Author's note: Please be aware that I own ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, everything, except my character OC(S) I place here, belongs to the wonderful Lady J.K. Rowling. THIS IS A TRIAL RUN! I would very much like to hear your thoughts. I was originally never going to upload this fiction, however, I know it was something I was looking forward to sharing. This is a Sirius Black/OC, maybe Severus Snape/OC, Fanfiction. So, welcome back, readers! I hope you enjoy this one as much as you have the first 2 Harry Potter stories! :) Do enjoy it, this is the Harry Potter era, so it's going to be a bit. Keep your heads up. Enjoy!

Updated: 12/2021

Chapter 5

Albus watched from his office window at the four running outside, laughing and enjoying the winter holiday. A friendly snowball fight. Ron and Harry versus Sage, and in the mix of it all they had incorporated Draco, all because Sage had purposely got him with a snowball, apologized then challenged him to win. "Who could get hit with the most snowballs before we get tired."

And from the looks of it all, as it carried on day end and day out for four days of their break, it looked as if Sage was losing the game, but it didn't look as if she much cared if she lost. She was enjoying herself, so were the three boys. Albus would have to say the twenty-three-year-old woman probably hadn't laughed this much, or had this much fun, in years. And during them, all having fun, Ron, Harry, and Draco hadn't thought once about the rivalry. They were having fun and they were getting along.

That was until Lucius Malfoy showed up, a searing glare at his son before leveling the redhead with a vicious sneer. His blue eyes filled with poison. "Draco… Come." Lucias snapped.

The three children shared a confused expression as Draco looked at his father, confused as to why his father had come? "But I thought I was staying for the Holiday?" He asked.

"Not any longer… I will not have my son associating with the likes of them." Lucias sneered with disgust at the three who'd prompted his son into their ridiculous games. "Now, Draco!" Lucius scolded.

"But I want to stay. I missed the train, it's only fair I stay the Holidays as we had all previously planned. Why change the plans now?" Draco slightly argued back.

"I am your father, boy, you will return to your Dorm room and pack your things at once!"

Ron and Harry had taken their places next to Sage, they could do nothing, and really, they didn't know what to do even if they could. And neither did Sage. Draco was not her son. She could not argue for him to stay. Lucius was his father and had come personally to collect his son. However, the woman with blonde hair under her up-do of dark brown hair atop her head and storming their way had caught her attention.

"I thought I'd find you here, Lucius Malfoy!" A woman shouted after him. And he didn't seem in the least bit happy to have her there.

"Narcissa, I thought I told you to stay at the INN," Lucius grumbled with a slight huff.

Her stern blue eyes glared at her husband with disappointment. "Don't you dare take that tone with me! We had plans and now you change them, Draco perfectly understood the plans for this Holiday, we've had this planned since last year! You bailed on our lunch, left me sitting in the restaurant waiting for you and here I find you ruining our sons' Holiday! And from what I saw just before you stormed across the field, was our son actually having fun for the first time in quite some time!" Narcissa shouted at him. "Now, we are going back to the INN, having our holiday and we will have a makeup Christmas next year on New Year's for Draco…. Now march it." Narcissa scolded him with anger.

Sage stared wide-eyed at the couple. Mostly Narcissa, she was angry, pissed off really. Sage's slight fright had turned into shock when Lucius huffed and began to silently grumble to himself as he marched back up towards the school. Now he had to go back into Albus's office to leave because he'd used the Professor's Floo network to get into the school. And he'd likely also be getting a good scolding from the Headmaster.

Turning her attention from her husband's retreating form, Narcissa took a moment to calm herself down before looking to her sons' wide-eyed expression, but he wasn't the only wide eyes present that had witnessed that. All four of them, the redheaded boy, likely a Weasley, Potter, and the redheaded woman who spiked her immediate interest. "You're new, I've never seen you here before on my previous visits to Hogwarts."

A bit shocked that the Malfoy mother was speaking to her, Sage's wide eyes hadn't deflated at all as she nodded. "You're right, I am new. Um… Is… Is everything alright?" She asked curiously. The woman seemed to not only be deflating from her irritation at her husband, but she also looked emotionally hurt.

Nodding at the appreciation of the woman asking her well-being, Narcissa smiled kindly to her, "Yes, I'll be fine as soon as the Holidays can return to how they were meant to be…" Holding her arms open for her son, "Draco, sweetheart, give your mother a hug." Narcissa said, and he had complied entirely. "I love you, darling,"

"Love you too mum."

"Now, enjoy Christmas, gifts are on their way for you." She said, ignoring the others, and placed a kiss on her son's forehead. Looking back to the redhead, Narcissa nodded, "Narcissa Malfoy by the way." She introduced herself, holding a handout for the woman.

Smiling, and her expression returning to normal, Sage accepted her gloved hand and both women shook hands, "Sage Potter." Sage introduced herself. However, she saw the confusion and slightly suspicious look Narcissa gave her, Sage instantly became worried.

"Potter?" Narcissa asked curiously. Her blue eyes glanced towards Harry with wonder, "James never had a sister." She stated with some suspicion. And she had every right to be.

Shaking her head at Narcissa's statement she agreed with her, then corrected her previous words, "No, I'm his cousin, I didn't attend Hogwarts until 1980."

Still slightly curious, Narcissa nodded, a calculating smile on her face as their eyes continued to stare into one another's. "Ah, well then that would explain why I never knew you. I didn't know the Marauders very well either. My condolences. However, may I ask why their son was given to Muggles instead of anyone else in the family?" She asked. Narcissa was testing Sage. And the redhead had quickly figured that out.

"My parents died shortly after I attended Hogwarts, I was too young to care for Harry, being a child myself then. I was told that Petunia and her husband were the safest places for him," Sage explained.

Unable to argue that, Narcissa calmed her nerves and nodded. "Of course, my apologies. Well, Happy Holidays, Sage. Watch over Draco in my absence?" She asked a smile on her face and a playful shine in her eyes.

Nodding with an inviting smile she looked from Narcissa to Draco then back to the mother, "Any time you need, Mrs. Malfoy."

"Please, call me Narcissa." Taking a breath, she leveled a look to Harry and Ron, "Potter, Weasley."

Their backs instantly straightened with slight intimidation. Watching as her brow rose in curiosity at their behavior, then again, she had sounded a bit stern.

"Happy Holidays. Goodbye Draco, I will pick you up at the train station at the end of the year, I expect letters young man, I haven't gotten one in weeks." Narcissa stated slightly with a stern stare at her son then walked after her now disappeared husband.

"That's your mother?" Harry asked.

Nodding, Draco sighed. His parents were always intense. Draco loved them, but he always felt like he was holding his breath when he was with them. "Yeah…" Suddenly curious at Harry's question and curiosity, Draco gave the boy a strange look, "Why?"

"She's beautiful is all I meant by it," Harry said with a shrug. This had Draco smiling calmly as he looked back at his mother's retreating figure. "Yeah, she is. But she can be scary sometimes." He admitted.

Smiling to the boys, Sage cleared her throat, feeling the cold soaking into her bones after that, and it made her wonder how the boys were fairing. "Well, how does lunch and hot Coco sound, boys? Maybe we can take something to Hermione." Sage offered. Harry and Ron instantly agreed.

Hearing thins, Draco's smile, unfortunately, faltered, "I… Um, I think I'll pass."

"Why?" Harry asked. And he had to say, he felt somewhat dim afterward. Hermione was Muggle-born, and Draco had been crueler to her than he had to him and Ron.

Seeing his fallen shoulders and now down mood, Sage had started to open her mouth to say something, but Ron had beat her to it. "Draco, if you don't try to start making up for everything, beginning with her, you'll never truly be okay with anything. In the last four days, you've been the happiest person I've ever seen truly seen you. I mean, you've even been nice to us. Hermione's the real person you should be making up with more than anyone." Ron spoke up kindly, and honestly.

Sighing softly, Sage nodded, seeing where Ron was coming from, "He's right Draco. Why don't you come with us to see her, maybe be the one to offer her the food we take? However, it is fully your decision, we cannot, and we will not force you to do anything you are uncomfortable with." Sage finally got a word in, but Ron was right. If Draco didn't start with Hermione, he'd never truly be able to be happy being around them. The boy had willingly participated in their several days of fun when they'd 'challenge him' to see if he could do better or win, after a while he'd forgotten all about the challenge and began to have fun, even teaming up with Ron and Harry against Sage in their little games. She'd lose in the end of course, but that never mattered to her. She felt success in the situation when Draco sighed as he gently kicked the snow around his feet with small nods here and there.

"Alright… I'll… I'll give it a try, can't hurt anymore, can it?" he said with a nervous sigh. Ron was right, the last four days they'd gone out and played in the snow. He'd had more fun doing something that was not cruel to another, gossiping or doing verbal harm. He'd laughed, played with kids who were a positive impact. While he liked being around Crabbe and Goyle, they seemed to simply enjoy eating, pushing people around, and bullying others, even their own Slytherin classmates.

Ron and Harry had to say they'd been surprised the first two days when Sage had got Draco involved in their first snowball fight, even more so the second day when Draco had willingly jumped in himself. Granted he'd been his usual arrogant self and being rude, but he'd only been playfully rude. And the two boys had noticed it and never took his rudeness to heart. However, they would admit that it had taken them a while to figure it out. On the third and fourth day, they had all started the snowball fight themselves, snuck up on Sage, and had ambushed the woman.

Hermione had been shocked, never believing a single word the boys told her. But on the nights of Sage's visits, Hermione had brought up the subject thinking the boys were messing with her, Sage had explained it all. Now Hermione just had to wait to see if Malfoy would treat her the same or if he'd try to mend what he'd broken before it had the slightest chance of being built in the first place their first year. And it had come in the form of Sage and her two friends walking in with Draco carrying a small plate of food for her. She watched as he'd set the plate of food on her bed's table at the foot of her bed, moving the table for her to reach and smiled a little, "Thank you," Hermione said, she was a little skeptical, but she was hungry. Nibbling here and there at the plate of food the four of them talked, catching them all up on things.

This was where Sage would leave them, they didn't need her to be a mother hen, "See you kids at Supper?"

"Yes ma'am," The three boys called after her, "Bye Sage!" Hermione called after the retreating woman. This was their chance. Becoming serious Hermione sighed and looked between Harry and Ron, "Okay, so I asked Neville to go to the library for me, and he hasn't found anything."

"Of course not, it's Neville, Hermione." Ron snickered out. But his laughter was cut short by Hermione's leveled glare. Clearing his throat Ron stopped his laughter, "Sorry."

Laughing to himself, Draco glanced back to Hermione with some curiosity, "What did you have him looking for?" Draco asked curiously. However, at Hermione's opened mouth and glancing at the two boys Draco raised a brow, she had nothing to say? Seriously? "I already know you thought I was the Heir of Slytherin, I'm flattered, but it's not me. The Chamber of Secrets has been lost. It was supposed to be in Slytherin's office, then it was said to be deep in the Dungeons of Slytherin's Common room, none of that is true, trust me… I've actually looked." He admitted a bit embarrassed.

"Oh, well then. I had Neville look for a book on Slytherin, about the Founder himself."

Almost laughing at her he sighed and shook his head, "You won't find much. He left the school before any of them even had their biographies done as a first edition, his section is barely filled in like the others. In their second Volume, the Founders do talk about him, unfortunately, nothing is in his words." Draco stated.

"Really? There are two volumes?" Hermione asked curiously.

Nodding, Draco smiled, "I borrowed it from Professor Snape, I just finished it, if you'd like to borrow it you can." Draco stated again.

Hermione was stunned as she blinked at him. "Um, yes, I would actually be interested in it. But won't Professor Snape be upset? I mean it is his book after all?" He asked.

Shaking his head Draco shrugged, "I'll ask for an extension. Tell him there were a few things in there that I didn't quite understand and wanted to re-read it, which isn't actually a lie." He admitted, a small blush on his cheeks.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I was told Mss. Potter was here." Lockhart spoke from behind them, a slightly confused expression on his face as he looked at the four students. However, he became suspicious at seeing Draco with them, "Mr. Malfoy, I hope you aren't here to cause them any trouble." He asked a bit sternly. Though, their collective scrunched brows at him had him left for a loop or so. "No? Oh, all right then, carry on. Ah, Potter, have you any idea where your cousin is?"

"No, not a clue." He spoke up, even if it was not a lie, but he wouldn't have told him in the first place.

Nodding to the boy, Lockhart sighed, "Alright, have a lovely day," And with that, Lockhart was off.

His brow still scrunched, Draco glanced at Harry in wonder, "Is he stalking her, Potter? That's the fifth time in three days he's come around asking where she was."

"He probably is," Ron grumbled.

"No wonder she stays near Professor Snape or Professor McGonagall," Draco mumbled. Now, this got their attention.

"Snape? What about Snape?" Ron asked.

Confused still, Draco wasn't understanding their question, "I'm lost, what's with the faces?" Draco asked.

"She's hanging around Professor Snape?" Harry asked with worry.

Now Draco was really confused, why did it matter? Nodding at them Draco shrugged a little, "Why does it matter?"

"We just don't trust him is all." Ron said carefully, "Last year he was really suspicious."

"For a moment I thought it was because he was a Slytherin." Draco sighed with relief, "But if it makes you feel better, he is a bit quiet. But that's just some of us Slytherin's. He's a tough person, definitely a tough teacher, but that's what makes him a brilliant Potions Master." Draco spoke up for Snape with ease.

"Have to remember also Harry, last year it turned out to be someone else that was after the Stone. Snape could just be her friend. She has every right to be friends with someone, anyone." Hermione said. Draco was right. But it also seemed Harry and Ron were forgetting that Professor Quirrell had been the culprit, not Snape as they had thought. And she had set his cloak on fire. Something Hermione had felt horrible in doing after the fact of knowing it hadn't been him.

From then on, Draco had brought Hermione her homework and some books, he'd been shocked when she'd finished the second volume to the Hogwarts's Founder's Biography. Something the two seemed to have a vast conversation on. Things Draco hadn't quite understood, things they disagreed on, and things they did agree on. However, when it had come to the blood status of the students who'd attend, Draco and Hermione were easy on the subject. "I was raised that way though, but you're the smartest Witch in our year and you weren't raised in the Wizarding community… Maybe our Philosophy of opinion is wrong. Especially after I found some research on Obscurus…. If we had Muggle-borns' suppressing their magical abilities like that because they couldn't go to a school to learn about them, to hone their skills, and learn to use them properly, then we really could be exposed. That's even more dangerous." Draco admitted softly, he didn't dare to look at Hermione as he'd said it, but it was true. But had Draco Malfoy had the courage to look at the girl he'd have seen her growing smile.

February

The month after the Holiday's Draco had noticed Crabbe and Goyle's sudden change towards him. His letters to his mother had consisted of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, telling her she was brilliant in her young years. Where Narcissa may not have liked the idea of Draco being friends with a muggle-born, she was not going to tell him otherwise. He was happy and he was her only child. And his happiness was her heart's beating goal.

However, this particular day was rather annoying.

Harry had been jumped by a singing Dwarf singing a Valentine's to him, as had many others. But this moment was actually quite funny. Sitting next to Hermione in Potions they were startled from their lesson by Sage rushing in and slamming the door closed just before a Dwarf could catch her.

Snape's brow rose with an assumption and slight curiosity about why she had run into his classroom panting for breath and leaning her body back into the door as if she were desperate to keep the door from opening to anyone.

Panting with slight exhaustion Sage rested against the door, "Don't mind me, just trying to keep what's left of my dignity. Mind if I join you for a moment?" She asked, the Dwarf's song half muted on the other end of the door.

Shaking his head, Snape tapped a table next to him. He almost grinned at the look she gave him, "There are no chairs and my desk and chair belong to me,"

"Very well. Table it is." She poked back. But before he could respond Sage shifted before the students into her Snow-white, blue-eyed, Fox.

"WHOA!" The students shouted with delight. They were amazed at her transformation. They'd only ever seen McGonagall Transform like that! Watching as she trotted along on her little legs and tiny paws, they noticed how small she was. However, her tail was longer than her body! It was fascinating!

"H-how-how did she do that?" Harry asked as he watched her fox self jump up onto the table with grace and ease and sat, her long tail wrapping around her paws almost two times.

"She is what we call an Animagus, Potter, but this is not Defense against the Dark Arts, nor is it Care of Magical Creatures. Back to the lesson." Snape stated with annoyance and proceeded on with the afternoon lesson plan.

May 8th, 1993

Sage was in the Library reading that afternoon, after all the attacks she figured it was not safe to leave Hermione alone. While Harry and the others were at the Quidditch game, not to mention Hagrid and the other Professors attending the game were watching the students there, Sage had decided she'd go with Hermione to make sure she was alright. All the while listening to Hermione rambling on about how ridiculous Harry and Ron were being, even Draco! Thinking that Hagrid was, in fact, the one to open the Chamber fifty years ago and that it was completely absurd! "Well, you're right Hermione, it's completely ridiculous, but until there is proof -"

"I found it!" Hermione shouted with delight and rushed around the bookshelf to Sage.

"SHUSH! Silence in the library, Granger!" The Librarian scolded. Hermione softly apologized as the woman walked away leaving the two witches alone. Reading the passage in the book she'd found, they started to discuss it. "Hermione, if it is this thing then we would have seen it."

"Then how could it be getting around?" She asked. An idea struck them both, "The pipes," the two said in unison with a smile of excitement.

"Of course, the school was built ages ago, the plumbing is going to be huge." Hermione smiled. They'd figured it out.

The sudden sound of the floor creaking around the bookshelf startled them, but no one was there. They were alone in the Library, aside from one other student and the Librarian. But no one was near them at this time, the Librarian had done her rounds on this side. Suspicious, Sage rested a hand on the girls' shoulder, "Your mirror, Hermione. Get it out, make notes, tear the page from the book and keep it on you."

"What? But this is -"

"Just do it, I don't think that's a friend that's near us." Sage softly whispered to the second year. Her last desire was to scare her, but the small hairs on Sage's skin were standing on end, worst of all, she had that nasty shiver snaking down her spine.

Frightened, Hermione quickly did as told and ripped the page from the book and set the book back onto the bookshelf in front of her in a random place and began to write quick notes down as Sage rounded the corner to see what, or who, was near them. Unfortunately, she'd found the only other student in the library petrified on the floor. Turning to warn Hermione, her bright blue eyes only found a flash of light. And it was lights out.

McGonagall rushed to the Hospital Wing as fast as she could, the news she had gotten was terrifying, two more students, not to mention Sage was a victim as well! "What happened!" she shouted.

"We don't know. Only that they were found in the library. Mss. Granger had this Mirror in her grasp." Snape gently explained to her.

"Quidditch is canceled, McGonagall, gather Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter. Maybe the Mirror means something, they may know." Albus sighed before walking out and back to his Tower.

With her heart clenching painfully, seeing the expression on Sage's face, Minerva walked to the Gryffindor tent while Madam Hooch handled the other team and the announcements.

"This match has been canceled," she stated.

The players gave her a confused expression. However, Oliver Wood was more vocal, "You can't cancel Quidditch, Professor."

Leveling a stern and already upset glare to the young Wizard, "Silence Wood, you and your team shall make your way back to Gryffindor Tower, now. Except you, Potter, you and I must find Mr. Weasley."

Upon rushing into the Hospital Wing, Minerva warned the two boys with worry. "Granger was found near the Library, I'm sorry Potter, but Sage was found inside the Library, beside Mss. Clearwater," she said. Lifting Hermione's Mirror from the side table she showed it to the boys, "She was found with this in her possession, does this mean anything to you two?" she asked gently.

Shaking their heads as they stared between Hermione's petrified body and that of Sage, the boys took their seats between the two Witches. "No, nothing," Harry said sadly.

"Professor, why was Sage attacked?" Harry asked.

"Likely because she stood between the attacker and Granger," Minerva explained. Her eyes drifted to Sage and her eyes softened with dread. She had to leave, she couldn't look at the woman like this.

"Come, you need to return to Gryffindor Tower, the both of you. I must make an announcement," she stated and ushered the two boys from the Wing. They were startled by Draco almost running into them with fright on his face, "Tell me it isn't true! Are they-"

"They are alive, Mr. Malfoy, but they are Petrified," Minerva informed the blond Slytherin. "However, you three students and everyone else who are not in classes are to report back to their Common Room..." Minerva stated. Her priority was to see Mr. Malfoy to his Common Room, which she did. But as the boys followed behind her they spoke in whispers. They had made a plan for a night where they could meet at Hagrid's and ask him about the Chamber of Secrets. But the way they were going to have to go about it was rather unnerving.

Harry and Ron had his father's cloak, but they hadn't found Draco as they made their way out of the Common Room, not even when they made their way out towards Hagrid's.

Ron had continued to keep his eyes out for the boy, "Where is he?" he asked in a whisper.

Shaking his head with worry, Harry sighed as they made their way up to Hagrid's door to knock, "Not a clue, I'm actually worried."

"Maybe Crabbe and Goyal found him trying to sneak out?" Ron offered a hopeful explanation.

Nodding with hope Harry knocked on Hagrid's door, "Maybe? I hope that is the case rather than something else." their shock came when Hagrid opened the door and leveled a Crossbow at their invisible selves. Quickly taking the Cloak from them they stared at the weapon with shock, "What's that for!?"

But it hadn't ended there, during their time trying to ask Hagrid about the Chamber of Secrets Fudge and Dumbledore had interrupted them, moreover, Lucius Malfoy had walked in and handed Albus orders of Suspension. And more, Draco was still late. Leaving the two Gryffindor's to wander into the woods without him. Had they waited fifteen more minutes, they'd have seen the Malfoy boy running down the steps towards Hagrid's, "I'm late, I'm very late!" he scolded himself. Crabbe and Goyle had stopped him from trying to leave, having him go back to bed. He assumed his father must have instructed them to be sure he was not running off to be around the Gryffindor three. But Draco had a secret he'd only admitted to Ron, Harry, and Hermione. "I'm only a bully to you three because I'm jealous, Ron's family is fun, interesting, and outgoing, nothing seems to be in order but yet, it also is at the same time. Granger is the smartest Witch of our grade year and she never grew up with magic. Harry, even after everything you still have faith in people… even someone like me, especially after what I've done, after what I said. How? Why?"

Harry's answer had shocked him, "We're kids, Draco, and no offense, but your father doesn't seem like the easiest of people to get along with, I couldn't imagine how it must be at home. You seem close with your mum, but even she can only do so much. You hang out with Crabbe and Goyle holding your flank because they're scared of you right now, but you know they won't be afraid of you forever. That's why you're cruel to everyone. You don't really want to be feared, but the power of being intimidating makes up for what you know you don't really have." Harry had said it calmly, as nice as he possibly could, but it was true.

Draco couldn't help it, he felt as if he were being dissected. He hated it. He felt he was being ripped opened and revealed as the scared, little lost boy that he may truly be. "And what's that, Potter." Draco snapped.

"Friends, you want friends."

** Thank you for reading I hope you enjoyed reading the chapter(s)! have a wonderful night/Day!