[AN ~ thank you, thank you, thank you.  It's nice to know that people like my story.  To those who read but don't review thanks to you to, however if you want changes made or have ideas to help move the plot of this story along fell free to let me know.  I'm always open to ideas.  However some things can not be changed, I'll let you know if your idea clashes with one of them.  I'm sorry this took so long to get out but my teachers pilled on a ton of work this week.

My reviewers:

jasmine-softly-spoken, Sev Rickman, Secretmirror180, Emily, Sara Minks ~ thank you all so much you made my day when I read I had 5 new reviews.]

Disclaimer: the characters of Anastasia Kou Cosmos and Rosaline Kou Cosmos are mine everything else belongs to J. K. Rowling.

[     ]- authors notes

"    "- talking

Chapter 3-The First DADA Lesson

            The Great Hall fell into silence as a young woman with silver hair made her way between the tables towards the staff table.  Once there she sat down in her seat next to Professor Snape.  She looked around at all the students who were still quiet before raising an eyebrow in amusement and turning towards Professor Dumbledore.

            "Tell me Albus are they always this quiet or is it just me?"  She spoke loud enough so that her voice carried throughout the entire hall.

            Albus chuckled as he turned to face his students and said, "Dig in."  He then sat back down in his chair.  Slowly the students turned their attention from the staff table to their dinners and talking resumed again.  Mostly the talk was of the new professor and was used to inform those who had no idea of who she was, of her importance in the magical world.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "So your telling me that she's a princess Ron," Harry said to his best friend as he ate his dinner.

            "That's exactly what I'm saying," Ron told his friend as he ate his own dinner.  Suddenly a thought hit him.  "Whoa Harry that means that your parents were friends with royalty."  Ron looked at Harry in awe.

            "So are yours Ron or haven't you figured it out yet that Anastasia Cosmos has got to be her sister.  How is your mother friends with Anastasia anyway?" Hermonie asked as she looked at the Weasley family.

"You know how Bill is a curse-breaker for Gringotts right," George asked as he looked at Harry and Hermonie.  At their nods he continued.  "While Bill wasn't always so good at breaking curses.  In fact in his first year at Hogwarts he almost failed DADA.  Ana was in her 6th year at the time and she came across Bill crying over that fact in one of the back hallways of the school.  When he told her what was wrong she and her sister gave him help and tutored him in what he was learning.  Even after they left Hogwarts they still helped him in his studies.  In return he passed on his knowledge to others who were having difficulties in DADA," George ended.

            "Bill was at Hogwarts at the same time as my parents?" Harry asked in a daze as he turned towards the Weasley family.

            "Only for their last two years, Harry," Fred answered him before he began to eat again.

            "If you ask him I'm sure Bill will tell you about them Harry," Ginny said as she looked over at Harry.

            "Thanks Ginny, I think I will," Harry replied sending a smile towards her.  They finished their meal in relative silence, with the occasional discussions on Qudditch and what they thought classes would be like this year.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            At the staff table, sitting between Professors Snape and Sprout, Rose watched the students in the Great Hall with amusement.

            "I suppose that if I hadn't of run into you in Diagon Alley I would have found out you were teaching Defense with the rest of the students, since Albus did not see fit to inform me of that fact," Snape said as he began to eat his meal.

            "Now Severus, don't be mad at him.  I asked him not to tell any of the staff.  If you had been paying attention, you would have noticed that it wasn't only the students who were surprised, but the rest of the staff as well," Rose said as she looked at Severus.  "So Sev, what have you been up to lately?  Have you created any new potions which can be used for mayhem or have you started to walk the path of the straight and narrow?"  Rose smirked at Severus.  Professor Sprout began chuckling, while Snape sent a glare towards Rose.

            "If you must know, I have been working on a way to make the Wolfsbane potion more effective as well as improve it's taste," Snape said with a sigh knowing Rose was being her annoying self again.

            "I trust you are using Remus to test them," Rose as she looked around the Great Hall before turning towards Severus.

            "Of course, who else do I know that is a werewolf," Snape said as he rolled his eyes at Rose.

            "Don't get smart with me Sev.  I still know all the charms I used while I was here.  I'm sure it would please your students immensely to see you walking around completely pink," Rose said with a twinkle of mischief visible in her eyes.

            "You wouldn't," Snape said turning to look Rose in the eye.

            "Try me," Rose answered a smirk visible on her face.  The noise level in the hall began to drop as the students in the hall began to made their way up to their rooms.  After all the students had left the hall the teachers began to make their way to their rooms as well.  Before Severus could leave the hall Rose called out to him to stop.  When she had caught up with him she told him, "Sev, don't use the salt at breakfast tomorrow."  She then walked out of the hall towards her rooms, leaving behind one confused Professor Severus Snape.  Pondering what Rose could possibly mean by that comment, Severus headed first to the Slytherin dorms to check on his students, and then to his rooms.  He fell asleep wondering just what Rose was up to.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Breakfast the next morning was a dull affair.  Remembering what Rose had said the night before, Severus ignored the salt on the table.  The first indication of what Rose had done became evident when Minerva McGonagall gave a small shriek.  Turing towards her Severus felt his mouth drop open in shock.  Prim and proper, "Griffindor" Minerva, was currently sporting green and silver striped skin.  Severus tore his gaze from Minerva to look at the students in the hall.  All of them were in similar states.  The Hufflepuff's wore stripes in Ravenclaw blue and bronze.  The Ravenclaw's wore stripes in Hufflepuff yellow and black.  The worst by far would have to be his Slytherin's.  Wearing stripes of Griffindor red and gold, they looked ready to kill someone.  Turning towards the Griffindor table, he saw all of them in a similar state as Minerva.  Wearing the Slytherin colours in stripes of green and silver, each one was looking around for the one who had pulled the prank. [AN ~ I'm not sure if these are the correct colours for each house.  If anyone knows could you please let me know, thanks.]

            Severus became vaguely aware of Rose patting him on the arm.  She kept mumbling to him, "There, there Sev.  The potion only lasts for a day, by breakfast tomorrow they'll all be back to normal."  Before Snape could reply, Minerva had gotten over the shock of being green and stood up.  "Weasley," she shouted as she walked over to the two green twins.  "What have you two done now?" she screamed at them.  Deciding to save the mischievous twins, Rose stood up and walked over to the glowering Minerva.

            "Do you always make it a practice to accuse those who are innocent professor?" Rose asked as she stood beside McGonagall with her arms crossed, staring at the professor.  "This the second time I've seen you do so.  Frankly I thought the first time was a fluke.  At the time you didn't know about the reputation of my sister and myself.  To automatically assume the worst about someone and to accuse them without any proof, how can you consider yourself to be just professor?"  The entire hall was watching the drama being played out in the middle of the Great Hall.  Minerva looked at Rose in shock as the clues Rose had given her slowly added up in her head.

            "You did this?" Minerva asked as she glared at Rose.  When Rose nodded she asked, "Why?"

            "To teach a lesson in equality to the students and staff of this school, professor.  In the three years we attended Hogwarts my sister and I broke down the barriers between the houses.  To find out now, 17 years later, that those walls and barriers have been restored.  That the prejudice that existed then has returned, makes me wonder if anyone even learned anything from the experience.  I'm not saying that loyalty towards your house is a crime, I'm saying the opposite really.  Keep your loyalty to your house but don't exclude others just because of some prejudiced idea.  Each and everyone of you are equals, it matters not if you come a pureblooded family that stretches for generations, or if you are the first in your family with the ability to use magic and descend from a long line of muggles, not one of you is more important or more powerful than the other.  If we are to survive in the years to come and the battles with Voldemort (most of the student body flinches at the name) we must stand united behind one goal, and one purpose.  Anything that I need to do to get that point across to the students and staff of this school, I will do.  Albus has already given me free reign in my classes and I intend to use it to show each and every one of these students how to survive in the upcoming war, be they 1st year student or 7th year graduate."  The entire hall looked at Rose in shock after her speech.  However Minerva was not going to let this drop.

            "If you did this to encourage equality, why wasn't Snape affected?" Minerva asked Rose.  As she finished her question all eyes turned towards the potions master, and saw that yes he was not affected.

            "I may encourage equality, but I'm not stupid," Rose said as she stared at her old transfiguration teacher.  "I don't alienate allies, even if the original alliance was made years ago.  I also need Severus' help with a potion I am working on.  I'm not about to get him mad at me, so I warned him last night not to use the salt at breakfast this morning.  Mixed within the salt was a simple potion whose affects will wear off before breakfast tomorrow.  Now professor if you'll excuse me I have a class to prepare for, and I believe that you do as well."  Rose walked past McGonagall and out of the Great Hall.  Minerva turned towards Dumbledore and was about speak when he held up a hand to indicate she should be quiet.

            "I believe that our young DADA teacher has given us all something to think about.  I remember what Hogwarts was like at the end of term 17 years ago.  The graduates from all four houses regardless of who they where and what house they belonged to worked together to pull a very sophisticated series of pranks on the rest of the school.  Though the day was filled with mayhem, it is not the pranks that where pulled that I remember the most, it was the fact that all the houses were working together in harmony towards a single goal.  That goal may well have been to drive everyone else insane, but it was still a goal.  I did give Rose the freedom to use whatever means necessary to get her point across, no matter what it was.  Rose never does anything without having first considered all the consequences of her actions.  A result I suspect from having to take over the rule of a country at to young an age.  Now if Rose says the potion will wear off in a day, the potion will wear off in a day.  In the meanwhile you shall all attend your classes as you are.  As classes begin in 5 minutes I suggest that you all head off to your first period classes." Dumbledore stated before standing and leaving the Great Hall.  He was covered in stripes made in every colour of the 4 houses.  The students of Hogwarts were confused and excited as they headed off to their first classes of the day.  As they walked, each student was wondering about the same thing, 'What will she have in store for us next.'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            After double potions with the Slytherins, Harry and his friends headed off to the DADA classroom.  Each one of them was still sporting their green and silver striped skin.  When they arrived at the classroom the first thing they noticed was it was larger than usual.  The second thing they noticed was that all the 5th years from each house were in the room.  Harry and company took a seat in a section that contained the other 5th year Griffindors.

            "Does anyone know what is going on?" Harry asked as he took his seat.

            "No clue Harry," Dean answered as he looked at his fellow Griffindor.  At that moment the bell rang and Professor Kou entered the classroom.  Walking up to the front of the classroom she turned to look at her students.

            "As you have no doubt noticed you are all taking DADA together with the other houses.  Before I begin with my lessons, I would like to know who among you all would like to learn healing charms and spells this year instead of counter-curses.  If you would prefer to do this you will follow a separate lesson plan receiving your lessons from my sister when we are learning counter-curses.  If you would please raise your hand if you are interested, so I can have a number to give to my sister."  Slowly several hands raised into the air.  One by one Rose called on the students to get their names.  When she was done the list she made looked like this:

Brown, Lavender; Longbottom, Neville; Parkingson, Pansy; Zabini, Blaise; Moon, Selena; Abbot, Hannah

            "Excellent," Rose exclaimed as she looked over her list.  "Get to know these people as they will be your healers for the next three years.  Only those injuries which they do not know how to heal, or those which are life threatening should be taken to Madam Pomfery in the hospital wing.  Now, I thought that this morning I had made it quite clear that I do not like boundaries. So if you will all stand up and move to the back of the room you will be placed into your groups.  These groups are to be your family for the next three years.  You are to help each other to pass all of your classes, and defend anyone in your group who is being ridiculed by others.  If the six who are learning healing charms could sit at these benches here at the front," Rose said as she pointed to a pair of benches that sat three each.  The six healers-in-training moved to sit were they were told to.

            "Potter, Boot, Nott, and MacDougal, if each of you will take a seat at one of the four groups of desks that are left.  One person at each set please.  These are the leaders of the groups that will de created," she told the class as the four students went to their new seats.  She then turned to the leaders she had chosen.

            "As a leader it is your job to ensure that the rules I have outlined are being followed.  Now I want each of you to chose a student who is not in your house to be a part of your group, you must chose a student from all three of the other houses before you can chose another from a house you already have, this includes your own house.  Do you understand this rule?"  Rose asked them as she looked each one in the eye.  When each one of them had nodded she continued.  "Good, Boot you chose first followed by Nott, then MacDougal, then Potter.  It's your show gentlemen," Rose said as she went to sit behind her desk.

            "Hermonie," Terry Boot called out.  Hermonie went to sit beside him.

            "Turpin," Adrian Nott called out.  Lisa Turpin made her way over to where he sat.

            "Seamus," Morag MacDougal called out. Seamus made his way over to his new seat.

            "Mandy," Harry called out. Mandy Brocklehurst made her way over to where Harry sat.

            The picking continued in this way with the groups ending up a complete mix of all four houses.

Group 1

Potter, Harry ~ Leader; Brocklehurst, Mandy; Finch-Fletchley, Justin; Malfoy, Draco; Weasley, Ronald; Longbottom, Neville ~ Healer; Zabini, Blaise ~ Healer

Group 2

Boot, Terry ~ Leader; Granger, Hermonie; Macmillian, Ernie; Bulstrode, Millicent; Moon, Selena ~ Healer; Brown, Lavender ~ Healer

Group 3

Nott, Adrian ~ Leader; Turpin, Lisa; Bones, Susan; Thomas, Dean; Goyle, Gregory; Parkinson, Pansy ~ Healer

Group 4

MacDougal, Morag ~ Leader; Finnigan, Seamus; Patil, Padma; Crabbe, Vincent; Patil, Pavarti; Abbot, Hannah ~ Healer

            "Now as the headmaster has told you my name is Rosaline Kou Cosmos.  You may call me Professor Kou, or Rose.  My sister Anastasia can be called either Professor Cosmos or Ana.  Now to test how observant you all are I have created a small test for you.  I am wearing one item which is the colour of my old Hogwarts house.  The first person to tell me what the item is, the colour, and the Hogwarts house it corresponds to, will earn for their group the right to not do one of the assignments which are your homework for tonight. I will tell you which one you do not have to do.  Your classes this year are going to be divided into three parts, counter-spells or healing charms depending on which you have chosen, physical training to get you all in shape, and self-defense lessons to ensure you can defend yourselves if you ever lose your wand.  Now for your first lesson.  Do any of you know what the Hierarchy of Magic is?" Rose asked the class.  No raised their hand.  "Fair enough, that means you know as much as the 7th years I taught last period.  Do any of you know what a hierarchy is?" Rose asked her eyes once more looking over the students of her class.  Her eyes landed on a student with their hand in the air.  "Yes, Draco."

            "A hierarchy is a listing from top to bottom of those with the most power to those with the least," Draco answered from his spot near Harry.

            "That is correct Draco.  Now if you apply that definition to magic you have those who can control vast amounts of magic, to those who can control none," Rose said as she flicked her fingers at a piece of chalk.  The chalk rose and began to write on the board "The Hierarchy of Magic" with the numbers 1 through 7 down the side of the board.  The class stared on in amazement at the piece of chalk.  The entire class jumped in shock however when Rose spoke.  "You may want to be copying this down.  You will be tested on it and the homework assignment that accompanies it."  The class scrambled to take parchment, quill, and ink from their bags and copied down what was listed on the board  "Now based on the definition I gave you, what would be on the bottom of this list.  Pansy," Rose said calling, on the Slytherin girl who jumped when she was called.

            Pansy thought about it for a second before answering, "Muggles."

            "Correct Pansy," Rose said as she smiled at the girl.  "What's next?  If you don't know take a guess," Rose told them as the piece of chalk wrote the word "Muggle" next to the number 7.  "Yes Terry," She called out to the Ravenclaw boy who raised his hand.

            "Witches and Wizards," Terry answered looking Rose straight in the eye.

            Rose nodded at Terry before she said, "They are on the list but they are not number 6."  The piece of chalk wrote "Witch/Wizard" beside number 5.  "Here's a clue for number 6," Rose told the class as she wandered around the classroom.  "Their not witches or wizards but their not muggles either.  They're in between.  Yes Harry," Rose said as she walked past him on her circuit of the room.

            "Is it a squib?" Harry asked, his uncertainty evident in his voice.

            "That is correct Harry," Rose said as she smiled at him.  The chalk wrote the word "Squib" beside number 6.  "Now the next four words are ones you more than likely have never heard before.  Yes Neville," Rose said without even turning towards him.

            "Your hair-tie, Professor," Neville answered.

            "What about it Neville," Rose asked as she turned towards him.

            "It's green, you were a Slytherin when you attended Hogwarts," Neville answered as he looked at Rose.

            "Very good Neville.  You are correct I was a Slytherin when I attended Hogwarts.  My sister Anastasia was a Griffindor.  Goes to show you how different twins can be.  You have excellent observational skills Neville."  As the eyes of every student in the class fell upon Neville, he looked down in embarrassment.  "Now," Rose continued her lesson.  "From bottom to top the last four in the hierarchy are: Sorcerer or Sorceress; an Enchanter or Enchantress; a Normal Mage; and an Elemental Mage," Rose listed as the chalk placed the names in their correct spots in the list.  "For homework I want each of you to come up with a definition for each of these.  Harry," Rose said as she looked at the boy in question.  When he had looked up from his paper she continued.  "Your group does not have to do these.  I will have the definitions for you at beginning of your next class."  When Harry nodded she continued to list the rest of their homework.  "I would also like each of you to come to class with one page of notes on the elemental mage of your choice.  Information on the mages can be found in "Ancient Prophecies and What They Mean For Us" as well as in some books found within the Hogwarts library.  None of these books can be removed from the library as this assignment is being given to every year," Rose said as the class wrote down their homework.  "Anyone who does not complete their homework will earn an essay about a DADA topic of my choice.  The essay must be 6 feet in length and you will only have 2 weeks to complete it.  Now so I have better understanding of what you all know, tell me what you have learned about in the last 4 years," Rose said as she sat on her desk.

            The rest of the class was spent reviewing what they had previously learned.  All in all as Harry left for lunch, he thought about how it was the strangest DADA lesson he'd ever had.  He was also thinking about how he was going to keep Ron and Draco from killing each other.  As he walked towards Griffindor tower to put away his books he contemplated his new responsibilities and how he would complete them.  As he walked, Harry was utterly unaware of the complications that would soon enter his life.

[AN ~ another cliffie. Opps, I seem to enjoy doing them.  Sorry again that this took so long to get out.  Chapter 4 may be awhile as I'm only about half way through writing it and then I still have to type it up.  This chapter turned out completely different from what I had originally written.  The only thing that remained the same was the prank and the hierarchy.  The entire rant that Rose has about equality was influenced by my law class.  We just finished learning about the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and how it protects us from discrimination.

The following is a complete listing of the hierarchy and there definitions:

The Hierarchy of Magic

1) Elemental Mage ~ can do the same as a normal mage but, can control one of the six elements.  The elements are: fire, water, earth, air, light, and shadow.  The royal family of Cosmos are the only known Elemental mages who can control all six.

2) Normal Mage ~ can perform even the most difficult spells with out a wand, perform all their magic with out the use of a wand

3) Enchanter/Enchantress ~ can perform medium difficulty spells without a wand

4) Sorcerer/Sorceress ~ can before the simplest spells without a wand

5) Witch/Wizard ~ can perform magic only with the use of a wand

6) Squib ~ one born to a magical family but has no magic

7) Muggle ~ one who can not use magic in any of its forms

Let me know if any part of this story is confusing to you and I will try to clarify it for you.  I have completed the prologue for Redemption of the Serpent and will try to get it typed and posted before Monday.  Till next time

Silver Tenshi]

[Edited on June 20, 2002]