Answers
For a week after the fight broke out, I worried that the Gryffindors would come after me for what I did. But nothing happened.
The first month of school flies by, and suddenly we are only a week away from all Hallow’s Eve.
St. Joseph’s didn’t celebrate Halloween. Called it the devil’s holiday.
Eleanor has helped me in nearly every subject, teaching me things most students don’t learn until their third year. It felt a bit like cheating, but I don’t care.
I’ve settled into the quiet existence life has carved out for me at Hogwarts.
I don’t raise my hand in class, even though I almost always know the answer.
I eat my meals at strange times, to avoid the crowds.
I study in the potions classroom rather than the library to avoid the other houses.
All in all, I have figured out how to avoid conflict.
My roommates are all early risers, so I wait for them all to leave for breakfast before showering.
Valeria had left me alone after I stopped talking to Lily. Sadie had actually invited me to dinner once or twice before realizing I have no interest.
Patricia had made it a habit of leaving me books she took out of the library.
I found that wizarding fiction was very different from muggle fiction.
“Could you teach me another jinx?” Severus interrupts our silent studying one night.
“Why?”
He looks down at the book in front of him.
“They haven’t left you alone?” I ask, confident that he is asking so that he can protect himself against Sirius and his friends.
He may not have bothered me, but Sirius had made it his life’s mission to torment Slytherins.
“I want to fight back,” he finally looks at me.
“Then no. They are defensive spells for a reason.”
He hisses but drops the subject.
“Ah, my two favorite first-years,” Professor Slughorn emerges from his office.
“Hello Professor,” Severus says.
I stay quiet. It has been my go to move with the professors.
“Severus. Excellent sleeping draught, my boy.”
“Thank you, Professor.”
“And Connie, I was surprised to see a swelling solution brewing in your cauldron. You have taken excellent initiative.”
It is a second year potion. I’ve successfully brewed everything in the curriculum for first year. Severus had been a large part of that. I should give him credit.
“Thank you,” I say curtly.
“I am sure you are both aware of my little get togethers. I’m having one the Friday before Halloween. You are both welcome to come,” he smiles, patting Severus on the shoulder.
“It would be an honor, Professor,” Severus says. I nod along, having zero intention of attending a dinner party with Slughorn.
He leaves and I level a stare at Severus.
“What?” he asks.
“It would be an honor, Professor,” I mimic him.
He reddens but smiles.
“You know, it wouldn't hurt for you to be a bit warmer to people. And that is coming from a Slytherin,” he says pointedly.
“It isn’t in my nature,” I respond.
We go back to studying in silence and I think about what he said.
Being warm had never gotten me anywhere or anything.
I truly screw myself three days later, in Transfiguration.
Professor McGonagall has instructed us all to practice turning mice into snuffboxes.
So far, there has been very little success.
James Potter has gotten the closest, with his mouse resembling a jack in the box, with its tail and whiskers still affixed.
“Connie’s done it,” Avery, the loud-mouthed mouth-breather says.
I look down at my desk. I have in fact managed to turn my mouse into an elegant silver snuff box. I had just not intended for anyone to notice.
“Well done, Ms. Fawley, Five points to Slytherin,” she picks up the snuffbox and shows it to the class, explaining the detailed work and variables that made my attempt successful.
“The Fawleys were all dark wizards. Followers of Gellert Grindelwald, until Dumbledore stopped him,” Sirius Black is whispering to his friend, Remus Lupin.
Except whispering isn’t at all accurate for the volume of his words.
“It’s only a matter of time before she uses dark magic.”
“Mr. Black, that is not appropriate. Five points from Gryffindor,” McGonagall scolds him, but it is too late.
Everyone heard him.
I stuff my textbook into my bag and stand up, stalking from the room.
Attention. I’d attracted too much of it.
Instead of heading for my room, I head out onto the grounds, breathing in the fresh autumn air.
Transfiguration will end in roughly twenty minutes. Then, I can go back and talk to Professor McGonagall. Get the truth.
Evil or not, I have to know who my family is. Was.
Gellert Grindelwald. I’d read about him. He sought power over the wizarding world. He’d killed countless witches and wizards to get it. Is Sirius right? Were my family supporters of his?
How did they die? That is the question that keeps playing over and over in my mind.
I sit on the grass, pulling my wand from my robes and practicing the warming charm Eleanor had insisted I learn nearly a month ago.
Eleanor isn’t exactly my friend, but she has helped me more than anyone else in my life.
“Connie,” I hear Lily’s voice.
I don’t turn around. Take the hint, Lily. I don’t want to talk.
“Connie,” she says again, this time sitting down beside me. “We have to talk.”
I just glance at her.
“Black never should have said that. It was completely out of order,” she puts her hand on my arm.
I’m crying again. I hate crying. I’ve cried more in the last six weeks than I had in the last six years before coming to Hogwarts.
“I have no idea if it is out of order! I don’t know anything about them. He is probably right,” I look at her.
“Maybe I could help you do some research. In the library,” she offers.
“Why? I was horrible to you.”
“No, you were trying to protect me. Which was idiotic because I can look out for myself.”
Idiotic? I laugh. She makes a fair point. She did know the tickling charm in her first week.
“Lily, I know I could probably find my family history in the library, I just don’t think I am ready. McGonagall told me weeks ago she had things she wanted to discuss with me about them. I’ve been avoiding her.”
“Which explains why you didn’t want anyone to know you are the best at transfiguration. But, Connie, you should let McGonagall help you. Getting answers could help you figure out what kind of witch you want to be,” she says, a keen look in her eye.
Wise beyond her years. Perhaps she would have made a good Ravenclaw.
“Severus came to me for help with charms,” I change the subject.
“You haven’t shown him any dangerous ones have you?” she looks nervous. “Potter and Black won’t seem to leave him alone. I’m worried he will get himself into trouble.”
Severus is outnumbered. I just smile at Lily. She has a good heart.
“I only brought it up because he has been helping me with Potions and I wondered if you wanted to study with us?”
She beams her snow white teeth at me.
“Connie, I would love to. Marlene and Dorcas haven’t exactly been worried about exams,” she says.
Marlene and Dorcas. Gryffindors. Housemates she can actually trust. What must that be like?
“Great. We meet in the potions classroom after dinner most nights. Slughorn would love to see you.”
“Alright. Sounds like a plan. Now,” she stands up and brushes off her robes before holding out a hand. “Someone needs to go talk to McGonagall.”
I take her hand and she walks me all the way back to the Transfiguration classroom.
“I’ll see you after dinner,” she offers as a goodbye, giving my hand a light squeeze.
I nod in thanks.
Walking in, I am pleased to see that McGonagall left my mouse transfigured on her desk.
“Professor?” I walk towards the front of the room where her office door is.
“Ms. Fawley. I was hoping you would come see me. I’ve spoken to Mr. Black and he will be serving detention next week,” McGonagall is sitting at a beautiful pine desk.
“I think- No, I want to know about my family.”
She indicates that I should sit. A cup of tea appears in front of me.
“First, you need to know that Mr. Black is quite mistaken about your family.”
I look at her face, searching for a lie.
She seems sincere.
“The Fawley family opposed Grindelwald from the start. You did have an aunt who went off on her own, but for the most part, Fawley’s were dedicated Hufflepuffs. In fact, you had a great uncle who served as Minister for Magic. They were a well-respected family in the Wizarding World.”
“Were?”
“As I said, you are the last remaining descendant I am aware of.”
“What happened?”
“At the height of his power Grindelwald was looking for purebloods who would support him in power. Your family rejected his offer. People started to disappear. Your parents, they went into hiding. Nobody even knew your mother was pregnant, although it makes sense that they would not want anyone to know. Well, Grindelwald viewed it as a challenge, slicing through each branch of your family.”
She pauses and looks at me. I probably look as nauseated as I feel.
“Connie, your parents loved you.”
“Who were they?”
“August Fawley and Willa Nott. Both truly kind people. They fell in love while here at Hogwarts.”
“So Grindelwald found them?”
She nods.
“There was a fire. Neither one survived. Muggle police officers were the first to arrive at the scene. They must have taken you from the house. You were protected.”
“So I really am an orphan,” I say it aloud more for myself than for her. Just to hear the words.
“I’m so sorry, Connie. Sometimes evil is too strong to overcome.”
I refuse to believe that. He failed. Grindelwald didn’t kill all of the Fawleys. Didn’t kill me.
“Why would Black say that they were evil?”
“I would assume his mother told him that. She is a manipulative witch, with no qualms about twisting the facts. He was simply regurgitating something he heard. Don’t let it bother you.”
“Alright,” I say to appease her.
“And Ms. Fawley, in the future, don’t hide your talents. Your snuffbox was beautiful.”
I nod and stand, feeling better than I have in weeks.
Leaving her office, I think about everything she said.
Hufflepuffs?
I guess that doesn’t provide an answer as to why I am in Slytherin.
My head is swimming with terrible images of fire and destruction.