Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.



Dear SF,

No, I don't think you have to worry about the monster in the Chamber of Secrets. You are not a Squib in the least and your blood is purer than mine is.

That dueling club was a surprise all around, I think. I'm starting to think Professor Lockhart is not quite as great as he seemed at the beginning of the term. I don't think I was as crushed out over him as some girls, but I have to admit I got a high score on the first quiz he gave us. I'm so over that, now.

Who would have guessed that Harry Potter is a Parselmouth! Daddy can understand the language although he can't speak it and he says Potter definitely was telling the snake to get away from Justin and behave itself. He then said that he would be completely surprised if Potter was the Heir of Slytherin. He said Potter just doesn't have it in him. I asked what Potter doesn't have in him and Daddy shook his head. He said Potter just doesn't have the Slytherin way of looking at things so how could he be Slytherin's Heir?

Are you looking forward to Christmas break? I'll probably spend most of it with my Grandma Margo. Daddy has to stay at work and Mum will want to spend most of that time with him. She says he gets really lonely without her and that I'll understand some day. Grandma spoils me a lot, but it does mean I have to go with her to St. Mungo's during the day. Then I just kind of wander around until she's ready to go home. I can come visit your parents with you, if you like, and if your Gran says it's OK, maybe we can hang out for a little while.

I'm not sure I can describe how to fix the problem you're having in Transfiguration in a note, but here goes...

Sincerely,
The other SF

Neville and Margo were exchanging notes on an almost daily basis by the Christmas Holidays. The girl's father knew when some were passed but missed most of the hand offs, both students having become quite talented in this subterfuge. Neville was a little less talented at this and often resorted to bumping into Margo in the hallways, something Draco Malfoy took great pleasure in pointing out.

“Hey, Snape, you have an admirer!”

“Don't be stupid, Malfoy! As if I would allow myself to be admired by a Gryffindor. Really.”

Neville, taking his cue from Margo, moved away from the Slytherins with a mixture of fear and disgust on his face.

These notes were a good outlet for two children who didn't have anyone to call friend in their own Houses. In the Gryffindor girls' dormitory, another little girl was pouring her heart out in writing, almost on a daily basis as well, with results that would nearly be disastrous. There were several who would have willingly shared her troubles, but she became enamored with the battered diary she was using and couldn't seem to stop.

---

Severus and Emily found that their technique of splitting Christmas between Margo's house and Hogwarts the previous year had worked well. Therefore, early Christmas morning Emily and Hope kissed Severus goodbye and used the Floo to St. Mungo's, where Emily filled in for another Healer who would cover some of her shifts later in the week. Christmas was usually a busy day in the Emergency Wards as family tensions tend to run high on holidays and cooking accidents increase.

Hope was left on her own for much of the day and managed to meet Neville without incident. Alice seemed to be quite taken with Hope and gave her a gum wrapper when she gave one to Neville. The boy looked at the girl with embarrassment but saw that she understood when she smiled. “Thank you, Mrs. Longbottom. You're most kind.”

Gran was charmed by Margo Snape, too, and let the two kids go to the Tearoom while she stayed behind to talk to the Healers. It was odd for Margo and Neville, having a chance to talk as much as they wanted and not knowing what to say. They made arrangements to meet the next day and from then on until Margo had to go back to the school to be with her parents.

Over the next week, they overcame their shyness and spoke about everything. They discussed their school work, their classmates, and a little about their families. One of the best days of the vacation, for Neville, was the day Healer Smith came with them to visit Alice and Frank. After visiting Neville's parents, the small party went to the roof of the hospital.

Margo's Grandma introduced Neville to the head gardener, who gave them a tour of the hospital greenhouses. The grandmothers went to the Tearoom ahead of the kids, who had a few last things to discuss before Margo went back to the school and they were left to exchanging notes again. Eventually they made their way to the coffee shop and found that Margo's mum was waiting with Neville's Gran.

“Well, Sir Luckless,” said Gran, “we need to be getting home now.”

“There's my Hope,” said Mum. “Your Daddy is desperate to see you again.”

The kids groaned at having their childhood nicknames used.

“Sir Luckless?” asked Margo under her breath.

“Hope?” responded Neville.

They said their goodbyes and didn't see each other again until their next Potions class.

---

“I must say, Severus, that if she has to have a friend that's a boy, she picked a polite, respectable young man.”

Emily was sitting on her husband's lap in their bed that night, being systematically unbuttoned by her husband. Severus was already in a dressing gown, having settled down for the night before his wife and daughter arrived. He enjoyed undressing his wife when she was in her working clothes. There was something about the transformation from efficiently professional to soft and womanly that he enjoyed greatly.

“Hmph,” said Severus, “Why couldn't she pick a Gryffindor girl to be her friend if she had to have a Gryffindor?”

“Who would her choices be, again?”

Severus thought about Lavender Brown and the Patil sister. Neither would do. Then there was that Granger girl. He shuddered.

“Exactly,” said Emily. “And if it's a boy she could have ended up with that Malfoy or even Ernie Macmillan, who I hear is as free with his hands as his Uncle Stevie. What would that be like?”

Severus shuddered again and then refocused on the matter within his hands. He slid Emily's now unbuttoned blouse off and took out her hair, letting it curl around his fingers. He finished removing his wife's clothing and then for quite some time forgot he even had a daughter.

---

Dear Hope,

I'm going to call you that from now on. It's right, even if just because you are my best hope for passing in Potions and Transfiguration. Just like Sir Luckless suits me. Gran says I'll find the fountain someday.

My Mum has really taken a liking to you. When I went back to visit her after you had gone back to Hogwarts, she kept looking over my shoulder to see you. Even Dad seemed to think someone was missing. I hope you can visit them again. I really think they would like that. Gran says your Mum was the only Healer who knew what to do when they were first brought to the hospital. Otherwise they would still be in terrible pain, maybe, or maybe they would have died.

Life is pretty normal. Thanks for the help on the homework we had over the Holidays. You saved my life in Transfiguration. Do you think you could help me with some problems I'm having with Potions?

Sincerely,
Sir Luckless

---

Dear Lucky,

I refuse to see you as luckless, because I think you will realize some time that you're pretty great. For example, you would do much better with Potions if you would build on the dozens of plant properties you already know. You just need to have a little more confidence. And you've actually helped me out a few times with Charms, too. So if I'm Hope, you have to be Lucky. Just don't ever call me Hope out loud. I'll flatten you. Daddy showed me a really cool hex for that.

My parents have a running argument. I don't think it's anything serious, but when Daddy calls Mum “Madam,” it means he's not happy with her. They are arguing about that one house mate of yours, I think. I overheard them one night when I was supposed to be asleep. “Madam,” he said, “The boy is a bumbling fool and yet the classic example of his House. I wouldn't trust him with a Flobberworm.” Mum answered, “If you would just give the boy a chance. What were we like when we were twelve? You scowl way more than necessary, I think.” Then Daddy said something really disgusting about Mum giving him a chance to do something I won't mention and there were lots of kissy noises and they got very quiet. My parents are always all over each other. I shudder to think what happens when the term starts and I'm in the dorm. Actually I try not to think about it. Some things are better left alone.

Here are the Potions notes. I was wondering if you noticed some of the same things I did in Charms.

Sincerely,
Hope.

End Notes: According to the reviews on Amazon, Sir Luckless is one of the characters in The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Without revealing any spoilers from the review, I will just note that this seems the sort of nickname Augusta Longbottom would hit on for her grandson. The two kids would find the comparison obvious, having heard the story since they were babies.

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