Haphephobia

Divided Loyalties

[I am aware that events transpired in different years in the books, but I am not making this story canon-compliant, mostly because it is centered on Snape/Adeline and not the Golden Trio, despite their friendships.]

''I can't believe the greasy git tried to kill you!'' Ron hissed at the bespectacled boy that lay in a bed in the Hospital Wing, pacing from left to right as his face slowly but surely turned the same shade of red as his hair. ''Oh come off it, will you!''  Hermione chastised her new group of friends, setting the book she had been reading down in her lap as she shifted in the visitors chair. ''Professor Snape is a teacher here and however much he dislikes Harry, he wouldn't try and harm him.'' Adeline ignored the explosion of insults that flew from Ron's mouth, her eyes distant as she reviewed her own memories of the events earlier that day. 

While she was immensely proud of her friend to have made the Gryffindor Quidditch team as a first year only weeks earlier, she couldn't help but have been worried for his first official match. She vividly remembered the moment his broom seemed to get a will of its own, attempting savagely to throw her human friend off. Perceptively and sharply, Adeline immidiately scanned the crowds to see if someone was keeping eye-contact with the broom to spell it. She spotted both Professors' Quirrel and Snape intently focusing on the broom, confusing her just a tad. Was it both of them, or did one of them utter the counter-curse? She strained her peculiar ears but couldn't make out any of the words through the loud shouts and exclamations of the students all around her. Fed up, she turned to her left where Hermione sat, intent on getting the girl to see what she saw. If anyone could, it was the muggleborn know-it-all. But to both her surprise and horror, the girl wasn't seated. She was hunched over beneath the stands, already making her way towards the teacher stands, halting directly under Snape. Adeline paled considerabely as Hermione lit the Professor's robes on fire, the flurry of movements afterwards forcibly breaking the eye-contact of both teachers, ruining her chances of finding out which one of them was the one intent on hurting her human friend. She didn't stay around to see what had become of Harry, however much she regrets that now, but instead made her way through the shocked students to follow after a scowling Professor Snape, who had made to leave immidiately after he got rid of the flames with a simple watering-charm. 

She tenderly caressed her wooden bracelet, watching it form into her trusted wand that she flicked once to cover herself in a disillusionment charm and a notice-me-not charm, tip-toeing her way after the brooding man. She had noticed him storming off to the Third Floor Corridor, the forbidden one, rather than down to the Dungeons to get a new set of robes. He murmured a spell under his breath as he checked one of the doors lining the hallway, most likely checking to see if it had been opened. Appearently content with the results of his little check-up, Snape turned around and made way for his personal chambers down in the dreaded Dungeons. How peculiar. Adeline thought within the safety of her mind. Why would a Quidditch 'accident' warrant a safety check for the corridor that, allegedly, would grant any trespassers to die a most painful death? The itch to curse her way through the door and find out the truth was hard to ignore, but Adeline was not prepared. She had no idea what she would come to face if she opened the door, and she'd rather prepare herself in numerous ways before daring a trip inside. With plans already forming in her mind on which potions to brew in  case she got hurt, which defensive and offensive spells she should learn from the Restricted Section of the library and whether or not to inform Dumbledore of her findings, the young elven girl made her way to the Hospital Wing, fairly sure that Madam Pomfrey would have insisted on Harry visiting her, whether he was hurt in the ordeal wouldn't have mattered to the overbearing woman.

''Sometimes I like having a friend that doesn't yell at others all the time.'' Harry commented dryly, snapping Adeline out of her thoughts as she glanced at the sheepish smile the boy gave her. Hermione sniffed, stopping her lecture to Ron to glare at the hospitalised boy. ''Someone has to keep you all in line, you're going to make it impossible for us to win the House Cup!'' She insisted stubbornly, flapping her hand at the ginger boy that just opened his mouth. ''Not now, Ronald!'' Adeline snorted loudly, covering her mouth with both of her small hands to muffle the light chime of her giggles. Hermione gave her a sharp look, but they could all see the ends of her lips curl in a smile. Ever since Adeline saved the young witch, she had been insistant on sticking to her side, already used to the jibes of the boys that she dreamed of becoming their mute friends' shadow as a future occupation. Adeline didn't mind, it was nice to have another girl in their group evening out the playing field, although she could do without the insistant mothering. She slight pang of worry she had of Hermione telling people that she could talk, and the effects her voice had on people, was done-in when Hermione had promised to keep the secret, unintentionally making it an Unbreakable Vow. 

Adeline had spend the rest of the evening in the girls' dorm, explaining what it was and what would happen if she broke it. She hadn't seemed to mind, intent on proving the young elf that she was worthy of her friendship and the second chance at life the elf had gotten her. Adeline was sure that if she ever told someone of her lineage, of her being an Elf, her female human friend would be the first to know. Hermione was the sibling she had always wished for when she grew up alone in the Forbidden Forest, surrounded by creatures with families of their own. She shook her head lightly, mentally chastising herself for thinking such depressing thoughts, before tapping Ron on his shoulder and gesturing to the clock. ''Oh bloody hell, we're going to miss dinner!'' The ginger shouted, eyes sperred wide open in shock. He latched unto Hermione's wrist, yanking the affronted girl up and dashing towards the hospital wings' doors, having long ago learned to not touch Adeline unless she initiated the contact. ''Honestly, it's a wonder you haven't gotten fat yet, Ronald Weasley.'' Hermione rolled her eyes at her friends antics, waving bye to Harry as she tried to keep up with the quick steps of her food-obsessed friend. Adeline smiled at them, patting Harry on the head before making her way after her friends. She wondered which of her Professors was the evil one, deciding to observe both during the meal time.