AN: As always thanks for the wonderful reviews.

Mark Of The Snake

Chapter 5: Arrival of Beauxbatons

Written by: V Lynne

echoinghearts@yahoo.com

~ ~ ~

The bell chimed that it was time to get up that Roe sat up with an ache in her head, she tossed the covers to the end of her bed and put her bare feet on the rugged flooring. Feeling several eyes on her she spotted Wynter, Velvet and Topaz already out of bed and heading towards hers.

"Is it true?" Topaz said in wonder.

"Is what true?" Roe, stood only to fall back on the bed due to her equilibrium being off, so she balanced with the help of her headboard. Going to the end of her maroon sheeted bed, she opened her chest and took out clean robes only then noticing she wasn't in her pajamas, "how'd I get here? I remember the Great Hall and then."

"You completely knocked out, took a kip right there in the middle of an assembly which you should have seen it was amazing." Velvet added.

"Okay, so how'd I get here? Don't tell me James carried me again?"

"Oh, he did," Wynter assured with a mischievous smile, "but only when the meeting was over and then handed you off to Snape," Wynter shivered, "which means he was in here."

"Creepy." Topaz agreed, "so is it true about you and James? The whole damsel in distress and white knight?"

Roe rubbed sleep out of her eyes as she wondered what the three were doing so awake this morning.

"What? He carried me cause I was sleeping, it wasn't like I was enjoying it or anything."

The three exchanged conspiring glances while Roe set down her chest and sat back on it with her robes in her hands. Realizing that an added piece of jewelry was clenched in them that she hadn't noticed. A silver chain with a thick piece of silver in the form of a lion with the claws clutching a mix of a pearl and opal marble-sized gem, where she had gotten it she had no idea.

"Jewelry? Are you sure you aren't hiding something?" Velvet persisted.

"There is nothing going on between me and James, okay? You guys have too much time on your hands."

"Alright, if you say so, Roe, we believe you but you better be ready for the rest of the female population to consider you public enemy number one."

The three left to the bathroom to get dressed as Roe sighed.

"What is it with people? A guy can't help his friend anymore?"

Right, her brain told her, keep telling yourself that and maybe you'll make yourself believe that you don't want to be more than friends with Jamie and that kiss with Malfoy didn't happen.

"Shut up!" she said out loud to herself.

Going to shower and change, she came out feeling well rested and better than she had in days. Her muscles weren't aching and she hadn't for the first time in years wasn't plagued by some strange dream, this day was already looking up that she didn't see one of the trick steps on the stairs leading back to her dormitory lift and she tripped over it. Flatting herself to the stonewall, it cold to the touch, she kept her balance as she cursed at seeing the laughing poltergeist of Peeves.

"Peeves!"

"Good move, little Prefect. Fun but not fun enough."

"Go bug Slytherins."

"Good idea, be seeing you, little Prefect."

Rolling her eyes, she then groaned as her eyes landed on the well-cut figure of Damon Malfoy walking her way.

"Having a morning tumble, Granger?"

"Break your mirror this morning, what is that the fifth one this month and you just have to come here and make my day?"

"Someone got up on the lonely side of the bed this morning." Malfoy mused.

"Why can't you go jump off a cliff? Get hit by lightning?"

"No such luck, Granger. Wouldn't want to disappoint all those girls on my waiting list, now would I?"

"Waiting list for what? To figure out how obnoxious and full of yourself you are?"

"Wouldn't you love that if that was the case," as he spoke he moved closer so that she adjusted her body to be even closer to the wall, "unfortunately that's not the case. I don't have a problem being wanted, do you?"

She just glared at him, as he smirked and made his way down the hall. Pushing herself away from the wall going into the common room to see James and Sebastian talking.

"Good morning, Roe, have a good sleep?" Sebastian teased good-naturedly.

"I would have if I hadn't been tripped by Peeves when I got up and accosted by Malfoy in the hallway." Roe complained.

"Already? You've been up early then." Garrett said passing by her.

"What is it with the male species today? Do I have a target sign on my forehead that I don't see?"

"No, you are just easy to rile when you just got sleep." James informed her, stepping back as she shot him a glare.

"So, what do we have this morning for class?" Sebastian changed the subject looking entirely too interested in his schedule parchment, "oh, no class till after lunch."

"Why is that?" Roe wanted to know, looking over his shoulder, which was a problem as he was almost an entire foot taller than her.

"Forgot you weren't awake at the meeting," Winnie said, stopping her work on an assignment for Transfiguration she was working the last kinks out of, "Beauxbatons allowing four of their top students to stay here with us until the Yule Ball. They are supposed to arrive this morning."

"And," Nereida came down from the portrait that led from the Head Girl private room to the common room, "all Prefects are to be the first in line to welcome them so I suggest that the three of you get down stairs since Wynter is already down there."

As she walked away, they followed slowly.

"I swear she was adopted, no way is someone that up-tight related to me." Sebastian whispered.

"You forget Uncle Percy." James mentioned.

"Like I could forget. He's the only one out of our uncles I can't be around for more than five minutes without wanting to pull off my ears and just hand them to him so he can continue talking while I really don't listen."

Roe laughed, turning it into a cough as Nereida glanced over her shoulder at them then continued walking with Talbert Taylor, the Ravenclaw Head Boy. Sebastian chuckled when the Hogwarts courtyard came into view and students were already in two divided sides getting ready for the arrivals. Roe saw Nereida flick her finger to indicate that Roe follow her, she shrugged at the boys and followed Nereida to stand next to Wynter. Nereida evened out Roe's badge, as the younger girl snorted at Nereida's perfectionate nature. As the boys were placed next to Roe, as the four houses were divided into left and right with Gryffindor and Ravenclaw on the left with Slytherin and Hufflepuff on the right with a large gap in between.

"No one is to speak unless spoken to and we will announce everything," Professor McGonagall instructed.

Out of a cloud lacing the sky came down a carriage pulled by a dozen winged palaminos. Landing gracefully, the carriage stopped and the coachman jumped off and opened the door like this was the eighteenth century or something.

Out stepped a girl that had most boys catching their breaths. Her pale white hair blew in the breeze matched with soft blue eyes that Roe heard the word 'veela' said about the girl's beauty. Next was a boy who also was blond, although his was the color of golden sunlight and had startling dark green eyes that seemed almost black. After him was another male with longish black hair that gave him a roguish appearance and kind brown eyes with a girl behind him whose hair was dark red of almost the color of living flame and observing brown eyes. Never had Roe heard the students so quiet or felt her breath halt in her lungs. They were all-stunning and wore thick dark blue silk robes of Beauxbatons.

"May I introduce Marielle Bourges, Etienne Montigny, Theophile Guimond and Yvonne Verlaine, our resident guests from Beauxbatons." Dumbledore proclaimed and all was heard the heavy pounding of hands together in clapping. Out of the clapping came appreciative whistle calls from more of the regained sensed males that had Professor McGonagall searching the crowd to give instant detention for.

As Dumbledore, his aura always peaceful and reassuring, moved them through the crowd he brought them up to the Head Girl and Boy.

"Nereida Weasley and Talbert Taylor are our Head Girl and Boy at Hogwarts, both will be around if you should need anything and these are a few of our Prefects," Dumbledore presented, "Wynter Jordan, Kurt Munoz, Alisha Keller, Sebastian Weasley, Ambrosia Granger, James Potter."

"Potter?" Marielle repeated, "of the famous Harry Potter?"

"Yes." James replied, "He's my father."

"Your father? I am very pleased to meet you, Jhames." Marielle greeted James, softening his name in the French way.

"As you will be able to meet Harry Potter," Professor Sprout joined in, "as he is now our Defense Against Dark Arts teacher."

"Really?" Etienne asked, his voice almost amused at the whole situation.

Roe elbowed Sebastian, who leaned over.

"What does she mean he is our DADA teacher?"

"Well if somebody would stay awake for important meetings instead of sleeping you would know that wouldn't you?" Nereida snapped.

"Lay off, Nereida." Sebastian retorted.

"He and Ron got here yesterday," James filled in, "Dad is the new DADA teacher and Ron's going to be visiting for the next week."

"Okay, I am official taking caffeine pills to stay awake," Roe declared, just waving off her comment at the confused looks she got from everyone that heard who hadn't been raised around Muggles.

The crowd was breaking up and Roe felt her shoulder tapped on and looked only to have no one there and beside her stepped Trey.

"Old trick, Slytherin."

"Still words caused you looked."

Walking through the halls full of commotion about the new visitors, Roe saw Trey's eyes linger on the retreating figure of Winnie. A matchmaking spark lit in her eyes.

"So, Trey, are you going to the Yule Ball?" Roe asked loud enough that as they passed Winnie, standing outside Transfiguration could hear breaking off her conversation with Carnation.

"I haven't really thought about it and why are you talking so loud? I'm not deaf."

"Sorry," Roe lowered her tone, "why not?"

"Dances are girl related issues that take up their entire existence while guys happen to have other things on their minds besides getting dressed up to try not to step on their partners toes and spiking the punch."

"Thought it was all you lived for," Roe teased, nudging his side, "so how about if some girl asked you," Roe stopped walking so they were still in hearing distance of Winnie, "what would you say?"

"Depends on who it is."

"Let's say it was Ebony Montague."

"Not on this side of hell."

Roe laughed, at his absolute serious expression.

"How about if this said girl was in Gryffindor and not in our year, would you consider it?"

Trey narrowed his eyes suspicious of this line of questioning.

"What are you getting at, Roe?"

"Just answer the question and stop avoiding the issue."

"Sure, I'd consider it."

Roe saw Winnie's face turn pink in excitement before she disappeared into the Transfiguration class. Trey followed her line of vision but saw no one so when her face took on that innocent expression she had down pat he raised an eyebrow.

"Had someone in mind?"

"Maybe. Just be nice okay?"

Trey gave an exaggerated sigh of defeat that had her playfully putting her hands on his shoulders and kissed his cheek.

"Thanks, big brother."

"The things I let you get away with."

"You love me." Roe confidently replied, walking away as he headed towards Charms.

"Sometimes I wonder."

Roe shut off her ears to his last statement and headed to the dungeon where her odd father insisted for years to have his class held in.

~

After Potions, which went well considering that Snape was no longer the DADA teacher and he hadn't taken more than twenty points away from Gryffindor, Roe was contemplating why her godfathers, Harry and Ron, were really here. Since Harry was taking two days to get his lesson plan together she had opened period, leaning on an large arched gap that was found along the corridor that over looked the courtyard she caught sight of Winnie and Trey. A huge grin spread over her features as she leaned more over to see when she felt an arm around her waist pull her back and she turned in the arms of Damon Malfoy.

"For a girl that just got over one near-death experience you sure seem to have a death wish."

Her realization of just how close their bodies were, that her chest was pressed against his muscled on and that she was having trouble breathing made her remember just what happened last time they were this close and she pushed at his shoulders to get him to let her go. He backed off and put his hands in his pockets of his pants he wore under his robe, with a charming you-know-you-want-me look on his face she itched to slap off.

"I was just watching progress, not trying to kill myself you lunatic."

"Progress? If you had leaned any further out you would be at the bottom of the courtyard with your blood sprayed all over the wall and whatever progress you saw would have ended."

"Who asked for your help?" Roe asked.

"Fine, next time I'll let you commit suicide." Malfoy stated, "Like I care."

He walked away and she turned with a huff, seeing the scene she was watching gone.

"Damn Malfoy."

"A little early in the day to be damning people but since it is a Malfoy.." Ron Weasley's voice came and she grinned spinning around to hug one of her favorite people.

"Ron!"

"Good to see that when you do see me you don't instantly fall asleep."

"Does everyone I know have to bring that up? I swear I am going to punch the next person that says something about my sleeping habits." Roe vowed, as he chuckled.

"You let them have it, kiddo."

"I haven't see Harry but everyone assures me that he lives."

Ron nodded.

"Come on, I'll take you to him. We didn't want to disturb you last night and since this morning was spoken for we thought we'd wait."

Walking down the chilly hallway, the setting in of winter a reality, Ron took her into one of the glass ceiling rooms that was shining sunlight into every corner of it. Objects and books on the Dark Arts were everywhere but with the cheery atmosphere it was a complete three sixty from how her father had taught DADA.

"This used to be the room that Sprout taught in until she moved to the greenhouses and it's been vacant for quite a while even before we went to school here." Ron told her.

"Who are you talking to.." Harry walked into the room from a connecting room to see Roe, who saw he hadn't changed since the summer two years ago when she had last seen him, "hello, poppet."

He wrapped her in a hug and pulled back to see the beautiful girl who was his goddaughter.

"It's so good to see you, why didn't you tell me? I could have.."

Harry put a finger to her babbling lips.

"You ask the same questions I am sure your cohorts in crime will be more than happy to fill you in on," Harry said and out came James and Sebastian with books in their hands from the connecting reference room arguing about the upcoming Quidditch match with Ravenclaw.

"How come neither of you told me this is where you were disappearing to?" Roe demanded to have them shrug at her.

"Sorry, Roe, but we kinda forgot." Sebastian claimed.

"Sure, like I'm not sitting in between you two knuckleheads all last class and you didn't think to tell me. Some friends you are."

James set the book he had in his hand on his father's desk a pleading look in his eye.

"Don't be mad, Roe," James cajoled, "we didn't mean to."

"Like you didn't mean to stare at that new Beauxbatons girl like a salivating dog?"

Ron and Harry winced at that description.

"May I stick up for us by saying we weren't the only males there?" Sebastian wondered.

"No, you may not. It amazes me that normal males with more than enough intelligence can become a member of the canine species just by having a pretty girl enter the picture. It's a scientific mystery."

"Before you come to blows," Harry cut in, "can I just state that if this girl is as distracting as you say that she probably has a good reason for it."

"She's a veela," James decided.

"With that hair and those curves," Sebastian ended with a yelp as Roe hit him square in the shoulder with a book.

"Paid attention did you? Too bad neither one of you gives that much attention to Potions."

"If Snape all of a sudden became a veela." Sebastian offered, making everyone burst into laughter, "I am sure I would pay attention."

"To the lesson or to him?"

"Does it matter?"

Roe swung at him again with the 'Standard Book of Spells' fourth year book but he ducked and she growled at him.

"Very attractive, Roe. Sure you don't have part cat in you?"

"Enough, children," Ron interrupted the playful banter, "as much fun as this is to watch my only son be beaten up by a girl," Sebastian glared at his father's amusement, "I think that maybe you three should continue to your next class as the bell has rung."

"Will Lavender hate me dreadfully if I murder your only son?" Roe considered, as Sebastian grinned widely at her while James pushed his friend out.

"Knowing her she'll thank you for allowing us to have food in the house when he does come home on breaks."

"That's all I needed to know. Bye."

As she left with a malicious look in her eye Harry was shaking his head at his friend.

"You do realize you gave her free license to murder your son, right?"

"It'll do him good, Hermione threatened to kill me more than once and yet I am still here."

"True, but Hermione had more interest in what she could use you for if she did manage to kill you and found none while Roe doesn't want to do anything with his murdered corpse but kill him."

"Good point, I'll talk to her at dinner."

Ron helped put the reference books out while Harry contemplated.

"Have you seen Damon yet?"

"Saw him with Roe actually," Ron admitted getting Harry's attention, "he seemed very friendly with her physically." The last part had a biting edge to it that Harry couldn't help but notice.

"As in how friendly?"

"Let's just say he takes a little free license on where he can put his hands on her body."

"Did she object?"

"It took her a minute to realize who had their hands on her to react."

"And did she move out of his arms right away?"

Ron looked uncomfortable with the subject, "No, alright."

"He did save her and has protected her since then," Harry allowed, "but you still don't trust him."

"He's a Malfoy. I can't say I like him, Harry, I don't like his father but I don't exactly hate him anymore either. Besides I always thought of her with James if you need to know."

"So has Ginny but unfortunately we can't choose who our children fall for can we?"

"Hermione doesn't have any more love for the Malfoy line then I do. She won't be happy to have her only daughter with the heir to the Malfoy legacy. She might like us to step in on her behalf."

"Don't you think you are jumping to conclusions a little early? We don't even know if anything is going on between Damon and Roe."

"Then I suggest we talk to the bugger before he starts doing more than just holding her."

~

When classes ended for the day, Roe took her journal and went to find somewhere quiet to write for a while. Her journal was a holder of her lyrics for songs she came up with, a hobby of hers. Finding a tree near the outskirts of the courtyard she began to write tuning out the world until dinner.

A sound came into her void of words and she saw a small dagger lying at the base of her feet. Leaning over her bent knees she picked up the dagger, a relic of the eighteenth century that she saw arms waving in the air that got her attention belonging to one of the two male Beauxbatons students. Walking over with the dagger in hand she noticed that a small group of females were avidly watching at what looked like a sparring match with rapiers and daggers, no magic. As she handed the dagger back, handle first to the forest-green glaze of Etienne Montigny, she took a step back.

"Thank you, mam'selle." Etienne thanked.

"Your welcome."

She watched intrigued when he returned to using the rapier and dagger in order to defend himself against his opponent, Theophile, both skilled at the dueling with swords rather than with wands.

As Theophile was put to the ground, Etienne's sharp rapier at Theophile's throat the crowd gasped and then laughed in relief when Etienne withdrew his rapier and both boys bowed to one another. The circled area they were fighting in disappeared, as it had been a spell, so that the weapons were gone and Theophile made his way over to the gathered girls.

"You have never seen a duel with weapons, mam'selle?" Etienne questioned, wondering about this attractive girl who seemed to have any male friends yet no boyfriend.

"Only with magic."

"Very different from Hogwarts, is it?" Etienne's voice was smooth, like silk and flowed like a warm breeze that Roe didn't wonder now why the girls were so crowded around like vultures. Roe always did appreciate a guy with an accent, to her it was one of the sexiest things a guy could have especially if it was Australian and she could see that she was going to be just as appreciative of the French accent as well.

"I've only see things like that on T.V."

"Qu' est-ce que c'est..T.V.?"

He was asking what a television was, why did she always assume when she opened her mouth that people knew what she was talking about.

"A Muggle technology."

"Ah, you were not raised here? You sound American."

"My mother and father are both English but I grew up in America, New York."

"You understand French," he wondered, as the dinner bell rang.

"Un peu." Roe admitted she knew a little.

"You seem very contrary, Mademoiselle Granger."

"To most people I am a walking contradiction."

He laughed, a deep-throated husky sound. As he suddenly winced and his hand went to his upper arm she realized the silk white shirt he wore with black leather pants, looking like a pirate, had blood stained on it.

Without thinking she ripped off a piece of her robe at the bottom and wound it around his wound that was a vivid gash in his flawless arm.

"You do not have to do that," Etienne protested but could not move out of her touch.

"Sure I do, can't have our guests bleeding all over the courtyard on there first day here now can I? Besides that will help until we get to Madam Pomfrey, our nurse, and she'll fix it correctly, this will slow the bleeding hopefully."

Roe walked him to the infirmary and explained to Pomfrey what happened, who immediately took action and fixed it with a purple solution.

"You speak English well, Etienne," Roe curiously asked, "I didn't think that anyone from Beauxbatons did."

"Met people from Beauxbatons before?"

"Well, no, but I was under the impression all students there spoke only French."

"For the most part. Our teachers like us to be, how do you say, know about these things."

"To be well rounded?"

"Oui, that is the word."

"So do teachers here but I learned French in my Muggle School not here."

"You went to a Muggle school?"

"Yeah, in America there aren't magic and Muggle schools just Muggle. So that's where I went."

"Contradictions again."

Roe smiled and as Pomfrey declared him fine, using a spell to fix his shirt they set off to the Great Hall where their entrance together caused quite a stir, cutting off Dumbledore's announcement of which student would be where.

"Ah, Mr. Montigny, please come forward and Miss Granger please take a seat."

Etienne gave her a fleeting smile.

"I would like to speak to you again, ma petite."

"Sure."

He nodded and Roe sat down to an amazed table.

"What?"

"Gee, why not just take every guy that enters Hogwarts for yourself, Granger." Came a snide comment from the Ravenclaw table.

"What did I do now besides be nice to the guy?" Roe demanded to know from the group around her.

"Nothing, Roe, they are just being a bunch of jealous witches." Winnie assured her friend.

"As I stated before," Dumbledore said to the assembled student body, "our guests will one out of each will be moved into one of our four houses. This has already been pre-selected; Theophile to Hufflepuff, Marielle to Gryffindor, Etienne to Slytherin and Yvonne to Ravenclaw. Please welcome our guests into our houses and make them feel at home."

With that food appeared on the tables and Roe filled her cup with Pumpkin Juice, sipping on it as she watched out of the corner of her eye Etienne go to the Slytherin table and sit down. Trey caught her eyesight.

^He is saying that he was injured and you helped him to the nurse that's why you two came into the Hall together, go a thing for the new guy, eh, Roe?^ Trey thought and she stuck her tongue out at him.

^Very mature^ Trey thought.

Rolling her eyes she glanced back at her own table and Winnie's own eyes were directed at the Slytherin table as well.

"Why were you with the French guy, Roe?" Velvet inquired, "Not trying your luck out on him are you? You've already got.."

"I wouldn't suggest you finish that sentence, Velvet," Priscilla cut in, "unless you want to look foolish."

Mouthing a 'thank you' to Priscilla, Roe met Winnie's defeated eyes.

"If you don't ask, you'll never know." Roe said.

"But what if he says no?"

"Who saying no to what?" Sebastian asked with a mouth half-full of food.

"Swallow, 'Bastian, then speak." James directed.

"Nothing, 'Bastian, just girl talk."

Winnie sighed, using her fork to draw shapes in her mash potatoes.

"The Yule Ball is a month away and I still have nothing to wear." Topaz complained.

"What a tragedy." Roe sarcastically replied under her breath as Malfoy passed by behind her.

"For you it is, Granger, knowing no one is asking you."

"And who'd ask you, Malfoy? Or are you in the process of paying her off?"

"Don't need to, I attract people to me while you seem only to attract the duds in the crowd."

"Malfoy," Ron's tone broke the conflict arising, "Dumbledore needs to speak to you."

Tossing a superior look at the Gryffindor table he went to the High Table.

"After dinner, I need to talk to you and James, Sebastian," Ron informed his son and nephew, "oh and Roe, my permission earlier to kill my son is on terms that you have to do it before he comes home for winter break. Carry on."

Roe grinned at Sebastian's lost look.

"Oh, it's not that bad, 'Bastian."

"Not that bad? My own father gives you permission to end my life and you are telling me it's not that bad?"

"Could be worse, he could have give Malfoy his permission."

"Like Malfoy can do anything to me," Sebastian snorted at the up surd notion.

As Sebastian bit into his leg of chicken his face broke out in a series of frog shaped green warts. Roe contained her laughter until she realized whoever took a bite of whatever they were eating the same thing was happening. Thankfully James and Winnie had seen Sebastian and both dropped their forks, while the screams of Velvet and Topaz echoed across the hall where Malfoy, now back at his table, had a smug smirk on his face.

"Don't touch anything," Professor McGonagall yelled at the table, "everyone put down their food and anyone infected follow me."

Sebastian's look of murder at the Slytherin table was met with laughter. Half the Gryffindors were all green frog warted and now the girl, Marielle was sitting right on the other side of James. Her intent to get his attention successful the second James realized who had taken Sebastian's place and so for the rest of dinner, which was replaced by the House Elves, Roe switched between glancing at the Slytherin table and glaring at the girl who was using her looks to advantage.

~ ~ ~

Another chapter.I'm on a roll.probably will be another week until I get a chance to write again.

January 3, 2002