The Malfoy Principle (On Hiatus)

Spreading the Fear

“This is exciting,” Saphira muttered as she apparated to the front gates of Hogwarts. Severus appeared beside her and dusted his robes off.

“Professor Snape, and guest,” Saphira frowned as she watched Argus Filch hobble toward them.

“Professor Black will do,” she remarked as she pulled out her wand. Filch looked at her for a moment before realization dawned across his grotesque features.

“Miss Malfoy!” Saphira frowned at the name.

“Yes, or Professor Black,” she reiterated as Severus smirked from her side. Filch moved to transport their trunks as Severus led Saphira to the castle. Saphira almost dreaded her return.

“This is going to be awful. I can feel it. I can just see the other teachers looking at me with surprise written all across their old faces,” Saphira mumbled more to herself than to her companion. Severus chuckled as he heard her.

“Saphira! Severus!” Albus Dumbledore greeted them at the main doors to the castle. An auror stood next to him along with Professor Minerva McGonagall. Saphira frowned.

“Professor Dumbledore,” she responded weakly. The auror stepped forward and stopped the blonde.

“I’m sorry, ma’am. I need to search you,” he ordered. Saphira stared at him first in shock before she settled her features into a fierce scowl.

“Do you have any idea who I am? I am Saphira Malfoy Black. You will not come within 20 feet of me, do you understand?” She growled. Severus smirked as he moved past the stunned auror. Albus chuckled.

“Now, now, Saphira. There’s no need to be so aggressive,” Albus remarked as Severus shook his head. Saphira smirked as she pushed past the auror.

“If I wasn’t aggressive, Professor, I doubt anyone would listen to me,” she commented as she walked between the headmaster and Potions Master.

“I have no doubt that you can attain attention without aggression,” Albus replied easily. Severus chuckled at the thought. Saphira threw a glare at him.

“Relax, Lea,” he drawled. Albus chuckled at the interaction. Saphira sighed as she glared at the ground. The castle loomed in her vision and she wanted nothing more than to turn around and go home. Hogwarts brought back painful memories she didn’t ever want to relive.

“I hate this place,” she grumbled as Severus frowned.

“You loved Hogwarts, Lea,”

“No, I hate it. I met Regulus and Sirius here, and look where they are. One’s dead and the other’s a fugitive,” Saphira rebuffed. Severus frowned. It was true. Like Saphira, Hogwarts held some memories he would rather forget as well, but he enjoyed Hogwarts. Here, he was closer to…Lily. No. He wasn’t any closer to her.  He scowled at himself.

“See? You hate Hogwarts too,” Saphira remarked as she tucked a blonde tendril away from her face.

“Professors,” Hagrid greeted as he met them at the door.  The half-giant smiled as Albus smiled.

“Good evening Hagrid. This is Saphira Black. She’ll be your assistant this year,” Dumbledore introduced Saphira as Hagrid’s eyes widened.

“Saphira Malfoy?” He asked. Severus and Saphira frowned as he recognized the blonde. Hagrid puffed out his chest  and set his face in a firm scowl.

“Relax. I’m not here to spy on you for my brother. Believe me, I could care less,” Saphira remarked as she walked past the deflating man. Severus’s frown deepened as he followed the blonde into the castle. Dumbledore and Hagrid followed behind him.

**

“We have to sit here, the entire evening?” Saphira muttered darkly to her companion as she sat next to him at dinner. Severus nodded his head as his eyes swept the Great Hall. Saphira groaned as she looked down the table and met the eyes of Remus Lupin, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

“Great, just what I need. A Marauder,” she remarked just as the students filed in.  She sat up straight and smiled softly when she noticed her nephew strut in with his posse of laughing friends. She searched the sea of students for the one boy she was supposed to be protecting. No one stuck out to her, she noted.

“So where’s Potter?”

“Not here,” Severus growled as he started to climb to his feet. However he was stopped when Professor Minerva McGonagall led the frightened first years up to the famous Sorting Hat. Severus sat back down roughly and tightly gripped Saphira’s hand underneath the table. She winced from the pressure, but didn’t say anything. It was clear to her that Severus had invested a lot into the care and protection of the boy. Of course, she could understand why. He was the child of Lily Evans and Saphira knew all about Lily Evans. Dumbledore climbed to his feet and smiled as he opened his arms wide.

“Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts! I want to introduce two new additions to our staff. Professor Remus Lupin will be your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher,” Dumbledore paused as the students clapped for the shaggy man. Dumbledore cleared his throat, earning silence before he introduced Saphira.

“And Professor Hagrid will have an assistant this year. Say hello to Professor Saphira Black,” The clapping was less for Saphira than it had been for Remus, but the Slytherin table soon erupted into a wild applause after Draco informed them that it was his aunt. Saphira smirked as she tilted her head at the Slytherins and took her seat again. Draco smirked back, before he returned to his friends.  After the first years were sorted (which in Saphira’s opinion took way too much time), Saphira watched Minerva lead into two teenagers into the Great Hall. The girl had bushy dirty blonde hair and seemed inconsequential. The boy on the other hand caused Saphira’s mouth to drop open just a bit. If she was so sure that he were dead, Saphira would have been sure that James Potter had just walked into the Great Hall. She could faintly make out the lightning bolt scar on the boy’s forehead and she instantly knew who he was. Harry Potter. The son of James and Lily Potter. The target of Sirius Black.

“Well, thanks for the heads up. I almost choked on my pumpkin juice in shock,” Saphira growled to Severus who seemed to have relaxed with the boy’s appearance.

“What are you talking about?”

“You didn’t say he looked like that twit,” She replied darkly.

“He looks like that twit,” Severus replied unconcerned with his companion’s annoyance.

“I’m going to get confused. I know it,” She mumbled to herself as she sipped her pumpkin juice. The rest of dinner proceeded without any more interesting events. In fact, Saphira almost forgot her hatred for the building.  It wasn’t until after dinner that Saphira truly hated Hogwarts completely.

“Malfoy?” A strained voice caught Saphira’s attention when she was on her way to find Severus. She turned to face Remus Lupin. He looked surprised to see her, but he was smiling weakly.

“It’s not Malfoy anymore. You should know that, Lupin. It’s Black,” Saphira responded instantly. Remus nodded his head.

“Oh yes, of course. I didn’t know if you went by that name anymore,”

“Why wouldn’t I? Black spreads just as much fear as Malfoy does,” Saphira replied annoyed.

“You’re here because of Sirius, aren’t you?” He asked suddenly as Saphira scowled at his name.

“What do you know?”

“I know everything, Saphira,” Remus remarked sadly. Saphira frowned as he gave her a sympathetic look. She hated pity more than she hated the Marauders. Right then, it was a Marauder pitying her.

“Don’t use my name like we’re friends, Lupin. And you don’t know anything,” she growled before she turned quickly and stormed away from the frowning man. Remus let her go. He could see the pain the moment he had mentioned Sirius’s name to the blonde. He felt sorry for her.