(4)A Twisted Destiny

Merida & Harry were on their way out of the Great Hall towards Mcgonagall's class when suddenly Draco shoved passed, pushing Merida into Harry.

"Watch where you're going Malfoy!" Merida ordered.

"You have a problem with me?" Draco turned to glare at her.

"Yes, I do!"

"Why don't you go cry to your daddy then?" Draco laughed.

"You'll pay for that!" Harry pulled out his wand.

Merida stopped him. "I've no intention of doing that! I can handle you myself!"

"Let me get him, Merida!" Harry begged.

"Harry, we're in enough trouble!" said Merida. "You've still got detentions with Mcgonagall for two more weeks as do I! Then I'm stuck with father for another month!"

"I'll deal with both of you!" Draco threw Harry to the floor. The fight was on!

"Muggle fight! Muggle fight!" shouted several random students! Soon there was a crowd. "Ooo! Get him Harry!" someone yelped as Harry punched Draco. Merida tried pulling them apart but got caught up between them. Harry & Merida forced Draco down.

"HA!" Merida scoffed. "Where are your friends when you need them?" she said a moment to soon. Crabbe & Goyle came out of the Great Hall right then!

"Crabbe, get her!" Draco yelped. "Goyle, get Harry!" The two of them pulled Harry & Merida off Draco. He jumped up. "Harry, you're dead!" Draco flamed at him. "As for you, Merida, you drive me crazy!" He raised his wand.

"Immobulius!" Snape appeared on the scene & Draco became stationary! "Everyone! Leave! Crabbe & Goyle? You're dorms!" Snape pointed his long black wand at Draco again. "Immobulius Finite!"

"Sir?" Draco stared. "I was just--!"

"Silence!" Snape snapped at him. "All three of you to my office!" Harry & Merida rolled their eyes. Not again!

"Just for the record," Harry began. "It was Malfoy that started it!"

"Yes, yes!" Snape sighed exasperatedly. "I'm quite familiar with your version of what happened! Always blaming anyone with the name of Malfoy! However," Snape glanced at Merida. "I'm quite sure that it was you, Merida, that started it all?"

"What?"

"I know how you can be, Merida?" Snape glared at her.

"No, father!" Merida yelped. "I actually tried to stop Harry! Draco did attack us first!" She glared back. "Are you or are you not telepathic? But that would show a lack of a father's trust if you use that spell on me now?"

Snape glowered. "Merlin, you sure know how to try one's patience!" he snapped. "Fine! I'll believe you this time! Happy?"

"Extatic!" Merida stated flatly.

"Fine!" Snape retorted. "Malfoy & Potter will share your first week of detention with me!"

"Not fair!" Merida yelped. "I said I had stopped Harry from using his wand! He doesn't deserve this!"

"Well, yes," Snape feined sympathy. "Harry didn't use his wand but he started fighting like a muggle afterward, didn't he?" Snape smiled triumphantly.

"Father! I'm going to do something evil to you for this!" Merida warned. "Maybe rigging your door with a bucket of freezing water like last ye---oops!" Merida just realised she had tattled on herself!

"That! Was! You?!" Snape glared. "Potter! Malfoy! Get out!" As they fled the scene, Snape turned onto Merida. "Merlin's sake! What to do with you?"

"Let's end this!" Merida pulled out her wand!

"My pleasure!" Snape yanked out his own wand. This will be my shortest duel! "Expelliaramus!" Snape tried to throw Merida's wand from her hand. Nothing happened. Snape tried again, but her wand stayed with her! Merida smiled so sweetly at him that Snape felt he would lose....his....mind! She rearranged her collar & a glint of gold caught his eye. "Give it here, Merida!"

"Make me!" she dared him.

Snape pounced her like a lion & yanked off the necklace! "Now," he stood up. "That's bet--!"

"Rictusempra!" Merida caught him off guard.

Snape landed on the other side of the room! "That's NOT the proper way to duel, Merida!" he fumed as he picked himself up! "I'm a powerful pureblood wizard! In a fair fight, I could kill you!"

"Then I've no intention of being fair!" Merida snapped.

Snape groaned. "Merida, I wouldn't actually kill you! I'm just saying that I could very easily!" Snape smiled a bit. "Expelliaramus!" Catching her off gaurd, Merida's wand sailed away from her! Snape scoffed, quite pleased with himself!

Merida glowered! "Accio wand!" She glared at him. "Silenci--!

"Protecto!" Snape guarded himself. "Faster Merida! Arachnia Engorgia!" He summonned a giant spider!

"FATHER!!!!" Merida dropped her wand & fled for the door but she couldn't get through! Snape had set up a force field to block her. Merida whirled around & was inches away from the giant spider. "Father this isn't funny! Get rid of it!"

"No, Merida!" Snape snapped. "YOU get rid of it!!! There is one spell to defeat mine! One you know well, so use it!"

"Ooohh! Which one?" Merida panicked.

"Merlin's sake pull yourself together!" Snape ordered. "Now, think!! You used it on Mcnair! Spiders flee before it?"

Merida picked up her wand again. "Serpensorcia!" She summoned a viper but the spider stayed. "Wha--?"

"Look at the size of my spell, Merida!" Snape sighed, exasperatedly. Merida rolled her eyes but increased the size of her spell. The spider fled away into nothing!

Merida collapsed to the floor & kept her eyes off Snape. "Why did you do that?" she finally asked. "Or do you not know of my phobia?"

"To see how you would react under pressure!" Snape sneered. "Pityful! You let your fear control you! We should duel more often! Yes," Snape was suddenly struck with an idea! "That is how we will spend the last three weeks of your detention!" He tossed her the necklace. "You won't be able to use that during our duels, of course, but wear it in the meantime!" Snape headed for the door. "Oh & by the way," he added. "Silencio isn't allowed in duels! Use it like that again & you'll be stuck in my detention for the rest of you life!"

"Another round with Merida?" came the usual sudden voice!

Snape jumped sideways & pulled out his wand! "ALBUS!" Snape shoved his wand away! He glanced at the floor for a moment. "Just when I think we'll be alright, something or other happens & we fight! What's wrong with us?" Snape asked not expecting an answer.

"Plenty of things!" Dumbledore said. "For one thing, she already had a family & lost them & was almost a year on her own before you told her! Another reason is she is a teen girl seeking her independence! An unimportant three would be your Slythering attitude against Gryfindor!" Dumbledore raised an eyebrow as Snape again glanced awkwardly to the floor. "But I think the main reason is her mixed species! You have to tell her, Severus!"

"Oh, sure!" Snape snapped. "& have her charming everyone from here to the muggle country of Canada Eh?"

Dumbledore burst out laughing! "Severus! Severus! Severus! It's Canada!" Dumbledore laughed. "Not Canada Eh! Eh is something those types of muggles say a lot!"

"Whatever!" Snape muttered. "Like I care!"

"But, seriously though," Dumbledore said. "You have to tell her!" He looked at Snape with a raised eyebrow & then left.

"Merida, remain behind!" Snape ordered. It was the end of Potions Class later that day & Snape decided that it was now or never!

Merida rolled her eyes. Now what did I do? she thought darkly as she turned back to face him.

"Nothing!" Snape said aloud. Merida stared at him! Snape pointed to his forehead. "Telepahic, remember? I have it on right now!" Snape looked awkwardly at Merida for a moment.

"Well?" Merida brought him back to reality. "I have to get Mcgonagall's detention, remember?"

"This will only take a moment!" Snape started. "Merida, you're not completely human!"

"I know!" Merida said. "I'm half magic & half muggle!"

"Magic or muggle is still human," Snape said. "Your Grandmother was a Veela & Rachelle was half-Veela! You're part Veela, yourself! She-Veela's are easily excitable wether in whole or in part! So just try to stay out of trouble!"

Merida took a moment to think on that! "I'm Veela?" she half-laughed. "What species are you?" she asked somewhat sarcastically.

"Pureblood magic human!" Snape said.

"Really?" Merida said in a teasing voice. "Because I was quite sure you'd say vampire!"

Snape glared at her but was suppressing a small smile. "Don't you have somewhere to go?" he hinted.

Merida hurried to catch up with Harry. "I have something to tell you after detention!" she said. Their detention lasted two hours. They had to do extra school work, an essay on transfiguring plants to inanimate objects.

"So what is it?" Harry asked as soon as they were on their way to Gryfindor Tower.

"What? Oh, that!" Merida laughed. "I'm part Veela!" Merida told him what snape had said.

"Well, that explains your blonde hair!" Harry smiled. "Oh, get lost!" he suddenly snapped as Draco appeared on the stairs.

"I was waiting for you!" Draco started.

"Oh, how nice of you!" Merida smiled seductivly. Snape was right!

"Wha--? I--uh--!" Draco stuttered.

"She's part Veela!" Harry laughed.

Draco came out of his trance. "What? Veela?" he gasped, his whole attitude changed. "You sure? Oh, I have to go!" Draco fled the scene!

"Wonder what that was about?" Merida asked.

"No idea!" answered Harry. "She-Veelas are supposed to attract men, not repel them!"

The next day, Draco avoided them whenever he could. For once, Harry & Merida had no trouble with him but they didn't know what to think! Draco was acting very odd!

Snape walked into the Potions room before class that day & found Draco sitting by himself at his desk. "Mr. Malfoy? What are you doing here so early?" Snape asked.

"Is Merida part Veela?" Draco got on the subject.

"Oooohhh!!" Snape raised his eyes to the ceiling & groaned! "It starts!"

"So she IS part Veela!" Draco exclaimed.

"Whoa!" Snape was suddenly overwhelmed with a sense of vulnerability. Feeling dizzy, he sat down beside Draco & tried not to look around the room that seemed to spin in slow motion. "Mr. Malfoy! I sensed that! My Occlumency was off & I still sensed that! What's wrong with you?"

"I'm sorry!" Draco actually started crying a bit! "I'm sorry for everything! I know I'm a bit of a bully but I've been keeping up a tough image to hide something! All that stuff I say about mudb----muggle-borns is just a facade & as for Hermione; she was beautiful!"

"W--What?" Snape half-laughed.

"I'm Veela, too!" Draco burst out. "All Malfoy males are for the past six or seven generations wether in whole or in part! I'm half Veela actually but my father is...." Draco stopped for a moment there! "Veela males are extremely ornery but the more mean we are really means we like someone! For me it's twice as hard because my Veela passions get mixed up with my human side!"

Snape just stared! "You should have told everyone the moment you first arrived at Hogwarts over six years ago! Things would have been very different for you!"

"I know!" Draco was sobbing uncontrollably now. Suddenly he stopped, embarrassed, his Veela emotions switching again with in him! "Sorry!" he actually laughed.

"Nevermind!" Snape said. "Veela males have very volatile emotions! So your father is full Veela? No wonder he was always fighting with Rachelle!"

"Probably because he actually wanted her for himself!" Draco said. "Put two Veelas together wether full or part Veelas & we'll drive each other crazy! It's a wonder full Veelas can even get together!"

"Which makes me wonder," Snape suddenly thought of something. "Is Merida destined for Harry Potter......or for you?"