Disclaimer: I own nothing except the character Josephine Masters (Jo) all others belong to their specific owners.

Thank-you all of you that reviewed I really appreciate it. I am glad somebody is enjoying this fic.

PJ

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Chapter 9

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Jo sat at the table quietly eating her meal trying to ignore the glare that the girl next to her was sending her way. She had figured that she would be sorted into her mother's house but she was still a bit put off by it. She wouldn't be as close to Harry and he was supposed to 'show her the ropes' about going to school. I am so screwed she thought I will just have to lay low I guess until I get the feel of things.

Harry in the mean time was thinking along the same lines. He had seen the Slytherin part of his sister and he too had thought she may be sorted into Slytherin but he had still held out some hope that she would be placed in his house. He knew she was nervous about school and how to act but he also knew that no matter what his sister could cope. Over the summer he had been amazed time and time again at his sister and her ability to adapt to new situations. She was like a chameleon changing at every turn if needed. But he found out it was a needed trait for someone who traveled to the places/realms she went. Different places required a different Josephine some were alike and others were totally different. No one ever saw the real person only those she fully trusted. It had taken a few weeks for Harry to realize that he was not one of the trusted and it had hurt but he also realized that he was doing the same thing. He started opening up more to his sister and she in turn did the same and before the first year had gone by in Glimmering Water he and his sister had become so close that they were like the Weasley twins finishing each others sentences, etc.

They had traveled to different realms learning new things and Jo showing some of the most wonderful and breathtaking scenes. He remembered standing looking down at a huge open plain where the grass was such a deep green it looked almost purple and then that night staring in awe at the millions of stars that shined overhead. They may not have seemed like big things to most but to Jo it made everything she had to learn and go through worth it. To keep the realms safe so others can safely gaze at the stars or running free across the open plain.

Harry smiled to himself thinking about how he and Jo had run across that plain one day. The freedom he felt as his paws run across the grass and the smell of the wild flowers, the feel of the wind as it rushed through his fur and Jo jumping on him, knocking him down so they wrestled across the ground mock growling at each other. He chuckled and then stopped when he saw Hermione giving him a funny look.

"What's so funny, Harry?" Ron asked

"Oh, nothing just thinking about my summer is all." Harry replied

"About that Harry why can't –" Hermione began

"I told you Hermione you will just have to accept that I won't tell you where I was this past summer. I am sorry you worried but that's too bad. It is my life and safety we are talking about not yours." Harry said

Jo's ears perked up picking up what Harry was saying with her sensitive hearing. She glanced up to see he was getting rather annoyed with his friends. Why can't they just leave it? she groaned.

"Looks like Potter is getting annoyed about something." Millicent commented, "What do you suppose that's about?" she asked no on in particular

"Humph.. about time he told that mudblood off." Pansy said in a biting tone

Jo stiffened but didn't say anything.

 "Wonder what she did the make him mad?" Blaize said looking over at Gryffindor table more and more Slytherins were looking now that the conversation seemed to be getting more heated

"But Harry we are your friends we have a right to know—" Ron began

"A right to know? To know what Ron if you were my friend you would accept my answer." Harry said in a hard voice

"But even Dumbledore didn't know where you were. Do you even know what went on this past summer everyone going crazy thinking you had been killed or captured? People scared that you had joined the ranks of You-know-who and that Skeeter woman just wouldn't stop." Ron said

"That's too bad but anybody with any brains would know that I would never join Voldemort. And had I been killed I am sure he would have let everyone know. I am sorry people let their imaginations run wild but I am not sorry for leaving and not telling anybody where I was. As far as Rita Skeeter goes maybe you should have squashed her while you had the chance." Harry finished looking at Hermione whose jaw was hanging open in shock at Harry suggesting something like that.

Jo smothered a laugh at Harry's last statement drawing a look of scorn from Pansy.

"What's so funny?" she asked

"Them," she said waving in the direction of the Trio "I guess his two friends won't take the hint that he isn't going to answer. That's my guess anyway." She added quickly because she wasn't supposed to be able to heat them from that far away.

"What do you mean?" Draco asked

Jo turned to him her breath caught seeing his eyes silver. She was momentarily stunned unable to answer.

Draco smirked "I'm Draco Malfoy" holding out his hand

Jo took it dumbfounded "Josephine Masters"

"I know" then smirked when she looked confused "Your name was announced at the sorting ceremony." Bringing her hand up to kiss her knuckles his eyes sparkling. For some reason Draco felt that he knew this girl from some place.

"Oh right" Jo said blushing

Draco lowered her hand and reluctantly let go. "Now what did you mean about Potter's friends?"

"Oh, yes well I was outside the Hall when he met them tonight and they didn't seem to want to leave him alone about where he was this past summer. They were rather put out by the fact that he won't tell them. I think they are trying again to get him to tell them and he is getting upset that they wont accept it. From what I gathered in the hall they seemed to think that just because they are friends they are supposed to know everything."

"Humph, well that's just stupid to think that." Pansy said everyone looked at her in surprise "What? I may not like Potter but I like his friends even less. If they were any kind of friends they would trust him to know what he is doing. That whole house is fickle if you ask me."

Everyone sitting close to Pansy stared at her in shock not knowing what to say, she had just voiced what most of them were thinking.

She looked around at the shocked faces for a moment then turned to Draco "I think its time you escorted us to the dungeons Draco so we can get the password you are after all a prefect this year." She said as if no one was staring at her at all.

Draco nodded and stood the rest of fifth year Slytherin stood as well to follow him out. Jo would have waited for others to go ahead of her but Draco turned to her "Since you are new to the school stay close toward the front that way you won't get lost." He said and then turned leaving the Hall.

They walked through the halls to the dungeons where Draco gave the password letting them all file in to the common room. They waited a few minutes for the rest of the house to arrive and then Prof Snape came into the common room. He gave his usual beginning of the year speech and warning then sent them all to bed requesting that the prefects stay behind for a moment.

"I know this year is going to be difficult with all the rumors about the Dark Lord and the Death Eater attacks over the holidays. Slytherin will be the house hit most because of this. We will be accused of things and called dark or evil. We must not let this effect us you are all the students I trust most with the safety of the others. I know if anything happens you will look after the others of our house." He was subtly saying that he knew none of them were in with the rank of the Dark Lord. "There will be times when I will not be available because of other obligations and I trust all of you to do what is best should something arise. Well that being said off to bed with the rest of you except Mr. Malfoy I need to talk to you for a moment. Goodnight"

The prefects mumbled goodnight and filed out of the room.

Snape watched them go and then turned to Draco who was looking at him expectantly "The new student this year, Miss Masters, I want you to make sure she feels welcome and doesn't have any problems adjusting to the new environment."

Draco nodded "Of course professor" he replied confused why Severus would ask him to do something he would be doing anyways.

Snape noticing his confused look added "She has been spending time with Potter since she arrived so I am sure he has filled her head with lies and horror stories about being in Slytherin House." He said as an explanation.

Draco smiled nodded "Don't worry professor I will make sure she feels welcome in Slytherin." Turning to leave "Hopefully Potter didn't corrupt her too badly," he added just before he closed the door to go to his room (prefects having their own rooms)

Snape gave a small snort shaking his head he left the common room.

In the mean time back in the Great Hall.

Hermione was still in shock but Ron shook his head "I can't believe you of all people would even suggest something like that. That's horrible."

"Horrible? If you say so." Harry said shrugging

Ron's eyes bugged out for a bit "What happened to you this summer Harry? This is not like you at all."

Harry glared for a moment "I grew up Ron. I am a 15-year-old boy that never got to be 15. I never got to be a child that was taken from me the night my parents were killed." Harry stated getting up leaving a stunned Ron and Hermione at the table.

Harry made his way to the tower and got ready for bed he closed the curtains and cast a silencing charm around the bed so he could talk to Jo without anybody hearing. He pulled out his mirror holding it in his hands. Seeing his reflection at first he said "Jo?"

It was a couple of moments then her face appeared in the mirror. "Hey Harry in bed already? I would figure you would be catching up with everybody."

Harry snorted "All they want to know is where I have been this past summer. They don't get that it is not just my safety but theirs as well. All they care about is that I have some sort of secret."

Jo frowned "They don't realize that they are better off not knowing where you were. Not only safer for them but you as well. If they do not know they could not be forced to tell anybody."

"I guess not."

Jo just snorted irritated and Harry smirked "What?" she asked

"Nothing" shaking his head "So how is it in Slytherin?"

"Cold" she stated

"Huh?" Harry looked confused

"Its cold in here. They live in the dungeons for heavens sake" giving him a sour look

Harry stared laughing so hard he fell on his side "Sorry" he mumbled trying to catch his breath but started laughing at the look she was giving him. Finally after a couple of minutes of him laughing and Jo ranting about it not being that funny he sat up wiping tears from his face "Sorry it is just the look on your face was too funny."

Jo smirked "I suppose."

"Well hey at least I can see your face when I talk to you on this."

Jo sobered for a moment then grinned "True, it still kind of weird talking to Spike all I get is this dis-embodied voice. Its not so bad now that we figured out that since he doesn't have a reflection the mirror can't show it to me when I talk to him."

"True but back to what we were talking about how's Slytherin besides being cold that is. Nice try at changing the subjects."

Jo rolled her eyes "I was not trying to change the subject"

"Sure. So answer the question." Harry said

Jo sighed, "Its ok so far I mean I just got here. Stupid hat why couldn't it have put me in your house at least then it would be easier to get used to things."

Harry smiled "Don't worry you will be alright. Draco is a prefect I am sure he will look after you."

"So that is the naked boy you talked to --" she chuckled

"He was not naked!!" Harry exclaimed

"Then why couldn't I meet him that day?" then laughed at Harry's sputtering "By the way is he all human?"

That stopped Harry "I think so, why?"

"I got a slight tingle from him earlier when he kissed my hand." she said shrugging

"KISSED YOUR HAND!?"

Jo cringed "Not so loud." she hissed at him

"Sorry. What do you mean kissed your hand, when?" he asked lowly he was going to have to have a talk with Draco

"In the Great Hall this evening when he introduced himself. It was while you were being interrogated by your friends." she replied, "I think he was just trying to make me feel welcome."

Harry nodded that better be all "So what kind of tingle? Are you sure it was not just him kissing your hand?"

Jo rolled her eyes "No it wasn't him kissing my hand it was the same tingle I get from Otousan."

Harry's eyes widened in disbelief. Could Draco not be all human? he never really thought about it. "I don't know he has never said anything but I suppose anything is possible."

"I guess it was a lot less of one then when I am with Otousan." She commented and then gave a yawn.

"I guess we should get to bed it is getting kind of late." Harry said trying to hide his own yawn.

Jo grinned and nodded "Okay, nite."

"Nite" he said placing the mirror under his pillow he crawled under the covers falling asleep a few minutes later

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Back in the dungeons Jo wasn't so lucky although she was tired sleep didn't seem to want to come. She kept thinking about that tingle she had gotten from Draco. It didn't really bother her but it just brought up a lot of old memories. Otousan, which meant father, was what she called him. Not that Spike wasn't great and she just loved that he was her guardian in this realm anyway, but there would always be one other that held the place of father in her heart. She didn't remember much about her birth parents, Sirius, the people that were supposed to take care of her or even Remus (although she felt an attachment to him and he was her godfather) No the one that held the place of father was a half demon or yoke (as they called themselves) from another realm.

~ Flashback ~

Not too long after Jo's eleventh birthday the powers had sent her to another realm to learn the art of fighting. She could have learned in Earth realm but the powers had wanted a specific teacher and the teacher refused to come to teach Jo so she was sent there (she had already been given the charmed necklace from Glimmering water to keep her aging like she should were she still in Earth realm)

Not long after she arrived she learned that not only were there humans here but also demons not the kind she had seen at the Hellmouth these were much larger and more powerful. She learned later that they were true demons. She also learned that many had once lived in Earth realm many centuries ago mostly in the east. These demons could look human for the most part and usually went around in their smaller form only changing into their true form when needed. Her teacher had called them youkai, which she didn't understand at first until he taught her the language. The humans in this realm were descendant of the humans the demons had taken with them and since they had come mostly from the east their main language was surprisingly earth's equivalent Japanese. The humans here didn't know much english.

About half a year after Jo arrived the village she was staying in with her teacher was attacked and most of the villagers were killed. Jo was captured along with the others. She was strong but there were just too many and she couldn't fight very well yet.

The ones that had attacked locked the prisoners in what seemed like a crypt. Even Jo couldn't get out. There were places on the roof where their captors looked though laughing and waiting until it got dark. Then creatures started coming out of the walls and such. They started eating the people Jo fought as best she could trying to protect the ones younger then her but it didn't work they overwhelmed her. Her last memory before she passed out was of a man standing in front of her dressed in red, with silver colored hair, golden eyes holding a glowing white sword.

She woke up 2 days later in a cave not knowing how she got there. The first thing she tried to do was kill the other person in the cave.

She could still remember attacking him even in her weakened state. He had been surprised to say the least.

"Feeling better I see." He said in a flat tone. "I am impressed I would have thought a weak human as yourself would be out for another couple of days." Holding her by the neck so she could hardly breathe

Jo glared at him being unable to speak she opted to growl at him instead.

He chuckled "You have heart little one but I will not harm you." When she didn't stop glaring "You may trust me I will not harm you nor let anyone harm you." Releasing her

Jo stood as best she could "I trust no one." She said and made her way over to where she had been laying. She started to put on her boots intending to leave.

"What do you think you are doing?" he asked

"Leaving" started for the mouth of the cave

"I don't think so," he said blocking her way

"Get out of my way!" she screamed at him the sound echoing through the cave she tried to push past him

His ears flattened "No" he growled

"Just let me go." She hit at him weakly with her small fists (she was only eleven)

"No" he said grabbing her by the back of her neck pulling her back to the blanket she had been laying on earlier. She jumped up trying to leave by he grabbed her again and kept doing this until she played herself out. She sat on the blanket sobbing asking him why he wouldn't let her go.

"Where would you go? Everyone in the village is –" he stopped realizing his mistake when she let out an almost inhuman howl of grief.

"I couldn't stop them. I am supposed to be able to fight only I haven't learned enough yet. They killed my teacher. Then locked us in that crypt and those things came from everywhere.(she found out later that they were ghouls) They were eating us I tried to –" she sobbed hitting the ground with her tiny fists.

The half-demon looked at her not knowing what to do thinking back to what his mother used to do when he was upset as a child. She used to hold him and hum a song; he cautiously moved over to her he reached out touching her hair. When she didn't protest he moved closer running his hand up and down her back had hummed the song he remembered. He stopped abruptly when she threw herself into his arms sobbing but he quickly recovered his arms went around her stroking her back. He continued to hum until she fell asleep and he laid her down covering her with the blanket.

Next few days went almost the same with the exception of Jo crying. She would wake up try to run away and he would stop her all the time treating her like an unrulely puppy.

"Why won't you let me leave?" she asked him once

"Where would you go?" he asked

"Home." She said

"But the village is gone" he said

"I was only there to learn my home isn't even in this realm." She told him

His eyes widened for a moment "You are the one the old one was teaching?" she nodded looking confused she had told him before her teacher had been killed "I didn't realize that you were talking about them, there are other teachers in the village." Jo nodded understanding "How would you get home?" he asked tilting his head to the side

"I don't know I was supposed to be here until I learned enough they said maybe about 2years in this realm." Shrugging

"Do they ones that sent you here check on you?" she shook her head "Do you have your own way of getting back?" another shake she had not learned that yet "So again where would you go?" he asked

"Why do you care?" she asked annoyed

His ears flattened and he growled a bit showing his fangs "I don't really I am just curious how a weak human like you thinks they will survive alone in a realm they hardly know anything about."

She jumped up at his words screaming at him her hands making fists "I am not weak!"

"Prove it." He said smirking

"Fine I will." She said stubbornly

"Fine then the only way to prove it to me then will be to stay with me and do as I say."

That had been the beginning of her staying with him and him teaching her everything he knew about fighting. She had started out calling him teacher because she couldn't pronounce his real name.

He in turn still treated her as the unrulely puppy but had called her little one. As time past he started treating her more like his own 'pup' (he was half dog demon).

About six months before she left Jo had called him Otousan by accident she thought for sure he would be mad but he just smiled softly and gave a soft growl. He had been labeled Otousan ever since and he gave her the claw marks she now sported on her right thigh marking her as his pup.

~ End Flashback ~

Jo drifted off to sleep rubbing the claw marks on her thigh. She woke up snuggled in her covers to a screechy voice trying to get her to wake up. She groaned pulling the covers over her head suppressing the urge to strangle to owner of the voice.

"Alright I am up." She said sitting up pulling the curtains aside glaring at the Pansy.

"Well sorry I just didn't want you to be late." She said in a sweet tone. "You only have about 1 ½ before breakfast."

"An hour and a half?" she almost yelled "It takes you all that long to get dressed?"

"Well of course we want to look our best." She said with a small giggle

Jo groaned flopping down on the bed pulling he covers over her head "I am so screwed" she mumbled. She could be ready in about 30 min, 45 at the most and that included her washing her waist length hair. Jo stayed there for another 10min before she got up. She was now awake no use staying in bed. She got dressed and went to the common room.

Draco was sitting on the couch reading a textbook when Jo entered he looked up smiling "Good morning."

"Morning" she said in a sour tone

"Somebody is grumpy. Didn't you sleep well?" he asked

"I slept just fine it was waking up that was the problem." She said

"Ah, not morning person." He said

"Not really but I would be better morning person if I hadn't been woken up by somebody thinking it would take me an hour and a half to get dressed." She said

Draco smirked "Sorry if you like I could talk to Pansy and-"

Jo shook her head "No that's ok I'll tell her and if she keeps it up I will just have to strangle her."

Draco chuckled "Well we have some time before breakfast I could show you around if you like."

"Um –" she was about to say she had already been shown around but looking at his eyes she ended up saying "Sure I would like that."

"Great" he said getting up gathering his book putting it in his bag he turned to her holding out his hand.

Jo looked up at him for a moment then at his hand she smiled. Taking his hand she let him help her up and then walked out of the common room together Draco still holding her hand.

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Well that's the next chapter hope you liked it. Plz r/r

PJ