Disclaimer: 'Sigh' alas J.K. has not given me rights to Harry Potter for Christmas. Maybe next year.

Sorry it took me so long to update. Between school ending and Christmas shopping, I haven't had a lot of time to write. Oh well, here is a little present for you guys. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Chapter 4

'Bing'

Nequam noted that the door seemed to ring on its on as Snape opened it. She followed him in and was filled with awe at the sight of so many different books.

"Hello and welcome to Flourish & Blotts said a middle-age looking women from behind the counter "the all stop shop for any magic book you may want."

"How may I help you?" the bookkeeper asked.

Snape stepped forward, handing her a piece of paper he pulled from inside his robes. "I need the books on this list" he informed her.

"Of course. I'll be right back" she said turning to disappear into one of the many rows of books the in shop.

Snape looked down at the girl beside him. Nequam was looking around the shop with wide eyes, her face full of awe and curiosity.

"I take it you've never been in a bookstore before" Snape asked the young child.

"No, sir" she answered looking up at him "I've only been in libraries, but I like libraries. They are safe and warm."

Snape gave her a strange look but then he told her "You can look around, but don't leave the shop, don't break anything, and when I say its time to go, I want no arguments." 'not that you would ever argue with anyone' he thought to himself.

"Yes, sir" she said with a small smile. She then turned and slowly made her way to the nearest shelf of books. As she drew closer she noticed the different titles including Knights and Dragons and The BIG Book of Enchantments. As the blue-eyed girl made her way deeper into the rows of books she saw Charming Charms and Spells for Students, Your Wand and you plus The Beginners Potions Manual. She ran her fingers lightly over the spines making her way toward the back. She stopped as the title of a book caught her eye Thestrals: Fact or Fantasy?.

Nequam carefully pulled the book from the shelf. It had a strange looking horse on the cover, with huge wings, white shining eyes, and a black, skeletal body.

"Scaring looking things, aren't they" said a voice from very close behind her.

Nequam yelp and turned around quickly, dropping the book between her and the owner of the voice.

"Sorry" said a boy about her age "Didn't mean to scare ya."

He was taller than her, with long, dark brown hair. His light brown eyes were full of mischief and his skin was lightly tanned. He had a smirk on his face as he bent down to pick up the book that had fallen between them.

"Here" the boy said as he held the book out to Nequam. As she reached out to take it he noticed her shaky hands, his smirk widened and he said "Kinda jumpy, aren't ya?"

She took the book from him with more force than was necessary as she responded "don't like being stuck up on."

"Obviously" he said, and after a few seconds he continued "My name is Blaise Zabini"

"Nequam Riddle" she replied.

"Nequam Riddle? That's a weird name." Blaise said with a frown.

"So I've been told" answered Nequam.

"It's not a wizard's name, sounds muggle" he said narrowing his eyes.

She retorted with "Well, Mr. Dumbledore said that my mother named me Nequam and that he named me Riddle, after my father. Both my parents went to Hogwarts and were very powerful."

"Oh" he stated; seemingly to easily except her now that he knew that neither she nor her parents were muggles.

"You've meet Dumbledore?" he asked., once again eager to learn about this curious girl.

"Yes" she answered, relaxing. "He saved me" she told the tall boy in a small voice.

"Saved ya?" the brown-eyed boy asked.

"Yes" Nequam replied in the same small voice, not elaborating farther.

Blaise wanted to know more about who this girl was and how she seemed to know someone like Albus Dumbledore so well, but she didn't seem to like these type of questions. So, the smirk returning to his face, he tried a different approach.

"Well what exactly are ya in here for? Are do ya just have a strong, burning desire to learn about all things Thestral?" he asked gesturing to the book in her arms.

She shook her head slightly and replied "my temporary guardian and me were gettin' some books for when I start school in September."

"School? At Hogwarts?" he asked in an excited voice.

She nodded.

"Cool. Me too. Its my first year. Yours too, huh? But you look too young to be going to Hogwarts. How old are you?" Blaise asked very exited to have meet a child his age, who was also going to Hogwarts.

"Eleven. I'll be twelve in October." she told him.

"Wow, I'm eleven too. You don't look eleven, plus your really tiny. What do your parents not feed you, or something?" the smirking boy asked.

"My parents are dead" Nequam informed him, in a calm, quiet voice "I was raised in a muggle orphanage and no they didn't feed me very much."

"Oh" Blaise said softly, his smirk disappearing "your parents died and they left you with muggles, that sucks"

"Yeah" replied the smaller child, not knowing what else to say.

"I…"

"Well, well Blaise, what's this making new friends are we?" said an older looking boy as he strolled down the row towards them.

He had a smirk on his face, but it wasn't like Blaise's. Blaise was filled with excitement and curiosity, but this boy seemed cold and hard. Nequam had seen the look in his eyes before, the look of someone who takes what he wants not caring who he hurts. Someone who enjoys inflicting pain.

Nequam quickly stepped away from the approaching boy until her back was pressed against the bookshelf behind her. She brought the book in her hands to her chest, as if she were trying to shield herself. Blaise saw the movement out of the corner of his eye and move to place himself in front of Nequam.

"What do you want Theo?" Blaise asked in a cautious voice.

"Just to meet your new friend" Theo said slowing running his cold eyes up and down Nequam.

"She is none of your business" Blaise said with a bite.

"Now, now Zabini don't be like that. I just want to know her name. Is that too much to ask?" the older boy said coldly.

Nequam would see the tension running off of Blaise. It seems that the two boys knew one another. Not wanting to be the cause of a fight, she decided to answer the cold boy's question.

"My name is Nequam Riddle." she told the older boy from behind Blaise.

"Nequam. How appropriate that Zabini should befriend you. After all worthless, losers should stick together." Theo said cruelly.

Blaise hands clenched into fists as he said "I'm not worthless and neither is she. We're worth more than you'll ever be."

Theo hand shot out and grabbed Blaise by the front of his shirt. "How dare you, you pathetic, little…..

But Theo's sentence as abruptly cut off as Blaise fist connected with his jaw.