Helping Harry
Chapter 1 A New Challenge
When I arrived at Hogwarts I was surprised to see that it wasn't like I had expected it would. I had always heard that Hogwarts was magical in appearance and you felt protected. What I saw was a castle that seemed as if it had finally seen to much and was about to die, there were a few students in the halls but for the most part it they were empty. As I made my way to Dumbledore's office, I noticed that the eyes of many of the students were vacant and expressionless.
"Headmaster, are you in there?" I called, through his door.
"Yes, come in," Dumbledore answered.
I was enveloped in a hug the minute I crossed the threshold. The man hugging me had long black hair and eyes that matched. I could tell that my mum was not lying when she said that I looked similar to him.
"Cousin Sev?" I asked.
"Hello, Sarah, you've grown," Severous Snape, potions master of Hogwarts, said.
"You haven't seen me since I was five, of course I have."
I'm the only one that Sev ever shows any affection to. It's probably because I've always wanted to follow in his footsteps and become a potions master or I suppose mistress in my case. We hadn't seen each other in so long because of his ties with Voldemort. When Harry Potter killed him Sev tried to visit but after a few years thought it would be too risky, basically he knew the Dark Lord would be coming back.
"Ms. Marsula, Severous has been telling me all about you," said Dumbledore. "I hope he is right about you. We desperately need your help."
"As I've been told but why me? I'm only 17," I said.
"You seem to be able to talk to people and help them. You've had friends in the past like this, correct?"
"Yes, and I'll try my best."
"Good, Dobby will show you to your rooms and Mr. Potter will be there soon."
The house elf, Dobby, led me to my rooms. I started to look around, the rooms were furnished in a nice way, very plush, and they had many old statues, vases, and some paintings from the 17th century. When I went back to the main room and sat down on a nice cushy sofa, I heard a knock on the door. I got up and answered it; a scared looking boy was on the other side. I showed him in and sat down on the settee, I didn't want to pry but couldn't help but try to take a look into his mind. The way I get into someone's mind is almost the exact opposite then the way Sev does; I'm very gentle and slip in. I didn't like what I saw; I was surrounded by pain, sadness, and grief. I reached out to the boy but he pulled back.
"Please don't," he said. "Don't even try to understand me, you can't. No one can help, they shouldn't have saved me. I don't have the right to live. I'll never be able to save anyone; I don't know why everyone thinks I can."
My heart was breaking for the boy, I knew how he felt, and I wished I could help him. I had friends like him and I often felt the same way.
"Harry, I'll never be able to fully understand everything you've gone through, but I can try." I said. "Please let me help you."
"You can't, the minute you find out what I and who I really am you'll hate me. Believe me I've tried to change."
"Why would I hate you? I don't think I could hate anyone."
"I didn't think anyone told you, I'd better. Then you'll see that I'm not worth it."
"Are you gay?" I asked. I could not help but ask, I can almost always tell if a guy is and I know it is not polite to ask but I had to ask.
"You mean it's that obvious? Shit! Well you might as well leave now."
"Why? It's not like I don't have gay friends."
"You, you are friends with…"
"Yeah, I am, girls and guys, it doesn't bug me."
That was our first breakthrough, I'm glad we made it then instead of later. Harry really opened up to me after that. He and I talked for hours and he even told me who he liked. He had the hugest crush on Draco Malfoy. After I saw a picture of him, I had to agree, Draco was hot. I vowed to Harry that I'd find a way to get them together or at least find out if Draco was gay or bisexual. Harry fell asleep on my settee and every night after that slept in the guestroom.