Hey everyone,
This chapter is going to be a mixed bag. Jillian is going to find out that there are indeed people who don't like her change of gender as well as those who like it for all the wrong reasons, but she will also learn that there are plenty of people who are 100% supportive of her change, both in gender and in everything else. So expect some bashing and some characters getting a chance to shine.
Let's do this,

Venquine1990
Shout-outs to:
Jostanos
Shadow Wolf 15846
Lilly-Flower15

Chapter 21
Classes And Clashes

14th of November 1994
Great Hall, Hogwarts
Jillian's POV

After the girls helped me change the curtains to a pattern of stag hooves and dog and wolf paws, did McGonagall enter the dorm, actually knocking and asking entrance just like the girls told me is a rule. I had felt amazed that even our Head of House lived by this rule, but also felt as if this must have been something I just never noticed when I was still Harry.
The woman had told me how the teachers were considering to have the Hyenas move to the teachers' side of their tables, but I had shaken my head at this and say: "Wait for them to give you a reason. I get that you want to do it to avoid confrontation and I appreciate it, but they will just see it as favoritism and that will draw out a confrontation we don't want.
And I know that we don't want a confrontation regardless, but knowing them, that will happen. However, if we don't move them until after the confrontation, not only will they have no one but themselves to blame, we can also try and see if they will continue abusing the fact that they are closest to the doors or if they will just accept this sign of trust. It might make some of them debate on how to go back to their original Houses."

"May I ask why you, of all people, are willing to think so high of them, Mss. Potter?" The woman had asked and I had answered: "I don't. I just don't feel like giving them the belief that I plan my life around them or that they are that important to my day to day life. I don't feel like making every move for the next 3 years based on what they might do or to keep reminding myself of Halloween through them. They're just not worth that effort."
I had looked out the window and said: "Yes, it hurts like no words can describe that the three people who were at the head of it all were people I thought I call my friends and of which two were people I thought I could trust above all else, but – that's life. I moved on, made new, obviously better friends, and got a new gender and with that a new life. It's just that simple. Painful, but simple."
The woman had smiled at me and said: "I don't think your mother could have said it better herself." To which I had turned back to her and asked: "Professor, would you – I mean, you and Professor Lupin –?" But the woman had stopped me and said: "I believe that is several years overdue. After the new weekly House meetings?"
Yet I had no idea what these were and Angelina had explained them to me. I had felt shocked that these were now a thing, but also very grateful and had happily agreed with the woman to meet with her about my birth parents every Monday after the House Meetings. Yet after the woman had left, Alicia had asked: "Wait, did you call them your birth parents?"

I had shrugged at the girl and said: "Like I said, I'm starting a new life. And Sirius did tell me that, at the end of his probation, he plans to adopt me. Only better than if I decide to get used to calling him dad or father, right?" And the girls had squealed and asked for details. The rest of the weekend had been all about one thing; girl talk. And it had been the best weekend I've had in a long while.
We did go down for lunch, but Sirius invited us all to his rooms for dinner and upon entrance, it was instantly clear why. The man was agitated and at the end of his rope and told me: "In one day, I got three idiots thinking they could get a contract with you. I told Arthur, Lord Smith and even Lucius himself that this would not happen and that you already have a contract set up.
I can only imagine what tomorrow will be like." The man had moaned and the girls and I needed only one shared glance before we made a unified decision. And so all of Sunday became really special. Alicia and Katie would bring us our meals from the Great Hall, Angelina and Leanne guard the door and Sirius and I just have a ton of fun, laughing and talking.

By now I'm ready to head for classes and to my pleasure and pride, do I manage to get down all of the staircases from the dorm room down to the Great Hall without getting attacked by the memory of the attack or fatigue from the many staircases. Of course I know that going downstairs is easier than up, but I am not willing to let that take away from this small simple victory.
"Well, look who decided to grace us with their presence." Ginerva sneers as she sees me enter, yet I just pass her and say: "How I spend my timeis my business, thank you." And I pass on before the girl can retort, knowing just well I am leaving a steaming redhead in my wake, but determined to keep to the words I told McGonagall on Saturday. I sit down and spare a short glance their way.
Ginny and Hermione have their heads close together, but Ron isn't with them. He is sitting on the other side and actually notices that I'm glancing their way. And while he bends down to eat his meal, do I spot his lips turn upward in acceptance ever so slowly. This makes me turn away with a small upturn of my own lips and I think: "We may never be friends again, but we can accept each other."

The rest of breakfast does go quite smoothly, but then at the end something happens that I really didn't expect. Hedwig flies into the hall, an actual scroll of parchment in her beak as well as another one tied to both of her claws and I suddenly realize I haven't seen her since she delivered the Daily Prophet copy that covered the attack and the after effects. The owl lands in front of me and hops over.
Yet because of what Sirius taught me, do I whisper: "Sorry for this, girl." And I pull my new wand out of my holster, casting a spell to detect trouble or dangerous spellwork. All three scrolls come up empty and I happily relieve my owl from her burdens, making sure to feed her an extra bit of ham as a way to apologize for the long time she had to wait. Yet the owl ignores the ham and just flies up, her wing ruffling my hair as she flies off.

I look at the three scrolls that are on the table in front of me, but then Angelina says: "Just put them in your bag, Jillian. We got to get to class." I nod at her and make sure to put the scrolls in a separate small compartment of the bag Sirius bought me last Friday when it became obvious that I would be able to return to classes soon. I had wanted to object, but the man said: "New life, new style."
And because that has been a way of thinking I have been promising myself to live up to, had I been unable to continue arguing and I had just accepted it with an eye roll and shaking of my head. I get up from my seat and take another look at my schedule as I say: "Charms first, double hour, and then a single hour of Herbology before lunch." The girls smile and Katie says:
"That's an easy schedule to practice the staircases with. Dean, Neville, you guys ready?" And the two alongside Lavender come to join us, all three of them having one hand in their pockets, obviously ready to pull out their wands. Yet when we want to walk out, do we get blocked by several Hyena-Ravens and Granger at the front, the girl smiling in a way that really unsettles me.

"Your little front means nothing. Hogwarts a History clearly states that magic in the corridors is forbidden. The Headmaster even repeats this warning every –." But then Neville says: "Rule 2104, clause 17A, page 5121. Magic in the corridors is accepted if the situation is, by a verified teacher or member of staff, recognized as self-defense.
So sorry, Granger, but it's your front that means nothing. You thought you could intimidate us with your smarts, but I have been using the time I've had since the attack quite effectively. I read every last rule and law that my Gran and others thought you or other Hyenas might try to use against us as well as either the counter rules or the clauses that absolve situations regarding them."
The girl gapes at me and I too feel a great sense of respect for the shy wallflower of the Lion's Den and then Neville turns to me and says: "Though I did have more than one reason, as gran reminded me during my lessons with her. Apparently House Longbottom is responsible for 21% of all of the existing and historical Hogwarts Rules and decrees."
I smile at him, feeling very happy that he has something like that to be proud of and then Neville turns back and says: "Now if you'll excuse us, we have classes to get to and so do you. And I do believe that Ancient Rules is further away from here than Charms is." The girl lets out a shriek and storms off, her entourage sending Neville furtive looks of annoyance before they follow her.

"That was quite well done, Mr. Longbottom, though I must take five points from Gryffindor." Lupin suddenly says and I turn around to look at him, horrified that he would do such a thing, but then Dean says: "That was my fault, Professor. I got so caught up by Neville suddenly taking Granger down like that I forgot my duty." Lupin nods and Lavender motions me to follow them.
We walk out of the Great Hall and Lavender says: "A new rule that was set-up after the Hyena House became a thing. If two or more students of one House come into a confrontation, whether vocal, physical or magical, with any number of members of the Hyena sub-House, one of them is to instantly head out and inform a member of staff. This rule applies even in the Great Hall if the confrontation is anywhere near the doors heading outside.
It was a rule Lady Hogwarts set up the day after she explained everything to the Great Hall. It's kept a lot of the more unruly Hyenas from going for their wands, at least as far as I've heard. Though –." Here she sighs and then suddenly a voice scares me as it says: "My sister, unfortunately, doesn't seem to have the intelligence to realize this fact."

I turn around and see an Indian young lady. "Sorry about that, Jillian. I should have made myself known before I spoke. I heard from Lavender here that Parvati actually aided Granger quite a bit that night, huh? Rest assured she's not getting that chance ever again. Father made sure of that." I look at her curiously and she says: "You can expect correspondence about it soon."
"Can't you just tell me?" I ask and the girl shakes her head and says: "I'm only the Heiress Apparent. This situation is between the Prominent Heir now Heiress of House Potter, the Head of the House Black and the Prominent Heiress and Lord of the House Patil. I have to keep up with the rules that keep up my family and honor my House, seeing as how my sister just refuses to."
I look at her in guilt, but the girl shakes her head and says: "Do not blame yourself, Heiress Potter. You did not chose to enter the Tournament nor did you chose to ignore all that my family and House stands for. That is all the work of the deceiver and my sister. I may not be close to you, but I do know that much, so you need not worry yourself." Yet then I say:

"We can change that. The fact that we're not close, I mean. One of the decisions I made when I realized I had a new chance at life was that I wasn't going to limit myself to a certain amount of friends. I want to get to know as many people as possible – as long as they're not Hyenas, that is – and see if I can make new friends, more friends. Want to give that a try?"
The girl looks shocked at first, but then smiles and says: "Yes, Heiress – Jillian, I would like that. So, when you're not in class, what do you like to do?" I shrug and say: "Still learning about that. Though I do seem quite talkative. Once I get to be with someone I care with, I can talk with them for hours. I did nothing but over the weekend, first with the girls and then with Sirius after."

I then notice that we are nearing the Charms classroom and a hint of doubt and hesitation fills me up as I remember Sirius telling me that Snape, Flitwick and McGonagall all knew my parents, though the former was just close with my mum and not so much with my dad. I try not to falter and think: "Is he going to expect me to be like my mum now that I've changed."
But before the others can notice, do I take a quick breath and enter the classroom. Yet because of this, do I also make sure to take a seat in the middle of the seats that are on the right of the teacher's desk. And Neville, Dean, Lavender and the girl I now recognize as Padma Patil all take seats of their own, Neville on my left, Dean my right, Lavender in front of me and Padma behind me. The other students come in and slowly but surely the classroom fills, the other Ravens taking seats around me.
Ronald and Parvati are the last of the Hyena Lions to enter and Parvati instantly spots her sister. This makes a smirk grow on her face, but when she wants to storm over to us, does Padma coldly say: "You know your place, Parvati. I don't sit with a Hyena and you know Father supports that. Be smart like Ronald, see the signs for what they are and move over to your own side. I'd like to enjoy this class, thank you."
Parvati looks at her flabbergasted, but when she wants to glare at me, does Padma say: "Know your place and show some responsibility. Be the Heiress father wants, for once in your life. You know not owning up to your own mistakes will only agitate father even more.""You filthy snitch." Parvati screeches, but Padma retorts: "I only follow father's orders, as you are well aware, sister."
And the girl lets out a shriek similar to how Granger did at the Great Hall and while she storms off, do I whisper: "Thanks Nev." As Neville had stood up and left his seat when seeing Parvati approach and Professor Flitwick had come to stand beside me when Parvati accused Padma of being a Snitch. The man smiles at the three of us and then leaves us again.

The rest of class, thankfully enough, goes incredibly smoothly and while Lavender again gushes over seeing my new wand and my new wand holster, drawing the attention of both Professor Flitwick and the more fashion-forward students, do I also love the fact that, somehow, I can do the summoning charm much better as Jillian than I did as Harry as Harry struggled with this one.
I leave class at the end of the double hour, wondering if the same will apply with any other spells or charms that I had trouble with as Harry, only to suddenly get grabbed and turned to face someone I have never seen before other than in a corridor or two. And it takes me only a second to realize that the boy is pulling me in for a kiss.
Shock, horror, fright and despair coarse through me as I think: "My first kiss. No, not like this!" Only for a voice colder than ice to sneer: "If you value your parts, Mr. Unifer, you will let go of Mss. Potter right this instant." And while I think: "Unifer? Like unify? Talk about horrible irony." Do I feel like crying as the boy does indeed falter, his face only a nose length away from mine.
I muster all of my strength and courage – as well as all of the years of emotional inability whenever Dudley would get me in Harry Hunting – and break free from the older boy's grip. Instantly Neville, Dean, Lavender and Padma are around me and I look up, surprised but relieved to spot that the man who threatened Unifer was actually Professor Snape.

The man has Unifer at wand point, his wand in the back of the boy's neck and he makes sure to keep his wand arm steady as he walks around the lad, Neville and Dean moving only just enough that the man can squeeze between them before they close the gap between them again, closing Snape in between them and myself. Only then does the man lower his wand and turn to me.
"How are you feeling, Mss. Potter? And I mean both emotionally and physically." The man amends and I shiver a little, the rush of emotions from before overwhelming me alongside a strong sense of relief that it's over and whisper: "A – a little winded, e-emotionally, Professor, but – but I'll manage. I – I have Herbology next." The man nods and says:
"And Potions after lunch. I expect you at the front of the class, understood?" I nod, feeling slightly amazed that the man has yet to let off a sneer or snap an insult. The man then turns to Unifer and says: "You, on the other hand, have the unfortunate trouble that your next class is with me, Mr. Unifer. Move along, I'd rather have Hyenas in front of me where I can see their wands." And Unifer glares at the man before turning around.

"Ten points to Gryffindor." Snape then shocks me as he says this to someone behind me and I turn around, shocked but relieved to see that Lavender has the wheelchair out again. And the look in her eyes proves everything; the girl knows exactly what almost happened and seems to understand just how emotionally horrible that made me feel.
I sink back into the wheelchair and Snape actually lies a slip of parchment on my lap as he says: "Do not start riding until we are out of sight. Move it, Mr. Unifer." And the two leave while I inspect the note, which is actually an excuse note to Professor Sprout for us being late. I sigh relieved and then Neville says: "Here you go, Jillian." And he hands me a handkerchief.

I look at it and realize that my face is wet. I quickly take it and wipe the tears away, realizing they must have started leaking after I feared losing my first kiss to some random stranger and I think: "That Introduction party needs to happen.""You ready to go?" Lavender asks and I nod, having spotted that Snape and Unifer are out of sight and the girl gently pushes my wheelchair down the stairs.
"Mss. Potter, there you are. Are you alright, dear?" Professor Sprout asks as we come in and I shudder a little, the emotions from what almost happened still rushing through me. Neville takes the wheelchair from Lavender and the girl goes to whisper what happened in the woman's ear while Neville helps me over to one of the empty benches near the Professor's seat.
The woman whitens when she hears what Lavender tells me and turns to me, but I shake my head and say: "I'm done missing classes, Professor. The work will help calm my nerves. I'll be fine." And Neville goes on: "And if not, we'll make sure she leaves and heads for the Hospital Wing." At which I glower at him while Professor Sprout nods in pride.

Yet the rest of the hour goes by quite smoothly and while I feel really glad for the gloves we are supposed to wear for this class, as Lavender actually polished my nails for the first time last night, does the simple, menial ground work help me calm the last of my nerves, making me leave the Greenhouses with a relaxed smile on my face.
And when I spot Sirius and Lupin at the entrance to the Great Hall in concern, do I make sure to get out of my wheelchair and activate the shrinking function in front of them, to silently tell them that I am fine and that nothing happened. The two smile as they see me do this and Sirius pulls me in for a warm hug when I get near him. "Good to see you doing well, little one."
"I'm not going to let them get me down, Sirius. I'm made from stronger stuff than that, even if my emotions do sometimes get the better of me." But then Lavender says: "Anyone would have needed a wheelchair to calm themselves if they almost had their first kiss stolen from them, Jillian. Trust me on that one." And yet again, I get the feeling she speaks from experience.

We head back into the Great Hall and Sirius actually takes a seat next to me, which surprises me, but the man says: "Teachers are expected to sit at the Head Table, not obligated. If those Hyenas need another reminder that you're off limits, I will be more than happy to remind them. And Unifer is going to know that after lunch as well." At which I grimace and say:
"Just leave him, Sirius. I'm sure Snape already did his job.""You can say that again." Neville, who sits opposite of me, says and I see him looking over my shoulder. I turn around and spot Unifer sitting at the far end of the Slytherin Table, all by himself and with other Snakes seated three seats away and glaring at him in disgust.

"Can I be honest with you lot?" Sirius suddenly asks, drawing my attention away from the Snake Table and I turn to him as he says: "I got to say this change of acceptance and hatred that is going on at Hogwarts saddens me, but I'm also willing to accept it. I mean, think about it. It used to be Slytherin that was Hogwarts' black sheep, so to say, but now that's been shifted to the Hyena Sub-House."
The man then starts to stare down our own table and says: "And while I really don't like the fact that that Sub-House has my late godson's former friends at the Head, do I also like the way it makes the Snakes more accepting of the dirty bloods of the other Houses and whatnot. It really is more or less everything we used to fight for, back when the war was raging."
And suddenly I remember something. "Voldemort. He's back. He's out there and he's going to rage war against us again." And while trying not to, do I feel my eyes drifting off to all of the Hyenas that are seated around the front of the Great Hall and I think: "How many of them, if continuing down this road, will be tempted to join him, just to get back at those they think wronged them?"
These thoughts make me grip my cutlery a little tighter as it scares me greatly, but then another handkerchief rubs itself over my face again and I wonder: "When am I going to realize that I am crying before others do?" As I notice Sirius wiping my face and he asks: "What's wrong, Jills?" But I shake my head and whisper: "Not here, later." The man nods and lunch passes calmly.

The man then walks me to the doors leading out and gives me another warm, comforting hug when we get there and whispers: "Come see me after dinner, so we can talk, okay?" I nod onto his shoulder and then head down into the dungeons, while Lupin takes Sirius up to the Grand Staircase and my friends instantly take their positions again as we part.
Yet this time, as we reach the dungeon and realize that we are a little bit early and decide to wait, does the realization actually hit. "I used to do this with Ron and Hermione, not Neville, Dean and Lavender." And while I have known that I might never be friends with them again, can I not help the sigh of sorrow that silently escapes me as part of me still misses that friendship.
"You okay?" Neville asks and I gently answer: "Meet me after dinner." Just as the door to the Potions classroom opens and Snape stands in the doorway, allowing us passage. And inside, I instantly spot that one of the front row seats has had its seat removed, obviously with the intent to have my wheelchair set there instead. I nod at the man gratefully and roll my wheelchair there.

The other students also head for their own seats, yet I notice that, while this is still a Gryffindor-Slytherin seat, none of the Snakes that would usually try to make my life difficult now take the seats near me, instead those are filled with the few Gryffindors that are left. And to make things even more interesting do the other Snakes seem to try and keep Malfoy even further away from me.
The blonde obviously dislikes them for this and wants to turn to Snape, but the man actually sends him a look that clearly says do not waste my time. Something I never thought I'd see on the man's face when it comes to his favorite student, yet Malfoy seems used to it as he just sends the man a dirty glare and then takes a seat that I, to my own shock, realize is close to the seats I used to sit at.
"Good afternoon. Now that Mss. Potter has finally been allowed to return to us, we are going to make sure we do not bring Madam Pomfrey's ire upon us by unnecessarily injuring or otherwise inconveniencing her. Because of this, I have put your draughts of the last lesson under stasis. Instead of those, we will be returning to one of the more complicated potions from last year.
However, there will be one more change to this class. I will walk between the rows and pick one student from each row and set of benches. If I pick you, you will be the one to prepare the ingredients and your partner will work on the potion inside the cauldron. Points will be taken and detentions will be served if I see those I picked to prepare ingredients try to work on the potions.

Do I make myself clear?" And while I think: "They really are trying to make sure I can slide back into classes as easily as possible, aren't they?" Do I also nod alongside everyone else, still feeling a little bit intimidated with how the man ends his spiel. He then starts to walk and, as I expected, does he pick me to prepare the ingredients and Dean to work on the potion.
I want to roll my eyes at this, yet feel too intrigued with why this man, of all of the staff, is so willing to accommodate me like this when he was always so adamant on making Harry's life difficult. Yet this also makes me wonder if, by chance, Ron and Hermione are now receiving the full blast of that old treatment and yet again a pang of loss and pain hits me, making me look down.
Yet then I notice that others are all leaving and I quickly head for the storage cupboard myself, Dean telling me we need certain ingredients as he has the other ones himself. I make sure to lie those down on my lap while in my wheelchair and thank Lavender as she gets one of the ingredients that are higher up, even if I don't really feel that dependent on my wheelchair anymore.

Still the fact that I have my lap full makes me very grateful for my new dorm mate and I happily ride my wheelchair and lap full of jars and pots over to where Dean is, only to suddenly get halted by Snape standing in front of me. I look shocked and confused and the man says: "Take the other route, Mss. Potter. And Mr. Malfoy, that will be five points from Slytherin."
My eyes widen as I never imagined Snape of all people to willingly take points of his own House, especially the student he always helped make Harry's life difficult. Yet while I decide to just leave these shocking thoughts for later, do I follow the man's advice and take a bit of a detour back to my seat, Dean gratefully pulling the stuff out of my lap and onto my station.

The rest of the lesson passes quite calmly, Neville actually doing quite well except for when Snape moves past him, but even then the man seems more focused on Malfoy and a few others in the class. This confuses and intrigues me and then Dean whispers: "Malfoy's on the brink of becoming a Hyena. He just does most of the rule-breaking away from the staff, even Snape these days."
This last bit shocks me, yet the fact that Malfoy is basically a Hyena really doesn't, especially when I think back to the last two years. "Constantly calling Hermione a Mudblood and wanting her dead and working as hard as he did to get Hagrid in trouble and then get Buckbeak killed, even though he was the one ignoring Hagrid's orders when he got injured." I think to myself.

Then finally class ends, but while everyone heads out, do I keep my wheelchair where it is, just patiently waiting and softly telling Dean I'll meet him outside. Snape himself seems to ignore all of this until the lad has left and then he instantly turns to me. "I see that your need to understand and figure things out hasn't changed alongside your gender, has it Mss. Potter?"
I shake my head and the man sighs as he says: "I wish I could fault you for it or take points, but neither is really an option. Let me just say, Mss. Potter, that when I saw you in that common room that one night two weeks ago – I felt as if I had lost your mother all over again. Yes Potter, your mother and I were close. We grew up in the same neighborhood and went to Hogwarts together.
She – she was my closest friend and Hogwarts pushed us apart. There were just – various elements that made us grow apart and – mistakes were made, on both sides. Some of these, I was never truly able to forgive myself for, or her. And I will admit that I took that resentment out on you, that I wanted you to feel the pain and heartache I felt when – when I thought she betrayed me by picking your father and his friends over me and our years of friendship."
I look at the man, transfixed by the emotions in his voice and unable to really think or process what he is telling me. The man has been focusing on the papers lying on his desk the entire time he spoke, but now he looks up and locks his eyes with mine, almost overwhelming me with the emotions showing into those murky, dark depths of his black eyes.
"But when I saw you lying there, Mss. Potter, bleeding and on the brink of death, I felt as if I was back in that nursery room of yours all those years ago. You probably don't know this, but – when Weasley dropped you, you fell in such a way your body lay down in exactly the same way your mother was lying when she died in front of your crib. It truly scared me when I saw that."

By now my hands are trembling in my lap and I feel glad that I am sitting behind a station as it means the man won't be able to see this as I am also dying to hear more about the woman that allowed me to live my life up to this point. Yet the man does seem to notice it about me nonetheless as he sighs and pushes himself back, opening a drawer on his own desk.
He pulls a framed picture from the drawer and hands it to me as he says: "Go, before I actually do what I warned your year mates to not try and do. If you ever end up in detention with me again, Mss. Potter, and I have little doubt you will, I will share more about Lily with you." I nod in gratitude and take the picture, but don't look at it as I feel like I should do so when I am alone. And after putting it in my back, do I give the man one last nod before riding out.

Well done, Snape.
So yeah, the teachers are all going to be on Jillian's side, or at least for the most part. They are not going to allow her to break any rules, but they will do whatever they can to protect her until all Hyenas are back to their old Houses. HOWEVER, do NOT expect all Hyenas to be back to their old House by the end of the story, I have various plans, especially for Ron, Hermione and Ginny.
Next chapter; Jillian meets with her godfather and admits to her fears in regard to the Hyenas and Voldemort as well as the fact that she misses her friends and that she still wishes the attackers had been anyone other than Ron and Hermione. But what about Ginny?
Let's find out,

Venquine1990