Weeks passed, and before anyone knew, it was Halloween.
Leandra, after the first week, had tried corresponding with her foster family. She told them all about Hogwarts and how she wished they could see it. After the first few letters came back without a reply, even though she'd told Persephone to wait for one and uncle Sev had said owls understood their owners, she decided she would forget about it for the time being and focus on her studies.
Leandra was excelling in most her classes. She would admit, though, it was mostly due to Hermione (the girl had insisted they call each other by their first names; Blaise had happily obliged, and soon enough, no one was using surnames anymore). The study group had been a success. At first, it had just been Leandra, Hermione, and Blaise. Daphne had appeared one day, Millicent in tow, and both had sat down next to them. Not long after, Harry had dragged a very red Ronald to study with them. One day, Hermione had dragged Neville by his sleeve. "You and he have been sitting next to each other on Potions every class." she had explained to Leandra "So he's joining us.". Jackson - someone Leandra had outright refused to call by his first name, much to Hermione's despair - infiltrated the group every time he saw them.
That day, he sat himself down next to Leandra and smiled tightly at everyone.
-Sorry I'm late, Malfoy had some opinions he wanted to share.
-Merlin, that boy wants a broken bone - Millicent commented.
-Millicent, please don't get in trouble on your first term here - Hermione said - As much as he deserves it, I think Professor Snape would be very upset.
-Might even blame it on us - Ronald grunted.
-I got a Dreadful on my last Potion's essay - Neville frowned - I think he got to dislike me even more than Harry because of how much you stand up for me, Leandra.
Leandra smirked at that. Just the day before she had waited until everyone was out of the classroom before telling her godfather she thought his way of going against the Gryffindors so bluntly was rather Gryffindor-ish itself.
-Well, that's bonkers - she said - We did that essay together and I got an Exceeds Expectations. Give me your essay, I'll build you a defence and take it to my godfather.
As Leandra started writing down why Neville deserved a better grade, Hermione started the usual organization of events for the day.
-Other than Potions, is anyone having any problems with any of the rest of the classes?
Ronald shyly rose his hand.
-I'm having problems with Charms - he admitted - Thanks for the tip today, if it wasn't for you telling me how to pronounce it, Hermione, I'd probably end up setting it on fire like Seamus did.
-He still has that problem? - Millicent asked.
The Gryffindors nodded.
-He's been putting way too much energy in his magic – Hermione commented – McGonagall has told him so.
-He thinks she doesn't know what she's talking about – Harry rubbed his temples – As if a professor wouldn't know better than a first year.
-He's going to keep blowing stuff up until he stops being stubborn – Ronald completed.
-Well, then, let him, he'll get there – Jackson said – We'll invite him to the study group sometime, but now there's nothing we can do. Let's just focus on our spell work. What are you having problems with, Ronald?
-It's Ron - he muttered – And I don't know. Every time the professor exemplifies, it doesn't go half bad, but every time I have to read it from a book, I never get the pronunciation right, and sometimes, not even the movements!
-I'll go through the spells with you back in the common room then, and help you read the pronunciation and movements – Hermione offered.
-Maybe you need glasses? – Daphne suggested.
-No, I don't – Ronald said – I see perfectly fine. It's just that I don't know how to pronounce the words and some of the movements are weird.
The rest of the children shrugged.
-Well, I'll go through it with you in the common room if that's the case – Hermione said – I'd help you here but Filch is so strict about using magic outside of class, I'm afraid he'll appear any second. In the common room, the prefects don't mind, and we'll be able to practice.
Mr. Filch did have a big problem with magic. The official statement was that Mr. Filch was a magical being with a condition called "Inopia Magicae". The older students had informed them it meant "the lack of magic" in Latin. The theory on the Slytherin common room was he was a squib who hated magical beings for the way they treated their kind (though Malfoy and some others would say he envied them for their superiorness). Leandra, if asked, would say it was understandable a squib tasked with handling such a big castle wouldn't want to deal with magical incidents as well as physical ones. She said just that when Malfoy had asked why anyone would let him tell students to not perform magic in the corridors when he couldn't perform magic at all.
Her relationship with Malfoy had rapidly declined after the Herbology confrontation and it didn't look to be reborning any time soon. Crabbe and Goyle followed him anywhere, acting as bodyguards. Leandra hadn't thought Crabbe would have it in him to follow Malfoy around mindlessly, given how smart he seemed. Two weeks after school started, Leandra noticed he had been far less enthusiastic about grades and Malfoy was usually seen gloating about being the best in his friend group. Maybe Leandra had misjudged him. He wasn't ruthless though. He didn't get in fights, or at least, didn't get caught, unless Malfoy was involved.
Goyle on the other hand… Leandra had thought him worthy of Hufflepuff when she'd first met him. Now… She was sure she'd misjudged him. He was known in their year for always being in detentions, most of them out of being caught bullying other first years. Last week, he had tried to go for Jackson when he'd seen him just outside the girls' bathroom. He was not expecting Millicent to be the one he was waiting on, nor for Flitwick to be passing by.
She was shook out of her thoughts by a frustrated Daphne trying to get the year of the Soap Blizzard right:
-The only thing I know is that it was in the 14th century. Why do I even need to know that?
-Knowing your past is important – Blaise said, causing Hermione to smile and nod.
-If we had a competent teacher, it'd be – Daphne complained – But we have the dullest of ghosts as a teacher.
No one had anything they could say against that statement.
When it was time for dinner, Leandra stayed behind at the library.
-I want to finish up some of my essays that I didn't get the chance to during our study session. I'll be down for dinner in a moment.
She ended up staying in the library for longer than expected. As she made her way to the dungeons, she made a note to see if she could find the kitchens. Maybe an older student knew where it was, and she could sneak for a light dinner before going to bed?
All thoughts of that flew her mind as soon as she entered the common room.
The Slytherin common room was a mess. It was never exactly tidy all the time, but it was at least calm. And it certainly never had a Gryffindor huddled up in a corner crying his eyes out.
-Harry, what is going on?
Harry didn't answer. Upon hearing his sister's voice, he promptly got up, wiped his eyes, and practically jumped across the room to embrace her.
-Merlin, Harry, what is wrong with you?!
-A troll entered the castle, and no one could find you – he ranted – It almost killed Hermione and Millicent, they had gone to the bathroom before dinner and hadn't come back when Quirrell told us of the troll. Me and Ron went after them and knocked it off, but when you didn't show up-
Harry broke down crying again, this time with his head on her shoulder. Leandra hugged him tight. She also noticed the room had gone silent.
-Why did you go off to face a troll by yourself? – she asked.
-Quirrell said it was in the dungeons, so we thought getting the girls from the first-floor bathroom wouldn't hurt anyone. But the troll went out of the dungeons and was already there when we arrived. There were no teachers around, they were all in the dungeons. If we hadn't gone for them…
He trailed off again, and Leandra stroked his hair as she searched for Millicent. She was looking a bit pale, but other than that, she looked fine. Then again, she was a Slytherin. Emotional displays like Harry's were not known to be their thing.
-It's ok, everyone's fine Harry – Leandra said.
And that's when Malfoy decided to laugh.
Millicent's temper was not the best on a good day. After just being almost killed by a troll? In a second, she had gotten up, strolled to Malfoy, and punched him in the face before going back to sit where their friends all were. Leandra thought that a good time as any to drag Harry off to that spot.
-How did you even get in here? – she asked, still holding him.
-Professor Snape got me in – he said – He was very adamant that I wouldn't hear the password, had a prefect cover my ears and all, but after I told him I wanted to be there when you were found he just dragged me here.
Speaking of her godfather…
-He didn't stick around to see if I made it back safely?
-He's searching for you. You were the only student missing today's feast – Millicent explained.
Only then did Leandra notice she was holding on to Blaise's hand like a lifeline.
Her godfather came back a few minutes later, holding something in his left hand, wand drawn in his right. Most of the second, third and fourth years had already gone to bed but the oldest and the first years had stayed behind. The older students always stayed in the common room until later, but this time they didn't try and send the first years to bed. They could have told Professor Snape Leandra was back safely and send her to bed before he got there, but they didn't want to have to deal with the still whimpering Gryffindor that was now siting in one of the sofas, still holding on to his sister.
Upon entering the common room, his eyes searched Harry. His face turned grim, and he was about move towards the boy when he saw who he was holding onto. His face filled with relief just long enough for Leandra to notice before his features were schooled into a thin line of lips and a raised brow. He held up the thing on his left hand – a handkerchief she recognized as one he'd bought her on one of their trips to Diagon Alley.
-You dropped something on your way here, Miss Potter.
Leandra smiled as she took the handkerchief from him. Uncle Sev put one hand on Harry's shoulder before telling them he'd be escorting the boy to his own common room and that they all should go to bed. If he looked towards the seventh-year prefects as he said it, no first year noticed.
After dropping Harry off at Gryffindor tower, he dragged himself to his quarters, only to be greeted by the Headmaster himself.
-Hello, Severus – Dumbledore said.
-Headmaster – he nodded.
-Can we talk for a minute?
Severus sighed. He didn't really have a choice.
-Come on in.
After making some tea for both, Severus sat himself down on the couch. His living quarters weren't anything fancy, just a bed, a couch and a table, adjacent to his potion's classroom and laboratory, but it was enough for the school year.
-I take it miss Potter got back to the common room safe and sound?
-She did.
-You should go to Madam Pomfrey about that leg.
Severus knew he'd bring it up. He was surprised none of the students had noticed.
-And what would I tell her, Headmaster? - Severus' voice was low – "I went to guard Fluffy, the big Cerberus that's guarding the third corridor because one of the teachers set off a troll in the dungeons as a distraction to get past it"?
-I know you're upset-
-Upset?! -Severus exclaimed – My goddaughter was in the library when it all happened out of sheer dumb luck! What if she was in that bathroom with her friends?! What if she had gone off with her idiotic brother and his moronic ginger friend to save the day when they found out their friends were in danger?! You need to deal with Quirrell and his dwindling loyalty, Headmaster. Your students have paid enough for the crimes of the people who betray you.
-You're the one who hates a boy just because he is quasi-identical to his father.
-Don't turn this on me, this has nothing to do with my hatred for James. I even let the boy in on the Slytherin common room today.
Dumbledore set his teacup on the table and got up.
-I will try my best to protect my students, Severus, regardless of what you do. But you will have to try to see past the boy's looks.
Severus just looked at him until he got out. And once he was out, he put every locking and sound blocking spell he could think off on his rooms. And only then did he let himself cry.
AN: Hello! Hope your enjoying the story so far! Please be kind in the comments, but do leave your thoughts, please, I'd appreciate both the compliments and the constructive criticism.