Sandy Pritchard stared up at his potions professor and knew he was doomed. The look on Snape's face would have made a dementor flee for cover.  "What, sir? A wand, sir? No, sir, of-of course I'm not!" he babbled, feeling his stomach clench and sweat break out on his forehead.  Oh Merlin, I'm so dead, I'm not going to see sixteen, he's going to murder me. Oh please, please . . .if he keeps looking at me like that I'm gonna wet myself.

Severus swept the three cowering miscreants with a dreadful glare before saying in a deadly quiet tone that spelled unlimited doom for those it was directed at, "I see.  The wand just happened to be in your hand right then, yes?" Pritchard nodded frantically, all the color leeched from his face, like a doll in a wax museum.  "Now, why don't I believe you?"

"It's true, sir!" whined Demarest.  "Ask her!" He pointed at Holly.  "Tell him, we didn't hex you!" He was shaking too, wondering if he should have made out his last will and testament that morning. Next to him, his other friend was doing his best to imitate a statue.

"Holly?" Severus did not take his eyes off the three students, but he cocked his head back to hear his daughter's reply.

"They didn't hex me, but they were casting spells on the poor kitten over there," she said.  "Nasty ones, they were hurting the poor thing.  I told them to stop and they wouldn't.  Look at it!" She knelt beside the small kitten, who still bore strange spikes on its fur, like those of a hedgehog and was glassy eyed and sickly looking.

Severus directed his gaze towards the stricken animal, then back at the three and snarled, "Two Gryffindors and a Ravenclaw tormenting a defenseless animal.  Is this how you interpret the Headmaster's command for inter-House cooperation and respect? Pathetic! Let's all come together and see how much misery we can dish out to another living creature," sneered the professor, his dark eyes snapping.  "Did you learn nothing from this morning's ceremony? Perhaps you fell asleep during it? Or is it arrogance to assume that rules were meant for everyone except you?"

"N-no, sir," answered the Ravenclaw, Arthur Gallegher.  "We saw it all.  But, sir, we weren't hurting Squibs."

"Oh, and that makes it all right? You should not be hexing anything, Mr. Gallegher-Squibs, Muggles, or kittens!" Severus scolded, pinning the other with a relentless look that made the boy shuffle his feet and glance away.  "If you think you are allowed to get away with such disgraceful behavior, think again! That'll be fifty points from each of you as well as a three month detention."

"Three months!" wailed Demarest.

"But Professor Snape, it was just a cat-" Pritchard began.

Severus leaned down and confronted the boy eye to eye.  "Pritchard, by the time I am done with you, you will never let those words pass your lips again." He held out his hand abruptly.  "Wands, gentlemen.  They will be mine for the duration, you will get them back only for class and no other reason."

Horrified wails accompanied this order.

Severus stared them down.  "Do not test me, gentlemen.  Wands! Now! Or would you like to follow Cross and be expelled?"

 At that, the wands were placed in Snape's outstretched hand.  "I shall be speaking to the Heads of your Houses, explaining my reasons for a protracted detention."

"No, sir! McGonagall will kill us!" cried the two Gryffindors.  They knew quite well that after Cross's disgraceful behavior, McGonagall would have no mercy on those of her House who broke rules, for whatever reason.

"Oh well, gentlemen.  Perhaps you should have thought of that before you drew a wand." Snape said silkily.  "Something your former Housemate Cross didn't do either.  That's always been the trouble with Gryffindors, you act first and think later, if at all.  Something which I intend to break you of by the time this series of detentions is over with.  Or else the next time you hex an animal or a fellow classmate I shall see to it that you too participate in a Ceremony of Shattering.  Have I made myself clear, gentlemen?"

All of them nodded miserably, and Severus tucked their wands into his robe and gestured for them to proceed him back to the castle.

"Dad, can we borrow your scarf?" asked Harry, who was peering at the kitten uneasily.  "The kitten needs help, and we can't pick it up like this, it's half a hedgehog."

Severus knelt and wound his scarf about the injured kitten and gently handed it to Holly.  "Take the kitten and go back to Narcissa's quarters.  I need to deal with those three troublemakers there and I shall join you there later.  Perhaps the hex they cast can be reversed."

Holly cradled the kitten close and said softly, "Poor thing! Don't worry, we'll save you." The kitten mewed softly.

"What do you plan on doing to them, Severus?" asked Narcissa, who had been observing from a short distance away.

"Something they will find highly unpleasant, but which fits their crime, Cissa," answered Severus, still furious over what had gone on.  "I will have them processing the most vile potions ingredients I can think up as well as serving in Furkind Magical Creatures Hospital, helping the vets there reverse spell damage upon those animals rescued from abusive homes or experimental laboratories.  That way they can see firsthand the sort of suffering and cruelty done by wizards to animals, that such behavior is abominable and not at all a laughing matter.  They will also be required to write papers for me each week on their experiences, and hopefully the lesson will stick this time around. If not, I will recommend that they also be expelled, for those who torture animals may someday torture people, if not stopped now."

"Too true," agreed the blond witch, for she knew that sometimes the Death Eaters cast Unforgivables on animals as practice before casting them on other humans.  Lucius had told her that.  But these were young boys yet, perhaps they could be turned from the lefthand path, for Merlin knew the last thing they needed was for more youth to be corrupted by Death Eater propaganda.

As Severus strode ahead of them, silent and grim as Death, Narcissa a few paces behind, Holly walked carefully next to Harry and Draco.  She kept giving the kitten in her arms worried glances, it seemed to have trouble breathing and was shaking.

"Draco, your mum knows how to reverse spells, right? I think the kitten is getting worse."

"Yes.  She's good at Transfiguration.  Got top marks in her year," Draco said proudly.  He peered at the small cat.  "It doesn't look so good."

Holly nodded, and prayed they could help the poor thing.  It didn't deserve to die because it had been the object of a cruel prank.  "Thanks for coming to help me, all of you," she said gratefully, including Silver in her assessment. 

The big wolf was pacing calmly beside Harry, his great head nearly level with the boy's chest.  He turned and gave a worried whine when Holly spoke his name.  Clearly he was upset about the kitten's condition also.

"Did you really think I'd watch those stupid gits hurt you and not come and help you?" Harry asked, a slightly hurt tone in his voice.

"No, but . . ." Holly began, than trailed off, not wanting to say that she had been surprised that Draco had come to defend her as well.

Her half-brother flushed slightly and said awkwardly, "You're a Malfoy when all's said and done and . . .I won't let anyone hurt my sister."

"Even if she's a Squib?" demanded Harry sharply.  He was still angry at Draco's words to Holly.

Draco nodded.  "I . . .didn't mean that . . .Father used to say that so much . . .it just . . .I just . . .anyway I won't say it again."

"I forgive you, Draco." Holly said generously.  "Living with Lucius must have been hard."

"Sometimes, yes," answered the other guardedly. 

By then they had reached the castle and Severus left to shepherd the three misbehaving students to his office, where he would summon their Heads of House and inform them of the boys' transgressions.  "Merlin, but he's acting like we hexed his kids or something," muttered Demarest sulkily. 

As Narcissa and the children turned right towards the guest quarters, they heard Severus scolding the boys sternly, "You ought to thank God you didn't hex my children, Demarest, or else there wouldn't be enough of you left to serve a detention with any teacher. You brought this upon yourselves, might I remind you? So bear your punishment like a man and quit that insufferable whining, I cannot abide it. My office, boys.  March!"

They lost the rest of his lecture as they came to the Malfoy quarters and Narcissa unlocked the door. 

"Put the kitten on the table here," Narcissa ordered, enlarging the table with a deft movement of her wand. 

Holly gently set the kitten down on the table, unwinding Severus's scarf from it gently. 

It lay wheezing upon the table, its green eyes dull, its quill-like fur flattened limply against its sides. 

"Hmm . . ." Narcissa studied the animal intently.  "They didn't even complete the spell properly.  The creature is only half transfigured.  Idiots!  I believe I can reverse this, but it would be much simpler if I knew exactly what they tried to cast.  Holly, can you remember the spell they used?"

Holly closed her eyes, willing herself to recall what the Pritchard boy had shouted at the kitten.

"He said, Look, a hedgehog kitty and then he yelled Metamorphius Erinaceus and the kitten became like that."

"You are certain, child?"

"Yes, ma'am," Holly replied.  "I remember everything I read or hear.  That was what he said."

"Thank you, Holly.  This will help immensely in reversing the spell," Narcissa said, then she drew her wand and intoned quietly, "Reversario metamorphia felis"

A white light enveloped the kitten and when it faded, the cat was back to its original state. 

The children exchanged grins and clapped.  "You did it!" Holly cheered.  She went to stroke the kitten, who was blinking woozily, and frowned.  "Mrs. Malfoy, the kitten still doesn't seem right.  I think she's having trouble breathing."

"Let me see," Narcissa bent over the kitten.  "Yes, there's something not right there.  I fear whatever experimental spells those wretched boys cast harmed her more than I know how to fix.  I'll have to ask Severus when he returns if he can make a Lung Restorative or something for her.  Until then, the best we can do is give her some water and keep her warm."

The kitten lapped up a small amount of water and then the children took turns holding her wrapped in the scarf.

"Dad will fix her, don't worry, Holl," Harry reassured his sister, who looked  so worried that he feared she was about to start crying.  "He can fix just about anybody," said the Potion Master's son, utter confidence in his voice.  "He healed me when I nearly drowned in the lake and he fixed you too, Holly, when you nearly froze to death.  He'll save the kitten."

"Is he like a Healer too?" asked Draco, impressed by Harry's recitation.

"No, but he told me once that in order to get a Potions Mastery, you had to study with Healers for two years, since a Potion Master needs to know the antidotes for all the elixirs he brews and how they react with other mixtures and what effect they can have on people.  So that's how come he knows about healing people."

"But Harry, this is a kitten, not a person." Holly reminded, twisting her hair nervously.

"No matter.  Dad's helped Mrs. Norris too, when stupid kids pranked her last year.  They gave her bat wings or something and Dad made a potion to fix her."

"Who's Mrs. Norris?"

"Filch's cat.  His familiar," Harry explained.  He told Draco all about the cat and the steward while they waited for Snape to return.  Narcissa listened thoughtfully while Harry spoke, relieved that all the children seemed to be getting on.  She disliked quarreling in her home.

* * * * * *

"They did what?" McGonagall cried once Severus had summoned her to his office and related the circumstances behind his removal of so many House points and subsequent detention, which was recorded in the school detention logs.  She was livid.  "I cannot believe, after what went on this morning, that any student of my House could be so . . .so dense as to behave in such a reprehensible disgusting fashion!" She detested students who misused Transfiguration and to have done so right after the expulsion of one of her own . . .Minerva McGonagall was not in the mood to be lenient at all.  She whirled upon her two House members. 

"What in Merlin's bloody name were you thinking, Mr. Demarest and Mr. Pritchard? Did you think the ceremony was all a big joke? No? Then why did you feel the need to disregard today's lesson and cast hexes upon a defenseless kitten that way?"

When they attempted to give her the same pathetic excuse that they had the potions professor, she cut them off with a quick slash of her hand.  "Spare me your pitiful excuses, gentlemen! They are no reason to use my teachings in such a reckless and cruel manner.  Professor Snape was right in giving you multiple detentions and I shall add to that by restricting you to the grounds for every Hogsmeade weekend till the end of the term and also notifying your parents of your behavior."

The two went pale at her final declaration.  "No, please . . ." began Demarest.

"Silence! You are getting off easy, young man!" thundered Minerva.  "You are lucky I don't snap your wand and send you home on the first train tonight.  After Cross's betrayal, I refuse to overlook ‘mere boyish mischief' any longer.  Now shape up or else!"

Then she departed, taking her misbehaving students with her, after assuring Severus they would report to him at seven tomorrow for their detention, which would be held for four consecutive nights each week, leaving them time for studying and classes but precious little else.

Flitwick was also uncharacteristically stern with Gallegher, taking an additional twenty points from his own House and assigning a stint of scrubbing the Great Hall after supper without magic as well revoking Hogsmeade privileges. "I am terribly disappointed in you, Mr. Gallegher.  A Ravenclaw does not follow others like a blind worn, unable to think for himself. You have shamed me deeply, boy.  Your mother, were she alive, would be beside herself."

The boy hung his head.  "I'm sorry, Uncle Filius.  It won't happen again."

"It had better not! Severus, thank you for informing of my nephew's conduct. He is my ward now that my sister has passed the Veil.  Come along, young man.  I can see I have been too lenient with you, Arthur . . ." he marched from the office, his nephew following.

Severus raised an eyebrow after the two had departed.  He had been unaware that Filius had a relative as a student, the Charms teacher was often closemouthed about his family.  Perhaps this was a recent development, however . . .the Potions Master mused. 

He Flooed from his office to the Malfoy guest quarters, and found three very worried children and one kitten who looked on the verge of breathing her last.

After casting a quick diagnostic, he determined that her lungs had been damaged by the miscast Transfiguration spell and summoned several potions to him.

The first one he administered, with a small medicine dropper, was a Breath Ease Elixir, diluted a bit since the kitten was so small.  It was a potion that was given to patients with upper respiratory infections, like pneumonia. 

"There! Now you can breathe somewhat easier," he whispered, then told Harry to hand him the potion in the blue bottle.  "This is a Lung Repair Cordial, but I can only give her minute doses of this, about two drops every three hours.  By a week, her lungs should be fully restored.  She also needs a Nutrient Potion and a Muscle Relaxant draft since whatever those hoodlums cast upon her has caused her muscles to go into spasms." 

"Where are we gonna keep her, Dad?" asked Harry then.  "Should she be with us or Draco?"

"With you, I'd say," Narcissa said.  "That way, if something unforeseen should happen, you have your lab nearby."

"Just so." Severus nodded.  "The kitten will need round the clock care for the next few days." He looked at Holly and Harry speculatively. "Do you two think you can manage that? Or must I get Hagrid to monitor her?"

"No, sir.  We can do it," Holly said eagerly.  "Just tell us how much potions and when she needs them and I'll remember."

"We'll take turns," Harry said.

"I want to help too," Draco put in suddenly.

"Fine.  All three of you listen closely," Severus said, pleased at the way all three children were willing to share the responsibility.  He instructed them on how much of each potion to give the little cat and when and told them to also make sure she ate soft foods, like ground chicken and broth and drank plenty of water.

"She'll get better, won't she, Severus?"

The Potions Master put  a hand on her shoulder.  "I hope so, Holly.  But if . . .she takes a turn for the worst, which could happen, you are not to blame yourself, understand? Sometimes animals die, despite all you do for them, and she might be too exhausted to fight to live, after enduring what those brats did to her for who knows how long.  But I think she has a good chance, and if you all work together, she should recover."

"She will. Harry says you can fix anybody," Holly stated firmly.

Severus sighed.  "Harry . . .I am not God.  All I can do is try my best.  Now, let's go and pay a visit to Mr. Filch, see if he has an extra cat box and a bed and some dishes that we can borrow until I can pick up some of our own."

They left the kitten sleeping on Draco's lap while they went to talk to Filch and get their quarters ready for the new pet. 

* * * * * *

    Over the next week and a half, the children really pulled together and took turns giving the little kitten all the potions, petting her and feeding her.  Caring for the injured cat caused the three to grow very close, as there is nothing like working together to save something to forge a friendship. All of them worked hard to encourage the kitten to get well and in the process discovered things about each other they had never known.  Draco admitted that he had never healed anything before, that wasn't something Lucius thought was necessary for his heir to learn.  "But it makes me feel good, seeing her getting better every time I give her the potions," he confided in his sister one day, as he gave the little black and white feline her daily dose of Lung Repair Cordial.  "Father would say I've become a sissy, caring about a mere animal this way, but I don't care.  I don't want to be a Death Eater's son anymore."

"Good.  You shouldn't.  He's a horrible man and I'm glad you're not like him, Draco.  I'm tired of my family thinking I'm worthless." Holly said.

"I'm sorry I ever said that.  I was a stupid prat." Draco apologized, having finally learned how to do so by listening to Harry and Holly apologize to each other when they happened to get into a disagreement and also to Severus if they were in trouble with him. 

"Just don't do it again, Mr. Malfoy," she mock-scolded, shaking a finger under his nose.  "Or else I'll pop you one in the nose."

"Oh, right.  I'll bet you don't even know how to throw a punch, little sister."

"You'd lose then," laughed Harry, coming into the den after finishing his afternoon lesson with Severus.  "Or didn't we ever tell you about the time we got into a fight in Diagon Alley with some stupid kids and Holly punched one of them right in the nose and made him bleed all over?"

"You're putting me on, Snape!"

"Swear by my magic, I'm not," Harry argued.  Then he began to tell the story of their disastrous trip to Diagon Alley to get Severus a birthday present.

Draco was quite impressed, and soon revised his thinking about his sister.  Holly might be a Squib, but she was not a pushover.  "And your father only grounded you for getting into a brawl in public?" he asked.  "Mine would have thrashed me to ribbons for disgracing my House that way, Malfoys are supposed to be above reproach in public."

"That's awful!" Holly exclaimed.  "Now I'm glad I didn't live with him, if that's how he treated you."

"He wasn't always hitting me, but when he felt I needed a thrashing, he gave it to me," Draco said quietly, flinching slightly. The last time that had happened had been over learning dark magic.

"Not Dad.  He doesn't believe in walloping kids too much.  I can count on one hand the times he's ever raised a hand to me.  And every time I deserved it," Harry admitted.  "One time was because I touched his wand and lied about it, and the other was because I said I hated him and . . .that's about it."

"Really? And here I thought he was a strict hardarse."

"He is, Draco.  Just not that way.  His groundings aren't any fun, trust me.  And his lectures make you feel so bad you wished he thrashed you.  But he also forgives you after, and then it's over." He knelt and scratched the kitten's ears.  "Hey, kitty, how are you doing today?"

"Much better.  She actually ate almost a whole bowl of shredded chicken," Holly reported.  "I think she's going to be fine." Her sapphire eyes glowed as she said that, for she had fallen in love with the kitten.  "She needs a name, don't you think?"

The boys nodded, looking at each other.  Then Harry said, "Since you were the one who rescued her, Holly, Draco and I think you should get to name her."

"Really, Harry?"

"Yes, and keep her too, if Severus lets you, that is." Draco added.

Holly gaped at them, speechless, and the two boys smirked and laughed at her thunderstruck expression.  "You really want me to keep her?"

Draco nodded.  "If it weren't for you, she might have died from those pranks those idiots cast on her.  And you need a pet more than I do, Holl.  I've already got my owl."

"Thanks, Draco!  You're a good older brother."

"Just not as good as me," Harry put in.

Draco snorted.  "Right, Snape."

The two glared at each other before Holly snapped, "Knock it off you two.  You're upsetting the kitten."

"Sorry," they apologized.

Then Draco eyed Harry and said, "I can't believe we just apologized to our little sister.  There's something wrong here."

"Got that right, Draco.  We're pushovers."

"Boys!" Holly rolled her eyes, then went back to gently stroking the kitten, who was purring.  The kitten was mostly white, with black patches on her back and one hind paw.  She also had a black tail tip and an odd shaped black mark up her nose, like a wand with a black smudge on the end of it.  What should I call you, little one? You remind me of a witch holding a wand, with that strange mark on your face.  Perhaps it means you've a bit of your own magic, huh? Though all cats have a bit of the gift in them, at least that's what Mum always told me.  She said cats touched the mystic force more easily than any other animal, which is why cats were always associated with witches and stuff.  And magic brought you to me, in a way.  She smiled down at the kitten, who had a hidden strength in her.  Magic has marked you, Mum would say. 

"Well? You have a name yet, Holl, or do you need help?" inquired Harry impatiently.

"Yes.  Her name is Magik.  Because of that mark there," she pointed to the odd wand shaped mark on the kitten's face.  "And also because magic has marked her, like it has me."

"And every Squib needs a little Magik by her side," Draco quipped.

"But I'm spelling it the old-fashioned way," Holly explained.  "With a ‘k' instead of a ‘c'.  So people know it's name and not just the word."

"Good idea.  You're smart, Holly." Harry praised. 

"Of course she is, Snape.  She's our sister.  Why wouldn't she be smart?  It's in her blood."

Holly smiled, happy that Draco had accepted her for herself at last.  Now all she had to do was convince Severus to let her keep the kitten-her little bit of Magik-and she would be over the moon, as Healer Keegan would say.