Chapter 2

Potions was the worst, and it wasn't just because the class was hard and the professor hated him from the start. Rather, it was more complicated than that. Serena, Ron and Hermione were all in his class with him and so were some other members of Gryffindor, so too were members from Slytherin and among them were Malfoy and his lackeys.

Malfoy had sidled up next to Serena who had been sitting next to another Gryffindor girl and was chatting away with her; she ignored Malfoy as he sat right next to her. Snape came in and sneered at Harry and he slapped down a book in front of Serena. "Tell me what this says."

Serena looked at it before looking up at Snape. "I don't understand it." The words were written in a weird way, the symbols weren't familiar to anyone in the room.

"No, I wouldn't expect you to read a language you've never seen before. Open the pages." Serena did as she was instructed and Harry had to cover his ears from the noises that came out of it.

Serena blinked innocently at Snape. "I haven't a clue what it means."

Harry didn't volunteer his service, he could understand the words even if she didn't, and he wondered why no one else was volunteering their opinion either. Perhaps it was a trick by Snape they were well aware of, and anyone who spoke out of turn would be punished. Snape sneered for a moment before pulling the book away and shutting it up. "We will see Miss Riddle, on how truthful you are."

There was a frown that tugged at her lips; she didn't understand his antagonism any more than Harry did. "Who can answer the question on the board?" As he spoke words came across it and Hermione raised her hand before the question had even finished.

"Miss Granger." Snape called upon. "You haven't even seen the entire problem yet. Five points from Gryffindor for being a know-it-all."

Hermione started to squawk, but refrained from doing so and lowered her hand. Harry wondered if she'd had the answer or if she'd only had a question about how it was being done. She quickly learned her lesson, even if it killed her from raising her hand every time she knew the true answer, and even when Snape picked on Harry for not reading the textbook ahead of time and she knew the correct response.

"That book was very interesting." Hermione mumbled after class. "I wonder why she couldn't understand it..."

Serena caught up to them and walked along side Harry. "I have Transfigurations next. What does your schedule look like?"

"I actually have the same class." Harry responded. "Ron, Hermione?" They had suddenly grown quiet and weren't looking at the two of them, looking straight ahead actually.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot to introduce myself." Serena turned to them, a broad smile on her face. "I'm Serena. Are you friends of Harry's?"

"Ron." He stuck out his hand and she shook it without a second thought. Hermione was looking away, trying to slowly slip into the rest of the crowd. "That's Hermione. She's a little rude, I'm sorry."

At Ron's words, he got a reaction out of her and she whirled around. "I am not rude!" Hermione shouted and everyone turned to look at her and in a quieter voice she continued. "I'm just blunt on occasion. Yes, I'm Hermione." Ron was about to say something when Serena threw herself at the brunette in a hug. Hermione, shocked, returned it with putting her arms lightly around the blond.

"I'm sorry." Serena whispered in Hermione's ear and she had poured it out in such a heartfelt way that Hermione had no choice but to forgive her for everything she may or may not have done and everything that Hermione had been holding against her. Even if it had been wise to do so originally.

Serena moved away, releasing Hermione and turned to Ron and Harry, Hermione still in a daze by her side, but never did Serena turn her back on Hermione. Ron looked absolutely flabbergasted, while Harry only looked confused at the action, nobody really hugged in his memory, and only occasionally when Petunia lavished a lot of unwanted affection on Dudley. Surely it wasn't the norm, but it was what he grew up with.

"What was that all about?" Ron demanded.

"Nothing." Hermione chuckled, mildly embarrassed at being part of that massive amount of contact. She and Serena shared a glance and Hermione smiled reassuringly and Serena returned it gladly. The four of them headed towards Transfigurations, and most of their classes were shared through the day, except a few, one where there was only Harry, Serena and Malfoy.

That very same class found them several weeks later. The four had gotten rather close, but there were still some things Harry didn't know about his friends, as was demonstrated during the class he most detested.

"Herbology." He groaned.

"Perhaps it'll help you with those weeds you hate." Serena commented idly as she leaned forward to take down a plant from the stack near them, and headed for a table to start on what the professor had told them to do once they got the plant.

Harry didn't think anything of her comment, weeds were a pain to all muggles and then he stopped and stared at her. "You were raised by muggles?" He asked on a whisper.

Serena looked at him and tilted her head. "Of course, I thought you knew that." She giggled as she slowly worked out the plant that refused to budge. "I thought that was why you sat with me the first day..." She continued when she finally got the shrieking plant out and replanted it like they were taught. Harry watched her, confused and impressed at how well she was in this field, they seemed to warm to her. Neville too was in their class, and the boy was hopeless in everything they'd seen him do today, except he'd had the advantage in here too, his grandmother had taught him well.

"What are you talking about?"

"I- well- what did you sit with me for, and cause such a commotion about then?"She stopped what she was doing so she could sit back and look at him while she waited for his answer.

He couldn't tell if she knew who she was supposed to be, just like how he was so well known, but she'd never treated him like a celebrity. He treated her the same way back, and he thought that was the basis for their friendship, but maybe she knew more about everything than he thought she did, maybe more than he did actually. He didn't really want to say the real reason though, that he hadn't wanted her to feel ostracized and left alone, because he'd been there too much as it was, and even though he had friends now, it could still happen again. "You looked like you could use a friend."

Serena laughed and shook her head; something only she knew amused her. "That was nice of you, Harry, but I think, being friends with me might have hindered your chances of gaining more friends. People don't seem to like me around here. We both know the two of us could use some."

"Wa- wait, what?" Harry's head snapped around to meet her gaze.

Serena's eyes grew large and she realized what she said and a guilty flush crossed her features. "Never mind, I shouldn't have said that." She gathered her supplies and bolted to Malfoy's side, and worked there for the rest of the class period, she knew she was practically safe over there as Malfoy and he didn't get along too well, and if they ever confronted each other it was with insults and antagonism. They preferred to avoid each other.

After class, he tried to corner her, but she was always with another housemate or slipping down a corridor or around a corner or using the staircases to her advantage, just stepping off of them as they decided to move to another location. Harry was impressed by her ability to navigate them, most students tried to out-run them, and always got stuck somewhere they didn't want to be and had to wait until they moved again or go the long way around. There were a few older students that had a grasp on how to manage them, but they had years of experience.

Ron joined him for lunch, Serena and a couple of girls were down at the other end chatting, Serena had picked the spot after sighting Harry. Harry was just about to get up and move down there to confront her, witnesses be damned when Ron sank down onto the spot next to Harry with a groan and dropped his head onto the table.

"What's the matter, Ron?"

"Tell her to stop, please?" Harry thought he was talking about Serena at first, but he was waving in a different direction as Hermione just came in. "I can't stand it anymore, she's too much, tell her to stop or go away, either works."

Hermione rolled her eyes as she took the seat across from them. "Stop being such a baby, Ron."

"What's the matter?" Harry repeated amused, these two were full of interesting situations.

"She keeps going on and on about EVERYTHING!" He banged his head on his arms.

"I was trying to help him pronounce leviosa right."

"And tells me that everything else I've been doing and how I've been doing it is wrong." Ron muttered, clearly annoyed. Serena glanced down at them and he saw her shoulders sag and she got more animated in her conversation with the other girls in their house.

Hermione huffed and looked at Harry. "Well, it's true. I can't help it if he's always wrong."

Ron lifted his head up to glare at her and opened his mouth to tell her off, but Harry cut him off, trying to keep the peace as much as he could. "Look, we should all be learning from Hermione, she knows her studies, perhaps we could find a way to work together, help each other out."

"You-know-who's daughter joining us in these little study meetings?" Ron asked, looking down the table at Serena and then back to his friend.

"You now too?" Harry asked, wondering why everyone in this school was so judgmental, him, golden boy, her, the plague?

"Nah, she's a sweetheart, and cute." He sighed as he looked back down at the blond, but it probably wasn't accurate to call her that, her hair was more of a gold-silver mix color. "It's just ironic to think of her like that."

"What is the problem that the two of you have with her?"

"Her father killed muggles, muggle-born and half-bloods." Hermione responded, but her face was open, she wasn't upset with the girl anymore, something about her had changed Hermione's mind, at least until she proved otherwise, or started casting suspicions on herself again. "The deaths weren't pretty, far from it. They also attacked any resistance or muggle-lovers."

"My parents were part of the resistance, if it wasn't for you, they wouldn't be here today either. But, then again, nobody knows for sure, exactly who this girl is; perhaps it is all just a mistake." Ron was trying to look hopeful, but he was kind of fond for his nickname for her, even if it wasn't true, and if it was, it was accurate. Nobody but Serena would know for sure, if she even did.

"What's next?" Harry asked stretching backward in his seat.

"Magical creatures." Hermione responded as Ron looked over their schedules. "Then you and Serena have defense against dark arts and Ron and I have herbology."

"How do you know Serena's schedule?" Harry wondered, Ron too was looking at her skeptically.

"Well, not only is it logical, but I have all of our schedules memorized. After class there will be a break before dinner, we could do so then, or during dinner, either way."

"How about after dinner, that way we get a break, and have dinner in our bellies before studying."

"Oh come on Ron, you know you'll just want to sleep after that." Serena rested a forearm on his shoulder and looked down at him.

Ron laughed looking up at her. "Yeah, probably, but anything to do with studying isn't my favorite. So anyway I can get out of it, I'd love the opportunity. Not that you're any different." He accused and she blushed as the comment hit home.

"Finally come back to talk to the rest of us?" Harry raised a black eyebrow, her behavior had confused him.

"Well, we do all have class together, don't we?" She lifted her own blond brow; obviously she was better at keeping track of her day than he was. "I thought we'd all just walk together."

Hermione looked between them, seeing that they were challenging each other, even if they might not be aware of it themselves. She was burning to know what had happened earlier in the day, especially when Harry said what he'd just did. "Of course." She smiled up at Serena. "Wouldn't want it any other way, we always do."

Hermione stood up and snagged her arm through Serena's, her attitude was infectious, and the fact that physical contact wasn't an issue for Serena in the least, also rubbed off. The two of them took off towards the class outside. Harry and Ron slowly followed after, looking confused at the two girls up ahead who were talking with their heads together, and giggling. Serena glanced back at the two boys and grinned before going back to Hermione and nodding.

"Girls." Ron sighed.

Harry smirked. "Yeah, but you like one of those girls, so don't even try to deny it."

"Yeah, Serena's adorable." Ron responded.

Harry shook his head. "No, not that girl."

"Who? Lavender?" Ron shuddered. "She's not even Gryffindor."

Harry rolled his eyes and ignored him and dropped the conversation, Ron wasn't even prepared yet to admit it to himself, didn't know what it was, just annoyance at her. That might change, it might not, and Harry couldn't push him until he started thinking differently. Then he'd tease Ron into submission. Harry's face cracked a grin as he thought about it, oh the horrors Ron would go through!

It was only as they were listening to Professor Kettleburn, that Harry realized exactly what Serena had just managed to do, she had kept the others from knowing anything was wrong, and still managed to avoid him, so she didn't have to answer his questions. She was between Hermione and Ron and was on her knees playing with the little fuzzy creature that they were learning with. This creature was not any normal looking animal, for one thing it was pink, purple or some other form of vibrant unnatural color, and for another it was almost square shaped and had beady black eyes on the front of its body over very sharp looking teeth. Harry had gotten shredded fingers and hands from trying to copy Serena's lead and what Kettleburn had explained to them about the creatures.

Kettleburn had watched in amazement as Serena had knelt, ignoring the instructions and cooed at the creature and held out her fingers. "Miss Riddle, please-" He was about to warn her, they needed to wear thick leather gloves, they were very temperamental and attacked quickly. Her slim bare fingers started tickling the belly of the pink creature. The creature squawked and rolled over onto its back and kicked its tentacle for hands and legs around. Serena giggled and she played with it. The rest of the class tried to follow her lead, and the professor turned to them. "No!" He winced as screams and groans of pain echoed around the members sitting outside with the creatures.

Serena glanced up at them with a frown, forgetting momentarily that she was playing with the fuzzy creature, and Harry watched as it bounced into her lap and snuggled in there. Kettleburn shook his head, and wiped at his brow. One boy had to go to the nurse.

"Remember, students, gloves. I'll be back with ointment for your wounds. Miss Riddle, you're in charge and 50 points for Gryffindor for her bravery and unprecedented skill."

Serena sat back and looked at what everyone was trying to accomplish. She spoke to the creature in her lap and it moved off to the other ones and they interacted while she moved to the other end of the room and approached the one that was particularly nasty, and had sent the boy to the infirmary. Harry wanted to dissuade her, but the creature responded almost as instantly as the one she had previously been playing with. It too moved around the other half of the group, communicating with the rest of the creatures, the students had backed away when it came near, but it left them alone and soon all of them were allowing the gloved hands to pet them and soak up the attention.

Serena sat in front of Ron and took his hand in hers. She ran her fingers lightly down the cuts and looked to see how bad they were before moving onto Hermione. The two chatted together as Ron and Harry looked at each other with confusion. Eventually Serena moved to Harry. "Let me see your hands, they look worse from the distance than Ron's."

Harry let her look them over and he took a moment to look around, to make sure nobody else was listening, Malfoy was glaring at them, but other than that, nobody was paying attention, their focus solely on the creatures they were playing with, so he felt confident enough to ask, Malfoy wasn't in hearing distance if he kept his voice soft. "You said you grew up with muggles."

"You could say that." She agreed her fingers were soft against his flesh.

"Say that?" He asked but she wouldn't clarify, and so he moved on. "What were you talking about when you said we both could use more friends?"

Serena sighed and looked up at him, forgetting that his second hand was still in hers. "I moved recently and I don't really have a lot of friends there or here even, just you three, and the occasional person who will talk to me and Malfoy and his goons." Harry's face cracked into a smile, she called them goons too. "The rest seem scared of me, a little less so each day, I feel like they're waiting for me to blow up the school or start a fire or something." Harry nodded, waiting for her to continue as she looked back down at his hand and continued running her fingers over it. "You seem like you're lonely, not so much since you've gotten to Hogwarts, but occasionally I will see a look cross your features. I know you're not used to so many people liking you, knowing who you are, and having friends."

"How do you know that?" He was still pleased that she wasn't completely tricked by Malfoy's rare kindness to her; it was so out of place, for so many reasons and that she didn't like his lackeys. Serena shrugged and he had a feeling she wouldn't answer that either. "Were they your parents? These muggles?" Maybe he was right; after all, it could explain why she thought he should know that she was muggle-born.

Serena shrugged. "I don't know who my parents really were, I've always known that I was adopted though, my parents kept my original name, they didn't want to keep any secrets. They're more parents than anyone could have. I've never wanted for anything that they could give me, whether it's love or presents. I just never asked for much." What she wanted, they couldn't give her, anyways.

Harry let it go, he didn't want to push for information, especially if she didn't know the answers herself, and after dinner and some studying in the common room, the four of them found themselves enjoying the others' company and Ron and Serena playing wizard chess, with Harry filling in on occasion to face Ron, the winner of every game, no matter who faced him, they all headed off to bed. None of the three who were scratched up felt any pain or irritation of their skin, though Seamus had complained about it as Ron and Harry changed clothes. The next morning three of the students that had been scratched up, had nothing to show for it, not even a single scratch or redness. The others were still healing. The three had looked at each other the next morning before Serena woke up, each wondering, and wanted to ask what was all on their minds, but not daring- had Serena healed them?