Hello all! Here is chapter 7 for your reading pleasure. I own none of JKR's characters, more's the pity. Kiara, her parents, and anyone not recognizable from the books are my own creations. I'm making no money off this, so please don't sue me.

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Chapter 7: Kiara's Third Year

Kiara's second summer home from Hogwarts passed much the same as the first one. She worked on her assignments and visited with her friends and the Weasley family. Percy was getting ready to start first year at Hogwarts, while Bill was his mother's current favourite, having been selected to be Head Boy.

The summer passed quickly and she soon found herself back at King's Cross. Once again, she spent the trip chatting with her friends and with Charlie and the other members of the Quidditch team. Percy sat in a compartment near them with two other boys. One introduced himself as Oliver Wood and the other was Marcus Flint. Kiara thought that Oliver was nice, but she was less than impressed with Marcus, who seemed to have a perpetual arrogant sneer on his face.

At Hogwarts, she saw that they had a new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, Professor Clarke having retired at the end of the previous year. Professor Snape was now the head of Slytherin house and the new professor, who seemed almost as young as Professor Snape, was Professor Quirrell.

Kiara settled into her routine quickly. She found Advanced Potions to be challenging, but she enjoyed every minute of it. She also decided that hidden somewhere behind Professor Snape's surly exterior, there was a much more likable person and started to actually like him. Professor Snape, for his part, had thought that he detested all Gryffindors, but he found himself getting along with Kiara better than any of his other students. He decided that he didn't actually like the girl, it was merely pride in a student who was doing so well in his class. Although he continued to mark her work extra hard, she persisted in getting top marks, in the Advanced Potions class as well as the regular one.

Every so often, Professor Dumbledore sat in on the Advanced Potions class. Since it was a newly created class, he was curious to see how it was coming along. One day, after Kiara and the others left, he spoke to Professor Snape.

"This Advanced Potions class seems to have been a good idea," Dumbledore said.

"Yes, Headmaster," Snape replied. "And so long as only those who get top marks in the regular class are allowed in this one, it will continue to be a good class."

"I see you are growing to like Miss Connon. It is good to see you getting along with at least some of your students," Dumbledore said.

"It would be highly inappropriate for me to like Miss Connon," Snape replied. "She is but a child."

"Now, now, I did not mean to imply that you had inappropriate feelings towards the child," Dumbledore said. "Merely that you are fond of her. She is, after all, one of your best students."

"I am proud to have such a student in my class, Headmaster," Snape said stiffly, "But I am not fond of her."

"As you wish, Severus," Dumbledore said with a smile. As he watched Dumbledore leave the Potions classroom, Snape felt vaguely uneasy. It was as if Dumbledore knew something he didn't. After a moment, he shook his head at his foolishness. Dumbledore always knew things no one else did.

Kiara found that her other new class, Care of Magical Creatures, was also great fun. Professor Kettleburn taught them about a wide variety of magical animals. Kiara found that she got along very well with most of them.

Kiara also continued as one of the Gryffindor team's Chasers. They did very well, winning many of their games. Kiara was a very good Chaser, but it was Charlie's phenomenal flying abilities as Seeker that enabled them to win their games. The others on the team all felt that Charlie should go on to become a professional Quidditch player when he was done school. Charlie on the other hand, much as he loved Quidditch, appeared to be even more interested in Care of Magical Creatures. He consistently scored top marks in that class and spent much of his free time deep in conversation with either Professor Kettleburn or Hagrid.

As it often happens when one is enjoying oneself, Kiara's third year passed quickly. She managed to score top marks in Potions, Advanced Potions, Herbology, Flying Lessons, and Care of Magical Creatures. Soon, she found herself on the Hogwarts Express, heading home fore the summer.

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What does Dumbledore know that Snape doesn't? Hmm…

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