AN: Okay this took me a little longer to post than I thought it would, but you guys have to be patient with me. For any of you people who I made sick to your stomach because of Snape's behavior to Relena, I'm sorry. But, have no fear! Relena and Severus are friends and nothing more, or maybe something a little bit more. Well, whatever just understand, that for now Relena is totally focused on Harry and all of her problems, and Severus is completely, madly, obsessively in love with Anne. I was thinking about writing out their story for you all to read, but I'm not sure if that's such a good idea. What do you think? I promise that Annie will make and appearance in this story, and for all you Sirius lovers (sigh) he'll show up eventually.
Spridal stalked silently through the Forbidden Forest. The group of elves she had been chasing had just ran behind a large tree. Like most of the trees here it was tall and spindly, reaching up like a great needle reaching up to pierce the bright blue sky. Quietly, she ducked behind one of the forests many green shrubs. This is no fun, she thought. I wish Relena were here. She had been 106 when she met the young werewolf. Robert had taken her as his friend and even then Spridal had been able to sense that the vampire wanted too much control over her. Still, the girl had intrigued her, and Spridal felt her self becoming attached to the witch. She didn't start calling Relena mum until a year later. At that time Robert and Relena were dating. They had seemed completely in love, but it was not to last. Soon Robert grew to possessive, and started trying to tell Relena what she could and could not do. Relena had never been the type of girl to accept that so she told Robert that they should just be friends, and left it at that. She may have left him all together if it weren't for the fact that she was very fond of Spridal.
"Damn, Robert! He needs to learn when to let someone go!" Spridal hissed, talking more about herself than Relena. She was to young and to smart to leave his protective wing for now, but she had sworn to herself long ago that if Robert ever tried to hurt Relena she would kill him, and with that final thought she pounced out of her hiding place and onto a fairy.
Relena reawakened days later in the infirmary. As she looked around she thought about how many times she had been here as a child. She had always had a hand in the mischief that her brother and his friends caused, although James would always make her pretend to feel sick the next morning along with Lily so that they wouldn't get in any trouble. The white washed walls of the room seemed foreign to her. The last time she had been here they were blue. The stiff bed sheets were tucked completely around her body, forcing her to lie in a very uncomfortable position. She looked around to see Albus sitting in a chair by the bed with Severus standing behind him.
"Well, Miss. Potter, you gave us all quiet a scare. I don't think I've ever seen Severus run so fast."
"Ah, Sevie, you care," Relena replied, shocked by how weak she sounded.
"Relena," Severus said quietly, "what happened to you? The last time I saw you faint you were-"
"No need to worry about that, Severus," Relena cut him off, "I'm not really sure why I fainted I just did. I was thinking about everything that I was going to have to do to get situated here, and suddenly, I just blacked-out."
"Could Harry be one of the things you were so worried about?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes," Relena replied feeling a bit apprehensive about telling the Headmaster that she feared being rejected by her own nephew and godson.
"Relena," Dumbledore sighed, "you're either going to have to tell him or go by another name until you're ready to tell him, but I think I should warn you that he knows you knew his father."
"How could he know?" Relena gasped.
"Three nights ago when you transformed into a werewolf…" Severus began.
"THREE NIGHTS AGO!" Relena cried out in terror at the idea of having been asleep for the good part of three days now.
"What's all this yelling about?" called a distinctly female voice as an older witch walked into the room. "Are you two upsetting my patient?" she asked as she walked over and placed a hand on Relena's forehead. The nurse had a stuffy sort of air about her, and her nose pointed toward the sky, but her eyes were full of concern as she took Relena's pulse. "Well," she said when she seemed thoroughly satisfied with Relena's condition, "you gave me quite a shock there. I mean I wasn't quiet sure what to make of you when they first brought you in here. I mean it's not everyday that a mysterious witch appears at the door and faints only a few hours after getting here. In fact, dear, once you get a second alone there are a few questions I should ask you, but for now you need your rest. Would you like me to make the professors leave?"
"No, no, I think I should talk to them, but I'll be sure to talk with you as soon as I'm strong enough. Thank you." Seeming sure that this was a good sign, Madame Pomfrey smiled and left the room again.
"Now as you were saying?" Relena tried to smile.
"Relena, Harry was there when you transformed," Dumbledore stated carefully.
"What do you mean he was there? I didn't see him… Oh no! He was wearing an invisibility cloak wasn't he?" Relena cried holding her head in her hands.
"That's not all," Severus cut in, "In your delusional state you called him James. It really is a very easy mistake to make; he looks just like your brother, except for the eyes. He has Lily's eyes."
"Oh! He must be so beautiful!" Relena was now shaking with silent tears. "Albus, I've got to have him back! I want my godson to enjoy the next two years of his childhood. I want to take care of him. I'll do whatever it takes, just get the ministry to let me have him."
"There is only one thing that you can do Relena, and that is to tell Harry who you are for yourself. Will you?" Relena thought carefully for a moment. Oh Gods, I hope this works!
"Yes, I will, but I don't think it's a good idea for us to be alone when I first tell him. He might not want to believe me. He's going to need someone he trusts there to support him. How about you Severus?" At this Severus was unable to hold back his laughter. He became near hysterical as Relena screamed out: "What? What's the matter?"
"Harry… gasp… Potter…hates…me!" he laughed out.
"Oh, Severus, tell me you haven't been making his life a living hell for the past five years!"
"Sorry… But if I told you… if I told you… if I told you that it would be a lie!" he managed to gasp out.
"Severus! Why?"
"Well, to tell the truth it was for a few reasons. First, I never really liked your brother. Second, he needs to learn a little humility. And third because it is better for him to be constantly on guard for a fake enemy, then to be unprepared for a real one." He had sobered very quickly at her words, and had now regained his composure. "In short, I was trying to hate him and protect him all at the same time. Not an easy task if I do say so myself."
"Well, then I guess that means you can't be there as Harry's support. Who else could do it? Dumbledore?" Relena hoped he had some idea.
"Well," He said lightly stroking his beard, "It should probably be a teacher. Someone he trusts, and knows well. I can't do it because I'm going to be acting as mediator. There are really only two teachers in this whole school who know Harry very well, McGonagall and..." Albus stopped abruptly, but Relena decide to take this moment to add her own ideas.
"I know Minerva must be his Head of House. I mean he is a Gryffindor, right?" Dumbledore nodded. "Still, I think it would be better if there was someone who had not been watching him like a hawk since the day he came here. Who was the other professor you were going to mention?"
"Well… um…." Dumbledore stuttered.
"Please, tell me it's anyone, and I do mean anyone, but him." Severus gave her a guilty look. "Of all the people in all the world, why did it have to be Remus? All right, we used to be friends. Maybe I can talk to him, make him see that this is best for Harry. I just hope that he can put his grudge against me aside for a few hours until Harry makes it through the shock. Severus, do me a favor? Go find him. Ask him to come here when he gets a chance." Dumbledore stood up with an amazing amount of grace for a man as old as he.
"Relena, I'm very proud of you," he said while leaving the room. Severus walked over to the bed and grabbed her hand. He smiled down at her.
"You're doing the right thing Relena," he said as he bent down to kiss her on the cheek. "I'll go find lover boy for you." He straightened up and walked out of the room.
Relena lay back against her pillows, thinking about what had just happened. Harry was going to know the truth soon. She was hoping and praying that he accepted her. If he did, she would do anything to makeup for the years he'd lost. Stupid Sirius, she thought to herself, of all the people in the world to betray Lily and James why did it have to be Harry's godfather. Her mounting frustration towards her situation was beginning to give her a headache. Relena closed her eyes, and the next thing she knew she was asleep.
Spridal slipped quietly into the castle. She couldn't remember how long she'd been gone. She tended to lose track of time when she would go off into the forests. Her once sky blue chitin was stained brown with dirt and mud. She needed to find a bathroom to change in, but had no idea where one might be.
She jumped as she heard three voices traveling down the corridor. Faster than anyone could have seen she flew up to the ceiling and levitated there for a while. She looked down as they passed and was surprised to see that she recognized the students below her. They were the three that had been there the night she had reached the castle. She listened for a moment to find out what they were up to.
"All I'm saying," said a tall red-haired boy, "is that Arrhythmic is a waste of time Hermione. I mean you should have just stayed with an easy class like Divination. You wouldn't have to work so hard."
"Ronald Weasley," the girl at his side gasped indignantly, "I'd much rather be studying Arrhythmic than some hogwash course like Divination. Wait, guys, I got to go to the bathroom. Could you wait here for me?" Finally, a bathroom, Spridal thought with relief.
"Sure, Herm, we can wait." Spridal followed Hermione as she walked away from the boys and pushed back a tapestry to reveal a small door behind it. Turning herself invisible, Spridal slipped in right behind Hermione. The door slammed shut behind her, and Spridal waited while Hermione walked into one of the stalls before make herself visible again.
She looked into a mirror that spread across the entire wall and tried to access her haggard appearance. She looked at her dirty chitin that now had a rip below the knee. Her hair had twisted itself into a knot of curls on top of her head, and the headband that she always wore was nowhere to be seen. She smiled feeling very proud of herself for being so dirty. Robert would have had a fit if he knew, but Relena would just laugh and brush the knots out of the younger girl's hair.
Spridal lightly tapped the shoulders of her dress with her fingertips and watched as a sparkling light emanated over her dress. When the light cleared her clothes had turned into a pair of long tan pants and a white turtles neck. Looking back into the mirror, Spridal smiled as she put her hair in a curly loose bun on the top of her head and slid a white head wrap over her brow.
Spridal was so busy admiring her handy work that she didn't even notice as Hermione stepped out of the stall she had been occupying. Hermione stared at the small girl for a minute. She had planned to just walk out, but before her feet could move her curiosity got the better of her.
"What's your name?" she asked hoping she didn't sound as curious as she was.
"Spridal," the eleven-year-old replied without showing even an ounce of the surprise that Hermione's sudden appearance had caused her. "And you would be?"
"I'm Hermione. Didn't you come her with other people?"
"Yep."
"Well, where are they? Someone your age shouldn't be running around a school they don't know all by themselves."
"First thing," Spridal replied taking on Hermione's own bossy tone, "I am one hundred and ten years old, so I don't need a babysitter. Second, I haven't the foggiest idea where my friends are. It really is non of my business."
"You're that old," Hermione commented wide eyed, "then why do you look like that?"
"I can look however I want to look. Just watch." Spridal stretched her arms out in front of her and cracked her fingers. She then hung her head so that her hair covered her face. When she reached up to push her hair away from her face, Hermione was amazed by what she saw. The girl that had once been an eleven-year-old with black hair and blue eyes was now a mirror image of Hermione herself. After a few moments Spridal shook her head back and forth causing long brown hair to fly everywhere, and returned to her original appearance.
"Amazing," Hermione said awestruck.
"Thank you," Spridal answered lifting herself onto the sink counter, "Now can you answer a question for me?"
"Sure."
"What is it like to have friends your own age?" Hermione was confused by the girl's question. Surely, Spridal was friends with other sprites that were her own age.
"No," Spridal answered Hermione's unspoken question, "I don't know any sprites my own age. I know many who are older, but none my age or even younger. Hermione, you intrigue me. Will you be my friend?"
"Of course. Let me introduce you to the guys." Hermione was about to walk out of the bathroom when she felt Spridal's light touch on her arm.
"Just a minute." Spridal once again allowed her hair to cover her face, and when she lifted her head again she was still Spridal, but she was older. She looked at least sixteen and was a little taller than Hermione. "I didn't think the boys would be up for hanging out with an eleven-year-old girl. Do I look old enough?" Hermione nodded her head, and the two girls walked out into the hall together.
AN: Ah, the plot thickens! The title is stolen from a song that I learned as a girl scout, though I have no idea who actually wrote it. Please Review!
Thanks to Singer: I like your button idea from before, and I think you should definitely post some of your writings. I'd love to read them. I'm glad you think I'm a nice person, and I don't mind the questions at all. As for Relena being a witch Buffy, well, she's isn't really. As the story progresses you'll find that all though Relena has been known to kick some major arse, it's Miguel who's more like a male, Australian Buffy. Relena is kind of like Willow, but a lot tougher.