Chapter 13
Messages

The next morning Soraya was greeted by her friends when she went down to the great hall for breakfast. Malfoy stayed well away from Soraya and didn't look at her. The owl post came and Soraya received a few more letters than she expected. Ron turned white as he recognised the red ones.

"They're howlers; open them quick! It's a lot worse if you don't believe me I know." Soraya took the first one from one of the waiting owls that had it in its beak. She opened it, and watched as the letter formed in to a mouth and started yelling at her. Malfoy looked smug as his mothers voice came roaring out of it.

"HOW DARE YOU DO THAT TO MY SON! I HOPE YOU GET EXPELLED FOR THIS QUICKLY!" Soraya just looked tiredly at Ron and took out her wand.

"Oh shut up you old bat! Silencio!"

"YOU HOR-"

"That's better." She opened the other howlers as they started to smoke, and before they could say anything she used the silence spell as they formed in to mouths. Their paper gums just flapped uselessly at her.

The Griffindor table was in fits of laughter. But Soraya just ate her breakfast and forgot about the howlers. Malfoy was going deep shades of purple and looked very angry that Soraya ignored his mother's howler and called her an old bat. That particular howler however lasted the longest as it was the first to start and last to finish. But eventually tore itself apart like all the others. Soraya cast a revealing spell to show what was in the other letters. One had a very nasty curse in it so she used the incendio spell to take care of that one. The other two were just normal letters, one from Fred and George and the other was from the Redwood's. Ron was wiping away tears of laughter when he spied the letter from Fred and George. Soraya handed it to him when she finished reading it.

Dear Soraya

Glad you liked the gags. We hope to see you and the others soon, who knows maybe we will give you some more gags to test out in the school. We have made just the thing for a real gag. But we are saving that for next year...you know for a proper send off as it is going to be your last year.

Fred and George

Ron got rid of it as Hermione came over and looked at the letter curiously. Soraya sighed and opened up the last one. Even though the Redwood's were her legal guardians now she didn't consider them parents yet and were more like strangers to her. But she had to give them credit for trying to be parent like towards her. Soraya knew that they would have more luck with Amily than herself and so she just played along with the whole family act. The letter was from only Derick this time and not Sarah. Soraya read the letter with a furrowed brow and then surprise with a smile took its place.

Dear Soraya

You remember what I said about you and your owl having same coloured eyes? Well if you haven't figured it out yet here's what you do. You place your wand in between you eyes and then Merlin's. You then say. 'Our eyes are one so be mine in the sky.' Then you swish your wand over Merlin and say 'Siange' then you shall see through his eyes when you close your eyes. You will have a birds eye view with your eyes closed and see through your eyes when they are open. You have to remember to take it off before you go to bed other wise you won't get any sleep, as we all know owls hunt at night and that's going to keep you awake all night. To work the finishing spell you just place your wand in between your eyes and say 'may my site be one again.' Then just wave your wand over your head and say 'Finite' and you're done. I hope this will prove useful to you in the near future Soraya.

Derick
P.S you can also use your mind to give simple commands to Merlin and don't tell Sarah about any of this.

Well that was an exciting breakfast Soraya thought as she pocketed her letter and looked over to her friends. Some of them were still chuckling whilst others were wiping tears from their eyes. Malfoy looked livid when he left the great hall and glared at Soraya before he left. He had gotten over his fear of her very quickly and stormed out of the great hall after breakfast.

Soraya's head hurt and she placed it in to her cold hands. She felt better compared to yesterday and was eating as she had no more blood potion to take. But that still did not take away the shock of how much homework that had piled up over two weeks. Thanks to Madam Pomfrey's orders and the incident Soraya had no time for her friends the first few days. She did most of the homework on Wednesday in her magical history classes as she knew the book on it word for word. Not even Hermione protested as she too was staggered at just how much Soraya had to catch up on and it was still coming. She eventually caught up and went back to her daily routine.

For the first few days everyone was apprehensive coming towards her let alone talking to her. Until her friends came up to her and gave her a very warm welcome as everyone else was giving her the cold shoulder. Now normally Soraya would hate being given attention like this, but she had to admit that it did feel good to have friends around her. After a while all the other students grew confident and came closer to her again and eventually started to talk to her again. But Soraya was starting to get angry again as they harassed her with the same questions for a week.

"How did you do that?"

They also said things like.

"That was so cool!"

"I bet Malfoy wishes he never tangled with you!" Every time they asked the same question she answered exasperatedly.

"I don't know!"

Malfoy was still angry at Soraya for silencing the howlers but still didn't come near her. she had to hold down a ball of laughter when he walked towards her. He turned direction very quickly and walked even faster trying not to run. Gradually he regained his composure and turned in to the obnoxious git Soraya and her friends have come to know and hate.

Soraya had a feeling that Snape was trying to make the lessons harder for her. He had his sneer back on his face and looked directly at Soraya.

"This week we shall be making seventh year potions. This is to give you an understanding as to how difficult and demanding it is." Soraya just stared blankly at him and looked very bored at his threat. She knew he was trying to make her look bad but as always she passed with flying colours. Hermione sat next to her and grinned. She whispered something to Soraya and Soraya whispered back in turn.

"Even though I am not top of the class anymore I am glad it's not a Slytherin, even more so it's a friend."

"Hermione you will always be top of the class! When I first met you I knew you were very smart." Soraya handed her seventh year potion in to Snape who looked taken back. She smiled slightly for only Snape to notice and he did for he looked a bit disturbed. It was like she was saying 'Is that the best you got?' So he stopped the seventh year potion making immediately when the week was up. He didn't try it again as there was no use in trying to out smart his niece.

The first Quidditch match of the year was coming up and everyone was excited. The school buzzed with nothing else but the match. Soraya couldn't wait to see it in a proper quidditch pitch and joined her friends to watch the match. The two teams were Griffindor Versus Ravenclaw and Soraya heard that it was going to be very interesting.

"Ravenclaw's close to being evenly matched with Griffindor. But give them any chances at all and you will pay for it dearly."

"What about the other teams?"

"Hufflepuff are OK. They have won a few times before but they don't really hold a candle up to Slytherin and Griffindor. Slytherin play dirty and they don't rely on skill at all. They choose the team based on size, brutes for beaters and skinny little grease monkeys for seekers. They cheat and hit you with the clubs and claim that they think your head was a bludger or something like that. Have you seen their brooms?"

"No Ron."

"They came from Malfoy's dad's money bag, nimbus two thousand and ones they are. Not nearly as fast as a Firebolt but compared to what everyone else is riding it's like a great big advantage. I think that it shouldn't be allowed for them to have faster brooms than the other teams, but then Harry evens it out."

Soraya watched as Harry flew over head in a red and golden blur chasing after the snitch. The Ravenclaw seeker was left far behind. The game didn't last for longer than fifteen minutes; Soraya didn't pay attention to the score as there wasn't much point. Griffindor had won by about hundred and twenty points. Soraya thought that the game was a bit pointless to have finished so fast.

"Do all the matches end so quickly?" Soraya asked as they went to Hagrid's house with grins on their faces.

"No, ones like that are a real fluke."

Soraya enjoyed the rest of November and time flew by. Even potions seemed more bearable than they normally were. Christmas holidays were coming up and that was enough to put a smile even on Harry's face after potions.

Then finally December came round. Just as they had promised Soraya and Amily signed the slip to stay for Christmas. The only other Griffindors staying were Neville, Ron, Harry, Ginny, Hermione and Amily. Soraya wished Dean didn't have to go back home but his grandmother was going to be there for Christmas.

"Family's bite when it comes to Christmas! My Nan hits anyone over the head with her stick if she thinks we're being too noisy. She does it a lot because she's as deaf as a post!" Soraya and Amily said goodbye to him when the visible horse and coach left. Amily had no time to admire the white horses and red sleighs. They waved to Dean until they could no longer see him.

Soraya and Amily found the Christmas holidays very enjoyable and the decorations were amazing. Amily loved all the huge Christmas trees in the great hall and the ice sculptures that wouldn't melt. Soraya then decided to go to the room of requirement a couple of times to try it out. She thought of a place that was comfy and opened the door to find a room full of squashy chairs with a low burning fire. She used the room a few times after that, but then stopped as Filch was starting to get suspicious. He kept on seeing her vanish when he looked back a second time down a certain corridor. So Miss. Norris was walking up and down that particular corridor more than any of the others every now and again. So she didn't use her new spot for a bit of privacy in the winter anymore.

Derick and Sarah kept their kept their words and sent a couple of presents each to the girls. The entire workforce banded together and gave each of them a present. Soraya saw that even Anthony gave one to Amily. Soraya didn't receive one from him but didn't care as she had more than enough. Amily took one look at Anthony's letter and passed it to Soraya in a surprised looking way. She took it and burst out laughing when she saw it. The entire side was covered in thank yous on the parchment that came with her gift. The only other word on the parchment was squeezed in at the bottom 'Amily'. Soraya received a present from Harry, Hermione, Ron, Dean and Amily. Soraya had bought each of them a present on her visit to Hogsmeade or at Diagon Alley.

She then stared blankly at an envelope which had her name on it. It was made out of purple paper and just had her name written on it. Soraya didn't like the look of it and cast a revealing spell on it. But there was nothing bad in it so it didn't show anything and just stayed the way it was. Now Hermione looked interested in it as well and urged Soraya to open it. Soraya picked it up and shook the envelope. It felt heavy and had a dark shadow at the bottom of it when she held it up to the light. So Soraya opened it slowly and turned it over above her hand. Out dropped a Gringotts Key and Soraya just stared at it, she was so surprised that she showed it to her friends. She took out the piece of parchment when they all had a look.

"What does it say Soraya?"

"Dear Miss. Griffis

I thought you might require this after you leave Hogwarts. This was given to me after your fathers passing so I am giving this to you as I know he would have wanted you to have it. Use the money to your full advantage and achieve your goals in life."

Then Soraya stopped and looked thoroughly sickened and couldn't read the last bit so Hermione did it for her. But she looked shocked and her mouth dropped, Hermione was quick to regained her composure and read aloud.

"Professor S. Snape, Potions master to Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry. Head of Slytherin house"

Soraya cringed when Hermione read this out. She looked completely sick at the idea that Snape would do anything nice especially for a Griffindor. Niece or no niece it just seemed so wrong and made her feel very sick. Harry and Ron looked sickened as well whilst Hermione just stared at the letter.

"What's his game? This isn't like him at all."

"Ron we have only seen Snape in lessons...maybe he isn't as cold as we thought he might be."

"Hermione! How can you say that?"

"She has got a point Ron. He may a cold and heartless git a lot of the time, but he's still a human none the less. Don't look at me like that Ron I hate him as much as the next Griffindor! But he is still human and I hate to admit this even more. He is the last of my family and his blood does run through my veins."

"...I still think you're mad!" Soraya ignored Ron and was trying to think of what she could do, and what did Snape think he was going to get out of all this? Hermione had a few suggestions to what Soraya could do but each one was just as bad as the next.

"You could get him a present."

"No! Didn't you read what it said underneath?"

"No.

P.S Do not give me a present as I am just returning what was rightfully yours! If I do happen upon to find a present from you then
points will come off you house faster than you can say cauldron!

"I wonder if Snape actually does get anything for Christmas?"

"Well he will now!"

"What? But-but Soraya if you give him a present then-"

"Now I don't remember him saying anything about messages, do you?"

"Yes but-"

"You don't know Snape like we do. He will turn it round and make it look as though you went against what he just wrote to you!"

Soraya ignored Ron and called Merlin over to them. He had joined in the celebrations and came to see her. Soraya took the letter and wrote something underneath it. Her friends looked shocked, scared and then utterly confused when Soraya took out her wand. She still hadn't told them of the letter she got from Derick. She placed the wand between her eyes and then Merlin's.

"Our eyes are one so be mine in the sky." She swished her wand over Merlin's head and ignored the confused look on her friend's faces. Only Hermione knew what she was doing and just smiled.

"Siange!" Soraya looked around the room and then closed her eyes. It was very weird as Merlin's eyes were different and could see a lot better than she could.

"Soraya what-"

"It's a merging spell Ron. She can now see through Merlin's eyes when she closes them."

"Oh... thanks miss know-it-all!"

Soraya opened them again and smiled at her friends. She went over to the piece of parchment and picked it up. She then went over to Merlin and put it in his beak. Hermione still looked very smug that she knew what was going on before the boys did. Soraya walked over to the window and let him out to find Snape. She sat back in a chair asking her friends to be quiet as she closed her eyes to concentrate. Soraya could hardly believe her eyes as Merlin flew around the school to find Snape and give him the message. Merlin found Snape in the teachers Dorm's and he had just dressed himself. Which was just as well otherwise Soraya would have been traumatized for life if he hadn't. Merlin landed on the window sill and tapped on the glass to grab his attention-. Snape turned and looked curiously at the bird by his window. He opened the window and Merlin hopped in with the letter still in his beak.

"Stay there Merlin, I don't know what he will do when he reads the message. I'll give you some food when we get down to the great hall I promise. Just stay there for a couple of minutes." Merlin ruffled his feathers in a dignified way symbolizing annoyance but complied. Fortunately Snape had his back turned to notice this and opened the letter reading it aloud.

"Let's see...I wonder who this could be from?

Dear Professor Snape
I know how you said you didn't want a present because it would loose Griffindor house point. But you didn't
say anything about messages. So anyway I just want to say thanks for the key and I will use the money carefully.

Soraya

"Oh Miss.Griffis...if only you knew what I had done." Soraya was surprised to see Snape sigh and put his head in his hands.

But not surprised at all when he crumpled the parchment up and threw it in a corner. He glared at Merlin and swore with rage. She saw Snape go over to the parchment and Soraya knew it was time to leave. So frantically she used her mind to call Merlin back.

"Merlin fly quickly and don't look back!" Merlin hopped out of the window and took flight. Not before feeling the breeze of the crumpled up parchment fly only millimetres from his head. Soraya made a disgusted face that Snape would take his anger out on a defenceless owl. She opened her eyes again once Merlin had entered the room; she went over to the slightly shaken owl and stroked his feathers to calm him down.

"Well?"

"Let's just say that no points will be coming off Griffindor. Oh...and Snape will be quite angry for the rest of Christmas." When Soraya and her friends went down to the great hall for breakfast she kept her promise to Merlin. She gave him some of her breakfast when he came in through the window. There were more seventh years here this Christmas than any other year. There were also some fifth years, sixth and first years as well. There were no fourth or third year students at all. The first years were enjoying their first year at Hogwarts fully like Soraya and Amily. Nearly a third of the school seemed to have stayed that year and Soraya was relieved to hear that Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle weren't part of the third.

Snape didn't turn up for breakfast and Soraya didn't care in the least. But her friends were concerned for Soraya's safety and hoped Snape wouldn't turn up out of the blue later when she was on her own. But Soraya still wasn't worried when Ron pointed this out. She just stared blankly at him and shrugged her shoulders. Harry looked slightly concerned too as he knew what Snape was capable of more than anyone. Later on they decided to go out and have a snowball fight. Soraya had a great idea to test her skills. So she thought about going back to the tower later to get her staff and a blindfold. Everyone took their positions behind some mounds near the school which were covered in snow. Soraya was wearing nothing but black and her cloak resembling a young female Snape. She aimed a snowball at Ron when he pointed this out and it hit him in the face. She apologised later but Ron was laughing so everyone laughed too. First they had a furious snowball fight and both teams called a truce. They went back to the castle to warm up and then went back out again.

This time Soraya brought her training things with her. They got in to their positions and Soraya went in to the middle of the mounds with a blindfold over her eyes. She moved her staff to the winds and heightened her senses to the slightest noise and movement. Then a snowball was thrown and she struck it with her staff shattering it. Each time she blocked a snowball she only received the spray.

She did this a few times before hearing someone creeping up behind her. She spun round and held the staff to the person. But then stopped as she could feel the aura of this person and outlined them with her staff. Her heart was in her throat and she swallowed hard knowing who it might be. She could hear some of her friends gasp and run away; she had never felt so alone and wanted to run too. She could feel great anger coming off this person. She recognised who it was when she heard a slight growl leave the persons lips. She lowered the staff and her hands were shaking, never in her life had she felt so afraid. She hated being kept in the dark and not being able to see someone like that is more reason to be afraid than anything. Her hands were shaking as the cold started to sink in to her skin, but still they stood in front of her and didn't move so she stood her ground.

So she swallowed again as each cold breath became more sharp and painful.

"Professor Snape I presume?" Snape only growled and clutched her wrist that held the staff. He wrenched the blindfold off her head taking some hairs with it. Soraya didn't acknowledge this and just stared at him. He looked very angry and it burned in his eyes. He took a step back when he saw his reflection in Soraya's eyes. He cleared his throat and he put his usual cold face back on. So her mood in turn changed quickly. Soraya held back a ball of laughter and had to fight down a smile. She saw he had been hit by a few snowballs today. Her eyes stopped darting to them when Snape brushed the snow off his robes.

Then he looked at Soraya and she looked right back, was she in trouble?

"I thought I told you I didn't want anything back from you!"

"What's so wrong with sending a little message sir?" Snape gave her a very piercing look and didn't let go of her wrist holding the staff. His grip tightened and threatened to cut off the blood flow to her hand. Soraya looked very unsure of what to do as Snape didn't seem to be acting himself at all. She was saved when yet another snowball hit Snape, only this time on the back of his head. He roared in rage and snapped out of his stupor. He went to the snowball fight over the mound to take points off the houses. Soraya breathed a sigh of relief when he strode away and ran in the opposite direction to her friends. They looked at her fearfully and asked her nothing as they saw what happened behind the mound.

"It was me who threw the snowball."

"Thanks Harry."

"No problem. I heard that some Griffindors already got him today anyway, and besides I have always wanted to do that to Snape."

"He didn't catch you did he?"

"Nah, he may look fast but he is quite slow."

Soraya grinned as she helped herself to some turkey and roast potatoes. She didn't look at Snape at all and just talked with her friends. But she could feel his cold eyes look at her every now and then from the teachers table. She just couldn't explain it, Soraya felt she had a certain way of knowing when people were staring at her and she started to feel sick. But that quickly passed when her friends distracted her and so she enjoyed the rest of her Christmas dinner. Dumbledore was crackers with well...the crackers and Soraya's mind was wondering again.

"Hey Ron?"

"Hmm?"

"I love the headmaster and think he's very wise, but is he a bit mad?"

"Nutty as a fruit cake, but a great and powerful wizard none the less. So I would say he's aloud to be a bit mad sometimes as he's earned it...and he does love Christmas." Soraya snickered when Dumbledore swapped his wizards hat for a baby's bonnet that erupted out of a cracker. Soraya loved these as you had life sized rats, bats; birds and Soraya swore she saw a little dragon fly out of one.

Soraya never strayed within a few feet of her friends for the rest of the day, and what's more they made sure of it. If she wasn't with Hermione then she was with Ron or Harry. If they weren't available then Amily would be there. Neville decided to play along too. He didn't like the thought of being cornered by Snape on his own as much as the next Griffindor. Which apparently has happened a couple of times to Neville and he didn't like being reminded of it. Soraya kept the connection on she had with her owl all day until she went to bed. Then quite sure nothing was going to happen to him she decided to take off the spell.

"May my site be one again!" She was about to wave the wand over her head when there was a strange tapping at her window. She looked round to see Merlin had a letter in his beak and his talons were tapping the window. She let him in and gave Merlin a piece of some left over turkey sandwiches. He hooted gratefully and ate the sandwich before flying back out the window. Soraya was looking at the letter with a weird feeling. But didn't use a revealing spell this time and she just opened the letter quickly and stared at it for a moment before sighing and shaking her head. Luckily no one else was in the room with her, she watched the door and still no one came.

Dear Soraya
I am apologising on Serverus's behalf as to the way he
treated you today. He had no right to grab you in such a way and
I saw that from my office window. If he should do anything like
this again then I would like you to report it immediately. I
have had a word with Serverus and he says that he will not do
anything like this again, but I know him too well so just keep
on your toes.

Professor A. Dumbledore Headmaster to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

'Oh Dumbledore, what can Snape possibly do to me? Whoa...actually scratch that as I really don't want to know.' A few ideas had crept in without warning and she shuddered. Just then Soraya heard someone coming up the stairs, so she shoved the letter and its envelope under her pillow before the others came in for bed. Then took off the spell and chatted with Hermione and the other girls before falling asleep.

*** LOL! Harry – 1 Snape – 0. Siange? What was I thinking? Oh, um...don't mind me...just thinking out loud...keep reading heh heh heh.