Chapter 14: Student

Severus led Octavia and Draco to his office. There, he handed Octavia a time table. "If you don't mind," he began, "I took the liberty to enroll you as a seventh year student yesterday. Tonight, you and Draco will be escorted to Diagon Alley to receive your text books, uniform, wand, and other necessary items."

"Professor?" Draco asked, somewhat confused.

"Vampires may not usually use wands, but some still do."

"Why?"

"She's been found out," Severus began. "If all other students, as the Slytherins have, are to meet her and befriend her, you'll have an easier time protecting her. Before I forget, Ms. Gryffindor," Severus stood and walked over to a shelf. He pulled down the Sorting Hat and handed it to her. "You'll have to put this on."

Octavia stared at it.

"What is it?"

"I—my father's hat," she exclaimed. "Why is it still here?"

"Put it on your head, Ms. Gryffindor," Severus instructed, "and you'll find out."

Octavia did so. For a long time, nothing happened. Finally the hat began to stir. "SLYTHERIN!" the hat shouted.

Octavia took the hat off and set it on the desk before Severus.

"Funny," Severus said. "I thought it would place you in your father's house."

"It would have, as I was when I first attended. But I don't wish to be parted from Draco," Octavia explained. "The hat made an exception." Octavia bowed her head. "It's father's voice."

Severus and Draco exchanged glances. "Well," Severus began. "You best head back to the common room."

"Just one more thing, Professor," Draco said. "How's she supposed to attend classes?"

"That's been arranged with Madam Malkin," Severus said. "Now get out of my office before I make you."

Draco and Octavia headed back to Slytherin House. Students heading to their next class would stop and stare at Octavia either curiously or fearfully.

No one dared comment or jest as they walked by. Draco took her hand protectively. Octavia blushed a shade of darker.

"There's no need to fear," Draco whispered. "They won't harm you."

"T'is not that," Octavia muttered. "I'm afraid. I'm afraid of what will happen next. I still don't know what happened to you."

"They didn't tell you?"

"They assumed I knew."

Draco retold everything from going to apologize to his mother, being attacked by Augustan—Octavia was enraged at hearing this. Draco waited for her to calm down before continuing—the resonance he shared with Augustan during those two weeks, waking up in St. Mungo's, and begging Severus to help him save her.

They entered the Common Room. Pansy, Blaise, Millicent, Vincent, and Greg greeted them eagerly. The lower classmen greeted them either eagerly or half heartedly, depending on what they were doing.

"We tried to convince them Octavia was innocent, but they wouldn't listen to us," Vincent said.

"I never thought about it till now, but I'm somewhat ashamed of the adults," Millicent snapped. "Judging someone just because their different."

"We all ought to be ashamed," Pansy agreed.

"Too bad Draco joined them."

"Snape's not too bad though."

"Professor Snape's a spy for one of Dumbledore's old gangs," Draco clarified. "He discussed it with me last year."

"Snape's a spy? What is he? A double agent?" Pansy asked.

"Pray tell?" Octavia asked, confused.

"Yeah," Draco said.

"Which side is he really on?"

"No idea."

"What's a double agent?" Octavia snapped.

"Someone who says he works for one side, but really works for the enemy," Greg clarified.

"Cool."

"Snape's awesome."

"I like the free coffee side of him."

"What else did you learn about Snape?"

"He was told to kill Dumbledore by Dumbledore when the time was right before agreeing to help me kill him."

The group became silent.

"But then it's not murder."

"Then what do we call it?"

"Assisted suicide, I think."

"Oh! I forgot—Snape enrolled Octavia as a student," Draco exclaimed.

The group silenced again.

"How's that gonna work?"

"He said to leave it to Madam Malkin," Draco said. "I have an idea of what he's planning, but overall, have we ever understood him any more than Dumbledore?"

"Other than that he's one of the best teachers ever?"

"Nope."

Octavia shook her head. Draco kept speaking of the teacher with vibrant animation. "I remember having such conversations about my father and his peers," she said. They stopped talking and looked at her. "Several times, our favorite would change. For me, I always liked learning under Madam Ravenclaw. She was primarily my favorite. Madam Hufflepuff was very sweet and kind. She never spoke harshly with a student. Master Slytherin could be a tad judgmental, but he was a lot like Professor Snape. You couldn't hate or love him. Strict, but caring in his own way." She paused. "Father was wild and always trying something new—especially if it would annoy Master Slytherin. He loved causing trouble."

"You must miss them dearly," Millicent said, tapping her shoulder.

Octavia nodded. "They were more than just teachers to me." She smiled at them. "They were my family."

Draco held out his arms to her. Octavia learned on his chest.

The room was silent for a moment.

"They two of are so cute!" Pansy gushed. Draco glowered. Octavia giggled.

"We have to go get your uniform," Draco said, taking Octavia's had and standing.

"Sure it's just her uniform?" Blaise teased.

Draco flipped him off. The rest of the seventh years laughed as they left.

"What manner of gesture was that?"

"A very rude one," Draco said sheepishly.

He coughed and led her to a fire place. "Do you know how to use floo powder?" Octavia tilted her head to the side. "I'll take that as a no." Draco said. He grabbed a handful of floo powder and stepped into the pit, holding Octavia's hand.

"You step into the fireplace," he said. "Grab some floo powder," he showed her the dust in his hand. "And say your destination as clearly as possible. Ready?" Octavia grabbed his arm tightly. She nodded. "Diagon Alley," Draco enunciated. He dropped the powder and they vanished.

Arriving at Flourish and Blotts, Draco glanced at the time table set for Octavia.

Once the books were bought, they bought all the standard equipment she'd need:

A pewter cauldron, a wand holster, and a wand (a sixteen inch made of evergreen wood with a dragon heartstring core).

Madam Malkin, Draco could see, was both nervous, as were the others, and excited.

"I've never had the chance to use this kind of cloth," she said, taking Octavia's measurements. She even measured Octavia's hand—"For gloves, dear," she explained.

Octavia's specialized uniform wasn't much different from the standard Hogwarts uniform. Madam Malkin was quick, but precise.

"These will protect your skin," she said, handing the opaque tights to Octavia. "Made of the same materials as the gloves." The gloves covered Octavia's whole arms and shoulders and were connected by a turtleneck collar that Octavia could slip over her head. And the hat would be wide brimmed, which was different than most of the hats that were worn at school.

Other than this, the uniform wasn't much different than usual.

They left Diagon Alley just minutes before three o'clock in the morning.

"We never got that vampire hunting kit," Octavia stated when they returned to school.

Draco shrugged. "We can make something out of what we have available here."

Octavia followed Draco into the Common Room. "I never got to feed tonight," she mused quietly.

Draco heard her and unbuttoned his shirt.

"No—you were just released from the infirmary!"

"I don't care. If you need to feed whenever, I'm here." Draco embraced her. "I'm bound to you. This is what I'm supposed to do, right?"

Octavia gently bit his neck, at the base where it joined the shoulder.

"You don't know when to stop," a voice growled. "Don't you boy?"

Draco ignored it.