Hello! Well it's year three at Hogwarts! There is a change in Aileen's life this year and little does she know how much danger she's in, but never fear...Snape is always near! :) Anyway, hope you enjoy this first part of Hogwarts, year three! I will try to have the conclusion up soon. Keep those reviews coming. They are truly awesome! Now, on with the show...
Snape paced the floor of his small living room; questions swirled in his tired mind. Dumbledore had summoned him back to Hogwarts during the summer break, one month before school was to start back. When he received the man's letter, his gut told him it was not going to be good news. He had first assumed Dumbledore wanted to discuss Sirius Black. The man, a suspected murderer and supporter of the Dark Lord, had broken out of Azkaban Prison recently. It was a feat thought to be impossible, but Black had done it, and now the whole Wizarding world was looking for him. It was said that before his escape, he was overheard screaming of going after Potter and killing him. Black was responsible for James and Lily Potter's death, and after Harry, as a baby, had defeated the Dark Lord, the man had lost everything. It was assumed he was now eaten up with vengeance.
Snape had sent Dumbledore a letter by owl explaining that he had already heard the news, and he would make preparations to protect the students once he returned. Right now, he wanted to enjoy a quiet, peaceful summer. It wasn't two days later that Dumbledore's response found its way into Snape's hands. He opened it, his eyes moving over the man's words.
Severus,
It is not about Sirius Black, though I fear he will become a problem. There is another issue that we must deal with now! Something that I have feared happening has just now been brought to my attention. Please, friend, come as soon as you can.
Sincerely,
Albus
Snape had read the words over and over, trying to find their meaning, but Dumbledore had given nothing away. If it wasn't about Harry being in danger from Black, it could only mean Dumbledore was referring to Aileen. Snape did not hesitate, grabbing his belongings and stepping out into the night.
As soon as he was sure no one was around, Snape wrapped his black cloak around him and disappeared. He walked the streets of Hogsmeade, the closest place he could apparate to. Dumbledore had used a charm on the school that didn't allow anyone to apparate onto the grounds. So, Snape found himself walking through the village in the early hours of the morning. His feet took long, strong steps as he hurried as fast as he could. The school came into view, and Snape felt his nerves stand on end. What had happened to Aileen? Had she found out who she was or worse, had someone else found out?
He noticed the man standing beside the entrance to Hogwarts, as if he knew Snape was close by. His face looked concerned, his eyes watching Snape as he got closer. The look was enough to make him believe whatever Dumbledore was about to tell him wasn't going to be good. It only made him walk faster.
"Severus, thank you for coming," Dumbledore said, holding his hand out for Snape to shake.
Snape took Dumbledore's hand in his and noticed the slight tremor, as if the man's hands were shaking. He raised his eyes slowly towards Dumbledore's. "Albus?" Snape asked, his voice giving off his confusion.
"In my office," Dumbledore said. The man turned and began walking back into Hogwarts, not looking back to see if Snape was following.
The luggage containing Snape's belongings sat at the entrance. He walked away from them, not caring in that moment if they just flew away, his mind only on what was going on. He walked through the quiet halls, the shadows moving as if they were alive. The only sounds throughout the school came from the ghosts which called Hogwarts home. The portraits all looked out as Snape passed them, finding it odd that a teacher was back so soon. Their whispering questions reached Snape's ears, but his whole attention was on Dumbledore's back and the gargoyles coming into view.
This time, Snape was not offered hot tea or a chair to rest in. Dumbledore strode to his desk and grabbed an envelope, turning abruptly back to Snape. "I received this a few days ago," he said quietly, handing the envelope to Snape.
With one final look at Dumbledore, Snape took the envelope from the man's slightly shaking hand. Turning it over, he opened it slowly, as if expecting something hideous to jump out at him. All he saw was a formal piece of paper from-
"Oh," Snape whispered.
The top of the formal letter read, Home for the Lost Children, Hope for the Future. His eyes darted down at the neat handwriting of Sister Mary Elizabeth.
Dearest Albus Dumbledore,
I am writing you this letter to inform you of some wonderful news that has just recently taken place. As you are the Headmaster of the school that Miss. Aileen Krimbling attends, you will find this information out soon enough, but I just had to write you to let you know that you can no longer reach Miss Krimbling at the orphanage. She has just recently been adopted. It seems as if the family knows Miss Krimbling through their son who also attends your school. The papers have been signed, and she has been with her new family for a week now. You may now correspond with Aileen's new guardians, Mr. and Mrs. Lucius Malfoy, (address listed below), from now on. I hope this letter finds you well.
Yours Truly,
Sister Mary Elizabeth, Headmistress, Home for the Lost Children, Hope for the Future
Snape felt as if someone had reached into his body and twisted his insides. His eyes read each word, giving them time to settle in his head. It still did not make it easy to believe that what he had read was truth. It could not possibly be true. His head shot up, staring at Dumbledore.
"Tell me this is some twisted joke, Albus!" Snape said, feeling his anger rise.
The man turned away from Snape, walking slowly towards the window. "Believe me, Severus, I wish it were," Dumbledore said low.
Snape read the letter again, seeing if he had missed the punch line, but he already knew the letter was real, as real as he was here standing in Dumbledore's office. "You can't let this adoption stand, Albus. You just can't!" Snape said.
"I have looked in to it, Severus. There is nothing I can do, for the adoption is legal and binding. Like the letter said, as of this moment, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy are the legal guardians of Aileen," Dumbledore said, his voice sounding defeated.
The hand holding the letter dropped to his side, the white paper falling to the floor. "Do they know?" Snape whispered.
Finally, Dumbledore turned and looked at Snape. "Let us hope with all hope that they do not, Severus." He let out a long, deep sigh and walked slowly towards the younger man. His hand reached up, clasping Snape on the shoulder, his tired eyes staring into Snape's black orbs. "I fear, old friend, that I have no choice but to ask you to pay your old colleague Lucius Malfoy a visit."
Aileen sat in front of Narcissa Malfoy, watching the woman sip her cup of hot tea. She watched the cup rise to the woman's face, only to be greeted by the woman's blue eyes. Very gently, carefully, Narcissa took a sip of her steaming drink. Aileen forced herself to smile once the cup came down and was sat in its saucer. She had been at the Malfoy Mansion for two weeks now, and she found herself, for the first time, in the company, of Narcissa alone. Draco had been by her side the entire time, except for today. Mr. Malfoy had insisted that his son join him today to give the women a moment to get acquainted. Not for the first time that morning did she wish for her friend to be here with her.
"Are you getting adjusted to your life here, Aileen?" Narcissa asked quietly.
Aileen swallowed, forcing herself to speak. "Yes, Mrs. Malfoy. You have a lovely home."
It came out so small and weak, but the woman heard her nonetheless. Narcissa smiled gently at Aileen, the smile putting her at ease somewhat.
"Aileen, dear, you are my daughter now, you do not have to call me Mrs. Malfoy, nor do you have to call my husband Mr. Malfoy. Though, I do not expect you to call us father and mother yet, you can call me Cissy. That is what my closest friends refer to me as. As for my husband, you can call him Lucius until he chooses a better name," Narcissa said.
Aileen shook her head. "Okay Cissy," she said, giving the woman a small smile. Narcissa's face beamed at hearing her nickname come from Aileen's mouth. Though she came off as snobbish and superior, in this quiet moment, Aileen could see the mother in her. She could see that Narcissa had a soft side that few people saw. Being here for just two weeks, Aileen had seen plenty of times just how much the woman loved her son. Draco was her jewel and she showered him with her love, though never did she baby him. Aileen had to admit, a part of her did like the woman.
"I must admit, I always wanted a daughter," Narcissa said so quietly Aileen had to strain to hear her.
She didn't know how to respond to what Narcissa said, so she chose to remain silent. In truth, Aileen always wanted a family, and she guessed they both received what they wanted. So, if that was the case why did she have this feeling of dread stuck in the pit of her stomach? She had everything now, a mother, a father, Draco, who was turning out to be one of her closest friends, as a brother, a mansion for a home, which was a huge jump from the orphanage. Aileen thought about all the things she now had, and yet the dread was constant.
"Something wrong, dear?" Narcissa asked worriedly.
Again, Aileen forced a smile. "No, ma'am, just a little overwhelmed."
Narcissa nodded her head in understanding. "There is no reason to be overwhelmed, Aileen. We are aware that it is going to take time for you to feel like this place is home and that I and my husband are your parents. No one is rushing you dear."
To hear the woman say that, it did ease some of Aileen's fears but not the dread. It stuck where it was as if jammed there. She thought of mentioning it to Narcissa, but something in her head told her to keep her mouth shut. Instead of talking, Aileen reached out and grabbed her own cup of hot tea, bringing it to her lips and feeling the hot liquid course down her throat.
"You are a part of this family now, Aileen. You are a Malfoy and we stick together, dear. You will never want for anything again."
The two women stared at one another, their eyes roaming over every inch of the other's face. Aileen felt something stir within her, something familiar. By the look on Narcissa's face, she took a wild guess and thought the woman felt it too. What was it about the woman that felt so familiar to Aileen?
"You remind me so much of my...," Narcissa began, her sentence cutting off by the sound of the door being opened.
They turned and watched Draco running towards the sitting room, his father behind him looking from his wife to Aileen. She didn't miss the small nod between husband and wife, as if signaling that it was okay for them to return at that moment. Narcissa turned her attention to her son, her face beaming again.
"How was the hunt, Draco?" she asked him.
He threw himself down beside Aileen, bumping her playfully with his elbow. "It was fine I guess, didn't kill anything," he said aggravated.
Lucius had taken Draco hunting, something that surprised the young boy at first. His father never really spent what you would call quality time with his son, but today, they had spent most of the morning in the woods behind their mansion. Of course, everyone present knew it was only to give Narcissa and Aileen some time alone.
"Mother, may we go now?" Draco asked, his voice taking a hint of a whine.
Narcissa looked between the two children, her head nodding slightly that they could leave. Draco and Aileen wasted no time jumping from the couch and running out of the sitting room.
"Do not run in the house!" Narcissa called to them.
They didn't obey as they giggled all the way to the back entrance to the mansion. With Draco here, the dreaded feeling in the pit of Aileen's stomach disappeared. She always felt at ease with him around. Aileen looked behind her before disappearing outside to see Lucius watching them, his face unreadable. It made her hurry out the door as fast as she could. She may have found a side of Narcissa that made her more comfortable, but no matter how hard she tried, Aileen would never be comfortable with Lucius.
"This way," Draco called, as he ran through the grounds at the Malfoy estate. The land was lavish, and it spoke of just how wealthy the Malfoy family was. Acres upon acres of freshly cut grass could be seen, as if it were an ocean of green. Large Oak trees sat about the grounds, their height reaching towards the heavens. The mansion itself held seven bedrooms, four bathrooms, two kitchens, a dining room, living room, library, office room, usually occupied by Lucius, a room for Narcissa to do, well whatever it is she did, and all of those rooms were only on the first floor. The mansion was three stories, but Aileen and Draco were only permitted to go on the first and second floor. Whatever was below on the third floor was never spoken of.
They came to stop beside a large lake. The sun's rays shown down on it making it look as though it were made of millions of sparkling diamonds. Above their heads sat one of the many oak trees. Draco took a seat on the cool grass, reaching in his pocket and bringing out a rolled up newspaper. He looked up at Aileen and motioned for her to take a seat beside him. She sat down and he began rolling out the newspaper. Her eyes roamed over the contents on the front, watching the pictures take a life of their own, moving as if they were alive.
"The Daily Prophet," Aileen read out loud.
"Take a look at this," Draco said, pointing to a large picture on the front.
Aileen stared at a picture of a man who, in her opinion, looked insane. His head turned from side to side swiftly and then back to the front, his mouth open in a silent scream. His eyes were startling, showing his madness. Aileen felt a chill run down her spine.
"W-who is he?" she whispered.
"His name's Black, Sirius Black. He's my cousin on my mother's side, though he has long been disowned by the family," Draco answered.
"Is he in prison?" Aileen asked, finally looking away from the picture to Draco.
Draco shook his head. "Was in prison. He just recently broke out of Azkaban, something that's never been done before. You know what the best part is?" Draco asked.
Aileen shook her head, choosing not to speak.
"He's after Potter! I heard my parents talking a few nights ago how when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was killed, he lost everything, went on a Muggle killing spree, and was heard saying he would destroy the one who killed his friend, referring to when Potter killed the Dark Lord."
Aileen signed heavily, turning her eyes back to the picture before her. Black was still screaming his silent scream. "You think the best part is this man's coming after Harry?" Aileen asked disappointed.
"Oh, come on Aileen don't start with me about Potter!" Draco whined.
She picked up the newspaper, thrusting it back towards Draco. She had seen enough of the man's face. She had to endure being pulled in two separate directions each year at Hogwarts. She really liked Harry, he'd done nothing to warrant her anger, and then there was Draco, who had made immediate enemies with Harry and his friends.
"Then don't start with me about being his friend, and don't be surprised when it upsets me that you think it's wonderful that a crazed man is after him either," Aileen said shortly.
"Well, don't expect me to be the "great" Potter's friend anytime soon! Be friends with who you want!" Draco spat.
"Fine!" Aileen said angrily
"Fine!" Draco retorted.
Silence surrounded them. Aileen had turned away from Draco, looking out over the sparkling lake. Draco huffed loudly, his arms crossed over his chest. They both sat like that for several minutes. She hated when they fought, which only happened when Harry was brought up. She thought about turning and asking him why he held so much animosity towards the boy, but before she could, Draco spoke first.
"Hey, Aileen, come on. I don't want to fight with you. You're my sister now and we are family. Family sticks together!" Draco said, grabbing her arm and gently turning her to face him.
She allowed him to turn her and her eyes landed on the newspaper. "Some families don't," she said softly, motion towards Black's picture.
"Yeah, but that's their problem! We are a different generation," Draco said, his shoulders shrugging as he spoke.
She looked at him, smiling. She copied his movements from earlier and poked him in the side with her elbow. He laughed, poking her back. The tension in the air melted as fast as it began, and Aileen breathed a sigh of relief. She had too much to deal with, with having a new home and all. She didn't need the one person who was grounding her to be angry with her.
"As much as I hate to say it, if you must be friends with Potter then it is okay with me," he ground through clenched teeth. "Just don't expect me to join you in that friendship."
It was something that Aileen had waited on Draco to say. It was his way of giving her his blessing, and for some reason, she always felt she needed it. With a squeal of excitement, she threw her arms around his neck and thanked him over and over again. He was taking a weight off her shoulders that he didn't realize was there. She could have Draco in her life, and at the same time she could resume her friendship with Harry, Ron and Hermione, though she knew it would always be weird when they were all together. Still, Draco had taken a huge step for her benefit.
"Okay, enough of that," he said embarrassingly, trying to pry her arms from around his neck.
They spent the rest of the afternoon lying under the big oak tree, enjoying the cool breeze on the hot summer day. They talked lightly of what they expected their third year to be like. Aileen groaned inwardly, thinking of what would await her. She had been through enough her first two years for a lifetime to come, and she wondered if she could take anything else.
"Aileen, have you ever wondered why you started later than me? I mean you're fifteen in a class full of thirteen year olds. Don't you find that a little odd?" Draco said as the sun set.
He hadn't said it to be rude, and she had thought about it for a while now. It was strange to her that she was older than everyone in her class. She should be starting her fifth year at Hogwarts, but instead, she was only a third-year.
"I'm not sure. Dumbledore never explained it to me, but I've often wondered why," she answered.
"Maybe you can ask him when we go back. He should have already explained," Draco said.
She shrugged her shoulders, thinking back to the last conversation she had had with her Headmaster. It had not been a nice one, and she felt bad for the way she had showed her anger. Aileen had lashed out at him, though at the time she felt she had a good reason. Now, she wasn't so sure. Through the summer, she thought about what had happened in the Chamber and Secrets and with Tom Riddle. It shocked her to realize she felt sorry for the memory that tried to overtake her. Why she felt that way, she wasn't sure. When the memory had been destroyed, Aileen felt as though a part of her had been destroyed. Still, months later, there was that hole in her soul that appeared when he vanished from her sight.
"You okay," Draco asked.
Aileen turned towards him, seeing the concern in his eyes. She tried to smile, but it wouldn't reach her eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine," she said softly.
It must have been enough, because he began talking again. Aileen lay on her back, looking up at the large tree above her, missing half of what Draco was saying. She felt the heaviness return, and when she closed her eyes, she saw Tom's face the moment Harry had thrust the Snake's tooth into the Diary. He had looked so lost, in so much pain.
"Draco, Aileen, your parents are looking for you," one of the Malfoy servants said, cutting into Aileen's thoughts.
They sat up, looking at the servant and nodding their heads in understanding. Draco stood, reaching his hand out to help Aileen up. Before walking towards the mansion, Aileen looked out over the lake and noticed its sparkle was dimming as the sun went down. It was as if someone had stolen its light, making it look dark and murky. It saddened her more than she was willing to admit.
Coming into the mansion, the smell of food assaulted their senses and both groaned in hunger. They hurried towards the dining room to join their parents. Aileen laughed as Draco ran in front of her, trying to beat her. She made a move to dodge in front of him, but he cut her off, causing her to nearly miss the expensive mirror on the wall. The two kids burst out in laughter as they ran into the room.
As soon as Aileen entered the room, her laughter died in her throat as she noticed they had a visitor already sitting at the table. Lucius and Narcissa turned towards their children, their eyes scanning to make sure they were properly dressed for their visitor. Draco continued towards the table, as if the visitor being here was not something new, but Aileen was rooted to the spot, her eyes staring straight at the man. He was staring back, his black orbs filled with what looked like relief.
"Professor Snape," Aileen said, not hiding the surprise in her voice.
"Good evening, Aileen," Snape said.
He had called her by her first name, something he didn't do, or rarely did at school. He was here, in her new home, but why? She knew that he was friends with the Malfoy's, but she didn't know that he visited them.
"Dear, please have a seat so we can start supper," Narcissa called to her, standing up to pull out her chair.
Aileen looked at her seat and realized they had placed her right beside Snape. Her heart skipped a beat, and she forced her legs to move. She had thought about this man all summer, and the words of her friends at the orphanage rang out. They had told her she had hero worship when it came to Snape, but over the summer it had turned deeper. She found that when she thought of him, a smile playing on her lips, she felt safe. When she had made it out of the Chamber of Secrets, he had run to her, looking frightened and concerned. His eyes roamed over her, seeing if she was hurt. Though she was mentally hurt, physically she was fine, but they insisted on her going to the hospital wing anyway. She had heard him come in that night, but she didn't allow him to know she was awake. He had pulled a chair up beside her bed, as quietly as he could, and watched her for a while. It was only later, when she felt the safest, that sleep finally hit her. When she awoke the next morning, he was gone.
The servants brought the food out, bringing Aileen out of her thoughts. She was completely aware of the man to her right. He was wearing his usual black. The space between them wasn't wide and when one of them moved, their arms would briefly touch. She could feel her face growing red and she closed her eyes, feeling completely stupid. He was her teacher for crying out loud. He was way older than her, and there was no way he would ever feel that way towards her. Her eyes shot open, her eyebrows rising. She realized what she had just said in her mind about him never feeling that way towards her, but what way was that?
"Aileen, are you alright?" Narcissa asked, her face looking concerned.
Aileen shot her head up, looking towards everyone at the table, well not everyone. Her eyes didn't dare move towards Snape. She looked at Draco, thinking that the better choice, but his confused face did nothing to help her.
"Y-yes ma'am," she croaked.
"Yes, well then, let us eat," Lucius said, his eyes looked straight through Aileen as if she had embarrassed him by the way she was acting.
For the rest of the meal, Aileen sat and listened to the talk between the adults. Every so often, she would look at Draco and he would make a face at her, causing her to laugh out. The table would grow silent and Lucius would give her that stare again. Aileen would apologize and the adults would go back to their talk. Aileen threw a look of death at Draco, who was bending over in a silent laugh.
"I can assume there is a reason you've come to visit tonight, Severus," Lucius spoke as desert was being placed before them.
Snape wiped his mouth with a napkin and nodded his head. "Yes Lucius, when Albus Dumbledore heard about the adoption, he asked me to come and check on Aileen."
Aileen was watching Lucius and noticed a twitch at his mouth. It wasn't really a smile, more of a sneer. His eyes darkened some, and she found herself feeling uncomfortable. On his face was the same look as the day in the bookstore when he told Draco to release her and let her go with the Weasleys. It was a look that Aileen found disturbing.
"Did he now?" Lucius said low and dangerous.
Snape never flinched, never moved to show anything but his light mood in the company of friends. "Yes, he did. After all, Aileen is his student. He wanted me to come and make sure she will be attending Hogwarts and seeing as I am her Head of House, I wanted to know as well."
"You always come and check on your students, Severus?" Lucius asked.
If Aileen were able to physically see the temperature in the room, she would have seen it tumble to the floor. The two men stared at one another, neither blinking. Aileen looked at Draco, but he was staring from his father to his Professor.
"When I feel the need arise, I do," Snape drawled.
Again, silence filled the space around the dining room table. Whatever was going on between the two men was going way over Aileen's head. They acted as though they were friends, but at that moment, she felt that one was about to strike the other. The longer the minutes past, the worse the feeling got. Lucius clasped his hands together and laughed, though it didn't feel friendly at all. Everyone at the table jumped, except for Snape.
"Rest assured, Severus, Aileen is in good hands now. She has a wonderful home and our family is now complete. She is where she was always meant to be, not stuck in some orphanage."
Right beside her, she felt Snape's body go rigid with the last sentence.
"And Hogwarts?" Snape asked quietly.
"She will continue to attend Hogwarts with Draco, though I wish she would be moved to her proper year. She is fifteen and should be in fifth-year, not third-year."
"Yes, well, she was found later than most and Albus felt it would do more harm than good to allow her to skip those years. They are, after all, very important," Snape responded. For the first time, Aileen saw how uncomfortable he looked. He switched his weight from one side of his body to the other in his chair.
"Why is that, Severus, the great Albus Dumbledore falling down on his job?" Lucius said low.
"Lucius, please. The children," Narcissa whispered to her husband.
Lucius looked away from Snape to look at his wife. The sneer that had made an appearance disappeared slowly. Aileen realized where Draco had learned that look. It was the spitting image of his father's.
"I do not question every move Albus makes. I came here to make sure Aileen was still attending Hogwarts and if my services were still needed for when she was to make her trips to Diagon Alley. Again, I state that I'm her Head of House and her wellbeing is important to me, Lucius. You should understand that being Slytherin yourself," Snape said, his stoned face back in place.
"Of course, Severus, we understand. Yes, as my husband said, she will still be attending Hogwarts. As for your services to Diagon Alley, that won't be necessary anymore. I will handle all supplies from this moment forward. I appreciate your concern for both of my children," Narcissa answered before her husband could.
Finally, supper was over and Snape was saying his goodbyes. He stood at the entrance, staring at Aileen. He looked as if he didn't want to leave. Lucius and Narcissa was telling him goodnight and thanking him for coming.
"I was wondering if I could have a word with Aileen before I left. I just need to discuss the point you brought up earlier, Lucius, about her being moved to fifth-year. If you will allow me a private moment with her, I would be grateful," Snape said.
"Of course, Severus," Lucius said, his voice sounding a little strained.
Aileen followed Snape outside, along the walk way until they were well out of earshot. She turned and looked up at him. Again, she could see the concern in his eyes and she wondered what was causing it. She thought about asking him, but she felt she didn't have the nerve to point out that he was showing emotion towards her instead of the stoned-stare he preferred.
"Are they treating you well, Aileen?" he asked in a soft voice.
She looked at him, her face scrunched in confusion. Why would he ask her that? Did he feel that they wouldn't treat her right? She remembered the reaction in Diagon Alley two years ago when she had first met the Malfoy's. He stood in front of her, as if shielding her from them. Did he know something that made him think she wouldn't be taken care of?
"They are kind to me. I enjoy having Draco around, and Cissy is real nice. I haven't been around Lucius too much, but he hasn't done anything mean to me," Aileen said.
"I want you to have this," Snape said. He picked her hand up, a jolt shooting through the pit of her stomach, and laid something in her palm. She looked down in her hand and saw a small, square box the color of silver. There was nothing on it but a small button. In her curiosity, she pushed it and heard a beeping noise in Snape's pocket. He reached in, bringing out a similar small, square box.
"If you ever need my assistance, for any reason, push that button and I will be here in a second, do you understand?" Snape whispered.
It was then that she knew there was something he wasn't telling her. Something about the Malfoy's scared him, she could see it in his eyes, and it began to scare her. She looked down at the small box in her hand again.
"Promise me, Aileen," he said more with more authority.
"Why are you doing this," Aileen asked.
"At the moment, an explanation isn't needed. All I need from you is an understanding that you will do as I say," Snape drawled.
She knew there was no use in arguing with him. He had made his mind up, for whatever reason, not to tell her. With a large sigh, she nodded her head yes. Snape watched her a few more seconds, wanting to be sure that she understood. When he was satisfied, he stepped away from her.
"Remember, keep it on you at all times, and no matter how silly you think it is, if you need me I will be here," Snape said, and with that, he disappeared.
Aileen spent all night lying in bed remember the way it felt when Snape had touched her hand and the jolt that it ignited in her stomach. As the final moments of consciousness slipped away, she realized her hero worship had turned to a full blown crush.
One month later-
"Mother, that's enough. You're making a scene," Draco whined as Narcissa hugged him.
Aileen hid her smile behind her hand as she watched the boy squirm out of his mother's embrace. Draco dragged his trunk towards the train without looking back at his mother.
"Aileen," Narcissa called.
She turned to see the woman's arms out for her. It was something she had wanted since the first moment she had come to King's Cross Station. She had wanted to be one of those children whose parents hugged them and watched them go until they were well passed visibility. Now, here she was in the presence of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, and the woman was asking for a hug goodbye. Before she could really think about it, Aileen dropped her trunks and ran to the woman, falling into her arms.
"Have a wonderful year, dear," Narcissa whispered in her ear.
"That is enough Cissy, the girl's going to miss the train," her husband said.
Finally, Aileen was let go, she hurried on the train. As soon as she climbed aboard, she looked for Harry's compartment to catch up with her friends she hadn't seen all summer.
Several compartments down, Aileen saw Harry, Ron and Hermione. As she grabbed the door to open it, she noticed someone else within the compartment. He was lying down, as if asleep and taking up all the room. It was way too crowded for her to join them. Aileen looked up, smiling apologetically at Harry, her finger pointing to the sleeping man's body. Harry shrugged his shoulders, letting her know he had no clue who the man was.
"I'll catch up with you later," she mouthed towards the three in the compartment. All of them nodded their heads.
As she walked forward, she thought about how happy Draco would be that she was joining him instead of Harry. Sure enough, the moment that Draco saw her, he smiled, motioning for her to join him and his group of friends. They sat out in the open of the train, not choosing a compartment since their numbers were too many. She watched all of them gather around Draco, holding on to his every word.
The crowd parted, allowing her to reach Draco. He told Pansy Parkinson to scoot over, allowing Aileen to scoot in beside him. The girl didn't look at all happy, but she kept her mouth shut. As she got comfortable, an array of greetings shot in her direction, everyone sounding happy to see her. It wasn't that she didn't have friends before today, she had plenty, but in this moment, she felt popular amongst her Slytherin brothers and sisters, and she knew there was only one thing causing it.
"You told them," she whispered to Draco, a smile plastered to her face as they continued to greet her.
"Of course I did. Why wouldn't I?" he whispered back.
As the train left the station headed towards Hogwarts, Aileen found herself the center of everyone attention. As everyone was looking to her, she was looking at Pansy Parkinson. The girl had her arms crossed over her chest, her face looking at Draco angrily. For a moment, she wondered what in the world could be the girl's problem, and then she realized it, Pansy had a crush on Draco. There was no other reason that would cause such a look on the girl's face. Aileen chuckled, shaking her head.
"What," Draco asked softly, his face held a casual smile.
She bent over so that only he could hear her and whispered, "I think your girlfriend's mad at you."
Draco looked confused at first until Aileen inclined her head towards Pansy direction. Draco looked over, saw the girl's angered face and rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he mumbled.
Aileen laughed. She couldn't help it really. It reminded her of when Draco had accused Harry of being her boyfriend. Now, the tables were turned.
A ways into the journey, Aileen wanted to stretch her legs and go check back with Harry, Ron and Hermione. If the sleeping man was gone, she would join them for a bit to catch up. She stood up, excused herself from the Slytherins and came up with some excuse when Draco asked her where she was going. Her excuse seemed to work, because he turned back to the conversation at hand.
Aileen walked a little ways down the hall when the train's breaks began to squeal and she was thrown forward. She caught herself just in time before she went sprawling on the floor. Straightening, she looked around and met the confused faces of other students. All of them were looking around, as if someone had the answers to what was happening.
Suddenly, the whole train became like ice. Aileen stared ahead, watching the white fog come from her lips when she breathed out. Goose bumps broke out all over her body. She took another step forward but immediately came to an abrupt halt.
Before her, something appeared. It was something she had never laid her eyes on before and the feeling she got when staring at the creature was one of pure fear. Her eyes went wide as she watched it float, looking in every compartment as it passed. Its body was covered in black robes, bellowing out behind it. Aileen couldn't see the creatures face, for it was covered by a black hood.
It seemed to be paying her no attention as it crept closer, and she begged her legs to move, but they were still as stone. The thing looked straight in her direction, though she wasn't sure if it was looking at her or not. Its actions said it was as it floated towards her, as if its mind was made up which direction to go. Aileen could do nothing but watch as it got to within feet of her but suddenly, it stopped and turned its head to the left.
It opened the compartment door, and Aileen was able to get a good look at who was in there. Harry stared at the creature in front of him, and to Aileen's horror, she watched as the creature floated towards him. She heard a sharp intake of breath and then watched as the creature began, what looked like, sucking Harry's face. His face became distorted, as if vaporizing in mist. It was sucked into the direction of where the creatures mouth should be, and Harry's mouth opened in a silent scream. At the same moment, the sleeping man jumped to his feet, his wand at ready.
"Expecto Patronum," the man yelled.
Brilliant, white light shot from the man's wand and straight into the creature's chest. With a piercing scream, the creature let go his hold on Harry and stumbled out of the compartment. It floated towards Aileen's direction and as soon as it was out of the brilliant, white light, it came to its senses. This time, Aileen did move. Unfortunately, it was to fall backwards on her backside. She looked up at the creature now flying above her and tried to scream, but nothing came out.
The creature jerked down, coming to within inches of her face. A feeling of total and complete sadness hit her in that moment, as if she would never smile again. The tears came to her eyes without her even trying. They slid down her cheeks, her heart breaking for reasons she didn't know. Suddenly, in her mind she heard a woman's shrill laugh and a man's angered scream. The man and woman caused her so much sorrow, Aileen felt as though she would drown in it.
"Dark Lord," the creature whispered above her.
Again she heard the woman's laugh and the man's angered scream. What she didn't realize was she began to scream as well. The sound filled the whole of the train, making everyone look towards the girl being assaulted by the black-robed creature.
"Aileen!" Draco screamed.
He had no time to get to her before the man in the compartment ran into the hall and raised his wand. "Expecto Patronum," he screamed again.
This time, the creature howled in pain before flying towards the window and breaking it as it flew out. The last thing on Aileen's mind before the world went dark was how much she hated the sound of the woman's laugh and the man's angered scream.
Wonder who Aileen hears when the Dementor got to her? hmmm...lol! Okay, I'm off to write the next part, remember to review and I just might have the next part out before you can conjure a spell! Thanks for reading!
