The next day after a pretty boring day of lessons, I sit with Hermione by the lake.
"You look more relaxed." Says Hermione.
"I found my phone last night, that's why. It's where I keep my music from home. So naturally, I was listening."
"Didn't anybody hear?"
"I had headphones. Only I could hear. I also made it invisible."
"Good idea. Feeling up to talk?"
"You won't judge?"
"No."
"I might be double adopted."
"What?"
"My old dad adopted me. My muggle dad. And yesterday, I got re-adopted. I now have a home."
"Who?"
"Let's just say I am now technically Isabelle Snape."
She whistles. "You don't want the boys to know, do you?"
"Can you imagine Ron's reaction?"
"Now I know why you didn't say anything. I won't tell anyone. How many people know?"
"Dumbledore, Severus, Hazel, and you. Oh, and me."
She laughs. "I'd hope that you know of all people."
"Know what?" Says Ron. He's just appeared with Harry.
"Your fate... Ronald Weasley." I whisper dramatically. His eyes widen and I laugh. "Not telling."
Hermione giggles.
"You didn't tell her, did you?" He goes red.
"Obviously not. She's laughing at the face you're pulling. Harry looks pretty funny too."
The boys sit down beside us.
"Lupin's lessons are amazing. Rememeber the boggarts today?"
Magical Flashback
"Picture your worst fear. Now make it funny."
I don't even know my worst fear. Ron's is easy. Hermione's is obvious. Harry is having trouble, but Hazel knows hers, I can see it on her face.
So what's mine?
I'm in front of Harry. Oh no, I have to do mine. Now I can't go to the back. Just great. Soon, it's my turn. A snake appears on the floor. Severus is there. Oh no. I know what this is.
"R-ridikkulus."
Nothing happens. The snake goes for Severus and bites his neck.
"Ridikkulus!"
Severus collapses.
"Ridikkulus!"
I look away. It didn't work. The Severus lying on the floor isn't alive.
Hermione has to drag me away. I feel numb. She whispers soothing words but it doesn't help.
End of magical flashback
"Lupin's agreed to teach me how to ward off dementors." Says Harry.
I think back to when Lupin taught us just before we went to help Sirius.
Another magical flashback
"Remember, this is a real dementor. You need to focus on happiness."
My memory is a combination of Severus laughing and when he asked if I wanted to be adopted by him. Lupin lets the dementor put and I go first. Everything goes cold. Now all I can think about is what would happen if I wasn't there on time.
He would die alone.
I force the memory out of my head, like I've been doing since the start of term.
"Expecto Patronum!"
I honestly don't expect anything to come out of my wand, but a Snowy owl erupts out of it and herds the Dementor into a chest.
"Well done. Hazel, your turn." My patronus disappears and the dementor is released again. She focuses and says the incantation, then a fwooper comes out of her wand. I saw this bird in Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them. It's a brightly coloured bird, pretty small in size, and it has a really long tail.
"I'm going to call you Longtail, Hazel."
"Only if I can call you Snowy."
"Sure."
Let's just say Lupin is weirded out by that.
End of Magical Flashback
"Speaking of sadness, what happened to you, Isabelle?" Says Ron.
"Shut your face." I growl.
"She's... A bit sensitive." Says Hermione. I'm so glad she knows now.
"Why?" Retorts Ron.
"None of your business, Ron. Stay out of it." I say.
"Well, this is awkward." Says Harry.
"I just don't want to talk about it." I say.
Hazel appears out of nowhere and sits down, linking arms with me.
"You weren't harassing potato, were you?"
"No." Says Ron.
Wait, what?
"Fremma-Leigh." Whispers Hazel into my ear.
"No way! Wait, who likes who?" I whisper back. Everybody else is talking.
"She likes him."
"Oh snap. He's going to die, though."
"I know. I can't tell her, though."
"We're not allowed to save him either!"
"I know as well. I'm the Ravenclaw, remember?"
"Fred and Emma-Leigh, though. Never thought about that. I always saw him with Angelina."
"That's what's up with them now. Em's not too excited."
"Go figure. Let's just hope she saves him or something, without getting killed."
________
Mwahaha
So there's finally love in the air.
I need more chapter suggestions! Let the immature five year old inside of you loose!
QOTC: any relationship ideas I should consider? As long as it's not a major age gap or Drarry, Dramione, or Snumbledore.
HRKOsgood came up with the last one.
That's still a massive age gap, though. Dumbles is almost 150. Severus is in his 30s.
Awkward. 120 years.
Anyway, please vote!
~Ericano