Snape: R.O.O. still doesn't own. If you can't figure that out by now, then I refuse to let you in my Potions classroom. I'll handle this part since she is asleep.
"Molly," I called through the fireplace, "I need to talk to you and Arthur. May I come through?"
"Of course, Severus," she gasped as said male Weasley appeared with a small girl behind him. Ah, so this must be the youngest Weasley. "Come on through."
"Thank you," I said before vanishing into my quarters and then went into the Weasley home. "I presume you've heard the latest Hogwarts news from your sons, then?"
"Is it true? Quirinus…?" Molly said softly.
"Tortured one of my snakes with the Cruciatus curse before casting a very deadly, powerful, and illegal curse at her," I finished, "But yes, he was killed by the renevant he was hosting within the hour. Or rather, because the renevant couldn't touch Potter directly without turning into ash."
"You mean," Arthur gasped, and I nodded. "Merlin's beard, Severus! How can we help?"
"I need you to keep your oldest and youngest school sons out of her way," I said calmly, "The twins are fine, she's friends with them, but the other two aren't making life easy for her."
"What happened?" Molly asked darkly, and I honestly almost didn't want to tell her for fear of their deaths. "What happened, Severus?"
"I'm not entirely sure, I only know what Poppy has told me," I said quickly, "But your youngest male was talking to Miss Granger when my snake passed out. She hasn't woken since, and it's been a week."
"Merlin's beard," Arthur murmured as Molly put her hands over her mouth and the small girl's eyes widened. "Does Poppy know what caused it?"
"She thinks it has something to do with losing the will to live, but we're not sure," I said shaking my head gravely, "The Twins and I have visited her – they tried to give her and Potter toilet seats, but thank Merlin Poppy stopped them – but nothing bad happened. If anything I think they were honestly worried about her."
"How old is she?" the small girl finally spoke, but it was very quietly.
"She's thirteen, fourteen when you meet her, Miss Weasley," I said calmly, "I'm sure you won't need to hear what horrible things your older brothers have done."
"They tried to send her a toilet seat?" Molly shrieked angrily, and I shot her a glare.
"Molly, calm down," I snapped angrily, giving her the look that I normally reserved for unruly seventh year Slytherins, and she immediately quieted. "Thank you. Now, Percival has been trying to ensure that the twins don't make contact with her, or rather that she doesn't make contact with any of her friends in Gryffindor."
"How many does she have in Slytherin?" Arthur asked furrowing his brow.
"As of her saving Potter's life in a Quidditch match, none aside from me," I told him, and the trio stared as though I'd dropped a bomb. "She has four, possibly five, friends in Gryffindor – your twin sons, Potter, Granger, and possibly Longbottom if she manages to get him to trust her next year."
"Why won't the other teachers do something, sir?" the tiny Weasley asked, and I pinched the bridge of my nose.
"Because, they all avoid her since I'm the only one that can control her," I said testily. It wouldn't do to mention that Albus himself had nearly killed her with his words on a few occasions. "Even then, I can't fully control her when she's angry, which is why I've kept her as a beater for the Quidditch team."
"Fukui," Arthur gasped, and I nodded gravely. "Alright. How can we help? Surely there's a reason for her behavior problems."
"there is," I said, "I'm technically not supposed to be elaborating, but I'll leave it at the fact that her home life is less than desirable and that I've had to save her from her Squib and Muggle relatives on a few occasions."
"They've tried to kill her?" the two witches asked, and I nodded.
"Arthur, I'll need you to request an inquiry about her, tell them it was your twin sons' concern for someone they look up to," I plotted, and he nodded. "Molly, be prepared for worst case scenarios in case you find her at Diagon Alley. She may just attempt a runaway this year."
"How are you sure she won't attack Ron and Percy?" Arthur asked, and I looked at him.
"So long as you're around, I doubt she will," I said calmly, "She hates them, and for very good reason, but she's not stupid. Besides that, I've heard Ronald asking Potter to come stay, so he should be a good enough distraction from her anger towards them. She looks to him like a little brother, for Salazar knows why. Also, it's best if she handled any physical labor around the house that involves the wizard world if she does come here – it helps her vent, I have reason to believe her parents are more violent than she lets on."
"How often has she come to you suicidal?" Molly asked worriedly, and I had to think for a few seconds.
"I'm honestly not sure," I admitted, "But she's had at least a dozen nervous breakdowns in my office. I even had to let her stay in my private quarters one night when her entire room and section of the room was vandalized."
"What do you mean?" the first year asked.
"The word Mudblood was painted all over her bed, every article of clothing of hers they could get their hands on, and her trunk," I explained, and their eyes widened, "She wouldn't calm down that night, she was sure the others were going to try to kill her. That's not even the half of what has happened – she's been poisoned on a few occasions, and carries two bezoars in her pockets at all times now."
"She's been attacked so much that she's become paranoid," Molly realized, and I nodded.
"Just as much, of not more so, than I am," I said gravely. "And it's sad to see any thirteen year old girl in such a state."
"Why doesn't Albus give her private quarters next to yours if she's such a problem to the other students?" Molly asked, and I frowned.
"She and Albus don't exactly see eye to eye," I said warily, "They got into an argument in her first year, and he hadn't exactly been the kindest headmaster to her ever since. I had to save her from a couple plague envelopes."
"But the mail is supposed to be screened for that!" Molly and Arthur yelled astonished, and the tiny girl backed away to the far wall. "Wait until I get my hands on him!"
"Don't, Lucius Malfoy is already handling it," I said quickly, "I sent him a letter a couple days ago elaborating on what Dumbledore has been doing over the course of this year, with his son Draco also sending one at my request, to elaborate on what Dumbledore has done to her because of the sole fact of her house loyalties and standing up for her moral values."
"We'll see what we can do," they promised, "Those two will get what's coming to them."
"I never thought I'd say this, but don't punish the twins for the toilet seat incident," I said thoughtfully and carefully, "I believe it was their way of trying to cheer up their two invalid friends. Poppy and Minerva have already scolded them harshly."
"You think it's funny?" Molly asked appalled and I smirked as I went towards the fireplace.
"Only because Dumbledore received one himself during their first year, and I believe it is where they got the idea," I said vaguely, "However, the real culprit of the mystery seat sender has not been found. We believe they've graduated."
"You're hiding something," Molly accused, and I sighed.
"Chessie may have some mental, emotional, and psychological scarring from what Quirrel has done," I said sadly, "I'm not entirely sure of the severity of the damage, but I do know that she probably won't be the happy-go-lucky witch that she once was anymore."
They gaped in horror just before I bid them farewell and went into the fire. Naturally, Albus was waiting for me and I told him that I went to the Weasleys to discuss the behavior of the twins. Luckily, he didn't question me further.
Chessie wakes up in the next chapter.
Please review!