The first thing Rohini noticed when she woke up was that it was deadly cold. Groaning, she wondered if she had left the window opened by mistake.
The second thing she noticed was the snow, thick and falling hard, covering everything under a white coat. Rohini gasped; if there was anything she loved more than rain, it was snowing. Hurrying to get dressed in warm clothes (she made sure to wear Mrs. Weasley sweater), scratched Thranduil's head and left the dorm.
Her gleeful mood vanished however when she crossed path with a few students who threw her worried glances before running away. Rohini realised it was just as annoying as having people looking at Harry and she with stars in their eyes and gushing about them.
Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were busy decorating the Great Hall. Rohini wanted to eat breakfast with Harry but he was nowhere to be seen and she was still bitter about Ron and Hermione's reaction so she decided to eat with the Weasley twins and Ginny instead. Fred dramatically gasped as she sat next to him.
"Beware!" He said, hiding behind George. "The Heiress of Slytherin is after me!"
"Fred, you're not even Muggleborn." Rohini pointed out, smiling against her will. "That wasn't your greatest joke."
"How dare you!" George said, hugging his brother. "Hurting our feelings like that!"
"Idiots." The girls said in unison.
Ginny had somehow gotten even paler now and Rohini wondered if she should send her to the Hospital Wing. Ginny showed no symptoms of any kind of illness except from her exhausted expression though. Rohini felt like an awful friend for being unable to cheer her up properly.
By the opened gates, she caught a glimpse of Harry storming away and hurried to go after him, a toast in her mouth.
Harry just bumped into Hagrid, covered in snow, when Rohini reached them.
"Oh, hello, Hagrid," Harry said, looking up as Rohini helped him on his feet again.
Hagrid's face was entirely hidden by a woolly, snow-covered balaclava, but it couldn't possibly be anyone else, as he filled most of the corridor in his moleskin overcoat. A dead rooster was hanging from one of his massive, gloved hands.
"Is it tonight's dinner?" Rohini asked and Hagrid shook his head.
"Second one killed this term," he explained. "It's either foxes or a Blood-Suckin' Bugbear, an' I need the headmaster's permission ter put a charm around the hen coop."
"I'm sorry, Hagrid." Rohini said. She knew he could be quite sentimental about animals. He had been heartbroken last year when his baby dragon, Norbert, was sent to a colony in Romania where Ron's brother, Charlie, worked.
"Yeh sure yeh're all righ'? Yeh look all hot an' bothered—" Hagrid asked Harry and Rohini realised he looked worse than the previous evening.
"I think he just needs a sibling moment." Rohini assured Hagrid before dragging Harry away. "See you at lunch, Hagrid! Good luck with your chickens!"
She dragged Harry to the girl bathroom where she shooed Moaning Myrtle away before looking at Harry worryingly.
"Hey." She said, gently rubbing his back. "What's wrong?"
"My life." Harry said and Rohini rolled her eyes. Her brother could be such a drama queen sometimes. Still, she waited for him to tell her what had happened for him to look so gloomy. Finally, he told her the awful episode from that morning. Needless to say, Rohini was furious.
"He said what? What the heck, what is it with prejudices against people's unusual skills?! Just because we can speak to snakes doesn't mean we're bad guys!" Rohini said, waving her hands angrily. "I'm slowly beginning to feel some sympathy towards the few good Slytherins that had to deal with their house reputation…"
"You know what? Me too." Harry sighed. Then, he changed the subject to something more festive. "Did you find all your Christmas gifts by the way?"
"Yep!" Rohini said, striking a pose. "I just hope everybody will be pleased with theirs. Tell me, what did you get for your favourite sister?" She asked and Harry raised his eyebrows.
"I have no idea who you're talking about." He said, grinning and Rohini gently slapped his arm. "It's a secret. You'll see tomorrow."
"Is it Dad's cloak? You know I would love you forever if it was."
"In your dreams." Harry said and Rohini pouted. Before they could tease each other more, the door opened on Ron and Hermione. Rohini's smile dropped and their friends had the decency to look ashamed.
"Hello." Hermione said, trying to sound casual. "I knew I would find you here."
"Oh, really?" Rohini said, crossing her arms. "Did a snake show you the way to the Slytherin Heirs?"
"Oh come on, don't be so petty!" Ron said and Rohini was going to snap but Harry told her to calm down. "We're sorry, ok? But try to understand us!"
"Let's forget about it for now." Harry said before turning to Hermione. "How is the potion going? It looks disgusting."
They all took a look at the thick, grey, bubbly brew and grimaced. They sure weren't looking to drinking it.
"It will be ready soon." Hermione said.
"Good." Harry said with a nod.
"Good." Rohini repeated and they all stood up awkwardly until Moaning Myrtle came back and chased them away with her high pitched cries.
Xxx
Christmas morning dawned, cold and white. Rohini was awoken by a meowing Thranduil that was kneading her back. Grunting, she stayed in bed for a few more minutes before getting her Two Way Mirror to contact Harry.
"Merry Christmas, baby brother." She said and Harry remained her that nobody knew which one of them was born first. Hermione must have grabbed Harry's mirror for her face appeared, beaming.
"The potion is ready. We'll be able to do it tonight." She said and Rohini felt instantly more awake. "Thanks for the book, by the way. I haven't read this one yet."
"Glad to hear that." Rohini said. She didn't feel angry at Hermione anymore. It was Christmas, after all. "How about the guys?"
"Thanks for the chocolates." She heard Ron said. "They're delicious."
"Uncle Vernon sends me a note telling us to find out whether we'd be able to stay at Hogwarts for the summer vacation, too." Harry told her. "Wish we could."
"Same." Rohini sighed. "Liked your Broomstick cleaning set?" She asked and Harry nodded with a smile. "Hold on, I'm gonna see what I've got this year!"
She was amazed to discover a few gifts addressed to her; it was only the second Christmas were Harry and she got presents. Hagrid had sent her a large tin of homemade fudge that stuck to the teeth, Hermione had bought her a book about every magical birds living in America which, thanks god, wasn't written by Lockhart.
Harry had bought her a new pair of jeans and Rohini was really grateful for it. There was also a new hand knitted sweater from Mrs. Weasley, this time a beautiful green shade with a huge yellow "R" on it. She had also received a special edition of The Quibbler and adorable sunflower earrings from Luna.
Her last gift was from Padma and Rohini felt a huge fondness for her best friend as she opened the box and saw the delicious pastries she had made as well as a lovely necklace with what looked like an Amethyst hanging from it.
"Ok guys, meeting you up in the Great Hall." She said before going back to her bedroom to get dressed. Wearing her new sweater and jeans proudly, she then left the dorm while whistling a Christmas tune.
The Great Hall looked magnificent. Not only were there a dozen frost-covered Christmas trees and thick streamers of holly and mistletoe crisscrossing the ceiling, but enchanted snow was falling, warm and dry, from the ceiling. Dumbledore led them in a few of his favorite carols to the teachers' displeasure. Percy, who hadn't noticed that Fred had bewitched his prefect badge so that it now read "Pin-head," kept asking them all what they were sniggering at. Harry and Rohini didn't even care that Draco Malfoy was making loud, snide remarks about their new sweater from the Slytherin table.
All in all, Rohini was pretty sure that nothing could waste this perfect day.
Oh, how wrong she was.
Xxx
She left the Great Hall before everybody else, needing to go to the bathroom quickly after drinking too much apple and cinnamon hot juice. She stamped up the stairs and turned along another corridor, which was quite dark for only a few candles were lit. She was halfway down the passage, trying to remember where the bloody toilets were when she thought she saw something shine on her left. Stopping, she turned to squint at what had caught her attention and felt as though her stomach had dissolved.
Justin Finch-Fletchley was lying on the floor, rigid and cold, a look of shock frozen on his face, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. And that wasn't all. Floating above him was Sir Nicholas, immobile and horizontal, six inches off the floor. His head was half off and his face wore an expression of shock identical to Justin's.
Rohini's mouth opened in a silent scream. Then she began to whisper "No, no, no!" Like a mantra as she kneeled next to Justin, helplessly trying to shake him out of his petrified state. She looked wildly up and down the deserted corridor and saw a line of spiders scuttling as fast as they could away from the bodies. Spiders, again. Ron would have hated that.
As he stood there, panicking, a door right next to him opened with a bang. Peeves the Poltergeist came shooting out profanities while using a Christmas tune.
"Why, it's potty wee Potter!" cackled Peeves. "What's Potter up to? Why's Potter lurking—"
Peeves stopped, halfway through a midair somersault. Upside down, he spotted Justin and Nearly Headless Nick. He flipped the right way up, filled his lungs and, before Rohini could stop him, screamed, "ATTACK! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATTAAAACK ! "
"Peeves, wait!" Rohini shouted helplessly but it was already too late; Professor McGonagall, Snape and Dumbledore arrived and Rohini couldn't try to justify herself without stuttering, tears of distress running down her cheeks.
"Professor McGonagall, please lead Miss Potter to my office while I talk to Madam Pomfrey." Dumbledore said sternly and Rohini felt someone grabbing her by the arm and pulling her away from the two new victims.
"This way, Potter," McGonagall said. Rohini nodded, sniffing loudly. Was she going to be expelled? Will Dumbledore consider her the heiress of Slytherin and find her guilty, throwing her into a jail?
They marched in silence around a corner and then stopped before a large and extremely ugly stone gargoyle.
"Lemon drop!" McGonagall said. This was evidently a password, because the gargoyle sprang suddenly to life and hopped aside as the wall behind him split in two. Behind the wall was a spiral staircase that was moving smoothly upward, like an escalator. As she and Professor McGonagall stepped onto it, Rohini heard the wall thud closed behind them. They rose upward in circles, higher and higher, until at last, slightly dizzy, they reached a gleaming oak door ahead, with a brass knocker in the shape of a griffin.
"Goes in, and touch nothing." McGonagall barked and Rohini nodded before entering, shaking like a leaf.
Xxx
It was a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises. A number of curious silver instruments stood on spindle-legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were snoozing gently in their frames. There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, a shabby, tattered wizard's hat—the Sorting Hat.
"Rohini Potter." It said with a smirk and Rohini jumped, surprised. "A Ravenclaw in trouble? That's quite rare, isn't it?"
"Well, it happens to the best of us." Rohini snapped and the Sorting Hat snorted before turning silent again. Rohini cast a wary eye around the sleeping witches and wizards on the walls. She felt like she was being spied but couldn't tell by whom or what. Then a strange, gagging noise behind her made her wheel around and gasped in awe.
Standing on a golden perch behind the door was a decrepit-looking bird that resembled a half-plucked turkey.
"You're a Phoenix!" Rohini said, coming closer. "You must be close to death, though…" Its eyes were dull and, before Rohini could do anything more than touching one of its feathers, the bird burst into flames.
Rohini yelled in shock and backed away into the desk. The Phoenix gave one last shriek and next second there was nothing but a smouldering pile of ash left.
The office door opened. Dumbledore came in, looking very somber and then raising an eyebrow when he saw Rohini standing, eyes wide opened, next to the remain of his bird.
"I-… it just died." She said awkwardly and Dumbledore smiled.
"About time, too," he said. "He's been looking dreadful for days; I've been telling him to get a move on."
"What was his name?" Rohini asked, curious. She knew that trouble will come as soon as this conversation ended, and wanted to make it last as much as she could.
"Fawkes. As you might know, Phoenixes burst into flame when it is time for them to die and are reborn from the ashes. Watch him…"
Rohini smiled, eyes shining when a tiny, wrinkled, newborn bird poke its head out of the ashes. It was the cutest tiny thing she had ever seen.
"It's a shame you had to see him on a Burning Day," said Dumbledore, seating himself behind his desk. "He's really very handsome most of the time, wonderful red and gold plumage. Fascinating creatures, phoenixes. They can carry immensely heavy loads, their tears have healing powers, and they make highly faithful pets."
"Yeah, I've read about them." Rohini nodded. Here it was, the end of the nice, random conversation. Time for something darker.
Dumbledore settled himself and fixed her with his penetrating, light-blue stare. Rohini played with her sweater's sleeves, not sure of what to say.
"I'm sorry about Justin and Sir Nicholas." She blurred out. "I- I mean, I didn't do it! But I'm sorry that they were victims of the monster and I swear it wasn't me, I just wanted to go to the toilets and I would never hurt-"
"I know, I know." Dumbledore assured her, raising a hand to calm her down. Rohini blinked stupidly, surprised.
"You believe me?" She asked, her voice doing a funny squealing thing.
"Yes, Rohini,I do." Said Dumbledore, though his face was somber again. "But I still want to talk to you. I must ask you, whether there is anything you'd like to tell me," he said gently. "Anything at all."
Rohini waited nervously while Dumbledore considered her, the tips of his long fingers together. A thought crossed her mind; what if Dumbledore could read her thoughts? What if he was doing it right now? Panicking, she tried not to think about tonight's plan. Instead, she thought about Padma and her beautiful hair and the way she looked when she smiled. She also thought of Luna and the latest Quibbler's article.
"No," She said, trying to sound convincing. "There isn't anything, Professor…"
"Good." Dumbledore said. "I reckon your brother is probably waiting for you now. You shouldn't let him worry any longer."
"Thank you, Professor." Rohini said, hitting her left foot on one of the furniture as she made her way to the door. As soon as she closed it, she ran down the stairs and didn't stop running until she bumped into Harry.
"It wasn't me." She said stupidly and Harry nodded. Then she saw the rest of the students leaving the Great Hall, whispering and pointing at them with terror in their eyes. Rohini gulped; Christmas was definitely wasted this year.
X
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Hello again guys! Long story short, it was one hell of a day. Cat still not back, I left my job and the hotel owner was surprisingly bitchier than ever (not so surprising actually) but on a positive note, I passed and will do my last year at Uni in September!
I also have a Horse Jumping Competition on Sunday and I hope I will not end up last!
Sorry for getting all personal ahah.
On a note related to the fic, I changed the timeline a bit from the book. I know some like it better when writers stick to canon and I apologise if you don't like it! I promise, this should be only time lined divergence from the book.
Have a lovely day you all, and thanks for showing me some support!