Updated: Sunday 27th February 2005

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Chapter Thirty Eight: Head to Head

Estella wasn't stupid. She knew that her Uncle's timing in making the invisibility potion with her was his Slytherin way of helping her get to Harry. All she had to do was wait for the right opportunity to put her plan into effect.

Little did she know, however, that she wouldn't need the potion after all.

It was just before Christmas break. Estella was in the library putting the finishing touches on a essay she had due that week.

"Excuse me, are you finished with that book? It's the only copy not booked out." An assertive sounding girl's voice behind her startled Estella from her thoughts. Watching, slack jawed, as the owner of the voice took a seat next to her, Estella couldn't believe her luck.

Sitting next to her was none other than one of Harry's friends.

"You're Professor Snape's niece, aren't you?" The girl continued. "Thought you looked a little small for a Hogwarts student. What are you studying?"

Estella looked at the girl warily, trying to detect any sign of ulterior motives. "Estella, Estella Black." She confirmed, by way of introduction, holding out her hand. "And I'm writing an essay on the origination of the Lumos charm."

"Well I'm Hermione Granger, first year Gryffindor." The bushy haired know-it-all returned the introduction, shaking Estella's offered hand. "You go to the Wizarding school in Hogsmeade then? I've read all about that! What's it like?"

"I take it you're Muggleborn?" Estella answered, amazed at how exciting the mere premise of her school was to the Muggleborn students she came across.

"Do you have a problem with that?" Hermione asked defensively. "You know, I'd heard about you from some of the other students. I didn't want to believe you were so prejudiced!"

"I'm not, ok." Estella said quietly, after checking to see if the coast was clear. "If you must know I spend a majority of my holidays and weekends in Muggle London!"

"Oh," the older girl replied, feeling somewhat dressed down. "Your Uncle takes you?"

"No, for your information my Godfather does." Estella replied in a tone that rendered further questions redundant.

"So Hogsmeade, what's it like then?" Hermione asked, wisely taking the hint by changing the subject.

"You'll see in your third year." Was all Estella said.

"Right, third years have weekend privileges." Hermione replied. "I read about it in 'Hogwarts: A History.'"

Estella rolled her eyes. "Is there anything you don't get out of a book, Hermione?" Estella asked, good humouredly. "Did the hat by any chance try and put you in Ravenclaw?"

Hermione's jaw dropped. "How did you know?"

"Please, Hermione. I've spent my whole life at this school. I know house material when I see it." Estella said nonchalantly.

The girls surprisingly hit it off, and were, before they knew it, giggling and studying together like old friends. That was, until, the-boy-who-lived and a rather hot headed redhead entered the scene.

"Hermione," Estella asked, after a few moments of silence, yet to see Harry and Ron approaching them. "Why do Harry and that Weasley boy glare at me so?"

"I'll tell you why!" The Weasley boy in question bellowed as he rapidly descended upon the pair. "You're bigoted Slytherin scum. Hermione, don't trust this girl! Look at who her Uncle is!"

Estella jumped up form her chair defensively and looked at Harry pleadingly. "It's not what you think. Not all Slytherins are scum."

"You're friends with Malfoy," Harry said quietly. "Are you trying to say he is not scum?"

"His mother is my father's cousin." Estella explained. "Are you trying to tell me that we should judge each other based on who our family's are? That's ludicrous. We can't help who we are related to."

At this, Estella could have sworn she saw a flicker of understanding ignite in Harry's eyes. Meanwhile, Ron pulled a protesting Hermione away from Estella protectively. "Don't listen to her poison, guys, she's bad bloody news."

"Listen here, Weasley." Estella spat. "You have the nerve to call Slytherins bigoted scum! I am not even sorted into a house yet and you think you have me pegged! You are a bigoted hypocrite!"

"Stay away from Harry and Hermione!" Ron said threateningly as he drew his wand and moved to tower over Estella. "Your Uncle is a slimy git and reeks of Dark Magic. There's no way you're not like him!"

"Leave her alone, Ron!" Hermione pleaded, tugging at Ron's arm. "Professor Snape wouldn't be allowed to teach if he was a dark Wizard. And Estella's not like that."

"Then why is he after whatever it is Fluffy is guarding then!" Ron snapped. "He has Dumbledore bewitched, I tell you!"

"Maybe, my Uncle is attempting to protect whatever the school is protecting, you dolt!" Estella growled. "And for your information, no one can bewitch a wizard of Albus Dumbledore's calibre. Don't you know anything?"

"Do you know what Fluffy is protecting?" Harry asked curiously.

Estella looked at him blankly. "Why would I know? My Uncle doesn't bring his work home." She said. "Though I suppose you expect it has something to do with the Hogwarts vault that was broken into at the end of Summer, mmm?"

"See!" Ron cried, stabbing his finger at Estella accusingly. "She knows something and she's not telling!"

"Honestly Ron, regardless of if she is holding out on us, we should respect that she would want to keep Hogwarts business secret." Hermione defended. "Am I right, Estella?"

"Well if I did know any school business I would be required to keep my mouth shut about it." Estella confirmed. "I have on occasion been present at staff meetings in the past."

"However," she continued. "I know nothing of what's on the third floor corridor, except to say that we're all forbidden to go there and that my Uncle has personally threatened to allow Mr Filch to hang me from my thumbs in the dungeons if I ever tried to take a look."

"Your Uncle wouldn't really do that, would he?" Hermione asked, disbelievingly.

"Mione, this is Snape, we're talking about!" Ron sneered.

Estella ignored Ron's comment and looked at Harry. "Oh, he generally has followed through on his threats." She replied. "Though he has never threatened me with this particular punishment before. Not even when I hexed Mr Filch's cat to glow in the dark with my mother's wand."

"You hexed Mrs Norris?" Harry asked, surprised.

"Yep!" Estella smirked. "Damn thing was always sneaking up on me."

"What did your Uncle do then?" Ron asked, curious. "Sentence you to scrub his classroom floor with your toothbrush?"

Estella laughed. "Why, I don't think he's ever had someone do that!" She replied. "Though, don't go giving him any ideas cause that one's right up his alley."

"What did he make you do?" Harry asked, his green eyes bright.

"Oh he sent me to the Headmaster's office." Estella said flippantly. "I was demonstrably mortified. Being sent to the headmaster's office before you're even a student at the school – thankfully it was classed as a domestic matter and didn't go on my school record!"

Ron screwed his face up. "Oh I see why you and Hermione get along then," he said snidely. "You're a swot."

"Ron!" Hermione cried. "I thought we'd gotten past this!"

"I don't care." Ron said defiantly, crossing his arms over his chest. "I still don't trust her."

Estella groaned. Things would go nowhere so long as that argumentative redhead was on the scene. She would have to try and make a go of things with Harry when he was alone. Gathering her parchment and quills, she made to leave.

"Here's the book, Hermione. I should be able to finish my work without it now." She said, handing Hermione the book they had been discussing earlier. "I really must go put my things away if I want to make it back to the Great Hall in time for dinner."

"It was nice to meet you, maybe I'll see you in here again sometime?" Hermione replied.

Estella nodded, then, turning to Harry. "I'm sorry we had to meet this way, Harry. There's a lot we need to discuss one day, but now is clearly not the time." She said diplomatically, before looking at Ron. "You have some pretty loyal friends there. I'm glad for you."

Harry could only nod as his mind clumsily turned over what the strange girl had said. Estella took this as his acknowledgement, taking it as her queue to turn on her heel and leave the Library without another word, her robes billowing after her.

"She is definitely Snape's niece!" Ron said once her retreating form was out of ear shot. "Look at how she makes her robes do that!"

"You checking her out or something, Ron?" Hermione teased as she gathered her things into her book bag so that she could leave.

Spluttering indignantly, Ron glared. "No way! I told you I don't trust her." He said, following on Hermione's heel. "Harry, mate, you coming?"

Harry snapped out of his line of thought and set his legs in motion. "Sure, Ron." He said distractedly, his mind still confused about what the girl had said to him.

His subconscious was tweaked. 'There's something familiar about her…'

End Chapter: Head to Head