I wrote this story after I realized I didn't like the character of Ginerva Weasely. Honestly, I think Rowling only put her in the book for the purpose of eventually birthing Harry's children. She was a cliché "damsel in distress" and then it was like Rowling thought Harry needed a very powerful witch as a mate…so she made Ginny powerful. Don't even get me started with Hermoine and Ron! I thought that was a bad move on her part. Rowling spent 6 books building Hermoine as a strong, independent, intelligent woman who has the ability to become minister of magic at one point. Change the wizarding world….but she marries Ron and pops out his red haired puppies. Don't get me wrong, I like Ronald…I just don't like him with Hermoine. Ron is loyal and always tries to do the right thing…he's just not ambitious enough for someone like Hermoine. I can just see it now…Hermoine is a working mom pulling in the quid and regularly shows up in the prophet. Ron stays at home most of the time to watch the kids and becomes resentful of his genius wife. It is doomed to fail! Hermoine CANNOT be a stay at home mom. At first I thought, "hmmm, Hermoine and Harry?" The pair seems logical when you first think about it. Hermoine is powerful (if not hella smart); she makes up for whenever she needs rescuing by helping out somehow, and Harry and her hold a certain dynamic. Then I thought about it. Hermoine is too easy (I don't mean she's a slut or anything!). She's best friends with Harry, shares in his adventures, and she's accessible to him. It seems too perfect. I think Harry needs someone who will challenge him; someone who will balance out his light with a spot of dark. I was looking for a powerful, smart, forceful individual that Harry can fight for/with and give as much as she gets. (Normally that would be Draco but since I'm not writing a slash at this moment in time, he's null and void) I was looking for Eris. I thought up this character to be the anti-Ginny. Hermoine WILL NOT end up with Ron or Harry and I will start out SIMILAR to canon (this is my fanfiction and I'm allowed to change things, right?). With the decisions of the characters, it might end up turning out completely different from the events of the books. We'll see what Eris does and how NOT having a Ginny in the storyline might affect the end result.
Disclaimer: Unfortunately I do not own the story of Harry Potter nor do I have any rights to monies made by the sell of Harry Potter. I own the character of Eris but will not be making any profit from this fanfiction.
Eris
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone:
Much was the same at 4 Pivot Drive but today was a special day. It was Dudley's birthday. Petunia hummed softly as she folded Dudley's undergarments. The boy, Harry, was still sleeping in the cupboard room he was given the day they found him on their doorstep. Petunia would have gotten rid of the dark haired infant if it wasn't for a small part of her heart still reserved for her sister, Lily. It wasn't large enough to treat the child well, but it was enough not to throw him away. The boy had always been weird, just like her sister, shrinking jumpers, growing his hair in one night, and disappearing only to reappear on the roof. Petunia remembered a couple of instances in her childhood that Lily did similar things. She scowled, thinking of the freakish things Lily did that her son does. The boy wasn't right. She still didn't know why she kept him around. Petunia wrinkled her nose and decided to wake up Harry. He needs to see how a normal family celebrates a loved one. He needs to see how much his weirdness isn't wanted in this normal family.
Harry woke up to the banging on the cupboard door and swatted at a particularly adventurous spider as it crawled up his belly. It only took him a moment to realize how "special" the day was. It's Dudley's birthday. Harry gets to look forward to seeing the many unnecessary and expensive toys his cousin receives; none of which he can ever touch. He groaned and sat up.
"Get up! Honestly, how lazy can you be? This is an important day and I can't have you ruining it by waking up at the wrong hour!" Harry heard his aunt screech from the other side of the wall.
Harry hurried out of the room, stumbling a bit as he does, and blinked at the pursed lips of his mother's sister. The nightshirt, Dudley's old one, falls off his left shoulder. Harry lowers his eyes at the disapproving look his Aunt was giving him. He should be use to it but that really isn't the point. Harry had always envisioned something more than what he had. He had always had hope that things would get better. No amount of disapproving looks or how many times Dudley punches him in the nose will ever take away his fantasies. Still, it's because of those dreams of equality that makes each wrong done to him hurt. Harry put his hands behind his back and shuffled his feet. "I'm sorry." He said softly.
Petunia sighed and crossed her arms across her chest. "Yes, well. You look dirty. Wash up. Mrs. Figg will be here in a couple of hours. I don't want her to have to look at you so filthy. It's enough the poor woman has to watch you while we take Dudley to the zoo."
Ah, the zoo. It sounded like a fun place to see. Harry never went anywhere fun. Dudley, however, never missed an opportunity to brag whenever HE went someplace exciting. Harry wished he could go just this once.
As Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, Dudley and a couple of his more unfriendly friends settled down for cake and presents in the family room, Harry sat at the kitchen table. He wasn't welcome to join in the celebration but Dudley was sure to rejoice loudly whenever he opened a present just so Harry could hear what he got. Harry amused himself with mentally betting when each thing will break under the not so careful hands of his cousin. Just when Harry was delighting himself with one such bet about a PS2 (he gave the oaf a month until it needed repaired), the phone rang. He heard his Aunt excuse herself to answer it. It was Mrs. Figg and by the sound of his Aunt's voice, it didn't sound good.
"What do you mean you can't watch him? Oh, I see. Yes…" Her voice was taught with anger but Harry knew Petunia lived to keep up appearances. She would never get loud with anyone but him.
Harry felt his heart speed up as Petunia hung up the phone and spoke softly to Uncle Vernon. Maybe he could go to the zoo. Maybe Mrs. Figg cancelled and they will have to take him along!
"Isn't there someone else?" Uncle Vernon's voice rose angrily. Harry could barely hear Petunia's hushed decline. "Well, what are we going to do with the little runt?"
"Well, we're just going to have to take him with us." Petunia sounded very upset about the idea. Harry was elated. He could barely contain himself.
"I don't want him to! It's my birthday and I don't want him to ruin it by showing his ugly face all the time! It's not fair!" That would be Dudley. Harry knew he wouldn't be happy about Harry tagging along. Harry didn't care. More hushed talking in which Harry assumed Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were consoling their child. Maybe they were offering him something to make up for Harry ruining his birthday.
"HARRY! Get in here!" Uncle Vernon bellowed. Harry scrambled into the living room. Everyone was glaring at him like he did something wrong "It looks like we have to take you with us to the zoo. I don't want anything weird happening, you hear me boy?"
"Yes, Sir." Harry squirmed.
"I don't want you bugging Dudley. It's his day, you got it?"
"Yes, Sir."
"I don't want you asking for anything, saying anything or doing anything." This was normal. Harry expected the "rules" to be laid out.
"Yes, Sir." Harry answered. He was going to the zoo!
:
Eris absently picked at her evening meal. Narcissa had told her that a lady never eats much in public. It was uncouth and unacceptable to stuff ones face in the presence of others even if she was hungry. Eris was currently starving but Lord Malfoy had invited several members of the ministry of magic to dine with him and she would never embarrass him. She sat up straight, she used the correct utensils, ate very small portions, did not speak unless spoken to and even then it was short answers and direct to the point.
When she was spending time with her father, Eris would have long discussions about many fun topics and never worry about what or how much she ate. Then again, her father never had many guests over. Lucious, her Godfather, was the one who loved to entertain. Severus Snape had no desire to advance in the political arena. He was a well respected potions master and a professor at the most prestigious magical school in the world. Eris lifted her chin a little higher in pride at the thought of her father. She snuck a peek at Draco to see what Lucious' boy was doing. He was taking a liberal bite of steak, locking eyes with her to gloat. She looked down at her meager helping of greens and, not for the first time, wished she were born male. They had spent almost every day of their lives together, she and Draco. She spent more time with him than with her own father. Severus had to teach for most of the year so she went to live with the Malfoys during the school year. It was an alright arrangement because Eris was taught what proper pureblooded witches of high society ought to do by Aunt Narcissa and Uncle Lucious. Lord Malfoy was a man that commanded respect and Eris did just that. She modeled herself after the picture perfect Narcissa as much as she could. It was difficult to look like her, though. Narcissa had golden hair and straight, sharp features. Eris, even though she was only ten, had long black hair, large dark eyes, plump lips and an oval face. She hoped she grew out of it. Having soft features wasn't exactly fashionable nor did it command the aristocratic air she sought. And yet her mind was not at all like Narcissa's. Her father had seen to that. He wouldn't have an idiot as a daughter. Not that Narcissa was an idiot; she just didn't focus on academia as much as keeping up with appearances. Eris wanted both. She wanted respect for her control and intelligence and she wanted awe for her poise.
Draco was trying to catch her eye. Eris met his gaze and he made a face, some food slipping out of his mouth. Eris allowed herself a smile in response. Draco would always do that. Whatever his father told him to do, he'd do, but he'd do it how he wanted it to be done. With a little bit of fooling around in between, of course.
After the dinner was complete, Lucious and Narcissa gave a subtle command for Eris and Draco to leave and amuse themselves elsewhere. As the two walked up towards their rooms, Draco poked her in the side.
"You look like an idiot." He said to Eris with a smirk on his face.
"Your mother dressed me and you've seen me in formal attire before. What makes today any different?" Eris looked at him sideways.
"Because you're getting older and you shouldn't let her dress you in pink anymore. It looks weird." Draco scrunched up his face in disgust.
Eris let out a humorless chuckle and pulled out the clips and ties that held her hair up. It fell in waves about her shoulders, reaching mid-back. She took the pink ribbon that was currently tied about her waist off and clenched it in her hand. Perhaps he was right. She was well aware what proper attire was now. She should be picking her own clothes. It had been easier to allow Narcissa to dress her up like a doll when she was younger. The woman seemed to get much pleasure out of it. She kept telling Eris that she looked like a china doll with her pale features and rosy cheeks. Little did she know that the rosy cheeks were due to immense embarrassment. She would be going to Hogwarts soon so she'd have to get knew clothes. Ones that were acceptable and yet reflect her personality. As they reached the landing at the top of the stairs, Eris lunged at Draco, pinning him to the floor and tying the pink ribbon around his head.
"Pink might not suite me, but you look fantastic in it." Eris said with a smug smile as she got up off the ground. Draco's face turned nearly as pink as the ribbon before hastily clawing at the offending accessory and throwing it to the ground. Draco was and has always been bigger than Eris. She suspected he might be letting her win when they fought. She always wondered why.
"What do you think IS your color then?" Draco asked as he stomped on the pink ribbon on the floor as if it was a bug.
Eris gave Draco a rare and pleasing grin. He always told her that she should do it more often but Eris believed it made her look more like a china doll and rarely let one slip. She was happy to answer him though. School was starting soon and she'll be wearing this color a lot, she was positive.
"Why, green of course!"
:
Harry poked at a spider on the wall. It scurried off to a little crack somewhere. He didn't know how long he was kept in the cupboard but he was sure it was more than necessary. He didn't mean to let that snake out at the zoo. It had said that it wanted to go to Brazil. Harry was only trying to help it. It didn't have to scare Dudley, though. Even though Harry knew his cousin deserved much worse than just a friendly hug from a snake. He certainly could have gone without the scolding and present imprisonment due to an overzealous Boa. Uncle Vernon was livid. To make matters worse Dudley made it his summer's mission to make Harry's life even more hellish than spending it in a cupboard. Hunting Harry isn't a fun game at all Harry mused. Suddenly, the cupboard opens. Harry blinked at the shock of light now erupting into the cubby hole. Uncle Vernon glared at him then walks away. Harry figured he can be let out of the cupboard for a bit and takes this opportunity to stretch his legs and see if he could eat. Maybe he could take a shower too!
"There's a post delivery!" Aunt Petunia declares as Harry makes his way to the restroom. He only half pays it any mind. He spent an awfully long time in the cupboard this time and he really needed to pee.
When he got back out he noticed his three relatives crowding around a letter. Curious Harry approached the three and saw that the letter was addressed to him. Addressed to him! It even stated that he lived in the cupboard! That's amazing! Uncle Vernon looked confused as he silently read the letter. Well he looked shocked, frightened and confused. Aunt Petunia, reading over his shoulder, furrowed her brows and pursed her lips.
"Well, how did they find him? How do they know where he sleeps!?" Petunia was flabbergasted.
"Um, can I read my letter?" Harry thought it was time he spoke up. Who were they? Were they going to take him away? Harry hoped so. The Dursley's ignored his request.
"What does it say? I want to read it!" Dudley erupts loudly and makes a grab at the letter. Uncle Vernon crumples up the letter before he can get it and Harry made a distressed sound. His letter! It was the only thing ever addressed to him. The only thing that was HIS!
"It was a mistake. It wasn't meant for you, boy. But just in case…" Uncle Vernon paused to think about something. "We're moving your room to Dudley's second room. You'll be sleeping there from now on."
Dudley erupted again about the injustice of such an act and why does Harry get his room anyway? Never mind that the room was currently being used to store Dudley's old and broken toys. Harry eyed the crumpled up piece of paper clenched in Uncle Vernon's meaty fist with dismay. His letter…he didn't care about the room. He just wanted to read that letter.
The next day another letter addressed to Harry arrives from the post. Harry stared wide eyed as the address was specific enough to be addressed to Harry in the smallest room at 4 Privet Drive. Who ever these people were, they knew where Harry was all the time. If they wanted Harry they could just come and get him, right? Over the next few weeks, Harry witnessed just how determined these people were. He was so happy when the letters just kept coming and coming. Dozens of them. All addressed to him. Uncle Vernon tried everything to keep the posts from coming but Harry knew; they really wanted him! Harry was never able to read any of the letters but just their presence was amazing to him. They came on Sunday too. Bursting through the chimney and scaring the family half to death. Vernon took them to a hotel and they came there too. Vernon drove around endlessly to avoid the letters and eventually they shacked up in a, well, a shack. Harry sat up in bed and watched the door of the building while Dudley snored. His birthday was tonight, he knew that something big was going to happen. Those letters were important and he knew they wouldn't stop. This time he wanted to read one.
A loud knock on the door startled the residents of the shack. Somehow, Harry knew it was going to happen. He looked toward his Uncle Vernon as the man raced toward the door with a shotgun in his hands. Harry hoped with all his little body that his uncle wouldn't harm his rescuer. He knew it was his rescuer, he just knew it! His uncle opened the door and there was an audible gasp from everyone. Behind that door was the biggest man Harry had ever seen. He was hairy and just…huge. The man wasted no time grabbing Uncle Vernon's gun and bending it with his bare hands. Harry heard Aunt Petunia make a strangled noise somewhere to his left and Dudley's mouth was hanging open in awe. The giant of a man lumbered in the door, eyes locked onto Harry's wide ones. He held out a…birthday cake?
"Ya think I could 'ave a cuppa tea after such a long journey?" He directs this at Aunt Petunia and she bobs her head erratically. He turns his gaze back to Harry. "'allo. 'arry!"
:
Eris adjusted her robes for the third time. They didn't sit right, she was sure of it. The cut was bad. She'd have to talk to Narcissa about it. Her father was completely hopeless when it came to feminine attire. She didn't want to be in the book store anymore either. They got her books for school a while ago but now Snape was just…browsing. She knew Draco was going to be fitted for his robes soon. Maybe she could swing by there and get an adjustment for her own.
"Don't fidget. It shows a chaotic mind." Her father's nasally voice reached her ears and pulled her out of her thoughts.
"I have a busy mind, father. I thought you would approve. It means I think of all possibilities in a situation to better react." Eris dropped her hands to her side anyway.
She looked up to her father's face to see a slight smile placed on his thin lips. Perhaps she got her lips, nose and eyes from her mother. Her hair definitely resembled Severus Snape but as where he was tall, lanky and all hard featured, she was short and soft. Plus, she dodged a bullet on getting that nose.
"If you spend all of your time thinking you might miss your chance to react." Snape never fails to deliver a lesson when given a chance. Eris adored that in him. He was always the teacher whereas she was always hungry to learn. He took pity on her though and sent her away while he continued to browse the bookshelf.
Eris made her way to Madam Malkin's in search of Draco. As she entered the building she could hear Draco talking animatedly about Quidditch. She rolled her eyes. They boy loved his Quidditch and whoever he was talking to was in for a lengthy discussion. She saw that Draco was chatting with a confused looking boy with big round glasses and messy black hair. He was about her size which meant that he was small for his age, which she assumed was the same as her and Draco.
"I heard the Slytherin dorms were top notch at Hogwarts. I'm going to be a Slytherin. There really isn't any other house that is better and I won't settle for anything else." Draco said haughtily. The boy he was talking to couldn't have looked more lost.
"I think you just might make it into Hufflepuff, Draco" Eris said with a little quirk of her lips. Draco saw her and made a face. "I think you have the qualities to make a fine and just leader in the house. Plus their colors match your hair."
"You're being disgusting." Draco simply replied. His face scrunched up to show her just how disgusted he really was
. The dark haired boy swiveled his head to look at Eris and she caught sight of his open wonder. He had no idea what the hell was going on. Eris' eye twitched. What she hated above all else was incompetence. Perhaps the boy was mentally ill. "Just because your father is the head of Slytherin house doesn't mean you're the perfect match for it."
"Of course it does." Eris stated this as if it was a common known fact. There are no doubts when it came to where the sorting hat will place her. She decided to ignore the dark haired boy for the time being. She figured that she would say something snarky if she was addressing him. Being openly hostile to someone usually took more effort than she was willing to give. She felt a couple of cloth styles being displayed on a counter before deciding on one that she liked. She should probably get a new robe like Draco. It wouldn't do to have an old style when she started school. "Did you hear, Draco, the headmaster has forbid my father from giving me points during my stay at Hogwarts. He seems to think it's a conflict of interest."
"Well that's not fair! I knew that old idiot would do something like that!" Draco showed just the right amount of anger. Eris was pleased. She snuck a look at the mysterious boy again. He had seemed to go into himself. Probably thinking.
Harry was thinking about a lot of things. He was thinking of the spoiled sounding boy named Draco and the strange girl who seemed to be pretending Harry wasn't there. Draco reminded Harry of Dudley and it put a sour taste in his mouth. He didn't think he wanted to continue their conversation anymore even though Draco seemed to have forgotten him in loo of chatting with the girl who came in. The girl…Harry wished the girl would talk to him. She looked friendly. She had nice looking eyes and a mouth that seemed to be on the verge of smiling but never quite reaching there. She wasn't scowling or acting haughty but seemed as though she was naturally aloof and managed to be graceful effortlessly. He made the connection that it was flawless confidence she wore like a crown. Like she was a princess in her own world. Harry's thoughts traveled to the things Draco was talking about earlier. He guessed he had to ask Hagrid about this Quidich and Hufflstuff or whatever. Harry didn't even know what a slithereen was.
Just then Hagrid came back and told Harry it was time to go. As he was following the giant out he heard the girl say to Draco that he should say goodbye to him. So she DID see him! Draco's voice followed him out the door.
"See you in school!"
Harry gave a little wave and started on Hagrid about his questions.
:
Eris picked an imaginary piece of lint off Draco's robe and smirked when he started brushing at himself self consciously. They were allowing their trunks to be placed on the train and waiting for a chance to enter a cabin when Eris overheard a group of excited children say a name. A name that made her belly hurt. It felt like a rock apparated right into the bottom of her stomach.
"Did they just say something about Harry Potter?" Draco asked her. Eris' jaw clenched. The Boy Who Lived. The boy who just happened to survive an attack against the greatest dark wizard of all time when he was just an infant. Ever since she first heard the story of Harry Potter and realized its truth (rather than a fairy tale she first thought) she had wanted to know how. How did he survive?
"I do believe they did." She heard herself answering. She sounded distant even to herself. Harry Potter has always been nothing more than a name and a story to her. Granted, it was a fantastic story but she never believed she'd meet the boy. "They said he was on the train."
"Who's on the train?" Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle strolled up to where Eris and Draco were standing. She wasn't sure which one had spoken but neither did she care. They were practically the same mindless person anyway. She tolerated them because they were Draco's friends but she hardly ever talked to them herself. She waited for Draco to answer their question.
"Harry Potter is supposed to be on the train to Hogwarts!" Draco said excitedly. Eris was biting the inside of her cheek. She was relatively sure she was schooling her facial features but her gaze kept drifting to the train. He could be in one of those cabins. Right now, he could be sitting on a bench just waiting for her to interrogate him. She was just itching to ask what spell he used. Would he remember? Probably not since he was only a baby. Was it innate magic? How would he look? Would power radiate from him in the form of a visible aura like she imagined when she was younger? It took her a bit to realize Draco was addressing her.
"What?" She asked.
"I said, 'we should try to find him. He would be a powerful ally to have at school'" Draco looked irritated at having to repeat himself.
"Yes, yes let's find him." Eris nodded absently but the boys were already boarding the train eagerly. She followed slowly after them.
It didn't take long to find the cabin that housed The Boy Who Lived. They just followed the hushed whispers of awestruck passengers until someone pointed out the exact place. Draco, Crabbe and Goyle barged in while Eris hung back. She was still able to see a little inside. She saw someone with strikingly red hair and someone with dark unruly hair.
"…everyone knows the Weasleys have red hair, freckles and more children than they can afford…" She heard Draco's more haughty voice and whipped her head to the shock of red hair she had seen. Sure enough, Ronald Weasley was sitting on the bench and his face was steadily becoming as red as his hair. His brother was Charlie Weasley, Eris' first and most secret crush. She could feel her cheeks start to grow warm. Wait a minute, if the red haired boy was a Weasley then that means the dark haired boy must be…
"It's important to make friends with the right people, Harry." Draco continued, holding out his hand toward the boy. Eris strained to take a look at how Harry Potter looked. Then she recognized him.
"The boy from Madam Malkin's…" Eris whispered incredulously. The boy must have heard her, though, because he turned his head and looked at her. She admitted to herself that he didn't look as dumb as he did at the robe shop but he certainly did not measure up to how she always envisioned the mighty Harry Potter to look. He was too skinny, too short, too messy and too glassy. He had tape holding those spectacles together for crying out loud! This couldn't be Harry Potter…it confused her and Eris didn't like to be confused.
Harry could see the girl was confused. Her brows were furrowed and she had a slight frown on her face. He was too, a little bit. How does Draco get off insulting his first friend, Ron, and then expect him to be friends with him just like that?
"No thanks. I think I can judge for myself who the right kinds of people are." Harry turned steely eyes back to Draco. "I think I'm going to stick with Ron."
Needless to say Draco was not amused. More like mortified and Eris watched as the tips of his ears enflamed. He was about to start a fight, she knew it. With Crabbe and Goyle there too, Eris didn't think the undersized boys stood a chance so she decided it was time to step in. She allowed Draco to say whatever he wanted most of the time but occasionally her inner voice (which sounded a lot like her father) would tell her enough was enough. She made a discreet cough but it alerted Draco of her displeasure. He turned to look at her, scowl still firmly on his face.
"You're acting ugly." Eris declared bluntly. It was the deadpan voice and the perfectly schooled features that warned Draco to stop his advancement. Crabbe and Goyle looked from her back to Draco, waiting for an order to do something. Draco lowered his eyes then turned back to Harry.
"You made a mistake and you will live to regret it." He sneered.
"I'll take my chances." Harry replied. His eyes would occasionally flicker to Eris but she chose to ignore it.
Draco stormed away, briefly looking at Eris, his eyes promising retribution later. She raised her eyebrows in an "oh really?" sort of way and watched as he and his two friends hurried down the hall.
"Are you going to ask to be my friend too?" She heard Harry say. She turned to look at him. His chin was raised but the wary look in his eye and the continuous swallowing gave away his nervousness. Instead of the strong glowing aura she expected from Harry Potter, all she saw was a small scared and clueless little boy. She was disappointed. It was probably an accident that deterred the Dark Lord away from him as an infant. A story that was blown into something bigger than it was.
"No," Eris said. "I don't want to be your friend." And with that she turned sharply and followed in the direction Draco had gone. She missed the slightly rejected look Harry gave her completely. He wouldn't have minded becoming friends with HER.
:
"OF COURSE YOU would end up in Slytherin," A slightly awed voice brought Eris away from picking at her food. She wasn't sure if school was considered pubic and shouldn't be eating. Should she wait until students began to filter out before sating her hunger? Should she go to the banquet hall before students arrived from now on? She looked up and was face to face with Pansy Parkinson. Her normally narrow snide eyes were wide with wonder.
"Did you doubt it?" Eris raised an eyebrow. Pansy was an alright type of person when you got past her incredible need for acceptance. Eris allowed only minor sucking up before she told Pansy to back off. Perhaps now that they were in school together she could train the girl to stick up for herself. Eris amused herself briefly by thinking she was a humanitarian.
"OF COURSE not! You are the queen of Slytherin! Even the seventh year students are saying it." Pansy took her seat next to Draco (Who was currently still NOT talking to Eris).
"Are they now?" Eris snorted. A very feminine snort but a snort nonetheless.
She took a peek down the length of the table to see quite a few fellow Slytherins holding their glass up toward her in cheers or smiling and nodding their head to her. It must be because of her father. She swiveled her head toward the teacher's table. She saw a man in a turbine nervously shifting his eyes around. Headmaster Dumbledore was busy eating and smiling to himself. Professor McGonagall was speaking softly to Professor Sprout. Then she saw her father. He was currently glaring at something at the Gryffindor table. She looked and saw Harry Potter looking back at Snape with confusion and not a little bit of fear. Then Harry turned to Slytherin table and they met eyes. Eris felt one side of her lips lift in a half smile and she lifted her cup in a mocking "cheers" to Harry.
"Is that Harry Potter?" Pansy had caught the exchange. "He doesn't look all that great to me."
"No he doesn't, I agree." Eris turned back to the dark haired girl.
"Why did you interfere earlier then!?" Draco decided to jump into the conversation the girls were having.
He was listening the whole time anyway. Why was Eris "Queen of Slytherin"? Did that make him King? Would that mean he and Eris would have to…be together? Draco didn't really know what to think of that. His eleven year old mind saying it was ok because they were always together anyway. His more mature mind was saying things like "but she's like your sister! Gross!" His more mature mind wasn't all that mature…
"I stopped you from making a fool of yourself because you aren't supposed to be acting like a fool." Eris' tone was starting to take the tone of Draco's father and he hated when it did that. "A Malfoy doesn't succumb to anger. When he feels wronged he gets even."
"Yeah! We should get even with that Potter kid!" Pansy's cheeks were getting flushed with excitement and Eris gave her a little smile. The girl would go along with anything if it meant she was going along with the majority.
"Like how, Oh Queen of Slytherin?" Draco stressed the nick name and Eris rolled her eyes. She knew he would get touchy about that. She could never have anything over him. He always try to find a way to put them back on even ground.
"I was not the one that was wronged, your Highness, King of Slytherin." Eris made sure to raise her voice enough so that several other Slytherins would hear her declare him even with her. "You must decide that on your own."
Draco smiled at her with affection and dipped his head low to whisper his plan. Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle also moved their heads in. They loved to conspire and who was Eris to stop them? It might be funny to watch.
:
That night, in the Gryffindor dorms, Harry dreamt:
He was in darkness and there was something on his head. Harry reached up and felt the hat. It was the turbine that Professor Quirrell, the stuttering man, always wore. Harry tried to take it off but it wouldn't budge.
"You should have been in Slytherin. Switch now before it's too late. Switch because in Slytherin lies your destiny!" He heard something say. It took him a little bit before he realized that it was the turbine speaking. Much like the sorting hat did.
"No!" Harry said with a small amount of panic. The hat wouldn't come off! He pulled and pulled but it wouldn't move!
"You were meant to be there! Your destiny is in Slytherin!" The turbine was becoming more and more shrill.
Suddenly a blonde boy stepped out of the shadows. Harry recognized him as Draco Malfoy, the boy he refused earlier on the train. The boy he first met at the robe store. Malfoy started laughing at him. That's when Harry noticed the turbine getting heavier and heavier on his head. Malfoy's laughing continued while the turbine repeated its demands that Harry go to Slytherin and got heavier still. Malfoy then morphed into Professor Snape, the angry looking potions teacher who stared at him so hatefully at dinner. Professor Snape laughed at him too but Harry's line of vision was cut off by the hat as it got so heavy it started to move down Harry's head. Harry was beyond panicked and bordering on hysteria. The hat was trying to eat him!
As fast at it all began, Harry noticed that it stopped. The hat was silent but still unbearably heavy. The laughing was no more and Harry wondered if Draco or Snape was still their. Then he felt something lift the hat up and off his head. He lifted his gaze only high enough to see long black hair and a wand pointed right at his face.
"You idiot." The voice said before a green light erupted from the wand.
Harry woke with a start and immediately put his hand to where the lightning shaped scar was. It throbbed painfully. He knew he had had a nightmare but for the life of him, he couldn't remember anything about it. He wondered if it was important.
:
Eris knew that school was going to be painfully easy. Her father had started her on a tutoring regimen when she was seven. Most of the things she was learning her first year at Hogwarts she had already been tested in. The only problem she foresaw in her education was classes like "History of Magic". Severus had never deemed it important enough to prepare her for it. Why was it important to know the origins of spells? It was only important to know what the spells did and how it could be used to your advantage. Classes went by like a blur and before she knew it a week went by. She sat with the rest of her class during breakfast morning and smiled to herself as they laughed about her skills in Professor Flitwicks class.
"You should have seen their faces!" Pansy was still laughing about it as she recounted the class to a group of Slytherins a year ahead of her. "That bushy haired girl in Gryffindor was just looking all smug after being the first to correctly use the Wingardium Liviosa charm when Eris decided to put her in her place."
"We all knew Eris was holding back at first" An attractive boy named Blaise cut in. Eris thought he looked interesting with all his darkness and foreign features. Even as young as he was, Blaise managed to turn a few eyes.
"Oh, yes, of COURSE she was" Pansy continued. "She wanted to give that filthy girl a false sense of accomplishment."
A few Slytherin laughed at that and Pansy positively glowed in their attention. Draco arrived in then and decided to give his take on what happened as well. His eyes were glowing with pride.
"She just flicked her wand like nothing, said the charm and all of the books on Gryffindor's side lifted right up above their heads." Draco grinned then and shot her a look. Eris took a sip of her juice and managed to look nonchalant.
"Yes, yes and then she let the books fall..." Blaise continued.
"Right on their heads!" Pansy, who was starting to grow irritated with the boys interrupting HER story, cut in with a jovial squeal. The Slytherins listening to the story started laughing like it was the funniest thing in the world.
"Harry Potter moved out of the way though." Even though she enjoyed receiving praise she also knew that losing oneself in it is a sure way to self delusion. Her father never let her become conceited and always managed to find something she needed to improve upon. Plus it sounded like she was humble and that's always a good trait to have.
"Yeah, but he'll get his sure enough." Draco smiled cruelly as he thought of all the things he could do to Potter.
:
On the other side of the Banquet Hall Harry received his first letter via Owl. It was from Hagrid inviting him for tea after school. He couldn't wait to see Hagrid again…He could, however, wait forever for his Potions class. That Professor Snape seemed to really hate him by all the sharp looks he directed at Harry. He wasn't looking forward to having to sit in his class.
Harry had been right to be apprehensive. Potions class was horrible. Professor Snape kept asking him all of these hard questions and OF COURSE Harry wouldn't know them but he kept asking just so he'd be singled out in class. Hermoine, a very smart girl with bushy hair that Harry wanted to befriend but who was a little reclusive, kept raising her hand. SHE knew the answers so why didn't Snape ask her? Eris wasn't even paying attention! It looked like the dark haired girl was doodling on a piece of parchment the entire class. Professor Snape didn't even look at her. Harry couldn't believe it.
It wasn't until his meeting with Hagrid that it started to make sense. He found out that Draco's family had been involved in the first wizarding war but had managed to get out of punishment. He also found out that Eris was Professor Snape's daughter. Eris was Eris Snape. She was becoming more and more of an untouchable figure. Not only was she best friends with the boy who tried to make Harry's life hell in Hogwarts but she was the child of a Professor who was trying to do the same thing. Her actions during charms have led Harry to believe she is the same as everyone else in Slytherin. He was misled by her innocent looks. She just SEEMED nice.
Harry let Ron go ahead to the dorms so he could fume by himself. He wandered around the halls and it wasn't long until he realized he was horribly lost. He saw a figure shuffling slowly up ahead. The person's silhouette contrasted against the sunset through the window. Since he came to Hogwarts, Harry as seen many strange things like ghosts, elves, and sinister potions masters so it was understandable that he was frightened by what could possible be up ahead.
"Are you lost?" A small girl's voice said. So, the figure was a girl. Perhaps she was a student or a ghost and could help him find his way back to Gryffindor's Dorms.
"Eh, yeah. I'm looking for Gryffindor Common room." Harry said as the girl approached but as she neared Harry recognized her and slowly trailed off. Eris Snape. Yes, he WOULD run into her, wouldn't he?
"You're in the wrong area. It's nearing the other side of this wing. You'll come across stairs to the right that will move into the direction you'll want to go." Eris pointed back to the direction Harry had come from. "You should recognize the area then and be able to find your way back."
"Thanks…" Harry said cautiously. Was it a joke? Was she leading him in the wrong direction? "Why…?"
"Because I have no reason not to, Harry." Eris sounded irritated. "Hurry or you'll be caught out after curfew."
"What about you? You're out too." Harry felt his irritation rise.
"No I'm not and you'll tell no one I am." Eris' eye's narrow as she glares at him. "Don't make an enemy out of me. You've got your hands full with Draco as it is."
"So you can pull that prank in charms and get away with it?" She was just as bad as Draco was!
"Granger is a know-it-all that needs to be brought down a peg or two sometimes." Eris smiles cruelly. "I think she might be my rival in academia."
That gave Harry a pause. Hermoine WAS a little bit of a know-it-all but Hermoine never did anything out of spite. Hermoine was friendly and never arrogant. Harry voiced this too her. Eris blinked and tilted her head to the side but didn't reply. Harry sighed angrily.
"Thank you for the directions. I won't tell anyone you were out here." He said stiffly and turned to walk away. She was just like all the others.
:
To say flying lessons with Madam Hooch was eventful would be an understatement. Eris was still rankling after Harry's cold words the night before. She was so not arrogant! So she didn't stop Pansy from picking on Nevelle and Parvati nor did she stop Draco from baiting Harry. This will let him know just how much she was helping him in the past. Why if it wasn't for her interference on the train then Draco, Crabbe and Goyle would have smashed Ron and Harry! She had been declining many of their potential pranks since then, as well! Eris ignored all of the interactions and took that free time to look at Ronald Weasley.
He wasn't at all like Charlie! Sure there were some similarities (namely the red hair) but Ron's older brothers, Fred and George had more in common with the legendary seeker, Charlie. Ron was awkward and dimwitted. Charlie was adventurous and confident. She remembered the day Charlie patted her on the head and called her a little genius. He had been in fifth year at the time but had already shown promise to be a fine wizard. She, being the wide eyed seven year old that she was, had only eyes for Charlie.
She met him on one of her many visits to Hogwarts growing up. Snape had her visit a couple of teachers for private lessons when they had free time. She ran into him and a couple of his friends when she got lost in the hallways. He smiled at her and asked if she was a first year. She called him stupid because she was quite clearly too young to be a first year. She told him she was going to classes because her father wanted her to be ready for Hogwarts when she turned eleven. He called her a genius then, a crooked smile on his handsome face. He had then excused himself from his group of friends and walked her to the correct place.
During that time she asked many questions just like 7 year olds do. Who was he, how old was he, what did he do here, what did he want to do, what house was he in, why is his hair like that, and when can she see him again. He answered every one of them, still with that smile on his face.
She would visit him often when she was at Hogwarts. Eris would watch when he practiced Quidditch and sometimes went to his games. His friends would laugh at him and say that she was his "girlfriend". It pleased her when they said that. Charlie would laugh it off as if it truly didn't matter if she was his girlfriend or not.
Eris smiled when she thought of it. It wasn't until she noticed Ron's horrified face that she realized she was smiling adoringly at him. Mortified Eris turned away and decided to see what Harry was doing. Harry was up in the air with Draco and the two were saying something. What on earth was going on? Why were those two idiots up in the air? What happened to Madam Hooch?
"What?" Eris said as she looked up.
"Oh? Back are you?" Blaise said and Pansy giggled beside him. "You were staring off into space and totally missed Nevelle falling off his broom. Madam Hooch took him to Madam Pomfery."
"Now Draco and Harry are up there because Draco took Nevelle's remembrall and Harry is trying to get it back." Pansy added.
"I really missed all of that?" Eris was shocked. She could feel her cheeks reddening. She didn't realize she had gone off into herself that much. She guessed she missed Charlie. He was off on an adventure in Romania, though. Did he remember her?
Draco looked down at her and smiled. She raised her hand to her forehead to block out a bit of the sun and waved to him.
"What do you think he's going to do?" Pansy asked.
"He's going to make the puppy fetch." Eris answered simply. Just then Draco tossed the ball in his hand once and chucked it across the field with all his might. Harry took off after it faster than Eris would have thought. The remembrall fell towards the ground and Harry dove toward it, his hand outstretched. It was only when his hand enclosed around it and landed smoothly that Eris realized her mouth was hanging open. For a moment, Harry looked like Charlie.
"Skillful." Eris breathlessly whispered.
Harry was taken away by Professor McGonagall then and the Slytherins laughed joyously at his misfortune. Draco seemed to think that Harry was going to be expelled. Eris doubted it. She knew McGonagall went to just as many Quidditch games as Eris, if not more. Plus, she could see the almost excited gleam in the old woman's eyes. Harry was a Quidditch player before he even knew what that was.
:
Eris was wandering the halls again. It had been a couple of months since the beginning of the school year. Since then Eris often walked the halls when everyone else was either in the banquette hall or in the common room. She found that it calmed her mind when she had too much to think about. She was plagued with an unquiet mind. There were so many possibilities, so many spells, so many things to do, so many memories and so many dreams. Her father tried subtly to tell her not to think so much all the time but it never seemed to matter. She visited Headmaster Dumbledore a couple of times in the past and he said that in his youth he had had the same problem. Then he offered her a lemon drop. She often wondered about if she was going to go mad like Dumbledore. Just another thing that flitted through her mind.
Eris stopped when she heard and ominous "thump thump scrape. Thump thump scrape" echo behind her in the hall. She swallowed fearfully and turned to see what it was. Troll, troll, troll, troll, troll, troll she repeated over and over again in her head before slowly turning back around. Maybe it didn't see her. Eris looked around for somewhere she could escape. If she moved now, it'll surely notice her! Eris groaned inwardly as the beast continued along its pathway. It was almost on top of her!
:
Harry and Ron were currently looking for Hermoine. She had to be warned about the Troll in the castle. The boys hurried down one hall when Harry stopped and grabbed Ron's arm.
"What is it?" Ron asked but noticed the small figure hurrying along the wall in the next hall.
All they saw in the dark was a girl running as fast as she possibly could. That's when they noticed the lumbering form of a twelve foot troll swiftly following after its prey, large club in its hand. Ron and Harry exchanged looks before racing after the two.
"Was that Hermoine?" Ron huffed beside him.
"Does it matter?" Harry replied. Ron made a grunt beside him and rounded the corner. He saw the girl narrowly escaping a swing of the club, scramble under the troll's legs and dive into a room. The creature followed closely after. That's when he heard a scream. "Come on!"
Ron and Harry entered the bathroom and saw Hermoine crouched against the far wall, fearfully looking up at the Troll. Harry rushed forward immediately, climbing on the back of the tall beast. He stuck his wand in its nose hearing it howl in pain. He noticed another girl in one of the stalls. He only saw her for a moment and then he heard another wail of pain, from his position from atop the troll's back he saw Eris had rushed forward and using a trash bin slammed it down on the monster's foot.
"It's called Wingardium Liviosa, Weasley! Use it!" Eris yelled. Ron tried once and failed. Eris dodged the club again knocking the bin against the thing's knee and Harry shoved his wand further into the troll's nose. It spun around wildly and clipped Eris in the shoulder, she grunted and fell. Hermoine acted then, running forward and pulling the other girl out of harms way just as one huge foot slammed where she once was. She mumbled a pain filled thanks.
"Ron, we don't have wands!" Hermoine wailed. "It's swoop and swoosh!"
This time Ron got it right. He took the club right out of the trolls hand and used it to knock the thing unconscious. Harry rode it all the way down rolling over its head as it hit the floor, the girls long since scrambling away.
"Good job Ronald!" Hermoine grinned at him. Ron beamed and Harry agreed as he pulled his wand from the nose, a trail of snot dangled from it.
"Better late then never." Eris grumbled clutching her shoulder.
"You Okay?" Harry asked as he took a tissue from a stall and wiped his wand clean.
"Yes, It'll bruise is all. I owe you for saving me. I saw you and Ron down the hallway as I was running."
"You don't owe us anything." Harry smiled at her.
"Yes I do!" Eris yelled. She glared at the confused Gryffindors. Were they all stupid?
"Yeah right, what were we supposed to do? Let it get you" Ron started getting red in the face.
"Then I wouldn't owe you anything!" Eris said as if it should be obvious. Her Shoulder was throbbing. Just then the teachers entered the area. They took sight of the unconscious Troll and the four students.
"What on earth were you children doing?" Professor McGonagall asked incredulously. "We asked that all the students return to their common rooms!"
"It's my fault, Professor!" Hermoine spoke up before the other kids could. "I heard about the Troll and I thought I could defeat it on my own. I would have died if Ron and Harry hadn't come along."
"We couldn't have done anything if Eris hadn't helped." Harry spoke up. He quickly looked sideways at her and she understood. He was offering her a chance to pay him back. He's smarter than he looked. However, if she told the teachers the truth then she could get in trouble for being out in the halls as well as everyone else. It's for her benefit as well. She would still owe him.
"Is this true Eris?" Her father asked her. All of the teachers turned to look at her. Eris eyed a rather peculiar cut on her father's leg before he moved the robe over it. What on earth? She also noticed Harry saw the same thing.
"Yes. I wasn't in the Banquet Hall with the other students as the announcement was made. I guess, in my case, it was just a matter of being in the wrong place at the right time." They seemed to accept this.
"Well that was a very dangerous and stupid thing for you to do Hermoine! I would have thought you knew better that to do something like that! Five points from Gryffindor." Hermoine lowered her eyes with just the right amount of shame. Professor McGonagall turned her eyes to Harry, Ron, and Eris. "However, because of you other three, a potentially tragic night was halted. Ten Points each to your houses."
:
After the incident with the Troll, Eris noticed that the three Gryffindors became fast friends. The weeks went by and then weeks turned into months. Harry was made Seeker of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, much to Draco's dismay, before the troll attacked. Eris would lie completely if someone asked if she ever watched one of his practices. The golden trio ventured to speak to Eris on several occasions, thinking they were chums because Eris had fought with them during a life threatening event. At first she kindly reminded them who she was and that they hadn't changed. Then she simply let the other Slytherins have at them whenever they started getting close. Crabbe and Goyle made sufficient guards and Eris finally understood why Draco kept them around. Pansy had practically become Eris' shadow, emulating her in every way. She never shied away from letting her sharp tongue become a weapon to the three. Blaise was also good company.
Eris asked her father what happened to his leg only once. She had received the worse scolding of her life on prying into secret affairs that she never asked again. Eris allowed Draco to play a couple of pranks on Harry because she most certainly didn't want the boy thinking she was protecting him in anyway. Harry almost got in trouble when Draco tricked him into going out after curfew but he somehow managed to escape punishment.
Then came the day of the big game. Eris heard a couple students comparing Harry to Charlie Weasley. And even though she is well aware of Harry's innate skill, she hesitated at going as far as calling it Charlie-like.
The game didn't go well, though. Harry's broom was obviously hexed and many times Eris had to bite her tongue to keep herself from crying out in alarm when Harry almost fell. She also punched Draco in the thigh when he started laughing, ignoring the receiving glare. She couldn't help herself with that one nor did she apologize later. After a while of this another commotion occurred in the teacher's stands. Apparently a fire broke out under the bleachers. All in all, it wasn't a very good game.
Christmas came around and Eris was given the option of going to the Malfoy's. She did and received many fine gifts. The Malfoy's seemed to dote on her. Lucious was exceptionally giving this year. She got a very pretty flower (but VERY poisonous) from Narcissa, her father sent word that there will be a few of the more rare ingredients to potions in her private stash, and Lucious gave her a beautiful dagger. He told her that it never dulled and could cut through most things in one swipe. She cherished it.
When school started again things went back to normal. Draco bragged about the many gifts he got and the rest of the Slytherins oohed and aahed respectfully. Eris had taken to keeping the dagger within her robes. It was quickly becoming her favorite thing in the world.
"So Professor Snape is Referee for the upcoming Slytherin vs. Gryffindor game? That is so cool!" Pansy rattled off beside her. "We are definitely going to win."
"Perhaps" Eris felt the weight of the dagger with every step she took. What had prompted Lucious to give it to her? She never expressed a desire for such things before.
"Of COURSE we'll win!" Pansy's voice always rose when she said "of course" and Eris silently kept count how many times she's said it…and how many times she was wrong.
:
Harry suited up in his Quidditch attire and waited for the game to start. Hermione, Ron and he had been very busy lately. Harry had found a very curious mirror and saw his family in it. They had found a room with a hidden trap door, guarded fiercely by a three headed dog named Fluffy. They found that the item most likely held under the monster was none other that a thing called the Sorcerer's Stone, made by a man named Nicholas Flamel. Harry remembered something about an item being removed from Gringotts before starting school. It had to have been that item. And that item is most likely being pursued by Snape. Harry idly wondered if Eris was in on it too then quickly dismissed it. She was just as taken back by Snape's leg wound that night with the troll. She had no idea what her father was planning.
Eris was something of a mystery to Harry. Of course, she had always been just that. Ever since he saw her in the robe shop and she chose to ignore him. Nothing has really changed but sometimes she pays attention to him. Sometimes it seemed like she was very interested in him. Harry had saw Eris a couple of times, watching Gryffindor practice. He didn't mistake the kind smile on her face as he caught ball after ball of practice snitches.
Oliver Wood gave a motivational speech to his fellow teammates that Harry only listened to with half an ear. He'll catch the snitch. He will catch it despite Snape being referee.
:
Eris had sat in between Draco and Blaise during the game, Pansy flanking on Blaise's side. She remembered it perfectly. The smell of air and sound of the broadcaster doing a play-by-play and the warmth of her cheeks; she remembered everything with perfect clarity. Harry caught the snitch in record time and Eris managed to breathe properly after some effort. He had looked bloody brilliant.
And now she was picking grass off her robes and cursing Draco for talking her into spying on Harry and his little friends. Eris normally wouldn't do it but Draco mentioned dragons. Dragons reminded Eris of Charlie.
"Are you sure they are hatching dragons in that hut?" Eris drawled.
"They already hatched the dragon! Look!" Draco whispered furiously. Eris scrambled up to peek in the giant's window.
Sure enough, Harry, Granger, and the younger Weasley were crowded around a newly hatched Norwegian Ridgeback. The giant, Hagrid, was feeding it jerky. Eris furrowed her brows.
"Although, the dragon is really young, I'd say that it's about a week or two old. It's getting quite large." Eris prided herself on her knowledge of Dragons as well as other magical creatures. She found them endlessly fascinating regardless of what Charlie liked.
The dragon burped and singed the end of Hagrid's beard. He laughed adoringly but the three Gryffindor's exchanged worried glances. That's when Harry moved his eyes toward the window and saw her and Draco. Eris pulled the boy down and gasped.
"He saw us?" Draco asked.
"Yes. Let's get out of here." Draco was already running toward the castle and Eris quickly took off after him. She spared a look over her shoulder and saw Harry looking out the window with an unreadable expression on his face. Eris picked up her speed and didn't look back again.
The next morning Eris was confronted by the golden trio. She figured they thought she was the more approachable of the two witnesses the night before.
"What are you planning to do?" Harry was the first to ask. Eris remained silent for a bit and looked thoughtfully at the messy haired boy.
"Are you going to tell on Norbert?" Weasley rushed out after the moment of silence. Hermoine was worrying her bottom lip but trying to glare at Eris.
"Is that his name?" Eris smiled.
"Don't tell anyone about him, okay?" Harry was begging now. Eris sneered at him. How could she think this little boy was brilliant the other week?
"What makes you think I haven't already?" Eris turned and walked away. She didn't miss the worried looks of the three. Eris stopped and looked over her shoulder at the two as they started to turn away from her; Harry was still looking at her, waiting. Eris sighed; she was just too lenient when it came to creatures. "He's illegal you know. To be kept uncontrolled. Perhaps the older Weasley could take him. He deals with dragons, right?"
Ron whipped his head around in complete surprise and stared at her with wide eyes. Eris rolled hers and continued on her way. She didn't miss the hushed, "thank you" but she didn't care who it was from. It was probably Harry.
:
Draco entered the Hall with a flourish of robes and flanked by Crabbe and Goyle. His cheeks where pink and he immediately locked eyes with Eris. She groaned. He's thought up another scheme to get the three Gryffindors into trouble she just knew it. What was his personal vendetta?
"They are going to try and spirit away the dragon tonight at the astronomy tower!" He said as soon as he sat down and grabbed at a piece of toast. "They are going to give it to the Weasel's big brother."
"Charlie?" Eris tried to keep her voice and mannerisms to a neutral level. He was coming to Hogwarts? She didn't think he would be the one to retrieve Norbert. Eris grabbed a piece of fruit and noticed her hands were shaking. Were her cheeks red too? They did seem a bit warm. Was she keeping too quiet? She turned to see if Draco noticed and almost yelped in surprise. He was looking at her slightly amused. His thin eyebrows rose a little while his eyelids drooped. He had an infuriatingly pleased look on his face.
"Yes, CHARLIE, I thought you would have grown out of your crush by now." He smirked and took a large bite out of his toast. "Anyway, do you want to see?"
"Sometimes I think you know me too well." Eris said without venom. Draco knew she liked Charlie when they were both seven and she was too stupid to keep her mouth shut. "Anyway, I HAVE grown out of it. I was just remembering those times."
"Whatever. You're still going to see." It wasn't a question. He was looking sideways at her and smirking. She glared at him in response. Stealing Pansy's words…OF COURSE she was going to go see.
:
"For the record, I hate you." Eris mumbled under her breath.
As it happened, she didn't get to see Charlie. Draco and she were apprehended by Professor McGonagall before they even reached the astronomy tower. Why were so many teachers out wandering the halls in the middle of the night? On the up side, Harry and his merry friends got caught as well.
"No you don't." Draco was SO sure of that was he? She poked him with a walking stick and he yelped in surprise.
"Don't want ya two makin too much ruckus." Hagrid said from somewhere behind them. "You dun want to be scarin the unicorns away do ya?"
They were all trudging through the forbidden forest looking for an injured unicorn. Eris couldn't contain her excitement at seeing a Unicorn. This was detention? She'd step out of line more if that was the case.
"Now, we should split up inta two groups." Hagrid continued.
"Are you sure that's safe?" Eris spoke up and tilted her head at the giant. They were in the FORBIDDEN FOREST. Did he think a couple of first years could handle themselves in this place? Eris was good but she wasn't THAT good.
"You, 'arry, Draco 'n Fang can go together. It's safe if ya stick together." Hagrid gave Eris a crinkly eyed smile. "Ron, 'Moine and me will be alright by erselves. 'Sides, Unicorns wuld be morenlikely to show themselves with a maiden in tha group."
Hermoine and Eris looked at each other and scowled.
So Harry, Draco, her and the dog went off by themselves. Eris still thought it was a complete mistake. From the way Draco was frowning he was thinking along the same lines.
"I think he wants to kill us." Draco mumbled.
"I don't think so. Hagrid is a good man. He wouldn't do anything to put us into trouble if he could help it." Harry, being silent the whole time finally spoke. Eris tilted her head to the side and looked at Harry out of the corner of her eye. He was looking around worriedly, hand on the lantern they were given. He was trailing a little behind Draco and Eris. Fang was leading the way.
"You're being a little too generous with the word 'man'." Draco spat and Harry scowled.
"Did Norbert leave?" Eris decided to change the subject lest she have to break up the inevitable row the two were going to have. Harry sped up a little bit, thankful for the distraction from Draco, until he was walking side by side with Eris. Draco was mumbling under his breath irritably.
"Yeah, we managed to get him out before we were found." Harry grinned and Eris nodded thoughtfully.
"Too bad. It would have been great to see the thing executed and Hagrid arrested." Draco sneered. Eris poked him again with her stick…hard. "Ow! Just because you like Ch—"
Eris poked him again even harder and he grunted to a stop, looking at her with hatred. Eris gave him a treasured grin and he rolled his eyes. All the time Harry was chuckling softly and shaking his head. Harry had no idea the two acted so normal. The three stopped near a clearing in the forest at the sound of Fang's growl. They exchanged glances and quietly walked forward. There, in the middle of the clearing was a unicorn. The Unicorn was lying down and Eris knew instinctually that it was dead. She rushed forward without thinking, her mind in a panic. She heard the boy's call out in alarm before she saw it. A figure was hunched over the unicorn. It was…Eris let out a strangled gasp…eating from the unicorn! Eris tried to stop her running and slid to the ground. Her ankle flamed up in pain. She tried to back away as fast as she could, digging into the ground with her feet despite her sprained ankle. The figure looked up and smiled cruelly, silver unicorn blood dripping from its mouth. That's when she felt the arms grab her from behind.
Draco and Harry grabbed Eris from either side and pulled back with all their might as the robed figure stood up from its prey. Fang pounced in front of the children barking and snarling; trying to protect them.
"We've got to go! Come Eris, get up!" Draco said desperately as the figure slowly approached them.
"I can't! My ankle!" Eris screamed. She couldn't take her eyes away from the menacing robed man. They backed into a fallen branch and hunched low. Harry pulled out his wand but Eris didn't know what he expected to do with it. "Draco, get help! Run and get help!"
"Not leaving you…" Draco began and pulled out his wand as well. Eris allowed herself to think how brave Draco was being before she pulled out the dagger she kept in her robes with one hand and her wand in another.
The figure advanced and Draco slid his body in front of Eris just as Harry did, pushing her almost under the branch. She could no longer see how close the thing was. She thought about making a fuss over it but then heard galloping hooves from on the other side of the branch. The horse creature jumped over the branch and Eris pushed the boys aside just in time to see a centaur land in front of them, successfully running off the robed figure.
He looked magnificent, the centaur, all big and dark. He looked like a warrior and Eris blinked owl-like at him before the boys she was resting on shifted and she fell in between them.
"Harry, we have heard about you." The centaur spoke as Eris struggled to get up with Draco's help. Draco mumbled "everyone has" but Eris ignored it. Harry stood up and brushed himself off.
They were told that Unicorn blood has the ability to give a person immortality but when taken by force, a person is given a half life. They concluded that the person who was drinking the blood of the unicorn must have been He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Eris looked over toward Draco and noticed his nose was scrunched up distastefully. Eris was sure she knew what he was thinking. The Dark Lord was a half life? Impossible! They must be making this up.
:
School went on normally after that. Draco and Eris avoided Harry and his friends like the plague. Their own mind in a whirl. She and Draco never even mentioned what happened in the forbidden forest to each other let alone anyone else. Their exams went by and Eris noticed that Harry and his two friends were looking more and more frantic. They would often be seen with their heads together and whispering fiercely. Eris would exchange a glance at Draco and he would bow his head and walk away. Eris didn't blame Draco for wanting nothing to do with the Gryffindors after what happened. Danger seemed to follow them everywhere.
Then Harry was in the hospital wing. It was near the end of school and everyone was finishing up exams and waiting for summer to begin. Eris saw Weasley and Granger rushing down the hall in near panic toward the hospital wing so she decided to follow them. They were talking to Harry in excited tones about a Sorcerer's Stone and Professor Quirrell and laughing at being safe now. Eris had an idea that she missed out on something bigger than a half-life drinking Unicorn blood.
The school year ended with Gryffindor receiving the House Cup. Harry's eyes traveled across the Hall that evening and looked at Draco and Eris, he was glowing with pride and happiness. Draco scowled, obviously upset about losing the house cup, while Eris inclined her head demurely. Only fools react harshly to disappointment, real Slytherins get even. She told Draco this and he smiled tightly. Pansy and Blaise, always listening in, nodded their agreement.
"Next year, we'll get even." Eris said narrowing her eyes and flicking her lips up in a half smile.
The end