Year One - Chapter 18

—Hey, Snape!

I was walking towards the library when I heard someone calling my name when I turned I saw Roger Davies running towards me.

—Hullo, Davies. —I changed the weight of the books that I was carrying in my arms, a few days ago I had checked out several books from the library and it was close to the deadline to deliver them.

—You want some help with that? —He said while pointing his index finger at the books.

—No, thank you.

I turned around and kept walking, the truth is that I would have appreciated the help, the books were too heavy but I had never spoken with Davies, he was not even from my year and now he wanted to help me with the books? I don't know, maybe I'm getting as paranoid as Harry, but I feel like Davies wants something.

—Wait, Snape.

Should I be happy that I was right?

—What do you need, Davies?

—You do know that we all want Slytherin to lose the House Cup, right?

—Uh-huh.

—Well, I just wanted to ask you... Well, everyone in Ravenclaw actually, to talk with your dad, you know... Give Gryffindor a head start on the next Quidditch match so they have a chance to win. We know he hates the Gryffindors but he will listen to his daughter and would want her house to win, right? Obviously, I'd rather Ravenclaw win but it's better that Gryffindor wins than—

—What are you talking about?

He seemed surprised by my question, he was looking at me without blinking and his eyebrows were raised so much that they seemed to disappear into his hair.

—You really don't know?

—Know what?

—Your father will be the referee for the next Quidditch match.

—My father? Quidditch? —He nodded and I started to laugh like I hadn't in a long time, Davies was just looking at me like I was crazy.— Are you mad? Where do you get those ideas from?

—Our captain, Louise Watkins, told us. You can ask someone on the Gryffindor team, I'm not lying.

I started walking towards the library, it was getting late and I didn't want to have to carry them all back to my room. I thought Davies would leave, but he started following me.

—I'm sorry I don't believe you, but it's simply impossible to believe that my father would get on a broom. I find him more likely to give Fred and George a single point for making a joke than him being on a broom.

He chuckled at that and took a couple of books from my hands, this time I didn't complain, my arms were thanking me for the weight to drop.

—No one knows why they decided for him to be the referee, but he definitely will be.

—But my father? Severus Snape?

—The same.

I chuckled again, I still couldn't believe it. What the Nargles is he thinking?

—I can't just ask him to make Gryffindor win, I even think he will do the opposite, but I'll talk to him.

—Great.

He smiled at me and I smiled back. We keep walking in silence until I noticed that he was reading the title of one of the books that he had taken from my arms.

—Ancient spells and charms long forgotten? Isn't this, I don't know, something advanced?

—It doesn't really have anything extremely difficult and mainly they are very complicated variations of some spells we know, but there are some interesting ones like this one, look.

I put the books down next to me on the floor and took out my wand, I began to move it in circles.

—Satus Nix. —Little snowflakes began to come out of the tip of my wand, which ended up falling on my shoes and made my feet feel a little cold.— Finis Nix. The duration of the spell depends on how long you can hold it, although I don't think that one person can do it for a long time since it consumes a lot of your energy. Last night I managed to fill half a glass of snow before feeling too tired to continue.

—Wow, that was amazing, you should show me that one day. —I picked up the books from the floor and we continued walking towards the library. —Can I be honest with you about something?

I raised an eyebrow, the way my father usually does and pushed open the library door with my left arm, waited for Davis to enter, and walked over to the shelf from which I had taken the books.

—I thought you would be different.

—Different... Like?

—Well... At the beginning of the year, the topic of conversation of many people used to be about you, they still talk about you but not so much and there were many rumours...

—Let me guess, everyone is wondering how the bat of the dungeon has a daughter and everyone thinks I'm just as awful as him? They haven't been very discreet.

I finished putting the books I was carrying in their place and now I was putting away the books he still had.

—Yeah, sorry about that... But it's good to know that you're actually very nice.

—Thanks, I guess, and thanks for helping me with the books.

—It's no problem. Well, I have to go, I have to catch some flying seahorses and I still have no idea how to do it.

—Are you making the Girding Potion?

—Yes, how did you know? No, you know what, forget it.

We both laughed until Madam Pince came over and threatened to kick us out of the library.

—Did you try using the Seize and Pull Charm? It is in the third-year curriculum, right? Fred mentioned it to me a few days ago.

Davies put his face in his hands and let out an exasperated sigh.

—I can't believe I never thought of it and now I don't know if I can get them all in time. They are for the third period tomorrow and they have to be 10.

—The third period? You could try to catch them at lunchtime. I will help you so that you get them faster.

—Really?

—Sure, I'll see you tomorrow at the black lake at 1.

—Okay, thanks, Eileen. I owe you one.

Davies (or should I call him Roger now?) left the library while I went to look for the section of the last book that I still had in my hands, but as I got closer I recognized Hermione's voice.

—I really think we should ask her, find out if she knows anything.

—Sure, something like 'hello, Eileen, do you happen to know what your father is trying to steal from the corridor on the third floor?' Then she will tell Snape and they will try to kill us all.

—She's not like that, Ronald. If she'd already mentioned something to Snape, we would know.

—Why do you trust her so much?

—Because she's my best friend... And we have been very unfair to her.

I stopped paying attention to them and went to the same section where I had found the book Alchemy: Ancient Art and Science. I pulled it off the shelf and stared at the cover for a moment. Should I give them the book or let them keep searching about Flamel without success?

I went back to where they were, they kept arguing about Flamel and saying their theories about what the giant dog (did Ron say Fluffy?) might be keeping. I stood in front of them, still somewhat undecided about whether to give them the book or not.

—Hi, Eileen. —Hermione said.— Do you need something?

I just walk until I was in front of them and put the book on the table, it would be their decision whether they decide to open it and read the index or not. I did my part already. I left the library and began to hear voices approaching, I kept going up the stairs to the second floor when someone was talking to me again.

—Eileen!

I turned and saw Fred walking up the stairs, walking towards me, leaving a trail of water and mud on the ground, it had been raining all day but that didn't stop them from training; the rest of the Quidditch team stood at the bottom of the stairs, watching us.

—Hi Fred, did you have a good training?

—Yeah, something like that, hey...

—It's about the next Quidditch match, right? They want me to tell my father to let Gryffindor win.

—How did you know about that?

—Roger told me about it.

—Roger? Roger Davies? Ravenclaw's Chaser?

Fred was leaning against the wall, with one leg resting on the wall, but as soon as I said Roger's name, he straightened up and moved closer to me, I just nodded.

—Since when are you friends with him?

—A few moments ago, I suppose.

—But why? You shouldn't be his friend. I've heard him talking in class, saying things about you and your—

—Oh come on, Fred, you are not my father to start telling me to whom I can talk to or not, and I don't even listen to him. Why do you care if I talk to him or not? And don't try to use the excuse that he says things about me and my father. Or just because you apologized at Christmas does it mean that what happened a few weeks ago doesn't matter anymore?

Fred seemed puzzled, he kept looking at me and his mouth was a little open, I just crossed my arms over my chest, looked at the rest of the Quidditch team with a frown on my face and they decided to leave, maybe I should use the fact that everyone thinks I'm just like my father to my advantage.

—You're right, I'm sorry, it's just... —He took my left hand, intertwining our fingers.—I don't want someone to hurt you again as I did.

I started to feel strange, my cheeks felt hot, plus I felt like I was sweating a little bit and felt my heart beating so fast. What's wrong with me? I let go of his hand and put them behind me, he looked a bit disappointed but didn't try to take my hand again.

—Uhm, thanks, Fred... For worrying... Ah... I have to go now.

I started running all the way up to the seventh floor, I needed to be in a quiet place and away from Fred, but I definitely wouldn't go to my father's office because he would ask me why I am like this and things could get out of control, so I'll have to settle for going to my room.

Upon entering the common room, I saw that several of the people in here were laughing at something, as I approached the couches, I saw that they were actually laughing at someone.

—What happened? —I said as Hermione counter-hexed Neville, his legs no longer sticking together.

—It was Malfoy. He said he was looking for someone to practice it.

—You should speak to Professor McGonagall!

—I don't want to have any problems...

—Hermione is right Neville, you have to face Draco.

—Malfoy is used to walking all over people —Ron said— but that's no reason for you to throw yourself on the ground and make things easier for him.

—You don't have to remind me that I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy tells me that every day.

—You're worth twelve Malfoys, —Harry told him as he gave him a chocolate frog.— Who chose the hat to be in Gryffindor? You, not Malfoy, he's in stinky Slytherin.

—Neville, I've known Draco since before we could speak and let me tell you, I know you are much braver than him.

—Thanks, Eileen... Thanks, guys... I think that I'll go to bed now... Harry do you want the card? I know you collect them.

Neville left and now I was sitting on the arm of the sofa, Hermione was next to me, Ron and Harry were in front of us, I didn't know whether to say something to them and just leave. Harry was muttering something about the card Neville had given him.

—Uhm, Eileen... Thanks, for the book. —To my surprise, it was Ron who said it. I didn't expect that they would use the book, much less that he would thank me.

—I found it! —Harry said.— I found Flamel!

—Oh, we already know who he is, Harry.

—What? When? Why didn't you tell me?

—It was earlier today. —Hermione said. I could see that she was looking at me sideways, I was just playing with a thread that came out of my skirt. I must be using this skirt a lot since Aunt Cissy paid a lot of galleons to have charms in it that wouldn't make it so easy to tear apart.— Eileen gave us a book in the library about Flamel, we were going to tell you but then Neville arrived.

—You? —I looked up and Harry was staring at me.— How long have you known? And how do you know about him?

—I overheard you talking to Hagrid about him a few days before Christmas break, then a few days later I found out who he was.

—So you've known about him for weeks and you haven't told us?

—Oh sure, because it would have been very easy, right? With you, thinking that my father and I want to hurt you? Instead of being upset with me, Harry, you should be thankful that I gave them that book or right now you would still be looking for him.

I got up from the couch and walked to my bedroom, ready to sleep. Today had been an extremely long and extremely disappointing day and now my mind was only thinking about the comfort of my bed.

I had completely forgotten how I had felt with Fred.