A Hogwarts Rose Year 2

Chapter 12

We took Harry to the hospital wing and while everyone was with Harry I went to see how Draco was. He was lying on a bed surrounded by his Slytherin cronies who glared at me as I walked up to him. He smiled at me briefly as I pushed through to the side of his bed.

'Are you alright?' I asked softly.

'Yeah, I see Potter's drawn in quite a crowd.' He hissed venomously.

'It's not his fault, Draco. If Lockhart hadn't interfered then it would been just a simple broken arm instead of having to regrow his bones.' I explained. He nodded understanding. 'Anyway, how long until you can leave?'

'I could leave know if you like, Madame Pomfrey's to busy with Potter, but I'm really not that bad.' He said. So I checked up on Harry and Draco and I left, while the other Slytherins left as soon as Draco stood up, but the thing that puzzled me was that none of them said anything to me, not one snide remark, but why?

'So what did you say to the rest of the Slytherins?' I asked once we were outside the castle.

'What do you mean?' He asked.

'Well, when I was talking to you back there none of them were rude to me so you must have said something.'

'Well, I might have told them not to be mean to you or I'd hex the pants of them in the middle of the Great Hall at dinner.' He said sheepishly. I laughed and we went in to the weeping willow and sat down. 'By the way congrats on winning the match.'

'Gryffindor thanks you.' I joked. 'You did really well out there.'

'Thanks, but the team's not that great; all they did today was cheat.'

'I know, but you didn't which makes you better than the rest of your team.' I said and he smiled. 'However, I did see you having it out with Harry.'

'What can I say, I was trying to distract him.' He shrugged. 'Anyway........... Why do you think that bludger went after Potter?'

'It had to have been bewitched or something, after all bludgers don't just do that on their own, but who would do that I don't know.'

'Exactly so it would have to be someone with a pretty big grudge against him.'

'Yes, someone like.............you?' I suggested.

'Me?' He asked shocked.

'I'm just kidding Draco, I know you wouldn't do that.' I laughed.

'I'll get you for that one!' He said and he started tickling me. I rolled around on the ground trying to get away from him when suddenly my neck started tingling.

'Hold it.' I said deadly serious. 'We're being watched.' I poked me head out of the leaves that made our curtain and I saw a pair of black shoes sticking out from underneath a long black robe and as I looked up I saw the face of............... 'Professor Snape!'

'Hello Miss Partridge.' He drawled.

'What do you want?' I asked annoyed.

'Steph, be nice.' Draco said coming out and helping me to stand up.

'I am here to tell you that Mr Potter wants to see you in the hospital wing.' He replied and I noticed Draco slump slightly. Snape walked away and I went into the cover of the weeping willow.

'You know, you should give him a chance. He's really not such a bad man.' Draco suggested.

'How do you know?' I asked sourly, sitting down with my back up against the tree.

'Because he's my Godfather.' He replied sitting next to me.

'I already know.'

'How?'

'Remember when we decided to be friends and Goyle said that Snape wanted to see you in his office?' I asked, he nodded. 'Well I followed you to the potions classroom and eavesdropped, I heard everything.' I confessed.

'That's ok, I was hoping you would because I hate having to lie to you especially when it involves Snape. However when I say you shouldn't keep pushing away, it's not because of what he said, I'm saying it because it's true. He loves you Steph and he wants you to forgive him the best you can.' I nodded then stood up and went to find Snape. I think it's about time I gave him a chance like I did Draco. I found him just about to go down into the dungeons.

'Professor.' I said standing next to him as he looked down at me. 'I would like to apologise for my behaviour and I was wondering if I could see you in your office now.' I suggested and we walked down together. Once we were inside I got straight to the point, I wanted to know more.

'What did you want to see me about Miss Partridge?'

'I want to know everything about you, about me, about my Mum. Everything.' I explained, he nodded and we sat down, him on one side on his desk and me facing him on the other.

'When you were born things weren't going well for the Wizarding world; the dark lord had risen and was wreaking havoc everywhere. He was gathering followers and turning them to the dark side. Dumbledore created an order to try and fight him, but at this stage we were no match for him. So in order for us to know what he was planing some had to go undercover as spies for the order and join the dark lords forces, then report back to Dumbledore. I was one of them.'

'You were?' I asked shocked, he nodded and continued the story.

'However things seemed to get worse and I had to do more and more for the dark lord and he grew closer to discovering my most precious secret.' He paused. 'You. By the time you were six months old many of the dark wizards and witches had tried to attack your mother and I couldn't protect you so we decided we had to give you away to a muggle family, to protect you.' He explained.

'So it was Voldemort's fault.' I said understanding things a little more now.

'Yes.'

'So what about you? Do I have any siblings? What about my Mum? Who is she? What's happened to her?' I asked.

'You have an older brother and sister who are fraternal twins. Your mother was killed by the dark lord a little over year after you were adopted by Mrs Partridge.' He said sadly.

'Oh.' I said and we sat in silence for a few moments. I was happy that I had siblings, but sad that I no longer had a mother, then I had a thought. 'Why am I so different to you? I mean we don't look anything like each other.'

'Your mother cast a charm on you before she gave to Mrs Partridge so that no one would be able to recognise you when you got older. I can remove the charm and show you what you really look like if you want.' He suggested, I nodded and we both stood up. He pulled his wand out of the pocket of his robes and pointed it at me. He then said an incantation that I couldn't quite understand and almost instantly my body began to ache and I closed my eyes as they started to sting. Several seconds later my discomfort stopped and I opened my eyes as the Professor conjured up a mirror.

I gasped at my reflection; my hair was now black and it went halfway down my back in silky waves, my eyes now had a little bit of a green tinge to them, my skin was now pale and I had grown at lest an extra ten centimetres! I glanced at Snape wide eyed, then looked back at myself in the mirror. I really did look like I was his daughter.

'I've looked like this all my life?' I asked amazed.

'Yes, but no one could see it.' He nodded.

'Wow............ I can definitely see the resemblance now.'

'I can put the charm back on if you want.'

'No.' I shook my head. 'It's about time everyone saw me for who I am and it's time I apologised. I'm sorry for the way I have treated you and what I've said to you. I understand if you're angry with me because I deserve whatever punishment you give me .' I said bowing my head. I heard him take a step forward and I felt his hand gently push my chin up so that I would look at him.

'I'm not angry or upset with you. I'm just glad to have my little girl back.' He said then he drew me in for a hug and I returned it gladly.