XVI.

"Theo!"

It had only been one evening. Dorathea understood that on a logical level, really she did, but her heart still lifted at the sight of the familiar face. She tore herself from shadows of Padma and Mandy to fly down the stairs towards the Slytherin.

To his credit, Theo seemed just as pleased to see her. His pale face brightening as she threw herself into his arms and they both spun around.

"Are you ok?" Theo asked - stepping back and peering into her face as though he could divine the past twenty-four hours from her expression alone. Dorathea peered back just as intently. Last night, she had spent several of her sleepless hours trying to remember the Theo Harry had seen in Hogwarts. There wasn't much to remember. Theo had been a Slytherin and therefore below Harry's attention. All she had was a few memories of a thin face, a dark head of hair bent over an essay, and a tight, contemptuous expression when Draco was talking. There had been no friends, no laughter, no sign that Hogwarts was a refuge from a lonely home.

If any of the other Slytherins were trying to bully him, they had another thing coming….

"I'm fine," She told him, "The Ravenclaw House party was loud, so I went to bed early and then overslept."

The concerned look faded a touch as Theo nodded and then took her hand, "I'll teach you the alarm spell so you aren't late again. But come on- we don't want to miss breakfast."

"Well, I guess we'll see you in class." Mandy scoffed and Dorathea looked over her shoulder to see the two Ravenclaws standing awkwardly to the side.

"Yeah- Ok!" Dorathea waved over her shoulder and ignored the disapproving crease to Padma's brow as Theo led her inside the Great Hall. Yes, Padma and Mandy were the nicest Ravenclaw's she'd met so far, but they weren't family!

"Theo," She pulled on his sleeve until he looked over at her, "Does…. Does my hair look weird?"

Theo gave it a brief glance. "No. It looks good. Are you wearing the ribbon I gave you?"

"Yep!" Dorathea lifted her free hand to finger the silky end of the ribbon. It had been carefully embroidered with runes of focus and concentration in a slightly lighter shade of blue. She thought it would be appropriate for her first day of classes. She had thought….

"Theo?" She asked again, "Do you know anything about modern girl's hairstyles?"

The boy glanced up at the overcast sky seriously then shook his head, "Ha… no. Not really. Why? Did someone say something?" His grip became almost painful around her hand, so she quickly shook her head.

"No, just… I want to fit in." She admitted and was surprised by her own admission. Harry had never wanted to fit in. Not with the Dursley's who represented all that was wrong and uncaring, not with his muggle classmates who were too afraid of Dudley to notice him. By the time he came to Hogwarts, he hadn't expected to fit in. He hadn't even tried. His first friend was almost the first person he ever spoke to. His second friend was another social outcast. But he had been so grateful to have them.

Dorathea shook her head sharply to rid herself of the depressing thought. Ron and Hermione had been good friends. Were good friends. But, maybe, when she went back to being Harry, she'd try to make other friends too.

Theo led her past the table in blue towards the one with the long green runner. Dorathea slowed as she caught sight of two girls dressed in immaculate green robes sitting at the table over cups of tea and talking animatedly. Well, one was talking animatedly. The other dark-haired one was glancing idly around the room, but froze when she caught sight of Dorathea. Her eyes traveled over Dorathea's robe, up to her hair, down to her face, and then narrowed in potent fury. Dorathea suddenly remembered her: Pansy Parkinson, Draco's girlfriend.

She ducked her head to hid behind Theo and was very glad when her brother led her two spots a little ways away from girls. He didn't seem to notice them. Didn't notice as Pansy elbowed her friend and nodded to Dorathea meaningfully. Dorathea quietly took her own plate and filled it with a scoop from the first bowl in front of her, watching the two girls out of the corner of her eye as the conversed in fierce whispers. She jumped with Theo waved a hand in front of her face.

"What? Sorry- were you saying something?" She asked, glancing at him guiltily.

"I said, returning to Hogwarts was a little disappointing. The food isn't nearly as good as what Euphie can make - or you really. Are you ok?" He asked as her eyes returned to the whispering girls. They were talking about her. She was sure of it. Her cheeks burned and she dropped her eyes to her plate.

"Yeah, just-" She glanced down the table and he followed her gaze to where one of the girls had risen with a smile and started down towards them.

"Oh, Merlin." He sighed, as the girl plunked herself down across from them with a wide smile. She was almost pretty- with large brown curls and a nose that could be considered button-like by a well-inclined person. She leaned forward and wove her fingers together, resting her chin on her hands neatly as she fluttered her eyelashes at Theo.

"Theo, darling, lovely- I know it is early and I know you haven't had your tea or whatever and I know it's been such a busy chore coming back here. And honestly, I'm not even mad. So don't even worry your head. Of course, we are going to forgive you."

Theo looked up and gave the witch a dark look, "Forgive me for what, Daphne."

"For not introducing me to your long lost sister," The girl glanced over at Dorathea who felt her cheeks heat even more. The girl, Daphne, had managed to choose the perfect blend of offense, incredulity, and good humor to make the comment sting. Dorathea remembered Lady Malfoy's brief overview of etiquette. According to very old, very pureblood rules, you couldn't introduce yourself to strangers but had to ask an acquaintance or friend of a friend to do so. Only peers on the same level of society could have afforded to propriety by asking to be introduced. Either Daphne was ignorant of that rule, in which case she would have just introduced herself like Padma and Mandy did or….

Theo sighed as if he would much rather be doing anything else in the world, but straightened and put on a serious expression. He turned to Dorathea and gave her an apologetic look. "Dorathea, may I introduce you to Lady Daphne of the Ancient and Nobel House Greengrass?"

Ah. That was it. Dorathea bobbed a small nod of acknowledgment towards where the smaller girl was watching her with avid interest. Greengrasses were on the same peerage level as the Notts, even slightly higher if you believed some authors. Further down the table, Pansy watched the proceedings like a hawk. The Parkinsons were merely pureblooded and only recently awarded a Noble House but they were hardly Ancient. If Pansy cared about the old etiquette rules at all, she had to wait until someone introduced her to Dorathea.

Theo then turned to his classmate. "Daphne, may I introduce you to my sister, Lady Dorathea of the Ancient and Noble House Nott?"

"Just Nott?" Daphne asked, tilting her head and putting one thin finger to her cheek as though she were genuinely curious. "Nothing else?" Dorathea felt a stab of fear run through her at the seemingly innocent question. There was no way that Professor Snape or Dumbledore had let the word of the Polyjuice potion accident slip into the public?

"Yes," Theo answered sharply, "Just Nott. The Muggles have no claim to her. She doesn't even remember them for Nimune's sake." Daphne's eyebrows shot upward at the swear, but she only tilted her head to the other side. Dorathea found herself pinching one of the knotted ribbons around her wrist for protection.

"Oh? I wasn't talking about Muggles, Theo." Daphne smiled as though she were about to take a bite of something delicious, " I mean unless you weren't told?"

"Told what?"

"I mean, I suppose there's no reason for you to know. Or really have a say. I mean, you are only her brother." The girl seemed to be genuinely wondering.

"Daphne, what are you babbling on about?" Theo snapped.

"I mean, Lady Dorathea's engagement to House Malfoy of course," Daphne said with near-perfectly feigned innocence.

A/N: This was a fun chapter to write. Thank you as always for your follows, favs and especially reviews!