Chapter 1
Zhara watched quietly while the students came aboard the Hogwarts Express. She was young for a teacher but then again, not many people were interested in the Defense against the Dark Arts position. Zhara was only seventeen. She was a child prodigy and had completed her training far before her peers. After she finished, she found that because of her age most people were reluctant to hire her. Luckily, Dumbledore needed a new professor. Zhara smiled as the door to her compartment slid open. Two boys and a girl slipped in. Zhara quickly recognized them as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger from articles she read in the Daily Prophet.
"Um, hi. Can we join you?" Harry said nervously. Zhara smiled and nodded. The boys' gazes seemed to be locked on her. Zhara was a very attractive girl. She had tan skin, a lean, curvy body, sleek black hair and exotic green eyes. She wore a modified robe. It was black silk and fit her like a sheath, with a split to the thigh.
"Hi, I'm Ron. Ron Weasley," Ron said blushing.
"I know who you are. All of you. I read the Daily Prophet. I am Zhara," Zhara said deciding not to tell them she was a professor just yet.
"Don't believe everything you read," Hermione said annoyed.
"Of course not. You never know what's true and what isn't," Zhara said with a smile.
"You must be new. But I never heard of a transfer at Hogwarts," Hermione said quizzically.
"As a matter of fact, I am the new Defense of the Dark Arts professor," Zhara said watching them. She could tell by their reactions that they were surprised. Zhara smiled and shrugged. Just then a skinny pale boy walked in with two bigger boys.
"That's Draco Malfoy and his goons, Crabbe and Goyle," Hermione said under her breath. Zhara rose and smiled at the new boys.
"Well, if it isn't the Muggle-lovers and the mudblood," Malfoy said with a devilish grin, "Who's your friend? Another mudblood?" Hermione was too stunned to respond. Harry and Ron glanced at each other.
"Actually, Malfoy, I am the new professor from Defense against the Dark Arts," Zhara said raising an eyebrow, "I assure you that I am a pure-blood witch, if you must know. What House are you in?"
"Slytherin," Malfoy answered, his eyes going wide.
"Ten points from Slytherin, then," Zhara said simply, "Anything else you have to say?" Malfoy and his cronies immediately high-tailed it out of there.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Zhara watched the opening year ceremonies from the main table. She was seated between Snape and Professor Sprout. She ate her steak delicately while watching Potter. Harry Potter. The boy responsible for the destruction of her own father. She sipped her wine, silently toasting to Potter.
It had been fifteen years since Lord Voldemort murdered her mother. She barely remembered anything about her other than what her grandmother had taught her. Her grandmother told her that Voldemort was an evil wizard that used her mother to have an heir. When the child turned out to be a girl, he murdered her mother. She had been glad when she heard that Potter had destroyed Voldemort,
But now there were rumors that Voldemort had returned. This news disturbed Zhara. That was at least one of the reasons Zhara sought the Defense of the Dark Arts position. Besides the money, the position gave her a bit of protection. She had nothing to worry about since the wards around Hogwarts were so powerful. Not to mention Dumbledore was perhaps one of the few people Voldemort feared.
Suddenly a brightly colored feathered snake flew into the hall and circled over the hall. It was rainbow colored with each feather a slightly different color than the others. The feathers reached up to its head, where scales covered its serpentine head. It then landed beside Zhara. Zhara found all eyes on her. The students were intrigued by the creature but the professors were outraged at it. Well not all if the professors. Hagrid was intrigued and Dumbledore was amused.
*Greetings, Zhara* it said in her mind, *I think you'd better explain before someone else does*
"This is Sensha, my familiar of sorts. She is a Quzetal. She comes from the Amazon rainforest. I'm sure Hagrid will tell you all about her in his class later," Zhara said with a smile.
*Sensha, one more fly around the hall then go to my room. You are making a scene* Zhara told Shensha through their mindlink, *We will talk later* Sensha flew around the room then vanished. Zhara smiled. Sensha was always a show off.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Disclaimer: Zhara Azure and Sensha are my characters. All other characters mentioned thus far are property of Ms. Rowling.
Zhara watched quietly while the students came aboard the Hogwarts Express. She was young for a teacher but then again, not many people were interested in the Defense against the Dark Arts position. Zhara was only seventeen. She was a child prodigy and had completed her training far before her peers. After she finished, she found that because of her age most people were reluctant to hire her. Luckily, Dumbledore needed a new professor. Zhara smiled as the door to her compartment slid open. Two boys and a girl slipped in. Zhara quickly recognized them as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger from articles she read in the Daily Prophet.
"Um, hi. Can we join you?" Harry said nervously. Zhara smiled and nodded. The boys' gazes seemed to be locked on her. Zhara was a very attractive girl. She had tan skin, a lean, curvy body, sleek black hair and exotic green eyes. She wore a modified robe. It was black silk and fit her like a sheath, with a split to the thigh.
"Hi, I'm Ron. Ron Weasley," Ron said blushing.
"I know who you are. All of you. I read the Daily Prophet. I am Zhara," Zhara said deciding not to tell them she was a professor just yet.
"Don't believe everything you read," Hermione said annoyed.
"Of course not. You never know what's true and what isn't," Zhara said with a smile.
"You must be new. But I never heard of a transfer at Hogwarts," Hermione said quizzically.
"As a matter of fact, I am the new Defense of the Dark Arts professor," Zhara said watching them. She could tell by their reactions that they were surprised. Zhara smiled and shrugged. Just then a skinny pale boy walked in with two bigger boys.
"That's Draco Malfoy and his goons, Crabbe and Goyle," Hermione said under her breath. Zhara rose and smiled at the new boys.
"Well, if it isn't the Muggle-lovers and the mudblood," Malfoy said with a devilish grin, "Who's your friend? Another mudblood?" Hermione was too stunned to respond. Harry and Ron glanced at each other.
"Actually, Malfoy, I am the new professor from Defense against the Dark Arts," Zhara said raising an eyebrow, "I assure you that I am a pure-blood witch, if you must know. What House are you in?"
"Slytherin," Malfoy answered, his eyes going wide.
"Ten points from Slytherin, then," Zhara said simply, "Anything else you have to say?" Malfoy and his cronies immediately high-tailed it out of there.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Zhara watched the opening year ceremonies from the main table. She was seated between Snape and Professor Sprout. She ate her steak delicately while watching Potter. Harry Potter. The boy responsible for the destruction of her own father. She sipped her wine, silently toasting to Potter.
It had been fifteen years since Lord Voldemort murdered her mother. She barely remembered anything about her other than what her grandmother had taught her. Her grandmother told her that Voldemort was an evil wizard that used her mother to have an heir. When the child turned out to be a girl, he murdered her mother. She had been glad when she heard that Potter had destroyed Voldemort,
But now there were rumors that Voldemort had returned. This news disturbed Zhara. That was at least one of the reasons Zhara sought the Defense of the Dark Arts position. Besides the money, the position gave her a bit of protection. She had nothing to worry about since the wards around Hogwarts were so powerful. Not to mention Dumbledore was perhaps one of the few people Voldemort feared.
Suddenly a brightly colored feathered snake flew into the hall and circled over the hall. It was rainbow colored with each feather a slightly different color than the others. The feathers reached up to its head, where scales covered its serpentine head. It then landed beside Zhara. Zhara found all eyes on her. The students were intrigued by the creature but the professors were outraged at it. Well not all if the professors. Hagrid was intrigued and Dumbledore was amused.
*Greetings, Zhara* it said in her mind, *I think you'd better explain before someone else does*
"This is Sensha, my familiar of sorts. She is a Quzetal. She comes from the Amazon rainforest. I'm sure Hagrid will tell you all about her in his class later," Zhara said with a smile.
*Sensha, one more fly around the hall then go to my room. You are making a scene* Zhara told Shensha through their mindlink, *We will talk later* Sensha flew around the room then vanished. Zhara smiled. Sensha was always a show off.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Disclaimer: Zhara Azure and Sensha are my characters. All other characters mentioned thus far are property of Ms. Rowling.