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Chapter Text

It was getting dark. Harry Potter sat in his compartment and wondered what Hogwarts would finally be like. He and his new friend Ron Weasley had just changed into their new robes after the blond boy he’d met earlier in Diagon Alley, Draco Malfoy left with his two bodyguard-of-a-friends, leaving behind a bad impression. He’d also met Hermione Granger, the witch who’d been looking for the toad and seemed to already know all of Hogwarts. Trutfully Harry was a bit jealous of her, to know so much when he knew next to nothing. He wanted to know more, so so much more.

His thinking got interrupted when the door to the compartment once again flew open just as an announcement was made that they’d be nearing Hogwarts soon. Now there stood a raven haired girl, her hair was much like his own - except it wasn’t unruly. No, it fell down to her shoulders in light wavy curls much more controlled than Hermione’s had been. This girl was the epitome of neat and tidy, no hair in disarray or a black spot on her nose, like Ron’s had been. But she, on her own right was something different - for she stood there seething, obviously furious at something, her grey eyes gleaming as she drew in a calming breath and looked straight at them.

“Can I sit here? For the rest of the ride. Not that there’s much of it left”, she asked politely, all anger gone now.

He and Ron were both equally stupefied and only numbly nodded their consent. “Great”, the girl said and promptly sat down. After that.. she did nothing of anything, really. Just sat there, seemingly in her own thoughts, occasional flicker of anger flashing by in her eyes. Harry studied her curiously for a few seconds before exchanging bewildered looks with Ron. The red head cleared his throat and asked: “Are you a first year too? I’m Ron Weasley.”

At that the girl looked up and studied them both, seemingly for the first time, before answering with a smile. “As a matter of fact, I am. A pleasure to meet you. I’m sorry at my suddennes, but there were certain.. circumstances before. I’m Mariyah, but call me Riya, I like it better.”

The smile she showed them made her a different person altogether from the one earlier. Now she seemed to have a softer side to her, warm and gentle. Harry wondered which one was the real as he, too, smiled at her and said: “A pleasure. I’m Harry.”

Leaving his last name out was intentional, as the girl, Mariyah, had done the same. Also the other encounters had proved that his name, last name, more specifically, had a differing effect on people. He wanted to be known as ‘Harry’, not the Boy Who Lived. She seemed to notice this, too, as her replying smile was wide and her eyes sparkled mischievously.

“Harry and Ron it is, then. Which subject do you wish to attend the most? I believe Charms are very interesting, as well as Transfiguration. I’ve had a lot of accidental magic as I grew up and therefore wish to study more uses in it now”, Mariyah told them, more relaxed now that they accepted her last-nameness so easily.

“I know what I want the least”, Ron said scowling at the thought, “Potions!” Harry could only sit and try to remember what all the subjects even were.

Luckily the corridor was gradually filling with students as the train was coming to a halt and their conversation was stilled. They all got up and moved into to the crowd.

Harry felt his stomach lurch and he swallowed as they descended the stairs to the platform. Mariyah walking next to him seemed calm and smiled at him brightly as their eyes locked. Harry smiled back, although much feebler, to which the witch only smirked playfully and hopped down. Cool air met them in the darkness where even seeing the ones next to you was difficult. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Harry heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?"

Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.

Mariyah shot him a curious look at the familiarity but kept silent.

"C'mon, follow me -- any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Blackness engulfed them as they started down the deep and narrow path, traveling behind Hagrid, whose lamp was the only light they had. It was slippery because of the rain and they stumbled and slipped dangerously while stepping forth.

"Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Oooooh!"

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black take. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry and Ron were followed into their boat by Neville and Hermione.

He saw how Mariyah shared one with Malfoy and his cronies and frowned slightly as she smiled at the blonde cheerfully. "Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat all to himself. "Right then -- FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle. Harry was glad the boy'd found his toad. He knew he wouldn't want to lose Hedwig no matter what. Luckily she was a bird, so losng her would prove hard.

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, Oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

The door opened and there, waiting for them was an old woman with spectacles and a high pun, who seemed strict with her stark aura. She reckoned them to follow her and they did, Mariyah falling into step beside him and Ron again.

As Harry watched around he noticed them all giving each other curious looks, not yet knowing anyone. But he also saw how many of them were directed towards the pretty girl next to him.

The woman was Professor McGonagall and she told them about the four houses Harry had gratefully already heard of and briefly explained the coming Sorting Ceremony and some customs about the honor of the school and not to break them.

Harry could only hope he wouldn’t. Rules and him didn’t always seem to agree to the same terms.

After McGonagall left them at a room to wait, Harry asked Ron how the Sorting would go, but the redhead didn’t seem to know that well either. More so, it made him even more anxious. One more surprise came in the form of ghosts before Professor McGonagall came to them again. Harry had never seen one and stared, amazed, as did all the others.

Finally their time came and the eleven year olds were escorted into a magnificent great hall, fittingly named the Great Hall. The ceiling was one of stars and seemed real. Many gasps were heard as they traveled beneath it. Hermione murmured excitedly that it was enchanted, that she’d read it in Hogwarts: History.

At the other side of the hall was a staff table in front of which lay an old hat. It gave him a fright when it started singing all of the sudden. It explained that they’ll be sorted into houses by the said hat, the Sorting Hat, and Professor McGonagall added that they were to come up as their name was stated.

Nervousness started to grasp him again as people lined up one after one.

Susan Bones was sorted into Hufflebuff, Terry Boot to Ravenclaw and many others to different houses. Hermione went to Gryffindor, as she’d said and soon it was Malfoy’s turn, who expectedly went to Slytherin, the hat barely touching his blond hair.

Next thing he knew McGonagall was calling “Potter, Harry”, and the whole Great Hall erupted into whispers.

Suddenly, as he was about to step forward, a hand snapped to his and Harry turned to look back at the paled face of Mariyah. Her eyes were round and stunned, if also angry with a mixture of betrayal.

“You’re Harry Potter?” she exclaimed in a strange voice and all Harry could do was nod before professor McGonagall had to call for him again.

Still perplexed by Mariyah’s sudden behaviour, Harry sat down deep in his thoughts and was startled when a voice sounded in his head. “Hmm.. Difficult, Very difficult”, it went on, apparently examining him. Harry heard it and forgot about Mariyah at that instant, ready to hear what the hat had to say.

He wouldn’t share a house with Malfoy, that was for sure. The hat, to his horror, though, seemed to think just along those lines. Not Slytherin, not slytherin, Harry repeated in hopes of not going to slytherin and somehow, magically, the hat seemed to listen. “-better be - GRYFFINDOR!” it bellowed and Harry opened his eyes to the Great Hall, smiling widely, to meet the plank face of a raven haired girl staring at him lifelessly. That if nothing tore the smile from his face.

Nonetheless, he walked to the Gryffindor table in time to hear the professor call the next name: “Quirrell, Mariyah.” He swiveled back and stared as the girl in his train compartment went up the steps, sat down and stared ahead - but Harry doubted she actually registered anything.

The hat dropped near her, but without even touching a hair on her head it shouted ‘SLYTHERIN!’.

It was even faster than with Malfoy, Harry noticed, numbly. His gaze went from Mariyah to the staff table, where he spotted professor Quirrell, watching intently as the girl with the same surname went to the hollering Slytherin table. She couldn't be the daughter of such a stuttering, frightened man, could she? Harry thought finally as his attention was turned back when Ron soon followed him to the Gryffindor table.

“Didn’t take her as a snake”, his redheaded friend muttered under his breath as they started shoveling food onto their plates in the otherwise cheery atmosphere, “Apparently I was wrong.”

Harry wondered why Ron’s voice sounded so resigned and asked: “Are all Slytherins really so bad? I thought she was nice.”

Ron snorted and shoved a potato into his mouth. “Maybe she was okay in the train, but once she heard your name? Didn’t even look at you anymore. That’s nice to you, Harry?” Ron said, his voice muffled.

Harry fell silent and thought to the moment she'd snatched his hand. Why was there betrayal in her eyes, why anger?

He turned to look at the Slytherin table and saw all the first years huddled together, a black head sitting next to a silvery blonde one.

Not looking at him.

But she wasn’t looking at anyone else either, for that matter.

Harry turned back to his plate and caught the eyes of Hagrid, who grinned at him. He returned the smile and saw another pair of eyes flicker to his. Professor Quirrell turned his gaze from the Slytherin table to Harry and he could feel the pondering going on in that turbaned head. But it didn't end there, for one other teacher was watching him, hard black eyes fixed on him. The man in question wore all black and had lanky black hair. Somehow Harry felt the gaze wasn’t friendly. He turned to Ron to ask who the man was but got the answer from one of his twins: Professor Snape, the Potions master.

As the feast ended, they all got up, ready to head to bed after a long day. The prefects called to them and they followed. Moving to the doors, Harry turned his gaze once again towards the Slytherin table and its first years. He saw the back of Mariyah’s head as she moved with the others and couldn’t help but wonder just who she was. She was peculiar to say the least. And pretty, some little voice in his head added. The pretties first year there was.

And for some reason, as all the others seemed to think him amazing for feats he didn’t even remember doing, much less comprehending, she seemed not to.

More so, anger, betrayal.. for not telling her? For simply that, or something more? Harry didn’t know, and it made him restless, his curiosity picked.

Mariyah Quirrell, a Slytherin, who seemed not like a pureblood like Malfoy but still more of a Slytherin than the pompous brat.

Curious, he certainly was, as his thoughts swirled around even in the comforting warmth of his bed, inside his new home, his first real home: Hogwarts.

Chapter Text

Mariyah snapped out of her swirling thoughts only after being led to the Slytherin dorms in the dungeons, when the other first years flocked together and eyed her curiously. She frowned at them, not getting what they were after.

“So you’re a Quirrell..” the blonde boy she’d sat with at the boats asked and the others listened to his every word hungrily, “Is that teacher some relative of yours?” He wasn’t exactly hostile, but nor was he friendly.

“Depends from what angle you look at it”, she answered, not really answering because wasn't feeling like retelling her whole life story now when her own thoughts were in such disarray by the Sorting ceremony, “If you’ll excuse me, I’m quite tired and would love to rest.”

The blonde frowned at her answer and none of them made way for her. Her earlier feelings of betrayal and anger came back then, now more furiously as even her new supposed friends were blocking her way.. He was a Potter. And she’d smiled at him, thought him nice. And these flamboyant purebloods wouldn’t let her pass..

“Is he or is he not?” some mob-faced girl with a sneer on her face asked. Mariyah swallowed and tried cooling her feelings down. Temper wasn’t one of her virtues, it was more often than not her downfall. “He kinda.. is”, she said, not wanting to think of Quirrell. She wasn’t that keen on telling her history to strangers, she wouldn’t tell it to anyone, for that matter.

“Kinda? You could politely answer us, you know? Are you even a pureblood?” the same girl asked, now sneering in displeasure. A blonde girl next to the dark brown haired one, more pretty and quiet looking, than the rude girl, tried to stop her, but was obviously interested in Mariyah, too.

“And you could politely stop poking your nose into other’s business, you know. A pureblood? 100% No. Bet you aren’t either. And what does that matter to you?” Mariyah asked, remembering how her mother had told her of Slytherin’s conquest to blood supremacy and internally grimacing.

“There’s been no mudblood in Slytherin for decades. They don’t belong here. I wonder if you do”, the girl said arrogantly before anyone could stop her.

“I’m certain I do more than you. How long did it take for the sorting hat to decide where you belong? Five minutes? And then.. me.. Not even a second. Live with it”, she said, not liking how everyone was being such a nuisance. Couldn’t they just let her wallow in her misery of being an almost friend of Harry Potter?

She elbowed her way out of the circle and set to the bedrooms, when the girl touched her arm. The irritation boiled over and she saw red for an instance. The girl shrieked and let go, rubbing at her arm which Mariyah’s magic had stung.

She sneered at her: “Do not bother me if you cannot be civil about it. What did I ever do to you?” Mariyah then turned and walked away, hearing how the blonde girl reprimanded the girl in a low voice: “Drop it Pansy, you were disrespectful.” Ah, so the girl was called Pansy. Not that she cared that much. Not at all, she told herself. An unpleasant feeling welled in her stomach. Here she was, at Hogwarts, where she always wanted to be - being hated by her house. A sniffle escaped her throat as she pushed the door to first year’s girls room open and chose a bed near the window to the lake and sat upon it, staring at the dark water.

Down a memory lane she went as her glazed over eyes reflected a single candle flickering by her bedside table and the occasional tail of a fish, swimmung by the window. Her mother, the only soul she knew for years. Her kind laughter and warm brown eyes that baffled her with their intense intelligence. The love she had for her, her hugs that almost crushed her bones in their intensity. Her scent, wild roses and some spices she knew no name of but loved nonetheless. The fear and excitement of the coming year, at Hogwarts, of friends. And then.. that.

She shuddered and held back the tears. She wouldn’t cry here, not now when the other girls would come in any second now. She would not. She wasn't weak like that; she was far from it.

The silk pyjamas felt nice to her skin as Mariyah slipped under the covers right when the other girls came in. She didn’t see them because she’d drawn the dark green curtains over the bed earlier. Her thoughts as sleep was inviting her in were of the raven haired boy, Harry, a Potter.

She’d thought him to be her potential first friend. Now she had none. Why did he have to be Potter? A few tears left her heavy eyelids as her breathing settled down for the night, drying on her cheeks.

Morning came sooner than Mariyah would have liked. The curtains kept the light off from her eyes, but sleep wouldn’t take her anymore and kept pushing her to the day, uncaring of her protests. Defeated, she opened the curtains only to come face to face with the blonde girl. She didn’t remember her name.

“Morning”, she said, nonetheless, not caring even if she was sneered at yesterday. Today was today and after a night’s sleep her dissatisfaction with Potter had dissolved.

The blonde looked surprised, but soon smiled and said: “Good morning. Pansy isn’t here right now. I believe she is running after Draco. And Milli is.. somewhere. I can't really keep up what she's up to most of the time.”

Mariyah only stared at her, trying to put names to faces.

“I’m sorry but I kind of forgot your names. Yesterday was a bit.. off putting.”

The girl only smiled, if not a bit ashamed. “I’m sorry for yesterday.. We were all curious about you and sometimes the children from pureblood families can be slightly rude. I am Daphne, Daphne Greengrass. Pansy was the brown haired girl, Pansy Parkinson. Draco Malfoy was the blonde boy talking to you first”, Daphne said offering her hand at the mention of her name.

Mariyah took it and her trepidation from the previous night slipped away. Maybe she could make friends here.

“Mariyah, call me Riya. I’m not blaming you. I, too, was a bit on edge then”, she offered as half an apology.

“I don’t mind at all. It might take some time for Pansy to come around, but she is a nice girl under all that facade”, Daphne explained and somehow made her feel even more at.. home, as ridiculous as that sounded. She’d always had only one home. Living with her mother in their homey mansion by the countryside out from everything and anything.

They dressed and talked, becoming fast friends, easygoing as they were. In the common room she spotted Pansy sitting next to the blonde boy, Draco, and the other boys were near them. The girl named 'Millie', Millicent Bullstrode, was nowhere to be seen. Two big hulks stood behind the blonde boy looking like trained bodyguards. She noticed they were the same as in the boat with her the last evening.

“Those two are Crabbe and Goyle. The dark skinned boy is Blaise Zabini, and the other is Theodore Nott”, Daphne whispered to her as they walked to them. Blaise noticed them first and nodded curtly in greeting. Pansy looked up at that and grimaced a little, turning to Draco, who’d turned to watch, too. His silvery grey eyes met hers and inspected her curiously. She decided to turn a new leaf and make this her home. She’d be stuck here for the next seven years after all.

“‘Morning”, she greeted with an easy smile and introduced herself, “Now that we’re all fresh and lively, it’s better to finally get to know each other. I heard you all are friends of many years already, so I’m the only new face. I’m Mariyah, but call me Riya. Nice to meet you all!”

They stayed quiet and shot disgreet glances at Draco. Daphne had said he was the richest and most influential. The blonde smiled and said in an even, if not a bit arrogant tone: “A pleasure. I am Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, the only heir to the Malfoy name. These are Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise, Theo and Pansy.” He gestured for each in turn and she smiled at them all politely. It seemed they weren’t quite as laid back as she was in her manners.

She slipped quite easily into their crew, if not at times not following some pureblood things like the etiquette or some ramblings about galas. They were walking to breakfast when she spotted him waiting at the doors. She grit her teeth and slowed down, Daphne giving her a strange look.

“Go on”, she told her, “I’ll come in a bit.” The other girl nodded and looked at the lingering Professor Quirrell before going on. Mariyah walked to the man and tried being polite. She didn’t quite like the man. Quirrell walked to her and greeted her: “G-good morning, M-Mariyah. H-how were the dorms?” She didn’t understand how she got stuck with the man but tried honoring her mother and not curse him, at least.

“Morning, Professor Quirrell. It was all good”, she said politely but with obvious indifference.

“That is g-good to hear, child. I-it is you first t-time a-alone. W-wi-I was worried, y-your mother..” She bristled at the word.

“Do not call her in front of me”, she seethed her temper flaring again at the man for bringing that up again, interrupting the man, “You have no right! If that was all, I’m going now.”

She leveled her expression and turned to go, only to lock gazes with none other that Harry Potter. The boy was watching her, brows furrowed, obviously having heard at least some of their conversation. He took a tentative step her way, like trying to come comfort her, which made her heart drop and she wheeled to the Great Hall before anyone could stop her.

She hadn’t told the boy they would have nothing to do with each other. She’d just blanked out yesterday. He still regarded her a possible friend, she knew it.

Somehow the thought made her stomach turn into little twists, wringing her insides as they pleased, making it hurt.

He had been fun, as he tried to hide his last name; doing the same she had. It had brought him to her. That little insignificant detail anchoring his timid smile and nervous green eyes to her memory. Not as hatable, but nice, friendly. Warm.

Why? The sudden thought made her frown.

He was the famous Harry Potter, the Boy who Lived, defeater of the Dark Lord, why hide the fact?

She didn’t know and it made her anxious. Was her hatred even deserved? She didn’t know that either.

What would become of her here? All the thoughts of what she could finally do, make her mother proud, save her family.. All of it, slipping away by this one notion. What if Harry Potter was actually good? Mariyah had known his name her entire life, learned to associate it with pain, but here.. here he had ingrained himself as Harry into her mind.

Suddenly the future seemed bleak for she was utterly alone, trying to figure it all out by herself, no matter what lies she tried to feed herself. There was no one to guide her anymore.

No one but Quirinus Quirrell, the stuttering, useless, Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher her mother had seemed to like. Who smelled like garlic, to add.

Chapter Text

Harry frowned at his porridge.

He didn’t seem to get away from Riya, if the girl even allowed him to call her that anymore - not like he’d called her name aloud even once.

Like just before breakfast, as they walked downstairs, rested and well, ready for the classes: she appeared.

She was so plainly in sight he couldn’t look away.

More so when she’d been talking to Professor Quirrell, in fact, arguing would have been a more proper term. He’d seen the moment their gazes locked, seen the surprise there, the pain. He’d tried to go to her but she’d run to the Great Hall.

Professor Quirrell had noticed him and Ron then, looking up the steps to them and frowning slightly, before turning to walk into the Great Hall, too. All this, just when he’d decided not to think about the girl anymore. Ron sighed loudly and turned back to his food shaking his head defeatedly: “Forget her. She doesn’t want anything to do with us, Gryffindors. She’s a snake Harry. Give up.”

When he didn’t answer anything, the redhead grinned and asked teasingly: “Do you have a hero complex, or something? Is that something that comes with saving the world?”

Now Harry frowned at Ron, but before he could answer, a voice, or two in fact spoke first: “Who’s got a hero syndrome?”

The second one continuing: “Harry here? Who’s he going to save?”

Harry looked up to the grinning faces of Fred and George Weasley, the twin brothers of Ron.

“No-” he started but Ron spoke first: “The Slytherin girl, Mariyah Quirrell. She sat with us yesterday but now she won’t look at us without frowning. Harry here saw her quarreling with Quirrell and wants to go console her.”

Harry blushed, more from anger or embarrassment, he wasn’t sure. The twins shared a grin and turned wolfish smirks at him.

“Is that so Harry-boy?” they asked and turned to look at the Slytherin table.

“She is pretty. Doesn’t hit me as the damsel-in-distress type, though”, one of them added.

“I’m not- It’s not- It’s not like that!” Harry denied and shot an angry look at Ron, who only shrugged.

“Your face screamed ‘rescue’, mate”, he only said and continued eating, Harry still shooting him irritated glaces.

“As interesting as this looks-” one twin started, eyeing the situation, like discerning no more interesting stuff was happening.

“-We have some things to discuss with Lee, there”, the other continued, smirking playfully. Harry had no idea which one. He bet no one really could know, if the twins decided to switch one day.

“See ‘ya Ronnikins, Harry!” they waved as they walked to Lee Jordan who sat some way further the table.

They ate in silence until Professor McGonagall came and shared their time tables. They had many subjects, both Charms and Transfiguration Riya had mentioned, but also Herbology, Defence Against the Dark Arts, History of Magic, Astronomy and Potions. So, a lot of completely new things for Harry, who already found it incredible he actually was a wizard! T was also a bit frigtening because he didn't want to be the worst in every class, being laughed at by everyone for not knowing the end from the begging of his wand. He knew that, of course, but as resemble.

In stead of sneeres of insults, stares followed Harry wherever he went, many people even followed him. And not because he was a prodigy in classes - because he was Potter, the Boy Who Lived. The title was stifling; It all was stifling and he hoped he had an invisibility cloak or some other kind of invisibility gift to avoid the stares and whispered that trailed the stares.

His only resting points were either sleeping or the classes. Some of which were boring, such as History of Magic, but others piqued his interest, like Transfiguration that was taught by their head of house Professor McGonagall. She was strict and wise and kept the class in line easily.

To Harry’s relief he wasn’t so far behind the others as he’d thought, as many came from muggle families.

The other relief,  if it such was, was that he hadn’t had lessons with Slytherins yet, which meant no Riya - Mariyah.

After the first weeks classes he didn’t know exactly how he should be with her.

She hadn’t sought him out but neither had he.

Ron seemed to deem her a lost cause, a snake, which didn't exactly help with his dilemma at all. It all came to down what he, himself, thought in the end, after all.

Potions class changed that, though, as it was their only subject taught with Slýtherins.

Harry followed Ron through the door, pushing past a sneering Malfoy. He didn’t see Riya in their lot, though and relaxed a bit - not awkward confrontations yet.

He and Ron shared a table and sat down, waiting for Professor Snape to come to class. He did, with an impressive, if not looming swirling of his black robes behind the tall man, his face in a deadly serious mask. The class soon started with roll call.p, not a single sound obscuring Snape's gware and authoritative voice.

Mariyah had yet to come and Harry started worrying without meaning to.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door and Professor Snape magicked the door open to reveal the lost girl. He lifted an eyebrow at her in question.

“I’m sorry I’m late, Professor, but Professor Quirrell held me for a minute. I have his slip with me”, she said politely and handed a slip at Snape as she walked into the class room.

“Very well..” professor Snape said at last, “Take a seat then Miss Quirrell, we don’t have all day.” Mariyah frowned at the name and said seemingly without even notice: “Not Miss Quirrell. Call me Mariyah or Miss R, or anything of the sort, if you must. But not  Miss Quirrell.”

Snape lifted his head from his scroll, apparently fazed that someone actually talked back at him.

“That is your name, isn’t it not?” he inquired in a lazy drawl. Mariyah frowned harder.

“In some technicality. But just as you wouldn’t want to be called 'Professor Prince', I do not wish to be called Miss Quirrell”, she said and Snape’s eyes darkened. The two locked in a deathly staring match as whispers filled the classroom at her words and Harry bet they wondered why she’d called him 'Professor Prince'.

“Very well”, the Professor said at last, lowering his gaze and continued the roll call: “Malfoy.” Malfoy announced his presence and the class continued on like usual, in silence.

Harry noticed how Mariyah’s eyes roamed the class. Every Slytherin had someone already sitting next to them. She stilled, obviously unsure what to do. No one from the Slytherins realised nor cared except for the blonde girl sitting next to Parkinson. She shot an apologetic look Mariyah’s way before turning back to Snape.

Harry saw how Hermione, who sat alone reckoned to her after slight hesitation. Mariyah eyed her a second before sitting down with a smile. He saw how she thanked her, mumbling softly so not to disrupt Snape and Hermione only smiled in return.

The sight made Harry frown.

The girl seemed alright talking to Gryffindors, so that wasn’t the reason for her silence. Which meant it must be because of Harry. But what had he done to the girl?

With no answer all he could do was continue following the roll call which soon came to Harry’s name. At this time Professor Snape sneered at the class and drawled: “Mr Potter.. Our new.. celebrity.”

Malfoy and his cronies snickered at this and Harry scowled, but only slightly, for the man was staring at him with his bottomless dark orbs.

One more person he had done nothing to who didn’t seem to like him one bit. It, too, must be because of his name, Potter.

Harry wondered if he, too, could ask to be simply called Harry or Mr P, or anything like the sort.

After roll call ended, Professor Snape ordered them to brew a Boil-Cure potion, so they took their cauldrons and got promptly to work.

Harry went to get the ingredients while Ron lit a fire beneath the cauldron. The student's ingredient closet was at the corner of the class room and had a line to it as everyone needed them. Somehow Harry ended up next to Mariyah, who stiffened noticeably.

“Hi”, Harry tried speaking to her as he couldn’t just let the thing go, not woth her standing right beside her. Mariyah stiffened even more and glanced at him, unsure what to do.

“Hi”, she finally muttered and looked anywhere but at him.

“What happened?” Harry asked, positive that the girl at least answered him.

“..Nothing”, she muttered and spared a somwhow shy glance at him.

“Is Potter disturbing you, Riya?” came a drawl behind them.

It had a same kind of pride as Snape’s but was even more arrogant. Harry turned to face Malfoy standing behind them.

“Of course not”; he said to the blonde. Mariyah stayed quiet next to him.

“That so”, the other boy drawled slowly and stared right at the girl, behaving as if not believing until he heard it directly from her.

“I can defend myself, Draco - if there’s something to defend from. But thank you for the concern”, Mariyah replied, finding her voice again and flashing a warm but resolute smile his way. Malfoy smirked lightly; it was not his usual sneer.

“I don’t doubt that, not after.. well you know. It doesn’t mean I cannot stand by your side, now can it?” he asked, the smirk still visible.

Riya grinned humorously if not stifly, and said: “I see you are the leader of the purebloods for a reason, heir of the Malfoy family. Thank you.”

Harry didn’t like how they ignored his whole presence and talked like friends.

How could she be friends with Malfoy of all people?

The line moved fast and they were at the closet already. Harry read the labels and took everything he needed and met Mariyah’s gaze for the first time in a week before he returned.

He saw guilt and conflict there and thought for the thousandth time there was more to the story than he’d thought.

He returned to Ron and they continued with their work.

As they neared the end he dared a glance back at Hermione and Mariyah. The two were concentrated on their work and talked animatedly at the same time, easily managing the multitasking. Apparently not even talking about potions as he heard bits and pieces of the conversation.

“I only managed at the third try! It took more concentration than I first thought but..” Hermione told about their Transfiguration lesson and then Mariyah told something and both girls smiled enthusiastically.

“Doesn’t seem like such a snake to me”, Harry pointed them to Ron, who stared at them a moment before saying: “If she can talk with Granger, it means she’s stuck up. Not that she’s not a snake.”

Harry wanted to smack his friend but refrained and continued working on their cauldron, which distantly resembled the desired effect as the smoke rising from the cauldron was purple, not pink as it should’ve been.

The class room roaming Snape sneered at their result in disgust and vanished it before turning to the girls behind them. He seemed honestly surprised when pink smoke actually rose from the cauldron.

“A satisfactory result, Miss Granger,... Miss Mariyah. Five points to Slytherin and Gryffindor respectfully”, he said before leaving for the next table, cloaks billowing behind. The girls grinned at each other and cleaned their table with swift swipes of their wands.

“Bookworms..” Ron muttered darkly and looked bitterly at their empty cauldron.

Chapter Text

After potions Harry and Ron went to Hagrid’s, where they were served tea and consolation about Professor Snape.

Harry wasn’t sure if he believed Hagrid that he was thinking too much into it, but let it go as the man seemed so resolute on his belief. What surprised him more was the article he found in the Daily Prophet about that vault he’d been to with Hagrid. It made him tell Ron and together they wondered what it was that the crook wanted, but could go little un their guesses as they only knew it was small by the time Hagrid had gone to retrieve it. This made them sullenly frown.

Harry's mood rose as their next class was Flying, something he’d wanted to try the most. He and Ron made their way to the sunny field with the other Gryffindors and nervous energy started filling him when he caught something green in his vision. It was not the green of the grass or the leaves - no - it was the first year Slytherins that came their way from the castle.

“Don’t tell me we have flying with them”, Harry muttered to Ron, who looked equally repulsed.

“I’m afraid we do”, the boy only said.

Mariyah

After potions Draco had been more friendly to her, seeking her company and eventually asking what Potter, Harry, had wanted. She’d evaded the question and the blonde had scowled but kept silent about it.

She’d known the raven haired boy would speak to her. She’d known but hadn’t known what to do about it. It was easier to hate someone when that someone was but a mere thought. Now, though, he was a living, breathing, kind boy her age that wanted to be her friend.

She didn’t know what to do.

She had no one to ask.

Would she ask Draco, he’d scowl at her even harder and call her blood traitor or something similar even for thinking about befriending Potter.

Would she ask Quirrell ,he’d.. she didn’t know what he’d do but reckoned it wouldn’t be in the way to improve their relationship. Evidently Quirrell was of the same mind as her mother.

Now she followed silently next to Daphne as they made their way to the Flying lesson. The air around them was relaxed and jovial, but she couldn’t stop scowling. The day of the potions class had left a bad taste in her mouth. The only good thing of the day had been Hermione, who she’d found fascinating for her knowledge. Few here knew all the things she did but the Gryffindor witch was one to take in any and every knowledge coming her way.

Mariyah found it challenging because her mother and later Quirrell had taught her many things not for first years. Currently she was trying to go as a normal first year and deepen the knowledge she had. Hermione helped in it, because she had read all their books from cover to cover. She was different from Daphne who was quiet and kind in public, the type to watch people or Pansy who wanted attention by being nosy and important.

Maybe she would have done well in Gryffindor. Even the thought made Mariyah smirk mischievously. She would have.. but it wouldn’t have been her house.

The grassy field opened before them and colored almost blindingly yellow in the sunshine. She saw spots of red coming for them and blanched.

Gryffindors.

The devil came when mentioned.

Draco sneered before her and watched them come. “Bet Potter cannot even ride a broom”, he smirked and Crabbe and Goyle laughed darkly by the side. The others had varying expressions, Pansy enthralled, Daphne resigned, Blaise had a small half smile on his lips and Theo ignored the conversation entirely. Mariyah frowned at them. She didn’t like how the others, Draco and Pansy especially were the epitome of bullies. She was in no position to change it though. She herself was trying her best to hate Potter.

Madam Hooch came barreling to the field right when the two groups were about to meet and started instructing them to stand next to their brooms. Mariyah wasn’t too sure how well she would do. Flying was the one thing she wasn’t taught how to do - with a broom at least.

She went to stand next to the old, weathered broom and stared at it hard. It stayed on the ground without moving.

Unsure what to do she turned to look at the others and saw Hermione with a similar frown to her own, if even more unsure and also scared. Mariyah wasn’t scared. She knew she’d do anything and survive it.

Next she looked to Draco, who bragged under his breath to whoever listened, Theo right now, it seemed.

Mariyah’s gaze went to all the others next, to those did not know yet: nervous, scared, excited.

And then there was Harry, Potter! not Harry, and he was looking at his broom with a mixture of everything but mostly yearning. At that moment she knew he’d fly like he belonged on top of a broom. It practically flowed from him, the familiarity, the skill. She knew it as she’d know when.. The thought stopped and she returned her senses to Madam Hooch who told them to hold their hand above the broom and yell ‘up!’. She did, but also looked to Harry to test her intuition.

Mariyah was right of course and a smile rose on her lips. Harry’s broom shot up at the slightest sound coming from the boy’s mouth. Mariyah saw his delighted laugh and how it relaxed the face she now realised was mostly blank or in a frown - at least when she was around. It was beautiful. How those emerald green eyes sparkled and.. turned to hers.

She knew he saw her smiling at him. She knew he knew she smiled because of him. She cleared her throat and commanded the broom to go “Up!”

It did, if not as eagerly as Harry’s had. She smiled at it and braved a look at Harry. He was still looking at her. She blushed and realised then what she’d done and paled.

Hastily Mariyah turned to her house mates and saw Draco looking at her, broom already in hand. He wasn’t smiling.

“Now when I give permission, mount your broom and hover gently over the ground for a few seconds and then land back down. Now ready - Mr Longbottom! Come down this instance! Down I said! Longbottom!” Madam Hooch was first instructing and then yelling for Neville Longbottom, a boy from Gryffindor, had disobeyed and started flying up towards the sky, definitely not controlling his broom as it tried to shoo the boy of.

Longbottom was trying his best to stay afloat not crashing painfully to the ground that sneered evilly at him every time the broomstick almost hurled him to brutally kiss it. But finally, as it was evidently going to happen, he fell down in a crash and everyone gasped in horror. Luckily at the time he fell he wasn’t that high anymore. Still, he was holding his wrist in the other hand and whimpering painfully.

Madam Hooch hurried to him and demanded they stay on the ground as she take the boy to see Madam Pomfrey in the Hospital Wing. Chatter arose immediatedly at her retreat, but suddenly it all became quiet as only Draco Malfoy’s voice reverberated in the air and Mariyah turned to look at him as did everyone else.

She recoiled as she noticed the atmosphere. Had she missed something?

The houses were glaring at each other like blood rivals.

"Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

A reddish ball glittered in the sun as the blonde held it up over his head, in plain view to the stiff Gryffindors.

"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly and everyone stopped talking to watch the spectackle unfold. Malfoy smiled nastily at the raven haired boy opposote him and did an experimental catching of the small ball.

"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find -- how about -- up a tree?" he suggested, leisurely drawing out the words.

"Give it here!" Harry yelled, but Malfoy had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off. He hadn't been lying, he could fly well. Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it, Potter!"

Harry grabbed his broom, ready to go, too.

"No!" shouted Hermione Granger, "Madam Hooch told us not to move -- you'll get us all into trouble."

But Harry ignored her, as Mariyah somehow knew he’d do. He mounted the broom and kicked hard against the ground and up, up he soared; air rushed through his hair, and his robes whipped out behind him - Mariyah smiled again, more brightly as she saw the enthralled joy on Harry’s face as he soared higher easily, screams and gasps of girls back on the ground and an admiring whoop from Ron trailing his skilled flying. He turned his broomstick sharply to face Malfoy in midair - Malfoy who looked quite stunned.

"Give it here," Harry called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!"

"Oh, yeah?" said Malfoy, trying to sneer, but looking worried.

They were quite high and the voices were muffled but Mariyah sure saw when Draco sneered and suddenly threw the ball through the air. Harry waited but a second before he dived down to catch it, going lower and lower, almost kissing the ground as he skillfully caught the ball and descended to the cheers from the Gryffindors. Mariyah released the air she’d been holding and smiled with the Gryffindors until a voice sounded strictly from the castle: "HARRY POTTER!”

She turned to see Professor McGonagall striding towards Harry and ignoring everyone and everything else as she demanded the boy follow her. Harry went, looking pale and scared of being expelled.

Draco descended next to her on the ground and sneered: “Potter’s gonna go now. Expelled after one week. Poor boy.” Some Slytherins snickered at this but she couldn’t. She was supposed to be the one to hate him the most but.. she couldn’t.

Maybe it was because of her wand. It was pear, which meant she never could be evil. She’d resented her wand for it at a time, which was more than silly and unlike her to add.

Or maybe it was her. The wand chooses a wizard as Ollivanders had said.

Either way she couldn’t bring herself to sneer at Harry Potter as the boy might make his way out of Hogwarts. She knew she would have been devastated in the same situation.

Dinner came and there were no news of Harry. Mariyah followed Draco to the Great Hall and saw him walk towards the Gryffindor table with Crabbe and Goyle in tow. She stealthily followed and saw them stop at Ron Weasley and - Harry Potter. She sighed relieved and listen in on them.

"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?" Draco asked confidently.

"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," said Harry coolly. There was of course nothing at all little about Crabbe and Goyle, but as the High Table was full of teachers, neither of them could do more than crack their knuckles and scowl, of which Mariyah was grateful for. She was starting to understand why Draco kept the two around.

"I'd take you on anytime on my own," said the Slytherin. "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only -- no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?"

"Of course he has," said Ron, wheeling around, "I'm his second, who's yours?"

Draco looked at Crabbe and Goyle, sizing them up.

"Crabbe," he said, "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked." The boys promised and the trio turned around to stand in front of her. She frowned at Draco and asked: “Are you really going?”

She got the feeling he wasn’t. He wasn’t the type to go to such events when nothing was certain. As expected, he sneered and glanced at the Gryffindor table.

“Potter and Weasley will get the surprise of a lifetime. If that won’t get them expelled I don’t know what”, he laughed lightly and gestured for her to follow, “Come along, little snake. The food looks appetising today.”

Mariyah stifly did while schooling her expression into neutrality as it threatened to become a scowl at the endearment. It was for no one to use, she growled inside and tried not to hex Malfoy in front of the whole student body and the high table of teachers.

It would surely get her expelled.

Chapter Text

Harry rounded the last corner to the trophy room only to find it empty. It wasn’t yet midnight, so it was understandable, too, although he had a tight feeling around his chest seeing the rows of glittering plagues and trophies avoid of human life.

Moreover, the night hadn’t gone as he’d thought. Harry looked behind to Hermione and Neville, who had tagged along, the first to stop them because of the overheard conversation with Malfoy earlier in the day and the latter because he’d forgotten the password to the common room. Neville had run after them with Hermione when they’d noticed the Fat Lady was nowhere in sight, leaving the two no way back into the warmth of their common room. He didn't know if it was good or bad yet, but heavily doubted the latter. Who knew what Malfoy would say after seeing more than the promised people attend. Time would tell that much, if and when Malfoy showed up. Ron eyed the prizes curiously if also nervously.

“He’s late. Maybe he’s chickened out”, the redhead whispered right as hurried footsteps came through the door. They all raised their heads to see a frantic Mariyah run to them.

“Get away from here!” she hissed and ushered them to the door.

“Oh, don’t you, too. Hermione already-” Ron started but was silenced by a slap to the arm by Mariyah.

“Draco won’t come - he snitched you to Filch! Get out now!” she commanded and right after her words came the voice of Filch: "Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner."

Luckily they were already at the door and were out of sight when Filch came into the trophy room. "They're in here somewhere," they heard him mutter, "probably hiding."

Mariyah pushed their backs more hurriedly, she’d also not known Filch was that close to them already.

"This way!" Harry mouthed to the others and, thank god, they did, trailing along a long corridor full of suits of armor. Mariyah keeping their rear and looking out for Filch at the same time. How did she get herself into this mess? Her mind screeched at herself as Filch was getting nearer, she knew it in her bones and curious exhilaration gripped her.

Danger was such a thrilling guest, a strange guest, no doubt, but thrilling, vibrant, nonetheless. She also knew she should not be meeting it often.

She recoiled and grimaced hard when Neville suddenly decided to let the fear grip him hard and doom them all by running straight ahead like a headless chicken, grab Ron by the waist and crash headfirst into an armor. The resounding crashing and clatter was easily enough to get Filch high on their trails, with his manic smile on face, but it would also wake the whole castle along with the dead to know they were out there breaking rules.

"RUN!" Harry yelled, not caring anymore if they were heard. Mariyah pulled Ron and Neville up from the ground and they ran, ran and ran. Did she mention ran? Because they did, until their feet hurt and stung from overuse, when their breaths were hitched, almost unbearable.

Mariyah did not have even the slightest idea where they were, all she was thinking was how in the name of Merlin had she gotten into this mess? Her legs carried her in the wake of Harry, tearing down corridors, corners, tapestries, whatever. Wherever Harry went, they followed.

She wondered how it was her mind was so calm even while running so frantically to be able to think of what had went on in the Slytherin common room to even get her here, running with a bunch of Gryffindors, like she was one of the bunch.

She’d had the most usual evening in the dorms, occasionally flickering her eyes to the dready black clock on one wall to check the time. Mariyah sat there, peacefully reading some Arithmancy they had not had yet, leisurely turning the pages - and thinking of Draco and his cowardly ways, when suddenly her body seemed to decide something for it sat up - she sat up, got up and blurted: “Oiya! How hungry I am. See ‘ya all later!”

Mariyah’d almost spluttered aloud and blushed a deep red at what she’d said if not biting her tongue in time. Countless heads had shot up and stared at her open mouthed, apparently as stupefied as she was. Mariyah hadn't stayed to see them recover, she’d run out of the dorms and stopped just outside, leaning on a grey dungeon wall, her hands in her hair, wringing, cursing internally and thinking what the bloody hell had gone into her.

It had taken quite a while to figure that out and the answer had been peculiar, too.

She didn’t know.

Well, sure, it had to do with Harry being in danger and the annoying fondness she had for him, for being nice, for being her first potential friend.

So she stood taller, got ready to go save the boy and get herself together when she checked the time and almost collapsed right then and there on the cold stone floor.

It was five to twelve.

Five to twelve!!

Mariyah had run straight to the trophy room, not caring or even recognizing the possibility of someone following, tailing, or seeing her. And the rest was history, as they say. Here she was, running again, positively in trouble.

"I think we've lost him," Harry panted somewhere near her and Mariyah shot back up to present - only to notice she wasn’t running, but huffing slightly for precious air.

Harry was tiredly leaning against a cold wall and wiping his forehead while Neville was bent double and looking quite miserable, being a plumb boy and not that hardy as the rest of them.

“Hopefully so”, Mariyah muttered not at all that short of breath but still warm from running, “I don’t want to be caught.”

“I -- told -you," Hermione gasped, glaring positively murderously at Harry, all the while clutching at the stitch in her chest, "I -- told -- you."

"We've got to get back to Gryffindor tower," interrupted Ron by the side, ignoring Hermione’s statement, "quickly as possible."

"Malfoy tricked you, I told you so", Hermione tried again, staring accusingly at Harry who didn’t look ready to admit it right now even though Mariyah had proved it right earlier. She bet she wouldn’t want to either.

“He wanted you out the school”, Mariyah added, tucking a loose raven curl away from her face, not looking at him anymore, straight at him, anyway. Why'd she done this all again?

Harry smiled despite the situation that loomed over them, thinking he had been right about one thing - Mariyah cared for him.

Quite much at that if she was ready to sneak through the castle just to warn him. The thought made him warm inside despite her behavior now, which was studiously avoiding him. He’d figure it all out sooner or later, the girl was cracking bit by bit and he would be there to pick up the pieces that dropped.

"Let's go", he called to them, looking all around at the Charms corridor they’d ended up at.

However, fate was not betting on that being so nice and simple, for she only let them go for a few seconds before sending the worst possible being to them: Peeves came shooting out of a classroom door, and when catching sight of them, he gave a squeal of delight that sounded more like the blade being set loose on their necks.

"Shut up, Peeves -- please -- you'll get us thrown out."

But Peeves only cackled jovially.

"Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty."

"Not if you don't give us away, Peeves, please."

"Should tell Filch, I should," said Peeves in a saintly voice, but his eyes glittered wickedly. "It's for your own good, you know."

"Get out of the way," snapped Ron, taking a swipe at Peeves: this was a big mistake.

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" Peeves bellowed, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR"

Harry wanted to curse when they set to running for their lives again that night and glared at Ron even though it cost him a painful hit to his arm when colliding with a wall. He rounded it anyway, not even minding the pain, when a different kind of agony started eating at him. They’d ran into a corridor where only a single door was located and Harry had pushed it open, only to push and not get through.

It was locked, freaking locked.

"This is it!" Ron moaned, as they flocked nervously around the door, "We're done for! This is the end!"

They could hear footsteps, Filch running as fast as he could toward Peeves's shouts.

"Oh, move over," Hermione snarled. She grabbed Harry's wand, tapped the lock, and whispered, "Alohomora!"

Harry would have hugged her tight for knowing the spell but he would not as they were fighting each other to get inside quicker to shut it quickly to hide them from Filch. They did and leaned closer to listen when the coast would be clear.

"Which way did they go, Peeves?" Filch was saying. "Quick, tell me."

"Say 'please."'

"Don't mess with me, Peeves, now where did they go?"

"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please," said Peeves in his annoying singsong voice.

"All right -please."

"NOTHING! Ha haaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please! Ha ha! Haaaaaa!"

And they heard the sound of Peeves whooshing away and Filch cursing in rage.

"He thinks this door is locked," Harry whispered. "I think we'll be okay -- get off, Neville!" For Neville had been tugging on the sleeve of Harry's bathrobe for the last minute.

"What?" Harry turned around -- and saw, quite clearly, what. For a moment, he was sure he'd walked into a nightmare -- this was too much, on top of everything that had happened so far. They weren't in a room, as he had supposed. They were in a corridor. The forbidden corridor on the third floor. And now they knew why it was forbidden.

A huge, monstrous dog was staring at them a bit dazedly, with six pairs of eyes trained to them, for you see, it had three heads. Full of yellowish sharp teeth and saliva dripping from the edges, growling darkly at them and filling the entire space in front of them, only the door behind them.

Harry knew that the only reason they weren't already dead was that their sudden appearance had taken it by surprise, but it was quickly getting over that, there was no mistaking what those thunderous growls meant.

Harry groped for the doorknob -- between Filch and death, he'd take Filch.

They rushed to the corridor, running for their lives for who knows for how many times that day, making their way to Gryffindor Tower, to safety, to their warm beds where no three headed dogs waited anxiously to eat them.

Filch was nowhere in sight, luckily, but Harry hardly even noticed as he was much too happy about the fact more doors and corners were between them and the monstrous thing that could be called doggy.

Thank the heavens the Fat Lady had returned when they stopped in front of her, short of breath and quivering in the still lingering fear.

"Where on earth have you all been?" she asked, looking at their bathrobes hanging off their shoulders and their flushed, sweaty faces.

"Never mind that -- pig snout, pig snout," panted Harry, and the portrait swung forward. They scrambled into the common room and collapsed, trembling, into armchairs.

It was a while before any of them said anything. Neville, indeed, looked as if he'd never speak again. At this moment Harry finally noticed Mariyah, who eyed the room curiously, not at all scared anymore. They shared a look and she adopted a silly look, which made his mouth twitch.

“I don’t have any idea why I’m here”, she joked, “‘Will be gone after my heart doesn’t reside in my throat anymore, don’t worry your brash hearts over me.” The others didn’t find that funny as Ron only groaned.

"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" said Ron, exhausted. "If any dog needs exercise, that one does."

Hermione had got both her breath and her bad temper back again.

"You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" she snapped. "Didn't you see what it was standing on.

"The floor?" Harry suggested. "I wasn't looking at its feet, I was too busy with its heads." Mariyah snickered at that and Hermione glared at her, but she just shrugged half-heartedly in response to the frosty glare.

"No, not the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something." She stood up, glaring at them. ”I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed -- or worse, expelled. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed." Ron stared after her, his mouth open.

"No, we don't mind," he said. "You'd think we dragged her along, wouldn't you.”

“Ah, but I bet she didn’t have many possibilities, did she?” Mariyah asked and stood back up. “I’m sorry Draco pulled this off. Well at least we didn’t get hurt or expelled. I’m going back, too, before Daphne realises I’m gone - or worse, Pansy”, she smirked playfully, although it wasn’t a full on smirk and turned to the painting, “Cool common room, Gryffindors. Night!” Harry called night after her before resting against the chair once more.

“I don’t know if I should feel wronged or what that we let a snake in our tower”, Ron muttered before they made their way up to their beds with a quiet Neville in tow.

But Hermione had given Harry something else to think about then snakes in their common room as he climbed back into bed. The dog was guarding something....

What had Hagrid said? Gringotts was the safest place in the world for something you wanted to hide -- except perhaps Hogwarts. It looked as though Harry had found out where the grubby little package from vault seven hundred and thirteen was.

Over breakfast next morning Harry was certainly sure his luck had kicked in as he got mail! A pair of beautiful owls flew in carrying a long parcel wrapped up neatly. Harry caught it and read the small card attached to it. It was from McGonagall - his new broom!

Harry couldn’t stop the grin from forming on his lips.

Ron fumed over the broom, which was a Nimbus 2000, the latest model, excitedly. Neither could keep their hands off of the broom and left the hall leaving their plates half untouched. Outside the hall though, they had the displeasure of running into Malfoy and his cronies. The blonde frowned when looking at him, probably displeased he was still in school and then his eyes fell onto the broom, obvious as it was even wrapped up. He seized the parcel and felt it.

“That’s a broomstick”, he said, throwing it back to Harry with a mixture of jealousy and spite on his face, “You’ll be in it for this time, Potter, first years aren’t allowed them. Ron couldn't resist it.

"It's not any old broomstick," he said, "it's a Nimbus Two Thousand. What did you say you've got at home, Malfoy, a Comet Two Sixty?" Ron grinned at Harry. "Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same league as the Nimbus."

"What would you know about it, Weasley, you couldn't afford half the handle," Malfoy snapped back. "I suppose you and your brothers have to save up twig by twig." Before Ron could answer, Professor Flitwick appeared at Malfoy's elbow.

"Not arguing, I hope, boys?" he squeaked.

"Potter's been sent a broomstick, Professor," said Malfoy quickly.

"Yes, yes, that's right," said Professor Flitwick, beaming at Harry. "Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances, Potter. And what model is it?"

"A Nimbus Two Thousand, sir," said Harry, fighting not to laugh at the look of horror on Malfoy's face. "And it's really thanks to Malfoy here that I've got it," he added. Harry smirked at his misfortune and while he did, he saw a pair of grey eyes watching them from the corridor going to the dungeons. Mariyah halted only a little as their gazes locked before she smirked at him and winked before walking up to Malfoy.

“You coming to breakfast or not, Draco? I know I’m starving”, she asked while almost radiating positive energy to her surroundings. Malfoy frowned but then seemed to calm down and even went to smile at her.

“Yeah, lets go little snake”, he said making her scowl, but the blonde didn’t catch it as he already turned his back to Harry and thus the raven haired girl by his side.

“You know I’m older than you”, Mariyah stated frankly and got a shocked look from Malfoy.

“You certainly aren’t!” he almost shrieked to which she only smiled more brightly.

“Right you are! I aren’t!” she exclaimed and winked at Harry again.

Malfoy almost stumbled in his steps as he stared at the girl in disbelief, for once looking out of his pompous and sumptuous self.

Harry couldn’t stop the grin from forming on his lips.

Chapter Text

Mariyah was certain she was becoming mad.

Evidence to that was numerous but the best would be her unbelievable attempt to save the Gryffindors from Draco’s plot. And her behaviour this school year; she'd changed so much after coming here. Her temper had not flared that much, even when Draco went and called her 'little snake'. It made her skin bristle but she couldn't just yell at him to stop without explaining why - so she didn't. And then her biggest problem: she just didn’t seem capable of hating Harry Potter.

It made her sight to her Charms essay. They’d smiled briefly at each other during the weeks afterwards, little glances at the corridors and quiet greetings at Potions where she still sat with Hermione Granger. They weren’t exactly talking outside the classes though, and truthfully, she wasn’t sure why that was. Especially with Hermione, the girl was brilliant and seemed loyal despite her outburst about the midnight duel.

“What’s your essay done now?” Daphne’s curious and warm voice woke her from her thoughts. She smirked a little in an attempt to seem normal, but it must have not worked for she laughed at her instead.

“Ah, it’s just my mind’s always a bit distracted during the Halloween season”, she explained to the other girl. It was true. She was always a bit depressed during this time of year. Truthfully more than a bit.

Daphne reached her hand to land on top of hers on the green armchair.

“You know you can talk to me about it if you wish”, she said kindly and Mariyah nodded, not trusting her voice to work. She appreciated her offer, knew it was a heartfelt one, but she would not take it. Daphne seemed to know it, too, for she did not push her on it anymore.

They returned to their work and continued in relative silence, only questions about the essays sometimes billowing between them. Finally they were ready and both sagged to their respective armchairs before laughing a little.

“I’m beat”, Daphne admitted, “But at least now we can enjoy the feast to the fullest.” Mariyah laughed and moved to raise up.

“True that. Now come on. There’s food to devour”, she cheered her friend on and dragged her to the common room door. Draco, Pansy and Blaise were already there ready to go.

“Took you long enough”, Pansy briddled while turning to smile at Draco beamingly, “Let’s go then!” Mariyah, already used to her antics, only shared a smile and a shake of head with Daphne before they took the stairs to the Great Hall.

It was decorated marvelously with real-like bats and huge floating pumpkins, which made it a real feast. The tables were brimming with food, all kinds of delicacies decorated in Halloween colors and themes.

Somehow the more the volume and amount of happiness rose in the hall, the more the sadness inside her consumed her, too. It rose to the point where she heard a familiar voice in her mind, a long suppressed one: My beautiful little snake.. you were kind to your mother in my absence, weren't you? You'll bring her to smile, won't you? I'd love to stay with you, but cannot.. I'll find a way, soon, I promise. I love you my little snake.

Tears threatened Mariyah's eyes more in that moment than they had in a year. She swallowed and the conversation around her dimmed, fading away. She stood up jerkily and ran from the Great Hall before the feast even began, getting a worried look from Daphne, who seemed to not trust her excuse of needing to use the bathroom.

Halfly it was true, she was going to the bathroom - if only it was to let the burning tears free.

Halloween was the epitome of her loneliness. Even Rowena, her sister, wasn’t here to help lessen the pain. She ran all the way to the bathroom, only to stop right after the threshold to the tears already streaming down her cheeks. She curled down, hugging her knees to her and sobbed, hoping the sorrow to lessen, to finally cease. Let her be happy again, accomplish her goals with strength she needed.

Her sadness was silent, only a shallow sound of breathing heavily, which made it possible for her to hear inbetween the sobs the sound of… crying. Which was just silly considering she was the one crying. But no, it was clear now that she noticed it. Someone else was crying here, too.

Mariyah rose feebly and located the sound to be coming from one of the stalls. She knocked on the door tentatively and the sound ceased.

“Who’s there?” a choken sound came from within, a sound she recognised.

“Hermione?” Mariyah hated how her voice cracked, too.

It was silent for a beat before the door opened and Hermione’s buffy red eyes came to view. They stared at each other for a while before crackled laughter erupted into the silence and the other girl wiped the tears from her eyes. Mariyah would have bet she heard her mumble: “I have you, don’t I. He was wrong..” But the moment was over once before it even began as the Gryffindor witch asked: “If I may ask, why were you crying here?”

Mariyah stiffened before looking at the honest look on the face rimmed by a bunch a crazy brown curls.

“Because this day reminds me of how alone I am”, the words tumbled out before she could stop them. They made them both still, before Hermione whispered: “I was crying because I’m alone, too.”

The understanding between them was almost tangible, but it was broken by a sudden dragging sound. They both turned to the sound and Mariyah frowned.

“What is that sound?” she asked no one and took a step closer to the door only to freeze completely.

A gigantic mountain troll stood there in the entryway, dragging a huge wooden club with it. It was hideous, grey skin over the boulder like body and a bald head with dumb eyes, which met hers briefly before it took a step to them.

Hermione screamed as she had come to look behind Mariyah’s shoulder. The troll brandished its club and roared while swinging it at them. Fear gripped them hard and Mariyah pushed Hermione out the way. The troll strolled after them and she didn’t know which were scarier: the crazy swings of the wooden club that leveled the bathroom before them or the roars it aimed at them sending snot and slime flying.

They had backed to the furthest corner and Hermione covered behind the sinks while Mariyah finally remembered she had a wand. She was a brilliant witch, she knew that well - but she’d never had to fight before.

She sent a tentative stinging hex at the troll’s backside and who knew, it actually turned away from them - only to reveal two pale faced boys standing at the doorway, one with red hair and the other had raven curls and round spectacles.

“Hermione!” Ron yelled and then seemed to notice Mariyah, too, who stood almost behind the troll.

“Mariayh!?” he wasn’t expecting to see her here at all, it seemed. So they came to look for Hermione.

“We’re fine!” she yelled earning the trolls confused look her way, “For now.” The last bit came as a prayer as she once again sent a stinging hex its way. It turned again leveling another row of toilets while at it and she used the time to ask: “Do you have any good plans?”

The boys looked at each other and then at the troll, who seemed to notice them, and the boys looked out of options until Harry shouted: “Confuse it more!”

They separated and the troll didn’t seem to know which way to go as too many prey were all over it. Mariyah grabbed Hermione’s hand and pulled her along as she tried to make their way to the door, when the enraged troll took to Ron who was closest and with no way out. She already had her wand at it, sending another stinging hex when she saw Harry leap at the troll and get a hold of its neck, thrusting his wand into its nose at the same time.

The troll howled in pain and swun the club ever more viciously, almost shaking Harry of. Her mouth opened in shock at the brave and thoughtless thing to do when Ron, totally gobsmacked, raised his wand and screamed: “Wingardium Leviosa!”

The trolls club rose from its hand to hover over it before descending to smack its head. The troll went down like a marionette with its strings cut and Harry stumbled to the ground with it.

“Is it -- dead?” Hermione was the first to talk.

“I don’t think so”, Harry said while going to retrieve his wand from the nose of the troll, “I think it’s just knocked out.”

Mariyah still couldn’t believe what she saw: with no plan at all, the boys took down a mountain troll. What luck they had with them, she marveled and dragged the still frigid Hermione to them with her. Ron stared at the troll as if he didn’t believe the sight before him while Harry stared in disgust at his own wand, covered in snot.

He cleaned it against the trolls clothes but with poor success. She waved her wand at it and the snot disappeared. Harry shot her a thankful look when the doorway suddenly filled with frantic teachers.

Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room, closely followed by Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart. Mariyah frowned at him and could only shake her head. It was a known fact by all what a coward the man was. She couldn’t believe what her mum had thought when entrusting her to him.

Snape bent over the troll, checking its status: knocked out, while Professor McGonagall was looking at them all next to the troll. None of them had ever seen her so angry as even her lips were white.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice. Mariyah and Harry looked at Ron, who was still standing with his wand in the air. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

Snape gave Harry a swift, piercing look before shooting a same kind her way. She bet he still wasn’t happy she knew his little ‘Prince’ secret. Harry looked at the floor and she followed suit. She bet they both wished Ron would put his wand down. Then a small voice came behind her where she’d unconsciously dropped her.

"Please, Professor McGonagall -- they were looking for me."

"Miss Granger!"

Hermione had managed to stand on her own feet at last.

”I went looking for the troll because I -- I thought I could deal with it on my own -- you know, because I've read all about them."

Ron dropped his wand. Hermione Granger, telling a downright lie to a teacher? They were all gobsmacked at that.  

"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Mariyah confused it with stinging hexes while Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived."

The three of them tried to look as though this story wasn't new to them. Mariyah saw how Quirrell’s eyes shot to her at the mention of her name. They met eyes and she could see the horror in them for her. She smiled brightly at him, which was noticed by Professor Snape, who scowled at her.

"Well -- in that case..." said Professor McGonagall, staring at the four of them, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"

Hermione hung her head. Mariyah saw how speechless Harry and Ron were - and she wasn’t far behind. Hermione was the last person to do anything against the rules, and here she was, pretending she had, to get them out of trouble. It was as if Snape had started handing out sweets.

"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses."

Hermione left and Professor McGonagall turned to Mariyah, Harry and Ron.

"Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You two win Gryffindor five points. Miss Mariyah, Professor Snape will decide what to do with you. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go."

Harry and Ron hurried out of the chamber while throwing guessing looks her way. Then she was left alone with Professors Snape and Quirrell. Professor McGonagall had gone away to inform Professor Dumbledore.

“Now what to do with you”, Snape drawled and shot a look the trolls way, “Somehow it evades my senses that a Slytherin would run to help a Gryffindor from danger, or what do you say.. Miss Mariyah?”

She stood tall as he examined her and said with indignation slipping purposefully into her voice: “I do sit with Hermione in all your classes, mind you. I think it perfectly normal to help a friend in need.”

Mariyah saw how his eyes flickered in thought, trying to read her, until he finally said: “Very well, then. Five points to Slytherin. Off you go.”

She was sure the points were only so Gryffindor wouldn’t get all of them, but remained quiet of the fact. As she was ready to bolt, Professor Quirrell stood up, to stop her.

“M-Mariyah, dear. Y-you’re a-alright aren’t you?” he asked and took a hold on her elbows, to inspect her. She knew he must’ve seen the dried up tears in her eyes, because his brows furrowed and then realisation hit him.

“I am fine, Professor Quirrell. Nothing to worry about”, she said and smiled at him, maybe for the first time an authentic one, some warmth bubbling in her chest for the genuine worry. He wasn’t all that bad despite the fact he smelled of garlic and was scared of everything. At least he cared for her. The thought warmed her as she descended to the dungeons, for sure to retell the feat to the others.

Mariyah could already picture Draco's face, blonde eyebrows high on his forehead and mouth hanging agape. After a while he'd sputter something along the lines of: "To help a Gryffindor? That's utterly stupid, little snake, you are a Slytherin!" And she thought she could actually laugh at that, before berating him, of course.

And while the endearement did remind her of him, it might be nice to actually hear it once more. Just a few times, until he could call for her again. 

Harry and Ron climbed to Gryffindor tower thoughts still running through the sudden events. The common room was bustling but Hermione stood there waiting for them. None of them looked at each other until all of them said “thanks” at the same time and went to get their plates.

From that moment onwards Hermione Granger was their friend and it needed not be said for they all knew it. Defeating a mountain troll was something that definitely brought them together, which was why, while eating the feast they huddled together and Ron asked the question that was on both their minds: “Why was Mariyah there? Did she come looking for you, too?”

Hermione stilled and stared at her plate for a long while. Harry got the idea that wasn’t the case; Riya definitely wasn’t there for her. But then, why would she leave the feast to go to a bathroom.

“She”, Hermione stammered and blushed, “Riya came to me.” But she didn’t look at them when she said that, which left Harry certain that wasn’t the case.

Unless, she was there for the same reason as Hermione? Harry frowned at the idea. Had someone been mean to her? Now that he thought about it, he had seen her slip out of the hall before even eating anything, practically running away.

Maybe he wasn’t that far off with his guess. Ron, too, looked thoughtful.

“Maybe she isn’t such a snake after all”, he said and Hermione glared at him.

“Of course not!” she said indignantly, “Why else would I sit with her at Potions?”

Chapter Text

Time flew by after Halloween.

The Slytherins were of course curious to know what had happened that night and it had worked to bond them to Mariyah even more. She somehow felt closer to the trio from Gryffindor, too, as they now sometimes spent time in the library doing homework, well, she and Hermione at least. It was different with them because she wasn’t in the same house and the fact left her feeling outside more often than not.

Draco turned out to be not so bad when he wasn’t next to Harry and obviously jealous of the boy and she actually found him quite funny if he ceased the bragging and just.. was. He was worse when came the time of the eventful Quidditch match between Slytherin and Gryffindor.

Both houses sneered at each other wherever they went and the players had it worse. She and Hermione both thought it utterly useless and stupid, but everyone else seemed to think differently.

And then the match.

Slytherin had been winning before Harry’s broom had started to act out. It was plain to the eye and quite horrible to look at - if one wasn’t Malfoy and enjoying every second.

That was Mariyah’s new campaign. She called him Draco if he behaved and sneered Malfoy when he didn’t. She was sure the blonde had noticed but he hadn’t mentioned it to her yet.

Halfway through Harry's precarious situation Mariyah had noticed Hermione sneaking of to the Professors and causing some ruckus there, which ceased Harry’s broom’s intentions to slung the rider off. She had heaved a heavy sigh at that and the rest of the match had gone fluidly as Harry caught the Snitch and Gryffindor won.

She’d enjoyed watching him fly like he belonged to the sky - as she’d been sure he’d do. His smile up there was so lively, free and full of Gryffindor courage. That made her wonder what made that kind of smile rise to her face.

“What’s wrong little snake?” Draco’s voice sounded next to her and she recoiled at the suddenness. The boy had yet to give up the endearment and nowadays Mariyah wasn’t even sure if she hated it as much anymore.

“Ah, nothing. I was just deep in my thoughts. What’s the matter?” she smiled at him, seeing he’d come to sit in the seat next to her. They were in the common room doing who whichever, some essays, some talking or writing a letter home as Christmas was just around the corner.

The whole room was decorated in Christmas colors, mistletoes hanging over the fireplace and a smaller tree than the ones upstairs in the corner full of sparkling bells and balls.

“Are you sure you won’t want to come to the manor with me?” Draco asked hopefully, leaning closer to her as some other Slytherins were running over the room and squealing.

“It’s not about wanting to come, Draco, as I’ve explained. I’m needed here for the Christmas. I’m sorry. Maybe next year I’ll come”, she said, actually meaning it. It would have been nice to go with him as they all would meet at the Malfoy manor during Christmas, but she had business here they needed not know. Draco looked dejected and she shared her essay with him, trying to cheer him up. It seemed almost silly now, how she’d thought they wouldn’t be friends at the first day in Hogwarts.

Gradually she’d found her place among them. She knew they were different kind of friends than Harry, Ron and Hermione, who were always getting into trouble and recklessly saving each other but she knew the friends she made here, among Slytherin, would be one to always come to her once they opened up to her, and she to them.

The next day the train came and soon only a handful was left to roam the castle. All the other Slytherins were gone except her so she had the common room all to herself, which was quite nice considering what she had to do over the holidays.

Mariyah wentured to the Great Hall only to find the four tables gone and one big table in their stead in the middle. Harry and Ron were already there so she went to sit next to them.

“Hi”, Harry said smiling at her, “I didn’t know you’d be here too. Not after how Malfoy made fun of us all staying for the holidays.” She laughed at that and said while taking a good piece of turkey onto her plate: “He’s too keen to feel jealous to remember I’m staying, too. Although he tried to get me to come to the manor for the holidays.”

Ron looked up at that and sneered: “You of course told him no one would want to live in a stuck up place like that, now didn’t you Riya?” He almost looked hopeful, trying to forget she would never say that to him.

“Of course, Weasley. As well as I told him not to buy me a present, which he brushed aside immediately”, Mariyah said, emphasizing his surname. She’d taken to do the same surname program for all of them. Ron winced and muttered to his food: “He is a right git and you know it.”

Harry looked up at her and asked: “Are you the only Slytherin in school?” Mariyah nodded only to see him frown.

“Would you like to crash in our common room, then? It must be a bit lonely down there alone”, he asked and her heart warmed at the concern.

“Don’t worry about me, I stayed for a reason. I doubt I’ll have enough time to even notice there’s no one else”, she laughed and rose up, “Speaking of, I need to run before I’m late. Have a Merry Christmas boys!” She could see them open their mouths to ask what she meant but she just smirked playfully and winked before fleeing the Great Hall.

It wasn’t even that big of a secret, what she was doing, most of the time, as Poppy Pomfrey had promised to teach her some basic healing charms. Light magic was her speciality as well as concealments and other charms and she was quite a bit ahead of everyone else in them.

“There you are, my girl!” Madam Pomfrey greeted her heartily and rose from her chair to take her by the hand to her office, which was quite roomy and full of different potions and salves and other mediwitch appliances.

“You certainly are the youngest I’ve taught but as Quirinus told me, you are a natural. Just remember not to use these until I’ve given you permission as a healing spell gone haywire can worsen the situation instead of helping. Diagnostic spells are always the first to go to in foreign situations because sometimes the wound can be of dark origin and thus not easily treatable. Oh, but I’m sure we’ll do just fine, now won’t we”, she gave a many worded preface before they started actually learning.

Mariyah had done some diagnostic spells before and was quite knowledgeable about potions, which made Madam Pomfrey amazed and Mariyah beaming in turn. She loved it when she for once could show everything she knew and get the recognition and awe that came with it. She’d studied hard and that she told Madam Pomfrey, too, who patted her on the shoulder and told her she’d done an amazing job at it.

She learned so much more during that afternoon that she was downright beaming when she went down to the dungeons. That was how Professor Quirrell found her.

“I t-take it a-all went w-well with Poppy?” he asked smiling at her warmly. She nodded and beamed at him for once.

“It did! Thank you for giving me the chance”, she told him happily.

“One must do w-what ones magic i-is made to do”, he only simply said and then asked, “Will y-you be a-alright in the dungeons?” She only nodded and turned to skip down the moving staircase as the portraits on the wall kept giving them strange looks. No one really knew they were acquainted in any way.

“Merry Christmas Quirinus!” she yelled after her and got a chuckle in return.

After a supper with Harry and Ron who kept asking what she’d done to be so happy about it she returned to the dungeons and started the next part of her training. Charms. Different glamours and invisibility, as well as some simple protection charms. She was getting good at the invisibility ones and glamours she’d known how to do for a month already. Mum would have been proud of her.

Even more nowadays she didn’t trust adults, or anyone, really. That’s why she learned by herself. Her mother had thought the same and taught her all about magic even before she had a wand. That’s why she could do wandless and wordless magic quite easily. Her Christmas would be spent in training, solely in training. Partly to keep her mind of darker things and partly because she thought she needed it, harsh training for once again. It was her first after almost a year without intense training. And wandering the castle of course.

Harry couldn’t sleep the Christmas night. Not when his new invisibility cloak was just waiting to be used. And he’d been thinking about Riya, who was seen only at mealtimes. She didn’t even have a snowball fight with the Weasleys and him. She was nowhere to be seen, in fact.

That’s how Harry ended up checking the restricted section of the library in the dead of night, picking the book which decided to scream the second it’s opened and then almost run into Filch in the darkness.

He wasn’t feeling the luckies right now, listening at the door if Filch had gone already, in the classroom he didn’t know which was where. Slowly he relaxed and turned to look at the space he’d barged into. It was an unused classroom at first sight, desks and tables building dust and spiderwebs in the nooks and crannies.

Except there was a large mirror just left there in one corner of the room. It was a magnificent mirror, as high as the ceiling, with an ornate gold frame, standing on two clawed feet. There was an inscription carved around the top: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.

Harry went curiously closer to look how he’d look being under his cloak only to jump back in fright.

He frantically looked back but saw no one.

Then back to the mirror and there he still was, reflected in it, white and scared-looking, and there, reflected behind him, were at least ten others.

Harry looked over his shoulder -- but still, no one was there. Or were they all invisible, too? Was he in fact in a room full of invisible people and this mirror's trick was that it reflected them, invisible or not?

He looked in the mirror again. A woman standing right behind his reflection was smiling at him and waving. He reached out a hand and felt the air behind him. If she was really there, he'd touch her, their reflections were so close together, but he felt only air -- she and the others existed only in the mirror.

She was a very pretty woman. She had dark red hair and her eyes -- her eyes are just like mine, Harry thought, edging a little closer to the glass. Bright green -- exactly the same shape, but then he noticed that she was crying; smiling, but crying at the same time. The tall, thin, black-haired man standing next to her put his arm around her. He wore glasses, and his hair was very untidy. It stuck up at the back, just as Harry's did.

Harry was so close to the mirror now that his nose was nearly touching that of his reflection.

"Mom?" he whispered. "Dad?"

They just looked at him, smiling. And slowly, Harry looked into the faces of the other people in the mirror, and saw other pairs of green eyes like his, other noses like his, even a little old man who looked as though he had Harry's knobbly knees -- Harry was looking at his family, for the first time in his life.

“Harry?” he suddenly heard a silent whisper in the room and turned to look. Mariyah stood there behind him, looking all over as if trying to locate him. He slipped the cloak off and discreetly said: “Hi.”

Her eyes widened at the sight of the cloak and she came closer feeling the cool fabric.

“A gift?” she asked quietly and looked to his green eyes tentatively. She seemed more fragile now than in the Great Hall earlier in the day. Harry nodded and turned back to the mirror, seeing them all again. He wanted to keep looking at them so much. His mother was waving at him again.

“What do you see?” Mariyah asked and sat down on the floor, looking at the mirror, too. He turned briefly in question of didn’t she see them also, but answered anyway: “My parents. I see my parents”

He saw Mariyah look up at him, on her face a peculiar expression before she said quietly: “I see mine, too.” She looked at the mirror and sadness colored the pretty features in a heartbreaking way.

“Your parents? Not mine?” Harry asked just to be sure. This sure was a peculiar mirror.

“Mm. My mother. And.. my father. The text at the top, it reads backwards: I show not your face but your heart’s desire. So it looks different to us all. But in a way same to us, as we both see our families”, she said and Harry looked up to read the text again.

He sat down next to her and for a while both only stared at the mirror, at their families.

“Are your parents also dead?” Harry finally asked, turning from the mirror to look at Mariyah, only to see her crying.

“Mum is”, she sniffled and Harry didn’t know what to do. She had always been so.. strong, in every situation. She recovered the first from the three-headed-dog, she was distracting the troll and keeping a level head the whole time and here she was, crying like a little girl she was, hoping for her mother. He wondered should he cry, too.

“She died only a year ago. That’s around the time Quirinus came to us. Momma had been sick for a long time. I was so happy when he came because I thought he’d heal her - that she’d be fine again and then we’d go and look for my father again. But he didn’t, he couldn’t. He was but a stuttering, scared man and still momma seemed to like him, she cheered up real good when he came. In the end she died a smile on her lips and I didn’t even know why. The sickness she had, it’d come from when we went looking for my father, he.. disappeared, you see. I know it wasn’t his choice to leave us. In fact, he was doing everything he could to stay with us. I haven’t seen him since I was one, so I don’t really remember him. Momma used to show and tell me everything about him. We had a pensieve and we went to look at her memories daily. It’s a bowl that lets you hop straight into memories, live them again as they were. But I can’t do that anymore. Now it hurts too much to see mum there, so happy. She left me to Quirinus and I blamed him for her death, for being useless. That’s why you saw us like that that one day. I’m no Mariyah Quirrell. I’m just.. Mariyah”, she told him, clearly diving into her memories.

The silence returned between them for a beat before Harry swallowed and turned to the mirror to collect courage from it.

“I have never seen them before, my parents. I just wish I’d known them, lived with them”, Harry told her in turn, for the first time ever to anyone really, “I live with mum’s sister and her husband, they are muggles and they hate magic. I thought my name was ‘freak’ until I was five years old. I lived under the cupboard, maybe will still live come summer. All my life I’ve been thinking how different it would have been with living with my parents. But I’ll never know, will I?”

Harry felt something warm touch his hand and glanced back to see Mariyah had taken his hand in hers. He gave it a squeeze and held on.

It felt nice, sitting there with her, her hand in his and watch his parents, his mother crying. Certainly she was because she, too, missed him. He knew they were perfect parents the little time they’d had with him, how could they not have been when looking at him so tenderly now.

“I’m sorry”, came a small voice that brought him out of his mind. He looked at Mariyah only to see her staring stubbornly at the mirror.

“Why?” he asked and held her hand tighter for a while.

“Because I was stupid when I heard your name. I didn’t know you and still judged you. I’m sorry”, she said, biting back tears again.

Harry hadn’t known he’d needed to hear her say that before she did. It lifted a weight from his shoulders and he tucked her closer until they were sitting shoulder to shoulder, their linked hands in his lap. After a while Mariyah rested her head on his shoulder and they continued sitting there, comforting each other while watching the families they wanted so bad.

The next night Harry brought Ron there but there was no Mariyah. She wasn’t there the next night either, no, when he ran into Professor Dumbledore, who didn’t seem to know of Mariyah finding the mirror, but did of Ron.

Harry wondered if the old white haired wizard was the reason Mariyah didn’t come to see her parents anymore.

Chapter Text

The rest of the holidays flew by without the mirror of Erised as Dumbledore had called it, or nightly meetings with Mariyah.

He hardly even saw her, she seemed so busy and also intriguingly happy and full of energy even though her magical reserves seemed to be running low all the time when she was earing in the Great Hall a healthy red on her cheeks. Once she'd been all sweaty and had aloat hexed Ron for making fun of it before stoeming of again, a few pieces of meat pies in her mouth and hands.

Harry wondered exactly what she was doing, running around the empty castle all day and night. Ron looked at her like he would at a lunatic.

“What’s the use spending the holidays like that?” he’d scoffed, “She should rest like the rest of us.”

Soon it was time for the rest of the school to arrive back to the snowy fields of Hogwarts and with them came Hermione, absolutely horrified at his ventures, and down at the unluckiness of not having found Flamel after all that trouble and suffering.

He also saw Malfoy almost hug Mariyah in the foyer, but settled for a clap on the shoulder that made the girl frown at him curiously, which in turn made the blonde blush before hastily turning the conversation to something different.

Harry didn’t like how Malfoy seemed so stricken with the girl. He justified it on deducing that the git was bad influence on anyone, but when he mentioned it to Hermione, the girl looked at him a moment before shaking her head like to a lost cause. Harry had sulked at his porridge.

Finally came the life altering Quidditch match against Hufflepuff.

Which Snape was the judge of.

Snape .

The man who vehemently hated him? Wanted him dead the last time they'd played Quidditch?

Yes, that Snape.

Harry couldn’t quite believe his luck - neither had Ron or Hermione.

They actually even had quite an entertaining conversation about it -

"Don't play," said Hermione at once.

"Say you're ill," said Ron.

"Pretend to break your leg," Hermione suggested.

"Really break your leg," said Ron.

-  which Harry finally ended with his ‘no other choice - I’m the only seeker’ objection.

And so he did play in that doomed match.

In the end, it wasn’t half bad because Dumbledore was there keeping Snape in check - in the form of ‘not-cursing-Harry’ but not on ‘giving-a-hundred-and-one-penalties-to-Gryffindor-for-nothing’ thing the potions master had going all the time the bat like figure loomed over them in the air on his broomstick.

Nonetheless, he caught the snitch in record time - right next to a baffled Snape no less - and afterwards they affirmed the deduction that Snape was after the Philosopher’s stone and his only obstacle was Quirrell.

Also yes: the stuttering, shivering, frightened teacher.

Who would have believed it?

Harry would have not.

Oh and there had been that epic fight between Ron, Neville, Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle while he’d shone on the Quidditch field taking all their glory.

Hermione hadn’t even noticed the boys were rolling all over the floor at her feet. Mariyah told him in a giggle she’d seen, but thought them meaningless while he (Harry) was about to dive right over a startled Snape in his quest for the snitch. That made Harry smile exceptionally brightly.

He’d debated on telling her about everything -their finding about the philosopher’s stone and how Snape was about to get through Quirrell, but decided against it when he saw the girl nodding over her books deep asleep in the library, clearly over exhausted over whatever she was up to.

Harry also saw Hermione cast a silencing charm over the girl, with a somewhat fond amile on her lips, and verified his decision.

Weeks had passed, which deemed Quirrell more brave they’d thought as Snape still sweeped around the castle in his bad manner and their concern over the sorcerer's stone lessened noticeably.

So needless to say once that worry was over, the shock was evident for him and Ron when Hermione started drawing up study schedules and coloring all her notes.

The tests would be ages away!

To which Hermione, their ever shining bookworm, said “ten weeks. That’s not ages. That’s like second to Nicolas Flamel.”

He and Ron could not really refute that (not more than Ron telling her they weren’t six hundred years old), more so when Mariyah showed them the notes she’d handed to all Slytherin on her free time, which Harry doubted existed. Even Hermione was impressed by her notes which were ‘very specific’ and ‘astonishingly easy to decipher’.

Looking at the notes, Harry couldn't shake of the uncomfortable feeling over thinkin how Malfoy was probably studying the same notes - maybe even at this same second, lounging in their Slytherin dungeons - with her. It made his hands restless, almost as if in search of his wand, securely stuffed in his bag as he sat in the library.

But that was just silly, wasn't it? Was it?

Teachers were on the same wavelength as the girls, unfortunately, and soon they were all nodding of over their homework in either the common room or the library.

However, it all started to get kinky once more when Hagrid ran into them in the library one day acting all shady and stealthy.

He was also stunned speechless of them talking about the stone so freely and asked them over for tea, without a doubt to shut them up about it.

That was a trip to remember, Harry’d dare say.

Because as it turned out, Hagrid had gotten himself a dragon.

Again, yes. A dragon.

Breathing fire? Check.

Big as hell? Check.

Absolutely illegal? Check.

A brilliant thing, wasn't it?

Althoug, it wasn't that big

- yet -

the egg was pure black and shimmering in the stove, though. The soon to be a force to be reckoned with.

Yay, should he say? Nay..

No talk of reason had worked, not even when Hermione had astutely noted Hagrid lived in a wooden house.

But that was to be expected when talking of Hagrid, wasn't it?

He also shared some information with them about the safety measures for the Stone, perhaps in an attempt to take their minds of the dragon egg peeking at them from the fire. Spells and riddles by the staff to block the stone out, so no one would be able to get it. Even Dumbledore had his trick in the tart.

So they could sigh a brief relief, until..

More troubles came when the little winged creature decided to hatch.

They’d run to Hagrid’s during a morning break to watch it happen and truthfully, Harry had been quite excited to see a dragon hatch, but he’d never admit it, to Hermione at least.

He'd only get a scolding and who wanted one?

It was a Norwegian Ridgeback that puffed little pouts of smoke and fire over the wooden table, not yet lighting it up in flames. It was almost cute, Harry'd thought while watching it dawdle around and seeing Hagrid all motherly over the creature.

But as if the dragon itself wasn’t enough trouble, Malfoy had seen it through the caps in the curtains. It if anything diminished their moods, drawing dark circles under their eyes. And concern to bloom in their hearts over their big friends fate.

Luckily Harry had had the brilliant thought to send a note to Ron’s brother Charlie, who promised to send his friends to fetch the hatchling.

It all went surprisingly well - too well if thought later - with even the fact they had caught Malfoy getting detention for trying to snitch them, until the dragon, named Norbert, was safely gone and he and Hermione descended the stairs from the Astronomy Tower - straight to Filch’s welcoming arms. Harry's cloak was up the stairs where he’d forgotten it.

“Well well well”, Filch whispered, “we are in trouble.”

They sure were.

McGonagall had never looked quite so grim as she had, rounding the corner to them - poor Neville in tow. He’d tried to warn them of Malfoy before being caught.

Needn't be said it didn’t end well for them. They lost one hundred and fifty points from Gryffindor and were hated by the whole school for losing the House Cup to Slytherin. As even the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs had wanted to see the snakes lose for once.

The only ones to treat them the same were Ron and Riya, latter of which only eyeing them suspiciously before asking what they had been up to but once getting no answer seemed a bit sullen before leaving it all behind, only smirking playfully and saying: “I bet you did it all for me, didn’t you Harry. I sincerely thank you: it is a nice birthday gift.”

She winked then and left the table, a gaping Ron staring at her back.

“We definitely did not do it as a present for her! More like to save our hides from being burnt down by a bloody dragon!” he declared in a quiet rambling, which left Harry laughing at him and Hermione scowling but staying silent, apparently approving of his words in the end.

But the worst had yet to come, as he came to know, when he, Neville, Hermione and essentially Malfoy got notice of their detention.

Harry stared at the entrance to the Dark Forest and swallowed heavily, Neville whimpering beside him. It was uninviting to say the least.

Dark, black , unknown - was that a howl coming before them?

Their only solace was Hagrid, who had a huge crossbow on his shoulder and looked unconcerned as the four quivered like Professor Quirrell before him.

"I'm not going in that forest", Malfoy said to the half giant , and Harry was pleased to hear the note of panic in his voice, even whe he shared the blonde's sentiments.

"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts," said Hagrid fiercely. "Yeh've done wrong an' now yehve got ter pay fer it."

"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this, he'd”

”tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled. "Copyin' lines! What good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summat useful or Yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on"'

Malfoy didn't move. He looked at Hagrid furiously, but then dropped his gaze. Harry gulped again, looking to the looming forest - so there really was no way out of this, if even the Grwat Malfoy didn't manage the feat.

"Right then," said Hagrid, "now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment."

He led them to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair as they looked into the forest.

"Look there," said Hagrid, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."

"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" said Malfoy, unable to keep the fear out of his voice. Somehow now even Harry couldn't find mirth in his fear. Unicorn sounded too pure to be hurt - and apparently one was - waiting for them to find it, to possibly kill it.

Was this business for first years? he wondered.

"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid. "An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."

"I want Fang," said Malfoy quickly, looking at Fang's long teeth.

"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid. " So me, Harry, an' Hermione'll go one way an' Draco, Neville, an' Fang'll go the other. Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practice now -- that's it -- an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come an' find yeh -- so, be careful -- let's go."

So they set of into the depths of the forest, hardly seeing anything other than blackness and the occasional flicker of moonlight coming through the caps in the foliage.

It was all silent and eery, the only thing making it better was Hagrid’s reassuring voice telling them about unicors - how they were fast and very powerful magical creatures that could hardly be hurt, even by werewolves.

They found nothing except some spots of silvery blood trailing their path. Hagrid was worried it was hurt very badly and was just reassuring Hermione about it not being far, when something slithered over dead leaves nearby, causing them all to take cover behind a big tree. It went away and even Hagrid was a bit concerned now that he was sure there was something that didn’t belong in the forest with them.

On they went, even further into the forest, more carefully now after their encounter with whatever it was.

Harry was sure he would be content not to see it ever again.

They did ran into something, though, as suddenly the centaurs, Ronan and Bane, arrived to them from the forest, moving with much more ease as they were.

The two weren’t that talkative at all and quite peculiar, too. Harry didn’t really understand what they meant by talking so much about the stars and Mars, but Hagrid hadn’t seemed fazed by it, so he figured it usual for the hooved creatures.

After that everything settled again into the deceiving silence of only the leaves shuffling quietly overhead and underneath, lulling them to believing all was well and good. And it did go as peaceful as it could in a forest with things that didn’t belong there - Harry though it quite a feat if there were unicorns and centaurs in there already, though. But despite it all trying to make him believe it harmless, he had the nasty feeling they were being watched. Which made him very glad they had Hagrid and his crossbow with them.

They had just passed a bend in the path when Hermione grabbed Hagrid's arm.

"Hagrid! Look! Red sparks, the others are in trouble!"

"You two wait here!" Hagrid shouted. "Stay on the path, I'll come back for yeh!"

They heard him crashing away through the undergrowth and stood looking at each other, very scared, until they couldn't hear anything but the rustling of leaves around them.

"You don't think they've been hurt, do you?" whispered Hermione.

"I don't care if Malfoy has, but if something's got Neville... it's our fault he's here in the first place."

The minutes dragged by. Their ears seemed sharper than usual. Harry's seemed to be picking up every sigh of the wind, every cracking twig. What was going on? Where were the others?

At last, a great crunching noise announced Hagrid's return. Malfoy, Neville, and Fang were with him. Hagrid was fuming. Malfoy, it seemed, had sneaked up behind Neville and grabbed him as a joke. Neville had panicked and sent up the sparks.

"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket you two were makin'. Right, we're changin' groups -- Neville, you stay with me an' Hermione, Harry, you go with Fang an' this idiot. I'm sorry," Hagrid added in a whisper to Harry, "but he'll have a harder time frightenin' you, an' we've gotta get this done."

So that’s how Harry got stuck with Malfoy, alone with only Fang who was announced a coward.

It did little to reassure him of the fact he was deep in a forest he knew nothing of, without the crossbow.

Somehow he didn't trust his own capabilities enough to survive if something - say, big and hairy? Fast and toothed? - decided to butcher him.

How could they send them here alone with something that could kill a unicorn? Harry was truly baffled by the fact, more so after hearing how hard it was to even injure one. Dunderheads! he wanted to bellow at the teachers, giving back all he got from Snape.

They walked in silence for nearly half an hour, neither really wanting to talk with each other, nor hexing each other - they were in a scary forest ready to eat them already, no need to make it any easier, thank you.

“Do you know what she’s up to? Riya?” Malfoy suddenly asked and Harry nearly crashed into a tree for it.

So they could talk civilly, it seemed.

“No, she doesn’t really share that much about herself”, he said and Malfoy nodded, not saying anything to that, his grey eyes only scanning the path ahead, not looking at Harry. It made him wonder what the blonde was thinking.

Harry was quiet for a few seconds, trailing the blood with his eyes at the same time, until he asked: “So she doesn’t share that much with you, either?”

When Malfoy only shook his head, Harry added, thinking talking was a lot nicer than keeping silent in the woods, “I don’t even know when her birthday is. She mentioned it some time ago, but was gone before anyone could ask her.”

Malfoy turned to him at that, a rare shocked look on his face.

“You didn’t know?” he asked and when Harry shook his head as confirmation, the blonde did something unsightly for his bearing: he cursed.

“Bollocks! She did it again! Actually, I didn’t know until after the holidays either, as it just happened to avoid my mind until then. It’s December 29th. When she went and said it I felt like the baddest bastard on Earth for leaving her here - but she just snickered and said she’d had a party alright, gotten even a fabulous present from Quirrell.. So she was only with the garlic freak, then. Bugger!”

Malfoy kicked at the ground, sending a few bouts of leaves floating in the air.

Then he suddenly froze and turned to look at Harry a flabbergasted look on his face that seemed to say: “I did not just speak to Harry Potter about that!”

Harry grinned slightly, enjoying the blonde’s reaction.

“You did just say that to me, Malfoy, if you were wondering”, he said and relished the groan that escaped pale lips, forgetting momentarily they were out hunting creepy creatures after unicorns.

“She’s rubbing of on me”, he heard the boy mutter, resigned to his fate.

Harry got a final glare his way, pure Malfoy charm again: “So don’t you go around saying anything unnecessary or I’ll be up to another talk of ‘Gryffindors aren’t that bad, we should all get along’ - or I’ll go and say you tried hexing me here.”

Harry thought about it, momentarily paling, before saying, at the same time as Malfoy: “She wouldn’t believe that though.”

They looked each other in the eyes, silvery grey meeting green in some sort of unsettling understanding, almost making them grimace, before Malfoy scoffed and turned back to the trail in front of them. Harry returned to watching the blood trail, too, happy about the conversation on some level, because now he didn’t feel so scared anymore - not that he’d ever thank Malfoy for speaking to him. But the truth of Mariyah's birthday left him reeling.

They were there that day, talking to her as normal, totally oblivious.

It hurt.

Her concealing it.

Why? 

The blood was getting thicker as they went and some way ahead of them he thought he saw something white. He pointed it to Malfoy, too, and it was the unicorn all right

and it was dead.

Harry had never seen anything so beautiful and sad. Its long, slender legs were stuck out at odd angles where it had fallen and its mane was spread pearly-white on the dark leaves.

Harry had taken one step toward it when a slithering sound made him freeze where he stood. A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered.... Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Harry, Malfoy, and Fang stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood.

"AAAAAAAAAARGH!"

Malfoy let out a terrible scream and bolted -- so did Fang. The hooded figure raised its head and looked right at Harry -- unicorn blood was dribbling down its front. It got to its feet and came swiftly toward Harry -- he couldn't move for fear.

Then a pain like he'd never felt before pierced his head; it was as though his scar were on fire. Half blinded, he staggered backward. He heard hooves behind him, galloping, and something jumped clean over Harry, charging at the figure.

The pain in Harry's head was so bad he fell to his knees. It took a minute or two to pass. When he looked up, the figure had gone. A centaur was standing over him, not Ronan or Bane; this one looked younger; he had white-blond hair and a palomino body.

"Are you all right?" said the centaur, pulling Harry to his feet.

"Yes -- thank you -- what was that?"

The centaur didn't answer. He had astonishingly blue eyes, like pale sapphires. He looked carefully at Harry, his eyes lingering on the scar that stood out, livid, on Harry's forehead.

"You are the Potter boy," he said. "You had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time -- especially for you. Can you ride? It will be quicker this way.

"My name is Firenze," he added, as he lowered himself on to his front legs so that Harry could clamber onto his back.

Harry sat there feeling quite of about the whole thing when more galloping sounded and suddenly Bane and Ronan were there, speaking to Firenze something about Harry being on his back - was that such a bad thing?

There was arguing about him, a lot, should he add.

Him being a Potter, figures , he though somewhat bitterly in his mind.

His ears perked up when Bane growled something about telling him something. He sure needed to know more, Harry though as he listened but as he had concluded earlier, Centaurs never really did tell anyone anything, if it wasn’t some talk about stars. Harry started when Firenze suddenly rose to his back feet and bellowed at Bane: "Do you not see that unicorn? Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret? I set myself against what is lurking in this forest, Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must."

Harry was already grabbing at the centaur’s shoulders for balance, or otherwise he would have been flung of, when Firenze galloped into the woods, leaving Ronan and Bane alone in the small clearing. Harry still hadn’t a clue of what was going on, so he decided to try his luck with this centaur, who actually saved him while the others would have only looked as he gets eaten or something.

"Why's Bane so angry?" he asked. "What was that thing you saved me from, anyway?"

Firenze slowed to a walk, warned Harry to keep his head bowed in case of low-hanging branches, but did not answer Harry's question. They made their way through the trees in silence for so long that Harry thought Firenze didn't want to talk to him anymore. They were passing through a particularly dense patch of trees, however, when Firenze suddenly stopped.

"Harry Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is used for?"

"No," said Harry, startled by the odd question. "We've only used the horn and tail hair in Potions."

"That is because it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn," said Firenze. "Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenseless to save yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."

Harry stared at the back of Firenze's head, which was dappled silver in the moonlight.

"But who'd be that desperate?" he wondered aloud. "If you're going to be cursed forever, deaths better, isn't it?"

"It is," Firenze agreed, "unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else -- something that will bring you back to full strength and power -- something that will mean you can never die. Mr. Potter, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?"

"The Sorcerer's Stone! Of course -- the Elixir of Life! But I don't understand who --"

"Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?"

It was as though an iron fist had clenched suddenly around Harry's heart. Over the rustling of the trees, he seemed to hear once more what Hagrid had told him on the night they had met: "Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die."

"Do you mean," Harry croaked, "that was Vol-"

"Harry! Harry, are you all right?"

Hermione was running toward them down the path, Hagrid puffing along behind her.

"I'm fine," said Harry, hardly knowing what he was saying. "The unicorn's dead, Hagrid, it's in that clearing back there."

"This is where I leave you," Firenze murmured as Hagrid hurried off to examine the unicorn. "You are safe now."

Harry slid off his back.

"Good luck, Harry Potter," said Firenze. "The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times."

He turned and cantered back into the depths of the forest, leaving Harry shivering behind him.

Ron had fallen asleep in the dark common room, waiting for them to return. He shouted something about Quidditch fouls when Harry roughly shook him awake. In a matter of seconds, though, he was wide-eyed as Harry began to tell him and Hermione what had happened in the forest.

Harry couldn't sit down. He paced up and down in front of the fire. He was still shaking.

"Snape wants the stone for Voldemort... and Voldemort's waiting in the forest... and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich...."

"Stop saying the name!" said Ron in a terrified whisper, as if he thought Voldemort could hear them.

Harry wasn't listening.

"Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done so.... Bane was furious... he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen.... They must show that Voldemort's coming back.... Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me.... I suppose that's written in the stars as well."

"Will you stop saying the name!" Ron hissed.

Harry still wouldn't listen.  Why should he? This was more important. And his mind was a mess.

"So all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone," Harry went on feverishly, "then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me off... Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy."

Hermione looked very frightened, but she had a word of comfort.

"Harry, everyone says Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of. With Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch you. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch of magic."

Why doesn't that make it sound any better?  Harry wondered but didn't voice his opinions.

The sky had turned light before they stopped talking. They went to bed exhausted, their throats sore. But the night's surprises weren't over.

When Harry pulled back his sheets, he found his invisibility cloak folded neatly underneath them. There was a note pinned to it:

Just in case.

Harry really hoped it would be just in case.

He really did.

Chapter Text

Mariyah was stressed - more stressed than she’d ever actually been.

The tests were the final hurdle of the school year for a reason.

Luckily though, she wasn’t the only one; Hermione was babbling like she did when excited or anxious, which she was both, going on and on about the exams they’d just taken.

For being the best in any and all Mariyah had done for the whole year, with seemingly unlimited supply of energy, she finally didn’t have enough to actually listen to her. She felt bad about it at some level, she was sure of, but now.. no.

She needed rest. Deep sleep in her comfortable bed, the green curtains cutting the light of.. comforting blanket thrown over her body, warm, shielding.. the enviable oblivion of sleep claiming her thoughts.. drifting.. falling steadily into sweet, sweet nothingness.

Mariyah didn’t know if she nodded of when her thoughts whirled to the half year after the New Year’s Eve. The lessons with Poppy, as the kind mediwitch had asked her to call the older lady, had not ended after the yule break. They’d taken most of her time this semester and it had shown: she’d learned so much more, been ‘the most exquisite student she’d ever had’ and it’d been what she’d needed.

The thrill, the talent, the proof of which.

After everything after her mother.. It’d made her back into a proper human being. Rowena would have agreed had she seen her, kind blue eyes and golden locks coming to mind with just the reminder of the name, along with a pang of pain - she missed her too much. Almost a year had gone without the slightest whisper or a single letter, but as Mariyah knew, it was for the best.

After one more year she’d be here with her and she wouldn’t be alone anymore, neither of them would be.

Mariyah came back to the present as she noticed how the three Gryffindors were now covering Harry, frowns on their faces and she focused her gaze on the boy. He’d been of, they’d all been, for a fact, for a while. She hadn’t asked and they hadn’t told her. But it was bugging her mind.

Now she heard bits and pieces of their conversation.

“Go to Madam Pomfrey”, Hermione suggested to something and Mariyah saw Harry rub his forehead, where his scar was.

That scar..

“I’m not ill”, the boy said, “I think it’s a warning - danger’s coming.”

That shut of all other thoughts in her mind and she leaned in to listen as Ron said: "Harry, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down."

Fluffy? Snape? What was going on with the meddling Gryffindors?

Just after Christmas they’d suddenly lost over a hundred points and now they talked about stuff that seemed hogspod to her.

But the mention of Harry’s scar.. It ticked something off in her and she plancked again, her mind going on in circles, searching desperately for information.

“ Where you going?” coming from Ron’s sleepy mouth woke her up again to see the three practically run from the library, Madam Pince shooting an angry glare their way.

She sat up straighter and chose to follow, to finally figure out what was up - but no sound, nor sight, or even the littlest trace was left behind.

The Gryffindors were gone, along with her answers.

Mariyah huffed and chose to go down to the dungeons to sleep her growing migraine of - not before asking Daphne not to talk to her after she got up with no migraine.

It was a painful companion if not also a lonely one.

                                    \(° · °)\  /(° · °)/      *_*       \(° · °)\  /(° · °)/

"You!" gasped Harry.

Quirrell smiled. His face wasn't twitching at all.

"Me," he said calmly. "I wondered whether I'd be meeting you here, Potter."

"But I thought -- Snape --"

"Severus?" Quirrell laughed, and it wasn't his usual quivering treble, either, but cold and sharp. "Yes, Severus does seem the type, doesn't he? So useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat. Next to him, who would suspect p-p-poor, st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell?"

Harry couldn't take it in. This couldn't be true, it couldn't.

Harry struggled against the ropes binding him, but they didn't give. He had to keep Quirrell from giving his whole attention to the mirror.

"But Snape always seemed to hate me so much."

"Oh, he does," said Quirrell casually, "heavens, yes. He was at Hogwarts with your father, didn't you know? They loathed each other. But he never wanted you dead."

"He is with me wherever I go," said Quirrell quietly. "I met him when I traveled around the world. A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil. Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was. There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it.... Since then, I have served him faithfully, although I have let him down many times. He has had to be very hard on me." Quirrell shivered suddenly. "He does not forgive mistakes easily. When I failed to steal the stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased. He punished me... decided he would have to keep a closer watch on me...."

Finally Harry had the grey eyes come to mind and he blinked twice, not really understanding why but.. “What about Mariyah? How can you do this to her?”

Quirrell turned to him at once and he was.. seething, furious with venomous rage.

“Do not speak her name; for you are not worthy”, the words were almost whispered but Harry felt the shivers ran around him at it even more so.

“She is the only one left.. Our only treasure, the reason for this attempt.. Now how to go about it?” Quirrell murmured, losing interest in Harry once more because he hadn’t dared say her name, not after that rage.

Harry's mind was racing.

"What does this mirror do? How does it work? Help me, Master!"

And to Harry's horror, a voice answered, and the voice seemed to come from Quirrell himself

"Use the boy... Use the boy..."

Harry felt something heavy drop into his real pocket. Somehow -- incredibly -- he'd gotten the Stone.

"Well?" said Quirrell impatiently. "What do you see?"

Harry screwed up his courage.

"I see myself shaking hands with Dumbledore," he invented. "I -- I've won the house cup for Gryffindor."

"He lies... He lies..."

"Let me speak to him... face-to-face..."

"Master, you are not strong enough!"

"I have strength enough... for this....”

"Harry Potter..." it whispered, a snake like face staring at him.

Harry tried to take a step backward but his legs wouldn't move.

"See what I have become?" the face said. "Mere shadow and vapor ... I have form only when I can share another's body... but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds.... Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks... you saw faithful Quirrell drinking it for me in the forest... and once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own.... Now... why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket?"

So he knew. The feeling suddenly surged back into Harry's legs. He stumbled backward.

"Don't be a fool," snarled the face. "Better save your own life and join me... or you'll meet the same end as your parents.... They died begging me for mercy..."

"LIAR!" Harry shouted suddenly.

"How touching..." it hissed. "I always value bravery... Yes, boy, your parents were brave.... I killed your father first; and he put up a courageous fight... but your mother needn't have died... she was trying to protect you.... Now give me the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain."

"NEVER!"

Harry felt Quirrell's hand close on his wrist. At once, a needle-sharp pain seared across Harry's scar; his head felt as though it was about to split in two; he yelled, struggling with all his might, and to his surprise, Quirrell let go of him. The pain in his head lessened -- he looked around wildly to see where Quirrell had gone, and saw him hunched in pain, looking at his fingers -- they were blistering before his eyes.

"Master, I cannot hold him -- my hands -- my hands!"

And Quirrell, though pinning Harry to the ground with his knees, let go of his neck and stared, bewildered, at his own palms -- Harry could see they looked burned, raw, red, and shiny.

"Then kill him, fool, and be done!" screeched Voldemort.

Quirrell raised his hand to perform a deadly curse, but Harry, by instinct, reached up and grabbed Quirrell's face --

--his only chance was to keep hold of Quirrell, keep him in enough pain to stop him from doing a curse.

He felt Quirrell's arm wrenched from his grasp, knew all was lost, and fell into blackness, down ... down... down..

                                                    &_&"      *_*       \&_&/

Three days.

It had been three days.

Mariyah’d been in bed for a migraine for the first one but then..

news..

of Harry, of Ron and Hermione..

and Quirrell..

being missing going around the school.

She’d been a wreck ever since.

But Harry had not woken up and Ron and Hermione had not known a thing, really.

She’d asked all right but gotten no definite answer.

What had happened?

She’d gone in to help Poppy, had seen Harry lying on his bed, happily unconscious, seen him wake up to Dumbledore sitting there.

The old man had always seemed almost ignorant of her, she’d known, until yesterday. Then he’d asked all about her family, about Quirrell and she’d played the part of an ignorant child, letting the man see fake memories of her youth he’d so discreetly read from her mind.

So of course, now that she was seen as ‘a good and bright young child’ it was time to disillusion herself and listen in on the two.

She crept closer, hearing their voices, Harry’s frantic inquiries, the responses, not responses. The truth of what had happened. The touch of Harry’s that Quirrell could not.. bare?

Voldemort?

How was he a part of this?

Dread crept even closer to her fragile heart, it’s claws lingering on the soft surface, not yet scratching, but feeling, tinges of the coming pain affecting her mind.

She was a bright witch.

Many had said it, praised her, and she’d marvelled at the feat, knowing she was coming after her father, her mother.

But this moment, those words.. they chose not to reveal their secrets to her astute mind, only leaving it roaming in syllables and sounds. Not responding..

- for it couldn’t be true.

The claws almost hummed in pleasure.

                                                      ~     ~     ~

Harry was still unhappy Dumbledore had not answered his questions- but he also wanted to see Hermione and Ron, who he could not believe were alright before seeing with his own eyes. But his attempt to call for Madam Pomfrey was stopped when a raven haired witch came in silence from behind a corner, her eyes to the floor and Harry’s heart almost stopped.

Quirrell..

He’d killed her guardian.

The heaviness of the feat only now starting to solidify as he saw her.

He’d killed a man.

Not knowingly, of course not, how could he have done it if done consciously?

He couldn't have.

That was the truth.

But still, there was blood on his hands.

He swallowed heavily as the witch sat down, dark circles under her eyes, no resemblance to the cheery, mischievous young witch that usually either made him squirm or laugh.

“Is it true? Is he.. gone?” she whispered, barely audibly.

Harry felt his heart plummet, did not know what to say - but he knew she wanted the answer, needed it.

“Yes, but.. He was trying to steal the Sorcerer’s stone to Voldemort, he wasn’t himself at the time. Controlled by Voldemort, they were in the same body somehow”, he told her, somehow hoping to reassure her and himself, at the same time.

“What?” she asked, eyes going to his, wide, terrified.

Harry was relieved, she’d not known the terrible faith her guardian had had. She’d understand, surely.

“Yes, he spoke to me. But Voldemort wasn’t strong at all, he could only exist through another. So it wasn’t Quirrell’s fault, well entirely at least”, Harry told her only to see disbelief in her eyes and heard a soft murmur: “He was.. with him . Why not tell me?”

A tear rolled from her eye, down her cheek and Harry reached for her, trying to comfort like once before, maybe even get comfort for he knew the burden hurt .. but she raised her hand up first, touched the soft skin of her cheek and shuddered, some kind of realization dawning on her as her eyes stared at the tear like it was some unfathomable secret glaring at her - and the next thing Harry knew, she was gone.

He stared after her, concerned, but soon Madam Pomfrey came into the room and started whirling around him, forcing his mind momentarily to other things.

                                                         ~     ~      ~

The claw.

It Stung.

Cleaved, twisted and tore open without the slightest mercy, plunging deeper and growing more frantic as it went.

Soon,

all too soon,

it was too much and an unintelligible scream tore from her throat, raw pain left behind as the muscles gave their all to birth the torturous sound.

Her magic.

Her curious, precious magic.

Shielding her, wielding its might to protect her shell

-

But what was left unprotected, her fragile heart, too deeply hidden from even her, to be ever reached, was left bare,  tender.

The claw sneered, maliciously taking its claim, uncaring, invading.

It turned to shards and embedded themselves deeply into her heart, a mess of mass it was.

And she screamed .

-

Devastation was a soft word for her.

Chapter Text

The next day Harry woke up feeling better than yesterday, the night’s sleep had done its deed and he wasn’t that frazzled by everything anymore.

What he’d said to Ron and Hermione counted still as well: Dumbledore was a funny man, knowing all he did. But what he hadn’t said was all the man had left unsaid; it didn’t sit well with him, all those secrets about him, his past, her . He wanted answers and somehow he felt that Dumbledore wouldn’t share those easily. Mariyah on the other hand..

He wanted to find her, she’d left so hastily, not leaving him a chance to.. confront her again.

And then it hit him: she had no one anymore.

Where would she go?

Who would watch out for her?

Dumbledore had screened past the issue he’d asked like it was a small matter but it ate on him.

Harry sat up only to be hushed back by a irritatiously murmuring Madam Pomfrey: “Get back down, now, boy. What’s with children nowadays? Always running of without telling me anything? Where she’d go anyway?”

The last bit was more of a concerned whisper and Harry had a person in mind who she meant by it.

“Do you mean Mariyah?” he asked and Madam Pomfrey looked up at him surprised.

“Ah, well, yes. The girl just disappeared yesterday. Terrible thing with Quirinus.. It must’ve cost her.. but she was so ready to work again, sweet girl that one - best student I’ve ever had”, she sighed and shook her head before getting to Harry’s well being again.

A student? Harry’s mind wondered shortly at the meaning of the word before concentrating on more pressing matters.

“I can go to the feast, can’t I?”he asked her and added when her stark eyes turned to him again in displeasure, “To find and look for Mariyah, too. I’m sure she’d like to hear the story from me, personally.”

He blatantly lied, but took no guilt to bear for it was to find the raven haired girl.

“Ah, well, it does trouble me.. still, to be up so early.. it couldn't hurt in the end.. yes, you can go. But no running or any more dangerous situations Mr Potter! And do rest well this summer”, she hesitated at first but relented before shooing him away.

Harry searched the way to the dungeons first but found no sign of her. Then he ran to the library, the Great Hall and the Clock Tower but no Mariyah. When he was returning to the Great Hall, he halted at the familiar voice shouting: “Riya! Wait!”

Then Harry saw Malfoy running and knew without seeing her that it must be serious.

He rounded the corner after the blonde and finally found her, having stopped at the corner next to an armor and looking at Malfoy, with no interest in his being.

“What now Draco?” she asked, her voice not really hers.

“I..” the blonde started, staggering in his words a bit, “Did you consider my offer? To stay at the manor?”

She nodded and said in an expressionless, level voice: “I did.”

Malfoy seemed to suddenly float and a grin donned his features. “So you’ll come then! Great! father did say..” he started but stopped when a cold voice interrupted: “I’m not going, Draco.”

And she spun around, not giving him a second glance. Harry stormed past a stunned Malfoy and caught up with her.

“Riya!” his voice sounded and she seemed affected for she flinched and did stop.

“Harry..” her voice cracked and she swallowed heavily, “Not now. Give me the summer and maybe I’ll find you again.”

He stopped short at that.

“But where will you go?” his voice was quieter now and she seemed so very sad at that moment.

“I..” she started but did not continue when Malfoy stomped to them, furious for reasons left unsaid.

“Sod off, Potter. She obviously doesn’t want to see you ”, he sneered and went to point his wand at him.

So far for the last promise kept to Madam Pomfrey, Harry thought, when Malfoy’s wand point lit up, ready to fire something at him, his own wand somewhere in his ropes, the situation utterly unknown to unfold.

“No!” Mariyah’s furious shout was heard, the spell fired and Harry knew it wasn’t going to end well.

But then there was something in front of him, a body. A soft, smaller body pressed up to his and shoved him hard. To the floor they stumbled into a heap and a spell fired of a part of the wall behind them, blasting some stray pebbles to their feet.

Harry saw Malfoy’s horrified face and had some joy in it once again, but then.. then he heard a sob and the feeling vanished all together.

“Give it a rest you all.. I’m not dealing with this anymore. Say my regards to Dumbledore”, Mariyah mumbled and Harry turned his eyes to her, only to catch a flicker of a multitude of emotions in her grey eyes fixed to his for a beat.

He noticed her hand was on her neck, on a necklace of sorts and the next thing

-

she was gone.

Literally gone in place, not running off like previously in the Hospital Wing.

“A portkey”, Malfoy muttered numbly before turning his conflicted eyes to Harry, before they then flickered to the cracked wall behind him, stubble on the ground, a small crevice left on the stone surface.

“Guess we learnt our lesson”, he softly said, more to himself than Harry, “Never go against Mariyah Quirrell.”

Harry couldn’t keep his mouth shut: “How is that what you learnt? And not ‘not to hex people’?”

Silvery grey eyes studied him, still sprawled on the floor, before Malfoy opened his mouth to speak quite softly to him: “Because that was the essence of this whole thing. How many of us has a portkey with us, Potter? Oh, right, you don’t probably even know what that is. Poor thing. No wonder she can’t keep you alone, even when you go and kill her guardian.”

He added after a bit, a contemplating look on sleek features, talking more to himself than Harry: "Not that it's always good to actually take heed of such lessons..."

Harry didn't follow his train of though as the blonde snapped out of his musing and sneered at him. Harry, gaping wordlessly on the floor, about to speak up, deny, anything, but Malfoy only walked off to the Great Hall, already bustling with people, leaving only his words behind: “Enjoy the feast Potter. In my colors. Our colors. ”

Those were the final words Harry heard from the blonde boy that term.

He’d laugh at how wrong the git had been if not so confused himself.

For Gryffindor did win house cup.

For merits done for the school.

They all cheered, hollered, while the Slytherins looked awful, wronged.

It was the uplifter he’d somehow needed.

But even that did not let those flickering grey eyes out of his mind. They stayed, the whole way back to London, to his aunt and uncle and a fat cousin. The room under the cupboard only to change to one upstairs. To the promise Ron had made him: “You must come and stay this summer -- both of you, I’ll send you an owl.”

He’d go to the Burrow as Ron had mentioned the name of their house. Meet the whole family, be pranked by the twins, fly with them in the fields. All that Ron had told him about.

And it did interest him, fascinate even.

He’d really been elevated all around. But somehow that felt wrong; there was something wrong there.

“My mum is.” he heard a voice answer to his question that yule inside his head, “my father.. disappeared.”

“I’m not dealing with this anymore.”

Grey eyes never left him.

Chapter Text

A silvery bowl looked too tempting in front of her..

it glimmered like diamonds did, when sun pierced them and made them magical.

It looked precious, calling for her.

So she let it drown her.

“Riya! What happened?” a voice called after her, muffled by something, but she hardly heard it - for other voices were there, too, whispering sweet nothings to her, telling her of love, promise, family.

A beautiful woman looked up from her book and smiled, the sun smiling behind her, framing her hair in light that seemed to come directly from her, not the sun.

“I didn’t expect you so soon”, she said and laid the book down on the table, “Are you as anxious as me to see her?”

She slowly stood up, only to be brought to the embrace of the man formerly standing in the doorway.

“Yes”, a deep voice answered, “I needed you, both of you.”

A small child babbled in a cheery voice next to the woman in the sun room.

A small girl hopped on in the street, tripping as she went.

A young man way older than her stayed to watch it, on his way to a meeting near by. She scraped her knees open. The boy was sure the girl was going to cry, but was not yet sure, as her face was covered by dark brownish red hair to obscure her features from his eyes.

“Ou” he heard her say, sounding.. offended.

The hair was pushed back as the girl lifted her eyes up, looked behind her and glared hard at the ground.

“Mean rocks..” he heard her mutter and was suddenly deeply.. enthralled.

What a peculiar little girl.

She saw him then, staring at her from some distance. The girl climbed back up and looked to him.

“You know, the honorable thing to do would have been to help me, but I don’t blame you. You could have been taken as a pedophlile”, she said and hopped closer to him, smiling brightly, as if her knees weren’t bleeding; blood covering her tanned skin.

The young man looked stricken.

“You..” he started, frowning a little, not even sure why he was talking to her. She was utterly nonsensical to him.

“Do you even know the meaning of your insult?”

Her brows furrowed and she looked, unsure, but also offended. Which was odd. Again.

“No.. I don’t. But it isn’t of essence. I heard it is possible, so it doesn’t matter even if I don’t know”, the girl replied and turned to the road, leading to the suburban houses hid by the tall trees and gates.

“Will you be alright? Bleeding like that?” the young man asked, not really noticing he’d asked another question.

“Oh I will. Papa will heal this in a wave of his wand”, she smirked, looking very proud, “He’s a very fine wizard, you see.”

The boy looked frazzled.

“You.. You cannot reveal that so openly. What would you have done if I wasn’t one of you?” he asked the girl, thinking she was a very dangerous little creature.

She frowned at him again, displeased.

“Why not.. Muggles would hardly believe me, thinking I’m just babbling nonsense. And I can tell you’re a wizard, as I’m a witch”, her voice sounded chirp and silly, but the meaning behind them made the boy even more intrigued.

“You can tell? How?” he asked, very much wanting his answer. The girl smiled, looking at him with appreciative eyes.

“I can see your magic”, she replied easily, “It’s quite beautiful, very much in tune with the nature. You’re a powerful wizard mister, aren’t you?”

And she skipped away, humming a little tune under her voice, leaving a happy goodbye in her wake.

The young man knew he would somehow never be the same. He hadn’t known people could be so.. peculiar creatures.

“A terrible thing.. what happened to the McKinnons..”

“Yes.. And the Bones.. I couldn’t believe it at first, to do something so horrible. They had children! How could they?”

“I really hope this horrible war will end soon. There’s been too many sacrifices already.”

“The Order is out there fighting for us. They will win, I’m sure.”

“How could you!!” a woman shrieked, “I told you not to do it!”

A man smiling down, looking weathered, sick, almost.

“This will end soon, I promise. I promise.”

His voice sounded much like a sob.

A woman cradling her in her arms, lulling her to sleep, fear cracking her voice as she sang to her.

Her hand in a bigger one, swinging back and forth as they travelled forth, both humming a little as they went, cheerful and smiling at each other, when suddenly the woman stopped, her smile slipping away to turn to a scowl.

“Stay, love. I’ll check what it is first. Stay”, the end was said harsher, the little girl stalling, only looking at her mother’s worried face and standing very still as the woman walked over a bend.

She heard a gasp.

Her mother came back, eyes lined with fury and worry.

“I need you to promise me something, Mariyah. Whatever you see, do not panic, do not cry. Only do as I say. Listen to me and it will all turn to good. Promise?”

She nodded, assurance certain in her veins.

She could do anything her mother told her to. She would, always.

And so she did, only a little wince gave her resilience away as she saw what her mother had earlier.

“What do I need to do?” she asked, her voice strong, steady.

She did everything her mother asked her to do, perfectly so.

“Missus. Open the door, please. We are worried”, the voice called again, only another this time.

This time she heard it.

It rose her from her hunch over the silvery liquid, remembrance thrifting to her mind.

They were waiting for her. She needed to go now.

It would be enough, she reassured herself.

She would fulfill her mother’s wishes, until the end.

Chapter Text

“Riya! Cheer up, silly!” a soft, sweet voice commanded in an almost laugh, an almost sob, “It’s only another year! And as you’ve said all summer: daddy is alright and we’ll be sure to find him. So go and study and be strong enough to let me come, too.”

When only silence was present for the seconds past, the voice continued in a definite sob that fought to sound silly: “Won’t you? For me?”

Grey eyes lifted in tears to meet soft baby blue ones and a choking sob filled the sitting room.

“Of course I will, Ina. I'd do anything for you", a summer older Mariyah Quirrell sobbed, her sister Rowena, smiling behind a sheen of tears.

She was very pretty, too, like the raven haired witch before her, with golden locks covering her soft, delicate face she resembled an angel and more often than not, Mariyah thought she really was one.

This summer could have gone so differently without her here to share her sorrow. Because Rowena had actually liked Quirinus unlike her. But it was no surprise, really, because the girl was too kind to be healthy.

“I'll just miss you too much there. And now I don't even know what to do with H-harry and I just left Draco standing there! They're both bound to hate me!” she wailed and the little sister took her hand comfortingly and pulled her into a tight hug, knowing how much it’d torn her to hear of Quirinus from Harry.

She, herself, was only an adopted child after all. With her ailments .

Riya had been miserable for weeks, locking herself in their mother's study and spending the better of two weeks in a pensieve.

It had broken Rowena’s heart to see her like that, without knowing why .

And then she’d appeared one day, fidgety and with puffy eyes. Soon they both had been wailing like the lost children they were, the house elves distressed and all over the place in attempts to console them. It would have made them laugh if not for the sorrow biting harsh at their flesh.

“You have Hermione there. And didn’t you say the Weasley boy ‘wasn’t all that bad’?” Rowena asked a silly smile on her face and Riya had to sob a laugh.

“I did”, she admitted weakly, “I did say that, didn’t I. I must have been out of my mind!”

They both laughed and then hugged again, relishing in the touch.

“Like you said, wise sister of mine, it’s only another year. What could possibly happen?” Mariyah asked, half sillily, half serious.

Rowena rose her eyes to hers and there was mirth in them.

“I’m not supposed to answer that am I?”

They giggled still when a house elf popped into the room.

“Misses, Snoppy is here to take big miss to the King’s Cross”, it squeaked, bowing its upper body down to the floor. When it rose, it’s pretty curtain dress came to view with a matching bow on the head between two big batlike ears and huge blue eyes. It was female, it seemed.

Both girls became more serious at once, but smiled warmly at the small creature.

“It’s time already then. I trust you with this problem child then, Snoppy,” Rowena laughed at Mariyah’s mock cringe.

“Problem child? That the best you could do, Ina? I’m disappointed”, the older sister grinned and sauntered off to the little elf.

“Let’s go then. You have my luggage, right sweet Snoppy? I wonder if Malfoy’s already there?” she asked the first part from the elf and the rest was an almost unintelligible mumbling.

“Bye Riya! Be well!” Rowena cried from her spot on the sofa. Mariyah waved at her and swept the residual tears away: “Sweet dreams Ina!”

And then there was another ‘pop’ and the two were whisked away. Right after that another ‘pop’ was heard in the warm rose colored sitting room and another house elf appeared right beside Rowena.

“Missus, it’s time to go to the chamber, now”, it said bowing down. This one had a little suit vest on.

“Thank you Tokey. I was feeling a bit unwell already”, Rowena said and made to stand up. The elf looked worried and scurried closer fast.

“Missus must take it slow. What would the old mistress say if Tokey failed in taking care of her young?” the little creature exclaimed in a high pitched voice and made Rowena smile warmly at it.

“I know Tokey. I’ll be sure to behave.”

Tokey looked up - even more worried now.

It muttered to itself, making Rowena laugh: “Why doesn’t that make it any better to Tokey, though?”

Platform 9 and ¾ stood the same as ever.

Full of witches and wizards ready to bid farewell for the year. Robes of all colors flickered by Mariyah as she stood in a corner watching it all unfold.

It was so noisy one could hardly hear their own thoughts and still it was buzzing with this peculiar tinge in the air; warmth, almost; ties with family, worry, love.

Then there was shiny white blonde hair in front of her and the imagery broke down as if it was never there, only the noise and stagnant air lingering.

“Mr Malfoy. Draco has told me so much about you”, Mariyah looked up into wary grey eyes and suddenly smiled, “I’ve been waiting for you.”

The stoic man in front of her rose one sculpted eyebrow, in humor, in irritation? Who knew?

“Miss Quirrell.. Or simply Miss Mariyah, as I’ve heard you’re called”, Lucius Malfoy said in a relaxed manner, looking apprehensive of her poised manner at speaking.

She wasn’t though.

The man was a known Death Eater. Who knew where his loyalties lay in the end despite the fact.

“I must say I was quite.. baffled after hearing from the Goblins, should I say. Moreover when the ward, or wards, in this case, were nowhere to be found”, he said, eyes glinting in thought.

“I suppose you agreed?” she only asked, as that was the most pressing question.

“I did”, the senior Malfoy said, “It somehow aligned with curious orders I once acquired, you see.”

Now Mariyah outright smirked.

“I’m pleased. Had you not, the unspeakable vow would have.. hated it, should I say. It’s still valid, as you know, both parties alive and all”, the look on the older Malfoy’s face right then was a huge warning sign to her.

“You didn’t believe it possible did you? Oh, Lucius, you didn’t do anything stupid, did you?” Mariyah asked and watched the man’s pale skin pale even more, “You did.. Oh, dear..”

She shot him a pointed look but was stopped short when the train’s whistle sang painfully in her ears.

“The train seems to be on your side Mr Malfoy. I hope it wasn’t too serious of a plunder. For your sake. Do expect me in sometime next summer with my sister”, she said behind her shoulder, making her way to the departing train.

Maybe it wasn’t such an astute plan to meet the Malfoy Lord in such a place after all.

Rowena had found it silly, though.

There were students everywhere.

Stepping on her toes, scurrying past, yelling, waving, it was madness.

After a summer with Rowena and the house elves, it was pure torture for her.

She stumbled on the corridor, peaking into compartments to see someone, anyone, to meet.

It was so much worse than last year when Quirinus had taken the train with her and kept her locked up the most of it, only letting her go once it was to stop.

Now, though, she had to fend for herself.

At last she saw something that made her relax: frizzy brown hair and a book on the school outfit’s lap.

“Hermione”, she exclaimed the second the door slid open, “You cannot understand how good it is to see you; I was about to die in the pandemonium that is the corridor.”

Hermione looked up from her book and met her smile with a similar one.

“It is quite hectic”, she noted but grew serious once more. The girl rose up and Mariyah had the premonition it was time to face the happenings of the last school day.

Hermione was in front of her faster than Mariyah had time to prepare, which was an antitestament to her being a Slytherin.

“I’m sorry”, the witch whispered in her ear and she swallowed, knowing it was wiser to stay quiet and let them all believe what they wanted.

“Thank you”, she only said and hugged back. It was the first time they did. Mariyah wasn’t the most snuggly person, not with anyone but Rowena, who was hers.

She was her sister.

Hers.

As she was Rowena’s, forever and ever - forevermore.

They sat down and Hermione looked to the compartment door again, a furrow in her brows.

“Did you see Harry and Ron?” the witch asked and Mariyah fixed her eyes to the door, too.

“No, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they were there. It was hectic. Were they with you?” The girl nodded and turned back to her book after a while of nervous staring at the door. They sat in silence for some time until the door opened and Daphne Greengrass slipped in.

“Riya! I escaped here - Pansy was all over Draco and the boys wouldn’t take notice of me in the least. And figures: here I’m seconded by books”, the blonde girl smiled at her and then glanced to Hermione. She presented her hand with a smile and said: “Hermione, right? I don’t believe we’ve officially met? I’m Daphne Greengrass, a friend of Riya’s.”

Hermione studied her a little before smiling and taking her hand: “Yes, I’m indeed Hermione, Hermione Granger. Nice to meet you,”

Daphne sat down gracefully, as all the purebloods did, everything, should Mariayh add.

“I should have known you two were friends; the two brightest witches of our year”, Daphne said and gradually led them away from their books and into happenings that summer. They laughed and even Hermione seemed to relax and enjoy herself.

“Draco was being odd at our compartment”, Daphne said after the trolley had gone past them, giving Mariyah a peculiar look, “he wouldn’t ask of you, but kept looking at the door every once in a while, making Pansy screech in anger as she lost to a door in getting his attention. I guess that’s even worse than me loosing to books here.”

She grinned and they all laughed.

Mariyah looked to her and replied:” We didn’t part in exactly good terms. Harry might’ve told you?” She looked to Hermione at that and the witch frowned, a worry line forming on her forehead.

“No, he didn’t. Said only that you went home early, really. What happened?” Hermione asked and shut the book for good this time.

Mariyah swallowed and stalled for time by popping a bertie Bott’s every flavor bean in her mouth. Wood. Should have known.

Good graces, she was sure Harry would have told them everything, but no the boy had not. Why the dearest Merlin had he not?

And now Daphne was eyeing her curiously, too. Oh just, great. Amazing. Exquisite. Thrilling. No.

“Well, Harry found me rejecting Draco’s offer of staying at their manor for the summer and was worried, rightfully so. Draco wasn’t.. well, he was being a Malfoy and was mad I was even speaking to Harry as we all know he’s so jealous of. And after that Quirinus thing happened, and I rejected him quite harshly and.. He kind of, tried to hex Harry from behind his back. I pushed him out of the way, though, so no worries there. The wall cracked and I left weeping via portkey. I suppose they didn’t kill each other?” Mariyah tried joking but failed miserably when both girls just stared at her with wide eyes.

“The wall cracked? What did he try to hex him with? Bombarda?” Daphne asked horrified.

Hermione stared at the floor a frown on her face.

“That explains why he was so of that day”, she murmured and they rode in silence for a while before starting to speak once again as the fields changed behind the window in a never ending loop.

The school finally came in view, but Harry and Ron never showed up. Once they hopped into the carriages, sharing one with Ginny Weasley, Hermione and her had matching frowns on their faces.

“They will end up here, one way or another”, Daphne tried consoling them and Ginny looked worried, too.

Daphne had been more right than anyone of them would have thought. The ‘one way or another’ being a flying car as they learned when she and Hermione ran into the boys at the Gryffindor common room portrait.

"There you are! Where have you been? The most ridiculous rumors - someone said you'd been expelled for crashing a flying car”, Hermione exclaimed the second she saw them

"Well, we haven't been expelled," Harry assured her giving a frowning Mariyah a surprised, if not reassured look.

"You're not telling me you did fly here?" said Hermione, sounding almost as severe as Professor McGonagall. Mariyah couldn’t help it, she burst out laughing.

“You cannot avoid trouble can you Harry?” she laughed and met the boys eyes, which started to twinkle. Hermione glared at her and started opening her mouth when Ron said impatiently: "Skip the lecture and tell us the new password."

"It's `wattlebird,"' said Hermione impatiently, "but that's not the point - "

Her words were cut short, however, as the portrait of the fat lady swung open and there was a sudden storm of clapping.

It looked as though the whole of Gryffindor House was still awake, packed into the circular common room, standing on the lopsided tables and squashy armchairs, waiting for them to arrive. Arms reached through the portrait hole to pull Harry and Ron inside, leaving Hermione to scramble in after them with a sneaky Mariyah in tow.

"Brilliant!" yelled Lee Jordan. "Inspired! What an entrance! Flying a car right into the Whomping Willow, people'll be talking about that one for years -"

"Good for you," said a fifth year, who Harry looked at like he'd never spoken to him before; someone was patting him on the back as though he'd just won a marathon; Fred and George pushed their way to the front of the crowd and said together, "Why couldn't we've come in the car, eh?"

Ron was glowing red at the praise, but Hermione seemed murderous - and she wasn’t the only one. Mariyah caught one red haired boy with a prefect badge looking angry and noted Harry’d seen him, too, when he poked Ron in the ribs. She went up to them and whispered: “I can get us alone for a while; follow me.”

Ron looked shocked to see her, while Harry grinned at her, surprised, too. She led them across the room, somehow all the people ignoring her, which Harry noticed and frowned at her, to which she only smirked.

They stopped at the stairs to the dorms and the boys and Hermione looked on baffled as everyone suddenly stopped giving them hoots and pats on the back.

“What did you do?” Hermione asked curious, if not apprehensive, too.

“A simple notice-me-not charm and a small illusion that they went up. Ah and a silencing charm”, Mariyah explained cheekily and Hermione looked baffled.

“But that’s-” “-advanced, yeah, I know.” Mariayh finished Hermione’s inquiry, turned to the boys and suddenly reached out to pinch their ears.

“Ou! What’s that for!?” Ron yelled and glared at the raven haired witch, rubbing at his now red ear.

“For worrying us, of course. And don’t worry Weasley, I’ll stop contaminating your precious common room in a bit. I just wanted this done and over with.”

Mariyah turned to Harry and suddenly it was all awkward and silent. Even Ron kept his mouth shut. Hermione took one look and ushered Ron out of the charms reach while saying:” We’ll be going now. See you at lessons Riya!”

The absence of the two didn’t help much, but it did help detach her tongue and her to start: “I” only to do it at the same time as Harry said: “I’m”

They smiled at each other feebly and Mariyah gestured for him to continue. Harry did after a breath.

“I’m sorry. Thank you”, he said looking conflicted.

Mariyah steeled herself and smiled a bit, too drive her point home: “You did what you believed was right. I’m not saying I’m happy about it, but.. You couldn't just let him kill you, now could you? I’ve always thought misinformation is the deadliest of all. For everyone.”

There was a frown on Harry’s face at that and he said: “I agree. Information keeps people alive to a degree.”

Mariayh smiled at that and asked: “Why the thanks?”

Harry blushed a bit at that, which made her flush, too. Curiously.

“To give me a chance despite it all. To be my friend. We are, right?” he asked, green eyes meeting grey and they looked at each other as Mariyah took a step forth and smiled, not knowing what to do, should they hug?

No?

She had no data manual on reconciliation after killing-a-guardian-for-self-defense, for god's sake!

“We are Potter, I kinda missed your reckless this summer”, she smirked playfully and Harry grinned.

So smirking did the deed, good to know. She should impart it on Draco later.

“It was a boring but secretive summer for me. I got locked up - not in the cupboard though”, he said and Mariyah stared at him.

“Trouble’s a friend I see. Good to know”, she smirked and shook her head, “You gotta tell me more sometime. I think I need to descent to the dungeons so Daphne doesn’t freak out.”

Harry turned to the common room which was still bustling with people and then to her, as if considering something. He turned to her, mouth open, like ready to say something, but the next thing she knew he was in front of her, arms wrapping around her tightly.

“I’m not really a hugger but I couldn’t let you leave without one. I’m sorry; thanks”, his voice sounded so different coming next to her ear she didn’t know what to make of it.

He was warm, her height and wrapping her tightly. It made Mariyah feel so warm inside. Better even when Ina hugged her, because this was not family; this was done on freewill. She tentatively lifted her arms to feel him so close. They stayed like that for a bit and Mariyah whispered: “I’m not a hugger either, but I can’t complain, can I?”

Harry tensed a bit at that, but she just squeezed him tighter and he relaxed again if not a bit more feebler.

“I have trust issues”, she blurted out without thinking, cursing herself immediately after.

“I guess that’s quite obvious and all.. maybe. But if anything I’m not a liar. I might tease by bending the truth but people always know when I do that. Misinformation is the downfall, remember?” she said catching his eye and conveying she truly meant that. It would ease things if Harry trusted her.

“I believe you, Riya. Few is franker than you. I’d be surprised if you were a downright liar”, he chuckled and she smiled at him, pleased and.. something bubbled at her chest.

He was a nice boy.

“Goodnight, Harry”, she said and disentangled herself from him, smiling as she slipped away.

Chapter Text

The last evenings warmth dimmed visibly the next morning as things started to go downhill right from morning.

The Howler Ron got from Mr and Mrs Weasley brought the guilt back by a thousand times - all the things they had done for him this summer and this was how he repaid them. Harry didn’t know what to say the next time they’d meet. Mr Weasley even had to be questioned at work, that shan’t have been a good sign.

They ate the rest if the breakfast in silence until Professor McGonagall came to give them the new course schedules. They had Herbology with Hufflepuffs first and were walking there, only to be joined by Mariyah, who shot a wry grin at them.

“Quite a ruckus Gryffindors”, she started and Ron groaned, Harry pleaded her with his eyes, somewhat blushing remembering hugging her last night, “I’m not here to rub it in, don’t worry. I’d just like to remind that trouble often has a friend called guilt and only real troublemakers toss that friend out the window. I need to run to Charms, now though. Don’t let Draco catch you if only that made you cringe, by the way.”

And she was gone as fast as she came. Hermione looked after her and stated, some kind of recognition in her voice: “She’s right, you know. On both accounts.”

Harry cringed and wanted nothing but avoid seeing Malfoy, for the rest of the term if it came for him to decide.

But what even Mariyah didn’t know, was that there appeared to be another person he should try and avoid: Gilderoy Lockhart, their new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.

The man had snagged him earlier in Flourish and Blotts but, unfortunately for Harry, he must’ve left a deep impression in the teacher. Because as it turned out, Lockhart came and found him in Herbology to remind him not to ‘start flying cars just to be noticed’.

The man had had a few screws loose if someone were to ask Harry. No reason or explanation seemed to register in his brains - only fame.

It somehow only turned out worse in the courtyard when a first year Gryffindor, Colin Creevey, appeared in front of them with a camera saying he wanted a photo with Harry. He’d been nonplussed and, for the record, the boy had a fast mouth, couldn’t say a word of ‘no’ before Malfoy ended up there grinning at him.

Oh, no it’s not over.

After Malfoy came Professor Lockhart, even more adamant Harry was on the wrong road to fame seeking when the only thing he wanted to seek was freedom (if not also the snitch at times).

That confrontation finished with Malfoy grinning in satisfaction, Lockhart smiling his WitchWeekly-smile and Harry grimacing as hard he could.

By the time the man’s lesson started he was done. But not Lockhart. Never Lockhart.

Still dressed in turquoise robes he strode in and flashed a million carat smile - or that’s what he said it was. Harry and Ron thought it ridiculous, but the girls only swooned, leaving them no ground to base their arguments. Then he handed out the quizz. Harry had never seen a quizz as ridiculous as that; it rivaled the grin from earlier.

1. What is Gilderoy Lockhart 's favorite color?

　　2.     What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?

　　3.     What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?

On and on it went, over three sides of paper, right down to 54. When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday, and what would his ideal gift be?

Harry stared at it, speechless.

This was their new teacher?

After collecting the papers Lockhart sat down on his table and scurried over them, grinning ‘mischievously’ the whole time.

“ Tut, tut - hardly any of you remembered that my favorite color is lilac. I say so in Year with the Yeti. And a few of you need to read Wanderings with Werewolves more carefully - I clearly state in chapter twelve that my ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magic and non-magic peoples - though I wouldn't say no to a large bottle of Ogdeds Old Firewhisky!" Lockhart smiled and skimmed the papers more, only to stop at Hermione’s.

Harry was sure she had gotten it all right - she was Hermione Granger - and he was right.

Lockhart seemed very pleased with her. But then he was on his feet again and Harry had a bad premonition of what his next task for them would be. He was sad to be right.

"Now - be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind! You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm," the golden locket man said while smiling and Harry leaned over his books to see. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad after all, he thought to himself.

“I must ask you not to scream - it might provoke them”, Lockhart said, keeping the class in suspense and whisked away the curtain and tiny blue little man with wings appeared in front of them. The creatures sneered and snickered and crackled the shackles of the cage.

“Yes”, Lockhart said dramatically, “Freshly caught Cornish pixies.”

Seamus couldn’t help himself and snorted a laugh, saying when asked: “Well they’re not - they’re not very - dangerous, are they?”

The bad premonition grew.

Lockhart smirked a little evilly at that.

“Don’t be so sure! Devilish tricky little blighters they can be!” And then he whisked the cage away. The pixies were free and they had to catch them, if they could, that was.

It was a nightmare.

Dozens of pixies flew all over the classroom, terrorizing whatever they caught in their tiny hands.

Books, parchments, ink it all lay scattered, ripped, broken - if only it ended at that.

They targeted students, too.

Many on one and up Neville went, hanging uselessly from the iron chandelier.

Lockhart tried something with his wand - but it did absolutely nothing. Harry couldn't even bring himself to be surprised at it.

The pixies saw it, too, and flew over to grab his wand and through the window it went.

Lockhart paled, looking shocked at the window for a while before he dove under his desk.

Luckily the bell rang just then - or it was luckily to some, those far away who ran out the room like the devil himself was after them.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were ravenously seized by frazzled Lockhart to - surprise, surprise - collect the pixies.

Their luck was they got Hermione. She caught two with a clever freezing spell and the boys soon copied her and stuffed the pixies back into the cage.

Whatever Hermione said, it was no hands-on experience for them.

More like madness in a classroom.

After that they avoided Lockhart the best they could, running at the slightest sign of colorful robes or the sound of his laughter. Colin Creevey was harder to avoid, Harry dreaded, because the first year seemed to have memorized his schedule and said a dozen times a day: “All right, Harry?” wearing a big grin on his small face. It only grew wider when Harry replied “Hi Colin” everytime.

One day after lunch and another dodge and “Hi, Colin”, later Harry, Ron and Hermione sat at the courtyard and he said hopelessly: “I’m going crazy soon. I don’t think I can handle too many more days being haunted by three different people endlessly. Don’t they have anything better to do than torture me?”

Hermione looked up from her book and looked at him accusingly. “It’s not nice to say that, Harry. even if it bothers you.”

Harry threw his hands in the air in exasperation, last of his patience slipping away: “What should I do then? Go crazy with a smile on my face? Soon I won’t be the Boy Who Lived anymore but the Boy Who Went Crazy.”

Hermione shared him a glance that said he already was in some level if he kept that on.

Harry groaned, quite miserably at that.

“Ah ah, The craziest here is that charlatan of a Professor though”, came a soft voice right next to his ear and Harry looked up, bewildered.

Mariyah grinned at him, “It’s quite non-gallant to try and murder students with pixies, you see. Especially under Dumbledore’s reign - the man’s everywhere if you ask me. A real creep sometimes, just popping up at the most unexpected times. I was once walking to the Potions class when he just was there standing in front of a painting. Scared the cheese out of me.”  

Now Hermione had another person to shoot her glance at and Harry was happy about that.

“So heard of that?” he asked the Slytherin girl.

“Oh, I did, for sure. Delicious gossip like that is the tastiest. That small camera-boy kept talking to some people how he would have liked a picture of you saving the day from pixies”, she told him with humor in her voice.

Harry’s face must have lost its color because Mariyah laughed and said with a giggle: “I take it you wouldn’t be a willing subject? And here I thought I could get my signed autograph with you and a pixie.”

Harry glared at her murderously.

She only smirked and said reassuringly: “Don’t worry, no pixies in the school anymore. I saw Lockhart vanishing them away when our class began. No creatures, only silly questions of his hair and smile. I was disappointed. I would have wanted to tackle a class full of pixies.”

Harry didn’t know at that point if she was serious or not.

He somehow had a feeling she was.

Somehow it frightened him some.

“They lifted Neville to the iron chandelier; I doubt you’d want a part in that”, he said trying to.. he didn’t know what exactly, but not to get her eyes to gleam and an even wider smile to spread on her face.

“That would have been so cool!” she cheered, but stopped when she saw their looks, “Don’t look at me like that. Can you even understand how boring the classes with the Slytherins are? No pixies, no trouble only theory, theory, boring spell after boring spell. Poppy’s the only interesting teacher in this castle.”

They all looked up at that and Harry exclaimed in remembrance: “Ah! How could I forget? That thing you did last Christmas - it was practising with Madam Pomfrey, right? She told me you were her best student in June when I lay there after.. well.”

Mariyah seemed not to notice his stammer and smiled. “Yay, you figured it out. Finally, should I add. That’s me: the new mediwitch apprentice here. I’m quite good already, if I say so myself. Poppy lets me do almost everything already. Tells me I’m a genius.”

Hermione looked at the glowing Mariyah with a frown but awe in her voice: “But I thought no one our age could practise to be a mediwitch. Moreover how do you have time?”

Mariyah shrugged: “I’m a special case. Quirinus made the deal with her and Dumbledore. And I don’t have Quidditch or any other clubs now. Besides it’s good it’s now and not next year when our additional subjects start - but it is hard. Remember how half dead I was in May?”

Hermione nodded and descended to her own thoughts, no doubt digesting the information and planning something. Harry wouldn’t be surprised if she asked to be taught too. But then the brown haired girl surprised them by asking: “Is there a qualification to become a mediwitch? I doubt I have it, for example.”

Mariyah raised her eyebrows and fell quiet for a second.

“There kind of is. You know that magic is usually classified to dark and light, dark being taught how to defend against here, as in DADA, but in fact hexes and jinxes are dark magic, too, and don’t we all know some of those?” she smirked before continuing, Hermione and, strangely, Ron and Harry, too, listening intently,

“ That’s true of course. But it isn’t as simple as that because that classification forgets an entire color, grey. Most have magic affined to grey, but as many have light and dark attributes. Which in turn means it’s easier for them to practise either magic. And, no, those that have affinity to dark, won’t always be bad.

Dark Arts is more than curses, maybe it is more questionable, but so is Light Arts. People just don’t usually think of it as such.

And what I think describes this well is the saying that one with good intentions can be more deadly than the man who practises Dark Arts to ultimately save someone.

Because without knowledge who can do countercurses?

But truthfully even that definition is flawed.

Because what is the difference between light and dark magic?

Isn’t it all magic in the end? It is, but it isn’t.

Magic aura readers can see magic as colors and there are ‘three’ main colors, but it also shows how some, most in fact, are both dark and light, meaning grey.

Even the most pure light has a shadow.

Affinities are true, though.

But is some spell dark or light even though if it’s categorized as such?

Is it based on the intent or the purpose?

Oh, sorry.. I got side tracked.

Well what I was coming to, is that mediwitches must be adept at light magic, because most spells are light. But they must be adept at dark ones, too.

It’s quite a complicated profession, really, one that walks both paths.

And well, if you ask me, dark and light wizards don’t have anything to do with affinity; being one is a choice one makes, not how their magic works.”

They stayed quiet as they processed what Mariyah had just said.

Hermione was the first to open her mouth: “Why is it that this isn’t taught here? And I haven’t found many books at all about what you just said. Some about auras, but that’s about all.”

Mariyah smiled mischievously at the question and waved her legs in the air casually, obviously not in any hurry to answer them.

“Many see the world as light and dark, no grey, which is absolutely silly. I suppose our current minister is one of such people, maybe even the one before him.

People don’t know what they aren’t taught.

But it’s natural isn’t it? Affinities and such.

Voldemort was in fact one who talked about them. Maybe that is a reason for this, too. He became feared and things associated with fear are commonly regarded as such, too, no matter how good they may in fact be.

He did have good ideas, if only his means were wrong.

People don’t learn with fear, but realizations, the spirit being elevated in a way.

Ascension.

Not all can do it. It is a gift of sorts.

Not much unlike what muggles believe in in their gods.”

Harry knew his thoughts were whirling and he supposed Hermione and Ron were the same, too, as the first had a furrow in her brows and the latter looked puzzled, if not also completely thrown of course.

“How can one know their affinition?” Harry asked finally, interested in knowing his.

“Trial and error”, Mariyah smiled, “Try a spell and how easily it comes to you shows a way. Or then by finding an aura reader, but they are very rare.”

Harry thought about it and tried remembering what spells were easy but when he did he wasn’t sure if they were dark or light, just as Riya had said.

“What affinity do you have?” Ron asked, finding some solace from his stupor, “Since it seems like you know it.”

Mariyah’s face blanked at that and she seemed to cover, like the question brought bad memories to her. Her eyes stared at one of the study gates far off to their side and she was quiet for a while.

“I’m a curious case. I have it all: dark, light, grey. I have so much magic it’s not even a surprise anymore” she murmured and they hardly caught her words. The bell rang then and she started and looked up.

“Oh, well, lessons to go to. See you later!”

And the raven haired girl jumped away merrily like she didn’t just confuse them almost speechless.

“I’m not sure if I understood even a word she said. Isn’t it just about talent in the end?” Ron asked but they didn’t answer, as they had no answer.

Harry wondered if it was such a simple feat as talent. It could be had in many things, but magic..

well it was magic .

Chapter Text

It definitely wasn’t magic what happened on Saturday on the Quidditch pitch

- it was bad luck.

Pure bad luck with a fine assortment of ire on the Fate's part.

For what else could it be, given how entirely badly everything had already went last year, this year, in his childhood, his whole life?

So more sweet ire from Fate it was.

Because somehow, quite not-magically, Draco Malfoy had gotten into the Slytherin Quidditch team

- and his father had bought them all new brooms, the newest model at that.

Harry did think it was true what Hermione had said - at least the Gryffindors didn’t have to pay their way to the team - and by the look on Malfoy’s face it ringed true.

But none of it would still excuse what he’d done next, or perhaps Fate's ire at them would.

“No one asked your opinion, you filthy little mudblood.”

Right at the second Harry hadn’t known what it meant, only had known it was bad, really bad, because everyone in the team was ready to pummel Malfoy to the end of the earth right the second he'd shut that sneery mouth of his.

Ron had even pulled his wand out

- more bad luck -

and waved it at Malfoy hatred shining in his eyes.

Broken as it was, it repounded and hit Harry's redheaded friend straight in the stomach, giving the snakes another reason to laugh.

And laugh they did, heartily, a good belly laugh filling the field and making the Gryffindors clench their fists in even more anger. Malfoy, the git, was splayed on the ground, his fist hitting at the ground to somehow make breathing easier.

Harry wanted to make them stop, but that wasn’t the uppermost thought in his head when Ron was belching slugs at the ground and looking green and sickly.

They hurried him of to Hagrid’s only to almost run into Lockhart at the door, giving them almost a heart attack.

Inside the hut, order seemed to momentarily come back to their lives as Hagrid made them all feel better, like he always did, but the feeling didn’t last as at dinner McGonagall came to him and Ron to deliver the time of their detentions for flying to school- today.

So there Harry sat with Professor Lockhart, answering his fan mail, all night long.

It would have - and it did - bored him to no end if it didn’t end so abruptly to something so implausible.

You see, he heard something, he knew he did, but Lockhart didn’t seem to notice at all.

And it something told him it would kill , rip to pieces .

Shivers traveled down his spine and he walked back feeling dread eat at him. It seemed yet another year there was something coming his way.

Trouble did seem to find him oddly easily.

Another one of Fate's ire at him, it seemed.

Trouble, bad luck, good luck only to keep him alive to experience more of it all.

He didn't want to feel as tired at it as he did.

For there were yet things to figure out, such as did Fate even exist, or was he, Harry Potter, just doomed to a life full of trouble and its many friends?

Mariyah sat in their dungeonly common room, nicely fitted into a green armchair,her legs beneath her, face blank and tried to think .

It was hard, even with her intellect, sometimes.

The concepts didn’t seem to listen to her gentle coaxing, nor demanding pleas to answer, to unfurl over its clasps.

It only sneered at her to try again.

She wanted to sigh in defeat, but knew it was important, that thing her mind seemed reluctant to gift her with. Knowing it would not work if she forced it, she sat back and resumed to staring at the fire some way from her.

She did not have the best place in the common room; right in front of the fireplace, for seventh years had that, or some others, older, wiser, more cunning. Slytherins were a cunning house. One could not get away without a prank here or a dare there.

Request always meant a counter request, something to owe.

Second years might have not been yet at the level where they did not trust anubody, but it was easy for it to come to that in some cases. They were far too clever to think good of everybody. Still there were a few good people among them all.

And snakes looked after each other, whatever their inner workings might suggest.

It was time for Halloween again.

It still wasn’t her favorite time of the year: a huge surprise.

But it was better than last year, for sure. No trolls or crying, only a good feast and a subject to snicker at. Well, she did think it was in good intention and for a good cause but she doubted Harry knew what he had promised himself to.

A Halloween with ghosts wasn’t the most pleasant feast.

Not with rotten food served to guests and a funeral-like feeling permeating the air as pearl-like ghosts wailed and mourned.

She wasn’t about to share the information either.

Maybe they would learn something from the ghosts, they had knowledge from over the years that many living had long forgotten.

Maybe they’d ask of magical affinity, even.

Somehow she doubted that.

Mariyah, herself, only knew so much because of Rowena, who was an aura reader, a so rare talent. Her black, grey and white were a mystery to Ina, too, thouhg, as even she couldn’t explain everything. No one ever could.

But more than her affinity, Mariyah wanted to know how to connect the ties with all the information she had.

Mostly of her father, of Harry, of what had happened. She knew she should know it by now, but it kept only lingering there, not solidifying into an actual thought anytime soon. It added to her irritation, ever present after summer, only consealed and guarded like a hawk. It would not do to let her temper ruin things again. It had been hard enough to make it to school this year, so now that she had everything okay with the Gryffindors she just wanted to.. she didn't know exactly what.. but it included rest, peace, triumph, for sure.

“Are you coming Riya?” a chirpy sound came from her left and Mariyah looked up to see the rest of her year at the door, ready to head to the Halloween feast.

“Sure”, she said and smiled at Daphne, seeing Draco turn his gaze as she looked his way.

The boy had been strange to say the least. They were talking, but he seemed.. odd, at times. She figured it would happen with what went on with Harry the last time, but still she didn’t like the way he was behaving all Malfoy again with even more vigor. It never bode anything well when he was donning that cloak on his shoulders.

She stood up and headed to the rest of them as she heard a bit from a conversation Theo was having with Draco: “You’re saying he actually puked out slugs? Oh my, I would’ve loved to see weasel like that! Not so high with Potter and the mudblood anymore. And you called her that? I wouldn’t have dared, not with all the Gryffindors there with their wands.”

Draco smirked at him and Pansy said from the side, obiviously proud as her eyes roamed the blonde in front of her: “She got what she deserved. And it’s only the truth, she’s a filthy mudblood.”

Daphne stilled at her side and Mariyah knew she’d heard them, too. She spared a glance and saw her with her mouth hanging open in horror and was certain she truly was a good friend. But it was only a milliseconds worth of thought for her temper had stepped in again, not truly the same tame thing it had grown to be over last year.

It had only gotten worse over the summer since she’d had no way of releasing all the bent up anger, resentment, fury, sorrow, betrayal..

A multitude of feelings really, which did not make it any easier to contain right now.

Her very soul crackled with it.

“I’d like to ask you to repeat that so I could record it down for generations to come so they’d know why there never was another Nott, Malfoy or Parkinson with enough magical power to be more than a squib, but I doubt you’d actually say that”, Mariyah said with a smile adorning her face.

They turned to her and flinched, visibly recoiling further from her. For a good reason, she thought.

Her magic was flaring all over her, crackling even as she tried to control it the best she could.

It was covering her, a visible net of unseen.

Theo swallow and Pansy looked fearful, but Draco only sneered, almost relaxed, like he'd finally gotten what he'd wanted.

Had he? Mairyah thought, Had he wanted to pick a figth with me? Why?

 “What’s it to you what I call her? And she is, as Pansy said.”

Pansy looked like she wanted nothing more than for Draco to stop pulling her in with him. Mariyah smiled sweetly, disregarding the notion of possible want to have her like this. Which was ridiculous, should she add. No one should want her bad temper aimed at them.

“Dear Draco.. I wonder if your father told you? He’s my guardian now, through an unbreakable vow to treasure me more than even his own”, she asked, seemingly out of nowhere.

Draco suddenly paled, the relaxation running away, finally.

“You lie”, he said quickly. She only smiled.

“I wonder about that”, she only said and moved closer.

“Now what will I have to do to have you obediently apologize to Hermione? As you see, if you have eyes, of which I’m sure, she is the brightest witch of our year, kind, funny, loyal and my friend . More so then you have shoved to be, as you know. So what will it be?”

Draco gulped, grey eyes nervously fluttering, but stilling fast and he stayed his ground. Like a real Malfoy. It wasn't a wonder why she found him curious. And at times..

“Don’t be an idiot, Draco. You are in the wrong here. As are all who have low enough self esteem to bully others as their daytime hobby. I’m seriously disgusted. Rivalry is good and all, but to resort to demeaning someone’s whole being?”

Pansy swallowed as the silence continued and Mariyah’s magic gradually reached to tickle them.

“I can apologize”, she said feebly and Theo nodded hastily next to her.

Mariyah smiled at them and let her magic caress theirs before turning it all to Draco, who shivered at the sensation.

“Will you be the odd one out?” she asked and Daphne stepped out to plead with him, glancing at her a bit cautiously.

“It wasn’t nicely done Draco. It’s honorable to know when one has done wrong”, she said and Draco looked to her with an unreadable expression, drawing some calm at the Greengrass being there, too.

“Why should I bother?” he asked and stormed out the dungeons.

Mariyah let him.

“It’s not over”, she said to those watching as a warning, “I’ll make him apologize, whether you’re there watching or not is not of essence. But I will be watching you do it.”

The last words were to Theo and Pansy, who looked quite pale.

“Come on, we’ve a feast to eat”. she said to mostly Daphne but also everyone else as they stood stock still, not daring to move.

She had never earlier let her magic roam, it was no wonder then really, how they all shivered.

A pig would have known when a tiger stepped into its den.

Mariyah frowned as she walked. She knew it would help nothing if Draco didn’t understand what he did wrong, truly understand and regret. It was the same she’d told the Gryffindors the other day.

Fear did few things, but in this case it was the only way she could make Malfoy apologize because she knew Hermione was hurt by his words and for a reason.

She would have to develop a plan to make them not hate each other so much. She knew Draco was jealous and full of pureblood propaganda and fed it to others, as well.

It would take time, but it was not impossible.

By the time Hogwarts ended, she was sure Potter and Malfoy would be civil with each other or she was not Mariyah ********* ******.

The merry mood of the Great Hall managed to lift their spirits up astonishingly fast.

Treacle tarts, pumpkin juice, with licorice bats flying overhead could make anyone at least have a sugary mouth.

She and Daphne laughed and pulled little gifts from little magicked spiders in a bowl while Pansy also joined after a while and Mariyah smiled at the girl widely.

Pansy seemed surprised but soon smiled, too, and gradually Mariyah came to know her as Pansy, not the girl who was always running after Draco. The boy in question was quiet and refused to look at her, but she couldn’t be bothered; he’d change his mind when his father replied to his question about her, positively. She had not lied. But she would neither ever use it against Draco.

They were walking back in good humor, when suddenly the people in front stopped. Draco perked his head up and made way to walk to the front. Mariyah followed, having a strange feeling nagging at her. People gave way quite easily and they were soon to the front.

She saw Harry, Ron and Hermione first, standing still and staring at them with frigidity.

Then she saw it, written in red as blood on the wall in front of the trio: The Chamber of secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir, beware .

Her blood stopped cold and she could not tear her eyes away from the pure blasphemy it was.

Harry stared at Malfoy and Mariyah who had appeared in front of the crowd feeling dread over the whole situation.

Malfoy’s usually pale face was flushed and his eyes alive as he broke the silence that had occured: “Enemies of the heir beware! You’ll be next mudbloods!”

He shot a somewhat triumphant look to Mariyah, but it fell into a scowl when she didn’t even seem to have heard him, only staring at the text, mouth in a tight line and eyes ablaze.

Suddenly Harry wanted to know what she thought in that moment, why was her reaction so different to the rest of the student body.

Once again, her secrets seemed to scream at him to uncover them. Because he knew she had them more than anybody, even the Weasley twins, who were the epitome of troublemakers, the odd friend called Guilt dropped of the ride long ago.

“What’s going on here? What’s going on?” Attracted no doubt by Malfoy’s shout, Argus Filch came shouldering his way through the crowd. Then he saw Mrs. Norris and fell back, clutching his face in horror.

“My cat! My cat! What’s happened to Mrs. Norris?” he shrieked.

And his popping eyes fell on Harry.

“You!” he screeched. “You! You’ve murdered my cat! You’ve killed her! I’ll kill you! I’ll—”

“Argus!”

Dumbledore had arrived on the scene, followed by a number of other teachers. In seconds, he had swept past Harry, Ron, and Hermione and detached Mrs. Norris from the torch bracket.

“Come with me, Argus,” he said to Filch. “You, too, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger.”

Lockhart stepped forward eagerly.

“My office is nearest, Headmaster—just upstairs—please feel free—”

“Thank you, Gilderoy,” said Dumbledore.

The silent crowd parted to let them pass. Lockhart, looking excited and important, hurried after Dumbledore; so did Professors McGonagall and Snape.

Lockhart’s office was full of his own portraits, their hairs in rollers as they scurried out of sight as Lockhart lit some candles so they could examine Mrs Norris.

Or Dumbledore and McGonagall did, Snape loomed there and looked like he tried not to sneer, while Lockhart rambled on and on about his victorious deeds as Filch wailed miserously. It made Harry feel sorry for the man, even though he could be blamed for it ad thrown out of school.

“She’s not dead, Argus,” Dumbledore finally said softly after tapping the cat with his wand.

Lockhart stopped abruptly in the middle of counting the number of murders he had prevented.

“Not dead?” choked Filch, looking through his fingers at Mrs. Norris. “But why’s she all—all stiff and frozen?”

“She has been Petrified,” said Dumbledore (“Ah! I thought so!” said Lockhart). “But how, I cannot say…”

“Ask him!” shrieked Filch, turning his blotched and tearstained face to Harry.

“No second year could have done this,” said Dumbledore firmly. “it would take Dark Magic of the most advanced—”

But Filch wasn’t keen on letting Harry go. Spluttering on about some letter and squibs and Kwikspell, while Harry didn’t even know what they were!

He told them as much, too but with poor success as no one seemed to believe him.

Had they all forgotten he hardly knew anything about wizards? he wondered.

Surprisingly, it was Snape that came to his rescue, although Harry was sure it was not done with good deeds in mind.

The bat like man stood in the shadows, sneering slightly as he said they were only ‘in the wrong place at the wrong time’, which was true, sure. But then he started questioning why they even were there, which was easy to explain: ghost party! Though that wasn’t enough as Snape kindly reminded there was no food at ghost parties.

Harry a feeling it would not be a good idea to tell they were there because he was hearing voices no one else did, so he was glad Ron tried arguing they were not hungry. Although right as he said the words his stomach grumbled so loudly it was clear to everyone he’d just lied.

Harry wanted to facepalm so much right then and there.

Of course, Snape seized the chance to make his life miserable with glee. His nasty smile widened as the potions master said: “I suggest, Headmaster, that Potter is not being entirely truthful. It might be a good idea if he were deprived of certain privileges until he is ready to tell us the whole story. I personally feel he should be taken off the Gryffindor Quidditch team until he is ready to be honest.”

“Really, Severus,” said Professor McGonagall sharply, “I see no reason to stop the boy playing Quidditch. This cat wasn’t hit over the head with a broomstick. There is no evidence at all that Potter has done anything wrong.”

That if anything in the situation made him almost laugh and whoop at Professor McGonagall, but certainly he couldn’t, being the one looked at right now.

Dumbledore was giving Harry a searching look. His twinkling light blue gaze made Harry feel as though he were being X rayed.

“Innocent until proven guilty, Severus,” he said firmly.

Snape looked furious.

So did Filch.

“My cat has been Petrified!” he shrieked, his eyes popping. “I want to see some punishment!”

“We will be able to cure her, Argus,” said Dumbledore patiently. “Professor Sprout recently managed to procure some Mandrakes. As soon as they have reached their full size, I will have a potion made that will revive Mrs. Norris.”

“I’ll make it,” Lockhart butted in. “I must have done it a hundred times. I could whip up a Mandrake Restorative Draught in my sleep—”

“Excuse me,” said Snape icily. “But I believe I am the Potions master at this school.”

There was a very awkward pause.

During which Harry thought how happy they in fact were that Lockhart nor Filch were the Headmaster instead of Dumbledore. He was back to present in time to hear the old wizard set them of.

And went they did, as quickly as possible without actually running. They stopped at an empty classroom where Harry turned to ask Ron: “D’you think I should have told them about that voice I heard?”

“No” Ron said immediately, “Hearing voices no one else can hear isn’t a good sign, even in the wizarding world.” Something in Ron’s voice made Harry ask, “You do believe me, don’t you?”

“’Course I do,” said Ron quickly. “But—you must admit it’s weird…”

“I know it’s weird,” said Harry. “The whole thing’s weird. What was that writing on the wall about? The Chamber Has Been Opened… What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You know, it rings a sort of bell,” said Ron slowly. “I think someone told me a story about a secret chamber at Hogwarts once… might’ve been Bill…”

“And what on earth’s a Squib?” said Harry.

To his surprise, Ron stifled a snigger.

“Well—it’s not funny really—but as it’s Filch,” he said. “A Squib is someone who was born into a wizarding family but hasn’t got any magic powers. Kind of the opposite of Muggle-born wizards, but Squibs are quite unusual. If Filch’s trying to learn magic from a Kwikspell course, I reckon he must be a Squib. It would explain a lot. Like why he hates students so much.” Ron gave a satisfied smile. “He’s bitter.”

A clock chimed somewhere.

“Midnight,” said Harry. “We’d better get to bed before Snape comes along and tries to frame us for something else.”

He suddenly wondered what on earth his father and Snape must have been up to at school for the lanky haired man to hate him, Harry, so much.

Secrets didn't seem to leave him alone as well.

But those he didn't mind - if he could solve them.

Chapter Text

Whereas every other student was talking about the Chamber of Secrets the next few days with curiosity and fear, Mariyah was seething.

How dare he!

Daphne had told her what Draco’d done that evening standing right beside her .

She had only herself to blame for that, though. She’d been so taken with the message she could have been stepped over and she’d have not noticed. And now the boy was avoiding her, without a doubt he’d seen her murderous gaze and realized it was something he should not have done. And maybe also felt her magic reaching out to him and stinging him every time. But he was not the only reason she was being snippy. The heir of Malfoy could never be so annoying as to have her seething over the school, in secret. She did not want to have Dumbledore breathing down her neck like he did with Harry.

So Mariyah waited, bated her breath and planned meticulously, like the good snake she was.

Harry’s mind reeled as they walked out of the History of Magic class.

Hermione had asked a question they all wanted an answer to, as her precious library was temporarily tethered unhelpful by other curious students, and it still repeated itself over in his head.

The Chamber of Secrets.

Made by one of the four founders of Hogwarts, Salazar Slytherin, over a thousand years ago in his attempt to purge the school of Muggle born students who he thought untrustworthy. Apparently he’d had a fight with Godric Gryffindor about it and finally left the school, only with the added Chamber none of the other founders knew nothing of.

According to Professor Binns legend had it that only the true heir of Slytherin could open the Chamber and release the horrors within. The ghost told them there to be some kind of monster only the heir of Slytherin could control. No one had ever found it, though, and it seemed to be only a myth to Binns, who vehemently denied its whole existence by appealing to the accomplished witches and wizards of the past and Dumbledore, who had not found anything when searching the castle.

“I always knew Salazar Slytherin was a twisted old loony,” Ron told Harry and Hermione as they fought their way through the teeming corridors at the end of the lesson to drop off their bags before dinner. “But I never knew he started all this pure blood stuff. I wouldn’t be in his house if you paid me. Honestly, if the Sorting Hat had tried to put me in Slytherin, I’d’ve got the train straight back home…”

Hermione nodded fervently, but Harry didn’t say anything. His stomach had just dropped unpleasantly.

Harry had never told Ron and Hermione that the Sorting Hat had seriously considered putting him in Slytherin. He could remember, as though it were yesterday, the small voice that had spoken in his ear when he’d placed the hat on his head a year before: You could be great, you know, it’s all here in your head, and Slytherin would help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that…

But Harry, who had already heard of Slytherin House’s reputation for turning out Dark wizards, had thought desperately, Not Slytherin! and the hat had said, Oh, well, if you’re sure… better be Gryffindor…

His musings got stopped when an irritated voice sounded right behind them: “Good to know what you think of me, Weasley! I did think you were a bit judgemental sometimes but not outright over assumptious, too, to blame thousands of students to be overly ambitious and crazy in their power thirst and try to murder every living Muggleborn! You could eat your own wand for all I care.”

They turned to see a furious Mariyah with Fred and George Weasley somehow behind her.

The girl herself didn’t seem to be aware of her companions, though.

The twins shared a glance before whooping and throwing an arm over her shoulders, making her flinch in surprise.

“Way to go girl!” said one as the other added, “You tell him! Would be about time.”

They then presented their right hands in front of her slightly red face and said: “Fred”

“And George Weasley”

“In your service lovely Slytherin lady.”

“We are ashamed to admit being related to this ‘over assumptious’  git that is our ickle Ronniekins.”

Mariyah seemed a bit overwhelmed being surrounded by them, but she smiled sweetly at them, the fury gone in that second: “I’m Mariyah, but call me Riya. Good to see not all Weasleys are of the same narrow mind.”

Ron seethed at that, but could only glare as Fred and George shot him a look that could only be described as mischievously venomous.

Harry had other things in mind, then, though, when the fury returned and she turned to him and Hermione.

“I did think better of you two, too. If you hate my whole house so much better just ignore me for the rest of your lives. One unknown man makes a mistake and the house founded by his few virtues gets demeaned to the ashes”, the betrayal was heavy in her gaze with a few tears, too.

Fred and George started to seem concerned and slipped stealthily away.

“I’m going now, not that you seem to care, but I have a grudge left with Malfoy because of you ”, Mariyah said and looked straight at Hermione, who paled, “to take care of, so goodbye.”

She couldn’t even fully turn around when the devil in question appeared there out of some luck in his full sneer and gleam.

“Trouble in paradise little snake?” he drawled at her and watched triumphantly at them. But the smile slipped from his features when Mariyah turned around and asked in a voice weeping sweetness: “Has daddy written to you, yet, Malfoy?”

Malfoy paled and looked at her hesitantly.

“Well?” she pressed on and he only nodded.

Mariyah smiled and said: “Good. And know I am no ‘little snake’. Next time I hear that, beware. And of our agreement last time?”

Harry felt it then, swirling all around them, quite difficult to notice in such a crowd, but he saw it now.

Magic.

Swimming and twisting precariously all around, but mostly on Malfoy. The blonde gulped and turned wary eyes to Hermione. He spared a glance to Mariyah and muttered so lowly Harry thought he must have imagined it: “Sorry.”

Another glance to Mariyah. “For calling you a mudblood. Twice.”

And he turned on the spot as the magic retracted.

Cold gray eyes flittered to them for a moment before she was gone, too.

Hermione’s eyes trailed after her and she swallowed nervously before looking down.

As they were shunted along in the throng in silence over Mariyah’s outburst and feeling an odd guilt, Colin Creevey went past.

“Hiya, Harry!”

“Hullo, Colin,” said Harry automatically.

“Harry—Harry—a boy in my class has been saying you’re—”

But Colin was so small he couldn’t fight against the tide of people bearing him toward the Great Hall; they heard him squeak, “See you, Harry!” and he was gone.

“What’s a boy in his class saying about you?” Hermione wondered quietly, no doubt still thinking about Mariyah.

“That I’m Slytherin’s heir, I expect,” said Harry, his stomach dropping another inch or so as he suddenly remembered the way Justin Finch-Fletchley had run away from him at lunchtime.

“People here’ll believe anything,” said Ron in disgust, but with no vigor.

The crowd thinned and they were able to climb the next staircase without difficulty.

Mariyah stared at the trio in silence.

Someone thought Harry was the heir of Slytherin?

They really believed anything in this school.

Her rage had thinned after settling things, temporarily, with Malfoy, but now she felt guilty for yelling at them all, Draco included.

But it was maddening how so few seemed to think with their brain, with intelligence and not with rumors and assumptions.

And so was the fact they all had just flocked to her way when she was already at the end of her ever shortening temper.

She should really do something about it before it wrecked all her relationships.

“Riya?” came a voice from her right and she turned in the crowd to once again see the twins smiling behind her.

“I and Fred came to tell you that”, started one, presumably George.

“That brother of ours can be a proper”

“Chicken brain”

“And you should not mind him.”

“More importantly”

“We believe he doesn’t think of you as power hungry”

“or willing to murder all muggleborns.”

“So be at ease”

“And they’ll come running at your feet.”

She looked up and smiled: “Thank you. I’ve actually heard of you two. I hear you’re the most renowned pranksters around here. That true?”

The twins shared a look and grinned at each other, then at her.

In a proper act of secrecy, they lowered their heads to her level and said quietly: “Not that we’re egoistical or anything”

“But the statistics are on our side.”

They winked at her.

“So meet the renowned pranksters”

“Of Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry.”

“The pleasure’s on us.”

She smirked at them: “Cool. Although I think Peeves is the definite number two.. or three is it?”

Fred pondered on something and turned to her with a smile: “I wouldn't be so sure, you know. There are some closet pranksters around that do a pretty nasty job.”

George grinned and continued: “Like the Fat Monk. He’s quite the ghost in stealing food and letting it rot. The house elves are ripping their hair out because of him.”

“Can’t say that’s considered pranking, though”, Fred added and shrugged, “So watch your food little snake.”

He winked before they blended into the crowd and she couldn’t help but smile slightly and shake her head at them.

The Weasley twins: one couldn’t stop loving them, even right after meeting them.

Harry checked the mental list he had made of the Chamber of Secrets after they had sneaked around the corridor the attack had happened in.

It was hidden so only a heir of Slytherin could open it.

It had a monster inside.

There was water on the floor.

Mrs Norris had been petrified.

He was the only one to hear it speak.

There were scorch marks.

Spiders were running away from the castle.

Ron was very much scared of spiders, but that wasn’t a part of the list.

It was only something he didn’t know earlier.

What also didn’t get a place on the list was Moaning Myrtle because she didn’t seem to know anything about the attack.

Back in the common room they stood as far away from Percy as they could, because he’d caught them coming out of Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom and had been furious to say the least. Ron was still in a very bad temper because of Percy and kept blotting his Charms homework. When he reached absently for his wand to remove the smudges, it ignited the parchment. Fuming almost as much as his homework, Ron slammed The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 shut. To Harry’s surprise, Hermione followed suit.

“Who can it be, though?” she said in a quiet voice, as though continuing a conversation they had just been having. “Who’d want to frighten all the Squibs and Muggle-borns out of Hogwarts?”

“Let’s think,” said Ron in mock puzzlement. “Who do we know who thinks Muggle-borns are scum?”

He looked at Hermione. Hermione looked back, unconvinced.

“If you’re talking about Malfoy—”

“Of course I am!” said Ron. “You heard him—‘You’ll be next, Mudbloods!’—come on, you’ve only got to look at his foul rat face to know it’s him—”

“He did apologize to her today”, Harry said from the side, but added, “Only because of Mariyah, though.”

Ron looked like he had forgotten the whole thing and Hermione seemed down all of a sudden, but she collected herself soon.

“Malfoy, the Heir of Slytherin?” Hermione said skeptically.

“Looking at his family he could be,” said Harry, closing his books, too. “The whole lot of them have been in Slytherin; he’s always boasting about it. They could easily be Slytherin’s descendants. His father’s definitely evil enough.”

“They could’ve had the key to the Chamber of Secrets for centuries!” said Ron, gaining new vigor after getting to blame it on Malfoy. “Handing it down, father to son…”

“Well,” said Hermione cautiously, “I suppose it’s possible…”

“But how do we prove it?” said Harry darkly, “We could ask Mariyah, but after today.. I don’t believe she would be the one Malfoy would tell.”

He left said how he doubted she would tell them either, but by the looks on their faces, they seemed to get it.

“There might be a way,” said Hermione slowly, dropping her voice still further with a quick glance across the room at Percy. “Of course, it would be difficult. And dangerous, very dangerous. We’d be breaking about fifty school rules, I expect—”

“If, in a month or so, you feel like explaining, you will let us know, won’t you?” said Ron irritably.

“All right,” said Hermione coldly. “What we’d need to do is to get inside the Slytherin common room and ask Malfoy a few questions without him realizing it’s us.”

“But that’s impossible,” Harry said as Ron laughed.

“No, it’s not,” said Hermione. “All we’d need would be some Polyjuice Potion.”

“What’s that?” said Ron and Harry together.

“Snape mentioned it in class a few weeks ago—”

“D’you think we’ve got nothing better to do in Potions than listen to Snape?” muttered Ron.

“It transforms you into somebody else. Think about it! We could change into three of the Slytherins. No one would know it was us. Malfoy would probably tell us anything. He’s probably boasting about it in the Slytherin common room right now, to his trusted friends, of course, if only we could hear him.”

“This Polyjuice stuff sounds a bit dodgy to me,” said Ron, frowning. “What if we were stuck looking like three of the Slytherins forever?”

“It wears off after a while,” said Hermione, waving her hand impatiently. “But getting hold of the recipe will be very difficult. Snape said it was in a book called Moste Potente Potions and it’s bound to be in the Restricted Section of the library.”

Their only hope now was to find a thick enough teacter to get it, as Ron said.

Lucky for them, they had one right in front of them.

Since the pixie incident, no living creature had set foot in the classroom, the students had to do with Harry playing the part of villagers, yeti’s and vampires, so Lockhart could act out the most dramatic scenes of his books.

He had to keep the man happy, otherwise he wouldn’t have really bothered howling like a werewolf in front of the whole class.

After class they rounded Lockhart

“Er—Professor Lockhart?” Hermione stammered. “I wanted to—to get this book out of the library. Just for background reading.”

She held out the piece of paper, her hand shaking slightly. “But the thing is, it’s in the Restricted Section of the library, so I need a teacher to sign for it—I’m sure it would help me understand what you say in Gadding with Ghouls about slow acting venoms…”

“Ah, Gadding with Ghouls!” said Lockhart, taking the note from Hermione and smiling widely at her. “Possibly my very favorite book. You enjoyed it?”

“Oh, yes,” said Hermione eagerly. “So clever, the way you trapped that last one with the tea strainer—”

Harry thought she was a very good actor, he wouldn’t even know what happened in the book.

“Well, I’m sure no one will mind me giving the best student of the year a little extra help,” said Lockhart warmly, and he pulled out an enormous peacock quill. “Yes, nice, isn’t it?” he said, misreading the revolted look on Ron’s face. “I usually save it for book signings.”

And so they got the book with relative ease, with Lockhart only threatening Harry with seeker practises with the magical me.

The man had not even looked what he had signed, as Ron pointed out.

Madam Pince was a bit suspicious but had to give the book to them anyway.

After that they locked themselves up in Myrtle’s bathroom, because according to Hermione it was the most unpropable place. She was probably right, Harry thought as Myrtle was wailing in her stall, not minding them one bit.

As Hermione finished listing out all the ingredients they’d need he knew Snape was gonna be hot on their trails.

Shredded skin of Boomslang was definitely not in the student’s cupboard and he said as much to Hermione, who snapped at him to break rules .

He and Ron never thought to live the day that happened.

They were all in, though, no need for her to get snippy. Maybe even if Ron had to drink Crabbe’s toenails, though Harry wondered where Ron even got that one.

They had settled on Crabbe, Goyle and a girl other than Mariyah or some girl called Daphne Hermione had mentioned. The potion would be done in about a month.

And it would be needed if Harry didn’t manage to knock Malfoy of his broom the next day in their first game against Slytherin, as Ron had kindly pointed out.

His apology did little to diminish the hatred between them, but it was a positive surprise, even if it was forced.

Harry had the inkling Mariyah was out to get them to be friends .

He couldn’t ever imagine laughing along with Malfoy.

At Malfoy sounded so much better.

Chapter Text

Mariyah rounded Draco in the common room that evening and pulled him along before anyone even realized what she was even doing.

“Oi, OI! What are you doing?” the blonde asked looking wary - and for a reason Mariyah, thought and sighed.

She pulled them to a corner and lifted her wand to set up some privacy wards around them.

“Look”, she started after finishing with her wand-waving, now unsure what to do with the stick, so she tucked it absentmindedly in her sleeve and waited until Draco caught her eye, “thank you. And I’m sorry, too. I should have never behaved like that but I can’t stand bullies; it’s completely against my nature. And temper’s my downfall, has been all summer.. I think mischief is okay and so is jovial teasing, but outright bullying.. No. And you said so badly to her it hurt even me when I learned of it. But I’m thankful you apologized, even if it was only because of me. It shows you can do better, be better. I learned early on grudges only wear you down. Healthy competition is good but this kind of mindless insulting and bickering is pointless. And believe me, I made it clear to them, too.”

Draco smiled softly at her finish, but turned to stoic quickly, shedding the emotion away to scowl at her.

“Who are you, really” he asked and Mariyah was baffled at the question.

It wasn't exactly what she's expected from him. But then again, maybe she should have..

“Me? I’m only your new ward sister of sorts, who had the pleasure of having able parentage” she smiled jokingly, but Draco didn’t seem convinced.

She sighed again before smiling wryly: “Really now. I’m not an enemy at least. I’m a-ll for the world peace, with the world being still habitable and all. Little good daily and I’m like the angel my middle name suggests.”

She smirked at that and Draco actually laughed, now looking at her wryly.

“You, an angel? I’d love to see the day lit-” he swallowed the rest which was good, because she was just about to stiffen again. More in sadness right now, really. Her tolerance for the word had done a complete 180 again during summer and her time at the pensieve.

“I’m sorry but that’s not something for you to call me, not right now at least. It hurts too much, because the loss of Quirinus reminded me all about my father, who was the only soul to ever call me ‘little snake’, or ‘my little snake’ to be more precise”, she explained and sadness overtook her.

Draco saw her look and mumbled a quiet apology, before looking up at her again, determined: “Despite that, I don’t think I can shrug the habit of now - you are a snake like us all here - and younger than me.”

His following smirk was insufferable and Mariyah suddenly wanted to strangle the look off his face. Thankfully it sobered up quick.

“But I’ll let you of for a while, to let you get time to figure things out. I’ll be there to help if I can, too”, the blonde promised and smiled more warmly at her than she’d ever before seen him do.

It made her take a double look on him.

“I hate being at odds with anyone”, she huffed at herself, to get over the fact the boy could be ‘Draco’ and rather nice to add, “But as I noted on my first night here, temper’s not my virtue.”

Draco smiled at her again, reminiscent, for sure, of when they’d rounded up on her.

“I don’t think I can stop being like I am to Potter. But maybe I’ll try... If he’s not a git”, he said, looking quite honest and she beamed at him brightly.

“That’s great! It’s all I wanted, some progress for better. And I think you shouldn’t worry about Harry, he’s quite cool with things, if not a bit mad at you for repeatedly bugging his friends -- they’re his whole life, you know. But Ron’s a tough piece to crack. He’s got some deep musings of us being the reincarnation of evil and everything. But if we all work together I believe we’ll be cordial when school ends!” she gushed and Draco looked at her curiously, if not also amused.

“That’s your master plan? We’ll be cordial in six years?” he asked and she looked at him wryly, a little glint in her eyes.

“And you want to be the bestest mates with Harry, then? In two years? I could work on that, too, if you like”, she said quite an evil smile on her lips as she herself started properly pondering on the issue at hand.

“I’d actually want to see that. Now.. What should I call this.. Ah! Project Drarry. Perfect.”

Draco flushed at her and stammered: “You.. You will not do that.”

But she heard him mutter under his breath: “Project Drarry.. What’s that supposed to be.”

Looking all horrified and cute like that.

So of course Mariyah smiled kindly at him and whispered in his ear: “Whatever you wish for, Draco, for you and Harry, that’s why Project Drarry. ”

He scowled at her harshly and Mariyah thought they might become really good friends one day. She grinned brightly at the thought. She'd like that; he was entertaining enough to keep up with her.

And she found she really looked forward to Drarry actually happening, whatever it meant.

She’d be delighted, for sure.

Watching the two squirm would be amusing.

Project Drarry.. she decided she would get Daphne and Hermione to help her, in time. Pansy might find it.. delusional? If that was the word, but of the other two she was quite sure of. Ah, they’d make it a huge success.

“Your smile bothers me and I don’t know why. But I bet it’s because you’re only messing with me, aren’t you, Riya?” Draco complained from beside her as they walked to the others.

She only smiled more brightly at him and Draco flinched.

“I wonder how that could be? Only your best is of essence to me”, Mariyah said merrily but the blonde didn’t seem convinced.

He huffed, ready to resign from dealing with her, but then he asked one more question, like an afterthought: “What I don’t understand is why you said Granger is the brightest witch of our year? I think you are, hell I think you’d kick the asses of some sixth years.”

Mariyah raised her eyebrow in distaste: “Language Draco. But you are right, of course. Although you missed a point: I am the brightest witch of the whole school; what’s the second year title do for me?”

She smiled with mirth at the look on his face and sat down chuckling, gathering all the glaces from their friends.

“Kidding~!” she laughed and finally winked, for good measure, “Or am I?”

Draco stood there and looked at her like he’d never seen her before.

The others were flabbergasted and wondering what the two were talking about to leave Draco Malfoy speechless..

The next morning at breakfast the talk of the day was Quidditch and the match today of Gryffindor vs Slytherin. The players of the team were the center of attention, of course, but Mariyah personally knew only three of them: the Captain and Chaser Marcus Flint, a Chaser Adrian Pucey and of course Draco, who played Seeker.

Adrian helped her once by showing a secret shortcut so she would be on time for the Charms class and since then they’d sometimes exchanges greetings and some jokes when tumbling to each other on the corridors or the like.

“Wish me luck, Riya?” the dark haired boy in question asked with a carefree smile on his face as he picked up scrambled eggs from the table. He was two years their senior but was nicer than most and got along with everyone. By default he was also liked by everyone. And it didn’t harm at all that he had nice deep blue eyes that twinkled merrily most of the time.

“Of course, Adrian. Good luck for the game. May you score against those red enemies of ours like the brilliant Chaser you are”, everyone knew she was joking, but also not and Adrian laughed, while grinning at her.

“On your command, my Queen”, he said, mock saluting her. She grinned at him in response.

“Oh, and Flint, try not to get your hand crushed by Wood, I hear he’s out to get you”, she said to their Captain, who only laughed in response while showing a rather sinister grin.

They all knew he had no worries.

The talk turned away from her then and she turned to Draco, who sat quite stiffly by her side. She bumped his shoulder with hers and got his attention.

“Go get Potter, you hear me our glorious seeker!” she half whispered in his ear and grinned, trying to cheer him up.

Draco looked amazed, like she'd just spurted angel wings or something.

“You mean that? For me to get Potter? Isn’t he your friend or something?” the blonde asked and Mariyah tisked.

“He is, but so are you. And this is my House. Who in their right mind would wish to lose - even if the rest of the school wishes we get beaten to pulp by the Gryffins. Less sneering and more snitching and I believe you’ll do it”, she said, but somehow got the feeling only the first half of her speech got noticed.

She furrowed her brows in displeasure.

“Draco? You heard me right? Less sneering, more-”

“Yeah! Get Potter. I’ll do that”, he interrupted her and Mariyah sighed as he rose from the table, a smirk playing on his lips.

She got up, too, to grab Flint’s arm before he ran away like their Seeker did.

“Oi, Captain. Make sure you tell the blonde idiot not to sneer at Potter at the game”, she said full of seriousness, but somehow even Flint seemed to not take her as such.

“Why? It’s a good tactic?” The boy simply said, shrugging casually and went on his way.

She could only stare at his back thinking was he really a cunning Slytherin or a troll in disguise. She suddenly had a flashback as if Ron had once said something similar.

Adrian snuck up behind her and laughed by her ear.

“They won’t listen to reason, Riya. It’s better to get resigned on their part. I’ll make sure to score enough to let us win, though. With no sneering”, he said and winked as he followed after his team.

Daphne appeared by her side with Pansy, grinning mischievously.

“I think he likes you”, she said and looked after Adrian. Mariyah certainly knew what she meant, but said nonetheless: “I know. I’m quite nice aren’t I?”

Pansy huffed in exasperation, but Daphne only smiled.

“Well, either way, it’s good you know”, the blonde girl only said and started walking after everyone.

The high stands were sneering, whooping and all out yelling at the players, who stood under the leaden sky with grave expressions.

Flint and Wood tried to crush each others hands - like everyone knew they would - and the rest of the players settled for staring down their counterparts. Magically that included Malfoy and Potter.

Who would have thought?  Mariyah thought quite sarcastically.

Soon the players were up in the air and the Slytherins’ new broomsticks showed their might right from the get go.

Adrian did get the Quaffle and even scored the first point, like he’d promised.

They played well, but Mariyah knew it was so one sided only because of the brooms.

She turned to Harry only to find him repeatedly avoiding a bludger the Weasley twins tried to get away from the raven haired boy.

She also saw Malfoy sneering something at Harry, leisurely flying in the air.

Mariyah wanted to groan.

Had she created a monster again?

After last night she thought maybe, maybe , they’d get along, someday.

Obviously it wasn’t today.

She watched worriedly as Harry could hardly fly with the bludger swirling back at him at every turn. The twins asked for a time out and she sighed in relief - but to her horror Harry flew right back into the game, alone, the rogue bludger chasing him maliciously.

He swirled, spinned, rolled out of the way and the bludger somehow it other didn’t hit him.

And once again she saw Malfoy sneering at Harry, saw how Harry glared at the blonde and WHACK!

The bludger hit his elbow and it must have broken his bones, for it resounded so viciously in their ears. Harry grunted in pain, but started flying at Malfoy a determined gleam in his green eyes, who backed away, probably thinking his nemesis was going to get revenge, even while hanging from the broomstick precariously.

But that wasn’t what Harry was after at all.

Mariyah almost laughed aloud when she saw what was flying next to Draco’s head.

The Golden Snitch.

And the blonde didn’t see it, obviously.

Less sneering, more snitching.

But did the boy listen?

No.

Did the Captain listen?

No.

They would have won ages ago had someone listened to her, she thought in a huff.

Harry reached out and caught the snitch, but that was the end of his flight.

He went down like a leaf and Mariyah got up, ready to fulfil her duties as the trainee mediwitch.

She ran to the back of the stand as Harry was still dropping.

She looked down at the long staircase and then back up.

No one was following her.

Good.

She casually jumped down from twenty plus metres and felt her magic slow it down at the foot of the stairs, where she quickly ran to the field only to see her charlatan of a teacher on the way to Harry, who was out cold after hitting the ground, his team mates circling around, holding the rogue bludger at bay.

Mariyah heard the charlatan reassuring the suspicious players with the usual: “I’m a world renowned healer. No worries, the boy’s safe with me!”

Mariyah didn’t believe him for a second.

She came to stand next to him and said: “I’m the trainee mediwitch of the school and have the qualifications to mend broken bones.”

The Professor didn’t even acknowledge her.

Harry came to as Lockhart knelt down beside him, rain falling on his face. Mariyah hadn’t even noticed it had started to rain.

“Oh, no, not you,” he moaned, quite mortified if one asked her.

Suddenly she had a flashback to the previous day and an evil smirk crossed her face. She knew Fred and George saw it and looked at her curiously.

“Doesn’t know what he’s saying,” said Lockhart loudly to the anxious crowd of Gryffindors pressing around them.

“Not to worry, Harry. I’m about to fix your arm.”

“No!” said Harry. “I’ll keep it like this, thanks…”

He tried to sit up, but the pain was undoubtedly terrible. Suddenly a familiar clicking noise was heard nearby as Mariyah came to stand next Lockhart, thinking how to go with this.

“I don’t want a photo of this, Colin,” Harry said loudly.

“Lie back, Harry,” said Lockhart soothingly. “It’s a simple charm I’ve used countless times—”

“Why can’t I just go to the hospital wing?” said Harry through clenched teeth.

“He should really, Professor,” said a muddy Wood, who couldn’t help grinning even though his Seeker was injured. “Great capture, Harry, really spectacular, your best yet, I’d say—”

Mariyah touched Professor Lockhart’s arm right then and finally the man seemed to notice her.

“Professor. I am Madam Pomfrey’s most trusted helper and she requires her patients to be taken to her immediately. You cannot cure the boy here”, she said and saw Harry’s eyes flicker with hope. She smiled at him, hoping to look reassuring. Inside she was giggling.

“Dear girl, but you see, it’s all right now. I will cure the boy in a wave of the wand. Certainly Madam Pomfrey will appreciate the help”, the man said smiling widely, like he was in a smiling contest, not trying to heal wounds.

Mariyah frowned and took a step forward: “But Professor, it might be more than broken bones, ligaments displaced, nerves fractured...” she listed some random terms just to look her part.

”Stand back,” said Lockhart, who was rolling up his jade green sleeves like she didn’t even exist anymore.

“No—don’t—” said Harry weakly looking to her pleadingly, but she smirked at him then and saw his eyes open wide in understanding, but Lockhart was twirling his wand by then and a second later had directed it straight at Harry’s arm.

A strange and unpleasant sensation started at Harry’s shoulder and spread all the way down to his fingertips. It felt as though his arm was being deflated. He didn’t dare look at what was happening. He had shut his eyes, his face turned away from his arm, but his worst fears were realized as the people above him gasped and Colin Creevey began clicking away madly. His arm didn’t hurt anymore—nor did it feel remotely like an arm.

“Ah,” said Lockhart. “Yes. Well, that can sometimes happen. But the point is, the bones are no longer broken. That’s the thing to bear in mind. So, Harry, just toddle up to the hospital wing—ah, Miss Mariyah was it?, would you escort him?—and Madam Pomfrey will be able to—er—tidy you up a bit.”

As Harry got to his feet, he felt strangely lopsided. Taking a deep breath he looked down at his right side. What he saw nearly made him pass out again. Poking out of the end of his robes was what looked like a thick, fleshcolored rubber glove. He tried to move his fingers. Nothing happened.

Lockhart hadn’t mended Harry’s bones. He had removed them. Harry turned to look at Mariyah, who looked the mixture of guilty and amused. He glared at her, but let the girl guide him to the hospital wing right as Ron and Hermione came to them.

Madam Pomfrey wasn’t at all pleased, with either of them, but Harry knew Mariyah was well aware of the scolding she was bound to get when giving up on convincing Lockhart.

“You should have come straight to me!” she raged, holding up the sad, limp remainder of what, half an hour before, had been a working arm. “I can mend bones in a second—but growing them back—”

“You will be able to, won’t you?” said Harry desperately.

“I’ll be able to, certainly, but it will be painful,” said Madam Pomfrey grimly, throwing Harry a pair of pajamas. “You’ll have to stay the night… And you girl! How many times have I said not to listen to a word that charlatan says! To let him remove the boy’s bones, what were you thinking?”

Mariyah looked appeasingly sorry and guilty.

“I’m sorry, Poppy - but he- but he wouldn’t even listen to me! I tried, I really tried. The whole team can testify. it was like I wasn’t even there”, the girl almost shedded tears at Madam Pomfrey’s harsh words and they seemed to work as the older lady sighed and patted her on the shoulder.

“Oh I do know how he can be. I don’t blame you girl. You couldn’t have possibly stunned a teacher either, could you? Hmm.. Maybe I should talk about that with Dumbledore?” the mediwitch added to herself as she started walking away, “It would keep that charlatan away from my patients..”

Mariyah looked after her smiling and then turned to Harry.

“She’s right, you know. I couldn’t have stunned him. But I could have sacrificed myself for you”, she said and Harry only cringed, not knowing what to say as he knew it was a kind of punishment of yesterdays.

“That stuff that grows bones is terrible by the way. And it only gets worse once you’ve drank it”, the raven haired girl said not at all reassuringly and turned to let Ron and Hermione in as she went to Madam Pomfrey to do whatever she did.

Ron helped him into his pajamas as Hermione waited outside the curtain.

The ‘hand’ was less than ready to compromise, in anything really, it only dangled there, being in the way.

All the while Ron and Hermione bickered about Lockhart; Hermione still wasn’t ready to believe the man didn’t know a thing he claimed to know.

Finally dressed, Hermione and Madam Pomfrey came around the curtain with the latter holding a large bottle of something labeled Skele Gro.

“You’re in for a rough night,” she said, confirming Riya’s earlier words and pouring out a steaming beakerful and handing it to him. "Regrowing bones is a nasty business."

So was taking the Skele Gro.

It burned Harry’s mouth and throat as it went down, making him cough and splutter. Still tut tutting about dangerous sports and inept teachers, Madam Pomfrey retreated, leaving Ron and Hermione to help Harry gulp down some water.

“We won, though,” said Ron, a grin breaking across his face and Harry felt the same kind slipping to his. “That was some catch you made. Malfoy’s face… he looked ready to kill!”

“I want to know how he fixed that Bludger,” said Hermione darkly.

“We can add that to the list of questions we’ll ask him when we’ve taken the Polyjuice Potion,” said Harry, sinking back onto his pillows. “I hope it tastes better than this stuff…”

“If it’s got bits of Slytherins in it? You’ve got to be joking,” said Ron.

The door of the hospital wing burst open at that moment.

Filthy and soaking wet, the rest of the Gryffindor team had arrived to see Harry.

“Unbelievable flying, Harry,” said George. “I’ve just seen Marcus Flint yelling at Malfoy. Something about having the Snitch on top of his head and not noticing. Malfoy didn’t seem too happy.”

A snicker sounded from behind the twins and they turned to look to find Mariyah standing there, laughing to her hand: “Adrian must be laughing behind their backs, if not despair for failing to score enough points to secure our win.”

Wood frowned and asked: “Adrian? Pucey? The Chaser?”

Only now did she seem to notice she was in the middle of the Gryffindor Quidditch team who vehemently hated hers. The girl only shrugged and sat down on a chair: “I predicted this whole thing - not you breaking your arm - but Malfoy failing because only sneering and all that. Adrian promised to score enough points to make us win, while Flint didn’t seem to trust my instincts. So we lost.”

The team didn’t seem to know what to do, to thank the heavens Malfoy nor Flint hadn’t listened to her or curse her for actually predicting that much.

“Well, we must certainly kidnap you at the next game to give us advice”, Fred said grinning widely, while George added: “And maybe sometime else, too, to help us conquer the school..”

But Harry was sure not many heard the last part as they started gushing about him again. They had brought cakes, sweets, and bottles of pumpkin juice; they gathered around Harry’s bed and were just getting started on what promised to be a good party when Madam Pomfrey came storming over, shouting, “This boy needs rest, he’s got thirty three bones to regrow! Out! OUT!”

The team grudgingly got up, leaving only Mariyah sitting, while Madam Pomfrey watched them go.

Fred and George stopped by Mariyah to kiss her on both cheeks. Harry watched wide eyed as she blushed and turned to the twins, a curious look rising to her face.

“Bye little mediwitch”, they said at the same time, earning a begrudging but amused glare, grinning mischievously before adding in a quieter tone, “We saw what you did there.”

And winked at the witch before straightening up. Mariyah only smiled, all composed again.

“See what? I did nothing there”, she smirked and the twins grinned even more.

“Oh, we know”, George said.

“And that’s what we’re talking about”, Fred added while winking and they left before Madam Pomfrey could hex them. Lastly she turned to Mariyah and said in a strict but gentle tone: “You, too, girl. I still want that essay on nerve fractures today.”  

And Harry was left alone, with nothing to distract him from the stabbing pains in his limp arm.

Chapter Text

Mariyah finished her essay only late into the evening and decided to stay and watch over Harry in the meantime.

She still had to apologize for letting Lockhart debone his arm. It wasn't what she's meant to do but the man was random, so no trusting him it seemed. With a wand at least.

She lay down on the bed next to his and watched him sleep with an occasional frown on his face. She must’ve slipped to sleep at some time, because she snapped awake when Harry suddenly started speaking in hushed tones.

Mariyah didn’t dare move yet, because she had her eyes open and staring at a strange scene.

She never knew Harry had a house elf you see.

It stood over the boy who clearly recognized it as ‘Dobby’. Mariyah listened in on them with no guilt. She almost laughed at Harry’s face when he learned Dobby was the reason he had to fly to school. But the hilarious moment passed when she heard the reasoning.

Dobby must’ve known of the Chamber. And his family must be old and pureblooded to even have a house elf.

“So there is a Chamber of Secrets?” Harry whispered to the elf that was definitely telling more than was healthy for it.

“And did you say it’s been opened before? Tell me, Dobby!” She decided to but in right then and there.

“You know quite much of it Dobby. You must come from a very old, very prestigious family”, she said and suddenly both turned to her sitting at her bed’s edge.

Harry’s eyes widened as wide as saucers.

“Mariyah!?” he half hissed, half yelled, “What are you doing here?”

She shrugged.

“It was late, I was sleepy. Hey Dobby, do you happen to know my house elf Snoppy? She’s quite the socialite.”

Dobby’s eyes widened, too and it asked in a quivering voice: “Miss is Snoppy’s master? Dobby knows, Dobby knows Snoppy. Wonderful house to serve she has, Dobby knows.”

He didn’t get further when a ‘pop’ was heard and the elf in question appeared before Mariyah.

Harry stared speechless as the elf stood there blinking, before bowing, lace of its dress swirling with the move.

“Missus called for Snoppy?” it squeaked in an even more high voice than Dobby’s.

Mariyah smiled at the elf warmly before replying: “Not really Snoppy, but it is delightful to see you. How has it been at the mansion lately?”

Snoppy bowed again.

“Snoppy is sorry, Missus, to come uninvited. All is well at the mansion.”

Mariyah nodded.

“How is Ina?” she asked and the elf’s face was suddenly filled with warmth - they all dearly loved the youngest miss.

“Youngest missus is asleep. Misses you when awake, as we all”, it answered and Mariyah magicked something to her hands.

“Give this to her when she wakes up again, would you?” she asked and finally turned back to Harry and Dobby.

“I hear you knew Dobby?” Mariyah asked the elf that turned to Harry Potter and Dobby, too.

“Dobby?” she asked and seeing the elf in question beamed before turning to his hands, “Dobby’s been getting to trouble again lately? Hopefully Missus will change that next summer.”

She turned to Harry, then and examined him for a while before squeaking, “Harry Potter, Snoppy believes. Missus has talked of you to Snoppy. Injured once again it seems. Harry Potter should not take example of Dobby, it would only end badly, sir. Mistress always said to not invite trouble to the doorsteps with a smile. Bad luck, she said. Right she was, too, when we sees what happened to master.”

The elf suddenly looked scared and bowed down to Mariyah.

“Snoppy is sorry, Missus”, it said, sorrow in its voice.

“It’s okay, Snoppy. Go now. I believe it wouldn’t go well if Dumbledore caught you”, she said and watched the elf ‘pop’ away after nodding to Dobby and Harry.

Dobby looked at Mariyah with a strange gaze.

“What Snoppy said”, it started uncertainty, “Is it mean what Dobby thinks? Snoppy’s Missus is to be Dobby’s missus, too?”

Harry saw Mariyah’s eyes widen and she stared at the elf incredulously before starting: “You are the M-” but stopped as Dobby seemed to hear something.

He turned to Harry hastily once more to declare: “Harry Potter must be safe. Must be.” He was gone the next second as Mariyah and Harry ducked back into bed to play asleep.

The hospital wing doors were pushed open and they heard Madam Pomfrey come from her quarters, asking: “What is it, Albus?”

So Dumbledore was here.

“Another attack”, he said and they moved past their beds to land something on the bed somewhere on Harry’s other side, “Minerva found him in the stairs.”

“There was a bunch of grapes next to him,” said Professor McGonagall. “We think he was trying to sneak up here to visit Potter.”

Harry’s stomach gave a horrible lurch. Slowly and carefully, he raised himself a few inches so he could look at the statue on the bed. A ray of moonlight lay across its staring face.

It was Colin Creevey. His eyes were wide and his hands were stuck up in front of him, holding his camera.

“Petrified?” whispered Madam Pomfrey.

“Yes,” said Professor McGonagall. “But I shudder to think… If Albus hadn’t been on the way downstairs for hot chocolate—who knows what might have—”

The three of them stared down at Colin. Then Dumbledore leaned forward and wrenched the camera out of Colin’s rigid grip.

“You don’t think he managed to get a picture of his attacker?” said Professor McGonagall eagerly.

Dumbledore didn’t answer. He opened the back of the camera.

“Good gracious!” said Madam Pomfrey.

A jet of steam had hissed out of the camera. Harry and Mariyah, three beds away, caught the acrid smell of burnt plastic.

“Melted,” said Madam Pomfrey wonderingly. “All melted…”

“What does this mean, Albus?” Professor McGonagall asked urgently.

“It means,” said Dumbledore, “that the Chamber of Secrets is indeed open again.”

Madam Pomfrey clapped a hand to her mouth. Professor McGonagall stared at Dumbledore.

“But, Albus… surely… who?”

“The question is not who,” said Dumbledore, his eyes on Colin. “The question is, how…”

And from what Harry could see of Professor McGonagall’s shadowy face, she didn’t understand this any better than he did.

When the adults were about to leave, Dumbledore noticed Harry was not the only one here.

“What is Miss Mariyah doing here? Not injured I hope?” he asked Madam Pomfrey, who was still stricken.

“No”, she said, “She was making an essay for me late into the evening and I urged her to stay the night. I believe she was worried for Mr Potter, too.”

Dumbledore hummed a little and turned away. As they all were gone, Mariyah sat up quite rigidly and drew her wand a few times in the air, before turning to Harry, eyes small slits.

“How can you stand it? Him being all secrets and no answers. Misinformation is the downfall!” she seethed and Harry sat up, too, quite sure she was talking about Dumbledore, but hardly following more than that.

“And he dared to watch my thoughts while I was sleeping!?” she added and grimaced, before shuddering, like a cat when wet.

Harry perked up at that.

“I don’t take it well, truth be told. But what did you mean by that?” he asked while memories of Snape and Dumbledore watching him like they knew everything came to mind.

Mariyah looked up and seemed stunned for a moment.

“Oh, right. I forgot - you don't know. He’s a legilimens, Snape’s, too. They read other’s thoughts like reading the Daily Prophet. Really nasty if you ask me. Dumbledore especially. He knows exactly what everyone but the occlumens think and plays around with the information without ever sharing. I think he’s okay most of the time but being as misinformed as he is, despite being a closet legilimens.. Well, he does some very bad decisions sometimes. Oh, and an occlumens is the opposite of legilimens, they shield their minds from attacks”, she explained and Harry stared at her, mouth hanging open.

He didn’t know if he could entirely think of Dumbledore as ‘misinformed’, but it must be so because the girl definitely knew something the old man didn’t.

But still, Dumbledore, the greatest wizard of their time, clueless?

“Why can they just do it!?” he suddenly shouted, memories of Snape sneering at him popping up from within the confusing, indignant of all the times Snape got him into trouble and Dumbledore was just smiling his merry smile, knowing everything, not sharing. Harry wanted to know things, not just play his part.

“It’s not punishable by law. The only way to go under their radar is by being skilled at occlumency. And even then they’ll just make you drink veritaserum. So some sort of lying is in order”, Mariyah said, still indignant.

“You know it, don’t you? Occlumency? Because you know he read your mind just now. Can you teach me?” Harry asked, eyes gleaming at the possibility of getting one over Snape for once.

Mariyah looked to him quietly for a moment and Harry was disheartened, thinking she would not.

But then she said: “I can."

Before thinking something through and doing her eyes to stare outside.

"But it is hard, extremely so. You’re lucky I’m one of the best and a good teacher - at least Ina says so”, she said and Harry beamed.

“Who’s Ina?” he asked, picking out the strange name twice already.

“My adoptive sister, Rowena, but I and everyone calls her Ina, for short. She’s lovely; will be here next year”, Mariyah said and her features softened immediately.

“It’s best we start soon. Meet me tomorrow after breakfast in the foyer, I’ll take us to a cool place no one will find us in.”

Her smile was devious but he felt it was addicting and met it with his own.

“Night Riya”, he said and the witch replied in kind before they both drifted of to sleep. The pain not so horrible anymore when he lay there a smile tugging on his lips.

The next morning at the Slytherin table Mariyah looked at Draco’s depressed form and sighed.

“So you sneered”, she said and Draco looked away.

“So he did”, came a voice next to her and Adrian sat down at the table, picking a piece of bread while doing so. Mariyah caught Daphne smiling into her napkin.

“And you didn’t score quite enough. But it was almost there”, she said to the boy who only smirked.

“Ah, a few more minutes and I would’ve won us the game. But with Potter being all hunted and haunted by the bludger it was a miracle he actually caught anything”, Adrian said helping himself to some pumpkin juice while the bread hung from his mouth.

Draco was almost under the table by now.

“So what did you learn?” she asked the blonde.

He glared at her, not so venomously as usually but muttered still: “No sneering. When you see.”

Mariyah smiled at his antics and said: “Well done. And also that you should listen to me, all of the things I say.”

She sipped some pumpkin juice right when the Weasley twins walked past her and smirked, before saying: “‘Morning, little squirrell.”

She all but spurted the juice all over the table, coughing the droplets fine seeing in her throat away all the while blushing madly. When she finally turned to find the two, they were already long gone.

She was still flaming red and turned back to eat grudgingly.

Draco seemed to cheer up almost instantly, grinning again and looking to her, but his smile soon transformed into a hard thinking scowl. Who knew why?

Adrian looked at her like she’d spurted horns, like did the rest of the table, Draco excluded.

“When did you start hanging out with those two?” he asked slight awe in his voice, “They are in our DADA classes and I must say those would be boring if not for those two. Even if they are Gryffindors and play Quidditch.”

Mariyah shook her head and answered quite truthfully: “No idea, they just decided one day I was interesting enough to tease.”

No one said anything to that.

Harry waited in the foyer like promised and saw Mariyah strode to him with a few other Slytherins coming after her. She nodded to him and went up the stairs and he followed, keeping watch of the other Slytherins as their eyes followed after them differing looks on their faces.

Harry caught Malfoy’s eye, there was no sneer on his sculpted face as he watched them go. It was strange to see, very strange indeed.

They went all the way to the seventh floor where she finally stopped in front of a painting of a man on a small plumb horse. He hosted something aatthem and distracted Harry a little.

Mariyah’s eyes twinkled before she started striding back and forth in front of the painting. After the third time she stopped and looked expectantly to the opposing wall.

Harry turned to stare at it, too, quite sure the girl hadn’t gone daft - he hoped.

Almost immediately a door melted from within the wall and appeared in front of them. He started at it his mind in a mess.

What was that?

Mariyah walked to it and pushed it open, looking back to Harry as she did.

“You coming?” she smirked and disappeared into the room. Harry followed.

It was small and comfortable, with two armchairs facing each other and a hearth on the stone wall, fire cracking within. A brown mat laid beneath the forest green chairs and a bookshelf adorned the other wall. Mariyah flopped down to the other chair while Harry sat on the opposite one.

“So, I've been thinking how to teach you the intricacies of the mind. Firstly you must understand it is an entity that is layered, many many layers full of memories, dreams, hopes, fears, desires and intent. To even understand what it is a legilimens sees in another's mind is something to learn with time and experience.

One can not lie to a legilimens for they know, they always know - if they get into your mind.

Occlumency and legilimency walk hand in hand. So to learn occlumency the mind must be invaded by legilimency. Otherwise it is extremely hard.

I think this will be to you nonetheless, you love your feelings too much to actively suppress the undesired ones. That's why I think we need to try something different as we have both Dumbledore and Snape breathing down our backs.

I call it the ‘feed and lead’ tactic.

In short, once in the presence of one or the other, you let them see things you wish for them to see, and clung to those you wish not. And if possible sealing some information into impenetrable bottles in your mind, or chests or whatever that appeals to you”, she explained and Harry listened, finding it interesting.

“I believe seeing first is effective, so I will show you my own devices first. Look into my eyes" Harry did, they were pure grey and somehow they called to him. “and look further. Try saying legilimens if it does not work. Then look around and tell me what you see.”

Her eyes drew him in so fast he had no time to even think.

He saw himself, green eyes glazed and felt her patience, he said as much.

Good, now further, what do you wanna see?

He saw further but was stopped by iron gates, only letting him see through but not carry on. It held a forest inside. Suddenly the gate opened, he walked in.

There was a path that led him further, he saw glittering stars hanging from the trees and touched one.

It was a memory.

Two little girls in a room, braiding their hair while house elves drank tea and told them stories. He felt happy.

Harry let go of the star. Further on he saw dark pebbles on the ground and he knew without touching they were either nightmares or bad memories. He noted how they formed a circle.

He walked ahead and came to a river, but could not pass it. A bridge built itself for him to walk on. He did.

A castle appeared on a hill, it looked a little like Hogwarts. He walked to the doors and they opened for him.

There were thousand of rooms, locked and open, thousands of twinkling glass bottles hanging overhead. He walked ahead while running his fingers across a door. It zapped him.

He continued on, until finally walking to a throne room where sat Mariyah, surrounded by steel soldiers, a glimmering crown on her raven curls.

She smiled and it changed to another one, pulling him along.

No longer a castle but hundreds of thoughts twirling all around, giving him bits and pieces of here and there.

Nerves connect.. scared.. Ina’s here! She.. Be wary of him, Dumbledore. He means well, but.. A pleasure. I'm Harry.

He followed that one, his name calling to venture with that stray thought.

He saw himself, in the compartment and felt surprisement and joy, hope.

He could be my friend.

Then watching his own nervousness and her mirth, solidifying hope.

He’s real.

His name called at the sorting ceremony, her mind buzzing.

Potter? No, no he couldn’t be. .

The voice started to fade and he frowned, he wanted to see more. He pushed.

Because if he was, he would never be her friend. Because her p..

“I think that's enough for now”, Harry heard more clearly and had to blink his eyes to see he was back in the room, “But you do have a knack for legilimency; you almost had me there.”

Mariyah smiled at him, gray eyes kind of proud.

“I did well, then?” Harry asked, still thinking what he was about to hear in her head. Mariyah nodded and said: “Mmh! You did. First you saw my defences, a kind of occlumency, more precisely, and how I've leveled it to be tighter around the most important ones. Usually the barrier is around the whole mind, a shimmering wall that must be broken through. I have it, too. Some only have it and not anything else, but I have that fortress.

The line of thoughts you saw is how a defenceless mind looks like, but with a ‘feed and lead’ trick.

Mind is an intricate thing.

I could have created a false line of thought I think you would like to follow but it wouldn't be real. It is tricky but not impossible.

Now we’ll see which suits you best. But you must let Dumbledore into your mind so he won't suspect you. They never think kids our age could do it when even they can’t.”

She was about to continue, when suddenly adding: “One more thing: this is all magic, so try not mend it with power, feel your magic first, let it fill you up and then concentrate on your mind. I want to see how good you are with it, so it’s easier to guide you.”

Harry nodded and closed his eyes.

He had never actually thought about his magic being tangible or touchable, he knew he had it sure, but this was a first to actually touch it. He called for it and it answered, quite readily if he had to describe it. It filled him up with a sense of power, of some energy filling him up with an almost loving touch.

“It’s nice isn’t it”, Mariyah’s sound came to him and only then did he realize he was smiling, “You are a powerful wizard, Harry. It’s good you have me to guide you. They never really teach these things here.

Magic itself has some kind of feelings, too - It knows its wizard, knows danger - that’s how accidental magic happens. It answers to our call and fulfils our deepest wishes to make us content and happy. Because happy people logistically fend better.

Or something like that.

But what our kind too often forget, is that magic is not only pointing something at a wand and tadaa! spelling something. A wand is only an aid through which our magic executes our verbalized wishes. It all makes it easier, but wielding magic without a wand, without words, is true magic, to me at least.

It doesn’t feel the same when done with a wand.

Not same at all”

She fell to her own thoughts and had a dreamy look on, like thinking of a beloved; her magic.

The raven locks danced as she snapped out of it.

“Sorry, I always get carried away when talking about my magic. It is dear to me”, she said, smiling happily again, “So? How does it feel?”

Harry thought about all she said and felt his magic again. It bubbled, almost happily, at his attention. Converging, changing within him, reaching out all over him. It ruffled his hair, made it stand out in a funny way if Mariyah’s silent laughter was any indicator.

“Ready”, he said immediately, but frowned right after that, “It.. I mean.. It feels ready to.. make my wishes true. Like you said.”

Harry opened his eyes in realization and looked to the sitting, smiling Slytherin girl.

“Right?” she said and leaned forward, “It might be hard after using a wand, but wandless magic is even more amazing. Try something, maybe a lumos?”

She seemed happy for him, happy he learned wandless magic, eager almost. So he asked: “Why do you want me to learn this so much?”

“It’s so amazing, of course! And you’ll understand everything better, then. When you’ve truly felt your magic”, she said without thinking and blushed a little.

So Harry obediently closed his eyes and tried casting a lumos.

It was difficult, almost impossible.

It was impossible.

He felt sweat bead on his forehead as he thought lumos .

The magic he’d finally noticed prickled and he felt it seep outside, to form something, a light ball, he thought, to clear the darkness, his mind clarified, somehow now hoping, not commanding it.

And it flushed out of him, like little children running out to play in the sunny fields. His eyes flew open.

It was blinding .

The light that was his magic was everywhere .

He could hardly see Mariyah.

Suddenly he wished to see her and the light dimmed. She was grinning brilliantly.

“Wishes, you see?” she said, not really asking - and he felt it - her magic, dancing around her in her joy, almost as radiant as the light of his lumos , suddenly he also felt the castle around, full of magic, swirling within the stone, like a breathing, living, thing - alive.

The ground covered in magic, growing things to help feed the earth’s wishes, whose magic it was.

Death, returning borrowed magic back to earth, life, giving it away again to roam and fulfil new wishes.

And then he felt them, souls.

He never thought he could see souls, they were like intensified pieces of magic, but more solid, more conscious as the magic flowing around, fulfilling its purpose by rotating, doing things.

“It’s wonderful isn’t it?” he heard a voice and came back up again. Mariyah had a knowing look on her face.

“It’s easier to understand now, isn’t it?” she asked and he could only nod. They sat in silence for a while, coming back from the high that was magic.

“It cannot do everything, not anything, either. It can birth life by giving souls to bodies. It can kill by taking souls from bodies. It can cut; it can heal. But it always needs a soul to command it. And you saw them, didn’t you? Intensified piece of denser magic. But it’s not only that - it’s an entity. A being that is always meant to be full, not in pieces. Soul magic is a whole different world away from our magic, it’s sacred, in a way”, Mariyah whispered, her voice fading in the space around.

But after saying as much she fell silent again.

“You tell me much”, Harry said finally, suddenly remembering that almost heard thought of hers, “but not all. Aren’t you doing the same as Dumbledore? Keeping knowledge to yourself?”

She shook her head before answering in a level voice: “This knowledge you speak of - it holds lives at cost. I cannot simply give it away without trusting in the other person fully, without knowing they can definitely keep it. I will die Harry, if you ever were to tell my secret away. I teach you to tell you when you can master my teachings. Dumbledore is only not telling you believing you are not ready for the truth that will no doubt be hard, but not that hard. I think you deserve to know. You have to know. Misinformation is the downfall.”

Harry really could say nothing back to that.

So he nodded.

That days lesson was over as they were both quite exhausted by using so much of their mind and magic.

Harry felt like he’d been reborn.

Chapter Text

Harry sought after Ron and Hermione through the castle after his lesson with Mariyah.

He hadn’t seen them on his way from the hospital wings earlier in the morning and wondered what they were up to.

Now that he was ‘back in school’, if it made any sense, he remembered the newest attack and had to tell the two what he’d found out from Dobby and what the elf hadn’t told him.

After running into a more cheerful Percy, Harry got the clue he needed when the boy said he hadn’t seen his brother and hoped ‘Ron’s not in another girl’s toilet’.

And that was exactly where he found them.

“Harry!” Hermione said when he slipped into the toilet scaring them on the way, “You gave us such a fright - come in - how’s your arm?”

He locked himself up in the stall with Ron, Hermione and an old cauldron, that was simmering.

“We’d’ve come to meet you, but we decided to get started on the Polyjuice Potion,” Ron explained as Harry settled in and told his arm was fine, truthfully he didn’t even remember it anymore, not after that lesson with Riya, “We’ve decided this is the safest place to hide it.”

Harry thought the same - no one in their right mind would come into a broken toilet haunted by a ghost.

They shared information and Harry learnt they’d already found out about Colin, like the rest of the school was bound to do- and fast if earlier records kept true.Thus they were here making the potion to get answers from Malfoy as soon as possible.

Now they only had to get the rest of the ingredients from Snape, not that Harry really wanted to even try. Angering the man would only bring trouble.

Ron was also quite astonished Dobby was the one to stop them from getting to Hogwarts and Harry being almost killed. That was perhaps why he said: “Harry? If he doesn’t stop trying to save your life he’s going to kill you.”

Harry could only agree.

By the second week of Christmas Professor McGonagall came to ask who would stay at the castle for the holidays as usual. The trio signed their names right away, as they had heard Malfoy was going to stay and it if not nothing sounded suspicious.

The potion was half way ready, but now it was really the time to get to Snape’s own staff if they wanted to use the perfect chance Christmas gave them to slip into the dungeons to interrogate Malfoy.

Harry was quite proud of himself, too, as his occlumency lessons with Mariyah had now gone on for almost two weeks of daily practise. She was a strict teacher and stinged him heavily that one day he hadn’t done his homework.

It was tough, no doubt about that.

Really exhausting, really, with his Quidditch practice and other homework, but the progress was sufficient, too.

Even Mariyah had seemed positively surprised how fast Harry seemed to grasp the making and upholding of barriers in his mind.

Harry’d quite liked Mariyah’s version of Hogwarts as the final defence and had started fixing his own on his free time. It collapsed every time, but he was getting somewhere, he knew that, and it gave him hope.

It was constant building, holding still and waiting if the defence held and constructing new ones when the previous was a success. But most of all he practised the ‘feed and lead’ tactic.

Mariyah told him that using dreams or real images as a base for the fakes was best, because that way they were harder to break through. Also, downright lying was most suspicious for a legilimens, so using dreams and real images as base made them 'not lies' on some level, because on some level theywere true. She also always stated how he must never break their high ground that was surprise. No one would suspect their minds to be full of fake images meant to distract because they were - well - kids.

Mariyah got into his mind daily and no matter how Harry fought she did it effortlessly.

It was frustrating, but she only told him to get used to it and ‘feed and lead’.

So instead of keeping her out, he ‘fed and lead’ her around - or tried.

Mariyah was a tricky opponent and Harry had to really work hard to have enough, and of normal variety, of fake memories that were built on real images.

She had also been right on assuming it was extremely hard for him to build normal occlumency barriers around his mind. He liked the castle/’feed and lead’ -tactic much better than simply trying to fend her off his mind when it was next to impossible. But even in that he got undoubtedly better every time.

“You’re doing more than well, believe me. It could easily take longer than a year for you to be good enough to even master ‘feed and lead’. By that time keeping up basic occlumency barriers would come somehow, too. Your magic is very strong so it helps you, too”, she said after their most recent lesson in the ‘Room of Requirement’ as Mariyah had told him was the name of the room,

“Your homework will be to think of a painful memory and change it into a good one that you can bear showing. Keep in mind that changing the emotion takes up quite a lot but is extremely important. Otherwise you would get found out. Borrow it from some really happy memory. Okay, let’s get going now. I need to be at Poppy’s before lunch ends.”

They bade farewell and Harry hurried to Ron and Hermione.

They knew he met Riya for something important that had to do with his magic and thought nothing of it. Hermione was a bit suspicious, but Mariyah had promised she would teach them, too, once she had time and Harry, or Ina, could help her.

Harry doubted he could never teach as well as she did, though.

He was quite sure he only learnt so well because Mariyah was such a good teacher. She was patient, explained if he didn’t understand, showed him what he did wrong, what worked for her and made him truly work with his mind.

He believed it was why he was steadily becoming better, he spent his nights building things in his mind with his magic and while he dwelled there it became more and more visceral to him, not just something like: “Yeah I have a mind. It’s filled with thoughts and I just think whatever I wish for at the moment.”

No, it was so much more than that.

There were so many things he could do with his mind he never had any idea were even possible.

After the holidays, Mariyah had promised to implant a memory rune into his mind, making it easier to collect new information and also control his thoughts, which would help with occlumency.

And a good use for his new skills came later that week on Thursday, when it was finally time to rack up the Bicorn horn and boomslang skin from Snape’s private store.

Because Harry would rather face the monster of Slytherin than be caught stealing from the man.

And the man’d know it was him with one look if not for his occlumency.

He had gone through their plan many times to know what he would do and what he would have to change.

It was only some short images he would have to change from the earlier ones in his lessons, it helped, and some genuine shock from another memory and maybe Snape wouldn't see it was him.

It also helped he could not touch him and he’d have to do it in a chaos so Harry only needed to avoid straight eye contact.

Plus he was positive. Just yesterday, Riya had been unable to track the one memory she wanted and Harry had ‘won over her’.

Right after she had succeeded again, though, but Harry suspected she was quite competitive and thus could not remain defeated by Harry and tried twice as hard.

It would all be tested now.

He’d familiarised himself with the memory and had added all he wanted to his thoughts, so now he only had to act .

Hermione had said they needed a diversion, five minutes of Snape looking the other way as Hermione went and stole, because according to her, they had gotten into too much trouble with Ron already. She was true, no doubt there.

Potions lessons took place in one of the large dungeons.

Thursday afternoon’s lesson proceeded in the usual way. Twenty cauldrons stood steaming between the wooden desks, on which stood brass scales and jars of ingredients. Snape prowled through the fumes, making waspish remarks about the Gryffindors’ work while the Slytherins sniggered appreciatively.

Draco Malfoy, who was Snape’s favorite student, kept flicking puffer fish eyes at Ron and Harry, who knew that if they retaliated they would get detention faster than you could say “Unfair.”

He mysteriously stopped, though, when Mariyah suddenly started singsonging: “Ooh, lovely. Project Drar--” and instead flushed heavily and shot her a complicated look before Snape prowled over and stared at Mariyah with hard eyes.

“Why are you singing in the middle of the class, Miss Mariyah?” he asked, quite dangerous gleam in his eyes.

“Oh, I wasn’t singing, Professor. I was only pleasantly surprised our potion was coming along so nicely and thought of my own project, which is still a secret I’m afraid, which is why the sudden stop in my speech just now, will have more chances at succeeding. I will show it you once I’m ready, Professor, as I hope to ask for you opinion on it. Expect it in a weeks time!” she rolled of her tongue and smiled like an excited kid about to show of her favorite teddy bear.

Snape raised his eyebrow and bore his dark eyes to hers and suddenly.. smiled.

Harry had never seen anything more distressing.

“I believe you will pleasantly surprise me, Miss Mariyah. Maybe you do have more skill you can currently show”, he said and Harry was sure he radiated some pleased aura around him.

It was not a smile nor the gleam in his eyes, no he was as menacing as ever, but something was almost happy about him.

Harry stared at Mariyah, who winked at him playfully. So she got throught with it.

Harry looked down to his Swelling Solution that was far too runny, but he had his mind on more important things this class and could not compare to Hermione and Mariyah, who were undoubtedly the best, even if Malfoy was right after them, surprisingly.

He was now only waiting for Hermione’s signal, and he hardly listened as Snape paused to sneer at his watery potion. When Snape turned and walked off to bully Neville, Hermione caught Harry’s eye and nodded.

Harry ducked swiftly down behind his cauldron, burned to his eyes the color and thought fervently how he could not save it, pulled one of Fred’s Filibuster fireworks out of his pocket, and gave it a quick prod with his wand while thinking of diagnosing the potion in front of him.

The firework began to fizz and sputter. Knowing he had only seconds, Harry straightened up, took aim, and lobbed it into the air; it landed right on target in Goyle’s cauldron. He turned immediately back to his cauldron and actually ran the diagnostic spell to see how it looked.

His time was running short - he knew, so he quickly implemented everything as hell was released in the classroom, as Goyle’s potion exploded, showering the whole class.

People shrieked as splashes of the Swelling Solution hit them. Malfoy got a faceful and his nose began to swell like a balloon; Goyle blundered around, his hands over his eyes, which had expanded to the size of a dinner plate—Snape was trying to restore calm and find out what had happened.

Through the confusion, Harry saw Hermione slip quietly into Snape’s office. He burned it of his mind and completed the fake memory, replacing it with the real one before showing it to his Ghost of a Castle.

“Silence! SILENCE!” Snape roared. “Anyone who has been splashed, come here for a Deflating Draft—when I find out who did this—” Harry tried not to laugh as he watched Malfoy hurry forward, his head drooping with the weight of a nose like a small melon.

He let that emotion fill him up and mingle with the shock he’d implented; his magic keeping everything together. As half the class lumbered up to Snape’s desk, some weighted down with arms like clubs, others unable to talk through gigantic puffed up lips, Harry only followed what happened with the other’s and not keeping check on Hermione. He trusted her to make it.

It was more important to try this memory trick on Snape.

When everyone had taken a swig of antidote and the various swellings had subsided, Snape swept over to Goyle’s cauldron and scooped out the twisted black remains of the firework. There was a sudden hush.

“If I ever find out who threw this,” Snape whispered, “I shall make sure that person is expelled.”

Harry stared at the black disfiguration blankly, not trying to look puzzled, because he knew now, thanks to Mariyah, it would look suspicious. Snape was looking right at him, and the bell that rang ten minutes later could not have been more welcome. Harry did not meet his gaze, but saw his lips twinge in irritation before furiously turning around. A smile crept up to his face.

Mission accomplished .

After the class they hurried to Myrtle’s bathroom and Hermione threw the new ingredients into the cauldron and began to stir feverishly.

“It’ll be ready in two weeks,” she said happily.

“Snape can’t know it was us, can he?” asked Ron, frowning, from Harry.

“I know he doesn’t know it’s me, but it doesn’t stop him from doing something to me just out of spite. And knowing Snape, it’s something foul,” said Harry as the potion frothed and bubbled.

After supper he met briefly with Mariyah at the seventh floor and she was smiling brightly at him.

“Brilliant Harry! You avoided Prof Prince! But how come you didn’t tell me about it?” she said happily but was a bit down at not being invited into it.

When Harry could only smile feebly, she raised her eyebrow and said: “Well, it’s not my business what you three are brewing as I have my own, too.”

Harry’s eyebrows rose at that. “You do? I thought that was lie to whatever you were really saying to Malfoy.”

Now she looked offended and Harry swallowed.

“I never lie, as I told you. I may not speak the whole truth, but I never lie”, she said with a steely air about her but it vanished as she sat down and asked: “Now show me what we are doing here.”

And Harry did, quite proud of his feat, but was interrupted a few times on how misplaced some things were and finally actually doing those practises to implement them more precisely.

So he would never have to lie.

A week later, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were walking across the entrance hall when they saw a small knot of people gathered around the notice board, reading a piece of parchment that had just been pinned up.

Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas beckoned them over, looking excited.

“They’re starting a Dueling Club!” said Seamus. “First meeting tonight! I wouldn’t mind dueling lessons; they might come in handy one of these days…”

Harry thought they would, but he had a meeting with Mariyah, so he needed to ask her first.

“What, you reckon Slytherin’s monster can duel?” said Ron, but he, too, read the sign with interest.

“That’s not all dueling is useful for, Ron”, came a voice behind them and they turned to see Mariyah eyeing the parchment, “The problems the teacher, though. Snape would be good, dear lord, anyone would do well, but if it’s Lockhart..” She trailed of and they had troubled looks on their faces.

Lockhart would be.. exquisite, no doubt.

“Aah, little Riya would love to learn from pretty Lockhie?” a grinning redheaded twin said from behind them.

“If he was not so ickle”, added the second one with a sad expression.

“But worry not! We can be equally-” started Fred while George added, “Enthralling!”

And they flicked their wands and grinned, huge white toothed grins even more broad and white than Lockhart’s appeared on their faces.

Mariyah looked at them for only a millisecond before she burst out laughing and had to take hold of one of the twins arm’s as she laughed so hard.

Harry noted he had never seen her smile so freely. It was beautiful.

Fred and George grinned even more widely and bent down to her.

“So now little princess” George said from her left mysteriously as Fred moved to her right, staying right over her red face.

“We can teach you how to banish away the bubbleworms from your chambers! Bubblewormsgoneaway! ” Fred yelled waving his wand in a high arc. Images of happy, colourful worms burst out.

“Or cleanse the Cubblebuns from the villagers minds! Cubblebunsgoneaway! ” George followed along and took a matching position on her side like two knights of honor, with big toothy grins so wide it took up the most of their faces. And some random colourful puffy ghost flew from his wand.

Now everyone else was grinning or laughing too, but most of all Mariyah.

“Stop, oh, stop you two. You’re kililng me!” she said and her laughter ran in the hall like clear water and lifted everyone’s spirit.

“Sure little sweetiepie”, George grinned and the teeth vanished.

“Wouldn’t want you to die on us, now would we George?” Fred asked and did the same.

“Definitely not”, said George, whose elbow Mariyah’s arm was resting on.

He clapped her on the back goodnaturedly just as other Slytherins came to the scene from the dungeons.

“You alright there Riya? How come the Gryffindor Beaters dare bummel you right in front of us?” Adrian Pucey, the Slytherin Chaser, asked with a slight frown on his face, but beneath it shone a grin.

“Pucey! The great knight of Slytherin!” Fred hooted while George batted Mariyah’s back even more, making her shake on her legs.

“‘Course to get you to come to us! Little princess’s a bait!”

“You must save her before we kidnap her and corrupt her through jokes and pranks!” Fred hollered and looked quite mock miserable for someone who was about to kidnap a princess.

Adrian’s face twitched and Harry was sure he saw a bit of red along his ears, but nonetheless, he stepped forth and took a dueling position with a conjured thin sword, while his school robes swished gallantly behind him.

“So that’s your pathetic reason. Engarde!”

The twins followed along, but whispered, quite loudly, “What’s that mean, Fred?”

“Something in French, George! Let’s try it, too!”

“Engarde!” they yelled and conjured swords, too, to match Adrian’s.

Only.. they were not swords, but sticks with swinging clown heads pointing from one end and cackling loudly.

“Oh dear!” George wailed miserably, “What now brother mine?”

Fred took a step forward and said: “Fear not, brother mine! Maybe he’s scared of clowns! Those vampire’s in Northshire were!”

“True! Forth on then!” George grinned and they lunged at Adrian shouting madly while the clown heads still cackled loudly.

It was ridiculous to watch, more so when Adrian stared at them with a furiously twitching face before he swung the sword in a lazy arc and the clown heads were neatly severed.

“Game’s over, thieves”, he said graciously before grinning.

Fred and George looked to their stumps, then to each other and finally to Adrian.

Then they grinned similar smiles. Harry felt goose bumbs travel firm his spine.

“Rule change, aye brother?” Fred asked and George answered right away.

“Aye, brother. And also-” they pulled their wands out and conjured Adrian’s sword into a bucket of roses.

“-A change of prisoner”, Fred continued before they snatched Adrian by the shoulders and hauled him into the great hall with them, throwing a casual: “By little princess!” over their shoulders.

“Always fun to play with you!”

Adrian, on the other hand, looked a mixture of amused, dumbfounded and stunned, being dragged away with a bucket of red roses, it looked like a bridal capture of sorts.

Mariyah stared after them quite baffled but with bursts of laughter still excaping her lips.

“I love those two”, Harry heard her sigh and she shot a look at him.

Go tonight. No lesson. He heard her voice in his mind and nodded in understanding.

The Slytherins followed quickly after her to the Great Hall quite stumped for words by what they just witnessed.

Ron turned to Harry with a half proud, half astonished look: “My brothers, would you believe they are related to Percy?”

Harry shook his head no. He really couldn’t.

At eight o’clock that evening they hurried back to the Great Hall.

The long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead. The ceiling was velvety black once more and most of the school seemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and looking excited.

“I wonder who’ll be teaching us?” said Hermione as they edged into the chattering crowd. “Someone told me Flitwick was a dueling champion when he was young—maybe it’ll be him.”

“As long as it’s not—” Harry began, but he ended on a groan: Gilderoy Lockhart was walking onto the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by none other than Snape, wearing his usual black.

Lockhart waved an arm for silence and called “Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent! Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions—for full details, see my published works. Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape,” said Lockhart, flashing a wide smile. “He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don’t want any of you youngsters to worry—you’ll still have your Potions master when I’m through with him, never fear!”

“Wouldn’t it be good if they finished each other off?” Ron muttered in Harry’s ear.

Snape’s upper lip was curling. Harry wondered why Lockhart was still smiling; if Snape had been looking at him like that he’d have been running as fast as he could in the opposite direction.

Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably.

Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them.

“Such a ballet, they’re holding here - I wonder if they get paid for this - I know I would pay for seeing this”, Mariyah sighed somewhere behind them. They all turned briefly to show her a smiled in greeting, which she returned.

“As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position,” Lockhart told the silent crowd. “On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course.”

“I wouldn’t bet on that,” Harry murmured, watching Snape baring his teeth.

“Oh he wouldn’t dare, directly at least”, Mariyah grinned and watched the show with eager eyes.

“One—two—three—” Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Snape cried: “Expelliarmus!”

There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet: He flew backward off the stage, smashed into the wall, and slid down it to sprawl on the floor.

Malfoy and some of the other Slytherins cheered. They had come along closer to the Gryffindors with Mariyah, who was snickering at their side. Hermione was dancing on tiptoes.

“Do you think he’s all right?” she squealed through her fingers.

“Who cares?” said Harry and Ron together while Mariyah shot them an amused look.

Lockhart was getting unsteadily to his feet. His hat had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end.

“Well, there you have it!” he said, tottering back onto the platform. “That was a Disarming Charm—as you see, I’ve lost my wand—ah, thank you, Miss Brown—yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don’t mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy—however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see…”

Snape was looking murderous. Possibly Lockhart had noticed, because he said, “Enough demonstrating! I’m going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you’d like to help me—”

They moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Lockhart teamed Neville with Justin Finch-Fletchley, but Snape reached Harry and Ron first.

“Time to split up the dream team, I think,” he sneered. “Weasley, you can partner Finnigan. Potter—” Harry moved automatically toward Hermione. “I don’t think so,” said Snape, smiling coldly.

“Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let’s see what you make of the famous Potter. And you, Miss Granger—you can partner Miss Bulstrode. As for Miss Mariyah, why don’t you show Mr Thomas here how it’s done.”

They all moved, although not so joyously. Malfoy strutted over, smirking. Behind him walked a Slytherin girl who reminded Harry of a picture he’d seen in Holidays with Hags. She was large and square and her heavy jaw jutted aggressively. Hermione gave her a weak smile that she did not return.

“Face your partners!” called Lockhart, back on the platform. “And bow!”

Harry and Malfoy barely inclined their heads, not taking their eyes off each other.

“Wands at the ready!” shouted Lockhart. “When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents—only to disarm them—we don’t want any accidents—one… two… three—”

Harry swung his wand high, but Malfoy had already started on “two”: His spell hit Harry so hard he felt as though he’d been hit over the head with a saucepan. He stumbled, but everything still seemed to be working, and wasting no more time, Harry pointed his wand straight at Malfoy and shouted, “Rictusempra!”

A jet of silver light hit Malfoy in the stomach and he doubled up, wheezing.

“I said disarm only!” Lockhart shouted in alarm over the heads of the battling crowd, as Malfoy sank to his knees; Harry had hit him with a Tickling Charm, and he could barely move for laughing.

Harry hung back, with a vague feeling it would be unsporting to bewitch Malfoy while he was on the floor, but this was a mistake; gasping for breath, Malfoy pointed his wand at Harry’s knees, choked, “Tarantallegra!” and the next second his legs began to jerk around out of his control in a kind of quickstep.

“Stop! Stop!” screamed Lockhart, but Snape took charge.

“Finite Incantatem!” he shouted; Harry’s feet stopped dancing, Malfoy stopped laughing, and they were able to look up.

A haze of greenish smoke was hovering over the scene. Both Neville and Justin were lying on the floor, panting; Ron was holding up an ashen faced Seamus, apologizing for whatever his broken wand had done; but Hermione and Millicent Bulstrode were still moving; Millicent had Hermione in a headlock and Hermione was whimpering in pain; both their wands lay forgotten on the floor.

Harry leapt forward and pulled Millicent off. It was difficult: She was a lot bigger than he was.

The only ones relatively normal were Mariyah and Dean, who stood there looking at the others with Dean’s wand in Mariyah’s hand. She flipped it back to him with a smile.

“Dear, dear,” said Lockhart, skittering through the crowd, looking at the aftermath of the duels. “Up you go, Macmillan… Careful there, Miss Fawcett… Pinch it hard, it’ll stop bleeding in a second, Boot…”

“I think I’d better teach you how to block unfriendly spells,” said Lockhart, standing flustered in the midst of the hall. He glanced at Snape, whose black eyes glinted, and looked quickly away. “Let’s have a volunteer pair—Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you—”

“A bad idea, Professor Lockhart,” said Snape, gliding over like a large and malevolent bat. “Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We’ll be sending what’s left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox.” Neville’s round, pink face went pinker. “How about Malfoy and Potter?” said Snape with a twisted smile.

“Excellent idea!” said Lockhart, gesturing Harry and Malfoy into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed away to give them room.

“Now, Harry,” said Lockhart. “When Draco points his wand at you, you do this.” He raised his own wand, attempted a complicated sort of wiggling action, and dropped it. Snape smirked as Lockhart quickly picked it up, saying, “Whoops—my wand is a little overexcited—”

Snape moved closer to Malfoy, bent down, and whispered something in his ear. Malfoy smirked, too.

Harry looked up nervously at Lockhart and said, “Professor, could you show me that blocking thing again?”

“Scared?” muttered Malfoy, so that Lockhart couldn’t hear him.

“You wish,” said Harry out of the corner of his mouth. Lockhart cuffed Harry merrily on the shoulder. “Just do what I did, Harry!”

“What, drop my wand?”

But Lockhart wasn’t listening.

“Three—two—one—go!” he shouted. Malfoy raised his wand quickly and bellowed, “Serpensortia!” The end of his wand exploded. Harry watched, aghast, as a long black snake shot out of it, fell heavily onto the floor between them, and raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor.

Mariyah stood still. Watching the snake with a frown - it wasn’t an exactly poisonous species, but a snake nonetheless.

“Don’t move, Potter,” said Snape lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of Harry standing motionless, eye to eye with the angry snake. “I’ll get rid of it…”

But he didn’t get quite there as there was another yell filling the air with righteousness. Mariyah sighted already, knowing whatever was coming wasn’t going to be good.

“Allow me!” shouted Lockhart, for you see. He brandished his wand at the snake and there was a loud bang; the snake, instead of vanishing, flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack.

Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered straight toward Justin Finch-Fletchley and raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike. Mariyah moved closer, ready to stop it from striking but stopped when Harry suddenly shouted, or hissed, as it sounded like to everyone else - and the snake slumped to the floor, docile as a thick, black garden hose, its eyes now on Harry.

Mariyah turned to stare at the boy, too.

One word i her mind. Why?

Harry stepped back, looking relieved, but Mariyah knew it wouldn’t end there. The boy had just gotten himself in trouble.

Again.

He looked up at Justin, grinning, must have expected to see Justin looking relieved, or puzzled, or even grateful—but certainly not angry and scared.

“What do you think you’re playing at?” he shouted, and before Harry could say anything, Justin had turned and stormed out of the hall.

Silly boy, Mariyah thought watching him go, he had eyes but could not see when fear gripped his mind.

Snape stepped forward then, waved his wand, and the snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke. Snape, too, was looking at Harry in a shrewd and calculating look. The boy was starting to notice it wasn’t good and she sighed.

An ominous muttering scattered all around the walls as everyone drew their conclusions.

Parseltongue, the language of snakes.

Salazar Slytherin, the most famous speaker of the rare tongue.

His Chamber, his heir.

Harry Potter.

Who would have thought?

Ron came to the stage and tugged Harry by the robes, getting him of and away from the scene, whispers following behind.

Mariyah turned around and started walking to the dungeons in the middle of gossipping Slytherins.

Her mind was away, focusing on other things.

All she’d found peculiar about the situation last year. The pain he’d felt when Quirrell had touched him. The scar. His disappearance. Harry being a parseltongue...

With no relatives of Slytherin, it was not possible.. unless.

Mariyah stopped dead in her tracks.

Someone bumped into her and stumbled, something said in exasperation.

She paid it no mind.

It couldn’t be.

Impossible!

Oh my goddess.

This would change everything.

Chapter Text

Harry’s day hadn’t gone all that well after the dueling club last night.

He had had no idea speaking to snakes was such a bad thing to turn the whole school against him in the course of one night. It, however, became distinctly clear when he had tried to explain to Justin what really happened but had only found his fellow Hufflepuffs who blamed Harry entirely for it. Leaving no room for expansions at all.

Leaving angry at their insinuations and hard skulls it did very much quelch his anger but not the very abruptly rising horror when he found the boy he was looking for - paralyzed and laying on the floor.

Harry had never precisely seen a paralyzed person before

- Mrs Norris didn’t count because she was a cat.

It was strangely terrifying while also very mysterious. Justin’s eyes were glazed over, staring unseeingly at the roof while he resembled a wax doll. But even more unbecoming was the figure floating lifelessly just over Justin.  Nearly Headless Nick was a blackish color, his head hanging by a thread while he did not move, only stared unseeing.

Harry gulped and cursed his luck.

Why was it always him that stumbled upon these kinds of scenes?

Why never anyone else?

Anyone who hadn’t been discovered a parselmouth the previous day?

Malfoy, for example?

Harry'd like that very much.

He glazed his heart over and readied to find a teacher when his little bit of luck ran out.

Filch scuffled to the scene, his crooked mouth curling into a creepy smile.

“I’ve got you now, Potter”, he breathed raggedly, “You cannot talk yourself out of this one..”

And so Harry was walked to the headmaster’s office - empty office, if he had to complain.

Who knew what tragedy he’d now befall?

His eyes roamed around the space and stopped on two different things: the sorting hat and a very ragged red bird hunching on a perch.

It would be the very last thing he needed to be associated with if the bird happened to die while he was there alone with it.

The hat in itself intrigued him for a whole other reason.

He shifted closer to it, wondering if it was conscious all year round.

“You want to know if I sorted you into the right house?” it asked suddenly, starting Harry, “I stick to my earlier words: Slytherin would have helped you on your way to greatness. But it already has, hasn’t it? I can tell your magic has strengthened over this year by a great amount, whether you yourself notice it or not.”

Harry could not really imagine what to answer, but it didn’t seem to want an answer as the slit in the lower seam shut and did not budge anymore. He was puzzled by its words, though.

His magic had grown?

It must be because of Mariyah. She was the Slytherin the hat was referring to, no doubt about that. If Malfoy had caused his magic to grow, it would only be in the form of his hex resistance.

And then it happened, like he’d feared, so suddenly he had no way of stopping it: the bird went and died on him.

It spontaneously burst into flames and burnt to ashes, right in front of him.

Harry gulped heavily, fearing his looming fate.

Not this, too.

And of course Dumbledore chose that moment to step into his office.

“Professor, your bird. I.. I could do nothing - it just burst into flames!” Harry explained franticuously, bringing the memory to the top of his consciousness so the Headmaster could easily catch it.

“Aah, good", the man said quite joyously, “It was about time. He’s looked miserable these past few days. Curious creatures - phoenixes. Their tears can heal and they can carry heavy burdens. And when they die they are born again from the ashes.”

Harry turned his eyes back to the bird, just in time to see a small baby bird head pop up from the ashes, chirping sentimentally to Dumbledore. He sighed in relief and distractedly wondered he'd have to find out more about phoenixes. Hagrid bust into the office right at that second, though, declaring his faith in Harry’s innocence.

It warmed Harry’s heart like no other thing could have done after the day he’d had. And surprisingly, Professor Dumbledore didn’t actually believe it was him. Harry began to wonder why he’d even been called here if that was the case, when the man asked him a question: “ Is there something you wish to tell me Harry?”

He stayed silent, thinking of his parseltongue skill, but figured the man already knew and said: “No. No, Professor, there is nothing.”

And Dumbledore only smiled benevolently, his blue eyes twinkling behind the half-moon glasses perched on his nose. Harry wondered if someone had once broken it while he nodded his goodbye and travelled back to his common room.

On the way back he finally realised the old man was waiting for him to tell him about the strange noise - but he’d gone and forgotten it while only focusing on the phoenix.

He stilled in his step because he knew he wouldn’t have been so single minded earlier if he had not practised occlumency. Because he unconsciously knew he shouldn’t think about certain things in the headmaster’s presence - he hadn't!

A smile slipped on his face. ‘Feed and lead’ had proved to start growing on him, as well as hiding away those thoughts he wanted no one to know about. He was quite proud of himself as he went back to the common room, ready to tell everything to Ron and Hermione.

Mariyah knew her usually steel hard concentration was slipping almost all the time nowadays.

Fist of all, Poppy had berated her on that one day, sounding thoroughly baffled at the fact. It was understandable since she never lost her concentration.

It was all because of that day, the dueling day, that one and only time it happened.

She and Harry had had their lessons, of course they had, but she’d just let him do what he needed to do while her mind whirled. It had not settled after the evening. Mariyah needed a stopper to her mind, she knew it - but she didn’t have the means to do it. Occlumency only helped that much, if she wanted to seal the thoughts away it would affect her imperiously - and that would be a harsh 'no'.

“-so it’ll be you here with Draco, Greg and Crabbe. You’ll be okay, right? Riya?” Daphne’s voice drifted to her mind and awoke her.

“Alone with the boys? I've survived worse. Adrian’s staying, too, so it’s not like I don’t have my own babysitter here", she said, sitting up straighter and earning a scrutinizing look from her blonde friend.

“Mhmm, that’s the boy you can count on", she said a look on her face, her voice drawling Draco-style.  

“What, Greengrass, you do not trust in me?” Adrian asked, standing behind Daphne and smiling a bit icily down at her.

“Not the case, dear Pucey. I trust you to score us points at the pit and after that score some more with the twins. Which makes you a poor babysitter for my friend here”, she said giving him a pointed look.

“Scoring with the-? Pfht!!” Adrian almost choked while digesting Daphne’s words.

“I only mean you seemed to hit it off with your long time idols, deary, which leaves you a cute puppy running after them", the blonde only continued, pulling no punches.

“I do not! When have I ever-" he started sputtering a defence in vain it seemed as Daphne grinned a bit viciously, earning her spot being a Slytherin.

“Two days ago, fouth floor corridor, I saw you, Adrian Pucey, do not lie to me", she drawled and the boy actually blushed before sinking away from the scene, muttering something illegible.

“Aaw, don’t be so hard on him Daph, he’s so cute being toyed by the twins”, Mariyah purred and earned another look from the blonde, who seemed to have something against everyone today.

“You’re only glad they found a new toy and left you alone for a while”, the girl said and Mariyah decided to simply stare at her, her eyes asking: Who ate your cat?

Daphne diminished before it and stumped down on the sofa she was sitting on in the common room. Her eyes dimmed and she stuttered, like whole a new girl, the angry and nosy one from earlier gone with the wind that always cooled the air in the dungeons.

“I'm sorry. It.. this situation at school - my parents - no matter it isn't against the purebloods, are concerned about me and they grate on my nerves, it makes me scared. And then I see you not responding after finding about Harry being a parseltongue and it makes it all so much worse because what if he is the heir of Slytherin and.. and he doesn't actually like us, not because of Draco and all that stupid competition between our houses- I-I’m just so distressed!!” Daphne cried and actually started sobbing on the couch, her shoulders shuddering with the cries.

Mariyah stilled for only a second before she stood up and scooted down next to her, taking her hands in hers.

“Shh.. It’s alright, Daph. It would not turn on us. I'm actually quite positive no one will die in the end when the culprit is caught. And I know it's not Harry - the boy’s got no bad bone in his body! And know I’ve got your back, always”, her hushed, soothing words calmed the blonde, kind, kind girl and she looked down at her smiling through her tears.

“Thank you, Riya. I'll help you, too, but I'm afraid you won’t need it", Daphne said and pointed her wand at her face to dry the tears.

“Oh, I’m not omnipotent, not at all. I'll make you help me, don't you worry about it", Mariyah said with a wink and the blonde laughed a little.

She stood up, then, noticing they had gathered some eyes on them with the little scene. Eyes that immediately scattered away when she turned to look. She bet they didn’t know curiosity killed the cat.

The Christmas meal was a sight to behold if one was to ask Mariyah.

One table.

Two houses.

Two rivals about to share a meal with their respective cronies.

It was bound to be all ignoring or snarling but.. The Weasleys, the lot of them, Hermione and Harry sitting with them,you see, had two of the opposing faction in their midst: Mariyah, herself, of course and an Adrian Pucey, sitting beside her, eyeing the others warily and snickering quietly at the antics of the twins.

This was the scene Draco with his posse walked in on.

He actually stopped dead in his tracks, eyeing the table with unsure eyes, flicking nervously between Mariyah and Harry to go back to Adrian. He started slowly walking further in, Greg and Vince walking behind, muscles tensing.

The Gryffindors noticed and the happy chatter died.

Draco stopped on the opposite side of the table, eyeing the place next to Hermione with a frown.

“Merry Christmas, Draco", Mariyah said, smiling at the boy. Adrian shared her example and Draco looked more confident again while saying a rather freeform: “Merry Christmas” to possibly everyone.

“You sitting down, Malfoy?” Harry asked with a clip but also quite prudently. A tension lived a while between them, before Draco turned to Hermione after meeting Mariyah’s eyes while doing so.

“The seat taken, Granger?” he asked normally, almost polite and shocked the socks out of everyone present.

Hermione nodded, eyes wide and mouth slightly parted. Draco sat down opposite Adrian and Greg and Vince followed suit, grunting something in greeting.

“What’s a Malfoy doing at school at this time of year?” a brave twin, Fred more precisely, asked with a grin.

“What’s it to you, older weasel?” Draco sneered before even knowing what he was saying.

“It really resides deep, doesn't it?” Mariyah asked with a chuckle before anyone could jump up and start a hexing riot, on Christmas, “The habitual sneering?”

Draco blushed and looked to her in mortification.

“It does", Adrian offered by her side, giving a not so subtle look to the grinning twins, “It took me half a year before he actually dropped the Malfoy mask.”

This, of course, made Draco flush even more.

“Ah, so glad it's Christmas then. No sneering and only good friends with no callous presumption or hexing, aye?” she said smiling, but the threat was there and everyone knew it.

“Of course no hexing", Percy said sitting up straighter and looking like he was greatly offended by the statement, “I would take points if that were to happen, which it would not - not in my presence.”

His prideful moment was interrupted when George threw his hand around his brother’s neck and said while Fred wiped crocodile tears of his face: “That's our brother. The snippety snappet prefect Percy Weasley. So righteous, so just. Can you feel the feels Fred?”

Fred sniffed while Percy frowned: “I can George. I can. So knightley ..”

And his twinkling eyes turned to Adrian who stopped with a fork to his mouth.

“You two would have much to talk about, right Adry?”

The Slytherin looked to Percy, fighting to keep the flush of his face and said: “I think I'm too green for that.”

He surely meant being a Slytherin but was that how George took it?

Nooo..

“Hmm, true. You'd have to have read at least a couple magical law books to keep up with him”, the redhead grinned and winked before thrusting a big piece of Turkey to his open mouth.

The conversation continued, others joining in and once even Draco shooting a point at a Quidditch argument and earning a stunned look from Ron.

The two then started a heated debate on which team was the best while the rest tried talking over them.

Gradually people left going back to the dorms and Mariyah noticed how the trio was giving each other looks that spelled impending trouble. They were up to something again, she knew. What it was.. was to be seen.

Mariyah would have loved to stay to look what it was those three were up to but she had other plans to do. Plans that demanded her attention, too add. So she left them and headed of with Draco while his bodyguards stayed back to eat even more of the delicious delicacies prepared by the house elves.

“Wasn’t that bad, was it?” she asked grinning and he looked at her, an unreadable expression in his eyes.

“I would say it wasn't as bad as I'd feared", he relented and she saw a smile creep up his lips before he noticed and frowned it away.

“Aw, too bad Project Drarry was all Drroned, though. But you didn’t hex each other, that’s progress, for sure”, Mariyah said smiling, Draco scowling at her.

“And there you go again with your Project Drarry.. when will you stop?” he asked quite seriously, too, earning an earnest look in return.

“When I can stop, If course. It’s up to you, you know", she said and he groaned.

She just chuckled while they passed the Bloody Baron and saluted him, turning another corridor and finally after clearing the doorway, Draco collapsed on the sofa, looking inquiringly at her retreating back.

“Where are you going?” he asked her, sounding disheartened at her departure.

“I’ve a few fast things to do. A part two for Snape to see. I think he’s warming up to me now", Mariyah laughed.

Draco showed a rare genuine smile.

“After your ‘Prince’ start it is an almost impossible task”, he joked and lay back down before turning to look to the door longingly. The boy wanted company for Christmas and would probably go looking for the rest of their few house mates. Adrian had vanished sometime after Fred and George, which was predictable.

Mariyah looked to her brimming potion, adding a few ingredients and shimmering it thrice clockwise before stalling the flames to a constant low. Afterwards she returned to the common room to see Draco frowning at Greg and Vince who sat stiffly in front of him, fidgeting and shooting each other looks.

They had not noticed her yet.

She heard Draco tell then: “I already told you I don’t know. What’s wrong with you two?”

Vince grumbled: “stomach ache” and looked down.

“If I did, I would cheer them up, though. It’s a good job they’re doing”, Draco continued, “But my father did tell me it was opened filthy years prior and someone was caught - who though - he would not tell. But he did also tell me.. that a mudblood was killed.”

Ah, the Chamber of Secrets, Mariyah thought and eyed the two big Slytherins more carefully. Was that.. red hair?

The trio surprised her, yet again. A sky smirk flashed on her lips before she groomed it to be dashing.

“Draco~! I'm back! You didn’t die of boredom while I was gone, hopefully”, she announced cheerfully and nodded to the boys.

Draco turned to her, a bit frigid at her strange behaviour.

Mariyah waltzed down to them and dropped herself on Draco’s chair’s arm and saw the two big and bulky exchange glaces, which turned horrified when seeing the other had a quickly reddening hair and other a scar on his forehead. They hurried up and ran away, stammering about stomach ache again.

“Poor souls. I doubt they’ll make it to Poppy. I better run after them”, Mariyah told Draco with a worried frown. The boy only sat on his chair, not following what was happening at all.

She hopped up and sprinted behind the boys, grinning with newfound vigor. She’d found her leverage to join the hunt it seemed.

Mariyah should have known the famous golden trio would not leave a mystery as big as the Chamber of Secrets that, a secret. She saw them enter a girls toilet where the first attack had taken place and chuckled.

Really? Hiding in a bathroom.. not so bad, perhaps.

Walking in, Mariyah heard them immediately.

“Hermione?” Ron’s worried voice asked a closed stall. A giggle sounded but she knew it was Myrtle’s not Hermione’s: “You must see this; it's horrible.”

The boys did not see Mariyah following behind them when the stall opened slowly to reveal Hermione - but not exactly her, as she was covered in cat hair, ears and tail.

“Remember when I said the potion is not to be used on animals? It was not Millicent’s hair I took-” She stilled as she saw Mariyah by the door, leaning casually against the doorframe.

Hermione would have surely paled if not for the brown hair covering her face.

“It’s redeemable, worry not Hermione”, Mariyah’s voice started the boys finally to her presence, “Milli does have a cat, according to what I've heard, it's quite much like..That.”

She watched in amusement as Ron and Harry went sheet white and opened and closed their mouths as hatchlings.

Ron sputtered something and stared at her like she was a ghost.

“I have a question, though", she asked when none of them seemed capable of speech, “Did you really think I wouldn’t notice? Draco sure, the others I would believe are clueless, even the twins at times when they don’t care, but me?”

They looked to each other with similar looks that told Mariyah no, they did not think she would.

She sighed.

“I want in. That thing's too important to ignore and you would get off easier with me giving you what I know”, Mariyah declared and earned shocked looks from them, even Harry, who should know she knew something.

“But first, let’s get you to Poppy. I fear I'm not still adequate enough to fix you. Afterwards, we’ll talk", her words ended with her hand on Hermione’s arm and the boys standing still in the girls lavatory with a giggling girl ghost hanging overhead.

A brilliant vision for Christmas, indeed.

Chapter Text

The next day they all sat around Hermione’s hospital bed in silence.

Mariyah had just come to them from Madam Pomfrey and now sat there looking at the silent trio.

“So..” she slowly started saying, causing them to glance at each other nervously, “What do you know? What do you want to do?”

They stayed silent for a few more seconds, clearly not knowing if they could trust her. It made her irritable.

“Or I can just read it all from Harry’s mind and then go to the teacher’s, telling them all the crimes you’ve done”, she said, crossing her arms over her chest. They all paled and Harry coughed, Hermione looked positively thunderstruck and Ron stared at her like she’d just started spewing lies.

“You cannot do that”, the redhead said accusingly, “only skilled legilimens can. And no one that small is one.”

Mariyah smirked at him, raising her grey eyes to meet his in a piercing gaze.

“Should we see, Weasley? If your words ring true?” her voice asked, softly, one brow lifted in question. Ron gulped and looked away, noticeably feeling uncomfortable.

“Why haven’t you done so yet?” Hermione suddenly asked, “If you can do so?”

Mariyah smiled brightly and flicked her hair back in a snobbish manner, “Why? It’s bad manners of course. I’m a noble Slytherin - I need not such frivolous means.”

Ron looked at her with amusement, but wariness.

“And still you claim to be a skilled legilimens. Hypocrisy, much?” He sneered in a teasing manner.

“Oh course not”, she denied his words, “It just so happened to come to me naturally - I can’t seem to stop my fabulousness.”

She huffed grandly, enjoying playing the part of spoiled child for once. And she hoped it would relax them. Harry snorted and looked at her laughter bubbling in his green eyes:

“Stop it, Riya. Snobbiness doesn’t suit you.”

She turned to him, mock hurt and a pout on her face.

“It doesn’t? How about craziness, then? I can do a mean crazy witch act”, she asked.

“I like the real you best”, Hermione stated and then turned to Harry, a questioning look in her brown eyes. Mariyah grinned, satisfied, and waited for the next words as Harry nodded.

“What we know, you asked?” the clever witch started speaking slowly, giving a look to Poppy’s office, and continuing when Mariyah nodded in reassurance, “There resides a monster, which is apparently the one petrifying people and that it was opened fifty years prior. Someone died then. And we know that only the heir of Slytherin can control it. Harry.. can also hear it speak, while we don’t.”

She stopped in her explanation and only stayed silent while Mariyah stared at her, waiting for more. Did they not have more?

“And?” she tentatively asked. The three looked at each other and shook their heads ‘no’. Mariyah raised her eyebrows.

“Really?”, she drawled, real Malfoy style, earning a disturbed look from all of them, “That’s all you have gathered? And here I thought I’d be getting great help from you..”

When they all just glared at her, offended, she huffed and explained patiently: “Think about it: Slytherin - parselmouth - talking to snakes. Harry here, understanding said monster - parselmouth. Snake. It’s a snake - a basilisk to be more precise. Because they can petrify, although it might not be so obvious because they usually just kill their victims right away, by looking at them. Ring a bell?”

Dunderheads , she wanted to curse all Snape style, when realization hit them, Hermione smacking her furry head.

“Of course!” she reproached herself, “Why didn’t I think of it?”

Ron looked very disturbed all of a sudden.

“So you mean to say there is a giant, poisonous snake slithering around the castle, capable of killing with its mere gaze?” he asked and paled noticeably, blue eyes glazing over as a shudder shook his body.

“Mm”, Mariyah nodded, “I believe so. It all adds up. It’s also a potential hypothesis the Chamber of Secrets can only be opened by parseltongue being spoken, which allows only the heir of Slytherin to control it. So no wonder they all think it’s you, Harry.”

Harry had paled a bit, too.

“Sooo, to my next question: what are we to do about it?” Mariyah asked while smiling, causing general nervousness and silence. Ah, the Gryffindor bravery needed a while to be activated, it seemed.

“Hope it dies?” Ron offered feebly.

Mariyah laughed and winked at him.

“Oh, that would ease the problem, wouldn’t it?” she laughed and caused the others to grin somewhat, too.

Harry suddenly frowned.

“But you said.. that only the heir of Slytherin can control it.. which means no one else could make it roam the castle.. which in turn means someone in here is the heir of Slytherin, a parselmouth, who opened the Chamber of Secrets to kill the mudbloods”, he thought aloud, and gradually realization filled their faces.

“So, we should find the culprit?” Hermione deduced, “But shouldn't it be a Slytherin? The heir? How could a heir of a founder be in another’s house?”

Mariyah nodded, thinking they were bright after all.

“It seems the most logical explanation, doesn’t it? But think about it: what if the other parent is very different, giving the child, the heir, a completely different personality? Then they wouldn’t possibly be in Slytherin. Furthermore, the Sorting Hat can be persuaded, so it’s possible that would happen, too.”

Ron swallowed suddenly, frowing while he did.

“But how is it possible, that such a big creature can wonder around the school and no one has seen it?”

This made them fall silent again. Mariyah eyeing them, giving them a chance to find the explanation.

“Pipes..” Hermione suddenly looked up, “It could use the pipes to move around - that’s how Harry could hear it through the walls. And that the pipes would possible lead to the Chamber, allowing it easier access all around. It’s quite brilliant, really.”

The boys nodded, taking it as true instantly.

“Bravo”, Mariyah smiled, “That’s the same I thought. It would be the most probable thing. And the first scene of the crime was in front of a toilet, which was flooded, so that’s evidence, too. But once again, that was not what I asked: what will you want to do about it? Now that we know it’s a giant snake, a basilisk that can kill with its mere gaze; what are we to do about it? Run to the teachers? Tell everyone in the school to be vary of slithering snakes running along the plummery? Or… find it ourselves? Confront it like we did the mountain troll last year?”

Why, she wondered, did the trio stare at her like she was mad?

It wasn’t that far of, surely, to add that last possibility. It was the one she wanted.

Mariyah didn’t want to mess the teachers into this whole Chamber of Secrets thing. She wanted to know who it was to open it, she for herself. Deal order by herself. And if these Gryffindors weren’t of the same mind she would have to do something about it. That last thought she kept tightly to herself, though. They would relent; they were the ones to confront a mountain troll, after all; the ones to conquer the Dark Lord. They were Gryffindors. And Harry was a curious boy.

The looks of pure delectable madness soon turned to those of revaluation since she did not so much as flinch under their accusing eyes.

“But”, started Hermione, the eternal voice of reason, “A basilisk is not a mountain troll.”

She simply shrugged, knowing their coming questions already.

“Nor is the Dark Lord. But, ah, what happened to him by a mere trio of first years?”

They glanced at each other, some curious hope, excitement, starting to bubble to life the longer they thought.

“Should I add, you didn’t even have me there, then. What can a mere basilisk do to us four, if we knew what we were fighting against? If we had learned the right spells, studied everything. If we were the ones to find the Chamber of Secrets no one before had found. We even have Harry here, who is a parselmouth. What if the snake listens to him? Then we wouldn’t even have to fight at all”, she pursued further, knowing it was only the matter of time now, that they relented.

Mariyah leaned forward, anxiously forward. This better work or she would have to do everything herself, when opposition, competition, was high on her heels. And she could not do that: she knew too little.

Who was it that opened the Chamber??

She didn’t have the slightest idea but was sure these three in front of her had the chance of luck to figure it out. God knew they always did.

Ron gulped heavily and Mariyah thought she heard him mutter under his breath: “Well, it isn’t a spider at least.”

She smiled, knowing they were in.

“Okay.. I must admit I want to know what is going on - and I know I couldn’t stop you from doing what you are about to do, so.. I’m in”, Hermione said with an exasperated sigh.

Her tail flickered in agitation.

Harry nodded, with a slight smile on his lips.

“Me, too”, he said and seemed nervous, but ready for this.

Ron looked torn between his two friends and finally complained: “Well, yes, why not. It’s not like we could possibly die. You know, it’s only a giant snake after all.”

This earned a few non-humorous chuckles from them.

“Yes, so now we just need to research some and wait until you get better, Hermione. We wouldn’t want the basilisk to freak out after seeing such a big feline”, Mariyah joked, noticing how the girl covered a bit, before forcing a smile.

“Yes, I want to get this fur out”, she said, grimacing while glaring at her tail. She suddenly coughed madly, almost choking, before a furball tumbled out of her throat. They all recoiled at that.

“Hmm, you better should. Filch would be ecstatic, though, giving out so many detentions for dirtying the school grounds”, Harry said.

Soon after that they left, each going their way.

Mariyah wondered around the castle, not knowing what to do, which was a first for her since.. forever.

Poppy had said a stern ‘no’ when inquired about lessons on Christmas, which might’ve been a good thing.

Maybe she should find Snape? The man would hardly spend his holidays with family or friends. Hmm, yes, that sounded quite nice.

She liked how he didn’t like her, at all. It was such a nice change after she was loved by almost everyone. Well, almost everyone. She had a feeling the youngest Weasley wasn’t such a huge fan of hers, but that she blamed on Harry. The boy was blind some of the time, when things concerned him - or then he just was that naive. Mariyah didn’t know which it actually was.

During her wonderings, she’d somehow made it to the door leading to her Head of House’s accommodations. In the dungeons they were, as almost everything concerning Slytherins. A door among many, but this one was different for underneath it came the slight scent of herbs. She liked herbs, they reminded her of home, of nature herself. She knocked on the door frame, a merry knock, sounding three tact grasps of her knuckles. Mariyah stood there, waiting. She changed her balance from one foot to the other.. and back again. Then she knocked again, more forcefully now.

This time, she only waited half the time and was ready to bound the door with her bottled up incredulity: how dare he not answer his door, when it blew open, a very dark faced Professor standing there looming over her, like the bat he reminded everyone of.

“Oh, good evening there, Professor. I was beginning to think you weren’t there”, Mariyah greeted, or more like chirped at the murderous face in front of her, like it was warmly welcoming her.

“I wasn’t.. Miss Mariyah”, he sneered, stressing the words wasn’t.

“What do you want of me this fine evening?” the question was more like an insult and oh, how she relished that.

Nice people were so boring to tease.

“Oh, I just had this.. couple of questions, actually, to inquire of you”, she answered, slipping under his arm before dear Snapey could stop her.

Mariyah’s eyes immediately, quite ravenously indeed, roamed around his quarters, taking in every nook and cranny, shelf and bottle. It was loomy, dark even, the only light coming from the ablaze fireplace on one wall, in front of which lay a couple dark green armchairs facing each other. Further in were two doors, tightly shut, probably leading to a bedroom and some other room. But none of those were what piqued her interest, no - it was the man standing next to a massive bookshelf by the door. Light blonde long hair trimmed his sleek face, one eyebrow raised in question at her.

“Oh, Lucius, what a pleasure to run into you here”, Mariyah said jovially, smiling a bit crookedly, her eyes twinkling. His lip twisted into a sort of smile, a sneer, whatever one wanted it to be.

“Mariyah, dear, my new ward.. It was actually in regards to you I had to trouble Severus on this fine eve”, the older Malfoy drawled and took a short pause, “I believe our conversation earlier this semester was left unattended - could you leave us, Severus? Before I leave her to her.. inquiries?”

Snapey looked all but eager to do just that, but soon left through one of the doors at the back, silence echoing in his stead.

Mariyah sat down on one of the chairs, pointing her legs towards the fire, warming them up after strolling around the castle.

“So, did you wish to tell what you did? To make you pale like that?” she asked, like perhaps asking the weather or discussing puppies.

Lucius stiffened slightly and walked slowly to the other chair, movements all controlled, he sat down before answering: “No. Rather, I came to discuss, just who you are, to have him discuss your well being with me.”

Oh, so senior Malfoy was troubled over in how much he’d failed by doing whatever he’d done.

“I’m sorry but just who might this he you speak of be? Quirrell, perhaps? It was, according to my knowledge, in his will that I be left in your gentle care”, Mariyah asked, raising one eyebrow in question, “My parents are.. unavailable, as we both seem to know, after all.”

The man sneered, glaring at the fire in his displeasure. He shot Mariyah a mean look, which prompted her eyes to travel to the door Severus had left through. Lucius caught that, as was expected and understanding dawned on him.

“Draco has been much nicer this year”; she said, out of place, “Must’ve been your immaculate parenting, I’m sure, that’s left him to know me so well.”

She smiled warmly, voice chirpy, likeable, but her eyes, hinted at him to catch the other meaning there.

“I see”, the older Malfoy said with some pride in his voice, “Draco must have learned his lesson after my letter, I’m sure.”

Ah, but his eyes weren’t proud at all, more like scared.

“We are such good friends nowadays, you see. He even called me to the manor for the holidays again, but I had to decline, because I had my lessons with Poppy. So was that all you wanted to ask?” Mariyah asked, smiling at the man and trailing figures on the chairs arm.

She liked how he almost crawled under her stare. She had a feeling it might make her a bit evil, but what could she do? It was fun!

A nd she was bored.

Light, gray, dark.

She did have it all. And a quirky nature to add to the mix.

“No”, the senior Malfoy declared, “When can I expect you and your sister to arrive next summer?”

Mariyah stilled, pondering on the question for a good while, disregarding the man sitting in front of her completely. Her eyes roamed the fire, powerful in its daily manner that somehow ceased to make it so.. frightening which it surely was.

“In August, I’d say. We should be ready by that, with all things that might arise”, she said and yelled at the door, behind which lay a certain dungeon bat: “Professor Snape-y cough cough . I’m all yours now!”

Lucius looked properly traumatized, which made her glow with happiness. Aah, the joy in frazzling others.

Snape opened the door, quite hesitantly maybe, and stepped into the room. Lucius rose from his chair, eyes flicking to her and Snapey before he took a handful of floo powder and said: “I’m going now. Thank you for letting me talk with my ward, Severus.”

And the blonde was gone in a flare of green flames, temporarily tamed.

Mariyah only looked to the flames, momentarily enthralled by them and silently remembering it was something positively bad Lucius had done to avoid the question so vehemently.

Suddenly she sat up straighter, fear growing in her eyes.

S omething bad , that would regard the fury of even him .

It couldn’t be that Malfoy senior was the reason.. Oh no, this could end positively bad..

Snape cleared his throat and when Mariyah turned to look at him, startled as she was, his eyes were narrowed, watching her curiously, if not also with wariness that swam in black pupils.

“Oh, heya there Professor”, she greeted him with an easy smile, unwanted emotion slipping away like it was never there to begin with, “I kinda forgot you were there at all. Was there something you needed?”

Snape sneered in his usual snarky manner.

“No Miss Mariyah, according to my memory there seemed to be something you needed from me ? If you were not here to disturb me for nothing? But I do believe you wouldn’t be so.. stupid”, he slowly said, black orbs boring into hers intensively.

Mariyah lifted her lips a little, not really smiling but neither was she sneering.

“Do you want the truth, without taking any points from dear Slytherin, or the lie, which will please you while being a kind of truth?” the question filled the air and Mariyah lifted her shoulder in an easy way.

“My present for you, to get to choose”, she explained and amusement rose on her features, “I really look forward to which you’ll choose Professor, that shall be my present.”

Dear Snapey looked positively.. conflicted - or angry, snarling and vehemous went too. Wait! Was that proud? No, no couldn’t have been, because that was The Professor, The Potions Master , who didn’t like her. She couldn’t have him suddenly being proud of her now could she? It’d ruin her fun!

The emotions were gone from his face as soon as they appeared. He settled for - sneering. Haar haar.

“Was that even a Question, Miss Mariyah?” he asked, leaning back in his chair, vacated by Malfoy just then, “To have the possibility to know what really goes on in that quirky head of yours is a rare present I would not dare decline. Your lies.. well I believe I’m clever enough to guess that after your answer, now what you think little Quirrell?”

Ah, the profanity. That almost sounded like an insult. Mariyah was almost giggling in pleasure. Dear Snapey wouldn’t bore her. She flashed him a great smile which said just the same.

“So the truth then! I’m glad you’re as wise and intelligent as you can as a b--- ahem.. So the truth. I was bored, Gryffindors fare no mental challenge as of yet, only certain addition of oddity, if you know what I mean? So I thought: who more intriguing than my dear Head of House? And here I am!” Mariyah thought she must glow like a diamond, the sun or some other bright object - or that was what she aimed at.

She wasn’t sure how well it worked, when the Potions Master only stared at her with no emotion whatsoever. She was a bit.. disappointed.

“Aah, sorry”, she said and hopped to her feet, “You aren’t as un-boring as I hoped. Now my only hope is Draco.. He could prove to be curious.. Maybe I should allow him a few privileges.. “

The smile that bloomed with that thought was the most dazzling and precarious she’d shown yet,

“Oh, yes.. That’s what I shall do.. Bye sir! Happy Dungeon Holidays!”

And of she went, leaving a bit surprised professor in her wake, although the man did not show it.

Did he ever, really?

But he did scoff or that’s what Mariyah was sure she heard, slamming the door at the same second as she did.

Now.. to find Draco..

Oh, the joys of the holidays; always making her radiant.

Chapter Text

Draco felt like he’d waited an eternity for Riya to return.

She’d run off to who knows where again, leaving him with Crabbe and Goyle, who weren’t the best of company, if he admitted. Sure, Adrian was there.. somewhere. Draco had a feeling it included red times two and a joke or two to add.

He honestly didn’t know what to think of his life anymore. Nothing seemed to work like he wanted.

Nothing .

It angered him; he hated it.

The first year he’d tried being like his father, who had everything, might he add.

But it hadn’t really gone as he liked; as acknowledged earlier, mind you.

Draco couldn’t understand why?

He should be looked up to, revered , by everyone.

Well, most Slytherins did look up to him . But then there was Mariyah Quirrell, his little snake, with her friends in Gryffindor . The mere thought of that made cold shivers ran down his spine. He couldn’t understand why she wanted to befriend them, when they had potty Potter and the weasel of a Weasley. And the mudblood. Never forget her, his reason for a headache for these past months.

Because he just had to go and aggravate little snake by doing just that , calling the Granger girl a mudblood.

She was! It wasn’t that bad as Mariyah had said it to be, right?

Ah, and little snake, the endearment he could now call only deep in his head - expect those readheaded prankster twins Adrian had ran off with.

They could call her that, and anything really.

Draco wanted to boil from rage.

She was his little snake, wanted she that or not, he was the one to first call her that. He, Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius Malfoy, the greatest wizard in Britain! And still that didn’t seem to be enough. Because of Potter. Always Potter. He hadn’t thought Draco a great enough friend to make and had thus sealed his fate.

Which was an utterly stupid thing to do.

He couldn’t understand what went on in that raven head, so much like his little snake’s, only much more messy.

Little snake was perfect.. if not for her benevolent nature to rodents.

No.. they would never be friends, no matter how little snake it wanted. Not if Potter didn’t apologize. NO! Draco didn’t want his apology. So.. not if he didn’t apologize, beg and prostrate himself at his feet, while little snake stood by Draco’s side, watching it all. A genuine smile rose to Draco’s lips at the thought.

Yes, that would be wonderful.

Potter on his knees, miserable, begging, green eyes not defiant anymore.. with those two other eyesores by his side, mirroring everything..

Oh, yes.. Wonderfull.

Draco felt better than in ages at that moment. It would go well, he knew. Riya was benevolent, which meant she would never abandon him for a few remarks. Maybe make him apologize, as he’d done, bugger that. It had felt.. odd.. wrong. But he’d done it anyway. Because little snake was wondrous.

Another reason he liked her.

Because she was powerful and she knew it and used it to get whatever she wanted but not overly so, no. That would be untasteful.

No, Riya was a Slytherin; scheemy, cunning, elegant, intelligent.

And his father had always said power was something to admire, to follow.

But Draco didn’t quite like to follow.

He wanted to have it.

And with little snake by his side, as magnificent as she was with her magic roaming around wildly, it would be marvelous.

Draco woke up so suddenly he hadn’t even realized he’d fallen asleep.

He blinked his eyes open in his haste of what had woken him up, only to jerk back hastily. Because eyes were staring into his own. From very close. Mischievous gray eyes, to add. They twinkled and watched him jerk away, blink in confusion and only growing more warm and full of joy as he fidgeted, realizing exactly where he was.

Well, Draco hadn’t exactly moved.

More like, something had been added to the armchair he’d chosen to lounge on earlier.

A girl.

Sitting on his lap sideways, leaning against his chest like it was the most normal thing in the universe, all the while locking eyes with his silvery gray. Draco gulped.

“Sweet dreams?” Mariyah asked and smirked a little.

“You were smiling”, she added as an afterthought.

It was all Draco needed to pull himself together. He smiled down at her with his usual little smirk, not the sneer always aimed at the Gryffindors, but the one meant to fellow Slytherins, and rested his hand in a more comfortable position, on her waist.

“Yes, they were. Did the Gryffindors bore you, finally?” he asked and found himself astonished as she actually laughed and smirked at his question.

“Oh, why, yes they did. But tell me, how did you know? That has been my dilemma all day. Not people interesting enough”, she said, the end a bit bitterly.

Draco wanted to smile but frowned.

“I’m a bit offended”, he said, “If that was the case, why find me only now? Surely you know I always know something intriguing to do?”

Now she looked at him guiltily, biting her bottom lip. But it was over before it even began as she sighed and leaned back down.

“I do. That’s why I came, after all. But there were some things. Oh, I met your father, too”, she said and looked up to him Draco scowling.

Why was his father here?

Was it her new status? Oh, her status. The one thing he didn’t like she had.

“It was nothing serious, I assure you. And I guess I’ve never said it to you, but I will never do anything with this guardianship. It is merely my means to live easily with Ina. I’m sorry I might’ve mislead you earlier?” she looked positively ashamed but also mirthful, while gazing up at him.

Draco could only smirk down at her.

“Were you now?” he drawled, similar mirth rising into his eyes, making them sparkle with more silver. He could never be too angry with her.

“I.. might have?” she laughed more than asked, making Draco smile more brightly, inviting a mirroring smile onto her lips.

“So what did they want? The annoying trio as well as father?” Draco asked, wanting to know. She rarely shared what those three were up to. To his annoyance. It never hurt to ask, though.

Little snake seemed to gain new zeal at his question, for she rose up, smile all devious now. Draco had a feeling it was at his cost. But he didn't mind really. Riya was up to no good most of the time, when she wasn’t studying, of course, but it was good-natured no-good.

Most of the time.

“Oh” she whispered now, giddily almost, to his ear, “I have a sweet little secret I might just share with you. I know you’ll find it most.. fascinating.”

Draco raised his eyebrow.

A secret?

Why, he could always do with one. Especially Potter’s.

“Pray tell, I’m sure you’re dying to do just that”, he urged her on, fighting to appear nonchalant. He couldn’t fool her though. She downright grinned, leaning back a bit.

“Or I might not. Maybe I’ll go finish that potion Snapey wants from me”, she said, inching away from him, all the while reminding him of a cat playing with a mouse.

It annoyed him.. but.. it also didn’t.

He gripped her tighter around the waist, bringing her closer, doing so quite easily if he had to say. This time Draco was the one doing the whispering.

“And leave me no other choice but to spell it out of them? Or drive my frustration to them? By a few insults, hexes or the like? We both know I’m all but capable of those”, he said darkly, lowering his lids a bit while looking straight into her eyes.

She stared right back dumbly, like forgetting what she was meant to do momentarily.

Draco cheered at the reaction inside. He almost smiled a wicked grin. But then she shook it away, for grey bristled with clarity, mirth and the like again. Being so alive it was beautiful.

“We can’t have that now can we, Draco? It would wreck my master plan of Project Drarry”, she cooed, eyeing his reaction closely.

They seemed to have perfectly accepted the fact they were closer than was normal, nor proper, as the banter went on, both enjoying it too much to stop.

Draco grinned suddenly, noticing the surprise in her eyes while he did.

“Project Drarry again? You wish me to leave you so bad? To get me to be Potter’s friend? Or the like. How you wound me”, he said, his words contradicting the smile.

But it was only a means to make her frazzled, even for a fraction of a second. It also seemed to work.

Because Mariyah, Riya, his little snake, avoided his silvery eyes and hid her face into his neck, burying her nose close to his skin, soft, hot, breath fanning it with curious flames Draco could not name. It was not unpleasant, nonetheless.

He was also ready to apologize, for whatever reason, not minding it at all, because this was his little snake, not some Gryffindor out to get it out of brashness. He never needn't do that.

Because her soft murmur was all that needed to ground his lips shut.

“No.. I don’t want to lose you. Any of you. It just so happened Harry was my first friend. Along with Ron, followed by Hermione. I want to enjoy my school years, enjoy them to the fullest, with all my friends. Why not be friends? They are only human, after all. Not so different. Only brash trouble magnets, that’s all.”

She laughed quietly at that and Draco allowed himself to join her in the chuckle.

His arm wound closer to her and she snuggled closer, content as he was.

How had she even come to sit there? A sudden thought flitted past his mind, but Draco brushed it of as insignificant. Knowing her it was a means to frazzle him that ended up as them.. cuddling.

How had that happened, exactly?

Draco mentally shook his head and amended: “I’m not leaving you. I’d pick you a hundred times out of hundred, with Potter sullying my day or not. Now tell me the secret already, will you, little snake?”

It slipped his lips so naturally he hadn’t time to even understand it did.

But then, inevitably, he did.

As did apparently she, for they both froze up.

Draco dared hardly breathe.

What had he done?

All the good gone in an instant, slipped away like it never was. He wanted to curse his unthinkiness, ancestors, whatever, to make it better.

Riya rose up, stared at his eyes hard, an unreadable expression in them, making Draco gulp painfully. Expecting a burst of magic to make him into tofu.. But then she laughed.

A silly sound filled the air around them. And her eyes glistened with something, tears? but Draco dared not think it such. But she smiled, nonetheless and that was all that mattered.

“Little snake you say?” she more like stated than asked, arms around his neck, now.

“You lot have really ruined that for me”, she sighed and Draco immediately frowned.

Ruined? How so?

His eyes must have mirrored the thought for she elaborated immediately: “As I said once before that was my father’s pet name for me. But nowadays I hear it left and right.. Well, only from you and the twins. And they always change it somehow. And.. I’ve come to like it.”

The admission was all but a whisper, but it resounded something deep within him, making his other arm wrung around the girl, too.

“That’s all right, little snake. He would surely be glad you are still a little snake, to more people, too. Because if he called you that it must have been his wish to see you always as one and by that wish more people, close to you, important to you - should I hope, to use it too, to treasure the precious little snake that is you. To bound you deeper to us all, as our little snake. Although I must say we must have similar mindsets if we both thought about that”, Draco finished with a frown, not actually too sure what to think of how her father had used the same endearment.

Pondering on it only seemed to give him a headache, once again, so he decided it was over. He’d just call her little snake as always. Because he’d figured it out first. Well, not first, but.. It was his endearment. Period.

Mariyah’s giggle woke him up from his ponderings.

Draco’s eyes flitted to the girl, so close he could see clearly to the depths of those clear gray eyes glittering with amusement. She bent closer, bringing her head to rest just under his nose, so he could smell her scent closely. Ink, magic and a hint of herbs filled his lungs and he had to admit it was all her. The magic part, especially, if magic had a scent.

“You might be right”, she giggled, “We have to wait and see what he’ll say once he hears, though, to be sure. Right? Draco?”

It was dare, no doubt about it. And it made him anxious all of a sudden.

Maybe he’d bitten a bite too big?

Nonetheless, he nodded his consent and she grinned.

“Wicked. I can’t wait”, she chirped and moved by his ear.

“Yesterday. Those weren’t Crabbe and Goyle who interrogated you. Guess who they were?” her voice asked, breathy and pure gaiety.

Draco stiffened, moved slightly away to see her head, laying there on his shoulder, looking up at him with glowing, anticipating eyes.

His jaw dropped.

“Potter and Weasley dared to defile our common room?” He asked, incredulous.

She nodded, he felt the movement more then saw it.

“And you apparently let them in. Devious isn’t it?” her chuckle sounded and Draco could only sit by and be affronted.

He let them in.

He groaned and heard her laugh merrily.

“I have a remedy, though”, she whispered, like to a conspirator, “I know their password. We could sneak in and do our magic . Now what do you say, Draco dear?”

He turned his gaze back to hers, face lax before an evil grin formed slowly to cover his features.

“I say, where’s Adrian. We better let him have a nice one over the twins”, he said and Mariyah howled with laughter so hard she had to lean into him for support.

“Devious! You’re the best Draco! He’ll be so in!!” she squealed, obviously anxious to implement their exhilarating plan.

Still sitting so closely, they went over their plan, and eventually that’s how Adrian found them.

To say his eyes grew as big as saucers was an understatement.

As his mouth locked open, the older boy stood there, watching gobsmacked how Mariyah Quirrell sat on Draco Malfoy’s lap and their heads were nearly touching each other as they giggled and laughed at something the other said.

All alone in the otherwise so cold dungeons, sitting on a completely common green armchair, they made it sizzle with warmth and orangy light, the epitome of Christmassy feel tinging the air.

Adrian could hardly find it in himself to permeate their happy little bubble and ruin it all.

He swallowed stiffly, not knowing what to do, when Mariyah noticed him and merrily beckoned him closer.

“Oh, Adrian! Just the guy we’ve been looking for!” she yelped and wiggled on Draco’s lap, drawing his eyes on the movement, wondering how it would have made him himself fell had he sat there on the blonde Malfoy’s place.

Adrian, however, had the sense of mind to keep his inquiry if that was truly the case to himself, when he was met with another statement that left him speechless for a while.

After truly understanding it, though, a similarly devious smile rose on his face and he roared in laughter so hard he had to bent over and smack the back of the chair next to the pair’s. The two others watched in shared delight over his reaction and smirked at each other.

“That’s.. Marvelous! Wonderful! Exhilarating! So.. fulfilling! I’m in, totally in!” he said after calming down a little, eyes gleaming when thinking what Fred and George would say once seeing their little ‘gift’.

He snickered by himself, totally understanding the good mood filling the Slytherin doors by this time around Christmas, after Christmas. But it was in Slytherin nature to strike when the prey least expected it, right?

Three smirks filled the air and it was left for Fate or god or whoever that Crabbe and Goyle never woke up to find a highly suspicious setting with one raven haired witch sitting in a pale blonde boy's lap while a taller wizard leaned over to them from the chair dragged next to the other one,

heads together, they schemed until sweetly..

luscious..

Chapter Text

“Are you sure it’s going to work?” was whispered in a dark corner of the castle late at night on the fifth floor.

“Watch me”, was the reply and from the darkness scurried a small figure clad in a dark robe billowing behind. The hood was covering its face from prying eyes and it stopped in front of a portrait of a fat lady, named the fat lady.

“Wattlebird”, it said out loud, making the previously snoring fat lady to stir and look sleepily around, spotting the figure in front of her.

“Ah, students out this late.. Be careful..” she muttered trying to sound somewhat unbraid and flung open, easily offering access to the figure, as well as two others running in after the first one.

They giddily walked through the round portrait hole and into Gryffindor common room that was utterly empty at this time of night, which was almost a given. It was three am. The two smaller figures ran ahead and the other stopped by to let its gaze take everything in.

“Too red”, a male voice seethed in displeasure.

“Better better it then”, the taller figure said, another male and almost giggled in his zeel.

They drew their wands and walked around the room, some occasional giggles and “Oh, that’s evil ” or “I’m dying of repressed laughter! Stop it!” disrupting the silence in the dark.

An hour or so later they gathered together again, a girl voice giggling deviously: “That was it, then.. I’m somehow disappointed how fast it was.”

“Maybe one more, then. Just so they know who it’s from”, the tallest figure suggested and drew his wand and pointed it over to a wall, muttering an incantation that caused the other two to almost choke on laughter.

“That’s almost too much”, the other male voiced his thought, in somewhat reverence.

“Let’s get going. Can’t miss breakfast”, the female said and led them out the common room and to their own where they stilled and started a mock battle to erase all hundred previous spells used from their wands to some more.. innocent.

Exhausted but giddy they fell asleep, anxious for morning to arrive, knowing they’d done.. well.

Harry woke up the next morning refreshed and glad it was the Christmas holidays. He leisurely got out of bed, put his glasses on just in time to hear a loud voice travel from the common room.

“What in the buggering bollocks” one of the twins stated, completely gobsmacked and the other said: “Is this playing at!”

Curious to see what got the twins so enraptured, Harry hopped up only in his pyjamas, nudging at Ron’s sleeping figure as he went, earning a grumble. He descended the stairs hearing more subtle and not so subtle cursing and praises and getting even more curious. It was obvious that something was amiss, and Harry knew that when first setting foot onto their common room.

He knew.. but.. his jaw fell open all the same and he nearly stumbled at what he saw Fred and George stand in the middle of. Only he didn’t quite get so far as something spurted at his whole being the moment he stepped the last step and made him momentarily blind.

Blinking to see again, he noted how the twins were covered in glitter and sparkling like diamonds. Harry looked down to see himself suffer the same fate. But what had left him flabbergasted was the room in itself. Gone was any notion of red it had once had.

In its stead was a rainbow of colors, not just any one, but the most frequent to appear was.. green. Slytherin green, that was.

Trolls, centaurs and other creatures filled the space, clad in Christmas attire, hats, suits and the like.

The twins stalked further into the room, only to stop still and turn their faces up to the roof, where a neat bundle of mistletoe lay, winking at them with its eyes, for it did have eyes. Then it transformed into two mini Fred’s and George’s who smooched each other bashfully.

The sinister smirks on their faces would have frightened Harry had he not known they weren’t directed at him.

“Brother”, George said, noticeable by the ‘G’ on his now glittery jumper.

“Yes, Georgie dear. This means war”, Fred said eyeing the mistletoe again winking at them with devious vengeance.

“You stole the words out of my mouth”, George said starkly and grabbed Fred by the collar before giving him a quick kiss on the lips, not fazed at all by it.

The mistletoe exploded into little hearts that rained on the twins, sticking as thickly as the glitter. Harry didn’t know if he wanted to laugh or cry or be simply horrified to move.

But then his eyes met the bannery text above the fireplace that read in a merry red, the only the room had to offer: Merry belated Christmas Gryffindorks! Specially to Potty, Weasel, bookworm, the pranking twins #3 of Hogwarts, perfect of the year,  and the weaslette. No offence to possible other unfortunate bearers of red and gold that tread this room. Love, yours truly.

The text in itself wouldn’t have been that bad, but next to every very livid word was a drawing.

For him a pot with round glasses and a scar that jumped up and down a goofy smile plastered on its white face.

For Ron, obviously a weasel, but one that didn’t seem to know left from right as it pounced around, eyes rolling on its head.

Hermione had a worm with frizzy hair and a wand twirling around a book at breakneck speed.

But the worst was probably the twins’ one, because when they stared at it Harry heard them mutter: “#3?”

“They must be out of their minds.”

“Oh wait. I think they degraded us under the fat monk.”

“Bugger.”

“Unforgivable.”

“Those brats-”

“-are going to pay.”

“Yours truly”

“It’ll truly be”.

Their faces grinned from the wall, crying underneath a fat ghost and above even it were three cloaked figures, above which were balloons that read “haha” “haahaa” “Ghihihihii”.

Percy’s name was quite tame, but the figure running along the wall with a badge and a manic smile while reprimanding the others, was quite.. offending, if only that Harry found funny, knowing it to be quite true.

Ginny’s was another weasel, quite tame if only it was tailing Harry’s pot quite.. studiously. Again, he didn’t know what to think, only staring at it all, gobsmacked.

Soon Ron and Hermione joined them, equally perplexed over what the hassle was all about. Once Ron saw the mess the room was, he and Hermione stepped down only to be covered in glitter, too. They sputtered the glitter out of their mouths and Ron went as red as their previous common room had been.

Harry saw how he mouthed the words ‘yours truly’ and his hands tightened to fists. Hermione watched it all quietly, her eyes going to the mistletoe dangling and giggling madly now that it had gotten its prey caught once.

Soon Ginny joined the fray, too and she went as red as Ron once seeing her weasel and sat embarrassedly down to a now pure black chair, only for it to swallow her within along with a scream.

That got a worried Percy to descent the stairs, straight into a shower of glitter that shut him up real good.

The twins janked a pale Ginny up from the chair. She’d survived with only a scare and now sat on the floor. If only.. that triggered another mechanism. For the fire started to sing Christmas carols. In opera. With very questionable wordings. At this point the twins seemed quite at loss for words, staring at it all with blank expressions.

“I don’t think we can get it to go back on our own”, Hermione ended the silence right when Percy happened to look up to see miniature Fred and George smooch each other, courtesy of the cackling mistletoe and glaring at his brothers.

“Oh don’t even start”, Fred said.

“It wasn’t bloody us”, George ended.

Only until then did Hermione’s words collect into their minds. Percy turned to her, curious.

“You don’t think we can reverse this?” he asked, not really seeing because his glasses were covered in glitter. Hermione shook her head no.

“I don’t. Well, maybe some, but I find some of these quite advanced magic”, she said, shooting a knowing look to Harry and Ron. Harry knew who she was talking about. Mariyah. What they didn’t know was.. why? Especially after yesterday’s promise to join forces. The girl was an utter mystery.

Walking down the stairs covered in glitter would have no doubt garnered undivided attention, had the school not been almost empty.

Their octet did justify an audible gasp once in the Great Hall, though.

Harry saw even Professor Dumbledore almost spurt his pumpkin juice down the table when seeing them. The other teachers had varying expressions of shock and amusement to scowls (Snape). But the most satisfied smirks donned the three Slytherins already sitting at the table with a pair of clueless Crabbe and Goyle by the side. The few other Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were utterly speechless by the sight.

Hermione was the first to break the silence that ensued.

“Professor. I believe our common room was hexed last night”, she said in clear and academic voice that seemingly cracked Mariyah completely.

She howled in laughter and said in gasps of air: “You call that-- hexed? Not de-de-corated? For you surely look that..”

Malfoy had a rare smile on his face and he pounded on Mariyah’s back and the witch leaned into his touch, all but laughing against him shoulder. Her words caused frowns and smiles alike to rose on everyone’s faces. Hermione frowned the hardest.

“It sure was hexed. Not a surface of our common room was spared red”, she said and McGonagall rose from her seat, gesturing for Professor Flitwick to follow her.

“I shall go see what this is all about”, she said to Dumbledore, who nodded, blue eyes glimmering behind half-moon glasses. Percy stepped aside to follow after them, giving a roundabout on all the things the room entailed.

Harry made his way to the table, sitting down next to the giggling trio. Adrian had a grand smile on his face while looking to Fred and George, the most extraordinary of them all as they were, covered in little pink and red hearts. Mariyah saw them, too, and she had to wipe tears from her eyes.

“You fell for it”, she gasped, “I would have loved to see.”

Harry heard her, barely, but so had the twins, for they turned to her quite evil little smirks playing on their glittering faces.

“Fall for what little prankster?” Fred asked benevolently.

“Care to clarify?” George added, “So we can know how to solve this little.. thing.”

Mariyah sobered up and glanced at the twins a twinkle in her eyes.

“A prank, obviously” she said, like talking to a two year old, “It seems even the renowned Hogwarts #1 were bettered. A shame, really. I wished to do that one day.”

She sighed and picked at her porridge, looking sincerely down at the fact. But she couldn’t fool at anyone of them, not really. Mostly because Malfoy was sneering at them and Adrian eyed the twins, looking quite proud and sitting straighter while shoveling porridge to his mouth. The twins looked at him with similar devious scowls.

“Retribution is in need, brother”, George said silently.

“And it shall be memorable, brother”, Fred added, their eyes almost glowing in a want to show their worth.

Adrian stopped the motion and swallowed, quite anxiously.

“Why are you looking at me while saying that?” he asked, looking worried.

“Ah”, Fred sighed mockingly.

“Because”, George continued, until they said together: “We fear you’ve been quite a devious apprentice Adrian dear. And it won’t do.”

Mariyah looked up from her plate of white porridge, looking horrified at the notion, her spoon clattering when set down.

“Adrian? My lovely Adrian, my saving grace in Quidditch, is devious? Never !” she declared, looking so sure, righteous and just, that for a moment, they all shut up, looking at her, almost ashamed to counter her.

Until her expression turned from glowering to mischievous and she added with a soft laugh: “I’d prefer the word insidious for him, devious for me and disingenuous for Draco, you see.”

The twins scowled so hard it was curious to see them so.. put off for a moment. Before twin grins appeared on their faces and they turned to Mariyah: “You sure”, George started and Fred joined in, “You won’t marry us?”

They flashed her - and Malfoy and Adrian a bright smile full of promises of mischief and wonder.

Mariyah shook her head no with a regretful mask on her face.

“I fear papa won’t let me marry in many years to come. Sorry! Try with them first”, she said and pointed to Adrian and Malfoy, continuing eating her porridge like nothing happened before that.

The two boys had differing looks on their faces. Adrian tongue-tied at her selling them out but also flushing behind his raised glass of pumpkin juice, while Malfoy stared at the girl, before turning to the twins with a scowl.

“No redheads for me. Ever”, he stated icily and returned to his bread and eggs.

That was when McGonagall and Flitwick returned, Harry was horrified to find, clad in glitter.

They were rather grim, if not he saw Flitwicks lips curl ever so slightly underneath the glimmer. Another silence ensued when they went to make their brief on the happenings.

“The room is safe now, although we must admit this glitter will only leave once soaked in a liquid with rose petals. It had rose extract within, I fear, so no spell will erase it” the Gryffindor head of House told the Headmaster, who eyed them with clear amusement.

“I see”, the old man said, “was the scene.. disastrous?”

McGonagall scowled hard at that.

“No”, she reluctantly said, “If a layering in glitter is considered dangerous - or falling into a chair momentarily.”

“You forget the mistletoe, Minerva!” Flitwick squeaked from her waist, “But kissing is hardly dangerous!”

His eyes landed on the twins, still clad in little hearts.

Mariyah fought hard the giggles that almost burst out and ate her porridge before fleeing the Great Hall Draco on her heels. Outside they stopped and released the laughter they could not previously. It tinkled of the walls to all around them and they laughed so hard tears threatened to spill, so hard their stomachs hurt, so hard.. Professor Snape found them. He was gloomy as ever, but Mariyah thought she saw a flicker of amusement in his dark eyes.

“Is this what you meant yesterday, Miss Mariyah? As you accused me of being a bore ?” he asked, voice veiled in darkness.

“Possibly”, she amended, “I never know what my brain provides me with, Professor.” He looked at her with one eyebrow raised, before sneering, which looked a lot like a smile, which it obviously wasn’t.

“Was it too bad I didn’t see it?” he inquired quietly, as his robes were already half billowing behind him.

“I’m afraid so, sir”, Draco added from the side, “We missed the best part, too.”

The dark man left with a satisfied sneer on his face, leaving them there, grinning like idiots.

Further apart, two gingers had cornered another Slytherin up a wall.

“That was fun, wasn’t it, Adrie, dear?” George asked cooingly.

“So fun we have to have a sequel, righty?” Fred asked from the right.

“Totally”, George said solemnly.

“But kissing is hardly dangerous!” Fred chimed in.

“Quite a risky move, Adrie. What if you had gotten caught in it?” George inquired, leaning closer.

“We better find out”, Fred said and mirrored his twins move.

Suddenly they kissed each of Adrian’s cheeks…

Which resulted in a sudden flare of fireworks from somewhere above them. A huge red heart flashed above their heads and soon smaller hearts circled it exploding on the wall.

They all frowned.

“What was that?” Fred asked, brows furrowed as his eyes searched Adrian's, who blushed as understanding dawned on him.

“Riya”, was the only thing he muttered, quite horrified when knowing she’d considered this a possibility.

The twins hummed in understanding.

“That’s some girl she is”, Fred said and George admonished, “best be on the same side as her.”

Chapter Text

The prank wars of Christmas didn’t end to the destruction of red in the Gryffindor common room.

No, it continued on strong for the days past, making them all giddy and electrified with excitement. Even the teachers looked the other way, only smirking a little at their antics, which would have been silly considering the Chamber of Secrets was out there haunting them, but let’s just say it was the Christmas mood getting the better of everyone.

The next night after their successful prank, Mariyah, Draco and Adrian chose to move to sleep on the common room to ward of any attempts to sneak into their dorms.

They conjured up green curtained beds along one wall that was out of the way and set up some alarm wards over the doorway to get them the second someone dared sneak in. They had also prepared some.. surprises for those daring enough to even try.

What they would never come to know was how the one to saunter in was Professor Snape and not the twins.

The normally moody Professor didn’t look like he was very keen on their attempts to ward their common room of outer threats when covered in pink bubbles that sang hallelujah.

It took all their fear and self restriction not to laugh on their beds, and just forget the punishment to come.

The Professors words took them by another surprise, though: “20 points from Gryffindor for giving out false information.”

Snape sneered and glared at them, sitting on their beds still like statues.

“You better keep them out of here”, was all that he left behind before waving his wand overhead so the bubbles disappeared.

Dark robes billowed behind a corner and the three stunned Slytherins exploded into laughter that rocketed the whole empty common room.

“Oh, my, oh my”, Mariyah gasped for breath, “This will be the death of me one day..”

Adrian wiped tears out of his eyes and sighed contentedly: “It was my best decision to stay behind this Christmas.. Aah, seeing Snape in pink bubbles was even more fulfilling than the twins.”

Draco chuckled on his bed and turned his silvery eyes to the doorway. In them was a gleam that could raise cold shivers on some fainter wizards spine.

“Oh, but we better not let them in. Not after even Snape said so”, he murmured darkly and shot a look to the two by his side.

“Next prank on the go? We can’t possibly let the twins win, now can we?”

Two sets of similar devious and insidious grins met his disingenuous one.

“Ah! I have the perfect idea for the next one!” Mariyah suddenly exclaimed and gestured for the two to join her in their planning.

Soon another set of mischievous giggling filled the room with dark chuckles and a bout of real evil laughter of ‘muhahahahaa’ á la Adrian, who stopped and looked at them innocuously.

“What? A boy can’t laugh?” he asked and winked.

They just laughed and planned some more.

Come morning, Adrian slipped out of their common room and onto the cool breezy hallways of Hogwarts.

It was cold, as it always was on winter and he draped his thick cloak better to heed of the coldness that seeped deep into the bones. He also muttered a heating charm and thanked heavens there was one. Warmth bubbled immediately under his clothes and eased him to his new mission. Adrian smiled into his jacket, remembering what all they’d planned for today, when a pair of hands snatched him off his path and into a dusty nook around the castle.

Two ginger heads came into view as the world didn’t spin anymore. He gulped a bit - not the ones he’d want to meet now.

“Morning”, he nonetheless said, showing a lopsided grin to the twins he’d come to know better after the duel club and its spectacular downfall.

They didn’t seem to buy his careless and casual greeting as both leaned closer, inspecting him with narrowed eyes.

“Did we see right” the one on the right started.

“that you spent the long hours of the night in a heap on the Slytherin common room?” the other ended, their brows rising in question.

“With little slytherin and Malfoy”

“On the same bed? Because certainly you didn’t sleep on the ground.”

Adrian swallowed and smiled another lopsided grin.

“And how can you see into our common room?” he only asked, not denying nor agreeing to the question - which was true.

They had fallen asleep in a heap on Mariyah’s enlarged bed, hands and feet intermingling as sleep had eventually caught them by surprise. Actually that’s where the other two still probably were, or then they had improvised and decided to use him as a bait. That would also be probable, knowing Riya.

“We have our means” they said at the same time, smiling widely, “So tell me, what happened to Snape?”

Adrian snorted and burst out laughing.

“Let’s just say we gave that round to you”, he finally chuckled and winked before, slipping past them and continuing onwards, already a bit late if they were still up to their original plan.

The twins wouldn’t give up so easily and tried hexing him to stall, but Adrian was no easy piece to crack - if he didn’t wish for it. So he just avoided the hexes and ran ahead, going towards the courtyard as fast as he could, the twins high on his heels.

Mariyah and Draco were not sleeping anymore, they’d woken up when Adrian had stirred awake actually and decided to improvise, as the boy had thought they would do.

Thus they were now on the clock tower, looking down at the snowy fields underneath.

“You sure he got distracted?” Malfoy asked before sneezing to his sleeve.

It was a cold morning.

The blonde waved his wand in a steady motion despite it all, magic surging around him.

“I’m.. 80% sure the twins got to him. They wouldn’t have known otherwise we were so ready for them. Or the 20% is that they just guessed and thought it’d be best to play safe, which I doubt”, Mariyah answered, she too casting a complicated spell.

They lurked low on the railing, looking down and hoping no one would come up and find them.

“Only a bit more, still..” she mumbled and concentrated her magic to bend faster to her will.

She stumbled a little as it wove its final intricacies to their next Christmas surprise and leaned against the railing when Draco sat down next to her.

“Today I want to see their faces. It was such a shame yesterday, really”, he said and breathed a long sigh.

“It’s up to Adrian now”, Mariyah conceded, showing a slight smile. This would work as her practise, too.

Adrian hurried along the halls, still avoiding hexes as he ran and wove his magic into a certain.. calling as Mariyah had referred to it. A little incantation helped him with it and he saw it take place, leaving a trace in the air, calling for all those with magic to follow. Otherwise it wouldn’t work as a prank.

The final words left his lips in a rush as he rounded the corner and released the magic to do its bidding, when the sight before him took him by surprise.

Damn. It was more perfect than they’d imagined .

He stilled and stared ahead, taking it all in, relishing in the feeling it was their doing, even though he hadn’t done a thing to help in the actual making process.

“Damn”, he heard a mumble from behind, not bothering to turn to look at the twins stalling by him.

No he couldn’t be bothered to look at them now, no. His eyes were already full with magnificence.

Because that was what it was - even though he said it so himself.

The quirky mind of Mariyah Quirrell was something to marvel.

The whole courtyard, the square it was, protected by stones and gateways, was full of pure snow, untampered by a single pair of feet. The trick was that no feet had soiled it, more so, it was enchanted by magic into something enthralling. A circular ice rink was etched into the ground, covered by ice trees, tinkling like bells in the light wind that blew over it all. Little, colorful fairies danced in the air, twinkling blue, yellow, green, silver, orange and bringing the only color other than white into existence. But that wasn’t even the most intriguing thing about it.

The statues were.

Made of snow, arranged all over the outer crannies of the courtyard, were snowmen and women, built into multiple positions and situations.

Professor Snape before which a Hermione, hand raised high up in the air, real until the final crease on Snape’s forehead. Ron staring at a transfigured cup with a broken wand in hand. Harry dangling precariously from a broomstick near one wall, nearly crashing onto a snow Malfoy, who looked on with a scared expression. The twins sneaking behind a Percy who had binoculars perched on his nose. Mariyah who sat on a tree branch and watched it all happen, with her hands under her chin a small smile on her lips. Under her, leaning against the tree was Ginny writing to a book.

Finally Adrian spotted himself dangling from an apparent hooped Quidditch goal post a Quaffle in hand. He took a step further in and suddenly the ice rink started glowing before ghost like figures rose from within and started skating over the surface, slinging, drawing circles, spinning. He more felt than saw the twins follow him in. More sounds of footsteps sounded from all around, just as Adrian watched a ghosty Dumbledore spin McGonagall into a never ending spiral .

“This”, he heard a breathy whisper near his left ear.

“ This is your definition of a prank?” similar sound sounded near his right ear.

Adrian smiled, first a little smile than a full on grin.

“Why not?” he asked, “Watch on ‘till the end.”

He felt two nods near his shoulders and they ventured further into the snowy world. He nearly bust out laughing when a totally uninterested Snape skated past, doing a sudden jumping salchow, face as devoid of emotion as always.

Mariyah and Draco watched on as more people gathered down to the courtyard.

Draco sneered at his own figure.

“Why must I have that one there?” he asked in distaste, for the trillionth time.

Mariyah turned to him and winked.

“Because..” she only drawled and Draco stared at her like he didn’t know what to think of her.

“And you get to sit there like a amused onlooker”, he accused her.

Mariyah only smiled and punched him a little, jokingly leaning closer.

“But I never do anything that would warrant a otherwise posed statue”, she said, smiling into his face and blinking owlishly.

Draco snorted and looked back down, eyeing her statue. His silvery orbs turned back to hers after a while, as Mariyah somehow knew they would. Now there was a new emotion in them, one she couldn’t place.

“You are right. That is the most perfect place for you; watching over us all, higher, guarding. Watching your minions do your bidding” he started but shook his head anew, “No, not your bidding.”

He smiled then, and it was a curious smile.

“You watch them live on, blunder only to lift your wand to raise them back up to continue living”, silvery eyes gleamed with life and Mariyah didn’t know what to say.

It was the first for her in many months, to not know what to say. She almost always knew what to say, had made sure of that so her mum could be proud of her, so Ina would stay safe, no matter what the future flung at them. But this boy, older maybe, but more unaware in the paths of magic, of information, made her speechless.

It was.. controversial.

Mariyah smiled a smile she hadn’t ever really smiled.

It was wicked, thrumming with her magic; precarious, but also pleased in the most curious way; warm, yet full of mischief.

Draco looked on, enthralled as everyone else was of their enchantments down in the courtyard, they met gazes, silvery on clear gray. And a smile rose on his lips, too.

They almost missed the highlight of their little surprise.

Almost. But they did not miss it.

Because it commanded none to miss it.

A tinkle so pure in sound it rang around like sonorioused startled them from each others eyes to peer down onto the yard where most of the school had gathered, watching on astonished how their look-alikes had fun or met situations happened earlier that year. They mingled among the white, figures clad in black, fairies gifting their light on them.

After the tinkle, silence surrounded the field, everything still in time, the figures stopped still on the ice glimmered a bit before the fairies swarmed them, gifting them colors, life. And they jumped, scooted, exploded into the sky. Making their own constellations in that moment, lighting the steel gray sky with pinks and blues and greens and yellows.

Everyone gasped, taken by the beauty. A final flare rose from the ice rink, shooting into the sky and entangling to expose letters, like in the Gryffindor common room.

Happy new year the witches and wizards of Hogwarts! With love, yours truly!

And two wands spurted some sparks into the sky where a random hat and shoes flitted along.

Mariyah grinned and tugged Draco along, so they could make their entrance down below. They sneaked to the crowd from a strategically placed Hagrid with a huge Christmas tree on his shoulder and listened to the ‘ooh’s and ‘aah’s that still permeated the air. They hopped to Adrian, where the twins shot them an appreciative look.

“Quite a courtyard”, one of them consented.

“I’m not quite happy with the placement of our statues, though”, the other said, looking crestfallen.

“More than that would have gotten you into peril”, Mariyah said with a grin.

The twins nodded with perilous grins gracing their faces.

“We wouldn’t have minded. Statues are hardly enough proof to catch us”, they snickered along.

Mariyah looked along, very proud of their work as the constellations in the sky faded away and it was suddenly only a courtyard decorated with statues and a perfect rink for skating.

Dumbledore, clad in thick gloves and earmuffs thought the same, apparently, as he waved his hand a cottage full of skates appeared next to the rink.

“What a pretty day for skating”, he said in a merry voice, “But first I suggest we eat something so as not to get too faint headed while skating.”

They scampered back inside and ate a full breakfast before making their way back outside and playing till they could no more.

Mariyah had actually never skated before and she was quite curious to see how it went. Fasting the skates to her feet she straightened and looked around, only to see that everyone else was quite offhanded, too. She stood up, only to almost fall right back down. Her hands flew to balance her and she whooped.

“Wicked! This is fun!” and so she started taking small steps to the ice and familiarizing herself with the blades.

The twins were high on her trails, balancing each other. Soon they had gotten the hang of it and circled around the rink while the others were encouraged by their example and scurried to the ice, too.

Laughter and shrieks filled the air as the whole courtyard was lively and full of life, with falling witches and wizards all over the place.

Fred and George came up with a plan to snatch Mariyah between them and they propelled her along the icy surface wild grins in place. She screamed in joy and excitement as her balance was tested and new turns and people suddenly popping up in front of them made it all the more exhilarating. Her way came to a sudden end when Draco appeared in front of her and it was all too late to change her course. Mariyah saw his eyes widen before she stumbled to him, full force and they fell down - only to be muffled by a pout of soft snow that Dumbledore conjured up.

The old wizard sat by the side, drinking a steaming mug of hot chocolate, watching them have fun and singing Christmas carols under his breath.

They sat back up, Mariyah sitting in Draco’s lap, laughing after no harm came their way.

Fred and George looked approriatedly ashamed and guilty, but with teasing smiled on their faces.

“Whoops?” they said and skated out of the scene of crime backwards.

Mariyah grinned wickedly and in second she and Draco had snowballs in their hands and even faster they were flying to the twins, whose eyes widened and they hunched out of the way, only for the balls of snow to land on Ron and Harry’s faces, who happened to be behind them.

They were downright shocked, before Ron yelled: “War! Revenge! This time you cannot escape slithery snakes!”

So a snowball fight broke out, with no winner in sight, as they all were equally drenched and snowy.

Laughter filled the courtyard until they were too frozen to continue.

But the smiles didn’t dim even late to the night, when they all retreated to the warmth of their beds.

Chapter Text

The final episode of the prank wars wasn't going to be a prank, as hadn't technically been the snow courtyard bringing fun and joy to everyone. Instead, it was a feast. Something everyone had a part in, even some of the teachers. Everyone but one, the one who had started it all. Mariyah Quirrell.

Because it was on the day of her birthday, the 29th of December.

Draco was a bit uneasy about having had done something behind her back - although it hadn't been that hard to do; she was out with whatever she was doing half the time after the few days of having fun with everyone. So they were just preparing for a feast while she was off running around. Draco hoped she wouldn't get mad at them for having done something she didn't like.

But that was something he would have to live with. Because he wouldn't live another year and not know when her birthday was. The last one had left him feeling useless enough, thank you very much.

The only bad thing about it all was Potter. Because weasel and the sacrhead had seen them preparing with Adrian and the twins and had whined to get in. After listening to the charming sounds for a while Draco (Adrian) had excused their existence and let them in. Granger had disappeared somewhere after the Christmas fun ended and was not seen afterwards. Not a big loss, Draco was sure everyone thought. He had hardly even noticed, only when he'd tried saying something about her knowing more about those muggle decorations Potter was going on about. Such fuss about nothing it was, too, Potter's efforts to use them. It wasn't like little snake would even know what they were..

Anyhow, even with Potter and weasel ready to ruin it all, everything was ready and only waiting for the lady of honor to arrive, as it was.

And for reasons he didn't get (Adrian had balked the second it was discussed) Draco was the one to escort her upstairs to her surprise. With no mention of the party. Perhaps it hadn't been such a surprise no one wanted the job, knowing her and all.

He wasn't complaining - quite the opposite really - Draco would gladly be the first one to congratulate her, alone down in their dorms while having all the time he required. It was much more gratifying than being one of many and having to share her time with Potter and the twins. He didn't even count weasel, the redheaded idiot was hardly willing to hug a snake. The boy had almost destroyed all their hard work, Draco remembered with a groan. The distroys wand he had was going to be the end of someone someday, for sure. Weasel had been dying to be of use to them , despite Potter's best discouragements (something they both agreed on, for once) and had gone on to levitate some ornaments, a simple leviosa... had turned out to be something deadly. The one to rise hadn't been the ornaments but them, all boys rising into the air, floating higher and higher towards the enchanted ceiling, shouting loudly in fright, or joy as the mad twins did, and wanting down. The worst of them had been weasel, the one to get them into trouble in the first place.. Such a disgrace to the Sacred 28...

It wasn't time to think about how a horrified McGonagall had marched into the hall to see them falling down from the ceiling, screaming bloody murder, with Draco yelling he'd kill the red head for this, to save them all just in time. It wasn't the best of afternoons, for sure. Now was time for yet another try, with no wands near weasel, hopefully, as it was the 29th of December, the early hours of the day and Draco stood, fidgeting really, near the stairs up into the girls dorm where little snake still was. Adrian had gone up already, getting all the final details ready for them to go up. At this point, Draco wasn't quite sure did he want her to come sooner or later or at all.

The decision was taken from his hands as he heard a door close and then saw her feet, skipping a few stairs at a time. Her face was neutral but it rose into a grin as she saw him standing there, obviously waiting for her.

"Draco! Good Morning!" she greeted and was ready to go on ahead, but Draco, somehow almost expecting that reaction, snagged her hand and whirled her around to face him, watching on at her antics with a half smile.

"Good Morning, little snake. About to run off from your birthday?" he asked and watched her face turn into a mask, a mask that was twinkling with mischief.

"Oh no, you got me there, not gonna happen this year is it?" she asked while trying to play coy. Draco had none of it.

"Not gonna happen. Happy birthday, Riya", Draco said simply and opened his arms to beckon her over.

She eyed his arms for a few seconds, before speeding in unexpectedly and squeezing him tight.

"Thanks", she mumbled into his shirt, warm breath fanning against the fabric.

"You're welcome" Draco stated and wrapped her securely in his arms. She was such a mystery most of the time. Few knew what she was thinking most of the time and fewer knew what she was feeling like.

"You better not try and run from me, from us. I think no one wants that - not even you", he added and pulled back a little to meet her eyes, gray as ever behind her walls that kept everyone out. He never let his hold on her go, though. He had a feeling it would make her more fond of him that way. Having someone to touch her, bring her warmth. Draco couldn't say he understood the instinct, because it was that: an instinct that told him she would like it, like he knew he liked to hug her, but not Potter for example.

"Hmm-mm", she only hummed not saying anything at all.

Draco sighed exasperated and did nothing to hide the fact, instead, he brought her to an arms length from him, hands firmly on her shoulders to keep her steady.

"I'm finding you quite irritating right now, Mariyah Quirrell", he said rather harshly, but everyone had their limits, "I hurt me very much last year when finding out I'd left you here alone on your birthday. I felt bad about it for months. You owe me those months of guilt. So you better cheer up and hang all the bad things on the cloakroom as we go up and have fun. The sole reason I stayed was to spend this day with you. Had you not been here, so wouldn't have I. I would have gone home to see mother smile at me and hug me as we ate a lunch far better than here, open dozens of present together with all my Slytherin friends and then enjoy the Christmas ball. In the evening mother would sing me as she so rarely does nowadays. But I'm here: with you. I don't expect you to sing or have even given me a present, which you did, of course, but that's not the point. I just wish you'll have fun today. With all those who care about you."

After Draco finished his rant, he pulled her back into his arms after a stern look of his silver eyes to her rain-gray ones. She went willingly, leaning against his warmth and digesting what he'd said. They stayed like that for as long as they liked, until she had pulled herself back together and was ready to be the smiling, teasing Mariyah everyone knew.

"You stayed because of me, huh?" she asked and pulled back a little, chancing a look his way. He caught a mixture of emotions.

"I did", Draco confirmed and witnessed a pure smile, calm in a way he hadn't seen from her earlier. The smiles Mariyah Quirrell usually smiled were wild and raucous, full of life and stubbornness as well as a certain amount of cunning, but this one was nothing like them. It was fresh, pure and honest.

"Thank you Draco Malfoy, for proving to be more than the git Ron takes you as", she said and leaned up a bit, to kiss his cheek briefly before she stepped back, drawing a breath while she did and Draco was left unmoving, like under the immobilus. The usual twinkle lit up to life in gray eyes, shining in their mirth.

"Soo, what's my present? You can't possibly think you can congratulate me without one, now can you Malfoy?"

"I wouldn't dare", Draco said with mock horror, getting past his stupor as the usual little snake returned with vengeance.

"Good, I was sure you'd know that", she laughed and tried acting cute to get what she wanted and grabbed his arm, clinging from it like Pansy had sometimes done. Draco only lifted one eyebrow at her, to which she grinned and tucked her tongue out at him.

"Is it working?" she asked, sounding hopefull.

"Well, I know what you are after and find it rather pleasing you are actually touching me of your own valition, so no. Since I want to keep you there, no presents for you unless you promise to let me escort you to breakfast", Draco stated and let a short grin grace his features. The others were no doubt thinking they were lost or something.

She only nodded eagerly and Draco picked his wand up and summoned a parcel from his room where the door was slightly ajar. A gift wrapped in Slytherin green and a silver bow came flying over to them, earning him a knowing smirk from her. He acted like he hadn't noticed a thing.

"I can open it now?"

"It's your birthday, silly. Do with it what you want."

She smacked him gently with it. Draco stared at her, baffled.

"For getting me so weepy first thing in the morning", she explained and resumed opening the wrappings delicately away revealing its contents with her movements. A soft fabric was the first thing to greet her, emerald green in color. When she turned the last papers away, a small silver bracelet twinkled on top of it.

"May I?" Draco asked and took the bracelet, not waiting for her answer as he fastened it around her left wrist, her eyes following his movements readily, looking at the silvery thing, twinkling a bit in the lights of the room. It had small loops around it and a bigger one with a carving of an agile snake, she trailed her fingers on it and looked up at Draco questioningly.

"Yes, it opens up, you only need to one drop of blood on it for it to only work for you", he explained and watched with nervous curiosity as she opened the bracelet's door and willed its contents away. A book hopped onto her hands, on top of the green fabric.

"You got me the second part of Healing Spells Most Arduous and Unheard of!"  Mariyah exclaimed and looked up at him, beaming, "And this bracelet: it's so beautiful - and useful! Now I'll have to wear it all the time.. Ina will laugh at me, for sure."

"I doubt it. More like she'll be jealous of your gifts and try and loan it from you", Draco dismissed the idea with a smile, "You missed the last one, or first one, however one sees it, though."

Mariyah let him believe what he did about her sister and looked down at the green fabric that was the softest she's had the pleasure of touching in ages, it flowed through her fingers and she wanted to put it on imediately, while not even knowing what it was. She stowed the book back into the bracelet and held the fabric with both hands, letting it drop towards the floor and never quite making it. She gasped and looked at the dress from top to bottom, while Draco explained: "It adjusts to your side, so no fear of ever growing out of it. I had to do with it because I couldn't possibly ask for your measurements.. Daphne helped me with the color and design a bit, so it's from her, too. She's sorry she cannot be here, but her parents were adamant to get her home for the holidays."

The girl holding the fabric had a warm smile on her lips when hearing that and she looked up at her friend, beaming with happiness.

"Thanks Draco! You got me quite the pressure for your present come June. These are lovely. I'll have to thank Daphne when she gets back. Wait for me a bit - I'll get this on at once!" she laughed and ran off, clutching the dress on her fingers excitedly. It had been ages since someone had bought her a dress.

She did quick work of squirming her way into the fabric and looked at her image in the mirror, standing there in a knee-lenght dress with a flowing hem and a top that followed her skin and had a modest but elegant cut without sleeves. The hem started growing wider from her waist down which made it comfortable to wear and beautiful. she found she liked it very much. She skipped down with a black robe on her shoulders to cover her from the cold to fling herself at Draco again. The boy deserved a hug for everything he'd done. He was surprised when she flew down, but wrapped his hands instinctively around her.

"It fits just perfect! Thanks Draco!" and she kissed him on the cheek again before she snatched his arm and started dragging him to the corridors, "Come on then. We've breakfast to eat!"

He chuckled a bit but followed obediently before stopping by the door to hold his arm out for her. She stared at it for a moment surprised but then remembered his promise to lead her upstairs properly and took his hand and they walked like a noble couple upstairs while joking and talking about the books Draco'd given her. She noticed he was wearing a silver shirt that went quite well with her dress' green to make them a true Slytherin emblem with her bracelet playing the part of a serpent. The boy was crooked, no doubt about that.

Her eyes rounded wide at the first sight of the Great Hall despite the feeling there was something left unsaid on their walk up and the dress she had been gifted with.

It was an understatement.

It wasn't something. 

It was everything.

The ceiling shone brightly in sunshine that cascaded down warmly to reveal all the hard work numerous people had done for her. There was only one table as had been the whole holiday, with a decorated tablecloth over it in bright colors and a huge cake in the dead center of it, three whole layers of cream and berries ready for her.

Mariyah's breath hitched in her throat and she couldn't quite believe her eyes.

This wasn't a prank...

She wanted it to be one, so it would be easier to manage and she wouldn't be close to tears.

Why had they be so bloody nice to her?

Draco seemed to notice her rampant feelings and is arm soothed hers in slow circles as he walked her there, in the middle of it all: the balloons everywhere, streamers hung on the walls and the gigantic banner, which read in bold letters Happy Birthday Mariyah!

There were fairies once again dancing in the air merrily and snatching pumpkin juice from the goblets on the table, but also small elaborate snowmen with party hats on top of their heads grinning wildly at them and playing their own games.

But what made her unravel most of all were the people waiting there for her, wide grins on place on their faces and a pile of presents on the table, all waiting for her to make her way there to them. She wanted to plant her heels hard onto the ground to stop Draco from taking her closer, but he had none of it and only said quietly: "Everybody deserves an eloquent party little snake. Go on, we'll be disappointed otherwise."

She shot him a dirty look to which he only smirked and shoved her forth to the waiting Adrian, grinning madly before he snatched her high up and crunched her tightly into a hug. Air escaped her lungs for a minute and she had to wonder why she was crunched so tight when she heard his voice by her ear: "Happy Birthday RIya. You better behave the next year, though. Quite a nasty thing you left for me there.."

She pulled back a little and grinned widely, forgetting her emotional unease momentarily.

"But I was only trying to help you, Dria", Mariyah purred and the older boy blushed, pinching her cheek as he did.

"Dria.. That sounds bad. No presents for you!" Adrian bellowed the end and earned them looks from everyone else.

Mariyah laughed as she was let back down only to be scooped back up by the twins, twirling her round and round making her dizzy.

"Have a very merry"

"Christmas!"

"No George, It's her birthday now."

"S'that so Fred. Then.. Very merry New year!"

"Again, no. Her birthday! New year's in two days."

"Okay, I got it. Very merry eve's eve of New Year!" George yelled and flung her around even more wildly.

"You two are impossible", Mariyah laughed and stopped their bravado by planting a biscuit into each of their mouths. The twins grinned and set her down, on top of the table, where she stood and shook her head in exasperation before hopping down to hug Harry, who waited for her down there with a smile.

"Happy Birthday, Riya", he said softly and hugged her, much more calmly than everyone else had and she took the quiet gladly, only to be met with Ron's twitching face before the redhead hugged her briefly with an exasperated sigh of 'happy birthday' by her ear.

Steadily after a happy chatter, they sat down on the table and started eating the delicious breakfast before they sang to her and she blew the candles from on top of the cake.

The teachers looked on in silent merry mood and even Snape was more relaxed and not sneering at them all the time. Harry told her they had helped with the decorations - that did not end to the cake and fairies and snowmen.

There were some traps set on different plates on the table that blew up because someone touched them, or two separate people touched them and the plate's ordered them a mission or a truth, which made it a game of truth or dare that got everyone giggling when a miserable Draco went and touched the same plate as Harry had and they were met with a choice of hugging or telling each other something nice they truly believed.

The boys grimaced at both suggestion but finally settled on saying at the same time: "You're a good Seeker" which made them grimace even more, before they glared at each other in dismay. Mariyah only found it funny and didn't mind int he least when she had to hug half the table and told cheerily some compliments until she was met with a question that made her smile drop when she reached for the strawberries on the other side of the table.

"Who would you most like to be here celebrating here with you?" And for once, there was no dare with the question.

The happy chatter died down on her silence at the question and Fred and George shot each other worried looks, indicating they had made the question. Hand trapped in the bowl, Mariyah swallowed her discomfort and said: "My family."

She popped a strawberry into her mouth and engaged Draco into another conversation on healing magic, determinedly avoiding the worried glances everyone shot her way.

She felt two pairs of hands reach for hers in a comforting squeeze and smiled at them, the discomfort steadily slipping away again.

Mariyah knew she had much more now than then. It made her very happy, despite the empty feeling residing in her chest time and again, hoping for her mother's wish, for her wish to come through.

Chapter Text

It was strange how close they'd gotten with the Slytherins after the Christmas break, Harry thought as he hurried of to class, with Malfoy of all people hurrying next to him with his posse as Harry run alongside Ron. Mariyah followed after them a contemplating look on her face, her thoughts completely elsewhere. They had Potions next which enabled the strange situation in the first place, as well as the trap the twins had set up for them in the Great Hall. The duo was adamant to best them, Mariyah especially, in pranks and jokes and did a double effort in making that happen.

The witch in question made it relatively easy for them, because she didn't indulge in any more pranks after the birthday celebration. More like, she returned to be the distant figure that still appeared just at the most surprising times to indulge them in her whims and laughing along with them. They started to understand her more as time flew by, making it easier to take her sudden disappearances. Because as it unfolded, she was a bit of an recluse.

Harry had also noticed her growing ease with Mafloy.

It was like they'd never had that massive argument at all and they both shared those little conspiratorial smiles with each other while talking. It made him uneasy more because the times the git was with her, he didn't act like a git at all. It was confusing and irritating as hell to him.

He wanted it to be easy to regard the blonde as his nemesis, a downright bad person, but as it appeared.. he wasn't.

So, Harry and Malfoy could run along the corridors and not hex each other. It also made their attempt to spy on the blonde quite.... useless. The git certainly wasn't the heir of Slytherin, only the heir of Malfoy. A git.

Once his mind locked onto that thought, It stayed there during the Potions class, to the glee of Snape, who got the opportunity to degrade his murky.. glob of something in front of the whole classroom. Curiously, Harry didn't mind as he still thought who could talk to snakes, who hated muggleborns and wanted them out of the school? He couldn't think of anyone. Malfoy had been their best bet, he showed what he felt very openly.. but this real heir.. wasn't..

There was still so much Harry didn't know and it was making him restless.

After classes that day, Harry sat on his bed staring at the black little book on his lap and couldn't honestly believe his luck. Tom Marvolo Riddle.. Whoever that was, had been beyond helpful in narrowing down his suspicions. He'd found the diary in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom ealier in the day and half an hour later had inspected it by himself, finally resorting to writing in it. And the diary had answered him. So of course harry had asked it about the Chamber of Secrets..

And it had shown him..

How this Tom Marvolo Riddle had engineered the opening to Hagrid.

Hagrid.

Harry had to give it to him; Hagrid certainly was an individual that was prone to raising all kinds of hairy, dangerous monsters. But now, after talking with Mariyah and discerning the beast inside the Chamber was a basilisk and not a spider, like in the memory Riddle had shown him.. Harry knew it wasn't Hagrid. But he wasn't sure if it was Riddle himself or if it was someone else.

He wasn't about to ask that from the diary, though. Who knew if it would curse him if it was true? Or lie to Harry's face. No, it was better to ponder on it for a while.

Sighing, he put the diary deep into his trunk and decided to talk to Mariyah the next day. She'd know what to do with this new information about the Chamber of Secrets and a talking diary.

Satisfied he had done something worthwhile, Harry lay down and closed his eyes, a small smile gracing his lips as he slept better than in ages.

In the morning, he shared his findings with Ron in a hushed whisper. Ron's blue eyes rounded up in surprise and excitement.

"Bloody hell! That's mental! Although I hate to admit it, we better share with Hermione and Riya what you found. They are the brains of this operation, after all", Ron said, leaning in to speak so no one would hear them, "That diary is something crucial here, let me tell you."

Harry nodded and separated from his friends at the portrait hole, when something hurried past him in a flurry of red, sending him stumbling to Ron.

"Hey! Ginny! Watch where you're going!" Ron shouted after his sister, who didn't look back once. The red head shook his head and turned to Harry apologetically.

"Sorry 'bout that.. Don't know who ate her cat."

"I don't mind, Ron. Let's just go down to eat", Harry said, sending one more look to the quickly receding spot of red hair in the distance.

Mariyah stared at the boys, grinning happily in front of her, with a blank look on her face.

"You said - where is this diary?" she asked, hoping she'd heard wrong.

"In my trunk", Harry said and she wanted to sigh, but refrained, it wasn't all lost yet.

"Okay. And it was 'Tom Marvolo Riddle's' diary?" she clarified and Harry nodded.

Well good grief. This eased things more than the boys knew it had. And it also made it clearly visible just what Lucius had done..

"Go get it. It's not a safe place to store it. The previous owner might've spotted it with you and would want it back."

Ron frowned heavily.

"I doubt it", he flatly said, "Who would want an old diary. More like, it was flushed down the toilet, so the previous owner would hardly want it back."

Mariyah wanted to groan in exasperation. Why didn't they seem to have common sense.

"Think about it: if you had a talking diary, why would you wish to flush it down a toilet?" she asked and looked from boy to boy, from a blank look to another.

"Because I didn't want it anymore?" Ron said, looking at her like she was the lunatic here.

Mariyah was just opening her mouth, when Harry interrupted her.

"Because it scared them - that it talked, I mean."

"Yes!" Mariayh said and presented Harry to Ron with both hands. "It's common knowledge one should't talk to objects that are more intelligent than you are. Think if it, say, made you do something, manipulated or otherwise compromised you. Certainly you'd get rid of it. Now go fetch me it so we can solve this Chamber thing."

"Sure", Harry said, "I'll go get it after Charms."

Calming down by knowing she would get her hands on it soon, Mariyah nodded and turned her attention back to the healing book on the table in front of her. Ron had accused her of being the second Hermione and sure, it would look like that, but she honestly needed to read the paragraph now or clean vials the next week - without magic. She had too many pots on the stove nowadays, with Poppy, school, Harry's occlumency and now the Chamber eating at her time. It was stifling but something she had to do. It was the only way she would win.

When Harry walked to her after Charms white faced and stiff, Mariyah knew something bad had happened and she pulled him and the following Ron into an alcove where they could speak in peace.

"What happened?" she asked, holding onto Harry's arm in her growing distress.

"It.. wasn't.. Someone had stolen it - the whole room was one big mess, my books thrown about, clothes shredded and laying about - someone stole the diary. It was the only thing missing", Harry said, looking shaken.

"And the only people that can get in are Gryffindors - or you - or someone with the password", Ron said sternly, face in a serious mask for once.

For a while, all she could do was stand there and.. stand. Her mind was flipping over and back, without anything relevant staying to clarify just what had happened. A thief, the original owner, no doubt, had taken back the diary.

"All right, then", Mariyah finally sighed, her hand dropping back down to her side. "Good thing is we now know about it's existence. I think things will roll fast from now on."

She certainly wasn't kidding about that.

A week later, just when Hermione had gotten back from the hospital wing and had admonished the boys about the importance of keeping from talking to probably cursed objects, she was sent straight back in - petrified along with a Ravenclaw girl.

More horrified than ever before, the boys and her promised to find the culprit while sitting by Hermione's still body, watching her grip a mirror in hand.

It sure was a blessing she'd had that.

Chapter Text

"So it's not Hagrid?"

"No. We've went through this already: it's not Hagrid. We know him and he couldn't speak to snakes even if he wanted to. More importantly, just where is the Chamber? We need to know so we can go there!" Mariyah said with annoyed frustration at the situation and Ron's incessant questions.

Harry had stayed quiet as the two argued, instead thinking hard over everything he knew about - well, everything. It was more terrible concerning the Chamber by the minute. More and more people were petrified and to this moment there hadn't been anything they could have done to stop them from happening. It was unnerving to say the least; being so helpless.

But the most troubling fact was that no one seemed to know, as Mariyah was anxiously asking,  just where it was? One would think a place as big as a Chamber of Secrets would be easy to find, but clearly that was a muggle thing to presume. With magic at work here, it could be literally anywhere.

Cue their discomfort right now.

Suddenly a thought came to Harry, one he hadn't had time to actually process before-

"The girl who died before", Harry started and lifted his head excitedly to look at Ron and Mariyah, still heatedly arguing, "What if she never left? What if she's still here?"

The words stopped everything. Eyes widened in realization, mouths hang agape.

"Moaning Myrtle" The other two breathed and smiles slowly rise on their faces.

"It must be her", Mariyah muttered to herself and started walking to the deserted bathroom without waiting for them. Harry wanted to chuckle at her enthusiasm but remained quiet, only eagerly following behind her with Ron down the corridors.

Their victory march ended abruptly when distressed voices alerted them of other people bustling in front of them.

"Is it true?" McGonagall's sharded voice inquired, "Has the monster taken a student?"

Their steps halted instantly and cold dress filled their veins with lead. Someone had been taken to the Chamber? Harry's mind asked, slowing down to take in every word that was said.

"Yes, I'm afraid so", Snape's voice said without the usual sneer, "The situation is more grave without the headmaster here to help us alleviate the situation."

Dumbledore was gone? Harry felt shocked. Who was stupid enough to let him leave when the Chamber was open? He got his answer when McGonagall scoffed coldly.

"If Malfoy had any sympathy to the students here like he let's us to believe, he wouldn't have sent Dumbledore away now."

Agreeing murmuring was heard before the atmosphere grew solemn again.

"Who was it that the monster took?" Professor Sprout asked quietly.

"Miss Weasley", Snape said monotonously and after the admission gasps of shock followed before the Potions Master continued, mock back in place again with a hint of sadness, "I believe now would the time for you to show your skills, Lockhart. Didn't you say you knew where the monster was?"

Without even seeing the charlatan's reaction, Harry knew what it no doubt was. More so when a slightly stuttering voice asked: "Me? Did I? S-sure. I'll just go--to prepare then. Yes. I do have a monster to take care of."

And hurried footsteps sounded going further and further away.

"Do you reckon he really knows where it is?" Ron asked while whispering when they stood in an alcove after fleeing from the scene.

"Wouldn't hurt to check", Harry said with a shrug and half a smile.

Harry knew he shouldn't have been surprised. He knew and yet he still was. But regardless, now it was a proved fact Lockhart was a coward and a liar. When they had barreled into the room, it was to a scene where they caught the man with open bags all over the room and a terrified expression twisting his oh, so handsome face into something that wasn't.

Never mind the fact he would be nice to have along as they prepared to find Ginny on their own, Harry was sure Mariyah took the man along just because she could then watch him hopefully piss himself when they finally found the Chamber..

After kidnapping Lockhart, they sneaked into Myrtle's bathroom to ask some questions from her. Surprisingly, she was rather fond of talking about her own death (who would have guessed?) and supplied them with the location: the very same bathroom they were in. (Again: who would have guessed? The girls bathroom, the pathway to the mighty Slytherin's secret chamber..kinky)

Harry stared at the sink Myrtle had pointed at while telling how that was where she'd seen a pair of big yellow eyes before everything ended and she died. He find a little snake protruding from the faucet and imagined it moving if he tilted his head just so while ordering it softly to open..

Lockhart was kept deeply in control by Mariyah and Ron while Harry concentrated on the now rumbling and sinking sinks that slowly but steadily bore the entrance their nervous eyes. It was pitch black and very uninviting. So it was only natural they pushed their dear teacher down it first. And tactfully ignored the evil smirks donning all their faces while listening to the man screaming and falling before it suddenly ended.

"Go on then", Mariyah said while peering down, "Seems like he's alive at least.."

Not the most encouraging thing to say, but honestly, it was all they had. So, wearing their courage like an armor they jumped down one by one, Mariyah sliding down lastly into the darkness and tiny animal bones crunching under their toes. It sure wasn't the dream space but Chambers housing monsters hardly were.

They travelled only a short time before a huge snake skin caught their attention next to the way further. Lockhart, being the coward he was, fainted when seeing this to the exasperation if the kids bravely staying standing.

"And to think this fool taught us this year", Ron said, leaving down to poke at their worst teacher yet with his foot. It proved to be a mistake. Lockhart jumped up the second Ron was close enough and stole his wand with a triumphant yell. Surprisingly he wasn't such a useless thing after all.. not that it bode any good to them..

"Haha", Lockhart declared, waving the wand in his hands threateningly, "Too bad, children.. you've come to the end of the road.. we'll leave this place caring sad news: We are too late in saving the girl and you three.. unfortunately.. lost your minds when seeing her mangled body lying in the Chamber.. you see, there is one spell I excel at..  Obliviate!"

He trained Ron's wand at Harry and bellowed with full lung capacity. A bout of light erupted from the tip, only to bounce right back at Lockhart. He flew back against the wall and the whole roof came rumbling down on them.

"Watch out!" Harry yelled and ducked out of the way, evading rocks dropping down in the dust rising high and obscuring everything from view. He had no idea if they were all right or not.

Finally it cleared some and Harry looked up, coughing when some residual dust tickled his throat.

"Ron? Riya? Are you okay?" He asked from the silence.

Two sets of answers came from somewhere in the rubble and lifted a rock from Harry's chest.  They were okay..

"Lockhart is not, though", came Ron's incredulous voice, "He's got no idea who he is.."

Casting a lumos, Harry saw the point where the ceiling had collapsed; the whole way back was covered in rocks of all sizes so next to nothing could be seen through the holes in it. He caught a peak of red hair through one of those hopping up and down.

"There's no way I'm going to be able to get through fast", Ron said with conviction in his voice, "you go on ahead while I'll try to make a path for you to come back."

"Same here", Mariyah yelled, "although I think I'll be able to get through soon. I'll catch up with you in a minute!"

So it was just Harry continuingonn from there. He gulped but went further, ready to do everything in his power to save Ginny. He finally came to another door, this one covered by tiny little snakes that moved out the way after his command asks revealed more of dark passage.The further he went, the colder it got. There was also an occasional dripping sound coming from ahead of him, indicating water of some sort.

He found what he was looking for in a high ceilinged chamber, the bottom of which was covered in water. A huge statue covered one wall of the room, but only the head was visible above water. Every step he took splashed some water, increasing in tempo once he spotted a still figure lying front the statue. It had long red hair.

Ginny! His mind urged him on and Harry ran to the girl, kneeling down beside her and checking her hand for a pulse, anything to tell was ali-

"She is alive", a voice said from somewhere right of him, "but only barely."

Harry twirled his head to look who it was - only to stop in his movements and stupidly stare at the phenomenon happening before his green eyes.

He watched in fascination as the boy from the diary walked over to him, as handsome and regal as he had been in the memory, looking unfazed by the body of Ginny lying on the cold stone floor.

He stopped beside them and started saying something, when he was interrupted by a voice behind Harry, making them both look back, having forgotten she was there, too.

Mariyah walked over to them, slightly covered in dust but otherwise fine, drawing their attention as she said merrily: "Hi!"

"Mariyah.." Harry said, wondering what she was doing, when she stopped a little from him and shot him a look, gray eyes glittering in deep contemplation, before she regarded the older boy in front of them.

"Mariyah Quirrell", the boy said now, looking at her curiously, but irritation shimmering somewhere in brown eyes, "I've heard of you a lot from little Ginny."

"Nothing bad I hope", she said merrily before her eyes narrowed and she looked at the boy with a strange complexion.

"Although you're wrong there, Tom Marvolo Riddle", she continued, making the boy regard her with growing wariness, "I'm not Mariyah Quirrell."

"No.. I heard you are not", Tom said and looked at her with a blank look, indulging her anyway, "Who are you then, mystery girl?"

Her face slowly lifted up into a sweet smile and she declared proudly, pronouncing the words carefully, not wanting to left any out: "I am Mariyah Seraphina.. Riddle. Hello daddy, it's been a while.."

If Harry hadn't been on the floor already, he would have crashed there by then.

"You.. He.." Harry spluttered and she just smiled at him, standing there coolly, like it was nothing in particular at all.

Tom Riddle narrowed his eyes dangerously and took a step her way, threateningly, Harry's wayward wand somehow in his grasp.

"I wouldn't have had a daughter", he hissed out, looking her up and down, searching for similarities.

"Not at your age, no", Mariyah said, unfazed, "I was quite curious how you'd react, really. Not out of my expectations. No. You were quite feisty then."

"How would you know?" Tom forced out, venom seeping from the syllables.

"Pensive memories you left me", she said simply and then grinned a little before shooting Harry a meaningful look.

"I have something that will make you believe me, though", she grinned and Tom, her father, looked at her contemplatingly.

"Show me then", he drawled out and took a step back, opening his arms a little in invitation.

"With pleasure", Mariyah said, taking a step closer to the statue of Slytherin, before opening her mouth and hissing alluringly: "Speak to me Slytherin, greatest of Hogwarts four."

The parseltongue reverberated in the hollow chamber, filling energy nook and cranny with her voice - and then the mouth of the huge statue opened with clanking and dragging sounds following it and from within the darkness came another hissing sound Harry now recognised quite easily as parseltongue:

"I hear you, my child; the youngest from the line of Slytherin.."

Chapter Text

"You smell more coherent than the other one; the older one", an ancient voice sounded and a huge snake slithered from the opened mouth of the statue of Slytherin, its glowing yellow eyes focused on the tiny little girl standing proudly before her.

"Coherent? Ah, I should feel. I'm alive, unlike him. Well-- properly anyways", Mariyah said with a sideways glance at Riddle, her father. Or a younger version of the man who had grown to be her father. It left her more hurting than she cared to admit, seeing him like this, not remembering her. But it was something that had to be done, properly, like a Riddle should. She had promised her mother after all. And Mariyah Riddle didn't forget her promises. Especially those made to her late mother.

"You mean you can tell we are related?" Tom asked in a demanding and curious tone, now more amicable towards her but still wary. His enemies had always been numerous.

"Of course! Just like I can smell that this little one is not related to you, but he still smells a tiny bit like you. I don't know why though", the snake answered, her eyes travelling to Harry, who was sat stiff and still on the floor, a bit miffed because her abilities were being underestimated.

"As I feared", Mariyah mumbled, but was heard by them nonetheless in the echoing chamber.

She noticed Harry had his eyes focused on everything else than on the giant snake and said: "You can look at her; she won't kill you. Right, o ancient one?"

"Yess, child. I won't kill unless I wish it so. And I only wish it so if a Heir of Slytherin wishes so.. or if I wish for a tasty meal", and she released a hissy laughter that was a tiny bit creepy. But only a tiny bit.

Harry hurriedly glanced up and noticed he didn't die and was relieved. She almost laughed because of his antics.

"What do you mean?" Riddle demanded from her the moment the snake relaxed to sway slightly from side to side, "That it's as you feared."

Mariyah worried her bottom lip. Despite knowing for so long and having to accept it, it was still such a delicate matter she didn't know if she wished to release it now. Who knew what Harry would do.. But she chose to trust him. Because if she didn't.. there was even a lesser chance the wrongs of the past would be corrected.

She laid her gray eyes upon the boy who was so reminisced of the man she knew as her father and remembered.

A worn out man, handsome still but weary from time and the obstacles thrown his way, held a baby girl proudly in his arms. A smile on his face a second and a manic gleam flashing by in glowing red eyes the next before red turned back to gray again.

"No.." a despairing whisper sounded in the room, "It's coming again - I have to go. I'm sorry."

And the man was out the door and the infant previously in his arms was left to her mother to care for. Both their eyes stayed on the empty doorway and a choked sob escaped the woman's lips.

"Be safe.."

"He is a Horcrux", she stated, her voice stiff with emotion from the memories, "and we need to collect them all."

Tom Riddle had always known he was special.

Or more likely, he had hoped he was special. Yearned for being above those at the orphanage, being better than them. And he had been; he was.

He had also always known he was intelligent, more intelligent than those his age and even more so than those older than him. Hogwarts had opened his eyes for knowledge on so many things he hadn't known about before. Things only magic made possible. Magic that had been his friend his whole life, defending him, nourishing him, consoling him.

His only companion. 

Believing he was better, better than the name of his muggle father who had abandoned him, better than muggles who had no magic, better than his peers who didn't appreciate magic like he did - he was sure he had the blessing of magic herself.

And this belief led him into taking risks with his beloved magic no other had.

He was alone most of his life, seemingly fighting against the whole word with only himself to trust in. His intelligence brought along with it a type of disregard for feelings as did the fact he was always betrayed by those around him. So, being alone, with a fear of death and defeat, for remaining insignificant for his whole life he made one bad mistake after another, stumbling along the path of life, trying to avoid death.

It would have been alright, eventually, if he hadn't started to fear for his life even more once the Blitz took over London's streets, demolishing everything in its path.

Then he came to know the term 'Horcrux'.

He learned of it, knew he could stay alive, no matter what.

And when the opportunity arose, he made one...

Himself, to be more precise. This piece of his soul that he trapped inside his diary and forgot ever since. How could he have known that it stayed 'alive', conscious, yearning for a new goal: freedom.

And along with the separation from the main piece, a new kind of dread was recognized. It had been a bad, bad idea to create a Horcrux. It cost him his sanity, his mind fighting to stay afloat with a ripped soul that was tormented by the natural powers of the world a whole soul can battle but not a shredded one.

He knew this.

And that's why he knew the girl was speaking the truth.

And that she most probably was his daughter.

Who else would have bothered to save him?

Collect the pieces and put them back together?

He was insane, after all. Or the main piece was, wherever he was. Probably causing death and chaos in its wake, even though it was reduced to a ghoul. Tom knew it would. He wanted to change things and insane people did things the hard way, or the way regular people didn't like.

The insane part of him he had dubbed 'Voldemort'. After knowing his fear of death had caused such a heave repercussions, changing his name had become one of the unnecessary things he had striven for. Even he, a Horcrux, suffered from Voldemort. He was Tom only some of the time. It was always one or the other, never knowing who one was talking to.

Now it was Tom who heard her, but it had been Voldemort who had lured the Potter boy down here. Potter, who was apparently one such as him.. It was however apparent the soul piece didn't have much power over him, only granting him the gift of Parseltongue.

"Yes, if you want me sane and whole", he replied to the girl, Mariyah. The name didn't say anything to him, but honestly, he wasn't surprised. The only way for him to have offspring would have been if he had met someone worth it and until the time he was 16, there hadn't been anyone like that, not even close. It was another hope he daren't have.

"I do", she replied, before glancing at the other girl, almost lifeless, lying on the floor, "But I can only accomplish that if no one knows you exist."

Tom knew what she meant. And he wanted to finish this before Voldemort switched with him again. If that happened, there was no reasoning with him. But before he gave in to the girl he read only honesty from..

"You trust him?"

"I believe he will make the right choice."

"I don't have much time.." Tom said, hating the feeling of fighting for every second of being him.

"I know. You told us."

Ah, us. Her mother, no doubt. And her even knowing meant he really did trust them. Because no one knew him, not his full plans nor what he yearned for. And never would htey know about Magic the way he did. The knowledge she did made him feel relieved, light in a way he hadn't felt in.. ever.

Tom smiled a little, just a tiny lift of his lips, really, but the girl seemed to suddenly shine like the brightest star.

"Thank you. You can ask me anything later on, but be wary of him". Tom said, "And even if you aren't my daughter and will kill me, I believe it'll be better than.. this."

Her eyes, very similar to his own, dimmed and exuded such sadness and loneliness that it almost affected even him.

"I truly am your daughter. I will meet you properly, I swear that once again", she said resolutely, eyes now burning with purpose.

Tom almost believed her.

The image of a handsome youth faded, and the girl on the floor started gaining color slowly.

"She will wake soon", Tom said with a faint voice, eyes never leaving another pair of gray, "Farewell."