Secrets of a Slytherin Princess

As the Head Girl soon came to discover, her father’s warning seemed to lessen the Carrows’ plan to target her and force Apollonia to become a Death Eater as was their wont. Even so, Apollonia was still targeted, just to a lesser degree; it wasn’t every class in which they would target Apollonia, but rather once every ten days. They seemed to fear her father’s wrath and, for the most part, left her alone. But, as there was still a danger lurking, Apollonia remained cautious in an attempt to stave off what little danger there was. And so it remained for almost two months, until the events of December 20th just before the Hogwarts Express left Hogsmeade station. On that day, one of the worst possible things could have happened, especially for the Resistance; something they might not recover from.

Just as before, Apollonia was sitting with Draco, so she did not see the event occur firsthand; no, Apollonia heard it from two different sources: Draco and Ginny. Apollonia was about to get up and take a stroll through the train when Draco pulled her back. “No, Apolla; I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Draco warned. “It’s not safe for you to do so.”

The Head Girl glared at Draco menacingly, a look almost reminiscent of her father’s. “What could possibly be so important that the train is delayed?” Nothing should have been more important than for the students to have some time to relax, to get away from what the Carrows were trying to do. Although, considering the fact that the Wizarding World was controlled by dark wizards, the leader of which was Voldemort, it should have been suspected that something like this would happen; she really should have known. “Let’s hear it, Draco; what’s the reason for the train’s delay, why are we stuck sitting here?”

Draco shrugged. “All I know is that they’re coming to collect someone. Do I have any idea who? Not at the moment. Though, I’m sure I’ll figure it out when I go home for the holidays.”

Not once while they were on the train did Apollonia figure out who was taken. It was only after spotting Ginny and Neville speaking that the Head Girl came to realize that it was Luna Lovegood who was arrested. Since Apollonia’s plan for the holiday included staying with Ginny at the Burrow—the Order’s request, though she was allowed to go see how Dudley was doing; she still received regular updates from Tonks on how they were, despite the fact that she wasn’t given knowledge of their location so as to protect her and her unborn child—it gave the Slytherin ample excuse to find out what was going on with the Order and the Resistance. “Luna’s gone, isn’t she?” Apollonia asked. All Neville or Ginny could do was nod. “I thought so. I heard someone was captured, just not who.”

“We’re down a fighter then,” Neville decided.

“Do I have to step in?” Apollonia wondered. If need be, she would; however, she preferred to help the injured, a part of her not wanting any more innocent souls to be sacrificed. “I’ve spent years following my father’s order to stay out of the war. It might be time for me to throw that order out the window and fight alongside the Resistance, the Order, and Harry.” And, it was also the only way in which she might be able to prove to her brother that she was on his side; that there was no way in hell that she would ever side with her father and Voldemort. For the last six months, Harry James Potter refused to believe that Apollonia Snape was willing to defy her father and help win the war. And, in that time, the young Slytherin did everything in her power to prove to her brother that she could be trusted, trust she was going to need if she ever got the chance to tell him who she really was to him.

However, at the rate things were going, there might not be a chance in which Apollonia could ever explain anything to Harry. The Order—and Resistance—was suffering loss after loss while Harry and Hermione had not much luck in locating the horcruxes. Since Hermione discovered that Apollonia had knowledge of the horcruxes, the know-it-all sent weekly updates through the message box to inform Apollonia of their progress; it was not going well. With everything that was happening, it was not certain as to when Apollonia might be able to tell Harry that she was his sister. Was there no end to this war in sight?

Now as she stood with Ginny and Neville, there was a small part of Apollonia’s heart willing to give up hope. Voldemort’s men were able to find cracks in their defense and exploit them. Was it possible that he could do so again; that he would succeed in killing Harry? Apollonia looked at Ginny and Neville. “I think we better part ways here. Ginny, I’ll apparate us back; I don’t think we should waste any time.” So, upon collecting their things, Apollonia side-apparated Ginny back to the Burrow where Molly was waiting for them.

“There you two are!” she declared with a huff. “We were getting ready to send someone after you. Inside, girls.” The motherly woman hurried the pair inside where a good majority of the Order was seated. Apollonia set her things down and took a seat, rather glad to be away from the Carrows, at least for a few weeks. Besides, Apollonia needed to have a talk with some of the Order members; the twins and Tonks especially, which could only occur here at the Burrow. Another Christmas without some of the people I care most about in the world, Apollonia thought darkly. This time, instead of Privet Drive, it’s the Burrow. The only consolation Apollonia had was that there were some of the people she cared about here: Lupin, Tonks, Bill, Charlie, and the twins. Despite the fact that Harry, Hermione, Draco, and her father were nowhere to be found, she was still surrounded by others whom she cared about; somehow, it would always remain that way.

At the moment, Apollonia was seated beside a pregnant Tonks. From what the young Snape heard, she was due some time in early April. Hopefully, that child could be raised in a world where there was no Voldemort, a world where there was nothing to worry about. How could any children be brought into a world where Purebloods were considered to be superior? Everyone in this house was against Voldemort and would not be living in a very pleasant world if Harry were to lose. Harry, you have to beat him, for the sake of young children. The Lupin baby is to be born in a matter of months and I don’t think you want them to grow up in a world run by Voldemort. It can’t end that way.

If there was anyway in which Apollonia could do anything more for the war effort, she would. Harry needed to finish this, make sure that a new generation of wizards and witches never had to suffer through what Harry and everyone else had to go through. Voldemort was a monster that no other children needed to be subjected to. There were times when students would question Apollonia about her friendship with Draco; for Apollonia herself, it was being questioned at this very moment. Apollonia had people she cared about on both sides of the war; at least half of the people in the Order on one side and Draco, her father, and Narcissa on the other. No matter what side won the war, she’d lose.

This year’s Christmas was going to be even weirder than last year. In the middle of a war, Apollonia doubted that this Christmas would be as peaceful as the last. Unfortunately, there was a very real chance of the war ending; it could happen at any time. And that could make for a terrible holiday. How are Harry and Hermione doing? Apollonia wondered. There was very little to report, so Apollonia had no clue of how her brother was doing.

Apollonia sighed and headed to the kitchen, surprisingly the only empty room in the house. Not for long though. Two identical voices surrounded her. “Ah, our dear Prankster Potions Princess,” one of the twins—Fred, she realized upon seeing both ears—said with a smirk, “we think we discovered a way to preserve the effects of the Mottled Dye.”

Her eyes lit up. “Really?”

“By accident in fact,” George said.

Apollonia eyed the twins. “How?”

“We were preparing for a new Potter Watch-”

“-had no intention doing this for another week-”

Before Fred could pick up where his brother left off—their habit of finishing each other’s sentences was getting annoying at the moment—Apollonia cut the boys off. “I don’t think you should be finishing each other’s sentences right now; it’s not the time for it. One of you is good enough to tell me how you did this, how you were able to preserve the potion?"

Fred huffed indignantly, but told the story. “If you insist, princess. While we were getting thing ready for Potter Watch, George here knocked over a glass of his orange juice into the Pepper-Up potion. And when Lee found a bag of bat wings and set out to put it in the back room, he tripped and one slipped into the potion. We were sure that he’d bear the mark of the potion, but there was no sign of the dual-tone hair,” Fred said with a grin.

“And it worked?” Apollonia asked.

“Like a charm,” George grinned. “Mum always said that orange juice would help when one of us was sick. Seems it works on potions as well. We’re introducing it in the shop the second the war ends; don’t want to introduce any new products until we’re sure that this is over.”

Right now, I think laughter might be good for us though, Apollonia thought. With all the darkness in the world, laughter would be the best thing for everyone. Apollonia slung arms over the twins’ shoulders and smiled. “Orange juice! Orange juice. How did I not think of that? Fred, George, I really have to hand it to you. I knew I picked the right people to help me with this.”

“Who else would you have asked?” they wondered.

The Slytherin glared at the twins menacingly; they had to have asked the stupidest question in the world. “Do you really want me to answer that? You two know perfectly well that I could have contacted Zonko’s with this product. I didn’t; I immediately thought of the two of you, and not just because Charlie was the first person I tested this potion on. It’s because your shop is the future. There will eventually come a time in which Zonko’s becomes obsolete, when they can’t keep up with the pranks you release. I’m sure that you must realize that Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes is the future; it’s part of the reason that I did this. There’s that and one other thing, though I’m not going to tell you that quite yet.”

“Ooh, a secret; do tell,” they pleaded.

“After the war,” Apollonia assured them. “I’ll inform everyone what I’ve concealed from everyone. Trust me when I say that this is one secret that will rock the very fabric of the Wizarding World.” Apollonia was sure that the twins would get a kick out of the fact that their younger brother hated his best friend’s twin sister. They would shove it in Ron’s face, which was exactly what Apollonia wanted for the way she was treated. Ron Weasley would rue the day that he decided to judge Apollonia simply by her house, as well as the day he turned Harry against her. There were times in which Apollonia could be quite vindictive—she had known that since she was five—and this was definitely one of those times; the youngest Weasley son turned her brother against her with his wicked tongue; he spouted crap about Slytherins, simply because Voldemort came from Slytherin.

Fred grinned, turning to his brother. “Shall we find out?”

“I think we must,” George answered.

“How about I make you a deal?” Apollonia suggested. Aside from Hermione, the twins were only ones that might even have a chance of discovering her secret. There was a part of her that wanted to know if they could. “If you two can find out what my biggest secret is before the war ends, well…I’ll grant any request as long as it’s within reason.” If would be interesting to discover if Fred and George could learn her secret where no one else could. With the Fidelius Charm in place, as well as Apollonia’s lightning storm Occulemency shield, it was difficult for anyone to discover her secret. In all honesty, Apollonia expected that the twins would figure out who she was, but only after she revealed the truth to Harry, which was only allowed to happen after the war ended. She was sure that there would never be a need for either twin to cash in their favor because the deal would be null and void.

As expected, the twins grinned. “You have a deal.”

The Slytherin nodded and slipped away. “Good luck!” she called over her shoulder. Apollonia was positive, however, that her secret was safe; they wouldn’t find out. She laughed as the twins disappeared and allowed Apollonia the chance to return to her seat next to Tonks.

“What was that about?” Tonks wondered.

“Secrets and potions,” Apollonia replied, knowing that the older woman would get the reference. Upon seeing the metamorphagus nod, the Slytherin grinned. “Charlie’s misfortune worked wonders. I know that sounds bad, but it’s because I pulled the prank on him that the twins helped me perfect it; Fred and George were able to find a way to preserve the effects of the potion, so it won’t explode the second the bat wings are dropped."

“Glad you can take pleasure in my misfortune!” Charlie called.

Apollonia rolled her eyes. “Jeez, Charlie, can’t you get over it?” Apollonia asked. “It’s been years since I did that. And you deserved it anyway. Why would you even think that baby-sitting me would be easily when Dad explicitly told you that it would not be as easy as you thought, even if Ron is the same as age as me? That fact—and that fact alone—is what caused me to play that prank on you. So, can we please drop all of this? There are much more important things that must be dealt with, say fighting the war against a maniac.”

Charlie grumbled, but agreed and things settled down. Apollonia, of course, was not quite sure that Charlie would let this drop. After all, it lasted this long. The young Snape could not understand how the second-eldest Weasley could hold a grudge like this, particular after about twelve years. Neither Tonks nor Bill ever did this, though neither of them ever had to deal with the effects of the Mottled Dye potion as Charlie did. Hopefully, those in the Order could keep Charlie from acting strange around Apollonia, as she was quite sure that he would do exactly that. Either way, it was going to be an interesting holiday.