"Hera, you do realise that you look absolutely beautiful with your curly hair, right?" Elena hummed from her place as she wrote in her leather-bound journal, not bothering to look up at her best friend who was struggling to straighten her wild curls.

"Yes, but I feel more beautiful in straight hair. Also, those bloody twin ginger heads' fault! Making it rain in the train corridor. The audacity." Hera huffed before charming her hair back into it's straight state from before the Weasleys decided to make it rain. Elena chuckled to herself, closing the book in her hands and looking at her black-haired companion.

It had been almost two years since the two had become friends, and to say things have changed drastically since then, could be an understatement. For one, the two girls were entering their third year in Hogwarts and were excited about their new electives. Although they were almost joined together by the hip, both Hera and Elena had their own different interests. Hera enjoyed arithmancy, while Elena decided to continue on in History of Magic and Care of Magical Creatures. In comparison from when they first started their first year in Hogwarts, both Elena and Hera had changed almost drastically.

During the course of her first year, Hera discovered a hair straightening charm in the Witch Weekly, while browsing with Elena. Not wanting to look like her Death Eater mother anymore, Hera had aquired the habit of always straightening her coily curls, almost looking like her mother's sister, Narcissa. Although her hair was straightened, her hair's dark colour still stood out like a sore thumb  in her aunt's family.

Elena, on the other hand, embraced her straight black hair, which almost looked identical to Hera's hair when it was straightened. The only difference was the white birthmark that stood out in her hair. Elena had outgrown her pigtails and exchanged them for a simple head band, restricting her sleek neat hair from falling on her face while she wrote.

"There. Absolutely, perfect." Hera sighed, taking a glimpse in the pocket mirror that she kept on her all the time.

Elena looked at her best friend with a raised eyebrow, "What is this obsession with always being perfect, Hera? I swear, you sound just like your aunt."

"I am not obsessed with perfection, Elena." Hera leaned back into her seat, tucking stray hair strands behind her ear. "I just enjoy looking good, can I not look good for myself? Aunt Narcissa always says: a proper lady always has to look good. It's etiquette 101, love."

Ignoring the later part, Elena gave a cheeky look to her other half, a sly smirk plastered on her face. "So, is it because of Troy then?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Hera muttered under her breath, her cheeks reddened as she looked out of the window flustered at the mention of her betrothed's name.

"So it is because of Troy." A obvious smirk was laced into Elena's voice. "Not that it matters... that you spent the last week with him and his family!"

"Oh shut up, Elena!" Hera squeaked, not wanting to be made more flustered than she already was. Luckily the trolley witch, came by their compartment, saving Hera from a whole lot of teasing from Elena.

♧

The Great Hall was bustling with chatter as the students all sat at their respective house dining tables. Colours of green, red, blue and yellow decorated the dining hall, symbolising the four great houses of Hogwarts, each as unique as the other. The first years had been sorted into each of the houses, and as usual, those who were sorted into Slytherin, it was only Slytherin and a few others that applauded and cheered for them.

The prejudice against the house of Slytherin was not just a friendly banter of competition that the three other houses had with each other, but it had to do with the fact that it had housed many Death Eaters. "You know, I really dislike all the disrespect that our house receives." Elena huffed, dinner had commenced. "It's just bloody cruel. They don't see us doing the same."

Hera bit her lip, an unhealthy habit that she was yet to get rid of before Aunt Narcissa found out. Elena continued on her rant, while Hera played around with her peas on the plate. "Well, it's not helping that a few in Slytherin make us all look bad you know, like your cousin, Malfoy. I swear, I would like to punch him in the face one day."  

It was no secret that Elena detested Draco. The two were very vocal about their hatred for each other, but obviously it did not compare to the hatred that Draco had for Harry Potter, after he had refused his friendship and made friends with the blood-traitor, Ron Weasley. Elena was just happy that she didn't have to be the only one to endure Draco's wrath all the time, while he went sneaking off to bully the others. The Huang girl was one of the only few who stood up to Draco, even though he was her best friend's cousin.

"Well, I could disagree." Hera started, her eyes darted to the professors' dining table that looked over the Great Hall. "The professors' make it difficult for the rest of the school to respect us. Like for instance, first year, when Dumbledore awarded free points to Gryffindor just because of Harry and his little posse, stealing the House Cup right under our noses, that stemmed a lot of hatred from Slytherin towards Gryffindor. And Snape, he favours us way more than he should be, making the rest of the houses resent us."

Elena blinked at her best friend, "That does make a lot of sense," she paused something getting her attention at the professors' table. "It looks like we have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." She noted. "Thank goodness, we don't have to endure that poor excuse of a teacher. Professor Lockhart was a poor excuse for a teacher."

Hera peered over to the professors' table, her brown eyes focusing on the new teacher. He piqued Hera's interest, as she took in his appearance. He wore a woolen jumper underneath his black dressrobe, and had shaggy brown hair, but what seemed to catch her attention was the few scars that decorated his face. "He looks interesting, I wonder how long he would stay." A tone of pure amusement was laced in her voice.

Elena scoffed, unladylike, and took a sip from her cup. "I doubt he'll stay longer than the other professors did." The two girls shared a smile with each other, knowing full well about the curse that had befallen the Defense Against the Dark Arts post. Not one teacher managed to keep a permanent position, or stayed longer than a year. Their first professor, Professor Quirrell, had a second face of one of the most feared Dark Wizards at the back of his head, and their second year professor was an overly conceited fraud of a celebrity. It seemed that they finally got, to what seems to be a normal teacher for once.

Hera felt a tap on her shoulder, snapping her out of her thoughts and bringing her back into reality. She looked up, and not to her surprise, her brown eyes met with hazel orbs, a  shy smile spread unto her face. "Hi there, Cassiopeia."

She felt a slight ache in her chest, hearing Troy call her by her first name. He had taken that habit of calling her that from her uncle, Lucius, no matter how many times she insisted that he call her by her second name. "Troy." She greeted, patting the empty space next to her. "Would you like to join me?"

"Of course, I would." He chuckled, settling into the seat. The brunette grabbed the plate and started filling it with the different types of food around them. Hera gave Elena a side glance, which was returned with a shrug. Usually, Troy didn't sit with them but with his own male friends on the other side of the table. It seemed strange that he would have wanted to come sit next to her.

"Anyway," He started, spooning his mashed potatoes before casting his gaze to Hera. "Since its our third year, and we are finally allowed to go to Hogsmeade... I was wondering if you'd like to come with me on the first weekend?"

Hera's eyes widened, her cheeks warmed as she sat frozen on her seat. Had Troy just asked her out on a date?Bursts of butterflies filled her stomach, unfortunately she decided to word. "O-oh I'm sorry, Troy. I made plans with Elena to go quill shopping."

"Quill shopping?" A look of confusion and disapproval washed over his face. Hera could hear Elena choking on her pumpkin soup, after hearing what her best friend had said. "Yes, quill shopping. You know how much she loves her quills." An awkward laugh spilled out of her mouth.

"Oh alright, sure." Troy got up from his seat disappointed and dejected, and walked back to his usual place with his posse of mates.

Suddenly, Hera felt a pinch on her side, making her squeal and jump up from her place, earning her a few stares from her fellow housemates. Sheepishly she sat back down, nudging Elena. "What was that for?!" She whispered.

"Quill shopping? Is that the best you can do?!" Her Asian friend sighed heavily.

"Rejecting Troy? What were you thinking, Hera?" "I don't know! It just came out."

Silence washed over them, before Elena spoke up again once more.

"Well I do need to go quill shopping..."