Chapter 3
They were all standing in line in the Great Hall, waiting to be called to get sorted, the room thrumming in anticipation as the Hat sang.
"So we just have to wear a hat?" whispered Ron. "Fred told me we would be wrestling a troll." Both Harry and Angela chuckled quietly.
"When I call your name you will go sit on the stool and put on the Sorting Hat." explained McGonagall before calling "Abbot, Hannah."
The Hat fell in front of her eyes before shouting "HUFFLEPUFF" and the blond girl ran to her table under the applause of the other badgers, followed not long after by "Bones, Susan".
"Boot, Terry" and "Brocklehurst, Mandy" both joined the eagles and then "Brown, Lavender" was sorted in Gryffindor, making the red and gold table holler with the Weasley twins whistling loudly.
At that point Angela started dissociating, her hair turning white, she never did well in loud spaces with a lot of people so it wasn't really a surprise. She missed Hermione being sorted in Gryffindor and came back to herself as Draco and Pansy joined the Slytherin table.
"Potter, Harry"
"Go Ry', don't worry we'll be friends no matter our houses" whispered Angela, gently pushing him to go under the Hat.
The boy smiled at her gratefully, his face relaxing a bit even though she could see that he was as nervous as she was even if not for the same reason. Despite his friend explaining that Slytherin was not the house of everything bad, Harry did not want to go there and begged the Hat leading to him being sorted in "GRYFFINDOR". Angela smiled at him as he ran to the lion's table who was cheering loudly for him to be joining them.
"Schiffer, Angela"
The girl took a deep breath and went to sit under the Hat, not at ease with being the center of attention.
"Oh my, such an interesting case. It's the first time I have to sort that many people at the same time. Now where to put you all… I can see a gryffindor and a ravenclaw but you wouldn't flourish in either of those houses. I can see plenty of loyalty and the open-mindness needed to join hufflepuff but a lot of cunning and thirst to prove yourself. Oh it's so interesting to see someone so selfless and yet so selfish… Hmm… as a whole your goal seems to be survival so better be SLYTHERIN!"
She silently thanked the Hat before putting it back on the stool so that she could join the slytherin table, her housemates clapping politely. Angela tuned out the rest of the sorting and Dumbledore's speech.
"You took quite a bit of time under the Hat, Schiffer." called out Warrington "I wonder why, with who you are related to everyone knew you'd end up one of us."
"The Hat wanted to have a chat, that's all." She half-lied smoothly as Draco spat "And who would you be related to that would make you so obviously a snake?"
Warrington chuckled at the blond boy, "She's professor Snape's cousin." causing Draco to become even paler than he was naturally.
"No way, uncle Sev doesn't have any family!"
"Yes way, cousin Severus is also my legal guardian, our mothers were sisters."explained the girl calmly, leaving Draco to his splutter as she helped herself to the food that had appeared.
"I mean, you should have seen it coming, Malfoy. Just look at her, the eye color may be wrong and her nose not crooked but otherwise she looks just like a young female version of the professor, minus the greasy hair." pointed out an upper year girl.
"We must both take after the Prince side of the family." shrugged Angela at that comment. "Plus cousin Severus's hair is not greasy, it looks that way due to the oils he uses to protect his hair from the potion fumes."
She had figured that out during the summer, marveling at how soft his cousin's hair when he wasn't oiling them. Angela turned her head at hearing a commotion at the gryffindor table and her hair turned brown, her face scrunching in disgust at the sight of Nick's nearly-headlessness. A tap on her shoulder made her turn back to face Draco who seemed to be making a huge effort.
"I wanted to apologize for insulting you on the train, I didn't know any better."
She nodded "As long as you don't make the same mistake it's fine. I don't really fancy people who insult others for no reason." At that the blond flushed and focused his attention back to his plate.
oOoOo
Classes were both interesting and boring for the system, each alter having their own affinity to one or more subjects : Mist fronted as soon as they stepped in the greenhouses, loving plants and being very knowledgeable about the muggle ones, earnest to learn about their magical counterpart. The only subject that they really couldn't manage to pay attention to was the history of magic. They had always been terrible in any history class in the past and the way professor Binns taught them didn't help at all.
Spellcasting in charms and transfiguration or DADA led to them discovering something important : as long as one alter knew how to cast a spell, so did the others on an instinct/muscle memory level. They would perform more or less successfully and with more or less strength behind the spell but they would manage to do it.
It was now Friday and they were standing in front of the potion classroom sporting bright pink hair with Luna in front, chatting happily with Harry, not caring about other slytherin whispering that she must be barmy.
"Harry, remember : wormwood infusion and powdered asphodel roots makes the sleeping potion called draught of the living death, bezoar comes from the stomach of a goat and monkshood and wolfsbane are the same plant : aconite." she told him seriously and the boy nodded cluelessly.
"But why are you telling me that?" he asked puzzled and she laughed.
"You'll see. Don't worry as long as you remember everything will be alright! Let's be partners for the lesson? I can't wait, I love potions!"
She was looking at him with puppy eyes until he agreed to be her partner, earning himself a squeal and a surprise hug that made him stiffen before he relaxed slightly and Luna released him with a bright smile.
They took place in the classroom and professor Snape started roll calling stopping on Harry's name.
"Ah yes, Harry Potter, our new… celebrity." he drawled, making Draco, Crabbe and Goyle snigger before Angela elbowed the blond and narrowed her eyes at her cousin.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," began the professor in a quiet voice, barely above a whisper and yet they could all hear him clearly, his aura allowing him to keep the class silent effortlessly.
"As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death… if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."
More silence followed his little speech, only interrupted by Angela's quiet chuckling making her cousin glare at her but she couldn't help herself. She had the decency to look apologetic and Severus nodded at her before resuming.
"Potter! What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
Harry looked like a deer caught in headlights and Angela had to refrain herself from chuckling again. Thinking back on what she told him before the class he answered "A sleeping draught called the Draught of the Living Death?" She elbowed him. "Sir."
Severus sent a glance at Angela who looked innocent. "Indeed. Let's see if it was luck and try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"
Harry answered with a bit more confidence this time. "In the stomach of a goat, Sir."
The professor nodded, his onyx eyes fixing the boy in front of him. "And now, what is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"
"They are the same plant also called aconite." Angela grabbed Harry's shaking hand under the table and squeezed it gently with a reassuring smile as the potion professor moved on.
"At least you have done your homework properly or maybe someone told you the answers in advance." A pointed look to Angela who just smiled. "As for all of you, why are you not taking notes already?"
After that they started working on the boil cure potion that Angela already knew how to brew so she guided Harry through all the steps, showing him how to prepare and add the ingredients.
"Don't forget to take the cauldron off the heat before adding the quills." She told him before noticing that Neville was about to do just that on Harry's other side. Angela bypassed Harry and caught Neville's wrist just in time, preventing an accident as she explained to him what he was about to do, making the boy pale.
"5 points to slytherin for preventing an accident." Said the professor quietly and she smiled at him before returning to her own station to guide Harry through the additional step that Severus had taught her to make the potion more potent.
Hermione sniffled when she saw the pink color of their potion, muttering about them not having followed the book and ending up with the wrong color as Angela chuckled and told her that not everything is written in first year books.
As they left the room Harry proceeded to thank her profusely and Angela waved it off.
"How did you know, though? Did he tell you he would ask those questions?"
She laughed "No, I just knew it. I'm a seer so sometimes I know what is about to happen! Speaking of that, can I join you in visiting Hagrid?" she asked candidly, Harry shaking his head but agreeing nonetheless.
oOoOo
When they knocked on the door of Hagrid's shack they heard a lot of noise and Hagrid shouting after a "Fang" to calm down. As soon as he opened the door the giant dog threw himself at Ron, slobbering all over him making Angela scrunch her nose. Better him than her. She definitely didn't want dog saliva all over her no matter how friendly the dog was.
Hagrid caught Fang by his collar and removed him from Ron, inviting them to enter. "Make yourself at home." he said before releasing the dog who proceeded to return to his Ron licking activities for the redhead's despair.
"Allow me to introduce to you Ron and Angela." Said Harry, gesturing to his two friends.
"Another Weasley uh" replied Hagrid while pouring water in a kettle. "I spent half of my life chasing your brothers, the twins, whenever they felt like visiting the Forbidden Forest."
Angela's look became thoughtful "If it was not for the spiders I would love to go in the Forest."
"And you are professor Snape's cousin, are you not?" She nodded. "Didn't expect you to make friends with a snake Harry but you can trust her, professor Snape is a good man. Wait, you know about Aragog?"
"I'm a seer so yes I know about your pet spiders" she shrugged as Ron was mouthing the word spider, visibly frightened.
They told him all about their first week at school, Fang now slobbering on Harry's thighs. When they mentioned the first potion lesson, Hagrid told Harry to not worry too much about the man, that he was strict but fair even if he didn't really like anyone among the students.
"But if it wasn't for Eli, he would have humiliated me… it's like he hates me.."
"He doesn't hate you, he dislikes the memories you bring him back. Give cousin Severus a bit of time and he won't single you out anymore… unless he needs to keep his cover… Understand just that he can't act friendly or nice to you Ry'. If you want to know more you should ask him in private, maybe a letter? I wouldn't recommend it but if you can't help it at least a letter will give him time to measure his words before answering." clarified the girl as Hagrid seemed to be looking everywhere but at Harry, knowing full well what she was talking about.
"How is Charlie doing?" Hagrid asked Ron, changing the topic. "I liked him, he was good with creatures."
As Ron replied, Harry was looking at the old newspaper mentioning the Gringotts break in that was laying on the table. When Harry tried to question Hagrid about it, he just groaned and offered them some more rock cakes that Angela denied, Ron and Harry too polite to say no.
oOoOo
Today was going to be their first flying lesson and Angela was not thrilled, Shei was scared shitless of heights and she didn't know if another alter would be able to take over. They didn't even know if one of the others was not scared like them. Hopefully Nox would react to their fear and be able to handle it. They silently prayed for it to be the case before trying to get their stomach to settle so that they could eat a little.
She took a look at the professor's table and chuckled when she saw her raven preening the potion master's hair, the man having given up on trying to stop the bird's affections. She half listened to Neville talk about his Remembrall behind her and when she noticed Draco going toward him, followed by Crabbe and Goyle, she grabbed his hand and dragged him to the table while shaking her head.
"I just wanted to have a look." said the blond, still allowing himself to be made to sit down beside her.
She simply shrugged "Not worth it and the professors are looking, you could have ended up in trouble."
oOoOo
The slytherins were already on the grounds when the gryffindors arrived and Angela threw a shaky smile at Harry, her hair a sea-green shade indicating how anxious she was. That sentiment seemed to be shared by Hermione and Neville among a few others when the professor came in.
"What are you waiting for?" she shouted. "Everyone in front of a broom, hurry up!"
They all took place, following her instructions.
"Up. Up!" The second time did the trick and the broom jumped in her hand.
Once everyone was sitting on a broom, the professor seeing to each of them to show them the proper grip, Angela hair switched back and forth between green and white, half scare witless, half dissociating. She couldn't even make out Hooch's words.
"Come back down boy!" The shout allowed her to get a grip back on reality as she watched Neville fly upward and then fall. She winced when she heard the sickening crack that she knew to be his wrist.
"Broken wrist, up boy, it's not so bad." said Hooch, helping Neville before turning to them. "I don't want anyone moving. Let the brooms on the ground, if I see anyone in the air they'll be expelled faster than you can say Quidditch."
Angela lost no time to let her broom down, fetching Neville's remembrall at the same time but a pale hand took it from her.
"Give it back, Dray."
"There is no teacher to get me in trouble this time Ange." He replied before mocking the way Neville fell.
"Shut up Malfoy." said Parvati before being cut off by Parkinson "Defending fat little crybabies Patil?"
"Give it back, Malfoy." said Harry this time, one hand calmly extended toward the blond.
"I don't think so. Reckon I'll leave it in a nice place for him to get it back. Like on top of a tree." He sniggered before taking off with his broom, Harry hot on his tail. "Come and get it Potter!"
Both of them raced for a bit before Harry caught up and placed himself in front of Draco, preventing him from going further. "Give it back."
Draco sneered, "Catch it." Before throwing the ball as far as he could, Harry followed it immediately and managed to catch it and stop an inch from the ground, Angela ran to him.
"You bloody idiot! Oh because mister is a natural it's okay to break rules uh? You could have broken your neck Ry'!"
"I'm okay Eli, no need to worry so much." he told her before petting her hair gently. Watching them fly had really scared her and there was no way she would ever get on a broom.
"HARRY POTTER!" This time it was Harry's turn to be frightened as professor McGonagall marched toward them.
"Never in my life have I seen such a thing…How could you… you could have killed yourself Mr Potter!"
"It's not his fault…" started Ron only to be cut off by the stern professor.
"Enough Weasley, Potter with me." she said before dragging their friend to the castle.
Malfoy laughed "Potter is going to be expelled" but before he could continue, Angela had punched him gently on the shoulder "Shut up idiot. Couldn't you leave Neville alone?"
"Come on Ange, didn't you see him cry? It was funny! And now Potter will leave Hogwarts!"
"He won't, you idiot! And you'll regret what you did today."
"What do you know, Ange?" he asked, confused but she shook her head.
"You'll see soon enough, Dray."
oOoOo
"Hey Potter, last dinner before you have to go back to your muggles? Ouch Ange, what the hell!?"
"Idiot!" she hissed after elbowing him.
"You weren't taunting as much when you didn't have your little friends with you." replied Harry coldly as Angela facepalmed, there was really nothing she could do to make them less likely to antagonize the other.
"I can take you anytime Potter! Tonight even! A wizarding duel. Wands only, no brawl! What's wrong, you don't know what a wizarding duel is?"
"Of course he knows. I'll be his second, yours?" cut off Ron.
Draco turned to her and Angela shook her head, mouthing 'no'. "Ange. At midnight, ok? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked."
And with that the slytherins left, Angela pushing Draco around. "What's wrong with you? Do you fancy Harry to be always pulling on his pigtails?"
The blond became red faced and pushed her back. "I should be asking you, always trying to defend him!"
"Yes, because we're friends, idiot! It's not because I succeeded where you failed that you have to be jealous. And don't drag me in your stupid ideas, a duel seriously?"
"Come on Ange, it's not like we're going to be there!" He tried to placate her in vain.
"So you're going to be a coward to top it all?" she drawled in a scary imitation of their potion professor.
"Well, no, but if we tip off Filch…"
"You dragged me into it so you better be a man and not drag my honor through the mud, Dray or so help me!" Angela sneered and the boy shrunk a little.
"Uncle Sev is going to kill us, Ange…" he whined, trying to get her to pity him but she didn't give in.
"You should have thought about it first. Now we just have to make sure to not get caught." she replied, shrugging.
"And how do you intend to do that?"
"We still have time to plan." Angela smiled and Draco paled.
oOoOo
"Silencio. Disillusio." Angela cast the two spells on Draco before casting them on herself.
"You're lucky I practiced during the summer and that I already knew the incantation for those spells." she whispered before taking his hand and dragging him outside of the common room.
Draco was tempted to whine but he knew they would get in huge trouble if anyone noticed them and he was not looking forward to a detention with their head of house. They made their way to the trophy room unnoticed, Nox co-fronting with Shei as they felt like a spy moving around the empty castle.
"Finite." she cast on both of them, dropping the charms when she heard the voices of Harry and Ron closing on them.
"I see you brought spectators to watch you get ridiculed, Potter."
'Sorry' mouthed Angela with a shake of her head before stiffening.
"Filch and Norris, we need to run!" she ushered them in the corridor opposite to where the noise came from and they all ran away from him until they couldn't, stopped by a closed door.
Angela became as white as a sheet as Hermione opened the door with a successful Alohomora. Draco pushed her inside the room, still holding her hand from earlier and then closed the door behind her.
"Does anyone know how to sing?" she asked with a shaky voice.
"N-no, why?" came the reply and Angela pointed at the cerberus. "Merlin, A cerberus!" exclaimed Draco, visibly terrified.
Angela shook her head and clapped her hands on her face, reddening her cheeks and waking herself up before she started to hum a melody, the cerberus going to sleep as she kept humming.
"I think Filch is gone, let's go!"
The six of them exited the forbidden corridor still shaking. "What now?"
"Now we go back to bed!" said both Angela and Hermione who smiled at each other.
"Wait! Let me cast these on you, that way you won't get caught! The counter is Finite." After disillusioning them and silencing their footsteps, they all went back to their dorm as quickly as possible.
AN: A slightly shorter chapter, sorry for that! In case anyone is wondering there will be no pairing for Angela, her relationship with Draco is more of a siblings relationship and she views Harry the same as well!