I do not own anything from Harry Potter. That goes to J.K. Rowlings. I only own Avery James.

"Oi, Malfoy, who is that girl?"

Pansy frowned as she pointed to a black haired girl in the Gryffindor reds and golds standing at the end of the staff table. Professor Snape was talking to her with a smirk on his face. In the girl's hands was a piece of paper and she was frowning as she talked to him.

"Who and why is that little mud-blood talking to Snape?" Goyle snorted.

"Who knows? She's a fourth year and I hear that she is three quarters pure blood," Millicent spoke annoyed. "She's the one who always has her hair pulled back in a bun during double potions."

"That's the filth that Professor Snape favors?" Malfoy snorted and looked at his textbook disgusted.

"Oh my god, she just hugged him!" Pansy squeaked and Draco's head shot up but saw the girl walking down from the staff table and sitting down at the very end of the Gryffindor table where there was no one around her.

"Avery James doesn't talk to anyone very often except the professors," Millicent chuckled.

"What do you know about her?" Draco growled.

"Not much more besides the fact that she is far more talented than that mud-blood Granger in skill and knowledge but she doesn't flaunt it like ginger over there. I've only heard of her talking to a student once and it was to Pott-head and she ended up hitting him in potions but she didn't get in trouble by Snape."

"What was it about?" Pansy asked curious.

"Something about summer or something, I don't remember. It was during last year…"

"Potter was complaining about his summer which we all know is nothing to hear about. She just snapped and knocked him out.

"So she hates Potter," Draco stated and Blaise nodded. "This year could be entertaining."

"Good luck, she usually disappeared when someone tries to confront her," Millicent smirked as she pointed to Avery who left the room as Granger started walking over to her.

"I'll see you all back at the common rooms," Draco smirked and got up.

He grabbed his bag and left the Great Hall and saw the girl on the third floor on one of the moving staircases. He followed her as quickly as he could; taking a few short cuts towards the level he knew led to the Gryffindor common rooms. He came to the fat lady as the girl reached the top of the stairs. She froze when she saw him her hand clutching her shoulder bag.

"What's the rush?" Draco smirked and walked towards the girl who stood frozen on the stairs.

"Ho-homework," Avery forced out, her silvery-blue eyes wide.

"What's your deal with Potter?"

"Wh-why do you w-want to know?" He noticed that her hand tightened around her shoulder bag's strap and wanted to laugh at the girl's attitude. "Wh-what is a Sl-Slytherin doing up here?"

"I heard you punched Potter last year and came to ask the details."

"Y-you don't n-need to know my reasons," her silvery-blue eyes narrowed slightly.

"Okay then, why were you talking to Professor Snape rather than McGonagall?"

"I trust him," she whispered, lowering her eyes to the ground.

"Why…?"

"Draco, why are you bothering Miss James?" Snape appeared behind the girl and Draco flinched slightly then froze as he looked at the two. They looked similar besides the eyes. "I suggest you either get back to the Great Hall or to your common rooms. There is no need for you to be hindering Miss James when she has things to do."

"Why are you protecting some Gryffindor? Isn't that McGonagall's job?"

"It would be, yes, but McGonagall and I have made an agreement with Miss James's situation. Now get to where you should be before I remove points from your house," Snape practically growled and Draco saw a small smirk on the girl's face as she lifted her eyes to look at him.

Draco walked past Snape and Avery and walked down the stairs but silently said a spell so he could hear their conversation if there was any.

"Are you okay Avery? Draco didn't do anything did he?"

"N-no sir, he was just p-pestering me with questions about Harry Potter and the situation last year in potions," Draco heard her say.

"Is that it?"

"He asked me why I w-was talking to you, in-instead of Professor McGonagall. I didn't tell him an-anything besides that I tr-trust you."

"Avery, I thought we fixed your stuttering over the summer," Draco could hear the frown in his Professor's voice.

"I-it is a hard ha-habit to break sir, a-after all, we only been w-working on it since first year."

"Things would have been better if you had been put into Slytherin, but guess even with your blood background, the hat thought you weren't..."

"H-his footsteps have stopped…"

'Shit,' Draco thought and Snape apparated in front of him with a glare on his face. "Professor Snape…"

"Silence Malfoy," he snapped and Draco went silent. "Tomorrow morning after class, you will stay. Detention for the next week and fifty points from Slytherin…"

"But sir, I have Quittage practice tomorrow…"

"Not my problem," Snape sneered. "Get to your commons before I punish you more."

Draco turned and dashed down the stairs, the earlier conversation forgotten in his haste to not get in any more trouble in the first month into the year.

Avery walked to Defense Against the Dark Arts quietly but inside she was smiling. When a student had started getting nosy, he was there and made sure nothing happened or anything was revealed. She entered the classroom and sat at her table near Snape's desk and put her book on the desk and opened it up to the chapter on the Unforgivable Curses since they would be learning about that today.

She saw Draco Malfoy enter the room with Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle at his back while Millicent Bulstrode and Pansy Parkinson trailed behind him looking slightly annoyed when they looked at her. Every one sat down and became quite as Snape walked into the room. Snape lectured for a little bit then had everyone start their assignment.

"Avery, you have already perfected them so don't worry about it," Snape spoke to her as she started to pull out her parchment, quill and ink.

"Sir...?"

"We need to talk," he spoke and led her to his office. "I think it's time that youve told everyone..."

"But that..."

"I know Avery. I have talked to him and he promised to not bother you if it gets out who your parents are," Snape spoke as he sat down at his desk and handed her a piece of paper. "He even did a type of treaty. You are not to be hurt by anyone if it starts."

"But he just c-came back last year..."

"I know Avery, but we can't hide it much longer. If Draco is starting to wonder who you are and why you trust me than the head of your house then we won't be able to hide it much longer," Snape sighed.

"O-okay," Avery spoke quietly as she laid the paper back down.

What's the big secret that they has been hiding for the past four years?

Who are her parents?

Who did Snape talk to and make a treaty with she she wouldn't be hurt?

Find out in the next chapter!

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