Gwen was surprised to find herself having a nice time for the rest of Potions, talking to Lily as they finished the Draught of Peace. Well, it was more Lily talking to her and doing the work, but Gwen spoke a lot more in that hour than she had done the entire week.

Her chest was warm and she felt relaxed. She was slow to realise that the feeling was happiness; that she was actually enjoying herself for the first time in a long time. She even spent the majority of class without a single thought towards her brother or Father.

Remus approached Lily when the two left the classroom, asking if he could pull the redhead aside for a second while his friends walked in the other direction. Lily seemed like she didn't want to leave but Gwen insisted that it was okay. So, when they parted ways and Gwen walked down the corridor with a smile on her face, reality doused her like a cold bucket of water.

"Crouch," a voice hissed before she was roughly shoved in an alcove. Her head thudded off the wall and her cry of pain was muffled by a hand over her mouth. "Be quiet." Gwen's eyes narrowed as they met those of Malfoy's. "Now, I'm gonna talk and you're gonna- ugh-" He flung his hand from her mouth, face twisting in disgust. "Did you just lick me?"

"Don't you ever," she said, chest heaving, "put your hand on my mouth again." She brought her hands up and shoved him away, thankful for the momentary distraction as he was easily pushed back. She wiped her tongue on the back of her hand to rid the taste of damp skin as her head throbbed. "What the hell is wrong with you, Malfoy?"

Though the blonde didn't invade her space again, he still leered too close for comfort. "What was in that package?" he questioned.

Gwen's eyebrows scrunched together. "What?" she asked incredulously. "You threw me into a bloody wall to ask about a ring?"

"A ring?" Malfoy echoed. He relaxed some and that ugly mocking sneer made its way onto his expression. "Present from your boyfriend, then?" He scoffed. "I feel sorry for the poor guy that has to pretend to love someone like you." It was right then that Gwen realised his group of cronies weren't tailing him, otherwise she would've heard them laugh at his jab.

"Like you know anything about love, Malfoy," she bit back.

His expression darkened. "At least my Father isn't a blood-traitor," he taunted.

Gwen's eyes fluttered shut as she clenched her jaw, praying to Merlin that the Slytherin boy would just disappear. It took every inch of her willpower to not punch his pale face. Father would have her head if she did.

"What?" Malfoy continued with a laugh. "Nothing to say, Crouch? Your Mudblood friend isn't here to defend you now, is she? You and your-"

Malfoy couldn't finish his sentence before Gwen lunged at him, shoving him against the opposite wall like he did to her. The front of his shirt was twisted in her fist and her wand was in hand, pushed under his jaw.

"One more word," she growled. He grunted as she pushed him further back, "and I'll make sure you never speak again." His eyelids twitched into a flinch and his hands were trembling where they gripped her upper arms, trying to push her away.

"Miss Crouch," a cold yet familiar voice reached her ears. "If you could let go of Mr Malfoy." Black robes slid in her peripheral and she felt the brush of air against her skin as he loomed over them. "Now."

Contorting her lips into a snarl, she pulled herself away from the other student.

"Put away your wand," the new Professor ordered. Gwen did as he said. "Mr Malfoy." He turned his attention to the blonde. "I do not wish to take house points from my own house, but I will if I have to. I will not tolerate such abhorrent slurs in my presence. Understood?"

Malfoy turned bright red and he lowered his head in embarrassment. "Yes, sir."

The Professor nodded curtly. "Good." His dark eyes turned to Gwen. "Follow me, Miss Crouch."

He led her through the mostly empty corridors to the DADA classroom located in the North Tower, drifting up the twirling stairs with ease while Gwen lagged behind. He didn't seem to care as he waited patiently for her at the top. Without a word still, he turned and led her through the classroom into his office.

The office was spacious but not large. It was rather bare without much personalisation; the only things catching Gwen's attention being the nameplate on his desk that read Augustus Rookwood and a cage settled next to the plate, holding some kind of creature. She would have mistaken it for an owl if not for the bright pink feathers and glowing bulbs protruding from the top of its head and tip of its tail.

Professor Rookwood noticed what held her attention and settled himself on the edge of his desk. "A Fowler," he told her. Gwen turned her gaze to him but his eyes were on the owl- the Fowler. "A gift from Kettleburn, though I believe it was Hagrid's idea." He hummed like he was considering something. "Their feathers are often used for quills, but they are known for driving any listener insane with their screech." Screech? Gwen's eyes widened. "No need to worry, Miss Crouch, she came with a silencing charm."

"Oh," she said softly, taking a cautious step closer to the cage. The creature's eyes were bright yellow, beautiful with orange and hazel flecks buried by the iris' as she stared with interest, like she was assessing the human in awe of her. "What's her name?"

"Elalia." A pretty name for a pretty creature, Gwen thought. "She seems to like you," he observed. She couldn't decipher his expression or tone. "But we're not here to study Care of Magical Creatures."

Gwen averted her eyes, clenching her jaw. "He threw me into a wall," she defended herself. "He called Lily a-"

"- a Mudblood," Rookwood finished with a small nod. "Yes. A disgusting word from a prejudiced child. As proud as I am to be a Slytherin, seeing students insulting and distancing themselves from other houses due to their blood status is exhausting to witness."

The girl almost did a double-take. "But... you-?"

"I'm half-blood, Miss Crouch," he answered her unasked question. To say that she was surprised would be an understatement. The way he held himself and addressed others, even in the very few interactions she had with him, screamed 'pureblood and proud!'.

"I grew up in a Muggle neighbourhood with a Muggle Father and Muggle neighbours," he continued to explain. "I was friends with Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws alike in the time I attended Hogwarts." His thin lips pulled into an amused smile as he studied her puzzled face. "I'm sure it's difficult to believe but I know what it's like to be an outcast at Hogwarts, Miss Crouch. To be called a blood-traitor at every given moment."

"I don't care about being called a blood-traitor," Gwen said. "I've been hearing it since first-year."

"Yet you always react the same upon hearing it. With anger," Rookwood pointed out. The girl crossed her arms and turned her eyes to the ground. "I'm not saying I truly understand what it's like to be in your shoes. My parents were not influential people and my brother was not a wizard." Gwen felt her mood drop like an anchor. "That's what I mean, Miss Crouch. You react with anger at the mere mention of him." She hadn't noticed her knuckles were turning white with the way she clenched her fists.

"You don't know what it's like," she said with a shake of her head, forcibly loosening her grip on her hands. "Everyone's saying he's a- he's..."

"I know," Rookwood interjected softly, sympathetically. "I'll be honest, I was going to find you at some point today. It just so happened that I ran into your... altercation with Lucius." Gwen looked up at him again as he pushed himself off his desk, hands clasped behind his back as he observed a small painting she hadn't noticed before, hidden beside a cabinet. It was of a woman - a beautiful young woman with blonde hair that ran like a waterfall over her shoulders. She was laughing at something behind the camera, her smile bright and genuine.

"Who is she?" Gwen asked, voice quiet as she stepped closer to watch the moving picture. Although in black and white, she could feel the vibrance radiating off her.

"My mother," Rookwood answered with a slight smile. "She is the one that taught me how to deal with bullies and I wish to impart the same wisdom to you." He paused, shifting his focus to Gwen. "For example, if you happened to use the tongue-tying hex, or even the confusion hex if confronted in public... I would perhaps look in the other direction."

Her eyes left the painting to stare dumbly at the Professor. "You'd... You'd ignore it?"

He raised his eyebrows like she asked a ridiculous question. "I can't ignore something I can't see, now, can I?" he said. "If Flitwick's praises about your non-verbal casting are correct, then nobody can see who set the hex. Or if there was a hex to begin with. We all know the Malfoys have the flair for dramatics, after all."

Gwen bit the inside of her cheek to hide her smile. "Of course."

He hummed. "Do you have class now?"

"Yes," she answered. "Transfiguration with McGonagall."

"I'll send a letter informing her you're with me," he told her. "Unfortunately, I will still have to give you detention. Every Monday for a month, 6 p.m. for an hour, we can practice the tongue-tying hex. Probably more, since you're a fast learner in Charms."

"I..." Gwen took in a deep breath, trying not to seem ungrateful. "Thank you for being so nice to me, sir, but I... I don't understand? No offense, but DADA isn't my favourite subject. I failed last year and didn't show up to most of my classes, so I'm confused."

He didn't look offended in the slightest. No, his eyes sparkled similarly to Dumbledore's like he knew something she didn't. "I believe you can achieve great things if nudged in the right direction," he answered truthfully. "You're not a problem child, Miss Crouch, nor do I think you're an idiot for failing or skipping classes. Intelligence is more than just good grades." He smiled at her again, a little wider than his usual smiles when Gwen was left speechless. "Now, unless you wish to get back to your dorm, we can begin your first lesson in advanced hexing."

So Gwen stayed, feeling like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

Remus had few regrets in life.

Yelling at his mum, the odd argument with his dad, and accidentally hurting his friends during his transformation always put him in a low mood for the rest of the week, no matter how small the injury.

None of that compared to chasing after a fuming Lily Evans, though.

When he pulled her aside after Potions, his intentions were mostly pure. He'd noticed over the years that her and Gwen were friends, or at least talked regularly in class, and it was no different watching them interact in Potions. Remus didn't think he'd seen Gwen smile so sincerely in the time they've been at Hogwarts together, not since third-year. That might not say much since she didn't have friends, but it was nice seeing her happy after witnessing her almost cry on the train earlier.

But his mood was quick to drop when Sirius kept making snide remarks about the girl.

"How long do you think before she follows her brother, Prongs?"

"What hex should I use?"

"Bloody purebloods thinking they can get away with anything."

"Why is Evans even chatting with her?"

It annoyed the hell out of Remus.

He loved Sirius like a brother and trusted him with his life. He understood that his family was awful - hell, he spent a weekend at the Black Manor and wanted to throttle them upon their first meeting. They turned their noses up at him once they found out he was half-blood, and after an awkward dinner which consisted mostly of a back-and-forth between Sirius and Walburga, with Orion and Regulus occasionally chiming in, they ended up going back to Remus'. He never returned after that.

So, he understood and he sympathised. But that didn't mean he approved of his unwarranted scorn for Gwen.

Remus had to bite his cheek and hold back snapping at him for his remarks, only breaking the façade for a moment to tell him not to actually hex her. James looked uncomfortable with the comments too but didn't say anything.

Instead of having a go at Sirius, Remus pulled Lily aside after class and let her know that his friend was being an ass. He wanted to make sure that Lily would be there for her with the rumours of her brother starting and students, namely Malfoy, harassing her tenfold. If Gwen was going to mingle in their group then it would be best for Lily to pull Gwen away. Maybe it wasn't the smartest or most well-thought decision, but he didn't anticipate much to come from it.

He certainly wasn't expecting to witness the pure unadulterated Evans Rage.

With Remus running after her, she stormed into the Gryffindor common room where Sirius and James were chatting and laughing.

She smacked Sirius hard on the head with her textbook.

"Ow!" he yelled. The thud made Remus flinch while Sirius spun around on the couch, hand gripping his head where he was hit. "What the bloody hell is wrong with you, Evans-? What-?" She smacked him with the book again, this time on the shoulder as he shot up off the sofa. "What did I do?!"

"What did you do?!" she repeated in a shout. "If I need to bloody spell it out for you, then-" She lifted her textbook.

"Okay, okay!" Sirius backed up, holding his hands up. The girl lowered her weapon. "I'm extremely sorry for what I did and I promise I'll never do it again!"

"Sirius," she said. "Please tell me what you're sorry for."

"Um." He at least had the audacity to look guilty. "For being me?"

Lily scoffed. "Nice try. Now tell me why you're being an arse to Gwen?"

"Crouch?" Sirius near-yelled incredulously. "Why do you...?" His eyes darted to Remus. "What the bloody hell did you say to her, Moony?"

Remus shrugged nonchalantly, sitting down on a nearby chair to witness the scene.

"Hi, Lily," James decided to pipe up.

"Hi," she said curtly and turned her attention back to Sirius. "Why are you being an arse to her, Sirius?"

His eyes went wide like he couldn't believe what she was saying. "What- she- her- her brother's a Death Eater, Lily!"

"So is yours," she pointed out.

"She doesn't do anything to discourage the rumours, does she?" he retorted. "Oh, she cried a bit when Malfoy was a dick to her?" He shook his head. "Cry me a bloody river like she doesn't have all the money and influence in the world to tell people her brother isn't one. She hasn't said a damn thing about it so I'm oh-so-sorry I don't believe she doesn't at least sympathise with You-Know-Who."

Lily hit him again, using both hands as leverage and not giving Sirius enough time to dodge. He yelped in surprise or pain, Remus couldn't tell.

"Using your tiny little pathetic brain, you prat, tell me why the bloody hell you think Malfoy is always a twat to her?"

"Because apparently her dad's a blood-traitor?" he answered. "I don't know, Lily. Isn't she supposed to be your friend?"

The redhead's eyes fluttered shut momentarily, composing herself with a heavy breath. "Who do you think hexed Carrow when he was insulting my family?" she asked.

"Prongs," Sirius answered confidently. He turned to his friend who was quick to avert his gaze, guilty. "Right?"

"Uhhh."

Remus pinched the bridge of his nose. "James," he murmured.

"I never technically said I did it - everyone there just thought I did!" James crossed his arms defensively.

Sirius looked heartbroken. "What happened to bro code?"

"I'm sorry, bro," James whispered sadly.

Lily rolled her eyes. "It was Gwen, genius," she reiterated, interrupting the two. "She did the hex, and she decked his sister for calling Frank a Mudblood. She didn't do it to save face or because there was an audience. She did it because she actually cares."

Remus straightened at that. He didn't know she hexed Amycus and he definitely did not know she was the one who punched Alecto. Although the Carrow girl was quick to blame Frank since she didn't see who did, nobody believed that Longbottom had the gall to hit her like that. He took what was given to him and never complained so Dumbledore left the incident unpunished.

Remus shouldn't have been shocked to find out James was lying about hexing Amycus, though, just disappointed. He needed to have a word with his friend.

"How the hell did you know it was her?" Sirius questioned. "Both times?"

"Frank told Alice what happened and she told me," Lily explained. "And it was obviously Gwen who set the hex. James didn't even have his wand out and she left before any teachers could get there."

Sirius deflated a little, eyebrows drawn together. "It was really Crouch?" he asked.

"Yes," she confirmed. "She never talks about her family because I'm pretty sure she hates them, Sirius, just like you hate yours. Have you ever seen her look proud whenever someone brings up her brother? Or happy when her dad is mentioned? In the years I've known her she only looks relaxed in Charms or when I'm talking to her about nonsense."

"Padfoot," James, to everyone's surprise, spoke up. "Not much of a shocker, but I agree with Lily. Maybe you could be more... chill with her? Like, you don't have to be friends with her or anything but Moony and Lily like her and they have good taste, if I do say so myself." He sent a wink Lily's way which she rolled her eyes at, but Remus could see the softness in her eyes.

"He's right," Remus piped up.

Sirius blew a dramatic breath. "Fine, fine," he said. "Okay. I'll be nice, then. Anyone who can deck a Carrow is decent in my books, I suppose, and since you and Moony seem to be in love with her..." he sighed, "I trust you. I'll give her a chance."

Lily dropped her textbooks on the table Remus was sat at, satisfied. "Good. That's all I wanted to hear." She nodded and sat down. "Remus, are you still up for studying?"

He smiled. "Sure."

Always trust Lily to get the job done.

The common room was bustling by the time Gwen returned, filled almost to the brim with students finishing up their first-day studies. She spent a good portion of her Transfiguration period with Professor Rookwood while he taught her the tongue-tying hex. It was amusing to watch the usually stoic man mixing his words and slurring every time Gwen cast it, though he was always quick to use the deflection spell to cease it.

He was right though - she was a fast learner. Always had been when it came to things like Charms and hexes, just like her Mother when she was a student. Gwen had mastered the lesson by the time she left his office but he wanted her to perfect it in her detention next Monday.

She ended up spending her next and final class, Care of Magical Creatures, in the Astronomy Tower alone. It was where she spent a good chunk of her time when she skipped classes or needed alone time outside of her dorm. She was one of the few students who knew the secret passage to the tower, thumping the back of the knight statue's head three times and stepping on his right foot. Though Sinistra never minded if she caught Gwen there, she always kicked her out if she had a class next period. She understood without needing to say a word.

"Hey, Crouch!" a voice calling her name behind her made her jump and dark hair invaded her vision. Sirius threw a hand on her shoulder which Gwen was quick to slap away. "Um-"

"What do you want?" she asked, turning to face him.

"I just came to apologise," he said, to her astonishment. He took her startled silence as an opportunity to continue. "I know I've been a prick to you, and, um... Moony and Lily had a word with me and I realise you don't deserve it. You've already got Malfoy on your arse, no need to add to that list, right?" He chuckled. The flash of his white teeth brought her out of her stupor and she furrowed her eyebrows at him. "So... I'm sorry."

Gwen's lip parted. "You're...?"

"... Sorry?" he finished, a little reluctantly.

"Um." Gwen frowned. Why in Merlin was he apologising to her? "Okay."

Sirius shifted. "You know, when someone says they're sorry, it's common courtesy to say that they're forgiven."

"Do you... want to be forgiven?" she asked.

The boy's lip turned up into a charming smile. "That depends if you want to forgive me?"

Merlin, Gwen, just leave!

"I..." She blinked. "Yes."

He raised his eyebrows. "Yes?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Great." He grinned with a nod. "Listen, I gotta go. Working on something with Prongs, but we'll talk later, yeah?"

He turned and left Gwen standing in the middle of the room like an idiot, lips parted in confusion.

Glancing to where he went, she saw him jump over the couch to sit between James and Peter, chatting animatedly about something. She caught Lily's eye where she was studying with Remus and the redhead sent a smile in her direction, lifting her fingers up in a little wave. Remus saw this and waved her over.

Gwen's frown deepened and she felt stuck for a moment, her feet unable to lift from the carpeted floor.

Everyone was being nice to her. Why was everyone being so nice to her?

It wasn't until a second-year knocked into her by accident and mumbled an apology that she rushed off to her room.