AN: Thank you so much for all the reviews and favs! They're really helping keep me motivated! Please comment on the story, all feedback is really appreciated!

For the next week, the only thing anyone wanted to talk about was the attack on Mrs Norris. Nobody seemed particularly sad that she had been attacked, except Filch that was. The caretaker had taken the loss of his cat badly and spent every spare moment standing guard outside the girl's toilet with broom held like a gun. He glared at anyone who passed with red eyes as if daring them to so much as breath out of turn.

Violet's sympathy for him had been dampened somewhat in the past week, if only because he seemed to hold her personally responsible for the attack on Mrs Norris. Three times already he had jumped out of hidden passages in front of her and tried to put her in detention. The first one had been for the squeaking noise her shoes were making on the floor, the second was because she sneezed and by the third, even he seemed to have run out of ideas, mumbling something angrily while writing her name down. Violet had taken to walking in the middle of her class or busy corridors in case he tried to ambush her alone.

Despite her best efforts, he caught her again on her way to Transfiguration, jumping out from behind a tapestry with quill and parchment in hand and making her scream.

"At last!" He bared his yellow teeth, "I've got you now!"

"What?" Violet asked breathlessly, hand on her heart as he beckoned the rest of the class on.

"Bag clasp undone," His blood-shoot eyes gleamed as he scrawled untidily on the parchment, "This'll be a suspension for you, and not before time!"

Violet's stomach dropped but anger sparked in her mind, "This is so unfair! I didn't touch your cat!"

"A likely story!" He was writing so fast he was splattering the walls with ink, "Dumbledore might not see it, but I do! You and the miscreant of a brother!"

"Harry didn't hurt her either!" Violet shouted.

"We'll see about that when you're both on the train home!"

"Argus!"

Violet spun to see Professor McGonagall approaching with a severe expression, books piled high in her arms.

"Professor," Filch whipped the parchment out of sight so quickly it was just a blur.

"Argus," Professor McGonagall said impatiently, "Professor Dumbledore has already warned you, until we can tell otherwise, the Potters are innocent. I know this is hard but trust us that we will find the true culprit."

Filch looked at the floor but Violet could tell he was seething.

"Now, I believe there's a flood on the second floor and you may need to see to it." Professor McGonagall nodded her head to Violet and the two headed for her classroom.

Everyone else was already there unpacking their books. Romilda looked over from her desk,

"Did he get you this time?" She asked, tossing her hair back.

Violet shook her head as she sat beside Ginny and took out her homework, "he wanted to suspend me."

"Suspend you?" Colin was horrified as he sat behind Violet. Atia Malfoy sat at the back of the class in a desk of her own as she did in every class.

"Lucky McGonagall was about then," Romilda pulled out a magazine and carefully hid it in her book.

"It's not fair," Ginny said. She was as pale as she had been the night of Halloween and had gone even paler when Violet told her what had happened to Mrs Norris, "Ron says he won't leave Harry alone either. He keeps trying to give him detention too."

"Well, he did try to put a Ravenclaw in detention yesterday for opening a chocolate frog too loudly," Romilda shrugged, "He needs the Weasley twins to do something mad so he can put them in detention, just to cheer him up. Hey," She leant in conspiratorially, "Do you think they had anything to do with it? It would be a great practical jo-"

"No," Ginny said so sharply that everyone looked at her. She looked alarmed at her own reaction, "They would never do anything like that."

"If you say so," Romilda shrugged carelessly and opened her book to her magazine.

"Are you okay?" Violet asked, concerned.

"Yeah," Ginny's lip was trembling, "I just don't feel great."

"Have you been to Madam Pomfrey?" Violet bit her lip.

"It's fine, Violet," Ginny said tensely, "I just need some peace."

Before Violet could answer, Professor McGonagall stood up and cleared her throat, "That will do, class." She said firmly, "We will be continuing our work on simple transfiguration today. Please take a set of toothpicks each, and we will attempt to turn them into pins. That means you too, Miss Vane, so magazine away."

Violet went up to the top of the class to get toothpicks for her and Ginny while Romilda scowled and did as she was told. Magnus Gilchrist and Euan Neill were whispering at the front and glancing in Violet's direction. What were they talking about? She shook her head and went back to her desk with a now familiar feeling of dread.

The class went the same way as Charms, as Defence against the Dark Arts, as every class went whenever she tried to use magic. Transfiguration was the hardest of them all, but everyone else was at least making some sort of progress. Even Ginny, tired looking as she was, managed to make her toothpick look a little shinier. As for Violet, she may as well have sat with her wand in her bag for the entire double period. No matter how many times she tried, her toothpicks remained completely unchanged. Great to see she was as good at magic as she was at everything else.

When the bell went, she handed the toothpicks back to Professor McGonagall, packed her bag and left before the teacher could notice how pink her cheeks were.

"Hey, Potter," Euan Neill asked once they were out in the corridor, "Is it true that your brother dropped a trifle on a muggle's head this summer because he was annoyed?"

"How did you hear about that?" Violet asked in surprise before she could stop herself.

"So, he did do it?" Magnus Gilchrist didn't look surprised.

"He didn't!" Violet said quickly, "It wasn't him!"

"I heard he got a warning from the Ministry about using underage magic," Euan said.

"He didn't do it! It was-", She stopped herself. Who knew about Dobby? Who would even believe her?

Her silence seemed enough for Euan and Magnus, "Is it true you set a muggle on fire in your old school?"

"No!" She said quickly, "I didn't do it on purpose! It was before I knew I was a witch!"

She thought back to Transfiguration. Was she even a witch if she couldn't do the simplest magic on command?

The two boys looked at one another, "Is it true your brother is the Heir of Slytherin?" Magnus asked.

"The what?"

"The Heir of Slytherin. Everyone says he opened the Chamber of Secrets on Halloween."

"Of course he didn't!" Ginny spoke up angrily though she had gone even paler, "Do you seriously think that? Harry Potter, the heir of Slytherin?"

Magnus shrugged, "I dunno; why else was he there when the cat was attacked? Everyone says he knew Filch is a squib and that he tried to put him in detention."

"He wasn't there when Mrs Norris was attacked!" Violet had clenched her fists angrily. How can anyone think that about Harry? How stupid did they have to be? "He got there afterwards!"

"You would say that though," Magnus said stubbornly, though his cheeks had gone a little pink, "You were there too."

"I wasn't!" Violet shouted so loudly that the whole corridor went quiet. Everyone was staring at her but for the first time, she didn't care. Blood was pounding in her ears, "I wasn't there when Mrs Norris was attacked! Harry wasn't there! He would never attack anyone! He's not the heir of Slytherin or anyone!"

"That will do!" Professor McGonagall strode up the corridor from her classroom. Her lips were very thin, "Miss Potter, Mr Gilchrist, two points from Gryffindor for fighting in the corridor."

"But Professor!" Violet protested. This was so unfair!

"That is enough, Miss Potter," Professor McGonagall turned her sharp eyes on Violet and Violet felt herself wilt under the gaze, "Whatever you are shouting about, there is no need for it in the corridors-"

"He thinks Harry is the heir of Slytherin!" Violet interrupted her angrily, "He's stupid enough to think Harry would hurt anyone!"

Professor McGonagall looked astonished and took a deep breath, "That is utter nonsense. Mr Potter is no more the heir of Slytherin than you, Mr Gilchrist. I will have no more of this gossip. Now, on to your next class. Move along! Miss Potter, please wait here."

Ginny and Colin, who was looking on with a mixture of fascination and alarm, hovered a little longer than everyone else but soon left them alone. Violet's breath was still coming sharply, and she kept thinking of Magnus' stupid thin face over and over again. How could anyone be so thick!

"Miss Potter," Professor McGonagall spoke a little less firmly, "There will be a lot of silly rumours around this attack. The headmaster is satisfied that Harry and you were not involved but people will talk. If you allow it to bother you, then this will be a very long and difficult year for you. Mrs Norris will be revived by the end of the year and then no more will be said about it."

"Yes, Professor," Violet's anger drained away as Professor McGonagall spoke. It was like being back in muggle school again, when Dudley had picked on Harry for the stupidest things. She turned to leave.

"And Miss Potter," Professor McGonagall was stern once again, "A further point from Gryffindor for your rudeness. I appreciate your frustrations, but I will not have students speaking to staff in the manner you spoke to me just now. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Professor," Violet lied. It was hardly her fault but there was no point arguing that.

Despite Professor McGonagall's advice, Violet couldn't help but notice the stares and whispers as she walked through the castle, whispers that went very quiet whenever she got close. She knew people were watching her and students avoided her eye any time she passed. It was horrible, knowing they were talking about her, what they were saying about her and her brother. Talking to Harry confirmed that he was getting the same, but he seemed less concerned about it than her. As he said, he was used to it anyway. It still wasn't as bad as last year, apparently.

Violet was glad when the weekend came, when she could get out of the castle and walk the grounds. It was early in the morning; Ginny was having a lie in, and Colin was developing the photos he'd taken during the week. She didn't even bother asking Romilda. She had so many things to do to her hair on a Saturday that they would be lucky if they saw her before dinner.

It had been raining overnight and the air was wonderfully cool and fresh. Violet was wearing the thickest coat she owned over her robe but even she could feel the chill. There were no whispering students around so she could enjoy the birdsong as she walked near the forest.

Ahead she paused as she spotted another figure walking in an expensive cloak. Even from this distance, the long, pale blonde hair made it obvious who it was.

She considered shouting to Atia but the memory of her sneer the last time they had spoken floated into her mind. Better leave her alone, why ruin both their mornings with the rudeness. She dreaded to think what Atia would say about the rumours.

"Mornin' you."

Violet jumped. Hagrid was standing behind her in his thick, moleskin overcoat and carrying a crossbow. Fang the boarhound panted happily beside him.

"I didn' sneak up on you?" Hagrid's beetle-black eyes were twinkling beneath his beard.

"No," she lied a little breathlessly, "Hi Hagrid, how are you?"

"I was goin' to as' the same of you," Hagrid leant a little closer to her, "Hear' the rumours up at the school. You doin' okay?"

"Fine," She looked away so he couldn't see her annoyance, "It's just gossip."

"'course it is," Hagrid nodded in agreement, "Jus' people being stupid. Tha's all. Always somethin' going aroun'. Anyone wi'h a brain in their heads know Harry didn' do anythin'. Don' let it bother ye."

"I wish it was that easy," She sighed and looked back to him.

"I know," He patted her sympathetically on the shoulder and her knees buckled a little.

"What's that for?" She nodded at the crossbow.

"Ah," Now Hagrid looked away, "It's nothin' serious. Jus' hearin' rumours about somethin' somewhere in the Fores' it shouldn' be."

"Are we safe?" Violet bit her lip as that sounded rather serious. She had been doing that so much recently it had started to sting, "It's not going to hurt anyone?"

"Well," Hagrid shifted uncomfortably, "I was lookin' for it there and couldn' find the poor critter. All the same, probably bes't ta stay away from the fores' fer a while."

"Okay," She nodded and watched as Hagrid stomped back into the forest with Fang at his side. What could possibly be in there that would concern the gamekeeper so much? From Harry's letters, Hagrid's view on what could be called a 'critter' was wildly more forgiving than anyone else's. Best to stay out of his way then.

She had taken a few steps towards the castle with thoughts of breakfast and maybe finishing Gadding with Ghouls when a terrible thought struck her.

Atia! She had no idea about the creature in the forest!

Violet heisted and looked back up the castle. She had no chance of finding Hagrid in the Forest, but should she try and find someone else? A teacher early at breakfast? Did she even have time? If there was something out there and she ran into it, what was she supposed to do? If Atia got into trouble, how could she help, useless as she was?

She took a breath. Atia had to be warned.

Violet set off back towards the Forest. There was a chance she wouldn't even find Atia, or that she had gone back up to breakfast already. The Forest was huge after all, maybe the creature was at the opposite end?

Even so, she had to be sure.

She walked around the edge of the Forest, no longer listening to the birdsong and eyes strained for a sight of white-blonde hair. How far had she gone? She didn't actually go into the trees, surely? No one was supposed to, Dumbledore had said so.

The longer she looked, the less tense she was. Atia must have gone back up to the castle, or maybe Hagrid had chased off whatever the danger was. It was fine.

She was just debating whether to turn back herself when she heard a scream. Her blood ran cold.

Without thinking she took off towards the Forest, heart pounding in her chest.

It didn't feel like she had gone very far when she came to a clearing of thick roots and colossal trees. There was barely any light, the canopy was so thick overhead.

Atia was laying amongst the tree roots, her pale face livid with fear as she tried to back away from...

Violet screamed at the sight. It was a spider, not the harmless little things that had lived under the stairs in Privet Drive but the size of a large dog with 8 long, hairy, horrible legs and empty eyes the size of snooker balls. It was approaching Atia slowly, as if savouring the moment, its pincers clicking in what sounded like delight.

It ignored Violet's scream as it got closer and closer to Atia. There was nowhere else for her to go.

Do something!

Violet picked up a heavy piece of wood from the ground and threw it with all her might. It bounced off the spider's back and it whipped around on those long legs to face her, clicking furiously. She looked into those eyes and her stomach lurched alarmingly.

The spider charged.

Violet backed up as fast as she ever had in her life. She could not take her eyes from the monster. She tripped and hit the ground with a painful thud. It was nearly on top of her. There had to be something to help! Anything!

Her fingers griped something cold and slimy. She thrust up just as the spider closed in around her, legs to either side. The sharpened stick went right up between the creature's pincers. It backed away, clicking in pain, and lashing out with its foremost legs.

Violet reached inside her pocket and pulled out her wand though her hands was shaking so much she could barely hold it. What was she supposed to do? There were no spells for this! Nothing in Defence against the Dark Arts! How was she supposed to fight off a spider!

The painful clicking had turned angry and it launched itself at her. She had no time to think, no time to react before it was back above her. The smell turned her stomach, like rotten meat. The pincers were dripping with something awful, something slimy. Violet closed her eyes.

A fierce light burst from her wand and bathed the clearing in a furious, golden glow. The spider was hurled back against an oak and landed with a loud, panicked squeak. It landed heavily on its eight legs and scrambled for the safety of the darkness, disappearing amongst the trees.

The light faded slowly and soon they were in dullness once again. Violet lay for what felt like an eternity with only her sharp, short breathing for company. She was still shaking all over and clutching her wand tightly in both hands. She looked up into distant canopy. How was she still alive?

Atia!

She climbed to her feet and instantly stumbled amongst the roots. Her legs felt like jelly and the world lurched from side to side as she wobbled over to the other tree roots. Atia was lying on her back, face pinched and deathly pale, hair tangled and messy around her shoulders. Her arms and face were criss-crossed with cuts, but she didn't seem hurt. But for her rapidly rising and falling chest, she could have been petrified.

"Are you okay?" Violet gulped between breaths.

Atia didn't answer for a long time.

"I thought," She finally said in an unnaturally high-pitched voic. There was no hint of a sneer, "I thought…"

Her lip was trembling.

Violet helped her to her feet, though it was hard to tell who was supporting who more. Then, out of the blue, Atia threw her arms around her. Violet flinched at the touch but there was no breaking the girl's grip. Her whole body was shaking.

So Violet hugged her back.

There came a crashing and banging from the forest. The girls split as if someone had passed an electric current through them, but it was Hagrid with his crossbow raised and no sign of Fang.

"Than' ruddy goodness," Hagrid panted. There were countless twigs and branches sticking out of his wild hair and beard, "Are ye hur'?"

"I don't think so," Violet's voice sounded very pained to her own ear, "We're okay."

"Even so," Hagrid drew himself up to his full height, "Come 'ere, I'll bring ye up te the hospital wing."

As they followed the Gamekeeper out of the Forest, Violet and Atia stayed very close together.