By: Teressa Luminos And Shineh Megami
Chapter Three- Hogwarts Family"We will begin by collecting you summer assignments." Snape said as he looked over his list of students.
"Summer Assignments?"
Almost as if he automatically knew who spoke he smiled strangely. "Yes Ms. Edwards…" He turned to Aurie who was seated next to Harry. An empty seat between her and Draco Malfoy. "You'll lose points if you don't have it for your house…"
"I didn't have the time." Aurie said softly.
Harshly Snape said. "That'll be te…"
"I don't have it either and sorry I was late Professor."
Aurie turned and smiled. Zai walked into the classroom. She motioned for her friend to sit next to her. She automatically noticed how Zai's eyes flickered to Draco then to the seat. It seemed as she sat wearily that she didn't like her seat.
Zai smiled at Aurie. "What did I miss?"
"He was going to take points off of those who don't have their summer assignments."
Zai's eyes, looking eerily like a snakes suddenly, turned to Snape. "How many more points will Slytherin lose today?"
Snape's eyes glanced between Aurie and Zai. "None… You each have one week to complete the assignment…"
Zai grinned. "With Slytherin at negative 50 points I doubt we want to lose more…" She whispered to Aurie.
"Now why do you tell her that?" Draco hissed into her ear. She flinched as his cool breath touched her skin. "She's from Gryffindor…"
She gave Aurie an apologetic smile and turned to Draco. "You are not turning me against my best friend."
"Ms. Daisai."
Zai turned and winced at the glare she received.
"Name an aquatic plant we may use to…"
Zai's brain had shut down. 'PLANTS?! HE HAD TO ASK ME ABOUT PLANTS?!' "Um…" She looked down at her lap sheepishly. "It's um…"
Aurie frowned. She knew the answer but how could she tell Zai?
Hermoine's hand was up in the air.
Draco scowled. He reached over and traced out slowly on Zai's leg some letters.
Zai watched slightly distracted. Draco's fingers were cool to her skin and a welcomed touch. She tried to ignore the feeling it was creating and focused on what he was trying to show her. Suddenly the answer registered. "Gillyweed!"
"Five points to Slytherin!" Snape smiled. "Ms. Parkinson when you…"
Zai turned to Draco gratefully but also slightly upset. "Thanks but… Uh… Next time.. Can you not…. You know…"
"Five points to Slytherin once again."
"Is all we get asked questions?" Aurie asked Harry.
"No. He'll give us something to make eventually…" Harry frowned. "He's asking Slytherin all the questions."
"Today we'll be doing Punishment Potions. Can anyone tell me what they do?"
Hermoine's hand was up again.
"Mr. Malfoy."
"When the potion comes in contact with a person's flesh it makes their appearance into their visual nightmares." Draco responded easily.
"Another five points to Slytherin." Snape grinned. "What's the main ingredient in the potion? Ms. Bulstrode."
"Monkshood."
"Another five points." Snape grinned. "Mr. Crabbe how many horned slugs are in the potion?"
"Five."
"Just how many points you just earned for Slytherin." Snape was looking very pleased with his students. Harry glared at the teacher silently. Hermoine had her hand up for every question. Snape didn't even glance at her. "Mr. Goyle name one other ingredient in the potion."
"Porcupine Quills."
"Another five points."
Hermoine caught Aurie's distraught expression. She shook her head. There was nothing Gryffindor could do.
Harry smiled in relief when he noticed how Snape seemed to run out of Slytherins till.
"Ms. Zabini."
All the Gryffindors jumped slightly. They had forgotten about the last Slytherin. The girl who never spoke.
"You only use a small amount of what in the potion?"
Blaise Zabini. Harry remembered how often this teenage girl member of Slytherin was missing in class. Somehow she kept up and avoided getting in trouble. One of what Hermoine came to call an unsolved mystery. "Snake Fangs grounded into powder…" The low voice chic voice capturing certain boy's attention. Harry was reminded of the dangerously enticing tone in Zai's voice.
"Five points to Slytherin. Five points from Gryffindor for the inappropriate looks to Ms. Zabini." Snape snapped. "The potion is on page 13 of your textbooks. Get to work now!"
Harry did some of the math in his head. Slytherin just regained 35 points in less than 10 minutes. He watched Zai and Aurie break off into their own group. Then joined Ron to make the potion.
"Um.. I'm not good at potions…" Aurie murmured.
"Don't worry… I'm not either… But this time I really want to learn this one correctly so lets try our best." Zai's tone was rather malicious and she began gathering the ingredients.
Aurie frowned. Was this the side of Zai the sorting hat saw and the reason she was in Slytherin?
+++
"Good job Zai… and Aurie… 10 points apiece… Now clean up." Snape walked off rather angrily.
Zai smiled and when Snape was out of sight she turned to Pansy's group. She pulled her wand out and Aurie's eyes widened.
"Zai… Don't…"
Zai grinned. "Let's see if she still thinks she's all that and can say those nasty things to me after this…"
Aurie frowned. "Zai…"
Zai mumbled something that to Harry, who was sitting nearby, sounded like Light Shi. Then he saw a flash of light erupt from her wand and Pansy's cauldron overturned.
Pansy screamed.
Zai's eyes flashed and she smiled. Aurie gasped. Snape turned sharply. He glared at the satisfied Zai, shrieking Pansy, and anxious Aurie. "What.Happened." His cold voice sliced through the giggles and snickers demanding automatic silence.
Aurie's eyes filled with unshed tears. Zai bit her lip. Would Aurie get in trouble for her actions? In the midst of the stares and silence Zai found she couldn't speak. Snape's beady eyes were on Aurie.
And that began the longest ten minutes of Snape's life. Aurie sniffled then whined. "Don't look at me like that! I didn't do anything! I was trying to stop it!" Her whine was high but soft. It was filled with a childlike pleading and pure innocence. Snape twitched.
"Ms. Ed…"
"I try to help and now I'm in trouble?!"
"Aurie!"
"You hate me!" She continued, stepping away from Snape. " I didn't even do it! It wasn't my fault and already you want to hit me!"
"I WON'T H…"
"You want to kill me! I'm horrible in your eyes!" She continued.
Zai stared, just like everyone else at Aurie, in awe. She had unhinged the now tense Snape. His temple throbbed, his teeth were clenched, a muscle in his jaw pulsing. He was very pale and his eye twitched. Aurie continued but her voice became smaller. She finished with "You're not fair" and sniffled.
Snape stormed out of the classroom.
Aurie and Zai sat on a stool back to back. Aurie kept on sobbing. Zai was blank.
The class sat uneasily.
Aurie sniffled. She seemed so childlike.
"I'm sorry." She whispered.
"That was awesome." Zai said with a grin. Pansy was so stricken with Aurie's performance, she remained in place, despite the horrible marks that were marring her skin. The class was silent, stunned. Aurie frowned.
"No it wasn't. I overreacted."
"Why?" Zai whispered.
"His eyes were accusing, the same my mom's were before she left." Aurie hissed. Zai frowned.
Then she remembered something. "Aurie, who did you kill?" She murmured into Aurie's ear.
"Later." Aurie hissed back.
The class sat anxiously for the remainder of the 15 minutes left in class.
They hesitated before preparing to leave.
Snape returned. "Sit!" He spat at the class as they slammed back down into their stools. He slammed the door. "Ten points from Gryffindor AND Slytherin. Ms. Edwards, Ms. Daisai, and Ms. Parkinson. You three shall be appointed detentions. NOW LEAVE!" He said furiously. The class scurried out.
Zai looked at Aurie as they separated.
Aurie didn't even do anything! She looked broken and depressed. Zai felt horribly guilty.
+++
Aurie sulked down the hall with the trio. Hermoine shook her head. "Aurie, you did kind of over react." She murmured.
Aurie seemed mortified. Ron glared at Hermoine. "Mione, you call me dense. She feels horrible, don't make it worse!"
Aurie looked at the bickering teens guiltily. "Please… Don't…"
"Oh Ronald don't start! Professor Snape was near…"
"Guys!" Harry tried to no avail.
"Who cares about Snape! That sniveling jerk was ready to blow at Aurie from what that Slytherin BRAT did to Pansy!"
"Zai's not…" Aurie protested.
"Oh Please! Newsflash Ron, that 'brat'…"
"AND slut. She was all over Malfoy!" Ron added.
SMACK
Aurie huffed then stalked away. Ron stood there, confused. "Wait… I was… Defending her!" Ron yelled. Harry smacked his forehead.
"You insulted her best friend, Ron." Harry informed.
"But I am right."
"Ugh, jerk…" Hermoine snapped and went after Aurie.
"You women are Bloody Nuts!" Ron said angrily. "Can't stand their mood swings." He rubbed his cheek. "Damnit."
"Hurry or we'll be late for transfiguration." Harry murmured.
+++
Zai followed the Slytherins towards charms, her legs feeling like lead. Detention on the first day? That was a new record. And MORE points from Slytherin. Many of her fellow Slytherins were casting her dirty looks.
Cold Fingers clasped her upper arm. She turned to hit the one who did the unforgivable to look up into the handsome face of Draco Malfoy. She frowned but he grinned. "Snape hardly ever punishes a Slytherin. You're so bad even for him." He whispered. He pulled her to the side, his smirk widening. "But how bad are you for me? He whispered. Zai pushed him back as the caretaker rounded the corner. She stared at Filch's progress down the hall.
"You perverted jerk." She hissed.
"I hate him too."
She blinked at stared blankly at Draco.
"Harry Potter. I saw how you looked at him… But your friend fancies him." He said softly. Zai pretended to ignore him and began to head towards Charms. Draco walked beside her. "Surely you've noticed."
"Fuck off Malfoy."
"Tempting."
"Fuck OFF not me!" Zai hissed.
"I wonder how quickly those two will get together and she'll forget you."
Zai felt so agitated. She was furious… But What if he… No! Aurie was her friend. Draco couldn't fool her.
"Hm, who would she pick between you and the famous, heroic, and ever courageous Harry Potter." He drawled sarcastically. "Some competition."
But damn did he sound so convincing.
+++
Aurie sat between Hermoine and Harry. Ron was on Harry's other side. Aurie's eyes were distant and shielded. Hermoine was looking through their text. Ron was doodling on a parchment corner grumbling.
Harry played with his quill, his mind on the Slytherin newcomer.
Zai Daisai.
She was the exact polar opposite of Aurie. She demonstrated her vengeful and sadistic side in Potions. She wore highly revealing attire and there was definitely a physical connection between her and Draco Malfoy. Harry wondered why someone as sweet and withdrawn as Aurie would befriend such an extrovert as Zai.
'Maybe its something you don't know about them.' He thought and almost simultaneously remembered the sorting hat's song.
The four looked up as McGonagall entered the room. Aurie leaned into Harry and whispered. "Isn't she the assistant Head Mistress?"
"Yes." He whispered back.
Professor McGonagall cleared her throat. "Welcome back class. Today's lesson is a review of the work from last year. You'll each have three things to transfigure by the end of the lesson's end." She handed out items and mice. The instructions for each item and mouse are on the board, begin."
Hermoine was predictably faster than the majority of the class at hers.
Aurie was faster. Harry saw that she transfigured with ease and swiftness. While he was still struggling with the third item and Ron on his second Harry sensed a competition between Hermoine and Aurie.
"Hey Harry?"
Harry turned to Ron and frowned. "Yeah Ron?"
"Any clue how Aurie and Zai ended up being friends?" Ron frowned as he transfigured his item to have legs and it ran away.
"I don't know…" Harry answered truthfully. He watched as Hermoine and Aurie rushed to McGonagall and back with more items. Transfiguring item after item rapidly as if it were a race. When Aurie transfigured the last she grinned.
"Told you I'm fast." Aurie said triumphantly.
"No!" Hermoine frowned. She was used to being the best and fastest in transfiguration.
Aurie grinned.
"Hermoine?" Harry walked to her side and offered her a smile. "She is good at Transfiguration."
Aurie froze suddenly and stared at her friendship bracelet. It was glowing slightly. "Zai…"
Ron scowled. "Bloody hell… She's in Slytherin Aurie. She's the enemy. She's with Malfoy. She isn't your friend she's using you!"
Aurie frowned.
"Ron!"
"She's using you Aurie!"
Hermoine glared at Ron. "Ron stop it!"
"Zai… Wouldn't use me…" Aurie managed as her eyes filled with tears. "She's my friend…"
"She can see the future Aurie. She could've seen that being your friend could help her reach her goal!" Ron yelled.
"But…"
"What's going on over here?" McGonagall came over as tears slid down Aurie's face.
"Ron… Says Zai's not my friend…" Aurie sobbed.
"Five points From Gryffindor Mr. Weasley. Calm down Aurie… Mr. Weasley doesn't know enough about your new friend or you for that matter to be allowed to judge your friendship." McGonagall sternly gazed at Ron as she spoke.
"Traitor."
Aurie turned suddenly in surprise to Dean Thomas. "What?"
"She's a Slytherin lover therefore a traitor."
The bracelet glowed brightly and Aurie cried. "I'm… She's my…"
What if Ron was right? Aurie was afraid now. Was Zai her friend?
+++
"Honestly Zai…" Blaise Zabini sighed as she sat next to the American Transfer student. The usually silent Slytherin adjusted her robes as she spoke slowly. "Ten points last night for the food fight… Twenty from you for starting it… Twenty from Draco as well… You gained back forty during class… Lost ten to our OWN head of house…"
"Pansy lost ten too…." Zai muttered to the girl who she had found to be an interesting friend. "So in total after two days Slytherin is at…"
"At negative thirty points…" Blaise finished. She sighed her green eyes on Zai. Her layered blonde hair had streaks of black in it and a tattoo of a snake was on her neck. She wasn't a great friend with Pansy Parkinson or Millicent Bulstrode. Choosing to withdraw herself from her fellow classmates to deal with her inner problems on her own. It was said that she was one of the only Slytherins Draco held an ounce of respect for. "Also there are already rumors about you being spread."
Zai clenched her fist and turned. "What rumor?"
"The one in the school is that you're a Gryffindor lover…" Blaise frowned. "That's hurting Slytherin's reputation…"
"In what way?"
"Gryffindor is our enemy Zai… I know you like Aurie but she really isn't… Slytherin type…" Blaise stood and walked off to sit by herself again.
Draco sat next to Zai. "Something wrong with you?"
Zai turned to Draco and a sadistic grin crossed her face. "Did you see Pansy yet?"
"Yes… Why did you overturn her cauldron?"
"She pissed me off." Zai hissed.
Aurie ruining Slytherin?
Could it be?
"Plus she fancies you…"
"Why do you care?" Draco asked.
"She thinks I fancy you… Fat chance…" Zai smiled. She leaned back in her chair and tapped the amulet. 'For her at least…'
"You fancy the Dark Lord?"
Zai's chair overturned and she fell to the floor. "WHAT?!"
Professor Flitwick was just climbing up his mountain of books to start class. At Zai's cry he lost his footing and with the books he tumbled to the floor.
Draco grinned from his place. There was something about Zai he liked. She was strange. She had a look in her eyes of a locked away pain. A loss she had hidden deep below her surface. A vibrant vengeance reflected itself in all her movements.
Zai may not have realized how enchanting she could be to most of the Slytherin boys. Everyone sure had noticed though.
She was cold and quick to anger. She also moved slowly and the way she did a lot of things was strange. She was one big puzzle to Draco that he needed to solve slowly.
Pansy Parkinson was an easy girl to understand.
Pansy wanted him because his looks and social popularity. She wanted to be popular in the wizarding world.
Zai was nearly impossible to understand. She intrigued him.
She also had this beauty about her. Yet it was neither sweet nor kind. Without makeup he knew she'd still look beautiful.
Pansy didn't compare.
Yet the American transfer student with makeup gave a terrifying air. Using her mascara she always created designs from her eyes. Today she had drawn a splintering line. The makeup was silvery mostly and as he watched Zai he saw another side to her.
She pouted!
"Can you at least help me up?" She murmured.
He reached to pull her up when she grabbed his arm and pulled him to the floor.
Her eyes narrowed at him. "I do NOT fancy the bastard who made me move here…"
"Is that so?" He hissed. Not at all pleased at being yanked to the floor. He grabbed her arms and slammed them to the floor. He shifted so his face was directly above hers. "Who DO you fancy?"
Zai smiled slightly and took Draco by surprise. She broke free from his grasp and pushed some stray strands of hair from his face. "Maybe… I do… fancy… you?"
Her lips met his suddenly drawing gasps from Slytherins and Ravenclaws who were watching the two. The kiss was warm, sweet, and promising. Just as Draco was starting to enjoy himself however Zai pulled away. She pushed him away and stood up warily.
"Then again… Maybe… I hate you instead…"
Flitwick had finally managed to get back on his tower of books after having to rebuild it. "Now class… We'll be reviewing some charms…" The Professor began the lesson.
Draco pondered on Zai's actions. She was reasonably a puzzle.
A sudden explosion and all the Slytherins turned to Zai.
"Sorry…" She murmured. She was extremely distracted and her wand had just gone off.
After all how couldn't she be distracted?
She just kissed Draco Malfoy!
She kissed the Slytherin hottie!
Why?!
"What are you going to do about those rumors about you and Aurie?" Blaise had returned to her side. Thankfully not commenting on her newest friend and her best friends previous tryst
Zai looked at the furniture she had just recently charred in one area. "I'll do something about it…"
"Good."
+++
Aurie bounded into the lunchroom in search of Zai. She needed to know.
Zai was seated next to Blaise Zabini.
"Zai?"
Zai turned and frowned. Her eyes went to Blaise and then returned to Aurie. "Yeah?"
"Can we talk?"
Zai stood and shook her head. "No… Not now…"
"But…" Aurie frowned. "Zai…"
Zai harshly grabbed Aurie and yanked her around. She hissed softly. "Stay after lunch and we'll talk… I'll be able to talk to you then…" She lightly shoved Aurie away. Then returned to her place next to Blaise.
Aurie walked slowly to the Gryffindor table and sat down next to Harry sadly.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing…" She mumbled eating slowly.
"She stopped being your friend like I said she would?" Ron asked.
Aurie frowned. She finished her lunch carefully. She then laid her head on the table and closed her eyes.
Harry, Ron, and Hermoine ate in silence. They watched when lunch ended how all of the students left for classes. Zai waved goodbye to her fellow Slytherins and walked over. She sat on the table and shook Aurie awake.
"Aurie…"
Aurie sat up slowly. "Yeah?"
"Sorry… That I was so rude to you…" Zai managed a small apologetic smile. "We have a class together next…"
Aurie smiled slightly. "Sit by me?"
"Of… Course…"
Harry shivered. Zai's tone was distant. Like her mind was elsewhere. Expecting something to come.
He wasn't surprised though.
Their next class was divination.
+++
"Leah?"
"No… Zai. Aunt Treelawney…" Zai scowled sitting down slowly. "I'm Zai…"
"Leah's child…"
Aurie sat next to Zai and looked from the teacher to Zai. "You are related to the Divination professor?"
"Unfortunately."
Aurie blinked in surprise. The two had replied at the same times. "Okay…"
The trap door opened hastily and Neville Longbottom rushed in. He frowned seeing how the class had begun.
"Sit down Longbotttom… I foresaw your tardiness…"
Zai's eyes flashed. "Do you know why he was late?"
"Of course." The professor frowned. "I sense you have a reason for asking me this?"
Zai walked over to Neville and smiled at him.
Aurie looked over to Harry and Ron. Ron had a disgusted expression on his face. Harry was watching Zai with a calculating gaze. Aurie fidgeted in her seat and frowned.
Zai paced around Neville once and placed her hand on the Gryffindor's shoulder. "There is a reason for everything… Like Neville's tardiness… What's the reason?"
Aurie suddenly understood. Zai was testing her aunt's divination. Testing the professor to see whether or not she was a fraud.
"One doesn't use the inner eye to answer such silly questions." Treelawney retaliated. "Now everybody we'll start by reviewing with teacups."
"His foot got caught in the stairway…" Zai hissed. "Mother was right about you…"
"I said get the teacups class." The professor glared at Zai. "Your mother has been dead for some time…"
"But she left me memories…" Zai murmered. She turned to Neville and smiled slightly. "You'll get caught in something again later today… Keep you wand handy…"
Aurie stood and grabbed two cups. She sat as Zai rejoined her. "Why don't you like your aunt?"
"She and my mother were on different sides of family ideals." Zai filled Aurie's cup with tea leaves and hot water. "No sugar…" She looked around in disdain.
"Sugarless tea isn't very good…" Aurie muttered as Zai poured her own cup. She noticed how others in the class drank the liquid with ease. "Then again… It might just be an American trait."
Zai smiled and laughed softly. She reluctantly tried a bit of the tea and made a face. "We should protest…"
Aurie tried hers and spit it out automatically. "Gross."
Zai's smile died when Ron and Harry joined them.
"Hope you don't mind…" Ron directed as he sat next to Zai. He pulled out his divination book and started shuffling for the translation of what his dregs meant.
Harry frowned.
Zai scowled. "This stuff is horrible!"
Aurie poured out her tea carefully and shook the dregs around playfully. "Zai.. Can…"
Harry looked over to Aurie's glass a look of confusion on his face. "You too…"
"Me too what?" Aurie asked curiously.
"We both got a strange symbol…"
Zai had frozen in place and was shaking.
Treelawney went to the girl's side and frowned. "What do you see?"
Zai stood up and threw her glass into the wall. It shattered on impact.
Aurie jumped.
Ron scowled. "What did you see?"
Zai hugged herself and sobbed.
"Ah… The flying dove the symbol for love…" Treelawney murmered looking at Aurie's glass. She looked at Harry's and frowned. "The grim…"
Harry didn't bother to point out to Sibyll Treelawney that his dregs were like Aurie's mostly.
"The crest…" Zai was staring at Ron's. "It means great bravery for defending one's comrades…" She smiled slightly. "It also means… That you shield your friends protectively from others."
Zai sat down slowly.
"What did you see niece?"
"A smiley face." She murmured sarcastically. "None of your business." She snapped at her aunt. She looked at Ron. "Can I please see your book?"
Ron nodded. Proud that Zai gave him good news rather than bad news.
Zai opened up the book and then threw a glance at Harry's glass. "The dove with the cat… Love for another… Yet the keen instincts of a cat for the ability to find a rat around the loved one… Or you could love a cat…"
She looked through her bag and pulled out a parchment. She quickly doodled something and then put it away again. Zai looked through Ron's book carefully.
When the class ended she handed back to Ron the book and gathered her things hastily. She rushed out and Aurie followed.
Something was wrong.
Ron, had placed his thumb on the page Zai was reading and opened it up.
"A wasp…"
"She got a wasp what does that mean?" Harry asked .
"Waiting to strike down another… The wasp is usually a warning to others about a person who's awaiting to strike them down…" Ron frowned. "I knew she was…"
"Don't say it Ron… We'll tell Hermoine during History of Magic." Harry gathered his things. "We won't tell Aurie till we're sure…"
+++
Aurie frowned as Zai wretched out of her grasp and ran down the halls. "Zai… What's wrong…"
"Aurie." Hermoine tapped the girl's shoulder. "We have History of Magic next so lets go."
"Okay…" Aurie followed Hermoine silently.
Hermoine frowned. "You alright Aurie?"
Aurie's eyes teared but she smiled. "No but I will be…"
Hermoine hesitated to ask but then placed an arm around Aurie's shoulder. "No matter what Aurie… I'll still be your friend. Harry and yes, even Ron will be your friends. Ron's just a dunce."
Aurie smiled. "Thanks 'mione'." The two girls entered the History class and sat together.
Aurie was completely distressed and depressed. Zai was worrying her. The girl seemed to change. 'A real friend wouldn't care about others opinions… I didn't…'