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Chapter 14

Christmas break had started but it sure did not feel that way, no one had returned home for Christmas this year because of the Yule ball, apart from a few first and second years who were not allowed to go for the ball, even the third years who were not allowed to go had decided to stay back and try to gatecrash the ball even if they knew it would be well secured, but there was no harm in trying.

Breakfast had begun that week before Christmas with Remus and Sirius sitting next to Harry and Ron who were looking over their defense text books and showing Neville how he could use some spell as Ron spilt some hot chocolate on his book while drinking it. Hermione raised her head and pulled out her wand and wiped the drink of the book before it could stain. Ron smiled at her as she looked back into her book but that didn't stop Ron from staring at her in a way he had never before.

"Hermione!" he called as Hermione looked at him quizzically; Harry too joined Hermione along with Sirius who was listening in.

"You're a girl," began Ron.

"Well spotted," glared Hermione and returned to glaring at her textbook.

"Do you want to go to the ball with me?" he asked nonchalantly as Hermione raised her eyebrows at him, Ginny sitting next to her burst of laughing.

"For a guy he'd be laughed at, but for a girl it's just sad," added Ron flicking his fork around as bits of bacon flew dangerous close to Harry's face, Hermione did not look pleased with this at all, she set down her fork and knife, shut her book and got up angrily glaring at Ron.

"I won't be going alone because believe it or not someone's already asked me," she said as she scooped her book and lifted her bag.

"And I said yes!" she exclaimed sharply and stormed out of the hall.

"Bloody hell—she's lying right?" said Ron disbelievingly to Harry who shrugged.

"You better get a move on before all the good ones are gone," said Sirius over his pumpkin juice.

"Harry already knows who he's going to ask," giggled Ginny as Ron looked at Harry disbelievingly.

"Who?" Ron asked Ginny accusingly as his sister rolled her eyes at him and then her eyes rested at Audrey who was sitting next to Fedora discussing something about new quidditch strategies.

"Audrey—you want to ask Audrey" exclaimed Ron a stupid grin on his face as Harry gripped his fork tighter wanting to punch Ron in the face for shouting it out, thankfully no one heard him apart from a few people around them.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with you?" said Ron laughing.

"Why'd you say that?" asked Harry a little angry.

"Audrey's in Beauxbatons Harry, she is French and not just that but the fact that she's one of the champions make your chances even thinner than even Seamus's—she must have gotten so many proposals by now it must be hard to count, who knows maybe she's going out with someone already," said Ron shrugging as Harry saw some sort of practicality in Ron's statement as Sirius nodded in approval.

Harry was disappointed now, Ron could be right, but he did not have a validated source to find out the truth through and Harry knew better to check, but he didn't have the guts to ask the person who'd give him the real answer.

"You've fought dragons Harry—you can ask a girl out—besides Ron's an idiot he doesn't know the truth," said Ginny returning to her eggs.

Audrey was sitting with Fedora discussing new quidditch strategies but her mind wasn't there her eyes too were on Leon who had gotten up from besides her and walked up to the Slytherine table to talk to Gabrielle. A few minutes later, she saw Malfoy snubbing Leon as he looked at Gabrielle with tiny hope left within him, but Audrey knew Gabrielle had already turned her face away her hand in Draco's under the table. Leon walked away dejectedly out of the hall.

"I—I'll see you later Fed," said Audrey cutting Fedora in her speech about the Holly Head Harpies scoring against the Chudley Cannons again.

Audrey stood and swung her sweat shirt around her body along with her scarf as she threw Gabrielle a final glance, the girl was sitting snugly with Malfoy sniggering something into her ears as she blushed smiling and kissed his cheek.

Audrey looked around the grounds but failed to find Leon she finally noticed that he was patting the horses that were resting near the Beauxbatons carriages, he was feeding them a carrot or something.

"Leon what happened?" She asked briskly as the snowfall grew heavier, she pulled her jacket closer, but Leon did not reply, he merely continued to feed the horse who did not want anymore of Leon's carrot and clopped away to his friends. Leon sighed exasperatedly at this, he had been snubbed by the girl he had feelings for and now he was being snubbed by a stupid animal, Audrey waiting in the corner anticipating his reply to her question was not something he wanted to handle at the current moment.

"What did she say?" asked Audrey again, knowing that the answer was obviously not very pleasant.

"What do you think?" snapped Leon as Audrey frowned but she knew he didn't mean anything by it, he was merely angry.

"Leon..." she began softly walking up to him as Leon looked away and spoke.

"Malfoy's taking her to the ball, I was an idiot Audrey—why the hell would she like some half blood whose father is muggle born, when she has Malfoy to woo her," said Leon dejectedly.

"She's the one who is an idiot—she doesn't know what she's missing out on, she..." said Audrey in comfort but Leon looked at her depressed.

"No, were the biggest idiots in the world Audrey—it's not about who you are or what magic you possess, it has never been about that—blood—it's all that counts—bad blood never counts—bad blood that runs through my veins will never suffice someone like her—she doesn't deserve me," he said tears running down his face as he turned away. Audrey looked at Leon surprised, her friend who did not believe in all this was making a statement that shook their lives ever since they were born, one unknown of her father's status while the other the amalgamation of a pureblood father and muggle born mother.

"Did she say this to you?" she asked disbelievingly, she knew Leon couldn't have possibly made that up on his own, he was too noble to say such berserk things about anyone—let alone his own blood status and therefore the ultimate source of his new found information had to be the person who had stepped on him brutally.

Leon turned away but muttered Malfoy softly and let out a long breath as Audrey clenched her jaw in anger, Gabrielle had finally done it, she had crossed the line and she had stepped over the barriers that bound her to her only true friends, broken their trust and stepped on their hearts like they meant nothing, even though Gabrielle hadn't said those things anger rose in Audrey's veins

"That's not all," said Leon turning to Audrey as she looked at him her frown returning to her previously beautiful face. She motioned him to continue.

"Malfoy said that it was high time that we got over her and that she was only our friend because we were the only two fools who considered her worth gold, I told you she would never change Audrey—but you never listened—now she and those blasted Slytherines are calling us names and making merry—this is all your fault! Me falling for Gabrielle—everything!" he shouted at her as Audrey looked down, she understood Leon's anger and she would not say a word, but he was right, this was her fault and she was going to set it right.

"If Gabrielle thinks she can act like a smart ass—she has no idea who she's messing with—come on—I'm going to set things right—do something I should have done two years ago," she said as Leon looked at her terrified, he was aware that he had said some things that he shouldn't have, knowing Audrey very well, she was capable of things he could not imagine and even if he was mad at Gabrielle he did not want Audrey to do anything drastic.

"What are you going to do?" asked Leon as he ran behind her to get in pace with her hurried footsteps towards the great hall.

"I'm giving Gabrielle exactly what she wants," said Audrey entering the castle as Leon followed by her side.

"And—what's that?" asked Leon worriedly.

"I'm giving up on our friendship," finished Audrey marching up to the Slytherine table, eyes from Gryffindor and Slytherine resting on her every step as the two tables went almost silent.

"We need to talk," said Audrey bluntly as Gabrielle looked at her a little tensed as Malfoy smirked like an ass.

"She doesn't want to talk to you or that gay friend of yours," laughed Malfoy menacingly as it took all of Audrey's strength to not punch the day lights out of him as Leon took a step ahead but she stretched her hand out and stopped him in his path.

"We need to talk alone Delacour," sneered Audrey as Fred and George's eyes widened on hearing her sneer.

"Whatever you want to say—can be said here in front of my friends Adams," said Gabrielle a disgusted look on her face.

"Fine—have it your way," said Audrey as she pulled out the bracelet she was wearing in her hand it had a few charms on it.

"We're done here," said Audrey simply as she threw the bracelet on the table in front of Gabrielle, her hurt expression supplementing the courage Audrey needed.

But, Audrey couldn't go on, she couldn't announce to the hall the truth about Gabrielle's real mother, she couldn't possibly tell strangers the dark truth about Gabrielle being a love child who was the result of an affair between her father and her late muggle mother, in reality she was actually half blood and not pure blood like Fleur, they were step sisters, yet they were close, there had always been a tiny bit of animosity within Gabrielle's step mother for her, but she had given that up a long time ago, Mrs. Delacour always saw Gabrielle as her own and therefore no one could ever really tell she was half blood, but Gabrielle knew and the only other person she considered worth telling had been Audrey.

Gabrielle however also knew what was going on in Audrey's mind as tears fell freely from her eyes, Malfoy looked at her quizzically. She knew any minute all that she had lied about would disappear her happy world would crumble into shambles and Audrey would win, like always. At that moment Gabrielle knew she had been wrong, but if the truth came out she would be thoroughly insulted, not just that everyone in the house would shun her for the rest of the year, maybe even her Beauxbatons house mates. Gabrielle opened her eyes as she wiped her tears, waiting for Audrey to speak but the girl just stood there looking at her pitifully like she cared to console her, Gabrielle tried to speak, to beg her not to reveal anything but her senses failed her.

Audrey sighed, she had done her bit of damage, she turned around and started walking towards the entrance hall, Leon glanced at Gabrielle wondering if she was actually crying because of Audrey breaking their friendship or some other reason altogether, but his heart melted as Gabrielle cried in front of him, but he was too proud to say anything to her right now, so he followed Audrey out of the hall or rather jogged behind to get in line with her long and quick strides towards the door.

"Gabrielle—what's wrong?" asked Pansy putting her arm around Gabrielle's shoulder trying to console her, but Gabrielle shrugged her hand off and wiped her tears away, because at that moment she realised something, if it had been her so called friends in Audrey's place they wouldn't leave any stone unturned, they would strip her to the point where she could be nothing but embarrassed, stripped of everything.

"Audrey—wait!" she shouted as the hall looked at her from their breakfast realising what was going on as Audrey stopped in her path while Leon turned around to look at Gabrielle, she walked over to him and then stood looking at Audrey.

"I'm sorry—I have wronged you in such a way—I am sorry, I was a fool to think of such people as my friends—I'm sorry Audrey—I'm so sorry," she said softly her head down towards the ground as the hall looked at Audrey who shifted her weight from one leg to the other as a small sigh escaped her. Audrey took a step forward and then continued to walk out of the hall as everyone was left staring at Gabrielle some pitifully some thinking she deserved it.

"Leon-," she called as the boy began to follow his friend out, he shook his head and walked out as Gabrielle was left alone in the hall with people who she did not know stared her down.

The Gryffindors had been spectators of the awkward situation between Audrey and her friends and as Audrey walked out of the hall Fred and George's mouths fell open as they noticed the recognizable scowl on the girl's face, they had seen it before, it was still present in the hall sitting royally on the head of their potion's master at the head table who was engaged with the daily prophet reading something about Grentrude weed findings in some isolated little shack in Birmingham.

"What?" asked Ginny as she noticed them looking at Audrey shocked and a little fearfully.

"Did you see it Freddie-?"

"I sure did Georgie!"

"What?" repeated Ginny breaking them out of their trance and forcing their attention to her and the other curious heads even Sirius's.

"Did you blind idiots not see it?" said Fred.

"See what?" asked Ron a little flustered.

"Adams—did you not see her frown!" said George astound that they missed such a prominent thing.

"So?" asked Ginny annoyed that her brothers were strung on to something that would be missed.

"So—'so' she says Fred-It's exactly like Snape's!" hissed George as Sirius slumped back into his seat his jaws clenched in case he blurt something out.

"I find something odd out here do you not Fred?" asked George.

"I certainly do George!" said Fred.

"What are you trying to say?" asked Harry a little put off.

"That she could be—well, related to Snape" shouted George as Remus finally heard what he was saying as spat out his pumpkin juice, this further made Fred and George suspicious.

"Seems like Remus has a take on this!" said Fred sceptically as everyone turned to Remus who looked at Sirius who looked a little worried but Remus burst into laughter.

"Very good Fred and George—and you just deducted all this through my god daughter frowning," laughed Remus sarcastically putting their discovery in front of them as Sirius shook his head laughing carefully.

"Not just her frown—she even sneers and smirks, just like him-she loves potions and defence against dark arts-everyone knows Snape's been after that post since forever—and if that's not any less—she even looks a bit like him—just that you know—she's a girl," said George matter of factly.

"Hermione—would have beat you guys with her books—besides just because she has black hair doesn't make her Snape's daughter," laughed Ginny as her brothers looked at her angrily.

"Come to think of it—I think this kind of makes sense—after all Audrey did say she doesn't who her father is-I mean what if Snape you know had a fling with her mother—and doesn't know that he has a daughter-I mean even Remus hasn't meet her mother—she died when she was bron or something," said Ron.

"Now, I definitely do not believe you-think about it Audrey may look a little like Snape but why in the bloody world would any woman want anything to do with Snape—he's vile," said Ginny as Ron glared at her.

"You're all mental!" laughed Harry as Neville nodded.

"Yea—Harry's right—Audrey's nothing like Snape—she's a really nice person and besides if she was Snape's daughter—she'd be in Slytherine and wouldn't help me with potions," said Neville entering the conversation.

"Not really—one she's from Beauxbatons, two she had a mother remember who surely must have been nice and Gryffindor like because she was McGonagall's niece and three she was brought up by someone else and so she's not like Snape," said Fred smarty like he just cracked the case open.

"These assumptions are stupid!" said Ginny shaking her head.

"Yea—if Audrey has even a bit of Snape's blood in her—I'm a flobberworm," said Harry getting up and straightening his sweater as Sirius moved awkwardly in his seat while Remus returned to his breakfast a hand on his head. They were safe. For now.

"Where are you going?" asked Fred suspiciously.

"To ask her to the ball!" said Harry running his hand through his hair as he smiled at his godfather and his friend.

"Don't say we didn't warn you Potter!" Shouted Fred standing on the bench as McGonagall who passed got a start and cut two points of him for shouting while standing on the bench.

Harry was running through the corridor when he dashed into Jean who was walking with Rachel, Jean sneered as the force hurt him in the place where it shouldn't have.

"Slow down Mr. Potter," called Rachel as Harry smiled apologetically and sprinted into a run as Jean was helped by Rachel to straighten up.

He finally reached where he was headed, the library was almost empty, his first thoughts went out to Hermione, who was absent and nowhere to be seen but his eyes, then darted to Audrey and Leon, she was reading or rather glaring into a book while Leon hissed something at her, she obviously wanted to ignore as the next thing Leon slumped in his seat. Harry walked up to their table as Leon lifted his head, hoping it would be Gabrielle but on seeing Harry his shoulders instantly fell.

"Oh! 'ello Harry," he said greeting him, Harry smiled at him as his eyes went to Audrey who was still glaring at the book while her quill stained the parchment with ink.

"Hey Leon—did you have any breakfast?" Harry inquired making small talk hoping Audrey would glance up as a frown etched itself on her face making Harry remember what Fred and George had said a while ago but it went away as soon as it came.

"No—you think—I'll get any?" asked Leon feeling hungry as Harry nodded.

"Another half an hour I suppose," said Harry as Leon looked at Audrey.

"Do you want to eat?" Leon asked simply as Audrey did not reply he felt hopeless and stood.

"I'll be in the hall if you need me," said Leon and then smiled at Harry and left, as Harry sat down in his place.

"Don't ask!" she exclaimed raising her face to look at him anger still very evident there.

"I wasn't going to," replied Harry as Audrey blushed slightly embarrassed.

"What do you want?" she asked bluntly not wanting to be within a mile radius of any human communication.

"I wanted to know if you were free on Christmas Eve night." Harry asked subtly as Audrey looked at him properly.

"Well—there is the ball if you have forgotten," she said sarcastically.

"Yes—that exactly—do you perhaps-?" he started as he looked into her eyes, he had seen them before on Snape—Snape's eyes were staring at him but they weren't Snape's they were Audrey's Harry gulped but continued.

" Perhaps what?" she asked as if he was wasting her time, she didn't want to be rude, she was just angry.

"Want go to the ball with me?" asked Harry simply as she inhaled sharply, his eye broke away from her eyes and began focusing on her hand that clenched the quill, it had loosened its hold now as she raised it and placed the quill into the ink pot.

"Are you sure—you want to take me to the ball?" asked Audrey arms crossed as Harry looked her oddly. Was she asking him whether he wanted to take her—was she in shock or was she mocking him, he did not know which was which, she was too subtle for him to get mad, besides he would never get mad at her, he liked her—a lot.

"Do you doubt me?" he asked simply replying wittily to her question as her face broke into a small smile, which he was dying to see since he asked her.

"I'll go with you," she said smiling softly as Harry couldn't help but grin stupidly as he ran his hand through his hair once more, for some odd reason he found it—comforting since Sirius said his father used to do that every time his mother was close, he just felt right, or maybe it was something to do with the fact that he was a Potter.

A while later Harry left Audrey to fend for herself since he had finally given up on persuading her to come to Hogsmeade under his invisibility cloak. Audrey walked out of the library her head full of thoughts, all she wished she could share with Gabrielle. Audrey herself did not realize how much she had missed her best friend and now that she was finally coming back around, she wanted to push her away. Leon had been the one to tell her that Gabrielle was a two faced little mutt, but he was the one who took it back the instant she apologized and so Audrey did not see the logic in the situation, what if he had been right, what if Gabrielle had taken them for granted, agreed that since they were so close it was bound to happen but Audrey felt used and she knew the feeling from before. It wasn't a pleasant one.

On her way to the great hall Audrey noticed Leon in the grounds waiting for someone, she walked up to him and stood beside him, he turned to look at her wishing she had found ground with her thoughts, but Leon Bernard was wrong, she had too much going on in her head.

"Lovely day isn't it?" she asked looking at the frozen fountain in the garden that connected two corridors.

"Quite," replied Leon as he smiled at her, yet she refused to look at him.

"I suppose, you're right—I suppose, I am being-" began Audrey.

"A stuck up brit-" added Leon sarcastically.

"Yea—that," said Audrey .

"Good thing, you've still got some Paris in you," he said as Audrey smiled softly, Leon turned around to look at her.

"Good thing—I do—let's go find Gabby," said Audrey as they walked into the school and begun their search for their friend and hopefully Leon's date to the ball.

AN/- hope you're having fun reading this... Ball coming up next enjoy!

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