Familiaris

The Dark Lord walked over to the window of his lair. His eyes squinted as he watched the sun set behind the mountains. He awaited the news. A malicious grin spread across his face as he thought of the boy’s downfall. The door opened behind him.

"Yes, Harry?" he asked not looking behind him.

Harry stood tall, his teenage body gangly and thin, under his dark robe.

"It’s done," he said softly. "The last of the Malfoy’s are dead."

The Dark Lord nodded still looking out the window.

"Was it difficult?" he asked.

Harry walked forward slowly.

"No my Lord," He sneered. "he actually begged me for mercy. As if he was entitled to it! Did he show mercy when he . . . he . . ."

The Dark Lord turned and faced Harry and put his hand on his shoulder.

"Hermione’s been avenged," he said in a low tone. "Let that bring you peace."

Saffron sat up in her bed awoken from her dream, sweat trickling down her forehead. It had been years since she had these types of dreams. Why now all of a sudden? She tried to calm her nerves and looked over at her husband as he slept soundly in their bed. He never knew what she went through. She had perfected the art of suffering in silence. She sat for a moment and pushed back her long brown hair behind her ears, trying to collect her thoughts. Her heart palpitated in rhythm with the second hand on the clock on the wall. Her back suddenly began to ache as if she was carrying a heavy load in front. She put her hand on her back and slowly got out of her bed. Her hands fumbled in the dark for her wand, which she found on her nightstand.

"Lumos." she whispered.

She walked over to the wall, still feeling an absent weight in her pelvic region. She tapped a stone on the wall twice with her wand and a little wooden box emerged from the wall as if the wall was liquid. She opened the box quietly, occasionally looking over at her husband as he snored serenely. Inside were a few pieces of paper, one resembling a crinkled birth certificate. Her hand dug to the bottom and pulled out what she had been looking for. It was a tattered picture of a new born baby boy within his mother’s arms. He had a few wisps of brown hair on his head and big brown eyes that looked around in ever direction, observing the world excitedly. The mother had a sorrowful young face and her blue-gray eyes kept avoiding the camera. Saffron held the picture to her heart and a tear streamed down her cheek.

* * *

Nigel jumped out of his father’s black Jaguar. As he had predicted, the Moons had taken him to King’s Cross-Station to see him off. Maggie walked happily next to her brother as Morty pushed the trunk on a trolley. She continued her teasing about Lilah, which she had been doing since they left home. Before boarding Joanne kissed Nigel’s cheeks and held him tightly. Her eyes were glassy, but she didn’t cry. Morty ruffled Nigel’s hair and hugged him tightly as well. Maggie gave him a big kiss on the cheek, a hug, and some few tips on charming snakes, which he did not find amusing. Nigel bid them all farewell and boarded the train.

He dragged his trunk down the hallway looking everywhere for his friends. His hair was now short and it made his eyes look larger, as they were no longer hidden. His hair resembled the way it had been the year before, just to his ears and wispy in the front. Joanne wanted it shorter, but they had reached a compromise.

"Hey sexy," giggled a voice behind him.

"Hi, Sally-Anne.," he sighed and turned around.

"We’re in here," she said happily, opening a door to a compartment.

Hannah, Susan, Justin, and Ernie looked up and waved. Nigel did the same. He then put his trunk away and began to chat with his friends after taking a seat next to Hannah, much to her delight. Everyone looked the same as they had at the Quidditch match, except Susan who had put her hair in little plaits with strands of fake burgundy hair. They talked about the Quidditch match, the Death Eater scare, Susan’s plaits, anything and everything.

"Oh my god!" gushed Sally-Anne. "I got the pictures from the Quidditch Cup developed. You should have seen the face on the dude developing them. I had to make up some random story about how it was all CG and I am a genius on the computer."

Hannah stared baffled at her, trying to figure out what a computer was. Sally-Anne continued jabbering on as she dug in her green Keropi bookbag searching for the pictures, when the compartment door slid open. She looked up and there stood Cedric Diggory causing her to drop her bookbag on the floor. A few older Hufflepuff girls were behind him giggling.

"Pardon me, but have you seen my mind?" he asked.

The older girls giggled.

"What?" asked Nigel.

"My mind. I seem to have lost my mind," said Cedric straight faced.

One of the older girls sighed, "You’re such a git," and shoved him playfully.

"So, you haven’t seen it?" asked Cedric ignoring her.

"Search me," giggled Sally-Anne, " . . . Please."

"Sally!" gasped Susan, then shook her head.

Cedric smiled at Sally-Anne with a raised eyebrow then turned back to Nigel.

"Well, tell me if it shows up," he sighed and closed the compartment.

The Hufflepuff fourth years stared at each other for a moment then burst out laughing. Sally-Anne fell back in her seat smiling with a dazed look in her eyes.

"God, he’s hot!" she grunted.

Hannah giggled in agreement.

"I would just like to . . . Oh mental picture!" shrieked Sally-Anne, "Too much Cedricy goodness!"

Sally-Anne promptly fainted on Justin’s shoulder. Everyone ignored her.

"About those pictures," Justin sighed.

Sally-Anne sat up cheerfully.

"Oh, yeah!" she giggled and reached for her bookbag again.

She dug her hand in the bag and pulled out a stack of photos and they heard a shriek from outside. Must be some students being rowdy, Nigel deduced. Rapid footsteps could be heard approaching and the compartment door slid open again. Cedric jumped in the room and shut the door quickly, trying not to laugh. He looked around frantically but smiling and sat next to Hannah, trying to look like he had always been there. Everyone stared at him baffled. The compartment door swung open again. Kalinda Lockwood stood in the doorway with an angry but amused look on her face.

"All right Ced, I know it was you," she sighed.

"Me?" he gasped, "I’ve been here the whole time chatting with . . ." he leaned over towards Hannah, "What’s your name?"

"Hannah," she whispered.

"With Hannah!" he added quickly.

"Sure you have. Now get up and fix my trunk!" Kalinda commanded.

"But, it wasn’t me!" he begged, "Save me Hannah!"

Cedric wrapped his arms around Hannah causing her to almost explode. Kalinda stomped over to him and grabbed his collar.

"Come on you," she giggled raising him to his feet.

"But . . ." Cedric playfully sobbed heading for the door, "But . . . please be gentle Kallie."

He turned towards the fourth years and pretended to be dragged out of the room screaming and reaching desperately for the door as his body slowly disappeared.

"No! No! I’m too young to die!"

Kalinda grabbed his hand the only thing visible now and yanked it away. Cedric could be heard snickering from the hall. Kalinda stuck her head in the compartment.

"Sorry about him," she mumbled. "He forgot to take his medicine this morning."

"Ooo! You mean the pretty pink pills?" he chirped from the hall, "They’re my favorite."

"Move it!" she commanded, then smiled quickly at the fourth years and closed the compartment.

* * *

Nigel rode up in a carriage with Susan, Hannah and Sally-Anne through heavy sheets of rain. The carriage pulled up in front of the omnipotent castle of Hogwarts. He hopped out happily, glad to be back at school, although a tad bit on the wet side. His worries from the Quidditch Cup seemed so silly to him now. Nothing could happen while he was at school and he knew it. He made his way to the Great Hall with Sally-Anne clinging to his arm, like a trophy bride who was content to be so. Something came flying down and hit Hannah’s golden mane and sprayed water all over her. A shriek of glee followed. Nigel looked up and saw Peeves with an impish smile, pelting water balloon’s down at them. Sally-Anne pulled Nigel’s arm quickly before a balloon burst open on his head. Unfortunately it exploded on Susan’s back as she was directly behind Nigel.

The friends hurried their way into the Great Hall slipping and sliding on the floor. Nigel sat down at the Hufflepuff table, greeting housemates and such. Sally-Anne and Susan sat at his sides and Hannah across for Sally-Anne. As they waited for Ernie and Justin to make it past the bombs of water, Nigel felt himself struggling not to look over at the Slytherin table. But, he gladly gave up his will power and turned his head towards it anyway. His eyes scanned it quickly hoping to find a glimpse of Lilah. He looked up and down several times but she hadn’t arrived yet.

"Moon!" called a voice.

Nigel turned back to his table and saw Cedric walking towards him. Sally-Anne looked over in the same direction and waved furiously at Cedric who knelt next to Nigel.

"Er, I just wanted to say," mumbled Cedric glancing at Hannah, "I’m sorry for attacking your girlfriend."

"She didn’t mind at all!" squeaked Sally-Anne, receiving a kick from Hannah under the table.

"It’s okay. But, er . . . she’s not my girlfriend," Nigel added quickly to avoid anymore embarrassment for Hannah.

Little did he know that what he was saying would have the opposite effect then what he had intended. Those words jabbed Hannah in the stomach, giving her a blunt confirmation that Nigel most definitely did not want her as his girlfriend.

"Oh!" exclaimed Cedric. "Well she should be. Anyone willing to save me from Kallie is worth the effort."

Cedric looked over at Hannah and winked at her. Her sorrowful face immediately lit up. Justin and Ernie joined the group, soaked from head to toe, and sat down.

"But, I didn’t save-" began Hannah who was quickly cut off by Sally-Anne.

"Just smile and thank the very beautiful boy for paying you a compliment," she growled with an odd smile on her face.

Cedric laughed.

"Er . . . thank you?" Hannah mumbled.

An endearing smile spread across Cedric’s face.

"She’s so cute." he chuckled, "Well I best sit down now. They’ll be starting soon. See you later." Cedric said to Nigel getting back up, then turned to Hannah, "Bye, Hannah."

And with that he trotted off to where his friends sat.

"He thinks you’re cute and he knows your name!" squealed Sally-Anne.

"So do I." grumbled Susan, "Big deal."

"You think she’s cute?" smirked Sally-Anne tossing her hair behind her tanned face.

"I know her name you twit." snapped Susan.

"Whatever. You’re just jealous." retorted Sally-Anne sticking out her tongue.

Susan rolled her eyes and turned in the direction of the new first years as they were escorted into the hall. Professor McGonagall placed the sorting hat on a stool and after a few moments it began to sing. Nigel took the moment of song to glance over at the Slytherin table again. He found Lilah sitting at the back end of the table with a haughty looking Draco next to her. Draco mumbled something and she hit him upside the head. Nigel chuckled and heard applause. He turned back to the hat and it was done singing. He joined in on the clapping and immediately following was the sorting ceremony. He clapped happily as each new Hufflepuff arrived and as Kevin Whitby; the last in line and the last Hufflepuff sat down he happily picked up his fork awaiting the arrival of the food.

"Tuck in!" announced Dumbledore happily and the food appeared.

Nigel buried his fork into his shepherd’s pie and began to eat rapidly. Apparently he had been very hungry and had not noticed it until the food arrived. The Fat Friar floated by and smiled at all the students as he went to go say hullo to The Grey Lady in the table across from theirs. Life felt normal and safe. Nigel had this feeling that this year would be boring, uneventful, and was content with that.

As he chugged down the last of his pumpkin juice, Professor Dumbledore rose to his feet again. He gave the same notices about where it was forbidden to go, including now the Observatory tower. The new Observatory was in the south tower by Trelawney’s classroom. Nigel shuddered in the remembrance of the night he fainted in the tower. He never wanted to go in there again.

Dumbledore went on to explain how there would be no Inner House Quidditch matches that year and received many upset responses. Nigel found his head turning towards the Slytherin table again, looking at Lilah. He jumped as the doors flung open to the Great Hall and Professor Moody arrived. He was the most peculiar man Nigel had ever seen as he clunked his way towards Dumbledore. His old body hunched over a bit and his face scarred and wrinkled. The old professors exchanged a few words and Moody sat down. Sally-Anne gave Nigel a comical look and stuck her tongue out in disgust. He smiled wearily and Dumbledore continued on with his speech.

"It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."

Everyone exchanged excited looks and a loud murmur filled the hall. Nigel had no idea what the tournament was. Dumbledore quickly explained it enough to the point that Nigel was all ready to join. Until he found out it was dangerous and had an age limit.

"Maybe, next time," he chuckled to himself.

After the banquet, the Hufflepuffs hurried happily out of the Great Hall towards their common room, which was directly below it. They approached a large stone carving of Merlin.

"Humbugs," announced Eloise Midgen a Hufflepuff prefect with extremely bad acne, "That is the new password everyone. Don’t forget."

The statue moved to the side revealing an opening and they all went in.

"This is so cool!" squealed Sally-Anne; her arms hooked with Susan and Hannah’s, "Different schools and stuff! I hope I can meet some hot frenchies. Oh yeah!"

Justin shook his head at her while Nigel made his way to the stairs.

" ‘Night Nigey!" called Sally-Anne.

He waved with a yawn to his friends who stayed up all night chatting about the other schools that would be joining in the tournament, Beauxbaton and Durmstrang.

"Are you going to enter?" asked a voice up the stairs as Nigel made his way to his room.

"Are you?" replied another voice.

Nigel arrived at the top and found Cedric Diggory and Mortichai Turpin talking.

"I wouldn’t mind," shrugged Cedric, "I’m sure my dad would want me to."

"You know you would be picked," replied Mortichai a tall muscular black boy with an earring, "You’re practically perfect in every way."

"Come off it," groaned Cedric who then noticed Nigel walking by, "Hi, Moon."

Nigel nodded and went on his way and heard Cedric say cheerfully, "Let’s enter together!"

Nigel entered his room. His belongings had been brought up already. He undressed and got into his pajamas and lay down on his four-post bed. The room was so quiet. He looked around with the curtains to his bed open. On a shelf across from his bed was his plaque. He found it odd that Dumbledore moved it into his room and not to the trophy case. A smile spread across his face as he thought of Lilah. Well, he hadn’t exactly saved her when he got the plaque. But, he couldn’t help but feel like her guardian now, her protector. Like Gweneviere’s Lancelot of sorts. He shook his head. Maybe that wasn’t such a good analogy.

He closed his eyes and wandered what it would have been like if he had retrieved her from the window. If Malfoy hadn’t of thought of the retrieving spell and he did. He saw himself pulling her from the sky and back in the tower. Somehow her clothes were tattered showing off more skin then he remembered. Were they even tattered when she fell? He didn’t care. Lilah settled down in his arms. She was grateful to him for saving her life. So grateful she had to snog him right then and there.

Lilah’s lips touched his. They felt so soft and real. Her hand caressed his face. He felt someone sit on the bed next to him as they kissed. He sat up and opened his eyes.

A girl with curly brown hair jumped away from him and quickly vanished. Nigel sat still for a moment breathing heavily. It couldn’t have been Lilah. She was too young to Apparate. But, wait, wasn’t it impossible to Apparate and Disapparate in Hogwarts? The girl looked so much like Lilah, though. They could be sisters. Her image was focusing in his mind and he knew it wasn’t Lilah. The girl’s eyes were blue. Lilah’s were hazel. But, they were the same almond shape. She had the same hair as Lilah, too. The same skin tone. The same body shape. Her nose wasn’t the perfect upturned nose of Lilah’s, but more round. And her cheek bones were higher, too. What was she wearing? It was a robe of some sort. But, not a school robe, it was bright blue.

Nigel looked around his room. Was it happening again?

"Please. Whichever founder it is this time, just leave me alone!" he called out in the empty room.

He heard no response.

"I’m serious! I can’t take another dybbuk." he said, his voice cracking.

He waited and listened to the wind. Maybe it was a dream? But he hadn’t fallen asleep. He lay back down the feeling of safety he welcomed at the banquet had just vanished. He couldn’t stay in the room alone any longer. He jumped out of bed and joined his friends downstairs. Why does this have to happen to me? he wondered.

* * *

The next morning Hannah awoke to loud shrieks from down the hall. A commotion was going on in the fifth year girl’s dorm. Sally-Anne (who was already up) and Hannah made their way towards the room. They soon found out that Eloise Midgen, the prefect, had tried to hex off her pimples, but instead had most mortifyingly detached her nose. It wasn’t a pretty sight.

Hannah tried to erase the image of a noseless Eloise as she headed down for breakfast later. Sally-Anne, who found the situation hilarious, was not helping. She recounted the event over and over again for Susan, who was accompanying them.

"Morning Hannah," said a deep voice behind her.

Hannah turned around and found Cedric smiling at her. She returned the smile.

"Hi!" she said quietly racking her brain with something else to say. "Er, you still in trouble with that girl?"

"Oh, Kallie? No. She is like my sister and just likes to torture me," he sighed.

"Oh."

"What are your names?" asked Cedric pointing to Susan and Sally-Anne.

"I’m Sally-Anne and that’s Susan."

"Oh, right. Just wanted to remember the three pretty fourth years. I see you all the time and never know your names. I have a horrible memory," he said and then cracked a smiled, causing Sally-Anne to restrain very hard from pouncing him then and there.

Hannah could not stop smiling and eventually mumbled something again.

"You remembered my name," she said softly.

"Oh, well that’s because you’re my guardian angel," he replied, "Well see you all later."

Cedric headed for the exit when Kalinda caught up to him.

"Now what did I say about seducing fourth years!" she scolded.

Cedric laughed and stepped out the common room with Kalinda smiling, but still lecturing him.

* * *

Lilah sat in her room having left breakfast early after receiving a letter from Xenia. It was the fifth she had received since the end of her third year. If her mother knew Lilah was in correspondence with Xenia she would throw a fit. Imogen refused to have any contact with Xenia and gave no reason for this. No surprise to Lilah. But, Xenia was unabashed and surprisingly sympathetic. She sent Lilah loads and loads of Xenia memorabilia and signed MB’s and wrote to her whenever she could.

Lilah read anxiously alone in her room.

My Darling Lilah,

I am so sorry it took so long. Damn bloody award ceremonies. I had three back to back and had to perform at all of them! Thank God I didn’t have to sing at the Quidditch World Cup. I did last year. It was horrid and in Siberia! Must erase memories that have just resurfaced of that event in order to sleep tonight. Damn!

Hope you enjoy the magazine I attached. It was a ten-page spread I did a month ago for them to show off my new Hawaiian home. You would adore it here. Is a posh muggle community. I have neighbors who are movie stars! I love it! Snuffles simply adores it here, too. Our macaw, Boris, thinks he is an owl and loves to deliver messages for us. It is quite amusing. But, I sent this by owl, much to his dismay, as to not bring attention to you.

How is Harry? I am so curious. I heard there was a problem with his scar hurting. Do find out if he is well for me. As you know I can’t write to him. Dumbledore has made it nearly impossible. Other gentlemen seem to know their ways around such rules and write to him anyway. Apparently Harry will be having a visitor much to my dislike. Please inform me when he arrives. It is just that I had some interesting news today that I would really like to share with him. So tell him to get his arse back here or else I’ll announce to the press that Remus is the father! Do I sound anxious? I think not.

Remus is reading over my shoulder and says, "Hullo, and I hope you’re studying hard, instead of listening to music. And I am not the father, thank you very much. Don’t write that! Stop dictating! Xenia, honestly!" Please disregard all previous statements made by Remus concerning work. Like he did an inch of school work in his life!

Well, darling, I must go. My best to everyone and your friends. I can’t wait to meet them all and especially you.

Hugs and Kisses,

Xenia

P.S. Don’t tell Sirius about the baby. I want to torture him when he gets back, first. Am quite

cruel!

She folded up the letter with a large smile and placed it in her never-ending journal. Lilah felt as if she was soaring. She had correspondence with the most famous witch in the world, who adored her to top it off. If she could just rub that in Draco’s face she wished. She grabbed the magazine and her fingers ripped savagely through the wrapping. The magazine was called, Curious, and had a picture of Xenia, in a long extremely tight turquoise robe, smiling serenely on the cover petting her "dog" Snuffles.

"She put him on the cover!" yelped Harry as Lilah showed the group the magazine later that day.

"It’s Xenia," shrugged Lilah, "She can do what she wants. Besides she has a chance to show off that she has her husband back without the Ministry knowing. It’s brilliant in my view."

"It’s endangering to her and Snuffles," vexed Hermione.

Lilah rolled her eyes and fell on the sofa.

"Whatever," mumbled Lilah flipping through the magazine.

Hermione was about to retort when Lilah flipped the magazine toward them.

"Look Harry you could be living here if Dumbledore would let you," smirked Lilah.

Harry looked at the photo and saw an enormous house on the beach of Kauai. It had 8 rooms, an indoor pool, an outdoor pool, a tennis court, two gazebos, and a walkway of marble going straight to the ocean. The outside of the mansion was painted in a soft periwinkle and had large glass windows on each of its three floors, making it resemble an elaborate greenhouse.

Ron’s jaw dropped, "Wow!"

Even Hermione was speechless. Lilah turned the magazine towards her again and began to read out loud.

"The Goddess of Song has built yet another dream castle for herself. Another elaborate masterpiece to add to her collection which includes a summer home in the French Riviera, a winter mansion in Switzerland, a chateau in Cognac, and the impossible to find castle in the Russias. This time her newest creation is in the United States.

I wanted a homier feel with this house, she says thoughtfully, petting her new dog, Snuffles.

On top of designing a dream house she has become an avid dog lover, bringing her pet with her everywhere she goes. Her newest mantra is, If the sign says: No Dogs Allowed, I make sure a new line is added saying, Unless it’s a Seeing Eye dog or Xenia’s.

Pictures of her legendary castle somewhere in the southern part of Russia are still being sought after. But since the castle is unplotable and has an unfathomable amount of Muggle and wizard repelling spells, second only to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the paparazzi are being subdued with photos of her new home in Kauai."

"You really are the luckiest boy in the world," moaned Ron.

"Think that Ron, if you want," Sighed Harry reaching for the magazine which Lilah gladly gave him.

Lilah looked up at Harry as he read and felt a small burning in her stomach. It could only be described as jealousy. She plastered a smile on her face as Harry read on about how much Xenia made per concert and how many MBs she had sold world-wide. Why did he have to be so special and be Xenia’s godson? Lilah knew very well that she was closer to Xenia. She wanted to keep it that way.

"So, what did Xenia write in the letter?" asked Harry giving Ron the magazine to whine over.

"Oh, er," Lilah mumbled, "Nothing important."

She felt her stomach go sour from guilt as she said the words. But, quickly subdued the feeling.

* * *

Nigel walked away from his friends after Arithmancy towards Divinations. Lilah would be out soon. He stood by the ladder waiting, his foot tapping nervously. The trap door cracked open and the Slytherins and Gryffindors began to come down the ladder. Nigel greeted Harry, Hermione and Ron as they headed off for their next class. Draco came out followed by Pansy.

"What are you doing here?" he sneered.

"Nothing that concerns you," Nigel mumbled.

"Waiting for Snape?" giggled Pansy.

Nigel bit his lip and glared at his trainers.

"No, he’s waiting for you to move your fat arse out of my way!" snapped Lilah as she descended the ladder.

Pansy scowled at them both.

"You’re such a bitch!" she growled back at Lilah.

"Why thank you." Lilah sighed, "Tell me Pansy, are you more upset over the fact that you fancy a boy that looks like a girl or that Malfoy looks prettier than you?"

Nigel bit hard on his lip trying not to laugh. Pansy was seething in anger.

"Just wait Snape!" she hissed, "You’ll get yours."

"What are you going to do?" chortled Lilah. "Sick a ferret on me?"

Draco had had enough insults towards him and escorted Pansy way. Nigel began to laugh.

"Lil, you’re so mean," he giggled.

"So," Lilah huffed, settling her hands on her hips, "They deserved it."

"True." he sighed.

They walked together to lunch. Nigel wanted to tell her about the girl in his room. But most definately not what he had been thinking about prior to it.

"Er, some girl appeared in my room." he blurted out suddenly.

"Pardon?"

Nigel took a deep breath a told her what he had seen.

"You think we should tell someone?" asked Lilah as a spasm of fear shot through her, "I don’t want you flying out of windows."

"No. I am not scared really. Just, curious. If she shows up again, I’ll tell Dumbledore."

Lilah held her stomach. It wasn’t happening again, she assured herself. She reached up and touched the talisman around her neck. The icy cold touch gave her some feeling of safety.

"Suit yourself," she sighed. "Seems like we attract very interesting ghosts."

"I don’t think it was a ghost." mumbled Nigel.

"How do you know?"

"Er," Nigel hesitated. "She touched me."

"How?" asked Lilah cynically.

"Er, she kissed me," he mumbled, then added quickly, "And remember you told me the bloody baron felt icy cold when he touched your shoulder. She felt real."

"No wonder you don’t want to tell Dumbledore," mused Lilah.

"It wasn’t anything bad!" Nigel stammered," Just a pop kiss! I mean it wasn’t really anything."

"Calm down. I’m not accusing you. Honestly. Like I’d care how far you went with a girl." Lilah sighed.

"Oh right," Nigel said softly. "Of course not."

* * *

Harry sat in his dorm. His fist clenched in rage. His body shaking with anger. The night was dwindling away and a rosy sky was appearing above the school. But the windows were shut. Harry refused to believe the day was to go on. He raised his eyes up to a person standing in the shadows by the window.

"This can’t be happening!" whimpered Harry, "We killed Voldemort! How dare they strike back!"

The person stepped out of the shadows and came to Harry’s side. It was boy. Tall and handsome and around seventeen. His shoulders were broad and he had silky brown hair flowing to his shoulders.

"They kill what is most important to us!" hissed the boy, "They’re Clearbleeders. It is expected they would stoop so low."

"But, she was protecting Ron! She didn’t have to die!" shrieked Harry.

"No she didn’t," growled the boy. "None of them had to die."

"What are we going to do? Ron has gone mad. I think he could kill himself," shuddered Harry; "It’s just us."

"Right," the boy agreed. "They think we are beaten into submission but we’ll prove them wrong. Like hell they’ll bring a new Voldemort with Malfoy! You know what we have to do."

"What?" asked Harry his emerald eyes wandering around for a glimpse of safety in his life.

The boy leaned forward, his body towering over Harry’s small frame.

"We have to kill what is most important to him," hissed the boy. "We have to kill Lilah."

Saffron jolted forward and her blue eyes snapped open. She looked around her living room then down. In her hands she found two knitting needles and small beginnings of a scarf. Her stomach twisted in a manner of the days when she was pregnant and had morning sickness. She placed her hand on the lower parts of her stomach feeling a sudden pain shoot up through it. Contractions. Her hands shook and she stood up and put her knitting away. It was happening again. Phantom pains of childbearing. She hurried into her husband’s den and found some parchment and a quill. She sat wondering what to write at first. Was it just her imagination? Or was he in danger?

Her quill touched the paper and she began to write,

Dear Professor Dumbledore,

* * *

The first week back at school went by quickly. Everyone was getting back into his or her old routines. Lilah walked into her first DADA class with Professor Moody. He glared equally at each Slytherin as they entered the room.

"Hurry up! I haven’t got all day!" he snapped.

Lilah went to a seat in the back next to Blaise Zabini, who Lilah could not deny had gotten some how more attractive over the summer. Maybe it was because he had grown a foot or two taller. He didn’t look at her; his nose was stuck in a book. Moody pulled out a roster and began to call out names.

"Millicent Bulstrode!"

Millicent who had grown larger and uglier over the summer raised her hand. Moody looked up observed her for a second and then back at the roster. He called out names with equal disdain until he came to the M’s and snickered loudly.

"Ferret Malfoy! I mean Draco."

Draco hesitantly raised his hand with a scowl unlike Lilah had ever seen on him. The Slytherins began to laugh. Lilah had heard about Draco changing into a ferret by Moody from Ron, and regretted no one had had a camera.

"Quiet!" shouted Moody and the Slytherins immediately shut up.

"Jezebel Nott!"

Little Jezebel raised her hand and Moody continued.

"Pansy Parkinson!"

Pansy raised her hand and pug face high. Moody sneered at her.

"Variana Snape!"

Lilah raised her hands with pursed lips.

"I prefer to be called Lilah."

Moody eyes, well good eye, settled on her with utter loathing

"I prefer to not care, Variana," sneered Moody.

Lilah didn’t know how to respond. She heard Draco snicker in front of her.

"Shut up ferret!" she yelled.

"Come over here and make me Snape!" he shouted back.

Moody looked at Draco then Lilah and shook his head disgusted.

"Quiet both of you!" he hissed, "Don’t insult your families anymore by opening your mouths."

Lilah lowered her head and pouted in the back as Moody finished the roster.

Lilah left class in a very negative mood. She had learned two things, what the unforgivable curses were and that Professor Moody hated her. She couldn’t figure out why. She walked down to the Great Hall for lunch. She went to the end of the table and sat next to Blaise, who as usual was reading.

"I must know what is so fascinating in those books," Lilah sighed.

Blaise looked up at her indignantly.

"Have you ever read one?" he sneered.

"A book? Of course!" she snapped.

"Then why are you the worst student in Slytherin?" he asked returning his eyes to his book.

Lilah felt a spark inside go off. She had had it. Why did everyone hate her? She stood up and huffed. Blaise ignored her and kept reading.

"I am not the worst!" she shrieked.

Blaise kept reading.

"Look at me! I’m talking to you!" she shouted.

"No," he sighed looking up from his book, "You’re yelling at me."

Lilah bit her lip.

"S-sorry." she grumbled.

Blaise huffed and put his book down.

"What do you want Snape?"

She felt her mouth go dry. She wished she could say what she wanted. A pathetic, stupid, wish, she knew that would only sound sentimental and weak. She just truly wanted a friend. She didn’t have anyone. Harry and his friends tolerated her. They weren’t her friends and she knew it.

"Nothing," She mumbled. "Go back to your book."

She turned from Blaise and walked away from her table. Past a snickering Pansy and Draco. Past the older Slytherins who checked her out with their greasy stares. She came to the door and in walked Nigel and his friends.

"Hi Lily!" he said happily.

She wasn’t in the mood to pretend to be pleasant.

"Hi," she grumbled and stormed out of the hall.

As soon as she left the hall she leaned against the wall feeling tears fill her eyes. She felt so stupid. Why did it matter so much for people to like her? She didn’t need them. She didn’t need anyone.

"Lily you okay?" asked a concerned voice.

She looked to her side and Nigel was standing next to her, without his friends.

"Do I look okay?" she snapped.

"No," he berated himself. "Sorry."

"I hate everyone." She spat.

"Why?" he asked raising his hand to put on her shoulder then quickly lowering it.

"Because everyone hates me. I thought it was only fair," she laughed bitterly as the tears began to fall.

"I like you," he said softly.

Lilah looked into those big brown eyes of his. She knew he did. But, it wasn’t comforting to hear.

"Great!" she sighed. "One person likes me."

"Well, why do you need everyone to like you?"

"Oh I don’t know," she said with a slather of sarcasm. "Maybe because I hate to walk down the hall with people glaring at me. Or having people talk about me behind my back or insult me or my family when they don’t even know me."

"It can’t be that bad," he sighed.

"What would you know!" She snapped, "Everyone loves you! You’re so damn perfect and wonderful! All the girls want to marry you!"

Nigel looked down.

"I know," he whispered.

Lilah glared at him.

"I know . . ." he said trying to say the words, "I was hated for eight years."

"You?" she scoffed, "Please."

"In the orphanage I was raised in," began Nigel, "all the children hated me because I did weird things. They were all afraid of me because I was magical."

Lilah didn’t know what to say and looked at her feet.

"I didn’t have any friends," he continued, "I used to get beat up a lot too."

"By who?"

"The other kids. Mostly these two older boys, Colin and John. They really detested me."

"Oh," Lilah mumbled biting the inside of her lip.

"So, I know what it feels like," he concluded, his face showing the pain of the years before, he had tried to forget.

"You . . . want to er . . ." Nigel stammered, "You want to sit at my table?"

"The Hufflepuffs don’t like me," she grumbled.

"How do you know?"

"Well that Yankee friend of yours certainly doesn’t like me! She always glares at me."

"But she does that to all girls who aren’t in our clique," sighed Nigel. "It’s just Sally-Anne being herself. Don’t let her intimidate you. She’s really quite sweet."

"I bet," Lilah growled.

"Well, you don’t have to. I just thought . . ."

"It’s okay," Lilah said softly, "Thanks anyway. I’ll just go have lunch in my room."

"All right," he said his feet pacing back and forth.

"So, has your disappearing girlfriend come back?" Lilah sneered.

"Huh? . . . Oh, no," Nigel mumbled, a small smile on his face.

"Well, maybe she doesn’t think you’re a good kisser," Lilah smirked.

Nigel’s smile fell.

"Sorry," she sighed. "I was joking."

"I . . . I know," he stuttered.

"Well, bye," she sighed.

Lilah turned to walk off and Nigel reached out for her. His impulsive action shocked him more then Lilah and she could tell from his blushing face. He held her hand for a second then dropped it.

"I . . . I . . .er . . ."

"What?" Lilah said quietly turning towards him.

"Er . . . I wanted to give you a hug," he said quickly.

Lilah couldn’t help but smile at his innocent almost infantile behavior.

"Okay," she said and put her arms around him.

Nigel squeezed her tightly, her body against his for the first time. He felt dizzy as his face settled in her hair. He couldn’t’ get over how good it smelled. Lilah stepped back. They didn’t say anything. The hall was empty; no one was near by. And Nigel found yet another moment that it would have been great to kiss her. But, he didn’t do it.

* * *

After another awe-inspiring class with Trelawney, Nigel was informed that he was destined to be in judicial practices ("Oh, shocker there." Grumbled Nigel) because he was born under Venus. Due to a conjunction of Mars and Pluto, Justin was going to marry someone whose name began with an S ("Susan! Oh my god! It’s your destiny", squealed Sally-Anne). And, Hannah was going to be saved from great peril from a Leo because Jupiter was in the seventh house.

The Hufflepuffs left class happy to be done with lectures for the day and especially done with Divinations. They headed to their common room with Sally-Anne still gushing over the fact that Susan and Justin we destined for one another.

"Humbugs," said Nigel and the statue of Merlin moved to the side.

They entered the common room and found a group of older students seated in a huddle by the sofa. They were in deep discussion and Nigel noticed that Cedric was in the center. Sally-Anne was immediately intrigued and wouldn’t go upstairs. Susan rolled her eyes and left to her room.

"Are you really going to enter?" asked Kalinda.

Cedric shrugged his shoulders.

"Sure why not? Mortichai wants to, as does Nila."

Cedric gestured his head towards a seventh year Indian girl with long black hair and a muscular build. She smiled at Cedric.

"Are we allowed to have as many as we like from any given house?" asked Nila.

Cedric shrugged his shoulders.

"But, I don’t want any rivalry going on between us," sighed Cedric.

"No, need," said Mortichai. "You’re gonna get picked anyway."

"Will you stop it!" begged Cedric, "We all have a good chance."

Mortichai shook his head with a smile and noticed Sally-Anne in the back hoping up and down behind the group trying to see. Hannah was next to her trying to bring her into their room.

"How about an outside opinion from the bouncing bunny back there?" he chuckled.

Sally-Anne went red in the face as all the older Hufflepuffs turned and looked at her. She laughed nervously.

"Uh, yeah. What he said!" she exclaimed pointing to Cedric.

The group laughed and Sally-Anne and Hannah were welcomed to join the conversation. Cedric smiled and made a place for the girls next to him. Hannah felt a lurch in her stomach as he asked her specifically to sit on the sofa next to him. Sally-Anne sat at his feet. Hannah watched him attentively with her bright blue eyes and he smiled at her causing her to blush. She looked away from his blue gray eyes and saw someone run quickly up the stairs to the boy’s dorm like they had been caught spying on her. Hannah squinted her eyes trying to make out who it was in the dark stairway.

"Right Hannah?"

Hannah turned back.

"W-What?" she stammered.

"You’ll protect me if I get picked," said Cedric.

Hannah felt herself blush furiously.

"Of course," she giggled bowing her head.

"I’ve got my own personal guardian angel," he stated with pride putting his arm around her.

Hannah didn’t quite know how to respond as he swayed back and forth holding her. She resolved that when in doubt just smile and look cute.

Soon after everyone bundled up to go outside and welcome their school rivals, Beauxbaton and Durmstrang.

* * *

The next day, Halloween, Lilah awoke anxious for the announcement of the Triwizard Champions. But, also because it was her fifteenth birthday. She looked at herself happily in the mirror, did herself up extra sultry that morning, and skipped up the stairs from the dungeons for breakfast. Upon entering the Great Hall, she stood for a second in the doorway admiring it. It was decorated for the arrival of the other schools, with banners for each house on the walls and a large banner behind the professors’ table with the Hogwarts coat of arms on it.

Lilah sat at the end of the Slytherin table next to Blaise. She began to eat breakfast glancing over at Blaise admiring his curly black hair and olive skin. He had a book in front of him while he quietly ate his crumpets. She was in too good a mood to be mad at him anymore. And, he wasn’t insulting her at the moment but looking rather attractive reading his book. She didn’t need much that morning to be pleased.

She played with the talisman around her neck as she observed Harry and his friends chatting and smiled to herself admiring his green eyes. She wished something important were happening to her again. Not that she would give anything to be haunted by Salazar Slytherin that is, but life seemed so dull now. She felt no inclination to join the Gryffindor’s every five minutes. Or at least lacked a good reason to. The same was with Nigel. She knew very well that the Hufflepuffs hated her, except for him. But, since Godric told her the last time she dreamt about him, that her making friends with Nigel was just a misinterpretation on her part, she felt less inclined to talk to him. She would when she felt like being admired by an attractive boy. But, only then.

The owls flew in delivering the post. Boo and three other owls dropped birthday cards on her lap. She received ones from each of her Muggle girlfriends, thanks to Athena, one from Grandmama and Imogen with a certificate to any MB store in the UK for 100 galleons. She giggled happily at all the Vampire Boys MB’s she would get. She felt like someone was staring at her and looked up. Icy gray eyes met hers. Draco grimaced in her direction and Lilah noticed he had a stack of cards and parcels in front of him as well. She felt like inquiring why, but looked away and read her last two cards from Xenia and Remus.

Nigel walked over amid evil glares from the Slytherins and handed her a wrapped parcel with a card on it.

"Happy Birthday!" he said.

Lilah jumped out her seat and hugged him. She took the present and opened it to find stacks of MB’s by the Vampire Boys.

"Thanks Nigel!" she gushed.

"You’re welcome," he said scratching the back of his head.

Lilah gathered the cards and gifts in her arms and headed out of the hall to drop them off in her room before class. Nigel followed happily.

"Happy Birthday!" said Pansy cheerfully behind her.

Lilah turned around and was about to say, "thank you" when she saw Pansy was talking to Draco. Lilah couldn’t believe it. The one day that was her’s and her’s alone, he had to be a part of too. How dare he have the same birthday as her!

* * *

The rest of the day seemed to so by in a flash. Everyone was anxious to know who would be the champions. Nigel hoped it would be Cedric for Hogwarts. He looked at the Goblet all day hoping to see Cedric put his name in the goblet. After lunch, as everyone was leaving; Mortichai, Cedric, and Nila put their names in the goblet together. Nigel was so excited he ran over to Justin, the closest to him and told him.

"Really?" said Justin, "I wish I could’ve entered. Sounds so cool."

"Who do you want to get picked?" asked Nigel.

"Oh, I don’t care. Just as long as it’s from Hufflepuff. I keep hearing everyone whining about a Hufflepuff champion and such," he huffed. "If Mortichai or Cedric got picked that would shut them up."

"Rightly, so," chuckled Nigel.

"Oh please," sneered a familiar voice, "A Hufflepuff champion would probably be so scared they’d lose on purpose."

Nigel and Justin turned and scowled at Draco, who had Crabbe and Goyle behind him grinning.

"Sod off!" snapped Justin.

"Well, it’s true," Draco drawled. "It’s obvious isn’t it? Hufflepuffs are always the stupidest. I wouldn’t want them as my champion. Especially that mudblood Asian."

"Watch your mouth!" shouted a voice behind them.

Nigel turned and saw Cedric, Mortichai and Nila glaring at Draco.

"Better move your arse!" snapped Cedric, "I don’t take well to ferrets who insult my friends!"

Draco bit his lip and stomped off, followed by his cronies.

"Little bastard!" Nila spat.

"Don’t let him get to you Nila," said Mortichai, "He’s like half your size. You could take him."

Nila and Cedric laughed. Cedric looked over at the two fourth year boys and nodded coolly to them. They did the same trying to emulate his manor. Then, Cedric and his friends headed off to class.

"He’s so cool!" sighed Nigel; his eyes wide watching Cedric disappear down the hall.

Justin nodded his head in agreement, but with a contemplative look on his face as he observed Nigel.

"Er, we’d better go," he said and headed to the south tower for Astronomy.

After a moment, he noticed he was walking alone.

"Er, mate?"

"Hmm?" asked Nigel still staring off.

"You coming?" he asked warily.

"Oh, right!"

Nigel turned and scampered to Justin’s side.

* * *

Before the announcement of the champions, Nigel sat in the common room doing History of Magic homework with Lilah. Sally-Anne was sitting on top of the sofa behind Justin braiding his ear length curly hair into tiny plaits. The idea was too make him look as much as possible like his intended, Susan. It was obvious by the look on his face that it wasn’t his idea. Ernie, Susan, and Hannah, were with the other students at Hogsmeade. They had stayed behind because Justin had a cold, Nigel had to "help" Lilah with homework and Sally-Anne had to braid Justin’s hair. All very important reasons.

The hours went by slowly and Lilah’s patience quickly dwindled. Nigel had to keep her from throwing the homework out the window. When they were done Nigel helped Justin take out the plaits in his hair.

"NO!" Sally-Anne shrieked at the boys as the statue moved to the side and Hufflepuffs returned.

Susan came over carrying bags of sweets for each of them and an extra box of tissues for Justin.

"See what a good wife she’ll be!" chirped Sally-Anne receiving a bop on the head with the tissue box from Justin.

Hannah walked in next to Cedric smiling like she always was. Cedric had had his hair cut in Hogsmeade because he thought he was starting to look like a girl. Or rather his father wrote to him and said, "You are starting to look like a girl." His brown hair was to his ears now and wispy in the front. Nigel paid no real attention to the group as they came in, for he was busy keeping Sally-Anne from beating Justin on the head with the chessboard.

Hannah was glowing almost, as Cedric said something in her ear and she giggled. Kalinda pulled him away from Hannah and chastised him for seducing the fourth years, again. Sally-Anne leapt up to pin Justin when she saw Cedric’s new haircut.

"How could you!" she cried running to Cedric (Justin sighed with relief), "Your hair’s all short!"

Cedric shrugged his shoulders as Kalinda shook her head.

"Hannah said she liked it," he pouted.

"She’s easy to please," whined Sally-Anne.

"It’s just hair," sighed Lilah, joining her.

She had to be part of the conversation if it involved the most attractive boy in the room.

"Exactly," he sighed.

Lilah put on a flirtatious grin while Sally-Anne suddenly became sulky.

"I gotta get something!" he said suddenly. "Be right back."

Cedric ran to his room and Kalinda went to Mortichai.

"Did you see how Cedric mutilated his hair?" whined Sally-Anne going back to Nigel.

"No," he sighed.

Sally-Anne in a histrionic state threw herself on Justin who was trying to blow his nose, as he sat on the sofa. Lilah scowled at how immature Sally-Anne was. Honestly, did she think this was attractive behavior?

"Leave the poor bloke alone," huffed Nigel trying to pull Sally-Anne off.

He felt someone jump on him from behind.

"I said stop it!" the girl squealed.

Nigel spun around and Kalinda quickly let go of Nigel.

"Oops." she giggled her face turning red, "I thought you were Cedric."

Nigel stared at her one eyebrow raised.

"How is that?" he asked.

Cedric came running back in, carrying a letter.

"Here it is! You have to read this," he said to Kalinda.

She burst into a giggle fit.

"I just thought Nigel was you!"

"Me? Er…Kalinda I’m a good foot taller, love," sighed Cedric.

"I know it’s just the hair I guess. But from behind… well he’s like a mini you."

"Ah. My clone," he mused, "So this is where you ran off to. I might have known."

"So what is it you wanted me to read?" asked Kalinda calming down.

"Oh, this letter," said Cedric handing it to her. "But not in here."

"Okay," she said and followed Cedric to his room.

"Bye Mini-C!" she giggled not looking back.