Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction created sorely to satisfy my imagination. Harry Potter and anything/everything related to the novels belongs to J.K. Rowling. I own nothing in this fanfic that might be recognizable as belonging to the canon of HP.

AN: A much longer chapter to make up for the last. Don't get use to that ;). A lot is said here, and I hope it's not too much. Next chapters are gonna go through the timeline a bit faster than the previous ones. So far I've been trying to establish Faraday as a character (I hope I managed it XD) and that has made things slow in my opinion. I'm not staying it's always gonna go fast (cuz right now I only mean chap 16 and 17), but it's time to jump into the part in the summary that's after 'sixth year of Hogwarts' and before the parenthesis. Spoiler! \(^o^)/

Chapter 15: Slughorn's Christmas party

I didn't have a date for Slughorn's Christmas party, and I couldn't say I cared.

Boys are stupid and I don't like anyone of them in Hogwarts. There, I said it. I would just have a girl's night out with myself, if Lily's date decided to hog her all throughout the party. The Slug Club meetings were events that had turned into Lily and Faraday time devoid of studying, and I was sure Lily wasn't going to ignore me when I didn't have revising to occupy me just for a boy.

There were no more studying to be done for the term, and I would have leisure time during the Christmas break for homework and extra study. Tonight was for social networking and having fun. That is what Slughorn said to me during my last office visit. I imagined my night would be balance between being introduced to 'special guests' and hiding behind Lily and her date. I was not looking forward to meeting strangers, mainly for the fact that I was only interested in the 'having fun' part of the party description.

One of the other things I was not looking forward to leading up to the party, were dress robes. I didn't have any to start with, and I had to go to Professor McGonagall to see if she could get me something decent. She was kind enough to provide them just in time. Like I said, there were decent. Nothing like the ones I had seen my dorm mates had stored up in their trunks and dressers, but alright nonetheless. They were of a slightly faded murky blue, matched with gold embellishments from the shoulder to the hem of the skirt.

"That's what you are wearing?" Hestia asked.

I was in the middle of brushing my hair, as in our dorm, we were getting ready for the party. That's with the exception of Gertrude, who had not received an invitation, and was passing the time sitting on her bed, looking at her friends make themselves pretty. Mafalda had stepped into the washing room, a while ago, so I had only three pairs of eyes on me.

I raised my eyes to meet Hestia's, not really getting her tone. She was looking at me from the other side of the room, sitting on the edge of her bed as she polished her shoes. She hadn't put her robes on yet, but they looked vibrant and very different from mine just lying on the bed.

"Is there something wrong with it?" I knew what she was getting at and I honestly didn't need that to put me in a bad mood.

"Yes, it looks like it belonged to my mother when she was in Hogwarts."

"I don't know, maybe it did." Sure, I replied with attitude, but as far as I knew, it could be true. I had no idea where McGonagall had gotten the robes from. It could possibly have been from a bin Hestia's mother had donated in. "Does it look bad?"

Hestia seemed uncertain. "It's not bad, just incredibly out of style."

"For a Slytherin you mean?"

She nodded.

I looked at the rest of the girls that were paying attention. Gertrude was eying an old Daily Prophet edition and Gemma was close to the wall mirror. In her hand she had flower bud ornaments she had been charming to bloom every few seconds on her hair. I didn't understand what Hestia meant with out of style, especially since I didn't know what style meant for wizards and witches. Sure, my dress was different from the other girls, but not by much. What made it out of style, aside from its faded look?

I sighed, deciding to clear a couple things between all of us. "Gringotts is withholding my vault key until I'm seventeen. It's this or nothing. " I felt the need to explain this to the girls at that moment. Deep inside I knew I had to prove myself to them as a true Slytherin, and talking about money was a good way to go. Of course, blood purity was the best one, but after what had happened at the beginning of the year between us, I really had no intention of letting them into such a secret. Besides, it was a good excuse to get them off my back about the contents of my trunk.

That seemed to get the reaction that I had intended. They casted down their eyes, sad for me, apparently.

"I guess the dress would look fine if you twist your hair up." Hestia said, looking to the other girls for confirmation.

I nodded and headed for the bathroom, desperately eager to leave the room. Honestly, I didn't have much against my dorm mates, and if I did it was teenage-girl crap that any normal person would find annoying. We criticized, talked rubbish behind the other's back, and gave bad looks to each other. I suppose that I did regret a tad the emotional/social situation we were in. At the beginning of the term when we met, I had been incredibly hopeful that they would turn out to be amazing friends, and for a couple of days, that had been the case. Then the September full moon happened and I ruined it.

Mafalda was in the bathroom finishing up her make-up when I came in. Her eyes evaded mine, leaving me to believe that she had heard what I said.

Good. Be sorry for my currently empty pockets.

Standing in front of a mirror, I began to twist my hair up to see just how I could make it look decent. My normal simple bun was out of the question, but I also had no idea as to how to do anything else. Lily had claimed something about making waves with her hair for the night, and I honestly didn't even know how to imagine that.

Again I sighed, and opted to pinch my cheeks to give myself color. Maybe that pain would help me come up with something.

"Um," Mafalda broke the silence, surprising me a little for I had not noticed that she had moved closer to me. Heck, I forgot she was there. With my eyes on her, she pointed back to her mirror. "We have the same skin tone, so if you wish to use my make-up, I'll let you for tonight. But be extra careful with them."

She left as soon as she stopped talking.

I had no idea my sentence about being poor until next year would cause a shift in my dorm mates to such an extent. I'm not saying that the girls are complete bitches, but Merlin's beard what the hell?

Ten minutes before eight, I left Slytherin House.

I settled with pulling my hair up to a bun, like I normally did. Hair was such a complicated thing that daresay I don't care about it beyond having it neatly brushed and away from my face when needed. To make it seem like I tried, I made two braids on both sides of my head and tied them in to the bun. Simple, but I liked it.

Though I tried resisting the urge, I did make use of Mafalda's offer. I didn't take much, most of what I used was to cover the bags under my eyes, and some lip coloring, but I was really excited about what I had managed.

I made it to Professor Slughorn's office in a few minutes, and just like we had intended, Lily was waiting for me by the door.

"Lily! You look gorgeous." I said to her as I neared her. She was as vibrant and lively as ever, the green robes she had chosen for the even sat nicely with her. They accentuated her natural beauty, and complemented it in a way that made me feel a bit jealous. It was jealousy of the good kind, though. Or at least, I didn't feel negative about it. She had managed to make waves in her hair, and I stared amazed at how her hair looked like a violent red ocean. It was wonderful.

"And you! You're so pretty. " She smiled looking me over. I expected her eyes to change to match somewhat the glint my dorm mates had had earlier, but they didn't. Lily looked at me like she meant what she said, and it made me happy. This is what it felt like having a friend and I have no clue how I managed to live for months without one.

I looked away from her to the rest of the crowd that was gathered, less I get carried away with emotion. People, students and special visitors were filling into the office.

"Where's your date? Uric was it?" I asked her.

"He must be inside already."

Uric Belby was a Ravenclaw from our year. He and Lily had fancied each other for some time, ever since they had gotten over an argument in a Prefect meeting. Both had been teamed up for Halloween and later Christmas decorating. They knew each other well already and had hit it off quite nicely some weeks ago. They've been trying to keep it low to avoid a certain person from find out. Speaking of whom, I couldn't help myself.

"What about Potter? Did he stop dropping hints?" No sooner had the name fallen from my mouth when Lily gave me the most peeved out glare she could ever give me. It was a trademark of whenever Potter was involved.

"No." She looked away from me pouting, giving a wall her stare, as she even went as far as to cross her arms. "The nerve of him, expecting me to invite him to the party. I can't stand him."

Like I didn't know that. "Do you think he'll crash?"

"I wouldn't put it pass him."

She pushed away all thoughts of her unwanted suitor with a shake of her body. When she was sufficiently back in high spirits, and not annoyed at all, she intertwined our arms without notice to drag me to the party.

When we were talking in the hallway, the sounds of the party reached us, but as we near they became louder and louder. Music, numerous conversations and laughter trailed out of the door, and once we passed through it I needed a moment to adjust my ears. The office itself no longer looked like the office I was so used to by now. The green, red, and gold hangings that decorated the place, as well as the different lighting and the crowd of people, gave me the impression of being somewhere else completely. There were students, adults of different prestige, and house elves mingling about, the latter carrying silver platters of delicious looking foods.

"Faraday! Lily!" Slughorn welcomed us wearing his best with a matching hat. "Come in; come this way, darling girls. I've got many people for you to meet."

Slughorn insisted he introduce me to everyone, and I mean everyone. After the fifth introduction, Lily excused herself as she had caught sight of her date Uric, and left me at the mercy of the Professor's networking. His old students were confused when they saw me as they took into consideration Slughorn's marvel toward me, and the lack of it that my appearance induced. My guess is that my dear Head of House just wanted to be the first to introduce me, so that in the future when I was safe to reveal that I descended from the legendary Merlin, he would have the satisfaction of having networked me around his old prized students. I can't say I was ticked off, considering that I knew that could help me in the future when I had no clue as to what to do with my life, and needed a job.

My guess, and how I managed that ordeal, was thinking that it would soon end. When there was no one else to be introduced, and Slughorn got entertained by someone else, I would slip away. That or Lily would come in to save me. We had agreed on that the day before when we prepped for the party.

Sure enough, I hadn't seen Lily in what I would call an eternity or a little more than half an hour, as I had been ensnared by a lady from the Ministry of Magic and her husband who was a published writer, when she came to my rescue. The pair had noticed Slughorn's particular esteem of me. When he left, the couple immersed me in a conversation that started with the braids in my head and reached my family ancestry. They pushed for me to recite my entire family tree because apparently that was something pure wizards could do. Lily must have noticed my desperation from her own conversation with an old student for she came in to save me.

She led the way toward Uric Belby, who waited for us by a tapestry hung over a window. He held two goblets, one in each hand. There was a third levitating next to him. When we neared he offered Lily and I one of the goblets, once his hand were freed he took the levitating one. We took a drink in solidarity. I'm not sure what it was, but the drink felt good going down.

"Having fun, Nolan?" Uric spoke by the time I had gulped down most of the content of my goblet.

"Is that a joke? Because if it is then this is the most fun I've had so far, Belby." It was all in good nature, and he took it at such, chuckling before he took a sip of his drink. I turned to Lily, who was scanning the party like she was in charge of its security. I had to tease. "Who are you looking for?"

She looked at me as a spooked deer would if I invaded its grazing trails. I could not resist the urge to smirk at her expression, or the fact that I knew very well what she, or better yet, who she was looking for.

"Lily's afraid Potter will swing in like Tarzan."

"I am not afraid. It's called being vigilant." She replied to her date. She didn't have the Prefect badge over her chest, but as she said that it was easy to imagine it there shining brightly.

I knew for a fact that mentioning the Quidditch Captain could send Lily down rows and rows of bickering, but that didn't make me stop. "Give him a break; he's probably a good guy."

"He is a good chap." Belby added.

"Why are you both defending him?" Lily demanded, her voice raised a tad too much over the sounds of the party. A nearby invitee turned her head our way, but we ignored her. "And you, Uric! You know what's he's capable of and the lengths he will go to stalk me. Don't you remember that night in the empty classroom, after we—"

"O-ho! I don't need to hear that!" I said walking away as Lily went on. She yelled after me, but I just raised my goblet up as a signal I hoped she understood. Dodging very cheery person that greeted me along the way, I tried not to stumble on the elves that walked around my knees, holding up trays for me to choose food from.

At the beverage table, an elf filled up my goblet of the same drink Belby had given me. I took a sip of it, felling extremely content with the night. I had to put up with a lot of strangers and being the third wheel, but it felt good to not be alone by some corner.

All was fine and well, until pestilence incarnated reeled its ugly head next to me.

"So you do value traditionalism and decency."

It was hard to keep myself composed as Lorcan Mulciber smiled down at me. Dressed impeccably, his wavy blond hair was tied back in a way that gave truth to his pureblood birth status. His clothes, a combination of black and emerald made him look like he could get anything he wanted, and the reality of it always frightened me. He held a crystal goblet in a delicate hand, and it shone in the candle light as the beautiful amber of its liquid content.

I did what I always did when he spoke to me, looked away ignoring him. My shoulders tensed the second I heard his voice. It was a natural reaction to do that whenever he was present.

"Though," He continued looking me over with a gentle snarl. "You lack elegance and beauty."

"Thank you for thinking that." I said through gritted teeth. Honestly, I rather he showered me with insults than, Grandfather Merlin forbid, compliments.

I felt two of his fingers brush against my arm, as if he was feeling the fabric of my sleeve. I turned to look at him. Lorcan's eyes were down, intently on the movements of his fingers. It felt horrible. The up and down feel of his slimy appendages were nauseating. I wanted nothing more that run away and cut my arm off. Somehow at the moment, it seemed like the only possible way to prevent his touch from corrupting the rest of my body.

"Shame. I would very much like to see you in high quality robes. The right fabric makes a hefty difference. Maybe that will bring out the pureblood in you."

On the other side of the room, Lily and Uric were talking to what I think was a professional Quidditch player, I couldn't remember right when he was introduced to me. Feeling the stare, Lily met my eyes, and her expression changed instantly. Her brows furrowed, and her level of concentration and determination gave me a bit of strength. She could tell something was wrong and she would come to my rescue.

"The lioness is ready to prowl."

I stared up at him. Mulciber had seen the exchange between Lily and me.

He looked at me intently, his green eyes seeming to take all of me at once to tear me down into little pieces. It was the most horrifying sensation, always, to be regarded so strongly by a person that repulsed you in every possible way. "A sad excuse for a witch, if you ask me. A mudblood."

"Don't call her that!"

"Defending filth now, aren't you. Faraday, Faraday." The way he said my name was always awful, but intoning it made it worse. "To steep so low, tch. You are nobler than that, I think."Unexpectedly he grabbed my arm, hurting, at the same time as he softly jerked me against his body. His words were like venomous ice, dripping sickly into my ear as he spoke with his vice-like grip. "She is filth and you are soiling yourself just by looking her way."

I tried to pull away from him, but that only served to make him tighten his hold on me.

Lily by now was standing in front of us. Uric had followed her, and though I don't think the red head told him what she was doing, I think he could see what had made his date cross the room in a hurry. He stood behind her ready to help as the witch grabbed my other arm, her death stare set on Lorcan Mulciber. He met her with the same animosity, and did not move. It was a challenge; one I was devastated to see Lily accept it. For a long while we stood there in a silent fight, as the young man and woman stared at each other.

I personally thought it would last forever, but a call over the music made Lorcan move away, leaving without acknowledging that he had lost.

Lily puffed her chest as she pulled me to walk in the opposite direction. Her grip, though as tight as Mulciber's had been didn't feel uncomfortable. The contrary, it made me feel safe and warm and like I could take over the world so long as I had that contact."That's the last time I leave you alone with that brute."

"I owe you my life." Faraday said relieved.

At midnight, guest began to make their leave. With polite goodbyes to the people we had been engrossed with talking, we too left. Slughorn, if slightly tired didn't look it. His face was flushed, and boisterous, seeming like he could keep going for longer still.

Outside of the office, Lily led the way to our normal waiting spot for the Slug Club, which also served as the place we had our talks after the meetings. Not many people were loitering around, and those who were paid us no mind.

Uric offered to walk Lily back to her House, but she shot him down. Of course, she hadn't done it to be nasty or to reject him; she was doing it for his well being and that of their young relationship. He accompanying her to the Gryffindor Tower could stir up trouble with a capital P, and Lily wanted to save Uric the hassle for now.

He left, but not before I had to turn around so that he and Lily could snog each other goodnight.

The Gryffindor turned to me with a smile, and I returned it as a gesture of good will. I was happy that she had someone special that made her that blissful. In my eyes, Lily Evans deserved everything good in this world. And I wanted to be there for all of it, so that maybe it would rub off on me.

"I wish you weren't leaving tomorrow." I voiced out. It had been bugging me since she told me a week before, but I decided to ignore it so to not depress myself.

"I wish you didn't have to stay here all alone." Her sincerity warmed my heart like only she could. "Though, I know it'll be okay. You'll be studying so much you won't even notice that I'm not there."

A devious smirk stretched in my face in response to hers and her delightful jab. "That's mean, Lily! Though, true."

"You'll write to me, wont you? Its only two weeks but I don't know how long I can go without your obsessive antics."

"Sure, I'll need a break from going mad."

The Ministry had given me a special allowance, and I hadn't found a way to spend it after I got my supplies for school. Now that I would have someone to write to, I could use it on a rental owl. The thought of spending money and writing to someone excited me more than I should be, considering I would be alone for two weeks. Lily was my only friend in the castle, and all my dorm mates were leaving too. I would be alone, switching between studying and talking to Merlin. At least I had the portrait to talk to, though I didn't like to do that too often.

"Lily-flower!"

Glare set on to kill, we didn't even need to recognize his voice to know who it was. Potter wasn't alone, and I wondered if he ever was. His lackey, I mean friend, Black was by his side. Both had emerged from nothing and that was something I did not like for they always did that.

"Couldn't let me be for one night, couldn't you, Potter?"

"How is that surprising, when my love for you shines brighter than Dumbledore's patronus?" He did an exaggerated gesture that belonged in a theater performance as he spoke.

I saw the corner of Lily's mouth twitch, and it was totally understandable. Though ignored by the side, I could not hold in the grin. Though a complete snob, he was poetic. She regarded the two of them, with a controlled exasperation, as one would deal with annoying kids. "At least the two of you didn't show uninvited to the party."

"We were going to crash, but the party looked like it had gone to the dogs." Black said, sending a smirk to his friend, who returned it tenfold by his side.

His words caused me scoff and I had no idea why. That made the three look back at me, as if they had forgotten I was there. Well, the two guys did, Lily just stood there slightly confused at my outburst. I was heavily scrutinized by the two Marauders and I can't say I liked the feeling.

"Who are you again?" Sirius said looking at me bizarrely, as if he was seeing me for the first time standing there.

"Faraday."

It was eerie, the way the sound of my name made them faintly jump. The boys eyed me strangely for a second as if instead of my voice they had heard the caw of a bird or something. I'm sure I'm over reacting and over reading their reaction, but it still felt strange. Their staring reminded me of Mulciber, and how he grabbed me with his eyes to look at every inch of me. Black and Potter were trying; however it didn't feel like they were getting anywhere. To me it seemed like their eyes had a veil that kept them from reaching the answers they were looking for by staring. I was glad. I was glad that something kept them in the dark, for I had no desire to be at the mercy of more boys.

Whatever was going on ended abruptly. Black moved away to give his friend a nudge on the arm, and wasted no time in walking away. Not one thing was said between the two, but they had reached an understanding, and I got the feeling it was because of something behind me.

Sure enough, a cat came up the hallway that led to the Slytherin common room, and its presence obviously had an effect on the Gryffindor boys. One was halfway through a corridor and the other smiled sweetly at Lily Evans.

"Come Lils, its bed time."

"What did you do now Potter? Potter!" She stared, hard. I would not like to be on the receiving end of that glare. However, Potter took it lightly, nodding toward his friend and starting to walk his way. Her demand unanswered, Lily turned to me, her cheeks flushed, and her chest puffing in need of the Prefect badge. "You'll see me off tomorrow, right?"

"Wouldn't miss it." I said and Lily soon engulfed me in a hug.

She gave me a prolonged squeeze. Mrs. Norris meows drummed rolled Filch's footsteps as they got closer, and Lily could only give me a smile as a goodbye. With her skirt blazing, she set off after the two Marauders, set on knowing what sort of trouble they had unleashed for them to run away from the caretaker.

I, again, walked back to my dorm alone.

When I got there, I saw just why Potter and Black had run off.

...