Rachel left the library alone. Millie had already returned to the common room to drop her bag off before dinner and Hermione was still in the library, having said she wanted to look up one more thing. Rachel was lost in thought, having just read another few chapters in a book about non-verbal magic. It seemed fairly hopeless - apparently most students didn't start learning non-verbal magic until their sixth year, but she felt like she didn't have any other choice. She had to be able to do magic if she wanted to stay at Hogwarts.
A sharp pain in her arm drew her from her thoughts about non-verbal magic. Rachel held her hand to her forearm and turned toward the sound of laughter. She saw someone lean out from behind a corner and flick their wand, and then felt another sharp stinging sensation, this time on her calf. They laughed again.
Rachel took off running. Years of running from Dudley had taught her how to get away from bullies.
She darted around a corner, aware from the sound of footsteps that she was being followed. She felt several more sharp stings, mostly on her arms and legs, but a few hit her on the shoulders where her bag wasn't protecting her. It hurt, but it wasn't terrible. She'd had plenty worse.
"Get her!" a boy called.
Rachel chanced a glance back. Two boys were following her, both upper years with Gryffindor ties. She raced around another corner, hopelessly lost now.
She ran for another minute or two before coming to a dead end. Her stomach clenched, thinking of the beatings that Dudley and his gang had given her when they caught her.
There was a single door and Rachel tugged on it hard. It was locked.
'Alohamora,' she thought desperately as she pulled on the handle. Nothing happened.
The Gryffindor boys would catch up to her at any moment now.
She pulled on the handle again. Open!
Her hands felt strangely warm for a moment and the latch on the door released, allowing her to pull it open. Rachel ducked inside, pulling the door closed behind her. Had she just done magic? Without saying the words or using her wand?
She didn't know the spell to relock the door, so she stood in the dark with her back against the door and listened carefully. Her hiding place was obvious, but it was possible they'd decide to give up the chase.
As she listened, and as her eyes adjusted to the near dark of the room, she noticed the sound of breathing. She closed her eyes to help them adjust faster and when she opened them again she put her hand over her mouth as she internally screamed.
There was a ginormous three-headed dog laying in the center of the room, fast asleep.
Rachel considered whether or not she should just take her chances with the Gryffindor boys. She couldn't hear anything on the other side of the door, but they might just be waiting to ambush her when she came out. She decided that as soon as she saw the dog move, or heard the sound of its breathing change, she would leave.
She gently touched her arms where they had been hit by the spells the boys were casting. They didn't hurt as much as when she'd first been hit by the spells, but they were definitely tender. She didn't feel any blood when she checked under her sleeves so she decided she was probably okay.
The dog shifted slightly in its sleep.
Rachel froze, watching it carefully, and for the first time noticed something under its giant paws. It looked like a trapdoor. The dog was guarding something. She thought quickly and realized that this must be the third floor corridor that Professor Dumbledore had warned them away from at the start of the term. And, it stood to reason, that the dog was guarding whatever was in the small package Hagrid had picked up from Gringotts, the one that someone had tried to steal later that same day.
She felt that having a giant three-headed dog was a reasonable protection for whatever was in the package. She couldn't imagine getting by it to get to the trapdoor even with magic. Poor dog though, trapped inside all of the time. She hoped that someone came to give it food and maybe give it a magic way to exercise and play.
The dog snorted in its sleep and Rachel decided it was time to go. The boys chasing her had probably gotten bored of waiting by now. It usually only took Rachel five minutes of hiding before Dudley would give up and go search for something else to do.
She carefully slipped out of the room and shut the door behind her. Hopefully whoever came there to see the dog wouldn't notice that it was already unlocked.
The hallways were empty, everyone having gone down for dinner, and Rachel raced through the halls and down the staircases and arrived at the Great Hall just in time to get some food before dinner finished.
After dinner, Defense first year study group with Tilly, and spending some time afterward writing the assigned Defense essay about ghosts and spirits, Rachel went back to her dorm to get ready for bed. Millie joined her, both of them collecting their toiletries and going back to the bathroom to brush their teeth.
Back in their dorm, Rachel got the clothes she usually slept in out of her drawer. She used to wear the t-shirt and shorts for when she was gardening, but they were comfortable enough to sleep in.
Pansy and Daphne were sitting on Daphne's bed, reading the latest issue of Witch Weekly.
Rachel changed her clothes and was just hanging up her robes when she heard Millie cry out.
"Rachel, what happened to you?"
Rachel turned, alarmed, and Millie came rushing over to her.
"Your arms, and on your legs too," Millie said, taking hold of Rachel's arm and holding it up.
The spells the Gryffindor boys had cast at her had left three-to-four inch red welts on her skin.
"Did someone attack you?" Daphne asked, coming over to get a better look.
Rachel nodded.
"Who?" Pansy asked.
Rachel shrugged. Even if she could talk, she didn't know the names of the boys who'd attacked her.
"Come on, we're going to see Gemma," Millie said, keeping hold of Rachel's wrist and pulling her in the direction of the door.
Rachel didn't particularly want to go see Gemma, since Gemma would probably say that Rachel should go to Madam Pomfrey for some healing salve, but she went along with Millie anyway. Millie had seemed really upset.
They went back out into the common room, which was mostly upper years now, and Rachel noticed people watching them as they walked toward the couches by the fireplace.
Leander nudged Gemma to get her attention and Gemma turned away from the conversation she'd been having with Miranda, a seventh year prefect. "Did you need something?" Gemma asked.
"Someone hurt Rachel," Millie said, stepping closer. "Look at her arms and the back of her legs."
Gemma got up and looked carefully at one of Rachel's arms and then the other. "Turn around so I can see your legs," Gemma said.
Rachel turned obediently and realized that all the gathered prefects were watching.
"Looks like she was hit by a bunch of stinging hexes," Miranda said, looking at Rachel's arm. "Gotta be someone from the upper years, that's not taught until fifth year Defense.
"Alright," Gemma said. "Millie, thank you for bringing Rachel to me. Why don't you go back to your dorm. Rachel, let's go see Professor Snape."
Rachel didn't want to do that either. Professor Snape was probably resting or asleep. She reluctantly followed Gemma out of the common room, the stone floor freezing against her bare feet, and they walked down the corridor that led to Professor Snape's office.
Gemma knocked on Professor Snape's office door and then they waited.
Severus was grading fifth year essays on Strengthening Solutions when he heard a knock on his office door. It was after curfew, which meant that it was likely one of his prefects. He set aside the essay he'd been grading - a particularly awful one that deserved a troll grade - and walked through the wall that led into his office.
He opened the door and found Gemma Farley standing with Rachel. Rachel was seriously underdressed for the occasion.
"Rachel's been hurt. Someone has used a stinging hex on her a bunch of times," Gemma said before Severus could speak.
"Come in," he said, opening his office door wider. He waved his wand to increase the lighting from the fireplace and the lamps.
"We think it was an upper year student, probably sixth or seventh year, since the stinging hex isn't taught until later in the fifth year," Gemma continued, closing the door behind herself. "It probably happened some time before dinner, since she's been in the common room ever since."
"Thank you, Miss Farley," Severus said. "Miss Snow, come stand by the fireplace so I can see better."
Rachel did as she was instructed and held her arms out so that Severus could see the welts.
"On the back of her legs too," Gemma said.
Severus gritted his teeth and looked at the back of Rachel's legs. Whoever had attacked her had done it from behind and had cast repeated hexes. "Anywhere else?" he asked.
Rachel pulled her hair over her shoulder and tugged the neckhole of her shirt back to reveal a few more welts on the upper area of her shoulders.
Severus left her standing by the fireplace, she was probably freezing running around dressed like that, and went to collect a jar of healing salve from one of the cabinets. He brought the jar back with him and thought of the first time he had Rachel in his office. She probably did not want him touching her unnecessarily.
"Take some of the salve from the jar and rub it on the welts," he instructed. "Use more than you think you need and rub it so that it goes over the edge of the welt onto your healthy skin."
Rachel accepted the jar and quickly got to work slathering her arms with the salve.
"Sir, what are you going to do? Rachel can't defend herself. She can't even tell us who attacked her," Gemma said.
Rachel might not be able to tell them who attacked her, but Severus had his own suspicions. "Rachel, were the people who attacked you wearing Gryffindor uniforms?"
Rachel nodded once.
"Did they look like upper years, maybe sixteen or seventeen years old?" he asked.
Rachel shrugged and then nodded again.
Severus nodded in return. So about that age range, though she didn't know exactly. "Were they girls?" he asked.
Rachel shook her head.
That narrowed down his suspect list to about fifteen students. He would need for it to be a little narrower to actually be able to do anything about this.
"Rachel, look at me for a moment please," Severus said. He hadn't tried legilimency on her since that time in his office, but maybe her defenses weren't up all of the time.
He met her gaze and dove into her mind. Again he met the same wooden barrier. "Rachel?" he called, knocking his fist against the wall. "If you can hear me, this is not an attack. Open your mind so we can speak."
Severus only waited about a minute before he slipped back out. His abilities as a legilimens were not well known and he didn't want to cause Gemma to be suspicious.
"I will speak with Professor McGonagall about putting an end to the bullying from her House," Severus said. It was all he could do.
"So she'll tell the bullies not to bully?" Gemma asked, before quickly adding "Sir".
"I know, Miss Farley," Severus said. "Perhaps they will reveal themselves in another way."
Rachel had crouched down to put the healing salve on her legs. She stood up and handed the jar back to Severus.
"Are these the clothes you use to sleep in?" Severus asked, realizing that he hadn't gotten her a pair of pajamas while they were shopping.
Rachel nodded.
"I will make arrangements," Severus said. He could easily Owl Order a pair of pajamas for her. "If neither of you need anything else, I will bid you goodnight."
"Thank you, Professor Snape," Gemma said.
Rachel nodded again and left with Gemma.
Severus waited for a moment to compose himself entirely and then took some floo powder out of the jar on his mantle. It was time to pay Minerva a visit.
In the second week of October, Severus received a copy of the adoption paperwork and certificate in the mail. He was now officially Rachel's guardian. He pondered the certificate while sitting in his office. It wasn't so much that he was having second thoughts as he was wondering if he was actually ready to be the guardian to a child - and to this particular child.
He had told Lucius it wouldn't be that different from being her Head of House, but he felt that it should be different. And, if he was actually going to help Rachel, it needed to be different. The attack on her had only reinforced how vulnerable Rachel was at Hogwarts, and not just to bullies. It would be a simple matter for one of the seventh year students to walk Rachel off Hogwarts grounds and apparate away with her. Rachel would probably go with them willingly, not knowing any better.
Severus decided it was time for another series of career and mentorship discussions with his upper years. It was the best opportunity he had to see if they were being influenced by the Dark Arts and how likely some of them were to follow in the footsteps of their parents.
At the staff meeting last week, Severus had brought up the fact that Rachel had been attacked by upper year students, watching Albus carefully as he did so. Severus wasn't about to let a repeat of what had happened to him happen to Rachel. Gryffindors couldn't just hurt other students with impunity.
Minerva had said that she'd discussed the matter with her upper years, threatening revocation of Hogsmeade privileges and a month's worth of detention to anyone caught bullying younger students.
Severus rather thought that this admonishment should have included bullying any students, regardless of whether or not the victim was younger.
Given the lackluster response, Severus had held a House meeting in the common room and encouraged his students to travel together through the halls of Hogwarts and in particular to look after the younger students. He had noticed both Millicent Bulstrode and Gemma Farley glancing at Rachel. Hopefully between the two of them they could keep Rachel safe in the hallways.
Severus' first task after receiving the adoption paperwork was to make a copy, gather Rachel's medical files, locate the address of her muggle relatives, and send it all off in a packet to Torey Halls, requesting an appointment for Rachel at her earliest convenience. The sooner Rachel could speak, the sooner she could learn to defend herself.
His second task was to write a note to Rachel, asking her to come to his office at five o'clock that evening. He felt it would be good for her to know that the adoption was official and that she wouldn't be returning to her relatives.
His third task for the day was to steel himself for teaching third year potions for Gryffindor and Slytherin. If there was anything the entire staff could agree on it was that the Weasley twins were a menace.
Rachel knocked on Professor Snape's office door and waited. She didn't think she had detention, but she didn't know what he wanted either. At least he'd asked her to come before dinner so that she didn't miss her after dinner study group.
The door opened and Professor Snape motioned her inside. He paused and then walked to the open door that led into his classroom. "If I see bat spleens in anywhere but the assigned receptacles you will both be receiving another detention," he said sternly.
Rachel took a moment to peer through the door and saw the same red-headed boys she'd seen last time she'd been asked to come to Professor Snape's office. This time they were cutting up potion ingredients instead of cleaning cauldrons.
Professor Snape waved his wand and the shimmering bubble of a privacy ward appeared around the office. "Please, have a seat."
Rachel sat down and watched as Professor Snape sat down in a chair near her instead of behind his desk.
"I wanted to let you know that the adoption has been made official," he said, taking a piece of paper from his desk and holding it out.
Rachel leaned forward and began to read - it was a lot easier to read things that weren't up close to her face now that Professor Snape had taken her to get new glasses. The certificate was pretty straightforward. It listed her name, birthdate, and place of birth. Apparently she'd been born somewhere called Godric's Hollow. Beneath that it listed her parents full names, noting that they were deceased. And beneath that, under the heading of guardian, it listed Professor Snape's name - whose first name was Severus - and his birthday. She noticed that both her parents and Professor Snape had been born in 1960. Beneath all that was yesterday's date and a signature she couldn't make out and a seal from the Ministry of Magic.
She leaned back and nodded at Professor Snape to show that she understood.
"Your muggle relatives have been informed that you will not be returning to them," Professor Snape said, putting the adoption certificate back on his desk.
Just like that, she didn't have to go back? Rachel was certain that the Dursleys were as relieved about this news as she was. She had no idea what Professor Snape would be like as a guardian, but nothing she'd seen so far had suggested he would be worse than the Dursleys.
"Was there anything of yours that you needed from their house that you didn't bring with you to Hogwarts?" Professor Snape asked.
Rachel shook her head. Everything that she owned had been in her trunk.
"Good," he said, pausing as he looked at her. "I'm making arrangements for you to see a Mind Healer. She also has a muggle degree as a doctor. She will be helping you be able to speak."
She looked down at her lap. She'd been at Hogwarts for a month and a half and Professor Snape didn't seem to realize that she just couldn't talk. Maybe this Mind Healer would be able to tell him that.
"Unless you have any questions or concerns, that's all I needed to see you for," he said after waiting for a moment.
Rachel had lots of questions. When was he going to stop thinking that she could speak? What would happen during the summers? Would they stay here at Hogwarts? What did he expect from her? What was she supposed to do?
She shook her head. She would just have to figure things out as she went along.
"Alright then. I'm here if you need anything," Professor Snape said, getting to his feet. "You still have a little time before dinner starts."
Rachel nodded and left the office, hearing Professor Snape say sternly "what did I say about the bat spleens?" as she shut the door.
She walked back to the common room in a bit of a daze. Her teacher was now her guardian. This continued to be the weirdest two months of her life.
Rachel and Millie arrived at their usual table in the back of the library.
"Are you going to go look for books?" Millie asked when Rachel didn't sit down.
Rachel nodded.
"Okay, I'll wait here for Hermione," Millie said, taking her own books out of her bag.
Rachel nodded again and left. She'd already gone through all of the books on non-verbal magic that were in the Charms section. Her next step was to check out the Defense section. She figured she'd save Transfiguration for last, since that seemed like the most difficult.
Defense was actually one of the classes that Rachel was doing well in. She didn't even know if Professor Quirrell knew she couldn't speak. Professor Quirrell typically lectured during class time and although spells were discussed and written about in their book, they hadn't performed any in class. Just from the titles of books in the Defense section she could tell that they were barely brushing the surface of the subject in class.
Finally she picked out a slim volume titled Caught Unaware: The Non-Verbal Advantage, and then made her way back to their table.
She arrived at the same time as Hermione, who had a Gryffindor boy with her. Rachel recognized him as the boy who fell off his broomstick and had difficulty in Potions.
"This is Neville Longbottom," Hermione said. "He was wondering if he could join our study group."
Rachel looked at the boy. Neville looked nervous and he kept giving them skittering glances like he was afraid to look at them for too long. His tie was tied incorrectly and one of his shoelaces was undone.
Rachel glanced at Millie to see if this was going to be a problem for her and then nodded to Hermione.
"Sure, he can sit with us," Millie said, her acceptance seeming to hinge on Rachel's.
"Thanks," Neville said quietly. He sat down next to Hermione.
"So, usually we do a combination of independent research, essay writing, and exam preparation," Hermione said, pulling a planner out of her bag. "However, we have two tests this week, one in Defense and one in Charms, so I think it makes sense to focus on revision today."
"We have a test in Defense? Millie asked, digging through her notes.
"It was listed on the chalkboard, though Professor Quirrell didn't remind us about it. You'd think that the professor would want people to study for it," Hermione said, shaking her head.
"Maybe he won't give us the test, because he didn't remind us," Neville suggested.
Hermione shook her head. "I don't think it's wise to rely on that. Besides, it doesn't hurt to be prepared."
Rachel set the book she'd picked out aside and pulled her Defense book out of her bag.
"It will probably be a review of what we've covered in class so far, which has been ghosts and imps, though we should include the Knockback Jinx with that as well since we discussed it for dealing with imps," Hermione said. "I've managed to get it to work for me when I practiced, but I don't think we should practice it in the library."
Millie smirked. "Madam Pince would kill us and then make us put the books back on the shelves. In that order."
"Let's start with the simple questions and work toward the more complicated. What is the Ministry of Magic classification for imps?" Hermione asked, her book closed and her quill ready to take notes.
"Oh, beast," Millie said, copying Hermione in writing it down. Neville picked up his quill too and wrote it out.
"Neville, you answer this one. What is the Ministry of Magic classification for ghosts?" Hermione prompted. "You can look at your notes if you need to, but try to answer it without looking first."
Neville bit his lower lip and Rachel smiled at him when he looked in her direction. "Spirit?" he asked.
"That's right, good job," Hermione said, all of them pausing for a moment to write it down.
"This one is for Rachel. Nod your head if the Ministry classifies this as a spirit, shake your head if it's classified as something else. Gytrash. Banshee. Boggart. Lethifold. Caipora. Nundu." Hermione listed these as she read from her notes.
Rachel nodded for all of them except for Lethifolds and Nundu.
"Good," Hermione said. "Now ask me a question from the book, Millie."
Millie opened her book and after a moment she looked up. "What is the definition of a ghost?"
"A transparent three-dimensional imprint of a witch or wizard that continues to exist in the mortal world after the witch or wizard is deceased," Hermione said, quoting nearly verbatim from their book.
"Yep," Millie said, putting down her book and copying out the definition.
They continued studying, first Defense and then Charms, until it was time to go down for dinner.
On Saturday morning, just after breakfast, Rachel walked with Professor Snape on the path that led off Hogwarts grounds. He had explained that you couldn't apparate at Hogwarts, either in the castle or on the grounds, and they had to go past the main gate to be able to do so.
She didn't know what to expect. Would this person just wave a wand at her like the last Healer did? Assign her a potion to drink? Something more?
Professor Snape seemed to have realized that she was short because he was walking slowly enough that she could keep up without having to do more than walk quickly. When they reached the gates he brought out his wand and waved it. The gates disappeared. Once they were on the other side of the gates he waved his wand again and the gates reappeared.
"Hold on to my arm and don't let go. We're going further than last time, so the sensation might last a little longer," Professor Snape said, holding his arm out.
Rachel placed her hand on Professor Snape's arm and held on as tightly as she dared. She closed her eyes and braced herself. She did not like the feeling of apparating.
After a moment of nauseating squeezing sensations they landed and Rachel opened her eyes. They were in an alleyway somewhere. It took her a moment of holding onto Professor Snape's arm before she felt stable enough to let go and balance on her own two feet.
"It's not far," Severus said, his eyes searching her with concern.
Rachel followed Professor Snape out to the main road and they walked for about five minutes before they came to a small office building. They went inside and Professor Snape led the way to a room down the left hallway without consulting the building directory.
It was a waiting room, with a woman sitting and leafing through a magazine.
Professor Snape took a chair on the opposite side of the room and after a moment Rachel sat down next to him.
"Your appointment is at ten," Professor Snape said quietly.
Rachel watched the woman using small glances so that it wouldn't look like she was staring. The woman seemed like a muggle, but Rachel and Professor Snape were both dressed in muggle clothing so it was hard to know for sure. Professor Snape had told her the Mind Healer was also a doctor, so maybe they saw both wizarding and muggle patients.
The door to the left opened and a boy exited and went to the waiting woman.
"Same time next week?" the woman asked the person in the doorway.
"Yes, I'll see you then," a woman said as she stepped out into the room.
The boy left with the woman who had been waiting and the other woman walked over to them.
"Hello, I'm Torey Halls. You can call me Torey. You're Rachel, right?" she asked.
Rachel nodded.
"Let's go into my office," Torey said.
Rachel glanced at Professor Snape, who nodded, and then she followed Torey into her office.
The room didn't look like an office at all. There was artwork done by kids on the walls, shelves of games and books, a couch and an armchair, and a desk shoved in the far corner.
"Sit down wherever you'd like," Torey said.
Rachel walked over to the couch and sat down, since it seemed like the right thing to do.
Torey sat down in a rolling chair across from Rachel, a coffee table between them. "Did Professor Snape talk to you about why you're here?"
Rachel nodded. She was here so this woman could do some magic to make her talk.
"Good," Torey said. "So one thing I want you to know is that I've worked with a lot of kids who have trouble with speaking. Right now I don't want you to worry about trying to talk to me. We're just going to get to know each other a little bit."
Rachel felt a little bit suspicious. She didn't think there were a lot of kids who had trouble speaking. She'd never met anyone other than herself who didn't speak.
"Do you know how to play checkers?" Torey asked.
Rachel stared and then nodded. She wondered if the checkers were magical, like with wizard's chess.
"Do you have a preference to which color you are?" Torey asked as she retrieved a battered checkers box from a nearby shelf.
Rachel shook her head.
"I'll take red then," Torey said. "Why don't you help me set up the pieces."
Rachel did as instructed, kneeling down on the floor so she could reach better.
Torey sat down on the floor across from her. "Your move first."
Rachel moved one of the pieces and watched as Torey moved another.
"Professor Snape was telling me that you started at Hogwarts this year," Torey said.
Rachel nodded and moved another piece.
"I bet it is quite different from the muggle school you attended," Torey said, making a move.
Rachel nodded again.
"I went to muggle schools in America, but did magic lessons in the evenings with a small group of students. Do you know where Idaho is?" Torey asked.
Rachel shook her head, taking her turn, but watching Torey. This was different than what she'd been expecting.
"It's in the Northwest of the United States," Torey explained. "There were only about a dozen magical families where I was living. After I graduated I attended a muggle university first, and then a university with a magical section on their campus."
That was interesting. Rachel hadn't realized there was additional magic schooling she could do after Hogwarts. She wondered if Hermione knew, since she would almost certainly be interested.
"I understand that Hogwarts is pretty cut off from the muggle world," Torey said.
Rachel nodded.
"For me, the biggest change when I went to the Upper Lakes Institute was how openly people used magic on the magical section of campus. I was used to having to hide my magic. It felt very different to be able to do magic openly and talk about it without having to use coded words," Torey said, jumping over one of Rachel's pieces.
Rachel took the opportunity it opened to do a double jump and claim two of Torey's pieces.
"Did you have to keep your magic hidden until you started at Hogwarts?" Torey asked.
Rachel kept her gaze focused on the checkers board. She hadn't even known she was doing magic until Hagrid had told her. She just thought that weird things happened around her sometimes, and those weird things really upset the Dursleys.
"It must be a big change to see magic used so frequently at Hogwarts," Torey said, even though Rachel hadn't responded.
Rachel nodded. She'd been at Hogwarts seven weeks now and was slowly getting used to the idea that magic was real. And ghosts. And three-headed dogs.
They played two more games, Torey chattering about schools and magic, and Rachel nodding or shaking her head on occasion.
"It was nice to meet you, Rachel," Torey said as she put away the checkers box. "I'll see you again next week."
Rachel left Torey's office confused. As far as she could tell Torey hadn't used magic on her at all.
"Did everything go alright?" Professor Snape asked once they were out of the building.
Rachel nodded, though she had no idea what to make of the experience.