Secret Behind The Mask

Chapter one- "A traitor amongst us."

Dumbledore closed his eyes and reflected what Snape had just told him. Does he know who it is?

"Headmaster, a word?"

"Ah, Severus. Please come in. Tea?"

"Thank you. I'm here to report about the meeting tonight."

"Please do, Severus."

"Well, there are three new death eaters. Voldomort had tortured someone. The usual."

"Anything else? Do you know who the tortured was?"

"Yes, a new traitor. Betts was his name; one of our own. Another thing, the Dark Lord did tell us about a new plan he was cooking up."

"Did he now? What about?"

"Well, he said that one of our Hogwarts students have been involved with him since their first year; a Gryffindor, to his disappointment. He said that she has been keeping close eye on Potter for him. And me and my work on supposedly training the Slytherins to become good death eaters."

"Did you see her?"

"No Headmaster. But she was there. She was covered in the death eater cloak. She was about the same height as...as..."

"Miss Granger?"

"Yes. And she was incredibly skinny."

"Well, she'll have to have potions. Keep an eye out for her. I'll tell the rest of the teachers. She must be found."

"Of course Headmaster."

That's all he knew? Just the height and size? We need more than that.

He sighed. I'll have to inform all the teachers of this new traitor.

---

"Harry, look at the head table. Now there's something you don't see every day."

Harry looked at the head table. All the teachers were worried. McGonagall, Madam Hooch, and Madam Pince were talking, in low whispers, accasionally glancing at the Gryffindor table. Some of the other teachers, including Dumbledore and Snape, were mindlessly pushing their food around on the plate, half of them looking at the Gryffindor table also.

He turned back to Hermione and Ron. "What do you suppose is the matter?"

"Maybe something that has to do with you-know-who," Ron said, looking back to his breakfast. "It always has to do with him."

"The last time I saw every single teacher, except for Professor Binns, worried, it was when Sirius escaped from Azkaban. This is serious," Hermione looked at Ron.

"We could ask Hagrid later," Harry said. "We have his class don't we?"

"Right after potions," Ron said gloomily. "Snape's horrible, he'll probably treat us horribly, even with the worry."

"Why do you always assume the worst?" Hermione said. She looked at him with narrow eyes.

"Cause the worst always happens." He returned her glare. "Today we'll be lucky if that greasy git only takes one hundred house points. But that never happens."

---

The teachers all occasionally shot glances at Snape, then at the Gryffindor table. At Harry, then they skimmed the table, eyeing every seventh year girl who was the same height as Hermione but was skinnier. They didn't see any matches.

Snape, however, knew where she was. She never comes to breakfast fools, he thought.

After a while, the teachers started to depart for their classrooms. The classes started in a half-hour, so they and the students needed to get prepared.

As Dumbledore stood, he walked over to Snape. "Remember, keep a close eye out. I have important matters to attend to at the Ministry. I will be back by the end of the week. I'll have you report to Minerva any time you see or hear anything about her."

With that, he and Snape exited the Great Hall, each going their separate ways. Snape stopped as soon as he was at the entrance to the dungeons. He looked back and saw the trio leaving the Great Hall, obviously arguing about something. Then, there she was. He cursed himself over and over for not telling the Headmaster about her. But he still needs the Dark Lord's trust.

He cursed himself more and mentally beat the crap out of himself as he entered his classroom.

---

"Well done, Miss Avalon," Snape said. "Five points to Gryffindor."

The whole class looked at him with mouths open and eyes wide.

Ron turned to Harry. "Am I going crazy? Or did Snape just award us five points?"

"I did, but now they're gone again, and then some. Ten points Mr. Weasly for talking in my classroom."

"That went out fast," Melly Avalon said to her best friend, Sherry Strands.

Melly was small in size. Had blonde hair, hazel eyes. Her skin was pale. She was as tall as Hermione. 4'8. And for an eighteen year old, that's extremely small.

Sherry was a Slytherin. She had black hair with dark green strands. Her eyes were dark brown, her skin was also pale, and she was also as tall as Hermione.

Sherry snickered. "Too bad."

"Excuse me Miss Avalon and Miss Strands. Please concentrate at the task at hand. Now everyone, the ingredients and instructions are on the board, copy them down and get started. I want more than half of you to pass your N.E.W.T.'s."

Melly glared at Ron. "Thanks Weasly. I finally get Gryffindor points, and you take them away just two seconds later."

"Calm yourself, Miss Avalon. Get your instructions written." Snape looked at her calmly.

Just wait Snape, you'll be sorry for taking those points. And you too Weasly.

I've never thought you were so inclined to your house points all of a sudden. Why the sudden change?

Because! You always take them away, and it's not fair!

Since when were you aquatinted with fairness?

Does it really matter?

Snape snorted. They always have these conversations. They were telekinetic, but only to each other.

He watched her as she got her quill and started copying.

Besides, you know I would've taken those points away. What? Do you want me to give you two hundred points just for the hell of it? He glared at her.

Would you? She looked at him, her eyes pleading.

No! I'm not entitled to do that. I can take points away, but not give them for no apparent reason.

Well, what does anyone have to do to please you?

Don't go there. Finish copying.

Melly sighed and continued copying. Sherry came back to the desk with the ingredients.

"Having another argument?" She set the ingredients down, carefully.

Melly nodded. "He can take points away for no reason, but he can't give them for no reason."

"POTTER! DON'T ADD THE GILLYWEED UNTIL AFTER THE DRAGON'S BLOOD COMES TO A BOIL! FIFTY POINTS FOR BEING SO CARELESS!"

Melly took her gaze off of Snape and Harry and Ron, and looked at Sherry, who was still staring at the commotion. "Need I say more?" Melly went back to writing.

"AND YOU, WEASLY! YOU CHOPPED THE GARLIC TO CHOPPY. TWENTY POINTS FOR POOR CHOPPING!"

---

"I hate Snape. He's such a greasy git!" Ron was red faced, and not because of the cold air outside. The trio was walking towards Hagrid's cabin for the next class, Care of Magical Creatures.

"We know, Ron, we know," Hermione said, trying not to laugh, as his face was almost the color of his hair.

"I've decided," Harry said. "Snape was definitely taking something this morning. He never so much as thought about giving points to Gryffindor. And he had the perfect chance to take those points off of Mel. What's his deal?"

"Harry, you're starting to sound as if you wanted him to take those points off," Ron said as he held his hand up to Harry's forehead. "Are you sure you're not sick?"

"Pansy, meet me in the library during lunch, okay?" a voice sounded. The trio turned their heads to see that it was Melly, surrounded by her group of friends. They were walking quickly towards the cabin. "I'm going to change you completely. The two Beauty Queens of Gryffindor will be jealous of you."

Pansy squealed and clapped her hands. "You're a doll Avalon!"

As the group of girls walked past, Ron noticed that Melly stole a glance at him, but he wasn't sure, for it was so quick. At that moment, he didn't know what was going on in his stomach. He placed a hand on his stomach to calm it.

"Right, any ways, back to reality," Hermione said, annoyed. "Like anyone could change Pansy and make Lavender and Parvati envious. What's wrong Ron?"

"What? Nothing. Just a little stomachache. I think one of them used too much perfume."

"Melly's abusing the privilege to use it. It smells horrible."

It smells wonderful. Ron thought to himself. The battle of butterflies continued, but more violently this time.

"Are you sure you're all right mate?" Harry said, patting Ron's back. "You're red face is back to normal. I've never seen you go calm so quickly when the subject is Snape."

"I'm fine. Really, I am." He continued walking, faster than the other two. "Well, are we going? We're gonna be late."

---

"Hagrid?" Harry went up to Hagrid as soon as the class was over, Ron and Hermione with him. "We need to know something."

"What do yeh want ter know?" The half giant asked.

"Well, this morning, all the teachers were looking nervous, even you," Hermione said.

"Oh, that," Hagrid said. He looked as if he was expecting anything but. "Don't you worry about it."

"But Hagrid! We can't help it. You know us!" Harry pushed.

"Fine! I'll tell yeh." He lowered his voice. "Well, last night, Professor Snape got word that there's a student spy for Voldomort here. Be it may, she's in Gryffindor, spying on yeh, Harry, and keeping close watch on Snape. Tha's all I know. If yeh wan more information, then talk to either Dumbledore or Snape."

"Well, we're not going to talk to Snape, that's a fact," Ron said, having forgotten all about the battle of butterflies from before.

"Well, yeh three had better get back inside if you want lunch." He walked into his cabin, and the three left to the Great Hall. Only then did the battle of butterflies return.

---

Melly walked to the Great Hall after Care of Magical Creatures, followed closely by Sherry. They stopped at the Great Hall, grabbed a bite, then left as quickly as possible.

"Hey! Avalon!" Malfoy called. He ran up to her. "You need to slow down. I have a question for you."

"Can't it wait? I have to get to the library." She started walking away, but Malfoy grabbed her arm.

"No, it can't." He pulled her closer, then let go. She sighed, and motioned for him to continue. "It won't take long, I promise."

"Hurry up then. I've got an appointment."

"You seem to be having a lot of those lately. Which brings me to my topic, you're not doing your job."

Melly lowered her head. "Do we have to talk about this now?" She whispered through gritted teeth. "There's people around who could be listening."

He grabbed her arm again. "Then I'll take you somewhere private to talk about this."

"Can't this particular thing wait until after dinner? Or at least until I get done with my appointment?"

"I can't keep doing your job for you. If you don't want to talk about this now, I'll either go to Snape or my father."

"I've got every class with him. I'll watch him then. There was also a reason why I was put into Gryffindor. Let me go, I have to go now."

"Leave her alone Malfoy!" Someone ran up to them and stood next to Melly. He was taller than Melly, and even somewhat taller than Malfoy.

"Well, Weasel." Malfoy snickered. He turned his gaze back to Melly. "Got yourself a body guard now? Potter's friend?"

"Just let me go, Malfoy. I'll talk to you later. After my appointment. It'll be over in ten to twenty minutes. I promise." Plus, you're hurting my arm. She thought, but didn't show it.

With that, Malfoy let go and stared at her, menacingly. "Fine. Meet me in front of the charms classroom. You have charms after lunch don't you?"

Melly shook her head. "Divination. Maybe after dinner?"

"Fine." He glared at Ron once more, then turned and walked back to the Great Hall.

Melly sighed and turned to look at Ron. As soon as she saw that his eyes were glued death threateningly at Malfoy's back, she quickly looked down. "Thanks," she mumbled.

Ron looked down at her, then smiled. "He's a stupid git anyway."

Harry and Hermione joined them seconds later.

"Ron, don't run off like that," Harry said, trying to catch his breath.

Hermione stared at Melly, who watched Harry, who looked at Ron, who also looked at Melly.

Melly cleared her throat. "Well, I must be going now." She walked to where Sherry was standing nearby.

"Malfoy had you in a tight spot, didn't he?" Sherry asked as they walked to the Grand Staircase.

"Weasly came and got in his face. I had everything under control until he came along."

"Well, that's good, isn't it?"

Melly looked at her confusingly. "How is that good?"

"Well, I was going to suggest it earlier, but it seems that Ron has the same idea. The closer you get to the best friend, the closer you get to Potter. Get my drift?"

They walked into the Library.

"Sort of."

They found Pansy waiting for them. "I'm ready," she said excitedly.