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Chapter 4

Only the beginning

With a great feeling on relief, Joad reminded herself that she was only an exchange student here at Hogwarts, and that only until her father came to rescue her, which Joad had no doubt he would do. She had sat at the Slytherin table, successfully without cracking her composure, at the first spot offered to her. Unfortunately, she was now having second thoughts about her chosen seat.

"So, New Zealand..." drawled the boy next to her. Joad looked at him, supposing she was to answer, but, with a twist and gagging feeling, she discovered she had no idea how. Immediately she wanted her armor; her back was exposed to the hall, strangers sat all around her, she was weaponless except for the vibroblade up her sleeve, and just wouldn't be enough. Maybe this was all a joke, hologram, and someone real and dangerous was lurking behind her, taking aim at her back with a very powerful gun. Her back was exposed!

Impulsively she twisted around, intending to scan the crowd, but instead found someone starring right at her. His black hair was a mess, and his vivid green eyes widened a little as they met her own brown. He seemed to have a small seizure, jerking backward, hand flying up to his forehead.

Him, she thought. He is the one who brought me here. She would "talk" with him later, in proper bounty hunter fashion. When he was alone. She turned back around.

"So?" Her eyebrows rose. What was this guy trying to say?

"How is it?" He appeared disgruntled, a corner of his mouth twitched as if he was about to sneer at the fact that he had to further explain himself.

"Oh, not all that different." Judging, of course, by the almanac she had studied in the library before school had started. She made eye contact with him, his pale grey eyes sharp and calculating. He found hers cold and dangerous.

"Draco Malfoy," he said, tossing a lock of almost-white hair from his long face and giving her his best charming smile.

"Joad Teff," she replied, trying her best to smile back, but only coming up with the tight-lipped smile that can often be confused with a stomach-ache grimace. She watched as he, with careless grace, introduced the people in the vicinity. He was obviously the ring leader of the house, the top-dog, the most dangerous and crafty of the whole lot.

Everyone had been sorted now, all the exchange students, and Joad noticed that she was the only one in Slytherin, a real pity because now she couldn't fade out of the limelight. Dumbledore stood up to address the student body one last time before dinner.

"You all must be hungry, but let me say a few last words. As a great Aunt of mine, Bibbity Bobity Boo, often said: winkle, turk, and tuck." With that, food appeared on the table and students began feasting.

"He's an old bat, and shouldn't be able to run the school," snapped Draco as he dished himself some mashed potatoes and pork and passed the bowl to her.

Cautiously scooping some food onto her plate, she shrugged. "He seemed okay to me." She wasn't sure if she was acting properly, never having eaten dinner with anyone besides her father before, but he didn't seem to notice her nervousness. She was rather proud that her hands were not shaking because he heart was beating something fierce. Social skills were not things she learned on Kamino.

"How long have you been here?" He eyed her out of the corner of his eye to find eye was doing the same to him.

"Two weeks today." That was when someone from across the table leaned over to engage her in conversation and she was saved from more questions from Draco Malfoy.

Needless to say, throughout dinner Joad watched her food like a hawk. Being surrounded by the next generations Death Eaters was not a very strategic position. When Pansy Parkenson made a long reach for the pumpkin juice instead of asking for it like any normal person, she obscured Joad's entire plate from view. After that, Joad pronounced herself done.

She watched the black-haired boy in the refection of her goblet. Every now and then he seemed to look at her, but in the skewed and blurry image on the cup she couldn't be sure without turning around (something she didn't do) and she couldn't make out his expression.


Meanwhile, at the Gryffindor table...

"Ron! Close your mouth! Your food is returning to the plate and it's not in the form it originally was! Sorry Nick, he's not usually like this."

Ron shut his mouth with a snap and glared at Hermione, who took no notice.

"You haven't even looked at her," said Ron indignantly, referring to the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

"I have, and she looks like she won't last half the year."

Harry tore his eyes off the back of the Slytherin girl from New Zealand to his friends. He was sitting next to Ron, Hermione and Nick were on the other side of the table, and Neville was on Ron's other side. "Who?"

"The DADA babe," supplied Nick helpfully.

Hermione snorted. "For goodness sakes! She's a teacher! And a while ago you were complaining about how hungry you were, and now you won't even eat!"

"Yea, but the most gorgeous teacher I've ever seen. Good thing we're taking Defense this year, eh, Harry?" He bent down closer to his plate and shoveled some food in. The only other person Harry had seen that ate like that was Dudley, and Ron was very, very opposite Dudley in build.

"You two are trying to be Aurors aren't you?" asked Neville.

"Yeah," said Harry, forcefully turning Ron's head to face Neville. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to be an Herb Medicare Wizard. At least I'm hoping to be. That way I don't have to take potions. A normal Medicare Wizard had to excel in potions, but the kind that only deals with Herbs, a special and difficult profession, doesn't! Isn't that great? Gran is really proud. Professor Sprout is having me for special lesson, private tutoring you know. What about you Hermione?"

"Oh, I don't know," said Hermione, rather too quickly to be casual, right before her face was hidden was she took a gulp of her pumpkin juice. Harry thought he was the only one who saw her blush faintly, but it could have been the light.

Ron cocked his eyebrow at Harry, who shrugged. "Okay, so what about you Nick?"

"Divination, Transfiguration, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Arithmancy. Is your Divination teacher good? I heard you had a centaur!"

"Luck you. You missed the old bat," grumbled Ron. "It's a stupid subject anyway."

"Divination isn't for everyone," Nick intoned, sounding very wise. "It's just something that has run in my family's blood for ages, ever since they sailed from Wales to America, and before that. My grandma, who was a very strong Seer, said that my father's first born son would have that power."

"You, I assume," Hermione was done taking a drink now that the questions were not directed at her.

"Yeah." He looked proud. Ron snorted and Nick shot him a scowl.

"Ron, honestly."

Harry's eyes drifted back toward the Slytherin exchange student. He didn't remember her name, but he knew she was bad news. She was the agent of Voldemort sent to the school. But he couldn't tell Ron and Hermione yet, not with Nick and Neville so close. Later he would tell them, and they would confront her.


Dinner was over and people where making their way out of the Great Hall among cries of "First years! This way! Don't get lost!" Nott pulled Draco aside as they watch Pansy lead an impassionate Joad from the Hall, telling her about the Slytherin common room.

"She's stiff," Nott whistled. "Ten galleons you can't soften her up a bit before Easter."

"Deal," smirked Draco. "But I'll have her hanging on my arm by Christmas, and you'll give me twenty."


When will Harry, Ron, and Hermione confront Joad? How badly will the Fett kick their butts? find out next time...