Lunch with Cho Chang
"Aaa… I am tired." Sebastian slouched onto the chair, exhausted. "Maybe it was a bad idea."
He was not tired physically but was mentally drained from having to apologize and talk to the trio after the little stunt that he pulled.
"I underestimated kids my age." He felt himself rubbing his temples, "But it wasn't that bad."
"What wasn't that bad?"
Sebastian wasn't relaxing in his room, nor was he at any secluded place.
Instead he was slouched up on the chair of the Hogwarts library.
"Cho Chang?"
So when he was approached by the familiar girl, he wasn't too shocked. Just a bit pale as he knew that she was another person that was a little too hyperactive for him to match.
"So, you remember me." She smiled, "Rare for celebrities to remember the common folk."
Sebastian honestly felt a little bad. He deliberately did not tell her his family name and now that it was out in the public, he knew that she might have taken offense.
"Sorry?" He apologized, not sure if she held it against him.
But thankfully, she didn't.
"For what?" She raised a curious eyebrow.
"For… not telling you my full identity?"
This made her laugh, which immediately drew a lot of scowls from around the library.
This immediately made her lower her voice, but not before explaining. "It is alright. I know that powerful families have a lot of people annoying them, so I can understand."
Sebastian looked at her in surprise. It was rare for people to be that understanding, and especially for people of their age. But then he recalled that while Hermoine was smart, she was a Gryffindor while Cho was a Ravenclaw.
One was more emotionally driven while the other was more rational.
"I– Thank you." His expression softened, "Here to study?"
"Yeah." Cho smiled, "I was looking for a book on charms. But sadly no luck, all I am finding are ones that are either course books or ones that are not that interesting."
This piqued Sebastian's interest, "Charms? And you are not looking for course books?"
"No, I am looking for something to learn in my free time. So, it is not the course that I am looking for." She seemed slumped, "And the advanced ones are not accessible to the second years as they are afraid we might try those and end up injuring ourselves."
That was a fair reason in Sebastian's mind but he could also understand that it could be annoying for someone that was trying to learn a subject as a hobby.
Magic was all about experimentation but if that was forbidden, then it was no fun.
And while he knew a bit of charms, he was not going to teach her about it. The knowledge he had was not something he could mindlessly share.
"Did you have lunch?" She asked all while Sebastian shook his head. "Perfect, me neither."
He knew exactly what she was insinuating.
"Let's go together then?"
"I mean…" At her question, he didn't really have a reason to decline. "Sure."
He was hungry and that was good enough reason for not declining.
So, he got up and went to the cafeteria alongside the second year.
"So, how is Hogwarts?" She asked, "You like it?"
"Yeah." He said, "It is both relaxing and nerve-wracking."
This made her laugh a little, "True. Sometimes, I feel like the courses and the syllabus barely leaves me any time to breathe. And the other times… I just like enjoying the cold winds."
The location of Hogwarts was both pretty and scary. As while it was free, it was also at a place where anyone could die if they walked off without proper care.
"But… is it true that you are the heir of Slytherin? The one after whom an entire Hogwarts house has been named?" She was curious as while it was news that was all around and she was also at the sorting ceremony when both Dumbledore and Sebastian confirmed, she still wanted to hear it directly from him.
He paused for a bit and looked at her with a peaceful smile, and nodded. "I am."
He took a deep breath and extended his hand, "I apologize for not properly introducing myself back then. So, allow me to make it up to you." His smile was relaxing, "My name is Sebastian Slytherin, heir to the most ancient and most noble house of Slytherin as well as a freshman at Hogwarts."
Taking his hand happily, Cho gave out a bright smile. "Pleased to meet you, Sebastian." She said, "I am Cho Chang of the ancient magical house of Chang. My heritage is Chinese but because my family moved to Britain, I ended up in Hogwarts… a situation that I am enjoying a lot."
Both kept their hands locked for a minute, while maintaining proper eye contact. But that didn't last for long as they both burst out laughing just a minute later.
"That wasn't so difficult now, was it?" Cho teased, "Introducing yourself?"
Sebastian chuckled and shook his head, "It wasn't."
"So… let's have some food?" She said with a smile, "I am dying of hunger."
"Me too." He chuckled, "I can eat an entire human."
The duo laughed as they decided it was better to eat than to talk.
And a love for good food was a trait that was shared by everyone, no matter age, sex or heritage.
…
…
"Dobby!" Roared the lord of the house Malfoy, "Where is the damned tea!"
It wasn't a rare occurrence for Lucius to yell at the people that worked in his manor, and it was especially common for him to ridicule and insult his house elf.
"I-I am preparing it, my lord."
However, today was an even worse day for the workers.
"Do not make me come to you Dobby!" Lucius yelled, "You would not like that!"
"Y-Yes, Master!"
"Bring the goddamn tea!"
The reason why Lucius' mood was so horrible was the letter in his hand.
His eyes were fuming, his fists clenched, wrinkling the letter.
'That idiot… that damned idiot had one job.' Lucius had read the letter and it read what he did not want to hear.
``Draco failed in befriending Sebastian Slyhterin and instead ended up getting ridiculed.``
'That good for nothing brat!'
Lucius had dozens of eyes and ears inside of Hogwarts and while he could not do anything inside of the school, he still managed to gather all the information that he needed.
And that often involved news that he did not want to hear.
'No… No, I cannot let this continue like this.' Lucius groaned, 'All that power, all that wealth. I want that.'
He stared towards his door.
"Maybe… Maybe, I have to go on my own." He mumbled, "Even a bit later than now, and the connection that could have been built with the Slytherin would be forever lost."
With that he had made up his mind.
He was going to go to Hogwarts and he was going to go there soon.
And no matter the cost, he was going to form a relationship with the Slytherin heir, even if it meant selling his son to the heir as a follower.
Even if it meant that his son had to bow before Slytherin.
'It is a necessary sacrifice.'
After all, to Lucius.
Wealth was Power and Power was all.
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