AN: So sorry for the long wait! Both I and my Beta were busy the past week, but here is the new Chapter! :) My (Pre)Easter Present for you. Thanks a lot for the Comments and Fave's and Follows, much appreciated! As usual, thanks to my Beta for putting up with me. Happy Easter, and now Enjoy! :D

AN2: Don't own Harry Potter or Once upon a Time, merely borrowing for creative purpose.


Chapter 3

With Graham in the game, telling her about Emma's ventures on Hogwarts' grounds, her task had become much easier. All she needed to do was send a letter to her mother, telling her exactly what Graham had said. She knew that if she asked him, he'd write the letter for her too. If he could copy her handwriting, she probably would. Despite the fact that she didn't really provide her mother with anything juicy about the Swan Girl, she seemed pleased with the lines Regina sent her weekly.

By Christmas the following year, the Dark One had presented her with a book about Dark Magic and tasked her with having it read by summer break. He knew that Regina would have it finished within a week, obsessively re-reading each page until the school year's end. By then he'd have presented her with a new book.

She didn't understand why he and her mother would be pleased about the letters, given that all they contained were short episodes of Emma's everyday life. But who was she to object?

And anyway, that wasn't what bothered Regina – the task her mother had given her was easy enough to complete. What really ate away at her was the task she had given herself. So far she had failed to understand just why Emma was so important to the Dark One. All she had managed to piece together so far was mostly old information. For one, she had already known that Emma's mother was born a White, but had decided to break the bonds to her parents the day she had left Hogwarts. Regina had met Eva and Leopold White on occasion. Pure bloods through and through, they would have severed the bonds to their daughter sooner or later anyway; not only had she been sorted into Gryffindor, but she had met andfallen in love with a mudblood, something you get erased from the family tree for. Furthermore Regina had known that Emma had an older brother who was born as a White and died as one, something Regina could understand even less than the Dark One's fascination with the Swan Girl. Both Eva and Leopold would never accept a grandchild like Emma or her brother, would they?

Nothing had changed between Emma and Regina over the past two years. Whenever they occasionally bumped into one another on the school's premises the Slytherin made sure to show Emma what she thought about her, always walking away from any arguments they had as the winner. If she wouldn't make it so easy, Regina might not feel the need to showcase her as the stupid Gryffindor she was, but the blonde almost seemed to crave the humiliation Regina eagerly provided her with. She just couldn't help herself, even if she wanted to. Emma irritated her, causing her to lash out whenever she was around.

"Regina?"

"Not now, Graham," she snapped, not looking up from her notes.

"She's asking questions," he ignored Regina's words. For once they didn't need to worry about anyone second-guessing their conversation since they were alone, outside of Hogwarts' thick walls, leaning against a tree with books and parchment scattered around them.

"Does she, now?" Regina asked, unimpressed, her gaze remaining on her paper.

"About you and your family, she's been trying to—"

"She what?" the raven-haired girl spat, jumping to her feet. The Gryffindor stumbled backwards. "What has she been asking exactly? And why, pray tell, does she care?" Regina could read in Graham's green eyes, that he was fighting with himself, furiously trying not to just yell at her that she was one to speak, given that she had asked him to spy on Emma in the first place. His lips remained sealed. "What has she been asking?" Regina repeated her question, her anger moulding to annoyance.

"The rumours regarding your mother and her being the…the Dark One's right hand," Graham eventually admitted.

"That's all?" Regina almost laughed. There was no one not wondering whether the rumours were true or not. Only a few of her fellow Slytherin peers knew the truth. But the mere existence of the rumours granted her the luxury of being feared by most students outside of her house.

"She, um, also asked after your father, asked if anyone had ever seen him, heard of him," Graham continued, almost instantly taking a step back.

"Next time she asks, tell her that she is treading dangerous waters," she hissed between gritted teeth.

"I-yes, I will."

"Anything else?"

"No, that's it. She can't stand you, though," Graham shrugged.

"She'll learn to hate me as much as I hate her."


The Gryffindor only nodded and turned turned to leave, not keen on being in the path of Regina's rage.

"Professor, you wanted to talk to me?"

"It is common sense that one knocks before entering a Professor's office, Miss Swan. But since you are already here, please have a seat."

"I'm sorry. I was told you wanted to see me, I didn't realize you might have been—"

"Sit down, Miss Swan," a low voice interrupted, making it clear that her apology made no difference.

"Of course," she stammered, suddenly unsure of herself. Sitting down in front of her potions professor's desk, she swallowed the question as to why she was here, knowing it wouldn't help his already fool mood.

"I've been told that you spread rumours about one of my students, Miss Swan?" the professor asked, his voice as emotionless as always.

"Regina!" Emma hissed before realizing her mistake.

"So you have been spreading rumours about Miss Mills?"

"I-no! I haven't."

"Then why would you curse Miss Mills' name at the accusation of spreading rumours?"

"I only asked some people if they were true. I've been asking questions about her family"

"Questions about things that are none of your concern."

The Gryffindor nodded, eyes glued to her hands.

"I want eighty inches on rumours and how they influence our society by Monday morning."

"But it's Hogsmeade weekend!" Emma objected.

"One-hundred inches."

"Alright," she nodded, anger and disappointment pouring over her.

"That would be all, Miss Swan," Snape dismissed her, turning his attention back towards the book on his desk.

Moments later, Emma found herself just outside of Snape's office, still unable to process what had just happened. She knew she'd caused some turmoil among her peers because of her questions, but that still didn't justify such a harsh punishment. Thanks to Regina, she wouldn't be able to go to Hogsmeade with her friends. Why did everything bad in Emma's life lately trace back to Regina in some way or other. She knew that there was no reason to believe that Regina had spoken to Snape about the rumours since she either enjoyed or ignored them, but that didn't change the fact that the Slytherin had effectively ruined Emma's weekend. Whether it was intentional or not was besides the point.

"Em, perhaps it'd be best if you ignored Regina for a bit and avoided any confrontation with her," Ruby suggested upon Emma's return to Gryffindor Tower. "I mean, it's not like acknowledging all this helps, does it?"

"It's hard to ignore the Dark Princess, don't you think? She seems to be everywhere," Aurora chuckled.

"Avoiding her would be tricky indeed, but it's not like you can't ignore her, Emma," Ruby continued "And that would probably be in your best interest. Think about it; how often has she humiliated you? Just last week you sat in mud because of her. Is that really what you want?"

"I tripped."

"She made you trip."

Silence on Emma's end, only confirming that Ruby did have a point.

"You're right," Emma sighed eventually. "I don't need another of Snape's essays –or worse."

Quiet fell over the girls as each worked on their assignments, at least two of them excited for the weekend.


"Ruby?" Emma asked, still surprised at having found her friend's bed empty earlier that morning.

"I woke up early," she shrugged. "You were snoring pretty peacefully so I decided to let you sleep."

"I don't snore!"

"If you say so," Ruby winked as Emma sat down beside her.

"Have fun in Hogsmeade?" Emma sighed, pushing her now empty plate back.

"You're not coming?" Graham asked curiously.

"I get to spend the weekend writing an Essay for Snape."

"Why?"

Emma only shook her head, ready to dismiss the topic, and excused herself.

She had tried to start the essay the previous night so she could join her friends in Hogsmeade, but she hadn't gotten much past the topic sentence. Hanging her head, she left the Great Hall. If she stayed on task she might be able to finish the majority of it today and be mostly freed up come Sunday. But what was the likelihood that she could actually achieve that?

She had nearly reached the stairs when her ears caught a familiar voice.

"Thank you, Professor"

Turning around, Emma spotted Regina and Snape standing near the dungeons' entrance. She cursed herself for being too preoccupied with her thoughts to have noticed them earlier.

"Nothing to worry about, Miss Mills Enjoy your weekend," he added, before turning to leave the Slytherin alone.

The Slytherin girl's smug demeanour had Emma vibrating with annoyance. Forgetting her plans of avoiding Regina, Emma briskly stomped through the entrance to the dungeons, her hands balled into fists.

"You!" she spat, cornering the older girl against a wall. "Because of you I can't go to Hogsmeade, because of you I need to write a hundred-inch parchment for Snape!"

"What are you talking about?" Regina screeched, trying to push Emma off of her. It was no use. Emma had an arm pressed tightly against her chest, effectively trapping her.

"You told him! You told him about the rumours and where they came from!" Emma continued, doubling the pressure on Regina.

"As if I care about what the school thinks about me or my mother!" Regina dug her fingernails into Emma's arm in an attempt to get some space between them.

She succeeded. Emma quickly jerked her arm back, hissing in pain. The imprint of Regina's sharp nails was clearly visible on pale her skin.

"You are not important, Emma. It doesn't matter what lies you spread across the school. You are merely a pawn, a pawn in a dangerous game." "Never," the raven-haired Slytherin continued, her voice low and dangerous, "consider yourself higher than you actually are." Regina towered above Emma much like she had during their first encounter. "You are nothing." By now, their positions were reversed and Regina had the Gryffindor backed up against the opposite wall. A dangerous glint flashed through her eyes before she stepped back and disappeared within the dungeon, leaving a stunned Emma behind.

How dare she, was the only thing that pounded through Regina's mind. Pushed by her anger, she had reached the Slytherin common room within seconds, relieved to find it empty. That scum had touched her, had accused her of caring about the lies she told. Anger flared within Regina, pulsing in her veins. What was it she had read in the Dark One's book? Magic is emotion. If she only could—

"Regina, Darling. What took you so long?" her mother's chipper voice cut through her thoughts.

"Forgive me, Mother. I had a...Professor Snape wanted to talk to me," she only half-lied, her anger momentarily forgotten. She couldn't mention her confrontation with the Gryffindor. The chances were too high that neither her mother nor the Dark One would approve of her behaviour.

"Severus, yes. I should have known."

"Why did you want to talk to me, Mother?" Regina asked, taking a seat in front of the fireplace.

"We have big plans, Regina, she said simply, sounding almost as cryptic as her Master.

"And what might they be?"

"He's decided to teach you, Darling. This summer your training will begin."

All Regina could do was stare at her mother, mouth agape.

"Indeed. You will join us during your summer break."

A smile, mirroring her mothers, finally reached Regina's lips.

"In addition to the two books you have read so far, I shall send you a third book– the spell-book. He wants you to have it." Cora's smile faltered slightly. "I will send it with Hades, after I receive your next letter."

"Thank you, Mother!" Regina managed, barely able to contain her excitement.

"You are to read it, memorize it, and commit to memory the notes either I or the Dark One himself collected within it."

The younger Slytherin nodded, knowing this wouldn't be a difficult task for her.

"You are not, however, to try any spell."

A test. Of course he would want to know if she could follow his orders, withstand the temptation of the dark spells.

"Of course, Mother. I understand," Regina nodded, the smile never leaving her face. "I won't disappoint you."

"I will hold you to your word, Darling." With that, Cora vanished from the flames, her daughter staring at the fire with a smile twinkling in her eyes for a change.