Pinned in the Slytherin common room was a notice that flying lessons would be starting on Thursday for the first years. Slytherin and Gryffindor would be learning together.
oOoOoOoOo
the first class that morning was Defence Against the Dark Arts. When Haylin walked into the room, she found Professor Quirrel looking at her strangely.
She sat down with Janaya and Adriel and quietly took notes on the board.
A piece of paper landed on her desk in front of her. She opened it up and found it was a note from Adriel (though why she wrote a note was beyond Haylin considering they were sitting right next to each other).
Hey, what was with Snape being so afraid of you yesterday? Adriel had written.
Haylin turned the piece of paper over and scrawled a reply on the back.
I don't know, maybe it was because I was really mad? As Adriel read Haylin's reply she shook her head, folded the piece of paper so there was space to write on and wrote a reply.
That wasn't it and you know it. What are you keeping from us? Draco knows doesn't he? Haylin read the reply and cringed inwardly. Of course they would have figured something out, they were her best friends. Haylin folded the paper so that she could write on it.
Okay fine, you got me but I can't tell you now. I'll tell you later in the dorm okay? Haylin quickly passed the not back to Adriel who read it and nodded.
"Miss Riddle?" Professor Quirrel's voice interrupted them.
"Yes Sir?" Haylin answered as innocently as she could.
"C-c-could you p-please tell me the c-correct definition of Lycanthropy?"
Haylin sighed in relief. She thought she was in trouble. When she was half-way through explaining that wolves were not the only strain of Lycanthropy, the bell rang.
Haylin began to pack up her things as Professor Quirrel set the homework.
"I w-want a f-four p-p-paragraph essay on l-lycanthropy. The s-strains, and h-how you catch it. M-miss Riddle, p-please stay b-behind."
Haylin stopped packing up with a confused look on her face, then shrugged.
"Are you in trouble?" Draco asked quietly.
Haylin shook her head. "I don't think so. What have we got next?"
Draco looked up as he tried to remember what was next on their timetable. "History of Magic," he said at last. Haylin grinned.
"Have fun," she said as Draco groaned and left the classroom.
"Miss Riddle? Could you come here please?" Quirrel's voice came from the back of the room.
Where did his stutter go? Haylin asked herself.
"Am I in trouble Professor?" Haylin asked innocently. Quirrel smiled and shook his head.
"No, no child. Your father wishes to speak with you."
That one caught Haylin off guard. "Wait, what?" she asked, both confused and panicked.
"Miss Riddle, I know your father is the Dark Lord and he wishes to speak with you," Quirrel said almost panicky himself.
Haylin blinked a few times before responding. "I thought my father was dead," she said.
Quirrel laughed. "Goodness no! he cannot die. He is right here and he wishes to speak with you. Will you speak to him?" Quirrel made this last question sound like he was begging. Haylin nodded not really sure if she meant it or not.
Quirrel stood up and turned his back to her. He began unwrapping the turban around his head. Haylin wanted to close her eyes, afraid of what she might see, but still she was curious.
When Quirrel had completely removed his turban, Haylin gasped. Sticking out the back of Quirrel's head was a face. The face seemed human enough except for the eyes and the nose. The eyes were barely slits and the nose wasn't even their aside from to more slits that Haylin assumed were his nostrils.
"Haylin," the face said in raspy hiss. "My daughter, how are you?"
Haylin swallowed. this is too casual for this kind of situation, she though to herself. Out loud she said, "I'm fine, you?"
The face, her father, laughed.
"That's my girl, calm in the face of that which you do not understand,"
"If only," Haylin muttered.
"What was that?" her father asked.
"Nothing. So, um, what did you want to talk to me about?"
He laughed again, "down to business eh? Well first things first, how many people know you are my daughter?"
Haylin thought for a moment before answering. "Three that I know of. Mr. Crouch, Draco and Snape."
Her father closed his eyes as if thinking. "Is that Draco Malfoy?" Haylin nodded, "well then he knows because of his father. Dumbledore will know as well so don't expect favouritism from him."
Haylin was confused. "I wasn't expecting favouritism from anyone and anyway. What has this got to do with anything?"
"Brave, I like that. At any rate this may or may not have anything to do with anything at the moment I'll just need to think it over. I need you to do something for me."
Haylin raised her eyebrows, indicating that he should continue.
"Professor Snape used to be one of my followers. I want you to find out if that he still is then I want you to tell Quirrel."
Haylin mulled this over in her head for a moment.
"First you have to do something for me," she said finally.
He laughed again. "you are full of surprises. Very well."
Haylin took a deep breath. "I have this friend. I can sense that he has all this power but something is stopping him from harnessing it. Do you know why? And how do I get him back to how he should be?"
Once again, her father closed his eyes as if thinking.
"hmmm, a Power Block. Not a very easy spell to do let alone counter. If you feel you must try then you must point your wand it him and say, Vox solvo, can you remember that?"
Haylin rolled her eyes. "please, have a little faith in me, Father. Okay, I'll try that. And next time I have the chance, I'll talk to Snape. Do you want me to be subtle? Or do you want me to let him know you personally want to know."
Her father thought this over for a moment then said. "However you wish to complete the task is fine by me."
Haylin nodded.
Quirrel gave her a note and she ran off the History of Magic.
