Shado of the Covenant

Chapter 20

First Classes

"It's the first day of classes!" Tabitha chimed out cheerily as she skipped into the Great Hall wearing her school uniform and robes with her fellow first year girls from Slytherin, as they were all happily giggling and skipping into the Great Hall together, and looking for their big Sisters, after they had plenty of fun playing over the weekend, and Tabitha almost snickered as she wondered whether poor Miss. Cassy's bottom was still sore from her spanking from being a naughty girl, as they didn't see much of her or Miss. Luna after that.

It was their first ever day of classes, and they were highly excited. Tabitha could not wait to see what they got to learn. Lady Shado said she would be happy to go with Tabitha to all their classes together since she was still a first year until she caught up, and all the girls were happy with that as they loved their Miss. Shado, as she was so fun, and looked after all her girls, especially the younger ones, and Tabitha liked that Miss. Shado didn't complain when Tabitha crawled into bed with her as she had another dream about that squid from that Friday, but Miss. Shado held her and comforted her, and Tabitha fell into a rather peaceful sleep.

Tabitha was extremely happy as she tugged Garnet and Clara after her by their hands while Aymee and Alice were giggling in amusement as it was fun to see how excited Tabitha was to start learning magic. Though, they were rather excited themselves, but they had all grown up around magic so it was rather interesting to watch someone who hadn't seen it all for the first time.

Looking around the hall to find her saviour, Shado, Tabitha was startled as someone grabbed her shoulders from behind, rubbing them a little. Tabitha looked up to see that it was her newest Hufflepuff friend, Erica. Tabitha liked her, as she was really-fun, even though she liked to wear some really-short skirts in secret. She had her hair up in a messy bun and was wearing her glasses, and full robe set, smiling down at Tabitha, and looking neat and proper as the girls all stopped for her.

"You have a good first day now, girls," Erica said while rubbing Tabitha's shoulders, which felt very nice. "I believe our beloved mistress is at the Ravenclaw table with Luna, Ginny, Rose, and Cassy if you guys were wondering, so I'll let you go," she said. "I have to get back to prefect-ing and stuff. Got a rep as a good girl to keep," she finished giving Tabitha and friends a cheeky wink before heading off to a girl from the Hufflepuff table waving her over with a grin.

Tabitha looked over and grinned as she saw Miss. Shado at the Ravenclaw table to one end. She was quick to rush over with the other girls following her. Miss. Rose saw Tabitha coming and smiled, moving over to let her sit between her and Miss. Shado, which was nice because she got to sit with them both, which she did giddily, with Clara and Garnet sitting with her and Alice and Aymee sitting opposite with Luna and Cassy, the latter blushing a little and looking like she was finding sitting rather uncomfortable. Though, the first year Slytherin girls got some glares from Gryffindors the Ravenclaws; they chose not to care, as Miss. Shado was wearing the green uniform too, and still had her hair shortish, fire red down into blonde, and looked so pretty.

Miss. Shado gave Tabitha a grin and a big hug between her and Miss. Rose with the other girls getting some affection too, so Tabitha was very happy as she dished herself some breakfast.

"So, how are you girls this morning?" Shado asked with raised eyebrows.

"You snuck off!" Aymee said while pouting. "But we showered and got dressed just fine."

"I'm happy," Shado said with a smile. "You can't always rely on me or any of the older girls all the time. We'll always be here for you, but you need to be self-sufficient too, and you have each other if you need help with drying your hair, or doing up awkward zippers."

Tabitha pouted. "But what if I have another bad dream?"

Shado chackled while Rose snickered and leaned down to Tabitha with her arm around her.

"You have four brand-new and rather lovely friends here," Rose said sweetly, "and I'm sure you can sneak into their beds with them."

"Y-you can join me, Tabby!" Clara said shyly.

"Me too!" Garnet said quickly. "It must have been really scary getting kidnapped by the lake monster."

"I'll look after you too, Tabby!" Aymee readily agreed.

"Just… as long as you don't hog the covers!" Alice said with a sheepish grin to a round of giggling.

"See, many options," Shado said with a wide smile. "And just think, its only your fourth day at school!"

"Yeah!" Tabitha said sweetly. "Thanks!" she added shyly to her friends.

"Anyway, we should get to classes!" Shado interrupted with a small grin as she realised everyone had finished breakfast, and Professor Flitwick: the head of Ravenclaw had even the non-Ravenclaws class sheets, handing them over with a smile. He was probably happy that no one was bothering Miss. Shado anymore, and that greasy one was just sitting at the teachers table, glaring and sulking at the same time, which Tabitha had never thought possible until now.

"Let's see here," Shado said as she looked at her sheet before grinning. "Hey my Shortcakes, we have transfiguration first thing, so that will be fun, what do the rest of you guys have?"

"I have Defence against the Dark Arts with that new guy," Ginny said gesturing the teacher's table. Tabitha honestly hadn't noticed him. He looked older than he probably was with greying brown hair, but smiled down at their table when he noticed them looking over at him. Tabitha thought she remembered hearing the old man with the beard and bad Gandalf impression mention him at the Welcoming Feast: Professor Remus Lupin, or something?

"Herbology...!" Rose said, as she looked her sheet over. "Thankfully, I don't have to deal with mums' class or anything, yet."

"Well, anyway, my little minions!" Shado said with a grin as she stood, "let's get to class before we're late and have to suffer through some meaningless reprimand," she said, before stroking her sister's dark hair from her right cheek and stole a kiss to her cheek while she laughed and winked before Shado left the hall, and out into the Entrance Hall and towards the Transfiguration classroom with her minions in toe.

"Miss. Shado," Clara shyly said after a few moments when she started looking worried about something as she took Shado's right hand and gently held it. "Umm, will we be, okay? We kind of just played and been all Jell-O-y all weekend, and I didn't even open a book, so what if the professor asks me a question?" she asked as she was worrying more

"Clara, don't be silly," Alice interrupted while rolling her eyes. "We're new, so the teachers have to teach us before asking questions," she said while Clara looking up at Shado in question.

Shado chuckled and nodded. "Alice is right, Darling," she agreed and Clara seemed to sigh in relief.

"Thanks Miss-tress!" Clara chimed shyly with relief and happiness, "you made me feel much better."

"Of cause... that is what the best-of-sisters do," Shado replied while grinning at her as they stopped by a door just as the latter bell for classes rang. Shado gave the girls a wicked grin as she led them into the classroom, as it was full of other first years from Slytherin and Hufflepuff.

"Miss. Evans, you and your friends are cutting the line pretty fine!" Professor McGonagall said from the front of the class with narrowed eyes.

"Well, you see," Shado said while leading the girls in, and Alice and Aymee sat together with Clara and Garnet next to them, and Shado lead Tabitha to the two empty seats in front of them, at the front of the class, as the desks were two students per desk, and in two rows. "There was this old lady, and she needed help crossing the street, so my adorably first years and I couldn't just walk by without doing something to help the old dear; it could have easily been an all-powerful witch testing our humility, and curse us if we did not do the right thing."

McGonagall looked flabbergasted while many of the students bit their lips to keep from giggling aloud and getting into trouble. However, Tabitha was surprised to see McGonagall's lips twitch slightly.

"For that Miss. Potter," she said as she looked at Shado's patch. Shado was wearing a Slytherin uniform like Tabitha's, which was why she was with the Slytherins, and she said she liked the green as it brought out the green in her eyes. "I'll give Slytherin a point for originality, and I must say as excuses go, quite amusing… quite a bit fairy tale-esque with that," she said before bringing order to class and explaining something's about transfiguration.

They had apparently missed the teacher turning into a cat, or Tabitha should say into a person from a cat. It was a shame. Tabitha was sure that would have been awesome, but looking to Shado she was certain that she would eventually figure that they would all be awesome if they could turn into animals, so she would have to wait awhile.

The teacher then went on to give them out their first-ever magical assignment with thirty minutes to spare, changing a matchstick into a needle.

Therefore, they went about it in quick time, and Tabitha was smiling as she watched the other first year from Hufflepuff next to her scrunching up her face, but her match never changed, and she pouted cutely, as Tabitha giggled. She then laughed as Tabitha tried and did no better than she did, so they were both pouting cutely while the other Hufflepuff girl was giggling and doing bad too.

Shado rolled her eyes and hadn't even drawn her wand as she clicked her left fingers, and her matchstick morphed before their eyes into a perfect sowing needle with little hoop, and sharp point.

"Very… impressive, Miss. Potter," McGonagall said as she stared as much as the first years who saw what happened. "However, your grades require you to use your wand, and I would like to see you speak the magic, if you would?" she asked.

Shado shrugged as McGonagall gave her a new matchstick, and watched as Shado's wand appeared in her hand, a cosmic grey with green veins, and metal casing, with handguard, and McGonagall could only stare more as everyone felt the one word, the spell McGonagall had taught them reverberating through their being as Shado moved her wand over the matchstick, and like that, it was as perfect as the other.

"Well, umm… five points to Slytherin," the teacher said as she looked over the uniform Shado chose to wear that day in support of her little friends. "Why don't you… if you could, help the other first years?"

"Sure, I guess," Shado agreed as she turned a smile to Tabitha and the Hufflepuff girls nearby as they watched her eagerly. "It's okay; I'll help you guys out. You need too... be more forceful, girls. Do not ask your magic to do something or we could be here forever. It's your power, and it wants to obey; it loves to perform every command you might give it, and it might not be able too, but it will try, but misbehave if you are not absolutely sure in your demand!"

Tabitha nodded her head in determination, and tried the spell again, awed as she watched the wood tern a silver colour, and looking to the Hufflepuff girls; they looked surprised too, as they both altered their matches a little. They looked at each other with giant grins and high fives.

Shado had smiled with pride before she slipped from her seat and gave advice behind her while McGonagall was assisting other students

"Be prideful," Shado said to the girls with a grin as she leaned over, and swiped her wand, and the whole class gasped as the wooden wall panels burst away to be replaces by billions of tiny needles in the wood's stead around the class. "Boast of your magic, and bask in its glee at being yours, or you'll never amount to anything."

"M-Miss. Potter," McGonagall called, "I asked that you help the first years turn one tiny piece of wood into just one needle. Just because you're a genius of magic, doesn't mean we all are, and the first years will take a rather long time to get to a place where they can even contemplate turning all that wood into needles, but I should thank you for lying them flat so no one gets pricked," she said, waving her own wand and a white light flew and spread throughout the walls and reformed the metal back into her regular wooden walls.

"Ten points to Slytherin though," McGonagall said with a soft sigh as she realised that Dumbledore had no idea what forces he had messed with, and hopefully, he would find out soon, and the world would be better for it.

Shado smirked at the first years, winking.

After that, charms class was kind of fun. They had to levitate a feather. It sounded easier than it was. However, Shado looked kind of bored as she lazily waved her wand over her feather, and it just floated around, completely within her power.

"Brilliant, brilliant, Miss. Potter!" the tiny professor said in joy. "Five points to Slytherin, yes most impressive."

It was Professor Lupin's class last. Shado hurriedly led her adorable firsties, and their classmates to his classroom, taking a seat with Tabitha at the back, with the other girls in seats either side.

Professor Lupin greeted his students kindly, as they entered his classroom. Tabitha felt sorry for the poor guy. He had obviously been on hard times as he looked old and very tired, and he was wearing tattered old clothes that she wouldn't have given to charity.

The Professor began his class by giving them a surprisingly short lecture on curses, hexes, and jinxes. He also said that if you were going to learn to curse someone that you should be intelligent enough to learn how to reverse your spells. That made sense, especially if the curse-ee reflected the curse back at you; you would need to know how to undo it. Tabitha thought the teacher was smart to tell them this as she had a feeling all the previous defence teachers weren't as clever to give such facts. Though, even McGonagall never mentioned anything like it, and Tabitha was sure some silly little hex wasn't as bad as transfiguring someone.

Next up, the professor showed them a Dark Fairy. He was letting them go up front to see her in her cage up close (as it was hard to see her properly from their desks). Tabitha was eager to see a real magical creature; a dark one, even though she had met three nymphs already, but she was super curious to see a real live fairy, but she was sitting in the back with Miss. Shado so they would get picked to see it last.

Tabitha was correct as the teacher finally called them up, and Shado led the way. Lupin smiled at Shado as she stopped and stared at him for a few moments with an unnerving frown, as she rolled her eyes, as Tabitha looked the fairy over.

The fairy was light grey with soft and smooth looking skin with dark grey nearly black hair to her shoulders, and standing about nine to ten inches tall, somewhat shorter than Elektra in her fae form. Her eyes were navy blue, and her white teeth fanged. She was wearing a green and red dress expertly made from what looked like rose petals. She wasn't wearing any shoes on her tiny feet, and if she were human, Tabitha would say she was a beautiful fifteen, sixteen-year-old girl. Coming out of the back of her dress were twin sets of dragonfly-like wings in double.

"Hi there," Shado said as she bent lower to get a better look at the fairy, and Tabitha was not as surprised as she should have been to see the little thing move back looking terrified, and it had never met Shado before, so it was likely scared of humans, at least while she was imprisoned, but the fairy didn't act that way with other students, so perhaps it knew Shado was more than them? "Don't worry, I won't hurt you," Shado continued as she reached for the latch on the cage.

"No, don't, she's a dark creature!" Lupin cried out in alarm. "She'll cause mayhem. That cage is designed to suppress her abilities."

Shado looked at Lupin, as if she should have had ice powers. "Get bent!" was all she said as she popped the catch, and opened the little door before putting her hand in, and gently grabbing the tiny creature, and pulling her out. Shado carefully adjusted the fairy until she was whimpering on her hands looking up at her in alarm.

"It's okay sugar, I'm not going to hurt you," Shado said sincerely and lovingly to the adorable little fairy, and then Shado's words were gone, replaced by beautiful notes and hums, to which the fairy looked up with gentle notes being returned. Tabitha was surprised that the fairy wiped her eyes of tears on her arm sniffling a little from her recent crying, as she looked up in hope, as Shado continued saying something in what must have been fairy language.

The fairy nodded eagerly as Shado lifted her, and placed her comfortably on her head smirking at Lupin.

"It isn't nice to judge based on appearances," Shado said while rolling her eyes. "If Rose knows your secret, then so too do I. I couldn't care less to be honest, but remember how it feels for people to look down on you with fear and suspicion for what is out of your control… our perception isn't always accurate, but people will believe in story books over the facts." Shado shrugged with a smug smirk, even though the class didn't know what Shado meant; they sure knew that Lupin did as he had paled.

Tabitha and her friends would miss their new fairy friend Saydi, as they had to let her go, as Miss. Shado said it was her right to be free, but she was rather fun.

However, it was a good thing they let Saydi go so soon too, as they had potions next. Shado had told Tabitha and friends that she would only be in the first 'introductory' potion class because Snape refused to help her catch up, so it would be better to be with her peers, and find someone in Ravenclaw to tutor her if she cared enough, or needed it, as she hadn't really tried much in the way of potions. Snape though; he was this evil crap. Snape was their teacher, and he might have tried to hurt the fairy girl. He had this terrible aura of evil, selfish git. Shado hated him on sight, as everyone else did, Gryffindor and even Slytherin, and Tabitha was sure he remembered what happened to him a few days ago, so would likely try to keep his distance from Shado, but probably didn't realise that Shado was so amazing at magic, so wouldn't be easily beaten.

Snape was glaring at Tabitha and Shado with utter loathing as they sat together, and Tabitha could understand why he hated Shado, as she beat him up, but why her? Did he hate her so much just because she loved Miss. Shado? It was nice to see that Miss. Shado was taking his bull, as nonchalant as she was though, which seemed to actually-annoy him more.

Snape went into a speech, though Tabitha would admit it was short and to the point, but he did pretty much insult everyone, and claim he could teach them potions on immortality, fame, and fortune. This guy was obviously a joke as questions about that were asked by her, and other Muggle-born's during their initiation into the magical world. The woman had laughed at her; asking whether she would be that old and have such a pitiful job if they could do stuff like that.

After his speech, Snape turned to Shado with a sneer. "Potter!" he spat such hate that Tabitha flinched, but Shado just yawned and looked at him questioningly, but Tabitha thought that she didn't care as much as she let on. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

The queen looked up at him with a surprised frown of thought on her beautiful face. "Umm… didn't you ask my sister that, first year? You should probably try something new, as she has already told me it was Draught of the Living Dead… although, the name needs work as it apparently doesn't start any zombie plagues, which is rather disappointing to be honest."

Snape ground his teeth angrily. "Ten points from… Gryffindor for your cheek..."

"But I'm a Slytherin today," Shado retorted tugging on the Slytherin crest on her robe to prove her point.

"I don't care," Snape hissed his outrage, but Shado just shrugged with a sigh, at least none of the other teachers took points from them. "Where would you go if I asked you to find me a bezoar?" he demanded with hateful eyes.

"Umm… that one's new," Shado said as she looked so cute thinking so hard, she really was trying, and Snape was not making it any easier. At least only, the boys (Slytherin) were stupid enough to snicker when they knew Shado could crush them and Snape at any time with a click of her fingers, if that. It looked like Snape was holding a grudge against Shado, because of what she did at the Welcoming Feats, but he was going to attack her first, so it was technically self-defence.

The Gryffindor first years looked horrified of annoying Snape so much, so that they couldn't laugh even if they weren't more afraid of Shado.

"Perhaps the local supermarket might sell them?" Shado suggested thoughtfully. "You can't expect us to cut open a goat ourselves, can you?" she suggested, and Tabitha would swear a few Gryffindors laughed behind their hands, and she was not sure whether Shado was joking or being serious, and was grossed out if inside of a goat was the correct answer.

Snape snorted rudely. "Ten points from Gryffindor for trying to be funny!" he declared, and Tabitha was surprised that Snape hadn't been destroyed yet.

"Now, Potter, what is the difference between Monkshood and Wolfsbane?" the teacher asked smugly.

"They're both the same species of buttercup," Shado said proudly, which made the flower sound really-lame.

"Incorrect…" Snape said the word but trailed off to a shocked whisper, as he was surprised that Shado just answered the question that time, rather than being silly, which was making him look extremely stupid this time.

"Its proper, or scientific name is Aconite," Shado explained. "But it has an array of weird names people have called it over the years," she continued smugly shrugging while Snape ground his teeth, and it was hard not to laugh as Shado had just drained all of Snape's scary away with her uncaring attitude towards his class.

"Oh, my mistake," Snape spat out after a few moments. "You do know something after all… well five points to Slytherin."

That almost made Tabitha crack up laughing, but Shado grabbed her wrist in warning and she managed to hold it, as instructions appeared on the blackboard, and Snape expected first years to just get on with it without any help from him, the 'teacher', what a lazy jerk, and that was not mentioning the health and safety issues.

"Miss. Shado...?" Tabitha complained. "Why did you let Snape get away with that?" she asked after class and they were just exiting the creepy dungeons into the Entrance Hall.

Shado smirked at her as she was surrounded by her little friends. "Because it pisses him off even more that I didn't retaliate. Fucks like him want you to jump to their bait, and while that's fun... they want a negative response to validate their lives. If I don't react to such petty bullshit then it pisses him off more. Though, I did have this odd urge to smash my cauldron over the lazy fuckers head when he didn't even do his job."

Tabitha nodded with a small smile as she and her friends all blushed at the cussing, which showed that Shado was really annoyed with the slimy potions' teacher.

"That man is simply pathetic," Alice said straight forward. "Mummy and Daddy won't like hearing about him, but the way I see things, Professor Dumbledore wants that thing to teach, so it wouldn't matter who cried out against him!"

"You shouldn't mess with Snape," a girl interrupted, and they looked over in surprise to see a girl in Slytherin robes. She had cold hazel eyes, and long black hair down to her butt. Tabitha believed she looked about seventeen years old, which would have made her a seventh year. She had very pale skin and they noticed the prefect badge on her nice sized chest. She was very pretty and had a calm aura about her as her hazel eyes locked hungrily with Shado's emerald.

"And why would that be?" Shado asked with a raised eyebrow, obviously as curious as the first-year girls were.

She let a small smile form. "Snape is an annoying winger," she replied while shrugging. "I have no doubt My Lady that he is complaining about you to Dumbledore right now, and he'll only continue, especially after you trounced him at the welcoming feast with little effort. It makes more sense to just beat him up. At least that way he'll be out for a few days. Do you not understand how annoying he'll be in my NEWT class tomorrow morning? It will be unbearable, and I already regret getting an O in my OWL exam because my stupid parents pushed me into…" she trailed off seeming to pretend that she hadn't started ranting with her sheepish smile.

"So, you're just being selfish because you have him next," Tabitha demand glaring at her in suspicion.

She shrugged. "Hey, she can tell the jerk where to shove off, as she has the power to back up her words, I do not."

"So do you like what you see?" Tabitha was surprised when Shado asked the cute girl, gesturing to herself with a wicked smirk.

The other girl's eyes were roaming her up and down. "Very much so," she quickly agreed. "The last girl I had was a Ravenclaw, but she left school about two years ago, and goes to the Auror Academy. It leaves me feeling a little needy, and I don't mind sharing. I have honestly never met anyone quite like you My Lady, and just watching you gets my juices flowing."

"And your name is?" Shado asked with a smirk as her emerald green eyes scanned up and down her stunning body hidden away by her Slytherin robes and uniform while the first years were blushing furiously.

"Elizabeth Winters," she answered with a smirk. "But you my empress may call me Lizzy, and I want to swear my fealty to you and the Covenant when you have ceremony and joining with the others."

"Oh, that," Shado chuckled. "Erica told me all about that, since I'm the new queen, even present members will be re-brought in under my domain… and it will be a pleasure to take you into my arms," she said and Tabitha saw her slip something into the older girls' pocket as she led the younger girls away.

Tabitha wouldn't know it, but to wonder where Miss. Shado had gotten to that she got in late that night, but Lizzy would be walking around the next day with a rather grateful spring in her step.

to be continued…