Chapter 2: Nadia
Draco hovered in the shadows, across from Flourish and Botts. He watched a girl, about his age, talking to someone. He couldn't tell who though. The person she was talking to moved about and he saw who it was. "Potter," Draco growled. There, standing talking to girl, was Potter and his two sidekicks. A cold draft blew through the alley, making Draco shiver and pull his cloak tightly around his body. Draco lowered his hood, he knew no one could see him so he wasn't in any danger of being discovered. For now atleast. He couldn't hear everything that the group was talking about. But he caught the girl's name. Nadia..Nadia Taylor. Draco smiled. Nadia sounded like a strong name. He strained to hear what Nadia was saying. She was saying something about McGonagall. "Why would she be talking about McGonagall?" he thought. But, Ron had seemed to answer his next question. "Your aunt..is Professor McGonagall?" stammered Ron. Draco was taken aback. He never knew McGonagall had a niece. But, Professors always had secrets. Snape had many secrets and kept them from Dumbledore. At the thought of Snape, Draco's anger flared up, causing his fists to bunch up. Suddenly, the air in the alley seemed to grow thick, suffocating him slowly, like the way Voldemont was doing. Draco knew, that in time, Voldemont's use for him would be gone, and Draco would be discarded like a rag doll. Draco caught a couple sentences about how Nadia was homeschooled. "Hum," he thought. Then, as if she knew he was watching her, she turned her head in his direction. Nadia turned and asked Harry who was in the corner, but when everyone turned back to the corner, Draco had already disappeared into the dark, cold shadows of Diagon Alley.
Nadia spent the rest of her afternoon, lazily strolling with Harry, Ron and Hermione. When dusk fell, the 4 of them bid their goodbyes and Harry, Ron and Hermione trudged off to Ron's home. Nadia bit her lip and started off towards The Leaky Cauldron. "I could have sworen that I saw someone across from Flourish and Botts," she muttered. Darkness started falling like a velvet curtain, and Nadia was just stepping into The Leaky Cauldron. She walked up the bartender. Tom, the bartender looked up and asked "What can I get you miss?" "Well I was hoping maybe you had any rooms left?" Tom looked at her and flipped open the ledger. "Nope, sorry miss, all rooms are full." Nadia sighed. "Please sir, I don't have anywhere to stay, and I don't know where to find my aunt." "Who's your aunt?" Tom asked curiously. "Professor McGonagall." Tom froze and slammed the ledger shut. "Yes! We have some rooms left. Do you have any bags with you ma'am?" Tom asked curtly. Nadia handed him her bags, and she trailed after him. "Um shouldn't you ask me for proof that I'm McGonagall's niece?" Nadia said questioningly. Tom shook his head. "Your aunt told me a couple months a go that you'd be coming. Should me a picture of you. Sorry about the misunderstanding." Tom pushed open her door, and Nadia squealed. There sitting on her bed, was her snow owl, named Neige. "Neige!" Nadia squealed as she rushed to hug her owl. "Oh thats your bloody owl, it pecked my hand when I tried to shoo it out of the room," Tom growled. Nadia gave him a cold look. "He has a name. His name is Neige." Tom scratched his head, he looked lost. "What is Neige?" "Neige is French for snow." Nadia snapped. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like some privacy." With that Tom left the room angrily.