Harry Potter 1. Default Chapter

The Missing Link

The Missing Link

Prologue

By Jade Shadow

A/N: Here's my third fic for this site. I'm not sure how long it's going to be, and there will probably be sequels. Told from Harry's sister's POV. PLEASE R/R so I know if I should continue this. No flames, please. I don't appreciate those. And I know this is short; hopefully the rest will be better.

Disclaimer: Lily Elizabeth Potter is mine, but everything else probably belongs to JK Rowling. 

I sat in my room. It was dark in the cellar, but I didn't want to light a lamp for another hour, in case one of the Malfoys woke up. I would probably be punished and, though I was used to it, it was not pleasant. Not that it was meant to be pleasant or anything. 

I heard footsteps above. In the past few months, Lucius and Narcissa's mood had been highly agitated. I wasn't sure what made them like this and, of course, I asked no questions. Instead I kept to myself and continued life as a good little servant girl. It wasn't much, but this life was all I knew and I doubted that I'd have any other place to go. At least, I had never been told of any other place I could go. Not that the Malfoy's ever talked to me much. Mostly, they treated me like a house-elf, although I did do the laundry. Unlike Dobby, the house-elf who had been my only companion. But he had been freed under mysterious circumstances two years earlier. I was all alone now.

More footsteps and an agitated voice that sounded like Narcissa. I sighed and got out of bed, pulled off my threadbare nightgown and changed into my servant uniform-much like the pillowcases the house-elf wore, although mine was long enough and had a waist. It was stained from two years of work. I needed a larger one, but I did not dare ask for one. I was due a new one in three years anyway. I pulled my long red hair back with a string and sat back down.

It was then I heard a new voice. Not Draco's-he was still at Hogwarts, obviously-but a cold, high-pitched voice I didn't recognize. Then it was gone, replaced by Lucius. The footsteps were louder, and I could hear his voice.

"We've kept her down here, sir, in the cellar."

The voice stopped right above me, and suddenly I heard the creak of the door opening. I stood, smoothed my dress, turned on my lamp, and waited.

First Narcissa came in, looking nervous, and checked me over. Then she practically jumped out of the way, as Lucius came in, followed by his strange guest. The guest was tall, with slick black hair and pale, clear skin. His face was cut open by a thin slit for his mouth and two nostrils, like those of a snake. His red eyes glowed as the warm coals glowed in the morning.

"So," he said softly, and the scar on my forehead hurt. I pushed the pain away and watched, though the more he looked at me the more my head throbbed. "So. This is the Potter girl."

His mouth curved upward in a cruel, amused smile. "Yes, I am," I said, standing up as straight as I could. "What's it to you?"

Narcissa and Lucius looked horrified, but the man laughed. "Feisty, are we? I should think thirteen years of slavery would have broken you."

I narrowed my green eyes. "Why should it?"

He smiled again. "Do you not know who I am?" He reached out with a pale, spidery finger and stroked my cheek.

I pulled back and glared. "Don't. Do. That."

He laughed and pulled on a strand of my hair. "You did not answer my question…Lily."

When he said my name I felt cold all over. My scar went from throbbing to burning, and I knew he had power over me. I fought my urge to shrink back and pulled my hair out of his fingers. "No, I don't. Should I?"

"Why, my dear, loyal servant…" I jerked back and winced at this, and a cunning look gleamed in his eyes, "I am…Lord Voldemort."

Shock rippled through me, but I refused to let it show. "Lord Voldemort, huh?" I ran an appraising eye over him. "Not too impressive, although you _are_ supposed to be this bodiless spirit floating throughout Albania…"

He laughed again, a laugh I soon learned to ignore. "Yes, well…my _loyal_ servants have aided me in my quest for my powers…and Harry Potter." He spat the name out like a curse.

"So you killed him?" I tried to keep my emotions at a minimum. 

Any mirth, cruel or otherwise, disappeared from his face. "I would have, had there not been unforeseen side affects…_Priori Incatatem_, for one…and the total incompetence of my Death Eaters…"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lucius narrow his eyes and Narcissa frown. Voldemort didn't notice. "So," I said, "been nice meeting you. Good night."

An eyebrow raised. "Good night?" he echoed. "But…my dear, the night is young, and there is much work to do."

I narrowed my eyes. "Work?"

"Of course. Your training for your upcoming job as my spy." He sounded pleased with himself.

I almost closed my eyes, but I could still see those burning red cat's eyes burning holes into my head. Literally. "What makes you think I'll be your spy?"

"The fact, my dear, that you'll be able to watch Harry."

I stiffened. The one thing I'd wanted over the years, besides a giant clock with which to rewind time and change the past, was to meet Harry. One of my last living relatives…my brother. And now, here, I was being offered the chance to do that…by the man who killed my parents and had made my life a living hell.

Voldemort watched me closely as I struggled. Finally, though, my maturity melted away. "What," I said softly, trembling, "do you want me to do?"

"Watch Dumbledore and Mr. Potter," he said simply. "Inform me of what they seem to be doing."

"And I would…" I trailed off, unwilling to finish my question.

"Be in my favor."

"So?"

He leaned in close. "So, when I achieve my goal, you won't be a causality. Assuming, of course, that I don't kill you first."

"Is that a threat?" I asked.

"If you interpret it that way," he said quietly.

"Fine," I said. "I'll give you my answer tomorrow."

He nodded. "Agreed. Good night, Miss Potter."

I watched him leave, followed by Lucius and Narcissa, who turned off my lamp. I changed back into my nightgown and lay down. 

So. He had finally returned. It was strange, but deep down, I knew it had to happen. And I knew I had to serve him, too. It was my destiny or something. Oh, well. I had all of tomorrow to dwell on it. I rolled over and was instantly asleep, dreaming of Harry, my parents, and our last night together.

A/N: That was shorter than it should have been. SORRY! The next chapter will explain my concept of Lily and how exactly she manages to exist…PLEASE R/R!!!!!


	2. Chapter I *here I go!*

The Missing Link

By JadeShadow

Chapter One

Disclaimer: As badly as I might want them, I can't own Harry, Hermione, Ron, and co. They belong to the genius JKR.

A/N: Here's the first chapter!!!!! Ummmmmmmmmmmmmm…not much else to say!!!!! PLEASE R/R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

            I suppose I should tell whoever might see this who I am. I am Lily Elizabeth Potter. Potter as in Harry Potter. I know everyone thinks I don't exist, but here I am. I was born on July 31, five minutes after Harry. I was a bit of a surprise, really. Mum and Dad knew that there would be two, but everything pointed to two _boys_. I am a bit of an oddball, I suppose. Anyway, as everyone knows, Harry "defeated" Voldemort the same night his parents died. However, since they couldn't find me, Dumbledore and the others in charge of Harry's welfare decided to hide all evidence of my existence, so Harry wouldn't be tortured in his later years. Actually, they didn't really need to. The Malfoys had been instructed to destroy or remove everything about me from the records. I was to become a "shadow child" of sorts. 

            I grew up with the name Lily. As a small girl, I didn't have to do a lot of hard work, so I usually played with Draco. At first, it was fun, but when we hit five he started parading past me all the things he had that I didn't. About that time, I was given my first servant uniform and told to move into the cellar. I didn't protest-what could I say? Narcissa often told me the only reason she kept me was so I could be sold when I was older. Sometimes I'm not sure if Lucius remembered I existed. He tried to forget the many things he had done as a Death Eater. Not out of any remorse or anything, but because he was afraid of severe questioning. Although with all his Malfoy money (Malfoy seems to be a synonym for "dirty"), he really didn't have anything to worry about; a large amount of money got him through his first few years after Voldemort's "demise."

            When I was seven a small article appeared in the _Dailey Prophet_. Since I often read the paper after they (the Malfoys) were done with it, I usually ignored the front page while carrying laundry through the house. (House-elves aren't allowed to touch clothes-it'll free them-so I ended up with laundry duty almost every day.) However, on this fateful day, Narcissa was frowning heavily at the front page. She opened up the paper, and I paused with my basket of clothes and read aloud (Draco was nearby, and he couldn't read yet; he always made me read out loud), "Harry Potter-A Where Is He Now?"

            Draco scowled at me. "I hate Harry Potter. Keep reading; see if they say something bad about him."

            Narcissa rolled her eyes. "Draco, honey, you must pretend that you like him. You know, it wouldn't be proper if-"

            Seeing Draco's face turn red, I quickly continued. "Harry Potter-the great little hero who defeated You-Know-Who, turned seven last Friday." I paused. "Hey, that's my birthday. Anyway…" I paused, searching for my spot. "Oh, yeah. At one year of age, he became the single most famous wizard around, excluding Albus Dumbledore and You-Know-Who. He now lives with his Muggle aunt and uncle. His parents, Lily and James Potter, were killed in the attack that made him be so famous. At the moment, Dumbledore-"

            Draco stuck his tongue out. "Stupid perfect little hero."

            I looked up at Narcissa. "Narcissa, my parents were named Lily and James, weren't they?"

            "Yes. Harry's your twin brother." Narcissa appeared bored.

            "What?" Draco shrieked. "Is _she_ perfect too, Mummy?"

            "No," replied Narcissa calmly, "no, sweetie, she's our servant. If she were perfect, she would look like a princess. Okay, Draco darling?"

            "But she does look like a princess! Mummy, can you make me look like a prince?"

            "Last time she did that, Draco, you looked like a horse for a week," I piped up.

            I received glares from both angles at that. "Girl, do you want your hair cut off again?" Narcissa said sweetly.

            The last time I had misbehaved so badly that my wavy, deep red hair was cut off had been right after my fourth birthday. "No, ma'am." Suddenly I remembered an important detail. "Is Harry _really_ my brother?" I asked.

            Narcissa rested her pale blue gaze on me and smiled in a cruel, thoughtful way. "Yes, Lily. Now, you want your brother to be proud of you when he meets you someday, right?" I nodded. "Then don't mess up. The closer to perfection you are, the better he'll like you. The worse you are, the more he'll shun you. Your only family member will hate you."

            After that all I could do was nod solemnly. I had gotten used to what I called the "Perfection Factor," something the Malfoys judged me by to decide what minimal treat I should get. I had never dreamed that my own brother would use it. On the flip side, the Malfoys used it, and they were just like everyone else in the world, weren't they? Perfectly normal, kind people, as Lucius would say. So, _everyone_ used the Perfection Factor. It became imprinted in my mind, forcing me to do everything as perfectly as possible. I cried when I messed up. It had been a game, once, but then my punishments grew more severe.

            But I grew stiffer, stonier. Once, when I was nine, Lucius was so mad at me that he used the Cruciatus Curse on me, but all I did was cry silent tears. After that I endured the pain of one dose, so my doses of pain became stronger and stronger. I would hold it inside me until I was dismissed, then whatever unfortunate object was in my path would be blown away by the…magical power that burst from me. The power always scared me, and _that_ was when I would cry. But eventually, I stopped being afraid of my powers, too, especially after Draco came home from his first semester at Hogwarts and I could perform all the spells he knew perfectly right after reading the incantation. Of course, I got a dose of pain that day so horrible I did scream…but still, I was proud of what I did. Of who I was.

            I am Lily Elizabeth Potter. Daughter of the late Lily Evans Potter and James Potter. Twin of the famed Harry Potter. Beth. Servant of the Malfoys. Unwilling servant of Lord Voldemort. The girl with deep red hair, bright and intelligent green eyes, and one lightning-shaped scar on her forehead. Shadow child. The unknown factor. That girl. That-that Potter girl. Lil' Beth. __

_            Her_.

***

            Training for Voldemort could have been a lot worse. Most people would think it would be horrible, but that's only if you can't figure out how to do anything correctly. The only thing he hated was failure, and I rarely ever failed. When I did, however, he'd bring in a dementor, just for me, and torture me until I promised to do it right. Screamed my promise, actually. Everything haunted my dreams, everything I couldn't-or wouldn't-do. I refused to use any Unforgivable Curse on any person, or anything. He wasn't to pleased with my moral code, but after the fifteenth time of trying to convince me to perform the Imperius Curse on Draco, he backed off. He didn't stop trying, of course; he was too proud for that, and figured he'd trick me into it somehow.

            On my fifteenth birthday I got a break, which I used to practice my schoolwork. When I wasn't doing housework, anyway; Lucius and Narcissa still hadn't gotten themselves another house-elf, and I knew they would be horrified at the prospect of doing their own work once I left. Draco would be spared, obviously; he would be going to Hogwarts, same as me. This meant I had to learn everything up to fifth year, which really wasn't a problem, as far as I was concerned. I had already threatened Draco with several nasty curses, so I was sure he'd leave me alone.

            Not so. "Lily," he said, leaning his face down into the cellar room where I slept, "come up here."

            "No, Draco. Go away before I blast your head off." I was concentrating on a Summoning Charm.

            "Come on."

            "No."

            "I'll call Father."

            "Do I care? Your parents don't want to disobey _his_ wishes, do they? Are you trying to be impertinent?"

            "You're not above me in _his_ hierarchy."

            "I will be. Go away."

            "No, Lily dear. You simply must come ou-"

            Fed up with Draco's demands, I turned around, pointed my wand, and said, "_Accio_!" The piece of paper Draco had been smugly holding flew out of his hand and into mine. "Hmph. I think I've got that one down…now what's this? _Another_ messed up picture of Pansy? Draco, you simply must stop desecrating these pictures if you want her to believe you like her, this is the third one this week!"

            "Shut up, Lily. I hate the girl. And it's the same picture."

            "This is the third time you've destroyed it!" I protested, examining the picture. This time Pansy's ears had been switched with her eyes, creating a rather disgusting new look for the girl. "Anyway, can't you come up with something that brings out something?"

            "Anything I do just brings out her natural ugliness," Draco replied sullenly. "I wish I could get a picture of that Mudblood-"

            "Draco, if your parents find out you're obsessed with a Muggle-born-"

            "I'm not obsessed! I just want to get the honor of killing her."

            "Liar. You want to marry her."

            "No, I don't!"

            "Yeah, you do."

            "Girl!"

            "Imbecile!"

            "Hey!"

            I tossed him a sassy smile and turned around. "I'll get your picture fixed, Draco dear. Don't you worry, oky-doky?"

            I heard him mutter something obscene under his breath, but decided not to press the point. Draco was easily annoyed and irritated. He was angry when he discovered that his servant girl would have more prestige with Voldemort than he. Worse still was the fact that I would be going to Hogwarts, something I had dreamed of doing, and something that he had often flaunted in front of me. Instead I focused my attention on Pansy's picture. Living with the Malfoy's gave me a unique perspective into the unhappiness of Slytherin girls and the total male dominance they lived with. It was really sad, actually. Years of being dominated had made them all bitter. "Pansy, dear," I muttered as I focused my wand, "you really ought to find yourself a new boyfriend."  

A/N: Another short chapter, I know, I know…now the next chapter will explain how she's going to get into Hogwarts, etc. etc. etc.  So go R/R and I'll be forced to type my musings down on paper…I've been working on this for about two years, so it's been massaged a bit…a lot. But now people are reading it so…go R/R!!!!!!!


	3. Chapter II

Here's Chapter 2

Disclaimer: None of it's mine, except Lily.

           One day, in the midst of August, I was dusting the furniture in a parlor when Voldemort popped up in front of me. He had done it before, but I knew better than to act surprised. Constant vigilance, for we must be ready when the Master comes by, mustn't we. I merely continued dusting, waiting for him to yell at me for ignoring him. To my surprise, he clapped his hands and a small man appeared.

           I turned and raised my eyebrows. "Who's this?"

           Voldemort shrugged. "Peter Pettigrew, my loyal, if somewhat cowardly, Death Eater." He watched me, but I didn't say anything. There wasn't anything to say; after all, it was just a Death Eater. Lucius was a Death Eater. I grew up surrounded by Death Eaters, catering for Death Eaters, being taunted by Death Eaters' sons. 

           The Dark Lord seemed disappointed, but he continued, "I have here your papers for Hogwarts. You're the daughter of an American Muggle and an English wizard who are divorced; in any case, you grew up with your mother and had no idea what magic was until you began attending an American school for magic. You are now in England, staying with your aunt and uncle, and attending Hogwarts."

           "I'm American?"

           "I just said that," he replied testily. I took that as a clue to not press my luck. "Here; you have less than a month to prepare for your disguise. I will check on you. Come, Wormtail," he commanded, and with a swish of his cloak, he and Pettigrew were gone.

           I opened the envelope he had given me. It contained a letter from Hogwarts, accepting me as a student, a birth certificate, and a detailed biography of the girl I would pretend to be. I pulled that out and sat down to read it. Draco came in and leaned over my shoulder.

           "What's that?"

           "It's my papers for school, and for my disguise," I answered, not looking up.

           "Dorothy Brown? What kind of name is that?"

           "I didn't come up with it, _he_ did."

           "Was he here?"

           "Yeah, and he brought some guy named Pettigrew with him."

           "Really? What'd you say?"

           "Am I missing something?"

           Draco stared at me, then his lip curled in a sneer. _Most_ unattractive, and once again I failed to see why Pansy seemingly adored him. His blonde hair was perfectly combed, and he was still pale from staying inside, being pampered. "You don't know?"

           "Don't know what?" I demanded. "Stop it! You're being cruel!"

           "Father!" Draco yelled. "She just accused me of being cruel! She forgot her place! Again!"

           "I haven't done it all day!" I protested as Lucius came by, scowling.

           "Draco! Girl! _Crucio_!" He was gone.

           I sighed as the unpleasant sensation of needles lightly pricking me crawled over and under my skin, making me want to scratch. Draco laughed, and I smiled. His laugh died away and was replaced by a scowl, before returning to an arrogant sneer I saw every night before going to sleep. The expression would haunt me forever. 

           "Father hasn't figured out how resistant you are," he grumbled. "I'm leaving. Start dusting before I call Mother; she knows how to punish you." He purposefully bumped my shoulder as he left, causing me to drop what I was holding. I groaned as I picked up the papers as well as my dust rag. Draco never did things on accident. He always did or he did not. In school, he did not do, much to his parents' annoyance. I smiled grimly as I decided I would be ahead of him in every class. _That_ would get me into deep trouble, deeper than I probably wanted. Oh, well, life was for risk, and I was for life, in any case.

***

           A few days after that, while I was busy doing laundry, he showed up again. I scowled as he came towards me; Narcissa wanted everything to be cleaned before I left, so she wouldn't have to do any housework. A bit lazy, I supposed, but she needed time to stare in her mirror and moan about the cruelties of her life. I had heard she had been in Ravenclaw before Lucius had given her a Love Potion that lasted until Draco was born. I was younger than he was, and I didn't know what Narcissa had been like then. If she had been any different at all. 

           Back on track, Voldemort was holding out a goblet to me. I looked at him suspiciously. "I'm not drinking that until Draco does."

           "Don't be stupid. Drink. It's temporary," he said, glaring at me. "I don't want to hurt you."

           "Oh, well, if you're not going to kill me this go 'round, bottoms up." I took the goblet and downed the contents in one gulp, fighting the urge to spit it out. "Nasty."

           Voldemort watched me cunningly, then pointed his wand and said, "_Personifica Morphius_." I felt an immediate change and glanced down. I was taller than I had been. Frowning, I pulled my bangs into my eyes and gasped. My hair had gone from red to dark brown. I ran down the hall to a mirror and stopped short. I was completely different. My once-high cheekbones were longer, making my face wide instead of narrow. My now-brown hair fell to my shoulders instead of my waist. I was rounder and softer and looked as though I was well fed, not scraping leftovers from pans. My eyes were dark, nearly black, but the thing that startled me most was the lack of my scar. It was gone. I could still feel the headache I got when Voldemort was around, so I concluded that it had merely disappeared from my skin, not my brain.

           "Like it?" I jumped as I felt Voldemort's breath on my neck.

           I cursed and added, "Don't do that!"

           "I can do whatever I want, Miss Brown. This is your disguise for Hogwarts." His eyes were full of cruel amusement. 

"How'd you do this?"

"You had to drink that potion before I could perform the spell. You can reverse it whenever you want by simply repeating the spell's incantation." I made a mental note to never, ever drink anything he handed me again. "I would suggest, however, that you only reverse it when I am around; otherwise, there might be nasty results." With a swish of his cloak, he was gone, and I suspected I wouldn't see him again for a few months. Fine by me.

           "Lily, where are you-oh my God," said Draco, coming around a corner and skidding to a stop. "What happened to you?"

           "Can it, Malfoy," I snapped. "_Personifica Morphius_." I returned to normal and breathed a sigh of relief.

           "What happened?"

           "That's my school disguise."

           "Ah…Dorothy." Draco found this hilarious and consequently spent several minutes laughing. I snapped my fingers in front of his face and then sauntered off, keeping an upbeat face. Internally I was contemplating this new disguise, trying to figure out how unnoticeable I would actually be. 

I wandered down to my cellar, forgetting about the laundry. Once there, I looked in my trunk for Hogwarts, shifting clothes and robes around until I found my schoolbooks. I opened my Transfiguration book and pulled out my papers and stared at them. Suddenly I was very nervous. It occurred to me that I should have been nervous back when Voldemort had first shown up at the manor, but I also remembered that it had been after midnight when we had talked. Fine, that would be my freebie. Still, I was acting too lofty, considering the most powerful Dark wizard in centuries was controlling me…I realized I was scared senseless. I tried to consider the daughters of the Malfoy's friends, but I'd be getting to know them pretty well, anyway, when I was Sorted into Slytherin. I had no doubt that the Hat had been rigged.

I sighed and replaced the book in the trunk. It was late, and tomorrow I would be boarding the Hogwarts Express. I lay down on my cot and was soon asleep.

***

           I glanced around the train station nervously. "What's the matter," Draco muttered from beside me, "scared?"

           "Not on your life," I retorted. "Why'd your parents leave us?"

           "All you have to do is get on the stupid train."

           "With who?"

           "I don't know! Pansy or someone."

           "NO. I am NOT sitting with your girlfriend."

           "Why? She'll cue you in on my…better side." Draco paused to flash me a grin, before reaching out and grabbing my now-brown hair. "Enjoy it, Dorothy?"

           "No. Now shut up and go away; I think that's Crabbe waving at you."

           "Crabbe's too stupid to wave," Draco replied before pushing his trolley in Crabbe and Goyle's direction. A kind-looking conductor came and gently took my trolley away to be loaded onto the train. Taking a deep breath, I climbed on board the scarlet train. I searched until I found an empty compartment, then settled into the seat next to the window. The clock struck eleven, and I felt the great engine begin to pull away. The countryside passed by my eyes, but it had only been a minute before voices started coming toward me.

           I looked up as the compartment door slid open and two girls dragged in another, very cross-looking girl. They looked to be about my age, and the girl they had dragged in had brown, bushy hair and annoyed brown eyes.

           "Honestly, Lavender, Parvati, I am quite capable of taking care of myself, thank you!" she was saying in an aggravated voice.

           "No, Hermione," said the girl with darker hair and dark eyes.

           "Parvati-"

           "Hermione," cut in the other one, who I assumed to be Lavender, "you are not going to spend all your time with the boys this year!"

           "It's not healthy," Parvati added.

           "What's not healthy about it?" Hermione demanded, right before she spotted me, sitting quietly and staring up at them. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see you!"

           "What? Oh, hello," said Lavender, her strawberry blonde hair flashing with highlights. She and Parvati sat down across from me while firmly seating Hermione next to me. "I don't believe I recognize you."

           "Lav," said Parvati. "Really, be nice."

           "It's all right," I assured her. "I'm Dorothy Brown. I grew up in America, but my parents decided to send me to Hogwarts to finish my education." I held out my hand, which they shook, giving me strange glances.

           "You don't have much of an accent," Hermione noted. "I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, and that's Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. We're fifth years in Gryffindor."    

           "I visit my aunt and uncle every summer, and they live here," I told her. "What's a fifth year? What's Gryffindor?"

           "Fifth year means we're fifteen," said Lavender.

           "Gryffindor is one of the four Houses: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin," Parvati added.

           "Oh, neat!" I exclaimed. "I'm fifteen, too."

           "Great," said Lavender. "It's weird, though; I didn't realize that we had transfer students."

           "Well, I-" I started, but was distracted when I saw two boys standing in the doorway that we had forgotten to close.

           "Hermione?" said one of them uncertainly. He was tall, with lots of freckles and bright red hair. "Um, we were wondering…" He trailed off, looking a bit unnerved by Parvati and Lavender.

           "We commandeered her," Parvati explained easily. "She needs some female companionship with girls her age this year." She glared at both of them, as though challenging them to protest.

           "Well, we just wanted to ask her something," said the other one. I saw him and my heart stopped. It was Harry. His hair was messy, his glasses slightly crooked, and he looked exactly like I had expected. I couldn't help myself.

           "Eek," I squeaked. The other five whirled around and looked at me. "I'm sorry," I managed in a calmer voice, "but you-you're Harry Potter, aren't you?"

           "Yeah," he said, looking slightly bewildered.

           "This is Dorothy Brown, she's a new fifth year, and she's from America," Hermione told him.

           "Really?" said Harry.

           "Err, yes," I said.

           "Oh," he said. "Well, I hope you make it into Gryffindor. Best House, you know."

           "Yeah," I said. "I mean, if you're in it, then it must be the best, mustn't it?"

           Harry seemed to lack a reply, but his friend grinned mockingly and elbowed him with a knowing look. Harry glared. Parvati and Lavender rolled their eyes. Hermione sighed and settled back. 

           "Well," she informed them, "I think I'm stuck here, and unless you want to be surrounded by girls, you'd best leave."

           Harry looked terrified, especially when he glanced at Parvati, who raised her eyebrows. The other boy, however, glanced surreptitiously at Hermione but, deciding that abandoning Harry would be treason, waved good-bye. The duo left.

           "Are you okay?" Lavender asked.

           "That was Harry Potter," I murmured. "Oh my God, I just met Harry Potter!"

           "I know, I was like that when he was Sorted into Gryffindor," said Lavender. "I was Sorted before him-"

           "We all were," cut in Hermione, rolling her eyes.

           "-and when I realized we were going to have classes together, I nearly fainted," Lavender continued. "He was rather cute back then."

           "So young," sighed Parvati while Lavender giggled.

           "Honestly," snorted Hermione.

           "Are you a friend of his?" I asked, curious. I knew I had heard the name Granger somewhere…

           "Yes," said Hermione. "And Ron, that's the red-head boy. Ron Weasley."

           I couldn't help myself. After everything I heard about the Weasleys at the Malfoy house, I let out a soft, slightly arrogant, "Oh."

           Hermione glared at me. "What?"

           "Nothing," I said quickly. "It's just-well, I've heard my aunt and uncle talking about the Weasleys and, well, they don't like them very much." I winced. "I really am sorry-"

           A sudden commotion outside stopped me. Hermione stood and glanced outside. Groaning, she returned to her seat and closed her eyes, just as Harry and Ron came in, followed closely by Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle. Ron was flushed, glaring furiously at Draco, while Harry had grabbed his friend's robes to keep him from charging him down. Draco leaned against the doorway with a sneer on his face.

           "Well, we all know it's true," he said. "Why keep on denying it? Your father's going to give up soon and just go and join the Muggles. Good riddance."

           "Don't you dare say things about my father," Ron gritted through clenched teeth, fighting to get away from Harry.

           "Leave him alone!" said Hermione, standing up to help Harry restrain Ron. "The Weasleys far surpass your family!"

           "Oh, what would you know, you confused, stupid, filthy little Mudblood," Draco said in an arrogant half-snarl.

           I couldn't help myself. "You're Muggle-born?" I asked Hermione. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Draco glance at me, and the dangerous look in his eyes grew slightly more noticeable.

           "Yes," said Hermione. "And if that's a problem-"

           "Top of every class?" I interrupted.

           "Well I-yes," said Hermione, giving me a look that suggested I was a little more than slightly odd.

           I took one look at Draco's face and burst out laughing. I fell out of my seat, gasping for breath. Hermione and Harry stared at me, but Ron turned his glare onto me. :"What's so funny?" he asked.

           "Oh, well, nothing," I said.

           "What, are you shocked that a Muggle-born is beating everybody?" he shot at me.

           I scrambled up to face him. "No," I said. "And I really can't tell you-it could cause some individuals to come personal harm." I looked past him and caught Draco's eye. "And that really would be a shame…"

           Draco's hand came out to slap me, but after years of experience I was ready. I reached out, grabbed it, and pulled down. As his face turned to one of pain, I pulled him back up to face me. We stared into each other's faces; I saw the little boy I'd grown up serving, and he saw…who knew. His eyes narrowed, his forehead creased with pain, but I stared back coolly. Payback time, I thought to myself. Evidently, so did Draco. He slowly pulled back and dropped my hand, still staring at me as though I were mad. I suppose he was so used to me tolerating him that he never expected resistance. However, that was at home, where there were people strong enough to hurt me. Now we were at Hogwarts, and all the rules were changing. I glanced down at his hand and saw blisters rising up. Oops, I thought. I need more control my magic now.

He gave me one last look before turning heel, beckoning to Crabbe and Goyle, and leaving.

           "What was that all about?" Harry asked.

           Still staring at the door, I sat down and replied, "I've...been around Draco Malfoy before. Parties and such that his parents threw…my aunt and uncle are his parent's allies…not friends, exactly, but they usually get along, even though Uncle thinks they're all mad for power…."

           "Which they are," spat Ron, sitting between Hermione and me. Harry had released him and reluctantly sat next to Parvati, scooted as close to the window as possible.

           "What happened?" Hermione asked, looking at Ron in concern.

           Harry grimaced. "The usual. Came up talking about his family and Ron snapped."

           "He's glad," Ron spat, "glad that they managed to split Percy from the rest of us." He stopped abruptly, a look of pain crossing his face.

           "It's all right," said Hermione quietly, "it's not your fault." She reached out and squeezed his hand, while Ron looked down, grimacing. Harry, Parvati, and Lavender looked away uncomfortably. I sat back and thought.

           Hesitantly, I murmured, "Are you the one whose brother wants to be the Minister of Magic?"

           Ron looked up and muttered darkly about bloody Americans and gossip. Hermione gave him a stern look, which he caught. Half smiling, he muttered something else under his breath. Hermione slapped his knuckles, then pulled back her fingers and winced. After watching them for a minute, I looked at Lavender and Parvati with a questioning look. Parvati smiled knowingly, while Lavender shrugged and rolled her eyes, smiling as well. Neither Harry, Ron, nor Hermione caught this little exchange. 

           "Yes," said Harry finally, answering my question. "That's Percy Weasley."

           Ron looked up. "I'm Ron."

           "You know what I mean," Harry shot back. He heaved a sigh.

           There was an awkward pause, and then another girl entered the compartment. "Another Weasley," I blurted. I blushed as she squeezed in between Parvati and Harry. "I'm sorry-"

           "It's okay," she reassured me. "I'm the last Weasley, Ginny. Fred, George, Ron, and I are the only ones here at Hogwarts. I'm a fourth year." She paused for a second, then looked at Hermione and said brightly, "How was Bulgaria?"

           "You went to Bulgaria? You said you went to Germany!" Ron burst out. Hermione looked pained, and Ginny sent her a look of apology. "You lied!"

           "I wanted to have a nice holiday, thank you, and if you had known I went to Bulgaria you would have owled me at least once a day," Hermione retorted. "And yes, I did have a good time." She blushed.

           "How was Krum?" said Lavender. "Oh, you're so lucky!"

           "Viktor Krum?" I said, staring.

           "Yes, he's going out with Hermione," said Parvati. Hermione turned a deep shade of crimson and buried her head in a book she pulled out, refusing to look at Ron, who was staring at her in disbelief.

           "You _never_ lie!" he said. "The only times I've seen you lie were the time with the troll and the time with Lockhart!"

           Something about the way he said "Lockhart" made Hermione pull her head up and glare at him. "Thank you very much, I do not like Viktor because he's handsome-"

           "You think he's _handsome_?" Ron said in disbelief.

           "He's a better person than you," Hermione said angrily, "and that makes him handsome in _my_ eyes!" She stood and stormed out of the compartment. Harry sighed. Turning his head, Ron narrowed his eyes.

           "What?" he demanded.

           "It's the first day of term, and already you're fighting," said Harry. "Do you two _ever_ quit?"

           "No," said Ginny. "But Ron. Really. Getting into fights with her is _not_ going to make her like you."

           Ron stared at his sister impassively, but I could tell that the tips of his ears were red. Harry, however, was smirking; Parvati and Lavender had assumed I-told-you-so looks. "Oh, come on," said Ginny, grinning at her brother, "you two fight so much it's obvious."

           "Yeah," said Lavender, "the only part you're missing is the part where you make up after the fight."

           "Make up or make out?" said Parvati, struggling to keep a straight face.

           After a long moment of working his face into a semi-calm expression, Ron shrugged. "What does it matter if she's already got a boyfriend?"

           "Aw, poor Ronnie-" Ginny stopped at the dangerous look on her brother's face.

           Suddenly I found myself speaking up. "Well, it matters because eventually she'll break up with this Krum guy. Until then, you need to give her a reason to like you."

           Ron stared at me. "What would you know about these things?"

           "Absolutely nothing," I replied cheerfully. "Now I'm going to go get a snack. Anyone want anything?" 

           The others shook their heads, so I went through the open door, shutting it as I went. Across the hall was another compartment. Inside I saw Hermione, staring out the window, and Draco who had obviously snuck in so he could stare at her. I opened the door and slipped in. A large ginger cat sat on Hermione's lap, purring contented as she absentmindedly stroked it. Draco saw me enter, so I cheerfully sat next to him. "How'd you shake off Crabbe and Goyle?" I muttered.

           "Left them in the other compartment, Stunned," he muttered back. Hermione seemed oblivious to our presence.

           "Look, you can't aggravate me, or come around where I am," I whispered. "It looks suspicious from all angles."

           He smirked. "I already told everyone in Slytherin that you were my cousin, from my mum's side."

           "That tells everyone that you're mum was Muggle born," I replied.

           "Not if her maiden name was Brown," he muttered smugly. "Obviously this is how it's all set up-"

           "Hello!" said Hermione, sounding startled. Glaring at Draco, she said pointedly, "I think your friends are in your compartment." He slunk out, and she sighed. "I wouldn't be able to stand it if he liked me."

           "Slytherins don't like, they obsess," I corrected her. Shifting in my seat, I said uneasily, "Look, earlier, I lied. See, Draco's mum is my dad's sister….But around everyone, I really didn't want to…."

           "I understand; I wouldn't want to admit being related to him either," she assured me. Glancing back at the window, she half-murmured, "Why?"

           "Why what?" I asked.

           She smiled, a little pink. "Why do I like Ron so much? He really is a jerk-"

           "Sometimes," I finished for her.

           "Yes. Well, it really is pointless, but it was sweet of him to care so much about me going to Bulgaria…" She sighed. "This should be so much easier."

           "Hey, well, um," I said, remembering to continue my American accent. Casting around for a change of subject, I said, "Do you have a Quodpot team at Hogwarts?"

           "That's that American game, isn't it?" said Hermione. "Well, no, but we do have Quidditch. The only reason I really care is because Viktor plays for Bulgaria."

           "I never quite understood Quidditch," I said. "Oh, well, it's probably useless to get to know you, since I'll probably end up in Slytherin anyway…"

           Hermione watched me closely for a moment, causing me to stare out the window. Finally, she said, "You grew up with Malfoy, didn't you? But since your mum's American they shunned you, and when it was time for you to go to school they sent you to America…where was your father?"

           "Probably detained somewhere, I'm not sure, I don't know him too well. But I get owls from him all the time. And yes, I grew up with Draco…you call him Malfoy, don't you."

           "Yes. Oh, well, if you're so sure you'll end up in Slytherin, what does it matter?" Hermione paused though, and studied me again. "But still, Dorothy, there's something in you…not that I'm any good at Divination…actually, I quit it…but still, there's something in you that doesn't belong in Slytherin." 

           "Thanks, but there's no way that's possible." Sadly, I looked out the window. "I'm stuck with them."

           "I don't know, Dorothy, but something tells me you're wrong."

***

           A stern-looking woman by the name of Professor McGonagall took us to the entrance to the Great Hall. I stood at the back of the line, wondering how my name was going to be called. I was, after all, fifteen. I gave her my papers, which she took with a slight sniff. She then returned to the front of the line we stood in and announced, 

           "When you reach the Sorting Hat, I shall place it on your head, where it shall call out which House you belong in. You will then take a seat at your House's table."

           "Professor, ma'am," said a short little girl, "how do we know which table is our House's?"

           McGonagall smiled thinly. "You will find, Miss Daberly, that your House will be cheering for you when you are Sorted. Any more questions? Come along, then." She turned and we followed her into the Great Hall. It was just as I had imagined it, right down to the floating candles and enchanted ceiling. The boys in front of me were struggling to keep from showing their amazement, making me smile. We reached a small stool, placed in front of the teacher's table. The hat that was sitting on the stool broke into a song, so we applauded politely at the end. Then the teacher at the middle of the table, who I assumed was Dumbledore, what with his long white hair and half-moon spectacles, smiled down at us. 

           "Welcome, welcome," he said. His gaze traveled and stopped on me. In a slightly slower voice he continued, "It has come to my attention that we have a transfer student, a fifth year named Dorothy Brown. As her name is first, we ask her to come up and be Sorted." He sat, watching me closely as I carefully threaded my way through the crowd and finally made it to McGonagall, the stool, and the Sorting hat. Taking a deep breath, I sat down on the stool and caught a glimpse of the Gryffindor table before McGonagall slid the hat down over my eyes.

           I heard a voice. _My, my, my. You're not Dorothy Brown at all._

           {I realize that,} I thought back. {Please, don't ask. Just stick me in Slytherin.}

_           Are you so sure that's where you belong?_

{I'm assuming that's where you were told to put me.}

           _Really, Lily, you think Voldemort can control me?_ it countered. _I'm sure it's to your great disappointment to learn my loyalty can't be bought._

{No, no, really, that's okay,} I thought hastily. {So, where do I go?}

           _If I were Sorting you as Lily Potter, you'd automatically be in Gryffindor,_ it said thoughtfully. _As you are, however, there's a slight problem. Seeing as you don't exist, however, and that your brain is that of Lily Potter, I can't Sort you._

           {Oh.}

           _Yes, yes, well then. What to do, what to do._

           {Um, I hate to rush you, but I've been up here for a while and-}

           _Oh, I always take a long time with older students who, for whatever reason, didn't make it to Hogwarts on time,_ it assured me. _Still, you're worried, aren't you? Ah, Draco Malfoy, I see what's bothering you…well, I suppose I'll go with my instinct…_ it sighed. _Really, I hope no other students are disguised, it's too difficult…good luck, Miss Potter…it had better be GRYFFINDOR!_

           Gratefully I let McGonagall slip the hat off my head as I made my way towards Hermione, Parvati, and Lavender, who were cheering. "I told you!' said Hermione as I sat down next to her.

           "That took a long time," said Lavender. "What happened?"

           I shrugged. "It said it has a harder time with older students, or something like that."

           "Well, I'm glad you're here," said Parvati. "Finally, the girls/boys numbers are more even. In our year, there's Seamus-he's Lavender's-Neville, Dean, Harry, and Ron, versus you, me, Hermione, and Lavender."

           "I don't think Neville counts for either side," Lavender whispered, giggling.

           "That's not funny," said Hermione. "It's not his fault he's almost a…a…" she trailed off.

           "A what?" I asked.

           "A Squib."

           "Oh. Ah." 

           Later, as I climbed into my new, much-more-comfortable-than-the-one-at-the-Malfoy's bed, I realized that the Sorting Hat had figured out who I really was. Uneasily, I wondered if Dumbledore knew, too, or if they were planning to kick me out. My brain was still that of Lily Elizabeth Potter's, after all….Did I have to stop thinking like I usually did? It was too much. I hoped Voldemort would forget about me for the next month or so, while I tried to figure out how to fit in. I was, after all, above all things, a girl…. "What have I gotten myself into?" I murmured.


	4. *finally!!*

A/N: Here's Chapter 3. Please keep reviewing! Thank you! I love y'all!

-Rosekeet, in case you didn't see my answers in the reviews, yes, I'd love it if you put my story on your website.

-Gen Raid, see, I'll try to remember to explain that later, but basically Voldemort will kill everybody if she tells (big surprise) and she's with the Malfoy's because Voldie killed her mum then sent her with Lucius and she was stuck with them. 

Disclaimer: Yada, yada, LEP is the only one who belongs to me, and even then JKR came up with her parents and her brother…*sigh* 

The next morning, I woke up to discover that everyone else had already gone downstairs. Quickly I changed into my robes then ran down into the common room. Hermione was waiting for me with a smile on her face. 

           "Do you want breakfast?" she asked.

           "Yes," I replied. "Do we eat in the Great Hall?"

           She nodded. "Come on, I'll show you how to get back. Harry and Ron are already down there."

           "Are you three good friends?"

           She smiled. "Ever since they took on a troll for me in our first year, we've been practically inseparable. Except for the time in our third year, when Ron thought my cat, Crookshanks, had eaten his rat. Oh, yes, and last year Harry and Ron refused to hang out until after the first task of the Triwizard Tournament because Ron thought Harry had entered without him because he wanted all the glory for himself, and then everyone had thought I was Harry's girlfriend because I hung out with him all the time, which made Ron even more angry, because he thought I was siding with Harry." 

           "Ah," I said, in lack of any other comment.

           "I'm sorry, I can have the tendency to talk a lot. Oh, what classes are you taking?" she said.

           "Care of Magical Creatures and…Divination, I think." 

           Hermione grimaced as we entered the Great Hall. "I'm warning you, Professor Trelawny is an old bat who has know idea what she's talking about." I laughed as we sat down across from Harry and Ron, who were both scowling.

           "We have Double Potions. Again," said Ron. 

           "Today," Harry added.

           "What's so bad about that?" I wondered.

           The boys sent me looks of pure amazement while Ginny, who was next to Ron, leaned over and said, "It's where you have a class with another group of fifth years. It's bad because Snape, the professor, favors his own House, Slytherin, hates Gryffindor, and always pairs your class up with the Slytherins."

           "What?" I demanded. "I just got _away_ from Draco."

           "He's her cousin," Hermione jumped in.

           "Do we have anything else today?" I added quickly, trying to keep the questions to a minimum. Harry nodded, giving me an odd look.

           "Divination and Arithmancy, if you're taking it, and oh, Hermione, prefects' meeting after that class."

           "Do you know what it's about?" she asked.

           "Nope."

           "How long do we have until Potions?" I asked.

           "Here, take a schedule," said Ron, handing one to me. I scanned it quickly.

           "Okay…which class is the hardest?"

           "Well, Snape always takes off points just because he hates us, but Transfiguration is pretty tough, too. Care of Magical Creatures is the easiest…." Hermione paused, then added, "But that was last year. I don't know if Hagrid's back yet."

           "I haven't seen him," said Harry. Turning to me, he added, "Oh, don't trust Hermione's judgment on how hard classes are; she is, after all, the head of the class."

           "Yep," said Ron, grinning oddly. Hermione looked down at her plate, pink, and determinedly not looking at any of us. Harry looked bewildered. I glanced down the table and caught Ginny's eye, and we both shook our heads. Inwardly, I was amazed at how quickly I had managed to blend in with this group. I understood them all better than I had expected.

           "Dorothy?" Harry asked. I blinked and blushed, realizing I had been staring at his eyes.

           "I'm okay…give me a few days, and I'll get over the whole wow-this-guy-is-so-famous reaction," I said.

           "Good," said Harry.

***

           "How do we get to Potions?" I said aloud as we left the common room.

           "It's down in the dungeons," Hermione answered.

           "It gets cold in winter down there," Ron added.

           "Don't let Snape intimidate you."

           "Just don't cause trouble."

           "It's not hard."

           "Easy for you to say," Ron grumbled.

           "It's not…"

           Turning to Harry as the argument grew heated, I asked, "Are they always like this?"

           He nodded and we continued down staircases and through hallways, saying nothing. We finally reached the Great Hall, where Harry turned down a staircase and started glancing around. "What?" I asked, ignoring Ron and Hermione.

           Harry opened his mouth to reply, but instead a voice said, "Oh, Dorothy, how nice."

           I turned around to see Draco leaning against the wall, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle. "Oh, look," I said calmly. "It's Shrimp-boy and his two minnows. I'm surprised you haven't been eaten yet."

           Harry shot me a look of surprise while Draco peeled off the wall and shook his head. "I always considered name-calling insubordinate."

           "Really."

           "Yes, really."

           "Back off," said Ron. Glancing back, I saw Hermione holding him back by his robes. "Or are you interested in Gryffindor now?"

           "Just checking on my baby cousin," he replied easily. "Can't have a pile of dirt like you spoiling her, can I?" Hermione clamped a hand over Ron's mouth while Harry pulled out his wand. "Her…father…owled me, expressing his displeasure at her placement and demanding that I look after her."

           "I find that hard to believe," I said coolly, "as my 'father' doesn't have much confidence in your abilities. Leave."

           Draco glared at me, but shoved past us down into the dungeons. Hermione waited another moment before releasing Ron, who began cracking his knuckles. "I can't believe he has the nerve to hang around you," he growled. "That filthy-"

           "Ron," said Hermione sharply. Looking to me, she asked, "Are you okay?"

           I shrugged. "I'm used to it. Let's get to class before we're late." 

           The others were quiet as we made our way down the stairs and into a classroom. Looking around, I sat in the seat next to Hermione. Snape swept in. He had oily black hair and black eyes without a trace of mercy in them. He looked around the classroom, including me, then said sharply, "Have you learned anything since last year? We'll soon see. I want you to prepare to make a Confunding Potion, to addle other's brains. Your instructions are in your books. Go." He sat at his desk.

           Hermione and I went to get the ingredients. She looked puzzled. "What's wrong?" I asked.

           Still frowning, she replied, "He always lectures us first. All these new things must be giving him a lot of stress. He hasn't even given or taken any points yet."

           "Isn't that a good thing?" I replied, shutting the cupboard. 

           Hermione shrugged. "I guess…but I do want to know why we're starting with such a difficult potion. He hasn't given us an outline of lessons, told us anything, lectured us, insulted anybody…something's up," she concluded as we sat back down.

           "I wonder," I murmured, more to myself. I wondered what Voldemort was up to now.

           Potions finally ended an hour and one half later. Luckily, Draco was so busy trying to keep Pansy happy he didn't have time to annoy me. As we tromped out of the dungeons, Ron and Harry started congratulating each other on staying out of trouble. Hermione pressed her lips together and shook her head, but I saw the laughter in her eyes. Leaning over, I asked, "Do they always get in trouble in there?"

           "Snape hates Harry with a passion," she said resignedly. "It's days like this that're weird. I wonder what Trelawny will be predicting today."

           "Death," Harry said. "Of course, for me, that's all she ever predicts. Of course, her confidence in it waxes and wanes." A shadow passed over his face. Ron looked at his friend in concern. 

           Glancing around, Ron said in an undertone, "Is something up?"

           Harry shook his head, but he also jerked his head at me. Quietly I slipped back with Lavender and Parvati, trying to seem as though I had been planning to anyway. Looking around surreptitiously, I pulled out my wand and muttered a spell to increase my hearing abilities. Parvati and Lavender were gossiping away happily and didn't notice.

           "-sent you a letter yet?" Ron finished.

           "I finally got one yesterday night," Harry replied. 

           "What'd Sirius-Snuffles say?" Hermione whispered. _ Sirius Black_? I wondered, filing the name away. I knew very well about Black's friendship and betrayal of my parents. _What is Harry doing, dealing with a murderer like that?_

           "Voldemort's angry that Hagrid's been working with the giants," Harry said. "He's been busy trying to fix the Azkaban problem. Constant vigilance." He shrugged. "Nothing really big."

           "What's got you so worried, then?" Ron demanded.

           "Nothing," said Harry. _Liar_, I thought. I could tell from the way his brow wrinkled slightly. I had done the same thing for years until I had been forced to stop.

           Hermione looked behind. I looked away quickly. We had reached an intersection of hallways. Returning her gaze to the boys, she whispered, "Midnight. All right?"

           "Where? Hagrid's hut? We'll need the Invisibility Cloak for that," Harry said, frowning. I filed that away as well. So that was where my father's cloak had gone.

           "No, common room. I've got to go. Goodbye." Hermione turned down one hallway while Ron and Harry started up a staircase. They started talking about Quidditch, so I undid my spell and looked back to Parvati and Lavender. Somehow I had gotten between them and the boys. Shrugging, I caught up with the boys.

           "Hello," I said quietly. Ron glanced over his shoulder. 

           "Oh, hello." Glancing to Harry, he looked back and said, "We're talking about Quidditch. Of course, since you've been in America-"

           "That was only for school," I replied easily, slipping between them, which I took to be Hermione's spot. They didn't mind. "I grew up and stayed here in Britain."

           "With Cousin Draco?" said Harry skeptically.

           "Yes."

           "So have you ever played?" Ron asked.

           I shrugged. "Not really. I used to fly on Draco's broom, until he caught me and-" I stopped, realizing I was about to give away the Malfoy's use of an Unforgivable Curse. Not that Harry and Ron didn't know the Malfoy's did that already. I felt like Dobby, though, wishing I could find something to punish myself with.

           "And what?" asked Harry impatiently. I was struck by his wanting to know about the enemy versus Ron's desire to avoid it.

           "Nothing," I said, looking away.

           "Harry, give her a break," Ron said, ending the awkward silence. Harry's intense gaze broke away from me. I missed my regular appearance, my green eyes that could meet anyone's gaze. Brown eyes, missing the pain of so many years, made me feel vulnerable. I had yet to learn what different emotions looked like on my face now. I sent Ron a look of what was meant to be appreciation. He seemed to nod. "Do you play?"

           "I'm pretty good, I guess," I allowed.

           "I'm the Seeker for Gryffindor," said Harry. "I think try-outs are soon, and we've got a few spots. Katie graduated last year, and Wood's been gone for two years."

           "Really?" I said.

           "Runs in the family," he said, giving me a rouge grin.

           Ron shook his head. "Of course, Harry is blessed with the father who was a star Quidditch player." Though his tone was light, I caught a slight pinch of pain, or jealousy. Harry looked at him.

           "You have Charlie." Ron didn't reply. We reached a landing with a trapdoor in the ceiling. A silver ladder came down through the hole. I followed them up into the Divination room and started to cough. The room was full of smoke. In the dim light, I barely made out the shapes of various chairs around tables scattered around the room. Harry, Ron, and I sat down around the same table.

           "I wonder where the old bat is," Ron muttered. He looked up suddenly as a willowy woman wearing glittering spectacles glided in. 

           In a mystic voice, Professor Trelawny said, "Welcome class. Which class are you? Oh, yes, the saddest one of all. Death hangs in the room."

           I stifled a snort at the exasperated expressions on Harry and Ron's faces. I also noted that Parvati and Lavender were sitting closest of all to Professor Trelawny, looking at her with expressions of awe. I giggled quietly as, at her words, they turned their faces to Harry with expressions of sadness. Harry sighed.

           Trelawny came over to our table to continue her mystical teaching. "Now we will begin soul seeking. It is an advanced form of Divination in which one stares into another's eyes, and though whatever connection they may have, be it a faint bond through common powers or the closest link of blood, read another's mind, either seeing what they are thinking or bringing up a past memory. Read the chapter in your book and perform preliminary practicing on each other. Halfway through the class I will attempt to show you what soul seeking truly seems like."

           With these words, she swept back to Lavender and Parvati's table. I sighed and picked up my book.

           "Says you need to keep eye contact," Ron declared after finishing the chapter. I looked up from reading about Palmistry (having finished the chapter a long time before, right before Harry). Grinning, he added. "Maybe you and Dorothy should try first."

           Harry punched his laughing friend in the shoulder. I rolled my eyes. "It doesn't really matter, you know," I told them. "It's not real."

           Ron stopped laughing to shake his head at me. "You sound just like Hermione."

           "All right, fine, we'll do it first," said Harry. "If you don't mind."

           "Why would I?" I asked calmly. He sat across from me, so it was easy for our eyes to meet. His green eyes, so like mine, were unblinking. There was an edge in them, one that didn't seem to come through often. I thought briefly of what I saw in my own eyes. The edge was there, unflinching, provoking people to challenge me. Pain could be seen there, every so often, no matter how hard I tried to hide it. Staring at Harry made me wonder what might have happened, had I not been raised by the Malfoys. Harry's eyes had an innocence I had almost lost.

           Suddenly I felt drawn into Harry's mind. I couldn't see, but soon I heard voices. Part of my mind seemed to meet his, and suddenly I saw my parents. Mum was holding Harry and me, and Dad was yelling. The door burst open and in _he_ came. Realizing that we had combined our memories of our parents' death, I instinctively pulled back from the deep place I had been sucked into; it hurt, pulling away so quickly. Reopening my eyes, I found Harry right across from me. We were leaning across the table, staring at each other. Once again, I pulled back. The newly completed memory was now fresh in my mind. Harry was still staring at me, confused, innocent. Innocent compared to me. I began to shake, a slight tremor in my hands. I scowled, and then realized Ron was staring at us. I forced myself to be composed. Harry's other thoughts, not those of shock, were also stuck in my mind.

           "What happened?" Ron demanded. "All of a sudden your noses were practically touching, and your eyes were so big I thought they were going to pop out. Don't scare me like that!"

           I shook my head mutely, suddenly grasping that part of my thoughts were stuck with Harry. I prayed feverishly that he hadn't found anything to betray me. From the bemused expression on his face, I suspected he hadn't.

           "I don't know," said Harry. "It's wasn't anything big. I…" His brow wrinkled as he sought for a lie, "felt like I was in a big gray fog."

           I looked down into my hands and stayed that way until Trelawny came back to our table. Of course. She wanted to look into Harry. Anger flashed through me, and I forced myself to stay cool as she began to speak.

           Finally she said, "I will attempt soul seeking with Mr. Potter right here." She sat in Ron's seat while Ron dragged another chair over and glared at her. After a long moment of staring, she broke eye contact and announced, "Just as I feared. Death, my dear young man, awaits you in the future…the near future." She sighed theatrically. "How tragic that your young life shall be ended so quickly-"

           "Harry does not have death in his near future," I said loudly, surprising myself.

           Trelawny turned a remarkably cold face to me. "What would you know? You have never done soul seeking. You are new to this school."

           "But she did," Ron said angrily, "she and Harry did soul seek each other-" He fell silent at my glare. "Sorry," he muttered.

           Trelawny watched me deliberately. "Oh really? Tell me, what was it like?"

           After a moment, I said coolly, "Nothing much. A gray fog, some pain, but no death."

           She stared at me. "There is absolutely no way you could have connected with Mr. Potter that quickly…"

           "I wasn't aware it was that deep."

           She continued to stare. "Are you in pain? Why is your forehead so wrinkled?"

           I blushed and mentally cursed furiously. She had nearly called my bluff. _It's the new environment_, I consoled myself. Forcing my forehead smooth, I said, "I'm fine. Really."

           The bell rang, saving me from any more questions. I tore out of the room, forgetting my books. Blindly I ran until I reached the hall I had come from before class. I pressed against the wall, breathing heavily. I had nearly lost my cover. I needed to use more caution, I knew. Still, being with Harry was almost like a dream. I shook my head. I had to stay back, away, distant, aloof. I had nearly lost it. The memory of the Halloween night fourteen years ago still stood out in my mind. It was almost complete now, what with the bits he'd pieced together and what I knew from Voldemort. I quickly walked to the Gryffindor common room and went upstairs, flopping myself on the bed. I pressed my eyes shut against the images in my mind, but it was no use.

A/N II: Wow that was a kind of long chapter. Not as long as the last one, but oh well. The next chapter will be short…it'll be an interlude. Interludes are when I want to do something in third person…you'll get it when I get there. PLEASE REVIEW! THANKS!


	5. Chapter IV

            As planned, Hermione met Ron and Harry in the common room at midnight.  Huddled by the fire, Ron asked, "What's so bloody important, Hermione?"

            "I don't know," she said shortly.  "All I know is that we couldn't carry on a proper conversation with Dorothy listening in on us like that.  Poor girl.  She wants to fit in so much."

            "She was listening?" Ron demanded, looking horrified.

            Hermione cast an annoyed look in his general direction.  "Not really, I don't think she heard anything important."

            "You don't think she heard anything," said Harry.  He had been somber and quiet all through dinner, and the thoughtful expression on his face had never receded.

            "What if she heard you mention Sirius?" continued Ron in a lowered voice.

            Harry shook his head.  He stared into the fire.  Hermione watched him with concern.  Harry was like her brother, and she felt some degree of responsibility towards him, even though he was a prefect just like her.  Gently she tapped his shoulder.  "Harry?  Are you all right?"

            Before Harry could speak, Ron answered, "He's been like that ever since Divination."

            Hermione sighed.  "What did Trelawny do to you today?"

            "We did soul seeking.  Worthless," Ron added in disgust,  "unless you're Harry."

            Harry blushed, his gaze never leaving the fire.  Hermione bit her lip.  The expression on his face was one of grim joy, as though he were thinking of something that made him happy and yet remained painful.  Ron fell silent, staring at his friend in concern.  Hermione sent him a questioning look.  Ron shrugged.

            Finally, Harry said softly, "What did it look like, Ron?  What did it look like to you?"

            Ron shrugged uncomfortably.  "Just that one minute everything was normal and the next you two were leaning across the table with your noses nearly touching and your eyes all cloudy and unfocused.  Nothing too strange."

            Hermione stared at Harry, who blushed and looked away.  "What did you see?"

            Harry stood and began pacing.  When he finally spoke, it was in a voice like but unlike his own.

            _"Lily, it's him, take Harry and go!"_

Hermione reached up and yanked Harry down into a seat.  "That's enough," she said softly.

            Harry freed his arm and looked away.  "It's the only memory I really have of my parents," he murmured bitterly, "and now I've got it in full.  I can see every detail in my mind.  I can even see them."

            Ron looked uncomfortable, at the least.  Hermione, for once, seemed at a loss for words.  Harry looked at each of them and smiled slightly.  "I'm sorry, you shouldn't have to worry."

            "You'll have nightmares, tonight," said Ron bluntly.

            Harry shrugged.  "Then I won't sleep.  Tomorrow's Saturday."

            "Harry, no.  That's not healthy," Hermione said firmly.  "I can cast a Sleeping Spell, maybe, or find somewhere to make a Sleeping Draught, or—"

            "Or I could just go to the hospital wing and tell Madam Pomfrey, 'I'm sorry, I've been having nightmares, can I have a Sleeping Draught?'  And then all the teachers will be worried, Trelawny will go on predicting my death, McGonagall will have me stay after to make sure I'm all right, Dumbledore will call me to his office…" Harry trailed off and shook his head.  "I'll deal with this myself."  He looked at them again and Hermione saw the pain and determination on his face.

            "Is there any way we can help?" she asked quietly.

            Appreciation passed across his countenance for a fleeting moment, then grim determination reappeared.  "I don't think so," he said slowly.  "We all have to fight our own demons, after all…" He looked away again.  "Some famous person said that."

            "We're here for you," said Ron quietly.  Hermione glanced at him and saw the seriousness in his voice on his face.  "You're our best friend."

            "Thanks," said Harry, not looking at them.  He stared into the fire, where the flickering light threw eerie shadows on his bleak face.  After another moment, he said almost to himself, "I can feel it…" then, louder, "Come out, Dorothy."

            A slender shadow detached itself from the stairs leading up to the girls' dormitory and slipped down to join them.  The new Gryffindor girl looked at them calmly.  Ron's face turned purplish.

            "Have you been spying on us?" Ron demanded.

            She looked at him coolly, her face unreadable.  "Not necessarily."

            "Yes, you have," said Harry evenly.  

            She darted a glance at him that showed her feelings mirrored Harry's own.  Hermione missed this and instead said, "Really, Dorothy, all you had to do was ask, and we would have let you come."

            "Maybe," Ron added quickly.

            Dorothy smiled thinly.  "All right, then, since I know you're consorting with a murderer and that Harry's been having nightmares, can I come?"

            "Yes," said Harry, before anyone else could speak.  They locked eyes and held the other's gaze until Harry looked away.  Dorothy smiled sadly, whispering, "I'm sorry."  She nodded to Ron and Hermione before slipping back upstairs.  Ron looked from Harry to the staircase, then back to Harry.

            "What was that all about?" he demanded.

            Harry smiled tiredly.  "We did soul seeking.  I've some of her thoughts imprinted on my mind.  She wants to join us, though I don't know why."

            "Probably she just wants to be friends with the great Harry Potter," Ron said scathingly.

            "No," said Harry slowly.  "It's something more."

            He didn't say anything else, but stared into the fire, dwelling on dark thoughts.  Ron and Hermione exchanged worried looks as they went upstairs, leaving Harry alone.  As soon as they left, Dorothy came to sit by him again.


End file.

Harry Potter