We saw her on the train, she was asleep and for some odd reason, reminded me of when Harry, Hermione and I had first seen professor Lupin. Her hair was black with a few white streaks and her skin was the colour of milk. The compartment was the only one left and the three of us had no choice but to take it.

Hermione sat next to the girl, looking rather concerned. "Do you think we should wake her up?" she asked.

Harry looked over, studying her from behind his spectacles. He rubbed the bridge of his nose as if deciding and finding himself unable to.

"It's not good to arrive at Hogwarts half awake, especially if she is a first year," I said.

"She looks like Professor Lupin did, doesn't she?" Hermione stated more than inquired.

I was curious about who this person was.there was something strikingly familiar about her. Later on, when I looked back on these days I would be surprised that I hadn't noticed the resemblance immediately. Perhaps it was some long forgotten area of my subconscious that refused to believe it.

I stood up and placed my hand on her shoulder, shaking her black-clad figure.

"Wake-up!" I said, rather harshly.

"Ron, just let her sleep! For all you know she could have walked to King's Cross," my long-time friend's voice was angry.

However, it was too late for she had already begun to stir. Moaning slightly the girl sat up and opened a pair of startlingly purple eyes, not violet and was common but a deep purple that pulled you in to the infinities of the teenager's mind.

"S-sorry, can I help you?" she asked groggily.

"Yes, you can tell us who you are," came my blunt reply. I was never one to pass up an opportunity to learn of others.

A tint of colour came into her cheeks and I realised how gorgeous she really was. Her full-formed lips were a deep red and her paleness only added to the illusion of a goddess sitting before me.

"I'm Severin," she held her graceful fingers out towards me.

"Er," was all I could manage as I took her hand in mine. Hermione let out an exasperated sigh, sending a glare in my direction, "I'm Hermione, over there is Harry and Ron's the verbally challenged one."

She nodded, her red-black hair shinning in the light of the car, "Hermione, I've heard of you, you're the smart one. Right?"

Hermione blushed, obviously pleased at Severin's recognition of her, "Er, yes.I suppose one could see that."

"Sorry, my father's very involved with the school. He knows a lot about people."

Shooting a sly glance his way, Severin smiled, "And you're Harry Potter, pleased to meet you."

She sat back, crossing her legs and inclining her head towards the window. It was raining again, the unpleasant sort of rain that leaves you soaked to the bone. Perhaps it was a fitting atmosphere, one of horror and mystery, leaving much to the imagination.

After awhile the silence of which we sat in became uncomfortable to me and I felt an obligation to break it.

"I-I'm sorry, are you a first year?" she looked much older than that.

"Actually no, I find it amusing that you should ask Ron. I'm a fifth year like you. I was schooled at home until due to recent events my father feels it would be safer for me to be placed under the protection of my godfather."

"Who's your godfather?" Harry asked, obviously interested.

"Albus Dumbledore, I think he is headmaster," she replied matter-of-factly.

To this day I am still unable to remember those words without smirking. It would be a long time until we discovered just how deeply Severin had burrowed into the throes of Hogwarts.

"Professor Dumbledore!" Hermione's voice rose an octave.

"Yes, is it that unbelievable?" lines of worry creased her forehead.

"He's famous! He's one of the most powerful sorcerers in the world and he's your godfather?" Harry cried.

Just then there was a tap, tap, tapping at the window. We all looked up to see a black bird, the likes of which none of us had ever encountered, flying parallel to the train. Severin leapt up and opened the window, emitting a draft as she did so. The bird perched readily on her shoulder, I was surprised as Severin was thin and the bird beyond large.

"This is my bird, Hades. He's an Achilles Hawk; they're a newly discovered species in the Muggle world," was her explanation.

She untied the piece of parchment from his leg and began to read it, her unusual eyes whipping back and forth across the letter.

Harry turned to me, his green eyes unreadable.

"What do you make of her?" he asked.

"She reminds me of someone, I just don't know who." I whispered, if only I had known.

Harry nodded his agreement, "It puzzles me in all honesty. It's annoying too."

"Damn it!" Severin cried angrily as she crumpled the paper.

I suppose her next actions should have posed a threat or served as a warning but I was too caught up in the moment to realise it at the time.

The ball sat there for a few minutes before spontaneously bursting into flame. I looked at Severin who's brows had furrowed in concentration and noticed, with shock that her eyes were a deep orange.

Events after this one were dwarfed in comparison and we rode the rest of the way in silence. None of us inquired as to the teenager's sudden outburst, nor did she offer any information.

At one point Hermione pushed Harry and I out into the swiftly dimming hall to change into her uniform before we arrived. When we were admitted back in, Severin was still in the same leather jacket and pants while Hermione donned her "Prefect" badge with pride.

"Where's your uniform?" Harry asked.

She shrugged; I had noticed that every movement she performed was with the stealth and grace of a cat, "At Hogwarts."

Soon after, Harry and I pushed them out of the room for our turn to change.

"She is gorgey," I admitted to my friend.

Not surprisingly, Harry chuckled, "Does ickle Ronniekins have a crush?" his voice was taunting.

"Bugger off will you?" I growled.

Harry just shook his head silently as he pulled his Gryffindor sweater over his white shirt.

"You are right, she is good looking. But there's something.troublesome about her."

"Like what?"

"Just something in her eyes, I can't put my finger on it."

"I think they're cool, I mean, have you ever seen anyone with purple eyes before?"

"No, it's not that. There's something behind them, something creepy and sad too."

"I know, I wonder what the white hairs are from."

With that, Harry strode across the small car and opened the door. Severin and Hermione were in a deep debate over some matter or another.

"But how can you be so sure that a person is the way they are before they are born? Is someone secretive from the moment they enter the world? Do they automatically assume that their business is none but their own?" Severin's tongue flowed over those words, delivering each one with a cutting edge as sharp as the blade of a guillotine.

"Then have you no belief in fate? There is no way that an awful man can be born kind and willing. There must have been some pessimism already instilled within his mind," Hermione was bantering equally as well.

A ghostly voice interrupted their conversation, echoing throughout the many chambers in the train.

"We will be arriving in Hogsmeade station shortly, will everyone please ensure that you are in full uniform. That is all."

Harry placed a rather firm hand on the small of Hermione's back, guiding her towards the window. Watching the train pull into the station was a tradition of ours, ever since our second year.

"And who is this?" the familiar drawl came from the hall.

I turned, my muscles tensed, ready to fight if necessary. Ever since we had first met I had hated Draco Malfoy. He was an unbearably painful thorn in my side and made no effort to disguise his contempt.

"Severin," I replied, standing in the doorway.

She looked at me, a bemused twinkle in those eyes of hers. Her mouth was drawn up and a slight smile. She looked utterly at ease; ready to confront whatever demons might reside in waiting.

"There are two kinds of wizards in this world," Malfoy had opted to ignore me, "the ones worth befriending and the Weasleys."

All at once I felt Harry's hand clutch the back of my robes. How dare he make such a comment as this one! A person would think that I was used to such remarks but my pride was stronger than steel and more reactive than ether.

"I must ask you," Severin said, her voice containing a glint of amusement, "how can you be so sure you do not belong in the same group as the Weasleys, whoever they might be?"

Malfoy turned redder than I had ever seen him, this memory would stay with me for ages to come. However, what surpassed next I am unwilling to remember yet unable to forget.

The greasy ball of slime slid his arm around her shoulder, "Perhaps, I can convince you otherwise, hmm?"

Disdainfully, she picked his arm up, off herself and turned to face him. Her eyes were livid, never had I seen such a frightening form and I did now, "Do not assume I am some young piece of ass, I am not your lap dog and am not so easily won over. It would sincerely be in your best interest, whatever you are to leave me alone."

Severin pivoted on her foot, Hades resting on her shoulder and retreated back to the room. I could only imagine what was running through her mind, and yet I stood in complete awe of her suppressed anger.

I could think of nothing to do, I had little experience with girls and how to react when they were unsettled, Hermione had always but up shields, blocking me out with biting words. Yet an encouraging look from Harry sent to her, I had not desire to do anything except hold her yet I felt if I acted on such a notion I would be given the same treatment my rival had received earlier.

Instead I stood by her silently, watching the passing landscape outside. I had never felt so at ease as I did in those few seconds next to her, it was almost as if some calming presence flowed through me, hushing me and rendering me speechless.

She opened her mouth, still staring at the approaching train station. At that moment I was unaware of Harry and Hermione, "Are all the boys like that?" there was no hostility in her voice but I still recoiled, the calm rushing from my body.

"No. No, they're not all like that," I said quietly.

Severin sighed as the train pulled up in the station and went over to the over-head storage area where Hades had flown to. She held up her arm and without hesitation, the bird hopped onto it.

As usual it was chaos, pure and simple. Hagrid held up the beacon of light, calling first years over. He spotted Harry and waved enthusiastically, "Alright 'arry?" came his voice over the crowd.

"Alright," Harry called back.

Hagrid scanned all of us, and when it came to Severin I could practically feel his hackles raised. Severin too seemed to stiffen as their eyes lock. I couldn't help but wonder.