Chapter 4

My first class was Potions. I barely made it to the classroom in time, much to Professor Snape's disapproval. He seemed to be hoping that I would be late. I slid into an empty chair beside a Gryffindor. He glared at me, and I ignored him. Professor Snape just spent the whole time questioning a Gryffindor boy. I knew all of the answers to the questions that he asked, but I didn't dare raise my hand. I spent all of Potions class trying to be invisible. 

After Potions, we had Transfiguration, and I was hoping for a calm class. It didn't happen. Everyone was jumping up and down in their seats, very excited to learn how to change objects. I tried to stay invisible for that too.

Next, we finally had lunch. It was amazing, and I managed to get Salazar some food too. People didn't even know that I had a snake as a pet. Not yet anyways. After lunch, I went back to the Common Room. "Pure-blood." I went in. It was calming, the whole room was. I was supposed to be in Defense Against the Dark Arts, but I don't care anymore. It was already way to much interaction with people. I am fairly certain that I can not handle any more. I sit by the fire, looking out the window, hoping to see the Giant Squid. I start to think. Not of any specific thing, just, everything in general. Salazar squirms under my hand, so I start to pet him idly. I am so immersed in thought that I don't notice anyone else is in the room, until a hard hand clamps down on my shoulder. 

"Shouldn't you be in class, Henderson?" Oh no. Professor Snape. "Yes, sir, I should, but I couldn't handle it anymore." He leered down at me. "Handle what?" "Interaction. I am not used to this. Even after living on the streets for a month. I am not ready. I can't do this. I'm sorry sir." He glared at me. "You are a Slytherin. Slytherins don't say sorry. They also don't lie to themselves like you are lying to yourself. Clear?" I nodded mutely. "Good." Then he left.

Shortly after that, all of the other Slytherins came in. I ignored them and kept looking out the window. "Well, well, well. If it isn't a baby first year." An older voice sneered at me. I kept ignoring him. "Look at me when I am talking to you!" He pulled me out of my chair and onto the stone floor. It hurt a bit, but I quickly got over it. Especially after realizing that I was on top of Salazar. My anger boiled, threatening to spill over. He had hurt me, and had also, inadvertently, hurt the one being that seemed to care about me.

He must have seen my anger, but he didn't know why I was so angry. He must have thought that I was weak. I really wanted to dual him. I don't know how he knew that, but he did. "You want a fight, huh. Well, why not right here, right now. Any spells, jinxes, counter jinxes, curses, hexes, anything is allowed. Do you agree?" For sure. "I agree." He smirked. Everyone else gasped. I don't care what I just got into, I wanted to fight this fight. "Good. Arm yourself. Draco, you say when to start." I got ready. He got ready."Fight!" Draco yelled.

I did the first thing that I could think of. "Crucio!" Everyone in attendance murmured their shock. I waited until he was begging for mercy, then I stopped. He was gasping for air. I leered at him. "Would you like to continue? Or perhaps another day?" He gathered himself up, and seemed ready to fight again. "Your move." I sneered at him. He decided not to take it easy on me. He did a much simpler spell. "Expelliarmus!" "Protego! Petrificus totalus!" His body became rigid, and he fell onto his back. "What is going on here!?" Snape had come back. All of the Slytherins that were gathered around us backed off, letting Snape come right through. "Finite incantatem." He muttered. The seventh year that had picked a fight with me got up. "Alright, who started this. Never mind. Henderson, follow me." Not like I had much of a choice. He had grabbed my arm so tight, I knew right away that it would be bruised tomorrow. I didn't care.

"If it were up to me, you would be packing your bags. However, the Headmaster wanted to talk with you. Don't count on him to save you next time though. Understand?" "Yes, sir, I understand." I had to jog to keep up with him, which was awkward, because he was still dragging me. I was breathless by the time we reached a griffin, but he didn't care. "Lemon drops." He said to the griffin, who moved out of the way, revealing a staircase. We went up it and came to a door. Snape knocked. "Come in, Severus." We entered, and I met Professor Dumbledore. 

"You can let her go, Severus. There is no need for such harsh behavior here at Hogwarts. How's Slytherin treating you?" It took me a moment, and a hard prod from Snape, to realize that he had asked me a question. "Better than I could have ever hoped, sir." Snape interrupted. "When I arrived, she was in the middle of a dual with a seventh year student." Dumbledore looked interested. "Oh really, who won?" "Really, Headmaster? I say that she was in a dual, and you ask who won? It doesn't matter! Sir." I got up enough nerve to interrupt him. "Well, I am fairly certain that I won, given the boundaries that he established. We could use any spell. So I did." He smiled. "And which spells did you use?" I answered him quickly, before Snape could interrupt. "I used crucio, protego, and petrificus totalus." Both of the professors looked shocked. "What did you say the first one was?" "Crucio, why? Did I do something wrong?" I was so confused. 

Dumbledore turned to Snape in a fury. "Did you teach her that?! It is an Unforgivable Curse for a reason Severus! You taught a child one of the Unforgivables?! Did you ever use it on her?!" I snuck as far away as I could, watching his wand arm, gripping my own wand. I was terrified, remembering all of the pain that I experienced at his hand. Professor Dumbledore glanced at me. "Judging from her reaction, yes, I think that you did. Oh, Severus, why? You could go to Azkaban for that. Why would you do that?" 

"I had to. She couldn't be weak." His voice was more emotionless and terrifying than it had ever been. 

"There are other ways to make her strong. Surely you understand, Severus."

He looked very hurt, but he covered it up quickly. "This was the only thing that I could think of. She needs to be stronger than all of the other students combined. You said that yourself, Albus." He looked at me sadly. "Yes, Severus, but beating a seventh year in a dual is not going to help her." 

"No, Albus, that is where you are wrong. She gained the respect of many Slytherins tonight, and I know that that can only help her. It can't hurt her." I interrupted their conversation. "May I go back to the common room?" Professor Dumbledore nodded. "Don't run in to Filch. Good night." I nodded, then left them to argue, hurrying back to the common room.