Chapter 4: Visit from Emily

On Friday a week before December as Harry, Ron and Hermione had left to potion class, he crashed into someone.

The girl had bright blue eyes and long straight black hair that reached her shoulders. Her face turned red as she began to scrutinise Harry in admiration. Before the person on her right began to catch her attention.

She admired the way the older girl presented herself with her bushy brown hair and average looking clothes. She was ugly but the older girl didn't seem to be the least bit intimidated by those more beautiful then she looked in her clothing.

Now if only her father would quit forcing her into those aristocratic dresses so she could dress up like that older girl then things wouldn't be so bad.

"Do you go to school here?" Hermione asked.

"No."

"Who're you looking for?"

"You wouldn't happen to be Malory's granddaughter would you?" Harry asked in an educated guess.

"Yes, and I assume you are Harry Potter."

"Yes."

"It's very nice to meet you. My name's Emily Prince." She said collecting herself and dusting off her white frilly dress before shaking his extended hand in greeting. "I'm looking for Uncle Sev. Have you seen him?"

"Uncle Sev?" Ron inquired with disbelief.

"What do you mean Uncle Sev?" Harry asked.

"I believe she'd be talking about me." A deep intimidating voice crept from behind them.

Harry much to his perplexion remembered the voice with incredible familiarity as if it had been engrained in him after attending weeks of detention.

"Professor Snape." He greeted with indifference.

"Emily what have I told you about running in the halls?"

Emily struck her tongue at Professor Snape in mischief.

"Don't be rude."

"Professor, how do you know Emily? Are you related to Aunt Malory?" Harry asked.

Snape ignored him.

"I take it, your father's probably doing the family tradition in squandering the family fortune like usual." Snape addressed Emily. "He really needs to stop that gambling habit of his or it might backfire."

At Snape's taunts, the girl marched up to Snape and stomped harshly on his foot in anger before running away from the irksome man. The man seemed to offend the girl. Harry imagined despite her father's habits, Emily still loved her father and Snape knew just how to press her buttons.

Harry saw his face was flush, scrunched in pain. Hermione and Ron meanwhile ran after Emily.

"Potter, do I need to assign you another detention?" He asked irritably.

Harry shook his head.

"Then leave my sight."

"I will once you answer my question." Harry said. "How do you know Aunt Malory? Are the two of you related?"

Snape sighed with exasperation.

"Yes, thanks to my mother's insufferable family." Snape said. "I imagine though it must come as quite a surprise to be residing in the home of your enemy's relatives. It's quite a pity for you that you only stay there as long as I allow it under my duties as your guardian."

Harry looked both amazed and scornful.

"Guardian?" He scoffed. "You certainly weren't taking care of me for these five years. By the looks of it. What are you going to do force me to stay at your place now instead?"

Snape's face contorted into something both ugly and vicious.

"Why not? It fills me with glee to see you suffer."

"What makes you think your presence radiates such power? You flatter yourself." Harry scoffed. "Take me to your home, your presence isn't any more torture than Malory's."

The professor flushed.

"What are you implying equivocating me with that witch?"

"I'm merely saying your presence isn't as intimidating as you would have everyone believe. I bet deep down you're this cute little teddy bear yearning for a big hug." Harry cooed.

Snape slowly stepped back, retreating from the boy being thoroughly creeped out by his behavior.

HPSS

Eventually Ron and Hermione had caught up with Emily.

"What's the matter?" Ron asked, kneeling with an attempt at consoling the girl.

The girl however only grew angry at the boy, sticking her tongue at him.

"That isn't very nice." Hermione pointed out.

Emily sobered as if she had been caught with her hands in a cookie jar.

Hermione's expression however didn't change.

Emily grew irritated with her. According to her father, mudbloods were simple minded creatures so why didn't she just forgive her?

"I'm not going to apologise. I don't like him." She pouted.

Ron took this time to scoot closer as if to get a better look at her expression.

"Aw, how cute." He cooed, reaching out to grab her cheeks.

"Hey, stay away from me. You're creeping me out." Emily uttered in surprise once she realised Ron was in such close proximity to her.

Hermione noted the girl's cheeks were a deep red as if the gesture had embarrassed the girl.

"Then maybe you should apologise to him." Hermione offered.

Emily looked at the ground, she appeared to be sulking.

"Sorry." She forcibly spat at Ron.

Hermione was satisfied at that.

"Never thought a mudblood would have such high standards."

"Of course she had standards. She's clearly a human being is she not?" Ron inquired impatiently.

Emily scoffed.

"Whatever." She muttered walking between them.

When she had long gone, Ron turned towards Hermione.

"You know she practically insulted you, right?"

Hermione looked at Ron with confusion.

"She called you a mudblood. It's what witches and wizards call those who are born from muggles. Most wizards and witches are purebloods you see."

"Why should it insult me? It's just a word."

"We better head back. Harry's waiting for us." Ron said.

She followed him all the way back to Snape's office.

Snape wasn't too pleased at their presence.

"Is trouble contagious I thought I told you to get out?"

"You probably told that to Harry." Hermione replied.

Snape's scowl deepened.

"You spoil her." She said pointing out the way Snape had treated Emily.

"What?" Snape snarled.

Hermione however was undeterred by his behavior.

"Your niece." She explained. "She doesn't know any manners and is very disrespectful."

"I wasn't under the impression that you were in any place to tell me how to treat my niece."

Hermione chuckled sheepishly.

"Get out. All three of you."

Harry, Ron and Hermione fled Snape's office.

HPSS

As it was drawing near the holidays and there was only last minute exams to study for, Harry and Ron had a lot of spare time which would have normally been used to start on their homework.

On Saturday, Ron had took out his wizarding chess set eager to teach Harry about the complex game.

One of the first moves he made was setting his pawn two spaces forward.

"You can do that?"

"It's an opening move, pawns can make."

Harry recalled seeing someone play a similar game before where both pawn met in the centre of the board and proceeded to move his pawn in a similar position.

Ron moved his knight on the right side of the board in an L shaped pattern, skipping over his pawn.

Harry moved the pawn on the right side of the empty space next to his other pawn.

Ron then proceeded to move his bishop in a diagonal pattern so it stood in front of one of his pawns.

"I wonder if Snape plays?" Harry asked using his pawn to capture Ron's pawn. Of all things he didn't know about the game, he knew of he could capture pawns by moving a pawn diagonally.

"Probably does." Ron mumbled in reply.

"I'd like to challenge him some time. Maybe I could cut that ego of his down to size." Harry said maliciously, moving his pieces with sudden passion.

Ron thought maybe Harry was struck with such an ambition to accomplish such a feat. He imagined if the professor did play, he probably was loads better than even he was.

"Say Harry, what are you doing over the holidays?"

"Staying at Snape's place."

"What?" Ron inquired with shock. "Do you have a death wish? That man will murder you."

"My aunt didn't seem to think so. Besides from talking with that man, I think it's safe to assume the man is as cuddly as a teddy bear." Harry replied with amusement.

"Really?"

From the looks of it, Ron was shocked.

"You don't think Snape would allow me to come over to your place for the holidays would he?" He asked cautiously.

Harry thought his friend might have said that out of worry for him.

"I'll ask."

"I think I'll write a letter to my parents asking if that's alright."

Both grinned, even after Harry had lost at a match of wizarding chess.

As they walked to the Owlery, Harry suddenly was hit with a thought. He looked down at the chess set he had brought with him by mistake.

"Hey Ron, you think Professor Snape wouldn't mind me dropping by his office for a game of Chess would he?"

"I don't see why not." Ron grinned mischievously. That chess game between the two friends seemed to give him faith that he wasn't sending his friend straight to his own demise.

Harry grinned at the thought before heading to Snape's dungeons, knocking deligently on the door of his office.

"Who's bugging me at this insufferable hour?" Snape snarled from within his office.

Something about that amused Harry.

Snape finally greeted him at the door.

"Potter, you obnoxious fool what are you doing outside the door of my office?"

"Do you play chess?"

The question seemed to catch Snape off-guard.

"Of course I play chess you dolt." He said as if Harry were stupid.

Then he looked up at the boy, scrutinising him strangely.

"Potter, do you have a fever?"

Harry tried hard not to be offended by that statement.

"Just what is that supposed to mean?"

"You never willingly parade outside my office."

"Can't I play a simple game of chess without having any ulterior motives?"

"Is that a trick question?" Snape inquired with straight amusement.

"Look I want to play chess."

"Fine, but if you try anything Potter you'll be sorry."

Snape opened the door wide enough to let Harry inside his office.

Harry glanced around his quarters, there was a fireplace against the wall towards the back of the room with the Prince Coat of Arms hung above it, two suits of armour stood by the fireplace cast in the shadows.

The photo on the fireplace though was first to catch Harry's eye. It was a still picture of a woman with red hair and green eyes just like his.

"Professor, what's this?" Harry asked, pointing at the picture in the frame.

Snape got closer gazing at what Harry had been looking at before swiping the photo which he clutched close to his chest.

"Don't be snooping around my things, Potter."

"Who's that woman in the picture, professor?"

He looked at Harry with incredulity as if the boy should know.

"That's my mother isn't it? Malory told me you went to school with her." Harry asked. "You know about my mother and my father, don't you?"

He saw Snape's expression didn't change in the slightest, which in normal circumstances wouldn't have given him away but Harry knew better.

"That face, you make it when you're trying to hide something." Harry said. "Look I don't care if you have a sick fancy with my mother, I just want to know what you know about my father. Who were his friends? They did go to school here and I know that much."

Snape's face contorted into an ugly scowl.

It didn't seem the professor was going to answer his question.

"I don't know very much about my father. The only person I've seen that claims to know my father is Peter Pettigrew but he transformed into a rat and scurried away."

"That man Potter, couldn't have possibly been Peter Pettigrew. Peter Pettigrew is dead."

Harry ignored him.

"So how does one learn how to transform like that?"

"With time and effort."

"That's what Professor McGonagall said. How could I do that? Is it possible to learn the ability to transform into another animal?"

"Why would you want to learn such a thing?" Snape asked with distaste.

"I don't know maybe it might come in handy someday."

"Potter, if this is an excuse just so you can get yourself in detention..."

"Look Professor, I'm not looking for trouble."

Snape grunted.

"I'm not." Harry insisted.

Snape's eyes glistened.

"Look let's just get with the game, boy."

His response it seemed humbled the boy as Harry set up the chessboard with Ron's chess pieces.

The game it seemed had such a relaxing toll on the professor that the two continued it even after his classes.

HPSS

Just a week before the holidays after class with Professor Quirrell, Harry, Ron and Hermione had left to the Gryffindor Common Room for the evening when Hermione was hit with a thought.

Professor Quirrell would be in his rooms for a while before dinner. Faintly Hermione saw Harry walking on ahead and was suddenly brought to attention when Ron waved his hand over Hermione's eyes.

"Earth to Hermione."

"Oh, sorry I was lost in my thoughts for a second there." Hermione said shyly. "I think I forgot something in Professor Quirrell's classroom."

"Then I'll come with you." Ron insisted.

Hermione didn't really want him or Harry to accompany her but kept her thoughts to herself.

As they headed closer to the door of Professor Quirrell's classroom, both of them could hear two people arguing in the classroom.

"That's the lamest excuse you've uttered, Quirrell." A cold voice muttered.

"I forgot the boy was staying with your servant's relatives. If I had known, I would have made arrangements."

"What's stopping you this time?"

"If I had taken the troll the boy might have suspected something."

"I don't want to hear your excuses."

Both Ron and Hermione had stopped at the door paralysed from the words that had been uttered between the two people.

"Hermione, aren't you going to get your things?"

Hermione brought her index finger to her lips.

"Shhhh."

Ron complied.

"I actually was thinking of asking him something."

"Quirrell, did you hear that someone's spying on us." The cold voice snarled.

Suddenly Ron and Hermione could hear feet treading quickly to the door.

"Run." She whispered and the two began to run down the hall.

Then she heard Ron trip behind her his body thudding to the floor but Hermione who was laced with both adrenaline and fear continued for her own sake.

Finally she had made it in front of a hall of students when Quirrell had appeared approximately 10 minutes later. He had cast a tripping spell on her before she could try to get away.

Inwardly she sighed in relief as there were still students in the halls leaving a lot of witnesses in case the professor tried anything funny.

"M-Ms Granger, i-is there a r-reason y-you were p-parading outside m-my office?"

"I needed to ask you a question about our lesson." Hermione said, proceeding to explain the parts she had trouble with.

"I-I see. Y-You are aware t-that is why y-you ask q-questions during c-class time, y-yes?" Quirrell asked. "I-I'm afraid y-you'll h-have to serve d-detention w-with me n-next F-Friday."

Hermione frowned, inwardly worried.

Ron walked up behind the professor to meet up with Hermione.

"Oh there you are, Hermione."

His presence made her inwardly relieved.

It wasn't until Thursday evening, that Emily had stopped her walking straight from Defence Class.

"Uh...um." Emily stammered shyly. "I was wondering whether you'd like to stop by my house for Christmas."

Hermione looked up with surprise staring at Emily's eyes searching for genuine intent.

Emily looked down in embarrassment.

"Just forget it." She said running away.

Over a period of weeks when Hermione wasn't in classes, she'd stop by to play with Emily who had been quite lonely staying at Hogwarts with no one she knew other than her spiteful uncle. During this time, Hermione had noted that the girl had quickly warmed up to her much to her amazement.

There in the corner of her mind was a sense of anxiety though she knew Emily would usually stay in the girl's bathroom during her fits, wasting time by talking with Moaning Myrtle.

HPSS

The next morning, Ron and Harry had asked Hermione about her plans for the holidays.

"I was originally planning on going with my mother on a ski-trip with her fiancé." She said anxiously. "Emily though wants me to come over her house for the holidays though. I didn't know exactly how to tell her. She's probably run off to the girl's bathroom again."

"Is the skii-trip really that important?" Ron asked.

"My parents are divorced." Hermione explained. "Since mum is so busy with her job I could only see her on Christmas."

The anxiety in Hermione's tone, silenced Ron. It seemed he could relate on her at the level.

Truthfully Ron had remembered times his father had been away at the Ministry completing some important work over the holiday.

"Maybe she should try and talk to her and get her to understand." Ron said.

It seemed this statement had fueled Hermione's courage to come clean about the detention she had received from Professor Quirrell.

"Hear me out." Hermione said. "I think Professor Quirrell may be planning on releasing a troll on the school tonight."

"What?"

"Ron and I overheard a conversation with Professor Quirrell."

"Why would Professor Quirrell want to do that?"

"You don't know, there was an article in the Daily Prophet about the Philosopher's Stone being held at Hogwarts. It's simple to deduce that Professor Quirrell is after the Philosopher's Stone you said he visited your aunt. Why would he go there for a troll?" She prattled on as if Harry was an insignificant insect. Did she really think that was the answer?

It didn't explain why Quirrell wanted the Philosopher's Stone at all. Only one motivation could have made Quirrell want to scour the school for it. From the looks of it, Harry thought it could have been that the man had an enemy who wouldn't stop until he was dead. It was clear there was fear involved in some way if the man always stuttered during their lessons however Harry thought that to be too obvious. Other than that there was no reason off the top of his head as to why he would want the Philosopher's Stone.

Hermione continued to prattle on uninterrupted.

"The way they talked it sounded as if it was something he had planned for sometime, you got to tell a teacher."

Breakfast was nearing it's end and much to her horror all of the professors had already left for their classes.

Hermione shuddered as today was potions with Snape. There's no way Snape would take her information seriously.

"Look just forget it." She said, shrugging her shoulders. "I should be fine."

Hermione's expression had contorted from frantic worry to fake calm as Ron could see clearly that something was bothering her.

Harry nodded at her proclamation not noticing anything strange in her reaction to it.

After class Harry stayed after, eager to enjoy another chess match with Severus Snape.

Throughout the game though he couldn't help but wonder why Professor Quirrell would want to set a troll on this school.

"Professor." He said. "What do you know about Professor Quirrell?"

Something about Hermione's statement appeared to appeal to him. Snape however was staring at him indifferently until Harry looked up after setting the pieces on the chess board.

"He's the Defence professor." Snape replied curtly. Harry noticed something seemed to change in his voice.

"You know something else don't you?"

Snape looked at him stubbornly silent, a glare piercing straight at the boy."

"It has to do with the Philosopher's stone doesn't it?" Harry asked. "What could Professor Quirrell possibly want with the Philosopher's stone?"

"How do you know about that?" Snape inquired with a hint of surprise.

"Hermione recalled reading an article in the Daily Prophet about it."

"You are aware that the Daily Prophet isn't a reliable source of information, are you not?"

Harry flushed.

"Hey, Hermione's the one who found the article not me. Besides I have a feeling that the Daily Prophet might be a little accurate this time, so spill your guts."

"I have rights to refrain from answering." Snape said defiantly.

"So I take it you know that Professor Quirrell will try to set up a troll in order to attack the school tonight." Harry asked.

"It's my duty to keep an eye on him. What kind of person would I be if I didn't know his plans?" Snape snarled, insulted at the gall of the boy's condescending attitude.

"You are aware that you could get hurt if you happen to come across that troll don't you?" Harry asked.

The question it seemed put Snape a little off-centre. If he wasn't mistaken...

'Was that concern? No, it couldn't be. That boy has no reason to be concerned after all I've done to him.'

Snape's face remained indifferent at the slight suspicion.

"I am aware." He replied coolly to Harry's question.

"Then you better not get yourself killed."

Snape's eyebrows rose to his hairline. 'So it was genuine concern.'

"That's the least of your worries. Besides his ability in consulting trolls he's a highly skilled wizard, I'd be more worried of dying from his spells than some dumb troll. He's an accomplished duelist, using any means to win his battles even using memory charms from time to time."

Harry's eyes widened.

"I wouldn't let it worry you. I am quite an accomplished duelist myself." Snape said.

The uneasy worry didn't seem to vanish from Harry's eyes however and if anything the boy's concern seemed to increase.

"Don't let it bother you, that should be the least of your worries. I'd worry more about yourself at the minute." He said with an evil grin as he moved his queen so Harry's King was put in checkmate.

8/22/13: The daily update for this story probably won't be posted for a couple of days due to massive editing.