Chapter Two: More Than Just An Aide

"Finally." Came a voice to her side.

She turned and looked into Professor Snape's angry countenance. A shiver ran up her spine, but she controlled herself and outwardly remained calm. "My apologies, Sir. It was a rough night." She gave no more of an explanation, she merely waited for him to lead her to her office.

He looked her over suspiciously, then turned and walked down the corridor. He led her through many hallways and down many flights of stairs. She thought to herself that he was attempting to confuse her, but she memorized every passageway they used so that she would not require his help after that day. They finally stopped in front of a large wooden door. "Here it is. Now, I have a class to get to. Good day." He stalked off again as he did the night before, leaving her there by herself to ponder.

She pushed the door open with ease and looked inside. The office was filthy from years of non use. She let out a deep breath and entered the room. Checking the time, she noted that she had a while to wait before the class would begin. Cleaning a hook on the wall first, she then removed her billowing, powder blue cloak and hung it up. Then she set herself to the task of cleaning the office. After more than an hour's worth of work there came a light knock at the door. She again glanced at the time and frowned. "It's not my escort, at least not this early." She gathered herself up and opened the door.

A young man with very untidy hair stood before her. He seemed vaguely familiar, but she could not place why. "Hullo, Miss Sage. It's been a long time since I saw you. I'm Harry. Harry Potter."

She could not hide the look of utter shock on her face. It had indeed been years since she had seen him. He was in his first year back then. He had grown quite a bit since. "Mr. Potter. A pleasure to see you again. Please, come in, mon cher. My apologies that there's nowhere to sit just yet, but I'm attempting to clean this dreadful office." She smiled warmly at him, her eyes gentle and comforting.

Harry stepped into the room gingerly and closed the door behind him, then surveyed the mess. "I could help if you want.", he offered politely.

"Could you? I would greatly appreciate it."

He smiled at her and began assisting in the tidying. "Where have you been all this time?" he asked curiously.

"Beauxbatons. Headmaster Dumbledore thought I might feel more at home there." She glanced up briefly. "Be careful with that, it bites."

Harry dropped an odd looking plant as it snapped at him. "I still don't understand how you got into Slytherin," Harry stated suddenly.

Adara smiled at him and a knowing look entered her eyes. "It is quite true that I am different from most Slytherins. However, if I do not belong there, I do not belong anywhere." She was silent for a moment, then a playful look came over her. "Besides, how am I to keep an eye on Mr. Malfoy and his troupe if I am in another house?"

Harry laughed at this answer and the two continued to clean until another knock came to the door. Adara rose and opened the door to find Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. "And to what do I owe this visit?" she spoke as she smiled down at them.

"Harry, Ron and I are your escorts, Miss Sage," Hermione answered in a dignified manner.

"Really? I assume then that you are in the class?"

"Yes, we are," answered Ron with a grin.

"Very well then. Come along, Harry. I can finish this later. We wouldn't want to be late for our first class now, would we?"

The four of them left Adara's office and went to the classroom. Hermione, Ron and Harry told Adara about different things which had been happening in her absence. She listened intently, especially when they informed her that Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers never seemed to last more than a year at the school. She laughed softly at this and remarked, "Well, I have no intentions of being scared off so easily. So perhaps next year I will be the Professor, rather than the assistant." They smiled at this, their happiness apparent in their eyes.

The first class went smoothly. Adara ran around and did chores for the Professor as he taught the class their first lesson. She paused at Harry, Ron and Hermione's desk every chance she could to smile and whisper encouraging words to them.

"Miss Sage, could you run to Professor Snape's class and retrieve some dillyweed for me, please?"

"Of course, Sir." She smiled happily, gave the trio of friends a wink, and wandered out.

It did not take her long to find the room she was looking for. She had a feeling that Professor Snape would be in the dungeons, so that was where she started. Before she knew it, she had arrived in front of his classroom. She quietly knocked three times on the door and waited for a response.

"Enter!" called out a cold and annoyed voice.

Adara opened the door, smiling as brightly as she always did, and approached the desk where Snape was seated. "Professor, I've been sent here to obtain some dillyweed from you. It's for the Defense class."

Snape frowned deeply at her and said with a bitter sneer, "And I suppose you expect me to retrieve it for you?"

With tightly pursed lips, clenched teeth and a forced smile, Adara answered him. "I'm certain I can find it myself, provided you tell me where it is, Sir."

He glowered coldly at her and rose to his feet. She was almost tall enough to look him straight in the eyes. "Allow me to 'escort' you to the room where I keep my supplies, Miss Sage. We wouldn't want you to get lost in there, would we."

Adara took on a defiant stance. "Believe me, Sir, if I can find my way back to Hogwarts unaided after five years, I'm sure I can figure out how to find my way around one little room." Her voice was one of practiced calm, but the honeyed tone was laced with venom.

His eyes narrowed even more as he looked down his nose at her. "I must insist, Miss Sage." He leaned in closer and hissed in her ear. "Besides, I wouldn't want you nosing around where you don't belong."

She did not flinch or look away under his gaze. In fact, she stood her ground, back straight, and palms flat against her thighs. "Perhaps you should not have so many places that remain secret from Professors' Aides, Sir. Then there would be no reason for anyone to be 'nosing around'."

Professor Snape said no more and simply walked to his private store with Adara in tow. He looked over a few jars of things she didn't wish to remember, then handed her a small plant. "Here," he said curtly, shoving the object into her hands.

"Thank you, Sir." She continued to force her smile as she turned away and walked out.

Adara rolled her eyes the instant she was out of the room. She wondered how any Professor under Dumbledore could be so insolent and detestable. When she arrived back at the Defense Classroom she paused a moment. She could hear the lesson going on within, but something caught her off-guard.

'She's not normal. She can't be normal. I've never known a witch like her in my life. Where did she come from, and what exactly is she?'

Adara grabbed her head in her hands and closed her eyes. "Not again. Please, not this again. I don't want to see, I don't want to hear. Why can't I just be left alone?" She took a few seconds to compose herself, then entered the classroom.

"Did you retrieve the dillyweed, Miss Sage?"

"Yes, Professor Graft." Adara walked over to him, avoiding all eye contact, and handed him the plant.

"Thank you."

She moved off to the side of the room until her services were required again. After a few more errands within the room, the class ended. She stroked her temples as she prepared to leave.

A hand touched her shoulder lightly. "Are you alright?"

Adara flinched away quickly and nodded. "Yes, Sir, I'm fine. Thank you for your concern, but it is not necessary."

Professor Graft watched her carefully for a moment. "Very well, if you say so."

As Adara reached the door she heard the Professor's voice again. 'Odd. Very odd indeed. I wonder what's come over her.'

"Nothing, Sir. Do not worry over me," she whispered.

"What's that? I didn't say anything, Miss Sage."

Adara shook her head again, raised a hand to her temples and quickly walked away before any questions could be asked. She hid herself in her room and stared at her mirror. "Why me? Why now? I have known only silence for so many years, why must this start again?" She slumped to the floor with her head in her hands again puzzling over why she was being forced to suffer.

A light knock came to her door and she quickly rose to see her visitor. "Miss Sage, are you quite alright?"

"Yes, Headmaster. At least, I will be soon enough."

"Has is started again, my dear?"

Adara nodded and hesitated. Albus Dumbledore was the only one who knew anything about her. He had taken her in when she was a child and treated her like a daughter for many years. She knew she could hide nothing from him, but he wasn't as young as he used to be and she did not wish to bring sorrow to his aged heart. "It has, Sir. I am certain I can control it though, there is no need to worry."

"Well you know where my office is should you need my help again. What of the nightmares?"

She looked up into his crystalline eyes and smiled slightly. "Fewer than before, but they still haunt me on occasion."