Encounters

The voices drifted out of the office and could be heard by the trio as they entered the office. They clearly belonged to Sam and Dumbledore. Sam spoke first.

"Look, I realize that I need money. But I don't want your charity."

"Sam, you can't very well go back and forth between countries in your spare time."

"I don't plan to do it on a regular basis, only occasionally and decides…" she trailed off and turned. She had noticed the trio even though they made no noise and weren't even close. Not even Dumbledore had noticed them yet. She turned and then looked at Dumbledore, he nodded so Sam told them to come in.

"How was the rest of your train ride?"

"Uneventful, except you left all of us quite baffled with the flame thing." Replied Harry.

Sam looked thoughtful as if trying to figure out what it was Harry was talking about. Then when she realized she laughed and apologized saying she shouldn't have done it. Dumbledore had a happy smile on his face.

"Well, I see you've all met Sam, and vice versa." He said. Then looking at Hermione he added "And since Hermione has figured out who Sam is there is no point in not telling you the point of having her here."

Everybody stopped, processing the sentence, it took a while, confusing sentence as it was, two points, one sentence. Dumbledore, once everybody had figured out what he was talking about, continued. "You see, since Professor Snape had some trouble helping you keep people out of your mind last year… Sam is going to try this year. She is also an extra level of security. Few smart people would try to do anything to a school if a Serris was protecting it."

"And those less wise…" inquired Hermione.

Dumbledore looked at her over his half moon glasses. "They never get very far." He said seriously. He looked over at Sam who had stopped listening awhile ago and was now sitting in a chair playing with a flame. She had produced a small fire ball in her hand and was throwing it from hand to hand like a toy.

Dumbledore looked amused, "Sam."

She jumped and dropped the flame ball, as it fell to the ground she held out her hand and it stopped in mid drop. She beckoned it with a wave of her hand. It went and rested in her hand, then she continued to play with it. "Yes," she said innocently.

"If you don't mind I would rather not have my office set on fire." He joked. Sam smiled and the flame ball disappeared.

"So, what'd I miss?"

Dumbledore sighed and the look on his face suggested that the school was doomed. Sam raised her eyebrow. Then asked where she was supposed to stay. The response was that she would be staying in the Gryffindor dorms. She nodded. With that the trio led Sam down to the sorting ceremony.

They reached the end of the Sorting Hat's song and as Sam heard the last bit of it, she listened, not impressed by the Hat's musical abilities. They sat down at the Gryffindor table. Sam was introduced to the surrounding Gryffindor's who seemed to like her. What they found very interesting about her was her accent.

"Say 'I live in New York.'" Someone demanded.

"I live in New York." Repeated Sam, not seeing the big deal. "Honestly you people are the ones with accents."

"No, Americans originally came from England."

"Not all of them…" Sam paused then looked as if she was realizing something. "Oh…you're just jealous because we won the war." She stated.

This caused several people to laugh. Sam winked at her opponent who leaned back and lifted his hands in defeat.

"So what's America like?" someone asked.

"Well, it's not a huge deal, people living with other people. Not so unlike England."

Suddenly a thought hit Harry. "Hey Sam."

"Yeah?"

"I saw your dance group here, where are they now."

"In America, but I can get them, or go to them. It's not hard to keep in contact or anything."

Then the conversation at the table changed to Quiddich (N/A: sp?), Sam knew a lot about the sport, and was friends with a lot of the players on the American National team. Eventually the feast came to an end and the large group dispersed. Everyone was reasonably tired except for Sam who was still on American time. She sat in front of the fire and watched the flames, occasionally she would make shapes with the fire, but for the most part she simply sat. Harry sat on the couch and watched her; the light of the fire seemed to make her almost radiate power. The group dispersed and everyone went off to bed, except for Sam, who was sitting on a couch.

The next morning Harry came down to find Hermione standing over Sam who had fallen asleep by the fire.

"Sam get up."

"Why?"

"You'll miss breakfast."

"So?"

"Do you want me to kick you?"

At this Sam shifted slightly and looked at Hermione "Would that make you happy?"

"Not in particular."

"Well, it wouldn't make me happy, and if it makes neither of us happy, what's the point?"

With that she flopped back down and Hermione sighed, Harry chuckled to himself thinking the whole situation very funny. At that point Crookshanks who had been watching leaped on Sam's head. Sam jumped up.

"WHATWASTHATFOR!" The words were slurred into one long word.

Crookshanks looked at her and Sam sighed and said,

"Yes, mother. My god Hermione that is one naggy animal."

Sam ignored the looks and walked over to a mirror, she tapped her clothes and they became neat and clean, she ran her hand through her hair and it became straight and sleek. "Y'all ready to go?"

Hermione and Harry nodded wordlessly and Ron came into the room. They all went down to breakfast together. This, was where Sam met Draco Malfoy for the first time. From behind they heard a noise. Sam, who knew what it was, didn't turn around. The other people among them however, did turn around. Harry cursed under his breath Ron groaned.

"What's up?" Sam asked.

"Draco Malfoy."

Sam suppressed a snicker at the name. She turned around and heard someone say,

"Accio gloves."

Nothing happened, she put her hand on her hip, "Can I help you?" she asked the blonde sixth year.

"You're a serris aren't you?"

"What is everyone's strange fascination with stealing my gloves? But yes," she bowed dramatically, "I am."

Draco sneered, and Sam's look dared him to do something about it.

"Piss off Malfoy." Said Ron

"Aww, she's got body guards."

"Ah, you're one to talk walking around with those big… are they people? I can barley tell. But I wouldn't go around insulting people if I was too scared to not have people ready to protect me."

"WHY YOU LITTLE…"

He toke a step forward, and found himself two steps back from where he started. He was very confused, he took and experimental step and was two steps back. He looked at Sam who was smiling a smile filled with mischief. She winked and turned to walk away.

"WAIT! How do I get out of here?"

"It's very complicated for someone like you, but let's see if you can do it." A small group had formed and they were watching with interest.

"What?"

"You have to apologize."

"FOR WHAT?"

"Being an impossibly annoying person… so come on, let's hear it…"

Draco's eyes were a mixture of hate and fear. He mumbled something under his breath.

"What was that?" All the Gryffindors were doubling over with laughter.

Malfoy glared at them then took a deep breath and said quietly "Sorry."

"You have to say it louder than that. The bonds have to hear you…"

Malfoy looked up at her to see if she was lying, and although she was smiling madly her eyes were serious.

Louder Malfoy said, "I'm sorry." Sam nodded. Then she told him to step forward, he did so cautiously. He found himself exactly where he was supposed to be. Then in a loud huff stormed off to eat. Hermione was laughing loudly along with every other Gryffindor. Ron, Lee, and some others were close to tears. By the first class everyone in the school had heard about Sam and Malfoy's encounter. Sudden school history. Sam was approached several times that day by people begging her to teach them the trick, she politely told them that she couldn't but was glad they thought it was a cool trick.

Eventually it was time for potions. Harry, Hermione, and Ron mentally prepared themselves for facing Professor Snape. Sam, who had nothing better to do decided to go explore the castle. They made their way slowly down to the dungeons. Eventually they made it and they stepped into the classroom. Draco was standing at a cauldron and glared as they entered. The each went to a separate cauldron just as there was a bang as the door flew open and Snape stepped into the room.

In a low voice he said, "Take out your books and turn to page 125."

The period was spent with them memorizing ingredients and the way to mix them together properly to make a potion to increase the speed of growing for any living thing except humans. As the class was copying notes there was a loud crash. Neville had knocked over a cauldron.

"Ten points from Gryffindor." Snape said, "Now pick it up Longbottom."

"Ten points? For what?" Said a voice.

Snape turned around and looked into the face of Sam. It was unclear how she had gotten there.

"For causing a disruption to the class, Serris."

"He knocked over a caldron. By mistake."

Nobody had every really faced Snape like this without being eventually cast aside with threats of detention or house points. He held no such power over Sam.

"This doesn't concern you Serris."

"I think it might."

"We'll discuss this later, right now you're disrupting my class."

Then Sam nodded and disappeared, as a slight breeze swept the classroom, this was welcomed by students who had spent the class inhaling stale dungeon air.

HA! SNAPE DEFIANCE! See that was longer. And a bit better. Should I put some HermionexRon in the story? Let me know.