A/N: I've done some research but am still slightly unfamiliar with the seventh year classes, so I went ahead and wrote what I know. Hope I don't offend anyone! :D
Lunette's new wand, one of polished maple with a dragon's heartstring inside, began vibrating in her hand early the next morning, sending tremors up her arm until she awoke and muttered the countercharm. She sat up in bed, thankful to see that the other girls were still in bed, and slipped out from between the warm sheets to start her day. Her first day at Hogwarts as a student.
The trunk Dumbledore had given her was old fashioned, heavy, and very roomy. It was packed with any and all necessities she might possibly need for the rest of the year! Lunette opened the trunk and began to gather the clothes she would need for the day.
Slipping into the bathroom just as the first girl began to stir, Lunette dressed for the day and then leaned against the counter to stare at herself in the mirror. Her gaunt cheeks were slowly filling in, due to the good Hogwarts food and rest she had received, her hair was less dull and was beginning to have a shine to it again, and her green eyes looked less lifeless. However, she had a long way to go before she was back to the happy, carefree girl she had been, if she ever got back there at all.
As her eyes traveled over her face, Lunette couldn't help but let her attention be drawn to the gash over her forehead. Red and slightly puckered, the gash was still fresh and Lunette closed her eyes against the rush of memories she received. She silently wished that she knew a charm or spell for hair so that she could cut the split ends off.
"Oh well," she muttered to herself as she pulled her hair into another half ponytail, "it'll just have to wait." She made a mental note to go to the library later and try to find an appropriate spell. Pointedly ignoring her scar, Lunette turned and exited the bathroom, heading down to the common room only to find Fred and George sitting on the couch.
"Morning!" they chorused.
Lunette laughed and returned their greeting. Unlike everyone, including Harry, the twins seemed to have no problem ignoring the scar that graced her forehead, and Lunette was thankful that their glances never strayed from her eyes. As she glanced at Fred, Lunette had a hard time not blushing. Yes, he was definitely her Soulbinder. However, she would have to deal with that later.
"I've heard some interesting things about you, Lunette," George said, his face showing Lunette that his tone was teasing and casual.
"Oh really?" Lunette asked, teasing right back. "Like what?"
"Well, I've heard that no one should talk to you, or even get too close, to you because you're a dark magic witch and you can kill them by looking at them." He paused and then gave her a mock scared glance. "It's not true, right?"
Lunette laughed. "That's why no one talks to me?" she asked and then shook her head. "How in the world did my secret get out?" She grinned at the twins and they laughed.
"Well at least you're taking it well," George told her with another smile. "Give it time," he suggested. "They can't believe the rumors for too long. Unless someone winds up dead, of course."
Lunette snorted. "I'll be careful enough to hide my kills," she teased, thankful that he was trying so hard to accept her and to make her feel welcome. "Thank you," she said earnestly. Then, her face reverted to its teasing expression and she said slyly, "I've heard a pretty interesting rumor, though."
"Oh?" Fred asked, speaking for the first time. He had stood, and was now leaning against the fireplace, watching her carefully. "What might that be?"
"It was something along the lines of Hogwarts having a great breakfast feast."
Fred and George both smiled and looked at each other. "Well, let's-"
"-go see if-"
"-the rumors-"
"-are as true as they say," they said together, offering their crooked arms to Lunette. She took the offered arms gallantly, biting back the fear she felt at men's touch. Her fingers tingled at Fred's touch and he must have noticed or felt it as well because he glanced at her curiously but remained quiet.
George kept up a steady stream of talk on the way to the Great Hall, for which Lunette was grateful for. They entered rather early, so not many people were there, but the twins ignored all the students that turned to watch the trio and instead led Lunette over to a spot at the Gryffindor table.
"Hold on, Fred and George," Lunette requested, noticing that Dumbledore was beckoning to her from the teachers' table. She walked towards the front of the hall, trying to smile politely at the Ravenclaws and the Hufflepuffs that stared at her. She noticed the other teachers watching her as well, including that horrid woman clothes in all pink. Really! Pink? Of all colors?
"Hello, Lu Lu," Dumbledore said, smiling broadly at his goddaughter.
Lunette bit back a wince and smiled back at him genuinely. "Morning, Uncle Albus," she said instead of correcting him.
"Did you like the trunk?" Dumbledore asked.
Lunette thought back to all the wonderfully soft clothes, an everyday necessity that she had not had for a very long time, and nodded, a smile once again decorating her face. "Yes," she said, striving not to grin like an idiot. "It's wonderful. Thank you so much."
Dumbledore nodded absently, watching as more and more students filed into the hall. "Your classes start soon, so you'd best get back to Master Weasley and Master Weasley." He winked and whispered, "Your secret's safe with me and Madam Pomfrey. None of the teachers are aware."
Lunette let out a sigh of thankfulness. She had worried about special treatment being administered due to her impediments and cringed at the idea of well meaning teachers constantly reminding her that she was not normal. That she had lost something precious to her. "Thank you," she said softly. She seemed to be saying that a lot lately, and she meant it every time.
Dumbledore nodded. "Enjoy your breakfast," he urged her.
Lunette nodded and turned to find the hall almost completely full of students…all looking at her. Blushing with embarrassment, Lunette turned and walked swiftly to the seat Fred and George were still saving for her. "Sorry," she apologized when her foot accidentally brushed Fred's leg when she tried to climb onto the bench. Their eyes met as they felt the tingling throughout their bodies, but neither said a word. Now was not the time.
Breakfast passed quickly and nobody but the twins spoke to Lunette since Harry, Ron, and Hermione were too far away to converse with. Finally, Fred turned to Lunette, waiting for a moment before she turned as well, and said, "We have Potions in a few minutes. Do you need to go back to the dorms to get your books?"
Lunette nodded, biting off a piece of toast. "Yes," she said with a nod, and took one last sip of pumpkin juice before sliding off the bench.
Fred and George offered their arms to her once again and she laughed. "I am one lucky girl," she told them, glancing from one to the other. "Two handsome young men bringing me to and from breakfast!" Her teasing helped to push away her fears of contact with them.
"But I'm the better looking one," the twins said simultaneously.
Though it was hard for her to understand them when they did that, Lunette still found it endearing. "Of course," she assured them, not addressing her comment to either twin exclusively, which made them smile all over again.
By the time she made it to Potions, Lunette was already shaking. School. For the first time in seven years, she would actually be going to school. She wasn't sure how she felt about that now, and Professor Snape was not helping matters when he snapped at her to find a seat. Lunette flushed, embarrassed because Snape spoke in such a clipped pattern that he rarely moved his lips enough for her to discern what he was saying. Guessing would have to get her through this class.
Professor Snape stared off the class by assigning partners, and Lunette found herself across the room from Fred and George, sharing a desk with a scowling Slytherin twice her size. Her fear of people caused her to naturally shrink away from him, and she spent the first part of class perched on the edge of her seat, wishing for the period to be over.
School was not getting off to a great start, and it was about to get worse.
Fred watched nervously as Lunette stiffly moved from her seat next to him and sat next to a cruel-looking Slytherin twice her size. He immediately missed the warmth of her body next to his and felt a rush of anger shoot through him as he noticed that Lunette sat perched on the edge of her seat.
He didn't have much time to dwell on her, however, because Snape called on him for the first question, which he answered after only a moment's hesitation (due, of course to his change in mental subject and not his inability to figure out the answer). Snape grudgingly awarded five points to Gryffindor and began his lecture.
Fred snuck glances at Lunette, who was watching Snape intently, her brows scrunched together in what he guessed was concentration and frustration. She seemed to be having a hard time understanding Snape, and Fred realized that not only was she rather far back in the room, but also that Snape barely moved his mouth when he was speaking. He made a mental note to offer to tutor her through the class.
"Mr. Weasley!" Snape called sharply, jolting Fred out of his thoughts. "I trust that you have a fabulous explanation for your inability to focus this morning." Snape folded his arms over his chest and glared at Fred.
"I didn't eat enough at breakfast," Fred told him, praying that the Potions master would only take off Gryffindor points and would not serve him detention.
"You eat far too much," Snape said with a scowl, apparently having noticed the twins' incomprehensible eating patterns.
Fred gave the Potions master and mock astonished look. "You noticed!" he exclaimed, causing the rest of the room, aside from the Slytherins, to laugh. Snape only glared further, but did not serve detention or take away points. Fred snuck a look back at Lunette, who smiled widely at him, knowing that he had said something witty, although she had not been able to see exactly what he had said.
Snape saw the exchange, but said nothing as he whirled away to write on the board. He started to name the ingredients as he wrote them, giving their uses as he went, never turning away from the board. Fred snuck another glance at Lunette and saw her frustrated look. She couldn't tell what Snape was saying. Great.
Ever so slowly, her eyes slid from Snape to the Slytherin next to her that was rapidly taking notes. She was going to use his notes to at least appear to be writing something down. He silently urged her not to still be looking when Snape turned around even as he mentally thanked the stars that the Slytherin had decided of all days to start taking notes today.
Almost on cue, Snape whirled around, his black robes billowing out behind him like a dark cloud, and his gaze rested on Lunette, who was still copying off the Slytherin's notes. "Miss Gosmark!" he called angrily. "Do you feel that you need to cheat off another student's notes to pass this class?"
Titters were heard through the classroom, and kids turned to look at Lunette, but she was still furiously looking and writing, unaware of the attention she was drawing. The Slytherin did nothing, which was expected.
"Miss Gosmark!" Snape yelled, clutching his wand in his rapidly paling hand. "Do you think that you're above my authority? Miss Gosmark!"
But still, Lunette didn't look up, furiously scratching away as she tried to make up for the notes she had missed. Fred gripped the edge of his desk, trying to think of what to do. Snape had a furious temper, and who knew what he might do if someone didn't speak up? "Pro-" he began.
"Gosmark!!" The roar seemed to shake the students in their seats, but Lunette was focusing so hard that she didn't even register the shift. Fred's voice was lost in the torrent.
Faster than he had thought possible, Fred saw Snape's arm come up and he pointed his wand at Lunette's small figure. "Crucio!"
Immediately, Lunette's body flew out of her seat and she thumped to the floor, a scream tearing at her throat as the curse sent magical fire roaring through her veins, immobilizing all her functions, and leaving her at Snape's mercy. Students gasped, and someone cried out, "That's an Unforgivable!"
"Are you, Miss Gosmark?" Snape yelled, striding quickly towards Lunette's writhing form. "Answer me!"
But Lunette could not see him, for her eyes were tightly shut and her hair was thrown across her face as she convulsed wildly, crying out only when she could no longer hold her breath. The silences in between were almost worse than the screams themselves, and even the Slytherins seemed uncomfortable.
"Crucio!" Snape bellowed again, and everyone in the room heard the sickening snap of Lunette's neck as it snapped back and her back arched from the pain. White hot stabs of pain thrust into her body, as though someone was sticking knives into every available inch of her skin. Fred glanced around the room in a panic, realizing that Snape was so mad that he would probably kill Lunette.
As Snape raised his wand to deliver the third cruciatus curse, Fred leapt to his feet. "Stop!" he cried out. "She can't hear you! She's deaf!"
The entire room went deathly silent.
A/N: Well? Please review and tell me what you think. I realize the punishment for the cruciatus curse, and that will be dealt with later. Hope you liked it! :D