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A World Unknown---Chapter 14 : Greener with the scenery.

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She was dreaming again.

Disembodied, floating, call it what you will. Maggie was doing it. She was hundreds of feet in the air, with nothing beneath her feet and only the inky sky providing a backdrop for her and the pearly stars above. Below her - FAR below her - was a quiet suburban street. The elegant streetlamps lining the road hinted she was far from her home in alberta and she felt right in her assumption that below her was an increasingly familiar London.

But where was privet drive? Maggie squinted, took off her glasses and wiped them on her sleeve, then squinted down some more. It took her less than a minute to locate what she was looking for. A bit of movement on the quiet street was all that alerted her to it.

As soon as her eyes had swept onto privet drive, she was there. The spectacular English sky was back far above her where it belonged and she, in turn was back with her feet on the ground.

The turn of a knob and a familiar voice made her spin on her heel to face what she had both hoped for and dreaded. Not 20 feet away was #4 privet drive, and emerging from the house, were her aunt and uncle. They spoke a few cheery words to the people inside and shut the door behind them.

That's when Maggie noticed, she was with them. Not her, but the her from that night. Wearing her flowered dress, and tagging behind her aunt and uncle for a last reflection on stupid Harry Potter. The eerie feeling that had been building up inside of her swelled and she choked back a gasp. She was witnessing the events of last Saturday night that had set this ordeal in motion!

She could see Aunt Rose up ahead, fishing the key out of her purse, and behind the Dursley's car, her other self strayed, oblivious to the iminent danger. Maggie tried to make her feet move, she tried to scream and warn them but not a sound came out of her mouth and her feet stayed suspended as they were. Silent tears ran down her cheeks as her aunt retrieved the key and her heart pounded wildly in her chest when it clicked in the lock.

She woke up in a cold sweat.

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Maggie lay in the cot trying to catch her breath.

The once pristine sheet over her lay on the floor in a crumpled heap, and her hair was disheveled around her shoulders; It clung to her damp forehead and her wrinkled robes with reckless abandon. She smoothed her hair as best she could and took a few very deep breaths before she rolled out of the cot and back into the main kitchens.

The house elves, it seemed, remained in perpetual motion. Each of them was as awake and hyper as ever, scurrying to and fro to collect the various platters of toast and sausages that lay around the kitchen. As one pattered past, she snatched some toast off his tray and slunk back to her room, unnoticed.

Five hours of deep sleep was a luxury, even with the plague of bad dreams she thought she had finally lost. Munching on her toast thoughtfully, she tried to form a basic plan for how she was going to keep out of sight for as long as possible. Surprise was the only advantage she had on her side anymore.

The little house elf from before came in to check on her, telling her that it was time for 'miss' to go to lunch, and that after she was to meet professor snape in the potions lab.

Professor snape? What a cheery name.

Sounds like this lady needs a little fun in her life.

So she ate. The food at Hogwarts was surprisingly good. Certainly better than any idea that she had about school food. The cafeteria back at home would be put to shame by this roast beef sandwich.

She headed back out of the narrow passage leading to the kitchens and found herself back in the great hall. It was deserted except for a few scattered older students playing chess or some sort of card game. She approached a pair who had stacked the cards up to an impressive height and meekly cleared her throat to gain attention.

They looked up at her and then, registering her 'slytherin' crest and colors, turned their heads away with disdain. Maggie felt more than a bit alienated and all over the robe she wore. She tried again.

"Pardon, but can you show me to professor Snape's class?" She inquired, "Im a bit lost."

The two boys playing cards ave each other a quick glance and stared up at her in the most condescending manner.

"Having trouble finding your own homeland, snake?" The first one - a Hufflepuff - sneered. "Last time I checked, your kind were too high above the likes of us to actually lower yourself to asking for directions."

Maggie gaped, mouth ajar at this outburst. Hermione had said a little about the rivalry between houses but nothing ever hinted to such a serious dispute as this. She was about to have an outburst of her own when she was cut short by a hand on her cloaked shoulder.

Her words halted before parting from her lips and she let out the breath she had been about to use on the two ingrates in front of her. Downcast, she turned around to face the cause of the interruption.

Her eyes came up at level only to meet another Slytherin badge, with a shiny 'P' on it less than four inches away. She stared up to find a blonde boy about a head taller than her, glaring at the two older boys with seething contempt.

"Macmillan, Bartlett, 5 points off both Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw for the direct malicious intent towards a younger student!"

"You cant do that Malfoy!" The Ravenclaw raged, "there aren't any grounds for offence!"

"Who said I needed grounds? Now clear off Bartlett, before i make it 10."

The two boys tipped the cards into their bags and threw a withering glare at him before sulking off down the hall, muttering mutinously. Maggie stared after them, her hands on her hips for a moment before she turned back to the other boy.

"Do you think you could tell me where to........." Maggie trailed off.

In front of her was the hottest guy she had ever seen. He was tall and lean - probably a jock, she mused - with a swept back sheath of cornsilk hair. His nose was aristocratic and he had the fairest skin she had ever seen on a guy. He looked almost a bit dangerous, still glaring at the retreating backs of the boys, but from what she could see of his bright grey eyes, she was impressed.

She suddenly felt very stupid, standing there in the borrowed robe looking for directions from this hella hot boy.

"He seemed to remember that she was still there and glared at her now, with his incredible eyes. Maggie shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny for a moment until he spoke.

"Well.........Weren't you saying something?"

"Oh, yeah" she stammered. "Ah, could you maybe give me directions to Professor Snape's room?"

"Snape?" He questioned, looking her over again. "You in trouble?"

"No!" She said, a bit too quickly. "I have a ......tutoring session with him."

"Has hell frozen over?" He chuckled, revealing a row of shining milky teeth "No way the Snape concerns himself with the likes of lowly students."

"Yeah, no way........" She trailed off, staring at him while he laughed to himself.

He stopped abruptly and glared at her, catching her stare. She turned away quickly and blushed all the way up to her hairline. Once more, she endured his scrutiny for a moment, until he snapped his fingers and made her jump a little.

"Now I know where I've seen you before!" He triumphed. "Your the daughter of the Mariotts, right? Evian, was it?"

Let him think what he wants, she thought. "Yep, that's me."

One more alter ego to add to her arsenal.

He introduced himself as Draco. How very medieval, Maggie approved. He rambled on a bit about her supposed parents in an aloof tone without her really listening. Eventually, he gave her a few simple directions to the professors Classroom and sent her on her way.

Before she had made two steps, he called her back for a minute, and she turned reluctantly, not wanting to delay any longer. The next words out of his mouth made her freeze.

"I don't recall seeing you around the school often." It was an open ended statement.

Maggie tried to think fast but she was pulling up blanks. Not thinking, she mumbled a few words his way.

"Homeschool......mfgtrrr...... Tutoring.........travel..."

And she slipped out of the hall, with quick steps and shoulders hunched .

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Professor Snape's classroom turned out to not only be located in a dungeon, but a dreary dungeon as one could possibly hope for. The walls were dark stone and damp, the atmosphere was eerily silent and there was the distant echo of dripping water in her ears.

Not to mention, the whole hall was cold like nobody's business.

She raised a hand to knock on the heavy wooden door with, disturbingly enough, iron bars planted across the one small window cut into the solid wood. When no answer came, she knocked again and waited a few more moments. She was lifting her hand to knock a third time when the door swung open, its rusting hinges screaming in protest, to reveal a dark figure with darker robes. Black hair hung down to heavily cloaked shoulders and a few stray strands clung to their face. Whoever it was had pale, sallow skin and sunken eyes behind elegantly high cheekbones.

There was silence as the figure glared down at Maggie for a few moments until she couldn't stand it any longer.

"Excuse me madam, are you by any chance professor Snape?"

The figure jerked and then responded through gritted teeth in a voice that could cool molten glass.

"Step inside Miss Heinen. Although, frankly, I must say that your poor observation skills are even more lacking than your manners."

Maggie grimaced - how charming - and stepped across the threshold into the dimly lit room.

And he pulled the door shut behind her.
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Sorry sorry sorrysorrysorrysorry. Didn't mean to put this chapter off for so long. Feel free to stone me if the urge takes you.

I always pictured Draco Malfoy as a man bitch around Harry but a completely different person when he wasn't being overly malicious. As well as HOTTTTT! No, Maggie isn't boy crazy, and she isn't even crushing on him, but his physical presence was a bit much for her.

We have ALL met hot people and been struck dumb.

(I mentioned earlier on that she had really average looks, so that's why Draco thought she was someone else. You have no idea how often that happens to me.)

Thanks for the reviews!!