I think after this I'll do one more chapter of book one, try and skim through book two in only a few chapters and then get to Prisoner of Azkaban, which will be much more interesting. So hang in there through the little boring bits, there will be an abundance of action and drama ahead. As always, this work reflects that of JK Rowling, anything you recognize belongs to her.
War with Draco, and by association Slytherin in general, was in full swing. Anytime red clashed with green in the corridors, sparks flew. I managed to land a couple well-placed stinging jinxes on Draco and an accidental one on Theo's rear, to which I apologized profusely. He took it good naturedly. I genuinely enjoyed the back and forth, after the initial hurt wore off. I spent a lot of time with Hermione and Neville, who was rapidly approaching the friendship level. We pretty much unanimously agreed not to think or talk about the dog or what it may or may not be guarding. We didn't talk to Harry or Ron really either, and that was fine with me.
Harry received a brand new broom as a gift from Professor McGonagall and I wasn't really sure how to feel about it. On the one hand, he didn't have any support at home and who could begrudge him a leg up every once in a while, but on the other I knew he had money (everyone did, with as much Weasley blabbed about it) and it didn't seem terribly fair, to first reward him for breaking clearly spoken rules by putting him on the team, despite centuries of tradition, and then to show further favor like that.
If I was feeling a little miffed about it, Draco was in a right state. When he found out Harry had made the team, as a first year, with no experience, and without trying out, his jinxes quadrupled in number and force. Lions were having to visit the hospital wing after being caught by him or his cronies. I tried to tell him to lighten up a little bit but that was not received well, as I'd figured.
I was so caught up with studying with Hermione and avoiding Harry and Draco that the weeks flew by. Before I knew it, it was my favorite holiday. Halloween! It started off as a great day. I had a wonderful time in charms class. Working with Neville, I had managed to make my feather hover for a few seconds. Which was better than anyone else, except Hermione, who had the unfortunate luck of being paired with Weasley. It was after that that the day went downhill.
We were all leaving the classroom, myself and Hermione trailing Harry and Weasley when the Weasel had been complaining about his partnering, "It's no wonder no one can stand her, she's a nightmare, honestly. And Black doesn't count, no one likes her either."
Hermione raced past them, tears filling her eyes.
"I think she heard you." Harry said awkwardly.
"So?" said Ron, but he looked a bit uncomfortable. "She must've noticed she's got no friends."
"You better watch your mouth, Weasley." I confronted him, fingering my wand in my pocket. "Hermione's the brightest witch at this school and you'd be lucky if she deemed you important enough to waste her time on."
"You're awfully brave for someone who shouldn't be in this house, or even at this school. Why don't you mind your own business, Snake." Weasley spat.
"Or what? You'll call me more ridiculous names and use whatever few pathetic jinxes you know? Give it a rest, Weasley." I rolled my eyes and was about to turn before I saw him reach into his pocket.
Ron drew his wand but before he could fire anything he was flown to the ground. Draco emerged from behind me and bent over the gasping redhead.
"Never draw your wand on my cousin, Weasley, if you value your life." He threatened coldly. I knew it was an empty threat, Draco was prone to be dramatic, but it made me smile anyways. "Let's go, Elizabeth, his stupidity might be contagious."
I followed Draco and his two friends with a smug smile on my face. Even in the midst of one of our longest spats, Draco still had my back. When he turned around and saw my expression, Draco gave me a stern look. "Don't think this means I'm talking to you, or even like you."
"I wouldn't dream of it." But the smile remained on my face as I went to find Hermione. I had shown up to class, expecting her to be there, but after a few minutes it was apparent she wasn't coming. Weasley must have really gotten to her, Hermione never skipped class.
I went looking for the girl, eventually finding her in the girls' bathroom on the main floor.
"Hey Hermione. It's me, Elizabeth. Can I come in?" I asked when I heard sniffling behind a stall. I heard the lock slide open and swung the door back to see Hermione sitting on the Loo with her head in her hands, tears streaked down her face.
"Is that true? What he said? No one likes us? We're just misfits who've been forced together because no one else wants to be around us?" She asked miserably.
"At least we're misfits together." I joked. When she didn't find it funny, I moved to crouch down next to her. "Listen, I thought you were a little bossy at first too."
Hermione gave me a look and I held my hands up in surrender. "I said at first. But then I got to know you and I found that you were bloody brilliant, like unreasonably so, and quick-witted and funny, charming and loyal, dedicated. And yes, still bossy. But you're great, truly, and who cares what Weasley thinks anyways? He's just a stupid, insecure boy that thinks he's cooler than he really is because he's friends with the Boy Who Lived."
Hermione sniffled a little. "It doesn't bother you what he said?"
"Unlike you, I kind of deserved the words he threw at me. And it's true, I still don't really fit in here. You and Neville are pretty much the only ones who don't hold who my family is against me. Which is ironic, considering Neville has the most reason to."
"Why?" Hermione asked casually. She tried to make it sound like she was just trying to distract herself from her own feelings but I knew she'd always been curious as to why most of the Gryffindors were so mean to me, she was just always too polite to ask. I didn't mind telling her now, maybe it would make the words of a shallow little wizard seem less consequential.
"My aunt tortured his parents until their brains pretty much cracked." I said tonelessly.
"Draco's mother?"
"No, my other aunt, her sister. Really she's my first cousin once removed, technically. But that doesn't matter. Most pureblood wizarding families are related. My grandparents were cousins."
"That's disgusting." Hermione crinkled her nose and giggled. I was happy to see her smile.
"Ready to go to dinner?" I asked. "Our class is probably over by now."
Hermione frowned. "I missed all of our final period?"
"I think so." I smiled grimly and stood, making to leave the stall. "Man it stinks in here." I was only half joking, trying to lighten the mood. When I stepped out of the stall something hard caught me in the stomach and suddenly I was flying. I hit a sink with a snap and lost my breath. I could hear Hermione scream but I was having a hard time orienting myself to what was happening around me. When my vision finally cleared, I nearly screamed as well.
It was a horrible sight. Twelve feet tall, its skin was a dull, granite gray, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet. The smell coming from it was incredible. A troll.
How in the world had a troll managed to meander into Hogwarts? I had to be hallucinating. I really did a number on my head. As I thought it, my brain twinged painfully. I tried to get up to help Hermione, who was shrieking and running from the beast's swinging club, but my leg protested sharply when I tried to put weight on it. I looked down and grew nauseous. My leg had snapped when I hit the sink. It hung at an unnatural angle and a purple bruise was rapidly forming, the leg swelling.
"Confuse it!" I heard a familiar voice shout suddenly. I looked up to see Harry and Ron in the doorway to the bathroom. Harry seized a tap and threw it against the wall.
The troll stopped a few feet from Hermione. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw Harry. It hesitated, then made for him instead, lifting its club as it went.
"Oy, pea-brain!" yelled Ron from the other side of the chamber, and he threw a metal pipe at it. The troll didn't even seem to notice the pipe hitting its shoulder, but it heard the yell and paused again, turning its ugly snout toward Ron instead, giving Harry time to run around it.
"Come on, run, run!" Harry yelled at Hermione, trying to pull her toward the door, but she pointed over at me.
"Elizabeth is injured. It hit her with its club when it came in." She cried. I tried to stand again but I knew it was useless. We would have to fight the troll another way. I tried to think past the pain. Spells wouldn't work on trolls, they were too big. There was nothing heavy enough in here to hit it with. My brain scrambled.
The shouting and the echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started toward Ron, who was nearest and had no way to escape.
Harry then did something that was both very brave and very stupid: He took a great running jump and managed to fasten his arms around the troll's neck from behind.
"Harry!" I cried.
As the troll bucked and Harry hung on for dear life, he took the wand he'd been holding and shoved it in the troll's face. It had gone straight up one of the troll's nostrils. Howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Harry clinging on for dear life; any second, the troll was going to rip him off or catch him a terrible blow with the club.
Hermione had sunk to the floor in fright; Ron pulled out his own wand and cried, "Wingardium Leviosa!"
The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, rose high, high up into the air, turned slowly over - and dropped, with a sickening crack, onto its owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot and then fell flat on its face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble. I stared at Ron in wonder. The daft weasel I'd made fun of for barely passing his classes had thought of something I hadn't even been close to, nor had Hermione probably. I was bewildered.
Harry got to his feet. He was shaking and out of breath. Ron was standing there with his wand still raised, staring at what he had done. It was Hermione who spoke first.
"Is it - dead?"
"I don't think so," said Harry, "I think it's just been knocked out." He bent down and pulled his wand out of the troll's nose. It was covered in what looked like lumpy gray glue. "Urgh - troll boogers." He wiped it on the troll's trousers.
A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the four of us look up. A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room, closely followed by Professor Snape, with Professor Quirrell bringing up the rear.
Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart. Severus bent over the troll.
Professor McGonagall was looking at Ron and Harry. "What on earth were you thinking of?" she said, with cold fury in her voice.
Harry looked at Ron, who was still standing with his wand in the air. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"
Then a small voice came out of the shadows. "Please, Professor McGonagall - they were looking for me."
"Miss Granger!"
"I went looking for the troll because I - I thought I could deal with it on my own - you know, because I've read all about them, and I made Elizabeth come in case I needed back up." Ron dropped his wand. Hermione Granger, telling a downright lie to a teacher? "If they hadn't found us, we'd both be dead now. Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived."
Harry and Ron tried to look as though this story wasn't new to them. "Well - in that case..." said Professor McGonagall, staring at the three of them, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?" Hermione hung her head.
"Wait, Elizabeth?" Severus' head snapped up from where he was examining the troll. No one else had appeared to notice either.
"Over here!" I called. "I can't move!"
Severus was in front of me in seconds, mumbling spells I don't know and then lifting me up.
"Take Miss Black to the hospital wing, Severus. Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses." Hermione followed us out.
"I'm so sorry Elizabeth." Hermione cried. She looked shell-shocked, as if she hadn't realized how badly I'd been injured.
"It's not your fault Hermione. I'll be better in no time." We parted ways, Hermione going to the tower and my godfather and I heading to the hospital wing.
"You foolish, foolish girl. What really happened?" Severus said at last. I had been going in and out of consciousness so I didn't actually know how long we'd been walking.
"Weasley had hurt Hermione's feelings and so she'd hidden out in the girls' bathroom. I went to go cheer her up and the troll came out of nowhere. One second I was exiting the stall and the next I was in pieces on the other side of the bathroom. Harry and Ron came to rescue us." I explained. "Don't tell Professor McGonagall please." I knew he wouldn't but I figured it was best said anyways.
"Foolish, foolish girl." The man muttered as he dumped me onto a hospital bed. "You should stay away from Longbottom AND Granger. And the Potter boy. They bring trouble and you seem to be caught in the crossfire more often than not."
"This wasn't anyone's fault."
"Hmmph." Severus disagreed. Madame Pomphrey ran over and assessed my wounds. She realigned my leg and then gave me skele-gro along with a whole slew of nasty potions.
"Severus," I began "do you know who let that troll in? There's no way it found it's way here on its own. Professor Dumbledore would never have let it get so far."
Severus stared at me for a moment, debating. "I have suspicions but I'm not sure."
"Do you think it has anything to do with that beast on the third floor?"
"Elizabeth?!"
I held my hands up before he could scold me. "It was an accident. We got lost. I didn't think much of it, I figured it was best left alone. But I got really hurt because of this thing, so if there's something going on I think I should know about it."
"It's protecting something very valuable, and there's been an attempt to steal it before so yes it's probably related."
"Are we in danger?"
"I don't think so. I think it's some fool who's just trying to make a quick fortune." Severus said it casually but I didn't know that I fully believed him. I'd been trained to read into half truths and decipher more than words. But I knew Severus was just trying to protect me so I left it be.
I nodded and Severus pat my good leg. "Get some rest. I'll tell your cousin that you're in here. I doubt that Madam Pomphrey will allow visitors anytime soon so he'll have to wait until tomorrow to come see you."
"Thank you, Sev- Professor Snape." My eyes were closed before my godfather had even left the room.
I woke the next morning to the headache that beat all headaches. "I think she's awake." A familiar voice said. I waited for my vision to clear then smiled when I found the most unlikely gaggle of people around my bed. Draco occupied the chair, with Theo at his back and Hermione sat at the end of my bed with Neville beside her.
"I can't believe you fought a troll." Were the first words Theo said.
"Well, I didn't exactly fight it. I was taken out pretty much instantly." I grimaced as I adjusted in bed. The sheets had folded under me, digging into my skin, and my entire body ached, making it nearly impossible to get comfortable.
"It's still pretty cool. I've only ever seen a troll once." Theo smiled, his words making me feel better.
"So Madam Pomphrey says you have to stay here for a week or two." Hermione said miserably.
"But the Quidditch match!" I cried. "I can't miss my first ever school game."
"It's okay, I can tell you exactly how it will go." Draco said smugly. "Gryffindor and Slytherin will face off and then we'll pummel you to the ground, winning by a landslide. I don't think the game will last longer than a few minutes anyways."
"Yeah right! Your-" Madam Pomphrey cut off my rebuttal with more potions, to my displeasure, and then shooed everyone out.
"Oh, I almost forgot." Theo turned around and gave me a small present and a kiss on the cheek before joining the rest. Draco punched him in the shoulder for being girly and then they all left me.
Blushing, I opened the box and read the little note. "No matter what our parents decide for our futures, my friendship I can always promise to you." Under the note was a little silver ring with a green gemstone. I recognized the piece of jewelry as one of his heirlooms from his mother, it would have gone to his sister if he had one. It was precious and he gave it to me. I slipped it on my middle finger and fought back tears. Maybe things wouldn't change between me and Theo.
Draco had brought flowers and all my favorite candies and Neville had written me a sweet card. The gestures were so sweet and it made me feel a little less alone.
Madam Pomphrey, saint that she was, said that I was healing alright and could leave in time to attend the match, "Provided," she had said strictly, "that you take it easy and get plenty of rest." Her stern look dissolved and she gave me an indulgent smile. "Have fun, dear. It was nice having you around as company but it's time you got on your way."
I couldn't be more excited. As I walked down to the pitch I met up with Draco and all his friends. Theo offered me his coat, as I hadn't thought to go up to the tower after my discharge, and I accepted it after only a small amount of protesting. It was useless against Theo anyways. We bundled for warmth and headed down together, Draco obnoxiously making far-fetched predictions. When we reached the pitch, I moved to join the Gryffindors, trying to give Theo his coat back but he refused. So I walked up to the stands warm and grateful.
"Elizabeth!" Hermione greeted, throwing her arms around me.
"Easy." Neville told her when he saw me wince and patted my back gently. I sat down, smiling bigger than I had in a long time. It was a great game, with dramatic back and forth. Harry hovered over everything with a watchful eye like a crow. I explained the game to Hermione as it went, explaining the fouls and moves as they happened.
Hagrid joined us after a little while and not much later Harry's broom started to lurch unexpectedly. It was jerking and waving him all over the place as the boy hung on for dear life. He went into a barrel roll and then came out of it, hanging from the broom by his fingers.
"Did something happen to it when Flint blocked him?" Seamus whispered.
"Can't have," Hagrid said, his voice shaking. "Can't nothing interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark magic - no kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand."
At these words, Hermione seized Hagrid's binoculars, but instead of looking up at Harry, she started looking frantically at the crowd.
"What are you doing?" moaned Ron, gray-faced.
"I knew it," Hermione gasped, "Snape - look." Ron grabbed the binoculars.
"It's not Professor Snape. He would never hurt Harry." I protested.
"He's doing something - jinxing the broom," said Hermione.
"What should we do?"
"Leave it to me." Before Ron could say another word, Hermione had disappeared. I made to follow her before she did something stupid but on my healing leg I couldn't keep up and fell quickly behind. Hermione had fought her way across to the stand where Snape stood, and was now racing along the row behind him; she didn't even stop to say sorry as she knocked Professor Quirrell headfirst into the row in front.
Reaching Snape, she crouched down, pulled out her wand, and whispered a few, well- chosen words. I raced to stop her but was too late. Bright blue flames shot from her wand onto the hem of Severus's robes. "Professor Snape!" I called to alert him to the fire. Severus yelped and looked around. I ducked down before he could see me and moved to join Hermione. Scooping the fire off him into a little jar in her pocket, she scrambled back along the row.
"I can't believe you did that!" I scolded her.
Up in the air, Harry was suddenly able to clamber back on to his broom. Harry was speeding toward the ground when the crowd saw him clap his hand to his mouth as though he was about to be sick - he hit the field on all fours - coughed - and something gold fell into his hand.
"I've got the Snitch!" he shouted, waving it above his head, and the game ended in complete confusion.
"He didn't catch it, he nearly swallowed it," Flint was still howling twenty minutes later, but it made no difference - Harry hadn't broken any rules and Lee Jordan was still happily shouting the results - Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty.
I was both excited about the game and miffed at Hermione's behavior. Without any explanation, she ran off to join Harry and Ron, who Neville informed me she'd been spending pretty much all her time with while I'd been in the hospital wing. I tried not to be jealous but I couldn't help but thinking they'd robbed her of her good sense. The Hermione I'd come to respect would have never done anything to harm a teacher.
Neville and I went to celebrate with the rest of the Gryffindors and I got lost in the excitement of it all, forgetting about monsters in the castle and nefarious plots to steal things. Harry and his gang never showed up to the party and I felt bad that they were missing out. I imagined they were busy chasing demons.
"Happy birthday." Draco came to our table at the end of November. I grinned and accepted his hug then he dropped a package in front of me. "It's from mum." He said.
My eyes widened and he smiled. "Open it." He encouraged. I hastily ripped open the paper to find a box with all my favorite hair products and make up. I'd been running low and this was worth gold to me.
"She remembered me." I was awed by the gesture more than anything.
"Jeez, this stuff is so girly." Ron stuck his head in my box and I swatted at his ear.
"This one's from me." Draco handed me a book. It was a Quidditch moves reference book.
"Whoa," Harry said looking over my shoulder.
"Here's mine." Theo said from behind Draco, reaching around to hand me a tube of lipstick. He knew the exact shade I loved. Blaise gave me a bracelet and Neville gave me a book on potions. I couldn't be happier with all my gifts. I gave everyone big hugs and kisses, making most of them turn red. It was a good day. Everyone wished me happy birthday and I felt like I was finally beginning to fit in.
Soon the happiness wore off as the threat of Christmas loomed over me. I ran over every possible scenario in my mind in the weeks leading up. Would they leave me in the train station, refuse to take me home with them? Would they lock me in my room all holiday? Send me to live with someone else? My anxiety had reached an all time high when we boarded the train.
I sat with Neville and Hermione, who caught me up on everything she and dumb and dumber had been talking about the past month or so. They thought the three headed dog, who actually belonged to Hagrid and was named Fluffy, was guarding something related to Nicholas Flammel and that Professor Snape was trying to steal it.
"Nicholas Flammel is a famous alchemist," I told Hermione, "I have no idea what he could know that's so valuable but I know for a fact that Professor Snape is not trying to steal anything." Hermione didn't argue with me and it was a nice distraction to think about what the dog may be guarding. The only thing further Hermione said on the subject is just to keep my eye out in case he started acting strange and I promised I would. And then the moment finally came.
I found Draco and we disembarked together. He held my hand in a show of support as we met with the rest of our family.
"Draco!" Aunt Narcissa threw her arms around her son in an uncharacteristic display of affection. When she released him, she did the same to me and I melted into her embrace, all the tension leaving my body. "Shhh, I know, it's okay baby." She stroked my hair as I did my best to hide my tears. She let go enough for me to compose myself and then dropped a kiss on my forehead before pulling Draco into her other arm.
My reception from Lucius was not nearly as warm. He gave me a cold glare and refused to say a word to me. But I was okay with that. My aunt still loved me and that was all that mattered.