Author's Note: Sorry it took so long for this chapter, I've been kind of busy lately...but nonetheless, here it is!

Chapter Four:

"A Shocking Discovery"

Lauran rolled her eyes, but instinctively handed Headmistress McGonagall her right arm, but was instantly told to reveal the left. The Headmistress took her arm in her hands and took a deep breath just before she moved Lauran's sleeve up enough to see…

…nothing.

They could all breathe a bit easier now.

***

Lauran had hoped that after she was cleared of all "charges," she had apparently attained by "talking to a snake," that things would go back to normal. She couldn't have been more wrong. Rumors were floating around the school like the very air we breathe. People now believed her to be a distant relative to Salazar Slytherin, and thusly because of that connection she must be the daughter of Lord Voldemort. They also believed that she planned to reopen the Chamber of Secrets, though no one would tell her what it was and she had no idea herself, to wreak havoc upon the school once more and rid it's infiltrated walls filled of innocent muggle-borns. Lauran could just not believe the way people's minds worked at this school.

Sulking to herself, Lauran made her way into the Great Hall for another stupid breakfast, to begin another stupid day. Taking her normal seat by herself at the Slytherin table, noticing that people looked at her warily and moved away as she sat down, she took out her book and began reading. Lauran delved deep into the magnificent world her book took her into. In that magnificent world she was finally accepted. She no longer had to worry about the petty problems of her everyday life. It was the one and only place she felt at home.

Lauran's train of thought was interrupted by a dark shadow crossing over the pages of her book, announcing the arrival of someone in front of her. Already scolding, she looked up. Her heart caught to see Vladmir Malfoy looking down, smiling at her.

"Lauran," he asked politely, "Can I have a word with you please?"

She put her book down, "Yes, you can."

"I'm sure you know about the Sam-hane Ball next month," he said, pronouncing Samhain wrong, which made Lauran cringed.

"Sow-when. It's pronounced Sow-when, not Sam-hane. But yes, I have heard of it."

His faced strained to hide annoyance, "Nonetheless, I was wondering if maybe you'd like to go to the Ball with me?"

Lauran smiled, "I would love to go to the Ball with you."

***

"In light of recent events, we have decided that it would be beneficiary to lower the curfew of nine o'clock to the hour of seven o'clock. This will begin immediately and will be strongly enforced. No exceptions."

Headmistress McGonagall's voice rang throughout the historic castle. Through the halls her voice was like a rogue spirit, causing students to stand dead in their tracks, anger spewing forth through their veins. In classrooms, students were hushed to what could be compared to the calm before the storm. In the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, all eyes were a single brown-eyed, brown-haired girl, whom they all blamed.

Lauran was sulking in her chair. She didn't like all eyes on her, though she so desperately tried to hide the fact. Giving the gawking students a death glare, which she only hoped conveyed confidence, she felt the warmth rising up her face. She sighed, embarrassed over her blush. Bloody Hell! All of this over my ability to talk to snakes? Lauran thought to herself.

The students at Hogwarts now despised Lauran more than ever; some even appeared to be afraid of her. Her professors were now hovering over her as if she were a time-bomb about to explode. She was tired of being ogled over every minute of every day. So far, this school was nothing she had anticipated. It wasn't even half way through the semester, not even into the second month of the school year and already the entire school was against her. Well…almost the whole school. It appeared that Vladmir Malfoy had taken a liking to her, despite Professor Granger's warnings.

Lauran had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed Professor Weasley standing right in front of her looking absolutely furious.

"Miss Courtinger, are you so wrapped up into your sudden burst of popularity that you believe you have no need to participate in the daily requirements of this classroom?"

The class erupted into a cruel and mocking laughter. Professor Weasley continued to stare into her eyes, silently demanding a response.

"I--I'm not popular. Everyone hates me for something I cannot control. I just have a lot going on right now. My mind is…preoccupied," Lauran anxiously answered.

"Popular does not necessarily mean that you are liked by everyone. An infectious disease that carries warts may be popular, and Merlin knows nobody would like that! And if your mind is as preoccupied as you say, maybe we should enroll you into therapy; that way you will be able to pay attention in my class. Either way, I expect you to be punctual to class, which you have failed to do your entire time here, and I also expect you to come prepared to my classroom. By not answering the question I asked you previously, you have lead me to believe that you were ill-prepared for my class; which I do not take lightly to."

Lauran was almost stunned at her lecture, but nonetheless responded, "What did I ever do to this school to make the people in it hate me so much? Is it really that bad that I can apparently talk to snakes?"

Professor Weasley sighed, attempting to calm down, "That will be explained at another time during the year…possibly. However, Lauran, I think it would be in your best interest if you had detention with me after class."

Lauran sighed, there was no going back now; after a second she nodded. Within moments, the class returned to normal. The students turned back around in their seats to face the front, although some still snickered, and Professor Weasley returned to her lesson. But Laruan could have sworn that she kept looking in her direction, casting an appearance of deep concern.

After the class had been dismissed, as promised, Lauran stayed back for her Detention. Rather than having her write lines like Professor Granger had her do, Professor Weasley had her help clean the classroom. Lauran was to put away all the spare books her professor had laying around. As she worked, she took great care not to damage the books she moved in any way. She'd always loved books and the journey they took her on, no matter what that may be. She was so lost in her exertion that she never noticed her confounded professor staring at her intently.

Ginny was amazed. The girl took care of books as if they were a treasure meant to be stored, an artifact meant to be preserved. She had never seen someone take such care of books…Well actually, I have. she thought silently, Hermione does! Startled by the connection she was making between the two, Ginny couldn't help but hope for Hermione's sake. Her best friend had never felt whole since she had been forced to loose her child. Wouldn't it just be ironic if this supposed trouble-maker was actually the book worm's long-lost daughter?

Bracing herself for a let down, Ginny broke the silence, "Lauran, if you don't mind…May I ask about your parents?"

Lauran looked up from her work, slightly surprised that her professor had spoke, and responded, "Well…I don't know my real parents. I was adopted. My adopted parents were muggles, but no one knows that I was adopted. I was really surprised when I got my letter from Hogwarts. Then my parents, if that's what you call them, explained it all. They said my mother got pregnant but could not handle a baby so I was put up for adoption. They said that she'd been a witch, but said nothing more. I asked about my birth father but they said they never met him."

Ginny almost allowed her jaw to drop, but caught it before the young girl could notice. She was adopted?!