A/N Same as always. Don't own anyone you've ever heard of. Contains spoilers of the first booketc.
Chapter 7
Professor Snape was sitting in the middle of a very large room furnished with green tapestries and overstuffed furniture, reading over essays that students had completed over the summer, and sipping on a mug of chocolate. At Leah-Jade's shriek of surprise he looked up murderously and immediately dropped all that he was doing. The rolls of parchment scattered about the floor and the mug shattered as it struck the hard stone, chocolate spraying everywhere.
What are you doing here? He growled, These are my private chambers, you should know better than to unlock a clearly locked door.
"But sir, we were just curious," Leah-Jade protested.
"Curious you say?" Snape raised his eyebrow, "Well, that's something we'll have to rememdy then. After all, curiousty killed the cat, and we wouldn't want any students getting killed now would we?"
Magentra shook her head, "Please sir-"
"I'll have none of your cheeks Ms. Riddle," Professor Snape snapped, "You two, come with me."
Heads hung, Magentra and Leah-Jade marched off after Snape, praying that they wouldn't be expelled.
Snape led them down one hallway and up another until they reached a large statue of an eagle, wings spread and talons extended. "Fizzing Whisbee," he spoke clearly.
Suddenly, to the surprise of Magentra and Leah-Jade, the eagle began to rotate upward, a spiral, stone staircase, appearing beneath it. As soon as the staircase had appeared in completion, Professor Snape prodded them up the stairs and took them through a set of large, double wooden doors.
Inside was a large room. Shelves lined the walls and pictures of previous headmasters were perched above them, all glaring down at the students that had dared to break the school rules. Off to the side was a stand with a large, crimson bird pearched upon it, preaning it's feathers. In the middle of the room was a large wooden desk, covered with papers and sitting behind it was Dumbledore.
"Professor Dumbledore," Snape spoke in his nasal voice.
Professor Dumbledore looked up from the letter he'd been concentrating on and smiled, "Ah, Professor Snape, Ms. Riddle, Ms. Black. What brings you three to my office on this fine day."
"These two trespassed into my private quarters," Professor Snape declared triumphantly.
"Ah, they did did they?" Professor Dumbledore replied, trying to hide the twinkling smile that was doing it's best not to cross his face, "You may leave them here Professor, I will deal with them as I see fit."
Snape nodded and left the room.
Dumbledore looked at the two frightened girls and motioned to the straight backed chairs that surrounded his desk, "Sit, please."
The two sat, apprehensively and looked at Dumbledore, waiting for their sentence to be given.
"Don't look so afraid," Dumbledore chuckled, "We don't expel students on their first week back at Hogwarts, and certainly not for trying to escape Filch's punishments," his eyes twinkled as Magentra and Leah-Jade looked at each other in amazement.
"Ah, yes," he nodded, "I knew immediately from the purple and blue gobstone that Filch brought to me that a couple of our favourite students had been involved but not to worry," he waggled his finger, "You will not be punished, things such as those happen. However, I must warn you, do not attempt to unlock anymore locked doors, or go snooping about the castle. There are much more dangerous things that lay behind locked doors than Professor Snape's private chambers. Do you understand me?"
"Yes Professor Dumbledore," the two girls nodded.
"Now," his eyes twinkled merrily, "I believe dinner is about to start. Would you two fine ladies like to escort an old man to dinner."
Magentra and Leah-Jade grinned, hooking arms with Dumbledore on either side and marching him down to the great hall.
Over dinner, Magentra sat between Fred and George again, discussing the upcoming Quidditch season and trip to Hogsmeade, the wizarding town just south of the castle.
Eating a large plate of smoked samon, asparagus shoots, peppered rice and cooked corn, Magentra was more than full when she headed back towards the common room with Leah-Jade.
Suddenly a loud voice filled her head, Beware Magentra. Beware of the dangers that have been, the dangers that are, and the dangers that have not come to pass.
Magentra stopped short, "Did you hear that Leah-Jade?"
Leah-Jade, who had been talking about how lucky they were not to be expelled, stopped in mid-sentence. "Hear what?"
"That voice..." Magentra realised how rediculous she sounded.
Leah-Jade shook her head, "You weren't listening to a word I said did you? Why is it everyone always tunes me out?"
Magentra glanced at her friend, "I'm sorry, it's just that..."
Leah-Jade looked a bit put out by Magentra, "Well, I'll see you later," she replied indifferently as they reached the two staircases, each leading off towards their respective towers.
Magentra was so distracted as she continued off towards her tower, that she didn't even see Professor Quirrell, and crashed into him straightaway.
"Oh, I'm s-s-so s-sorry Ms. Lupin," Quirrell stuttered, picking Magentra up from being sprawled on the floor, and brushing her off, "I d-do hope I h-haven't hurt you."
"That's okay Professor Quirrell," Magentra managed a smile as she thanked him, "No harm done."
Professor Quirrell smiled, relieved, "G-good, I'm g-glad there's n-no harm done. Are you quite all right?"
Magentra nodded, "Of course. I'm perfectly fine. A bit bruised and a bit perturbed over recent events but I'll be fine."
"O-okay, well you t-take care of yourself then. And if you n-n-need anything, d-don't ever be afraid t-to ask," Professor Quirrell patted her shoulder kindly before waving her off towards her common room, and heading in the other direction.
As soon as he was out of site, the voice blasted through Magentra's mind deafeningly loud, causing her to lean against the wall until the squall passed.
Beware Magentra, Beware of the dangers that have been, the dangers that are, and the dangers that have not come to pass...
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The rest of the week was quite uneventful. Professor Snape was rather unbearable, as always, and Magentra got yelled at by the Care of Magical Creatures teacher for not signing up for a more difficult class after he discovered her calming demeanor around animals.
Magentra only sat through half of a Divination class before realising what a terrible idea it was to do so, and spent every class thereafter in the library, studying charms, potions and dangerous animals that everyone else but her seemed to be familiar with.
Finally Saturday arrived.
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Magentra awoke early in the morning to the loud screeching of Pimpernel, who was feeling quite a bit better. The sun shown brightly and she grinned largely, today instead of classes, she was taking a trip to Hogsmeade with all the other students, 3rd year and above. Heading down to breakfast, sans Leah-Jade who had was serving a detention with Snape before they left, Magentra sat down next to Harry and Ron and immediately loaded up on the hot rolls that had begun to appear daily at the breakfast table.
"Oh hello Magentra, bloody good day isn't it?" Ron smiled brightly. Magentra nodded, "We're going off to Hogsmeade. You want me to bring you anything?"
"Hogsmeade?" Harry looked confused.
"Wizarding village," Ron replied, mouth half stuffed with a chocolate croissont, "Loads of shops there are. The best ones are the sweets shop and the joke shop, or at least that's what Bill used to tell us. Though Fred, George and I have never been since it's only for 3rd years and above."
Magentra smiled, "First time I'll have been in a wizarding village in a long time. I need to get some candy and a couple jokes to get back Fred and George for dying Pimpernel neon green. Do you or Harry need anything?"
Ron nodded, "Fillibusters fireworks, get loads of those, and buy any of the good candy you can get."
"Anything for you Harry?" Magentra smiled broadly.
Harry shook his head, "I'll just share whatever Ron gets. Where's Pimpernel?"
Pimpernel, not to be out-done by King Sir, had taken to riding around on Magentra's shoulder when she was in the halls, and hopping about the table during breakfast time.
"He's in the owlry. Ever since I told him he'd be green for a long time, he's been hiding in shame, though he has been doing much better."
The three shared a good laugh. After breakfast, Magentra, Leah-Jade, Fred and George said goodbye to Harry and Ron and climbed aboard the horseless carriages that were parked outside the castle doors.
The carriages jolted off and Magentra grinned, they were going to Hogsmeade.
A/N- Thanks to Gabrielle who has been my inspiration for this story from the beginning, and to my pet cat Tiger who's always let me know that animals are never, ever normal :)