TITLE: Winds of Change

AUTHOR: firefox3211

~i don't own harry potter! the only people i own are my oc's!~

Year of the Monster

The sun was rising on the horizon when Gwen arrived at the decrepit park. It was small and rusted, with one swing tied around the bar but that was usual. The older teenagers did it last night, Gwen was sure.

"Gwen!" A pretty dirty-blonde girl was sitting on the slide. Madeline Brocker, an old friend. A very old friend. She had never made any friends in her own class and in her area but she knew others from the Park.

The Park was a place about half an hour away from where she lived. It was the bridge between two different communities that were often never breached. She had found solace here for a long while before her brother began school and she was needed. She spent less and less time here but the few hours she got were worth it.

Madeline clambered to the ground and beckoned her, "Come here, Gwen. Jason's coming in a minute."

"Is he bringing food from his Grandma's?" Gwen asked as she joined her friend.

"I hope so." She pushed her hair out of her eyes and walked up the slide awkwardly. She had always done that, made things harder than they needed to be and Gwen followed her but up the steps. She sat on the small bench that was at the top, "Maybe Laya will bring something."

They looked at each other.

"As if –" Gwen said, rolling her eyes and sitting down.

"She's not so bad!" Madeline interrupted her, exasperated. "You just don't like her because she pushed you into the river!"

Gwen glared at her. They had traipsed through a large park which had a river running through it. There had been a bridge and stones to cross underneath it. As young children with little safety awareness, they had skipped over the grey steps over and over. Gwen had stopped to stand by the mud bank for a moment and Laya had slammed straight into her, on purpose or not she didn't know, and she had gone flying into the freezing waters of the river. It was shallow and the current weak, but the water soaking into her clothes and Gwen had held it against it ever since.

"On purpose!"

She had vehemently denied that it was an accident even now but it was only for the pride.

"Hey, guys!"

Jason Lal, peppered-haired and brown-eyed, stepped through with Laya beside him, holding two packages in his hands.

Madeline gave Gwen a look.

OoO

Gwen tied off the end of her braid. It was messy and half-done with the cheap tie ending it. She bit her lip. Gwen had always succeeded in life, with everything but she was struggling with this.

"Sis?"

A blonde head popped around the door.

Alex was smiling widely and peered up at her. He ran his fingers up and down the side of the door, "We're going today, right?"

Gwen sighed and nodded, frowning at her reflection of the mirror, "I wouldn't lie."

"Would you though?" Alex asked cheekily.

Gwen rolled her eyes and faced him. "If you're going to complain the whole time you're not going. If you are, go get my bag and come back up."

"'Kay."

He closed the door and walked out. Gwen didn't hear his footsteps down the hall and he walked back in, "Did you ask first?"

Gwen gestured towards the mirror carelessly, "Bring my bag and we'll go."

OoO

"Is this what we need?"

Alex held up a book from Flourish and Blotts with a goofy smile and Gwen sighed. She took the book and put it back, "No."

"If you say so!" He turned around to the crowd of witches around Gilderoy Lockhart, "You wanna go?"

Gwen wrinkled her nose. "Don't quite fancy it."

"Yikes."

"Mmh, yikes."

Alex and Gwen went back to searching through the shelves. Alex kept trying to persuade Gwen to buy weird books about this and that. He was getting impatient and she tried to hurry it up a bit.

The store was packed though, and it was a struggle trying to get what she needed. She scrunched her nose up at the Lockhart's book and their obnoxious titles and covers.

"Are they moving?" Alex exclaimed.

OoO

The compartment looked the same as it did last year.

No big changes, no big differences. Just a window, seats and the emptiness. Gwen didn't find much difference about it. Turning a page in her second year Transfiguration book absentmindedly, she mused about the idea of a full compartment. It would be loud and cramped and would've left her with an inability to concentrate on what she was reading.

The train had left roughly an hour ago and they had begun to run through the fields of Britain. The grass was – predictably – green and the sky was – you wouldn't believe – blue with little clouds.

Gwen propped her feet up on the seat facing her, leaning her book on her knees. The colours in the window blurred with colours as they ventured deeper, the animals of the country flying past.

She was rereading the last chapter again when the door slid open.

"Bortole." Malfoy said passively. "Sitting alone?"

Gwen looked him dead in the eyes and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Just curious but you know, there's a compartment up the front of the train for Slytherin's." He shrugged. "I'm sure they wouldn't mind you there."

Gwen mulled the idea over. On one hand, the upper years had accepted her as a member but nothing else but this could also improve the relationship she had in Slytherin overall. She marked the page she was on and closed the book over, "Alright."

"Come on then."

They walked (Crabbe and Goyle following obediently behind them) and Malfoy chattered on about his summer,"-Father got me the new Nimbus 2001. Do you fly, Bortole?"

"Not after Flying." She said. Gwen had never seen the appeal in it despite the moderate skill she had and Gwen had left the broomsticks behind in her first year.

Malfoy eyed her. "Why? You seemed decent at it."

Gwen shrugged and pushed her hair back over her shoulder, "I never saw the appeal in it. I enjoy watching it more than anything."

Malfoy seemed to settle with the answer. "You'll be watching me this year. My Father bought brooms for the entire Slytherin team – Nimbus'."

Gwen's eyebrows rose at that. The only spot left on the team was Seeker since Terrence Higg's left. "Do you think you could beat Potter?"

"Of course!" He sniffed obnoxiously. "I'm a great Seeker, Bortole!"

"I'll take your word for it then."

They reached the Slytherin section of the train and Malfoy opened the door for her. A different train carriage entirely, decorated in subtle greens and silvers. She wondered who walked through here.

"Sit with me, Bortole."

It wasn't a command, nor an offer, but a demand. Gwen sighed inwardly at the thought of becoming one of Malfoy's lackeys but she didn't know anybody else in her House. Nodding slightly, she followed the boy.

In his – well, she supposed it was his – compartment were four people – Daphne Greengrass, Theodore Nott, Millicent Bulstrode and Pansy Parkinson. Nott was reading a book, ignoring the occupants of the compartment whilst Greengrass and Parkinson gossiped and giggled. Bulstrode, broad shoulders and plain, was shunned and hardly paying attention. Gwen had once heard her referred to as the 'female version of Crabbe and Goyle' which was true, in the looks department.

Malfoy dramatically closed the door after his two goons entered and gestured to her, "Gwen Bortole."

He introduced her as if they didn't even know her name. Perhaps they didn't, she mused silently, she wasn't exactly popular.

The two gossiping girls looked up and Nott spared her a glance from his book. Bulstrode blinked twice and nodded once before returning to whatever world she was in. Clasping her hands around her book, "Nice to meet you."

Gwen sat down onto the chair and crossed her legs.

Pansy Parkinson let out a giggle and peered at her, "How was your summer, Bortole?"

"Alright, I suppose," she said nonchalantly, "It's never really exciting, to begin with."

"You don't have parents, right?" Parkinson said uncaringly as if she was talking about the weather, "So who do you live with?"

"My half-brother."

Greengrass raised an eyebrow, "A muggle?"

Gwen nodded as they questioned her. She wasn't being entirely truthful, but they were being incredibly obvious about what they wanted to know. Gwen created half-stories about her life, about how she lived and her brother.

The train came to a halt. Gwen stood up, slinging her bag over her shoulder. Parkinson and Greengrass chattered on and on as they went up to school, about this and that and Gwen tuned them out.

This was going to be interesting

OoO

Gwen tied her hair back with a silver hair tie. Wiping her hand across her forehead as the heat increased, she wiped her sweaty hands on her skirt. It was the first time since the school year had started that Gwen had gotten a chance to come down to the Room.

It was the same as she left it – clean and sorted, with Charms Compendium sitting on the top shelf. Sometimes Gwen felt like she should spend more time in the Room but as she adjusted fully to school life she realised how much time she actually spent perfecting her work.

Checking the potion to make sure it was right – green and shimmering a tad – Gwen pulled out the first year books she had carried with her and placed them on the shelves. When the collection grew, Gwen would have to sort them into years.

For now, though, they could stay the way they were.

Gwen stirred the green potion slowly, reaching for the next ingredient on the worktable. She had detached herself from Malfoy's side, oftentimes quite literally, and hidden down here. It was odd, she reflected, on how attached he had become with her. Last year she wouldn't have been spared a passing glance but now... now he was searching for her in a room, keeping track of her.

It made life difficult and Gwen struggled more often than not to get to the Room without getting followed by anyone. This was her space and she didn't want any other presence here other than herself.

She stirred anti-clockwise and peered at the colour a bit more intensely. Better, she thought.

OoO

Sis,

I got twenty out of twenty on my Friday test! I've had a three-week streak! Isn't that great, sis? I think it is and my new teacher, Mrs McKillian, is really proud. She says that if I continue then I'll be moved up to Green band like you were. Don't you remember that it's the second-highest?

I've seen Miss Norby around school and she glares at me more than she usually does. Is it because I moved up? Sis, I feel bad for her new class.

How is your year going so far? I'm sorry I couldn't persuade anyone to take me to see you off, but they were all busy. I might be able to get someone to pick you up instead of you having to get yourself home. I know you get weird stares from people with your withy-stuff.

Are you alright? I am. There was a tummy bug going around last week but I never caught it. I wanted a day off.

Your Bro Alex.

OoO

Gwen had found herself sitting at the conjoining line of second years and third year Slytherins at the Halloween Feast. She hadn't felt like going last year but her new 'friends' – if you could call them that – had dragged her down for the festivities.

Malfoy sneered at the Gryffindor table. Gwen rolled her eyes and she knew what was coming. Over the past weeks, she had learnt that most the group generally hated these moments. Nott would clench whatever he was holding tighter, Parkinson's smile would tighten, Greengrass would fling her hair over her left shoulder and sigh prettily and the Bullstrode would nod, not truly paying attention.

"Do you know how foolish those Gryffindor's are? Especially Potter."

Oh, sweet hell.

"There's Malfoy going off again." An older student sighed.

She looked up the large table to see who said it. The 'elite' group of third years were clumped together and the person who spoke was their 'leader'. Morgan Pucey, Adrian Pucey's younger brother, was scoffing at Malfoy.

Despite this, Malfoy didn't seem to pay attention to insult, or maybe he hadn't heard it and kept ranting the entire feast. Whatever joy she had gotten from being there – which wasn't much to begin with – had completely dissipated.

When the feast came to the end, Gwen found herself once again being stuck to Malfoy's side. Theodore Nott had left twenty minutes ago for one reason or another which left her with nobody who she could actually stand. Nott, despite being rather indifferent, didn't try and initiate conversation and never actively sought her out. In fact, he spent more time with Blaise Zabini.

Now that she said it in her head, that sounded rather... sad.

Regardless, when Malfoy wanted his posse together, it was Nott and her that stayed together.

Suddenly, the crowd they were walking in came to an abrupt halt with loud gasps. Malfoy grabbed her arm and pulled her to the front of the horde of people.

In front of the girls' toilet were Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter staring, horrified, at a still Mrs Norris, hanging by the tail from a torch bracket. On the wall were the words;

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR BEWARE

Gwen's eyes widened. Malfoy's hand fell from her arm and pointed directly at... something; silver eyes narrowed hatefully, "You'll be next Mudbloods!"

OoO

"What were you thinking, Malfoy?"

Melaia Rowle looked as if she was going to kill a man as she stormed downstairs. She hadn't attended the feast and had clearly just heard about the news. Malfoy turned white as a sheet.

"I was just- just reminded them of-" Malfoy tried to stutter out only to receive a wand pointed at his throat.

"You might be Mr Malfoy's spawn but I will not accept you ruining our already shredded reputation anymore! Do you hear me?!" Rowle growled out, eyes flashing with anger. Gwen sat innocently on a chair.

People were watching attentively as Rowle chewed out Malfoy. Gwen turned to look away, to create a clear gap between her and Malfoy. Nott was reading a book in the corner with Daphne Greengrass sitting on the arm, head looking down at her nails but eyes cutting out to watch everything unfold.

"-if this happens again this will go straight back to your father, am I clear?!" Rowle finally ended. Gwen saw subtle signs of people relaxing after the heightened tension.

"Yes, Rowle." Said Malfoy meekly before scuttling up the staircase to the boys dorms.

Rowle looked around the room, face furious, "And, so help me, if anybody goes around being a fool like him there will be consequences."

The room nodded.

OoO

Whilst the school buzzed and chattered about the fabled Chamber of Secrets, Gwen set off to the library the morning after to find out exactly what it was. The older Slytherins – tightly packed into small circles – whispered quickly and quietly in common room about the topic and yet still she was no closer to finding what it actually was.

Picking up a book of the famed Hogwarts: A History, Gwen paged through the well-worn book in the corner with her half-finished Astronomy essay out before her. She did have things to do after this, you know.

Her eyes caught on a word;

According to legend, before he left, Slytherin created a secret chamber in Hogwarts Castle known as the Chamber of Secrets. That Chamber was home to a monster that was allegedly supposed to purge the school of all Muggle-born students. Despite numerous searches of Hogwarts Castle, no evidence of the chamber ever-existing had been found.

Closing the book, Gwen went to put it back. As she slid the book back into place manually – it was quite low down on the shelves – she was interrupted by a familiar face.

Theodore Nott stood beside her, face blank. He looked at her, "Have you found it yet?"

The boy had never directly spoken to her before, and rarely spoke at all, but here they were. Gwen made sure to display an equal amount of emotion and inclined her head slightly, "Yes. Do you need the book?"

"Yes."

The air thrummed with awkwardness but nonetheless she took the book back from the shelf and handed it over, cover face down. Nott nodded his thanks. Gwen watched as the boy sauntered away and sat at a faraway table, feeling as though she had just missed something.

Or maybe being a witch wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

OoO

Alex,

Things are starting to stir up here. The caretakers' cat was injured and thank god. It makes traipsing around the castle easier without the mangy thing stalking the corridors. I made a friend!

Are you proud, my dearest brother?

We spend time reading together and rarely talk about anything personal, which is nice, since the other boy I was talking about doesn't leave me alone. It really grinds on my nerves sometimes. I feel like it can be beneficial in an awful sort of way.

But anyway, well done on your test streak. You know you can't reach the next band until next year so you're on your way to the highest band you can reach.

From, Gwen

OoO

Gwen was half-listening to Malfoy talk about the Quidditch match that had happened the day previous with the Gryffindors. Flipping to a random point in her herbology book (mandrakes of all things-) and beginning to slowly turn out the sullen boys' voice, she began to read.

Greengrass – who had been quietly talking to her younger sister Astoria last Gwen had seen her – sauntered over and draped herself over a silver and green armchair. She pushed her blonde hair over her shoulder carelessly. "Apparently a student's been petrified."

The mood made an abrupt change.

"Who?" Parkinson said in a soft, whispery voice as she tightened her grip on Malfoy.

Greengrass shrugged delicately. "I'm not privy to everything, you know."

Gwen flipped a page nonchalantly, pushing down whatever emotion threatened to well up quickly, "Bet you Potter knows."

There was a murmur of agreement around the group. Potter might have been only twelve but events seemed to circulate around him when it came to things. Or, well, anything. The strange part of it was, instead of soaking up the attention that came with it, he shied away from it.

"Maybe he's the heir." Pansy Parkinson said as if she had found out how to transfigure food out of thin air. She smiled connivingly, a glint in her eye that Gwen didn't like.

Malfoy snorted, "Don't be stupid. The Potter's never married anyone descended from Slytherin."

"Not even the Verums?" Parkinson gazed up at him and tightened her grip, "Surely one of them did?"

Who?

"The Verums died out centuries ago – way before the Gaunts did," Malfoy said nonchalantly and tried to pry Parkinson's fingers off him.

Gwen turned another page and tried to recall who she remembered with that name, "Who are the Verums?"

Malfoy scoffed, "A branch of the Gaunts who separated from the family centuries back. They tried to claim that they were the true heirs of Slytherin but they were wiped out in the Inheritance War of 1515."

Gwen had read about it – it was infamous for being one of the bloodiest wars in British history, although was easily surpassed by the First Wizarding War.

"Perhaps-" Parkinson tried to reason.

Malfoy stood up abruptly, "I've memorising half of the pureblood lineages of this age – Potter being one of them – and I can assure you that they have not."

The boy strode off, steps quick and hard, clearly in a bad mood. Parkinson's face crumpled but she didn't shed a tear, only marched off in the direction of the dorms.

Greengrass looked at her with surprise etched on her face. Gwen shrugged and flipped the page onto the next, "Trouble in paradise, I guess."

OoO

Sis,

Lady Mary found your stash of wizard stuff I kept and you know how much she hates it. She's on a rampage. I don't recommend coming back for Christmas. I'll be fine.

Alex.

OoO

Gwen had signed her name at the bottom of the list for who was staying at Hogwarts with little hesitation. She felt a churning in her gut every time she thought about going home and it worsened when she thought of her brother, so Gwen resolved to keep the topic of going home out of mind. It was hard to with all the chatter about Christmas going on in the halls.

A surprising number of Slytherin's were staying at Hogwarts – that being, six more than last year. It didn't sound like much but compared to previous years it amounted to a good lot. To Gwen's dismay, Draco Malfoy had also signed the list and her sort-of-maybe friend, Theodore Nott, hadn't.

She sighed sadly and stared at her bowl of porridge with a forlorn expression. She didn't know if she could stand it anymore. How could she make it through the year without snapping?

The bowl of porridge didn't answer.

OoO

To be quite blunt, Gwen hadn't been expecting much from the 'Dueling Club' to begin with. In fact, she'd be in her Room if it wasn't for Malfoy dragging her like an eager puppy, she would have slipped off when nobody was looking and left.

Alas, it was not meant to be although she hadn't expected it to be this fun.

Lockhart had a miserable class and Snape equally so, but for different reasons and Gwen could tolerate one of them but there was no mistake in saying that watching Professor Snape wipe the floor with the man had been a delight. Even the Gryffindors had cheered for him.

As Lockhart ushered them into groups, Gwen found herself paired with an old acquaintance. Hermione Granger, bushy-haired and looking slightly out-of-place, stared back at her.

"Everyone in place?" Lockhart bellowed. "Now, face your partners and bow!"

Gwen bowed as gracefully as she could. Granger bowed slightly awkwardly, the practice unbeknownst towards her. Lockhart nodded, "Now when I count to three, disarm your opponent! One, two, three-"

Gwen could see the words 'expelliarmus' forming in Hermione's mouth, aiming her wand at her. Pointing her wand, and standing to the side so she wouldn't be hit if she wasn't quick enough, she said the incantation, "Petrificus Totalus!"

Granger went back, still as a log and Gwen sauntered towards the girl smoothly. It seemed she hadn't been the only one with that idea as she gazed around the room, Granger lying silently at her feet.

Across she could quite easily see that a Gryffindor boy, ashen-faced and being held up, was receiving apologies from Weasley. Theodore was standing looking unfazed beside a smirking Greengrass and Parkinson-

"Finite Incantatem!" Snape cast. Granger groaned at her feet, using her arms to push herself up off the ground, glaring at her.

"That wasn't fair!" Granger said sharply and Gwen shrugged.

The conversation – or argument – didn't get much further than that because Lockhart, looking flustered, had begun to move on, "Perhaps I should teach you how to block spells first. Shall we have a pair of volunteers? Mr Malfoy and Mr Longbottom, perhaps?"

"Mr Longbottom seems to fail at every turn," Snape drawled, scanning the crowd with his eyes gleaming maliciously before landing on someone, "How about Mr Potter and Mr Malfoy, hm?"

Malfoy turned to look at her as if seeking her approval, and she shrugged and gestured at him to go up. Perhaps he had seen this a good sign because he had a smug grin on his face.

Snape and Malfoy conferred at one side and Potter and Lockhart at another. Snape whispered something in his ear and Malfoy nodded eagerly, pulling out his wand. Lockhart tried to show Potter how to block, wiggling his wand before dropping it, and the boy looked quite ill.

"Three-two-one- go!" Lockhart yelled enthusiastically.

Malfoy went first, "Serpentsortia!"

A snake flew out of her wand, landing harshly on the ground and Potter immediately backup up from the dangerous reptile. Malfoy smiled and, from over the crowd she could hear it hissing angrily.

The scaled creature approached a Justin Finch-Fletchley with a vengeance, tongue flicking and Potter jumped in front of the animal.

"Stop!"

Gwen blinked. She... understood that and the crowd backed up. It was hissing, the snake was...

"They sssummon mme to attack, I musst..."

Potter narrowed his eyes, "Do not!"

Gwen breathed in and then out and as Potter was ushered off the stage, Gwen reunited with Malfoy and the rest. He seemed shocked and Parkinson smirked smugly in an 'I told you so!' sort of way.

She schooled herself into an indifferent sort of expression with great difficulty as they walked back to the dormitories. She didn't sleep that night despite her efforts and when news came of the next petrifaction, the reality of the situation really began to set in.

Nobody could know.

OoO

Gwen checked on the heat to make sure it had not dwindled before she began to crush the ingredients in the mortar. The flames flickered and twitched, still burning fiercely and she began to crush.

Only descendants of Slytherin can speak Parseltongue, the voice in her head said stubbornly. It was right, Gwen supposed, but she had none of that blood in her. Whoever her father had been – dead or alive – was either a muggle who fled or a wizard who was killed by Voldemort in the war.

Gwen fiddled with the idea that Voldemort himself could be her father, basking in the ridiculousness of it, before moving onto better ideas. It had certainly been a surprise – to anyone – and it left her feeling a bit queasy at the thought of anyone knowing but Gwen could... accept it. Ignore it, pretend it wasn't there, that whatever blood she had in her veins didn't determine who she was. That was good.

And the only thing she had to do was to not tell anyone.

OoO

The run-up to Christmas break was tense. After the petrifaction of Finch-Fletchley and Nearly Headless Nick, the entire school had been on edge and the blame had been put on the shoulders of Potter.

Perhaps, if she was any other student, she might've jumped on the train too but the boy was far too innocent, far too naive, to even contemplate doing something as such. Besides, he was the same age as her and the only way Gwen knew how to 'petrify' someone could be easily reversed.

As people left the castle, the tension decreased dramatically. No longer were there students walking around with 'good-luck' charms and ridiculous necklaces that were said to ward off monsters. Gwen, despite the revelation, seemed to relax more too.

Lounging on a chair, feet hanging over the edge, Gwen stared at the ceiling blankly. She had memorised her books, she had no will to walk all the way to the library and she had no other books to read. Perhaps she should get a hobby, she mused quietly. She turned to look. The door to the common room opening noisily.

Draco Malfoy swaggered in, scanning the green and silver room with great arrogance before speaking, "Stay here and I'll just go get it." He seemed to notice she was in the room and grinned, "You'll enjoy this Bortole."

Gwen flicked her eyes to Crabbe and Goyle and shrugged carelessly, "I'm sure."

Roughly a minute later, he came running down the stairs, "Look! Isn't this hilarious?"

Gwen winced as he shoved the newspaper cutting into their faces and Crabbe began to laugh awkwardly but Goyle stayed quiet. Malfoy grinned, if possible, wider and pushed it towards her, "My father sent it to me. Isn't it funny, Gwen?"

It was a story about Mr Weasley's flying car and Mr Malfoy's interview. Gwen scanned her eyes over the words with half a care and shrugged, "I suppose."

Malfoy nodded quickly before sitting down opposite his goons enthusiastically. She stared at her nails, "Technically, nobody would've known if Potter and Weasley didn't crash the car."

Goyle winced subtly but Malfoy didn't seem to notice. "Potter-" he spat angrily, "-will get what's coming for hanging out with such filth. The monster will get him, you'll see."

Goyles face was contorted in an odd sort of way that she had never seen. "What is wrong with you today, Goyle?" Malfoy said.

"Stomach ache," grunted Goyle.

Gwen pretended that the two mongrels hadn't spoken, "Maybe it'll make an exception for Potter and we'll finally get some peace around here."

Malfoy sneered, "You know, Father said last time the chamber was opened –fifty years ago - girl died. Perhaps it'll do him in instead of sending him to the hospital wing."

Crabbe made a weird noise and Gwen snapped her attention to him subtly as he spoke, "Surely you know who it is...?"

"No, but I wish I did." Malfoy scoffed, "Even Bortole doesn't have any ideas."

"Neither do you, despite how much you pretend," Gwen snapped, her pride hurt and she turned her attention away from the trio angrily, "You can boast all you want but it doesn't change the truth."

As soon as her back turned she heard shuffling. "Where are you two going?" Malfoy asked.

"Medicine," Crabbe grunted out, "for our stomach."

Gwen rolled her eyes from where she was sitting at the boys' antics. Malfoy let them go, but not before telling them to 'give the Mudbloods a good kick for me.'

OoO

From ancient, half-dead blood she comes,
To raise the cypress tree,
The sun of the shade,
the daughter of gold,
And the maiden of gold and green

The Maiden's Prophecy

OoO

The year progressed with little difficulty after Christmas break and Gwen found herself at the edge of the Black Lake in the early days of May, reading a book on ancient monsters and myths. In the muggle world, Gwen had read many of these but found few correct correlations between the fiction of the muggle world and the fact of the wizarding world.

The books were decorated in pictures that shifted as she turned each stained page and delighted her in a way she hadn't felt since she was young. The animals never crossed off their own page.

She scanned the new page, decorated with a massive, fierce monster that slithered around the two pages like a border. It hissed menacingly, eyes yellow and piercing, never stopping.

The King of Snakes: Basilisk.

Gwen remembered faintly a tale of the Basilisk, remembered recalling it in a legend she had read once and never again. All of these seemed to have some backing but the Basilisk seemed to be, well, almost entirely myth even in this world with only two pages to describe it.

The Basilisk is bred by only the foulest of wizards and controlled by those who speak its tongue. To look at its gaze would mean certain doom upon all and to feel it's venom is a definite demise. It is felled only by the caw of a rooster and spiders flee before it.

It went on to describe its naming origins as King of the Snakes and to detail several myths about Herpo the Foul, never explicitly saying how one was made which Gwen felt was for the best. Running a finger along the snake bordering the page as she read, Gwen eventually flipped to the next one.

The winds blew harder.

OoO

Perhaps Gwen had jinxed herself when she said that the time after Christmas break was peaceful. As the Slytherins fled to the Quidditch field, only to return looking like someone had died (they might've well had), Gwen had talked to Nott only to find out that two more muggle-borns had been petrified by the monster.

As such, the Hogwarts Staff enforced new rules that all must be escorted by a teacher or prefect to and from class. They never had to be alone either – what a joy – and as a result of the petrifactions, Dumbledore had been sacked.

The man had never been particularly liked in Slytherin house, with people complaining about maybe-small things ("How is it fair the Gryffindors get favoured more than us?") to the larger things ("Damn Mudblood lover, that man is.") but Gwen could safely say that the man was powerful, and with a rampant monster on the loose, they needed all of the power they needed. He was feared by the Dark and it made good protection against those who sought to harm Hogwarts and its students.

Although Malfoy never outwardly showed it – he swaggered about the corridors bragging about the monster whenever there wasn't a teacher or prefect insight – she saw him sitting quietly in the common room, not chatting or bragging for once as if contemplating the consequences that the monster could have.

The entire Slytherin house was banding together too. The younger years were more frequently found near the older ones, being followed by at least one older student 'helping out' with something or another and the prefects made sure that nobody went in or out during the curfew without permission more so than before. Gwen had found it both insightful and overbearing – the older years, despite seeming oh so stiff, had talked a lot about the choices for third year but Gwen never got a moment of peace.

She often wondered how they sorted out who went with whom. Was it the person at the top or was it routine shifts? The second years were too young to accompany the firsties, too unskilled and immature, but a few third years chatted with them. But most of all, Gwen found herself with Melaia Rowle, the fifth year. She was awfully idle for someone who had O.W.L's around the corner.

"Do you know why the Slytherins respect me, Bortole?" she asked abruptly one day. They had been walking in silence in an odd direction, a corridor off the common room.

Gwen shook her head, silent as Rowle eyed her before reaching a dead end. She felt a creeping feeling going up her spine. Rowle smirked as if she knew everything about her, "Because I proved myself to them."

The wall they were facing was elaborately decorated. It had two tapestries hanging down either side with snakes curling around them, not moving but still. The stone was carved with what seemed to be memorials to... something.

"When I was young, my family was charged with crimes – but you know that, yes?" Rowle placed a hand on her shoulder, eyes digging into her, "When I came here, I was disdained by both the school and my housemates for it. For making a spectacle.

"I was a quiet thing, all bookish and small, until one day it seemed that a pair of Gryffindors had enough of me 'dirtying the halls'," she spat bitterly. "Nobody stood up for me then and they left me in the halls – cursed and miserable. Nobody will stand up for you if a pair of Gryffindors get it into their head that your bad. Do you think being a second-year will stop them? No, I was only a firstie and still, nobody cared."

Gwen thought about the times she had received glares, half-murmured insults and the sorting – the sorting, how could she forget? She had walked to the table and gotten cold welcomes and harsh glares, from everyone. It was easier to pretend that they weren't for her, were for everyone, that it didn't happen but at night when she struggled to sleep it was those eyes that came back up. She felt them even more now and once a Slytherin had almost been cursed in front of her – a third year with lanky black hair and brown eyes who Gwen knew was the boy that had sat with her back in first year and helped in the early months. Not that she needed it but despite common knowledge, she could appreciate things.

Rowle continued. "When I was in third year, after outscoring everyone for two years consecutively, I found this little thing. Unlike you, I was shunned. The Malfoy boy took a liking to you, a fancy if you will but don't mistake that for acceptance."

She looked down at her harshly and Gwen nodded. "When I found this place, it was everything. I taught myself, tutored myself and by the middle of third year I was at the level of most fourth years." Her voice was breathless, a far cry from the hard tone she had taken before. Then, it took a sharper tone, made of victory and success, "I challenged a fourth year to a duel in the common room one day. I thought they wouldn't accept but they did – and laughed in my face as they did."

She approached a tapestry and pushed it aside, revealing plain stones, "I beat him – soundly and truly, and then I began to climb. I duelled a fifth year and won and then a sixth year and won by the skin of my teeth. This is too good to be true, I remember thinking and it was because I duelled another three sixth years, losing twice, but it was done. I had commandeered the respect of half the house."

"Why are you telling me this?" Gwen asked as Rowle ran her fingers down the wall, pressing into it. She wondered, vaguely, if Rowle had found her own version of the Room and how many others had too. It was straight off the common room, easily found by those who looked for it...

"Because," Rowle finally found the correct stone with a smile of victory, "when I leave, I know where I'm going and it won't be anywhere good but you...you have the makings of something good in you. And besides, doesn't history always love an underdog?"

"But I'm a second year-" Gwen blurted out. The entire situation seemed ridiculous. She was twelve – almost thirteen – for Merlin's sake! What good would I second year do?

"I have two years left to teach you and even if you don't learn all the techniques, you'll know the theory." Rowle said and a door swung open, leading into a dimly lit room, "Call me Melaia, Gwen."

Gwen nodded silently as she went inside.

The place was huge and small at the same time, with the walls being lined with extravagant decor and pillars stretching to the high ceiling. There was a snake – obviously – curled around the pillars, mouth open as it reaches the ceiling as if it was to take a huge chunk of stone out of it. "It's brilliant," Gwen said for a moment, losing her composure, "How did nobody else find this?"

Rowle- Melaia shrugged. "All that matters is I did and some of the older students know too, in case you come here without me one day. It's nothing to worry about."

"Alright." Gwen breathed. It seemed weird – perhaps it had been found previously but left alone – and convenient but alright. Alright.

As she walked around the room, she spotted scorch marks and chunks of stone hidden by a cloth, as if a duel had broken out. There were faded marks of old portraits, very old faded marks that Gwen wouldn't have made out if she hadn't seen the large, cracked frame tucked away with torn canvas along the edge. No, this had been here since... the beginning, perhaps, and just left unused.

"Magnificent, yes? You've had your fill and now I want to test you." Melaia's eyes glittered, "Tell me, how well do you duel?"

OoO

Gwen felt sore as she relaxed on the soft armchair, her arm sporting a large bruise hidden by a jumper when the news came about the student in the chamber.

Professor Snape had stormed in, interrupting half the common room and if he had been a prefect, would have received several curses – both in words and spells. He sneered, "A student has been taken into the chamber. As of tomorrow, you will leave due to the complications that have arisen. I recommend you pack your bags because the train sets off tomorrow."

When the portrait shut, the common room erupted into a frenzy with very few going to pack. Oh sweet hell, Gwen leaned her head against the soft material, can't I get one day of peace?

OoO

Gwen felt like the entire year had been one weird fever dream as she left the train. Hallucinations? Had she eaten something bad? Regardless, as she stepped off the train in July, she pondered over the events of the year.

She had been invited to join Malfoy's little group – or forced, seemed more like the right word – and had sat with them for the entire year. She had made little use of the Room until finally they – as in, Malfoy – had begun to back off after Christmas wherein she spent days finally getting to grips with herself. However, during those days, a monster had begun to attack the school and the blame had been placed on Potter. Then, she had a fairly uneventful January, February, March and April before May had completely taken a downturn with the petrifaction of two more people. Afterwards, she bonded with Melaia in the weirdest way possible and became her, what, apprentice? Then, Professor Snape said the school was shutting down due to someone being taken only to... not? The said person had been freed and the school was to keep on running but exams that she had revised for didn't happen.

Huh.

Does it matter, now? Gwen asked herself now as she passed through the barrier. Her brother, golden-haired and bright-eyed, greeted her enthusiastically. He gazed up, just reaching under her chin, and smiled, "You'll never guess what, Gwen!"

Hello! I know very few people will actually read this, but I GOTTA write this! So first, please favourite and review! It actually means a lot to me, doing this! And, uh, has anyone figured anything out yet? I think i'm laying it on a bit thick but,,, gwen doesn't know. gwen doesn't know anything and it's less about what it is and more about the consequences!

Anyway, ill be updating roughly every Monday-Tuesday, depending on how long it takes! Thanks for reading!

Posted on Ao3 under the name wufflles