Review Please! In case you hadn't noticed, this chappie isn't in diary format. The next one won't be either.
I own only my stuff. J.K. owns everything else.


She had given her speech, and the last words still lingered in the air, ringing in the ears of everyone in the room. The Greeting Words weren't normally quite that heavy, and it was already different enough that the Words were given by an eleven-year-girl, but after thinking about it, most realised it made some sort of sense – after all, the world had never seen a power that could compare to Adessa Pearce.

The people lined up in the ballroom slowly broke ranks to mingle once again. Adessa, relieved at the Word-giving being over, let her shoulders relax. She felt a hand fall heavily onto her shoulder – her father.

"You mustn't look so relieved, Adessa. You're perilously close to losing face, and we both know why that can't happen," he said, his voice low and smooth, threatening, almost. Adessa gave a tiny nod of the head to acknowledge him and curtseyed slightly, deep enough to show respect, but no more. "Be as important as you can be," her parents would always say, "do not defer to anyone unless it is required of you."

Her father jerked his head in the direction of the other guests, signalling that she should go mingle. As she always did when her father asked something of her, Adessa obeyed. "Walk like everyone is beneath you," her mother would say, and so she did.

Adessa made her way through the crowd, walking with her head held high, back straight, shoulders back – every way a pure-blood girl should. Although it seemed as if she was just wandering randomly, she really had a specific goal in mind. Unfortunately for her, social conventions required her to stop and exchange words with every pure-blood similar in standing to her. She was halfway across the room when she found herself face to face with Lord Kent Dallinger. She'd actually prayed silently before arriving at Johnston's that he had taken gravely ill and would have to send another family member in his stead, but there he was.

She knew very well that he hated her family with a passion, and she suddenly realised that her words would make it very difficult for him the coming year. "Oh well," she thought to herself, "I was the one who put myself in this situation."

Dallinger bowed, a grin on his face as if mocking her. She barely stopped herself from frowning. No one mocks Adessa Pearce, the only daughter of the most powerful house in all of Europe and possibly the entire world. She wondered briefly how he dared insult her family in such a public setting before she finally understood. "Oh," she realised, almost quirking an eyebrow before stopping herself just in time, "he's treating me like a kid. Idiot. I just laid down the future of the entire wizarding world, and he still thinks of me as a child!"

"Lord Dallinger."

He took her hand, tiny inside his, and gently brushed his lips against it. "Young Lady Adessa." Even though she hated him, he still made her feel important. Even if he was from a house old enough that she couldn't bully him like some of the others, she could still play around a little bit.

"I wonder, what were your thought on my Words? It is rare that I partake in something of such importance, I was worried I'd be at a loss for words," she finished with a laughing tone, something her mother had taught her to use for a time when actual laughter is inappropriate. Adessa had accomplished three things with what she had said – the first being that she would make Lord Dallinger uncomfortable as well as making him lie, the second being that she hinted that though rare, she had done things of incredible importance, and the third being that she stated that her speech had been given flawlessly. To the last two, Dallinger had no means to politely deny it.

"You spoke wonderfully, Young Lady Adessa, very clear. A very…potent choice of words," he said, his voice cracking slightly near the end. She smiled in response, making it seem as though she hadn't noticed. Although she hated formalities, it was still clear to her that Lord Dallinger was getting quite uncomfortable with the way the conversation was going. "If someone is uncomfortable or anxious, make sure that you let them know that you know it" – again, another quote from her mother. Etiquette lessons were very extensive.

"And how is Lady Dallinger?"

"Very well, thank you."

Adessa seriously doubted that, as whoever Lady Dallinger was changed every two or three months and no one had seen the current one – Kaoru something-or-other of Japanese decent – for several weeks. As there were already many rumours surrounding the subject, as their always were in pure-blood society, Adessa chose to believe not a single one.

Lord Dallinger gave a slight bow, signalling that their conversation was now over. Adessa gave a tight, brisk curtsy before re-entering the throng of people. "Great," she huffed, "now I'm going to be late." And though it was true that she was going to be late, she wouldn't be the only one. As she neared her destination – the front of the room, nearer the door – she spotted someone waiting for her there. Leith Johnston, the only child of the Johnston family, the only one with the right to inherit their assets, their estates, as well as carry on the line. Adessa also hated most people who already had their lives planned out for them. Most people.

"Young Lady Adessa," he greeted her, bowing and kissing her hand like his upbringing dictated. He was fifteen, and towered above her at 5"9. His blonde hair was short, but long enough to brush the sides of his face. Adessa stowed away the image of his face in her head for future use. The son of the Johnstons could end up being very problematic.

"Young Lord Leith. May I offer my compliments on your family's hosting of this evening?" Adessa finished with a little head cock to the side, indicating to Leith – who would surely notice, as that was her goal – that she really didn't want to continue the conversation any further.

He offered a gentle smile; one that she knew would make any other pure-blood girl swoon, whereas Adessa found the dung of Yanimurs more appealing – which is understandable really, as the Yanimur defecates precious gems, including one particularly large diamond that her mother had managed to sell for over twenty-thousand galleons.

"You may, and I accept them most gratefully. Would you do me the honour of a stroll through the gardens?" Thankful that he wasn't dragging on, Adessa smiled, placing her small hand on the proffered arm. She had also the caught the double meaning in his words, and the look in his eyes that said, "We both know we have to be at the same place at the same time, so let's go already!"Needless to say, they went.

It wasn't long before they reached the beginning of the Johnston's private gardens, dubbed the "Gardens of Theory" several centuries back, though no one knew why. Adessa had a feeling she would soon find out.

As soon as she laid eyes upon the garden, she barely suppressed a gasp. Before her was a stunning myriad of multicoloured flora, all lined up alongside a cobblestone path, barely wide for the two to pass through abreast. They began walking. The garden had various fountains and statues that rendered it a seemingly utopian place. The scent of roses, bougainvilleas, tulips, orchids, all invaded her senses, as she nearly lost herself to the serenity of it all.

Bringing herself back to reality, she stopped Leith near a vine-covered trellis. "We're here," she said, her voice ringing clear through the garden. Leith looked down at her, an eyebrow raised questioningly. Adessa gestured towards a somewhat smushed dandelion that lay at the base of the trellis – the only plant that didn't truly belong.

"Should I say it, or should you?" asked Leith, eyes fixed on the dandelion. Adessa rolled her eyes at him, a gesture her mother often referred to as common, but they were only in each other's company.

"You do it – I'm tired."

Leith knelt down to pick up the dandelion, cradling it in his fingers as if it were a pet. He looked at Adessa, and she placed her hand on his shoulder. He was surprised at how strong it felt. He'd often hear people – his parents included – talking about how talented the Young Lady Adessa Pearce was, but not until he'd seen her in person for the first time, some five years ago, did he see how powerful she truly was. Energy, good and bad alike, seemed to flock to her, seeping out of her pores, dancing around her, through her. And she didn't even notice. Maybe, he would wonder, it was because he had the Magical Eye and she didn't, or she'd never thought of using it on herself, either way, she quite possibly the strongest person Leith had ever met – and he'd met Dumbledore.

"Fio quis vos erant no futurus," he hissed the incantation like it was venom coming off his tongue. The dandelion gave a shudder in his palm, and morphed slowly until it took the form of a perfect white camellia.

Adessa felt the familiar tug behind her navel, as the portkey took them to their final destination. Using the very advanced technique of Far-Seeing that she had been teaching herself throughout the summer, Adessa sought out her parents in the crowded ballroom. They were obviously – obvious to Adessa, who is an expert in these things – annoyed by her leaving the ballroom, but they would forgive her; they always did. The evening was far from over, the adults having just started to move towards the food. That was all very well – it meant they had more time than last year.

The journey though the portkey was unusually long, but Adessa figured it must be far away, for secrecy. As soon as she heard Leith's feet hit the ground, and hers following shortly after, she threw up a shield, just in case. She heard Leith crumple to the ground beside her – obviously he hadn't had the same idea.

"Lower your shields, please. I need to at least blindfold you." The voice was young, male. Adessa gave a small grin in the darkness before removing her barriers. She understood the necessity of the location and who and what were present to remain absolutely secret to the outside.

She felt a strip of silk being wrapped around her head, the person holding it was taking an obvious amount of care with her, tying it neither too tight that it was painful, nor too loose that it should fall off. She felt a cold hand slide into hers to guide her through the dark, while the voice cast a muttered "Levicorpus," on Leith.

Though she could manage much better, she let her heels click on the floor, which was useful for mapping her surroundings through use of her Far-Seeing, as the echoes provided her with something of an image she could picture with her Far-Sight. Even though the location was meant to be safe, Adessa wanted to be prepared unless anything went wrong.

"We're here," the boy said, tiredly almost.

Adessa heard a sound like an opening door, and then she was being guided gently inside, and instructed to sit down in a chair, that, from the air flow, felt as though it were in the very center of a large room. She knew what would happen – she'd participated before.

"Liberacorpus," the boy sighed. Adessa heard Leith's unconscious body drop to the floor. The boy retreated, leaving Adessa alone in the chair and Leith on the ground beside her. She folded her hands in her lap, and sat forward in her chair, back straight.

"State your name." The voice was emotionless, feminine, and rang clear through the young girl's ears.

"Adessa Jezebel Cecilia Pearce." She was to say her name and nothing more.

The voice continued. "State your family's status as pure-bloods."

"We are the oldest lineage ever traced, of which Merlin could never have dreamed. They say that power has run through our veins since the beginning of magic itself." This seemed to satisfy the voice, but it continued its interrogation nonetheless.

"Exactly how loyal was your supposed family of Pearce to the one they now call He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?" It was a loaded question, and one Adessa found herself having to think about a great deal.

Adessa cleared her throat. "Pearce has never been loyal to Lord Voldemort," she paused to make sure no one had been offended by the name that she always used, "and though we do believe in purity of blood, it is for an entirely different reason. We do not support his ideals, and we never have. Pearce has never truly thrown ourselves to any side – dark or light – although we limit ourselves not when it comes to the use of dark magic."

"Thank you for your patience, Adessa. You may remove your blindfold. The real Leith Johnston has a charmed star tattoo behind his left ear. It is untraceable, and cannot be copied through any means. Check it is there on this boy."

Adessa removed the blindfold and immediately knelt down beside the still unconscious Leith. Brushing away the locks of blonde hair, she found the star, standing out even against his tan skin, and it was rich with power. She nodded, and stepped back.

As she did so, she took the time to survey the room. The layout was similar to what it always was – large and airy with twenty or so chairs arranged in a circle along its extremities, with the one chair in the middle where she had been sitting, and the high, throne-style chair where the owner of the voice sat at the front of the room.

The lighting was decently bright, even though the only apparent light sources were a handful of witchlights floating in random spaces. The ceiling was high, and had a scene carved into the stone. It felt like a sacred place, like a church almost, but with no windows. Adessa sighed – she felt at home.

"Enervate," Adessa heard the boy say from behind her. Leith woke with a start and immediately began glaring daggers at the spellcaster.

Adessa turned around to see someone who she knew very well. She grinned, the way she only ever did when she was with someone she was comfortable with a being courteous didn't matter.

"I think you got here early," she said jokingly, relaxing her stance a little now that she had seen that he was no one to be afraid of.

"I think you're late," he replied, smiling. "But I'm willing to forgive you."

"I am too."


Oooh, a cliifhanger! I wonder who the boy is...actually i know, but i'm not telling. Be my first reviewer please!!!!!!!!!!!!(It's kind of depressing not getting any reviews).