In Helena's opinion, Hogwarts was very peculiar. There was only one house left and that was Slytherin. However, you could have access to all Common Rooms, if you knew how to get inside. She realised after a night spent in the Slytherin Common Room, that they could keep a closer eye on you there. She didn't like that, so she left early this morning and found herself at the Ravenclaw Common Room, which was secluded. She didn't like being alone, but at least it wasn't crowded. In fact, she was 100% certain that the Slytherin Dormitory was expanded magically.
It was now breakfast time in the Great Hall and Helena's timetable had been placed in front of her.
Monday
Potions (9 AM - 10 AM)
Dark Arts (10 AM - 11 AM)
Break
Charms (11:15 AM - 12:15 PM)
Lunch
Transfiguration (13 PM - 14 PM)
Muggle Studies (14 PM - 15 PM)
Tuesday
Charms (9 AM - 10 AM)
Muggle Studies (10 AM - 11 AM)
Break
Dark Arts (11:15 AM - 12:15 PM)
Lunch
Herbology (13 PM - 14 PM)
Herbology (14 PM - 15 PM)
Wednesday
Potions (9 AM - 10 AM)
Herbology (10 AM - 11 AM)
Break
Transfiguration (11:15 AM - 12:15 PM)
Lunch
Charms (13 PM - 14 PM)
Astronomy (23 PM - 0 AM)
Thursday
Charms (9 AM - 10 AM)
Transfiguration (10 AM - 11 AM)
Break
Muggle Studies (11:15 AM - 12:15 PM)
Lunch
Dark Arts (13 PM - 14 PM)
Herbology (14 PM - 15 PM)
Friday
Potions (9 AM - 10 AM)
Potions (10 AM - 11 AM)
Break
Dark Arts (11:15 AM - 12:15 PM)
Lunch
Transfiguration (13 PM - 14 PM)
Flying (14 PM - 15 PM)
x
It was in the evening, and they were having their dinner. Helena was sat by herself, not because she wanted to be by herself, but because she didn't really want to make friends with all those people that looked at her weirdly. And yet she found herself hating the idea of loneliness after all those years. After all, isolation was one of her greatest fears.
"Can I sit here?" asked a friendly voice.
Helena looked up and saw a girl with auburn hair and green eyes. She had small pearl earrings and had a ribbon tied around her wrist. Helena nodded immediately, taking in the beauty of the girl who stood in front of her.
"Thanks," she said, sitting down. "Hey, why haven't I seen you in the Slytherin Common Room?"
"Because I don't stay in there," said Helena simply.
"Why not?"
"They keep track of you easier in there."
"I suppose you're right... What Common Room do you stay in, then?"
"Ravenclaw."
"Why?"
"Most of them are too closed-minded to enter."
"I see. What's your name, by the way?"
"Helena, what's yours?"
"Katie."
"Nice to meet you, Katie."
Katie smiled. It was like it was made of gold.
"I know it's sudden, but could I come into the Ravenclaw Tower with you? The Slytherin Common Room is crowded-"
"I'd love to have you there," Helena said immediately.
"Do you get lonely?"
"All the time," she said deeply.
Katie sighed.
"Have you noticed him?" Katie asked her, nodding at the staff table. Voldemort was sitting in the middle.
"No," Helena admitted. "But I would've thought he'd be up to something else, put someone else in charge."
"Me too. He seems to look at us a lot, though."
"I hadn't noticed, but it's probably me."
Katie laughed.
"You can't be serious."
She looked at Helena's face.
"Oh. You're serious."
"Well it's going to be a fun seven years with him in charge."
Katie pursed her lips.
"If we're here for that long."
Helena stared at her, slightly amused.
x
A week later.
Helena was lying on the luscious green grass outside the school, doing her homework with Katie. It was Saturday morning and the leaves on the trees were brilliant orange and reds. They were holding hands.
"Helena?"
"Mhm?" she sounded peaceful, wishful almost.
"Don't you care about what people think about us?"
"Katie, I wouldn't end our love with judgement from other people."
"No, I suppose not."
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. It's just I don't feel as though I belong here. I don't like it much here, either."
"Why not?"
"I hate them, you know. The whole lot of them. But I hate the Dark Lord the most... Would you say that I'm afraid to say his name?"
Helena snorted.
"Hardly, it's just protected by a taboo curse. It allows his followers to track the people who say his name."
"Oh that's clever."
Katie suddenly let go of her hand. Helena was about to ask what's wrong.
"Oh, bloody hell, here we go," muttered Katie.
There were two big, black hooded figures and they swept towards them.
"I swear to fucking God, if they-" Helena stopped her sentence abruptly.
"Hello Helena," said Bellatrix coolly.
"Hello, Bellatrix," she replied calmly.
"She's polite," sneered the man. Helena thought that his name was Dolohov. She took a gamble and went with it.
"Well, Dolohov, I'm more polite than you are to your victims."
His sneer faded.
"Now listen here you little-"
"Dolohov," said a high-pitched voice, which was apparently calm.
Lord Voldemort was standing there. Katie whimpered a fraction but it went unnoticed by all five of them.
"My Lord," said Bellatrix, bowing her head.
"Not bothering them, are you, Bella?"
"No, My Lord. Not at all, My Lord."
"Good, then carry on."
Both Dolohov and Bellatrix looked reluctant to leave, but did so anyway.
"What are you doing?" Voldemort asked. It was not in a cruel manner or in an angry one.
"Dark Arts homework," replied Helena casually.
"Can I see?" he asked. Helena reluctantly nodded.
He looked at it thoroughly. After a few minutes, he gave it back to her.
"That's outstanding," he said.
Helena shrugged. Katie avoided his gaze in their direction.
"Not to be rude, but why are you here?"
"I have every right to be here," he said coldly.
"Yes, I agree, yet it is strange to come to two first year girls and to check their Dark Arts theory."
"I was merely curious with your progression."
Helena was still not satisfied.
" After a week? I'm certain that curiosity did not bring you here. What did?"
He fought back his anger. Then, he smiled as though he had suddenly gotten a cunning idea.
"Very well, Helena. I shall tell you. Bellatrix and Dolohov were not here for no reason. You see, I had warned them that they had to expect things that no one else could. Like me, they were interested in your advances."
Katie was listening intensely.
"However, they went against my wishes, so-"
"They'll be punished," Helena finished flatly. Voldemort nodded.
Katie bit her lip anxiously. She also shivered as though it was cold, yet Helena was perfectly warm so she gave her jacket to her without second though. Then, Voldemort directed his gleaming read eyes onto her blue eyes. Evidently enough, he found nothing.
He took his wand out. Katie stiffened. He pointed it at Helena's neck. She was indifferent.
"You don't need your wand," she muttered.
Voldemort ignored her. Katie trembled slightly. He pressed it to her neck so that she could hardly breathe. Katie suddenly stood up with her wand out.
"Katie, I wouldn't do that if I were you," choked Helena, without removing her glare at Voldemort. "Sit back down." And so she did.
He removed his wand from her neck suddenly. The pressure on it was relieved. There was some red blood dripping from her neck, yet it healed completely and instantly. He took one last darkened glance at her and he strode off.
"I hate him," murmured Katie.
Helena nodded in silent agreement.