Chapter 12

The holidays were officially over. The New Year was now here but the Christmas that was effects of Christmas were still lingering, James and Thalia were now a couple, much to Fred's annoyance who claimed that being in a serious relationship was making James less of a prankster (he regretted that After James spiked his pumpkin juice and he was forced to sport emo hair for a week, with his hair changing color to match his emotions it was easy to see that he didn't find it funny). Rebecca was also feeling more at home with each passing day, it was hard not to when everyone treated her as if she had always been a part of the Hogwarts family.

"So we have a Hogsmeade trip coming up, think you'll be allowed to come?" Albus asked hopefully as they made their way from Herbology class to Care of Magical creatures.

"I'm not sure; I would have to talk back to professor Longbottom." It had already been agreed upon that for her own safety Rebecca would refrain from going to Hogsmeade with the rest of the students and though she badly wanted to go, she understood why she couldn't.

"Are you sure that's a good idea though?" Rose asked "If they thought those people would be dangerous enough to attack you or other students why do you think they would change their minds now?"

"It's been months, they must have given up plus how could they know she's at Hogwarts in the first place? They couldn't have wanted her that bad could they?" Scorpius turned his gaze to her and she tried to make her voice sound more hopeful than she felt.

"Yeah there's no way they could know where I am even if they're still looking could they and they could just use some concealment charm like they used when I went to Diagon Alley with ."

"Then it's settled then, to Hogsmeade we go this Saturday!" Fred said enthusiastically appearing from seemingly nowhere.

"Come in." She heard the voice answer after the second knock. She looked back at her friends who gave her thumbs up before walking in Pr. Longbottom's office. "Oh Rebecca to what do owe this unexpected pleasure?" He asked smiling, even as his gaze surveyed her sharply.

"I came to thank you for Gryffindor scarf."

"You did that already." He interrupted in an amused voice.

"Right" she said pausing and shuffling her feet. "Ialsocametoaskpermissiontogotohogsmeadethissaturd aywithmyfriends." She finished and took a deep breath, waiting expectantly.

"Could you repeat that please, slowly." He looked thoroughly confused

"I was wondering if I could go to Hogsmeade this Saturday with my friends."

"I don't think that's such a wise idea Rebecca, only you know the full extent of the dangers your guardians pose, do you think they would hesitate to cut down your friends to get to you?" He said in a gentle yet firm voice

"No they wouldn't." She answered in a small voice

"I'm sorry if I sounded too harsh about it but we only have your best interest at mind here." He finished.

"I know that, I do. I guess I just wanted a day where I didn't feel like I was in hiding. I mean what is I going to do when summer comes, I can't stay here and even if I do what about when I finish school. I can't hide from them forever; I can't let them rule my life." All the worries and dark thoughts she had been concealing had burst out of her. "I just want a normal life." She whispered, biting back tears.

"Don't make yourself sad thinking about those things that you can't change, you're here now, safe and sound. As for the rest we'll cross those bridges when we reach them and trust me they're already under construction. I'll se what I can do about Hogsmeade ok, but no promises." She nodded and made to leave when he said "Oh and Rebecca"

"Yes professor?" She answered pausing at the door.

"Normal is overrated, trust me."

"And please remember that your essays on magical water plants are to be handed in Monday morning, any later and you better have a very good reason as to why or its detention. Have a great weekend everyone."

Kids starting clearing out of the Herbology room, Rebecca was almost at the door when she heard Pr. Longbottom calling her. "Yes professor?" She answered once she had reached his desk.

"After discussing it with headmistress McGonagall we agreed that you should be allowed to go to Hogsmeade, seeing as your friends may manage to smuggle you in without our consent anyway." He finished and glanced at Albus who had heard and blushed, Scorpius laughed. "Come to my office tomorrow before you leave ok?"

"Yes sir." She replied grinning, before practically skipping back to her friends who were a lot closer to the desk than she remembered.

Christmas might be over but Hogsmeade hadn't gotten that memo. The small buildings were covered in snow, with several spouting smoke from chimneys. It looked like a winter wonderland. Snow had been falling when they left but had stopped now; leaving the town in a sparkling new coat of snow that was quickly being trampled on by eager Hogwarts students. "It's beautiful here." Rebecca said glancing around. "Where are we going first?"

""We'll go to Zonko's first and hopefully we wont lose you in the crowd Becca." Scorpius joked. Rebecca was once in disguise, this time however she was more heavily disguised. Her hair was as red as Rose's, She was also three inches shorter and thanks to the magical spectacles she wore she had eyes as blue as the sky.

"I don't like it." Albus said grumpily, not for the first time. He glared at her as if she was a Rebecca imposter "This is not how I wanted the trip to go."

"At least I'm here." She replied slightly angry and not sure why.

"Guys lets just try and enjoy ourselves ok? Rose interrupted in a wary voice.

So they did. They bought sweets at Zonko's, prank items at the Weasley's store. Had butterbeer with James and Thalia (who were not happy) and sent enchanted snow balls after Fred after he called Rebecca his long lost ugly cousin.

"You know I was kidding right Rebecca?" Fred asked as they made their way from the Hogs head back to the castle "you make a damn fine Weasley.' He finished, they all started laughing.

It happened so quickly they barely had time to react, Rebecca's glasses flew off her face and into the waiting arms of a man she had never seen before today, she had seen him several times throughout the day. "Now let's see those pretty eyes Becky." He grinned as he saw recognition flash across her face; only one person ever called her that.

"Hello Marcus, where's your other half?" She sounded more confident than she felt.

"Don't worry I'm right here." Another stranger, but she knew now that it was Samuel. They must have been patrolling Hogsmeade under the guise of polyjuice potion. To her horror two more men followed in Samuel's wake. "Now we can do this the easy way, just come freely and none of your friends well get hurt."

She knew first hand how competent and cruel Marcus and Samuel were at magic, she had unconsciously taken a step forward when a hand clamped down on her arm. "How about no?" Albus replied in a cold voice. As if by some unspoken agreement her friends started attacking. Rose made a shield in front of them, effectively blocking out Marcus and Samuel. Scorp fired reducto at one of the men who had followed behind Samuel; they had stationed themselves to the back. Fred fired a disarming spell at the other but he raised a shield spell just in time.

Spells flew back and forth so fast it was hard to keep up, Al and Rose were now dueling Marcus and Samuel was zoning in Rebecca, while Scorp and Fred battled the one stranger standing as the other had been knocked unconscious.

"She said we couldn't kill you but that doesn't mean we can't have some fun, does it?" He grinned and through the polyjuice potion she could still make out the man she despised. He flicked his wrist and ropes shot out coming straight at her, she sent a column of fire towards it, turning it into ashes and burning off majority of Marcus' eyebrows in the process. A cry came from behind her and she turned to see Fred writhing on the ground with ropes of fire coiling their way around him like a deadly snake. With a cry of fury Scorpius sent an exploding spell at their attacker, knocking him off his feet and into a nearby wall while Rose rushed forward Fred and pointed her wand towards him as she began to douse the fires on Fred. Al was left battling Marcus and Samuel, seeing this moment of weakness pointed his wand and fired.

Everything happened as if in slow motion to al, with a strangled cry he turned his direction from Marcus and brought up a shield between Rebecca and her attacker, deflecting the ugly black colored spell that had been going towards her. "NO!" He heard a voice shout out as he turned and saw a green flash of light shooting backwards, his brother had come out of nowhere and created a shield between what would have certainly been his meeting with death. Then James was beside him, is face set in anger and hand moving so fast his wand was a blur as he sent spells after spells at there opponent who was being overwhelmed. Scorp turned to join Rebecca in fighting Samuel as Rose continued to cut Fred free, careful not to cut him in the process. There was a blur of movement and the man they thought to be unconscious aimed his wand towards an unseeing rose and fired that same black colored spell. Scorpius shouted her name and before they could react he had launched himself between her and the spell. The moment it touched him, he seemed to glow black before crumpling to the ground. Rose gave a cry and run towards him, abandoning Fred.

It was all too much, as her anger at what was happening rose so did the feeling of immense power. The air seemed to crackle around her and her hair, which was now black again, rose around her as if she had been struck by electricity. Samuel backed up in fright and with a flick of her she hit him square in the chest with a reducto spell. He flew 20ft backwards into the wall of a shop; the spell had been the same color as her eyes. She turned towards Marcus but he was already gone, no doubt apparated. And then she was falling, her body drained and weak. Albus caught her in his arms and as the darkness stole over her she could have sworn she heard Hagrid shout "Merlin's beard!"