Chapter Two

~
So don't give me respect
Don't give me a piece of your preciousness;
flaunt all she's got in our old neighborhood
I'm sure she'll make a few friends...

On Monday as classes resumed Saryn finally materialized. She seemed unaffected by the rumors and soft exclamations of awe that followed her through the passages almost as closely as did Draco Malfoy. For days he was on her heels like a pale silver shadow. Smug pride hung on his face like a neon sign laying claim to the beauty and it was powered by every double take or salivating stare of every boy who watched her pass, or the envious glance of every girl whose affections Draco had ever shunned. Saryn, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to all eyes...except Harry's. Her appearance at meals was still a rarity, but when present she always gave him a fleeting glance and the slightest hint of a smile which Harry somehow knew had nothing to do with whatever Draco happened to be whispering in her ear. When she passed him in the halls it was the same, so subtle Harry might have dismissed it as his imagination...had it not been for Hermione.

"Why is she always leering at you?" she fumed on the way to potions.

"Probably because Harry's leering at her," Ron kidded. Harry blushed and Hermione gave Ron a disapproving look.

"What? I leer at her too...Oh come on, Hermione. We can't expect you to understand. Maybe if Vicky was here you'd have something to gawk at as well."

"First of all his name is not Vicky! And second..." Hermione's retort was cut short by a familiar drawl from behind them.

"Well if it isn't the Holy Trinity." Draco remarked. "Lover's spat, Weasley? Come now, we all know how much you adore muggles, but surely you can overlook the few measly drops of wizarding blood Granger does possess."

"Sod off, Malfoy!" Ron spat before Hermione drug him into the dungeons casting Malfoy a look smattering of such contempt it would have made the blood run cold in any other person. Malfoy's lip curled in sadistic satisfaction. Harry glared at his as well and ducked into the potions classroom after his friends, but as he did he caught sight of Saryn coming to a halt beside the blond boy. Harry did an about face and hovered just inside the doorway hoping to at least hear the sound of her voice.

"Why do you always wear that thing, Draco?" came her mercurial tone. Harry peeked round the door frame.

Malfoy tilted his head at her, exceedingly perplexed. "What? My tie?" he said stroking it. "It's standard school uniform. But of course Father bought me this silk one last sum-"

"-I was referring to that sneer," she corrected. Harry only just caught a hiccup of laughter before it escaped his lips. "You know, you'd really be a strikingly handsome boy if you weren't constantly contorting your features." Harry disliked hearing Saryn referring to Draco Malfoy as 'strikingly handsome', but perhaps it was worth it to see Malfoy's ears burn a shade of crimson that rivaled the color of Saryn's hair, a stark contrast to his pale complexion; whether it was from being publicly criticized or from being considered strikingly handsome was impossible to tell. Harry had the feeling it was a combination of the two. Malfoy was, for once in his life, speechless. With an indifferent air, she left her stunned companion to go to class. Harry had to practically sprint to his table to avoid being caught by her. As he took his seat he noted Ron and Hermione were still arguing in hushed tones.

"You won't believe what I just overheard." Harry said jubilantly, but was ignored.

"Well I for one don't understand what all the fuss is about," Hermione stated. "So she looks as though she hasn't seen the sun for ten years...So it looks like her head is bleeding profusely. Is that all it takes to turn a head? Pasty skin and unnaturally red hair?...And I'll bet you anything it isn't natural...And it isn't just you hormone driven little boys either." Ron looked very upset about being called a little boy, but she didn't give him a chance to voice his indignation. "The staff seems to have gone gaga over her as well," she went on. "I mean every professor treats each of the students with a certain respect, well except Snape that is. But they approach her with a reverence that seems to border on fear. I want to know just what could be so bloody special about her." She must have really been bothered by this, Hermione almost never swore.

"Well, Trelawny was talking about her in Divination." Ron said. "I mean, I'm not exactly sure what all she said, 'cause a' course, I wasn't paying any attention as usual. But she mentioned something about being impressed by her 'powers'."

Hermione was exasperated. "Oh please, Ron. Trelawny is a kook. And if she's so fond of this girl and her 'powers' than she must be a kook as well!"

"I don't know why you'd say that."

The three of them swiveled toward the voice simultaneously. Ron's mouth went slack and Hermione turned a very endearing shade of pink. There stood none other than Saryn Sylvany herself, a puzzled but unconcerned look on her face. Hermione was a little embarrassed but, once recovered from her shock, stood her ground.

"I say that because that is what she is. How she can call herself a professor and still sleep soundly at night is beyond me. The subject is pointless. It should be called Elaborate Conjecture instead of Divination. All she does is perpetuate superstitions."

"I'm not entirely certain about that." Saryn replied. "You're muggle-born aren't you?"

"I hardly see what that has to do with anything!" Hermione roiled.

"I meant no offense," Saryn interjected. "I just thought that you would be familiar with, or at the very least vaguely aware of, the concepts of physics. I find it is an area of study most wizards are not well versed in. Mention Einstein and they react about the way a muggle would to the name Dumbledore."

Hermione accepted this, but looked at Saryn as if to ask 'And your point?'

"What I'm saying is...well, the universe follows a certain set of rules which we do not entirely understand. Regardless of our ignorance, these rules still apply and we see them at work everyday. A muggle, no doubt would look upon all we do here much in the same way you look upon Divination: smoke and mirrors and superstition. We, however, know better. But magic is a condition of life that we accept in full faith, we don't question it." Hermione raised an eyebrow impatiently. "What I'm saying is," Saryn continued in her characteristic tone of infinite, unruffled patience, "if we raise our wands and say 'wingardium leviosa', we know the object will rise." Saryn did this, levitating Hermione's sealed ink bottle. She lowered her wand but the bottle remained suspended. Then, to their surprise, it began to twirl and dance, seemingly like the thoughts through Saryn's mind. She stared at it absently as she continued. "Now we don't know exactly how or why this works. Neither, perhaps, do we care to 'waste' time trying to explain it. Quantum Physics may provides us with some answers as to this phenomenon, but as the technicalities are, to us, superfluous we don't seek to understand them." Saryn raised her hand and, using her finger like a conductor's baton, lazily directed the rotating ink bottle in loops and spirals. "Why this works for us and not for muggles is a remarkable curiosity. It appears to have much to do with predisposition, innate power which is obviously not universal. In this same way perhaps there are those more predisposed to the art of Divination. But those people, confident in it's validity, care more about developing their craft than contriving scientific rationalizations for those with lesser ability in that area."

"Are you saying," Hermione said in a forcibly calm voice that, frankly, frightened both Ron and Harry, "that there is a hierarchy of magical ability and you and Trelawny rank higher in it than I do?"

Saryn regarded Hermione's acrid expression. She raised her hand and the ink bottle stopped tumbling and went soaring into her waiting palm. "I'm not sure what I'm saying," she said, returning Hermione's ink to her. "Only musing aloud."

"Oh it's alright," Hermione spat sardonically. "Most Slytherins assume superiority in an imagined wizarding aristocracy. I'm hardly surprised."

Saryn only looked at Hermione with an unreadable expression, and without retort returned to her seat beside Draco who immediately leaned in to whisper to her. He cast a sidelong sneer at Hermione's infuriated expression. A sneer which quickly dissolved as he met Saryn's look and recalled the recent episode in the hallway. Harry broke into half a righteous grin and turned to his friend.

"Y'know, Hermione," he said timidly, "I'm not sure she meant that in the way you're taking it."

"Yeah," Ron added, "I mean, I'd never thought of it that way...maybe I should start waiting to take my naps until after Divination." This comment did not help matters.

"Oh please, Harry! You know how Slytherins are. I'm surprised she didn't just out and say my muggle heritage must have sabotaged my 'powers' of Divination."

"Well maybe she's not like most Slytherins," Harry returned.

"If she wasn't like most Slytherins, she wouldn't be one now would she?" Hermione spat.

Before Harry could argue, Snape came striding to his podium. The expression he wore told them he had overheard everything that had just transpired. He cast Harry and his friends a snotty look and then began his lesson.

"Today, class, we will begin work on the Draught of Disillusionment. It is a highly advanced potion which, no doubt, our Mr. Longbottom will not be the one to succeed famously in mispreparing." Neville seemed to shrink in his seat and cast an imploring look at Hermione who nodded reassuringly back at him. The entire exchange was specially noted by the Potions Master. "Now, many of you may foolishly take for granted the function of this draught, which really is quite self-explanatory. However, the nature of illusions, especially those self-imposed, is precisely to play down the potency of reality and form a rather comfortable blanket of denial about the afflicted. The purpose of the draught is to rip away the self spun fantasy pertaining to whatever matter weighs heaviest upon it's drinker...but also to cause them to accept the truth of said circumstance." He stared meaningfully down his long hawkish nose at his class. "This last part is more important than one might realize. I have seen subjects who have ingested a poorly brewed draught go momentarily mad under the weight of the bare truth they are suddenly forced to confront. Keep that in mind as you prepare it, especially those of you with unusually harsh circumstances, past or present..." His eyes shot immediately to Harry "...as you will be testing your potions yourself at the end of the term. I believe you will find the instructions on page 1216 of your texts. Proceed."

Neville began to gather his things as Hermione made room for him to join Harry, Ron and her at their table, but Snape quickly intervened.

"No, I think not, Miss Granger. If Mr. Longbottom cannot follow a potions recipe by now he all but deserves his fate." Neville cast his eyes sheepishly to the floor, while Hermione threw Snape a dagger drawn look. Snape almost smiled as he continued. "However, since the potion is an advanced one, and considering Miss Sylvany's disadvantage, I think you shall, instead, be coaching her."

It was all Hermione could do to hold her tongue. Saryn began to gather her things.

"No, no, Miss Sylvany, don't trouble yourself. Miss Granger can go to you." He said turning toward his office.

"It's really no trouble. That wouldn't quite be polite, and I already have my things in hand," Saryn replied matter-of-factly as she made her way towards the stunned Gryffindor. Snape froze and pivoted to face the girl, disbelief flickering over his expression, his face going even pale than usual, before he was able to regain his composure. Blatant contradiction was a rare occurrence in his dungeon, and absolutely unheard of coming from a member of his own house. But Saryn seemed to ignore him, even as everyone else eyed him in startled, breathless anticipation. Surprisingly, the professor said nothing at all in reprimand, and finally strode sulkily to his office and slammed the door.

Saryn meanwhile was arranging her things almost cheerfully before her. Harry gawked in undisguised admiration. Ron actually smiled at her. Hermione, on the other hand, was staring holes in the tabletop.

"Why did you do that?" she asked, obviously suspicious, despite her relief.

"Well, it appeared he was being a bit mean spirited. I didn't think, from the look on your face, that you'd want to be surrounded by Slytherins. And frankly," she said, leaning in to whisper conspiritorily, "neither do I."

The rest of the class period passed rather quietly, and Hermione's voice just almost sounded friendly as she explained to Saryn that if she didn't shave her shrivelfig more finely it would never dissolve properly. At last Professor Snape reappeared to dismiss the class (he had curiously remained stowed in his office the entire period) but finished with a request that Miss Sylvany kindly remain behind. Hermione was the first out of the room, literally dragging Ron and Harry after her by the shirtfront, without a single parting word to Saryn.

However, they were soon to discover their friend was not simply fleeing the scene. The moment they cleared the threshold she ducked behind the open door, motioning for Ron and Harry to follow suit.

"What are we doing?" groaned Ron, "It's lunchtime." His stomach growled in agreement.

"Shh. Something's going on here and I, for one, want to know what."

Harry, however, didn't argue. He had little appetite; butterflies had wrecked havoc on his stomach from sitting so close to Saryn for the entire class period. Besides, he was, of course, curious himself.

The classroom slowly emptied with no one paying any attention to the assembly behind the door. When the last student left Harry, Ron, and Hermione stacked like a totem pole to peer through the thin crack made by the hinges between the door and wall.
Snape stood imposingly at the front of the classroom with Saryn waiting expectantly before him.

"Miss Sylvany, I'm not entirely sure what kind of liberties you've enjoyed elsewhere." he intoned. "However, in my classroom, and indeed out of it as well, I demand a certain amount of respect. I'm aware of your circumstance. But surely know you are not the only student here to have suffered misfortune and it is no excuse. Perhaps you think that because you are a member of my own house that you will be more easily forgiven, though I am here to inform you are mistaken, as I am very likely to be harsher on that account. I expect there to be no cause or occasion for me to repeat myself," he all but threatened.

"I honestly didn't mean any disrespect." She replied. "I assure you I do respect you, and I don't presume to be superior to you in any way really. But I won't cower like the rest, I'm not another trembling Malfoy riding your robe tails and begging your approval. And I happen to think your prejudice for Harry and his friends is a little unprofessional of you and I don't mind saying so." The trio behind the door almost gasped in unison.

Snape glowered at her. "You know absolutely nothing about my relationship with any of the other students and so are in no position to criticism me for it," he hissed. The two stared at each other for several tense seconds. "At least do not undermine my authority in front of the others," he said at last, almost defeatedly.

"You have my word professor."

He then, almost reluctantly, produced a small vial filled with a pale blue liquid from the folds of his robe, which Saryn took very gratefully, sighing as though with relief as she stowed it in her own pocket. Behind the door Hermione narrowed her eyes in intrigue and chewed her bottom lip.

"I assume the serum is working?" he asked.

"Perfectly, thank you professor." He nodded, then did not so much dismiss her as turn his back and begin to ignore her.

"What are you three doing?"

The spies jumped simultaneously, bouncing off one another not unlike the three stooges, all eventually ending up on the floor in the most ungraceful positions. Draco Malfoy was chuckling at them in his cruel, condescending way. He had obviously come back to fetch Saryn. But no one had time to stammer an excuse, as she suddenly immerged from the room. To their surprise, Draco did not betray their presence to her, but instead looked pointedly at Harry as he slipped his arm familiarly around the girl's waist and pulled her in for a light, but lingering kiss. Harry felt more murderous towards him than usual, and if Ron hadn't been sitting on him he just might have done something foolish. However, Saryn seemed to tolerate it all very well, even smiled at Draco and took his arm, and Draco threw Harry one last triumphant sneer before leading his prize to dinner.

Draco was slightly disturbed by Saryn's behavior in Potions. What was she thinking speaking to the Professor like that? As he watched her over his cauldron he resolved to have another word with her. Hadn't he already warned her about those kinds of people? Surely she realized any typical, self-respecting Slytherin would not only have left Granger to her own devices, but actually would have delighted in Snape's decision...not play a saviour. But if Draco had surmised one thing since she had arrived, it was that Saryn wasn't typical, and he sensed something conniving, almost malicious beneath her placid exterior...And it was wildly erotic. Who knows, perhaps she had something in mind, like sabotaging their potions. Now that would be gloriously Slytherin-esque.

After class had ended Saryn had asked Draco to take her books and things back to the common room so that they could proceed directly to diner after Snape had 'said his piece'. And though Draco resented being bossed around, no matter how sweetly or tactfully, he deemed it worthwhile. So long as she relied on him he obviously didn't have to worry about competition really, and with the exception of her little remark in the corridors before class, she generally refrained from causing him any public humiliation on that account...and besides, every boy in school was madly jealous of him. Which was delicious. But the true icing on the cake was the way it obviously irked Harry Potter. He'd seen those green eyes, full of yearning, drift inevitably over at them during meals and while in the corridors. He had to admit, he didn't exactly like the idea of her spending the rest of the term at his table in Potions, but with Weasley and Granger between them he wasn't too worried...besides, Harry Potter simply didn't seem like Saryn's type.

Draco wasn't too worried, even though he and Saryn had yet to seriously snog. But then she had only been there a week, and that problem would likely be solved soon as he was planning something unforgettable for their first visit to Hogsmead together that weekend. He could see it now. An early evening candlelight picnic, a box of Honeyduke's' finest chocolate, a bottle of wine pilfered from Rosemerta's...she'd be putty in his hands.

Draco was fully envisioning this evening on his way back to Potions to retrieve his trophy. Was actually so intent on this that he hardly noticed the 'Holy Trinity' crouched by the door of the classroom until he was practically on top of them. The looks on their faces when he spoke! It was quite gratifying to see Potter flat of his stomach with Weasley perched atop him like a startled chimp. Those three had always been too nosy for their own good. What a perfect opportunity to rub his relationship with Saryn in Potter's face.

"You seem in an awfully good mood" Saryn remarked on their way to the Great Hall.

"What boy wouldn't be with a beautiful girl like you on his arm?" Draco said, following the remark with the most debonair smile he could muster.

"Hmm." Was her only reply.

"...So, did Snape give you some more serum?" He ventured. Though she hadn't seemed to pick up on anything for several days, Draco still wasn't certain he entirely trusted her.

"He did. But I hate taking it on an empty stomach. And you know how it disorients me, so I hope you don't mind escorting me to my room after and picking up any homework for me from our afternoon class." Draco sighed.

"No problem at all." He said, trying to sound convincing