Chapter 2: Of Potions and Slytherins
May 15, 2003
Summary: School is now in session, and things are not easy for Trinia. One boy in particular is making things difficult.
Rating: G
Author's Notes: While I am quite disappointed at the lack of reviews versus number of hits, here is the second chapter anyways. I hope more people will take the time to review.
Disclaimer: Still not mine. I have no money, don't sue.
School had been in session for four weeks now, and Trinia was having mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, classes were going quite well. Trinia was a quick learner and did well in her classes. Even Professor Snape could hardly find fault with her work. But on the other hand, there were the other students to deal with.
Transfiguration was the elf's favorite class. Besides the fact that she really liked Professor McGonagall (though apparently she was one of few who did), the subject was utterly fascinating. And Trinia was good at it. By the second week, she had mastered turning a match into a needle.
The ghosts were a bit unnerving. Peeves, the poltergeist, seemed to take a special delight in hiding around corners and yelling, "Boo!" just as she was walking around them. This always caught her off her guard, and so she spent a lot of time yelping in surprise.
And then there were her classmates. For the most part, Trinia kept to herself, spending her free time either studying, reading, or wandering the grounds. She was quite unused to being around so many people her age and found it somewhat oppressive. For their part, the other students mostly ignored her. Well, most of them.
The girl who had defended Trinia when the other Gryffindor first years had been talking about her was somewhat friendly towards Trinia. Her name was Hermione Granger, and she was one of the best students in the class. She and her two friends, The-Boy-Who-Lived and Percy the prefect's brother, occasionally spoke to Trinia, which was more than most anyone else. Only one other person paid her any attention.
It seemed Draco Malfoy lived to torment people. Today was no exception. It was Friday, which meant double potions with the Slytherins. Professor Snape was in his usual foul mood, looking for every chance possible to take points from Gryffindor. After taking notes, the class was broken into pairs to brew a simple sleeping potion. Trinia was paired with Seamus Finnigan, another Gryffindor, and offered to go retrieve the needed ingredients from Professor Snape.
After getting the necessary supplies from the scowling professor, Trinia walked back down the aisle, arms full. She didn't see the foot that was deliberately stuck in her path, didn't even notice it until it hooked around her ankle and she was falling to the floor.
"Five points from Gryffindor for your clumsiness, Miss Zurendaal," Snape sneered. Trinia took a deep breath, willing herself not to cry as she cleaned up the broken bottles and spilled ingredients. Malfoy leered down at her.
"Been walking long?" he asked, grinning maliciously. She just glared at him as she finished cleaning up the mess. By then, Seamus had gotten a new set of ingredients and the two began working on their potion in silence.
The rest of class went just as badly. Seamus and Trinia managed to spill their potion, then somehow caused a small explosion. By the time class was over, they still had not succeeded in making the potion and had managed to lose another ten points. The other Gryffindors quickly departed, most of them glaring at Trinia.
Trinia quickly packed up her things and slunk out of the room. She was climbing the stairs, eyes focused on the floor, when she bumped into someone.
"Hey, watch where you're going, freak," Draco sneered at the little elf. Trinia shrank back against the banister. This is not happening, she whined inwardly.
"Leave her alone, Malfoy," someone a few steps above her snapped. She looked up to see Harry Potter staring down at them defiantly. Behind him were his friends, Ron and Hermione.
"You must all be on your way to a freak meeting," Draco taunted.
"Go pick on someone your own size," Hermione retorted angrily.
"That keeps her safe, no one is her size." He gestured at Trinia as he spoke.
"I said, leave her alone," Harry repeated, his tone dangerous.
"Make me," Draco sneered. "You think you're so special; just because you're famous, you think everyone should listen to – AHH!" He let out a scream of pain as a mouthful of sharp teeth clamped onto his arm.
Blue eyes flashing in anger, Trinia had taken advantage of the exposed wrist skin as her tormentor reached in defiance to give her another shove. Her sharp teeth sliced easily into the boy's arm. He continued to scream as she stayed latched onto his arm.
Other students in the hall stood gaping; they had never seen a student bite another student before. It wasn't long at all before adult sized hands gripped Trinia's shoulders, pulling her away as a firm voice commanded, "Release him!"
Her eyes, which had instinctively closed when she had clamped onto her tormentor's arm, snapped open to find Professor McGonagall intently examining Draco's bleeding arm. Worse yet, the owner of the hands still firmly gripping her shoulders was Professor Snape.
"Would you care to tell me what is going on?" he thundered down at the small girl. Trinia just stared up at him, trying hard to keep the fear and accompanying trembling at bay. Snape narrowed his eyes at the girl, then rumbled, "What about the rest of you?" Looking around the hall, he quickly discovered all the other students had taken off, not wanting to be witnesses to the scene in the hall.
"All right, Miss Zurendaal, Mr. Malfoy, come with me," Professor McGonagall ordered. Snape raised an eyebrow at her, but she just shrugged. "You know what Professor Dumbledore said."
"Shouldn't I go to the hospital wing?" Draco whined, clutching his injured arm to his chest.
"To – Dumbledore," Snape replied through gritted teeth.
"Miss Zurendaal," Professor Albus Dumbledore addressed the young girl sitting before him. Trinia looked up at him, eyes wide with a mixture of fear and shame. "Surely you realize that biting is not permitted here." She nodded mutely, then cast a sidelong glance at Draco, who sat sullenly next to her, clutching his injured arm to his chest. He glared at her and she quickly dropped her eyes to her lap.
"You'd think she was a toddler or something," Draco sneered at her. "When my father finds out about this –"
"He'll understand that it takes a lot to provoke someone like Trinia," Dumbledore finished sternly. "No harm was done. If he's concerned, tell him to send me an owl."
"But, Professor," Draco whined, "what about my arm?" He held it up to reveal a semicircle of small puncture wounds, all actively bleeding.
"Hm, yes, of course, your arm," Dumbledore said thoughtfully. "Miss Zurendaal, since you are responsible, I expect you to take care of it." Trinia raised her head to look at Dumbledore, wondering if he was telling her to do what she thought he was telling her to do. The sparkle in his eyes told her she was correct.
Trinia rose from the chair, and walked over to Draco. He clutched his arm back to his chest and leaned away from her.
"I'm not letting that loon touch me!" the boy exclaimed angrily. Dumbledore sighed.
"Mr. Malfoy, give her your arm," he instructed patiently. Draco glared at his classmate again, then reluctantly extended his injured arm.
Trinia carefully cupped her hands over the broken skin and closed her eyes. After concentrating hard for a few seconds, she removed her hands. Draco eyed her suspiciously, then looked down at his arm. Trinia allowed herself a small smile as she watched his eyes go wide in shock and amazement. The skin had been completely mended, leaving no sign of the bite mark on his pale flesh. Draco carefully wiggled his fingers and flexed his arm, not quite daring to believe what he had just witnessed.
"All right, Mr. Malfoy, you may return to your dormitory now." Draco slowly stood, watching Trinia cautiously. "And try not to anger anymore of your fellow students. As you can see," Dumbledore smiled, "you can't always be sure what they may be capable of."
Draco nodded dumbly, backing away from the professor and the girl. Upon reaching the door, he turned and fled down the spiral staircase, leaving the headmaster and the elf child alone. Dumbledore turned back to the girl.
"Now, Miss Zurendaal, I understand that being here at Hogwarts must be very difficult for you," he said kindly. "Not only are you in a new place away from your family, but you are in a new country, surrounded by a type of people – humans – which I am told you haven't spent much time around before." Trinia nodded, looking down as she blinked back tears. Dumbledore seemed not to notice as he continued.
"Now this time, there'll be no punishment, but the next time I hear of you biting someone, you will be serving detention with Mr. Filch. Now, run along back to your dormitory, okay?" Trinia stood and walked to the door, head still bowed. Just as she grabbed the handle, Professor Dumbledore's voice stopped her.
"Oh, and Trinia? Things will get better, I promise." Glancing up, she gave a small half-smile, then exited the room.
Hours later, Trinia arrived back at the portrait of the Fat Lady. Yawning, she rubbed her eyes tiredly. This was not her night. First there had been the incident with Malfoy, then being called to the principal's – no, headmaster, she reminded herself tiredly – office, and then getting lost amongst the many corridors in the castle. If there's one thing that I am totally lacking in, she thought bemusedly, it was definitely a sense of direction.
"Caput Draconis," she wearily told the Fat Lady.
"My, my, isn't it a bit late for you to be up?" the Fat Lady asked as the portrait swung forward. Trinia scrambled into the common room as best she could, considering the round entrance was set rather high in the wall for someone of her stature.
The Gryffindor common room was nearly deserted, as it was rather late. A few older students remained, scattered around the room in small groups, and all looked up curiously as Trinia entered. Color rose in her cheeks and she scurried through to the door leading to the room she shared with the other first year girls. The older students watched her without comment, as news of the incident with Draco Malfoy had spread like wildfire through the school and they assumed she had had to serve detention with Filch.
After the incident with Draco, things did not get better for Trinia. Rather then being picked on, she was ignored. Or rather, avoided with a sense of fearful curiosity. Draco of course had told everyone about what had happened in the headmaster's office. People were now careful to step out of her way as she walked down the halls, and the whispers and stares were almost more then she could handle.
To my reviewers (all two of you):
Biggerstaffbunch: I don't think my story is going to run along the lines of Trinia being "key" in defeating Voldemort. Not being British, I realize my writing is not going to sound British, but you're right; there was too much slang in the first chapter. I think this one is better and I will continue to work on it. As far as it being a "MS", that's a Mary Sue, right? I haven't quite figured out what a Mary Sue is, so no guarantees there.
Layah the Bipedal: Thank you for reading, Layah! You are wonderful! And yes, there is more to come!