Chapter Two: I am that I am.

The day had spiraled by slowly and now Asryel was bored by the way time passed, at first she had found it interesting, but now it didn't seem worth her time to pay attention. When locked up she never knew when the Sun was rising or the stars were glittering. While alone for so long she never knew reality, if anything she lived in a dream, her own made up world, from as long as she could remember. Though her younger years between the ages of four and nine where dotted with holes, holes she couldn't fill, something was missing.

Sitting on her bed Asryel had her head down cast, her eyes shut all of the other girls were sleeping, but she, she couldn't sleep for the dream that had bore it's way into her mind and burned the images in the back of her eyelids. The girl she had never seen before though she did have gold eyes, was it her? But the woman, Asryel had remembered seeing her somewhere and after some thought she pieced this woman to one of the Founders of Hogwarts, Rowena Ravenclaw and the tapestries where the house emblems. If that had been Rowena then she must've died cause the books she had read today said that she had disappeared simply after leaving her only remaining daughter behind. The man in the dream was indeed the one who had locked her into the room beneath this great castle so many years ago, how dare he tell her so many times she was sin when he forced such a small child to commit such acts.

Sighing she realized that she'd have to sleep and get her rest for tomorrow and her tutors…who ever they were. She had one true friend and that was Harry, at the thought of his green eyes looking into her own blazing ones her mind melted back to the moment they had tripped. Asryel liked him, just she wasn't sure if she like him like that. Love was always described as the deceiver in many books and here that may be the case; it wasn't love, it was the want and need of being embraced, they both wanted that. She knew something horrible had happened to Harry in his past she could tell the way his body reacted to everything he was so tense until he came around her he finally let go.

Shaking her head she pushed a strand of hair from her face and slipped under her covers and lying they're half-drifting off to sleep, not really wanting to sleep in fear of the dream again, but it was just a dream.

Opening her eyes unto the room once again, Asryel sat up and stretched yawning while seeing most of the other girls were still asleep. Though it was Saturday she was still stuck with tutoring with a few of the students to catch up in all the classes. She'd have to meet up with Dumbledor to see what she was to do first.

Taking in a deep breath of air she swung her feet over the edge of the bed and a rug greeted her feet with warmth from the sun that was blazing into the room from the open window. Getting up she snatched up the clothes she had been given as her Hogwarts attire. Slipping the shirt over her head she turned to grab her robes, then a glint of fluid gleams caught her eye and she turned full to face a mirror that was reflecting the light from behind her. Coming a few steps closer she looked with an expressionless face at her reflection; the light from behind enhanced her hair colour, painting it an even redder colour as it hung in messy ringlets, framing her oval face. The golden red of her eyes ardent with nothing to show besides the light that kindled behind them like the sun burning from the window. Her face structured so well with out a flaw save one brown freckle underneath her left eye hardly noticeable, her thin drawn out lips not curled into a smile or wrenched into a frown just drawn out and thin.

She was tall, a good inch or two taller than six foot, her waist was small and panned out into her hips then her long slender legs, exposed by her skirt. She was pale, from the lack of sunlight, but not sickly pale because she had daily strolls outside over the past week to gain sun exposure. Holding a hand up she placed her long svelte fingers on the mirrors gelid surface and looked down biting her lips. Tearing away from the mirror she walked out of the room slipping her shoes on as she walked out and down the steps that wound down to the Common Room.

As soon as she was on the landing her face played into a smile, her eyes bright and penetrating. She was greeted by many of the Gryffindors who where eager to know who she was, though she didn't tell them much, she played like she lost most of her memory when she somehow nearly drowned and was saved by Harry.

Coming away from a group of fourth years she settled down into an overstuffed crimson chair and curled up watching the fire springing in an enchanted dance of embers and flames. Minutes passed slowly and the world around her melted into a monotone hum, she licked her dry lips after several moments then got up deciding she should go and talk to the headmaster before it got too late to do so.

Slipping out the door she wandered down the halls towards the statue she knew to be the entrance to Dumbledor's office. She uttered the password which was Lemon Berry and stood on the top step as it wound up. She was surprise to be met by the sight of not only the Headmaster, but another student who had blond hair let lose in sweeping strands, when she was known to be in the room he turned to look at her and her burning eyes met his cool grayish ones.

Dumbledor stood up and greeted her, but she didn't hear what he said, she was lost in those pools of gray staring at her, only familiar, they were kind of like his, that man from so long ago. Then finally the Headmasters voice broke through the wall of her thoughts.

"…Draco will be taking you to Diagon Alley to get your school supplies since he knows the streets rather well." Moving her eyes from the boys they swept to Dumbledor a questioning look in her eyes.

"I don't have any money though."

"I've already taken care of that…" He gestured to a velvet bag bulging with the apparent contents of coins.

"…You two best be going. I've provided floo-powder to take you there." Both of the teens looked towards the fireplace then back to Dumbledor. Draco nodded and started towards the fireplace and Asryel followed they both took a handful of the light powder and one at a time threw it in and shouted 'Diagon Alley.'

Asryel was enveloped in icy flames as she felt the world around her spin causing her heart to beat faster and stronger in her veins. Tiny needles of pain bit into her skin and finally she felt herself seemly being thrown out of a sooty Fireplace and colliding with a solid object that made her yelp out in pain. After biting her lip to hold back the warm pain that now pulsed down her spine she managed to focus her still spinning vision on a pair of feet standing before her. Shaking her head she looked up to meet the face of the boy in the Headmasters office…Draco if she could remember right.

Shaking her head again to clear it of the constant ringing she managed to stand up wincing slightly as her back bit a slow twinge. Coming up to eye level with his gray eyes she glared at him as he just looked smugly at her, he had his arms crossed in a athoritive way and his lips twisted into a smirk.

"Come on now we mustn't be late." He spoke coolly and his voice made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. He turned on his heel and started stalking out of the shop they were in. She was left with no choice but to follow; Asryel walked behind him and her eyes spent the time boring into his back like two blazing flames dancing in circles. The Stupid git is about as helpful and welcoming as a deaf mean old hermit is. I bet he's some rich snob who has no life. Then suddenly she stopped dead in her tracks and as if in answer to what she was thinking Draco turned around.

"Forget something?"

"Yea, my mon..."

"You can use mine I've got plenty." She narrowed her eyes not happy with using his money she knew he was just trying to make himself the hero.

Following him into a bookshop she glanced around at the books that were stacked high above the sight of hers. Wandering off she meandered through the shelves looking at the books.

She ran her long fingers down the titles looking for books she hadn't read, she'd read so many. Suddenly Draco's voice came from behind her, but it was a mumble and Asryel couldn't hear him so she whipped around only to be shocked and filled with a momentary state of awkwardness. Her lips met his in one sweeping movement and both of them froze, in that fraction of a second something happened-

Before her eyes Asryel could see, no feel all the pain and hurt and fright held behind his act. After a moment they both jerked away and Draco regained his Smug face it only twisted into a smirk again. Now Asryel couldn't bring herself to glare at him so she turned around again looking at the books.

"Enjoy that?" he spoke coolly, but she didn't answer and he said no more.

Running her fingers over the books she was processing the titles slowly remembering key details from each of them. In her time of being locked away in the five walled room covered in books of all sorts, she had read all of them more than once. Books of stories, Quidditch, magic, potions…most any book imagined, it was like the man who left her there wanted her to learn life not from seeing the world, but from seeing the words that made it up.

Releasing a sigh, she came across one she hadn't ever read and she gave a smile. She'd done a check earlier for the title of the most up to date book she had found in her room under Hogwarts and found it dated back a bit over a thousand years ago when publishing stopped. Despite Dumbledor's insisting she shouldn't try to find who she was, the burning desire to know nagged at her so she did her own research her own ways.

Taking the book down she ran her fiery eyes down the spine of the leather bound book reading the gold letters that flashed as if beckoning her to read the words spread inside.

"Seven Blades: A Mythical Tales of the Soulless" Asryel read under her breath opening the book, the smell of paper wafting up into her nostrils as she skipped to the first page written in fluid calligraphy. She read over the first few lines and she was ushered forth into the world the words painted, bringing a myth to seeming fact.

Draco had retreated to getting all the books she needed while she was on the far side of the library, for one of the few times in his life he was afraid. When she had turned around and their lips had brushed against each others, he felt as if he was being torn into, his very soul being ripped out inspected and then thrown back into him. Though as the same time he could feel nothing from her, nothing to fear, loathe, or love…just nothing. It was hard to explain, but now he felt connected to this girl, Asryel, though every time he thought of her another name came flooding to him, but why, who was this other person?

Shaking his head he swallowed and walked over towards where she was looking at a book and put a hand on her shoulder, this time she turned slowly and looked up entranced by whatever she was reading.

"Ready?"

"Yea, oh and Sorry for that um…"

"It's okay," he turned around with the schoolbooks for her and she followed behind him her nose in the book. Why hadn't Dumbledor mentioned her last name or anything of whom she was? Shaking his head he paid for the books. Taking a few steps to the door he noticed she wasn't following just looking into the book her face pale as he could see her breath seemed to stop. Rolling his eyes he came back to her side.

"Come on." She didn't move.

"Hey! Asryel?" she still didn't answer him or even take notice of him, angered he grabbed her arm a little more rougher than he had meant to and the next thing he knew he was lying on the floor dazed to what happened. Blinking his eyes he took in gulps of air and looked up into the face of Asryel, she had her eyes narrowed then she took off out the door leaving the clerks mouth ajar from the commotion, a set of green curious eyes peering out of the back stock room.

Scrambling to his feet he took off after her, darting out into the streets. He looked left and didn't see her then right and saw her bolting between startled witches and wizards, breaking into a full sprint he ran after her and caught up to her after a short time. After yelling at her to stop he grabbed out and caught the back of hers robes stopping her with some struggle, she tried her best to hit at him to let her go then finally he had her firmly in his grasps. His hands were held tight on her arms and he faced her, his face flushed from running.

"What were you doing?" he spat out shaking her slightly, his rage fully surfacing now. She didn't answer just stared at him with pleading eyes that seemed to be alight with fire.

"What is your PROBLEM?" He forced his words on her and glared in her eyes un-swayed by her pleading looks. He could feel the eyes of many on them from people who had stopped to see what was going on.

"Well not to barge in or anything, but Mr. Malfoy, you're the Problem." A cool voice came from behind Draco and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end as he looked over his shoulder at the woman who looked almost exactly like Asryel, the same gold hair though it was tied back. The only difference was in clothes and their eyes; this woman's eyes were green, but just as wild as Asryel's.

"Who are you to say that." He snapped looking at the woman, she smirked and Draco's grip on Asryel was loosened as he was focusing himself on this mysterious woman.

"Humph, well…" she held up the book that Asryel had had in her hands earlier and she smirked even wider while flipping through the pages.

"…according to this book I am Cleopatra Seraphic the soulless child of earth, but I go by Cleo most of the time." Snapping the book shut she looked up at Draco who looked like he had nothing to say.

"And you are holding Asryelynn Solara Seraphic, so would you be so kind in letting her go." Cleo said this with utmost authority, Draco really didn't like the look in her eyes, it was like she dared him to stand up to her, so with better judgment he let Asryel go.

"Now could you two follow me." The crowd was all staring but Asryel ignored them and followed behind Draco who was on the heels of this woman named Cleo.

"Asryel, you are the seventh generation Seraphic, Born a near thousand years ago, but you see, you disappeared as a child no one knew where you were, till now that is."

"So that's who I am?" muttered Asryel under her breath her blazing eyes searching her memory, Draco looked out the window of the room off in his own world and Cleo put her hand on his shoulder.

"What's on your Mind, Mr. Malfoy?" He glared at her and opened his mouth to correct her then just let it go, pausing before he answered her question he looked at Asryel who was looking through a few books.

"It's just I had never seen Asryel before and when I met her I kept wanting to call her Cindove." Cleo smirked and sat down on the bedclothes bunched up on the end of the bed pushing a stray strand of hair from her pale face.

"Well that I can't tell you, I'm not allowed, but you will understand soon enough." Draco bit his lip not happy with this answer so he just stood up and tapped Asryel on the shoulder.

"We really should go, Dumbledor will be wondering where we are."

"I suppose your right," she got up smoothing out her robes and looked at Cleo.

"Do write me some time I'd love to know more of who I am."

"Indeed I will Asryel." With that Draco and Asryel left to finish their day in Diagon Alley.

Their last stop was at the Robes Shop where Draco sat back in a chair as he listened to Asryel rustle thought the racks of thick robes and dress robes. She was pulling out simple and plain ones and the attendant would direct her to more decorative robes as her figure suggested.

Malfoy had his thoughts on earlier that day when he had spoken to Cleo, she was rather enchanting, mysterious, like himself. Asryel she was ok…but she wasn't his kind of woman, after all she was a gryffindor, Draco wanted the one thing he couldn't have, which was Cleo, she had been a mirror image of Asryel, but still they looked different in the way they held themselves.

"…Draco…Draco…" came the far away voice of Asryel as she called his name from his daydream. He looked up to see her standing upon a raised stage, a white frock flourishing around her ankles and glittering cloth being pinned on around her, she looked at him a moment with her bright eyes and then looked down at the tailor and spoke.

"You looked like you were living in another world for a moment, my friend." She said softly looking up, Draco's stomach turned as those eyes looked upon him. Damn her for making him feel like that, he hated women that had the power to make him shiver.

With in a few moments her dress was sewn together and Draco looked upon her as she twirled around. It was a simple white with a low cut neck line that was covered in lace, an exposed back criss-crossed with lines of white, the bodice was adorn with little glass beads. She was stunning and Draco found himself seeing Cleo in it then he shook away the thought as she went into the back room to slip it off. She came out with the normal clothes and bought two pure black robes, a traveling robe, and the dress that came with a white cloak like robe. Despite the simplicity of it all it cost Draco a large amount of his purse, he would have to get more from his vault soon.

Asryel sat in the Library looking through her books one by one her potion books set aside from the others…she'd read through most of them before while trapped beneath Hogwarts, but it wouldn't hurt to read them again. Finishing the last page of her Herbology book she could see a very distinctive shadow come over her, but she did not look up only continued to the next book.

"Miss. Seraphic…" came a silky voice sending chills up her spine, she could feel prying eyes boring into her so finally she looked up to see a tall professor standing there. His hands rest lightly on the end of the table gracefully slender as hers were. The dark robes hung on his broad shoulders flowing down his towering figure like water, no shadow; her eyes came up to his wan face where it stared down on her, his lips drawn and thin stuck in a frown it seemed. Dark eyes caught her own and moments seemed to be years like once again time didn't matter, a sense of understanding filled his eyes for a moment then it was gone and she looked down at her book again.

"…Meet me in the Potions classroom in half an hour, then I can see where you stand in the art of Potion Making." His voice was curving down to meet her ears, but she did not look up to see his determined face to make her fear him. He got all his power from fear and knowledge, but Asryel wasn't naïve she could see through that.

He stood there a moment looking down on her head that fell with golden hair, then turned on his heel and moved out of the Library, his footsteps deaf on ears, just as soon as he had come, he was gone.

Forty minutes later Asryel ran down the corridor her feet not making a sound strangely, her mind was racing with worry, I'm late, damn I'm late! turning a corner she finally came to the thick wood door that was held by iron bolts; she took a moment to gain her composure then lifted her hand and rapped on the door softly.

"Come in." the voice slid through the door and met her, she shut her eyes a moment then moved her hand to the handle and opened the door poking her head in. Her blazing eyes swept the room and came to the front where the professor sat writing something, his head bent, he didn't seem moved by her presents. Coming in she walked between the rows of tables to the front of the room and stood in front of the desk a moment silently watching him. As if sensing her gaze he looked up and parted his lips to speak then stopped as if realizing how tall she really was. This only lasted a moment and he parted his lips in a second attempt, but Asryel beat him to it.

"I'm so sorry I'm late Professor, um…"

"Snape, Professor Snape." He stood up brushing some parchment that he was hasty to hide into his draw and pushed past her. She turned around to watch him and spoke again,

"Professor…shouldn't we get started on the work."

"Indeed." he glanced over his shoulder then walked towards the side of the room where a door stood.

"Follow me Miss. Seraphic, we'll be working in here." Sighing she followed after him and through the door to be greeted by a mixture of smells. A long table was adorn with caldrons and vials all bubbling different colours and viscosity.

"Now Miss. Ser…"

"Please, call me Asryel…" she had cut him off and then that's when it hit her; how did anyone know about her last name? She didn't even know until early that day and she hadn't told anyone unless Draco did.

"How do you know my last name?" Her brow was furrowed as she got out her materials, Snape stood over her his hands behind his back watching her, his face holding nothing but a grim look, like he was death trapped here in this world of living.

"Well, that…It's business I can't discuss with you." Asryel stood and threw a dangerous glare at him, and that's when he realized she couldn't be frightened by him easily, if anything he found himself frightened of her because she seemed to know more than she let on.

"It's my name I have a right to know." She walked down the table despite his protesting look and examined all the potions while stirring a few.

She looked at the label for a potion and furrowed her brow again then looked over at the professor and back again at the cauldron, she stirred it and then frowned pulling a bag of something from her robes. Snape quickly strode forward to stop her, but he was a bit too slow and she added a pinch then smirked when Snape grabbed her arm and thrust her aside, knocking her to the floor. He ladled some out and examined it then his face went slack from his normal grim state, he didn't even look at Asryel who was now collecting herself from the floor.

She opened her mouth to speak and shoved the bag back into her robes when she was startled by his voice, deadly cold.

"How did you know what do add?" he turned and came towards her, he looked dangerous now and for some reason she was afraid of him. She could see the slight curl on the corner of his mouth when he saw her reaction, but he didn't look her in the eye just yet. Taking a few steps back to match his, she soon found herself against the wall, his face only inches from hers one of his pale hands pressed flesh against the wall at her side.

"How did you know?" he hissed and looked into her blazing eyes finally. She made to push him away, but he pushed her shoulder against the stone wall, he could hear the slight quiver in her breath, feel her quaking, she was afraid, like she was seeing a nightmare all over again. He looked into her eyes lost and drawn into them, he suddenly wanted her, wanted to be closer, wanted to be with her, wanted the warmth of her rose bud lips against his. He drew down and made to bring his lips to hers, then just before his lips reached her's she shut her eyes and whispered a single word.

"Stop…" it had been enough to shake him away from what he was doing, a sudden fear was in his eyes and Asryel looked up at him no fear left in her like she was numb. He realized that he had dropped the glass vial he had had clenched in his hand and it had shattered at their feet. He now noticed how close they really where, after a moment of silence and recollection he pushed away and turned walking to the other side of the room.

"Leave Miss. Seraphic."

"But Prof…'

"Leave!" he roared and Asryel scrambled to grab her things from the table and left with out another word.

End Chapter