Status: In very, very, very slow progress

Slythendor

Ugh!

“Stupid bastard…thinks he’s everything…I’ll get him one day…nasty – Oh, hi, Harry, Claire.” Vanessa muttered, cheering up when she noticed her friends.

“Um….Hi. Are you…okay?” Harry asked, but he instantly regretted it as she burst into song, singing, 'I'm Not Okay'.

“I am okay, really Harry. Thanks for asking, though.”

“Tell the truth.” Claire persisted.

“Okay, I’m blatantly not okay, I’m mean, my dad was fucking murdered a week ago for fighting the good fight, Draco’s being a stupid ‘tard and I’ve got another crap-full year ahead of me, being constantly rejected, insulted, even fled from! It just gets insane….” Vanessa spilled. “Thanks for getting this out of me.” She smiled, but it soon faded when a loud, clear, sharp, sneering voice called out behind her,

“Herbaceum, move along there, I’m sure you’d like to get to your common room before tomorrow!” It was the voice of Professor Severus Snape, Potions Master and head of Slytherin house. Vanessa’s house. As he came up behind them,

“Out of my way, Potter.” Snape sneered.
Vanessa just rolled her eyes at his words (he didn’t see) and bid goodbye to the other two as they reached the marble staircase. Harry and Claire went up it but Vanessa made her way towards the Slytherin common room, down in the dungeons.

The next morning….

Genevieve (as was the tradition with her and Vanessa) was sitting with Claire at the Ravenclaw table. On her left was Claire and her right space was filled by a rather miserable looking Vanessa; who immediately left for her first lesson (Charms) without more than a ‘Morning’ and ‘See ya’.

During break….

“Alright then. We all know why we’re here; to discuss how to help Vanessa get over her father’s death and/or cheer her up. Has anyone got any ideas?” Gen said, feeling important. Her usual Liverpool twang had, as it always did, wavered in and out of existence.

“Sweets?” Ron suggested.

“Nah, she’ll gorge and be sick.” Claire explained.

“Uh…shopping?” said Harry, anxiously trying to think of things but falling into the trap of thinking that she was a stereotypical girl.

“Hell no! Unless you see a CD/band merchandise/poster shop anywhere round here.” Gen stamped out that idea.

“Give her a book?” Hermione wondered thoughtfully, making Harry and Ron roll their eyes. Claire however was considering it, but then said regretfully,

“No, she prefers crime fiction, stories about serial killers and that stuff, if we give her that it’ll make things worse. Good thinking though, Hermione.”

“Give her a CD?” Harry pondered. He was apprehensive because he had only known Vanessa for a day!

“Hey…that could work!” Claire exclaimed.

“Nah, her music tastes are way too diverse.” Gen shook her head sadly. “Good thinking anyway though, Harry.”

“I always suppose we could … or rather, I could ….” Claire pondered.

“Could what?!” Ron and Gen said in unison.

“Introduce her to those people I met on the train. They’re Gryffindors but they’re Muggle-born and seem very open-minded. Besides, they’re artsy, punk, rocker people like her.” Claire decided.

“How many people are there?” Gen asked.

“Five guys.” Claire answered.

“Sounds good. New friends are exactly what she needs.” Said Hermione approvingly.

“Well then it’s settled. I think you should introduce them at lunch, then if all goes well they can go to uh…that new lesson we’ve got after break with the Gryffindors…you know, the one that groundskeeper’s teaching!” Gen decided.

“Care Of Magical Creatures?” Hermione suggested.

“Yes!” Gen agreed.