In the Slytherin common room, the first-years settled down. None of them wanted to go to bed yet. Theo started a round of Exploding Snap with Daphne Greengrass, and Leo decided to join in.
As Daphne dealt out the cards, he heard Draco's loud voice ringing out across the room.
"How come you're in Slytherin if you're a Mudblood?"
Leo winced a little, and glanced at Marisa, who was sitting alone in a corner. He almost got up to defend her, but then he remembered: you live with Draco's parents, you have to go along with all this nonsense.
Marisa, anyway, didn't exactly look as if she needed someone to defend her. She stood up, eyes blazing with rage, and walked directly over to Draco.
"I am in Slytherin," she said icily, "because I am worthy of it. I might not be pure-blood, but I am cunning, as the Sorting Hat said that Slytherins are. Is there anyone who believes that I am not worthy? I'll take on any one of you."
Leo was impressed. He decided that he liked this girl. Also, there was something… familiar about her. He couldn't quite put it into words.
Draco said, "Um… err…", clearly surprised.
"Every rule has an exception, Draco," Marisa said. "And I am the exception to this rule."
Leo stared at her in admiration, and was promptly brought back to Earth when the pack of cards exploded in his face.
That night, Leo dreamt that he was standing at the edge of a bridge, and the bridge led to another world. There was a snow leopard at his side, but the snow leopard… was him? He didn't understand.
Nor did he understand why he was so much older than eleven years old. Or why there was a woman in his arms, or why she looked so like Marisa.
But what he did understand was that he loved this woman, whoever she was.