Disclaimer: Harry Potter and friends belong to J.K. Rowling. I make no money from this story.

A/N: Any italics in the story are either flashback/thoughts or quoted directly from the books.

Please review, your feedback helps my writing improve and inspires me to write more content more often. ;)

Also – bold lettering is Parseltongue.

HLP 2 – Slytherin Secrets

Chapter 6:

"Please explain to me how two intelligent young women managed to miss the Hogwarts Express," Professor Snape enquired as they turned down an unused hallway near the office of the train station.

"We're not sure, sir. The wall was solid. We crashed right into it when we tried to go through," Harriet replied, still confused over the closing of the portal.

"The Headmaster will look into it. I am sure there were probably complaints from parents who tried to return the same way," Snape assured them.

Rhonda, who looked like she'd been puzzling something over in her mind, spoke up, "Excuse me, Professor, but how do you know Miss Granger?"

"That is really none of your concern, Miss Weasley. I suggest you find something else to occupy your mind other than my private life," Snape's voice was coldly formal. Harriet glanced over at him, disconcerted by the change in his tone. A moment later they stopped walking and Professor Snape looked around. The moment he was certain no one was watching, he pulled out a book and tapped it with his wand. "PORTUS."

The book glowed blue.

"This is a portkey, it leaves in thirty seconds. I need you both to place your hands on the book. Don't let go," he instructed, holding the book out.

They both placed their hands on the book, Rhonda more tentatively than Harriet.

"I hate portkey travel," Rhonda muttered just before the hook sensation anchored itself in their stomachs and they found themselves being pulled elsewhere.

HLPHLPHLP

They arrived in Hogsmeade well before the Hogwarts express. Professor Snape, now back to his strict professor demeanor, escorted them briskly to the gates of Hogwarts where Professor McGonagall stood waiting.

"Thank you, Severus," McGonagall said when he turned the girls over to her.

He nodded, hurrying off toward the castle, his black jacket billowing behind him like his robes. Harriet snickered when she saw this. McGonagall's eyes turned towards her.

"Something funny, Miss Potter?"

"No, ma'am," Harriet whispered, a bit intimidated by the stern woman.

Professor McGonagall continued to eye her for a bit, "very well, come with me. You two can help me finish setting up the transfiguration classroom, and while you are at it, you can tell me how two of my brightest students managed to miss the Hogwarts Express." She turned on her heel and strode away. Rhonda and Harriet hurried behind, struggling to keep up.

A little while later Harriet struggled to levitate the last desk into place as Rhonda finished explaining the situation at King's Cross Station.

"I see. Very well, you girls may head down to the great hall now, the rest of the students will be arriving soon," Professor McGonagall instructed.

Harriet and Rhonda were sitting at the Gryffindor table in the great hall when the rest of the students drifted in.
"There you are, I've been looking all over for you," Herman exclaimed as he slid into the seat next to Rhonda. "What happened to you two anyway?"

"The barrier closed on us. The headmaster sent Professor Snape to escort us to the school. We'll tell you more later," Harriet whispered as Professor McGonagall placed the sorting hat on the stool at the front of the hall. Around her, the mumbling trickled to a halt as the first years were escorted in. Harriet could see Gryff standing nervously in the center of the crowd, when their eyes met, she gave him a reassuring smile. He smiled nervously back, his hands clutching a thin black book. Harriet felt a sharp twinge in her scar for a moment and subconsciously raised her hand to her forehead.

"Are you alright?" Rhonda whispered.

"I think so. My scar just hurt for a moment, that's all."

Harriet listened indifferently as many of the first years were sorted. She wasn't surprised with Percival Abbott made it into Hufflepuff with his sister, or when an obviously Muggleborn boy by the name of Colin something was sorted into Gryffindor. She did frown and blink her eyes rapidly though when a camera flash-bulb went off in her face.

"Oy, what was that for?" Herman demanded.

"She's Harriet Potter. I've wanted to meet her for so long," Colin gushed, turning to Harriet, "Can I have your autograph."

Harriet growled. "I don't sign autographs and I hate my fame. Don't ask me again." She was still worrying over the strange events at King's Cross, and her uncle's odd behavior toward Cassandra Granger. She'd never seen him act so out of character in front of a student before. Her attention was drawn back to the great hall as 'Weasley, Gryffin' was called. Harriet watched, a bit surprised, as the sorting hat took its time deliberating over his placement. Finally, after what seemed like forever, but was probably closer to two minutes, the sorting hat finally called out "GRIFFINDOR!"

Harriet gave a welcoming smile as Gryffin slid into the seat next to her. She'd deliberately tried to leave space, hoping he'd be sorted into their house. Gryffin quickly tucked the thin book into his robes.

"What is that?" Harriet asked, curiously.

"Oh, it's just my journal, Dad got it for me," he explained.

"Oh. How was the train ride?" she asked.

"It was good. I sat with little Luna Lovegood and a kid named Colin Creevy, Oh, hi Colin," he said, noticing the boy sitting across from them. Colin just frowned a bit, nodding his head in response.

"What's up with him?" he asked.

"I don't like rabid fans," Harriet muttered, taking a scoop of the mashed potatoes that had just appeared in front of her. She slid the bowl toward Gryff and reached for the tray of glazed carrots next.

Gryffin glanced from her to Colin, and back again. "Oh. He's harmless, he just doesn't understand."

"I get that, but very few people seem to," she replied. "Don't get me wrong, Uncle Toby is great, but I'd give anything, most especially all of my fame just to have my mum and dad back."

Colin colored across from her, suddenly understanding where she was coming from. "I'm sorry," he whispered, "I didn't think about that."

"Few do. Your apology is accepted. Please ask before taking pictures of someone in the future though."

"Right," he turned his focus toward filling his plate heaping full of food.

Gryff squeezed Harriet's hand beneath the table, "if you ever want to talk about it, I'm here," he whispered quietly.

Harriet sent him a small smile, "thanks, I may take you up on that some time." They enjoyed the remainder of their meal in peace, the quiet murmuring of discussions going on around them unable to penetrate the quiet air. Harriet thought about her parents as she ate and all they had sacrificed for her. It was obvious after the incident last year that Voldemort wasn't fully dead and she was determined that prophesy or not, she would not allow their sacrifice to be in vain. Even Professor Dumbledore's introduction of Lockheart as the new DADA professor, and other announcements could not penetrate the melancholy that was slowly beginning to settle over her.

"Hey, you alright?" Rhonda asked as the headed to their dorms.

"Yeah, just thinking about my parents."

"Oh," Rhonda fell quiet beside her as they both stepped over the trick stair.

OoOoOoO

A/N: Sorry about the delay in posting. I finished finals for the quarter and have been recuperating.