Sorry I'll make this short, I don't own Harry Potter and I'll just continue with the story, enjoy and please review.
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Previous chapter:
"Dobby has come to tell young master Malfoy that the master and mistress are currently away and should be back any time soon. Dobby has instructions to take the young masters' belongings to his room and feed him, along with the masters' guests."
"Do as you will Dobby, let us know when Lucius and Narcissa arrive the moment you see them alright?"
"Yes Lady Eleanor, Dobby shall tell." The little house elf disapparated with the baggage and both professors walked inside with the other servants to the dining room after using a cleansing spell to brush up.
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"Draco we're home!" a woman's voice called from the front door as she and her husband used their wands to place their cloaks on the rack when Draco Malfoy immediately ran down the stairs and into the man's arms.
"I missed you father, I missed you too mother." He stated looking up at the pale-blonde haired man as he was suddenly lifted into his mother's arms.
"We missed you too honey…what happened to your face?" Narcissa Malfoy looked at her son's face noticing the large bruise on his left cheek placing her cold hands on his face to look closer at it.
"Sorry we had a run in with a muggle thief that took Draco hostage and was apparently drunk but Severus took care of him."
"What curse did he use?" Lucius Malfoy asked looking up at Salena who was now coming down the stairs.
"None."
"Hexes?"
"None."
"Well what did he use?" Lucius asked firmly.
"My knee…although truth be known he had it coming before the police took him." Severus gave a small smile before following Lucius and Narcissa into the living room since the elves were still preparing the table for dinner.
"So how are your grades Draco? Greatly I hope…" Lucius asked looking at Draco who was just now sitting by the fire and the large Christmas tree decorated all over along with the rest of the house.
"Oh he's doing fine in my flight class; he flies as if he's done it for years. I've been talking with the other teachers, and they all say both him and that other girl…uh…what was her name again?"
"Granger, Hermione Granger…she's a Gryffindor but she has the brains of a seventh year." Snape explained before taking a bite of his meat.
"My son falling behind a Gryffindor….!" Lucius was about to yell when Salena stood up and raised her hand against him.
"He's not falling behind Luc…he's a few points ahead of her and he intends to keep it that way, if not better." Salena looked the elder Malfoy directly in the eye before he finally managed to calm down and take a deep breath.
"Good…excellent, keep your grades up Draco…and make sure you don't associate with riffraff like the Gryffindors or anyone other than Slytherin."
"Yes father." Draco nodded his head in agreement and turned to look at Salena, and she winked at him in approval. Just then there was a loud crack and Annie the house elf was in the room in her tattered clothing.
"Dinner is served masters." She took a bow and apparated away back to the kitchen. Everyone walked into the grand dining room and the table was set with plates full of food and drinks for the adults but tea for Draco.
"Do you drink Eleanor?" Narcissa asked after taking her seat next to her husband.
"I used to a while back, but I stopped for some reason. Though I can't remember why…"
"Well maybe one drink won't be too bad Elly…but be careful because we leave tomorrow afternoon." Snape said taking a sip of his fire whiskey. Draco looked up from his food with confusion in his eyes.
"I thought you were staying until after the holidays professor?"
"I thought so too Severus?" Salena also looked over at her colleague who simply cleared his throat and placed his hands on either side of his dinner plate.
"We have a change of plans El, Dumbledore's going to be away for the holidays with McGonagall and most of the other teachers and he wants me and you to watch over the castle while they're gone." Salena gave a sigh of depression and suddenly gulped down her glass of whiskey before refilling it again and taking a few bites of food and gulping it down again. Everyone else just ate quietly until Snape spoke up after having just about enough of Salena's loud gulping.
"Stop drinking so loudly Eleanor, you sound like a dehydrated pony. And go easy on the whiskey, that's your fifth glass already." Salena just looked up at him with her bloodshot eyes and her voice sounded completely worn out.
"Wha' yeh talkin' bout? Ah feel fine…nuttin' to it…." She spoke weakly. Salena tried to stand up but instead she almost fell completely out of her chair when Snape caught her.
"Okay now I know you've had enough...maybe I should take her upstairs?" Lucius nodded and finished his meal before summoning some more house elves to clear off the table. Narcissa put Salena's left arm around her shoulder and Snape did the other leading the snake princess upstairs into the guest room. Lucius left to tuck Draco in and decided to forget the whole thing that night, maybe even ease up on giving whiskey to friends.
Narcissa soon left after her and Snape set Salena down on the large double bed and helping her into her night clothes. Snape pulled the sheets over Salena and made her pillow comfortable before he tried to leave. Salena looked up at him groggily and just before she passed out cold, she spoke in a low voice even Snape couldn't hear.
"Thank you…my dear friend…"
Snape then shut the door behind him and soon walked into Draco's bedroom where Narcissa and Lucius were saying goodnight to an exhausted Draco. As he walked into the room Lucius gave Draco a kiss on his forehead and Narcissa on his cheek before leaving to let their little dragon sleep. (Story's gonna switch back and forth between different P.O.V.'s).
They sat in the study by the fireplace drinking hot chocolate before Lucius looked over at Snape and placed his mug on the stand next to his seat.
"So Severus…how are things between you and Eleanor?" Snape looked up from his seat and looked puzzled at the blonde.
"What do you mean Lucius?"
"I mean are you two getting along quite nicely, as usual?"
"What Lucius, only a year after we both first meet Elly you decide to ask me such a question?"
"We just want to know how your relationship's going with her, from what I see, she might have feelings for you. You are good friends are you not?"
"Of course we are, and we'll be nothing but friends; is that good enough for you?"
"Really Severus, couldn't you read the look on Eleanor's face when you spoke to her at dinner? I suppose it was a look of…envy maybe…" Snape just chuckled and took another sip of his hot drink.
"It must have been the whiskey, Elly always gets a bit dazed when she drinks a little too much of something other than pumpkin juice." Snape looked back at the fireplace and hid the blush trying to form on his face.
"Whatever you say Sev…whatever you say." Lucius glanced sideways at Narcissa and she winked at him; meaning they both knew exactly how the two felt about each other.
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7:32 a.m. the next morning:
Salena's head was aching terribly, her body felt too tired and stiff to move, and her breath smelt like dragon feet that hadn't been washed in weeks. The sun peeked through a crack in the thick green curtains and shined over her eyes, making the bloodshot pupils burn from the hangover.
"Oh god…my head hurts…" Salena was in such a massive migraine that she didn't hear the door open or hear footsteps coming over to her bed.
"Feel any better there Elly?" Salena's vision was blurred a bit but after a few seconds it cleared to see Narcissa standing above her, still in her night gown and a green robe with her hair in a messy braid. Salena rubbed her eyes and her forehead before managing to gather the strength to at least sit up despite her sore back.
"Ugh…what happened last night….I feel like I had a run in with a Hungarian Horntail Dragon and ended up with a Horntail body slam?"
"Well if you'll recall, Severus told you you'd be leaving earlier than usual and you seemed upset and drowned your depression in fire whiskey. You passed out just before almost falling out of your chair and Severus carried you here." Salena's eyes went wide and she stared at Narcissa before falling back onto her pillow; suddenly the headache came back and she felt dizzy. Narcissa smiled and gave her a small cup of hangover potion to cure her of her drunken stage. Salena took it and drank it slowly; in no time she felt good as new. Slipping out of bed she pulled on her house robe and walked downstairs with Narcissa to get breakfast where the boys were waiting.
"Well look who finally decided to grace us with her presence." Snape said not looking away from Draco, who was still asleep on the couch.
"Now I remember why I stopped drinking…every time I drink even one glass I get a serious hangover. But I'm better now, so I guess I could eat some breakfast."
"Actually Eleanor, we ate already; but we saved you a plate, it's in the kitchen on the counter." Salena just gave Lucius the evil eye, and he flinched a little.
"How very kind of you…if you need me I'll be eating out of the fireplace…" she grumbled before storming off toward the kitchen where the house elves were busy finishing up their kitchen duties. Salena found her plate and picked it up beginning to eat. It took a few minutes but when she finished she used her wand to clean the plate and put it up, making several eyes stare at her in astonishment. She then used a spell to put some regular robes on and clean her hair so she would look at least presentable when she and Snape left for the school.
"You ready yet; we have a few hours before we're needed back at the school you know." Snape spoke from the kitchen door, arms crossed, head bowed, eyes directed at the floor. Salena sighed and walked over to him, looking him directly in the face.
"Do you always have to leave in a hurry, or are you just eager to get back and stalk Quirrell since he's one of the teachers besides us to watch the castle?" Snape's head immediately snapped up at her question, and Salena just gave him an evil smirk.
"I knew it…you can never pass up an opportunity to watch over the school especially when it comes to finding trouble." She turned away and was stopped by a hand grasping her shoulder, and rather tightly at that.
"First of all, I'm not stalking Quirrell…I just happen to know he's up to no good, and I don't go looking for trouble, I run into it by accident."
"Sometimes…" Salena mumbled before Snape's hold on her shoulder tightened a bit.
"No not sometimes…why do you suggest such a thing? You always do this; always assume that I'm up to no good when it's really you who's up to no good. Sending that pet sna---" Salena's hand flew up and clasped over Snape's mouth before he could finish his sentence. She gave him a look of warning directing her eyes back to the living room where the Malfoys were still in earshot of their conversation.
"Not here you idiot…c'mon we have to get going." Salena then grabbed Snape's arm and pulled him out to the hall where she slowed in front of the room where the Malfoys were in the sitting room by the fire.
"Sorry Lucius, but we really need to leave now." Salena spoke with a hint of nervousness in her voice.
"Really, can't you stay a little longer?" Narcissa asked turning over to Draco, who was still seated on the couch, asleep.
"No sorry, Dumbledore's getting impatient I can feel it."
"Alright, your luggage is already in the carriage and have a good Christmas, both of you." Lucius winked at them and Salena, not really understanding what he meant, just smiled and left with Snape into the carriage.
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Back at Hogwarts:
"Salena, there's something I want to ask you." Salena had been in the Slytherin common room. Salena looked up at the Potions master and took a sip of her hot cocoa before giving a deep sigh.
"Yes Severus?"
"While we were at the Malfoy's, I noticed that you kept staring at Draco and Lucius for some time. Care to explain why?"
"That's really none of your business is it Severus?"
"No not really, but I think it has something to do with your deceased fiancé, correct?"
"No…"
"You're lying, I can tell; even after over a year of knowing each other I can see right through you. Now tell me, what's on your mind?"
"…Alright, I'll say why…they remind me of how my parents used to keep close watch over me when Austin and I were just children, before we were…engaged. We were so close we hardly ever wanted to leave each other's homes. Father always thought I should try and make better friends…since he and Austin's father didn't get along to well, until we became teenagers."
"Was it an arranged marriage?"
"Not really, but it was expected when we started as a couple. Mother said we reminded her of when she first met my father after he left Hogwarts. Rowena Ravenclaw was my godmother, so she helped me whenever I was about to get scolded or yelled at for being late or not bothering to send a message while I was at Austin's. We'd even forget to go home sometimes since we were so close. He proposed to me on my seventeenth birthday, but we weren't to be married until after the war, because there were so many dead already, including a few of my close friends and my fathers'. Mother died when I was fourteen, and my father died four years and five days before the final battle. That was when…" Salena's eyes began to water up and she started sobbing quietly until Snape spoke up.
"You don't have to say it Salena, I don't want to—"
"No…it'll feel better if I say it. The time it began, Samuel spoke a noble speech before we went to battle, then it started. There was blood everywhere; I was fighting their lieutenant when I rushed to some young boys about my age's aid before they were killed. I had just come back from my fifth or sixth trip with four or five men when I saw…Austin, was hit by the Avada Kedavra aimed at Samuel…hic…and their general, he laughed…Austin told me he loved me…then, he was dead. Samuel yelled at me to stop…when I ran after Morrison, the general of the Western Army, I cornered him and dueled him into the cave; that's where I wanted to make his grave. I yelled at him, and he mocked me by saying he'd take away my pain if I would be his wife, and would put an end to the war. I told him to go to hell, and kept firing at him when I ordered Naomi to kill him. A simple bite on the neck and he was dead until he crystallized me and Naomi together….the next thing I know, I wake up here at the Hospital Wing."
Salena put her face in her hands and the sobbing got a bit louder. Snape, figuring she needed comfort, pulled her into his arms and began stroking her back to calm her. Her face was in his shoulder and her sobbing soon ceased as he gently rocked back and forth to sooth her. Just as Salena was about to feel relaxed at his touch, both professors suddenly pulled away from each other and their faces went beet red in embarrassment.
"Uh…um…well uh…" Salena tried to speak but all that came out were mutters and stammers you could barely understand her.
"I-I guess…I'll j-just uh…" Snape stammered a bit too but you could understand him somewhat. Both were stammering nonstop until Salena gained control of her senses and ran into her room. She slammed the door behind her and locked it before quickly putting on her dark green silk pajamas and braiding her hair. She was in such a rush to sleep and forget what had happened that she almost stepped on Naomi's tail; just as the black anaconda gave a warning hiss before she almost did.
"Be careful mistress." She hissed and Salena began to calm down.
"Sorry Naomi, I just want to get some rest and fast!" Salena scrambled around the room to put her wand away and jumped onto the bed almost startling Naomi.
"What's gotten into you mistress; did you and Snape...?"
"Oh don't ask such ridiculous questions Naomi! Just go to sleep and don't you dare go sneaking around the Gryffindor's dorm again to frighten the first years!"
Naomi jumped back and onto her bed before her mistress yanked out the sheets and slammed herself onto the bed pulling them over her head.
'Mistress is definitely confused…but I think I'll just back off…for now.' Naomi laid her head down and went to sleep with Salena.
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Three months later:
"It's happening isn't it headmaster?" Snape asked as he spoke to Dumbledore through the fire place in his office. Dumbledore had been called away to London by the Ministry and right now Quirrell was on the move for Voldemort. Salena had mysteriously disappeared somewhere after dinner, and right now no one knew where she was at the moment.
"Yes Severus, I assume it is. Quirrell is definitely already past the chess board, but I don't think he'll get as far as the mirror. You need not worry Severus, Harry and his friends will be fine, I made sure of it."
"How so, did you send someone after them or to watch them?"
"Both, haven't you wondered where Salena's been since dinner?"
"You mean you…?"
"I sent her ahead of Quirrell so she can see one of his followers in action. If anything happens to Harry or the others, she'll know what to do. She is his ancestor after all."
"I know that but…" Snape's face flushed a little bit as he was suddenly at a loss for words. Dumbledore looked as if he knew something Snape didn't, and just smiled.
"Don't worry Severus, Salena will be fine. So far as we know, no mortal being can harm her…goodnight." With that Dumbledore's head vanished from the fireplace and it left Snape in his thoughts as he went to Salena's room to see if Naomi was safe, unfortunately all he found was an empty bed with a note on it. He picked it up and it read:
Dear Severus,
If you're reading this note then it means I have gone down to the dungeons to wait for
Quirrell and the others. Dumbledore sent me here to keep an eye on Harry and his friends, so you don't have to worry about me being missing or harmed. Believe me I'll be fine, if Naomi isn't there either, then she's probably on guard duty around the palace. If I'm not back at one o'clock then you can come find me. You know where the stone is correct? I'll see you tomorrow, my friend.
Eleanor Sardinia
After reading the letter at least three times before it finally sunk into his head, Snape went to his stores and pulled out an anti-sleeping potion to keep him awake long enough to await Salena's return.
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'Damn, what's taking them so long?' Salena thought as she hid herself in the walls of the small dungeon just behind the mysterious mirror. Quirrell was already there, staring into the mirror when there was suddenly a small sound of footsteps coming down the stairs, then they stopped and a voice spoke up.
"You?" Salena immediately recognized the voice as Harry Potter, and waited for Quirrell to speak, but all she heard was an "Mm-hm".
"No, it can't be…Snape…" Harry spoke again.
"Yes, does seem the type doesn't he? Who would suspect, p-p-poor, s-s-st-st-stuttering Professor Q-Quirrell?"
"But that day, at the match…Snape tried to kill me."
"Oh no dear boy…I tried to kill you! And believe me, if Snape's cape hadn't caught fire and broken my eye contact, I would have succeeded. Even with him muttering his little, counter curse." Quirrell's voice began to get louder.
"Snape was, trying to save me." Their conversation continued until a hoarse voice echoed off the walls and Quirrell commanded Harry to come over to the mirror. Salena heard the voice again and she knew it was Voldemort, but he sounded so weak. She was lost in thought until she heard Voldemort's voice again. He was goading Harry to give him the stone, but luckily the boy knew better.
'This is getting irritating…if I could just—'suddenly there was a loud whoosh then oomph against the stairs and Salena turned to see Quirrell on top of Harry, trying to suffocate him; the stone lay just beside him, as the struggling boy tried to reach for it. Just as Salena was about to pull out her wand she saw Quirrell suddenly jump back clutching his right hand now turning to dust.
"W-What is this magic?!" he cried out until Voldemort spoke up.
"Fool, get the stone!" Quirrell made a grab for the stone but Harry jumped in front and placed both hands on his face and Quirrell's scream echoed through the dungeon as his face and entire body turned to dust. Salena shook her head at how stupid one little death eater could be against a boy with his mother's protection still on him. Harry picked up the stone and stared at it when a cloud of Voldemort's spirit appeared and cried out when he flew right through Harry and out of the dungeon. Harry fell to the floor unconscious and Salena rushed to his side immediately. The flames disappeared and the snake princess snatched up the stone and put it in her pocket for Dumbledore and apparated her and Harry out of the dungeon and to the hospital wing, just in time too.
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Two days later:
"This is definitely not a secret anymore." Minerva McGonagall spoke leaning back in her chair as all the teachers gathered in the headmaster's chambers for a meeting.
"How on earth could such a small tale spread so fast across the school?" Poppy Pomfrey asked looking over at Snape who was seated beside Salena and Dumbledore. Snape just shook his head and pointed over at Salena, who just smirked in reply.
"Who knows? Sometimes these things just can't be kept private for very long can they?"
"Eleanor I still don't understand…" Professor Flitwick spoke up scratching his chin.
"Understand what professor?"
"Why would the headmaster send you down there alone and not have you attack Quirrell? The very idea of letting the dark lord return sickens and frightens me…why?"
"Harry needed to know more, about his past, and he needed to meet Voldemort, face to face, so I wasn't going to attack unless Quirrell caused serious trouble for the boy, that's why."
"Clever but…oh never mind." Just then Dumbledore stood up and looked at Salena who stood up to follow him to the hospital wing. The other professors just stared and looked at them until they were clean out of sight.
"Where do you suppose they could be going at a time like this?" Professor Sprout asked not taking her eyes away from the door.
"Must be going to check on Harry Potter, he's bound to have woken up by now, and I suppose the headmaster would want the boy to see his savior as of last night. If you ask me Eleanor is a bit strange, but always the mysterious ones to get people's attention isn't it?" Madame Hooch asked until Snape spoke up again, chuckling a little.
"You have no idea Rolanda, you have no idea."
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H.W. corridor:
"Salena I want you to wait here until I call you in…"
"Might I ask why professor?"
"I'm going to speak with Harry to see if he has any questions which I'm sure he will." Salena smiled and leaned against the wall waiting while Dumbledore walked into the room. She sat there waiting for a bit until she heard a familiar hissing sound just above the door, but silent.
"Naomi what're you doing snooping around the ceilings?" Naomi showed her head and bowed in apology before looking directly at her mistress.
"Forgive me Salena but you know I can't resist a good intrigue once the rumors have spread? Many of the students seem to be curious about you, including the Mudblood girl Hermione." Salena's head suddenly snapped up and glared fiercely at the large snake.
"Naomi what have I told you about using that word? My father may no longer be around but as long as I'm still here, I don't want to hear one word of it is that understood?!"
"My apologies mistress, I won't use it again. But what do you plan to do once the year is finished?"
"I'm not sure, but I think we'll take a trip to the lake if you want…but we'll see what goes on how's that?"
"I'll wait mistress…thank you." Naomi then shielded herself and left the corridor.
"Eleanor you can come in now." Salena heard her friend call and she walked through the door and over to the boy's bed before taking a seat next to Dumbledore.
"Harry this is Professor Sardinia, she's one of our new professors and the one who found you in the dungeon." Salena smiled warmly at Harry and he smiled back taking her hand in his and giving it a shake.
"Thank you for saving me professor."
"No trouble at all Harry, though I suspect we shouldn't have much trouble from you and your friends in the future here, and my goodness that's quite a lot of candy you've got there." All three laughed a little before professor Dumbledore stood up to leave with Salena, but before they left Salena looked back at Harry and smiled again.
"You should be well enough soon after Madame Pomfrey checks you out Harry, and when you do I suspect Ron and Hermione will be waiting to see you. I'll see you at dinner."
"Thank you professor."
"You're welcome dear boy." With that said Salena walked out and left for the Slytherin common room where she found Snape waiting for her beside her bedroom door.
"How'd it go Sal?"
"It went fine; Harry's good and well and should be back on his feet sooner than we think. What do you need now?"
"I just wanted to remind you the feast is in an hour and I think you should be getting ready soon."
"Alright Severus, thanks for the heads up. See you at dinner…Potions master." Salena gave him a tiny smile and went into her room where her evening dress robes with the matching witch hat and shoes on her bed waiting for her; Naomi was coiled around the bed post and appeared to be resting from that large bump in her belly, which was probably a few weasels from Hagrid's garden.
"Silly snake, oh well, best get ready for dinner." Salena pulled off her dirty robes from last night's events and sent them to the house elves to be cleaned. It took thirty minutes to get her and the room cleaned, two minutes to put on her robes, fifteen to do her hair and make-up, and ten more to wait on Snape.
"Come on Sev…we're going to be late, again!"
"I'm coming already, Salazar can't you be patient for just a few minutes?!"
"Let me think, no! Now come on before they start the feast without us!"
Snape just laughed and followed the snake princess to the Great Hall and took their seats at the staff's table.
As Salena predicted Gryffindor took fourth place for the house cup, Hufflepuff third, Ravenclaw second, and Slytherin first; unfortunately, there was a twist. Gryffindor had points added thanks to the great Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Neville Longbottom.
"And if my calculations are correct, it is time for a change of decoration." Dumbledore clapped his hands together and the banners changed from Slytherin to Gryffindor. "Gryffindor wins the house cup!" the whole Gryffindor table cheered loudly along with Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff throwing their hats into the air in celebration. The teachers clapped as well, even Salena started clapping happily, telling her that Snape was pretty confused about why she was cheering for the enemy.
"Oh cheer up Severus, maybe we'll win next year. We have time….and plenty of it."
"Fine, next year we'll see."
"Oh we will Sev…we will."
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Sorry about the wait again but you know how it is with the holidays and all…next chapter takes place with Lockhart and he'll be hitting on Salena but she'll be prepared for him later. Review please and leave a good one.
