snape's daughter, harry's sister

aragog.

Later That Night

"You do know it's called the forbidden forest for a reason, don't you?" Fred whispered into his best friend's ear, not wanting to make too much noise and attract unwanted attention.

"I told you," Haley hissed at him, still upset. "I wasn't really thinking when I came outside. I just ran and ended up here on accident," she told him honestly. This night was hardly one she had planned.

"If we get eaten by anything," George started.

"It's not going to be pleasant," Fred finished, utterly terrified for the first time in ages. He, his twin, and Haley were currently lost somewhere in the forest beyond the walls of Hogwarts. It was late in the evening and they were surrounded by a sea of darkness. So, to say finding their way back to the castle was even remotely possible would be a lie.

"Really? It sounds like a lovely time in my opinion," she snapped, sounding all too much like her father.

"Why did you," Fred went to ask. "Even come out here in the first place?" George finished for him.

"Didn't you hear what the other students were saying?" Haley sniffed, her saddened state making its return.

"About Snape being your dad?"

"That's what upset you?"

"They weren't exactly being nice about it," she enlightened them. "Percy told Penelope about me and my- ...Severus," she let the two know, nearly calling the professor 'father' aloud for the first time, "who has the biggest mouth in this planet, apparently," Haley insulted the redhead's girlfriend. "Because she told all of her friends...and word got around pretty quick," she wiped a stray tear from her cheek. "Now everyone is calling me 'the bat's daughter' and other rude things."

Haley had drawn her knees up to her chest, her face hidden from view. At this point, the trio had been sitting on the forest floor for the past twenty minutes (with no intentions of moving anytime soon).

"I actually found that one funny," Fred admitted with a laugh, surprising the distraught girl as she lifted her head quickly.

"No, 'Snape's spawn' was definitely a better one," George argued, chuckling along.

Haley swatted each of them, "You're supposed to be on my side!" she got up, hurt by their feelings towards her being picked on. They should be defending her, afterall.

"We are," Fred rubbed his newly aching arm.

"You can't take what other people say so seriously," George suggested.

"You've got to learn to laugh," his twin advised, "because if they realize their words are having the opposite effect," the other went on, "they will give up sooner rather than later," Haley concluded as she often did with most of their sentences.

"Exactly," the duo confirmed simultaneously.

"I'm sorry," she apologized sheepishly, regretting having gotten angry with them.

"No worries," Fred put an arm around her shoulder.

"Just don't think that we aren't here for you," George felt the need to say this.

"Since we always will be," his brother completed the promise.

"Thanks guys," Haley rested her head on Fred's shoulder, feeling a million times better.

They were just about to tell her not to mention it when a deep, menacing voice sounded from behind.

"Who are you to walk so bravely into our midst?"