Ok, next chap, um, Sass starts all her new classes here, and meets someone.
Yeah, I know he's a git, but still.
Sasina (Sass for short) Chapter 5- An Old Acquaintance
".GRYFFINDOR!" The last word had been shouted to the hall, and Sass pulled off the hat to a sea of smiling, black-hatted faces. She walked slowly over to the Gryffindor table and say in an empty seat next to a tall, nice- looking boy. He smiled at her, then turned back as the hat Sorted "Damons, Wenda- Ravenclaw!"
Sass looked at him for a moment, wondering why he looked familiar. Then she had it. "You're related to Sandra!" she burst out. He looked back at her. "The brother! Um, Oliver! She said you'd told her about the Sorting," she added as explanation, feeling shy.
Oliver smiled, eyes twinkling. "That's me." He shook his head. "I'm gonna miss Hogwarts after I graduate. Hey- d'you play Quidditch?"
"What?" Sass said cleverly.
"Oh, you're muggle-born? Well, it's our sport, played on broomsticks. Everyone knows Quidditch. There's a lot of rules, but you can get Sandy to tell you them sometime, if you like. I was just wondering 'cause I'm the captain of Gryffindor's team."
"Oh," said Sass. "Sounds fun." She was wondering how much more she was going to have to learn before she was used to the wizarding world.
Looking back at the Sorting, she noticed that the twins she'd come across the lake with, "Lythell, Jessica and Marisa," were being Sorted into Gryffindor as well, sitting at the table a ways from Sass.
The Sorting dragged on. Lunch had been a long time ago, and though she could deal with that, far harder to shake was her encounter with the dementors.
She clapped hard when Sandra was Sorted into Gryffindor (only two people left!), though, and finally, with "Wulf, Martin," (Gryffindor!) and "Yanda, Brittany," (Ravenclaw!) it was finished.
The silver-haired man from the middle of the table stood up, and Sass whispered to Sandra, "Who's he?"
"Professor Dumbledore. He's the headmaster." Sass nodded. The man was speaking.
"Welcome!" he said, beaming at the students. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by out excellent feast." He cleared his throat. "As you will be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business." He didn't seem to like them very much, thought Sass, simultaneously trying to figure out what the Ministry of Magic was.
"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission." /Well, why would we even /want/ to get past them?/ Sass thought. Professor Dumbledore continued. "Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises- or even Invisibility Cloaks. It is not in the nature of a dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the dementors." Sass bristled a little. /I can take care of myself/, she thought, /I don't need anyone playing nanny, thank you all the same./
Dumbledore continued, "On a happier note, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year.
"First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Sass noticed that the applause for him was rather unenthusiastic. Only she and a few other people actually clapped hard. The man looked even more tired that he had on the train.
"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued. "Well I am sort to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs." /Remaining limbs?/ Sass thought worriedly. "However," he said, "I am delighted to say that his place will be filled be none other that Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."
Sass clapped politely, although she noticed most of her fellow Gryffindors were going wild. She figured Hagrid must be the one who had brought them across the lake, as he was sitting at the High Table, turning beet red and wiping his eyes on the tablecloth.
"Well, I think that's everything of importance," Dumbledore said. "Let the feast begin!" Sass watched the High Table as he sat down, and then gasped as it filled with food. She turned shocked eyes back to her own table, only to see that it, to was now groaning under the weight of so many dishes she couldn't even begin to count them all. After her shock wore off, Sass remembered her hunger and heaped her plate high with a little of everything. However, she never really was a big eater, and was ready for it to be over long before everyone else was finished. When at last the feast was over, she simply stood up, and followed the older student who told her to. She barely paid attention as he led them up several flights of stairs and to a portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress, where all the other Gryffindors were clustered. He said the password (Fortuna Major) and the portrait swung out to reveal a cozy room lit by a large fire and many lanterns. The boy turned back to the first years and said, "Girls dormitory is at the top of the staircase, boys' right below it." Then he turned and went through another door, which Sass figured must be his dormitory.
She walked up the spiral staircase (they must be in a tower) and at the top found a room with six four-poster beds hung with scarlet drapes. Sass had wanted to reflect on her day, but found that as soon as she had fallen into bed, she was asleep.
* * * * *
The next week passed in a whirl. Sass was no stranger to hard work, but it there was so much to do! She had so many classes- Charms, Herbology, Transfigurations- she didn't know how she'd ever learn it all. Of course, many others were having just as much trouble as she. After a whole Transfigurations class of trying to turn a match into a needle, she was the only one who'd done anything, and her needle was still made of wood!
During her first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, Professor Lupin asked if she'd meet him Tuesday the eleventh at five to talk about the dementors.
She learned so much about Hogwarts in her first day at Wizard Basics, a new class for muggle-born first years that her head was whirling.
Sass also didn't know how she was coping with the stress. At every lesson, she was wondering if /this/ would be the one where she was so horrid that everyone recoiled in shock, and the teacher told her to go home. The only way to allay this fear was to work as much as she could.
In her every minute of spare time she was practicing, doing homework, or doing background reading in the library. She was determined to learn as much as she could. One useful thing Sass had done was find out who the black-haired boy she'd been seeing everywhere was. He was Harry Potter, famous for causing the downfall of the Dark Lord Voldemort, who had been so feared that people /still/ refused to say his name.
All of a sudden it was Friday morning, and there was just Potions class between her and the weekend. After breakfast she walked with Sandra down to the dungeons, where their schedules said to go.
Sass walked into this class a little less nervous that for the other ones she'd been to. She didn't know why, maybe because she'd had time to hit the books by now, or maybe because after this she'd have been to all of her classes, for better or worse.
She followed Sandy to a pair of seats near the back. "Best keep your head down in this class," she whispered to Sass. "Don't want to call attention to your smarts." Sass blushed a little. "We're double with the Slytherins and I've heard the teacher- Snape- favors them a lot."
Sass calm vanished. She was in "combat mode" now. "Thanks," she whispered back. "I'll watch out."
The dungeon door opened with a clang as someone strode in. /That must be Snape,/ Sass thought as she turned to look. But then she couldn't think at all.
/It's him, it's him, it's him/.
Slightly longer hair, and not as thin, but his features were unmistakable- it was Samuel Snapel, the teacher who'd been her salvation at the orphanage.
As always, she cried silently. No knowing who might hear. Darkness surrounded her, filled her heart. She was so hungry. Her guts were one giant knot of ice, and her entire foot ached.
/I can't take this anymore!/ she wailed in her head. /I'm just not strong enough!/ Sasina's next thought was logical, simple. Milord Paul had taught her to think like that. Suicide. /But how? I'll-/
Footsteps echoed in the corridor. She huddled her small body into the shadows of her nook, praying she wouldn't be seen, all thoughts silenced. She closed her eyes to forestall their betraying light, praying. /please, oh God, please./
The footsteps stopped. A soft, unfamiliar voice spoke from in front of her. "What's wrong?"
Sasina's eyes flew open. What sort of question was that? And who would ask her such a thing? The man crouching in front of her must be new- he was tall, pale-skinned, with black hair. She watched him with care. "Who are you?" she said warily, though she wanted to trust him. /What? Never./
"I am the new teacher here. My name is S-Samuel Snapel," he said. Why had he stuttered over his name? She filed it away. "I heard something and I came to see what it was. Can- can I help you?"
She'd refused him then, but over the days he'd convinced her he meant well, and eventually managed to help her cope. /And save Bobby,/ she remembered.
"Sass!" Sandra's elbow in her ribs made her blink and snap to the present. "What's wrong? You'd better pay attention, he's taking roll."
Sass nodded, still trying to shake the memories. Sam- no, Professor Snape was going to reach her soon- she wondered if he remembered her-
"Celebor-" he abruptly broke off, his eyes searching the room. "Sasina?"
She raised her hand. "I wasn't expecting this either," she said.
He looked as though she'd hit him with a board. "Yes. that's true," he said. Then he shook his head and look at her again. "I will talk to you after class," he said. Then he moved on with the attendance normally, except for several funny looks he gave her. Sass ignored the class' curiosity as he made a little speech, something about brewing glory and dunderheads, and then set them to work mixing their first potion, one that cured boils. She had trouble concentrating, and so she was surprised when her potion came out well, especially since so many others were having trouble. She observed Snape walking around the dungeon, correcting people. /He is easier on the Slytherins/, she realized. /I wonder why? And he seems to know them pretty- wait! Didn't I hear something about him being in charge? Head of the House, right?/
He thoughts were broken when S-Professor Snape came over to look at her potion. "Perfect," he said after a moment. Sandy and the twins threw her a startled glance as he looked into Sandra's cauldron.
"Miss Wood, your potion needs more dried nettles. I said half a cup, not a quarter." He frowned, started to say something else, then looked at Sass and stopped. Abruptly her turned and moved to the next table. One of the twins, Jessica, Sass thought, leaned over.
"What was that all about?" she said to Sandra, pointedly ignoring Sass even though she'd been the cause. Sandy looked uneasy, but joined the twins in excluding Sass. /Fine/, thought Sass, a little hurt, /I'll ignore them too/. She sat back, letting her mind drift into the past.
Samuel had signaled her today that he wanted to talk to her after class. She purposely dropped all her papers leaving, knowing Milord Paul would punish her for it, but not willing to miss a chance to talk to him. Samuel bent over to help her, looking worried.
"I have some friends in the United States who say they can take a child. They're a little strange but you'd be fine there," he said a shade too quickly.
Sass bit her lip. "Only one?"
He sighed. "I hoped you would miss that. Yes, only one, at least for a year or two."
Sass closed her eyes. "You know I can't leave Bobby," she said, chest tightening.
Samuel looked away. "The problem is," he said, "I have to go. I've been called, and I can't take you with me. I thought I might be here longer, but it's not going to happen. So if you don't go now."
"I won't get out until I'm legally of age," she said flatly. "And- never mind." Sasina took a deep breath, steeling herself.
"I'm really very sorry Bobby can't come too," Samuel said quickly, trying to stop her from what he knew she'd do.
Sass looked straight ahead, unblinking. "Send Bobby. I'll stay, here, I'll manage, somehow." /Nononononononoooooooo!/ her mind yammered. /No! Don't /do/ this! It's crazy! You /have/ to get out!/
"Sass-" Samuel started.
"No. I stay, he goes." She was proud that her voice didn't shake. "Thank you for saving him. I'll miss you and I'll never forget you." She rose, books in hand, and walked quickly out the door.
The bell rang. /What?/ Sass thought. /Oh yeah./ She slowly began to pack her things as the others hurried out, still ignoring her except for Sandy, who gave her a small smile when Marisa wasn't looking. Despite differences, Sass saw the irony in the déjà vu.
Snape walked over and sat in the seat vacated by Sandra. "So," he said after an uncomfortably pause. "How are you?" Then he shook his head impatiently. "No, how'd you get here? I just can't see Kincaid letting you come."
Sass smiled a bit. "I got adopted."
His jaw dropped. "How? By whom? And when?"
"A new clerk. Stupid enough to let the parents see us before filtering. During school, no less. They picked me out- completely randomly- and were already filling out the papers by the time he got there. So I was out. Who- Emara and Michelle, cousins visiting for the summer from Tokyo. When- June. They're wonderful. I couldn't be happier."
He nodded. "Bobby settled in just fine. Maybe sometime we can go meet him. I think you'd like my friends- they're elves." He smiled. "But all the rest can wait for later. I'm sure you have things to do, and I have another class after lunch. Would you like to meet in my office this evening, say, seven o'clock?"
"That sounds fine. I- I guess I'll see you then, huh?" Sass stood up, feeling oddly formal.
"Yes," he said, standing as well. Then to her surprise, he reached forward and hugged her, hard. "I'm glad you're alright," he said. "I've worried about you so much." Then he turned away and walked quickly to his desk, not looking at her. Sass turned and walked slowly to the door, feeling very surprised, but somehow, very happy.
* * * * *
Professor Severus Snape sat at his desk, lost in time. Despite his words to Sass, he was in no hurry to prepare for his next class. He remembered all the hours of agony after Albus Dumbledore had called him back to Hogwarts. He had returned the owl, saying he would come- there was no choice- but asking, practically begging, to bring the children Sasina and Robert back with him. His heart still ached from leaving her. /She was only seven!/ But there had been no choice. He was needed by the wizarding world, and those needs, in Dumbledore's mind, came after those of one little girl. So he had gone.
But now she was here, and safe from the bastard. And Severus still couldn't figure out what Paul Kincaid had done to Sasina to fit the descriptions of some of the things she'd told him, all those years ago. It had sounded like the man had used Unforgivable Curses on her. But he wasn't a Death Eater. So far as Severus could tell, he wasn't even a wizard. So what was it?
Severus sighed. Most likely he'd never know. But perhaps. An inkling of an idea came to him. When he had given Sasina charts to memorize, they hadn't been random. They were the ingredients and brewings of potions, simple ones, yes, but once she realized that, she'd be so far ahead of this class it would be a waste of time for her to even come. He thought about where he'd place her if /he/ could choose. Not with the second years, she'd already know most of the spells they'd be doing. But with the third years. Yes, that might work.
And of course, she'd be just as ahead in Herbology. She'd need to be brought up in that class as well. Which would leave her free time, when the third years had /Defense Against the Dark Arts/. Severus might hate Remus Lupin, but the man was a good teacher, and Sass might be able to figure out what was going on, with Lupin's help.
Professor Snape stood up and strode out the door, his robes billowing. He'd talk to Leah Sprout, the Herbology teacher, first, and then the headmaster. He smiled. He was glad that Sass was safe.
* * * * *
Sass /had/ intended to spend her free Friday afternoon studying, but she found it impossible to concentrate. So after lunch she wandered around the school, trying to memorize where everything was. She passed Harry Potter hurrying to his next class, talking with a brown-haired girl, and a boy who, she realized with a start, had been one of the large family she'd seen in the Leaky Cauldron on September first. She followed them down the hall, seeing they were headed to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. She had immensely enjoyed the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes she'd had so far. They were learning the theory behind minor curses and how to deflect them. There was something funny about the feeling of curses. She always got this funny itch in her left pinky toe, and she had /no/ idea why. She decided, on a whim, to go to the library and try and find out if this was normal. She couldn't think that it was, or else Professor Lupin would have said something, right? It was just too strange.
* * * * *
Although the afternoon didn't find any answers about her reaction to minor curses, Sass had been so fascinated by the books she'd found that she decided to skip dinner and keep reading. The librarian was ignoring her, which was just fine with Sass. It wasn't until five past seven that she remembered her appointment with Professor Snape. She slapped her book shut quickly and set off down the hall at a dead run, glad she'd taken the time to memorize these corridors. Two minutes later she skidded to a halt in front of Snape's office, and knocked politely, breathing lightly. The door opened immediately to reveal a dimly lit room whose shelves were covered with all manner of things. There was also a table which had two chairs pulled up to it. Sass smiled.
"Sorry I'm late, Professor-"
~~~
What's up with this? Snape? Nice? Yeah, I know.
Sasina (Sass for short) Chapter 5- An Old Acquaintance
".GRYFFINDOR!" The last word had been shouted to the hall, and Sass pulled off the hat to a sea of smiling, black-hatted faces. She walked slowly over to the Gryffindor table and say in an empty seat next to a tall, nice- looking boy. He smiled at her, then turned back as the hat Sorted "Damons, Wenda- Ravenclaw!"
Sass looked at him for a moment, wondering why he looked familiar. Then she had it. "You're related to Sandra!" she burst out. He looked back at her. "The brother! Um, Oliver! She said you'd told her about the Sorting," she added as explanation, feeling shy.
Oliver smiled, eyes twinkling. "That's me." He shook his head. "I'm gonna miss Hogwarts after I graduate. Hey- d'you play Quidditch?"
"What?" Sass said cleverly.
"Oh, you're muggle-born? Well, it's our sport, played on broomsticks. Everyone knows Quidditch. There's a lot of rules, but you can get Sandy to tell you them sometime, if you like. I was just wondering 'cause I'm the captain of Gryffindor's team."
"Oh," said Sass. "Sounds fun." She was wondering how much more she was going to have to learn before she was used to the wizarding world.
Looking back at the Sorting, she noticed that the twins she'd come across the lake with, "Lythell, Jessica and Marisa," were being Sorted into Gryffindor as well, sitting at the table a ways from Sass.
The Sorting dragged on. Lunch had been a long time ago, and though she could deal with that, far harder to shake was her encounter with the dementors.
She clapped hard when Sandra was Sorted into Gryffindor (only two people left!), though, and finally, with "Wulf, Martin," (Gryffindor!) and "Yanda, Brittany," (Ravenclaw!) it was finished.
The silver-haired man from the middle of the table stood up, and Sass whispered to Sandra, "Who's he?"
"Professor Dumbledore. He's the headmaster." Sass nodded. The man was speaking.
"Welcome!" he said, beaming at the students. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by out excellent feast." He cleared his throat. "As you will be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business." He didn't seem to like them very much, thought Sass, simultaneously trying to figure out what the Ministry of Magic was.
"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission." /Well, why would we even /want/ to get past them?/ Sass thought. Professor Dumbledore continued. "Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises- or even Invisibility Cloaks. It is not in the nature of a dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the dementors." Sass bristled a little. /I can take care of myself/, she thought, /I don't need anyone playing nanny, thank you all the same./
Dumbledore continued, "On a happier note, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year.
"First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Sass noticed that the applause for him was rather unenthusiastic. Only she and a few other people actually clapped hard. The man looked even more tired that he had on the train.
"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued. "Well I am sort to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs." /Remaining limbs?/ Sass thought worriedly. "However," he said, "I am delighted to say that his place will be filled be none other that Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."
Sass clapped politely, although she noticed most of her fellow Gryffindors were going wild. She figured Hagrid must be the one who had brought them across the lake, as he was sitting at the High Table, turning beet red and wiping his eyes on the tablecloth.
"Well, I think that's everything of importance," Dumbledore said. "Let the feast begin!" Sass watched the High Table as he sat down, and then gasped as it filled with food. She turned shocked eyes back to her own table, only to see that it, to was now groaning under the weight of so many dishes she couldn't even begin to count them all. After her shock wore off, Sass remembered her hunger and heaped her plate high with a little of everything. However, she never really was a big eater, and was ready for it to be over long before everyone else was finished. When at last the feast was over, she simply stood up, and followed the older student who told her to. She barely paid attention as he led them up several flights of stairs and to a portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress, where all the other Gryffindors were clustered. He said the password (Fortuna Major) and the portrait swung out to reveal a cozy room lit by a large fire and many lanterns. The boy turned back to the first years and said, "Girls dormitory is at the top of the staircase, boys' right below it." Then he turned and went through another door, which Sass figured must be his dormitory.
She walked up the spiral staircase (they must be in a tower) and at the top found a room with six four-poster beds hung with scarlet drapes. Sass had wanted to reflect on her day, but found that as soon as she had fallen into bed, she was asleep.
* * * * *
The next week passed in a whirl. Sass was no stranger to hard work, but it there was so much to do! She had so many classes- Charms, Herbology, Transfigurations- she didn't know how she'd ever learn it all. Of course, many others were having just as much trouble as she. After a whole Transfigurations class of trying to turn a match into a needle, she was the only one who'd done anything, and her needle was still made of wood!
During her first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, Professor Lupin asked if she'd meet him Tuesday the eleventh at five to talk about the dementors.
She learned so much about Hogwarts in her first day at Wizard Basics, a new class for muggle-born first years that her head was whirling.
Sass also didn't know how she was coping with the stress. At every lesson, she was wondering if /this/ would be the one where she was so horrid that everyone recoiled in shock, and the teacher told her to go home. The only way to allay this fear was to work as much as she could.
In her every minute of spare time she was practicing, doing homework, or doing background reading in the library. She was determined to learn as much as she could. One useful thing Sass had done was find out who the black-haired boy she'd been seeing everywhere was. He was Harry Potter, famous for causing the downfall of the Dark Lord Voldemort, who had been so feared that people /still/ refused to say his name.
All of a sudden it was Friday morning, and there was just Potions class between her and the weekend. After breakfast she walked with Sandra down to the dungeons, where their schedules said to go.
Sass walked into this class a little less nervous that for the other ones she'd been to. She didn't know why, maybe because she'd had time to hit the books by now, or maybe because after this she'd have been to all of her classes, for better or worse.
She followed Sandy to a pair of seats near the back. "Best keep your head down in this class," she whispered to Sass. "Don't want to call attention to your smarts." Sass blushed a little. "We're double with the Slytherins and I've heard the teacher- Snape- favors them a lot."
Sass calm vanished. She was in "combat mode" now. "Thanks," she whispered back. "I'll watch out."
The dungeon door opened with a clang as someone strode in. /That must be Snape,/ Sass thought as she turned to look. But then she couldn't think at all.
/It's him, it's him, it's him/.
Slightly longer hair, and not as thin, but his features were unmistakable- it was Samuel Snapel, the teacher who'd been her salvation at the orphanage.
As always, she cried silently. No knowing who might hear. Darkness surrounded her, filled her heart. She was so hungry. Her guts were one giant knot of ice, and her entire foot ached.
/I can't take this anymore!/ she wailed in her head. /I'm just not strong enough!/ Sasina's next thought was logical, simple. Milord Paul had taught her to think like that. Suicide. /But how? I'll-/
Footsteps echoed in the corridor. She huddled her small body into the shadows of her nook, praying she wouldn't be seen, all thoughts silenced. She closed her eyes to forestall their betraying light, praying. /please, oh God, please./
The footsteps stopped. A soft, unfamiliar voice spoke from in front of her. "What's wrong?"
Sasina's eyes flew open. What sort of question was that? And who would ask her such a thing? The man crouching in front of her must be new- he was tall, pale-skinned, with black hair. She watched him with care. "Who are you?" she said warily, though she wanted to trust him. /What? Never./
"I am the new teacher here. My name is S-Samuel Snapel," he said. Why had he stuttered over his name? She filed it away. "I heard something and I came to see what it was. Can- can I help you?"
She'd refused him then, but over the days he'd convinced her he meant well, and eventually managed to help her cope. /And save Bobby,/ she remembered.
"Sass!" Sandra's elbow in her ribs made her blink and snap to the present. "What's wrong? You'd better pay attention, he's taking roll."
Sass nodded, still trying to shake the memories. Sam- no, Professor Snape was going to reach her soon- she wondered if he remembered her-
"Celebor-" he abruptly broke off, his eyes searching the room. "Sasina?"
She raised her hand. "I wasn't expecting this either," she said.
He looked as though she'd hit him with a board. "Yes. that's true," he said. Then he shook his head and look at her again. "I will talk to you after class," he said. Then he moved on with the attendance normally, except for several funny looks he gave her. Sass ignored the class' curiosity as he made a little speech, something about brewing glory and dunderheads, and then set them to work mixing their first potion, one that cured boils. She had trouble concentrating, and so she was surprised when her potion came out well, especially since so many others were having trouble. She observed Snape walking around the dungeon, correcting people. /He is easier on the Slytherins/, she realized. /I wonder why? And he seems to know them pretty- wait! Didn't I hear something about him being in charge? Head of the House, right?/
He thoughts were broken when S-Professor Snape came over to look at her potion. "Perfect," he said after a moment. Sandy and the twins threw her a startled glance as he looked into Sandra's cauldron.
"Miss Wood, your potion needs more dried nettles. I said half a cup, not a quarter." He frowned, started to say something else, then looked at Sass and stopped. Abruptly her turned and moved to the next table. One of the twins, Jessica, Sass thought, leaned over.
"What was that all about?" she said to Sandra, pointedly ignoring Sass even though she'd been the cause. Sandy looked uneasy, but joined the twins in excluding Sass. /Fine/, thought Sass, a little hurt, /I'll ignore them too/. She sat back, letting her mind drift into the past.
Samuel had signaled her today that he wanted to talk to her after class. She purposely dropped all her papers leaving, knowing Milord Paul would punish her for it, but not willing to miss a chance to talk to him. Samuel bent over to help her, looking worried.
"I have some friends in the United States who say they can take a child. They're a little strange but you'd be fine there," he said a shade too quickly.
Sass bit her lip. "Only one?"
He sighed. "I hoped you would miss that. Yes, only one, at least for a year or two."
Sass closed her eyes. "You know I can't leave Bobby," she said, chest tightening.
Samuel looked away. "The problem is," he said, "I have to go. I've been called, and I can't take you with me. I thought I might be here longer, but it's not going to happen. So if you don't go now."
"I won't get out until I'm legally of age," she said flatly. "And- never mind." Sasina took a deep breath, steeling herself.
"I'm really very sorry Bobby can't come too," Samuel said quickly, trying to stop her from what he knew she'd do.
Sass looked straight ahead, unblinking. "Send Bobby. I'll stay, here, I'll manage, somehow." /Nononononononoooooooo!/ her mind yammered. /No! Don't /do/ this! It's crazy! You /have/ to get out!/
"Sass-" Samuel started.
"No. I stay, he goes." She was proud that her voice didn't shake. "Thank you for saving him. I'll miss you and I'll never forget you." She rose, books in hand, and walked quickly out the door.
The bell rang. /What?/ Sass thought. /Oh yeah./ She slowly began to pack her things as the others hurried out, still ignoring her except for Sandy, who gave her a small smile when Marisa wasn't looking. Despite differences, Sass saw the irony in the déjà vu.
Snape walked over and sat in the seat vacated by Sandra. "So," he said after an uncomfortably pause. "How are you?" Then he shook his head impatiently. "No, how'd you get here? I just can't see Kincaid letting you come."
Sass smiled a bit. "I got adopted."
His jaw dropped. "How? By whom? And when?"
"A new clerk. Stupid enough to let the parents see us before filtering. During school, no less. They picked me out- completely randomly- and were already filling out the papers by the time he got there. So I was out. Who- Emara and Michelle, cousins visiting for the summer from Tokyo. When- June. They're wonderful. I couldn't be happier."
He nodded. "Bobby settled in just fine. Maybe sometime we can go meet him. I think you'd like my friends- they're elves." He smiled. "But all the rest can wait for later. I'm sure you have things to do, and I have another class after lunch. Would you like to meet in my office this evening, say, seven o'clock?"
"That sounds fine. I- I guess I'll see you then, huh?" Sass stood up, feeling oddly formal.
"Yes," he said, standing as well. Then to her surprise, he reached forward and hugged her, hard. "I'm glad you're alright," he said. "I've worried about you so much." Then he turned away and walked quickly to his desk, not looking at her. Sass turned and walked slowly to the door, feeling very surprised, but somehow, very happy.
* * * * *
Professor Severus Snape sat at his desk, lost in time. Despite his words to Sass, he was in no hurry to prepare for his next class. He remembered all the hours of agony after Albus Dumbledore had called him back to Hogwarts. He had returned the owl, saying he would come- there was no choice- but asking, practically begging, to bring the children Sasina and Robert back with him. His heart still ached from leaving her. /She was only seven!/ But there had been no choice. He was needed by the wizarding world, and those needs, in Dumbledore's mind, came after those of one little girl. So he had gone.
But now she was here, and safe from the bastard. And Severus still couldn't figure out what Paul Kincaid had done to Sasina to fit the descriptions of some of the things she'd told him, all those years ago. It had sounded like the man had used Unforgivable Curses on her. But he wasn't a Death Eater. So far as Severus could tell, he wasn't even a wizard. So what was it?
Severus sighed. Most likely he'd never know. But perhaps. An inkling of an idea came to him. When he had given Sasina charts to memorize, they hadn't been random. They were the ingredients and brewings of potions, simple ones, yes, but once she realized that, she'd be so far ahead of this class it would be a waste of time for her to even come. He thought about where he'd place her if /he/ could choose. Not with the second years, she'd already know most of the spells they'd be doing. But with the third years. Yes, that might work.
And of course, she'd be just as ahead in Herbology. She'd need to be brought up in that class as well. Which would leave her free time, when the third years had /Defense Against the Dark Arts/. Severus might hate Remus Lupin, but the man was a good teacher, and Sass might be able to figure out what was going on, with Lupin's help.
Professor Snape stood up and strode out the door, his robes billowing. He'd talk to Leah Sprout, the Herbology teacher, first, and then the headmaster. He smiled. He was glad that Sass was safe.
* * * * *
Sass /had/ intended to spend her free Friday afternoon studying, but she found it impossible to concentrate. So after lunch she wandered around the school, trying to memorize where everything was. She passed Harry Potter hurrying to his next class, talking with a brown-haired girl, and a boy who, she realized with a start, had been one of the large family she'd seen in the Leaky Cauldron on September first. She followed them down the hall, seeing they were headed to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. She had immensely enjoyed the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes she'd had so far. They were learning the theory behind minor curses and how to deflect them. There was something funny about the feeling of curses. She always got this funny itch in her left pinky toe, and she had /no/ idea why. She decided, on a whim, to go to the library and try and find out if this was normal. She couldn't think that it was, or else Professor Lupin would have said something, right? It was just too strange.
* * * * *
Although the afternoon didn't find any answers about her reaction to minor curses, Sass had been so fascinated by the books she'd found that she decided to skip dinner and keep reading. The librarian was ignoring her, which was just fine with Sass. It wasn't until five past seven that she remembered her appointment with Professor Snape. She slapped her book shut quickly and set off down the hall at a dead run, glad she'd taken the time to memorize these corridors. Two minutes later she skidded to a halt in front of Snape's office, and knocked politely, breathing lightly. The door opened immediately to reveal a dimly lit room whose shelves were covered with all manner of things. There was also a table which had two chairs pulled up to it. Sass smiled.
"Sorry I'm late, Professor-"
~~~
What's up with this? Snape? Nice? Yeah, I know.