Chapter 11
A Friend in Need

So on Thursday morning every head turned in her direction when she arrived for her potions class. She saw Snape look up and catch her eye but she said nothing and just sat calmly in her seat. She was so weak that she didn't even protest when he took five points off Griffindor. The others made noises of disgust as she was only a minute late after the bell. But Soraya just looked at him. She waited for him to signal to the board and then made the potion without a word. She noticed Ginny looking worried and so Soraya decided to set her straight.

"Look Ginny I'm fine. Really! So don't worry about me Ok." Soraya whispered this to Ginny. There was a little note of annoyance that was so slight Ginny picked up on it and didn't trouble her further that lesson.

It was a downright lie though as Soraya's head ached every now and then. Sometimes it was so bad she threatened to scream, but she just shut her eyes instead breathing deeply and silently. She felt very wobbly and the blood potion made her feel so sick that she couldn't face eating anything that day. She was annoyed when Snape came round the class a few times because always hovered a few seconds longer behind her than any of the other students. Even with all of this going on she still managed to make a potion up to her usual standards.

After the first lesson Ginny shot a look of concern at Soraya as she got up to leave. But then disappeared as Soraya smiled back when Ginny turned to leave. When the room was finally empty she put her head in her hands and sighed. A new stab of pain had erupted in her head; she breathed deeply and let out a low growl in protest. Her head was still in her hands and her whole body was shaking as her head threatened to burst open. She thought she was going to wretch, but then the pain subsided a few seconds after it had started.

She then felt a hand squeeze her hard on her shoulder. She looked up and completely forgot that Snape was still in the room. He gave her a puzzled look and she could swear she saw concern in his eyes for a split second.

"Are you able to continue? Or shall I send you to the ward for Madam Pomfrey to look at you?" Soraya felt angry. She never admitted to needing help and gave him a piercing look that would cut diamonds.

"No sir. I shall go through this day without any need for sick leave. I feel I am up to it completely!" Snape looked slightly surprised and didn't look as though he believed her. But he didn't say another word and left Soraya to let the others in for the next potions class.

Soraya could feel Snape looking at her every now and then but ignored it. She just carried on making the shrinking potion for her second class without a care in the world. 'If you're waiting for me to collapse Snape you can keep dreaming. For this little bird is never giving up and wouldn't give you the satisfaction of seeing her faint.' Soraya handed in her shrinking potion with ten minutes left of the lesson. Snape stopped her and she looked right at him as he spoke with a slight sneer.

"I wouldn't go back to your seat right now. Your bandage is staining so I would go to the ward now if I were you."

He took a piece of parchment and wrote her a sick note. Soraya's blood boiled when she saw the quill dance merrily on the paper. She was wrong about not needing sick leave and clenched her fists with rage. Just then a small trickle of blood came out from under the bandage. Snape stared at her as she wiped it away. Soraya looked at her hand with the blood on it and just shrugged her shoulders as she wiped it on her robes. Snape had an odd look on his face as she took the note and left for the ward.

Madam Pomfrey looked very anxious as she studied Soraya's bandage. The side that was on her head was sodden with blood. The other side had a line of blood to where her scar was under the bandage. Soraya was forced to take some more blood potion and was given a fresh bandage. Then the bell rang to signal the end of break. Soraya went back to Snape's class and much to her annoyance arrived there first. Snape gave her a searching look before getting up to show in the next class. Soraya was happier as her friends were there and sat next to her. She didn't mind the concerned looks they gave her, but was a bit annoyed when they asked her questions. She could still feel Snape looking at her sometimes and threatened to crack. His eyes didn't scare her in the least and neither did he. But they did make her feel uneasy in a way.

She told them about Madam Pomfrey giving strict instructions to all her teachers. So she quoted her word for word.

"She said. 'The stress of pushing herself in classes is bad enough without having to push herself again by doing homework. What this child needs after lessons is to keep her mind at ease. So that means no home work until her bandage is removed!' I'm not dying or a bloody invalid and yet she treats me like I am."

This did not help Soraya after lessons. She had nothing to take her mind off her head hurting or distract her from the stares she received all day long.

Soraya nearly did crack when her friends proceeded to ask another series of questions. She told them all about what happened in Dumbledore's office and about the dream.

"Fudge and Dumbledore are allies again? After last year I'm surprised they are even in the same room together."

She had been told about last year when Fudge and Dumbledore were enemies. Hermione thought it was so obvious that Soraya heard her voice increased in volume a bit.

"Well they are battling against Voldermort Ron." Ron winced and a few people gasped as they over heard what Hermione had said.

Luckily Snape did not and just looked curiously at the gasping children before getting back to his parchment.

Then the questioning started to get annoying.

"Will you guys stop asking me all of these questions? Stop staring at me like that! I'm not going to die any time soon you know!"

"Sorry Soraya. But you know you did loose a lot of blood."

"Blood potion replenished it Hermione!"

"Yeah but-"

"Look you guys I'm gonna say this one more time. I am totally and utterly fine!"

"All right, but promise us you won't do this again!"

"Ron. How can I stop something that I have absolutely no control over?...Oh for gods sakes!"

"What?"

"I wish Snape would stop looking at me as though I am about to keel over or something!"

She glared at Snape when he caught her eye. He glared in return but not at Soraya, but at Harry. Soraya hated it when he did that to her friends and didn't stop glaring at him until he looked back down. Then continued writing on a piece of parchment on his desk. It was now official, no matter how good Soraya was at potions she hated the classes and especially its teacher. Soraya had enough potions to last her a lifetime and felt sick every time Madam Pomfrey came near her with a bottle.

When the day ended Soraya had nothing to do. So she decided to explore the grounds. It was a chilly day and Soraya pulled her cloak closer to her body.

She walked to the quidditch pitch but quickly walked back when she saw who was there. The Slytherin team were training and that meant Malfoy was there too.

Soraya liked the look of the lake and went around the edge of it that was connected to the grounds. She saw the giant squid look at her and wave a tentacle in the air, so she waved back and it vanished in to the lake.

She looked at the castle and smiled as she saw Merlin flying over to her. She had named her eagle owl this as she read somewhere that the great magician Merlin had one. Soraya thought it was a very grand name and suited him. He ruffled his feathers in pride when she named him.

"Hello Merlin, how are you?" He nibbled her little finger in an affectionate sort of way and looked in to her eyes.

Derick was right about them both having the same coloured eyes and they shone when they're eyes came in to contact. She was still wondering what Derick meant by a spell using same coloured eyes.

She didn't realise her troublesome thoughts had left her as she sat down at a spot near the lake with Merlin. She had chosen a spot right next to the lake with a solitary tree. It was an old oak tree and hid her from view of the castle when she sat down by the lake. Not a lot of people came here as it was well...kind of creepy looking. The grass was darker than any other patch on the Hogwarts grounds. The atmosphere was very troubled as though the people that had died here long ago were still around. Their souls still lurking invisible to the naked eye as it were. This would explain why it is colder here than any other place on Hogwart's ground as well.

In front of her in the lake was a big rock at least ten feet away from the bank. Then another lay right on the shore. They were flat; not too smooth and not too rocky. She stood on the rock on the bank with Merlin on her shoulder and just stood there for a while, entranced by the deep blue of the lake.

Soraya noticed Merlin flew up in to the tree and beckoned her to join him. So she climbed up ignoring the aching in her head as she had to almost hang upside down. He glared at the bandage on Soraya's head and she just looked at him sadly. Soraya stroked his breast feathers and he stopped glaring and found being stroked very pleasant. For a while she just sat there wondering what she was going to do. But then was brought back to reality when Merlin started to tug her pocket with his beak and hooted. Soraya had some bread in her pocket she took from lunch and gave it to Merlin. He ate it happily and she smiled still stroking her feathered friend. After a while Merlin hooted and left, Soraya was saddened as she waved goodbye. She sighed and her head felt a little better as a cool breeze blew gently through her hair. 'Peace and quiet just the way I like it with no stares from teachers or pupils alike. Right now to me there is nothing more relaxing and the best cure for a bad head.'

"You know your father used to come 'ere all the time and talk with me by this very tree. Had a lot of energy that Griffindor; and he liked to practice fighting with Lei too." Soraya jumped and nearly fell out of the tree, and then she looked down at Hagrid. He smiled and she smiled back.

"You knew my father Hagrid? Please tell me as much as you know."

"Well where do I start? Let's see your fathers name was Damien Snape, and he was nothin like his brother I can tell you. He was happy and had a grin on his face most of the time, and well...you know wha' Professor Snape is like don' you?"

"All too well Hagrid...please go on."

"Your grandfather, his father was ashamed of him. He didn' think very highly of your father at all."

"Why Hagrid?"

"Well his family all went in to Slytherin see. He thought tha' only pure bloods go there. Just like all the other purebloods Snape went in to Slytherin. But his brother was different and ended up going in to Griffindor instead."

"So that's why I'm in Griffindor and not Slytherin? Phew! I'm glad that's been cleared up, I've been gong bonkers trying to figure that one out. Did you know my mother Hagrid?"

"Yes wonderful woman and just like your father, she didn' care who was pureblood and who was muggle born. There's no such thing as a pure blood, witches and wizards alike would have vanished if we didn' breed with other magical species or muggles. Very good at skating too, loved to get every chance she could at skating on the ice in Hogwarts. Rachel Watson was very pretty too with her hair in curls and as brown as hazelnut. That would explain that sligh' wave you have in your hair now wouldn' it?"

"Yes Hagrid it would. Do you know which house she was in too?"

"Yes she was in Griffindor the same as your father."

Soraya spent the rest of the day talking with Hagrid about her parents. Finding out as much information as possible, she even found out a little bit about her family from both Snape's and Rachel's side. Her mother was a half blood; Rachel's mother was a muggle who loved magic and her father a pure blood. She lived in London with her parents and had no brothers or sisters. Rachel was a very kind person and loved all animals so naturally they all loved her. Damien Snape was her fathers name and had a pure blood family that all dabbled in the dark arts. He feared and respected his father like Snape did and loved his mother. As she was the only one who had any power to tell their father what to do.

Soraya laughed when Hagrid told her of what Snape did when his father turned up at Hogwarts.

"Well he was caught using dark magic he shouldn' ave known how to use. As we all know dark magic is banned from being used at Hogwarts. He was nearly expelled and the ministry of magic nearly threw Snape's dad in to Azkaban. Your father of course never let your grandfather lay a finger on his brother when his father went to hit Snape. So he took the beatin himself. They still hated each other, but ever since then Snape has put his tongue to rest about your father. You might even say tha' at some point they put aside their differences and decided to get along before he died. But something made their awkward friendship go down the tubes, and so they parted with very bad blood between them."

"That may explain why he never mentioned he was related to me the first time I saw him."

A silence followed and Soraya tried to picture the point in life when her father and Snape actually got on. But her hate for Snape didn't allow her too and instead she smiled as she imagined Snape getting beaten the way he should have done by his father. Instead of her father taking the blame and having the honour of ripping Snape's head off. Soraya knew Snape wasn't easy to get on with at all and didn't want to think how unbearable it was to live with a man like him. She was extremely thankful that Snape didn't claim her as part of his family. Instead she spent two unbearable years of her life in the orphanage. The orphanage would have seemed like heaven now compared to spending two years with Snape as his niece. But then again the Hungs would still be alive and Amily would still be talking. So she sighed and looked at her options.

"You know...if you really don' want to see Professor Snape a lot, then you would really wan' to choose another spot."

"Why?"

"Because he comes here every now and again to get away from the castle and its noisy students. Well that's what he says anyway. So I don't bother him and I just see him a few times sitting at the fot of the tree from the edge of the lake."

"In that case I had better leave now then."

She climbed down the tree and landed next to Hagrid with a yelp of pain. The impact of the ground as she jumped down shot right through her body to her head. Hagrid looked concerned until she got up and looked into his eyes with a smile on her face. Her head still throbbing as she walked with him back to his house and they talked a bit more. They were so engrossed in their conversation that they did not notice a shadowy figure moving around the tree.

"How're you feeling Soraya?"

"Fine Hagrid, but I want to get as far from that tree as possible. So can we walk a little bit faster maybe?"

"You really don' like your uncle at all do you?"

"No." Soraya said as she jogged to keep up with him. She had a very disgusted look upon her face.

"I never want to hear him being called my uncle, I think he is a right git and shouldn't be a teacher at all. But more like an aurora or something because he just doesn't belong in a school." Hagrid looked sadly at her and Soraya sighed when they stopped beside his house. She hated being pitied in Hagrid's eyes. It looked very wrong because he always had a happy gleam in them.

"I'm sorry Hagrid, but that's just how I feel."

"Now you remember this. Even though Snape is a cold person on the outside. His heart can be in the right place when it really comes down to it."

"Yeah right! See you later Hagrid."

With that she went to the castle. She didn't look back at Hagrid who shook his head in dismay at Soraya's choice of words. She went up to dinner and sat down with her friends and forced herself to eat through the sickness. She could feel everyone's eyes on her again and didn't like it.

"Man I hate being started at!" She said when she couldn't eat anymore, she felt very full and ill.

"Well you did come out of the hospital wing with a bandage on your head."

"Good point." Then the deserts arrived and Soraya turned green. She felt like she was going to be violently sick unless she got away from all of the sweet and sticky puddings.

"I'll see you guys in the tower later."

So she left the great hall and went out in to the corridor only to be stopped when someone called her name. It was Dumbledore and he was accompanied by Fudge, Soraya's heart sank as she saw Snape was with them too. Even though Snape had that superior front he had an odd look on his face when he saw her.

"Soraya why aren't you in the great hall for desert? I hardly ever see you in there these days."

"Sorry sir, but the blood replenishing potion makes my stomach turn."

"Fair enough. We are heading to my office and I would like it very much if you joined us. Then maybe you can explain to us why your scar has reopened in such a way." Soraya was feeling very tired and just wanted to go to bed. She was going to decline but looked in to his eyes and that was a big mistake for no one could refuse him once you did that. Soraya looked tired as she sighed and eventually agreed.

"Excellent!"

So reluctantly Soraya followed them to his office. She found the climb up the stairs to the statue very exhausting. But she didn't complain as it was against her nature so no one was the wiser about her condition. When they got inside she flopped into a chair next to his desk and Fudge sat down in one beside hers. Snape just stood in a shadowy corner looking menacing as usual.

"So my dear, tell us what happened." Soraya told Dumbledore all about the dream from the founder's animals to her first memory. When she had finished Fudge looked completely taken back. Snape had an uneasy look on his face but the shadows hid this completely. Dumbledore just scanned her with his usual stare and Soraya just looked at her feet. She avoided his searching blue eyes for they made her feel more uneasy than anything.

"Dumbledore...can what this child says really be true?" Fudge was whispering with a strong note of fear and caution. He looked from Soraya to Dumbledore and back again three times.

Then she had enough of being treated so carefully and finally voiced her thoughts.

"Sir you don't have to whisper I'm not a bloody bomb!" Dumbledore chuckled and Fudge smiled weakly looking more relaxed. Snape on the other hand looked completely taken back to the way she talked to the minister like that.

"You may go now Soraya. But I hope to see more of you in the great hall eating three square meals a day at least. When you have stopped taking the blood replenishing potion of course. I am no healer but you look very tired so I would suggest going to bed straight away."

"That's the best suggestion I've had since I got here. Goodbye sir; and I shall try to come to the great hall more often."

"I'm glad to hear it and shall see you tomorrow then young Griffindor." Soraya left Dumbledore's office with a lighter heart than she had at the start of the day. She had told them her dream and had less of a burden to keep.

She was heading towards the Griffindor tower when Peeves appeared with a cheeky smile on his face that he always had. He did a somersault in mid-air and Soraya clapped at his acrobatics until he noticed her and blew a raspberry in her face. Soraya laughed and continued with her journey. But Peeves went in front of her and called Soraya all sorts of names. Soraya laughed and then complimented on what a poltergeist he was.

"You are exactly what a place like this needs Peeves. Hogwarts is a great school but it can be boring sometimes, and you are always there to cause mayhem when it's needed."

"You got an ugly scar on your face....scar face! Scar Face! Scar Face!"

"You are also dressed very nicely for a ghost, and not boring old grey like the others. You annoy Filch which is an added bonus. Goodbye Peeves, nice chatting to a fellow prankster."

"What are you talking about? I haven't seen or heard any pranks being played by you."

"Not yet as this place isn't boring to me. I'd like to know your best pranks and I'll tell you mine. Who knows, we may get some ideas off each other. Then maybe I'll tell Ron's brothers Fred and George about your latest pranks that no one knows of yet."

Peeves leapt back a few feet in surprise and gave her a look of awe.

"You know the twins?"

"No, but I hear they have a joke shop in Diagon alley and I'm going there. As soon as I get out of this place and go back home that is."

"Why wait till you get home? You can use floo powder!"

"Floo powder?" Peeves explained all about it and told her to meet him in the owl tower tomorrow night at midnight.

"I'll have to write up the jokes they haven't heard or seen me do yet. Then I'll have to steal some floo powder from an office and that's just child's play."

"Ok, but if I am going to risk expulsion I want a little deal."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, but don't worry its nothing big at all. Just promise not to harass me and my friends for the rest of the year, otherwise the deal is off. I got a few tricks I want to play of my own later and how can I possibly do that if you catch me and set off the alarm?"

For once in his life Peeves actually looked serious and was giving great though to this indeed. But then he turned upside down, nodded and flew through the ceiling.

Soraya went back to the Griffindor tower and joined up with her friends. She sat in a corner and tried to figure out how she was going to do this. It sounded fun, almost dangerous and a whole lot of points would be taken if she got caught. Harry and Ron noticed the look on her face as she scribbled on a bit of parchment alone in the corner. She looked very lost and when she gave up Soraya placed her head in her hands as it ached something terrible. When she looked up Harry and Ron were standing in front of her.

"I thought you had no homework?"

"No Ron I don't. But this is something else that could make our lives easier this year."

"Oh really what is it?"

"You've got to swear not to tell anyone else about this, especially Hermione and Amily!" The two boys exchanged looks. Harry didn't look sure and then smiled as Ron told him it might be fun.

"Ok then what's the big secret?" Soraya told them all about the deal with Peeves and of what she had to do. The longer she went on for the faster the boy's smiles faded. They were quickly replaced by looks of horror instead.

"You made a deal with that-that..." Words seem to fail Ron. He couldn't find a word to best describe Peeves and so he trailed off.

"Ron this may be a very good thing."

"How Harry?"

"Remember all the times he got us in to trouble? When we were trying to do important things and find out information?"

"Alright I see your point....but what if he sounds the alarm when we are in the owlery?"

"He worships Fred and George Ron. Do you honestly think he's going to pass up this chance to show off all he's done practical joke wise, for your brothers of all people?" Ron opened his mouth and closed it again.

"I've already sent an owl to your brothers. We should have an answer by morning with the rest of the owl post."

"Should?"

"Yeah I wrote urgent on the front of it."

"Oh right."

"The problem is how do we go to the owl tower at midnight tomorrow without being seen?"

"I have a couple of items that might help us out there."

"Really? What are they Harry?"

"I'll tell you when everyone else has gone to bed."

"Ok."

So they waited until everyone else had gone to bed. Then Hermione went up to bed and the boys went up to their room to get these items that Harry mentioned. Soraya waited patiently as a few minutes and they came back with a cloak and an old piece of parchment.

"Ok Harry your gonna have to explain this to me. I don't see how a cloak and a piece of old parchment are going to get us past the teachers."

"Your right about one thing Soraya, you won't see in a minute." Soraya looked at Harry with a very puzzled look on her face. The she stared in surprise as his body disappeared when he put it on. He picked up the parchment with only his hand being visible and tapped it with his wand.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good." Then right before her eyes a map of Hogwarts appeared with little dots were moving around. They had tags on them to say who they were and to where the secret entrances were hidden.

"One could work without the other, you are really lucky Harry!"

"Yes these items have helped me in the past. I have managed to save the school and defeat Voldermort....sorry Ron, you-know-who at least four times now."

"You do have quite a reputation Harry. I wouldn't be surprised if you are more famous now than you were before you started coming to Hogwarts." Harry sighed and shook his head when Soraya said those words. She quickly apologised and he smiled again.

"Knowing Fred and George they'd rather die than pass up something as good as this."

"Whys that Ron?"

"The opportunity to cause mayhem inside Hogwarts when they are in Diagon alley innocently selling jokes. That would be a dream come true to them. The only thing I'd worry about Soraya is the reply coming back on time."

So Soraya finished noting down all the things she had done in the past, preformed a copying spell and then went up to bed. Ron and Harry stayed a while longer whispering in a corner and looking a bit suspicious.

*** Hee hee hee, I wonder what tricks Soraya will get up to?