NOTICE: I HAVE CHANGED THE SUMMARY. HARRY WILL NO LONGER BE A PART OF THE STORY. IT IS JUST IZZY (ISABELLA) NOW!
Full Summary: Bella is The-Girl-Who-Lived. The past is the same, only it was Bella who was there when Lily and James were killed. Bella goes to the Dursley's since she is now the chosen one. The only difference between the Dursley's in this story and the books is that they are not only verbally abusive but also physically abusive. When Bella goes to Hogwarts she finds friends and a loving family. People start to find out about the abuse and demands that Bella not be allowed to go back to the Dursley's. What will Dumbledore's answer be?
I do not own anything originally from Harry Potter or Twilight.
Reviews That Need Answers:
Blooperbaby124: Thank you for reviewing. I put the pairing as Bella/Harry because, Bella is basically Harry in this story. I haven't taken any pairings into account because Bella (Izzy) is only eleven and I haven't decided who is going to be what to her, as of yet. When I figure that out, though, the pairing will, no doubt, change.
Start: 12/31/10
Chapter 7
When I woke up in the morning, Amy was gone and so were my room mates. I sighed and got up to shower and change. When I got down to the common room I was surprised to find Blaise, Joey, Amy and Gino all waiting for me.
I smiled shyly and walked down to breakfast with them. They talked about the courses they were taking but I kept silent.
"What about you, Izzy? Do you like your classes so far?" I was pulled from my silence when Gino asked me this question.
"Um, yeah. The only one that I don't really like is History of Magic. It's so boring." And I was dragged into the conversation. We jabbered about nonsensical things the whole walk.
As we entered the Great Hall I spotted Hermione, Fred and George. I waved goodbye to my Slytherin friends and migrated over to my Gryffindor friends.
"Hey, Guys. What's up?" I greeted them as I sat down next to Fred. George was on the opposite side of the table next to Hermione.
"Morning, Izzy," George greeted first. I smiled at him in greeting.
"How did you sleep?" Fred asked me.
"Perfectly fine, thank you." This was a lie, of course, but he didn't need to know that. The only people who did was my room mats, Amy and Professor Snape.
"That's good. I couldn't seem to get to sleep last night, though. Too excited about today." Hermione pulled the attention to her with the last two sentences and then we were chattering about all our classes. Hermione and I had them all together, but we didn't know what Fred and George's classes were. We talked about that for most of breakfast.
I kept looking up at the head table, where the professors sat, hoping that Snape hadn't told any of them about my freak-out last night. He would catch my gaze every now and then and I would hold eye contact, not willing to be the first to break it. Only when he looked away did I go back to scanning the Great Hall.
I caught Malfoy looking at me a few times. Each time, he had this look-of pure disgust and hatred. It was like he wanted me dead, just because I was friends with a few of the Gryffindors. That look alone had me slightly trembling in fear. I never wanted to be caught alone with him and his goons.
We were dismissed to go to class and I stood with Hermione to walk out to the green houses. We had Herbology first today. The teachers name was Professor Sprout.
Quite frankly, this class was almost as boring as History of Magic. I never liked gardening at the Dursley's. I was good at it though. I would not like it here at Hogwarts, even if these plants were magical.
By the time we were dismissed, I felt the insane urge to whack my head against the wall several time. I had earned points for Slytherin and I didn't even know how, Hermione was mad at me because I told her to stop talking because I needed to concentrate on the assignment that Sprout had set. Today had started turning to rubbish when I had that stupid nightmare. But, like they always say, Things must get worse before they get better. And worse they got.
I walked into Potions alone and sat at a desk at the front. I tried to apologize to Hermione, but she wouldn't listen. This wasn't going well, at all.
This class took place in the dungeons. It was cold and damp, and would have been creepy enough with out the pickled animals floating around in jars. They were all lined up on shelves against the walls and I didn't want to go anywhere near them.
Snape started the lesson like all the other professors, taking roll and pausing at my name. Only he had more to say on the subject of my being there.
"Ah, yes," He said softly, "Isabella Potter. Our new - celebrity."
I could hear Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle snickering behind their hands. Snape finished calling roll and looked up at the class. His eyes were blank, empty. They made me think of dark tunnels - and it unnerved me.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," he began. He spoke barely above a whisper, but you could hear every word he said. The entire class was deathly silent. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the power of liquids that creep though human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses…. I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."
More silence ensued and I raised an eyebrow. I looked over to Hermione, one table away from me, nearly falling out of her seat she was so close to the edge.
"Potter!" Snape said so suddenly that I nearly toppled out of my chair I jumped so hard. Something flickered in his eyes, but the next second they were blank again. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
I had read this somewhere. I knew I had, I couldn't remember where, though. "Uh…" I closed my eyes to try to remember and the answer just pooped up in front of my closed eyes (in my mind, of course) and they flew open. "They make a sleeping drought, sir. So powerful that it's known as the Drought of Living Death."
Snape nodded, begrudgingly, it seemed. "Now, Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" He asked, his left eyebrow raised challengingly. I closed my eyes again, hoping the answer would pop up like the first time. I remembered reading something like this in the back of my potions book before the term started.
"Um…" There it was - the answer. "It's a stone, taken from the stomach of a goat, sir. It can save you from most poisons. Sir," I answered as my eyes opened and looked up at the dark man standing in front of me. Although, I guess you couldn't say standing - more like towering.
He nodded thoughtfully and then asked a third question. "What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" I knew this one like the back of my hand. I had checked a book out of the library before term and I had read it at least five times before I turned it back in. I didn't even have to close my eyes to search for the answer.
"It's a trick question, sir. They're the same thing. They also go by a third name - aconite." I looked up at Snape steadily as he stared down at me. I could see the shock, clear in his eyes, but to the rest of the class he looked as passive as ever. And then his head popped up to stare down the rest of the class.
"Well? Why aren't you all copying down what Miss Potter clearly stated? All of it." And then he walked back to his desk.
I finally noticed Hermione, looking at me with a look of appraisal. I smiled back at her. I was alone at my table so she moved over to sit by me. Things seemed to be looking up.
Snape didn't seem to like this, though, and told Hermione to move back to her seat and took a point away. I didn't think this was fair, but didn't say anything, settling for giving my friend an apologetic look as she moved sullenly back to her seat, a table away from me.
Things didn't improve for the Gryffindors as the lesson continued. We were split up into pairs - I was paired with Parkinson - and set to make a simple potion to cure boils. Snape swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs. Criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like.
He was talking about how perfect Malfoy was doing when I noticed Neville Longbottom and Seamus Finnegan (?) were trying everything they could think of to stop their cauldron from spilling over. The sludge that was puffing up and over the side was a bright green, and reminded me of nuclear waste. This would not be good if it got on the floor and on people.
Just as one ginormous bubble of gunk started to pop up I ran over to the two boys and pulled them away by the back of their cloaks. Everyone noticed what I was doing, behind the professors back and moved to the far side of the room, away from the table which held the cauldron. I noticed that Crabbe, Malfoy and Snape still hadn't noticed and were still standing there, completely oblivious to the situation.
My eyes flashed over to the cauldron and then back to the three people closest to it. These students were about forty feet away from the table, that was on the other side of the room, by the store room. Snape, Malfoy and Crabbe were only about ten feet away from it. I was ninety percent positive these students would be ok if that cauldron exploded. But the three closest to it would be injured, or killed, or something.
I didn't waste another thought. I ran over to Snape and stopped right beside him.
"Professor you have to move, look-" I pointed to the table with the glowing green sludge on it and he followed my finger. His eyes widened slightly at the sight of the toxic mess and then pushed Crabbe, Malfoy, and me toward the storage room.
I was right behind Snape, almost passed the door when BOOM! The cauldron exploded. He storage room door was blasted shut and I was thrown up against it. I landed on the floor with a dull thud on my side. I was facing the students on the other side of the room. I was right. The explosion had a radius of about fifteen feet, so they were twenty five feet away from the gunk. Every one was ok.
I could see Hermione. Her hands were covering her mouth and she was looking at me, he eyes wide and glistening with unshed tears as she gazed at me. Did I really look that bad?
I looked down to examine myself as Snape and the two boys came out of the storage. I had the green dunk all over my arms. They were starting to turn red and burn. It was allover my back as well as my legs, my neck and my head. It was beginning to burn intensely. I wanted to start screaming but I held it back. I could feel my lip starting to swell and I could taste blood in my mouth.
I looked back over to the students and Snape was standing over Neville. He had him by the front of his robes and was practically yelling at him. Crabbe and Goyle were looking at him, slightly frightened. Hermione was trying to get to me, it seemed, as she was trying to walk around the gunk on the floor.
She took her cloak off and threw it on the floor so she could use it as a sort of bridge. I took my cloak off too, no matter how much strength it took, and threw in in front of me, the gooey side down. Hermione knelt down beside me.
"Oh, god, Izzy. Are you alright?" She asked frantically. I opened my mouth to answer in the affirmative, but instead of "Yeah, I'm fine," an earth shattering shriek echoed around the dungeon.
It felt like my skin was being burned to a crisp. It was agony. I began to thrash, clawing at my skin. Anything to get the flames to stop.
Some one picked me up, and was practically running with my flailing body. I was still screeching and someone was throwing open a door. When I heard Madame Pomfrey's gasp, I realized I was in the Infirmary.
"What happened to her?" She asked, all business.
"Exploding cauldron. She got hit by the contents. She didn't start screaming until ten minutes ago." I recognized Professor Snape's voice. He had carried me up here.
My eyes were still closed and I was still screaming, so when Pomfrey forced a potion into my mouth, I gagged and nearly spat it out. I stopped myself and swallowed it. The pain stopped after a few seconds. I was still breathing heavily, but I opened my eyes.
Snape was hovering over me, staring at me with speculative eyes. There was something else there and this time, he was so close that I could identify it. Concern. He was concerned. About something. I wondered if it was me, although, I doubted it. He was probably just worried about the affects of the potion. Concerned that I wouldn't be able to come back to class so that he could torment everyone some more.
"Are you alright, now, Miss Potter?" he asked in a soft voice.
"Am now, sir." I answered in a hoarse voice.
You could tell I had been screaming. I no longer felt pain, but my limbs were twitching, as if I was have a sort of seizure.
Madame Pomfrey came back with several potions. When I refused to drink two I didn't recognize, she explained them to me.
"This one is for your twitching and this one is to reverse any affects the explosion caused." I downed them both and then rubbed some cream on my lip that she handed me. The swelling of my lip ceased and I didn't taste anymore blood. I sat up and rested against the back board of the infirmary cot.
"When can I leave?" I eventually asked. I hated this place. With a passion.
"When I say you can leave." Madame Pomfrey answered briskly. Snape just sat in the chair beside the bed, staring at me.
"Uh, sir? Can you stop staring at me, please? It's a bit creepy," I said to him.
He jumped slightly and then shook his head, as if to clear away unwanted thoughts. "Yes, yes, of course. I apologize, Miss Potter."
I nodded and then turned to face Pomfrey. "Well, Miss Potter. You seem to be back in order. You may leave." She nodded towards the door and I leapt off the bed. FREEEEDOOOM!
I walked back down to the dungeons with Professor Snape to get my things. I grabbed my book and left, nodding in farewell at Snape.
I made my way up to the Great Hall and was practically trampled by my friends - Slytherin and Gryffindor both - with hugs and questions a to what happened.
"It was just a potion explosion. Pomfrey or Snape didn't tell me what happened. All I know was that there was a lot of pain," I told them. They looked concerned.
"Are you okay, Izzy?" Joey asked. I nodded in affirmative.
"I am now. Pomfrey gave me like eight potions. Some for pain, nutrients, and affect reversal."
"That's good - wait. Nutrients?" Joey was altogether too observant. I hadn't meant to say the nutrient thing, but I guess I was so tired that I forgot.
"Yeah," I answered stiffly.
"Why?"
"Because."
"That's not an answer, Izzy." Joey sounded stern, but I, quite frankly, didn't give a hoot.
"Yes, it is. Now drop it, Joey." I walked away to the Gryffindor table and sat in my regular spot. Seconds later Fred, George and Hermione were sitting in their regular spots, too.
Hermione hugged me long and hard and reached over and put his hand on top of mine, clutching it like a lifeline. I smiled tightly at them. It was a smile, none the less.
Lunch was already half over so I didn't have much time to eat, so I just grabbed a sandwich off a platter in front of me and scarfed it down. We were dismissed some time after and my next class was Flying.
I was excited for this one, especially. When I got down to the pitch, I stood across from Hermione on the Slytherin side, but still chatted with her.
AS it grew closer to class time, I grew more nervous with excitement. I had heard Fred and George talking about how horrid the school brooms were. They said they always flew slightly too the left, or vibrated if you went too high. I didn't want to experience any of that.
Our teacher, Madame Hooch arrived. She had short, grey hair, and yellow eyes, like a hawk.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" She barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."
I looked down at the broom I was standing beside. It looked old and worn.
"Now, stick your hand out over your broom and say 'Up!'"
"I heard people saying 'UP!' at different intervals. I finally decided to follow suit and shouted, "UP!" To my surprise, the broom flew into my hand with a sharp 'thwack'.
Hermione did the same as me, only her broom seized all movement. Neville's broom didn't move at all. After several minutes and much help from Madame Hooch, everyone had a broom in their hand.
Madame Hooch then showed us how to mount our brooms without sliding off the end. She walked up and down the rows, correcting our grips. When Hooch informed Malfoy that he had been doing everything wrong for years, Hermione and I shared a little smile and then went back to paying attention.
"Okay, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," Madame Hooch told us. "Keep your broom steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle - three - two -"
Neville seemed to be too jumpy and afraid to be left on the ground. He pushed off before the whistle even touched her lips. Madame Hooch was trying to get him to come back down but Neville had lost control of his broom. He was rising, rising, rising. He was already thirsty feet in the air.
Neville's face was completely white and before anyone could do anything, he slid sideways off his broom and landed with a thud and a crack on the ground.
Madame Hooch had ran over to were Neville lay, her face as white as his.
"You have a broken wrist, my child," She muttered. "Come on, boy - it's alright, up you get."
She turned to us.
"No one is to move while I take him to the Hospital Wing. You leave those brooms where they are, or you'll be out of school faster than you can say 'Quidditch'. Come on, dear."
Madame Hooch led poor Neville off with her arm around him.
As soon as Neville and Hooch were out of earshot, Malfoy and his goons cracked up.
"Ha! Did you see his face? Priceless!" All the other Slytherins - except me - joined in the laughter.
"Shut your mouth, Malfoy." I snapped, a light scowl on my face. Malfoy immediately sobered up.
"Sticking up for Longbottom, are you, Potter? I thought you liked Joey. Guess I was wrong," Parkinson said, an evil smirk twisting her features.
"Look!" Malfoy darted forward and picked something up off the ground. "It's that thing Longbottom's gran sent him!" I recognized the object. His gran had sent him a remembrall, and Neville had loved it, saying he would finally know if he was forgetting something. It had smoked up red, in the inside, but he said he wouldn't remember what he had forgotten.
Malfoy held the clear ball up for all to see. It glittered in the sun. Everyone was talking at once, trying to get Malfoy to let them see it.
"Give it here, Malfoy." I was scared of Malfoy, but not that scared. The talking ceased, everyone watching.
"No. I think, instead, I'll leave somewhere for the fat oaf to find." Malfoy smiled wickedly. "How about - up a tree.
"Give. It. Here." My voice was quiet, but angry. Some of the Gryffindors that I could see flinched. Some of the Slytherins went pale.
Malfoy leapt up onto his broomstick and took off. He hadn't been lying when he said that he could fly well. He was level with one of the topmost branched of a nearby oak. "Come and get it, Potter!"
I grabbed my broom, ready to take off after him. That was Neville's remembrall and I'd be damned if I let someone take it from him, Slytherin or no - but Hermione stopped me.
"No!," She shouted. "Madame Hooch told us to stay where we are - you'll get us all in trouble."
I ignored her. I could here my heart thumping in my ears. I was angry. I mounted my broom and kicked up from the ground and rose. Air rushed through my hair as I gained altitude. My robes whipped out around me. And I realized with a sense of fierce joy - I had found something I could do without being taught. This was easy, this was wonderful.
I pulled the broom stick up so I could rise higher and heard gasps and screams from the other girls below. I even hear an admiring whoop from Weasley.
I turned my broomstick sharply so I was facing Malfoy. He looked stunned.
"Now give it here, Malfoy, or I'll knock you off your broom!" I called.
"I'd like to see you try." Malfoy looked like he was trying to sneer, but he wasn't succeeding. He just looked worried.
I knew, somehow, what to do. I leaned forward and I shot off like an arrow. I was headed straight for the git. He got out of the way, just in time. I did a sharp about face and held the broom steady. People below were clapping.
"No Crabbe and Goyle to save you up here, Malfoy." My voice was soft, and in my own ears. Terrifying. I cocked my head to the side, and I could imagine my eyes flashing like a shock of lightening.
The color drained from Malfoy's face, whether from the same thought, or the way I looked, I wasn't sure. He tried to act brave all the same.
"Catch it if you can, then!" He shouted and then threw the ball. He streaked back toward the ground while I sped after it.
It was like in slow motion. I saw as the ball rose, and then plunged back toward the ground. I pointed my broom down ward - next second I was gathering speed in a steep dive, the air whooshing past my ear mingling with the screams of the watching students. My hand outstretched… - a foot from the ground I caught it. I pulled up sharply, in just enough time, and tumbled softly into the grass. I stood back up, clutching the little glass ball in my hand. The crowd went abruptly quiet and I got worried. What? Was I missing a bit of my leg and didn't now it.
"Miss Potter." I heard a soft, yet lethal voice address me. I turned around slowly.
"Uh, hello, Professor Snape. Lovely day we're having, isn't it?" I was in for a world of doom.
"Yes, Miss Potter. Quite - lovely." Professor Snape sneered at me, his eyes holding a flicker of anger. "Come with me," Snape ordered briskly. I handed my broom to the person nearest to me - Weasley - and followed behind Snape sullenly. As we left, I caught Malfoy's expression. He was smirking triumphantly. And before we got to the doors Snape called back, "You, too, Mr. Malfoy." It seemed he was making no exceptions.
I was filled with dread as the heavy doors closed behind us. I was going to be expelled. I just knew it.
But instead of going to the headmasters office, we stopped at a classroom. Snape wrenched open the door and stepped inside. "Quirrel, I need to see Flint, momentarily," he barked.
"O-o-of c-c-course," was the professors stuttered reply.
A tall fifth year boy stepped out. He had dark, short hair, pale skin and grey eyes.
Flint shut the door behind him and Snape beckoned him to follow us. What was this about?
We walked down corridors and through doors until Snape opened one final door. He shut it behind him and flicked his wand at it. I heard the click of a lock.
"I seem to have found you a seeker, Flint," Snape stated vaguely and then looked pointedly at me. Flint's eyes flicked over in my direction.
"Malfoy?" he asked, his head cocked to the side.
"No, no. The girl, boy. Potter." Snape said snappishly. The boys eyes widened minutely and then he nodded, staring at me. He sized me up and then smirked happily.
"Alright, Professor. I thank you."
"Okay then. I'll leave you two to discuss things. You have thirty minutes to set up a practice and what-not. Come along, Malfoy." Snape's voice wasn't harsh, like it normally was, and I wondered if I could make him laugh like I did when I first arrived here in the middle of the summer. Probably wasn't best to try, though.
The door clicked shut behind Malfoy and Snape and I turned to face Flint. "Hi," I said with a shy wave.
"Hello, Isabella." Flint was smiling. "Call me Marcus."
"Ok. Um, call me Izzy, please." He nodded thoughtfully.
"Alright, Izzy. Tell me something. Have you ever seen a game of Quidditch?"
"No. But I've heard people in the common room and at Gryffindor table talking about it." Quite frankly, I didn't even know what the game was. I knew Fred and George were on the Gryffindor team this year, but all they talked about was being the beaters. They hit the bludgers away from their own team and towards the opposing team - whatever a bludger was.
"Pity. Anyway, have you ever been on a broom before?" Flint asked.
"Flying class was my first time." Flint looked aghast.
"Then how are you supposed to be a seeker?" I was slightly hurt. I thought I had done pretty good for a first timer. He didn't need to rub my inexperience in my face!
"Well, I don't know! Snape just brought me in here after he saw me do a dive and catch Neville's bloody remembrall!" I snapped at him. I put my hands on my hips and glared at him.
"How steep was the dive?" He questioned, intrigued again. I used my arm to indicate that it was about seventy degrees. He nodded in delight. "When did you catch it and pull up?"
"I caught it about a foot off the ground and pulled up right as I caught it." I wasn't agitated anymore, so my voice was normal again.
Flint nodded. "You're a natural, Izzy." His eyes were a little wide. "Tell you what. Meet me on the Quidditch pitch on Friday. After classes at about four. Got it?"
I nodded quickly.
"Good. See ya then, Izzy." He ruffled my hair and then walked out. I was quick to follow after him, not wanting to be left alone in a room. I was about to make my way back to the pitch with everyone else, but students started filing out of the classrooms. Class was over and I didn't even know what had happened to Malfoy.
I made it to Defense Against The Dark Arts before Hermione, so when she sat down, she immediately started to scold me.
"How could you do something so dangerous. You could have been hurt. Or expelled. Or -" I cut her off.
"I have the greatest news, ever!"
"What?" Hermione looked apprehensive.
I'll have to tell you at dinner, with Fred and George, but I assure you, it's great." My smile must have been huge, so she didn't say anything.
The rest of the class was filled with boredom. I had the urge throughout the whole class to find a speech teacher for Quirrel. He wouldn't stop stuttering!
I almost whooped for joy when we were dismissed and practically dragged Hermione down to the Great Hall. When we entered I was stopped by Marcus.
"Izzy, how about you sit at Slytherin table so we can discuss some more stuff?" He glanced at Hermione then gave his full attention back tome. I knew he wanted to talk to me about the Quidditch thing so I jumped at the chance.
"Sure. I'll tell you, Fred and George later, okay Hermione? See ya." I waited for Hermione to say bye back and then walked away with Marcus.
By the end of dinner, Marcus had told me I couldn't tell anyone about this except for my closest friends and other people on the Slytherin Quidditch team. I also now knew that I was the youngest seeker in a century. So cool.
Later that night, when we were in the common room and I was hanging out with Gino, Amy and Joey - Blaise had already gone to bed. We were talking about random stuff, one of those random things being the Quidditch thing. They were really excited for me and Gino said that he was one of the Slytherin Beaters. I was in good hands, he had said.
We were still celebrating when Malfoy walked into the common room with Parkinson, Crabbe and Goyle.
"Oh, look!" he said loudly, "It's the daughter of a mudblood and a blood traitor." He smirked as if he had one a war. He hadn't won anything. I knew what a blood traitor and a mudblood was. And he wasn't about to get away with what he just called my dead parents.
It was like Snape all over again. "What did you just call my parents?" I hissed dangerously. Everyone stopped what they were doing, wanting to watch the commotion.
"Well, I said -" Malfoy was cut off as he was slammed to the ground - by me. I was on top of him, my fists flying. I clocked him once, twice and then I was uncontrollable. Before I knew it, Malfoy's face was covered in his own blood and he was trying to get me off him. It wasn't working, of course. I was a force to be reckoned with.
I could hear the slamming of fists against the magical barrier I had erected, again, and shouting. I could hear my friends yelling at me, telling me to calm down. Eventually, I did and got up. The barrier fell and people rushed forward. My right hand had blood on it, mine or Malfoy's, and I was still shaking with suppressed rage.
I was hugged from behind and immediately pushed them off. It was Gino and he looked shocked at my refusal.
"Sorry." I barked and then walked out of the common room. I didn't want to hurt anyone who didn't deserve it.
I was down in the deepest part of the dungeons when I was found, pacing. You could see the veins in my arms, it was so cold.
Marcus, Joey and Snape were all staring at me. I saw Joey open his mouth as if to say something, but was shushed by Snape.
I stopped pacing a few minutes after they arrived and turned towards them. Joey had this wounded look in his eyes, Snape was as blank as ever and Marcus looked as if he wanted to pat me on the back.
"You ok, Izzy?" Joey's voice was soft and tentative. I nodded briskly. "Gino said you wouldn't even let him hug him."
"I didn't need a hug," I growled. He wasn't affected.
"But you do now." It wasn't a question, more of a statement. He was spot on, but I wasn't going to let him know that. He was standing right in front of them now.
I shook my head. He went ahead and hugged me anyway. I pushed against him, but he wouldn't let me go. I struggled harder. Why wasn't he letting me go? I couldn't breathe. Couldn't he see that/ I wanted him to let me go. I was trapped. No way out. For the first time in my stay here at Hogwarts, I had a waking nightmare.
I don't know how young I was, but I assumed it was pretty young since everything seemed so big. I was in the bathroom with Aunt Petunia. She was giving me a bath, as ordered by Uncle Vernon. I was so small that the water came up to about my shoulder blades. I was watching my hand float limply beneath the surface of the water when Aunt Petunia grabbed my shoulders and pushed me under.
I flailed and kicked, but she wouldn't let me up! I prayed to any god I could think of to spare me. Let me live.
My prayer was answered and I found myself in a fresh - well as fresh as Dudley's old stuff can be - set of clothing, in the basement of the house. I was gasping for air and trying not to cry.
I heard people running around upstairs, but after what felt like only seconds, Uncle Vernon was barreling down the basement stairs. That was the first time he used his bare hands on me. By the time he was done I could barely open my eyes and I felt like I was going to die.
Uncle Vernon was now at the top of the stairs. "You can stay down here until I say otherwise, you little freak!" he shouted down to me.
I couldn't remember how long I had stayed down there. But I could remember Aunt Petunia coming down every now and then. The first time with a first aid kit, the rest with glasses of water and sometimes diagonal halves of stale sandwiches.
I guess she did kind of care for me at one point. Or didn't want her little servant to die. But looking back now, I was extremely grateful to her. I hadn't wanted to die and despite my freakish behavior back then, she still tried to keep me somewhat alive.
As I came back to the present, I realized I was being shaken slightly by some one and other people were calling my name. I flinched back and tried to get away like before, but I tripped over a raised stone on the floor. I landed with a thump and closed my eyes.
"Izzy, c'mon. You're safe here. No one's going to hurt you." The voice was soft and I recognized it to be Joey's. I relaxed infinitesimally. My eyes opened and I looked over to the boy kneeling beside me.
"Safe?" I asked, my voice rough.
He nodded. "Safe." he repeated in a statement.
Before I could change my mind, I threw myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck and burying my face in his chest.
"In the short time I had known Joey, he had shown himself to be trustworthy and not at all like most of the Slytherins. He was like the older brother I always wanted, but never, in my life, thought I could ever have.
Joey rubbed my back as I calmed down, rocking back and forth. When we had to go back to the common room, he carried me back because I wouldn't let go. And when I had to go up to the girls dormitory, I still refused to let go. Amy had to come down and guide me up and I slept with her, in her dorm. The room automatically accommodated another bed when I thought that I didn't want to share a bed with her and I went over to it.
Surprisingly, I didn't have a nightmare that night. In the morning when I woke up, I went back to my dorm to change into a fresh uniform. Gino, Amy, Blaise and Joey were waiting for me again when I came down, but so was Marcus.
"Izzy. We know."
End Chapter TBC
Finish: 1/1/11
Hola, ladies, gentlemen, and, if need be, in betweens. I hope you liked this chapter. I tried to be as descriptive as I could without being redundant. Hopefully it made up for the vagueness of the rest of the chapters. Anyway, most of this chapter came from chapters eight and nine of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Just to clear things up. :) I'm going to ask you to REVIEW THIS CHAPTER since I didn't get very many for chapter six. And I'm also going to ask to TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS STORY. You don't have to, but I'd like you to. Anyone who does any of these things will get a shout out in my next update. If you tell people, you'll have to mention it in a review or PM me. Any questions about anything, review or PM me. Thanks! Now for:
QUESTION OF THE CHAPTER!:
Should I make Malfoy be nice in the future?
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