Notes: Embrace the madness, they say... that's exactly what I did. The result? My first attempt at writing a Holby City/Harry Potter crossover. I hope you like this first chapter and give the story a chance. I might surprise you ;)
I also would like to thank my awesome beta-reader kiefercarlos, for her patience and for reading the chapter over 10 times. Hope she won't get tired of me anytime soon.
If the story isn't that bad and you want to, kudos and comments are always welcome; as well as constructive criticism. ENJOY!
DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to BBC or J.K Rowling. Lucky them.
Back to the beginning
by freedomqueen
CHAPTER ONE
Of snakes and eagles: first acquaintances
"Berenice! Come on, girl. You're going to be late on your first day. Wolfes are never late."
Eleven year old Berenice Wolfe, preferred Bernie for short, which was what her father affectionately used to call her. However, her mother insisted on calling Bernie by her full birth name; Irene Wolfe also persisted on labelling attributes to her daughter that were supposed to be 'family traits', although the youngest witch of the Wolfe family couldn't possibly see any of those characteristics reflected on herself; just like Bernie being ready on time.
When am I ever on time? Never.
Truth be told, Berenice Griselda Wolfe –middle name to honour her grandmother– never being on time was just the beginning of the Not Much Like a Wolfe List the girl had mentally made since she'd been able to tell the differences between her mother and siblings.
Wolfe. To Bernie's mother, Wolfe meant belonging to one of the twenty-eight legitimate pure blood families of Great Britain. Irene had told her once that in the early 1930s, a 'Pure-Blood Directory' had been published anonymously; Bernie remembered her father had highlighted the word anonymously questioning the directory's veracity. It listed the twenty-eight truly pure-blood families of Britain, according to the unknown authority who had written the book; these families were called the 'Sacred Twenty-Eight', the most ancient families of witches and wizards –Wolfes alongside Malfoys, Longbottoms, Lestranges, Ollivanders and Weasleys and another twenty-two exclusive surnames completing the list.
Young Bernie Wolfe sooner rather than later learned to trust her father and eldest sister's judgment when the matter ended up being pure-blood/magic born versus muggles.Johannes Wolfe and his eldest daughter, Elizabeth Wolfe, were against any distinctions between muggle and magical people –they had taught Bernie that differences betweenmuggles , wizards and witches were, indeed, undeniable. They most certainly came from nothing but different worlds… but that was it, neither of them were better than the other, neither muggles or magic born; they were just simply different.
Bernie was proud of her father and her sister; they had both been killed in action. Johannes Wolfe was a versed, well-trained wizard, he'd specialised in Defence Against Dark Arts (DADA) and had become a distinguished auror; Johannes had worked in the Ministry of Magic even before Grindelwald had become a famous dark wizard. Elizabeth Wolfe, on the other hand, would have been joining the Ministry of Magic after she finished her training to become an auror.
However, when hostilities escalated before Voldemort unleashed his power, Elizabeth among other applicants, despite not being officially qualified aurors yet, were allowed to take part in several operations. There was nothing Johannes could do to counter the Minister of Magic's permission. Voldemort's Dawn was still recalled as one of the most tragic and darkest moments of British magic history; some magic historians even dared to call Voldemort's Dawn, The Great War, comparing its rising to that of Gellert Grindelwald's.
Elizabeth, such like many of the others applicants, had been young, recently graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, she would have been the youngest auror ever in the history… but Voldemort had been greater. Entire magical families had perished under Voldemort and his followers torments; young wizards and witches lives snatched violently away before their time, to ensure Voldemort's downfall; the magic world was still mourning their dead.
Following her father and sisters legacy, Bernie had sworn to become an auror someday; she was not as clever as her sister, nor as charming as her father had been but Bernie was sure of one thing: she was determined. She would become an auror to protect and serve the wizarding and muggle world, to protect and serve , just like Johannes and Elizabeth had; paraphrasing Hufflepuff's motto, Bernie had sworn every night –in the most utmost s ecrecy– to her pillow: to protect the lot, and treat them just the same. Helga Hufflepuff had sworn to teach the lot and Bernie would protect them.
Johannes and Elizabeth had taught her something she would always remember; her father had explained to Bernie that when she turned eleven, a letter would arrive summoning her to start her magical training at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, like he had been summoned or her mother Irene, her sister Elizabeth and the twins (Laust and Julian) years before she had.
Every night before bed time Johannes, at Bernie's persistent request, told his little girl the tale of the Four Founding Members of Hogwarts –that would give Bernie dreams full of endless adventures. Bernie recalled her father always finished the tale saying that all houses were just as important and worthy as any could be; each Great House –Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff– had something to teach to every single student that set foot on Hogwarts' ground… if the pupil was eager to see beyond the seeming differences. Then Johannes would affectionately tap Bernie's nose with an accomplice smile; standing now before the mirror, arranging her robe and black tie Bernie could still retrace the memory. It warmed her fearful young heart.
Johannes and Elizabeth's values were nothing like, the values that Bernie's mother pretended to teach to her after their deaths. To Irene, there was only one option for her daughter when it came to Hogwarts and that was belonging to –quoting– `the greatest house Hogwarts could have´: Slytherin.
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.
"You are a Wolfe, after all." Irene's had repeated over and over again. "Wolfes have belonged to Slytherin house from Hogwarts first days."
Despite her mother's wishes, since Johannes told Bernie the history of the Four Founding Members, their daughter's eyes had been caught by only one of them: Rowena Ravenclaw; the elder witch had caught the young witch's attention.
Irene could (and would) never know but Bernie's biggest yearn was, that when her time came to join Hogwarts, she would belong to Ravenclaw. Bernie was fascinated by the story of Rowena Ravenclaw; she would borrow every book from her father's private library containing anything and everything about Hogwarts and Rowena Ravenclaw's history.
The little wolverine, as Johannes used to call her, several times even tried (fruitlessly) to persuade her elder siblings to tell her more about Ravenclaw –she was determinate to learn more about the House she was going to join (that wish remaining a secret to herself only), although the twins, Julian and Laust, showed no enthusiast at all to tell their youngest sister tales of a house that wasn't their own.
During her excursions to the family library, Bernie learned about grief and that not all tales have a happy ending; Rowena and her daughter Helena's story opened Bernie's innocent eyes to the harsh but yet beautiful real world.
It was September the first, the beginning of her first year at Hogwarts and it was only hours away; Bernie looked longingly to Rowena's trading card and smiled sadly at it, closing her eyes and pressing it to her heart.
"Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, if you've a ready mind, where those of wit and learning will always find their kind." She repeated in front of the mirror.
With her wish on her mind and, most importantly, in her heart, Berenice Wolfe looked herself into the mirror one last time, adjusted her new robe again, taking a deep breath and left her bedroom to come and face her mother who was waiting at the bottom of the stairs; Irene smiled proudly at the sight of her beautiful daughter.
"Come on, Bern." Irene encouraged her, tending a soft hand for Bernie to take. "We do not want Slytherin to lose their most valuable addition due to delay." Bernie gave her mother her best smile and took her hand before heading to the door.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the mysterious Sorting Hat were waiting for her.
"Serena, are you ready?" Adrienne McKinnie was getting anxious; one could say anxiety was the expected feeling after the turmoil that had been her life since her daughter turned eleven years old.
After dealing, processing and embracing what was going to be their future, Adrienne didn't want her daughter to be late on her first day of school and give the wrong impression –not when Professor Minerva McGonagall had put so much effort and patience in welcoming them to this… Adrienne still wasn't sure what to call it yet. Life style? Adventure? Revelation? Life would do, that was how McGonagall had put it: " This is your life now. If you, of course, choose to let your daughter become what she was destined to be: a great witch ."
Adrienne was sure it was going to take them more time to really get used to their new situation but she was positive they would make it, she and Serena had always managed to face adversity and not letting her daughter be late on her first day would be a pretty good start for their new life.
"Just one minute, mother!" Adrianne's daughter answered.
There had been nothing out of the ordinary in Serena's life according to Adrienne. Yet when her daughter turned eleven years old everything drastically changed for the McKinnie family.
"Did you ever make anything happen? Anything you couldn't explain when you were angry or scared?" McGonagall had asked them, both girl and mother shared an astonishing look. McGonagall gave Serena a disguised smile and quick wink and then explained (very patiently to both Serena and Adrienne) the fact that Serena was a witch. The young professor looked through her glasses at the pair of them; a mischievous grin appeared on the woman's face when she also announced that not only was Serena a witch but the girl was the very first witch of the McKinnie family. Adrienne thought the smile looked strange on Minerva McGonagall's face, but didn't mention it… the woman in emerald-green robes striked her as someone she didn't really want to cross.
Hogwarts' admittance letter was firmly grasped in Serena's hand. The refined old envelope, written in a firm but ever so delicate handwriting read:
MISS. S. MCKINNIE,
Second Largest Bedroom,
11 Arthur Digby Terrace
Holby
Wyvern
With her mother's hand in hers and the letter in the other, Serena being gifted with photographic memory, still recalled the letter's entire contents, each and every single word. The first page read:
HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Ms. McKinnie,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry . Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
The second page of the letter contained all the things students from first-year would require, from what to wear to course books, recommendations regarding a pet and the reminder that first-year students were not allowed to have their own broom. Serena had laughed at that, both she and her mother thought it was a joke, until they disposed the letter and they continued arriving, countless numbers of them.
During the meeting with Minerva McGonagall, she had explained to the McKinnie family that, apparently, something had happened with Hogwarts' wizards and witches record and something about owls being bewitched as well… the result being that when the letter(s) were sent, the most important detail about Serena's letter was forgotten: Serena and her family were new to the magic world. Professor McGonagall offered her sincerest apologies on her behalf and the headmaster of the school: Albus something –neither Serena or her mother could remember the headmasters surname.
Adrienne could tell Minerva McGonagall was surprised by her reaction; it was not every day that a witch, deputy headmistress showed up at your door to tell you there was a witch in the family. The emerald-green robed witch was surprised when among a thousand questions Adrienne could make, she asked how they were supposed to get the things Serena needed –books, clothes or whatever was expected these days in magical schools– or, even more worriedly, how they were going to pay for those things; what kind of money did magic people use and where was she going to get it. Professor McGonagall, relieving Adrienne's rising anxiety, explained the bank (Gringotts Wizarding Bank) would take care of it, to quote the woman: "Not a wizard or witch has ever been left out of Hogwarts because they haven't had the means –money– to purchase what was needed, and there never will be."
Later that day when the self-proclaimed witch left the house, Serena and Adrienne were still in shock. There were so many questions, doubts… but September the first came more quickly that the McKinnie's could expect.
Adrienne and Serena were impatiently waiting on Platform 9; the green cloaked woman appeared (out of nowhere) at the precise time she said she would be.
"Run, dear." Minerva McGonagall spoke quietly to Serena, giving a reassuring nod knowing that the look on the girl's face meant an incredulous 'Seriously?' and then looking to the red brick wall. "I'll join you with your mother in a moment."
Serena took a deep breath looking to the wall meters head of her. The witch didn't seem the type to enjoy a lie, Serena thought.
So this is it. Run, as she says.
"Come on. Go."
Serena heard the woman repeat again… and so she obliged. She felt stupid for a second; deliberately crashing against some King Cross Station wall was definitely not in her plans, it was not cool at all but then the imaginable painful crash she expected to happen never came; instead Serena found herself contemplating a crimson red and black train. The sound of its engine startled her, the girl's eyes briefly followed the magical (she guessed) steam coming out of it chimney.
The platform was crowded with young children, teenagers and their families. Some of the girls and boys wore black robes, others wore normal clothes as Serena herself did. Serena's eyes wandered quickly noting some of the older kids who wore the black robes also wore ties with different colours –red and golden, yellow and black, blue and light grey and green and silver.
Maybe it was all a dream and she was still asleep in her comfy bed.
"We are about to leave, Miss McKinnie." McGonagall's voice interrupted Serena's track of taught. "Say goodbye to your mother and I'll show you the way."
Serena hugged her mother, not letting tears fall. She was going to miss Adrienne but at the same time she was intrigued, Serena couldn't wait to take the so called Hogwarts Express and arrive to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry –her heart was pounding in her chest like hundred galloping horses, eager to run towards, what Serena could feel was going to be, the adventure of her lifetime.
"Serena McKinnie!" Professor Minerva McGonagall called out.
Serena was incredibly nervous, she was always the one keeping it calm when pressure tried to take hold but this time was different. Serena herself was different, she was awitch . She was a new guest to a whole new world she hadn't even thought possible to exist: the magical world; she was in a school that she had never heard about, with people she had never seen. Serena though always confident, was terrified and if it were up to her she would flee but hundreds of curious eyes were looking at her –and McGonagall's piercing blue eyes– prevent her from doing so.
The young wizards and witches that travelled with Serena in the Hogwarts Express were anxiously standing in The Great Hall, watching how the Sorting Ceremony took place. The students from previous years were distributed across four large tables, whispering every now and then when a surname of a known wizarding family came up. Serena supposed it was always that way but yet she also felt as if they were expecting something from her: 'to join their house, of course´ a chubby boy called Sacha Levy explained to her before the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts called his name.
Serena stepped forward when McGonagall was forced to repeat her name again not without giving her a disapproving look. She didn't look to the emerald cloaked witch that stood ever so tall before a table full of other Hogwarts' professors. Serena knew there was only way to end the suffering: to walk forward… and in doing so, she ended up crashing against a blonde girl, slightly taller than her. Serena noted the girl's soft but yet tangled hair, coconut perfume invaded her mind.
I love coconut.
The blonde girl turned and looked at her for the briefest of seconds, lowering her gaze, murmuring something Serena caught as a "sorry, didn't mean too", she gave a little squeeze to the girl's hands and kept walking to face McGonagall and an awful old hat that, apparently, could speak. When Serena McKinnie sat on the stool, the witch brought the hat to rest over her head but not touching it. It didn't take it a second for the hat to announce:
"RAVENCLAW!"
Serena was still in shock, seated at Ravenclaw's house table; her mouth remained in a tiny but yet visible 'o' form through most of the sorting ceremony, smiling every now and then to the young witches and wizards that kindly approached her to congratulate or welcome her.
"Welcome to Ravenclaw, Miss McKinnie, Henrik Hanssen at your service." A young and very tall boy introduced himself as he offered his slender hand to Serena. She thought Henrik sounded dead serious but yet something warm tinged the young wizard's voice, Serena held tight to Henrik's hand smiling.
He could be my first magical friend.
Serena laughed at her own thought; wizard or not, Henrik could most certainly be her new friend in this journey. She decided later she would ask Henrik if he was head of the house or something, even though Serena doubted it; the boy couldn't be one or two years older than her.
McGonagall's loud but yet tender voice caught Serena's attention once again, announcing the last witch to be sorted.
"And last but not least important, Berenice Wolfe."
Serena realized it was the girl she had previously tripped over, her messy blonde hair would give her away from miles. However, the constant murmuring prevented her from hearing the other girl's name.
I'm going to call her Coco.
The blonde witch stood alone at the bottom of the steps that separated her from McGonagall, the talking hat and the banquet table crowded with the rest of the Hogwarts' teachers. Serena analysed the girl's posture, she could tell the young witch was afraid but yet she stood with straight shoulders, neck stretched and determined brown eyes looking forward, directly into McGonagall's piercing blue ones. There was something regal in the girl, something that told her that despite her shy attitude when Serena tripped over her, Coco could –and knew– how to stand her ground. The girl was brave. Serena didn't know her, not yet anyway… but she liked those qualities so she was most certainly going to like Coco when she met her.
Berenice Wolfe didn't move to face professor McGonagall or the talking hat for that matter. Until…
"Miss. Wolfe" Professor Minerva McGonagall repeated again.
Serena noticed the girl took a deep breath and started walking towards the professor and the hat. When McGonagall put the hat over the girl's head it didn't assign a house as quick as it had done with the other students. The hat, Serena thought, seemed to be in doubt; the blonde girl moved her lips. They were engaged in deep conversation, Serena wondered if it was normal.
"What's she saying to the talking hat?" The brunette asked the boy seated next to her.
"Sorting Hat." The boy corrected, shrugging and continuing the conversation with the girl seated on his other side.
"Another Wolfe, another Slytherin." The Sorting Hat concluded but yet not announced. "Wolfes are usually easy–"
"Slytherin no. Slytherin no."
"Plenty of courage, l see. Not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh, yes. And a thirst to prove yourself. But where to put you?"
The Sorting Hat kept wondering; students were starting to feel unease… so were some of the teachers, Serena noticed. Two identical boys caught her attention; they seemed worried about what was going on with the blonde girl's sorting. Serena took a second and more detailed look to the boys. She came to the conclusion that they looked a lot like the girl seated on the stool.
Could they be her brothers? Why is the hat taking so long?
"Not Slytherin, not Slytherin!"
"Not Slytherin, eh? Are you sure? Ravenclaw? Mmmh..."
The Sorting Hat moved restlessly in McGonagall's hand over Bernie's head. It tsked .
"Not all are the same. Join those who will prove all wrong... for your destiny is not sealed beforehand but you are instead, the makers of our own path."
Bernie closed her eyes before The Sorting Hat announced her fate to a crowded Great Hall.
"SLYTHERIN!"
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was quiet, only the soft and peaceful song of thestrals could be heard in the night. The Sorting Ceremony finished; the jovial chattering of young witches and wizards silenced their giggles and whispering died as the night fell, confined to each house's common room.
It was late, Serena could tell from the position of the moon from where she was sitting on the floor, through the window of her new bedroom. One of her roommates was snoring, and she hoped she would soon learn a spell that could fix it.
Despite all the passing hours since her arrival at King's Cross Station and Platform 9 ¾ and through the Sorting Ceremony, she still couldn't believe it… at least not yet.
The scent of coconut unexpectedly invaded her senses –again. Serena thought of the girl with the blonde messy hair standing alone in front of Professor McGonagall and the Sorting Hat. She got up from her position on the floor and walked out of Ravenclaw's chambers. She walked through endless hallways… turning left, then right, up the moving staircases and left again.
The new Ravenclaw witch perfectly remembered her prefect's word: "no one goes out in the middle of the night", but Serena couldn't sleep and she always got anxious when it happened, walking the anxiety out helped her. She also had the perfect excuse: she was new, muggle -born even, she didn't know a thing about the prestigious Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry so if someone caught her, teacher or student, the only thing she needed to do was play the puppy eyes part.
She wandered for a long time not going anywhere in particular, not that she knew of any place in particular she wanted to be anyways. Serena stopped every now and then when a frame caught her eye; she even dared to talk to the figures that were not sleeping like her. She was deep in thought, walking through a corridor that faced an inner garden when a broken sob startled her; Serena kept walking after a few minutes but stopped when she heard the sound again.
Someone's crying.
The thought of the noise being a ghost crossed her mind but she laughed at her own absurdity.
Of course it could be a ghost, you idiot. You're in a freaking school of magic!
A shadow was sitting in one of the arches' window that faced the inner garden; the pale moonlight enlightened the stranger's face.
Coco.
Serena carefully approached the girl, trying not to startle her; her footsteps loud enough so she would know someone was coming. The young witch didn't seem to bother that it could have been a teacher.
Serena seated herself by the other witch's side without saying a word, offering her handkerchief. The lonely blonde girl sobbed again, crying even harder but soft trembling hands took the offer Serena had affectionately made.
"Thank you," she whispered softly, grateful for the stranger's kind offer.
Serena smiled and put a warm hand over the girl's, where it was resting on her lap nervously playing with invisible threads in her trousers.
"It's alright, Coco. " Serena blurted out and withdrew her hand, aware of the nickname she had let slipped.
"Sorry, what?" The blonde witch finally glanced up at Serena.
The girl was pretty, a few moles claimed part of her right cheek, her eyes deep brown. She was very pretty Serena thought, if not for the sadness that invaded her facial expressions but most importantly, her eyes.
"You smell –no. Your hair smells of coconut." Serena offered as a logical explanation, smiling at the other girl and regretted it the instant the words left her mouth seeing the even more confused look that crossed the other girl's face.
"I didn't– I don't know your name, that's why I decide to call you Coco because of the scent of your hair." Serena clarified, giving a nod to the girl's head a please-don't-make-me-say-it-again plea in her –also– brown eyes.
"Oh." The other girl smiled shyly. "Berenice Wolfe." She introduced herself extending a slim hand to Serena.
"Serena McKinnie."
"You can call me Bernie, though. Or Coco, I don't really mind." Bernie shrugged, her back falling, eyes glued to her lap again.
"Why are you crying?"
Bernie shook her head, coconut perfume invading Serena's senses once more.
"It's– it's nothing. Not really."
Serena scoffed at the shameless lie coming out of the other girl's lips.
"I might be eleven years old and I may come from a non-magical family but there's something I'm very good at, I can very well tell when someone's lying."
"Are you a legilimens ?"
"A what?!" "You what?" Bernie and Serena asked both at the same time, looking incredulously at each other.
"You first." "You first." Again the same time timing.
Bernie smiled and nodded to Serena, letting her know she could go first.
"First witch of the family." Serena offered, smiling apprehensively to Bernie.
"Sorry. You- what?"
Serena barely knew Bernie but the young girl got the funny feeling that `Sorry. What' was going to be an expression she would hear her new friend said regularly.
"I'm muggle -born, Bernie, or whatever you call it. Neither my mom or dad are or were wizard or witches. No one in my family, according to professor McGonagall."
Bernie was looking at Serena, not trying a bit to hide her surprise; a perfect tiny 'O' formed in the girl's pale pink lips. She had never met or even talked to anyone that knew the muggle world.
The youngest of the Wolfe's lived her entire life in the outskirts of London –through the years more inhabitants came to the region and settled down. The small village full of very ancient and rich magic families soon turned into a small but yet prestigious city: Oniros' valley.
Wolfe's household was protected, with every known charm or spell from prying eyes – muggle or magical. Bernie's mother, Irene, had always wanted a life in the countryside, away from the capital but since Johannes Wolfe worked for the Ministry of Magic, they needed to be reachable to London.
Despite being only kilometres away from the Capital, Irene, afraid of mixing with muggles , never allowed her husband to take Bernie to the capital, Johannes granting Irene's wish and easing her fears.
"I really, really , wanted to be a Ravenclaw." Bernie confessed, getting her attention back to Serena.
Serena looked confused at Bernie, again the blonde witch's eyes were clouded with sorrow –Serena discovered she really hated seeing her new friend like that.
"Why? Why is it so important? Or is it just important to you?"
The blonde girl looked down at her hands, a little bit ashamed, Serena –a complete stranger– could so easily guess how she was feeling; seeing Berenice was not planning on answering Serena's questions, she continued talking.
"What even is a Ravenclaw? I have no clue on what being a Ravenclaw means –or a damn Huffle-something for that matter."
"It is not entirely a what but a who-"
"What?" Serena interrupted Bernie raising her voice a little, trying to look (and sound) more than intrigued, seeing a sparkle of life light up the blonde girl's eyes.
"Rowena Ravenclaw. She was one of the greatest witches of her time, that's why one of Hogwarts' houses is named after her."
Serena expected Bernie to keep going with the story but apparently she was going to have to rip it word by word out of the other girl's mouth. Despite her regal and self-righteous stance, Bernie Wolfe was, as a matter of fact, the opposite; the girl was quiet, shy, and modest.
"And? I hardly doubt you got a club named after you just because you're a witch. Keep on, tell me Bernie!" She urged her companion, curious.
"Ah- Right. First, it's not a club. It's a house." Serena nodded in agreement but kept silent, letting Bernie go on with the story. "Mmmh. Well- Rowena was actually one of the four founding members of Hogwarts. There was also Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena herself and..."
Bernie lowered her gaze again, her hands become something very interesting to look at, as if in looking at them she would find the solutions to humankind problems. Serena covered the girl hands with hers also trying to meet Bernie's light brown eyes, to reassure her it was okay... there was nothing her new friend could say that would scandalize Serena, but only awake her curiosity.
"And...?"
"Salazar Slytherin."