Hi everybody. Yay for me, I've updated again! And it's a long chapter this time, well, long for me. About twice as long as the last one. And as promised, the introduction of the Sword of Wrevil! Thanks so much to MerlinHalliwell, Mademoiselle Morte, discordchick...Snape's not going to be getting hurt any time soon, but Koraleigh's got another trip to the hospital wing ahead of her, probably next chapter, so Snape gets another chance...emmasnape99, and No Name LOL. And if anyone has any thoughts, comments, questions or anything like that, you can leave them in the reviews and I'll answer! Thanks again, everyone!

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Henny and Gretchen looked extremely relieved as Koraleigh joined them at the Gryffindor table for dinner that night.

"We were coming to check on you after dinner." said Henny anxiously. "You are all right, aren't you."

"Yeah. I'm fine." replied Koraleigh with a smile. She had a long time to think things over in the hospital wing and decided that if people were going to hate her for no good reason except for maybe some grudge they held against her father, she wasn't going to hold it against them. She was just grateful for the friends she had, even if she only had known them for a day. "But I did miss an entire day of lessons. The first ever, no less. I'm so jealous of you guys. What happened."

"Nothing really. You didn't miss much." replied Henny

"None of the teachers even mentioned you." said Gretchen. "I guess the nurse must have talked to them or something."

"In Transfiguration, we were trying to turn matches into needles, but nobody managed to do anything, so you aren't really behind there. In History of Magic, well, the most exciting thing is that the teacher's...."

"A Ghost!" interjected Gretchen, her face shining. "I can't wait to write home and tell Mum and Dad about it."

Koraleigh couldn't help but smile at her new friend's enthusiasm, but Henny merely waved her off and continued. "Only thing in History of Magic is that we have to write a two foot essay on one of the Hogwarts Founders, either Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, or Salazar Slytherin. Your choice, it doesn't have to be your house founder. Then in Charms, Professor Flitwick gave us a display of some Charms..."

"Which was totally cool!" exclaimed Gretchen. "I can't wait to be able to do that!"

"Then all we did after that was take notes on wand-handling. Rather disappointing after the display. You can borrow mine."

Koraleigh nodded. "Ok. Thanks."

Later on, Harry, Hermione, and Ron all came over to make sure that Koraleigh was really all right, though Ron seemed less then happy about doing so. Koraleigh wondered idly what he had against her, then surmised that it was probably something to do with her father, just like everyone else. Koraleigh couldn't understand what everyone hated about him. Though that brought to mind something.

"I've got to go and see my dad after supper." said Koraleigh off-handedly.

"Do you know how to get there, Koraleigh?" asked Hermione kindly. "I'll show you, if you like."

"Thanks, Hermione." said Koraleigh with some relief. She didn't think she would be able to find it alone. Hogwarts was so big, and so confusing, and she'd only been here 24 hrs, a large portion of which had been spent in the hospital wing and Gryffindor Tower. If it weren't for Madam Pomfrey's conjured map, which had disappeared upon Koraleigh's arrival, Koraleigh wouldn't be surprised if she still hadn't found the Great Hall.

When everyone was finished eating, they all left the Great Hall, then departed from each other, Koraleigh and Hermione going left, the others going right back to the common room.

"Does your dad want to check on you?" asked Hermione knowingly. "It's something my parents would do."

"Actually, he wants me to help him figure out who did it. I told him it didn't matter, but..."

"They do need to be punished, Koraleigh." said Hermione seriously, and Koraleigh could see concern reflecting in the older girl's eyes. "Otherwise, what's to stop them from doing it again. Their next victim might not be so lucky."

Koraleigh nodded. "Yeah, I know. I just don't want to be a tattletale."

"Don't worry about it. You're doing the right thing."

Koraleigh nodded a bit uncomfortably, and the remainder of the journey was spent in silence.

At last, they reached the familiar door to Snape's office.

"Thank you, Hermione." Koraleigh said. "I think I'll be able to find my way back, though. It'll be good for me. I need to learn where everything is."

Hermione gave Koraleigh a dubious look. "Well, if you're sure. Just be careful" she said hesitantly. Koraleigh realized that it was probable that Hermione had accompanied her, not only to help with directions, but for Koraleigh's safety. But she didn't want someone tagging along with her all the time.

"I will be." said Koraleigh. "Thanks, Hermione." Hermione disappeared back the way she had come from, and Koraleigh turned to knock on the door.

"Come in." called her father's voice, so Koraleigh pushed open the heavy, wooden door, and went in.



After a fruitless hour of her father trying to pick her brain, they were both frustrated and Koraleigh was quite ready to call it a night. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to be able to come up with identities when she hadn't seen the people clearly, and didn't know hardly anyone well enough to be able to recognize them even if she had seen them.

"Are you sure you'll be able to find your way back? I could accompany you."

"I'll be fine, Dad." said Koraleigh, a bit irritated. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Snape stared after his daughter with almost a wistful expression. "If you're sure, then. Good night."

"Night, Dad." said Koraleigh as she hurried out the door.

Koraleigh breathed a sigh of relief as the door closed behind her. 'Finally, some aloneness.' she thought to herself in relief. Koraleigh was one of those people who could. only tolerate people up to a point before she started getting cranky, and she was already past her breaking point.

She walked slowly, concentrating on trying to remember exactly Harry had taken her back from the dungeons to Gryffindor Tower the night before, but it wasn't long before she came to the startling conclusion that she had no idea where she was. She kept walking, hoping to find a familiar sight, or even better, someone who could point the way.

It was almost by accident that she stumbled upon the library, almost empty due to it only being the first day back. Koraleigh checked the time, and realizing she had a little over an hour before curfew, decided to sit down and do her essay for History of Magic. She had excelled at her muggle school and was determined to do the same here.

Koraleigh walked in, and politely asked the librarian, Madam Pince where she could find information about the Hogwarts Founders'. The librarian directed her to a book entitled, Hogwarts, A History. Retrieving the book, Koraleigh sat down with it, flipping through it, debating who her essay would be about. She finally decided to do it on Salazar Slytherin. It seemed he had led the most interesting life of the four, and besides, her father would be pleased.

The essay only took her about 45 minutes to complete, and Koraleigh was pleased with the finished product, glad that she had brought her book bag with her. She packed her things, and left, hoping that maybe the common room would be easier to find now. She wasn't to be so lucky.

After wandering around for a good half an hour, way past curfew, Koraleigh was ready to be found. 'How ironic is this, that the one time I'm actually breaking the rules and want to caught, there's no one around.' thought Koraleigh to herself. 'I swear I've seen that statue before, but which way did I turn?'

She continued wandering blindly, but then she heard the faintest sound off to her left. Koraleigh assumed it was only her conscious making something of a simple creak of the old castle, but decided to go that way to check it out. 'After all,' she argued with herself, 'that way might be the right way anyway.'

As she crept closer, it began apparent that the sounds was indeed the sound of voices coming from a room off to Koraleigh's right. She was about to barge in and ask for help when she became aware of what they were saying and hung back.

"...mustn't let the students know."

"Yes, indeed. They would only be in danger, if they knew about the Sword of Wrevil." said Snape. Her father! Koraleigh was in the process of barging in anyway, despite all the obvious secrecy. But something in her told her to wait and listen a bit more, so she did.

"Perhaps having something this dangerous in the castle is unwise, Headmaster?"

"Ah, but it is for our safety as well, Minerva. I daresay that Voldemort does not know that we have it, or even that he needs it. As long as no one outside this room knows it is here, it shall be quite safe."

"I recall you saying the same thing about the Sorcerer's Stone, and a couple of first years managed to get past that."

"A most unfortunate occurrence, but one that turned out quite well. No, no, the Sword of Wrevil is perfectly secure."

"But what if someone finds out about it? What will happen."

"We will have no choice but to Obliviate them. This weapon is the only thing that can defeat Voldemort, and it will stay right here until the proper time."

Koraleigh had heard enough. She was not going to allow herself to be Obliviated, even it meant being able to get back to the dormitories. She turned quickly and hurried back the way she had come, careful to be as silent as possible.

Luckily for Koraleigh, she had only gone a little bit before someone shone a bright light in her eyes.

"Oh, er, it's you." said Harry and Hermione's friend Ron. Then he stiffened a bit. "You're not allowed to be out after curfew. Think you're too good to follow the rules, do you?"

Koraleigh shook her head nervously. "No, I was coming back from the library, and I couldn't find Gryffindor Tower...I've been lost for so long. I'm glad you found me."

Ron paused, and then shook his head. "It's right over there." he said gruffly. "Just turn left at the end of the corridor."

"Thanks." said Koraleigh gratefully. She hurried in the direction he had pointed, quickly gave the password, slipped upstairs and into her bed. But she had a lot to process and think over before finally falling into a deep sleep.