The Not So Perfect Potter

32 ~ Pictures

"Isabelle, it's time to go to the carriage." Mcgonagall said, gently tapping the girl on the shoulder in the library. Isabelle groaned and waved goodbye to the Weasley twins as she followed the professor out of the room. "Are you excited for the last task on the weekend?" The woman said chirpily, making conversation as she always did when taking the girl from the carriage to the castle and back. Isabelle shrugged and stared at the ground, "The quicker we finish the tasks, the quicker this stupid spell ends." She groaned back.
Mcgonagall sighed and placed a hand on the girls shoulder, "The quicker the tasks are over, the sooner you will be returning to Beauxbaton. Isabelle, I don't think you understand that your time here is limited. Once you return to your school, you will not be coming back to Hogwarts. It will be too dangerous for you to return, therefore you should spend your remaining time wisely."
Isabelle nodded slowly and looked down at the ground, "Professor, would you mind if I stay in the castle a little longer? There's some things I want to do before I go back." Mcgonagall nodded, a small smile playing on her face.

Isabelle ran through the castle and weaved her way in and out of corridors. She reached the potions room and paused for a moment before entering the classroom. Inside was Severus sitting at one of the desks, his head in his hands, stress practically radiating off him. "Professor?" She said softly, the man spun around with shock on his face. Upon seeing the girl, his face softened, "Good evening, Isabelle. What are you doing in the castle, shouldn't Minerva have taken you back by now?" The girl shook her head and sat beside him, she took a deep breath and grabbed her wand.
"Accio album." Instantly the thick picture book came flying through the air and landed on the desk in front of her. She flicked through a few pages before handing it to Snape, "This book if filled with pictures of my parents and The Marauders. Hagrid gave my brother one and Dumbledore gave me this one, mines mostly filled with them in school, there might be some that you recognise. I was hoping you'd be able to tell me more about them, with the book reminding you. When I go back home, I won't have any opportunities to ask about my parents and Dumbledore won't really tell me anything about them." 

Snape nodded silently and took the album into his hands flipping through pages. He landed on one where a girl who looked identical to Isabelle was standing in the doorway of a Gryffindor dorm room, she wore an elegant green silk dress with a deeper emerald belt. Her flaming hair was pulled up into a delicate bun with a green ribbon intertwined. She had a bright smile and happiness in her eyes that could make anyone looking at it giggle. The moving picture made the girl twirl her skirt from left to right, her eyes twinkling in the light of the room. "This was your mother on her birthday. James and Sirius threw her a huge ball at the Potters Mansion, they invited the whole school including me. It was one of the best balls I'd ever been to, Lily looked gorgeous and wore that smile all night. Your father really did make her happy and one thing I always wanted to do." Isabelle could see the tears starting to form in her eyes as she wiped away her own. Snape continued to flip through the book until he reached another picture of Lily, this time she was curled up on one of the dormitory beds, a ginger cat lying beside her. Both were fast asleep, the picture showed the faint snores of them both. "This was when Lily accidentally drank one of James' sleeping draught potions, he made it incredibly strong for one of his pranks. Lily was asleep for about a week, she was furious and demanded James to catch her up. I gave her my notes though, she was so grateful that she almost forgave me, almost."

Isabelle smiled and admired the pictures as Severus explained them. Each of the images meant a whole new story that she couldn't wait to hear. "Severus?" She said softly. He hummed in response to show he was listening, without moving his eyes from the pictures. "Do you...do you think they'd like me and be proud?" She stuttered looking down to the floor. Severus' eyes shot up to look at her and immediately pulled the girl into a hug. "Of course they would, why would you think anything different?"
Isabelle sighed, "Well, Harry literally defeated Voldemort as a baby, then Professor Quirrel when he was eleven, stopped Tom Riddle and killed a basilisk when he was twelve, freed Sirius when he was thirteen and is now in the Triwizard Tournament at fourteen. How can I compete? All I've done is gone to Ilvermorny, almost get found then move to Beauxbaton. I've got such a great gift with my powers and I can't seem to do anything right with them." Severus frowned, his heart ached for the girl. He knows how it feels to be unloved and unappreciated and he never wanted her to feel like that.

"Isabelle, you have saved Harry more than once and that's just this year. You helped him with the first task by ensuring he knew about the dragons, you gave him Gillyweed for the second task and no doubtably, you're going to find someway to help him in the third." Isabelles eyes opened wide as he spoke, only now realising that he knew she stole from his potions ingredient but thankfully he didn't seem angry about it. "Your mother and father would be more than proud of you. I understand that it's hard having Harry as your brother but you're one of the most amazing witches I have ever met. I know Dumbledore doesn't want you to, but it would be an honour to fight along side you, be it where I spell cast and you support or you right beside me." Isabelle smiled weakly and nodded, she quickly flicked her hand making the door close. Suddenly, her face grew serious as she looked at the man, "Severus, I want to fight. I'll risk it, if I can read minds then maybe I can read his. I've been told that he could control me through my mind if he ever knew I existed but what if I try and control his, he wouldn't have to see me or even know I was there. As long as I could get close enough to hear his thoughts, surely I could manipulate his actions and try to save at least one person. Plus, as you said I'm good at magic, I can cast simple spells as well as more complex ones. But I'd need practise, I've had small encounters with Death Eaters where I've fought them off but nothing to the scale that would arise."

"I could help you, I don't want you to go around practising on other students but I can show you a few spells and defences that could help if you do ever come to need them. Come to me tomorrow during lunch, I'll find a student for you to duel against." Isabelle nodded excitedly and jumped up from her seat, "Thank you, professor." Severus chuckled and shook his head.
"I better start taking you down to the carriage, it's nearing curfew." The two began making their way to the carriage and finally they spotted Clementine, Max and Alex sitting outside. Isabelle hurried to join them with Severus not far behind, "You can stay out here but you must remain close to Max." Severus informed waving his wand over Max before making his way back to the castle. The boy chuckled and pulled Isabelle into a hug, "Where have you been? I feel like I haven't seen you at all today." Max smiled pressing a gentle kiss on the top of the girls forehead. Isabelle smiled and snuggled into his side, "I was helping Fred and George with their potions homework. They are hopeless. Then I was with Snape talking about Harry and my parents." She giggled back, Max began twirling her red hair round his fingers as the group stared into the distance. 

"You know I'm the best dancer in this whole school." Max scoffed as he stood and began swaying his body in time with the faint music playing in the boys room. Isabelle broke out into giggles and fell back into Max's bed, "Do you think I'm lying?" He asked raising an eyebrow wandering closer to her. Isabelle shook her head, trying to contain the laughter that was building up. "That's it, dance off." Alex demanded jumping up and grabbing Clementines hand. Immediately, the two began dancing terribly, Alex was tripping over Clem's feet but the two giggled loudly. Max held out his hand to Isabelle which she took rolling her eyes, "You're a dork." She giggled resting her arms around his shoulder. Max nodded in agreement and rested his forehead against hers, "Can I be you're dork though?" He smirked, Isabelle lifted her head off his and furrowed her eyebrows. Clementine groaned from where her and Alex were now watching, "He's asking you to be his girlfriend, dummy." Max grew rather red in the face as Alex snorted out in laughter. Isabelle turned to Max who nodded slowly with a cheesy grin on his face, without another word Isabelle leant in and gently pressed her lips to his. Max returned the action and the two shared a gently kiss. Clementine and Alex cheered and pulled the new couple into a hug, "We are so going on a double date!" Clementine said excitedly with Alex nodding enthusiastically. 

"Well, as much as this has been extremely fun, Isabelle needs her rest or she'll die and I'm not letting that happen." Max said wrapping his arm around her waist and leading her towards the door, Isabelle shook her head and stopped. "I'm fine now, it's been months and the dreams have stopped." The boy raised his eyebrow and looked Isabelle dead in the eye, shaking his head.
"I know you still get them, don't lie to me, Belle. I just don't want you to over exhaust yourself."
Isabelle giggled and pecked his lips, "Don't worry, Max. I won't and I'll go to bed in a few minutes, please?" She begged, giving him her best puppy-dog expression. He sighed and rolled his eyes, "Alright." Isabelle smiled smugly and pulled Max back onto the floor where they had been winning exploding snap against Clementine and Alex.