CHAPTER 3!

I don't own Harry Potter or it's characters. I do own Vespera though :)

I sat up and groaned while blinking away the last few black spots of my vision. My door was closed, and I couldn't help but think I had just imagined the whole thing. I looked at my clock, it read 9, everyone would just be waking up. I walked over to my mirror and saw I was fully dressed and clothed. My clothes were just a bit wrinkled, but after pulling at them some, they were fine. I retrieved a purse for my wallet and phone, then walked downstairs to wait for this stranger to come and retrieve me.

I was shocked when I did come downstairs, as there was a man sitting there. His black hair greasily just hanging over his face. Apparently, I hadn't imagined the whole scare upstairs. When I touched the bottom step he turned around and stood up. "Miss Salazar I presume?" He said in an odd monotone voice. He was wearing a black long-sleeved cloak with black dress robes underneath. If this was how wizards dressed, I would need a new wardrobe quickly before going into the wizarding world.

I nodded my head and curtsied, as that is what I had been taught was proper. "Vespera Salazar, in your presence. It's nice to meet you. I apologize for my earlier experience upstairs. I'm not quite sure what happened, that snake just appeared from my computer." I was cut off before I could continue.

He held out his hand as if non-verbally telling me to stop. "Miss Salazar, it would do you well not to pry in things that do not want to be disturbed. You will remember this rule now, while we are in Diagon Alley, on the Hogwarts Express, and in Hogwarts." He looked at my bag and raised an eyebrow. "You will not be needing that cellular device. Muggle items can not be used in the magical world as they interfere with magic. Furthermore, you will also not use any kind of muggle money that is contained on that plastic card of yours. Dumbledore has deemed it possible that any muggle born student who requires the assistance of a professor to go out and buy their supplies should continuously be under the wing of the Hogwarts fund and your books, wands, and other items will be bought with this fund. Do you have any questions Miss Salazar?" He glared down at me, as if I was some kind of idiot, which I probably was in concerns to the wizarding world. Or maybe he looked at me as if I deserved no such kindness as my belongings being paid for.

I knew I would have to be picky with my questions therefore, I asked one that would possibly make me seem intelligent, "Sir, if you don't mind me asking a question in regards to what is probably a very personal question for you, What is it that you have against Professor Dumbledore?"

This greasy man smirked at me, "Miss Salazar, you are once again prying into things that do not concern you. Where would your parents be? I don't have all day to waste."

I looked over at the wall, realizing not much time had passed. "I don't have a father, and my mother is probably doing her nails or something idiotic." I quickly grabbed a piece of paper and wrote on it 'Mother, I am at Diagon Alley with' I stopped writing, and then stood up straight, "I'm very sorry sir but I did not hear your name."

He again smirked, "Severus Snape. Professor." He took a very intricately designed stick out of his pocket, held it in his hand, placed his hand over his heart, and bowed.

I nodded then continued my note, '...Professor Severus Snape. This is to retrieve my belongings for Hogwarts, the school I have been trying to tell you about. I will consider coming back before I leave for school. If not I will see you for the Holidays. Sincerely, Vespera Salazar, your daughter.'

I taped the note in the middle of the computer screen downstairs, and left my purse and wallet and basically my entire life on the desk. "Thank you very much Professor Snape for escorting me to Diagon Alley. I'm sure it is an inconvenience to you, but I am very thankful for your time."

He almost smiled at me, then stopped, "You are very welcome Miss Salazar. Now, let us go." He walked over to the fireplace, as I turned to the door. "Miss Salazar," he said, "We're leaving to Diagon Alley. As I presume no wards are placed around your house, this will be the quickest way to arrive."

I glanced at the fireplace and back at him, "I'm sorry sir, but will you please explain how this works?"

He nodded, "Simply step into the fireplace, retrieve a small handful of this dust, and clearly pronunciate 'Diagon Alley.' A slight deviation from this place and you may end up somewhere that children like you should not be in. Do I make myself clear?" He said in a menacing voice.

I nodded, then grabbed a small handful of the powder from him, I stepped into the fireplace and while throwing down the dust I said ,"Diagon Alley!" I felt like I was being thrown away to some odd place and when I landed I landed on all fours, right outside of a fireplace. There were several people who just stared at me, watching me cough.

There was a family of gingers, and who appeared to be their youngest boy laughed and said, "Looks like someone is using the floo for the first time! You're a mess! Just wait until I tell everyone about this! They won't believe it. I've never seen someone mess up THAT badly using floo." This boy was still laughing his head off.

I glared up at him, when suddenly this boy was pushed aside and I saw a person, no wait, two people. Was I seeing doubles?

"Ronikins, didn't your mum..." one of the doubles said.

"...ever tell you that it's rude to make fun of girls." the other one followed.

They both held out a hand for me to grab, to help me up I assumed, and I took them. They first said to me, "Sorry for little Ronikins."

The second one replied, "He's trying to act all tough."

The first said, "He's really not though. He's nearly clueless."

The second grinned, "We'll take care of him later."

The first followed in the grin, "Right now though,"

They both pulled me up, "Are you okay, Miss?"

I kept looking back and forth between the two of them, "You're twins aren't you?"

The first one nodded, while the second one replied, "I'm Fred, and my twin here is George. "

George replied, "And this little guy is Ron. We're all Weasleys. We have 3 older brothers, a younger sister, a mum, and a dad around here somewhere."

I smiled, it was hard not to smile at these twins. I wiped off the dust from my boots, clothes, skin and hair. Luckily, it was easy to get off, "I'm Vespera Salazar. It's nice to meet you." I curtsied as I had been taught to do.

The two twins looked at me wide eyed, then looked at each other and took out their wands, placing it over their hearts and bowing, just as I saw Professor Snape do. Fred said, "It's an honor to meet you Miss Salazar."

They had suddenly become very strange, in a different way than before. Finally, Professor Snape gracefully walked through the fireplace. "Ah. Messrs Weasley. So pleased that you could meet Miss Salazar. Miss Salazar, it would do you well to stay away from these... people. Unless you wish to deduct many points from your house at Hogwarts. Now, follow me." He then walked out the door, not waiting to see if I would follow.

I frowned at being reprimanded by the Professor. I hadn't noticed anything bad in the twins. They seemed perfectly nice. I turned and smiled at the twins, "It was a pleasure meeting you! I hope to see you at Hogwarts?" I then looked at the younger Weasley, "I would say the same for you, except it was an absolute horror to meet you. Perhaps you should try being nicer to your future classmates?" With that I turned and walked out of whatever building we were in.

I saw Professor Snape quite a bit ahead of me, and I scurried to catch up, "Miss Salazar. I do not have time to waste. It would benefit the both of us if you would stop dilly dallying." I nodded, but kept my head up, following the professor, but not speaking. We were walking directly for a grand building, but then turned into a store that appeared to sell robes.

I walked in following the professor, and he handed a note to the lady up front. She read it and nodded, "Very well. Miss Vespera. Follow me back. I already have another student back here, a first year like yourself. Well, come on, step up on the stool." I sighed. I had been fitted before, and every time it was absolutely dreadful. "You'll be getting your 4 robes for school, 2 for winter wear, and 1 dress robe of your choosing. What color would you prefer dear? I think a nice green or blue."

I smiled politely, "Would it be possible to have a robe that is green on one side and blue on the other?"

She nodded, "Oh yes, of course Miss Salazar!" She quickly jotted a note of it, and continued taking measurements. "Now stand right there Miss Salazar while I go to check on Mister Malfoy's robes."

She scurried away and I looked to see who this other student was that she said she had back getting fitted. This boy looked very stuck up. There would be no one in this school that could possibly be as stuck up as I was.

He bowed with his hand over his heart, as I had seen the other wizards to, then spoke, "My name is Draco Malfoy. Who may you be? I don't believe I've seen you before."

I smiled politely and curtsied, "I'm Vespera Salazar. We haven't met. Although it's very nice to meet you Mister Malfoy."

He smirked with a look that said 'She called me Mister Malfoy. She knows I'm something.'

"I'll be going into Slytherin when the sorting occurs. It's the best place for the ones that aren't in support of blood filth. You understand I'm sure?"

I definitely, did not understand, but I nodded of course, "Blood filth is the worst. Why contaminate that which was previously clean?"

He grinned, "You, Vespera, are bound for Slytherin I'm sure. Pure bloods such as ourselves must stay together. Especially to stay away from those filthy mudbloods and blood traitors."

I smiled at him, my first friend of the wizard world. I couldn't believe it. The lady that was fixing the robes came around with two packages in her hands. "This one is for you Mister Malfoy, and this one for you Miss Salazar." We both thanked her then went to the front of the store.

That's when Draco's reaction surprised me. "Uncle Sev! Why are you here? Never mind that. I'd like you to meet Vespera Salazar. She's absolutely devious Uncle. I'm sure she'll end up being in Slytherin."

Professor Snape glared down at me, as if I had done something horribly wrong. "I am very aware of who Miss Salazar is Draco. I am her escort today for school supplies. I do not have time to socialize."

That was when the door pulled open and a grown man that looked almost identical to Draco appeared followed by a woman who wore similar colored clothing. I curtsied to them, "Mister and Mrs. Malfoy, I presume. It's an honor to meet you."

The elder Malfoy bowed back to me while the wife curtsied, "Is this the Vespera Salazar you were telling me about earlier Severus?"

Snape nodded, "Yes Lucius. This would be the very pester of my current annoyance. Just like McGonagall to get the flu the day she was supposed to take this one shopping. I had planned to start a potion at noon, but with the rate this is going, I will have to wait til next month to begin brewing it." Snape seemed genuinely annoyed that he couldn't brew his potion because of me.

Mrs. Malfoy looked at me, then at Snape, "Severus, if you wish we could take her along with us. We only just started. This was our first stop. It would be no trouble at all. Once we finish we will take her to the Manor, and await for your return, or she can return home on her own. Would this be acceptable?"

Snape looked at me, and I nodded. I'd hate to be the one that caused a professor to be annoyed with me before the school year even started. "Thank you very much Narcissa." Snape knelt next to me and whispered, "If anyone asks do not tell them you are a muggle. Pretend you are a pure blood wizard, if anyone asks your lineage, tell them they should know that and that they are fools for not knowing the origin of your last name. Understand?" I nodded again. "Very well." He stood, "I leave her in your charge. I greatly appreciate this."

Then with that Snape was gone, leaving me with strangers.

Then again, Snape was a stranger too. At least he was a stranger who actually knew me though.

The rest of this day would be interesting.

Meeting the characters, Weasleys and Malfoys. Hope you enjoyed it.

PS yes Harry does exist. He's just not the focus of this story. Don't ask about The robe shop experience with Draco and Harry. It will happen. In due time.