'Why am I crying? What's wrong with me?' Lorelei stopped running to catch her breath. She was sobbing, on the verge of hysterics. She put her hands on her knees and took deep breaths to calm herself. There was no way she could walk into the common rooms crying, everyone would notice and her friends would definitely question her.

Lorelei was in no state of mind to answer any questions, she wasn't even sure what was wrong. Why was she so hurt by Filch's words? Of course he thought no more of her than a bothersome student. She shouldn't care what he thought of her, but for some reason it made her heart sink.

After some deep breathing and refocusing her thoughts, Lorelei felt composed enough to go back to Slytherin's common room. She managed to make it to bed without having to make more than small talk with a few people. Myra and Beth were still in the Great Hall doing Charms homework

Lorelei tossed her books on the floor and climbed into bed, not even bothering to take her school robes off. She fell asleep with tears wetting her pillowcase.

"Are you feeling okay?" Beth asked with concern.

Lorelei looked up from her breakfast, chin in her palm. "Hmm?" She yawned.

"Is something wrong, Lorelei? You were in bed before we got back, but you look like you've barely slept." Myra asked.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Just had a difficult study session is all." Lorelei winced inwardly at having to lie to her friends. She didn't feel ready to try and explain what she was feeling to them.

"Transfiguration again?" Myra said.

"You know it." Lorelei forced a tired smile.

Myra and Beth accepted Lorelei's excuse. "You'll have to show me what was causing you so much trouble later and I'll give you a hand with it." Myra offered.

"That would be awesome. Thank you, Myra." Lorelei yawned again. "I think I'm going to go back to the dorms and take a nap."

"Alright. I hope you feel better after your nap." Beth said with a smile.

Lorelei got up from the table and walked back to the Slytherin dorms. She was walking down an empty hallway, most students were at breakfast or visiting family over the weekend, when she felt someone's presence behind her. She glanced over her shoulder and her heart leapt into her throat; Filch was following her.

Lorelei swallowed hard and straightened her shoulders. She quickened her step.

"Wait!"

Lorelei froze mid-step. What did he want? She heard Filch's footsteps get closer and stop behind her. Lorelei closed her eyes, took a breath, and turned around. She forced herself to open her eyes and meet his gaze. "What?"

Filch fidgeted nervously. He reached into his coat and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "You dropped this last night when you ran away."

Lorelei looked down at the folded piece of paper he held out and blushed, she recognized the writing on the back. "You weren't supposed to see that!" Lorelei snatched the paper from Filch's hand and stuffed it in a pocket of her robe. "Should've just thrown it away." She mumbled to herself.

"Why?" He asked, unexpectedly soft.

Lorelei lifted her head. "What do you mean?"

"Why did ya draw that?"

"I… I don't know." Lorelei stuttered. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest and was surprised Filch couldn't hear it. "I guess, for some stupid reason, I wanted to do something that would make you smile."

Filch didn't know how to respond to that. "Why does it matter if I smile or not, eh?"

"I know it shouldn't, but I can't help how I feel." Lorelei sighed and the words tumbled out before she could stop them. "Ever since that day I met you, I haven't been able to get you out of my head. You always look so sad for seemingly no reason. Every time I would see you and smile or wave I was secretly hoping you would smile back."

Filch was stunned, he couldn't find his voice for a moment. They stood in awkward silence, the noises of the Great Hall echoing down the empty corridor. Lorelei was trying not to shake with nerves while Filch was opening and closing his mouth, still speechless.

"I just want to see you happy." Lorelei whispered into the silence.

Filch shook his head. "Why? I don't understand. I'm the nobody Caretaker. A Squib, basically useless."

Lorelei looked deep into Filch's pale grey eyes. "I wish I could say why, but even I have no idea. Something inside me is drawn to you. Maybe it's the part of me that knows what it's like for everyone to ignore you and shove you in a corner because you aren't what they wanted you to be. And last night when you said … those words." Lorelei swallowed back tears. "That feeling, whatever it is, was only deepened, as strange as that may seem."

Lorelei took a hesitant step forward. "Filch," Now that everything was out in the open, what did she have to lose? "Would you let me be your friend? Please?"

Filch stared at Lorelei in amazement, all trace of grumpiness gone from his weathered face. "You really want to do that?"

"Oh yes!" Lorelei clasped her hands together earnestly. "More than anything, I want to be your friend."

"You can't fall behind on your classes." What was he doing?

"Of course not," Lorelei agreed. Was he going to say yes?

"And no rule breaking." Why wasn't he saying no and walking away?

Lorelei put her hand over her heart. "I wouldn't dream of it." She smirked.

"Ah, whatever." Filch blushed and looked away. "Do what ya want."

A huge grin spread its way across Lorelei's face and she struggled to maintain her composure. "You have a deal. Keep up with my classes and no rule breaking. I can do that, easy." Before Filch could get a chance to take back his words, Lorelei said farewell and hurried off, a new spring in her step.

"You're looking a lot better." Myra commented the next day as they worked on their Transfiguration homework. "That must have been one bloody good nap."

Lorelei laughed. "It was exactly what I needed."

Beth looked up as a bespectacled boy walked past. Once he was out of earshot she said, "I can't believe we go to the same school as Harry Potter."

"Who's that?" Lorelei asked. Her friends sounded like they knew this Harry person.

Myra and Beth looked at Lorelei in disbelief. "You don't know of Harry Potter?" Myra gasped.

"The boy who lived?" Beth said.

Lorelei shook her head. She had no idea who they were getting so worked up about.

"Wow. So you probably don't know who He Who Must Not Be Named is?" Myra asked.

"Nope. Doesn't ring a bell."

Beth leaned towards Lorelei conspiratorially. "Let's just say he was one bad wizard that got a lot of innocent witches and wizards tortured, or worse."

"Oh my gosh, that's awful!" Lorelei gasped. "I don't know how I haven't heard of him."

"I guess that makes sense. You were originally from America after all." Myra said.

"What about this Harry Potter kid? What's so special about him?"

"Allegedly he is the only person who has survived coming face-to-face with He Who Must Not Be Named. I guess he has a scar on his forehead from the encounter." Beth explained.

"That's crazy." Lorelei said in disbelief.

"Thank goodness we don't have to worry about him anymore. He's been gone for quite a few years now." Myra said.

The girls sat in silence for a few moments.

"Anyways… Myra, can you explain that problem to me again?" Lorelei looked down at her Transfiguration worksheet.