Note: None of the persons are mine, exept the persons from Germany.
Whis this Fanfiction I won a prize as best Novel at a contest on a Severus Snape Page. I have to thank very much Bettina who started to translate the story for me, because my english is too bad to translate it.
So, have fun, read and please review!
Chapter One
The Announcement
Stella Maris was sitting at the Gryffindor table in the dining hall of "Feenhain" (fairy grove), the only wizarding school in Germany, staring over to the table next to her, where her boyfriend, no – she must correct herself – her ex-boyfriend Oliver was looking adoringly at this Cora Weltrin, and she did just the same. Stella saw Oliver leaning towards Cora and whispering something in her ear that made her blush.
Stella turned away, because she could not bear to see them that close. She felt tears growing in her eyes. "Do not cry" she told herself "Do not cry". She did not even recognise that the headmaster of her school Leonhard Leondrion had begun his speech.
Only when her friend Michaela nudged her, she looked up. Professor Leondrion was standing and looking around the hall with his gentle eyes. Leondrion looked just like you would picture a wizard. He wore a blue cape covered with embroidered stars as well as a pointing hat with the same pattern. This picture was completed by a long, grey beard.
"... therefore, we decided that two students will be sent to Hogwarts, the English wizarding school, for one year. And two students from Hogwarts will come to us in return". Stella only heard half of it but was very interested in what she heard now. "Who will go?" Professor Leondrion raised his voice again. "The names of the two students who will go to Hogwarts are: Kopernikus Löwenherz (Lion heart) and Stella Maris." After she had heard her name, she stared puzzled at the Professor. She would go? She was at the beginning of her last school year and asked herself how she would be able to do her exams. She started looking for English vocabulary in her mind. There weren't many! She only knew a few words from her school lessons and was wondering how she would cope with that. Also Kopernikus was in his last school year and, according to the sceptic impression on his face, he was asking himself just the same. They got the answer to their question from the headmaster.
"Both of you please come to my office in half an hour and we'll talk about details. Tomorrow morning, you are leaving with Professor Liebknecht for Beauxbarton, where you will meet the exchange students from Hogwarts. From there you will travel with the teacher of Hogwarts to Britain! Because the worldwide flea network is disabled you will travel on muggle ways." Stella was moaning inwardly. "Why the Liebknecht!" She was her divination teacher and extremely annoying, because she always was talking and never seemed to take a breath. Kopernikus was an introverted boy who never opened his mouth and spent most of his time in the library. What Kopernikus was talking less – the Liebknecht would cover! Great! This will be a lot of fun! Stella rolled her eyes and saw Oliver looking at her enquiringly. She lifted her eyebrows just an inch and tried to put an uninvolved impression on her face – She really was happy to get out of here. Then she hadn't to see him and this stupid Cora smooching around all the time. (smooching knutschen)
Half an hour later, they were sitting in Leondrion's office. Stella looked at him curiously and asked "Why were we chosen?" "Well," said the headmaster smiling at them, "both of you had best marks in your class, that's why." "And what if we don't want to go?" Stella was exited that she had been chosen, but she also wanted to know if she would have had a choice. "Well," said Leondrion, "If you really don't want to go, you can of course stay if you like, but I think you should take this chance. Wouldn't you like to go?" "Oh," Stella answered, "I think this could be very exciting!" Kopernikus nodded assumingly. They left the office after getting details on how to travel. They would have to leave at 7 o'clock in the morning and go by train from Muggle-village to Frankfurt/Main and from there to Paris, France. They would arrive at Beauxbarton the following day. After Stella had packed up a few things, she decided to go to the library and read "History of Hogwarts". She only knew that there was this boy who survived the curse of "The-one-who-must-not-be-named". She snuggled up in an armchair and began to read.
ï‚— ï‚–
Also in Hogwarts the new school year began and Dumbledore also told them that two of them would participate in the exchange programme. Hermione was skidding nervously on her chair. She imagined it great to live a year abroad. She always was interested in Germany and she had seen many pictures of this country. Maybe she would make it. "We only could choose two students and, believe me, this really wasn't easy for us!" Dumbledore explained. Harry Potter looked at his best friend. "You'd love to go, Hermione, wouldn't you?" She nodded excited still looking at her headmaster. "Let's make it not too thrilling!" Dumbledore enrolled the parchment. "We have a girl and a boy who will go." „And he didn't want to make it too thrilling", Hermione whispered to Harry. „He should just say it!" „It is Hermione Granger of Gryffindor", everyone at the Gryffindor table began to cheer and clap their hands. Hermione smiled all over her face at the headmaster „-and from Slytherin"- Dumbledore remained silent for a moment and Hermione's heart began to beat faster „oh, God"she thought „a Slytherin! Please, not Draco, please not Draco!"- „Draco Malfoy!"said Dumbledore. All Slytherins cheered, but not as loud as the Gryffindors, when they saw Malfoy's sour and venomous look at Hermione. Hermione's features slipped out of shape (?). She had turned pale. Harry put his hand on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry Hermione. "Only for two minutes Hermione was happy to go to Germany as an exchange student. „Together with Malfoy! "She would ask Dumbledore if she could resign. It just couldn't be that she would have to spend a whole school year with this horriblebloke.
Again, Dumbledore began to speak. „Please, come to my office after dinner. Tomorrow morning at 7o'clock you will travel to Beauxbarton, but on Muggle-ways. You will be accompanied by Professor Snape and in Beauxbarton Professor Snapes German colleague will take over. Hermione's face turned a bit paler. „Oh, no Snape!"she whispered flabbergasted. „I don't go, Harry, I don't go!"She looked at Harry with a definite look but Harry didn't exactly know what to say. Hermione and Malfoy alone in a foreign country? Besides, it would mean that they wouldn't see each other for a year and without Hermione, it was a lot harder to study for school lessons. He and Ron never spent too much time in the library, because Hermione explained them everything they didn't understand.
Later, Hermione, Malfoy and Snape sat in Dumbledore's office and listened to what he had to say. Hermione had her arms crossed in front of her and looked offended at her headmaster. „Miss Granger", Dumbledore tried to calm her with his voice „come and think, what chance this could be for you. You can make new experiences and find new friends"! „But not with him"! Hermione hissed „ She pointed her shivering finger at Malfoy, who stood upand looked at her as furious as she looked at him and said in a grim voice. „Hold yourself, you mud..."„Mr. Malfoy!"Dumbledore interrupted him. „You hold yourself!"Malfoy sat down, offended. „I won't allow another discussion. You leave tomorrow morning, your parents already received a note. Be in the great hall at 7 o'clock. You will travel with Professor Snape to London by the Hogwarts Express and from there by the Euro Express to France! Now go and get ready." Hermione never had seen her headmaster in such temper. She stood up with a sigh and her glance fell on Snape who looked sour as well. Obviously, he also wasn't too excited to accompany them. „Probably", Hermione thought „he feels sad to separate from his favourite student for one year. Because this would mean, he had no one to favour. One good thing about this is - never ever again Snape. But in return she would get a year with Malfoy and she asked herself, if four hours of Snape a week weren't to prefer. She left Dumbledore's office and hadn't had a glance left for Snape and Malfoy. She would have to bear this bloke long enough. But now curiosity began to rouse and she made her way to the library, for the last time in a long period, to look up a few things about Germany.
ï‚— ï‚–
Stella stood shivering in front of the main entrance of „Feenhain". It was a few minutes to seven in the morning and although it was summer, it was very refreshing here in the Black Forrest. The previous evening, her mum had brought her a few Muggle clothes to wear and Stella was so happy to wear a pair of comfortable trousers, a fashionable T-Shirt and a knitted vest. After Kopernikus and Professor Liebknecht showed up, the three of them made their way to the train station on foot.
The train was on time and Stella fell into a seat. Even she was a witch with all her heart and soul, there were a few things in the Muggle world she liked very much. She had brought her walkman along and listened to „Halt mich"(hold me) of Herbert Grönemeyer, despite her lovesickness. It always was THEIR song. She and Oliver often lied on the grass and listened to it. Tears grow in her eyes again. „Maybe,"she thought „maybe it's better this way!" Stella looked outside the window and saw the landscape flying by. She looked at Mrs. Liebknecht who was sleeping like a baby. „Thank God", Stella thought „I couldn't bear to her bubbling right now!"They rode for two hours and then had to change to the ICE in Frankfurt/Main to Paris. After what seemed half the eternity they passed the French border and slowly the landscape around them had changed. „I could live here"Stella thought. But she hadn't much time to think about it, because Mrs Liebknecht had occupied her. „My dear Stella, may I read your future out of your hand?"Stella didn't like divination very much. She didn't really believed in it, but she knew her teacher wouldn't give up till she could predict her future.
With a sigh Stella stretched out her hand and her teacher began to predict. „Oh, I see a long lifeline. And ahh... there I see a man", she pointed at a little notch in Stella's hand. Stella looked interested at her. „Will I marry him?"„No,"she replied, „this man won't play a role in your life any longer, but soon," her voice became more quiet,"soon a new man will step into your life, who will mean a lot to you some fine day. You will have to find out that the first impression can be decisive. Someday, you must give him a chance and trust him!"Stella withdrew her hand. „Nonsense", slipped off her tongue, what she regretted as soon as she saw the disappointed look at her teachers face. „Please, forgive me, but I don't really believe in such things."„And YOU want to be a witch?"Mrs Liebknecht turned away disappointed. „Well, at least one thing I could manage,"Stella thought „She's quiet again!"
Again, she put her walkman on and listened to her favourite song for the umpteenth time. „Ha, another man! I have had enough of man for now, they are all the same anyway!"she thought, while looking out the window and recognising that Paris couldn't be far away.
A short time later they arrived at Paris and were picked up by the housekeeper of Beauxbarton, an elder French man who wore one of these typical, tilted hats. He ushered them to a side street where an odd vehicle, a mixture between a car and a carriage (but without horses) waited for them. The old man made signs at them to have a seat in this „thing". Mrs Liebknecht tried to speak a few words in French but couldn't manage to say more than „Bonjour". The carriage-car started to move. It must have been under an invisibility spell, because no-one noticed this vehicle. All of a sudden it was in the air and they soared over Paris. „Wow, what a great sight!" whispered Stella when she saw the Eiffel Tower beneath her. „Fascinating, indeed", the Professor replied. Now, they were on their way; then they finally reached the French Wizarding School. The carriage car landed in front of the main entrance and the door opened. A huge woman stood there. Stella hadn't seen a half giant ever before in her life.
„Ah, my dear, I welcome you with my warrmest wishes at our wizarding school! I am Madame Maxime!"Madame Maxime offered everyone her huge hand and Stella feared that her handshake would be very strong. But Madame Maxime seemed familiar giving „normal people"a handshake and held herself back from pressing the hand to heard. „I bring you to your table 'here you met our otter guests fom 'ogwarts!"They entered the big light-floodeddining hall. It was a gorgeous room. Made completely with white marble. The curtains at the window had a gold-colour. All three were very impressed. Madam Maxime ushered them to a round table with seven chairs, among them an extra-large one which obviously was for Madame Maxime. She asked them to sit down. On the plates the names of the person - who was to sit in this place - glow in wizarding writing. Stella was to sit between a certain Hermione Granger and a Draco Malfoy. She sat down and Madame Maxime walked through the big door, probably to welcome the guests from Hogwarts. Stella looked curiously around. Also here the teachers table was on a pedestal. She saw Kopernikus looking at something and followed his dreamy gaze. The most beautiful woman she had ever seen sat at the table. Even Stella was blinded by her appearance. Also Professor Liebknecht had followed her gaze and explained to her. „This is a Half-Veela. Her Name is Fleur Delacour. She participated at the Trimagical Tournament three years ago. Now she is a teacher here!"From the other side of the room they heard voices and turned in their direction. Again Madame Maxime entered the room, behind her the two students from Hogwarts, as well as their teacher. The girl had long curled hair and didn't seemed to be very excited, but she seemed to be friendly „This must be Hermione Granger!"thought Stella. Behind her trotted a blond haired boy who seemed to have glued his hair to his head. He had a very crabby impression on his face. „Well, then, a lot of fun dear new students of Feenhain"Stella thought. But on top of all, was the man who accompanied them. Never had Stella seen such a man. He was completely dressed in black. His shoulder-long black, strands of his hair fell in his face and gave him an aura of darkness that was emphasised by the jaundiced impression on his face and his cold eyes. "Doesn't look like we would have that much fun either." Kopernikus whispered to Stella. She only nodded. The four of them reached the table and Madame Maxime introduced them to each other. „'Ere, we 'ave dee oter students, 'Ermione Granger and Draco Malfoy."Stella and Kopernikus were also introduced. „This is Professor Snape, he will accompany you to 'ogwarts!"Snape let his gaze cast over the exchange students. The boy looked like the male counterpart to Hermione Granger. You could tell by only one look at him that he was a geek „These are my favourite friends,"he thought. He looked at the girl. She was peculiar. Her long dark-brown hair hung tousled in her face, she didn't seem to care about her look. How could have Snape known that she, at this moment, really didn't care about her looks. She hadn't at all in mind to please anybody! He was looking at her thoroughly. She wore a Muggle t-shirt on which the word „witch"was printed. The lady wanted to let everyone know who and what she was.
She looked open and friendly with her blue eyes at Snape. „Aha," Snape thought sombre „she is one of those who will pick my brain, no doubt!"„Why are you starring at me like this?"he hissed at her. Stella just wanted to be kind by looking at everyone friendly. She wasn't prepared for such an attack. This man had a dark, deep voice. And because she hadn't been able to switch to English that fast she didn't understand properly what he had said. It couldn't mean anything good. Immediately her smile lapsed and she turned her gaze appalled. „Good Lord, what horrible man!"This year would be fantastic. Hopefully she wouldn't have HIM that often in lessons. After Hermione sat down on Stella's side and had aspirated a soft „Hello"; Stella felt better. Not all British people seemed to be that sombre like this two men. Before she could say anything to Hermione, Madame Maxime started to speak again. „I 'ave brought a goblet of „understanding-drink"for each of you so you can talk easily to each other."Stella saw the goblet and reached for if. The stuff didn't smell very good. „Well, well"she thought "let's get on with this!"She put the goblet to her lips and drank it up in one gulp: The stuff tasted horrible. She felt like she had just drunk a pot of „Wick Vaporup". Also Hermione shook herself. She grinned at Stella. „Tastes badly, doesn't it?" „You bet". Stella replied. It was strange. She was still talking German and Hermione English, but nevertheless they understood each other. „But the effect of this is unbelievable". At this statement Snape looked at her. She left his eyes on her. „In which grade/class are you?"Stella recognized that he was looking at her with cold eyes and lifted eyebrows. „Now in 7th grade!"She answered. „Then,"Snape leaned a bit towards her and stared at her,"you should have learned this drink by now!? Or are you in Germany so far behind?"Stella combed her long dark brown hair with her left hand nervously and put a strand of hair behind her ear. By herself, she had named him „The Bloke". This bloke could make you uncertain only by his voice. „Of course,"she replied coolly, „we talked about this drink in lessons, but unfortunately I couldn't manage to put theory into practise.""You should ask your teacher to have the students try their drinks, it always is very effective." Here he looked at Professor Liebknecht, who was talking Madame Maxime's ears off. „Should I meet Professor Trinkwälder sometime during next year, I let him know! If I can remember!" Stella snapped back. Snape recognized that her eyes had become small slits. „I am hoping to have you in my class!"he snarled with an ironic undertone.
He would have to fight out a few conflicts with her, of that he was certain. The question was, who would come to Gryffindor house and who to Slytherin? He had the strange feeling that Stella would come to his house! Stella decided not to talk to him any more. Probably, she had gained so many negative points with him that lessons won't be that much fun.
Meanwhile the table in front of them had filled with delicious french food. There were pastries, French cheese, baguettes, casseroles and many more good food. Stella and their neighbours at the table helped themselves. „Mhhhmmm,"Hermione said munching her mouth filled with food, „this is delicious!"Stella agreed with her, nodding and chewing. Suddenly she heard the voice of the blond boy to her left. He sounded snobbishly and annoyed. „Where are we sleeping tonight?"„Ah, you must be tired!?"Madame Maxime answered. „I 'ave allowed myself to put the girls in one 'oom as well as the boys!"Malfoy examined Kopernikus and snorted derisive. "The teachers 'ave their own 'ooms."
„Oh, that's nice", said Hermione, „then we can talk about each other schools a bit!"She smiled at Stella, who returned it relieved. All of a sudden „The Bloke's"voice sounded again: „So you can satisfy your immense thirst for knowledge, can you, Miss Granger?" „If I wouldn't be so inquisitive, Professor Snape"Hermione looked obstinately at him, than, I wouldn't hardly be here. She swallowed. Usually she never objected Snape but here he could hardly take points from Gryffindor. Snape raised and came very close to her. „Twen..."„We are not at Hogwarts", Hermione said in a dry voice. „Here you can't take points from me."Hermione pulledher chin obstinately upwards and stood up. She was tired anyway and didn't want to sit at one table with these horrible people any longer. She had to bear this Snape long enough.
She turned around and saw that the half-Veela had approached their table. „Hermione, I am very excited to zee you again!"Fleur embraced Hermione „I take you to your 'oom."All male persons, including this horrible Snape, had a funny dreamy expression on their face and languished at Fleur. Madame Maxime spoke again. „You will be woken up at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning. After the „Petit Déjeuner"you will continue your voyage! Bon Nuit!"
ï‚— ï‚–
Fleur guided the girls to the visitor's tract. When they were lying in their beds, Stella told Hermione everything worth knowing about „Feenhain". After she had finished she asked Hermione: „This Professor Snape, is he always that horrible?"Hermione made a grimace and answered: „Yes, always. He always takes points from us Gryffindors, because he doesn't like us. On the other hand he favours Draco! And with this idiot I am to spend the coming year. I really do hope I can manage to stay out of his way!"Meanwhile, both had become very tired, wished each other a good night and fell asleep. The next day would certainly bring many surprises.
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