Year One - Chapter 10


Barely a few days had passed after the troll incident and my father hadn't mentioned anything about that, in fact, he hadn't spoken to me again at all, not even in class; I did not know if he still had the suspicion that George, Fred and I were the ones who left the castle that day, although there was no way they knew that it was us, nobody had seen us and we hadn't left something to give us away, so the only thing they could have was suspicion.

I don't know if he just forgot the situation or if he is waiting to punish me at the worst moment, I only know that the best thing, for now, is just going to class and not looking for problems, which is the only thing I have been doing; wake up, eat, go to class and spend the whole day locked in the library with Hermione, I was already starting to despair and had even started thinking of some pranks I could play on Filch, but I knew that would make my punishment worse so I had to settle with making the jokes in my dreams.

—Hey, mini Snape.

—Fred? What are you doing here? I didn't think you were the type of person who studied in his spare time. Or that you studied at all. Blimey, I didn't even think you knew where the library was

—Ha-ha, very funny. I came looking for you, Ron told me you'd be here.

—You were looking for me? —I couldn't help blushing a little, I always felt like a fool when I was alone with Fred without George being around.— Why?

—Just come with me.

—Uhm, okay? Mione...

—It's fine, anyway, I have to look for Harry too, he asked me to borrow him the Quidditch Through the Ages so he could distract himself from tomorrow's game.

I put all my books and scrolls in my backpack; I was a little worried that Fred would get me in more trouble when I had managed to do nothing these days.

—Where are we going, Fred?

—I just want to go for a walk.

—Fred, come on, I love spending time with you, but I don't want to get in trouble for at least the rest of the year, my father already suspects that we left the castle yesterday and I don't want to give him any more reasons to ground me for life.

—We're just going for a walk; we can't get in trouble for that.

—Fine... but just a walk!

We started walking without any destination in mind, as it was Friday, everyone was outside in the gardens, so the castle was very quiet.

—Can you tell me what are you planning?

—No, now stay here and close your eyes.

—Fred!

—Come on, trust me

I sighed and closed my eyes; I heard his footsteps grow fainter and then there was just silence. Had he left me here alone?

—Fred? Are you still here? —I tried to call him still without opening my eyes, after a few seconds I heard footsteps approaching me again.

—Yeah, open your eyes.

When I opened my eyes the first thing I saw was Fred's cute brown eyes, I was lost in them for a few seconds and then I realized that in his hands he had a small box and when I opened it I saw that it was a cake!

—A... A cake? Why?

—Well, your birthday was a few days ago and I didn't even congratulate you so...

—But how did you know? I didn't tell anyone, not even Hermione.

—I overheard McGonagall talking with your father about you and they brought it up.

—They were talking about me? Wow, it's... weird, knowing that I'm in the conversation of two adults. Anyway, you didn't have to give me something, a congratulation would have been enough.

—You deserve it, especially since it is rare for an 11-year-old, well, now 12, to defeat a troll just hours before her birthday.

As there were no chairs or benches in the hallway, we sat on the floor, although it wasn't uncomfortable. We started eating the cake with some forks that Fred had also brought.

—How did you know about that? Did Ron tell you?

—Come on. Do you really think something like that would have stayed a secret? The whole castle knows it. How come you haven't noticed?

—Well, two reasons; I am extremely inattentive and, I have spent every day in the library, as I told you, I'm trying not to get in trouble... This cake is delicious. Where did you get it? From the kitchen?

—Hogsmeade.

—What!? Did you go out again even though we almost got caught that day?

—It was worth it.

—No, Fred, you really shouldn't have, I'd hate to know that I would have been the reason for your expulsion if they had seen you.

He just lifted his shoulders a little and continued eating cake, why he got to the point where he could get expelled just to get me a cake?

—Why didn't you tell anyone about your birthday? You don't like it?

—Mmm, it's not really that I don't like it, but my aunt and uncle never made it look like something important, they only congratulated me and I received a letter from my father that day, so I'm just used to it being a day like any other. Thanks for the cake, by the way, it's the first one I get.

—What was it like? To live with the Malfoys?

—It was… Normal, I suppose, I was taught the manners a pureblood child should know, even though I'm half-blood. I would spend most of the day in the library or playing with Draco. Nothing out of the ordinary.

—But you never had a birthday party before or even just a cake, that's not normal.

—It's normal for me, okay?

—And what about Professor Snape?

—What about him?

—How is he, you know? With you?

—Dad acts differently with me than with everyone else if that's what you're wondering. He's not cold-hearted, he loves me and cares about me. And sometimes I wish people would understand that instead of saying awful things about him…

Fred took my hand in his and we interlocked our fingers, when he did this, I felt something strange in my chest and suddenly I felt very happy, although of course, life hates me, and that happiness did not last that long.

—What do you think you are doing? —McGonagall was at the end of the hall and began to walk towards us, Merlin, I can't even breathe without some teacher wanting to take points from me!

—We're not doing anything wrong, Professor, we're just sitting here, talking.

—Sure, and it had to be just in this hallway? Sorry, Miss Snape, but I know you both well enough to know that something else must be going on. 5 points will be taken for each of you and you will have detention. Mr Weasley, you will have your detention today. Miss Snape, yours will be held tomorrow.

—That's unfair! We're not doing anything. What's wrong with being in a hallway? We're not even skipping classes.

—I'm sorry Miss Snape, but after what happened on Hallowe'en I can't take any chances, besides, it's not a simple corridor, we're on the third floor, the one the Headmaster made very clear at the start of the year that it was forbidden to be here. Now please go to the tower. Weasley, to my office.

—Professor, if anyone should have detention, it must be me. I was the one who brought Eileen into this hall, she was just in the library doing nothing.

—I'm sorry, but I won't change my mind, Mr Weasley, clean this up and I'll meet you in my office in 15 minutes.

I couldn't believe it, apparently, it didn't matter if I didn't do anything wrong because I would end up in trouble anyway.

—I'm sorry Eileen, I promised I wouldn't get you in trouble and I still did.

—Don't worry, it wasn't intentional.

I picked up what little was left of the cake and put it in the box, grabbed my backpack and left without saying goodbye to Fred. I felt a little bad about leaving like this, but at the same time I didn't know what to feel; on the one hand, if he had never gone to the library for me, then I would never have gotten into trouble, but it is not like he would have thought that some teacher would see us... Which makes me wonder if he knew where we were and he just didn't care, in that case... Was it all his fault? Ag, this is so confusing!

I got to the common room and saw Harry, Ron and Hermione sitting in one of the armchairs, near the window, away from the others, I approached them and sat next to Ron, who was doing Charms homework and I continued eating what little was left of the cake.

—Where did you get that cake, Leen? —Ron said, while taking a bit of frosting with his index finger.

—Nowhere.

—Lee, your father made up a silly rule so he could take the Quidditch Through the Ages book from me and I really want it back. Could you talk to him?

—I'm sorry Harry, I can't help you. Since Halloween my relationship with him has turned from bad to worse.

—Well, then I'll go ask him.

—I wouldn't do it. —Ron and Hermione said at the same time. Harry ignored them and got up from the couch.

—Hey, Harry.

—What, Eileen?

—What kind of flowers do you want for your funeral?

He growled and left the common room, Ron kept doing his homework and Hermione was reading a book, I just kept eating my cake. After about 15 minutes Harry came back and it looked like he had seen a ghost... Well, rather... A... Something that wasn't pretty to see.

—Did you get it?

—No, but… He turned to see me and then continued to look at the ground. — It was just him and Filch in the teachers' room and Snape, he... Well... He had an injured leg, Filch was helping him with some bandages and he said something about 'watching three heads at the same time'. That means he tried to pass where the three-headed dog is! I bet my broomstick he let the troll in on Hallowe'en to distract everyone and go get what's hidden there!

I was speechless. The three of them looked at me as if waiting for me to confirm what Harry said, but... what the hell was my father trying to do?

—I don't think he did, he wouldn't dare steal something that Dumbledore is trying to keep safe.

—Hermione, not all teachers are saints!

—She's right, Ron. Dumbledore probably asked the teachers to keep an eye on that thing. Today I was in the corridor on the third floor and McGonagall passed by and gave me detention just for sitting there, so surely my father also went to make sure everything was okay and was bitten. Just an accident.

—I dunno, I think Harry's right. On Hallowe'en, when we were looking for you, we saw him heading to the third floor instead of the dungeons, like all the other teachers. If he doesn't want to steal what's in there then why he went there when everyone else was worried about the troll?

—You are all idiots.

I got up from the couch and went straight to the room, without speaking to anyone; Fred, who had already returned from his detention, took my hand, probably to try to apologize again, but I was so angry that I just shook my hand to let him go and went up the stairs.

When I got to the room I laid on my bed, I didn't take off my shoes, or my cloak or anything, I just lay back, closed my eyes and fell asleep.