| + |

CLAWS OF A RAVEN
by Tyde

| + |

Chapter Three

| + |

"Where were you?"

Ron's accusing tone found it's way to the person in question. Hermione was sitting with her nose in a book (Brightening Up The Dark: Modern Defensive Methods Against the Dark Arts by Joxer Lemniac to be precise) and hadn't even looked up as Harry and Ron made their way into her carriage. She lowered the book for just a second to mutter something.

"What was that?" asked Harry.

"I said" and she looked thoroughly annoyed, "That this carriage is for prefects only. You'll have to find somewhere else". The badge on her collar glittered menacingly.

"You're joking, right? 'Mione, it's us. Ron and Harry. Your best friends" Ron ran a hand through his hair in frustration, "Well up until about ten seconds ago!"

Hermione snapped the book shut, "Honestly you two. If you hadn't goofed off so much the last four years maybe you'd have been made prefects too. As it stands the only..." but she didn't get to finish her sentence because a voice was drawling at them from the door of the compartment.

"Weasel, Potty" the cold eyes of Draco Malfoy fell on them. "This is Prefects only. Unless of course you've got one of these and you're just not wearing it?" he pointed to his lapel which to their horror also held a prefects badge. Harry scowled, Ron's mouth dropped open.

"Well if you got out of the way Malfoy, we might be able to leave" was all Harry said although he'd have gladly knocked Draco into next week. The door was slid shut behind them and Ron just looked at it in shock.

"I reckon old McGonagall's gone batty this year. That ferrety little git, a Prefect? You've got to be kidding"

"No doubt Snape campaigned for him. He's his favourite after all. Nasty as each other those two are"

They were walking down the corridor towards a non-Prefect compartment when they heard a slight cracking sound and a loud thud in the Prefect's compartment. Quick as lightening they burst in wands aloof ready to hex Malfoy for doing something shocking to Hermione. The scene that confronted them was somewhat confusing. Draco was sprawled on the floor, rubbing a spot on his head that was developing a bruise and glaring at Hermione.

"Alright Mione?"

"Fine thanks Ron. Mr Malfoy here seems to have accidentally tried to head butt my book" she held up the thick volume that she'd been engrossed in only moments earlier. "Can't imagine what possessed him. Silly thing to do rather" she smiled sweetly at the Slytherin who was positively fuming.

A menacing flick of her wand had him up on his feet and out the door quick smart. "There's another prefect compartment down the hall Draco" she called after him, "maybe you should try there instead". Ron just looked on amazed. Draco hadn't even gotten the chance to spit out a typical insulting comment like usual.

"Give her a bit of power and just look what happens" he muttered.

| + |

The Great Hall was filled as usual with the murmur of students old and new and the anticipation of the food that the house elves had spent all day preparing in the kitchens. Hermione kept looking down to make sure her prefect badge was still firmly pinned to her robes while Ron and Harry watched the sorting. Sharing a ghostly horse carriage up to Hogwarts had softened the new Prefect a little bit, to Ron and Harry's obvious relief.

Harry was always a little spellbound by the Sorting Hat's song but this year he was a little disappointed.

"Lacked a bit of punch at the end" he murmured to Ron who just nodded.

The new influx of Gryffindors looked to be a good lot and they welcomed them heartily to the table. There was much chattering around the Great Hall as the students waited for Dumbledore to do his usual start of term notices. They were all particularly intrigued for him to introduce what had to be the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor who was sitting at his right elbow.

Hermione watched her with interest. She seemed to be keeping mostly to herself and had a vague dangerous air about her. Like maybe she'd explode or something, she also looked anxious and haughty at the same time if that was possible. Just a hint of familiarity washed over the prefect when she noticed the stiff way Palgetti sat in her chair. Hermione knew she'd seen someone else sit just that same way but she couldn't remember who just now.

The bushy-haired girl was roused from her thoughts when Dumbledore clapped his hands once and stood up to announce that he wished to speak. The new professor rubbed the end of her nose nervously and seemed to be psyching herself up for something.

"Good evening and welcome. I know you are all eager to start on a hearty meal so I will not take up much of your time. A reminder that the forest is forbidden to all students. Our groundskeeper Hagrid tells me a colony of Pogrebin are visiting on holiday and begs you to leave every stone unturned. Next as you know after the unfortunate situations of last year we once again require the services of a professor for Defence Against the Dark Arts. Will you please welcome..." his speech was cut short by Professor Snape coming in through a door off to the side of the head table.

He bowed his head at Professor Dumbledore in apology and took a seat.

"I'll try that again shall I?" the Headmaster's eyes twinkled. "Will you please welcome Professor Palgetti"

A smattering of applause rang out in the Great Hall and Sorora stood up to wave quickly at the body of students. At the mention of her name Severus's head snapped towards her. His eyes narrowed at this vision of her. She swept her pinstriped cloak back behind her as she sat down. Her pinstriped trousers and vest seemed to be taunting him, announcing in an annoying way that she had arrived. A dark brown, almost black, satin shirt with her old house tie completed the outfit.

As if it wasn't bad enough that Dumbledore had once again refused to give him the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, he'd chosen her of all people to take it up. He just glared at her from the other end of the table while swigging some mulled wine from his goblet fiercely.

While the first years all had their mouths full with some delicious morsel or two Hermione reached across the table to poke Ron in the arm.

"Ow! Why'd you do that for?"

The bushy haired prefect just nodded her head in the direction of the teacher's table.

"Look at Snape. He looks positively murderous towards Professor Palgetti. Do you reckon they know each other?" It was true, the Potions master looked about ready to jump out of his seat and strangle her with the string of sausages resting on her plate.

Harry just shrugged his shoulders and munched on a mouthful of mash. "Doesn't look any different from how he looked at Professor Lupin. Maybe she saved his life or something"

"Maybe" she said quietly but she wasn't convinced. Something was going on between those two she was sure of it. They had a history.

Snape was the first to leave the head table that night. He threw a disgusted look in the direction of Professor Palgetti and disappeared behind the door he'd appeared through only a short time earlier. Sorora reluctantly cut short her discussion with Madam Sprout. The Herbology professor had noticed her small pouch of powdered comfrey root and they had been nattering on about all the different properties. The DADAs teacher excused herself from the table (Dumbledore gave a knowing look) and she headed towards the dungeons.

When she'd arrived a week before the students to settle into her quarters she'd asked one of the house elves to equate her with the location of the other professor's offices and rooms. Although Jippy was terrified of the Potions master he had still taken Sorora down around the dungeons, especially after she pointed out that he was away on business and wouldn't be back until the beginning of term.

She crept along the moss-covered cobblestones that made up the floor and ran her fingers over the damp that was slowly rising up the walls. Shivering due to the coldness, she strained her ears to listen for footsteps. He hadn't had much of a lead before she herself had left, surely he should just be in front of her? Suddenly the clunk of his boots were right behind her. An icy hand on her arm spun her around forcibly.

"What the hell do you think you're doing here?" he sneered, tiny flecks of spit flew out of his mouth. "Checking up on me? Playing at teaching? Dumbledore must be desperate if he had to dredge you up!"

His eyes flashed with anger but she wouldn't allow herself to cringe under his gaze. She took a deep breath and puffed herself up to her full height...a somewhat threatening 5 foot 9 inches, even to his 6 foot something frame.

"Okay I admit it, I'm not exactly teacher material" she bit off each word carefully, "But I couldn't resist the urge to run into you again Sev, it's been far too long. And bloody hell after a welcome like that, who wouldn't?"

They squared off in the hallway, hands on hips, thoughts of drawing their wands on each other not far from their minds. Snape looked ready to burst and Palgetti wasn't far behind.

"Don't pretend like we're friends, Sorora"

"I'm not. I wouldn't know how to, we never were friends. You never had enough time for me remember?" she screeched at him like a deranged monkey. Sorora desperately tried to contain herself but it was quickly getting out of hand.

"And with good reason too!" he spat out, their identical charcoal eyes locking with each other. "Who wants their meddling sister around messing up their life?"

"As I recall you didn't need any help in that department" she snarled right back at him.

| + |

Author's note: Colleen and Fish (the fish) - hey I remember you! So she's not all that Mary-Sueish? Phew. You know the idea for this all came about while I was walking around the house and shouting random lines and pretending I was directing them at a hog-tied Alan Rickman who would mutter back some very obscene things in that sexy voice of his. Hmmm. As for Kazakhstan – I love the way it rolls off the tongue, don't you?