XX: Approaching Hogwarts

Chapter XX: Approaching Hogwarts

'Why exactly are we running around in a moving train?' Demeter enquired, but Melvin kept on walking, pulling her by the hand. He seemed very determined about where to go. He had, however, not told Demeter about their goal yet.

They had been sitting comfortably in their compartment, Demeter, Melvin and a blonde, shy girl called Sarah Green. Sarah was a first-year as well, Muggle-born and just as nervous about being on her way to Hogwarts as Demeter was. So the girls had chatted about their expectations and fears, and Melvin had listened to them, silently, blushing ever so slightly every time one of the girls asked him a question about Hogwarts or the Wizarding world.

Shortly after eleven-thirty, however, Melvin had started to grin and explained that is was time. For what, he had not disclosed. He had just taken Demeter's hand and beckoned Sarah to follow them. Now he was holding Demeter firmly by the hand and was weaving his way through the other Hogwarts students, who were lingering outside their own compartments, making sure no one stood in their way and that no one would bump into Demeter. Every now and then, he turned his head and smiled shyly back with an almost apologetic look on his face.

'Melvin, seriously!' As much as she liked Melvin and as charming as his smile was, Demeter hated being told what to do and not being given a reason, and she was slowly but surely losing her patience. If he didn't tell her soon where they were heading, she would just dig her heels into the floor and refuse to take another step.

Melvin stopped and turned around to face her, but he didn't let go of her hand. 'Sorry,' he muttered, his eyes not really meeting hers and his cheeks once more flushing. 'I ... I wanted it to be a surprise. It's right on the other side of this door, in the next carriage.'

Demeter bit her lip and glanced at Sarah, who was standing beside her. She had not meant to make Melvin uncomfortable. Sometimes, her voice just sounded snappy without her having meant it to.

'What is on the other side of that door then?' Sarah asked. 'It must be the last carriage. Isn't that where our trunks are stored?'

'Better,' Melvin replied, suddenly seeming to have found his courage again. 'This is where they stock up the food trolley.'

He knocked and then pushed open the door, and into sight came a smiling dimpled woman.

'I was wondering when you would show up, young man,' the woman said. 'I was just about to push out the trolley. And that must be your new friend. Demeter, was it?'

Demeter was slightly puzzled and looked at Melvin, who once again was looking at his shoes.

'I reckoned you had never had Wizard sweets, so I thought you would like to have a look in peace and quiet, without all the other kids standing in line behind you,' he murmured.

Demeter didn't know what to say, and even if she did, Sarah would have beaten her to it. 'That boy's a keeper,' the blonde girl whispered into her ear. 'It must be because he is a Wizard, because I have certainly never met such a nice boy before.'

And despite Sarah keeping her voice low, Melvin must have heard her, because he was yet again blushing. But his lips cracked into a happy smile as Demeter squeezed his hand.

There were too many sweets to count. Pumpkin Pasties and Cauldron Cakes, liquorice wands and Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Ice Mice, Jelly Slugs, all just waiting to be tasted. Demeter felt her jaw drop, as it had so often over the last couple of days. She had no idea what to choose, and by the look of it, neither did Sarah.

'May I choose for you?' Melvin suggested, smiling. 'After all, it's my treat.'

'You don't need to pay for me,' Demeter protested.

'It's alright.' Melvin held up the shiny Galleon he had been given by Lucius Malfoy. 'Uncle Lucius said it would be gentleman-like to treat you.'

'Uncle Lucius?' Demeter frowned. 'I thought Alek was your uncle.'

'Well, Alek is my mum's brother, so he's my real uncle,' Melvin explained. 'Lucius is like, um, a cousin of a cousin's wife ... kind of ...' He broke off and screwed up his face. 'Um, I actually have no idea. He's always been around, and I always called him uncle. I'm not even sure we are related.' He had said all this really fast and was now facing the trolley again, seemingly eager to change topics. 'Now, let's see ... I think we'll be having Pumpkin Pasties, some Drooble's, some liquorice wands and a box of Bertie Bott's. To start with anyway. Would you like to have some chocolate as well?'

He grinned and produced a paper bag from his left pocket to stow away the sweets and his change. Then he shook the bag in front of Demeter and Sarah. 'Care to join me in our compartment, ladies?'

Demeter shook her head in disbelief. 'You planned to stuff your face, didn't you? You even brought a bag.' She grinned just as broadly as the boy in front of her.

'I deliberately skipped breakfast,' Melvin replied in a whisper. 'Uncle Alek was trying to make me eat porridge with him.'

'And what did Uncle Lucius have?' Demeter grinned.

'Quail eggs and caviar.' Melvin shuddered theatrically. 'I tell you, they both have a screw loose.'

They made their way back to their compartment, every now and then fishing up a sweet from the paper bag, and Melvin was just holding up the door for Sarah and Demeter as a low voice made the smile freeze on his lips.

'Got yourself a girlfriend, Riverbed? Two, even?'

Melvin received a rather hard slap on the shoulder which almost made him lose his balance, and Demeter immediately turned in the door to glare at whoever had the audacity to shove her new friend.

The dark-haired boy's eyes widened in surprise. 'Riverbed!' he gasped. 'You've got good taste.' He extended his hand towards Demeter. 'Melvin's friends are my friends, too,' he announced, smiling and revealing a row of uneven teeth. 'Argyle Makdoumi is the name. And you must be Snape's daughter.'

Demeter shook Argyle's hand, told him her first name and introduced Sarah. And her polite smile did not betray any of her true feelings. She did not like the Makdoumi boy one bit. Melvin's friends are miy friends, too. Ha! Who was Argyle trying to fool? There was no way he considered Melvin a friend. But the biggest question on Demeter's mind was how Argyle could have known that she was her father's daughter. But however curious she was, she deemed it wise not to ask.

'Are you alright, Demeter?' Sarah asked about half an hour later when Argyle had finally left the compartment. Melvin had more or less slammed the door shut after his House mate and even closed the curtains. He seemed to be eager to make sure the boy did not return.

Demeter shifted uncomfortably in her seat. 'I guess I will have to get used to this, other Wizarding kids knowing more about my father than I do,' she said quietly.

Argyle had waffled on about the great Severus Snape and his importance to Slytherin House and what an honour it was to him, Argyle, to be one of the first to welcome Demeter to Hogwarts. And the more he had talked, the bigger had the knot in Demeter's stomach become. This was just not fair. Argyle seemed to know so much about her father, and she herself knew almost nothing. She had never even met him.

'How did he know who you were anyway?' Sarah piped up. 'You said you'd never been to the Wizarding world before.'

Demeter shrugged and glanced imploringly at Melvin. Maybe he would have an answer.

'There is a portrait of your father hanging in the Slytherin common room,' Melvin promptly explained. 'Anyone who has ever seen it or met Severus Snape in person will notice the similarity. You two look very much alike.'

'That's what Mother always says.' Demeter lowered her head to stare at her hands in her lap, and her dark hair fell over her face like curtains, shielding her off from Sarah and Melvin. Just as well, she thought. Her jaw was tight and her front teeth were gnawing at her lower lip. She didn't want her new friends to know that she was upset. But they noticed anyway. Soon, they were sitting on either side of her, Sarah with her arm comfortingly around Demeter's shoulders.

'Sorry if I am asking stupid questions,' Sarah apologised in advance, 'but how can you not know? It almost sounds as if you have never met you father.'

'I haven't.' Demeter took a deep, shaking breath. She might as well tell Sarah and Melvin now. 'When I was born, my parents weren't really ... together,' she started carefully, not wanting to disclose too much. 'And then the war started and ... and Father ... he was busy.' Neither did she feel like sharing the fact that her father had not even known about her existence.

They talked about the war, about Severus Snape's role as spy against Voldemort and as protector of the famous Harry Potter, and while Melvin and Sarah were both in awe about the deeds of Severus Snape, Demeter was starting to dread the moment she would come to stand face to face with her father's ghost, the ghost of a man whom she only knew from history books and of whom she still did not know if he actually wanted to meet her.

'You know,' said Melvin, 'at least you know who your father is. I know nothing about mine, not even his name.'

He smiled encouragingly and handed Demeter another Chocolate Frog, which she accepted with a small smile of her own. But on the inside, she was anything but smiling and silently wondering if she would not be better off knowing nothing about her father.

~ ~ ~

Many miles to the North, the ghost of Severus Snape was floating to and fro in his old study, restlessly. He was waiting for Morgaine. He had been doing that since exactly eleven o'clock.

He had assumed that Morgaine would see their daughter off at King's Cross and then directly Apparate to Hogwarts. After all, there were lessons to plan, the arrival of the students to prepare for and, to be frank, he had expected her to come and see him in the dungeons. But as far as he could tell, Morgaine had not even entered the castle yet. Surely, he would have sensed her if she had.

Severus had been in the Headmistress' office the night before when Morgaine had contacted Minerva in order to inform her that Demeter had safely arrived in the Wizarding world. Morgaine had been smiling as she had told Minerva about Demeter's excitement and their day in Diagon Alley, and everything had seemed to be alright. And by now, Demeter was safely on the train. As were all the other students, Severus added in his mind. Minerva had received the note from the engine-driver of the Hogwarts Express shortly after eleven. And Riverbed, who had dropped off his nephew at King's Cross, too, had returned to Hogwarts shortly after eleven. So why was Morgaine not back yet?

A glance towards the clock on the wall told Severus that the students would arrive in less than three hours' time, and still the Head of Slytherin House was nowhere to be seen. That was neither good nor normal, and Severus decided to investigate.

Five minutes later, he floated, unannounced, through the thick wall into the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, where Alek dropped the stack of books he had been carrying out of sheer fright. 'Professor Snape!' he exclaimed. 'You startled me.'

Severus cocked an eyebrow. Fine Defence teacher, that one, he thought. Startled by a ghost appearing out of a wall in a castle that was full of ghosts. Not even Quirrell had been that jumpy.

But Severus had the good grace to not tell Riverbed what he thought of him right now. There were more important things to discuss. 'Riverbed,' he started instead. 'I came to enquire whether you have happened to meet Professor duLac today.'

Alek flicked his wand to collect the books that now lay scattered on the floor. 'Morgaine?' he asked.

Severus resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Of course, Morgaine. How many Professor duLacs were there in the castle? Was that man really that daft?

The second urge Severus had to resist was hexing the Defence teacher for using Morgaine's first name. It would certainly have been irrational to hex him, as all staff members used each other's first names, but Severus could not help being annoyed whenever Riverbed said Morgaine.

Alek Levitated the books to a shelf and then straightened his robes. 'I did indeed meet Morgaine today,' he explained. 'We dropped off Demeter and Melvin at King's Cross together.'

Severus felt anger rise in his chest. Had Alek Riverbed, that incompetent nitwit, met his daughter before he himself had?

But Alek did not seem to notice how the ghost in front of him was narrowing his eyes. 'An adorable little witch, your daughter,' he continued merrily. 'Charming smile and lovely blue eyes. I'd say my nephew is already falling hopelessly for her. I've never seen Melvin talk so carefree to a girl like he was talking to Demeter yesterday afternoon.'

Yesterday afternoon? Severus did his best not to scowl. Morgaine had certainly not mentioned to Minerva that she had spent the afternoon with Riverbed.

'Morgaine said she had some business to attend to in Diagon Alley before returning to Hogwarts,' Alek went on. 'And it wouldn't surprise me if Lucius had managed to persuade her to have lunch with him.'

'Lucius?' Severus hissed, slowly but surely losing his temper. 'Lucius Malfoy?'

'Yes,' Alek confirmed. 'Melvin and I had breakfast at the Manor, and Lucius escorted us to King's Cross afterwards. That was where we met up with Morgaine and Demeter. I must say, Lucius seemed to be charmed by your daughter as well. And how could he not?'

But Severus was not listening anymore. He had left the Defence classroom as quickly as he had entered it, drifting right through the wall, not caring what Riverbed thought about his manners.

Had the whole Wizarding world had the pleasure of meeting Demeter before he himself had ever had a chance to even speak to the girl? And Lucius Malfoy, of all people? Had Morgaine not said that she wanted to keep Demeter away from the likes of Malfoy? And what, by Hades, was Morgaine doing having lunch with Lucius?

Severus was still fuming and about to dematerialise and disappear into the dungeons when a familiar feeling washed over him. It felt like the first beams of sunlight tickling one's skin after a long and dark winter, and Severus knew at once what it meant: Morgaine had returned to Hogwarts.

At first, Severus considered ignoring her. She had not deemed it necessary to come to him straight upon her return to the Wizarding world. Why would he now show her that he had been waiting for her? And would she even care? But he changed his mind as he sensed her presence in the dungeons. Her mind lay open for him to read, and what he could see was anger, confusion and fear. And he could not leave her alone.

One couldn't have guessed that it was the first of September and the weather still pleasantly warm as Morgaine entered Severus' old study. Her travelling cloak was wrapped around her as tightly as if she had been shielding herself from an icy wind, and Severus could have sworn that she was shivering.

'What happened?' he asked straight out. It seemed not the moment to waste time on empty phrases like, Hello. How was your summer?

'Lucius Malfoy happened.' Morgaine's voice was hoarse, as if she had been screaming at the top of her lungs for quite some time, and it strengthened the idea of the lovely autumn weather outside having turned into an arctic storm.

You are a fool, Severus Snape, Severus silently chided himself. How could he even for a second have assumed that Morgaine would actually have gone to lunch with Lucius Malfoy and enjoyed it?

'What did Lucius do this time?' Severus snarled. He had no idea on how he would do it, but if Lucius had hurt Morgaine any way, he would wring his pretty neck.

Morgaine carefully closed the door behind her. 'As usual, Lucius neither did nor said anything. But he is up to something,' she added in a low tone, as if she were suspecting that someone was eavesdropping. 'Tell me, Severus, does Lucius Malfoy strike you as a man who would escort a second-year to whom he is not even related to King's Cross?'

Severus shook his head. He knew that Lucius had hated to escort his own son to the station, as it meant mixing with people Lucius clearly considered to be beneath himself. 'As far as I know,' he said, 'the Riverbeds had been invited to breakfast at the Manor. As the perfect host, Lucius would naturally escort his guests to King's Cross.'

He did himself not believe what he had just said, and he did not trust Lucius as far as he could throw him, with or without magic. Surely, Lucius had not gone to the trouble of travelling to King's Cross just to see off his breakfast guests. But Severus did not want to add to Morgaine's worries.

She did not, however, buy the explanation he had offered. 'Can you look me in the eyes, Severus, and tell me that Lucius was not at King's Cross to have a look at Demeter?' she asked. 'To make sure that I had finally brought our child to the Wizarding world?'

No, he couldn't. As much as Severus wanted to give Morgaine a reason to calm down, he couldn't. He knew Lucius. The blond wizard had been far too interested in Morgaine's daughter from the very start, before the child had even been conceived. So unfortunately, Morgaine was most probably right. Most likely, Lucius Malfoy was indeed up to something.