Rachel finally found the book she was looking for - Non-verbal Charms and Tricks - in the Charms section of the library and brought it over to the table in the back of the library where she'd been studying.

Having detention every night meant she had missed some of the after-dinner study sessions with the upper year students. She didn't mind too much, but it did mean she had to find time to do the work on her own. She had more than an hour until dinner started and she'd already written the Herbology essay she knew the study group was going to be working on tonight while she was in detention. Now she could spend some time on her own problems.

She opened up the book and began reading but it didn't take long to realize she was in over her head. The book used terms she'd never heard of and with a quick flip through the pages she found spells that she knew were way beyond what first years used. She flipped back to the table of contents and found a section titled 'Beginning with Non-verbal Incantations' and then turned the pages until she reached that section. Why they hadn't put that at the front, she didn't know.

"Hello, mind if I join you?"

Rachel looked up and found the girl with bushy hair standing next to the table with her arms full of books. Rachel nodded and gestured at the chair across from her.

The girl set the books on the table and promptly sat down. "I've been looking for a quiet place to study. The common room is obviously out and even in the library there are groups of people talking. Honestly. Anyway, I'm Hermione Granger, I'm in Gryffindor. We have Transfiguration and Potions together," she said.

Rachel nodded again.

"Well, I'm just doing some side research on Transfiguration. My parents are muggles and I only just found out I was a witch this summer when Professor McGonagall brought me my letter. I feel quite behind, which is not a feeling I'm used to. I do quite well in school," Hermione said, picking one of the books from her pile and opening it.

Rachel could empathize. This was their ninth day at Hogwarts and while she was getting used to going to class and finding the classrooms without a prefect guiding them, she still felt quite lost otherwise. Everyone used magic like it was second nature to them and yet when Rachel watched it almost felt unreal.

"What are you studying today?" Hermione asked.

Rachel held up the book so that Hermione could see the cover.

"Non-verbal magic. That's supposed to be quite advanced, I don't think some of the upper years can do it, or at least I haven't seen them do so often. Of course, I can understand why you would want to learn about it, considering," Hermione trailed off. "You don't talk at all, to anyone?"

Rachel put the book back down and shook her head.

"Have you ever talked to anyone?" Hermione asked.

Rachel nodded and fixed her eyes on the list of beginners tips for learning non-verbal magic.

"Did something happen that caused you to stop talking?" Hermione persisted.

Rachel brought her hand up to her throat, remembering the burning pain and how sick she'd been. She'd been shut in her cupboard afterward and she'd lay there thinking she was going to die. That had been a little over three years ago now.

"You could go visit Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing. She's supposed to be an excellent Healer," Hermione said.

Rachel shook her head and continued to read about how to focus on both the spell's effect and the theory of the spell to make it work non-verbally, as well as saying the spell in her mind. Since she knew basically no spell theory, that was going to make this more difficult. The notes she'd taken in Professor McGonagall's class about changing the matchstick into a needle hadn't made a lot of sense and even after writing the essay for that class Rachel was a little fuzzy on what it all meant.

"Well, it won't solve your problems with incantations, but maybe in class you could write down questions you have and someone could ask them for you. Or, when a professor asks you a question, you could write down the answer for them," Hermione suggested. She had pulled out a quill and was tapping the end of it on a piece of parchment while she thought.

Rachel shook her head again and turned the page to read an example of what a person would do to cast the levitation charm non-verbally. It was a good example because Rachel had already read that far in her Charms book.

"You could sit near me in class, if you want. I'd be happy to ask the professors questions if you wanted to write the questions down for me," Hermione offered when some time had passed.

Rachel looked up, smiled at Hermione, and then shook her head again. It was nice of her to offer, but it wouldn't work. The teachers at her old school had tried that when Rachel went back to school after that summer and wasn't talking. Rachel could take notes in class, write down stuff for essays and assignments, even write lines when directed, but when it came to more personal communication she just couldn't. She'd hold the pen - or quill - in her hand and it would just shake and she'd feel sick until she finally put it down.

"Well, the offer to sit near me in class is still open, at any rate," Hermione said. "I think I probably should have asked to be sorted into Ravenclaw after all. I don't fit in very well with the Gryffindors."

Rachel smiled again, hoping that it would convey that she understood and would be willing to sit near Hermione in class. She also resolved to sit near Hermione in the library if she saw her here again. She knew all too well what it was like not to have any friends.

Severus sighed heavily as he graded fifth year essays. Almost all of them were going to need to do a lot better if they hoped to make it into his NEWT preparation courses, let alone pass their OWLS. He was not meant to be a teacher, that much was obvious. He cared about the children and wanted them to do well, but he had no desire to teach those who simply had no desire to learn.

A knock on his classroom door let him know that Rachel had arrived.

He walked to the doorway of his office and opened the classroom door with a wave of his hand.

Rachel entered and went to the desk where he'd been having her write lines.

"Do you have anything written down that you'd like to give me, Miss Snow?" Severus asked. He asked this question every time, hoping that Rachel will have given in and written something down for him. He knew she was missing some of her study groups at these detentions and he didn't want her to fall further behind in classes, but he also couldn't let her continue not to talk.

Rachel shook her head.

Severus frowned as he considered the problem. "With me," he said, going back into his office.

Rachel followed him inside and Severus wandlessly shut his office door behind her.

He stared out the window that looked into the Great Lake while he contemplated what he was about to do. He didn't lightly use legilimency on students. He preferred not to use it on anyone, as he strongly associated it with his time as a Death Eater and as a spy. However, if Rachel would not speak to him in person, maybe she would speak to him inside her own head.

He turned to explain what he was about to do but felt his eyes widen in shock.

Rachel had removed her robes, which were lying on the floor at her feet, untied her tie, and was halfway through unbuttoning her shirt.

"Miss Snow," he said, causing her to look up at him.

Her expression suggested resignation with a little bit of confusion.

He cast a silent Buttoning charm that rebuttoned her shirt, and another charm that neatly tied her tie. "Put your robes back on," he instructed, his mind racing as he tried to understand what had just happened.

Over the years a few of the upper year girls had pursued him, and he had firmly told them that it was inappropriate and their affections were better suited toward their classmates. He didn't think this was one of those times. If Rachel had been a Gryffindor, he'd suspect she had done this purposefully to try to get him in trouble. If he had thought Rachel unintelligent he would have thought another student had put her up to this. Since Rachel was neither a Gryffindor or unintelligent, and she clearly was not pursuing him romantically, this was something else entirely.

He thought back to what Gemma Farley had told him about her suspicions and decided that he thought Miss Farely was probably correct.

"Miss Snow. Nothing like that will happen here in my office or classroom. I do not want to hurt you," Severus said, keeping his voice even and level.

Rachel stared impassively, now wearing her robes again.

"Sit down," Severus said, gesturing to one of the chairs in front of his desk. He sat down behind his desk and once Rachel was seated he continued speaking. "I am going to use a branch of magic known as legilimency. It will allow me to briefly enter your mind. I will stay at the upper surface of your thoughts and call your name. You should be able to answer me just by thinking. Do you understand?"

Rachel nodded once, though her expression suggested she was uncertain.

"Alright. Look into my eyes and I will enter your mind," Severus said, holding her gaze and then slipping inside.

His mental projection of himself immediately landed against a large wooden wall. He looked along the wall but was unable to see anything but wood in each direction and mist behind him. "Rachel?" he called, though he knew it was probably fruitless. "Can you hear me?"

Most occlumency shields were less literal than a wall. They tended to be moving projections of elements that allowed thoughts to rise and fall in a controlled manner. That way a series of memories could be placed above the shield to allow a legilimens to believe they had penetrated their subject's mind. Severus had once been in the mind of someone who used a forest swaying in the wind as their occlumency shield - it had been very effective.

"Rachel?" He tried again. "If you can hear me, lower your barrier so we can speak."

He pushed lightly against the barrier but didn't make a real effort to break it. If Rachel's mind was already damaged, and that was the reason she didn't speak, he didn't want to break any supports that may be maintaining her sanity. After another few minutes of waiting he left her mind.

"Are you familiar with the term occlumency?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"Has anyone ever taught you to meditate, or to clear your mind of thoughts?" Severus asked. It was the only way he could imagine an untrained witch or wizard accidentally learning occlumency, and even then only if it was a birth power.

Rachel shook her head again.

Severus frowned as he considered her and then shook his head. It appeared he was going to have to take other measures if he wished to communicate with Rachel. "You're dismissed for the night. Go straight back to the common room," he instructed.

Rachel nodded, picked up her bag, and then left.

Severus watched his House from the staff table as he finished eating dinner. The House Elves had made roast beef and potatoes for the evening meal, which wasn't one of his favorites. Under other circumstances he might have only eaten lightly and returned to his quarters after the meal to request something else through the floo, but tonight he needed to stay.

He'd arranged for Poppy to perform a check-up and a medical history exam on Rachel Snow this evening and he planned to take Rachel to the hospital wing directly from the Great Hall. Rachel was currently sitting with the other first year Slytherins and seemed like she had almost finished her meal. The students around her were chattering eagerly but Rachel hardly seemed to notice.

Severus remembered sitting at that table, feeling similarly isolated until a few of the upper year students had taken interest in him. It had been easy for him to fall prey to their friendship and their stories of power and dark ritual, in part because he had been so isolated. He didn't think it was likely that Rachel Snow of all people would turn to the dark, but that sort of isolation was something he watched for in all of his students because it usually indicated there were other problems that needed to be dealt with.

The tables cleared of the dinner platters and apple pies and custard tarts appeared in their place. When Severus saw that Rachel did not take any dessert he got to his feet and walked down to the Slytherin table. Most students stopped talking as he passed, their gazes curious. He reached the first years after a moment. "Miss Snow, if you would come with me, please."

Rachel got to her feet, seeming unaware of Millicent Bulstrode's worried expression, and looked up at Severus.

Severus nodded and walked away, aware of the students immediately turning to gossip. Rachel followed him, her pace quick to keep up with his long strides.

The walk only took a few minutes and they arrived at the hospital wing.

Rachel immediately balked and Severus turned to her. "I will not be pleased if you run off. This is just a check-up to see if Madam Pomfrey can do anything to help you be able to speak again," he said, balancing his tone between stern and what he hoped was comforting.

"Ah, Miss Snow," Poppy said as she came out of her office and walked over to them. "Right on time. Now if you'll go behind the privacy curtain and change into this we can get started. No need to worry, this won't hurt at all."

Rachel accepted the gown she'd been handed and after a moment walked over to enter the privacy screen, her shoulders slumped.

After a few minutes Poppy approached the screen. "Are you all changed, dear?"

There was no answer.

"I'm just going to peek inside to see if you're ready," Poppy called after a moment. She looked inside and then disappeared behind the privacy screen. A moment later privacy wards appeared in a flash so that no one could hear them if someone happened to come down to the infirmary.

Severus conjured a chair, folded his arms, and sat down near the entrance to wait. He'd had more than one student try to run off from one of these exams and he'd learned to be in place to perform a barrier spell before the student could race out into the rest of the castle.

Early in his career he'd petitioned Albus for each incoming first year to have a check-up and medical history exam. Too often they didn't see the signs that something was wrong, whether it be abuse from a family member or undiagnosed illness, until the situation had become untenable. Albus had said that prominent families in the Ministry would object if they tried to perform such exams on a large scale and that they should only be performed when a staff member had reason to suspect they were necessary.

Severus had objected that it was clear those families had something to hide, which Albus hadn't commented on. He had merely stated it was a fight they couldn't win and that if Severus believed one of his students was ill or in danger, then he could bring them to the hospital wing.

Severus always made the effort to get to know his students and to offer guidance when he saw that something was amiss, but he knew from personal experience that when children were determined to hide their situation there was little he could do.

After about fifteen minutes Poppy emerged from the privacy screen and went to her storage room. She returned a few moments later and then went back behind the privacy screen.

Severus could tell even at a distance what potions she'd carried with her. A Nutrient Restoration Potion, designed for people who were undernourished or otherwise lacking in certain nutrients, was in the tall green bottle. Bruise Paste was in the medium white jar. And a Scar Reduction Serum was in the small brown bottle.

It appeared that Miss Farley was correct in her suspicions.

Poppy reappeared a few minutes later and went to put the potions away.

Rachel emerged from the privacy screen, dressed in her uniform and robes, looking pale and drawn.

Poppy returned. "Now, remember to return once a week to receive your Nutrient Potion. Every Thursday, right before dinner. Understood?"

Rachel nodded.

Severus walked over to them. "Do you need Miss Snow for anything else?"

"No, we're finished," Poppy said, making a note on the parchments on her clipboard.

"Miss Snow, can you get back to the Slytherin common room from here by yourself?" Severus asked.

Rachel nodded again.

"You may consider your detentions complete," Severus said. "Go back to the common room and join your study group."

Poppy waited until Rachel had left before speaking. "In my office, Severus."

Severus followed Poppy into her office and they both sat down.

Poppy flipped through the papers on her clipboard. "She's malnourished, but it's hard to say at her age whether or not that's the cause of her short stature or if she's just yet to hit a growth spurt. She's broken her right arm twice and her collarbone once. I found scars on her back from being beaten, likely with a belt or whip, as well as bruising suggesting she's been beaten recently."

Severus felt his jaw clench at the description. This was Lily's child she was talking about. "Did you find anything to suggest why she can't speak?"

"She has scarring in her throat and esophagus, though as far as I can tell it shouldn't prevent her from speaking," Poppy explained. "I would guess that she swallowed some sort of corrosive muggle potion, though whether that was on accident or she was forced to, I couldn't say. I can't treat the scars with anything we have on hand here as none of our Scar Reduction Serums are intended to be ingested."

Severus thought about that - he wasn't aware of anything that removed scarring that was safe to be ingested. "I'll look into it."

Poppy nodded. "You may want to take her for a consultation at Saint Mungo's. I'd suggest Healer Widgeton, he's a specialist in treating damage from potions."

Severus paused. "Was there any indications of sexual abuse?"

"Nothing concrete. Her hymen is broken, but that's not uncommon in active girls at her age," Poppy said, looking back at her notes. "Do you have reason to suspect sexual abuse?"

"She attempted to undress in my office yesterday," Severus said.

"Two potential indicators of sexual abuse in children are hypersexuality and a lack of awareness of when something is or is not a sexual situation. Keep a close eye on her, Severus. While I hate the thought that someone here at Hogwarts might take advantage of her, we can't dismiss the possibility," Poppy said as she made a note on the parchment. "I would be making a report to Family Services if I wasn't aware that Albus was the one who placed Rachel with her relatives. As it is, I'm not quite certain what to do."

"I will speak with Albus," Severus said, steeling himself for the confrontation. "Update Rachel's file with your findings and recommendations. If I can't make Albus see reason, then we'll proceed with Family Services."

"Thank you, Severus. Out of all people, I think Albus will listen to you," Poppy said. "I'll have everything filed and ready for Albus to access by tomorrow."

Severus nodded and stood up. He had a lot of work to do between now and tomorrow. "Thank you, Poppy."

Rachel was only a few minutes late for her potions study group, led by sixth year prefect Leander Wickes. They were reviewing the Herbicide Potion, which they would be brewing in their class the next day.

"Lionfish spines are always used powdered, never add a whole lionfish spine to your cauldron," Leander explained. "Now when a potion's instructions say just say powdered you should use your mortar and pestle to ground it into a very fine powder. There should be no chunks. If the instructions say a rough powder there should still be chunks, but they should be no bigger than two or three millimeters."

Rachel quickly sat down next to Millie and started taking notes. Thanks to all of her detentions her handwriting with a quill was slowly becoming more legible. And now that she didn't have detention anymore she would have more time to research and practice non-verbal magic.

It took some effort to keep her attention focused on the properties of lionfish spines and flobberworm mucus. Her mind kept going back to her visit to the hospital wing.

It had been awful. Madam Pomfrey had frowned and muttered while performing spells, and then she'd seen the bruises on her back and legs and put some sort of potion on them. Which had felt disgusting, but she was no longer sore. Rachel didn't know what the whole point had been if Professor Snape had been trying to get her to talk. Clearly there wasn't anything Madam Pomfrey could do.

Leander released them after forty-five minutes of going over the potion and Rachel gathered her things and went back to her dorm room with Millie at her side.

"What happened? Why did Professor Snape ask you to go with him?" Millie asked once they were inside.

Rachel set her bag onto her bed and started to unpack. She met Millie's gaze briefly and gave half a shrug.

"Right. I guess he just wanted you to do your detention early or something," Millie said, pulling books out of her own bag. "Are you okay?"

Rachel nodded. She still felt gross from the stuff Madam Pomfrey had put on her, but she was okay. She put the books she had used today back onto the shelf in her wardrobe and pulled out her potions book and the essay she had written earlier in the week that was due tomorrow.

"That's good. I'm glad you got to join our study group tonight," Millie said, watching what Rachel was doing then going to collect her own potions book.

The door opened and Pansy and Daphne came inside.

"Why did Professor Snape take you to the hospital wing?" Pansy asked as soon as the door was shut.

Rachel turned to face them and felt herself starting to blush. How had they known?

"David Zeek, a third year, said he saw you come out of the hospital wing," Daphne supplied. "Did Madam Pomfrey fix your voice?"

Rachel shook her head.

"Clearly not," Pansy said. "You know, I don't think it's fair for teachers to take points from you when you can't talk. Especially if Madam Pomfrey can't even cure you."

"Then it's not fair for Professor Snape to give her detention for it either," Millie said as she sat down on the end of her bed. "It's not Rachel's fault she can't talk."

Rachel wanted to tell them that she didn't have detention anymore, but she guessed they'd figure it out when she didn't go tomorrow.

"But how is she supposed to do magic?" Daphne asked. "She'll fail out if she can't pass the end of year exams."

"Is that true?" Millie asked. Rachel wanted to know that as well.

"I've never heard of that happening," Pansy said. "Besides, look at Crabbe and Goyle. I bet they won't pass their end of year exams either."

"Crabbe and Goyle may be stupid, but they can still do magic," Daphne said, taking her hairbrush out of her wardrobe and settling in to brush her hair.

"I've yet to see evidence of that either," Pansy said. "Besides, Rachel is the Girl-Who-Lived. They can't let her fail out of school."

There it was again. Rachel had heard that a few times before, but she didn't know what it meant. Yes, she was alive. But so were a lot of people.

"I'm sure they'll figure something out," Millie said, watching Rachel with a worried expression.

Rachel hoped that was true. At least now she had more time to work on non-verbal magic.

On Friday afternoon, after his double period with the third year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, Severus tossed a handful of floo powder into his office fireplace. "Headmaster's office."

He waited a moment for the connection to establish and then leaned forward to speak into the green flames. "Albus, may I have a few moments of your time?"

"Come on through, Severus," Albus called back a moment later.

Severus ducked down and entered his fireplace, and after a brief whirling sensation he stepped out into the Headmaster's office.

Albus was sitting behind his desk, which had books spread out over the surface. "Ah, yes Severus. What can I do for you? Would you like a lemon drop?" he asked, looking over his glasses at Severus and gesturing to the small dish of candy on the edge of his desk.

"No, thank you," Severus said. He sat down in one of the chairs in front of Albus' desk. "I'd like to talk to you about Rachel Snow."

"Have you gotten her to speak?" Albus asked.

"No, though that is one of the things I've come to talk to you about," Severus said, watching Albus' reaction carefully. Maybe it was leftover from the time that he had spent serving the Dark Lord, but the awareness that came with being around a very powerful wizard prickled against his mind.

"This needs to be resolved and soon," Albus said. "Has Poppy looked over her?"

"Yes, I took Rachel to have a check-up and a medical history exam yesterday. The results should be in her file. Would you look at them now?" Severus asked.

Albus opened a drawer in his desk and after a moment of searching pulled out a thin file. He set it on his desk and quickly read through it. "I take it you agree with Poppy's recommendation that Rachel be removed from her home?"

"I do," Severus said. "I'm aware that the blood wards offer Rachel substantial protection, but they will do Rachel little good if she's not able to use magic."

Albus sighed. "I asked Petunia to look after Rachel as if she were her own child."

Severus frowned. He knew Petunia well enough to know how unlikely that was. "Let us hope then that she does not have a child of her own, if this is how she would have treated them. Albus, I believe that Rachel will not speak as long as she believes she will be returned to her relatives. I'd like to take her to the Healer at Saint Mungo's that Poppy recommended."

"Yes, I believe a specialist is in order. But her living situation…" Albus trailed off thoughtfully.

"We cannot have it known that she is being removed from her living situation until the matter is settled legally. There are too many Death Eaters who have favor with the Ministry that would use the opportunity to take her into their homes," Severus said, pressing on the fact that Rachel should be moved to a safe situation, rather than arguing the point. Albus didn't respond well to force or threats.

"You have someone in mind who should take her?" Albus asked.

"I would be the logical choice," Severus said. He had spent the night debating this before coming to a decision. Rachel was Lily's child. Lily never would have wanted Rachel to stay with Petunia in the first place. He thought that Lily would want him to adopt Rachel at this point.

"Please forgive me, Severus," Albus said, a tilt of his eyebrow giving away his surprise. "I had never been under the impression that you liked young children."

Severus forced himself to maintain eye contact and to not raise his occlumency shields. "In general, I don't. However, in this case, there is an exception. I'll admit I don't know Rachel well, but she's one of my Slytherins, she's in need of protection, and who better than me to defend her against Death Eaters and the Dark Arts? And, she's Lily's child."

"She's Lily and James' child," Albus correctly gently.

"Yes, she is," Severus agreed. "I believe I can provide a reasoned perspective on James, should she ask me about him."

"You truly believe she won't speak unless we remove her from her relatives' care?" Albus asked.

Severus sneered at the word 'care'. "I do, but that's beside the point. It would be inhumane to send any of our students back to an environment where they are being hurt. We will need Rachel to trust us, especially if the signs you are seeing come to fruition. How could she ever trust us if we continue to send her back there."

"And you are certain you wish to adopt her? I don't have to tell you how much of an added responsibility that would be," Albus said.

Severus felt Albus brush against his mind and he let him see his genuine desire. "All the more reason it should be me, since I am well equipped to handle what may come."

Albus nodded. "You're aware that you wouldn't be able to resume your former role in the Order, should you adopt Rachel?"

"Yes," Severus said, aware that he had won his argument. He wasn't exactly sad about not returning to spy on the Dark Lord - he wasn't as reckless with his life as he had been when he was young. "I believe I would better serve the Order in the role of Rachel's guardian."

"I see that you are set on this," Albus said, an unnamable expression flickering across his features. "I will quietly arrange this with the Ministry. It may take a few weeks."

"Thank you, Albus," Severus said as he stood up. He felt like he had won a decisive battle.

"Talk to Rachel about this, see if she has any objections while there is still time to make changes," Albus instructed.

"I will," Severus said, wondering how Rachel would make her objections known if she had any.

"Keep me apprised of her condition and let me know what the Healer from Saint Mungo's has to say," Albus said, waving Severus toward his fireplace.

"Of course," Severus said, moving to take some floo powder from the silver tray Albus had sitting on the mantle. "Thank you."

Albus nodded and returned to his books.

They had a free day on Saturday. No lessons, no study sessions with the upper years, and no detention. As they finished lunch, Rachel met Millie's eyes and then pointed in roughly the direction of Hagrid's home.

Millie paused, the rest of her sandwich halfway to her mouth, and then her expression brightened in understanding. "You want to go visit Hagrid after lunch?"

Rachel nodded, relieved that Millie had known what she meant.

"Hagrid? Why would you want to visit Hagrid?" Draco asked from across the table.

"Because he's nice," Millie said, stuffing the rest of her sandwich in her mouth.

"My father says sometimes Hagrid gets drunk and tries to do magic and sets his hut on fire, and then the Headmaster has to go put it out," Draco said, causing Crabbe and Goyle to laugh.

Rachel frowned. She didn't think that was true, partially because she had seen Hagrid do a little magic and he seemed okay at it, but people did all sorts of things when they were drunk.

"Well, he's nice to us, and he has a dog, and we like to visit," Millie said, grabbing her goblet of pumpkin juice. She drained it and stood up. "Ready, Rachel?"

"Have fun," Draco said sarcastically.

Millie rolled her eyes and walked away, Rachel following her.

They were almost to the doors when Rachel spotted Hermione sitting by herself with a book at the Gryffindor table. Rachel reached out and tugged on Millie's sleeve.

Millie came to a stop. "What?"

Rachel led her over to the Gryffindor table and stopped next to Hermione.

"Oh, hello Rachel," Hermione said, looking up from her book. She looked at Millie. "I'm Hermione Granger."

"Millie," she said by way of introduction. "I think Rachel wants you to come visit Hagrid with us."

Rachel nodded.

"Who's Hagrid?" Hermione asked.

"He's the keeper of the grounds. He's nice. We like to go have tea with him on the weekends," Millie explained.

"Alright then," Hermione said. She closed her book and put it in her bag.

The trio made their way out onto the grounds and followed the dirt path down to Hagrid's house.

Rachel paused in the garden in front of his house, curious as to what he was growing. Little pumpkins, only a few inches wide, were growing on vines that wound all around the patch.

"Found my pumpkins, did you? Don't worry, they'll be big as Fang by Halloween," Hagrid called, coming around from the back of his house. Fang bounded toward them, barking as he saw them.

Hermione yelped in surprise and stumbled back.

"Fang, you big nut, stop that," Hagrid called as Fang bounded eagerly around Hermione before racing over to see Rachel and Millie.

Rachel eagerly petted Fang, letting him slobber all over her.

"Don't mind him, he's harmless," Hagrid told Hermione. "I don't think I know you."

"I'm Hermione Granger," Hermione said, offering Hagrid her hand.

"Pleased to meet you, Hermione," Hagrid said. It was almost comical, seeing Hermione's small hand encased in Hagrid's giant one as they shook hands.

"You've made friends here with Rachel and Millie?" Hagrid asked. "That's good. It's good to see students in different Houses getting along, especially Gryffindor and Slytherin. There's a lot of bad blood there."

"Bad blood?" Millie asked.

"Back from the time of the founders of Hogwarts. That's not to say there have never been friendships between the Houses. Rachel, your mom and Professor Snape were fast friends through most of their time at Hogwarts," Hagrid explained.

Rachel looked up from where she was scratching Fang behind his ears. She'd learned a little about her parents on the night Hagrid had come and told her she was a witch, such as her parents hadn't died in a car accident, but instead had been blown up. She wished she could ask Hagrid what he knew about her mom and dad.

"Rachel's mom was a Gryffindor?" Hermione asked.

"That she was, and her dad too. Gave everyone a bit of a shock to see Rachel sorted into Slytherin," Hagrid said.

"Slytherin's not a bad House," Millie said defensively.

"Never said it was, but oftentimes Houses run in families," Hagrid explained.

"All of the Weasleys are in Gryffindor," Hermione said.

"My mom was a Slytherin, but my dad was a Ravenclaw," Millie said. "And most of my mom's family were Slytherins, but my dad was muggleborn."

"I think my parents probably would have been Ravenclaws, if they had come to Hogwarts," Hermione said thoughtfully. "I think that the hat should have sorted me there after all. It was considering it for a long time, but then decided on Gryffindor."

The hat had considered Gryffindor for Rachel as well, but had ultimately decided on Slytherin. Given how lonely Hermione was in Gryffindor, Rachel felt the hat had been right in picking Slytherin for her.

"The sorting hat knows what it's doing, Hermione. If it placed you in Gryffindor, it had a good reason," Hagrid said, patting Hermione on the shoulder and nearly knocking her to her knees. "Now why don't you all come in for a cup of tea and tell me about your week."

Rachel followed them inside, Fang trotting along with her. She was glad that she had found friends so quickly after arriving at Hogwarts.