Did Professor Snape actually think she was stupid?

Probably.

Ellar Lestrange had tried to kill her. How- why on Earth would she ever considering being around him ever again?

An unpleasant chill went down her spine at the thought of being around him. She thought of the crazed look on his eyes as he attempted to drown her, his rough grip on her body, his cold lips.

Consider it done Snape.

It wouldn't happen again.

However, the thought of getting even – the need to make him feel just as small as he had made her feel – the thought was more than tempting, but how could she hurt him? As far as she knew it didn't look like Ellar had a weakness. She tried to empathize with him, to think of his intentions and have the benefit of the doubt yet couldn't reach a conclusion.

'Mr. Lupin,

I apologize it has taken so long for me to write to you back. I hope the gloves I sent you fit you well. I'm not the most skilled knitter so I have enchanted them with a charm that should keep your hands warm (it is still a work in progress, so I hope the charm sticks).

Hogwarts has been well Hogwarts. I'm happy to be home. Work has been keeping me busy. I have a lot to make up to from last year and every year I get more and more clients. It can get exhausting, but work is work and I shouldn't complain.

The Yule Ball was fine-'

It wasn't. The Yule Ball was a complete catastrophe. Not just for Nel but for almost every student that attended.

'-I went stag. Found a dress from the 'Come and Go Room.' Did you know Hogwarts has a secret room?

My friends are-'

She looked up from her scribbling to see Daphne and Theodore playing and holding with each other's hands in the middle of the Slytherin table. Both of them completely lost in each other's eyes. Some Durmstrang students glared at them with revulsion at the romantic public display of attention. Nel almost threw up. To think she wanted that to be her and Ellar Lestrange only a couple of weeks ago. Leanne who was sitting next to Tracey in the Slytherin table was showing her the latest photographs she had captured of the Whomping Willow shaking off some snow. Both were also completely absorbed with each other leaving Nel to constantly feel lonely or like a fifth wheel.

When they asked why she had returned to the dormitory with parts of her clothes soaking wet she lied and said it had been a prank by the Weasley twins. When asked who had been the one behind the anonymous flower arrangement, she, again, lied and said the person never showed.

"Was it Ellar?" Daphne had asked leaning over her bed, eyes wide in astonishment.

"No," Nel said dully. "Why would he send me flowers?" She rolled her eyes dramatically. Another lie. None of them questioned it. Specially after the showdown that went on in the Yule Ball.

Of course, all of them were too engrossed with each other to noticed how she had begun to avoid the Black Lake. How she began to make excuses not to run around it in the mornings with Tracey and Viktor, how she starred at the green tinted windows in the Common Room it with unease, nails burying into skin leaving half-moon crescents in her palms, or how her breathing would become irregular when in the presence of a large body of water or even the mentioning of the lake.

She tried to compartmentalize. To push the memory to the back of her head. To ignore the painful memory of your lungs screaming and burning for air. The dark coldness of the underwater and the crazed look on that maniac's face.

If you're lying to your friends, you are doing something wrong.

However, she felt like they wouldn't understand. If they knew- if any of them knew it would only complicate things. If Snape, a Hogwarts professor, wasn't able to do anything what help could her friends be? It didn't seem like Ellar had a weakness. Even Professor Snape had said it himself, his reeking privileged had saved him from Azkaban once before.
They might give him a piece of their minds but that would be about it.

In regards of her other friends- Harry was too impulsive, so were the Weasley's- even talking about it- it would just be problematic. Even Nathair was absent since he was hibernating the cold winter somewhere inside the greenhouse.

Then again, these weren't things they talked with each other.
The less they knew about each other the better.

She wanted to talk to somebody who wouldn't be biased to judge, someone who would just listen-

Her eyes left the letter she was writing and slowly wondered a couple of seats away to Draco who was pointing at something in a magazine Zabini was showing him, no surprise probably roasting someone. He was a good listener; he was good at this kind of thing.

"Why is Saintday starring at me?" Blaise narcissistically asked Draco when he felt a pair of eyes on him. "Think she'll ask me to Puddifoot's?" He laughed in reference to the pink Tea Shop were students usually went on dinner dates at Hogsmeade. She turned away quickly when Malfoy turned in her direction. Her mind went to that same place it had the night after the Yule Ball. The grip around her pen became a little tighter when she felt her face burning from the embarrassment of the memory.

'My friends are great.'

She dotted that statement harshly.

'I haven't been practicing my Patronus charm as much as I should be. Other than that, professor, I was wondering,' She wanted to scratch off the word professor. It was a force of habit to call him that. 'Have you ever heard of Ellar Lestrange? He used to be a student at Hogwarts.'

He's also a real foul git.

'Other than that – I hope you are well professor. Hopefully by the next time we meet my Patronus will be fully functional.

Take care,

- Nel'

Looking over her shoulder she fed a piece of sausage to her owl which had been loyally perched on her shoulder all this time and handed it two sealed letters. One for Lupin and another for Cedric who was just a couple of tables away.

'Meet me outside in 5.'
The note read.

Cedric read it and their eyes met from across the Great Hall. Looking up he nodded with a lazy smile and made his way outside.

"Where are you going?" Tracey asked when she saw her friend rise without saying a word.

"Common Room," She half lied. "See ya," She said curtly.

"Nel you've been acting very wei-" Tracey didn't get to finish her sentence, her friend leaving her hanging. "Weird," She dead panned and turned to give Leanne an irritated look. "I think she's just upset about the Yule Ball," the Hufflepuff suggested.

"I mean something did happen with Lestrange, right? People say she went mad and struck him, then he sent her flowers- you'd think she'd be elated. Didn't you say she fancied him?" Moon added to the group of Slytherins. Daphne pinched the bridge of her nose irritated at the missing puzzle piece.

She was missing something, but what was it?

"Ced," Outside of the Great Hall, Nel greeted the older Hufflepuff as they walked down the corridor in no particular direction. "Ever heard of the 'Come and Go Room?'" She asked with particular interest.

Cedric looked a little confused by her question. "You mean the Room of Requirement?" He arched an eyebrow.

"The Room of what?" Her expression mimicked his.

"Come, I'll show you," He said turning in the direction of the moving staircases and leading her up. "Is this what you wanted to talk about?" He asked as they headed up the stairs to the seventh floor.

No. She wanted to tell him about what she knew about the lake. She wanted to tell him- someone about what had happened with Ellar Lestrange that night. About how his mother would most definitely kill her in cold blood for wounding the pride and joy that was her only son.

She didn't want to think of Cloelia rigidly sitting at home with her palms flat on the dining table as she plotted her vengeance against her. "I want to see you go mad," the Beuxbaton student's cruel words still haunted her. The thought of the dark water-

"No," She said quicker than she intended. Wanting to shut out the memory of the dark water. "It's about the Second Task of the Tournament. I am more than certain it's at the lake. Are you prepared to go underwater?"

"Underwater?" Cedric's thick eyebrows burrowed deep in thought. "Yes. Unless you can grow gills, I have a feeling you're going to need some help in that department."

"How do you know this?" He asked curiously.

She could've confessed. Told her about what Ellar had done to her and how Professor Snape knew. How Snape had been there and had done nothing about it, but it brought so much shame to her. It had been her fault in the first place, for being there, for trusting Ellar, for putting herself in that situation. Besides- what would Cedric do about it? Nothing. Ellar was beyond privileged, it would come to his word against her and in the end his, being a Lestrange, weighted more. It weighted enough to get him off the hook from Azkaban.

"Never mind that," He shrugged. "Anyhow-" Cedric said as they entered the Seventh Floor. "Here it is," he finished with confident as they stopped in front of a large empty wall across from a tapestry of Barnabas the Barny trying to teach trolls to dance ballet.

She was silent for a moment looking for the entrance to the Room of Requirement. The door must be really small, she squinted her eyes to try and see.

"But there's no door," Nel observed.

"One thing about Hogwarts is, nothing really is what it seems," Cedric reached for her arm and pulled her along as he walked away. She was more than perplexed by the missing room.

"The Room of Requirements only reveals itself to those who require it," He explained as the two walked in front of tapestry three times. It was then that he stopped a massive door with intricate swirling carvings then revealed itself to the two of them. It even seemed to slightly shimmer.

"Tricky, aint it?" He said with his hands on his waist.

"How-How'd you?" She looked at him wide eyed with a broad smile.

"Walk in front of the tapestry three times while focusing on an intent. If you do it correctly the room and whatever you desire should appear."

She made a mental note of this. "How do you know about it?" She looked at him oddly.

A coy grin grew across his face and he ran a hand through his neat copper hair. "Well," He chuckled. "Prefects use it as a snogging room," he said cheekily. He laughed at her stunned expression. "Why? Are you thinking of having some company over?"

She slapped his arm and looked away hoping he wouldn't notice her flustered reaction.

"Knock yourself out," He once again laughed. "That reminds me-" He waved his finger. She noted he was stepping away from her. "I have an idea. Meet me outside the prefect's bathroom in half an hour."

"What?" She turned back to look at him with that same confused look she had been wearing on her face all evening long so far.

It would take hours- no days. To look through all of the vials, books, trunks, boxes and other magical trinkets that are all inside of the room. And who knew what Cedric meant when he said the room would shift into whatever its user required.

Elowen even lost track of her time and arrived outside the Prefect's Bathroom later than expected. She waited outside but Cedric never showed. Maybe- she looked around the corridor shiftily hoping no other prefects or professors would be doing rounds tonight. Maybe he was already inside?

"Hello?" She croaked as she crept inside of the Prefect's Bathroom. She was distracted looking up in awe at the animated mermaid stained glass windows and the massive organ like fountain that was pouring down a rainbow of water that descended into a bubbly lagoon that she didn't even realize Cedric half underwater. Did people actually come and bathe in here?

"Took you long enough!" He laughed a little and swam towards the edge and reached for the golden egg he had received in the First Task.

Normally she would've had a clever retort at the tip of her tongue, but the sight of the dark water grounded her in place. He didn't seem to notice her rattled reaction. Her eyes were frozen on the water. She knew it had a bottom. She knew Cedric wasn't struggling. She knew she wouldn't fall. She knew she wouldn't drown, but the memories.

The vivid feeling of her lungs burning for air as salty lake water flooded her mouth and choked the air out of her suddenly came back to her.

"Well come on then," he waved his hand over in his direction still wearing a cheery grin. She didn't share his enthusiasm. "Welcome to the Prefect's Bathroom. You'll be able to use it next year. If you are chosen to become a prefect. I think you'd make a rather good one."

The cold darkness that engulfed her beneath the lake still pricked at her with the sight of the dark water.

The fact Diggory was shirtless and in the water didn't cross her mind, she didn't snap out of her fearful trance until she heard a dreadfully familiar laugh.

"Is this the- handsome boy – you brewed that foul-smelling Love Potion for?"

Moaning Myrtle.

"Myrtle," Nel dropped her name from her mouth with much nasal distaste. The ghost girl's remarks cause her to snap out of her trance and drag her heavily grounded feet towards the pool.

"I would disagree," She said woefully with a bit of an incredulous laugh answering his comment.

Nel? Prefect? Could you imagine the chaos and havoc? Students would be getting points for jinxing people on her shit list.

"You brewed a Love Potion Nel?" Cedric laughed; his eyebrows arched in surprise. "Maybe the snogging room will come in handy!"

"The only snog Snelly Nelly is getting is from a Welsh troll," Myrtle cackled and Nel wished she could toss something in her direction. Both ignored her.

"I am not getting in the water Cedric," She warned kneeling on the edge.

"Are you sure?" He rested his elbows on the edge. "Waters nice," He said splashing some warm water in her direction. She stiffened up petrified. Again, he chuckled slightly interpreting her response as a girlish nervousness.

"I was thinking-" He pondered for a moment. "Since the task is underwater, what do you think would happen if I sink the egg underwater?"

"You have to come!" A week later Tracey was pulling on Nel's hand as she insisted her friend came to attend the Second Task of the Triwizard tournament which would take place in the Black Lake.

"I've got a lot of work to do," She lied shiftily nervously playing with her book bag's strap. Never in this lifetime would she admit she was afraid and less to a room full of Slytherins. "Oh, come on," Tracey insisted still pulling on her friend's hand. "It'll be fun! Leanne even got butterscotch popcorn for us!"

"Thanks Trace, but I'll pass really," Nel averted her eyes and kept them glued to the floor. She withdrew her hand from her friend's coldly.

Tracey looked at her with a concerned expression. "You've been acting really odd lately," She said with a hand on her waist.

"Odd?" Nel kept busy by tossing meaningless items inside of her bookbag. "Odd how?" She dodged the subject tossing in more parchments, ink, an extra quill and a pillow. Wait- she didn't need a pillow. She put the item back in her bed and took in a deep breath her eyes moving from one end of the Slytherin dormitory to the other eventually focusing on Mildred's cat.

"Nel," Tracey said softly as she took a seat on the edge of her friend's bed.

"You can talk to me – to us – your friends. About anything, really-" She said tenderly her worried eyes still lingering on her roommate.

"There is nothing going on!" She snapped in return. She didn't even realize she had raised her voice. "Nothing Trace! Stop being so damn bloody nosey!" She shut her book bag before standing up and storming out of the room. Tracey sat stunned at the volatile reaction.

Halting by the door, Nel rested a hand on the door frame. "Trace- I'm…" She turned with her head lowered. "I'm sorry, I-I shouldn't have snapped. I shouldn't have spoken to you like that," She hesitated before walking back to the bed. "I'm sorry," She pinched the bridge of her nose and Tracey suspected she was wiping away tears that dared prick at the inner corners of her eyes.

She sat in the bed next to her and Tracey took her hand in hers patting it sadly.

"Who do I have to kill?" Tracey laughed slightly which in turn made Nel break into a smile. "Was it Malfoy?" This time she spoke in full seriousness.

Feeling drained Nel held her breath. "Draco?" She shook her head and put her head on her friend's shoulder before sighing deeply. "No, not this time."

"Draco?" Tracey was in turn more than surprised at her casual use of his name. "That's new," Tracey huffed slightly before nudging her shoulder up.

She was about to further press on the topic when Pansy Parkinson walked into the dormitory. "Forgot my binoculars," She tossed over her shoulder not paying the two Slytherins much attention.

"By the way my money's on Potter," She added with pomp before walking out.

"'On Potter?'" Nel repeated still with her head comfortably resting on Tracey's shoulder. How odd for Pansy to be rooting for Harry in anything. "Interesting choice," was all she commented.

"They're not betting on winners," Tracey said with an exhausting sight. "They're betting on who's drowning first."

Like that Nel's head jolted up as she sat extremely straight and looked at Tracey with a horrified expression. "What?" She gaped.

Tracey couldn't help but laugh at her friend's reaction. "Calm down," She said through small laughs as she attempted to comfort her friend. "Dumbledore and the Ministry of Magic will be there, there's no reason why anything could go wrong."

The thought of Harry or Cedric or Viktor or even Fleur de la Couer whom Nel had never exchanged a word with drowning made Nel want to retch. She pictured the horrifying image of pale body floating in the contrasting waters of the Black Lake. She paled at the thought and felt her stomach twist uneasily. There it was again that tight sensation in her throat.

"I'll catch up," She croaked after a moment. Tracey hugged her and promised they would save her a seat since Daphne and Theodore were probably already there waiting for them in the audience bleachers.

The day was freezing. Air was cold as strong gusts of wind blew through the eager crowds which sat on the bleachers in a makeshift dock in the middle of the Black Lake. It was definitely not a good day to take a dip in the freezing waters.

The Ministry of Magic sat in the audience as a spectator, next to him sat Lucius Malfoy, on the same row was Albus Dumbledore, Ludo Bagman and Barty Crouch.

In the row below Tracey looked around the crowd anxiously. She sat in defeat when she came to the realization her friend was nowhere to be found.

Lowering her binoculars Nel blew a hair out from her face in great frustration as she watched from a far. There was no way she was going to walk across a bridge and sit in a dock for who knows how many hours waiting for anybody to come up from the water. She was safe and sound witnessing the events from the edge of the lake actually standing on solid British soil.

A gun had been fired and the contestant had been underwater for some time now.

Sighing she once again picked up the binoculars and this time observed as the champions got ready to take a leap. She knew that Cedric would use a Bubble-Head Charm one that he had endlessly been practicing in the Prefect's Bathroom. She helped him practice, convincing herself that it would be ideal to know, especially when in such a close proximity to a large body of water. She was curious as to what the other champions would use.

"What are you doing here?" A voice that ran a chill down her spine struck her.

She said nothing and stammer a little imagining how ridiculous she probably looked standing alone on the edge of the Black Lake witnessing everything from a far.

"You're scared of the lake. Aren't you?"

Irritated she again lowered her binoculars yet didn't turn around, her gaze remained fixed on the end of the dock where the Second Task of the Triwizard tournament was happening.

"So perceptive of you," She said dryly.

"Why?" She could hear the pebbles on the edge of the muddy lake crunching under his feet as he approached her side. His voice, it sounded like he had genuine concern. Yet with Malfoy it was hard to know if he was being sincere or not. "Are you here to make fun of me?"

He stood there for a moment "I'm not," like Tracey's earlier his voice was soft, unthreatening, he sunk his hands in his black jacket's pockets shielding them from the bitter winds.

Her lips were tightly drawn into a line. She still didn't want to look at him. Wasn't his father in the audience? Why was he here with her?

Unsure of what to say she was silent for a moment.

"You were right," She decided to break that silence. She hadn't even realized she was biting her lip, nodding her head slightly with a distant look of disdain in her eyes. He looked at her with curiosity.

"Lestrange," She thought of the perfect way to describe him. "He's a monster."

She didn't notice how his expression hardened when he registered the apathetic look in her eyes. That son of a bitch. He wondered just what was going through her head. His eyes looked for any trace of injury on her exposed skin, but it was hard to see beneath the gloves, scarf, knitted cap and all winter gear.

"Seems to be quite fixed on you as of the late. Sending you flowers and all."

"How?" She finally turned to face him. How was it that he always seemed to know?

"The Weasleys can barely afford to breathe, Potter is too daft to send something so elaborate. It has to be someone with a strong intent that can afford such an unimaginative gesture," He looked at her with full seriousness.

"Alright Sherlock," She rolled her eyes wearing a half smile before once again focusing on the tournament through her binoculars which were strapped around her neck.

"What did you call me?" He asked sounding offended by the unknown word.

"Muggle reference," She added wearing that same coy smile. The moment was short lived. The smile wiped from her features as there seemed to be some action in the tournament.

"I think Krum is coming up-" She described. "Is that? With Granger?" She squinted through the glass making sure she was seeing correctly. "You're missing the task," She said to Malfoy hoping he'd go away and return to his father's eyes to witness the tournament.
Instead he said nothing and took the binoculars from her and she was tugged to his side by the short strap that was around her neck. He didn't apologize for standing so close to her, nor did he seem to care.

She could smell his strong cologne. Could see the beauty marks and freckles on his pale skin.

She didn't mean for it to happen, but her heart picked up pace. This time there was no alcohol involved. She stood on her tip toes hoping to keep a distance between the two. Struggling to keep her balance standing over the slippery pebbles. Slipping she braced onto his arm to hold herself up. "Sorry," She mumbled ducking her head.

"Fancy a swim Elowen?" A voice that sounded like nails on a chalkboard interrupted. Ellar stood a couple of feet away from them about to cross the bridge which lead to the makeshift island were audiences were viewing the Tri-Wizard Tournament. He wore a smug smile as he hid his hands in his coat's pockets.

Malfoy glared at the Beuxbaton student with hatred.

"Cowering behind Malfoy. How typical," The other shot. Nel didn't even realize she was hiding behind Malfoy, or maybe he had pushed her behind him. Did it really matter? Triggered she stepped forward and whipped her wand ready to hex him. Yet her hand was held back. Draco gave her a knowing look. He knew when to pick his fights. She didn't.

"Woah, woah, woah," Lestrange raised his hands up mockingly. "Might want to put a leash around her Malfoy. I heard she bites," Ellar bit down on the edge of his lip with a wink before haughtily walking away with his head tossed back as he retreated. His loud laugher a faraway echo from the windy spot where Draco and Nel were standing.

Nel kept her head lowered not wanting to think about what had happened with Ellar. After all it had all been her fault.

"Nel," She felt a rough hand on her shoulder turn her. "What did he do?"

Sullenly she simply shook her head in small movements. "What did he do to you?" He repeated his tone stronger, grip on her arm tighter.

"Nothing," She lied dismissively , like she had rehearsed a thousand times.

"Tell me," He ordered.

"He forced himself on me," word vomit. She hadn't even realized she'd said it. "Kissed me," She paused. "And then tried to drown me in the Black Lake," She admitted not wanting to look at his judging eyes. She waited for him to blame her just like she blamed herself from the shame of it.

"Son of a bitch."

Draco wasn't looking at her he instead marched in Ellar's direction beginning to cross the wood bridge. Lifting his wand dishonorably hexing the teen with his back turned; Lestrange was propelled high into the sky and across nastily splashing into the lake's water. His father, the audience and everybody else would've been way to distracted by one of the champions emerging from the water to even realize what he had done.

"And coming up!" Ludo spoke as he continued to narrate the events of the tournament to the audience.

Nel watched with her mouth ajar again bringing the binoculars to her mouth as Ellar spat out some cold water and rise up in the tournament.

"Is that a student? Somebody get that fanatic out of the winter waters!"

Students in the audience pointed and laughed.

Wearing a triumphant and very satisfied smile Draco flipped his wand in his hand before turning to face Nel. Lowering her binoculars, she rubbed her eyes and buried her face in the palms of her hands.

"Nel?" He called her name quickly approaching her. Again, she could hear the pebbles shifting under his steps. "Are you crying?" He asked sounding more blatantly surprised than concerned this time.

"No," She removed her hands and wore a broad smile she attempted to hide behind her knuckles.

Satisfied Draco looked back at the audience from a far. He let out a laugh when he saw the way Lestrange was pitifully fished out of the freezing cold water by a Beuxbaton Professor. People laughed at him as they did.

"What a tosser," Draco grumbled with great distaste.

Still hiding her shy smile, the girl admired his face profile from the side. He completely missed the large doe eyes she was looking at him with.

"Worse than mudbloods I tell you."

And… Just like that it was gone.