Hello!  ^^  Hm…this is a Harry Potter story that my friend and I wrote (We both wrote some of the chapter).  Acacia and Kyan belong to me, and Hallie and Atena belong to my friend.  Everyone else belongs to JKR.  Oh yea!  This takes place in Harry's sixth year, and will sometimes switch back to Acacia's sixth year. So enjoy and please leave feedback!  ^^  And...uhh…excuse the Sorting Hat song, okie?  ^^;  Heh.

"C'mon Acacia!  It'll be fun!"

"But what if we get caught?"

"Have you ever gotten caught before?  Now stop being a wimp and I'll give you a boost up!"

"Alright…"

"Just…a little…higher…"

"I really don't think this is safe…"

"It'll be fine, just a little more…whoops!"

A woman awoke w/ a start.  "No…" she panted.  She glanced around the small room.

"Mama?" A small voice said to her.  "Are you alright?"  The woman smiled down at a child.

"Yes, just some memories that I want to forget are coming back."

"Why would you want to forget them?" the child asked innocently.  The woman shook her head and was about to speak before a large brown barn owl came in though the open window.  Mother and child both looked at the owl as it held out its leg impenitently, a letter with the Hogwarts crest imprinted on it.

~*~

"Man…I hope the sorting is quick this year." Ron said rubbing his stomach.

"Honestly Ron, the sorting is one of the most important ceremonies here!" Hermione said hotly.

Harry shook his head and stepped between the two. They had fought everyday during the summer and Harry was tired of it. "I wonder who our new DADA teacher this year is?"

"Anyone's better than that woman we had last year." Ron made a face.

"She was dreadful that woman." Hermione huffed. "I wish we could have Professor Lupin back." Harry and Ron nodded. Everyone filed into the great hall and took seats at their house tables. As soon as he was seated, Harry scanned the staff table. His eyes stopped on two women sitting next to Dumbledore. One of them, a tall blonde women with what looked like blue eyes, was in deep conversation with him and the other, who had long black hair, was trying to make a child sit still.


"Who do you reckon they are?" He said pointing at the two women.

"Well obviously one is the DADA teacher." Hermione said matter-of-factly. "Maybe one of the other teachers left?"

"I hope it was Snape." Ron said eagerly as he quickly inspected the rest of the teachers. He groaned when he saw Snape at the very end, looking moodier than usual. After a couple more minutes, the doors to the great hall opened and Professor McGonagall came in carrying a stool and an old hat.

"Wonder what kind of song the hat will sing this year." Hermione said. The great hall fell silent as the brim of the old hat opened and the hat began to sing.

I am the hat
I smell like a cat
Blah blah blah
Full House is the  r0x0r4g3

I will sort you thus :O
So don't make a fuss :O
Cause where you go is where you stay
Isn't Snape a slimy git?

Gryffindors suck Hufflepuffs drool :O
Ravenclaws should die, Slytherins rule :O
So what the $%@#! Lets begin :O
So I can go back to sleep :O

Everyone applauded, but they quickly stopped when they saw the Headmaster rise to his feet.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts!" Dumbledore stood and addressed the students. "There have been many changes this year, many new faces." He gestured towards the two females sitting on either side of him, and a third younger face standing beside him. "I would like you all to meet Atena Malfoy, your new DADA teacher, and Acacia Williams, your new History of Magic teacher." Dumbledore allowed the students time to reflect upon what he just told them, then continued. "Your old History of Magic teacher, Professor Binns, decided that he needed a break and left to pursue other interests. We are very fortunate indeed to have Ms. Williams with us." The witch with long hair bowed her head slightly. "We are also very lucky to have Ms. Malfoy with us, for she is very good in the dark arts and will be able to teach you to defend yourselves excellently." There was more applauding. Dumbledore couldn't help notice the students watching the young girl next to him with such quizitive looks.

"Ah yes, and my final welcome is too Miss Hallie Riddle, who has just transferred from Offenbach's School for Gifted Witches in Transylvania. We are most pleased to have her as a 6th year student here and hope that you all welcome her nicely. Now Hallie...if you'll just sit there on the stool and be sorted."

There was a flutter of whispers about at the new girls name. Riddle. None other then a relative of Tom Riddle. She had to be. Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged glances to each other. Why would Dumbledore let one of Voldemorts relatives into this school? Hallie, who had short jet black hair and blue eyes, made her way to the stool and sat upon it while Professor McGonogahl placed the sorting hat atop her head.

~*~

"Right then...." the sorting hat whispered within her ear. "Riddle...a name known widely amongst us all. You are no doubt the offspring of such a demon..."  Hallie remained silent throughout its speech. Her eyes were gazing around at the four house tables and their occupants. They stopped sharply at the Gryffindor table spotting the 16y/o vision of her father's enemy. "What could be in the soul of a boy that young that could defeat the greatest wizard of all?" She asked herself. "But then again, Father, you are quite stupid in the head sometimes...."

She then gazed back at the teachers behind her. Each of them was watching her intent to see what house she would be in. Her eyes followed them one by one, until they stopped on one certain teacher. Professor Snape was watching her with a strange look, as if he knew her. Her eyes widened as she swallowed hard. Why won't he look away? She turned back to face foreword again quickly, as the sorting hat shouted aloud: "Right then! SLYTHERIN!!!!"

The whole of the Slytherin side cheered as Hallie stood and began to make her way to the table. She sat herself between who she knew was Lucius Malfoy's youngest son, and a girl she did not know. The girl did not seem to pleased by this, but Hallie did not care. Malfoy on the other hand, seemed quite happy and attempted to sit closer to her.

"Hey there" he smirked. "I'm Malfoy.  DRACO Malfoy..."

~*~

Acacia froze as Dumbledore said the name "Riddle".  "James…" She whispered.  "I would kill her with out a second thought if it could undo what happened to you."

"Enjoying the feast?" Dumbledore asked, once he sat back down.

"Oh yes!" Acacia forced a smile.  "It's been so long since we've seen this much food!  I hope Kyan doesn't get sick from eating so much."

Dumbledore nodded.  "Times have been hard then?"

"Yes." She said curtly, not wanting to get into her home life.

"You know you didn't have to leave."

"I wanted to." Acacias posture stiffened.  "Why did you let her come here?" she whispered after a couple minutes.

"She's a witch, isn't she?  And isn't that the point of our school?"

"Her last name is Riddle."

"Indeed it is." Dumbledore turned to look at her.  "I believe everyone is worth giving a second chance."

"And I believe everyone has gotten their second chance from me.  I'm only doing this to keep Kyan safe.  At any sign of danger I will pack up and leave."  She picked up her goblet and took a drink to signal that she was done talking to him.

~*~

"Figure's she'd be in Slytherin, being You-Know-Who's relative..." Ron gave a disgusted look as Hallie sat down at the Slytherin table by Malfoy. Harry agreed with him, but couldn't understand why someone connected to Voldemort by blood would be able to attend this school. Maybe Dumbledore was losing his mind or something.


"I wonder how she's related to him..." he found himself asking aloud.


"Hopefully it's not his daughter..." Ron sneered again.


"Well MAYBE she's nothing like him. Look at her." Hermione was watching as Hallie gave Malfoy ugly purple boils all over his face. "I mean, maybe she's a bit sensible."  The other two didn't respond though Ron did give Harry the "she thinks she's right about everything" look. They really didn't have time to think about it, for Dumbledore flapped his arms and announced the feast. Dozens of dishes of food appeared before them and Harry couldn't help but grab as much as he could.

~*~

"Kyan! Kyan please sit still!" The woman begged the child. "Can't you show mommy what a big boy you are?" The little boy finally settled down.

"What a beautiful child." Professor Sprout whispered to her. Acacia smiled and gazed lovingly at her black-haired, blue-eyed, two-year-old son. 

"He looks just like his father." Acacia said as she messed with his hair.  "Gets into trouble just like him too."  She started to cut his food into smaller pieces.  "Do you want some pumpkin juice?"  He nodded and Acacia reached for the juice.  When her hand was a couple inches from the pitcher, she saw a familiar face looking at her.

~*~

Ron excitedly began to fill his plate up with anything he could get his hands on. Hermione took tiny portions of the food that was around her, and Harry decided to start with a chicken potpie


 "Professor Williams looks familiar." Hermione said after a couple minutes.


 "Weawwy?" Ron said though a mouthful of potatoes.


Hermione gave him a disgusted look before continuing. "I can't place it, but she reminds me of someone."

 "Look at Draco." Harry said, completely ignoring the other two. "All smug because he thinks he can get away with everything now that one of his relatives is working here."


"And she'll probably HATE us!" Ron sneered at anything with the name Malfoy in the title.


"Don't let him get to you this year." Hermione said.


 "Easy for you to say." Ron growled. "Right Harry?" Ron nudged his best friend. "Harry?"


"Err…Yea." Harry said in a dazed voice.  He had been staring at their new History of Magic teacher and Hermione was right – she did look familiar.

~*~

Harry walked down to the great hall with Ron and Hermione, excited about his first day as a sixth year.

"I wonder what class we have first?" Ron asked as he sat down and grabbed a piece of toast.

"I hope its not potions." Harry grumbled, still ticked off that he needed potion making to become an auror.

"Uggh…Don't remind me that we still have to take that class.  More years of potions and history of magic.  Could my life get any worse?"

"Stop you're complaining Weasley." Professor McGonagall walked over to them and handed them their schedules. "Have a great year." She said briskly as she walked away to give the other students their schedules.

"DADA is first." Harry said looking down at the paper. "Then History of Magic."

"Then tomorrow we have double Potions." Ron groaned.

"If you two want to become aurors, you better do well this year." Hermione sternly said.  "Hurry up and eat or else we'll be late for class!"  Harry and Ron wolfed down some bacon before getting up and heading to their first DADA lesson.

~*~

"Sit down everyone...Sit down..." Professor Malfoy walked between the desks towards her own neatly arranged teachers desk.  She had 6th year Gryffindor's and Slytherins this period, oh joy. Her nephew, Draco, gave her what looked like a "no homework for me" thumbs up, and then hastily buried his head in his arms. The new student, Hallie, was already in her seat waiting for the lesson to start.  Everyone else took their seats and looked ahead at her.

"Well then...Due to the disappearance of your last DADA teacher, I will be the new professor this year. My name IS Professor Malfoy to you, and I will not tolerate anyone calling me Atena." She looked specifically at Malfoy who had his head down still, practically sleeping. Taking a pointer stick from her desk she walked over to Malfoys desk.  "And of course.... my number one rule...." she tapped the desk lightly, but still he did not stir. ".... PAY ATTENTION!" She whacked his desk so hard and so close he nearly jumped out of the entire classroom.

 
"JESUS  Are you trying to kill me?!" he was grabbing his chest as if his heart had burst open. He looked over at Hallie who smirked as if making fun of him, and then looked ahead to the front of the classroom.

"Looks like Malfoy is in for some hard studying" Harry whispered into Ron's ear.

"I hope she gives him detention" was the reply.

"Good. Now that I have YOUR attention, we may begin." With that she strode back over to her desk and leaned against it, facing the class. "I hope you all brought your books today."

Harry groaned with the rest of the class. Last time they used the DADA books was with Umbridge, and the class worked from nothing BUT that book. This couldn't be the same thing two years in a row! It just wouldn't be fair!  The Professor gazed out at all of them, and the evil looks she was getting. She only smiled and waited patiently as they procrastinated and took ten minutes to get their books out from their cauldrons. When books were out, and turned to the right page, she set the pointer down, and stood fully.

"Now, being as it is the beginning of your 6th year, I thought we might study on N.E.W.T. level. Today we will learn about...Dragons." Harry gazed down at the picture of a Norwegian Ridgeback on his book, and couldn't help but think of baby Norbert, who probably wasn't so small anymore. Hermione, on the otherhand, raised her hand.  "Yes, Miss Granger?"


"Sorry Professor.....but...are we seriously going to be reading out of the textbook all year? Aren't we gonna learn actually defense first hand?"  The class sat silently awaiting the answer. Apparently they were all just as anxious to know if this year was going to be another boring year in DADA. Well, perhaps besides 3rd year, when Remus Lupin had taught it. She wanted to laugh. They expected her to bore them all year? HA!


"I'm glad you asked Miss Granger....No..we will not be studying out of this book. In fact, we will very rarely use it. But for today, being as we can have no live dragons here, we must use this pathetic excuse for a book. My advice, after you're done this lesson, and the few we may have afterwards with this book, burn the stupid thing" Her eyebrows arched as if showing pity for the book. "It will get you no where."


There was practically one big sigh of relief throughout the classroom. Seamus Finnigan did a dance in his seat. Ron was practically beaming. Harry, well, Harry was just happy that Umbridge wasn't his teacher. If only Sirius could still be here. Harry shut his eyes a moment, before his emotions overwhelmed him.


"Now...give me some of the different classes of dragons."


Hermione's hand shot up like a bullet, as always. No one else seemed to want to offer their hand; afraid Hermione would probably bite them. As if offering a challenge, Hallie's hand went up as well. The entire class turned eyes upon her.


"Yes, Miss Granger" Atena smiled. She had seen Hallies hand as well, but being as Hermione's hand was up first....


"The Swedish Short Snout" and with a grin and pure satisfaction, Hermione's hand fell down.


"Good, Good, ten points for gryffindor. Anyone else?"


You could just see the hatred on Malfoy's face as Gryffindor gained points. His hand immediately shot up to give an answer. However, several others at that time raised their hands, now confident to give an answer. On the contrary, Hallies hand went down. Atena frowned a bit, but then looked around the class.


"Ah very well then..." she said looking at Draco, but then at the last minute turned to Neville Longbottom. "Mr. Longbottom, I believe you know one."


Draco practically broke the desk as his hand pounded down on it's top. Neville gazed at him wearily, too frightened at first to answer. He hadn't even raised his hand, and was now desperately trying to remember the Triwizard Tournament in 4th year. Somewhere out there in the big world, his Rememberall turned red.

 
"Uhh....ummm" he stuttered.\


"Oh come on!  He doesn't know it!" Draco shouted, but Atena ignored him. Hallie gave him a very rude look.


"No...I know it... I know...the...umm...the Hungarian Horntail!"


"Very good Mr. Longbottom. That will be ten more points to gryffindor, plus 5 more for being patient. And Draco ill take 5 points from Slytherin for your calling out."


Draco's face went pale. "WHAT?!" He nearly choked on the word.


"That's 5 more right there, now be quiet or you'll never be able to catch up from the amount ill take next."


The whole class went silent. Atena Malfoy seemed like a great teacher, but was all too fair of a teacher as well. Especially with class rules. She only smiled at them all, oblivious to their thoughts of her. Harry watched her in the silence, but then his attention flew to Hallie. Was he crazy? Or did he just see the hint of a tattoo beneath her sleeve? He didn't have much time to think, for the Professor turned his way.


"Mr. Potter. You were challenged by a Hungarian Horntail in 4th year, weren't you?"


"Uhh...Umm... yea..."


"Well then you'd have a good idea of how to defend against one, neh?"


"Well.. I...." he blushed heavily. "All I really did was call for my broom and avoid the stupid thing until I could get the egg" He was quite embarrassed and started to slide down at his desk, wishing he could hide his face.


"Ah but see, Mr. Potter. That was a defensive tactic. You see, Dragon's have a slow reaction time, and your brooms speed would have been too fast for it to keep up with you....Does anyone else know some other tactics?"


Hermione's hand yet again shot up. Was there anything Hermione didn't know? The professor glanced over at Hallie but her hand did not go up, she simply stared off into space.


"Very well then Hermione.."


"The dragon's heart is it's most vital center for healing itself, striking that area of the dragon can kill it." She beamed, proud of herself for having read the entire DADA book through the summer.

"Actually....." As all eyes turned to her, Hallie could feel Hermione's gaze particularly burning a hole through her. She obviously didn't like someone telling her she was wrong. But she was. Hallie grinned with satisfaction and continued. "just attacking the general area where the heart is at can be at fault. A dragon can still heal wounds upon its heart. You have to actually dismember the heart from the dragon and then burn it using a special fire spell...."

 
There was silence that followed. Hallie looked at Hermione with one raised eyebrow, silently laughing at her. Hermione's cheeks puffed up red, and Hallie watched as Harry and Ron took hold of both her arms before she could stand to pounce on Hallie.

 
"Yes...I'm sorry Hermione, but Hallie's answer is more correct. That's 5 points to Slytherin" You could hear Draco's barely audible cheers. Hermione was madder then she let on. She slammed her books into her bag and stormed out of the room, Harry and Ron running after her.

~*~

"Hermione! You can't expect to always be right!"


"Yea! I mean it's not the end of the world!"


Harry and Ron caught up with Hermione finally half way towards the Gryffindor common room. She was angrier then they knew and turned around stamping her foot on the ground.


"It's not right! I'm never wrong! I knew that answer I did! I don't know why I could answer well!" She was on the verge of tears.


"You just had a bad moment. It doesn't mean your stupid!" Harry was ready to just slap some sense into her. Around them, the pictures of witches and wizards began to whisper and question about Hermione's shouting. One in particular began shouting at them to keep quiet.


"Hermione maybe you need some rest." Harry suggested

.
"Or a good blow to the face." Ron added.


Hermione looked at both of them, about to cry. "You just don't understand!" and then fled from them. They both groaned and chased after her again.

~*~

Hallie looked around her as she tried to find her way to the Slytherin common room. This castle was so much bigger then her old school. But then again, her old school was a private school only for girls, and there weren't that many of them anyway.  Lost in the thoughts of her old friends, she accidentally made her way down towards the dungeons. Though the Slytherin common room WAS somewhere down here, she ended up taking to many wrong turns and found herself by a set of classrooms. Coming back to herself, she became desperate for directions and turned into the first door she saw.


The classroom was a bit sloppy due to the students desks full of acid burns and different sorts of left over bits of potions. Other then that it was decent, but very vacant. The only thing that surrounded her was desks and bottles full of different herbs and particles.  She frowned alittle, and was about to turn around when she saw a door leading to a back office. Walking up to it, she pushed it open, and entered the dingy office to find more exotic looking potions assorted carelessly on the wall. The desk in the middle was full of open books about the dark arts, and one in particular was turned to a cure for greasy hair.  She leaned over the desk to look at the moving pictures that sat in one corner. One was of a little boy holding his mothers hand by a beach. The second was a picture of the same boy, though older, maybe her age, holding another girl the same age to him.


"Strange, she thought, She kinda resembles me..".


"What are you doing in here?"


She almost let out a scream as she turned around to find the Potions teacher, Professor Snape, behind her, his arms crossed over his chest.


"Oh...it's only you..." his tone seemed to stutter a bit. "Well...Why are you in my office?"


"I....got lost.." she said, watching him nervously. Why was he looking at her like that? She felt a strange sensation in her stomach as it did a sort of flip. "Could you show me where the common room is?"


"Of course..." he said, and turned around before urge got the better of him and started to walk. Hallie followed him, the feeling in her stomach increasing with every step....

~*~

"Settle down, settle down." Professor Williams tapped her wand on her desk and the class got quiet.  "Seeing as this is my first time seeing you, I thought that we would get to know each other better.  And besides, who wants to learn on the first day of school?" She smiled.  "First, let me take attendance.  Hannah Abbot?"  A hand shot into the air.  "Susan Bones?" Up went another hand.  This went on for another couple minutes.  "Great!  I'm glad to see everyone's here." She picked up her wand and waved it towards the board.  "Up there are the class rules – I expect them to be followed.  The first rule is that no ones opinion is stupid.  If you have something to contribute or ask, by all means do.  The only way I know you're learning is if you give me feedback. The second is to bring your book everyday."  The class groaned.  "Lastly, I don't assign a lot of homework, but when I do I expect it to be done." She waited while the class absorbed all this information.  "Any questions?"  Hermione raised her hand.  "Miss Granger?"

"What will we be covering this year?"

"I was thinking of touching on the minority groups in the wizarding world.  The giants, trolls, werewolves, all that jazz.  We'll discuss where they came from, why they were discriminated against, what the wizards did to them, and where they stand now."  The class was silent.  "Any other questions?" Nobody raised his or her hands.  "Great!  For your first assignment, I want you to write an essay about all the minorities that you know of.  Please make it a foot long.  If you start now, you might be able to have it done by the end of class." She went over to her desk and sat down. "Ha.  This teaching business is easier than I thought!"  Acacia smiled to herself.  Maybe it wasn't so bad coming back after all.