Drannor awoke at the break of dawn, as usual. Shaking the dirt and
what not from his feathers he watched the sun peek shyly over the rim of
the lake, reviling the first and longest shadows of the day. The raven
waited until the sun was half way up and shinning brightly on the lake
before flying over to his mistress' bed. Pushing the curtain aside he
fluttered over to her head and cooed softly until she smiled.
Opening her eyes she playfully pushed him away and on hearing him fly
off she pushed the covers back, silently beginning her day. After a hot
shower, she gathered her books and tossed them into a black bag with a
silver serpent glowing noticeable on its surface. On her way out of the
dorm room door she shuffled some extra parchments and inkbottles in the bag
then whistled quietly for Drannor, who landed on her shoulder to help her
down the stairs.
The common room was completely empty. Drannor left her shoulder to
stretch his still semi-sleep filled wings. Danah paused her mad rush to
the room's secret door to sit in a dark green chair and dig out her
schedule. Her first class was Charms and then Transfiguration. She didn't
have Potions until Thursday with Care of Magical Creatures. At least I
will have my two favorite classes on the same day she thought to herself.
Putting the schedule back into her bag, she pushed open the trap door, and
found herself in the dungeons. She began walking, although she wasn't sure
where she was going. Drannor flew overhead incase she needed him to guide
her in the dark dungeons, but she seemed to be doing fine so maybe, just
maybe the shadowy vision she lived with was improving. Danah looked up
struggling to see in the dungeons but she couldn't see Drannor anywhere, so
her only guide was the occasional torch. Every time she looked ahead she
saw a dark hole with an occasional gray shadow she could only assume was a
torch. Her mind told her she was going to get lost but like when she had
lost her sight her soul seemed to guide her feet towards the exit of the
dungeons.
Light flooded her vision and for a few minutes all she saw was white,
her vision always took longer than people's eyes to adjust to drastic
changes in light. Danah shuddered involuntary, like she always did, as the
vision returned.
Are you ok Danah? Drannor asked seeing her tremble from above.
"Yes, that always happens when I go from very dark places to bight
places.I have yet to figure out how to stop it." She answered the long
empty corridor. It had long past since she had grown accused to strange
looks from people who saw her talking to herself and had almost come to
expect it.
Before she had accepted others' looks she had refused to acknowledge
Drannor when he spoke to her, but after she had gotten into trouble, long
story short, by not answering him when she had not heard him, she had
decided if she was willing to accepted her chance to see the world again,
she would also have to accept the looks that came with her helper, Drannor.
No one was in the hall to see her but she had an uneasy feeling of being watched. Of course, she shrugged it off as being jitters at being in a new and unfamiliar place, because Drannor would tell her if there was danger. Finally she saw the doors to the great hall. She whistled to Drannor and he landed on her right shoulder as always. Causiously she pushed open the stone door, and was quite surprised to see only a few people in the hall, there was only five people. Two of them were teachers and the other three were students who were bent over books nibbiling on begals or a piece of fruit. No one looked up when she came in so she walked confidently over to the table she had been at yesterday and sat down. A great pile of food appeared in front of her. Drannor hungrily eyed a bagel with sesame seeds on it, noticing Danah took him off her shoulder and pulled out the temporary perch she had built to be put anywhere. He cackled gratefully before ripping a piece of the bread off to eat. Smiling slightly she took a great swig of orange juice and grabbed a muffin. About a half hour later students in groups or two or three began appearing in the hall. There were still only five teachers up at the high table. Most of the student who came in looked half asleep and several snapped at friends who asked them something or began to tease them. Drannor was dosing peacefully on the perch. Danah looked at the perch as if she had never seen it before. It was beautiful. The perch stood on three legs like a stool. A center pole went up about a foot and the over about half a foot, where Drannor sat dosing. It looked like any other perch might, accept that the pole was made of three slender, weightless- pure silver poles twisted around each other, with engravings. The perch also had magic of its own, because one could set it anywhere and the bird would be able to sit on the perch comfortable. It would even hang upside down or stick to a wall, without the person having to put a spell or something to hold it up. By bending it you could easily put it in a robe pocket or carry it, then unbend it making it as good as new. Danah couldn't believe she had made such a thing while she was blind! One day, when she was about nine, she had just had the urge to build it. She hadn't even known what she was doing because Drannor had not been able to talk with her yet. Like everything else in her life it had developed. "Long time no see," a voice said in Danah's ear dragging her out of her thoughts. Looking up she saw Cole's smiling face and grin slightly before replying "Yes, seeing as how we didn't get into the same house" "Yeah, was that bloody bad luck or what? I mean I hoped we would be in the same house so we could.you know talk more.on the train you seemed interesting and smart.so I thought you might be able to help me." ".With homework?" she interrupted, knowing that's not what he had wanted. She had found out from other Slytherins that Cole was into Quidditch and tryouts were soon for all teams. " Well yeah." he said blushing slightly "If you need help with anything and I can help I will, don't worry" "Well now that that's cleared up" his face showed clear relief at not having to explain himself "What's it like in to be a Slytherin? Do they curse you and tortureyou.? Or do they make you go through horribletestsjusttogetinthedorm" he had been talking so fast his words ran together, he lowered his voice to a whisper when several third year Slytherins looked up "You do have dorms right?" "Of course we have dorms!" Danah said through her laughter "no they don't torture me! What an absurd idea, where did you hear it from?" "Why Edmund Knott told me! Although now that I think about it he is always kind of jumpy and a little." Suddenly he saw the absurdness in it and laughed, too. Cole continued to stand even when she asked him to have a seat. She didn't understand it but let him do what he wanted. They talked for half an hour until a ruddy voice sneered behind them "Danah is McNeal bothering you?" Drake smiled at Danah and then turned a glare towards Cole who backed up slightly. Danah looked over her shoulder at Drake and with his three friends behind him the image of a hill surrounded by mountains came to mind. She smiled back at Drake and said "No Drake he is not bothering me. We were talking about classes, so if you would back off, please. I can talk without a babysitter you know." "No.no. no need I was just leaving. I will talk to you later Danah" Cole said turning on his heels and walking back towards his table. Sneering at Cole's back Drake took a seat right of Danah and began to talk to her like nothing had happened "You enjoying your time here?" "Of course, although its only been a day. Linsha is very nice even if she does have a non-stop mouth" "Yeah I know our families are connected to each other, so we have been friends for a long time" Drake commented picking up a glass of juice to drink. The mountains sat down around him but left a space on his direct right side. Just then Linsha came in and spotted them, quickly walking over she began speaking "Damn Danah you were up early, girl! I mean I was told the early risers in the group were just getting up when you left. What's up with that?" She took a seat to Danah's left and grabbed some sausages, without pausing "You got up early if you beat Vierna from getting up, you would have to get up at dawn to do that!" Drake said in addition to Linsha's comment "Well I always get up that early, I mean there's nothing wrong with it." Danah said looking at Linsha. "You always get up that early.when do you sleep! If we had homework or something I could understand getting up to finish it but for no reason?" Linsha said taking a bite of her sausage. " Its really no big deal I am just an early riser. I don't like to waste any part of the day" Danah replied. In reality she had always got up that early, ever since she had lost her sight because it was hard to tell the time when your world was always dark. When she had gotten her shadow vision shapes were most easily distinguished at dust and dawn so she was always up. Now she just did it out of habit, with Drannor's help. Danah there is a Slytherin boy the same age as you heading this way. I don't recognize him Drannor suddenly spoke and opened his eyes to look around. Most of the teachers were at the table talking and eating. Only a few were empty and one of them was the same one that had been empty all last night. Drannor watched the boy approach. He carried himself gracefully, with defenses at their fullest in every step. His footing was always sure and he wore a half blank half grim expression. The boy was a little taller than Danah but shorter then Drake's bodyguards. With death black hair and royal blue eyes he might have been considered handsome if he would smile or look even slightly interested in the life around him. Time seemed past him by and he didn't even glance over his shoulder to see what he was missing out on. Silently and unnoticed he slipped in the seat on the right side of Drake and looked over the table taking in everything in one glance. Drake noticed the boy beside him and brightened at the sight of the closest thing he ever had had to a best friend. "Morning Shatend" he said. "Drake" the boy said with a curt nod. Danah watched the shadow of the boy come towards the table without ever truly looking at him. She had discovered that one good thing about her shadow vision was if she concentrated hard enough she could see behind her or anywhere out of what had become her normal vision. The greeting between the two boys was not what she had expected by their friendly body language towards each other. It puzzled her but Drake called Danah from her thoughts to introduce her to Shatend and vice versa. "Danah this is Shatend Baenre, a fellow Slytherin and Pureblood. Shatend this is Danah.she is the one who took a while at the hat." Drake said "Yes I know, I not only saw the ceremony but was part of it" Shatend replied, his voice so emotionlessly Danah narrowed her eyes at him. The group continued to talk, but Shatend never took part in the conversation, he ate in silence and then sat at the table listening to the conversation. Danah watched him, by looking at him every now and then because her shadow vision wouldn't allow her to see him out of the corner of her eye. "Danah lets go we have Charms first and we want to get seats in the back." Linsha said pulling Danah's arm towards the door. She whistled and Drannor landed on her shoulder, Shatend seemed to notice her when he saw the raven land on her. Shatend watched her be pulled down the hall by Linsha and then followed behind the girls with Drake. He had noticed when he had first glanced at her the green eyes that haunted her face looking everywhere and nowhere, all at once. They had a distant look in them as if she wasn't looking at the same thing as everyone else. As if she saw the world differently. "Drake, why does she have a raven?" Shatend asked his friend. "You know, I am not really sure." Drake answered stopping in the hall. "She had him at the sorting and he is always by her side. We all figured he was a devote familiar. By the way she calls him something like Draino or Danor or something like that." "Drannor" "Huh?" "Drannor, she calls him Drannor" Shatend said irritated at his friend's ignorance, while heading towards the Charms' hallway. Drake looked curiously at him and Shatend replied to his unspoken question. "I saw her this morning and I thought she was talking to herself but when I saw the raven this morning I knew she had been talking to him." ~ * * * ~ Her classes past uneventfully that day, except for in Transfiguration where a boy from Hufflepuff had caught his feather on fire instead of turning it into a twig. In Charms they had just listened to Professor Flitwick talk about different kinds of Charms and then they had been given time to work on their homework. At dinner Danah listened to the conversation around her but found she kept pulling herself away from everyone to watch the world. The headmaster seemed happy enough with the first day of school. He was talking with the teachers beside him with great determination to look interested. The Herbology teacher didn't seem to notice, and neither did the mistress of Quidditch, Madam Hooch. ".So no one has seen him?" "No not even the older students" "No one has seen who?" Danah asked becoming aware of the conversation They are talking about the Defense Against Dark Arts teacher; Danah.No one has seen him. His classes don't start until tomorrow and even then he is going backwards per say. Drannor answered her. Danah concentrated and was quite surprised to see she could talk to Drannor easily, maybe being in a magic place enhanced her powers. What do you mean? Well he is dealing with the seventh and sixth years all tomorrow then fourth and fifth Wednesday and so on How is that possible, we only have two classes a day and no free time She asked puzzled at the enhanced ability she had and how the professor was suppose to make this work. The first years have longer days then other years I have noticed. Longer classes I guess you would say. Drannor broke off in the middle of his sentence and Danah felt him tense up on her shoulder. Looking around with her shadow vision she noticed the boy.ummm.Shatend watching her. Immediately she turned her glared upon him, only to find him continue to stare at her with an expressionless face. Several minutes past and then Drannor spoke to her again, but quietly than he ever had, as if he feared the boy would overhear. I will watch him She nodded slightly to show him she understood and then turned her attention back to the group of people who had adopted her. They were talking about the day's events, which she had no true interest in so she said her goodnights and the headed downstairs to the dungeons. When she made it to the Great Hall's doors she paused to look back over the room. Dumbledore was looking at her, Cole was chatting with three Gryffindors and the rest of the Slytherins were back to talking amongst them selves. When she got to the end of the hall she heard a shout behind her "Danah, wait up!" In the next instant Cole was beside her. Sliding his arm around her shoulders, brushing Drannor off, he asked "So how was your day?" "It was ok I guess.I mean I didn't get lost thanks to Linsha and Drake and that helped make my day better. What about you?" Danah said accepting his arm as a sign of friendship. "It was good. We had flying lessons. That class is at the top of my fun list but Potions was bloody horrible. That teacher needs to learn some serious people skills. Or at least make an attempt to enjoy life. I mean he is like so." He stopped and seemed to notice that he was not only talking to Danah but a Slytherin and felt slightly guilty. They were almost to the dungeons and he pulled her back away from the maze of tunnels. "If you need anything just come find me.the Gryffindor password is Butterbur. Don't hesitate to come in if something happens or you just need to talk, alright?" "Sure" she said back. Although she was curious about his words, she was glad for his friendship.she got the impression none of the Slytherins would ever do that. Turning Danah walked down the tunnel and Drannor landed on her shoulder and began directing her were to go, since she couldn't see anything even with the torches. Cole watched her go and the headed back to the great hall. He didn't know what to think about her. Something was different about her from everyone not just girls but from everyone he had ever met. At least now she knew she had a friend to turn to, even if it wasn't someone in her house. Danah.what a strange name, wonder what it means he thought to himself. Deep in his thoughts Cole didn't notice the shadow of a boy slip past him, following Danah down the dark corridor. ~ * * * ~ Dumbledore watched Danah go and when he spotted the raven still on her shoulder he knew it was time. He would send for her in a few days. Linsha and Drake also watched Danah leave the Hall and upon seeing the boy go after her argued over whether or not to put up the chase. Drake wanted to go and make sure a filthy Gryffindor wasn't making trouble but Linsha wanted to let them be, after all the Gryffindor was probably just going to his common room. By the time they finished arguing almost two hours had past and they decided to wait until they were dismissed to go to their common rooms. ~ * * * ~ Up ahead there are four passages. You need to go in the one second to the right Drannor informed Danah. Consciously she made her way to the right and when Drannor didn't say anything she walked down the tunnel. The trap door is. "Hello Danah" a collected voice said from behind her, interrupting Drannor, who screeched and gripped on to Danah's shoulder tighter. Turning around she looked into the blackness and felt a vulnerability she hadn't felt since she had lost her vision. Something in her recognized the voice and so she too stayed collected and made a reply. "Evening Shatend" She felt the air tingle as he recovered from the shock that she had known who he was. "Going to the common room?" "Yes, I wanted to converse with my thoughts", she said calmly now that she knew who it was. "Ah.as was I. May I escort you?" he said in the same collected voice. She nodded tiredly and he held out his arm. She accepted it, much to Drannor's dismay. The two arrived at the trap door and Shatend snapped the password at the trap door and then reached down and opened it. He gestured towards the door and Danah stepped down into it with Drannor's help. Calmly she walked over to the fire and sat down on a dark green chair, sending Drannor over to the banister to watch the play. Shatend strolled over to the chair Danah was sitting in and sat across from her on a couch. The two sat there in silence for several minutes and then Danah spoke. "What were you really doing down here?" "I was coming to the common room to relax." He persisted "Don't lie to me what were you doing down here?" she demanded quietly. She said it so calmly and softly he, for the first time in his life wished she had yelled at him, cursed him, anything so he wouldn't have to tell her. Instead of yelling though she had whispered and he instead of lying again told her the truth, starting a life-long friendship between the two. "I wanted to talk to you," he simply said. She thought she had prepared herself for any answer he could give but she had not counted on this one. It stunned her. Never had anyone but Drannor ever wanted to talk to her before Hogwarts. "Oh well what did you want to ask me about?" she said trying to recover "I was wondering about your raven, Drannor isn't it? There is a strange relationship between the two of you, what is it?" "Yes, I call him Drannor.I don't think we have a very strange relationship" "I think you do. This morning you were talking to him as if he was answering you." Shatend insisted "I always talk to him that way." She said without missing a beat. "Strange way to talk to a familiar" "He is not a familiar!" She said in blind outrage. "What is he then" Shatend whispered, a gleam in his eye. Danah, you can't tell anyone if you don't want them to know! Drannor cried in shock. Calming herself she looked Shatend in the eyes and said "He is more than a familiar. Drannor is my friend. He was my only friend before I came here." "That's not all though is it? He or maybe you.there is something about one of you.there's a connection," He said slowly measuring his words. "What are you talking about, Shatend?" Danah said, freighting innocence. "Unless I am wrong, and I rarely am, it is him that has an extra power, and I guess I should say, that gives the two of you a connection. Am I right?" "This must be a rare time because you are wrong." Danah said coolly "Hummm.maybe.but I so very much doubt it." "Well believe it," she said wishing at this very moment she could talk to Drannor. She had tried several times while talking with Shatend and it wasn't working. She didn't even know where he was and being that she couldn't see him, scared her a little. "Why won't you tell me?" "One it's not true. If it were true I wouldn't tell you because I don't know you. I have only even seen you three times. Pardon me for using that as a reason not to tell a stranger something" She was getting irritated and her sarcasm began to show through. He heard the irritation in her voice and knew he was starting to get under her skin. If he could keep her talking for a while longer he might be able to find out why she was so different from everyone he knew. "What do you want to know?" "It's not that simple." "Yes I think it is." He said with a smile she would never see. Drannor had watched the whole thing from his perch waiting for his chance to speak with his mistress. She would never tell the world her secret, even those close to her she didn't fully trust. Something about this boy was different though, he had magic radiating off of him in heavy waves. Not that it was unusually in this place but the amount he had was like that of a teacher, not a student. Drannor watched as they talked about everything. They were becoming quick friends. The students will be back soon, Danah "Ok" She said breaking the silence that had over taken her and Shatend conversation. Shatend's head shot up and he remembered why he had confronted her originally "What did you say?" He whispered hiding his smile in the shadows "Nothing, I better get to bed." "No you said something I heard you." " I better go to bed and it would do a crazy guy like you good, to get to bed." She said and stood up, heading for the stairs. Danah got to the stairs and quicker than a cat Shatend crossed the room and pushed her against the wall. Drannor screeched and flew towards the students in alarm, talons stretched out. "Tell me what that bird can do" Shatend said releasing her after realize what he was doing. Although Danah couldn't see she sensed Shatend's anger and then sudden frustration. She felt him release her and without thinking spoke to him "He. I...He can talk to me." What are you doing? Danah don't tell him anymore, trust me on this Drannor shouted landing on her shoulder. "I agree" she whispered and then looked over to see Shatend's reaction. He smiled a knowing smile and said "Is that your only secret?" he walked over to her and looked down at her, noticing one that she didn't cower down in his presence, like most and her eyes still had that far away look, even though she was staring right at him. Drannor cackled and glared up at him. "Yes" she said, still calm. "I better get to bed then." he walked away from her and towards the stairs to the guys dormitory. He stopped and looked back over his shoulder and whispered "You don't have to be afraid of me, Danah" then turned and continued up the stairs to the first year rooms. Danah waited until he was gone and then walked up stairs, confused. She hadn't been able to fully see Shatend in the dim light but she had heard his last words, even though he hadn't meant her to. Also he hadn't asked her much about Drannor after she had told him about being able to talk to her. Something in her suspected he had just wanted confirmation on his guess. As she trudged up stairs, Drannor silent on her shoulder, it occurred to her that he could tell everyone and she would be ruined. With a heavy mind she sat down at the desk in the room she shared with the other first years Slytherin girls and started her Transfiguration homework. It wasn't very hard and she finished it with ease. With heavy thoughts she found her way to her bed just as the other girls began to come upstairs to the dorm. A slight rhythmic click sounded in the quite room and Drannor spoke to her There is a silver owl at the window, carrying what looks like a rolled up piece of parchment, Danah "I hear him.guide me to the window please" she said getting up. Upon seeing the window open the owl flew in. He stuck out his leg, quite mad that he had been woken up to fly just across the school. She untied the parchment and sent the owl off just as the other girls came in. Seeing Danah by the window with a letter Linsha called out a hello. Several other girls said hello too and noticing her letter came over to stand by her. Danah smiled at them but silently wanted to be alone. She laughed at her own irony and the others turned to look at her curiously. It was ironic she had been alone for almost three years except for Drannor and now all she wanted to do was be alone. Linsha caught Danah's feeling and shooed the other girls away and off to bed. Danah grateful for the help let Linsha come over and read the letter over her shoulder. The letter shook her up so much she had to read it twice before she realized what it was about.
Dear Miss Danah, I have noticed your coming and goings around the school and would appreciate it very much if you would grace me with your presence Friday after classes. You may bring Drannor if you wish. (Not that you need my permission to bring him along) Just keep him under control for I have a phoenix and they don't have the greatest history, ravens and phoenixes, that is. The password is Carmel Cats. See you Friday afternoon. Professor Dumbledore
"Wonder what he wants. Any idea Danah?" Linsha said after rereading the letter "Danah?" Danah was staring at the letter as if it was a snake that was ready to strike. He knew! That was the only explanation. Had Shatend told him.no Shatend said she could trust him.she snapped back to reality and answered Linsha "No Lin I don't. Do you know if he does this often?" "I don't think so but I will ask so of the older students" "No Lin please don't I really don't want anyone to know he sent me this letter.can you keep this quite? Please Lin?" Danah begged her friend. "Yeah sure Danah, after all what's the point of having a friend if you can't tell them secrets!" Then Linsha did something Danah would never forget again and something she hadn't felt since before she lost her vision. Linsha hugged her. So with Shatend's, Dumbledore's and Linsha's words echoing in her head Danah said good night to Drannor and Linsha and fell into a disturbing sleep.
No one was in the hall to see her but she had an uneasy feeling of being watched. Of course, she shrugged it off as being jitters at being in a new and unfamiliar place, because Drannor would tell her if there was danger. Finally she saw the doors to the great hall. She whistled to Drannor and he landed on her right shoulder as always. Causiously she pushed open the stone door, and was quite surprised to see only a few people in the hall, there was only five people. Two of them were teachers and the other three were students who were bent over books nibbiling on begals or a piece of fruit. No one looked up when she came in so she walked confidently over to the table she had been at yesterday and sat down. A great pile of food appeared in front of her. Drannor hungrily eyed a bagel with sesame seeds on it, noticing Danah took him off her shoulder and pulled out the temporary perch she had built to be put anywhere. He cackled gratefully before ripping a piece of the bread off to eat. Smiling slightly she took a great swig of orange juice and grabbed a muffin. About a half hour later students in groups or two or three began appearing in the hall. There were still only five teachers up at the high table. Most of the student who came in looked half asleep and several snapped at friends who asked them something or began to tease them. Drannor was dosing peacefully on the perch. Danah looked at the perch as if she had never seen it before. It was beautiful. The perch stood on three legs like a stool. A center pole went up about a foot and the over about half a foot, where Drannor sat dosing. It looked like any other perch might, accept that the pole was made of three slender, weightless- pure silver poles twisted around each other, with engravings. The perch also had magic of its own, because one could set it anywhere and the bird would be able to sit on the perch comfortable. It would even hang upside down or stick to a wall, without the person having to put a spell or something to hold it up. By bending it you could easily put it in a robe pocket or carry it, then unbend it making it as good as new. Danah couldn't believe she had made such a thing while she was blind! One day, when she was about nine, she had just had the urge to build it. She hadn't even known what she was doing because Drannor had not been able to talk with her yet. Like everything else in her life it had developed. "Long time no see," a voice said in Danah's ear dragging her out of her thoughts. Looking up she saw Cole's smiling face and grin slightly before replying "Yes, seeing as how we didn't get into the same house" "Yeah, was that bloody bad luck or what? I mean I hoped we would be in the same house so we could.you know talk more.on the train you seemed interesting and smart.so I thought you might be able to help me." ".With homework?" she interrupted, knowing that's not what he had wanted. She had found out from other Slytherins that Cole was into Quidditch and tryouts were soon for all teams. " Well yeah." he said blushing slightly "If you need help with anything and I can help I will, don't worry" "Well now that that's cleared up" his face showed clear relief at not having to explain himself "What's it like in to be a Slytherin? Do they curse you and tortureyou.? Or do they make you go through horribletestsjusttogetinthedorm" he had been talking so fast his words ran together, he lowered his voice to a whisper when several third year Slytherins looked up "You do have dorms right?" "Of course we have dorms!" Danah said through her laughter "no they don't torture me! What an absurd idea, where did you hear it from?" "Why Edmund Knott told me! Although now that I think about it he is always kind of jumpy and a little." Suddenly he saw the absurdness in it and laughed, too. Cole continued to stand even when she asked him to have a seat. She didn't understand it but let him do what he wanted. They talked for half an hour until a ruddy voice sneered behind them "Danah is McNeal bothering you?" Drake smiled at Danah and then turned a glare towards Cole who backed up slightly. Danah looked over her shoulder at Drake and with his three friends behind him the image of a hill surrounded by mountains came to mind. She smiled back at Drake and said "No Drake he is not bothering me. We were talking about classes, so if you would back off, please. I can talk without a babysitter you know." "No.no. no need I was just leaving. I will talk to you later Danah" Cole said turning on his heels and walking back towards his table. Sneering at Cole's back Drake took a seat right of Danah and began to talk to her like nothing had happened "You enjoying your time here?" "Of course, although its only been a day. Linsha is very nice even if she does have a non-stop mouth" "Yeah I know our families are connected to each other, so we have been friends for a long time" Drake commented picking up a glass of juice to drink. The mountains sat down around him but left a space on his direct right side. Just then Linsha came in and spotted them, quickly walking over she began speaking "Damn Danah you were up early, girl! I mean I was told the early risers in the group were just getting up when you left. What's up with that?" She took a seat to Danah's left and grabbed some sausages, without pausing "You got up early if you beat Vierna from getting up, you would have to get up at dawn to do that!" Drake said in addition to Linsha's comment "Well I always get up that early, I mean there's nothing wrong with it." Danah said looking at Linsha. "You always get up that early.when do you sleep! If we had homework or something I could understand getting up to finish it but for no reason?" Linsha said taking a bite of her sausage. " Its really no big deal I am just an early riser. I don't like to waste any part of the day" Danah replied. In reality she had always got up that early, ever since she had lost her sight because it was hard to tell the time when your world was always dark. When she had gotten her shadow vision shapes were most easily distinguished at dust and dawn so she was always up. Now she just did it out of habit, with Drannor's help. Danah there is a Slytherin boy the same age as you heading this way. I don't recognize him Drannor suddenly spoke and opened his eyes to look around. Most of the teachers were at the table talking and eating. Only a few were empty and one of them was the same one that had been empty all last night. Drannor watched the boy approach. He carried himself gracefully, with defenses at their fullest in every step. His footing was always sure and he wore a half blank half grim expression. The boy was a little taller than Danah but shorter then Drake's bodyguards. With death black hair and royal blue eyes he might have been considered handsome if he would smile or look even slightly interested in the life around him. Time seemed past him by and he didn't even glance over his shoulder to see what he was missing out on. Silently and unnoticed he slipped in the seat on the right side of Drake and looked over the table taking in everything in one glance. Drake noticed the boy beside him and brightened at the sight of the closest thing he ever had had to a best friend. "Morning Shatend" he said. "Drake" the boy said with a curt nod. Danah watched the shadow of the boy come towards the table without ever truly looking at him. She had discovered that one good thing about her shadow vision was if she concentrated hard enough she could see behind her or anywhere out of what had become her normal vision. The greeting between the two boys was not what she had expected by their friendly body language towards each other. It puzzled her but Drake called Danah from her thoughts to introduce her to Shatend and vice versa. "Danah this is Shatend Baenre, a fellow Slytherin and Pureblood. Shatend this is Danah.she is the one who took a while at the hat." Drake said "Yes I know, I not only saw the ceremony but was part of it" Shatend replied, his voice so emotionlessly Danah narrowed her eyes at him. The group continued to talk, but Shatend never took part in the conversation, he ate in silence and then sat at the table listening to the conversation. Danah watched him, by looking at him every now and then because her shadow vision wouldn't allow her to see him out of the corner of her eye. "Danah lets go we have Charms first and we want to get seats in the back." Linsha said pulling Danah's arm towards the door. She whistled and Drannor landed on her shoulder, Shatend seemed to notice her when he saw the raven land on her. Shatend watched her be pulled down the hall by Linsha and then followed behind the girls with Drake. He had noticed when he had first glanced at her the green eyes that haunted her face looking everywhere and nowhere, all at once. They had a distant look in them as if she wasn't looking at the same thing as everyone else. As if she saw the world differently. "Drake, why does she have a raven?" Shatend asked his friend. "You know, I am not really sure." Drake answered stopping in the hall. "She had him at the sorting and he is always by her side. We all figured he was a devote familiar. By the way she calls him something like Draino or Danor or something like that." "Drannor" "Huh?" "Drannor, she calls him Drannor" Shatend said irritated at his friend's ignorance, while heading towards the Charms' hallway. Drake looked curiously at him and Shatend replied to his unspoken question. "I saw her this morning and I thought she was talking to herself but when I saw the raven this morning I knew she had been talking to him." ~ * * * ~ Her classes past uneventfully that day, except for in Transfiguration where a boy from Hufflepuff had caught his feather on fire instead of turning it into a twig. In Charms they had just listened to Professor Flitwick talk about different kinds of Charms and then they had been given time to work on their homework. At dinner Danah listened to the conversation around her but found she kept pulling herself away from everyone to watch the world. The headmaster seemed happy enough with the first day of school. He was talking with the teachers beside him with great determination to look interested. The Herbology teacher didn't seem to notice, and neither did the mistress of Quidditch, Madam Hooch. ".So no one has seen him?" "No not even the older students" "No one has seen who?" Danah asked becoming aware of the conversation They are talking about the Defense Against Dark Arts teacher; Danah.No one has seen him. His classes don't start until tomorrow and even then he is going backwards per say. Drannor answered her. Danah concentrated and was quite surprised to see she could talk to Drannor easily, maybe being in a magic place enhanced her powers. What do you mean? Well he is dealing with the seventh and sixth years all tomorrow then fourth and fifth Wednesday and so on How is that possible, we only have two classes a day and no free time She asked puzzled at the enhanced ability she had and how the professor was suppose to make this work. The first years have longer days then other years I have noticed. Longer classes I guess you would say. Drannor broke off in the middle of his sentence and Danah felt him tense up on her shoulder. Looking around with her shadow vision she noticed the boy.ummm.Shatend watching her. Immediately she turned her glared upon him, only to find him continue to stare at her with an expressionless face. Several minutes past and then Drannor spoke to her again, but quietly than he ever had, as if he feared the boy would overhear. I will watch him She nodded slightly to show him she understood and then turned her attention back to the group of people who had adopted her. They were talking about the day's events, which she had no true interest in so she said her goodnights and the headed downstairs to the dungeons. When she made it to the Great Hall's doors she paused to look back over the room. Dumbledore was looking at her, Cole was chatting with three Gryffindors and the rest of the Slytherins were back to talking amongst them selves. When she got to the end of the hall she heard a shout behind her "Danah, wait up!" In the next instant Cole was beside her. Sliding his arm around her shoulders, brushing Drannor off, he asked "So how was your day?" "It was ok I guess.I mean I didn't get lost thanks to Linsha and Drake and that helped make my day better. What about you?" Danah said accepting his arm as a sign of friendship. "It was good. We had flying lessons. That class is at the top of my fun list but Potions was bloody horrible. That teacher needs to learn some serious people skills. Or at least make an attempt to enjoy life. I mean he is like so." He stopped and seemed to notice that he was not only talking to Danah but a Slytherin and felt slightly guilty. They were almost to the dungeons and he pulled her back away from the maze of tunnels. "If you need anything just come find me.the Gryffindor password is Butterbur. Don't hesitate to come in if something happens or you just need to talk, alright?" "Sure" she said back. Although she was curious about his words, she was glad for his friendship.she got the impression none of the Slytherins would ever do that. Turning Danah walked down the tunnel and Drannor landed on her shoulder and began directing her were to go, since she couldn't see anything even with the torches. Cole watched her go and the headed back to the great hall. He didn't know what to think about her. Something was different about her from everyone not just girls but from everyone he had ever met. At least now she knew she had a friend to turn to, even if it wasn't someone in her house. Danah.what a strange name, wonder what it means he thought to himself. Deep in his thoughts Cole didn't notice the shadow of a boy slip past him, following Danah down the dark corridor. ~ * * * ~ Dumbledore watched Danah go and when he spotted the raven still on her shoulder he knew it was time. He would send for her in a few days. Linsha and Drake also watched Danah leave the Hall and upon seeing the boy go after her argued over whether or not to put up the chase. Drake wanted to go and make sure a filthy Gryffindor wasn't making trouble but Linsha wanted to let them be, after all the Gryffindor was probably just going to his common room. By the time they finished arguing almost two hours had past and they decided to wait until they were dismissed to go to their common rooms. ~ * * * ~ Up ahead there are four passages. You need to go in the one second to the right Drannor informed Danah. Consciously she made her way to the right and when Drannor didn't say anything she walked down the tunnel. The trap door is. "Hello Danah" a collected voice said from behind her, interrupting Drannor, who screeched and gripped on to Danah's shoulder tighter. Turning around she looked into the blackness and felt a vulnerability she hadn't felt since she had lost her vision. Something in her recognized the voice and so she too stayed collected and made a reply. "Evening Shatend" She felt the air tingle as he recovered from the shock that she had known who he was. "Going to the common room?" "Yes, I wanted to converse with my thoughts", she said calmly now that she knew who it was. "Ah.as was I. May I escort you?" he said in the same collected voice. She nodded tiredly and he held out his arm. She accepted it, much to Drannor's dismay. The two arrived at the trap door and Shatend snapped the password at the trap door and then reached down and opened it. He gestured towards the door and Danah stepped down into it with Drannor's help. Calmly she walked over to the fire and sat down on a dark green chair, sending Drannor over to the banister to watch the play. Shatend strolled over to the chair Danah was sitting in and sat across from her on a couch. The two sat there in silence for several minutes and then Danah spoke. "What were you really doing down here?" "I was coming to the common room to relax." He persisted "Don't lie to me what were you doing down here?" she demanded quietly. She said it so calmly and softly he, for the first time in his life wished she had yelled at him, cursed him, anything so he wouldn't have to tell her. Instead of yelling though she had whispered and he instead of lying again told her the truth, starting a life-long friendship between the two. "I wanted to talk to you," he simply said. She thought she had prepared herself for any answer he could give but she had not counted on this one. It stunned her. Never had anyone but Drannor ever wanted to talk to her before Hogwarts. "Oh well what did you want to ask me about?" she said trying to recover "I was wondering about your raven, Drannor isn't it? There is a strange relationship between the two of you, what is it?" "Yes, I call him Drannor.I don't think we have a very strange relationship" "I think you do. This morning you were talking to him as if he was answering you." Shatend insisted "I always talk to him that way." She said without missing a beat. "Strange way to talk to a familiar" "He is not a familiar!" She said in blind outrage. "What is he then" Shatend whispered, a gleam in his eye. Danah, you can't tell anyone if you don't want them to know! Drannor cried in shock. Calming herself she looked Shatend in the eyes and said "He is more than a familiar. Drannor is my friend. He was my only friend before I came here." "That's not all though is it? He or maybe you.there is something about one of you.there's a connection," He said slowly measuring his words. "What are you talking about, Shatend?" Danah said, freighting innocence. "Unless I am wrong, and I rarely am, it is him that has an extra power, and I guess I should say, that gives the two of you a connection. Am I right?" "This must be a rare time because you are wrong." Danah said coolly "Hummm.maybe.but I so very much doubt it." "Well believe it," she said wishing at this very moment she could talk to Drannor. She had tried several times while talking with Shatend and it wasn't working. She didn't even know where he was and being that she couldn't see him, scared her a little. "Why won't you tell me?" "One it's not true. If it were true I wouldn't tell you because I don't know you. I have only even seen you three times. Pardon me for using that as a reason not to tell a stranger something" She was getting irritated and her sarcasm began to show through. He heard the irritation in her voice and knew he was starting to get under her skin. If he could keep her talking for a while longer he might be able to find out why she was so different from everyone he knew. "What do you want to know?" "It's not that simple." "Yes I think it is." He said with a smile she would never see. Drannor had watched the whole thing from his perch waiting for his chance to speak with his mistress. She would never tell the world her secret, even those close to her she didn't fully trust. Something about this boy was different though, he had magic radiating off of him in heavy waves. Not that it was unusually in this place but the amount he had was like that of a teacher, not a student. Drannor watched as they talked about everything. They were becoming quick friends. The students will be back soon, Danah "Ok" She said breaking the silence that had over taken her and Shatend conversation. Shatend's head shot up and he remembered why he had confronted her originally "What did you say?" He whispered hiding his smile in the shadows "Nothing, I better get to bed." "No you said something I heard you." " I better go to bed and it would do a crazy guy like you good, to get to bed." She said and stood up, heading for the stairs. Danah got to the stairs and quicker than a cat Shatend crossed the room and pushed her against the wall. Drannor screeched and flew towards the students in alarm, talons stretched out. "Tell me what that bird can do" Shatend said releasing her after realize what he was doing. Although Danah couldn't see she sensed Shatend's anger and then sudden frustration. She felt him release her and without thinking spoke to him "He. I...He can talk to me." What are you doing? Danah don't tell him anymore, trust me on this Drannor shouted landing on her shoulder. "I agree" she whispered and then looked over to see Shatend's reaction. He smiled a knowing smile and said "Is that your only secret?" he walked over to her and looked down at her, noticing one that she didn't cower down in his presence, like most and her eyes still had that far away look, even though she was staring right at him. Drannor cackled and glared up at him. "Yes" she said, still calm. "I better get to bed then." he walked away from her and towards the stairs to the guys dormitory. He stopped and looked back over his shoulder and whispered "You don't have to be afraid of me, Danah" then turned and continued up the stairs to the first year rooms. Danah waited until he was gone and then walked up stairs, confused. She hadn't been able to fully see Shatend in the dim light but she had heard his last words, even though he hadn't meant her to. Also he hadn't asked her much about Drannor after she had told him about being able to talk to her. Something in her suspected he had just wanted confirmation on his guess. As she trudged up stairs, Drannor silent on her shoulder, it occurred to her that he could tell everyone and she would be ruined. With a heavy mind she sat down at the desk in the room she shared with the other first years Slytherin girls and started her Transfiguration homework. It wasn't very hard and she finished it with ease. With heavy thoughts she found her way to her bed just as the other girls began to come upstairs to the dorm. A slight rhythmic click sounded in the quite room and Drannor spoke to her There is a silver owl at the window, carrying what looks like a rolled up piece of parchment, Danah "I hear him.guide me to the window please" she said getting up. Upon seeing the window open the owl flew in. He stuck out his leg, quite mad that he had been woken up to fly just across the school. She untied the parchment and sent the owl off just as the other girls came in. Seeing Danah by the window with a letter Linsha called out a hello. Several other girls said hello too and noticing her letter came over to stand by her. Danah smiled at them but silently wanted to be alone. She laughed at her own irony and the others turned to look at her curiously. It was ironic she had been alone for almost three years except for Drannor and now all she wanted to do was be alone. Linsha caught Danah's feeling and shooed the other girls away and off to bed. Danah grateful for the help let Linsha come over and read the letter over her shoulder. The letter shook her up so much she had to read it twice before she realized what it was about.
Dear Miss Danah, I have noticed your coming and goings around the school and would appreciate it very much if you would grace me with your presence Friday after classes. You may bring Drannor if you wish. (Not that you need my permission to bring him along) Just keep him under control for I have a phoenix and they don't have the greatest history, ravens and phoenixes, that is. The password is Carmel Cats. See you Friday afternoon. Professor Dumbledore
"Wonder what he wants. Any idea Danah?" Linsha said after rereading the letter "Danah?" Danah was staring at the letter as if it was a snake that was ready to strike. He knew! That was the only explanation. Had Shatend told him.no Shatend said she could trust him.she snapped back to reality and answered Linsha "No Lin I don't. Do you know if he does this often?" "I don't think so but I will ask so of the older students" "No Lin please don't I really don't want anyone to know he sent me this letter.can you keep this quite? Please Lin?" Danah begged her friend. "Yeah sure Danah, after all what's the point of having a friend if you can't tell them secrets!" Then Linsha did something Danah would never forget again and something she hadn't felt since before she lost her vision. Linsha hugged her. So with Shatend's, Dumbledore's and Linsha's words echoing in her head Danah said good night to Drannor and Linsha and fell into a disturbing sleep.