Magic?
By Cia
Declan Ventris was no ordinary Slytherin. Or at least, that was what he thought - and he was usually right. In his first week of school, he had closely observed the student body, and not for once had he found someone who was even remotely like him.
However, he mused, I suppose I do have an advantage, seeing as I'm Muggleborn and all...
Contrary to what the majority of the wizarding population thought, being Muggleborn in Slytherin was not entirely a bad thing. The Purebloods needed to make fun of Muggleborns in public, he understood that. After all they did have a reputation to keep. However, he was not as well-known by his schoolmates as he would like to be and his inner Slytherin thrived on attention. But that would all change. Tonight.
~
Declan took a seat near a group of fifth-years; he opened a book and pretended to read, while keeping an eye on the company next to him.
"The Vanishing spell is so difficult!" the girl named Pansy moaned.
"Pansy, you find every spell difficult," the boy named Blaise said coolly.
"But it really is difficult," Pansy whined. "Even McGonagall says so!"
Blaise raised an eyebrow but did not answer. Pansy humphed loudly.
"Don't tell me any of you managed to Vanish anything," she said, crossing her arms, because I know none of you can do it."
"Don't be so sure of that Pansy," Draco drawled. "You know, I can do a simple transfiguration spell on a snail."
"I find that hard to believe," Pansy sniffed. "I can't even Vanish a pin!"
"That's your problem then," Blaise said teasingly. "Both Draco and I are moving on to Vanishing kittens."
"What? I haven't even seen you try to cast the Vanishing spell in class!"
"And when have I ever paid attention in any class other than Potions?" Draco queried.
"Hmph," Pansy said, disgruntled. Then she caught sight of first-year Muggleborn Declan Ventris staring at her strangely, with an amused sort of smirk on his face, as if challenging her. It made her angry.
"Quit staring at me," Pansy snapped. "I'm not something to stare at. And stop judging me, Merlin! It's not like you could cast a successful Vanishing spell."
Declan paused, then cocked his head slightly, still looking at her amusedly. "Who said I couldn't?"
"I do, silly," Pansy said, feeling silly herself.
"It's an O.W.L. spell, Ventris," Blaise said softly. "It's quite difficult to believe that a first-year can cast a spell that even fifth-years struggle with."
"Try me," Declan smiled, feeling absurdly confident.
"Come here," Draco ordered. Declan did so. Draco's gaze swept over Declan, before staring straight at him. Declan stared back, unwilling to break away first. After a few seconds, Draco leaned back, as though satisfied, and gave a nod. "Vanish the textbook. I said Vanish," his eyes narrowed as Declan picked it up. "Vanish, not take away."
"I have my own way of Vanishing items," Declan said mischievously, eyes glinting. "Look, I don't even need a wand. Just, watch - here, it's still here, then... there! Gone!" He waved his hands dramatically, indicating that the book had disappeared. Pansy gave a little sort of shriek.
"I suppose there's no way I'm getting my textbook back, then," Draco said, just the barest hint of a smile on his face. He looked at Declan approvingly. "Job well done."
Declan looked back at him just as coolly. "Thank you," he said, before wheeling around and striding back up towards his dormitory. Once safely inside, he sat down on his bed and took out a Transfiguration textbook from beneath his robes. Flicking it open, he could see the elegant scrawl of 'Draco Malfoy' on the first page. He smiled to himself as he put it into his trunk - a souvenir of the first magic trick he had done at Hogwarts.
He shook his head. Wizards, he thought, defeated by a simple sleight-of-hand trick.
The next morning, he was confronted by the lone figure of Draco Malfoy, standing in the Common Room, Transfiguration textbook in his hand. Declan froze.
"A simple Accio spell," Draco explained. "But I demand to learn how you - did whatever you did last night.
Wizards often rely on their magic to help them, and are usually completely ignorant to the solutions that Muggles have found to the problems that in the past, only magic could solve. Muggles can even do magic nowadays. But can those tricks be even called magic? It's all up to you.