer and actually managed to lose some weight and she also tried to do something with her hair which always managed to look greasy for some reason. She had also started studying a lot but no matter how much she studied the theory, she always messed up in practice. She sometimes wondered if she was partly squib.
Numbers 2 and 4 were almost ridiculous goals. The Slytherin House was notorious for not allowing girls in the team and Tracey knew she was rather ugly to get a boyfriend but she was determined to try anyway.
"You look pretty today, love, did you do something to your hair," Daphne asked her studying her appearance.
Tracey blushed. She was not used to compliments of any kind.
"Eh, I just used some potions you know, to get rid of...you know how they always look so greasy."
"I will write to my mother if you want, I'm sure she will know some nice spells for your hair."
"We should also recommend them to Professor Snape!" Said Tracey and Daphne chuckled.
"Have you also lost some weight?"
"Yea, I decided to start taking care of my appearance this year."
"Hmm, is there a reason for that Davis?" Asked Daphne winking at her, "is there perhaps some boy?"
"Pff, like any boy would turn to look at me!"
"You should get rid of that defeatist attitude, love. We're Slytherins, we fight for what we want."
Oh, I will fight for it, Tracey thought, I just doubt I will get the results I want.
"Just tell me it's not Blaise Zabini!" Daphne said the name disdainfully and Tracey grinned.
"Does he still try to ask you out?"
"Oh, I hope he has abandoned that futile idea this year."
"You should maybe give him a chance," said Tracey and Daphne glared at her, "oh come on he's not that bad!"
"He's an arrogant prat," said Daphne, "and he hangs out with Malfoy and Parkinson."
"Maybe Malfoy has finally matured this year. You know...after what happened with his father..."
"I'll believe it when I see it," said Daphne and then eyed her friend suspiciously, "oh Merlin! Don't tell me your mystery man is Malfoy!"
"No, no,no,no! There is no mystery man. There isn't anyone, ok?"
Daphne winked at her and went back to reading her magazine.
Of course there isn't any man, thought Tracey, who could it be? I barely know anyone in the school and the Slytherin boys in my year are all jerks. Well, except Theodore Nott, but he barely talks to anyone. They should add the name Theodore Nott next to the word mysterious in the dictionary.
"Potter is pretty nice," said Daphne suddenly and Tracey thought she misheard.
"Potter?"
"Well, he's cute, he seems...more mature than most boys at our age."
"Do you fancy Potter?"
Daphne blushed, "maybe, I have been thinking about it for a long time now. If there's anyone I would date it would be Potter."
"This isn't some trick to annoy Malfoy and Zabini, right?"
"Of course not," said Daphne, "however it would be amusing to see Zabini's face if I get to date Potter."
"That's so true, but Malfoy wouldn't stop bothering you. You know how obsessed he is about Potter."
"I sometimes wonder if he has a crush on him."
"Nah, he's just jealous."
They kept debating whether Malfoy had a secret crush on Potter or not until the train reached its destination.
"Well, what do you think of Slughorn?" Asked Daphne.
They had just finished their first Potions class with their new professor Horace Slughorn and were now heading towards The Great Hall.
"He seems ok. Definitely nicer than Snape."
"I heard he'll start a little club for gifted students and for those with good connections. Do you think we'll be invited."
"You will be maybe. Me? No way."
"Oh come on, you're good at Potions Tracey. Not as good as Granger or Potter apparently. I wonder when did Potter become so good at Potions anyway."
"Maybe it was a fluke," said Daphne who was now watching Harry Potter walking in front of them, "Potter!" She shouted suddenly.
The boy turned and looked at the girls suspiciously. "Yes?"
Daphne flashed him her best smile. "You did so well in class today. Snape was wrong about you."
"Oh," he suddenly looked awkward.
"Would you be so kind to let us look at your notes? I totally failed my own potion."
He suddenly blushed. "Eh, excuse me, I have to go to..." He turned and left without another word and the girls looked at each other surprised.
"What's wrong with him?"
"Maybe he thought you were up to something."
"I was up to something! I wanted to compliment him."
The girls kept discussing Harry's curious behavior until they reached The Great Hall and sat down next to the Slytherin table.
"Maybe, it's because I'm a Slytherin," said Daphne who was still sulking about how Harry Potter ignored her.
"Now Daphne, what is that defeatist attitude? Aren't you the one who says to never give up?"
"I won't give up of course. Maybe complimenting him was the wrong approach, but how will I get his attention when he has all those girls swooning over him?"
"Who are you talking about?" Said Malfoy who was now sitting next to Daphne.
"That's none of your business, Draco," she said, and don't think we didn't notice you taking some of that polyjuice potion. I hope you're not up to something."
He smiled, "that's none of your business Daphne," he said mimicking her voice, "and if you were worried about getting my attention, I'm sorry love but I have more important business this year."
Daphne rolled her eyes and Tracey looked at her sympathetically. Apparently, Malfoy hasn't matured like they were hoping.
Tracey was holding her broom walking towards the Quidditch field. She was sure she was going to humiliate herself and the way the Slytherin boys were looking at her didn't help at all.
"Did you lose your way girly?" Said one of the seventh year boys. Tracey just ignored him.
To her relief, Bletchley allowed her to try out for chaser and didn't tell her to fuck off. Overall she thought she had flown pretty well that way. She was still disappointed but not surprised that she didn't get in the main team.
"You're not bad you know," said Bletchley, "Vaisey is just better, maybe we'll get you as reserve, what do you think?"
"Oh! Of course," she said blushing, she was not used to boys talking at her.
Well, it’s something, she thought, I technically did get on the team, right? Even as reserve. She smiled to herself. Maybe I will cross out one of the goals in my list.