An Unlikely Savior ~ (Edit) COMPLETED

Chapter 20 ~ Eileen Makes a Point

Rose desperately navigated her way through the Forbidden Forest, her heart in her throat as the clicking, scuttling spiders pursued her. There seemed to be hundreds of them, varying in size from a small dog to almost the size of horses. She didn’t dare look back as she zipped around the widely spaced trees. She was able to stay ahead of them for now, but soon the forest would become denser, and when that happened . . .

Suddenly, she was knocked sideways by a leaping spider who hit the bristles of her broom and she nearly lost control as the creature dangled by one leg for a second, then fell, immediately bowled over by the others. They were starting to flank her now, and Rose changed direction, cutting to the right, hoping to outmaneuver them.

But the spiders stayed with her and it was clear that she couldn’t out fly them. She just didn’t have the skill. She felt her robes snagged by a creature and kicked back desperately, hoping to dislodge it. She felt it release, and changed direction again, flying over the spiders, who were forced forward by sheer numbers before they too, changed direction, clicking angrily at their quarry’s dexterity. Rose flew back in the direction of Hogwarts and denser foliage, knowing there was no possible way she was going to make it through without the spiders getting her. She was going to die.

Suddenly, there was a whoop and Eileen came soaring down from the tree tops, her wand out as she flew over the spiders.

”Magmus!” she cried, sending a stream of liquefied fire from her wand tip as she passed behind Rose, igniting the first line of spiders, who screamed in agony as she soared back upward, spun and flew down again, sending another blazing stream of flame at the creatures.

The spiders quickly retreated, Eileen pursuing them, whooping and hollering, shooting flames at them indiscriminately as Rose slowed, then stopped flying, hovered and watched the Slytherin give the Acromantula what for. Eileen had been attacked by the creatures several times during her exploration of the forest, and she couldn’t stand them. Although she disliked Rose, she disliked the vicious spiders more.

The spiders all fled back to the cave, then Eileen flew over the smoldering forest, shooting water at the remaining flames and making sure they were out completely before flying up to Rose, cocking her head at her.

“You—you saved me,” Rose said in a rather high voice as she looked at her sister.

”Of course I saved you. You couldn’t save yourself, could you?” Eileen replied. “Anyway, killing my mother’s daughter wouldn’t exactly get us started out on the right foot, would it?”

Eileen flew past her, but slowly and Rose began to follow her as she guided them through the forest, and out to the Hogwarts grounds. Once they cleared the trees, Rose pulled up beside her half-sister, reached out and grabbed the handle of her broom, stopping the witch cold.

”I’ve got you!” she exclaimed as Eileen looked at her incredulously.

”Oh, you have to be kidding me,” Eileen said, frowning at her.

Rose held on firmly.

”No, I’m not kidding you. I can’t believe you tried to kill me! What’s wrong with you?”

”What’s wrong with me? What’s wrong with you, flying into the Forbidden Forest with no idea how to navigate it? I would have never done that. And I didn’t try to kill you, Rose. Just teach you a lesson. Fools rush in and you’re a fool!”

“I was trying to catch you,” Rose said, defending herself.

”It wasn’t worth it,” Eileen shot back at her.

”Hugo’s worth it,” Rose replied, still holding on.

”Hugo? Who the hell is Hugo?”

”My little brother. He’s a first year and has the insane idea that he can just—chat with you, and he’s determined to do it. I don’t want him hurt,” Rose told her sister.

Eileen stared at her.

”What in the world makes you think I’d hurt a first year? That’s like—like torturing a Muggle puppy. There’s no sport in that,” she said disdainfully. “You chased me through the Forbidden Forest because you thought I’d hex your brother? You really are an idiot, Rose Weasley.”

Alsop was running across the grounds toward them.

Rose was taken aback, and felt stupid to boot.

”Well, you’re capable of anything, Eileen. You’re so—antisocial,” the witch said.

”So I’m antisocial. That doesn’t mean I mow down first years,” Eileen responded. “But it’s just like a Gryffindor to think a Slytherin would do something like that. You all are such self-righteous, judgmental prats. Gods. I’ve got to go.”

Eileen jerked her broom so Rose would release it, then flew toward Alsop.

”Hey, what’s going on?” the Ravenclaw asked, breathing heavily from running.

”An exercise in stupidity,” Eileen replied with a frown. “Your cousin is an idiot. She flew into the Forbidden Forest, trying to catch me.”

”Why’d she want to catch you?” Alsop asked, looking over at Rose, who was staring back at him.

Eileen shrugged.

”Like I said, she’s an idiot. Now, hop on. I’ll give you a ride back to the castle. I’m done with flying today,” Eileen said, scooting forward on the broom to give Alsop room. He climbed on, slipping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder.

”A wizard could get used to this,” he said in her ear.

”Really? Can he get used to this too?”

Eileen kicked off and hit one hundred and eighty in about six seconds, Alsop screaming his head off as they zoomed towards Hogwarts.

Rose watched them and realized she could have never caught Eileen if she didn’t want to get caught. Her sister had manipulated her, but good. She began to fly back toward the castle, still feeling out of sorts. Eileen had made her feel really stupid for both following her into the Forbidden Forest and for suggesting she’d hurt Hugo.

Still, she had put the spiders on her. She could have been killed if something had gone wrong. She really thought Eileen had left her to her fate.

All right. Maybe she had misjudged her half-sister a little concerning Hugo, but one thing was for certain—

Eileen Snape was pure poison.

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If Eileen thought she had reached her Weasley quota, she was wrong, wrong, wrong. Once they reached the castle, Alsop headed to Ravenclaw house to catch up on some studying. Eileen was just about to turn into the dungeons, when a voice piped up, “Hey, Eileen!”

She turned to see a smiling little redhead making a beeline for her. It was Hugo.

She hurried down the narrow stairwell that led into the dungeons, walking quickly. But Hugo followed her, drawing up alongside.

”Hi, I’m Hugo, your brother,” he said to the witch, smiling.

Eileen gave him a sidelong glance, frowning.

”Your not my brother. You’re my half-brother,” she said. “Now go away, you little troll.”

Hugo frowned at this.

”You sound just like Rose. She calls me a troll all the time. I hoped you’d be different. Nicer.”

Eileen nearly choked. He thought she’d be nicer? Merlin.

”Well, I’m not nicer and I don’t want to be bothered. So go away or I’ll call you something worse.”

”Like what?” Hugo asked her curiously, keeping up with her.

”You’re too young to hear it,” Eileen replied. “Now get out of here.”

”But I want to get to know you. You’re my sister—my family,” Hugo said insistently.

Eileen felt a little pang when he said that. It made her situation more—real somehow. She didn’t reply but kept walking.

”It’s weird having a Slytherin for a sister,” Hugo said conversationally. “But I’m willing to give you a chance. You can’t be all bad.”

”I can’t?” Eileen said, smirking a bit despite herself.

”No. Nobody’s all bad,” Hugo explained.

“Don’t be so sure about that,” Eileen replied.

She knew very well that there were people in the world who were all bad. She’d learned that at a young age while growing up in Knockturn Alley. Gryffindors. They had such a rose-colored view of the world.

”So, when are you coming to our house?” Hugo asked her.

”What? What are you talking about?”

”Well, you’re going to get to know mum, aren’t you? She’s nice. Most of the time, anyway,” he told his half-sister. “Unless you piss her off. Then, she’s a terror.”

Eileen kind of liked the sound of that.

”I don’t know, Hugo. Now, get out of the dungeons. You know if any other Slytherins find you down here alone, you’re going to get the bad end of it,” Eileen warned him.

“I’m not scared,” Hugo said, puffing out his chest a bit.

Eileen shook her head.

”No, you wouldn’t be. Another idiotic Gryffindor trait. Do you all look for trouble?”

“No. But if it comes—then we face it. We’re brave like that. We don’t run away.”

Eileen smirked. Rose was certainly running away a few minutes ago, or flying rather.

Eileen arrived at the wall that hid the Slytherin entrance.

”Look, I’m going into my house now. Get out of the dungeons, Hugo,” she told her brother.

”But—but I really want to talk to you, Eileen. It’s cool having another sister.”

Eileen studied him now. His eyes were very blue, he had freckles and his hair was bright red. He was kind of—cute. And very stubborn.

“You really think that, Hugo?” she asked him.

”Yeah, I do,” he said, smiling at her.

Suddenly the door slid back and three Slytherins exited, immediately zeroing in on Hugo.

”What’s this? A Gryffindor in the dungeons?” one of them said as Hugo scowled at them. “We don’t allow Gryffindors down here.”

The Slytherin looked at Eileen, who was expressionless. She didn’t look like she’d be any trouble. He oriented on Hugo again.

”I can go anyplace I want in Hogwarts. You don’t rule anything!” Hugo said bravely.

”He’s a mouthy one, isn’t he?” another Slytherin said. “You need to learn to respect your betters, firstie.”

“You’re not any better than anybody,” Hugo retorted.

Eileen’s brow furrowed. Oh, why didn’t he just shut up and run?

One of the boys grabbed Hugo’s shoulder, and Hugo promptly kicked him in the leg, making him let go.

”Ow!” the boy hissed. “Why you little—“

He grabbed Hugo in a chokehold, and the little Gryffindor pulled out his wand and pointed it backwards.

”Stupefy!” he cried, the Slytherin immediately crumpling.

Eileen’s eyes went wide as Hugo backed up and trained his wand on the other Slytherins, who pulled out their wands, aiming at him.

” Tarantallegra! Petrificus Totalus!” Hugo cried in quick succession, flicking his wand at each of them.

One boy froze and toppled, and the other started dancing around, unable to control his legs, which were moving at an amazing rate. Eileen couldn’t help but be impressed. Hugo was fast and he didn’t hesitate.

He looked up at her with a smirk.

”I told you Gryffindors don’t run,” he said smugly.

”I see that,” Eileen replied, giving him a little tight smile despite herself.

”Well, I’d better go before the spells wear off,” the first year said to his sister.

“That seems like a good idea, Hugo,” Eileen responded. He had some sense after all.

”I’ll see you around,” the boy said, then turned and walked back up the dungeon corridor.

The Slytherin who was dancing around looked at Eileen desperately.

”Help me,” he said plainatively to the witch, who looked at him coldly.

”Help yourself,” she hissed, walking through the open wall and closing it behind her.

As she walked down the damp corridor that led to the common room, Eileen couldn’t help thinking Hugo was very entertaining—for a Gryffindor.

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A/N: Thanks for reading.