Secrets of a Slytherin Princess

Apollonia soon found that her door was unlocked following morning, which just so happened to be Halloween, the anniversary of when her mother died. Upon realizing the date, all Apollonia wanted to do was cry. Halloween was a constant reminder now of what she lost, of the fact that she never got to know her mother. To a certain extent, Harry did, but even that was short-lived. “Maybe Harry can do it again; maybe he can kill that maniac on Halloween.”

“Maybe what?” Draco asked.

“Nothing, forget it,” Apollonia insisted. There was no way that Apollonia planned on telling Draco anything about this; she just couldn’t. After all, he wanted Voldemort to win the war, for Harry to lose. She had accepted a long time ago that Draco was on the opposite side of the war. It wasn’t as if she could change it anyway; she really didn’t know how that was to go over. Years were spent for him hating Harry. So, how the hell was she ever supposed to tell Draco that she was Harry’s sister? It seemed practically impossible, as much as she tried to tell herself otherwise. Once the war ended—whenever that was—Apollonia would have to find a way to tell Draco the truth about who she was. But, in the meantime, her focus was her schooling and helping Poppy tend to the injured students.

Without another word to Draco or anyone else in the castle, Apollonia headed down to the Great Hall. For this particular day, the Head Girl did not wish to associate with anyone; she just wanted to be alone to grieve the mother she never knew. No one in the school would ever really understand, because no one save a handful of teachers knew of the bond she had with Harry. As far as Apollonia could tell, they were twins; different fathers yes, but there was still a bond between them Apollonia could only describe as twins. Perhaps that was why she got along so well with Fred and George, because their bond reminded the Slytherin of the one she could have with her brother, if she grew up with him.

As she took a seat at the Slytherin table—for once since the school year began, Draco not at her side—Apollonia saw Ginny catch her eye. The younger girl looked rather melancholy and it seemed as if Ginny might have seen the same look in Apollonia’s familiar emerald eyes. I hope not, she thought. No one can know the reason I’m so upset. Halloween used to be a good holiday for me, before I learned that it was the day my mother died. Apollonia carefully avoided Draco throughout breakfast, even though she knew that couldn’t last. To her utter disappointment, Halloween fell on a Friday this year, meaning she had Muggle Studies—or a date with Alecto’s wand—to look forward to. Although, it also meant that Apollonia would be spending early afternoon helping Poppy, which could be construed as her getting some solitude. Poppy knew what day this was for her—one of the few—so maybe she could get out of helping Poppy, just for today.

Her quiet solitude was soon interrupted when Draco slipped beside her. “What in the world have you been thinking?” he hissed. “Going anywhere without me at your side—unless it’s the Hospital Wing or the common room—is dangerous. You know that, Apolla. After what occurred the first day, I would have thought that figured that out by now.”

“I’m well aware,” she warned. “I just want to be alone today.’

“Why?” the Head Boy asked.

“You wouldn’t understand,” she insisted.

Draco wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer to him. “I understand more than you think, Apolla. Far more than you would have ever expected of me, that’s for sure.”

Apollonia glared at him. “What do you mean?”

“Nothing,” he said, waving it off. “Forget it.”

The Head Girl, however, was not so sure. It all just seemed a little weird. What was Draco trying to hide from her? And why would he have any reason to do something like that anyway? There was clearly something that Draco wasn’t telling her. What that was however; well, it was hard to say. And, as she headed to Muggle Studies—well, more like Pureblood Supremacy so long as Alecto Carrow was teaching—Apollonia added this to her list of items to be dealt with over the course of the next year. And there was a lot of that list; protecting her father, brother, Draco, and the Dursleys; helping Poppy with the injured students; helping Neville, Ginny, and Luna with the Resistance; and hiding all knowledge of her mother’s identity. Now came figuring out what Draco was hiding from her. Not that he wasn’t already keeping something from her; it was only more pronounced now.

She and Draco took a seat, but it wasn’t long before Alecto decided it was time to for an object lesson, using who else but her as the subject. Apollonia tapped the snake pendant gently; glad it was there if the Carrows were really this intent on targeting her. It’s really my only salvation if Dad doesn’t plan on doing anything to stop them. I warned Dad that the Carrows have been torturing me. Even if their torture doesn’t affect me, it still shouldn’t be happening at all. Damn it! What does that maniac want with me? Why am I being pressured to become one of his followers? None of it made any sense and, until her father confronted them and put a stop to their antics, Apollonia had no choice but to deal with the Carrows.

Her Crucio during this particular class stemmed from Alecto’s oh-so twisted view on the Muggle tradition of dressing up on Halloween, calling it a mockery of the holiday. Apollonia tried to keep her opinion to herself, she really did; but Alecto just kept pushing the Slytherin Head Girl with all the horrible things she was saying about the Muggle world. The commentary that Apollonia had about Alecto’s opinion was not said of course; no, it was her facial expression that persuaded Alecto to attack the young Snape, yet again. And, because of it, Apollonia was collapsed on the floor, not long into the class.

Since Alecto made it very clear that no one was allowed to help those who were Crucioed—though not for the sake of trying when it came to Draco, a fact she was thankful for—Apollonia was still collapsed in a heap when there were footsteps heard coming towards them; she had not even bothered trying to get up, knowing that Alecto might suspect something if she got up so easily. And, when she spotted the black figure standing at the threshold of the door, it did not take Apollonia long to figure out what was about to happen. Upon spotting her lying on the ground, the figure swooped over and helped her up. Obsidian eyes stared down at her for a brief second before looking up. “Precisely how long has Ms. Carrow been torturing my daughter like this?” her father ordered.

Rather than Draco, as Apollonia might have expected, it was Neville who answered the question. “Every class, sir; sometimes it’s for nothing, merely existing,” he said in a quiet voice.

Before her father could say anything in response to Neville’s admission, Draco piped up what information he knew. “Amycus does the same, sir. Neither Carrow seems to like Apollonia very much, for they don’t allow me the opportunity to take her to the Hospital Wing when she needs it. I’m surprised she can even function with the amount of times they attack her.” Apollonia smiled at that; he really seemed to be putting on a show for Alecto, as well as trying to make her father see just what kind of damage this school year was doing to her.

“Ten points to Slytherin and Gryffindor,” her father said after a moment’s hesitation, earning a collective gasp from those in Gryffindor, “for supplying that information. Mr. Malfoy, would you please collect my daughter’s things and take her to the Hospital Wing? I will be there shortly; a conversation must be had regarding the treatment of my daughter these last two months.” He glared menacingly at Alecto before returning his attention to the class. “In light of this discovery, the class is dismissed.” While the seventh years cheered at the normally cantankerous man’s sudden kindness at seeing his daughter hurt, her father turned to Alecto. “Come, Alecto; we need to have a little chat.”

Draco took Apollonia from her father’s grip and walked her over to the Hospital Wing, letting her sit on one of the beds. “What was that about? I don’t think I’ve ever seen your father so angry.”

Apollonia shrugged. “Maybe it finally sunk in that he’s in charge of the school and should be watching out for the students, me especially. He allowed some very vicious Death Eaters into the school. Prior to this year, the only Death Eaters that were in the school were you and my father, both of whom watched out for me. With the Carrows, it’s like they target me purposely. And, I’m sure they would have succeeded in getting to me if not for the fact that you already stepped in to protect me. I suppose I must thank you for that.”

Draco waved it off. “I’ve always protected you.”

“If you insist,” she shrugged. “I’m just glad that Dad finally saw reason and is doing something about the Carrows. The fact that their spells don’t affect me doesn’t matter. In fact, the Carrows shouldn’t even be doing this to me, not if they wish to invoke Dad’s wrath.” There was no one that Apollonia hated more at moment than the Carrows…well, all except Voldemort; there was no one in the world that could ever top the Slytherin’s hatred that she possessed for her brother’s nemesis. Although, that hatred remained unsaid; Draco and her father knew perfectly well how much Apollonia despised their wretched master. So do did those in the Order and the Resistance, at least the ones who trusted her implicitly did. Everyone else still had their reservations about her true motives. Hermione even knew. The only person without knowledge of her intentions was the one who could put an end to the madman who was so intent on making her a Death Eater like her father.

“How right you are,” a familiar voice stated.

“Dad?” she asked.