In the next day, the snow fell hard in Hogwarts, Hydra was not used to that anymore, so she felt very, very cold, she went down to breakfast, the castle was darker than usual. While she was eating a delicious meat sandwich, the morning mail arrived and she received an envelope along with the traditional treats that her mother loved to send her. She recognized Narcisa's beautiful handwriting on a parchment.
"Dear Hydra,
After the worst, I think I'd better tell you what has happened in recent months; your father did not take very well what happened at Dumbledore's office, he spent the last few months trying to demand that the Ministry intervene in his favor and change your Hogwarts house, not having success with that, he decided trying to ask for your immediate transfer back to Beauxbatons, The request was denied by Madam Maxime and by Dumbledore, so he decided to ask for your transfer to Durmstrang, the director accepted, but Dumbledore went against the transfer and argued that it would be bad for you, your father decided not to transfer to avoid questions from the school governors.
For the time being it's all quiet about it, your dad seems to have settled, though he's not happy, I decided not to tell him about his courtship with the half-blood boy, or I guess nothing would stop him from getting you out of Hogwarts and I do not want you to go that far again, I sent an owl to Draco asking him not to say anything about it either, but I hope that by the end of Christmas this matter will be over.
He's not for you, Hydra, he does not have our blood, our status, our gold, have you ever thought that he might be using you? People like this can never be trusted!
As said before, we'll be spending Christmas outseas, so I'll be sending your gifts and Draco's owl on Christmas morning.
With love,
Mom."
The initial shock of the letter took time to pass, Hydra re-read for a few minutes until Fred and George shouted for her to come back to reality, she decided to show the letter to her friends, she didn't want Oliver to read the part where her mother spoke of him, but he arrived when Angelina was reading and eventually saw his name and asked to see the letter.
Hydra first wanted to deny it, but he insisted on knowing what someone was talking about him. Hydra saw his face grieve as he read.
- Forget it, I told you I do not care about these things ... - Hydra tried to comfort him.
- I know, this is nothing. - Oliver tried to be okay with the situation, but his eyes betrayed him, it gave Hydra another story.
- My mother is an idiot about this, just like the rest of my family is when it comes to these things, this is not at all how I feel, you know that, don't you, Oliver? - Hydra asked, he was sitting next to her, looking miserable.
- I know, Hydra, it's just ... I do not like them thinking less of me because I'm not pureblood or because I do not have as much gold as you do... - He stated in a low voice, while his friends pretended not to hear anything, which made Hydra feel grateful.
- I don't think that , I don't, I swear! For me you are a wonderful boy and... - Hydra stopped, she had never told anyone what she was going to tell him now - Well, I love you, Oliver.
Oliver looked at his girlfriend, smiled and stroked his face.
- I love you too, Hydra... - He replied, smiling with such a wide it seemed to illuminate the place.
- Okay, that's enough, right? Fred asked, pretending to want to vomit.
Oliver looked much better, in fact he now seemed very excited.
During breakfast, people were talking again about Harry Potter and how he probably was the heir of Slytherin and that all Muggle borns should protect themselves against his attacks, Hydra still finding the story very surreal, did not believe in it, but could not stop finding strange the events in the duel club.
The transfiguration class was running normally, with Minerva scolding Fred and George for trying to turn Justin Millagroge's head into a pumpkin when Hydra heard screams coming from outside.
- ATTACK! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NOR MORTAL NOR GHOST ARE SAFE! SAVE YOUR LIVES! ATAAAAACK!
Minerva ran and opened the door and everyone followed, among the crowd of students it was almost impossible to identify what happened, Hydra saw Near-Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost paralysed in the air, seemed to be frozen, then she saw a boy from the second year of Hufflepuff on the ground, petrified, it was the boy that was almost attacked by the snake in the duel's club and Harry Potter next to them.
Everyone began to scream and speak louder, in desperation, but soon after, Professor McGonagall used her wand to produce a loud boom and restore the silence, and sent everyone back to the classrooms, Hydra was obeying and going back to the room when she heard Ernie MacMillan, Jeniffer's cousin who was in the second year of the same house and the frozen boy, screaming.
- Caught at the scene of the crime! - His face was livid, pointing dramatically at Harry.
- That's enough, Macmillan! - Said Professor Minerva sharply.
Hydra had to follow the rest of the students into the room and did not see what had happened next in the corridor.
- It was Harry, it could only have been!
- But it is not possible! - Hydra said.
- No, it was not him, he would not do it, it was not him, this idea is completely ridiculous! Fred and George were strongly in favor of Harry.
- I do not think Harry would do that, why would he want to kill Muggleborns? His best friend is one! - Hydra said that although she had thought about the possibility that he was gulty, she thought about it better and saw that it was an absurd idea, this was more a thing that her brother would do and not Harry, but anyway, how well did she really knew Harry? No, no, it could not be him ... she thought, arguing with herself inside her mind.
- I heard he hates the Muggles who live with him, maybe he hates all Muggles, isn't your family like that? - Asked one of the boys in her class to Hydra.
- Yes, but if you were accusing my family I would understand, but not Harry! - Hydra said.
- So who was it? You? That would be a typical Malfoy thing!
Fred and Jorge wanted to attack the boy when he finished speaking, wands in hand, but were separated by the other students, shortly after, Professor McGonagall arrived and gave a warning to the three, even Hydra having argued that Fred and Jorge alone Were defending double attack raised a tide of panic among the students, almost everyone who had put their names to spend Christmas at Hogwarts rushed to book places on the Hogwarts Express.
Everyone continued to be afraid and avoided Harry, which left Hydra outraged and sorry for the boy, she decided to talk to him in an afternoon in the halls before he entered a class.
- Harry ...- Oh, hi Hydra. - Harry looked amazed that someone wanted to get close to him and stood beside Hermione and Ron, the three of them staring at Hydra."I just want you to know that I believe you have nothing to do with these attacks, people are being ridiculous, I know what it's like to be judged for something you aren't...- Harry looked at her and Hydra noticed a certain relief in her eyes, as if he expected people to come to that conclusion, but he also seemed quiet and not very willing to talk.- Thanks! - Hydra realized that Ron looked at her strangely, but Hydra decided to ignore it, said goodbye to them and went to her class, but soon after she heard George and Fred yelling, she came back to see what it were in front of Harry in the hallways, shouting "Make way for the heir of Slytherin, a truly evil wizard will pass ..."Hydra had already complained to them about this behavior, but they were both very amused about people's fear of Harry, she then looked to the side and saw Draco standing near the scene, she noticed that Draco had his face tied every time he heard the twins joke with that.
She knew how much Draco envied Harry, was he angry that he was taking all the "credit' for his work? It looks like something he would do, but it cannot be Draco ...
School's period ended, Hydra said goodbye to Angelina, Katie, Alicia and Lee who went home for Christmas holidays, Hydra had ordered presents for everyone to be delivered at their homes. The castle was silent in the Gryffindor tower, Only Harry, Hermione, Hydra, Oliver and the Weasleys remained and everyone could play Exploding snap, luckily Percy did not spend much time in the common room.- I bought you a present... - Oliver said the night before Christmas, sitting in one of the armchairs near the fireplace with Hydra at his side.- Oh really? I did not need to do it, my love. - After kissing him, she continued. - But what did you buy? - Wait, I'll give it to you.
Oliver stood up from the armchair and went to his room, he came back a short time later with a beautiful golden box, Hydra oppened it and inside she saw a beautiful golden bracelet with a small star.
- This bracelet is special, it comes with a enchantment, whenever you feel it warm, it means that I am thinking a lot of you, don't worry, it will not warm up with just any thought, it will only if the thought is very strong, it is simple, but I thought you would like it.
Hydra had never received such a beautiful gift in her entire life, she kissed Oliver with a lot of passion, there was almost nobody in the common room to see, she just ignored everything around them. After Oliver caught his breath back, she asked him to put it the bracelet on her wrist, immediately she felt that where the little star touched her skin, it was warm, but not something that bothered her, it was comfortable, despite all the times that Oliver seemed to think of nothing but quidditch, she knew now That it was not true, that he thought of her and probably wanted her to know it.
After thanking him many more times, Hydra said that she would give him his gift on Christmas morning and they both went to bed.
Christmas morning came along, cold and white. Hydra was alone in her room, she noticed some packages near her bed, got up immediately and began to open them. She got a new racing broom from her mother (curiously the same thing she had bought for Oliver), Angelina sent a book entitled "Great and dangerous potions and how to prepare them" Hydra loved this gift, George and Fred gave her a package with some of their inventions, and a note (to use when she finds it necessary, perhaps at home, with her brother, but it was only a suggestion), Alicia had sent a beautiful picture frame with a picture of her with Hydra, Angelina, Katie, Fred, Lee, Oliver and George, smiling and waving happily in the courtyard of the castle (Fred and George were making funny faces) with a note written:
"Now you can also put on the side of your bed, all your friends should be together"
Hydra almost cried with this gift and immediately placed ot next to the picture frame with her French friends, her father sent her a luxurious feather and parchment set made of gold and her friends of the Beauxbatons sent several French candies that they knew that Hydra loved (the girls were much happier since Hydra returned to writing weekly).
She noticed a small box in her bed that she had not seen before and opened it was a necklace with a large green medallion with the letter M engraved in gold, she opened the medallion and noticed that in one corner there was a picture of his family making a pompous and serious pose with Lucius sitting in one of the luxurious dark green armchairs of his living room, Narcisa was leaning on the arm of the chair with his hands on his shoulder on his right, Hydra was In the same position on his left with Draco at her side, they waved lightly and in the other corner of the medallion, had a Hydra and Draco when they were children hugging each other smiling and waving, inside the package was a note:
"For you to never forget where you come from and who is always on your side.
with love,
Draco "
Hydra stood for a few seconds looking at the medallion, which contained a heavy golden chain, probably of pure gold, never had Draco given such a symbolic gift, Narcissa usually chooses the gifts that they would give to each other (as Hydra had let it happen again this year), she was deeply moved, although she knew that this was a medallion of the Malfoy family, it was something that at least seemed that he had chosen alone, she soon put the cord around her neck.
She ran to Oliver's bedroom, who was still in his pajamas, luckily Percy was not around.
- Hydra, what are you doing here?"Percy was would make a scandal if he was here and saw you! - He said, looking scared of the possibility.
- I wanted to give you your gift! - Hydra said, showing the huge package that was hidden behind her back.
-Hydra, is that it?" It his a? - Oliver was speechless, without a word to say, he just took the package and opened it quickly.
It was a nimbus 2001 that she had secretly bought (and eventually got an equal gift from her parents), Oliver took about five minutes to recover and was almost crying, he thanked Hydra and promised that with this he would try to be the best keeper that she has ever seen, he smoothed his broom as if it were a precious stone, his eyes glittering.
- I'm going to buy a kit to polish it every day, you'll see, I think this is going to be the most beautiful broom that this school has ever seen! - Said Oliver still thrilled.
Hydra could not help but find the whole situation a little funny.
- I'm glad you liked it! - Said Hydra, laughing, beside his bed as he stroked the broom.
- Liked it? It was the best gift I've ever won, I don't, I don't even know if I can accept it, it's very, it's wonderful, it's so expensive ... - He said still very moved and awkward.
- You can accept if you don't want to offend me! - Hydra said laughing at the scene, he still held the broom as a precious thing. He looked at Hydra and pulled her close to him.
- Can you get better? - He asked, smiling, his face close to Hydra's and with her in his arms, both of them sitting on the boy's bed.
- As a matter of fact, I can, how long will Percy be out? - Hydra asked laughing.
- Tim enough ... - Oliver replied kissing her soon after (not without first leaving his broom carefully placed on the floor).
Hydra gave, a little later, in the common room, Fred's and George's gifts, a brand new set of Exploding snap and a large Dr. Filibuster fireworks kit, the twins looked grateful and pleased, she also delivered her old Broom, a nimbus 2000 for them to take turns using it, which left them incredibly incredulous and grateful.
- That's not all. - Hydra said, taking a small glass of her clothes - This potion here, mixed with the green slime that you were showing me yesterday, manages to make it grow in a way that would take a whole room.
- What!? That's great! - Fred said, picking up the glass excitedly.
- That's just what we needed! Thanks, Hydra, this is an amazing gift! - George said, giving a kiss on her cheek.
The Christmas lunch was wonderful, The Grand Hall was magnificent. Not only did it had a dozen Christmas trees covered with ice crystals and wide garlands of mistletoe and holly that crossed the ceiling, but also an enchanted snow, warm and dry snow.
Dumbledore pulled the chorus from some of his favorite Christmas songs. Hagrid sang louder and louder with each goblet of hot wine he consumed. Percy, who did not notice that Fred had bewitched his monitor badge - now with the words "Pinhead" - kept wondering why the boys kept giggling.
Hydra saw Draco mocking Harry's new sweater, given as gift by Mrs. Weasley, according to George, who wore one in the same style, Hydra decided to go to the Slytherin table to talk to her brother about the gift that she had won from him.
When she got behind himr, Draco, Crabbe and Goyle and the other few Slytherin students at the table stopped laughing and talking and looked attentively at her, so she excused herself for Crabbe and sat down next to Draco, the three boys looked scared and without action.
- What are you doing at the Slytherin table?- Draco asked, still looking shocked.
- Don't worry, I don't intend to stay long, I just wanted to thank you for the gift. - She showed the necklace to Draco smiling.- I liked it a lot, did mom choose it?
- No, actually that necklace had bin in the family for generations, I think for more than four hundred years, I saw it one day and asked dad if I could keep it, he agreed, as long as I did not give it to anyone not worthy of the Malfoys , So I thought, who would be more worthy than another Malfoy? - Draco could not finish the sentence, Hydra jumped on his neck and hugged him, the Slytherin students were giggling and Hydra's friends were looking shocked from the Gryffindor table.
- Hydra, okay, enough! - Draco said, pulling away, he was blushed. -I understand that you liked the gift, now, go away, you're embarrassing me! - He said not very loudly so nobody else could hear it.
- Okay! - Not even Draco's lack of education managed to make Hydra less happy, she left smiling at the table and sat at her house's table, where she explained what had happened to her friends and Oliver.
- I thought you were attacking him... - George said in a sad voice and sounding disappointed.
- Not at Christmas... - Hydra said laughing, they were all in very good mood that day and it seemed that nothing would ruin this.
Harry, Hermione, and Ron hurried out of the room, Hydra, Fred, George, and Oliver decided to return to the common room where they played Exploding snap while Oliver spent almost the entire time polishing his new broom with a kit he borrowed from Angelina.
- Calm down Oliver, it's a broom, it's not the Hydra!- Fred teased as Oliver, that was polishing his broom with his breath, he stopped, leaned his broom on the chair, and joined them in the game.
Ron and Harry arrived in the tower looking nervous after a few hours.
- Hi Harry, where's Hermione? - Hydra asked.
- In the hospital wing, there was an ... an accident... - Harry said looking a little nervous as he sat in an armchair.
- Is she well? What happened? Is it the heir of Slytherin again? - Hydra stopped the game worried, she had always liked Hermione very much, although she knew very well what her family would think about her.
- No, she's fine, it was a... spell, that, she was practicing a spell and it did not work very well, but she should be fine soon, don't worry, she does not want visitors, but I'll tell Hermione that you asked about her.
Hydra did not believe Harry, his tone was nervous and his eyes confused, it was clear that he had invented the whole story, but she decided to pretend that she believed, since he wanted very clearly that no one asked any more questions about it. Hydra could not wonder, just for a second at least, if someone had not attacked her ...
- Hydra, did you know the Magic Ministry was at your house? - Ron asked, sitting next to Harry.
- No! How did you know? What were they looking for? Mom never tells me anything that's happening and my dad, well, my dad never writes me, he just talks to Draco... - Hydra looked a little sad as she said the last sentence. ,
- I've heard, I don't know what they were looking for, but they didn't find anything suspicious there, but he does something in his house, right? Hidden maybe?- Harry hit Ron with his elbow, as if asking him to stop talking, Hydra found everything very suspicious, Ron's tone was like a confirmation and not a question.- Probably Ron, but I don't know, I haven't spent much time at home since I went to school, when I was 11 years old, not even when I was in my vacations, I used to spend a week or two there and after that, travel to my friends' house in France and when I'm in the mansion, I usually stay in my room, I barely know my house anymore, I don't know if much has changed, not since I was a kid I have walked around there. - Hydra was staring at Ron as she spoke with a serious, firm tone.- Dad must have hidden things, I remember him saying something about a room where he hid things when I was a child, but I have no idea where it is or if it is real, as I said, he does not talk to me a lot, he also does not let mom tell me things, he only talks to Draco, I'm practically invisible inside that house for him, but also, I've never been interested to know those things anyway, but why the question? What is going on? - Her tone was nervous, she did not like the questions, it seemed that Ron suspected something about her.- No, Hydra, Ron is nervous because he knew Mr. Weasley is in a Ministry investigation because of the flying car we got in the beginning of the semester ...- Harry said, not letting Ron respond, Hydra did not believe, but sympathized with the Weasleys situation, they all looked very nervous asking Harry for explanations about their dad, and Hydra decided not to ask any more questions, at least for now, to Ron.- Your father is asking to get him fired from the Ministry. - Ron said to Hydra, in anger, Hydra felt sad and somehow responsible for his family's suffering.
- I'll talk to him, I'll send an owl immediately threatening to talk to his friends about how he actually despises them, some things, when it interest me I hear in that house, I can use that against him, dad hates scandals with his name. - Hydra spoke in anguished voice getting up from the chair - I'm going right now ...
- No, Hydra, you read the letter your mother sent you, your father wants to get you out of school, if you do something he will be more angry! - Fred said, getting up and holding Hydra by the wrist preventing her from leaving the room - Dad must find a way, the Ministry should not dismiss him for this nonsense.
Hydra sat down trying to calm herself down, after a while, she and Wood decided sneak into into his room, where, thank God, Percy was absent, it seems that after all, something took away the joy that she felt early in the day, more and more, the anger that she felt of her last name grew inside her.
In the room, Olivier sat down in front of her and talked:
- You and your father really don't talk? - He asked in a calm, sweet voice, one of his hands sliding across Hydra's face.
-No, since he realized I did not follow his ways...- Hydra settled into bed, this subject always bothered her a lot, but she did not want to leave Oliver without an answer.
- And when was that? - Wood asked as he settled himself next to her.
- Well, I guess when I was about seven or eight years old, a few years after You-Know-Who fell, my tutor had been teaching me hidden about the Muggle world and why I should not despise them, for some reason I heard her, I heard her, that made sense, you know? - Oliver heard everything that Hydra was saying with attention. - She took me in secret to play with children in a Muggle neighborhood, I started to like them. - Hydra had joy in her voice when she told this, but changed to a sad tone as the story continued... - One day my father and I were having dinner and he was talking about how all Muggles should be wiped out of the wizarding world and how only the pure wizarding blood should be respected and mastered over all that he called the caos that we were living after the fall of You-Know-Who ... - Oliver seemed now even more interested in the story, his eyes were very intent upon Hydra.
- And what happened next? - He asked curiously.
- Well, I said that it was not true, and the Muggles were nice people who should be respected. - Oliver let out a sigh of surprised , it was as if he could imagine the scene, thought Hydra, and the reaction of her parents.
- Your father should not have liked this ...
- Oh No, he yelled at me, said I was a shame to my family, a Muggle lover, and that he should get rid of me along with them. - Hydra could not hide the sadness in her voice and her eyes were full of tears, Oliver also looked sad and shocked.
- I, I'm sorry, he should not have said that... - He said awkwardly. - The worst is not what he said, that's what he did...
- And what did he do? - Oliver's tone of voice made Hydra feel his immense looked afraid to contine.
- He used a spell on me when I was 7 or 8 years old, I did not know what it was at the time, but my whole body started to hurt a lot, I got some wounds, I thought I was going to die, Mom pushed his wand on the floor to stop him, yelled at him, tried to stop him, then he locked me in the cellar dungeon for weeks, feeding me two or three times a day. - Oliver was now completely shocked, his face was red with anger and the surprise was so big, that he even got up the bed before Hydra continued. – He dismissed my beloved tutor, but before that, she took care of me with my mother, when I finally left that horrible place, completely frightened and hurt, I had to go to St. Mungo's for a while when they couldn't stop the bleeding...
- What? That's horrivle! What about your mother? She didn't do anything else? - He asked, very angrily.
- She did, I think that's why he let me out of there, otherwise maybe I'd be there until today, maybe, she cried and begged him every day to let me out of there, saying that I was just a child and did not know what I was talking about, she tried going to the basement every day, but daddy stopped her everytime.
A few tears fell on Hydra's eyes, and Olivier hugged her, still very shocked.
- I do not believe it, your father is really a monster, your brother, he did not try to help you either? What can I do to make him pay? Tell me, I can't leave it like that!
- He was only five years old, he did not know anything of what was happening, I think even today he does not know, I know that after a few weeks he released me, I panicked, I was so afraid of him for a long time, but for some reason I still love him, he's my father, but, I do not know... Please, let it be, it's in the past, don't do anything Oliver, I don't know what could he do to you if you interfered, I know you are not afraid, but please, I am...
Hydra settled back into bed and stopped crying.
- He promised my mother that he would not do it again and he apologized to me, but I didn't think he was sincere... So when I was eleven I wanted to go away and he allowed, but something changed when I left, I got more courage, I started not to be so afraid of him and to speak freely, everyone already knew that I existed, it was too late for him to kill me or something, not that I think he would, but still, deep down, I'm terrified of my father ...
Oliver was lying in the bed, he was very shocked and angry.
- So that's why he never tells you anything... - Said Oliver in a tone of affirmation rather than question. – And that scar on your back?
He asked, referring to the scar that Hydra had just above the lower back, it was white, and because it was magical, it would never disappear or could be removed.
- Yes, he gave it to me... He clung even more to Draco after that, as if it were his only hope of continuing the family, I don't know.
- And what about your tutor, is she still alive? - Oliver asked.
- Yes. - Hydra smiled as she spoke. - She lives in a village in France, I visit her every year, we send owls to each other every month, she taught me so much, not only about the Muggles, but about respect and also taught me to enjoy reading and learning.
- She seems to be a wonderful person! - Oliver said, putting his right arm over Hydra.
- She is very much, she is my second mother, she is still young, she is married, had children, sweet children, I really like all of them. - Hydra said, now really smiling .
After closing the subject about her family and convince Oliver not to do anything about her father. Hydra and Oliver stayed together and talked about their plans for after Hogwarts, Oliver said that he wanted to join some great Quidditch team and Hydra said he wanted to leave her home and be a Potions Master, who knows evem use new last name.
- I could use my mother's maiden name , but it's Black, and I do not know which family is worse - Hydra told jokingly.
- Or I can just take you with me... - Oliver said, playing with her hair.
- Where? - Hydra asked.
- Wherever I go, you maybe would not be so wealthy, unless not in the beginning, but it would have love, lots and lots of life and a new lastname... - He teased.
- Yeah, it sounds like a good future to me... - Hydra said, kissing her boyfriend.