Harry Potter: A True Family

After The War

It was a couple of months after the war. Everything was pretty much back to normal. The students were all back in school and classes started up again. It was as if nothing ever happened. But Harry was still deeply shaken. He felt a sadness that he had never felt before. An emptiness. Life without his best friends seemed unreal. But he could sense a change... people were treating him better. He was no longer bullied. All danger was gone. The Death Eaters were all sent to Azkaban.

Harry was doing fairly well in his classes. He even started improving in Potions. Professor Snape though, seemed not to notice, and if he did he definitely didn't show it. The Potions Master was still cold and sarcastic, nothing really changed besides maybe a little bit of less coldness. Harry wasn't surprised at this though.

Harry tried making new friends, but it didn't feel right. He couldn't find anyone that made him feel like Ron and Hermione did. No one seemed right for him. As he started losing hope, a miraculous thing happened that left Harry in shock. 

It was during one iof his Slytherin-Gryffindor Potions classes. He just settled down with  time to spare, so he starting taking his potions things out and got ready. A girl sat down besides him, and he was extremely shocked to find out that it was a Slytherin, Lilliana Mead. Lilliana is a sixth year, just like Harry. Harry noticed that the girl was beautiful. She had wavy brown hair and piercing onyx eyes that seemed to radiate with an unknown feeling. He wondered if this was one of Malfoy's friends that came to torture him. 

"Hello, Harry. You probably don't really know me that well, but my name is Lilliana. I know what happened during The War and I wondered if we could be friends. I completely understand if you refuse though, seeing as I am a Slytherin. But I can assure you that I would enjoy your friendship." Lilliana said as she smiled.

Harry finally realized what the feeling in her eyes was. It was warmth. Friendliness, even. Harry smiled back and all of his doubts were gone. This girl wasn't one of Malfoy's friends. She was simply an innocent girl that somehow ended up in Slytherin.  

"Sure, I would like to become friends with you. Would you like to meet outside in the garden after classes, so we can talk some more?"

"Of course, Harry. Thank you" Lilliana beamed.

Harry opened his mouth to reply, but at that moment, the dungeon door was slammed as Professor Snape walked in and shut the door behind himself. Harry felt a feeling of dread as he watched the Potions Master.

"Your instructions for today will be up on the board shortly. But first, I will need to pair you up. Malfoy-Thomas, Bulstrode-Finnigan, Longbottom-Zabini, Mead-Potter" Snape said the last name with a bit of a sneer.

The whole class groaned. The professor received looks of loathing from both sides of the classrom. Impassive, Snape went on with his pairings. When he was done, he flicked his wand at the blackboard and the instructions for a fairly difficult potion appeared. 'well this is going to be fun' Harry thought darkly. But at least this was going to give him some time to talk to Lilliana.

"So Harry, do you want me to tell you about myself first?" Lilliana inquired as she started adding newt eyes to the potion and stirred. Harry nodded and she continued:

"Well I am a half blood. My father is a half blood and so was my mother. My mother died when I was three years old and I was placed into the custody of my father. I was sorted into Slytherin, but I can assure you that I am nothing like Malfoy and his gang."

Harry nodded again and started on his own story.

"As you might know, my parents died when I was a toddler. I'm living with my aunt and uncle, and they both absolutely hate me. I see Hogwarts as my only home." Harry said as he stirred the cauldron three times counterclockwise and let the potion simmer.

Lilliana nodded at him with understanding. Snape walked by their cauldron and looked in. To Harry the potion looked perfect. It was a light shade of lilac, just as the instructions said it should be at this stage. 

"Mead, Potter, I can see no major mistakes in this potion. Which is very surprising, since Mr. Potter here is also working on it and I truly thought he had no brain cells relating to potions." Snape added with a smirk.

As the professor walked away, Harry relaxed. He was used to the usual treatment. But Harry always thought Snape favoritized Lilliana just a bit. He always thought it was because she was a Slytherin, but he now saw that she truly had a talent in potions. 

The bell rang and everyone was turning their vials of potion in. Harry and Lilliana's potion was now a light shade of pink, just as the instructions described. Harry couldn't help noticing that Malfoy and Dean's potion was an ugly shade of black.

"So Lilliana, I'll see you in the garden after classes." Harry said with a slight smile.

"Okay, Harry, see you later." Lilliana replied.

With that they both left the classroom and went on their separate way to their next class.