Artificial

It was only after the winter holidays that Vipera Malfoy decided she hated Beauxbaton's.

Of course, she had always disliked it, with its classes on Beauty and, the horror, Glitter. She didn't really have any friends; everybody was pretty scared of her, and if they did talk to her at all, it was only to make fun.

One particular incident changed her mind about Beauxbaton's permanently.

She was walking down the hallway on her way to Transfiguration (pre-Transfiguration, actually, only for advanced students, seeing as Vipera was only 10 and Beauxbaton's students began their schooling at age 8, not getting to the actual magic part until the proper age of 11) when one of the meaner girls stuck her foot out and tripped Vipera, who ended up sprawled out on the floor, her books skidding to a stop in front of her.

"Oops," Mallory L'amoureux, the student in question, sneered as she crushed Vipera's hand under her heel. "Sorry." The way she said it made Vipera feel as if Mallory wasn't very sorry at all. That, and the pain jolting rapidly throughout her fingers. Vipera had to stifle a gasp.

"No, I'm sorry," she replied darkly, her untouched hand going to her pocket to retrieve her wand. "Sorry for your face!"

Though this insult was weak and kid-like, gasps sounded from the growing audience, which was composed of mostly 9-year-old's.

"You did not just say that," Mallory threatened as her own hand pulled out her wand.

Vipera snorted and prepared herself to do a healing spell she had learned both from her parents and her other relatives. "Episky."

"No magic in the halls!" Mallory screeched as she darted towards Vipera, her wand aiming towards her face. "Stupefy!"

Silence echoed throughout the halls as Vipera's head hit the floor with a muffled thump.

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Vipera came to in the infirmary. She sat up in the small hospital bed and gingerly touched her forehead. "Ouch!" she groaned as pain jolted throughout her entire head.

The pale blue curtains separating herself from the rest of the infirmary flew open with a swoosh as Madame Subercaseux peeked her head through and cried, "Oh! You're awake!"

Vipera raised an eyebrow. "Obviously," she muttered, then looked up to the wizard medic with concern. "What happened?"

Madame Subercaseux frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean what I say," replied an irritable Vipera. "Why am I in here? It was just a simple Stupefy, wasn't it?"

"Well, yes, but it's standard procedure to have students—" Madame Subercaseux began, but Vipera cut her off.

"Come in here after any type of incident, magical or not, I know," finished Vipera. "But is there a reason why I'm still here?"

The matron seemed flabbergasted. "I—um—I—" the nurse stammered, her cheeks flushing red. "Of course not, Miss Malfoy. If you'd like to leave, I'd be happy to accommodate you—

"That would be pleasant, thank you," Vipera replied crisply as she stood up and smoothed out her wrinkled robes. "If you feel up to accommodating me even more, you may prepare me some Floo powder as well."

The nurse frowned at the student as Vipera tucked her wand back into the sleeve of her robes. With concern, she asked, "Whatever for?"

Vipera gave the nurse a wicked smile. "I'm going home, of course. I can clearly see I'm not needed here." As she strode out the door, she called out over her shoulder, "You may bring the Floo powder up to the headmaster's office; the fireplace in there will do."

Madame Subercaseux stood there for a moment, her face pale and drawn, before she hurried into action, dashing about in the task of trying to locate some Floo powder.