Trolls and bites

During the next few weeks she had even two potion lessons a week because Snape thought that one would be too less to be able to catch up with the others. He apparently wanted her to catch up at any cost. She of course knew that he was also assigned to keep an eye on Professor Quirrell even though she didn't tell him. So she wasn't very surprised that he didn't visit her as often as before or if he did he never stayed long. Usually it didn't happen much either. Whenever something happened that he found suspicious he left her room. So she decided she would cut it down to just talking about lessons or rather innocuous topics. Sometimes he would let her hug him and sometimes he was rather reserved. The lessons also weren't all that much different from before but she did her best to catch up. She even somehow managed to do all the extra homework he gave her. He never gave her any points as well, at least not that she had ever noticed. She assumed that it somewhat had to do with his grudge against Gryffindor and the fact that he was trying to treat her like everyone else. But then again not gaining points from him was actually not that surprising – not losing any however was.

The day of Halloween she gained a whole lot of points in charms because she was even quicker with the Wingardium Leviosa charm than Hermione what of course made her feel rather grumpy – not mentioning that she had to practise with Ron. Lillian knew that Hermione wasn't very popular among the students due to being a bossy know-it-all but she also knew that this would change very soon. Possibly Hermione would also be friendlier around her if she was finally friends with Ron and Harry. But that wasn't something she wanted to think about now. She was actually occupied with thinking about the happenings in the evening and what it would be like to be in the middle of events instead just reading about them.

So she was quiet amazed by the decoration in the Great Hall that evening. She followed the live bats with her eyes before starting to count the pumpkins she was able to see. The feast was delicious but not soon after the golden plates had been magically filled Professor Quirrell stormed into the Great Hall. Lillian immediately knew why and threw a suspicious look at him as he announced that a troll was in the dungeons and then fainted. She shook her head. Since she didn't want to miss the feast she followed Percy and the Gryffindor students to their common room and tried to stay out of conversations and discussions about the troll. She though tried to look worried once in a while though she knew that Harry and Ron would come back healthy. And after approximately an hour she saw them joining the common room through the portrait exchanging awkward expressions with Hermione who had arrived a few minutes earlier.

From that day on Hermione was friends with Ron and Harry and she also behaved a lot less grumpy towards Lillian. On the one hand she was rather happy about it on the other she rather wanted to spend as few time as possible with them because it wouldn't be long for them to come to the, admittedly false, conclusion that Snape was after the stone. Nobody in the school knew anything about Lillian's connection to Snape aside from the private lessons and both of them liked it that way. It would be rather suspicious if anyone found out now. One day in November during break she stood a bit away from Ron, Harry and Hermione who were warming themselves with a blue flame in a jar. She watched as Snape limped over to them and how he took the Quidditch through the Ages book with him. She immediately knew that he had been injured by Fluffy when he tried to find out how far Quirrell had already come. She wondered if she should visit him later but didn't finish the thought or decide anything because the bell rang and she hurried to the next lesson with the others.

In the evening while doing homework she also refused to let Harry and Ron copy her homework what caused them to frown at her. But when she was done she offered to help them with a few things until Harry got up to fetch the book from the staff room. It suddenly occurred to her that this was the day when the real discussions about the Sorcerer's Stone would start. As soon as Harry was gone she also said good bye and left to go to bed early because she wanted to be wide awake to not miss any details of the very first Quidditch game she was going to watch the next day. But she didn't get very far. Halfway down to the third floor she bumped into Harry who was hurrying back upstairs.

"Ouch – Sorry Lillian."

"No problem. What are you hurrying for? It's not that late."

"I just found out why Snape is limping."

"Oh?" She tried to sound surprised.

"He got bitten by that three-headed dog."

"Ouch that must hurt."

"I really hope it does. However, that he was bitten can only mean that he was trying to get past it."

"Why would he want to get past that dog?" Lillian asked as casual as possible.

"I don't know. Possibly we will find out. But excuse me now. I have to get back and tell Ron and Hermione."

"Alright. Don't worry too much about that Game tomorrow. I watched some of the training and as far as I can judge it you are going to be just fine. You will crush Slytherin to pieces."

"Well thank you for trying to cheer me up. Good Night." He hurried up the stairs and she went down.

But instead of going to her room she went down to the ground floor towards the staff room. When she turned around the corner she almost bumped into Filch.

"What are you doing down here at that time?" he croaked suspiciously.

"I want to talk to Professor Snape about my homework. I got to know that I could find him in the staff room."

Filch frowned. "Professor Snape isn't there anymore. I believe that your homework has time until tomorrow."

"Well tomorrow is the Quidditch match and since it's his House playing he won't have time. Especially if they should win."

"He wouldn't want any visitors now. He isn't feeling well. So I suggest you hurry off to your room. Even though you are older than every other student doesn't free you from the rules."

"I know. I just thought I could catch him here before going to my room."

"I guess you were mistaken with that Miss. If I should find you lurking through the corridors later..." He suddenly had some sort of ugly grin on his face and she just knew too well what it meant.

"Good Night Mr. Filch" she just said and was about to turn around to leave when the door of the staff room opened and Snape limped out.

He noticed her and a flash of surprise flickered within his eyes for a second. "What is this supposed to mean?" His voice was cold.

Filch turned around. "She says she wants to talk to you about homework. She was about to leave." He turned around to give Lillian a meaningful look.

"I will deal with her" Snape said coldly and added "You can leave."

"But Professor your leg..."

"I said I will deal with her." His voice was hard as steel.

"Alright. Good Night. Good luck for the match tomorrow." And with these words Filch left.

Snape listened closely and Lillian peered around the corner to make sure that Filch really left. She only nodded as she turned around towards Snape again. Still standing within the opened door of the staff room he made a rough gesture with his head to make her follow him inside. He limped over to the next best chair. After sitting down he pointed at the chair opposite of him.

"Sit down." His voice was still somewhat cold. Apparently he was still very angry because Harry caught a glimpse of his leg and overheard a scrap of his conversation with Filch. "So you've got issues with your homework?"

She shook her head. "I just wanted to get rid of Filch. If you wouldn't have suddenly stepped out it wouldn't have worked."

"How did you know I was here?" He was frowning.

"Harry" she just said as neutral as possible.

His mouth went so thin that one was barely able to tell that he even had lips. "Potter..." he muttered through gritted teeth.

"I've been wanting to visit you anyways. He just saved me to walk down into the dungeons."

"What did he say?"

"That you were bitten by a three-headed dog." Her voice was casual.

"Do you believe him?"

"Yes. In fact I know that there is some dangerous stuff on the third floor."

"How..." he wanted to ask but she interrupted him.

"Dumbledore told it to me when I got that room. I guess he wanted to let me know the reason why nobody was allowed into that part of the corridor." That was a lie but she was sure, that Dumbledore hadn't told him anything about her knowledge.

"So he trusts you about that." It wasn't a question – it was a statement.

"Apparently. But I didn't want to discuss that dog with you. In fact I don't care why it is there and why you got bitten by it. I was worried and wanted to see if I could be of any help. I mean the match is tomorrow."

"Filch already assisted me with bandaging."

"Well shall I help you down to your room then?"

"Rather not thanks."

She more and more got the impression that he was indeed very unhappy to be with her tonight. Possibly because of the fact that Harry had heard and seen something he shouldn't have and even told her about it. She got up from her chair and grabbed her bag.

"I will leave then" she said coldly and walked towards the door.

When passing him by he suddenly grabbed her arm so that the belt of her beg slit down her arm and her rather heavy loaded bag dropped down falling on the foot of his injured leg. "Damn!" he shouted letting go of her arm his face distorted in pain.

She grabbed her bag and placed it aside. "I'm – I'm sorry!"

"No. No it's my fault" he said through gritted teeth as if he was refusing to admit it.

She stood there looking at him not sure if she should just leave or not. After a few minutes of silence she eventually dared to say something. "Well I – I'll be leaving now."

"What are you talking about?" There was a slight hint of resignation in his voice but he wasn't looking at her.

"Well I had the impression my presence irritates you additionally. Since you seem to hate Harry and since I mentioned him."

He mumbled something into his not existing beard and then looked at her. "Yes I'm irritated but..." He looked away again. "But I didn't mean to take it out on you."

"Good to know" she said coolly. "Still, I came to offer you my help and you don't seem to want it so there is no reason for me to be here any longer." She turned around grabbing her bag careful not to let it anywhere close to his foot. "Get well soon. Good Night."

"I didn't want you to leave."

"Save your breath." She opened the door and left the room quickly hurrying down the corridor before he was able to follow her.

Though she knew that he was in a bad mood and additionally uneasy around her she felt somehow irritated. Even though he tried to make her stay she left him there. On her way back she realized that she had resembled Lily Evans once again when saying 'Save your breath'. She wondered if she should turn around and apologize for that phrase but then again it was of no use because she wasn't supposed to know what that phrase meant to him. Even though she had planned to go to bed early it was already late when she finally fell asleep. She hoped that there would be a chance to talk to him the next day.