Chapter Three: The New Student
Hermione was waiting impatiently in the common room early in the morning. Her foot was tapping nervously and she let out a sigh as she glanced at her watch. Where was Ron? She wanted to get to the hospital wing before everyone else did. She was happy that many of the Gryffindors cared so dearly for Harry, but she and Ron wanted to talk to him before anyone else in case he came back into consciousness this morning from that horrific fall. Ms. McGonagall had managed to slow down Harry when he fell from his broom, but the fall wasn't what knocked him unconscious: it was the bolt of lightning that had struck him. For a few agonizing moments, she had clung to Ron to keep from fainting because everyone was crying out that he was dead. It was amazing that he wasn't, she thought. Hermione knew she would never forget what she had seen. The instant it had struck Harry, the bolt divided; one large part of it zoomed to a window in the castle, and the rest went
into what seemed a thousand strands, all striking the field, crisscrossing…
Hermione's memories were shattered by Ron's voice.
"C'mon, 'Mione, stop dawdling. We don't want to waste any time reaching Harry."
Hermione rolled her eyes as her arm was being pulled by Ron. She was amazed that she never noticed before how strong he had gotten, or how tall he was. She tried to suppress a smile and tried to stare at his hair, the only boyish part of him remaining. Finally they had reached the hospital wing, and Ron knocked quietly on the door. Madame Pomfrey greeted them with her usual smile.
" Good morning, dears. I'm happy to say that he's getting much better. He has some color in his cheeks now. Hopefully he'll wake up today. Mind you, I don't want any of you to miss class again while waiting for him. I'm still hearing complaints from Professor Snape."
"Don't worry, Madame Pomfrey." Ron said with a sly grin he exchanged with Hermione. That day he had convinced Hermione to stay late, more of an excuse to miss double Potions than to keep vigil by Harry. Usually Hermione would have argued, but lately she had found herself seizing every opportunity to spend time alone with Ron. A pang of guilt went through her as she realized she had been taking advantage of Harry's misfortune to do that. She felt even more guilty as she saw Harry lying in the bed. He was so still, but there was a tint of rose in his face. Ron went to the other side of the bed and knelt down as she put her hand close to Harry's, glad that his skin was pleasantly warm. She looked up to see Ron smiling at her.
" You wouldn't have cared so much if it was me lying there." She gave a stealthy grin back at him and said," You're right." Ron humphed dramatically and rose to his feet, crossing his arms and turning his back at her. He picked up a card from a desk nearby and examined it with feigned disgust.
"Look at this. He's not even doing anything terribly heroic. He's just lying in a hospital bed, and he still gets all this admiration."
"Stop pouting, Ron. You miss him more than anyone else. I know it. I'm getting worried, though. It's been a week and he's still not awake."
"I'm not surprised. That bolt of lightning was downright terrifying, it was."
" I wonder what it hit when part of it went in the castle. You saw that, didn't you?" Ron answered her question with a puzzled look, and he said, "I just saw it writing whatever it had written on the field. It sucks that we can't play Quidditch on it anymore until Dumbledore figures out how to get rid of it."
"He has to be figure out how to read it first. Must be some ancient, disappeared language. I read somewhere that lightning was used in the oldest of all magic."
"What haven't you read somewhere?" Hermione tried to look angry at his teasing, although she couldn't help blushing a little.
"Stop that, Ron. You know how awful I feel about all this. And her appearing as a student the very next day. Harry might be in a lot of danger."
"C'mon Hermione. When isn't he in some sort of danger? If Dumbledore trusts her to be in this school, then she's alright. You're just jealous of her looks." He gave another sly smile.
" No I'm not! Wasn't You-Know-Who a student at this school as well?" Ron ignored her, apparently pleased that she had gotten so flushed at his last comment. "Honestly, Ron, do you take pleasure in making me angry?"
"Of course I do. You look so cute when you're all flustered." This last smile was too much to bear as Hermione went a deep shade of crimson. She turned her eyes away from his face and his fiery red hair.
"I'm sorry, 'Mione. I didn't mean to embarrass you. You're right. He might be in danger, I'm sorry to admit. But don't worry, we always manage to pull out of all those near-death scrapes." Ron took her hand when he said this. Hermione looked down at those lanky fingers she knew so well and were so soft and comforting. She wondered if it was possible to go even more red. She was fighting the strong urge to throw her arms around him and sob. She was bursting to let out all the emotions she was feeling toward him at that moment. Suddenly a groan from Harry saved her. He was blinking his eyes and trying to sit up.
"Oh, Harry!" Hermione cried as she gave him the hug she had planning to give Ron.
"Oof, Hermione, get off. I'm okay." Harry managed to croak out in a raspy voice he hadn't used a week. He looked at Ron for help, and he pulled Hermione off.
"Good to see ya, mate. We were beginning to wonder whether or not you were alive." As Harry took in his surroundings, he realized that he had been injured in some way and had been in the hospital wing for a while.
"Oh, I'm sure you weren't too miserable without me." Harry winked at Ron. A week before the fall Ron had finally admitted his feelings for Hermione to Harry. Being the dopey boy he was, he of course never had the nerve to tell her. All Hermione could do was to look quizzically from one boy to another. As always, Harry's mind flew to Quidditch.
"The match! What happened?" Harry's heart sank as he saw the downtrodden look appear on Ron's face.
"Harry, you were hit by a bolt of lightning! What matters is that you lived through it," Hermione said comfortingly.
"But what happened with the match??"
Ron murmured an answer. " Malfoy caught it right after you fell. We lost, Harry."
Harry shrunk his shoulders and slid back in the covers.
"It doesn't matter as long as you're okay. My God, I never saw anything so terrifying in my life. It was worse than the time you fell in our third year." Harry remembered the first time he had seen Sirius, which made him feel a little better.
"So, what have I missed?"
"Wow, a ton of things. You should see her-" But Hermione interrupted him and with a reproving look, she said, "Harry, when the lightning hit you, it divided and hit the ground. It burned words into the grass of the field. Only thing is, nobody knows what they say. Even Dumbledore can't figure it out."
" Forget that, Harry. We have a new student in our year, and she's the most gorgeous thing you've ever seen. She'll make you forget all about Cho." Harry's green eyes sparkled when he heard this. Last year he had constantly stirred up the school gossip when he had started dating Cho. But now that she graduated, her family had decided to move to France. She had given Harry the usual excuse that long-distance relationships never work out. Harry knew she had always loved Cedric, and he guessed that her being with him hurt too much.
"No, you forget her, Harry. She's a Slytherin, and not just an ordinary one, either." Hermione had not liked the way this conversation was going. Harry looked at Ron, who glanced at the ceiling innocently.
"I might have left that part out accidentally," he said as he began whistling.
"What do you mean, she's not an ordinary one?" Harry asked.
"Guess what her last name is, and lemme give you a hint. It starts with an R." Hermione said.
The first name that came into Harry's mind made his stomach churn. " It couldn't be..is it Riddle?" His jaw dropped as both Ron and Hermione nodded.
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The next day, after much fussing from Madame Pomfrey, Harry was allowed to go to classes. He was nearly attacked in the Gryffindor common room by all the students running to him and asking how he was. Colin Creevey even asked if the shape of his scar gave a particular attraction to lightning bolts. Harry tried shrugging them off. "I'm fine! Why are all you guys so worried?" Parvati and Lavender came up to him.
"Because Harry, haven't you heard? You-Know-Who's daughter has just entered as a student here! "
"And the very next day after your fall she happens to show up. What convenient timing." Dean said, rolling his eyes.
"Yeah, she wasted no time in trying to kill you, Harry. It took her father a year to get you." Seamus added.
"Yeah, and she also happens to be the first good-looking Slytherin girl ever in Hogwarts." As the boys chuckled Ron gave a smirk, which got even wider when he saw the angered look on Hermione's face. Wanting to get away from the crowd, Harry thought of an excuse and pulled Hermione and Ron to the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Oh, I just remembered, you two have to give me the assignments I've missed this week. We need to get to the library." When they were out, he gave a big sigh.
"Finally. I hate being the Gryffindor Goldenboy. Why does everyone think it's their duty to watch out for me?"
"'Cause, Harry. We all know what a great wizard you'll be, and how a lot of dark people want you dead for that very reason." Hermione answered, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"How do you know what I'll become? Just like how everyone thinks this new girl is dangerous. I was unconscious for a week. Wouldn't that be a perfect time to come finish me off?"
"Not under Madame Pomfrey's and Dumbledore's nose." Hermione answered.
"Well, he does have a point, Herm. So far, she hasn't been acting evil at all. She's even been helpful to us, remember? She stopped Draco from insulting you the other day."
Ron pointed out. Harry was furious.
" Draco tried to do what? That slimy-"
"It was nothing, Harry. He was just laughing at how you fell in Quidditch, he's been awful since Slytherin lost, and she stopped him."
"Yeah, she never had to do that. Personally, she's been nice to me." Ron said.
"Please. It's disgusting how she flirts with you," Hermione shot back. Harry raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Can't you see, Ron? She's just trying to gain your trust so she can get closer to Harry." Hermione was getting very upset. Now Harry was the one trying to comfort her, and he said, "I'm gonna have to see this mystery girl for myself."
"You'll get your chance soon. We have Potions with the Slytherins next." A disgruntled look appeared on Ron's face as he said this.
"I don't even want to think about how Snape is gonna act, with me missing a whole week and all," Harry moaned.
"Especially with him complimenting on how wonderfully brilliant Eve is." Hermione crossed her arms with a dark look.
"You're just jealous because you might not be the smartest one in this school after all," Ron teased.
"How many times do I have to tell you! I'm not jealous! She's not Head Girl, after all." A tinge of pink was growing on Hermione's cheeks, and Ron was chuckling. Harry was oddly silent as the two bickered while getting their books for class. Ron finally noticed.
"What's wrong, Harry?
"What was the new girl's name again?"
"Eve." Hermione answered disdainfully.
"Why does that name sound so familiar?" Harry wrinkled his brow, as if trying to remember a long lost dream. He didn't have much time to think, because they had reached the dungeon corridors and the entrance to Potions class.
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As soon as they entered the class, they were met by the menacing stare of the Potions Master.
"It's a good thing that fate is always so kind to you and your friends, Potter. A few more minutes and you would have been late to my class, after being absent for a week, no less." They passed Snape and sat down without saying a word to him, even though Ron had the sort of look that seemed he wanted to make Snape drink the contents of one of his jarred poisons. Harry wasn't in the mood to give Snape an excuse to take fifty points from Gryffindor. Suddenly Harry felt Ron's finger jabbing his shoulder.
"She's not here, do you see her?"
"Who? Oh, no, I don't see anyone new," Harry answered.
"Hope she's gotten into some sort of trouble," Hermione murmured almost inaudibly.
"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed, surprised. "I'm the one who's supposed to have personal vendettas against Slytherins," he said with a grin.
"Mr. Potter! You've been in this class for 30 seconds and already you and your friends are disrupting it. 10 points each for the three of you from Gryffindor." Snape said from the front of the class. Harry opened his mouth to argue in rage, as he wasn't talking at all, but Hermione stamped on his foot. Harry stifled an exclamation of pain.
"The last thing we need is to get detentions," she hissed in his ear. She was staring daggers at Malfoy, whose eyes were glinting with the same malice as the smile on his face. Harry could tell he was just waiting for the right moment to remind Harry of the Quidditch defeat and revel in it. Just then there was a knock on the door.
"Enter," Snape said tonelessly as Neville breathed a sigh of relief. Snape was nearing him, no doubt trying to find something wrong with his potion. A girl Harry had never seen before entered the room. She was holding a dark green glass vile in her hand, which had a dragon glove on it. Her ebony hair flowed against her shoulders, glimmering in the flickering candlelight. Harry couldn't help but stare intently at this girl, who was no doubt the new student who was Voldemort's daughter. He didn't notice Ron, who also had a rather stupid-looking grin on his face.
"Professor, here is the basilisk venom you wanted from your private stores," Snape knodded and motioned for her to put it on the Slytherin table.
"Good, I want you to make the more advanced version of this potion using this venom. I daresay you're up to it. You've shown vast advancement."
"Thank you, sir. Oh, and I met Dumbledore on the way," she said, lowering her voice, " he said he wanted to see you immediately, about the Quidditch field. He asked for you to go down now."
Snape had a slight look of concern, but he said to the whole class, "I will have to temporarily leave the class for now. In the meantime Eve will be in charge, and you can ask any questions to her. I hope I will come back to see this classroom in one piece." He stared with his eyes narrowed particularly at the Gryffindors. He went out of the dungeon with his signature swiftness, his robes swishing against his legs.
As Eve went to put the glass bottle on the table, Malfoy stood up and announced loudly, "Look, Eve. I guess I lost my bet with Goyle." He motioned to one of his burly cronies, who sniggered. Eve looked puzzled at him as Ron looked up with a fury building in his face.
"I was betting that Potter wouldn't have the nerve to show his pitiful face anymore after we slaughtered his precious team." All the Slytherins, except for Eve, had satisfied grins plastered on their faces. Instead Eve, just noticing Harry for the first time, couldn't stop gazing at him with a mesmerized, almost faraway look on her face. Her stare was almost haunting. Harry suddenly felt a hot burning on his checks and he had to look away. Her emerald eyes seemed to want to penetrate through his very being and soul.
The Slytherins all turned silent as Draco stopped laughing and looked at Eve. She was slowly stepping closer and closer to Harry. His eyes wanted to look into hers, they were almost attracted to them by a magnetic force, but a pang of shame at his defeat a week ago forced him to avoid her eyes. Even all the Gryffindors were staring now at the two. Eve suddenly shook off her bewilderment at seeing Harry and said in a silky voice that sent shiver down Harry's neck,
" Well, well. I finally have the pleasure of meeting the famous Harry Potter. I must say, your reputation precedes you. Tell me, does mine?" She slid the glove off, revealing a milky white hand with slender fingers, which was outstretched toward Harry. He couldn't help it any longer, and stared into her eyes as he shook her hand, its warmth and softness surging through him. However, the instant his hand touched hers, she closed her eyes for an instant and took a short breath, as if a surprising feeling came from it.
"Mother's protection," was all she could mumble. Harry almost quivered as she kept her piercing stare on him, a stare reminding him vaguely of Dumbledore's. Her face was very close to his now. The scent of lavender and lilies came from her soft hair. Her fingers were caressing his hand back and forth, as if she was struggling to understand or sense something fro his skin. Then Harry heard a voice in his head, but it was not his. 'Do I know you?' It was spontaneous, as if it wasn't meant to be heard. Her other hand was creeping up toward his face now, as if she dared to touch it also. Her searching eyes were glimmering now. Were they from tears creeping into them? The door opened with a sudden noise and she finally turned her head releasing her hand. Harry started to breathe again.
"Eve, after class is over, please meet me and Dumbledore in the field during dinner." Eve answered croakily, as if she had temporarily forgotten how to use her voice.
"Y-Yes, sir." Snape noticed how close she was to Harry and how she looked apparently shaken by something.
"Did Potter do something to upset you?" Ron, who had been hypnotized by the scene before, started to protest, but Eve was quicker in her response.
"No, no, sir. We were just introducing ourselves," she managed to smile in her attempt to be convincing. Even though he didn't look satisfied, Snape left them and continued to conduct the class. During the whole period, Eve was staring as much as possible at Harry as she tried to make her potion, despite Draco's attempts to gain her attention. He was looking furiously at Harry as if he were something threatening and dangerous.
"What was that all about?" Hermione whispered, with a half fearful, half anxious tone.
"Yeah, I've never seen anyone look at someone else that way before. It was kinda creepy, like she was searching for something." Ron muttered.
"Or trying to remember something?" Harry mumbled more to himself than to anyone else.
"Sorry?" Ron said.
"Nothing." Harry replied. Then a feeling that he was being watched crept into him, and Harry abruptly turned around and stood up. He found himself face-to-face again with Eve, who not expecting this, had a slight look of surprise in her eyes.
"Ouch!" She was so startled that some of the contents of the open vial had spilled onto her hand, which had a glove, but was sizzling. Her eyes immediately began to fill with tears from pain and she fell to her knees, clutching and covering her hand. She was breathing in harsh, raspy breaths. Harry rushed to her side, followed by Draco.
"What's going on here?" Harry heard Snape's voice.
Draco, seeing the dropped vial, its contents sizzling and making a hole in the floor, immediately cried in panic, " What did you do, Potter? There was basilisk venom in there! Its deadly!" The whole class got up from their seats and rushed in their direction. Without even scolding Harry, Snape went to Eve and tilted her face towards his. Knowing the effects of basilsk venom himself, Harry expected Eve to collapse any second, but to his surprise, her breathing became slower, more normal.
"I'm okay, Professor," she managed to whisper. Snape tried to pry her hand away from the other one, but she wouldn't let him see it. "No, really, I'm ok." She tried getting up, even though she still looked quite pale.
"Let me see your hand!" Snape commanded, and she finally consented. She took off the glove, and even though it had a hole burned right through it, her hand was unscathed and totally normal.
"See? I'm fine. It must have burned through it, but didn't touch my skin." She managed a strained smile. After surveying her more closely and feeling her clammy forehead, Snape hesitatingly left.
"Back to your seats, all of you." Snape grunted.
"But I distinctly heard you say 'Ouch', and you fell to the ground." Harry said to Eve.
"Don't worry about it." Eve said with more of a sharp tone than a comforting one.
"Stop pretending to care, Potter. I saw what happened. You deliberately bumped into her, making her spill it. Is she that much of a threat to you, you wanna finish her off?" Draco spat with utter hatred.
"Listen you, I didn't-"
"Didn't I just tell everyone to go back to their seats?" came Snape's harsh reprimand, and Draco and Harry had no choice but to desist. Eve slowly walked back to her seat, her head bent low, instinctively holding her hand. Finally the bell rang, and a most disturbing Potions Class was over, as all the students anxiously and excitedly exchanged furtive whispers to each other.
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Hermione was waiting impatiently in the common room early in the morning. Her foot was tapping nervously and she let out a sigh as she glanced at her watch. Where was Ron? She wanted to get to the hospital wing before everyone else did. She was happy that many of the Gryffindors cared so dearly for Harry, but she and Ron wanted to talk to him before anyone else in case he came back into consciousness this morning from that horrific fall. Ms. McGonagall had managed to slow down Harry when he fell from his broom, but the fall wasn't what knocked him unconscious: it was the bolt of lightning that had struck him. For a few agonizing moments, she had clung to Ron to keep from fainting because everyone was crying out that he was dead. It was amazing that he wasn't, she thought. Hermione knew she would never forget what she had seen. The instant it had struck Harry, the bolt divided; one large part of it zoomed to a window in the castle, and the rest went
into what seemed a thousand strands, all striking the field, crisscrossing…
Hermione's memories were shattered by Ron's voice.
"C'mon, 'Mione, stop dawdling. We don't want to waste any time reaching Harry."
Hermione rolled her eyes as her arm was being pulled by Ron. She was amazed that she never noticed before how strong he had gotten, or how tall he was. She tried to suppress a smile and tried to stare at his hair, the only boyish part of him remaining. Finally they had reached the hospital wing, and Ron knocked quietly on the door. Madame Pomfrey greeted them with her usual smile.
" Good morning, dears. I'm happy to say that he's getting much better. He has some color in his cheeks now. Hopefully he'll wake up today. Mind you, I don't want any of you to miss class again while waiting for him. I'm still hearing complaints from Professor Snape."
"Don't worry, Madame Pomfrey." Ron said with a sly grin he exchanged with Hermione. That day he had convinced Hermione to stay late, more of an excuse to miss double Potions than to keep vigil by Harry. Usually Hermione would have argued, but lately she had found herself seizing every opportunity to spend time alone with Ron. A pang of guilt went through her as she realized she had been taking advantage of Harry's misfortune to do that. She felt even more guilty as she saw Harry lying in the bed. He was so still, but there was a tint of rose in his face. Ron went to the other side of the bed and knelt down as she put her hand close to Harry's, glad that his skin was pleasantly warm. She looked up to see Ron smiling at her.
" You wouldn't have cared so much if it was me lying there." She gave a stealthy grin back at him and said," You're right." Ron humphed dramatically and rose to his feet, crossing his arms and turning his back at her. He picked up a card from a desk nearby and examined it with feigned disgust.
"Look at this. He's not even doing anything terribly heroic. He's just lying in a hospital bed, and he still gets all this admiration."
"Stop pouting, Ron. You miss him more than anyone else. I know it. I'm getting worried, though. It's been a week and he's still not awake."
"I'm not surprised. That bolt of lightning was downright terrifying, it was."
" I wonder what it hit when part of it went in the castle. You saw that, didn't you?" Ron answered her question with a puzzled look, and he said, "I just saw it writing whatever it had written on the field. It sucks that we can't play Quidditch on it anymore until Dumbledore figures out how to get rid of it."
"He has to be figure out how to read it first. Must be some ancient, disappeared language. I read somewhere that lightning was used in the oldest of all magic."
"What haven't you read somewhere?" Hermione tried to look angry at his teasing, although she couldn't help blushing a little.
"Stop that, Ron. You know how awful I feel about all this. And her appearing as a student the very next day. Harry might be in a lot of danger."
"C'mon Hermione. When isn't he in some sort of danger? If Dumbledore trusts her to be in this school, then she's alright. You're just jealous of her looks." He gave another sly smile.
" No I'm not! Wasn't You-Know-Who a student at this school as well?" Ron ignored her, apparently pleased that she had gotten so flushed at his last comment. "Honestly, Ron, do you take pleasure in making me angry?"
"Of course I do. You look so cute when you're all flustered." This last smile was too much to bear as Hermione went a deep shade of crimson. She turned her eyes away from his face and his fiery red hair.
"I'm sorry, 'Mione. I didn't mean to embarrass you. You're right. He might be in danger, I'm sorry to admit. But don't worry, we always manage to pull out of all those near-death scrapes." Ron took her hand when he said this. Hermione looked down at those lanky fingers she knew so well and were so soft and comforting. She wondered if it was possible to go even more red. She was fighting the strong urge to throw her arms around him and sob. She was bursting to let out all the emotions she was feeling toward him at that moment. Suddenly a groan from Harry saved her. He was blinking his eyes and trying to sit up.
"Oh, Harry!" Hermione cried as she gave him the hug she had planning to give Ron.
"Oof, Hermione, get off. I'm okay." Harry managed to croak out in a raspy voice he hadn't used a week. He looked at Ron for help, and he pulled Hermione off.
"Good to see ya, mate. We were beginning to wonder whether or not you were alive." As Harry took in his surroundings, he realized that he had been injured in some way and had been in the hospital wing for a while.
"Oh, I'm sure you weren't too miserable without me." Harry winked at Ron. A week before the fall Ron had finally admitted his feelings for Hermione to Harry. Being the dopey boy he was, he of course never had the nerve to tell her. All Hermione could do was to look quizzically from one boy to another. As always, Harry's mind flew to Quidditch.
"The match! What happened?" Harry's heart sank as he saw the downtrodden look appear on Ron's face.
"Harry, you were hit by a bolt of lightning! What matters is that you lived through it," Hermione said comfortingly.
"But what happened with the match??"
Ron murmured an answer. " Malfoy caught it right after you fell. We lost, Harry."
Harry shrunk his shoulders and slid back in the covers.
"It doesn't matter as long as you're okay. My God, I never saw anything so terrifying in my life. It was worse than the time you fell in our third year." Harry remembered the first time he had seen Sirius, which made him feel a little better.
"So, what have I missed?"
"Wow, a ton of things. You should see her-" But Hermione interrupted him and with a reproving look, she said, "Harry, when the lightning hit you, it divided and hit the ground. It burned words into the grass of the field. Only thing is, nobody knows what they say. Even Dumbledore can't figure it out."
" Forget that, Harry. We have a new student in our year, and she's the most gorgeous thing you've ever seen. She'll make you forget all about Cho." Harry's green eyes sparkled when he heard this. Last year he had constantly stirred up the school gossip when he had started dating Cho. But now that she graduated, her family had decided to move to France. She had given Harry the usual excuse that long-distance relationships never work out. Harry knew she had always loved Cedric, and he guessed that her being with him hurt too much.
"No, you forget her, Harry. She's a Slytherin, and not just an ordinary one, either." Hermione had not liked the way this conversation was going. Harry looked at Ron, who glanced at the ceiling innocently.
"I might have left that part out accidentally," he said as he began whistling.
"What do you mean, she's not an ordinary one?" Harry asked.
"Guess what her last name is, and lemme give you a hint. It starts with an R." Hermione said.
The first name that came into Harry's mind made his stomach churn. " It couldn't be..is it Riddle?" His jaw dropped as both Ron and Hermione nodded.
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The next day, after much fussing from Madame Pomfrey, Harry was allowed to go to classes. He was nearly attacked in the Gryffindor common room by all the students running to him and asking how he was. Colin Creevey even asked if the shape of his scar gave a particular attraction to lightning bolts. Harry tried shrugging them off. "I'm fine! Why are all you guys so worried?" Parvati and Lavender came up to him.
"Because Harry, haven't you heard? You-Know-Who's daughter has just entered as a student here! "
"And the very next day after your fall she happens to show up. What convenient timing." Dean said, rolling his eyes.
"Yeah, she wasted no time in trying to kill you, Harry. It took her father a year to get you." Seamus added.
"Yeah, and she also happens to be the first good-looking Slytherin girl ever in Hogwarts." As the boys chuckled Ron gave a smirk, which got even wider when he saw the angered look on Hermione's face. Wanting to get away from the crowd, Harry thought of an excuse and pulled Hermione and Ron to the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Oh, I just remembered, you two have to give me the assignments I've missed this week. We need to get to the library." When they were out, he gave a big sigh.
"Finally. I hate being the Gryffindor Goldenboy. Why does everyone think it's their duty to watch out for me?"
"'Cause, Harry. We all know what a great wizard you'll be, and how a lot of dark people want you dead for that very reason." Hermione answered, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"How do you know what I'll become? Just like how everyone thinks this new girl is dangerous. I was unconscious for a week. Wouldn't that be a perfect time to come finish me off?"
"Not under Madame Pomfrey's and Dumbledore's nose." Hermione answered.
"Well, he does have a point, Herm. So far, she hasn't been acting evil at all. She's even been helpful to us, remember? She stopped Draco from insulting you the other day."
Ron pointed out. Harry was furious.
" Draco tried to do what? That slimy-"
"It was nothing, Harry. He was just laughing at how you fell in Quidditch, he's been awful since Slytherin lost, and she stopped him."
"Yeah, she never had to do that. Personally, she's been nice to me." Ron said.
"Please. It's disgusting how she flirts with you," Hermione shot back. Harry raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Can't you see, Ron? She's just trying to gain your trust so she can get closer to Harry." Hermione was getting very upset. Now Harry was the one trying to comfort her, and he said, "I'm gonna have to see this mystery girl for myself."
"You'll get your chance soon. We have Potions with the Slytherins next." A disgruntled look appeared on Ron's face as he said this.
"I don't even want to think about how Snape is gonna act, with me missing a whole week and all," Harry moaned.
"Especially with him complimenting on how wonderfully brilliant Eve is." Hermione crossed her arms with a dark look.
"You're just jealous because you might not be the smartest one in this school after all," Ron teased.
"How many times do I have to tell you! I'm not jealous! She's not Head Girl, after all." A tinge of pink was growing on Hermione's cheeks, and Ron was chuckling. Harry was oddly silent as the two bickered while getting their books for class. Ron finally noticed.
"What's wrong, Harry?
"What was the new girl's name again?"
"Eve." Hermione answered disdainfully.
"Why does that name sound so familiar?" Harry wrinkled his brow, as if trying to remember a long lost dream. He didn't have much time to think, because they had reached the dungeon corridors and the entrance to Potions class.
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As soon as they entered the class, they were met by the menacing stare of the Potions Master.
"It's a good thing that fate is always so kind to you and your friends, Potter. A few more minutes and you would have been late to my class, after being absent for a week, no less." They passed Snape and sat down without saying a word to him, even though Ron had the sort of look that seemed he wanted to make Snape drink the contents of one of his jarred poisons. Harry wasn't in the mood to give Snape an excuse to take fifty points from Gryffindor. Suddenly Harry felt Ron's finger jabbing his shoulder.
"She's not here, do you see her?"
"Who? Oh, no, I don't see anyone new," Harry answered.
"Hope she's gotten into some sort of trouble," Hermione murmured almost inaudibly.
"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed, surprised. "I'm the one who's supposed to have personal vendettas against Slytherins," he said with a grin.
"Mr. Potter! You've been in this class for 30 seconds and already you and your friends are disrupting it. 10 points each for the three of you from Gryffindor." Snape said from the front of the class. Harry opened his mouth to argue in rage, as he wasn't talking at all, but Hermione stamped on his foot. Harry stifled an exclamation of pain.
"The last thing we need is to get detentions," she hissed in his ear. She was staring daggers at Malfoy, whose eyes were glinting with the same malice as the smile on his face. Harry could tell he was just waiting for the right moment to remind Harry of the Quidditch defeat and revel in it. Just then there was a knock on the door.
"Enter," Snape said tonelessly as Neville breathed a sigh of relief. Snape was nearing him, no doubt trying to find something wrong with his potion. A girl Harry had never seen before entered the room. She was holding a dark green glass vile in her hand, which had a dragon glove on it. Her ebony hair flowed against her shoulders, glimmering in the flickering candlelight. Harry couldn't help but stare intently at this girl, who was no doubt the new student who was Voldemort's daughter. He didn't notice Ron, who also had a rather stupid-looking grin on his face.
"Professor, here is the basilisk venom you wanted from your private stores," Snape knodded and motioned for her to put it on the Slytherin table.
"Good, I want you to make the more advanced version of this potion using this venom. I daresay you're up to it. You've shown vast advancement."
"Thank you, sir. Oh, and I met Dumbledore on the way," she said, lowering her voice, " he said he wanted to see you immediately, about the Quidditch field. He asked for you to go down now."
Snape had a slight look of concern, but he said to the whole class, "I will have to temporarily leave the class for now. In the meantime Eve will be in charge, and you can ask any questions to her. I hope I will come back to see this classroom in one piece." He stared with his eyes narrowed particularly at the Gryffindors. He went out of the dungeon with his signature swiftness, his robes swishing against his legs.
As Eve went to put the glass bottle on the table, Malfoy stood up and announced loudly, "Look, Eve. I guess I lost my bet with Goyle." He motioned to one of his burly cronies, who sniggered. Eve looked puzzled at him as Ron looked up with a fury building in his face.
"I was betting that Potter wouldn't have the nerve to show his pitiful face anymore after we slaughtered his precious team." All the Slytherins, except for Eve, had satisfied grins plastered on their faces. Instead Eve, just noticing Harry for the first time, couldn't stop gazing at him with a mesmerized, almost faraway look on her face. Her stare was almost haunting. Harry suddenly felt a hot burning on his checks and he had to look away. Her emerald eyes seemed to want to penetrate through his very being and soul.
The Slytherins all turned silent as Draco stopped laughing and looked at Eve. She was slowly stepping closer and closer to Harry. His eyes wanted to look into hers, they were almost attracted to them by a magnetic force, but a pang of shame at his defeat a week ago forced him to avoid her eyes. Even all the Gryffindors were staring now at the two. Eve suddenly shook off her bewilderment at seeing Harry and said in a silky voice that sent shiver down Harry's neck,
" Well, well. I finally have the pleasure of meeting the famous Harry Potter. I must say, your reputation precedes you. Tell me, does mine?" She slid the glove off, revealing a milky white hand with slender fingers, which was outstretched toward Harry. He couldn't help it any longer, and stared into her eyes as he shook her hand, its warmth and softness surging through him. However, the instant his hand touched hers, she closed her eyes for an instant and took a short breath, as if a surprising feeling came from it.
"Mother's protection," was all she could mumble. Harry almost quivered as she kept her piercing stare on him, a stare reminding him vaguely of Dumbledore's. Her face was very close to his now. The scent of lavender and lilies came from her soft hair. Her fingers were caressing his hand back and forth, as if she was struggling to understand or sense something fro his skin. Then Harry heard a voice in his head, but it was not his. 'Do I know you?' It was spontaneous, as if it wasn't meant to be heard. Her other hand was creeping up toward his face now, as if she dared to touch it also. Her searching eyes were glimmering now. Were they from tears creeping into them? The door opened with a sudden noise and she finally turned her head releasing her hand. Harry started to breathe again.
"Eve, after class is over, please meet me and Dumbledore in the field during dinner." Eve answered croakily, as if she had temporarily forgotten how to use her voice.
"Y-Yes, sir." Snape noticed how close she was to Harry and how she looked apparently shaken by something.
"Did Potter do something to upset you?" Ron, who had been hypnotized by the scene before, started to protest, but Eve was quicker in her response.
"No, no, sir. We were just introducing ourselves," she managed to smile in her attempt to be convincing. Even though he didn't look satisfied, Snape left them and continued to conduct the class. During the whole period, Eve was staring as much as possible at Harry as she tried to make her potion, despite Draco's attempts to gain her attention. He was looking furiously at Harry as if he were something threatening and dangerous.
"What was that all about?" Hermione whispered, with a half fearful, half anxious tone.
"Yeah, I've never seen anyone look at someone else that way before. It was kinda creepy, like she was searching for something." Ron muttered.
"Or trying to remember something?" Harry mumbled more to himself than to anyone else.
"Sorry?" Ron said.
"Nothing." Harry replied. Then a feeling that he was being watched crept into him, and Harry abruptly turned around and stood up. He found himself face-to-face again with Eve, who not expecting this, had a slight look of surprise in her eyes.
"Ouch!" She was so startled that some of the contents of the open vial had spilled onto her hand, which had a glove, but was sizzling. Her eyes immediately began to fill with tears from pain and she fell to her knees, clutching and covering her hand. She was breathing in harsh, raspy breaths. Harry rushed to her side, followed by Draco.
"What's going on here?" Harry heard Snape's voice.
Draco, seeing the dropped vial, its contents sizzling and making a hole in the floor, immediately cried in panic, " What did you do, Potter? There was basilisk venom in there! Its deadly!" The whole class got up from their seats and rushed in their direction. Without even scolding Harry, Snape went to Eve and tilted her face towards his. Knowing the effects of basilsk venom himself, Harry expected Eve to collapse any second, but to his surprise, her breathing became slower, more normal.
"I'm okay, Professor," she managed to whisper. Snape tried to pry her hand away from the other one, but she wouldn't let him see it. "No, really, I'm ok." She tried getting up, even though she still looked quite pale.
"Let me see your hand!" Snape commanded, and she finally consented. She took off the glove, and even though it had a hole burned right through it, her hand was unscathed and totally normal.
"See? I'm fine. It must have burned through it, but didn't touch my skin." She managed a strained smile. After surveying her more closely and feeling her clammy forehead, Snape hesitatingly left.
"Back to your seats, all of you." Snape grunted.
"But I distinctly heard you say 'Ouch', and you fell to the ground." Harry said to Eve.
"Don't worry about it." Eve said with more of a sharp tone than a comforting one.
"Stop pretending to care, Potter. I saw what happened. You deliberately bumped into her, making her spill it. Is she that much of a threat to you, you wanna finish her off?" Draco spat with utter hatred.
"Listen you, I didn't-"
"Didn't I just tell everyone to go back to their seats?" came Snape's harsh reprimand, and Draco and Harry had no choice but to desist. Eve slowly walked back to her seat, her head bent low, instinctively holding her hand. Finally the bell rang, and a most disturbing Potions Class was over, as all the students anxiously and excitedly exchanged furtive whispers to each other.
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