Erin had slept for nearly two days, worn out from fear. When she woke up,
Snape had told her everything. In some ways, his story had made a lot of
sense. She was in Slytherin because she was a Pureblood. And Snape - or
Severus, now, I guess, thought Erin - had been protecting her because he
was her guardian. But who exactly was Angelina Kristoff? What about her
parents in America?
Sara, Calvin, and Blaise had all been in to see her. They hadn't seemed too surprised at the news. She had yet to hear from the Gryffindors.
The Slytherins, on the other hand, were very generous. Erin hardly had room to move between the candy and the flowers that adorned her bedside tables. Erin wanted to throw all of it into the fire. They had hated her because of her parentage, and now they liked her because of it.
The door to the hospital wing opened. Erin looked up eagerly, hoping to see Harry, but was surprised to see Draco Malfoy instead. The blonde boy came over and sat on the edge of her bed.
"Here," he drawled, shoving something into her arms. Erin looked down to find a tiny black kitten snoozing in her arms.
"Our cat had kittens," Draco continued. "I thought you might like one."
"Thinks this makes up for everything, huh?" said Erin tartly, her anger suddenly boiling up.
"Well, at least for saving my life," said Draco. "This might make up for the rest of it." He pulled something out of his robes and handed it to Erin. It was the Daily Prophet. The foremost headline read "You-Know- Who's Daughter Found At Hogwarts."
Erin read down the column.
You-Know-Who's daughter, Erin Kristoff, is attending Hogwarts, writes reporter Oscar Hund. A fifth year who has been at Hogwarts for nearly three months now, Kristoff is a possible danger to the magical community.
The Daily Prophet can prove that Kristoff has fought with her teachers, visited the Dark Forest against school rules, and even attacked Aurors.
"She kicked me in the crotch," complained one Auror, who wished to remain unnamed. "Hurt bloody bad, too."
"She's pretty powerful," said Angelina Johnson, a seventh year at Hogwarts. "I heard she knocked somebody out with just a Disarming Spell."
Even worse, the Daily Prophet has determined that Kristoff has ingratiated herself with Harry Potter, who has also been diagnosed 'disturbed and dangerous'.
"They go everywhere together. They're really good friends," observed Henry Creevey, a Gryffindor.
The Daily Prophet can only hope that these two teenagers are contained before they can do any more damage."
Erin launched into some creative cursing. Draco restrained a smile until she had finished raving.
"Just imagine if Rita Skeeter had written it," he said, picking up the article from Erin's lap. Erin groaned at the thought.
At this point, Harry, Ron, and Hermione burst into the hospital wing. All three stopped dead at the sight of Draco. Draco's lip curled at the sight of them, but he stood up from Erin's bed.
"I'll see you later, Erin," he called back softly over his shoulder as he left.
Ron and Hermione looked after Draco suspiciously, but Harry flung himself into the chair next to Erin's bed and gave her a hug. Erin buried her face in his robes, her shoulders suddenly shaking. She hadn't been sure if he would come.
Harry held her that way for a long time. Finally he released her, and Erin scrambled to get back in a sitting position.
"Um-" she started awkwardly.
"George and Fred say they're sorry," said Ron hastily, also taking a seat. "Actually, they said they beg for your forgiveness and are eternally at your command."
"Tell them it's okay," said Erin, who couldn't restrain a somewhat sad smile. "At least I know now."
"They're saying Snape is your guardian," said Hermione, who looked anxious to get the facts straight.
Erin poured out the whole story. The Gryffindors listened intently until, exhausted, Erin collapsed back onto her pillows.
"Snape? Loved your mum? I'm sorry, but that's sort of - "said Ron.
"Gross," finished Harry.
"Actually, it sounds kind of sweet," said Hermione, blushing. Ron and Harry looked at her like she was insane.
"Well, at least the Slytherins are treating you better," said Harry, reading one of the cards on her nightstand.
"Yeah, they feel downright guilty," said Ron with a snort. "Better watch out, Erin. They're no friends of yours."
"Don't I know it," said Erin. The kitten in her lap suddenly meowed.
"Blimey, I didn't see that. Who gave you this?" asked Ron, picking up the cuddly kitten.
"Malfoy," said Erin. "And he showed me the Daily Prophet." "Ugh," said Hermione.
"What, to Malfoy or to the article?"
"Both," she said.
"OUT!" screeched Madame Pomfrey, jerking back the curtains that surrounded Erin's bed. "She needs REST!"
Ron and Hermione said quick good-byes and skidded frantically away. Harry, risking Madame Pomfrey's wrath, gave Erin another hug.
"Harry," she whispered. "What does all of this mean? Voldemort my father, Snape my guardian - "
Harry pushed her gently back against the pillows and touched a finger to her lips. "Nothing's changed," he said firmly. Then, seeing Madame Pomfrey coming back over, he ran to the door.
Is that true? Erin wondered, turning over and staring at the hanging curtains. Has nothing changed? Will anybody be able to look at me again without seeing my father in me?
She didn't have an answer. But there was one mystery within her grasp. As soon as possible, she was going to the Dark Forest to find Bryan.
Sara, Calvin, and Blaise had all been in to see her. They hadn't seemed too surprised at the news. She had yet to hear from the Gryffindors.
The Slytherins, on the other hand, were very generous. Erin hardly had room to move between the candy and the flowers that adorned her bedside tables. Erin wanted to throw all of it into the fire. They had hated her because of her parentage, and now they liked her because of it.
The door to the hospital wing opened. Erin looked up eagerly, hoping to see Harry, but was surprised to see Draco Malfoy instead. The blonde boy came over and sat on the edge of her bed.
"Here," he drawled, shoving something into her arms. Erin looked down to find a tiny black kitten snoozing in her arms.
"Our cat had kittens," Draco continued. "I thought you might like one."
"Thinks this makes up for everything, huh?" said Erin tartly, her anger suddenly boiling up.
"Well, at least for saving my life," said Draco. "This might make up for the rest of it." He pulled something out of his robes and handed it to Erin. It was the Daily Prophet. The foremost headline read "You-Know- Who's Daughter Found At Hogwarts."
Erin read down the column.
You-Know-Who's daughter, Erin Kristoff, is attending Hogwarts, writes reporter Oscar Hund. A fifth year who has been at Hogwarts for nearly three months now, Kristoff is a possible danger to the magical community.
The Daily Prophet can prove that Kristoff has fought with her teachers, visited the Dark Forest against school rules, and even attacked Aurors.
"She kicked me in the crotch," complained one Auror, who wished to remain unnamed. "Hurt bloody bad, too."
"She's pretty powerful," said Angelina Johnson, a seventh year at Hogwarts. "I heard she knocked somebody out with just a Disarming Spell."
Even worse, the Daily Prophet has determined that Kristoff has ingratiated herself with Harry Potter, who has also been diagnosed 'disturbed and dangerous'.
"They go everywhere together. They're really good friends," observed Henry Creevey, a Gryffindor.
The Daily Prophet can only hope that these two teenagers are contained before they can do any more damage."
Erin launched into some creative cursing. Draco restrained a smile until she had finished raving.
"Just imagine if Rita Skeeter had written it," he said, picking up the article from Erin's lap. Erin groaned at the thought.
At this point, Harry, Ron, and Hermione burst into the hospital wing. All three stopped dead at the sight of Draco. Draco's lip curled at the sight of them, but he stood up from Erin's bed.
"I'll see you later, Erin," he called back softly over his shoulder as he left.
Ron and Hermione looked after Draco suspiciously, but Harry flung himself into the chair next to Erin's bed and gave her a hug. Erin buried her face in his robes, her shoulders suddenly shaking. She hadn't been sure if he would come.
Harry held her that way for a long time. Finally he released her, and Erin scrambled to get back in a sitting position.
"Um-" she started awkwardly.
"George and Fred say they're sorry," said Ron hastily, also taking a seat. "Actually, they said they beg for your forgiveness and are eternally at your command."
"Tell them it's okay," said Erin, who couldn't restrain a somewhat sad smile. "At least I know now."
"They're saying Snape is your guardian," said Hermione, who looked anxious to get the facts straight.
Erin poured out the whole story. The Gryffindors listened intently until, exhausted, Erin collapsed back onto her pillows.
"Snape? Loved your mum? I'm sorry, but that's sort of - "said Ron.
"Gross," finished Harry.
"Actually, it sounds kind of sweet," said Hermione, blushing. Ron and Harry looked at her like she was insane.
"Well, at least the Slytherins are treating you better," said Harry, reading one of the cards on her nightstand.
"Yeah, they feel downright guilty," said Ron with a snort. "Better watch out, Erin. They're no friends of yours."
"Don't I know it," said Erin. The kitten in her lap suddenly meowed.
"Blimey, I didn't see that. Who gave you this?" asked Ron, picking up the cuddly kitten.
"Malfoy," said Erin. "And he showed me the Daily Prophet." "Ugh," said Hermione.
"What, to Malfoy or to the article?"
"Both," she said.
"OUT!" screeched Madame Pomfrey, jerking back the curtains that surrounded Erin's bed. "She needs REST!"
Ron and Hermione said quick good-byes and skidded frantically away. Harry, risking Madame Pomfrey's wrath, gave Erin another hug.
"Harry," she whispered. "What does all of this mean? Voldemort my father, Snape my guardian - "
Harry pushed her gently back against the pillows and touched a finger to her lips. "Nothing's changed," he said firmly. Then, seeing Madame Pomfrey coming back over, he ran to the door.
Is that true? Erin wondered, turning over and staring at the hanging curtains. Has nothing changed? Will anybody be able to look at me again without seeing my father in me?
She didn't have an answer. But there was one mystery within her grasp. As soon as possible, she was going to the Dark Forest to find Bryan.