The Torn Slytherin

Dear Harry, I had to leave my father’s home, I couldn’t take the stress any longer, not sure if I’ll be returning but after last year’s little tossup I’m not sure I can face going to the Weasley’s yet. Won’t you let me come like the good old days? It’s like I won’t even be around. Life hasn’t been the same since last year, I need a friend, hope to see you soon, xoxo.
-Stella.

Harry Potter read the letter over and over again, his hand rested on his chin, he knew his best friend had a tough year at Hogwarts and didn’t want her being out there on her own with no one to support her. He had let her stay with him at the Dursley’s every year, as surprised as Harry was, as his aunt and uncle didn’t like any of his friends, they didn’t even like Harry, but as long as they were okay with it, Stella could return as much as she damned well pleased.
He unlocked his window, and kept looking down at the road below, to try and look out for her without having to go downstairs and disturb Vernon and Petunia. He felt the midnight breeze pulsing through his veins as he stuck his body out the window and sat on the edge of the roof, waiting for his best friend’s arrival. He was sure she would show up as the way she made it in her letter looked like she was completely miserable. he lay his head back onto the roof behind him and stared up into the sky. The stars were hiding behind a thick blanket of darkened clouds that you could barely see since it was so dark out, but Harry could make out a couple here and there. He was so excited to go back to Hogwarts, he couldn't stand being at the Dursley's. It was psychical and mental torture, his never ending abuse by Vernon, and the verbal abuse by his cousin Dudley. He remembered the previous year when Dudley took his Owl, Hedwig and let it lose outside in hopes it wouldn't come back, but little did Dudley know Hedwig only served Harry's needs and started chasing Dudley around the living room, nipping at both his ears until they were a bloody mess, which in the end still got Harry into trouble for making a puddle of blood stained on the living room floor.
Harry sat back up, thinking he heard the sound of wet shoes slipping it's way up to the house, and he was right. He looked down in the driveway and saw Stella smiling up at him, her bags crossed around her back and chest and her Owl cage in her left hand, trying to hold it as strong as possible, not wanting to look weak.

"About time you showed, was worried you'd never come." Harry jumped off the roof with no problems and grabbed everything off Stella's body, and chucked it on the ground before pulling her in for a well deserved hug he knew she was dying for. While sometimes she may not have wanted hugs, she sure needed it, especially right now.
"Are we going inside? I'm bloody tired, and could use a shot or two.. or ten." Stella placed her hand on her forehead and sighed deeply. Harry could see her stress and took her bags, guiding her around out back to where they had built this enormous tree house in their second year.

"Oh goodness, I haven't been back here since we made it, yeah? Looks exactly like it did 3 years ago." Stella caressed the ladder up to the wooden door, reminiscing about the good times they had when they were younger, and how much things have changed since becoming a teenager, it was like the world was against her, and only one person was on her side. Not even her own father was on her side, he was too busy becoming a death eater and taking sides of criminals before he would defend his only daughter.

"Let's go up, we'll sleep there, I doubt they'll even notice my absence." Harry led himself up the ladder and grabbed the small rusted key hanging right below it, so he could unlock it. He needed a key so Dudley wouldn't snoop around into things Harry and Stella didn't want him getting into. He opened the door as quietly as possible in hopes it wouldn't make any squeaking noises, and gently placed Stella's luggage and Owl cage inside before climbing inside himself.
"Careful on your way up, there's rusted nails."
"I got it, thanks." Stella grunted, grabbing onto Harry's shirt sleeve before climbing in after him and slamming the little door shut.

It was small in there but extremely cozy, Harry often went up there on his own to think about his life choices and often stayed in there until the holiday's were over so he could just walk out and not be threatened to not have a home anymore if he went, which was an every year thing. Harry leaned back against a dirty molded pillow and looked out of the window, the stars were finally coming out.

"Do you think this year will be better than last? I mean as far as everything goes, better teachers ya think?" Stella needed to make a conversation quick before Harry fell asleep and left her wallowing in her own self pity.

"As long as they don't make Snape Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher, it doesn't really matter to me. I'm just looking forward to having classes with you, and Ron again. Like good times. It seems this holiday is just going on forever. We should go to Ron's before we get on the train, so we can all go together." Harry knew saying that was going to make Stella's stomach weak.
"It's gonna be fine, Stella. I'm sure he'll be understanding once you talk to him."

"Doubtful. But I don't see the point in not going, better than being here the whole time. I gotta go with father school shopping, he wants to buy my books weirdly enough."

"Oh! A little father, daughter bonding time, yes?" Harry started chuckling out loud. Stella playfully smacked his arm before placing herself down next to him, looking out the same window and up at the stars. She finally managed a smile, she was with her best friend and away from all the madness back at home, her father who wouldn't speak to her, now wants to take her school shopping, but in Knockturn Alley. She shuttered but didn't want to think about it at the moment, she took in all the happiness she could before falling asleep in Harry's arm.

- The Next Day -

"Stella.. Stella? Wake up." Harry tugged on Stella's hand and tried sitting her up in hopes she'd wake up. She jolted upward, eyes wide open and her hair was a tangled mess. "Happy Birthday!" Harry took from behind his back a birthday card, covered in glitter with a moving picture of her, himself and Ron with their arms around one another smiling like they've never smiled before.

"Oh Harry Potter you shouldn't of had." Stella grinned and opened the card and read it out loud for Harry to hear. "Thanks for being such a wonderful friend all these years, and I'm sorry for always calling you a constant know-it-all. You're still great. Love, Harry and Ronald. P.S, your present is at Ron's house. Come get it when you're ready." Stella put the letter on her lap and hugged Harry tightly. She didn't ever want to let go, she was so grateful for him and didn't want this moment to end. "What a wonderful way to start the morning, thank you."

"Gather your belongings, we have to go see Ron, are you prepared?" Harry opened the door and started heading down below.

"Can I meet you there? Shopping with dad, remember? Can't miss it, he might turn me into a death eater." Stella winked, following him down to the grassy platform, she threw on her flats and fedora hat and followed Harry to the port key behind the tree house.

"Okay, I'll see you there shortly, don't be a no show, we're doing something nice for you, I expect you'll arrive at your own surprise party."

"Well it isn't a surprise anymore." Stella grabbed the old boot that they used as the port key, as Harry grabbed along as well, and off they went into different places. Harry arrived at a rather good time, he saw Ron, and his father, Arthur setting up a party tent on the side of the burrows. It was a beautiful lacey white tent with glittering gold lights with decorations to make Stella cry with joy. He walked over to them much to their surprise, not knowing he would show up so early.

"Hey Harry! You're early, but the sooner the better. Where's Stells?" Ron looked away from the Tent for a moment, causing it to fall to the ground, Arthur groaned as he managed to get it up on his own. "Thanks, son.."

Ron and Harry set off inside, where Ron's siblings, Ginny, Fred, George and Charlie were all sitting around the dinner table eating the junk food they had sworn not to touch until the party, but knowing them they wouldn't be able to control themselves around sweets.

"Harry you're here!" Ginny got up quicker than anyone has ever seen her, and jumped into Harry's arms before planting a long and overdue kiss right on his lips. Everyone gagged, especially Fred and George. Ron just walked away and rolled his eyes, he went back outside and continued helping his father set up for Stella's party that night.

"Could you not be so obvious. There's rooms upstairs, don't take mine." Fred scoffed before sipping on his morning coffee. He looked around and noticed something was missing. "Heya Harry, is Stella here?"

"No, she's out with Snape. Guess their school shopping early. Should be here later on this afternoon." Harry looked away from Ginny momentarily to see Fred's face droop down, he got up and walked out of the house, watching and fake laughing as he saw Ron screw up setting up the decorations. He could hear Fred yelling out how much of a klutz Ron was, and he was right.
"Do you think they'll work things out, Fred and Stella? I mean I know she's back with Draco and all, but I still see a connection between them two, if she knows what's good for her, she'll leave Draco for good and settle with Fred, like it was meant to."
All Harry could do was nod. He hated Draco, they had been sworn enemies since their first year when Harry refused to accept becoming a Slytherin and begged the sorting hat to place him in Gryffindor. Draco thought that was a stupid choice and from then on they were sworn enemies. He knew Stella would become a Slytherin but they remained friends and he had continued supporting her relationship choices even though in the back of his mind he had hoped they'd break up so she could find someone better for her, and at one point she did. She connected with Fred on a personal level. It was the end of third year at Hogwarts when Draco and Stella had called it quits. She had left Draco for the simple fact that he was unsupportive of her, didn't like her friends and always bossed her around, they had been together since their second year when she thought he was decent enough but as the years went on, she realized maybe he wasn't good for her after all.
In the beginning of their fourth year, Stella and Fred has such an amazing friendship, that when he found out she had called off her romance with Draco that he could go in a sweep her off her feet and he did just that. They got together faster than she even noticed it, but she was happy. Everyone knew, including Draco, but that didn't stop their blooming romance. They lasted for months and she felt so good being with someone who appreciated her and understood her, and had so much in common with, they were both jokesters, her, Fred and George had thought about opening up a joke shop together in Diagon Alley, to keep the place alive and vibrant, as Stella liked putting it. It seemed things were going to well between to two of them until the end of their fourth year. Months went by, 10 months to be exact. Almost a wonderful year had went by before she realized she was still set on Draco and decided to give him another chance, and like that, she left Fred high and dry. It caused so much drama between the Weasley's and Stella, and Harry, it was all chaos. Harry just couldn't stand Draco and hoped it would end again and for good.

-

"Father, exactly what are we doing?" Stella asked her emotionless father, Severus, who was walking down Knockturn Alley looking around as if he was searching for something, or someone.

"Hurry inside, quickly. Someone's waiting for you." Severus opened the door and held it opened, allowing Stella to confusingly walk through, wondering why she was stepping into, Borgin and Burkes.

"This isn't where we buy my books.. What's going-" Stella stopped talking as a familiar face stepped out from the shadows, flowers in hand and a birthday card. It was Draco, he held a smile on his face which looked forced but managed anyways, he walked up to Stella and hugged her gently, handing her the flowers and cards afterwards. "Happy Birthday." He cracked as he stepped back and watched her open up her card. Inside was 20 sickles, and a picture of her and Draco dancing together at his fathers manor, a picture taken in their second year. "Draco, I don't want your money. I have my own." Stella took the sickles and tried handing it back to Draco but her father protested.

"Now, now Stella, It's a birthday gift, accept it and move on." Stella huffed and looked up at Draco.
"I just want you." she whispered.
"And you will have me.. see you at Hogwarts." He walked up to her and kissed her, before walking out of the door, she turned to see Draco's father, Lucius waiting for him. He shot her a gracious look, bowed, and turned away walking with Draco into the darkness.
Stella and Severus walked out shortly afterwards, she took the sickles and placed them into her handbag, in hopes it would get buried in somewhere, where she couldn't find it.
"I already have your books and robes, they'll be arriving at Hogwarts soon enough. Come home with me, daughter. You haven't been around in weeks, you need to be at home where you belong. Where you're meant to be." Severus stopped his daughter, who wasn't having any of it.

"Father, you caused me to lash out this way. I want to go see Harry, and Ron, and I want to go to my surprise party that isn't a surprise anymore but I'm gonna act like it is." Stella stated in the most serious way possible. "You can't stop me. I will see you at Hogwarts father, until than I'm gonna go and be with my friends who at least support me, and don't boss me around." Just like that she was gone, leaving Snape alone again to wonder how his daughter became the total opposite of him. He walked away back into Knockturn Alley and left it be. He knew he wasn't going to get into her mind the easy way.

-

Harry and Ron sat in the kitchen of the burrow drinking tea as Ron's mother Molly, and Arthur finished up the last of the setting up for Stella's party. They were worried she wasn't going to show, it had now struck evening, and Stella hadn't sent a note through her owl to her them know she was on her way, or if she wasn't coming. Harry knew her fears, and knew she was nervous to show since her last altercation with the Weasley's, but they all managed to push that aside for the sake of it not being awkward. At least they were trying.

"I take full responsibility for her bailing on her own party. It's my fault, I will have only made it awkward." Fred grabbed his cup of tea and sat in the living room, sighing as he kept sipping, not putting the cup down away from his mouth. He felt he just shouldn't speak and maybe things would be less weird.

"It's not your fault, it's only awkward if she makes it, we set up everything, how can she not come? We are trying to be nice, and friendly." Ginny looked outside to see how much hard work everyone put into setting up for Stella's party, now it was starting to get dark and everyone sat around and played the waiting game. About 5 minutes in, everyone heard a shuffling noise coming from outside, and a loud THUD following it. "Ow.." they heard Stella's aching voice and Harry and the rest of the clan ran outside after her.

"You made it!" Harry and Ron hugged her, she felt there were too many hugs going around but basked in the affection everyone was giving her.

"I told you I'd come, although I'm late. I'm always late. Sorry for being late everyone, I had my father to deal with and a bunch of other rubbish I had to take care of before coming, but I'm here now." She threw her arms around Harry and Ron's waists and they dragged her inside for some hot tea, it was freezing outside.

"I guess I'll turn the lights on and get the music prepared! Happy Birthday darling!" Arthur kissed Stella's forehead and placed his hands on her cheeks, they were so warm and welcoming. "Glad you're here, really. You're gonna love tonight." He walked outside and dragged Fred and George along with him. It was only a matter of time before Stella and Fred came face to face but now was apparently not the time.

The party started soon after she had arrived, everyone that she knew (except her father and Draco) had come to celebrate Stella's 15th birthday in style. But the only person who wasn't there was Stella herself. She hid out in the bathroom upstairs in the burrow, crying. She couldn't bare to look at herself crying, and didn't look up into the mirror, she stared down at the sink and balled until there weren't any tears left. She felt she didn't deserve this. She was scared of how things were going to be when she got back to Hogwarts, she was annoyed at how distant Draco had become for just getting back together and was sick to her stomach worried that Fred would never forgive her. These things 15 year olds shouldn't have to worry about ever, but Stella wasn't your normal teenage girl.
Fred was the only one who noticed she wasn't there, and went out to search for her. He looked around the tent, and outside in the big field right in their front yard and couldn't find her. He looked up at the burrows and saw the bathroom light on and snuck his way from the party and into the house.

"Stella? Are you in there?" She heard his voice, and shut her eyes, hoping she was dreaming. She wasn't prepared for drama. She had enough on her mind. "I just wanna make sure you're alright, I didn't see you at the party, and you know it's your party and all, at least make an appearance." But there was no response. Just as Fred was about to walk away, Stella opened the bathroom door and stepped out. Fred turned around and looked at her with elegant eyes. "You look wonderful." He walked up to her and pulled her into what was her favorite hug of the night.

"Thank you.. Sorry, I'm just thinking too much, way too much on my mind."
"Well worry about it tomorrow, but for now you are the main attraction, our star guest. You can't just not be there, you at least gotta eat cake, or else I will.. I actually did already so hurry before it's gone." He laughed, making her laugh along with him. She and him hadn't had this long of a conversation since their breakup and he didn't want to think about that right now. He grabbed her hands, interlocking their fingers together as they used to, and headed outside into the tent.

"There she is, look at your in your pretty red dress, Gryffindor for life." Ron handed her a glass of sparking cider and took her out onto the dance floor.
"Shall we dance, ma'am?" Ron giggled, as Stella took his hand, they had never danced together before so it was quite the experience.

"Not bad, Ronald. Not bad at all." She leaned her head on his shoulder and looked around at everyone dancing and having a good time, she looked to her left and saw George doing the chicken dance next to his father who was obviously very annoyed, she couldn't help but snicker. She had a good night, and took Fred's advice, and stopped worrying about the bad and only thought about the good, she knew before the night ended she needed to speak with him, she wanted a dance with him, and she was ready to apologize officially for everything that had happened. That was until a bad storm started approaching, which caused the party to end suddenly.

"We could always move it inside." George moved the hair from his face and looked to his mother and father.

"Not exactly the partying house. Guess we are calling it a night." Arthur gathered everyone and headed inside. The rain started pouring viciously. Everyone yelped and ran as fast as they could to where they needed to be.

"Ok this was such a good night everyone. Thanks so much, I appreciate it." Stella kissed everyone's foreheads and sat on the couch and took a towel from Harry, drying her hair off from the rain. She was tired and was ready for bed, and fell asleep right on Harry's shoulder, as Ron fell asleep on Stella's. Everyone fell asleep right where they stood when they went inside, it was a wonderfully crowded mess, and Stella loved it.