Ever since Halloween, the temperature at Hogwarts had plummeted. When Eliana went for her morning runs, the icy air knifed into her nostrils, carrying the smell of frost on the earth.
Her magic had gradually stabilized, and she could sense it even better than before—thanks to Professor Snape's superb skill at Potions. Her friendship with Hermione and the others was deepening, she had earned another "O" on her latest homework, and everything seemed to be steadily improving. Everything except the nickname she had recently acquired.
They had defeated a Troll. That was no secret, especially since Professor McGonagall had awarded them fifteen points in public.
But that damned Ron had a mouth leakier than a colander worn out by thirty years of use. He recounted their fight and the Troll's sorry state in exhaustive, wildly exaggerated detail. If he put that much effort into his homework, he wouldn't be stuck with a pitiful A!
By the time she realized what had happened, a cursed title had been nailed firmly to her forehead: "Miss Richie, the Troll's Chicken Tenderizer."
The masterminds were strategist Fred, chief of staff George, demolition expert Lee, and their attack dog Ron. That whole rotten bunch.
Oh, and Malfoy had quietly done his part too!
Didn't Slytherin usually look down on Gryffindor? Why were they suddenly presenting a united front? Wasn't this a betrayal of their own house?!
Wasn't anyone going to do something? Where was Slytherin's disciplinary committee?!
Eliana gritted her teeth and hated every last one of them equally.
And so the Quidditch season arrived. The first match was Gryffindor against Slytherin.
Perfect. The twins were Beaters, Lee was the commentator, and Ron and Malfoy would be watching.
Eliana darkly cursed them. Ideally, the twins would accidentally smack each other on the head while hitting a Bludger, both fall off their brooms onto Lee in the commentary box, and all three tumble down onto Ron and Malfoy just as they were arguing.
With any luck, that would take the whole lot out at once!
Eliana offered a heartfelt prayer to Merlin.
She stormed out of the castle, planning to spar with the Whomping Willow she had recently discovered and work off her resentment. What a wonderful tree it was! She used to practice alone every morning, but now she had a sparring partner.
Better yet, this sparring partner was free and always available. It didn't even need to sleep—or maybe it did, but give it one smack and it would lash back the very next second. She didn't have to wait for it to get dressed or put on shoes. It was ready whenever she was.
Her wand was made from a Whomping Willow branch. It wasn't the same tree, but they were the same kind. No wonder she had felt such an affinity for the tree at first sight.
She thought the Whomping Willow liked her too. It got terribly excited whenever it saw her.
That made sense. The tree stood all alone at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, without even a bird for company most days. Now that someone as lively and kind as her had come along to play with it, of course it would treasure her.
Still, she wondered if Whomping Willows went through menopause. This one seemed more irritable lately.
She had barely reached the courtyard when three people swarmed around her.
"Eliana, Snape just took five points from us!" Ron cried. "He made up some nonsense about not taking library books out of the school, then confiscated ours."
That reason for docking points really was absurd. Eliana fell silent for a moment.
Ron pressed his advantage. "I told you he was no good, but you still call him your favorite teacher!"
He looked deeply aggrieved and desperate to bring his friend over to the "right" side.
Eliana didn't like that one bit.
Her annoyance wiped out even the faint trace of guilt she had felt. She planted her hands on her hips and defended him shamelessly. "Professor Snape might have made that rule up, but if you hadn't let him see you carrying the book, he couldn't have taken the points, could he?"
"Setting aside the facts, don't you think you were at fault too?"
Ron stared at her, dumbfounded. He dug at his ear in disbelief, then turned to Harry. "Did you hear the ridiculous thing she just said?"
Harry and Hermione looked just as stunned.
Hermione hesitated, then tried to smooth things over for her friend. "You know Eliana has always respected teachers. Professor Snape may be... but he is a professor, and we should respect him."
"You've caught it too, haven't you?" Ron's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "Listen to what she just said—'setting aside the facts'? If you set aside the facts, what's left to discuss? Our feelings?"
"Mate, you understand me, right?" Ron turned helplessly to his last ally. The world suddenly felt like a strange place.
Harry gave him a grave look.
Ron looked relieved, as though he had finally found a sane person in a world gone mad.
"I'm serious," he whispered to Harry, glancing at Eliana. "I reckon Snape limps because he's weighed down by equal parts favoritism and lack of conscience."
After badmouthing Snape, Ron instinctively shut his eyes and ducked his head. Strangely, Eliana's fist didn't immediately land on it.
Maybe she hadn't heard.
Relieved, Ron edged around to Harry's other side, letting his good friend shield him.
In fact, Eliana had heard.
But she had no time to deal with Ron. She was feeling a little guilty herself.
She racked her brain. Snape was limping... Surely that wasn't because she had smashed into him face-first during the Troll incident?
When she had gone to the dungeon for her Potions over the past couple of days, Snape had been grading papers behind his desk. The Potions had left her too miserable to think straight, so she hadn't noticed when he started limping.
Was my face really that deadly? It didn't hurt that much when I hit him. Eliana rubbed her chin smugly. She was pretty amazing.
Maybe I should try it on a rock. I might have a whole new attack move.
She considered the idea seriously.
"I want to get the book back," Harry said suddenly. "I'd like to look through it again before tomorrow's match."
Hermione and Ron stared at him as though a chicken had started speaking.
"You're a true Gryffindor," Ron said.
"I don't think I dare go," Hermione said.
"Sure, Harry. I'll go with you," Eliana said. "I want to check whether his injury is all right."
All three spoke at once. Then Ron and Hermione turned their astonished gazes on Eliana.
"You're a Gryffindor too," they said in unison.
Harry and Eliana headed to the Staff Room together. Harry figured that if other teachers were present, Snape would be too embarrassed to refuse his reasonable request.
"Ellie." Harry stood outside the Staff Room and took a deep breath. "Can I speak first, get the book, and leave before you ask about his leg?"
He was afraid he would lose his nerve if he stayed with Snape too long. Besides, he didn't want to stay with Snape too long.
Eliana saw right through him and raised an eyebrow. "Sure."
She didn't want Harry standing around getting in her way either. Hmph.
Harry drew another deep breath, paced back and forth twice outside the door, then stopped, turned, and charged toward it. He raised his hand like a soldier going into battle—and tapped softly on the door.
The sound was quieter than Ron's rat nibbling a sunflower seed.
Eliana silently watched Harry go through all that buildup for such a feeble knock, then took a walnut from her pocket and bit into it.
Harry's heart was about to leap out of his chest. He didn't notice Eliana eating a walnut beside him.
There was no response from inside. He knocked again, pushed the door open a crack with a trembling hand, and peered through cautiously. His eyes flew wide.
The other professors were gone. Only Snape sat on a hard sofa, his floor-length robes pulled above his knee. Blood ran down his leg, and Filch, sitting opposite him, seemed to be handing him some medicine.
Harry heard Snape's low voice. "How can one pair of eyes watch three heads?"
Harry felt as though his racing heart was about to burst out of his throat. He held his breath and tried to close the door without anyone noticing. Suddenly, a powerful shove struck his shoulder—
"Why are you lurking outside the door—" Eliana's clear voice rang through the quiet corridor at full volume.
At the same moment, a harsh bark came from inside the room. "Potter!"
Before Harry could react, Eliana seemed to spot Snape's injured leg. She let out a long, shrill, earth-shaking scream. "Professor!! What happened to you, Professor?!"
Harry's head rang from the noise.
Before you continue