"Harmony, wait please!" My twin sister Hermione Granger called out, stopping me from retreating away from her and her 'star' friends. Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, and his loyal side kick Ronald Weasley. They stared at me as if they were just seeing me for the first time – which, in all honesty, they probably were.
"Bloody hell Hermione, she looks just like you!" Hermione and I both rolled our eyes and sighed, leaving Ronald to flush darker and press his lips into a thin line. I let her explain how we were identical twins, though she was sorted into Gryffindor and myself into Ravenclaw, just like Parvati and her identical twin sister. Then she turned to me with a pleading look in her eye, her own book of advanced spells grasped tightly in her hands.
"Hermione, if you want me to help you with your spells again I can't, I've got a study session for the Ravenclaw duel club in ten minutes. If I'm late then they'll use me as their dueling partner, all three of them." She nodded sadly, reluctant to let me go from helping her, then went on her way, telling the two that I was far smarter than she. It was true, of course, my mother and father had told me that I could end up being a Witch when I was six years old. Since that day I'd begged them – after my initial crying and confusion – to get me at least one book that I could study. Every book I finished my little sister – I was the older twin by three minutes – took and began to study, so that by our first year we were past the common intelligence of others. She had been sorted into Gryffindor, the hat had sorted me into Ravenclaw – though it only barely touched my hair when it yelled out my new house.
Despite the fact that I was on par – and then some – with the rest of my class I still did not fit in. Not even with the people that I were supposed to be the most like. The moment I entered Study Hall I knew that I was to be the Dueling Partner for all three, the expectant gazes they gave me made their point clear. Without a second thought I placed my books in my bag, then placed it in the spell cupboard, knowing that it would be safe in there, took my sweater off and stood before them my wand in my hand. At my nod they began, their spells light but not all that damaging. They were in my year, but honestly, the spells bothered me in the lack of superiority. I held my shield until the first one tired out, his spell faltering and dissolving just before it hit me.
"Avis!" I shot at the other two, then whipped my wand at the one that had faltered, his own eyes wide as he stared at the small birds that had erupted from my wand and continued to attack his two friends. "Ricutsempra!" he doubled over, the surprise making him stand stock still, the spell hitting him full force. A stupefy spell hit me in the right arm, knocking me down on my bum. "Everte Statum!" they both fell backwards, their wands knocking from their hands. With a huff I stood, rubbing my hip to relax the harmed muscle. There was slow clatter, the air filling with the age old magic that was Dumbledore's and the scent of potions and snow. Dumbledore and Snape came from the open doorway, staring at us all with his same twinkling eyes, Professor Snape's own eyes narrowed in detest at the laughing child. With a flick of my wrist I stopped the hex, repressing my cough of laughter the moment Snape turned his cold gaze to me.
"Do you see now, Severus?" Dumbledore mused, then motioned for me to step forward. I did so, but made sure that I put my sweater back on. "Ms. Granger, if you would be so kind as to follow us. Bring your stuff, you will not be returning to your dorm tonight." Now I was more than curious, but nodded anyhow and grabbed my things. "Five points a piece for you three, teaming up on a woman is rude and unmannerly." He then turned to me and placed his arm out, allowing me to hold it and stand at his side. "Twenty for you, Ms. Granger. For executing perfect dueling abilities and holding your own against three foes." I flushed a bit and let him lead me out of the room and towards his office, the Gargoyle parting for him the moment Professor Snape muttered the password.
"Sir, if I may," he nodded at my inquisitorial tone, "What is it you wish to speak to me about that will take all night, sir?" he chuckled, then asked me what I thought he had wanted to talk to me about. I refused to sigh out of agitation, yet I knew that my eyebrow twitched in annoyance because Snape smirked. "Well, considering that you were spying – I apologize, observing – on the duel and did not step in I can only assume it has something to do with my academics. When you referred to Professor Snape I can only assume that you were trying to imply that I was, indeed," I turned my gaze to Professor Snape's and saw the amusement and daring glint in his coal black eyes. "not a 'snot nosed brat who cannot separate cheek from intelligence'," I turned my gaze back to Dumbledore after seeing Snape's lips quirk up at the corners then press into a thin line. "if so they are you most definitely here about my academics." Dumbledore nodded his head, a large grin on his own lips.
"Correct, you are very observant." He motioned for me to sit in the chair directly beside Snape's looming figure. I did so without flinching away in fear. "Ever since your first year you have showed an exemplary amount of magic control, knowledge, and procedure to follow the rules. As such I privately asked each of your Professors to give your education and your education alone a boost. You are unaware, but you have passed the N.E.W.T.S testing, and received ten O.W.L.S. in total." Now I was definitely shocked. Ten O.W.L.S, ten! Dumbledore then sighed and became serious, earning a warning glare from Severus that made my curious gaze go to him. "I'm afraid, my dear, that it means you are ready for the atrocities with which are to come." Snape clenched his hand into a fist near my ear, the sound that emanated from it startled me a bit.
"Sir, if I have done as you said, then I am no longer needed at the school. Seeing as how you knew this would be the end result I can only assume that whatever atrocity you wish for me to do is dangerous and or pertains to Him." Snape cursed and began to pace behind my chair, his back tense and shoulders bearing. It was then that I knew my inquiry was right. "I see. As you know, sir, I have been dragged on a few of Hermione's adventures with her, dear, friends." I paused a bit and searched for a better word than idiot. "I am no coward, but I know well enough that He will not let me even remotely close to his presence. I am a Mudblood, sir." I said the word without flinching, but he didn't. With a mock reassuring gaze he turned his attention back to Snape and nodded his head. Snape, however, didn't seem to find relief in the gaze, only annoyance as he came to my side and yanked his sleeve up, showing me a returning Dark Mark. When I did not flinch nor gasp he rose a brow at me and sneered.
"You already knew?" he taunted, though his voice made actual sympathy erode me. With a nod I began to explain that I had known, that I'd known since first year after overhearing a few Slytherins talking about it, then read upon the subject myself from books sent to me from the National Wizarding Library and confirmed it to be true based on observations. He listened all the while, his glare strengthening as I continued to explain. When I finished he all but exploded in fury, his entire being was shaking with the need to yell at me. I nodded once all the portraits were away, showing him he had sanctuary to yell at me. When he did I felt my chair quake in fear whereas I simply sat and took the blunt of his anger.
"You're angry because I've known yet acted no differently in your classes, even more so because you think I might have told my darling sister and her, friends." Again, I had to rush to say Friends so I wouldn't call them idiots. "I cannot reassure you enough to calm you that I have done no such thing. I've not uttered a word to anyone, it gains me no advantage to have the student body questioning you. In Fact, it would deter me in my learning and thus result in a half as knowledgeable professor teaching Potions and letting the idiotic have free reign of their never ending stupidity." He seemed a bit pleased at that, good. That had been my intention. With a small grin I turned to Dumbledore and met his gaze, showing him that he could continue with his previous declarations.
"While you are right about Him not letting you near him, you are also wrong. He enjoys being able to delve into peoples' minds, you would interest him highly in this point because your mind is inaccessible." That perked my interest a bit. "Severus and I have tried on multiple occasions to delve into your mind, each time we've come up short." Ignoring the slight anger that rose at this news I focused on what could cause such a thing to happen. "He will take great interest in this, even more so when Severus will be the only one that can see into your thoughts and memories." They were going to pretend like he could so that I would stay in the figure of Voldemorts good graces? Small tendrils of fear licked at my heels, but I kicked them away and met Dumbledores gaze firmly. "I, of course, expect you to stay here, as if you were a student, but will stay in an old Slytherin Prefect room accessible through Severus's quarters." Judging by the stiff stance of Snape this was news to him. "Every night you will report as to what happened during your day so that, when the time comes, you will be able to act as if you can use occulumency on her." We could refuse, but to do so would be to act childishly. "While you are there, Harmony, you must act as if you are his consort but focus on trying to win Lucius over to our side. If we can count on him when the time comes, then we will have the advantage over Him." I nodded, accepting my quest, then grabbed hold of my bag and stood, accepting the large ring with an emerald surrounded by silver metal, the ring covering the first junction of my right ring finger.
"I will escort you to your new room." Snape said curtly, cutting off the last question I had. With a narrowed gaze I followed him, the corridors quiet and cold as we glided through them, our footsteps serenely quiet compared to the usual loud clatter that filled the air. It was ironically refreshing, despite the fact that I memorized each hallway we walked through so that I would be able to make it back to my room after class times in the morning. When he lead me up a winding staircase in one of the towers of the castle I all but rolled my eyes at the trouble to be taken during my trip to my room. I would need to send a cleaning spell over the staircase in the morning, then turn the stairs into a slide to save me time as I made it towards breakfast. He stopped me just as we made it outside of the tower, the brisk night air biting at my skin through my clothes, and turned towards a broken down looking attic window ]at the top of the spire. "Watch closely," he instructed me, then brought his wand out and did a movement that I was sure to memorize and practice.
The window all but repaired itself then widened and turned into a broad oak door, Snape called my name, tapped the door three times with his wand, then motioned for me to step forward. Without him needing to instruct me on what to do next, I brought my own wand out and tapped it three times on the door. I smirked in accomplishment when the door opened and revealed a large rectangular room with stone flooring and a broad fireplace. The queen sized bed had draperies of old moth eaten silk, the mattress itself less than livable. There was what looked like a couch and a pile of an unknown substance in the farthest corner.
"Your clothing at such will arrive when you call it, until then, happy cleaning." He sneered at me, then left the dimly lit room with a slamming of my door. I shouldered my bag and glared at the door while I racked my brain for cleaning spells. When I turned back to the room I grimaced.
"Accu Lumos!" I shot out of my wand, six of the bright blue luminescent lights floating just over the arched stone and wood ceiling, showing me just how much cleaning I had to do. "Tergeo!" I began with the rafters and ceiling, the dust and cobwebs shooting to the floor and coating my hair with the ash like substance. Once the fireplace was cleaned out and the air was free of debris I accioed fresh logs into it and set them aflame, the warm orange glow filing over the, now clean, stone floors. I discovered a personal bathing area with a large, cracked, white tub in the middle, and a closet large enough to fit my trunk and empty owl cage inside. "Reparo!" I was skeptical on if it would work, but the beautiful white tub began to form itself once more, the cleaned and practically new material shining brightly. The spell worked on the bed and the curtains as well, though I had to dust them out. By the time I had my entire room clean and refurbished, as well as my clothing materials and school work all placed on the beautiful oak wood desk that had been the pile of unknown substance on the ground, the sun began to rise. Sleep was not going to be accessible in the time span I had, so I took a quick bath, placed my thick hair into a pony tail, grabbed my bag of school supplies, and slid down the clean stairs. I just barely made it to Breakfast on time.
"I was beginning to think that you weren't going to show up." Cho Chang remarked as I sat in my spot across from her. "I've noticed that your things aren't in the room anymore, and your eyes are terribly black, what's wrong?" she asked once I remained quiet. Again, I ignored her inquiries and focused on eating fruit and vegetables, anything that would keep my energy up and give me a less ability to crash. When the Headmaster spoke he told all that I was now a Student Official Representative for Dumbledore towards the Ministry of Magic. As such – because, though I knew it was a farce I was surprised that he would give me a position so valuable that most Auror witches and wizards would kill for, I still needed an excuse to be gone for long hours at a time – I would be going with him to Ministry meetings, Professor evaluations, and that I would not be attending after school activities, such as dueling club. I objected to said part, but remained silent the entire time.
"Please, give a round of applause to Ms. Harmony Granger!" Hermione was first to applaud me, simply because we both knew what the position was. When Ron and Harry began to clap with her, as well as a few of the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff's who knew what the position meant as well, everyone began clapping. Professor and Student alike. When it was time to get to class many congratulated me, but Hermione reacted with the most enthusiasm. Headmaster Dumbledore had to ask for my attendance just so Hermione would get to class – a rarity that he ended up chuckling about. "I am aware that Severus left you to clean your room alone last night, for this I apologize. I had arranged for new furniture and a thorough cleaning of the room today. I had no idea the bed had been in such a state," Snape had told him the state of the room, "When they, and I, arrived not even ten minutes ago, the room was clean, lit, and repaired to a profession. I dared not replace the antique furniture that was in perfect order. All in all the floors were waxed and charmed, as well as the ceiling, and windows were installed and insulated. A continuous wood source will be applied to your fireplace as long as it is lit, and warm water will be accessible through the bathing area." He stopped me just outside of his office, a small smile on his lips. "I noticed that the bed had not been slept in, however. Due to the announcement I have made today your leave of absence will be granted. Please, take today to rest and become comfortable with your room." He grinned and placed his hand on my head, as if I were really 4 instead of 14.
"Sir, about the stairwell." He chuckled and told me that there as a small indent on the wall at the bottom of the stairs that I could enchant to become a door straight towards my room. I knew I wouldn't do so, if only because the staircase would be exercise that I would sure need at night time. On my way to my room I charmed the windows on the stone tower to not let the chill of the cold in, and for the torches on the wall to light when I was seven steps away, that way the staircase could be lit as I was ascending it. On the outside I charmed the already lit torches to stay lit continuously and for a rug to appear before my door, so that no dirt or mud would find its way inside my room.
"Harmony Granger," I called after tapping my door, then smiled when the warmth of my room pushed the cold from my body. As I took my shoes off I could not help but to admire the shine that the floors gave from the light that was coming in from the bay windows, the fireplace lit with just enough wood to keep a good warmth flowing but nothing to occupy a person. I requested one more log, then grinned when I caught sight of the flue power packet hanging from a stub on the mantle place over the fire. "It's more of a small home, than a room." I remarked, then smiled broadly at the idea. I had started school earlier than my sister, even more so when it came to the idea of Hogwarts. Most Witches and Wizards received their letters at the age of 11, but mine arrived when I was ten, not only because of my knowledge, but because my magic had come into being at that time. I had the maturity of an adult, or so I had been told, but I honestly didn't see that as a bad thing. I experienced wonders, had a childhood, read on things that I could never experience myself so that I had a minute understanding of everything.
Having my own home was a pleasant and over abundant idea. I liked it very much. Once my shoes were off I grabbed a pair of black trousers and a dark blue T-shirt and headed for the bath. The water was, as promised, warm, it relaxed my muscles and made me grateful that I could wash from the day pervious. I used my shampoo potion for my hair, the material itself keeping my hair from tangling and from being too affected by humidity. There had been one time last year that I had added too much Lackweed to the potion that resulted in having my hair continuously rising whenever the slightest humidity change was about. Once clean, changed, and my hair dry, I crawled into the surprisingly soft but firm bed and placed the thinnest navy blue sheet over me, sleep not far off.
"My home, more than a room."