Disclaimer: I don't own anything. All characters/settings/lore are the property of their respective owners.

EDIT: Thank you pinks99 for finding two errors

I wrote this when I was tired, please tell me if there are any errors.

Hermione always thought of herself as an early riser. Often, she would be awake before even her parents. It was something she prided herself in. Which was why she was not surprised to see that Lavender and Parvati were still asleep, tucked in cosily in their beds. But to her growing alarm, Hailey's bed was empty, with its occupant nowhere to be seen.

The early morning sunlight shone on Hailey's perfectly made bed and opened bags. Her clothes were sorted into the draws and cupboards neatly. She had clearly been awake for a while, Hermione deduced. But Hailey herself was gone from the dormitory. Why was Hailey up so early? Hermione ignored her growing worry and rolled out of bed, scanning the dormitories for her missing cousin while being careful to not wake the other girls.

She suddenly became aware of a faint smell of pine trees that wafted through the dormitory on a gentle breeze. A window must be open somewhere, but hadn't all the windows been closed last night? Hailey must have opened a window for some reason. Hermione tiptoed through the room, following the breeze up the spiral staircase of the tower. As she ascended, she began to hear a faint muttering sound. Straining her ears, Hermione could almost understand the meaning in the muttering, but she couldn't pick out a single word.

At the top of the tower, Hermione found Hailey kneeling before a large open window, her back turned to Hermione. The room was dusty, sparse and filled with burnt-out candles and faded tapestries, the only light source being the window. This place clearly wasn't used often. Turning back to her cousin, she could see that Hailey's head was bowed slightly, her pitch-black hair hanging limply around her shoulders dripping water onto the floor. She was still wearing her nightgown, though it was now soaked. What was she doing? Surely she was cold, being wet so close to open the window? Hermione approached slowly, trying to not alert Hailey to her presence. In the back of her mind, she noticed that the strange muttering noise was coming from Hailey.

A sudden flash of blue sent Hermione stumbling into the wall with black spots dancing in her vision. Hailey was now right in front of her, a wand and a string of metal beads clutched tightly in her hands and a crazed look in her eyes. But she too was stumbling.

"Hailey! Are you OK?" she yelled as she caught Hailey before she could fall on the stone floor, placing her head down gently on her lap.

"S-Sorry. You startled me," Hailey whispered weakly, pocketing her wand and the beads and rubbing her eyes to clear her head. "This always happens when I try teleporting in anti-Apparition wards."

"What's got you so jumpy?"

"Bad dream. But I'm fine now," Hailey assured her.

"You don't look fine to me. What happened? You can tell me, I won't judge," she promised.

Hailey looked a little apprehensive, but she sat up out of Hermione's lap and turned to face her, her back leaning on the dusty wall.

"I sometimes... get these nightmares. Flashes of green and red, the feeling of floating in a void and a lot of pain," Hailey began, tapping the spot over her heart for emphasis. "But that's usually it. Last night, I dreamt of an actual place. A barren desert, instead of the usual red void. And I actually felt like I was there, experiencing the pain in my body."

Hermione listened intently, holding Hailey's soft hand tightly to give her the support to continue.

"And it felt like my heart was burning. I couldn't breathe," she hesitates, her voice now quiet and fearful. "I just begged and pleaded for the pain to end, but it just wouldn't stop."

Hailey's eyes were staring were transfixed on an imaginary point a thousand miles away, looking nothing like the lively green orbs they were yesterday. Hermione could have sworn they were dimmer than usual.

"And then I woke up, and the pain was gone," Hailey finished, turning away from Hermione.

"And that's all that happened?"

"Yes, that was it. I was too scared to go to sleep, so I did some chores, took a shower and came out here for a bit of spiritual support."

For somebody who came from a place built upon secrecy, Hailey was a really bad liar. Hermione could tell that she was leaving something out. Hailey's eyes were like giant green neon signs that spelled out whatever emotion the girl was feeling to anybody who knew to look. And right now, that emotion was guilt.

"If there's something you want to tell me, I'm here for you. Whatever it is that happened, I'll try to understand," Hermione assured the smaller girl.

Hailey sighed and placed her head back against the wall. She shook slightly, like she was trying to work up the courage to relive those memories again. A glint of silver caught Hermione's eyes. Her cousin had pulled those metal beads out of her pocket and was tracing small circles around it with her thumb. This seemed to calm her down enough to speak.

"There was something there with me, causing the pain. I could feel it, like standing in a storm of rage and hatred. It knew , forced me to experience my worst memories and fears. Anything to cause more pain," Hailey recounted, a hollow look in her eyes. "And it laughed. I don't think I'll ever be able to forget that laugh."

"Do you think it has something to do with Vol- You-Know-Who?"

Hailey turned sharply to look at Hermione, studying her face as if trying to solve some riddle then shaking her head to dismiss whatever thoughts were going through her head.

"Maybe? Look, it was just a nightmare. I'm overreacting."

"Hailey, you shouldn't just dismiss your fears like that. It's alright to be scared sometimes," Hermione comforted. She joined her cousin in sitting against the wall. "Can I tell you a secret? I'm absolutely terrified."

"Really? Of what?" Hailey asked, not believing what she was hearing.

"Of everything! Am I still going to be the swotty outcast I was in primary school!? Are you going to ditch if I can't handle all this crazy anomalous stuff!? Is this magical world going to reject me if I don't somehow prove I belong here!?"

"Hermione! You shouldn't be worrying about any of that! You already have friends: Ron, Neville and I. And I for one would never just ditch you if you don't want to be involved with the Foundation. Believe it or not, Hermione, you are a likeable person that I enjoy spending time with. And they aren't going to reject you. You're a witch, and a really good one too. You already belong here."

Hermione brushed tears out of her eyes and gave Hailey a watery smile.

"You're just saying that!" she giggled, giving Hailey a soft punch on the arm. "Ron hates me."

"Ron most definitely does not hate you. He's a nice boy, give him some time to get to know you. Neville likes you, especially after you helped find his toad. I like you. You are a likeable person. You've got nothing to be afraid of."

"Well you've got nothing to be ashamed of. You live in a place filled with monsters and Lovecraftian horrors. By all means, you should be scared constantly. I certainly would be. But you're not. So don't feel like you're aren't brave just because you're shaken from a nightmare."

It was Hailey's turn to wipe tears from her eyes.

"Thanks Hermione," Hailey said, placing her hand on Hermione's knee. "It really needed that."

"Anytime Hailey," Hermione promised. She stood up and helped Hailey to her feet. "Come now, breakfast will be soon, we should get ready."

The two girls made their carefully down the eroded stone staircase. Hermione let her mind wander absentmindedly as she walked. Hailey's words earlier had given her a lot to think about. Hermione had never been able to hold any friends for any significant amount of time and a small part of her still feared that Hailey, Ron and Neville would eventually drift away from her despite Hailey's promises. She had always tried to help and be kind to people, but only ended up driving them away. But against all odds, she now had three friends. Maybe she wasn't unlikeable after all?

Hermione turned her attention back to her cousin. Hailey was clearly still worried about the dream she had, judging by the haunted look on her face. Whenever Hermione was frightened or sad, her mother would always get her talking about something pleasant instead, like her latest school project. Her mum would always say it was to remind Hermione how to be happy. Maybe the same thing would work on Hailey?

"By the way, what are those metal beads you're holding?" Hermione asked, figuring that they must be something Hailey had good memories of considering how she used them to comfort herself earlier. "I've never seen you with them before."

"Oh that!" Hailey pulled out the metal chain to show Hermione. "They're rosary beads my friend Cain made me. It's supposed to help with prayer, but I also like to hold them whenever I feel scared or worried."

Hermione looked curiously at the bracelet Hailey was holding. It had metal beads of various sizes threaded by a delicate-looking chain. A small cross hung from one end of the necklace-sized ring. Whoever Hailey's friend was, he was very talented.

"Cain… that's an odd name, right?" Hermione remarked, figuring that getting Hailey to talk about her friends would cheer her up.

Hailey tilted her head slightly, confusing Hermione. Her cousin was religious, surely she knew the significance of that name?

"I mean, if you were naming a kid after a religious figure I didn't think somebody would name their kid Cain," Hermione elaborated. "That's the name of the biblical son of Adam and Eve who was cursed by God for murdering his brother Able."

"Oh, that!" Hailey explaimed, a small smile on her face. "Cain isn't named after anyone. Cain is the actual Cain. And if you ask me, he's way nicer than Able."

Noting the smile on her face, Hermione signed in relief. That smile made Hailey look more like the happy girl she knew her as. There was life back in her eyes. Relief quickly faded into shock as Hermione registered Hailey's words.

"Wait, your friend is the actual Cain!? As in, the biblical Cain?" Hermione sputtered, not believing what she was hearing. Witches and Wizards, she could handle. Anomalous entities and objects, she was still processing. Cain being a real person that her cousin was apparently friends with? That would take a while.

"Yeah, he's that Cain. I get to see him when I visit Site 17. That's where we keep most of the low-risk anomalies," Hailey explained, like knowing biblical characters personally was the most normal thing in the world. Though Hermione was starting to get the feeling that this was Hailey's version of normal.

"He loves farming and all things agriculture, but as part of his curse anything plant-based within 20 metres of him dies," Hailey continued, ignorant of Hermione's internal strife. "So the Foundation have decided to provide metal-working equipment to try and fill the void which he used to make me these beads. It's one of my most important possessions. Sometimes we pray together."

Too stunned to respond, Hermione looked at Hailey with an incredulous look on her face. Hermione was raised a Christian, but she still had trouble believing that Hailey was friends with an actual biblical figure. Somehow, it was easier to believe her cousin was friends with a zombie-creating doctor than the son of Adam and Eve. What's next? She's going to say the Virgin Mary was her roommate?

Trailing behind Hailey down the stairs, Hermione barely registering the stone of the castle becoming cleaner and less eroded until they had reached their dormitories. Lavender and Parvati were both awake now, and seemed to be getting ready for their first day.

"I was wondering where you two had run off too," Lavender said, running a hairbrush through her hair.

"No offense Hailey, but you look awful," Parvati remarked, looking over the girl's limp, wet hair and nightgown. "I hope you aren't planning on going downstairs looking like that!"

"Yeah I know, I just needed some alone time. Hermione went looking for me," Hailey admitted, face tinged red slightly with embarrassment.

Hailey gave her hair another wash and straightened it with a hairbrush, letting it flow loosely down her shoulders like a black veil framing her pale skin. Hermione wished she had straight hair like that, hers was impossible to tame. Whenever she tried to straighten it, her hair always ended up looking like a brown mane again within the hour. At least she wouldn't look out of place in the house of lions, she thought ruefully.

All four girls changed into their school robes, which had gained maroon trimmings overnight. She caught Hailey examining the transformed robes closely, clearly intrigued by the colour change. Hermione was still too busy processing the fact that Cain was real to care about something so trivial by comparison. They met up with Ron and Neville in the common room before departing for breakfast.

Hermione decided to push thoughts of Hailey's biblical friend to the back of her mind for now. When it came to mind-blowing revelations or schoolwork, she would choose to focus on the schoolwork. She couldn't be distracted in her classes whenever Hailey said something that shattered her worldview. It was her first day. There were things to learn, people to meet and teachers to impress. And Hermione Granger was going to take on everything Hogwarts could throw at her!

Despite Hermione's attempts, Hailey still couldn't stop thinking of that nightmare she had. There was something about it that terrified her. Something very real and sinister. It didn't feel like some figment of her imagination like the floating red void, the green flash or her nightmares of it. This nightmare had felt like she was really there, tasting the grimey sand and feeling the burning sun on her skin. She'd have to talk to Achilles when she returned to Site 19.

But for now, Hailey had more mundane things to worry about. Honestly, she wished she had not been born Hailey Potter. Eyes and hushed whispers would follow her wherever she went. And Hailey was fed up with it all. She felt like the Hogwarts student body paid more attention to her life than even the Foundation's researchers, despite the latter actually being paid to document everything she does. She couldn't even walk to class without eyes following her.

Though she'd admit that might be because the first years quickly picked up that Hailey never got lost in the castle. Some had taken up no-so-subtlety following her around. Ron had quickly declared her the official navigator of their friend group. The anti-Apparition wards certainly dulled her spatial sense to the point she could only vaguely know her position within the castle, but it was enough to avoid angering Finch and avoid being late for their lessons. Though Hailey did not think it was physically possible to be late for a lesson when you were friends with Hermione Granger. She would always insist they leave for classes as early as they would let her.

How Hogwarts expected students to navigate a whole castle with shifting staircases and false doors without a map or signage, she had no idea. Without her anomalous senses, this place would be almost impossible to navigate. Hailey told Ron and Neville she just had a good sense of direction (which was technically true, she did have a sense that helped with direction) to avoid having to tell them about her abilities.

The lessons themselves were interesting, though they were not what she was used to. Magic was certainly taught differently to how the Foundation would teach her things like mathematics or English. The teachers were actually in the room with her instead of on monitors projected from who knows where. And she had actual classmates!

Her favourite subject so far was Charms. It was taught by a short wizard named Professor Flitwick, who she wasn't sure was entirely human. He had nearly fallen off his chair when he read Hailey's name on the roll, much to her embarrassment. But she always looked forward to his lessons, the spells he planned to teach them all seemed very practical and useful. This also seemed to be Ron's favourite subject.

Whatever enjoyment she derived from Charms was counteracted by the boredom she had to endure in History of Magic, something she initially was looking forward too. The Foundation's history with the Wizarding World was heavily redacted (all she knew was that they were involved with creating the Statute of Secrecy), so she was hoping to find out if there were any references to them in the Wizarding World's history. But the ghost teacher just droned on and on about Goblin rebellions. Out of her 3 friends, Hermione was the only one who paid attention for the entirety of the lesson. Even Neville, who was usually too scared to not focus, ended up staring into space towards the end of the lesson.

"Probably died after boring himself to death," Ron had joked as they left.

History of Magic wasn't made any easier to endure by the fact that they were all tired from doing Astronomy at midnight the previous night. Hailey rarely had the chance to look at the stars (she wasn't allowed to go outside without permission, especially at night), so she found that session enjoyable. Though she agreed with Ron that climbing up to the tower at midnight every week was going to get old real quick.

Herbology was very interesting. Professor Sprout gave them an introductory guide on how to handle the magical plants and fungi they would encounter at school and in the wild. Hailey and Neville found that they were both rather good at handling the plants. Neville knew things about the plants they were studying even Hermione didn't know, which said was because he spent a lot of time tending to a magical garden at his home, though both Hermione and Hailey noted he seemed embarrassed by it. Hailey helped him feel less embarrassed by telling him she also took care of a magical garden. And by that she meant volunteering at the Botanical Sector of Site 19. Hailey assured him that gardening was a very cool skill and promised to see his garden one day, which seemed to make him happier.

Right now, they were all climbing those infernal shifting staircases to their first Transfiguration lesson. Hermione was leading (as usual) while Ron, Neville and Hailey trailed behind.

"Ah!" Hailey screamed as her foot phased through a step causing her to fall onto the staircase. Ron and Neville both caught her flailing arms before she could fall further. Hermione whirled around to see the two boys help her out of the false step and back into her feet.

"Why does that damned thing even exist!" Hailey complained while she dusted herself off.

"You alright Hailey?" Ron asked.

"Yeah I'm fine."

"Well come on then, we don't want to be late!" Hermione chided. Ron glared at her behind her back but didn't say anything.

Despite Hailey's efforts, Ron and Hermione still seemed cold to one another. This put Hailey in the awkward position of being the buffer and peacekeeper between the two. She just knew they could be friends, provided they got the chance to get to know each other.

Though Hailey was not surprised by her cousin's eagerness to arrive to class early. Transfiguration was the subject Hermione was most looking forward to studying. She couldn't stop talking about it all week. Hailey herself had been interested in Defense Against the Dark Arts the most, until she had to sit through a lesson of Quirrell's stutter and the noxious smell of garlic.

They made it into the classroom with a few minutes to spare. Professor McGonagall didn't appear to be in the room yet, instead there was a small tabby cat sitting on the desk. Odd, she didn't think somebody as strict as Professor McGonagall would wait this long to arrive to class. Hermione dragged Hailey to a seat in the front row while Neville and Ron sat further back.

The tabby cat looked over the students in the classroom in an odd manner, like it was… counting them? The all gasped as the cat leaped off the desk, morphing into the form of Professor McGonagall when it landed.

"She's an animagus!" Hermione whispered to Hailey.

"That is correct, Miss Granger. One point to Gryffindor," Professor McGonagall said. Hermione turned red, realising that her whispering been heard by the teacher but pleased that she had earned her house a point.

Wasting little time with introductions, Professor McGonagall launched right into the lesson.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. It is the ability to bend and shift matter to your will," McGonagall explained, demonstrating by turning her desk into a pig and back again with a wave of her wand. "Anybody messing around in my class will earn themselves a weeks worth of detention. Now, today you will be attempting to transfigure a match into a needle. This is an introductory spell, to give you a general understanding of Transfiguration magic."

Matches flung themselves out of a box in the corner of the room and onto their desks. She made them take notes before demonstrating the required spellwork by turning her match into a shiny needle and commanded them to each try and replicate what she did. Hailey strained her imagination, trying to picture the needle in her mind, and recited the spell with her wand in hand. She opened her eyes and glared at her unchanged matchstick.

At the end of the lesson, few kids had managed to make a difference to their matches. Hermione had gotten the furthest, turning her matchstick pointed and silvery, earning her another 5 points for Gryffindor and a rare smile from Professor McGonagall. Hailey's looked glumly at her own match, which after half an hour of trying had only gained a point on one end. Still, it was good progress and above the class average.

After Transfiguration, the Gryffindors returned to their common room for the brief period of free time they had before dinner. Hermione and Neville retreated to their dormitories as soon as they arrived. Hailey passed this time with a game of chess with Ron in the common room, which he beat her at in an embarrassingly short period of time. He laughed it off and offered to teach her the strategies of the game.

Overall, Hailey was enjoying her time at Hogwarts. But a part of her still missed her home in the Foundation. Which was why she was pleased to be informed by Professor McGonagall that evening she was to accompany her to see Professor Dumbledore. This must be that meeting dad told her about!

Hailey said goodbye to Hermione, who was reading a Transfiguration textbook in their dormitory, and Ron and Neville who had started their own game of chess in the common room and left for the Headmaster's office. Hailey followed the woman silently through the upper levels of the castle, taking note of the route.

They arrived in front of a griffon statue standing proudly in a small alcove of the room, which Professor McGonagall told her sternly to enter.

"Caramel Cobwebs," Professor McGonagall said clearly. She then hurried away quickly, clearly having more important matters to attend to. The floor began to rise slowly with a gentle rumble, reminding Hailey of an elevator.

The stone floor came to a gentle stop, opening up to a vast circular room. Instead of the usual stone, this room seemed to be made out of a strange marble. Silvery objects whistled and puffed on the tables, giving the room a lively feel despite being seemingly devoid of people. Were these objects some kind of magical recording or sensory devices? Bookshelves and portraits surrounded the room. On a shelf to the left of the room, the Sorting Hat rested, looking like it had never been moved in centuries. Hailey wandered around the strange office, taking in all the curious objects. What the Foundation wouldn't give to have access to this room…

"Hello there, Miss Mardas," a voice said from behind her. She whirled around from a gently humming ball-like device to see the Headmaster standing calmly behind her, hands clasped behind his back. He was looking at her over his half-moon spectacles with a soft smile.

"Sorry Headmaster, I didn't see you there," Hailey apologised, feeling like she'd been caught doing something wrong.

"There is nothing to be sorry about, curiosity is natural for a girl your age," Professor Dumbledore consoled. "The device you were looking at is Thaumagraph, it detects the general distress of the student body."

The humming sound suddenly fell in pitch and the metallic ball stopped levitating.

"Ah, it would seem the 5th years have finished their potion lesson," he commented.

Hailey looked away from the Thaumagraph and back to the Headmaster with a curious look on her face.

"So, you know about where I come from?" Hailey probed, trying to determine if she could trust this person. The Foundation certainly considered him trustworthy, but Hailey felt the need to know for sure.

"That is correct, Hailey. It would seem your father was kind enough to tell you about me in advance."

"Sir, if you don't mind me asking, how do you know the Foundation and my father?" she asked, eager to know more about the man the Foundation trusted with their secrets.

"I worked with them a long time ago to defeat a very dark wizard. Since then, we have worked together to keep the magical world secret from the Muggles. As for you father, I'm afraid I haven't yet had the pleasure of meeting Mr Mardas yet," Professor Dumbledore explained in his grandfatherly voice. Hailey felt slightly stupid for assuming he knew her dad just because her dad knew about him.

"But I did know your birth father," he added.

"You knew James Potter?"

"Indeed. Lily and James Potter were close friends of mine. I still remember when they were your age. They were both brilliant and kind people. I can see a lot of them in you, Miss Mardas."

There was that feeling again, the one that returned whenever somebody talked about her birth parents. Longing? How was it possible to long for people you can't even remember? Her parent's death was something Hailey had never mentally addressed before. For most of her life, they were just names in a Foundation report. Undefined concepts floating in her head. She knew they existed but could never relate to them or feel any emotion towards them.

But now that she was at Hogwarts she felt closer to her parents than she had ever been before, by meeting all these people who knew them. And despite Achilles being more of a father to her than she could ever wish for, she now deeply missed her birth parents. And Hailey didn't know how she felt about that.

"Now, the reason I requested your presence. As I'm sure Mr Mardas has informed you, we have organised special provisions in light of your-" he paused, considering his words carefully. "Unique circumstances. They have one of their facilities about a hundred kilometres from Hogwarts. I will apparate you out of the castle to a designated location and return to Hogwarts. The SCP Foundation will take over from there."

"I thought Apparition was impossible in Hogwarts?" Hailey asked. Did Professor Dumbledore have an ability like hers?

"In my life, I have found that nothing is truly impossible. As I am sure you will learn, if you go down the path that fate has laid out for you," Dumbledore said cryptically. "To answer your question, there are certain perks to being Headmaster. And I believe you have a far stranger method of bypassing the wards."

He looked pointedly at her, causing Hailey to blush in embarrassment. Did the Foundation tell him about her anomalous powers?

"You know about my teleportation abilities?"

"One of my old friends in the Foundation was kind enough to fill me in. I would ask that you show restraint in using your abilities, the Wizarding World doesn't need another reason to be paranoid."

This confused her. Why would they be scared of her? Hailey was a low-risk anomaly, and she wasn't going to hurt anyone on purpose. Compared to what the Foundation held in their containment units, she was harmless. The only reason she hid her teleporting powers so far was to preserve Foundation secrets.

"You'll have to be here at 10 in the morning on Saturday," Dumbledore insisted. "Now, I do believe you should be rejoining your friends. I hear that the House Elves have prepared a delightful dinner."

A rumbling sound from her stomach reminded Hailey that she hadn't eaten in hours.

"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore."

She politely bid Professor Dumbledore farewell, leaving through the griffon statue.

The next morning, Hailey received a letter. She untied the letter from Hedwig's leg and offered her a piece of toast to her owl, stroking it's head as she read the untidy note.

Dear Harry,
I know you get Friday afternoon off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea around three? I want to hear about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig.
Hagrid

"So, what does it say?" Ron asked, still chewing on a sausage much to Hermione's irritation.

"Hagrid, he's that large man who escorted us into the school, has invited me for tea this afternoon. Would you guys like to come?"

"Sure, I'd like to meet Hagrid-"
"Sure, I'd like to see Hagrid again-" Hermione and Ron said at the same time. They both shot each other glares and returned to their food, causing Hailey to facepalm internally. So far her efforts to get Hermione and Ron friendly with each other had failed. She knew that they could be friends, Ron had stood up to Nott for her and Hermione had tried to comfort him on the train ride to Hogwarts, but they still didn't see it.

"I'd like to meet Hagrid too," Neville said quietly to her. She shot him an appreciative smile. Neville was somebody she could always talk with whenever Hermione and Ron were arguing.

"Alright, I'll tell Hagrid that I'm bringing over Hermione and two new friends," Hailey said, pulling out her pencil and writing out a reply on the back of Hagrid's letter and sending it back with Hedwig.

She was glad to have tea with Hagrid to look forward to, because right now she has double Potions with the Slytherins which she already suspected was going to be awful.

Potions classes were held in the dungeons of the castle, taught by the hook-nosed teacher Professor Snape. Hailey knew he disliked her for whatever reason, but she was about to find out that Snape absolutely loathed her very existence.

When they arrived at the classroom, they quickly found out most of the students were already there. There were only a few spare seats remaining. Hailey made sure Hermione and Ron sat next to each other on the same table, which left Neville to sit next to Seamus Finnigan. She drew the metaphorical short straw and had to sit next to Draco Malfoy.

"Did your friends ditch you, Mardas?" Malfoy sneered at her.

"Did yours?" she shot back. "I notice your bodyguards aren't here to protect you."

Hailey nodded pointedly to the table in front of them, where Crabbe and Goyle were bickering over some nonsense. On the edge of the room, Theodore Nott was sitting with Zabini though neither of them were talking with the other. Nott looked like he was trying to burn her with his angry stare while Zabini seemed preoccupied with taking notes.

"Your lackeys aren't here to protect you either. Can't believe Weasley prefers Granger over you," he retorted, causing Hailey to seeth with anger.

"No, I was just the one unfortunate enough to sit with you," Hailey snapped back. Her eyes burned with anger and her pale skin was tinged red.

"Careful Mardas, you face is turning red. I'm beginning to think you enjoy my company," Malfoy drawled, meeting her hateful eyes with his own icy grey ones. He smirked when he saw Hailey clenching her teeth violently.

"Why you little-"

She were silenced by the sudden arrival of Professor Snape, who flew in through the side door like an oversized vulture descending on a meal.

"There will be no foolish wand waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect many of you to enjoy the subtle science and exact art that is potion making. However, for those select few-" he began, turning to look at Malfoy briefly. "-who possess the predisposition, I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper… in death."

Silence followed his speech. Snape, like McGonagall, possesses the ability to keep a room silent without effort. He stood tall over the seated first years, scanning the faces of the class like he was examining potions ingredients. His cold black eyes paused when they reached her.

"Ah, yes," he drawled, drawing our each word. "Hailey Potter. Our new celebrity."

Behind her, the Slytherins his their sniggers behind their hands. She turned and saw Malfoy looking at her with a cocky smile and a triumphant look in his eyes. Ron was now glaring at Snape, who had stopped in front of Hailey's desk.

"Tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Hermione's hand shot up in the air while Hailey tried to remember the content of her potions book. Wormwood was something she's never heard of, but root of asphodel she remembered.

"Root of asphodel is generally used in numbing agents, so I imagine some kind of numbing or paralysis potion?"

A brief flicker of surprise flickered in Snape's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by hatred. He sneered down at her, looking like he was enjoying every moment of this.

"Incorrect. Let's try again, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Hermione's hand shot up once more. Hailey gave her a subtle look, trying to convey that this teacher wouldn't appreciate her trying to answer the question. Hermione didn't pick up on what Hailey was trying to tell her, but Ron whispered in her ear and the raised hand was lowered hesitantly.

Hailey suddenly realised that she'd been sitting silently for too long now. She turned back to Snape, who's eyes were darting between her and Ron.

"I don't know, sir."

"Tut, tut - fame clearly isn't everything. Final question: what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane."

"I'm sorry, but I don't know that either."

Malfoy hid a smirk behind his hands next to her. She just glared at him.

"Can anybody else answer that question?" Snape demanded, scanning the students. A few people hesitantly raised their hands, though she noticed Hermione was not among them.

"Weasley! Did your little stating contest with Potter help you find the answer?" he snapped, rounding on the red haired boy.

"Er… I think they're the same thing, right?" Ron answered hesitantly. Hermione glanced at him critically, not expecting Ron to know the answer.

Snape glowered at Ron.

"A point from Gryffindor for your cheek, Weasley," he hissed, now turning back to the rest of the class. "For your information, asphodel and wormwood makes a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name Aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying this down."

Around her, the students were rummaging for quills and parchment. Hailey ignored them, instead continuing to glare at Snape angrily. Ron got the right answer, why did Snape take a point from him?

The lesson didn't improve from there. Snape put them into pairs and told them to begin creating a simple potion to cure boils. Hailey suddenly realised that she would be working with Malfoy.

"I hope you are better at brewing potions than you are at insults, Mardas."

"Game on, Malfoy."

They silently agreed to focus on the potion, each of them trying to out-compete the other. Hailey quickly realised that Malfoy was surprisingly good at potion-making, though she also found that a lot of the skills the Foundation and Louis taught her were a big help in brewing potions. Despite their animosity, they made quick time with their brew, pausing only when Neville accidentally melted Seamus' cauldron, causing their highly corrosive potion to spill out on the floor.

Poor Neville had been drenched in the mixture, causing angry red boils to spring up on his arms and legs. Hailey and Ron got up to help their friend, leaving Malfoy and Hermione to watch their potions. They were sent back to their seats by an angry wave from Snape.

"Idiot boy!" Snape snarled. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire."

Hailey watched in fear as boils started to appear on Neville's nose.

"Take him to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Seamus, before waving a wand over the potion to vanish it. He then rounded on her.

"You, Potter! Why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."

Hailey stares at him incredulously. Neville had been sitting on the opposite side of the room to her. She opened her mouth to argue, but Malfoy kicked her under the chair.

"Don't be stupid, Mardas," he hissed at her. She glared back at him.

They finished their potion in silence, working surprisingly well together. At the end of the lesson, everyone submitted their potions. Hermione and Ron received an acceptable for their potion while Malfoy and Hailey received an Outstanding along with Nott and Zabini, despite Hernione and Ron's potion being just as good as theirs. Hailey was under no illusions that had it been her that presented their potion instead of Malfoy, it would have been marked worse. Snape clearly favoured his house. Though she grudgingly admitted that Malfoy was very talented.

Hailey left with Ron and Hermione for their tea with Hagrid, all of them ranting about the Snape's unfairness.

"What an awful man," Hermione remarked as they left. Hailey shot her cousin a shocked look. Was Hermione criticising a teacher?

"It was totally unfair of him to speak so rudely or single out Hailey," Ron agreed.

"And how about you? You actually answered his question correctly!" Hermione added. "By the way, how did you know the answer to that?"

"Wolfsbane makes a potion that helps keep you awake. Percy uses it for studying."

They stopped by the hospital wing to check on Neville. When they arrived, they saw him covered in bandages.

"Hey mate, how are you doing?" Ron asked.

"I'm alright now. Sorry I lost you points Hailey," Neville said softly through the bandages covering parts of his face. He seemed utterly mortified at having embarrassed himself again.

"Don't blame yourself, Neville. Snape was just looking for an excuse to take points from Gryffindor," Hailey consoled. "It's not your fault he's a-"

They were interrupted by a stern-looking woman who told them to leave her patient along. They protested, but were forced to leave. Though not before they each told Neville to get well soon. After they were kicked out of the hospital, they walked down to Hagrid's cabin by the Forbidden Forest. Hailey knocked on the door, hearing a frantic scrambling and a few loud barks from inside.

"Back, Fang, back!" Hagrid shouted from inside the cabin. He unlocked the heavy bolts on the door and let them in, struggling to hold the collar of an enormous black dog. She scanned the interior of the cabin curiously. There were hams and pheasants hanging from the ceiling and a copper kettle was boiling on an open fire pit. In the centre of the room there was a wooden table. Hagrid's cabin was very homely.

"Make yerselves at home," Hagrid offered, letting go of Fang who bounded straight at Hermione and began licking her hand.

"Hagrid, this is Ron Weasley," Hailey introduced. "Our other friend Neville Longbottom couldn't make it, he had a bad potion accident."

"Tha's unfortunate, that is," Hagrid said, pouring boiling water into a large teapot. "Another Weasley, eh? I knew yer brother Charlie, great friend he was. Great with the animals too."

The rock cakes Hagrid offered certainly lived up to their name, but they each pretended to enjoy them to not hurt Hagrid's feelings while they told him about their first lessons. Hermione recounted every detail of their Transfiguration lesson while Ron and Hailey tried to subtly hide their rock cakes in their pockets. She should bring some of these back to the Foundation, they were hard enough to be considered an SCP. When they got to the part about Snape's lesson, they each complained loudly about all the ways Snape had been unfair to them. Hagrid told them to not worry about it and that Snape didn't like anyone.

"He seemed to really hate me though," Hailey said, Ron and Hermione nodding along with her.

"Rubbish! Why should he?"

She noticed Hagrid looked a bit guilty saying that. He quickly changed the topic to Ron's brother Charlie. Hermione listed in on their conversation, eager to hear about the dragons. Meanwhile, Hailey zoned out and absentmindedly flicked through a newspaper sitting on the hardwood table. Her eyes widened as she read the headline.

GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST

Somebody broke into Gringotts? She noted with alarm that the date of the break-in was the day she visited there with Hagrid. The paper said that the vault the thief was after had been cleared on the same day. There was only one vault she knew that was cleared on that day, and it contained that brown paper package. Was the thief after whatever it was in Vault 713?

"Hagrid!" Hailey shouted. "There was a break-in at Gringotts on my birthday. We were at Gringotts when it happened!"

Hagrid definitely looked guilty this time, refusing to meet her eyes. He muttered something before checking the time on an old clock.

"Well, it's gettin' late. Best yer be headin' back ter the castle," Hagrid said, practically shooing them out of the cabin.

He was definitely hiding something. Hailey shared her thoughts with Ron and Hermione as they walked back to the castle, telling them about the vault Hagrid had emptied earlier. His guilty look all but confirmed what they suspected: Whoever this thief was, they were after that package.

A/N: This chapter is mostly just filler to add a bit of character development, particularly for Hermione. Because the original books are all from Harry's POV, we never really get to explore Hermione's feelings in the first year. I believe that Hermione had a few insecurities around her appearance, being accepted by the Wizarding World and her ability to make friends, so I'm going to try and address how she gets over them.

One of Hermione's major character flaws (especially in the first year) was that she didn't seem capable of accounting for other people's emotions. So, despite wanting to help people (like when she tells Ron he has dirt on his nose or how to correctly cast a spell) she comes off as rude and abrasive when she's just trying to be helpful. I wanted to include the first part of this chapter to explore the relationship Hermione has with Hailey and also show Hermione learning how to be sensitive of other's emotions (when she successfully comforts Hailey over the nightmare she had). Next chapter is going to cover Hailey's return to the Foundation, the flying lessons next week and possibly the third floor corridor discovery (where Ron and Neville might make a discovery of their own).

Also, I included a poll on my profile about how much you want me to repeat parts of the book.

Yukine-ren: Voldy's going to be the antagonist for the first book. But I've provided a few hints on who the real main antagonist of the narrative is going to be. They'll be revealed to the characters eventually, but you guys will probably figure it out sooner. If you do, I'll ask that you don't include it in the reviews to avoid spoiling it for anyone.

PasiveNox: Glad you liked this one.

Hoodedgenius88: I've already planned for that scene, but you might have to wait a bit for it.

Guest 1: I can't really answer that properly without spoiling the narrative. Though of course my lack of an answer probably gives you the answer anyway. So let me just say this does not make Hailey unique or special in any way. For the rest of you, don't look at this question if you don't want to be spoiled.

SCP735: Poor Hailey is going to have a lot to handle next year.

FanGirl: For now. I've got plans for him.

Guest 2: Just wait for the later books, I might have to increase the rating in the future for a few of the scenes I've planned for.

Alright, I'll keep repetition to a minimum. At the very least, the different character dynamics should allow me to keep some narrative the same but give enough difference for the story to remain interesting.

Eventually. The plot will get more SCP Verse-centric as the story progresses.

DodemGM: I'll keep that in mind. How about if the character dynamics are different but the events remain the same?

It will generally be low-risk SCPs. I was thinking of the Foundation allowing 085 into Hogwarts to act as a spy while pretending to be a portrait.

pinks99: Glad you've enjoyed my story. So far most people would prefer if I don't repeat parts that are the same as in the original book. So I'll do that. Tell me if I'm repeating too much.