Keiko, luckily, later found Fred and George's pranks to be somewhat clever. To Snape's immense disappointment, the boys could not be expelled. In addition, as Professor McGonagall pointed out, there was no hard proof that they had performed either of the spells. As soon as Professor Sinistra was revived, Professor Snape vowed to seek revenge on his colleague.
A small dungeon which had been abandoned for a few centuries was reopened for Keiko and Snape to make the potion. The Asian woman spent half her time down there and the other half in a small green house growing the herb. Professor Sprout took the opportunity to learn about Japanese herbology from the talented woman.
To Keiko, Quidditch games were wonderful. Keiko's favorite team back home was the Toyohashi Tengu. There were two major differences between English and Japanese Quidditch. The first was that in England, girls were allowed to play. The second was that the students didn't burn their brooms after losing a match, a mannerism that Keiko found especially strange.
After a particularly exciting match between Ravenclaw and Slytherin, Keiko approached the Quidditch instructor, Madam Hooch. She was amazed to see how hospitable everyone was. Madam Hooch was more than thrilled to teach her to ride a broomstick that very afternoon!
So it happened, Keiko became the first Japanese woman she knew to fly. She loved the feeling of the wind flowing through her hair and the sun warming her back as she zoomed around the field. She would smile, imagining what her mother would say if she saw her now. It was a freedom like she had never known before.
Indeed, Hogwarts agreed very much with Keiko. She no longer worried about pleasing her mother by marrying a man whom she did not love. She loved the English language, and she loved Severus Snape.
It surprised even Keiko that she could come to love the man who stood for the exact opposite of her new freedoms. Snape lived in the musty old dungeons, deep below the smiling sunshine and the fluffy clouds. He smelled of rusty cauldrons and a verity of potion ingredients. His skin was sallow from lack of sun exposure.
It has been a strong hate that had brought the two together. In the end, it was more bitter than sweet when Keiko left. A single tear ran down her cheek as she recalled adding the final touches to the potion.
It was going to be a week until the potion would be ready to administrate to the Astronomy professor. Having nothing else to do, Keiko visited the woman for the first time.
Professor Sinistra lay very still. It was hard for Keiko to imagine that this was the woman who was responsible for her being there. She was going to miss Hogwarts immensely. Maybe one day she would return. Rather than a single tear dropping down her face, she began to openly cry.
Before anyone could see her, Keiko fled from the Hospital Wing. She could barely see where she was going, for her hands were covering her face. As luck had it, she smacked right into Professor McGonagall.
The Transfiguration teacher grabbed her shoulders. "Keiko, are you all right?" She held the Asian woman awkwardly; she was bad with emotional situations.
"I don't want to leave," Keiko sobbed into Minerva's shoulder.
"Perhaps the headmaster will allow you to stay in Hogwarts for the rest of the term." But the young woman continued to cry, and Professor McGonagall continued to stand there awkwardly holding her.
Luckily, it was the beginning of Easter break, and there were very few students in the castle who might stumble upon them. Once Keiko's whaling was down to a few tears, Professor McGonagall moved her into her office, where that small chance would become zero.
"Are you all right?" Minerva asked, handing her a tissue.
Keiko blew hard into the tissue. The tissues were charmed to absorb snot, guaranteeing that they would never become dirty. After a few minutes, Keiko settled down enough to put down the tissue and talk. "I'll be all right," she said.
Professor McGonagall sat rigidly behind her desk, trying to think of something comforting to say. She wasn't sure why, but she decided to invite the young woman to attend to the live infomercial the following day. It seemed fair enough that she take Professor Sinistra's place, as she had already done so in the castle.
"Infomercial?" Keiko repeated. "How odd."
"I agree," Minerva sighed.
"Tell me about Professor Sinistra, Professor." That was how it
happened that the two women became friends. They sat there discussing
first the petrified Astronomy professor, then everything from Quidditch
to grading policies. There formed an odd relationship between them
in those hours.