Year 5, Lesson 1

Dylan Mazani was a quiet fifth year. She blocked herself off from most others and so usually when she was questioned she cringed away from doing the answering. Today she stood outside of the dungeons, waiting to take her Potions class. While potions had never been her favorite subjects, she had found Professor Slughorn well enough. But now that the three years of Professor McNabb were piling up before her, she was hating every moment of being down in the dungeons. The young fifth year found herself badgered by a couple of Slytherin boys, both laughing and jabbing snide remarks about her mother and how the Mazani daughter was a waste of space, a mere lapse in her mother's judgement. She was a half-blood. A foolish mistake that her own Pureblood mother had made when she was young. Her brother and sister were also reminded of how they were a mistake, but not nearly as often as Dylan.

When the door to the dungeons slammed open, she quickly moved forward, clutching her books tighter to her chest and bowing her head as she passed her professor. Dylan took only a moment to look up at the man and cringed away from his blue eyes. He was a Metamorphmagi, something she had often forgotten about. She remembered hearing older students wondering what he really looked like without the magic, but she had no urge to find out. Dylan hoped for this to be her last year in potions. While she was rather good at the class, her true passion was in the stars and things like it. Not in a dark, moldy, dungeon where she was convinced rats and other nasty creatures hid.

As Professor McNabb listed off his rules, she noted how every year the rules lecture seemed to take less time, and this year it was practically none existent. After all, she understood why. No one in the fifth year class was new. And the foreign exchange students were all at least in the sixth year. She sat with her eyes on the board, hands on her lap, and a scroll laid out before her. She knew what this teacher was capable of. Had heard stories from the last fifth year students who had become sick off his dreaded exam at the end of the year. Luckily no one had died, as he promised, but it was hardly an enjoyable experience for them. Dylan remembered one of the girls in the dorm up all night. The thought made her shiver.

When he began writing on the board, Dylan began writing in very neat handwriting the questions, with an answer on the paper. While she didn't want to be called on, she definitely knew the answer. She had learned quickly in most of her classes. Had only done so out of fear of what the Death Eaters would do. And the fact that her mother would stand by and let them was no consolation. She swallowed hard after a couple of minutes, when no one rose their hand or made an attempt to answer the question. While she didn't want to answer it, she feared seeing someone ridiculed for not being able to. She wanted to protect whomever that poor person would be. Dylan raised her own hand and waited to be called on.

When she was, she made a small glance down at her paper to make sure that the answer she was about to say was right. She had written it, and knew potions. "A poison is a substance that causes severe distress or death to anyone it comes into contact with." She looked down for a moment before averting her eyes from her teacher. "An antidote can act against or protect against a sickness or poison." Her finally answer, she actually trembled before being able to finish. She hated answering questions in this class. She always feared being wrong. "The Potion called "Antidote for Common Poisons" is the simplest antidote, it will cure most bites and stings. It's ingredients include Bezoars, Standard Ingredient, ground Unicorn Horn, and mistletoe berries."

When she had answered the questions, Dylan quickly slumped back into her chair, attempting to make it as if she didn't exist. The Slytherin boys who had been picking on her earlier snickered and one leaned forward in their chair, where they sat behind her and whispered. "Mazani, you don't know anything." That made her shrink down even more.

Dylan slumped in her chair at the sound of his dry compliment. It mattered little to her and seemed to only make her feel worse about answering his question. The house point that was awarded mattered little. She merely wanted this class time to pass quicker and she knew the longer he had to wait for an answer, the longer they would sit. She laid her hands against the table, staring down at them as they shook and trembled. It was hard to believe that she was so terrified of the man before the class. Hogwarts had once had so many friendly professors. They were all kind. Now she felt empty and the little comfort she did receive was only from the occasional smile and conversation she had with one of the nicer teachers and students that still existed.

She made a small line beneath her previous notes and wrote Befuddlement Draught before making a dash. Her fingers trembled for a second as she contemplated writing the answer or leaving it empty. She knew what it was, and so added behind it. Causes drinker to become belligerent and reckless. Then she placed her quill back into the ink well and lowered her gaze. Dylan would only answer this question if called upon. She saw no need to prove herself if all the Slytherin boys behind her were going to do was snicker and prod jokes her way. Mazani, you don't know this one? They teased, their voices soft in their words. A hand behind the girl shot up. It was a fifth year Slytherin. He had a mop head of hair and a puffed out chest as he waited to answer the question.

A friend on his right took the initiative to begin tormenting Dylan again as he leaned forward. Jeez, Mazani. Even Wister knows this one, and you don't? What's the matter with you. He chuckled and leaned back. Dylan's eyes remained focused on the paper beneath her and she stared. She hated them for being such jerks, and she was angry that McNabb was doing no thing about it. But she didn't say anything because she didn't need to make him angry. The last thing she needed was a nice drop of poison or a curse from a Death Eater sent her way. Just because her mother was a Death Eater didn't mean she was any more protected.

Dylan Mazani leaned against her desk, writing in silence a list of ingredients for Befuddlement Draught from her book which was opened to the page when she heard Professor McNabb bark directions at her. She flinched at the sound of his voice, and after she actually realized what was going on, her jaw actually dropped a little. Not in complete aw, but almost as if she were amazed with what was happening. The fact that he was actually telling her she had to move up to the front for sitting there writing in silence seemed to make her blink and she had to fight the urge to ask why. Every fiber of her being was screaming that she should have asked, should have said it wasn't her fault that they were talking. But deep down she knew that would only get her in more trouble than it was worth.

She slammed her book, accidentally actually, but the sound rang through the silence of the classroom and she closed her eyes tightly, holding her breath. It was almost instant the way she froze and she sat with her head bowed for a moment, cursing her temper. Dylan could feel anger welling in her veins and slowly starting to course. But if she wanted to remain in a good standing with the teachers and her mother, she had to be careful. She gathered her things quickly, scrolls stacked on top of the book and gathered her quills before quickly moving to the front of the room and sinking down into the seat even farther than she had done in the back. She wanted to be invisible. Didn't want to be here. She couldn't wait until the end of this year when she would never have to take potions again. She didn't care how well she did on it,s he wouldn't be taking Potions. It wasn't worth the frustration.

Wister's friend grinned as Dylan moved up to the front of the room. He leaned back in his seat and watched her in silence, smirking. The girl had often caused trouble for Wister and his friends and got them in trouble in their earlier years. But now that the Dark Lord had won, it didn't matter. She no longer mattered. "It makes the drinker reckless and belligerent." He answered, sitting up straight as he placed his hand on the table. His friends scrawled the answer on their scroll quickly. Dylan stared down at the paper before her, not daring to look. She muttered to herself. "This is freaking ridiculous. I haven't done anything wrong."

Dylan stared ahead, watching as he wrote the next answer on the board. She thought she had only muttered it, but it seemed she had said it a little too loud. Loud enough that Professor McNabb turned on her and his eyes flashed and seemed to grow colder and darker as he approached where she sat. At first when he spoke, she actually trembled. Her hands shook and she had to hold onto the desk to stop them from shaking. But as he continued, the threat of her mother rang true to the girl. She swallowed hard and her eyes snapped up to meet his. He wasn't serious was he? Then again, who wouldn't be? All of the teachers knew how much Dylan feared her mother. How much she hated her, how much trouble and pain she had caused in the young girls life.

Yet as she stared at her teacher, her lip twitched and she stared him in the eyes, not blinking. Her brown hair shifted as she leaned back slowly before speaking, her hands still shaking. But she didn't care, she was sick of this. She was tired of being stepped on and having everyone hold the hell her mother put her through over her head. "Go ahead, Professor McNabb." She snapped, her eyes glaring up at him. Her temper was flaring, and she was done with this bull. It was pathetic. Hogwarts used to be a place of learning and happiness. Now... it was hell. And she was tired of having no where to turn. If she kept letting everyone step on her it would only get worse. That was it, there will be no more.

"Then do it! If you aren't capable of gathering your classes attention in any other way, then go ahead. Make my day. There is nothing she can do that she hasn't all ready!" Her voice was rising, and whatever fear she had was suddenly gone. She was no longer shaking, but now was rising from her seat. "She's all ready made my life hell, nothing you can say or do will make it any worse, so please, stop trying to flatter yourself." She left her stuff placed on the desk, book still open and quill still in the ink well. It didn't matter what happened now. Hogwarts was nothing to her. It didn't matter any more.

The word that hissed through his teeth caused her to feel like his skin was on fire. She felt like she was going to burst into flames. The pain caused her to tremble, but other than a single gasp in pain as her body shook and she sank to her knees and then leaned back against her feet, she said nothing. She didn't cry out, didn't ask it to stop. She merely trembled and a few tears rolled down her face. She held her mouth clamped tightly shut until it was over. His threat didn't bring fear to her heart. It only made her feel empty. It only made her hate him more. Nothing would change her mind now. When the curse finally broke though, she took a shaky breath, one after another, her shoulders trembling and her head bowed, face hidden by her brown curls that had fallen before her eyes.

She was painfully aware of the silence around her. The cool air of the dungeons caused goosebumps on her warm skin. Even as she leaned forward, hands shaking and she placed them on the ground before her, using them to steady herself as she rose. The Slytherin's in the back sat in stunned silence. Mazani had taken the curse with out little sound. And though pain showed in her eyes and it was easy to see that she was angry, she said nothing to anyone as she walked back to her seat, gathered her things, drew her wand, and lifted her book and scroll into her free hand. "Oh go screw yourself, Lorcan. You're a lonely old Death Eater and the only thing you can manage is a curse and a poison. Well congratulations, you are no better than any other person in this hell hole." With that, she made her exit, not once turning back.

She was a Mazani, and once her mind was set to something, well that was all that would be heard on the matter.