(14)Hogsmeade Weekend

Merida bounded into the common room where Harry, Ron & Neville were sitting by the fire. "Guess what? I got my Christmas present!"

"Hey!" yelped everyone! "Not fair! You're supposed to open them up tomorrow!"

"What did you get anyway?" Ron bounced on the sofa.

"Actually two things!" Merida started.

"HEY!!! NOT FAIR!!!" the others fiened jealousy!

Merida rolled her eyes. "Well, actually this one is just a photo album!" Merida showed them the picture of her mother. "But this," she lifted it out of the box. "is the real present!"

Everyone stared at the invisibility cloak! "Try it on!" Harry pleaded. Merida threw it on & looked into the mirror. It was odd to see her head floating around with her long blonde hair tucked under the collar!

"Now we can sneak out whenever!" Merida laughed. "Ron & Harry under his cloak & me & Neville under mine?" Neville grinned shyly, exposing his tiny fangs. "You know? You look kinda cute with those fangs, Neville!" said Merida.

"Did you really mean it when you asked Lupin to bite you?" Neville asked.

"At that time," Merida scoffed. "I would have frenched a spider! ANYTHING to get away from Snape!"

"What's this?" Ron picked up an envelope that had fluttered off the cloak.

"I don't know?" said Merida as she took her cloak off. She opened the envelope & read aloud:

To the Headmaster: I, Professor Severus Snape, has allowed my daughter, Merida Hepburn Snape, to attend the Hogmeades visit this weekend & all following Hogsmeade weekends.

"What?" Merida read it again to make sure her eyes were in her head properly! "Well, he has to!" she said. "After all, I've no other legal guardian to sign the Hogsmeade Allowance form!" She grinned shyly at the others. "So, what's it like?" That was the wrong question to ask! Harry, Ron & Neville pounced on her & began talking at the same time!

After listening to everything & anything her friends had to say about Hogsmeade, Merida could hardly wait for the New's Years weekend to arrive! Finally, after what seemed a lifetime, Merida, Harry, Ron & Neville were actually walking down the main street in Hogsmeade, drinking butterbeer. But their fun came to an abrupt halt as Draco, Crabbe & Goyle rounded the corner.

"Oh, no!" Ron groaned.

"Go away!" Harry pulled out his wand.

"Make me!" Draco sneered. "You & your little friends are nothing to me! Where's your other mudblood friend?"

"Other?" Neville asked.

"He means Hermione!" Harry said sadly.

"I know, but who's supposed to be the "other" MUGGLE-BORN friend?" Neville said.

"Why Merida Hepburn, of course!" Draco glared at her.

"What makes you say that?" Merida retorted. "I could be a pureblood?"

"Being in Gryfindor," Draco sneered. "you're probably mudblooded!" Crabbe & Goyle jeered agreements.

Merida smiled sweetly. "Do you know who my father is?"

"No, & I don't want to know!" Draco glared at her.

Merida stepped closer to him. "Oh, I think you do!" she taunted. "You know him well! My father is---!"

"Miss Hepburn!" Snape walked up to her. "Ah! Mr. Malfoy! Good afternoon!"

"Hello, Professor!" Draco said. "We were just having a nice chat about Merida's family line!" Merida tried desperately not to laugh at how stupid Draco looked talking to her father without realising it!

"Draco called Merida mudblooded!" Harry tattle-taled. "At least twice!"

Snape eyed Merida. "Is this true?"

Merida crossed her arms. "If you don't believe my own boyfriend, why should I answer? But, yes, it's true!"

"Do you know where Merida comes from?" Draco asked, trying to ignore Harry's tattling.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do!" Snape said. "Her muggle-born mother is of Ravenclaw House & her pureblood father," Snape stepped up close to Draco. "is of Slythering House!" Snape & Draco eyed each other closely for a moment. Merida was sure Snape would tell Draco, but he didn't. "50 points from Slythering," Everyone's jaws slammed the pavement! Snape taking points from his own House?! "for your serious use of language Mr. Malfoy! I don't care if you like muggle-borns or not," Snape went on. "but I will not have you defiling the name of Salazar Slythering will I am in command of his House!" Snape waited until Draco & his friends left & then turned onto Merida.

"Why didn't you just tell him?" Merida asked. "That would have shut him right up in a hurry!"

"Let the whole Dark Force know?" Snape snapped. "Until the Dark Lord is destroyed you are not to tell anyone I'm your father, you understand me Merida? It's bad enough these three know!" Snape nodded to Harry, Ron & Neville. "Mr. Malfoy's father is also a Death Eater & a loyal one at that. Not one word of it, is that clear?" Merida glanced to the ground. "I said---!"

"I heard you!" Merida snapped back at him.

"Good!" Snape said in a tone of finality as he left.

"50 points?! Bloody hell!" Ron squeaked.

"Enjoy it while you can!" Merida warned. "I'm quite sure he'll be back to the point-taking demon come next Potions Class!" She was right! The first Potions class after the holidays was worse for Gryfindor then it had been in a while. Snape made sure his House earned points to make up for the 50 point drop!

"Did you see that?" Ron yelped as he, Harry, Neville & Merida fled the room one evening after Potions Class, as soon as the bell rang! "Giving 10 points to Crabbe even though he spilled his cauldron!"

"I saw!" Merida retorted. "He'll never change!" The four of them headed to Gryfindor Tower & later to bed.

"Best be careful, mudblood!" Draco greeted Merida the next morning when they met on the stairs. "My father is here!" Merida burst out laughing! "You think my father is funny, do you?" Draco glared at her.

"No!" Merida gasped for air. "I think you calling me mudblooded is hysterical! If I could only tell you who my father is, but I'm not allowed, yet!"

"What does it matter?" Draco retorted. "He ignored his pure Slythring heritage & married a mudblooded Ravenclaw!"

"My father ignores no one, unfortunately!" Merida said. "Anyway, why should I worry about your father being here?"

"He's here on business!" Draco snapped. "but he told me that he's also here to get rid of someone! As for me, I hope it's you!"

"Oooohhh, I'm so scared!" Merida pretended to faint. "Besides, I've actually fancied your father! So tall & dark!" Merida smiled sweetly at Draco who looked like he would go insane! She didn't mean it, of course, but she loved to make Draco squirm!

"You--!" Draco raised a fist but felt his father's staff rap his shoulder.

"Now, Draco!" he spoke in a soft voice. "since when to we strike the lady?"

"She told me she fancies you!!" Draco yelped.

"Oh, really?" Lucious Malfoy smiled softly at Merida who was now redder than a beet! This has gone way to far for her liking! "Well, let me see now! Long blonde hair, just like your mother! An almost evil gleam in those ever watchful eyes, just like your father! You must be........Miss Hepburn?" Draco nodded. "Ah! Well," Lucious offered his hand to shake. "I'm pleased to finally meet you! You're father & I were great friends," he went on as Merida gingerly shook hands. "Tell him I said hello! Come, Draco!" Lucious headed for Dumbledore's office.

"Wait a minute!" Draco ran after him. "You know her father? Who?" Merida went pale. She wanted to be the one to tell Draco!

"Yes, he's a good friend of mine," Lucious said. "But I can't tell you right now, Draco! It's to risky. But soon!" he promised.

I WILL tell Draco who my father is even if I have to use Hermione's old time-turner! Merida promised herself as she marched to the Potions Class in a fury only a Snape could master! As soon as it was over, Merida pulled Harry aside. "Lucious Malfoy knows who I am!" she told him what happened.

"I'm not surprised," said Harry. "He's a Death Eater, so is Snape, even if he was just a spy! So you fancy Lucious?" Harry pretended to be jealous!

"Oh, hush!" Merida ordered. "I didn't mean it! I just wanted to make Draco mad! Gees, Harry!" Harry laughed at her! "I've got an Alchemy class!" Merida glared at him. "See you later!" Harry & Ron both laughed as she ran to her class!

"Come, on!" Harry said to Ron. "Let's wait for her in the Tower!"

A few hours later found Harry sprawled at in front of the common room fire, trying to work on his homework but really, he was staring into the fire.

"What are you still doing up?" Ron's voice broke into Harry's thoughts.

"Waiting for Merida," Harry answered. "It's almost midnight & she still hasn't returned!"

"Maybe she's on a date with Lucious!" Ron laughed.

"OY!!" Harry yelped. "Would you like me to give you a Howler at breakfast?!" Ron burst out laughing! "Shut up!" Harry commanded. "I think something's wrong! That class was finished half an hour ago! Do you think we should go look for her?" Harry got out his cloak & he & Ron headed down to the classroom.

"Why are we coming in here?" Ron whispered.

"It's a place to start!" Harry said as he threw off his cloak. "Look! It's Merida's Alchemy book! She left it behind!" Harry put it in his pocket. Crash! Something toppled to the floor out in the hall as someone ran past the door. "Quick get under!" Harry yanked the cloak around him & Ron.

"That looked like Snape!" said Ron.

"I thought so---AHH!" Harry yelped.

"Harry?" Ron held him up.

"My scar! It's burning again!" Harry rubbed it. "Let's go!"

"But your scar?" Ron worried. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" Harry said. "It's subsiding n--OW!" Harry & Ron stumbled out into the hall as Harry's scar seared again. "Voldomort is happy about something!" Harry gasped.

"Snape returned to him?" Ron worried.

"I don't know! Come on!" Harry led the way until the corridor divided in two. "Ooohhh!" Harry groaned. "Which way?"

From far ahead on the right came a voice. "Merida Hepburn! Will you wait up please?" It was Snape.

Merida's voice sound as if it was from the past because she was so far ahead. "Hurry, Professor!" Harry & Ron ran after them.

Snape headed in the direction of Merida's voice but the corridor split again, this time in four ways. "Merida?" Snape panted as he stopped running.

"Severus? Over here, my friend!"

Snape whirled around. There stood Lucious Malfoy, holding Merida firmly in his arms & pointing his wand at her head! "This is the day our master has waited for so long, Severus! I just wanted you to see her one last time-----ALIVE!"